Final Chapter: In the Snow
31st Day, 12th month, 1,546th year, Continental Calendar Royal Capital Parnam
There were eight days in this worlds week. With four weeks in a month, that ant each month had 32 days. There were twelve months in a year, so the year ended on the 384th day.
The third through fifth months were spring, the sixth through eighth were sumr, the ninth through eleventh were fall, and the twelfth through the second of the next year were winter, the sa as Japan.
Today was the 31st day of the twelfth month. In Earths calendar, this would be New Years Eve, but in this worlds calendar, it was just another day at the end of the year.
In this country, New Years Eve and Day were generally celebrated quietly with ones friends and family. Normally, the castle wasnt all that busy (the political year began on the first day of the fourth month), aside from priests who carried out the New Years ceremony, but right now the great hall in Parnam Castle was in a state of pandemonium.
Aisha, carry that set over to the right, Liscia ordered.
Understood, prin... Lady Liscia.
Following Liscias directions, Aisha picked up a stage set that would normally have taken multiple adults to lift and easily slung it over her shoulder. Aisha could always be counted on to do the heavy lifting... Oh!
Carla, Hal, I directed. Line up those two pillar props over here.
Understood, master.
Right, right, Hal said. ...Sigh.
With my directions, Carla and Halbert, a vanguard commander from the National Defense Force, were affixing (fake) marble pillar-like objects that looked like they belonged in the Parthenon to the floor. From there, Liscia and I kept giving orders to my vassals (and betrothed), following the plans in my hands.
Still, to think youd not only use the National Defense Force, but also a future queen to do hard labor for you... Ludwin said with a wry smile.
Behind us, Ludwin, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and his second in command, Kaede, were finalizing the details of their plan for on-site security.
It would be unthinkable in any other country, you know, said Kaede. Also, Hal, work faster. Chop chop.
I am, Kaede!
I waved my hand dismissively at Ludwin. Now, now, Aisha said she wanted to help herself. Besides, its just a fact that theres no one in this castle stronger than Aisha.
If wed had earth mages (for gravitational control), this would have been easy, but they had all been sent out to lay roads in the newly absorbed Principality of Amidonia. We didnt have cranes for indoor use, aning we had to rely on human labor for all of this, and I couldnt see a reason to let Aishas muscles go to waste.
Liscia let out an exasperated sigh. Honestly... If you had just said sothing sooner, we wouldnt be dealing with this tight schedule...
Its not like I could have, I said. I an, I only ca up with this idea a week ago.
Its pretty incredible that everyone said, Lets do it! to sothing you ca up with on the spur of the mont, though.
W-Well, lately, it did feel like my brakes were starting to break down.
With Roroa and Colbert joining us, there was more funding at my disposal, and Genia the Overscientist was rrily giving birth to new inventions. Also, because of the many new policies we had instituted, the people of Friedonia themselves had developed a fondness for the strange and were overflowing with curiosity. It was like the Japanese craftsman spirit, or sothing like, No matter how aningless, when you master a thing, it becos an art. That was how an idle thought that had co out of my mouth one week ago...
Oh, hey, its almost the end of the year. If its the end of the year, its ti for the Kouhaku Year-end Song Festival.
...had ended up being implented like this.
The first one to hear , Roroa, had said, What, what?! Tell more about that wonderful na that sounds like profit!
So I ended up having to explain Kouhaku, the Red and White Song Battle, to her.
When I did, Juna, who was also listening, said, A festival of songs, is it? That sounds like an opportunity to put our talents to work, and was uncharacteristically proactive about it.
Then Pamille and Nanna, as well as other loreleis, and the general who had beco a singer, Margarita, had gotten highly enthusiastic about the idea, and after so point it had gone so far that I couldnt say, Nope, were not doing it after all! anymore.
Between loreleis from the singing cafe Lorelei, which had at so point turned into sothing like a production company, and participants from the Nodo Jiman amateur singing contest program we ran in Van gathering, it had turned into a fairly large-scale event. That was when the sudden rush to get things ready had begun.
Well, having everyone work together to create sothing was fun in a culture festival sort of way, but it ant my workload had gone up just that much more...
The hard part was going to be the White part of Kouhakus red and white.
The Red Team (female singers), led by Juna, had variety and flair, but the male singers just didnt leave as much of an impact. The vast majority had co up through Nodo Jiman, and they all sung this worlds folk songs. If there were no male idols participating in Kouhaku, and it were all enka singers, that wouldnt be very stylish, now would it?
Because of that, I had decided on a big experintal deploynt of my male idol response to the female loreleisthe singing knights, orpheuseswhich I had been developing for so ti.
Now, my orpheuses, gather! I called.
Yes, sir!
When I called out to them, three young n who were discussing sothing off in the corner ca over to . One of them, the tall, silver-haired, twenty-sothing man, saluted and said, The orpheus unit Yaiba is ready and awaiting your commands.
He was a human from Van and the leader of Yaiba, Axe Steiner. He was an attractive man with striking, cool eyes, but his overly formal speech that was characteristic of young n from Amidonia gave him a strait-laced image.
