Chapter 417
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Defense of the Home Front
Translator : PolterGlast
The policy was set at the prisoner audience venue, and I was
able to leave the organization and preparation of the expeditionary force
entirely to the Commander and Alexis, but there were still many
things left for me to do. In terms of military affairs we were able to share a
certain amount of information, but in terms of domestic affairs, we hadn't been
able to share anything yet. And...
「O-O-Over a hundred thousand evacuees,
you say?」
I was left speechless by Raymond's report. Due to the
invading army launching divided advances across four countries, and the fact
that we were also taking in evacuees from outside the Third Prince's
mandated territory, the number of evacuees had far exceeded our assumptions.
With this, one could say that the entire Izumo area, including Kusanagi,
has already far exceeded its capacity.
「Yes, right now we are making food
transport our top priority, and the charity granaries and food storehouses in Teigoon
and Termira are already almost completely empty. In parallel, we are
purchasing food from all over the Kyle Kingdom, consolidating it in Termira,
and running the transport line connecting from there through Izanami to Kusanagi
at full capacity.」
「Don't tell me... there are evacuees
on that side as well?」
「Yes, we cannot provide for them all
in the Izumo area alone, so we are having them taken in at Izanami
and Termira as well. Also, we are sending the ten thousand civilians
from the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy to Ishtar with an escort.
Including around here, we have an excellent disciple (Miseri) on the
former territory (Kyle Kingdom) side wielding command for us, so...」
I see. The combination of Raymond and Miseri
is the strongest master-disciple duo even among those I know. They can probably
just dump responses on each other through telepathy. When I let out a large
sigh and smiled wryly, this time my sister (Chrisia) raised her hand.
「Also, regarding the northern front,
preparations for the payment of lump sums and condolence money to the families
of the war dead have been completed. Regarding the letters addressed to the
families, Alexis-sama has finished writing them for the direct control
territory, and the respective heads they belonged to have finished writing them
for the rest; all that's left is waiting for Onii-sama's signature here.」
「!!!」
At the point Chrisia pointed to as she said so...
there was a mountain of letters for six hundred people, sorted out
individually, though. This is... all of them, right.
『Regarding those killed in action,
the person in charge shall write a letter addressed to the family and those
left behind.』
This was something I brought up, and a detail I had always carried
out without fail up until now. Regarding those killed in action who served on
the southern front, I had found spare moments at Big Bridge to spell
them out, and those are complete, but these... are all from here on out, huh.
「This time, the generals, starting
with Marquis Gorman, also spent many sleepless nights writing letters
after the battle ended, and if the writing stops here...」
Hahaha, it seems I'll be having sleepless nights too.
However, the fact that the letters have been meticulously sorted by affiliation
and campaign must be my sister's consideration. Because I myself didn't
participate in the battle and cannot see the situation, I am sufficiently
grateful just for that. When I let out a large sigh this time and solidified my
resolve, Yuka raised her hand looking apologetic.
「Currently, we have established
temporary reception desk windows at various places; while gathering
information, we are simultaneously proceeding with soup kitchens, guidance to
temporary housing, provision of lump sums, and mediation for temporary
employment.」
「Thank you. But given the scale, the
burden of managing the reception desks falls on you, Yuka, so it must be
heavy, right? Are you pushing yourself too hard?」
Yuka's job
isn't just the management of the reception desks she took over from Claire.
Because together with Chrisia, she also has the duty of supporting the
domestic affairs of the new territory and assisting Raymond, who
supervises the whole thing.
「Yes, because I cannot constantly
stand on site and command either, I appointed one extremely excellent person
from among the reception desk supervisors (stationmaster) to take command of
the five hundred reception desk staff gathered in Kusanagi, and
appointed her as the Coordinating Administrator (equivalent to Knight peerage).
This will be retroactive approval, but I ask for your decision on this.」
Saying so, Yuka presented a letter of appointment.
Because I have delegated the authority to appoint civil officials at any time
to the three of them, Raymond, Miseri, and Yuka, there are
no problems around here. However, a Coordinating Administrator right off the
bat surprised me a little, though.
「This person named Camilla?
