Chapter 91: Central
King's Castle
In the audience chamber, I fall to my knees.
“I will return all 500 recruits entrusted to me by the former king to His Majesty.”
The nobles around me are looking at me restlessly.
I feel good.
In front of the people who harassed them so badly, they made a triumphant return as a perfect soldier
Normally, a triumphant return is when you come back from a victorious battle.
Well, for me, it's like winning a battle, so it doesn't matter.
"Umu, I can see that they became extremely strong soldiers. It is a great cause!"
The king responds in a pompous manner.
But I know what he's doing.
I'm trying very hard not to laugh.
-------
That's the end of my audience with the King.
From here on, it's private.
We gather in our usual place, a hidden room in the King's castle.
“It was really hard for me to hold back my laughter when I saw the nobles trying to run away in confusion, Teacher.”
His Majesty Quies, the current king, is in a good mood while drinking.
Queen Sylvie, who is pregnant, smiles next to him.
"I must say, it's been a long time since I've had such a good time."
Here, there is no need for arrogance, dignity, formality, and courtesy
“Everyone can use beginner-level healing magic. They're an invincible army, depending on how you use it."
Wince brags about the soldiers she raised
I trained them physically, but Wince is in charge of their mental side.
They had a level of training that even I'd give them an apology, so they won't be easily broken.
“I heard that you lock recruits in a cage and leave them in a forest overrun by monsters for three days?”
It seems that Quies was looking into the details of the training.
As expected, I felt sorry for them.
“You say that I left them alone, but I leave food and water for them, you know?"
That's the problem.
All the food she gave them was fresh meat.
That's why there were so many monsters gathered around the cage.
"......A little"
"I'm glad their hearts didn't break"
“No, even Shiro-san gave them hard training!”
What are you talking about?
Which one?
"...Listen"
"Isn't it just torture to make them dig a hole and make them fill it immediately?"
"That's rude! It's mental and physical training!"
It's okay because I only made them do it three times
"Heyーーーーーー!"
And then the thing I'd forgotten about jumped out of my cloak.
"Whoa!"
"What's this!"
Quies and Sylvie are surprised to see the unusual visitor.
"You stupid idiot! How long do I have to hide in there!"
"Ah, sorry, I forgot."
"That's terrible!"
A girl the size of my palm flies around the room
"Teacher! What is she!"
"It's a fairy"
------
At the time when Quies, the current king, was performing his coming-of-age ceremony.
We were in the woods of Tenelmeyer territory in the south, where I had gone on the former King's orders.
According to the story, the fairies had fled from the center of the continent.
There were about a hundred of them.
What's the unit of counting fairies? Hiki? Body?
(TN: 匹 (Hiki) = generally described as the counter for "small or medium-sized animals.")
They asked for help, so I protected them and sent them to live in the forests of Sermus territory. Without permission.
Sermus got angry after that though
"Why are you introducing them now?"
"Because after five years, I can advertise them as useful."
"Useful? What can they do?"
Quies asks a question while looking at the fairy
Well, she's small, kind of powerless... and stupid, so one will probably feel uneasy
"I feel like I've been made a fool of!"
It's just your imagination
"It was in the report, wasn't it? The Haber-bosch process."
"There was. Magic powder that will make a good harvest if you sprinkle it on the field."
"It's production, they're the ones who helped create it."
"...Are you serious?"
It's true, it's true.
Knowledge is meaningless without technology
That's why the Haber-bosch process was impossible to reproduce in this world.
After explaining the principle to the fairies, they showed how easily they could create nitrogen compounds using their magic.
What amazed me was their ability to learn.
They just look stupid because they have no knowledge.
No, they are quite stupid in character.
Anyway, they just don't have the knowledge.
"You could have kept quiet, right? At least I didn't suspect the magic powder as your invention, you know?"
"I don't want to monopolize the rights. It would be too much trouble to manage."
"That sounds like you, Teacher......"
"Isn't it amazing? Me! Come on, Shiro, pat my head!"
Yes, yes, amazing, amazing.
She wants to be petted, so I pet her.
