ED/PF:
(ED/PF note: WHY IS THIS SO WEIRDLY LONG, I MEAN THE PARAGRAPHS ARE SO MUCH BIGGER NOW, WHY IMOUTO-SAMA WHYYYY?!)
Finally, with everyone’s help, Kaoru’s potion sales has started.
As soon as the potion was released, it’s effects were quickly well-known by the people.
The distributor, the “Abiri Merchant Group” has branches in a lot of areas. They could even arrange their sales on towns without their connections in them.
Unless the potion would arrive within five days, it would lose its effect. So it’s necessary for the potion to be delivered within 5 days, but for towns in Balmoa Kingdom, that isn’t a problem.
Also, for people whose towns that weren’t included by the Abiri Merchant Group, there are several ways they could purchase the potions with, for example, by traveling to Balmoa Kingdom or a town who is affiliated by the Abiri Merchant Group. But for people whose conditions were poor or had the difficulty to move properly. They could send people on horses to travel day and night to buy it and deliver it back to them. If you use the horse to travel non-stop, you could deliver the potion to most places in the continent within 4 days. But this method can only be used by the aristocrats, rich people, officials or even soldiers.
The potion was extremely cheap and even commoners can easily afford to buy it.
In the case of fraud or reselling the potion, anyone who would buy a large amount would be strictly examined.
If it is discovered that he/she would participate or mastermind the fraud or reselling, everyone involved will be held responsible. All their families, relatives, friends, and etc will lose their qualifications to buy the potions. As long as the person himself/herself is alive, he/she would most likely be killed by his/her relatives or friends.
The same rule is applicable with the aristocrats and others with power, except, only the potions will no longer reach their territory for as long as that noble is alive. If it’s like this then that noble would most probably have an accidental death or disease which would claim his life, after then, his son in all likelihood would take over his position.
As a result of this, it goes without saying that the aristocrats, merchants, and commoners wouldn’t dare take advantage of the potions.
Disabilities caused by injures in the past can be easily cured now. Soldiers won’t worry about any injuries they would/could receive during their training sessions or missions anymore. Due to this they can improve their skills so much more than before.
The people in the royal city can somehow guess the origin of these potions, but nobody would try to mention it at all. They knew that if they get involved in it, they won't get anything in return. If anything goes wrong, they will be held responsible and will lose everything.
The sick and injured people from Balmoa Kingdom gradually decreased, because of this, production efficiency rose greatly. Not only has the potion made it possible for the sick and injured to work again but there’s also the fact that the budget for the necessary personnel required for the medical facilities have decreased.
However, Kaoru strongly warned about this to the King Brother Roland. They must be alert in case something would happen to Kaoru. Just because the potions have helped them a lot, it shouldn’t mean that they should forget to train medical personnel, improve the medical technology in their kingdom, and secure budget for emergency cases.
There is a kingdom named “Gurua Kingdom” that is slightly east of the Balmoa kingdom, fortunately they could still receive the benefits from the potions because the potions from Balmoa Kingdom can reach the border of both countries on the 6th day in a wagon. But if you use horses, you can deliver the potions in 2-3 days. (ED/PF: IMOUTO-SAMA DID YOU MEAN on the 2nd or 3rd DAY IN A WAGON? THEN AFTER THAT THEY COULD DELIVER THE POTIONS FROM THE BORDER USING HORSES in 2-3 DAYS?)
Brancott Kingdom however, was somewhat far on the west side. Because of this, the transferring of potions by wagon is out of question. But if they use horses, then they could still reach Capital city Aras within 5 days. That’s why the Kingdom of Brancott also managed to receive the benefits from the potions.
Ashid Kingdom from the south that has a friendly relationship with the Balmoa Kingdom because they have a common enemy, the Arigo Empire. And fortunately, their country's landscape which extended long in the east and west are adjacent to Balmoa Kingdom which is why they also receive benefit of the potions.
On the northern side of the Balmoa Kingdom faces the ocean. But in the North-west part there lies a small state, the Rueda Sacred country (T.N: do you think Sacred country is better or Holy country). This country is only 1/8th to 1/10th the sizes of the other countries.
It is a religious state made in the place where the goddess Celestine first descended, and saved the human race a long time ago. That's why although it is just a small country, other countries still pays tribute from time to time.
However, 53 years have passed without the appearance of the goddess, the number of pilgrims from other countries have also decreased, the donations are slowly declining. Besides religion, this country’s economic power is only ordinary agriculture and fishing.
As a result, when the rumor about the「Goddess’s miracle」was spread, they couldn’t help but get worked up.
Even with the pope's request, the Archbishop of Balmoa kingdom is against the summoning of the angel who caused the miracle.「Because that girl isn't a believer of our temple, she won't submit to the summoning order from the temple」.
The same goes with the royal palace「Governance and Religion are different things in our country and religious demands can't be met as a state」.
