Intermission 3: Chance Encounter in the North
The Union of Eastern Nations, situated to the north of Friedonia, was an aggregation of small to dium-sized states.
This land had once been flooded with many small and dium-sized states, sotis allying with, and at other tis warring with, one another. It had been a disunited land. However, when the Demon Lords Domain had appeared over a decade ago and the threat it had posed began bearing down on them, the states had united to form the Union of Eastern Nations.
Each country within the Union ruled itself, but each country was also called upon to contribute soldiers comnsurate to its national strength. In the case of small states, they were to contribute a tenth of their soldiers; and in the case of dium-sized states, three-tenths. With the soldiers they contributed, a force that transcended the borders between nations, the United Forces of the Eastern States (or the United Forces), was ford. If another country or the Demon Lords Domain tried to invade one of the countries of the Union, the United Forces would be dispatched to combat them.
In the northwestern edge of the Union, bordering both the Demon Lords Domain and the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom, was the Kingdom of Lastania.
That country was a small monarchy with a total population of around twenty thousand. It was a country so small that it felt like it might blow away in the wind, and it was situated next to both the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom and the Demon Lords Domain, so the people must have been trembling in fear, waiting for the fires of war that could co at any mont. Or so you might be thinking. However, the actual situation was slightly different.
It was true, they did have so uncertainties when it ca to the Demon Lords Domain, but bordering on the Dragon Knight Kingdom was actually reassuring to them. Though Lastania belonged to the Union of Eastern Nations, they had a long-running alliance with the Dragon Knight Kingdom. Having ford contracts with the dragons of the Star Dragon Mountain Range, and possessing powerful dragon knights, the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom was a powerhouse that could stand up to the Gran Chaos Empire in a purely defensive war. However, they didnt use that power to try to expand their borders. That had to do with their contract with the Star Dragon Mountain Range.
The dragons will beco the knights partners, racing across the battlefield with them.
The knights will welco the dragons as their partners, and help them to produce offspring.
However, if the knights use the dragons power to satisfy their own greed, this contract will be rendered null and void.
This was the contract between Nothung and the Star Dragon Mountain Range.
In other words, in exchange for borrowing the dragons power, they would take the dragons as their wives and have children with them. This contract was made possible by the fact that the dragons of the Star Dragon Mountain Range were able to take on human form. Also, if they used the dragons power for their own selfish desires and tried to invade so other country, the contract would be torn up and the Dragon Knight Kingdom would lose its ties to the Star Dragon Mountain Range. For that reason, the Dragon Knight Kingdom was a country with a policy of non-aggressive defense. This country didnt involve itself in the Empires invasion of the Demon Lords Domain, either.
Having an ally nearby was one ingredient contributing to the Kingdom of Lastanias peace of mind. Even if the Demon Lords Domain attacked, their territory was small, so the dragon knights would defend them while defending themselves.
That may have been why, in the Kingdom of Lastania, the king and many of the people had carefree personalities.
This was preferable to sharing a border with an ambitious neighbor, so the Dragon Knight Kingdom welcod this. From the Union of Eastern Nations perspective, Lastania was functioning as a diplomatic window to the Dragon Knight Kingdom, so they allowed it.
Now, in the royal manor in Lasta, the central city of the Kingdom of Lastania, there was a man prostrating himself before King Lastania.
By the way, the royal manor was where the king of this country lived. There were no large castles in a small country like this one, so the king lived in an impressive residence called the royal manor inside the walls of the city.
The one kneeling inside the audience chamber of the royal manor was a swarthy man who looked to be around thirty. His face was painted, and he looked sowhat like a Native Arican.
You... say you wish to join my army? the kindly King Lastania addressed him from the throne.
The man responded, still prostrating himself before the king. Yes, sir. I am Jirukoma. I have co leading the warriors of the northern people.
Sir Jirukoma, please, raise your head.
When Jirukoma looked up, he could see that King Lastania had a kindly face. The similarly kindly queen who stood beside him, and the slender, charming princess were both smiling.
King Lastania looked on Jirukoma with gentle eyes. I will welco you. This is a small country. We have few soldiers here. So few that the people will be forced to take up arms themselves in the event of an invasion. n of the north are renowned for their bravery. Even if it is only until you can return to your own countries, we would be most glad to have your assistance.
Yes, sir, Jirukoma said, bowing his head again. If you will let us stay in your land, I intend to repay you by fighting on your behalf as we await the day when we can return to our holands.
That day, Jirukoma, who had left his position as chief of the refugees in the Kingdom of Friedonia to his sister Komain, had arrived in the Kingdom of Lastania leading those refugees who were hardliners that had an especially strong sense of loyalty to their forr countries. Responding to the Kingdom of Lastanias call for troops, they had co here to await the day when they could return to their holands.
King Lastania rose and walked over to Jirukomas side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Yes. This is a country with nothing to offer, but until the day your wish cos true, I would be happy if you could see it as your second ho. I will introduce you to the man who will be your commanding officer tomorrow. You may rest for today.
