Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 15 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The End

When the time came for us to part, Maria, Fuuga, and I all put our hands together.

“It was good to see both of you today. Sir Souma. Sir Fuuga,” Maria said.

Fuuga nodded. “Yeah, same here. I was able to get to know the empress. It was a valuable experience.”

“Yes, I agree. I learned how difficult it is to fight disease, and how we need the help of many people in order to do so. I never would have realized it takes a whole nation,” Maria replied, sounding impressed.

“Yeah. In my old world, there was a saying that goes, ‘The best doctors heal countries, ordinary doctors cure people, and inferior doctors treat diseases.’ I was never fond of it though...”

“Really? I think it’s a fine saying,” Maria said, giving me a blank look, but I shrugged with a wry smile.

“I understand the ordinary and inferior doctors. It’s saying that you can’t just focus on curing the disease, you have to consider the feelings of your patient. But when they say the best doctors cure countries, that’s a lesson meant to teach rulers the importance of preventing war and disease... But it’s beyond the control of any individual, right? That’s why I think there are no best doctors, in the sense of that saying.”

I looked at Maria and Fuuga.

“I think, for an individual doctor, curing people is enough. From there it’s a matter of those people banding together, providing support, and fighting disease at the national level. If we join hands, we can overcome Magic Bug Disease. Let’s fight together.”

“Yeah!”

“Yes.”

Withdrawing her hands, Maria lifted up the hem of her dress and curtsied.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me.” With that, Maria, Jeanne, Krahe, and Gunther all left together.

After watching them go, Fuuga quietly said, “She’s a strong woman... That’s the Empress, huh? Even with a great nation resting on those slender shoulders, she’s able to remain resolute, without being crushed by the weight of it. She’s got more guts than a lot of commanders.”

“Yeah... She’s amazing,” I said.

“She’s as strong as Mutsumi or any of your wives—no, maybe even stronger. This world sure is full of interesting people.”

Fuuga crossed his arms, looking genuinely amused.

Thinking back on it, there was something I wanted to ask Fuuga.

“Hey, Fuuga...”

“Hm? What?”

“Me, you, and Maria... If the three of us work together, we can change the world, and even fight back against things like disease. Don’t you think, if our nations cooperated, we could make a positive impact on the problem of the Demon Lord’s Domain too?”

At my question, Fuuga’s eyes narrowed.

“Is that not an option for you?” I asked.

Probably not, huh... Cooperation between the three nations would lead to the most peaceful outcome for the world. It might take time, but the lack of sudden change would make it harder for there to be pushback against us, or for political distortions to occur. However...

“Sorry, Souma,” Fuuga rejected me with an irreverent grin. “I don’t do words like ‘eventually’ and ‘someday.’ I want to decide for myself while in the moment. Because there’s no telling when or where those moments may come.”

Of course that would be your decision.

“Virtù...”

“Hm? What’s that?” he asked.

“No, forget I said anything... Anyway, just work with us for now.”

“Sure. I’m with you—until the disease is beaten, at least.”

With that said, Fuuga and his people left.

I thought about the word I’d said without meaning to. Virtù was a concept Machiavelli thought of in opposition to Fortuna, the goddess of fortune. In his book The Prince, it’s used in several senses—from individual initiative, to talent, to human will, and more. Machiavelli said that Fortuna was the arbiter of one-half of our actions, but she still leaves us to direct the other half by human virtù. By which he means that half of our fate can be changed by human will. Fuuga was truly a mass of virtù in the shape of a man.

After that, we went to say our goodbyes to Queen Sill before returning home to our own country.

“Hashim was glaring at Souma the entire time,” Julius said in the gondola on the way home. “Given your ability to make a conference like this happen, and to find connections between great nations, it was a natural reaction. For someone trying to lead Fuuga down the path of conquest, the fact that the Kingdom of Friedonia can coordinate actions between the countries must be a nuisance.”

