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It wasn’t exactly possible to hide the fact that Makoku had attacked.
After all, many soldiers had died in the castle.
And it wasn’t only that.
The young Dragon Masters had also been attacked while on the military exercise.
The ambush had been prevented, but people still died.
Due to this, it was decided that the truth of the attack would be used to its fullest.
Makoku had taken as many as four of their Thirteen Steps and attacked the palace and the young Dragon Masters at the same time.
This was written as a document and sent to not just Makoku, but Shoukoku and Gikoku as well. It denounced Makoku for its actions. Then dragons were sent to the borders where they arrested merchants who came in and out of Makoku.
This was to show how serious Ryukoku was.
Depending on Makoku’s reaction, the Dragon Masters near the border would be able to act at once.
All of this had happened within just a few days after the attack, and so Ryukoku’s reaction had been very swift.
After all, the students hadn’t even returned yet.
In regards to the incident, Makoku’s reply was brusque.
“Yes, such people were with us long ago. But we have no knowledge of their whereabouts as they were dismissed and exiled.”
Their names were already gone from the Thirteen Steps.
Makoku even had the audacity to use the opportunity to introduce the new magicians who would take their places.
The others that were with them must have been from some illegal mercenary organization.
Such organizations have a bane to Makoku, so we thank you for annihilating them for us.
The letter continued.
It ended with another reminder that Makoku had nothing to do with the attack.
Of course, none of the countries actually believed this. And neither did Makoku expect to be believed.
It was just a formality.
And so Ryukoku tried a different approach.
As Makoku had been so gracious to thank them, they went out on a full-scale campaign to stamp out any illegal organizations.
Makoku agents who had been lurking there for years to people who worked on the fringes, everyone was captured.
There were some who had only cooperated with them minimally. And so this measure to take everyone was most unusual.
Ryukoku also sent messages to Shoukoku and Gikoku. ‘Makoku is suffering from the plague that is the hidden activities of illegal organizations. We must all help them.’
This resulted in Makoku merchants being arrested in Shoukoku and Gikoku as well. And entrance into those countries became restricted.
Of course, both countries did this because they knew it would be to their benefit.
It was their own merchants who would fill in the gap.
Makoku had always had the loudest voice when it came to the circulations of products.
If this continued, Makoku’s economy would take a massive hit.
And so Makoku began to launch a great number of complaints towards Ryukoku’s actions.
But Ryukoku did not care. If anything, it only encouraged them.
Shoukoku and Gikoku were the same.
It was Ryukoku who spread the news. They bore all of the responsibility.
Ryukoku continued regardless. This was revenge.
The spies that Makoku had sent into Ryukoku over many years were arrested.
Apart from that, Makoku’s merchants were subject to harsh inspections and investigations.
If products arrived late, it was the Makoku merchants who had to pay for damages. It was infuriating.
Furthermore, there were wealthy and powerful Makoku people who had their fortunes confiscated. They were people who lived in Ryukoku but acted with Makoku’s profit in mind.
It was surprising just how much work went into the arrest and confiscating of wealth.
However, Makoku surrendered before things got out of hand, and normal civilians who had very little to do with Makoku started being affected.
Even if they had no longer been employed by Makoku, it was an acceptable thing for their former magicians to have worked such evil.
And so Makoku made a formal apology and paid for damages. Like this, matters were settled, and the relationship between the two countries returned to normal.
On the surface, that is.
However, this incident proved one thing to the other countries. The queen of Ryukoku was very thorough indeed.
Reminder:
Ryukoku – Dragon
Makoku – Magic
Gikoku – Crafting/technology
Shoukoku – Merchant
This has been the ‘Makoku Maneuvers Arc.’ The next chapter will start the ‘Gikoku Civil War Arc’ where we should finally meet Leon’s dragon. Unfortunately, this is where the light novel ends, and there was never a second volume published, so there will be no more artwork.
Please consider rating/reviewing the series if you have any thoughts & want the translations to continue. Thanks for reading.
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