Chapter 403 - Episode 386: The Line
The commotion regarding the wrongful arrest of a common human by beastmen at the restaurant quickly spread as a rumor throughout the capital city of Noeina, bringing about negative effects.
Common humans felt anxious that they might be suspected as the culprit if they made a clumsy remark or action, while beastmen became paranoid that any of the surrounding common humans might be the culprit of the series of incidents, and the atmosphere within the capital became further fraught with tension.
However, at the very least, it had not reached a state where beastmen and common humans were decisively clashing. Everyone had lived in this land for several years, and the long-term residents for over ten years, so everyone had acquaintances and friends of different races, and the majority of such pairs continued to maintain good relationships.
Even so, there were more scenes where conversations between members of different races became awkward, or people would unconsciously step away when passing an unknown person of a different race, or beastmen would stop entering shops where many common humans were sitting, and vice versa; compared to the peaceful capital until now, an unsettling atmosphere drifted.
Then, one week after the commotion at the restaurant, an incident occurred where a common human walking the night roads was attacked by someone and beaten, sustaining injuries.
The victim testified, "I couldn't see the face in the darkness, but I could tell from the shadow that they had beast ears," and rumors quickly spread again that it was an indiscriminate retaliation against common humans by agitated beastmen.
Those rumors pushed the awkward distance between the races one step further.
"...Sigh."
One day, several days later. Having finished the day's work, Noein left his office and entered the living room, plopping down onto the sofa and sighing with a tired face. Beside him, Matilda leaned in with a worried expression.
And Clara, who had also returned home after finishing her work as the principal of the Grand Ducal Noeina High School, sat on the opposite side of Matilda and gently squeezed Noein's hand.
"Dear, you seem exhausted."
"It is a bit much, as expected. In a place where overt conflict between races hadn't occurred until now, to have a commotion of this scale... this is the first time I've dealt with such a problem, so I'm lost on how to handle it."
Being flanked by the women he loved, Noein let out a faint, bitter smile.
The military was doing well. Although there was some confusion within the capital, it had not reached a state where public order decisively collapsed. That was thanks to the military putting effort into patrols within the capital.
The investigation into the series of incidents was also continuing. Several weeks had passed since the first incident. No concrete results had emerged yet, but in the first place, the military was not an investigative agency and lacked the know-how to deal with such delicate and complex incidents. Personnel were also limited.
Preventing crises approaching from outside the territory was the military's original job, and keeping the people's hearts calm was the job of Noein as the sovereign. That was precisely why he had strived to gain the love and trust of the people and had explained his thoughts with benevolence, but perhaps that too had not been perfect.
He believed he had put in his utmost effort, but he was still lacking in power. When he thought that, he couldn't help but feel discouraged.
"Father, are you okay?"
"Philia, Father is having a hard time with work. Comfort him."
Just then, Philia, who was nearly two years old, approached while toddling along, and Eleos also arrived while supporting her walking.
"Thank you both for worrying about me. Just having you two with me takes away my fatigue."
Noein's expression softened as he scooped up Philia, and Eleos climbed onto the sofa by himself.
"Father, why are there people who say cruel things or bully others just because their races are different?"
Eleos asked with an innocent expression. Regarding the incidents recently occurring in the capital Noeina, he had been told about them concisely, partly for the purpose of his education.
"That's true. For you and the others who were born and raised in this land, Eleos, it probably doesn't feel very real... but the Grand Duchy of Arqvist was part of the Kingdom of Lordberg until a short while ago. In the Kingdom of Lordberg, they place great importance on appearance. Common humans and beastmen, who look different, are considered different creatures."
In reality, there were more complex and deep-rooted circumstances, but Eleos, who was six years old this year, could not understand all of it. Therefore, Noein intentionally spoke in simplified terms.
"For example, in our home, we keep beasts—horses, cows, pigs, chickens—and treat them differently than humans, right? There are people who think it's okay to treat beastmen who have beast ears in that way. Even if few people are that extreme, many common humans think that since humans are smarter and greater than beasts, it's okay to make fun of beastmen who look slightly closer to beasts than they do."
Even after hearing Noein's words, Eleos didn't seem to quite grasp it. Having seen a society since birth where beastmen, starting with Matilda, were treated the same as common humans, he seemed unable to fully swallow the deep-rooted discriminatory feelings toward beastmen in the Kingdom of Lordberg.
