How a Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom

Book 8: Chapter 6

Its like a vision of hell... I muttered, looking out over the scene beneath us.

It was the witching hour, and Julius and I were standing together atop the walls of Lasta.

In case anything happened, Aisha was standing a little behind us. That wasnt a precaution against Julius, but against the creatures below.

The chimera-like creatures were swarming beneath us now, feasting on the roasted remains of the lizardmen killed by our aerial bombardment. These abominations would happily feed on man and lizard alike.

There were scattered cries as the monsters fought over food.

Watching, or even just listening to all of this couldnt be good for my mental well-being.

With all these lizardmen surrounding them, Im impressed this tiny country has held out so long, I said uneasily. It wouldnt have been unexpected for them to swallow you up in no time.

Perhaps so, but we couldnt give up on living, Julius said. Were here because everyones fought hard to survive.

It was surprising to hear Julius say that. It seemed he really had changed. The Julius Id known before wouldnt have cared this much for the soldiers doing the fighting. His days of wandering and his time with Princess Tia really had left him a changed man.

By the way... Julius began, what happened to the wyvern cavalry?

I sent them back to the main force, I said. Since theyd used up the explosive barrels they brought. Besides, you dont have the reserves to garrison them here indefinitely.

...Indeed.

Wyverns would eat the equivalent of one cow per meal. However, once they fed, they didnt need to feed again for close to a week, so their overall cost wasnt too bad. Even so, it would be a heavy burden on a country which was under siege, so I couldnt garrison them here.

Incidentally, if Naden or Ruby used their fire breath or electric shocks in dragon form, that used a considerable amount of energy, and they would eat ravenously for a while after to replenish it. Because of that, I hadnt been able to let them go wild in dragon forms yet, either.

I have, at least, asked the wyvern cavalry to bring in supplies youre running short of here, but...its about half a days trip, so the earliest they will arrive is tomorrow night, I said. Well have to fight with just this countrys soldiers and the Dratroopers for a little while longer.

In that case...it will be important to decide how command of the two countries troops is handled. Julius looked at me. Are you sure about this? Letting me command Friedonias forces?

Well, in this situation, there isnt much alternative.

After speaking to my staff officer, Kaede, wed decided that, for the limited time it took the main force to meet up with us, Julius would be entrusted with command of the Dratroopers.

This was a measure we were taking to avert any conflicts in the command structures of the Friedonian and Lastanian armed forces.

Youre the most experienced commander here after all, I said. I may be high-ranked, but Im more of a bureaucratic type, and the Dratroopers are fierce fighters, but theyre all a bunch of muscle heads. Kaede is the best commander we have on hand, but though shes talented at planning operations, shes not suited to taking command in the middle of a battlefield. In short, youre the only real general here, Julius.

I understand that, but...Im asking if you or your men can trust me. If they ignore my orders because they cant, thats a problem. I could use the Dratroopers like theyre expendable. Arent you concerned about that?

I smiled wryly at his almost paranoid question, and said, You have nothing to gain from doing that in the current situation. Besides, if you pull anything funny, youll make enemies of the nearly 60,000 soldiers coming this way.

I suppose you have a point.

I leaned on the edge of the wall and looked up to the evening autumn sky. I never thought a day would come when wed be fighting together.

I could say the same. I never expected to see the day I was saved by my bitter enemy. Julius crossed his arms and leaned against the wall too.

We had once been enemies, but now were allies. The world was an unpredictable place. There was a quiet moment as I mulled over that thought.

After some time, Julius hesitantly opened his mouth. I want you to tell me. My father, Gaius VIII...what was his end like?

I paused. What do you mean, what was it like?

From what the soldiers told me, after we parted ways, he said he would show the spirit of Amidonia. Was Father able to achieve his goal?

I was silent.

His tone wasnt accusatory. Julius purely wanted to know what the end of Gaius VIII, sovereign prince of Amidonia, had been like.

