Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
「── Phew! My throat is dry after talking nonstop!」
At this moment── speak of the devil, the subject himself exited the conference hall. Ikuta’s eyes lit up and he walked to his teacher.
「「Thank you for your hard work, Professor Anarai.」」
Two identical greetings came out at the same time. The other greeting came from the white-haired officer standing on the other side of the old sage.
「... Hmm?」「... Hmmmm?」
They locked eyes with hostility on their faces. Professor Anarai who was caught in between said loudly in a gleeful tone.
「Oh, Ikuta and Jean! What do you think about our debate, it’s worth a listen, right!?」
「Speaking reservedly, the contents are very stimulating… That aside, hey, white pretty boy, what are you doing here? Go back to the Prime Minister!」
「That’s my line, Ikuta Solork. Professor Anarai is a member of our camp. I’m the one confused by your presence here.」
The two of them pushed each other with hostile words. Anarai was surprised by their interaction.
「What, you two are already acquainted? That saves me the trouble of introducing your new comrades.」
「「... New comrades!?」」
They yelled identical words once again. The old sage nodded with a smile.
「Hahaha── That’s right, you are both my disciples. You might hail from different nations, but you are both comrades in the pursuit of Science!」
Anarai said as he patted their backs. After standing blankly on the spot, they recovered at the same time.
「... I understand now. You took in this guy as a disciple, I see.」
「Professor! Why did you keep me in the dark all this while...!?」
「? No, I’m not hiding it. I already mentioned that I have a bunch of interesting disciples in the Empire, right? I didn’t tell you all of their names though.」
This haphazard explanation made Jean hold his head. Watching his reaction, Ikuta realized something and curled his lips maliciously.
「... It can’t be helped, but whatever, that’s not important.」
The dark-haired youth said as he stood beside the white-haired officer, patting the puzzled man’s shoulder. Ikuta said with a brilliant smile.
「Anyway, there is only one important thing from what we know── you are my junior disciple, white pretty boy.」
「*Hazgaze【Are you kidding me】!?」
Jean shouted in Bayoshie on reflex. His ears were ringing from the sudden shout, but Ikuta looked gleeful.
「Hmm～? Hey, is that the attitude you show to your senior disciple～?」
「There’s no way I harbour even a shred of respect towards you!」
「Even so, you still have to ── Woaah?」
Ikuta was about to taunt him further when Jean rushed over and kicked his walking stick. Ikuta almost fell down, but steady himself through his sheer guts. His brows were breaking out in cold sweat as he yelled:
「...! Why you! You kicked my walking stick? This is definitely a diplomatic crisis!」
「Oh, my bad, I will kick your face next time! It’s hard to aim, so bend over!」
The two of them quarrelled with each other, any thoughts of self restraint were gone from their minds. The verbal quarrel turned into a scuffle, and their guards interfered in a hurry.
「J-Jean? Calm down! This is the Conference venue!」
「Lord Solork! Pardon me for saying so, but it’s unwise to get into a conflict here!」
Miara and Lucanti held them back as Ikuta and Jean continued throwing insults at each other. At the same time, the diplomatic priests rushed over when they heard the uproar.
「W-What happened? What’s going on──?」
「... Unprecedented. This is unprecedented, Solork.」
「... Sorry.」
About ten minutes later, Ikuta who was forcibly brought back to the break room was sitting in seiza on the bed while Chamille chided him.
「The Field Marshal that heads the military got into a scuffle with an enemy nation’s Major General during the Three Nation Conference… You got into a fight over such a retarded reason, so retarded that I forgot to intervene. But fortunately, the other party probably won’t make a big deal over this matter, since it’s such a low class scuffle...」
The girl said, and her shoulders felt weak just thinking about it. Before her, Ikuta crossed his arms and grunted.
「... I’m surprised myself too. I got the material to mock that guy now. When that idea flashed across my mind, I just had speak my mind...」
「Just how much do you dislike Major General Jean Arkinex? I know you two have a long history, but that was too far.」
「Yes, you are right… If only his face is uglier… Ahh~ damn it, I don’t want to see that handsome face again.」
The youth laid face down on the bed depressedly. Seeing that, Chamille pouted unhappily.
「... Ever since I met you, you will curse out handsome men whenever you have the chance. And whenever I hear that, I always wonder what you are saying.」
「?」
「I have never thought your face is inferior to other people. Not just Jean Arkinex── of all the people I have met, I like your face the most. Isn’t that obvious? I stared at you for two whole years in the harem when you weren’t speaking, and didn’t get tired of you at all.」
The girl felt an urge and said without pause. She thought about what she just said and her body started turning hot.
「...──? N-No, what I just said──?」
Ikuta swiftly grabbed her hand and gently hugged the girl’s back without saying anything. He then patted her head as if she was a puppy.
「Yes, how embarrassing. Saying all that with a serious face is very powerful. I shouldn’t evade by hugging you, but let me off this time.」
「... Ahh… Ughh...」
「Back to the original topic… the history between that guy and me aside, we have to settle this matter diplomatically, and make it public that ‘we aren’t quarreling’. They must feel the same way since they apologized for instigating the fight. So let’s host a party for them.」
Ikuta said all that, then added in a gentle tone.
「Let me retort you with this… Just like how you felt, whenever you demean yourself, I would feel the same way. I will be happy if you can remember that.」
When she heard that, Chamille’s face turned even redder, like a ripe tomato. Ikuta held her in his arms until she calmed down.
At the same time, the Pope returned to her chambers, then knelt under the one star banner.
「... God, what what should I do...?」
She no longer hid the anguish on her face. She was troubled. This was the destiny of all Popes who stood at the top of the Church of Aldera── bearing a question she couldn’t share with anyone, she endured the weight threatening to break her knees.
「... Please guide us. Shine a light to show the way forward...」
She held her partner Sprite with both hands and locked eyes with it, as if she could see the existence of god through it.
「... Oh God...」
No answer came no matter how long she waited, and the clear eyes of the Sprite only cruelly reflected her fragile face.
Early next morning, Pope Jenancy gave a notification to stop the conference for a day. Anarai who did his stretches and was raring to go was caught off guard. However, since the Pope requested time to think things over at this timing meant the old sage’s questioning wasn’t futile.
「Hmm, we got the day off.」
Ikuta muttered after receiving the notification, and summoned an admin officer to send a letter he drafted last night to the Kioka camp. He got a response less than ten minutes later, informing Chamille and him to visit the drawing room in front of the hearth they visited last time at 9am.
