New chapter of Demon King is out! (1/1 chapter)

Kiss

 

 

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“Is this manuscript ready to be sent to the printing house? Let us have it printed without delay and distribute it throughout the vicinity of Shantinion. The person in charge should be someone who speaks the Terol language, can ride a hawk, and is capable of making political judgments, even to a small degree.” (Myaro)

That is precisely the difficult part. Since the Knights’ Academy has always been full of muscle-brained types, there are far too few soldiers with such an elite disposition.

“Ruwen Felu is… Ah, right, what was he doing these days again? No, that will not do. He is currently entrusted to Angelica.” (Yuri)

“Then, as soon as the printing is finished, let us attach the order and send it to Kilghina. Several of Gin-san’s subordinates still speak the Terol tongue. I am sure they will be able to select someone appropriate.” (Myaro)

“Ah, yes, that sounds good. Let us do that.” (Yuri)

It would, in effect, mean making use of the Kilghina forces, but since the main army itself would not be mobilized, that should not be a problem.

“Then, please prepare the order. I shall take care of the remaining tasks.” (Myaro)

I turned toward the low table used for receiving guests and set my brush to the paper. Normally, it was a table for placing teacups during meetings, and thus it was exceedingly inconvenient for writing.

“It is done.” (Yuri)

“I have finished as well. With this, all tasks of high priority have been dealt with.” (Myaro)

Myaro summoned the subordinates waiting outside and instructed them to distribute the letters of command and military orders to the appropriate departments. Those who had received instructions took the entrusted documents and swiftly left the room.

“All right then. The urgent matters are now settled. Everyone, please take your lunch.” (Myaro)

The remaining subordinates of Myaro bowed politely and left the room.

“It seems everything will turn out somehow. Still, just how much work had you allowed to pile up?” (Myaro)

“I told you already. Without you around, I simply could not muster any motivation.” (Yuri)

Even so, I should have arranged the printing in advance. In hindsight, rapidly spreading the news of victory to the eastern territories was an obvious and standard tactic, and it is strange that it had not even occurred to me until now.

“If you truly had died, as I said earlier, this country might very well have disintegrated and come to an end.” (Yuri)

“Please do not say such unpleasant things.” (Myaro)

Myaro, from behind the ebony desk, made a displeased face. She twirled an ivory pen in her hand.

“It is about time you tell me the truth, is it not? What exactly happened? Whose corpse was it that I saw?” (Yuri)

“It was my cousin, who worked in the royal castle. Since she had similar chestnut-colored hair, it seems Liao-san, in his rage, decided to make it appear that he had beaten her to death, using her as my substitute. I owe her a great apology.” (Myaro)

When one strikes a living person, the swelling is caused by the body’s inflammatory reaction. Therefore, a corpse, no matter how hard it is struck afterward, will not swell. Most likely, she truly was beaten to death in that manner.

“To think you could deceive Getrude with something like that.” (Yuri)

“An enraged man striking dead a woman who refuses marriage is, after all, not such an implausible sequence of events. Above all, it must have been due to Liao-san’s convincing performance. It was, after all, right after she had cruelly rejected him.” (Myaro)

So, what Liao said at that time must have been true. Even if it had been merely a formal wedding ceremony, to be told that she would rather die than go through with it, if those were the words she heard, then surely his expression had borne the sincerity of one who had lost all.
To Liao, Myaro must have been, in truth, as good as dead.

“In any case, I am simply grateful that you are alive. I feel sorry for the woman who became your stand-in, but it truly felt as though half of my very self had been torn away.” (Yuri)

When I said that, Myaro rose from her chair, walked briskly to where I sat on the sofa, and after a brief hesitation, placed her knees upon it, straddling my lap.

“Did you truly care for me that much? So much that you could no longer focus on your work?” (Myaro)

Leaning in close, Myaro whispered softly.

“Of course I am.” (Yuri)

“Your beard has grown quite long.” (Myaro)

Then, timidly, Myaro pressed her lips against mine.

“It was my first kiss. Next time, please shave properly beforehand.” (Myaro)

“Ah, I will do so.” (Yuri)

If my memory serves correctly, Myaro had mentioned only yesterday that she blamed herself for being unable to act as boldly as Carol had. Perhaps this was her way of reflecting upon that.

“It seems I have made you misunderstand something, but I truly love the work I do now. I have never thought of myself as being used by you, Yuri-kun. If this country were to fall apart, I would be deeply saddened.” (Myaro)

“I see.” (Yuri)

“So, as for what comes next, let us wait until the cleanup is finished. Is that acceptable?” (Myaro)

“Ah, but is that all you want?” (Yuri)

At that, Myaro looked puzzled.

“What do you mean?” (Myaro)

“You could afford to be a little more selfish, you know. You could say something like, ‘Let us take a month off and go on a trip’, or ‘Please present me with a national treasure gemstone.’” (Yuri)

“Hmm.” (Myaro)

Myaro looked troubled, as if neither suggestion quite appealed to her.

