The meeting in the Norha Principality was still well underway.
"...And so, presumably, each of the Four Principalities holds subtly different doctrines and principles," Duke Keith Tennick de Norha concluded, wrapping up his preliminary explanation.
Chancellor Premus Hai Yasuna offered an addendum.
"Given the scarcity of transportation and our priority on maintaining domestic unity, exchanges between the principalities are practically nonexistent."
"...Thank you very much."
With this explanation, Gajue Tsuga felt that the state of affairs among the Four Principalities had become considerably clearer.
When asked if they had any further questions, Tsuga transitioned to an important inquiry.
"I understand that your national character places great value on rationality....In that case, how do you view the other nations?"
"Other nations, is it?...To be frank, I take very little interest in them," the Duke replied.
"Even within our own borders, there is still ample room for development. We hardly have the leeway to concern ourselves with foreign lands."
"Is that so..."
Indeed, undeveloped land appeared to account for roughly seventy percent of the country's territory.
Under such circumstances, launching an invasion against other nations held little meaning. If anything, it would only diminish their own national strength.
"Besides, we know the other nations are in similar straits. In fact, lacking lakes as they do, their situation may be even worse."
"That is quite true, Your Grace. Blessed with Lake Kotsushi and a portion of Lake Yato, our nation enjoys an abundance of water. We have no need to invade others."
The Chancellor readily agreed with the Duke's assessment.
(...Speaking with them directly, they seem perfectly reasonable...)
Though she had remained quiet, Fione Fias felt a sense of relief wash over her.
(In that case, all that remains is that one topic...)
"Your Grace, I am deeply grateful for everything you have shared with us so far."
"Mm."
"Lastly, would you permit me to ask one somewhat probing question?"
"Of course....Does it concern the 'Jagus Principality'?"
"!"
The Duke had pinpointed the exact subject Gajue Tsuga had braced himself to bring up.
"Hahaha, how could I not see that coming? I heard you have already toured three of the principalities, including ours. The only one left is the Jagus Principality. And indeed, that country is utterly baffling."
The Duke paused before continuing.
"Are you aware that conflicts on the Great Flot Plain are never-ending?"
"Yes."
"Mm....Our country and the Jagus Principality have been engaged in hostilities for about a century now. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that the Jagus Principality picks fights with us, and we merely repel them."
The Duke concluded that they likely desired water resources.
However...
"May I offer an observation?"
Gajue Tsuga had his doubts.
"Mm, by all means. What is on your mind?"
"Thank you, Your Grace....You mentioned water resources, but assessing the terrain, I humbly believe it would be virtually impossible to channel water from Lake Kotsushi and Lake Yato all the way to the Jagus Principality."
"Indeed. I understand your point. However, that is precisely what the people of the Jagus Principality claim."
"They do?"
"The prisoners captured during the clashes said as much," the Chancellor answered this time.
"It was not merely one individual, but over ten men who gave the exact same testimony, so I doubt there is any mistake."
"I see..."
Of course, it was entirely plausible that their high command kept the true objective hidden from rank-and-file soldiers. Nor was it out of the question that they had intentionally allowed themselves to be captured to feed false information to the enemy.
When Gajue Tsuga pointed this out, the Duke responded:
"Mm, naturally we have not dismissed that possibility either."
"However, there is simply no other convincing reason. The Great Flot Plain is barren wasteland, after all."
'I see. So the desolation of that land was not born of conflict, but because it lacked water from the very beginning.'
Listening in on the conversation, Laojun found the explanation reasonable.
When Jin had escaped the Jagus Principality alongside Lordtoss in the past, the Great Flot Plain had been a desolate expanse with only sparse patches of dry grass.
At the time, Jin had assumed the land lay devastated due to ongoing clashes between the Norha Principality and the Jagus Principality, but in truth, it had been that way all along.
'There is no way mere human skirmishes could cause devastation on that scale, after all.'
Had tens of thousands of golems clashed, that would be another matter, but Laojun had always found it hard to believe that minor border skirmishes could ravage the terrain to such an extent.
'So it was a natural wasteland from the start.'
That part made sense. Yet what remained an enigma was why the Jagus Principality was pushing eastward.
Even for the Norha Principality, locked in ongoing conflict with them, the motive remained entirely unclear.
"Please forgive the intrusion, but... could it be that they wish to expand even further to the east?"
Fione Fias, who had kept silent up to this point, finally spoke up.
"What?...Deputy Envoy, what do you mean by that?"
Unable to grasp the intent behind her words, the Duke questioned her.
"Ah, yes. Um, I wondered if it might be possible that the Jagus Principality's ultimate goal is not this Norha Principality, but the territory lying even further beyond to the east..."
Her answer lacked confidence, yet something in her words seemed to strike a chord with the Duke.
"Mmm... If that is the case, could there be merit to it? No, but..."
He trailed off, lost in thought.
"Um...?"
Fearing she had spoken out of turn, Fione Fias paled slightly, but—
"No, Deputy Envoy, pay it no mind."
Soothingly reassured by the Chancellor, she breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
'The eastern mountains, or perhaps...'
Listening intently, Laojun turned the possibilities over in its thoughts.
To the east lay a mountain range running north to south, with the massive Lake Omoser resting to its north.
Further east stood another colossal massif, but it seemed implausible that the Jagus Principality would reach for something so distant.
'The area around the eastern mountains remains the most probable objective, after all.'
With that, Laojun decided to launch an independent investigation into the 'eastern mountains.'
"May I ask one more question?"
This time, Manon raised her hand.
"Oh, by all means. If anything is on your mind, please ask."
"Thank you, Your Grace....I have heard that golems are being deployed in your clashes with the Jagus Principality. Is that true?"
The Duke appeared slightly caught off guard by the inquiry, but only for an instant.
The very next moment, his expression turned somber.
"Hm, you are remarkably well-informed....That is correct. And in fact, that very practice is the root cause currently straining our economy," he answered with a bitter grimace.