Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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Chapter 240 – The Prince and the Demon King
“That is impossible.”
Myrril, anticipating my intentions, warned me.
“No, I haven’t said anything yet.”
“You don’t have to ask. You want to send them back home, but it’s impossible. Even if it were possible, I don’t think Haidar would want it.”
“Mir-san is right, Takifu-san. We have no home to return to, no one waiting for us, no country to return to.”
The ruined sand kingdom of Solbesia. I had never heard of it.
According to Myrril, the common people knew that there were islands and other continents outside the continent. However, there was little travel to and from outside the continent, and no information was available. The few stories that were passed down were hearsay from traders and castaways.
Even Myrril, who was an avid researcher with access to as many books as possible and many opportunities to talk to knowledgeable old men, had never heard of Solbesia.
“How many days did your journey take?”
The twin girls, who had been the maid and bodyguard of the fourth prince, Haidar, and had never left his side, thought about our question for a moment and then answered.
“I counted at least thirty nights.”
“No more than forty at the most.”
Although there was a large gap between the two, most of them were in the hold and did not see the light of day. They told us a story that was painful to hear, such as that they had been tossed about by a storm and had fainted on the way to the ship. By the way, they told us that the twins’ names were Fel and Eil, but I couldn’t tell them apart.
“Did you stop somewhere on the way?”
The twins shook their heads. The boy prince, Haidar, took over for them.
“We didn’t stop once, except for a handover at sea. I have never heard of a land north of Solbesia. It’s all in fairy tales, but until we arrived in this land, we thought such a thing was a pipe dream.”
Solbesia is a country of sand, so it must be a tropical or desert country in the south. The continent where we are now is in a temperate or subarctic climate, so it is very different.
“It’s at least 30 days away.”
I don’t know the direction of the wind, and I don’t know how far a sailing ship in this world can go in a day, but even if I assume an average of 100 kilometers per day, it would be more than 3,000 kilometers. Even taking into account the difference in climate, it would not be more than a thousand or two thousand kilometers.
“How did you survive?”
“When we set sail, there were seven ships with fifty children in each hold, but by the time we reached this island, there were less than twenty.”
It was like a medieval slave ship. No, it is not like that. It was a slave ship itself.
“What happened to the other ships?”
“”Two were sunk in a storm.””
“One was sunk by sea monsters, it seems.”
“”The rest were lost on the way.””
Is open sea sailing dangerous? As far as the large naval ships of the Northern Territories and the Empire are concerned, the continental ships must have some navigational ability. If the only problem is distance, then there should be a little more trade.
On the other hand, I wonder if the people who brought the prince group had a good reason for going to such lengths to reach this continent. Something that would create wealth in the cargo or products of this continent…
“Hmm? Prince, perhaps the coinage of Solbesia is gold?”
“Yes.”
“How many days can an ordinary man live on a gold coin?”
I saw the prince’s head spinning, and I reconsidered the question as absurd for royalty.
“Forgive me, forget it. How many horses can you buy with this amount of gold coins?
I actually pulled out a continental gold coin and handed it to him.
“Four horses. Two if they are good horses.”
“”Solbesia is where the good horses come from.””
The twin girls’ comment alone conjured up an Arabian image. The fact that the end of the word was not in the past tense might have shown their thoughts.
“Hmm. In the Republic, it is the amount of money needed to rent a boat for about two months.”
“Perhaps the purpose of the people who sent the fleet was to get the money here.”
“I see that horses are not cheap in Haidar’s country, but gold is more valuable. They could make a profit on the difference.”
For this reason, they would cross the rough seas to an unknown continent that even exists in darkness. If it weren’t for the fact that the merchandise was a sacrificial child, I would praise the merchant’s perseverance.
No, not exactly “unknown.” If they are trading at sea, they must have been in contact with someone before. I don’t know if it’s the kingdom or the Empire, but it’s possible that the merchants here had some knowledge of Solbesia…
“That’s right, coffee.”
“Eh?”
“Is there a custom in your country of roasting the seeds of a red sweet fruit to make a bitter tea?”
“Yes, Kaffir. Adults like to drink it. It wakes them up and gives them strength.”
Bingo. It appears that coffee is prevalent in the southern noble territories of the kingdom, but coffee does not grow in this climate. There has been trade with the southern tropics in the past.
“Myrril, if we ask Marquis Erkel, I think we can get some information about Solbesia or the country that destroyed Solbesia.”
Myrril looked impressed by my words but immediately scowled again.
“As expected from a merchant. That’s a great achievement. But as I told you, it’s impossible.”
“If you’re talking about voyages…”
“No, I am not talking about that. If we were to lend a hand, that would be fine. That in itself is fine, but do you intend to regain the lost Land of Sand and put Haidar on the throne? You may be able to defeat and annihilate the enemy, but what will you do after that? Do you think it is possible to protect the people without reliable men and soldiers? This is not the case with the Casemaians, who had the strength and time to prepare and were able to support and protect the people at all times, even though they were a small army.”
“Yes, I know.”
I know, I know, at least in my head. I just didn’t want to admit that I was helpless and useless in the face of children in need. In fact, all I could do was half-heartedly help them and throw them away without any follow-up because I didn’t want to feel guilty.
I quickly forgot the advice of my grandmother in Koriyama.
Even the Casemaian was a foolhardy story, to begin with. Although we had retaken it in the heat of the moment, a three-hundred-fold force of defeat came rushing in, reckless and unplanned. We barely survived without casualties, but that was nothing short of a miracle. If we include the lingering grudges and potential enemies that are piling up, the Casemaian will always remain in a state of crisis.
“Takifu-san. Mir-san is right.”
Haidar hangs up the same line he just used on me.
“Thank you for your concern, but I do not wish to see Solbesia restored.”
“”Prince.””
“My country is dead. Because of the incompetence of the king and the royal family.”
“”The Prince is not to blame.””
The twins’ voices, neatly aligned, disagreed, and Haidar shook his head quietly.
“The responsibility for the exile lies with the government. No excuses are allowed. No matter how hard they try, no matter how much they try, no matter how idealistic they may be, no matter how noble their intentions, no matter what dirty tricks they may use, they are responsible.”
When a man who was once a prince was packed onto a slave ship and sold thousands of miles away to a continent, there must have been a certain amount of intrigue, betrayal, and bloody carnage. But he kept his mouth shut and would not speak.
“…But it might be permissible to found a new independent Solbesia on this island.”
The young prince laughed softly at Myrril’s words.
“That is a wonderful and dreamy proposal. Thank you, Mir-san.”
“”Prince!””
“But an incompetent man who cannot even protect his own young people with his own hands is not qualified to dream such a dream.”
The prince did not even turn his head to the twins’ expectant plea.
The conversation ended there.
In the darkness of the silent hiding place, the sound of small children sobbing in their sleep could be heard.