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「Human trafficking?! No way, isn’t that banned?! Such a cruel thing!」
「It is, in Ymir. The Marquis worked really hard to make it happen.」

In front of his family, especially his daughter, the Marquis appeared to be someone easygoing and plain, but in fact, he was a principled lord, a cut above the rest. If he had been alive in Inglis’ previous life, during his time as King Inglis, she would have trusted him with a huge amount of territories. Marquis Willford was a man with that much value.

「But, according to the Law of the State!」
「The Law of the State is applicable under the King’s direct jurisdiction, it doesn’t mean it’s practiced within the nobles’ private domains, you know?」
「We’re in the Royal Capital, right within the King’s direct jurisdiction!」
「However, if the transaction is happening elsewhere and only then they are brought here, no one can tell the difference, right?」
「They can’t do that! We need to investigate properly and apprehend everyone involved!」
「Even so I don’t think they can be apprehended, you know?」
「WHY?!」
「Highlanders snatch away people of Midland all the time whenever they feel like it, right? If we thoroughly crackdown these transactions, that means we will have to regulate the Highlanders as well. That’s basically picking a fight with the Highland as a whole, right? If we don’t want that to happen, we don’t have much choice but to loosen the regulations for the Midland people as well. If not, they would see it as a differential treatment and might even start a rebellion.」

Even if the violation happened clearly within the area of jurisdiction, they could still bury the truth under the pretense of the violation taking place in the territory of an aristocrat somewhere, not here.

In the first place, the fact that there was a clause in the Law of the State that prohibited human trafficking could only be seen as contradicting what the state was actually doing.

If one were to exclude all kinds of conscience and good senses from their mind, not having such a clause within the Law would have been a much better option, as it would prevent people driven with righteous hearts, like Rafinha, to be given a good cause to act.

This country is not abiding by its own laws! If such a point was brought up, the government couldn’t say anything back.

Humans, when they were convinced they were in the path of justice, tended to go through extreme measures. Both Inglis and Rafinha had witnessed someone who had gone and done just that; Leon. There were, indeed, circumstances within this kingdom that made even a Holy Knight of Leon’s caliber to defect.

That being said, there was no way the state could remove the clause on the prohibition of human trafficking to conform to the current situation. If such a humanitarian clause was to be removed, the current monarch would be labeled as a cruel, heartless tyrant. He would lose all support all at once.

King Charleas was by no means a fool. He knew of the contradiction that was born from the current situation, and he had no other choice but to use every trick in the book to cover it up.

「Sir Theodore will never do that!」
「Sir Theodore himself said that people like him are the minority.」

Despite that, Inglis learned this clause was established many decades ago, which meant that the kingdom was in a state safe enough to pass this clause at the time.
In other words, the injustice the Highlanders did upon the people of Midland wasn’t as bad as now, it was safe to assume that both sides were in a state of nigh-conciliation with each other back then.

Then, what was the cause for the Highlanders’ sudden change of attitude? Was there something deeper into it? As for circumstances in the Highland, perhaps Inglis could ask Special Envoy Theodore to know more, but…

「Then, we just need to rat out and beat up everyone that doesn’t listen to Sir Theodore!」
「……So we’re entering the Ironblood Chain Brigade?」

Inglis’ back was pounded hard.

「Ouch?!」
「……Then what are you telling me to do?!!」

She might have made Rafinha sulk a little bit too much.

「That’s for you to choose, Rani. I want to see what choices you take. Our possibilities ahead are much more variable that way, but, one thing for sure is that I will always be with you, okay?」
「……What if I said I’ll be joining the Ironblood Chain Brigade?」
「……That means I have to apologize to the people under Black Mask and to Miss Cystia. Will they forgive, I wonder?」
「Geez, you always push everything to me, Glis.」
「In return, I will become the strongest being in the world for you. Use me as you please, okay?」
「Sure, sure…I’m sorry, Alina. We were being insensitive and ignorant about what you’ve gone through! I’m really, really sorry!」

Rafinha bowed deeply, whilst Alina looked taken aback. It must have been unusual to meet random older girls to go so far for some little kids.

「I-, it’s alright……Both of you are worried about me so much, but really, I’m fine. The village I was from was attacked by Magic Stone Beasts after I left, and now it’s gone. My dad and mom, both of them were……that’s why, I’m thinking of it as them letting me escape and saved me.」
「Alina……」
「Good girl, you’re so strong.」

Rafinha hugged Alina tight whilst Inglis gave her a pat on the head.

「Y-, you’re exaggerating……The place I work now isn’t that bad, too!」

As if it was a bit awkward for her, Alina gave a smile.

「Thank you, you two! It was really fun! But, I need to get back soon, or else…」

By the time they realized, night had completely fallen. It was too late a time for children to be out and about.

「You’re right. Then, we’ll take you home! Glis, please do.」
「Okay. We’re going then.」

The Star Princess unit left the shores of Vault Lake a little bit more slowly than when she came.