“So he sees Souma as a threat then?” Liscia asked, but Julius just shrugged and sighed.

“It’s a little late to be talking about that. He’s taken in the deposed royal family of Lastania, as well as Sami Chima. He must have seen us as a threat long before now... It’s just that him seeing us as a clear enemy is troublesome.”

“You mean he might try something?”

“It’s a possibility.”

The mood grew somber. Seeing this, I clapped my hands, trying to lighten things up.

“Well, for the time being, he has no choice but to work in lockstep with us. He wants our medical techniques, and as long as he’s worried about Magic Bug Disease he won’t do anything stupid that risks angering us. He’ll be biding his time for a few years, I’ll bet.”

I gazed at the sky outside the gondola’s windows. The sun was setting in the west.

“In the meantime... We have to keep gradually building our strength. So that no matter what the situation is, our country remains unshakable.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, Fuuga and his people, who shared a border with the Dragon Knight Kingdom, were returning via an overland route.

Along the way, Hashim brought his horse up alongside Fuuga, who was riding on Durga’s back.

“The Kingdom of Friedonia is quite dangerous.”

“Yeah... Just like Yuriga said. We’d better not underestimate them,” Fuuga replied, stifling a yawn.

“They’re not only coordinating with the Republic and Archipelago Union through the Maritime Alliance, but they’ve got ties with the Empire. If we poke Souma too carelessly, we’ll take a beating from both the east and the west. I was hoping that giving them that port town would drive a wedge between the Kingdom and the Empire, but...that’s not happening.”

Hashim furrowed his brow at how casual Fuuga was about all of this.

“If you understand all that...how can you be so laid back?”

“Because they’re no threat... Sure, Maria and Souma are impressive rulers, but they have no concept of growing their countries. That stems from the fact that Maria received her country from her father, and Souma from his father-in-law. Okay, Souma annexed Amidonia, but that’s only because Queen Roroa gave it up to him. He has no will to expand his territory or take in more people beyond that. So long as we don’t touch them, we can count on neither of them attacking us.”

Fuuga lay down on Durga’s back as he continued.

“We, on the other hand, started with a small country. We can play with the big boys like the Kingdom and the Empire, but even if we lose we’ll only return to being a small country. Because we don’t have to fear that kind of loss, nor do we have a fear of change, we’re able to grow big. Sure, we have to walk alongside the Kingdom and the Empire for now, but...during that time, we’ll have to keep steadily amassing power.”

“Then you’ll continue liberating the Demon Lord’s Domain?” Mutsumi, who was on the opposite side of Durga from Hashim, asked.

Fuuga laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. We have bonds of our own to strengthen. We can integrate half of the Spirit Kingdom, and use Anne to strengthen our influence over the Orthodox Papal State. They must have a lot of light mages, so let’s have them place a percentage under our command and then send them to study medicine in the Kingdom. And...”

“You want the Mercenary State... Right?”

Hashim’s words made Fuuga laugh jovially.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! You bet. A country where might makes right is just up my alley.”

The country seemed ready to head into a period of stability, but the sparks for the time of chaos to follow were already smoldering.

◇ ◇ ◇

— In the middle of the 8th month, 1550th year, Continental Calendar —

Some time had passed since the meeting between the leaders of the three major factions. Prime Minister Hakuya and the children, Tomoe, Ichiha, and Yuriga—as well as Hilde and Brad—were in the walled city of Min, capital of the Father Island, which belonged to Fuuga’s faction now.

Min had once been the center of religious festivities, but now it was like a field hospital. Patients suffering from Magic Bug Disease were brought in, and it functioned like a front line base for treatment.

Even the building in the center of Min, a step pyramid that resembled Chichen Itza, had many of its rooms being used to house the ill. The Magic Bug Disease patients came not just from the Father Island, but the Mother Island as well. Princess Elulu had sent a letter to her father, Spirit Kingdom King Garula, and informed him that they had a treatment and would be accepting patients. As a result, Garula enthusiastically accepted the proposal that led to this development.

