Ch.160Report on the Downfall of Charity (2)

Post-meal drowsiness washed over him. Kain wanted to just sleep right there. But inwardly, he was worried. With so many things to do today, people to meet, and places to visit, Beatrice hadn’t even begun preparing—she wasn’t even wearing underwear.

But there was no time to voice his concerns.

“Hold me. From behind.”

Beatrice curled her body into a ball. On the podium, her back had seemed so sturdy and straight, but in bed, it was so white, delicate, and trembling that he felt he needed to be careful even touching her. So Kain covered her with his body. The faint scent of roses wafted through the air.

He heard her humming. It was a foreign melody. It would rise, then fall, and just when it seemed to stretch out, it would curl back softly, wrapping around itself.

Though Kain couldn’t understand the tune, it felt pleasant. Each time she continued her humming, the pleasant vibrations from her body transferred directly to his.

“Want to hear a secret?”

“What?”

Kain asked in surprise. She giggled and pressed her body closer to his. Close enough that he could feel the contours of her spine. Close enough that her small, firm buttocks fit perfectly against his lower body.

“I’m going to create a great nation.”

It didn’t seem like much of a secret. Isn’t that what all politicians constantly say? So Kain asked casually:

“A nation greater than the Empire?”

“Of course.”

“What? Are you trying to overthrow the Empire?”

“How stupid.” She turned her body sharply in anger, pinching whatever part of Kain’s body she could grab.

“Ouch!”

“Shut up! Why do all you Empire people only think about that? Building, destroying, conquering, eating as much as you want, then sniffing around for something else. A great and strong country isn’t like that. It’s like a whale.”

“Whales are big too.”

“You know what? They say no whale ever dies from tumors.”

A random statement. Kain looked at her with puzzled eyes.

“I read it in a book from the Far East. It says that in living bodies—whether dogs, cows, or humans—tumors grow inside.

These tumors are terrible because they steal all the nutrients from the body. They only think about growing themselves and never give back to the body. They spread throughout the body until they’re untouchable, and even if you surgically remove them, they grow back somewhere else.

Most creatures die from these tumors, but whales are the exception. At least according to what that Eastern scholar found out.”

“Why?”

“Well, even he didn’t know the exact reason. But his hypothesis was plausible: ‘Perhaps because they’re so massive and full of vitality that they can endure until the tumors exhaust themselves and die off?’ Doesn’t that make sense?”

“That may be true, but what do whales have to do with nations?”

“I don’t think the Alliance’s enemy is the Empire.”

Beatrice gazed up at Kain. Though still naked and delicate, she didn’t appear weak. Perhaps it was because of the passion overflowing from those large eyes.

“The Alliance’s enemy is itself. They only reluctantly banded together because of great external threats like the Empire and the Demon King. I love the Alliance, but I don’t think it’s a strong country. Even if the Alliance were to devour the Empire, it could never become a strong nation as it is now.”

“Because they’re all biting and fighting each other?”

“No country is free from that. Nor could it be.” Beatrice let out a small sigh.

“Since getting involved in politics, I’ve learned that even when good-hearted, like-minded people gather, fights still break out. You know our comrades.”

“Well, there are conflicting interests. So?”

“The Alliance can’t manage those conflicts. They either neglect issues until they grow worse, or they actively encourage them. The only reason my father is considered an excellent Doge is because he suppresses other countries with Venelucia’s powerful navy. I find that disgusting.”

“Disgusting?”

“It’s the way of cowards. Like the Empire.”

She says the last part with a smile. Chest to chest, belly to belly, neck to neck. But her lips nibble at Kain’s earlobe. She’s teasing him again.

“The Empire isn’t cowardly.”

Kain turned his head slightly with a blush, but she had already wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders. Her legs entwined around his waist.

“No. They are cowards. Cowards who only run away. Cowards who are only good at capturing and killing people with different thoughts.”

“But they’re strong.”

He gently cupped her small buttocks with his large hands. With that simple gesture, Beatrice’s body heated up.

“Yes. That’s what I hate.” Even her eyes turned slightly red.

“That’s the problem. The Alliance’s rulers want to become another Empire. Even though they aren’t an Empire themselves! That’s how we ended up in this mess. Sending all opponents to that ‘Ship of Fools’! And what has it achieved? Do we even come close to the Empire? No. We’re just thinking about cutting each other’s throats!

That’s the Empire’s way, not the Alliance’s. It’s a problem that’s been proven through countless examples. We need to create our own way. One thing is certain: things can’t continue as they are.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“I’m going to create a system that can carry everyone forward. A system that can carry even people who hate each other enough to kill. It might be difficult in relationships between individuals, but if we create it as a political system, it should be possible.”

Kain removed his hands from her buttocks. Gently holding her small shoulders with both hands, he asked:

“So that’s it?”

Beatrice didn’t ask what he meant. Kain asked again, as if confirming:

“Is that why you don’t kill me, why you don’t tell others I’m a spy? To test your theory…?”

“Yes. I want to try embracing even enemies who try to use me. But thinking about it again, it’s already failed.”

“Failed? Why?”

“For that to work, we should have hated each other enough to kill. But we embraced each other before we could even hate.”

We’ve failed. They both laugh. Their gazes intertwine as they laugh. Beatrice laughs shyly.

“I want Venelucia to be great again. Like when it sent letters to other city-states saying ‘let’s stop’ when everyone was heading to extremes.

