#551. Well, yes.
* * *
Once upon a time,
in an island country where only white pigs lived.
There was a pig king.
The king was very strong.
Enough to bring down a mountain with a single sound.
The king protected the pigs with that power and created a country where no one suffers from cold or hunger.
Even the king never grew old or died, so the prosperity passed on from generation to generation.
But the king was worried.
If a beast stronger than you appears.
or if he suddenly dies.
I wonder if the country of pigs is going to collapse.
In the end, the king made up his mind.
Even if he dies, he will build a great empire that will not collapse and will last forever.
And for that, they gathered other countries around them and set off on an expedition to occupy the legendary potato country, where potatoes sprout from the ground every day.
But the expedition failed.
There was a scary spider monster in potato country.
Because of the spider monster hiding and guarding the potato country, the king had to return with only frightened and wounded soldiers.
Still, the king did not give up.
The expedition continued.
Beasts from other countries, who believed that a king would succeed, continued to cooperate.
But twice, three times, four times.
until ten or a hundred years pass.
As the expedition continued to fail, the animals gradually lost their faith. To the point where I want to end the war with potato country now.
But I couldn’t.
Because the king did not tolerate being absent from the expedition.
Only then did the beasts realize.
as the expedition continues.
Other countries may have been impoverished, but the pigs’ empire was rather enriched.
That, in addition to making one’s own country great, making other countries miserable is one way to build a great empire.
But by then it was already too late.
There was no country that could stand up to the king in the first place, and the gap widened further with repeated expeditions.
Even the beautiful country that shouted that it would no longer help the expedition was beaten for shame.
But one day
Flowers appeared in that country.
A flower that learned how to fight from a scary tiger and became strong enough to drive out all the pigs that bullied the beautiful country.
Yes it is.
What the King of Pigs was worried about.
An opponent stronger than himself had finally appeared.
Fortunately, the flowers were kind.
He did not quarrel with others, was satisfied with protecting the beautiful country, and
even treated the wounds of the pigs who tried to bite him and sent them away.
But the king got into trouble because of that.
I knew that if we stopped bullying our beautiful country, other countries that wanted to stop their expedition would come together around flowers.
That meant the downfall of the empire the king had hoped for.
However, the flowers were too strong to be picked by force, so it was obvious that he would lose if he tried to fight.
The king loved to fight, but he did not want the empire to fall because of his greed.
So the king came up with a trick.
He secretly approached the cowardly sheep who ruled the beautiful country and warned that the country would be destroyed if the flowers were not driven away.
Sheep believed it like an idiot.
I thought that a long-lived king would be stronger than a newly born flower, so I thought I would lose even if I fought.
No, I hope so.
Yang was afraid that the country would be taken away by the flowers in the first place.
However, thanks to the cause whispered by the king, Yang was able to wrap his greed and fear into a cause for the sake of the country.
So, I started harassing flowers in the dark.
The king was satisfied with the result.
Believing that one day, if the flowers leave the beautiful country, they will be accepted into their own country and will be able to build an immortal empire.
But the flower may not leave the country.
Not angry at bullying.
We protected the country with a smile.
The flowers were so sweet.
More than anything, I loved my beautiful country very, very, very much.
However, Yang, who regarded the flower’s love as greed for the throne, harassed the flower more persistently and openly.
And…
tragedy struck.
….
….
….
“Pretty sister?”
“Oh sorry. A little lost in memories, my brother told me a story that was difficult to understand.”
He said he was getting older too.
After saying it with a little shy smile.
Joan of Arc spoke softly.
“Well, I’ll skip this part for now. It’s not a story to be told to a good kid like a younger brother.”
“…”
“To start with the ending, the flowers eventually punished the sheep and the king and lived happily ever after in a beautiful country where pigs disappeared.”
twirling
Jeanne d’Arc laughs.
To Limon, who had no choice but to remain silent because he knew the truth behind that beautiful smile.
she continued.
“The moral of this story is simple.”
“Mercy is a virtue, but not choosing the right person to show mercy to is just hypocrisy and a sin.”
“I realized that too late and that’s why I couldn’t protect the most precious thing.”
“But now I’ve learned that you should never be afraid to shed blood to protect what’s important to you.”
“Then I will not hesitate.”
“I will do anything to save my younger brother from the clutches of that red lizard.”
distant past.
As if you were overlapping something that you couldn’t protect.
Joan of Arc, who was looking at Limon with a little sad eyes, held out a hand to him.
“So, I will invite you one more time.”
“…”
“Would you like to come with me?”
He said that if he followed him, he would surely protect him and cherish and take care of him for the rest of his life.
kind and
Warm.
softly.
Her smile, which she speaks with sincerity more certain than any other oath, is as beautiful and innocent as when she saw it a long time ago.
Limon…
* * *
“Mother? Please. What do you think?”
“…No, I really wanted to eat properly.”
Limon suddenly came to his senses.
It was only after hearing Nadia’s words that he remembered that he had been discussing it.
‘Calm down, Limon Aspelder.’
Now is not the time to think about useless thoughts.
Calming himself, he resumed the discussion between Nadia and Hasneti.
“Anyway, the important thing is that the civil war must be quelled as soon as possible.”
