Ch.202Radiance of Fury (5)

“Line up! Get in line!”

“I’ll give you as much money as you want, so sell me food! Sell it, I say!”

Shortly after, when the Relief Knights and the merchant groups they were escorting arrived, we were finally able to purchase the food we needed.

Order once again returned to the chaotic city streets, and the knights with their spirit of relief began helping with the city’s reconstruction in every way possible, their pure white cloaks fluttering as they worked.

True to their name, the Relief Knights were specialists in civilian support. They cleared debris, cleaned streets, and quickly restored social infrastructure like hospitals and water facilities, accelerating Zirconia’s reconstruction significantly.

“Now we can rest a bit easier. Battalion Commander. No… Brigade Commander. I’ll leave the recruitment of the remaining personnel to you.”

“Understood, Sir Victor!”

And so the Battalion Commander, skipping the rank of Regimental Commander, became Brigade Commander and went into the city to begin another round of recruitment. Before long, those with some experience wielding swords began flocking in droves.

“How is the airship modification coming along?”

“It should be completed in about a week.”

“Is that so? Then there shouldn’t be any problems.”

I ordered the Brigade Commander, who returned after filling the remaining 9,000 positions in just 40 minutes, to distribute equipment to the new soldiers. Soon after, like following the Pied Piper, the 9,000 soldiers left the Brigade Commander and disappeared somewhere.

*

Five days later. Finally, the investigators from the Coastal Federation arrived.

They docked their ships along the coastline and stormed into the vessels of Avalencia and Perington, which were still undergoing repairs. Soon, Zirconia’s art treasures began pouring out.

“Whether you bought them from rioters or picked up lost property, don’t you know that as soldiers under military law, not civilians, you shouldn’t covet material goods?”

“Ignoring the Federation Council’s resolution to provide financial support and unilaterally dispatching troops, and even then sending only transport ships for looting rather than organizing a proper fleet, is tantamount to disrespecting the numerous city-states affiliated with the Coastal Federation.”

“Not worth investigating further… Avalencia and Perington have violated the laws of the Coastal Federation and will face appropriate consequences.”

In less than an hour, the investigators thoroughly stripped the armies of Avalencia and Perington of everything, while the watching crowd and our group cheered with delight.

That’s right! No wonder people fear the tax office when they crush wrongdoers so satisfyingly!

“Investigator! Zirconia’s government has already collapsed! In other words, this is unclaimed territory! Are you saying it’s a crime to acquire ownerless items?”

“Indeed. Though the government may have collapsed, aren’t the high officials, lower bureaucrats, and most importantly, the citizens still alive and well here?”

“Even if the citizens are alive, the fact remains that the government has collapsed! Avalencia and Perington object to the investigation team’s decision!”

However, Avalencia and Perington did not surrender easily.

This was understandable. With the wealth they had acquired here, they could have gone without collecting taxes for at least ten years.

But the Federation’s investigation team was not as lenient as they had thought.

“According to Federation law, the property of a state whose ownership has ceased exists becomes the property of the entire Federation. If we accept your objection and assume ownership has ceased, then Avalencia and Perington would be guilty of treason against the Federation’s central government.”

“…That’s!”

“And… since when were the two cities given the right to determine the collapse of another country’s government? The collapse of a nation’s government is a matter decided by vote in the Federation Council. Avalencia and Perington will have to explain to the council their attempt to arbitrarily determine a nation’s continued existence.”

“Are you saying you’d sacrifice two living cities for one that’s already dead?”

“This is absurd. Haven’t I already explained? Whether a nation is dead or alive is not for you to decide. And if Zirconia is indeed dead, then its city should properly remain as a tomb for the deceased, and if it’s alive, then proper international courtesy should be observed. Are you willing to turn the entire Federation against you for a moment’s greed?”

Crack!

The sound of the protesting high-ranking officer grinding his teeth could be heard even from where I stood at a distance.

