Chapter 215: Let’s Go to the Royal Capital (2)
When I first gazed upon the royal capital Gaelia from the outside, my first impression was that of a “fragile city”. This was solely because my standard of comparison was the imperial capital of the Rakil Empire, which was the strongest nation on the Enzo continent.
Now, due to the civil war in which we had also fought, the once largest and most prosperous imperial capital on the continent would no longer be seen in its former glory. Well, when I first visited the imperial capital, the war had already started, so it must have been far from the Imperial Capital’s golden age.
Let’s take a look at Gaelia again. It was surrounded by historic, or rather, outdated city walls. The degree of weathering indicated long-term exposure to wind and rain, and even the repair marks to the battle-damaged areas had faded away. This meant that it had not experienced war for some time.
Yet, if asked whether it was unaffected by war, I would have to say no. Evident at first glance was the refugee camp sprawling outside the city walls.
The numerous tents spread out as far as the eye could see, signifying the large number of people who had sought refuge and the fact that they had not been able to return to their homeland. Even if the war were to end today, it would be a long time before they would return to their homelands.
Although the Republic Army’s defeat was certain, the damage incurred by the victorious side was also big. This damage itself would likely become the seed of new conflicts. The reason being that the defeated Republic people, who had their land located across the sea and without diplomatic relations with any of the Enzo continent nations, could not be compelled to pay reparations.
“…Also, it is a fresh memory that the empire, which should have been the first to drive out the Republic army and achieve peace, ended up getting divided after the civil war. It’s possible that similar wars could break out across the continent. It will take quite some time for the continent to stabilize to the same level as before the war.”
“Heh, Antares, you sure know a lot. That’s kind of unexpected.”
“What do you think I am… No, I guess you think I’m just a scorpion. Even so, I do have a decent desire to learn and improve. Luckily, I’ve never been short of teachers.”
Even though I was slightly taken aback by Chris’s unintentionally rude comment, I understood why she found it surprising. Just as Chris was still the “grateful slave girl” to me, to her, I was still the “kind scorpion”. It must have been unexpected for her that someone like me, who was perceived as such, would have a considerable understanding of human society.
However, as the leader of our group, I was committed to not neglecting my efforts to learn and grow. Decius and Marcellus, who were now part of our group, had received education in the empire, and Mika, as a servant of Orvo was expected to have a high level of knowledge.
Moreover, Asumi was part of an elite unit called the white-armored soldiers in the Republic army. The Republic surpassed the Enzo continent in various technologies. While Asumi was not an intellectual per se, the knowledge that was common to her often amazed even Mika and the others. There was still much to learn.
“Anyway, Marcellus and the others believe that it will take at least several decades for stability to return. Personally, I think even a hundred years might not be enough for peace.”
“Why is that?”
“I’ve heard that the western part has seen numerous deaths due to the ‘Church of Justice’ which is increasing its influence, and the east is divided into three parts and they are still killing each other. It will take time for the west to recover its human resources, and the east is about to enter an even more intense and bloody conflict.”
It was a well known story that countless lives were lost in the western part of the continent where demons were rejected for religious reasons, and it would take a long time and much effort to reverse this. Also, it was unimaginable how much bloodshed the eastern part, now plunged into a civil war, would witness before unifying again.
This was enough to foresee a prolonged era of turmoil. However, there was another reason why I expected this chaos to last for decades.
“…I get that the east and west are dangerous. But the central part isn’t as bad, right?”
“That’s not correct. The central part may seem stable for now, but… let me ask you something. Were there refugee camps like this one in the Harlasia Kingdom?”
“No, there weren’t. I mean, in a country close to the frontlines, maybe, but it’s impossible for refugees who fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs to make it that far… Oh!”
Chris seemed to have guessed what I wanted to say and her face tensed. In that case, it was time to see if our answers matched.
“Yes, the presence of refugees is certainly a significant burden and problem for the Galar Kingdom. The kingdom’s citizens probably want them to leave quickly, and even if they wish to return, the refugees lack the means due to the war. There’s definitely a rift between the citizens and the refugees, a rift that is likely to deepen rather than diminish.”
“Also there is a disparity between the north, which is full of refugees, and the south, which isn’t as affected.”
“Correct. Also, wouldn’t every country, not just the South, send soldiers? The soldiers who survived would have become strong and experienced elite troops. If the surrounding countries are weakened, and they have a strong army and still have some reserves left then…”
“…You mean they might invade each other?”
I nodded in response to Chris’s somber question. It was unclear how much reserve strength they had and whether the kings of each country had territorial ambitions. However, if there was a weakened prey in front of them, wouldn’t there be more who would seize rather than mercifully share?
I didn’t say it out loud, but I also thought that those who managed to maintain their national strength while deploying troops were dangerous. The more desperate someone is, the more frightening they become. If there was a wealthy person next to those who were barely surviving, it would be natural for the latter to try to seize what they needed from the former. The only places on the current Enzo continent without the seeds of war might as well be just south of the Shumie Mountains.