“If the home country is occupied, supplies will be cut off and the damage will be enormous…” “
And if this civil war is prolonged, the peacekeepers could use it as an excuse to intervene.”
Limon and Nadia agreed that each other’s advantage would depend on how quickly this civil war could be quelled.
“The question is how to suppress it.”
“Yes, that is the problem.”
“I’m asking for confirmation, how many troops are left in the home country?”
“Only the 1st corps guarding the capital, Elder Omar and the Zealots guarding the palace.”
“It must be difficult to defend yourself.”
“The orthodox Sun Kingdom, the main axis of the rebels, is a strong army in its own way. If the troop gap is this big, we won’t be able to last for more than a few days.”
“Then that means we have to return immediately.”
“It’s impossible right now…”
Nadia shook her head.
There are 17 legions here.
It took time to move as the number easily exceeded hundreds of thousands.
The task of subduing and detaining the volunteers from the vassal country that had immediately revolted had not yet been completed.
Besides, to go back, you have to pass through many vassals.
Considering that they would be caught there, it was close to impossible to return until Egypt fell.
“Well, the peacekeepers won’t just watch us retreat.”
“Ugh, if the civil war had happened a week later, there would have been no reason to worry about it.”
“It’s been a week…”
Why did Nadia say that?
Limon, who knew the reason, was troubled.
And after that, after a long discussion with Nadia, he turned his head to look at Hasneti and opened his mouth.
“Pharaoh. There is a safe alternative and a risky best.”
“Let me tell you.”
“The next best thing is for me to go back to Egypt with only a small group of people and kill time.”
“Then your identity will be revealed.”
“Don’t worry, I have no intention of fighting myself. Instead, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What kind of request do you mean?”
“I mean the sculpture. Can you make the condition that it must be made only in front of the Pharaoh, that it has not been there for a while?”
“….”
When Hasneti stays silent.
Realizing Limon’s intentions, Nadia asked shyly.
“Uh, are you going to use that…?”
“Because it’s a great way to pass the time.”
“But can you do it now?”
“It’s a bit tight, but I’ll try.”
Limon shrugged.
Since there was no time and conditions to defend Egypt with an army right now, it was necessary to use a stratagem.
If it was a small elite, there was no better way than this, including the fact that it was easy to respond immediately as he could immediately take him to Egypt with his power.
“What is the best option?”
“huh?”
“I bet you said there was a best solution instead of a second best solution?”
“Ah…”
Limon scratched his cheek when he was pointed out that he was trying to slip away.
“It was said to be the best option, but to be honest, I don’t really recommend it.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s a way that the Pharaoh could be in danger.”
Unlike the second best plan, which could only earn time, the best plan was even possible to end this civil war at once if done well.
The problem is that currently only Hasneti can run it.
With her potentially in danger, this is hardly the best course of action.
Limon explained.
Nadia agreed.
Hasneti chose.
“I will do my best.”
“Yeah?!”
“…Pharaoh that’s too dangerous.”
“I must have said this was the best option because it was the most effective.”
“The Pharaoh could get hurt.
”
Limon was silent.
The only effect that can be expected from the next best option is to tie the rebels’ ankles until the expeditionary force returns.
After all, civil war itself cannot be prevented, and casualties cannot be prevented at the point of war.
On the other hand, what if the best option succeeds?
damage can be minimized.
Not only the Egyptian army, but also the soldiers of the vassals who caused the civil war this time.
That’s why even though Limon knew it was dangerous and suggested this as the best solution…
“Is Pharaoh willing to take risks to reduce unnecessary damage?”
“no.”
“Then why?”
“It means you don’t need a reason to keep what’s mine.”
“….”
Egypt, of course.
vassals also own territories.
Even though they may be enemies for now, they will eventually be her soldiers and subjects when this turmoil is over.
It’s only natural that you fight to protect your own.
Looking at her, who, like a cold and violent tyrant, asserts with a cold face as always.
Limon closed his eyes.
And after a long silence.
Finally, he scratched his cheek and smiled.
“Indeed, it is.”
* * *
“Why did you tell me the best course of action there?”
after discussion.
Nadia, who left the barracks with Limon to prepare the plan, looked at him resentfully.
It seems that the reason Hasneti prepared for such a risky plan was because Limon told her the best plan.
But Limon didn’t mind her resentment.
I just asked casually.
“If I hadn’t told you, would the Pharaoh not have used this method?”
“That’s…”
“Isn’t it?”
Because Nadia’s reaction itself was no different from an answer.
Limon was sure.
Even if he had told her the next best thing, Hasneti would have chosen the best thing himself.
She is the Red Dragon Princess.
Because she was the princess of fighters who never shied away from struggle.
After reflecting on that fact and staring into space for a long time, Limon suddenly opened his mouth.
“Little entourage.”
“Why are you calling me?”
“Your little aide is Pharaoh’s aide, right?”
“If I hadn’t been close to the princess, you would have just called me little…”
“Can I do anything for the Pharaoh?”
“Sure.”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Why are you asking such an obvious thing?
Looking at Nadia, who tilted her head.
Limon said with a refreshing smile as always.
“Then will you flirt with me?”
“Nyeek?!”
