156 Episode 28 After Southern Diplomacy




 "Here, Dumbo. Say hello to His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Medium.

 The elephant, called Dumbo, politely greeted Hercule and Cecilia as the black trainer gave the order.

 Well, you've been trained well, haven't you?
 "That's very polite.

 This is very polite." Hercule shouted in admiration, while Cecilia reflexively bailed.
 The diplomat from the Kingdom of Nuba sees them and gives the trainer a look.

 The trainer, knowing that the emperor and the princess maiden (medium) would be pleased with his performance, had Dumbo perform the trick as he had planned.

 Dumbo continues to perform a number of tricks.

 At the climax of the performance, five elephants appeared and performed one trick after another.

 When the performance was over, the Nuba diplomat asked Hercule what he thought of the performance.

 How did you like it, Your Majesty? Your Highness, the Medium.
 "It was wonderful. I've never seen an elephant before.
 "Such a large creature obeying a human! They must be very clever animals!

 The diplomat chuckled as he looked at Hercule, who seemed to be in a good mood, and Cecilia, who was innocently happy.
 Once the Nuba Kingdom has unilaterally severed diplomatic relations with the Lemurian Empire.
 It was known to the Nuba Kingdom that Hercule was a very cruel monarch, and it was now a national policy for the Nuba Kingdom to curry favor with the two.

 If it please Your Majesty, I would like to offer you these six elephants. They are useful not only for performing arts but also for carrying heavy objects such as construction.
 "In war?
 ...... These elephants have been trained to never harm anyone for safety reasons. Of course, there are many elephants in the Nuba Kingdom that have been trained for warfare. If Your Majesty so desires, we can sell them to you along with the elephant masters.
 "Hmm. ......

 After some thought, Hercule decides to accept the six elephants.
 Incidentally, the names of the six elephants are Dumbo, Jumbo, Maitriarch, Catty, Giggles, and Prissy.

 (Well, if you use them for construction, and let them do tricks occasionally, the people will be happy. I'd like to show them to Karolina and Luna, too.

 The problem is the cost of food, but at least they don't eat as much as the military or bureaucracy.
 The biggest expense is labor, and six elephants is a small price to pay.

 (But well, war elephants are a problem. ...... I'm interested.

 War elephants are unstable weapons.
 They are unstable weapons. If they are not used properly, they can go out of control and cause your army to collapse.

 I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

 Hercule sees a diplomat with a wise little mind.
 When the diplomat sees that the elephants are popular with the two, he continues to bring in lions and giraffes for them to see.

 When he sees Cecilia's sparkling eyes, Hercule can't help but say, "Well, I'll take that too.

 I'm sure you'll agree that it's a great idea.

 Cecilia pats down the lion.
 The male lion with the large mane is well trained and does not attack Cecilia.

 However, the soldiers guarding her seem to be in a state of anxiety, and are on the edge of their seats.

 "Why don't you try touching her, Master Hercule?
 "Yes.

 Hercule reaches out his hand to the lion.
 Hercule reaches out his hand to the lion, which suddenly shivers and shrinks back.
 It shivers and shakes.

 "Oh, my God. ......
 "You don't like me, do you?

 Hercule's voice sounded a little unhappy.
 The diplomat hurriedly addressed Hercule with another lion.

 "What about this one, sir? It's a baby lion.
 "Wow, he looks like a cat.

 Hercule takes the baby.
 At first the baby is scared and tries to run away, but ......

 At first the baby is frightened and tries to run away, but when Hercule gives it a strong killing blow, it quickly becomes quiet.

 "This baby seems to be a good boy.

 Hercule strokes the lion cub's throat.
 It was a cat, after all, and it mewed.

 "Yes, Master Hercule, .......
 Here.

 Hercule hands the lion to Cecilia, who looks like she wants to touch it.
 The baby lion then lifted Cecilia's face to his chest, as if he was truly relieved.

 Finally, the diplomat showed Hercule and Cecilia ......

 "Well, that's great!
 "Wow, they're real.

 It was a unicorn with a bright white horn.
 It was larger than a normal horse and had a beautiful silvery white coat.

 It has a beautiful silvery coat. It is the most beautiful, noble and ferocious animal in the world. It is the unicorn.

 In the Messianic religion, the unicorn is considered a sacred beast.
 No animal could be a more appropriate gift for Hercule and Cecilia.

 However, Hercule had one concern.

