Volume 8 - CH 3

Chapter 3: Assignment of Personnel 

—10th day, 10th month, 1,547th year, Continental Calendar—Parnam Castle— 

On this day, the audience chamber in Parnam Castle was packed full of people. 

Even without including the guards, there were more than thirty people gathered, and the supposedly large audience chamber felt cramped. 

There was a lot of variety in the faces assembled too. 

Most were members of the National Defense Force like Excel or Ludwin, but there were bureaucrats like Poncho and Colbert too. There were also those from abroad like the bishop from the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, Souji, and Kuu, the son of the Republic of Turgis’s head of state. Even the former General of the Air Force, Castor, who was supposed to be in Excel’s custody, was in attendance, causing those present to buzz with excitement. 

Here was a scene in which nearly all of Souma’s main vassals, irrespective of position, were present. 

There were some people here who hadn’t seen each other in a while, and here and there people could be heard getting reacquainted. 

“Master, it’s good to see you again.” The current head of the air division of the National Defense Force and former steward of House Vargas, Tolman, was bowing to his former master, Castor. 

Castor hurriedly made him stop bowing. “Don’t call me ‘master.’ I’m no longer head of the House of Vargas. I left the headship to Carl and am in the custody of the House of Walter now. If you bow your head to me, it looks bad.” 

“Ah... I see. Then what am I to call you from now on?” 

“You can just call me Castor for all I care, but...if you must call me something else, make it ‘captain.’” 

“Captain...you say?” 

“That’s right!” Castor nodded, then put the captain’s hat that was in his hands back on his head with the brim low over his eyes. “I have a ship and her crew at my command now. It’s nowhere near as many men as I once had, but I like this job more than you might think.” 

“Now that you mention it...you’ve developed a tan. Like a man of the sea.” 

As Tolman had pointed out, Castor was a lot more tanned than before. He was thin, buff, and looked young, so he looked like a surfer on the beach in summer. 

As Castor rolled up his sleeves to show it off, he gave a jolly laugh. “Compared to the high altitude of Red Dragon City, Lagoon City is hot and humid. I dress lightly all the time, and this is what happened.” 

“You look so strong and dependable. Why, if the lady of the house could see you, I do believe she would fall in love all over again, wouldn’t you agree?” 

“Is Accela...doing well?” Castor asked hesitantly. 

“Yes. Both she and Carla are doing fine. However, unlike Carla who appears in Jewel Voice Broadcasts, I don’t hear much of you, mas...captain, so I’ve been somewhat worried. I have a message I was asked to convey if I had the opportunity to meet with you.” 

“A message?” Castor asked. 

“Lady Accela told me this: ‘I am a dragonewt myself, so I will live a long life. Therefore, I can wait for as long as I must.’” 

Lady Accela was the child of Excel and a dragonewt man. 

“I see... Accela will wait for me, will she...?” Hearing the message from his separated wife, Castor smiled a little sadly. 

It was a somber atmosphere, but...Tolman’s message didn’t end there. “Um... There was one more thing. ‘However, if it takes too long, I will seek permission from His Majesty to come see you. If I find you living a slovenly life when I get there, Mother and I will lecture you together, so be prepared for that...’ That was the other message.” 

“Urgh...” 

The somber mood was wrecked in an instant, and Castor began sweating profusely. He must have had something to feel guilty about, because his eyes were darting about furtively. 

“A-Accela shouldn’t be receiving any information about me, right?” 

“She shouldn’t, but...does something come to mind?” Tolman asked. 

“No, that wasn’t my fault! Yes, I went to a place of wine and women with my fellow sailors, but only as a means of socializing!” 

“Captain...” Tolman pressed on his forehead and shook his head in exasperation. 

It was a conversation between master and servant, no different from the ones they had once had in Red Dragon City. 

While the former master and servant were having that exchange, the current master and servant team, Kuu and Leporina, were meeting again for the first time since in the Republic of Turgis. 

