1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“Ah, ah, ah. Testing, testing. Mic test, mic test. Two, two, two, two. One, two, one, two.”
A man’s voice echoes through the capital city of Agarta. Everyone stops what they’re doing and listens to the voice intently.
“Um… This is Linos, the king of Agarta. I apologize for intruding while everyone is busy. Today, I have something to talk to you all about, which is why I’m doing this. Please bear with my rambling for a while.”
Saying that, Linos clears his throat.
“Um… What should I start with? Ah, yes. A while ago, envoys came from the Crimeana Theocracy. They claimed that the cause of the incurable diseases Kirisrei, Gaisha, and Lulowance is the Beastmen. So, they demanded the expulsion of the Beastmen and said that the cure for these diseases requires the sacrifice of the Sheep Beastmen. I was bewildered. In Agarta, we have a promise not to inconvenience others. If what they said is true, then the Beastmen would indeed be causing harm to people. But I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t be sure. Moreover, they claimed to have the world’s best doctors supporting their claim. I lacked confidence in my own intuition. So, I was torn. I kept wavering…”
Linos’s voice momentarily breaks, and the capital city falls into silence.
“In addition, the Crimeana faith is a religion with followers all over the world. If we antagonize their church, won’t the believers in Agarta cause unrest? Won’t the people of this country suffer from the trouble they cause? Thinking about such things, I became greatly confused. However, I finally made up my mind. That’s why I’m here, trying to share my determination with all of you.”
Linos takes a pause and takes a deep breath.
“I don’t believe that the Beastmen are the cause of these diseases. The reason is that Crimeana’s theory lacks proper evidence. Many Beastmen live among us. Some even have married humans. I have never heard of cases where those individuals fell ill due to the diseases they claim. Therefore, I cannot trust Crimeana’s claims. Additionally, if we were to expel or capture the Beastmen, many innocent people would be hurt and inconvenienced. This contradicts Agarta’s principles. Even Meirias, a Sheep Beastman and the daughter of a Dwarf, was targeted for capture. Frankly, it’s absurd. Right now, the Beastmen are being hunted down by countries all over the world without having done anything wrong. I want to welcome them into this country and protect them. I will do my best not to inconvenience all of you as much as possible. And I want to prove that they are not the source of the diseases. People of Agarta, please warmly welcome the Beastmen seeking refuge here. Let’s all lend a helping hand to those in need. Thank you… It was Linos.”
…I release the barrier. And take a deep breath. I think I might be saying something absurd. The people of the capital city might be thinking, “Huh? Welcoming Beastmen, who are suspected of being the source of an incurable disease? Are you kidding?” But I want to believe Mei and Roni’s words, “Crimeana’s theory is not certain,” and trust my intuition.
I ponder about what to do next in the reception room of the guesthouse in the capital city of Agarta. How many Beastmen are likely to seek refuge here…? We will probably need to protect the Sheep Beastmen first. In that case…
As I’m lost in my thoughts, there’s a knock on the door of the reception room. Ferris enters.
“Master…”
“Ferris, I’m sorry. Things are going to get busy again.”
“…There are people gathering outside the guesthouse.”
“What?”
I hurriedly look outside the window. I see people lining up along the walls of the guesthouse. And when I step outside and look at the vicinity of the main gate, there’s a crowd of people.
I stand in front of the main gate. The crowd murmurs when they spot me.
“Hey, wait a minute, excuse me, excuse me.”
A hearty voice calls out, and Gen-san, the carpenter, emerges from the crowd. I can see the innkeeper behind him.
“General, you heard about it, right?”
“…Yeah, I made an unreasonable request, Gen-san.”
“I have one thing to ask you, General. Have you really seen those Beastmen carrying the disease? Have you seen it with your own eyes?”
“No, I haven’t seen it. I’ve looked into it, but I couldn’t confirm that fact.”
“Then it’s simple!”
