「兄上、刺客をとらえておいたよ」
「......また、来たのか」
「また来たよ。我が国に人が流れてきている傾向があるから、余計に邪魔に思っているのかもしれないけど......本当に懲りない事だね」
ディライガルン・サフ・レゼッド。
レゼッド国の国主である俺の実の弟はそう言って、呆れたように息を吐いた。
俺と同じ銀色の髪と、薄紫色の瞳を持つ。自慢じゃないが、俺もディライも結構な美形である。異性にはキャーキャー言われてきたし、とはいえ、ディライの方がモテるから上には上があるんだなと思っているけど。
だって俺の弟、凄いんだぜ。俺の一つ下の十五歳なんだが、内政面だけではなく武力面もぶっちゃけ俺よりはるかに上だと思う。頭は良いし、国主の弟なのに俺を狙っている刺客をとらえたりするし。
俺なんて兄の威厳なんて保ててねーんじゃねーの? と思うほどにくそ弱いから守られなきゃどうしようもないし。
毎回、ディライに「国主やんない?」って聞いているのに一切頷いてくれないし。何でこいつは、こんなになんでもできるのに俺のことを兄として慕ってくれているのか甚だ謎である。天才の考える事はわかんねー。
臨時の会議の後、俺の言った意見を聞きもしない国主たちに関しては相変わらず王国に物資を提供し、居座り続けて遊びまくってる連中を追い出さないし。それで王国へ良い顔しようとした結果、そういうこと行ってない俺の国とか、他の国に人が流れて行っていたりしてるんだよな。
俺は基本的に問題がなければ受け入れるようにはしている。もちろん、向こうの国主や貴族とはちゃんと話し合ってなんだぜ? つか、小国のうちのいくつかは本当に馬鹿な政策を続けて、国民が居ても飢え死にするって状況に陥りそうなところもあるんだよ。だから何だかんだで口で言い負かして、こちらに流れてくるのは受け入れている。あと連合国家ってひとくくりの内部での話だし、行き来ってしやすいしな。勝手に居ついてしまうこともある。その方が問題だから、なるべく正式に受け入れるようにしている。
で、納得したという態度を示しているくせに、人が減って税が減った! とか、俺の国が王国に物資を他の国のように送らないのが悪いとか......何言ってんだこいつっていう逆恨みっぽいもので命を狙われるっていう。
もう本当、国主って面倒だし、はやくどうにか譲りたい。
とはいえ、譲っても問題ないディライは嫌がるし、譲りたいとはいえ、この国が下手な人間の手に渡ってしまえば大変な事になるからそれは嫌だし......つか、何よりディライとかうちの連中がなんか俺が国主じゃないと嫌とか言い張るから譲れないんだけどな。
「王国はやく安定しねーかなー。王国が安定してくれたら馬鹿みたいなこと、言い出さなくて、もう少しうちも安定するのに」
「しばらくは無理だね。神子っていうのはそれだけ影響力が高い。その保護していた神子が偽物で、国王が殺されて、新王はまだ若い。内部はまだまだ荒れているよ。それにミッガ王国も内乱が起きているらしいし、その余波もくるんじゃない? 奴隷たちの反乱がひどいらしいしね」
「......本当にディライは情報通で助かる。よくフェアリートロフ王国挟んだ向こうにある国のことまで知っているよな」
「僕らは兄上のために情報収集頑張ってるからね。まぁ、兄上のことは僕らが守るけどさ。これからどんな風にすべきかはちゃんと考えた方がいいね。現状、王国が安定するの難しいし。いっそのこと、馬鹿なことしている国を兄上が乗っ取っちゃうとか有りだよね。寧ろサフ連合国家を一つの国にまとめて王になるとかいいと思う! 兄上が王になるっていうなら僕らは喜んで付き合うよ?」
「いや、待て待て待て。何で小国の国主でさえ手がいっぱいなのにそんなことしなきゃなんねーんだよ。嫌だよ、俺は。寧ろ、統一して一つの大国にしたいっていうならディライが王になれっつーの」
「兄上が居るのに何で僕が?」
「......何でそれを真顔で言うんだよ、本当に......ディライは......」
「兄上、そんな呆れたような顔しないでよ。でもさ、実際問題これ以上王国の問題が長引いたらサフ連合国家って問題起きまくるでしょ。王国以外の隣国は問題起こってないけど長引けば長引くほど、領土奪われそうになるかもだし。こう考えると人の国ではなく森が国土の半分ほどの国境となっていて良かったかもね。色んな国に囲まれていたら国家間の問題は大変だったかもよ」
ミッガ王国、フェアリートロフ王国、サフ連合国家、三つの国の国土に隣接している巨大な森がある。大陸の中央部に広く広がる森は、危険な魔物や毒を持つ植物などが存在している危険な場所だ。
森に隣接しているからこそ、連合国家にも魔物が紛れ込んでくることもある。その際に命を落とす国民だっている。俺の国であるレゼッド王国はサフ連合国家の中でも森に隣接している土地だ。だから魔物が紛れ込むことも多くある。特にレゼッド王国は魔物を退治する強者が多い。......俺は小さな魔物一匹倒せないぐらい弱いけど。
「そうだな。......絶対に、やりたくはないけど......万が一の最悪の可能性を考えて準備だけはしとくべきか。この連合国家自体が共倒れになるのは避けたいし、この国の国主の家系に生まれた義務があるからな」
「だよね。兄上ならそういうと思った! 大丈夫、もう準備は進めているから」
「......また、勝手に進めてやがったか。まぁ、いいけどさ。国主の俺よりも素早く用意周到に動けるならやっぱりディライが王になった方がいいんじゃね?」
「もう、兄上はしつこいなぁ。兄上が居るのに僕が王になんてなるわけないんだよ。兄上以上に王に相応しい存在なんていないんだから。僕は国主をやっている兄上の傍で兄上を支えたいんだって!」
嬉しくないわけじゃないが、弟の信頼が大きすぎて辛い。
ああ、でもこの信頼や期待を向けられると、それに答えなきゃって気になるんだよなぁ。まぁ、だからこそ何だかんだ国主もやってんだけど。
「うん、そうだよ。兄上、僕たちは兄上のためなら何でもするから、すぐに言ってね!」