“Ookyaya! It’s been a little while, Hal!” Kuu cried. 

“Hey, Kuu! It has been a little while!” 

Kuu and Halbert, who had fought together in the republic, exchanged a firm handshake. Beside them, Kaede and Leporina were shaking hands. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you too, Leporina.” 

“Good to see you again, Kaede.” 

“???” Ruby, who was standing beside Halbert with Kaede, was left with a blank look on her face, looking completely out of the loop. She tugged on Halbert’s sleeve for an explanation. “Who are these people, Hal?” 

“Oh, right. This is your first time meeting them. This is the son of the current head of the Republic of Turgis, Kuu Taisei, and his follower Leporina. Kuu, this is Ruby, the dragon I formed a contract with in the Star Dragon Mountain Range. That makes her my second fiancée.” 

Following that, they introduced themselves to each other. Kuu and Leporina were smiling, but Ruby was confused about what to do after hearing Kuu was the son of the head of the Republic of Turgis. 

“The son of their head of state?!” she exclaimed. “He’s the son of the leader of a neighboring country! Is it okay to be so casual with him?!” 

“Ookyaya! I don’t care, Young Miss Ruby. Hal helped me out in Turgis, and I’m just a guest of Big Bro Souma’s here. I’m happier having him treat me as a friend.” Kuu let out a cheerful laugh. 

Kaede shrugged in exasperation. “Hal gets away with treating His Majesty Souma like a friend. I would be too afraid to do that, but...perhaps we just have to give up and accept that this is the kind of star Hal was born under?” 

“I don’t think being liked by our lord is a bad thing,” Ruby opined. 

“His Majesty has expectations for Hal, I’m sure,” Kaede said, nodding. “When those above him have high hopes for him, Hal does his best to meet them. I worry he’ll get carried away and make a huge mistake though, you know.” 

“I...can see why you’d feel that way.” 

“That’s why we need to keep a firm grip on his reins so that doesn’t happen.” 

“A dragon who holds her knight’s reins, huh? Not bad.” 

Halbert ignored the conversation going on between his future first and second wives, pretending he couldn’t hear it. Even if he didn’t like the content of it, it was clear that if he opened his mouth now, they were sure to turn on him in an instant. Fortunately, Halbert had begun acquiring the same techniques for getting along with the world (or at least with his wives) as Souma. 

Without knowing how Halbert felt inside, Kuu nudged him in the ribs with his elbow. “Still, Hal, we can’t leave you alone for a second! You had a beautiful fiancée in Kaede, then you went and got yourself another dragon fiancée who’s just as beautiful.” 

“I guess I did,” Hal admitted with a smile. “It gives me less room to move, but I feel like it’s more fun this way.” 

Halbert felt like he could understand now why, even though Souma was at the mercy of his fiancées, he still seemed to enjoy himself. Having a family to protect, and a firm sense of having a home to return to, increased the number of responsibilities a man had, but it made his days more satisfying. 

“You’ve got cuties like Taru and Leporina yourself, don’t you?” Hal asked. 

“You id— Taru is one thing...but Leporina and I aren’t like that.” 

“We can’t let the young’uns outdo us just yet!” 

Herman and Owen pounded their chests in unison. 

These old men were more muscular than would be expected at their age, so they looked reliable. 

“Next, in regard to preparations against the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State in the northwest... Glaive!” 

“Yes, sir!” Hal’s old man Glaive responded. 

“I want you to enter Van and prepare for the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State there.” 

“Yes, sir. Leave it to me.” 

“Indeed I will. But be careful. The Orthodox Papal State doesn’t just use military operations; we anticipate they could also incite their believers into an uprising or use any number of other underhanded tricks. As a countermeasure, I will send Margarita and Bishop Souji with you. Both of you, step forward.” 

Both Margarita and Souji came forward and knelt. Unlike Margarita, who bowed her head deeply, Souji belonged to another country, so he only gave me a slight nod. 