When he saw the way Axe was acting, the comparatively easygoing young man with tiger-striped hair laughed wryly. Sheesh, our leaders such a stiff. Am I right, Kukri?
I think youre a little too laid back, Kotetsu, Kukri agreed.
The frivolous and superficial looking young tiger beastman was Kotetsu Burai. He was a fiery man with distinctive yellow and black stripes; athletic; and his sharp dance moves made him stand out even in this group.
The one he had turned to for agreent was a middle school aged pretty boy (?), Kukri Carol. I think youll have realized this from his surna, but Kukri was a kobito and Pamille Carols big twin brother. He was clearly filling out the shota position in the unit, but he was still the eldest of the three.
...Man, the kobito race were scary.
Well, anyway, these were the three mbers of Friedonias first idol unit, Yaiba. The na had co from the fact that all three of them had nas that sounded kind of like bladed weapons. I hadnt had much ti to co up with a na, after all.
Incidentally, Id considered including Hal, who also had a weapon-like na, in their mbers, but he had firmly refused. According to Kaede, Hal can control his pitch, but hes tone deaf, you know.
That wasnt important now, though. I clapped my hands. I want the mbers of Yaiba to start rehearsing as soon as the set is ready.
Yes, sir! Steiner announced. Are you certain you want us to go first, sir?
I want to test that the stage is strong enough, I said. Youre the only act during the song battle that will have multiple mbers singing and dancing. If you guys are fine, it should be safe for everyone else, too.
Yes, sir! Understood!
When Axe, who was as stiff and formal as ever, headed toward the finished stage, the remaining two smiled wryly and followed after him.
Good grief, Kotetsu said. Whys our leader gotta be such a square?
Its because hes nervous, isnt it? said Kukri. Though Im sure his personality has sothing to do with it, too.
Hey, you two! Look alive! soone yelled as they were dragging their feet toward the stage.
Eek! they shouted, jumping a little.
When the two hesitantly turned around, they found a frowning Margarita standing there in a deep red dress. It was a showy color, but that only made her three tis more intense.
Margarita looked the two of them up and down then raised her voice. You are the face of Friedonia! Stand up straight and get your acts together!
Y-Yesm!
If you get it, then get going! On the double!
R-Roger!
Margarita had risen to beco a general in Amidonias patriarchal society. When she tore into them, those two responded with the sa stiff formality as Axe and ran off toward the stage. They were like new recruits being chewed out by a drill instructor.
Then Margarita noticed and hurriedly bowed her head. Wh-Why, Your Majesty, Ive let you see sothing most embarrassing there.
Oh, I dont mind, I said. Theyre a bunch of strong personalities, so having you take charge helps. Still... that outfit really is sothing.
This is, well... I snuck out during the costu fitting...
You snuck out? I repeated.
Oh, there ya are. Runnin out durin a fittin? Thats just not right, Margie.
P-Princess?! Margarita yelped.
Margie? I repeated.
I turned to look because Margarita had let out a scream, and there was Roroa rushing over to us.
She reached us and smoothly wrapped herself around my arm. Darlin, Ive been workin hard, too. Praise , praise . She rubbed her face up against my shoulder.
Her adorable little animal-like gestures felt sowhat calculated, but... still, she sure was cute. The fact of the matter was, without Roroas financial cooperation, this plan wouldnt have been possible.
I petted her on the head. Youve been a big help. Thanks, Roroa.
Mwuhuhuh! she giggled.
Co on, Roroa, said Liscia sternly. Youve gotten your praise, and youre satisfied, right? Were working here, so its ti for you to let go.
Liscia grabbed Roroa up by the scruff of the neck like she might do to a cat and pulled her off . Roroa got into it and even threw in a playful ow.
Wait, I didnt have ti to be doin this, Roroa added, interrupting herself. Im gonna take Margie back with . Were still in the middle of her costu fittin, after all.
Costu? You an this red dress? I asked.
Roroa gave a bold laugh. Look forward to it. Its gonna knock your socks off durin the main event.
I dont like it, princess! Margarita protested. Not that. Spare that, at least!
I already put in the order, so give up and just accept it, Roroa smirked.
Nooo! Not eighteen ters!
Margarita was dragged off by Roroa, looking more frantic than Id ever seen her before. Margarita could scare your average man senseless, but she couldnt stand up to Roroa, the forr princess of Amidonia. I didnt really get the balance of power between the forr Amidonians.
And, wait, what did she an by eighteen ters, anyway? I added.
The length of her dress, apparently, said Juna.
The lorelei had co over here because she was the next one going on for rehearsal after Yaiba. She wasnt wearing her usual easy-to-dance-in outfit. Instead, she wore a shining blue dress and looked very pretty in it.
Wait, an eighteen ter long dress? I asked, startled.
Roroa was saying she wanted sothing that would knock the audiences socks off, Juna said. Shes going to be putting Madam Margarita on stage in a massive, eighteen ter dress. I hear that the dress is painted with powdered lightmoss, like the kind we use in the streetlamps, and it lets off a dazzling light.
Well, thats... gaudy as all hell, I said.
