After having finally returned, I stood there for a while taking in Sacula’s air. It was a splendid feeling, to say the least. It felt like I had been completely reborn. I’m happy. This is where I belong. I’ll do my best so I can continue living here.
“All right, as the first order of business, I’ll explain what’s happening in the Yanga region,” I said to Amin, who was leading the servants who had supported me in the royal palace. As always, as head maid, Amin nodded in response as their representative.
“Yes, we have gotten tired of waiting. We would like to begin work as soon as possible.”
“You know I won’t let you give up even if you cry, right?” I teased.
“I am looking forward to that. I am known as ‘the girl who has never cried since birth,’ so I would like to know what tears taste like. I have heard they are quite salty,” Amin responded. I smiled and the other servants giggled. At the royal palace, they often wore no expressions on their faces, but they had started to smile and express themselves more freely here in Sacula.
“All right, the areas from the Yanga region’s capital all the way up until the Sacula border were all destroyed by demons. The chaos has only been exacerbated by those fleeing the attack—there’s been a lot of man-made destruction as well,” I explained using a map that Maika had prepared. “Sacula has dispatched a small military unit to the region to aid refugees leaving and to deal with bandits. They’ve been a lot more meticulous about it since my arrival here.”
“Is that because they plan to enter the territory?”
“Right now, Sacula, along with other regions within the Frontier Alliance, are just barely holding it together. Since their populations suddenly increased, it really has their hands tied.” Simply because it’s a large stretch of land, distributing food and commodities has been very difficult. This had been discussed countless times in the royal capital, and having experienced it firsthand in Sacula, Amin and the others had a good understanding of the situation at hand.
“In other words, we want to solve the overpopulation problem and improve the general flow of goods. I assume that the flow from Sacula stagnating is particularly a problem.”
“Exactly. Ash has been wanting to take action for a while now, but we were unable to without permission from a Yanga viscount. That’s why it has gone on for so long,” I responded.
“In that case, that is your first task, Your Excellency Viscountess Yanga.”
“Gladly.” I was able to crush one of Ash’s problems with this position alone. You could say that I was born for this, but I was sure Ash would have me destroy many more obstacles in his path in the future. “Of course, I approve of all of Ash’s plans. We will first begin by returning some refugees to the areas that sustained the least damage.”
“Relative to the rest of it, of course,” Amin clarified.
“Indeed.” We could discount the villages that had been entirely obliterated, but we could find some compromises. Hopefully, we could find some regions that had already been settled by people other than bandits. “As you are all aware, it will be dangerous to relocate. Sacula has promised to send supplies and aid, and we needn’t worry about protection as they will deal with the demons and bandits. Regardless, we will have a lot of work ahead of us.” We still had to do it.
The reason Sacula had been carrying such a large burden all this time was due to the troubles within the royal family. The remote regions had absolutely nothing to do with it. Of course, the residents of the Yanga territory were at a severe disadvantage. I had come here to take on the debt.
“As the new Viscountess Yanga, I will make every effort to...” Wait, Ash and Count Sacula didn’t just make every effort. In fact, they went to absolutely every extreme that they could. “I would like to thank the people of Sacula for putting everything on the line to help me, even though they were struggling all the same. I will ignite my soul and body in order to help our people, the people of the Yanga region.”
“I am not sure we can agree with you setting yourself on fire, but we get it. I take it you have a plan?” Amin asked. As expected. She really does know me well.
“The people of Sacula, nobles and civilians alike, are exceptionally close. Do you know why?”
“Yes, I had heard the tales many times back at the Sacula manor, as well as here in Sacula. It’s because of the first Count Sacula, right?”
“Yeah. On the land upon which Sacula now stands, he used to sleep outside with the other settlers, sharing the same warmth from the campfire, and eating from the same pot. It’s the first story you’re told when you first arrive here.” I personally loved that story. No matter who told it, whether it was a drunk in a pub, a soldier, a knight, a maid, or even the acting count himself—they all told it with a smile. I loved that. “I want to bring that sort of pride to the Yanga region.”
“I see. This is another task for you as the new viscountess.” Amin had seemingly worked out how much work was going to follow, raising her shoulders slightly.
“Giving up already?” I asked her, laughing. “I’m not going to let you escape, though.”
