Chapter 730 : Aftermath

Chapter 0730 Aftermath

Translator: ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Jay_Forestieri

Editor: ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Tseirp

“So, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍trade is being carried out between the Nozoo Country in the north and the Western Countries. And you attacked this ship because you thought it was one of those trade ships.”

“Yes...”

On ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the deck, the five captured pirates are being interrogated.

“They are answering incredibly readily.”

“Well, that just makes it easier on us, right?”

“That’s a smear on the name of pirates... no, even on the name of villains.”

“Name of pirates? Name of villains?”

For some reason, Ryo was indignant, and Abel had no idea what he meant.

“The boss of a band of villains, even if caught, must not easily spill his guts. That is the code of honor between people in the same line of work.”

“Code of honor...”

“You have to throw down a line like, ‘Do your worst, torture and all! I will never talk!’.”

“I-I see...”

“But then, when their subordinates are threatened, they finally crack. Stop!　Fine, I’ll tell you, don’t lay a hand on him!... something like that, full of bitter regret.”

“...”

“And then the subordinate cries, ‘Boss...’ and so on.”

“...”

“After that kind of exchange, the information is extracted. I think that kind of stylized formality is necessary.”

“As expected of Ryo... I’m always impressed by your sort of deluded sense of flair, Ryo.”

Ryo spoke of stylized formality, and Abel coined yet another new term, delusional aesthetics.

Even so, Ryo found himself wondering as he looked at the pirates answering so readily without resistance.

The sooner a question is solved, the better.

And beside him was an expert in this field, after all.

“Abel, in the Central Countries, what kind of punishment do pirates receive?”

“Basically, death.”

“The basic punishment is... death...”

“Unless there’s some exceptional mitigating circumstance... like a neighboring village on land falling into famine and they turned to piracy purely to help the villagers there. Short of something like that, everyone involved gets the death penalty.”

“That’s an awfully exceptional case...”

“Exactly. That rarely happens. So basically, it ends in death.”

Ryo was stunned, and Abel answered with a grimace.

Abel himself did not want to execute fellow citizens.

Not even if they were bad people... even outright villains.

Because even if they had once turned to wrongdoing, they could change their ways.

But he also understood, as a ruler, that there were times when heavy punishment had to be imposed to prevent the same kind of conduct.

“Pirates are like mountain bandits in that respect, but even if you defeat the raiders who attack you, you cannot simply hand them over to the navy or the guards right away. You have to take them to a place where you can hand them over, but while you’re moving, you end up consuming food for the bandits too.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“So there’s also the aspect that we’re basically forced to sentence them to death.”

Food is not something you can just get anywhere, instantly.

That is even more true out at sea, where drinking water also becomes a problem.

When it is not only enough for the crew and passengers, but also for the pirates they have captured, then... it is not realistic.

“So not only in the Central Countries, but at least in the Western Countries too, pirates are basically sentenced to death.”

“A practical reason why they can’t be handed over to the people responsible for public order...”

Both Abel and Ryo gave a small shake of their heads.

“But trade is already being carried out with the Western Countries from around here, huh.”

“So it seems.”

“So it seems? Abel didn’t know that? Aren’t you a little underinformed...”

“No, it wasn’t written in the report that came to me.”

“Maybe Abel just skimmed right past it.”

Ryo gave Abel a skeptical look.

“What’s with that look? I remember most reports after reading them once!　But there was nothing in there about the Western Countries trading with this area. Well, not all information is made public, and there’s no guarantee the pirates are telling the truth.”

“You mean they’re lying? But what would be the point of that?”

“It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re lying. They may have been deceived, or not told, or fed false information... there are all sorts of possibilities.”

Abel shrugged.

Not one in the world has access to every piece of information.

Information one believed to be true can, in fact, turn out to be wrong... that kind of thing happens all the time.

After continuing the interrogation for a while, Captain Paulina came over to the two of them.

“Your Majesty, I would like to report some of the information we obtained.”

There are ten inhabited islands in the archipelago region, along with countless uninhabited ones.

The population of the archipelago region is around two thousand.

There is no real government, only regular gatherings on the largest island.

The northern country of Nozoo, which trades with the Western Countries, is also an island nation, though a rather large one.

Nozoo’s population is unknown.

It is three days away by pirate ship from the archipelago region.

Trade between Nozoo and the Western Countries is conducted with large ships... which is why they apparently took the Skidbladnir for one of those trade ships.

No one paid attention to the ship’s shape.

This time they committed piracy, but they claimed that under normal circumstances they were ordinary fishermen... though Paulina did not seem to believe that.

“Good work.”

When Abel offered his thanks, Paulina hesitated for only a moment before steeling herself and speaking.

“Your Majesty, regarding the treatment of the prisoners...”

“Hm?”

“Under the laws of the Western Countries, those who commit piracy face the ultimate punishment... that is, death.”

“Yeah. The same is true in the Central Countries.”

“But those men are... if I may have Your Majesty’s approval, I would like to release them here.”

“Ooh?”

Abel was surprised by Paulina’s words.

Ryo, listening silently beside him, was also a little surprised.

As had come up in his conversation with Abel earlier, not only for legal reasons but for practical ones as well, the death penalty was the norm.

“They are people from this archipelago region. In other words, there is no need to take them far away, and if we release them here, they will be able to make their way back to their islands on their own.”

“I see.”

“Even though it is burned and reduced to wreckage, parts of the pirate ship are still floating on the sea. If they use those, the injured ones should still be able to make it back to the island.”

“That’s true.”

“Thinking about the future, I believe it would be better for your Your Majesty to show mercy.”

“I see, the future... trial voyages and the opening of new routes, then.”

Abel nodded at Paulina’s explanation.

It seems the release of the pirates was being proposed with the long term in mind, and even at the level of a national project.

After thinking for a moment, Abel nodded.

“I will accept the captain’s proposal and permit their release. I leave the finer details to you.”

“Thank you.”

Paulina bowed deeply, then left Abel’s side and began giving instructions to the crew.

“Captain Paulina really is amazing. She proposed releasing them while thinking about the ships that will pass through this sea area in the future.”

“Not something just anyone can do. People like that are valuable.”

Both Ryo and Abel knew how difficult it was to make such a proposal.

It was what could be called a sophisticated political judgment, or perhaps an extraordinary measure outside the law.

When it comes to actions at the national level, things like that happen a lot... which is perfectly normal, but something ordinary citizens do not understand at all.

We live by the law, so why is the country doing something that seems to ignore the law?

That anger.

It’s perfectly natural.

It is natural, but... the world is not made up of just one country.

There are other countries.

You cannot just do whatever you like while ignoring relations with other countries, or disregarding the people of those countries.

Something that seems normal to oneself is not necessarily normal elsewhere.

Anyone can understand that if they think about it... but people do not think in the first place.

That is why they do not understand.

“The world is so complicated and difficult.”

“If only you could just do things according to the law... if everything were like that, governing a country would be easy.”

“Is that something a king is supposed to say?”

“Hm?”

“You’re supposed to set the standard for the people and uphold the law... that’s the position you’re in, right?”

“It is, but reality is more complicated, isn’t it?”

“Yes, the world is complicated.”

Both Abel and Ryo understood.

The importance of laws.

The importance of obeying rules.

And that if those things started to be treated lightly, order would collapse.

And yet, even so...

“Before long, history will surely prove that judgment to have been the right one.”

“Is it the kind of thing that has to be entrusted to history?”

“History watches every human action with severity.”

“Sounds like it has it rough too, history.”

Ryo, having taken half a step into the path of historical studies, shrugged at the burden history carries.

History, without any concern, continues recording the world today as well.

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