It was frightening, I admitted. When Gaius came for my head, he was truly terrifying. To be honest, the mans blade was only a step or two from reaching me.

Even now, I sometimes saw that days events in my dreams. In my dreams, the result was different, and the sword he threw with the last of his strength pierced straight through my chest.

That showed just how traumatizing that day had been for me. I would never forget Gaiuss face, twisted like a demons and full of murderous intent, not for the rest of my life.

Julius chuckled. True, that father of mines glare was enough to make anyone fear for their life.

I cant laugh about it. I seriously accepted my death and was considering what words Id leave to my fiance.

I see... It seems Father was able to show his spirit then. Julius smiled a little sadly, and then slapped his cheeks as if to help himself shift gears. My father was able to live out the rest of his life as a warrior. Its not my place to say anything about that now. Like my father, I will endeavor to live in the way I truly desire to.

What way of life would that be? I asked.

I will live protecting the ones I love with every fiber of my being. So, Souma, to protect Princess Tia and this country, let me lend you my strength. With that, Julius bowed his head to me.

Hed...really changed, huh.

I slapped Julius on the shoulder, then started walking. Lets go, Julius. Ill be needing you to run the war council.

Okay. Youve got it.

And so, we headed to the castle where everyone was waiting.

Meanwhile, around that same time...

In front of one of the lookout towers near the castle there were two figures, one big and one small. They were Soumas little sister Tomoe and her bodyguard Inugami.

In the darkening scene, only the watch fire that was lit near the entrance to the tower burned brightly.

In that unusual atmosphere, Inugami looked at Tomoe with concern.

Will you really go? Inugami asked.

Tomoe nodded. Big Brother said, I want you to test if its possible to converse with the monster inside here. He wanted me to learn as much as I can too.

Tomoe was going to use her ability on the monster inside...which was to say she would be interrogating the lizardman caught in the earlier battle. If they could learn the lizardmens ecology, it would be possible to use that in planning future operations. However, this was a creature that had tried to feast on peoples flesh. Being able to understand what it said might lead to psychological trauma for Tomoe.

Souma was extremely worried about that too, but giving in to Tomoes enthusiasm to help, hed reluctantly asked her to gather information.

A concerned Inugami urged Tomoe to be as cautious as the situation warranted. His Majesty also ordered, Make sure you dont do more than you can handle. If I judge this is having a bad effect on your feelings, Little Sister, I will drag you away from here by force if necessary.

Okay. Please do, Mr. Inugami.

Tomoe held Inugamis hand tight. Because she was a mystic wolf and Inugami was a gray wolf, they looked like nothing if not father and daughter when they held hands.

They opened the door to the tower, hands still held, and went inside. Then, descending the spiral staircase, they stood in front of a cell.

There, inside, a single lizardman was bound hand and foot.

Kshaaa! It opened its toothy maw wide and rattled its chains.

Eep... Tomoe gulped.

Little Sister?! Curse you! Inugami moved up to put himself between Tomoe, who had tripped and fallen on her side, and the lizardman.

Tomoe shook her head as if to chase the bad feelings away. I-Im fine.

Tomoe wiped her cold sweat away, clinging to Inugamis arm as she stood up, and then holding it tightly as she faced the lizardman once more.

This lizardman has nothing but hunger, she said at last. It only sees us as food. I want to eat. Thats all it says. We cant talk with them.

So, the basis of their actions is exactly as it appears?

Yes. But... Hmm?

Tomoe tilted her head to the side. Was there something bothering her, maybe?

Is something the matter? Inugami asked.

I wonder why... Tomoe said finally. Mr. Lizardman here, he seems weird.

Weird? Inugami asked.

Tomoe nodded. I dont know what to think, but...I feel like its missing something any living creature should have. Something very important...

???

What Tomoe was saying didnt make any sense to Inugami.

Tomoe couldnt put it into words very well herself, so that was only natural. Though it frustrated Tomoe, she eventually gave up, shaking her head.

Its no good. I dont know how to say it. Anyway, Ill tell Big Brother and everyone what I found out here.

