Chapter 179
(Kyle
Calendar Year 509: Age 16)
The Truce Agreement with the Imperial Kingdom
Translator : PolterGlast
At the end of autumn,
as my second year of academy life was beginning to proceed smoothly, I decided
to return to my domain for a time. Returning at this time of year was not only
for personal reasons, but also for an important purpose.
Accompanying me were
Anne, Astor, and a small number of guards. We would ride hard on horseback,
hurrying toward Teigoon. The reason for our haste was a message I had received
from Margrave Hamish.
"Demon Territory
Count Solis, I am greatly indebted to you for your help with my son on the
battlefield. It is an honor to meet you again. A truce with the Istoria
Imperial Kingdom has been concluded, and I have been entrusted with a message
from Margrave Hamish."
The man who had come
to the Royal Capital as a messenger was Baron Bauner, Alexis's father. Partly
due to the matter with Alexis, it seemed Baron Bauner would be taking on the
role of messenger, traveling between the eastern and southern borders from now
on.
"Under the
Margrave's orders, I am to escort the 500 prisoners who were promised to you,
who will be emigrating to the Demon Territory Count's domain, and bring them to
Teigoon.
At that time, as you
previously requested, the families of the immigrants from the Istoria Imperial
Kingdom will also be accompanying them... however, the, well, the numbers are
quite large, so I have come to report to you in advance first."
"By the way, from
your demeanor, was there some sort of trouble?"
Baron Bauner looked as
if he was having trouble saying something.
I, too, had a grasp of
the number of families that the 500 men currently in Teigoon had wished to
summon, which was necessary for the prisoner return negotiations. That number
was approximately 400.
However, I did not
know the status of the remaining 500 who were currently in the Margrave's care.
"Well... the
results of our own prior investigation were also around 400. Combined with the
number I received from you, Demon Territory Count, we had estimated a total of
around 800, but... the final number exceeded 1,300."
"What?"
My mind was thrown
into confusion by the unexpected answer. Baron Bauner explained to me the
circumstances that had led to this point.
※
A short while after
the victory in the eastern border war, an envoy for a truce from the Istoria
Imperial Kingdom visited Margrave Hamish. At that negotiating table, the topic
of prisoner returns was also said to have been raised.
"We, for our
part, have no objection to a truce with your country. However, as proof of this
truce, what will your country offer, and what do you desire from us? In this
war, we have, just as your country has done, obtained prisoners as a valuable
labor force, but we are not considering returning them unconditionally."
He had apparently
rebuffed them once like this. Then, after making the Imperial Kingdom sweat, he
had presented his conditions for their return.
First, that they were
prepared to return up to 2,000 prisoners in exchange for a ransom.
Second, that the
ransom would vary by military branch: a flat 50 gold coins for infantry, and a
flat 100 gold coins for longbowmen.
Third, that they were prepared
to offer a reduction in the prisoner return ransom if certain special
conditions were met.
"Oh, the
conditions are simple, even for your country.
Acknowledge your
defeat and agree to a 20-year truce with the Kyle Kingdom.
Agree to the return of
one thousand infantry and one thousand longbowmen.
Acknowledge the right
of any prisoner who wishes to emigrate to do so.
Hand over the families
of those who wish to emigrate to the Kyle Kingdom.
That is all. If these
are accepted, we are considering granting your country preferential treatment
as a sign of peace."
At the negotiating
table, Margrave Hamish had apparently said this with a smile. Afterward, he was
said to have explained the preferential treatment to the twitching-faced envoy.
First, that the Kyle
Kingdom was prepared to sell a maximum of 30 monster catalysts per year to the
Imperial Kingdom for 30 gold coins apiece.
Second, that they were
prepared to reduce the ransom per prisoner to 40 gold coins for infantry and 60
gold coins for longbowmen.
"Gentlemen of the
envoy, two thousand of your prisoners will return, the ransom will be reduced
by 50,000 Kingdom gold coins, and you will obtain monster catalysts for
aptitude confirmation at a price far cheaper than what your country currently procures.
As a result of your negotiations, will this not be a great gift to bring back
to your homeland?"
The Istoria Imperial
Kingdom's side ultimately had no choice but to accept the proposal Margrave
Hamish had laid out.
Their longbow corps
had already suffered devastating damage, and it was said that it would take
decades to rebuild. Even besides their border with the Kyle Kingdom, a thousand
battle-ready soldiers for national defense were irreplaceable.
After several
exchanges of envoys, the Istoria Imperial Kingdom officially decided to accept
the terms. And the Imperial Kingdom's side received a number of emigrant
applicants far exceeding what they had initially imagined, along with the
letters they had addressed to their families.
"Furthermore, if
the immigration of a family does not go through for a reason that is
unacceptable to the prisoner here, or if you bring the wrong specified family,
the ransom will not be reduced by that number of people, so please pay special
attention to that point."