「Good morning, Major General Jean Arkinex. Pardon me for yesterday’s incident.」
The first thing Ikuta did was to apologize without being monotonous. It was the same for Jean, who answered with a social mask he spent an entire night to put on.
「I should be the one apologizing. I deeply regret doing something so rash.」
After exchanging apologies, Ikuta took out the chess board he was clamping lightly under his armpit.
「Well～ I brought along a chessboard, why don’t we chat over a game?」
「I will gladly take you up on your invitation.」
Jean nodded and answered robotically. Ario who was watching them covered his mouth.
「... Fufufu...」
「Prime Minister Sir!」
Miara who was serving as their escort admonished him softly. Ario wiped away his smile.
「Oh my, pardon me. Isn’t it great to play a game and chat? I will just watch quietly from the side.」
「I shall do the same. The outcome of the match doesn’t matter, we are here just to socialize.」
Chamille added as if she already planned to do so. Ikuta and Jean sat down on opposite sides of the chess board.
「Let’s not set any time control for the game and play leisurely.」
「Very well. Let’s decide who goes first.」
Jean closed his palm around a chess piece in each hand, and Ikuta chose the right hand. The hand opened, indicating that the white-haired officer would go first. They bowed and started the game.
The two of them were silent with only the sound of the pieces being moved. One minute, three minutes, five minutes passed. Chamille couldn’t stand it anymore and said.
「... Cough cough. Why don’t you chat a little?」
Playing chess in silence wasn’t socializing. They were aware of that too, so Ikuta tossed out a topic, careful not to taunt him.
「Oh… What did you have for breakfast?」
「A simple meal of fruits and bread. I’m not very particular with food, what about you, Field Marshal Sir?」
「Well, I’m always thinking about improving the meals served on the battlefield.」
「Improve? Light, filling, and ready to eat── I think such provisions are the ideal meal for soldiers.」
「From the way I see it, that’s just nutrition supplements, just making do when there’s no time for a proper meal. And of course, it will be great if the nutrition supplement tastes good── but the goal should be replacing such meals.」
It wasn’t cordial, but Chamille was relieved that they were having a normal conversation. Increasing the pace of his chess moves slightly, Jean said:
「Indeed, the troops prefer a warm meal, but it takes a lot of time to cook. I want to minimize the march as much as possible.」
「It should be fine for short missions, but long campaigns are another matter. And that’s because shoving down a nutrition supplement and making time for a proper meal is very different in quality, before we even talk about the taste.」
Ikuta matched his increased chess pace and answered. As Chamille and Ario watched on, the board kept changing rapidly.
「Nutrition supplements are just one part of war. But eating during the lull in battle is a time for the men to heal their soul away from the war. Isn’t that as important as replenishing their nutrition?」
「They are still on a mission during their meals. Is it really fine for the soldiers to take their mind off the battle? I think soldiers should have the mentally of always being prepared for battle.」
Their opinions were like two parallel lines that didn’t cross. Ikuta grunted and approached from a different angle.
「Major General Arkinex, I would like to ask── When was the last time you took a vacation?」
「If you are referring to vacation days, I have two rest days a month as per military regulations. However, I will arrange some work during my vacation days too. There is always something to do.」
Jean answered quickly, and Ikuta asked again.
「My question wasn’t clear── When was the last time you rested leisurely?」
His hand stopped for a few brief seconds. Jean resumed his game at a brisk pace and replied:
「I can’t remember── Field Marshal Solork, you know about my nickname. My body doesn’t want to rest in the first place.」
「That might not be so… Be it body or soul, people will deceive themselves some times.」
With that, their conversation ended. The two of them played at an incredible pace, the speed of their fingers were as fast as an acrobat── suddenly, Ikuta paused an informed his opponent:
「I have seen this position before.」
「It’s a repetition draw. Let’s reset the board.」
<TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sennichite>
Having seen the same position three times already, the two came to a consensus to reset the game. Chamille opened her eyes wide── they played to a draw even though they played at such a blistering pace. This was clearly an abnormal situation.
The second game started. Before the silence was drawn out, Ikuta tossed out a topic.
「Let’s talk about something else, when did you get acquainted with Professor Anarai?」
「He provided assistance when I was suppressing a revolt in the past. It was a coincidental meeting, and I visited his lab to thank him.」
「I see… and he got interested with your insomniac body, right?」
「The Professor is still researching this and came up with several hypotheses. If his research proceeds well, then the ideal result will be for all of mankind to work just like me.」
Jean shared his wish without a second thought. At that moment, Ikuta retracted his hand reaching for the chess pieces and hugged his head.
「... What’s wrong? Field Marshal Solork?」
「... No, pardon me, I just felt a headache. I’m fine now.」
That wasn’t a total lie. Ikuta pulled himself together and continued the game. Chamille watching from the side became nervous, but Ikuta continued his questions with a different attitude.
「Let’s talk about something else. What’s your hobbies?」
「Horsemanship, chess, base logistics── and things like the usage of balloons.」
Everything he listed was disciplines related to the military. This answer frustrated Ikuta, but he continued speaking without letting it show.
「... I’m impressed with how much you devote yourself to military affairs. But isn’t your life of discipline a little too much?」
「It’s troubling for you to say that. I’m not suppressing myself in the first place, I have never wanted much leisure in the first place.」
「... I see.」
「Field Marshal Solork, how are you running the Imperial military at such a young age?」
Jean asked. The dark-haired youth calmly answered.
「... I handled my duties during the spare time I have when I’m not with Chamille, and lazed as much as possible. Since this isn’t a work that I love so much that I will forgo sleep for.」
This was only natural for him, but absurd for the leader of a nation’s army. Jean pulled back his hand that was reaching for the chess pieces and held his head, reacting in the same way as Ikuta did earlier.
「...Yah*, as expected of the youngest Field Marshal in history, it’s a piece of cake for you.」
「You can mimic me if you like. As my hobby, I recommend afternoon naps.」
Before they realized it, there was a dangerous atmosphere in the air as the two continued their game. They increased their pace even faster, taking and losing pieces as if they were in a brawl. Suddenly, they stopped.
「This position again.」
「Draw by repetition. Next game.」
They nodded at each other and cleared the board without any hesitation. Chamille sighed while Ario lowered his head to stifle his laughter.