Tomoe and Inugami left the tower, leaving the lizardman behind.

The feeling of wrongness that Tomoe had gotten from the lizardman...it would still be some time before they learned the true nature of what that was.

It was now late in the evening. In a candlelit room in Lastas castle, the important figures of the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Kingdom of Lastania had gathered.

In attendance on the Friedonian side were Aisha, Roroa, Naden, Halbert, Kaede, Ruby, and me. On the Lastanian side were Julius, who had been entrusted with full command of their forces by the king of Lastania, the soldier captain Lauren, and Jirukoma, who was the leader of the volunteer soldier force. Princess Tia was also present, wanting to watch over the proceedings as a member of the royal family.

Aisha, who wasnt that great at using her head to begin with, was there solely as my bodyguard, and Roroa and Princess Tia, who were not specialists in military matters, were just sitting there at the very end of the table.

Also, since hed been noisy, saying, We wanna be at the war council too! Kuu and Leporina, the master-servant pair from the Republic of Turgis, were being allowed to take part as long as they promised to stay at the end of the table and behave.

Now then, I would like to begin the war council, Julius said.

Having been entrusted with the command of both armies, he was also being trusted with running the war council.

Julius looked around at the officers present. First, to begin with...on this occasion, I have been entrusted with command of the Lastanian military by the King of Lastania. Command of the Dratroopers, who have come to reinforce us, has also been given to me by Sir Souma. Is there anyone who objects to this? I want to direct this question especially to those of you from the Kingdom of Friedonia.

I guess nows the time. I dont like lying, so Ill be blunt. Hal scratched his head and spoke up. I feel uneasy with it. I dont know I can fight under the command of a former enemy.

Hal, Ruby objected, you dont have to say it like that...

Hal held up a hand to stop her. Kaede put a hand on Rubys shoulder too, silently shaking her head.

When Ruby was quiet, Hal continued.

There may still only be 200 of us, but Im the captain of the Dratroopers. I dont have what it takes to lead thousands of troops yet. I know youre the most capable leader of troops here, and Im sure thats why Souma left command of the Dratroopers to you.

Julius was silent.

But even if its only 200 men, their lives are my responsibility, Hal went on. I cant leave their lives in the hands of some guy who isnt fully committed.

Julius listened to his words in silence.

We were enemies to you too, Hal went on. Can you command us properly?

Julius closed his eyes for a moment, then began to speak slowly.

I think its inevitable that we both have our misgivings. I cant claim there is no resentment in my heart. However, this country is everything to me now. If it is to protect this country, I would work with any kind of partner, and bow my head to anyone. If it will allow me to gain your trust, Sir Halbert, that includes you as well.

Hal was silent.

Ookyakya, youre more passionate about this than you looOw, that hurt! Kuus teasing was interrupted by an elbow from Leporina, leaving him in pain.

Hes being noisy, I thought. Maybe I should throw him out after all.

While I was thinking that, the grim look on Hals face softened.

Is that right? If youre that committed, I have nothing more to say. Our boss decided to leave it to you, so well just follow his decision. Right?

Hal looked to me, so I nodded.

Ive assigned Kaede to Julius as a staff officer, I said. If theyve put together a plan, it may be crazy, but it wont be reckless. I think we can trust in that.

Thank you, Julius said. Now, lets commence the war council.

He unfurled the map of the Kingdom of Lastania and surrounding areas that was on the table. Then he began by pointing to Lasta, where we were.

First, let us review the situation. To address the forces of Lastania first, there were deaths and injuries in the fighting again today. I would say that, including conscripts from the general populace, we have about 2,800 people who can fight. With the 200 Dratroopers from Friedonia bringing the total to roughly 3,000, that is our total troop count.

3,000, huh... Considering they were largely conscripts, it wasnt a very reassuring number.

Next, Julius indicated the forests near Lasta. The lizardmen that had escaped from our bombing were lurking there now.

