Ch.198The Final Destination of the NPC’s Snowball. (5)

A few days after the declaration of war, there was no immediate preemptive attack from the Empire or the Holy Theocracy.

“I’ll dispense with unnecessary pleasantries since everyone is busy. King Grend of Ponia, Mayor Avalitia of Aigram. I am Neity Naika, Chancellor of the neutral city of Neity.”

Instead of direct confrontation, she had instructed Manie to coordinate timing through the casino’s emergency communication system. They decided to use the one-time long-distance crystal orbs that had been distributed to each nation’s leader as a promotional item from [Aiti]. Unlike the casino’s crystal orbs, these couldn’t show faces, but they transmitted voices clearly regardless of distance, making them incredibly convenient. Even now, the Chancellor was beginning a conference from her office.

[Hmm. This is Grend Ponia.]

[Mayor of the neutral trade city. Avalitia here.]

“Good. I’ll get straight to the point. Regarding the Empire’s declaration of war with the Holy Theocracy’s backing, I, ‘Neity Naika,’ intend to punish both the Empire and the Holy Theocracy. What are your positions on this matter?”

The King and Mayor fell silent at Naika’s bold statement about waging war against “the Empire and the Holy Theocracy.” After a moment, the King of Ponia was the first to speak.

[…I know Neity is called the Land of Knowledge, the continent’s largest research institution with a vast academy, a place of learning. But when you speak of waging war, surely you don’t mean to send children to the battlefield…]

“Nothing of the sort. Let me be perfectly clear. The only military force marching from Neity will be me, Neity Naika, alone.”

[…What?!]

[…Ah? So that’s your approach?]

The King of Ponia responded with confusion, while Avalitia, one of the Seven Deadly Sins demons who had lived as the mayor of a neutral city for a long time, showed a completely different reaction of understanding.

And to confirm their reactions, the Chancellor continued.

“I don’t intend to drag out this war. As an educator, I’ll personally pound into those thick skulls the fact that large territories and numerous troops aren’t the entirety of power.”

[Ahaha! I like it! Very much!! We’ve been breaking our backs trying to maintain defensive forces after the recent demon attack and various incidents! So, what do you want from Aigram, Chancellor of Neity?]

[……]

While Avalitia showed complete support for the Chancellor’s answer, the King of Ponia remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. Noticing his reaction, Naika tilted her head while seated and called out to him.

“King of Ponia. Are you displeased with my answer?”

[…Yes. War is an act that meaninglessly exploits the lifeblood of citizens. The damage falls more painfully on the people living in the nation rather than the nation itself. Even if it ends quickly, there will still be bloodshed for at least a few months, won’t there?]

“That’s likely.”

[And even if you can suppress the Empire with your ‘individual might’ rather than numbers, the fact that you’ve called upon Ponia, which is across from the Empire, suggests you want support for ‘frontline’ forces. Is this not correct?]

“That is also correct.”

[So, Ponia should establish a frontline in place of Neity, which has no military? Then, is Aigram’s role to handle Ponia’s supplies?]

“Well observed. Mayor of Aigram, I hope you can cover the financial aspects.”

[Okay! I don’t mind. The Empire started imposing trade restrictions with nearby small countries as soon as they sent their letter anyway! If this helps knock some sense into the Emperor’s head and gets us ‘preferential trade rights’ for about 50 years, I’ll be satisfied~]

[…But the problem isn’t just the Empire.]

“You mean the Theocracy.”

Among the two neutral cities and Ponia gathered here, Neity is closest to the Holy Theocracy. That’s why Naika wanted military support from Ponia.

If she leaves her post, Neity’s fighting power would literally be weakened by more than 70%. She couldn’t deploy the city guard and academy professors who make up the remaining 30% to the frontlines.

“Even if the Theocracy stabs us in the back, Neity will be hit first. It’s not Ponia’s concern.”

Even if they attack, breaking through the Spirit King’s barrier would be impossible. With that calculation in mind, the King of Ponia sighed again…

[But why are those damn fanatics suddenly acting up? Did they contact you with some nonsense about the Seven Deadly Sins and demons too?]

Avalitia had received the same letter as the Chancellor but pretended not to know. When she read that letter, she was certain they hadn’t realized she was one of the Seven Deadly Sins demons. It just seemed like they wanted war.

