In a Different World with a Smartphone Chapter 345: Confusion, and the Magicraft Kingdom.

"That can't… Prince Rufredin became the imperial prince of Garudio…? What kind of joke is this!"

Lieutenant struck the table we're sitting around with her fist and stood up. The black-haired, brown-skinned beauty was shaking with anger, and her face was red from excitement as well. (Note: that in this case excitement is referring to her heightened emotional state from being angry.)

Well, I understand how she feels. The country which had destroyed their own country had even taken their prince away from them, after all.

"I'm not joking, that is the truth. Lowe Kingdom's last prince is now living as the imperial prince of Garudio Empire. That's the entire fact."

Hearing my words, Sergeant, who was usually smiling with a frivolous expression, turned his face to the side as he showed a frustrated expression.

"Don't kid around with me…! So what he's saying is that he used Prince Rufredin as a stand-in for that imperial prince that died!? Doing things as he pleases…!"

The inside of the tent within the Red Cats hideout was submerged in a swirl of complex emotions. Nia and Est-san, who were sitting slightly away, were looking at the situation with complicated expressions.

"… The emperor of Garudio said he wanted to have a talk with you guys. What would you do?"

"A talk!? What is there to talk about!? Tell them to return Prince Rufredin to us immediately! Those robbers are way too conceited!"

Lieutenant shouted out in rage. In contrast to that, Colonel who was sitting next to her had closed his eyes since a while ago and was staying silent.

"I would like for you people to stop misunderstanding us. Touysama isn't your postman. Why don't you go and meet the emperor yourself to convey that?"

Towards the agitated Lieutenant, Luu who's sitting next to me released words with a somewhat dangerous tone. Nn? Is she angry perhaps?

Lieutenant clicked her tongue and sat back down after a while.

Eisengard Magicraft Kingdom had waged war against Lowe Kingdom, which had almost no diplomatic relationships and was in a state of isolation as a country, while dragging in Garudio Empire.

While I do have the thought that maybe it would've worked out differently if they talked with each other before things developed to this stage, there's already nothing we can do about that. I do wish for the proposal of a talk this time to proceed though…

"In the first place, what kind of talk are we going to have? Couldn't he just be trying to kill us all after gathering us in one spot?"

When Lieutenant turned to the side and spitted out those words, Colonel slowly opened his eyes.

"I don't think he's that kind of man. The emperor of Garudio… He was the crown prince back then, but anyway; back during the fall of Lowe Kingdom, the two of us fought one-on-one. I lost my eye during that time as well."

While saying that, Colonel pointed to his destroyed eye with his finger. Lieutenant and Sergeant showed shocked expressions as well; it's probably the first time they're hearing about this, too.

"The one holding the initiative in that war was the Magicraft King of Eisengard. While his Soldats were surrounding the castle, I was away at a separate location, fighting against Garudio's crown prince who had attacked us from behind. I did not pay any mind to his constant advice for me to surrender, and kept on fighting him. As a result, the Magicraft King killed the king who I was supposed to protect, and I lost one eye as well. That that man picked up the prince and raised him is a truly ironic turn of fate…"

Colonel laughed a bit in self-derision. True, if Colonel had actually defeated the crown prince back then, the prince of Lowe might've been dead now. It's nothing but speculation based on the past, though.

"The land of Lowe is now mostly under the empire's rule, but there are no unjust practices being carried out like unfair taxes or oppression, and the people are living a relatively peaceful life. The area spreading out from the former Lowe capital, Laevateinn, which is under the emperor's direct authority, that is. It's a huge difference compared to the Eisengard territory which mainly centers around the [Azure Ruins]. An emperor like that wouldn't betray us… Is what I'd like to think."

"… Even so, it doesn't change the fact that they were the ones who took away our country. I cannot forgive them."

Lieutenant muttered while looking downwards after hearing Colonel's words.

There's no need to forgive them, is what I think. It's your own emotions, after all. However, I'd like for that hate and anger to not be passed down onto future generations as well.

The chain of hatred will continue to plague the future if it's not cut off somewhere. Teaching one's own children the concept of hate and anger, and telling them things like "That country is the enemy" and "We will never forgive them after a hundred years" while making them hold swords and charge into battlefields; that's definitely not something good.

Although, it might be my status as a third-party here that enables me to think that way…

"In case you accept the talk with the emperor, I will guarantee your safety there. I won't allow anything to happen to you guys. Of course, I won't allow you guys to do anything towards the emperor as well."

"… We cannot decide this with just the three of us. Let us talk with out comrades. Give us some time."

"I understand. Then please come again on the morning a week from now."

"Please."

After saying that, Colonel got out of the tent together with the other two.

I let out a large breath and leaned back on the chair I was sitting on. Lowe, as well as Garudio, if you say they're unrelated to me then they are, but…

"I wonder if they intend to take the prince back from the empire?"

"I wonder. Is it really a wise decision to tell an innocent child who knows nothing that 'Your parents aren't your real parents; not only that, they were people who sided with the ones that killed your real parents'…?"

Est-san replied to Nia's murmur.

"It would surely be a huge shock to the child…"

"However, isn't it not a bad thing to learn of the truth-degozarou?"