Next, the lizardmen. They must have taken a major blow from todays bombing. Their numbers must have fallen to eight, maybe 900. However, considering the situation up until this point, those numbers will be replenished each day. It happens at a pace of roughly several hundred per day.

Hm? Are the enemy are deploying their forces in small groups? I asked.

I thought it was a poor strategy, but... oh, right, Lizardmen werent intelligent enough to think strategically. There was a man in their name, yes, but only because they had some human-like parts.

Does that mean theres a reason they only come a little at a time? I asked.

Julius nodded, pointing to a large river north of Lasta.

The border between the Union of Eastern Nations and the Demon Lords Domain is this large river known as the Dabicon. This river, which is wide enough that the far shore is blurry, and at its deepest point it is deep enough for a rhinosaurus to float, has protected us from monsters coming out of the Demon Lords Domain. However, being a natural river, the depth varies, and it can be crossed easily at some points. North of Lasta there is a narrow section that is shallow, and the lizardmen must be crossing there.

I see, I mused. The shallow section is narrow, so they can only cross a little at a time, huh... Wait, hold on! Then if the Dabicon is dammed upstream, that means theres a ridiculous number of lizardmen on the other side?

When I asked that, Julius nodded gravely. Most likely...in the tens of thousands.

Tens of thousands, huh...

The Empire had told me this was one of the places where the demon wave was especially intense, so that might have been a given. If not for the Dabicon River, this country would have been trampled in no time. Well, I supposed that would be why the Dabicon was the border.

Thatll have to wait until Ludwin gets here with the main force, I guess, I said.

Yeah. Julius nodded. I think we have no choice but to ask the reinforcements from the Kingdom of Friedonia to handle it. However, before the main body of the reinforcements arrives, there is something I would like to do using the troops here.

With that said, Julius brought his fist down on a certain spot on the map. It was the forest where the lizardmen whod escaped from the bombing were hiding.

I discussed this with young Miss Kaede as well, but I am thinking I want to exterminate the lizardmen lurking in the forest using the 3,000 troops we have here. Now, while their numbers are decreased, is our best opportunity to do so.

Whoa, wait, what? Hal exclaimed. We have limited manpower, and you want to head out? Their numbers are down, and thats taken the pressure off, so cant we just hole up in the city walls until reinforcements arrive?

Hal, that will give the enemy time to recover their numbers, you know, Kaede said. Like Sir Julius said, the number of lizardmen grows by the day. Their numbers are massively lower now, so the lizardmen are waiting to see what happens, but if their numbers recover, theyll attack again. In a conflict, what is important is how you increase the number of troops you can deploy into a single battle, while in turn decreasing the number of enemy troops. For example, if you compare fighting 3,000 enemy troops with 5,000 soldiers to fighting 1,000 enemy troops with 5,000 soldiers three times, the latter will cause less damage to your own forces.

Oh! Id heard that before. That was why it was better not to deploy your forces in small groups, but to deploy them in as large a group as possible. Or so the established knowledge went.

Compared to a siege battle fought against a reassembled group of lizardmen, exterminating them in a field battle while their numbers are lower will lower the number of casualties on our side, Kaede said.

In addition, if we can eliminate the lizardman presence here, we can restore the supply lines to Lasta, Julius continued for her, pointing at a spot close to the Dabicon. There is a fortress near here. There was no way to defend it with the regular forces alone, so it was abandoned early in this demon wave, but if we can exterminate the lizardmen here, advance north while crushing their reinforcements, and get soldiers into this fortress, we should be able to hold off the lizardmen that cross the river here. If we can do that, Lasta will be freed from being besieged by monsters. That will restore supply lines, so more reinforcements...likely wont be coming, but material aid should flow in.

If this country fell, the next country to the south would be in danger after all. Perhaps they would think to send material aid, in order to help us hold out a bit longer?

There might be merchants who would think now was a good time to make money too. Medicine to treat the wounded soldiers might arrive.

That all sounded good, but... there was just one thing about it that concerned me.

