Of course, I didn’t expect the lords to be immediately swayed by my words. Words are wind. I’d have to light the way like Ash would. “I have a plan. No doubt those in Sacula are already thinking the same thing, but I don’t think that we will have to support the refugees for long.” Because we’re going to help rebuild the Yanga region. We’d already been planning for Viscount Yanga’s downfall, and our search was underway for his replacement. Things were worse now than we’d planned for at the time, but we were still prepared to lead an election for a new viscount, manipulating the process to our benefit.
“We don’t have to let every town and village perish just because they get attacked by demons. We can pick an area that was slightly damaged and rebuild it steadily. As the construction progresses, we can start to send refugees back. We will have to continue supplying them with goods, but once the refugees can reclaim a semblance of their lives back, it should become less and less of a burden.” I could understand wanting to look away from the danger laid before us. It was enough to drive you to despair. However, that didn’t mean we didn’t have hope. A dangerous path was laid before us, but if we just take it one step at a time, we’ll finally get to the end of it.
“Of course, it will be a burden for the Frontier Alliance. But I ask you to think ten, twenty years ahead. The Yanga territory’s population has shrunk, and multiple cities and villages have been left to ruin. It would take probably ten years to rebuild them, but if we withstand the hardship now, we’ll reap the rewards many decades from now.” In order to reap those rewards, it all depended on how we acted now. If we can tolerate the pain, and take a step forward, then we could keep working toward our end goal.
“The hardest part will last a year, at most two years... After that, we’ll be able to slowly taper off support. The future of a larger Frontier Alliance is waiting for us.” I could see the path we needed to walk. It wasn’t going to be easy. The light was dim, and the path was narrow and filled with obstacles. Nevertheless... “It’s not impossible. This may just sound like a fantasy, but it can be made reality. And for that reason, it’s paramount that we work together.”
I wonder if my words will reach them and illuminate the darkness. I wonder if I’m lighting the way, just like Ash would. I looked around the room at the attendees. They were all older than me and rich with experience. They no doubt once had the same hopes that they felt they had to give up on.
“Your Highness Princess Alicia.” Someone had responded, but then it was followed by laughter.
“Why, if you had let me know in advance you would put on such a performance, I would have lent you a hand.” It was the Nepton officer. Moments before, she was also loudly declaring her own stance, but she couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
“A wonderful speech. You gave an overview of the plan, and then showed what we have to gain. Not to mention, delivered with such fiery passion of which we in the Frontier Alliance are very fond. I’ve not been so dampened by these central regions that I am unable to get fired up by the right speech,” said the Nepton officer.
Theirs was a region where the sea breeze blew ferociously. They must be used to walking straight into a storm.
“All right. As the monkey god once said, ‘cooperation is the best cane, and if you are to walk a long path, you will be needing a robust one,’” continued the Nepton officer. “The House of Nepton will become Your Highness’s and the Frontier Alliance’s cane, and we will support you on this path for many more years to come.” She delivered a similarly elegant speech to my own.
I made sure to include the words “Frontier Alliance” to put pressure on the others. I was more or less implying that if anyone was to back down now, it would put the whole alliance at a disadvantage. It was easy to tell that I had ignited some passion into the room, rekindling the fire in their hearts. It was time to walk the path no one else in the kingdom had ever walked—the path to saving the Yanga refugees.
At the same time, I felt the weight of responsibility. Who knew how much damage this would cause for other people? My stomach was in knots and I felt like running away. Aah, Ash always managed to keep smiling even when he had to carry a similar kind of responsibility. I can’t run away. The more I learn about you, and the more I try to keep up with you, the more I fall for you. I smiled as I felt the flame within me blaze anew.
Now that I had set the Frontier Alliance into action, next up was the central regions. Although it was happening far away, there was still a large horde of demons. Even the central region lords who had enjoyed one hundred years of peace had to acknowledge how dangerous the demons were, and although they weren’t in a rush to act, they did want to be kept up to date on the situation.
However, there had been no information from the epicenter—the Yanga region. The central region lords had tried to squeeze it out of Count Gentoh, but the problem was that he absolutely despised them. When summoned to a royal banquet in the past, he claimed that he was busy and that he couldn’t stand the central region nobles anyway. One time, they tried to get their wives and consorts to interrogate Gentoh’s wife at a tea party—but it turned out he was single!
If the central lords were going that far to get info out of Gentoh, then it was likely them who had persuaded the king to hold this meeting. He had called for a royal council meeting. The Count of Sacula only accepted it on his duty as a noble.
“So, why is Alicia here?” asked the crown prince who was seated to the right of the king.
“His Excellency Count Sacula invited me to be here due to my familiarity with the ongoing events in the remote regions. I plan to just give my insight where needed. His Majesty also gave me permission to be here, Your Highness Prince Albert.” My brother continued to be condescending even in official meetings, so I responded by being overly formal with him. Honestly, it was tiring.
I wonder if it bothered him that the princess who up to now had no place in politics—or rather, was unable to have such a place—had now earned enough authority to be able to attend a royal council meeting. After all, I was second in the line of succession after Albert, so it probably did bother him to some extent. Even then, he had been given a seat on the right side of the king, clearly signifying his position as heir, and yet he was still wary of me finally getting an invitation, even just as an informant. If it were Ash, he would have welcomed me with a smile, keen to hear more. I guess Ash is just of a different caliber. Though, could I really say that? Ash seemed to enjoy just about anything, so I don’t think “caliber” is the right word here.
While my thoughts wandered back to Sacula once again, Count Gentoh sluggishly rose to his feet and gave his report.
“First of all, I would like to dismiss the notion that the Sacula army has trespassed onto Yanga’s territory. My report today concerns specifically what is happening in Sacula’s territory. We’ve received information regarding the situation in Yanga’s territory from the refugees and our envoys who met with Viscount Yanga before the werewolf attack. I have already—”
Albert interrupted before Count Gentoh could finish. “What was that group of envoys doing?”
“I have already reported this to His Majesty,” Count Gentoh replied, giving him a bothered look. He was clearly thinking, “Weren’t you in that meeting?”
“In recent years, there has been an influx of residents from Yanga’s region fleeing to Sacula. Due to repeated threats, we simply sent the envoys as a warning and to ask them to keep in line. Is that explanation acceptable?” It was apparent from Count Gentoh’s tone of voice that he wasn’t pleased.