真っ直ぐな瞳でこちらを見つめてくるディライは、俺が信頼や期待を損なうような行動などしないと思っている。信じ切っていて、俺ならやり遂げると思ってる。
――だからこそ、面倒だとは思うけど、万が一の場合は動かなければならない。
(連合国家の国主の一人は、弟と会話を交わす。そしてその期待に答えたいと望んでいる)
"Brother, I have captured the assassin."
"... you're here again"
"Here we go again. People tend to flow into our country, so maybe they're extra disturbed... but it's really not punishable."
Direigalun saf rezedd.
That is what my fruitful brother, the lord of the land of Rezeds, said, exhaling as if he were frightened.
He has the same silver hair and light purple eyes as I do. I'm not proud of it, but both me and Dilai are pretty good beauties. The opposite sex has told me to cackle, and though, I think there's a top one because Dilai is hotter.
'Cause my brother, he's amazing. I'm fifteen years old under one of mine, but I don't just think it's the internal affairs side, it's the force side. I think it's far above me. He's smart, and even though he's the brother of the lord, he captures the assassin who's after me.
I can't keep my brother's majesty. I can't help but be protected because I'm damn weak enough to think.
Every time I ask Dilai, "Don't you want to do it, my lord?" He doesn't snort at me at all even though I hear it. Why does this guy admire me as his brother when he can do so much? It's even a mystery. I don't know what genius thinks.
After the extraordinary meeting, the kingdoms will still be supplied with supplies, not even listening to my opinions, and I won't kick out the people who keep sitting and playing around. So after trying to make a good face for the kingdom, people are flowing to my country and other countries that haven't done that.
I'm basically trying to accept it if there's no problem. Of course, what are we talking about with the other lord or nobleman? I mean, some of the smaller countries are going to go on a really stupid policy and starve to death even when the people are there. So I'm accepting that it's coming this way because I missed the point with my mouth. And a coalition state is an internal story, and it's easy to come and go. Sometimes I stay on my own. That's more of a problem, so I try to accept it as formally as possible.
So, you show that you're convinced, people are down and taxes are down! You know, it's bad that my country doesn't send supplies to the kingdom like any other country... what are you talking about? They're going after lives with something resentful like this.
It's already true, the country lord is a hassle, and I want to give it up somehow soon.