If you only intend to deal with lizardmen, thats fine, but there are countless warped monsters camped outside the city walls now, arent there?

While looking out from the city walls with Julius, we had seen the chimera-like monsters with bodies assembled from various parts. There were still thousands of those things that were greedily feasting on the corpses of soldiers and lizardmen that fell outside the wall.

If you head outside the walls, wont they attack you? I asked.

That is a concern. Julius pressed a hand against his forehead in displeasure. Those monsters are nothing special, taken alone. They can be slain easily at a distance with bows or magic. However, when they form such a large swarm, they become a problem. If we fight the lizardmen and the monsters attack when were injured, we cant handle that.

I see. So well have to fight those monsters at the end, Aisha said, crossing her arms.

If youd let me go wild in my ryuu form, I could scatter those things easily, Naden fumed.

I knew that, but in a situation where we had a limited number of calories available, I couldnt let Naden and Ruby fight at full power.

Julius let out a small sigh. Its a minor blessing that the lizardmen and monsters dont work together. For the monsters, they see both us and the lizardmen as no more than potential food if we die.

Theyre scavengers, like jackals or vultures then... I muttered. Itd be a lot easier if theyd just attack and eat the lizardmen for us too.

The monsters are weaker than the lizardmen. That must be why they only scavenge corpses, Julius explained in exasperation.

No, I was just saying that, so you didnt need to respond so seriously... Wait. Huh? I paused. The monsters dont attack the lizardmen because theyre weaker than them, but then... Huh? Why dont the lizardmen attack the monsters?

Before this war council, Id received a report on the captured lizardman from Tomoe. According to Tomoe, she had felt nothing but hunger from the lizardman. It had only seen Tomoe as prey.

So if they were starving that badly, why didnt the lizardmen try to eat the monsters?

I discussed that question with everyone.

The reason that the lizardmen dont eat monsters? Julius pondered. Ive never considered it.

It certainly is strange, yes, Kaede agreed. Those lizardmen have decided were edible. However, it feels strange that theyve excluded the monsters that they arent cooperating with from the list of potential food sources.

Julius and Kaede both seemed to think deeply about it.

Maybe they cant eat em? Like theyre poisonous or something? Hal suggested, but I said shook my head.

Nah. Ive heard this from Madam Jeanne, but some monsters are apparently edible. If I recall, she ate a winged snake...or something like that?

For her pretty face, she does some awfully wild things... Julius said in exasperation. He was also acquainted with Jeanne.

Yeah, I kind of agreed.

Still...in that case, it makes even less sense, Julius said. Why, when the lizardmen are starving so badly, do they not attack and eat the monsters that are weaker than them?

While everyone was wracking their brains over this, hesitantly, one person raised their hand.

Um, a word if I may?

It was Aisha.

Aisha was the greatest warrior in our country, but she wasnt especially good at using her head. Though she was participating in this war council, it was mainly as my bodyguard, so she had been keeping quiet and refraining from commenting as we deliberated. Now, it looked like there was something she wanted to say.

What is it, Aisha? I asked.

Aisha hesitantly said, Um... I thought this while listening to you talk, but could the reason the lizardmen dont eat monsters be...um...that they just dont taste very good? I mean, a lot of meats smell too strongly to eat them raw.

W-Was she joining this topic because it was about food? This was more about the monsters than the food aspect, though...

No, but Madam Jeanne has actually eaten them... Wait, huh? I got that far, then I caught on to something Aisha had said.

I mean, a lot of meats smell too strongly to eat them raw.

...Raw meat? That was it. Even if Jeanne had eaten monster meat, she couldnt have been eating it raw. The more unknown the meat, the more thoroughly shed want to cook it.

Mankind cooked, while lizardmen likely ate their food raw.

The key was...the presence of a way to prepare food using heat.

I came to a conclusion.

The lizardmen dont know how to eat monsters, I said so that everyone could hear.

Julius furrowed his brow. How to eat monsters?