Venelucia wasn’t great for what it did, but for what it chose not to do. Thanks to that brave letter, everyone could put down their arms race and spend money on more meaningful things.

That’s the kind of greatness I want. Like when conflicts exhaust themselves fighting each other, and hatred collapses after wrestling itself to exhaustion.”

Kain gave a bitter smile. Beatrice was indeed a dangerous person. There was a reason the Empire was watching her. But she harbored ambitions far greater than the Security Bureau had predicted, making her even more dangerous.

Beatrice wouldn’t have revealed her ambitions without thought. Rather, it was a declaration: ‘I won’t easily break under my father’s threats, so tell the Empire I’m still going strong.’

The more she pursued her goals, the more her opponents would push back. The more dangerous she became, the longer Kain would need to stay by her side. Perhaps she would have to sell more to the Empire to prove herself.

Was even this part of the Security Bureau’s plan? If so, what game was he playing in? Could Beatrice see through even the Security Bureau’s position? Kain’s calculations grew complex. But such political judgments were beyond the son of an Imperial free farmer.

For the first time, Kain was dissatisfied with his birth. If he had been born to nobility, he could have responded more sensitively to such political issues.

“Are you thinking about something else?”

Beatrice was angry again. Before Kain could deny it, she squeezed his groin tightly.

“Ah, no.”

“It seems like you are. Who are you thinking about? That waitress who kept bumping her butt against you?”

“I’m not, really.”

“Just try looking away again. Really. Even if our relationship is a secret to others, if you flirt right in front of me…”

“It’s not like that, I said.”

“Then what is it?” She squeezed harder, as if trying to extract a confession. Kain groaned at the sudden pain.

“I’m worried.”

Surprised, she let go. “Worried? About what?”

“Your adversaries are trying to kill you, yet you say you want to carry them along too.”

“Of course.” She raises her chin proudly. “Of course I’ll carry them along. Why? Because they’re people of the United Kingdom too. And I’ll be their ruler.”

“How do you plan to carry them without subjugating them? No, before that. Your opponents are rushing to kill you, but you’re saying you’ll fight while being considerate of them. I may not know politics, but I know enough about swordfighting. You can’t win that way.”

Sincere advice. But she remained proud.

“I don’t plan to win.”

“…Huh?”

“Why should I win? I have no intention of doing so. I won’t back down, but I don’t plan to break them either. I don’t particularly want to win. But I won’t lose. I’ll endure until that moment of realization.”

“What realization?”

“Ah. The realization that they can’t devour me. We’ll hit and get hit, and eventually, exhausted, we’ll come to acknowledge each other’s existence.”

Kain looked at Beatrice with bewildered eyes. She was proudly spouting such fantasies.

“So, what do you think?”

She was even shameless about it.

“Can I be honest?”

“No.” But she smiles again. “I’ll let it slide this time. Since I called your Empire ‘cowardly,’ you can disappoint me too.”

“It sounds like an impossible fantasy.”

“Really? Which part?”

“The part where you say you’ll take all the hits when the other side is genuinely trying to kill you. How strong would you need to be to…”

Kain’s words trailed off. It was because of the joy sparkling in Beatrice’s eyes.

“I told you, didn’t I? That I want to create a ‘strong’ country. That’s the kind of strength I’m thinking of. Strength that doesn’t break no matter what trials come. The kind of firmness that eventually makes others acknowledge me.”

“I still think it’s a fantasy.”

“I thought so too. Before you came. That it would be an impossible dream. But seeing you, I became convinced. This can work.”

He couldn’t ask what about him convinced her. Somehow, it didn’t seem like the right question. Similarly, he decided not to ask again if her idea made sense. That left only one question in his mind.

“How do you plan to do it? I only know how to hit, capture, and kill.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you. Everything, from beginning to end. Just follow me well.”

“What?”

“In the United Kingdom, there’s something called self-defense art. The art of fighting with a staff. Not fighting with a sword like a beast, but elegantly parrying, a refined art. Since you have a good staff, I think you just need to learn? To start, like this, hold the swaying part by wrapping your thumb and index finger around it…”

* * * * *

A rough, coarse hand gripped Kain’s shoulder. It shook him restlessly from side to side.

“Sir. Sir!”

Kain startled awake, sitting up abruptly. “Ugh…” He squinted at the sparkling sunlight. The boatman, whose face was as rough as his hands, snickered.

“Aren’t you sleeping a bit too well?”

“I’m sorry.”

Kain straightened his posture. The small two-masted yacht had almost reached the Venelucian dock. Before the boatman could say anything more, Kain handed him three Alliance silver coins he had exchanged in Lombardt City.

The boatman quickly pocketed the money, then handed back five copper coins. Kain looked at him questioningly.

“Your appearance is in such a state. Go get something to eat. Not at the dock restaurants, but if you go a bit further in, there’s a place that makes delicious lily soup. You can’t miss it—there’s a huge pile of seashells in front of the store.

Get some clean clothes, tidy up your hair, and see a doctor too! No matter how much a son might be addicted to gambling and run away, what parent would like to see their child in that state?”

Kain smiled bitterly. Thanks to his vague story about “escaping from gambling dens and wanting to return to his parents’ home,” the boatman still thought of him as something of a prodigal son.

“Thank you.”

“I’m saying this because I have a son about your age.”

The boatman added a little extra change, then shouted to the dock. The dock workers quickly grabbed the rope he threw and tied it to a large post. A gangplank was placed between the yacht and the dock. With slightly unsteady steps, Kain set foot in Venelucia once again.