Volume 6 Chapter 35 Maybe It's Strong Enough Not To Break Even If A Dragon Steps On It
It was impossible to start a guild meeting in the current state, so we decided to postpone the battle for a week and change the location. Additionally, Karan arranged for us to stay at a guild-affiliated inn instead of Rouza's, and they even offered to discount the accommodation fee.
Regarding the repair of the clinic, Rouza declared that they would take responsibility for the expenses, unrelated to this "meeting". As always, Rouza is true to his word.
"You're not acting like yourself, Yukina-kun. Normally, you would firmly refuse such an offer, wouldn't you?"
Kyunei, who was standing in the room of our temporary residence with her hand on her hip, revealed a hint of dissatisfaction. In reality, she was right. I wouldn't normally agree to wager my life in a battle, no matter what the circumstances.
"I do feel bad about it. This is the truth. But you know how serious Rouza is about this, right? If we didn't do this, neither I nor Rouza would be satisfied. If things went wrong, we'd be at the mercy of his guard and Getsuya. And if that happened, we wouldn't be able to handle it on our own."
"That's true, but..."
Rouza wouldn't want to resort to such measures either. That's why he initially wanted to take his time and resolve the issue through discussion.
However, the situation has become too dire to allow for that.
When Rouza talks about his hometown, it's clear that he's carrying a heavy burden. It's not just empty words; I can sense it intuitively.
There may be differences in what we trust and what we desire, but our roots are the same.
It's the same as when I prioritize practical benefits over prestige and honor.
I'll abandon trivial attachments for the sake of what's truly important.
If it's for the sake of something I absolutely can't compromise on, I won't question the means.
When people like that clash, it's set in stone that we can't back down until we've settled things in black and white.
It's way better than suddenly butting heads like Reed did.
"...But what about Mikage's feelings?"
"..."
"If Yukina-kun loses, will Mikage leave this country?"
My train of thought was brought back by Kyunei's one comment. It hit me where it hurt, and I couldn't help but mix a bitter expression on my face.
Mikage, the person involved, wasn't in this room. She left to think on her own, saying she didn't want to be around people. Given the situation, it wasn't ideal for her to be alone, but she said she wouldn't go to a crowded place and just left.
As for me, I had made a promise with Rouza without consulting her, so facing Mikage was awkward to say the least.
"If Yukina-kun makes a decision like that, Mikage will have no choice but to follow, right? Do you really understand what's going on?"
"Stop it. My heart, like fragile glass, can't take it anymore."
"It's like glass that won't break even if a dragon steps on it, you know?"
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think!?"
'Ah, whatever. It's just how things usually go.'
Gram's calm tsukkomi responded to my anguished cry, and I slumped my shoulders in defeat.
No matter how much I rationalize it, the fact remains that I ignored Mikage's wishes and pushed the conversation forward. When it comes to this, I have no comeback.
"Seriously, can't you say something, Aina-chan?"
If Kyunei started lecturing me on top of Aina's reasoning, I'd probably end up crying. I was about to ask Kyunei to spare me, but Aina didn't react at all. Come to think of it, she's been silent since she came into the room.
Even now, Aina was still muttering to herself in a low voice, deep in thought.
Then, as if she noticed Kyunei and I were staring at her, Aina's face suddenly lit up, and she started panicking.
"Ah, um, what were we talking about again?"
"I was thinking of having you join in on lecturing Yukina-kun, but..."
"Well, I guess that's understandable, considering Kyunei-san's feelings and Yukina-san's thoughts..."
She seemed to be thinking deeply, but was still listening to us.
Not that I was trying to avoid the lecture or anything...
"Aina, is there something bothering you?"
"...Yeah, kind of."
Aina nodded vaguely.
"The thing is, Rouza-san's older brother is trying to oust Rouza-san, who's been appointed as the successor to the Shogun's position..."
Assuming Rouza-san's words are all true, of course. Unfortunately, we can only rely on the information we got from Sanmoto's people.