There are parasites and bacteria in meat...but if I say it that way, you wont get what Im talking about, I guess. Those are like little bugs inside your body, and if you eat meat with them on it, youll get sick, and might even die. But thoroughly cooking meat will kill them, and it really brings down the likelihood of food poisoning. Its a way of preparing food by sterilizing it with heat.

Im sorry, but I have no idea what youre talking about, Julius said, looking dubious.

Everyone else nodded too.

Though I had been pushing a medical revolution with doctors like Hilde and Brad at the forefront, knowledge of medicine and biology wasnt widespread, so this was to be expected. Even if it wasnt possible yet, if the academic learning became more widespread, and I could plant the knowledge with broadcast programs... Wait, now wasnt the time to think about the future! I needed to get the people with me now to understand first.

Even if you dont understand the words Im using, you should all know this from experience, I said. If meat is getting old, you cook it thoroughly, right? Why is that?

Ookyakya! Kuu interjected. Thats cause if you eat meat raw, youll get sick sometimes.

I nodded. Right. Even without explaining the details of how it happens, mankind knows through experience that eating meat raw can get us sick, and if we cook it thoroughly, we can greatly reduce the risk of that. Even if we havent experienced it ourselves, the experience is passed from parent to child, and its just like wed experienced it ourselves.

That experience is passed down, and it becomes knowledge, or common sense... Is that it? Julius nodded, seeming satisfied.

He really was fast on the uptake. Every bit as clever as he appeared, Julius really was a sharp one.

I nodded and continued to talk. I doubt the lizardmen have that knowledge. I mean, from everything Ive heard, the lizardmen are eating raw meat, arent they? If they ate those weird monsters raw, it wouldnt be weird for them to get sick, now would it?

I certainly wouldnt want to eat them raw, Aisha said, making a disgusted face.

It looked like even Aisha, the dark god of gluttony, felt that way.

When Madam Jeanne and her people ate monster meat, Im sure they must have cooked it carefully, I said. In other words, perhaps a lizardman ate the meat of a monster and got sick, and thats why the lizardmen no longer eat monster meat?

I see. So thats the difference between Madam Jeanne and a lizardman, said Kaede, listening with a pensive look on her face. In that case, if we teach the lizardmen to prepare food using heat, the hungry lizardmen may hunt the monsters, you know.

I get what you want to say, sure, but how, precisely, do you want to teach them? Hal asked. Its not just that we cant talk to them; we cant communicate at all, can we?

He rested his face on the palms of his hands.

That was the problem, yeah...

Its going depend on how much intelligence they have... I muttered.

From what Tomoe had told me, they thought only of devouring others, and communication was impossible. But then again, when Tomoe used her ability with low intelligence animals like rhinosauruses...

Tomoe: Cargo, carry, okay?

Rhinosaurus: Tasty grass, cute female, okay.

That was the sort of simple communication it ended up as.

If these creatures refused even that level of communication, it was going to be impossible to teach them anything. For them to be taught, they needed the capacity to learn.

I was starting to think this plan to have the lizardmen hunt the monsters for us had run aground.

No, I dont think theyre unthinking, Julius said at last. Thats the feeling Ive gotten from fighting them. Its true that they ignore gates and cant use proper siege tactics, but they have enough intelligence that they do choose places our defenses are weak, and if they sense theyre at a disadvantage, they retreat.

Thats right... Jirukoma pondered. They avoid contact with strong enemies and prioritize attacking the weak.

Theres a certain cunning to the way they act, Lauren agreed. Thats the feeling Ive gotten.

Jirukoma and Lauren had both fought alongside Julius, so they knew what they were talking about.

How intelligent are they? I asked. Do you think they could manage to steal things in the night?

I wouldnt compare them to the races of mankind, but at the same time, theyre better able to assess risk then a common beast, Julius said. The closest would be the shoujou, perhaps, but they could be smarter.

The shoujou... Monkeys, huh.

They were smarter than monkeys. In that case, we might be able to teach them something simple.

