Chapter 3 – Story 104: Verbal Message (Last)
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“If you think so, isn’t it fine to just say it?”
Shyemul commented nonchalantly.
“Say what!?”
“That it’s no good. You can simply scold him to do things better.”
For an instant Ponpius didn’t understand what she was telling him.
“Scold him?”
Shyemul nodded at his reaffirming question.
“Correct. You can even hit him, if it doesn’t seem like he’s reflecting on it, despite your scolding.”
“W-What!?”
Ponpius raised his voice in hysteria, unable to cope with what he was told. Seeing that, Shyemul proudly threw out her chest.
“Indeed. Isn’t it normal to get scolded and beaten, if you do something bad? Moreover, when it comes to my Navel Master’s habit of going berserk, he’s worse than the rascals of my clan. That’s why I’m always at his side. I must make sure that he doesn’t do anything bad.”
Ponpius was flabbergasted. While he was being scared about the possibility of the Divine Son of Destruction destroying the world as he knew it, Shyemul was treating that very same Divine Son of Destruction as a little brat, who needed constant supervision.
At that moment, he heard someone snorting in laughter. Once Ponpius directed his eyes towards the source, he saw Solon, who had been silently listening thus far, roaring in laughter as he couldn’t hold it back any longer.
This, however, allowed Ponpius to regain some of his composure and he reconsidered things. He felt that there was truth to be found in Shyemul’s worth, even if they sounded a bit rough around the edges.
It’s not like I need to readily accept everything about a matter, just because I accepted it once. If I find something strange, I can simply point it out. If I believe something is wrong, I can voice it out. And if a mistake is made, it just needs to be corrected.
Of course, such things are impossible for a nation that’s built on the principles of absolute monarchy and divine rights. For a country, where the ruler is perfect in every regard because his words are absolute, it’d be lese majesty to point out any mistakes or opposing views. But, in a country where everyone is equal, as advocated by the Divine Son of Destruction, these rules do not apply. Anyone can point out the mistakes he as the ruler makes, and it’s probably possible to make him amend those mistakes.
For me to be told this by a zoan is beyond unexpected.
Ponpius felt ashamed from the bottom of his heart for having considered the zoan to be nothing but vulgar barbarians, who only care about hunting day in and out.
But, as a matter of fact, you could also say that Shyemul’s thinking was only possible because the zoan were wandering the plains while doing nothing but hunting. If you exclude exceptions like the Mane Clan and the Tail Clan, a hunters’ race like the zoan would always choose the strongest and most skillful warrior to serve as their chief, instead of relying on lineage or duels. They simply didn’t have the leeway to approve of an incompetent leader when leading the lives of hunters where you couldn’t reliably procure food at all times.
Because of that, the zoan chose their leader based on the question whether that person could be entrusted with the clan’s and their own destiny. And if that person made a big mistake, the zoan would need to punish that person by their own hands.
The zoan of the plains were also the ones who had punished Rankaka, the origin of the proverb 「Rankaka’s Mistake」, who had brought suffering and pain to the people, even though he intended to do good. In other words, the zoan used a perfect, democratic system revolving around a doctrine of capability. This was also the very reason why they were able to accept Souma, a human from another world.
Noticing how the look in Ponpius’s eyes changed as he stared at her, Shyemul averted her eyes and said, “Besides, many say he’s a scary person, but in reality he isn’t anyone as exaggerated as that to begin with. Even I with a heart as tolerant as the plains sometimes find myself wondering whether it was really a good idea to have made a pathetic guy like that my Navel Master.”
She very likely became embarrassed while seriously answering Ponpius.
But, unable to allow being made fun of in such a way any longer, Souma raised his voice in protest, “Hey, Shyemul, so far as it goes, I believe possessing some honor and dignity is important for me as well.”
Shyemul snorted at Souma’s objection, “Did you have any of that in the first place? Just the other day you cried to Pipi with a pale face that General Darius was coming and that all was lost.”
Being blamed for having become sick out of unnecessary worry because he thought General Darius had come to lead Holmea’s army, Souma protested with his cheeks blushing from shame, “I definitely didn’t cry to Pipi.”
“Really? Even at night you were unable to fall asleep while whining that General Darius was coming to defeat us all, weren’t you?”
He didn’t recall having said anything so pathetic, but it was a fact that he couldn’t sleep at night out of anxiety. Looking mortified, Souma fell silent as he couldn’t find any way to talk back to Shyemul.
“Do you mind me asking something?” Ponpius interrupted the banter between Souma and Shyemul, “What did she mean by Darius was coming?”
After hesitating for a moment, Souma answered, “General Darius came up with the plan at the Labian’s ferry point, didn’t he?”
Ponpius was unable to reply right away because Souma had accurately guessed what they had tried to hide. Seeing his speculation confirmed by Ponpius’s behavior, Souma went on, “It wasn’t just the plan at the Labian’s ferry point either. I’m well aware that General Darius has taken various steps to hinder us.”
Souma suddenly looked in the distance.
“I was scared. General Darius was truly terrifying. That also has been true five years ago. Back then I just managed to win by chance thanks to getting lucky on several occasions. And yet, General Darius was put under house arrest…just what was King Warius thinking!?”
Afterwards, Souma started a fervent speech about how foolish a judge King Warius was, how many measures Darius took for the sake of Holmea despite being treated in such a humiliating manner, and how much he and his allies had to suffer because of all those measures, while furiously swinging his fists.
