《Wortenia Senki》 Chapter 1 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Episode 1 (Early in the morning) May 8. ¡°Drive more in!¡± An angry voice resounded early in the morning on the surrounding residential area. His height is around 170cm. On his chest, one can see solid muscle which looks wonderful with him wearing a kendo uniform. His upper arm is very masculine, and in his right hand, he¡¯s holding a 2 shaku 8 sun length katana In front of the old man, a young man holding a sword in the same way as him. ¡°Old man. If I were to drive more in with sharp blade without pulling out, won¡¯t you die! I don¡¯t care if you die, but, I don¡¯t want to get in trouble with the police¡­¡± The young man height who is spouting an abusive language is definitely exceeded 180cm. Possibly it already reaches 190cm. Like this, people who approach him will look him with the look as if looking at a demon. But fortunately, one can guess that he was brought up well, having a face that exudes gentleness who will make the beholder feel a peace of mind. ¡°Funn¡­ You brat? Killing me?¡± The old man laughed while snorting his nose. In sword fight victory or defeat, it¡¯s not about defense = being on the defensive. Defense only exists in a match game of kendo. In real combat, it is about who cuts the opponent vital point precisely first. Being able to bring forth a certain kill move first, is what we call the deepest technique in sword art. After the two of them crossed each other and moved 2 meters and replace each other place, they both entered Seigan no Kamae stance once again. ¡°This brat! Did you just tried to cut my central throat seriously just now!?!¡± The old man pressed closer to the young man. In the old man eyes, he can see the thirst for blood coated the young man katana. ¡°There¡¯s the thing about a teacher teaching their students to kill their parents after all¡­ or rather, aren¡¯t you also aimed at my throat when our blades clashed!¡± The reason why the old man was angry must be not because of the young man sharp tongue. The moment the sword intersected is the moment you kill your opponent, the one who hammered such mental attitude was the old man. However, even with the young man pointed out reasonably, for the old man who has his blood rush to his head only sees it as bullshit. ¡°Of course it is! My technique is a one hit kill after all! I will only cross sword when I have the resolve to kill!¡± ¡°Like I said¡­ That kind of dangerous thing, I won¡¯t be able to use it won¡¯t I?. in this Japan, where on earth am I going to use it anyway? That kind of technique. In the first place, how are you going to teach a pupil with that kind of technique?¡± Hearing the young man natural opinion, blue vein appeared on the old man forehead. ¡°Argh Shut up! You can just be silent and practice!¡± The old man swung down his sword while roared. An old man and A young man. The outcome of the battle is gradually tilted toward the young man. The more the young man power pushed in, the more the blades approach the old man neck. *Shu!* The old man must have judged that if one only uses power in this battle, that would be disadvantageous. He¡¯s not even shy to use his bare hand in a sword fight. In the first place, the reason why the young man can evade that surprise attack might be due to that kind of thing being a normal occurrence. One can say that their practice battle is similar to that of actual battle from a long time ago. The old man then flew backward and withdrew his katana, and then leaned his katana on the bamboo near him. After the young man had put his katana on a nearby tree, he turned toward the old man. He wakes up 5 o¡¯clock in the morning, and it has been one hour since the lesson start. It was natural for his stomach to rumbled from hunger. However, that grandparent won¡¯t stop the practice just because the grandchild is hungry. (Damn it! I¡¯m starving¡­ this damn grandpa, won¡¯t he end it already?) However, the young man prayer was gone in vain, seeing there¡¯s no opening in the old man stance. He seems to be in full motivation. By the moment the young man relaxed his stance, the old man would most likely rush attacking. Her height is around 175 I guess? A charming girl with strong willed brown eyes. From where did she pulled that out? The thing that has been used to hit the head of the young man is a ladle, which currently is in her hand. Even though the young man has strong physical strength, having that ladle being hit with that speed is even he cannot avoid it¡­ Back in the days, there¡¯s similar thing like this. A manga where the protagonist got himself being hit by a hammer every time he makes passes at another girl. The overpowering spirit and intimidating air from the practice in the surrounding disappeared completely. And there, standing an always good-natured old man. (This is why, I hate this old man¡­ ) If one have to say honestly, this is the only gap that the young man unable to compete. ¡°Ojii-chan! What are you saying! I have a boyfriend already. and it¡¯s definitely not Ryouma!¡± Asuka turns a meaningful line of sight toward him. (As expected of Asuka¡­ my younger cousin, such shrewd woman.) ¡°Umu¡­ It seems like this relative of mine is a money monger ja na~¡­¡± Listening to the old man speaking like as if feeling amazed, the young man has some thought. Like that he has a feeling that he can consent with what his old man is saying. Kiryuu Asuka is someone with a good brain and attractive appearance. It is easy to get close to her, and she does not have such an overbearing air typical of a beautiful girl. Many people would call her ideal woman, but, for the young man, that¡¯s sounds like a joke. For example, even if they are not blood-related, the young man thought it¡¯s just hopeless. Being together since the dawn of childhood, he seems to be unable to see her as a love interest. ¡°Aaaaaah~!¡± Suddenly Asuka screamed a loud voice when she takes a look at her wristwatch. ¡°Because I have an archery morning practice, I¡¯ll get going alright. Listen up, Ryouma! Put the tableware properly later!¡± Leaving such words, while taking off the apron and run toward the main building. ¡°Fuofuofuo¡­ such busy child ja na~¡­¡± The old man said such words with a triumphant face. ¡°Won¡¯t she lose her time to have breakfast because having a banter with you just now?¡± ¡°That because you have no respect for old people¡­¡± It seems like, in this old man dictionary, there¡¯s no such a thing as ¡®Reflecting.¡¯ (Honestly! one day, I will strangle you to death¡­) Though it was not Asuka, he feels like time flew by fast when he¡¯s accompanying that gramps. The name of the young man is Mikoshiba Ryouma. Every morning, he becomes a victim of abuse by his grandfather in the name of training. There¡¯s also no grave, and that¡¯s why he don¡¯t know if they are dying because of illness or accident. Surprisingly they might live somewhere, but, he does not have any interest in parents that is not here. That¡¯s why he lives with his grandparents the two of them, in a quiet residential area within Suginami district. He has a very ordinary face. Well, one can say that he has a manly face, but, when we talk about his strong feature, then it¡¯s no big deal. Well, one can say, a typical Japanese face. His arm and legs are thick like a log, in contrast to the now popular hosomatcho. And with a complex of that old looking face. Which become his biggest trouble. Even though he¡¯s just 16years old, people from the surrounding would think that he¡¯s 30 years old. An evaluation that would put someone in shock. And his grandparents are not noisy regarding that either. On the contrary, he feels pleased to have evening drink together. Because he¡¯s like that, he was unable to have a girlfriend. Well, one might think ¡®just talk with a classmate,¡¯ but it¡¯s not like he has someone close either. And that is a human called Mikoshiba Ryouma. But still, he¡¯s still someone normal who has a common dream of meeting a cute girl and get married¡­ this kind of person, today, at the time of lunch break, will be thrown into hell Chapter 2 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Chapter 2 Chapter 1 E 2 (Summoned to Another world) 1 ¡°Fuu¡­ Finally lunch time huh.¡± When the morning class ended, Ryouma breathes out a huge sigh; he then took out a lunch box from his bag. In the high school Ryouma attends to, the lunch break spans 1 hour from 12.00 o¡¯clock until 13.00 o¡¯clock. A very beautiful girl with big eyes and long black hair. For a moment, hesitation appeared on his face; however, he immediately turns himself with a smile. ¡°Ah¡­ Sorry, let¡¯s do it next time!¡± It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to have lunch with my classmate. After all, Asuka lunch box is just too cute, which did not fit with his image. At least, that was what he himself thought. In society, there¡¯s the so-called character lunch box Her variation is vast, start from Pikachu and the others, though it expresses the ingredients, to be honest, for Ryouma, having his lunch box in the form of character lunch box, it can¡¯t be helped if he wants to stop it. However, for Asuka who make this lunch box, she didn¡¯t take any consideration to Ryouma manly heart at all. There is no problem with this lunch box until middle school. He has no parents, and his grandfather is not someone who will make a lunch box for Ryouma sake; thus it was a custom for him to just buy bread from the school cafeteria, it was the later half of April that there¡¯s the talk that Asuka should make a lunch box. He ate the lunch box frantically, making sure that the surrounding did not see it; thus he was able to protect his honor, later after he returned home he called Asuka and made a protest, but, by the next day, his lunch box, a homemade lunch box, has become a white rice with a single pickled plum in the middle. (And the breakfast turn into hell too¡­ it turn into cold cereal with milk.) Like that, Ryouma suppressing his dissatisfaction in his heart, he apologizes to Asuka. Thus, his lunch box ends up with character lunch box once again, until now. ¡°You said next time, next time, aren¡¯t you making this every day! Mou, fine. But, next time, you absolutely have to eat with us by all means!¡± She said such thing while puffing her cheek. Such lovely expression. She does not seem to be particularly persistent. Well, you can say it was just a lip service of a popular high school student. ¡°My bad my bad. I will do so next time!¡± Every day whenever the weather is clear, he will eat at the rooftop, and have a siesta until the bell chime, that was Ryouma daily routine. ¡°Well then, see you next time.¡± After saying that words to his classmate, Ryouma left the classroom. That¡¯s right; his hell began from there. Fuu! ¡°Ah?¡± The floor disappeared from Ryouma foot. It¡¯s not like he missed his steps. He was sure that the stairs were there before, but abruptly disappear, and just like that, he fell bellow. The light from his school building grew narrower little by little. In the jet black darkness, he merely keeps falling. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly Ryouma noticed. Well, that, of course, make sense. But having one body floating is absolutely impossible. Because a person cannot fly in the sky with his own strength. No matter how much that person trains his own body. Ryouma then looked above. The body then keep floating, and the light downpour becomes more stronger. ¡°Where is this? This place¡­ the school didn¡¯t have this kind of place, right?¡± For Ryouma, this place is inside his school building, or at least within the school ground. However, such pattern of thought, the moment he saw the people in front of him, crumbles away. There is five man before Ryouma eyes. But, the problem is not that. Their body height and build are not that different compared to Ryouma. Their body are fairly trained. They also cover their body with metal armor, the one that being used in ancient Greece and a helmet (helmet with crest and on the nose part being guarded with T shape metal), on their hands, they hold, ax, spear, and halberd. With that being the case, that means the swords on their waist are also real. If it was only their armor, then Ryouma might think that it was just a costume. There wouldn¡¯t be anyone who is going to buy it either, and if they were buying it, they wouldn¡¯t use it, but, the fact that there¡¯s a human being who wears it at least, in reality, has always been in the scope of comprehension as a fact that occurs in reality. It is because of all those spears, halberd, and swords, all of them are sharp. He did not think that having real spears and halberd to be a joke. Even if this is a robbery or some kind of random attacker, there¡¯s no one going as far as to prepare such thing as that kind of spear and halberd. Usually, it would be just a knife or kitchen knife. And Ryouma can feel the thirst of blood from them as something real. It was the moment, where his daily life, fall apart. The man he spoke to wear a helmet with a lot of red tassel decoration on it. With that signal, three-man approach Ryouma with their ax, spear, and halberd slowly. Things regarding what is the intention of these guys are something that Ryouma do not know. He could never be able to understand. However, it was evident, what they are going to do is not a good thing for him. He immediately looked around, but, he was unable to find windows for escape. The only escape way is by using iron door behind the old man. In Ryouma mind, there¡¯s no another choice other than to live. Furthermore, he doesn¡¯t know the exact situation, and there¡¯s no one that he can ask about it either. If that is the case, then there¡¯s only one way. For modern day people, such decision should never be made. And his brain thought out a way with the highest probability for him to survive. Even for them, they did not think that the people that they have to summon would smile at them The soldiers being bewildered, stopped their walk. That action actually what Ryouma has aimed. And then, his finger pierced at the soldier eyeballs deeply. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± A scream comes out from the mouth of the soldier. Eyes are among one of the vital that would always be in immediate danger. Ryouma gouges the eyes socket without pulling his fingers, as it is he pushes down his arm downward. It was bad luck for the soldiers because they wear armor. If that the case then, he needs to aim at their vital from a gap in the armor. And form that, it was the eyes that have such high probability. The soldiers who have his eyes gouged, fell while screamed loud cries. Before Ryouma line of sight, the soldier cervical vertebrae is being exposed between his helmet and armor. Using his elbow and with the weight of his body, Ryouma shattered the soldier neck bones. A surprised expression appeared on the soldier face. He probably thought to think Ryouma would throw his only weapon. But, that is something that Ryouma have aimed. Ryouma toward the neck of the soldier who virtually defenseless, he stabbed there using his right hand. *Gushuri* Ryoma crushed the soldier neck, and then he fell down on his knee. One of the shoulders immediately go after Ryouma, and Ryouma Immediately put up guard. Including the old man, three men left. ¡°Die!¡± A halberd spear being thrust toward Ryouma from behind. Contracting muscle is surprisingly tougher than one¡¯s think. Furthermore, there¡¯s also the pierced armor; thus it would be more harder to pull out. (Two remain) Ryouma then glared at the two people. That captain throws away the spear he holds and pulls out the sword from his back. The fourth person seems to be different compared to the rest of the guys. As expected, he is indeed the captain of the other soldiers In that stance, there are only two kind of slash. And to do another slashing, it is necessary for him to re-do his stance. However, his survival instinct screamed. Through quick decision, Ryouma then runs toward the captain who¡¯s holding the sword. Ryouma dashed toward the captain while avoiding the slash by then slipped under his right side. And just like that, he falls upside down. ¡°Listen to my request, and destroy my enemy! Bolt Storm!¡± At the same time, Ryouma ducked down into the ground, the storm released by the old man rushed toward him. Chapter 3 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Chapter 3 Wortenia War ¨C 1 E 2 (Summoned to another world) 2 ¡°You finally kicked the bucket huh!¡± The old man who fire a killing move magic spell gasping for breath. A smile of victory appeared on his face contrary to his rough breaths. Among the magic he can use, he chose the shortest incantation and had the highest killing ability. No one can take that head on and survive. That is such magic he used. That¡¯s why the old man relaxed his guard. He did not check whether Ryouma has actually died. And that cause a fatal mistake. Ryouma who was lying down on the ground, jumped up as he senses the old man have lowered his guard. His movement is unthinkable for someone who has a 100kg body. The distance between him and the old man immediately closed in a flash. When the old man noticed, he tried to chant another incantation; however, he did not make it in time. ¡°Wha! This can¡¯t be! This almighty¡­¡± *Dogun* A small sound echoes from the old man right side. ¡°Guho¡­¡± Ryouma drives in a fist which mercilessly drives air out of the old man right lung, and chancel his incantation. It is an easy trick. After he had kicked the back of the soldier, Ryouma ducked his body to the ground. Just that. If by any chance, the magic that the old man using was fire, even if it didn¡¯t hit directly toward Ryouma body, he would still get inflicted by massive damage. If by any chance, the magic art the old man uses was something that causes spears to appears and pierced through the ground then, without a doubt, Ryouma¡¯s body won¡¯t last. However, the magic art that the old man uses is a thunder and storm magic. For the old man, it was a technique that brings a sure death. However, the Thunder flew toward the man with metal armor whom Ryouma kicked to the front, acted as a lightning rod, the thunder passed over Ryouma head who immediately ducked down. Human is a creature that always being careless when being confident. Having an overconfidence that his magic didn¡¯t miss. And the overconfidence that he has killed his opponent. This two overconfidence are the things that brought victory to Ryouma. ¡°Oi Old man. Where is this?¡± Several of his ribs have broke. Approaching the old man who crouches down and holding his right side with both hands. Ryouma asked such question. ¡°Guuu¡­.¡± ¡°Oi~?¡± *Beki* Unpleasant sounds resounded within the shrine. A sound similar to that of breaking a dead branch. Ryouma¡¯s kick breaks the old man left elbow. Continuously, Ryouma without hesitation he uses his tip of toes attacking the old man left sides. ¡°Oi~ Old man. Answer my question, will you? Since you said something like Die!or You finally kicked the bucket huh!, you understand what I¡¯m saying right?¡± Innocent smiles float on Ryouma face. However, for the old man, that smile is the most dreadful thing. ¡°Guuuu¡­¡± But, the old man still did not say anything. The old man did not say anything and endured the pain while crouching down. As the result of Ryouma kick, other several ribs broke. ¡°Oi~ Old man. I¡¯m not really a kind person you know? Like this!¡± Ryouma caught the old man left ear and twisted it. From the old man left ear that began getting ripped off, blood dripped little by little. ¡°S- Stop it. Let go of your hand!¡± ¡°Well well. Let go you said? Is that how a person asked something? Good grief¡­ it seems like, despite your old age, you don¡¯t understand how to listen when somebody is talking.¡± He¡¯s showing his usual thin smile, but, that glint from his narrowing eyes feels chilling like ice. He shows an expression that is very uncommon coming from high school student who just talked with his classmate a while ago. His eyes are sharp, and his face is expressionless just like that of Noh mask. This might be his real character which he usually try to hide. The real nature of a beast. And this old man becomes the first victim of Ryouma¡¯s true character. *Gogun* Dull sound resounded from the old man side once again. ¡°Gyaaaaa~~!¡± Scream like a beast comes out from the mouth of the old man. Ryouma merciless left fist blew off the old man with height 160cm and weight 60kg as far as 2 meters away. Because he hit the old man without letting go the old man left ear, the old man left ear remained in Ryouma hand. ¡°You know~ old man. Be obedient alright? I only need a few answer, and it will end you know?¡± Ryouma walked toward the old man in a slow pace. ¡°P¡­lease¡­ ugh¡­ sto¡­p ¡­ it¡­ I will talk¡­ anything¡­¡± Because the old man has broken ribs injury, every time he speaks, bloods coming out from his mouth. His face was dyed deep red because of the blood that comes out from the ripped ear. Indeed he won¡¯t be able to endure any more pain. The old man then began talking while enduring pain. ¡°Fuu, I understand, I understand. Well then, answer the first question. Where is this?¡± ¡°Here is¡­ Ortomea¡­ Empire¡­ Royal palace. ¡± ¡°Ortomea Empire?¡± Hearing the old man answer, doubt appeared on Ryouma face. Ryouma who likes social studies has pride in his geography knowledge. He can almost say all countries name that exists on earth. However, he¡¯s unfamiliar with a country called Ortomea Empire that comes out from the mouth of the old man. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right. the ruler¡­ of west central¡­ part¡­ of the¡­ continent. ¡® After he said that, the old man is coughing blood once again. He seems to not notice Ryouma change on his complexion. ¡°Well then, next question. why am I here?¡± ¡°¡­B Because¡­ I had summoned you¡­¡± ¡°Funn¡­ well, I guess so¡­¡± Ryouma returned an indifferent answer toward the old man words. However, nobody knows what he thought of, and what inside his inner feeling, There¡¯s no way to peek what¡¯s in his mind. ¡°Now then, the third question¡­ because this is the most important issue, answer it properly alright? it will significantly affect to what will happen to you from here on!¡± Saying that, Ryouma looked toward the old man face. ¡°Can I returned to my original world?¡± His voice is calm. Though his voice sounds coarse, but, there¡¯s not a feeling of someone coercing another person. It feels like someone talking with a close acquaintance. However, that is what makes it more terrifying. The old man heart pulsates as if going to explode. Just now, it was the question that the old man did not want to hear the most. The old man considers lying so that he can survive this place desperately. (Should I say he can return? No, speaking about wanting to go back, he must be wanting to go back as soon as possible. If that is the case then, what should I say? should I say the preparation need times?) As the chief of Ortomea Empire imperial court magician who¡¯s being hailed as Ortomea brains, Gaies Wookland, he can¡¯t be killed by a mere commoner. After all, on the old man shoulders, hang the Empire future. (As expected, there¡¯s no another way other than buying time¡­ the soldier will come if they find something abnormal.) Gaies who desperately think up a way while fighting against the pain from bones fracture noticed Ryouma fingers were on his neck. ¡°Na~ old man. You can¡¯t lie alright? A lie you see¡­¡± Ryouma looked at Gaies face while grabbing his hairs. ¡°Wh¡­ lie¡­ you say¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking about it right?¡± After accurately guessing what inside Gaies mind, Ryouma continued. ¡°Your blood. You. Fearing me finding out your lie, your pulse has become faster see.¡± Actually, Ryouma speech is only a bluff. He definitely feels the old man pulse grew faster, but, he don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the old man trying to tell a lie, or because of the bone fracture, or because of the old man fear toward Ryouma. However, Ryouma was confident. After all, expression of fear appeared on the old man face when he asked about the third question. In other words, what the answer might be, it would be bad for Ryouma. Seeing that the old man did not respond to it immediately, that means he was considering lying to get himself out from this situation. ¡°Y-You bastard¡­ that¡­ kind of ability¡­¡± ¡°Now now~ say it already. Can I go back? Or I can¡¯t go back?¡± After finding himself terribly troubled, Gaies finally opened his mouth. On his face, an expression of as if he has given up floats. ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡­ at least¡­ I think so¡­¡± ¡°Fumu¡­ Well, I can guess that looking at your attitude. If that the case then, is there any technique for me to go back?¡± Anger never appeared on Ryouma face. Even after listening to this desperate old man words, his tone is still that of the calm one. (What¡­? why did he not getting angry? why he didn¡¯t feel shaken?) Within Gaies mind, his fear grew bigger. He has been summoning at least 100 people from another world, but there¡¯s no one like his type. Up until now, most of the summoned individuals who realized what happen to them will just get themselves panicked and rant¡­ Of course, they would be able to get restricted by the soldiers and without being able to do anything, Gaies can put curse mark of obedience. Among the summoned people, there¡¯s also some who gives a sense of danger to Gaies and the others. However, they are no match for the soldiers. After being arrested by the soldiers, in the end, they will prostrate themselves toward Gaies. But, the young men who stood in front of him now is different. Even though he just being summoned, but, he was immediately able to kill four soldiers. ¡°F-From¡­ my¡­ knowledge¡­ there¡¯s¡­ no other way¡­ even in other nations.¡± While various questions are welling up inside of him, Gaies answers the question. ¡°You can summon but cannot return them kind of thing huh? Why is that?¡± ¡°T¡­ That is¡­¡± Gaies pulse gets more faster. (This is bad¡­ what¡¯s good should I say? What should I say so that I can survive?) For Gaies, he doesn¡¯t know how to answer Ryouma so he can survive. Up until now, Ryouma has no mercy toward his opponent, which makes Gaies understand what kind cold-hearted person he is. And right now, if he answers his question truthfully, this cold-hearted man won¡¯t keep him alive any longer. A smile appeared on Ryouma face after seeing Gaies being hesitated. ¡°Fumu¡­ it seems like it¡¯s hard for you to answer¡­ fine then. then I will answer it for you.¡± Toward Ryouma words, Gaies expression freezes due to fear and surprise. His heart throbbed to the point as if going to burst out. (It can¡¯t be¡­ no, he can¡¯t possibly understand. since he¡¯s someone who just arrived from another world¡­) However, Gaies wish did not come true. The words that come out from Ryouma, for him, it¡¯s sounds as if an invitation to hell. ¡°For something like a technique to send another world people back did not exist means, possibly because there¡¯s no intention to send us back right? There¡¯s no meaning sending off the corpse, after all, that¡¯s why you people didn¡¯t research about technique to send us back. That¡¯s why, no nation have any method for us to return. That¡¯s how it is right? How is it! Am I wrong?¡± Chapter 4 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Chapter 4 Chapter 1 E 4 (Summoned to another world) ¡°Y-You bastard¡­¡± Listening to Ryouma words, Gaies prepare for the worst. The words that Gaies unable to say. Everything of that is something that Ryouma had thought. (Everything is already hopeless. If he already knows this far then¡­ no matter what I said, this bastard won¡¯t let myself go alive.) Making a quick judgment based on the situation, and taking a preemptive attack without being confused because of the summoning. Having the ability to kill four soldiers barehanded. Furthermore, having the will to do torture for the sake of information without hesitation. And having the wisdom to make a proper inquiry, based on the information that Gaies gives. (If I were to be able to employ this person¡­ it might be possible for my Ortomea Empire to become the conqueror of the western continent.) Such thought passes through Gaies mind. However, the man in front of him is already completely hostile toward the empire. Because he already understood regarding the purpose of the empire calling him. And how he think about the treatment of another world people. Since his means to go back does not exist, one can¡¯t possibly think that this man will let him go alive. Gaies is able to at least understand that much. (He¡¯s right now letting his guard down since he think I¡¯m injured¡­ if that is the case then I will wager everything the moment he¡¯s about to kill me!) Gaies then observe Ryouma movement for the sake of finding a chance to win. The moment Ryouma relaxed his body. ¡°Bull¡¯s-eye huh?¡­Ah, I give up.¡± Ryouma sighed toward the sky. Even without the old man telling lies, looking at his complexion, one can understand it. The reason why he did all the torture that he does not like is that he don¡¯t want any lies. However, the result that comes out is the worst. But still, this is not enough. If one cannot go back immediately, then that would be all the more he need to get various information out of the old man. One has to do anything. For the sake of survival. ¡°Why did you summon me? since you have no intention to return me alive, then is it to turn me into slave and make me work until I die?¡± Gaies was at a loss for words to answer Ryouma. (Again, he guess it precisely once again.) Gaies looked at Ryouma face once again. (No good! This person already finds the answer already. Even if I told him lies, he would know about it immediately¡­ and the reason why he asked is that he wants confirmation.) Looking at Ryouma unwavering eyes, Gaies realize. He should give up trying to deceive Ryouma, and tell him the truth. ¡°We are going to employ people from another world¡­ to win a war.¡± Such reason can only be perceived as self-centered. The human summoned from the earth are only going to be recruited to go to the battlefield. However, even after listening to Gaies words, Ryouma expression did not change. His expression is as if saying that he is only confirming a fact. ¡°About the world¡­ give me more detailed information. As far as I know, in my world, not many people are accustomed in fighting using the like of swords or spears you know? And there¡¯s no one like you old man who can summon thunder from his hand too. Or is there exist another different world, and some of the summoned people have such power?¡± ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s indeed another world, but it was only your world where human exist.¡± ¡°Fuun¡­ I thought it would be hopeless to call people from my world, though. What is the purpose?¡± It would be dangerous to answer this question. However, Gaies did not want to give up on living yet. Since he¡¯s one of the pillars that supporting the empire. ¡°It was because there¡¯s the possibility that the persons from your world will become the best soldiers in this world.¡± Hearing Gaies words, a question mark floats on Ryouma face. ¡°The best soldier huh? Can a guy who have never done any training become the best soldier, I wonder?¡± Ryouma question is a reasonable one. Just like him, the people that being summoned from another world might also don¡¯t know any military art after all. ¡°Or perhaps, you will only summon human who passes a certain power condition?¡± If so then, that would explain everything. However, Gaies shakes his head hearing what Ryouma had said. ¡°What kind of person that would appear is completely up to luck.¡± However, it was true that the majority of people whom they summoned said they don¡¯t know anything about fighting. Since they are not living in the warring state period. Martial arts is something that already becomes one with culture. In the modern age, only a handful of people training martial arts for the sake of battle. The majority of humans even trying to avoid killing an animal. Does it really make sense to summon such people? ¡°If that is the case then, there¡¯s some profit even if the summoning only resulting an amateur from another world huh?¡± Gaies nods toward Ryouma statement. ¡°Every time someone from your world killed a living being from this world, they will be able to hold some part of the being power. And someone from your world, they have a better absorbing ability, compared to the humans of this world.¡± Ryouma can understand what Gaies is getting at. ¡°What¡¯s that? is that means the power of that four soldiers whom I killed just now dwell in me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ryouma then looked around his body. However, he did not feel any different. His legs did not grow longer, and his hands also did not get any thicker. There¡¯s no different than the usual. ¡°Is it something that I cannot feel?¡± ¡°That is because there¡¯s nothing much to absorb if the one that gets killed is human.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand¡­¡± If one were to kill someone, one would be able to absorb their power. Since Ryouma never knows such phenomenon, thus it was natural for him to be unable to understand it. ¡°To be precise, you will be able to absorb a portion of one person power after killing at least 10.000 humans.¡± Ryouma showed an amazed face. He did not expect that the words of killing 10.000 humans would appear. And only for the purpose of taking one person worth of power for your own ¡°Won¡¯t the efficiency turn bad if it¡¯s like that? to be honest, is there any worth to sacrifice that many people?¡± It was something reasonable for Ryouma to feel amazed. If we talk about the labor if killing off 10.000 people, one would feel the rate does not pay off at all. ¡°That is if the target is human. you will get your power raised to around ten times if you¡¯re able to kill one dragon see.¡± Gaies desperately continue talking . (A little bit more! Just a little bit more, if I can buy more time, the soldiers might come to this place. They would feel suspicious since I did not return yet!) Thinking like that, he thought that was his last hope. ¡°Funn~¡­ Well, I¡¯m able to understand the story about power absorbing. In the end, why did you guys gone all the way through the troubles to just summon someone from another world?¡± ¡°For one thing, it¡¯s because the ability for absorbing power is much higher.¡± ¡°Hnn?¡± Hearing such answer, Ryouma shows a question mark on his face once again. ¡°In other words, even if the human of this world and another world killed the same number and the same kind of living things, the end power result would be clearly different.¡± Hearing Gaies answer, Ryouma narrowed his eyes. ¡°I see. It was the growth after summoning which is important huh¡­ even if they are humans being with no experience, they will eventually become stronger than a human being from this world. That¡¯s the reason why you guys prefer a human being from a different world is it¡­¡± Suddenly, Ryouma paused his grumble. And then, his sharp gaze pierced Gaies like a needle. ¡°Which remind me, old man¡­ I see that it seems like your wound have been healed?¡± Cold ran down Gaies back. After Gaies got hit by Ryouma and crouched on the ground, all this time he has been using healing magic. Even such thing is being found out by Ryouma. ¡°Wh!¡± Gaies raises his voice in surprise, while Ryouma was looking at him with cold eyes. ¡°Of course I would notice it¡­ I gave your lung damage by breaking your ribs you know? The old man who¡¯s talking while coughing blood at the beginning, yet, suddenly he¡¯s able to speak fluently. If that is the case then, that would mean you had been healing yourself while crouching down isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Y-You bastard! You¡¯d noticed from the beginning!?¡± Ryouma answered Gaies question by shrugging his shoulders. ¡°W-Why¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Why I¡¯m being silent? Well, that because I thought you would talk about various things, if I gave you time to heal yourself. Furthermore, you¡¯ve been observing me to see if I make some opening right?¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ you understand until that far!?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be that surprised isn¡¯t it? If you really want to catch me off guard then, you should act like you have a severe wound¡­ well, whatever¡­ For the time being, I understand about things that you had said. Though I don¡¯t know how far I can trust your words, it seems like the things about I can¡¯t return immediately is the truth¡­¡± Ryouma approaches Gaies while shows a smile filled with cynicism. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Unconsciously Gaies shrink back. Because of the fear he harbors toward Ryouma, he moved his body unconsciously. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t do any funny you know? For now, I want to ask you about various things. And I will kill you without making you suffer as the compensation¡­ how¡¯s it? It¡¯s pretty good deal right?¡± Hearing what Ryouma said, Gaies try to make his last bet. No matter what the chance of winning is. Even if the chance of winning is almost 0. ¡°The wind of¡­ Gah!¡± A hand pierced Gaies throat like a sword, which stops his chanting. ¡°I said it didn¡¯t I?¡± Ryouma declared such while gazing at Gaies who¡¯s crouching on the ground once again with his cold gaze. Ryouma then kicked the back of Gaies head whom crouching down. *Gusha* Sounds similar to that of fruit being crushed resounded. ¡°If you do something funny, I will make you suffer.¡± That words from Ryouma mouth was the last words which Gaies Wookland heard in this world. Chapter 5 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 5 Chapter 1 E 5 (Escape) ¡°Seriously, what a black-hearted person¡­¡± Ryouma kicked the corpse of Gaies with his feet. That¡¯s why Ryouma crushed his own emotion to the depth of his heart. Until the time where he finally has to stop his opponent breath. Gaies and the others must be already have summoned different worlders long ago even before Ryouma was summoned. How many people were summoned, and have died burned in despair? Thinking that, once again the sorrow and wrath against the old man welled up inside Ryouma heart. *Gangangan* ¡°W-¡­What?¡± Suddenly the iron door of this room is being hit from the outside. ¡°Is everything alright? Gaies-sama?¡± The door then strongly being knocked on again. It seems like the soldier outside the door have noticed something unusual at the time I killed the other soldiers. (In this situation, what should I do?) (Is there a way? Is there something that I can do in this situation?) There¡¯s no window in this room. There¡¯s only a door. And there are some soldiers on the other side of the door, which make him unable to escape. Ryouma had already killed Gaies and four soldiers. No, even if there is room for negotiation, Ryouma won¡¯t choose it either. Much less thinking about surrendering to such people. He tried to pull out the sword from the dead body of the soldier to secure some weapon while looking at the dead body; an idea flashes his mind! After a few moment of thinking, Ryouma comes to a conclusion. ¡°I guess, I shall bet on it¡­¡± *Gangangangan.* The door is being slammed again. After all, in this world, there exist people who¡¯re able to bring out lightning from their hands just like this old man. Anyway, this place is another world. (No matter how I escaped this fortress, without money, the only thing that I will end up with will be robbing someone or stealing something.) For the time being, from the dead body, he finds five leather bags filled with gold, silver, and copper coins. This money is Ryouma hope. (At least even if I can¡¯t find work, until this money disappears, I can live without doing robbery) (But since I don¡¯t know the monetary value of this at all, I was worried about as to how much a living cost would be but, at this stage, there¡¯s nothing I can do about.) Gangangan. ¡°Gaies-sama! Gaies-sama!¡± The door is being slammed hard once again. The volume of the voice that comes from the other side of the door become slightly increased. There¡¯s no time for Ryouma to hesitate. He took off his student uniform, unfasten his leather belt and fastens it around his chest. He firmly ties the bag filled with money to the belt tightly. That is to make sure that they won¡¯t identify the face. Then, he put on the clothes and armor that he had stripped from the soldier on himself. ¡°Fuu~. Somehow I was able to wear it huh?¡± Relieved words come out from Ryoma¡¯s mouth. (I¡¯m glad that this armor is not the one full type, but the type that I have to put it on part per part.) *Gangangan!* While trying to wear the armor desperately, the matter of the state of the outside room did not cross Ryouma head. However, the atmosphere right now has turned into something that they would likely come rushing into this room at any moment. The door is about to be opened by force. ¡°This is a dangerous bet, but it¡¯s better than trying to break through¡­¡± A lot of soldiers tried to come in from the door. ¡°Rolph imperial knight leader. junior imperial court magic user Seria Wookland-sama have arrived!¡± Following the soldier report, a red-haired woman appears. ¡°What¡¯s going on here!? What about Ojiji-sama?¡± The moment she comes, she questioned the man named Rolph with a serious tone. The redhead getting upset with, her rich chest which grew quite big shook greatly. ¡°Please calm down!¡± Rolph angry voice is resounded this time. Seria, being told by a person that had survived the bloody battlefield for so many years, it was enough to erase the unrest within the young imperial court magic user. She might have noticed that she is angry unreasonably. She then combs her hair try to calm her own feeling. ¡°No. I myself being impolite. And I can understand you feeling being upset since this is about your blood relative after all.¡± His one eye then somewhat softened. She resumes the face of genius who¡¯s being recognized as theQueen of the Snowstorm which has both calmness and coldness. ¡°There are a lot of things that I still don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I do not mind. Please tell me the things that you are able to understand.¡± ¡°Three hours ago, Gaies-sama entered the room with four soldiers to perform the summoning ceremony¡­¡± Hearing Rolph words Seria face turn cloudy. ¡°Three hours is it?¡­ it takes 2 hours to prepare the summoning ceremony, and another 30 minutes to cast it. that means, just what had happened in the remaining 30 minutes¡­¡± An unpleasant feeling spread over Seria¡¯s heart. ¡°Yes¡­ From the story of the guard, about 30 minutes ago they felt a big vibration from the room, after receiving the report, I immediately contacted Seria-dono, and then head over here with the others.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°These guys try to confirm the situation while waiting outside the door, because they are being forbidden to enter the room and make any noise during the ceremony, they wait for a further instruction¡­ isn¡¯t that right? Oi, you!¡± Rolph asked the two soldiers who have been standing behind him. ¡°I see¡­ there¡¯s no problem with your judgment.¡± Seria then nodded toward the two soldiers. ¡°Ha!¡± Hearing Seria¡¯s words a relieved smile are shown on the soldiers face/ However, many noble families did not understand that. At worst, there¡¯s the possibility that they will be asked: ¡°why did you people did not enter?¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Just because there¡¯s no accident all this time then this time it won¡¯t happen either, he¡¯s not a senile enough to think like that. At worst, it might cause the nation to decline. However, Seria shakes her head denying Rolph concern. ¡°No. Probably a magic attack was used.¡± Hearing that words, one-eyed Rolph immediately opened his eye wide. Receiving a magic attack from the Ortomea empire imperial court magic user Gaies-sama, in this continent, no man can survive that. Seria¡¯s words pierced Rolph mind who has intentionally ruled out such possibility. ¡°We have to think about the worst situation¡­¡± Seria¡¯s expression also becomes stiff. It was an expression after they are aware that their blood relative has died. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± Suddenly Rolph lowered his head toward Seria. ¡°Wha- What are you doing? Rolph-sama?¡± Seria become flustered. ¡°Seria-dono. this was one¡¯s error in judgment.¡± If by any chance, he burst into a room quickly, he might be able to save Gaies. Summoning is something that should be done very carefully after all. ¡°Seria-sama¡­¡± Rolph saw Seria¡¯s shoulders trembling a little. A spherical flame swirled around Seria¡¯s palms then she pushes her arm forward toward the door. Chapter 6 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 6 Chapter 1 E 6 (Escape 2) A halberd spear is being thrust toward Seria¡¯s chest. ¡°Who are you! To think a teleportation magic is being used inside the palace!¡± A strike comes towards Seria together with an angry voice filled with a thirst for blood. ¡°This is an emergency! Tell that to His Majesty!¡± Disregard the guard, Seria keep seeks an audience with the emperor. That was natural. Thus, it was natural for the guards wanting to hear the circumstance. However, Seria ignored the guard question. It took around 10 seconds. ¡°What happen here! Seria Wookland! Aren¡¯t you too disrespectful!¡± An angry voice by prime minister Dornest directed toward Seria who immediately kneels before the Emperor. Seria clicked her tongue inside her mind. Prime Minister Dornest is a very loyal retainer of the Emperor; however, he¡¯s very inflexible. However. However, this time Seria has something that justifies her being hasty. Even a prime minister cannot go against emperor¡¯s words. After all, he¡¯s the one who leads the Empire conquering the central part of the western continent with power. Ortomea Empire¡¯s first emperor Lionel Eisenheit, initially he was born as the third prince of the former Ortomea Kingdom situated in the mountainous region in the central part of the western continent. Feel sad toward the present condition of his country, Leonel wants to rebuild the country. In that process, Leonel himself had swung his sword on the battlefield several times. Since then, he has fought for hegemony in the central part of the western continent. Because Seria does not have any authority for that request. After all, Gaies is Ortomea best magic user, alongside Dornest, they handled Ortomea internal affairs, diplomacy, and military affairs. ¡°I- It can¡¯t be. Gaies-dono is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible. That¡¯s impossible you know! Seria!¡± From their mouth comes out such words. ¡°No your majesty. Prime Minister-sama. It is the truth¡­ Another worlder has killed Gaies Wookland.¡± Seria suppressed her feeling of sadness and vexation then began explaining the situation. It¡¯s the Emperor who broke the silence after ten seconds has passed. ¡®Why?¡± A very low voice. The Emperor¡¯s hand grip strongly on the throne. ¡°I do not know what exactly had happened. There¡¯s no evidence nor a witness. However, looking at the situation, I can understand who¡¯s the criminal.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Today, Gaies-sama was planning to do summoning ceremony. Considering the murder scene is at the place of the summoning ritual took place, and all the escort soldiers also have been killed, the criminals is a person from another world.¡± ¡°I-It can¡¯t be. I cannot believe it¡­¡± Words come out from Dornest mouth which has been keeping his mouth shut up to now. ¡°I¡¯m also able to understand that the person is currently pretending to be a soldier of the imperial guard. For now, Imperial Guard leader Rolph-sama and I, Imperial court magic user third seat. As soon as we receive your Majesty¡¯s permission, we like to began our pursuit.¡± The Emperor who heard Seria¡¯s words immediately make his decision. ¡°I¡¯ll permit it! Since issuing the decree will take time, use my sword as a proof from me!¡± Like that, the Emperor removed the sword from his waist then throw the sword toward Seria ¡°Seria yo. Gaies is my trusted retainer; he has been my companion for more than 40 years. He¡¯s also the pillar of this nation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And now, that Gaies have been killed. This is treason toward Ortomea Empire! Be sure you find and detain the criminal by all means! If that¡¯s impossible, then you may kill the criminal!¡± Seria lower her head expressing her respect and gratitude, then she immediately disappears using teleportation. After the emperor sighed deeply, he spoke toward the curtain behind the throne. ¡°Shardina. Did you hear the conversation just now?¡± ¡°Yes. Your majesty.¡± From the shadow of the curtain, a blonde haired woman in the early of 20s appear. She¡¯s a bit resembles the emperor somewhere. ¡°Just now I¡¯ve checked the information from the shadows. It seems like the death of Gaies-dono is the truth. Also at the same time, there¡¯s a fire outbreak at the medical room, from that, a single soldier went missing. And Seria seems to think that this disappeared soldier is the otherworld person.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Shardina yo. What do you think?¡± ¡°I assume the guess about who¡¯s the criminal is correct. An assassination by another country seems to be impossible at least. It¡¯s just¡­¡± The Emperor turned his eyes toward Shardina. ¡°It¡¯s just? what?¡± ¡°With all due respect, I cannot help but say that the possibility of the criminal being caught is very small.¡± ¡°What! Shardina-sama thinks that it would be impossible for Seria-dono!?¡± Dornest raises a surprise voice. ¡°Dronest-dono. This is not due to Seria-dono capability. Probably it would end up the same with anyone.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°How one search for another world person that no one knows of the face, gender, their body form?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Emperor raised his voice. After all, Shardina is the last fortress protecting the Emperor, and such figure never separated from him even once in the past. ¡°You¡¯re noisy! Ortomea Empire first imperial princess the leader of Succubus chivalric order the Succubus Knights! Collaborate with Seria to search for the criminal!¡± ¡°Understood. Your majesty. I will do my utmost with all my strength.¡± Shardina dropped his head and went away from the emperor. The Emperor express his feeling regarding a friend that have survived years of war together. Chapter 7 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 7 Chapter 1 E 7 (Escape 3) Dogagaga! An explosion resounded. The door not just opened but destroyed to Smithers. ¡°Now! Please enter¡­¡± Seria voice resounded. At first, when Seria was going to use flame based magic, Rolph thought that she was going to break the door by melting it with high heat. However, Seria understood what Rolph worried about. For Seria and Rolph who can use magic art, they will be okay, but for ordinary soldiers, it would be fatal. That¡¯s why rather than doing that, Seria immediately cooled the door rapidly using ice related magic toward the heated door. Making use of thermal expansion. A smell of rusty iron hung in the air, which is the unique scent of blood. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°What happened here¡­¡± The two people at a loss for words. The characteristic of his robe. Make her could not have mistaken. ¡°No~~~~! Grandfather!!¡± Seria broke down and fall to her knees. Losing herself, Seria holds Gaies body in her arms. Even for Rolph who had gone to many battlefields, he¡¯s still not used to see a dead body with such merciless wounds. And, if you think about the condition that Gaies neck is broken, one can see that the criminal deliver decisive blows to Gaies back where he¡¯s crouched down when his respiratory tract was blocked up. ¡°Just who did such a cruel act¡­¡± A resentful word comes out from Rolph¡¯s mouth. He just thinks that the weak had died. For Rolph, he¡¯s a fellow soldier who has been fighting together for years The flame of anger because of her grandfather have been killed dwelled in her eyes. It is not good to have both commanders lose their calm. After that, Gaies who¡¯s her grandfather took her in and brought her up. Right now he does not have other choices other than try to calm her down for now. She¡¯s a genius who at a young age have been appointed as a junior imperial court magician. Although her calmness has been restored, the death of her family is still affecting her heart. ¡°Rolph-sama! Seria-sama!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a survivor. This person is still alive!¡± In a few minutes, the soldier who tried to confirm all the body comes back reporting to Rolph and Seria. ¡°¡±What!?¡±¡± Is that right?¡± Rolph and Seria rushed toward where the soldier have been lying down on a sea of blood. ¡°R-Rolph-sama¡­¡± The cracking voice is indeed coming from the body of a soldier that they thought have died. ¡°What had happened?¡± ¡°What had happened here?¡± Since the person is a sole witness. Because the soldier is the only person, who knows what had happened inside this room. ¡°What did you say?! A monster you said?¡± Listening to the soldier worrisome words, Rolph¡¯s face turns pale. They barely could hear the word monster but, they both unable to understand the situation out of it. ¡°R-Right. Oi! Anyone! Bring this person to a doctor!¡± ¡°Say it clearly! Grandfather is, what did it do to grandfather!? What is this monster all about?¡± While desperately tried to control Seria who¡¯s forcefully keep on asking, Rolph ordered to carry the wounded soldier with a stretcher and rushed to the medical office. ¡°Why?! Why did you stop me!?¡± Rolph feels that the appearance of Seria that flares up at him appear like a demon. As expected, is this because of difference in experience? After he went through the trouble calming her down, after hearing the soldier mentioned the word monster, it immediately threw her mind and heart out of order once again. What Rolph had said was a sound argument. Right now, if they conduct the unreasonable interrogation, then that bloodied soldier might die after all. Rather than one soldier life, for her, it¡¯s more important to get the information regarding the one who robbed her grandfather life. ¡°That¡­ Won¡¯t confirming the situation here more important than that person life?¡± Thus Seria tried to fight against Rolph words. However, Rolph keeps persuade Seria¡¯s heart calmly and put the situation in order. ¡°Indeed finding that information is important; however, only that man know everything that had happened. Even if we leave his injury and keep interrogating him, no useful information seems to come out. It would be meaningless then if he dies first before we get the information. Although it would take time then, won¡¯t that man recovery will be good for the prospect of interrogation in the future?¡± After Rolph saying until that far, Seria is unable to refute him anymore than this. The thing that she could not consent is that her family member becomes a victim of it. ¡°Fuu¡­ I understand. Rolph-sama words are right. I¡¯m very sorry for being upset.¡± After she had sighed Seria gained part of her calmness. No matter how much a genius a person is, a difference in life experience is something that one cannot do anything about it. ¡°But still, the thing that man said, what on earth is this monster about¡­¡± ¡°Well, we will be able to know about it after the soldier gets his injury recovered. For now, let¡¯s put our hand on things that we can do.¡± After Rolph had responded to Seria¡¯s words calmly, he ordered some soldiers to resume the search inside the room. However, Rolph judgment turns out bringing an unfortunate result. What the voice come out from the soldier is definitely indicating something serious. ¡°Calm down! What happened?!¡± Rolph angry voice resounded inside the room. Several flammable goods are being kept inside the medicine storage. He was relieved that at least the fire won¡¯t engulf the entire palace. Rolph then began asking Seria. A particular answer crosses his mind. And the things that he cannot say about. ¡°I¡¯m not sure..¡± Rolph shook his head. ¡°I wish to report!¡± The conversation of the two people getting interrupted by a soldier. ¡°Umu, go ahead!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed the dead soldiers.¡± ¡°And? the cause of the death is?¡± The soldiers looked at each other toward Seria¡¯s question. However, that¡¯s reasonable. ¡°Yes! The body with burned face that I thought was an otherworlder person¡­¡± The soldier reported to Rolph hastily. ¡°What is it! Say it!¡± Winced at Seria vexation, the soldier continues his report. ¡°Yes! The belt on his pants. If it were being left alone like that, the pants would come off from the corpse. To think that he fight while like that is¡­¡± Listening to the report, Seria and Rolph complexion grew pale. ¡°Damn it! Rolph-dono!¡± As she said that, she rush outside of the room. ¡°You guys, go alert the guard inside the castle!¡± After Rolph giving the order, he chased after Seria. An otherworlder with such power wanders around inside the palace. Having determined at doing so, power overflow in his whole body. The two used body reinforcement magic and ran through toward the medical office in 30 seconds. One young man comes to us after noticing that we both have come. ¡°Seria-dono, Rolph-dono. Did something happen?¡± ¡°Orlando. The fire is?¡± Toward Seria question, Orlando shifted his gaze toward the medical office. ¡°There¡¯s no problem. Though the entire medical office was ended up like this, before the fire spread out to the other place, we had the fire extinguished. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Orlando says something ambiguous. ¡°Orlando! Hurry up and say it! What is that ¡°It¡¯s just¡± thing? .. a while ago, we sent and injured person here! That person is?¡± ¡°Three dead bodies came out from the medical office, but it looks like they were not dead by fire. Besides, if we count the dead body¡­ it lacked one body¡­ I don¡¯t know about this injured person, though¡­¡± Seria held her breath. ((Just as we had thought)) ¡°¡±Then!?¡±¡± Rolph and Seria voice overlaps each other. ¡°The injured person seemed to have a severe injury, and they immediately lay the person in bed. However, when the fire was extinguished, and after checking the medical office, there are only three dead bodies. By which, the bed was empty¡­¡± Until there, Seria then interrupted Orlando. Though usually unreliable, he¡¯s the third seat of Imperial court magician. From Seria¡¯s tone of voice he could understand that it was an emergency situation and he switches his mind from normal to battlefield mode. ¡°The strength of the army is?¡± With low and cold voice. This is the proof that the situation is very dire. ¡°Understood. The supreme deity that controlled light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me, Teleportation¡± Orlando who understood the situation immediately cast magic incantation immediately. To chase after the shadow of the criminal. ¡°The supreme deity of light Meneus. In accordance with the contract. Bestow Divine protection to me! Teleportation¡± Chapter 8 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 8 Chapter 1 E 8 (Escape 4) Let¡¯s turn back the time for a bit. The injured person that have been taken to the medical office is actually Ryouma. Of course, he holds a certain amount prospect of being a success. Ryou judgment where the people that going to come inside won¡¯t be able to remain calm is correct. He have no doubt that the soldiers will fall into stagnation if they do so. And thanks to that, it would be remarkably disadvantageous if they know his face even after he successfully escapes. Because Ryouma called Rolph¡¯s name, he unconsciously pulls down his guard, and decide to sent Ryouma to the medical office. ¡°Gu¡­ Goho¡­ Goho¡­¡± Ryouma then displayed coughed violently. ¡°Oi! Carry this person to the medical office immediately!¡± ¡°Be patient, a little bit more! Are you listen?! we¡¯re about to arrive at the medical office! Don¡¯t lose your consciousness you hear? You will die if you do!¡± The soldiers who carry Ryouma using stretchers encourage Ryouma. Ryouma also desperately complains about the pain. It¡¯s as if, a Hollywood actor pretending to be injured. ¡°Alright! We¡¯ve arrived!¡± The soldier immediately knocked on the wooden door after shouting such thing. ¡°Sensei! Open up, there¡¯s an emergency patient here!¡± After a few seconds, the door opens immediately from the inside. It seems that he has gained a lot of experience as a doctor for many years. While talking, he was able to prepare for the treatment quickly. ¡°So? How¡¯s the condition of the patient?¡± ¡°Ha! It seems like the person is in a dangerous state. ¡± ¡°. This looks quite severe, what had happened?¡± The doctor approaches Ryouma while saying such words. With no warning¡­ The sword of Ryouma who stop acting, swoop over the doctor¡¯s neck. Ryouma then jumps up from the bed quickly, and strike a nearby soldier who¡¯s standing still stunned cause of the sudden situation. The sword cut the throat of the soldier who¡¯s unable to understand what was happening. He seems to have thought that he should not fight alone and bring someone. This is not an attack toward the soldier. It would be okay if he can disturb the soldier attempt to escape, that is what he had thought. *Dosha* Fortunately, the sheath hit the back of the soldier¡¯s knee, and he falls down after losing his balance. As death come closer, the soldier tried to fend off Ryouma desperately. However, when Ryouma¡¯s thick right arm tightens up on his throat like a capstan, the soldier instantly stop moving. Ryouma ask the soldier as calm as possible. But, that is precisely why the soldier feels fear. The soldier¡¯s intention to call help the moment when Ryouma hands relaxed is gone. Ryouma keep himself alerted. ¡°By the way, I do not have much time see. Will you please tell me soon?¡± After whispering such words, Ryouma put more power on his arms. The fear of death began to break the soldier¡¯s, heart. ¡°Just¡­ from this¡­ place¡­ turn right¡­ passage¡­then exit¡­ pass¡­ through the courtyard¡­¡± ¡°Go out and exit from the right passage, then pass through the courtyard right?¡± After confirming it, the soldier nods, Ryouma then puts more force on his arms and tightened the soldier¡¯s throat further. The power of the soldier who tried to push Ryouma body as an act of last struggle grew weaker. ¡°My bad¡­¡± After Ryouma removes his arms that had been used to choke the soldier throat, he stares at the corpse of a soldier lying under his eyes and mutters such words. Inspecting the body of the three bodies, he took the bags filled with gold coins from them. Also, Ryouma used the bandage and the hot water to wipe away the blood from his helmet and armor. When all of the blood have been wiped out, Ryouma put fire on everything inside the medical office. After Ryouma had left the medical room where it has become filled with black smoke, he took a deep breath. ¡°Fire~~~, There¡¯s Fire~~~!¡± Ryouma voice echoes inside the Royal Palace. A fire outbreak happens inside the royal palace is a very serious matter. He changed his complexion that he usually he has. ¡°Fire~~! The fire broke out from the medical office~~!¡± ¡°Fire? Where is the fire?¡± ¡°From the medical office! Bring water immediately!¡± ¡°No! Call the Imperial court magician! Ask them to extinguish the fire in one go with magic!¡± ¡°You stupid! We need to evacuate His Majesty and the royal family first!¡± The panicked voice of a soldier, maid, and a butler can be heard. Carry the things that are valuable. I will ask the boss for instruction. And the one who running around carrying buckets of water in hand. It would be right this is the so called the melting pot of confusion. He feels guilt for trampling over the flower, but, right now such thing is a trivial matter, that¡¯s what he had thought. However, thanks to that he did not notice Ryouma that have escaped along with soldiers of the aristocrats. Ryouma who¡¯s wearing the Imperial Guard armor mixed with aristocrats, trying to get away from the palace. What Ryouma currently in is actually a wonderful miscalculation Spontaneously smiles floats on his face. In Ryouma eyes, the figure of the aristocrats tries to escape at the castle gate appears. ¡°Fuu~~. I guess, I manage to do it huh¡­¡± Ryouma who walk along with the aristocrats succeeded at passing the gate without being questioned. Ryouma then turned around staring at the white castle that he just escaped from. As if trying to oppose its grand appearance¡­ Chapter 9 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 9 Chapter 1 E 9 ¨C (Fleeing) 1 After blending with the aristocrats, Ryouma succeeded passing the castle gate. Right now, a street in European style spread in front of him. ¡°Oooh!¡± Because the landscape is very well-organized, he can¡¯t help but leak a voice of admiration. Outside the castle, the aristocrats houses are lined up, where the aristocrats who had escaped disappears into. After he goes straight around 500 meters from the castle gate, he saw another gate. Apparently, the other side seems to be the commoner¡¯s area. Since the size of the house¡¯s roof become smaller remarkably. Ryouma then decide to get into the commoner¡¯s area first. After all, it best hides within a crowd of people. Despite him wearing an Imperial Guard armor and passed through the aristocrats houses, where maid and soldiers also can be seen, they did not question Ryouma at all. After walked for a few minutes he reached the gate. The gate is opened, and the drawbridge also has been laid down. Apparently, they only close the gate when emergency happen. Ryouma slightly feel bothered by the guard that stands on the right and left of the gate. As soon as he passed the gate, a lively environment spread out in front of Ryouma eyes. There are a lot of people going here and there, and various stalls and shop lined. The road is not paved with stone like the aristocrat¡¯s area, the road is made of bare soil, and disordered building can be seen lined up. As far as I see the attire of the people, a lot of them wears robe or mantle. And some people also wear armor. Some wearing only a simple shirt and pants. An aunty is wearing an apron. And other various attire. ¡°Unexpectedly there are a lot of people¡­ Furthermore, some people also bring weapons with them¡­¡± Ryouma muttered those words while looking at one point. He noticed that some people carrying a weapon here and there mixed among the crowd. They obviously don¡¯t look like a soldier of a country. No matter what, some of them are criminal! Is what he want to say, there¡¯s also those who have such fiendish face among them. The color of their hair and skin are black, white, yellow and other various colors. There¡¯s even human being with blue and green hair. Since Ryouma previously considered that he might get isolated due to his hair, skin, or eyes color, looking at the scene Ryouma heave a sigh of relief. Since there are a lot of different appearances, it seems like Ryouma hair and eye color won¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Now then. For now, let¡¯s find some clothes¡­¡± After Ryouma had uttered such words, his stomach grumbled telling that he¡¯s hungry. After all, he was being summoned to this word when he¡¯s about to have lunch on the roof. However, no matter how hungry he is, he needs to procure some clothes first. Since it would be too conspicuous if he keeps on wearing the imperial guard armor. Ryouma then runs his eyes around looking at the signboard while rubbing his stomach that raises some complaint. While walking along the main street, a shop with a dress picture being drawn on the signboard entered Ryouma eyes. ============POV Change============== Megu Leicester that day received a strange customer. The time currently has passed 1.00 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. That customer came in at the clothes store where she works. ¡°Welcome!¡± The man who comes in wearing imperial guard armor meets with the usual cheerful greeting from Megu as the store typical hospitality. Of course, a customer coming to shopping while wearing armor is normal. However, this is the first time an Imperial guard come to the store. Unlike adventurers and mercenaries soldiers, the national soldiers usually come to shopping while wearing civilian clothes. (Did he come here not for shopping?) What Megu had thought is something natural. However, since he¡¯s looking at the clothes that are being exhibited, she has no choice but to think of him as a customer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but is there anything that you are looking for? Would you like for me to help you?¡± Megu mustered her courage and speak toward the man. The reply that¡¯s being returned to her is very normal. ¡°I want one set of casual clothes top and bottom, underwear and hooded mantle, and a leather belt.¡± (He seems to have a very polite way of talking isn¡¯t he? Though why he comes here with the imperial guard armor anyway?) Megu felt an uncomfortable feeling from the tone of the man. Normally, most people who come to the store are arrogant rotten people. In particular, the aristocrats and soldiers. However, Ryouma respond to her is very ordinary. As one would expect, it¡¯s impossible for commoners to predict the attitude of a soldier. ¡°Is there any color that you prefer?¡± ¡°I would like black please.¡± ¡°Certainly. I¡¯ll prepare it. Wait a minute.¡± Mainly, compared to the normal customers, she does not feel any difference either. She asks the things that he wants to ask, and he replies it normally. Although she felt a bit out of place with his polite attitude, but, Megu feel that she¡¯s just thinking too much and feel amused by it. (Maybe because all of his clothes are in the laundry, I wonder? Ah! I forgot to ask the size¡­ well it¡¯s fine. I will bring some larger clothes together as well.) She then brings three items with three different sizes each. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. How about these?¡± ¡°This is fine. Please warp it.¡± ¡°Eh? he didn¡¯t say anything about which size?) No one buys clothes without trying it first before purchasing the clothes. Of course, it was natural for Megu to tilt her head since he does not check the size either. ¡°Emm¡­ how about the size?¡± Megu somewhat asked him while feeling reserved. ¡°Ah, the size¡­ hmm¡­ the biggest one please.¡± He somehow gives the feeling that he wants to buy the clothes immediately. It was a very suspicious attitude. However, Megu shook her head, after all, the customer is buying it. ¡°Certainly. The price would be 1000 baht in total. I will immediately wrap the goods, please wait a minute.¡± Saying that she lowered her head, then Megu heading toward the counter when he called her. ¡°Oh, Wait a moment. Because I¡¯m in a hurry I want to immediately pay, will you count the money together?¡± He put the bag with the money. ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, please do say so?¡± (I wonder if he¡¯s an aristocrat son from somewhere? But, he wore an imperial guard armor, though?) Mostly the one who does shopping like this is someone from aristocrat family. (But he does not seem to be a aristocrat person from all angle, I wonder? But well, whatever! Since the person appears to pay with money properly, everything is good.) Megu then stopped thinking about it. A customer who pays is a good customer even if it¡¯s a suspicious person. Such thought crosses her mind. ¡°Certainly. Please wait a minute.¡± Megu lowered her head once again and went toward the counter. ===============POV Change============ ¡°Fuu~.¡± After leaving the clothes store Ryouma breathes out while trying not to attract public gaze. He never feels this much tense just by from shopping. When Megu said ¡°The price would be 1000 baht in total¡±, no matter how much money he has, he don¡¯t know how much is that. At the time when he handed over the bag with the money inside of it to her, his heart is beating so fast that he thought it might explode. However, for the time being, he achieved his objective. ¡°After all this is a race against time.¡± After muttered such words, Ryouma once again walked out the main street. ¡°Oba-chaaan~. One of today special please!