It's a name I'm hearing for the first time; have I never met her? To think
there was still such an outstanding talent under Claire?」
When I said so, Yuka and Chrisia were laughing
for some reason. Huh? Did I say something strange?
「Fufufu, Takuhir-sama, you
have met her at least twice, you know? The person herself also said so.」
「Heh?」
「When you first met Yoltia-san in Teigoon,
she was the one who raised her voice upon realizing that the one present was Takuhir-sama.
After that, upon Yoltia-san's recommendation, she was entrusted with a
special job in Ishtar and went there, then retired upon her marriage,
and I hear she joined the reception desk after migrating to Termira.」
「Ah!」
Indeed... that woman Yoltia called 『Neesan』 and adored like a real sister! Then I have met her at least
twice. The first time I didn't even remember her face but it was on a bench in
the central plaza; the second time was when, upon Yoltia's
recommendation, I appointed her as the manager of the newly established brothel
in Ishtar... This is also a mysterious connection.
「But to gather as many as five
hundred reception desk staff in Kusanagi... thinking about it, that's an
incredible story. Though, when dealing with a scale of a hundred thousand people,
is it still not enough? I feel bad constantly asking everyone to do tough jobs,
but please continue to follow up around there from now on as well.」
Because I basically leave domestic affairs to Raymond
up to the final decision, I myself will not step forward. But even so, I ended
up handling necessary reports, confirmations, and the like until late at night.
And after that... endless work signing letters and adding a word from myself to
the letters for the soldiers of the direct control territory... In the end, I
was chased by that work until morning.
※
The next day, early in the morning, I headed to Termira
with only a small entourage like Sigurdd
and Carla. Because we will depart leading the expeditionary force two
days later, it will truly be a rushed visit, but... I had heard the story from Raymond,
but despite the highway connecting Kusanagi to Izanami having
secured sufficient width, the line of passing horse-drawn carriages and people
continued endlessly; it had become truly incredible. And at the gateway of Izanami,
when I bypassed the long line waiting for passage inspection and went inside...
there, a market was set up tightly packed, and the clamor of passing people was
truly in a festival state.
「This is... amazing.」
「It's true; if a passage exclusively
for the military wasn't secured within the gateway, it would have taken a
considerable amount of time just to pass through, wouldn't it.」
「With this kind of bustle, no one
would think this is a gateway for war.」
Just like me, both Carla and Sigurd stared at
the passage enclosed between the gateways with half-amazed expressions. Under
the recent strained circumstances, I myself had often stayed in Kusanagi,
and a fair amount of time had passed since I last passed through here; the
aspect had completely changed.
「At this rate, Termira has
probably changed too.」
The words I muttered were met with a result that went even
further diagonally above my own imagination.
※
Passing through the gateway of Izanami and entering
the Southern Gate Plains from the former national border, Termira
is right there. It was Termira that was once called the Southern Gate
Fortress, but those vestiges had already completely disappeared. Termira,
reborn as a city, had its outer walls expanded, and the desolate arid zone should
have spread around it, but before I knew it, it was surrounded by vast
pastures, and had become a city equipped with outer walls and an outer moat two
sizes larger than before. I couldn't help but ask Miseri, who had come
out to welcome me, as my very first words.
「Miseri, how did you do this?」
Originally I should have given a different greeting, but
because I really wanted to hear it, it couldn't be helped. Because... it's a
completely different world! I unconsciously lifted her into the air with both
arms.
「Ehehe, I worked a little hard.
Though, the city development is the result of Mary-san and Sasha-san's
efforts. This is also entirely thanks to the two of them mobilizing a massive
number of Mages to draw a canal from the water source in the great mountain
range on the former Viscount Kirias territory side.」
I see. Certainly, on the way here, an unfamiliar, strange
defensive wall stretched from far to the southeast to Termira. So that
was a waterway. And using the abundant water volume as a background, they
carried out irrigation works... I mean, do those two still have massive
influence in the academy? That's even more surprising, though.