Gen-san raises his voice even louder than usual.
“The Beastmen haven’t done anything wrong yet! It’s ridiculous to expel them without any evidence! General, I trust your judgment. Let’s take care of the Beastmen!”
“That’s right, General! Your words must be right! We believe in you!”
“Thank you all so much…”
The crowd gathers around me, calling my name one after another. I can’t stop my tears from overflowing, and I just keep bowing my head in gratitude.
“Th-thank you… all of you…”
Surrounded by cheers, I continue to sob uncontrollably.
At night, when I return to my mansion, it seems that news of the events in the capital has already spread to everyone. Mei approaches me first.
“Master…”
“Mei, it’s alright. The people of Agarta understood. It’s a heartwarming thing.”
“Really…”
Mei’s eyes are also filled with tears.
“Starting tomorrow, I will visit the estates of Agarta’s lords. I need to inform them about what happened.”
“Then I shall accompany you.”
“Yes, Mat, I appreciate your help.”
“Linos-sama, I’ll join you too.”
“Indeed, Soleil, it’ll be good to have you with us.”
“Leave it to me!”
And we discussed the preparations to welcome the Beastmen together.
After taking a bath and entering my bedroom, Rico is there. Eril is already fast asleep, sprawled out like a starfish. Although she can be quite loud when she cries, she is a good sleeper. She’ll surely grow up to be a good child.
As I gaze at Eril’s sleeping face, Rico hugs me from behind. I gently hold Rico’s hand.
“…You talked to the people of Agarta about Crimeana, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I watched you, Linos, and I felt happy.”
“Happy? Why?”
I separate myself from Rico.
“You didn’t get swayed by Crimeana and genuinely considered the Beastmen’s situation. And also… I was really happy that you protected Mei.”
“Rico… You’re not angry?”
“Angry? Why would I be?”
“Oh, well… This time, I was so concerned about Mei that I couldn’t spend much time with you…”
“Linos, Mei is my family. She’s different from other women.”
“Thank you for saying that. It puts my mind at ease. I learned something from this incident too. I didn’t expect my mind to become such a mess. The scariest part about religion is how people can casually kill others in the name of God and how it removes any sense of guilt and fear of death. I sensed that madness in the people of Crimeana. Look at those soldiers, killing with smiles on their faces, and those who willingly march to their deaths. No matter how strong we are, we can’t defeat them, can we? Moreover, no matter how many we defeat, they won’t be completely eradicated. It’s truly troublesome.”
“Have your thoughts settled down now?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
As I’m talking to Rico, Mei also joins the conversation.
“Master, I have something to tell you.”
“Go ahead, Mei.”
“It’s about the Beastmen we are going to welcome…”
And we continue discussing the arrangements for welcoming the Beastmen.
“Ah, thanks to Mei’s unexpected actions, I now know what I should protect and who I should fight against. Beastmen are also people of Agarta’s country. Without any evidence, just with information claiming they might get sick, they demand the expulsion of Beastmen and the sacrifice of Sheep Beastmen. Who do they think they are? I’ve decided not to listen to what Crimeana says until I hear a convincing explanation.”
“I’m glad… It’s the usual Linos. I was quite shaken by the things related to Crimeana as well. After hearing your words, I also made up my mind. But I can’t approve of you crying in front of the people in the capital.”
“Y-yeah. Maybe you’re right, Rico. I… might not be suited to be a king.”
“Linos, you are weak. There are parts of you that are too weak.”
Rico slowly sits up and gently embraces my face.
“But that weakness of yours is also what makes you charming.”
“Isn’t it uncool?”
“No. What charm is there in a perfect and flawless gentleman? Because of your weakness, I can be with you.”
“Rico… You’re starting to talk like my mother.”
Rico hugs me again.
Linos doesn’t realize it. He has advanced as an enchanter, his level increased. He will become aware of it later on.
The night gradually grows deeper.
