Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Spanner in the Works 

The rhythmic blows of an axe against a tree reverberated. This was a deep forest near the capital, Pireas. A lumberjack living in a nearby farm village was working there. 

“Oh... They’re coming again?” Hearing the sound of an approaching carriage’s wheels, the lumberjack paused, his hands still gripping the worn-out handle of his axe. 

Wiping the beads of sweat from his face with a handkerchief dangling from his waist, he turned his face to the forest trail. It was cut wide enough to allow for a carriage to pass through. The road was paved, but it didn’t really lead to a city. The only thing at the end of this trail was the estate of an old, retired royal guard knight. 

“Hmph. That doesn’t look like a typical wagon. Must be a guest at the estate.” 

It wasn’t unheard of for a retail merchant to take a wrong turn with his wagon and find his way here, but since it was a horse-drawn carriage— albeit not a very luxurious one— that theory was unlikely. 

It was just a side road that never saw much traffic to begin with. The only ones using it were the lumberjacks in the village and the old man’s guests. 

That said, the estate didn’t see many guests even when its owner was an active knight, and since he’d retired from service, that number had been reduced to one visit once a year. The old man couldn’t quite be called eccentric, but the lumberjack smiled wryly as the man’s not all too sociable face resurfaced in his memories. 

“Odd things do happen, I suppose... I do hope his condition didn’t take a turn for the worse.” 

Up until a few years ago, he would make occasional excursions to the village where he would assist with slaying monsters, but recently, he’d stopped leaving his estate altogether. In exchange, apprentice knights training there would come to help instead, so it wasn’t like the village was in need of aid, but they’d still known him for many years. If nothing else, they felt enough of a debt of gratitude to mourn if they were to hear he passed away. 

“Maybe we should make a courtesy visit soon...” 

Rumor in the village was that he had been infected with a fatal disease and was constantly bedridden. Leaving that concerned whisper, the lumberjack stared in the direction the carriage had gone in.

“I am honored to make your acquaintance,” Chris said and bowed before Helena respectfully, displaying a knight’s honor. “I am Chris, Frank Morgan’s grandson.” 

There wasn’t a single flaw to his appearance, which stood as proof of his rigorous training as a knight. Looking at Chris as he bowed down, Helena regarded him with a gentle smile. 

“This is the letter my grandfather left in my possession.” 

The sender of this letter was one of Helena’s trusted subordinates from her days as an active general, much like this estate’s master, Baroque Warren, had been. His grandson came all this way to deliver that letter, and from Helena’s perspective, those men were akin to family. 

“You needn’t stand on so much ceremony, dear. Everyone gathered here are as family. You may speak more softly. Be at ease.” 

Her eyes had the gentle gaze of one kindly watching over a grandchild. 

“Yes, ma’am,” Chris said, his voice like the gentle chime of a bell. 

Chris raised his lowered head. 

““Aaaah...”” 

Sighs of adoration leaked from around Helena. The young man’s beauty was such that both men and women couldn’t help but hold their breath in amazement. Golden curls, blue eyes that shined like ice and white, almost transparent soft skin. 

Chris’s beauty was such that if he were a woman, others would view him as a godsend who would rouse the lust of anyone who would lay eyes on him. And Helena, as aged as she was, was no exception. 

“I’ve heard the rumors, but your beauty is almost frightening... It almost feels like a waste that you’ve been born as a man.” 

Chris regarded Helena’s remark, which was equal measure steeped with teasing and envy, with a bitter smile. 

“And yet, I don’t remember many times this handsome face has brought about good experiences... But if you find it favorable, Lady Helena, I’m honored.” 

The bitterness behind those words wasn’t lost on Helena. At a glance, Chris Morgan might be mistaken for a woman, but he was definitely a man and a Rhoadserian knight. It didn’t matter how much people praised his appearance, because to Chris, it was nothing more than a nuisance. 

Though if Chris were a minstrel or actor, or perhaps even a male prostitute, his appearance would certainly have been his greatest weapon. 

Chris’s mother was lauded as one of the most beautiful women in the world, even among their neighboring countries, and Chris drew heavily from her blood. That was by no means a negative thing. 

But for a man living on the battlefield, that beauty could only be a nuisance. That beauty only made him all the more shunned. Exquisite things can buy the ire of others just as much as their admiration. 

And the fact he was Frank Morgan’s grandson didn’t work in Chris’s favor, either. There was no doubt that leading people in the knights’ faction, namely General Albrecht, had their eye on him, and coupled with that beauty, he’d become far too conspicuous. It likely wasn’t a pleasant feeling for him in the slightest. 

“Right... You’re right, that was no way to speak to a knight... That was uncouth of me. I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” 

Helena apologized earnestly. Retired or not, these weren’t words a country’s general would level to a whelp who was only twenty years old. Helena’s apology made Chris gulp, after which he parted his lips slowly. 

“You’re just as Grandfather described...” 

“Oh, and how did Frank speak of me?” 

“He said you were a person worthy of me devoting my life to serving.” 

Those words were deep, rife with significance and loaded with danger. He implied he would serve Helena over his rightful master, the king. Those words could be taken as such, and if a person with malicious intent were to hear them, Chris could easily be defamed for treason. 

But Helena accepted Chris’s words with composure. 

“Heheh... So Frank said that, did he.” 

Those were the words of an aide from her active days. The fact he sent his own grandson was all the proof she needed to see those words were honest. 

“Yes. When he received your letter the other day, he very much lamented the fact his body wasn’t well enough to come to your side.” 

“There’s not much to be done about that. Frank being here would have been extremely encouraging, but... Not when he’s so ill.” 

Helena closed her eyes sadly, recalling the image of Frank as he was in the olden days, when he was barely into his thirties. 

The disease that had infected Frank Morgan was called the Carrion Disease; the same disease tormenting the master of this estate. It begins in the fingertips and spreads from there, gradually eating its way into the center of the body and decaying the flesh in its wake. It was a rare illness, and not a contagious one, but was feared for how expensive its treatments were. 

A method of treatment had been established, but it required a nostrum imported from the central continent, and it was both extremely pricey and imported in small amounts. Unless one had connections with a prominent merchant, getting one’s hands on it was difficult. 

Worse yet, the nostrum was only at its most effective during the early stages of the disease, so if anyone hoping to get it were to take their time, it may well become too late to treat it. 

“I’m sorry... This is all my fault. I’ve caused you a great deal of grief.” Helena suddenly apologized. 

Chris shook his head, however. Chris was mature enough to understand what she was apologizing for, even without any context. 

“No, this is all as Grandfather wished... He said quite adamantly that if he were to die, he’d curse General Albrecht to death in the afterlife. And you owe me no apology. A knight’s true value lies in war, after all.” 

Chris spoke in a tone that imitated his grandfather’s. Just how much resolve was hidden behind his words? 

They had failed to obtain the nostrum, but that wasn’t to say the Morgan household lacked the wealth needed to buy it. Just like Helena, Frank Morgan had worked his way up from being a commoner, rising to the position of a high-ranking knight. He was always a taciturn man who didn’t favor an extravagant lifestyle and was limited in how he could spend his wages. 

Even if he was in financial trouble, he could ask his acquaintances for help. With Helena herself being a prime example, many of his past friends would gladly chip in and lend Frank money if he asked for it, and the same could be said of Baroque. Helena said they were all like family, and those words rang true. Bonds formed by fighting back to back on the battlefield were strong. 

The same held true for his connections. Even retired, he could rely on the connections he made during his service. He hadn’t risen to the upper echelons of a country’s military for no reason, after all. 

In which case, why were Frank Morgan and Baroque, the master of this estate, tormented by the Carrion Disease like this? 

The answer was simple. Because the head of the knights’ faction, General Albrecht, and his aides loathed anyone who was close with Helena. General Albrecht placed great importance on one’s social status and family and found nothing more loathsome than commoners who worked their way up, like Helena and her peers. 

He’d harassed them when they were active knights and persisted in doing so even after their retirement. Of course, Helena and the others did nothing to directly resist, but with the tip of the blade turned against families and friends, their hands were tied now that they were retired from active service. 

The cause of all these troubles was General Albrecht’s hatred. And to cut off the source of that hatred, Frank and Baroque essentially forfeited their own lives, all to present themselves as submissive and powerless... 

