Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 22 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

The sky turned a maddened red, and night was about to descend over the world as a heavy silence loomed over Viscount McMaster’s estate. Guards stood at their posts while maids and butlers walked the halls with serious demeanors, clearly nervous.

It made sense, given who visited the mansion earlier that day—Viscount Furio Gelhart, leader of the nobles’ faction. He was a man who once held enough power over the Kingdom of Rhoadseria to rival the crown.

But he had his rank lowered from duke to viscount by Queen Lupis after losing the civil war and lost his right to govern the grain-producing region of Heraklion, known as the kingdom’s breadbasket. His current might was a far cry from what it once was. But most people living in Rhoadseria knew that the name still carried absolute power and authority.

Having a man of such high status visit the mansion was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

I hope nothing bad happened to the master or the young miss, thought Erin as she cleaned up the arbor where the secret talk between the viscounts had happened.

Having an acquaintance come for a surprise visit was usually inconsequential for a commoner. They could turn the guest away if it was not a good time. But nobles were bound by a different set of rules.

Formal etiquette demanded that a visit be scheduled days, if not weeks ahead of a time. A messenger suddenly showing up on one’s doorstep and reporting that a noble was coming to visit was quite unusual.

In Rhoadseria, nobles were a special class abiding by tradition and etiquette, and such sudden visits were deemed poor manners. The only exceptions were when there was a major difference in rank between the two people or if they were close.

This case was neither of those. Viscount Gelhart might have been a duke once, but he was now of equal rank to Viscount McMaster. Gelhart only held more influence while he led the nobles’ faction. One could even claim Viscount Gelhart was lower in rank due to his demotion and still being new to his viscount title.

Viscount McMaster was like a senior officer compared to him. If their commander were to die and the question of who would take charge became relevant, McMaster would be there to take his place. As such, Viscount Gelhart was technically his junior.

So you would expect Lord Gelhart to show our lord more respect.

Of course, the power balance within noble society wasn’t so simple that it could be boiled down to mere rank. But if nothing else, no one among the servants working under Viscount McMaster would argue with Erin’s opinion.

Another issue was Viscount Gelhart’s existing relationship with Viscount McMaster. Since Viscount McMaster was loyal to the royal house, he saw Viscount Gelhart’s abuse of authority as an insult to the crown. Viscount Gelhart, meanwhile, only saw Viscount McMaster as a stubborn, hardheaded, idealistic dreamer incapable of seeing reality for what it was.

The two didn’t openly oppose each other, but this was only because they kept a safe distance from each other.

The two houses’ relationship isn’t a friendly one. As far as I know, the two had never interacted since the day the lord inherited the headship.

Relationships within Rhoadserian aristocratic society ran on tight blood bonds. The country had existed for nearly five centuries, and no noble house lacked blood bonds with one another. That didn’t mean two houses had to be close or get along.

Viscount Gelhart and Viscount McMaster were distant relatives then. They didn’t oppose, but held a negative opinion of, each other and tried to keep their distance.

And now he came for a meeting.

It was clear as day that whatever reason Viscount Gelhart had for going there couldn’t have been something trivial. Sentries and maids cleaning the house wouldn’t be privy to small details about this, so Erin had no way of knowing what the two viscounts discussed. The only ones who would know were the two men themselves.

Only Rosetta McMaster, beckoned to the lord’s study after the conversation finished, knew what had transpired. Not even the butler who managed all the servants in the lord’s name or the head maid would know.

That wasn’t to say Erin was in the dark. Based on her seniors’ tense expressions, even a commoner maid like Erin could tell if this was a promising or unfortunate development. It was much like a forest animal keenly sensing the changing weather. Her intuition warned her, and that was true for all the other servants in the mansion.

Whatever it is, it’s not good.

“I know how you feel, but keep working,” a voice suddenly reached her ears.

Erin turned to look toward the source of the voice. A senior maid charged with training her stood there with stern eyes. The senior maid scrutinized Erin as she was supposed to be cleaning, but her hands weren’t moving since she had become lost in thought.

That said, there was no sarcasm or criticism in her voice. She, too, experienced the same anxiety Erin did but was experienced and professional enough not to let it show. All she did was gently chide her restless colleague.

“My apologies,” apologized Erin, who then resumed cleaning the desk. She pulled herself back together, her hands wiping more forcefully than before. There’s nothing I can do, but...