Luu and Yae too stated their opinions. It's a tough question, really…

"Uun… I can also change the memory of the three of them using hypnosis to make it so that we couldn't find the prince…"

"You're ignoring those three's feelings a bit too much, aren't you."

"Right… Sorry."

It's as Est-san said. They had spent the past ten years searching for the prince. To turn that feeling of theirs into nothing would be too cruel.

"That reminds me, the emperor of Garudio was being cautious of assassins from Eisengard; what's going on with those two countries these days anyway?"

"It's not exactly a good relationship. Eisengard originally invaded Lowe in order to obtain the ruins of an ancient kingdom within that country, the [Azure Ruins]. However, afterwards, another new site was discovered within the lands handed over to Garudio. Eisengard wanted Garudio to hand over that new ruin, named [Emerald Ruins], and they're currently arguing about this. In the worst case, there's the possibility of Eisengard invading the old Lowe territories again."

What is that. What kind of hardcore ruin-lovers are they?

"I heard that they're looking for something, but I don't know what it is exactly. Since Eisengard is looking for it, I presume it's a legacy of the ancient kingdoms…"

The ancient legacies from the age when golems were being made, huh. It's kind of like Babylon's [Warehouse], isn't it? That would explain why people want to obtain them.

"The country called Eisengard rose in power due to its revival of stuff like ancient golems and technologies it found in ruins. Among them, the Soldat and the Panzer are famous examples."

"Soldats are golems that one person can manipulate several of at a time, right? What about Panzer?"

"An armament type golem, so to speak. It refers to golems in the form of armor or weapons which the master equips and fights with, using their own body. Those golems, like others, also have their own will, and will aid their master in battle by themselves."

Oi oi, a powered suit with consciousness? According to Est-san, they're not Legacy golems similar to the Soldats, and as such they don't have special abilities.

It's my speculation, but maybe the golem strengthening system Professor Babylon and Dr. Elka were working on was partially based on the Panzer.

Eisengard leveraged that technological strength to invade the countries around it, and steadily expanded its territory. Even though there are other powerful countries, Rase Martial Kingdom

and Strain Kingdom to the north as well as Garudio Empire to the east, surrounding it, there's still no guarantee that it won't do anything drastic; it's a country with that kind of image.

"Apparently, the Magicraft King of Eisengard is an old geezer who's pretty messed up in the head. I heard he attached a golem arm to himself or something."

After powered suits it's a cyborg…

If he had lost his arm to an accident in the past and attached a golem arm to himself, I could accept that reasoning, but it seemed like that's not the case.

Apparently he lopped it off himself and attached a new one in order to conduct high-precision works. That's kinda… This old man sounds quite dangerous. (Note: mad scientists exist in every world, Touya.)

"He's said to be a man who wouldn't hesitate to use any means necessary in order to obtain an unknown technology. The invasion of Lowe was probably something driven by that desire as well."

While listening to Est-san's words, I got slightly concerned.

The place where we fought against some variants the other day. That was within Eisengard territory wasn't it… Plus we got seen perfectly by people from the town nearby.

This is bad. As expected, maybe I should've taken some countermeasures back then… I hope this doesn't stir up trouble…

"Some of the ancient technologies revived by that country also brought benefits to the world. It's difficult how we cannot unilaterally condemn their conduct because of that."

"Although it's not as good as this thing given to us by Touya, our existing long-distance communication devices are also a fruit of Eisengard's researches, after all."

Nia lightly waved the smartphone I gave her. That's an item which would bring trouble as well if the people of Eisengard ever get their eyes on it, huh.

"So is Eisengard the best in the world in terms of golem technology?"

"That would be correct. However, possibly due to the excessive utilization of Factory golems such as Soldats and Panzers, their golem users' quality isn't very high."

"That country is all about numbers, after all. It's their belief that rather than a powerful weapon which can only be wielded by several dozens of people, a plain weapon that can be wielded by several thousands is much better in utility."

Choosing mass-production models over specialized models, or something like that. Seems like the country also holds quite the production ability. Although its top is a bit weird…

I wonder how the core retainers think of their king. From what I've heard, he seems to be someone who's pretty hard to handle…

"How about Garudio Empire?"

"These past few years, it's been pouring its attention towards internal development. The previous emperor had quite a fierce temperament, and the empire often had quarrels in the past with the neighboring Gandhiris Steel Kingdom and Strain Kingdom; however, since the current emperor took over, that situation is showing signs of improvement. On the other hand, its relationship with Eisengard is steadily becoming worse, though…"

Well, when the top changes, the country's central policies will too.

That reminds me, it's almost time for the monthly World Alliance meeting. I probably need to talk with the Surface World rulers about the Reverse World soon. The only country which knows about the Reverse World is Palerius Kingdom right now, after all.

There's gonna be a lot of things happening when the two worlds eventually join together. Explanations as well as letting them prepare themselves are necessary before that happens. Hmm, maybe I'll invite them all over to this world once?

But if I bring them to Dracliff Island where Shirogane is, it's just an island with dragons…

Guess I'll ask Primula Kingdom or Trihalan God-Empire for help. It should be easy for them to understand a lot of things if they see a street with golems walking about.

I took out my smartphone and opened the contact book.

- Pixel

Chapter end