CH 200

Chapter 200 – Royal Castle Meeting: Assessing the Current Situation

After the meal, the royal family members were asked to rest, and the leaders of the Liberation Army were gathered for a meeting.

However, Sylphy’s mother, Seraphita-san, who was the queen of the former Merinard Kingdom, and Driada-san, Sylphy’s older sister and the eldest of the four royal sisters, wanted to attend the meeting, so both of them were present as well.

“We will not interfere, so please just let us hear what you have to say.”

“Mother, sister. You must be tired since you just woke up from a long sleep.”

“We’re fine. Although If and Aqua seemed to have reached their limits.”

The two royalty’s smiles overrode Sylphy’s concern. What can I say? The aura is different. It’s like an overflowing sense of nobility. Every little gesture is noble. As for Sylphy… I don’t think so. I think she had an incomplete education as royalty from her upbringing, so it can’t be helped.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. So, uh, first of all, reports from each department, right?”

“Yes. I’ll report accordingly.”

Melty then looked down at her notepad. I made that notepad with my crafting ability and gave it to her. I have been distributing it along with a ballpoint pen to Melty and other internal affairs officers, and it has been very popular with the internal affairs officers and the supply staff of the Liberation Army because it is very easy to use. I was told that they would never be able to go back to using parchment or wooden letters with quill pens again.

“First of all, regarding the prisoners of war of the Holy Kingdom’s army, we have taken a total of 168 prisoners. All of them were wounded.”

“…That’s a lot fewer than I thought, huh?”

From what I’ve seen, I think there were over 300 survivors. However, they weren’t all physically intact. There must have been some soldiers of the Holy Kingdom army who were captured in Merinesburg. I think there are too few of them.

“We showed mercy to those who were seriously wounded with little hope of recovery or who were likely to suffer serious aftereffects even if they did recover.”

I shudder at Melty, who says such a thing so casually. In other words, she was saying that she had put an end to them. We can’t save everyone, is that it? A recovery potion made from Grande’s blood might be able to restore the lost limbs, but it would be practically impossible to get it at several hundred scales.

“Didn’t the Adol religion say anything about this?”

“Yes. Rather, we did so at the suggestion of the Adol clergy and at their own desire. I heard that wounded warriors who are not nobles or magician commoners are often unable to find good work and live in poverty.”

We have no intention of abandoning our friends, Melty said, shrugging her shoulders. I guess this is another difference between the Holy Kingdom Army and the Liberation Army. In the case of the Liberation Army, thanks to the distribution of life potions, it is unlikely that they would suffer irreversible aftereffects, and even if they did, we would send them to the safe rear to become logistical support personnel. We can’t all use the blood-based recovery potion, though.

“Continue.”

“Yes. As for these prisoners of war, the nobles and those with magic powers will be managed with magic restraints attached to them. Commoner soldiers who are not seriously injured will be treated the same as prisoners of war up to now. Basically, they will be used as diplomatic cards after diplomatic negotiations with the Holy Kingdom begin.”

Melty, who had been urged by Sylphy to go on, continued.

“The number of prisoners of war still has some room, so I don’t think there will be any problem taking prisoners of war from the defeated forces from the Holy Kingdom’s home country that are on their way to us. However, considering the number of enemy wounded soldiers we have obtained from the battle so far, if we want to save more wounded soldiers, we will need to organize personnel specializing in rescue and prepare a large amount of Kosuke-san medicine.”

“I see. Regarding the formation of a rescue team, you should contact the saint tomorrow. Can you arrange the medicinal herbs? Kosuke should make the life potion with the herbs Melty collected.”

“Wait, Sylphy-ane. Kosuke’s medicine works well, but we also need ordinary medicine. If we forcefully take the medicinal herbs available on the market, the price of medicines and medicinal herbs will skyrocket in Merinesburg, causing an epidemic and increasing discontent among the people.”

“Fumu… what should we do?”

Sylphy tilted her head at Isla’s words.

“The price of medicinal herbs is high, and the people’s dissatisfaction will grow. If we use Kosuke’s power, we should be able to mass-produce a large amount of medicinal herbs in no time at all.”

“I see. Do you have the seeds and seedlings?”

“Kosuke has some. We can get the rest from the apothecary’s store or the alchemist’s store in the castle town. We could also have adventurers bring them to us from the nearby forest.”

“I see. Melty, please work with Isla on the procurement of medicinal herbs as soon as possible.”

“Understood. Next, I will report on the supplies we requisitioned in Merinesburg.”

The summary of Melty’s report was that there was enough food stored in Merinesburg for about two months. Two months’ worth, huh?

“Does that mean we can stay in the city indefinitely?”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm, Yes.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Eh?”

Seraphita-san and Driada-san were the only two who voiced their puzzlement. No, because, hey? If we have two months to spare, it would be easy to rearrange the plots in Merinesburg and make a large-scale field. If we take our time, it would be possible to create fields on the rooftops of all the houses where we can harvest crops in a short period. Of course, it would be necessary to change the shape of the houses, but that could be done in two months.

“There are some supplies that are not available in Merinesburg, so it may not be infinite… Well, I am sure that the enemy will dry up first if we just stay in the castle. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to take such passive measures.”

“Sylphiel, what do you mean?”

Driada-san asked Sylphy a question with a puzzled expression. Sylphy pondered for a bit and then opened her mouth.

“If we use Kosuke’s power, we can harvest the crops in a short period. If Kosuke takes care of everything from one to ten, wheat will be harvested in three days.”

“…..?”

Driada-san looked at Sylphy with an expression that said, “What is this girl talking about?” She then looked at the people around ── Melty, Isla, and Sir Leonard ── who naturally all nodded their heads as if affirming Sylphy’s words.

“???”

“It’s true. By the way, even if I don’t take care of it, the farmland I have prepared can produce a crop in about two weeks, even if other people sow the seeds.”

I added to Sylphy’s words as she looked at me as well.

“Driada. It sounds ridiculous, but Kosuke-sama is a marebito. If everyone says so, then it must be true. So don’t bother pointing it out.”

“Is… that so? I am sorry.”

“No, we know better than most that Kosuke’s powers are insane. No wonder Dri-aneesama can’t believe it.”

“Hmm. It’s a mass of absurdity.”

Isla, who was the one who was most shaken by the unreasonableness of my ability, is looking at the bewildered Driada-san with an extremely kind eye. Because Isla still sometimes looks at me with a faraway look in her eye when she sees what I do.

“And then there’s the matter of security in Merinesburg… Leonard.”

“The Holy Kingdom’s military facilities in Merinesburg have been taken care of without a problem. The guards are basically cooperating with us. As for security, we have already finished promulgating the curfew. We are planning to patrol around Merinesburg, focusing on those who have good night vision and capturing those who are acting suspiciously at night. We are working on it even as I speak.”

“The people we will be dealing with will be mainly humans, so… make sure you do it properly.”

“Of course.”

Sir Leonard nodded with a supremely serious expression at Sylphy’s words. After all, Sir Leonard is very strict with the people of the Holy Kingdoms. As for Sylphy, she is probably worried about overdoing it.

“All that remains is… the treatment of the Adol religion.”

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly became heavier at Sylphy’s words. Well, yes, it is a matter of concern. But I’m against too much outrageous treatment.