“Grandfather has told me that with the passing of His Majesty, King Pharst the Second, the weight holding the knights’ and nobles’ factions will be lost, and their antagonism will intensify, splitting the kingdom in two... But it is for that reason exactly that our gathering under Princess Lupis will have meaning.” 

Hearing Chris’s words, Helena’s lips curled upwards. It was a smile that was like dark flames, the sort of grin she wouldn’t normally show. A just cause. One couldn’t unite the knights without it. And right now, that brocade banner flapped over Helena. 

“Yes... The only question remaining is how fast we can turn the others over from General Albrecht’s side. It’s a race against the moment he realizes what’s happening and begins acting accordingly.” 

Helena loathed General Albrecht but didn’t doubt his skills as a politician. 

Even as he was hated by everyone around him, he’d maintained his power struggle with the leader of the nobles’ faction for years and stood at the top of one of the two factions the Kingdom of Rhoadseria was divided into. 

“I hear the younger knights are quite dissatisfied with him. After all, even within the knights’ faction, only those of pedigree receive his favor. Honestly speaking, many of the knights only obey him because of how long he’s been in power. But once they hear you’ve returned to service under Princess Lupis, things will definitely swing in our favor. No, I will make sure they do!” 

Chris concluded his words with a cold smile. Apparently, things already seemed favorable enough, because he made his declaration with quite a bit of strength behind it. 

“Yes... Waiting for as long as we have was worth it.” Helena nodded at Chris after heaving a deep sigh. 

A reason to justify her personal vengeance. With the just cause of setting the Kingdom of Rhoadseria on its rightful track by supporting the first in line to the throne, Princess Lupis, the legitimacy of their cause was made more solid. The chance had finally come for Helena and her peers, who had been persecuted and tyrannized by General Albrecht so greatly. 

“Thank you, Chris. And all of you... I’ve kept you waiting a long time.” 

Those words could only mean one thing. As Helena lowered her head, all present rose to their feet and thrust their fists towards the heavens. 

“““All hail the Kingdom of Rhoadseria! Glory to the Ivory Goddess of War!””” 

In this very moment, the knights rose to carve open the path to Rhoadseria’s future. But neither Helena nor any of her cohorts knew this would result in something they could never predict and draw them that much closer to open hostilities.

It was a certain brothel in the back alleys of the city of Epirus. Standing in front of the entrance were women with lascivious outfits that exposed their chests, which reached out to tug at the sleeves of passing-by men. It was a seductive world, filled with the indescribable fragrance born from the mixing of perfume and alcohol. 

In one of this establishment’s luxurious rooms was Akitake Sudou, an undercover operative of the Empire of O’ltormea. This was a base of operations for O’ltormea’s eastern expansion, and a source of funds for the Organization. 

“Hmm...” Sudou squinted, looking at a document handed to him by a subordinate. “This is something of an unexpected development.” 

“So there’s a chance it might disrupt the Organization’s plans... What should we do, Mr. Sudou?” 

“Let’s see, then...” Sudou nodded lightly at his subordinate’s question, placing the document on the table. 

Leaning back into the sofa, Sudou stared into the air. 

This is a problem. So Ryoma Mikoshiba would stick his neck into here... I didn’t think he’d be such a source of misfortune for the Organization. 

To start with, he slew O’ltormea’s court thaumaturgist, Gaius. His murder triggered a sequence of disturbances. Sudou handwaved away in front of Saitou, but in truth, Gaius’s death came as quite a shock for the Organization. 

The Organization went on to balance the accounts one way or the other, but it required making large scale amendments to their long running plans, and its members needed to work at a significantly faster pace to confirm everything and keep up with these changes to policy. Due to certain circumstances in play, the Organization had no plans of assassinating Ryoma Mikoshiba, but for a time, it had certainly intended to. 

And then came this issue. Even Sudou had trouble coming up with a quick countermeasure. 

Maybe this is fate at play here... Who would have imagined Pherzaad’s guildmaster would have taken part in such a pointless scheme? And he used one of those twins as bait... 

The guild was the Organization’s public front. It was spread across the western continent and transcended national borders, forming a massive group. This was why the guild was required to be neutral and fair. If one were to draw a comparison to Sudou’s own Earth, it was like the United Nations. 

But at the same time, Sudou was well aware that this was only pretense. Fairness, equality, neutrality. Those were easy concepts to put into words, but they were certainly not ones people committed to. 

As a matter of fact, most guildmasters had dealings beneath the surface. That was an open secret of sorts, and this was only natural given that those guildmasters had power equivalent to that of a noble. Corruption and bribery were ordinary occurrences. 

And still, the timing here was simply too bad for us. To think he would end up coming to Rhoadseria... 

For the Organization, the Empire of O’ltormea was a precious host to leech upon. The Organization’s authority over the country allowed them to shape the direction of the war and profit from it safely. 

O’ltormea is moving to invade Xarooda... And to do that, the political situation in Rhoadseria must remain unstable. 

The western continent’s east was comprised of Myest, Rhoadseria, and Xarooda respectively. Myest held the strongest trade prowess in the country, but even it alone couldn’t match up to O’ltormea’s national power. The same held true for Rhoadseria, with the bounties of the abundant river Thebes at its side, and Xarooda, with its surrounding mountains serving as a mighty, natural fortress. An alliance of two countries wouldn’t do, either. 

But the three countries uniting would change things. 

Put another way, O’ltormea’s invasion of the east hinges on the three countries standing divided. 

It was because Sudou knew this that he came to Rhoadseria. From a geographical standpoint, Rhoadseria was sandwiched between Myest and Xarooda. If Myest were to send reinforcements to Xarooda, they would have to march through Rhoadserian soil. 

If they weren’t allowed to do that, they would have to go around through the south, but many of the southern countries had long standing border conflicts with both Myest and Rhoadseria, putting them in poor standing with those countries. They would never allow Myest and Rhoadseria to cross their territories. 

And dispatching troops through the sea was effectively impossible. Certain circumstances had rendered the seas northeast of the western continent impassable by ship. 

With the state of the western continent being as such, Sudou’s objective in coming to Rhoadseria from O’ltormea was clear. 

And to top it all off, Helena Steiner... I’ve heard the rumors, but I never imagined Mr. Mikoshiba would bring her back after years of retirement. 

Sudou spoke to himself in something of a grumble. He was one to spin plots himself, and so knew of Rhoadseria’s influential figures and their relationships. He’d naturally looked into Rhoadseria’s Ivory Goddess of War, too. He had an inkling as to her antagonism with General Albrecht as well, but never imagined she’d return to active duty now. 

General Albrecht’s skills are one thing, but his popularity is as low as can be. He’s kept his opponents under his thumb through fear of his power, but the situation will change drastically soon. 

He was able to oppose to Duke Gelhart, and so General Albrecht’s haughty, overbearing attitude didn’t mean he was without his supporters. Many of the knights loathed the nobles for their impudence, and to them, obeying General Albrecht was a means of opposing them. 

But the way things were headed now, that would soon change in a significant way. 

A prideful, exclusive man who advocates pedigree against a national hero who rose from the masses. Judging by the displeasure and state of the country, it’s clear who people would gravitate towards. Which means General Albrecht has only two roads available to him. He either sticks to the struggle knowing he’s at a disadvantage, or he flees to another country and waits for a chance to resurface. His best chance would be to seek refuge in Tarja with a few loyal knights. But judging from his personality, he’d only choose to do so at the worst possible situation. 

General Albrecht’s wife was related to Tarja’s royalty. The very act of comparing Tarja’s territory to Rhoadseria’s felt awfully foolish, but the southern countries had held their own in a bitter war against the knights before and boasted strength to be reckoned with from a military standpoint. If his intent was to bide his time for a comeback, fleeing now wasn’t a bad choice. 

But he would have to clear several conditions to allow for that. He’d need to be hopelessly backed against the wall, and given General Albrecht’s personality, it was hard to imagine him abandoning everything just because things weren’t going his way. 

That man is not just greedy, he’s also prideful. If I don’t make some kind of play now, he’d likely persist and prioritize keeping his faction intact at all costs. And if he does, Helena Steiner will devour his faction, leaving him unable to act. 

Having realized this much, Sudou could see what path he’d have to take. The worst thing for O’ltormea right now would be if Rhoadseria were to resolve its civil war and consolidate its political affairs under a single, stable government. The Organization didn’t desire for this to happen, either. 

I don’t have much of a choice. I’ll have to deviate from my initial plan and extend a helping hand to General Albrecht. 

