Gasi

Chapter 2 –Revolution of Green.

Part 1「──And? What are you telling me to do? You sadist!」

Agatha appeared as the break ended. Her face was so red it felt like steam would come out from her head. Her lips were pouting and she was directing a dangerous gaze toward Baldr.

「Don't call me with something so scandalous that other people will misunderstand!」

「Even though last night I was begging while crying, you did 〇〇〇 with ××××, and in the end you made me wore an embarrassing outfit as though I'm your dress-up doll and made me did △△△!」

「C-cute...」

Agatha's enraged look from just now had vanished to somewhere and now her cheeks blushed while she was acting flustered. It made Baldr infatuated to her from the moe.

This gap was Agatha's true worth! Banzai!

「It wasn't my fault! Ut was Agatha's fault for being too cute!」

「Can you two do your lovey dovey act somewhere elseee!」

「Hyaih!」

It felt like this kind of scene had also happened the other day.

Augusto was fed up from the bottom of his heart with the lovey dovey act that Baldr and his wives did unconsciously.

He himself loved Angelica in his own way, but his preference was to do it more stylishly and not acting embarrassing in front of other people.

Agatha coughed and asked Baldr once more.

「Why did you call me here?」

「There is a need to assign some people to take care of the logistics to Nedras. I want to ask you how much the bureaucrat of our country can endure.」

In the past──though it wasn't that long ago, Baldr and Augusto were constantly forced to do exhausting work that constantly put them in lack of sleep before Agatha and the retainers from Antrim arrived.

It was a dark memory that he didn't even want to remember again.

Of course it wasn't just Baldr and Augusto who were forced to do exhausting work. The few bureaucrats of Trystovy at that time were also abused to work day and night without rest in order to compensate for the overwhelmingly lacking manpower. If they were forced to continue working in the same pace for several more months, it was possible the administration of Trystovy Kingdom would collapse.

That critical situation had been greatly improved by the retainers that were brought up under Agatha's personal care and the conspicuous service of this century's greatest misunderstood man Giloramo who was appointed to be the minister of the domestic affairs.

His integrity that was lacking any desire and his uncommon human affairs evaluation that wasn't filled with any envy toward his subordinate's talent was something precious that was like the spider's string that was dangled down into hell for the old dukedom nobles.

Thanks to that the newly recruited bureaucrats entered an abnormal state where their will to work was several times bigger compared to the era of the dukedom.

It was Agatha who was supervising their training. What Baldr wanted to ask her was how much the bureaucrats had grown up.

「Well, they will be able to manage somehow. They are overflowing with motivation and their growth is also fast.」

In addition of the establishment of the bureaucrat organization, the regional government structure was also expanding based on the people's overwhelming support. Because of that Trystovy Kingdom's governance was quickly regaining its healthiness.

In addition, the hidden fortune that Valerie left behind was also invested to boost that effort. And so the kingdom was experiencing unprecedented waves of prosperity.

The maintenance of infrastructure that had been ruined due to the long civil war, the increase in distribution of goods due to Dowding Company and Mulberry's merchants expanding into the new market.

There was no lacking of job that needed to be filled. The unemployment rate was very close to being zero.

The tax yields were increasing and the salary of the bureaucrats was also increasing. This positive circle made even the former dukedom nobles to renew their loyalty to the dukedom.

──Of course, the number of people that got left out from such positive circle wasn't few. It was the natural progression for such people to resent the kingdom.

「That really helps. This time I want to prepare various things before we enter direct combat.」

「There is no worry about the public order within the country anymore right?」

At the beginning of the founding of the country, the military's fighting strength had to be assigned to maintain the public order within the country, however the rapid recovery of the kingdom had improved the public order that now only the minimum amount of policing force was needed for it.

Thanks to that the number of soldier that could be used should have increased considerably.

「──First, Nedras Kingdom has a lot of Europa Church's believer. And then Lagunitas-dono who we have to rescue is a beastman.」

Focusing on just winning the battle here would leave behind negative impact for their strategy against the whole world going forward.

Baldr was designated by Europa Church as the enemy of the faith. Because of that the populace of their allied countries was watching Baldr's every move right now.

Here Baldr mustn't do anything that would leave an impression that he was aiming to conquer the continent by the beastman race.

Even the Europa believers in Mauricia Kingdom were currently simply being suppressed by King Welkin forcefully. They were containing a dangerous factor that could potentially explode anytime.

Their stance was different from the people of Trystovy Kingdom who saw Baldr as messiah who liberated them from the nobles' oppression and supported him wholeheartedly.

「In other words, we can't support the resistance too openly?」

「I'm indebted to Lagunitas-dono, but I can't possibly prioritize supporting him.」

It was necessary to help Nedras Kingdom's resistance. However if Baldr agreed to their demand and dispatched his army, the possibility was high that Nedras Kingdom's people would perceive it as an invasion.

「──I see, so it's necessary to consult with Antrim a little.」

Agatha understood right away what Baldr meant and replied like that.

She knew what Baldr wanted from her even without hearing Baldr saying the conclusion.

「You are saying that we won't support Nedras's beastmen, but Nedras's populace.」

「I love you Agatha!」

Baldr was deeply moved by the understanding reply of his wise wife and hugged Agatha's petite body tightly.

「G-geez! Even though the prime minister is also here!」

She looked embarrassed, but she didn't look like she was as dissatisfied as she would have others believed. Agatha only struggled weakly while pushing Baldr's chest.

Although she was doing it only for show and there wasn't any sign of her slipping away from the embrace at all. It spoke of Agatha's true feeling more clearly than anything.

「How long is this going to continue I wonder...」

「You can just do the same with Angelica!」

「Unfortunately my wife is the type of muscle-brained doggy.」

That was cute in its own way, but Angelica was fundamentally impulsive and didn't show any gap like Agatha who was acting tsundere like this.

「Even so, I still can't believe it even now. I had seen the experimental farm the other day, but I thought I was dreaming at that time.」

「Antrim has already completely switched to planting, so William-sama is also troubled at how to deal with the surplus.」

Fufufu, Agatha continued to smile bewitchingly.

「There is no need to worry about the price. In the first place it was us who developed it, and William-sama also understands that. Ufufu...」

「I have been shocked countless time at your majesty's side, but the shock from this one is particularly great even among all of them. The world will change if this begin to spread out in full-scale.」

Augusto looked up to the ceiling with an astounded voice.

Gunpowder weapon, radio, mass production of sugar and salt, etc. All of them were already great invention that could change the era greatly on their own, but the knowledge this time surpassed even them.

「Those bunches in Europa Church! Try opposing this worldly benefits if you can!」

Baldr snorted proudly.

.

──The discovery of this century that astounded Augusto.

It was the selective breeding of wheat.

The concept of separation breeding method also existed in this Aurelia Continent.

Since the time mankind moved from the stage of hunting and gathering to farming, they had repeated trial and error in order to guarantee good harvest.

If there was wheat that produced a lot more harvest, the seeds from that wheat would be used for the next season. If there was a wheat that could be harvested earlier, that wheat would be used as seed. The same if there was a wheat that was resistance to cold.

The wheat that seemed to be superior than the rest was sorted, and then people sowed the seeds from that wheat with prayer. Like that mankind little by little, truly little by little improved the profitability of the products that they raised up through many generations.

Even at Japan, there was a record left behind about the gathering of mutation variety and new variety of rice being gathered at the Kamakura period.

What dramatically improved the selective breeding that was relying on such coincidence was the event that occurred in the 19th century based on what Masaharu knew.

Year 1865, the historical shining discovery of mankind was discovered at Austria Empire that was ruled by Habsburg House.

It was the so called Mendel's Laws.

Due to the concept of genetic that was advocated for the first time in mankind history, selective breeding entered a new stage.

It was the beginning of hybridization breeding method that was the mainstream selective breeding method before gene recombination technique.

Currently there was no concept of genetic in Aurelia Continent.

Here Masaharu's peerless cheat exploded into action once more.

.

『Reproducing Nourin Juugou, that's simply romance!』(TN: Nourin number ten, Nourin itself means agriculture and forestry)

『What? What art this nourin juugou thing?』

Nourin Juugou that Masaharu mentioned was the wheat type that was cultivated at Japan in 1935.

It was a type that Iwate prefecture's agricultural scientist Inadzuka Gonjirou cultivated by crossbreeding Furutsu Daruma and Turkey Red, so even when it was given abundant nutrition, the wheat wouldn't grown too highly. Thanks to that it was resistant against disaster like typhoon or flood, and it also produced a lot of yield.

It was an extremely groundbreaking improvement that even though the wheat at that time had the average height of 120 cm, Nourin Juugou only had the height around 60 cm.

And yet, its yield was twice the normal wheat.

When wheat that was too tall produced its yield, it would collapse to the ground from its own weight. But with Nourin Juugou that had robust stalk and low height, it was possible to encourage the wheat to grow a lot without much worry.

On the other hand, it had the weakness that it was weak against disease. So unfortunately its diffusion within Japan stopped only in a certain region.

However after Japan was defeated in war, this Nourin Juugou was brought to America. There it got crossbreed with Mexico wheat that was strong against disease. It resulted in an almighty breed that was strong against disease, produced a lot of yield, and furthermore it was hard to collapse from its own weight. This type ended up spreading to the whole world.

