How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Chapter 12: Blood Kin

“Landians and Seadians, huh?”

In the room that had been prepared for us in Mao’s castle, I was smacking myself in the head as I read Ichiha’s report, which Yuriga had brought to me.

With regards to the issue of what we should call the demons, we had settled on calling them “Seadians” for now. Some of the Seadians wished to return home, while others just wanted someplace safe to live. They were a lot like the band of refugees led by Jirukoma and Komain. Actually, considering the sequence of events that brought the Seadians to Haazar, the Seadians essentially were refugees. That being the case, we could probably handle this situation the same way.

If they insisted on going home, we’d drive them out. If they would consider this world their new home, we’d accept them. The only difference was that this time we’d be driving them out into monster-infested territory, so they weren’t going to go easily. It’d be suicide for them to head back north with just their best soldiers. That meant they couldn’t leave, even if they wanted to—and if we tried to force them out, they’d hole themselves up inside Haazar.

The tense situation between us and the Seadians was going to continue. I wanted to put off forcing them to make a decision until we could at least set up systems to support their return, but...there was a big problem with that.

“The question is...if I can convince Fuuga...”

Now that Fuuga had raised his fist, he was likely looking for a satisfying reason to lower it. He’d gathered an army in the name of fully liberating the Demon Lord’s Domain, so he needed an accomplishment that equated to such an endeavor. Until he had one, he couldn’t really take the Seadians’ plight into consideration.

Thinking of how to end the war is already enough of a headache as is... I thought, sighing.

“Erm... Sorry,” Yuriga, who was beside me, apologized.

“Oh, my bad. I don’t want to blame you for this, Yuriga.”

“But it’s all because of my brother.”

“Hopefully, Fuuga understands the focus of the issue has changed too.”

We did manage to close the gate in the north, but the situation in the northern hemisphere remained unchanged. There was no telling when the wall between north and south might break down, allowing a great surge of monsters to push southwards. It had already reached the point where the world of the south couldn’t handle things on its own.

Yuriga brought a hand to her mouth as if thinking about something.

“Yeah... The problem has changed. So maybe my brother will...” she pondered.

“Hm? What is it?”

“No. It’s nothing.” Yuriga shook her head.

What was that about? Well, whatever. I sighed and looked up to the ceiling again. “Madam Mao. If you’re listening, could you come here?”

“Is something the matter?” Mao replied, suddenly appearing before our eyes.

“Whuh?!” Yuriga doubled back in shock.

Mao was a projection, a data entity, and this region itself. She was probably aware of anything that happened in this castle.

“We fixed your bug, right? Can you take the Seadians back north on your own now?” I asked, but Mao shook her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. With your help, I was able to close that gate and terminate the function that was causing me to create new dungeons, but it’s an error that developed over a long time... As a result of aging, you might say, I can’t be sure when I might cause another dangerous situation. It might be fastest to shut me down outright, but that would mean abandoning my children, so...I need to stay active a little longer.”

It sounded like they needed Mao to maintain this city, else the Seadians would struggle to survive without defensive systems like Jangar. Mao had attempted to destroy herself for their sake before, but now that wasn’t an option for her.

Besides...when she looks like a girl and she acts all troubled like this, I can’t help but sympathize with her, you know?

If a machine bugs out and becomes a threat to people, it should be destroyed. But because her projection looked human and expressed her worries like one would, it became a lot harder to suggest scrapping her. Did Mao’s creators give her the form of a DIVAloid in order to make people feel this way about her? Do Astro Boy and Doraemon have lives and minds of their own? Is it right for a human to risk their life for a machine? I never expected the day would come when I was forced to ask myself those kinds of sci-fi questions.

Mao looked straight at me.

“However, by solving the most pressing issues, we’ve gained the time to think things through. Also, I’ve collected your voice and genetic sample, so you can transfer the authority to shut down my functions and some other limited capacities to those who share a certain amount of your DNA.”

“Wait, you don’t mean Cian and my other children, do you?!”

“Yes. Your descendants, within a certain degree of kinship, will have the ability to place restrictions on me.”

Seriously? So it isn’t just me? Cian, Kazuha, Enju, Leon, Kaito, and all my unborn children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren could all get caught up in this?

