Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Messenger from a Neighboring Country 

The castle standing over the capital city of Pireas was filled with a heavy, anxious air. The high-ranking bureaucrats were rushing to their posts with pale faces, and the military officials were all forcibly gathered in a conference room, regardless of if they were commanders or not. Even the knights were called to the barracks without regard for if they were on duty or not and ordered to make sure their gear was serviced and battle-ready. 

Everyone moved about the palace hurriedly. Most of them were simply doing as they were told, and only a select few actually had a grasp on the situation. No... Even they didn’t truly understand what was going on. As they all walked past a certain set of doors at the palace, they moved away quickly while sneaking a concerned glance at that room’s entrance. Those tightly shut iron doors... 

“Yes... I understand what the letter is saying, but... I don’t think we can afford to do this...” Queen Lupis said with a deep sigh. 

Meltina’s explanation only served to darken her mood further. The faces of everyone in this room were thick with grief and concern. This held true for Queen Lupis as well as her aides, Mikhail and Meltina. The representative and one in charge of the army was Helena. Count Bergstone was the leader of several other influential nobles who represented the civil officials. 

“But Your Majesty, ignoring this request now would mean...” Meltina interjected. 

“I know... But does our country currently have the power to do this?” Lupis asked, her voice thick with resignation. 

Queen Lupis had no intention of ignoring this issue. Quite the opposite; her conclusion was that this wasn’t a situation they ought to ignore. But while she did have the flaw of letting her emotions get the better of her, she was by no means a fool. As a member of the royal family, she was given the finest education available in this world. So long as she retained her composure, she was a ruler capable of seeing the reality of things. And she could see that the problem this letter detailed drove the Kingdom of Rhoadseria into a situation it couldn’t withdraw from. 

“No, it’s impossible... Especially now, when we must remain cautious and watch over the nobles’ faction movements... However...” Meltina said hesitantly. 

“But we cannot stand to ignore this appeal, either,” Count Bergstone continued. “If this letter came soon after we quelled the uprising things would have been different, but it’s been nearly a year since the civil war. It will still take time for our national power to recover, of course, but we can’t use that as justification anymore... And besides, this time...” 

Count Bergstone’s gaze fell on two letters placed on the table. Having switched to the princess’s faction’s side during the civil war, Count Salzberg was picked as one of Queen Lupis’s aides for his superior political prowess. He was acutely aware of the political power balance in the kingdom, and was wise enough to keep an eye out for the other neighboring countries. 

Had he gained more of Queen Lupis’s trust, he would have surely been appointed the position of prime minister. And he could tell that the dilemma the other kingdoms forced on them now was an invitation to a labyrinth with no way out. 

It’s likely that no matter what we choose to do, this country’s outlook is bleak... he thought. 

Two letters sat before Queen Lupis. One was a letter they’d received rather regularly ever since the Empire of O’ltormea launched its invasion of the Kingdom of Xarooda. It was a request for reinforcements by King Julianus I, ruler of Xarooda. 

The Kingdom of Xarooda lost to O’ltormea during the battle of the Notis plains, which pushed their defensive line into the interior of their territories. To break through this stalemate, they naturally requested their fellow countries of the east, Myest and Rhoadseria, for reinforcements. 

O’ltormea ruled over the central regions of the western continent, possessing a vast territory and population. Xarooda alone wasn’t capable of holding back its military might. But three countries made up the eastern side of the western continent — Rhoadseria, Myest, and Xarooda. If they were to ally, they would have been capable of opposing O’ltormea. 

And indeed, in past wars an alliance between the three had kept O’ltormea’s ambitions in check. But this alliance was hardly formed out of camaraderie or friendship between the countries. The three countries were simply in a state of mutual dependence. 

Without Xarooda to serve as a breakwater, the waves of war would wash over Rhoadseria. And should Rhoadseria fall, the surging war would crash over Myest next... And so, in the name of their own gain and wellbeing, both countries had to send reinforcements to Xarooda. 

But over the last year, Queen Lupis had refused Julianus I’s appeals for reinforcements, since she needed to stabilize Rhoadseria’s national power and political climate. And the painful fact of the matter was that even when not accounting for that, Rhoadseria simply lacked the troops to dispatch. 

General Albrecht held command over the military for years, and removing him meant the knights orders would need to be reorganized. This made Rhoadseria’s military might decline greatly. With the knights of the established families out of the way, many soldiers who were shunned and kept from promotion now scrambled to claim those open positions. Many knights even held duels over them. 

Helena worked hard to mitigate this situation, but the flames of ambition were hard to put out. And with people constantly fanning those flames, it only made sense she would struggle to extinguish them. 

With all that in mind, dispatching their troops abroad with the nobles’ faction beginning to stir was effectively suicide. 

We really should have rejected Count Gelhart’s... Viscount Gelhart’s offer of fealty and eliminated him back then... Having his court rank lowered does little to bother him. He agreed to those terms too easily, after all. 

Even with his rank lowered from Count to Viscount, Gelhart held great influence over the nobility. Worse yet, since Princess Radine was formally acknowledged as a member of the royal family, the nobles that were displeased with Queen Lupis were beginning to unify under a firm banner. 