They played three games, and all of them ended in a repetition draw, an incredible outcome. After the socializing with Jean Arkinex ended, Ikuta and Chamille walked back to their rooms along the corridor.
「... It feels like you two are conversing calmly while brawling on the chess board.」
「It’s his fault for his uncute chess moves… Ahh, I wasted my energy for nothing...」
Ikuta stopped and slumped his shoulders depressedly. The girl beside her was suddenly pounced on from behind.
「Chamille～ thank you for your hard work!」
「...! V-Vackie?」
Chamille who was suddenly hugged called out a name frantically. The Scientist girl buried her face into Chamille’s neck and answered:
「Really now～ I’m so dissatisfied～ Professor Anarai and the Pope are duking it out, but I have to take care of the work behind the scenes, you know? Kioka’s diplomatic team is a pain to deal with, but they should run out of negotiation materials in a couple of days～」
「W-What’s that got to do with embracing me...!?」
「Nothing～ at all! But I want to hug the Chamille I love whenever I have the chance! Got a problem with that!?」
Vackie squeezed harder. Chamille looked troubled, but Ikuta didn’t stop his junior disciple and asked her:
「Vackie, have you met with Professor Anarai?」
「Not yet. Even if it’s me, I won’t take action without permission from Ikuta-nii. I won’t cause any trouble, and also know that I’m not suited to handling normal diplomatic duties.」
「Why don’t you visit them now? You left housesitting to Yorga, right?」
「Yay! Yorga got his eyes on things over there, so don’t worry. We should be able to block him for a while longer.」
They hinted at the surveillance of Trisnai and after confirming that, they decided on their next course of action.
「You can’t pass here, Field Marshal Solork Sir.」
「No admittance!」
They wanted to visit the Scientist’s tent just like last time, but Harrah and Sergeant Major Mita blocked their way like a sentry. This was a reasonable response, but Ikuta smiled gently.
「Don’t be so stiff, Major Harrah. I’m just bring my junior disciple to visit our teacher.」
「I’m honored that you remembered my name, but my duty is to use my big body to act as a human wall. You may enter after getting permission from His Excellency Kyakushii.」
「Get permission!」
Sergeant Major Mita repeated the tail end of Harrah’s words. Blocked by the big and small human wall, Ikuta crossed his arms troublingly.
「Hmm～ I understand.」
He took a deep breath, and before the two of them could stop him, he yelled at the entrance of the tent.
「Prime Minister! Can you grant permission for me to meet with Professor Anarai!?」
The shout echoed out loud. A few seconds later, Ario poked his head out of the tent.
「Yes, it’s fine. Please come in!」
He agreed easily. Ikuta shrugged and turned towards Harrah.
「That’s what he said.」
「... How do you know His Excellency is inside?」
「Considering what happened yesterday, it won’t be a surprise if the Prime Minister came to discuss things with the Professor. If he isn’t here, I will search elsewhere, so I figure I might as well give it a shot.」
「Haha── I see. You got me, please go in.」
Harrah admitted defeat and opened a path with a smile. Ikuta, Chamille and Vackie visited the Scientist’s nest again.
「Professor～ Long time no see～!」
「Oh, that sounds like Malvackie! You have grown big!」
Professor Anarai embraced Vackie who pounced on him, and Bajin who was focusing on his work on a table at a corner turned around in surprise.
「Huh── Oh～ it’s really Malvackie! Sorry, Nazuna, I’m going off!」
「Don’t think you can run.」
Bajin was about to leave when Nazuna grabbed his collar. Vackie approached her senior disciple who was flailing his arms around with a mischievous smile.
「Heehee～Bajin-nii, how mean of you to act like that when you see your junior disciple~ It’s not like I’m a monster or anything～」
「Hieee! Spare me! I will give you snacks!」
「Uwah～! Hmm, what’s this, confectionery? The moist texture isn’t bad. Give me more, I want to share this with Chamille.」
「That’s just robbery… Give them back the excess.」
When Chamille couldn’t stand it anymore and stopped her, Vackie said okay and gave it a rest. Bajin was shocked by this unbelievable scene and looked at the messiah girl.
「Huh… Chamille-chan, are you on good terms with that girl? You can communicate with her?」
「Communicate… Sigh, I can make out a fifth of what she is saying.」
「We are best friends forever!」
Vackie said with her arm around Chamille’s shoulder to flaunt their friendship. After glancing at them, Nazuna said to the dark-haired youth.
「... So, Ikuta, have you finished quarelling with the Kioka general?」
「I played a game of chess and made up with him just now. Please don’t bring it up again, Nazuna-nee. For my mind’s well being.」
「If you say so. But I won’t be forgetting that scene any time soon.」
Nazuna answered with a nefarious smile. Ikuta sighed, perked himself up and turned to Professor Anarai.
「Well then, Professor. I didn’t have time to say this yesterday, but you really scared me. I knew you will bring out something, but never thought you will bring smashed pieces of the Cathedral’s outerwall.」
The moment Ikuta said that, the atmosphere of Bajin and the other Scientists turned tense. However, the subject himself, Professor Anarai, wasn’t fazed at all.
「Ohh, about that...」 「Uwah──!」
「Professor, shut up! He’s here! Sir Kyakushii is here!」
His disciples frantically stopped their teacher who was about to reveal an important secret. Seeing how tense they were, Ikuta looked at Ario who was seated in a corner of the tent.
「Oh, pardon me, I have no intention of probing this secret, I’m just here to express how surprised I was.」
「Of course, I’m sorry that my presence here have dampened your conversation.」
They chatted without a shred of sincerity. Seeing that it was time to leave, Ikuta signalled Chamille and Vackie with his eyes.
「You’re too kind, I just dropped by on a whim. Well then── since my junior disciple has greeted our teacher, it’s about time for us to go.」
They got ready to leave after bidding their farewells. At this moment, Ario said to Ikuta’s back:
「Field Marshal Solork, did you sleep well at night?」
「── Very well. It’s a bit cold here, but I can make do with a blanket.」
「I see, I’m envious. It’s good to be young. I have trouble sleeping recently, and have been drinking a lot before bed.」
He said exasperatedly. Ikuta smiled and replied that he could empathize, then left for real this time.
