Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? Chapter 146

Next chapter 2-4 hours.
7444, Month 6, Day 20
"Fumu..Well then, with this we call an end to the hearing of rank 1 warrior Chizumagurol. Chizumagurol, from here on out devote your loyalty to Lail Kingdom as well."
The speaker elder Webundo said that concluding things and Miduchi went to open her mouth to reply in understanding.
"Webundo-sama, please wait. We still haven't finished with the judgement of the practice match today!"
One of the elders, warrior inspector general Yoretto stated a difference. Currently in this location other than the subject of the hearing Miduchi, there's the 10 elders, and additionally the the three head warriors as well as the head of the rank 2 warriors that was escorting the caravan and Beindoru the head of the acquisition ranking. In the first place they discussed the source of the problem that is the details of the escort mission at the start of this year and the hearing concluded without any particular problem. During that time, Miduchi and the other warriors remain keeling with their heads lowered only allowed to speak when their opinions are requested. In the not particularly s.p.a.cious corner of the a.s.sembly of elders meeting room there were five warriors and one other kneeling so it was considerably cramped.
Miduchi couldn't help but find it strange. In regards to the hearing this time as well, it was just a matter of conveying the details she had reported to the head warrior after completing the mission. No matter how anyone looks at it the fact that they were able to minimize the damage to just one rank 3 warrior who was escorting was largely thanks to the efforts of the escort leader Miduchi taking command and each of the other escorts. Exactly where was there any fault that a hearing needed to be performed.
Of course, the hearing was something like a formality and it quickly progressed and just now ended without problem though.
Up until another problem was raised again here, excluding just one person everyone on the spot didn't have any doubts that it was the conclusion of this strange ceremony. It was quite literally just about to end now. It was then that the elder Yoretto warrior inspector general accused Miduchi.
"Even though it was a practice match, I've heard that rank 1 warrior Chizumagurol didn't just use horukutokiso but also used magic to injure her brethren. Isn't this fine as rank 1 warrior Chizumagurol's loss?"
Regardless of whether it's fine or not. Miduchi doesn't care about the outcome of the practice match at all.
If you want to say it's a loss then a loss is fine too. She can't accept it but it's certainly true she used the natural paralysis poison horukutokiso which is forbidden from practice matches so if you want to determine it as a loss because of that then it's fine to think that can't be helped. After all she already understood that it was a practice match at that point.
Rank 2 head warrior Akein raised a groan on Miduchi's side.
"~~! Yoretto inspect general. I can't agree with that. The matter this time, both rank 1 warrior Kurozakku and I were watching from the start. Exactly what about that was a practice match! Without knowing or being told anything, even though she just finished the hard for to finish a mission in a distance land, when an exhausted warrior finally returns home if suddenly ambushing them with seven opponents without asking questions is within the realms of a practice match then I wouldn't have any choice but to accept it though."
Yoretto warrior inspector general coldly looked at rank 2 head warrior Akein and,
"I don't remember permitting you to speak."
And said that before looking at Webundo once again. Miduchi was still thinking (It seems that rank 2 head warrior Akein is covering me but if it's like this then his position will get worse. Will things be fine if I just accept my defeat?) she had no idea what was going on. In that case then it's best if things are concluded even just a bit better here.
"I request permission to speak."
And Miduchi said while looking at warrior inspector general Yoretto. Since no one was giving her permission she continued looking at Webundo. After seeing Webundo consent with his eyes and a nod she opened her mouth.
"It's certainly true that I used horukutokiso in the practice match just now. I did it in order to render my opponents powerless without injuring them as much as possible but if you're going to decide the outcome based on that then"Chizumagurol!"
The one who raised a loud voice interrupting Miduchi's statement was rank 1 head warrior Zageruforu.
"No, I officially permit you to speak. Rank 1 warrior Chizumagurol..continue speaking."
It seems it's not a good idea to just obediently accept my defeat from the practice match just now.
"Ha, practice match is an abbreviation for practice combat. It's something that is modeled around real combat and normally rules don't exist. Even more, I was ambushed without being given notice that it was a practice match. I was. .h.i.t in the abdomen with an arrow at the start..by chance I somehow managed to defend against this but following that I was attacked with attack spells. By that point, if I hadn't had any leeway I don't think the fault would have been with me if I had counterattacked with all of my ability and killed the opponents. In actual fact, I rendered all of the seven people who attacked me unable to move."
"You! This unsightly failure! There would be no fault for killing your own brethren you say!?"
(This is bad. It's true I might have said too far.)