In order to build a power structure with her at its center, Queen Lupis drove many of the nobles from the palace after the civil war ended. It was only natural that they would go on to turn to Gelhart and Princess Radine. From Lupis’s perspective, it only made sense to cut out those who toadied up to Gelhart in the past. But those who were driven out weren’t going to simply accept being treated that way. 

Killing Gelhart would not have dispelled any of the displeasure the nobles felt, but it would have made it much harder for them to unite against Queen Lupis. Gelhart had power, and Princess Radine could serve as a just cause. And now, they stood as an obstacle to Queen Lupis. 

We should have stopped that negotiation, even if it meant leaving Mikhail Vanash to die. Though saying that now doesn’t really matter, does it...? 

Count Bergstone’s gaze turned to Mikhail, who stood with his arms crossed at Meltina’s side. A bitter feeling filled his heart. A perfect victory should have been within their reach in the civil war. If only they didn’t accept Gelhart’s offer of fealty... 

We might not have had a choice, but Sir Mikoshiba could have found a way... 

Count Bergstone perfectly understood the position they were in at the time. He was part of that meeting, and Helena explained it to him, as well. There wasn’t much they could do. But still, he couldn’t help but resent the fact Ryoma simply nodded and allowed Queen Lupis to go ahead and accept Gelhart’s proposal. 

He knew that this was a misguided grudge to hold, but the fact remained that had they turned Gelhart down and executed Radine for impersonation, half of their current problems would not have existed. Any subversive forces in the country would still be forced to obey Queen Lupis, at least on the surface. And in that case, perhaps they would have been able to dispatch soldiers to Xarooda sooner. 

At least he knows his place now. That’s the only silver lining here... 

In the past, Mikhail Vanash would simply mindlessly spout nonsense about chivalry and the way of the knight and only serve to drive any meeting into disorder. But today, he kept his mouth shut. This prompted a small sigh out of Count Bergstone. The idea that Mikhail’s growth as a person had to come at the price of Rhoadseria being driven to its current predicament felt like something of a sad joke. 

With that thought in mind, Count Bergstone returned the conversation to its main topic. 

“Our biggest problem is Myest’s actions. They’ve already gathered their reinforcements along our eastern border, so they may be on their way as soon as we permit them to pass. And we can’t deny their request, or they might declare war on us. And besides, now is our last chance to save Xarooda.” 

Everyone’s gaze on the other letter placed on the table. 

Myest won’t back down, no matter what... 

Count Bergstone easily noticed the anger and resolve Myest had when they wrote this letter. It was clear that leaving Xarooda to their fate would mean that O’ltormea would flood into the eastern regions like an avalanche, and none of the three countries could oppose it on their own. If anything, it was surprising Myest put up with Rhoadseria’s attitude until now. 

“This letter doesn’t state it directly, but Myest’s demand is clear... Do you intend for us to go to war with them, Your Majesty?” 

Not letting Myest cross their territory wasn’t an option, no matter what. The question was will they let them simply cross through alone or send their own reinforcements to join them. 

No, that’s not a choice either... 

What would happen if they were to let Myest’s military cross through without aiding Xarooda themselves? Hostilities might not break out at once against O’ltormea, but it would create a rift between the three countries — a deep, irreparable rift. 

A rift that might manifest in Rhoadseria being attacked from both the east and the west at once, leading to its destruction. Neither Xarooda nor Myest would tolerate a friendly nation that wouldn’t send them aid during such an emergency. 

“There’s no choice but to send over our troops, is there...?” she said, her voice thick with utter bitterness. 

But they had no other choice. 

So she understands that much... But the question remains... 

Count Bergstone turned his eyes to Meltina. 

“How many can we deploy?” 

“Our forces are mostly reorganized, thanks to Lady Helena’s efforts... But given the state of the country, the most we can spare is a single knight order. We could have the nobles lend us their strength, of course, but if we were to rely only on our own strength...” 

A despondent air settled over the room. 

“The kingdom’s existence hangs in the balance, and we can only send two thousand and five hundred men...” Count Salzberg whispered in shock, representing the thoughts of everyone present. 

It was far too small of a number to dispatch as reinforcements to another country. They would need at least five thousand, and the situation effectively called for ten thousand. Of course, they couldn’t send out all of their knights for this, but they also couldn’t expect any assistance from the nobles. 

Everyone was aware of the air of unrest that hung over Rhoadseria, and cautiously watched over Gelhart’s movements. In this case, it wasn’t a matter of factions, though. Count Bergstone, Count Zeleph, and the other nobles aligned with Queen Lupis couldn’t send out any troops either. 

That was because it was clear to see that if they sent their territory’s soldiers out of the country, those territories would be unable to resist and be reduced to ash if a revolt did break out again. If it were within the kingdom’s territories things were different, but they couldn’t afford to send anyone to assist in another country’s war. 

“The nobles won’t move,” Meltina said. “Our only other option is conscripting the commoners, but... Honestly, we probably cannot expect great numbers there. Of course, if we threaten them things are different, but...” 

