Chapter 264: That One Is Now......
Chapter 264
264 That One Is Now......
I gave the scholar-sensei one of the e-mail addresses that I left to the captain of Wolf Fang, the one that I don't give to the members of the otherworldly round-table discussion group ISECON, in other words, only to the <special person> address that I prepared separately so that important e-mails would not be buried in the mass of e-mail notifications.
It's the kind of thing I tell the person who introduced me to the Swiss bank when I opened my account, aka. the <person in charge of my affairs> in the country where the gallery cafe [Gold Coin] is located.
Now I'll be in touch if they need anything.
If it's urgent, I'll get a text message from the captain on my phone, which I have signed up for under his name, so I'll know as soon as I get back to Earth.
I'm frequently returning to Earth.
To be more specific, every time I take a bath or use the bathroom.
No, there are bathrooms and toilets at [General Store Mitsuha], but they are not as good as the ones at home in Japan......
That's why when I go to Earth, I always bring the phone I have as the <Japanese, Yamano Mitsuha> and the one I borrowed from the captain. Even when I'm just going to the bathroom.
If I don't make a habit of it, I'll probably forget about it for days.
Yeah, humans are like that, and I don't trust myself at all!
Umūmu
[Anesama, we're in trouble!] Sabine
When I went to [General Store Mitsuha], Sabine-chan was waiting for me as usual.
Now that she has the key, she's not in front of the entrance, but on the third floor, playing a game.
And for some reason, the second princess, Chiine-sama, and the second prince, Luchen-kun, were also with her as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
We're not a daycare center!
......But Sabine-chan seems to be in serious mode.
She was just playing a game to make the best use of her time since she had to wait, but the matter itself seemed to be really important.
[What's the level?] Mitsuha
[C-6] Sabine
[Seriously?......] Mitsuha
When I asked her about the danger level, it also means that I'm making sure that it's not a joke nor a trivial thing. That's why Sabine-chan will never lie to me when I ask her something like this. That's what she promised me. I'm pleased with the mutual trust between us.
The <C> indicates that the situation is <life-threatening at the national level>. The number indicates the degree of urgency.
With 6, then it's not within the next few days, so there's no need to panic.
And since it's in another country, there's probably not much we can do about it because we can't touch it.
<B> on the other hand, means it is a matter of our own country, <A> means that it is a matter of multiple countries or continents including our own country, and <S> means that it is more than that. It is a matter of humanity's survival. So even if the urgency is high right now, it's still just another country's matter.
Well, at least, at the moment it's about the other countries, but it could come to our country next.
Invasions from major powers, runaway stampede of monsters, plague outbreaks, etc......
[Give me the details!] Mitsuha
To my instructions, Sabine-chan explained in serious mode.
However, the second princess, Chiine-sama, and the second prince, Luchen-kun, are indifferent and continue playing the game with sweets in their mouths.
......Are you guys serious? Both of you who are above Sabine-chan in the line of succession to the throne!
[The Empire is on the move. Checkpoints were tightened at the borders and city gates of the citadel, movement of territorial soldiers, and the flow of food and other military supplies......] Sabine
Yeah, it's your typical war preparation.
And the <Empire> in Sabine-chan's story is, of course, that.
That <Alder Empire>, the one that invaded this country with three elder dragons from way back when.
[But they've been hit hard by the recoil of their failed invasion of our country, so they should still not be able to do that now, right?
For the time being, we have to reorganize the army, replenish the armors that were broken, begin stockpiling the food and water, and recover the huge budget that was squandered......] Mitsuha
[...So, why not aim for a big reversal in order to solve them all at once? Only the needy people who have no end make bad bets, right?] Sabine
[Ah......] Mitsuha
I'm convinced.
Indeed, those who are wealthy and have the upper hand do not take <risky bets> that could cost them everything.
[Also, their next target is not us......] Sabine
Yeah, right, who would be stupid enough to go after us again after seeing the results of the last time?
Besides, with all their preparations along with monsters and elder dragons, they lost so completely, so I'm sure they haven't completely recovered from their tattered state yet.
In addition, after the last surprise attack, we and the neighboring countries are not neglecting our precautions. I'm sure that all countries have dispatched counterintelligence and weeds (locally settled spies).
