Sensible Leaders of Pronoia

Volume 4

16. The Hidden Side of the Moon

When she woke up, Kyrie was being moved to the hospital room. She didn’t know how she got out of the garden, what happened to Nathaniel, or how the conversation ended. Her head was fuzzy. She just wanted to sleep.

Someone was standing in front of the hospital door. It was Chairman Temar with his thick beard.

“Ah! Miss Buchanan!”

Chairman Temar found Kyrie and rushed to her. He was about to say something in a hurry, but as soon as he saw Kyrie’s face, he stiffened.

“Miss Buchanan...?”

As he pulled out his handkerchief, Kyrie waved her hand as she controlled her locked neck. No matter how hard it is, she is Kyrie Buchanan. If there was something she had to do, she would do it.

“Do not worry about me. What’s going on?”

“Ah, there is an important letter...”

Chairman Temar, sweating profusely, held out the letter in his hand. Kyrie scanned it with her weary eyes.

‘Luxury paper. Official letter. Red wax. Five crossed spears.’

Her brow narrowed.

“The Marquis of Vermont?”

“Yes!”

The expression on the Chairman’s face was desperate. Kyrie immediately opened the letter.

「Attention: Sensible Leaders of Pronoia,

The Legendary Lord is no longer a hero. He has become a substitute for the End by committing evil deeds using force. As a result, my son, Gladios Vermont, was also innocently sacrificed.

It is self-evident that the destruction of the Legendary Lord can no longer be overlooked. So, I, Valencia Delano Vermont, reluctantly left my seat and got up to execute him.

This is the will of the God who dwells above, and the will of the persecuted people from below.

—Valencia Delano Vermont.」

It was lengthy just like an official document, but the point was simple.

“It is a big deal.”

“Yes! A group of soldiers are advancing to Pronoia!”

“Did you get any calls from the Buchanans?”

“No, none! Ah, maybe that’s a good thing....!”

Chairman Temar’s hands shook. It was obviously too much for the Chairman of a decent city of Pronoia. Kyrie dryly folded the letter.

“First of all, send a message to the Lord Protector. I’m going to get the land that I was supposed to inherit in five years”

It is already established that Kyrie will take over Leschaux’s territory. However, there has been no official transfer process yet. In order for Kyrie to do something, she needed a good cause.

‘But it’s so weird. Strictly speaking, this is still the territory of the Lord Protector.’

The Marquis of Vermont had lost his son, and he looked like he has really gone mad. He couldn’t have been sane to put up a fight against the Legendary Lord. Yes, against the Legend...

‘Don’t think about him.’

She deliberately shook her head and bit her lip hard. Chairman Temar, who was restless next to her, carefully asked Kyrie.

“I’m sorry, Miss Buchanan. How about sending out the Legendary Lord as requested by the other side?”

Kyrie stopped. She soon spoke in her weary voice.

“It is the last resort.”

“T–then what are you going to do?”

“You don’t seem to know, but there is a great diplomatic tool in the world called dialogue.”

“Ah..!”

Chairman Temar became a mute and clasped his hands neatly. Kyrie’s voice got cold.

“First, contact the Lord Protector. Second, get a map so we can grasp the surrounding geography. Third, if you have a military expert, bring them in. Fourth, contact the Buchanans. We must use the power of the family. Fifth, I have to issue an official letter to the Emperor, so bring in the secretary. Sixth, evacuate nearby residents just in case. Did you memorize it?”

“I memorized it!”

“All right. Go ahead.”

Chairman Temar disappeared through the hallway like a man on fire. Kyrie watched him with blank eyes and turned her body.

‘Don’t think about it, Kyrie Buchanan. I..I’ve done enough.’

***

As soon as Leshaux heard from them, he handed over the territory to Kyrie as if he had waited. It didn’t seem like he was going to sit still in the capital, but he’ll take care of it. He won’t come forward to help any side, but it is something she never expected. (To get help from him)

Kyrie quickly sent a letter to Vermont. The Marquis was indeed coming with a group of knights and soldiers. The number was not very large because the Emperor limited the number of enlisted men.

“It is not something to be ignored. It’s difficult.”

Kyrie murmured while looking down at the map from the head of the long table. One of the convened experts raised their hand.

“It’s difficult when you really fight. All of Pronoia’s defenses are in charge of the autonomous units, but they are not soldiers who have received professional training...”

“I know. As much as possible, I will make sure that there is no damage to Pronoia.”

“Are you really thinking of attacking?”

One of the wizard’s representatives, a big bellied wizard, asked with a frightened face.