Erin was an ordinary commoner girl from a relatively large village in the McMaster Viscounty. Her family was in the service of the village headman and was relatively affluent as commoners went. Otherwise, there was nothing of note about them.

In this tumultuous time in Rhoadseria’s history, there was little Erin, who lacked any talents to speak of, or her family could do to help the McMaster viscounty. The same applied to many workers in the mansion, especially since they saw it as the precious estate of their governor. Though they may have faked composure, they all watched with bated breath as their master remained locked up in his study. All they could do was go about their daily duties.

“Oh? It’s gotten awfully cloudy, hasn’t it...”

Hearing this, Erin looked up to the sky. The blue sky she had seen earlier was gone, with a layer of dull clouds in its place, covering the sun. An overcast sky.

“Looks like it’s about to rain.”

Erin felt a droplet of rain hit her face, and something flashed in the sky as rain hit the ground. A sudden thunderstorm, accompanied by powerful winds. The open arbor was exposed to the wind and the rain, meaning their cleaning would become moot.

But the sky was clear earlier... No amount of complaining would change the weather.

“Erin, shall we return to the estate?” asked the senior maid.

Erin nodded in response and quickly put her things away, praying her lord would be safe and sound.

♱

Thick raindrops pelted the room’s window, and strong winds rattled the windowpane as lightning streaked across the sky.

A complete storm... There was no sign of one coming, though. The woman looking out the window sighed. A few hours ago, the sky was the very image of a sunny day, but it had darkened quickly. It’s like an ill omen.

The unexpected guest had said something that could tear the Kingdom of Rhoadseria apart. Seeing a sudden storm on a day like this truly felt like the work of some power that exceeded the realm of man.

Flickering candlelight cast shadows and danced across the ceiling. Two people were in the room, and one was a muscular middle-aged man clad in a noble’s suit. Plate armor would have been a better fit on him because he was one of Rhoadseria’s greatest warriors and the master of this estate. His biceps were large and bulging, as were his thighs.

His physique didn’t mean that he was overweight, but that he had the toned body of a trained warrior. But while he was indeed bulked up and stern, his body also had feline-like flexibility. His clothes hid his scars and a black eye patch covered his right eye, evidence of his history on the battlefield and affirmation that his reputation was well deserved.

This man was Diggle McMaster, one of Rhoadseria’s greatest warriors and the head of the McMaster viscounty. Although he was a noble who assumed the headship passed down to him from his ancestors, he was fiercely loyal to the crown. He also criticized the nobles’ faction for their tendency to expand their power, seeing it as an insult to the royal family. Most of the time, he was a fair, open-minded man full of dignity and confidence, boasting the strength and merit to match them.

As one would expect, his subordinates and subjects trusted him. Now he sat in his study, lost in thought with his elbows placed on his desk and hand folded under his chin. One could see his anxiety, annoyance, and doubt.

Watching over him was his daughter dressed in men’s clothing—Rosetta McMaster.

It only makes sense he’d feel this way, she thought.

A sigh escaped Rosetta’s peach-colored lips. The scene was similar to a few days ago, except back then, she regarded her conflicted father with impatience.

There was a way to protect everything we have, after all.

He was torn between his loyalty to the royal house and his responsibility to his subjects. As a noble and governor, Viscount McMaster had many responsibilities, and those duties barred him from picking the easiest, safest choice.

It was because she knew this that Rosetta felt impatient. But she no longer felt annoyed with her father’s lack of decisiveness. Based on what her father told her after he met with Viscount Gelhart, it was natural he’d be troubled.

Still, I can’t believe Viscount Gelhart would devise such a plan. Rosetta felt a chill run down her spine when her father told her of their talk.

An uprising.

That single word shook Rosetta’s heart.

That was a possibility I considered, but...

The northern subjugation’s defeat and Queen Lupis’s diminishing rule made it obvious nobles would give up on her to preserve their families’ honor. Viscount Gelhart had a noticeable fixation with power and authority, and monopolized national politics. While losing the civil war had cost him his vast domain and lessened his political power, his essence as a noble and a politician had not changed.

Viscount Gelhart might have lost the civil war, but it was only because that man steered the flow of battle that way. Queen Lupis didn’t make him yield on her own.