“Ah, this is kind of depressing. It’s all gloomy talk.”
“Then let’s change the subject. What is this country famous for?”
“Galar Kingdom is known for its agriculture. Well, the central part of the continent has a lot of fertile land, so that’s normal… But if we talk about a specialty, it’s definitely alcohol. Galar-made alcohol is synonymous with luxury!”
The moment the topic changed, Chris excitedly started talking about the famed alcohol of the Galar Kingdom. She seemed to have just reached adulthood, but apparently she had quite the strong tolerance for alcohol. She had the chance to drink Galar-made alcohol at a party she attended with Liselotte, and it seemed she was impressed by its taste.
According to her, all the alcoholic beverages produced in Galar are of high quality, but the most famous was a drink called “Fire Liquor”, which was known for its exceptionally high alcohol content. It is said to be so potent that it could catch fire if brought near a flame. And despite its strength, the liquor’s aroma and flavor were irresistible, captivating the taste buds of nobility.
“What kind of alcohol do you like, Antares?”
“Well, about that, I actually am…”
Just as I was about to reveal that I couldn’t hold my liquor, I noticed a group approaching the carriage. From the presence I felt, there seemed to be more than twenty of them walking towards us from the front.
Apao and Chris seemed to have noticed as well. Apao stopped on his own, and Chris pulled the reins to halt the carriage. I telepathically alerted Tigar and Decius to the situation, and they moved to either side of the carriage so as to react instantly in the case of an attack.
One might wonder why we weren’t guarding the rear of the carriage, but I didn’t feel any presence there. We only needed to focus on the front.
The group that approached was made up of skinny men and women in dirty clothes. Their complexions were poor, and they seemed unsteady on their feet; some were almost on the brink of collapse. They were almost certainly refugees living in a refugee camp. If so, their purpose can be roughly predicted.
“Stop. Who are you? What reason do you have for blocking our path?”
However, even if I had an idea of what to expect, I couldn’t afford to jump to conclusions. I lightly kicked Apao’s belly to step forward and asked the group about their intentions. My voice wasn’t loud, but it seemed to reach everyone. The group stopped a short distance away.
Then, a tall man who was at the front of the group stepped forward. Like the other refugees, he was thin, but there was a certain dignity in his straight posture. He had a stubble, but unlike the others, his chestnut-brown hair was neatly tied back. maintaining a minimum level of grooming.
The man who seemed to be the leader of the group stared straight into my eyes for a brief moment before kneeling and bowing his head. All but one person followed suit and mimicked his action. That one man stared at my face in apparent surprise.
However, quickly, the men on either side of him grabbed his head and forced it down to the ground. What was that about? Before I could inquire, the man, without raising his face, began to speak of their request.
“O Lord noble, we humbly beg you, please grant us your blessings.”
Their purpose was as I had suspected: they sought alms. This was both anticipated and impossible. This is because neither we nor Liselotte had the luxury of generously distributing money to strangers.
Our funds were allocated for purchasing supplies for our journey, and Lieselotte had already spent a considerable amount on this trip. So much so that she couldn’t afford to pay us in advance. In other words, we had no money to spare.
“We cannot do that. We are foreigners with reasons for being in this country. You’re asking the wrong people.”
“Still, please, have mercy…!”
“Please help us!”
“We haven’t eaten anything in three days!”
“No matter what you say, we have nothing to give. I sympathize with your plight, but we cannot give what we do not have.”
The desperate refugees cried out in pleading cries, but I was powerless to help. The money we have has a fixed use and we have no surplus. Though I felt sympathy, I had no intention of sacrificing our own well-being for them.
The refugees were currently on their knees, but there was a possibility they might grow frustrated and resort to violence. It seemed the other three shared the same concern, as everyone was prepared to fight if necessary. I hoped to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible though.
“What are you doing! Don’t block the road!”
“Disperse! Break it up!”
As the back-and-forth continued, a group of armed cavalrymen approached from the direction of the royal capital. It seemed like they had noticed the commotion and had come to investigate.
However, all the cavalrymen were quite young and they looked to be in their mid-teens. It looked like the impact of the war had forced the enlistment of barely adult young men into the military.
The young cavalrymen yelled and dispersed them, causing the refugees to reluctantly give up and leave. One of them, while moving away, kept looking back at my face. What was it about? I did not recognize him.
As I stood there puzzled, the cavalry slowly approached us. There was no sign of hostility from them, but they were clearly cautious. One of the cavalrymen advanced ahead and called out loudly.
“Apologies for the disturbance from the roadside! First, we regret any inconvenience caused by these refugees! And you all seem to be nobility with your guards. May I inquire about the purpose of your visit?”
“It is best that I explain.”
The reply came from Lieselotte, who opened the carriage door and stepped down with Hilda’s help. Her noble demeanor was evident at first glance. The young cavalryman hurriedly dismounted to avoid any disrespect. Lieselotte then proceeded to inform them of the reason for her visit.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