Noon, November 14, 2813 in the Western Continental Calendar


　For the first time in a year or so, Ryoma was visiting Piraeus, the capital of Roselia.
　It had been a long time since he had been to the big city.
　Although the fortified city of Iphiroth also boasts an unparalleled scale for a fortified city ruled by nobles, it was natural that it was inferior to the capital of the kingdom.
　It's true that the population and cityscape is not comparable to cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, but it is still one of the largest cities in the land-based "earth" world.


"The air isn't too good...

　After passing through the first castle gate and entering the city, Ryoma frowned 《frown》.
　When I say the air isn't good, I'm not talking about a bad smell or anything like that.
　Of course, if you sniff carefully, you can smell the faint smell of sewage, but that is the same in any city, and the main street of a big city is reasonably well maintained, so it's not something that needs to be said out loud.
　There are many things to say if you want to take the Japanese people's sense of cleanliness as the standard, but the environment is not that bad.
　The air here refers to the heavy atmosphere that covers the city.　
　Surrounded by about twenty soldiers, Ryoushin proceeded on his horse towards the royal castle.　

''It seems somewhat restless, doesn't it?''

The street vendors don't seem to be very active either.

　Saara and Laura must have felt the same way.
　They looked around somewhat quizzically.

'I suppose the question is, what is the problem?'

　Ryouma's gaze looks ahead to the street.
　Immediately after the end of the civil war, the city must have been more vibrant and hopeful.
　The streets were crowded with people, and the street vendors in the square were calling out to customers as loudly as they could.
　Normally, the voices of those customers would be heard here.
　If you can't hear them, then either the street vendor has gone out of business or has lost the enthusiasm to do business.

'Maybe Queen Lupis isn't ruling very well.

'I suppose...'

　At Saara's words, Liang Shin sharply clicked his tongue and stared at the royal castle in abhorrence.
　If the governance was well done, this situation wouldn't be like this.
　The main street hasn't changed much, but the number of exiles stinking up the back of the side streets seems to have increased.

''Well, I guess we won't have too much trouble securing the peasants with this.

　An exile is a generic term for people who have abandoned their homes and lands.
　The term is almost the same as "refugee", but the meaning is the same, but the term is often used to refer to people who were forced to leave their countries due to war or religious oppression, while the term "exile" is used for people who were deprived of their homes and lands for economic reasons.
　Well, they are both people who have lost their homes and have nowhere to go.
　There are only two ways in front of them.
　Either they will be sold into slavery or they will die by the side of the road with no one to omit them.
　Unfortunately, unlike the modern world, there is no welfare or non-profit organization support in this "Earth" world.
　If they were to do so, there is a good chance they would choose to move to the Woltenia Peninsula, even if it is an uncivilized land.

'Queen Lupis can get rid of the nuisance, too. I don't think she'll have any particular objection.

Yeah. Good for us. But how is it getting so bad?

　As Laura pointed out, Lupis would gladly move them to the Worthenian Peninsula.
　The presence of these exiles would lead to a decline in security.
　It is in Lupis' best interest to send them away to the peninsula rather than to remain in King's Landing.
　The question here is why the number of exiles has increased over the past year or so.
　Of course, in any world, there are people who are unlucky.
　There are people who love to gamble and accumulate debt, and there are people who have lost their homes because they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
　Even a year ago, there were more than a few such people in this royal capital.
　However, the number of people sitting in the back alleys has definitely increased from a year ago.
　The war has not yet reached Roselia.
　If the number of exiles is still increasing, then there must be something wrong with the politics.

''The possibilities are that the aristocrats have tightened their tax squeeze or bureaucratic corruption...''

　There may be other causes, but the one that seems most likely is that Lupis's grip on political power may be causing chaos at the field level.
　It's not uncommon for idealistic reformers to clash with people who want to protect their vested interests.
　Either way, it's proof that Lupis is not being governed well.
(Pretty isolated, huh?)
　If it's like this in the capital of the kingdom, it's not hard to imagine what the state of the provincial aristocracy is like.
　Then one big problem arises.
　The movement of Princess Radine.
　In times of political unrest like this, forces that want to break the status quo are sure to rise to the occasion.
　And there will always be a rebellion. Whether or not it will develop into a war or just a peaceful change of government is another matter.
　At the end of the civil war, Ryoma had predicted the lifespan of the Roserian kingdom to be five years, but it looks like it's going to be shorter than that.
(I hope it doesn't spill over to us... but that's impossible.)
　But contrary to Ryoma's wishes, he was certain that this reinforcement to Zaruda would definitely make a move while he was away in the country.
　The Woltenia peninsula is part of the Roserian Kingdom, no matter how far away the land is that has been neglected.
　I'm not going to be able to say that I won't be affected by it since we're all aboard the same ship, the Roserian Kingdom.
(Well, I guess we'll have to leave that part up to Bortz and Gen O.)
　After reading Elena's letter, we've already discussed how to respond to some extent.
　Normally, I would like to bring all of my entourage with me to join the reinforcements, but I can't empty Seilios.
　The only person who could be entrusted with internal affairs with the current personnel would be Boltz, who has been supporting Rionne for many years behind the scenes of the mercenary group [Red Lion].
　Ryoma turned his gaze to Bolz, who was at the tail end of the group and keeping an eye on his surroundings.
　Bolz himself seems to be unhappy about not being able to go out into the battlefield, but Ryoma buys his domestic skills highly.
　It is true that he may not be educated, but this is because he knows the world as a whole from first-hand experience, and he has the wisdom to make use of that experience.
　In the current state of affairs, where there are so many warrior types, someone with internal political abilities, even if it's not a specialty, is valuable.
　Ryouma crossed the drawbridge of the castle, chewing on his own good fortune.