「.. Solork, is this really fine? You didn’t talk much with the Professor.」
「Yes, I learned most of the things I want to know, and it lines up with my expectations.」
「That’s true. That thing is so hard～」
Vackie nodded as if she was in the know. They understood each other just from that exchange, and Chamille thought with furrowed brows:
「Ughh… What are you two talking about, am I the only one who don’t understand?」
「I will explain properly at another time. I want to avoid talking about it as much as possible.」
The dark-haired youth hinted and looked behind him, then muttered:
「... In any case, I will be staying up late tonight.」
Late night. After confirming that Chamille had fallen asleep in the large carriage, Ikuta walked in the dark with his escorts.
「... This way.」
The group quickly linked up with a Kioka guide who led them forth. The two nations’ armies had set up camp outside the diplomatic building, and at their borders was a campfire and two chairs, the meeting place for them on this night.
「Hi, so you’re here.」
「I’m glad that you invited me after all.」
Ario who was already seated greeted him, and Ikuta raised the bottle he brought in reply. The Kioka Prime Minister twirled the wine in his glass and grinned.
「As you can see, this is a less formal venue unlike the one in the day. Please take a seat.」
Ikuta sat down with a nod and grabbed his cork. The sound of the bottle popping echoed in the night── after listening to that pleasant sound, Ario raised his glass.
「Cheers── it’s a pity that we can’t share the same drink, but let’s enjoy the campfire together. Drinking wine in a cold night like this is an enjoyable experience too.」
「True. Cheers.」
After their opening lines, the two of them emptied their glasses. Feeling the heat from the alcohol rising from his stomach, Ario said slowly:
「── Phew… Both of us have things that are inconvenient to say if the children are around, right?」
「Maybe. Although it would be better if there are fewer secrets.」
Ikuta answered with a slightly heavier tone. The Prime Minister saw that Ikuta understood his intention and asked:
「Are 『they』 doing well?」
Silence hung in the air. The youth didn’t answer immediately… The first thing that came to his mind was self reproach.
「... Not too well. They suffered heavy injuries to protect Chamille not too long ago.」
「── How serious is their injuries, and the treatment?」
Ario pressed right away. Ikuta could sense real fury from his voice, and gave minimal information.
「I can’t tell you the details, but I promise you that they are recuperating properly.」
「Was that injury unavoidable?」
「...No. First, our prediction wasn’t done well── to make up for this, they had to work really hard.」
When he heard the youth’s answer, Ario sighed heavily.
「I don’t want them to be lost so easily. Their unique talents aren’t easy to find.」
「I think so too. The same as your many other 『works』.」
There was an obvious accusatory edge in Ikuta’s voice as he continued:
「If you find other potential talents, will you give them similar education?」
「You are making it sound like brainwashing── in their case, I gave a child with no options the chance to reintegrate into society. I have never demanded them to do anything, so there’s nothing for me to feel guilty about.」
「That’s right, it’s different in nature from brainwashing… Your methods are far more advanced.」
The light from the campfire cast a shadow on Ario’s profile. Ikuta glanced sideways at him and said:
「Prime Minister, you are great at dealing with people. You can grasp what someone wants, what infuriates them, what they hate── things even the subject doesn't know themselves, and you will make arrangements to motivate and exploit them. Since these are emotions the subject already possesses, there is no coercion… Your words will permeate into your target without any resistance.」
He paused, and only the cracking sounds of the fire echoed in the darkness. Ario grunted and sipped his wine.
「like the sweet whispers of a conman leading them on── in short, you are blaming me?」
At that question, Ikuta shook his head quietly after a brief moment.
「... No. Guiding people down a certain path is something done in all forms of education. Schools nurture talents who will contribute to society, the army will train recruits to act like proper soldiers. There is nothing wrong with that.」
「That’s right. When you want to teach something, it’s impossible to do so without guiding them.」
「That’s right. Also, comparing this to the sweet whispers of a conman isn’t totally right either. Because you aren’t deceiving them. You will do your best to carry out the promise you made when you unearth these talented people, and have no interest in lying to them to benefit yourself.」
「I’m glad that you understand.」 Ario said with a smile:
In contrast, Ikuta’s face remained stiff as he continued:
「You are better than anyone at unearthing talents and nurturing them. The 『Insomniac Brilliant General』, 『Great Mother of White Wings』 and 『them』── whenever I clashed with your subordinates, I feel a chill down my spine.」
Ohh～ the Prime Minister was impressed when he mentioned those names.
「I never told you that I was the one who recruited Elulufay. I don’t think she will bring it up either, so why do you think so?」
「When the Port Nemong naval battle ended, I spoke shortly with her while she was held captive. I asked her for a simple background of her growth, and your name didn’t come up even once. However… when I spoke with her, I felt the something similar as the 『Insomniac Brilliant General』. Or rather, they have the same twisted nature?」
「How sharp. Are you saying all the children I nurtured are twisted?」
「You should understand the reason best.」
Ikuta’s voice held a rage beyond just an accusatory hint, his clenched fists on his knees were shaking.
「Jean Arkinex who lost his country and best friend over a meaningless war, works tirelessly to achieve the dream of Kioka prosperity and long lasting peace. He even gave up on sleep which is the right given to all of mankind… However, when will his efforts bear fruit? A hundred years? Three centuries? Half a millennium? The only certain thing is that his work will never end in his lifetime. That guy is attempting to exhaust hs entire life for something that he will never see the results of, and you are pushing him on by agreeing with him.」
「......」
「Similarly, Elulufay Tenerexilla who can’t give birth because of the nature of her body. She claims every crew member in her fleet is her child, using her love to stave off her loneliness… However, since she was an admiral, deaths amongst her subordinates is unavoidable in war. If she lives like this, she will experience the loss of her children over and over again. She will feel the excruciating pain that others couldn’t even bear for once. And you are the one who guided her down such a life.」
Ario was silent, and ikuta continued to press him.
「And 『them』, whose personality split because of the abusive environment they were raised in.
Showing their kind personality when building trust, and showing their malicious character after gaining that trust── By switching their personalities, they achieve great results as spies… But performing such works is like stamping out the sand castle they painstakingly built. When their mission is accomplished, all that is left is just barren and ashened grounds. You know that, but you still whispered to them to just treat betrayal like a job.」
He knew very clearly how this contradiction will torture their soul. Ikuta could see very clearly in his mind how she attempted suicide before she could kill a comrade.
