AN: No need to worry about who is talking about what.
Please enjoy the lively scene of the meeting.
-0-
It was not a small kingdom, yet by no means a great one.
Inside its royal castle, seven kings had gathered.
The host king of the castle, and six kings from the neighboring lands.
Their relations could not be called entirely friendly, but they were bound by blood.
That was the reason they were able to assemble.
Of course, it was not only the kings.
Behind each of them stood two or three ministers.One of the kings raised his voice.
「The Six Dragon God Kingdom is exactly as described in the documents I distributed beforehand. What shall we do?」
「If the documents are correct, we cannot afford to pick a fight with the Six Dragon God Kingdom. The moment we do, the nearby dragons will come to attack.」
「Wait. Isn’t this area the territory of the Evil Dragon? Would they really come?」
「The documents state they would. And though the Evil Dragon do not care about human lives, it is not the kind to sit quietly while others rampage within their domain.」
「That would mean…」
「A rampaging Evil Dragon. Worse than nearby dragons attacking us. All the more reason not to provoke the Six Dragon God Kingdom.」
「No, wait. What about the contract with the Evil Dragon? Wasn’t there an agreement that they would not rampage in this region?」
「That was centuries ago, was it not? How much trust can we place in it?」
「Even agreements between men are broken.」
「Hardly amusing. What if we tried to establish a new contract with the Evil Dragon?」
「And who would do it, and how? Even ancient records offer no clue to the method.」
「Hold on. Leave the Evil Dragon for later. More important is the Six Dragon God Kingdom. We cannot wage war against them, but if we support the nations bordering them, would that not be the same as declaring hostility?」
「How would that be judged?」
One of the ministers standing behind a king received permission to speak.
「The nations bordering the Six Dragon God Kingdom, the Fullheart Kingdom and the Galbart Kingdom, have not abandoned their stance of hostility toward the Demon King’s Kingdom. Therefore, it depends on the form of support. Financial aid or weaponry would be seen as an act of aggression. Food, however, would most likely be overlooked.」
The seven kings gave small nods at the minister’s words.
The reason they had gathered here was to decide whether to continue their support for the Kingdoms of Fullheart and Galbart, as they had until now.
If they were to continue, nothing would change.
But if they chose to end that support, then they would have to act in unison.
「What of the Garret Kingdom?」
「As reported before, it has split between pro-Demon King’s Kingdom and anti-Demon King’s Kingdom factions. They are now in a state of civil war. Thus, all support to Garret Kingdom has been suspended.」
「Hmm. So it is true then, that the angels betrayed them.」
「Some remain, it seems, but most have abandoned the Garret Kingdom.」
「And their destination was the Demon King’s Kingdom, was it not?」
「Yes. They were confirmed during a great military parade. Also, it seems that for some time an angel girl have been appearing within the Demon King’s Kingdom’s royal castle. For reasons unknown, she was said to be bound by ropes…」
The minister stepped back after finishing his report.
「Whether the Demon King’s Kingdom has swayed the angels, or the angels have taken over the Demon King’s Kingdom, we cannot tell…」
「But it was after the angels arrived that the Six Dragon God Kingdom was founded, a nation standing as if to shield the Demon King’s Kingdom.」
「And sightings have not only included impure dragons, but even ancient dragons, the same as the Evil Dragon.」
「We cannot afford to pick a fight.」
「Then the support must end.」
「Indeed. Continuing it is no easy burden. Our people’s lives have only grown more impoverished. With this, we can redirect those resources back to them.」
「Yet, if we consider relations with the neighboring countries… Support cannot be withdrawn so lightly.」
「If we hesitate, we risk being seen as hostile, and that will provoke the dragons.」
「That is true. What if we were to give support in secret? Would that not avoid the issue?」
「Dragons surpass us in every way. It would be unwise to risk offending them.」
「Then shall we cut the support off at once? The neighboring countries will be in an uproar.」
「Which is precisely why we are gathered here, to unify our course of action. If we stand as one, they will not act so easily.」
「But the nation east of mine is among the strongest advocates for a crusade against the Demon King’s Kingdom. If my country halts its support, they will ignore the balance of power and invade at once.」
When one of the kings let out such a lament, a minister standing behind another king raised his hand and asked permission to speak.
「As for that country, the king will soon be replaced. This is not a rumor but very nearly fact. And according to information we’ve obtained, under the new king the move will be to cease hostilities with the Demon King’s Kingdom.」
「Wait. I have heard nothing of this. How is it that ‘you’, whose country does not even border them, know of this before ‘I’, who share their border!?」
「My wife is the daughter of one of their marquises. I learned it through that connection.」
「Why is it not a man of ‘my’ country but a distant minister like you who has married her!? Ah, so you mean to invade my kingdom! You plan to strike me from both sides!」
「No, it was merely love of our own choosing.」
「Lies! How could you have even met her!?」
「Oh no, before I became a minister, in my younger days, I traveled. At that time, my wife, then a marquis’s daughter, was set upon by bandits. I saved her, and eventually, we got married.」
「Nonsense! As if such a storybook romance could ever happen! My wife, my wife is just…」
At his lament, the king beside him bowed his head.
