Chapter 182: What to do with the Kingdom of Zamzaria?
ㅤAfter a dizzying sensation, I found myself in a crumbling hall.
ㅤIt’s changed a lot, but there’s no mistaking it.
ㅤThis is the audience chamber in the royal castle of Zalbuck, the capital of the Zamzaria Kingdom.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Minato!”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi suddenly clung to me.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Whoa, you surprised me.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Are you alright!? You’re okay, right!?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.”
ㅤ
ㅤAs far as battles go, Cretias had it much worse.
ㅤ
ㅤEscavelm asked,
ㅤ
ㅤ”So, you’ve settled things with G*d?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yeah. I defeated him.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Defeated him, huh… We witnessed something incredible.”
ㅤ
ㅤArne-san said with a dumbfounded look.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Huh? Where’s the ash?”
ㅤ
ㅤThe ash that had been swirling around, not just around Arne-san but everywhere, had disappeared.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, it seems to have vanished when Cretias died.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What’s it like outside?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I haven’t seen yet. I was worried about you, Minato.”
ㅤ
ㅤI laughed vaguely at Arne-san’s words and stepped out of the audience chamber.
ㅤ
ㅤThe angels and Golden Soldiers that had filled the castle were nowhere to be seen now.
ㅤ
ㅤI opened every door in the castle, searching for people who had been petrified.
ㅤIn a room that seemed to be the royal family’s living quarters, I found a princess who was still turned to stone.
ㅤWell, I don’t know if she’s actually the princess here, just that she’s dressed like one.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Is she… beyond help?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Wait, the petrification is fading!”
ㅤ
ㅤJust as Arne-san said, the princess gradually regained her color.
ㅤShe was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a pale pink dress. She seemed to be the serious and quiet type.
ㅤAs her body returned to normal, the princess looked at me and suddenly cried out.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Savior-sama!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Eh, you know what’s going on?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yes. I was trapped in stone, and I had given up hope. Those who prayed to G*d for salvation were transformed into monsters, and those who refused salvation were left as stone.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”So that’s how Cretias was creating the angels and Golden Soldiers.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”And then, you appeared. Guided by the light you emitted, we dwelled within your staff and witnessed the course of the battle.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”You saw everything?”
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s a little embarrassing, but it might make things easier.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m not the only one. The others who were turned to stone should be regaining their bodies as well.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”This is a bit confusing.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I will not trouble you, Savior-sama. My father and brother are dead. I will unite everyone.”
ㅤ
ㅤIt seems she really was the princess.
ㅤThe princess assigned us a guest room and sent soldiers throughout the castle and the town.
ㅤWe were grateful, as we had been fighting continuously.
ㅤWe received the luxurious-looking food that was respectfully brought to us without hesitation and took turns taking naps.
ㅤ
ㅤIt was that night that the princess managed to grasp the situation.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I apologize for disturbing you while you’re resting.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe princess came to my room.
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, it’s fine. How’s the situation?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Fortunately, there are no major problems. Some have become mentally ill or have fallen into a state of confusion while they were petrified, but the public order of the city is being maintained.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I think things will probably calm down with time. We should have been able to retrieve and return everything that was taken by G*d.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s reassuring to hear you say that, Savior-sama.
ㅤIf possible, it would be helpful if you could convey that to everyone… from your own mouth…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”But there are over 200,000 people in Zalbuck alone, right?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The citizens are flocking to the parade grounds. Holding lights in their hands. They’re chanting 『Long live Savior-sama!』”
ㅤ
ㅤ”…Well, I’ve been hearing them for a while now.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe guest room we were in was located deep within the castle, but I could hear loud cheers from the entrance side of the castle. Thanks to my hearing honed as a thief, I had noticed what they were saying.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Just a word will do. If you could give them a few words, Savior-sama, the citizens would be reassured.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guess it can’t be helped.”
ㅤ
ㅤI headed to the parade grounds with Almi and Grunblin.
ㅤArne-san was exhausted and asleep. I asked Escavelm to guard her just in case.
ㅤ
ㅤFrankly, the parade grounds were in ruins.