「And also── the royal family girl who was born at the dusk of the Empire, Chamille Kitra Katjvanmaninik.」
The youth mentioned the name of the girl he was trying to save with all his might.
「I heard you got in contact with that child when she stayed in Kioka as a political hostage. She is smart, and is troubled by her status since she was young── and you targeted her worries to poison her. Because you predict her existence might be the key to the downfall of the Empire in the future.」
「......」
「When I first met her, she would mention every now and then that her blood is corrupted… She is strict with herself in all matters, and her sense of duty as a royal only strengthened that trend. However, she won’t be so twisted with just that. Her eyes are only focused on her own demise. She yearns for the royal family to get it's just deserts for their long tyrannical rule… because of the curse you put on her!」
He was yelling towards the end. Ikuta took deep breaths before continuing:
「This is the thing you should be faulted for. Be it Jean Arkinex, Elulufay Tenerexilla, 『them』, or Chamille── as an adult, you should be saving them instead.
… Not urging a boy who lost everything to spend his entire life in pursuit of grandiose ideals.
… Not giving a woman who can’t become a mother children who will die, no matter how much she showers them with love.
… Not let a girl who has been betrayed repeatedly, make a living by betraying others.
… Not let a girl with self loathe have the delusion that her own destruction will lead to salvation.
A simpler warmth. A salvation within reach. A simple happiness that will satisfy a person── with your ability, you could have given them all that.」
The youth closed his eyes as if to mourn a dream he couldn’t realize. Ario finished the wine in his glass as he listened.
「... I’m honestly surprised. You understand me far better than I expected.」
He offered his compliments. However── the perfect smile on his face wasn’t fazed at all.
「You are correct. I took them out of their horrible situation, but I didn’t save their souls. More specifically, I have no intention of doing so. Do you know why?」
Ario asked Ikuta about his state of mind. Ikuta stared at the fire and answered plainly.
「Because doing so will make them less useful to you?」
The Prime Minister nodded and asked without any hesitation.
「Full marks. Indeed── I can say for certain that there is nothing more boring than humans who found salvation.」
He said coldly in a voice that would send a shiver down anyone’s spine.
Ario’s gaze turned to the night sky, lamenting that he couldn’t see the stars because of the cloudy sky, and said:
「Let’s talk about the past── Long ago, I had a respected teacher. She was an elegant, knowledgeable and intelligent woman who had an extraordinary drive to get things done. I admire her both as a person and as a politician. This is embarrassing, but I must have a crush on her back then too.」
Even though she was much older than me, Ario said with a laugh. Ikuta frowned, unsure about how much he should believe this formidable foe. The man knew how Ikuta felt and continued honestly.
「Back then, I was just a lowly paid assistant, but I felt it was great that I could support her with my work. The tasks she assigned me weren't easy, but worth doing. Also── this is a simple motivation, but I was happy that my efforts were improving the lives of the people… You might not believe this, but many politicians are driven by this feeling.
My most memorable moment was diverting the river that frequently floods a village away, a big project that drastically reduced floods. I was impressed by my teacher’s performance. She formulated a plan that took years, was given an enormous budget, recruited skilled construction workers, balanced the various interest groups, negotiated with the residents ahead of time── they were all difficult jobs, and she ran between the groups repeatedly.
I spent the busy days alongside her, and I asked her one day, why did she worked so hard?」
Ario said with nostalgic eyes, and recalled the answer he got back then:
「She said, because she understood what being impoverished was like. I knew her background very well. Being impoverished would constraint the possibility of a person by a lot, and it was incredibly hard to break out of that situation by themselves. There’s an old saying… shouldering the expectation of the entire village or something? She was just like that. She was raised in a poor fishing village on the south coast, and most of the villagers could only write their own names. However, when there is a smart child in the village, everyone will pool their money and send the child to a nearby town to learn from the merchants, and hope the child will bring money back to the village one day.」
「......」
「She learned all sorts of things from the merchants── she told me that her worldview changed completely, and she had choices in all sorts of things. That’s right, I think you understand that having a choice is the most prominent feature of wealth. An impoverished life lacks choices. Food, clothes, job, marriage partner── She realized things she had no choice in the past can be changed depending on the methods and capabilities. And that was the beginning of everything.」
Ario said as he picked up the bottle from the ground and poured another glass.
「Anyway, she worked hard to earn money, and when she reached a significant sum, she would hand over half the amount to the village chief, and asked him to improve the lives of everyone. The village chief accept it happily, and the funds were invested into the development of the village according to the village’s judgement── what do you think happened?」
「... The operation ended in a failure.」
「That’s right. That is just a simple fishing village, and the villagers don’t know any other way of earning money aside from fishing. The ocean there wasn’t bountiful in the first place, and their income doesn’t increase by much even with the purchase of new boats and fishing equipment. And of course, the situation can only be improved by taking a different path than before── but they don’t understand. It’s not that they refuse to try other methods, they just weren’t aware of other ways. The money she gave the village didn’t bring prosperity, and was wasted.」
Ikuta could see the sad story before his eyes. Ario continued:
「When she returned to the village a few years later and saw that the living conditions were the same, she understood that money alone wasn’t enough to change the lives of the people. Someone needed to consider things carefully and make good use of the funds── which means governance. And so, she launched her career in politics.」
Ario raised his glass, as if he was toasting the birth of a hero from the past.
「That was the source of his motivation towards administration. Simply put, she couldn’t leave the people who experienced the same thing she did alone. Their lives can be improved if they do that── once she felt that way, she had to say it out loud. The flood control work was an extension of that too. The planning was difficult and there was in danger of falling through numerous times── but she overcame it with her passion. Back then, I felt that I was witnessing the triumphant return of a hero.」
「......」
「Her achievements made her famous, and she strived to go into the political world in central. Because that will give her access to more funds to work on bigger projects. She visited and made acquaintances with people in power, and I accompanied her. I was hoping she would reach new heights, just like the time she worked on the flood control.」
His cheerful tone stopped here. Ario continued in a plain voice.
「However, my expectations were betrayed. No, more accurately speaking, she was successful── but her drive to take action fell as her status rose── was age wearing her down? No. What deteriorated was her passion… By then, she no longer visited the slums and gave instructions to improve the living conditions of the people. She found a comfortable home in the clean part of the city, and held meetings with powerful people all day..」
As if he was recalling the disappointment and frustration from back then, Ario sighed:
「I only realized the reason for that change too late── she was too far away from poverty. When she made up her mind to move into central, and only spending time with the privileged class, she was too far away from the impoverished. She couldn’t see the true situation of the poor while she lived in the well sanitized part of the city. Her fervour to eliminate poverty gradually weakened. There was no reason for her to reject her easy and comfortable life.」
The ideal image of a hero slowly crumbled before him. Ario sipped his wine, as if he was tasting the bitterness of that event.