I dunno. Sohow, I could see this becoming an annual event and it getting gaudier every year.
Margarita... I had thought she was the big boss of the entertainnt industry, but she was apparently the last boss.
What should I do? I wondered. I had planned to have Margarita sing the Japanese version of Snake Eater, but maybe I ought to change that to Kaze to Issho ni.
That was when I noticed another girl standing behind Juna.
She was a simple-looking young girl of fifteen, maybe sixteen years of age. She was cute, but didnt stand out in any way. It was a sort of natural, girl next door type of look.
Juna, whos the girl? I asked.
Let introduce you, sire, Juna said. This girl is Komari Corda. She was in training at Lorelei until just recently, but Im thinking of having her debut in this song battle.
I-Im Komari Corda! Itsh a pleashure to et you! the girl gasped.
While tripping over her words spectacularly, Komari bowed her head deeply to . While I laughed wryly at how tense she was, Juna explained a little more about her.
She has a voice with room for growth, and an enthusiasm for practice that makes think shell transform in the future. I think she may have the hidden talent to surpass as a lorelei.
Well, that is impressive... I said.
I-I could never! Its too much of an honor for you to suggest I might surpass you, Lady Juna! Komari yelped.
When I saw Komari hurriedly try to act humble, I thought, Oh, I can see it...
Her appeal likely lay in how unpolished she was, unconsciously making you want to cheer her on. That was a charm that the already-perfected Juna didnt have. When this girl was finished, she might be a lorelei who could lead the kingdoms singing world forward.
She was soone whose developnt I would look forward to seeing.
That was when the current Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Friedonia appeared.
Ah, Madam Juna, Madam Komari, said Colbert. So this is where you two were.
For so reason, Nanna, the cat-eared beastman, was hanging around his shoulders. Pamille the kobito was standing behind him, too, holding on to Colberts sleeve. I dont know what to say... They looked like father and daughter.
Theyre awfully fond of you, Colbert, I comnted.
Youre the one who pushed them off on , Your Majesty...
In addition to his duties as finance minister, I had Colbert handling their finances (and the paperwork). This country was in the middle of an unprecedented lorelei boom. For Juna, Nanna, and Pamille, in particular, as the first loreleis, there was far more money moving around them than they could ever use personally. Setting aside Juna, who was at the castle as a candidate to beco a secondary queen, it was dangerous for Nanna and Pamille, who were still ordinary citizens, even if they were loreleis, to be given too much money.
That was why I had the financially talented Colbert handling their assets, arranging bodyguards (primarily won from the National Defense Force), and handling other general business for them. In a way, he was like their manager.
I could understand that that was why he spent a lot of ti with them, but why did they love him so much? When I asked them, they said...
The als! He treats ! I get to eat lots of fish! Nanna squealed.
After etings, Mr. Colbert often takes out for dinner, Pamille added. When we go, he never treats like a child. He always treats like a proper lady.
...There you have it. He was taming them with food, huh! No, in Pamilles case it was a little different, but...
Colbert, if youre going to lay your hands on them, wait for the two of them to grow up a bit first, I said.
Im not going to, okay?!
I wont be getting any bigger, though... Pamille had a sour look on her face.
Uh... um... sorry.
Th-The four of you have rehearsal now, right? I asked, hastily covering my mistake.
Yes, said Juna. When Yaiba finish, were up next.
I looked toward the stage where the three from Yaiba were singing passionately. It was a song from a male idol group back in the other world. I hadnt been familiar with what was trendy, but the sort of songs that they played all the ti during comrcials had stuck in my head. They were a bunch of cool, young people singing cool songs with all their heart. I thought that might be enough to capture the hearts of the ladies of Friedonia.
Everyone, weve brought food for you! Serina called.
I-In order to keep it simple to eat, we decided to go with rice balls and sandwiches, stamred Poncho. Of course, there are spaghetti buns, too, yes.
Big Brother, Big Sister, its ti to eat! Tomoe called.
While I was watching Yaiba, Serina, Poncho, and Tomoe brought the maids along. They all had large baskets in their arms. They were probably filled with rice balls and bread. When they spread them out on a long table, everyone gathered around.
Oh! That looks good, Hal said. Can we have so?
Hal, you have to wipe your hands first, you know, Kaede scolded.
Carla, please prepare tea for everyone, Serina ordered.
R-Roger that, Head Maid!
As the area started to grow more lively with conversation, I stared off absently. Things sure have grown...
They have, Liscia agreed.
It looked like Liscia had overheard the thought Id let slip. I felt awkward, but Liscia gave a big smile. Youve gathered people, people have gathered around you, and before we knew it, weve beco surrounded by this huge crowd.
Its reassuring, but it also makes nervous, I confessed. It ans I have that much more that I want to protect, after all.
What are you saying? Liscia put her left hand on her hip, pointing her right index finger at my nose. The people you want to protect, they want to protect your reign, too. Thats why... those that you want to protect will surely protect you.
When Liscia firmly declared that, mysteriously, it made feel like she was right.
They will, huh? I asked.
Yes, they will.
I see... Well, Liscia, could I ask you to hold down the fort here for a while?
