Solo Swordmaster

#570. The sound of a rabbit eating a carrot.

* * *

“Uh um, mother-in-law over there?”

“why?”

“Your father must have been helping the princess with her treatment, right?”

“yes.”

“Yes, yes. I heard that thanks to my mother-in-law, I was actually able to get past the hurdle of the entrance exam, and I am very grateful for that…”

“Thank you?”

“…why did our princess lie down again?”

I wonder if it’s exhausting.

Is it unconscious?

Hasneti was exhausted, of course.

Why was it that I couldn’t even get out of bed?

Even though he saw the reason himself, Limon shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the blond girl who asked with resentful eyes.

“Well, wouldn’t it be cause and effect?”

If you make fun of others, you have to be prepared to be made fun of yourself too.

Nadia, who looked at the brazenly speaking white-haired man with a complicated face, finally let out a sigh.

“Yes, it is to be congratulated that the mother-in-law and the princess have a good relationship, but please keep it to that level. The princess is still sick.”

“For something like that…”

“You seemed okay even if I harassed you so that you couldn’t sleep, let alone eat, for several days?”

“The Pharaoh liked it.”

“Certainly it looked like that… oh no anyway! Please be careful next time!”

“Okay, then from now on, even if the pharaoh wants it, I will refuse it because my little aide said no.”

“Are you going to kill me?!”

Anyway, it’s a tricky sidekick.

Limon nodded while clicking his tongue.

Maybe it was because the desire accumulated thanks to Hasneti was so strong.

It was a little too much for me to think to myself that I held on to her who was not in good shape and did not let go of her for three days.

“Anyway, there’s something Pharaoh told me to do.”

“What did you do?”

“The treatment of the subject countries.”

“Oh that’s it. Have you decided how to execute them?”

“That’s what I mean…”

So after a while.

Originally, I should have heard of it a long time ago.

However, it was because the two hungry beasts were entangled and preoccupied with solving their desires.

Hearing Hasneti’s decision, which she heard only days later, Nadia shook her head.

“Is that enough?”

“If that’s the princess’s will, then we should follow it.”

“yes? Isn’t it over yet?”

“Then what else…?”

“…”

“…are you kidding?”

* * *

Someone said.

Punishment is not for the victim.

Rather, for the perpetrators.

To give those who have to suffer from their own guilt forever an opportunity to forgive themselves.

Of course, any sword master would sneer at me for saying bullshit.

To the inhabitants of the vassal state of Egypt, that was true.

How anxious and bloody it is to not be punished even after committing a crime.

It was because I knew it painfully thanks to the Egyptian army, which only maintains security and doesn’t do anything.

‘I’d rather be punished early.’

‘Are you doing this on purpose to annoy us?’

‘I want to run away…’

Thanks to that, the atmosphere of the dependent countries is getting worse and worse.

The streets were desolate, like a ghost town, laughter was hard to find even on TV, and each house was filled with gloomy sighs.

The whole atmosphere is like a portrait house.

If this continued, the country would collapse on its own even without Egypt’s punishment.

So it was.

Finally the Egyptian army moves.

When the same news came out on every broadcast.

The reason why they were able to give up and accept that something had come instead of being surprised or afraid.

[To everyone. hello. My name is Nadia, the representative of Pharaoh. I have an important announcement, so everyone please listen.]

A girl in a baggy military uniform appeared at the presentation venue.

Nadia’s appearance was so laid-back and easy-going that she could hardly be seen as the Pharaoh’s plenipotentiary.

[About the treatment of the vassal state who was dissatisfied with Egypt this time and caused a civil war.]

But those who knew her too.

And even those who don’t know.

clearly sensed.

This girl must be the one to whom the African tyrant has bestowed his full power.

Because…

[Of course, the governments of all countries directly or indirectly involved in this civil war should be disbanded, and the people of the country should seize their property and enslave them.] Saying

such terrifying words calmly is something anyone can do. because it wasn’t

[In the original way.]