1 Comment / Reincarnation into a barrier master / By IX
“Ah, ah, ah. Testing, testing. Mic test, mic test. Two, two, two, two. One, two, one, two.”
A man’s voice echoes through the capital city of Agarta. Everyone stops what they’re doing and listens to the voice intently.
“Um… This is Linos, the king of Agarta. I apologize for intruding while everyone is busy. Today, I have something to talk to you all about, which is why I’m doing this. Please bear with my rambling for a while.”
Saying that, Linos clears his throat.
“Um… What should I start with? Ah, yes. A while ago, envoys came from the Crimeana Theocracy. They claimed that the cause of the incurable diseases Kirisrei, Gaisha, and Lulowance is the Beastmen. So, they demanded the expulsion of the Beastmen and said that the cure for these diseases requires the sacrifice of the Sheep Beastmen. I was bewildered. In Agarta, we have a promise not to inconvenience others. If what they said is true, then the Beastmen would indeed be causing harm to people. But I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t be sure. Moreover, they claimed to have the world’s best doctors supporting their claim. I lacked confidence in my own intuition. So, I was torn. I kept wavering…”
Linos’s voice momentarily breaks, and the capital city falls into silence.
“In addition, the Crimeana faith is a religion with followers all over the world. If we antagonize their church, won’t the believers in Agarta cause unrest? Won’t the people of this country suffer from the trouble they cause? Thinking about such things, I became greatly confused. However, I finally made up my mind. That’s why I’m here, trying to share my determination with all of you.”
Linos takes a pause and takes a deep breath.
“I don’t believe that the Beastmen are the cause of these diseases. The reason is that Crimeana’s theory lacks proper evidence. Many Beastmen live among us. Some even have married humans. I have never heard of cases where those individuals fell ill due to the diseases they claim. Therefore, I cannot trust Crimeana’s claims. Additionally, if we were to expel or capture the Beastmen, many innocent people would be hurt and inconvenienced. This contradicts Agarta’s principles. Even Meirias, a Sheep Beastman and the daughter of a Dwarf, was targeted for capture. Frankly, it’s absurd. Right now, the Beastmen are being hunted down by countries all over the world without having done anything wrong. I want to welcome them into this country and protect them. I will do my best not to inconvenience all of you as much as possible. And I want to prove that they are not the source of the diseases. People of Agarta, please warmly welcome the Beastmen seeking refuge here. Let’s all lend a helping hand to those in need. Thank you… It was Linos.”
…I release the barrier. And take a deep breath. I think I might be saying something absurd. The people of the capital city might be thinking, “Huh? Welcoming Beastmen, who are suspected of being the source of an incurable disease? Are you kidding?” But I want to believe Mei and Roni’s words, “Crimeana’s theory is not certain,” and trust my intuition.
I ponder about what to do next in the reception room of the guesthouse in the capital city of Agarta. How many Beastmen are likely to seek refuge here…? We will probably need to protect the Sheep Beastmen first. In that case…
As I’m lost in my thoughts, there’s a knock on the door of the reception room. Ferris enters.
“Master…”
“Ferris, I’m sorry. Things are going to get busy again.”
“…There are people gathering outside the guesthouse.”
“What?”
I hurriedly look outside the window. I see people lining up along the walls of the guesthouse. And when I step outside and look at the vicinity of the main gate, there’s a crowd of people.
I stand in front of the main gate. The crowd murmurs when they spot me.
“Hey, wait a minute, excuse me, excuse me.”
A hearty voice calls out, and Gen-san, the carpenter, emerges from the crowd. I can see the innkeeper behind him.
“General, you heard about it, right?”
“…Yeah, I made an unreasonable request, Gen-san.”
“I have one thing to ask you, General. Have you really seen those Beastmen carrying the disease? Have you seen it with your own eyes?”
“No, I haven’t seen it. I’ve looked into it, but I couldn’t confirm that fact.”
“Then it’s simple!”
