Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 19 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Conclusion

With Fuuga’s fangs finally broken, things began to settle down.

“Your Majesty?! Are you hurt?!”

“Grrr, grarrrrr!”

“Hey, stop struggling!”

“Naden, hold it down properly!”

There was quite a commotion, and I turned to see Durga the flying tiger, with Naden the black ryuu coiled around it. They were being rolled into camp by Ruby the red dragon. It looked as if she were rolling a chocolate cornet—except with tiger filling!

The Black Chocolate Cornet Rolling Festival... Maybe it’s a weird local event somewhere?

Aisha was riding on Ruby’s shoulders when I suddenly blurted out, “Wait, what’s happening here?”

Quickly jumping down from Ruby, Aisha rushed over to me. “I’m sorry, sire. It took us a while to restrain Durga... But more importantly, you’re covered in blood! A-Are you going to be all right?”

Aisha was visibly shaken by the sight of my wound, shaking me so hard I thought she might finish me off.

“Settle down, Aisha!” Liscia shouted, unable to watch any longer. “He’s lost a lot of blood, but the wound isn’t fatal.”

“Hwagh?! I-I’m sorry, Lady Liscia,” Aisha replied, regaining her composure.

Next, she glared at Fuuga, who was just standing there, and threatened him with her greatsword. I could practically see the aura of rage radiating from her. She began to walk towards him with slow, deliberate steps.

“Damn you, Fuuga! How dare you leave a mark on His Majesty’s body!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” I called out to her.

“P-Please, wait, Lady Aisha!” Yuriga shouted. “Forgive my brother! It’s already been settled!”

Yuriga and I rushed to stop Aisha, who looked ready to swing at Fuuga. I momentarily forgot my own injury as I clung to her, while Yuriga genuinely pleaded for Fuuga’s life, without the theatrics she had displayed earlier.

Liscia let out a resigned sigh and said, “Stay still, Aisha.”

Thwack! Liscia delivered a light chop to the back of Aisha’s head, leaving her in shock and on the verge of tears.

“Ow...! Lady Liscia?”

Whew... If Aisha had struck down Fuuga right there, it would have undone all our efforts and sacrifices in an instant. Warriors can be frightening when they’re angry. I needed to resolve this quickly. I called out to Fuuga, who was still standing in a daze. “Fuuga, can you get Durga to calm down?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure.” Once he snapped back to his senses, Fuuga approached Durga, who was still coiled up with Naden. He sat down next to them and placed a hand on Durga’s snout. “Durga, our war is over. You don’t need to run wild anymore.”

“Grrrrr...” Durga was clearly enraged, but as Fuuga spoke, the flying tiger gradually relaxed and became calm.

Watching Durga settle down as its master patted it, I was reminded that it was just a really big cat. Wait, is it a cat? Well, whatever.

Once Durga was pacified, Naden released the tiger but remained in her black ryuu form, saying, “Ruby and I will keep an eye on it, just in case.”

“Please do,” I replied.

With the situation under control, I turned to the clearly relieved Yuriga.

“Yuriga.”

“Ah! Yes, what is it?” she responded.

“The fighting is still going on in the battlefield. I’m going to leave wrapping things up to you.”

“T-To me?” she echoed, her eyes wide in surprise.

I nodded firmly. “Yes. You have a lot of pull with people on both sides, so you can reach the greatest number of them. Use the broadcast to tell them in your own words that the war is ending and that we’re starting reconciliation.”

Yuriga looked around. Family members like me and Liscia, retainers like Hal and Ludwin, and even the enemy commander, her brother Fuuga, were all nodding in agreement. Seeing our reactions, Yuriga made up her mind and faced forward.

“Got it... Duchess Walter, if you don’t mind.”

“Understood.”

Excel raised her fan to the heavens, summoning a massive sphere of water that was visible from anywhere on the battlefield. Inside the sphere, an image of Yuriga appeared. As the noise subsided, soldiers on both sides turned their attention to her message.

In the ensuing silence, Yuriga spoke.

“I have something to say to the forces of both the Kingdom of Friedonia and the Great Tiger Empire of Haan,” she began, facing directly ahead.

“I stand here as Souma E. Friedonia’s fourth primary queen and the younger sister of Great Tiger Emperor Fuuga Haan to announce that His Majesty and my brother have reached an agreement to end hostilities.”