“Yuri-kun, you have grown afraid of using me conveniently, have you not? You wish for me to become a more troublesome woman.” (Myaro)

“That may be true.” (Yuri)

“But if one is to work, is it not only natural to have capable subordinates who are convenient to rely upon? I have no wish to become a strange kind of minister who troubles the regent with selfish demands.” (Myaro)

Well, that is true enough. That would be putting the cart before the horse.

“Having you reserve just one full day for me would be more than enough. A day when the man I love looks only at me, there could be no greater luxury than that.” (Myaro)

 

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The hawks took flight, dropping armor-piercing bombs that sank the ships below. Cannons transported from former battlefields to new ones roared, reducing the city walls to rubble.
Through several breaches opened in the walls, soldiers poured in, and street fighting had already begun. The port town, where the Papal States’ army had barricaded itself, was at last being taken.

The process had been delayed greatly, time consumed in bringing over the armor-piercing bombs hastily requisitioned from the capitulated Lube territory, and in transporting the heavy artillery. Because of this, the greater part of the Papal States’ army managed to escape.

Is Getrude Evans still within that besieged city? Most likely not. He was is the sort of man who would consider it an honor to remain until the bitter end and depart upon the last ship.

 

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“So that is what had happened.” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei, confined to her quarters, sighed softly after hearing an account of everything that had taken place outside.

“Yes, indeed, it was due entirely to our own failings. We caused you no small amount of trouble, Sensei.” (Yuri)

“No, no, think nothing of it. I was merely confined and suffered no great inconvenience.” (Eisa)

In the room stood several small mounds of books that had been brought in, likely from the castle’s library. It seemed that even Liao had not been so narrow-minded as to forbid her from reading old histories or tales.

“My apologies, but it is possible that the Papal States left behind assassins or agents of some kind. I must ask that you remain in this room for another week or so, until the capital’s purging is complete.” (Yuri)

“Yes, of course. That will be perfectly fine.” (Eisa)

Rather than pursuing that line of thought, Eisa-sensei continued speaking.

“Those under the Rube Household who were liberated, the ones who had been serving forced labor after the war, boarded ships and left. In that case, would it not be fair to say that they essentially escaped?” (Eisa)

“That is indeed how it would be regarded. However, they were prisoners captured during the battle fought north of Sibyaku, and having labored extensively, their terms of sentence had already been considerably reduced.” (Yuri)

“In that case, perhaps returning home under such circumstances may not necessarily be a misfortune for them.” (Eisa)

Hmm?

“What do you mean by that?” (Yuri)

“I visited their camps many times to preach to them, did I not?” (Eisa)

That was true. Eisa-sensei had often gone to the labor camps where they were interned and delivered sermons of the Watashi Sect. After the kingdom’s territories had expanded and matters grew busier, her visits became infrequent, but before we began the eastern campaign to capture Shantinion, I clearly remembered that she had gone there quite diligently. For that connection, petitions for the improvement of the prisoners’ treatment had arrived from Eisa-sensei several times, and I remembered having taken measures where conditions indeed seemed unduly harsh.

“When they were released after completing their sentences and returned to their homeland, there was a high likelihood that they would be subjected to interrogation. It would not have been surprising if they were treated as spies, and if their homeland happened to be the Papal States, there was even a danger that they might be subjected to an inquisition. Considering that, it may have been a blessing for them to be freed and to return in the company of the army.” (Eisa)

That might indeed be so. While they had been engaged in forced labor, the dormitories had copies of the printed holy scriptures of the Watashi Sect, complete with explanatory notes, and there must have been some among them who had been moved by Eisa-sensei’s sermons and converted to the sect. Returning as former prisoners of war and returning as soldiers who had, however imperfectly, fought on the battlefield would result in vastly different treatment. The latter would, to some extent, be received as returning victors. And once back in their homeland, they would scatter and go their separate ways. In terms of missionary work, allowing them to escape might not necessarily be wholly disadvantageous.

“That is true. Incidentally, during the confusion in the royal castle, the documents related to celestial navigation and other such writings were taken away, and it appears that the technology may have leaked to the other side.” (Yuri)

I spoke as naturally as possible about the true subject of today’s visit. In the end, Gora Hanyam had not been found, so it was highly likely that he had been taken to the other side. The confidential documents related to celestial navigation and the New Continent had all been burned by Myaro during the short interval between the beginning of the Rube Household’s invasion and the fall of the royal castle. From the outset, all such materials had been placed together on one shelf so that they could be quickly disposed of in case of emergency.

Therefore, what I said was a falsehood, meant to ensure that no blame would fall upon Harold Harel. It was curious that I, of all people, should have to tell a lie to my mentor for the sake of that man, but since matters had come to this, there was little choice.

