Side: Mobu
There are many unreasonable things in this world.
But the absolute pinnacle of unreasonableness is the guy standing right in front of me.
"Ah—yes, yes. Mind if I say something?"
Just like that, Yuki speaks up to the hardline faction that has currently stormed the office of Arshtelle... the current Saintess.
* * *
Through Rurua, Arshtelle had already sent out fast horses to investigate the culprits who instigated her assassination attempt, using confessions (a gentle phrasing) from the Rithea soldiers Yuki had captured.
Evidence was found with surprising ease, combined with the testimony that Rurua had survived and was nearly murdered.
With Rurua returning after achieving the massive feat of securing a promise of future friendship with Coville—or rather, the Fairies—there wasn't anyone left who dared lay a hand on her. Touching Rurua now would lead to an immediate breakdown of relations with the Fairy race.
The nobles, always quick to spot profit, flipped to Rurua's side in a heartbeat.
So, the remaining survivors of the hardline faction had stormed in for one final, desperate gamble: to take down both Saintess and end it all.
And they've just finished shouting the reasons behind their actions.
"Your policies can't even save the people of this Holy Kingdom!! Do you even know?! Do you know that there are countless children who don't have a single thing to eat this very day?! That there are families who have to simply watch their loved ones die because they have no money?! Current faith can't save what's precious; we don't need such a thing!! What 'greatest city on the continent'?! You have ten thousand starving people you can't even feed, yet you just gather more bodies and extort money in the name of faith!! Do you have any idea why they donate?! It's not to make your meals luxurious!! It's not for you to live in decadence!!"
The young man in front of us screams.
Well, I think you've got a point, kid... But still, for those of us caught in the crossfire, it's a real pain in the neck.
"...I understand your argument. However, you assassinated Elju-sama and tried to assassinate Rurua-sama. Because of these national issues, Roshure and Gartz were driven to the brink of total war. Things have calmed now, but just how much blood do you think has been spilled? Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of lives?"
"...I understand that. But it's better than you lot continuing these policies forever. If we spark a conflict here and seize control of Rithea, we can save not just this land, but lives being lost in other nations as well."
"So, you believe our methods take more lives than starting a war would?"
"That's exactly right!! As things are... no, even now, there are surely children starving to death in this very castle town. Do you know that the food meant for distribution almost never makes it to the streets? Some idiot is hoarding it for his own pocket. You can't even clean up your own country; we don't need leaders like you anymore, do we!?"
Ah, this guy...
"Do you get it? My sister ran herself ragged every day just to survive. She sold her body to strangers, got pregnant... and even then, she raised me with everything she had. But because 'donations were low,' she just wasted away and died along with her child!! She was crying, you know?! Crying because she couldn't even save her own baby!! I ran myself ragged too, but I was just a brat; no one would give me work!!"
...It's a story you hear everywhere. One of many.
And this kid has been fighting desperately because of it.
The two Saintess are wide-eyed, shocked by the tale. Well, yeah—they were raised in a greenhouse, after all.
"When I clung to their bodies, crying, others like me gathered and gave them a proper burial. Not the kind you'd call 'proper'—but to me, it was better than anything you'd call a ceremony! But even those kind people kept disappearing, one by one. You know why? Because THERE'S NO FOOD!!"
"......"
"Don't go silent on me!! What were you doing then?! Don't you dare say you were 'honing your talents' or 'devoting yourselves to study'!! We didn't even have enough food to share!! Don't screw with me!! I don't want your apologies or 'improvements' now!! I'm going to take your heads and offer them to everyone's graves. And then I—we—will build a country truly for the people!! Otherwise, the deaths of my sister and everyone else... they won't make any sense. Why am I the only one who survived?!"
He's past the point of stopping.
I take a step forward.
"I sympathize with your circumstances. But my family died because of what your group did, too. I don't know about the girls behind me, but you don't mind if I try to kill you, right?"
"...Fine. But I can't afford to die here. I have things I must do. A lot of them. Unlike those others, I'll make sure you get a proper grave."
We both draw our swords and take our stances.
Whoa, this is something.
I can just tell—this kid is stronger than me.
He must have crawled his way here through pure, blood-soaked desperation.
