Chapter 272 - Chapter 271: The Regent and the Prime Minister's Discussion
Month of Earth Three, Week Four, Day of Wind.
The border defense wall.
Mika was reinforcing the defense wall.
If the Empire's aim is to pile corpse upon corpse to cross the defense wall, simply making the wall higher would suffice to stop them.
However, if the wall is made too massive, there is a risk it will collapse.
If thickness is added to prevent collapse, the mass becomes overwhelmingly large.
It is not impossible to build, but it takes far too long to construct each piece individually.
If one attempts to reinforce a thirty-kilometer-long defense wall entirely, efficiency must be considered to some degree.
Shapes that are too complex are difficult to construct.
As expected, the quickest method is the cube.
Objects with shapes close to a regular hexahedron are easiest to make.
From the existing defense wall, create five-meter cubes with as few gaps as possible.
Then, create another identical object on top of that.
This completes a ten-meter-high wall.
To eliminate gaps between adjacent stones, stones that are slightly distorted when viewed from above are arranged.
It was easier to construct this way than to make a single cube with a height of ten meters and a width and depth of five meters.
Well, it is only easier in comparison; it remains an incredibly difficult task regardless.
In any case, this must be completed before a crowd exceeding twenty million people swarms over.
Mika floated in the air, carefully stacking the massive stones.
After wiping the sweat from his forehead roughly, he gazed at what he had built so far.
"Finally, about half...?"
It had already been a week since he started working.
Perhaps progress was around three kilometers per day.
Honestly, maintaining concentration while creating such massive stones one after another was difficult.
The mass was far beyond that of the two-meter-plus cubes surrounding Rish Village.
Even those were difficult, yet he continued to create masses far surpassing them at a high pace.
Still, if there is time to complain, one must create even more.
If he maintains this pace, it seems he can finish by the end of this month.
The estimated arrival of the crowd is early next month.
He thinks it might be possible to make it, but anything could happen.
There was a need to complete it as soon as possible.
Mika had heard from Lebrantes about the crowd swarming a week ago.
And the next day, he had been summoned by the Crown Prince.
"Regent, is it?"
Mika, unable to grasp the situation, involuntarily asked back.
He had thought something was wrong when summoned to the Royal Castle instead of the usual Viscount Mumbaro's residence.
But then he heard such news from the Crown Prince.
And in the room where he was summoned, not only the Crown Prince but also the Prime Minister was present for some reason.
It seems things are getting quite complicated.
"............Did something happen to His Majesty?"
Mika frowned and asked.
Did he finally die?
Well, he was old.
From the bottom of my heart, I pray for his repose.
Please, do not come back as a ghost.
I will exorcise you if you do.
"It is good that you get to the point quickly, but why do you know of 'Regent'? It is not a position that is frequently appointed."
The Crown Prince looked suspicious of Mika, who immediately realized something was wrong with the King upon hearing the word "Regent."
"I remember reading about it in something before."
That is what he decided to say.
No, this is actually knowledge he read in a book or something.
Just not a book from this world.
"Well, that is fine. I cannot say the details, but I have been appointed to handle state affairs in place of His Majesty. I shall convey this first."
"I understand."
It seems this room is the Regent's office.
Seeing Mika accept this so smoothly, the Prime Minister smiled bitterly.
"...Really, what kind of child is this? It should not be something a commoner could understand so easily."
"There is no point in thinking about that. It is wiser to just think that we have saved ourselves some trouble."
Cranzard, the Crown Prince... the Regent... offered advice to the questioning Prime Minister.
Cranzard tightened his expression, looking at both Mika and the Prime Minister.
"You have met once before. This is Dedoderic, the Prime Minister. For the foreseeable future, matters will be handled under a Regent-Prime Minister system."
When Cranzard said that, Dedoderic spoke to Mika.
"To you, I am the side that tried to punish you along with the King. I cannot ask you to trust me immediately."
He said this with a serious expression.
It seems Dedoderic understands objectively how his past actions appear.
"Due to my position, fulfilling the King's will is supreme. There was no room for my personal thoughts to interfere."
The Prime Minister's role is to execute the King's orders with all his might.
How to handle realistic problems to fulfill the King's wishes.
That is the Prime Minister's duty.
"So, does that mean you execute it even if the King is wrong?"
He tried saying this toward Cranzard.
Cranzard smiled bitterly.
"In short, that was the role the King required. If opinions are sought, naturally, one offers opinions they think are good. That is what a Prime Minister is."
"Do you not offer remonstrance even if it is wrong?"
When Mika asked back, Dedoderic shook his head.
"Of course, there are times for remonstrance. However, whether to accept it depends on the King."