ㅤThe aftermath of blowing away the legion of Golden Soldiers had turned the plaza and balcony into rubble.
ㅤCountless citizens were crowding into the ruined parade grounds.
ㅤHolding lights in their hands, they chanted 『Long live Savior-sama!』 『Long live Demon King-heika!』
ㅤ
ㅤ（Yeah, I wish they wouldn’t.）
ㅤ
ㅤI wanted to run away if possible, but there was nothing I could do now.
ㅤAccording to the princess, the people who had been petrified knew what had happened.
ㅤThat means they saw my and Cretias’s dirty exchange of insults.
ㅤThey also saw G*d’s pathetic begging for mercy, so I’m grateful that I don’t need to convince them that “G*d is actually a bad guy, you know.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Minato, let’s go.”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi said, offering me her hand.
ㅤI took her hand and started walking.
ㅤSince the balcony had completely collapsed, we stopped at the space before it.
ㅤThe outer wall of the castle was broken, exposing the area in front of the balcony to the outside.
ㅤ
ㅤThe citizens who noticed us raised their voices.
ㅤ
ㅤI instinctively tried to raise my hand.
ㅤ
ㅤ…But I raised the hand that was holding Almi’s.
ㅤ
ㅤIt looked like we were declaring victory together.
ㅤ
ㅤ――Dooooooooooooh!
ㅤ
ㅤIt was no longer a voice.
ㅤAn explosive cheer erupted from the citizens.
ㅤThey clapped their hands, jumped, shouted for no reason, and expressed their joy of liberation with all their might.
ㅤ
ㅤ『Savior-sama! Savior-sama!』
ㅤ『Twin Demon King-heika! Twin Demon King-heika!』
ㅤ『Minato-samaaaa!』
ㅤ
ㅤCalls that made me want to beg them to stop rose up.
ㅤI’ve never seen such a call except for “U・S・A!” No, this is worse than that.
ㅤ
ㅤThe cheers didn’t stop, and Almi and I stood frozen for more than ten minutes.
ㅤ
ㅤWhen the citizens finally calmed down, a knight raised his voice.
ㅤ
ㅤ”As you all know! The ones here are our saviors, the Twin Demon Kings, Jourange・Minato-heika and Almirash-heika!”
ㅤ
ㅤAnother cheer went up.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Silence! We shall now hear a few words from Their Majesties! Listen respectfully!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe knight’s voice was quite loud. The citizens gradually quieted down, albeit with some murmuring.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Now then, please, Your Majesties!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe knight said to us in a loud voice.
ㅤ
ㅤ（What do you mean, ‘please’?）
ㅤ
ㅤIn the end, I couldn’t come up with any good comments.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Um, ahaha. Good evening, citizens of Zalbuck. I’m Minato, as you’ve just heard.”
ㅤ
ㅤ…It doesn’t feel very dignified, but it can’t be helped.
ㅤUnder pressure different from that of battle, my bad habit of nervous laughter even surfaced.
ㅤ
ㅤ”To be honest, this whole thing has been very difficult. But I think it was even more difficult for all of you. Are you all doing alright physically and mentally? We plan to investigate that ourselves, but if you have any concerning symptoms, please let us know.”
ㅤ
ㅤI wonder if it’s okay that I said that without thinking about where they should report to.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Through various coincidences, I came to know the secrets of this world.
ㅤAnd I thought it was wrong.
ㅤThat’s what led to Almi and me becoming the Twin Demon Kings.”
ㅤ
ㅤGlancing over, I saw that Almi wanted to say something.
ㅤI’ll let her take over.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Taking this opportunity, I would first like to apologize.
ㅤThe demons have been oppressed by G*d. Their resentment was very strong. However, it was extremely regrettable for me that some of them resorted to easy revenge.”
ㅤ
ㅤI added words of support to Almi, who was speaking with her head bowed.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I was originally hostile to the demons, you know. But after learning the truth of the world, I decided to do something about it. And to do that, I needed Almi’s power. We’ve been persuading the demons ever since. We had no choice but to defeat those who wouldn’t listen to reason.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”At the same time, we created a new system to replace the Grandmaster System created by G*d – the so-called adventurer system. That’s the Guardian System. It’s a system that empowers guardians to protect people. It’s not yet in place in Zamzaria, but we’re gradually increasing the number of guilds around the Demon Kingdom.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Now that we’ve defeated G*d, the Grandmaster System that has been empowering adventurers will soon collapse.
