Ismail, how is the capital being built?
　'We're a little behind schedule, but it's not a hindrance. Probably by the end of November.

　The reason for the delay is probably the mess of the war.　
　There were fewer people to mobilize because of that and the budget was taken by the military.

　Well, it just seems like a good time to do it.
　What's that?
　No, it's nothing.

　I shook my head.
　Now, the reason I called Ismea was to hear about the progress of building the capital, but there was another reason.

　'Were you familiar with the military?'
　Well, we can't even build a wall if we don't know much about it. And the walls of the city-state of the Cilician peninsula, Clarice, were built by my father. It has fallen.

　........Well, there's no castle wall that won't fall, so there's no way around it.
　An impregnable castle is not going to happen.

　"When you're done building the capital, can you begin the reformation of the city of Rezad?
　Is it Rezad?

　I nodded.
　The city of Rezad is, as a matter of fact, the largest city our country owns.

　There are 80,000 people in the Rezad metropolitan area.
　........Incidentally, there are 30,000 people living in the metropolitan area of our nation's capital. It's an indescribable feeling.

　Now, about this Rezad....
　We have an urban problem because of our large population.

　This is a result of the inexhaustible growth of the city itself as a result of population growth due to immigration and childbirth.
　Well, it can be said that it has developed that much.

　The streets are intricate and the spacing between buildings is very narrow.
　Only a few wealthy people own a house, and most citizens live in multi-story apartment-like complexes called insula.

　The worst part is that they dump their garbage and feces and urine on the ground through the windows of these insula's.
　So when you walk down the street, you always have to look up.

　Of course, the sewage and water supply is dirty with garbage.

　Even worse is the presence of slums.
　There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor in Rezad.

　Only first class citizens who can afford the high capitation tax can live in Insula, and those who can't afford the capitation tax have no decent houses.
　Of course, it's hard to live in a place without a roof, so most people build their own houses.

　This is, well ... terrible.
　Dirty, flammable, and smelly.

　Right now, through Alexios and other former Rezad council members, we've been able to reform Rezad's politics and it's relatively improved.
　But as long as there are problems in the city itself, it will not be a fundamental solution.

　Have you ever heard of the broken window theory?
　Whenever there is a place with broken windows, people think deep down that this is a good place to do bad things, and they repeatedly litter and draw graffiti. This leads to an escalation in behavior that eventually leads to rape and murder.......the theory goes.

　Although this world's civilization has not developed to the point where houses with glass windows are commonplace, there are places that are the equivalent of broken windows ... dark and dirty.

　We must get rid of these.

　And while we're at it, we also want to strengthen the walls and improve the port to counter Pofenia. Can you do that?
　''Well my hometown is Clarice.
　How long?
　It's about the same as the capital city we're building now.

　It's going to take a lot.

　"But now the capital city spent all that money on reclaiming the swamp and stuff.　Rezad has already done it as far as land is concerned....
　'It costs a lot of money to destroy what we have, right?　........As a matter of fact, it's quicker and cheaper to grind the materials to pieces than to reuse them. If you allow me to use the fire elixir, I think we can reduce the cost by about 20 percent.

　You're gonna smash this thing to pieces...
　Seems like a waste of time but if you can save time and money, is that better?

　Well, I'm going to need you to make some plans and estimates first.
　Yes, Your Majesty.

　Ismaila smiled happily.　
　It looks like he's enjoying himself somehow.




　''So, Ains. I'm thinking of sending a delegation to the Persis Empire and the Germanic region, what kind of dates would you suggest?
　'Well it was a year before Master Raimondo could leave, wasn't it?　I thought it would be a good idea to send an emissary first to inform him of your intention to have an audience with the Emperor of Persis in a year's time.

　According to Ains, it's better to have good relations with the Persis Empire before sending an envoy to the Germanic region.
　Because.........

　"The Emperor of Persis is also known as the 'King of Kings'. In other words, he calls himself the king of kings. Once the Emperor of Persis recognized him as 'King', his international standing became clear. After that, I thought it would be smoother to negotiate with the tribes of Germanic region.

　In other words, you're not in a hurry.