Especially in that it is not the content of the presentation.

When those who accepted it because they were tired of despair are stunned by an unexpected word.

she spoke calmly.

[But Pharaoh is merciful.]

[So, I decided to make the will of the vassals who want freedom high and do as you wish.] [

Therefore, as Pharaoh’s representative, all vassal states that participated in this war 48 hours from now acknowledges the independence of […]

at that moment.

At home, at work and on the street.

All the citizens of the subject country who were watching TV anxiously blinked.

It wasn’t just them.

From the people of Egypt, who were closer, to the chiefs of the African Commonwealth. Furthermore, even those who watched overseas news from all over the world.

Everyone didn’t understand what Nadia was saying for a while.

“That… what do you mean?”

“Are you going to give me independence? Us?”

“Then what about revenge?”

No matter how severe the punishment will be, to those who waited anxiously, it was a completely out of the blue.

Among them, there were not a few who were openly relieved or happy.

but some of them.

Mainly, the faces of the officials of the military department became rather serious.

[And as there is no reason for the home country to protect a country that is not a dependent country, the troops currently stationed will be withdrawn within 48 hours.] [

Our military will not step forward to protect each country in the future.] [

If there is a special request , I will send troops, but I’ll explain that in detail later.]

[Instead, it will go through a review and it will cost a lot of money, so everyone from each country should do their best.]

“Egyptian troops are withdrawing?”

“Then what about the safety? No, what about defense?”

“How many units are there in Korea that can move right now? what? That’s all!”

Commander of each vassal state.

Or the generals of the military are fed up.

Even so, they dispatched a considerable number of troops to the allied forces for this civil war.

However, as the allied forces surrendered, they became prisoners and were barely maintaining security thanks to the Egyptian army.

But what if the Egyptian army withdraws?

And even if the country fell into chaos, there was no way to stop it.

In the meantime, what would happen if another country invaded?

The generals of the vassal states, who had not had to worry about foreign invasions under the protection of Egypt until now, were sick to the stomach.

[Ah, of course, we will return the prisoners.]

[As long as the war reparations are properly paid.] [

If there is no reparation payment, we have no choice but to sell the prisoners as slaves to replace them, so please pay them quickly.] [Please pay the

exact details .] It has already been sent to the governments of each country.]

[You may have to squeeze in a little budget, but it is possible to pay in

installments

. Relief? Don’t be crazy! Look at this statement!”

“But is it a reasonable amount? Considering the cost of rebuilding Cairo and the purchase of Russian weapons, it wouldn’t be strange if there were more ships.”

“If you are reasonable and self-sufficient, our country will have a hard time building even a single road in ten years!”

“But if we let the captives become slaves, there will be a coup d’état?”

“Such a fucking foot!”

And government officials, especially the Ministry of Finance, frothed at the mouth.

Even with the support of the World Federation, the amount of armaments used by each country for this civil war was by no means small.

The damage caused by the confusion after the defeat and the decline in the economic index was also extreme.

However, the national economy was on the verge of bankruptcy as they had to pay huge war reparations in this yard.

There were even officials who thought that it would have been cheaper to be occupied and plundered by the Egyptians.

[Hmm, but it was a vassal state, and if you treat it too harshly for something like this, it’s too cold.]

[The merciful pharaoh gave you a remedy.]

At that moment.

There was little hope on the faces of generals suffering from stomachaches and bureaucrats tearing their hair out.

If the remedy is subjugation.

Even if the entire country would be absorbed into Egypt, they might not be able to escape the situation of having to take responsibility for the situation where there is no answer.

[From now on, citizens from subject countries will be allowed to immigrate to Egypt if there are no serious disqualifications.] [

Uh, so even if there is a war, you can evacuate to Egypt. In particular, the family members of those who serve in the military are guaranteed basic livelihood.]

“….”

“….”

Set the house on fire.

Do you want to provide a shelter?

Would you call this a merciful treatment?

Or should I say that it’s a Macy thing to do?