The old high elf supremacists on the Mother Island had resented that the young, liberal high elves were living in a state of semi-independence on the Father Island, but even they couldn’t oppose Garula’s acceptance of the offer.

Garula took advantage of the situation to unite the Mother Island, and sent patients to the Father Island along with healthy high elves who could give blood. At the same time, things were set up so that he could keep in close contact with Princess Elulu, who was the leader of the liberals and reformists; Fuuga’s commander, Shuukin; and the Kingdom of Friedonia’s representative, Hakuya. The joint front between all factions was a success.

“We’ll treat those with the lightest symptoms first! Start with the ones who don’t need blood transfusions!”

Hilde was on the scene, directing the mage doctors and dividing the patients. The more advanced their case, the longer their treatment would take, and the more blood they would need.

First they would treat the patients with mild symptoms; the ones who still had magicium in their bodies, in order to prevent any increase in the number of serious cases. This meant that the more likely someone was to die, the later they got treatment... They were choosing who lived and died.

“This is...kind of hard to watch,” Yuriga said.

“Yeah...” Tomoe agreed.

Tomoe and Yuriga, who were in charge of disinfecting laundry, carrying baggage, and looking after Hilde and Brad’s daughter Ludia, had difficult expressions on their faces. Because there was a shortage of hands at the moment, even noncombatants like them had been asked to help.

“There are all these people, suffering in front of us, but we can’t do anything for them...”

Tomoe nodded. “Yeah. But I think the doctors have it worse than anyone.”

“True... It must be frustrating. They don’t have anywhere near enough staff to handle this caseload.”

“Mr. Hakuya was saying that Big Brother will do something, though.”

As if willed into existence, someone could be heard shouting off in the distance.

“It’s a boat! The boats are heeeere!” they said.

“Look how many of them there are! They’re flying the flag of the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago!”

““Huh?! They’re here!””

The girls looked at one another, then rushed to a certain house in the residential area.

In that house, Hakuya, Ichiha, a fully recovered Shuukin, and Elulu were sitting around a map on a table, checking carefully that there weren’t any places there might be insect monsters they missed exterminating.

““Mr. Hakuya! The boats are here!”” the girls said in unison as they rushed inside, and the other four all turned to look at them at once.

“Oh! They’ve arrived?” Hakuya replied.

“They made it! It’s the reinforcements we’ve been waiting for!” Shuukin said.

Hakuya and Shuukin both rose instinctually, and Elulu and Ichiha followed suit.

“Let’s hurry to the shore, Lord Shuukin! I’ll gather the men,” Elulu suggested.

“We’ll go too,” Ichiha said.

With that, they all headed to the beach that was near Min.

The Father Island had no port where so many ships could dock, so they would have to drop anchor near the coast, then send boats ashore. When they reached the beach, the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago fleet had already started unloading.

There was also a load of people who must have been light mages disembarking from the ships. There had to be dozens of them. These were probably the light mages rounded up by the Empire and the Republic.

In the middle of all those people, there was a man in silver armor who stood apart from all the rest.

“Whew... I just can’t get used to ships,” the man grumbled.

When they saw him, Shuukin and Yuriga’s eyes widened.

“That’s...Lord Fuuga?!”

“Huh? Brother?!”

As they both rushed over, Fuuga noticed them too.

“Shuukin!” Fuuga shouted, waving, and then they exchanged a firm handshake. “You look well! You had me worried!”

“I apologize for the trouble! Thanks to you, I was able to survive!”

“Damn right you did. Can’t have my right-hand man going down to a disease, of all things.”

As the master and servant were enjoying their reunion, Yuriga came forward.

“It’s been a while, brother.”

“Hey, Yuriga! Have you been okay too? We haven’t met in person in a long while... You’ve grown up a bit, huh?”

“H-Have I?” Yuriga shyly looked at her own body.

Hakuya walked over to join the three of them.

