Ryusousha – 41
Chapter 41
The Shadow Moon Road ran a little north from the center of Ryukoku.
If it continued upward during a Great Shift, the damage would be great.
However, knowing about it before would allow us to prepare.
Crowsert was one of the seven great cities, and so the people that lived there and in the neighboring areas would have to move.
But it was a much different matter in Makoku.
For them, the Shadow Moon Road ran along the south side.
If it traveled up north, then their capital would perish.
And it wouldn’t end there.
The south and west sides of Makoku were mostly rocky mountains, which meant they were ill-suited for planting crops.
It was the granaries in the north that fed the country.
If those granaries were destroyed, then the country would lose much of its food source.
“Makoku would lose its capital and the whole country would starve.”
“Indeed. If they know that this will happen in four years, what do you think they will do?”
What would Makoku do?
Quickly try to cultivate the south and west lands… No, it’s impossible.
Such sterile land would not yield them anything.
It was unthinkable that that would be their reply to a Great Shift.
They could acquire food through trade.
But this was also difficult. It would be one thing if it was a temporary disaster, but they couldn’t rely fully on trade for hundreds of years.
So there was only one answer left.
“…Take land by force?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
The Queen said light-heartedly.
If it came to that, Shoukoku had wealth, but not a lot of cultivated land.
In the first place, that country was at the base of the mountain ranges.
It was the smallest of the four countries.
Then what about Gikoku, the southmost country?
Gikoku was prosperous.
It was far away from the Shadow Moon Road and the threat of the Moon Beasts.
However, there was something to consider.
Makoku would be thrown into great chaos.
The Great Shift would occur, and many Moon Beasts would come down.
It was obvious what would happen.
Even if they were able to take parts of Gikoku, the ensuing chaos four years later could easily result in them losing it again.
Also, Gikoku was a clan state.
It would not be easy to conquer them. It wasn’t as simple as defeating the capital city.
Could they subjugate all of the clans?
They didn’t have the time or resources for that.
So, where would they target?
A country that would also be thrown into chaos during the Great Shift.
In other words, Ryukoku.
We were already on bad terms, so there would be less guilt.
Well, at least, they might feel that way.
As both countries would be affected, we were on equal footing.
So it would not be surprising if they took the gamble.
“It seems that you understand.”
“I understand that Makoku has a reason to want our lands.”
“Yes. Our Dragon Masters have enough on their hands with having to fight the Moon Beasts on the Shadow Moon Road. And now, a war with Makoku? How bothersome.”
The queen called a war where the survival of two countries was at stake, ‘bothersome.’
Ryukoku’s future was in danger.
Ryusousha ha Shizukani Kurashitai