Yuriga paused, sharing the news of the truce aimed at halting the fighting.

“My brother Fuuga made a valiant attempt to reach Souma, but my husband’s loyal retainers put up a brave fight and thwarted his advance. Neither of them is in critical condition, but my brother’s charge ultimately ended in failure.”

The globe of water showed me covered in blood, leaning on Liscia for support, while Fuuga sat on the ground with one of his wings missing. It looks more like a painful tie than a victory... I thought.

Yuriga was carefully choosing her words, trying not to upset the pride of soldiers on either side. She conveyed to the Kingdom’s soldiers that Fuuga’s assault had been brilliantly halted. At the same time, she did not belittle Fuuga in front of the Imperial soldiers, emphasizing that although he had fought well, he had ultimately fallen short. This sensitivity to the nuances of people’s feelings was a result of her training under her teacher, Hakuya.

Right now, the soldiers of the Great Tiger Empire must have been scowling in disappointment. Nevertheless, Yuriga continued to speak calmly.

“The war ends here. My brother Fuuga is wounded, and continued hostilities are no longer feasible. Prolonging the battle will not give the Great Tiger Empire a chance for victory and will only lead to further losses. For His Majesty Souma, this has been a defensive war, and he sees no purpose in continuing until the Great Tiger Empire’s forces are completely eliminated. Therefore, both sides must stop fighting, and reconciliation will begin once the Great Tiger Empire has fully withdrawn its forces.”

Yuriga closed her eyes and clasped her hands together in front of her as if in prayer.

“There is nothing left to gain from fighting. I ask everyone, on both sides, to cease hostilities until your superiors instruct otherwise. I was born and raised in Malmkhitan, the predecessor of the Great Tiger Empire, and later married into the Kingdom of Friedonia. I pray that no more blood will be shed in this futile battle.”

Perhaps due to Yuriga’s words, the noise from the distant battlefield faded away. I could sense the fervor driving this conflict quickly diminishing. Then the bell signaling a retreat rang out from the Great Tiger Empire’s main camp. Hashim must have concluded that continuing the war was impossible.

Upon hearing that sound, the Kingdom also rang its bell for their soldiers to pull back. No matter how people attempted to glorify war, it ultimately led to slaughter. The excitement of battle might temporarily dispel the fear of death and the aversion to violence, but once calm returned, those suppressed feelings resurfaced, making it impossible to continue fighting.

Yuriga was right—the war was over.

Now that both sides had signaled withdrawal, the soldiers would soon start to return to camp. It wouldn’t be good if Fuuga, who no longer wished to fight, was still hanging around.

“It’s already over. Take Durga and go home, Fuuga,” I told him.

“Yeah, I’ll do that...” he replied, resting one hand on his knee as he stood up.

Unlike I, who could barely stand from all the pain I was in, Fuuga was still able to move around normally, albeit partially out of stubbornness. He hadn’t become the great man of the era for nothing.

Fuuga had Durga stand up but hesitated to get on the tiger’s back.

“Hmm? What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Well...now that I think about it, I’ve never returned home defeated before. When I consider how I’m going to face Mutsumi and everyone else...it suddenly makes me feel down.” He looked uncharacteristically troubled.

As the great man who had always won and never lost, he was completely lacking in experience when it came to handling this situation. We were all so exasperated that we didn’t even know what to say.

“Not my problem. Now beat it,” I told him.

“I agree with Souma, Brother,” Yuriga chimed in.

Fuuga smiled wryly. “You’re both so blunt... Well, I guess I’ll think it over when I get back.”

With that, Fuuga jumped onto Durga’s back.

“Ah!” I exclaimed, suddenly realizing something. “Hey! Take your severed wing with you,” I called after him, noticing he had left it on the ground. “You can have them stick it back on with light magic, right?”

Fuuga roared with laughter. “Keep it as a trophy for having defeated me! I bet a great man’s wing is worth something!”

“We don’t want it!” I protested. “Forcing it on us is just a headache!”

“See you later, Souma! Yuriga!”

“I’m telling you to take the damn thing with you!”

Fuuga ignored me, and Durga dashed off. I guessed he had never learned on a field trip to “leave the place more beautiful than he found it.” Of course he hadn’t. That guy was always leaving a mess behind him.