“But that would only end up pulling us back.” Queen Lupis shook her head and sighed. 

Conscripting them would allow them to gather as many as twenty or thirty thousand. Even one hundred thousand wasn’t impossible. But conscripted commoners didn’t amount to much in terms of military might. If anything, they were a liability. 

The problem was that this war wasn’t an invasion of another country. An invasion meant they would be allowed to pillage towns and villages, ravage the women, and sell any surviving villagers to slavery. 

But this time, they were sending reinforcements. They would not be allowed to pillage and rape as they pleased. After all, who would accept reinforcements that wreak havoc in their own country? And while they would be given food and accommodations, it would be the bare minimum. Things might change if they take the head of a commander in the battlefield, but they couldn’t trust in that kind of stroke of luck. 

Most soldiers would simply receive a paltry amount of money as payment for their service from the government, and that would be all. The reward didn’t justify putting one’s life on the line. The soldiers’ morale would be low, and they would likely argue against most orders they’d be given. 

The worst possible scenario was that the disgruntled conscripts might actually turn on Xarooda’s cities, pillaging them instead. If it were a short operation in a neighboring country perhaps things would be different, but they couldn’t send them as reinforcements. 

“In which case... We’ll need to dispatch a commander both countries would be pleased with.” Everyone nodded at Count Zeleph’s words. 

They couldn’t afford to lose this war. A defeat here would mean Rhoadseria would be next in line to be menaced by O’ltormea’s ambitions. On top of that, they needed to pull off accomplishments that would make it so Xarooda and Myest don’t look down on them. If they were to send a handful of soldiers after shirking their requests for reinforcements for as long as they did, the other countries would have the worst possible impression of Rhoadseria. 

If they did not contribute to the fighting in a big way, Xarooda and Myest would never forgive them for it. They would demand Rhoadseria make great trade concessions to compensate for it, assuming they didn’t outright declare war on the country. 

“I shall go,” Helena said, parting her lips for the first time during this council. 

The whole room fell silent at her declaration. 

“Are you sure, Helena?” Queen Lupis finally said after a pause. 

Her face was full of doubts and guilt. The only reinforcements they could reliably send out were two thousand five hundred knights, and they weren’t to just go out and offer a bit of aid. They would need to perform admirably and reap resounding victories that would convince the other countries. Willingly doing this was, in all honesty and for all intents and purposes, knowingly drawing the short straw. 

Helena, however, didn’t hesitate. 

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Helena nodded, her eyes alight with strong will. 

She would stop at nothing to save the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, and Helena was also the only person present in this meeting who could command the reinforcements. That wasn’t so much an issue of Helena’s capabilities, but rather of her fame and past achievements. Meltina and Mikhail were also Queen Lupis’s aides, but their names weren’t known in other countries. 

If their two thousand five hundred men were to be led by an unknown greenhorn, no one would take them seriously and it would simply create more friction. The other countries would, however, be far more welcoming of Rhoadseria’s Ivory Goddess of War. 

“Then we will have Lady Helena serve as the commander of our reinforcements. We will, however, need a second-in-command,” Meltina said after confirming everyone agreed to Helena’s offer. 

Helena’s achievements were unique and storied, but she didn’t achieve them entirely on her own. And since they were being dispatched to another country, no one could tell what might happen. They needed a vice commander who could function as a replacement for Helena if need be. 

“That does stand to reason... We would need a capable aide... But who should it be?” Count Zeleph asked. “Sir Mikhail, or maybe Lady Meltina? Those are the first two that come to mind among the manpower we can currently shift. But can we safely have them be out of the kingdom for what might potentially be years?” 

It was a natural question. There weren’t many known military officers of note in Rhoadseria at the moment, and most of them were given roles that made them hard to replace. Any force sent out to Xarooda would return only six months later at the earliest, and perhaps even years later, depending on how the war goes. Those officers didn’t have the leisure to do that. 

Still, they couldn’t send Helena to a lethal battlefield on her own. And everyone fell silent, until a single man finally spoke up. 

“Could you not ask Sir Mikoshiba?” 

The sound of someone swallowing their breath nervously echoed through the room far more loudly than it should have. That name was a taboo that everyone had considered, but no one dared speak of. A momentary silence fell over the room, which was followed by Count Bergstone’s angry shouting. 

“You fool! What are you proposing, Mikhail?! Do you have any idea what you just said?!” 

Count Bergstone shouted at him, throwing all notions of politeness and ceremony to the winds. His anger was clear. But no one judged Count Bergstone for calling Mikhail directly by his first name. Mikhail’s words were simply that shameless and unexpected. 

That idiot... I’d thought he’d become a bit more meek after his house arrest was lifted... 

Seeing Mikhail hold his tongue for the entire meeting so far, Count Bergstone assumed he had learned his place and knew when not to interfere. That impression, however, seemed to have been mistaken. 

“Sir Mikhail... What are you trying to do, precisely?” Count Zeleph exhaled a deep sigh slowly as he turned a questioning glance at Mikhail. 