¡± On the other side of the main street, there¡¯s a store located inside a dark, gloomy ally. The name of the shop is restaurant Oceanic Noise. It is the kind of a restaurant where people will decline in coming if they are not being recommended by someone. However, contrary to the dark appearance, the inside is clean and tidy, there are male and female customers, there also those who come with their child. The time right now is currently 3.00 o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Finally, Ryouma could get some lunch. He change his clothes into his black shirt and pants which he bought a while ago at Megu¡¯s shop. (Somehow I made it huh¡­) At the time there¡¯s an army that passed by Ryouma come out of the castle, he remembered the person who leads them. Ryouma in the state where he wears an armor went out from the castle. He only thinks about ran away immediately. Properly speaking, usually, without looking back, he should escape as far as possible. However, since he doesn¡¯t know the geography and have no equipment, there¡¯s no way to do that. It¡¯s the same as asking for death, after all, if he were to go without confirming the minimum information, how far, how to go, and how much preparation one¡¯s needed to prepare. Furthermore, Ryouma can¡¯t ride a horse. As a modern person, Ryouma have no horse riding experience. Since he saw carriage in the downtown, it is natural, that the pursuers would be some cavalrymen. On foot vs. Horse riding. It was evident that he would be caught fast like that. But since Ryouma wear armor when getting out of the castle. The imperial guards don¡¯t know Ryoma¡¯s face. Their only clue is that he wear an imperial guard armor. For that reason, they would chase someone who have gone out of the castle who wears an imperial guard armor. His concern is that if by any chance their preparation is faster, by the time Ryouma go out he would immediately being caught, however, Ryouma thought that the heaven seems to favor him Looking someplace outside the castle, he changes the attire to the one he bought. Then he buried the armor on the ground, just right after that, he meets the pursuer passed by heading out from the castle. ¡°Here you go! Thank you for waiting!¡± With cheerful voice, a sufficient volume of lunch set spread on the table, there¡¯s karaage, fried fish, bread, and salad. While stuffing his mouth with the bread and Karaage, Once again Ryouma remembered the pursuer who passed each other with him a moment ago. (They seem to be a considerably able person. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think that they would pursue me only using cavalry¡­) At the time when Ryouma is looking for a place to eat, they came out from the castle. The one who leads them is four people consist of man and women. Among them, two people have a familiar face. (Rolph and Seria huh¡­) Rolph face who have the personality of veteran soldier floats on his mind. And the one who seems to have an intelligent face and a high magic capability, Seria. And then, and unknown young man that looks weak. He can¡¯t make light of these three people, though, it does not mean that he¡¯s afraid of them. (The problem is the last person¡­) The woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. In Ryouma eyes, she has an equal fighting force similar to Rolph. Since he also has been trained in martial arts, he¡¯s able to deduce the ability of someone just from a glance. (Furthermore, that eyes¡­ that¡¯s not only the eyes of a warrior¡­ that is¡­) That eyes which full of calmness and intelligence. It was akin to Seria¡¯s eyes; however, she has one crucial difference. That her eyes are filled with confidence backed by experience. If Seria is an immature strategist, then, she¡¯s a general who have already matured and experienced a lot. The eyes that have been going through bloodshed. Not just someone that experienced the battlefield like Rolph, but also have a deeper strategist mind. Ryouma thinks about the future while stuffing his mouth full. (From here on, it seems like it would be one hell of escape¡­) This is Ryouma and Shardina, This is the first meeting of them before they fought for the hegemony of the western continent. Chapter 10 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 10 Chapter 1 E 10 (Fleeing) 2 ¡°Here you go!¡± A hostess put two large mugs on Ryouma table. Then she pours the drink with amber looking liquid until the bubbles spilled to the black table. ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t order for this, but?¡± Ryouma alternately looking at the mug filled with beer and the hostess. ¡°It¡¯s on the house! Please drink it!¡± Saying that the hostess sits down on one of the chairs. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your face around here before, are you traveling person?¡± She talks with a friendly tone toward Ryouma. ¡°Are you on break?¡± Ryouma asked the hostess who has sat down on the chair. ¡°Look around? there¡¯s only you here.¡± Toward the hostess words, Ryouma looking around the restaurant, and turn out, he¡¯s the only customer left. When Ryouma entered the restaurant there were still several visitors, it seems they already go back home. ¡°It¡¯s the time you see. We finish lunch at 3:00. Since you come at 2.58, the restaurant is not yet closed.¡± Saying that the hostess mischievously shakes one of the mugs in front of him. ¡°Though the kitchen staff already take a break since a while ago, there¡¯s still cleaning to be done. Nonetheless, to say, It would be boring to stand alone until you finished eating see. Thus, keep company this aunty for a bit. And, this drink is the payment for that.¡± After saying that, she pushes the mugs toward Ryouma. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m very sorry. For causing the trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, don¡¯t mind it~. So? are you a traveler?¡± The tone of the hostess is very frank and smooth. And one can see that she¡¯s also a talkative person. (Well there¡¯s no harm. Since there¡¯s a lot of things that I want to know too.) Ryouma decide to talk about his personal history for a bit. Because what he needed the most was information. ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s right. This is the first time I come here¡­¡± ¡®He~, so you came to the Ortomea imperial capital for the first time eh? You¡¯re alone?¡± ¡°No. I came here with my father¡­ and the other day, my father died cause of disease¡­¡± Saying that Ryouma lower her head. The hostess must be thinking that she had just heard something unpleasant. Then she said it in a hurry. ¡°Ah~. I¡¯ve asked something wrong ne~¡­.¡± Ryouma raised his head while smiling. ¡°No. There¡¯s no helping it for his illness.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡­ So it was an illness huh¡­ then you, what are you going to do now? Going back to your hometown?¡± ¡°I think I will live in the imperial capital. Since I¡¯ve traveled with my father here and there, I would like to settle down in this neighborhood.¡± (Here it is, the main subject. I have to speak carefully so that she won¡¯t think of me as someone suspicious.) Ryouma waited for a chance to hear the information he wanted to hear patiently. Since he knows that, if he were to be too impatient, it would only incur the hostess suspicion. The hostess seems to believe Ryouma story entirely. Since originally a good person won¡¯t doubt others people origins; besides, Ryouma story sounds very believable. ¡°Is that so. So, where are you going to live?¡± (Here it comes!) Ryouma is pleased that the topic he had waited have come First, I have to work to live. However, for Ryouma who had come from another world, he doesn¡¯t know if he could get a job here or not. Furthermore, if he did not listen properly to the general common sense and information, it will cause suspicion along the road. And since he exposes his face, Ryouma also worried that his face might fall into the empire hands if he does a bad job here. ¡°About that¡­ to say honestly, up until now I¡¯ve been helping my father¡¯s work, so in particular, I can¡¯t do anything much¡­ at most I can use the sword to some degree.¡± ¡°I see. Well~ in the case with your age~ you¡¯re too young to become a craftsman and a merchant would be difficult to do~.¡± The hostess nodded her head while looking at Ryouma face. ¡°I can¡¯t be a merchant?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t say you can¡¯t, but I think it would be difficult you know? It is a job that you need to train since childhood see~.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡­ Wah, this is bad huh¡­¡± Ryouma pretends to feel down. ¡°You¡­ You said you can use the sword? Then why not try being mercenaries or adventurers~?¡± ¡°Oh, I can?¡­ but, how am I supposed to do to become one of those?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? you don¡¯t know??¡± ¡°Indeed. I don¡¯t know much about the detail, if you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me about it?¡± Ryouma polite tone makes the other ease their wariness toward him, and make them think that they should help him. In fact, in term of courtesy, the hostess will at least answer it no matter who had asked. ¡°Though it¡¯s not really that detailed. At least I can grasp some part of it since sometimes adventurers and mercenaries come here to drink, is that alright?¡± ¡°By all means, please do tell me about it.¡± Saying that, Ryouma lowered his head. ¡°I-It¡¯s not something that great. You just have to go to the respective guild and register, then it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Huh? I heard that they need a background check and other necessities, though?¡± This is the thing that Ryouma worried about. Ryouma who had come from another world, have nothing like family registry or someone who can guarantee his identity. If that is needed, to be honest, he has no way out of it. It would be straight line to become a highway robber. However, The answer of the hostess is quite simple. ¡°You don¡¯t need a guarantor or proof of identity to become an adventurer. The one who needs those is, being a merchant, craftsman, and also a soldier. Ne~¡­ If you want to register at the guild alone, you can do it over there.¡± Ryouma then shows smile on his whole face. It seems like he can find job at least. ¡°Really!? I¡¯m glad that you told me all these~. I thought they would need identity guarantee! Turn out it was just misunderstood in my part eh¡­¡± Ryouma said so while energetically drinks the ale inside the large mugs. ¡°You must be mistaking them when they talk about becoming merchant or something else. By the way, the guild location is, outside of this restaurant, you go toward the left side heading to the main street, and you will found it immediately.¡± ¡°Thank you very much! Ma¡¯am. I will head toward that please immediately.¡± ¡°Is that so? then do come for dinner and report to me later alright?¡± ¡°Sure! well then, the bill please.¡± ¡°Sure! 1 person portion serving for menu A is 25 bahts.¡± Hearing that Ryouma hardened. It¡¯s not because he does not have any money. It¡¯s about something different¡­ (Damn it. I still don¡¯t know the value of the money¡­) A while before when I buy the clothes, I came through by letting the girl take the money back in excuse of leaving quickly, but here, I can¡¯t use the same method. Since there¡¯s no other choice, Ryouma took one gold coin which seems to be the most valuable on the table. ¡°W-Wait you. Even if you took out 10.00 baht, there wouldn¡¯t be any change¡­¡± Seeing gold coin on the table, the hostess look amazed. ¡°Do you not have any 100 baht silver coin?¡± (Alright¡­ I found the value of the money.) one piece of Gold coin is ten thousand baht. One silver coin is a hundred baht. (Does that mean, one piece of copper is 1 baht?) ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m very sorry. Please wait a moment.¡± Pretending to be in a hurry he took another money bag from his pocket. ¡°I probably put it in this one¡­ 25 copper coins right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. 25 baht.¡± ¡°Ah! Here it is¡­ I¡¯m very sorry. I¡¯ve put my small change here.¡± He put the 25 copper coins on the table while glossing it over. ¡°Alright! Thank you very much for your patronage.¡± While the hostess put the copper coins on her apron, she asked Ryouma. ¡°You, you don¡¯t have a card? since we can use card here, please use that next time.¡± (Card? Does she mean Credit Card?) He could not say that he don¡¯t know anything about that; thus Ryouma made up a story matching up with the hostess. ¡°Ah well about that~ the truth is I lost the card see¡­ but since I hold some cash, I think I won¡¯t feel troubled for a while¡­¡± ¡°Oh? I see, so that¡¯s what had happened. Well~ I guess because the depositor is the only one that can use the money it is safe, but, sometimes it¡¯s inconvenient. How about reissuing it? There are banks near the guilds you know?¡± (As expected, a bank huh? Or rather, really? A bank? in this world?) Since Ryouma thought that it would be a waste without asking back, he asks the hostess a question. ¡°Do reissuing it not need any family identity proof?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need it you know? If you make it at the same time making bank account application, you will only require personal information.¡± ¡°Oh~. Is that how it is? I don¡¯t know that¡­ Thank you very much!¡± After that being said, Ryouma lowered his head toward the hostess. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, don¡¯t mind it! Please it here again later.¡± As she went off, Ryouma then left the restaurant and walked toward the main street. ¡°First, I need to go to the bank!¡± He follows the direction that the hostess had told him about, then he saw a sign of money being stacked on the left side of the road, and he also saw a sign with a picture of a soldier wearing armor. (Such an easy to understand signboard huh¡­ to think they use a picture.) Ryouma went toward the bank while thinking such a thing. Honestly speaking, it¡¯s quite heavy to carry seven bags of coins. Especially when there are some pursuers, thus he wants to be a bit light. That¡¯s being the case, Ryouma went toward the bank before heading to the adventurer guilds. ¡°Welcome. What kind of business do you have today?¡± A middle-aged man from the lobby spoke toward Ryouma after he passed through the bank entrance. The receptionist is exactly like a bank in Japan. Black suits with white shirt. And a red necktie hangs on his neck. (Suit? why is he wearing a suit?) Ryouma did not understand this world for some reason. If we think about how this world looks like medieval Europe, this place looks very modernistic. Such thing as, suits, and card as well. (I thought I went to a different place, to think it would be this similar¡­ I can only admire them¡­) ¡°Emm?¡­ Excuse me?¡± The man called Ryouma after looking at his face that seems to be flustered. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It was my first time to come to this place¡­ I¡¯m thinking of making an account.¡± The man nodded toward Ryouma then led him. ¡°It¡¯s this reception, sir.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°This person wish to open an account. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you alright.¡± After saying that toward the woman receptionist, the man left the place. ¡°Welcome. you wish to open an account yes?¡± Navy blue jacket and red ribbon. A woman wearing her uniform sit down on the counter. Such your ordinary receptionist. This kind of scene won¡¯t surprise me if only if this place is not another world. ¡°Yes. Because this is my first time, I don¡¯t know very much about the procedure¡­¡± For Ryouma, the good point is that he can just listen obediently for the things he doesn¡¯t understand. Rather than pretending to know, this is much safer. ¡°Certainly. Excuse me, but, please fill in your name.¡± Then she handed him the parchment and the pen. (Why parchment?) Ryouma suppressed the question that welled up inside of him while receiving the pen and minutes. Name = Mikoshiba Ryouma Age = 16 There¡¯s no address column and other entry, it only needs name and age. After being unconsciously writing his name and age, Ryouma returned the parchment toward the receptionist. (Huh? The letters¡­ it¡¯s Japanese right? do those letters common here?) However, contrary to Ryouma confusion, the receptionist worked on it without minding anything. At least, it seems like he can communicate using Japanese. ¡°Name is Mikoshiba Ryouma. Age is¡­ 1¡­. 6? Did you make a mistake here?¡± The receptionist gazed at Ryouma face. She probably did not see Ryouma as a 16 years old. She gazed at Ryouma suspiciously. ¡°Indeed. As you can see, but?¡± I can guess that she would surprise when he told them her age. (After all, I have such old-looking face¡­) ¡°Or is there possibly, one can¡¯t make make an account if their age still 16?¡± She shakes her head toward Ryouma question. ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s no problem with age. Emm¡­ since dear customer is very calm, I was surprised to see the age written here. I¡¯m very sorry. ¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s alright. Since I¡¯m used to it already. Then please establish the account.¡± ¡°Certainly. Please wait a moment as we will make the card.¡± After saying that, she write down something on a card as big as a business card. After that, she presses the card between two transparent plates. (Lamination processing??) He really can¡¯t decide if this world standard is high or low. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. Please put your hands on this sphere.¡± The card is being inserted inside the glass ball, then Ryouma being asked to touch it. ¡°Like this?¡± When Ryouma put his hand on the glass ball, the ball begins to shine. ¡°Yes. Thank you. With this Mikoshiba-sama information is already registered. You could make it again in the future if you lost it by coming to the nearest bank.¡± While saying such thing, she handed the card to Ryouma. ¡°Is it done already?¡± ¡°Yes. The procedure for opening an account is over. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡± ¡°Then¡­ I want to deposit my money to the account but.¡± ¡°Depositing money is it. Thank you very much. Please put the money that you wish to deposit and also your account card.¡± Saying that, she put a tray on the counter. Ryouma thus pick 10 gold coins, 20 silver coin and 50 copper coin from the bag, then he put the rest on the tray. ¡°Thank you, we will check the amount now. Please wait for it a minutes.¡± She then takes all the money out from the bag, and stack 10 of it per type. (You¡¯re going to count it by hand huh¡­) Even thought card such as this exist, it seems like a money counting machine did not exist. She keeps counting the money despite Ryouma lament. He waited for around 20 minute. She finished after three times of counting it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting. After counting all of it, there are 23 gold coins, 58 silver coins, and 731 copper coins, the total sum of the deposit is 236.531 baht. Is there anything wrong with the amount of money?¡± (Lunch at the Oceanic Nois is 25 baht per serving right? for now there¡¯s no problem I guess.) For a while, I won¡¯t seems to have any trouble with inn and meal fee either. ¡°Indeed. This is good.¡± ¡°Certainly. Then 236.531 baht. We officially confirm it.¡± Then she returns the card to Ryouma and lowers her head afterward. Though he feels like he has a good living expense, but by the end of it, he won¡¯t be able to live if he did not work. Ryouma left the bank and went toward the guild next. There are several counters where the receptionist sitting behind it. Ryouma then sit down on one of the vacant counters. ¡°Welcome. What can I do for you, sir?¡± The receptionist responded. ¡°I would like to register as an adventurer, and also introduce me their work.¡± ¡°I understand. Excuse me, but, do you have a bank account?¡± ¡°Is this alright?¡± Ryouma then hand her the card he just made. ¡°Yes. This is enough. Recently, the payment of rewards are being done via card, and those who newly registered will be required to prepare an account in advance.¡± ¡°He~. Is that how it is? That close, I heard that you don¡¯t need to prepare anything.¡± ¡°Indeed. There are a lot of them who came here without it. At that time, I would ask them to come again after making it.¡± After saying that, she put the card in the opening that opened on the glass ball base. ¡± Here we go, the registration is complete. Mikoshiba-san¡± ¡°Eh?¡± We can share the information from the bank and the information on the guild. Therefore, if one have the bank card, then I can just use it to read the information from it then finished.¡± While saying that, she took out a bunch of paper and began looking at it. ¡°Emm, can you receive group mission?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ryouma nodded. ¡°Do you know the guild system?¡± Ryouma shook his neck. ¡°Then~, I¡¯ll explain it alright. Please do ask if there¡¯s something that you want to ask.¡± Saying that she took a paper and put it in front of Ryouma. ¡°The initial level after registration in the guild is Lvl 1. The guild rank, a single I is the lowest rank. The rank is shown on the surface of the card. Please do take care of it, because it also serves as your identity as an adventurer.¡± She pointed toward the very bottom letter, a single I. ¡°Simply Lvl is a rank that the Guild bestows to the adventurer based on their battle experience. By the way, a battle experience is about how much power that you took from other creature. Do you know about the absorbing power?¡± ¡°Yes. When you kill other creatures, some part of their power will be yours, right?¡± ¡°Indeed, just like what you say. Level 1 is the average power of human being, and when it reaches level 10, then it¡¯s 10 times of that. There is not much relation for an adventurer, but if you do mercenaries work, this will raise and lower your salaries. ¡± ¡°I see~. If I¡¯m a level 10 then is that mean I can get 10 times more salaries?¡± Well~ basically like that. Next is guild rank, this rank will go up by accumulating your achievement point from each quest you succeeded in doing it. The higher your rank is, the better request quest will be given to you. You may undertake job according to your rank or 1 rank bellow you.¡± Ryouma took notice of the notes written on the paper. ¡°This instruction is?¡± ¡°Yes. You may accept any number of quests at once, but the requested quest has a due date. If you exceed the period, then you have to pay indemnities, and the achievement point will go down. ¡°Does rank will also fall?¡± ¡°Indeed. Rank will go up every time you accumulate 100 achievement point. In the case of Mikoshiba-San case, the order will be from I to H. The rank will fall to I again if you failed on doing a quest and the achievement point is down more than 100 points. However¡­¡± Her finger pointed to one of the columns on the paper. ¡°If the quest has a different or defect achievement requirement then even if the person who undertook the quest were unable to finish it, the indemnity doesn¡¯t occur. Depending on the situation, one can request compensation from the client. In such case, you may contact the guild, and we will take care of it.¡± (This feels like a temporary employee agency¡­) ¡°That above is all the explanation. Is there anything that you¡¯re unable to understand?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ryouma shook his head. ¡°Then, I will choose Mikoshiba-San first job alright~.¡± She took out a bundle of documents again then put it before Ryouma. On top of the paper, there¡¯s a single I rank, in which, under that, there are a lot of jobs registered. ¡°Emm. What kind of request quest does Mikoshiba-san like to do? Adventurer job? Or a Mercenary job?¡± ¡°Both is fine¡­¡± (I feel like receiving an interview¡­) Ryouma remembered the recommendation interview he received at the time of his high school examinations. If this is just like the future plan they asked back then, then he thought that this is kind of the same. ¡°U~nn. If you have confidence in your fighting capability, then the mercenary job would be good I think?¡± Saying that, then she began to make a red circle in several columns written on there. ¡°The thing that I¡¯ve circled, the primary job is that of fighting alright? Such as wild dog subjugation or wild bee subjugation. There is no time period, by the end of the report, you need to subjugate the X marks, and the reward is 3 copper coin. The achievement point of clearing it is 1 point.¡± Ryouma then thought of something. Is there a work where I can also go to another city? For example, escorting someone or deliver something. ¡°Is there work where I also can go to another town?¡± ¡°Deliver item category is it~. There¡¯s none for escort category~.¡± She shakes her neck. ¡°Because the escorting category is directly related to the client¡¯s life, we will only give it to someone who has at least some level of ability. in rank, that would be around rank C or above.¡± ¡°Then if it¡¯s delivery category, is there something that delivered to oversee?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ with I rank, long distance delivery is impossible. You may only take a delivery quest to the next town at most.¡± Unlike a game, there seems to be restriction here and there. Ryouma then looked at the map stuck behind her. ¡°By the way, is there quest to the other side if I¡¯m looking at the other town?¡± ¡°Probably yes? If it¡¯s a delivery quest that is¡­¡± ¡°Emm, may I borrow some map.?¡± ¡°The receptionist gave a strange face; however, she pulled out a folded map from the drawer and spread it on the counter. ¡°Emm¡­ Ortomea, which one is it?¡± ¡°Here is imperial capital Ortomea.¡± Her finger pointed at a big mark on the center near the southern border of the map. It has the description of Ortomea Imperial Capital with thick letters. Furthermore, there¡¯s a thick red line enclosing the imperial capital mark. I guess this is the border of Ortomea Empire huh. This is considerably wide. (Garik Melferen. Gildas Oitto¡­ if I were to go out from here, it is these four huh¡­) Ryouma eyes looked at the four towns. Both are a town that can be regarded as suburbs of the imperial capital. ¡°Then is there any delivery work toward Melferen?¡± Upon Ryouma question, the receptionist began to look at the bundle of documents again. ¡°Please wait for a moment¡­ emm. This one, the rank is not enough¡­ this one already being picked up¡­ emm¡­ Ah! There is a letter delivery. The reward is 30 copper coin. The achievement point will be 5 points.¡± There is not much of work Ryouma can take as a rookie. Furthermore, he decides the town by himself. Work is not something that will come conveniently after all; furthermore, there might be someone who already undertook it as well. However, Ryouma is lucky. The receptionist-san who finished looking at every corner of a bunch of documents, looking at Ryouma full of smiles. ¡°Then I will take it please.¡± Ryouma immediately receives that quest. In this kind of situation, being decisive is important. There¡¯s no time to hesitate. ¡°Sure. Then please take this.¡± She then writes something on a board that is connected to the ball glass stand. Then the glass ball twinkled. ¡°Here we go. It¡¯s completed, The deadline is within 3 days. The quest will end when you are successed at sending the letter to Melferen guild. Do you wish to accept another quest?¡± ¡°Ten, I would like to accept the subjugation quest from a while ago.¡± ¡°Sure. Wild dog subjugation and the field bee wild bi subjugation, and the subjugation of wild rabbit, right. Since there¡¯s no deadline, please do report to the guild when you finished.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Ah right. Though it might be late for me to saying this, if there¡¯s no specific designation of the requested quest then you may report it at any guild. Well then, please do your best ne~.¡± After receptionist-san smiles toward Ryouma, she lowered her head toward him. ¡°Yes. Thank you very much.¡± Ryouma lowers his head lightly and leave the guild There¡¯s a reason why Ryouma accepts those request quest. He¡¯s being chased by the Empire. Thus he wants to go out of the country as soon as possible. However, there¡¯s a problem. If we take the pursuers into consideration then, there¡¯s a danger hanging around while moving between town. Therefore I need some pretext. A pretext to walk along the highway. In that respect, the job of delivering a letter is a great thing. And there¡¯s a reason why he took quest toward Melferen located in the east. According to the map, he saw earlier, the imperial city is located in the southeast. In other words, it would take a considerable amount of time for him to go toward a national border located in the west and north. The closest border from this imperial city would be to the south, however, based on his prediction; the pursuers might also go there. Thus by thinking about it in various ways, the safest bet he can go would be toward the east. Of course, it is unknown if this judgment is correct or not unless he goes and see it himself¡­ Chapter 11 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 11 Chapter 1 E 11 ¨C (Fleeing) 3 As promised, Ryouma went toward the oceanic noise restaurant. I need to report that my registration has been finished safely to the hostess. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. Have you finished your registering?¡± The hostess asked joyfully while she put a glass of water in front of Ryouma that was guided by the counter. The time is already past 5 o¡¯clock in the evening. The time is still early for dinner; however, not many customers come yet. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m glad I asked you beforehand.¡± When Ryouma said so, a smile come upon her face. ¡°Is that so! Then I¡¯m glad. It is worth the effort that I had thought you then. By the way, what are you going to do? There¡¯s not much time had passed since lunch, no?¡± The hostess turns her eyes toward the clock hung on the wall and asked him. The time needed to register a bank account and work registration at the guild are not much. Only more than 1 hour had passed since then, Even though Ryouma can boast as a heavy eater, as expected, he cannot eat dinner 1 hour after he ate lunch. ¡°Unn¡­ as expected, I can¡¯t¡­¡± Ryouma makes vague words and rubbing his own stomach. In his abdomen, the fish still mischievously occupied his stomach full. ¡°Well~, I guess so ne~.¡± While nodding, the hostess paid attention to Ryouma attire. There might be some doubt on her about Ryouma appearance. ¡°By the way you¡­ Do you keep your luggage in the hotel?¡± ¡°Eh? No¡­¡± ¡°Eh? then are you going to go as adventurer just like that? What about your luggage? And how about your weapon?¡± There are often adventurers with nothing but clothes on their body. It is safer to relatively wear good armor and not leaving relatively expensive accessories at the inn to cope with an unexpected situation. Thus it was natural for the hostess to have some doubt regarding this. Ryouma then turn his own attention toward his body. He wore mantle over shirt and pants. One can say that it is very normal clothes. However, that is if he¡¯s someone from the downtown. ¡°I see¡­ I was planning to do it barehanded, but I guess I¡¯ve failed huh¡­ also, baggage huh¡­ since it would take only half a day until next town, I thought that I don¡¯t need any preparation for the night¡­ I guess, it¡¯s better for me to prepare huh?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ For the weapon, I intend to see it later. Originally I have not much of baggage, the quest that beginner can take is only until neighboring town, I thought this alone should be okay¡­¡± The hostess looked at him amazed although she somewhat also convinced by it. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re still newcomer I guess that¡¯s reasonable huh~¡­¡± ¡°Is it bad? Toward Ryouma words, the hostess leaked a sigh. ¡°Being adventurer is very dangerous you know? what do you think the most common cause of death for an adventurer and mercenary?¡± ¡°??¡± ¡°The thing that usually killed a newcomer is being unpreparedness¡­ indeed request quest for I rank is not hard. You might think that woman or child can do it. But you know, there¡¯s many unexpected things happen out there see? You must be prepared for the worst¡­ if you don¡¯t want to die that is.¡± Ryouma lost in thought. (I guess my mind still think that I¡¯m living in Japan huh¡­ Just like she said! I still have not known anything about this world. There¡¯s the thing with the pursuers, but, I also still don¡¯t know a thing about outside here¡­ it was reasonable for the lady here to say that.) ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess, I do not yet have the right mental attitude.¡± Ryouma lowered his head deeply toward the hostess. ¡°Give it up. It¡¯s fine!¡­ our restaurant makes a meal for the neighborhood residents during the day, but also for mercenaries and adventurers at night. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve seen many adventurers¡­ saying that they will become adventurers and leave, but, they never come back. Their reason is because it¡¯s nearby, thus no need to bring antidote, thanks to that they forgot to replenish the magic potion or something¡­ it¡¯s very unbearable~~~¡­¡± The hostess wipes tears with her apron. Until now she has seen many adventurers. Because she had experience that she said those words, he can see that from her expression and it was obvious. Ryouma decided to prepare various thing, listening to her advice. (I still don¡¯t know anything. That¡¯s why I should listen to advice¡­ this is a different place than earth after all.) ¡°Then, I will prepare various thing first, since there¡¯s still time before dinner.¡± The hostess expression brightens up hearing Ryouma words. ¡°Is that so? ¡­ Un! That¡¯s better! ¡­ Do you know where the shop is? If it¡¯s second-hand magic shop, then it¡¯s on the main street near the guild earlier. You should buy magic potion there¡­ if it¡¯s weapon smith then from this shop turn right then, you can just walk straight from here. The boss there if you said to him that the hostess of Oceanic Nois told you to come there, he will welcome you warmly.¡± Ryouma left the store while being sent off by words that sound like coming from a mother. Buy a weapon to entrust one¡¯s life. ¡°Oi, what do you want?¡± He found the weapon smith immediately that the Oceanic Nois hostess had recommended. The appearance was dirty, but the shop front was quite large. A big chimney is standing behind the shop, and black smoke was come out from there. When Ryouma entered the store and looking at the spears and swords that being displayed, the bearded old man who sat on the counter called Ryouma. ¡°Emm. I want some moderate weapon.¡± Ryouma words have no malice. Since there is weapon original of this store, I said a moderate weapon in the sense that I want to buy a weapon that I can handle. However, listening to Ryouma words, the complexion of the old-man changed. ¡°The weapon I made, there¡¯s no such thing as a moderate weapon that already passed my judgment~~! Get out!¡± The old man angry voice resounded. Ryouma then answered desperately while being overwhelmed. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. The Oceanic Nois hostess is¡­¡± After saying that, the expression of the old man eased somewhat. ¡°Oh¡­ So you come here after being introduced by the hostess of the Oceanic Nois huh?¡± ¡°Y- Yes!¡± ¡°That means you¡¯re a beginner? Well¡­ with that face, a beginner?¡± The old-man question him while looking doubtful. Well, Ryouma body is quite developed, and his face is also old. Thus it¡¯s normal for him not to believe it immediately, even if it was said that he was a rookie. However, Ryouma answered the old man words without feeling flustered. It was usual for him that someone doubted his age. ¡°Indeed. I just registered at the guild earlier.¡± Since Ryouma answered clearly, the old man believes him by nodding while crossing his arm. There were many traces of burns on his arm. He must owe those from the sparks that come out during weapons manufacturing. With that, it¡¯s shown that he¡¯s a skillful craftsman. ¡°Is that so. Well, if that¡¯s the case there¡¯s no other choice. However, newcomer yo. I don¡¯t know about another store, but, don¡¯t use a moderate sword words in my store!¡± Ryouma hold the short sword displayed nearby. ¡°Is it possibly that there are only a few people who make a weapon with forging technique?¡± The complexion of the old-man changed. ¡°You! You can tell the difference!?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ To some degree that is¡­¡± Because of the forging technique, that requires striking the steel over and over again, which took out the impurity from it, this is why the blade edge looks more brilliant. ¡°Is that so! Oh, this made me happy~. Nowadays blacksmiths adopt casting technique that can produce mass production see. I hate those adventurers who buy those weapons thinking that any weapon is fine! A weapon that being created just by pouring iron into a mold is not a good weapon!¡± Ryouma saw some pride from this old man. That¡¯s why, he shouted at Ryouma who wants some moderate handy weapon. (I see. This is the hostess recommendation. Certainly, the weapon is not bad. However) Ryouma acknowledged this old man ability; however, he now faced a new problem. ¡°So, what do you want? A sword? or a spear?¡± That¡¯s right, here he can find sword, spear and even ax, but there¡¯s no Katana. (Damn it. As expected, there¡¯s no Katana¡­ oh well, I did not expect it much somehow, since this place has a western like atmosphere¡­) However, Ryouma asked the old man. ¡°Is there a curved sword with a single edge?¡± The old man lost in thought. ¡°A single edge curved sword¡­ by any chance, are you speaking about Katana?¡± ¡°It exists?!¡± Ryouma was quite surprised. Since the town is very western style, and the weapon also double edge and, the use of halberd is also quite western like. ¡°No. My bad, but, this shop does not have it.¡± The old-man continue his talk. ¡°Although I know a bit about it. It is a weapon that¡¯s being used at East continent see. Since a quite special practice needed to handle the weapon, it was not exported much.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°If somewhere were to have it then, you might find it at the eastern market port town Furuzado.¡± ¡°Port town Furuzado is it?¡± ¡°It is the best trading city in the western continent. If it¡¯s there, then you can also find eastern continent item via the central continent.¡± Ryouma to be honest feel troubled. (Since there¡¯s no Katana, so I have to use sword huh? But using the sword is hard after all. If that is the case, should I use the spear? No¡­ if I were to use it on the suburb, then it¡¯s fine, but it would be hard if I were to use it in the downtown. Ax¡­ should I use an ax? I have no problem with an ax but¡­) To use an unfamiliar weapon is nothing but exposing one¡¯s life to danger. ¡°You. You feel like the normal weapon is a no good huh¡­ alright! If that is the case, I will show you my collection. If you can use something in there, then you can take it!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It is the things that have passed my judgment, which some are the things that adventurers bring in, it is wonderful as a work, but it is something which is difficult to handle and does not popular among ordinary visitors. There¡¯s also things that I was unable to understand how to handle. Those weapons, I collect them as my collection! I know some Katana. Among my collection, there might be one or two that usable for you. If there is one, then, I will hand it over to you!¡± As he said that, the old man led Ryouma through the stairs behind the counter leading toward the basement. A steel door is waiting at the place where he went. He took a key from his pants then unlocked the door. ¡°Now enter. Whether or not if there¡¯s something that will satisfy you.¡± At the time they first meet, the old man called him a newcomer, but before one knows, the old man already called him you. (I guess he already acknowledges me to some degree huh¡­¡± Around the time when he told the old man, he can see the difference. It seems like an artisans are more friendly to customers who can accept their work. The room that the old man shows is quite wide. Inside the room around 30 tatamis wide, there are many shelves lined up. ¡°The shelf from the right filled with a sword, then beside it spears, axes, bows, and so on. This all are a masterpiece. Weapons that choose its masters. Befitting their master.¡± As he said that, the old man brought Ryouma to the most left shelves. ¡°What I want to show you is, this¡­¡± As the old man told him, Ryouma turned toward the items on the shelf. The first thing that appears is a wooden tonfa, following it, there¡¯s a nunchaku; Moreover, there¡¯s also a gabishi weapon. A chakram and baton also there. (What is this¡­ why such unique things¡­) ¡°How is it?¡± I shook my head to the old man question. ¡°Too unique huh¡­¡± ¡°As expected¡­ do you not know how to use it?¡± Ryouma shook his head. ¡°If it¡¯s only using it then, I can¡­ but I¡¯ve never practiced using them.¡± Ryouma then hold the tonfa with his hands. *Fon* The tonfa sharply turns and cuts the wind. ¡°Oi oi. So, it¡¯s still no good?¡± The old man asked Ryouma while looking at him interested. Ryouma put back the tonfa and said. ¡°No good. I know the basic use of it, but the application is ineffective since this is not suitable for one vs. many battles. I can¡¯t use it for a real fight.¡± Listening to Ryouma answer, the old man asked. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not your ordinary newcomer huh? This is the first time I meet someone like you. I thought you¡¯re just a mere amateur. However, how you talk is not something normal¡­¡± ¡°Oh please old man¡­ I¡¯m really just a beginner you know. It is only because my father brought me to many please; thus I gather a lot of knowledge.¡± Ryouma answered while smiled wryly/ ¡°Is that so¡­ well that¡¯s fine. So, how is it?¡± He seems not to have convinced, however, the old man urged Ryouma to decide a weapon. ¡°U~n¡­¡± Ryouma advancing toward the inside while replying vaguely. (I don¡¯t mean it that it was unusable for me. But I thought that using something too unique will stand out as well¡­) Each weapon has an advantage. However, training is necessary to bring out the advantage. And furthermore, a unique shape attract the public eye. And Ryouma thought he does not want to draw attention when he has some pursuers. ¡°Oh!¡± And Ryouma who arrived at the edge saw a certain article. It is a chain with a weight on both sides. The length is approximately around 80 cm? The chains are thin; thus it can be hidden under the clothes. ¡°Is it this fellow? There¡¯s a saying that this is something that an another worlder bring, but, what do you think about this chains?¡± Ryouma answered while the old man looked at the chains on Ryouma hands. ¡°Otherworlder?!¡± ¡°Indeed. The things on this shelf are the things that are said to be brought by another worlder.¡± He was wondering as to why the culture of east and west were being mixed so much, Ryouma now understand after listening to the old man story. It is because they summoned various race at random since a long time ago. (I see! So that¡¯s why the culture seems high in certain thing yet low in a certain area!) In other words, they only use the knowledge that can be utilized in this world from the knowledge of summoned human has. The bank card is a good example. Perhaps it¡¯s because a summoned person from the modern era applied a banking network in this world. Although without PC for Ryouma, it¡¯s impossible for him to understand how they implement it, but, there¡¯s no mistake. On the contrary, some people use parchment paper, is it because there are only a few individuals with technique to make paper? Or because the number of manual labor is not sufficient? Is the paper expensive? In other words, some part of the culture in this world is high, and since they don¡¯t have the knowledge, thus the thing that they cannot implement is still medieval. The old man starts talking to Ryouma who¡¯s in deep thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The old man looked at Ryouma face suspiciously. ¡°Ah! No¡­ I just have a bit of concern¡­¡± Ryouma took the chain to hide his thoughts. (It is not bad¡­ since I¡¯ve learned how to use manrikigusari from grandfather. This is not bad as a hidden weapon However¡­) There¡¯s no meaning hiding a weapon in this world. Because one can carry swords or spears and walk on the main street normally here. After thinking hard, Ryouma choose the chakram as a throwing weapon. It has a 5-centimeter diameter and the edge are sharp. One can imagine it easily by imagining a CD with a sharp edge. There are four reasons why I choose this guy. 1. It¡¯s easy to throw since this guy has a circular shape. 2. I can use iai stance as throwing method. 3. Because the whole surface is a blade, it has a high killing ability rather than throwing a knife. 4. And I can sufficiently use it as shuriken. Ryouma then took 20 pieces of it ¡°Old man. Please give me this guy and a sword.¡± The old man looked at me surprised. ¡°I thought you don¡¯t like the sword?¡± ¡°Well. Because tomorrow I need to do a quest first of all, after all.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ It can¡¯t be helped if you¡¯re in a hurry huh. I will choose something that you can use with one hand.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Ryouma lowered his head calmly. Chapter 12 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 12 Chapter 1 E 12 (Fleeing) 4 Ryouma narrowed his eyes because of the light of the morning sun. He carried his sword, and the chakram inside the leather bag and hung them on his left and right waist; then he went east on the highway. ¡°But still, that was dangerous¡­¡± Yesterday, after he buys weapons. Ryouma bought five magic potion and five antidotes from the second-hand magic store, a simple tent, a map of the western continent, and also a backpack to put all of those things. He thought of what to do with the armors but, it is hard to match his body size with the pre-made armors. Since currently Ryouma have not much time, he decided to buy it at a later date. For the time being, the equipment has been completed, at the time Ryouma had dinner at Oceanic Nois, he noticed. ¡°Ah!¡± Ryouma voice echoes inside of the Oceanic Nois restaurant that has been turned into a bar. The eyes of the customer who visited the bar turned at Ryouma all at once. ¡°M- Ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Surprised by Ryouma voice, the hostess comes closer to Ryouma. She came up to Ryouma worried that insect might enter his meal, but as far as she looks at him, that does not seem to be the case. As the hostess come to him timidly, Ryouma speak toward the hostess with a small voice. ¡°Letter. The latter¡­¡± ¡°Did you lost the letter that means to be delivered !?¡± After listening to Ryouma small muttering, the hostess complexion changed. This is, in fact, a huge failure. If it¡¯s like this, he will have definitely pay the indemnity. No, if it¡¯s money, he still has plenty. It would be different if he has a little bit experience, however, if a beginner were to fail at doing a beginner quest then, it would difficult for him to undertake a new quest. However, hearing Ryouma answer, the hostess expression turn into a smile. ¡°N- No¡­ in fact, I have not yet received the letter¡­¡± ¡°Ha haan. You, you haven¡¯t didn¡¯t go to the delivery counter yet haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Delivery counter?¡± It seems like the visitors who tried to listen to them understood the situation. They have smirked and smile on their face looking at Ryouma. ¡°Oi. A new face here. ¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m also like that the first time.¡± ¡°After all the guild is a bureaucrat too.¡± The whispering voice reaches Ryouma ears from around the corner. ¡°Ahahaha.¡± Because she can¡¯t stand it anymore, the hostess laughed loudly The surrounding mercenaries laughed together as well. ¡°??¡± Ryouma was unable to understand why they laughed at him. ¡°Iya~, my bad, my bad. Well indeed, half of the beginner end up just like you right now.¡± Noticing Ryouma fell silent with a stupid face, the hostess covers her mouth with her apron and apologize. However, a smile still floats on her face. ¡°What¡¯s going on actually?¡± Toward Ryouma question, words come flying from the people around him. ¡°For the new face trial, cheers~!!¡± ¡°A victim of the bureaucracy, glory to that!¡± ¡°New face! Don¡¯t lose heart and do your best alright~~.¡± He did not understand the situation at all. Ryouma turned his gaze filled with question toward the hostess. Looking at Ryouma with such face, the hostess shrugs her shoulders while shaking her head. ¡°You¡­ After registering at the guild, didn¡¯t you get anything?¡± ¡°The guild is it? The registration card¡­ ah!¡± After listening to the hostess words, Ryouma remembered something. (That¡¯s right! after finished with my registration and I was about to head back, I get a booklet!) It was being handed over by receptionist after I¡¯m done registering. Ryouma receive it then just throw it in his bag and forgot about it until now. ¡°Have you read the third page?¡± Listening hostess words Ryouma opens the booklet in haste. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Each request quest achievement procedure: Request quest: Related to delivery category At the time one¡¯s undertake delivery quest course, receive the delivery object at the delivery counter located in the guild. The quest end condition is by delivering the item to the delivery counter at the next town guild. Request quest: Subjugation category. When undertaking subjugation quest, Every time the target is being subjugated, it will automatically be recorded on the license card. And, the quest will end by the time the card being submitted to the guild delivery counter. Unless if it was specified, one might report at any guild in any city. Attention: After the subjugation target inhabitant has been decided, make sure you always being accompanied by the guild attendant, it is necessary as proof that you do subjugation in the right place if not, In such case, the automatic record cannot be used, so be careful. Request quest: procurement category. In case you undertaking the procurement quest, the quest will end if the procurement item has been delivered to the guild delivery counter. In case it¡¯s not being specified, you may report it at any city guild. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°These guys¡­¡± Ryouma looked at the title of the booklet which is written as ¡°Guild beginner guide.¡± The material that contains in it is the necessary information which beginner need to know. ¡°You received the quest from the receptionist counter right?¡± Ryouma nodded toward the hostess question. ¡°A reception counters will only accept reception. Thus when you received a request for a delivery quest category or other requests, after having accepted the quest, you must go to the delivery counter and get the item they want to delivery.¡± Now that she mention it like that, he¡¯s convinced, but, Ryouma is not entirely satisfied by it. Although he doesn¡¯t intend in making any excuse, it seems more efficient if they just hand over the item together with the time he took the quest, or so he thought. Well, since they indeed give the handbook, making Ryouma words which did not even put an effort to read it lack persuasive power. In the first place, it seems like there are many people like him. The hostess also said that many newcomers face such trouble because they didn¡¯t read it as well, and right now he was being seen like that as well. ¡°You seems dissatisfied there~? Well, since they thought the system is complicated, they decide to give a booklet, but, most newcomers did not even take a glance at it. after all it¡¯s their first registration and first job. Mostly feel tense and forget about the booklet. Thus the new face trials, see?¡± The hostess might understand Ryouma feeling. While explaining to him carefully. ¡°Does the guild still open I wonder?¡± The current time right now is 20:30 in the night. It is the time for the most shop to close, except shops such as bars. ¡°Fufufu. The guild is open for 24 hours and 365 days. By the way, such matter was also written in the booklet; please read it later properly alright?¡± Hearing that, Ryouma stuffed his mouth with the grilled meat in a hurry. Then he paid the dinner bill at the counter and bowed toward the hostess and leave the shop. The place that he heads to is, of course, the guild delivery counter. ¡°Yes! This is the requested item. Thank you very much. Mikoshiba-san.¡± The woman is wearing a glasses handed over the letter wrapped with oil paper to Ryouma. ¡°The steal stamp is using wax. If this thing peels off, you will receive penalties regardless you read the inside or not, please be careful alright.¡± After reading the information on the guild board, Ryouma headed to the delivery counter situated on the first floor and then showed his card, and the guild receptionist woman handed the requested item readily. If he were to read the reference booklet from the beginning, then it would end fast. After that, he stayed at the hotel facing the main street, where he will leave the imperial capital at dawn. ¡°Faah~~~~.¡± Ryouma leave the entrance while yawning. Since it was early in the morning, there¡¯s only Ryouma around even after he walked in the highway leading to Melferen. After he had received the requested item at the guild yesterday, Ryouma spent the night in the hotel facing the main street. Just like the hostess advice him, he read the booklet properly, and after he had thought about all the expense that he purchased, he fell to sleep. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Shirt, pants, mantle, and leather belt = 1000 baht (10 silver coins). Lunch time at the Oceanic Noise restaurant = 25 baht (25 copper coins) Dinner at the Oceanic Noise restaurant = 40 baht (40 copper coins) A sword = 500 baht (5 silver coins) Chakram x 20 = 2000 baht (20 silver coins) Magic potions x 5 = 1000 baht (10 silver coins) Antitode x 5 = 1000 baht (10 silver coins) Simple tent = 500 baht (5 silver coins) A Map of the western continent = 100 baht (1 silver coin) Backpack = 100 baht (1 silver coin) Inn hotel fee with breakfast = 100 baht (1 silver coin) ¡ª-That is the amount of money he spent on his first day after being summoned. It becomes 6365 baht or 63 silver coins and 65 copper coins. Looking at this food price is very low. On the contrary, consumable goods such as magic potions and antidote are quite expensive. Looking at the explanation on the bottle, it seems like they are quite effective for injuries. They do not seem like the item that one use easily. (Though if this were a game, this item would be the cheapest item. eh¡­) But then, different from a game, in this world there¡¯s no continue if you¡¯re dead after all. With that in mind, it makes him not stingy at using the medicine. Given if we skip the investment in the equipment, and earn 200 baht (2 silver coins) a day then, one can have meals and stay at the Inn. (However, are they really going to come out on the highway? the monsters I mean¡­) Inside the guild beginner¡¯s guide that he read yesterday, other than how to receive a quest, and how to report, there¡¯s also the location of the wild dog and wild bee subjugation recorded in it. According to this, the monster will get stronger the further they are off from the highway. This time he received the wild dog quest; usually, they appear 5 minutes walking from the highway. Ryouma then left the highway and went toward the forest. There is a reason as to why Ryouma does this. He thought that it would be suspicious if he does it in such haste. Of course, there are a lot of people in a hurry passing the highway but. In a hurry = the empire found him. Even if he didn¡¯t think of that, it would be much more safer if he is moving between town while doing subjugation quest. He went 5 minutes walk deep inside the forest. After entering the forest for a bit more, *woosh* such sounds can be heard. When he tried to take a look, five bugs are flying around 10 meters in front of him. The size of the bug is as big as a real dog, even though he thought of it as an insect. (Is that it?) It looks like an ordinary bee. However, the size is definitely different. The size is around 100 times more bigger than the normal bee. It seems that thing is field bee wild bi. According to the beginner¡¯s guide book, since the body is big, their movement is not that quick. However, it has a deadly poison, if he were to be stabbed five times, he would die. (Let¡¯s try to fight against it huh¡­) Ryouma took chakram from his waist bag and lowered his body taking an iai stance, with the right leg to the front, and then he twists his hips to the left side. Using the body like a bow, the chakram is being thrown with full power. *Fon* The chakram tears the wind making such sounds and flew toward the wild bi. *Zashu* And then. *Ka* Two sounds resounded in a row. However Ryouma ignoring it, he then immediately throws the second chakram, the third, then the fourth, and then the fifth successively. All the flying wild bees are falling on the ground. One has its torso being torn; there¡¯s also those that have it heads broken, there¡¯s also those who¡¯s unable to fly anymore due to their broken wing. Although the part where it hits differ, it seems like he¡¯s able to hit all of them on the first try. Ryouma pulls out his sword and approaches the wild bi. It seems like all of them are in critical condition. He then deals the final blow by crushing all the head of the wild bi that is still intact, and only its feather broke. (Hmm¡­ now then¡­) He then takes out the beginner¡¯s guide book and read the part that he folded. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨CProcurement Material After you subdued the monster, you have to dismantle the monster to secure the material. Monster¡¯s body have various uses such as to make a medicine, food, catalyst for magic, and others depend on the monster part. Do I have to get all of this item for the Request quest: Procurement category? It seems possible to sell it to the magic item shop. In this book, it¡¯s written all the things that can be sold from the early map monster body. (Emm¡­ the feather and the stinger¡­) For the time being, he cut apart the wild bi to take the stinger. (Uwah¡­ this is around 5 centimeter I guess?¡­) As he tried to pull the feathers, Ryouma noticed around 3 of them had their feathers torn of having a hole on it. (That¡¯s bad. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­) He took the beginner¡¯s guide book in panic. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Important notes: Since it¡¯s an item to sell, if the damage is too intense, sometimes they won¡¯t accept it. Please be careful. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Since it was for selling, then it¡¯s natural. However, with a life-threatening situation, it¡¯s not easy to keep an eye to the damage. If he were being greedy and then end up badly, he might be died, and he won¡¯t get any item either. (If this is a game, I just have to take the part that can be sold I guess¡­) Ryouma give up the feathers that have severe conditions, and plucked the relatively wound-free feathers. (Even though I manage to defeat them, I lost the battle?¡­ I guess I should give up on money if it were getting dangerous huh?¡­) Ryouma realize the difficulty of a real hunting. Chapter 13 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 13 Chapter 1 E 13 (Fleeing) 5 After dismantling the wild bee, Ryouma moves out of the forest. Since he asked to make lunch box at the Inn, he has plenty of time for searching. (Anyway, it seems like I¡¯ve gotten used to battle eh.) Now, if only the weapon he owns is his beloved katana then. He thought of such thing¡­ It seems like he can at least use the chakram using shuriken technique. However, it is unfortunate that he still finds it hard to use the sword. Usually, pull then cut = using power to cut, while the sword is hard to use due to the difference in using it. However, right now is not the time for him to worry about such a thing. Anyway, there¡¯s nothing he can do other than crossing the border with this equipment. Probably the empire pursuers have already searched Ryouma at a faraway place right now. Given they have a horse, it was natural. The problem is whether the pursuers choose to go toward the eastern direction like Ryouma did or not, Ryouma then have a slight expectation. (If it were up to me, if I have to find someone that I don¡¯t know what kind of face the person have then, I won¡¯t be stingy at using how much personnel to search. Then I will make the guard at the border much thicker so that no one suspicious goes out of the country. Then narrow down the net, from the imperial capital to the borders.) Ryouma¡¯s thought continues as he went through the forest. (Just this time, I was able to win by not getting captured at the imperial capital narrowly. The advantage of my face being not known by them is only up to that point. However, how will I cross the border later¡­?) Ryouma suddenly opened his eyes wide with the spectacle in front of him. The trees in the forest are being cuts and only left a vast open space. *Gurururu* Suddenly howling sounds can be heard. There¡¯s a dog as big as 1 meter long there. Dozens of them. Probably they are one family. Among them, dog¡¯s Childs can be seen too. (Are those guys the wild dog¡­?) He cannot yet make a move since the other party seems to be very vigilant. Perhaps because there¡¯s the dog child, he feels a little bit hesitant. (This is a chance¡­) Ryouma quickly took the chakram and aimed at the dog parents who are currently guarding the child. *Fon* The chakram flew cutting through the wind. If the wild dog were to dodge that, it would hit the child. If the wild dog did not avoid that, it would hit. One after another Ryouma threw the chakram. *Zashu* A sounds cutting some flesh. *Kiyui~~* A howl of agony. Ryouma then quickly pulls his sword and run toward the wild dog immediately. Eight wild dogs are coming toward Ryouma. And some take crouched stance with their body being wounded by the chakrams, The first one that sprung attacking Ryouma is the one standing in front of him by 2 meters. (Damn it, I guess they are still a beast¡­) Ryouma plunged his sword to the dog open wide mouth. One can say, jumping is not a good strategy. Because if you don¡¯t have wings, you won¡¯t be able to make any good maneuver in the air. The story would be different if it were an ambush, but if it¡¯s frontal battle like this then, it is not a good idea. In the first place, the wild dog doesn¡¯t have much of intelligence. It jumps toward Ryouma based on instinct. The seventh, eight, then ninth. He avoided the wild dog who jumped consecutively toward him, and when they passed him, he knocked them down. While he handled them mechanically, Ryouma make a careless move. One of them did not jump and rushed toward his foot with its fangs. *Dogun* Ryouma kick out his right foot toward its neck and broke the neck. And then, Ryouma pierced his sword to the wild dog head that he kicked. (Fuu, That was dangerous. I was careless¡­) The are only three left. They are the Childs of the wild dog. As expected of a creature called a monster, even as a child they seem to be quite ferocious. They raise threatening groan toward Ryouma. The distance is around 5 meters. Ryouma prepare his swords on the left side. It is a stance that aims from the lower left to the upper right. Both of them then glared at each other, and gradually the air around them become heavy. Ryouma vs. three of them. At the time the wild dog¡¯s blood thirst was going to explode, Ryouma erases his blood thirst all at once. Due to that, the three wild dogs hesitated to attack him. There, Ryouma cuts down their distance quickly. He draws the sword from the lower left to the upper right in a flash, then one of the dog head flew. Then the raised sword drew the same trajectory and cut the second. Maybe because it feels danger being alone, the third one immediately turn around and began running. (As if I let you escape!) Ryouma pierced the sword into the ground and took out chakram and threw it. (Fuu, 13 of them in total¡­) The battle itself took around three to four minutes. Because all of them are being done just by a single strike, thus he didn¡¯t need much time to finish. He wiped his sweat that appeared on his forehead with his hand, then Ryouma breathed out deeply. (The chakram is not bad¡­ the bad point is the need to collect them after using it¡­) Because there¡¯s no handle and all the outer circle of the chakram is the blade, although the power is significant but, because of that the chakram always stuck buried inside the meat. He cleans up all the blood from six chakrams and put it back inside the bag on his waist. (Now then, let us begin¡­ let¡¯s see¡­) According to the beginner¡¯s guide book, the valuable part of the wild dog is only the canine that grows from the upper jaw and the fur. Although Ryouma can do it by hands, he decided to used the sword to peel off the fur of the wild dog. Chapter 14 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 14 TLN: I¡¯m Fully BACK, university life is hell, expect me posting all the delayed chapter within this month. Chapter 1 E 14 ¨C (Pursuers) ¡°Everyone, Due to the disturbance last time, a new order had been made!¡± Mid-day, during an intense sunlight, Rolph loud voice can be heard from the square in front of the castle gate. ¡°Sardina-sama, Seria-dono, Orlando-dono, and also this me, the commander, each of us will be allocated 30-40 person, and then we will divide, then search toward east and south border, the formation will be notified beforehand. Also, as everyone already knows, the culprit is someone from another world who had killed Gaies-sama. Thus, everyone should be exerting maximum caution. Well then, begin the preparation to move!¡± While the soldiers are being organized, Rolph remembered what had happened last night. ==================================== After Mikoshiba Ryouma snake out from the castle gate. Seria, Rolph, Orlando, Sardina, the four people are given the task to pursue him from the afternoon till night. However, they could not find anyone wearing the castle guard armor who left the castle. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Celia¡¯s angry voice roared in front of the castle gate of the imperial capital Ortomea. The reason for her being like that is because, the imperial guard soldiers who had been scattered to all direction, have returned without any result. No one is able to catch anyone; thus they all bow their head uniformly. After all, the only clue they currently possess is that the person left the castle gate at 2 o¡¯clock in the afternoon while wearing guard¡¯s armor. The time it took for Seria and the others to get permission and organize the soldiers is 20 minutes. Since then, it took them 10 hours to search until midnight, which bore no fruit. ¡°Calm down. Seria-dono.¡± ¡°Sardina-sama¡­¡± Seria then toned down her voice. ¡°Let¡¯s end this for today, after all; everyone already looks tired¡­¡± Sardina¡¯s eyes looked around. No soldier blatantly said it, but, expression of accumulated fatigue can be seen from them. ¡°However¡­ If the situation continues like this then¡­¡± Seria tried to protest; however, Sardina does not back down. ¡°Even though we only do it around the imperial capital, it is dangerous if we do it in the middle of the night. We should reconsider other measures, and then start over tomorrow.¡± ¡°Indeed. Just like Sardina-sama had said. We should end the work here for now. How about it? Seria-dono.¡± If Rolph said that, then there¡¯s no other words Seria can say. It¡¯s just on her part that she is unable to accept that the criminal who murdered her blood relative still run at large. ¡°Orlando-dono, please escort Seria-dono to her mansion. Gaies-sama had just passed away, and Seria-sama also just experienced her tough day as well.¡± ¡°No. I can go home alone!¡± Seria refused Rolph concern. However, in the eyes of the surrounding people, they all realize that she¡¯s just bluffing. ¡°You should not overdo it you know, Seria-dono? Orlando-dono, please take care of Seria-dono.¡± ¡°Understood!¡­ Come Seria-dono¡­¡± Orlando immediately responded to Sardina¡¯s words; he then tried to hold Seria. ¡°Orlando! Let go of me! I can return alone!¡± However, just when she pull her hand, Seria lost her balance and fell then collapsed. Of course, that can be understood. After all, she has been searching around for more than 10 hours without taking any break. In the end, Orlando carried Seria back to her mansion. ¡°Sardina-sama. What do you think about all of this?¡± ¡°Well no matter what anyone says, I guess this is impossible¡­¡± Toward Rolph question, Sardina immediately gives him her answer. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s impossible huh¡­¡± ¡°The game of chasing is only valid in the first 10 minutes after the culprit left the castle gate.¡± ¡°Still¡­ even with everything being organized, this is considerably impossible to do.¡± Hearing Sardina¡¯s words, Rolph who took command shows bitter expression. He can pridefully say he did his best, however, being unable to catch the criminals makes all the effort meaningless. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I did not blame you particularly. Rolph-dono.¡± Sardina then moves her gaze toward the forest. ¡°In the first place, I was already feeling doubtful that we will be able to arrest the person inside the imperial capital. His face and age are also unknown you know? It would be still possible if he were to loiter around wearing the imperial guard armors¡­.¡± ¡°Does that mean he¡¯s no longer wearing the imperial guard armor?¡± ¡°There¡¯s that possibility¡­¡± Sardina nodded answering Rolph question. (If it were me, I would immediately change my clothes¡­ after all, that what the pursuers will chase as well.) ¡°So then, what shall we do after this?¡± ¡°I guess the only way is for us to blockade the border¡­¡± Sardina shakes her head in disapproval. ¡°We will advance toward the border while searching as well. ¡± ¡°But¡­ Which border should we go?¡± Rolph concern is of course understandable. For starter, Ortomea Empire is vast; it can be considered among five best countries in the continent. However, because this country is landlocked, and being the aggressor to boot, all the nation in the surrounding are hostile. This time we can organize search party around 150 people, this is because there are soldiers who have been stationed on the border defending against the neighboring countries, and we can¡¯t mobilize large Imperial Guard army because their primary duty is to protect the emperor and for grand mobilization. The face and age of the target also unknown; thus the military man Rolph cannot propose human wave tactic. ¡°For now I can narrow down to two choices.¡± Rolph looked at Sardina with a surprised expression. ¡°Two choices you say? Does Sardina-sama mean the east or south?¡± The distance between imperial capital and the borders appeared on Rolph¡¯s mind. Since she said two choices, then it is natural to think about the closest border which is the southern one, and the next closest to that, the eastern border. ¡°Indeed. However, it would be probably the east.¡± ¡°May I ask you the reason?¡¯ Sardina then responded with a smile. ¡°If I have to say it then, it¡¯s just my intuition. However, I think it will hardly immediately happen.¡± Sardina then turned to Rolph and said, ¡°After all the person is someone who manages to escape from the castle and shake off our pursuit.¡± ¡°Is that mean, Sardina-sama thought that the Otherworld person knows the geography¡­?¡± Rolph expression while saying that were as if saying that¡¯s impossible. ¡°That¡¯s one of the possibility¡­¡± ¡°But then, if that¡¯s the case then why not chose the closest one? If it were me, I won¡¯t chose the eastern one?¡± At least for Rolph, if it were him, he would choose the shortest route. Since one¡¯s life is in danger, of course, the person would want to escape to overseas as soon as possible. There¡¯s no reason to choose the further route intentionally. That is what Rolph had thought. ¡°Indeed. If the purpose were only to escapes, then the south would be better. However, that would be easy for us to predict then.¡± ¡°Since the person thought we predict that he choose the east? It can¡¯t be. Even with that, it¡¯s a bit¡­¡± A troubled expression shows on Sardina¡¯s face. ¡°Rolph. I also don¡¯t want to give a needless fear. However, so far it went over our head you know? If I were to make light of my opponent here, the person might escape outside the country.¡± Rolph then replied while in thought. ¡°Indeed¡­ However, I¡¯m unable to abandon the south either¡­¡± He judged realistically. He thought that even though it has a defect, it also has an advantage as well. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re getting at. Since it was my intuition that told me to head east¡­ Seria-dono, Rolph-dono, and Orlando dono the three of you shall head south while I will head east.¡± ¡°Indeed, that way will be for the best¡­ however, why not divide it two south two east.?¡± His suggestion is reasonable. Usually, they should divide the unit in half. However, Sardina shakes her head toward Rolph suggestion. ¡°No, after all the East is only because of my intuition. Besides, I¡¯m worried whether Orlando will be able to suppress Seria¡­ Either way, I also already have an excelled deputy here. Thus I should be fine¡­¡± Rolph then remembered how Seria the ¡°snowstorm Princess¡± went frenzy shouting and rushing around. (Certainly¡­ as Her Highness said, if it¡¯s only Orlando-dono, he might be unable to suppress the unstable Seria-dono¡­ Well, besides, that guy is with her; thus Her Highness won¡¯t end up in danger) After listening to Sardina words, Rolph immediately concluded. In his mind, the figure of the deputy leader that Sardina claimed to be excelled appear. ¡°I understood. Then we will organize the unit according to that plan.