Looking at the wing he had left behind, I turned to the equally exasperated Yuriga.

“Hey, what do you think I should do with it?” I asked.

“Why not make feather pens? You use them a lot in your job, right?”

“Ew. I don’t want a pen made from the body parts of someone I know.”

“Yeah, of course not.”

Yuriga and I exchanged a sigh. He was causing trouble for us even as he left... That was Fuuga Haan for you.

◇ ◇ ◇

The first person to greet Fuuga upon his return to camp was his advisor, Hashim—seemingly not reacting to his master’s missing wing as he put his hands together in front of him and bowed his head.

“I am pleased to see you have returned safely,” he said.

“Yeah, sorry. My blade didn’t reach Souma,” Fuuga admitted.

He spoke of his failure with surprising ease. However, Hashim showed no signs of disappointment or frustration, maintaining a calm tone. “That you were even able to strike a blow against Souma in such a tense situation is a testament to your valor, Lord Fuuga. The crafty Kingdom of Friedonia might have repelled our assault, but no one would doubt your bravery.”

“What? Are you trying to console me?” Fuuga asked, giving Hashim a suspicious look.

“Hardly,” Hashim replied with his usual intelligent smile. “I’m simply expressing my gratitude. To command in a battle that divides the world into two camps is a remarkable experience. For a man from the House of Chima, who has spent his time plotting to carve land from smaller nations, this was nothing short of a dream come true. We might not have won, but I have undoubtedly put the Chima name in the history books. I’m sure my departed father would be pleased with me.”

Hashim had already accepted the outcome. He likely started considering his options for defeat when the battle unfolded on these plains, when they found themselves with a single piercing strike as their only chance. The intelligent Hashim had already been formulating ideas for the next steps.

He placed his hands together in front of him and bowed once again. “Before we continue our conversation, please go see Lady Mutsumi. My younger sister is...”

“Yeah, I heard from Queen Liscia already. She’s pregnant with my kid, right?”

“Indeed. It frustrates her that this situation has hindered her on the battlefield.”

“Gotcha. I’ll head over right away.”

With that, Fuuga left Hashim to console the troops and made his way to Mutsumi’s side.

Entering the ger at the back of the main camp, Fuuga found Mutsumi sitting in a chair, looking down dejectedly. He was about to call out to her but hesitated for a moment. As a defeated commander, he felt unsure how to face Mutsumi, just as he had told Souma.

However, seeing her in such a state of despair, unaware of his presence, Fuuga couldn’t bear to leave her like that. He attempted to maintain his usual carefree attitude as he called out to her.

“I’m back, Mutsumi. Just got here.”

“Ah!” Mutsumi’s head snapped around to look at him. Her eyes were a little red, possibly from crying, and she covered her face the moment she saw it was him.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed, suddenly starting to apologize repeatedly, which made Fuuga panic.

“H-Hey, what are you apologizing for?” he asked.

Mutsumi hung her head, still covering her face. “I was watching you on the broadcast. You fought until your wing was cut off, and yet not only did I fail to help you, but I also allowed Lady Liscia, the enemy commander, to pity me. I’m so mortified that my body wouldn’t do what I wanted it to when I needed it the most. I can’t bear to face you after that.”

“Uh, no, it’s my fault we lost,” Fuuga replied. “I’m the one who can’t face you.”

Fuuga knelt in front of Mutsumi. As he was larger than her, his eyes were nearly level with hers as she sat. He wrapped her in a gentle hug, even as she continued to cover her face.

“I heard over there that you’re having my baby.”

“Yes...” she replied softly.

“If I’d known before the battle, I would have never let you fight.”

“I would have hated that...so I kept it a secret.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll bet I would have done the same thing in your position.”

“I can’t imagine you as a queen...”

“Ha ha ha! The image of you as a king fits surprisingly well though.”

Their conversation shifted to casual banter, and as they continued to talk, Mutsumi gradually relaxed in Fuuga’s arms. He rubbed her back as gently as he could.

“Sorry, Mutsumi. I lost. My blade didn’t reach Souma.”

“Darling, you managed to strike a blow against him. We should be the ones ashamed of ourselves.”