Gen-san raises his voice even louder than usual.
“The Beastmen haven’t done anything wrong yet! It’s ridiculous to expel them without any evidence! General, I trust your judgment. Let’s take care of the Beastmen!”
“That’s right, General! Your words must be right! We believe in you!”
“Thank you all so much…”
The crowd gathers around me, calling my name one after another. I can’t stop my tears from overflowing, and I just keep bowing my head in gratitude.
“Th-thank you… all of you…”
Surrounded by cheers, I continue to sob uncontrollably.
At night, when I return to my mansion, it seems that news of the events in the capital has already spread to everyone. Mei approaches me first.
“Master…”
“Mei, it’s alright. The people of Agarta understood. It’s a heartwarming thing.”
“Really…”
Mei’s eyes are also filled with tears.
“Starting tomorrow, I will visit the estates of Agarta’s lords. I need to inform them about what happened.”
“Then I shall accompany you.”
“Yes, Mat, I appreciate your help.”
“Linos-sama, I’ll join you too.”
“Indeed, Soleil, it’ll be good to have you with us.”
“Leave it to me!”
And we discussed the preparations to welcome the Beastmen together.
After taking a bath and entering my bedroom, Rico is there. Eril is already fast asleep, sprawled out like a starfish. Although she can be quite loud when she cries, she is a good sleeper. She’ll surely grow up to be a good child.
As I gaze at Eril’s sleeping face, Rico hugs me from behind. I gently hold Rico’s hand.
“…You talked to the people of Agarta about Crimeana, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I watched you, Linos, and I felt happy.”
“Happy? Why?”
I separate myself from Rico.
“You didn’t get swayed by Crimeana and genuinely considered the Beastmen’s situation. And also… I was really happy that you protected Mei.”
“Rico… You’re not angry?”
“Angry? Why would I be?”
“Oh, well… This time, I was so concerned about Mei that I couldn’t spend much time with you…”
“Linos, Mei is my family. She’s different from other women.”
“Thank you for saying that. It puts my mind at ease. I learned something from this incident too. I didn’t expect my mind to become such a mess. The scariest part about religion is how people can casually kill others in the name of God and how it removes any sense of guilt and fear of death. I sensed that madness in the people of Crimeana. Look at those soldiers, killing with smiles on their faces, and those who willingly march to their deaths. No matter how strong we are, we can’t defeat them, can we? Moreover, no matter how many we defeat, they won’t be completely eradicated. It’s truly troublesome.”
“Have your thoughts settled down now?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
As I’m talking to Rico, Mei also joins the conversation.
“Master, I have something to tell you.”
“Go ahead, Mei.”
“It’s about the Beastmen we are going to welcome…”
And we continue discussing the arrangements for welcoming the Beastmen.
“Ah, thanks to Mei’s unexpected actions, I now know what I should protect and who I should fight against. Beastmen are also people of Agarta’s country. Without any evidence, just with information claiming they might get sick, they demand the expulsion of Beastmen and the sacrifice of Sheep Beastmen. Who do they think they are? I’ve decided not to listen to what Crimeana says until I hear a convincing explanation.”
“I’m glad… It’s the usual Linos. I was quite shaken by the things related to Crimeana as well. After hearing your words, I also made up my mind. But I can’t approve of you crying in front of the people in the capital.”
“Y-yeah. Maybe you’re right, Rico. I… might not be suited to be a king.”
“Linos, you are weak. There are parts of you that are too weak.”
Rico slowly sits up and gently embraces my face.
“But that weakness of yours is also what makes you charming.”
“Isn’t it uncool?”
“No. What charm is there in a perfect and flawless gentleman? Because of your weakness, I can be with you.”
“Rico… You’re starting to talk like my mother.”
Rico hugs me again.
Linos doesn’t realize it. He has advanced as an enchanter, his level increased. He will become aware of it later on.
The night gradually grows deeper.