His words were thick with caution toward Mikhail. 

“Me? I’m not trying to do anything,” Mikhail said brazenly, ignoring the glares being directed at him. “I’m merely pointing out that we haven’t any other options. I do believe that Sir Mikoshiba is the natural choice, however, given his accomplishments.” 

In terms of just Ryoma’s abilities, Mikhail’s proposal did come across as the natural choice. There was no doubt that it was his strength that allowed Queen Lupis to claim victory despite her initial position being one of overwhelming inferiority. His name would have been the first to come up, but no one did nominate him. No, perhaps it would be wiser to say that everyone else intentionally wiped his name out of the list of possibilities. 

“If you truly, honestly say that, then I may have to question your motives,” Count Zeleph growled angrily, making his disgruntlement evident. 

Normally, Count Zeleph tended to hide behind Count Bergstone’s stances and didn’t often speak in councils like this one. This only served to make his aggressiveness here all the more striking. But even with that clear anger directed at him, Mikhail remained composed. His eyes shined with cold light as he spoke with a smile. 

“Would you, now? Despite him being a commoner, the Kingdom of Rhoadseria made Sir Mikoshiba into a noble. It is only natural that he lends this country his aid in its time of crisis. And besides, this is our last chance. If we let this chance pass us by, this country will fall to ruin. Am I wrong?” 

He was not. Ryoma was indeed a former commoner — a mere mercenary of unknown origins. If one were to focus on that fact, Mikhail’s words rang true. And from that perspective, it would only be natural that he would repay the royal house for the privilege of being a noble by protecting this kingdom with his life. 

Assuming one ignored that Queen Lupis feared Ryoma and drove him into the monster-infested no-man’s land that was the Wortenia Peninsula, of course... 

You shameless, ungrateful lout... Do you believe yourself to be king of this country?! 

That thought crossed the heart of Count Bergstone and nearly everyone else present in this council. He was very much the cause of most of their problems, but he shoved the duty of cleaning up the havoc left in the wake of his mistakes onto others. Everyone else glared at him with harsh, criticizing eyes. 

But in contrast to Count Bergstone’s indignation, Queen Lupis remained silent. Her expression was full of guilt, terror... and the slightest bit of hope. Everyone present could tell what she was thinking. Queen Lupis had thought of the same thing Mikhail did in some corner of her heart. 

“Very well. I agree with Sir Mikhail that he is appropriate for this role... But the question remains. Will Sir Mikoshiba agree to that?” Count Bergstone spoke of his doubts while shaking his head. 

His voice was extremely sarcastic and bitter, and somehow terribly mocking. Mikhail, however, seemed to completely disregard his tone. 

“The fact remains that his strength rivals Lady Helena’s. And even the most prized of swords is useless if it is not put into use, no?” 

Count Bergstone couldn’t deny that. He hoped to rely on Ryoma’s strength as well. Considering the capabilities Ryoma displayed during the civil war, he was very much a trump card for Rhoadseria. And given their situation, they couldn’t afford to not use it since they stood to be next in line to be attacked. And if that were to happen, they’d be destroyed under O’ltormea’s greater forces. 

Most of Rhoadseria’s territory was flat, open plains. Their population was vast and their land ripe for agriculture thanks to ample water sources. But on the other hand, this also meant their country’s topography had little in the way of natural defenses. And when it came to fighting in open plains, the number of each army’s troops were the deciding factor. 

Once they would be invaded, they likely wouldn’t be able to expect any reinforcements from Myest. If O’ltormea were to cross the western mountain range which served as Rhoadseria’s border with Xarooda, the kingdom would likely be stomped out quickly by the empire’s overwhelming numbers. 

So in terms of just Rhoadseria’s circumstances, Mikhail’s suggestion made sense. His words were based on Rhoadseria’s actual current national power and situation. Even the strongest trump card was worth nothing if it wasn’t played at the most critical point in the game. 

But if they could simply ask Ryoma for help, they wouldn’t be in this plight. It was only natural Count Bergstone’s words would be as laced with resentment as they were, because Mikhail Vanash was the cause of their problems here. His fixation on earning merit in the war was why they couldn’t apprehend Gelhart — which led directly to the difficult position they were in. 

“And Sir Mikoshiba’s compliance does not matter. We need only give him the order. And, should he refuse, we shall simply handle him as we would any outlaw and kill him. What noble would refuse a royal order when the Kingdom’s existence is at risk, after all?” 

There wasn’t any trace of emotion to Mikhail’s voice. It reverberated coldly, almost mechanically through the room. 

“That’s absurd... Has your sanity completely abandoned you?” Count Bergstone said, forgetting he was in Queen Lupis’s presence. 

Mikhail, however, simply regarded him with an expression that almost seemed surprised. 

“Well, now... Count Bergstone, did I say anything odd? What point is there in keeping a noble who lacks loyalty to the royal house?” 

“What are you saying? If you claim that to be the nobility’s duty, then you may as well put most of this country’s nobles to the sword.” 

“Indeed. And that is why we must put Sir Mikoshiba to good use.” 