“Welcome, Sir Fuuga. I am Hakuya Kwonmin.”

“Hey, you must be Souma’s Black-robed Prime Minister. Nice to meet you.”

They shook hands, and then Fuuga looked at Tomoe and Ichiha who were behind Hakuya.

“And I haven’t seen Little Miss Tomoe or Ichiha since they were in the Union of Eastern Nations. I hear about you two all the time in Yuriga’s letters, you know. Thanks for always looking out for her.”

“Stop it, brother!” Yuriga protested, her face bright red. She was embarrassed that he’d let them know she was writing about how well they got along in her letters.

They both grinned at her reaction.

“Yes! We’re always great friends with Yuriga,” Tomoe said.

“She’s a hard worker, and a good person at heart,” Ichiha agreed.

Now Yuriga looked as red as a boiled octopus.

After that moment of harmony was over, Hakuya asked Fuuga, “What brings you here, Sir Fuuga? I hadn’t heard you would be coming.”

“I wanted to see the scene myself, and to encourage the troops. Durga doesn’t like the sea, so I left my partner behind and had Souma help me hitch a ride on one of the Archipelago’s ships. Mutsumi and Hashim weren’t happy about it though.”

Of course they weren’t, Hakuya thought.

As far as he could see, Fuuga hadn’t brought any companions with him. No matter how confident they were in his strength, his wife and retainers must have been beside themselves with worry when he decided to ride on a foreign ship, alone.

Shuukin looked exasperated. “I don’t know what to do with you...”

“Don’t be so stiff. I wanted to see you healthy, you know?” Fuuga said, throwing his arm around Shuukin’s shoulders with a smile. “Man, it’s a good thing you got better.”

“Yeah. I have the Kingdom of Friedonia’s doctors to thank for that.”

“Oh, yeah? I’ll have to say thanks to Souma’s doctors then.”

“Yes. They saved our lives. I couldn’t possibly show enough gratitude.”

Seeing Shuukin smile like this reminded Fuuga of what Hashim said before he set out.

“The real harm in this incident is that when we face the Kingdom of Friedonia in the future, we can no longer place Sir Shuukin in any key position.”

Fuuga had furrowed his brow dubiously. “I don’t plan on fighting Souma anytime soon, but... Okay, let’s hear what you have to say.”

“Sir Shuukin is a straightforward man and a warrior by nature. He no doubt feels indebted to the Kingdom for saving him from the Magic Bug Disease. That is one of his virtues, but...if we get into a war with the Kingdom of Friedonia in the future, we can assume it will slow his sword. That hesitation may lead to unexpected blunders.”

“And when that happens...we’ll have no choice but to pull him to the rear, huh?”

“Indeed. Much as it will pain me to leave such a capable commander aside...”

It looked like Shuukin felt indebted to the Kingdom of Friedonia, just like Hashim had said he would.

If I get into a struggle with Souma in the future, I should probably keep Shuukin off the front lines. For his own sake too, since I’m sure he’d struggle with it, Fuuga thought.

Meanwhile, the mage doctors kept coming ashore, and as she watched Elulu leading them to Min, Yuriga told Tomoe and Ichiha, “With all these people here, maybe they won’t be so short of hands.”

“Yeah,” Tomoe agreed. “This should save a lot more people.”

“Yes. A load off Dr. Hilde and Dr. Brad’s shoulders will be lifted,” Ichiha added.

“And we’ll be set free from all these chores, right? I want to get back to the Kingdom and relax,” Yuriga said, sitting down on the beach.

The other two looked at her apologetically.

“But summer break will be over soon, you know?” Ichiha said.

“Ugh! It’s been that long?! Oh, crap! I haven’t even touched my summer homework.”

“Hee hee, let’s work hard together, Yuriga. Or you’ll get remedial lessons again.”

“Noooooooooo!!!”

As Yuriga clutched her head and screamed, Tomoe and Ichiha looked at one another and smiled.