Anyway, when the leaders of each country moaned after knowing for sure that they were ruined.

Nadia rummaged through the papers and continued.

[Oh, and this is an announcement about the federation, not a tributary state.]

“Announcement? to us? what?”

Chief Lucuma, who was watching Egypt’s announcement, whether harsh or benevolent, was startled.

Of course they had good relations with Egypt.

The reason the peacekeepers immediately withdrew was because they sided with Egypt.

However, there are no absolute allies in Africa.

Wasn’t Egypt trying to keep them in check, who formed a new force taking advantage of this chaos?

As much as I heard the announcement a while ago.

As a federation, there was no choice but to be nervous.

[The Pharaoh said that he would actively support the African Union to achieve peace in Africa.] [He also

expressed his gratitude for the courageous act of reporting the behavior of the peacekeepers.]

Their tension was put to shame.

Egypt unexpectedly showed goodwill.

It’s natural if it’s obvious, but it was also rare in this Africa where strength is everything.

But I guess I’ll say it anyway.

Or do you mean it?

Nadia’s words weren’t over yet.

[You said you had something to propose to the federation in return….]

So after a while.

Hearing the content of the proposal, Chief Lucuma couldn’t help but mutter with a blank expression on his face.

“…what kind of lion is this the sound of a rabbit eating carrots?”

* * *

The blue-haired woman.

Rose turned off the TV.

And after thinking for a while, he opened his mouth.

“What do you think, Sir Lucas?”

“Now that the announcement was made, it seems that the details of the Red Dragon Princess were quite serious.”

“No, that’s not what Hasneti intended in this announcement.”

A knight in full armor.

Lucas couldn’t answer her question right away.

In the first place, the contents of this announcement were so unexpected that it was difficult for him to make a judgment.

“…Honestly, it’s unexpected.”

“Is that so too?”

“Yes, I didn’t know that the Red Dragon Clan would propose something like a peace treaty to the African Union.”

“A peace treaty…”

Rose smiled bitterly.

A peace treaty with the Red Dragon Clan?

I couldn’t find a combination that didn’t fit better than this.

Still, I would have been able to understand.

After undergoing a civil war and raids by sword masters, Egypt definitely needed a break.

The problem was that this was not a simple peace treaty.

“I think the word war agreement would be more appropriate than that.”

A peace treaty is for peace.

But there was little to keep the peace in Egypt’s proposed agreement.

Rather, it was full of content about war.

“Isn’t this the intention to prevent the World Federation from intervening in Africa like this?”

“Well… it looks a little different to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like Hasneti is trying to make a game out of war in Africa.”

“A game?”

“A war in which there are rules and strict adherence to them is not a war. The more sophisticated the rules are, the more so.”

civilian protection.

treatment of prisoners.

looting and war crimes, etc.

Even now, all kinds of conventions and international laws on war existed.

However, in practice, agreements are rarely followed. Especially in Africa, the continent of war.

Rose knew that fact well, having led the autonomous government of Kilimanjaro in Africa and tried to protect it.

that’s why i knew

How absurd Hasneti is going to do now.

“Sir Lucas knows that there are actually places that have been playing war games like that for hundreds of years.”

“…are you referring to the Olympic Games?”

“yes. It is the most ideal war that Plato, the Unspeaker, has completed.”

“But isn’t that a failed method?”

“It was a method that worked well, at least during Plato’s lifetime. In fact, remnants of it still remain in the Free Cities League.”

“….”

A land where completely different city-states fight each other but are tied into one federation.

In a sense, it is more fierce than Africa, where numerous military governments are scattered, but referring to the former Greek territory that has endured for hundreds of years without a single war.

Rose spoke quietly.

“Hasneti isn’t just trying to make the rules of war with the federation.”

set the rules

keeping it

Punish those who break the rules.

It is a country, not an individual.

Even if he referred to the Free City Federation, it was a policy that reminded him of someone more.

She couldn’t help but keep a bitter smile.

“I want to become a defender of Africa.”