ㅤThat doesn’t mean that adventurers will lose the power they already have, so don’t worry.
ㅤHowever, from now on, adventurers will no longer be able to receive power from the Grandmasters. Because we defeated G*d, the source of their power. I’m sorry to be self-serving, but I’d like adventurers to become guardians.
ㅤWhile adventurers attack dungeons, guardians specialize in protecting people. We plan to conquer all existing dungeons in the world and eradicate them from the world.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That will have an impact on the economy. We’re thinking of ways to compensate for that.
ㅤBut basically, everyone’s lives should become safer because the threat of monsters will be gone.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Some of the magical beasts and beastmen who were considered 『monsters』 by G*d will be freed from G*d’s shackles and become free. But since everyone is probably still scared of them, we plan to have them move to the Demon Kingdom as much as possible.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I think everyone is anxious now that the G*d they believed in is gone.
ㅤBut we’re here to make the world a better place. Not just Minato and I, but there are people in other countries who are willing to cooperate.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I think there will be a lot of confusion at first. You might not know what to do when you suddenly hear something like this.
ㅤBut as long as we’re here, we won’t let anything bad happen. As someone who fought entrusted with everyone’s hopes, I swear that much.”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Minato-heika! Minato-heika!』
ㅤ『Almirash-heika! Almirash-heika!』
ㅤ『Glory to the Twin Demon Kings!』
ㅤ
ㅤWe returned to the castle, responding to the cheers.
ㅤ
ㅤ”That was splendid.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe princess said to us.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, I don’t know about that. I’m not really cut out for this.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s not true. It was a historic and moving speech that conveyed Your Majesties’ kindness.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Historic, huh…”
ㅤ
ㅤI guess it will be.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Your Majesties. What will you do with this country?”
ㅤ
ㅤThe princess asked out of the blue.
ㅤ
ㅤ”What do you mean?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Will it be annexed to the Demon Kingdom?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Eh? No, I haven’t thought about that.”
ㅤ
ㅤBoroneal and Elminarsh have probably thought about it, though.
ㅤ
ㅤ”I think the people of this country should decide. I’m satisfied with just having eliminated G*d.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”W-well, I would actually prefer it if it were annexed to the Demon Kingdom…”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Really?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The royal family, except for me, has been massacred by the rebellious knight Cretias. I am a woman who originally had no right to the throne, and I am close to the youngest of the female children.
ㅤThe only reason I wasn’t killed by Cretias is probably because he simply forgot about me.”
ㅤ
ㅤSo that’s the situation.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You never know what will turn out to be fortunate.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s ironic that my efforts to remain inconspicuous in the royal court have proven useful in this way. That ambitious man indiscriminately approached eligible royal women, but he never imagined that I, who was always a wallflower, was a member of the royal family.
ㅤIn any case, I am not qualified to rule this country. Not that I’m completely unqualified, but the people around me wouldn’t be convinced.”
ㅤ
ㅤAh, so that’s the problem.
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s troublesome. I guess the attitudes of the surrounding countries will change with time.”
ㅤ
ㅤIt would be pointless to defeat Cretias only to have Zamzaria fall into civil war or chaos afterward.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Would it be a bad idea if we gave our endorsement?”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi asked.
ㅤ
ㅤI shook my head.
ㅤ
ㅤ”If we do that, it would mean that the Demon King is the one deciding the king of Zamzaria, wouldn’t it?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s right. If that’s the case, it would be better for the Twin Demon Kings to directly rule Zamzaria to gain the support of the people. The surrounding countries wouldn’t dare to touch the Demon King’s territory either.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Are you okay with that, Princess?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I was never meant to be a queen. To be honest, I don’t want to be one. I am currently serving as the temporary regent due to the circumstances, but I don’t think I can bear such a heavy responsibility forever.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe princess looked a little tired.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Well, that’s understandable.）
ㅤ
ㅤShe’s lost her family, has no backing, and is dealing with an unprecedented situation.