Nevertheless, I don't like Dilai, who has no problem conceding, and even though I want to, I don't like that because if this country gets into the wrong hands, it's going to be a big deal... I mean, most importantly, I can't concede because Dilai and my people insist that I'm not the national leader or something.
"I wonder if the kingdom will be stable soon. If the kingdom stabilized me, I'd be stupid, I wouldn't have to say it, and we'd be a little more stable."
"You can't do it for a while. Kamiko is so influential. Its protected godson is fake, the king is killed, and the new king is still young. The inside is still there. Besides, I hear there's civil unrest in the Migga kingdom, and the aftermath, isn't it? I hear the slaves have a terrible rebellion."
"... Dilai is really informative and helpful. You know a lot about the country beyond the Fairytroff kingdom."
"We're trying to gather information for our brother. Well, we'll protect you, brother. You should think about what you should do from now on. At present, the kingdom is difficult to stabilize. My brother will take over the country that is doing stupid things, right? I think it would be a good idea to unite the Ning Lo Saf Union nation into one nation and become king! If your brother's going to be king, we'll be happy to hang out, won't we?
"No, wait, wait, wait. Why do you have to do this when even the small country lords have their hands full? I don't like it, I do. Ning Lo, if you want to unify and be one big country, then Dilai can be king."
"My brother is here, why me?
"... why are you telling me that in the face, really... Dilai is..."
"Brother, don't look so frightened. But in fact, if the kingdom's problems are prolonged any longer, then a Saf Union state will be a problem. No other neighbors outside the kingdom are experiencing problems, but the longer they do, the more likely they are to be deprived of their territory. It might have been nice to think of forests, not people's countries, as about half the country's borders. If we were surrounded by all sorts of countries, we could have had a tough time with the inter-state problem."
There is a huge forest adjacent to the kingdom of Migga, the Kingdom of Fairytrov, the State of the Saf Union and the national territory of the three countries. Widespread in the central part of the continent, the forest is a dangerous place where dangerous demons, poisonous plants and so on are present.
Because it is adjacent to the forest, demons can also be distracted by the Union State. Some people lose their lives when they do. My kingdom, the Kingdom of Rezed, is a land adjacent to the woods among the Saf Union nations. So often demons get mixed up. Especially the Kingdom of Rezeds. There are many strong men who exorcise demons.... I'm so weak that I can't defeat one little demon.
"Right.... Absolutely, I don't want to, but... should I just prepare in case the worst is possible? I want to avoid this Union nation falling together, and I owe it to the kingdom of the nation's lords."
"Right. That's what I thought my brother would do! It's okay, I'm ready."
"... Also, did you go ahead on your own? Well, fine. If you can move around quicker than the Lord's me, I figured Dilai should be king, right?
"My brother is already persistent. I can't be king with my brother. [M] Because there is no more worthy of a king than my brother. I'm a king of kingdoms, and he wants to support me next to my brother!
Not that I'm not happy, but my brother's trust is too great and hard.
Yeah, but when I can direct this trust and expectation, I'm curious that I have to answer that. Well, that's why the lord of the land does it, too.
"Yeah, I am. Brother, we'll do anything for you, so tell me right away!
Dilai, staring at me with her straight eyes, doesn't think I'm going to act like I'm undermining my trust or expectations. I don't believe it, and I think I can do it.
- That's why I think it's troublesome, but in case you do, you have to move.
(One of the heads of state of the Union exchanges conversations with his brother. and wants to answer that expectation)
My Twin Sister Was Taken as a Miko and I Was Thrown Away but I’m Probably the Miko
【連載版】双子の姉が神子として引き取られて、私は捨てられたけど多分私が神子である。
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/my-twin-sister-was-taken-as-a-miko-and-i-was-thrown-away-but-im-probably-the-miko/
Adventure Fantasy Shoujo Slice of Life
Abandoned Children Abusive Characters Adapted to Manga Age Progression Beast Companions Beastkin Character Growth Child Abuse Child Protagonist Complex Family Relationships Cute Protagonist Death Demi-Humans Discrimination Dragons Elves Enemies Become Allies Fantasy Creatures Female Protagonist Friendship Godly Powers Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Magic Magic Beasts Naive Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Religions Saints Schemes And Conspiracies Seeing Things Other Humans Can't S*aves Slow Growth at Start Social Outcasts Special Abilities Spirit Users Spirits Sword And Magic Wars
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7146eg/
池中織奈