When a terrible bad harvest occurred in India and Pakistan at 1960, there was concern that a serious food crisis would occur, but the almighty type that was the derived from Nourin Juugou magnificently produced harvest that was several times greater than other type of wheat and succeeded in saving both countries from food crisis.

From the stability and harvest amount that it provided, Professor Borlaug who was the inventor was granted Nobel Peace Prize and his invention was extolled as the green revolution.

It was even said that without this green revolution, the world wouldn't be able to deal with the population increase of the current era.

Few people knew that Nourin Juugou that was cultivated in Japan was the parent of such dreamlike wheat.

Almost all the wheat types that were currently being used all over the world were the children of Nourin Juugou almost without exception.

Now then, regarding short wheat, such type of wheat had been discovered in Nordland Empire based on the investigation.

This world didn't know about the Mendel's Laws. It was only natural for Masaharu to aim to reproduce Nourin Juugou, or perhaps even the almighty type beyond it to bring about the green revolution in this Aurelia Continent.

Of course it didn't go well right from the start.

The type of wheat in this world wasn't completely the same like at earth. The soil and weather also weren't completely the same.

Even so the advantage of being able to crossbreed by hypothesizing the form and nature that would be inherited was great.

By using the connections of Dowding Company in full to gather various varieties from the whole world and experimenting over and over, the result was──.

Baldr had spent almost ten years since his childhood in Cornelius and it was two years ago that he succeeded in cultivating a breed that rivaled Nourin Juugou.

This year it was improved even more to be resistant toward disease──this breed was named M-10 (Masaharu Ten) and it had been put into use.

It was said that at Antrim, the tax collector who was dispatched from the capital opened his eyes wide and fainted when he saw the wheat field there.

After all the enormous yield amount meant that the tax system from the next year onward would have to be rethought from the ground up.

It didn't affect only the tax.

In human history, food problem was always connected with population problem.

In the past, the population in German exploded when potato was popularized there. It was clear as day that the population would increase in the country where this wheat was popularized.

In other words at the end, this wheat invention would grant strength to Trystovy and its allied countries in the form of overwhelming population and food supply.

A world without hunger. A world where people could live abundantly with surplus.

In front of such reality, how much influence Europa Church would be able to maintain in the end?

With this the passing of time wouldn't bring any more benefit at all for the church and Answerer Kingdom. Rather their loss would be bigger.

They had no more way to survive now other than winning the great war in the near future and snatched away the product of Baldr's knowledge as the fruit of their efforts.

Baldr was knowledgeable enough about the impact that this new type of wheat would bring.

Nedras Kingdom would become the first test case.

A new tactic that would reform the ruling structure of the continent itself was going to come into effect.

.

Part 2Inside Mauricia Kingdom, those who were in the know were talking about the rumor of the unbelievable yield amount of the mysterious new wheat type at Antrim.

Any normal people wouldn't believe even if they were suddenly told that the wheat production amount had been doubled.

However this time the place in the rumor was Antrim. Although currently it was the territory of the former prince William, there was nobody who didn't know that the territory's former owner was Trystovy king Baldr.

If it was him, then perhaps even such magical happening might be possible?

Baldr had left behind achievements that were enough to make anybody held such expectation.

Stopper couldn't be placed on human mouth. Someone who said 「I saw a wheat field all over」 appeared, then someone who said 「A mountain of wheat was transported to Trystovy」 appeared. In the end that rumor also reached the ear of Duke Adolf Richmond.

When he heard that rumor, Adolf felt that he finally understood the weird story that he heard the other day.

It was the story that the tax collectors were discussing about modifying the tax rate for the next year.

At first Adolf thought that it was a weird story.

However now he understood. If the yield of wheat harvest became doubled, they couldn't possibly keep the tax rate to be the same like before.

Fundamentally thirty percent of the harvest of grain would be given to the feudal lord, while ten percent would be given to the kingdom as tax. If the harvest amount was doubled, the income of the feudal lord would become too big if the tax rate was kept the same.

It was only natural that the tax collectors were panicking.

「──This isn't funny.」

That would mean the strengthening of the feudal lords' finance. It would also mean the relative curtailment of the authority of bureaucrat nobles that Adolf was leading.

It would be troubling if the feudal lords grow stronger that to a level where they would dare to not listen to the instruction from the capital, just like the traitor Duke Beaufort.

It didn't matter even if the other party here was William, a former royalty.

「Shit! He should have just quietly die at Trystovy!」

Adolf selfishly cursed the ineptitude of the church with their failed assassination attempt of the king in Trystovy.

When Adolf learned of the failure of Welkin's assassination, he quickly cut off the loose ends.

He disposed of all the proofs by arresting and executing Bishop Bodin who was under his patronage in his territory with the charge of colluding with Europa Church.

In the first place the assassins were organized under the church's instruction. As long as Adolf concealed his relationship with Bodin, there would be no more proof of Adolf's crime.

With that Adolf managed to avoid punishment even if he was still going to be doubted heavily.

But, the decline of Adolf's authority was progressing further because he was placed under such suspicion.

Conversely within the palace, the presence of the former prince William who became the feudal lord of Antrim and his big brother Edward were growing very big.

In the past Antrim was nothing more than a rural area at the countryside, but now it became a wealthy land that was outstanding even within Mauricia Kingdom. And it belonged to William now.

As for Edward, he was considered to be the next Duke Edinburg as the adopted son of the prime minister Harold.

Both of them were thought as trivial existences who wouldn't amount to much when they were still prince.

William was aiming to reach success as a knight, and Edward himself had no confidence about his own talent. At the start he even refused to get adopted by Harold.

There was also how Welkin was an excellent ruler, that was why his sons including the eldest son Richard were thought as mediocre.

However a man's growth was terrifying sometimes.

William who obtained Baldr as a close friend was now performing negotiation and bargaining that could put even other crafty politicians to shame. And then even Edward was devoting himself completely to expand his own faction starting from the family of his wife Count Ainsworth House.

Until now Harold had been passive in expanding his own faction because he held a deep trust from the king. For Adolf it was unexpected that he was now allowing his adopted son Edward to do the opposite.

Edward was inferior to William capability wise, but he was an especially popular man in high society because of his good personality as someone mediocre.

There were also a lot of noble daughters who tried to obtain his heart. It was said that countless women shed tears when the daughter of Ainsworth House announced her engagement with him.

Those two former princes who had become great nobles now were enlarging their influence day by day as the two wheels that were supporting the crown prince Richard.

At this rate it was even possible that the ten great nobles system itself would be shaken.

It was very difficult to chip off the royal family's power now.

Although Welkin and Adolf were both aiming to form a centralized authoritarian rule, a dictatorship by absolute monarch instead of group parliamentary system by bureaucrats would be the complete opposite of Adolf's ideal.

Haurelia Kingdom had been defeated, Duke Beaufort was eliminated. From there he should be able to obtain immense authority in the near future.

The coming retirement of Welkin and Harold would be the perfect chance for that. He believed that, and yet the reality was a far cry from Adolf's wish.

Because of Baldr's enthronement as Trystovy king, the tight relationship between Trystovy Kingdom and Maurica Kingdom was growing even stronger.

The worst thing here was that the next king Richardwas taking the initiative to forge ahead with integrating the economy of the allied countries including Trystovy into one.

Right now the control of the kingdom's economic interests was being wrenched away from the bureaucrats by the royal family and the international diplomats.

「Things can't continue like this...at this rate」

It would be a poor plan to assassinate Welkin at this juncture.

If the assassination occurred inside Mauricia, the country would have to exert all its effort to search for the assassin to protect its honor. Alford too was still under suspicion even after he had dealt with Bodin.

Furthermore if he invoked the displeasure of Richard who would become the new king at that time, he might receive cold treatment for dozens of years.

「──Your excellency, please pardon me.」

「What is it, Seeleys?」

His trusted old butler Seeleys visited him when it wasn't even the time for meal. There must be a reason for that.

This man should have a good poker face, but right now he was looking somewhat bewildered. It was strange.

「Someone who claimed to be from the church said that he has something he wish to tell to your excellency.」

「What-?」

If Adolf's mind was in its usual state of composure, he would immediately order Seeleys to drive away the man.

He was already under suspicion right now, so the risk of coming into contact with someone from the church was too high.

Even though there wasn't any proof of the assassination attempt, if he got found out communicating with the church secretly at this time, even if he wouldn't get punished the possibility of losing his position was high enough.

Adolf thought quietly for a while, even so he chose to meet with the man.

「──I can't meet him here right now. Tell him to come back another day without letting anyone else know about it.」

.

Part 3Adolf met with the church's messenger two days later at a currently unused barrack that was located at the outskirt of his territory.

This choice of location was showing the uneasiness that Adolf was unconsciously feeling.

The usual him wouldn't come directly and left it to Seeleys completely. In the first place he also wouldn't be so rushed to meet the messenger in just two days.

「My name is Crassus from Europa Church's department of special duty.」

The church's special corrective force had received unprecedented serious damage. In addition right now the church was in preparation to face Trystovy Kingdom in an all-out war, so the church was reorganizing the organization and newly established this department of special duty.

The size and budget of the organization was also incomparably smaller compared to the special corrective force in the past.