ㅤThe princess’s feelings are probably valid.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Okay. We’ll think about something in the Demon Kingdom.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Thank you.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe princess bowed to us.
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi and I exchanged glances and quietly sighed in unison.
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ『We should just annex Zamzaria.』
ㅤ
ㅤElminarsh said it quite casually.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Right. Despite the current chaos caused by the incident, it’s the largest nation on the Northern Continent.”
ㅤ
ㅤBoroneal seemed to agree.
ㅤ
ㅤ”But wouldn’t annexing Zamzaria cause friction with the surrounding countries?”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Celesta, with only its northern port and sea routes, has no interest in land. As long as they can trade, they should be fine. The dragons living in the western mountains are friendly to the Demon Kingdom thanks to Escavelm. The only concern is the Mistradia Tree Country to the south, but the Queen has a good relationship with Minato and the others, right?』
ㅤ
ㅤBoroneal supplemented Elminarsh’s words.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Actually, I discreetly sounded them out. The Queen believes it’s better for the Demon Kingdom to take control rather than having the surviving member of the Zamzaria royal family forcibly take over.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Don’t they think that the Demon Kingdom-ruled Zamzaria will attack them?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”They said that since they’d have to surrender to the Demon Kingdom anyway, it wouldn’t make a difference if the Demon Kingdom ruled Zamzaria.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, that might be true.”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Besides, with the disappearance of adventurers and their replacement with guardians, the Demon Kingdom, which manages the Guardian System platform, will effectively control the majority of the world’s military power. No country in this world will be able to oppose the Demon Kingdom.』
ㅤ
ㅤ”What about each country’s army?”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Adventurers who are constantly diving into dungeons are often more skilled. The external enemy known as monsters will also disappear soon. In that case, the guardians who are responsible for maintaining public order will render the military organizations of each country unnecessary.』
ㅤ
ㅤ”If guardians can maintain order, then armies, which are tools for war between countries, will be unnecessary.”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Moreover, the very existence of some nations will be questioned. Some countries would be economically better off if each city became independent. This is especially true if smaller entities mean no more wars.』
ㅤ
ㅤ”So, in the end, the Demon King will rule the world. Hmm, that’s a Demon King for you. Definitely a Demon King.”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Even if we say ‘rule,’ it’s only to the extent of involvement through the system that empowers guardians. Beyond that, it’s up to the people living in that land to decide. Guardians fight to protect people, but they cannot organize and invade other countries.』
ㅤ
ㅤ”And if existing nations start a war, they’ll be paralyzed by the threat of the Demon King flying over.”
ㅤ
ㅤThe Demon King, who even defeated G*d, will fly over on dragon wings.
ㅤWell, the Demon King’s castle seems to have steel wings.
ㅤNo, no, the Demon King’s castle itself flies and can appear anywhere in the world, they say.
ㅤThat’s the rumor going around.
ㅤWell, it’s not a rumor, it’s a fact.
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s right. Even if we annex Zamzaria, we don’t have to stick to a monarchy, do we?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”What do you mean?”
ㅤ
ㅤAlmi asked.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Let’s experiment with democracy in Zamzaria. We’ll call it the Zamzaria Free State and create a parliament. We’ll elect a president.”
ㅤ
ㅤ『Hmm. That might be a good idea. Zamzaria has a good balance of territories, so there’s little risk of tyranny of the majority.』
ㅤ
ㅤ”Alright. Let’s have the princess serve as the regent until then.”
ㅤ
ㅤThat princess somehow gives off the same vibe as me and Almi.
ㅤShe’s not power-hungry at all, but she’s the type who can’t help but fulfill her responsibilities.
ㅤCretias is the opposite. He’s the type who wants to have others do his work, steal the credit, and only wants power.
ㅤOften, people like Cretias are stronger in power struggles.
ㅤ
ㅤWhen the princess was presented with the proposal later, she said,
ㅤ
ㅤ”I-I’ll do my best.”
ㅤ
ㅤand accepted with a strained face.