Chapter 78

First, what needs to be done is to unify the country.

Due to the somewhat flashy purges, there is still lingering resentment.

What I need to do is to ease the tension.

However, the As family and the Rosais family are taking the lead in this effort.

The former Dibel faction is also very loyal, and some even offered hostages.

Time seems to be on our side.

What I need to tackle next is diplomacy with other countries.

The countries bordering ours are the Kingdom of Berberdil to the south, the Kingdom of Evil to the west, the Kingdom of Equis (Equis tribe) to the east, and the Kingdom of Domorgal to the north.

We are surrounded on all sides.

Currently, the Kingdom of Equis is friendly, while the Kingdom of Domorgal is hostile.

The Kingdom of Evil and the Kingdom of Berberdil have somewhat strained relations with us.

Just as the Kingdom of Domorgal was a threat to our country, the Kingdom of Rosais is a significant threat to the Kingdom of Evil and the Kingdom of Berberdil.

Originally (before I ascended the throne), the Kingdom of Rosais had a population of about 170,000, while the Kingdom of Evil and the Kingdom of Berberdil each had populations of around 100,000.

There was already a considerable difference in national strength.

However, the Kingdom of Rosais had been plagued by internal and external troubles and had not been able to fully utilize its national strength.

But now, a young new king has been born.

The population of the Kingdom of Rosais is now around 230,000, though an exact figure is not yet known as a census has not been conducted.

Just as I do not know the exact population of other countries, they probably do not know the exact population of our country either, but it is easy to imagine that our national strength has increased significantly after the war with the Kingdom of Domorgal.

Moreover, national strength is not just about population or agricultural income.

The Kingdom of Evil had advanced ironworking technology and was superior to the Kingdom of Rosais in quality.

The Kingdom of Berberdil, being close to the Kirisia cities, was ahead of us in architectural technology and political systems.

But that advantage is beginning to wane.

Our country has also begun to produce iron tools and employ Kirisians.

And above all, the centralized government.

The Kingdom of Rosais made significant progress in this area during the recent civil war.

We can gather an army at several times the speed of other countries.

Moreover, as I have only recently risen to power, my background is unknown.

Both countries must be very afraid.

Since I have set the goal of unifying the Adernia Peninsula, I intend to annex or reduce these two countries to vassal states or minor nobles.

However, it is still premature.

I want to focus on internal affairs for a while without going to war.

Moreover, the truly frightening thing is being surrounded.

In strategy simulation games, it is common to be ganged up on by neighboring countries if you win too much.

In history, famous examples include the包围网 of Nobunaga and the strategy of forming alliances.

In short, good neighborly relations are extremely important.

First, I went to the Kingdom of Equis.

It is an important ally, and conveniently, I received an invitation from Mutio for his wedding.

First, I greeted the King of Equis, and then the Crown Prince Methyl.

Actually, he greeted me.

Since my status is higher, he came to me.

"It's been a while, King Rosais. You look well."

"Thank you, Prince Methyl. How are you? By the way, how is your mother?"

I said this deliberately so that the third prince, Ledus, could hear.

It was a bit of a prank and a warning.

To be honest, now that I am king, the weaknesses I have in the hands of the King of Equis are meaningless.

In other words, I am now in a superior position.

"Thanks to Lady Yulia, I am doing well. I am really grateful."

Methyl smiled genuinely.

He is a gentle and kind crown prince, though not particularly skilled in martial arts and rather timid.

If he becomes the King of Equis, he will be a good ally and can stand shoulder to shoulder with us.

It would be troublesome if he were too capable.

Next, I greeted the main character of the event, Mutio.

"Thank you for coming, King Rosais."

"Well, it's only natural to attend a friend's wedding."

Mutio and I shook hands.

He can read the room a bit, so he doesn't use a casual tone with a king of a country, but his tone is still quite rough.

"This is Rakeira. The woman who will become my wife."

Mutio pointed to a woman standing behind him.

"Nice to meet you, King Rosais. I was bedridden with illness last time and couldn't greet you. I apologize."

"Don't worry about it."

Rakeira bowed politely.

She had long black hair, gentle eyes, and a large chest.

It was the largest I had ever seen.

If Tera is a light cruiser and Yulia is a heavy cruiser, this woman is a battleship. Long live the big ship and big gun doctrine.

While I like big chests, I'm not that obsessed with size, so I didn't feel much beyond surprise.

I whispered to Mutio.

"By the way, what about the inverse scale?"

"It's for the wedding. Don't tell anyone."

I see, a surprise, huh.

"The wedding will last three days. Please enjoy it."

Mutio made an awkward bow.

Next, it was the third prince, Ledus.

"…It's been a while, King Rosais."

"…Yes, Prince Ledus. You seem well…"

What's wrong with this guy… Why is he so gloomy?

His eyes are dead, and he exudes a very unwelcoming aura.

I thought about saying something, but Ledus bowed and left.

What's up with him?

The wedding lasted three days.