Modern Earth aside, it would be impossible to make a surprise attack when the other side is on alert in this world.
There was no way they could hide the movement of thousands of soldiers, the collection and transportation of military supplies, and so on. It takes time to move.
[So, where are they aiming at? The level is C-6, which means it's another country, right?] Mitsuha
[Yes, based on the movement of supplies and troops, it's probably the Kingdom of Darrisson.] Sabine
[The Kingdom of Darrisson?] Mitsuha
The name of the country sounded familiar somehow.
[Kingdom of Darrisson, Kingdom of Darrisson...] Mitsuha
[It's the first country we went on a trip together!] Sabine
[Eh... Oh, the country of Princess Gegege!!] Mitsuha (TN: It's because of how the princess laughs.)
Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what it's called, that country.......
[His Majesty the King is sick, and His Highness the crown prince is still young. Remia-chan, who has a lower succession than the prince, is in charge, but in such a situation, the political situation seems to be unstable...] Sabine
As Sabine-chan says, it's almost certainly a pattern of <a scoundrel carrying up the prince>.
However.......
[[Wasn't that already over~!]]
Yes, it was over at that time.
I think the story of the purge at that time is naturally known to many countries, but I wonder if they thought that the seeds of such a rebellion would appear one after another, or that the country would be rattled because they cut off a number of key people in the government and military, or that the nobles would be antagonistic to the royalty...... Princess Remia.......
Well, other countries may not know about the <promises that I and my delegation made to Her Highness Princess Remia personally>, so I didn't know that there were few nobles and soldiers in that country that would want to betray Her Highness......
His Highness, the King of this kingdom, showed a bold act of royalty. My country's expression of support for His Highness personally...... and my personal promise of <cooperation regarding personal safety> as a friend.
At the moment, the loyalty of the people of that country to Her Highness Princess Remia is quite high, including the nobility and the military.
It's the Alder Empire who is rattling around in the country.
Well, that's what you call a reckless act of aggression, I guess......
The last battle left their military in tatters.
It was too one-sided a defeat.
The total destruction of their airborne cavalry wyverns and their monster army, which had been trained with all of the country's power for years.
Anger and disappointment of the people.
Many high-ranking officers who had gone to war with the hope of winning the war and gaining honor and rewards were killed in battle or were captured as prisoners of war, causing a loss of honor, and the financial situation deteriorated due to the large ransom.
And finally, the rejection to join the <Grand Alliance>, a group of countries that have signed military agreements under the Grand Treaty.
The <Grand Alliance> is an alliance against foreign enemies and invasions from other continents, and while we will cooperate in the joint development of weapons and military exercises, we will not be involved in conflicts between nations within the continent. It would be good if they could form a cooperative relationship without permission by a separate treaty by each country.
So even if you are not a member of the <Grand Alliance>, there is no problem as there is nothing different from the past when it comes to things within this continent.
......Ostensibly.
However, no one is stupid enough to seriously believe such a proposition. At least, not among the politicians.
A revolutionary new weapon developed jointly the countries.
Mutual cooperation and assistance as members of the same alliance.
Refused membership in an alliance that most of the other leading nations in the region have joined, a single nation is left alone, armed only with outdated weapons.
In addition, the country was branded as a <dangerous country that cannot be trusted and must be watched out for> and a <weak and stupid country that loses a war of aggression that it started>. On top of that...
[The country is in shambles, politically unstable, tight financial situation, and public sentiment is at its worst...... So, I guess they're trying to take another shot at it......
You can laugh at their stupidity all you want, though you can't help but understand the feelings of those who have no other choice but to take a gamble knowing it's stupid......] Mitsuha
Sabine-chan nodded at my words.
No, it's not that there aren't other ways, such as bowing down to other countries and making individual treaties or agreements with each member of the Grand Alliance that put them above the others.
But that would mean that the very foundation of their empire, which until now had maintained its position through high-handed diplomacy using military power as a shield, would be undermined, and they would become subordinate to other countries. For the rulers, aristocrats, and the military of an empire that had prided itself on being a powerful nation, that would not be acceptable.
So their thoughts and judgments have nothing to do with nor take into account the wishes and happiness of the general public.
It can't be helped...... That's the way the world works......