The same man who directed the tides of war had left Queen Lupis’s side and marched his armies on the capital. This occurrence meant that Viscount Gelhart had no reason to fear the queen anymore, and thus went to Viscount McMaster with an offer.

I’d think father had gone mad if he weren’t struggling over his answer. Forcing Queen Lupis to abdicate the throne and setting up Princess Radine as the new queen is quite the shocking offer.

Of course, Viscount Gelhart never used the word “uprising” during his talk. All he did was recommend that Queen Lupis abdicate, but he did that strictly to remain respectable.

The queen won’t step down peacefully.

The Mikoshiba barony army was marching toward the capital, and only three strategies could stop it. And the first was to meet them in combat outside the capital. In other words, a do-or-die gamble. Winning would make negotiations much smoother.

And if they could claim the baron’s head, all their failures until now would be undone.

If that were to happen, much of the distrust directed at Queen Lupis would dissipate. It was very much the ideal solution for the present administration.

But it’s not a realistic one.

Given they were still licking their wounds from their previous defeat, meeting the Mikoshiba barony’s army in direct combat was a dangerous choice. In terms of morale plus the soldiers’ skills and equipment, the scales of victory favored the Mikoshiba barony.

This means the only available strategy would be to force a siege battle and stall for time.

Queen Lupis could adopt the same siege tactics Ryoma used during the northern subjugation. Since fighting the Mikoshiba barony head-on would be difficult in these conditions, the established theory stated that forcing a siege would be the next optimal idea.

Even if she did that...

Pireas had firm walls, and the nobles’ army boasted two hundred thousand soldiers. Queen Lupis could conscript the capital’s citizens, further bolstering the garrison. This made holing up in the city and braving a siege appear to be a good tactic.

But you need to expect reinforcements if you’re going to win a siege. And what’s more...

Maintaining morale during a siege was exceptionally difficult. Even when an army used walls to deflect attacks, sieges limited the defending side’s offensive options. So long as a unit didn’t march out of the gates to engage the enemy, their only means of attack would be to employ bows, throw stones, or use martial thaumaturgy for long-range offensive spells.

A siege battle meant the defending side could only counterattack and never hold the initiative. Only when the enemy attacked could they strike back and whittle down the enemy’s numbers.

It’s possible to go for an endurance battle and wait for the enemy’s food supplies to run out, but that requires preparation. 

After preparing for a large-scale expedition like the northern subjugation, they couldn’t possibly stock up on supplies. Mikhail Vanash had attempted to scrounge up extra soldiers and supplies, but there was still a limit to what he could do. Rosetta estimated that the city’s food would last a month to a month and a half at best. Even then, it would be possible only by rationing how much every soldier and civilian got.

They would have to either find a way to bring in food from outside the capital or wait for the Mikoshiba barony to retreat, or else the city would become a hell of starvation.

More than anything, that man will show no mercy if the queen tries to hold a siege. He’d use any means necessary to take the capital down, and that would damage the city.

Rosetta’s view of Ryoma Mikoshiba was that he was a man who was quite lenient toward his allies but ruthless against his enemies. If the need called for it, he wouldn’t think twice about slaughtering the millions living in the capital.

Even if he didn’t go that far, the damage caused by the siege battle would strike a major financial blow. People would desert the surrounding towns and villages, and key industries like agriculture would decline. More refugees would flood the capital, further undermining public order.

And what would that cause?

Even if by some miracle Queen Lupis were to beat Ryoma Mikoshiba, her political power would decay. Once that happened, would the nobles still swear allegiance to her when she was weak?

Rosetta doubted this switch in loyalty after witnessing and hearing plenty of horrible stories about the nobles of Rhoadseria. Queen Lupis had struggled to unify the kingdom, which reinforced the lack of loyalty. The nobles would turn to self-preservation, and a power grab would occur. A civil war might break out until only one noble remained to rule.

Either way, this country is done for...

Perhaps the country might get destroyed, or maybe its name would change. Either way, the Kingdom of Rhoadseria had no bright future in store. Anyone with an eye for the situation would notice this. All this was to say that opting to hole up and win a siege battle would be a bad play.

That means the only remaining option is to broker peace through surrender. And yet, Her Majesty would never make that choice.

Were Queen Lupis capable of making that choice, she wouldn’t have suffered defeat, and the northern subjugation wouldn’t have been necessary.

There’s no brokering peace at this stage. Even if Queen Lupis had wanted that, no one would accept the idea.

