Chapter 172 The Scent of Ruin ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Count Martin Popol of the Pink Clan¹—the siscon, or rather, the head of his house—and the Chief Court Mage, Lady Kushe. When the two arrived before the Commander-in-Chief, General Van Valedda, many officers had already assembled at the scene.
”It seems this won’t be a pleasant conversation…” Kushe said quietly.
”That should be obvious. This is an emergency summons,” Martin replied.
Kushe and Martin exchanged words in hushed tones. She felt a flicker of irritation at being lectured by Martin—who, until moments ago, had been utterly consumed by his delusions about his sister—but even she reconsidered, realizing this was no time for mockery.
A summons this frantic could not possibly portend good news. The atmosphere was abysmal, and General Van stood with a grim expression, waiting for the ranks to fill. Eventually, even the stragglers gathered, and the General spoke in a quiet, low voice that sounded like a growl.
”A writ from the Royal Capital has arrived…” Van said.
With that single sentence, most present guessed the contents. A writ from the capital meant a royal decree. And for an order to arrive at this timing and cause General Van to wear such a severe expression…
”They intend to propose a ceasefire through the Church of Demon-Subjugation²… Therefore, His Majesty has decreed that no further attacks are permitted…” the General added.
It was an order that signified the practical end of the war. In this world and this region, the cessation of hostilities generally took the form of mediation by the Church of Demon-Subjugation. Even if the negotiations themselves were conducted between the two nations, it was unthinkable for the Church not to participate in the final treaty signing.
This was a wisdom that had persisted from an era when the threat of monsters was absolute. Strife between humans was seen as an evil act that shortened the lifespan of humanity itself. Therefore, mediation by the Church was a rule that all people were expected to follow.
That rule remained in modern times, albeit in a different form. It was because of this that Church officials could travel between both nations during wartime or engage in anti-war movements. While the threat of monsters had faded, the authority of the Church remained deeply rooted.
Once a war began, the Church would call upon both sides to stop; if they responded, ceasefire negotiations would commence. If the negotiations were successfully concluded, the war would end at that moment. This was the common sense of warfare in this world and region.
Those gathered here were people who made war their profession. There was no one who did not understand such common sense. While the army would remain in place until the negotiations were finalized, since the Canaria Kingdom³ had not desired war from the start, this was effectively the same as the end of the conflict.
From this point on, no pitched battles would take place. Everyone understood this. And yet…
”T-That’s ridiculous! Does His Majesty truly understand the state of the war?!” an officer shouted.
”The enemy army is covered in wounds! Even the enemy general, Duke Badcage, has eyes like a dead fish!” another replied.
”However, those ultra-compact magic weapons are increasing in number with every battle…” a strategist noted.
”I-If our fire-resistant equipment is improved, then…!”
”In the first place, the fact that the ‘Pickaxe’ siege has dragged on this long was likely unexpected.”
”Damn it! If only that ‘Witch’ wasn’t there…!”
”Stop talking about the ‘Witch’! When I remember those sunken yet brilliantly shining eyes, I… I…!”
The gathered officers spoke all at once regarding the pros and cons of the ceasefire. They understood the common sense of war. They understood that once a royal decree was issued, the decision could not be overturned. Even so, they could not help but speak out.
Starting from last year’s trade restrictions, the response to the mysterious magic units, the performance of the new magic weapons, the confrontation with the terrifying Witch of Fresh Verdure⁴, and the struggle against the enemy’s ultra-compact magic weapons—all of it was about to vanish like bubbles.
The sacrifices of their many comrades, the hardships of living in a restricted war zone, and the frustration of tasting the dirt of the battlefield—all were about to become equally meaningless. Whether they desired to continue the war or not, they were equally incensed by this irrational conclusion.
”Why, General?! Why did His Majesty choose a ceasefire…!” an officer asked.
At the very least, they wanted to know the reason. Even for soldiers, this was an irrepressible emotion. Looking at the General’s expression, it seemed that knowing would only increase their indignation, but they could not help but ask.
”Rising anti-war sentiment, apparently…” Van replied.
”Pardon…?”
”The commoners within the country, the nobility, and even those in the Royal Palace… they no longer seek war, nor dominion over the Canaria Kingdom.”
”B-But why…”
”The war is dragging on, the burden is increasing because of it, foreign artifacts are unavailable, and there is anxiety over the autumn harvest and surviving the winter… there’s no end to the list, so they say. It’s only natural, I suppose. This was a war that was originally supposed to end by summer…”
”That’s…”
It felt like a betrayal to those of them who were fighting for the country at the risk of their lives. A betrayal by those who spent their time in comfort without ever standing on a battlefield.
However, it was also a fact that they had yet to produce a single result. Was it they who had betrayed the country first…?