While the sacred country Rueda failed to summon Kaoru, the potions began to circulate. According to the surveys from the people, it's obviously different from ordinary medicine since it was so much better but even then, it’s effects were weaker than the goddess’s miracle. There they found out that the potions came from Balmoa Kingdom
The goddess’ miracle should be brought to the Sacred country Rueda.
If this keep up, the position of the Scared country will be robbed by Balmoa Kingdom!
The upper echelon of the Sacred country Rueda felt a sense of crisis and began to make various plots
The Peninsula which connects to Brancott, Balmoa, Ashid, and the Rueda sacred country, on the tip of it there was a country called the Arigo Empire that emphasizes in military strength. Arigo Empire connects to the Sacred country Rueda on the northern mountain range side and the Ashid Kingdom on the southern coast side and the Balmoa Kingdom in the middle of it. (ED/PF: WE NEED A MAP, I”M SO CONFUSED.)
But the connected part which should be the border of the three countries is obstructed by the mountains. This makes it so that the routes Arigo Empire passes to reach the Balmoa Kingdom is that they would have to go through the Sacred country Rueda via the northern mountain range or Ashid kingdom via the southern coast. The mountain range has a shorter distance but has many obstacles which makes it so the horses can't cross.
The Arigo Empire doesn't really develop any industries, and the resources in their country can be obtained in the neighboring three countries as well. Therefore, the three countries didn't really need to trade with the Arigo Empire where transportation isn't good.
But the Arigo Empire had different plans.
In order for their own country to develop, they would have to move towards the base side of the peninsula. But their domestic production can't supply their own country since most of their lands are mountains. They chose to spend a lot of their national budget to strengthen their military strength.
A country with little trade that focuses on strengthening military power. There was no choice other than to wage territorial battles to wars.
And while they planned such things, the potions began circulating in their neighboring country, the Balmoa Kingdom.
To make matters worse, the potions would only be effective within 5 days of creating them. Theese potions can't reach the Arigo Empire within its deadline for any kind of transportation even when they buy it from the sacred country Rueda or the Ashid kingdom. That's why they can't use it for war nor have any benefits from it.
Here they thought, 「if it can't reach our Empire within 5 days, then, why not just create it in the empire! Then we can use it for war as well. Our army is already more overwhelming than the other countries, if we have those potions, we could even take over the continent!
To do that, we must first attack the Balmoa Kingdom and gain the secret of the potions …」
Thus, even in the Arigo Empire, they also began to plot thing.
*** Balmoa Royal palace ***
「Is this the 5th one …?」 (King Serge)
「Yes, three from Sacred country and two from the Arigo Empire」(Prime Minister)
The Prime Minister reports to the king. The King's brother Roland also stands beside him to hear the report.
「Contact Kaoru, increase her security to prevent anyone to try soliciting her and to reduce possibilities for them to be able to kidnap her …」 (King Serge)
「Fortunately, all the spies that Kaoru talked with are spewing (speaking) everything in a honest manner (T.N: Potion cheat, speak everything pot). Even the spies who have the reporting role are also captured. So their countries shouldn't be able to get any information yet.」 (Roland)
「Even then, there will be more people from different groups that will try to come in contact with Kaoru even though they can't get any results.
They must know about her already, since she is extremely famous in our kingdom …」 (P.M)
During the conversation between the king and the prime minister, the King Brother Roland was worrying about something else.
「I had anticipated that the Arigo Empire was already at its limit and would try to move soon. But to think that even the Sacred country would use force … Aren’t they scared of angering the goddess?
In the first place, the Goddess will not fulfill their demands even if they capture Kaoru …」(Roland)
「Maybe they were thinking of Kaoru as just a little girl who can make the potions.」 (P.M)
「「 Ah. 」」(Serge + Roland)
「Anyway, the empire will start their invasion soon.
First of all, will they attack Ashid Kingdom and our country?
Or will they go through the neutral Sacred country Rueda and to attack us?」 (Roland)
「But isn't it impermissible for armies to pass through the neutral countries like the Sacred Rueda Country?」 (King Serge) (ED/PF: probably a treaty/promise of some sorts which states that armies aren’t allowed to pass through neutral countries.)
「I wonder… if that Empire is aiming for Kaoru, would they even consider keeping the promise?」 (Roland)
「Well …」 (Serge)
「In any case, you can only ask the Ashid Kingdom and the Sacred country Rueda to check the movements of the Empire.
Have them contact us if anything happens, dispatch our own spies from our country as well.
And raise the level of alertness so that you can move the soldiers at any time …」 (Roland) (T.N: I think it's about DEFCON 4)
「Okay.」 (King Serge)
The footsteps of the war were close at hand.
(ED/PF: huh… footsteps and hands. i’m sleepy dammit, and i found this somewhat entertaining what the hell is wrong with me.)
[Next]