The 96th day after being summoned to another world . Ryouma was the only person inside the room in the castle . There was a little bit chaos during the audience; however, the princess never changes her decision . In Ryouma's mind, he remembers the general gaze full of hatred being directed to him at the time when he was about to leave the audience room . (Fuu . . . Well, I was a newcomer after all, so it can't be helped . ) Actually, there are many things that he feels regretted . In the beginning, he wants to join the princess' faction without making anyone wary of him . However, even if he said that, nothing would change . (I should be happy that the princess show an interest to my proposal . . . ) Currently, Ryouma is still not yet formally part of the princess' faction . Considering everything, it was natural . After all, he has no achievement yet . And from now on, he should start making an achievement . Thus Ryouma's battle is still not yet ended . No, rather, this is where the actual battle start . "I'm sorry I've made you wait . " The one who entered the room was Princess Lupis being accompanied by Meltina . "Oh no, for granting such an impossible wish, I really feel grateful . Your Highness . " Ryouma raises his body from his chair then lowered his head . He wants to discuss about what to do from now on, specifically because he had created inconvenience to many people during the audience . For that, Ryouma and the princess both moved to another room within the castle . And for security reason, only Ryouma was being called . "Well, you don't have to be that stiff . Please relax and make yourself comfortable . " "Understood Then please excuse me . " After confirming Princess Lupis and Meltina have sat down, Ryouma once again sit down in his chair as well . "Then shall we began our discussion? " After confirming with the Princess, Meltina starts the talk . "You should know it already, what we want is a military force . " This should be equal to putting Ryouma and the others in the princess' faction . Meltina said those words while looking at Ryouma as if trying to read his mind, then she continues . "However . . . " "The family of the people who died because of us, you unable to disregard the family dissent is it?" Hearing Ryouma's words, Meltina nodded her head . "Well, I guess that can't be helped, don't you think? Now then, what's your term?" "Value . . . " Meltina answered Ryouma's question briefly . Although many expectations were hidden within her reply . "I see . . . I have to show some value other than being a war potential, is it? " "After all, if you said you only have war potential then, it would be no difference than hiring mercenaries from somewhere . "
"If that is the case then, your highness will get a bargaining in this negotiation you know?" Hearing Ryouma's words, Meltina shows an expression as if doubting him . "Why so?" "After all, I'll be the one who brings victory for your highness . " Hearing that, Princess Lupis unintentionally leaked small laughter . "You have such a great confidence ne~? " "Thank you very much for your praise . " "However, I can't believe you with just a mere words " "Of course, I understand that . " "Then can you prove your words?" Princess Lupis tone of voice sounds like joking; however, he can feel thirst of blood coming from her gaze . "Of course . . . or so that is what I want to say but, can I ask some confirmation first?" "What are you trying to do? You, are you trying to deceive her highness?" Meltina's hand moved toward the sword on her waist . It seems like she's going to cut his head immediately if he makes a poor excuse here . "No no no . . . It's just, how am I going to make a countermeasure if I can't grasp the current situation? Or rather than that . . . I saw something worrisome during the audience, you know . . . After all, the situation is entirely different from what I heard from Mikhail . Thus, I want to hear the current situation directly from her highness . " Meltina who heard Ryouma's explanation turned her line of sight toward the princess for confirmation . "First, shall we listen about the worrisome matter you had said just now?" Princess Lupis said those words toward Ryouma while keeping calm . "Alright . . . First, I heard from Mikhail that the Knight faction is the princess' faction; however, I guess it was not that simple is it not?" Unrest expression shown on the two people face after they heard Ryouma's words . While pretending to be calm, Princess Lupis continues the talk . "Why do you think so?" "That because at the time when your highness spares Mikhail's life, some of the people there show unpleasant expression . Well, it was only for an instant though . And The thing that I want to confirm just now . I've already got the answer from looking at your highness expression . " "I see . . . Then, what is your thought regarding that?" "Regarding the knight faction as your highness base support, we're sure of that, right? However, not all the knight faction members supporting your highness . Perhaps, the General who had been arguing against Meltina-san? Is there a separate faction centered around that person? No . . . opposite of that, it's not like there's a separate faction centered around that general, the general himself is the main actor while the princess is actually only a figurehead, am I right?" Long silence covered the whole room . One might wonder just how much their hearts was beating furiously after hearing Ryouma's words . The answer can be seen just by looking at their expression . (I hit the mark huh? . . . That's mean, I have to change how I should deal with all of this . . . No wait, I have to hear the princess objective first . . . ) "You able to understand all of this just from the audience today?" "Yes . " After the long silence, Princess Lupis finally open her mouth . "I see . . . Indeed, just like you said, having you at my side might be really a bargain . . . " "Your highness . . . " Meltina voice filled with sorrow and regret can be heard . "It's fine . . . There were no meaning in keeping quiet when he was already seen through me this much, don't you think so?" After saying so, Princess Lupis turned her eyes to Ryouma .