Like a teacher verbally thrashing a delinquent student who dares to challenge with base and crude logic, the investigation team, more machine than human, was dismantling the armies of the two nations without the slightest retreat.

“This is a unanimous decision by the entire investigation team. Return all the goods loaded on your ships to the Zirconian government immediately. If you refuse, the Coastal Federation Council will execute the highest military measures against Avalencia and Perington.”

“Highest military measures…”

At those words, the soldiers of both nations instantly lost their will to fight.

I don’t know what the highest military measures are, but if they’re trembling like that, it must not be a light punishment.

“Additionally, separate from this matter, it has been confirmed that Avalencia and Perington have privately violated the laws of the Coastal Federation and undermined the trust of all member states. Therefore, their voting rights in the Federation Council will be revoked for the next 30 years.”

“Voting rights revoked?! For 30 years? This is tyranny!”

“If you have objections, file them formally through diplomatic channels. We are merely enforcing the laws established by the council.”

The investigation team, consisting of 50 members, finished speaking and walked past the dumbfounded soldiers toward a high-ranking knight of the Relief Order.

The high-ranking knight was leading tens of thousands of newly arrived reconstruction workers through his subordinates. When the investigation team approached, the knight removed his helmet, revealing his face.

“High Knight of the Relief Order. State your identity.”

“Wandering Knight blessed by Moneta. Bennett Filton.”

“Sir Bennett. We temporarily delegate judicial authority over Zirconia to the Relief Knights and reconstruction team under your command. This will last until a new government is formed, and until then, some of our investigation team will remain to provide legal counsel.”

“I accept the decision of the Coastal Federation Council.”

He said this with a bow, and the leader of the investigation team handed him a piece of parchment.

I couldn’t see the contents, but they were probably not much different from the conversation above.

“By the way, do you know a wandering knight named Victor Walker? I heard he serves the Sun.”

“Ah, that young knight over there.”

“Oh my.”

Well, now they’re talking about me.

*

“Victor Walker. Wandering Knight of the Sun.”

“Do you have business with me?”

“Indeed I do. The inspectors and diplomats have spoken of your achievements to the council. You’ve done great things.”

“I merely set an example for justice.”

“Then you should receive a reward for that example.”

After saying this, he took out a medal from his breast pocket and solemnly pinned it to my coat.

This medal gleaming with gold must certainly not be of low status.

“This medal is?”

“The White Leaf Knight Medal. The highest honor a knight can receive. You, who have revived an entire nation, are more than worthy of it.”

“Hmm…”

I smiled faintly. It always feels good when one’s good deeds are rewarded.

“It’s not easy for a foreigner to step forward barefoot in Zirconia’s crisis. If you were to join the Coastal Federation, we would put you to great use…”

“I’m sorry, but I have a separate goal… for which we are on a pilgrimage.”

“I see… I offered something unnecessary.”

I politely declined the leader’s offer, and he accepted my refusal.

“Financial compensation would also be appropriate, but… unfortunately, the council’s circumstances are not very favorable at present. That’s why we increased the rank of the medal instead. At least with that medal, you won’t have to worry about being tied up with rope as a suspicious character anywhere in Meridia. I give you the word of the Federation Council.”

“In the name of the Sun I follow, I will honorably wear your kindness.”

The leader nodded with a faint smile and then departed from my side.

When my eyes turned back to the shore, I saw people cheering as they reclaimed and shared the goods that had been taken from them. Beside them, soldiers now in handcuffs watched the diminishing pile of treasures with eyes mixed with resentment and regret.

“Is it over now?”

“Yes. It’s all over now.”

I answered Simon’s question while fingering the medal.

It was truly over now.

My efforts to rescue a nation I had merely stopped by to sell fish had finally borne fruit.

Why did I try to save Zirconia?

I’m not entirely sure myself. But one thing I could swear on my soul:

I would never regret this day.