Had the houses that participated in the northern subjugation lost only troops, there might have been a chance to reach a compromise; however, many houses had lost their family heads or heirs. The nobles would likely cry out in objection to peace overtures, asking why the northern subjugation had to occur if Lupis was just going to make peace. Some might even go as far as make an attempt on Queen Lupis’s life.

And Queen Lupis and her lieutenants know it.

Besides, Ryoma Mikoshiba held the advantage in this situation, and it was questionable if he would even be interested in negotiating with Queen Lupis after she had caused him so much trouble. In other words, it might be too late to deal with the Mikoshiba barony.

Without favorable terms or a bargaining chip, I doubt he would spare Queen Lupis’s life. And something like that probably doesn’t exist.

Rosetta couldn’t imagine anything short of a miracle that could produce such a situation. Although if anyone could find a reason to let Queen Lupis live, it would surely be Ryoma.

Either way, this won’t end well for her. No matter which choice she made, Queen Lupis and her cohorts’ fate was grim. In chess terms, they were essentially in check. That’s only when seeing the situation from Queen Lupis’s position.

The problem was that the Kingdom of Rhoadseria and its queen were intrinsically linked. In this world, a country’s sovereign was synonymous with the nation itself, a sacred symbol. The tyranny of the nobles impacted her power and influence, but the Kingdom of Rhoadseria belonged to its queen, Lupis Rhoadserians.

The situation changed when one viewed a ruler as a mere administrator of the country. If the king or queen were no longer synonymous with the country, then a change of ruler could happen if needed.

It only makes sense people would come to that conclusion in this situation. The only question is whether it happens sooner or later.

Rosetta wasn’t arrogant enough to think of herself as a genius and assumed anyone would reach the same conclusion she had. The only difference was when they would do so and whether they would have the resolve to act on that realization.

That would mean straying off the path of a loyal retainer, of course, and whether one dares to make that choice depends on the person.

Revolting against the queen. Such an act of high treason was a transgression for which the queen could execute the criminal and his entire clan. And yet, this revolt was the countermeasure Rosetta had kept a secret.

In that regard, Viscount Gelhart’s proposition might be a windfall for us. If I had suggested treason to father, he would have become furious.

Viscount McMaster would normally have refused Viscount Gelhart’s offer with no second thought, then called for an audience with Queen Lupis and marched an army on Viscount Gelhart’s estate. This was a chance to renounce and dispose of a man he was wary of and had opposed for years.

He’d have done the same to Rosetta if she had gone to him with the same idea. Knowing his daughter had entertained the idea of treason would have pushed Diggle McMaster to cast her away, even if it caused heartache or tears.

But now things have changed. Things have become that much worse compared to the last civil war.

Even if he were to report on Viscount Gelhart’s intentions to create an uprising, the situation wouldn’t change for the better.

Because the northern subjugation has failed, the army’s morale is at its lowest point. And Queen Lupis has shut herself off in her room. Father could arrange a meeting with Meltina Lecter or Mikhail Vanash, but even that would take too long. I doubt we can rely on Queen Lupis to make the right call. Even if they slew Viscount Gelhart, I’m not sure the Rhoadserian soldiers would accept it.

The painful blow of defeat had yet to heal. If Viscount Gelhart were executed, that could negatively influence the army.

From the soldiers’ perspective, Viscount Gelhart was loyal despite his bad reputation and past offenses. He had sent his troops to the northern subjugation at Queen Lupis’s orders. Telling the soldiers the viscount was a traitor needing to be killed would baffle them.

On top of that, many of the nobles had seen their strength diminished by the northern subjugation’s failure.

If Viscount Gelhart were to start an uprising, it would likely be impossible to nip it in the bud. 

At worst, the capital would become a bloodstained battlefield at the hands of its own defenders before Ryoma’s armies attacked.

In terms of where we stand, nothing’s changed. No, considering Viscount Gelhart has resolved to rebel, things might have taken a turn for the worse. But...

Compared to a few days ago, the situation had gotten even more dire. The head of the nobles’ faction revolt would deal a crippling blow to Queen Lupis as the Mikoshiba barony army marched toward the capital. This was a terrible development for the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

But there was a silver lining.

It depends on how the talks go, but father could gain something from this.