“If the countries of the south decide to set out for the northern hemisphere, then they’re going to want someone of your line, Souma,” Yuriga said, calmly analyzing the situation. “If they can’t have you specifically, they’ll want one of your children.”

“This isn’t funny. Jeez.” I clutched my head.

The Nine-Headed Dragon Kingdom wouldn’t be an issue because Cian was already engaged to Princess Sharan. However, Kuu—the Head of the Republic—had been saying he wanted formal marriage ties with us, and I’d told him I’d consider it once he actually had a child. As for the Euphoria Kingdom, Maria had married into our family, so that would be enough for them as long as we had children, but...what about all the other countries? The Dragon Knight Kingdom and Spirit Kingdom both were friendly towards us, or felt indebted to us, so they were fine. It’d be dangerous if the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State came after the children though. But most urgently...

I looked at Yuriga, who began awkwardly scratching her cheek as she figured out what I was thinking just by that glance.

“Well, my brother’s going to want us to hurry up and make a baby, I’m sure.”

I’ll bet... The largest potential problem was the Great Tiger Empire of Haan. If Fuuga was interested in the northern hemisphere, he’d definitely want to have one of my descendants. Should I have a child with Yuriga, he’d probably want to have custody of it, and if we didn’t have children, he might go after one of my other kids. Either way, it couldn’t be more of a hassle.

“I wish he’d give me a break...” I grumbled.

“I don’t think he will. I mean, I just started thinking about maybe having a baby after I heard what she said...”

“Wha?!”

I looked at Yuriga in shock, but she simply shrugged.

“I still support my brother’s dream. I know I said we’d marry so I could beg for his life if he fails, but well... If my brother decides to take an interest in the northern hemisphere instead of uniting the continent...I think I’d be willing to help him with getting one of your children if he really needs one. That would also protect the Kingdom of Friedonia.”

How incredibly pragmatic of her. I had no idea what to say. She was a lot like Liscia when it came to this.

“But do you think his retainers or people would be willing to accept a sudden change in direction like that...?” I questioned.

“Yeah, that’s the thing...” Yuriga let out a knowing sigh.

Beyond Fuuga’s ambition of completely liberating the Demon Lord’s Domain was the great work of unifying the continent—a feat no one had ever accomplished. It was likely what Fuuga had been aiming for all this time, and his vassals and people must have been hoping he might pull it off.

If he said he was going to some northern hemisphere they had just discovered, what would all those people think? Wouldn’t they feel their hopes had been betrayed? Would Fuuga lose the incredible charisma that was holding his massive empire together?

Yuriga crossed her arms and groaned. “Hrm... I don’t think he’d change course immediately, setting aside the question of whether he wants to or not. He might decide that he wants to get his hands on one of your kids so that he can go north after uniting the south. And if that child happens to be mine, carrying the blood of the Haans, then all the better.”

“Ahh... Yeah, I could see that.”

Fuuga’s ambitions were grand, for better or for worse. With an end goal in sight, he’d run towards it heedless of any danger, not worrying that he might trip along the way. And if he tripped, he’d be able to accept he hadn’t been up to the task. It was that lack of forethought that had driven Fuuga to become a great man.

“Maybe I should ask Tomoe to add me into the rotation... It’d be embarrassing for her to track my condition, but I can’t be fussy...” Yuriga mumbled to herself.

I felt like I’d be stirring up trouble if I said anything, so I let her be. We’d have to have a family meeting about it when we got back.

I’m bringing back nothing but bad news, huh? I thought, clutching my head.

“Lord Souma. The wounded have been fully treated,” Mao suddenly reported, completely unrelated to anything we’d been talking about.

She said it with all the cheer of a fully automatic water heater reporting that the bath was ready... Wait, the wounded?!

Snapping back to my senses, I cried out, “Right! What happened to Carla and the others?!”

“The treatment is complete. However, rapid recovery requires stamina, so I would expect it to be a while longer before they wake up. I’ll have them put in another room to rest.”

“So they’re okay then?! Thank goodness...”

As I leaned back in my chair, Yuriga put her hands on my shoulders to offer some extra support. It was at that moment that Juna entered the room and snapped off a tight, naval-style salute.

“Your Majesty, Grandmother’s fleet has just arrived.”