Since she was already too used to hearing it during her childhood Miduchi's sorrows told ht tale of how she no longer feels anything to the remarks of "unsightly failure". Mentioning it additionally, thanks to the events of the other day she's gained some leeway her heart so in the first place she's gained a st.u.r.dy barrier and resistance against abusive statements and didn't take any damage from words like that at this point. Her girl power had become infinitely low.
"Webundo-sama, permission to speak."
On Miduchi's side rank 1 head warrior Zageruforu requested permission to speak in a deep coercive voice. Seeing Zageruforu, Webundo said just the single word "Permitted" to give permission.
"Ha..Inspector general Yoretto. There's several things I want to say but first of what does that statement "unsightly failure" mean? Appearance isn't requested from warriors. An apology for Chizumagurol. After that, the matter this time, the largest responsibility is with myself for making a statement that could be taken as a pledge at the start.
Nevertheless, no matter who looks at it the practice match ended in Chizumagurol's victory. The rules of a practice match don't matter at all this time. If you were to bring that up then I can't help but think the fact that they suddenly performed an ambush without any notice is a problem as well. Even though that was the case Chizumagurol won and just now it was proven that she accomplished her escort mission without problem as well.
Therefore the reduction in the warrior cla.s.s is"That's plenty. Remain quiet."
a.s.sistant warrior inspector general Fantodu interrupted Zageruforu's statement.
"From there on is the job of us elders. Head warrior...Now then, Yoretto-sama, in regards to rank 1 head warrior Zageruforu's statement just now..First off of course there's the apology for the rash remarks you just made but why are you so insistent on reducing the numbers of the warrior cla.s.s? In order to increase productivity, it's certainly important to increase the numbers of the service ranking. However, aren't you acting somewhat impatient on it?"
Yoretto was listening with a cynical face but he opened his mouth to reply.
"..What do the other elder members think about it? Aren't you taking her majesty Lilus's words too lightly? Her majesty raised an increase in the production of food as the number one point. We must carry out with it no matter what sacrifices we have to make. Since our countries human resources are limited after all.
..These past 100 years the population has only increased by a mere 400 people, that's only 10%. The mortality rate of newborns is roughly 30%. Even if we have three children that comes out to the population almost not increasing at all. You could say that the cause of that is entirely the problem of food. Other than leaving the bare minimum number of warriors, exactly what are you saying is the problem with moving them to the service ranking? That itself is what I can't accept."

Yoretto quietly started talking.
"The other day I stated that our countries income of foreign currency was 20,000,000,000 and of that only 2,000,000,000 is earned from the warrior cla.s.s including through the sale of magic stones. Certainly I'll recognize that there's some improper portions of this expression."
After saying that he wet his throat with some water.
"The purchase of gla.s.s bottles for cultivating mushrooms and the purchase of all sorts of materials. Of course the purchase of equipment for the warriors to use as well. Since the ingredients for medicine isn't just mushrooms after all. All of those purchases cost money. It's not like the horses that are used while trading can eat mushrooms either. Even the cost of feed can't be made fun of. The cost of feed for just 30 horses is 25,000,000 Z a year on straw.
Therefore, just as you know it's not as if we have 20,000,000,000 in profits. Our expenses reach 17,000,000,000 after all. If you include the compensation we pay our citizens as an expense then it's already at the limit with 20,000,000,000. We can't save anything more than tear drops worth of money towards the foreign currency reserve. We need to earn even just a bit more money in order to escape from this situation."
While Yoretto's tone of speech has already changed not just the elders, but everyone there was paying attention to him.
"Certainly I think it's an inexcusable thing to the warriors. However, at the current point my trial calculations show that a 20% cut, if over 50 warriors were to move to the service ranking then the tunnel expansion efficiency would increase by close to 30%. After all there's only around 300 people actively partic.i.p.ating in the expansion of tunnels in the service ranking right now. Those 300 center around men but those in there 40s don't even need to be mentioned, a lot of them are in their 50s as well.
10 or 20 years later the result of this will definitely come back as a blessing to our country. In the expanded farms we can cultivate that many more mushrooms, with the increased production, both our food and our money will increase as well. The families of this generation will be able to relax and have four or more children. Our population will increase and then our productivity will increase even further. If we have money we can buy even more wheat as food from the neighboring countries as well. If we can buy more food that is capable of being stored for prolonged periods like dried mushrooms or wheat then that would become a great power."
While the attention gathered on Yoretto he lowered his head to the desk pressing it against while continuing his words.