Sudou rose from the sofa, with the same smile a child who had just found a new toy to play with might have on his lips. 

All to drown this country in death and agony...

“Aww, man. To think this would happen... Shit, this throws a wrench into all my plans...” 

Shutting himself in the room he’d been given the other day in the castle, Ryoma scratched his head as he looked up into the air. Rays of dusk sunlight streaming in bathed his face in a red glow. The chair he’d leaned his weight on creaked under the pressure. 

“I didn’t think that bastard Albrecht would give up so easily... I guess he wasn’t as dumb as I thought. I underestimated him... No, the timing’s too good. It’s like someone’s seeing through my movements... In that case, it’s all the more...” 

His words were equal measure exasperation and praise. He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, however. The only other people in the room were Sara and Laura, clad in maid uniforms, but Ryoma wasn’t speaking to them. 

As was often the case, Ryoma was staring into thin air, submerged in his thoughts. His whispers were only his thoughts leaking out to the surface, effectively a soliloquy. Having spent months with him, the Malfist sisters understood this very well. 

“Laura...” Sara whispered into her sister’s ear. “Master Ryoma seems quite deep in thought, but... Has he forgotten it’s past time for the dinner party?” 

She spoke in the quietest voice possible, so as to not disturb her master. 

“He’s likely forgotten... But we mustn’t disturb him right now... He will settle his thoughts eventually and call for us... We can simply tell him we declined the invitation in his name then.” 

The sisters realized his absence from the dinner party was set in stone already. That went to show they realized what their master needed right now. 

“Right, I see... Then I’ll go let them know he won’t make it tonight.” 

“Yes, please do...” Laura nodded, turning her gaze to Ryoma, who was still staring into space. “I’ll stay by Master Ryoma’s side... Give Her Majesty his regards, please.” 

Her words were full of intense will. It was arguable if Ryoma Mikoshiba even needed someone to watch over him. True, he wasn’t capable of thaumaturgy yet, but his massive body and the skills he possessed allowed him to easily dispatch experienced mercenaries. 

But strong though he may have been, Ryoma was not an invincible hero legends may sing of. And so long as he was human, he would leave openings and make some oversights. 

The Malfist twins knew this, and so they never left Ryoma’s side. The two of them would protect Ryoma with their own flesh if need be, because their hearts were gripped with selfless affection and undying loyalty for the man. 

“Is there anything else?” 

“Hmm, well... You should stop by the kitchen and prepare some dinner. I’m sure he’ll be quite famished when he comes to.” 

“Yes, understood.” Sara nodded at her sister with a whisper and quietly slipped out of the room.

How long did it take? The red sun set over the horizon, and darkness reigned outside the window. Only the gentle starlight and the bonfires lit in the courtyard illuminated the room. 

“Ugh... I’m starved...” 

Ryoma’s mouth suddenly opened as he stared out into space. 

“Wait, what time is it?” 

“The bell just rang for ten at night.” Laura responded to his whisper. 

He must have been very concentrated to have missed the sound of that massive bell. 

“Oh. It’s already this late, huh...” 

At that moment, Ryoma recalled in the back of his mind that Princess Lupis had invited him to a dinner party the other day. 

“Aww, crap! I was supposed to be at Princess Lupis’s dinner party tonight!” 

“We’ve already informed them you wouldn’t be going.” 

Ryoma went pale at remembering the appointment, but Laura’s words made him sigh with relief. 

“Right... Thanks.” 

Even Ryoma, who didn’t care much for social status, knew that ditching a dinner party hosted by a member of the royal family wasn’t something one was allowed to casually do. The walls of class and social position were exceptionally thick in this world, and irreverence was reason enough to be sent to the gallows. 

“Did she say something?” 

“She said she realizes you are likely mulling over a solution to the issue with General Albrecht, and that your absence is understandable. However, she will be holding a meeting tomorrow morning, and she wants you to prepare a plan for handling the situation.” 

Repeating Sara’s message without a hitch, Laura presented Ryoma with a cup of water. 

“Oh, thank you...” 

Gulping down the moderately cold water quenched Ryoma’s thirst. 

“Tomorrow, huh... The Princess makes it sound so easy... Still, we can’t let General Albrecht do as he pleases.” 

Princess Lupis was gracious enough to pardon his last-minute absence from a royal dinner party, but that was of course because of the report they’d received earlier that day. 

But in a way, this was Princess Lupis trying to cover up her own mistakes. After all, one could easily claim what caused this issue to begin with was her own naiveté. 

Ryoma’s stomach suddenly grumbled loudly in displeasure. Having contemplated everything silently until after sunset, Ryoma hadn’t eaten since lunch, and so his stomach was naturally rising up in mutiny against its stingy master. 

“I’m starved. Is there anything I can sink my teeth into?” 

“Yes, Sara borrowed the kitchen and prepared something, if it suits your fancy...” 

“Right... Then, how about you two join me? You haven’t eaten either, have you? I’ve got something to talk to you about.” 

Judging from experience, Ryoma knew the two wouldn’t eat before he did. 

“We’ll have it ready in a moment.” Laura nodded happily at his words.

“Now then. We’re short on time, so let’s talk over dinner.” 

The Malfist twins nodded at his suggestion, their gazes fixed on him. The two served as maids that waited on him, his bodyguards, and also his precious confidants. By sharing his thoughts with others, Ryoma deepened his own understanding, and it also served as a rehearsal for when he’d explain things to Princess Lupis and her entourage. 

What’s more, the most important part was that he confirmed his vocabulary wasn’t incomprehensible to others. Being the children of a house of high-ranking knights, the Malfist twins’ education was considered the top of what one would find in this world. 

But of course, that didn’t put them anywhere near the level of modern Japan’s education. From Ryoma’s perspective, they were on the level of a child on the upper years of grade school, not even reaching the levels of a middle-schooler no matter how favorably he tried to phrase things. 

But in this world of incessant warfare, their knowledge was considered extensive. After all, 90% of the population was illiterate to the point where they didn’t know how to write their own name. Reading books was a privilege out of the reach of anyone who wasn’t at least born to a family of knights. 

Those low education standards came across in one’s understanding of math, as well. Most merchants and peddlers in town were at best capable of addition and subtraction. Anyone capable of multiplication and division was looked upon quite highly and favorably. Meanwhile, most farmers couldn’t count higher than the number of fingers on their hands. 

But that was perhaps understandable. Most professions in this Earth were those of manual labor, and common sense dictated that anyone who had the leisure of time to study was to be sent out to work the fields and increase the year’s crops. Even children were considered precious laborers once they grew out of infancy. 

With this world being the way it is, people often didn’t understand what Ryoma was saying. Many people aspired to become mercenaries, but many among them started out being poor commoners. Ryoma didn’t understand how it worked, but upon being summoned to this world, he could understand their language and others understood what he said. He’d even become able to read books in German and Chinese. 

But even if he was able to hold an everyday conversation, whenever he tried to describe a concept that wasn’t familiar or didn’t exist in this world, people couldn’t understand him. Saying something like ‘let’s eat’ worked, since it wasn’t a concept or phrase that was exclusive to Japanese, but it did lose some of the meaning it had when he said it in its original language. It did, after all, have a nuance and cultural context that didn’t exist in other languages and societies. 

Without the proper context and background, the meaning of words can become skewed. And given the difference in average knowledge between a modern Japanese person and someone from this world, it would only make sense for there to be cases of miscommunication. 

This was why Ryoma decided to go through everything first with the Malfist sisters. That way, if the twins didn’t understand anything he said, he’d be able to recognize it, rephrase his words and explain things more plainly. 

Still, it was also true that the effort put into trying to get others to understand him also deepened his own understanding. And Ryoma found his discussions with the twins, who soaked up all the information like a sponge, to be enjoyable changes of pace. 

“You two know that General Albrecht joined forces with the nobles’ faction, correct?” 

The sisters nodded wordlessly in response to Ryoma’s question. This was what bothered Ryoma enough to miss out on the dinner party. Normally, this was sensitive information only select people would know, but it was exactly this kind of precious information that had a way of leaking out most easily. 

This piece of bad news had been brought to Ryoma’s attention this morning, and by sundown it had become an open secret known to everyone in the castle. 

Ryoma himself frowned upon classified information like this spreading out so easily, but since the individual sense of crisis of the people involved was so weak, there wasn’t much he could do about it. In the end, Ryoma Mikoshiba was an outsider summoned to this world. He wouldn’t be able to change this country’s way of being that quickly. All he could do was prioritize tackling the problem before his eyes. 