The organization was made up from people with low rank but high loyalty. They were secretly maneuvering to consolidate the Europa believers in various countries behind the scene.

The vice leader for their operation in Mauricia Kingdom was this man named Crassus.

「I'm Duke Adolf Richmond. You are aware that originally I should have captured you immediately and make you confess what you are scheming yes?」

「Of course, I'm grateful for your excellency's lenience.」

Crassus wasn't shaken at the slightest and only bowed his head mildly. Adolf realized this wasn't someone who he could threaten.

This was why fanatic was hard to handle.

「──And? You aren't coming here just to give a greeting aren't you?」

「I believe that we are sharing a certain interest with each other, but what does your excellency think about it?」

Adolf hesitated how to reply at Crassus's question.

It was exactly as he said, but it would be really troublesome to admit it. In addition Adolf had cut off Bishop Bodin in order to protect himself.

Besides what was the meaning of asking him something like that.

「My Richmond house is too big that we are sharing a lot of interests with many parties.」

「Then please allow me to ask, how it will affect your excellency's interest if Duke William Antrim become the prime minister?」

「──That joke doesn't sound funny at all.」

Harold was also quite young when he was appointed as the prime minister, but as expected William was still too young. He was a prince who had lived in the palace all the time and only became a duke not long ago. No one would recognize him as the prime minister.

Adolf was about to feel disappointed thinking that even the church couldn't be counted on if their analysis was stupid like this, however,

「Is it that strange in Mauricia Kingdom for the person who hold the real authority to be entrusted with the responsibility as the prime minister? His highness the crown prince is already making a plan for that.」

「What authority a youngster like him can possibly hold?」

Although William was a former prince, the post of prime minister also held the role of coordinating the factions within the country. It wasn't a post that could be fulfilled just by depending on talent. It was a clear fact as could be seen how even Harold was unable to display his capability fully during the war with Haurelia when he was appointed at the beginning.

Skill of a veteran and connections with every faction, and then unshakeable authority no matter who he faced. Only by possessing all those factors could someone be worthy to be the prime minister who was the central pillar of the government.

If someone like William became a prime minister, the domestic affairs of Mauricia Kingdom would immediately fall into chaos that couldn't be calmed down.

「If it's your excellency, you must be aware that Trystovy king's friendship and support are more than enough to overturn the existing power structure.」

「Muh...」

Adolf was daunted by Crassus's confident words that poked at his sore spot.

A part of the bureaucrat nobles had also already switched side to Edward's faction.

William still wasn't proactively forming his own faction, but it was possible that Edward's proactive expansion of his faction was for aiding William.

「In regard to unparalleled military might, Trystovy king has produced a result that doesn't allow anyone to disregard him anymore. If he also grasped the hegemony in economy on top of that, then even a major country like Mauricia won't be able to avoid being turned into a vassal state. Please consider that.」

Major countries like Trystovy, Mauricia, Nordland, Gartlake, and Sanjuan forming a group system where they were all equal was nothing more than a fairy tale, Crassus said.

It was obvious that one day all the countries would have to always be considerate to Trystovy's wish as the country that possessed strength that stood out above the rest.

Adolf also had the same opinion about that.

There was no true friendship between nations. Each country had their own people that they had to protect. There was no way they could just stay quiet when other country put their hand into their wallet.

That was just how greatly out of the norm the structure that Baldr and Richard and the others were forming.

「I think that my position will still be better served in such system rather than in a world that is unified by the church and Answerer Kingdom though.」

「I wonder if that will be really true in the end. Forgive my insolence for saying this but, I think that such world will become a really difficult place for nobles to live in.」

「Nuu...」

Adolf was also harboring an apprehension about that.

Adolf wasn't so narrow-minded that he wanted to crush the rise of the commoners, even so in his opinion the advance of the commoners should stop at the level of intermediate managerial position at most.

But Baldr was different.

What if Richard also followed in Baldr's footstep? Wouldn't an era come where the great nobles were made light of? He was unable to wipe away such misgivings.

Crassus continued to push at that worry of Adolf.

「Was your excellency able to imagine a few years ago that Dowding Company will grow until this degree? Who in the world can force Dowding Group to obey like in the past?」

Dowding Group was purely a civilian organization that focused on making money. But now even prestigious noble couldn't carelessly make any remark toward them because they were concerned of causing international scandal with other countries. Crassus pointed at that reality.

Although Baldr's prime minister and concubine were related to the group, the company's origin was still nothing more than a commoner. However in reality the majority of nobles were already unable to stand on equal basis against the group.

This flow could possibly speed up even more, but it was impossible for this flow to regress back.

To go with the flow that Baldr created meant to agree with it. Was Adolf able to do it in the end?

Receiving Crassus's gaze, Adolf was just barely able to hold himself back from spewing out insults to him.

This world wouldn't be so harsh if anyone was allowed to speak honestly about what they disliked.

Even a great noble like Adolf found there were many things in this world that wouldn't go as he wished.

「They are like a house of cards that will immediately crumble the moment they lose the king's protection. It's not their own power that make them came as far as they are.」

Trystovy King and Crown Prince Richard are still very young. Is your excellency really going to wait until they lose the king's protection?」

「It's impossible for the government administration to run smoothly without the cooperation of us nobles. There are so many chances to make a comeback in the future.」

「It will be great if that's true.」

But unfortunately that would never happen. The world was going to be moved not by law and faith, but by money and knowledge.

That was exactly the reason why the pope considered Baldr as a bitter enemy that couldn't possibly be allowed to live.

「──But at this rate even without waiting for half a year, the majority of the nobles will be absorbed into the faction of the former prince. I think that your excellency will be forced to lower your head before the commoners in that case.」

「I can't pretend to not hear that.」

He wouldn't say it out loud, but Adolf felt unsettled by the time frame of half a year that Crassus mentioned.

It would be great if it was just a provocation. However it was a different story because there was enough reason for him to think that it might be possible for that to happen.

If such situation was approaching──.

「The news should have reached your excellency's ear. That a completely new type of wheat is showing result in the territory of Duke Antrim.」

「──I heard that the harvest there has increased from before.」

In reality it wasn't just a mere increase, but a multiplying that would overturn even the tax system of this country from its foundation. But Adolf wasn't so careless as to tell Crassus that.

However the next words from Crassus far surpassed Adolf's expectation.

「The church has grasped that this wheat is a dream wheat that is strong against disease and drought, and furthermore it yield three times the original amount.」

「What kind of fantasy are you spouting!」

It couldn't be helped that Adolf raged like this.

Claiming that human hand had created such dreamlike wheat was no different that ridiculing god.

Until now the commoners had given their all while bathing in sweat, accumulated labors over labors, and lived back to back with the danger of hunger. But what was the point of all their hardships until now in front of this nonsense?

Of course Adolf understood that such wheat was excellent. He understood that it would be useful.

Even so he was unable to accept it because of his frustration toward Baldr. What that man was doing was just too abnormal.

Adolf was assaulted by an unprecedentedly deep sense of danger that perhaps the tradition that had protected and raised the nobles until now would be considered as something harmful and removed.

「The price of wheat will drop if the yield from harvest increase. But even knowing that, the number of nobles who want to obtain this dreamlike wheat will be endless.」

「No, way...are you saying that there are already those who was lowering their head to William-sama?」

It sounded possible.

I'll leave my faction so please share the wheat's seedling with my territory, nobles with such low loyalty existed in considerable number.

「One day more than half of the ten great nobles including Marquis Randolph will place themselves under the patronage of Duke Edinburgh and Duke Antrim.」

「Then there won't be any point for the existences of the ten great nobles like that!」

It was truly a foolish action that even the heaven wouldn't forgive. At the very least Adolf was seeing it like that.

Since Mauricia Kingdom was founded, the ten great nobles had continued being the center of the country in order to prevent the king from running wild and in order to protect the kingdom from external enemy as its bulwark.

He believed that the way of being of the ten great nobles couldn't possibly be overturned even by a prince.

It would be a different matter if it was Alford who was close to Baldr, but it was shocking that there was also other ten great nobles who wagged their tail toward the former prince.

「──I won't be merciful if you are trying to trick this Duke Adolf Richmond.」

「I swear to the great name of Europa that I'm speaking the truth. The believers of our religion are spread far and wide throughout the continent. Even Antrim isn't an exception.」

Crassus answered confidently, but inside he was actually not as confident as he looked.

A lot of the commoners around William and Baldr held a loyalty that surpassed their faith. It was really difficult to pull out information from them.

Conversely speaking, they were able to extract as much information as they pleased about the internal situation of nobles who were oppressing their people daily.

The information about the impoverished nobles and the nobles whose interests were grasped by Dowding Company and happily wagged their tail to the company were also completely in the church's grasp.

This might sound strange, but in the first place if Adolf himself wasn't in a political confrontation against William and Edward, he would be the first one to switch side to their faction.

Adolf had lost his calmness from anger and uneasiness to a degree that he couldn't even realize that.

「That's not all. Your excellency also know about tobacco right?」

「Aah, that thing that came from the southern foreign country huh.」

The tobacco plant that was obtained from Mahieule Island, the large island that was located south from Sanjuan Kingdom was rapidly spreading not only within Sanjuan Kingdom, but also among the noble society in Mauricia Kingdom.

