The atmosphere was thick with sorrow.
Still, enough time had passed since Cabajid had taken his own life that a sense of composure had begun to return to the camp.
"……Big Brother Cabajid."
Frizion was the first to murmur. She dismounted her horse and ran toward Cabajid's corpse, which had been laid upon a cloth spread on the ground.
A moment later, Angela Luxinowa followed, though she remained at a respectful distance from Cabajid's remains.
"No…… Why, Big Brother Cabajid? No matter the circumstances, you didn't have to take responsibility for the defeat with your own life…… Why would it come to this…… I joined Mercurio’s side specifically because I hated the idea of brothers killing each other……"
Tears fell from Frizion's eyes, soaking the earth.
Schuls, watching from nearby, felt his gaze waver as he looked at his older sister. Vihera was the same; her usually enchanting eyes were now clouded with bewilderment and grief.
"……Big Brother Cabajid, what were you ultimately thinking when you chose this path?"
In the midst of the sorrowful silence, the voice of Mercurio rang out. He had also dismounted and approached. His usual lighthearted air was gone, replaced by heavy shades of confusion and sadness.
Nearby, Theoreme gazed at Cabajid's remains with an expression of pure disbelief.
It wasn't just Mercurio and Theoreme who looked upon the body with such incredulity. The same was true for the nobles of the Mercurio Army who had come here, as well as the guards who accompanied them.
Among them, Rei was the only one harboring a different emotion.
This man had probably…… no, undoubtedly come to Elgin from the same world as himself. And yet, in the end, he had died without them ever speaking a word—died without ever sharing a single detail about his origins.
Of course, if Rei had revealed that he was a native of Japan, it might have stirred up all sorts of trouble. Specifically, it might have led to the exposure of his Beast Magic, the secret Rei wanted to keep hidden above all else. If that had happened, Rei would likely have had no choice but to flee the Bestia Empire.
Even so, to Rei, someone from the same birthplace was an extremely precious thing.
(Since Cabajid was a native of Earth, it’s possible there are other natives of Earth out there if I look. I’d like to meet them if I could…… but how would I even find them? And even if I did, there’s the problem of how to keep Seto's secret safe.)
Before Rei, who was lost in these complicated thoughts, the farewell to Cabajid finally seemed to conclude. Mercurio and Schuls turned to face one another.
Frizion, her eyes still clouded with grief, stood a short distance away and quietly watched the two brothers.
Unlike those three, Vihera stayed near the Mercurio Army. This was her way of demonstrating that the only members of the Bestia Empire's Imperial Family present were Mercurio, Schuls, and Frizion; she was no longer a part of that circle.
"Big Brother Schuls, it’s been a long time since we’ve met like this."
"……Indeed. I never expected to reunite with you in this manner, either."
In response to Mercurio’s light tone—markedly different from the one he had used toward Cabajid's remains—Schuls replied without letting his emotions flare. Mercurio briefly wondered at his brother’s stoicism, but he vaguely understood that the shock of Cabajid's suicide was the cause. He continued without mentioning it.
"Well, it’s been decided that Big Brother Cabajid took responsibility for the defeat, but I need to make this clear first. Big Brother Schuls, you recognize that in this internal strife, it is our victory and your defeat, correct? You aren’t going to claim that you haven't lost yet or anything like that, are you?"
Mercurio’s question was somewhat provocative, but Schuls merely glanced at Rei—who was watching from a distance while stroking Seto's head—and shook his head.
From the beginning, he had no intention of resisting further. He had looked toward Rei only because he knew that any attempt at defiance would have been effortlessly suppressed by the adventurer.
"No, I have no such intention. Resisting now would only waste the lives of my soldiers. I won't make the foolish mistake of refusing to accept the outcome and throwing lives away for nothing. Let me hear your side as well. My Subjugation Army has essentially surrendered, but can I expect proper treatment as prisoners?"
"We will handle that appropriately. I don't think the soldiers, in particular, will face very harsh penalties. ……To be precise, we can't afford to give them any."
The total strength of the Subjugation Army exceeded forty thousand. While their numbers had been significantly reduced during the battle with the Mercurio Army and the devastating attacks from Rei and Seto, and many more had fled the battlefield, over twenty thousand troops remained.
To take them all as prisoners and provide even the most basic provisions would require a vast amount of food. Since the Mercurio Army didn't have much of a surplus, it was impossible to keep the entire Subjugation Army in custody.
"Well, even so, I can't exactly release them without any consequence…… Let's see. For those who aren't directly tied to the nobles—the adventurers, mercenaries, and volunteer soldiers—they will likely be released immediately after a certain fine is collected."
"I have no objection to that."
Schuls nodded without protest. Across the Bestia Empire, a considerable number of adventurers and mercenaries had participated in this war, meaning the areas they normally served were currently shorthanded. While acceptable for a short period, a long-term imprisonment would lead to a shortage of labor for monster hunting, bandit subjugation, caravan guards, and material gathering.