「You understand now? She was raised in poverty and faced it at all times, that’s why she became a hero. After she was saved from that predicament── she lost herself in a leisurely life.」
「......」
「She could no longer go back to her old self. When I was certain of that, I toppled her from power and took over her land. I still believe that was the right decision. But at the same time, I was filled with regret.
Why didn’t I notice earlier? Before she found salvation, and she had become a mere mortal that can be found anywhere── I should have pulled her back to her old self.」
I should have made things more painful for her── the man said. He should have made her live with impoverishment, so she would struggle with it endlessly. I want to accompany and support her while she did that.
「As the saying goes, there are two tragedies in life. One is not achieving your dreams, and the other is achieving your dreams… The former is a tragedy of forcing the birth of a hero before his time, while the latter is a tragedy of the hero’s demise. And so, I have been working hard to create the former, and being careful to not let the latter happen.」
This is the philosophy of Ario Kyakushii. At this point, Ikuta completely understood the mentality of the foes he had engaged, and felt equal amounts of fear and disgust.
「Jean’s way of life is fine as it is. Elulufay, until recently, 『them』, and of course Chamille too── as long as they are alive, they will continue working and not lose themself in happiness. This process will help Kioka’s development greatly. Because they aren’t saved, they could achieve greatness that isn't possible for the mediocre mob. Don’t you think that is just wonderful?」
Ikuta spent some time finding the right words, so he won’t budge one bit before the opponent seeking to destroy Chamille, and launch a counterattack.
「... A man sprinting towards his goal will stop sooner or later. They will either reach the goal or get too tired to continue midway, no one will run forever.」
「...Hmm?」
「The sacrifice and efforts of people striving towards a goal will move the hearts of the audience, right? However── that’s not something that can be consumed by people other than themselves. Ario Kyakushii, have you seriously not considered? What you are doing is burning out the people working the hardest for the nation, leaving not even a speck of dust. A country that feeds off people like this── that’s no different from the Empire two years ago. Is that the Kioka you want?」
In response to the youth’s question, the Kioka Prime Minister showed a perfect smile.
「People can live beautifully when they devote their all for something. That means my ideal Kioka will be a nation that continues to produce these kinds of people. What’s the problem with that?」
With his eyes on the fire before him, Ikuta said with steel-like resolve.
「I have to object to the premise of your theory. Because someone obtained happiness, they can share that with even more people. A country without a cycle of happiness has no future. That is my answer.」
They fell silent after those words. They didn’t speak again and ended the meeting on that night.
The next day at 10 am, the same group as before gathered at the conference hall. Anarai Khan who led a group of Scientists in white coats stood silently at the other end of the round table, and said to Pope Labutesuma opposite him:
「We waited for a day, Pope. Have you finished your discussion with god yet?」
「......」
He didn’t get any answer. Anarai who was hoping something will change after one day shrugged a little disappointedly.
「It’s not much of a quarrel if I’m the only one speaking. Did you spend the entire day thinking about what to say? I’m looking forward to conversing with you.」
Even after urging her that far, the Pope still didn’t react. She was showing a poker face, but there was a hint of deep struggle and fatigue about her. Unable to restart the debate, the Scientists all looked flustered.
While the air was getting heavy── all the Sprites in the hall started speaking to the surprise of everyone.
「「「「「「「The application to reveal classified information to the subject of assistance, has been accepted. As a condition, the subject of assistance has to prove they meet the level of intelligence.」」」」」」」
Everyone looked at the Sprites around them in surprise. The Sprites on the tables, chairs and pouch all had hollow eyes as they said the same lines.
「「「「「「「──Repeat. The application to reveal classified information to the subject of assistance, has been accepted. As a condition, the subject of assistance has to prove they meet the level of intelligence.──」」」」」」」
Ikuta leaned forward and stared at Kusu who was repeating itself── This situation was similar to the Jade Voice Broadcast that happened during the military coup, but not exactly the same. The Jade Voice Broadcast made all the Imperial Sprites within the Empire utter the same words. But this was Ra Saia Alderamin, and the Sprites of all nations were acting the same way, differing from the Jade Voice Broadcast in some ways.
「────」
And the one who was the most wide eyed and shocked of them all was Pope Jenancy Labutesuma. The Sprites stopped speaking a few minutes later, and quiet returned to the hall. She squeezed her words out weakly.
「──...... God has given out a trial.」
All the attendees focused their gazes on her. The Pope continued as she suppressed her quivering shoulders.
「Pack your belongings immediately and prepare to set off to the location designated by the Sprites. If you pass the trial, you should get some answers from god── I will join you and witness it all.」
She left right after that, ignoring the Scientists who tried to stop her. General Akgarpa and the priests followed frantically behind the Pope, leaving the Imperial and Kioka attendees in the hall.
「... Sir Kyakushii. The Sprites...」
At this moment, Jean realized something has changed. Chamille and Ikuta were drawn to the same thing at the same time. Including Kusu, all the Sprites in the hall were pointing in the same direction.
「Solork, That’s...!」
「... That direction… The north?」
Ikuta checked with his compass to confirm. The unexpected situation made all the Scientists tense── The old sage at the centre of them all grinned.
「We finally got a response── get your act together, looks like the main event is coming up.」
With those words, everyone present felt something instinctively. This wouldn’t end with just a simple conference.
Chapter 2: The Trial of God
It was a cloudy day, and three units wearing different uniforms advanced to the north side by side.
Imperial soldiers, Kioka troops, Alderamin Holy army── there weren’t any clashes between them, and the scene of them heading towards the same destination without obstructing each other was an abnormal scene. Their complicated faces made this clear.
「── Things are developing in a strange direction.」
The Imperial forces were positioned to the east of the coalition. In the middle of their group, Third Grade Administrative Officer Yorga watched the scene outside the large carriage and commented. He was voicing the thoughts of all the passengers in the carriage, and also all the soldiers marching outside too.