Adolf couldn't come to like the smokiness of the thing, but he knew that his son August took a liking to it and smoked the thing.

From what his wife said, it seemed that there was a sign it was also gaining popularity among the noble ladies.

「It's Dowding Group that is circulating that tobacco as commodity. Furthermore that tobacco has an addictive property. From here on there will be surely people who won't become able to let go of it.」

「──Are you saying that thing is a narcotic?」

「Its addictiveness is weak and there is also no report of damage to the health from it, but for good or worse the nobles aren't good to control themselves against such vice.」

「You are saying something scandalous there.」

But it was a fact. If Adolf revoked the quality treatment product and cosmetic product of Dowding Group at this point of time, he would turn all the women in the imperial court into his enemy.

Human was sensitive in losing the convenience that they had obtained once. That was all the truer when it came to noble.

「The nobles are already becoming unable to part with tobacco as an indulgence. What is even more problematic is that the production area of this tobacco is located at Sanjuan Kingdom's Malaga and Mauricia Kingdom's Edinburg.」

「Since when...! What's more it's Edinburg you said!?」

If Crassus said Antrim then Adolf would still be able to understand. However if the location was at Edinburg that was inherited by Edward, it meant that the plan for this had been meticulously drawn since a long time ago.

That was the only explanation why tobacco's planting was done at Edinburg. Although in the first place one of the reasons for this was also because Antrim's capacity to develop would reach the limit soon.

At this rate the authority of the former prince would strengthen even more.

Richard who would become the new king would also be happy to have his siblings who had reached such level of influence to be his retainers. In that case he wouldn't think to treasure and give important positions to the elderly of the ten great nobles who were hard to handle.

Just how much of this had been planned? Was this Welkin's work? Or perhaps Baldr?

「Dowding Group will rule the economy while the former princes will support the new king as the biggest factions in this country. In the end, will there any place for Duke Richmond and the bureaucrat nobles in there?」

──Of course there would be none.

The centralized authoritarian rule that was controlled by bureaucrats that Adolf sought, and the centralized authoritarian rule by the king's autocracy that Welkin and Richard sought were incompatible with each other from the start.

Until now both sides had only barely worked together to oppose the decentralization of power among the feudal lord nobles.

And now they were in a political strife to decide who would grasp the leadership in the system. But most likely it would be Adolf and the bureaucrat nobles who got defeated.

「──But fortunately, a company that is influenced by us is being entrusted as intermediary by Dowding Group.」

「What about it?」

Crassus chuckled.

This was his objective from the start. The things about the former princes were all the truth, but they were told to Adolf only to instigate his sense of danger.

「A great amount of wheat was shipped from Antrim to Trystovy. The price of wheat in this country hasn't changed much is because of that.」

「Hmph, even though their financial standing must be dire due to the civil war」

「Putting aside the nation itself, there are still Dowding Group and Mulberry standing behind them, so they have no lacking of funds.」

「In the end the self-respect of a son of a mere countryside count is only at that level! I'm asking you what about it?」

Although they had abundant fund, receiving loan from civilian merchants like Dowding Group and Mulberry in great amount was dangerous. It was the act of a ruined country that might cause the economy of the nation to be hijacked.

However Adolf couldn't possibly imagine that it was Dowding Group and Mulberry instead that were indebted to him thanks to the salt making, mine reopening, ship blueprint, information gathering by radio, etc.

Either way Baldr and William had been sworn friend from the start. It wasn't anything strange for William to export wheat to Baldr.

「Even if the price is only the fourth of the price within the country?」

「Impossible...no matter how magical the wheat is, there is no way that price will create any profit...」

「That's why, they aren't thinking about profit at all. That is a moving tale in itself, but shouldn't the sale of grains to other country be regulated so that it doesn't benefit a foreign country considerably?」

「Yeah! That's right! Exactly!」

The price of grain including wheat that was a staple food would fluctuate because of abundant harvest or bad harvest, but at the same time it was also a strategic commodity.

At Aurelia Continent where the food condition wasn't as abundant as the modern Japan by any means, food policy was an important problem that had to be regulated by the country.

Because of that the price control was applied to be set at a certain range. If William exported wheat with a price that was the fourth of the market price, it meant the violation of this price regulation.

As expected William wouldn't lose his position just from a wrongdoing of that level, but it should be possible to create an impact using this for the bureaucrats to regain their right to speak over the matter of wheat.

「──What do you want?」

Although he was already being cornered, he couldn't give himself to ruin.

The biggest problem in the end was what the church would demand from him here.

Adolf's pride wouldn't allow him to be used as the puppet of the church and betrayed the country to its destruction.

「We aren't asking for anything in particular. It will be enough if your excellency simply make use of our information effectively.」

「I'm amazed you can say such impudent lie!」

Even without the church demanding anything, by bringing up this problem to the royal court, Adolf would have to throw himself into a fierce political conflict against William and Edward.

Even if he managed to obtain the initiative by doing this, it was unknown whether he would be able to win or not.

As for the church, it would be all good as long as Mauricia royal court's pace got disturbed and the aid to Trystovy Kingdom came to a halt.

They wanted Mauricia to be in chaos repetitively until Trystovy Kingdom and Answerer Kingdom had finished their showdown──Adolf could see through their scheme clearly and it made him even more irritated that he still had to go along with it.

Even so it was impossible for him to let go of this chance just because of a small irritation.

「Do you have the proof?」

Adolf couldn't possibly say that he obtained the proof from the church. It was only natural for him to make this demand.

Crassus immediately nodded.

「The company of the church's believer has the contract that was exchanged with Mulberry as the subcontractor of Dowding Group. Of course it's also stamped with Duke Antrim's official seal.」

Crassus handed the authorization contract of wheat trade that was stamped by Duke Antrim's seal to Adolf.

Certainly it was without a doubt Duke Antrim's seal.

With this he would be able to see the tearful face of that annoying William.

Adolf hadn't forgotten how his son August was treated like a mere errand boy and turned away.

It could be said that such vindictiveness was the true self of the human called Adolf.

「This is the list of names of the nobles who switched side to Duke Edinburg's faction that the church is currently aware of.」

「...How foolish. Don't they realize that the nobles will be reduced into mere servant if the royal authority becomes too powerful?」

In the list, several names of young nobles from his faction who Adolf had expectation on them for the future were written.

He had expected this, and he also felt betrayed. Adolf buried such conflicted feeling deep inside his heart.

「It might be different in fairytale, but in reality the king and nobles are always embroiled in turf war where both sides are struggling to survive. Don't think that it's only a matter of course for us to just silently obey.」

Crassus listened to the monologue that Adolf unconsciously spilled out and smiled coldly.

(I'm praying for your victory you know? Work hard like you're going to die for the sake of our religion.)

Even if Adolf failed by some chance, if a great noble at Duke Richmond's level got purged, the national politics should be stagnating until they finished dealing with the aftermath.

Duke Richmond came from an old lineage and even had the blood of the royal family flowing inside him. Just by tracing back on his bloodline, he was the leader of a large faction that could contest for the top or second spot within the country.

If such large factions went to the throat of each other, that would be beneficial to the church in its own way.

Duke Adolf Richmond visited the palace three days after that.

.

Part 4──The atmosphere in the palace had changed.

Adolf sensitively felt that the capital Cameron was changing even though he had only left for a bit.

The chamberlains were coming and going busily. The coloring of the flowers decorating the palace. The colors that had been dyed by Welkin's color until now were changing into Richard's color.

The alternation of generations was already entering the final phase while Adolf was unable to do anything before this.

At this rate Adolf and the other prestigious nobles would be easily kicked out from the center of the authority really easily together with Richard's coronation.

Unlike the atmosphere of the old tradition that Adolf was used to, the air of progressiveness now felt painfully clear.

Something like the feeling of desolation of an old man who was left behind by the era filled his body. Adolf removed away that feeling reflexively using his defensive instinct.

He still had a future. He had the power to shoulder the future of this country. He persuaded himself like that.

「──His majesty shall meet you now my lord.」

「Right.」

Guided by a chamberlain, Adolf walked through the familiar corridor that he could walk with his eyes closed.

「──I pray that your majesty is in good humor. It's truly an honor to be bestowed with your audience.」

「I won't refuse if it's the request of Duke Richmond.」

In Mauricia Kingdom, the ten great nobles were considered as an existence that was second only to the king.

They possessed the authority and strength to hold back the king from acting rashly. That was why they were able to have their name entered among the ten great nobles.

If Duke Richmond who was among one of the ten great nobles asked for a meeting, there was no way Welkin could refuse.

At Welkin's side there wasn't just Prime Minister Harold like usual. The crown prince Richard was also present.

Richard never really asserted himself in public setting before, but now he was emitting a presence that surpassed Welkin in the national politics.

He had completely camouflaged himself as a plain crown prince without much self-assertion.

As expected even Richard had inherited Welkin's blood thickly. Rather he was even more troublesome to deal with because of his steadiness compared to Welkin's mischievousness.

Adolf felt more astonished than angry at how well Richard had hidden himself until now.

But he didn't have the scariness of a politician who would allow his flesh to be cut in order to sever the opponent's bone like Welkin who had been tempered in the battlefield.

His rationality due to his lack of experience was something that could be taken advantage of.