Both of their voices picked up in volume, and they displayed clear enmity toward one another. Most of Rhoadseria’s nobles did not display unconditional loyalty to the royal house. If they had, they would not have been so uncooperative, even with the presence of the banner that was Princess Radine. 

The same held true even for the nobles present here. Count Bergstone was deeply loyal to Queen Lupis, of course, but his fealty wasn’t unconditional. He only served her as loyally as he did because she placed him in a key position after the civil war ended. It was the difference between receiving one’s favor and being given a service. 

One year ago, Count Bergstone was part of the neutral faction, and refused to lend the Princess faction his aid despite repeated requests from Meltina. That was because Meltina expected him to help out of nothing but sheer loyalty to the throne. 

The idea of loyalty to the throne had a pleasant ring to it, to be sure, and some would lay down their lives for it. But most people would not. People needed to know that whatever they do will give them a benefit of some sorts. 

Mikhail knew this terribly well. Hardly anyone sided with Queen Lupis one year ago... Not until the day Ryoma Mikoshiba appeared. 

“What are you in such a panic over?” Helena cut into their argument, after watching over it silently for a while. 

“What, you ask? Isn’t it obvious? We haven’t much time left. Isn’t executing Baron Mikoshiba and unifying the nobles’ will our fastest option?” 

Mikhail was caught off-guard by the question, and unintentionally let his true intentions slip. Helena’s gaze sharpened. 

“I see... So that was what you really meant,” she said. 

“N-No...” Mikhail’s face contorted. “I didn’t... I said nothing...” 

Her words made Mikhail aware that he had just said something he was better off leaving unsaid. True, making an example of Ryoma may have unified the country. But there was no need to specifically make Ryoma the target. There were plenty of other expendable people they could sacrifice. 

Despite calling Ryoma their trump card, Mikhail suggested that they didn’t use it against their enemy, but rather discard it to make a point before their other allies. His words and his intentions were evidently two different things. 

I knew it... He still holds a grudge against Sir Mikoshiba... Count Bergstone realized at once. 

At a sight, Mikhail’s claims seemed to be reasonable, but once he realized his true intentions it was hard not to judge him harshly. 

“Do you hate Sir Mikoshiba?” Count Bergstone asked. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mikhail replied composedly, trying to cloak his confusion. 

Apparently he chose to feign ignorance, but it felt like it was far too late for that. His attitude just moments ago made it clear to everyone present just what his intentions were. And yet, he tried to hide his intent. 

“Do you hate Sir Mikoshiba that much?” Count Bergstone repeated the question. “That failure was yours and yours alone. Resenting him would be misguided.” 

“I haven’t the foggiest clue what you mean.” 

Mikhail repeated that farce once again. But upon seeing him say those words a second time, Count Bergstone felt a chill run down his spine. 

Those eyes...! 

They were filled with a deep, bottomless darkness. Mikhail’s gaze was filled with flames of hatred and obsession. As far as Count Bergstone could see, the Mikhail Vanash he knew wasn’t there. True, he always knew him to be a short-sighted person, but he’d never seen Mikhail completely ignore appearances and regard another person with such clear, blatant antagonism. 

Count Bergstone could somewhat understand why he’d loath Ryoma from the bottom of his heart. It was perhaps only natural for him to desire for Ryoma to disappear. But it was an unjustified grudge. And he couldn’t allow those personal lusts to plunge Rhoadseria into further chaos. 

I pity you, but... 

Sparks flickered between the two. 

“Stop this!” Queen Lupis’s shout echoed through the room. “That’s enough... I will give a royal decree. Firstly, Helena. Contact Baron Mikoshiba and inform him that he is summoned to the capital, post haste. He won’t necessarily refuse, so for now we will explain our situation to him. We can decide what to do in case he refuses later.... Understood?” 

“Your Majesty...” Meltina whispered, aghast. 

But Queen Lupis gave her orders rapidly, ignoring her aide’s words. They had no time for pointless pontification. Despite the doubts eating away at her, Queen Lupis made her decision. 

No... It was more than that. She felt the cold gazes fixed on Mikhail by everyone else in this room, and wanted to shield him from it. Or perhaps it was because she saw his hand reach for the sword sheathed at his waist for one moment. 

“Inform Xarooda that we will send them reinforcements. Tell them it will take us some time to prepare, and our forces will set out in a month. And inform Myest’s forces waiting at the border that they’re free to pass. Understood, Count Bergstone? We will need to be prepared within the month.” 

“A month, you say... It’ll be difficult. And are you sure we should allow them to enter?” 

While they did share a common enemy, the circumstances hadn’t changed. There was the slim chance Myest’s side had already grown impatient and decided to suppress Rhoadseria first. To that end, perhaps it would have been wiser to wait until Rhoadseria’s army was prepared before giving them permission to pass. 

That was the reasoning behind Count Bergstone’s question, but Queen Lupis shook her head in denial. 

“We don’t have a choice. Both countries’ impression of us is bad as it is since we haven’t moved so far. And letting them pass only once we’re prepared would mean letting them wait for too long... If Xarooda ends up falling because of that, there would be no point to us sending out reinforcements anyway.” 