“That’s not true. The wall of talent that Souma has built around him was thicker and harder than I’d imagined. A ruler’s effectiveness boils down to his own abilities. I guess I had already lost to Souma when he created a ‘nation’ that couldn’t be challenged by the martial prowess of any single individual. That was my limitation.”

“Does this mean...you’ve come to the end of your dream?”

Fuuga nodded. “Yeah. The great journey of Fuuga Haan ends here. When Souma beat me, and then I learned I had a kid, I really felt it.”

“Then...!”

Mutsumi looked horrified. But Fuuga gave her a gentle smile.

“Don’t get me wrong. I was shocked when I found out I was having a kid, but I was also happy about it. That happiness made me feel like I was no longer the great man sought by this era; I had returned to just being a man.”

“Just...a man?”

“Yeah. Just an ordinary guy, making love to his wife, having babies, and living in peace. It was fun to chase a dream, but looking back...it was a lot of stress and pressure.” He spoke to Mutsumi like a husband sharing his feelings after a long day at work.

While he had been caught up in the excitement of striving to be great, the stress and pressure had never really affected him. But now, without that burden, he could reflect on it with a clearer perspective. The fact that he could feel this way now was proof that Fuuga had returned to being an ordinary person.

Fuuga scooped Mutsumi up in his arms and carried her to the bed in the back of the tent. He gently set her down and stroked her head.

“You’re tired today. Take it easy for a bit. The Kingdom doesn’t want a total victory, so they won’t come after us. Let’s begin our withdrawal slowly, starting tomorrow morning.”

“You’re...not going to sleep yourself?” Mutsumi asked, looking up at Fuuga.

He gave her a wry smile. “Oh, I’ll sleep... Just not until I get my back treated. To tell you the truth, it’s been aching this whole time.”

“You were putting on a brave face? By the way, what happened to your severed wing?” she inquired.

“I gave it to Souma as a prize for beating me.”

“What were you even thinking...? That’s just a nuisance for them.”

Mutsumi looked exasperated, but Fuuga burst out laughing.

“It was a good way to get back at him, huh? Anyway, I’m headed out for a while.”

“Yes. Please come back soon, okay?”

“Sure.”

After leaving, he went to receive treatment with light magic and washed the blood off before returning to Mutsumi’s tent.

That night—unlike the victorious Souma, who endured the pain of his wounds while commanding his people—the defeated Fuuga finally slept soundly in Mutsumi’s arms for the first time in ages.

◇ ◇ ◇

The next day, the forces of the Great Tiger Empire began their quiet retreat from the Kingdom of Friedonia. The Kingdom’s troops watched closely to ensure that the retreating soldiers did not attempt any deceptive moves on their way out of the country.

According to the agreement between their leaders, the Great Tiger Empire returned all the cities they had occupied to the Kingdom. While half of the territory gained during the counterinvasion would remain under the Kingdom’s control, the Kingdom agreed to withdraw from Haan Great Tiger Castle and the surrounding areas.

As long as the agreement was upheld, the forces of the Great Tiger Empire were guaranteed safe passage back to their homeland. The exchange of prisoners was scheduled to occur after the withdrawal was complete. Many lords from the Kingdom had temporarily surrendered, allowing themselves to be taken prisoner in order to lure the Great Tiger Empire’s forces deeper into their territory.

The Maritime Alliance had captured several high-profile individuals, including King Lombard of the former Kingdom of Remus and his wife, Yomi. As a result, the exchange of prisoners was set to occur without any ransoms being paid. Along with the withdrawal of the main forces, Shuukin’s troops, who were facing the Euphoria Kingdom, and Moumei’s forces, confronting the Republic, also withdrew. Additionally, the detached force under Juna and Maria that had surrounded Haan Great Tiger Castle pulled out as well.

The public would view this war as a failure on Fuuga’s part. He had seized half of the world but was unable to conquer the Kingdom of Friedonia.

To use an analogy from my old world’s history, this situation was reminiscent of the Battle of Red Cliffs. Even when a great nation lost some territory in a failed war, it remained intact. Fuuga’s followers might consider this a single defeat and believe they would one day return for revenge. But they’d be mistaken.

This war had caused Fuuga Haan to lose his passion for fighting, and it was unlikely that he and I would ever engage in battle again. Just as the Battle of Red Cliffs had had a surprisingly negative impact on the state of Wei in Chinese history, this defeat marked checkmate for the Great Tiger Empire. We had framed our victory in such a way that Fuuga’s supporters were prevented from realizing the true implications.