¡± ¡°I leave it to you then. Rolph-dono.¡± After Rolph had lowered his head, he encouraged his tired body to move and re-organized the unit all-nighter. For the sake of catching just one otherworlder. ============================================ ¡°Rolph-sama! the soldiers have finished their preparation and ready to move immediately. ¡± One of his adjutants came for a report. ¡°Sardina-sama. Shall we go then?¡± Toward Rolph words, Sardina pointed her sword forward. ¡°Advance!¡± Toward Rolph order, the 150 cavalries then started moving. Chasing after otherworld person shadow that they can¡¯t even see. The Vanguard are Sardina with her deputy leader Saitou running side by side. ¡°Her Highness Princess. I¡¯ve ordered to the closing of Adelpho¡¯s checkpoint as per your order.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for the hard work. That was quick of you.¡± That was the order she gave to him yesterday afternoon. Even if he do it by changing horse, that was quite the considerable speed. Listening to Saitou report, Sardina gave a satisfied expression. ¡°Are you going to arrest him at Adelpho town?¡± Saitou age is approximately 30 years of age. His hair parted sideway with ratio 7:3, His appearance is like that of an Elite salaryman. If he were to wear glasses and business suit, then walked in the business district, he would be able to blend immediately. Sardina smile mischievously toward the man who is putting up an intellectual atmosphere, and asked a question, ¡°Oh my? Did I say such a thing?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s why I asked Her Highness, the imperial princess.¡± Due to the answer did not go along her expectation, Sardina asked a question once again with displeased face. ¡°Then I will ask in return. O my excellent staff officer-san. Do you think that we could catch the otherworld person at the town of Adelpho?¡± ¡°No. Fist of all, that would be impossible.¡± Saitou answered plainly. This time, Sardina seems to be satisfied by the answer. She asked back a question with a little laughter. ¡°Oh my? I wonder why is that?¡± ¡°How are you going to look for a man whom you don¡¯t even know the face? Or is there any particular clue?¡± That was the first problem. What they only know about the otherworld person is that he¡¯s a man with a tall physique and a merciless mind. Just that. With that description, within the empire, there are a lot of man like that. Not only the empire but also within the western continent. Last night the pursuit were chasing with the premise that he¡¯s wearing Imperial Guard armor, however, they were still unable to capture him ¡°I guess so¡­ Fufufu. After all, you don¡¯t know the person you are looking for ne~.¡± Toward Sardina smile, Saitou narrowed his eyes. ¡°If that is the case then, what are we going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since we don¡¯t know the face. I have no choice but to make the opponent say that he is the criminal, no?¡± Hearing Sardina words, sharp light appear on Saitou eyes. It is the proof that the intention of his master has been transmitted to him. ¡°I see. Is that why we closed Adelpho checking station?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In the first place, the human resource we can use is limited; thus I can¡¯t expect much from it.¡± ¡°How about we mobilize Adelpho¡¯s garrison?¡± Toward Saitou suggestion, Sardina shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. If we move the garrison at the national border, it would only make Zalda invade us. And we can¡¯t ask the noble either ne~.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ If this were to leak to the other noble, it might incite them to make rebellion after all.¡± Sardina imagined the case where this case getting leaked to the neighboring countries and the imperial nobles. ¡°Even if it were to be announced sooner or later, right now, it would be bad. Thus the means that I choose is where we won¡¯t make too much move¡­ even though it¡¯s disadvantageous.¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s explanation, Saitou nodded silently. Affiliate Shop Chapter 15 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 15 CHAPTER 1 E 15 ¨C (Readiness) Night at the Malvern Town. Ryouma had finished his hunt and arrived in his first destination Melveren. The time has already past 7:00 in the night. The distance between the imperial capital and Melveren town is 3 hours on foot. If one were to answer it with range unit that would be around 11km. However, due to Ryouma had to do some hunting, his arrival time has become like this. ¡°Fuu, At least I¡¯ve arrived.¡± As expected, having no acquaintance is lonely. Only able to talk toward his self. Even though only one day had passed, having him getting teleported from the world where he born and raised in, to another world, even for Ryouma, he can feel the loneliness. (Is it about 100km from here to the border?) If he were to mount a horse, it would take him 4 hours, however, on foot assuming he walked 3-4km per hour, and 10 hours of walk each day, that would take him 3-4 days, it will take him 7-8 days if he took his time. Ryouma backpack is filled with materials gathered from hunting. (First, I should go and report¡­) Ryouma enduring the feeling of hunger, he keeps walking toward the guild with heavy weight on his back. ¡°Please handle this.¡± ¡°Certainly. Please wait for a minute to allow us to confirm it. It seems like everything is good. The seal does not seem to come off.¡± The miss receptionist examined the letter handed by Ryouma from both sides for any damage. ¡°This is good. There¡¯s no problem. Thus I will add 5 achievement point. Did you also finish the subjugation request in one go as well? Just what exactly did you do?¡± ¡°Yes. Please do take care of it as well.¡± Ryouma nodded. ¡°Certainly. Err¡­ the number of stray dogs Wild Dog subjugation is 54, the number of the field bee Wild Be subjugation is 94, the number of the hare Wild Rabbit subjugation is 22. ¡­ Thank you very much. You have hunted quite a good number¡± ¡°Indeed. Thanks to this, I lose the sharpness of my sword which I just bought yesterday due to blood and fat¡­ I want to sharpen it again immediately.¡± A surprised expression appears on miss receptionist face due to Ryouma nonchalant remark. (This person. Did he hunt this with that swords, and in a day to boot? I thought he was using an annihilation magic to do this¡­ this is not the usual strength of an adventurer with the level of a single I) Based on the card request record [all request was taken yesterday which show the same date.] Ryouma did not notice her gaze and keep continue. ¡°Is there a blacksmith in this town who I can ask to polish this?¡± ¡°Emm¡­ after you left the guild head straight to the main street, then turn left¡­¡± ¡°Is that so. I will go there later then. By the way, is everything done?¡± Being questioned by Ryouma, she remembered once again about her work. ¡°Ah! I-I¡¯m very sorry. The reward is 162 baht from the number of subjugation of stray dog Wilde dog 54 x 3., then 273 baht from the number of subjugation of field bee Wild Be 91¡Á3. Next is 66 baht from the number of subjugation of hare Wild Rabbit 22 x 3. The total is 501 baht. Since the achievement value is equal to the number of the subjugated monsters, the achievement point reward is 167 points. Congratulation. Mikoshiba-san. You¡¯ve been promoted to double I rank.¡± (I was registered yesterday, and already ranked up huh?) To be honest, Ryouma wasn¡¯t very happy about it. Because he does not have any hard time with it, thus it was natural for him to have such impression. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be happy about it, aren¡¯t you?¡± His emotion was reflection on his expression. Ryouma then answered the question of Miss reception frankly. ¡°It¡¯s not like what you think, it¡¯s just, to be honest, I don¡¯t feel much trouble, that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ Something like this usually it separated into 2 patterns. If one were to train before the registration, often they ranked up to G rank within a week.¡± ¡°Is that how it is?¡± ¡°Indeed. On the contrary, it¡¯s a turning point for a total amateur whether or not they would rank up to double I rank.¡± ¡°Fuun. I see¡­¡± However, Ryouma did not know that most beginners failed when they fight 1 VS a group. And many monsters which in the forest live in a group. When one were to hunt, then it¡¯s naturally that they absolutely avoid group fight. Because of that, the guild recommended to form a party; however, not everyone was able to form a party. Due to the difference in ability, or their thought does not match each other, and other various reason which then make them leaving taking a quest alone, a lot of them are like that. And the person who has the highest difficulty to enter a unit party is the beginner people. The beginner who does not receive any training before registration, in particular, are disliked by many. The reason for that is because the weak beginner will jeopardize even the experienced one in the battle of life and death. That¡¯s why many beginners right after registering in the guild, apart from those who¡¯s fortunate enough to form a unit party with fellow beginner, will go taking a quest alone. And the problem for that is the thing that had been said earlier, ¡®many monsters in the forest live in a group.¡¯ Even if a monster that inexperienced person can kill in one-on-one battle when they appear in a group, the story will be different. One must be cautious with their surrounding. Hence most beginner will search for a stray monster who act alone. However, a monster who get separated and straying from the group is very low. And if one were lucky they can found 2-3 of them after crawling in the forest for the entire day. Thus, the reason why the miss receptionist said two patterns. Those who can only fight one-on-one will have to search in the forest desperately, and those who can fight against a group like Ryouma can rank up within days. By the way, one can rank up with just by delivery quest; however, this is not recommended. Because what awaits will be death if one were to rank up without the actual fighting power experience. ¡°By the way Mikoshiba-san, did you saved a lot of skins and fangs from the subjugation this time?¡± ¡°Indeed. It took me a while to dismantle it. I¡¯m about to bring it to the magic shop, Magic Item Shop after this.¡± ¡°If that is the case, then why did you not take any procurement request beforehand?¡± ¡°Procurement is it?¡± Ryouma looked puzzled for her unexpected words. ¡°Indeed. Although the price would decrease compared to bringing it directly to the magic item shop, it is better since you would also rank up from it, you know?¡± ¡°Hee, is that how it is?¡± Ryouma took interest to her words. He¡¯s a man that loves self-benefits. ¡°Yes. Do you know about the ability to take a quest in the same rank or lower than your own rank?¡± He already heard it during the registration ¡°Well yes, what about it?¡± ¡°The truth is, if you receive a request one rank bellow your own, while the achievement value clear point becomes 0, the reward is doubled, you see.¡± This is new information. Something that not being mentioned inside the Guild beginner guidance book. ¡°Eh!?¡± ¡°Thus those who have a good skill are steadily increasing their rank, and get some profits by taking quest bellow their own rank.¡± ¡°I see now!¡± (If that is the case, getting a rank up is not bad at all. Should I put more effort in it?) ¡°I understand. The information desk is on the first floor right? ¡°Yes. It¡¯s in front of the stairs after you go up.¡± Ryouma then bowed his head and immediately go upstairs. ¡°Hello. Do you wish to get procurement request quest?¡± ¡°Yes. I would like all request which the material can be acquired by the subjugation of Wild Dog, Wild Be, and Wild Rabbit please.¡± The young man receptionist then explains the requested quest in sequence by hand. ¡°Hmm. For each material, Wild Dog¡¯s Fang is 2 baht, Wild dog¡¯s Skins is 5 baht, The poisonous needle of the Wild Be is 2 baht, Wild Be¡¯s feather is 5 baht, Hound of Wild Rabbit ears 1 baht, and the skin of Wild Rabbit is 5 baht. Achievement point value is 1 point for each delivery of goods. As for the time limit, there¡¯s none. And if you deliver the goods at the delivery counter, then the quest will finish.¡± ¡°Please all of them.¡± ¡°Understood. Thank you very much.¡± After leaving the receptionist counter, Ryouma returned to the underground delivery counter. ¡°Did you receive the request?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve received all of them.¡± When Ryouma said so, the miss receptionist shows a troubled face. ¡°Eh? You take all of them?¡± ¡°Yes? Was it bad?¡± ¡°No. But, If Mikoshiba-san were to deliver all of the material and ranked up to single H rank, the achievement value clear point would remain you know?¡± Hearing that, Ryouma noticed. If I were to rank up to single H rank, the achievement value clear point would become 0. If one can¡¯t get achievement value clear points rather than delivering the goods to the guild, it would be more profitable to sell it at the magic item shop directly. (Well whatever¡­ I¡¯m already starving, and there¡¯s a little time left¡­ after I go to the blacksmith to sharpen my sword, and search for an inn to eat, by then it would be already 22 o¡¯clock.) The clock hanging on the guild wall is already pointed at 20 o¡¯clock. ¡°This time is fine. I will deliver all of them here.¡± Although canceling the quest is possible, but by doing so, it would make the achievement value clear point will come down; thus this turn out a little bit complex. If he were to make several adjustments he might be able to earn the achievement value clear point without wasting any; however, he can¡¯t win against his hunger. ¡°I understood. Then please put the delivery goods here. ¡± Ryouma then opened his backpack and spread the goods on the counter. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me!¡± An angry voice of a man can be heard from the first-floor receptionist counter desk. ¡°We risked our lives to complete the requested quest! And yet what do you mean there¡¯s no money?!¡± Ryouma then finished his procurement request quest and ranked up to single H rank. At the time Ryouma is about to go and find a place to eat, on the first floor he saw the man. A man wearing iron armors with his long hair being tied behind, raise his voice. The one who keep him company is the young man who process Ryouma request quest earlier, and also a middle aged man. ¡°As I inform you just now! Since the subjugation target is wrong I cannot gives you the reward, and since the quest period is already expired, I want you to pay the penalty cost!¡± The young man who looks weak talk back to the big man with a resolute attitude. ¡°What are you saying! I search it desperately and finally found it you know!?¡± ¡°Graez-san, As I said before! It is unfortunate, but you have to check properly beforehand!¡± The middle-aged man answered as such. ¡°You bastard! you¡¯re just a guard!¡± The young man is swaying his head. ¡°Graez-san. As a mercenary, you have a very high reputation. However, your competence as an adventurer seems not to be good. This time you were able to receive the subjugation request quest of [Red Moon Group]. Because of inadequate investigation and lack of search, you accidentally subjugated thieves who you happen to see.¡± The young man then turns his gaze to the middle-aged man. ¡°Giltz-san also have warned you that you should have searched and investigated it more carefully. There¡¯s no doubt that Graez-san had suppressed another thief instead. Information had arrived that a village was attacked by [Red Moon group] a while ago and they kidnaped several young daughters.¡± The young man gaze looks straight at Graez. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t say that all of this happen because of Graez-san. However, had you do it properly then this damage probably won¡¯t happen! Do you still dissatisfied by the guild respond in this regard?¡± His words stabbed like a knife. Graez who get yelled like that dropped his shoulders. He seems to be not so stupid. He appears to realize that there¡¯s some fault. ¡°Khu¡­ Sorry¡­ I understand¡­ I will pay the penalty cost.¡± The young man expression also relaxed here. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Graez-san. I¡¯ve said too much. I beg your pardon.¡± The young man lowered his head toward Graez. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m sorry¡­ I receive it due to the lower rank quest but, I guess a mercenary trying to mimic adventurer is impossible huh, please deduct the penalty cost from my account.¡± After saying that, Graez leave the guild while dropping his shoulders. (A request quest which takes other¡¯s life huh?) This incident that occurred by chance gave a strong shock to Ryouma heart. Ryouma realize his own naivety. He thought a requested quest is similar to an event in the impractical game somewhere. That¡¯s why he easily thought about canceling the requested quest earlier. Noticing Ryouma¡¯s gaze, the young man came near him. ¡°Mikoshiba-san. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, no, I just finished the procurement request quest today, and about to get some rest at the inn, I¡¯m planning to take another quest tomorrow.¡± Ryouma returned the words while feeling overwhelmed by the young man who quickly shows a smiling expression from the grim expression a while ago. ¡°I see. Thus you saw the scene earlier. Were you surprised?¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­ Just like you said.¡± ¡°There are unexpectedly many you know? Something like that¡­¡± The young man expression turns cloudy. ¡°A request quest unfulfilled is it?¡± ¡°Yes. When one were unable to grasp their own quality and experience themselves, they will end up like Graez-san just now. That person is a very skilled mercenary. Thus there¡¯s nothing wrong with the battle capability. However, he¡¯s not good with an investigation, search, and hunting. Although there¡¯s also a consideration to form a unit party with another adventurer person.¡± ¡°I see. If one is unable to do it by themselves, just invite another person who can, is that it?¡± The young man expression loosened after listening to Ryouma¡¯s answer. ¡°Fufufu. You¡¯re a smart and honest person, aren¡¯t you? Please do your best in the future alright?¡± ¡°Sure. Thank you very much.¡± The young man tried to leave the place while smiling at Ryouma, but then stopped his feet as he thought of something and looked back. ¡°Aah! Right¡­ About the story of [red mood group] a while ago, they seem to make their operation location on the highway and village between Aru and Melvaren. Please do be careful if you go to that area.¡± Ryouma gazing at the back of the young man while brooding over. (There thieves in the direction of Aru he said¡­) Aru area¡­ It is one of the towns along the highway from the imperial capital to the eastern border, the name of the town which Ryouma had set as his next destination. ¡°This is not good! It would be cheaper for you to buy a newer one, you know?¡± After Ryouma had handed over the sword to the blacksmith for sharpening, the blacksmith man asserted as such. ¡°I guess it¡¯s impossible huh?¡± ¡°Yes. To Begin with, how did you use this one? The blade has been completely rolled up, you know? If it¡¯s like this, then it¡¯s no different than a stick!¡± (This is bad¡­ to think that I broke it on my first day of using it¡­) Ryouma is definitely someone who is accustomed to handling blade more than normal human being. However, he has not much experience to cut meat with a blade in his daily life. ¡°Err¡­ I used it for hunting but¡­¡± ¡°This blade have been clothed with blood and fat to the point of like this. When the last time you maintain this sword?¡± ¡°Emm, I just use it today. That is something I bought yesterday¡­¡± The blacksmith old man glared at Ryouma. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. Cutting ten or twenties won¡¯t make it end up like this, you know? It would need more than 100¡­¡± However, the blacksmith old man realizes after seeing Ryouma face. ¡°This is¡­ not a joke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the sword, and it has a superior quality, you know? but this house is more specialized on casting see?¡± Ryouma has already know that since the moment he entered the room. ¡°Well, the swords in itself is good. Can I have a reasonable one, please? And also, can you sharpen this one as well?¡± Ryouma then handed over ten pieces of chakram that were clothed with blood and fat. ¡°What the heck is this? Is this a bladed tool as well?¡± ¡°The edge of the ring is the blade.¡± He guesses that the blacksmith saw it for the first time. The blacksmith seems to be interested and picks up the wheel chakram. ¡°Well this is not so bad¡­ what time should I finish the job?¡± ¡°Before tomorrow morning if possible.¡± ¡°Hmm, let see, I guess it would take one hour; thus I might finish before 10 o¡¯clock tomorrow, if you¡¯re fine with it?¡± (10 o¡¯clock huh? Well, I will relax a bit at the inn and go to the guild after that I will just come here I guess?¡­) ¡°I understand. Please do so. How much was it?¡± ¡°Well looking at it¡­ including with buying a sword, how about 400 Baht?¡± That amount is not a problem for Ryouma who earned 2000 Baht today from subjugation quest and procurement quest. (I guess this is because the casted sword is cheaper compared to the sword I bought at the imperial capital huh?) ¡°Understood. I will come back tomorrow at 10 o¡¯clock then.¡± He paid half of the sums and left the blacksmith shop. (First of all, I need some food¡­) Feeling hungry, Ryouma vanished into the town of Melveren. Affiliate Shop Chapter 16 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 16 Chapter 1 E 16 ¨C (Rescue) 1 After Ryouma was summoned to a different world, three days have passed. The time right now is around noon. Ryouma was walking along the highway toward Aru. Today Ryouma was a little late at waking up, after taking breakfast, he had gone to the blacksmith store to take his weapon. (A thieves group huh¡­ I hope we don¡¯t meet¡­) Ryouma then look back the time he went to the guild to receive quest before he takes the journey to Aru. ¡°Now! For those who have experience and skills do try to take these request quest!¡± The young man and Giltz-san the man who¡¯s at the receptionist counter yesterday called people loudly in front of the bulletin board inside the guild. Ryouma then tried to get into the crowd and take a look at the paper hanging on the bulletin board. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-Statement¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- The formation of a unit party to subjugate thieves group the [Red Moon] that appear on the highway and villages between Aru and Melveren. Objective: Total extermination of the [Red Moon group] Be sure to capture or kill everyone. Reward: The reward is 50.000 Baht for one of their member. There are eight members confirmed. However, other than the eight members, we decide that we will also pay 50.000 Baht if we acknowledge that they are a member of the group. As for the treasures that the thieves group held, it will be regarded as the subjugation party side income (you may have it) The achievement value clear point, an amount of 50 will be given to all member of the subjugation party. Period: It shall be done within half a month after the settlement and formation of the subjugation party. Application Requirements: The person must possess ability not less than single F rank. A soldier or someone who deal with law enforcement (with any other name) will be approved. A mercenary experience (or even an adventurer with sufficient battle experience). The number of people needed: Six people. Individuals who have the experience and expertise of Searching and Investigation ability (Adventurers, Soldiers, and Mercenaries are allowed as long as they have the stated experience) *Those who have a combat ability will be given priority. The number of people needed: Four people. Authorizer: Melveren Guild Branch chief Akrez Rekine. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Ryouma then listen to people talking around him. ¡°Oi, look at that 50.000 Baht for one! That would be 400.000 Baht for eight people! And also we can take their treasures as well!¡± ¡°Uwaaah. The guild make a great splurge eh?¡± ¡°I guess they can¡¯t help it, you know? Since Graez seems to have failed after all¡­ Even the guild have their own face and honor yeah?¡± ¡°What!? The rock smasher Graez?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He seems to have to take down another thieves group instead.¡± ¡°Ha! Did the person goes to subjugate without doing investigating first?. How stupid¡­ Well if its that person I guess it can¡¯t be helped! The person might be strong, but he lacks a brain.¡± ¡°Oi oi. If Graez heard you, your neck would roll, you know?¡± ¡°Wups¡­ My mouth slipped.¡± The people in around his surrounding seem to be mercenaries and adventurers as well. (I guess Graez-san has a hard time huh. He does not look like a bad person though¡­) Ryouma went into the guild while listening to the men¡¯s heartless criticism. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but all the delivery request quest from Melveren to Aru have been suspended. There¡¯s also some urgent delivery quest and others; however, it was only for those who has single E rank or higher; thus I cannot introduce them to Mikoshiba-san.¡± The woman who is at the reception desk told Ryouma and bowed her head. ¡°Is it because of the thieves group in question?¡± ¡°Indeed. Because of the previous failure, the guild lost its prestige¡­ The feudal lord and garrisons guard also have been complaining¡­ Ah! I-I¡¯m sorry. Please forget what I had said just now.¡± ¡°No no, it¡¯s fine. Well with that being the case, is there something that I can accept?¡± ¡°Hmm let see. There¡¯s three kind of subjugation quest for I rank, and also subjugation quests for H rank. That is what available.¡± ¡°If the rank of the person who receives the quest of I rank is higher, then the achievement value clear point will be 0 but the reward will be double, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes. That exactly right.¡± ¡°Well, how about the time limit?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time limit for subjugation request quest bellow B rank, you know?¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s why, like this, it would be a lot better to receive subjugation bellow B rank, see?¡± ¡°If that is the case, I would like to take all the subjugation quest that can be accepted by single H rank.¡± ¡°I understand. Then please take a look at these.¡± She then presented a book. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°It contains the list of the target name of subjugation quest that can be taken by single H rank, the amount of reward, and also the place they made as habitat. 20 quests can be taken by single H rank. Since it would be hard to explain everything verbally, it is my job to gives this catalog for first time H rankers. Please read it carefully.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ I understood.¡± The only salvation from this is that it was not so thick. (Does everything has to changes so much just by one rank?) ¡°Well then, since the quest will be registered to the personal card, the procedure ends here. Thank you very much.¡± When the miss receptionist said so, he lowered his head. Ryouma then left the guild while carrying a book and a card handed over to him. Currently, it has been 2 hours since he left Melveren town. On the highway passed a very thick forest. It is not a problem to walk passing the road since the width can be used for three carriages to pass each other, however, when one¡¯s turn their eyes to the side, there are only thick trees. Since the high trees were blocking the sunlight, the road light is dim. Furthermore, there¡¯s also the threat of the thieves group. Even though this is a highway, no one walk pass it. And currently, only Mikoshiba Ryouma walking through it. (Oi oi¡­ Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this¡­) A road that being surrounded by dark forest. It is a perfect place to lie down for an ambush. And naturally, it¡¯s also a good place for thieves to attack. (Well, I guess, it would be fine though¡­) Ryouma decided to go to Aru because he constantly reminded by the pursuers. He wants to cross the border as soon as possible. However, such expectation crumbled away due to a scream coming from a woman. ¡°Kyaaaaa!¡± ¡°Shut up! Be quiet bitch!¡± ¡°No!! Let me go!¡± ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Just right at the place where the road turns a sharp right. Ryoma¡¯s eyes cannot see what had happened. Ryouma began to run toward the voice. Then, when he arrived at the big trees at the corner, he stopped and peeped through the trees. There is a carriage that being attacked by several men, and also there are two girls. ¡°Kukuku, Today as well, it¡¯s a great catch. Oi, It seems like luck have been on our side lately, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Agreed. Yesterday we also got a lot from the villages.¡± ¡°Their woman also not so bad for a rural village. In the first place, we don¡¯t get any turn at all¡­¡± ¡°Well, that can be helped¡­ The price to sell them will be quite high if they are not yet being violated.¡± ¡°I also already get tired of only enjoying a middle-aged woman, you know? And I guess, young ones has finally come by¡­¡± He pointed to the girls that his company catch. ¡°Hahaha. Time to enjoy!¡± ¡°Oi! Don¡¯t put your hands on products. We would get killed by the boss, you know?¡± A man holding a blonde girl told his comrade. ¡°But you know. This is a very high-quality goods, see?¡± A man holding a silver girl retorted. ¡°Do you think so too? And also. Aren¡¯t goods from this carriages enough for our quotas?¡± A man who appeared from inside the carriage uttered such words. And then voices of approvals can be heard from here and there. Suppressing them isn¡¯t effective due to the girls¡¯ beauty that is in front of them. ¡°If you touch us, we will bite our tongue!¡± Being unable to listen to the men¡¯s words, the silver-haired girl yelled. However, those men¡¯s only smiled at them. ¡°Ha! We know you guys are slaves and due to the collar, you won¡¯t be able to commit suicide nor resist us!¡± The girls face grew pale. They did not think that the thieves would know about it. As the man says, the collar has the power to obstructs their behavior. Suicide and rebelled are things that slaves not allowed to do. ¡°But still, well, just in case. Oi, its fine to do them while still wearing the clothes.¡± ¡°S-Stop. Let me go!¡± The girl desperately tried to free herself from the men¡¯s hands, however, due to the difference in strength she¡¯s unable to do so. ¡°Oi! If you don¡¯t behave yourselves, I won¡¯t be responsible if something were to happen to the other girl, see?¡± The silver hair girl who resisted got quiet immediately after seeing the other girl has a sword on her neck. ¡°But still, your master is really cruel isn¡¯t it? To think that he escape and save only his own self while leaving you both.¡± A man who made the threat to the silver girl began ridiculing her. ¡°Gates yo~. Isn¡¯t that obvious? After all, he had his life being targeted by the [Red Moon group], you know?¡± ¡°True that!¡± A man called Gate raise a laughter. ¡°Oi! Look at this. With this getting five million Bahts would be easy!¡± A man wearing a hood said while carrying an item. ¡°Uoooh. I can¡¯t believe it. There¡¯s really five million baht¡­¡± ¡°Is this all gold coins?¡± Other than boxes full of items such as miscellaneous goods, costumes, jewelry items, there is one box filled with coins. Almost all the inside are gold coins. Seeing that, the men¡¯s faces become indecent. ¡°Hei, with this much loots, there won¡¯t be a problem if we get the girls don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Oi. I think so too¡­ Jewelry and Gold coins. There are a lot of it. I won¡¯t even mind if I get to do it last.¡± ¡°But, if the boss were to find out¡­¡± To the man who shows a worried expression, Gates declared with distorted smiles on his face, ¡°What are you saying. Would it be okay if we can deal with both of them after we violate them? Besides, no one knows that there are girls among the spoils except us, see?¡± Hearing Gates words, disgusting laughter come out from the men¡¯s mouth. (One, the, there¡­ seven people huh?) The men are 10 meters from the trees. The men¡¯s clothing is not so different compared to mercenaries or adventurer that he was at the guild. They wear armors and weapons. However, when it come to their face, only one word can describe them, and that is predators. Hurting, Killing, Steal, and Rape. They also have the confidence that they are strong people. On their face, there looks like a shadow. (Such ugly appearance¡­) In his sixteen years of life, Ryouma had never seen such ugly distorted face such as these. (What should I do? Should I help them?¡­ but, It would cause me a lot of trouble to involve myself here¡­) Ryouma hesitated. (Whether or not I help those girls, there might not be anything bad happen. However, Something might happen¡­ If I were to help them, I have to kill all of them, if there is just one person manage to escape, the person might come back with reinforcement. Can I do this? With this distance, I have no countermeasures if the girls were being used as a shield.) A reason to help. And a reason to not help. His own personal security. His own justice. The empire pursuers. Several elements appear on his mind. Then toward the brooding Ryouma, Gates vulgar words entered his ears. Anger and murderous intent appear on Ryouma face. (What am I worrying about. Is there even a reason to let these people alive?) Such honest feeling. (Is it alright for me to let these guys do as they please and return to my previous world? Can I live with that?) He who had been summoned to this world forcibly, want to go back to his world by all means necessary. If he can return to his world in exchange of the entire population of this country, he thinks he would make the trade. However, even so, letting girls in front of his eyes getting raped and killed while staying silent, he thought that he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied. (Both my hands have already stained with blood. And I do not believe that it is bad in particular. getting dragged into this world forcibly, the lives of those who fight against me to the death feels like garbage to me. If there were people who are going to criticize me when I return, I could confidently say, ¡°I killed them out of necessity!¡± , However, if I were to leave these girls, will I be able to say the same? That would be impossible! I don¡¯t care about others, but I definitely won¡¯t be able to forgive myself for it.) Ryouma who can be ruthless and cold, actually by nature, a good person. Your ordinary man with common sense and a normal sense of justice. The only difference between him and the general public would be his resolution. Being resolute to kill his opponent and see through his justice, that might be the only difference. Ryouma then grabs the chakrams from the bag and sneaked inside the forest to make a surprise attack. Due to the sheer number of people, if the surprise attack fails, it would be disadvantageous for him. And furthermore, he did not hide his face this time. If one were to manage to escape, reinforcement might come and try to take revenge. (I guess it can¡¯t be helped, to raise the probability for this to success¡­ let me apologize beforehand) Ryouma apologize to them in his mind. Affiliate Shop Chapter 17 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 17 Chapter 1 E 17 ¨C (Rescue) 2 On the third day after he gets summoned to another world. Ryouma was on the south side of the forest. A place where some girls and men figures can be seen. The distance between them is 10 meters. Because of the trees and leaves covering him, those men did not see Ryouma figure. (Those bastards¡­ are they going to rape those girls in the middle of a highway like this?) Ryouma had thought that they would move toward a different location. However, they seem to have the intention of doing it in the middle of the highway. Although time has passed considerably since the time they raided the carriage, they didn¡¯t show any concern at all. Even if this is a highway that passed through a forest, looking at their confidence one can only assume that they are abnormal. (Just like beasts¡­) Ryouma feeling disgusted by them, and then he felt uncomfortable about something. However, he shakes off those thinking, and Ryouma waited patiently. While hiding his furious anger and murderous intent. At that time¡­ ¡°Alright then. It¡¯s decided! What happen here will be a secret. After all, if the boss were to find out what had happened here, everyone here will get killed!¡± The men¡¯s immediately nodded their head toward Gates words. ¡°Alright. Let us start by violating the blonde first!¡± The man who holds the blonde haired girl said so. ¡°I¡¯ll go with the silver hair!¡± Those men began to say anything they wanted. ¡°Oi? Gates what should we do?¡± ¡°Aan? Why not let them do whatever they want? As long I can get the first go with this silver hair, I don¡¯t care about the rest.¡± ¡°Ah! Gates. How many selfish things are you going to say! It¡¯s obvious that I should be the first to go with the silver haired one!¡± Maybe because they¡¯re craved for women so much, that they need to perform ugly argument first to decide their turn. ¡°Oi! The last one. You watch the surrounding. It seems like the guild currently organizes a task force, although I¡¯m not worried since the Imperial army has not made their move yet, but, there might be someone come. Do keep watch properly! And you the second, hold the girl arm properly!¡± The men obeyed Gates order. (Is that guy the boss of the group?) It¡¯s about time. He starts to hold the chakram with a bit of power. ¡°Alright!¡± The men start to lower their pants to take out his p.e.n.i.s. (Now! Die!) The instant the men pinned down the girl, the chakram flew from Ryoma¡¯s hand toward the man called Gates. ¡°Guah-¡­!¡± The chakram that Ryouma threw struck the back of Gates¡¯ head and he fall toward the girl body. While keeping attention, Ryouma jumped out of the forest while shooting the second and third chakram. He aimed at the men who hold down the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Guaaa!¡± ¡°Gaaaah!¡± The second chakram struck one of the man¡¯s throat, and the third chakram struck in between another man¡¯s eyebrows. However, the fourth chakram missed the fourth target and flew overhead. (Four more people.) There¡¯s a reason why Ryouma did not make any move until the moment the girls are about to get violated. And that reason is for the opponent to drop their armaments. When a man tries to violate a woman, they will put down their pants. And in the case of when they use clothes with the weapon on their waist, they have to take down their sword as well. Since this time Ryouma has to win no matter what, he did not think about the girl¡¯s heart, or mind got wounded, and eventually waited right until they are about to get violated. However, the result of that is quite satisfactory. Since the man named Gates is the one lead the group, the rest immediately unable to cooperate with each other. The two that tried to violate the girls removed their pants and weapon belt. Thus it is impossible for them to immediately took a battle stance. As there¡¯s quite a considerable distance from the person who keeps watch, Ryouma choose to attack the men¡¯s who hold down the girls. ¡°What? What happen?¡± The man who watch over the highway unexpectedly noticed and immediately returned. ¡°You moron, where the fuck are you looking at while being a watcher! It¡¯s an attack!¡± The thief who shouts has his eyes clouded with panic and anger. ¡°Who the fuck are you?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke with us. Don¡¯t you know the name of [Red Moon group]?!¡± Ryouma approaches the girls while ignoring the men who are running toward him in anger. ¡°You bastard! Do you want to die!¡± The man who avoided the chakram stops holding the girl and pull out his sword. He then brandishes his sword downward from above. Ryouma sword then crashes midway with the sword that comes from above. *Clank* The sounds of iron clashes with each other resounded, and sparks scattered. Between the sword that comes down. And the sword that being raised. The power of the sword that being raised won. What the man aimed is Ryouma¡¯s head, however, what Ryouma aimed is the sword itself. Although the sword is not getting blown, the man right hand were getting pushed backward. *Gush* A dull sound just like the sound of smashed watermelon resounded. Ryouma sword smashed the man¡¯s head. (Three people left!) However, by now, the effect of a surprise attack have ended. The other three people who previously stand quite far as a watcher, have come closing the gap while fully armed. (Are you serious?¡­ damn it!) The battle turns into a stalemate. For Ryouma, three full armed thieves are not a threat. However, those three shows a sign of cooperation and shows no opening for Ryouma. Ryouma then returned his sword to the sheath, then fixing his posture and waiting for the opponent to make a move. They both continue looking at each other with hostility. (If this keeps up, it would be bad¡­ I guess I have no choice, do or die!) Suddenly, Ryouma loosen up his stance, and erases his killing intent. Naturally, his grip on the sword also loosens up. And then, Ryouma slowly began walking toward the thieves. Contrary to the battle just now, on his face he did not shows any anger or killing intent. It as if he has the face of a living doll. ¡°S-Stop!¡± ¡°W-What are you?!¡± His action surprises the thieves. After all, he did not put any stance, and he has a lot of opening. And just by looking, he can be killed just by a single blow. Ryouma is unprotected enough to make them think of such. Step by step¡­ One of the thieves unable to keep up any longer approaches Ryouma first. ¡°Fu¡­! Don¡¯t joke with me! Die!¡± He makes a large swung downward toward Ryouma head. *Fuu* Ryouma rotate his body to the right side then, *Zwuzz* Fresh blood splashed from the thief¡¯s neck. ¡°Y-You bastard, what did you do?!¡± With blood from the thief splashed on Ryouma face, the other thieves feel some fears as he keeps his face emotionless. For Ryouma, if the three people were to attack together in cooperation, it would be hard. However, thieves who get themselves a sense of impatience and fear will not have a chance of victory. A sword is swaying in motion. *Zashu* *Slash* Ryouma sword scythe horizontally toward one of the two remaining thieves torso who makes an opening Then Ryouma slashed the last one vertically, and then he flicks his sword and returns it to the sheath. ¡°Fuuuu¡­¡± Ryouma leaked deep sigh from his mouth and then looking around. (For now, I¡¯m able to manage it¡­) Ryouma thought such a thing while checking the number of the corpses. ¡°E-¡­ Excuse me?¡± A voice appeared from behind him. Ryouma turned back; then a silver haired girl approaches him. ¡°Ah! There¡¯s blood on your face.¡± The silver haired girl wipes the blood on Ryouma face using the clothes sleeves she wears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not telling you this first. My name is Laura; I¡¯m the elder sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the younger sister, Sara.¡± The blond haired girl told her name after the silver haired. ¡°I see, are you both alright?¡± ¡°¡±Yes. Thank you for saving us.¡±¡± As they said that, both of them lowered their head. ¡°No. It was I who should apologize for letting you both to experience something like that. I should have come helped you both sooner¡­¡± ¡°That is not true, for this body not end up getting defiled is already good enough.¡± ¡°Just like what my little sister said. No matter what you said, we are grateful for your help¡­ thank you very much.¡± When Laura responded to Sara words, both of them lowered their head once again. ¡°When you put it like that, I also feel grateful¡­!¡± Ryouma then looking at the girl once again and getting himself fascinated by their beauty. Finely chiseled face with light brown skin. Beautiful firm limbs, then her big breast that make even other women feel conscious. She wears a clothes similar to that of an Arabian dancer; however, the collar on her neck and the handcuff stands out more, which looks awful. (This is¡­ Looking like this, it¡¯s no wonder the thieves losing their mind over them huh?) However, Ryouma feel an uncomfortable feeling coming from the girls. (What¡¯s going on? These girls look stronger than the thieves, you know?) Looking at the way the girls move, and how they keep attention. They should have a martial arts knowledge. At least, he doesn¡¯t see them as someone who gets violated by these kinds of thieves. ¡°Emm¡­? Is something wrong?¡± Laura who might have felt Ryouma gaze asked the question. ¡°Ah, no, I¡¯m sorry. Something comes to my mind. By the way, what is your family name?¡± ¡°¡­ A slave does not have a family name.¡± Due to Laura answer, Ryouma face cramped. He had thought about such thing due to the collars and other things, but, to think that in this world slave exists, that¡¯s what he feels. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. Please don¡¯t mind it.¡± Despite saying that, shadows appear on their face. Such delicate air flowed among the three people. (Damn, I screwed up¡­ I have heard something that I don¡¯t need to¡­) Although his head understands it. That was something which should not have been said. However, he never comes across something like this previously. No matter how much he thinks, he¡¯s unable to find any words to say. Then it was Sara who suddenly broke the silence. ¡°Emm¡­ Excuse me, but, may I ask your name?¡± Because he had thought of a lot of things, he forgot to introduce his own self. ¡°Ah, yes, my name is Mikoshiba. Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­¡± ¡°Mikoshiba-sama¡­. Mikoshiba-sama. Please let me thank you once again. This time, we¡¯re truly have been saved, thank you very much.¡± As she said that, the two of them lowered their head. ¡°No. Anyway, what are you guys going to do after this, do you want me to escort you to Aru town?¡± However, what surprised Ryouma is their answer. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m very sorry. We cannot move from this place without master orders.¡± Due to such unexpected answer, Ryouma brains get halted. Looking at the two of them, it does not seems to be a joke. Ryouma timidly asked the two of them. ¡°¡­ Are you, serious?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two girls nodded at the same time. ¡°That master of yours, where are they?¡± He tried to look around in case that their master died due to the thieves attack or his surprise attack, however, looking around and judging from the corpse, the person in question don¡¯t seem to be here. ¡°At the time when the thieve attacked, the master ran away with the escort guard.¡± Toward Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma feel amazed. He never thought that they would still be willing to wait for the command of their master who runs away leaving them. ¡°Let me ask you once again? Your master ran away and left you behind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re still going to stay here?¡± ¡°Yes. If there¡¯s no order from the master, we cannot move.¡± (Oi oi¡­ are you serious?) To be honest, he felt that this has become quite a troublesome development. Ryouma actually want to bring them to the next town while then immediately says goodbye. Since there¡¯s still the matter regarding the empire pursuers. However, it is impossible for him to do so, since they both say, they won¡¯t move. (Well, I guess, I have no choice huh?. I can only leave some food and a night camping preparation for them¡­) Ryouma who knows that the girl¡¯s intention won¡¯t change instructed the girls to prepare for the night. Of course he feels bad to leave the two girls in the forest like this; however, he also has no time to care for them forever either. (Well, I will help them as far as I can.) Ryouma instructed Laura and Sara to prepare for the night, while Ryouma carries the dead body of the thieves and some who appears to be an escort guard. However, an unexpected situation happen. Ryouma that is in the middle of carrying the second dead body ten meters inside the wood heard the screaming voice of the girls. (Isn¡¯t that Sara¡¯s voice?!) Desperately trying to return to their position, Ryouma then saw a thief whose armor dyed in blood carried Sara under his arm while riding a horse. ¡°You bastard, don¡¯t think you can get away with this! After all, I remembered your face! I¡¯ll definitely chase after you and kill you!¡± (Damn it! And I was sure that I had killed him!) However, no matter how much Ryouma curses, nothing changes. It appears that the thief who got slashed on the torso is about to get away while carrying Sara. Ryouma grabbed one of the chakrams from the waist bag and ran toward the thief. (Damn it. It¡¯s too far.) And his view also getting hindered by the leaves and unable to run like usual because of the tree branches. Although chakram is a powerful weapon, it has a single drawback. The flying distance is short, unlike bow. While a bow has an effective range of 120 meters, on the battlefield, a chakram only has 10 meters of effective range. Although on the battlefield it¡¯s a compact weapon, its fighting range never gets better. When Ryouma arrived at the girl¡¯s place, the thief had already left with the horse several tens of meters away. ¡°Damn it!¡± He looked around for a horse; however, there¡¯s none. In the first place, Ryouma is unable to ride a horse, thus, even if there¡¯s one, it would still be meaningless. ¡°Mikoshiba-sama!¡± Did she get beaten because she tried to protect Sara?, some blood appears on the corner of Laura¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I will definitely do something!¡± Laura shakes her head toward Ryouma who tried to assure her. ¡°No. I have a request!¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°Yes. I apologize but, Mikoshiba-sama, can you cut your ring finger?¡± Ryouma who does not seems to understand Laura words get confused. ¡°What?¡± However, her expression was serious. ¡°Please. There¡¯s no time!¡± Being told with such pressure, Ryouma cuts a little of his left ring finger. ¡°Is this alright?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Borrowing Ryouma sword, Laura also cuts her left ring finger a little bit and then kneeling in front of him. ¡°O the great God of contract Hava. Listen to my oath.¡± (Is she¡­ praying?)¡± ¡°My body, my soul, my heart, and my everything.¡± The words keep continuing despite Ryouma bewilderment. ¡°Everything I dedicated to my master!¡± ¡°Mikoshiba-sama. Please give me your left hand. ¡± Ryouma then offered his left hand as Laura told him. ¡°We pledge by the blood covenant. ¡± With Laura declaration, the two fingers overlap and the blood mixes. At that moment a bright light appears from the collar on her neck. Suddenly her collar crumbles without any sound, and the handcuff also detached. ¡°Alright, it seems it was a success. I need to hurry!¡± Laura then moves her muscle body. It feels like a steel muscle is inside the well rounded feminine body. ¡°Master. Please allow me to use my power.¡± Laura is asserting herself. Ryouma who does not know what¡¯s going on due to her pressure nodded his head. Laura who saw him do so, starting to cast a spell. ¡°O wind spirit Shilf. Respond to my request. Like the speed of the wind! Wind divine protection, wind protection!¡± After Laura finishes her spell, a green light wrapped their bodies. ¡°Now then, Master. Let¡¯s get Sara back!¡± Affiliate Shop Chapter 18 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 18 Chapter 1 E 18 ¨C (Escape) 3 Third days since he was summoned to another world. ¡°Take her back you said? Since they are riding a horse, to catch up to them would be¡­¡± Hearing Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma¡¯s line of sight directed to the far away distance. The thief horse was already 150m apart from them. ¡°It is still possible. ¡± After Laura said that, she begin her chanting once again. ¡°O wind spirit Shilf. Respond to my request. Tear that person to piece. Swift wind cutter, wind slash!¡± When Laura finishes her chant and swings her right hand sideways, a blade of wind appears, and it flies toward the thief. *Zwuz* Wind slashing sound reaches the thief¡¯s ears. ¡°Wha¡­ Damn it! Why he able to use magic?! Is he also a magic user?!¡± While driving the horse, Ryouma face surfaced in his mind. However, no matter how much the thief curses someone, the reality won¡¯t change. Second and third wind slash¡­ Each time Laura swung her arms, a blade of wind appear from it and fly toward the thief. ¡°D-Damn it!¡± The continuous release of the blades of wind, finally caught the leg of the horse. The horse who get its right leg cut off collapses on the spot. ¡°Now then¡­ Let¡¯s go. ¡± Laura who¡¯s succeeded in stopping the horse, offer her hand toward Ryouma. ¡°O-Oh. Oi. ¡± Ryouma who began to run with Laura while holding hand began to notice an unusual phenomenon. As he runs, he feels like a feather grew from his legs. They can rush up toward the thief in just about 10 seconds. As he looked back, Ryouma feels surprised with the distance he ran through. (This girl¡­ Did she use the same power as that old man? That wind she created a while ago. Without a doubt is similar. The power as well. But this time, what¡¯s going on??) ¡°This is the power of wind magic. master not aware of it?¡± Sensing Ryouma¡¯s bewilderment, Laura feels suspicious toward him. (This person, what in the world¡­ He posses such martial art prowess, and yet he does not have the knowledge of magic art?¡­ that is impossible¡­ But¡­) In this world, magic arts have always been associated closely with the so-called strong man. Even if someone is unable to use magic art, at least everyone should have the basic knowledge of it. With this, Ryouma was at a loss for words. (Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know it. However, if I were to answer it without thinking, it will drag me down instead. What should I do!?) Silence drifted between them. ¡°Big sis¡­ ¡± Due to Sara¡¯s voice, the subtle voice between them changed completely. ¡°Did you get hurt? Sara?¡± ¡°Yes! I took a defense posture properly before the fall, so I¡¯m fine. ¡± (Defense posture¡­ That might be possible but, falling from a horse, it can¡¯t be that she¡¯s unhurt just by doing a defense posture¡­) These sisters might actually turn out more skilled that what Ryouma had imagined. ¡°Is that so. By the way, Sara. The thief?¡± It seems like he cannot move due to his leg got crushed by the horse. What should we do, Ane-sama?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just ask master¡­ ¡± The eyes of the two sisters directed toward Ryouma. ¡°Me?¡± (Well, I guess there¡¯s no problem with this, I think? ) Ryouma feels there are no advantages to keeping the thief alive. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with my decision then, I will decide alright?¡± Ryouma pulls his sword as the two sisters nodded their head, then he walked toward the horse. ¡°*neigh*¡­¡± ¡°Damn it! My legs! Gets off from me, you stupid horse!¡± Along with the horse voice, the thief curses can be heard. ¡°Y-You bastard¡­¡± The thief notices Ryouma¡¯s face as he gets close to him. ¡°Oi! Don¡¯t come¡­! Don¡¯t approaches me!¡± However, Ryouma did not stop his steps. The thief face distorted as he saw the sword on Ryouma hand. ¡°H-Hei? Forgive me? Is it money? I will give you the money! Or is it a woman? You can have them as well!¡± But still, Ryouma keeps advances his steps silently. ¡°Y-You bastard! Just because I acting modestly doesn¡¯t mean you can go all smug! I¡¯m a one among the 30 members of the [Red Moon group] you know?!¡± Ryouma slowly began to swing the sword in front of the thief. ¡°W- Wait! We¡¯re not your ordinary thieves group! I¡¯m part of the Zalda¡¯s force! If I¡¯m getting handed over, Zalda Kingdom won¡¯t stay silent you know!¡± After listening to the thief words, Ryouma opened his mouth slowly. ¡°Are you a moron?¡± ¡°What?¡± The words from Ryouma who had been silent all this time caused the thief speechless. ¡°If I kill you, how are they going to know who¡¯s the one that killed all of you? Can you inform Zalda kingdom if you¡¯re dead?¡± Toward Ryouma oblivious question, the thief¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°Dead people can¡¯t do anything you see. And besides, I have no intention to keep you alive either. ¡± Finally understood what Ryouma had said, the thief complexion changed. ¡°S-Stop! Stop it! I have a daughter!¡± Whether in reality or novel, there¡¯s no significant difference concerning villain manners. Eat the weak, and ask for pity from the strong. If Ryouma was a protagonist from some short of Light Novel, he might hesitate, however, unfortunately, Ryouma isn¡¯t that sweet. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care even if you have children you know? ¡± He bluntly said that without changing his complexion. ¡°S-Stooop!¡± The man¡¯s face filled with fear. *Zwuz* A ruthless iron hammer mercilessly being swung over the thief¡¯s head. ¡°Are you sure its fine doing it like that? ¡± ¡°?? Is there a problem?¡± Laura called out toward Ryouma who began to put his sword into its sheath. Apparently, usually, Laura is the one who makes negotiation or talks on behalf of the sisters. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. However, should you listen to him first?¡± ¡°No. I honestly have no interest. Moreover, whether his words are the truth or not, it won¡¯t make it as an adjudication material for me. ¡± ¡°Adjudication material is it?¡± A puzzled expression shows up on Laura¡¯s face. Despite there¡¯s no evidence, she thought that Ryouma is someone who¡¯s easy to believe at another person. In fact, with how the way Ryouma thinks, it can only be described as someone who has a deep distrust toward the human. ¡°I¡¯m not a soft person who readily believe a thief words. Well, even if he¡¯s talking about the truth, it does not matter. ¡­ By the way imouto-san, it¡¯s good that you end up fine. ¡± ¡°Thank you very much. Master. ¡± While saying that both sisters bowed their heads. Although Ryouma accepted their gratitude, he finally asked the question which he feels concerned since a while ago. ¡°It¡¯s fine. By the way, I have a question. That master thing you¡¯re calling me since a while ago, what does that mean? I was wondering about that since a while ago. ¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we exchange an oath using blood covenant a while ago? Since you become our master, thus I have to call you master. ¡± A question mark appeared above Ryouma¡¯s head. After thinking for a while, Ryouma recalled the blood from cutting his ring finger that Laura had asked to do. ¡°By blood covenant, do you mean that one? the one where our blood from the ring fingers mixed? ¡± ¡°Yes. ¡± And then, Sara who has been standing at the back appeared at the front. ¡°Master. Would you like to exchange blood covenant with me as well?¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. Master, would you also make a blood covenant with Sara? ¡± (What happened here¡­ what kind of absurdness is this?) The sisters advance their proposal one after another, while making Ryouma feels like he had been left out by his own instead. Ryouma unconsciously looked up toward the sky. ¡°Although I feel bad, please spare me. Or rather, Laura, you don¡¯t have to serve me either. ¡± Whether it was because of Ryouma¡¯s words which they found unexpected, or because of other reason, sorrows appeared on the sisters face. ¡°I-It can¡¯t be. Do you hate us?¡± Tears appeared on Sara¡¯s face, while Laura shows a gloomy expression. ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. ¡± ¡°Not like that?¡± The sisters were looking at Ryouma¡¯s face with an upward glance. Due to the two peerless beauty, their glances are capable of stirring Ryouma¡¯s heart. Ryouma immediately suppressed his disordered heart, and swallowed the words of acceptance that he was about to say. ¡°You girls, aren¡¯t you going to wait for your master here?¡± ¡°Since I already exchange a blood covenant, I do not have to listen to that person orders anymore. ¡± Laura answered his question plainly. ¡°However, since Sara still has that person restriction spell on her, thus she won¡¯t be able to move from this place. Therefore, I wish for Master to exchange a blood covenant with Sara as well. ¡± ¡°?? Is that means you girls can go to the town?¡± ¡°¡±Yes, if we both exchanges blood covenant¡­ ¡°¡± The two nodded their head answering his question. (I guess I have no choice huh? After all, if possible I don¡¯t want to leave these girls here either. ) It can¡¯t be helped if he feels bitter toward himself whom despite having pursuers on his back, he still sticks his nose to other people business. Although there are other means other than helping, he can¡¯t see death without helping either. Ryouma thought that while deeply sighed. ¡°I understand. For now, we will exchange blood covenant. After that, we will have to organize the items from the carriage, take the valuable gold coins and other items; then we will head toward Aru town. If we go now, we will arrive around 20 o¡¯clock. However, you guys will have to explain everything the moment we reached the town alright?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Bright smiles of relief from the sisters¡¯ expression reverberate within the forest. After Ryouma had performed blood covenant with Sara, he turned his back and headed toward the carriage and inspect the items that the thieves had lined up previously. ¡°Oi oi. Isn¡¯t this full of precious things?¡± Other than a box filled with gold coins, there were many hair ornaments and jewelry filled box such as sapphire and ruby. ¡°When someone going to sell a slave, they have to decorate them first. With their looks improved, they can be fetched for a high price. ¡± ¡°Fuun¡­¡± Consider the size of the carriage; there should be around more than 10 slaves. ¡°This box filled with gold coins is the profit from selling our comrade.¡± If one were to consider that all of them have the same level of beauty as the sisters, then no wonder they had profited this much. Maybe due to remembering how their friend being sold, tears fall from the eyes of the sisters *Crack¡­ Crack* Cracking sounds interrupted from inside the forest. ¡°Laura. Sara!¡± Toward Ryouma voice, the sisters pulled out their swords. Of course, it was the swords he gets from the thieves. It is reasonably efficient for something impromptu. (Is it a monster? or another thief?) Then a human voice could be heard by Ryouma which betrayed his expectation. ¡°Master! Over here!¡± From the forest appears a man. The man then looked around and noticed Ryouma and the sisters existence. ¡°Ooh! how about the luggage? And the goods? Are they all alright?!¡± Following the man, there are another three men wearing armors appeared. While the first man was getting close, a voice can be heard from inside the forest behind him. ¡°It seems the thieves have already escaped one way or other, as for the luggage I wonder if it¡¯s still fine?¡­ however for the goods they are here. ¡± ¡°What?! That Laura and the other. Are they already being used?! Did the thieves already violate them? If they are already being stained, their price will fall you know!?¡± ¡°There seems to be no problem; however, there might be a slight difficulty here.¡± The man gazed toward Ryouma. ¡°What!? What kind of thing?¡± ¡°Master. Since the situation seems safe, please come out here first. ¡± ¡°You sure it¡¯s safe right?¡± After saying that, the sounds of branches being stepped on can be heard. (Is this guy a human?) It was reasonable for Ryouma to think of such. He appeared to have a height of around 170cm, and weight around 200kg, which makes him looks like a pig. That was not a fat over a muscle which is typical for sumo wrestler, but a body fat due to excess eating and drinking erosion. He wears a sleeveless vest that didn¡¯t cover his belly and Arabian pants that usually appear in the Arabian night stories. (Is this person the slave trader? I guess I can consent if the one who ditches Laura and her sister is something like this person¡­) Ryouma get himself a sense of consent after seeing the pig that suddenly appeared in front of him Probably he just escaped without pretense with only his bodyguard after receiving a surprise attack. Otherwise, he won¡¯t be able to escape the blades of the thieves with such obese body ¡°Ooh! You both are fine! I¡¯ve always thought whether you both have been raped and killed by the thieves or not!¡± Saying such words, he approaches the sisters. ¡°Don¡¯t come!¡± Sara¡¯s pointed her sword ¡°I will stab you if you take another step!¡± However, the slave trader and the escort guard only shows smiles filled with ridicule. ¡°Master. It seems like the young lady have gotten cheeky huh?¡± ¡°My goodness. It looks like they¡¯ve forgotten that they are slaves. Was the training too weak?¡± ¡°You see, young lady. You might have forgotten but, the master over here is your owner, you know? You belong to this person. Yet, what are you doing pointed your sword toward the person you belongs to?¡± ¡°Be quite! We¡¯re not your possession anymore!¡± ¡°Gahahaha. Did you go insane? You both belong to me. You both are the valuable goods which I had polished for over five years. ¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you abandon us and escaped by yourself!?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? If I were to die because of sticking with the goods, there wouldn¡¯t be any meaning. But if the goods that I throw away are still in the original position. What¡¯s wrong with picking it up once again?¡± Although their appearance is not that bad, Ryouma felt a sense of disgust rather than anger toward the slave trader and the escort guard. ¡°Well~. Master. Let¡¯s leave it at that first. ¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ No matter how strong they are, without a master present, they won¡¯t be able to do anything. ¡± Apparently, they do not seem to think that Laura and her sister are already capable of using their power once again. Five versus three. If Ryouma and the others can beat the slave trader, everything should be fine. ¡°That young man over there seems to have intervened with what had happened, is it not? ¡± Toward that words, the eyes of those people turned toward Ryouma. ¡°I see, did you do such unnecessary thing? That means you¡¯re their knight on a white horse huh? Well, whatever. I¡¯ve suffered a damage considerably due to the thieves attack. Having one slave is good enough rather than none. Oi! You guys, catch that young man alive! Since he has a good physique. He will sell well for a labor slave. Ghua.!¡± A shining silver ring stabbed the slave trader neck. The chakram from Ryouma hand flew silently and slit the slave trader throat and stopped him from talking. Unrest immediately appears among the escort guard. (Moron. You talked too much. ) Him talking without stopping with clear enmity toward your opponent, for Ryouma, such conduct is nothing more than being foolish. (It¡¯s too the point of making me feels that he do that on purpose¡­) Ryouma sneered toward the dead pig. But right now, he¡¯s in the middle of a battle. Ryouma immediately erased an unnecessary thought in his mind. ¡°Now!¡± The two sisters reacted toward Ryouma voice. Laura and Sara immediately slipped through Ryouma¡¯s side and attacked the escort guard who is still letting their guard down. (Just as I thought¡­ ) Something that Ryouma had imagined appeared in front of his eyes. Each of the sister swordplays has their own characteristic. Laura¡¯s swordplay is more inclined toward power. A high-powered sword slash, the moment the sword clashes against her opponent sword, the opponent sword got blown off, and with no change of speed, her sword slashes her opponent head. While Sara¡¯s swordplay is more inclined toward technique. She diverts her opponent thrusting momentum with her sword slightly and then stabbed her opponent throat. ¡°W-What, you bitch¡­ how come you can use your power?!¡± In an instant, the escort guards that left their guard down get killed by the sisters¡¯ swords. In front of Ryouma, only one man left, the one that appeared first. ¡°Funn!¡± The escort guard persisted against the bloodlust emitted by the sisters. ¡°W-Wait a minute¡­ Oi. ¡± Maybe because he finally realizes his current situation. A flustered face appeared on that man face. ¡°Wait a minute, why did you guys can use your power? If the master is not here, you should not be able to use your abilities no!?¡± Sneering smiles appeared on the sisters face. They did not show any carelessness. Their whole body are always prepared to respond instantly the moment the escort guard attacked. ¡°That person over there is our master!¡± The sisters¡¯ eyes are looking at Ryouma. ¡°That is impossible! A slave can¡¯t change their master on a whim¡­ they need to perform blood covenant¡­¡± ¡°We already know about blood covenant since young age. our father has taught us about it, you see?. ¡± Toward Sara¡¯s words, the escort guard face turns pale. ¡°What did you say?! Then why until now?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain it to you. ¡± While listening to Laura¡¯s words, Ryouma approaches the man. ¡°Khu¡­ Damn it! You better remember this!¡± The man then performed his last gamble. He chooses to run away since he thought it was disadvantageous for him. (Though his judgment is not bad¡­ But I guess that won¡¯t happen huh? ) While looking at the back of the man who ran away, Ryouma muttered such words inside his heart. The man decides to run via the highway instead jumping inside the forest. There are monsters in the woods. Even if it scares him, he should go there instead, yet due to this kind of judgmental mistake, he lost his life. Ryouma takes out a chakram from his waist bag, then throws it at the man head. *Zwuz* *Gusha* Following the sound of the chakram tearing the winds, a sound of his head getting smashed by a chakram can be heard. ¡°Well them. There are various thing that I wish to hear, but for now, we will head toward Aru town first. You guys can tell me everything there. ¡± Ryouma said such words toward the two girls while collecting the chakram. ¡°¡±Certainly. ¡°¡± After responded toward Ryouma, the two of them scattered about to collect all the valuable goods. (It seems like although my intention is to help, it has turned into something troublesome huh?) Ryouma sighed while looking at the two girls. Affiliate Shop Chapter 19 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 19 TLN: Have been staying at the hospital for these past 3 days¡­watching over someone¡­ damn lack of sleep¡­and also the reason for the late Chapter 1 E 19 (Rest and The Future) Third to the Fourth day after being summoned to a different world. After disposing the slave trader, and leaving their bodies in the forest, Ryouma immediately return to the highway and head toward Aru town in a hurry, while carrying a box filled with gold coins and jewelry on his back. Fortunately, there¡¯s no monster attack on their way toward Aru town, by 22 o¡¯clock they have arrived in Aru town safely. The restaurant in the town have already closed, and Ryouma only able to check in at the only inn in the town. ¡°Well then, shall we talk while eating? In that regard, how about you guys take a seat?¡± In front of Ryouma and the girls, after asking a big favor toward the Inn master stew and bread have been prepared by the Inn master. An expression of bewilderment floats on the face of the sisters who have been asked to sits down. ¡°?What¡¯s wrong? It will get cold you know?¡± ¡°We cannot afford to eat at the same table as the master. Please feed us later. ¡± ¡°Haa?¡± After listening to Laura¡¯s words, Ryouma unconsciously asked back. ¡°A slave cannot eat together with the master. ¡± ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s just impossible¡­ even though there¡¯s a stew in front us already. It will get cold you know?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for a slave to have a warm meal. ¡± (These girls, just what are they¡­ Does a slave is someone belong to their master that much? Or rather, I¡¯m their master, right? Hmm¡­ Wait a minute, If that the case then¡­) ¡°Just to confirm. You guys will obey your master right?¡± ¡°¡±Yes. To be of use by master is the duty of a slave. ¡°¡± The sisters immediately responded toward Ryouma. ¡°And I¡¯m the master right?¡± ¡°Yes. With the exchange of the blood covenant, you¡¯re our master. ¡± Toward Laura¡¯s words, Sara nodded her head. ¡°Then I order you as your master. Sit down, and let¡¯s eat the meal together. ¡± ¡°¡±EH?¡±¡± The sisters looking at each other at the unexpected words. ¡°A food won¡¯t taste good if you eat it alone, see. Since I also want to talk about the future, now! Go ahead and sits down!