I can, but... where are you going? she asked.
It turns out there are so people I have to et. Look, Hakuyas here for now.
When I looked to the entrance, Hakuya had just co in.
Bye, I said. Ill be back soon.
Sure. Leave things here to .
With Liscia seeing off, I left the great hall. Then, together with Hakuya, I walked down the hall.
We didnt talk along the way. It was already pitch black outside the windows.
It was around eight oclock. I thought back to how things were now in the great hall. If that was how far along they were at this ti... we were in for an all-nighter, for sure.
I needed to make sure to send the perforrs ho early to get so rest. It was going to be broadcast live, so if we made them stay with us, and then they went and collapsed on us during the main event... it would be a total disaster.
While I was thinking about that, we arrived at the room which was our destination.
In front of the door, Hakuya stepped aside to make way for , standing with his back to the window across from the door. He probably ant to wait here. I hadnt forbidden him from entering the room, but Hakuya had decided to refrain from doing so on his own. Then, crossing his arms in front of himself, he gave a respectful nod.
I have the Black Cats patrolling the area, he said. Take as long as you need to talk.
Got it.
I nodded, then opened the door and entered through it.
When I closed the door, the room suddenly beca dim. In the room with flickering candlelight, what caught my eye was the king-size bed, and the moonlit terrace beyond it. The people I was looking for were drinking tea at the glass table by the windowsill. When I approached, those people put down their teacups and rose.
Why, Sir Souma, its been so ti.
Its good to see you again, Your Majesty.
I greeted the two who had welcod here. It has been a while, Sir Albert and Lady Elisha.
The ones waiting for were Liscias parents, the forr king, Sir Albert, and his queen, Lady Elisha.
Have so, Elisha said.
Thank you, I said.
When I took the proffered cup of tea, forr queen Elisha gave a broad smile. Lady Elisha was like Liscia, only calr, with a more womanly sexiness. Would Liscia eventually beco like her? If so, I had a lot to look forward to as we grew older.
I was sitting at the glass table, with Sir Albert across from .
Having finished making us tea, Lady Elisha stood in waiting behind Sir Albert. It seed she intended to stick to the role of server.
...When I thought about it, I hadnt spoken much with Lady Elisha, had I? She was my mother-in-law to be, but she was a woman of few words, always just standing at Sir Alberts side with a warm smile. From what Liscia had told , she had always been a quiet person who never said much.
While I was thinking that, Sir Albert opened his mouth to speak.
I am glad that you have co here today, Sir Albert greeted and then smiled gently. I would also like to congratulate you on your victory in the war with the Principality of Amidonia and subsequent annexation of the principality. It has only been half a year since I passed you the crown, and yet your deeds are great. I believe, with your accomplishnts, you neednt be embarrassed if people call you Souma the Great.
No... It was only possible with Liscia and everyone elses help. I took a sip of tea and looked Sir Albert straight in the face. Finally, were able to et.
I am sorry for making you wait so long, the forr king said and bowed his head to .
I had sought to et with Sir Albert a number of tis before today: when I hadnt known anything, when Id wanted to have him convince the three dukes to cooperate, and when Id requested his help in convincing Castor not to rebel against the sudden change of power. Then, once Id understood everything, I had asked for an audience a number of tis to seek an explanation.
However, each ti Id asked, hed said:
In the earlier instances, This country is yours now. It is not my place to do anything.
In the later instances, I will reveal everything to you soon. Please, wait until then.
And that was all I could get out of him.
Once hed started saying, I will tell you soon, all I could do was wait for him to do so. Because, if I pressed him, there would be no way to be sure he was telling the truth.
At last, today, I was here because hed said he would tell everything.
Youre going to tell everything, right? I asked.
If that is what you wish, Albert said.
I think its ti you finally cleared so things up for . Like what you were thinking.
Hed said he would tell everything. I figured I might as well go down the list.
I have three things I want to ask you. The first is about when you ceded the throne to . At that point, when I had just been summoned to this world, we were eting for the first ti. Yet, just from hearing my plan to enrich the country and strengthen the military, you turned over the throne to . With a betrothal to Liscia as a nice bonus. That did give the freedom to move, but... it was also unnatural. Why were you able to give your crown to so kid from another world whom you had only just t so easily?
Sir Albert listened to in silence. It seed he ant to answer only once he had heard everything I had to say. In that case, I might as well ask him everything I had to ask at once.
The second concerns Georgs devotion. Our forr General of the Army, Georg Carmine, took all of the bla on himself while committing suicide and taking all of those who might beco my enemies with him. Looking at the result, and even considering the letters Liscia sent to try to convince him, I have to think that Georg had prepared this plan in advance. Thats bizarre, too. I only t Georg once at the very end. He put his life on the line for this plan, so he shouldnt have been able to do it without trust in and loyalty to .
Albert was silent.
Georg and I werent even passingly acquainted. There was no way he could feel loyalty toward soone hed never even t. Well, who was his loyalty toward, then? I can only think... it would be you, the forr king.