Even with exhaustive persuasion, it may not be accepted.
There might even be cases where the King does not listen to remonstrance at all.
And if ordered by the King, it is the Prime Minister's duty to execute it.
Even if one thinks it is wrong.
It seems one must do their best within that framework.
Mika sighed and looked at Dedoderic.
"Then, what do you think of me yourself?"
He tried asking that, and Dedoderic turned his gaze toward Cranzard.
After confirming Cranzard nodded, Dedoderic opened his mouth.
"To put it briefly, I consider you a useful asset. I wish to utilize you effectively for the Kingdom."
Mika narrowed his eyes at Dedoderic, who stated this so bluntly.
He speaks so directly.
Am I just treated as a weapon?
Well, it is better than being treated as a hazardous material.
"You saved many citizens during the beast attack and saved many soldiers in the previous battle. I am grateful for that and think highly of it."
Dedoderic said this very sincerely.
It seemed there was no lie in his eyes.
"Therefore, I want to use you for the Kingdom as much as possible. Down to the marrow of your bones."
At those words spoken with an unclouded smile, Mika's face twitched.
He was fully prepared to use him thoroughly and wear him out.
The opinion was too honest, and Cranzard also smiled bitterly.
Well, well... It is a natural opinion for a ruler.
Is it better than being hidden?
It is better than seeing through his ulterior motives...
"Although Dedoderic's phrasing is rough, our basic stance is the same."
Cranzard added a supplement.
That just means you intend to use me too, doesn't it?
"I want your power to serve the Kingdom. Of course, the Kingdom will prepare appropriate returns."
Both sides give what they can.
Give and take.
It is better than unilaterally imposing obligations and duties...
Mika smiled brightly.
"I request exemption from military service."
"Do you think that is possible?"
Cranzard rejected it with an exasperated look.
Well, this is prohibiting what Cranzard and the others seek most.
But...
"You don't have to impose obligations specifically, do you? We are actually cooperating. Voluntarily, I have gone to the battlefield twice? I even voluntarily participated in the irregular combat in the capital."
"W-well, that is certainly true..."
Mika's wish includes the peace and security of the Kingdom.
More strictly speaking, he desires an environment where important people can live peacefully.
For that sake, he is not averse to going to the battlefield himself.
Rather, if told "Go because it is an obligation" or "Go because it is an order," his motivation to go would decrease.
Seeing Cranzard struggling to reply, Dedoderic interjected.
"It will be difficult to fulfill your wish immediately today. We should discuss thoroughly and find conditions acceptable to both parties. However, unfortunately, we do not have that time now."
Neither side can propose or accept conditions here without causing trouble.
If there were a loophole, it would be terrible.
So, it was a proposal to shelve the issue until time permits and discuss slowly later.
The so-called postponement of the problem.
Mika sighed, and Cranzard was openly relieved.
Dedoderic continued.
"First, the reason we brought you here today is to inform you that your punishment has officially been cancelled. We want you to understand that we are treating you with sincerity."
However, Mika felt slightly irritated by Dedoderic's words.
We caused trouble ourselves and then withdrew the trouble, so that is sincerity? Prime Minister, are you actually an idiot?
Did Dedoderic realize what Mika was thinking? Cranzard's face became somewhat grim.
"Also, there has been movement from Gronoir. A situation we did not expect has arisen, and we judged your cooperation is necessary."
"Could it be the story about the crowd swarming? The twenty-five million?"
Mika temporarily retracted his inner irritation and confirmed.
But at Mika's words, Cranzard and Dedoderic looked surprised.
"How did you obtain that information...?"
They looked suspicious, wondering where the information leaked.
"My source is none of your business. So what?"
Mika did not know how the Information Broker Guild obtained the information.
Did they catch the country's information, or did they obtain it themselves from the Empire?
When Mika urged him to continue, Cranzard took over the conversation with a complex expression.
"Originally, it was predicted that a crowd would swarm. The estimated scale was one order of magnitude smaller. However, seventy-five thousand soldiers, combining the Kingdom Army and Domain Armies, are gathering in the Marquis Leventein domain to deal with it."
The story of the Emperor-Pope's 'Holy War' had spread as rumors within the capital.
The country had grasped the Empire's movements for quite some time and had predicted that the incited populace would come to the Daburandoru Plains.
"However, the scale far exceeds the initial prediction, forcing us to change the plan."
"Yes, I understand that."
Cranzard explained the country's intended response to Mika.
First, [Divine Wrath] will finally be lifted from the ban.
The decision to not punish Mika was likely based on this policy shift.
However, it seems not many can handle [Divine Wrath].
Due to the circumstances of conducting research in secret, they were forced to operate on a small, secretive scale.