¡± The two were lost in thought for a while then responded back. ¡°¡­ Understood. Excuse me. Come, Sara, it is master order you know? Hurry and sits down. ¡± Laura who made up her mind then urged Sara to also sits down. ¡°Alright! Then let¡¯s talk while eating. ¡± ¡°¡±Understood.¡±¡± For Ryouma, it was natural for him to eat happily together, yet the sisters seem to have found it uncomfortable instead. One, two mouthfuls of stew had already consumed by Ryouma; however, the silence still presides over them. (Somehow, this feels awkward¡­ Well from the story I heard, a slave have always been treated quite poorly. So I guess, it was impossible to change their mind immediately huh? ¡± Reluctantly Ryouma asked the question regarding the blood covenant. He was aware that the issue is less suitable to be asked during meal; however, he cannot leave it alone forever either. ¡°Then, let me confirm the situation alright? I will ask for one more time, right now, I¡¯ve become your master right?¡± ¡°Yes. A master-slave relationship has been established using blood covenant that we performed a while ago. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! That blood covenant thing, what is that about?¡± Ryouma asked the question while stuffing his mouth with bread. ¡°A blood covenant has two meaning. One is where a knight vows their loyalty toward their Lord. In this case, there¡¯s no binding force, it was just a formal ceremony. And the other is to bind a war slave > toward their master. ¡± Hearing that Ryouma stopped his hand holding a piece of bread. ¡°War slave, battle slave?¡± ¡°Yes. In addition to labor slave and s.e.x slave, there¡¯s a special slave that are called a war slave. Their purpose is just like the name implies, and that is to do battles for their masters, however, since it was obvious that they have the power to fight, there¡¯s also a chance for them to rebel against their own master. Thus, there¡¯s a seal to be placed on them which make them unable to fight unless their master gives them permissions. ¡± An expression of aversion surfaced on Ryouma face. After all, he¡¯s someone who does not like the thought of violating personal liberty. This time as well, the story is at the end about human circumstance that force enslavement. The thing called a slave rebelling can be treated as someone doing revolt like this. ¡°I see. Then the next question. Why did you guys decide to perform such thing?¡± If we follow with Laura¡¯s explanation then, they should not know how to perform blood covenant. There¡¯s also a reason as to why Ryouma thought of such a thing. Although the possibility is small, this might be a trap set by the Empire. Ryouma wondered if the empire purpose to let him help them is to make him trust them and get him to lower his guard down. ¡°A-About that¡­¡± Sara who found it hard to say about it direct her gaze toward Laura, which she in return wink her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine Sara. It is natural for him to find it suspicious. I understand. I will try to explain everything. However, I want master to keep the story secret. ¡± Being overpowered by her resolution and determined gaze Ryouma nodded his head. Beside for Ryouma, he does not have the hobby to flaunt someone else secret either. ¡°Our surname is Marfisto, originally it was the name of a high pedigree Knight lineage from the Kwiford Kingdom located on the west coast of the central continent. ¡± (Knight lineage? By that means, a noble huh? Now that you mention it, they do have the beauty and the elegance. But still, why a noble lady ends up as a slave¡­??) For Ryouma, Laura¡¯s story is beyond his expectation. ¡°If that the case then, your real name is actually Laura Marfisto is that it?¡± ¡°Yes. Marfisto family is a military lineage that serves the Kwiford Kingdom royal family since a long time ago. And now, this is the story from five years ago. The problem started with a trade tariff between the Kwiford Kingdom and its neighboring nation, the Queft Kingdom, which in the end escalated into war, and the Kwiford downfall become the result of it. Although my father¡¯s territory is situated on an island off the coast of the kingdom, the spark of war also ends up engulfing my father¡¯s territory as well. ¡± Having recalled their home, tears appears from their eyes. ¡°My father desperately fought for the people and the kingdom. However, after the betrayal of the prime minister which resulted in the assassination of the king and the decline of the kingdom, my father decided to abandon the territory. ¡± ¡°Were you guys fleeing together then?¡± The sisters nodded toward Ryouma question. ¡°Yes. We planned to run away toward another country with several escort soldiers. ¡± In the end, Ryouma was unable to eat the stew on the table. Even for Ryouma, he would be unable to eat, and stop eating if they end up listening to such heavy story. ¡°Then why a noble lady from a Knight family, having an escort as well, end up as a slave?¡± ¡°This is all due to us being over confident. ¡± A bitter expression appears on Laura¡¯s face. ¡°We¡¯re unable to see through a human heart weakness. On the day when we arrived at another neighboring country by ship which we disguised it as a merchant ship from our territory. Our escort betrayed us and tied us, then sold us to the slave trader. Even though all of those escorts are the people that have served us many years¡­¡± Being betrayed by the escort they have placed their trust with, and being sold as a slave. There¡¯s nothing that can describe that other than as a tragedy. Well, there¡¯s the saying that misfortune never comes singly, it¡¯s a common thing that when the situation deteriorating everything will always move toward the opposite ways. ¡°The slave trader, is it the one whom we meet this afternoon?¡± ¡°Yes. Because we can read and write, and also have been trained in the military art and magic art, they decided to educate us as a war slaves. ¡± ¡°I see. So, the reason why you guys know about the blood covenant is?¡± ¡°I heard how to perform the ceremony of blood covenant from our father. He said that sooner or later it would be necessary for us to know about it. ¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± ¡°Yes. However, blood covenant cannot be done between slaves. Although by all means, I want to perform blood covenant with someone no less than a commoner, however¡­ ¡± Toward Laura¡¯s explanation, Ryouma nodded his head. That would be natural, or so he thought. After all, if they can perform blood covenant between slaves the meaning of restriction would disappear. ¡°That¡¯s means all this time, you guys were looking for someone trustworthy huh?¡­ By that, is that means you guys trusting me?¡± ¡°Of course. Master have fought purely to protect us. I think such a person is suitable for us to serve. ¡± ¡°I also have the same thought. ¡± Following Laura, Sara voiced her agreement. ¡°Fuuu¡­¡± After hearing the situation from the two people, Ryouma heave a big sigh. (Ah, I give up¡­ ) That was Ryouma¡¯s honest thought. The two girls gazes are directed toward Ryouma. ¡°I understand the situation. Then I will free the both of you. Fortunately, there¡¯s also the money we looted from the slave trader as well. With that, the both of you would be able to restart your life as a sisters no?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that!¡± Laura¡¯s words contained such a clear intent. ¡°Although we had become a slave, we are from the proud Marfisto family. We had our life and purity saved by master while master has risked master¡¯s life in doing so. Please, let us serve master until this life of ours end. ¡± A light of resolution can be seen from the eyes of the sisters. ¡°Well, you know, I helped you guys without expecting any gratitude from it. Thus, you girls don¡¯t have to put it until that far, alright?¡± Of course, he does not mean that they don¡¯t have to feel indebted entirely. After all, he only wants a world of thanks from them, and something like this is going too far. ¡°No! Please let us serve you!¡± Toward Laura¡¯s words, Sara nodded her head. ¡°This won¡¯t do¡­ after all, I also have my own circumstance¡­¡± Sara responded toward Ryouma who leaked something vague. ¡°Is that related to master for being a person from a different world?¡± A smile appeared on Ryouma face as usual. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Although only a momentary, the feeling of unrest within Ryouma¡¯s heart is being transmitted to the sisters. ¡°Master do not have to worry. We won¡¯t tell the others. It just that, we also want to know about master circumstance. ¡± For a second, silence ruled the place. ¡°Why?¡± Ryouma began to talk. ¡°To serve Ryouma-sama, we have to understand the situation properly. That¡¯s why we want to know master circumstance by all means. ¡± Silence once again has flown between them. (What should I do? I can seal their mouth, but¡­ no, that¡¯s just being stupid. I would rather get myself forsaken than doing that. Since I should have prepared for this by the time I decide to help them back then¡­ If that¡¯s the case then¡­ ) Various thoughts run through Ryouma¡¯s mind. ¡°Very well. ¡± ¡°¡±Then!?¡±¡± The sisters immediately leaned their body forward in expectation of Ryouma¡¯s word, however, Ryouma pushed them by hand. ¡°I understand your feeling, but, I don¡¯t need any slave. So, after you listen to my situation and still decide to follow me, then I want both of you to come with me as a human with free will, not as a slave bound by blood covenant. ¡± He doesn¡¯t want to feel forcing them following him, but let them decide as a human with free will. This was the maximum compromise that Ryouma can give right now. Hearing Ryouma words, the sisters looked at each other, nodded, then Laura makes a loud declaration. ¡°We understood. If that is the will of the master, we will comply!¡± Even after explaining everything, the two sisters determination did not change. Ryouma told them about the day when he was summoned to another world. Escaping after killed the soldiers and the one who performed the summoning ceremony. About the pursuers from the empire. About how they don¡¯t know about his face which also an advantage, but, nobody knows about the future. He told them about the risk if they go together with him, and after all that, the sisters¡¯ determination did not change at all. Or rather they go ¡°If master face is not known by them then, won¡¯t it would make it harder for them to understand that a fugitive was together with us? After all, if master is someone from another world, they won¡¯t expect master to be familiar with this world. ¡± or so that was what they had suggested. With their determination, the advantage of going together, and with the condition that they should be released from the status of a slave at any time. ¡°Are you guys really going to go with us? Someday, I might disappear from this world you know?¡± In Ryouma¡¯s words, he has no intention to stay in this world forever. Even if everyone says that there¡¯s no method to repatriate him, he should just create a method from 0 instead. For that, he had put his own resolution. However, toward that words, Laura only smiled. ¡°If that is the case, master can use us until the day master returned to his world. ¡± Following that, Sara continued, ¡°Onee-sama. Why not we also go together to Ryouma-sama world as well?¡± ¡°Ara~. That¡¯s true¡­ That¡¯s a good idea! With that, we can serve him forever! ¡± Ryouma was amazed toward Sara¡¯s words. (Oi oi¡­ They said they are going to come home with me? That old man would kill me you know? No wait, Asuka might kill me as well. ) Despite Ryouma feeling complicated, the sisters shows a beautiful smile on their face. (Well, let us put aside those matters. First, we need to find out how to get through the border¡­ ) The next day, Ryouma and the sisters, at Aru town, the three of them arranged their equipment in order. It seems like the sisters are more proficient at using dual scimitar, however, unfortunately at Aru town, no one sells them. And again, the shop¡¯s protective gear also didn¡¯t fit their body (due to their big round chest and yet slim waist), including Ryouma¡¯s swords replacement. He bought 3 swords and 30 throwing knives. The thing that is more than expected would be the loot that they had looted from the slave trader. The gold coins they bought to the bank exceeded 5 million baht, although that was expected, the one unexpected is the value of the jewelry that they sold to the jeweler. ¡°30 million baht for all of them, how about it?¡± ¡°¡±¡±EH!?¡±¡±¡± That was the three respond at the jeweler¡¯s shop. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with the price? To be honest, we already done the best we could¡­¡± The three of them were marveled by the high price of the jewelry; however, the jeweler thought that the price is still to low. ¡°Ah! No no¡­ That is good enough. ¡± Well, he knew that there are quite a considerable number of rings and necklace included in it, but, he does not expect it to be this high of a price. However, listening to Ryouma answer, a small smile appeared on the merchant¡¯s face. (Hnn? This guy¡­ does he tried to trick us?¡± There¡¯s the possibility that Ryouma was considered as an amateur, and the jeweler set the price low. However, Ryouma and the other are not someone who can judge the price either. Notwithstanding that they have pursuers on their back, there¡¯s a lot of problems to carry around a lot of precious metals. There¡¯s no choice other than to change it into gold here and now. ¡°Is that alright!? Then we will take all of them. However, since it was a large sum of money, we do not have enough cash with us¡­ excuse me, but is it alright to use an account transfer?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ well¡­¡± Unintentionally Ryouma looked at the sisters. Since only Ryouma alone that have an account, it was natural for them to use his account, however, Ryouma feels guilty if it was only being transferred to his account. However, looking at the sisters nodded their head, Ryouma handed over his card. ¡°Then, please use this one. ¡± ¡°I guess before we go toward the guild, we should go to the bank first huh? ¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Sara asked such question. The two girls do not seem to have much knowledge about being an adventurer. ¡°Yes. Because the reward of the quest would be done by bank transfer, without an account, one cannot register at the guild. ¡± ¡°Is that how it is? ¡± An expression of surprise and respect floats on the sisters face. (This person is really amazing. It was only have been a few days since the time he had been summoned to this world, yet he knows the things that we don¡¯t know in this world¡­ ) While Laura feels interested in him, Ryouma stopped his foot. ¡°Now~¡­ We¡¯re here. ¡± Ryouma came through the entrance of the bank facing the main street. -30 minutes later- After opening an account, the three of them headed toward the guild to fulfill the sisters¡¯ registration. ¡°Now then. This time about our future movement. ¡± The three of them after gathered information from the guild returned toward their room at the inn. There¡¯s a blockade at the border. After registering the sisters, he was planning to head toward Adelpho town with the sisters; however, they have to change their plan. ¡°Yes¡­ It would be bad if we stay with the plan and head toward Adelpho as it is. ¡± Sara nodded toward Laura¡¯s remark. ¡°I think so too. If it was your ordinary blockade, then we just have to pay the border guard generously, and then we can pass just like that. ¡± ¡°Princess Sardina huh¡­¡± The two sisters nodded toward Ryouma words. ¡°Yes. Since it was a direct order of a princess, we won¡¯t be able to settle it with money only. ¡± Most things can be settled using money; however, no idiot going to get blinded by bribe when the princess is the one who directly oversight them. ¡°With that being the case then, should we advance¡­ or should we withdraw?¡± The three of them looked at the map which he bought at the imperial capital. For civilian use, it is only at the level where there¡¯s a measurement of the highway distance between city or town and the placement of the town itself. ¡°If we withdraw then, we will have to get back to our previous route and then goes south is it?¡± To head toward the southern border, then they can choose between going via the forest which monsters lurking, or goes back to the imperial capital and proceed from there. Whichever route they choose, it would take them approximately 10 days to reach their destination. If they take a shortcuts by going via the forest, there are monsters in there who going to slow them, thus the time needed for both route stays the same. ¡°No¡­ I do not mean that we should go south. Because the south would be the place where the Empire put their attention the most. ¡± The border closest to the imperial capital would be the south. The pursuer would have then predicted that Ryouma who is a fugitive will choose the shortest distance to escape. ¡°If that is the case then, north or west is it?¡± Laura face clearly says that she cannot recommend that route. When he look at the map, the reason would be obvious. Both are too far. If they make a straight line, that alone still have 300km distance. If they taking the speed at which they are walking, which is 20 km per day, that would take them more than half a month to arrive. If it takes too much time, then it would be a lot safer for them to just wait within the empire territory until the situation cools down. But, if Ryouma decides to stay, the empire may move its massive armies to find him. Looking at the future prospect, it was obvious to him that it was better that he escape to another country as soon as possible. And the sisters also familiar with the neighborhood as well. ¡°I guess, we have no choice but to go through the eastern border as it is¡­¡± Toward Ryouma words, the sisters nodded their head. ¡°About that, I have a plan. ¡± The two person eyes turned toward Sara ¡°A plan where we avoid the highway?¡± Sara nodded at Laura¡¯s words. ¡°There¡¯s no other way other than us going through the eastern border, but, we cannot pass Adelpho. So, why not we just go through the forest directly to Zalda kingdom without using the highway? ¡± Sara¡¯s finger traced the map without passing the highway from Aru town, and directly pass through the forest toward Zalda kingdom. (That¡¯s pretty good. But¡­) Although there might be some fault, there¡¯s no obvious disadvantage either. However, (Won¡¯t the guy who blocked the border predicting that I would escape via the east notice this as well?) On the highways in this world, they placed a barrier so that high-grade monsters won¡¯t be able to cross over. They would be able to move safely if they use the highway. This is written inside the beginner guide book. However, it does not necessarily mean that we can only use the highway to come and go either. If one have confidence in their ability and the resolution of spending one night in the forest instead of inside a comfortable inn room then, going through via the forest also possible, Looking at the speed at which Princess Sardina responded with his escape, she does not seems to be that clueless. Such a person does not seem to be the type to miss the thought about someone going through via the forest. However, after hearing from the information that there are not much of pursuers in term of numbers. He thought that they would not be able to cover the entire forest. In that sense, Sara¡¯s proposal is a very good one. However, if I were being found, there¡¯s no mistake that it would be instant detention. They do not know Ryouma¡¯s face. If that is being the case, then they have to doubt every single person with large build. That is to say, even if he were to go with Laura and Sara, the possibility that he would get overlooked would be small. (There¡¯s no chance that I would be overlooked just because I walked alongside Laura and Sara¡­ if that is the case then, there¡¯s no point for us to go together¡­ no, wait a minute¡­) Those guys do not know about these two. When they are not walking together with him, they should not be restricted. Thinking that far, something crosses Ryouma¡¯s mind. ¡°Sara, Laura¡­ I decide to pass through the forest. However¡­¡± An evil smile surfaced on Ryouma¡¯s face, and a surprised expression spreads over the sisters face. (Now then, I will teach you who¡¯s the prey who¡¯s the hunter¡­ Dear princess¡­) That was the moment when the hunted person becomes the hunter. Affiliate Shop Chapter 20 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 20 Chapter 1 E 20 (Restraint) -Sixth days after he was summoned to another word- Restraint *Zaza* Within the forest, A sound indicating something pushed the plants can be heard. A day and a half had passed since Ryouma went north from Aru town and entered the forest. There¡¯s no sight of Laura and Sara around him. After they had finished the preparation for camping at Aru town, Ryouma alone entered the forest. Darkness dominated the forest. Even the blinking light of the stars and moon are being blocked by the leaves of the high trees. ¡°For now, nothing happen¡­¡± Ryouma muttered such words while warming up his body under a tree after making a fire pit in front of him. At most, he only starts to miss the face of the two sisters that he had stayed together for only about two days. He thought, at least everyone can forgive someone for being sentimental if they had been summoned to a different world so suddenly. He looked around while eating the dried meat he bought at the town. Even though it¡¯s only have been one day and a half, Ryouma have realized how terrifying to walked around strayed from the highway. Of course, there¡¯s no powerful enemy that Ryouma can¡¯t handle. Although he moved away from the highway, it¡¯s not like he was taking that far of a detour. Even so, he felt overwhelmed by the sheer number. They say one can fall into a vicious circle where he was to kill a monster, due to the smell of blood of the monster he killed the other monsters would hunt him. Although he doesn¡¯t realize it when he hunted the wild dog, at the time, he can take some rest on the highway if he felt tired; naturally, it felt different when an attack will come at him continuously without much time left for him to take some rest. (Finally, here they come?) The skin on his body that is currently resting in front of a fire feels the air surrounded him change. He feels a gaze from within the dark forest. Not a gazes that comes from a monster. It¡¯s more like a gaze of someone that skilled in hiding. It also not the gaze of an adventurer who passes through the forest just like him either. In fact, if it¡¯s them, they would immediately call out if they want to warm themselves. And if one¡¯s companion were to perceive of such a gaze, they might mistake them as a thief and receive the first strike. Besides, they are not a thief either. Since he does not feel any greed from the gaze. He has no doubt that the gaze was appraising him; however, he does not feel the gaze evaluating him for his value or money. Ryouma put his hand on the sword handle. No matter who they are he will retaliate immediately if he¡¯s being attacked. Then a voice of a man resounded. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve surprised you. I beg your pardon. ¡± Ryouma put a bit of power in his hand. ¡°Well well. No need to be cautious. I would like to borrow a little bit of your time, would you mind?¡± Such an irritating way of speaking. Although his voice sounds polite, there¡¯s also pressure to make him unable to say no. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. ¡± *Gasa¡­ Gasa* Sounds of tree branches being pushed can be heard the moment Ryouma said those words. A slight agitation appears on Ryouma¡¯s face the moment he saw the face of the man that have emerged from the forest. He has a 7:3 kind of hairstyle. A thin oval shaped face. With height approximately 170cm. He has the appearance that won¡¯t make him looks suspicious even if he were to walk on an ordinary street in Japan. Although no Japanese salary man goes to work wearing an armor and also bringing a sword. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The man swiftly asks Ryouma when he saw Ryouma¡¯s expression. ¡°No¡­ I just feel surprised that it was not a thief¡­¡± The man smiled at Ryouma¡¯s remark. ¡°No no no. Please do pardon me. May I sit here?¡± Without waiting for Ryouma¡¯s answer, the man immediately sits down in the opposite direction of him. ¡°I don¡¯t remember allowing you to sit down?¡± Although the man heard what Ryouma had said, the man did not get daunted. On the contrary, the man starts talking selfishly instead. ¡°Well~. I only want to ask 2-3 question after all. ¡± Ryouma urged him to continue after giving up since he felt that saying anything would be just a waste of time. ¡°You looks like an adventurer, but, what are you doing in this forest? are you doing some work?¡± Then Ryouma answered the man¡¯s question honestly, ¡°At the time I was in Aru town I heard that the border was blocked. Moreover, there¡¯s information that it is unknown when the problem will be solved. Thus I decide to pass through via the forest. Well, since I was confidence with my ability, I¡¯ve prepared to camp out¡­ ¡± ¡°Hou¡­ Is that how it is? But still, You don¡¯t seem to have much concern huh? No matter how much you are confident with your ability, but to think that you decide to cross the forest by yourself¡­ Are you in lots of hurry or something? For example, are you being pursued by someone?¡± The man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°No. I just thought that it was better for me to get some more experience rather than waiting the blockade to be opened again. ¡± ¡°I see, I see¡­ ¡± Ryouma then asked the man in return. ¡°So now, for what purpose did you ask such question eagerly?¡± ¡°Ooh. I¡¯m sorry for being slow. My name is Saitou Hideaki. I serve as the deputy leader of Ortomea Empire Nightmare chivalric order [Succubus Nights] ¡± (I know it, so he¡¯s part the pursuers¡­ but Saitou? looking at his outward appearance he looks like a Japanese, but¡­) Ryouma keeps on acting while holding back the question that appeared on his mind. Since it would be better for him to pretend as an adventurer when he already knows who his opponent is¡­ ¡°Why a deputy leader such as you been doing inside a forest?¡± ¡°I cannot say much. In fact, I was chasing after someone. I had thought that the man might escape via the forest and run away toward another country. ¡± ¡°Hee? There¡¯s such a man huh? What did he do?¡± Saitou looked at Ryouma with bitter expression then answers him, ¡°No I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t say it¡­ It was confidential information, see¡­¡± This is something that Ryouma had expected. Saitou understands that he has no reason to tell Ryouma anything here. However, until here Saitou understood that it felt dull when being asked back and answered as such. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry for being rude. By the way, what do you need from me? Did you perhaps, suspect me?¡± Hearing that Saitou make an expression trying to deny. ¡°No no no. We don¡¯t know the man in question face. ¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know his face, and yet you keep on pursuing him?¡± (Fuu¡­ As expected they don¡¯t know my face huh¡­ well, I guess it was to be expected. After all, I killed everyone who saw my face. ) Within Ryouma¡¯s mind, he was proud of his judgment. ¡°Well, It was realistically something that is a pretty tough thing to do¡­ I was being ordered by my superior to catch the criminal as fast as possible¡­ Well, anyway, I have something that I like to ask. ¡± Saitou carefully cut to the case. ¡°A request is it?¡± ¡°Yes. I only have a little time; thus I want to confirm it. You don¡¯t have to worry. This is only a formality. Since you may leave immediately if you can prove your birth and parentage. After all, we can only do this since we don¡¯t know the face of the person we pursue¡­ Thus we want all the cooperation of a male with a good physique that is going through the forest, see. Thus pardon me for being rude. ¡± Although he was smiling while saying sorry, Saitou¡¯s eyes are not smiling. ¡°If I don¡¯t cooperate with you then?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Saitou lightly lifted his right hand. ¡°At that time, I guess there¡¯s nothing can be done. I will make you cooperate by force. ¡± *Hiyu¡­ Stab* An arrow flew from inside the forest and stabbed the ground just right beside Ryouma. ¡°I see. So something like this huh. ¡± Ryouma said those words while shifting his gaze to the arrow that stabbed the ground. ¡°Yes. Thank you for your immediate understanding. Thus, would you mind coming with me?¡± This is what people call hypocritical courtesy. Like this, there won¡¯t be any guy who will say no, after all, an arrow would fly toward them the moment they do say no. ¡°I guess, I have no choice huh? I will cooperate. ¡± Ryou answered reluctantly. ¡°No. It is good as long you understand. Well then, let¡¯s walk toward our camp. It was right there. ¡± Like that, Saitou took out a handcuff. ¡°And that is?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, Saitou answered normally. ¡°Just in case, I need to restrain you. Well, this is just for something like a formality. A form. After we meet my superior, I will take this off. Please do endure it until then. ¡± This is something that cannot be rejected. Ryouma give both his hands. ¡°Her highness. I¡¯ve restricted him. ¡± Toward Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina directed her subordinate lower their guard. ¡°Restrict? Who? The otherworld person?¡± ¡°Indeed. Without a doubt, he¡¯s the otherworld person. To be more accurate, he¡¯s a person from Japan of Earth. ¡± After Saitou brought Ryouma and assigned some guard, he meets with Sardina inside the tent. ¡°How are you able to understand that he¡¯s from a different world? we even don¡¯t know his face. ¡± Sardina asks Saitou while looking suspicious. ¡°That is because he¡¯s someone from the same country as me. Furthermore, He just arrived in this world. Somehow I know a smell of newcomer. ¡± Listening Saitou remark, Sardina expression immediately broke into a smile. ¡°Is that so? If you said so, then I guess there¡¯s no mistake. So? What should we do?¡± ¡°Her Highness order were to restrict and bring him or kill him, but¡­ ¡± Sardina nodded toward Saitou words. ¡°Indeed. I ordered you that if you can¡¯t catch him, then you may kill him.¡± ¡°Now that I manage to catch him, I guess we have to escort him to imperial capital huh?¡± Hearing Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina ask a question. ¡°Oh, my~? Is there a problem with that?¡± Saitou¡¯s expression turns cloudy as if something sensitive has been asked. ¡°Yes¡­ I think it was better to take care of him right here and now without bringing him to the imperial capital. ¡± Although somewhat hesitant, Saitou said those words clearly. He advises her to ignore the Emperor¡¯s orders. The firm pressure was beyond imagination. Listening to Saitou¡¯s advice, an expression of bewilderment floats on Sardina¡¯s face. It has been five years since she took the position of leader within Succubus Nights. In those time, it was Saitou who supported her from the shadow. His advice was always appropriate, and there are nothing wrongs happen. Such Saitou advised such a thing. If it has to be said bluntly, it¡¯s not like she can¡¯t do it; however, she could not ignore the order of the Emperor either. ¡°Tell me the reason¡­¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s question, Saitou¡¯s mouth opened heavily. ¡°Reason is it?¡­ If Her Highness asked me such a question, then the answer would be, it¡¯s just my intuition. ¡± Sardina expression gets cloudy. No matter how much of a trusted adjutant, she cannot ignore the order of the Emperor just because of intuition. ¡°Intuition is it¡­ No matter how you look at it, it was impossible for me to do it just because of that reason. ¡± ¡°Please, I beg your pardon. However, at the time when I was talking with him, I felt that he was too dangerous. Although he puts on a smile on his face at the time I talk with him, we won¡¯t know what¡¯s actually inside his heart. Furthermore, he did not resist at all when I catch him. He did not resist excessively when I put a handcuff on him. As if convinced that he will be freed after we checked him. Hearing Saito words, Sardina¡¯s heart stirred. (Certainly, that sounds worrisome¡­ Especially for him not putting any resistance¡­ After all, he¡¯s the man who¡¯s said to be merciless, the one who killed Gaies and burned the castle. I can¡¯t imagine him to be caught without resistance even if there¡¯s no escape for him. ) ¡°Nee~. Is there any chance that he¡¯s the wrong person?¡± ¡°No, I was sure that he¡¯s the otherworld person. The problem is, I don¡¯t know whether he¡¯s the one who killed Gaies-sama, but judging from the situation, there¡¯s no mistake. It¡¯s impossible to even by chance that an unrelated otherworld person who¡¯s not familiar with this world trying to pass this forest by himself. ¡± Sardina nodded toward Saitou¡¯s words. Indeed, looking at the situation, it was no mistake, although there¡¯s no evidence for it. ¡°That¡¯s mean, there¡¯s only one way to know it huh¡­¡± ¡°And that is?¡± Sardina stood up from her chair and walked toward the entrance of the tent. ¡°Please guide me. Isn¡¯t that obvious? Since it comes to this, we have no choice other than to talk with him. ¡± Affiliate Shop Chapter 21 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 21 TLN: Sorry for late update, had to care for someone in the hospital for a week. Chapter 1 E 21 (Surprise Attack) -Days 6th to 7th after being summoned to different world- (Surprise Attack) Two visitors come to the tent where Ryouma put under watch. ¡°Ya~ I¡¯m sorry for making you wait. My boss wants to meet you; personally, you see. ¡± Sardina stands beside the person called Saitou. ¡°I see. So you¡¯re the leader-san? ¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, the two people looked surprised. ¡°Oh, my? Why do you think I¡¯m the leader? One can be given an authority even without being the leader you know?¡± ¡°Eh? Well, actually I¡¯m just guessing. After all, I heard that imperial princess Sardina had blockade Adelpho town. And I meet the Succubus Night that the imperial princess Sardina leads, everyone can easily guess if it¡¯s like this. ¡± ¡°I see. Indeed if one¡¯s thought of it like that, it would be easy to know huh¡­¡± Even though Sardina also feeling consent with the answer just like Saitou had said, some feeling of discomfort still lingering. Certainly, such an answer can be derived easily when one¡¯s think about it calmly. However, does a person usually capable of thinking like that while under detention? (I see¡­ Just like what Saitou had said huh¡­ Indeed this gives me a little bit of disturbed feeling¡­) Saitou eyes turned toward Sardina. (What do you think?) Saitou eyes seem to have indicated as such. Understanding that, Sardina began to talk toward Ryouma. ¡°Thank you for sparing your time. On behalf of the Empire, I would like to express my gratitude. ¡± Even for this world commoner, those words are considerably polite coming from the Imperial princess. ¡°Oh no no. You don¡¯t have to mind it. It¡¯s certainly suspicious for not using the highway after all. ¡± Smiles appeared on the face of the two people after hearing Ryouma answer. ¡°Just as I thought. Your Highness. ¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s confirmed. ¡± The two people nodded to each other. ¡°Finally I found you! Other worlder-san. ¡± ¡°What kind of a joke is that?¡± Hearing his words, however, Sardina merely answers Ryouma¡¯s words calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. In this world, a commoner would speak as politely as possible when they face against Imperial family, and no one would speak however they like. ¡± When Ryouma heard Saitou¡¯s words, his face expression changed. It was natural for this event to happen. After all, in this world, a monarch or noble can be regarded as equal to God. If Ryouma wants to pretend that he¡¯s from this world, then he should put his head on the ground. ¡°Fuun~¡­ I see. I guess I¡¯ve failed eh? ¡± Judging that he cannot escape from it, he admits easily. ¡°Well, we at least understood each other position now. ¡± After Saitou had said such words, Sardina nodded her head and began to talk. ¡°I guess, I should say, pleased to meet you first, isn¡¯t it? As you had guessed, I am Ortomea Empire first imperial princess Sardina Aizenhaid. And your name is? O other worlder-san.¡± ¡°Me? Mikoshiba. Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡± Ryouma answered Sardina¡¯s question calmly. ¡°I see. Just as I thought a Japanese person huh? ¡± ¡°Well, looking at you, aren¡¯t you also a Japenese person? Saitou-san yo?¡± Saitou gently nodded his head. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m in the same situation as you do. I had been summoned to this world approximately ten years ago. ¡± ¡°Hee? You¡¯re able to reach the position of deputy leader in just ten years huh?¡± A bitter smile appears on Saitou¡¯s face. ¡°Well, I guess it was just some good luck. After all, there¡¯s also those big merits for being an other-world person. ¡± ¡°Are you talking about the absorbing power ability they have?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, Saitou opened his eyes wide. ¡°Hou, you are able to understand that much huh? That really surprise me¡­¡± ¡°Oh please. It¡¯s just something I get from screwing(torturing) that old man who had summoned me. I got various information too you see. ¡± A cold-blooded smile appears on Ryouma¡¯s face. ¡°Is that so? As expected, I¡¯ve heard that the corpse damage was quite terrible, you¡¯d tortured Gaies huh?¡± Anger can be felt mixed within Sardina¡¯s tone of voice. ¡°Gaies? If that Gaies person is the old man who had summoned me then yes I guess? I admit it. ¡± Ryouma acknowledged the truth about the torture easily. After all, for him, he thought that there¡¯s no point in hiding it. ¡°Although it¡¯s unfortunate, I will have you to die. My Empire can¡¯t use someone rebellious like you. ¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s words, Ryouma shows a bewildered expression. ¡°Unfortunate? What are you feeling unfortunate for?¡± ¡°I have a high value for a person like you. Being thrown into an unfamiliar environment of another world, without knowing left and right, yet capable of escaping toward the border from the imperial capital. Even with just that, I can understand you have an unusual power. If a person with such power and wisdom were to join our country, then it would make western continent unification remarkably easier. ¡± Hearing Sardina¡¯s statement Ryouma smiled and laughed. ¡°Please stop joking. Me helping you guys? Please stop spouting such stupid things. ¡± ¡°A stupid things?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not some sort of protagonist of a heroic story, why would I want to be used by you?¡± ¡°Ara~? Isn¡¯t it natural for a person that getting summoned to follow the one who summoned them?¡± ¡°Well. I guess if you said so. ¡± Listening to Ryouma, Sardina frowned her eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nothing in particular. There¡¯s no point to talk about it with you either. I will only say one thing. I will only follow my own heart. No matter where. I will think and decide it for my own self. Only that. ¡± ¡°I see, so that is your creed¡­ But you know, other worlder-san. This world is not so sweet that it would accept your free will, you know? I¡¯m sure after this you won¡¯t be able to stick around with that faith of yours. Gaies have been killed. But in the end, what happened? You end up being detained here. ¡± An expression of ridicules appears on Sardina¡¯s face. She thought that no matter how much Ryouma prided himself, it was just a howling from a loser. After all, he has a handcuff being put on him in front of her. ¡°Your pride is a splendid thing you know? However, what will that bring? In this world of course. It¡¯s not as sweet as your world. This world is a world where those without power got robbed and oppressed. Your will? Faith? And the result of clinging to such things is this! Had you listen to the Empire obediently, you might be able to get promoted like Saitou here. ¡± ¡°Hee¡­ I have no intention to wag my tail like a dog toward you people. ¡± ¡°I see. What a stupid man. Even in this situation, yet still saying such words. Had you begged for your life, I¡¯m planning on helping you. ¡± Saitou began to feel anxiety from Sardina and Ryouma exchange of words. (She¡¯s right¡­ Why did he say such words despite being in this situation? Usually people would bow their head to the ground and begs for their life. ) Hearing Sardina¡¯s words, a bad premonition flashes in Saitou¡¯s mind. Of course, Saitou knows that Sardina words are merely a lie. Ryouma¡¯s fate has been set in stone, no matter how much he begs his life. And that is death. There¡¯s no other choice, after all, he¡¯s someone who killed Gaies, and painted the Empire¡¯s face with mud. However, despite all of these situations, Ryouma remained calm. (Is he prefer death?) However, looking at Ryouma¡¯s eyes, Saitou didn¡¯t see a hint of someone who has prepared for death. (If that is being the case then, does he have a mean to escape? ) The soldiers that Sardina takes with her are 30 in numbers. In order to explore the forest extensively, 26 of them are dispatched in pairs(a group of two). And only four people left to protect Sardina¡¯s camp. After discovered Ryouma, Saitou had returned with the other; thus there are sixth people now. With that number, there¡¯s no problem if it¡¯s only to restrict one person from another world. And by the time daybreak comes, the soldiers that have been scattered should have returned. And the situation would then turn advantageous overwhelmingly for them. However, Saitou is unable to erase the feeling of anxiety within his heart. Despite the fact that the situation should be overwhelmingly advantageous for them. At that moment, something flashes in Saitou¡¯s mind. (Wait a minute¡­ Is this situation is what he had expected?) A guess without any base. Imagination without any proof. However, Saitou is convinced that that was the truth. (If that is being the case, then it would make sense. But how? What kind of advantage does this situation provide for this guy?¡­ No, Even if there¡¯s an advantage or not it does not matter. This man should be killed here and now. There¡¯s no meaning thinking about how much this man can do in this kind of situation. ) Murderous intent appears within Saitou¡¯s eyes. ¡°Saitou?¡± Sardina noticed that the atmosphere around his adjutant has changed. ¡°Your Highness. I beg your pardon. But, you should kill this man here and now. ¡± Sardina could not hide her surprised expression hearing what her adjutant had said. ¡°W-Wha¡­ That kind of thing is not permitted! We need to escort this man to the imperial capital!¡± ¡°No, Your Highness. This man is dangerous. If we keep him alive, something unfavorable might happen¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying to go against what the Emperor had said?!¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s question, Saitou merely shakes his head in denial. ¡°I beg your pardon. I will atone for the blame later¡­¡± Saying such words, Saitou pulled his sword and approach Ryouma. ¡°Wait a minute Saitou!¡± Ignoring Sardina¡¯s words, Saitou readying his sword. ¡°Is there any last words? O friend from the same world. I will at least listen to what you have to say. ¡± ¡°Nothing in particular. ¡± Even with a white light reflected in Ryouma¡¯s eyes, he only laughed with a smile. ¡°Is that so. You really have the nerve¡­ ¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such a thing. ¡­ After all, I have no intention to die!¡± A loud voice resonated into the dark forest. ¡°What are you doing so suddenly¡­!¡± Sardina cannot hide her surprise toward Ryouma¡¯s voice that shakes even the tent. ¡°What are you¡­ Wha! Your Highness!¡± Saitou intuition told him a danger is coming. And as he covers Sardina, a strong wind blows up the camp. Affiliate Shop Chapter 22 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 22 Chapter 1 E 22 ¨C (Surprise Attack 2) -Seventh-day after being summoned to another world- A violent wind that suddenly attacked, tears the tent. As if a massive sword sliced the tent in a single stroke. After several second, the wind stopped, and Saitou raises his body up. ¡°Your highness! Your highness!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­ What just happened?¡± Sardina tried answering Saitou¡¯s words while raising her body up that have been protected by Saitou under his body. ¡°Your highness are you alright¡­?! Damn it, apart from that, that bastard!¡± However disregarding Sardina¡¯s words, Saitou directed his gazes at Ryouma. There he saw a girl standing. ¡°Are you alright, Master?¡± And that girl wrecked the handcuff using her sword. ¡°Yes. Your timing is perfect. You¡¯ve saved me, Sara. Is Laura safe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time my older sister finished dealing with the soldiers outside. Just like master had said, it was easy to gain a victory from them.¡± ¡°Ara~. I¡¯ve already finished dealing with them, Master.¡± Saitou heard a voice from behind him. ¡°Your highness!¡± Sardina reacted to Saitou¡¯s word, hide behind Saitou¡¯s body. His situation is just like an opposite side of the same coin. ¡°You¡¯re not getting hurt? Laura.¡± ¡°Yes. Since it was done in immediately after I¡¯ve used the wind magic. Those guys, although they are vigilant in case an attack from monsters happens, they don¡¯t seem to have expected an attack by magic art to happen instead.¡± Toward Laura¡¯s statement, Saitou raises his voice. ¡°Impossible! Magic art you say?!¡± This situation is unexpected for Saitou and Sardina. After all, it was strange for someone from another world to bring company. Much less someone who is capable of using magic art. Since there are not many people, who can use magic art, to begin with. Those who serve the empire have a rank not less than a knight. As for mercenaries and adventurers, they are people that can be considered first class. Because of their scarcity in number, they are more dominant in the world structure. Being able to use magic art. A person would have a fighting power of five people for just being able to do that alone. Gaies whom Ryouma had killed, he can be compared to a whole army. Of course, however, just because one person can use the destructive power of magic art, it does not mean that it would guarantee the individual victory, Ryouma being able to kill Gaies can be regarded as a proof of that. Either way, it was impossible for a person that had just been summoned from another world to know how to use magic arts, much less being acquainted with someone who knows how to use them. ¡°You! who in the world are you guys¡­?!¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s question, Laura readying her sword while answering the question. ¡°We¡¯re someone who serves master. Master enemies are our enemies.¡± (This girl! She¡­) Looking at Laura¡¯s stance, Sardina¡¯s intuition alerts her of something. Even among her subordinates only a few of them have such mastery in swordsmanship. Although without a doubt ability alone, Sardina is still better. However, within Laura¡¯s eyes, one can see a resolution for being prepared to die. A determination to die as long one can take Sardina along with them. And Saitou also feels such determination from Sara. (What¡¯s going on¡­ Why are they willing to support this guy until that far? It¡¯s only 6-7 days had passed since he was summoned to this world, you know?) For Sardina, the order to catch Ryouma was important. But that story is if Sardina can survive this. Whether or not Saitou or Sardina dies, this should have been a mission that does not possess such danger. Either Saitou or Sardina, they both are very important people for the Empire. They hold the destiny of the Empire in the battlefield. They cannot afford to lose their lives just because of a single otherworld person. ¡°Saitou¡­ We should withdraw for now.¡± It was a decision that she come up with after calculating the various loss and gain within her mind. Sardina muttered such words toward Saitou with a small voice as to not end up being heard by Ryouma and the others. ¡°Yes. Since such an unexpected situation has unfolded, we have no choice other than withdrawing¡­ However, will they let us go easily just like that?¡± ¡°Indeed. However, this is not the place where we should die. With Gaies being dead, and then us as well on top of that, the Empire force will decline too much¡­ If that happens then¡­¡± ¡°The occupied nation and surrounding nation will take revenge¡­¡± That was the payment for invaded neighboring country with pure power. Had the power of the Empire drop down, the aristocrats and the people that were oppressed by the occupation will revolt. Such are several thoughts that cross Saitou and Sardina minds. Yet two people mind did not stop thinking of other possibilities. ¡°If you want to withdraw, then I don¡¯t mind you know?¡± Ryouma¡¯s words immediately shake the situation that has turn into a stalemate. It was Saitou who responded first. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid¡­ There¡¯s no reason for us to withdraw here! We will bring you to the imperial capital, along with those two women as well.¡± ¡°Hee? Are you both going to risk your life just to capture us?¡± An expression of ridicule appears on Ryouma¡¯s face. ¡°I can see if a person have the courage to risk their life or not just by looking at their eyes, you know?¡± Eyes are as eloquent as the tongue. From their gaze, gestures, and glint within their eyes, the inside of human mind can be seen through. Just like how Saitou had read Sara¡¯s mind that she¡¯s prepared to die just by looking at her eyes, it¡¯s not weird for Ryouma to be able to do so as well. ¡°Then, what is your intention? Killing us, is that not your goal?¡± ¡°Well sure. That was my original intention. But the situation changes¡­¡± Ryouma then shrugs his shoulders. (As expected¡­ This person wants to kill us rather than being captured by us. No wonder that he was willing to get caught quietly¡­) Sardina feels cold sweat ran down on her back. This is the real nature of the bad feeling that they had felt a while ago. And that was a murderous intent emitted by the hunter toward their prey. (Certainly, his measure is effective. We thought that the other person had escaped, never in our wildest dream that the other side will turn their fangs toward us instead.) And as the result of that is this. Most of their escort soldiers are scattered within the forest, and magic art has annihilated those that guarding the camping ground. Had Saitou intuition did not kick in, Sardina might have died due to the surprise attack. (However, this situation¡­ when three against two, they should have the advantage. It is not impossible to kill us if he were to sacrifice the two girls, but why?) ¡°I see¡­ You don¡¯t want to kill huh.¡± Listening to Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina opened her eyes wide. Someone that Ryouma does not want to kill in this situation. Since Saitou and Sardina cannot be considered for that, only two other people left. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is¡­ The two of them are willing to put their lives for me you see.¡± Ryouma¡¯s line of sight is being directed toward Sara and Laura. ¡°No matter how high the possibility for me to survive, but I won¡¯t be able to kill the both of you without sacrificing both of them.¡± (I see if that is the case then we should use these women as a shield. But no, in this situation, it would be impossible. Furthermore, he does not seem to be a person who sacrifices his life for the women¡­) ¡°Your highness. For now, we have no choice¡­¡± Saitou¡¯s advice was similar to what Sardina has in mind. There¡¯s no other way around no matter how much they think about it. ¡°Very well¡­ We will withdraw here. Saitou put your sword back.¡± Responding toward Sardina¡¯s instruction, Ryouma also gives instruction toward Laura and Sara. ¡°Laura, Sara, withdraw!¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s order the two of them put their sword away and walked toward Ryouma¡¯s side. However, they still show the intention of being Ryouma¡¯s shield the moment Sardina make a suspicious movement. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be that cautious. In the name of the first imperial princess of Ortomea Empire, we shall withdraw here.¡± Even with such words coming from Sardina, the girl¡¯s attitude does not change. ¡°Sorry about that.¡± Yet Ryouma still minds the sister¡¯s attitude. And apologized toward Sardina. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. Although we will withdraw now, we won¡¯t stop our pursuit in the future, you know?¡± As for that, it was natural. The reason why Sardina gives up capturing Ryouma now is simply because the situation is too disadvantageous. In the extreme case, if there were dozens of soldiers in this place, then it would be unthinkable that Sardina would withdraw. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s pretty obvious. Since from your point of view, I¡¯m a criminal after all.¡± Ryouma said those words calmly. ¡°However, I have no intention to get caught by you? Killing that gramps or wanting to kill both of you, I never consider them as something wrong. So I don¡¯t mind for you to chase after me, put your life on the line and come!¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s statement, Saitou, being unable to hold his patience asked a question. ¡°Back in Japan, have you committed a crime?¡± Saitou wants to know. He was wondering that a person who had been summoned not long ago from Earth and yet being able to adapt to this world rule immediately. Where in this world strength is everything, survival of the fittest. There¡¯s nowhere in this world where sweet words such as ¡®human right¡¯ can be heard. If one does not want to be trampled over, the only way is to become strong. Saitou realizes these after he was being summoned by Gaies, and spend years being thrown into war, killing each other and be smeared by mud and bloodshed. It was an entirely different life compared to what Saitou had on Earth. That¡¯s why it was surprising to him, that Ryouma who had just been summoned one week ago have such way of thinking. ¡°Ha? What are you talking about? If it¡¯s something along the line of having urinating outdoor then yes.¡± ¡°No. What I meant is something that is more serious. Such as murder?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say something that absurd old man. I¡¯m just your ordinary high school student. Well, I do have some knowledge of the ancient martial arts. But criminal record you say? That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°Then why? Why are you able to remain calm after killing someone? Have you never thought something like that as horrifying?¡± Ryouma answered Saitou¡¯s question after brooding a little. ¡°Conversely, I would like to ask something to you. Do I have to feel sorry for someone who tried to infringe my freedom and sacrifice my body as a pawn?¡± Ryouma continued his words even when Saitou shows an astonishing face. ¡°I never feel as such. It was just me tried to defend myself against an opponent who tried to infringe my freedom. It is stupid for a person who is getting hit yet not hitting them back. Because I do not want to get beaten back, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t hit others. Only when I have a resolution that I would get beaten, that I will hit someone.¡± After declared those words, Ryouma directed his line of sight toward Laura. ¡°Well now¡­ This is not the time for me to talk about my philosophy of life¡­ Laura.¡± Ryouma pointed toward the entrance of the tent using his chin. ¡°If we take too much time talking, soldiers might come back to this camping ground. I will go cross the border immediately alright?¡± When they are about to head out of the tent, Laura keeps an eye on Sardina and Saitou. Since she does not fully trust Sardina¡¯s words. ¡°Very well. Go¡­ But, never forget this. The Empire won¡¯t let you escape. You will never step your foot into the Empire territory again.¡± Sharp light appears within Sardina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Run away as best as you can. Soon, the western continent will be united under our Empire. That being the case, there will be no place left for you to live.¡± Sardina throws such words toward Ryouma who tried to leave the tent. ¡°Is that so¡­ If that¡¯s the case then, I will return to my original world before that happens.¡± Ryouma said those words without turning around and disappears into the forest. Affiliate Shop Chapter 23 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 5 Chapter 2 Episode 5 (Compulsory Quest) Day 83 after being summoned to another world. The three who have left the town of Mireish came to a port town of Fulzad in the eastern country. With the books borrowed from Anamaria, Ryouma who knew that the possibility for him to be able to return to the former world Earth is near zero, stop pursuing the means of returning home and start thinking about living in this world. Sara and her sister dedicated affection also played a significant role in changing his mind. However, even if he said that he would live in this world, he has no purpose. For that, it was easier to be summoned as a hero. Thus Ryouma decided to travel around while earning money from the quest he received from the guild. A journey to find out what the purpose of him living in this world. ¡°From now on, what are we going to do?¡± The three people were talking in front of the guild inside Fulzad town. The three people have come down from the town of Mireish by passing through the forest without going through the highway. Due to that, they manage to collect a considerable amount of raw material. Although they are being careful by only choosing materials with the highest price, the weight has easily exceeded 40kg. It was an amount which is barely okay to carry while fighting. 20 days have passed since they left Mireish town. Because the swords that the three of them used have turned into a mere iron bar, they decide to dispose of them and buy a new one in Fulzad town. ¡°Big sister should go to the guild. After reporting back the quest, make a preliminary investigation of which quest should we take next. As for us, we will organize the luggage, buying some consumable goods, and selling the raw materials at the magic item shop. ¡± The amount of raw material they got from the monsters after they left Mireish town is quite considerable. It would be impossible for Laura alone to handle it, even with the two of them will be quite hard. Thus there¡¯s no other choice for Ryouma to carry them. (Well. I guess this is appropriate. ) ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s about right. ¡­ Laura. Just check if there some good quest, then come to the magic item shop. Let¡¯s decide which quest to take after getting new equipment after we have lunch. ¡± The three people are registered as a party before leaving Mireish town. It was because one can save time and effort by reporting and receiving quest alone. ¡°Understood. Well then, See you later. ¡± After bowing her head, Laura went inside the guild building. ¡°Now then. Let¡¯s convert all of these things into money quickly.¡± Like that, Ryouma began walking carrying the bag filled with things such as horn and skins. ¡°Yes. Triple G rank. Laura Marfisto, yes? Indeed we have confirmed the achievement of quest completion. Thank you very much. ¡± The receptionist said such thing toward Laura while handing over her card and the reward. The number of monsters that they had subdued for the past 20 days is quite considerable. Since all the target monsters are ranked bellow than them, there¡¯s no change in the achievement clearing point. (Should we level up to F rank soon?) Laura thinks such thing, however, Ryouma does not seems to have any interest in raising his rank. Although Laura personally thinks that Ryouma at least has the ability to rank up toward D or C rank easily. Then there¡¯s a man who spoke to Laura who tried to leave the receptionist while brooding over Ryouma¡¯s rank. ¡°Hou¡­ It seems like you¡¯ve subdued a considerable amount huh?¡± The man has been struggling with a bunch of document behind the receptionist, but he immediately stands up from his seat while walking toward Laura. One can guess that he was at least around 30 years old. He is a man with blonde hair which gives a good and gentle feeling. Since he dressed appropriately, one sees he¡¯s in a good position within the guild. ¡°Laura Marfisto right? The member of Mikoshiba Ryouma party together with Sara marfisto, am I wrong?¡± The man talked toward Laura with a gentle tone. ¡°That¡¯s right but¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for the late introduction. I¡¯m Wallace Heinkell. I¡¯m the guild master of this town. ¡± Meeting this guy will be the catalyst which opened a new path for Ryouma. ¡°A compulsory request is it?¡± Ryouma asked Laura while eating the meat using a fork. The time currently is around 13.00 o¡¯clock. Because the time is already over lunch hours, there are a lot of vacant seat at the place Ryouma having his lunch. After selling the raw material at the magic item shop, he groups up with Sara in front of the store. Then meet up with Laura and listening to her story in a restaurant located diagonally from the magic item shop. ¡°Yes. It seems to be something like that.¡± Laura nodded her head toward Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°Compulsory quest huh¡­ It was a system where the guild master and some other senior executives nominate specific mercenaries or adventurers to forcibly accept a quest, right?¡± Ryouma continue while shaking his head. ¡°However, that should only apply to the high-ranking mercenaries and adventurers. At least that was the case from the guide book that I read.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that strange? We¡¯re a triple G rank and yet getting nominated? With that being said, aren¡¯t triple G rank a low ranked?¡± Sara questioned while tilted her head. ¡°For that, I was told that they would give the explanation regarding the circumstance if we go to the guild at 14.00 o¡¯clock.¡± Laura herself does not seem to be that enthusiastic. For the time being, it felt like just a verbal request. And the same also true for Sara who looks like not enthusiastic about it. Compulsory request quest means that no one wants to take it, and it was an urgent quest. If it was not urgent, there¡¯s no problem even if it was being left alone until someone takes it. And it was said that anyone who receives it would meet trouble and significant danger. At first, it does not sound like a good work. Ryouma who thought so far asked Laura. ¡°That, it¡¯s better for us to ignore it.¡± ¡°If possible I would like to do so¡­ However, there¡¯s a slight chance that they will terminate our guild registration if we do so¡­¡± ¡°Are you being threatened?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t say it explicitly; however, I can feel it from what they say.¡± Listening to Laura, Ryouma looked at the sky. An abacus inside his head considering advantages and disadvantages of it. (I don¡¯t like the threatening thing. And furthermore, can guild master exercise authority that far? Sure they have such right, but it should be impossible to terminate the registration unilaterally.) Within one¡¯s heart sentiment, it can be said this is the worst. A person who presses things from above can be said the most disgusting people for Ryouma. On the other hand, however, there¡¯s also an advantage of it. (However, the possibility of emergency is there. Currently, they are the only one that can guarantee his social status in this world. As for gold, the gold we have taken from the slave trader is still being left untouched, and if I need money, the one we usually get from hunting is plenty enough. If you have money, you can buy something like a social status. No, I can¡¯t possibly do so since I have no acquaintance of power to buy from. Sooner or later I might have to leave the guild, however, for now, the status of adventurer still has its use. Even if I have to shut my eyes toward their slight unreasonableness, I should remain in the guild for now huh?¡­) In the end, it¡¯s all about taking the advantages or taking one¡¯s sentiment. Laura and her sister will follow Ryouma decision. After various thoughts, Ryouma finally said, ¡°I guess, we should go there for now¡­ After listening to their story, if it sounds disadvantageous, then I will think about it again.¡± The sisters nodded toward Ryouma decision. . AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 24 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 6 TLN: Sorry for being slightly late. Chapter 2 Episode 6 (Compulsory Quest 2) Day 90 after being summoned to another world. *Swuz* An arrow is shot from behind Ryouma grazes his left ear and pierced the coaching box. ¡°Ryouma-sama!¡± ¡°Silent! Just focus on controlling the horse, Sara!¡± Ryouma shouted at Sara who saw blood dripping from his left ear and ask her to concentrate controlling the box-shaped carriage. For Ryouma who have never ridden a horse or drive a carriage, the way how Sara controlling this carriage is the only hope for them to escape this raid. For Ryouma, currently, there¡¯s no meaning worried about one¡¯s body. Arrows keep piercing the carriage like a bunch of hedgehogs. Originally he should be in the passenger seat with canopy, but right now, that is not the case. Because the arrows that were shot one after another in a mountain shape will pass the canopy and fall onto the coachman seat without the canopy. Ryouma who is unable to drive the carriage, for the sake of Sara to concentrate controlling the carriage striped the window plank and uses it to protect her. ¡°Damn it! They still chasing after us!¡± ¡°Ryouma-sama. As expected, against this¡­¡± Sora bitterly cut Sara¡¯s words. ¡°Wallace that bastard¡­ No, this is not the time for this. ¡­Sara! Laura and the others should be laying low somewhere. Listen alright! Don¡¯t miss the sign!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ryouma while desperately striking back the arrow that comes raining on them thinking back to the time they were at the camping ground seven days ago. =================================================== Day 83th after being summoned to another world. Currently, this is inside the forest located northwest of port town Fulzad. Under the pretense of a compulsory quest, Ryouma had to become a bodyguard to a group of merchants heading toward one of the three Eastern countries Rozeria Kingdom. The Rozeria Kingdom existed in between the Zalda Kingdom which is referred as the Iron Kingdom, and ocean trade nation where Fulzad port town located the Mist Kingdom. The majority of the country land is an open field, and the main industry of Rozeria Kingdom are agricultural product and dairy product. Because Ryouma and the others were being told that they will get an extra reward and some mercenaries will tag along, they decide to undertake it, though it was suspicious from the beginning. First is the carriage with a canopy that was assigned to Ryouma, despite the fact that he should be just a security guard for a merchant. Something that usually mercenaries or adventurers can¡¯t get on. Next is despite being merchants a lot of the carriages are empty. However, if they said that the goods had been sold out, then it makes sense. But considering from where they had left which is the port town of Fulzad, they should have been able to restock as many commodities as they can for trade. And considering the efficiency of doing business, having an empty load is impossible. Even more so, the merchants are also suspicious. His body is rather slim. Furthermore, he also has such rough hand. Ryouma who noticed during handshakes at the time he greeted the commander cannot help but tilted his head. Currently, the mercenaries that undertake the quest of guarding the merchants have a discussion while surrounding the bonfire. ¡°I was worried a bit too¡­ At least, I¡¯ve never seen such merchants like these. ¡± The one who answered Ryouma¡¯s worry is Lione, the leader of Red Lion mercenary group. A woman with 180cm of height and tanned skins. While having firm muscle like a leopard, she has such large breast which indicates she¡¯s a woman. Her red hair that being trimmed around the shoulders looks matching with her golden eyes. Her age can be guessed around 30 years old. She¡¯s someone with the scent and charm of a mature woman. ¡°Me as well, despite being a mercenary for merchants for a long time, this is the first time for me as well. ¡± He is the adjutant of Lione, mercenary with the name of Boltz. A man around mid-fifties and he also have no left arm. Although he seems to have lost his arm during battle, at the time Ryouma meet him for the first time, he does not appear to mind it much. Because of what Boltz said who has the experience of being a mercenary longer than Lione, as expected, there must be something about the merchants. ¡°You¡­ What do you think?¡± Lione asks Ryouma. ¡°Honestly, I regret to undertake this quest you see¡­¡± Lione and Boltz nodded their head toward Ryouma declaration. ¡°I give in due to the reward being good, but I wonder if this is a mistake¡­¡± ¡°But Ane-san. This is a contract quest under the guild. Aren¡¯t you just being worried too much?¡± Listening to Lione¡¯s words, a mercenary which Ryouma does not know the name of the person spoke. ¡°You stupid. You. I won¡¯t be able to become mercenary until this day if I don¡¯t have such crisis management. ¡± ¡°Wha! Even if it¡¯s Ane-san, you don¡¯t have to say it like that!¡± Lione just shakes her head toward the enraged man while smirks appear on Boltz¡¯s mouth. ¡°You. Although you¡¯re not B rank. But still, that boy over there has beaten you in term of judgment. ¡± The line of sight of the other mercenaries immediately turns toward Ryouma. ¡°In the first place, the reason why I gathered everyone here is because of the suggestion of the boy over there. ¡± ¡°Hee! To be ordered around by such youngster like him, I guess Lione of Red Lion is someone small! Oi!¡± Ryouma is the youngest among them all here. Although he is 16 years old, and by virtue or not having the face of 20 years old man, mostly the people around him are over 30 to 40. Naturally, the mercenary who said such words got beaten up by Lione personnel. ¡°Haa!? Which mouth are you spouting that nonsense huh?!¡± Such a calm tone of voice. However, Ryouma feels the voice of the person is like the calm before the storm. And the surrounding mercenaries also feels it. The other mercenaries which follow suit and make fun of Lione immediately shut their mouth. ¡°Well, I can understand you guys feeling. It¡¯s not like everything is clear to me either, for now, let¡¯s end it here. ¡± The air around them loosened after Boltz said such words. Lione also does not seems to disagree either. ¡°Well now, I guess this is bad¡­¡± Boltz and Ryouma nodded their head together toward Lione¡¯s words. ¡°It seems like only idiots have gathered¡­¡± ¡°But still, it can¡¯t be helped for them to complain, what do you think, Boltz? After all, we can¡¯t do anything other than being prepared for the worst. ¡± Lione then turned her eyes toward Ryouma. ¡°Boy. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Well, for now, there¡¯s no other choice than continue doing what we are doing. Since we can¡¯t discard the quest just because feeling suspicious. ¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ But still¡­ Regarding there¡¯s something behind this quest, what do you think?¡± Ryouma responded to Lione¡¯s words while deeply sighed. ¡°Well, for me, it feels like they are luring us into something with a bait¡­ Assuming something is going on under the table, I can see it as a fact. ¡± AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 25 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 7 Chapter 2 Episode 7 (Compulsory Quest) Day 90 after being summoned to another world. Ryouma knew it. That there¡¯s something unnatural about this quest. However, the only one he was able to get support from are only Lione and her mercenaries group. Seven days have passed since the time the mercenaries had a meeting around the bonfire. Since then, there are no unwanted visitors such as monsters or thief came. If nothing were to happen, that in itself is a good thing. Although there was a discord between Ryouma and the other mercenaries except for Lione and her group during the meeting, but something like that can be considered as a trivial thing. But he knew. When everything is this calm, usually a storm is about to strike. Like thus, seven days had passed since they left the port town of Fulzad. And Ryouma prediction was proven right. *Hyu* The sounds of an arrow cutting the wind. It happens within the forest area near the border of Rozaria Kingdom. Suddenly arrows are being shot one after another from the forest on the right and left sides of the highway. ¡°¡±¡±What¡¯s going on!¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±It¡¯s an ambush!