「──Although, it's rare for you lord duke to ask for a meeting so suddenly like this.」

「It's as your majesty say.」

Hmph, how brazen of you to say that. Adolf clicked his tongue inside his heart seeing both Welkin and Harold.

He suspected it was the instigation of these two that kept him away from the palace since the incident with Bodin.

「──Actually an alarming matter has come to light, so I come here with the wish of consulting your majesty.」

「Hou, there are so many alarming matters recently that I have gotten used to it. I'm not surprised that there is another alarming matter occurring. Now then, what could it be?」

Welkin's reaction was completely placid. It irritated Adolf quite much.

Welkin was skilled in rubbing other the wrong way like this since the past.

It was Welkin's old trick to emotionally shake a retainer who he didn't trust like this. Though it also could be said that doing this was simply his hobby.

「Grains that are a strategic commodity in our country must not be sold to other country with selling price that is too different from the market price within the country. That is the rule isn't it?」

「But of course. After all doing such thing might needlessly invoke the enmity of someone else.」

「Aa, then how could this happen. Humbly speaking I am a person who is responsible for the economy within Mauricia Kingdom, and so I have no choice but to indict Duke Antrim, William-sama.」

Adolf saw Richard sending his gaze toward Welkin. He secretly thought that the crown prince was still naïve.

He understood that Richard must be considering his future prime minister as someone important, but to look for his father's help immediately like this. Regardless of his talent, he still could not hold a candle to Welkin when it came to guts.

If it was Welkin, his attitude of not giving a damn at all wouldn't crumble at the slightest. Yes, just like now.

「I'm amazed that you lord duke is aware to even the happening at the far away Antrim.」

「Distribution of goods is something that flow. Although Antrim is far away, that distribution of goods is flowing within the country and passes beside my territory too.」

「──There are things that cannot be understood even if it passed nearby you know?」

Show your proof, Welkin was implicitly saying that.

But he was still enjoying the situation even at this point of time. It was truly irritating. Even though William's status had been demoted from a prince to a retainer, he should still be his son.

「A merchant who my house is also using was involved in the transport of wheat from Antrim. I questioned him about this matter seeing the amount that was transported, and what I found out is none other than an export to Trystovy with cheap price.」

「Fumu, cheap you say.」

「I'm not joking in this matter by any means. I had ordered the merchant to submit to me the sale contract and I'm already finished confirming the destination of where it was sent to!」

If he only checked at Mauricia's side, then it was possible that there was a misrecognition or forging here. However with the confirmation he got from Trystovy's side too, this fact couldn't be denied anymore.

「Certainly I admit that Trystovy Kingdom is an important ally. However a feudal lord of a single territory making light of the nation's law is something that I cannot overlook as the minister of finance by any means!」

「You are speaking true. After all that is also the responsibility of your post lord duke.」

Adolf thought that in the worst case it was possible the contract would be taken away from him and be destroyed to hide the proof.

But that in itself could also become material for negotiation. In the first place Adolf wasn't planning to have an all out war with the royal family.

He just wanted to search for a point of compromise so that the bureaucrat nobles could regain their strength. He didn't care what Europa Church wanted to happen.

「Then...what should be done against this transgression? So that it won't happen for the second time, I wish to ask your majesty to allow audit to the financial affairs of the feudal lords to be carried out. Of course Duke Antrim also cannot be allowed to go on without any punishment.」

Adolf put his strength into his gaze to declare that he wouldn't allow this matter to be ignored.

Welkin received that gaze head on.

Adolf was bewildered when he saw the color of sadness, no, pity in those eyes.

There was no way a great noble like him could be disposed here, but there was the extremely slight chance where it might happen.

There was also the possibility of Welkin losing his senses after his abdication and exerted his authority heavy handedly, but he thought that such thing was unrealistic.

「──You have grown old Adolf.」

「What are...your majesty saying?」

Strangely no anger welled up inside. The bewilderment he was feeling surpassed that.

The Welkin that Adolf knew would make fun of other people but he never done anything like heaping abuse to others. He also wasn't a man who would say this kind of speech that was pitying and remonstrating other like this.

「If it was you from ten years ago, you wouldn't be here at all. Can't you entrust your dream to August?」

Welkin had accurately discerned the foundation of Adolf's uneasiness.

「Even if it's your majesty, I shall not allow any insult to my heir!」

He felt a goosebump on his back.

Adolf couldn't notice that feeling and he yelled.

August was certainly lacking sharpness in some area, but it was simply because he was lacking experience, not because he was stupid.

He was the son that he was proud of and wasn't at all inferior even compared to Richard. When he inherited the bureaucrat organization that he had built, his son would surely be able to develop it even more.

「We tasted bitter experience in the past war. At that time you lord duke claimed that the country's future has to be managed by a rational organization and not by the stubborn conservatism of the old men.」

「That's a nostalgic story. It's the wisdom of the parliaments that will become the cornerstone of the country for a hundred years from here on. The provincial feudal lord doing anything to harm the national interest is something that cannot be allowed by any means. My thinking about that hasn't changed in the slightest.」

「It seems so. It was extremely difficult to make the feudal lords starting from Beaufort to obey the royal authority. Because of that blood was shed and our country was placed at the brink of destruction. I remember it clearly as though it happened only yesterday.」

In order to strengthen the royal authority, the bureaucrat organization that was centered among the young nobles were given the authority to make the organization significant.

Welkin made the bureaucrat and the feudal lords to be in dispute, exposed their illegal doing, and sometimes he did something like interfering in the matter of succession. He lifted up the king's authority to its current height in such way.

And then the bureaucrat organization that had just been formed at that time was able to grow from zero to a scale that was worthy for a country with centralized authoritarian rule was largely thanks to Adolf.

「──The king needs legitimacy in the form of bloodline, hence it's the training of bureaucrats that will become the power to make the country prosperous for eternity. After all there is no guarantee that the king will always be wise and great. Though looking back at this concept again, isn't this a lese majesty, Adolf?」

「However didn't your majesty yourself agree with that concept?」

Adolf thinly smiled because Welkin dug out the nostalgic memory.

There was a time when the two looked toward the same direction and entrusted their back to one another while facing the shared enemies that were Haurelia Kingdom and Duke Beaufort.

Even if their end point different, at that time the two of them were sworn friend who trusted each other.

However right now they had become enemies whose interests collided against each other.

Even though he was aware that his chest felt painful from the old sentimentality, Adolf was already unable to betray his own life. Welkin was also the same.

「So we can't return back to that time again huh.」

「Indeed.」

The positions of the two were already different. The era, the things that they were shouldering, the things that they should left behind, everything was decisively different from that era.

「──Seems like it. Even I cannot change the flow of time.」

He had family that he should protect. He had conviction that he had to persist in. Even if he felt sentimentality from recalling the past, he had learned to discard that sentimentality and took action.

That was why──.

「To think that a man of lord duke's caliber is so hard pressed that you decided to join hand with Europa Church.」

「...What could your majesty mean?」

Adolf had prepared himself to be suspected to a certain degree, but he didn't expect that he would be questioned so directly like this.

Adolf recalled Welkin's sad gaze and he stiffened as though his whole body had been put into a block of ice.

Could it be that from the start...?

「In the first place how could the wheat's price be cheap? There is no such thing. The price of the wheat that is exported to Trystovy is completely the same like the market price.」

「Does your majesty really think that such nonsense can be believed with the proof here?」

The contract wasn't a forgery. He had also confirmed it at the Trystovy Kingdom's side. This matter couldn't be covered up anymore at this point.

「The contract that you lord duke mentioned is actually lacking one more piece of paper. It's lacking the paper that mentioned how those who are making use of the wheat that his majesty Baldr created has to pay the usage fee to him for three years.」

「W-what is your majesty speaking...」

Here Adolf guessed what was going on though faintly. But, he was unable to accept it.

「It's intentional that the merchant is lacking that additional piece of paper──considering that merchant is a monitoring target due to his connection with the church and Answerer Kingdom. And for you lord duke to be in possession of that contract....I'm sure you can catch my drift.」

The leak of the contract had been planned from the start.

Most likely even the merchant had been marked, and the church agents who were coming and going from the company were also put under monitoring.

「This might be too harsh for you lord duke, but the church too should be fully aware that I'm watching their every move. After all it will bring a great benefit for the church if you and I got into a loud quarrel with each other.」

Alford himself also didn't care at all about what would happen to the church. In that sense both sides weren't too different from each other.

Although the proof had been disposed, Adolf was suspected for the assassination attempt on Welkin through Bodin's intermediary. Now it was nearly impossible for him to make any excuse.

「──If possible I don't wish to punish Richmond House. Do you understand why is it?」

「Because there will be great disturbance within the country if my house is punished. If an uprising occur by any chance, the damage will be as great as a civil war.」

If a leading figure of the ten great nobles like Duke Richmond and his relatives rose in revolt, a large scale military clash that would rival even the rebellion of Duke Beaufort would be unavoidable. If that happened then it would be exactly like what the church wished for.

「Don't you wish to leave behind Richmond House to August?」

「...What a terrible man you are your majesty. Even though you know how doting I am to my son.」

「There is no son more adorable than a stupid one. You can't even dote on a son when are too much of a grown up.」

To be honest Welkin doted on William the most because of how immature and naughty he was as a youth.