And, evacuate the citizens from the city of Sarbengeal as much as possible.
However, they expected many would not comply.
The country's stance is that it is fine if they do not.
"We are only evacuating them assuming the crowd cannot be stopped. To reduce casualties. However... unfortunately, even if all the citizens of Sarbengeal evacuate, there is no receiving capacity. Therefore, we do not request forced evacuation."
"Well, that cannot be helped, can it?"
It is possible that they starve to death at the evacuation site, and Sarbengeal remains safe.
Therefore, evacuation is left to individual judgment.
However, the Empire has invaded twice already.
Those who evacuate voluntarily have likely already done so to some extent.
...The tax revenue of the Marquis Leventein domain will be terrible this year. Will the finances hold?
It is a double punch of reduced tax revenue and war expenses.
Well, that is none of Mika's concern.
"Also, move the Kingdom Army from across the country further toward the Marquis Leventein domain."
They had already sent some to a certain extent, but the plan seems to be to deploy additional forces.
"However, this will likely not arrive in time for the crowd's arrival."
They had already drawn soldiers from the Kingdom Army stationed in various places, reaching the limit.
To squeeze out more from there, the deterioration of domestic security is visible.
Still, if the crowd is not stopped, the Kingdom itself might collapse.
The country will have to fight while cutting itself deeply.
"Probably, they can only manage to send out fifty thousand additional troops. Since last night, the Ministry of Military Affairs has been pulling all-nighters planning and issuing orders."
It seems they are using their wits to maintain domestic security as much as possible and minimize impact.
Mostly, they have already exhausted that.
The soldiers squeezed out this way are the ones currently sent to the Marquis Leventein domain, and the soldiers to be squeezed out next will directly lead to a labor shortage.
The Kingdom Army currently stationed in the Marquis Leventein domain is currently constructing simple bases using moats, earthen mounds, and palisades outside the defense wall.
They do not intend to waste this either, but the strategy seems to be shifting to construct them in front of the defense wall, temporarily interrupting the current work.
"Until now, we intended to whittle down a certain number on the other side of the defense wall and fight using defense tactics utilizing the wall. But with numbers this high, the defense wall will be breached."
It seems the policy has shifted to preparing for delaying operations inside the defense wall as well.
The calculation is that if they can delay even a little longer, the additional troops will arrive in time.
"Also, deploy as many mages as possible."
At Cranzard's words, Mika's heart skipped a beat for a moment.
Deploying almost all mages in the country for this one battle.
Exceptions are mages belonging to the Royal Palace and the Court Magic Institute.
They are planned to remain as the last reserve force.
"Combining the Kingdom Army, Domain Armies, and retired mages, nearly four thousand mages are registered in the military. It has been decided to summon even those registered in the reserves."
It seems the mobilization order for reserves has already been decided.
In other words, Salomrassa, the leader of Kaerya's party, seems to be subject to summons.
Mika involuntarily lowered his head.
Then, lifting his face with a heavy expression, he looked straight at Cranzard.
"What about the treatment of the academy students?"
The first and second years of the upper division are reserves.
Will everyone in the Leventein Group and even Cleiria be hunted out to the battlefield?
"...We are not thinking that far right now. But if the Marquis Leventein domain falls, we cannot speak such sweet words."
Mika closed his eyes and nodded slightly.
There is a part of himself that is slightly relieved.
If we stop them here, everyone can avoid being hunted out to the battlefield.
He originally intended that, but now there is one more reason he must win.
While Mika pondered with his eyes closed, Cranzard waited silently.
Mika slowly opened his eyes and made one proposal.
"I will reinforce the defense wall. Is that acceptable?"
"Reinforce?"
The crowd will swarm in a few weeks.
They looked suspicious, wondering what can be done starting now.
No matter how much one spot is reinforced, if they avoid it, it is useless.
It felt like they had no idea what he intended to do.
"I will raise the height of the defense wall. For now, up to double the current height."
"Double!?"
"What are you saying...!?"
Despite the Empire's interference, construction of the defense wall took sixteen years.
Doubling the height of that defense wall in just a few weeks is absolutely impossible.
"Even if you raise it partially, the effect will be thin?"
"Yes, that is why I will double the height of the entire wall."
"Hah... ah...?"
Mika's proposal was too meaningless to understand.
Cranzard froze, his face twitching.
Dedoderic, who was similarly surprised, quickly adopted a serious expression.
"...Is that truly possible?"
"I will manage somehow."
That was all he could say.
It was a line he often used when given unreasonable schedules in his previous world.
It was a response often used when he could not definitively say "I can do it."
I really did a lot of rush jobs just to meet 'mandatory requirements'.
