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Vol 05 Chapter 176: The Emperor’s Melancholy II

「What a disaster, Kepka.」

「…I apologize, Searl-niisan.」

Kepka bowed his head to his brother, Searl Barca, the head of the Barca family. Searl, on the other hand, shook his head.

「It couldn’t be helped. Victory and defeat are common in war; it was a matter of fortune. What is unforgivable is…」

Alexios.

Searl clenched his fist tightly.

「I should have strangled him to death back then… It’s my responsibility.」

A child with heterochromia brings misfortune to their family and country. To avoid this, they must be strangled immediately after birth.

This was an ancient Pofenia tradition.

And it had come true.

「From what I hear, he became a noble of a barbarian country. What Cornelius? A disgrace to the Barca name.」

A vein throbbed on Searl’s forehead, and his eyes burned with rage.

「Currently, Azul Hanno’s forces are superior. This is unavoidable. We failed… But we will make a comeback soon. At that time, we will advance our troops to the Adernian Peninsula once again… I will definitely kill Alexios. This is a feud between him and our Barca family. Until this is settled, there will be no peace for the Barca family!!」

◇

「By now, Searl must be raging.」

「Haha, I can imagine that muscle-brain roaring. Azul-sama.」

Azul Hanno brought the distilled liquor he received as a gift from King Almus to his lips. He had never tasted such strong and fragrant alcohol before.

「This distilled liquor is remarkable, but the product called ‘paper’ is equally impressive. And their roads are even more developed than ours. We can’t underestimate these so-called barbarians.」

Although Azul had dealt with King Rosais’ Country and its Kirisian allies with a high-handed attitude, he did not internally harbor a particularly negative view of King Rosais’ Country. In fact, he appreciated it.

He highly valued Almus’ ability to elevate a small country to one of the leading powers on the Adernian Peninsula in just a few years.

「It’s a neighboring country across the sea. I want to build a friendly relationship rather than a hostile one. Until now, Adernian pirates have plagued the Tethys Sea. However, if that king unifies the peninsula, the pirates will disappear. If both sides make an effort, coexistence should be possible.」

King Rosais’ Country did not have a proper navy. Therefore, Pofenia was not at risk of being invaded.

As long as Pofenia did not interfere with the Adernian Peninsula, there would be no war.

「Our country is already more than prosperous enough as it is. Now is the time to switch from acquiring new interests to protecting what we have. We have undeveloped fertile land within our borders. Why should we divert military spending to expeditions when it’s not necessary? The Barca are fools for not understanding this.」

Azul sighed.

◇

On the Kirisian Peninsula, in the former Claris, a magnificent and grand palace was steadily being constructed at a geopolitically critical point where the Ash Sea and the Tethys Sea, and the Occident and the Orient intersected. This area, known for its natural harbor called Antler Bay, was ideal for such an endeavor.

A large mansion stood a little away from the still-under-construction palace. Although considerably smaller than the palace, it was still enormous—over five times the size of the palace of King Rosais, adorned with gold, silver, and marble sculptures.

On the balcony of that mansion, with a breathtaking view of the beautiful Kirisian sea, stood the Emperor of the World.

「Damn it!! How infuriating!! Those sea monkeys!!」

Xerxes III, Emperor of the Persis Empire, slammed his fist onto the table. The impact caused the table to shake, and the figs arranged on the plates fell to the ground.

Xerxes stomped on them with his foot.

The alliance between the Persis Empire and Pofenia granted Pofenia the rights to Kirisian interests in exchange for the Pofenia navy crushing the Kirisian navy.

The alliance was successful, and the Kirisian Peninsula fell into the hands of the Persis Empire. However…

「Pofenia has grown a bit too strong… It was a blunder.」

Previously, the Kirisian forces were strong, putting the Persis Empire at a disadvantage at sea. So, Xerxes decided to pit the Pofenians against the Kirisians to weaken their power.

But the Pofenians turned out to be stronger than Xerxes had anticipated, and now they were becoming uncontrollable.

「…Is there no monkey who can fight these sea monkeys for me? The Rozel Kingdom is filled with forest monkeys who don’t know how to swim, and the Germanis monkeys are so stupid you can’t even call them monkeys… There’s not a decent monkey among them.」

Xerxes sighed. There was no longer any force in the Tethys Sea capable of opposing Pofenia.