"Fortunately our country hasn't been invaded by foreign countries. We don't have as much of a need as other countries to fortify our defenses. After all we only have this mountain. As long as we can't make fields in our territory like the countries on the surface, I'm sure the various countries wouldn't want our territory to the point of fighting for it. For those who went through the painful training and spent their days training only to finally join the warrior cla.s.s, I really feel apologetic towards them. However, this is the current state of our country right now. I think we should start making drastic forms pretty soon. In the first place I think that the Royal Road Construction Plan is a plan with that sort of meaning.
Of the records of her majesty Lilus's instructions, excluding that time 300 years ago during the "{Purple Worm} incident", almost all of them are connected to increasing productivity. Her majesty is always thinking about the happiness of our countries citizens. It's the same this time as well right? The new method of raising aberujii and the increase in cultivation efficiency, the maintenance to the seedbeds of takurujii, the method to control temperatures for the kofurujii it was all instructions about the edible mushrooms. Other than that it was about the direction to stretch the tunnels and how wide to expand them, almost all of it was regarding things needed for daily life and living. There was no instruction at all in regards to the ingredient for medicine like rakuhoggu or the poisons rirehoggu and soruhoggu. Even when it came to the warriors they weren't mentioned much at all."
Seeing Yoretto rub his head against the desk while stating the present conditions and plead, Miduchi thought.
I somewhat feel like I can get an idea of the background up until now from the flow of the conversation but even if that's the case I really have to wonder about that being the cause for being attacked even if it was practice.
(I see now. So there was a person like this. But, if you're a politician then you should properly lay out the groundwork and get everyone's agreement before..It's not a democratic rule though, so I guess that's fine..But the elders are organized through consultation so isn't it sort of like a democracy? And also, he still hasn't apologized to me yet. Ah, come to think of it..)
Miduchi rummages around and takes out her anku then puts that to her head while fixing her posture on the ground as if praying and started singing the "j.a.panese national anthem". Of course, she also included a word at the start for camouflage.
"Yo..Your majesty Lilus!? "Ki~mi~ga~a~yo~o~wa~"
Everyone was startled as their attention gathered on Miduchi as she suddenly started singing a strange song. That's not unreasonable. However, since she has the anku at her forehead and is taking a pose of prayer they couldn't do anything but watch over dumbfounded. Even more so because the first words she spoke cause some hesitation.
(Wu, embarra.s.sing..)
"..Mwu~u~su~u~ma~ade~"
For a moment Miduchi's anku gave off a strong light and then almost as if a 3D projector was used an image appeared in the meeting room. What was shown was a female dark elf with the legs of a spider from her back and a crown on her head. Simultaneously the same words echoed through the heads of everyone here.
""I am Lilus.Zugutomore. The Ruler and Empress of Lail Kingdom. My children, bow before me.""
The color of everyone's faces changed as they crouched down into the pose of prayer. The elders jumped off of their chairs and those who were kneeling in the corner of the meeting room started prostrating themselves on the spot as they prayed. Among them there were those who started to shed tears being overcome with emotion.
"Shiina-san. This is, something like a recording but there's just a bit of improvisation to it. Among these three options please choose one. 1. There's a political problem related to a foreign country. 2. There's a problem occurring regarding your social standing. 3. There's a political problem occurring domestically. Say the number you pick in j.a.panese. Next say the degree it requires being dealt with. A strong offensive stance. A moderate stance. Or a weak defensive stance. It doesn't matter if this is the degree you want to stop it at as well."
Miduchi was a bit confused but still,
"Option 3, a moderate shance."
and said that. But hurried a bit and bit her tongue. After the recording confirmed her words Lilus's image nodded and majestically opened her mouth.
"It seems that all of the elders are gathered. Listen well, my children. I don't like trivial disputes within my country. I'll give Chizmagurol orders in regards to this matter afterwards. Tomorrow afternoon, instructions will be given through her. Tonight, allow her into my bedroom. Alright?"
""Ha!""
Everyone in the room seemed to have said in chorus. Just Miduchi was, "It can't be, she's throwing it all on me.." rendered speechless. Furthermore, there was just a bit more conversation from her majesty the Queen. Thanks to that, putting aside Miduchi's skin color, black hair ended up as one of the most beautiful colors though. It was to the point where you would feel uncomfortable how different things were for the sense of values among the dark elves up until now.
...............
Today after Miduchi arrived at Erurehei these are the things that took place at the a.s.sembly of elders she appeared at without having any time to return to her house and see her older brother's face.
Author's note: some notes on gla.s.s bottles breaking, costs, and a small amount of livestock being raised in the kingdom.