「Putting the Three Nation Conference on hiatus, and following the lead of the Sprites with no idea what lies ahead… It’s rare for us to be a situation where the future is unpredictable.」
Yorga looked back inside the carriage. Ikuta who was seated on a chair nodded firmly.
「... The Empire, Kioka and Ra Saia Alderamin. With no regards to our allegiance, all the Sprites present gave the same information, so it’s clear how abnormal this is. If there really is something at the destination, we can’t let Kioka go there alone.」
「You are saying that from the perspective of a Field Marshal, right?」
Vackie who was seated beside Chamille on the bed added mischievously. The tension on Ikuta’s face vanished, and a bold grin similar to his junior disciple appeared on his face.
「Yes, that’s right── As a Scientist, I don’t want to miss such an interesting situation.」
The youth declared. It was hard to tell what the future might bring, but that only excites the Scientists. However, the Empress couldn’t change her attitude on a snap like them, and pondered seriously.
「I can’t imagine what will happen next… at the same time, I can’t tell what Pope Labutesuma is thinking. What exactly is a 『Trial of God』?」
「This term appears every now and then in the bible. From the impression I get from reading the whole book, it’s an unreasonable request god made to important religious figures.」
「Important religious figures… And right now, it means...」
「Given how the trial started, the figure probably is Professor Anarai.」
When she heard Ikuta’s deduction, Chamille crossed her arms and considered it.
「... I don’t understand. To the Church of Aldera, Professor Anarai is a dangerous man they branded a Heretic, right? For someone like that to follow the footsteps of previous saints and accept a Trial of God. And the Pope acknowledged that?」
「The Pope acknowledged that── I don’t think her reaction was because of that. She looked like she had no choice… And going by that, we should consider that the 『Trial of God』 is decided and executed by an authority higher than the Pope.」
「An existence higher than the top dog of the Church of Aldera. What can that be?」
「That’s what we are going to find out.」
Ikuta said and turned his gaze to the table. Chamille and Ikuta’s partner Sprites, Kusu and Shia, were standing side by side on the table. They were no longer acting hollow like a Jade Voice Broadcast, but they were pointing in the same direction after what happened in the conference hall.
「Besides── I might have said that the trial is for Professor Anarai, but maybe we will all be participating. As you can see, Kusu and Shia are pointing to the north too.」
Chamille looked on worriedly, while Ikuta leaned closer to the Sprites and asked:
「Hey, Kusu, Shia. What can we find at the destination?」
「I’m sorry Ikuta, I’m afraid I can’t answer that.」
「......」
Kusu looked troubled while Shia shook its head in silence. Ikuta smiled with a nod.
「It’s fine, thank you.」
I should be asking someone else, Ikuta thought as he looked in the direction they were pointing at. Yorga asked him with a restrained voice.
「As a Scientist, I’m also excited by this situation… but don’t let your guard down as a commander, Sir. Depending on what we find at the destination, we might clash against the Kioka and the Ra Saia Alderamin forces.」
「Yes. It’s not easy to deal with enemies moving alongside us, so we have to be careful.」
When he heard this advice, Ikuta focused on the other two units advancing beside them── since they were from Kioka and Ra Saia Alderamin, the two groups weren’t acting completely in concert. However, he couldn’t show any opening when he was engrossed in untangling the mystery── the youth put all that aside for now and looked at Yorga unhappily:
「By the way, Yorga── You don’t have to keep that tone with me inside the carriage. That makes it hard for me to judge when I can relax.」
「I-I know. But given my current situation, I think it’s better to be more alert… I’m your senior disciple after all.」
The youth with a monocle averted his face after saying that. Vackie butted in right away.
「Hmm～ Yoyo is trying to redeem himself. Ikuta-nii, you will address the other seniors with nii or nee, right? But you only call Yoyo directly by his name, and he is actually very bothered by it. Well, it can’t be help given how you two first met.」
「What...!」
Yorga turned beet red and covered the girl’s mouth. Ikuta stroked his chin in deep thought:
「...Yorga-nii… Uwah, no, it sounds weird.」
「You don’t have to call me that! And don’t believe everything she says!」
Yorga pulled Vackie’s cheek as he yelled. The dark-haired youth added with a wry smile.
「Sigh── from the beginning, I think Yorga is closer to being a fellow Scientist around my age instead of a senior disciple. I’m not comparing you to others and belittling you. To be honest, Bajin-nii did as many retarded things as you too.」
「Bajin-nii～ I always feel like tricking him out of some spare change whenever I see him.」
The girl in a white coat nodded repeatedly. Ikuta looked at Yorga with a sigh:
「... You are plenty respectable to me just from the fact you can rein this girl in. Be confident, Yorga. You are outstanding as a Scientist, bureaucrat, and zookeeper of an exotic animal.」
The forthright praise made Yorga blink. He then turned his face away, pushed up his monocle and muttered in a deep voice:
「... Hmmp, with my wisdom, this is a piece of cake...」
「You are smirking, Yoyo. So easy to deal with～ it’s cute how easy you are to deal with～!」
Vackie said loudly as she hugged Yorga’s waist. While Yorga was struggling to break away, the carriage stopped. Lucanti who was standing guard outside knocked and entered the carriage.
「The Sprites with the unit in front have stopped pointing. Please get ready to disembark.」
Ikuta grabbed his walking stick and stood up immediately. Even Chamille who was always watching him felt that the youth’s eyes were 50% brighter.
The five of them got off the large carriage and headed to the front of the unit. The Scientists in white coats were already there and bustling around. Anarai surveyed the area.
「Oh── so this is the trial grounds?」
Jean who was beside him was also sweeping his eyes around the area. He then tilted his head.
「Mum*, at a glance, this is just an empty plain. There are no significant terrain around here.」
「Nazuna, how are the Sprites?」
Anarai asked his assistant. She answered with the Sprite in her arms.
「... Still the same, it stopped pointing northwards after entering this area. If I asked for the next instruction──」
Nazuna then asked the Sprite. The Sprite seemed to go into a trance and said:
「Stand at the center of the circle.」
Seeing the Sprite answered monotonously, Nazuna turned to her teacher:
「── That’s what it will say.」
「Hmm, center of the circle, huh?」
Anarai snorted. At this moment, Ikuta who came to them joined in the discussion.
「If we want to find the center, we will need to know where is the edge of the circle.」
That’s the first thing the youth said, and then surveyed the area.