Yes, sir. Jirukoma prostrated himself.
From Jirukomas perspective, King Lastania did not give him the sense of stability that Souma had, but he found him to be kind and magnanimous. At the very least, he didnt seem like the type of person who would abuse the refugees, or work them to death.
Relieved by that fact, Jirukoma concluded his audience with King Lastania.
His audience with the king complete, Jirukoma was walking through the halls of the royal manor when he saw soone standing next to a pillar. The person, who wore a white hood pulled low over their eyes, was leaning against the pillar with their arms crossed. Even with the hood, and despite his slender build, it was apparent he was a man.
When Jirukoma tried to walk past the man, the man spoke.
Would you be the one who led the refugees here?
Jirukoma furrowed his brow. I would... Can I help you?
The king had seed like a kindly man, but perhaps his retainers were not. Had one of those retainers who was not so keen on the refugees joining their ranks co to put him in his place? While Jirukoma was thinking about that, the man, perhaps sensing Jirukomas wariness, dropped the interrogatory tone.
Oh, forgive . Its simply that I wanted to ask sothing. I have heard that your people ca from Elfrieden... or is it Friedonia now? Is that correct?
...Yes, Jirukoma said. Thats right.
The man seed candid, and so Jirukoma answered him honestly. It seed the man had so concerns regarding the Kingdom of Friedonia.
Just who was he? While Jirukoma was getting suspicious of him, the hooded man let out a laugh that seed to be half self-mocking.
Still, youre an odd one yourself. That country, the Kingdom of Friedonia... Loathe as I am to admit it, theyre stable now, arent they? You were fortunate enough to escape there, yet now you co all the way back to a small country on the front lines to enlist. I cant understand it.
...You dont speak like a man of this country, Jirukoma said.
Im a visiting general, the man told him. I can speak my mind because Im not from here.
Even though Jirukoma thought hed been caught by an unpleasant person, the man answered his question.
Its true, King Souma offered us a path where, in exchange for giving up on our return ho for a ti, we could beco people of the Kingdom of Friedonia, Jirukoma said. However, not all of the refugees could accept that policy. There were those who absolutely couldnt give up on returning ho. If those people had remained in the kingdom, they would have gotten in the way of those trying to gain peace by becoming citizens of the kingdom. That is why Im leading them to return north.
I struggle to see why you would abandon a guarantee of peace, but... in that case, why did you choose this country? the man asked. This is a small country. If you were to ask if the pay is good, I cant say it is. Besides, gentle as King Lastania may be, he lacks ambition. Hes a diocre man who reminds of the forr King of Elfrieden. Even if you wait in this country, the day when you can attack the Demon Lords Domain will never co.
No country has the power to invade the Demon Lords Domain, Jirukoma returned. No matter where we went, we would only be kept as disposable defenders. Knowing that, we chose the place closest to our holand.
Holand... Your holands, huh. When he heard the word, the man in the hood crossed his arms and groaned. Is that... sothing worth abandoning peace to fight for?
Hm? What are you asking? Jirukoma asked. Surely you must have a holand, do you not?
I did, yes... No, I still do, in a way... but I am a man who was cast aside by his holand... the man said dispassionately.
There was no hint of sadness there, but Jirukoma could sense so bewildernt and hesitation. Then the man started muttering to himself, as if deep in thought.
I know that we fought for the people. Yet, why...? Why did the will of the people turn away from us? No, was that not it? Was our war not the will of the people? But we were pursuing the aims of our holand. No... Maybe those aims themselves were wrong? What did the people truly want? What was it they truly desired from my father and I? Is it because I didnt understand that we... that I, was defeated...?
Jirukoma had no idea what he was talking about, but he could see that the man was engaged in a process of self-interrogation to try to find so answer. You seem awfully shaken. Do you have that little confidence in yourself?
...Confidence? Mine was shattered long ago, the man said with a self-mocking laugh. There was a ti when I was brimming with confidence. However, when I was forced from my holand, that confidence was shattered to little pieces. The things I thought I did for my country did nothing for my country, and I was betrayed by those I loved and thought loved back. At the ti, I resented my betrayers... and my holand. However, as I questioned myself over and over, I found I no longer knew. Were the things I had believed to be right truly right? As I thought about that, I found I could no longer believe in myself. What is a country? What is a sovereign? Is the sovereign not the will of the state? What are the people? What is their will? Are the people and their will two different things? Why was there a disconnect between the throne and the will of the people?
Watching the man repeatedly question himself, Jirukoma felt like he was a seeker. One who had lost his way, and continued to seek the path. However, from the words he spoke, he could tell he was not seeking just any path. This man who had to think of kings and the people... Perhaps he had once been of high standing.
Who... are you? Jirukoma asked.
The man pulled back his hood. I am Julius Amidonia. Though that family na holds no aning now. I am the fool of a man who was defeated by King Souma of Friedonia and had his country stolen from him by his little sister.
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