¡±¡± The mercenaries raising their voice one after another, however, one merchant rebuked them ¡°Everyone calm down!. Don¡¯t break the formation! ¡± A warning is being issued one after another by the mercenaries who are guarding the carriages. There are around ten carriages in total. The one who drives the carriages are the merchants themselves. While the mercenaries for the sake of strengthening their guard ride horses. In a situation where surprise attack happen. Even if they are mercenaries, it is normal for them to feel agitated, after all, they had been taken by surprise. However, in that situation, Ryouma stared hard at the merchant who gives command calmly toward the surrounding. ¡°Calm down!. Hide from the arrow! You can use board plank or cloaks; anything is fine. You can also hold up your hand covering your head to defend from the arrow even if its just a little!¡± It was a command that can be said as appropriates. If it can be done, even if it¡¯s only to escape from this hell a little then do it. ¡°Ryouma-sama!¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Finally, it has come. ¡± In contrast of the surrounding mercenaries, Ryouma¡¯s tone of voice did not show any agitation. Ryouma had predicted that someone would attack them. The problem is, He does not know when, where, and what kind of attack will happen. ¡°Listen alright? Sara. From here on out is a battle for survival, understand?¡± ¡°Yes. I understand. ¡­ Onee-sama and the others¡­¡± Ryouma nodded his head toward Sara¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Lione-san and her mercenaries group are reliable people. ¡­ On the other side, how many skilled people are on this side, but, I guess as I¡¯ve expected huh!¡± Ryouma flicked away an arrow that heading toward him using the spear in his hand. It was evident that the carriage he was riding receive much more intense arrows attack more than the surrounding place. In a short time, the carriage Ryouma was riding on turn into something that looked like a hedgehog. This means their attack aim have been arranged beforehand. On the driver seat, Ryouma and Sara desperately trying to protect the horses pulling their carriage from the arrows. (I know it was suspicious, but, I guess as I expected huh. Our problem now is¡­ to find out who behind all of this¡­) The most possible candidate for this is Ortomea Empire. Three months has passed since the case with Sardina. With that, it was not strange if some action will happen soon. However, Ryouma stopped his train of thought up until here. (How stupid am I¡­ Right now, our priority is to survive from this place. I can search for the person behind all of this slowly and carefully later. ) Finally, the rain of arrows has stopped. Just one minute has passed. In the meantime, seven mercenaries have been struck by arrows and died. As there is 30 mercenaries guard, roughly a quarter of them has died by the surprise attack. And most of the horses which pulling the carriages are dead due to the rain of arrows. Only the horses pulling the carriage which Ryouma was in survive. Ryouma immediately divert his line of sight toward the surrounding. The carriage which Ryouma was riding is located in the middle. In other words, it was in a position which he finds it hard to escape either from the front or the back. ¡°Sara! Can we move away!?¡± Toward Ryouma question, Sara grips the reins and looking toward the front. ¡°It¡¯s impossible! The carriages at the front have blocked the highway!¡± One might wonder if it was because of the surprise attack that the mercenaries have become disordered. The carriages in front of them have blocked the highway in a way that no space left to let them pass. Their position are as if making sure that Ryouma and the others were unable to escape. Ryouma looked behind and clicked his tongue. The highway behind him has been blocked in the same way. ¡°Boy!¡± Lione and her mercenaries group come toward Ryouma. Because of his prediction, none of her subordinates receive any fatal injury. Everyone get off with just a slight wounds. And everyone who ends up dying are the one who does not take Ryouma prediction seriously. Until here, a battle cry can be heard from behind. ¡°It¡¯s come huh¡­¡± After being restricted by the arrow, another force attacked from behind. Such plan is actually not bad. ¡°Boy!¡± Vexation floats on Lione¡¯s face. ¡°Lione-san. As we planned. ¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Lione nodded her head lightly and faced her adjutant on her side. ¡°Understood. You! Blow the carriages in front of him to make way for a retreat!¡± Contrary to the other mercenaries who raises an angry voice, Lione instructs the mercenary near her calmly. ¡°Ane-san¡­ Are you serious? Are we going to abandon the merchants?¡± Lione turned her cold eyes toward the mercenary who rebuke her. ¡°Shut up and stop complaining! If you don¡¯t want to die here, then do it!¡± ¡°A-Ane-san¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to convince you! But if you want to survive, obey me!¡± Toward Lione¡¯s aggressive attitude the mercenaries began to shut their mouth. This is a battle between professional ethics and the instinct to survive. ¡°Ane-san! Some merchants still on the carriages! What are we gonna do?¡± A different mercenary asked Lione. It seems like he was hesitating to blow up the carriages in front because of some merchants still inside. According to Ryouma prediction, the merchants should have escaped during the surprise attack. (What¡¯s going on? Aren¡¯t they the enemies accomplice?¡­ No, wait. On the contrary, they are not running away because they are accomplice huh¡­) Lione was asking what to do with her gaze. For Ryouma, there¡¯s only one conclusion. Ryouma nodded his head lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them and blow them away!¡± ¡°U-Understood!¡± The mercenary who comes back to ask instruction from Lione goes back to his original place with his face filled with fear. A few moment later. ¡°BOOM!¡± One of the carriages that blocked the highway exploded and flew to the side magnificently. ¡°Ane-san, it¡¯s done!¡± ¡°Everyone listen! If you want to survive, run without turning back!!!¡± After giving her order to the other mercenaries, Lione turns her eyes toward Ryouma. ¡°Up until here, it was as predicted by you eh, Boy?¡± ¡°I only thought about the possibility that might happen. By the way, the things after this, I can leave it to you right?¡± Ryouma¡¯s eyes shine coldly. ¡°O-Of course. It¡¯s alright. Your important doll and Bolts from our side should be able to prepare everything smoothly. ¡± Lione said those words after being overpowered by Ryouma¡¯s icy glare. ¡°If that is the case then good. I¡¯ve explained the plan to Laura sufficiently. Because she¡¯s a smart girl, she won¡¯t make a mistake. Next is¡­ the problem on our back huh¡­ ¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯ve warned us enough. ¡± Alright. Lione-san, please be careful. ¡± Lione kicked her horse and moved forward. ¡°Ryouma-sama! We as well!¡± The sounds of sword fighting from behind the carriages began to disappear. All the mercenaries on the back seem to have been cleaned by the raiders. ¡°Here we go!¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Sara nodded her head and whipped the horse to make it move. An empty highway can be seen on the front. Lione and the other who had gone first riding a horse can run to the limit until their destination, however, Ryouma is different. Although two horses pulled it, the speed of the horse-drawn carriage will be inevitably slower due to the heavy passenger part. Of course, although they can leave the passenger part behind, Ryouma didn¡¯t choose that. The reason for that is due to the possibility to attack back the assailant. Which need Ryouma to maintain moderate distance to lead the assailant to the destination spot. ===================================================== Ryouma¡¯s face can feel the strong winds. It was very difficult for him defending Sara from the rain of arrows. Some arrow slipped pass through Ryouma¡¯s defense and pierced the driver box, some part of Sara¡¯s clothes began to be dyed red due to the blood from her body. Some blood also started to dye Ryouma¡¯s clothes who also got his ear grazed by arrow sometime ago. ¡°Not yet huh!?¡± An impatient voice can be heard from Ryouma who¡¯s in the middle deflecting arrows. ¡°It¡¯s already about time¡­ AH! There it is! I saw it. ¡± Something fluttered in the middle of the highway. Within Sara¡¯s vision, a flag of red lion and black background fluttering about. The distance is around 500 meters. ¡°Alright! We manage to do this one way or another. You understand right; this is a crucial time.¡± ¡°I understand. ¡± After she had said those words, Sara loosened her hold on the reins and cut the speed down little by little. From behind several man riding on horses entered Ryouma¡¯s vision. ¡®Alright¡­ This is good. Cut down our speed a little more. ¡­ The other side seems to have slowed down their speed too huh¡­ great¡­ ¡± The figure of men riding on horses pulling a bow clearly appeared within Ryouma¡¯s vision. ¡°Get them!!¡± When Ryouma¡¯s carriage passes the spear that being stuck in the middle of the highway, he grasped his spears and raised it high. *Gushaa!* A sound something being cuts up can be heard from behind. At the same time, the sounds of horses running from behind also disappear. Ryouma then got off from the carriage and began walking back toward the stone pillars that suddenly appear. Naturally, Sara also follows him from behind. ¡°It seems like everything gone as planned eh¡­ ¡± Toward Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma nodded his head lightly. Ryouma was not yet convinced that everything is a success. Because he believes that if he let his guards down, misfortune will befall him. Mercenaries such as Leone, Bolts and the others sprang out from the forest and began walking toward Ryouma. Their number is ten people. They walked toward the stone pillars that appeared in the middle of the road. ¡°Confirm whether or not there¡¯s someone who escapes the range of the magic art!¡± Under Lione command, the other mercenaries spread out in a group of two. ¡°Ah¡­ It seems like someone is escaping, isn¡¯t it? If that is the case, you can follow the trail of blood into the forest. ¡± The pursuers that had their body getting pierced by the stone pillars groaned after listening to the mercenaries. After Bolts had confirmed with Ryouma, he lifted his right hand lightly, and then several of the mercenaries who saw the signal immediately go into the forest. ¡°Young master. What are we going to do now?¡± Ryouma shows a surprised expression after hearing the way Bolts call him. ¡°What do you mean by a young master?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Well! You can say it is the way I respected someone. ¡± Apparently, it seems the result of his strategy has improved his image within Bolts mind. Ryouma shows a bitter smile while saying nothing. ¡°Well then boy, What are we going to do after this?¡± Lione who finished ordering the other mercenaries asks Ryouma. On the other hand, it seems like there¡¯s no change in the way she called him. Although for Ryouma, either way, is fine¡­ ¡°Well, for now, we should gather some information. We should be able to get some since there¡¯s a lot of them who survive. ¡± Cold icy expression appears on Ryouma¡¯s face. It was a cold smiling expression that enough to make a veteran fighter such as Bolts and Lione to feel the chill. Sara and Laura who saw Ryouma expression began to pray to God. Because these girls know, what kind of miserable end these assailants will have. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 26 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 8 Chapter 2 Episode 8 (Compulsory Quest 3) Day 90 after being summoned to another world: (Compulsory request 3) Mikhail Banashu was being put in the place while being restricted by a rope. There¡¯s a red-haired woman, an elderly man who lost his left hand, and a big man in mid 20 with two girls behind him as if being his shadow. Mikhail¡¯s heart beat rise high. After all, the girl who supposedly becomes the target of the assassination is right in front of him. Three hours have passed since the time he was struck by the trap set by Ryouma and the others. Among all of the assailant who got struck by stone pillars magic art, only a few of them come out alive including Mikhail. They were only being given a minimum care to stop their bleeding, and afterward, they get thrown into the carriage while being restricted by ropes. And then the carriage move toward somewhere, and one at a time the assailant were taken out. And finally, it was the turn for Mikhail who was the leader of the previous surprise attack. ¡°You¡¯re the one who commands the surprise attack this time, are you not Banashu-san?¡± Mikhail could only nod to answer the question from the man with a large build. The tone of voice of the man is not coercive; instead, it was polite and calm. However, such calm and polite way of talking is rather felt ominous in the eyes of Mikhail as the man from the side who attacked them. It is still better to get interrogated by someone who turns their faces red and raising their anger. ¡°I¡¯ve roughly heard the circumstance from your subordinates. Well, I guess you guys are people who are a bit disagree toward each other. ¡± Mikhail just kept silent while feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the man¡¯s words. Among the chivalric code, there¡¯s a mention about how to deal with captured enemies. After all, not giving information to the enemy is the iron rule of war. ¡°Ah¡­ You don¡¯t have to be that cautious. Because the chance you¡¯re going to accompany us is low. ¡± For Mikhail, the words of the man sound like a whisper of the devil. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill us?¡± ¡°That is because, for the moment, I don¡¯t see it as necessary. ¡± The man declared as such and shrugged his shoulders. That means, if it were deemed to be necessary they would do it. ¡°But for this matter it was mutual is it not?¡± Mikhail was unable to find room for argument. Mikhail himself never likes murder. No, if he had to say then killing someone or something like that, he doesn¡¯t want such thing. However, as commanding officer of Rozeria Kingdom royal guard, for the country sake, for the princes¡¯ sake. If it was deemed necessary, then he was willing to dye his hand with blood. Such an assassination attempt was something that his knight pride cannot accept. However, he was being convinced that there¡¯s no other way to stops the noble ambition other than to do this. And the man seems like he was able to read Mikhail¡¯s heart. ¡°Well. I don¡¯t know what do you think but, from the start, you¡¯ve never regard us as your enemy. ¡± Bewildered expression appears on Mikhail¡¯s face after the man said such words. ¡°What¡¯s going on? aren¡¯t you the people from the noble faction?¡± ¡®That¡¯s it. That is the problem. Well, for now, we will try to confirm something, Mikhail-san. You will also get your answer for your own question after that. ¡± After saying that, the man walked around toward Mikhail¡¯s back, and placed his finger on his neck. ¡°¡­ What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Oh, this is something like a good luck charm. Please don¡¯t hesitate to answer the question comfortably. ¡± Without waiting for a reply from Mikhail, the man winked at the blond girl. When the girl saw the sign, she nodded and stepped forward in front of Mikhail. ¡°Then I will ask you a couple of question. Is it true that you¡¯re Rozeria Kingdom royal guard?¡±¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is the reason you¡¯ve attacked the merchants¡¯ group have anything to do with the conflict that happens at the Rozeria Kingdom for the throne inheritance?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Did you plan this surprise attack to protect the princess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You belong to the Knight faction, and up against the noble group?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Rozeria Kingdom King died suddenly, and the first princess should¡¯ve succeeded him as the successor, however, the noble group had stopped her from doing that, am I right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°As for the noble, they support another princess, an illegitimate child, as the will of the previous king, is that not it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Mikhail desperately tried to ignore the question that comes out from the girl¡¯s mouth. Not even once, from Mikhail¡¯s mouth, words of affirmation or denial comes out. ¡°This is¡­ what are we going to do?¡± The girl asks the man. ¡°It seems like he¡¯s the type of a person that will be hard to get an answer from. Well, it was no wonder huh¡­ ¡± However, looking at the man face, he does not seems to think of it as some serious problem. ¡°Laura¡­ Come forward¡­ ¡± A silver-haired girl, after being asked by the man, stands in front of Mikhail. And then the blond girl asked the last question toward Mikhail. Hearing the question, Mikhail heartbeat raises high. ¡°Last question¡­ Is she the one that you tried to kill?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C When listening to Sara¡¯s question, Ryouma¡¯s fingertip can feel Mikhail heartbeat has risen up. ¡°It was right huh. ¡± Ryouma shows a distorted expression. And most people in that place shows the same expression. The truth is something that does not necessarily have to be conveyed through one¡¯s mouth. Someone who obstinately keeping things quiet like Mikhail sometimes shows truth more than the one with the eloquent mouth. Because he was trying to hide his facial expression desperately, people around can read Mikhail¡¯s heart easily. Even without Ryouma¡¯s affirmation, Lione and the other can already grasp what¡¯s inside Mikhail¡¯s heart. ¡°I see.now¡­ Damn Wallace, that bastard¡­ we¡¯ve been deceived huh¡­ ¡± Words of resentment come out from Lione¡¯s mouth. Thanks to Ryouma, there¡¯s no victim from her mercenaries group; however, there¡¯s indeed those who get injured quite bad. They get the injuries from the rain of arrows surprise attack which Mikhail leads. That is the damage they receive even after knowing Ryouma¡¯s prediction, had Ryouma did not tell them about it, had Lione did not take Ryouma¡¯s prediction seriously, the victim might be considerably higher than this, in fact, their group might as well cease to exist. There¡¯s also the thing about this quest comes from the guild. Hearing how Ryouma¡¯s group receives the quest, it was obvious that the guild master was involved with this. Naturally, because of this, the trust they had in the guild so far has been lost, and hatred began to arouse. ¡°Well, with this, it was clear that Wallace had deceived us. ¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, all the people in that place except for Mikhail nodded their head. ¡°Now then¡­ the problem is the future. What are we going to do¡­¡± ¡°How about reporting this to the other guild?¡± Bolts suggested that after hearing what Ryouma had said. ¡°No, I think that would be bad. We¡¯re sure that we¡¯ve been deceived by Wallace, but, we have no proof. If you carelessly appeal to the other guild master without any evidence, we might lose everything instead. ¡± Toward Lione who refute Bolts suggestion, Ryouma nodded his head. Bolts himself personally did not think that optimistic, he did not show any fixation toward his own suggestion. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve thought of a way. However¡­ it would be quite a hard thing to do, see?¡± ¡°You bastard, what are you guys blabbering about!?¡± Listening Ryouma and the others talking, Mikhail was left in confusion. All should have been settled if he can kill the girl with silver hair that stands in front of him. At least, all the knight who participates in this raid knows about this. It was about three months ago, after the demise of the previous king, that a report was brought to the first princess who¡¯s in the middle of hastening the succession to the throne. It can be said that this was an event which causes surprise for all Knight faction. Another daughter who inherited the blood of the previous king suddenly appear in the neighboring nation, the Mist Kingdom. An illegitimate child is by no means rare. More so for the ruling class, their blood is necessary. Furthermore, these blood can be the legitimacy of a ruler. For that reason, they make a lot of children so that the clan¡¯s blood did not go extinct. Aside from the wife, there¡¯s also the mistress. There¡¯s also times when they do it(s.e.xual intercourse) with a commoner¡¯s daughter as a form of play. And as a result of that, an illegitimate child was born. In itself, there¡¯s no problem. The problem is having them announce their candidacy for the throne at the moment when a vacuum of power happen due to the king passed away. When the report was brought to the kingdom¡¯s royal capital, everyone does not believes such stupid story. However, the rumor that they had thought will disappear in an instant, crawled around the kingdom in an instant. And gradually the rumor becomes true. And for the Knight faction, an event that makes it real happen. The noble faction leader, Duke Gerhardt, declared to the public adopting this illegitimate child. And raise the matter about the former king will. Everyone within the Knight faction doubted this as some kind of fabrication. However, the kingdom ended up divided in two. And the authenticity of the will that the noble have raised up becomes not necessary anymore. Originally Princess Lupis is also the leader of the royal guard; thus she has a close relationship with them. However, on the other hand, she does not have much contact with the noble who dominate the kingdom¡¯s domestic affairs, due to not having much involvement in the kingdom¡¯s internal affairs. Due to Duke Gerhardt the leader of the noble faction declaring support for the illegitimate child, the balance of power that can be said as the knight faction: 2, the noble faction: 3 and the neutral: 5, had been tipped off and leading to a confrontation. The knight faction which was originally a group of soldiers was very powerful in term of fighting power; however, they are entirely unsuitable for politics; thus they were struggling to win the neutral faction. On the contrary, the nobles are far weaker in term of fighting power; however, they held more political power compared the Knight faction, leading to the present condition where the neutral faction start to move toward the nobles faction. And in that situation, good news comes toward the Knight faction. The information was that the illegitimate child is planning to enter Rozeria Kingdom via the Mist Kingdom. It seems like they had planned to raise an army as soon as she entered Gerhardt Dukedom. Knowing this information, the knight faction sneered at the nobles indiscretion. They thought that everything will be settled if they killed the child who was important for the noble faction movement during the journey toward Rozeria Kingdom. The neutral party will once again change their stance if the illegitimate child got killed. This assassination was carried out based on such hopeful observations. ¡°Hmm? Even if you ask us that¡­ ¡± Everyone except Mikhail nodded their head. ¡°Well, to say it plainly, you¡¯ve been deceived, you know? By the noble faction that is. ¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Mikhail¡¯s brain froze. Originally he was a not a bright man even though he has the military power. ¡°I-It can¡¯t be¡­ You can¡¯t deceive me!¡± ¡°Even if you say that¡­ ¡± Hearing Mikhail denial, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, first please calm down. I will try to explain it. ¡± When he said so, Ryouma makes Laura stand in front of Mikhail. ¡°Well then, I will say this clearly. She¡¯s not the illegitimate child that you¡¯re looking for. ¡± ¡°Lie!¡± Mikhail shouting voice was high enough to reverberate and shook the tent. ¡°After all, the reason why you thought that Laura is the illegitimate child is because of this silvery hair, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! A teenage girl with silver hair!¡± Mikhail raises his voice. As if shaking off the doubt that began to appear within his mind. ¡°Well, certainly Laura is a teenage girl with silver hair. ¡­ but, let me ask you conversely. Did you determine the illegitimate child with that clue alone?¡± Mikhail thought about Ryouma¡¯s question. (A silver hair should be relatively rare. And if we include the age criteria then¡­) ¡°That¡¯s right! With that alone is enough!¡± Listening to Mikhail answer, Ryouma shows an amazed facial expression. ¡°.. You guys are very stupid, aren¡¯t you? ¡­ If it¡¯s a silver-haired girl, then there would be countless of them within this continent. ¡± ¡°The one who¡¯s stupid is you! The one who we¡¯re searching for is not just a mere silver-haired teenage girl, but someone who tried to enters Rozeria Kingdom around this time via Fulzad! There won¡¯t be many people who meet such condition!¡± A smile appears on Mikhail¡¯s face. (That¡¯s right¡­ There¡¯s no way a silver haired girl passed this place by accident. I don¡¯t know what they are scheming for but, I¡¯m not going to get tricked!) ¡°Indeed, the probability of someone like that passing this place would be dramatically low. However, it does not mean it was impossible you know?¡± Toward Mikhail who feels convinced with his own belief, Ryouma looked at him amazed while also feels pity. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°In other words, for example, they make someone unrelated using a suitable request quest to enter Rozeria Kingdom via Fulzad and leak the information to the Knight faction. Naturally, the knight faction attention will be drawn toward it, and meanwhile, during that time, they move the real illegitimate child via another route. How is it? It¡¯s not that hard to do that, don¡¯t you think?¡± Mikhail confident face immediately freezes over. ¡°I-Impossible¡­¡± ¡°From the beginning, it was strange for the knight faction to get information on the noble faction you know? ¡± All the people in that place turned their gaze toward Ryouma. ¡°The illegitimate child supposedly the only trump card for the noble faction. If I had to say it honestly, to move someone like that into the country, they will, without a doubt, planned everything minutely with the collective effort of the entire noble faction. And above all, they should also pay attention to the information getting leaked. Yet, it was leaked to the Knight faction. ¡± Ryouma then gaze toward the surrounding. He tries to confirm if everyone understands what he was saying. ¡°So, they leak it on purpose huh? boy¡± Ryouma nodded toward Lione¡¯s words. ¡°Well, something like that highly possible if you think about it. After that, the noble faction then asks Wallace who¡¯s on their side to look for mercenaries or adventurers. With the criteria of a teenage girl with silver hair. ¡± ¡°That was the reason we¡¯re being chosen. ¡± Toward Sara¡¯s words, Laura presented a question. ¡°However, Wallace is a guild master. Will someone take that kind of risk easily like that?¡± Indeed, neutrality is the guild principle. And you won¡¯t be able to manage a guild or the like unless you have trust just like how customer trust merchants contract. Looking from this point of view, one can say that Wallace action is remarkably inappropriate. Because they were being used as ¡°bait¡± while doing quest guarding the merchants. Is there the possibility that Wallace might not know about this as well? That is what Laura want to say. ¡°The chance for that is low. The reason for that is because we took the quest by compulsory. ¡± Ryouma then continue explaining. ¡°I¡¯ve also asked Lione-san, she said that usually compulsory quest are being issued only to the high-ranking mercenaries or adventurers, and apparently, due to the nature of it being urgent, only those who ranked no less than single B can take it. ¡± Lione nodded her head after receiving the sisters¡¯ gaze. ¡°In other words, there¡¯s no basis for us to accept this quest. However, when it comes to a silver-haired teenage girl who works as mercenaries or adventurer, there¡¯s only triple G rank Laura. Accordingly, they forced us to take quest by using compulsory quest while taking consideration of our inexperienced self. Which it would be great if we died during the surprise attack. And if by any chance we survived the ordeal, the soldiers from the noble faction who disguise themselves as merchants will take us out. After that, the truth will disappear into the darkness¡­ ¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s explanation practically all the people in that place agree with him. The reason is that the merchant¡¯s carriage being empty. The rough hand and the good physique they have would explain that they are also a soldier. Ryouma group being the only one that was given carriage with canopy is for the reason to make the knight think that the illegitimate child is inside the carriage. At the time they receive the surprise attack, the reason why the road getting blocked is to make sure that Ryouma and the girl got killed by the Knight faction. So far, all the unnatural circumstance up until now has been cleared, ¡°¡­ If that is the truth then¡­ Is that guy had deceived us?¡­ No ¡­ But looking at this¡­¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s reasoning, Mikhail leaked words of regret and lamentation from his mouth. The person he refers as ¡®that guy¡¯ must be the one who had delivered the information to the Knight faction. Ryouma then proposed something toward Mikhail who¡¯s crushed with grief. ¡°Even if you lamenting here, nothing will change, you know? ¡± Mikhail direct his gaze up and saw Ryouma¡¯s face. His gaze filled with question. ¡°Well, the same as you guys who are in a dilemma due to being deceived by the noble faction, we¡¯re also in a troubled situation.¡± This was a matter of course. By the end of the day, their request quest is to guard merchants group. Even if all of that is just a lie, from the point of view of guild record, it was the truth. With that, comes one big problem. Although it was for the sake to survive, Ryouma was in fact attacked the merchant¡¯s carriage. In addition, he also escaped abandoning the merchants. If you look only on the surface, Ryouma is someone who abandons his escorting mission, letting the merchants who he supposedly guards died without helping them, and run away by himself. And to make matters worse, if Wallace were to fabricate the knight faction who attack them as a mere thief, Ryouma and the other will be branded as traitor who abandon their mission, and might have to paid huge penalty money, not only that they might be unable to take more quest because people won¡¯t trust them. And right now, Ryouma and the others does not have any means to counter that. After all, everything is nothing more than circumstantial evidence. Even if they ask Mikhail to be the witness, there¡¯s also the possibility of him not talking honestly. After all, if what they did are being known, it will just become a stain for the Knight faction. Moreover, the one who will become the judge is that guild master, Wallace. To make a plea that we¡¯re are being deceived at the person who actually deceives us, that just does not make any sense. Until here, everyone should know their present situation. Lione and her group did not change their facial expression. Therefore they entrust Ryouma with the decision. Trusting Ryouma¡¯s wit as their hope. ¡°With that being the case, how about it? Mikhail-san. How about we join hands as an ally?¡± After this, the words that come out from Ryouma¡¯s mouth will change the fate of the Knight faction and the noble faction greatly. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 27 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 9 Editor: Thorrium. Chapter 2 Episode 9 (Audience 1) Day 96th after being summoned to the new world. ¡°This is Rozeria Kingdoms royal capital, Piraeus.¡± Listening Mikhail¡¯s words, Ryouma opened his eyes wide and turned his line of sight toward the front. ¡°Hee¡­ That is the royal capital huh?¡­ It¡¯s pretty huge¡­ ¡± ¡°That is natural. After all, this is the royal capital of Rozeria Kingdom which can be regarded as one of the great nations within the western continent¡¯s eastern part! In the first place, Rozeria Kingdom is¡­¡± Ryouma observed the royal capital that began to appear in the distance while smiling wryly due to Mikhail explaining the kingdom¡¯s history filled with pride due to his strong sense of nationalism. ¡°First of all, it was good that we could safely arrive here. After all, we expected the noble faction to have planned ambushes along the way¡± Mikhail who was feeling relieved, said those words, and Ryouma who heard them showed a smiling face. ¡°Indeed, the possibility was there after all. Maybe because we found out about their disguises, they began to feel cautious when its come to the matter of pursuing us¡­¡± ¡°Are they going to give up just like that¡­?¡± Ryouma answered him with an expression as if asking him ¡®dissatisfied?¡¯, which in turn make Mikhail¡¯s expression became stiff. Although they had just been acquaintances for six days, Ryouma had already grasped Mikhail militaristic character. He got an unpleasant feeling finding out the enemy had given up on pursuing them just like that. He didnt like hard jobs nor did he enjoy failures, he hated when he had to redo everything from the beginning. If one had to say, it was also in his nature, to not stop doing something, until it was finished, and he was the winner¡­ ¡°Well, everything depends on who takes the command. They might have chosen someone who gives up and prioritised safety after their plan had failed. ¡± ¡°A military man is someone, who when they fail at something, will stand up, stronger and more determined than before, and conquer what they previously had difficulty with, or do you disagree?¡± Mikhail¡¯s words were filled with a sense of belief in strength and bravery. However, Ryouma¡¯s didnt value such beliefs very highly. ¡°Not all knight put the same value in honour and pride like Mikhail-san, don¡¯t you agree? ¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s astonished tone of voice, Mikhail¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Are you making fun of Knight¡¯s pride!?¡± ¡°Those words are something a person who had attempted assassination shouldnt say, no? ¡± Hearing that words, Mikhail¡¯s face became stiff again. Because that was the words, he doesn¡¯t want to hear the most right now. ¡°Gununununu¡­ T-That was¡­ Something that it couldnt be helped¡­¡± Barely able to say that much, Mikhail moved towards the back where the injured people was sitting and receive potions from Laura. No matter how much he sugarcoated his words, he knew it wouldnt change the fact, that he was planning an assassination. Even though he understood that, Mikhail still felt worried. Mikhail was wondering what he should prioritise, his knightly pride or the national crisis. ¡°Funn¡­ Although I think there¡¯s no point for him to lament about such thing, after all, I never thought what he was doing was wrong. ¡± Sara heard Ryouma speak, while he was watching Mikhail¡¯s back, who was regretting what he had done Sara then asked a question. ¡°It was not wrong? ¡± ¡°Hmm? Well yes¡­ there¡¯s nothing wrong with planning an assassination. Had I been in the same position as him, I might have chosen to take the same action after all. ¡± An assassination is something that can not be said as something admirable. However, Ryouma thought that if it could save many lives by just killing one person, and the possibility of suppressing a civil war that would surely ravage the land, such choice should not be excluded from the other options due to something as silly as an honour. ¡°In the end, an assassination is always just one among the many choices that existed. Where you hope that your choice will help you achieve your goals. ¡± For example, the knight factions goal is not to let the illegitimate princess from the noble faction become the Queen. And when thinking the efficiency of doing things, choosing to assassinate the illegitimate princess would certainly cause, the least amount of damage compared to engage the noble faction in a bloody civil war. However, going down that route, required them having obtained the proper information. And that was why Ryouma thought the knight¡¯s actions was idiotic. It was foolish of the Knights faction not to have confirmed the information before setting their assassination plot into action. The reason why the assassination didnt go as planned, might have been due to them hesitating. ¡°Well, looking at Mikhail, it seems like the knight faction is filled with muscle heads.¡± ¡°Muscle-heads? What is that?¡± At the end of Ryouma¡¯s explanation, Sara heard words that she does not know the meaning of it. ¡°Ah¡­ In other words, its those people whose only focus are getting stronger and prioritise the use of force, which means that when they are doing anything that requires brain activity, they mess up.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. So that¡¯s muscle head¡­¡± In these past six days he had been acted together with Sara but, to suddenly understand each other behaviour and speech is still rather hard. Indeed looking at Mikhail subordinate that survived, whether because they are straightforward people or whatnot they seemed to be people that lacked in the brain department. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C That day, Ryouma¡¯s proposal causes a great stir within Mikhail¡¯s heart, which all things considered was natural. After all, no one would think that right after being enemies; he would suddenly propose them becoming allies. Furthermore, many of Mikhails subordinates had been killed by Ryouma¡¯s scheme. At the time when Mikhail was starting the assassination plan, he had 50 people under him. And now, among them, only five had survived. Including Mikhail, six people survived. Naturally, their hatred is strong. And yet, Mikhail decided to accept Ryouma¡¯s proposal. No, opposite to that, it¡¯s more like he had no other choice other than to accept. Even if he had refused Ryouma¡¯s proposal, Mikhail didnt have any other alternatives. Not only had his assassination attempt failed, but he also lost many of his men. Even if they excuse it, by saying it for the sake of supplementing their forces, and it was definitely a plus for the knight faction to become allies with Ryouma and the mercenaries. However, even if Mikhail himself was convinced with that, his subordinates werent as understanding. Even when they were being set free from the ropes, they prepared themselves to go up against Ryouma once again, even though that meant ignoring their bleeding wounds. In the end, they accepted Mikhail¡¯s words; however, the flame of hatred still flickering within their eyes. It could even be seen when they looked at Sara who tried to change their bandages for them. ¡°Well, Bolts-sans bamboo rock magic is quite powerful after all.¡± Ryouma muttered those words while watching Mikhail¡¯s back who is currently helping to nurse the injured people. ¡°Indeed. As expected of a veteran mercenary. To think that he was able to cast magic arts with such wide range.¡± ¡°When I heard it at first, I was wondering what was going to happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that everything went smoothly, yes?¡± ¡°Indeed. After all, it would be bad to annihilate everyone, but demanding to decrease the opponent drastically while leaving one or two survive is in itself was quite unreasonable¡­ So in actuality, Bolts-san did quite a good job.¡± In order to grasp the situation, Ryouma absolutely needed survivors. In other words, he didnt want to kill all of them, just because they had attacked. Of course, the means of achieving that is limited. ¡°Ou! Did you call me? Young master. ¡± Bolts who heard his name being mentioned moved his horse closer to the carriage. ¡°Oh no. We¡¯re just saying that thanks to Bolts-sans performance, we were able to survive somehow. ¡± As he heard Ryouma¡¯s words, a smile appeared on Bolts¡¯ face. ¡°If young master said that then I¡¯m happy, however, the reason for all of us to survive this time is entirely due to young master, you know? My magic art is something trivial. ¡± After saying those words, Bolts moved his horse away from the carriage once again. One might wonder if he said that because he felt embarrassed. After he confirmed, that his name had not been called, he immediately returned to his original position. ¡°But then, what are we going to do from now on?¡± Laura suddenly called out from his side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You surprise me. Is the medical treatment for the injured people finished already?¡± ¡°Yes. Mikhail-san is helping after all. More than I do¡­¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s question, Laura¡¯s face gets cloudy. Although it was for the sake of wound treatment, Laura still felt a considerable criticism from their gaze. To summarise what Laura had said, it¡¯s more like ¡®It is better for Mikhail to do it rather than me who they see as their enemy¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Also, how is the condition of the bunch from the Red Lion¡± ¡°For the most part, they only have slight injuries, so they should all recover quickly and completelyMore importantly, Ryouma-sama¡¯s injuries are heavier, you know?!¡± Well even if she said that his wounds were heavy, all it was just scratches from the arrows raining down upon them, but due to the blood from all the minor scratches he got, resulted in him being all bloody, which make him looking heavily injured. In actuality, after he cleaned his wounds, it¡¯s was just a matter of him waiting for the scraps to disappear. After listening to Laura¡¯s words, a smile appears on Ryouma¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s good then. ¡­ Since the worst case scenario, we might have to fight again soon, after all. ¡± The sisters¡¯ face tightened due to Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°Will the audience fail?¡± Ryouma nodded toward Sara¡¯s words. ¡°Well, there¡¯s that possibility. ¡± Actually, Ryouma is betting on this proposal. In Ryouma¡¯s eyes, it didnt really matter much whether the Knight faction or the Noble faction ended up controlling the country. However, getting rolled up into political strife against his will, he has no choice but to support one side. After all, if he didnt support one side, then there was the possibility that Wallace might push all the blame and responsibility onto Ryouma, and then sent an assassin from the guild to kill him. Right now the possibility for that to happen is quite high. And currently, Ryouma didnt have any means to counter such things. After all, the person that forced him into this mess to begin with was the very same person who would be the judge if they wanted to claim that they were wronged, which is Wallace the guild master himself. They had thought about taking the issue to one of the other guild masters but they deemed it to be quite dangerous to do that. One may be wondered who the guild masters would believe, Ryouma and Lione on one side, being adventurers and mercenaries or one of their colleagues, Wallace. Also, it was quite likely that the guild masters simply won¡¯t concern themselves with this case, as it didnt directly affect them. And even if Ryouma ended up talking with one of the other guild masters, there was a very good chance that they would simply think that Ryouma was trying to make excuses for failing and abandoning his quest. In other words, Ryouma¡¯s only choice in regards to dealing with the problem was to first get someone influential to back him, all in order for them to judge him fairly. And currently, the Knight faction was the only option Ryouma had when selecting who to be his backers Whether they were a mere bystander or an influential person in some country, there would be no merit for them to help Ryouma. Thus the only one that could actually offer him support was the Knight faction. In exchange for that, Ryouma would help them with their fights against the noble factions. However, that was just something Ryouma and the other conveniently thought. After all, there was no reason for the Knight faction to help Ryouma and the others. In fact, many of their comrades had been killed by Ryouma, and if they were a bunch of muscle heads, they might just try to cut his heads off without listening to their words. That¡¯s why it was a bet. A gamble that depended on whether or not the leader of the Knight faction was a reasonable person with a cool head. As well as, that person being able to see the value of having Ryouma and the others on their side. The carriages finally arrived in front of the castle gate. ¡°Now then¡­ What happen after this, depends on my speech. ¡± Ryouma muttered those words while looking at the castle from the castle gate. This will be the third time he will play a game of life and death since the time he came to this world. From his eyes, a strong willpower can be seen. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 28 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 10 Chapter 2 Episode 10 (Audience 2) ¡°Her royal highness first princess Lupis of the Rozeria Kingdom will be present shortly! Lower your head!¡± With the red carpet being spread a woman entered the audience room, and announced that the princess was about to appear. Ryouma decided to mimic Mikhail who bowed his head with one knee on the floor. After all, he was a human that came from a world where royalty was regarded and viewed as something obsolete. Thus he doesn¡¯t know how to show proper respect toward the nobility. Imitating what Mikhail was doing, was the best he could do. Since Lione was as confused as Ryouma, doing something like this didnt seem natural to her, while on the other hand, the Marfisto sisters, although they were slaves until the other day, they used to be lesser nobility, and was performing splendidly. (Maybe I should ask Laura and Sara to teach me about it later?) Ryouma waited patiently for the princess to enter while looking at Laura and her sister who bowed gracefully. Then the audience with the princess began. The room which Mikhail guided them to was a long room with a golden throne inside. A red carpet was lined up from the entrance of the room to the throne, with a total of 20 soldiers on both sides of it. For Ryouma and the others, this was quite a dangerous situation, since they were only four people. (Well¡­ I guess there¡¯s no other choice huh. It was already great that she was willing to meet us in the first place. Although it would have been perfect if she had been willing to meet with me in secret¡­) After entering the castle, Ryouma and the others were put into a room for several hours by Mikhail. Logically it was kind of natural, after all, they were people whom the princess and the Knights faction had acknowledged as enemies not long ago. Ryouma didnt know what kind of report Mikhail had made, because when Mikhail came back, he told them to follow him to the throne room immediately. Thinking Mikhails report could have resulted in them being arrested, for an immediate execution without even being able to meet the princess, however, since the princess have granted them an audience, at least, now they had been given a chance to talk, considering that, one can safely say this is a good omen. While his head was lowered and he was looking down, the sound of a door being opened from behind the throne could be heard. Then several footsteps were heard within the audience room. It must be the Princess Lupis and her close aides footsteps. Ryouma and the others kept waiting for Princess Lupis to speak while bowing their head. ¡°Raise your heads. ¡± The voice of a dignified woman could be heard. Before Ryoumas eyes appeared a young woman with silver hair wearing a body armor that was completely white. ¡°Vice leader of the royal guard, Mikhail. ¡± The first words from Princess Lupis were directed toward Mikhail. Her face looked both dignified and calm. (Vice leader? Seriously? That guy, did he actually have such a high position? No wonder the princess granted us an audience. But still, isnt that guy too impulsive for the job?) Ryouma, now knowing that Mikhail was actually closer to the princess and the leader of the Knights faction, thanked all the Gods he could remember, for his good luck. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the report from Meltina. I have to say that you being unable to fulfill your mission is very regrettable. And a large number of knight have lost their lives due to this failure. ¡­ All of them have lost their lives is a blow to our faction and jeopardizes the future of our kingdom. Despite being the leader, you¡¯ve survived and is now present in front of my eyes. As the princess, I must make you compensate for this failure with your life!¡­ ¡± The rooms atmosphere turned cold due to Princess¡¯ words. However, on the princess¡¯ face, a subtle smile could be seen. ¡°However, you¡¯re a good knight, and your loyalty to the royal family cant be questioned. It would be a big loss if I were to lose you now when our country faces a crisis. In accordance with your past achievement, and considering that this mission was a trap set by the noble faction, I will extend your punishment until the political strife against the noble faction has come to an end. If your future actions in the conflict have enough merits, I will pardon your failures. ¡± A clamor immediately dominated the audience room. Was her decision outside everyone expectation? Even Mikhail showed a blank expression. ¡°Your highness princess, is this alright?¡± A woman who came in before, asked such a question. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ There¡¯s nothing more stupid than punishing capable people during a national crisis. Besides I just extend his execution time and might pardon him, however, I¡¯ve never stated that he was innocent of his crime. ¡± Hearing Princess Lupis words, the clamor within the audience room began to subside. Mikhail then bowed his head while expressing his sincere gratitude toward the princess¡¯ leniency. ¡°Certainly, I will meet your highness expectation without fail!¡± (I see, so that¡¯s how it is¡­ I respect her judgment. After all, she doesn¡¯t want to weaken her faction more than it already is intentionally¡­ Furthermore, she just extended the time until his punishment rather than proclaim him as innocent. This also means, if Mikhail doesn¡¯t achieve any achievement in the future, it will be the end for him. ¡­ Uhuh, Not bad at all¡­ Not simply being lenient, but shes also able to make a correct judgment by looking at the current situation. ) If she simply spares Mikhail¡¯s life, the bereaved families of those people who participated in the surprise attack under his command won¡¯t be able to consent. While that might be true, however, pushing all the responsibility to one person when all of the top leaders have fallen to the enemy trick is in itself a problem. Thus, choosing a compromise where she will offset the failure with future achievement can be said to be a politically right decision. (Not bad at all¡­ No, rather, I might have been lucky¡­ If it¡¯s like this, she might be able to understand my proposal properly¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ there¡¯s a problem.) Ryouma saw the reaction of the people around them when Princess Lupis made her decision regarding Mikhail¡¯s future. And there he noticed, a vexed expression from an elderly man standing, one step lower than princess Lupis. Apparently, he didnt agree with her decision to spared Mikhail¡¯s life. Of course, it wasnt obvious to everyone else, as the expression only appeared for a split second. (This guy, I guess we can¡¯t just simply call all this, as a mere dispute between the three factions huh?¡­) Whether Mikhail is a competent person or not, there¡¯s someone who actually wished for his death, despite being from the same faction. Usually, no one wishes their colleague or friends to die. But if someone wishes for their colleagues or friends deaths, then that¡¯s means¡­ (That means, not all of the people from Knight faction, is loyal to Princess Lupis? No, if I consider everything, with that in mind then, this all begins to make sense¡­If that the case then, I might be able to find an opening when I try to curry favor to the princess. ) Ryouma frantically tried not to laugh, after all, the information he desperately needed, actually convenient appeared in front of him, all by itself. Ryouma had to compel himself, because if he showed a smiling expression now in this place, it might end up being fatal for him. (Not yet¡­ I need to be patient¡­ I¡¯ve not yet passed the predicament. The game has just begun. ¡­ I might end up dead if I were getting doubted by the princess or that woman¡­ ) Ryouma line of sight turned toward the woman who previously asked a question to the princess. She¡¯s had a large build for a woman with black hair. In addition to that, the two swords on her waist look to be quite used. Furthermore, she must have earned princess Lupis trust, after all, even after being questioned, Princess Lupis didn¡¯t show a dissatisfied expression. ¡°Mikhail¡¯s judgment ends here. Now then, let¡¯s move to other subjects. ¡± Saying that princess Lupis gaze immediately turned toward the four people, that bowed down, one of them being Ryouma. ¡°I see. There¡¯s indeed a teenage girl with silver hair¡­ Are you really not the illegitimate child of the previous Rozeria¡¯s king, King Farst the second) Princess Lupis immediately asked the biggest problematic issue. ¡°No, my name is Laura. Laura Marfisto. The elder sister of Sara Marfisto thats also present here. ¡± Sara nodded her head hearing Laura¡¯s answer. ¡°I see¡­ Looking closely, you both indeed look similar. If not for the hair color, you would be like two peas in a pod.) Her gaze is focused on the sisters. Certainly, since they are twins, everything except their hair color was similar. ¡°Your highness¡­ There¡¯s no information that the illegitimate child have a sister.¡± The black haired woman talked to the Princess quietly. ¡°Marfisto, I¡¯m familiar with that family name¡­ If I¡¯m not wrong, it was a family name of a Knight house from the central continent, is it not?¡± ¡°Yes. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it should be a considerably famous family name¡­ and their skin color and features are indeed from the central continent too¡­¡± They both looked intensely at Laura and her sister. For a moment, their line of sight intertwined with each other. ¡°I see now¡­ Indeed, they certainly different from what we know about the illegitimate child based on the information about her that we received the other day.¡± Princess Lupis muttered those words as if giving up on something. That is natural. If by any chance Laura was the illegitimate child of the previous king, King Farst the second, then the reason for the civil war could be removed, and the conflict could be resolved just by killing her. ¡°With that being the case, it seems like I won¡¯t be able to condemn any of you for retaliating against my knight.¡± Princess Lupis muttered those words as if she was in trouble. ¡°I beg your pardon. To receive your highness tolerant words, I¡¯m unable to express anything other than feeling gratitude. ¡± Ryouma graciously lowered his head when saying those words. Actually, Ryouma and the others are the victims who got rolled up in this mess; thus He wanted to be a bit more aggressive. However, if he has to think about the future, it would be not thoughtful of him if he took a heavy-handed attitude when it wasnt necessary. Looking at Ryouma¡¯s admirable attitude, a smile appeared on the princess¡¯ face. ¡°I¡¯m not that stiff after all. In fact, we¡¯re the one who troubled you people¡­ Is there anything you want?¡± Ryouma pretended to be lost in thought for a while after hearing Princess Lupis words. While in fact, Ryouma had already decided on the answer. ¡°I wont ask of anything your highness; however, by all means, I hope your Highness would give our suggestion some thoughts as your highness assistance would be greatly appreciated.¡± Ryouma said that, with a tone indicating he was in deep regret. ¡°Is this about the suggestion you had proposed to Mikhail?¡± ¡°Yes. That is correct. ¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, princess Lupis showed a troubled expression. If one looked at it from her viewpoint, it would be better for her to no longer concern herself with Ryouma here. If possible, she wanted to just give them some money, and get rid of them from this place quickly. After all, Ryouma and the others were the reason for all the men they had lost in the operation. Making them literally one of the Knights factions enemies. ¡°¡­ That is something I can¡¯t give a final answer right away¡­ You understand why, right?¡± Princess Lupis looked at Ryouma. In other words, Princess Lupis didnt mind joining forces; however, it would only gather dissatisfaction from her subordinate if they joined forces just like that, not to mention, Ryouma had said in his proposal to Mikhail that the knight faction would be destroyed even before the decisive battle against the noble group ¡°Of course, I understand. However, if your highness only maintains the status quo like this, I¡¯m afraid your highness won¡¯t be able to win. ¡± ¡°¡±¡±You insolent bastard! You low life dares to say that!¡±¡±¡± Angry voices came from the throne room. However, the princess and the black-haired woman standing beside her did not change their expression. The one who raised their voices were the men standing under the throne. ¡°Your majesty! Please let me execute this rude person immediately!¡± The man who had an adverse reaction when Mikhails life was spared, offered to execute Ryouma to the princess. ¡°Please wait. General. Shouldnt we ask the princess what she wants first? ¡°What are you saying, Meltina! Do you want us to keep silent when insulted!? What do you think a Knights pride is?¡± (I see¡­ She is Meltina huh?¡­ As expected of the princess¡¯ aide¡­) Ryouma listened to the argument between Meltina and the man whom she called general in order to get more information, even if it¡¯s just a little. ¡°Please wait! This person has never insulted us in particular! He merely spoke about his personal prediction!¡± ¡°What kind of stupid thing are you spouting about! This guy said that we¡¯re clearly going to be defeated you know? If that is not an insult then what is the meaning of that!?¡± Logically what Meltina had said was right; however, she was unable to quell his anger. When one¡¯s emotions prevail, it clouds logical thinking. It was Princess Lupis who had thought about Ryouma¡¯s words who put their argument to end. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You are all in front of a guest, do you know that!?¡± There¡¯s no mistake that the guest she mentioned here was Ryouma. Comrades who was arguing in front of the person they both looked down upon as a person of low birth. Maybe due to realizing how funny they looked, Meltina and the general shut their mouth while lowered their heads in shame. ¡°We¡¯ve shown you such an unsightly appearance¡­ ¡­ For me, even for a little, I want to decrease the amount of victim in this war, and at the same time, I also wish to win the war against the noble faction. ¡­ Do you think you will be able to accomplish it?¡± The princess finally told Ryouma the words that he wanted to hear. ¡°Of course¡­ I will answer your highness expectation without fail. ¡± Saying that, Ryouma bowed his head down toward the princess. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 29 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 11 TLN: Unedited.ver¡­ I think my editors were busy or something. Chapter 2 Episode 11 (Audience 3) 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. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 30 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 12 Editor: Grey. Chapter 2 Episode 12 103rd day after being summoned to another world. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you during your busy time like this. We sincerely appreciate Earl Bergstons generosity. I¡¯m Mikoshiba Ryouma, a messenger of the princess. Pleased to meet you. Ryouma lowered his head toward the man who sat in front of him. This place is two days away from the royal capital city Preaus; a territory that belongs to the neutral faction. The sun is currently near its peak, which common sense indicates it was near a lunch time. Such a time was an inappropriate time to visit a noble. ¡°No, when it comes to the princess¡¯ messenger, I cannot be crude. Especially if Meltina-dono is also together here with you. Earl Bergstone offered Ryouma and Meltina to sit down while laughing heartily. ¡°Now then, what kind of business do you have?¡± Of course, that question is just mere courtesy. When the political situation is unstable, a messenger from princess¡¯ faction has come to Earl Bergston who belonged to a neutral faction. Anyone who has a bit of brain will be able to pick up what¡¯s going on immediately. ¡°Very well, let me immediately relay the message. Towards Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergstone frowned. As a matter of fact, Meltina had already asked Earl Bergston to support the princess¡¯ faction back in the first month of the year. Of course, at that time the Earls answer was no, however this time, a messenger from the princess¡¯ faction has come again, to be honest, the Earl feels amazed. ¡°Hou? A message huh?¡± (What¡¯s going on? In the first place, who is this guy? There should be no one like him in the Knight faction nor the noble faction) The Earl, who thought that Meltina was going to be the one who takes the initiative to talk found himself in confusion. A man whom the Earl doesn¡¯t know began to speak. One can say that he feels very perplexed. ¡°Yes. Her highness the princess feels extremely saddened. ¡°Hou? Saddened about what?¡± There¡¯s no change on Bergston face. ¡°Regarding the fate of the Bergston Earldom, who can be said to be among the most prestigious family in Rozeria Kingdom. Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston desperately tried to hold himself back from shouting. Just like the time when Meltina had come, she also began telling him about how the princess feels saddened due to the strife with the noble faction. But then they suddenly talk about the Bergston¡¯s family future. And furthermore, if one also included the preface where the princess is saddened, it could mean this is going to be bad for the Bergston¡¯s family. Despite them wanting to seek his assistance they said something like that, which make it no wonder if the Earl wants to raise a shouting protest. After all, the princess¡¯ faction is the one in disadvantageous who need outside assistance. Nevertheless, Earl Bergston keeps smiling as if nothing had happened. ¡°Hou? The future of my houses huh? It was an honor for us, for the princess to be worried about the future of a small house like ours despite having a lot of things that she needs to think of. Could you tell her highness the princess that this Earl feels very grateful toward her?¡± Such an answer can be said as a perfect answer. After all, while expressing his gratitude as a noble superficially, he also slips some mockery against the princess. As if saying are you really in the position to worry about my house? (Fuhnn¡­ First of all, I need information¡­) Ryouma feels relieved in certain ways due to the Earl answer. Ryouma had thought, what the princess needs most is someone who has brains. Not only the military, the princess is also lacking in everything; politics, economy, diplomacy, and also culture. Of course, all of that might be not the duty of the princess alone. However, Princess Lupis only has the military around her. Even Meltina, which can be said as the princess¡¯ close aide, setting aside her personal force and loyalty to the princess, her intelligence, and ability in politics cannot be relied upon at all. It might be due to her occupation as a knight. What a knight need is mostly only their ability and knowledge in military arts and also their loyalty to the royal family. Of course something like that is important; however, they tend to look down and put less emphasis on being calculative and thoughtful. Although that kind of thing is not bad in its own right. After all, what a knight needs most are honor and pride. However, when one views things as an organization, only having that can be said as something distorted and incomplete. That¡¯s why Ryouma chooses Earl Bergston to bring him over to the princess¡¯ faction. Despite being good as a political force, he was someone who has an arrogant and rude attitude; thus he gets excluded and neglected by both Duke Gerhardt faction and the previous king Farst as well. You¡¯re being humble. Bergston Dukedom, in addition to having a vast territory, the population is also huge. And also have around 1000 armed force, am I right? Thus it cannot be said as something ¡®small¡¯. Messenger-dono seems to have overrated my household. Or is it not possible for you to be unable to make a normal judgment because you¡¯re in the middle of a fight against the noble faction? Hahahaha¡­ ¡°No no no. My judgment is right, you know? For the proof of that, even Lord Gerhardt will soon turn his hot gaze to the Bergston Earldom. Or do you already belong to the noble faction?¡± ¡°Wha-! Now, that worries me. Something like that is just unfounded rumors, and better not to talk about it. Earl Bergston then laughed, skillfully concealing his surprise that appears for a moment. ¡°Oh is that so? If that is the case her highness the princess will also feel relieved. Because the princess will be saddened if Earl Bergston will not gain anything and is left as someone useless until the end of times. ¡°What! What does that mean?!¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston¡¯s face changed. ¡°Ara? What¡¯s wrong? I thought all of this was just unfounded rumors?¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston fixes his posture and heaves a big sigh. ¡°Fuu¡­ Let¡¯s stop all of this farce already¡­ You should already know that I belong to the noble faction, am I right?¡± Earl Bergston said those words as if giving up on something. ¡°Indeed. Ryouma¡¯s tone was light; however, Meltina desperately tried to suppress her shocked feeling. (I-Impossible! What¡¯s the meaning of this!? Earl Bergston had already sided with the noble faction? Since when?! No, more importantly, since when this man noticed that?!? For now, I should just dutifully perform my duty. I cannot afford myself to become a burden for this man!) Ryouma did not say anything at all to her. It can be said it would be reasonable if she feels upset instead. The purpose of Meltina being there is as proof to indicate Ryouma is a newcomer from the princess¡¯ faction. Only that. Ryouma continues the talk despite the slight unrest within his heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the information have leaked but, the decision won¡¯t change you know?¡± Earl Bergston said those words while his gaze tries to probe Ryouma. ¡°I do not mind about that. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Because the one who will find themselves in disadvantage is Earl Bergston, in other words, only you will lose. Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston enters a deep thought for a moment. ¡°What do you mean by that? What are you trying to say? You said I would be in disadvantage?¡± After a long silence, Earl Bergston finally urged Ryouma to explain it to him. ¡°Ara? You don¡¯t realize it?¡­ Since I feel slightly sorry, I will try to explain it then. The explanation Ryouma makes would then give Meltina and Earl Bergston a strong impact. ¡°Earl Bergston, think about it, what kind of term did they give in exchange for you to join the noble faction?¡± To Ryouma¡¯s question, Earl Bergston answers it reluctantly. ¡°In the event when Princess Ladine gets the throne, they had promised to increase my territory and also the position of finance minister. ¡°Hou, I see Indeed, those are some favorable conditions. ¡°That¡¯s right! Can the princess¡¯ faction offer this kind of offer?!¡± Toward Earl Bergston question, Ryouma tried to hide his laughter desperately. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no difference as to being able to give or not, tell me, what did you need to do to get all that reward?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Earl Bergston closes his mouth. Just because he was interested in the reason why he will be the one in disadvantageous, he can¡¯t easily disclose the noble faction plan readily to the princess¡¯ faction. ¡°Stay and work as a neutral faction member, and do not move the Bergston Earldom soldiers. It was something along those lines right?¡± ¡°Wha-!¡± A surprised voice leaked from Earl Bergston mouth. ¡°Well, after all, there¡¯s nothing that Earl Bergston can do other than that. That is what the noble faction thought. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Oh well, let us assume that all had gone according to their plan, do you think they will give you such rewards with that small amount of work?¡± Earl Bergston then entered in deep thought after Ryouma said those words. Indeed, one can say that the rewards are too good. Since other than keeping the soldiers from moving, and working as a neutral faction, there¡¯s nothing to lose for Earl Bergston. ¡°After all, they gave you a promise that they have no intention of fulfilling from the start. Due to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston face went pale. ¡°I-Impossible¡­ That kind of thing is¡­¡± ¡°To realize all of that would be impossible. Giving you the position of finance minister, and an increase in territory. They belong to the noble faction after all. In the first place, what is a nobleman? That is a term given to some people who were granted a territory and a certain autonomy by the kingdom. On the contrary, a knight is a soldier who reports directly to the royal family, and despite having a similar status as the nobleman, they usually do not have territorial status. The Knights are the essence of the military power; thus their aim is to land a job in a military position. Although there are some special officials which the noble and the knight attached to each other, but mostly, the nobles dominated the domestic affairs, while the Knights will dominate the military affairs. Now here is the problem. Say if they defeated the Knight faction, will there be an important position within the domestic affairs being opened? The answer is a no. The office that would be vacant after defeating the knight faction will be those that related to military affairs. And even if the position of Finance Minister is opened up, the possibility of it being given to Earl Bergston was zero. Because a person who was part of the noble faction earlier than him would fill that seat. If he was a helping in a great deal to the one who was overwhelmingly weaker, then it might be considered as an exceptional reward. However, the noble faction was already the dominant one. There¡¯s no way for him to overtake the one who already part of the dominant faction earlier than him. And with that, one can see it was impossible to increase more territory as well. Because, the knights, from the starts, do not possess significant land either. Thus, what is left, are areas directly under the royal familys possession. However, do you think Duke Gerhardt will grant you such a thing? It might be possible if the Duke tried to weaken or took the royal authority for himself. But if the noble faction won, do you think Lord Gerhardt who is the faction leader; that would become someone who has even the authority over the queen do that? No matter even if he has the ambition to take the throne for himself, do you think he will share it among the noble and neutral noble? Even if that is the truth, do you think he will give it to a faction who does not work much? One can say that it¡¯s impossible to do that. If he were to share them, he would share them with those who have already accompanied him for many years. Otherwise, the faction itself might crumble. ¡ª Listening to Ryouma¡¯s explanation, Earl Bergston¡¯s face turns paler. ¡°That means I was stupid huh?¡­¡± Such words of self-mockery leaks out from the Earl¡¯s mouth. ¡°It is good if you understand. Hearing such explanation, even someone like Meltina easily agrees with him. (This guy¡­) Meltina who was witnessing Ryouma¡¯s ability strongly felt fear and at the same time relieved that he was on their side. (This guy, how far is he able to read all of this?? Isn¡¯t he just a mercenary? Not only that, it¡¯s only been a week since he was here¡­) ¡°What should I do?¡± With voice lacking in power Earl Bergton asked Ryouma. ¡°Let see¡­ Even if you stay with the noble faction as it is, your future seems to be bleak, on the other hand, even if you join the Knight faction, you will just get yourself being crushed by that General Hodram huh?¡± There¡¯s some other meaning within those words. Earl Bergston immediately opened his mouth after thinking for a while. ¡°Say, if I were to support her highness the princess¡­ that is¡­¡± Although his words were ambiguous, what he means is ¡®what are you going to give me as a reward if I join the princess¡¯ faction?