“A few months ago, the Empire sent a demon to the Academy. One student was harmed. It’s terrible to call this fortunate, but the child was a throwaway pawn from the Empire.”

[Don’t tell me…]

“The servants sent with the child were demons who somehow passed through the gate, enrolled the student, stole their body, and infiltrated the Academy. I can’t reveal the details of their purpose, but it was an attempt to abduct a human under my protection.”

[You mean the Holy Theocracy and the Empire are involved with demons?!]

The sound of something falling came through the crystal orb, followed by King Grend Ponia’s passionate voice. He had probably jumped up from his chair.

In response to the King’s reaction, the Chancellor simply gave a brief answer.

“Yes. That’s why I’ll go personally to deal with both the demons and the Empire. The Holy Theocracy will be next.”

[…The word ‘holy’ is laughable. A theocracy in bed with demons? Why not just crush them and erase them from history while we’re at it? If you’re going to tear them apart, Aigram is willing to provide immediate financial support of about 50 billion cans.]

[Oh, 50 billion…?!]

“…That’s quite generous.”

When talk turned to crushing the Empire and the revelation that the Theocracy was consorting with demons, Avalitia seized the opportunity to make a big deal.

The Theocracy had long been a thorn in her side.

For hundreds of years, they had been trying to dig up her weaknesses to extort money or religiously criticizing Aigram’s [neutrality]. I’m one of the Seven Deadly Sins, yet they accuse others of consorting with the Seven Deadly Sins or worshipping demons. Now they’re even threatening me, a demon, with ‘heresy’ designations. It’s like someone you already despise begging to be killed.

“Anyway, whether to erase the Theocracy or not is a matter for later. Aigram seems willing to cooperate with us, but what about Grand Ponia? Are you not inclined to do so?”

[…Haha. How could I desire war rather than political struggle? Surely this is an issue that could be resolved through dialogue.]

“I see. Then…”

[…That’s what I was going to say. Originally, Ponia was far enough from the Holy Theocracy that we didn’t care if they designated us as heretics or whatever. However, if demons are involved, that changes things.]

Naika had no intention of pressuring Ponia persistently. People can have different thoughts and actions when considering their citizens. Even in this brief conversation, the King of Ponia showed he didn’t want his citizens caught up in the flames of war, and she intended to respect his decision.

She too wanted to resolve the situation quickly with minimal damage to the Empire, using her ‘individual’ might, especially since many children from the Empire were enrolled at the Academy.

[What do you mean?]

[…Ponia will join this alliance. However, as the Chancellor of Neity said, we want to move in the direction of establishing a frontline to suppress their rampage. That will clearly cause less harm to our citizens.]

“How much of a frontline can Ponia create?”

[…Well. Right now, we can completely suppress the border between our country and the Empire.]

[Eh? Wait!! Then who will protect my borders?! Aigram can’t handle it militarily if just the Holy Theocracy attacks, let alone the Empire?!]

“Calm down, Mayor. The King of Ponia said ‘right now.'”

As Naika repeated what she understood, Avalitia lowered her voice. The King of Ponia sighed softly, thinking, before speaking.

[…Six months. In six months, we can form an alliance with Ponia’s allied small countries and towns nearby. That way, we can immediately extend the frontline from Aigram to near Neity. However, if that happens…]

“The Empire will also use its vassal states once we decide to resist. That’s a certainty.”

[So by nearby small countries, you mean using small countries near Aigram to push the frontline upward? Phew~ I thought I’d have to fight too, not just provide supplies…]

The six months Grand Ponia mentioned.

During that time, we’ll engage not in war but in political maneuvering to buy time, each surviving on our own. If the Empire or Holy Theocracy had intended to start a war immediately, they would have moved their armies without sending ultimatums. But the current situation involves only threatening letters demanding surrender, and intelligence suggests the Empire is only now beginning to conscript troops. In other words…

“Six months. After that, we settle everything. In the meantime, we’ll maintain contact organically through Aigram, which is central to us all. Any objections?”

[None~ Oh, for really urgent matters, let’s use the casino communication network?]

[…Understood.]