On the first day, there was a banquet. This is to deepen the friendship between the Equis tribes. This time, our country is joining the circle.

On the second day, there was a mock wedding.

The mock part is because the vows are made to family, people, and vassals.

The vows to the gods are done separately.

However, the most lavish wedding is this mock wedding.

Gifts are given to the newlyweds, and congratulations are offered.

Incidentally, 60% of the gifts are sheep, 30% are slaves, and the remaining 10% are famous horses.

Typical of the Equis tribe.

Incidentally, our country gave wine and olive oil.

The Equis tribe doesn't grow much wine or olives, so they were pleased.

To the bride, I gave a garnet necklace, and to the groom, a dragon-damascus steel sword I had commissioned from Eyns.

But the garnet necklace might have been a mistake.

It ended up highlighting the decoration made from the inverse scale that Mutio gave to Rakeira. But it's not all bad.

On the third day, the real wedding.

In other words, a vow to the gods.

To be honest, it's boring. Sheep are sacrificed, and many sorcerers pray, saying, "Thank you, gods and ancestors. We are getting married. We will work hard for the Equis tribe."

Honestly, it's boring for me. I am from the Kingdom of Rosais and don't know the ancestors or gods of the Equis tribe.

But Yulia seemed to enjoy it. Well, if Yulia is happy, that's good.

The next day, Yulia and I parted ways.

Yulia was going to examine the third wife again, and I was going to reaffirm the alliance with the King of Equis and Crown Prince Methyl.

"Then, King of Equis, I am Almus As Rosais, the new king of the Kingdom of Rosais. Nice to meet you."

"Indeed, nice to meet you."

We shook hands.

Then I met the eyes of Crown Prince Methyl. He is the next king, so he is participating in this discussion.

This way, if anything happens, the alliance can be smoothly handed over.

"First, I would like to thank you again for the 300 soldiers who helped us in the last war. They performed beyond expectations."

I said this from the heart.

Indeed, their strength was remarkable. I can't let them go.

"As for horses, there is no country in the Adernia Peninsula that can match ours. It is only natural. Now… shall we talk about trade?"

"What our country wants is wool and horses, as usual. Other things that would be appreciated include wolf fur, tyrannosaurus teeth, and scales."

Actually, there is nothing we really want… Horses and sheep can be raised in the Kingdom of Rosais.

What I want is military power. That's all.

"Understood. We will continue to trade wheat and wine as usual. If possible, we would like to trade iron tools. The Lupus tribe does not have iron tools, so having them would be advantageous."

Hmm… I guess that's fine.

It would be terrifying if they turned those teeth on us… but that's a different story.

It's easier than being asked to send reinforcements. Our country, which is mainly infantry, would not be able to fight well in a war between nomadic tribes.

"Understood. But I can't send too many. Our military preparations come first."

"I understand. I will do my best. By the way…"

The King of Equis placed a white stone-like object in front of me.

No, it's slightly pink. This is…

"It's rock salt mined in our territory."

"Wow…"

Hmm, this is a problem.

If the price of rock salt drops, our income will decrease. Rock salt is one of the pillars supporting our treasury.

"The problem is that we don't have the technology to mine it efficiently. Here's a proposal. Can you provide technical assistance? In return, we will sell the rock salt at a lower price."

At a lower price… meaning below the market price.

This is not a bad deal for us. We can make a profit by selling it at a high price to the Kirisians, and it will resolve trade friction.

But why?

Crown Prince Methyl, who had been silent until now, answered my question.

"To the south of our country are the Lupus tribe. Because of them, we cannot trade with the Kirisians. The Kirisians do not come to this country to buy goods. Therefore, it would be more effective to entrust the matter to the people of the Kingdom of Rosais. Besides, we are not good at business."

That makes sense.

What the Equis tribe wants is wheat and wine, not gold or silver, let alone gold jewelry or Persian glass.

So trading with the Kingdom of Rosais would be more profitable… or rather, it would lead to a desirable outcome.

It would increase profits, and there is no particular reason to refuse. In fact, deteriorating relations would be a problem.

"I see. This is beneficial for us as well. Yes, we will provide support. As for the specific price…"

The meeting continued until midnight.

"Ah…"

Ledus was alone, holding his head.

His face showed signs of fatigue and tears.

He looked like a baby who had been cried to. In fact, he had been.

Why did Ledus cry? The cause was the marriage of Mutio and Rakeira.

In other words, heartbreak.

The history of Ledus's feelings for Rakeira dates back about ten years.

If I were to write it down, it would take tens of thousands of words and be boring, so I will omit it.

Incidentally, Rakeira had no idea that Ledus liked her.

Her eyes were only on Mutio, and she hardly ever spoke to Ledus.

To Rakeira, "Ledus? Oh, the third prince. What's the matter?"

Why didn't Ledus confess his feelings to Rakeira? Was he chicken?

That's part of it.

Ledus is confident in his martial arts, but he can't take that step when it matters.

The term "indecisive" might fit.

But that's not all.

The reason is simple