The Druid Who Devoured the Great Nature

“Already three families have fallen. The justification and means of the war are also incomparably low.”

When an incident occurs, it is the law to hear both sides of the story. I did not believe that Morheim was necessarily the victim. However, I had intervened not to uncover the truth, but for my own purpose of the spirit’s cocoon, so I had just buried it.

Was it fortunate? Jerome had vouched for Morheim’s innocence. So my suspicion naturally extended to the king.

Did the king really not know that the city would end up like this and just stand by? I knew that the relationship between the king and the lords in Brahms was not a typical lord-vassal relationship.

Externally, the king was the supreme ruler of the city, but his actual authority was less than that. The lords were not loyal to the king, and the king could not command the lords. It was more correct to say that they were in a competitive relationship.

“From the royal family’s perspective, the mutual destruction of each family is a welcome event. The more they fight and exhaust their capabilities, the relatively greater the influence of the royal family will become.”

In that sense, I could understand why there was no mediation from the king in the early stages. Rather than protecting the dignity of the city’s upper class, he had intended to take the practical benefits by being a bystander.

Even Jerome in front of me, although it was an excuse, had pretended not to see, saying that he could not force his standards on other families.

The grudge of the three fallen families? Whatever they said, it was just the cry of the losers. When a new order was established in the city, the opinions of the fallen families would have no influence.

“But this time, it was already clearly divided, too much to be dismissed as a mutual destruction of each family.”

The side that condemned and the side that was silent were divided. It was clear evidence that they had coordinated in advance.

“If things had flowed in a way that the other families had stopped and settled Frederic’s rash move, an atmosphere of distrust would have spread among each family, and it would have been a good picture for the royal family… but in reality, it was not.”

Instead of sanctions being imposed on Frederic, who had caused the trouble, an era of warring states had opened.

“The surviving families will absorb the territories that have lost their masters and build up their power. The significance of the king as a mediator will soon become nominal.”

And that was the assumption when the end of this war was compressed into a multi-polar structure. If one family monopolized all the territories, even the king would have to kneel to him. In the first place, if one family monopolized the territories of the city, wasn’t that the king?

“The composition where the ten divided lords blocked the king’s solo run was not necessarily disadvantageous to the king. It was because they were wary of each other that the king could exercise his influence as the supreme ruler.”

The culling of some lords was a benefit to the king, but the fact that most of the territories were attributed to a few families was something the king had to desperately stop. If the current overheated atmosphere continued, the board would be set that way.

Could it be that the king did not see the ending that was visible even to me, an outsider?

“Do you know? Morheim was chased by Frederic in the public district. There was also an incident where the airship I was on was attacked by a knight order. It’s a situation where it’s not enough to prevent the worst outcome, but you’re saying you’re giving them strength.”

“……”

He must have known that such circumstances existed. But it must have been difficult to readily believe. The weight of the words heard as a rumor and the story heard directly from the person involved were different.

“The royal family was the one who drew the blueprint for this picture from the beginning. I wondered what kind of skill Frederic had to bring in several families and break the unwritten rule of the city, but it’s understandable if the king was behind it.”

“……That’s a speculation.”

Jerome’s voice, as he refuted, was weak.

“It’s completely different from before. If you think my claim is just nonsense, why don’t you refute it firmly like before?”

“No, wait a minute!”

Instead of Jerome, who had closed his eyes in anguish, Katarina intervened.

“I know that the silence of the royal family is suspicious. But to say that the king is behind this situation is a speculation. As you said, the royal family has more to lose than to gain.”

“The fact that the king is dissatisfied with his current position as a mere mediator is something that the nobles would inwardly know. It’s not lacking as a motive to start something.”

“And then you said he would end up being eaten. Even if the king was the one who set this board, the wolves who had abandoned the honor of a noble and had engaged in a mud fight would not be loyal, saying they would repay the favor.”

“What if the royal family is confident they can handle it?”

The conclusion that it was the king’s self-destructive move was a story that was only valid under the assumption that the royal family’s power was insufficient.

“If the royal family has the power to control the culled lords, it’s a gamble worth taking.”

The cause of this mud fight was, at least on the surface, entirely due to each family. If the royal family subdued them and made them kneel, it was a very perfect picture in terms of justification.

To the point where everyone would agree even if the position of lord, which was inherited by each family, was all stripped away and an absolute monarchy was established.

“Where did the royal family suddenly get that kind of power…”

“The fact that I am supporting the Morheim family must have been like a thunderbolt from a clear sky for Frederic.”

“You’re boasting without even changing your expression.”

“Because it’s a fact. Isn’t self-PR a basic skill of a contractor?”

“I admit it. A contractor being humble would only make him look weak.”

Although I passed it off as a joke, it was not a claim without any basis.

‘If the royal family’s power has suddenly been strengthened, there’s a high possibility that it’s an external transfusion, just like Morheim who hired me.’

And I had already heard on the airship that such a monster existed in this city. The Mad House. The member of the organization in this city that Bianca had come to check on.

“If you’ve guessed that far, you should know that we can’t help you even more. We must be unrelated to this situation. As long as the king is not fulfilling his duty of mediation, our family will have to be the breakwater to prevent the worst-case scenario.”

The establishment of an absolute monarchy. Or a coup by the lords. It was unknown which way the ending of this conspiracy would be concluded. Since the future of the city was at stake, it was a situation that required utmost caution until the end.

