A Sturdy Country’s Circumstances
“Your Majesty, please reconsider! Even if we carry on severing connection with the outside, it is plain as day that we will be attacked by the Holy Kingdom! Cooperating with other countries before it comes to that……”
“No can do. We did not let other countries get close since the founding of the country because our country is a nature’s fortress surrounded by mountains in the vicinity. That goes for the Holy Kingdom as well. It became even sturdier through the power of Modra. There is no need to deliberately invite those of other countries in despite so. Do you want to destroy the country, oh Rargza”
“I am not thinking about something like that! On the contrary, I am thinking for the country……”
“In that case, the conversation is over. The direction of the country will not change. Leave”
I couldn’t go any further after His Majesty asserts as such. I silently leave the throne room. Outside the throne room, Ardarga who supports me as my subordinate was waiting for me. A man of the Bearman Tribe and my friend of the same age.
“Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness Rargza. What was His Majesty’s response?”
“It was no good at all. I couldn’t get him to listen to what I had to say at all”
“……is that so”
Ardarga who heard my answer mutters disappointedly. But, this is something that had been expected. This country, Beast Country Azels, broke off connections with the outside for close to 200 years since the country was established.
As for why we’re able to exist as a country for close to 200 years without having diplomatic relations with other countries; it’s thanks to the fact that we’re being surrounded by mountains, forming a nature’s fortress that’s difficult for other countries to attack, and the food supply that we’re able to procure from those mountains.
Because many of the mountains around are perilous and only have animal trails, it’s quite difficult for troops to march as well. On top of that, it’s also difficult to develop the path since the number of monsters is a lot. It’s probably possible if they put in people and money, but because there’s no benefit in going through the trouble to make a path and attempt to establish a diplomatic relationship with our country, none of the countries does something like that.
And then, although the mountains are harsh on other countries, they bestow their grace on our country that’s being surrounded. Because the monsters are on the outer side if one looks from the Beast Country Azels and the other countries, the ordinary animals are escaping over into the inner side.
Moreover, the snow that accumulates on the mountain’s summit melts into water and flows down to become a river, and we’re able to catch fishes and also harvest wild plants and so forth that are cultivated with the mountain’s nourishment. Through the grace of the mountains, the Beast Country Azels was able to establish itself as a country without getting involved with other countries.
It’s just that, there’s naturally a problem. Due to not having any connection with the outside for 200 years, there end up being quite a gap in the technological capability with the other countries, and the amount of produce that can be procured at the mountains near the country is diminishing by the year.
The gap in technological capability, that has already turned into something of a horrible extent. It’s because I actually ended up seeing it with these eyes of mine. I left the country about half a year ago. It took great effort to cross the mountain, but I somehow managed to visit a nearby country with several companions.
I managed to hear all kinds of stories there, but the country I visited, it’s said to be a small country compared to the ones around. And yet, I was shocked by the technological capability of that country.
Tools that move with Magic Power, Magic Tools, that don’t exist in our country. Buildings that are constructed systematically. And then highly-proficient soldiers.
If I were to say the role of the soldiers in the Beast Country, I suppose it’s pretty much just the mediation of disputes and subjugation of monsters that came close to the village. Because nobody considered the other countries attacking this country, their proficiency is quite low.
What I looked at the other countries and understood is, our country managing to repel the Holy Kingdom in the past is probably also a miracle. They’re known as a weak enemy country in the country after they came attacking and got chased away, but they’d been listed as one of the powerhouse of the continent in the country that I visited.
I don’t know about it since they’re the stories of the past, but the other side probably wasn’t serious either. There’s no way a country with close to 10 times the population of our country would’ve lost otherwise.
Even when it comes to the food supply, although it’s still not that big of an issue currently, there have been reports that, albeit bit by bit, the amount that can be harvested nearby is diminishing.
Because they’ve been living in peace without any attacks from the countries around, nor have they been exposed to the threat of monsters, the population has an upward trend. Because of that, the population exceeded the production rate of food supply.
It’s a good thing that the population is increasing. The sight of old people, who are the pioneers, watching over with a smile the sight of small children running around. One can feel that this country is a peaceful and marvellous country even with just that.
But, the current situation is that the capacity to maintain that peace is coming to its limit. Because the vicinity is being surrounded by mountains, we’re unable to expand the country any more than this. If we try to forcefully expand it, we’ll end up reducing the production region of produce.
I, who felt that it might not happen right away, but at this rate, this country will end up meeting its demise, talked to my father, His Majesty, about having connections with other countries, but the result was as one could see just now.
His Majesty and the others who end up being satisfied with the current situation won’t listen to what I have to say. Furthermore, the current situation is one where even after including me, there are few who are feeling the crisis.
“Your Highness, what will we do from now on?”
“Let’s go to where everybody is for the time being. They’re probably concerned about the result after all”
“Understood”
One way or another, I have to make His Majesty’ change his thinking, but isn’t there anything that’ll be the trigger for that…….