But considering I had a report from Tomoe saying dialogue was impossible, we wouldnt be able to teach them directly.

Hold on! What if we taught them indirectly?

Even if we didnt teach them properly, if we relied on some monkey see, monkey do, maybe we could get them to act in the same way, as if wed taught them.

Come to think of it, Id heard of a precedent in the world I came from. If I was recalling correctly...

Monkeys washing potatoes...

Whats that? Julius asked.

Its a story about monkeys from my old world. When one monkey started washing sweet-potatoes in sea water, the rest of the young males in its troop started to do the same.

Witnessing this phenomenon had led to a discussion of whether culture existed in the animal kingdom.

Well, there had also been talk of how, When the hundredth monkey on the island learned to wash sweet-potatoes, monkeys on a distant mountain began to show the same behavior (indicating the possibility of telepathy), but that was occult mumbo-jumbo. The thing I wanted to focus on here wasnt the occult, it was the learning ability of monkeys. If lizardmen also had the ability to learn...

If we have one lizardman learn the taste of cooked monster, show it the cooking process, return it to the pack, and then it starts cooking and eating monsters... I said slowly.

You mean to say that the lizardmen in the pack that see it may begin imitating that behavior? Julius said slowly. I seem to recall youve caught just what you would need for that, havent you?

Yeah. We took one alive and locked it in the tower.

Julius looked me in the eye and asked, Do you think it can be done?

I dont know, but its probably worth a try. Even in the worst-case scenario, well only increase the number of enemy lizardmen by one. If we work at it, it shouldnt take more than half a day.

Hm... Even if it fails, well still only be facing the lizardmen and monsters with our current forces. If they force an attack, that will cause more casualties, and I would prefer to avoid that, so...in order to prevent that, Id very much like for you to make this idea a success.

I know, I said. Lets decide how well do it. First we have to procure the monster well be feeding to the lizardman...

From there, Julius, Kaede and I put together a plan.

While going back and forth on what to do, gradually the plan that had started as a random thought began to be fleshed out and sound more realistic.

I didnt think I had felt this way since working out plans against the Principality of Amidonia with Hakuya. Funny that the guy I was working with now was one of the enemies Id been plotting against back then.

Thats part of what makes him so reliable.

Looking at Juliuss serious face, that was what I thought.

Its kind of a strange feelin, Roroa said quietly to herself, watching Souma and Julius work on the plan.

What is? Princess Tia asked, tilting her head to the side. She was also sitting there watching the war council unfold.

Perhaps because she was embarrassed to be asked about something shed been saying to herself, Roroa awkwardly scratched her cheek and smiled wryly. Mmm, the sight of Darlin and my big brother together, workin on a plan, I suppose. It just feels so unreal that Im kinda confused. Theyre bitter enemies, andve fought to kill each other before, but now theyre workin together toward a common goal, ya know?

Tia was silent.

Its like Im dreamin... Hey, that hurts!

Tia was lightly pinching Roroas cheek.

Wh-Whatre you doin?! Roroa exclaimed, rubbing her cheek and protesting.

Tia smiled at her softly. Its no dream, she said, taking Roroas hand and wrapping her own around it. This scene is, without a doubt, reality, Lady Roroa.

Reality... Roroa murmured.

Turning that thought over in her mind, she finally started to accept the scene in front of her was real. The man she loved and her brother by blood were working toward the same goal. She didnt need to see her brother as an enemy anymore. Even in front of her brother, she could love Souma.

Youre right. No doubt about it, this, here and now, is reality. Now able to accept that, Roroa smiled too. Thanks, Big Sis.

Oh, its too early to be calling me Big Sis, Tia said, fidgeting in embarrassment. Besides, Im younger than you anyway.

Aw, geez. Youre just the cutest, Big Sis!

Eek?!

Tia was acting so cute that Roroa hugged her.

Looking at the two of them out of the corner of their eyes, Souma and Julius both cocked their heads to the side questioningly.

What have those two been doing over there?