Moving an army took time, especially when it came to dispatching it abroad. Supplies and spare armaments would have to be prepared. Count Bergstone’s fears weren’t unfounded, but they were effectively out of time. And so was Xarooda. The contents of their letter made it clear. 

“Is everyone clear on their role?” Queen Lupis asked. 

Whatever her reasons were, the monarch made her choice, and her vassals could only nod. 

“““By your will, Your Majesty!””” 

Everyone rose from their seats and bent at the waist in obedience. All in the name of protecting the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. 

As the council drew to a close, most of its participants left, leaving only three figures in the room. 

“Why did you say that?” Queen Lupis asked. 

“As your vassal, I’ve offered what I thought to be the best possible solution,” Mikhail replied calmly, without a hint of hesitation. 

His voice was colder than she’d ever heard it before. 

“Is that... really the entirety of your intent?” she asked cautiously. 

“Whatever do you mean? Do you find my loyalty so difficult to believe in?” Even with Lupis’s questioning gaze on him, Mikhail’s expression didn’t change. 

He was unwavering, like a doll that lost its emotions. 

“Sir Mikhail! You cannot speak to Her Majesty like this!” Meltina angrily reprimanded his attitude. 

Perhaps she was still irritated by his attitude during the council, which may well have justified drawing a sword on him depending on the circumstances. 

“It’s fine, Meltina.” Queen Lupis restrained her, however. 

“But, Your Majesty!” 

Even though Mikhail was a vassal who supported her for many years, his attitude as of late was disrespectful. Ignoring it would only greatly impact Lupis’s authority as queen, and that was something Meltina could not allow. But seeing the emotion filling Queen Lupis’s eyes made Meltina swallow her words. 

“Please...” 

Just how much resolve was hiding behind those words? 

“My apologies, Your Majesty.” Seeing the shiver in Queen Lupis’s shoulders made Meltina bow her head and retreat back against the wall. Nodding at her, Queen Lupis turned back to Mikhail with a sad gaze. 

“Well, good work today. You may step down.” 

“Understood. I will be leaving, then.” 

Milkhail bowed his head and turned around to leave. The sight of his retreating back told everything there was to tell. A deep, dark, profound obsession roosted within Mikhail Vanash’s heart. Two sorrowful sets of eyes watched as he strode unflinchingly out of the room. 

“What drove him to this...?” Queen Lupis whispered a question to which Meltina couldn’t offer an answer. 

The reason was clear, though. Neither could put it into words, though. Doing that would shatter Queen Lupis’s heart like glass. 

“You’ve done nothing, Your Majesty.” Meltina could say nothing else. 

In Mikhail’s allotted room in the castle, two men conversed, illuminated by a single lamp placed on the table. One was the owner of this room, and the other was a person who should not have been in this room. 

“It seems the dispatch has been decided as per schedule,” Akitake Sudou said unexpectedly, eliciting a grimace from Mikhail who sat on the sofa opposite of him. 

“How do you know that? That hasn’t been made public yet.” 

The decision to dispatch reinforcements to the Kingdom of Xarooda was decided on the noon of that day. Those in a position of public officer were informed of it, but the man sitting before him didn’t hold that kind of position. 

On the surface, Sudou’s position was that of a servant dispatched by Viscount Gelhart to serve Princess Radine. He may have learned of this news eventually, but Mikhail would have to be suspicious if that news had leaked to him on the very day it was decided. 

Sudou, however, simply smiled in amusement at Mikhail’s suspicion. 

“You may all try to hide the news, but the more you scramble to obfuscate something, the faster word of it seems to spread... And it spreads fast, indeed...” 

Mikhail scoffed in displeasure at Sudou’s condescending attitude. 

“Your hearing is as keen as ever, Sudou,” he said. 

At first glance, it may have seemed like a compliment, but Mikhail was clearly looking down at Sudou. He saw him as a lowly commoner scurrying about the castle like a rat. He didn’t put it into words, but the way he eyed Sudou communicated that clearly. 

“How very harsh of you... Sadly, I’ve no other talents to my name.” Sudou shrugged, not showing any concern for Mihkail’s scorn. 

“Hmph. I’ve no idea why you serve as Princess Radine’s aide...” Mikhail snorted with a hint of annoyance at Sudou’s slippery attitude. 

“That would be because I, much like yourself, Sir Mikhail, am appreciated for my wholehearted loyalty to the royal house,” Sudou said with a smile. 

“Nonsense... You haven’t the slightest bit of loyalty for Rhoadseria,” Mikhail spat out in displeasure. 

Such an utterly foolish man... Sudou thought to himself mockingly. You can’t even hold on to your calmness without all that bravado. 

Mikhail’s standing had been in a steep decline ever since last year’s civil war. Truth be told, it wasn’t just as low as one’s standing could get — it went beyond that and straight into negative values, if such a thing is even possible. 

And your stupidity drove you against the wall... All that’s left is to finish you off. I look forward to seeing just how terribly you crash and burn... 