“Do you know the circumstances behind him doing that, then?” 

This time, the sisters shook their heads in denial. All the twins picked up from the palace’s lady attendants was the end result; General Albrecht had defected to the nobles’ faction. How it happened was still being kept under wraps, it seemed. 

“Right. Then... I’ll have to start explaining from there.” 

Sending the wine and meat in his mouth to his stomach, Ryoma began gravely telling them what happened. General Albrecht left the capital Pireas with the first knight order, under his command, under pretense of recovering the kingdom’s public order. That was four days ago. 

Ryoma wasn’t informed of that. If he was, Ryoma would likely have used any means at his disposal to sabotage Albrecht’s movements. Meltina told him later, informing him of how the general made a forceful suggestion to Princess Lupis. 

Recovering the country’s public order. It was just an excuse to mobilize the army, but the suggestion in and of itself was extremely valid. 

After all, following the nobles’ faction’s backing of Princess Radine, the political rivalry grew all the more intense, which naturally led to a worsening in Rhoadseria’s public safety. 

Attacks from bandits had become more frequent by the day, and the civilians were raising their voices in protest more and more. The cause for that was clear: both factions had recalled their knights and guards, which were usually in charge of maintaining the public order, from their stations. Both sides picked up the scent of the coming conflict and scrambled to gather forces in order to gain an advantage, but the end result was disastrous. 

The capital and other large provincial cities were seen by both the knights’ and nobles’ factions as strategically important and were garrisoned with troops, and so the deterioration of public order wasn’t as noticeable there. But on the other hand, villages and cities which didn’t have that sort of tactical value were left without any knights and guards, and thus their public order waned rapidly. 

In a way, that was unavoidable. Neither Princess Lupis nor Duke Gelhart had an endless supply of troops. If they were to get the upper hand on the opponent under limited conditions, abandoning areas with low strategic value was a necessary hand to play. 

Ryoma, of course, didn’t think this was ideal in the slightest. If anything, considering what was to come, he thought it was a terrible decision. Even if they were to win the war with the nobles’ faction, it was clear to him Princess Lupis’s rule would take a painful blow from this. 

But on the other hand, if they didn’t win the war now, there wouldn’t be much point in discussing Princess Lupis’s rule. It bothered Ryoma, but the reality of the matter was that there wasn’t much to be done. 

And General Albrecht made clever use of that to his advantage. 

“A kingdom only exists so long as its people do!” 

With that single sentence, he shook Princess Lupis’s heart, which was troubled by her subjects being in danger from the poor public order. 

And Ryoma himself agreed that those words were true. A country exists only by virtue of its people, and a ruler is judged by their ability to defend their subjects’ lives. Those words alone had unshakeable reason backing them. 

But would such an ambitious man, who had up until now stuck to his privileged position and looked down on the commoners, suddenly awaken to compassion toward the common man? 

The answer was a resounding “No.” 

The possibility wasn’t entirely nil, of course, but it was certainly close to zero. Had Ryoma or Helena been present there, they never would have taken Albrecht’s words at face value. If nothing else, they would have strictly forbidden General Albrecht from taking command the way he did. 

But Princess Lupis didn’t know that. No, perhaps she did, deep down; inexperienced as she was, she wasn’t a fool. But the end result was that Princess Lupis submitted to General Albrecht’s claim, likely out of genuine concern for Rhoadseria’s people. 

That was a splendid trait for a ruler to have. But in an ironic twist of fate, that kind wish pushed the throne a few steps away from Princess Lupis’s hands. 

“So in the end, she was duped by General Albrecht...” 

“That about sums it up, yeah.” 

The Malfist sisters silently shook their heads at his words. They had truly been rendered speechless. Albrecht may have been an ally to her, but he was likely to be an enemy later on. To so easily swallow such a suspicious excuse from that man made Princess Lupis’s judgment seem all too thoughtless. 

To begin with, there was no reason for a general to personally attend to the public order of provincial towns. If Lione were to hear of it, she’d likely be yelling out a few hundred curses over the matter. 

“So that’s what happened...” Having heard the details, Laura looked up at Ryoma with probing eyes. “However...” 

“What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?” 

Deftly picking up on the look in her eyes, Ryoma prompted her to go on with satisfaction. Most people would home in on General Albrecht’s double-crossing. And that was of course an important detail, but not many would notice the other doubt hidden behind that at this point. 

Of all the people serving as Rhoadseria’s brain right now, only a few, namely Helena Steiner and Count Bergstone, would realize. With that considered, the fact the Malfist sisters picked up on it was significant. 

“Yes. I was just wondering if what bothered you was General Albrecht’s defection to the nobles’ faction, or...” 

She cast a questioning look in his direction. 

“What about you, Sara?” Ignoring Laura’s query, Ryoma turned to Sara. 

“I believe you suspect General Albrecht’s actions may have been prompted by some third party’s machinations?” 

Ryoma nodded in satisfaction at her answer. Yes, it was this suspicion precisely that had kept Ryoma concerned for over half a day. 

Ryoma had no doubt in his mind that putting Helena Steiner to use was the right decision. However, he now realized that for the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, the Ivory Goddess of War was the equivalent of potent medicine. As powerfully effective as it was, consuming it in the wrong fashion could make it as lethal as poison. 

And Ryoma now saw that he had erred in his handling of the medicine named Helena Steiner. 

It was true that her return to service yielded immediate, satisfying results. In that regard, she was everything Ryoma hoped she would be. She swiftly contacted knights that once served with her and turned the younger knights over to Princess Lupis’s side in one fell swoop. 

Helena had a good grasp and understanding of the grudge and dissatisfaction that the knights felt toward General Albrecht, and in just half a month, half of the knights’ faction had turned over to Helena’s favor. 

There was a great deal of anger towards General Albrecht, which had built up over many years of his control. Helena’s return to active service allowed those knights to find an outlet for their frustrations, who flocked to gather under her banner. More and more were joining by the day. 

Eventually, the only ones who would remain by General Albrecht’s side would be the order of 2,500 knights he captained, manned by his proteges, and a handful of other knights he had scattered across the other orders. It was a decline one would never believe possible for a man burning with ambition, who until just recently had served as the head of one of Rhoadseria’s leading factions with a standing army of six orders of knights, making up 15,000 men. 

But General Albrecht wasn’t the only one to be confused by this sudden change. He was likely shocked to see his faction being eaten into so quickly on account of Helena Steiner’s sudden return to action, but Ryoma was just as surprised. 

Ryoma only planned to remove General Albrecht after they’d taken care of the nobles’ faction. But with his faction being devoured like that, General Albrecht wouldn’t sit idly by and continue to support Princess Lupis. Knowing his personality, the man would without a doubt try to turn things around. 

They should have put General Albrecht down by force before he made any suspicious movements. Just as Ryoma intended proposing to change Princess Lupis’s current plans, this whole affair unfolded. 

“Right, it’s a bit too unnatural... General Hodram Albrecht is being backed into a corner, that much is for sure. He’d want reinforcements... This much I still follow. But what I don’t understand is why Duke Gelhart would accept that, and I can’t imagine that nasty general bowing to his political opponent.” 

Their first meeting in the audience chamber surfaced in Ryoma’s mind. He could remember his eyes, full of lust and ambition, and the cold gaze he directed at Ryoma the first time he saw him, which seemed to positively scream, ‘you lowly peasant!’ 

He was haughty, bigoted and merciless against his foes. And most of all, his pride was overwhelming. And it was fact that his relations with Duke Gelhart were terrible from years of opposition on the political field. 

It wasn’t uncommon for the army to be in opposition to the government, but even regardless of that, the two harbored dangerous animosity towards one another. 

So between their existing relationship and General Albrecht’s personality, it was hard to imagine him easily electing to side with Duke Gelhart, even if he was aware of how threatened his position as general was. This was why Ryoma willingly ignored the possibility of General Albrecht joining forces with the nobles’ faction up until now. 

“True... But isn’t it possible Duke Gelhart was the one who proposed their joining forces this time?” Sara asked, understanding what Ryoma’s doubts on the matter were. This was actually the crux of the answer Ryoma had spent so long thinking over. 

“Yeah, that’s about right. Frankly speaking, I can’t see it happening any other way. But the question then becomes, who was it that convinced Duke Gelhart to do that?” 