Having plenty of options wasn’t always good, especially when grappling with choices that forced one to go against their personal beliefs or risked drawbacks because those options made them waver. The more one sought to protect, the more one had to lose, which led to becoming paralyzed from the pressure to make a choice.

In this regard, narrowing one’s options made choosing which path to tread easier.

Father has his back against the wall right now, so he’ll have an easier time making harsh, painful choices.

All that remained was to make him recognize the reality of their situation and have him pick the ideal path. The silver lining here is that Viscount Gelhart’s made it easier for me to persuade father.

Viscount Gelhart had his troops stationed within the capital as part of the garrison and was preparing to rebel. Since there was no way of stopping him, their options boiled down to two choices.

We either follow Queen Lupis on the road to ruin or pick the path ensuring House McMaster’s survival. 

With that thought in mind, Rosetta said, “Father, may I have a word?”

Viscount McMaster raised his hung head, his sole eye looking at her with doubt, misgivings, and dread. His expression didn’t fit one of Rhoadseria’s most celebrated warriors. Rosetta couldn’t help but feel some pity as she was about to tell her disheartened father something that would wound his warrior’s pride—a plan wrought with indignity.

But it’s necessary if we’re going to survive.

And so Rosetta, hardening her heart while carefully picking her words, asked Viscount McMaster a question. She knew him breaking into an emotional outburst would be the most troublesome outcome.

“Father... I understand your feelings on the matter as a noble of this country. Do you think agonizing over this will affect the outcome?”

Sadly, no amount of careful wording would change his reaction. Viscount McMaster’s eye flared with rage and glared at Rosetta with murderous intent. He had no trace of the indecisive, concerned attitude from earlier. The fighting spirit of a warrior hit Rosetta with an intensity that rivaled physical force, but she did not flinch.

“Given our family values and loyalty until now, it’s only natural to feel hard-pressed to support Viscount Gelhart’s idea. I understand that the honor of our legacy weighs on you,” said Rosetta, bowing her head.

Viscount McMaster asked her morosely, “And knowing all that, you still tell me to do this?”

“Yes, I’m sure that clinging to your loyalty to the royal family will do little to change anything. All you would do is ensure we become another noble house that falls to ruin alongside the Rhoadserians royal family.”

It was a cold, callous conclusion. While Viscount McMaster trembled in anger and sorrow, he did not raise his voice at Rosetta.

“Surely there’s still something we can do to protect Queen Lupis and this country... What if Xarooda or Myest were to dispatch soldiers?”

Rosetta, however, shook her head in denial of the idea.

“And have our country become their vassal?”

He was at a loss for words before he tried to argue. “They won’t demand that. Myest and Xarooda have blood ties with our kingdom and have been our allies in the union with Helnesgoula. If we could appeal to their sense of justice—”

By the time Viscount McMaster trailed off, he tiredly covered his face with a hand as he saw this couldn’t happen. Seeing this, Rosetta sighed softly.

We have good relations with Myest and Xarooda, so asking them for reinforcements isn’t a bad idea. But these are all recent developments... Just a few years ago, we were locked in border skirmishes with those countries, and they won’t selflessly offer us aid.

At best, Myest and Xarooda could send supplies, depending on the negotiations. For an offer of future payment or ceding a border territory, they would lean toward taking that deal but not dispatch soldiers.

They’d need to arrange the situation with their countries’ nobles, even if they sent us reinforcements.

Preparing an expedition to help Rhoadseria would take months. It would be meaningless for them to arrive months later with the Mikoshiba barony knocking at the gates.

Besides, that man is why Rhoadseria’s relations with Myest and Xarooda improved. They’re only allied with us because Ryoma Mikoshiba became affiliated with Rhoadseria. 

Rosetta wouldn’t have proposed this if she saw any other viable option. “You have my deepest apologies for my failure to fulfill my duties as your daughter, father.”

During the O’ltormean Empire’s invasion of Xarooda, Ryoma Mikoshiba led the expedition with Helena Steiner. He had burned down the O’ltormean supply depot at Fort Notis to cut off their supply chain.

More than anything, he had convinced the shrewd Vixen of the North, Grindiana Helnecharles, to set up the commerce treaty that served as the basis of the four-kingdom union. Rhoadseria’s recent international successes were the result of dancing to his tune.