That concluded the communication. The Mayor of Aigram immediately turned off the crystal orb, and Naika was about to place her hand on it to remove its magical power…

[…Neity Naika.]

“Hmm? King, do you have something else to say?”

As if he had been waiting for the Mayor of Aigram to disconnect, the King called out to Naika first, and she paused her hand above the crystal orb to listen.

[…There is a mountain keeper in your city who came from Ponia, is there not?]

“……”

The Chancellor was momentarily speechless at the King’s words. The mountain keeper the King mentioned must surely be that man, Ira’s brother Jack.

Though they hadn’t spoken directly, she had gathered at least minimal information as the Chancellor of this city. Jack and Ragni hadn’t exactly been erasing information about their travels, so honestly, there was no reason not to know.

[Don’t worry, I have no intention of doing anything to that mountain keeper.]

“…For someone saying that, you seem to have been sending spies to check on him recently.”

After strengthening border control and installing magic circles at each gate, several spies and agents were caught.

Among them were several people from Ponia. However, unlike the Empire’s spies, they weren’t trying to do anything malicious; they were collecting information about Jack, Ira, Rey, and Ragni Gore. The Chancellor had them detained by the city guard as intruders for now.

[Is that so? I was worried because communication completely ceased at some point, but that’s what happened.]

“…Worried? For someone who was worried, I understand you issued a national-level wanted notice.”

[…That’s right. I was foolish and didn’t even realize that people with professions so vital to citizens’ daily lives were being persecuted. It was a terrible incident.]

“…So now you’ve reflected and want to ask them to come back?”

She had already seen his power once. From Ponia’s perspective, they wouldn’t want to leave someone with that level of individual might outside their borders. Moreover, the women around him, including his sister Ira, all possessed outstanding power, abilities, and talents.

Surely, he wasn’t trying to make their return a condition for cooperation with Ponia? The Chancellor began to feel a bit irritated…

[I don’t have the nerve for that. I know why he fled. He abandoned his duties and ran away just to prevent his sister from starving to death, yet I shamefully issued a warrant to punish him.]

“Then why did you continue to track him and gather information?”

[…It’s exactly as I said. I was just worried. I hoped that citizens abandoned by their country would live well in a foreign land.]

“How naive, for a king to care so much about the life of a single citizen. What’s done is done. Instead of wasting time regretting past mistakes, you should use them as stepping stones to move forward. Even then, you won’t have enough time.”

[…Heh. That’s right. Time is lacking. Citizens are still suffering from discrimination based on status and profession. So, if you can convey this, I hope you will.]

That he sincerely wishes for their happiness, that he knows he has no right to speak after abandoning them, but that he will at least repay the citizens by fixing the problems he learned about thanks to them.

[…As we prepare for war, we won’t be able to track him anymore. So, if you happen to know him…]

“You sly fox. You already knew and that’s why you asked.”

[…Heh. Yes, I knew that much. Well, I leave it to you. As for those spies…]

“…Just do what you need to do. We’ll discuss that matter after everything is over.”

That was the end of the King’s communication. Naika removed the magic from the crystal and muttered to herself while gazing at the dim sky.

“Instead of wasting time regretting past mistakes, use them as stepping stones to move forward, huh? Those weren’t words I should have spoken.”

Once blinded, I failed to notice the atrocities of the Dean, causing dozens of children to die or suffer. Those weren’t words my mouth should have uttered. The Chancellor self-deprecatingly brushed up her bangs.

“…Both Ponia and I are indebted to that guy. We can’t repeat the same mistakes.”

The Empire and demons targeted that man’s women and sister, and for some reason, they’re simultaneously targeting the Academy, Aigram, and Ponia.

This is no longer a matter that can be handled by a single adventurer like him.

“By now, he should have arrived at [Siltra]. I wonder if he’s already met the Spirit King…”

Though Jack hadn’t mentioned it, she knew he had gone in the direction of Aigram. And in that direction, the place where the Spirit King might be was the forest of Siltra, home to the Majin tribe, elves, and beastfolk. The ‘Spirit Tree’ was expected. However…

“I’ve left that matter to you. So I’ll take responsibility for your women and sister.”

She would fulfill her promise to the Spirit King, her promise to that man, and her own vow.

The Chancellor worked through the night again.