 I've heard that unicorns prefer virgins and will kill you if you are not a virgin. I'm not a virgin.

 said Hercule jokingly.
 It was obvious that Hercule did not have virgin membranes, and the problem was that Cecilia did not either.

 Cecilia's virgin membranes were no longer intact, having been in and out of Hercule's possession for so long that not a single fragment remained.



 It would be a rather unfashionable scandal if Cecilia had been thrust to her death.

 "That's a superstition, Your Majesty. I'm a man and I can touch it just fine.

 The diplomat said and touched the unicorn.
 Seeing this, Hercule and Cecilia felt at ease and approached the unicorn.

 Cecilia touched the unicorn in a fearful manner.
 The unicorn then licked Cecilia's palm.

 As Cecilia moved even closer, the unicorn rubbed its face against Cecilia.

 (...... Oddly enough, animals seem to like Cecilia.

 On the other hand, animals are frightened when they see Hercule.

 What's the difference?  
 The difference in personality.

 "Is it possible to ride on the back of a unicorn?
 I'm not sure. From ......, it seems that High Priestess Medium and this unicorn go well together, so I think it is possible to ride it. But it's dangerous and I can't recommend it from my position.

 Well, there's nothing you can't do, so you can do it if you want.
 But we have nothing to do with it.

 But we have nothing to do with it," said the diplomat, with a hint of a smile.

 (Let's put Cecilia on a unicorn and let her walk around Nova Lemuria.

 The theory that Cecilia is not a virgin is already spreading in the Lemurian Empire.
 Cecilia is popular in the Lemurian Empire, and Hercule is also a great ruler for the Lemurian people, so the fact that the two of them are man and woman is seen rather favorably. ......

 But still, there are some germophobes who think, "What about that? Some people are germophobes.

 Most of these germophobes are devout believers in Messianism, and they firmly believe in the unicorn virgin kitchen.
 If you put Cecilia on a unicorn in front of them, it will be a great advertisement.


 Later, gold, ivory, and rare animal pelts from the Nuba Kingdom, as well as many black slaves, were presented to Hercule as tribute.

 In return, Hercule gave silk, rubies, spices, and other luxuries acquired through trade with the East, as well as cotton cloth, sugar, glass, and pottery from the Lemurian Empire.

 This was not a mere exchange of tribute and return, but was meant to be a sample of trade goods that both sides could offer to the other.

 In fact, the diplomats of the Nuba Kingdom were surprised to see cotton cloth, sugar, and pottery, which had not existed until a short time ago.

 Thus, the Lemurian Empire and the Nuba Kingdom reestablished friendly relations.





 A little while later, ......
 Hercule and Cecilia were having a meeting with another party.

 "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness, the Emperor, the High Priestess Medium. I am Masinissa, Chief of the Shuyen Clan of the Barbarians.

 A dark-skinned man with a high nose and blue eyes greeted Hercule and Cecilia.
 The Balbals of the Balbals mean "those who speak an obscure language (Balbals Balbals Balbals)", although their self-description is somewhat different. ......

 To avoid confusion, Masinissa referred to herself in Lemurian as the Balbals.

 I have come to see you both because I have three requests to make.

 Masinissa held up three fingers.
 First, she said to Cecilia.

 I am a Messianist, and there are many Messianists in the Shuien clan. But we have no official priest or bishop. Therefore, incorrect teachings are being spread. Please send us a bishop.
 "All right, I'll find one for you right away.

 Cecilia nodded easily.
 There was no reason for Cecilia to refuse.

 "One more thing, Your Majesty. "One more thing, I would like to ask the Emperor for official permission to trade with you.
 "Trade, huh. What can you offer me?
 Gold and ivory. There are many other rare products south of the Great Desert.

 Hercule smiled.
 You can never have too much gold, let alone ivory.

 "Of course it is. You can come to Aletheia every year.
 "Thank you, ......, and one last thing. Can you tell me how to raise a camel? That way we can bring more products to Lemuria.

 The Barbarians use horses and donkeys as their main means of transportation, but that is not enough to cross the desert.
 There is nothing more reassuring than to be able to use a camel for transportation.

 I would say, "Okay, ......," but there's a condition. ...... Cecilia, could you give us a moment, please?
 "Well, Master Hercule. Are you hiding from me? You can tell me later.

 Cecilia simply left the room.
 After that, Hercule and Masinissa engaged in some diplomatic negotiations, which eventually led to a secret agreement between the Lemurian Empire and the Barbarians.