If there was no chance of General Albrecht swallowing his pride and asking to join forces with Duke Gelhart, it stood to reason that it was the nobles’ faction which stepped forward and proposed it. 

They were, after all, the side that held power through political means. They were adept at those kinds of dodgy dealings, but since both sides here had conflicting interests, it would take time for them to smooth over those differences, and it was an issue where they couldn’t quite put aside their biases. 

In which case, for them to cooperate, they needed someone graced with high intelligence, patience and transcendent negotiation skills. This wasn’t a feat some greedy noble would be capable of. If the nobles’ faction had had someone like this on their side, Duke Gelhart would not have gone to the trouble of backing Princess Radine as a banner. He would have just integrated Princess Lupis, who was the first in line to the throne as it were, into the nobles’ faction. 

Which meant this series of movements by Duke Gelhart was orchestrated by the wisdom of some other third party. By someone who didn’t want to see Rhoadseria stabilized... 

“I see... But in that case... Is this some ploy by the neighboring countries?” 

“Yeah...” Ryoma nodded slowly. “That’s what worries me the most. I hope I’m just overthinking things, but...” 

He didn’t have any evidence to support the theory. This was nothing more than his intuition whispering in his ear. However, despite Helena once marching Rhoadseria’s armies in its defense, the two countries had fallen into opposition over taxation as of late. The relations couldn’t be called strained to the point of snapping, but one couldn’t afford to be too optimistic. 

Likewise, Rhoadseria’s relationship with the Kingdom of Myest wasn’t particularly bad, but one couldn’t call it good, either. The three eastern countries once stood in a united front to repel the Empire of O’ltormea, but that wasn’t to say the relations between the three were all that friendly. 

And Rhoadseria’s relation with the southern countries was even worse than the ones it had with Xarooda and Myest. Any country could make an attempt on Rhoadseria’s land at any moment and Ryoma wouldn’t be surprised. 

“In the end, we just don’t have any information on the other countries...” Ryoma unintentionally let his frustrations let slip from his lips. “Not in this country, anyway...” 

Ryoma couldn’t quite judge whether this was a problem unique to this country or to this world as a whole, but he was far too lacking in information regarding the other countries’ movements. Ryoma could only come up with two ways of gaining intel on other countries on the fly. 

One was to pay people who travel across the countries frequently, such as mercenaries and merchants, for information. But any information he’d get from them may not be as recent and up to date as it should be, and it might not be the sort of information he needed to begin with. After all, those people’s job wasn’t to ferry information. 

The other was for Ryoma to hire people who would gather information directly for him. In other words, to form an intelligence network. But that would require large amounts of time and funds, and most important of all, depended on him finding reliable people. 

Information was precious, and mistaking false information for true could be a lethal mistake. That sort of organization only becomes truly meaningful after years of work have been put into it, and it wasn’t something that could be established and put into use at a moment’s notice. 

The Malfist sisters properly understood the reasons for Ryoma’s frustration. Having acted alongside Ryoma for months, they’d experienced full well the importance of preparation and information. 

But they also knew Ryoma’s wish wasn’t one that would be easily granted. Those of the privileged class in this world didn’t understand the importance of information. And those that did wouldn’t leak information to a foreigner of dubious origins like Ryoma. 

In the end, if he wanted information, he’d have to hire people to do it, but in this situation, establishing an intelligence agency felt like a daydream. In the end he’d have to acknowledge the most ideal solution wasn’t a plausible one and make do with the cold reality dealt to him. 

“Master Ryoma... I don’t think letting what we don’t know torment us would get us anywhere. Shouldn’t we strike down General Albrecht and Duke Gelhart before the surrounding countries can bare their fangs against us?” 

Ryoma had no choice but to nod at Laura’s suggestion. He couldn’t find another solution. 

“Duke Gelhart has around 60,000 troops. That includes the troops under his direct control and the maximum number of commoners he can mobilize. Add to that Albrecht’s order of 2,500 knights and supplement it with mercenaries, and he’s got somewhere between 65,000 to 70,000 men. Meanwhile, we’ve got 12,500 knights, and with the neutral nobles we took in thanks to Count Bergstone, we’ve got another 20,000 men or so. Adding in the mercenaries, we get to around 35,000. In terms of sheer numbers, we’re at an overwhelming disadvantage...” 

Ryoma could smile bitterly at Sara’s summary. 

“The nobles’ faction is mostly made up of high-ranking nobility at the rank of count and above. They have territories to conscript a lot of men from. And since we can’t draft people from the territories belonging directly to the royal family, it’s almost natural the nobles’ faction has us beat there.” 

Ryoma heaved a heavy, wry sigh. Princess Lupis didn’t see conscripting the commoners favorably, but another major issue was that most of the ministers and bureaucrats handling the practical business of the country were part of the nobles’ faction. They employed all sorts of obstructive maneuvers in matters of fundraising and supply lines, which reduced the efficiency of those fields down to a crawl. 

The situation looked poor. But Laura shook her head at Ryoma’s words. 

“But we already knew in advance. And even if we’re lacking in numbers, we match them in terms of fighting power.” 

Knights can use thaumaturgy, and while there was some individual difference in how far one had deepened their powers, all of them should be capable of reinforcing their bodies. What’s more, knights were all individually trained, so if one were to compare knights to commoners, the difference in fighting power became significantly different. 

“I suppose... In the end, even with General Albrecht on the enemy’s side, the situation hasn’t changed much compared to before.” 

“That sounds right to me... Except, while we shouldn’t be too occupied with this invisible enemy, we also shouldn’t completely ignore them, in my opinion.” 

Laura’s words showed she understood the situation perfectly. The most frightening way this could end was if they failed to deal with General Albrecht and Duke Gelhart before another country launched its invasion. There was no proof it would happen, but they certainly couldn’t disregard that possibility, since Princess Lupis lacked the strength to repel an invasion right now. 

“In that case, wrapping this up quickly would be the best course of action... Hiring more mercenaries was the right idea.” 

After beating Branzo the Black Spider, Ryoma gathered seventy to eighty mercenaries, but by now they’d hired four times that number. 

Hiring that many was a waste from a financial perspective, but thanks to that, they had more leeway in terms of the decisions they could make. 

I wasn’t sure what we’d do with so many mercenaries at first, but you can never be too sure, eh... 

Ryoma’s eyes glared into the air. All to decide the battle to come... 

The morning after the bad news had been brought to the castle. An imposing group was walking down one of the palace corridors, which had a red carpet laid over it. Their bodies were covered in iron armor, making them the very image of warriors in a time of strife. 

The one leading them was Helena Steiner, who had recently returned to her office as general. The ones surrounding her were trusted people, such as her comrades from days past, or otherwise their children and grandchildren. 

The one walking closest alongside Helena was Chris Morgan, his golden hair flowing in his wake. 

“My apologies, Lady Helena. I never expected General Albrecht to make his move so quickly... I’ve made a grave error in judgment,” Chris whispered words of apology toward Helena as they hurried to the meeting room, his brow furrowed anxiously. 

His voice was full of regret and shame, his words laced with bitterness. After all, Chris’s actions were, without a doubt, what had led to this situation. 

He may have been acting on Helena’s orders, but there was little doubt that Chris’s maneuvering had roused General Albrecht’s sense of crisis. It would have been wiser in hindsight to keep a closer eye on General Albrecht’s movements and keep their plans from disturbing the water’s surface for as long as possible. 

But Chris never could have predicted just how greatly the oppressed knights would be drawn to Helena once she made her appearance. He understood and regretted this all too well now. 

Chris had stayed up until dawn gathering information on the situation and keeping the knights in check as they were frantically running about in an attempt to pick up information on General Albrecht’s flight from the capital. As proof of that, his eyes were swollen and red with heavy bags around them. 

“It was definitely beyond our predictions, but you shouldn’t worry over it,” Helena spoke sympathetically to Chris without turning to look at him. “None of us knew General Albrecht might join forces with the nobles’ faction after they’d been rivals for so long. I failed to read the situation as much as you have. And besides, this situation isn’t all that bad for us... No, if anything, we might be better off this way.” 

The situation was no laughing matter, and despite that, there wasn’t so much as a hint of wavering in her voice. The amused tone of her words echoed in Chris’s ears. As if to say everything was going as planned... 

“However...” Chris said ambiguously. 