¡¯, that kind of thing. ¡°Lets see¡­ Of course, the position of finance minister is impossible, but¡­¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Earl Bergston¡¯s face turns cloudy. But after hearing the words after that, light returned to his face. ¡°If her highness the princess wins the political strife, the nobles would be drastically reduced¡­ With that being the case, many vacant jobs would be available¡­ what do you think?¡± In other words, if the princess¡¯ faction were to win, many of the jobs that the noble faction holds would be vacant. And it will be the nobles who support the princess, who would then fill that vacant job seats. And in addition to that, since the base power of the princess is the knight faction, once the princess wins, he will still be able to ask a higher position even if he was late to join. Furthermore, since the opponents territory will also be seized, Bergston Earldom can expect an increase in land area as well. With Earl Bergston being able to draw the future possibility with just words coming from Ryouma, he ends up adding the princess¡¯ faction as a possible choice. (Not bad at all¡­ It is much better than assisting the noble faction and end up with nothing¡­ however, that is if the princess¡¯ faction wins¡­ if she were unable to win then the present story would have no meaning¡­) ¡°Mikoshiba-dono¡­ I would like some time to think about it. ¡°Very well. Just, how much time do you need? Since there¡¯s not much time left after all. Ryouma does not think that Earl Bergston would help and support the princess¡¯ faction here and now either. Because for Earl Bergston, this will be a big gamble which will influence his entire life. However, Ryouma can¡¯t have his time stolen solely by Earl Bergstone alone. Since he also has to pull the other neutral factions to their side as well. ¡°I would like to have one night to think¡­ I will give the answer tomorrow, thus, how about staying in our residence today?¡± ¡°Very well¡­ I will wait for Earl¡¯s wise decision. After replying so, Ryouma grasped the Earls hand in a handshake. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 31 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 13 Editors: Grey & Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 13 (Wavering People 2) 103rd day after being summoned to another world. ¡°What should I do, I wonder¡­¡± Earl Bergston who extended the date for his reply until tomorrow repeated such words again and again inside his personal office. ¡°That guy¡­ what he said is reasonable¡­ how have I not notice such thing when the noble faction invites me to join them¡­¡± His words are filled with regrets. (Tan: Maybe His words are filled with regrets) In case if Bergston Earldom were to stay as a neutral faction, it would not matter who won. However, since he was deceived by the sweet temptation and joined the noble faction, he only has two choices left; Either stay with the noble faction or join the Knight faction. If he were to return back as a neutral faction, then he would just end up being targeted by both the noble faction and the Knight faction. And then there¡¯s another problem. The man who brought this talk to him says that he should join the princess¡¯ faction. Even looking like this, Earl Bergston has sufficient knowledge about the power balance within the royal palace. A noble won¡¯t be able to keep their territory without that kind of knowledge after all. Thus the Earl understood that even if the knight faction is the princess¡¯ power base, General Hodram basically held the real power. ¡°That man that comes with Meltina-dono¡­ He seems to be directly under her highness the princess. If that is the case then¡­ This is not an invitation to join the Knight faction but the princess¡¯ faction. Depending on how the princess makes her move, after they won against the noble faction, there might be a war between the princess¡¯ faction against the Knight faction. Like this, it was natural for him to feel hesitation; after all, he was being invited by the smallest faction, which is inferior in all sense. ¡°To support them, one must have the resolution to throw away everything¡­¡± He has to be prepared to throw away the wealth and territory that the Bergston family had built up over the years. ¡°The problem is whether the princess could win or not¡­¡± In the end, the entire problem ends up with that question. Whether or not, his support will bring the princess¡¯ faction victory. For Earl Bergston, his loyalty to the royal family is not that low; however, it is also not that high to the point of sacrificing his house and family. That¡¯s why, at the time when Meltina offered an invitation which he rejected, and also at the time when he accepted the noble faction offer, he feels a slight disdain toward his own self. ¡°Back then, there¡¯s not even one possibility that the princess¡¯ faction could win¡­¡± Meltina¡¯s way of negotiation is simple. She just talks about justice and loyalty to the royal family in earnest. Of course something like that was important, however, it is not enough to convince the heart of the neutral faction. And if one were to wonder why. Someone who can emphasize loyalty and true justice won¡¯t be part of neutral faction after all. Before Meltina invites him, she asked him to pledge his loyalty to the princess. However, what Earl Bergston wanted to ask was what kind of reward the princess will give in exchange for that assistance and loyalty. Helping the princess and all is great. But moving the soldiers cost money to buy armor, weapon, and food. If a soldier shows an achievement, then he must be rewarded. It won¡¯t be as simple as just sayingGood work!¡±. And Meltina was unable to understand that. She just talks about loyalty to the princess like a broken recorder. With just that, she won¡¯t be able to persuade any noble. That¡¯s why Earl Bergston abandoned the princess. Even if Meltina, who was being called as a close aide to the princess was there, he had no choice other than to think that the princess does not have talented people around her. With that being the case, he felt lucky to be invited by the nobles faction instead. After all, no matter whom, they will join the side that is most likely to win. All the more if they were being offered the possibility of gaining power and increase in territory. However, due to that, the Earl is currently suffering. Due to the princess¡¯ messenger called Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°I don¡¯t know who that guy is¡­ but¡­ he¡¯s sharp. To the point that I think he was too sharp¡­¡± Mikoshiba Ryouma. Someone who has the brains suddenly appear within the princess¡¯ faction whom he thought does not have such a person. Although the Earl had just met him today, he can feel that the judgment ability of that man can be trusted. He also shows a considerable capability in diplomacy. Thus, there¡¯s the possibility that the princess¡¯ future might change as well. The noble faction is also currently looking for additional support by offering the same rewards to the neutral faction. However, after listening to that man, the Earl thought that only fools would believe the noble faction. It can be said that there is a big possibility that they would be swayed toward the princess¡¯ faction. The princess¡¯ faction can also handle General Hodram in the same way. With that being the case, if that man was there, it is possible for the princess to hold all of the power. That¡¯s why the Earl feels troubled. ¡°Ah¡­ What should I do¡­¡± *KonKon* ¡°Master? The dinner is ready. The visitors are waiting in the dining room as well.¡± It was the voice of a maid who works in the mansion that returned Earl Bergstons sanity back. At the time he looks out the window, the night has already dominated the sky. The negotiation with Ryouma had ended around 1 o¡¯clock in the afternoon, which means Earl Bergston have been inside his room for around 5-6 hours. ¡°Ah¡­Yes¡­ I¡¯ll immediately go. After saying those words to the maid, Earl Bergston tidied himself up and went toward the dining room. ¡°Dear? Are you worried about something?¡± After having finished dinner, worried about her husband, Earl Bergstons wife entered his office. ¡°What? Oh, it¡¯s you¡­ there¡¯s nothing I¡¯m worried about. What¡¯s wrong?¡± After he had tried to hide his fatigued self, he told his wife to sit down on the sofa. ¡°You looked strange during dinner after all¡­ Are you sure that there¡¯s nothing you¡¯re worried about?¡± Although the Bergston family chef cooked a whole roasted chicken, the Earl did not eat much. One can also see that he did not enjoy the meal either. ¡°No¡­ Everything is alright. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. ¡°No! You can¡¯t be like that. 20 years had passed since I¡¯ve been married to you¡­ It is impossible for me not to notice that your behavior is strange!¡± She¡¯s just a wife worried about her husband from the bottom of her heart. Although one can say it was political marriage, she¡¯s a wife who comes to love and respect her husband who turned 43 years old this year, and he also loves his wife too. ¡°Is it because of the visitors that came today?¡± The Earl who didn¡¯t show anything wrong this morning, suddenly shut himself up inside his office from the afternoon until night. Thus it was natural for her to think that as the cause. The earl¡¯s wife looked at his face and began to ask a question. ¡°By any chance¡­ is there anything to do with the royal palace?¡± Although she¡¯s a nobleman¡¯s wife, a woman is someone who would not understand about a power struggle. No, in a sense, usually women are more sensitive to this kind of things. Much more when we talk about the life and death of the kingdom itself. His wife who saw his attitude thought that her guesses were right. ¡°Dear¡­ Aren¡¯t we a married couple?¡­ Even if I cannot help you with it, won¡¯t you share your problem with me even if it¡¯s just a little bit?¡± Listening to his wife¡¯s words, his heart somehow feels relieved. He wants someone to hear about the things that he kept inside his heart. After all, the Earl feels anxious to the limit right now. ¡°I don¡¯t understand much about politics, but I don¡¯t think the princess would treat you unfairly when she wins if you help her in a time of crisis like this. Although she hesitated, his wife told him what she thinks after she heard the story from her husband. ¡°I know about that. But that is not the problem. The problem is whether the princess can win or not even with my help!¡± He did not tell everything to his wife. The fact that there¡¯s a lack of talented people among the princess faction. Which means he might be able to get a good position if the princess wins. But that is if the princess wins. ¡°Dear¡­ If that is the case then you just have to make the princess win, no?¡± The Earl froze after hearing his wife¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re a smart person. I¡¯ve never doubted your ability ever since I married you¡­ I believe that you¡¯re someone who can support this Rozeria Kingdom. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like it when I see you wavering like this! Please regain the confidence you once had! If this was 12 years ago, you wouldn¡¯t be hesitating like this! If it¡¯s the former you then¡­¡± ¡°The former¡­ me¡­¡± The Earl recalled the old him who¡¯s brimming with confidence. Twelve years ago, at the time when Earl Bergston was still in his early 30s, he was regarded as one of the most influential people in the country. It all crumbled down at the time when Duke Gerhardt had defeated his wife¡¯s father, Marquis Ernest, the Prime Minister of Rozeria kingdom in a political strife. Marquis Ernests territory was confiscated, and the family name had ceased to exist. At that time, most of his blood relative was banished from the kingdom. Only his wife and her sister who married into another family that was able to stay within the country. As a result of that, Earl Bergston was kicked out from the central politics. It was not because of his ability. But because his wife is the daughter of their political enemies, Duke Gerhardt doesnt want him near the central politic. 12 years since then, the Earl desperately tried to protect his territory. He joined the neutral faction and waited for the storm to pass. Due to playing defense all this time, Earl Bergstons fangs have become dull. ¡°I won¡¯t worry much if it was the former me huh?¡­ I won¡¯t be this worried. Because I had absolute confidence in my ability. (If myself from 12 years ago were present here, what would I do? Will I wait for Meltina-dono to come and offer me an invitation? No¡­ I would proactively be part of the princess faction and help her highness with my strength. Will I also consider whether the princess would win or not? Stupid! If that is the case then I will just make her win with my own power!) The words from his wife immediately made the man who had been playing defensive for the past 12 years returned to his former glory self. His ambition and self-confidence is gradually coming back. ¡°I will be joining her highness the princess faction, glory or nothing! Naturally, your fate might also be doomed with mine¡­ Will you stay by my side until the end?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Even if I end up with a guillotine over my neck, I will still follow you until death, my dear!¡± After hearing his wife¡¯s determination, Earl Bergston finally decided. And the Earl who has already made his decision this time won¡¯t waver. He decided to make the princess the ruler of this kingdom with his own power, whether or not she will win does not matter anymore. ¡°I will immediately go to Ernans place. Please help me with the preparation. ¡°Now?¡± The wife showed a perplexed face. It¡¯s already passed 8pm o¡¯clock. Even if he goes out now, it¡¯s already late. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve delayed answering Mikoshiba-dono until tomorrow. But won¡¯t that be boring if I said ¡®Yes¡¯ to them just like that? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Earl Ernan Zerev. He is a noble who owns lands bordered to Earl Bergstons land. And he is also the man who took the sister of Earl Bergstons wife as his wife. He is also part of the neutral faction, and is also being antagonized by Duke Gerhardt. (Having me switch side from the noble faction to the princess¡¯ faction is the achievement of Mikoshiba-dono¡­ But having Ernan move to the princess faction will be my achievement. Beside, Ernan is my brother-in-law¡­ He is someone whom I can trust.) Earl Bergston, who is going to participate in the princess faction, has regained his former vigor. Even if Earl Bergston joins the princess faction, it would only end up as Ryouma¡¯s achievement. There would be nothing to evaluate from Earl Bergston who changes side. However, what if he brings other nobles together with him? That would be Earl Bergstons achievement. That¡¯s why, since he wants to secure a good position after joining the princess faction, he cannot afford to fail here. ¡°You must keep Mikoshiba-dono entertained as much as possible tomorrow. You hear? Do not let him leave before I return!¡± ¡°I understand. Please be careful on your way. Seemingly happy looking at her husband who regained his former radiance, she bowed her head to her husband who leaves the house. TLN: The day I saw side-character being so romantic compared to the main character¡­ I giggled the entire process of translating. AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM Chapter 32 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 14 Editors: Tan & Grey. Chapter 2 Episode 14 (Wavering People 3) Day 119 after being summoned to another world. ¡°What the hell happened?!¡± Duke Gerhardt is unable to hide his frustration. Day after day, unpleasant reports have come to him who supposedly is in an advantageous position. ¡°T-That is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what!? Say it clearly!¡± The man who is Duke Gerhardts aide is also lost for words. The only thing they know is that in the last few days, the neutral faction who had promised their assistance to them had switched over to the princess¡¯ faction side. And they were the nobles who own some level of territory that went over. Those nobles are the people who had joined the noble faction due to the favorable rewards that they had been promised. Moreover, the condition they asked for in return is only not to move their soldiers and give support to Princess Ladine. The nobles who accepted the deal will gain huge benefits in exchange for some low risk jobs. The nobles who were part of the neutral faction is in fact part of the nobles faction. Of course, Duke Gerhardt never had any intention on keeping his promise to those nobles. After all, thinking mathematically, it would take half of the kingdoms territory just to increase their land as a reward. But of course, something like that cannot happen. ¡°There are only two things that I can understand. Those nobles had sworn their loyalty to the princess¡¯ faction one after another. And¡­¡± The aide stopped his words there. If he continues, his Lord would become outraged. But if he kept on being silent as well, it would also end up with the same result; he was able to understand that thanks to his experience. The aide prepares himself to be blasted by his Lords furious wrath. ¡°There are also nobles who had a firm stance in supporting their faction among them¡­¡± ¡°What does that mean? A firm stance?¡­ Do you mean they strengthened their territory guard?¡± Duke Gerhardt asked as if he had become stupid. ¡°That is¡­ They seem to have gathered the territory soldiers and entered the royal capital.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± Duke Gerhardt did not hide his surprised expression. That is something that he cannot overlook. Even if the nobles changed sides to the princess, Duke Gerhardt won¡¯t have much problem. However, if the territory troops join them at the royal capital then, this changes everything. To change sides. One might think they will become a large force, but in reality, it is not. Because those who changes side around this time are those who hates losing their money. Someone who does not contribute much to a faction would usually change side with some incentive. For example, even if the princess faction were to raise their flag, if they don¡¯t offer any funds, mostly those people will reply with uncooperative-like attitude. At least, that¡¯s how its supposed to be. Because he understood that, at the time he invited them, Duke Gerhardt did not ask for excessive cooperation from them. Because he knows that they wouldnt help him even if he asked for it anyway. That¡¯s why Duke Gerhardt feels a sense of danger. He thought that they only supported the princess by staying within their own territory. ¡°What does this mean¡­ are they really joining the princess- No, in the first place, who are they?¡± ¡°First it was Earl Bergston, then Earl Zerev, and then there were also small nobles who held territory around them had entered the royal capital. ¡°Khuu¡­ That Earl Bergston bastard! Always trying to obstruct me¡­ No, wait, the princess? It was not the knight faction, but the princess?¡± Since he was so angry, Duke Gerhardt did not notice such detail. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m also curious about that, but no matter how much I investigated¡­ it is definitely not the knight faction, they belong to the princess¡¯ faction¡­¡± It might sound the same, but the truth is quite different. Although the knight faction is, without a doubt, the princess base support. The reason for them to support her is not because she¡¯s the princess nor because she¡¯s the leader of the imperial guard chivalric order. But it was because of General Hodram who is currently supporting Princess Lupis. The ones who swore loyalty to Princess Lupis is Meltina, the vice-leader of the chivalric order, and others, which are just some low-class knights. Most of the middle ranked knights who hold units are part of General Hodrams clique. Princess Lupis is merely a figurehead of the Knight faction. However, several nobles appear to support such princess. An aristocrat has military power in accordance to the scale of their territory. Middle ranked noble such as Earl Bergston, possesses military power around 1,000. If one were to include Earl Zerev and the small nobles around them, the princess would easily get around 4,000 of war potential. Of course, Duke Gerhardt, the current leader of the noble faction has around 40,000 troops. Furthermore, if he does not care about his own territory and conscript the farmers and hired the mercenaries, that can easily exceed 60,000. Currently General Hodrams forces are around 15,000 troops. Even if they both combined their force, it is still less than 20,000. Although it was worrisome that some nobles had switched over to the princess side, Duke Gerhardt still holds the advantage. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C After Duke Gerhardt dismissed his aide, he sank deeper into his seat while brooding over the situation. (Princess Lupis¡­ Does she plan on taking power from Hodram?) Such thought crosses over Duke Gerhardts mind. If one were only looking at the behavior of Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev, nothing much could be analyzed. And he also denied such an idea himself. (No¡­ That is impossible. Princess Lupis can¡¯t do something like that¡­) Duke Gerhardt doubted Princess Lupis capability. Princess Lupis turned 22 years old this year. She was the leader of the royal guard chivalry order for around five years, thus he can¡¯t say that she¡¯s incompetent. However, that is only applies to military affairs. Though, it was natural for her to end up like that. She had never participated in any government affairs. No matter who, one cannot do anything and expect a quality result without any experience. When it comes to capable people by her side; the subject would not change either, since there¡¯s only Meltina who is also the deputy leader of the Royal Guard as the princess aide. Moreover, Gerhardt himself recognises that people from the army are usually lacking in the brain department. In other words, it would be impossible to maintain Rozeria Kingdom with only the princess¡¯ power alone. (Had Princess Lupis have the total control of either military or politics, it would be different¡­ yet again, even the military, there¡¯s Hodram. Though it seems like her power is strengthening with the support of another party. It was not her personal power.) Duke Gerhardt himself knows what Hodram is aiming at, since they have a similar ambition. (Even if it¡¯s slow, Hodram will eventually abandon the princess, and within three years¡­ She will either get killed or confined he will definitely do one of them.) Duke Gerhardt himself has no interest in taking the throne for himself. Because he is more concerned about profits rather than fame. Whereas General Hodram is the type of person who cares for both fame and profits. Although he seem only to be chasing after profits, in the future, he might seek some fame himself. And that fame is called being the king. (If they win, I will die, but that will also be the same for Princess Lupis. No matter who wins, she will end up dying¡­) For Gerhardt who has another figurehead in the name of Princess Ladine, Princess Lupis is nothing more than a bother. When two people want to succeed the throne, it might cause the eruption of a civil war. However, Duke Gerhardt has a question regarding Princess Ladines legitimacy himself. It¡¯s true that she does have the same silvery hair, just like the previous king, and there¡¯s also a similarity regarding her features. Since he made use of the king¡¯s will, one can¡¯t easily call it fake either. However, since Duke Gerhardt himself is the mastermind of the current situation and being someone who had survived through a lot of political struggle, he somewhat feels that everything about the current situation is fabricated. The king passed away, and an illegitimate child had been found before someone could succeed the throne. One might say that the timing is too good. Still, he ends up supporting Princess Ladine, since he needed someone with Royal Bloodline to fight against General Hodram. After all, if he fought against the knight faction who has Princess Lupis without bringing any figurehead, people might put a stigma on him as a rebel. If that happens, he might find himself betrayed even by the people from the noble faction. Gerhardt himself thinks that all of this is stupid, but it is absolutely necessary to have a justification for wars. Even if that justification is merely a lie. (Well, whatever. Even if she¡¯s a false princess, if I recognize her, she will become genuine one¡­ I can easily dispose of her if she¡¯s a fake¡­) A smile appears on Gerhardt¡¯s face after thinking until there. Now that the justification has already been fulfilled, what one needs is the war forces strength. Currently, the noble faction has an advantage over numbers, and the matter of pulling the neutral faction towards them is also going well. Even if it gets reduced a little due to the princess¡¯ faction, it does not pose much of a problem. (The real problem is what had the princess decided to start now¡­ It does not seem to be the idea of that deputy leader. Does that mean she has someone else pulling the strings?) He does not mind ignoring all of it since he was still in the advantageous situation; however, Duke Gerhardt does not like the secret maneuvers that the princess¡¯ faction is making. ¡°Someone!¡± Gerhardt who finally got his thoughts settled, called for his aide. ¡°Did you call?¡± ¡°Umu¡­ I¡¯m slightly concerned about the princess¡¯ faction recent maneuvers. ¡°Would you like to send a spy?¡± ¡°Umu. I don¡¯t care how much money you use. Hire the best person for this job. His aide shows a surprised expression. After all, he knows that his master is not a generous person. ¡°Investigate if there¡¯s an able aide near the princess¡­ If so, kill that person immediately!¡± Duke Gerhardt who had won many political struggles has never place his hope on optimistic judgments. He gained the power in his hands by removing any obstacle beforehand. ¡°Certainly. His aide then leaves the room after lowering his head respectfully. ¡°Whoever they are if they dare to interfere with my plans, then I will kill them!¡± Duke Gerhardt was ready to use anything at his disposal.In order to rule over this country named Rozeria. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 33 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 15 Editors: Arekusu & Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 15 (Wavering People) Day 130 after being summoned to another world :(Wavering people 4) I look forward to your future loyal service. During the audience, when Princess Lupis made such a statement, all five nobles in front of her lowered their heads in silent consent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Its going well, huh Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev nodded their heads at Ryouma, agreeing with what he had said. After the meeting with Princess Lupis ended they gathered in another of the castles many rooms This is the result of Mikoshiba-donos work. Earl Bergston lowered his head toward Ryouma. Almost a month had passed since the Earl had joined the princess¡¯ faction. During that time, a bond of trust had begun to form between Ryouma, Earl Bergston, and Earl Zerev. No, no, this is all thanks to the Earls assistance. After all, I¡¯m nothing more than an outsider. This was not modesty. No matter how good of an argument you could come up with, it is not an easy thing for people to disregard each others social statuses in this world. One could say it was very fortunate for Ryouma that Earl Bergston was willing to hear him out and even became his friend afterward. Understanding all of this, Ryouma had put his trust in Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev, enabling the two brothers-in-law to persuade other neutral faction members, that they judged would have a high probability of joining the Princess faction. Initially, Meltina opposed him by asking: ¡°Did you promise them some important positions to turn them over to our side?!¡±. However, Ryouma managed to persuade her in the end. As a consequence of all of this, Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev were showing more results than he had expected of them. In just half a month, both men had successfully turned some of the neutral faction members throughout the kingdom to the princess¡¯ faction. Of course, that was due to the ability and the influence of the Earls, but it was Ryouma¡¯s explanation and his assessment of the current situation which played the biggest role in making both the invitation and negotiation successful. That¡¯s why Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev had never shown any disrespect despite the fact that Ryouma is a commoner. On the other hand, Ryouma also never grew arrogant just because of his achievements. As a matter of fact, there will be even more nobles who will probably swear their allegiance to the princess. Indeed. Just like Earl Zerev said, there are many members of the neutral faction who hold their own grudges against the noble faction! The grudges that the neutral faction members held against the noble faction were very strong, because they were centered around the fact that they had been alienated from the central politics by that very faction. After being told that they will be entrusted with policy-making after the war is over, many nobles came forward to pledge their allegiance to the princess with utmost devotion. Well it¡¯s good that our numbers are increasing, but Ryouma was smiling bitterly, the exact opposite of the two Earls, who were grinning happily. From the start Ryouma held the opinion that their current situation means that they should not allow themselves to grow too optimistic. Is there something thats bothering you, Mikoshiba-dono? Earl Zerev asked Ryouma after seeing Ryouma¡¯s expression. No, it¡¯s just, although I know that it is unavoidable that we will have to confront the noble faction in a decisive battle, I am still worried as to how we should deal with it, when the time comes. After pondering the problem for a while, Earl Bergston responded to the issue Ryouma had pointed out. Hou, is it the decisive battle against the noble faction itself, or rather its aftermath that Mikoshiba-dono is worried about? (Fuu~¡­, as expected of him, he understood so much from the few words I said¡­ ) Earl Bergston, as expected, are you talking about a different fight than the one against the noble faction? ¨C Earl Zerev suddenly asked. Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev are great politicians, but of the two of them Bergston is definitely the superior in terms of having a mind for strategy. Earl Bergson, as if chiding the simple Earl Zerev for only being able to solve problems that are right in front of his eyes, spoke his mind. No, thats not it. Originally the Princess, who has the Knight faction on her side, was lacking as far as the number of soldiers she could muster, but if you take into account her soldiers superior fighting ability, then you could say that both sides were nearly equal, but now that we have recruited a large part of the neutral faction, even if we were to fight against the noble faction we should have a significant advantage over them, if that is the case, then, as expected Struggling to finish his response, Earl Bergston turned his gaze towards Ryouma. Saying so little, the Earl had not given a definitive answer. Ryouma wanted him to say more than he had managed to. However, looking at Earl Bergstons face, he gave up on the idea. Ryouma could see that the Earl could not understand the cause for his concern. He decided to give the two brothers-in-law an explanation of the main problem they were all facing. Yes, just like you said. Im worried about the things that come after the crucial battle, well, I hope we can settle everything before we even have that decisive battle Being prepared ahead of time is an important part of warfare. It can be said that whether you are victorious or suffer defeat is determined based on how well you have prepared in advance. Ryouma clearly understood this principle. And he was not the first person who had thought in such a way. If he were to read famous 20th century Japanese books, he would have seen many references from ancient military books, both Eastern and Western. And nowadays there are even people who study Sun Tzus The Art of War and apply it to the field of business. Apart from being used for warfare, it is also being used in politics. A present day Japanese person should have knowledge comparable to that of medieval Japans politicians. Compared to Earths wartime era, this worlds current era was a lot less chaotic. And not to mention a situation where one nation concentrates too much on building up its military power and forsakes obtaining knowledge. That country would find itself lagging behind in terms of education, culture, and technology. If you think about it, there is a very extreme difference in the standard of living and upbringing of the different social classes. It is not uncommon for farmers, living in rural areas far away from the capital, to be unable to even write their own names. And most of the soldiers that the noble families have assembled are mostly made up of such farmers, albeit former ones. None of them have gone through military training of any sort. While the soldiers that Earl Bergston brings with him number a thousand, the truth is that they are just an amateur group of soldiers. Of course, the ones who led this militia were people hired by Earl Bergstons family. They are individuals who have studied the military arts, or former mercenaries, which separates them from the rest of Bergstons amateur army. However, one cannot expect much as far as fighting ability from all of them, soldiers and leaders combined, since the soldiers are mostly amateurs. But then, the noble faction has exactly the same problem. They have gathered the same type of inexperienced people for soldiers from within their own territories. Having said all of that, there is one exception ¨C the Knight faction. They are genuine soldiers and even the lower ranked ones are capable of using the magic arts. They are people hired by the country and their wages are paid by the king. If somebody wants to join the army, they have to pass a test of skill. Hence not everyone can join and become a proper soldier. Originally their existence was to act as a last line of defence that protects the royal family. But now, they have fallen almost completely under General Hodrams influence and he would not think twice about using them to further his own agenda. Thus, the army that everyone was supposed to trust had instead turned into their enemy. Because he had had to prepare for the fight against the Knight faction, Ryouma had left the task of recruiting nobles from the neutral faction to Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev. Although gathering information from the Knight faction was problematic, there is a much bigger problem troubling Ryouma. Speaking of soldiers, he wanted to minimise the number of casualties as much as possible. Since it is a profession, the number of skilled people is very limited. This is one of the main reasons why most monarchs are not strangers to hiring mercenaries. However, enlisting the services of mercenaries can also be viewed as a last-ditch measure. In addition to the fact that their ability varies, their loyalty is far worse than a Knights. Plus, acquiring capable mercenaries costs a lot of money. On average, one has to pay five times the annual salary of a knight per mercenary. On the other hand, unlike the knights that one has to maintain at all times, one can just fire these hired soldiers as soon as they are no longer needed. To put it simply, one can say the knights are the regular soldiers, while the mercenaries are the irregulars you use when you have no other choice. Taking all of this into account, the problem that is pestering Ryouma is how they are going to preserve the kingdom after they have replaced General Hodram. After they win against the noble faction, there will definitely be a struggle for power between the princess¡¯ faction against the Knight faction. This information is common knowledge for the people who both belong to the Princess faction and have her unwavering trust. Princess Lupis can take control of the national government if she defeats the noble faction. This is why they have been courting nobles from the neutral faction. However, no matter how well the nobles controlled the kingdoms internal affairs, they would not be able to overcome the military power of the knights. If you take into account the number and types of soldiers each side has, then the Knight faction would be ten times stronger than the Princess and her supporters. One might ask If Ryouma doesnt think thats the problem, then what does he think it is?. The problem is that after they defeat the Knight faction, there wont be anybody left to defend Princess Lupis and preserve the kingdom. If that was to happen, only chaos would ensue. The neighboring countries, the ones that were already eyeing the Rozeria Kingdom, would surely unite. If the Knight faction disappears, the starving wolves would not hesitate to turn their hungry gazes towards the kingdom ¨C unless there¡¯s an alternative army ready to take the place of the knights. And one should not forget that knights are professional soldiers. You can¡¯t just simply hire a farmer, not to mention it takes a lot of time to train them. Hiring mercenaries is not an option either, as it would cost too much. And not only that, in term of loyalty, they also cannot be trusted. Yet, if they do not eliminate the Knight faction then the princess will become their puppet. However, if they eliminate the Knight faction without being able to replace them, then the kingdoms military power would be diminished, and seeing this the neighboring countries would take advantage and invade¡­ This present situation could be thought of as someone being put in a maze that has no exit. I see, as expected of Ryouma, your foresight is amazing. Indeed Earl Bergston and Earl Zerev raised voices filled with admiration for Ryouma. However, seeing both of them act like that, he felt nothing but cold-heartedness. (To think that even they cant understand something as simple as this¡­ if the cunning Earls cannot, then it would only be natural for neither Princess Lupis nor Meltina to notice this problem,since even the people who are supposed to be capable couldnt get a grasp of the problem) With that, it can¡¯t be helped if Ryouma feels worried. They are not just ordinary commoners. It made him wonder whether the people who are supposed to carry the nations fate on their shoulders were unable to see all of these problems. But having said all of that, this problem is a minor one for Ryouma. After all, Ryouma¡¯s goal is to get Princess Lupis backing, so that he can win his future fight against the guildmaster. This means he does not need to concern himself with the fate of the Rozeria Kingdom if he doesn¡¯t plan on living in this country in the future. For Ryouma, if it¡¯s just to take out the knight faction then, he has many ways to accomplish that. Ultimately, knights in this world are people who hate trickery and scheming. This might be due to their ability to use magic, since they can just fight with brute force, thus they don¡¯t think much about using strategy in warfare. Ryouma is sure about that because he already asked the Princess, Meltina, and the other knights who had sworn loyalty to the princess, as to how they usually conducted warfare. Justice, Loyalty, and Pride. Their logic is that as long they have these three things, they would win any wars. He had also been shown some knight tactical books, but the content was appalling. The content of these books was unrelated to battle. Etiquette was the first such example he could remember. They didn¡¯t even have the concept of a formation, let alone a more complex ideas like logistics and chain of supply. Although this is not something he should say, but he thinks the knowledge in this world is too low. This was the reason why it is so easy for Ryouma to manipulate people so well. Well, as a knight, having strong muscles instead of a keen mind is fine. Above all else, bravery is their greatest virtue. But for nobles, it cannot be just that. Although bravery is valuable, the ability to see ahead is much more important for them. Since they are the ones who will be governing the country, they must be able to anticipate what would happen after they depose the Knight faction and take countermeasures in advance. Of course, that does not mean all of them should be able to notice that a hole would be left in the kingdoms defense , and it¡¯s not like they would be called incompetent if they could not see it. But if all of the people at the top of the government fail to see such a thing, then that is simply not good. (Were they just going to ignore the kingdoms defense after they eliminated the Knight faction?) Ryouma desperately shook off these simplistic and naive thoughts, banishing them from the depths of his mind. (No¡­, no, I¡¯m overthinking this too much¡­, as one would expect, this is all just too absurd.) If something like that really happen, then that would be the end of the Rozeria Kingdom. Ryouma is a selfish and shrewd man, yet at the same time he considered love, hate, and debt of gratitude as important things. Although only temporarily, they had become his allies. Thus it was impossible for him to just abandon them without helping them with all of his power. What is going on? Earl Zerev had started looking at Ryouma¡¯s face anxiously. Ryouma wondered if his expression had changed that much. Fumu, Mikoshiba-dono thought that winning against the knights is not our main problem, the problem you¡¯ve been worried about is how the kingdom will protect itself after we depose General Hodram, am I right? After saying that Earl Bergston turned his eyes toward Ryouma. Indeed. That is the problem which I was worried about Then why not just make Meltina-dono take command afterwards? Ooh! As expected of Earl Bergston. What a splendid idea! Their idea was to replace General Hodram with someone who¡¯s completely loyal to the princess. Certainly, this proposal meant that they would only need to eliminate Hodram; thus no significant reduction in the kingdoms military power would occur. However, Ryouma shook his head. Because he thought that something like that was impossible. That is impossible, Meltina is too reckless of a person for such a position. Meltina was indeed brave and has a strong sense of justice. More importantly, she¡¯s very loyal to the princess. One could see her as suitable for the job. However, it was not just pure strength that was needed. Although Meltina does not like factional disputes and her loyalty to the princess and the kingdom is unquestionable. The problem is how she thinks that her sense of values is absolute and that other people should have the same values as she does. In particular, she believes that everyone has to pledge their unconditional loyalty to the royal family. Of course, that is not completely wrong. Since she works for the Rozeria Kingdom, it is natural for her to think in such a way. However, human being are not simple creatures, they possess a lot of other senses as well. Such as desire. Self-defense. Different ways of thinking. And other various senses and values. If she has absolute power, then she wouldnt have to consider other people¡¯s wills. She would just crush them with brute force. However, the situation that Princess Lupis faces now is not one that can be dealt with mere strength. In term of a simple power relation, Princess Lupis is the weakest. Thus she needs someone who can lead the knights and at the same time swear their loyalty to her. It is crucial for such a person to be able to understand the other knights dissatisfaction. With such requirements, it was impossible for someone like Meltina to handle this kind of a job. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. The Earls, having heard Ryoumas explanation, had remained silent. Although their eyes didnt shine with confidence like they had before, at least now they knew the importance of the problem as he saw it. That is why the two of them were unable to say anything. In their minds, they could even imagine that the knights might run away due to Meltinas immense sense of pride. I see, indeed, she would be unfit for the job, but if that is the case, what are you going to do? Are you going to recommend someone from within the Knight faction itself? No, I don¡¯t want to do that if possible, since there would always be the possibility that we would end up creating another Hodram. Ryouma shook his head, dismissing Bergston¡¯s suggestion. If he suddenly chose a new leader of the knights from within the Knight faction itself, he would surely be thought of as someone that is no longer in the Princess¡¯ confidence. Of course, something like choosing a new leader is not unusual, however, Ryouma cannot risk promoting a knight, as he fears there is a chance of him failing to bring the Knight faction to the Princess¡¯ side after General Hodram has been deposed. And one must not forget that the person who replaces General Hodram would be in a position of great power.. That¡¯s why he needs someone trustworthy, someone who would pledge allegiance to Princess Lupis. All of this for the sake of preventing a second Hodram from appearing. Ah, right! There is someone like that! Eh?! Ryouma doubted his ears for a moment since it was none other than Earl Zerev, the man who had stayed silent for so long, that had suddenly raised his voice. Is that true? Earl Zerev!? Earl Bergstons expression was also beaming with surprise. Yes. Shes got not just experience, but also a good personality! I would stake my life on this persons suitability with confidence! She? Is it a woman? Oh? Youre still puzzled, Earl Bergston? It¡¯s her, Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s White Goddess of War. Thats right! How could I forget that person! Rozeria¡¯s White Goddess of War. After hearing such a grand title, a look of astonishment appeared on Earl Bergstons face. Just who on earth is she? Ryouma asked, and Earl Bergston started answering, feeling anxious all the while. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 34 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 16 Editors: Tan & Arekusu. Chapter 2 Episode 16 (Wavering People 5) Day 137 after being summoned to another world: (Wavering people 5) (I see, if it¡¯s a person like this, then we might be able to get her to come to our side, but still, isnt she retired? Something feels wrong¡­) That was Ryoumas impression of Elena, from the moment he had first seen her in the royal capital Pireaus. The person who Earl Zerev had called Rozerias White Goddess of Warwas actually a woman by the name of Elena Steiner. She was an old lady who had retired from knighthood around ten years ago. One could see that she was around 50 to 60 years old. Her blonde hair would have been beautiful when she was younger, but now it had white mixed in here and there. She gave off the impression of an obstinate neighborhood auntie. But after witnessing her entrance, one could see that she had kept her body in good shape even after she had retired. W-welcome, p-please come in! Meltina¡¯s greeting came out in pieces, probably due to her being too nervous. And the same could be said of Mikhail, who had insisted on being present on such an occasion. Ryouma had allowed them to accompany him on the condition that they wouldn¡¯t get in his way. Yet it seemed they were intent on doing just that, with their faces as red as if they were meeting their secret crush, and even trembling shoulders to boot. It was like seeing how flustered girls became when they were around their first love. (Well, since theyre this nervous, I guess they wont say anything unnecessary, which is good¡­) However, when he gave the whole situation a second thought, it was reasonable for them to be as nervous as they were. After all, the person known asRozerias White Goddess of War ¨C Elena Steiner ¨C was a living hero of legend in their eyes. A week ago, after Earl Zerev had informed him about her, Ryouma had decided to investigate Elena Steiner. Surprisingly, he didnt need to put in much effort to gain information. Since there wasnt a single citizen of the Kingdom of Rozeria that hadnt heard about her. It had gotten to the point where even the children in town had heard the stories about her. It reflected on how implicitly the citizens of the Kingdom trusted her. There were a lot of tales of battles she heroically fought in. And among those stories, the most legendary one was about The Battle of Notis. The Notis Prairie is on the borderline between the Kingdom of Zalda and the Ortomean Empire. Elena Steiner had been dispatched to the Zaldan Kingdom as a part of the Rozerian reinforcements, but instead of just saving the Zaldans, she had also deployed a reverse-invasion strategy against the Ortomean Empire, which had been gathering soldiers as part of their planned invasion of Zalda. After successfully thwarting their plans, she was declared a National Hero. Fufufu, you don¡¯t have to be that tense. Please drink some tea and calm down. Y-yes! P-please excuse me! Although Elena tried to calm her down, Meltina instead became even stiffer. Well, its best to leave her alone for now, Elena-sama. And also, thank you very much for coming all the way here. Elena answered Ryouma with a gentle nod. I was very surprised when I received your letter. After all, I havent been a knight for almost ten years now I can not thank you enough for listening to our unreasonable request, and I personally feel nothing but gratitude towards you. Well, since it was written in Princess Lupis own handwriting, I had no other choice except to come and visit Her Highness. Saying so, she elegantly lifted the teacup to her lips. Hearing you say so definitely makes me think it was worthwhile for me to ask the Princess to write that letter. Upon hearing that, Elena became somewhat suspicious of Ryouma. The reason for her suspicion was obvious. After all, Ryouma said that he had made the Princess write the letter for him. That reminds me, I have yet to ask what your name is. Due to his previous statement, Elena seemed to have taken an interest in Ryouma. Im called Mikoshiba Ryouma. A surprised expression appeared on Elenas face. Oh my, you really dont have the presence of a tactician Certainly, when looking at Ryoumas body, one could not see anything past his muscles. He did not look like someone who fought with his head. By any chance, have you heard of me? Ara~, isn¡¯t it obvious? After all, even if I have retired from the army, I still love this country. I learn about most things that happen around here, you know? And some people did not forget me as easily even after I retired as Knight ten years ago. Hence, they talk with me about a lot of things. Looking at Elenas face, Ryouma was convinced that she was still in contact with some of her knight friends. (I see, she doesn¡¯t seem to be involved with the Knight faction yet, and¡­, that could be a good thing for us.) Currently, most knights do not hold any loyalty towards the princess and that is because General Hodram, their leader, has the ambition of going against the Royal family in the future. Originally, the knights were soldiers who would swear their allegiance to the Kingdom and to the royal family, so that they could act as a balancing factor against the nobles and their militias. Judging from Elenas statement, perhaps there might be a group of knights that were not satisfied with serving under General Hodram. And they must be the ones who had become her source of information. Is that so? Well then, its a great honor for me that Rozerias White Goddess of Warknows my name. Elenas smile turned wry upon hearing Ryoumas words. My, oh my, youve heard of something as old as that, huh? That title of mine, I earned it a long time ago. You dont seem to like it very much, Elena-sama. Its a relic of the past, after all, by the way, I¡¯ve yet to hear the reason behind your invitation to meet. It seemed as if her nickname was a topic she did not want to talk about and thus she immediately changed the subject. Then, lets get straight to the point. I want you to give Princess Lupis your support. Elenas expression stiffened. She hadnt expected him to immediately cut to the chase like he had. Oh my, how straightforward of you She smiled, but afterwards Elena was immediately lost in thought for a while. But well, I guess it makes it easier to understand, and I like it, you know? Your way of doing things, that is Her gaze and tone of voice had somehow changed, as if she was trying to evaluate Ryouma. Thank you for your compliment. So, whats your answer? Oh my? No matter how old I am, Im still a woman, you know? It is never a good idea to rush a lady. Oh, please forgive my rudeness, milady. Surely, forcing such a hasty invitation upon you is impolite of me. However, we really do not have much time left. Ryouma instantly parried Elenas chiding words. Well, unless you let me meet the princess, I cant give you an answer right away, you know? Oh? You want to meet the princess? To be honest, we don¡¯t have time for something as meaningless as that, you know? WHAAAA-T! The outrage in Elena, Meltina, and Mikhails voices was strong. Y-you bastard! Ryouma directed his cold gaze towards Meltina, who had begun to stand up from her chair in anger. It was a gaze that anyone who met would understand without a second thought. It was as if it he saying I¡¯ll murder you if you don¡¯t shut that mouth of yours! Meltina immediately sunk back into her chair. I¡¯m sorry for that, she¡¯s really not used to this kind of thing, you see After confirming that Meltina had once again sat down, Ryouma slightly lowered his head toward Elena in apology. That really surprised me, youve really got guts, dont you? Even as a hero of the army, I¡¯ve only seen a few people who had a backbone like yours. Thank you for your kind words. After all, my life is on the line here. Hearing Ryoumas words, Elena asked a question after straightening in her chair. So? Why do you think its useless for me to meet the princess? Because, if you really wanted to help the princess, you would have come to the castle a long time ago. She is someone who has already been in retirement for ten years. For Elena to come to the Princess aid would mean that she would have to return to active duty once more. Under normal conditions, something like that would be impossible. Furthermore, for her, things like money or fame were meaningless. She had once held the position of General, thus she had no problem as far as wealth, and there¡¯s no greater fame and honor than being the hero that saved her own nation. Even if Ryouma used loyalty toward the royal family as a reason to force her to his side, for Elena, something like that would bear no weight on her decision. If she could be swayed with things as simple as these, then, she would already be serving either Princess Lupis or Princess Ladine. The reason behind why she had not done so was that she was unable to judge which one was the legitimate ruler. She couldnt just arbitrarily declare that Princess Ladine, who had Duke Gerhardts support, was a fake because Ladine could truly be a child of the previous king. And because of her loyalty to the royal family, she had been unable to move. From Elena¡¯s standpoint, she could not grant her support to Princess Lupis, at least not in the current situation. That is why it was meaningless for the two of them to even meet. That¡¯s right, if you can see things so clearly, then why call me here at all? Because we want your support by whatever means necessary. After hearing Ryouma out, Elena had a troubled look on her face. My, oh my? Are you implying that you would even use force? If neither money nor reason could tempt her, then the only option that was left was to use force. Contempt flashed across Elenas face. Did I overestimate you? I thought that a capable person had joined Princess Lupis side. No, no, I wouldnt do so rude of a thing, you know? Using force that is. Then what did you mean? Ryouma went on to answer Elena after a small fit of laughter. Even if I cant tempt you with money or honor, you still came here because of the letter you received from the princess. That means that theres still some room for negotiation, right? Hence, youre going to request something else. Neither money nor honor and not even loyalty would tempt you. It is something personal. Ryoumas deduction immediately changed the atmosphere in the room. His words had taken everyone by surprise. I see, indeed, youre a sharp and capable person. Praise came forth from Elena¡¯s mouth. And by what she had said, one could see that Ryoumas reasoning was correct. Then can you tell me? What is it that I really want, based on your answer, I will decide whether I will help Princess Lupis or not. Understood, and, to be honest, I have a hunch as to what your wish is. Upon hearing Ryouma out, Meltina and Mikhail gaped in surprise. However, Elenas expression did not falter at all. Of course, that much is obvious, if you couldn¡¯t do even that much, then you would be a complete disappointment. Although I said I could guess, I have no concrete proof, thus I can¡¯t really put my notions out in the open. Fuu~¡­, I dont know if I should call you cautious or an outright coward Elenas gaze pierced Ryouma. If she saw any hesitation or fear in Ryoumas demeanor, she had decided she would never accept him. Ryouma took in her gaze head on. In order to prove his own value. Well, I guess that when you fight with wisdom, being cautious is necessary, right? Fine. Then, please give me some time to think it over. But foremost, please tell me your theory. Elena could clearly see Ryoumas unwavering resolve in his gaze. Then she decided to bet on it. She decided to bet her own life on it¡­ (This child, is he the last piece of the puzzle that Ive been looking for all this time? Finally, the thing that I¡¯ve looked forward to for so long has finally shown up¡­) Ten years had passed since she had retired from her knighthood. However, she herself had had no intention of retiring. She had been forced to retire. By that man. Hodram. Rozerias White Goddess of War? Elenas lips distorted in disgust. Indeed, she had once been called so. That name had spread across the neighboring lands, not to mention within the Kingdom of Rozeria itself. Everyone had praised her. However, she had not felt it. She had not felt the blade that had been aimed at her. The more fame you gain, the more another person would envy you. (If this youngster can correctly guess my wish, then, if he has the wisdom to do so, then, maybe I¡­ maybe I can finally get my one true desire!) Expectancy and anxiety were evident in Elena¡¯s gaze. The expectation that she may be able to finally be granted her wish, and yet the anxiety that she might be betrayed. Ryouma immediately saw through those conflicting emotions within Elena. A look that implied she was expecting something from him. And apprehension that he might betray her. He immediately concentrated on all of the information he had acquired beforehand and the newly-gained knowledge from their current meeting. (What she wants is revenge against the Knight faction, but how far does it go? Is it only limited to Hodram himself? Or is it toward the entire faction?) She had retired ten years ago. Yet she had retained her influence among the knights, which meant that shes been waiting for an opportunity to take her revenge, and thats why she had never gotten out of shape. If she had retired from the knights by her own will, then she wouldnt have needed to practice every day. Also, one shouldnt forget the look on her face when Ryouma had called her by her famed title -Rozerias White Goddess of War. Despite apparently disliking her own nickname, her hatred was not all-encompassing, since she was still interacting with some of the other knights. (Well, I had already taken all of this account beforehand¡­) Of course, he shouldnt neglect all of the reasons she had had for coming to this meeting. But then again, in the end, it was solely thanks to the existence of her closely-kept wish that this negotiation was possible at all. Although her demand could end up costing her dearly. (Fuu~, I guess I have no other choice than to give her an answer, do I?) Ryouma made up his mind. Although what he had was just an inkling. No matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing certain about it. However, he was left with no other choice besides believing in the answer he had arrived at, based on the information he had gained beforehand. Your wish is to get revenge, is it not? Upon finally hearing Ryoumas answer, a mix of joy and surprise radiated from Elenas expression. Why would you think so? I felt it the moment I saw you. They told me you had retired. Yet, youve never stopped training, not for one day, and you also get a lot of news from the knights. And this is despite the fact that you have been retired for over ten years, which means your retirement was not something you decided on your own. And immediately after you retired, General Hodram replaced you. And after having met and seen General Hodram up close, I can see that hes the type of person who thinks highly of himself. Please, pardon me, Elena-san, but you¡¯re a farmers daughter, arent you? Since youre not from a noble family and you werent born into knighthood, based on his personality, it wouldnt be strange for him to do something underhanded in order to get rid of you. I see, so you were able to understand me to such an extent Elenas grudge could be felt in that one simple sentence. My, my greatest wish is for that man, Hodram, I want his head on a pike, for that man is not just my enemy, but also the enemy of both my husband and daughter Listening to Elenas words, Ryouma realized that he had been right all along. And thus, the hatred she had kept within her heart would¡­ AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 35 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 17 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 17 (Wavering People 6) Day 137 after being summoned to another world. Ten years ago, Elena Steiner was a general of Rozeria Kingdom. From an unknown farmer to a knight, and eventually to a general. Her ability and achievement pushed her to the highest position in the military. People in the Rozeria Kingdom idolize her. However, within the crowd stood a man who envies her. Whenever there¡¯s light, there will always be a shadow. And that persons name is Hodram Ahrenberg. He¡¯s someone blessed with good physique. He also possesses the military skills necessary to become a top knight. And he¡¯s also from a prestigious family which has always produce great knights from generation to generation. He was undoubtedly a perfect knight one could ever wish for. Not to mention he also has high discipline. For the sake of surpassing everyone, he never settles for being the second best. He keeps aiming for higher positions even when he¡¯s already in the position of a captain, a position that many regarded as the finest role a knight could ever dream of. The top position in the Rozeria Kingdom army is the general. There are six chivalric orders in the Rozeria Kingdom. The first two are the royal guards who serve directly under the King to ensure his safety within the palace and the Royal defence that acts as the Kings private army. The other four orders, under the command of the General, work to protect and maintain the peace within the kingdom. Although one needs to be appointed by the king to get the position, usually the predecessor General will recommend and nominate a successor to the king. However, at the time when the previous General was about to retire, he asked for anyone who wishes to apply for the position to nominate themselves. As a result, the one who was chosen as the successor was Elena. Her ability and fame for being Rozeria¡¯s white goddess of war was the final deciding factor. It even can be said that it was natural for her predecessor to nominate Elena. However, Hodram did not give up. His pride would not allow someone who was a former farmer to take the job. Hodram then proceeded to make several moves behind the scene in an attempt to take Elena down. From fabricating corruption to the point of considering an assassination. However, she was able to prevail through all of that. Her friends within the chivalric order also helped her. Ultimately, his frustration exploded to the point that Hodrams fangs reached her family. That day, when she finally returned home after two months away suppressing a group of rebellious nobles. However, no one came out to welcome her even after she opened the door. Despite being a former farmer, she¡¯s a general. Her house is a medium size mansion, and there¡¯s also servants. She also couldnt see the figure of her ten years old daughter who would usually jumps out to welcome her when she comes home. Feeling that something is not right, she rushed over to the living room where her family often gather. When she opened the door¡­ ¡°I found my husband¡¯s head¡­¡± At the time she opened the door, what reflected on Elena¡¯s eyes was her dead husband¡¯s head. His expression was as if he had been tortured before his death. At that time, Elena¡¯s brain halted immediately, unable to accept reality. It was not until several days later she woke up in a bed of her colleague¡¯s house and came to her sense. Being a general is not an easy task. Even after she returned from the expedition, she could only relax at home for a brief moment. And the next day, a mountain of works such as preparing report awaits her in the office. Thus it was fortunate that her colleague visited her house since she did not show up on the next day. When he found her, she was still sitting in the living room, holding her husband¡¯s head in her arms. Her friend then took Elena to his house and returned to Elena¡¯s mansion. ¡°There was a letter. The letter said that her daughter is alive¡­ and if she wants her back, the condition is for her to retire¡­¡± She must have been holding an unbelievable rage within her. After all, even Ryouma could feel the rage from her tone of voice alone. ¡°You see I¡­ I made an effort to progress from a mere peasant to becoming a General¡­ Being a knight is never an easy task. After all, it is a job that is usually done by a man¡­¡± It was considered more of a typical problem rather than s.e.x discrimination. After all, in term of muscular strength, women are visibly lagging behind men. As a matter of fact, Elena has seen it first hand of how competitive it is to be among a group of men. However, she was still able to show her full ability by maximizing her femininity. And that is the power of cooperation rather than a skill of an individual. When a knight fight, he puts his pride on a one-on-one fight. They would show disgust when they surround one person with multiple people. Speaking of a Knight¡¯s pride, while it is not necessary a bad thing, the efficiency is poor. That¡¯s why Elena proposed a cooperation between Knights. The Knights who were initially against her proposal began to understand thanks to her personality and its practicality in actual combat. And the outcome of her effort is¡­ ¡°Do you understand, how it feels to throw away all of that?¡± Ryouma shook his head. Although he¡¯s able to imagine it¡­, Only people who have been been through the same situation as hers can truly understand it. ¡°However, for my daughter, even if it costs me my rank¡­ if she can return home safely, then¡­¡± Her daughter was born when she was 40 years old. Elena who got married after the age of 30 had given up hope on having her own child. Since the medical technology in this world is lagging behind present-day Japan, it was hard to give birth at later age. That¡¯s why Elena was very happy when she found out that she was pregnant. Because she was finally able to understand the happiness of being a woman. ¡°Therefore, despite my friends objections, I retired from the order¡­ I know it was a weak judgment; however, I don¡¯t see any choice other than that¡­¡± ¡°She did not come back to you huh¡­¡± Elena nodded her head towards Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°I was forced to keep this matter to myself. I cant afford to put my daughters life at risk by displeasing those criminals any further. However, one month passed, two months¡­ My daughter never came back even after one year¡­ Meanwhile, Hodram got the position of general. ¡± Since the victim chose not to publicise the crime, it was natural for this matter to end up not spreading to the general populace. However, Ryouma felt that something is not right. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I thought the general position is handed down by recommendation of the predecessor?¡± ¡°Normally, that is so¡­ but because I left without appointing a successor, and in the case of the predecessor died in action¡­ then in those cases, it will be decided by a vote among the captains of each chivalric orders.¡± It seems like Elena was unable to do anything since she was worried about her daughter. Under such circumstance, for Elena to recommend a successor has become impossible. ¡°Five years passed since I come home, waiting for my daughter¡­ In my mind, I had given up¡­ Even if I wanted to hunt down the criminal; I was unable to find out anything. There was not a single clue of my daughters whereabout¡­ and living has become painful ever since. ¡± That is natural. After all, for parents, a child is their treasure. It is not an exaggeration to say that a child is their life. ¡°Do you remember? Five years ago, a slave trader got sentenced to death due to secret maneuvers?¡± Elena directed her question towards Meltina. ¡°Eh!? Y-Yes!¡­¡± Slave trading in itself is not illegal. However, usually they only deal with prisoner of war or the family of criminals. It is unforgivable no matter where, for example, to capture a fellow townsman and make them slaves deliberately. Despite this being a feudal lord system, they, of course, won¡¯t recommend slave hunting. If they were to do so, people would escape from their territory. However, no matter what ages, there will always be foolish people. Thinking they could get away with doing it in a small scale, they commit the crime. And the slave trader who got beheaded five years ago was such merchant. ¡°You see, he was someone who would buy any kind of man as long he can make profits. No matter where they came from, even taking as far as the townsman of the royal capital. ¡± That slave trader was beheaded after attempting to deprive a nobles relative. Who was also related to the royal family. The slave traders confidence seems to have come from how easy it is to bribe the officials in the kingdom. However, if you were to anger the ones with higher authority than those who back you up, your life will be over. ¡°And the one who was tasked to arrest that person is the chivalric order. In fact, because that person commanded a very large private army¡­ The chivalric order needed the help of The Garrison guard to arrest him. ¡± ¡°So, did you find out where your daughter is?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ there were a lot of rumors after the order tortured him. ¡± Elena¡¯s answer to Ryouma was quiet. However, the content was pretty gruesome. ¡°And then, during the torture, he admitted that he was the one who assassinated my family¡­¡± It seems like he was the intermediate that gathered the assassins, but for Elena everything is the same. ¡°I was able to meet the man directly, because after all, the one in charge of the torture is a former subordinate of mine. ¡± To put it simply, she took the risk. After all, even if she¡¯s a retired general, it has been five years since her retirement. She was just an ordinary person back then, yet she took the risk to meet him. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s where you found out, right? That Hodram was the mastermind behind everything¡­¡± ¡°Yes. ¡± It was a short answer, but that answer tells him everything. ¡°Why did you waited this long?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple¡­ This story is not something that I can easily speak about¡­ Had I spoken about it carelessly, I might get crushed, or he will send an assassin to aim for my life as well. ¡­ Since I was retired, Hodram has significantly become more powerful. It is not possible to dislodge him out of his position with just a mere slave trader testimony¡­¡± Silence loomed over the room. No one expected it to be this complicated. Ryouma is not sure what to say since Mikhail and Meltina may end up knowing too much about it as well. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Ryouma¡¯s mouth also feels heavy. He had anticipated that to some degree; however, he did not expect that her grudge would run this deep. (This is bad¡­ If it¡¯s this bad then, should I just let Meltina handle the Knights afterward?) ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t do anything that you¡¯re worried about¡­ what I want is just Hodram and his family. Only that¡­ ¡± Elena was able to understand Ryouma¡¯s anxiety from his complexion. Therefore she spoke honestly about her wish. (I see¡­ She¡¯s able to understand my concern¡­ Her ability and judgement are certainly not bad¡­ I guess we can only prepare for the worse huh?¡­) There¡¯s no change within Ryouma¡¯s mind that he wants Elena for the position. After all, her ability has already been demonstrated. It¡¯s just a matter of whether to protect Hodram¡¯s family from her revenge or not. According to the law, such revenge is a crime. And she should also understand that. That¡¯s why she had waited this long. Waited for an opportunity to come. Elena had presented her conditions. The problem now is whether Ryouma would accept it or not. (I guess I have no choice huh?¡­ Well, although it is regrettable, I have no choice other than to gives up Hodrams family here. ) Ryouma disregard his sense of justice. No matter how much he looks for it, there¡¯s no other choice. Anyway, it is the family of his enemy to begin with. Furthermore, this also can be said as something along the line ¡®you reap what you sow.¡¯ Thus he does not feel sorry for the family involved. (Well, I¡¯m fine with it¡­ But what about the princess?¡­) Even if Ryouma pretended that he did not feel affected, the problem is the princess. One month had already passed since their first meeting. With that much time, he was able to grasp her personality thoroughly. (She¡¯s someone who pursues ideal too much¡­ Will she accept Elenas revenge toward Hodrams family? That¡¯s impossible¡­ so what should I do? If I refuse here, she will definitely side with the noble faction¡­) Her main goal is to revenge. Of course, there¡¯s the case regarding loyalty to the royal family, but does that even matter now? If someone from noble faction were to come to her earlier than Ryouma, and were willing to grant her wish, she would without a doubt join the nobles faction. (I guess, I have no choice other than taking her on huh¡­) Ryouma resigned. He will accept Elena¡¯s condition without telling the princess. ¡°Fine by me¡­ I accept your demand. ¡± ¡°¡±Wha!¡±¡± A surprised voice leaked out from Meltina¡¯s and Mikhail¡¯s mouths. In fact, this is also part of the negotiation. Had he ask time to discuss it with the princess, Elena¡¯s heat will cool down during that time. There¡¯s no other choice than to decide all of this here and now. ¡°Are you sure? Don¡¯t you need to discuss this matter with her highness first?¡± Elena was able to see through what¡¯s inside Ryouma¡¯s head. ¡°Rest assured¡­ Please entrust this matter to me. Although this might sounds arrogant¡­ I will do something about it. Please don¡¯t worry¡­ ¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Elena gazes directly at Ryouma¡¯s eyes. As if saying ¡®I won¡¯t forgive you if you lie.¡¯ After she stared at him for a short while. Elena¡¯s expression relaxed. ¡°Very well, I will believe in you, Mikoshiba-dono. ¡± As a proof of trust, Elena paid respect to Ryouma who is much younger than her. ¡°Thank you very much. Elena-sama.¡± ¡°So? What should I do? Should I break the knight faction?¡± For a moment Ryouma was lost in thought upon hearing Elena¡¯s question. ¡°How many people within the Knight faction are feeling dissatisfied towards General Hodram?¡± ¡°Let see¡­ Almost two-third of them have dissatisfaction toward him¡­¡± ¡°Two-third?!¡± A surprised voice leaked from Ryouma¡¯s mouth. Hodram cannot be the head of a faction if the majority hates him. ¡°That¡¯s impossible isn¡¯t it?¡± Elena answers Ryouma¡¯s question with a smile. ¡°Certainly, normally something like that is impossible¡­ But as you can see, he was able to do so. And he does that by using the so-called mutual surveillance. ¡± ¡°Mutual surveillance is it?¡± ¡°Will it be easier to understand if I say, he is willing to offer promotion in exchange for secret information?¡± There are several countries on Earth where such system is being adopted. Most of the communist before the soviet union collapsed had adopted such system¡­ while North Korea is still utilising this system to maintain their administration up until now. To put it simply, it is a system that encourages betrayal. If a subordinate reports a secret information to their boss regarding someone that their boss does not like. In exchange, they will get promoted for the information. Such system is very prone to creating human distrust. Of course that is natural. Every human being has someone they feel dissatisfied about. And if someone heard another persons secret information, they might kill that someone just to hide it. As a result of that, neither colleagues nor friends can open their heart to each other. ¡°I see¡­ Certainly that might be easy to break¡­ ¡± The weak point of this system is that it could collapse if just one person has the courage to stand up. The problem is such courageous man is hard to come by. It might sound weird to call such system strong despite being weak, but that was the truth. Everyone has dissatisfaction, but they cannot talk to others. In other words, they have to be ready to put their life on the line just to speak out. That¡¯s why this system is strong. However, when a person with courage comes and stand up, what will happen? Of course, the person must pick the people to talk about his or her dissatisfaction, but that won¡¯t change the likelihood that they share the same discontent. After talking about their mutual dissatisfaction, it will slowly overflow outside the barrier. When that happen, nobody will be able to stop them anymore. The dissatisfaction that has been kept down all the time will burst out in rage. And then, they will pull the trigger on the man in front of them. Not to mention the one who initiates the fire is Rozeria¡¯s hero herself. The flame will be massive. Although he doesn¡¯t know how far Meltina and Mikhail understand all of this, Ryouma was able to see the clear outcome from it. ¡°Very well. I will entrust that side to you. However¡­ Please be sure to report the situation to me thoroughly. ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Trust me for that part. Even though I look like this, I¡¯m still a former general after all. ¡± ¡°May I ask one other thing?¡± ¡°Oh my? Is there something wrong?¡± Ryouma asked Elena when she tried to leave the room. Even though he knew it is insensitive to ask this question, he couldnt leave it alone without asking. ¡°Your daughter¡­¡± Elena did not answer Ryouma¡¯s words for a while. Clearly it is a story that she does not want to talk about. Here Ryouma regretted his thoughtlessness. ¡°Ah, Forgive me I forgot, ¡®my daughter you see, after being kidnapped, she had gone mad after getting herself thoroughly violated, since someone like that, have no value anymore, they killed her¡­¡¯ ¡­ I¡¯m sorry. ¡± Although he had expected it, hearing it directly from the victims parent feels very heavy. He was about to say she did not have to answer but¡­ (I guess I¡¯m stupid¡­ I ended up hearing something I should not have¡­) ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ I do not mind¡­ However¡­ This is why I can¡¯t stop¡­ Never!¡± Looking at her back who was going out of the room, was the figure of a person who stands above everyone else, and also a figure of a mother in pure anger. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 36 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 18 Editor: Tan Chapter 2 Episode 18 (Outbreak of war 1) Day 165 after being summoned to another world: (Outbreak of war). ¡°This is bad, we cannot use this plan anymore¡­¡± Ryouma scratched his head while staring at the ceiling inside his own room. Beside Ryouma, only Sara and Laura, both of whom are wearing chainmail underneath their maid outfit are present However, both sisters did not talk to Ryouma. Because right now, their duty is to not disturb their master. In the first place, Ryouma¡¯s words did not require any answer either. They were words that came out unintentionally while he¡¯s in deep thought. Both sisters had understood that since they had been with him for more than five months now. ¡°Nee-sama¡­ Ryouma-sama seems to be in deep thought, could he perhaps forgot that the banquet party will start soon?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ But you must not disturb him, alright?¡­, he will immediately call out to us the moment he made up his mind¡­, when the time comes you can just inform him that youve declined the invitation. ¡± The sisters have decided that he will be absent from the dinner party. ¡°Unn, understood¡­, then I will go and decline their invitation. ¡± ¡°Thank you, please do so¡­, I don¡¯t want to leave Ryouma-sama unsupervised after all, please give her highness the princess my best regard as well. ¡± ¡°Un¡­, I understand, it would be dangerous if an assassin were to show up like the last time after all¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ Well, I think we should be fine since this is Ryouma-sama we are talking about¡­ Ah right, go borrow the kitchen and prepare some evening meal for him.I¡¯m sure he will be hungry when he¡¯s done. ¡± ¡°Unn¡­ Understood. ¡± After exchanging a few words, Sara left the room quietly. Jet black darkness has already loomed over the sky outside. Currently, it would be a great opportunity for assassins to come out since even the moonlight is covered by the clouds. Of course, the security within the castle is regarded as impenetrable. However, the place is guarded by humans and therefore error is bound to happen at some point. Furthermore, their priority is to protect Princess Lupis safety. It would be natural for them to treat the rest of the people as a second priority, even if they are the people who helped the Princess. The other day Ryouma was attacked by assassins. Ryouma, who noticed an arrow flying toward him, immediately bent his body to dodge it. Although the arrow missed, but because the arrow had poison on it, it could have been fatal. Since the assassin¡¯s whereabout is still unknown, they need to be cautious in case a second surprise attack happen. Both Laura and Sara are ready to become Ryouma¡¯s shield. However, since the sisters understand that Ryouma does not permit the sisters to sacrifice their lives to save his, they armed themselves to be ready to respond to any danger.. One of the countermeasures is the chainmail they are wearing underneath their maid clothes. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Fuu¡­ I¡¯m hungry¡­¡¯ Almost two hours had passed since the time Sara went out to inform the princess that Ryouma can¡¯t participate in the banquet. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s currently 8.05 p.m. ¡± Laura immediately replied. ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Wait! There¡¯s a dinner party today isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already declined it on your behalf.¡± ¡°I see, thanks, youre a lifesaver. ¡± Originally, Ryouma was supposed to dine with Princess Lupis tonight. But a report that arrived in the morning had changed everything. That report sent Ryouma lost in thought. He had to think about the countermeasures. ¡°Is there any message from them?¡± ¡°We were told that since Ryouma-sama might be busy thinking about a plan, Ryouma-sama does not have to be worried about being absent. However, there will be another meeting tomorrow, and they want Ryouma-sama to present the plan at that time. ¡± Princess Lupis was surprisingly favorable towards Ryouma, despite his refusal to her invitation which is usually an act of serious offence. This, in turn, reflected how important the report they received this morning was. Hearing Laura¡¯s words, Ryouma feels relieved. ¡°I see, phew, tomorrow huh¡­¡± *Growl* Sound came out of Ryouma¡¯s stomach. Other than drinking tea, he has not eaten anything since Lunch. As expected, Ryouma was starving. ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­ Is there anything to eat?¡± ¡°Yes, Sara had already prepared some food.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s eat together. You guys have not eaten either right?¡± Ryouma knew that the girls wouldnt eat before him. Hearing his words, Laura nodded her head happily. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare it immediately. ¡± ¡°Now then. Because there¡¯s not much time, let¡¯s go over the plan while we eat. ¡± Both sisters turned their gazes towards Ryouma and nodded their head. For Ryouma, both sisters have become his maid, his guard, and also his important adviser. By explaining his thoughts to the sisters, Ryouma can sort out his train of thoughts clearly, and at the same time, it also functions as a rehearsal before he has to explain it to Princess Lupis. Particularly, choosing the right words to convey the meaning and expression across is important. Since both sisters are from a Knight family, by this world standard, they had received the best education. From Ryouma¡¯s perspective, their knowledge is more or less only equal to upper grades of primary school. However, since it was a knowledge obtained during the period of chaos like this, it was something they can be proud of. In fact, most of the commoners, who accounted for over 90% of the total population are unable to write their own names. Let alone mathematics. With the exception of merchants, most common people cant even do simple additions. Because of that, Ryouma words can often be misunderstood by others. Even when he was explaining a general concept, they were not able to grasp the essence of his ideas. That¡¯s why Ryouma explains it to the sisters first. By observing their reactions, he is able to identify which words are not suitable to use. Afterward, he can rephrase his sentences or explain it in more detail. ¡°Are you two aware that General Hodram has joined the noble faction?¡± The sisters nodded their head. Originally it was a piece of information that was only known to a small number of people. However, this sort of information will eventually be leaked. This bad news that arrived in the morning is no longer a secret to the people in the castle. Although Ryouma is disappointed that a national secret leaks so easily like this, he felt it cant be helped since the level of crisis management in this world is quite poor. Even if Mikoshiba Ryouma is someone who had been summoned from another world. It is impossible for him to change the way a country does things in a single night. There¡¯s no choice other than for him but to prioritise the problems in front of him and rectify them in order. That being said, the only things that got leaked was that General Hodram has joined the noble faction. How he ended up siding with the noble faction remains a mystery. ¡°I see¡­ First, should I start by explaining how it ended up like this? ¡± Ryouma began to talk while munching down a piece of steak and followed by some wine. It was around four days ago when General Hodram had left the royal capital, bringing with him the white sword chivalric order in the name of restoring order. Ryouma was not aware of this He heard that General Hodram had a direct talk with Princess Lupis. In reality, ever since the nobles faction started supporting Princess Ladine, the Kingdoms security has deteriorated. To maintain peace, one needs power; and to maintain that power, one needs strength. Justice without power will never prevail. Nevertheless, the royal capital Pireaus is one of the big regional cities. The nobles faction and princess¡¯ faction stationed their soldiers in such city because of its strategic value. As a result, the security of Pireaus is the strongest compared to all the nearby cities. Consequently, this leads to less soldiers guarding the smaller towns and villages since it has less strategic advantage. Of course, something like this is inevitable. Because neither Princess Lupis nor Duke Gerhardt have an infinite military power. Ryouma is also concerned about the security, but there¡¯s nothing he can do. And General Hodram took advantage of that flaw. ¡°The kingdom cannot live without its people!¡± With that line alone, it would be hard for Princess Lupis to ignore the argument. If Ryouma or Elena were to hear these words from general Hodram, they won¡¯t be able to believe in it. Indeed it is a just argument. But, is it possible that someone who has always seek benefits for himself to suddenly care about the people? The answer is a big no. Of course, nothing in this world is 100% certain. However, it was clear enough that this was fabricated. Had Ryouma or Elena were on the scene, they would never have believed such story. At least, they wouldnt have let General Hodram command the army directly. However, Princess Lupis did not realize this. No, She might have realized it. However, she succumbed to the sweet talk about justice that General Hodram had presented. Because her wish is also for the peace of the kingdom. And as a result for that, she accepted General Hodrams suggestions. Sure enough, Princess Lupis ended up getting deceived. ¡°That¡¯s how it is¡­ ¡± The expressions of the two sisters who heard the story from Ryouma did not change. If he was to talk to Liones group, they would definitely talk back with abusive language; however, these girls wouldnt do that. Because they understand having spent time with Ryouma that it is pointless to get angry and nothing will be accomplished by just complaining alone. ¡°Is that how it is?¡­, and now Ryouma-sama is concerned due to the fact that General Hodram has joined the nobles faction is it?¡± Laura turned her curious eyes towards Ryouma. ¡°Does Sara know what I have in mind?¡± Ryouma instead asked Sara in return. ¡°Ryouma-sama, are you suspecting that this betrayal is the work of a third party?¡± That¡¯s correct, this is what Ryouma is currently worried about. Him appointing Elena is the right judgment. However, having Elena on his side is like obtaining a powerful drug. And if one were to drink too much medicine, it would become poisonous instead. Like so, Ryouma ended up mishandling the powerful drug that is Elena. She certainly is showing great work. Together with her friends she kept in contact, they almost single-handedly took out the Knight faction in a single stroke. The dissatisfaction within the Knight faction she told Ryouma about is true. Half of the Knights have joined under Elena in just half a month. From the start, there was already a large number of knights who had dissatisfaction toward Hodram within the Knight faction. And when those dissatisfied Knight found out that Elena have come back, they started to join Elena one after another. And as the days went by, that numbers increased drastically. It was to the point that only 2500 Knights that work under General Hodrams direct command remained loyal to him. Hodram, who had his faction taken over was very surprised. However, Ryouma was just as surprised. Originally, the plan was to eliminate Hodram after they had defeated the nobles faction. However, it was impossible for Hodram who had lost control over his faction to keep supporting Princess Lupis quietly. Thus Ryouma was planning to eliminate Hodram before he does something. It was only a week ago that he solidified that plan. ¡°That¡¯s right; it¡¯s just too unnatural¡­ I¡¯m very sure that I¡¯ve cornered Hodram¡­, and now he needs some backing. I can understand that everyone wants reinforcement right now, but will Duke Gerhardt readily accepts him like this? Plus, I can¡¯t imagine that someone like Hodram would lower his head to his political rival either¡­ ¡± Ryouma could never forget the eyes General Hodram had when the pair met for the first time during the audience. His eyes were filled with greed and ambition. ¡°You damned peasant!¡± His eyes were practically screaming. He¡¯s the type of person who¡¯s arrogant and would discriminate others, and those kind of people are usually merciless against their enemies as well. He is one prideful man. And most importantly, his relationship with Duke Gerhardt is very bad. Even if he was being cornered, there¡¯s no way for him to lower his head first. That¡¯s why Ryouma could never have anticipated that General Hodram would join the nobles faction. ¡°That might be true¡­, but there¡¯s also the possibility that Duke Gerhardt is the one who approaches him first, no?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to think otherwise indeed. However, who was the one that gave Duke Gerhardt that suggestion? ¡± Since the possibility of General Hodram lowering his head first is low, the only other explanation is that the nobles faction is the one who approached him first. Certainly, if it was the nobles who are experts when it comes to political strategy, this would be possible., However, the discussion between the two sides with conflicting interests is usually time consuming. And if the nobles faction have that much of leeway, then Duke Gerhardt would not have to pursue the matter of Princess Ladines succession. Because he could just slowly bring Princess Lupis to the nobles faction side. ¡°I see¡­ Then, there¡¯s the possibility of intervention from the neighbouring countries, correct?¡± [Laura] ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ That is what I feared the most¡­, though, hopefully it stays as an imaginary fear. ¡± Ryouma nodded while answering Laura¡¯s question. The Kingdom of Zalda that Elena had helped as reinforcement in the past is currently not on good terms with Rozeria kingdom due to the trade tariff issues. And the relation with the Mist Kingdom is not exactly on good term either. Despite in the past, the three-nation have cooperated against Ortomea Empire,their relation right now is not exactly good either. In fact, relations like this can be viewed as bad. Since they will not hesitate to bear their fangs at one another if you leave even a slight opening. ¡°And I have no information regarding the foreign nations either¡­¡± Currently, Ryouma is unsure whether it is limited to this country alone, or if the entire world is like this, but he thinks the information network is shockingly awful. There¡¯s no way for them to acquire solid information on the other countries. The only way to obtain any information is only from the mercenaries or merchants that passes by the nation. However, the information from them can be inaccurate. Moreover, most of the information were not useful for the nation. After all, gathering information is not one of their work priorities. The sisters now have understood Ryoumas worries. They know how valuable information and preparing ahead is for Ryouma, after spending time with him. However, at the same time, the sisters know acknowledged that Ryoumas concerns cannot be resolved by their powers alone. Because the privileged class in this world does not understand the importance of information. If Ryouma wants it, there is no other way but to hire a person to investigate. But right now he has no time to do that. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­, there¡¯s no use worrying about what cant be done¡­, for now, we should focus on how we can defeat General Hodram and Duke Gerhardt before the neighboring countries make their moves, no?¡± Ryouma could do nothing other than nodding his head in agreement with Laura. After all, by the end of the days, he has no other choice. ¡°Duke Gerhardt has about 60.000 men, combined with General Hodrams 2.500 knights and the mercenaries he hired; they will end up with around 65.000 people. On our side, there are 12.500 knights, and the soldiers that Earl Bergston and other nobles have gathered are around 20.000 men. In total, we have 32.500 people. With those numbers alone, we¡¯re in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation¡­¡± Ryouma nodded toward Sara¡¯s statement. ¡°Since most of the noble faction members are middle or upper ranked nobles, their territories are huge. Hence, the number of people they can recruit as soldiers is large. If we compare the numbers alone, we cannot dream of defeating the nobles faction. ¡± ¡°However, that much is a given. That being said, in terms of fighting power, we¡¯re nearly equal. ¡± All the knights can use magic arts. Although there¡¯s a difference of how much each individual is capable of using it, At least everyone is capable of enhancing their own physical strength. In terms of fighting power, that makes a big difference. ¡°Well¡­ Ultimately, other than the fact that General Hodram switched over to the enemys, nothing has actually changed. ¡± ¡°I agree¡­ Although we should not mind too much about something out of our reach, it would be bad if we were to ignore it completely. ¡± Laura¡¯s words summed up the current situation accurately. The scariest thing for them is for the neighboring nation to suddenly invade before they finished dealing with Hodram and Gerhardt. Although there¡¯s no conclusive evidence for that to happen, they still cannot ignore the possibility. If that is the case then, we must put an end to all of this quickly¡­¡± Ryouma turned his gaze towards the ceiling. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. (Editor Tan: Sorry this took so long! Hope you dont mind XD. Thanks for your hard work, things are starting to get interesting) (TLN: Yeah me as well, kinda hectic these days due to national vacation.) AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 37 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 19 Editor: Tan Chapter 2 Episode 19 (Outbreak of War 2) Day 166 after being summoned to another world: (Outbreak of War 2) ¡°What? So you want us to advance to Irachion!?¡± Meltina¡¯s high pitch voice echoed throughout the meeting room. The emergency meeting had begun since dawn. ¡°Why so suddenly? Didn¡¯t you say that we should wait until the enemy to approach Pireaus to begin the decisive battle?¡± Mikhail added his own question. And such question is understandable. In between the royal capital Pireaus and the Duke Gerhardt stronghold Irachion, there are two rough place known as Eleksha forest and Thaves river. The Eleksha forest is a vast woodland area, with a single road cutting through the the forest. There would be no problem for ordinary merchants or travelers to pass by. However, for an army this would be far too narrow to commute. While it is not impossible for them to use this route, their formation would be narrowed, and not to mention that their speed would also decrease. Furthermore, the thick wooded area around them would be a perfect place for setting up an ambush. After passing through Eleksha forest, the Thaves river will be visible. This river is originated from mount Oul, which is located at the border of Zalda Kingdom. The river runs from northeast to Southwest of Rozeria Kingdom. Thanks to this river, Rozeria Kingdom can live as an agricultural nation. However, from the perspective of moving soldiers, this river can only be seen as a hindrance. The river itself has 500m width, meaning it would be impossible for them to build a bridge. Additionally, the depth of water is quite deep, which would make it impossible for soldiers to walk across it. Naturally, they would need a ship to cross the river. On both sides of the river, there are several ferries that provides transportation services. Although there¡¯d be no problem for ordinary people to cross it, the story would be different when it comes to maneuvering a large army. First of all, despite calling it a ship, it was not something that can be used to transport 100 people at once. Even the largest ship there would be full with just 20 people. Not to mention that a range of supplies need to be transported as well. From spears and harness replacement. To provision and horses. As well as medicines for the injured. And the list goes on and on. Each and every one of those items are essential and must be carried over to the other side.. It is painfully obvious that this will take far too much time to complete. The only way for the entire army to cross the river is to make round trips with a handful of soldiers at a time. And that could be problematic. Because something like that might become the cause of defeat. Incidentally, in the past Rozeria Kingdom had waged war against Mist Kingdom through Irachion. However, the situation right now is completely different. At the time when they wage war against Mist Kingdom, the battleground was on the border between the two nations. It was a situation where the safety of Irachion was guaranteed; thus there was no problem when they crossed over the river. However, right now the enemy is Duke Gerhardt. The east side of the Thaves river is completely under Duke Gerhardts control. It is not a situation where they can cross over the river without any trouble. That is why previously Ryouma had suggested performing the decisive battle by luring the enemy toward the royal capital Pireaus. Draw the enemy toward their own territory and then cut off their supply line. That was what Ryouma had planned. And that was also the reason why all of the people who are present in the meeting raised their voice of surprises when Ryouma suggested a change of plan. The only people who did not change their expressions are the Marfisto sisters. ¡°I see¡­, as expected of Ryouma, you have a clear understanding of the psychology of our enemy huh. ¡± Though she was initially surprised with what Ryouma had suddenly suggested, she also understands what Ryouma is aiming for. And that person is Elena. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means, it would be easier for us to attack their territory now, Your Highness. ¡± Ryouma answered Princess Lupis¡¯ question, but she remained doubtful. That is because he did not explain the reason why it would be easier for them to attack their enemies territory now. Ryouma then proceeded to explaine to everyone who attended the meeting carefully. ¡°At first, I had suggested to lure the enemies to our territory because it was difficult for us to attack their territory. ¡± Because both parties were worried about the possibility of getting attacked during the time they cross the river and forest, both Princess Lupis and Duke Gerhardt were waiting for their opponent to cross to their own territory¡­, however, there is no need to worry about those issues right now. At least for the next 2 ¨C 3 days. As for the reason? It is because General Hodram has joined Duke Gerhardt. ¡°I¡¯ve never considered General Hodram joining forces with Duke Gerhardt as a problem. Rather, I thought of it as a mistake made by the enemy. ¡± In the first place, this war was started because of their struggle for power. Both the Duke and the General are prideful and arrogant beings. And both of them are not the type who would compromise with their opponent. ¡°Now I ask you people, who do you think among those two will become the commander of their army when they ended up joining forces?¡± Command structure is a vital part in war. No matter how much troops you have, victory cannot be achieved without a systematic and efficient command structure. This was evident in Earths history. It might be easier if we compare it to a business company For example, when a section chief and the director¡¯s direction conflicted with each other, which one would you give priority? The answer would be the director¡¯s orders since the director is superior in rank. Then how about when the president and the director order conflicted with each other? You would give priority to the president, right? Then what would happen if there are two presidents? Both are your bosses. What would happen if the two of them give out a conflicting order to you? Everyone would end up confused. That is because you wouldnt be able to decide which order you should follow. This applies to the current situation. Hypothetically speaking, if Duke Gerhardt were to hand the authority of commanding his soldiers to General Holdram who has more experience in the military, or if General Holdram were to follow Duke Gerhardts orders since he has more soldiers, then this could spell a disaster for Ryouma. But they are people with simple nature, narrow-minded mind, and overflowing arrogance. Precisely because Ryouma understood that, he thinks now is the best time to attack. ¡°¡­I see, so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s explanation, the Princess face no longer has any doubtful expression. The surrounding people seem to be able to understand what Ryouma had said as well. ¡°But this won¡¯t last forever, no?¡± Earl Bergston casted his doubt. Indeed their opponents are arrogant and narrow-minded people. However, they are among this nations best people. They are not completely stupid. ¡°That¡¯s why I said 2 ¨C 3 days. ¡± Because they had just joined forces, there would be a small opening. The moment they finished their agreement, that opportunity would disappear. ¡°But Mikoshiba-dono¡­ no matter how fast we dispatch our soldiers, it would take us around seven days to reach the Thaves River alone. Won¡¯t that be too late then?¡± Earl Zerev pointed out a logical question. It would be pointless if they are unable to catch the opportunity they had aimed for. But Ryouma is already aware of that and came up with the countermeasures. ¡°It would certainly be impossible if we were to move the whole army. However, as a small number, lets say, 2000 cavalry unit and mercenaries should be able to make it. ¡± The reason why Earl Zerev said it would take seven days is because he had also included the foot soldiers. If we let the magic art users ride on horses and ignore the rest time by using recovery magic, we can cut a considerable amount of time. And of course, because there are no foot soldiers, the marching speed would be faster. ¡°But¡­, let us assume that you¡¯ve managed to cross over Thaves River with the 2000 troops, what are you going to do next? The enemy has more than 60.000 soldiers you know? Won¡¯t 2000 soldiers end up useless?¡± Meltina is worried regarding the time after he had crossed the river. Certainly, 2000 cavalry would be able to reach the Thaves River within three days. However, after he crossed the river, he will have to face the enemys soldiers immediately. She could only see this as a suicidal action. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought about that. Of course, it would be impossible to wage war against 60.000 men with only 2.000 men. But remember, itd require around seven days for the whole army to arrive at the Thaves River if they are dispatched right after the cavalry marches, right? I think 2000 soldiers can hold on for a few days. ¡± Everyone who heard Ryouma tilted their head. Ryouma seems to be confident despite the enemy being 30 times stronger in numbers. The people within the meeting room cannot agree on that so easily. ¡°You have some sort of plan?¡± Ryouma nodded his head toward Princess Lupis¡¯ question. He does not believe that they can win if they were to fight head to head. But at the same time, he also thought that they should not give up on this opportunity either. If they miss this opportunity here, a cooperative relationship could be established between Duke Gerhardt and General Hodram. Even if it sounds unreasonable, this is definitely a good time for them to attack. Silence ruled over the meeting room. All the gazes of the people within the meeting room are directed at Princess Lupis. Because her decision will decide everything. (Could he really achieve the impossible? No¡­, rather, will those 2000 soldiers be able to defend against 60.000 soldiers?) Princess Lupis ponders about Ryouma¡¯s suggestion. She understands that her decision will determine the country¡¯s future. At last, it was Elena who broke the long silence. ¡°I think we should go along with his plan¡­, the situation won¡¯t improve if we just stand idly like this either. And I also agree that this is a good time for us to make our move. ¡± ¡°Elena¡­ I understand. I will leave 2000 soldiers under your command as an advance group. Defend yourselves until the main force arrives by all means!¡± After listening to Elena¡¯s advice, Princess Lupis finally made her decision. ¡°Understood. Please leave it to me. ¡± Hearing those words, Ryouma lowered his head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Geez! You really have some nerve, boy¡­, to think you would tell us to cross the dangerous bridge deliberately. ¡± Having said that, a smile appears on Liones face. There was no malice in her words. After Princess Lupis had decided the advance party, Ryouma, Lione and Bolts gathered in a room. Although Mikhail and the Marfisto sisters are not with them right now, they also part of the advance party. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to attack them rather than getting attacked after all. ¡± ¡°Elena-sama also had said it, but indeed, this is a good time for us to attack.¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Bolts responded to him in agreement. For people who have a lot of experience like him, they would be able to follow Ryouma¡¯s way of thinking. ¡°But still, young master, how are we going to defend against 60.000 soldiers with only 2.000 troops?¡± Bolt asked modestly. Although holding utmost respect towards Ryouma, Bolt has no intention of following anyone blindly. It is normal for him to question the sanity of the idea behind fighting 60.000 soldiers with only 2.000 soldiers. It is completely sensible for someone to want to know how to achieve all of that. ¡°Well, all of this will depends on Bolts-san and the other¡¯s ability. I¡¯ve requested several tasks to the two of you, and well, it would depend on the results of those. ¡± ¡°Eh!? That?¡­ Indeed that thing is amazing¡­, but are you sure that it can help us defend against 60.000?¡± Bolt uttered those words in astonishment. ¡°Oh, rest assured, after all, we had practiced as the boy had ordered!¡± Bolts showed a complicated expression while Lione showed a relaxed expression. ¡°The newly hired people are also keeping up fine right?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone was confused at the beginning, but since I have properly trained them, everything should be fine! ¡± Lione puffed her chest with pride toward Ryouma¡¯s question. Ryoumas order can be viewed as strange for the mercenaries in this world, but Lione was able to fulfill them properly. ¡°If that¡¯s true then good work, Lione-san. ¡± After hearing Ryouma and Liones discussion, a smile returned to Bolts¡¯ face. ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve asked Laura and her sister to do something as well. ¡± ¡°Hmm? What is that?¡± ¡°Well, you will know when we fight the defensive battle.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Lione looked around. ¡°Fhun¡­, now that you mentioned it, they are not here? ¡± ¡°Yes. It would be bad if the formation is not right after all.¡± ¡°I see. Well, I will bet my trust on you, boy. Make sure you dont disappoint me~. ¡± Liones tone of voice sounded like she was joking, but her eyes were dead serious. Despite being a small group, being a leader, she takes utmost pride in looking out for the safety of her members.. ¡°Well, I guarantee you won¡¯t be disappointed. ¡± Ryouma shrugged his shoulders and answered her. Ryouma is a man, not a god.There is no way for him to be able to say that hed definitely win. Thus, he can only do his best. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move out!¡± ¡°¡±Depart!¡±¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s words, the squad leaders advance their troops. On Ryouma¡¯s sides, the Marfisto sisters rode their horses in parallel. ¡°Ryouma-sama. We¡¯ve arranged the direction as instructed. ¡± ¡°Good work. ¡± Toward Laura¡¯s report, Ryouma nodded his head. ¡°Also, about the other instruction that Ryouma-sama gave me, I¡¯ve found them. ¡± Listening to Sara¡¯s report, Ryouma narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is it among the mercenaries?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I found it among the newcomer mercenaries that we have hired. ¡± ¡°I see¡­ Keep your eyes open, alright?¡± ¡°Yes. I will do my best. ¡± ¡°Do you know how many of them?¡± Sara shook her head toward Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°I see¡­, well, it¡¯s fine. Leave it be for now. Eventually, I will be able to make use of it. ¡± ¡°Understood. ¡± After nodding her head, Sara advanced her horse toward the mercenaries group. ¡°Ryouma-sama. Shouldnt we deal with the earlier matter first?¡± ¡°No¡­, the more cards you have on your hands, the better. Besides, even if we were to get rid of it right away, there would be another one coming up. ¡± In response to Laura¡¯s question, Ryouma¡¯s eyes become narrow and sharp. Just like a hawk looking at its prey. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 38 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 20 Editor: Tan Chapter 2 Episode 20 (Defensive War 1) Day 169 after being summoned to another world: (Defensive War) 1 ¡°Listen up! From here on, the mercenary units must build the defense facility as instructed. Our performance here will be our lifeline! I want everyone to remember that!¡± The sun was shining in the middle of the sky. The cloudless sky was so clear as if it is favouring Ryouma¡¯s camp. ¡°¡±¡±Uooooooo!¡±¡±¡± Countless fists are raised up to the sky in response to Ryouma¡¯s command. Before his eyes, there are 2000 knights whom he was put in charge by the princess, and 100 mercenaries led by Lione. The advance party led by Ryouma has successfully crossed the Thaves River within three days just as they had planned, and now they are building a defensive facility on the east bank of the Thebe River. This is to enable the other 20.000 troops led by Princess Lupis that will arrive at the Thaves River west bank in four days to cross over. And for the sake of their survival until the main force arrives. ¡°There¡¯s a high probability that the enemy is already aware of our actions here and is planning to attack! Our time is limited! However, if we can surround our camp with water and fences to some extent before they attack, you guys who are elites should be able to hold them off even if the enemy numbers are 30 times greater than you!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooo!!!¡±¡±¡± Echoing roars followed Ryouma¡¯s words. (Fuuh, at least I have no problem with morale for now. After this, it¡¯s just a matter of how much they can prepare as I¡¯ve instructed. ) After Ryouma¡¯s speech had ended and each platoons have returned to their posts, one man remained standing in front of him. ¡°Mikoshiba-dono. I¡¯ll begin the reconnaissance together with 500 Knights. ¡± Ryouma nodded toward Mikhail¡¯s words. It is dangerous to split a quarter of their force into reconnaissance. However, this is still much better than overlooking the enemy movement and ended up getting a surprise attack. That is what Ryouma had judged. ¡°Very well, though I will say this once again; you must only do reconnaissance. Withdraw immediately and do not attempt to engage in battle even if you spot the enemy. ¡± There¡¯s no meaning in reconnaissance if they cannot locate the enemy. A reconnaissance is an information gathering mission. Thus there¡¯s no need for them to engage the enemy. ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t really approve showing our backs to the enemy, but this is also part of the strategy. I guess there¡¯s no other choice. ¡± Mikhail answered Ryouma in disappointment. However, because Ryouma was given the authority by the Princess directly, Mikhail has no other choice but to follow his orders. ¡°I asked of you to do this because you¡¯re one of the best, and we cant afford to have too many casualties from this mission. It is not an exaggeration to say this missions success depends on your performance, you know?¡± It is a demanding role, considering Mikhail¡¯s insufficiency in the brain department, but there¡¯s no other suitable person than him. Ryouma has no other choice than to trust Mikhail for it. ¡°I understand. Well then, please excuse me!¡± Mikhail turned his body and walked away after saying that words. Ryouma looked at the Mikhails back as he left. Because there are no capable people around, Ryouma had no choice than to leave it to Mikhail, but later on, Ryouma will find himself regretting this decision. ¡°Listen up! Just do like how we have trained! And keep your guards up!¡± ¡°¡±¡± O spirits that controls over the earth. Hear our call and transform the land before us !¡±¡±¡± The mercenaries began their chant together with Bolts. ¡°¡±¡±Earth Sink!¡±¡±¡± That was a low level earth manipulation magic arts. When they placed their hands on the surface of the ground, the earth sank simultaneously for about 1 meter in front of the chanters. ¡°Alright! This is good. One group magic user, dig the same hole again after you get to rest for 15 minutes; and the second group should handle the places that were out of the magic art area!¡± ¡°How is your work progressing?¡± A voice called out to Bolts who was tasked with the construction work. Currently, the sun is just about to set. It has been just over three hours since Bolts had began his work. A trench with 20 meters width and 5 meters depth entered Ryoumas field of vision. Not to mention that the length is over 500 meters. It was unbelievable for them to achieved it in such a short amount of time. ¡°Ah! Young master! Well, lets see, I guess we¡¯re going to be okay. ¡± Bolts answered him while still facing towards the trench. ¡°But still¡­ Young master really is an amazing person. To come out with such plan. ¡± Bolts¡¯ praises were by no mean an exaggeration. Ryouma had suggested using Earth magic not as a weapon; But as a tool that will give them an advantage in war. It was treated the same level as other tools such as swords and spears. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal. ¡± Ryouma lightly brushed off Bolts¡¯ praises. However, unbeknown to Ryouma, his idea has in fact revolutionised both the military and the economic world. The effectiveness of utilising magic arts outside of combat is overwhelming, particularly in the field of construction. Usually, when Earth Sink is casted, a pit with diameter of 5 meters and depth of 5 meters is created. No matter how you see it, it is just a simple hole. Generally it was used offensively to trap enemies by making them fall into it. However, most magic users often overlook this magic art in actual combat. Since it has a diameter of 5 meters, it would be understandable to think that this magic is a useful attack. The truth is, it hardly has any use in actual combat. The reason is because your enemy wouldnt simply stand in the same position all the time. It would be difficult for someone to predict their opponents movement and land the spell accurately. Moreover, despite being 5 meters deep, such depth wouldnt kill someone immediately. It is also easier to just use other magic arts with higher killing potential rather than Earth Sink. But now, what would happen when people start to use Earth Sink as a magic art to create a trench that can be used to reinforce a defence rather than to create just a pitfall? ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°No, young master, you don¡¯t understand the significance of your idea at all!¡± When someone sees Earth Sink casted as a weapon in a direct battle, they would more or less ignore it. However, looking at this, if people use it outside of combat, Earth Sink can be useful for a wide range of applications. It was no wonder for Bolts to praises Ryouma for coming up with such idea. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ryouma tilted his head in contemplation. From where Ryouma came from, such idea is a no brainer. On the contrary, he thought that this world people has a very inflexible mind since no one has noticed such thing. ¡°It is!¡± Ryouma shows a wry smile when he saw Bolts who strongly nodded. ¡°Well this fight will depend on the result of the reconnaissance, I think we won¡¯t have much time left. I can leave this matters to Bolts-san, right? ¡± ¡°Sure! Leave it to me¡­, Oi! We wont be able to finish the work in time if you dont properly calculate the distance between each other! Please excuse me, young master, I¡¯m going to take a look. ¡± Even while he was talking to Ryouma, he seems to be properly monitoring the construction progress. As expected from a veteran warrior. Ryouma was grateful of how reliable he is. Monitoring the trench construction progress was one of the reasons why Ryouma had come here. ¡°By the way, where is Sara now?¡± ¡°Sara-jou-chan is it? Hmm¡­., ah! Over there! She is keeping an eye out just like the young master has ordered huh. ¡± Blonde hair swayed in the direction where Bolts finger pointed at. ¡°That means it was that black haired woman huh?¡± ¡°Indeed, that is correct!¡¯ Ryouma gazes were directed at the black haired woman who¡¯s working next to Sara. ¡°Because Sara-jou-chan has been watching her properly, I feel a bit relieved!¡± ¡°Indeed. Had we got outsmarted by that, it would be pretty bad. ¡± ¡°Yes¡­, I also know that.¡± ¡°If any unforeseen circumstances were to happen, please deal with it appropriately. ¡± Bolts showed an astonished expression hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. Because in his strategy, she also has a role to play. Looking at Bolts¡¯ expression, Ryouma leaked a small laugh. ¡°Certainly, I can use her for something. However, there¡¯s also a possibility of it being a trap. That¡¯s why, if something bad is about to happen, I want Bolts-san to deal with it as you see fit. ¡± ¡°I understand. Please leave it to me!¡± After Ryouma had said those words, Bolts returned to his job once again. ¡°Now then, next I should check on how Lione is doing¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Everything is proceeding according to the schedule!¡­ Well, I will begin our work after Bolts has finished his. ¡± Lione shouted loudly at Ryouma when she saw him walking toward her direction. Ryouma smiled at her and lightly waved his hand. ¡°Are the fences ready? ¡± ¡°Yes, since we¡¯re near the forest, we can get as much wood as we want after all. ¡± Lione looked at a mountain of fences in front of her. It was fences made by tying woods together with ropes. Once Bolts and his team has completed the trench, all that left to plant the fences. ¡°How about the bridge? ¡°It is supposedly being prepared right now. We¡¯re currently cutting the trees for the material. ¡± Teams of men go in and out of the forest while bringing back pieces of log. It seems they are using body strengthening magic arts just like Ryouma had instructed. Thick trees that usually require a large number of men to carry are being carried just by one man on their shoulder. Ryouma nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to make sure it has sufficient strength for the cavalry to pass through, alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I know¡­, Ill make sure to order the guy with experience as a carpenter to lead the construction work. After all, this is an important part of the strategy¡­¡± Lione reassured him. ¡°Alright, I will leave it to you then. ¡± Ryouma returned to his tent after saying those words. For Ryouma, he still has a lot to do right now. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª While Ryouma was busy fortifying the defence, Mikhail was approximately 5 kilometers from his position. One might think that moving 5 kilometers within 3 hours time is slow. However, that is an understatement. Since his mission is to reconnaissance, it is natural for him to move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being discovered by the enemies. ¡°Fuuh¡­, for now, there¡¯s nothing suspicious, huh?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± A view of grassy plain is visible in front of them; they should be able to spot any soldiers approaching from Irachion. When Mikhail has confirmed that there were no enemy soldiers, he settled down on a rock nearby his feet. (The future battle will be decided from this skirmish, huh¡­ but that face of his, does he despise me?) Ryoumas anxious face appeared within Mikhail¡¯s mind. Almost three months had passed since Ryouma and Mikhail met. On the surface, he seemed to have opened his heart toward Ryouma, but in truth, Mikhail couldnt help but feel dissatisfied toward Ryouma. Most can be attributed to the fact that Ryouma had killed most of his subordinates during the assassination attempt, but there¡¯s also the fact that Princess Lupis had given her trust to Ryouma despite his questionable origins. (In the first place, what does he think a knight is?!¡­, a knight is a fighting warrior! All these carpenter works should have been left to the likes of farmer!) For Mikhail who values his pride as a knight highly, Ryouma¡¯s current plan does not make him happy. Certainly, the efficiency is good. For that, Mikhail admits it. However, he hates the idea that a knight has to dig up trenches and cut trees. In fact, many Rozeria Knights have the same thought. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that every one of them think alike. However, because the princess has given Ryouma the authority, they are obliged to followehis orders. Not to mention that he was also the one who thought of a good strategy to go against enemy with overwhelming military force. For now, the reason why Mikhail had volunteered for reconnaissance job is that it is much better than doing carpentry jobs of cutting woods. Mikhail himself understood what kind of effect Ryouma¡¯s plan will have, and he also should be able to understand why Princess Lupis had placed her trust on him. However, his pride as a knight ultimately invited jealousy toward Ryouma. His loyalty toward Princess Lupis is unyielding. It is comparable to Meltina¡¯s loyalty. However, although right now what Princess Lupis needs most is not loyalty. He would still think it¡¯s fine if Ryouma held the same Knight¡¯s pride just like him. But the reality is different. He knew that Ryouma couldn¡¯t be the same as him. That¡¯s why Mikhail envies him. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. And his feeling of envy caused him to fall into the darkness. ¡°Mikhail-sama! There¡¯s a smoke up ahead. It¡¯s probably the enemy¡¯s scout team!¡± Mikhail looked surprised after hearing his subordinate report. ¡°What! The enemy you say!?¡± ¡°Yes! Although we still can¡¯t confirm the numbers yet, they showed a little movement!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with you! If you want to make a report, make it clear!¡± Following Mikhail¡¯s angry voice, his subordinates moved ahead to confirm the information. (There¡¯s not much of movement?¡­, should we verify the numbers first then report to Mikoshiba-dono?) Despite what he feels, he still thinks of the objective of his mission. Doing reconnaissance while keeping the soldiers¡¯ casualties at the minimum. Ryouma has clearly outlined the importance of this. Currently, they only have 2000 knights with them. It is natural for them to prioritize avoiding battles than trying to reduce enemy soldiers. However, such train of thought were blown away when Mikhail¡¯s subordinates came to report. ¡°Mikhail-sama! I¡¯ve confirmed the information! The enemys numbers are 100!¡± ¡°100 you say?! Is that really true?!¡± A smirk appears on Mikhail¡¯s face. (100 huh¡­, then that would be only one-fifth of our numbers¡­, no sign of enemy reinforcements nearby¡­, they are probably a reconnaissance unit being sent in advance just like us¡­) ¡°Mikhail-sama! Please give us the order to return to report immediately!¡± An adjutant proposed that to Mikhail. Certainly, what he said is correct. However, there won¡¯t be any achievement for them if they return just like that. That is what Mikhail had in his mind. (The enemy is a scouting unit. Our numbers are 500. There¡¯s no need for us to do battle¡­, yet, if we could reduce the enemy numbers even just a little, it would become advantageous for us later¡­) At this point, what Mikhail had in his mind was only about his achievement. For the chance to make an exploit in battle. Mikhail shouted and raised from his sitting position. His eyes were filled with bloodthirst. ¡°No! Everyone prepare for battle! We will engage them!¡± Looking at the battle that is about to happen, Mikhail felt elated. The ecstatic feeling mixed with his ambition has clouded his judgment. He had completely forgotten. What his mission is, and what kind of importance it holds. This judgment of his would send Ryouma into predicament. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 39 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 21 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 21 (Defensive War 2) Day 169 after being summoned to another world: (Defense War) 2 ¡°Listen up! Do not show them any mercy! Crush them completely! We shall show them the power of Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s knights!¡± Upon receiving Mikhail¡¯s order, all 500 knights began to line up on the hill. They were overflowed with silent tension. Since the opponents number was only 100, Mikhail decided to ignore Ryouma¡¯s order completely. When someone ignores their superiors order but manages to win as a result, they are usually forgiven. But with that, it means Mikhail cannot afford to lose. It is absolutely unforgivable to ignore orders and fail to achieve anything in return, let alone a complete defeat. Even Princess Lupis wouldnt show any mercy toward such person. (I will not lose!) Inside Mikhail¡¯s mind, he can only think of victory. However, occasionally, having such mindset can make someone to be blind to the truth. ¡°Chaaarge!!!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Uooooooooh!!!¡±¡±¡± Following his command, Mikhail¡¯s sword pointed forward, 500 Knights rushed down the hill spreading dust behind their paths. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°What! Say that again!!¡± A furious voice erupted from inside the tent. Ryouma couldnt believe the report that was brought to him by an unknown knight in Michails unit.. Rather, it was obvious that he was unable to understand it. ¡°Y-Yes¡­, M-Mikhail-samas r-reconnaissance un unit has been des destroyed c-completely¡­ ¡± Blood was dripping from the Knight¡¯s body, forming a small puddle under Ryoumas feet. Some of his words were unclear since he was enduring the pain, and some blood got stuck in his throat. The two Marfisto sisters continued to apply healing magic to him. For everyone who has seen his condition, they knew if the sisters were late by few minutes, he would have died. He managed to survive and arrived in this place with sheer willpower alone. A normal human would have died from these wounds long before making it here.. Looking into his eyes, one can feel his determination to keep on living. ¡°Mikhail¡­, why did you¡­, did he die?!¡± Ryouma lost his cool and shouted at the man who was at the border of life and death, despite trying his best to calm himself. The Knight was clearly dying. It was just a matter of time until the soul leaves the body. But regardless, he tried his best to convey the important information to Ryouma before his flame of life burned out. In this sort of situation, the knight should be given utmost respect as he performs his final duty. For a dying knight, this was considered as the highest honour. ¡°Mikhail-sama¡­, chased after¡­, Kyle¡­, and charged deep¡­, into the enemy line. ¡± ¡°Kyle?¡± It was a name that Ryouma have heard for the first time. Ryouma repeated the name inquisitively. ¡°Y-Yes¡­, Mikhail-sama was commanding, the unit calmly, until he saw that the commander, of the enemy unit is a traitor named Kyle Iruna.¡± When Ryouma looked around, the Knights faces in his vicinity turned pale. Ryouma wondered if there was something about this Kyle Iruna guy. However, this was not the time to ask about it. ¡°I see.., did Mikhail rushed to the enemy to defeat that person?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, the wounded Knight tried his best to nodded his head. Ryouma began to imagine the battlefield. (Mikhail was probably calm until he found out that a traitor named Kyle was the commander of the enemy unit¡­ Considering Mikhail¡¯s personality, I guess he was unable to let that slide¡­) Ryouma understood why Mikhail was impatient. This is the reason why Ryouma was hesitated to entrust the scouting mission to him. Even so, Ryouma trusted Mikhail¡¯s ability. Despite knowing that Mikhail was impatient, he should have been someone who knows his own game. That¡¯s why Ryouma found it hard to believe that Mikhail did not order retreat until they were completely annihilated. Ryouma could understand that a Knight usually can¡¯t hold themselves back if a traitor was standing in front of them since Knights hate traitor the most, but still¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°So? How far away is the enemy? And how many soldiers do they have?¡± Ryouma pushed back his various thought and asked the question that matters most. What important right now is when the enemies are going to arrive. And also how many soldiers they are bringing. Ryouma, who was already in a disadvantage, had found himself in further disadvantage after the reconnaissance unit got annihilated. Even with the preparation of trench and fences, they would still get destroyed if they were to receive a surprise attack right now. ¡°The soldiers¡¯ numbers are unknown, but at least ¡­, they have more than 5000¡­, as for the time¡­, they should be arriving in 15 minutes from now¡­¡± Ryouma¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Lione! Bolts! You guys go take the defensive position on the north and south. And take 400 soldiers each! I will handle the center with Laura and 600 troops. Sara! You stand by behind and manage the rest! Also, ask someone to form another reconnaissance unit to confirm the enemys position!¡± After Ryouma stood up, he assigned the defensive position to Lione and her group. Lione and the others have been familiarised with some defensive positions to a certain degree; thus no confusion ensued. They nodded immediately and left the tent. ¡°M-Mikoshiba-sama¡­¡± ¡°What is it? Is there anything more?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­, w-we were unable to¡­, carry out our duties¡­ ¡± Hearing that, Ryouma nodded toward Laura and the others and made them leave the tent.He then crouched down on his knees beside the wounded Knight. Right now, time is very valuable. However, this is about the last words of a knight that has been surviving up until now with his will power alone. Ryouma had no choice but to listen to his final words. ¡°It is fine¡­, I understand¡­ ¡± Ryouma just nodded to the wounded Knight. This knight was only obeying Mikhail¡¯s order. It is impossible for Ryouma to put all the blame on this knight who¡¯s on the verge of death. Ryouma held the wounded knight in his arm. Then begin to hear the injured Knight last words. ¡°M-Mikoshiba-sama¡­, Her Highness.., Princess Lupis¡­, please¡­, make her¡­, the queen¡­, of¡­, Rozeria¡­¡± Having finished say his final wish, all the power left the wounded knights body. Perhaps there were more things he wanted to say to Ryouma, but before he could say them, his life had come to an end. Ryouma felt the responsibility rested upon his shoulders. It was the wounded knights wish and hope. ¡°Fool¡­¡± Ryouma, who has just witnessed the knights final moment, mercilessly uttered a word that can be considered merciless and filled with ridicule. ¡°Mikoshiba-sama! We have confirmed the enemys shadow one kilometer from this place, and their numbers are 7000!¡± There are 2000 more than the wounded knight had reported. (Tsk¡­, did the reinforcement joined force?!) Ryouma desperately try not to click his tongue unintentionally in the public. Right now, if the commander lacks confidence and shows any fear, those feeling will spread to the other soldiers. This could cause them to lose instead of winning. ¡°Understood! Tell Lione-san and Bolts-san to defend their position as instructed! I will command the center!¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s instruction, the messenger ran toward Lione¡¯s position immediately. Inside Ryouma¡¯s head, he remembered the words the wounded soldier. (Make Princess Lupis queen huh?) He then shook his head. Right now, he cannot afford to lose focus on whats in front of him. It is absolutely crucial to have a strong resolve to kill and desire to keep on living when entering the battlefield. Only those¡­ (First, my top priority is to survive¡­, everything else comes later!) Ryouma grabbed his spear and ran toward his position. For the sake of his future. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°What¡¯s going on! How could they build such impressive defensive fortification in such a short amount of time!¡± The sun is about to disappear from the sky. Given the battle will be difficult when night comes, this is the perfect time for them to make an attack. Usually, it is a good idea to use the momentum after crushing 500 reconnaissance unit to keep on attacking. However, right now that might not be the case. Currently, Kyle who saw the enemys camp in front of him is hesitating to attack. (What¡¯s going on?¡­ At this rate, I wont be able to fulfill his Excellency Gerhardt-samas order!) ¡°But still Kyle-sama. We can¡¯t just ignore Gerhardt-sama order by not attacking either¡­¡± An adjutant advised Kyle. Sometimes people get angry when someone else pointed out something obvious. ¡°I know that already!¡± The adjutant lowered his head after hearing Kyles response. (Are you stupid! Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s a defensive formation on top of that strong fortification there!) In front of them, there was a 20 meters width trench. According to the reconnaissance unit, the trench has a crescent shape with length of about one kilometer. It also has quite a considerable depth. It will not be easy to break through that defence. (But still¡­, it has supposedly only been 3-4 had hours since they have arrived here! What kind of magic did they use?!) It was natural that Kyle was surprised. In this world, without proper civil engineering equipment, a construction like that usually cannot be done. Moreover, they usually require people such as farmers to do the work. And lots of them. (I didnt hear any reports about labour workers get taken from the neighboring villages! Did they bring them from the imperial capital?¡­ No, that is impossible.If they do something like that then their marching speed would be slow¡­ Then how are they able to accomplish such work? They should only have 2000 troops with them. Even if everyone worked, it should still be impossible for them to finish the amount of work in such short amount of time¡­) At the edge of the trench, some wooden fences are lined up. It should have taken even more time to make something like that. It is hard to believe that their enemy was able to make all of the defensive fortification within the time they supposedly arrived around noon up until now. (Khuu! I should¡¯ve left Mikhail alone and attacked here instead!) The face of Mikhail suddenly appears in Kyle¡¯s head. (Curse that bastard! Always getting in my way!) Kyle could not control his anger. It was an unjustified resentment based on a misunderstanding, however, he couldnt help but be irritated. ¡°Kyle-sama¡­, what should we do?¡± His adjutant timidly asked him once again. Kyle lashed out in frustration. ¡°We have no choice but to charge!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Indeed there was no other alternative for Kyle. Knowing that the opponent numbers are small from the reconnaissance report, he had asked Duke Gerhardt to take command himself. In order for him to get the permission, Duke Gerhardt had explicitly ordered him to destroy the enemy entirely. However, at the time the report did not mention anything regarding the defensive fortification. (Mikhail¡¯s reconnaissance unit was around 500. By now, the enemy should have around 1,400-1,500 men left. On the other hand, we have 7,000 with us. With these numbers alone, we are overwhelmingly at an advantage.. And I shall prove it, that those quickly made trench are useless!) Kyle gradually calmed down. No, more precisely, he forced himself to calm down. Despite the fact that the enemy has made an impressive defensive fortification, he still has a large numerical advantage. (I will absolutely defeat them!) There¡¯s no turning back for Kyle, who had betrayed Princess Lupis, to withdraw. Achievements are needed for him to survive within the nobles faction. But little did he know. That his current mindset is similar to Mikhail¡¯s before he was crushed. ¡°Kyle-sama! The preparation is ready!¡± Listening to his adjutant words, Kyle nodded his head. Kyle then pulled out the sword on his waist and ordered his troops to move out. ¡°Chaaaarge!¡± In accordance to Kyle¡¯s order, all the troops raised their flags. ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooh!!!¡±¡±¡± The 7,000 soldiers charged toward the hill loudly. They have not realized. That the trap of death has been laid in front of them. From here, the battle that would decide Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s future had begun. AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 40 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 22 Chapter 2 Episode 22 (Defensive War 3) Day 169 after being summoned to another world: (Defensive War 3) ¡°Listen up! Don¡¯t let your guard down! The enemy is five times our numbers; you die if you lose focus even for a moment!¡± Under Liones order, the Knights began to pull the arrow on their bows. ¡°Wait on my mark!¡± Just like an avalanche, the enemy surged in from the south side where Lione is guarding. Loud battle cries echoed throughout the battlefield. With the effect of adrenaline, the soldiers charged in fearlessly, thirsting for blood. It was like a starving pack of wolves attacking without self-control. Though on a closer look, they are not regular soldiers. They are the farmers from Duke Gerhardts territory that was drafted to become soldiers. Naturally, they have never received any proper military training, not to mention that, they are only equipped with cheap spears and basic leather armor. They are not wearing any helmet or shield. That indicated just how worthless their lives are in the eyes of the nobility. But right now, they are showing a tremendous battle hunger. After all, the enemys camp is just like a treasure island with a lot of loot up for grab. The conscript system in this world is quite an unrewarding one. Not only they have to put their lives on the line for their lords, There is little to receive in return. The reason for that can be attributed to the various kinds of tax that exist. However, despite all of that, there is still some incentive to serve the lord. In the form of plundering, there is a rule that allow them to claim any battle loot from their enemies to themselves. They can get some cash from the enemies they have killed, by selling their spears and armor. To put it simply, It¡¯s ¡®you find it, you keep it¡¯ rule. That kind behavior leads to a more aggressive war. Rape the women, burn the homes, and steal their wealth. Captured men are sold as labor slave, and captured women as s.e.x slave. By wagering their life, there is an opportunity for them to gain significant profits. That is why, even though the farmers in this world hate the nobles, they were still willing to go to wars. All for the sake of crushing weaker people to make their own hard life a little easier. A Knight¡¯s equipment is expensive. They need a full set of armor, a weapon, and a horse. It can be said that a knights pride lies in his weapon. Of course, it is hard for a farmer to kill a knight. While there is no fixed way to judge a knights fighting capability, generally f a knight who is capable of using magic art is three times stronger than a farmer turned soldier. Knights are just like a monster in the shape of a man. However, there are more factors involved in war than just individual ability. While they might lose a one-on-one fight, that might change when there are more people on one side. Just like how a flock of ants can eat a giant elephant. ¡°Listen up! Whatever you get your hands on, it¡¯s all yours! We will guarantee that in the name of Duke Gerhardt! Now, Advance!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooh!¡±¡±¡± In response to the order, the front liners immediately rushed forward. Right now, in their eyes, Ryouma and the others are a pile of treasure. They are very confident thanks to the overwhelming difference in number. They surged forward without hesitation. Because knowing the fact that they have a much larger army than their enemy made them forget about their fear.. As the farmer-soldiers approached the 5 meter mark from the fence; ¡°Now! First team, let loose your arrows!¡± On Liones signal, the defensive Knights released a barrage of arrows toward the enemies. *HyuHyuHyuHyu* Following the sounds of the wind, several arrows pierced through the farmer-soldiers heads. ¡°¡±Gyaaaaaaa!!¡±¡± ¡°Damn it! Watch out for the arrows!¡± The voices of a farmer-soldier warning about arrows echoed throughout the battlefield. The moment an arrow pierced their comrades around them, they began to remember the fear they had forgotten. This ended up slowing down their assault. ¡°What are you doing?! Press forward! The enemies are small in numbers! Destroy them in a single push! Don¡¯t you want to take all of their treasure?! Their gold!