Rebirth in a Ruined Nation! The Life of a New Strategist Starting From Now - Chapter 117

The Empire’s Turmoil (4) – The Expected and The Unexpected

“You don’t look surprised. How boring,” Lapilia-sama commented after seeing my reaction.

“Well, I kinda expected this to happen.”

After all, Rufa also lived with us and Luluria back then. But Rufa was the only person who wasn’t there when we escorted Luluria back to the Empire.

This time, we would pass through the Yolos Corridor and go into the Empire’s territory to pick up Prince Tsetsedra. This was something that the Empire had proposed. By entrusting their Prince’s safety to us in their own territory, The Empire was trying to show us that they had no hostile intention.

Since we would pick up the Prince in the Empire’s territory, of course, Luluria would be there to see her husband off. So there should be a chance for Rufa to talk with Luluria for a bit.

“…That’s why Rufa is here, right?”

“…Yup.”

Lapilia-sama answered with a bit of a disappointed expression while Rufa was looking at me with a bright smile on her face. 

I think it was too late for me to say Rufa couldn’t come with us because it was dangerous.

Still…

“You did get Rays-sama’s permission, right?”

“Yup!” Rufa answered cheerfully. I guess she can come with us then.

“Alright then, let’s go.”

Just when I was about to give the command to leave, several figures ran toward me. As the figure got closer, I found that they were Cipher-sama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sazabi, and several people that I would assume were Cipher-sama’s subordinates.

“Please wait a moment!” Cipher-sama’s voice made us stop.

“What’s happened? Sazabi, are you also coming with us?”

“Yeah. The King ordered me to go with you.”

“Like usual, huh. Well, I don’t mind. Cipher-sama, are you also coming with us?”

Cipher-sama looked at me with a troubled gaze. How unusual.

“Roa, I have a favor to ask of you…”

“A favor?”

“Can you allow one more person to come with you?”

“Are you talking about Sazabi? As I’ve said before, I don’t mind if he’s coming with us.”

“No, not Sazabi…The person I was talking about is…him.”

One person among several people who I assumed were Cipher-sama’s subordinates stepped forward. That small person was wearing a hood.

“Huh!? Pr–”

Before I finished my sentences, Cipher-sama gestured to me to keep silent. There were 4000 of us here so there’s no way we can hide his identity forever!

“So, Roa, about him…”

“Cipher-dono, it’s fine. Roa-dono, It’s me, Zeland.”

The small boy lifted his hood. As expected, he was Prince Zeland.

“…Wait, don’t tell me the person you’re talking about is…”

Cipher-sama looked at me with an extremely troubled face.

“There’s no way I can take him! First of all, can you please explain to me what’s going on here?”

“I personally asked my Father to come with you.”

Prince Zeland, not Cipher-sama, answered me.

“Zeland-sama said to the King that since the Empire sent their Imperial Prince, then it is only courteous if we sent someone of equal importance,” Cipher-sama explained.

“Well, I understand where Prince Zeland is coming from, but Prince Zeland is the heir to the throne, isn’t it bad for me to bring him along to the Empire? Isn’t it enough courtesy to just bring someone like the King’s relative with us?”

“That’s what I advised the King and the Prince to do, but… The King was very eager to have Zeland-sama come with you to the Empire saying that it would be a good experience for him.”

I see. No wonder Cipher-sama looked that troubled.

“Then, we should bring more soldiers to protect–”

“Please don’t do that. The 4th Imperial Prince will be coming to our country bringing only a small number of his people, right? Then it’s enough for us to bring this many soldiers. If we bring too much, they might think we’re being hostile. In addition, I don’t want to needlessly increase the number of soldiers because of my own selfishness.” 

No, even if you said that, Prince Tsetsedra was someone I could call a ‘youth’. He was only a little younger than me. In contrast, Prince Zeland was still a ‘boy’. He was even younger than Rufa!

But before I could open my mouth, Prince Zeland continued, “I have also received an order from my Father to be a good guide for our Imperial guests. I have also been practicing horse riding. I won’t slow you down, so please take me with you!”

On him, I could no longer see the weak-willed Prince I once saw when I first met him.

The King too, might find it hard to refuse such resolute eyes.

“Isn’t it fine to take him with us?” Surprisingly, Frein was the first person who spoke out.

Since Frein was a noble, I thought he would act like Cipher-sama.

When I honestly told my surprise, Frein replied, “Prince Zeland is trying to fulfill his duty as a noble right now so we should cooperate with him.”

The other captains and Lapilia-sama agreed to bring Prince Zeland along. Finally, Rufa said, “If you think it’s dangerous, you have to run away immediately!” as if she was the Prince’s older sister.

In the end, it was decided that Prince Zeland would come with us.

***

From the top floor of the royal palace, King Zeurasia and Rays were seeing off the members of the 10th Division as they left the capital.

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

Rays was asking about Prince Zeland. This time, even Rays disagreed with bringing Prince Zeland to the Empire, but the King insisted.

“After his victory at the mock battle the other day, I think Zeland changed a lot.”

“Yes, that’s true. His confidence has grown and his attitude has changed.”

“As both a father and a King, I was pleased to hear that he wanted to fulfill his duty as a noble. I believe that this is the opportunity for him to grow.”

“Well, I have to agree.”

“Also, Zeland is accompanied by the Roa Brigade, the very people who brought him his confidence. If we’re thinking about the future 10 years from now, Roa and the people around him might become good advisors for Zeland.”

“That is true…”

While having such a conversation, the two men stayed and watched Roa and the others’ departure until the two could no longer see them.