Being the number one swordsman in Rhoadseria and Queen Lupis’s highly loyal, close aide, Mikhail Vanash’s name once had great glory and praise attached to it. His loyalty was seen by the kingdom as a treasure. He wasn’t without his flaws, of course, but Mikhail was viewed as a young man worthy of entrusting the kingdom’s future to. 

And all of that was now a relic of the past. His pursuit of merit led to him shamefully falling prisoner, and upon being released he was sentenced to several months of house arrest. Everyone’s opinion of him had greatly worsened as a result. 

Following his house arrest being lifted, Queen Lupis used the reorganization of her government to instate him as captain of the Royal Guard, which drew much ire from both his subordinates and colleagues. There was even talk of Queen Lupis dismissing Helena in order to elevate him to the rank of General, which only served to worsen his position. 

It made sense for Queen Lupis to station vassals she trusted in positions close to her, but everyone else didn’t understand this. For all they were concerned, Mikhail curried favor with the queen while actively acting to undermine her. 

And thanks to Sudou spreading rumors outside the palace that were a deft mixture of truth and lies, Mikhail’s reputation was plummeting ever further down. His colleagues and subordinates scorned him while the nobles mocked him. To a proud knight like Mikhail, this situation was effectively a living hell. 

Were he truly a fool, he wouldn’t pay those opinions any mind. And if he were truly that lowly and despicable, he would adjust his standing a bit more cleverly. But sadly, Mikhail Vanash was far too simple and honest of a man. And it was because he could distinguish good and bad and knew how the world worked, and remained proud and honest despite that, that he couldn’t tolerate this outcome. 

There was a gap between ideals and reality, and most people who fall into that gap lose sight of their hearts. To escape the suffering before their eyes, they torment and curse those around them. Not knowing that doing so only tightens the noose around their necks all the harder... 

And being well aware of that, Sudou dripped sweet poison into Mikhail’s heart. Poison that would ravage his heart further and deprive him of the capacity for reason. And eventually, all the truth would be drained from his heart, leaving only convenient fiction to be used. 

“That much goes without saying. I am no match for you, Sir Mikhail, but Princess Radine is an illegitimate daughter. She may have been formally recognized as a member of the royal family, but she has few vassals that believe in her from the bottom of their hearts. So even a humble, lowly man such as myself is given the honor of her trust.” 

“I see.” Mikhail smirked in satisfaction at Sudou’s answer. 

The poison in Sudou’s words tickled at Mikhail’s sense of self-importance. He could see through the transparent flattery that the smiling man before his eyes was trying to feed him. But after having been pelted with scorn and mockery by his subordinates and colleagues for so long, these words were the only source of healing he had left. He clung to them, even though he knew they were a lie... 

“Incidentally...” Mikhail said, taking up a glass full of wine off the table and leveling a questioning gaze at Sudou. “I made that proposal during the council, just like you told me. Are you sure that was wise, though?” 

“Of course,” Sudou nodded composedly at the question. “My apologies, Sir Mikhail, but did you perhaps come up with some better idea?” 

Mikhail lost all words at the sight of that confident demeanor. 

“Well, no... But I cannot imagine he will simply obey without argument.” 

“No, he probably wouldn’t. But in that case, it will simply give you pretext to have him executed.” 

“Yes, I understand that much. I explained it during the council, too. But honestly, that man has a way of being extremely unpredictable. Who’s to say what he might attempt.” 

Mikhail’s claim was a rather level-headed analysis of the situation. As obsessed as he was with his hatred for Ryoma, he still retained that much judgment. Those words only served to exasperate Sudou, however. 

You’re contradicting yourself... 

Indeed, it was a contradiction. He said Ryoma would never swallow these demands willingly, and that there was no telling what kind of plot he might come up with to get back at them for trying to force him into this. 

But even knowing that much, you still proposed it during that council. Just what is this man thinking... I know people have a way of acting in unpredictable ways when backed against the wall, but... Oh well. He does make for a useful marionette. 

Stifling the mocking sneer that threatened to surface on his face, Sudou regarded Mikhail with a soft smile. Sudou may have been the one who directed him to do so, but Mihkail’s thinking was by now lacking in consistency and cohesion. All that remained was his sorrow at the position he was in, and his resentment for Ryoma, whom he perceived as the source of his troubles. 

Impatience, hatred, envy, loathing. These emotions raged in Mikhail’s heart, denying him the capacity for sound reasoning. 

“That in and of itself would be a satisfactory outcome. A disloyal vassal would be removed from Her Majesty’s side, and your stock as a loyal retainer will rise.” 

“But—!” 

“You mustn’t abhor bloodshed if you are to enforce justice,” Sudou stressed, his eyes shining with a dangerous glint. 

“But... Will it really go that smoothly?” Mikhail’s expression was awash with anxiety. 

“Sir Mikhail, you mustn’t dread this. Everyone else will eventually come to realize how right you truly are. You will not be able to guide this country if you let petty guilt overcome you.” Sudou silenced Mikhail with powerful words. “At times, one must even be irrational if they are to defend their country. And the only one who can do that now is you, Sir Mikhail. Please, protect the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Save Her Majesty, Queen Lupis!” 