「Since there are no manmade structures or prominent landmarks, we can only follow the guidance of the Sprite. Why don’t we start with that?」
「I’m of the same mind. What do you think, Jean?」
The old sage asked his other disciple. The white-haired officer glared at Ikuta and then nodded.
「...Yah*, I agree. Let’s mobilize the troops to investigate the surroundings.」
「How about sending out the same number of disarmed troops from both sides?」
The dark-haired youth proposed and Jean considered it.
「... That’s fine, but it will cause confusion if both units work at the same place. This might be temporary, but I still want a proper chain of command.」
「That’s easy, just let Professor Anarai take overall command.」
Ikuta suggested as if he had planned to do so from the very start. He was so bold that Jean was a little taken aback. Ikuta wasn’t concerned that Professor Anarai was part of the Kioka camp right now.
The dark-haired youth had absolute trust in the master-disciple relationship that superseded the international structure── and the old sage proved worthy of his trust.
「Good── Ikuta, Jean, both of you lead 200 soldiers each and find the boundary where the Sprites start acting differently!」
「Understood!」「Yah*!」
They took immediate action on their teacher’s orders. After ironing out the search area they were responsible for, they issued orders to their respective battalion.
「Pay attention to your Sprite partner’s action, and slowly walk over!!」
「When the Sprite return to normal, stop immediately!」
Their instructions were almost identical. They spread the soldiers out, then move slowly in the direction that their Sprite partner was pointing. The Sprite will stop pointing within a certain range, and the soldiers will stop there.
「Ohh── I see, I see.」
By repeating these steps, Anarai could see a pattern in the soldiers’ positions. When all the soldiers stopped, the old sage gave further instructions to his two disciples.
「Can you spread the soldiers as evenly as possible?」
Ikuta and Jean started shifting the soldiers. A few minutes later, the soldiers from both units were standing equidistant from each other on a line where the Sprite’s action changed. And so, the human wall surrounding Professor Anarai from afar formed a circle.
「Good, good, I can see clearly now.」
The old sage has a satisfied smile. After finishing up his instructions to his men, Jean ran over.
「Do you need to survey from the air? I can prepare a balloon if need be.」
「No, that’s not necessary. Since it said that this is a circle, doing this should be their goal. To find the center, first──」
Professor Anarai suddenly stopped, then thought for a moment.
「── Hmm. Yes, that’s right──Chamille, can you calculate the center of the circle?」
「Ehh...?」
The old sage suddenly asked her, which troubled Chamille who had mentally withdrawn to the back line. Her escort Lucanti said in her stead.
「? The center should be around here.」
She said as she walked to a position roughly in the centre of the circle of soldiers. Professor Anarai looked at her with his arms on his waist.
「Are you sure? The true center might be two steps to the north. No no, maybe three steps to the south. Or slightly to the west or east～」
「Huh? Huhh?」
The female knight crossed her arms with her head tilted at that. The old sage laughed and continued:
「Saying 『around here』, means you don’t truly know where the center of the circle is. To find it, you need to know the nature of a circle── what will you do?」
When he looked again, Chamille was trying to solve the problem before her. She drew a circle in her mind and thought about how to find the center.
「... If it’s on a paper, pick two spots on the circumference, use a compass to draw two new circles, then draw a line through the two intersections. That line will pass through the center. Repeat the process to get another line, and the intersect of these two lines will be the center. However...」
<https://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Center-of-a-Circle#Using-Overlapping-Circles Method 2>
「We don’t have a compass to draw a circle at this scale.」
Professor Anarai’s words made Chamille change her path of reasoning── The method used on a desk wouldn’t work here. She needed a method suitable at such a scale.
「... Scale down the relative position of the soldiers onto a map… No, that’s too much. There’s no need to go that far just to find the center of the circle.」
A similar method of measurements flashed across Chamille’s mind, but she thought of a simpler method midway. After confirming she didn’t left anything out, she said:
「── Draw two triangles with points on the circumference. By using a Luminous Sprite Searchlight, we can ensure the lines are straight. If we use a spirit level, we can keep the light beam at the same height. We just need to pull taut ropes through the hypotenuse of both triangles, and their intersect will be the center. How’s that?」
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales%27s_theorem >
「Yes, correct! Smart girl!」
The old sage patted the Empress’ head. She was surprised by that, but Chamille didn’t reject him. Maybe because the old man was Ikuta’s teacher, or maybe it’s the air about him── She only met him recently, but this felt like a gentle grandfather praising her for some reason.
「Set point A at the top of the circle, and draw out two lines separated by a 90 degree angle. The intersect between the line and the circle will be point B and point C respectively. For the triangle ABC, the hypotenuse BC is the diameter of the circle. Repeat the same step with point D and draw the hypotenuse EF. The intersect of hypotenuse BC and hypotenuse EF is the center of the circle.」
The old sage explained the method used by Chamille, urging his disciples to put it to practical use. Chamille was impressed by the Scientists' swift actions to find the spot.
「There are other ways, but considering the hassle, we should try this method── seems like they found it.」
Once they got to work, it was finished in no time. When everything was done, Nazuna stood at the intersection between the two ropes. At that moment, all the Sprites in the soldiers’ hands reacted at the same time.
「...! Professor, the Sprites!」
「It’s pointing in a different direction! Westwards!」
Ikuta and Jean shouted. Anarai nodded with a grunt.
「This means we solved the first riddle, huh? What an intrinsic design.」
The old sage said sarcastically and started moving with the Scientists. Chamille wanted to return to the carriage too, and gestured at Lucanti who was the closest to her.
「... Your Majesty, I’m still confused no matter how hard I think.」
Before she could say anything, the female knight approached her with tears in her eyes.
「... That’s how it is, Lucanti. Like what he said, because all sum of the angles in a triangle is 180...」
「Ugghhh...!」
The large carriage set off again, and Chamille was teaching the logic in solving this problem. The other three looked at them and thought about what happened earlier.
「... Hey, Ikuta.」
「......」
「Unlike you, I didn’t study the bible closely. Just to confirm… Does all the Trials of God involve geometric questions?」
Ikuta shook his head in response to Yorga’s plain question.
「If that’s true, then the preaching of the priests will be more interesting── the trials depicted by the Church of Aldera are basically the endurance of suffering. Trying to solve the problem with tricks are viewed as being shallow, and is a taboo. No, the stories will even say that it makes matters worse──」
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