However after meeting Baldr, William became a grown-up man who astounded Welkin with his own strength.

He felt happy seeing that, but he also felt really lonely as a father.

Children would leave their parent one day. And then when the child cut open the path of their own life, the parent couldn't lend them a hand no matter how much they loved that child.

Perhaps it was because of his love toward his son that their path split so they could join forces for the sake of their shared objective in equal standing.

Adolf didn't want to admit that August wouldn't be able to maintain as much influence as him. However his heart was thinking to accept Welkin's suggestion in order to protect his son.

Adolf realized that he had been continuing to deceive his own heart for a long, long time.

「──Can I entrust my son to your majesty?」

「I shall not treat a head of one of the ten great houses carelessly. I promise that this matter will be fully resolved in this place.」

If August didn't hold an ambition that was too much for himself, it would be possible for him to continue being an authority in Mauricia Kingdom as the head of one of the ten great noble houses.

No, rather there would be bigger problem if Richmond House was abolished due to this situation.

It would be for the best if August whose capacity to act as unifying force was weaker than Adolf took the headship of his house and shouldered the role as one of the ten great nobles just like before.

「It's only now that I'm finally able to fully understand my father's words.」

「Hou?」

「What control a man's life isn't intelligence but luck.」

「I see. That's a wise saying.」

If August was someone capable, or if in the first place someone with abnormal talent like Baldr never appeared──.

If one felt like it, they could find countless excuses.

The accumulation of such coincidences that he couldn't do anything about was called luck. People could only accept it when it happened.

Those who opposed the flow of luck would be washed away. Adolf had finally reached that understanding.

「Let's have a drink together like in the past before you return.」

「Whether it's joy or sadness that cannot be described with words, alcohol can fill human's heart more eloquently than mere words. That's a saying that your majesty like isn't it?」

「What, for someone in my position, there are too many stories that I cannot express using words.」───────────

By silently drinking alcohol together, there were things that could be conveyed to each other's heart more clearly than using a thousand words.

The two of them recalled that they had such youthful days.

.

Three days later Duke Adolf Richmond committed suicide in the castle of his territory. He died as though he was falling asleep.

August then succeeded the duke house. Despite his mediocre talent, it was said that the house maintained a certain degree of influence as a solid prestigious house within Mauricia Kingdom during his headship.

.

Part 5There was a village called Posada near the border of Trystovy Kingdom and Nedras Kingdom. A strange rumor was spreading among the merchants there.

According to the rumor, a type of wheat with yield amount that was several times the original had been discovered in Trystovy Kingdom. The rumor also mentioned that the surplus amount of wheat would be sent as aid to Nedras Kingdom.

Although the old dukedom nobles had been purged, the burden of tax was still heavily weighing down the people of Nedras.

Because of that, Trystovy Kingdom would at least send aid in the form of food supplies for the sake of Nedras people who were exploited by Answerer Kingdom. That was the rumor's stance at the surface.

Normally there was no way such rumor would be believed. It was an irrational rumor.

It would be understandable if the aid was sent as compensation for Nedras Kingdom betraying Answerer Kingdom.

However sending aid to the populace of another country without asking for any compensation was something unprecedented even within the long history of Aurelia Continent.

The problem was that the main cast of this topic was Baldr.

Currently he was the man who gathered the most attention in this continent. At the same time that meant people were also the most knowledgeable about him with the deluge of information about him spreading everywhere.

The merchants of Nedras Kingdom knew that Baldr was a ruler who put extreme importance to economy. They also knew that Baldr was attempting to raise the standard of life of his people.

In addition even though Trystovy Kingdom had just gone through a civil war, the food supply there was strangely stable and overflowing instead.

Regardless of what kind of ulterior motive there was behind this aid, there was no denying that Trystovy Kingdom had the spare strength to aid other country.

Perhaps if it was Baldr, then even such impossible story was actually true?

A lot of the merchants had such thinking.

On the other hand, the upper echelon of Nedras Kingdom naturally wouldn't believe such rumor. Rather they were suspecting that there was a hidden plot behind that rumor.

Perhaps this food supply aid was a camouflage to dispatch an army? That was their suspicion.

.

Part 6「Good grief, I really pulled the short end of the stick here...」

The captain of border garrison of Nedras Kingdom Borgan muttered while staring at the peak of Dyatlov Mountain Range that was lying between Trystoyv Kingdom and here.

The Dyatlov Mountain Range had the elevation of 2000 meters. There were two main roads over the mountain pass that were maintained. One of those roads was Vostok Highway that connected to this Posada Village.

From the start Nedras Kingdom had used Dyatlov Mountain Range as a natural fortress while building a good relationship with Trystovy Kingdom.

That might be why the defensive facility at the border with Trystovy couldn't be said as well equipped even as a flattery.

The terrain was too steep for a large army to pass, but if in the worst case Tyrstovy Kingdom attacked from here, Borgan swore that he would rush off to escape.

He wished that Answerer Kingdom would assign the fitting number of soldiers at the border if they acted like they owned this country.

Right now Borgan's eyes were seeing small silhouettes of people passing through the ridge like a line of ants.

He reflexively rubbed his eyes thinking that he might be hallucinating, but unfortunately there was no change to the scenery when he opened his eyes again.

「T-they really came here!」

Borgan panicked to much that he couldn't keep his balance and fell backward.

「C-captain?」

「Send out a scout! Wake up the guys who are off duty at the village! We called that thing a fortress but it's just like a little hut for checkpoint! We won't even be able to buy time if we don't hurry!」

The captain squeezed out his voice from his throat to yell even while his knees were trembling fiercely, but none of his subordinates made fun of him.

They knew just how out of place this border was and how difficult it was to maintain fighting spirit in here.

.

There was a saying, the mountains have brought forth a mouse.

Borgan had heroically hardened his resolve and ordered his men to gather all of his subordinates, but the line that passed the mountain peak to come here was just the merchants of Mauricia Kingdom.

「You guys really gave me a fright for a moment there.」

「Well well, please forgive us for causing such trouble.」

The merchant laughed affably and bowed his head.

「Even so, why is a merchant from Mauricia is crossing over Dyatlov mountain Range? The other side of this mountain range is Trystovy isn't it?」

「I fortunately managed to build a good relationship with his majesty Baldr since before he was still in Mauricia, and if I have to say why I'm here today, I'm here as something like a representative of Trystovy.」

「You are aware about the relationship of our country with Trystovy Kingdom aren't you?」

「Yes, I still haven't heard about any war proclamation being declared, but Trystovy Kingdom is effectively in war with the church and Answerer Kingdom already.」

The merchant showed no sign of agitation at all. Borgan felt slightly daunted because it didn't look like a threat would work at all against this man.

「Well, our country don't have any intention of picking a fight with Mauricia Kingdom intentionally. Go take care of the arrival procedure with the government officials over there.」

Inside Borgan was still not fully convinced, but this was far better than getting into a war.

For Borgan who had resolved himself to get annihilated in the worst case, that was the most important thing for him.

「...Please don't surprise us so much like that. Just why are you bringing this much cargo to a small village like this...」

The old government official stared at the merchant's face resentfully while saying that.

「I believe that you will immediately understand the reason after this.」

The merchant spoke suggestively with a complacent smile. Those words would become reality within the same day.

.

Part 7The population of Posada Village was around 500. It was categorized as a relatively big village.

Although the amount of goods circulation there was small, it was still one of the gateways for trade with Trystovy Kingdom.

That village now was filled with crowd density that had never happened before.

「...What are you planning by bringing this much cargo to a rustic village like this?」

The village chief couldn't hide his bewildered expression while welcoming the merchant who came here.

The consumption would increase when people gathered. For the village, this was an important time to obtain income from visitors.

In addition they might also be able to buy products from foreign country that they were rarely able to obtain. So the villagers were filled with expectation.

Like this the village was thankful that imported products were coming their way.

「Of course we are coming here to sell our products seeing that we are merchants. Please don't worry, I believe that our products will be immediately sold out.」

「Now see here...our village won't be able to use up this much products even after three years. Besides what is this cargo of yours? They look really heavy.」

Even without looking at the content inside, the weight of the cargo could be estimated to a certain degree from seeing how deep the depression that was made by the carriage's wheels and the sound of creaking that was made by the carriage's axle.

「Aa, eighty percent of the cargo here is wheat.」

「Wheat? Wheat huh...certainly it will be helpful if we can stock up wheat, but we can still live even without it. After all we can't live luxuriously in our village here.」

「Well, for today we will set up tents so please let us rest there. We will open a market at the noon tomorrow.」

「Is that so? Tell me without reservation if you need any manpower. We will also look forward to the market.」

「My thanks for your consideration.」

The merchant grinned.

It was a gentle smile that didn't give the chief the slightest hint about the nightmarish commotion that would occur the next day.

.

At five a.m. at the morning when there was still some morning mist remaining, Posada Village that was located at a slightly high altitude was enveloped in thick mist that was the characteristic of this region.

The villagers who had just started their activity reflexively stared at the noisy commotion that was resounding from far away.

Strangely the voices came not from the direction of Trystovy but from Nedras.

「...Did the army come or something?」

Even in this remote village, nobody was unaware that recently the tension with Trystovy Kingdom was worsening.