One minute passed. Then another. The two’s gazes were locked across the table. 

“Fine... I shall trust you.” 

“Splendid. Then everything else should go as planned,” Sudou said before bowing his head and leaving the room. 

Mikhail watched him leave wordlessly. 

After leaving Mikhail’s room, Sudou silently made his way to his own room, making sure to avoid any prying eyes. 

It took quite some time to set this up... But perhaps I should praise him for a job well done after all. 

A dark smile played over Sudou’s lips as he thought back to the conversation that had just taken place. People have a tendency to believe only what they want to believe. Ever since the civil war ended, Mikhail had had his capabilities and character denied by everyone around him. And thanks to that, Sudou’s words of affirmation easily crept into his heart. 

What filled the bottom of Mihkail’s heart, like dark, filthy dregs, was hatred and grudge toward Ryoma Mikoshiba. A misplaced grudge, to be sure. But for the duration of this year, Sudou had managed to warp those emotions, placing that baseless grudge into where Mikhail’s sense of justice should have been. His desire to bring justice and defend Rhoadseria. 

But the more he loves his country and the more loyal he is to the royal house, the more he eats away at it... Heh heh, such a tragic man. 

The trust Queen Lupis put into Mikhail was backfiring. The more she tried to cover for him, the more the gazes of those around him drove Mikhail back and made him make mistakes. Queen Lupis then once again covered for him, completing this vicious cycle. Of course, all of this was due to Sudou himself spreading rumors throughout the castle. 

A bond between a lord and their vassal can be hazardous when taken too far... 

It truly was ironic. As fiercely loyal as he was, Mikhail lacked the power to change this country, but Ryoma Mikoshiba — who didn’t have any loyalty to the queen — was charged with deciding its fate. 

It only remains to be seen how young Mr. Mikoshiba will act... He truly is unpredictable. But this is the third time he’s interfered with me... It’s about time he disappears. Now then, how will things turn out...? 

It had been nearly two years since Ryoma Mikoshiba arrived in this world. He slew the O’ltormea Empire’s court thaumaturgist Gaius and interfered with Rhoadseria’s civil war. And now, he was about to interfere with Sudou’s intentions for the third time. 

We would much rather if he doesn’t participate in this at all, but the chances of that are low. And so... 

If he were to be asked if he wants to participate in the reinforcements, his answer would likely be no. The current state of affairs couldn’t allow for that, though. If he were to refuse, Ryoma Mikoshiba would be placed in a dangerous position, regardless of what might happen to the forces being sent out. If he were to truly prepare to break off and become independent before the war came to a head, perhaps things would be different, but reasonably speaking, that was impossible. 

In which case, the question wasn’t whether he would participate, but rather what his conditions for participating would be. Whether he would do so while expecting nothing in return, or negotiate to try and gain something. Given Ryoma’s personality and Queen Lupis’s actions so far, it seemed likely he would set some kind of condition. 

Would he seek money, or more territory...? Perhaps he would want to have his noble title elevated... 

Since the Wortenia Peninsula’s development was still underway, receiving more land now would only make it too much for him to properly manage everything. Perhaps he’d be able to manage land that was directly adjacent to Wortenia, but if he were given detached lands to govern, he wouldn’t be able to properly watch over them. 

If I recall correctly, the land closest to the Peninsula is Count Salzberg’s territory, Epirus... But it’s close to the border with Xarooda, and the Count has consolidated control over the nobles of the north and acts as their leader. Even if the sky were to fall, they wouldn’t place a newcomer Baron in his place... 

Which means he would have to pick either a noble title or gold, and given his personality, I can’t imagine he would care for a title. He’s probably planning to leave Rhoadseria behind at some point, so he cares little for titles. 

Perhaps it would’ve been different if Ryoma intended to remain in Rhoadseria until the end of his days, but Sudou thought that was highly unlikely. Sudou himself made this happen, but given how Queen Lupis treated Ryoma after the civil war, it wasn’t likely he would wish to stay in this country. 

In which case, the options were fairly limited. He would either try to form his own country or come under the protection of another country. And whichever choice he made, a noble title granted by the Rhoadserian royal house would be worth nothing. And in addition to that, developing the Wortenia Peninsula would cost a large amount of money. 

So he would ask for money... I wonder how much he’ll demand. 

The question of how much he’d ask for would make it easier to predict his future actions. 

If he asks for dozens of millions, then it would take more than ten years. But if he asks for more... We may need to advance the schedule on our side. 

Sudou was absolutely abuzz with anticipation. When he was first summoned to this world, he lamented the disparity in the quality of life, but it turned out he was actually more suited to this world than he was to Japan. 

Manipulating people... Spinning plots... It fulfilled him in a way that his tepid life in Japan never did. Especially at times like these, when his stratagems decided the outcomes of wars. And all the more so when his victory was already assured. 

Now then, what’s going to happen next...? 

Sudou smirked — the smile of a man confident in his victory.