If the choice was wrong, it would reach a point of no return.

“Let’s not close off the possibility in advance. We should at least hear what we’re going to demand, shouldn’t we?”

“……Outsider, well, the affairs of this city are probably none of your business. A contractor just has to finish the job he was hired to do. If you threaten with that skill, you might be able to force my choice.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. If you really felt threatened by me, you wouldn’t have let me in this far. Just listen. It will be a win-win situation, there will be no trouble for you.”

Helping the fallen Morheim was the top priority. But there was no need to antagonize the most prestigious family of Brahms. Just as the megacorps of Gellerg City, the nobles of Brahms were also big shots who could exert influence on external cities.

It was right to refrain from increasing unnecessary enemies.

“In the end, no matter what, Lumiere wants to maintain the current system of Brahms, right?”

“To summarize the core, you’re right.”

In fact, whether the royal family was the mastermind behind the current situation was a secondary issue. Lumiere just wanted to fulfill its duty as the most prestigious family in the city and quell the chaos.

“If you just prepare the stage, it won’t be difficult.”

“The stage…?”

The cooperation of Lumiere. The intention behind my bringing this up in Morheim was not to borrow their troops and attack Frederic.

“We need a stage where all the lords of this city can gather in one place. Use me as the justification. It’s not just a conflict between families, but a chaos where even a contractor from outside the city has been mobilized, and it cannot be overlooked. But this is not to find out the mastermind who hired the contractor, but to find a compromise. Something along those lines would be good.”

Lumiere had been humiliated by an outsider in their family’s territory. It was enough of a justification to call a meeting. It was a meeting that was only possible because it was Lumiere.

The fact that Lumiere had been staying away from the chaos of the city until now would guarantee the trust that it was not a petty scheme.

“On the stage you have prepared, we will take care of the leadership of Frederic.”

Frederic had let the city know that they could usurp the position of lord even without a clear justification. Therefore, the chaos that would befall the territory after the death of the leadership was inevitable.

The nobles would fight each other to occupy the vacant position of lord. And all the nobles of all the families would realize. That since it was a war without justification, all means were allowed.

The three fallen families had thrown away their pride and had borrowed the power of an outside force to achieve their revenge. Was there any law that said the other families couldn’t do the same?

It was the moment when the risk to be borne was greater than the profit to be gained by continuing the war.

“And Lumiere won’t be disgraced by that, so don’t worry.”

“Yes, because of the rampage you caused in our family.”

Logically, why would Morheim, who should be seeking Lumiere’s cooperation, cause a ruckus? It fit perfectly to treat it as a separate request.

“Even if they suspect, they won’t be able to stop the momentum of your justification to stop this mud fight.”

And this was probably not the picture that the mastermind behind the chaos of the city had in mind.

“Then the royal family will also respond in some way.”

Because the existence of me, who had appeared out of nowhere, had broken the board.

“After that, let’s just do our own thing. But at least we’ll be able to lead the situation proactively, rather than just standing by with our arms crossed and intervening when the time comes.”

I had said all I had to say. After a long silence, Jerome said.

“……For now, I’ll say it’s not a bad plan.”

This was as good as having him almost on board.

“But you’ve left out the most important condition for your plan to be valid.”

I somehow felt like I knew what Jerome was going to say next.

“Can the fallen Morheim take care of the leadership of Frederic?”

“That’s a question that’s not even worth asking.”

Although he had said ‘we’, it was not Morheim who would take care of the leadership of Frederic. The troops gathered by the union of the three fallen families were also troops that would not be of much help in reality.

The reason I had decided to get involved in this was because I believed in my skills.

“From your point of view, do I look like I can’t even do that?”

A contractor did not take on a request considering failure. And a veteran contractor was someone who only took on requests that would succeed. Even if it was a request received from an external city, I did not make an exception to that principle.

***

The news that Lumiere had sent a summons to each family spread throughout the city. The citizens of Brahms welcomed it. No matter who the victor of the war was, in the end, they were all the same. But that did not mean that it could be interpreted as it didn’t matter whether a war broke out or not.

Whatever the interests or justification of the war, people just wanted peace. And now, the public district was also in a state of turmoil. The majority of people praised Lumiere’s decision.

“That’s what they say.”

Bianca had also heard the news.

“If you just go out on the street, everyone is talking about it. You’re not unaware of it, are you?”

“Yes, I know.”

The girl fiddled with the doll wearing a crown, opposite Bianca.

“What are you going to do? This isn’t the picture you had in mind. In the first place, I think it’s your karma for turning the city upside down when you were just asked to persuade a few people.”

“This was more efficient.”

The girl’s tone was as steady as if a doll or a machine were speaking, without any change in pitch.

“That way, it’s easier to make them into dolls.”

Bianca shrugged.

“Well, I didn’t bring it up to nag you. It’s not my business anyway.”

“You’re not going to help?”

“My mission ended with checking on your life and death.”

“Then why are you still here?”

“There’s someone who might come looking for me. I don’t know when they’ll come, though.”

“I see.”

The girl stopped fiddling with the doll.

“Then I’ll just end it early. I don’t think I need to drag it out any longer.”

The doll that had fallen from the girl’s hand gradually grew larger and eventually transformed into the shape of a complete person.

“The king, the ten family heads. I’ll take this opportunity to catch them all and make them into dolls.”

The king of Brahms moved according to the girl’s gesture.

(End of Chapter)