“They’ve made it, huh?”

If Excel had arrived, Castor would be with her. When I considered that I had narrowly dodged the bullet of having to show Castor his daughter floating around in a tank, maybe his timing was good. Still, Carla had almost died because of me, and she’d saved my life. I meant to accept any anger or resentment her father threw my way.

It’d feel better for me if he’d just haul off and punch me, but...if he really puts his full strength into it, I’d die, so hopefully he’ll hold back. The worst thing would be if he wanted to complain but had to hold it in because I was his liege. Even if there was nothing I could have done about it.

Man, this is depressing...

I longed for one of Liscia’s lectures.

Once Excel and Castor joined us, we were hurried over to the room where Carla was resting. Castor had already been informed of the situation. He’d gone pale for a moment when he first heard the details, but was relieved to hear she was being treated and her life wasn’t at risk.

When I apologized for my decisions, all he had to say was, “No... If she was able to risk her life defending her liege, I don’t think there could be any greater honor for someone born into a warrior family.”

Still, he must have been worried. You could tell by how fast he was walking towards her sick room.

“Carla! Are you okay?!”

“F-Father?”

As Castor rushed into the room, Carla sat up in bed and stared blankly at us. She wasn’t wearing her red armor now; instead, she was clad in a hospital gown like the ones they used in my old world.

Castor grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Are you okay?! D-Does it hurt anywhere?!”

“I, uh, my shoulders hurt where you’re grabbing them.”

“Oh! S-Sorry.”

Castor hurriedly let go and Carla coughed awkwardly. Then she wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m okay. I feel exhausted all over, but nothing really hurts.”

“Thank goodness...”

Castor fell to his knees, his relief sapping him of all energy. Despite putting on a strong face, he’d been worried sick.

Seeing him like this, Carla worriedly cried out, “F-Father?!”

When Castor had settled down, Excel walked over and said, “Carla... I’m so glad you were all right.”

“Your Majesty! And Grandmother too!” Her eyes widened as she noticed us, and then she looked deeply relieved. “Thank goodness. You all made it through okay. I can’t remember what happened after the giant shot me...”

“Yeah. You saved me, Carla. Really...I can’t thank you enough.”

“Your dedication saved many people. As your grandmother, I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

“N-No, you’re giving me too much credit.”

Carla frantically shook her head at what we were saying, but we hadn’t exaggerated in the slightest. If she hadn’t been there, I might have died, and if I’d died there, there probably wouldn’t have been a truce with the Seadians. No one could possibly doubt that Carla’s presence had had a major effect on the present.

“Also...I’m sorry.” I bowed deeply to Carla. “My overly optimistic decisions caused casualties we could have avoided, and put your life in danger. I’m truly sorry.”

“S-Sire, don’t bow your head like that! I was the one who chose to put myself in harm’s way for you!”

Carla waved her hand back and forth in a hurried denial before stopping and taking a deep breath.

“Besides,” she continued, “I think I could have done better. I managed to protect you once, but I lost consciousness, and was unable to do anything else until the situation was over, even though Prince Cian was kind enough to warn us.”

“So, about Cian... Was he the reason that you were able to react to defend me so quickly...?”

“Yes. When he said you wouldn’t come back, I suspected something might happen.”

Carla often looked after the children with Liscia and the others. My wives and I all had work that needed to be done and couldn’t spend all our time on raising the children, so it was likely Carla had spent a longer time with them than any of us. Because of that, Carla had noticed Cian’s apparent ability to predict near-future dangers, and ultimately she’d taken the warning more seriously than I had.

“Well, darn... I guess you and Cian saved me.”

“It’s kind of you to say that, but it was my duty to do so.” Carla reached towards the slave collar that served as proof of her loyalty to the royal family. “Huh...?”

However, there was no collar there, bringing a confused look to Carla’s face.

“Ohh, if you’re looking for your collar, it’s gone. That thing doesn’t come off until you die or are freed from slavery. But turning that around, it means it’ll come off if you die... Your heart had completely stopped at one point. It must have come off then.”

“I was in that much danger, was I?”

Confronted once more with how close she’d come to death, Carla went pale.