He wrote patchwork programs thinking, "As long as the requirements are met!"
While thinking, "My own program is terrible."
It is nostalgic.
"Is that all for the discussion?"
When Mika asked that, Dedoderic nodded.
Looking toward Cranzard, Cranzard nodded with a look of being stunned, whether he understood or not.
"Then, since time is precious, I will take my leave."
Mika stood up immediately and left the Royal Castle.
Reinforcing the thirty-kilometer defense wall.
There are various things to consider, including the methods.
Above all, he cannot do this without the Marquis Leventein's permission.
He must talk, devise a method, and create endlessly.
"Still, I have to do it."
Mika went to the Information Broker Guild's window first to talk to Lebrantes.
Thus, he began working on reinforcing the defense wall.
He spoke with the leader of the Domain Army's engineers, a carpenter master type of old man, whom he consulted with when providing materials for the defense wall before.
When Mika arrived at the defense wall, the news had already been conveyed from the Minister of Military Affairs to the Kingdom Army, and through the Kingdom Army to the Domain Army.
Thanks to the communication devices installed, the conversation proceeded very smoothly.
"...If it is like this, I can save trouble, so it is quick."
"Okay. That is sufficient. Apostle-sama, please make stones as much as you can. We will make the walls to block arrows and projectiles."
Since he cannot make thirty kilometers worth, it seems they must make them in a portable form.
If there were time, they could build walls to hide behind on top of the stone wall, but now the stone wall is the top priority.
They climb a ladder placed on the existing defense wall and go up to the stone wall Mika made.
There, they line up shields and shoot bows, or mages attack with [God's Miracle].
The way to fight on the defense wall is decided to be like this.
Originally, they planned to fight in a similar way on the defense wall.
Now, they will do it from a slightly higher position.
Using the completed area, they conduct impromptu training on fighting methods.
With a training period of a few weeks, they must get used to unit deployment and such.
If there were time, they decided to build stairs in several places.
Ladders are easily broken, so having proper stairs would be better.
In this manner, they simply continued to make stones.
Make, place on the ground. Make, stack on the stones.
The defense wall has gates, but those were also to be blocked with the stones Mika made.
First, fight with the defense wall, whittling down the number of the crowd.
If this defense wall is also breached, deploy units at that location and try to hold back the intruders.
This time, even if a hole is opened, Mika can rush over and block it again.
While the deployed units hold back inside the defense wall, placing stones again will stop the inflow of intruders.
Even if some intrude, stopping the inflow is sufficient for the soldiers to handle.
The strategy was to fight with the defense wall as much as possible and whittle down the numbers until repair by Mika becomes impossible.
Also, the Kingdom Army is installing a communication command room and laying communication device antennas.
This is to install communication devices every three kilometers of the defense wall and notify the communication command room of damage situations.
Reports go from various locations to the communication command room, and requests for defense wall repair come from the command room to Mika.
Even if multiple locations are damaged, they consider nearby locations and places with severe damage requiring urgent repair, instructing Mika accordingly.
In any case, to reduce [our] Kingdom's casualties, utilizing the defense wall thoroughly is the best method.
If the goal is to minimize casualties, Mika killing everyone is one method.
But Mika has no intention of killing twenty million people alone and ending it.
If the country intends to use Mika, Mika will use the country.
If we fight together, we can join hands. But if we are told to fight alone while doing nothing ourselves, "Which side should I fight?" one might hesitate a bit.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince seems to understand Mika's nature well and does not order things that would make Mika snap.
While thinking such things and diligently making stones, he saw a messenger horse galloping.
It seems the messenger has business with Mika.
He is waving his hand toward them.
"Apostle-samaaa!"
There is still some distance, but he could hear Mika being called.
Mika tilted his head and flew toward the messenger.
"Apostle-sama!"
"What is it?"
That messenger was a knight of the Kingdom Army.
"We have received a communication. Please come to the Kingdom Army garrison immediately."
"Communication? Garrison...?"
If the communication came from someone at the Kingdom Army garrison, the matter would be settled at the defense wall's communication device.
The fact that he must go to the Kingdom Army garrison means it is the direct line to the Minister of Military Affairs?
And this messenger is probably the communication officer at the defense wall.
It is likely the message was passed from the Minister of Military Affairs to the Kingdom Army garrison, and from the garrison to the defense wall's communication officer.
"Is it from the Minister of Military Affairs?"
He asked that, but it seems the communication partner is not the Minister of Military Affairs.
The messenger knight shook his head.
"No, it is not the Minister of Military Affairs. It is from someone named Chirensta."
"............Huh?"
For some reason, Chirensta of the Adventurer Guild had used the army's communication device to contact Mika.