“T–to be honest, I don’t think we (wizards) have anything to do with it.....”

Kyrie ignored him and raised her head.

“Anything from Vermont?”

“There is a message from the Marquis of Vermont!”

Just then, an errand man came in through the door.

“Come in.”

Kyrie’s eyes sharpened. The messenger broke the seal of the letter, receiving everyone’s attention. The content was concise and not different from before.

「Mark my words,

Foolish people of Pronoia, who are harbouring the Legendary Lord, the plague-like creature who brutally killed my son Gladios.

This Marquis, who has produced excellent knights from generation to generation, is working with honor and sincerity in the subjugation of the Legend. The Legend will soon be caught at the end of Vermont’s spear, so accept it humbly.

—Valencia Delano Vermont.」

As the letter progressed, people’s faces became paler. However, Kyrie’s eyebrows narrowed after hearing the message.

‘I don’t know what he is thinking.’

With a determination to win, there’s no way he’d wage a fight against the Legendary Lord just to get his son’s revenge. It was clear that he was thinking of something else. However, in Pronoia, there was no underlying force for Kyrie to grasp it.

(T/N: “underlying force”: it could mean many things, like information guild, assassination guild, merchant top. That’s why Kyrie regrets Pronoia isn’t capital)

‘It’s a pity it’s not the capital.’

Kyrie sighed.

“It doesn’t matter. I am the Lord of Pronoia, and the Marquis of Vermont is now offering to engage in a territorial war.”

After Kyrie answered calmly, she looked at the map again. Among those who hesitated, a man attending as a military specialist spoke up.

“My name is Kiro. Miss Buchanan. May I speak?”

“Speak.”

“I understand that Buchanan is now in control of this area. But the Marquis of Vermont is fighting the Legendary Lord, isn’t he?”

Yes, the Marquis of Vermont is aiming for the Legendary Lord Nathaniel.

‘Don’t think about him.’

Kyrie clenched her fists strongly for a moment to contain her feelings. She soon tapped the table twice with the tip of her fingernails, drawing everyone’s attention.

“You mean?”

“That..If the Legendary Lord goes out, everything seems to be resolved.”

Kiro, who didn’t want to be misunderstood, added hastily.

“If it was an average person, this would be very inhumane. But don’t we know? That the Legend will never get hurt or lose.”

Kyrie swallowed her answer for a moment. She shook her head, squeezing random thoughts into her head.

“Do you think the Marquis of Vermont will step down if he truly gets what he demands? Whatever the Marquis’ intentions, as long as he brings the soldiers along, he won’t just back down. I don’t know if something has happened in the central political world, so I’ll have to contact them.”

“What if they attack in the meantime....?”

“You really don’t think he is going to attack the Legendary Lord with that number of troops, do you? He cannot be reckless.”

“I also think it’s closer to a stand-off.”

Dr. Hawksong, who had been sitting quietly until then, spoke for the first time. Kyrie nodded her head.

“I think so too. I’m not going to start a fight with the Legendary Lord unless I’m crazy. Even the Marquis wouldn’t really want to see blood.”

“Ha, but Miss Buchanan...”

“I understand what you are saying, but there is only one thing.....!”

“Our city will never be able to stop the soldiers of the Marquis of Vermont!”

“Vermont will certainly loot surrounding villages to gather supplies....”

“I know. It’s all right.”

Kyrie said softly. As if she understood all their worries. At the same time, people involuntarily shut their mouths at the strange coldness and grace of her words. Kyrie slowly moved her head to look at the audience. Then she lifted her chin and lowered her eyes.

“As long as there’s no damage, right?”

***

Kyrie, who suddenly became in charge of the city, could not rest anymore. She heard from Kiro about the war, commanded the wizards, evacuated people, discussed the budget, and asked the Emperor to intervene. It was already dawn before everything was prepared. Her fevered state was increasing, perhaps because she overworked herself.

‘I feel tired.’

But it is better to be tired because if she is busy, she won’t be lost in her thoughts. In the room that was to be used as an office space, Kyrie just leaned back in her chair after she had prepared a plan to deal with the actions of the Marquis of Vermont.

When she saw a gap, MarryAnne crept up to her with a depressed face and asked.

“Can I get you some tea, Lady?”

“I prefer coffee over tea.”

“A sick person should not drink coffee...”

MarryAnne’s fingers twitched. Kyrie smiled with difficulty.

“I beg you, Anne.”

“....Yes!”

MarryAnne, while sniffling, shrugged her shoulders and entered the small kitchen next to her. Soon she started to smell coffee beans.

‘She’s a good girl.’