"Just like what you said . . . I had no choice but to become a figurehead . All the real powers are held by General Hodram . " "I see, that is the name of the person who argued with Meltina-san during the audience, right?" "Yes . " "Hmm . . . Then can your highness tell me about the current situation? After all, I can't make any countermeasure without knowing it . " Princess Lupis began to talk after brooding over a little . "Indeed . . . . First, I should tell you everything about what the knight factions are . " It took Princess Lupis 30 minutes to explain while getting supplemented by Meltina here and there during the talk . "I see now; this is indeed quite bad . Even if the knight faction were to win the next political struggle, the future that your highness will get would be the worst . " Such words come out from Ryouma's mouth after listening to all of the princess' explanation . Due to General Hodram holding the real power, by the time the political strife against the noble comes to an end, Princess Lupis would literally . No, if General Hodram was someone who does not care about rebel stigma, after he executes the nobles faction, he might actually sit on the throne himself . In other words, for the princess to survive, two conditions must be cleared . One is to win the political strife against the noble . During the time the knight faction tried to win against the noble faction, they have also to expand the princess' faction until it has enough power to counter the General . Even just one of this condition can be said to be considerably difficult . Although Meltina and Princess Lupis seems to understand about this already . (I thought I was going to pass my predicament smoothly but, it ends up like this huh? Only one-third of the knights from the Knight faction have sworn allegiance to the princess . . . ) One can say that the Princess faction was being cornered like a mouse . That's why they found interest toward Ryouma's words, as if clinging to the last straw of hope . For their own survival . "I want to make her highness the princess to be the real head of this country! Both in name and reality! You, can you do it?!" "Meltina . . . Thank you . . . " Princess Lupis said her thanks for Meltina's words . "I guess so . . . But first I want to confirm, first for your highness to become a true ruler of Rozeria kingdom . Second, to break away as the knight faction's puppet . You want to aim for these two point right?" The two people nodded toward Ryouma's words . "If that is the case, we can do it somehow . After establishing royal authority, whether or not it can be maintained, it depends on your highness the princess' ability, however, if it's just to take it . . . it's possible . " ""Is that true?"" "Of course . . . " Toward Ryouma's words, their reply was filled with a mixed feeling of happiness and skepticism . "How are we going to do that?" "By splitting the neutral faction . " The face of the two people clouded with disappointment for Ryouma's words . "Fuu . . . it was stupid for the two of us to believe in you . " Meltina calls him stupid with mocking tone . "Oh? You don't like it?" "Of course! I was already doing that since a long time ago!" "Hou? Meltina-san is?" A smile appears on Ryouma's face . "That's right! Everyone would already think about that!" "And you think nobody notices that? "
"Y-You bastard!" Maybe Meltina feels like she was getting mocked, she drew her sword . "Are you looking down on me!" (I see . . . With just this much provocation it ends up like this huh?) He had already expected it since the time he saw what happen during the audience, but still . . . (There's no problem in terms of loyalty toward the princess, but, I want someone who's a little bit thoughtful . . . ) Ryouma thought of something like that while Meltina's sword draws closer to him . "Stop it!" "But still your highness!" "Meltina! Calm down!" Due to Princess Lupis reprimand her, Meltina reluctantly withdraws her sword . "However, it was reasonable for Meltina to get angry . Or do you really think you can split the neutral faction?" One can feel Princess Lupis words contain some thorn in it . Although she shows some tolerance toward him, she does not have any intention to swallow all Ryouma's words just like that, and she also shows slight displeasure on her face . Ryouma shows a bitter smile while looking at Princess Lupis, then he began to talk . "Well, I'm 80% sure . However before that, I want Meltina-san to do something, is that okay?" After gazing at the princess, Meltina nodded her head . "How slow of you! How's the negotiation going?" The night sky had already ruled over the neighborhood . Most people inside the castle have already eaten their dinner and currently prepared to enter their bed . "Sorry about that . Or rather, you both still awake?" After finishes his talk with the princess, Ryouma head toward the room he was allocated to, when he opened the door he saw Laura and the others whom he considered already sleeping standing in front of him . "Of course . We won't sleep until master return!" Sara nodded at Laura's words . "You're not the only one who stay awake you