Even if Helena told him not to pay it any mind, he couldn’t. Not as long as he believed this was the direct result of his actions. 

Many knights loyal to the kingdom, like Chris, had suffered under General Albrecht’s tyranny for years out of the belief that the day would come when they drive him out and return Rhoadseria to its rightful state. 

And they had just lost that precious opportunity. Many knights clearly despaired at the news. But Helena’s outlook on it was quite the opposite. 

“This is a wonderful chance to sweep this country clean... Don’t you think?” 

Realizing what she meant by that, Chris furrowed his well-shaped brows. 

“We’ll be opening hostilities, then? But...” 

It was because he realized what she meant that his voice was thick with anxiety. He knew it wouldn’t go that smoothly. 

To begin with, both General Albrecht and Duke Gelhart were standing in the way of Princess Lupis reigning over Rhoadseria and rebuilding the kingdom. In that regard, fighting them both was unavoidable. But on the other hand, there was a great difference between dealing with them individually and together. 

Chris’s maneuvering had brought most of the knights over to Helena’s side, but there was no telling how they would fare against the nobles’ faction, which boasted the largest army in the country, with General Albrecht and his first order of knights assisting them. 

“If Princess Lupis were to allow us to conscript the people in her direct territories, we may be able to overwhelm them with numbers. But considering what is to come, involving the citizens in quelling the civil war would be a poor decision. And the public order is another issue. Maybe if the situation was tilted even more against us it would be a different story... but as things stand, mobilizing them would be a poor hand to play.” 

Helena responded to Chris’s doubts with a smirk. In terms of numbers, Duke Gelhart and the nobles under him could mobilize somewhere between two to five times greater a number of knights incapable of thaumaturgy than those which were capable of it. Knights had some individual differences in terms of their proficiency and talent, but on average they were twice as strong as a normal person. 

Splitting the opposition as they had done brought five orders of knights to Princess Lupis’s side, which numbered 12,500 members, all twice as strong, putting them at nearly 30,000 men in terms of effective fighting power. 

If one were to compare both of the camps’ forces, the ratio would put Princess Lupis at a disadvantage of 4 to 6, or 3 to 7. But it wasn’t so hopeless a gap that it couldn’t be covered. With that much of a difference in forces, it was still perfectly possible for them to win if their forces were aptly commanded. 

If things were worse, perhaps Princess Lupis would have been forced to change her stance, but being the kind soul that she was, she refused to force her people to participate in the fighting under these circumstances. 

“The rest depends on that boy’s judgment...” The whisper escaped Helena’s lips softly. 

“That boy, you say...?” 

Realizing who Helena was speaking of, Chris narrowed his eyes. 

He’d already heard the rumors surrounding that man. He was some wandering adventurer who came out of nowhere, and one of the ringleaders of the conflict to come. 

Everything started with his appearance. 

To think Lady Helena trusts him this much... 

Hearing those words that mingled trust and affection from Helena Steiner, the woman worshipped and given utmost faith as a goddess of war by the people of Rhoadseria, Chris felt a black emotion, not unlike envy, burning within his heart. 

Thankfully, he had the self-restraint to stop that emotion from rising to the surface. Years of oppression under General Albrecht and his faction gave him ample experience at hiding his emotions. And so, Chris held his tongue and followed Helena. 

Heheh... Cute boy, you are. Ambitious and full of confidence, but you have the reason to restrain both of those traits. And judging from how you performed this time, you pass in terms of cleverness as well. A talented knight from a commoner’s upbringing... I can’t imagine anyone Albrecht would loathe more than you. 

Helena smiled as she looked at Chris. It was only natural for people to harbor ambition and jealousy. But anyone who made a visible display of it was unfit to march alongside the goddess of war. 

Having discerned Chris’s quality, Helena gave a pleased smile as she hastened her gait. And eventually, she stopped her stride. 

Now, let us see what comes next. 

The image of how things should move going forward was already drawn to perfect detail in Helena’s mind. This much was natural for a country’s general. 

But then again, this was not a test with predetermined correct answers. Every choice had its pros and cons, and there was no ideal path to take. 

Show me if you’re the genuine article... Ryoma Mikoshiba... 

It was precisely because there were no correct answers that people’s true worth and abilities came to the forefront. As she stopped in front of the heavy oak door to the conference room, guarded by armored soldiers, Helena’s lips curled up into a smile.

“Fool! Are you listening to yourself? How can you even suggest that?!” Meltina’s shout echoed through the conference room as she slammed a clenched fist into the round table. 

“Lady Meltina, please, wait for him to finish...” 

“Would you kindly be quiet, Count Bergstone?!” 

Count Bergstone, who shared a seat on this round table, tried to cut into her words, but a stabbing glance from Meltina made him quiet down immediately. 

Far from Jupiter, far from his thunder, as they say. But right now, Meltina was less of a god and more of a demon. Quelling a woman’s anger can be difficult enough, but when considering how sour relations were between the knights and the nobles, it was only natural Count Bergstone quickly chose to throw in the towel. 

With her neatly combed black hair growing disheveled, Meltina glared at the boy, whose face betrayed his true age, sitting before her with a complacent smile. 

And now you finally display your true nature... You bloody amateur! 

The sight of his confident smile made Meltina want to pelt him with all the insults she had built up. She only held her tongue because she didn’t want to speak like that in the presence of Princess Lupis. 

“Oh, do calm down now...” A man’s husky voice filled the conference room. 

Sitting next to Princess Lupis with his arms crossed, Mikhail, who had listened to the discussion silently until now, turned his eyes to the two of them. 

“Do you really intend to lend an ear to this man’s nonsense at such a critical time?!” Meltina shouted aggressively. 

From a tactical point of view, the plan Ryoma Mikoshiba suggested could not be called effective. No, from Meltina’s perspective, who had been educated in a high-class family of knights and was an aide to Princess Lupis, it looked like nothing but the reckless idea of a feckless amateur. 

Mikhail, too, despite raising a hand to silence Meltina, turned a sharp glare in Ryoma’s direction, which made it clear he didn’t stop her out of good will towards the boy. 

“I am willing to hear you out, but let it be known I have the same stance as Meltina,” Mikhail told Ryoma, his brows furrowed in scrutiny. “If I recall... our plan until now hinged on drawing the enemy in and holding a defensive line. While our incorporation of the knights’ faction went better than expected, I still don’t see why this would lead to us changing our policy at this point. Surely you haven’t forgotten it? If you have a good reason, we will hear it out here and now.” 

Abiding by the dignity of those older than him, he didn’t make his displeasure known by raising his voice like Meltina did, but his voice was frigid and angry. 

His anger was justified, in a way. There were quite a few topographical issues with moving soldiers between Pireas and Duke Gelhart’s stronghold, Heraklion. But even with Mikhail’s anger directed at him, Ryoma’s attitude remained unchanged. 

“Not to worry. I have a few ideas regarding how to do so.” His tone didn’t waver in the slightest, and Mikhail could not help but click his tongue in response. 

The stir moving across everyone present was likely from shock at Ryoma’s unexpected confidence. The only one who remained unfazed by it, sticking to a composed silence, was Helena. 

“Are you quite sure you understand? Getting through the Herkshua forest is one thing, but how do you intend to cross the river Thebes...? Didn’t you propose the defensive line because there was no means to get past it?” 

Mikhail’s words made a murmur of assent rise from those around him. The capital and Heraklion were separated by two significant obstacles, the Herkshua forest and the river Thebes. 

The former was a large woodland home to many dangerous monsters, with a meandering road crossing through it. All the same, it was a road that wasn’t particularly hard to come across. It was far from town, and thus not paved with stone, but it was wide enough to allow carriages to pass through. It also had barrier pillars set up at regular intervals to ward off the monsters, allowing for merchants and travelers to cross safely. 

But that only applied to ordinary people. When viewed from the perspective of mobilizing an army, the Herkshua forest was a terribly problematic obstacle to clear. It wasn’t impassible, of course, but with how narrow the ranks would have to be, their marching speed would be quite slow, and the dense trees would obstruct visibility, making it easier for the enemy to lay an ambush. 

If they were moving just a few units it would be more feasible, but the terrain didn’t accommodate for mobilizing a large army. 

And even if they did get through the Herkshua forest, they would need a means of getting across the giant river Thebes. 

“You’re concerned about crossing the river, right, Sir Mikhail?” 