Many living now might view this war as ending in a tie or as a Pyrrhic victory for the Maritime Alliance. However, in the future, it would be recognized that this war effectively thwarted Fuuga’s ambitions and was a complete victory for the Maritime Alliance.

—Some Days After the Great Tiger Empire Completed Their Withdrawal, Courtyard of Parnam Castle

“People in the future are probably going to hate me...” I murmured to myself as I gazed up into the blue sky.

“What’s this, all of a sudden?” Liscia asked with a dubious look.

“I was just thinking about how history is told not just through textbooks, but also through the stories that emerge from it. If this is framed as the story of a great man, then Fuuga will undoubtedly be the protagonist. I’ll likely be seen as the one who hindered his quest to achieve something great.”

I imagined I would be portrayed similarly to Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was referred to as Duke Ieyasu out of respect in Aichi and Shizuoka, but fans of Ishida Mitsunari and Sanada Yoshimura despised him. People often side with the victors, but the honorable Mitsunari and Yoshimura, who bravely fought against overwhelming odds, had the more dramatic narratives. In stories featuring them, Ieyasu is usually depicted as a scheming old tanuki. I would probably receive the same treatment.

When I explained my thoughts, Liscia chuckled.

“True. And on top of that, there were all those rumors about you being a sex fiend, so you’re sure to be portrayed as evil.”

“Even though almost all of my marriages were political! Uh, I still love all of you though.”

“But those who truly know will understand,” Liscia said, holding my hand gently. “What you wanted and what you defended... I’m sure that even in the future, there will be people who grasp that. Besides, we know the truth. The people living today do too. That should be enough.”

Liscia gave me a soft smile, and she was right.

“It’s more than enough for me.”

“Yeah. So right now, let’s welcome them back with a smile.” Liscia let go of my hand and gave me a friendly slap on the back.

Suddenly, Aisha pointed up into the sky.

“Ah, they’re here, sire!” she shouted.

High above, I spotted a wyvern gondola as it made its descent towards the courtyard. Liscia, Aisha, Yuriga, and I patiently waited for it to land. When the door of the gondola opened, I heard a cheerful voice call out.

“Darlin’, I’m home!”

“Whoa!” I exclaimed as Roroa leapt out and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck. It felt like she needed to confirm my presence, rubbing her cheek against mine over and over.

“You’re still alive, right?! Not a ghost or nothin’?! You’re not cold and dead, are ya?!”

“C-Calm down, Roroa. I’m alive, as you can see for yourself,” I reassured her.

“Ya dummy! I saw you were hurt! We were beside ourselves with worry while watchin’ the broadcast!”

I tried to get her to settle down, but that only made her angrier. Apparently, she had seen me covered in blood, standing with Liscia’s support after being slashed by Fuuga.

I glanced at Liscia for help but her eyes seemed to say, “This is your fault. You deal with it.”

It’s my own fault, huh? I thought, placing my hand on Roroa’s head and gently patting it. “Sorry. I know I worried you.”

“Darn right ya did... But, well, you’re alive, and we were able to meet again, so it’s all good. I’ll let ya off the hook.”

“Ha ha ha. Thanks,” I replied, continuing to hug Roroa while patting her head. As we did, the other passengers in the gondola began to disembark.

““Yuriga!””

Tomoe and Ichiha spotted Yuriga and rushed over to her. Tomoe even hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her face.

“Ohhh... Yuriga! I’m so glad you were safe!”

“Hey, stop crying on me! You’ll get my clothes dirty!”

“But...I was worried about you...all this time... Wahhhhh!”

“Ichiha! Do something about your fiancée, would you?!”

Ichiha just smiled serenely. “You really did your best, Yuriga.”

“Hmph...!” Yuriga turned her head to the side in embarrassment.

The other passengers were Carla and Serina, who were taking care of the children. They had gone to pick up Roroa and the kids as soon as their mission was complete. Liscia and the others were welcoming them. Our family had returned to Parnam.

Juna and Maria will return soon from the north, and once they do, the entire family will be gathered in this castle again. As I thought about that, I was reminded once more that the war was finally over.