「Should I have allowed part of Kirisia to survive… No, that would not have been wise, they would soon become a problem. Kirisia had to be destroyed. But Pofenia is becoming…」

As Xerxes pondered, a man called out from behind the door.

「Your Majesty, I apologize for interrupting your rest, but I have something to report.」

「Is it urgent?」

「No… but it might help solve your concerns, Your Majesty.」

「Come in.」

With Xerxes’s permission, the retainer stepped forward. After kneeling and paying his respects, he looked up.

「It appears that the Pofenia army invaded the Adernian Peninsula and was defeated.」

「Oh… How large was the battle?」

「The Pofenia army numbered thirty thousand, while the forces of the Adernian Peninsula totaled forty thousand.」

Xerxes’s eyes widened. Forty thousand was a considerable force.

There weren’t many countries capable of organizing such a large army. At least, within Xerxes’s knowledge, there was no political power in the Adernian Peninsula able to amass such a number of troops.

「What is the name of the country that amassed such a force?」

「It was King Rosais’ Country, a kingdom from the Adernian Peninsula and its allied countries. Its king is a young man named Almus in his twenties.」

「Interesting…」

Xerxes leaned forward with interest.

「Surely, you have investigated this man named Almus and the history of King Rosais’ Country?」

When Xerxes asked, the retainer smiled broadly.

「Yes, I have examined the situation on the Adernian Peninsula over the past few decades. Would you like to hear it?」

「Tell me.」

The retainer began to explain the situation on the Adernian Peninsula to Xerxes.

He described how the peninsula was home to many small countries engaged in continuous conflicts. In the north, there were the Gallian forces, in the south, the Kirisian forces, and further south, the Pofenians, all eyeing the territory with ambition.

He explained that King Rosais’ Country was, until a few years ago, a small and fragile country. However, since King Almus ascended to the throne, the country’s strength began to grow rapidly.

A few years ago, they defeated the Rozel Kingdom in a field battle and formed an alliance against the Gallians with the other Adernian countries of the Adernian Peninsula, elevating their status on the peninsula.

And just a few weeks ago, they defeated the Pofenia army, gained the support of the Kirisians, formed an alliance with them, and obtained military leadership in the southern part of the Adernian Peninsula.

The retainer continued to provide information about Almus vassals, like the man who was a brilliant general named Bartolo Pompeius.

He mentioned that Almus was not of royal blood but of common origin. There were rumors that he was raised by a divine beast, the Griffon, and was the son of the war god Mares.

He also talked about Almus’ family, his two wives, a son, and a daughter.

About how he liked to live modestly, indulging only occasionally in visits to hot springs.

The retainer also talked about how Almus was widely supported by the plebeians and feared by the patricians and the nobles.

In the territories he conquered, he governed with tolerance towards those who cooperated but showed no mercy to those who resisted.

Regardless of their ethnicity, whether they were Kirisian or Pofenian, he promoted capable individuals to retainers or nobility.

「Hmm… He speaks of foreign threats and elevates his international status by taking the lead. He forms alliances and gradually establishes control, showing his diplomatic prowess. He consolidates his power by purging nobles and patricians, while gaining support from the plebeians, demonstrating his skill in domestic affairs. He appoints excellent retainers and delegates authority to them, showing his breadth of vision and courage. He uses both rewards and punishments skillfully in the territories he conquers, demonstrating his governance skills. He understands that his country is a multi-ethnic state and incorporates capable individuals from various ethnic backgrounds into his administration, showing his flexibility. He does not hide his common origin, instead turning it into a mystique, showing his adaptability. Above all, he governs rationally without letting emotions interfere. Not bad. At least he doesn’t seem to be a monkey.」

Of course, it is difficult to fully evaluate based only on hearsay.

Xerxes closed his eyes for a moment, deep in thought. Then he opened them and looked down at his retainer.

「Continue to monitor the situation on the Adernian Peninsula. Determine if this king Almus is worthy of an alliance. Do not filter the information. Report everything you see and hear to me.」

「Understood, Your Majesty. I will ensure it is done. Glory to the Persis Empire.」