"Ehehe~"
"But why did such a large number of fairies escape? In such a remote place."
"Well, that's......"
It's the result of human ugliness on full display in the center.
To put it bluntly, enslavement.
It is said that fairies are extremely hard to die
They're easier to catch.
They don't need to eat.
No power
Small but beautiful
And they were sold as pets in the central state.
Not so long ago they were illegal, but one day the trade became legal.
At the same time, they lost their rights.
Their wings are clipped and burned so that they cannot fly
Put them in cages and watch them
From there, the misery worsens.
The fairies' outward appearance is that of a girl
It was natural for the men to use them
They were used over and over again, day after day
It is said that all the captured fairies had their hearts broken.
And yet, they never died...
"It's tragic."
"Right! We're the last fairies! Take good care of us!"
"Wait a minute! Last!"
Sylvie raises her voice
"That's exactly what it means. The 100 or so we protected are fairies left on the continent."
"I think there are more if you include the fairies that were enslaved."
According to this one's predictions, they're in a state where they can't even live as a fairy.
"Well, that's a problem."
"What is?"
Quies ponders
“Actually, I received personal letters from multiple central states.”
"Personal letter? To a country this far north?"
I realized after I said it, I didn't mean to offend
"Yes, they're ignoring the demi-human countries in between and go our way."
"Wait, they can't avoid the neighboring countries coming to this country, right?"
I have a bad feeling about this. Is that really a personal letter?
“I think you already know, but this country is too far from the center. So we were not taken seriously by other human sovereign nations..."
"Is it my fault?"
"No! It's not Teacher's fault..."
This one's a good guy
But if you lose your cool and raise your voice, you won't be able to cover it up.
"So, what is the cause?"
"It's the Haber-bosch process that was mentioned earlier."
"What does it say?"
"The magic powder is the treasure of every nation. Teach us how to make it."
You're just gonna take the good part.
"What do we get in return?"
"...Give us some say in the center."
"Phew... Quies. I want to hear your opinion."
“The center is too far from here. It would be meaningless to get the right to speak. Above all, the opinions of newcomers are bound to be ignored."
Of course, they will.
"Are you going to refuse?"
Then I suddenly realize
The fairy was holding my arm
Her face was anxious.
"Now, this is not from a letter, but the word of a messenger."
In other words, it is a remark that the other side does not want to make public.
"[You have no choice but to say yes. If you are afraid of the demi-human country to go to the center, we will clear the way for you], he said."
"That's putting it mildly."
If we refuse, they can do whatever they want in the demi-human country and raise hate toward humans.
And the demi-humans' hatred will be directed at this neighboring country.
No, they'll set it up to do that.
"I want you to buy some time"
"If I buy more time, will it help?"
"It depends on your efforts."
"...Along with the letter, I've been asked to participate in an event."
"What kind of event?"
It was a little game.
You set a goal and a start.
You answer at the goal with a statement given at the start.
You could do it any way you wanted.
A messenger bird, a fast horse, a gallop, or anything else.
“I've heard that this is an ancient and sacred tradition.”
"Is there any possibility of military action behind it?"
"It is said that the nation that did such a thing has suffered misfortune."
Well, I guess it's a kind of superstition, a kind of conspiracy.
"We're going to do that event."
"Is it okay?"
"It's not something the king is going to do, right?"
"Yes, it seems that nobles chosen by the nation can participate."
"I'll be fine then. In the meantime, you're going to make contact with the neighboring countries."
As soon as possible, I want them to establish a line of defense.
"Compared to the center, the horses in this country are not fast enough."
"Even a running dragon won't do it?"
"What you need is speed. Running dragons have good power."
"Hmm..."
Examine the event data.
There, the means of past winners were listed.
Sometimes the bird wins
Sometimes the horse wins
What do they have in common?
"You can even take turns at a relay point of your own choosing, huh?"
It's like a relay.
"It's frustrating to inflict defeat on you, Teacher, but..."
"No, I won't lose"
"Isn't it impossible?"
No, I have the best and most fair and cowardly means.
"Quies, Sylvie, let's review."
""Review?""
"What is the fastest thing in the world?"
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