Mikhail nodded silently at Ryoma’s words. This river, which originated from the Woar mountain range located along the kingdom’s border with Xarooda, conjoined with branches from all around and dampened the earth as it flowed from the southwest of the country to the northeast. Rhoadseria owed its great agricultural produce to this river’s abundant waters. 

The river truly did give Rhoadseria its blessings, but when it came to moving an army, it became a major hindrance. It was 500 meters wide— not a distance this world’s architectural techniques could hope to bridge. It was rather deep as well, so wading through wasn’t an option. 

Of course, there were several wharfs along each side of the river, but while crossing the Thebes wasn’t an issue during peacetime, ferrying an army across it was a different story altogether. 

The biggest problem was that there was no ferry large enough to carry hundreds of people at once. Trade freighters or a navy’s warships may have been capable of it, but no ferry meant for crossing rivers was that large. The largest one available could only transport twenty to thirty armed soldiers. 

And furthermore, just ferrying soldiers wasn’t enough. Transporting supplies was another consideration. Spare weapons and armor, rations for the soldiers, fodder for the horses, as well as medical supplies for treating injured soldiers. Attempting to account for everything made it clear just how endless of a task it could be... 

And there was no going to war without all of those supplies, so they would have to carry those consumables with them as they crossed. 

Mikhail’s doubts aren’t mistaken... Crossing the river is a major problem. And so long as it remains unsolved, sending out the soldiers would be impossible... 

Helena brought a cup of tea to her lips. Since they’d need to ferry everyone across the river at once, there was only one solution left: gather ships from the surrounding villages, load as many soldiers onto them as possible, and make several round trips across the river to move everyone. 

But as many tactical texts outlined, that tactic was a terribly dangerous one. Splitting one’s forces makes each individual group easier to eliminate. 

He’s not wrong to understand that. But he’s a bit too hard-headed. Though I suppose it stems from his lack of experience... 

He was better than Meltina, who still made her displeasure blatantly clear by glaring daggers at Ryoma, but Mikhail couldn’t be called too bright, either. That wasn’t to say he was dumb. He was born to a high-ranking family of knights and given the appropriate education since his infancy. 

But that was all he had. Knowing how to play by the book was important, but if one was to win a war, acting outside of established tactics at times was necessary. 

“I see. Quite shrewd of you, Sir Ryoma... You see well into the opponent’s mental state and circumstances. But this chance won’t last long.” 

Helena’s words made everyone present in the room stir in surprise. Seeing their reaction, Helena heaved a small sigh. 

I suppose that’s how the chips fall... 

Very few people read the state of affairs between battles, and only those blessed by the gods with the prudence to do so were given the right to sip from the goblet of triumph. 

“What are you implying? Sir Ryoma, Helena, what are you talking about?” 

“Now would be the easiest time to attack the enemy’s territory, Your Highness.” 

Ryoma answered Princess Lupis’s question the moment she asked it, but that did little to clear her doubts. She still wasn’t clear on why exactly now would be the best time to attack. 

Ryoma began explaining things as simply as possible, so as to make his thoughts clear to the clueless members of the conference. 

“I originally proposed we lure the enemy toward the capital, since I thought attacking the enemy ourselves would be too difficult. But the situation has changed.” 

Since the perilous crossing would leave their forces open for attack from the enemy, both Duke Gelhart and Princess Lupis were left staring each other down from opposite sides of the river, neither of them crossing into the other’s territories. Considering the difficulty of the march and securing a line of supply, luring the enemy closer to one’s base and intercepting them there would be that much simpler. 

But the war situation took a swing in an unexpected direction with General Albrecht’s surprising choice, and while it only birthed a very slight possibility, it was a chance that could lead to them ending the war in one fell swoop. 

“I don’t think General Albrecht joining forces with Duke Gelhart is a problem at all. If anything, I believe they both made a huge blunder by doing so.” 

As Ryoma’s voice echoed through the conference room, everyone stood completely still. It was proof people placed absolute faith in what he had to say. Though, truth be told, only a few people, among them Helena and Chris, truly realized the meaning behind Ryoma’s words. 

“I don’t quite understand... The enemy’s forces are bolstered. In what way is that a blunder?” 

Princess Lupis and Meltina nodded deeply at Mikhail’s question. True enough, if one were to simply examine the situation on the surface level, his opinion would seem valid. The enemy’s forces growing would normally be seen as a great negative. 

Indeed, normally... 

“How is it not? It’s certainly troubling that they have more soldiers now, but that would pose problems of its own for them. Mikhail, knowing General Albrecht, do you think he’d accept Duke Gelhart’s orders, no matter how badly cornered he is?” 

That question finally made the light of understanding light up in Mikhail’s face. 

“It goes without saying, doesn’t it? If General Albrecht was the kind of man who would simply obey other people without a fuss, we wouldn’t be in this situation. At first, he would no doubt grapple with Duke Gelhart over the right to lead...” 

A small sigh escaped Mikhail’s lips. 

Both aspired to take control of Rhoadseria and were likely to go into a power struggle over it. They also both had haughty, intolerable personalities. They were unlikely to be willing to walk side by side peacefully. 

“Well, neither of them is stupid. Eventually they’d come to a compromise... But if we were to strike now...” 

There was no need to finish that sentence. The most important part of running a war is the right to command. One can gather the largest army imaginable, but without a resolved general to command it, victory wouldn’t come. History has proven that more than enough. 

In simpler terms, you could liken it to changing positions within a company. If a section manager and the head of a department were to give conflicting orders, which order would the workers follow? In most cases, they’d obey the head of department, since he’d be higher up the chain. 

But what if it were the company president and the head of a department? The president would be given priority. Almost anyone would be likely to agree with that. Unless some unusual circumstances are at play, the higher-ranked individual will have their orders prioritized. 

But what if a company had two presidents? They would both be the boss, and if they were to give conflicting orders, those below them wouldn’t know what to do, as they couldn’t discern which order they should abide by. 

The situation now was comparable to that. If Duke Gelhart was enough of a man to grant General Albrecht command over his troops out of respect for his superiority as a military commander, or if the General was gallant enough to realize just how small his forces were and would obey the Duke and his superior numbers, Ryoma would by no means be optimistic over this situation. 

But Duke Gelhart and General Albrecht were lowly human beings. Haughty and intolerant. And since Ryoma knew this well ahead of time, he concluded that now would be an opportune moment to attack. 

“So that’s what you mean... I see.” Princess Lupis’s eyes lit up with understanding. 

Once explained, his reason was perfectly understandable. Princess Lupis had been associated with both men for many years, and Ryoma’s explanation clicked with many of her recollections of the two. The other people present also seemed to agree. But there were still doubts remaining. 

“I see what you are getting at now. Your assumptions are likely correct, Sir Ryoma,” Count Bergstone said. “But even if we set out now, would we get there in time?” 

True, Duke Gelhart and General Albrecht were both arrogant and impatient, but they’d both held the positions of the strongest people in this country for years. They were no fools. This opening to attack only existed for this moment, as they’d only just joined forces. If the two were to discuss things and reach an understanding, that opening would disappear. 

“May I ask something?” For the first time since the conference opened, Chris, who had been sitting silently in the seat beside Ryoma’s, parted his lips to speak. 

“And who might you be?” 

“My apologies. I am Chris Morgan, an aide to Lady Helena,” Chris replied to Count Bergstone’s question, bowing his head. “There’s something bothering me, so I thought I should ask.” 

“I see, so you’re the one...” 

Several other people nodded at Count Bergstone’s words. 

He sat at Helena’s side as if it was obvious for him to be there, so no one dared ask, but everyone was quite curious as to who he was. 

But Chris paid no mind to everyone’s attitude, turning to gaze at Ryoma with the documents he brought with him in hand. 

“I believe your analysis of the situation is accurate, Sir Mikoshiba. But still, it is all too sudden. We’ve come to make preparations for the defensive line, in accordance with our original schedule. Even if we call in the troops now, organizing the ranks and preparing provisions and supplies would take us four to five days. Considering the troops’ speed, we’d only reach the river Thebes in twelve to fourteen days. Do you believe the enemy will remain in discord until then?” 

Chris’s eyes shone with a provocative light. 

“Are you saying we have no time?” 

Chris nodded quietly at Count Bergstone’s question. 

Chris’s words were accurate. A chance means nothing if one cannot grasp it in time. Their original plan was to intercept the nobles’ army in the vicinity of the capital, and large amounts of provisions were stocked up in the capital’s storehouses for that purpose. 