I had tried to verify that when Id t Georg. But: When the proper ti cos, I am sure that person will tell you themselves was all that the man would say. Today must have been that proper ti he was talking about.
Lastly, why did you refuse to et up until today? If you were waiting for everything to be settled, you could have done that after the victory of Amidonia or the annexation. Why did I have to wait until today for an opportunity to et you? I want to hear that, too.
...Is that everything? Albert asked.
More or less, I said. Let ask about the finer details as I listen to your explanation.
I understand. Nodding, Sir Albert began to speak at a relaxed pace. First, I want to say, there is one thing that connects all three of those points you raise.
One thing?
Before I explain that, I want to answer your three questions. It was because we were coming to a decision. On whether we should answer you or not. We thought it might be best to continue telling you nothing...
I was silent.
However, my heart is not so strong that I can keep the sins Ive committed locked away inside it, he added.
The sins hed committed? What was he talking about?
Sir Souma... Have you ever wished you could live your life over once more? Albert suddenly asked .
I answered him, sowhat suspicious. ...All the ti.
A lot had happened since Id been handed the throne. I had carried out disaster relief, and experienced war. I couldnt help but think... hadnt there been another way? A better way? Couldnt I have saved more lives? Even when it ca to those I fought as enemies and cut down, I sotis thought that, maybe, we could have co to an understanding. Even though I knew it wasnt reasonable to think that.
But why do you ask? I went on.
What I am about to tell you is the story of a certain world, a certain country, and a certain foolish king, Albert said.
With that introduction, Sir Albert began to smoothly relate this tale.
In a certain country, there was a king.
The king was not wise, but nor was he a fool. He did not govern well, but he did not govern poorly, either. That was the diocre sort of king he was.
In a ti when the world was stable and the country was already set up for success, he would have been called a good king without faults. However, in his ti, the Demon Lords Domain appeared, and the threat of monsters threw the world into chaos.
The fires of war might not have spread to his country yet, but there was a food crisis and the economy was slowly inching toward collapse. The diocre king could do nothing effective to deal with these issues.
Then, one day, there was a request from the great land in the west to carry out the hero summoning told of in this kings kingdom. It was worded as a request, but he had virtually no option to refuse it. So the diocre king carried out the hero summoning as requested.
That ritual succeeded when no one thought it would, bringing a young man from another world to the kingdom. The king struggled with the question of whether to turn the young man over to the great country in the west. This was because, if he lost this boy, he would be letting go of his key to negotiations with the great nation in the west.
The young man who was summoned told the struggling king this:
If you an to fight the demons, you should enrich the country and strengthen the military.
...This story sounded familiar.
However, the developnts from here on differed from the story I knew.
Hearing what the young man had to say, the king sensed the man had gifts he himself did not, and decided to appoint him to the post of pri minister. The young man responded to his expectations and worked desperately, carrying out various reforms. Thanks to that, the kingdom began to show signs of recovering from its food crisis and financial difficulties.
However, there were those who found the young man a nuisance.
It was the nobles of that country. Those without very good reputations themselves.
They had been angry when a youth they had never heard of before was chosen as the pri minister, but they were even more incensed when he began his reforms. The young man had rooted out corruption to find the funding he needed, carrying out reforms that cut into the wealth of the upper class.
They visited the king many tis, trying to persuade him he was harming the country and should be removed from power.
However, the young man had an ally. The general of that countrys army.
The sober and honest General of the Army was able to accurately judge the young mans talents and beca his backer. However, the nobles of ill-repute were not amused by this developnt, only intensifying their slander against him.
Hearing their libelous words day in and day out, the king gradually beca stricken with uncertainty.
It was true that the young man was gifted, but he had far too many enemies. The country might be split if things were left as they were.
With that in mind, the king made a decision that, in retrospect, he never should have.
The young man was removed from his post as pri minister.
Having been dismissed, the young man went to stay with the General of the Army at his castle. The king felt sorry for the young man, but this was to prevent the splitting of the country. Ultimately, it would be saving the young mans life. That was how the king convinced himself.
However, that was not the end of it all.
The nobles of ill-repute were more persistent than the king had thought. No, if anything, considering their secret ties, it was best to read it as them not being able to leave the young man be. That year, the neighboring state which had a long-running enmity with the kingdom began deploying its forces along the border.
The General of the Army dispatched the troops under his command in the Army to intercept them, confronting those forces.
That was when it happened.
As if they had been waiting for this mont, the nobles forces rose up, attacking the city where the General of the Armys castle was. When you consider the timing of it all, the nobles had probably been collaborating with the neighboring country.
Because the General of the Armys land had once been the territory of the neighboring country, it had been easy for them to concoct the sche. Then, the neighboring country moved to snuff out the young man who had the potential to beco a serious threat to them.
The city containing the General of the Armys castle was well-fortified, but the Army had been mostly dispatched to the border, leaving less than 500 troops in the garrison. The opposing force led by the nobles numbered 10,000.
The General of the Army remained in the city, and he managed a diligent defense, but... greatly outnumbered, the General of the Army was eventually struck down.
The city burned, and the young man disappeared like ashes among those flas. It was only a few days after the nobles had raised their troops, and the king was unable to do anything.