The situation was the same for the Mercurio Army. Schuls had intended to take the same measures as Mercurio was taking now had the Subjugation Army's side won—though he likely would have set the fines higher.
"Now, as for the nobles…… their punishment will be considerably heavy. At the very least, the heads of the noble families who participated in the Subjugation Army will be replaced. We will either seize some of their territories or demand a corresponding indemnity. For several years, inspectors dispatched by us will conduct audits, and I expect taxes will be heavier than before. Oh, and there will also be a restriction on military power above a certain level. If the audits reveal illegal acts, we will take measures against those as well. Most likely, those will result in fines unless the crime is exceptionally severe."
At Mercurio’s words, the nobles of the First Prince Faction and Second Prince Faction let out cries of astonishment. The emotion in their voices was not anger, but surprise.
The punishments Mercurio mentioned were heavy, but the nobles had expected their houses to be destroyed or to face a total deprivation of the Title of Nobility. Compared to that, Mercurio’s terms were far from unacceptable.
Of course, it was easy to predict that almost all the nobles would have illegal acts discovered during the audits. However, not all of those acts were committed out of pure greed. Often, funds were diverted to expand military forces, fund irrigation and road maintenance, or stockpile food for potential famines. While technically illegal, this complexity was why they couldn't be punished uniformly.
Schuls opened his eyes wide, surprise clear on his face.
"Are you truly sure about this?"
"Yes. Well, if we were to needlessly reduce the number of nobles now, it would only lead to further disturbances."
The nobles knew they had lost. Had they faced a total deprivation of the Title of Nobility, many would have refused to accept it. Mercurio’s proposal was not a bad one at all—in fact, it was exceptionally light for those who had lost in such large-scale civil strife.
The color of joy appeared on the nobles' faces. Many were smiling, relieved that they would not be following Cabajid into the grave.
"However……"
Just before the nobles could cheer, Mercurio’s voice cut in.
"Remember this: if you commit a crime like rebellion again, your entire clan and retainers will be put to death. I am not a man who can deal leniently with an opponent who defies me twice, and those who try to hold us back are nothing but a nuisance."
Mercurio spoke with a smile, but his words were far from peaceful. It was, in effect, a final notice. If they caused a disturbance like this again, their heads—along with those of their families and subordinates—would literally be cut off. He spoke with enough intensity to make them believe it.
Normally, his faint smile might have made some doubt him, but in this moment, no one was that foolish.
"I understand. We are the losers. If anything, the punishment is light."
"It's because Big Brother Cabajid took responsibility for the defeat with his own death," Mercurio said, his expression a complicated mix of sadness, acceptance, and a slight hint of relief. The relief likely stemmed from the fact that, while Cabajid was his brother, he had always felt something eerie about the man.
"You have my thanks."
Schuls voiced his gratitude briefly. Since Cabajid had entrusted the nobles of the First Prince Faction to him, he could not have quietly accepted their execution or mass deprivation of the Title of Nobility. These terms, however, he could accept.
"……Big Brother Schuls."
Schuls turned as his younger brother called to him once more. Mercurio spoke in a voice devoid of emotion.
"I think the punishment for the nobles is sufficient. However, things are going to get quite troublesome for you personally from here on out. You’re prepared for that, right?"
"Yeah."
"Please, wait!"
Almost the moment Schuls nodded, Amare spoke up.
"Before he took his own life, His Highness Cabajid asked for His Highness Schuls to be helped. Could you please grant that wish?"
Amare usually showed almost no emotion, but now she appealed to Mercurio with a pained, desperate expression. For her, this was the critical moment to save Schuls's life.
"Ah, you can rest easy. I’ve heard that from Rei. Since it's something Big Brother Cabajid wished for with his life, and something Big Sister promised as well, I won't go back on it."
Amare looked surprised, especially since Mercurio’s words carried a particular weight regarding the promise Vihera had made.
"Then, His Highness Schuls will……"
"Yes, I definitely won't take Big Brother Schuls's life. ……However, that's where the 'troublesome' part comes in. I will be sending several people from my side to accompany Big Brother Schuls at all times."
Watchers, in other words.
It was an absolute necessity if Schuls's life was to be spared. If he were left entirely free, nobles might gather around him again, and the roles of attacker and defender could easily be reversed. Furthermore, while their official role was surveillance, they would also serve as witnesses to prove that Schuls was not engaging in anything suspicious.
Understanding this, Amare wore a slightly disappointed expression, but she still bowed her head silently to Mercurio.
"Well then, that happily concludes the war. The nobles should return their armies to their territories. Those of you here will need to head to the Imperial Capital with us. Of course, given the number of injured, we can't just send everyone home immediately; a certain number will need to remain behind for treatment. Our army will cooperate with that. Between that and the disposal of the corpses, it will probably be several days before we can actually depart for the Imperial Capital."
And so, the Internal Strife of the Bestia Empire came to an end.