When choosing between Queen Lupis and Baron Mikoshiba, it’s clear who Myest and Xarooda would rather side with. Had Rosetta ruled Xarooda or Myest, she would have opted to help Ryoma and focused on associating with him. He might be merciless to his foes, but he’s kind to his allies. 

Rosetta didn’t truly know Ryoma Mikoshiba since she only met him once during the evening party a few months ago. But the few words they exchanged were enough to inspire trust in the man.

He didn’t even try to take advantage of knowing our secret.

Maybe he didn’t do so to instill a sense of trust in Rosetta. Ryoma’s refusal to exploit another person’s weakness came across as unusual after he had lived many years in the greedy, opportunistic society of Rhoadseria. This behavior intrigued Rosetta, so she used her connections to gather information on him. That was how she learned what a fearsome man he was.

I’m sure of one thing. We must not oppose that man.

Rosetta hadn’t reached that conclusion from some unique understanding of the situation. Her father, Diggle McMaster, had received the same information. Putting aside whether they thought about it for emotional reasons, they came to the same conclusion.

As such, Rosetta gently asked, “Father, I’m sure you understand those countries won’t save Queen Lupis if it means turning against that man.”

The inner conflict was a simple matter of who was helpful. Queen Lupis’s regime had always been unstable and incapable of handling internal affairs. In the meantime, Ryoma had forged a union that served the interests of all the countries involved and stopped the O’ltormean Empire before. He was of more national interest than she was.

Even if the O’ltormean Empire wasn’t a foreign threat, they might have opposed him for being a hero that rose from commoner background, thought Rosetta.

Likewise, Myest and Xarooda could have also considered invading Rhoadseria and disposing of Ryoma. But the O’ltormean threat at large required the three kingdoms to be intact to guarantee their safety. Having a ruler who couldn’t maintain control over her country in such a precarious situation was a tangible risk for them.

Finding a way to eliminate such risk without interfering was in their favor. Neither kingdom could help Queen Lupis, and listening to Rosetta’s explanation made Viscount McMaster frown in sorrow and speak up.

“You are saying I should accept Viscount Gelhart’s offer? Maintain our family name, even if it means tarnishing it with the shame of treason?”

Rosetta shook her head in denial and said, “We can’t follow Queen Lupis—that would be suicide. And we can’t let Viscount Gelhart take control of this kingdom. If we let him have his way, the nobles’ faction’s power will grow, and he will subject innocent commoners to misery and oppression.”

When Viscount McMaster heard this, he contorted his face in displeasure, then responded hesitantly, “Then what are you suggesting? You probably want me to submit to that man, and I’ve considered that. But if Viscount Gelhart is trying to instigate a revolt, he must already have made a pact with that man. Right?”

Rosetta nodded. “You’re probably right in assuming that.”

Should Viscount Gelhart oust Queen Lupis, that would be meaningless if the war with the Mikoshiba barony didn’t end. Making a pact with Baron Mikoshiba must have included a stipulation about his role in Rhoadseria’s future regime.

“He likely plans to install Radine Rhoadserians as the new queen, with him holding all the real power as her prime minister.”

“That sounds like something that slimy bastard would think of...” whispered Viscount McMaster in disgust.

There was no other way of putting it. Viscount Gelhart was plotting to take over Rhoadseria, which promised an even darker future for the kingdom than the regime of Queen Lupis.

“But that man would likely accept that offer...”

“You think Baron Mikoshiba has no desire to rule over this country?” asked Viscount McMaster.

Rosetta nodded again. Queen Lupis’s dispute with Ryoma stemmed from her viewing him as dangerous and plotting to eliminate him. Ryoma was defending himself.

While it surprised most people to hear this, Ryoma held a fundamental stance of nonaggressive defense. Viscount Gelhart knew this from his conflict with Ryoma during the civil war.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be planning a revolt at this point.

When Ryoma was a wandering mercenary, he didn’t purposefully oppose Viscount Gelhart. It was simply the circumstances that pitted him against the duke. His opposing Gelhart was not something to overlook.

Reasonably speaking, Viscount Gelhart dethroning Queen Lupis wouldn’t stop the Mikoshiba barony’s advance. That didn’t mean the viscount would join the side of an upstart like Ryoma.

In other words, he only acted because he had some guarantee he could retain independence from him. And this would mean that Ryoma had no interest in ruling over Rhoadseria.