“Margarita has the respect of the people of the Amidonia Region for her former work as a military commander, and now as a singer,” I announced. “If she has a firm grip on the hearts of the people in the northwest, it will be harder for the higher-ups in the Orthodox Papal State to stir them up. Furthermore, I want to use Bishop Souji as the representative of Lunarian Orthodoxy in this country, to sever the bond between the believers in this country and the Orthodox Papal State. Bishop Souji, can I count on you to do that?” 

Even though he was a bishop of Lunarian Orthodoxy, Souji had little loyalty to the Orthodox Papal State. But he was still technically one of their people, so, in his case, I issued it as a request, not an order. 

If I gave him orders, it would be deemed I was treating Souji like a retainer, and the Orthodox Papal State might excommunicate him as a heretic who had left their control and try to send a different bishop. To prevent a headache like that, I needed Souji to publicly remain on the side of the Orthodox Papal State for now. 

“Oh, dear. It looks like I have no choice...” Souji shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile. “Having been sent to this country as a bishop, I find it hard to accept a situation where our believers and the people of this country would turn against one another. Allow me to cooperate with you.” 

“Thanks. Glaive, work with them to defend our border with the Orthodox Papal State.” 

“Yes, sir. It will be done.” 

When I had finished giving them their orders (and request), the three of them stood down, and I looked to Excel. 

“I will be having you stay in Parnam, I’m sure. During that time, is there anyone who can run the National Naval Defense Force, and prepare against the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union?” 

“In that case...I believe you could have Castor do it,” Excel said with a bow. 

Castor’s name sent a murmur through the crowd. She was recommending a man who, even though it had been the result of the intertwining of various complicated intentions, had once raised the flag of rebellion against me, so it was inevitable there would be resistance to the idea. However, Excel seemed unconcerned about the mood of the room, and continued as if nothing had happened. 

“In the time since he was left in my custody, I have thoroughly educated Castor in the ways of a naval force. Castor has also tried to mingle with the marines, deepening his relationship with them, and winning their trust. That said, there have been times when he has gotten a little too ‘rowdy.’” 

As Excel said that, she cast a sideways glance at Castor. 

In that moment, his shoulders shuddered, and he looked away. 

It was like the reaction of a child who’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Did she have some dirt on him? 

That concerned me a little, but it didn’t seem particularly important from the way Excel was talking, so I was probably fine to ignore it. 

I asked Castor a question. “Castor. You heard what Excel said. Can I leave the navy under your command?” 

“Y-Yes, sir! If that is your order, I will do my utmost to follow it.” Castor bowed his head. 

I nodded, then gave the order. “Castor. Take control of the navy in place of Excel and prepare against the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union. However, limit operations to the seizure of vessels engaged in illegal fishing and do everything within your power to avoid a situation that may result in armed conflict. We can’t enter a serious state of war with another country when we have so many troops sent up north after all.” 

“Yes, sir! As you command!” 

“Also...” I walked down the stairs to whisper in Castor’s ear, “Don’t you dare use the Hiryuu. I don’t want other countries learning it exists yet.” 

We moved to the governmental affairs office, then had the people we needed to discuss things with gather once again. 

Inside the office with me were Aisha, Juna, Roroa, and Naden, my fiancées, as well as Hakuya, Tomoe, Hal, Kaede, Ruby, Poncho, Serina, Komain, and Colbert, for a total of fourteen people. 

I had the assembled people sit at a long table where the bureaucrats usually worked, and once I had confirmed everything was ready, I began speaking. 

“Now then, shall we start by reviewing the current situation?” 

I then explained all the details about the dispatchment of reinforcements to the Union of Eastern Nations from the beginning. There were members here who hadn’t been in the audience chamber before after all. 

That and, though I had deliberately not touched on it earlier, I explained this time that while this dispatchment was in response to a request from the Empire, it was also because of a request for reinforcements from Roroa’s brother, Julius. 

I had decided that this was less of an international issue and more of a family one, so only those people who were closest to us needed to know.