　''But to be recognized as a king by the Emperor of the Persis Empire... means to be a vassal of the Persis Empire, right?　I fear a domestic backlash.
　"...So, how about we represent the Adelnians and Cilician people? Why not use the title of　That's how the Pofenia Republic avoids vassalage with the Persis Empire.

　I see, so we can call ourselves a so-called republic.
　Hmm, but I don't want a monarchy to call itself a republic if at all possible.

　Is there any way to make it better?
　I don't think that this imitation of Prince Shotoku would work at this point in time...

　'The Cilician hates Persis. I thought it would be better to avoid any form of submitting to their subjects, even if only in form.
　'Well well, even if the Emperor of Persis doesn't recognize me as a king, it's enough to be recognized as a king by the Adelnians and Cilicians.

　Do the Cilician's even recognize me as their king?
　It's a subtle place.
　I feel that one thing or another is fatally missing to win the hearts and minds of the Cilician people.

　Where does the last piece fall........

　What do you think?
　'That being said... to begin with, the Cilician people don't have very good feelings about the monarchy and the Adelian people...' ...

　That's right....
　You can acknowledge the military might, but at the end of the day, a Cilician is a Cilician, even if you acknowledge that there are benefits to associating with me.

　They have too much pride.
　It's a pain in the ass.


　We spent the day discussing Ains and the Cilician people.






　Mid-March.....
　Tetra said with a big smile on her face.

　'I'm pregnant,'
　That's good to hear!

　I hugged Tetra.
　This time there's a month's difference between you and Julia. Since Julia's birth was in October I'd say Tetra's in November.

　It's winter.
　It's a little dicey.

　"Would you like to have a boy?　Do you want a girl?
　'Either way, I don't care. ...But I already have Anx between me and Tetra, so I guess it's more of a girl?

　To get a little politically dirty....
　The more girls there are, the more widespread the means of political marriage.

　It's not a very commendable idea for a parent.

　'Have a healthy baby. Support me.
　''Haha I can only cheer you on because all I can do is cheer you on...''

　Giving birth is a real risk in this world.
　So every time I hear the news that I'm pregnant, a sense of joy and anxiety raises its head at the same time.

　Of course, I understand that there are more parents in this world who give birth safely than those who lose their children, and I understand that the risk of puerperal fever has been greatly reduced thanks to alcohol disinfection, but....

　''Hey, Alms. I didn't tell you until now, but can I ask you something?
　What?

　Tetra gives me a serious look.
　She pulls my sleeve up and puts her mouth to her ear.

　'What's going to happen to Anx?'
　What do you mean by ...?

　Tetra let out a faint voice, looking a little uneasy.

　''.........The Julius Rosais family will be the family that ejects emperors as the Julius family sect. I understand that. But.........what position will the Julius As family be in?

　I'm going to ask you to join my vassalage and become a nobleman to support the House of Julius Rosais, but why?
　Can't you give him to a foreign country for a son-in-law?
　I can't do that. And you know why?

　Suppose Anx ... well, let's say he was son-in-law to King Domorgal's country and became King Domorgal.
　If Anx ... well, I don't want to think about that.

　If Anx's son or grandson claims the throne and invades the land of King Rosais...................the land of Julia and my son, we'll be in big trouble.

　As for my son, I have no intention of giving him to a foreign country as my son-in-law.
　Those sons who fail to become kings will be vassals and become noblemen.

　I don't know how many stories I'll be told in the future.
　Maybe I will fail along the way, and I will be remembered as a mere invader and plunderer.

　And yet if my high road continues and I succeed in founding our country, then that is the end of it.
　I will be the first king.

　The blood of his direct descendants will carry great political significance.

　It can be a recipe for disaster.
　That's why I don't let my direct blood out.

　Well I'm sorry to hear that, but it's just weird. I didn't mean for it to sound so strange. It's true, so...

　I hold Tetra close to me, her voice trembling.
　Tetra buries her face in my chest.

　'I'm ... sorry, I'm pregnant and feeling weird. Let me ... let me do this for a while.
　Yeah, I'll stay with you until it's over.

　I replied as I gently stroked Tetra's hair.

　Somehow I got the feeling that Tetra's 'sorry' wasn't just for me.