“It seems I need to learn about encampments.” Amin wasn’t so easily discouraged. “I guess it would be best to ask the military first?” She was once again quick on the uptake.
Now that I had received confirmation from the maids that they would be willing to help out, next up was to attend a meeting at the Sacula administrative building to explain my plans to the count. Since they would be granting us supplies as well as military strength, I had to be modest with my request now that I was no longer a princess—or so I thought.
“And? I want to hear what you’ve got planned!” Maika said excitedly. She was my good friend—wait, I guess she was family now. Family, family... As I glanced around the room, my dear “brother” Itsuki, who was sitting in the highest-ranking seat, was smiling. Rihn also wore a gentle smile. Ash had his hands placed on the table and was looking at me earnestly, also eager to know more. Here, I had regained what I had lost, or rather, what I’d never had. I should be a bit more serious. I’m supposed to be working. I was the one here with a request, however, the people I was asking were close to me—I felt very relaxed. This was reflected in my speech.
“Well, Lady Maika, Lady Alicia. As we are receiving support from the Frontier Alliance, ensuring we can get the residents back home to the Yanga territory is now our biggest problem. I believe it is an issue of morale.” Ash was responding so formally, so I puffed up my cheeks and glared at him. “Why are you looking at me like that? We are in a meeting, so it is normal to speak like this, right?”
“Yes, but if Maika and I can speak casually to each other, you can too.” Ash was still being very formal with me, and it made me feel distant from him.
“Alicia, don’t worry about it too much. Let’s continue,” Ash finally responded.
“Hm, okay. If you say so, Ash.” Everyone but Ash laughed in response.
“Sorry, I got a little distracted. Um, as I was saying, it is a problem of morale.” Due to the damage, there were no supplies to start cultivating food, and our destination was getting less safe. The Frontier Alliance would continue to send supplies to the point of bankruptcy, but they had to be wary.
The ever-growing number of refugees had become a major force. If the refugees had sporadically moved to different territories, they would be treated as simple bandits, however, if they were to form a large force, it would be difficult to subjugate them even if we were to mobilize our armies. We would be able to still keep receiving resources until we fully restored the region.
Next, we were going to borrow soldiers from Sacula to deal with the bandits. We would only be sending small groups of refugees to the Yanga territory at first, so the military detachments wouldn’t have too hard a time escorting them. But neither Sacula nor the Frontier Alliance could provide the people of Yanga with the most important thing—the courage to take their first step and the guts to stand their ground. That was my job.
“Our destination is a desecrated no-man’s-land. If there are survivors, it is safe to assume they have turned to banditry in order to survive. No ordinary person would be able to survive there otherwise—they’d have to fend off bandits, rebuild homes, and cultivate desecrated fields.”
Life in the refugee ward waiting on the next round of food distribution was no doubt easier. It was human nature to choose the path of least resistance. I wonder how much passion I’ll have to ignite in them to avoid that. I understood how difficult it was. I knew how difficult it was to keep the flame burning within me while I was in the royal capital separated from Ash. If he hadn’t saved me in the end, I wondered how I would have turned out. I let out a cold sigh as I imagined it. Yeah, as much as it sucks, I had become like that too back then. Even if I did manage to get the refugees back to the Yanga region, it would be the same outcome. Their willpower and pride that had carried them this far would eventually be washed away by the wind and rain the longer things went on, even if they knew that one day they would be able to go home.
“Those returning to the Yanga territory will face countless setbacks every day, and they’ll go to bed every night feeling like they’re making no progress. Those who can withstand that are great, but if we are to create a territory of only people who can already withstand hardship, then there is no reason for them to even have a leader.” My gaze naturally shifted over to a certain capable red-haired individual. “But if we make sure there are hearths that can keep people warm at night, and lights that let them see familiar faces, more will be able to find a life for themselves there.” I can empathize. It was thanks to Ash reigniting my flame back then that I could now light the way for others. Nothing could extinguish my drive as long as Ash was here. “I plan to set an example for them.” I bring back the light to the cold and dark region. “I’ll head to the Yanga region ahead of its civilians. I’ll start with a village. As I plan to live there, that will make it the Yanga region’s first capital.”
“Its first capital...” Maika repeated after me.