"I think that kind of thinking is not good, and I tell the people that too. Even so, many of the people, especially the adults, were originally born and raised in the Kingdom of Lordberg. For people who were taught from birth that it's okay to make fun of beastmen, it takes time to change all of those thoughts."
He didn't know if his explanation was sufficient for Eleos, but Noein concluded it for now.
"...Father, why do people make fun of or bully other people?"
"Ahaha, that is surely a question so difficult that no one in the world can answer it."
Surely no matter how great a king, and perhaps even a god, would not have a perfect answer to Eleos's question. Noein smiled wryly while thinking this.
.....
The situation decisively worsened several days later.
Whether as retaliation for the attack on the common human by beastmen, this time an incident occurred where a beastman walking the night roads alone was attacked.
Judging by the situation at the scene, the victim was likely punched in the face and pushed strongly. Because they were an elderly person over sixty years old, they seemingly couldn't react immediately, and unfortunately fell backward onto the cobblestone ground—hitting their head poorly and losing their life.
"...Is it this room?"
"Yes. We did everything we could, but by the time they were brought to the clinic, they were already unconscious and the heart had stopped... I am very sorry."
The old doctor Selfers, who was the director, answered Noein, who had personally visited the victim who had been brought to the Grand Ducal Noeina Clinic.
"No, there is no need for you to apologize, Selfers-sensei. This is... my responsibility for not being able to prevent the situation from worsening to this point."
He had lost one of his beloved people, a citizen who loved him. He had let a citizen who was not supposed to die today die. That fact now weighed heavily on Noein's heart.
When he entered the room where the body was placed, there was the son and daughter-in-law with whom the victim had lived, and a boy who was the victim's grandson.
Because the sovereign had arrived, the bereaved family hurriedly stood up and tried to bow their heads.
"Please stay relaxed. Sorry for intruding."
Noein stopped them with his hand and faced the victim's body. He closed his eyes before the body, clasped his hands, and offered a prayer.
Then, opening his eyes, he turned toward the bereaved family.
"Confusion arose within the capital Noeina, and he passed away after being caught up in that confusion. This is my responsibility as the sovereign. I am truly sorry."
"N-no, for Noein-sama to apologize is..."
Noein placed his hand on the shoulder of the victim's son, who was bowing his head repeatedly while feeling terribly overwhelmed.
"I believe your father also felt regret for losing his life in such a manner. I will certainly clear his regret. I will resolve this situation as quickly as possible and eliminate the discord currently occurring within the capital. I will reclaim the Grand Duchy of Arqvist where everyone living in this land—common humans, demi-humans, and you beastmen—can live in peace. I promise you."
"...Thank you, Noein-sama."
The victim's son answered while shedding tears, and Noein directed a gentle smile toward him.
.....
"...The situation has crossed a line. A citizen, my precious subject, has died. This is no longer just theft, graffiti, or harassment. I cannot forgive the person who caused this incident, the person who caused the series of incidents that became the trigger for discord."
In the mansion's conference room, Noein spoke thus before several subordinates who had been urgently summoned. His tone was calm, but his gaze was cold.
"We must calm the situation immediately. We must find the culprit of the series of incidents and bring peace back to the Grand Duchy of Arqvist. For that, I will do my utmost as the sovereign. I ask for all of your cooperation. Making the response to this situation the highest priority, I want you to investigate from your respective perspectives, from every possible angle."
At Noein's words, Yuri and Pence, who were in charge of maintaining public order in the capital Noeina, Mai, Edgar, and Kenooze, who managed the people from their respective positions, Anna and Christy, who oversaw the country's internal affairs, and Bart, the person responsible for information gathering, each nodded.
"If there is anything necessary for the investigation, I want you to tell me anything. Personnel, authority, and the time allowance from normal duties to prioritize the investigation—I will grant all of it as much as possible... Well then, I leave it to you."
"""Ha!"""
"""Yes!"""
The military officers responded with salutes and the civil officers with bows, and an investigation utilizing the full power of the Grand Ducal House of Arqvist began.
Allocating personnel and time with an intensity that pushed non-urgent normal duties to the back, and with people moving back and forth between various ministries, a major breakthrough was seen a week later.