"But even if we assume that's all true, there are still parts that just don't make sense."
Aina started talking about what she'd been thinking about since she came into the room.
Rouza-san thought that the incident where we were attacked last night was just a case of the enemy's lower-ranking agents or mercenaries getting ahead of themselves. But, no matter how much of an information gap there was, would they really try to harm people from another country so easily?
We couldn't answer that. After all, our lives were in danger right now.
"As a general rule, we should wait and observe until we receive specific instructions from our home country, and then make contact. If, by any chance, the connection between the attackers last night and Sanmoto were to be exposed, it could escalate into an international incident."
But Aina was doubting that fact. She continued to speak, her serious expression unwavering, as I was lost for words.
"At worst, if the worst were to happen, there's even a possibility that Sanmoto would issue a 'declaration of war' and the upper echelons of the government would receive it. It's ridiculous to think that they wouldn't grasp that risk, even as lower-ranking agents."
The words "declaration of war" that Aina spoke, formerly a member of the royal family, sent shivers down my spine.
I also knew that, until the monsters spread, there were many wars between nations. Even mercenaries, who now have a strong aspect of being jack-of-all-trades, were once hired as fighting forces in wars for gold.
"According to Rouza-san and Mikage-san, his brothers are exceptionally talented. Considering the future relationship between Sanmoto and Arcus, it's unlikely that they would do something as reckless as trying to stir up trouble in the royal capital."
"It's not something that can be brushed off as a simple joke."
"That's what I mean by a joke."
Aina's tone grew stronger in response to Kyunei's words. It was a pressing matter, and that's what made it so important.
"It might sound a bit rough, but when it comes to international relations, saving face is crucial. If you show weakness to the other party, it'll only lead to more trouble.
If you show a weak stance against the opponent, they'll take advantage of it and things will get even more complicated. That's why a resolute response is necessary. And if the connection between you and the other party is already weak, it's even more important.
'It's similar to our situation with the Jingin Family in Eubares, don't you think? If you're seen as weak by the mafia, you're done for. You need to be feared by both allies and enemies alike. If you're seen as weak, you'll be thoroughly exploited. Once you're seen as weak, it's all over.'
Aina's words about international relations, supplemented by Gram's additions, were finally sinking in.
"Whatever the outcome of this incident, Arcus's future relationship with Sanmoto will change. Even if we really do plan to oust Rouza-san..."
Up until this point, Aina trailed off, lost in thought.
"If that's the case, then at the very least, we should be cautious while Rouza-san and Mikage-san are in the royal capital..."
The conversation had grown to encompass international relations and was getting more complex, but when Gram mentioned the mafia, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
But――
'Whoa, partner. Let's stop there for now.'
Gram's unusually serious tone, with a voice that echoed deep in his throat, stopped me in my tracks.
'We'll settle the score with Rouza later. Let's put aside unnecessary thoughts for now and focus. We can't let our beloved Mikage be taken away from us.'
The possibility that had occurred to me was, surprisingly, a heavy burden that weighed on my mind, contrary to my initial carefree thoughts.
'An ice ability that affects a wide range. That's a tough opponent, if you ask me.'
From the start, I knew this opponent wouldn't be easy to deal with. In that sense, I was really lucky to have seen that ice ability. If I had been caught off guard and frozen in place from the very beginning, the outcome would've been decided right then and there. But even if we set aside the ice ability, Rouza's actual strength is still unpredictable.
One aspect of that strength that Mikage acknowledged was the movement I experienced when we first met. Even though it wasn't at maximum power, Rouza was able to receive my attack and counter. It was like an attack that came out of nowhere, giving me a sense of being ambushed from thin air.
Is that Rouza's real strength, or maybe not...?
"...Sorry, Mikage, but this time, I've got to focus on that guy."
I need to do everything I can in this one week until I clash with Rouza.
So I won't have any regrets when it's all over.
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