「It's still developing, but I'll make
Termira into a vibrant, large city that won't lose to Kusanagi.」
「Hahaha, at this rate, in the near
future, won't the day come when even the Southern Gate Fort is
completely covered in green?」
「That might be impossible, but I
intend to turn this entire surrounding area into vast pastures and paddy
fields. Because I can't afford to lose to Izumo, which Master (Raymond)
commands.」
No way... was she spurred on by that? I thought I was being
considerate by reducing her burden a little so she could take it easy as my
wife, but did it light a fire in her instead?
「Miseri, thank you truly. Right now, without Termira, Kusanagi—no,
the entire Izumo area wouldn't be able to survive, after all. Raymond
was grateful too. Oh? By the way, where are Claire and Anne?」
Originally, both of them were expecting childbirth and
should have been in Termira. Well, there should be a grace period of a
few more months, though...
「Anne-sama
headed to Teigoon, and is commanding the production and harvest in Teigoon,
Gaia, and Aegis. In order to send even a little more food to Kusanagi...」
I see... It's certainly reassuring if a person one can trust
goes on site, assesses the absolute limit, and handles it. The territory
residents will feel relieved too.
「Claire-san headed to Ishtar ahead of the ten thousand
immigrants moving there, to handle their reception and guidance on site. In
order to make Ishtar and the Dimos area, which has surplus
capacity, into new settlements, she is commanding the local governing bodies
and reception desks, and is even recruiting new staff from among the immigrants
and taking charge of their education.」
Certainly... if you think about it carefully, even though
there's a track record of taking in a massive number of Imperial Army
prisoners in the past, the circumstances are different this time. If the number
of civilians suddenly increased by as many as ten thousand, a normal person
wouldn't be able to handle it and would burst. I'm grateful... So it means that
behind the battle, the three of them were each doing what they could to support
us...
「This time I have to depart early
tomorrow morning to return to Kusanagi. It's unfortunate that I can't
meet the two of them to express my appreciation, but I will write letters
later, so please hand them to the two of them.」
Saying so, Miseri and I spent time alone until late
at night confirming the domestic affairs policy and necessary decisions on the
former territory side. Well, since I've delegated all authority, it's basically
just receiving reports and responding to consultations, though... Even so, it's
nostalgic. In the past (second life) as well, the two of us would often hole up
in the government office and consult about domestic affairs until late at
night. This time, for the third time, because there are other wives supporting
me besides Miseri, there was almost no time we hashed things out just
the two of us. In my second life, I couldn't even tell Miseri that I
liked her, but... Such a she is now my wife, walking together with me. While
remembering such things, before I knew it, I was hugging her from behind.
「Ehehe, is this a reward?」
Actually, Miseri's manner of speech completely
changes between meetings or in front of others, and when it's just the two of
us, becoming a different person. Even though she's older, her manner of speech
becomes like someone younger and she acts spoiled, you see.
「Yeah, there's that too, but... I am
always grateful.」
When I said so, Miseri placed her hand over my hands
that I wrapped around from behind, and rested her neck against my chest.
「I am the one who is grateful. Being
able to do such interesting work... Takuhir-sama has always believed in
me and entrusted things to me. I've always been happy about that...」
「Thank you, truly thank you.」
「Please make sure you return properly
this time too. I am always just waiting, after all...」
Ah... that is certainly true. Because I entrusted her with
domestic affairs, she has always been the caretaker holding the fort up until
now. Even when I was in the Royal Capital Kylar, she only stayed in the
Royal Capital for a short time on a business trip.
「That's right... once things settle
down, I've been invited by the Empire, so I will go to Griffin.
At that time, I will have you come with me, Miseri. Therefore, I want
you to prepare so that you can entrust Termira to someone for at least a
month or so.」
「Eh, me... is that okay?」
「I'm sorry for always just relying on
you to hold the fort up until now. But next time, let's go out together and do
some sightseeing in the Imperial Capital as well.」
「I'm looking forward to it. I can
travel together with Takuhir-sama too!」
Miseri at this time was floating a smile across her entire face while shedding tears. I felt grateful anew that we are supported by their defense of the home front, and spent the night just the two of us for the first time in a long while. And the next day, we left Termira early in the morning and galloped our horses towards Kusanagi once again. With the resolve for a new battle determined...
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