Post-War Business
“Why-y-y didn’t you invite meee?!”
“Eeek!”
One day when Mitsuha was back on Earth, she received a call on her smartphone that the captain set up for her. The voice on the other end was howling furiously.
Only a few people know this phone number and email address… Who could─oh!
“H-Hi…”
It was the senior academic she recently met with.
He continued to yell, “I heard all about it from an acquaintance who works for the government! You were collecting samples in the other world with some mercenaries?! Why didn’t you bring me along?!”
So it was the sampling that caught his attention, not the battle. I guess asking for his contacts and then ignoring him until I need him is pretty rude. There’s probably nothing a scholar like him would rather do with his time than collect samples for study… I feel bad.
“I’m sorry!” blurted Mitsuha. “I chose not to invite you because it was a combat mission. I couldn’t risk the life of one of humanity’s most important minds…”
“Oh… I-I see. I suppose I can’t argue with that.”
Mwahaha, that was easy!
Scholars were super amenable. All one had to do was compliment their accomplishments and their skill. That especially went for those who weren’t used to being praised. This man obviously had an esteemed reputation─he wouldn’t be receiving work from the government otherwise─but it was hard to imagine he was flattered frequently by the kind of people he often engaged with. Most of them were politicians and soldiers. His projects were government-related and confidential, so he couldn’t brag to anyone either.
Mitsuha hadn’t asked him for any favors yet, but she wanted to maintain their connection in case she needed his expertise in the future. She thought about compensating him somehow for acting as her advisor.
Hmm… What could I give him…
“I really am sorry. I promise I’ll make this up to you,” she pleaded.
“Good! I’m looking forward to it.”
They spent a little while chatting before they ended the call.
Maintaining contact with people is really important… Speaking of which, I haven’t met with the soldier boy in a while.
“Lady Mitsuha, I have a request for you,” proposed Princess Remia.
Mitsuha had been visiting the princess once every few days to make sure she was having no trouble with the aftermath of the war.
“You can stop calling me that now! The conflict is over, so I’m not here as the Lightning Archpriestess anymore.
“Anyway, is there a problem? You rejected all foreign assistance using the same excuse, right? ‘To show Dalisson’s appreciation to the Lightning Archpriestess for repelling the imperial army, we will respect her wishes regarding the peace treaty,’ was it? You didn’t have to pay them anything because I used Traversal to transport your messengers to every country before they dispatched their armies, right?”
Princess Remia answered, “Yes, I owe you for that… Thanks to your secret art, I was able to deliver the messages retracting the requests for reinforcements before any of the countries had started mobilizing their forces. Most were either still holding conferences to decide what to do or simply waiting to see how things played out. That means not a single country had come to a decision to help us and act on it. They wouldn’t be shameless enough to ask me for compensation. Some of the military authorities and nobles who’ve been wanting to bleed my country dry will make a fuss, but they only have themselves to blame for not sending aid quickly enough.”
That made sense. A royal family couldn’t do something so callous without it reflecting poorly on their country. A ruler always had to consider their nation’s image on a global scale. They wouldn’t dare ask for payment when they hadn’t even acted.
Dalisson didn’t send messengers requesting military assistance until after they confirmed that the empire had begun the invasion. Very little time had passed since any of the countries received the message. Mitsuha then jumped the messengers bearing the recall requests to each country, eliminating travel time completely. The countries hardly had any time to react to the first message. A few of them hadn’t even received said first message yet.
“Also, it’d be for the best that I continue to call you ‘Lady Mitsuha.’ There could be eyes and ears anywhere. It will only cause trouble if anyone were to see that I regard the Lightning Archpriestess, the savior of our country, as if she’s beneath me.”
Oh yeah… She’s got a point. Just a few days ago, she was a princess ruling in her father’s place, and I was just a viscountess. Clearly, she was someone of much higher rank. That battle the other day changed everything, though. I’m now “the Lightning Archpriestess and the savior of the kingdom” not just for Zegleus, but for Dalisson too…
Mitsuha had one question: “The empire’s currently as harmless as a hedgehog without any quills, and no foreign countries are in a position to interfere in your affairs. What could you possibly want from me? Is the empire already threatening to cause more trouble?”
“The thing is… I would like you to help me throw a victory celebration.”
“Whuh?”
According to the princess, the war ended before the majority of her citizens even knew it had begun, and that wouldn’t do anything to increase the popularity of the current administration.
Are you kidding me…
Only a small portion of the capital’s citizens witnessed the helicopters. The battle had zero witnesses. Even if the princess were to announce, “There was a war, we won,” no one would be convinced. Dalisson suffered no fatalities and gained no boon or territory from the empire─though the current peace talks could reward them with some indemnities.
While it was great that no one died, the villages within a day’s march of the border were sacked and the land where the clash occurred was devastated. To add insult to injury, Dalisson had to compensate Mitsuha for her assistance. The empire’s invasion was arranged out of desperation, so the Aldar Empire didn’t have much money or even food to offer as settlement. Some countries in this era of civilization would’ve forced them to pay reparations anyway, knowing people would starve, but Dalisson wasn’t that cruel.
“And that’s why I want to inform my people of what happened,” stated Princess Remia. “When they learn of the battle that occurred and celebrate our victory, it should increase my popularity. This way, I can ask for minimal indemnities from the empire─just enough to offset our rebuilding costs and payment to you─without upsetting the masses. In order to do that, I need to parade the divine soldiers and the Lightning Archpriestess to the public and implicitly send the message: ‘The Goddess saved us. Be grateful and don’t you dare complain.’ Besides, the people will want to thank the divine soldiers. They won’t stand for their heroic efforts fading into obscurity without proper celebration.”
I can’t argue with any of that. Part of her goal with this celebration is to keep the indemnities from the empire minimal so the civilians in the empire don’t starve. I have no choice but to help, huh…
“Got it. If that’s the reason, I’ll cooperate. I won’t charge you for this one,” Mitsuha said.
“Really?!” Princess Remia squealed, clasping her hands in front of her. Her eyes were practically shimmering.
Don’t let her manipulate you, Mitsuha! It’s all part of her act!