“Is that so? From my understanding, during the disturbance, this royal castle was under the control of the Rube Household. It does not seem that those from the Papal States would have been granted the liberty to take confidential documents at their discretion. In fact, had they possessed such freedom, I myself could hardly have remained unharmed.” (Eisa)

Ugh… One would think she might simply say, “I see, is that so”, and let the matter rest, but as expected, she questioned it. I had harbored a faint hope that she might have forgotten the matter of the sacrament, but evidently, she remembered it all too clearly.

“Y-yes, that is true. However, since the documents ended up in the hands of Liao Rube, it remains possible that, through some negotiation, the other side may have obtained knowledge of their contents.” (Yuri)

“In other words, Yuri-san, you wish to assert that the technology was leaked through your own mistake.” (Eisa)

Eisa-sensei fixed her gaze upon me. That sharp look seemed to see through everything. Naturally, if the leak had occurred through my mistake, then Harold would bear no responsibility. The principle of collective liability would not apply either.

“Well, yes. That is correct.” (Yuri)

“That is most inconvenient. I have no means by which to ascertain whether that is indeed the truth.” (Eisa)

“Surely, there is no need to verify it.” (Yuri)

After all, I was trying to spare Eisa-sensei from any disadvantage. I could not comprehend why she would insist upon accepting a disadvantage instead.

“That will not do. I have entrusted my life to the sacred order, and I do not wish for the form of my vow to be distorted by falsehood.” (Eisa)

“It is not falsehood, and besides, even in the Holy Scripture, in the Book of Safia, there were instances in which falsehood was spoken. Even if the benefit gained comes by means of falsehood, accepting it does not necessarily constitute an act in defiance of divine will, does it?” (Yuri)

In the Book of Safia, the events of the disciples’ wandering period after the destruction of Yohaplothki are recounted. In one passage, in an ancient city of Nigros where persecution was severe, a follower who sheltered the disciple Safia told a falsehood in order to protect him. Because of that, the disciple Safia was able to escape from the persecution of the followers of Issus. That was, without doubt, a case in which a benefit was gained through falsehood. Neither the follower nor Safia was punished by divine wrath, so it should be regarded as consistent with the teachings of Isus.

“You have studied diligently, Yuri-san. However, in that scene, falsehood was the only means by which certain death could be avoided. To deliberately choose death in that situation would have been akin to suicide. The circumstances in this case are entirely different.” (Eisa)

“How are they different?” (Yuri)

“In the sacrament of vow, the sacrificial guarantor submits themselves to the will of the Lord. It is not the same as choosing death. They merely entrust themselves to divine providence.” (Eisa)

In the Watashi Sect, when a sacrificial guarantor of a vow fails to fulfill that vow, they must fast for one month and meditate continuously. In essence, they drive themselves to the very brink of life and death, entrusting their fate entirely to destiny. To put it less charitably, it is little different from staking one’s life upon a game of chance.

“Yuri-san, you are attempting to deprive me of my opportunity to fulfill my sacred duty. I am grateful for your concern, but such consideration is unnecessary. Can you not understand that?” (Eisa)

“I understand. I respect your faith, Eisa-sensei. However, it truly is not a falsehood. It is a fact that the celestial navigation materials were stored in the royal castle, and it is a fact that they went missing.” (Yuri)

I only hoped that such blatant fabrication would not invite divine retribution.

“Even if the technology has indeed leaked, whether it was through Harold’s failure or through a breach within the royal castle, we mortals, who lack the divine vantage, can no longer discern the truth. To put it plainly, the mere fact that the other side has begun using it does not preclude the possibility that they developed it independently.” (Eisa)

That was a line of reasoning even Eisa-sensei could not easily refute. She was a giant of intellect, but she did not possess an intelligence agency of her own. Nor did she have the authority to access the kingdom’s state secrets. Without the means to verify, there was no way for her to confirm the truth.

“Haa.” (Eisa)

After pondering for a while, Eisa-sensei exhaled softly, as though conceding defeat.

“You have grown eloquent, Yuri-san. I must concede.” (Eisa)

Concede? Did she mean she was raising the white flag?

“I am relieved. I had been worried that you might do something rash.” (Yuri)

“I do understand that your concern for me comes from kindness, Yuri-san. And I know that it is born from a good heart.” (Eisa)

Something felt slightly off. Eisa-sensei seemed far too yielding.

She was a woman of sharp tongue and unmatched erudition, a scholar whose faith surpassed that of all others. Her nature was gentle and kind, never one to speak ill of anyone. Yet she was also as stubborn as stone. In general, she was obedient and willing to comply with requests, but in matters contrary to her core beliefs, she would never yield. Nevertheless, since Eisa-sensei had now raised the white flag, there was nothing more to be pursued.

Perhaps I should send a letter to Harold, instructing him to maintain the same account.

 

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