The Army, having lost their commander, was unable to maintain the battle line against the forces of the neighboring country and fled in defeat. The forces of the neighboring country joined up with the nobles, and together they used their montum to advance on the royal capital.
The king hurriedly tried to bring together an ard force to et them in battle, but... he couldnt. In the end, he had left the young man and the General of the Army to die.
The soldiers of the Army rebelled against him and returned to their own lands, the units of the Air Force were few in number, and the Navy was far from the capital and preoccupied with defending their own domain.
His last resort was to recruit volunteer soldiers from among the common folk, but even that had failed.
The young mans reforms had angered the nobility, but they had saved the people. To the people, the young man had been a savior who had co to them in their ti of need, and they felt no kinship with the king who had stripped him of his post. Ultimately, like the young man before him, the king found himself encircled by an enemy that hopelessly outnumbered him. In ti, he would be killed just like the young man. If there was one difference between them, it was that he lacked the General of the Army who had been willing to lay down his life.
At this point... what he faced could only be called karmic retribution.
He had brought it upon himself by believing the slanderous lies of those who would beco his enemies, and stepping on those who truly cared for the country.
As I listened to Sir Alberts story, I was at a loss for words.
He spoke of another present. When I had been summoned to this world, not knowing what the Empire truly wanted, I had talked about enriching the country and strengthening the army because I hadnt wanted to be turned over to them before Id known better. Id thought I would be made to implent my ideas as one bureaucrat among many, and that I would be able to find the money to pay the war subsidies the Empire was requesting. However, because Sir Albert had given the throne, I had ended up manning the helm of this country.
What would have happened if he hadnt given the throne back then?
If I had been operating not as the king, but as the pri minister... the future might have turned out exactly the way Sir Albert had described. The world Sir Albert spoke of gave considerable room for thought, and it was so realistic that I couldnt imagine it was a fabrication. I thought it was a fairly accurate simulation.
But in that case, there were things I didnt understand. It was rude to say it like this, but Sir Albert didnt seem like the kind of person who had that degree of foresight to . I couldnt see him simulating things so accurately.
You speak as if youve seen it yourself, I said.
Because I did see it myself, Albert said. No... Rather, I was shown it.
You were shown it? I asked.
Indeed. By my wifes ability.
His wifes ability? I looked at Elisha despite myself, and she returned the look with a broad smile.
Did you know that my wife is a user of dark-type magic, just like you are? Albert asked.
I had heard that, yes. Though even Liscia didnt seem to know the details.
This is sothing known only to a select few, so I ask you not to speak of it to anyone else, said Albert. My wifes ability is to transfer mories into the past.
Sir Albert moved on to continue his story.
The king who was about to have everything taken from him by the nobles was gripped with a deep sense of regret.
Why had he dismissed the young man?
Why had he not valued him more?
If he had not been shaken by the nobles slanderous lies, if he had instead taken the hands of the young man and the General of the Army, if he had continued with reforming the country, at the very least, he would not be in the difficulty in which he now found himself.
Were he truly rotten, this is where he might have raged, This is all the summoned young mans fault or If not for him, it would never have been like this, ignoring his own responsibility. However, this king might have been foolish and weak, but he was generally soft on others, so the idea never occurred to him.
What he did think was that he had needed to value the young man more.
If, at the very beginning, rather than pri minister, he had just made the young man king to begin with...
If he had, surely he would have reigned over this country far better than the king himself could.
If that had happened... then his daughter...
The king sunk into despair.
Having lost hope in that king, the queen said: You have failed. Our fate is already sealed. However, if we use my ability, we can tell our past selves about this failure.
The queen had a mysterious ability. It allowed her to transfer a persons experiences to their past self.
The past self who received them would experience them as if for themselves, and it would feel as if ti had been wound back for them. It was using this power that the queen had survived the bloody war of succession. (Or to be more precise, she had repeatedly sent back her mories monts before her death, then avoided the danger.)
After explaining this, the queen had apologized to the king. It turned out that she had used this power to choose her husband, too.
It seed no matter how fierce of a warrior she had taken as her husband, no matter how wise a sage, the kingdom was destined to be destroyed. Invasions by foreign enemies, attacks by monsters, plots by the nobility, uprisings by the people while the reasons differed, the result was always that the royal capital was engulfed in flas.
This king who people thought was diocre had been the only one who, while he hadnt uplifted the country, had managed to extend its life. It seems this king was the only one whose child the queen had given birth to.
Even if I use this power, we cannot change our present, Elisha had explained to him. However, we can lead our past selves to a future different from this one. Dear... if our lives are to end here anyway, would you like to try creating a future like that?
When the queen told him this, the king ca to a resolution. That he would send word of this failure into the past. Then he would have his past self leave the throne to the young man.
It may only have been to satisfy himself. But it felt like it might offer him so atonent for the things that had been lost due to his failure, so the king entrusted everything to his past self.
The king and queen transferred their mories to their past selves.
Those mories had co back to him as hed listened to the young man speak about enriching the country and strengthening the army.