Because if war broke out again, it would be the commoners who became sacrifice first.

However when the morning mist cleared up bit by bit, what they saw weren't an army but a crowd of merchants pushing against each other to be the first at the line.

「Hurry! Don't let those bastards from Felt Company get ahead of us!」

「Don't lose! This kind of business might only happen once in your whole life!」

「Slip through even if you got to push down the others around you! We're going to be the first in lineeeeeeee!」

Yes, they were the purchasing group of the merchants who set shop at Nedras Kingdom.

Just the other day, a new rumor was spreading through Nedras Kingdom.

It was a rumor that merchants from Mauricia Kingdom would be coming to sell wheat with a price that was no different than giving it for free.

The rumor wasn't laughed off as nonsense because the agents of Dowding Group that had entered Nedras Kingdom were spreading the information accurately.

The information was too detailed to be dismissed as a mere rumor.

For the time being the merchants gathered information to ascertain whether there was a truth to it or not.

No matter the country, when people and goods moved, there would be information from it. The merchants of every country excelled at collecting such information.

They immediately obtained the information that a great amount of wheat was transported from Mauricia Kingdom to Trystovy Kingdom.

That meant, the possibility was high that the rumor was true.

Their action after making that judgment was fast. They formed a caravan group with the fastest speed and headed straight toward Posada Village with as much money they could bring.

As expected it was the large companies that could obtain information from all over the country the fastest. Their caravans arrived at this Posada Village without taking any sleep or rest so that they wouldn't miss this chance.

「W-what in the world? Just what is going to start here?」

There was no way an idyllic village at the countryside like this had the facility to accommodate this number of people.

But there was a lot of empty plot of land, so in the end the horse carriages and servants were told to park there while only the representatives of the companies gathered at the tent.

「──Welcome. My name is Risley from the food development department of Dowding Company from Mauricia Kingdom.」

「I am Doug from Felt Company of Nedras Kingdom.」

「The same, I'm Gordo of Mauron Company.」

「The same, I'm Weidt of Bilguna Company.」

「The same, I'm Edd of Fisher Company.」

「As expected of the companies that are counted among the top five companies in Nedras Kingdom. It seems that our business today will be with the four companies here.」

When tomorrow came, dozens more of companies would also arrive.

However the business chance was already gone just because of the difference of one day. That was the strict rule of business.

The representatives of the four companies here felt relieve because despite being unable to get a lead from the other three companies, they were able to make in time to the business table.

The only problem left was whether the rumor was true or was just a falsehood.

「Now then without any delay, I shall answer the question that everyone here must be dying to have answered. The price of wheat isn't it?」

「That's right. It's hard to believe, but we heard that the price will be no different than giving it for free.」

Doug of Felt Company spoke to represent the others. The other three nodded silently. Their biggest concern was whether the rumor was true or not.

「Of course it's the truth. How about I sell to everyone here the wheat with the price of one copper coin per bag?」

「...Certainly that's no different than giving it for free. However with that price you won't even be able to cover for the expense of transporting all those cargos until this far won't you?」

Far from breaking even, they would be in the red like that. If Felt Company tried to do the same thing, there was no doubt the company would go bankrupt immediately.

There was nothing scarier than something free. Certainly the cheaper the price the better, but something that was too cheap must have some kind of reason behind it.

The people here understood that as someone of high position in a big company.

「There is a condition before I sell the wheat to everyone here. It's a simple condition. It's to sell the wheat at half the price of the market price within Nedras Kingdom at the very least. I also wish your companies to announce that the reason of the cheap price is because of the aid from his majesty Baldr from Trystovy Kingdom.」

「──There will be interference right away if we do something like that you know?」

The honor of Nedras Kingdom would be crushed if the news that they accepted aid from the king of an enemy country was spread.

It was clear to see that the palace would quickly demand the companies to stop doing their business.

「I don't mind. Once the rumor has spread, it won't be able to be extinguished no matter what the palace do. When the palace ordered your company to stop doing it, it's alright for you to sell the remaining wheat cheaply.」

「Just what will result from doing something like that?」

Or perhaps, this was simply because the Trystovy king was really a charitable person? The merchants couldn't measure the intention of the other side here because there was never any precedence for something like this.

Risley thought that it couldn't be helped for them to be puzzled like that. Even Risley who had been told about Baldr's plan was still half in disbelief.

「First, Mauricia Kingdom has succeeded in revolutionarily increasing the production of wheat. Therefore, the slump of the market price of wheat will be unavoidable from here on.」

「I have heard that rumor. It seems that a very terrifying breed of wheat has been created the rumor said.」

「The benefit of this invention will only be enjoyed by our allied countries. The aid this time is nothing more than us giving away the left over wheat. Compared to Answerer Kingdom that is only thinking of extorting this country, which side do you think is more beneficial to ally with?」

「U-umu...」

There was no need to even think about the answer for these sharp witted merchants.

Answerer Kingdom's business model was an exploitation economy by using their national power as threat in the background.

The new business model that Mauricia and Trystovy put into motion──increasing the share of pie by opening up new market was far more alluring compared to that.

「Unfortunately this deal won't continue for long. However when something that has been given once is taken away, the people will resent the one taking it away from them.」

「In other words you are saying that this is the prelude to the war?」

Risley smiled thinly at Gordo's words.

「The battle has already started since a long time ago. Aa, rather than something like that please think carefully. Answerer Kingdom and Trystovy Kingdom and its allies, which one will be better for Nedras Kingdom if they win? I believe that everyone know how tragic the future of the companies that are at the losing side.」

They didn't misunderstand the intention that existed behind Risley's words.

If they cooperated, then they would still have a place to belong even if the alliance won, but if they didn't cooperate then they would accompany the fate of Answerer Kingdom.

In other words, this was a propaganda work toward Nedras Kingdom while at the same time it was also sowing discord among the merchants who were the blood flow of a nation to obtain collaborators from among them.

Furthermore they were also given advance payment in the form of immense profit over this dealing.

The only worry was whether the alliance would be able to win against Answerer Kingdom or not, but that anxiety was wiped away by this phenomenal amount of wheat.

The amount of wheat here wasn't something that could be thrown away just to show off or by mere whim.

Surely at the next year and the year after that too, wheat would be rapidly produced in the amount that couldn't be consumed completely.

These people who were sharp sighted when it came to profit had quickly calculated that such thing would mean a boom in population, a surplus of productivity, and in the end it would translate into difference in national strength.

Above all else, as a merchant they would never dare to let go of such attractive business chance like this. Furthermore this wasn't just a one time deal but something that would continue in the future too.

「Leave everything to us. All of us the merchants of Nedras Kingdom shall be waiting eagerly for the arrival of his majesty Baldr.」

This flow of wheat didn't enter just from Posada Village only.

Just as Risley said, once the populace was given something, they would fear losing it. If the populace had gotten use to gluttony, it would be difficult for them to return to their past living style of starving.

Baldr's invasion into Nedras Kingdom was already starting.

「Fu-fu-fu...I'll teach them that the wealthy has a way of fighting for the wealthy! If you think you can copy it then just try!」

Baldr was laughing daringly at the far away Millianna.

.

Part 8「Uhahahahaha! Bring on your spear or cannon or whatever, I'll take you onnnnnnn!」

Baldr got carried away and yelled loudly. But then Augusto let out shocking words that poured cold water on him.

「Your majesty is gradually getting more similar with his majesty Welkin isn't it?」

「That's the only thing that's absolutely not true!」

Baldr imagined his future of being similar with that black-hearted middle aged man who took delight in people's reaction toward his prank and a cold shiver ran through his spine.

He absolutely mustn't end up like that.

「Even so, this is a nasty thing that your majesty is doing.」

Augusto shrugged with a smile.

Although he was also in agreement, this was a strategy that no decent politician wouldn't come up with.

They had obtained surplus of wheat after much effort, so normally that surplus would be used to strengthen their own country. Stocking up supplies for the army, using them to brew alcohol, there were countless ways wheat could be used.

「...Valerie prolonged the civil war until the people got sick of it. As the result the people was able to accept my invasion. But, right now we have no leeway to take our time like that. In that case we simply need to lure them using benefit. Simple right?」

「Even though there is a benefit right there, your majesty throw it away to win the favor of the people of other country instead. Normally that's unthinkable.」

That was the way of thinking of merchant.

A merchant who wanted to advance into a new market and made his name there would proactively invest in order to open up a path to the market even if sometimes he had to bear a loss first because of it.

「This is also because the opponent is Nedras Kingdom. In order to soften the prejudice of the people there toward the beastman and see the Answerer Kingdom as the enemy, this is the fastest way.」

If Baldr invaded Neras Kingdom with military force when that country had a lot of Europa believers, the people would undoubtedly unite and oppose Baldr and Lagunitas.

If that happened, even if they won militarily, Trystovy Kingdom would be dragged into a muddy civil war just like what happened to Answerer Kingdom there in the past.

For Baldr, Nedras Kingdom wasn't just a capture target, but a testing ground for building a new order in this continent.

A society where the beastman wasn't discriminated, where everyone lived as an equal instead.

And then a system of fair competition under an international order where nations respected each other under a regularized rule and the major countries were monitored so they wouldn't run wild.