“Even now it’s the same! Why wasn’t he given the command over the army slated to repel Romania, now that we were proven to be a genuine threat to Holmea!? He has the achievement of having repelled Romania’s invasions many times over up until now and it was General Darius who foresaw that we’d become a threat to Holmea! At the very least, General Darius would have been the much better choice than King Warius, who had no battle experience, right!? No, it’s impolite to even compare General Darius to someone like that! So what was King Warius thinking anyway…!?”
Souma was so vexed that you’d think he was talking about something related to him.
“This is why I decided to move like this! I knew that foolish king would definitely lose! Holmea is going to perish! And because I was convinced of that, I chose this move as my next!”
It wasn’t just Souma’s sympathy for a tragic hero――a character trait of the Japanese people who sympathize with those fallen in disgrace or being burdened by misfortune――but also his modern feeling of sportsmanship that extolled the good performance of the loser. As such, this was a very normal statement for Souma.
But, in a world, where victory meant everything and where the winner would be praised wide and far while the loser would be shunned and scorned, this statement was unbelievable. Just that lone stabbed Adomius of the Black Wall deep in the heart.
Everyone and their dog had continued to ridicule and pity Darius as he continued to warn them about the threat the Divine Son of Destruction posed. And because Darius had been so famous up until then, crafty people had swarmed to Darius as he lay on the ground, like maggots would befall decaying flesh, and started to blame him for his mistakes as if they’d have done better in his shoes.
For the officers and men of the Black Wall, who adored General Darius above all, this was as painful and agonizing as if having their own bodies sliced up.
Yet, here stood a man who approved of General Darius to such an extent. Moreover, it was the same man whom General Darius had acknowledged as the worst opponent of his life.
Adomius reflexively wiped his eyes because they’d become teary out of passion.
For the Divine Son of Destruction, Darius has been an enemy with whom he exchanged intense blows and who became an obstacle that tried to put as many stones in his way as possible. And yet, he not only evaluates his opponent very highly, but he also values his abilities and laments Darius’s misfortune. I would have never expected that.
At that moment, the voice of his best friend played back in Ponpius’s head.
『In case someone should appear in front of you, asking some unexpected things about me, I would like you to pass on a message to them』
Those were the words Darius left Ponpius at their final parting.
Oh, now I understand!
Now, at this very moment, Ponpius was convinced.
“Darius has entrusted me with a message for you.”
Souma became wary as the name of someone unexpected cropped up.
“General Darius did?”
“Yes. He didn’t say that it was for you, but I don’t think I’m wrong about it,” Ponpius explained, and after taking a short breath, he recited what he had been told, “『I shall go ahead and wait for you while leading the strongest army corps I created. Come at me after you have assembled a perfect army as well. And then we will decide who’s the stronger one once again』.”
At the same time as Ponpius spoke those words, an illusion appeared in front of Souma for just an instant. An old general, reminding one of an aged lion, stood proud with tens of thousands Holmean soldiers, including heavy spear infantrymen in black armor, in his back.
It was impossible for Souma to know this, but strangely it resembled the illusion which Darius had seen during his final moments.
Souma smiled bitterly, “Whoa, what a way to warn someone.”
“Hmm? What’s that about stabbing a nail?”
Shyemul curiously asked Souma about the idiom she had never heard him use before.
“Umm, it’s about making sure that things don’t go wrong or badly, I’d say?”
“I see. In that case, it sounds like the 『Always make sure to have a contract written out twice』 which us used by the humans around here.”
It was a proverb distinctive of Holmea, which bordered Jeboa with its powerful merchant guild. But, ultimately this was just a human proverb. As such, Souma admired Shyemul for knowing it.
“Hoh, I’m amazed that you know if it, Shyemul.”
“Hehen~ I have been learning all sorts of knowledge recently.”
Once Shyemul proudly pushed out her chest, the corners of Souma’s mouth started to twitch. Watching the exchange between those two, Ponpius made another guess.
Darius mentioned that the Divine Son of Destruction isn’t the sort of person who would attack if he wasn’t prepared so well that he could guarantee victory. If he knew that, there shouldn’t have been any need to deliberately tell the Divine Son of Destruction to come at him after assembling a perfect army. Yet, he did so on purpose. And, considering the current situation, the simplest method for the Divine Son of Destruction to strengthen his own military force would be to absorb Holmea.
In that case, the intent behind Darius’s message is very clear: He’d like the Divine Son of Destruction to accept Holmea, if it offered its surrender.
To Ponpius that sounded very much like something Darius would think of.
“Bloody hell, that stubborn old fool…there are limits to meddling in other people’s affairs…”
It was impossible for Darius, who had made up his mind to sacrifice himself for King Warius as loyal retainer of Holmea, to suggest something like surrender to the Divine son of Destruction. Even so, he had left this message with Ponpius for the unlikely event that Ponpius would choose to surrender to the Divine Son of Destruction. Moreover, his talk about waiting for him with an army in the netherworld was obviously a warning that he wouldn’t allow the Divine Son of Destruction to treat Holmea badly after it surrendered.
It gives me the urge to smile bitterly, even without being the Divine Son of Destruction. And I also think it’d be fine to surrender to someone who’s able to realize those feelings of Darius, Ponpius assessed.
Even so, I cannot help but to feel scared about entrusting this country to the Divine Son of Destruction, an alien element in this world. But, Ponpius cast a fleeting glance at Souma and Shyemul, back when Solon led me to this place, he said he wanted to introduce me to the 「two of them」, not just the 「Divine Son of Destruction」.
I see. If it’s those two, things might work out one way or the other. As long it’s those two, and not just the Divine Son of Destruction.
“Sir Soma Kisaki,” Ponpius lowered his bald head deeply, “Holmea shall surrender to you. I will do whatever it takes to persuade Her Highness Princess Warina and the lords.”
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