But I've got reasons I can't back down, either.
As we both watch for an opening—
"—Ah yes yes. Mind if I say something?"
I almost tripped.
T-This bastard... How can he keep that light tone in this atmosphere?!
"Basically, if we can save the refugees here in Rithea, there's no need to fight, right?"
No, the point is that it's impossible, which is why we're...
"Such a thing is impossible. Even if the Saintess over there made a call to action, it would last two or three months at most. The national treasury only has that much in reserves. What we... what I want is a happy country where people can live safely without starvation. I know it's an ideal. But I can do a better job than the current state of things."
Oh, he's actually giving a serious answer.
Give it up, kid. Talking to Yuki will just turn your brain into mush.
Arshtelle looks like she's lost all comprehension, and Rurua is on the verge of fainting. Raiya and Kurse are staring out the window, escaping reality.
Great, now the hand holding my sword is starting to shake.
"You. What's your name?"
"Calling me 'you', kid? Fine. I am Crack. And the partner beside me is Dest."
The man who had stormed in and remained motionless finally gave a small, stiff nod.
"I see. If you guys work under me, I can solve the problem you just mentioned. It'll take time, but I can handle it faster than you could—and faster than these Saints could."
Ugh, I'm getting a really bad feeling about this...
"What do you mean? As I said, that is impossible."
"Well, listen to this, Onii-san. Business has been booming lately, see? There's a place that's a bit short on manpower. Don't worry, for the number of people you mentioned, we can provide for them quite well. Ah, but it'll take a month or two of preparation, so I'd like to ask for the cooperation of the Saints over there?"
Yuki glances at Arshtelle and Rurua.
"Y-Yuki, don't be ridiculous. Of course, after hearing that story, there is no way we would do nothing for the people. We will assist them strictly and fairly. However, Yuki, what you are saying is a delusion. Firstly, even if such a place existed, the cost and time to move them would be enormous. Given the current situation, the people don't even have that kind of strength left."
Arshtelle raises her objections by listing perfectly logical points.
Yeah, she's right. Anyone who doesn't know Yuki would think the same thing.
"What about you, Rurua?"
Ugh, asking that question with such a nasty smirk.
"...Just how far does your kindness go?"
Kindness...? Is it kindness?
I thought it was a stupid choice, but wait... isn't this the best possible move?
With the immigrants from Roshure arriving, the DP is rolling in every day.
The next thing we need is manpower to expand the town.
But we can't exactly go around kidnapping people from elsewhere.
...Wait, isn't this perfect timing?
I can logically follow it, but I still don't like it.
"Is that a no, Rurua?"
"...You are absolutely going to listen to what I have to say later."
"Right, right."
Just like that, the two of them reach an understanding. Rurua takes a breath and speaks.
"I, Rurua, guarantee Yuki's statement. If he cooperates, the people you wish to save most can be helped. They're still out there, aren't they? Your comrades, fighting to survive in this castle town."
"That's... unbelievable. But I can't sense that he's lying..."
SNAP.
As Crack wavers on whether to lower his sword, his blade suddenly snaps in half.
"Okay, this is getting tedious. Choose: end up like this sword, or trust me. You have 10 seconds."
"What!?"
Crack is stunned, but he can't move his sword at all.
Actually, the sword is broken. Yuki broke it, obviously.
But the method... he crushed it with his bare hand.
Everyone is speechless.
"8... 7..."
He starts the countdown anyway.
Totally merciless.
Coville is shivering like a leaf and clinging to Rurua.
"5... 4..."
At the count of five, the building starts to tremor, and cracks begin to appear in Crack's armor.
"Hey, Crack! Just nod already!! He's seriously going to turn you into dust after the countdown!!"
At this point, Crack is no longer the enemy; he's a victim who needs to be rescued.
"I-I get it!! I'll believe what you say!!"
Now, the initiative belongs to neither Crack nor the Saints.
The one holding the reins...
"Right then. I'll make a Gate, so I'm turning this place into a dungeon."
...was the tyrannical, outrageous Dungeon Master.
Crap, my stomach is starting to hurt.
I need to take some Cabbage juice when I get back.