The same held true for the troops’ formations. Sending troops out to Heraklion would mean all their preparations were for naught, and that would require them to reorganize their formations from scratch. 

Of course, there were some aspects they could reuse, but it would still take quite some time to reorganize everything. Ryoma was well aware of this, though. 

“True, moving all our forces right now is impossible, and if we try to force it, it’ll be pointless, since we won’t cross the Thebes before the General and the Duke reach an agreement. But if we take just a small number of soldiers... A cavalry unit of around two thousand knights and mercenaries, we have a good chance of arriving on time.” 

Chris’s estimated number of days was based on the assumption that the forces would be knights and soldiers traveling on foot—the slowest possible march speed. But if they were to have only those capable of thaumaturgy riding on horseback, they’d be able to move much faster and arrive without requiring that much rest or using any spells. They would arrive much faster than anticipated. 

“But... Even if you do cross the Thebes with two thousand soldiers, what would that achieve?” Meltina raised the final problematic point in place of Chris, who fell silent. “The enemy has over sixty thousand men on their side. No matter how many tricks you pull, I don’t see you winning with those odds.” 

It was certainly possible for two thousand cavaliers to cross the river Thebes in a few days’ time, but once they did, they’d be firmly in Duke Gelhart’s territory. Meltina’s words were true, even while teeming as they were with spite, but Ryoma understood that even better than she did. 

“I considered that too, of course. Two thousand would be no match for a force of sixty thousand. But if the rest of the military begins their preparations soon after the cavalry leave the capital, it would take them ten days to cross the Thebes. Even if we take our time preparing, it would take two weeks. And I have confidence that with two thousand men, we’ll be able to hold a position until that time.” 

Ryoma’s words were brimming with confidence, and his attitude made everyone present fall silent. 

Is he mad? 

It was only natural that Chris would cast a suspicious glance at him. He’d just suggested using two thousand troops to hold back a force thirty times that size. This wasn’t a suggestion one could easily agree with. But they couldn’t deny it altogether, either. Helena watching over Ryoma’s confident, unwavering smile with a grin of her own forbade them from doing so. 

“Do you have a plan?” Princess Lupis’s words broke the silence, to which Ryoma nodded. 

Ryoma didn’t believe he’d be able to hold back the enemy in a head-on battle, either, but he didn’t want to see this chance pass them by. If they let the opportunity slip, General Albrecht and Duke Gelhart could yet form an alliance against them. And once they did, the Thebes would become a virtually impassable obstacle for them, making the conflict drag on much longer. They would have to strike now, even if it might be a touch reckless. 

The gazes of everyone around the table naturally focused on Princess Lupis. All the arguments had been exhausted, and all that remained was her verdict. 

Can we really win if we attack them now? Doubts surfaced and disappeared in Princess Lupis’s heart. Is it really possible to hold back a force of over sixty thousand with a mere two thousand? 

The princess pondered Ryoma’s words, knowing full well her judgment would sway the fate of the country. With that pressure bearing down on her, Helena broke her long silence to give her the push she needed. 

“I believe we should go with his plan. Twiddling our thumbs right now would not make our situation any better. And like he said, the way things are now, I believe we ought to go on the offensive.” 

With Helena, who had survived countless lethal battlefields, giving her advice, Princess Lupis reached a decision. 

“Understood. Ryoma Mikoshiba, I entrust command of an advance party of two thousand troops to you. Defend it to the death until the main force arrives!” 

This moment would go down in history as the moment of the start of the first act of the Battle of Heraklion.

With Princess Lupis’s decision, the dispatch of troops was decided upon, and the conference was concluded, but Ryoma, Lione and Boltz gathered in one of the castle’s rooms. 

“I swear, boy, the balls on ya...” Lione cracked a smile when Ryoma finished his report. “Ya didn’t have to tread on thin ice like that.” 

She wasn’t truly criticizing him, though, but rather speaking like an older sister who had to clean up after her mischievous young brother’s blunders. 

“Missing the chance would just make the war go on that much longer, though...” Smirking, Lione took a swig from a bottle of liquor. 

“Your suspicions are pretty concerning as well, and it’s probably for the best if we finish this war as fast as possible, lad.” Boltz was chewing on some beef jerky they had as a snack to go with the alcohol. 

Lione and Boltz, with their rich array of experience, understood the flow of the war Ryoma talked about all too well. 

“But lad... How are you going to ward off sixty thousand troops?” Boltz gently asked the biggest question. 

Boltz held great respect for Ryoma, but it wasn’t out of blind faith. It didn’t take a mathematician to understand that two thousand troops stood no chance before sixty thousand. 

If Ryoma Mikoshiba wasn’t the one helming this operation, Boltz would have gathered his men and hightailed it by now. If the young man had some stratagem that would make the impossible possible, he wanted to hear it. 

“Well, it also depends on how well you handle things. I’m gonna have to ask you two to attend to certain matters, and our victory depends on how you perform.” 

With that said, Ryoma already knew their prospects for victory. 

There’s no telling how the variables turn up, after all... We have to hurry up and get our preparations in order... 

How much they could prepare ahead of time would go on to decide whether this ended in victory or defeat for them. And this didn’t just apply to war. Even things as mundane as studies or sports required preparation. An adequately prepared individual has the leeway to make more choices. 

Though conversely, being prepared didn’t necessarily mean one would get their desired outcome. Preparations were meaningless if one missed the chance to put them into use. 

“Oh! You mean that?” Boltz raised his voice in surprise at Ryoma’s remark. “I mean, it is impressive, but... Do you really think we could block them off with just that?” 

“What’re ya shivering like a fawn for? The boy had ya train for it, so you’ll be fine.” 

Boltz went pale at the idea, but Lione replied with a calm voice. 

“Our newest hires are ready too, right?” 

“Yeah, all good. They were pretty shocked at first, but I beat the order of things into ’em! Ya can rest easy on that front.” 

Ryoma’s orders were rather unusual for this world’s mercenaries, but Lione followed through on her role. 

“In that case, I think we’ll be fine, Boltz.” 

Hearing Ryoma’s words, a relieved smile spread over Boltz’s face. 

“Well, we placed our bets on ya, boy. All we can do now is pray yer not a dud.” 

Lione’s tone was relaxed, but her eyes were dead serious. After all, she was a person who led and held responsibility over people, however few, as a brigade leader. 

“I can promise you that much,” Ryoma could answer with a shrug. 

He was simply a man, not a god or hero of any kind, so he couldn’t say he’d win without a doubt... 

Once Lione and Boltz left his room, Ryoma received a report from the Malfist sisters. 

“Master Ryoma, the arrangements you requested are complete.” 

“Thanks,” he nodded gently at Laura’s words. 

The expenses were quite high, but their lives were on the line. He didn’t know if he would actually make use of this, but it was better to have an ace up his sleeve if possible. 

“And as for your other instruction... We found them.” 

Ryoma’s lips curled up at Laura’s words. 

“Were they mixed into the mercenaries?” 

“Just like you said they’d be, in a newly hired mercenary group.” 

“That’d make sense... Make sure to keep your eyes on them, all right?” 

“Yes, we’re keeping a careful watch on them. Me, Sara and one of Lione’s men are working in shifts to that end.” 

“Do we know who sent them?” 

Sara shook her head wordlessly. 

“I see... Well, that’s fine. Let them run free for the moment. We’ll have a use for them sooner or later.” 

“Shouldn’t we dispose of them as soon as we can, Master Ryoma?” 

“No, better to have as many cards as possible in our deck. Besides, if we disposed of them now, whoever sent them would just dispatch someone else.” 

Killing spies is an exhausting task in that regard. Just like rats and vermin, the only way to take care of them definitively is to strike at the source. 

“As you wish.” Laura bowed her head silently. 

The next day, the cavaliers’ horses roared as they rode out of Pireas, their animal instincts picking up on the scent of approaching war. Even without regard for the fact they were bred as war horses, they vigorously kicked against the ground as their heads shook. 

“Let’s go!” Sharing Laura’s horse, Ryoma raised his voice, and the surrounding mercenaries set out at once. 

“““We depart! Begin the march!””” 

“““Ooooooooooh! Glory to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria! To victory!””” 

With countless fists swinging into the air, they filled their harnesses with prana, activating their endowed thaumaturgy. Their objective—Duke Gelhart’s dominion, Heraklion.