To put it simply, I am the king who inherited those mories, Albert finished.
While I listened to Sir Alberts story, I was in a state of confusion. Was this a ti slip...? No, a ti leap?
Hed said it was dark-type magic, but it could even do stuff like that? Oh, but all that was inherited were the mories, so it wasnt as if the persons consciousness returned to the past.
If those mories were truly being transferred into the past, that should have created a ti paradox. Because the Sir Albert sending the mories had no mory of having them sent to him.
In that case, could it be that Elishas power was one that let her intervene in an alternate dinsion that was highly similar to her own? Less like the Life Do-Over Machine and more like the What-If Phone Box, huh? To put it simply, that would an this world wasnt the past of the sending world, it was an alternate dinsion.
Though, even if I brought this up, I doubted the two of them would understand. They probably didnt have a concept of other dinsions to begin with, and I couldnt exactly say I understood it that well myself.
Aw, geez, this place wasnt just a simple world of swords and sorcery? I thought.
While I was busy being confused, Sir Albert took a sip of his tea and sighed. Honestly... it must have been hard on the one who sent the mories, but its not easy being the one to receive them. From my perspective, I feel like Ive lived a life in which I made you my pri minister, acted like a fool, and then turned back ti. If I hadnt heard Elishas explanation on the other side, I would have thought ti had just turned back. I, myself, havent done anything, but the guilt I feel toward you wont go away. I apologize on behalf of the forr . Im terribly sorry. Sir Albert bowed his head deeply.
No, apologizing to doesnt help... I an, I have no recollection of any of it...
I know that... This is only for my own self-satisfaction. I want to apologize. Please, let apologize.
...Well, if thats how it is...
If he said he wanted to apologize, the best thing to do was probably to let him. The situation was well beyond my understanding, so I couldnt put myself in his shoes.
Sir Albert looked straight in the eyes and said, And so, to keep things from turning out the way they did in my mories, I ceded the throne to you. I believe this should answer your first and third questions.
...Id have to agree with you, I said.
The answer to my first question, Why did you give your throne to so kid you just t? was that, actually (though, this wasnt correct, strictly speaking), it wasnt the first ti we had t.
The answer to the third, Why did it take so long for you to et with ? was likely that he hadnt been sure whether or not to reveal the existence of this ability. It might have been because hed wanted to see for certain that we had reached a different future from the prior world first.
That left my second question. The issue of Georgs loyalty...
Dont tell you told Georg about all this?! I cried.
...I am weak, said the forr king. I wasnt strong enough to carry this burden alone.
Sir Albert looked out the window. It had started to cloud over a bit. It might start snowing.
I couldnt believe that, with my power alone, I would be able to call forth a different future. I told everything to the one man in this country I could trust, Georg Carmine, and asked for his help. That was why he ca up with a plot to exterminate the corrupt nobles who had beco your enemies in that ti. It was our fault that Castor grew suspicious of you. However, because the plan was already in motion, we couldnt reveal it, and I apologize for the undue suffering that put you through.
That had been... Georgs reason for the staged treason, then. To have all of my potential opponents taken down in one fell swoop, and for him to fall alongside them. That plan had coincided with the one Hakuya and I had been working on to keep Amidonia under control, which had turned it into a grand stage none of us had expected. It looked like Roroa had been planning her own script of events, too, so it had beco a grand stage with many playwrights.
Those whod thought they would be making others dance had been forced to dance themselves, and though wed felt like we were cutting our own paths, we had actually just been walking atop the rails soone else had laid for us.
I dunno what to say... It makes lose confidence in myself, I admitted.
Theres no need for that, Albert said. The fact of the matter is, you managed to reach a different future, no? You annexed Amidonia, and you rebuilt this kingdom which was nearing its end into the Kingdom of Friedonia. I can say with confidence that I was not wrong to give the throne to you.
Im glad to hear you say that and all, but... in the end, where do you think the future changed? I asked.
The very beginning, no doubt. Because, this ti, from the very start, you had Liscia by your side.
Liscia? I asked.
It was true, Liscia had been supporting from the very beginning, but why was her na coming up now?
Here, Sir Albert put on a slightly sad expression. Liscia was at your side in the future where I made you my pri minister, too. She was serving as Georgs secretary, so the two of you t through him. In that world, just like in this one, Liscia recognized your true talent and fell in love with you. Even when I dismissed you from your post, she ca to appeal directly to to reinstate you. However... that ti, I didnt heed Liscias advice. Disappointed, Liscia returned to Randel where you were. To Castle Randel, which the nobles burned to ash. Im sure she spent her last monts... together with you...
Liscia... had died at my side, huh. Now that he ntioned it, he did say that the king of that world had lost everything. That had included his own daughter, then.
What about the other comrades that Ive recruited? I asked.
They were never there to begin with. In that world, you never used the Jewel Voice Broadcast. I listened to the voices of those who valued tradition, and I never allowed you to use it. That was why you never gathered personnel, or did the sort of productions that you do now.