Perhaps the Margrave's
words, his final push, were effective, as the Istoria Imperial Kingdom's side
had apparently earnestly confirmed the prisoners' families and brought them to
the place of prisoner return.
Up to this point,
things had gone according to my and the Margrave's expectations. But the number
of family members they brought was unexpected.
Initially, the
families and relatives who saw the prisoners' letters were all said to have
doubted their authenticity due to the unbelievable contents. Especially the
letters from the prisoners currently living in Teigoon, which described things
unimaginable to them in their impoverished lives.
According to those
letters...
"We...
were granted a divine
miracle (healing magic) by the Divine Messengers.
received the honor of
fighting alongside them and were personally blessed by them on the battlefield.
achieved military
merit and received a reward of 10 gold coins.
Due to these
circumstances, we have decided to emigrate to the Kyle Kingdom to be with the Divine
Messengers."
Letters containing
such statements were sent, and there was even more astonishing content for the
families living in the Imperial Kingdom.
"In the place we
are moving to...
there are many Divine
Messengers who live together with us.
rich land and a place
to live have been prepared.
a dreamlike life is
guaranteed, compared to our time in the Imperial Kingdom.
we live in a town with
an environment that would be like a dream in the Imperial Kingdom.
We have asked the Divine
Messengers to allow us to summon our families. Let us start a new life together
in a new land!"
Many of the families
who received such letters at first suspected it was a false invitation. But
when it became widely known that the same content was written in everyone's
letters, not only the prisoners' families but also others began to volunteer,
wishing to emigrate.
And so, among the
emigrants summoned to the Kyle Kingdom, there were a fair number of women
aiming for the new land they had heard of in rumors, including daughters who
claimed to be betrothed to the emigrating soldiers, and relatives of the
emigrants who had lost their fathers or husbands in the war and were struggling
to make a living.
The Istoria Imperial
Kingdom's side had strictly restricted the emigration of adult men, but for
women who could not be conscripted as soldiers, and for families and orphans
who had lost their breadwinners, their watchful eyes were lenient—no, they had
apparently actively pushed the burden of their care onto them.
"There is a
concern of spies among the unexpectedly increased number of women and children,
but the Margrave's words were as follows:
『The Demon Territory Count would also struggle if only
men were to increase. Even if there were a spy in the remote southern border,
their effectiveness would be limited, and what the Demon Territory Count needs
now is people. Therefore, we should first confirm his intentions. 』
It is for this matter
as well that I have come."
"Baron Bauner,
thank you. Please convey my gratitude to the Margrave for his consideration as
well. We will accept all who wish to emigrate, without discrimination."
I made the decision
instantly. The skewed population ratio had always been an issue in Teigoon. And
now, the population to support the Demon Territory Count's domain was a new
issue.
There were already
Imperial (Empire’s) people and their families in Teigoon. Adding people from
the Istoria Imperial Kingdom and making it a center of a composite culture
wouldn't be a bad idea.
Teigoon also has
support for working women. There are also schools to provide educational
opportunities for children.
Women and children,
too, could become bearers of the economy as an immediate and future workforce.
And so, in addition to
the 1,000 prisoners (who wished to emigrate)—500 already in Teigoon and 500
currently with the Margrave who would be transferred to Teigoon in the
future—1,300 relatives who had identified themselves as family and associates
would be coming.
"Margrave Hamish
has instructed that a portion of the payment received as ransom be distributed
as the accomplishment of the Demon Territory Count Solis, and that it should be
used for the time being to support the immigrant families. I will lead the 500
immigrants and their 1,300 family members to Teigoon by the end of the year,
but I have come this time as an advance messenger to inform you of this."
◆Results of Negotiations with the Istoria Imperial
Kingdom
Returned Prisoners:
2,000 (Infantry and Longbowmen)
Payment for Return:
Equivalent to 100,000 Kingdom gold coins
Emigrating Prisoners:
1,000 (All handed over to the Demon Territory Count Solis)
Remaining Prisoners:
1,000 (Secured by Margrave Hamish's side)
◆Message for the Demon Territory Count Solis
Escort and hand over
1,300 emigrating family members.
Hand over distributed
spoils of war equivalent to 25,000 Kingdom gold coins.
My only worry was this
number... could Teigoon accept them all? I was concerned about the initial
response.
We had already
accepted about 1,700 refugees from the Hiyorimi domain, and I felt that in our
current state, we would be completely overwhelmed. But on the other hand,
increasing the population and strengthening our economic and military power was
also absolutely necessary.
"Anne, let's
return as quickly as possible. The pioneer villages on the Fran side is probably
not completely ready yet. For now, let's inform everyone and proceed with the
preparations for their reception."
"You're right.
But if we can get through this, the population of the Teigoon area will
increase all at once."
And so, we decided to
return to Teigoon in a hurry.
My worries that
everyone would think I was creating a "black company paradise" were
endless, though...
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