「I apologize. She is my younger sister…」
「Ah, no, brother-in-law, you’ve done nothing wrong.」
「That’s right. The fault lies in you being preyed upon, ah, forgive me. Captured.」
「Indeed. To walk straight into such an obvious trap, you should lament your own carelessness.」
「I apologize for my sister…」
「N-no, brother-in-law, you’ve done nothing wrong. It was only my own negligence…」
「Enough. Family matters can wait. Back to the point. If the strongest hardliners are unlikely to attack, then it should be fine to end our support.」
「Agreed. Which means…the question is ‘how’ to end it.」
「Do we announce it openly?」
「Or gradually reduce it…」
「The dragons frighten me. We should declare it openly.」
「No, no, what frightens me are the movements of the neighboring countries. The king of the hardliner nation has not changed yet, has he?」
「True. Perhaps we should wait and declare it once he has been replaced.」
「But the dragons…」
「What if we send envoys to the Six Dragon God Kingdom and make our intentions clear? If anywhere, it is there that one can speak with dragons as equals. So long as we explain properly, the dragons will not attack.」
「That is fine, but…who will be the envoy? Not me.」
「Nor me.」
「Nor I.」
「O-of course the kings need not go. Surely one of the ministers will do…」
One of the seven kings suggested, and the others glanced toward the ministers standing behind them, yet not a single gaze was returned.
「Th-then, what about a prince or princess as envoy?」
「My daughter is only nine! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!」
「We won’t send a child as an envoy. What about your prince? He’s nearly thirty and spends his time fooling around. Surely, he could go.」
「Because he spends his time fooling around, he’s unfit for an important mission. He cannot take responsibility. Instead, your first prince might be better. If he is to become the next king, negotiating with the Six Dragon God Kingdom would be a significant achievement.」
「If the first prince leaves the country, the second prince will cause chaos. I cannot move him.」
「Can’t anything be done about that second prince?」
「No. My country’s internal affairs are currently managed by the second prince’s faction. If we remove him, the kingdom will collapse. Also, one of my ministers here is the faction’s representative, so don’t speak carelessly.」
「I… apologize.」
The council continued.
And yet, no envoy was decided upon.
It was then, as the kings debated fruitlessly in the royal castle, that a visitor appeared.
Ordinarily, no messenger would ever be permitted to interrupt while the kings were in council.
But since the meeting had dragged on for three days with no progress, and because the visitor turned out to be of the angels, the exception was made.
The visitor’s formal announcement was delivered to the kings.
「I am Tiselle. I have come from the Six Dragon God Kingdom to see if you have any requests! Do you have any business with us?」
-0-
A certain building’s basement.
At the center of the spacious chamber sits a massive round table, with seven women gathered around it.
One of them raises her voice.
「The plan is progressing smoothly」
「Excellent」
「By next year or the year after, we should be able to realize it」
「Ohh… the time when we spread our wings to the world」
「I wonder if it’s a good choice to make it too public, though…」
「If we are to gain comrades, we must broaden our fan base」
「That’s certainly true」
「But can such a large facility really be maintained?」
「Maintenance will be entrusted to Village Five」
「If that’s the case, then our purpose will be…」
「Once or twice a year. That’s enough for me」
「I see. But the facility will be quite spacious. Wouldn’t it feel desolate if it’s empty?」
「There is a countermeasure」
「Like what?」
「We will expand the scope and recruit participants」
「Expand the scope? What do you mean?」
「It means allowing participants that don’t have the same hobby」
「What?!」
「Please stop! That’s dangerous!」
「Calm yourselves. There’s no need to panic. Do you think we’ll be buried? Do you think we’ll rot away? Impossible」
「T-true, expanding that way will indeed help conceal our presence」
「Exactly. And in time, we’ll spread to the residents without fail」
「Splendid!」
「But when you say expand the scope, how far do you mean?」
「Without limit」
「……………………Are you serious?」
「Doing that will bring filthy, defiled things close to us」
「Hii!」
「Comrades. There’s no need to be scared. Even those can turn into sustenance」
「Sustenance?」
「It will give us the chance to find good writers and artists」
「Ohh… as expected of you」
「…Pardon me. It seems we are out of time」
「I see. Then let us conclude today’s report. Ah, one more thing: for the time being, refrain from activities on the second floor of Fairy Fairy. Village chief has sent a warning.」
「But that place is wonderful, since only those who understand ever go there」
「If we anger village chief, there’s a chance it could be completely banned」
「True. We’ll refrain for now, but… what about buying cakes?」
「That’s fine, as long as you don’t engage in activities」
「Good. My daughter often begs me to get them」
「There’s also the mobile vendor, but it sells out quickly」
「A real nuisance」
The seven women continue chatting as they disperse. A short while later, a large group storms into the chamber.
「No one’s here!」
「Did they escape?!」
「Tch! Search the area! Find some trace!」
「Damn it! We miss them every time! Could someone be leaking information?」
「No one among us worships forbidden books! Don’t suspect your comrades!」
「R-right. Everyone here is part of the team that opposes forbidden books」
In truth, they are merely men whose wives or lovers had been tainted by forbidden texts.
「Sorry. Let’s keep working hard to eradicate the forbidden books!」
「Yeah! …Ah, crap! The guards! Run!」
Naturally, since they have no investigative authority, they’ll be arrested the moment the guards catch sight of them.
-0-
●The Seven Kings
King A: Lord of the royal castle where the meeting is held.
King B: His second prince oversees domestic affairs.
King C: Has a nine-year-old daughter.
King D: Fears dragons.
King E: A king captured by his wife, wary of the neighboring kingdom.
King F: Brother of King E’s wife.
King G: His minister is married to the daughter of a marquis from King E’s neighboring kingdom.
-0-
●The Seven Fujoshis
Woman A: Versa.
Woman B: Hermes. The one who speaks the most.
Woman C: Bee-baa.
Woman D: Wants to spread their influence.
Woman E: Prefers to act in secret.
Woman F: Believes just existing is enough to be grateful. Has a child.
Woman G: A woman who wanted to hold a sales event at Fairy Fairy.