Working without the Jewel Voice Broadcast, huh... That would have been hard. Now that I thought back, most of the current mbers of my staff had been gathered through the the Jewel Voice Broadcast. Without the Jewel Voice Broadcast, I wouldnt have t Aisha, Hakuya, Tomoe, or Poncho. Also, if I had just been the pri minister, I doubted Excel would have dispatched Juna, and I wouldnt have t Ludwin, Halbert, or Kaede through the military, either.
That being the case, the Jewel Voice Broadcast was starting to feel like the turning point.
And the strongest thing pushing to use the Jewel Voice Broadcast had been Liscia, whod given legitimacy to the royal title Id been given. Without that, I might not have been able to shut up the people who were against using the Jewel Voice Broadcast. When I thought of it that way...
...Well, damn. Liscias starting to feel like my goddess of victory.
I want you to take good care of her, Albert told .
Of course.
She was a goddess who had never abandoned , no matter how adverse the situation. If I didnt treasure her, I was probably in for so serious karmic retribution.
Sir Albert rose from his seat. Well, I have told you all I know. Now, my role truly has been played out to the end. The rest... I leave to you and the others.
With that said, Sir Albert stood next to Lady Elisha, hugging her around the shoulder.
I think we will leave the castle, and live quietly in my old domain in the mountains.
I inhaled sharply in surprise. Why?!
If the old king stays too long, people will begin to get bad ideas, Albert said. Now that I have seen the changing future, I will withdraw. This is another thing I had decided on from the very beginning.
Here, he wore not the face of an unreliable king, but the eyes of a loving father watching over his children. Those eyes... was he directing them at ?
Youve already made up your minds, I see, I said slowly.
I can trust you with both Liscia and this country, said Albert. Elisha and I both believe that. I ask you to do this for , my son.
My son. When he called that, I rose from my seat and pounded one fist on my chest.
You have my word. Father, Mother, thank you for everything.
I bowed my head deeply to Sir Albert and Lady Elisha. Sir Albert nodded when he saw that, while Lady Elisha continued watching with a smile until the end. I bowed one more ti, and turned to grasp the handle on the door to leave... then stopped.
I have just one last thing to ask.
What? said Albert.
In the world where I beca the pri minister, were our bodies ever found?
...No. As I told you, they were reduced to ash. Nothing was ever found.
I see. Theyd never found the bodies, huh. Well, then...
In that case, Liscia and I might have still been alive.
What?!
I smiled as Sir Alberts eyes opened wide in surprise. If I were alone, I might have died. But Liscia was there, too, right? If the from that world cared for Liscia as much as I do here, he would never have let her die. When danger closed in on them, Im sure he would have taken Liscia and fled, not caring what people would say about them. Its possible they were struck down by enemy soldiers in the attempt, but in that case, there would have been bodies. If youre telling there were none, Id say that ans they got away.
Perhaps Georg had been using himself as a decoy to buy them ti. Though this was probably on the sa level as believing in the theory that Yoshitsune had survived. But, what did it matter? If it would help my father-in-law to assuage his guilt even a little.
...Thank you, son-in-law.
I heard those quiet words behind as I turned to leave the room.
What are you doing here?
I was on the terrace of the governntal affairs office, looking out on the castle town at night, when Liscia ca out with a blanket.
Im surprised you knew to find here, I said.
Hakuya told where you were, she said. Everyones in a frenzy trying to get things together for the singing contest, you know?
...Sorry. Let stay here a little longer.
Geez... In that case, try wearing sothing a little warr, Liscia said, then threw the blanket she was carrying over , sliding underneath it herself, too. The warmth of her body touching mine felt very comforting. Whew... It sure is cold out at this ti of night.
Well, yeah, its winter.
Ah! Its snowing! she cried.
Whoa. Youre right. I noticed there were snowflakes falling here and there. Even though I could still see the moon off in the distant sky.
It started as powder snow, but gradually gave way to larger snowflakes.
The lights of the town and snow on a moonlit night. It was like a scene out of fantasy.
Its pretty, Liscia murmured, standing next to .
...Well, damn. Liscias starting to feel like my goddess of victory.
The words I had said then ca back to .
When I looked at Liscia, staring entranced up into the snowy sky, I couldnt just stay put any longer. I got out from under the blanket, then hugged Liscia, blanket and all.
Wha, Souma?! Liscia cried out in surprise. I didnt let that stop from holding her all the tighter.
...The truth is...
It was cold out, but for so reason my entire body felt hot. I could see my breath, but my face was burning. I might even have been crying.
The truth is, this is sothing... I really ought to have told you before Aisha, before Juna, and before Roroa...
She was silent, questioningly.
Liscia... I love you. Please, marry .
Liscia was dumbstruck by my sudden proposal.
...It sure took you long enough to say it, Liscia said, then gave a shy smile that made feel ticklish. Then, gently pushing away, she put her hands on my chest and stood on her tip toes. As the blanket fluttered to the ground, Liscias face slowly approached mine. I love you, too, Souma. I hope we can be together forever...
Our lips intertwined.
The clock passed midnight, and it beca the 32nd day of the 12th month, New Years Eve.
We stayed that way for a while, listening to the approaching footsteps of a new year.
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