“From the baron’s perspective, it doesn’t matter who takes over Rhoadseria as long as they don’t act against him. Whether Viscount Gelhart devours this kingdom from the inside out is of no interest to him,” explained Rosetta.

Viscount McMaster seemed baffled by this response and asked, “But why? Why wouldn’t Baron Mikoshiba seek to rule over this country in this situation?”

It was a natural question to ask since those in power sought further influence and more territory, like a merchant expanding their business. Even a warrior like Viscount McMaster felt the same way. He swore allegiance to Rhoadseria to have his right over his domain acknowledged by the crown so as to earn more land. This was especially true when the kingdom was in such a precarious state.

Assuming no natural disaster would upset the course of the war, the Mikoshiba barony seemed poised to win. Viscount McMaster thought abandoning his duties in this state of emergency was reckless negligence.

But that’s just based on his logic as a noble. As far as Rosetta could see, Ryoma’s desire to rule a nation like Rhoadseria was minimal. That’s clear from how he’s been fighting this war so far.

The best evidence to support that assumption was how he razed the citadel city of Epirus. Said attack struck a blow against the northern subjugation, even if it was a poor plan, considering the region’s future. He had rendered the citizens who escaped the city homeless, and this would leave a major hole in the area’s tax revenue for years to come.

“There’s no way he wasn’t aware of the consequences. So I think it’s safe to assume he has no intention of taking over Rhoadseria,” continued to Rosetta.

“Then what is he trying to achieve?” replied Viscount McMaster.

“He must plan to maximize his income by setting the Wortenia Peninsula as a trade center.”

“Like what the Kingdom of Myest is trying to do?”

“No, it’ll probably be a country with even more focus on commerce.”

Viscount McMaster crossed his arms and growled. As a noble fixated on warrior ideals, this idea was hard to fathom and novel by this world’s standards.

In the western continent, a country’s primary industry was mainly agriculture, with forestry as a secondary industry. Myest had territorial waters and focused on fishing and trade. Only a few countries engaged in commerce this actively, and they still sought to expand their territory. In a sense, choosing not to expand his domain appeared efficient.

“Considering the months and years of effort it takes to gain the loyalty of a rival country, it’s not a bad idea. And if my hypothesis is correct, we might still negotiate with him.”

Viscount McMaster regarded Rosetta with confusion because he didn’t understand how they’d do that. But what she said next made his eyes widen in shock.

♱

“Princess Radine taking the throne while expelling Viscount Gelhart... I thought she was still a girl, but Rosetta has become reliable. I suppose I didn’t see her capabilities.”

When Rosetta left the office after finishing their talk, Viscount McMaster murmured this to himself. On his desk, he had a treasured bottle of wine made when Rosetta and her brother Grad were born. He had intended to open it when he would pass his viscount title to Grad.

He focused on the reddish liquid he poured from the decanter, smiling.

Now that I’ve lost Grad and have no heir, I never thought I would get a chance to open this bottle, thought Viscount McMaster. But to think this day would come. Fate takes us down a winding, unpredictable path. But he was glad to be mistaken. I shouldn’t have underestimated her on account of her being a woman.

Viscount McMaster did not especially look down on women, but male supremacy was a tradition in Rhoadserian aristocracy. Due to this, he couldn’t help but feel that women were inferior on some level to men.

No. It’s that man—he changed her.

With her twin brother’s death, Rosetta had to discard her life as a woman to protect the McMaster viscounty, making up his title and territory, from other nobles seeking to take over it. She assumed the role of her brother, carrying herself as a man in both heart and body. Ever since she met Ryoma Mikoshiba and spoke with him, something in her heart changed slightly.

That change broadened her outlook as a politician and unconsciously roused the feminine part of her personality that Rosetta had kept buried for so long. Their conversation tonight made Diggle McMaster feel that change vividly, yet he didn’t find this unpleasant. If anything, he was relieved.

He poured more wine from the decanter into his glass, relished its fragrance, and sipped from it. Along with the thick, acidic bitterness of aged wine, the rich, sweet flavors of grape and strawberry filled his mouth. It was a flavor that carried the weight of years of fermentation, and in that regard, no drink could be more suitable for this historic day.

“Now... I have another job to do,” he whispered.

Then, Viscount McMaster spread a piece of parchment over the desk and began writing on it with a quill. He did so believing he was making the right choice for Rhoadseria’s future.