''Ryoma-sama may I have a moment?''

　We entered the castle and Saara approached us in one of the rooms we were led to.
　After confirming that there are no people around.
　It seems that she doesn't want others to hear the story too much.

''Oh, what's wrong?''

　Ryoma turns his gaze to Saara with a gentle smile on his face.

''No I was just wondering why Ryouma-sama refused the assistance that Nelsios-san told me to give...''　　

　This was after last week's meeting.
　Upon returning, Nelsios made a proposal to Ryoma, who had remained in the room, that could be considered quite favorable.
　Specifically, the main thing he said was that he would aim for harmony between humans and elves and put the young elves on the peninsula's defensive, but Ryoma refused on the spot.
　And Ryoma hadn't talked about it to anyone since then.
　The only person who happened to be there to see what happened was Saara, who happened to remain in the room, but she didn't know why she refused.
　She had been thinking about it alone since then, but she just couldn't come up with an answer.

'Oh, you mean last week?'

　Ryoma nodded widely as if he was convinced and asked quietly.
(I see, so you thought about it alone and didn't get an answer?)
　The image of Saara pondering alone came to my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a smirk on my face.

'What's bothering Saara is that I turned down Nercios-san's proposal on that spot. And the fact that I didn't tell everyone about it?

Yes, sir.

　From what Saara had heard on the spot, the conditions were quite favorable.
　Both the young elves going around to guard the peninsula and providing the skills that the elves possessed would be a great help to Ryouma and the others now.
　In particular, the suggestion of moving young people to the city of Seirios seemed to be a very attractive way to realize Ryouma's ideals.
　In fact, everyone knew that Ryoushin was aiming for reconciliation with the sub-humans.
　If he didn't aim for reconciliation, Ryoma would be attacking the sub-humans by now.
　Just as he destroyed the pirates.
　So, Saara doesn't understand the meaning of turning down the proposal from Nercios on the spot.
　As a result, even if he refused, it would have been a good idea to withhold his answer on the spot and listen to the opinions of Laura and Rionne and all the others.

''It's easy. That was Nercios-san testing me.

　Saara couldn't hide her confusion at Ryoma's words, which he said as if it was nothing.

'Have you tried?'

It was an attempt to find out how far I, as a person, was willing to go to be in harmony with the sub-humans. Do you know why I invited Mr. Nercios to that place?

　Saara hesitantly uttered her thoughts at Ryouma's question.

'Reconciliation between humans and sub-humans ... to convey that thought, right?

　Silently, Ryoma nodded deeply at Saara's words.
　She definitely understood Ryoma's thoughts.

''But then, wasn't Nercios-san's proposal a crossover?

'Sure but if it comes to pass, we're in trouble.

Does it bother you...?

　With a bitter smile on his face, Ryoma nodded quietly.
(Well, it doesn't help that he still doesn't understand.)
　Maybe it's a difference in experience.
　Or maybe it's a talent.
　Either way, it's one of those abilities that is absolutely necessary for a ruler.
　Lupis and others are on the verge of losing it all because they lack it.　　

It's simple. We have nothing against subhumans. But that's between us. We don't know what those peasants on the Worthenian Peninsula will think of us. Don't you?

"The Order of the Light God...

　The meaning of Liangma-sama's words connected in Saara's mind.
(Well, my sister and I are both from the Central Continent and didn't care much about it, and most of the people under Ryoushin-sama now are from mercenaries or slaves. We don't believe in the Light God Meneose as strictly as that. (But I don't know about the newly immigrated peasants until...)
　The Holy City of Meneose, the headquarters of the Light God Cult, is located around the border of the Southern Kingdoms and the Kirtantian Empire.
　Due to the distance, although in the eastern and northern parts of the western continent the faith is relatively moderate, the degree of faith will vary from person to person, and if it's not good, an armed uprising may occur.
　Of course, since they are only commoners, it would be easy to suppress them by force, but the feelings of the sub-people towards humans would certainly worsen.

''Besides, Nercios-san's story is impossible to begin with. He's the tribal chief of the Black [Dark] Elves, but he's not a dictator. There's no way the entire sub-human race can be moved by his ideas alone.

　Nercios may indeed be a powerful man, but it's difficult to move his troops around on his own.
　And moreover, the history of persecution of the sub-people is not something that can be wiped away so easily.

I'm sure there are people who can't let go of their grudges against the humans, so naturally it takes some time for them to compromise. Of course we do, too.

'Well then, Mr. Nercios, what do you propose to do...'

"It's a test of my reality. I admit I'm an idealist, but am I qualified to make it happen? If I had jumped at Mr. Nercios' suggestion, he would never have believed me again.

　A cold thing passes over Saara's back as she looks at Ryoma, who is smiling quietly.
(What are his eyes looking at? A distant ideal?　(Nearby reality?)
　Such thoughts came to Saara's mind.