know?" "What, there's Lione-san too huh? " "What do you mean with what! Geez . . . I was wondering how the negotiation was going, to the point I can't stop my heart from beating fast!" Lione who sat down in front of the table that being placed in the middle of the room protested . "Because you felt nervous thus you end up waiting is it?" Due to the scattered bottles of wine on the top of the table, Ryouma didn't think she's that worried about him . "Nee-san believed young master and had been waiting for you to return, you know? " "Bolts! You don't have to say such unnecessary thing!" Then Lione erases her smile and turns her line of sight toward Ryouma . "So? How is the negotiation going? Is it going as you had expected?" She immediately returns the topic as soon as she sobered up, it seems like she holds back on her drinking a bit . "Yes . Though I was planning to tell you about it tomorrow . Since Lione-san is already here, I guess I should just tell you now . Laura, Sara . Both of you, please sit down as well . " "Emm . . . How about the meal?" "Ah, forget about that . There's no problem if I just skip one meal . " ""Understood . "" Ryouma wondered if the sisters actually prepared his meal already, as he ordered the sister to sit down when they were about to head toward the inner room, then he began his explanation regarding the negotiation . "What did you say!? The princess' faction is in that kind of disadvantage!?" The first who raises voice after listening to Ryouma's explanation was Lione . Bolts and the sisters' face also shows a gloomy expression . "Well, about that there's nothing can be done . " "But still, to think that within the Knight faction there's a dispute between the general faction and the queen faction is a little bit . . . " "Well, I guess that's how big-shot usually is, I guess? " Toward Laura's words, Lione replies in a somewhat philosophic way . In that regard, it might be because of the difference in life experience . "But then again, are you really going to help them when you already know they were in that kind of situation?" "Well, if we leave it as it is, it would be impossible . At least, if the princess does not have the power to hold up against the general after the political strife against the noble faction end, it would be over for them . " If one consider the way General Hodram talk or how he look at Ryouma's and the others, he might just laughing and ignore them despite the fact that they had already asked the princess to help them in exchange helping her to fight the noble faction . If Ryouma handles this poorly, at the time the political strife end, they might send an army to get rid of him . "If that is the case then, there's no other choice other than building the princess' faction's strength huh?" The reason why Bolts' voice lack in energy was because if he had to analysis everything as a mercenary, it would be very difficult for them to win in this kind situation . "But not all was bad . At least, the princess was willing to help and back us up if we assist them . " Because the possibility of winning is slim, usually it makes such agreement end up having more binding force . "But, are you really sure you can win over the neutral faction?" "Sure . Since I've asked Meltina-san to demonstrated how she do negotiation a while ago . I will go and catch the fish . " Everyone shows a wondering expression after looking at the face of Ryouma who had responded to Lione's question . They are wondering why after seeing how Meltina done negotiation Ryouma consider it as confirmation of success . "Well, we will talk about that after I success on doing the actual negotiation, for now, Lione and the others will be put under the princess' direct command . Your main duty would be guarding the castle and practice until the war started . " Up until here Ryouma stop talking and direct his gaze at Lione . "? What? Is there anything else?" "No . Lione-san, how many people does Red Lion have?" "Including myself, there's 22 people who are able to fight . There's a guy who got his shoulders injured by an arrow during the last surprise attack, but if that guy injury were to get better, then there would be 23 people . " "We slightly lack on people huh . . . Lione-san can you gather around 70-80 people without going through the guild?" "Well, since I have some mercenaries friends and acquaintance, it is possible . . . but do you have the money?" It was unusual for Lione to reply with such bad manners . "How much?" "Let see . . . If you want people with capability like me then . . . I want around 300 gold coins . " "Understood . I will ask Laura to get the money tomorrow, so can you gather them immediately?" "S-Sure . If you have the money, then it's fine . " Lione was taken aback due to how Ryouma brought out a large sum of money easily . "For now, tomorrow would be the start of our battle! What kind of action we make, and how we conduct ourself will decide everything!" Everyone nodded their head vigorously after hearing Ryouma's words . They understood that in order to survive this battle is the battle they cannot lose .
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