Nedras Kingdom wasn't that big of a country, but if Trystovy Kingdom won against Answerer Kingdom in the dispute for hegemony there, a chain reaction would occur.

If Nedras Kingdom parted from Answerer Kingdom to enter the Trystovy alliance, then the neighboring country Grand Duchy Tenedora also wouldn't be able to just stay quiet.

Most of all, that reduction of market area would give a painful impact to the major merchants of Answerer Kingdom too.

The food production increased, then the population increased as the result, the trade with the southern continent was also increasing in activity, and so the economic scale grew bigger. There was no nation that would be able to quietly allow their enemy country to grow like that.

「We also have the choice of quietly observing for ten years though.」

「If the other side stay quiet, then there will be room for negotiation. But there is no way the other side will just stay quiet, and if they make the first move then we will be put into defensive. I don't have the hobby of allowing the enemy to gain the initiative.」

Augusto feared Baldr at the bottom of his heart because while Baldr was talking about his ideal, he had no plan to compromise at all in order to make that ideal a reality.

He used various tricks to corner the enemy thoroughly while not allowing the initiative of the war to fall into the enemy's hand no matter what.

Rather than making Baldr into an enemy, there would be a greater chance of victory to pursue a policy of reconciliation and negotiated an advantageous term. If it was Augusto then he would undoubtedly pick that choice.

As someone who was essentially a naïve idealist at heart, Baldr was unable to trample the opponent in war as long as the other side respected the rule.

Although in its own way it was still hard to fight Baldr like that.

「...How long do you think they will endure?」

「Nedras's prime minister is trying to make use of this chance it seems. Though they will only last one month at best no matter how hard they try.」

「Then, one month it is.」

There was no doubt that first Nedras Kingdom would use military strength to remove the invasion of Trystovy Kingdom and Mauricia Kingdom through this food aid and propaganda. They would direct that military strength to their own people.

Baldr would begin his invasion to Nedras Kingdom at that timing.

And then he would subdue Nedras Kingdom in a short period and spread the news that the influence of Answerer Kingdom over the countries of the continent had declined.

It would be too late when Answerer Kingdom noticed.

Even if they tried to deal with it after they noticed, they wouldn't make it in time because this side had finished the preparation of overwhelming military schedule and information war.

Winning the battle in Nedras Kingdom would give them overwhelming advantage for the coming final battle.

Baldr was about to laugh loudly again, but then he recalled Welkin's face and desperately controlled himself.

──It was then.

「Your majesty! Congratulations!」

Tyros rushed into the king's room. His expression was unusual, but he had a wide smile that was like an angel.

「What's the matter Tyros? Did something happen?」

It was unusual for the perfect cyborg butler with max loyalty Tyros to be this flustered.

Tyros had been completely disregarded Baldr's worry toward him and the warning to not work too much.

Even though he was still burdened with exhausting work as Baldr's close aide, Tyros was still perfectly taking care of his daily life. There was no opening that could be found from him.

And yet such Tyros was flustered like this. What in the world had happened?

...Hm? Congratulations?

Augusto who was sensitive to that kind of subtleties had arrived to the conclusion faster than Baldr.

「Could it be...who is it?」

「Of course it's her majesty the queen.」

「I see, that's certainly a matter for congratulations.」

There was hierarchy even in the inner palace. It was a godsend for Trystovy Kingdom that the first one to be pregnant was Silk who ranked number one in the hierarchy.

After all that way there would be no need for any quarrel about the inheritance in the future.

「What did the doctor say?」

「Right now the arrangement to have the number one doctor Marius-dono to give a medical examination as soon as possible has been arranged.」

「Hm? Wait a second.」

Augusto suddenly felt something was out of place from Tyros's words. The doctor would give the examination after this?

「Then how did you learn that her majesty is pregnant?」

「It's impossible for my eyes to fail to notice Baldr-sama's child!」

What a terrifying perfect butler. His eyes were capable to see through even the womb of a woman who had only just gotten pregnant?

「By the way it's a boy! I think that the pregnancy is still around two months old.」

「That's why I'm asking how do you know that!?」

「It's because of my heart that is always thinking of Baldr-sama.」

「I can't keep up anymore with this loyalty idiot butler...」

Until now he had been continuously getting surprised by Tyros many times, but this time it was especially even more so.

Or rather, Tyros's instinct had never been wrong even once when it came to Baldr. That was the proof of his reliability.

「...That reminds me, his majesty has been really quiet.」

Baldr hadn't said even a single word since just now.

Normally he was someone who could easily flirt and uttered honeyed words easily even when there were other people present.

That Baldr was staying quiet right now. It was simply abnormal.

「...ya」

「Ya?」

「YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」

At the end of the long silence, Baldr finally returned back to reality and jumped up and down energetically.

「I'm going to be a papa! I'll be a papa! I'm a papa! Paapaa!」

「Aa, Baldr-sama who is rejoicing in panic, how precious.」

「──Go cool your head. We need to wait for the report of the doctor first.」

Tyros warmly watched the crazily rejoicing Baldr while Augusto sighed in exasperation.

A few hours later, a report that Silk was undoubtedly pregnant came. The superpower of Tyros was proven once more.

.

Part 9「Congratulations Silk-asma.」

「Thank you everyone!」

The concubines in the inner palace immediately learned of Silk's pregnancy.

They knew how Silk had kept a careful check of her ovulation day, kept her body in shape, and prayed to god every day in order to have a child with Baldr.

Rather than feeling surprised, everyone accepted it as simply a matter of course with how tenacious she had been.

Even so, surely an inner palace like this where the concubines were honestly rejoicing of the first wife's pregnancy was really rare.

They all had accepted Silk's position as the first wife from the bottom of their heart, and they also had no intention at all for their own children to be used as a tool in an ugly dispute of inheritance.

Though of course the true intention of these women wasn't about such thing.

Rachel and Agatha talked to Silk.

「Silk-sama, from now on you can't allow your lower body to feel cold.」

「The importance of the child in your womb is in a completely different dimension compared to us after all.」

Among the concubines, Rachel was the only one with very high position as a former princess. Selina and Seyruun were commoner, while Agatha was formerly a daughter of a baronet even if she was the adopted daughter of Marquis Randolph now.

Satsuki was like a princess of the cat-eared tribe, but that status was only acknowledged among the beastman race.

Thinking of the suitability, it was only Silk's child who could inherit the kingdom. All the concubines were also hoping for that.

Silk was also aware of that.

「I want to say that there is no different level of importance when it come to children but, in reality everyone is having such expectation.」

No matter what anyone said, Baldr and Silk had inherited the blood of Trystovy royal family thickly. The commoners and nobles were also hoping for their child to be the one inheriting the kingdom.

「This child is Baldr's adorable child. Everyone will do everything to help so that the baby will be born healthily!」

「Thank you Agatha-oneesama.」

None of them entered this marriage because they were being forced by political reason. Of course some of them also had political circumstances surrounding their marriage, but all of them married by love without a single exception.

In that sense, they were rivals toward each other, but at the same time they were also partner to support the stormy life of Baldr.

It wasn't that strange for a bond of companionship to be firmly formed between them with Baldr as the focal point.

All the concubines were seriously wishing for Silk's pregnancy. In addition they had even drank contraceptive secretly before this to guarantee Silk's pregnancy to be the first.

──Although it would be a lie to say that there was no ulterior motive at all in their action.

Silk's pregnancy meant the lifting of the ban on the concubines to get pregnant.

They had no doubt at all to Tyros's claim that Silk's child was a boy.

That meant, there would be no problem at all no matter how many children they gave birth to from here on.

「This child is extremely important. That's why you have to take a great care of your body. Be careful to not get into a bedroom activity with our husband no matter what okay?」

Silk objected in panic at Agatha's completely unexpected words.

「Wwha-? Doing it a little should be alright at the stable period right!?」

「You have to refrain from any activity that can possibly put a burden to the child in your womb. After all that child is fated to shoulder the kingdom in the future.」

Beside Agatha, Satsuki nodded with an exaggerated gesture.

「Yep yep! We will take care of Baldr's, you know...his xxx until then so there is no need to be concerned at all for that matter nya.」

「Traitor! You all have betrayed my feeling haven't you!」

No wonder everyone was happily congratulating her.

While Silk was pregnant, they would be able to monopolize Baldr's night activity.

These women were still newly married wives, so such advantage couldn't possibly be ignored.

「Fufufufufu...Silk-sama, please give birth to a healthy child okay? I shall comfort Baldr-sama a looot in the meanwhile.」

「Rachel! Even you...!」

「It's said that conflict will only be born among people at the same level. From the beginning Silk-sama is the only one who is wishing to be pregnant from getting into bed together with Baldr-sama.」

「Besides this is simply Silk getting your just deserts. After all you did that kind of lewd mischief so that Baldr embraced you until you were unconscious because you want to have a child so badly nya.」

「I was really stupid to believe in something like friendship between women...!」

「There is no such thing like true friendship between women. After all it will crumble immediately as soon as the prerequisite change.」

Agatha easily declared so. Silk hung down her head in dejection.

.

「I don't want to learn this kind of reality among women...!」

Outside the door, Baldr who came to show his appreciation to Silk fell on his hands and feet on the floor in plain dejection after hearing the raw ulterior motive between the women.