With that matter settled, we moved on to negotiating the specific amount.
We demanded two years’ worth of Amidonia’s national budget, divided into annual payments over a period of ten years, with the stipulation that it must be paid in Imperial coinage. In other words, they would pay twenty percent of their national budget to us every year for ten years.
Julius, of course, objected, but Jeanne convinced (coerced?) him to accept it. The point was to deprive Amidonia, which had spent half of its annual budget on military expenses, of its military funding. As long as they reduced military spending, I didn’t think it would be impossible for them to pay it, but would Amidonia be able to do that?
“Madam Jeanne,” I said. “If there are any delays in payment…”
“Indeed,” said Jeanne. “The Empire will support the Elfrieden Kingdom in its annexation of Van.”
“Urkh…” Julius looked frustrated, but he couldn’t say anything.
With that confirmed, I made a proposal. “However, Madam Jeanne, I could see them delaying payment while they harden the defenses around Van. Even with the Empire’s consent, it would be a hassle to have to take the city again. As such, I would like something of equivalent value as collateral.”
“Collateral?” Jeanne asked.
“An item that we will hold on to until such time as the reparations are paid,” I said. “If the reparations are not paid, we will gain ownership of that item. Of course, if the reparations are paid properly, the item will be returned.”
“I see… So, what do you want?” Jeanne asked.
“A Jewel Voice Broadcast jewel.”
“Wha—! Our country only has one of those!” Julius roared.
With the current level of technology, they couldn’t create another. If it were valued as an asset, it was probably equal to a year’s worth of Amidonia’s national budget.
But still, I said, “You’re not using it all that much anyway. Where’s the harm in letting us have it?”
“Don’t be absurd! Do you mean to incite our people to revolt?!” Julius shouted.
“It’s a simple matter of changing the frequency,” I said. “That’s all it would take to keep you from receiving broadcasts made by Elfrieden.”
“Urgh… Well, yes…” Julius looked anguished, but he accepted it surprisingly easily.
They had been using the convenient device for little more than a declaration of intent at the beginning of each year, so Julius the militarist probably didn’t realize its true value. It might be that he only recognized it for its material value. As I was thinking that…
“Sire. May I have a word?” Hakuya said, then whispered something in my ear. When I heard what he had to say, I furrowed my brow.
“That’s… mostly just to satisfy your own interests, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Whatever are you saying?” Hakuya asked. “Knowledge is crystallized wisdom.”
“…Well, fine,” I said. “Sir Julius.”
“…What?”
“As an additional piece of collateral, we would like to take the books in this castle’s archives.”
That was what Hakuya had proposed. We would take custody of Amidonia’s books gathering dust in Amidonia’s archives.
In this world, paper was still precious, and books were not in wide distribution. It was entirely possible that Amidonia had books in their archives that Elfrieden did not. Moreover, in the case of books, it would be possible to copy them while we had them in our possession.
Julius snorted with contempt. “Very well. But don’t touch anything else. I won’t stand for you taking our weapons or armor.”
“We already sold off a bunch of those to raise funds for the transportation network here, you know?” I said. “We spent that money on this city, so even if you ask for it back, we can’t comply.”
“Urgh. Then don’t touch them any further!” Julius snapped.
“…Very well,” I said.
The weapons were more important than the books, huh? It was the right decision, given that he was surrounded by countries he couldn’t let his guard down around, but he didn’t seem to understand how scary it was that the collected writings of his people, the crystallization of their wisdom, would be leaking out.
When I looked to Jeanne, she must have been thinking the same thing as me, because she wore a wry smile.
Now, with the matter of reparations settled, we decided to settle other matters.
“I want my the soldiers of my country who were taken prisoner by the Elfrieden Kingdom returned,” Julius demanded.
“Very well,” I said. “However, you will have to pay a ransom for those belonging to the nobility or gentry.”
“…Understood.”
“In addition, we have investigated and composed a list of war criminals who attacked villages and engaged in looting during your invasion of our country,” I said. “Any prisoners who are on those lists will be judged under the laws of our country, and so we cannot return them to you.”
The extreme measure thought up by Hakuya, using the fictional monster of the flame pierrots to induce people to evacuate, had succeeded in getting most of the people out of the path of the Amidonian forces. However, that didn’t mean there had been absolutely no casualties.
The armies of the principality seemed to have dispatched scouts in all directions, and those unfortunate enough to encounter them had been killed. I would see to it that they paid for the innocent blood of my people they had spilled.
“We will also demand that those whose names are on the list and yet remain in your country be turned over to us,” I said. “Only once this is completed can we begin to return prisoners to you.”
“…Fine,” said Julius shortly, accepting the list of war criminals from Hakuya. “By the way, is Roroa among the prisoners to be returned?”
Roroa? Who?
“I’m not familiar with the name,” I said. “Who’s that?”
“Roroa Amidonia. My unworthy younger sister. She should have been in Van when the fighting started.”
“Your younger sister?” I asked. “When the gates of Van were opened, we allowed any who wished to leave to do so. I think Margarita was about the only one of any status who stayed. I haven’t received any reports that we captured a member of the royal family.”
“…That’s fine, then,” Julius said, cutting off the topic as if no longer interested.
His sister was missing, wasn’t she? He seemed awfully blasé about that fact. Wasn’t he worried?
“If you’d like, I could have my people look for anyone who’s spotted her,” I offered.
“That will not be necessary.”
“Not necessary?” I repeated.
Hakuya whispered in my ear, “Most likely, he is concerned about a succession crisis. My investigations indicate that Princess Roroa is one of the few in the Amidonian royal house who has the support of the civil officials. Having given preferential treatment to the military, Julius is not popular with the civil officials. He must fear that they would support Madam Roroa against him.”
“Even though, with Gaius gone, she’s one of his few remaining relatives,” I whispered back.
“It is a common occurrence in royal families,” he whispered.
“I understand that, but still… I don’t want to understand it,” I whispered back.
Succession wars had not been uncommon in Earth’s history. Even in the Elfrieden Kingdom, when Liscia’s mother Elisha had ascended the throne, the conflict between her relatives had nearly led to the extinguishing of the royal line.
If I recalled correctly, Machiavelli himself called for the purging of political opponents. However… as one who had known the loneliness of losing all of his family, I couldn’t help but feel he should treasure his one little sister. It might have been naïve of me, but it was something I couldn’t give up on.