I smiled wryly and told her, “Ever since the incident with Mio, there’s been room to reduce the sentences of the members of the House of Vargas who were just following the House of Carmine. I don’t want to have to re-enslave you after you saved my life, so you can consider yourself freed.”

“Oh, but...what about my role, stopping you if the time comes?”

“You can do that without being a slave, can’t you? Ah, but if you want to rejoin the air force or be under Castor’s command, I’ll have to think about it.”

“No,” Carla shook her head, “I’m still concerned for Prince Cian and the others, so please let me continue to serve you at the castle. I have a long life ahead of me. Taking a little detour isn’t a problem.”

“Yeah. It’d be a big help to me and Liscia if you’d do that.”

“Okay!”

Then Excel slapped her fan against her palm.

“Now then, sire. I hate to pour cold water on the harmonious atmosphere here, but... If Carla has awakened, then that means the other wounded should have finished being treated too. That included our soldiers...and the soldiers of the Great Tiger Empire.”

“You’re saying we have to return Fuuga’s wounded to him, right?” I said, a serious look on my face, and Excel nodded.

“Yes. And we have to end the war with the demons... No, the Seadians.”

“Right. Now that everyone knows the other side’s situation, there’s no point in continuing to fight the Seadians... It’s going to be tough to make Fuuga understand that though.”

“But if we don’t, then this quagmire will continue.”

“Yeah, I know... Madam Mao.”

“You called?”

Mao suddenly appeared in front of us. Castor and Carla were dumbstruck, but Excel looked unperturbed thanks to a composure born of her many years.

“Madam Mao. Come to think of it, what is Madam Tiamat doing? I haven’t seen her since the day we arrived.”

“She’s in my core, keeping an eye on me. To make sure I don’t harm any of you.”

“Did you need something, Sir Souma?” came a familiar voice.

“Whoa?!”

I doubled back in shock as Madam Tiamat suddenly appeared in front of us too.

Even knowing both of them could teleport, they appeared and disappeared so suddenly that I had to assume they might be doing it on purpose. Castor and Carla were both gaping, and the fan Excel was hiding her mouth with—possibly to mask her own surprise—was quivering.

“The entity viewed as the Demon Lord, and Mother Dragon of the Star Dragon Mountain Range, together in one room. Even I’m a little intimidated by a combination like that. The things you see when you live as long as I have...” Excel murmured.

Even though she said this, Lady Tiamat and Mao had lived for such eons that they probably looked at Excel as no more than a baby. She wouldn’t stand a chance against either of them.

Regardless, the Mother Dragon was here, so I decided to talk business.

“Madam Tiamat. It sounds like Fuuga’s men have been treated, so could you send them back to him?”

“Very well. Would you like it done immediately?”

“Oh, no. We’ll want to have one of the soldiers deliver a message to Fuuga, so it can wait until after that.”

Madam Tiamat nodded and then vanished. Considering her position, she probably couldn’t be seen taking our side.

Excel furrowed her brow. “If you’re sending a message, then I assume you’re planning to hold a meeting with Sir Fuuga?”

“Yeah. Like I said before, we need to find an ‘out’ for him. If he were to go wild here, it might close off the possibility of reconciling with the Seadians.”

The losses we took in this war were the result of him making decisions for me. We’re going to have to make our own choices from now on to avoid a repeat of that.

“He’s such a troublemaker.” Excel let out a little sigh. “Even with the door to the north closed, the world of the north is still swarming with monsters, yes? We don’t know when the door might open again, so his ambitions to dominate the south are nothing but a nuisance.”

“Yeah... But now that we’ve come into contact with Mao and her people, I can finally see a way to end Fuuga’s era and beat him.”

That made Excel’s eyes widen.

“Well, this is certainly unusual. You always rely on Sir Hakuya and me when it comes to tactics and strategy, so I wouldn’t have expected you to speak of victory like that.”

“Right. But this isn’t in the domain of tactics or strategy.”

This was something grander, yet more fundamental than either of those. If tactics and strategy were what let a great man survive in troubled times, then it was simply a matter of ending those troubles. We already had the key to triggering that sort of paradigm shift.

It’ll still involve butting heads with Fuuga at least once though...

The thought of the potential casualties weighed on me, but...I’d have to think about that later. For now, I needed to resolve this current situation so that we could move on to the next stage.