The officers were devastated. Lady Kushe watched them and thought. Was this the “ruin” she had sensed? In a sense, it was an “end,” but it felt too weak to be the “ruin” she had felt. She looked at Martin beside her.
He, who had been grandiosely declaring he would “save his sister” through his delusions just a moment ago, was now biting his lip. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be a fool enough to defy a royal command, and he remained silent, suppressing his feelings. It seemed it wasn’t him.
In that case, the remaining possibility was… General Van, who announced the royal decree while killing his emotions, yet his stern expression remained unchanged. Kushe fixed her gaze on him. Was he the one heading toward “ruin”…?
”Once again, ‘Beautiful Canaria’ slips through my fingers and flies away…” Van muttered.
The General spoke with regret and loneliness. He looked as if he had aged all at once, a complete departure from the man who stood high-spirited on the battlefield.
And for good reason. His long-standing ambition, his dream of holding “Beautiful Canaria” in his hands, was about to crumble.
How many more times could a similar offensive be launched while he was still a General? Or perhaps that chance would never come again.
The officers were also dejected, and the atmosphere was like that of a funeral. Kushe tilted her head. It seemed General Van was also not the source of the scent of “ruin.” Where else could she be overlooking…?
”Ah, so that’s how it is…”
Realizing the truth, Kushe let out a low chuckle. It was a simple story; why hadn’t she noticed? No wonder she could only perceive the “scent.” While Martin looked at her with a suspicious face, she slowly opened her mouth.
”General Van, may I confirm something once more?” Kushe asked.
”…What is it? What do you want to confirm at this late hour?” Van replied.
”The order that arrived from the capital was that ‘attacks are not permitted,’ is that correct?”
”That is so, but…”
”Then, the ‘pitched battle’ itself hasn’t been forbidden, right?”
The officers, including Martin, thought it was the same thing. However, General Van alone perceived what her words were pointing toward.
”Lady Kushe, surely you don’t mean…”
”Do you realize? In other words, as long as they are the ones attacking us, there’s no problem with us striking back, right?”
”B-But, such a thing…”
”They probably don’t know about the ceasefire negotiations yet, right? In that case, they don’t know when we’ll attack, so they’re waiting for us in a state of combat readiness. For example, if we just fire a single shot from a Matomeru-kun⁵ toward the sky, don’t you think they’ll come rushing at us in a panic?”
The General was dumbfounded, and the officers began to stir. Certainly, there was a possibility of that happening. However, to deploy the army and then claim “they were the ones who attacked first”—such logic was like a child’s excuse…
”It’s a bad bet, and it might not mean anything more than venting our frustrations. Even if it goes well, there’s a high probability the ceasefire negotiations won’t go away, and I think the General will have to take responsibility no matter what excuse is made. But, you know, if it goes well, it might still be within reach.”
”Are you a devil…?” Van muttered.
”Well, I wonder?”
Kushe chuckled again. It was nothing; the scent of “ruin” was oozing from herself. And she had not been searching for that “ruin” in order to avoid it.
”Why don’t we just give it a try? I’m sure it’ll be interesting!” Kushe said with a grin.
—
Summary:
A royal decree orders General Van to cease all offensive operations and enter ceasefire negotiations mediated by the Church. The military officers are devastated, feeling their sacrifices are rendered meaningless by domestic anti-war sentiment. General Van is crushed as his dream of conquering Canaria slips away. Kushe proposes a reckless loophole: baiting the enemy into attacking so they can ‘defend’ themselves and continue the fight.
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Character Insight:
General Van’s transition from a high-spirited commander to a broken old man highlights his singular obsession with ‘Beautiful Canaria.’ Kushe’s realization that she is the source of the ‘scent of ruin’ reveals her chaotic nature; she doesn’t fear the destruction of the status quo, she actively finds it ‘interesting.’
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Behind the Scene:
The intervention of the Church of Demon-Subjugation reflects a geopolitical reality where a religious entity holds the ultimate ‘stop switch’ for human wars to ensure collective survival against non-human threats.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Van Valedda – The General and Marquis overseeing the operation. He is the father of the current Queen and grandfather to the First Prince. He has black hair mixed with white, a neatly trimmed beard, and carries an air of calm dignity. He is elderly and suffers from old wounds in his knees.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
• Kushe – The Chief Mage of the Coalmine Kingdom. She has dark green hair grown out haphazardly and wears a mage robe loosely over her shoulders. She has a blunt, informal, and somewhat insensitive personality, focused on her ‘thinking experiments.’
• Witch of Fresh Verdure – A legendary elf from the Age of Heroes. She is a true ‘magic user’ from an era before formalized magic systems. She is an old friend of the Canaria Kingdom’s founding king.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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