¡± The enemy¡¯s commander shouted from behind. Perhaps he has felt that his soldiers advancing pace has slowed down. Once again, a simple human desire known as greed entered the soldiers¡¯ minds. Logically speaking, the nobles should have provided their farmer-soldiers with shields to protect them from the arrows, but they chose not to. For the nobles in this world, the farmers are their shield. To put it bluntly, they don¡¯t even care how many farmers die. Farmers are the stepping stones for the nobles to place the victory flag on the enemys base. ¡°Second team! Release!¡± Again, under the direction of Lione, the second wave of arrows rained down on the farmers. ¡°Khu! What are you frightened of?! Their numbers are only a few! They do not have infinite arrows! We still have the advantage over numbers! Advance! Those who managed to reach the fence first will get a bonus bounty! Proceed!¡± The enemy commander¡¯s aim was clear. He planned to finish the war by making use of their numerical advantages. For him, even it takes five farmers to kill one knight, he is still going to win. On one hand, for Ryouma, he has the upper hand as long as the two sides clash from long distance. On the other hand, the nobles side is seeking a close combat, since they have a large numerical advantage. Having said that, it was quite a difficult task to avoid a close combat completely. Although the farmer-soldier army was constantly getting shot by barrages of arrows, they slowly began to close the distance. They stepped over the dead bodies of their own comrades. Some even used the body of a fallen as a shield. Gradually but surely, they kept on moving forward one step at a time while withstanding the rain of arrows that came at them. ¡°I made it! I¡¯m the first!¡± A soldier finally shouted that he has reached the fence. It was rare for the nobles to provide such bonus. But for the farmer, such money would help them ease their life from high taxes. That¡¯s why he tried to make it known by shouting first. To make sure that the nobles know that he¡¯s the first one. However, the price for that was far too great. It has costed him his life. ¡°Third team, come forward!¡± Hearing Lione¡¯s instruction, the bow users stepped back, and the spear knights began to step forward. ¡°Push them back!¡± On Lione¡¯s command, the spears pierced through the gaps of the lower fence. The spears were aimed at head level. The man who shouted that he was the first to arrive on the fence got himself pierced by a spear through his right eye. ¡°Gyaaaaaa!¡± The man screamed painfully. ¡°Retract!¡± The spears that were stricken out of the fence were pulled back all at once. ¡°Puush!¡± Numerous spears were protruding out once again between the gap, reaping the foolish farmers¡¯ lives. ¡°Noo! Brother! Lloyd!¡­ Damn it! You bastard!¡± ¡°Aaargh! My eye!¡± ¡°Hiii! I don¡¯t want to die! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± A mix of angry and terrified voices resounded throughout the battlefield. Some who tried to step forward, and some who wanted to retreat had collided against each other. This is the result of not knowing a battle formation. And Lione is not naive enough to miss this opportunity. The woman who has survived through many battles as a mercenary has a good battle instinct. ¡°First team and second team! Release the arrows!¡± Following her instruction, the spear knights stepped back and the bow users stepped forward. ¡°Listen up! Shoot them all! Don¡¯t hold back! Following Lione¡¯s aggressive order, the arrows released by the Knights rained down toward the farmer-turned-soldiers. ¡°Khu! This is not looking good. Messenger! I want you to report to Kyle-sama that the enemies resistance on the south is too strong; ask for the permission to withdraw! Otherwise, we are going to need some reinforcement!. ¡± The noble commander who tried to break through via the South side asked Kyle for the permission to retreat and regroup. No matter how inexperienced Kyle is, he should know that this would be a wasteful action, since they have already committed so much. ¡°Damn it! We have five times more soldiers than the enemy! Why is it so hard to break through?!¡± *Klang* He broke the staff in his hand out of frustration. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Withdraw you say!? Don¡¯t say such stupid thing! We have an overwhelming number! Why should we withdraw?!¡± Upon hearing the message from the messenger, Kyle¡¯s face turned red in anger. ¡°B-But¡­, the resistance on the southern side is very strong, the commander deemed it impossible to capture it immediately¡­, if he has to continue attacking, he wants more reinforcement.¡± No matter how much Kyle yelled at him, the messenger did not back down. He was trying to be faithful toward his duty. But because of that, Kyle grew even more irritated. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around!¡± *Dokang!* ¡°You bastard! I have a duty to present this achievement to Gerhardt-sama, do you know that?!¡± Kyle shouted furiously at the messenger and hit his head. Normally he would not do such a thing. Because having a calm judgment is usually his forte. However, right now there¡¯s no trace of such virtue on him. In fact, it was not just from the south side, there was also a messenger from the north side that came asking the same thing. Additionally, Kyle himself who has been attacking the central side couldnt manage to break through Ryouma¡¯s defense either. Thus he has not much reinforcement to spare. On the contrary, Kyle himself wants some reinforcement as well. ¡°There¡¯s no reinforcement! Make do with what you have and break through their defence! In the first place how come we can¡¯t break through the enemy¡¯s defense when we have five times more force than them?! Tell them not to be lazy instead!¡± Kyle¡¯s words were nothing more than quibbles. However, the messenger couldnt rebuke him. If the messenger makes the wrong move here, he could be killed instead. Right now, Kyle¡¯s mind is under sheer madness. Abusive language kept repeating within Kyle¡¯s mind while he was looking at the messenger who was running back in panic. (Damn incompetent fellow! Always letting me down!) The dry moat and fences turned out to be quite strong, effectively slowing down their invasion. Kyle had annihilated 500 soldiers under Mikhail¡¯s command. He thought that his enemy¡¯s morale would be low because of that, but surprisingly, there¡¯s no sight of such thing in front of him. And now, the advantages of having more soldiers seem to not have made any difference. (Why! How come they have such strong fortress¡­, why can¡¯t we breakthrough?!) Kyle cannot afford to lose this battle by any means. Now that he had switched sides from the Princess to the nobles¡¯ faction, he cannot afford to lose. Rather, he should not have any hard time doing this. Because he has a lot more soldiers compared to his enemy. Everyone in the nobles faction will look down on Kyle if he struggles to win. Even Duke Gerhardt who gave the command to Kyle would end up doubting his ability. And it would be hard for him to lose the incompetent tag later on. Failure here would be no different to receiving a death sentence. (Damn it all! Each and every one of them! Always getting in my way!) Kyle does not want to admit that currently, he¡¯s struggling. Rather, he blames all the troops under him, that theyre not putting in enough effort.. Kyle cannot accept the fact that his ability is inferior to the enemy commander. After all, he once had outsmarted them when they annihilated the reconnaissance unit lead by Mikhail. ¡°I will go to the battlefront myself!¡± The officers beside him went pale after hearing Kyle¡¯s declaration. The fact that Kyle, the commanding general, is heading to the front line means the Knights reserved on the back would have to move to the forefront as well. The soldiers Kyle is leading now are comprised of 2000 knights and 5000 farmer-recruit. However, the knights under his command are soldiers that cannot be used meaninglessly. After all, they are a force that Duke Gerhardt secretly arranged to use against suppressing the knight faction later on. Although Duke Gerhardt hates General Hodram, he has never looked down on the knight¡¯s ability. A knight unit is composed of humans who are capable of using powerful magic arts.. Because Duke Gerhardt himself is capable of using magic arts, he was able to understand this. That is why Duke Gerhard has been secretly gathering knights from four chivalric order who should have guard the border and the king. Whats more, he has also been gathering skilled mercenaries, Knights who were exiled from other countries, and Rozeria¡¯s knights who had deserted their post. He incorporated those people and made his own order with a high degree of reward. And the total force count is 6000. 2000 was lent to Kyle. Kyle himself know the importance of this Knights. ¡°Please wait a minute! Isn¡¯t this too early for us to move?¡± The officers on Kyle¡¯s side tried to stop him. Because originally, they had planned on destroying the enemy in a single stroke after the farmer-soldier had successfully broken through the fences. ¡°Shut up! It was a naive judgement on my part for expecting the farmers to break through the enemy¡¯s line! Though at least, the enemy should be feeling tired as they have been constantly fending off those peasants. Now they should be unable to defend against our Knights¡¯ assault!¡¯ Kyle rejected his adjutants advice to wait a little bit more. He insisted that if they start assaulting the enemies troops with the knight now, they would be able to win. This clearly reflected his state of desperation. The words that his adjutant have heard was like receiving a public execution sentence. But despite all that, the adjutant also understood his desperation. That commander¡¯s failure is also his adjutants failure. And Duke Gerhardt is not so kind to forgive such incompetent men. Only being demoted from the current position can be considered as very lucky. Depending on how big of a loss they sustained, they might end up with a death sentence. ¡°I understand! But in that case, we should send a messenger to the north and the south unit and order them to assault the enemy at the same time. If we attack them at the same time, these fences and dry moat won¡¯t be much of a problem! ¡± After the adjutant gave his advice to Kyle, no one said anything else. ¡°Very well! Fetch me a messenger immediately! We shall finish this before sunset!¡± Currently, there is about 30 minutes remaining before sunset. After sunset, the level of visibility will drop down drastically. Kyle and his army are not prepared to do night battles. However, if he was able to break through the enemy¡¯s defense line, night battles can be done by performing arsons on the enemy¡¯s property. Having finished planning his strategy, Kyle instructed the entire army to perform the assault attack simultaneously. This battle ultimately marked the beginning of the decisive war between the princess and noble faction, where neither sides can afford to withdraw. It is left to be seen which side will emerge victorious. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 41 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 23 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 23 Day 169 after being summoned to another world: (Defensive War 4) ¡°Mikoshiba-sama! Please look at the enemys movement!¡± Ryouma who is currently taking command of the central side received a report from one of his knights. ¡°Hmm? They don¡¯t look like they have any intention to retreat at all¡­, that commander, is he going for all or nothing?¡± Ryouma carefully observed the enemys manoeuvre. ¡°It seems like there is a lot of movement in one of the enemys headquarter¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it looks like they are trying to finish the fight by sunset¡­ Although, I don¡¯t know why they are in a hurry¡­¡± Ryouma does not know the man named Kyle. He is not aware of the fact that Kyle has personally asked Duke Gerhardt to allow him to lead the army. One thing Ryouma could notice was that the soldiers around him are impatient. (There are three gates located on the north, south and central sides, where each of them provide the easiest access route through the dry moat. That being said, it is never a simple task to occupy those gates without proper preparations.. Is he so stupid to not realize that?¡­ It doesnt seem that way, judging from the first impression. He is probably just underestimating the strength of this fortification. The overwhelming difference in number must be the reason why he is so overconfident.. That¡¯s why he is trying to force an attack, but still, why does he need to be so hasty? ?¡­ No matter how worthless the peasants¡¯ lives are, I never thought they would pull something as reckless as this¡­) In light of how cheap peasant lives are in this world, if the number of peasants decreases too much, their tax revenue will be heavily affected. Certainly their life alone might not have much of a significance. However, it is still a bad idea to let them die unnecessarily.. (Why is he so impatient? Is he worried that our reinforcements are about to arrive? No, no matter how I look at it, it was obvious that we would still need more time for the reinforcement to arrive¡­, that means¡­) ¡°Oi! Do you know anything about the guy named Kyle!?¡± ¡°Yes, sir! I¡¯m quite familiar with the person!¡± One of the knights near Ryouma raised his hand. ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± ¡°Let see¡­, selfish, cunning, and a cowardly man?¡­¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, the knight described Kyle with absolute disgust. Naturally, it is understandable. If a knight betrayed the Princess after he had previously sworn his loyalty to her, that fact would not go down well amongst the other knights. (Somehow, this is too much of a biased response¡­) Ryouma is currently unhappy with the situation. It¡¯s good for him if they all hate Kyle. However, if they keep underestimating Kyle¡¯s ability, then it would be hard for them to win. There is no direct correlation between a popular person and a strong person.. In this case, an unpopular person and a weak person. Likes and dislikes towards a person simply cannot be used to determine their ability. Deciding that a person is weak just because you hold a prejudice towards them is no different to the reasoning of an immature child. Certain attributes that may sound bad on the surface can actually have another good sides to it. Being a selfish person means they are capable of gaining the best benefit for themselves. Being a cunning person means they are careful and clever.. And being cowardly person can mean they are cautious and observing.. Sometimes, the evaluation of the same person can differ, depending on who the evaluating person is and how much they like the evaluated person.. (But¡­, what¡¯s going on, if that evaluation is as I have predicted, then¡­, it feels like I am facing against a different person¡­, maybe a different person took over the enemy¡¯s command?) Following the knights description, Ryouma could not imagine that the person who is in command of the enemy is Kyle. That is, until he heard the following words. ¡°That guy has a big pride, a big mouth and also an arrogant attitude!¡± ¡°Big pride? Big mouth? Can you elaborate what kind of big mouth you are talking about?¡± ¡°Yes, sir! It was around four years ago, at the time when the rookie martial arts tournament was being held in the Rozeria Kingdom¡­.¡± (May need a line here to indicate time skip?) To summarize the words of the knight, After boasting that he could defeat Mikhail who was said to be the favorite in the martial arts competition under 1 minute, it turned out he had lost to Mikhail in the first round when his sword was disarmed from his hand. It quickly became the hot topic of discussion in many taverns. ¡°I was also there, so there¡¯s no mistake. ¡± ¡°By the way, how was Kyle¡¯s skills? It can¡¯t be that bad, can it?¡± It was left unclear whether Kyle was someone who could back his words with action. Since winning in martial arts can be attributed to luck as well. However, as soon as he lost, there was no chance to prove his ability. To put it bluntly, even when he lost to Mikhail, if he was the second strongest within the kingdom, then his words are not to be taken lightly. Hearing Ryouma¡¯s question, the Knight¡¯s expression distorted. That indicates even though he does not want to admit it, Kyle is someone who shouldnt be underestimated.. (I see¡­, I guess Kyle is not a completely useless person huh¡­ Aside from his big talks, most knights in Rozeria seemed to have acknowledged Kyles abilities and his aspiration to become the best despite the fact that he had lost to Mikhail.. ) After a brief analysis, Ryouma came up with a plausible theory. (I see now! Kyle, who was confident of his own ability decided to join Gerhardt. He must¡¯ve proposed to Gerhardt that if he was given an authority, he will crush the enemy troops immediately or something along those lines¡­ If that is true, then I can see why the enemy is being impatient¡­, and if that is really the case then I can easily counter it¡­ ) Ryouma was able to accurately grasped Kyle¡¯s train of thought. Within the nobles faction, being a traitor must have affected his position¡­ That is why he wants to achieve something great to convince the lord and strengthen his own footing. (Kukukuku¡­, If that is what he thinks then, I could use this for another plan¡­) Ryouma decided to prepare a new countermeasure after knowing that there won¡¯t be any reinforcement for the enemy. ¡°Messenger! From now on we can expect to be attacked from the north, south and central side simultaneously. Tell Bolts and Lione we will execute the first step of the plan earlier than expected. And tell Sara to move to the north and wait for the signal!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The messenger dashed off to where Sara is at.. Ryouma then headed down to Laura who was leading a unit of knights to protect the central gate. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Listen up! Increase your fire power! As you can see the enemies are approaching here endlessly!¡± Laura who was defending the central was also involved a big fierce battle. The enemy soldiers rushed towards the gate like a swarm of locusts. ¡°This is bad! Spear Knights come forward!.. Thrust!¡± A number of militia who manage to survive from the rain of arrows have reached the fence once again. Laura commanded the spear knights to step forward. ¡°Laura-sama! There are too many enemies¡­, at this rate¡­¡± A knight near Laura issued a warning. Because the enemy wave attacks never stopped, it made the knight who was in charge of leading the defense restless. It was natural for them to lose hope. ¡°Silence! Why do you think we¡¯re going to lose!? Under Ryouma-samas direction, we have yet to let anyone pass the gate, have we not?!¡± Like Laura had said, Ryoumas strategy seems to have worked out for now. Slowing down the enemys advancement with moat and fences, as well as filtering the enemy¡¯s military forces to attack the three gates, have allowed them to hold their ground effectively despite having fewer troops. Constant rain of arrows from behind the fence greatly reduced their numbers. Rather than relying on an individuals abilities, working cooperatively allow them to compliment their strengths efficiently. With good cooperation between the troops, they were able to mutually reduce the mortality rate dramatically. Although such strategy was highly unpopular among the knights, Laura on the other hand valued Ryouma¡¯s strategy highly. Laura scolded the pessimistic knight while recalling memories of her father at the time when she was little. [Laura, listen¡­, a man standing at the top should never show any weakness¡­, even when you are afraid, even if you want to run away¡­, how long a man can stay resolute¡­, that is what determines the quality of a person who stands at the top. ] No matter how good Ryouma¡¯s strategy is, if Laura wavered even for a split second, the front line could collapse in a single moment. At the end of the day, human mental strength is what important in the battlefield. If she showed any hesitation even for a second, it will spread to the others like a wildfire. ¡°That is correct! Show no mercy and kill them all! We must hold our ground until the time comes!¡± A sudden voice came from the back. ¡°Ryouma-sama!¡± Laura raised a surprised voice. Ryouma is currently in charge of the central gate. Though in fact, he also has the authority over the whole command. Therefore he should never go to the front line directly. The orders should be dispatched from the headquarter which is located further inside.. ¡°The enemy¡¯s main force has begun to move; they are probably going to make a simultaneous attack soon. ¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.., I have felt that the pressure from the enemy has suddenly increased for some reason. ¡± Laura nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°With regard to that, I think I should take command in the front line personally.¡± Ryouma¡¯s line of sight was directed to the front. Currently, there has been no big problem so far. ¡°Is it alright to do that?¡­, emm, what about Lione-san and the others?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­, I¡¯ve already given them some instructions. The only thing left is to give Sara the signal. ¡± ¡°Is it really alright?¡­, to use that now?¡± Laura asked anxiously. The reason being was that the plan Ryouma had prepared was supposed to be used against the Noble factions main force, in order to buy enough time for their own reinforcement to arrive. Now that he has decided to use it early, Laura couldnt help but be anxious. ¡°Well, it cant be helped. I understand that it is earlier than we had planned, but since the enemy is rushing in recklessly¡­, We might as well take advantage of this opportunity and kill them.., It would give us a little bit of breathing space for a while¡­, and don¡¯t worry, I still have some other plans up my sleeve. ¡± Ryouma finished his sentence with a devilish smile. His explanation in someway was like an indirect insult to the foolish commander and his unfortunate soldiers, who are about to become victims of Ryoumas devious plan. Ryouma, who has an inferior number, must emphasize on the two important factors in order to win. The first is to minimise the damage taken as much as possible. The second is to ensure that the morale of his troops dont drop. Now that they have prepared moat and fences, they were able to reduce the damage significantly. First condition is cleared. However, what about the second one? He just barely managed to meet it. To be fair, the truth is that he had no other options to meet the second condition effectively.. The attacking side usually has higher morale in a battlefield. There is less psychological stress on the attacking side than the defending side. And crucially, the commander who is currently working under Ryouma, serves Princess Lupis. The fact that Ryouma, who is a complete outsider is the highest seat in the command chain baffles the commander and his soldiers greatly. They found it hard to trust Ryouma who has unclear background. It would be hard to raise and maintain morale if the soldiers have any doubt in their commander. They were following Ryouma¡¯s order properly for now. However, if a gate was breached somewhere, there was no guarantee that Ryouma will be able to push the enemy back. That¡¯s why right now, Ryouma wants to show the knights his prowess. ¡°Listen up! Just a little bit more! We can do this!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Oooooh!!!¡±¡±¡± The knight responded to the encouragement from their commander. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°What are you doing?! Are we still not getting through yet?!¡± Kyle shouted in frustration. He has already brought the 2.000 elite knights to the front line. He expected that they would be able to immediately cut through the fences and break into the enemy¡¯s line. However, as it turned out, he was still unable to breach Ryouma¡¯s defense line. Kyle then proceeded forward to the enemy¡¯s defense line himself. He ride his horse deep into the dry moat as he moved towards the fences. And Ryouma was never going to miss such opportunity. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Now! Send the signal to Sara!¡± Ryouma¡¯s instruction was immediately received by the mercenary who was waiting behind him. Following that, a fire arrow was launched up to the sky. It was the signal that begins the onslaught. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Jou-sama! The signal from Mikoshiba-sama!¡± One of the mercenaries who is working under Sara pointed toward the red light that was launched into the southern sky. ¡°Are we ready? Is the water ready?!¡± ¡°Yes maam; we can go anytime!¡± A U-shaped weir was installed horizontally at the north riverbank of the Thaves river, altering its usual flowing characteristic. Though currently there is a 20 meters-wide earth barrier standing between the river and the moat. The Thaves river boasts a very powerful water current. With this weir, they can easily divert enough water to fill up the moat quickly. ¡°Good! Lets do it!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Alright!!!¡±¡±¡± Make sure you collapse the 20 meters-wide barrier between the river and the dry moat! Dont make any mistake now! Under Sara¡¯s order, the mercenaries started chanting at once. ¡°¡±¡± O spirits that controls over the earth. Hear our call and transform the land before us!!!¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±¡±Earth magic art, Earth Sink!¡±¡±¡± The mercenaries placed their hands on the ground simultaneously. *Bashaaa!!! * The ferocious water current immediately started flowing into the dry moat, now that there is no more weir obstructing its usual flow.. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A few soldiers on the north side noticed the odd sounds. Then in a split second, series of panic voices took over the battleground. Perhaps being a hunter previously, some soldiers have sharp eyes and good sense of hearing. ¡°Oi! Did you hear something?¡± A puzzled soldier asked his colleague next to him. Because hearing the question made him nervous, he immediately replied, ¡°Fool! What the hell are you talking about! Concentrate, or you¡¯re going to die!¡± Both of them are people from the same town. That is the reason why he had opted to respond, albeit in a harsh tone, even though it was dangerous to talk. It was a bazaar conversation between 2 soldiers, who are barely managing to survive the constant wave of arrows shot at them by a team of knights under Bolts command. Since he was talking under such circumstance, his colleague thought he was crazy. ¡°No! I can definitely hear it you know!?¡± ¡°What are you talking about! This is not the time for this kind of talk!¡± The man from the same town responded once again. The puzzled soldier knew that losing focus on the battle could be a fatal mistake, but he just couldnt ignore this hunch he had either. He decided to turn his eyes to the north. It was there he saw¡­ A huge wall of water is flooding at him. ¡°T-The water!¡± He screamed in panic. The scream has alerted the other soldiers about the approaching wall of water. All the movement in the battle has come to a complete halt. No one could raise their voice. All that can be heard is the sound of water colliding with the moat wall. It was the sound of death, just like the sound of the trumpet the angel plays to mark the end of time. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 42 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 24 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 24 (Assassin 1) Day 169 after being summoned to another world: (Assassin 1) Numerous dead bodies were floating on the surface of the water that filled the moat. It was already night time, and the surrounding was illuminated by the light from the torches. ¡°Fuuh~, everything seems to be going well huh¡­¡± Ryouma muttered as he gazed at the floating dead bodies. His words were spoken in a sad tone. Since thousands of men have lost their lives as a result of his plan,. It was normal for Ryouma to feel a little emotional. In fact, considering that he was only a highschool student until a few months ago, his mental strength is far superior than an average person of his age. ¡°Yes, and the casualties on our side are minimal. ¡± Laura responded. Ryouma had planned on using the Thaves rivers ferocious water current to his advantage since the moment he arrived. After all, he was at a huge disadvantage, and unless he uses everything at his disposal, he will have no chance of winning the battle. Water, for the present day human on Earth, especially Japanese people, is not considered a threat.. Except for a minority, most Japanese can swim since swimming lessons are compulsory in their school years. However, that is the case in Earth. It is a completely different story for this world. Unless they are someone with an occupation related to water, such as fishermen and sailors, the majority of the population cannot swim. Though judging from how people live in this world, it was understandable. In this world, most people do not have the privilege to live their daily lives without having to work. For example, a farmer would have to do their agricultural work everyday, children included, in order to get by everyday. These activities occupy most of the sunlight hours, leaving people with little spare time to do anything else. The truth is, there was no real incentive for them to learn how to swim in a land that is mostly covered in forest. Days gone by and those children become adults. As they became an adult, work and responsibility are increased proportionally as well.. In fact, within Ryouma¡¯s troops, only about 50 people are able to swim. Ryouma chose to capitalise on that fact without giving it a second thought. Furthermore, those militia soldiers were wearing only leather armour. And leather armors are prone to absorbing water, making it extremely heavy. If they were only equipped with a spear, they could have just let it go. However, with those leather armours, there was no quick way to strip them. In fact, most people would struggle to strip off regular clothings under water, as they tend to stick to body, let alone the leather armour. As a results, the peasants who did not have any swimming experience had drowned. ¡°I see, how many were there?¡± ¡°We did not take any prisoner of war as instructed¡­, and because the order was to kill everything in front of us, the casualties on the enemys side should exceed 5.000. ¡± The enemy¡¯s total number was 7.000. And now 5.000 of them are dead. There were those who died from drowning, and those who died while attempting to retreat from the fence they had reached. The group that managed the survive had noticed the water and immediately retreated. Although there were some survivors, this battle was already over. ¡°The enemy¡¯s force that was attacking the north side was completely annihilated, but since it took longer for the water sweep down the central and south sides, some were able to escape¡­ Regardless, we were able to reduce the number of the elite knight force quite significantly. Overall, this can be considered as a very successful result. ¡± Ryouma nodded to Lauras report. An elite knight wearing plate armor has a very strong battle power. However, Kyles rash judgement had turned the tide of battle upside down. The ferocious water current had completely swept Kyles elite knights, devastating their battle force. The recklessness shown by the enemy certainly played a big part in the plans success, but Ryouma thought that in warfare, luck could be categorized as a factor as well. ¡°With this, we should be able to hold them off for several days¡­, Tell the men to get some rest but make sure to assign people to watch duty.¡± Laura nodded to Ryouma and left. ¡°Now then¡­, what am I going to do now¡­¡± Ryouma muttered to himself. He is a person who values planning and making preparation, but at the same time he can also be flexible. In fact, being flexible is one of his forte. The water plan was not supposed to be use this early. It was a plan that Ryouma had prepared for t the enemy¡¯s main army when they arrive. (Well since this is a defensive war, that result was not necessarily a clear success, since that plan was supposed to be for later. However, we might have been worse off had we not killed the enemy immediately when there was an opportunity to do so. ) On the bright side, however, due to the fact that they were able to defeat the enemy¡¯s army that outnumbered them by a large margin, the knights¡¯ morale kept rising. Besides, reducing the enemy¡¯s force from 65.000 to 60.000 is significant.. (Well at this rate, it would be easy to execute the next plan, so it¡¯s all good I guess?¡­ After this, it depends on how fast the enemy can move¡­, I sure hope not until Princess Lupis arrives here¡­, but well, I guess that is asking for too much, huh? There is no way Duke Gerhardt and General Hodram will let this situation slide¡­ ) Ryouma knew that he needs to ready another plan immediately in case the enemy makes another attack. All the preparation should be done before the main force lead by Princess Lupis arrives here as well. (I will need one day to gather all the information regarding the present situation. The second day should be spent on using the gathered information to formulate a plan, and another day to prepare everything in places. I am going to need at least three days¡­, if today is included, then that would be four days. If we can get through the next three days without any trouble, we will have a good chance of winning this battle¡­ ) A smile finally appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face. (The more time I have, the more options available to me. There should be enough time for me to make some preparation even if the enemy tried to rush here. ) Only time will tell whether Ryoumas judgement was right or not. No one will know the answer until the war is over. An outcome of a single battle does not decide the victor of the war. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°You bastard¡­, you sure have some guts to appear before me like this¡­, I will praise you for that. ¡± Duke Gerdhardt sneered at Kyle coldly. It was already late in the night. However, the light from Duke Gerhardts office located in Irachion city was still on. Normally Duke Gerhardt would already be asleep. However, today is different. Only a handful out of the 7,000 soldiers that headed off triumphantly in the morning managed to scram back to safety in what was almost a total destruction.. And Duke Gerhardt was unable to sleep because of that. ¡°Yes, sir! I have no excuse. ¡± Kyle lowered his head. He had no choice but to admit his mistakes. ¡°The number of casualties from the peasant-recruits were 4,000, and another 1,000 from the elite knights¡­, not only did we lose in battle, our state of economy was heavily affected as well¡­ ¡± Duke Gerhardt struggled to keep a straight face when he read through the report presented by his aide. Though occasionally, when some people become angry, they are able to remain calm and collected. At least, Duke Gerhardt is one of those people. ¡°Yes, sir! I¡¯m very sorry. ¡± Kyle lowered his head once again. ¡°I couldnt care less about those farmers, but did I not make it clear to you how indispensable those knights were? ¡± Pressure can be felt from his words. They were all the elite knights that he had been recruiting for past several years. Not only were they deployed recklessly during the battle, but to think they would march straight into the enemy¡¯s plan, it was understandable for Duke Gerhardt to be angry because of that. Even more so when the one who led them was Kyle, who is supposedly talented in the field of warfare. As much as he trusts that talent, he couldnt help but be disappointed with the result. ¡°Yes, sir!¡­, I am deeply ashamed¡­¡± Kyle kept apologising over and over while lowering his head. Even if he wanted to make any excuse, it would only cement his status as a loser and infuriate Duke Gerhardt even more.. There was simply no room for him to make any excuse. ¡°And yet here you are, getting out alive and running back with your tails between your legs¡­¡± Duke Gerhardt kept complaining as he read through the report. ¡°Yes, fortunately, because the horse I was riding was able to swim, I managed to survive¡­¡± ¡°Hou¡­, and here I thought that you had abandoned everyone else just so you could make it back alive. ¡± The Duke ridiculed Kyle harshly. Kyle gritted his teeth as he endured Duke Gerhardt¡¯s insult. There was nothing else he could do. The fact that Kyle managed to get out alive was down to pure luck. Having decided that he would proceed to the frontline himself, he made his way through the dry moat. Then, a huge wave of water came crashing down. At that time, he was surrounded by knights in every direction, blocking all the escape routes. The water immediately swallowed Kyle, who was wearing plate armor just like the other knights, and he should have died there. It was because the horse he rode has changed his fate. Kyles quick judgement of removing some of the heavy part of the armour also influenced his survival greatly.. Regardless of whether it was down to luck or not, The horse he rode was able to swim out of the muddy water current. And Kyle narrowly survived. ¡°Fine¡­, I will postpone your punishment verdict. ¡± Hearing Gerhardt¡¯s decision, Kyle let out a sigh of relief. It wouldnt be strange for Duke Gerhardt to hand him a capital punishment. In fact, it was strange that he did not receive it right away. After all, the damage Kyle has caused was worthy of one. ¡°What are you looking relieved for? I never said that I would forgive you? ¡± Kyles body froze up almost immediately. ¡°Oh well, you are dismissed for today. ¡± Duke Gerhardt waved his hand signalling Kyle to leave. ¡°T-Then, please excuse me. ¡± After lowering his head, Kyle went out from the office quickly. It was as if he was trying to flee from his mistake. ¡°Fuuh¡­, Useless!¡± After Kyle had left the room, Duke Gerhardt let out his anger. The was a short insult, but it packed a lot of rage. ¡°Are you sure? Leaving it like that. ¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that I should get rid of Kyle now?¡± The aide nodded his head. ¡°Fool! Do you think that this damage can be offset by his life alone?!¡± Kyle has long been out of Duke Gerhardts plans. The reason that Kyle is not yet dead is not because Duke Gerhardt wants him to redeem himself.. Rather, the Duke spared Kyles life solely because having one more soldier is better than having one less. That is the only reason he puts the execution on hold. ¡°The peasant recruits were dispensable¡­, But to think he wasted the elite Knights too¡­, that fool!¡± Losing this battle does not mean that the Noble faction has lost the war. But regardless of how insignificant of a battle it was, a loss is still a loss. Gerhardt couldnt help but be angry at this, despite understanding the situation. (The timing is bad¡­, Hodram had just joined us, and I don¡¯t want to show him a weakness that he can exploit¡­) The result of this battle could be a huge problem for Duke Gerhardt who¡¯s currently in the middle of negotiation with General Hodram as to who should lead. Hodram himself has been a military commander of Rozeria Kingdom for the past ten years. Gerhardt, on the other hand, has been dealing with mostly internal affairs. It would be logical to entrust the command to General Hodram. Even if most of the soldiers belong to the nobles faction. Gerhardt perfectly understood that. But then, there is a risk that Hodram might deprive everything from him. (That guy is a quite an ambitious person after all. He will definitely aim for my neck if I make a bad move. He is that kind of person. At the very least, his ambition is smaller compared to mine, that¡¯s why I can entrust the command of the security unit with confidence.) For Gerhardt, a person of Holdrams calibre is hard to come by. That¡¯s why he accepted Hodram, who had lost his previous standings. However, after taking in Hodram and seeing the actual person, he realized that Hodrams ambition has not changed from before. Gerhardt found out that from the beginning, ever since he served Princess Lupis as the Knight factions leader, Holdram has been hiding his real intention all along. He could feel the pressure from Holdram, as if being looked at by a hungry wolf preying on its target. (I should¡¯ve never listened to Sudou¡¯s advice¡­, as expected, it was a mistake to take in Hodram, huh?) A figure of a man appeared in Gerhardt¡¯s mind. The man who has always been standing next to Princess Ladine. The man who suggested that Gerhardt should take in Holdram as an ally.. In fact, he is the man who introduced Gerhardt to Princess Ladine.. With a mediocre face that can be found anywhere and an average body build and height, there was nothing particularly outstanding about him. The only features worth mentioning are his black eyes and black hair. His existence is only known to a small group of people, even among the aristocrats of the noble faction, since he has never left Princess Ladines side. (No¡­, like Sudou had mentioned, Hodram is a valuable fighting force¡­, considering the number of knights lost in battle, his value should increase even more¡­, but the big problem is his ambition¡­.) Just for the sake of argument, Gerhardt actually has no problem handingHodram the military power. Because he understands that it would be very difficult for him to run the entire kingdom by himself. As long as Gerhardts interests are not disrupted, he would not mind. Simple as that. (But right now, time is not on our side¡­, once Princess Lupis main force arrives, the momentum of the battle would swing to their side immediately¡­ ) A peasant might be weak individually, but in a group, they can pose real threat. The reason why the other nobles decided to join Gerhardt is because he has a large advantage against Princess Lupis in term of sheer soldiers number. But would that reason remain valid if Gerhardt was unable to crush a small unit of Princess Lupis troops that only have 2.000 in numbers? Chance is, the peasants and the nobles would start to doubt his ability.. Even worse, from the candidacy point of view, Princess Lupis is ahead of Princess Ladine in term of legitimacy. If the Dukes ability were to be doubted, it would only cause his followers to lose faith and turn their back away from him. Taking all of these into consideration, Kyle¡¯s failure this time cannot be described as anything but a disaster. (This is very much a catastrophe, huh?¡­, But, no! The war is not yet over! ) Gerhardt shook off all the negative thoughts in his head and regained his composure. (I will deal with Kyle¡¯s matter later¡­ Curse that enemy¡¯s commander! If I could quickly dispose of that man, will our chance of winning increase?) Despite Kyles recent error in judgement, Gerhardt had previously acknowledged Kyles leadership skills. Thus, he had not anticipated this outcome at all. The bottom line is that the enemys commander has far exceeded his expectation. Gerhardt knew that without a smart leader, there was no way their soldiers could execute the flood plan this well. Killing that leader would surely put him back in the driving seat. (Previously, the report mentioned that the assassination attempt has failed¡­ But if I recall correctly, we still have some assassins among the enemys mercenary group¡­ A couple of skilled ones too¡­, Is it possible to assassinate the enemy¡¯s commander with this, I wonder?) An evil smile finally appeared on the Dukes face From the start, assassins are disposable weapons. It is perfectly fine if they die after the assassination attempt. Moreover, the enemy should let their guard down after winning their first battle. (If I want to do it, I should do it now huh?) ¡°Order the spies to kill the enemy¡¯s commander! Now!¡± ¡°U-Understood!¡± His aide immediately rushed out of the office. ¡°Kukukuku! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Evil laughter resonated within the room. His ambition and confidence have not wavered. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 43 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 25 Editor: Cruiser. Chapter 2 Episode 25 (Assassin 2) Day 170 after being summoned to another world. The morning of the second day came since Ryouma built the defense fortification. ¡°As expected, there was no night attack huh?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like it was impossible for the enemy to reorganize their army in such a short amount of time ¡± Laura who accompanied Ryouma answered his question. ¡°I guess it is to be expected, seeing how much damage they have taken in the previous fight?¡± ¡°Most likely, they would need around 2-3 days to prepare. ¡± ¡°Then it would be better for us to immediately begin our next preparations before its too late.¡± Laura¡¯s eyes shined upon hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°We are keeping up nicely with our schedule. The time the enemy took to recover from the battle is within my expectation . Also, the next plan will require more time to be effective, and I¡¯m not sure if it will be ready by the time Princess Lupis has to face her decisive battle. ¡± ¡°Are Lione and the others ready?¡± Ryouma ask the most important question. ¡°Yes, they have already selected the necessary personnel and finished preparations while we¡¯re at the Royal Castle. ¡± ¡°Good, then I would like for all of them to attend the meeting after breakfast. Ugh, by the way, what about breakfast?¡± Ryouma stomach begins to rumble. A human being needs to eat periodically, even if they are in the middle of a battlefield where their lives are at risk. ¡°We¡¯ve already prepared it. ¡± Laura has already prepared Ryoumas meal beforehand. From the beginning, there were already a number of cooks in the army. Thus it was not necessary for Laura and her sister to cook for Ryouma However, they never left Ryouma¡¯s personal care to another person. It became an unwritten law for them to take care of him even when he was in the Royal Palace. ¡°If that the case then, I guess I want to eat them immediately while they are still warm. ¡± After saying that, Ryouma returned to his tent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Then came the second day after the battle against Kyle ended. ¡°Well, I am ready as always. ¡± ¡°I also have no problems. We¡¯ve already prepared in advance and are ready whenever. ¡± Inside the tent, there are four people excluding Ryouma, and these people are Lione, Bolts, And the Marfisto¡¯s sisters. ¡°Since it would be suspicious if you go around with too many people, how about you choose ten people from theRed Lion mercenary group? ¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Lione and Bolts nodded their head. ¡°And Sara, about the task you were given, how much progress have you made?¡± Sara organised her thoughts in her mind before reporting to Ryouma ¡°Her name is Sakuya, and we still don¡¯t know who she is connected to, but there¡¯s no doubt that she has been in touch with someone ever since we¡¯ve been in Royal castle. ¡± ¡°I see.., well, for now, we can let her be for a while. ¡± In reality, Ryouma was unsure on how best to deal with Sakuya. What kind of person is she? Is she a spy or an assassin? Which force is she connected to? There were far too many unknown factors. Ryouma could easily eliminate her if he chose to but the people she is connected to might just send someone else to attack him. It would be a lot safer to leave her alone as long as she is under his supervision. ¡°But still, what is her goal? That is the most important question?¡± Lione threw out a question. That would be natural. ¡°What are you saying, this is thanks to Lione-san that I am able to use her for something. ¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lione was able to recruit about 90% of the mercenaries without having to go through the guild. Although some did come from the royal capital, their number didnt even reach 10% of their overall manpower. ¡°I see, that¡¯s why you asked Nee-san to hire the mercenaries huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lione turned her question towards Bolts who seems to understand Ryoumas intentions.. ¡°It was for monitoring purpose, as it would make it easy to do so since we¡¯re able to reduce the number of unknown people. This helps to find any suspicious people among the mercenaries.¡± In other words, if a person enters an army composed of Lione¡¯s acquaintances, then naturally that person would stand out. This in turn would ease the process of finding suspicious members, making it much easier for Ryouma to spot and monitor them until they are compromised. ¡°I see, you had already assumed that a spy would be slipping into the mercenary unit since the beginning?¡± Lione spoke in admiration. ¡°I need to think of every possible scenarios after all. ¡± It is a common tactic to use spies to monitor your enemys every move. It is normal for any commander to consider and counter this tactic, but due to certain circumstances Ryouma was unable to dispatch one. That was Ryouma¡¯s personal thoughts on the situation. ¡°I see. ¡± The meeting ended shortly after Lione showed her admiration for Ryoumas ability as a commander. ¡°Sara, where are those people going?¡± After looking at Sakuya who was handling the dead bodies near the fences, Ryouma directed his line of sight toward the people who were crossing the water filled moat with a raft. The corpses needed to be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent the spreading of epidemics. Though most of the corpses, especially ones with light armour, had already been swept away naturally by the flood. Using the Thaves river to obliterate an army was indeed effective, but from a sanitary point of view, it left them with a lot of cleaning up work.. Sara was in charge of stripping the equipment of the remaining corpses and tossing them into the moat to be carried away by the current, along the rest of the bodies. ¡°Oh, they are merchants from the neighborhood. Theyve just returned from conducting business talk elsewhere. ¡± Sara replied. ¡°Merchants, are they?¡± ¡°Indeed, hmm? Is there anything suspicious?¡± Based on Saras reaction, Ryouma decided to not pursue the conversation further. ¡°No¡­, nothing¡­¡± Then he averted his gaze back towards Sakuya who was dealing with another corpse. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Sakuya could not hide her feelings of agitation. It has been almost a month since the time she entered the mercenary units and so far and she has yet to find out any valuable information. (Maybe¡­ They are hiding some really important information?!) It is natural for her to think like that. In fact, the merchants who had crossed the moat have been entrusted with an important role, but she would only find out about this later on. Also, It was almost impossible for Sakuya to get the necessary information. After all, Sara was always watching over her shoulder. (Why is that person always watching me? Am I compromised?) Sakuya panicked for a brief moment, but quickly dismissed that thought. (No, that¡¯s impossible. If they already knew who I was they wouldnt have allowed me to live for so long.) Sakuya had already investigated the person named Mikoshiba Ryouma. Although, she could not understand why such person with an unknown background was allowed to help Princess Lupis, she was made to understand that he was a ruthless person based on the results of his previous plan which was unfolded before her very eyes. *Pika* For a brief moment, a blinking light could be seen in the corner of her eye. *Pika¡­. Pika, Pika* There was two consecutive flashes of light, after a while, it blinks for the third time. Her employer has given her the signal to assassinate Mikoshiba Ryouma. That was the method of communication between the Infiltrator and her employer. Within the enemy¡¯s army, a spy needs to be extremely cautious when they make contact with their allies. Of course, sometimes they would meet in person. However, in certain situations, contacting by letters might sometimes prove to be too difficult. That is why they have prepared in advance to communicate using the light signal. The advantage of this method is that the enemy will not know the content of the message. Besides, most people wouldnt bother themselves with flashing light that happens just for a brief moment. Sakuya kept working without changing her expression, but in her mind she was plotting how she should assassinate Mikoshiba Ryouma. (The best option would be to kill him in close quarters, since Id only need to graze him with my poison-coated blade.) Last time, they attempted to assassinate him by sniping from afar using a bow, but Ryouma was able to dodge the arrow. Failing for the second time in a row is not an option. Although the possibility of her surviving was low once she attempted it, and she would need to be prepared to die. (Kill or be killed¡­ ) An assassin should always be prepared to die. However, she was unaware of Sara whose gaze was fixed upon her. The night of the second day was passing. It was a night where the moon hid behind the clouds and the only source of light were the torches around the camp. *Fuu* A shadow silently and swiftly ran through clusters of tents. However, none of the guards notice it, since it was donning black clothes and a black mask to blend into darkness. (Is this where he is?) The shadow stopped once it reached a familiar tent. It was the tent of the enemy commander. However, even though the darkness would have made a normal person unable to recognise it, an assassin whose eyes had been trained to see in the dark could identify it effortlessly. Silently unsheathing the sword hanging on its waist, the shadow took out a small vial containing a thick black liquid. The content was smeared onto the sword delicately and after placing the vial back into its bosoms, a piece of cloth was took out and placed at the base of the blade. By applying the right amount of pressure onto the blade, it ensured that the liquid has coated the edge of the blade. (This should be enough poison, all thats left is to take Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s life with these hands¡­) After the shadow confirmed that the black liquid had been properly applied to the blade, the shadow began to sneak toward the tent entrance. Ryoumas tent did not have any security guards to defend it. No one knows if it¡¯s because he was confident or because he felt it too bothersome. However, it was clear that he never wanted any guards around his tent.. The shadow might have been worried about traps if this was carried out a few days ago, but now since the shadow understood that the only reason behind the lack of security is due to the fact that Mikoshiba Ryouma deemed it unnecessary, since he felt he hasnt done much to deserve this kind of special treatment. The shadow looked inside of the tent from the entrance. At the place where Ryouma would lay asleep. The inside of the tent is pitch black; there was no candles illuminating the tent. A table for holding conferences stood in the middle of the room. Armors are hung on the sides of the tent, and Ryoumas personal sword was leaning on the edge of the bed. On top of the bed, a human body was laying there. However, at such distance, and within such darkness, it was hard for the shadow to identify the identity of the human. The shadow crept closer to the bed to confirm whether it was Ryouma or not. (Now!) The shadow silently swung its sword. There was no one in the close proximity. It was the the best time to kill him. No assassin would waste a golden opportunity like this. *Fuhiyu* The sword sliced through the air, towards its target. The shadow could feel a reaction, and was convinced of its achievement. However, that belief soon begins to crumble. *Clank* A different metallic sound resounded within the tent. The shadow was stunned. It did not noticed that there was someone right behind. *Doga* A punch struck the shadows body. ¡°Guh¡­¡± The shadow desperately suppressed its groan that was about to come out. But that left it defenseless. The man successfully hammered his fist into the shadows right shoulder. Another precise fist struck the vital point on the shadows left shoulder, forcing the shadow to drop its sword due to the shock. (This is bad!) The shadow finally understood the situation. However, the two punches inflicted on its body hindered the shadows movement. (Not good¡­ My body won¡¯t listen to me properly!) The shadows arms were numbed from the attacks. Gradually, the numbness begins to fade, but there¡¯s no doubt that the shadow is at a disadvantage. The shadow immediately gave up on fighting back and looked an escape. (The entrance is behind him¡­ But I would need to get past him., and with the current situation, it would be impossible for me to break through¡­ If that is the case, then¡­) It is one of the criteria for being a real assassin, to always choose escape rather than fight one on one. Fortunately, the tent is made of cloth. Unlike Wood, it would be easy for the shadow to tear a hole with a hand-held knife to escape with. The shadow immediately turned around and rushed towards the wall of the tent. *Bibibibibi* The shadow leapt towards the tent wall. Utilizing the momentum, the shadow tore through the fabric with ease. What do you think you are doing, this late in the night. Sara shouted just as the shadow had thought it has escaped. ¡°!!¡± Sara could sense the surprise from the shadow despite the fact that it was wearing a mask. ¡°Is it that surprising?¡± The shadow ignored Sara¡¯s words and immediately looked around for another escape route. (Where? Where should I run?) A professional assassin never give up on an escape. However, with Sara being there, the chances of escape was lowered considerably. ¡°Your effort is futile!¡± When Sara raises her hand, fully armed mercenaries revealed themselves from within the dark. Lead by Lione and Bolts; there were about 20 mercenaries that surrounded it. The situation looked bleak as the shadow understood that escape was impossible with these numbers. ¡°First, throw down all your weapon!¡± The shadow was hesitant for a moment before reaching out its hand to the pocket. A tense atmosphere surrounded the mercenaries. ¡°It¡¯s fine. ¡­ Put it down slowly!¡± Sara immediately calmed the tension among the mercenaries. (I guess there¡¯s no point struggling, breaking through here is near impossible¡­) After it has evaluated her situation, the shadow pulled out a small bottle from its bosom and threw it to the ground. (Since I was ordered to lay down my weapons, they will probably not kill me right away., This means an opportunity to escape may present itself later¡­ ) While thinking that, the shadow dropped all its weapon according to Sara¡¯s order. There is still a possibility of getting out alive. As it assessed its options, the next move could decide its fate. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 44 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 26 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 26 (Assassin 3) Day 172 after being summoned to another world. The gleaming moon rose above the clouds, illuminating the entire area. ¡°First, let¡¯s have you take off the mask. ¡± The cornered shadow slowly removed her mask without putting up a meaningless fight. *Hariri* Gradually, a womans face was revealed. The black-haired woman, who has been disguising herself among the mercenary, is known as Sakuya. ¡°Now thats out of the way, shall we have a little chat? ¡± ¡°A chat? Dont you mean an interrogation?¡± Considering the current situation, Sakuya presumed that Ryouma was sugarcoating his words. The conversation was held in a large tent, where the assassination was attempted. Aside Ryouma and Sakuya, Lione, Bolts and the two Marfisto sisters are present. The rest of the mercenaries have left the tent to guard the outside. Indeed, it was a strange atmosphere for what Ryouma called a chat. ¡°That depends on how we interpret it, no? At least, I¡¯m going to call this a chat. ¡± To some extent, Sakuya felt relieved after hearing his words. (With how this is going, there might be a chance that they decide to not torture me¡­ Nevertheless, I was prepared for death regardless of whether they interrogate me or not, but it does not look like they intend to kill me just yet¡­ ) Sakuya could feel that Ryouma and co dont have any intention of hurting her at the moment. However, she has not completely rejected the other possibility either. But at the very least, she could calm down after confirming that there was no need to look out for sudden attacks. ¡°So? What is that that you want to talk about, with someone who had just attempted to assassinate you?¡± ¡°You do not have to be that tense, you know?¡± Ryouma answered her with a slight smile. With the current atmosphere being so heavy, Ryouma told Sakuya to loosen up, in effort to ease the tension in between them. While Sakuya did somewhat become more relaxed, the atmosphere still remained rather heavy. Although her face showed that she has become more relaxed, there is little chance that she would start to open up to him (Now then¡­ How should I proceed from here?) From the start, Ryouma never had any expectation of obtaining useful information from interrogating Sakuya. That is because there was no way for him to verify whether her answers are truths or lies. There was simply no need for him to take the risk of being deceived later on. However, if he let her go just like that, then he would have gained nothing from Sakuya. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that I want to hear particularly. Besides, you wouldnt talk even if I ask anyway, and I have no means of proving the authenticity of your words either. ¡± Sakuya¡¯s was amazed at Ryouma¡¯s words. If she were to take Ryouma¡¯s words literally, that means there¡¯s no reason for him to spare her life. (This man, just what is he planning?) Sakuya couldnt help but feel anxious. Questions began to pop up one after another inside her head. Anyone would feel uneasy when they couldnt grasp the train of thoughts of their enemy. ¡°Then why are you keeping me alive?¡± Sakuya was determined to find out what Ryouma is after. Suddenly, a flash of thought crossed her mind. Since she is a woman, there is another possibility of why Ryouma had spared her. (Don¡¯t tell me, is he after my body?!) It was natural for her to think that way. After all, she is quite a beauty. Long and glossy black hair. A healthy light-brown toned skin. Despite going through a harsh assassins training regime, her chest has developed to quite a substantial size. Simply put, she boasts such an attractive body, most men would fall head over heels for her. Although she has been doing all sorts of infiltration and assassination work, at the end of the day, she is still a woman. She still holds the fear of being forcefully violated by men. As a woman, for Sakuya, death after failure is much more preferable than being defiled against her will. But as a human, the fear of getting hurt is just as scary. Even more so when you do not know the man in front of you. (But wait¡­, that can¡¯t be¡­ If that really was his intention, then he wouldnt have brought the other women here. ) Her assumption was quickly rubbished as she looked at Lione and the sisters. However, with this, she has gone back to square one. She has learnt nothing of the man called Mikoshiba Ryouma. Not his goals nor his intentions. ¡°Well, lets just say its a personal reason. ¡± Ryouma replied as he observes her behavior. ¡°Personal reason?¡± Sakuya made a complicated face. ¡°This¡­ ¡± Ryouma pushed out the sword Sakuya previously had in front of her. ¡°What about it?¡± Sakuya was unable to understand what Ryouma was concerned about. The sword length is two shaku three sun. This is equivalent to approximately 70 cm in length. Certainly, this is not a sword commonly used in the western continent. However, the sword itself was not the reason why Ryouma had spared Sakuyas life. ¡°Why did you use this?¡± Sakuya became confused at Ryouma¡¯s question. For an assassin, a sword is just a weapon. A tool for killing people. Nothing more than that. Seeing Sakuyas puzzled face, Ryouma changed his question. ¡°You, are you Japanese?¡± However, the anticipated change in Sakuyas expression that Ryouma expected did not happen. Her response was like it was the first time she heard the word Japanese. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sakuyas answer proved that Ryoumas theory was wrong. (What¡¯s going on? An assassin with this type of sword, has black eyes and black hair; and although her skin is tanned, without a doubt she¡¯s ethnically Asian¡­, yet when I asked if she¡¯s a Japanese, she didn¡¯t show any reaction¡­ Is this coincidental? No, thats impossible¡­.) Questions kept popping up one after the other. Ryouma has not looked closely at Sakuya¡¯s face up close until now since he left all the supervising duty to Sara. Two days ago, he only able to see that she¡¯s a woman with black hair from a distance. It was from Saras report the other day that he found out her name is Sakuya. Ryouma did not realize it yet back then, but he heard such a nostalgic name. Sakuya. In Kanji, that would be Sakuya () or Sakuya (). Without a context, if these Kanjis were read on their own, most people would think that it is a Japanese name. It is definitely not a common western name. (She might be a Japanese just like me!) It was logical for Ryouma to think that way. It has been six months since he was summoned to this world. It would be nice to be reunited with someone from the same country. However, the fact that Ryouma does not hold any friendly feelings towards the man called Saitou from the Ortomea Empire has not changed. His only memory of Saitou was when he was taken under custody, which he was not fond of. Not to mention Ryouma¡¯s hatred toward the empire for trying to take his life, it was natural that his impression was of them was not good. In a similar context, an assassin who aimed Ryouma¡¯s life is similar in nature, but since her reason to kill and the question about her accomplice are not clear, as a sane human being, Ryouma couldnt just simply kill her just because she was a threat. There¡¯s also the possibility that she was another summoned person who is forced into an assassination job. Besides, Sakuya is a woman. A beauty too at that¡­ It was natural for Ryouma to want to offer help to a fellow someone who has the same fate of being forced summon as him. Mikoshiba Ryouma might be a cold-hearted person, but he¡¯s still a human at heart. He can be kind and compassionate at times. It might sound contradictory, but that is just how a human being is. Just like a manager who is known for being strict at work, yet is a loving member of his family at home. In this regard, Ryouma is very much your average human being. His principle is simple. He wants to survive. All for the sake of survival. In order to achieve that, he is prepared to cut down anyone who stands before his path. However, what if there is another life that can be saved without compromising his safety? It would be a logical to help a those in needs, especially when they are one of the same kind. However, at times there would be cases where there the problem at hand is far beyond his power. He would at least hear them out first, before deciding whether to help or not. This much is common sense. The idea behind capturing Sakuya rather than killing her right away is very much the same. Ryouma does not intend to kill an assassin right away without hearing her reasons. Without finding out the true motive behind her move, Ryouma wouldnt know whether she was forced to do this work or she was doing it of her free will. The only thing that was not part of his expectation was the zero reaction Sakuya made when he said the word Japanese. ¡°Are you really not a Japanese?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. From what country is that? It¡¯s certainly not a country within the western continent right?¡± Sakuya gave a clear response. ¡°Then why are you using a Japanese sword?¡± Not convinced, Ryouma asked another question. He thought of another possible scenario. It could be that she was introduced to a blacksmith from the eastern continent. He had heard that the eastern continent use katana. (Perhaps she is someone from the eastern continent?) It was a plausible theory. But Sakuya words overturned Ryouma¡¯s assumption once again. ¡°A Japanese sword? I dont know about that, but this is indeed the sword we use within our clan. ¡± ¡°Does every member of all your household use this?¡± While Ryouma felt that her responses were sincere, he was still not convinced entirely. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our family uses this type of sword, since a long time ago. ¡± ¡°Since your family uses this kind of sword, are you from the eastern continent?¡± ¡°The eastern continent? We have never left the western continent. ¡± Using all the obtained information, Ryouma tried to put the pieces together. A woman named Sakuya, who has the appearance of a Japanese person and uses a Japanese sword. However, she had no reaction to the words Japanese or Japanese sword. Anyone from Japan should recognise these words right away. Piecing these information together, then Sakuya might not be a person who was forced summoned to this world. This would suggest that she originated from the eastern continent? It is unknown whether the people from the eastern continent have similar appearance and physical characteristics to a typical Japanese. If so, then Sakuya might be a common within the eastern continent. And according to the blacksmith at the imperial capital, a katana is a weapon of choice for the eastern continent people. If that is the case then, it would explain why she uses a katana as her weapon. (Although I have no concrete proof, it certainly is a possible theory.) However, there is one thing that ruled this out. It is the fact that her entire clan uses the sword. If she¡¯s someone from the eastern continent, then she wouldnt have said that it was a sword that we use within our clan. This implies that it is a unique weapon exclusive to her clan, rather than a common weapon. (A family¡­ A clan, huh¡­) While there is no way to prove Sakuyas words Ryouma did not have any doubt. From his perspective, he believes that there¡¯s no point in telling lies about something totally unrelated to her work. Considering her life as an assassin, it would be unusual if she were to confess anything related to her work. However, even if she did disclose intels regarding her work, then it would be logical for Ryouma to assume that 90% were lies. On the contrary, Ryouma¡¯s questions were mostly unrelated about her work. Of course, she could have kept silent if she didnt want to reveal anything to the enemy. Nevertheless, she has no reason to lie. Because of that, Ryouma was able to trust her words. ¡°Well, that means your clan uses katanas, right?¡± Ryouma changed his question. ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡± ¡°And you¡¯re really not from the eastern continent right? Sakuya shook her head promptly. The inside of the tent was quiet. The Marfisto sisters did not intend to disturb Ryouma from the start, while Lione and Bolts also kept silent. There¡¯s something they want to ask, but they choose to stay quiet and watch how the talk unfolded. ¡°Nee-san¡­ What is the young master trying to find out?¡± Bolts whispered to Lione who is sitting next to him. ¡°Who knows¡­ His questions are certainly unrelated to her accomplices¡­¡± ¡°So we are on the same page¡­¡± ¡°It is something personal¡­, probably. ¡± From everyone elses point of views, this was the only explanation after seeing Ryoumas interaction with Sakuya. ¡°Well, we should keep silent for now. ¡± Toward Lione¡¯s words, Bolts nodded his head in agreement. ¡°A clan huh¡­, how many people?¡± Ryouma broke the long silence with another question. (What does he want? why would he be interested in my clan?) Sakuya struggled to predict Ryoumas true objectives for asking her these questions. No matter how hard she thinks about it, she just could not figure out what he is trying to achieve. ¡°About 200 people¡­¡± Sakuya finally gave her answer. ¡°200 people?!¡± Ryouma choked his words. 200 people. That number may seem small, but that is far from the truth. Just imagine a wedding ceremony. For a typical Japanese couple, including close friends and relatives of both the groom and the bride, 100 people are already a lot. It is natural for Ryouma to be surprised. ¡°200 people.., do you live in a village somewhere?¡± Speaking of 200 people, this volume is comparable to that of a small village. However, Sakuya¡¯s answer denied that speculation. ¡°No. ¡± ¡°Then, do you live in a nearby town? Or perhaps all of you live separately in different places?¡± Once again, Sakuya shook her head and gave Ryouma the same response. ¡°No¡­ ¡± Ryouma is at a total loss. If they are neither living in a single place nor separately, Then how are they living? ¡°Are your clan wanderers?¡± Sakuya finally nodded her head to confirm his hypothesis. Before she had the chance to explain anything else, a voice of an unknown man suddenly interrupted their conversation. ¡°We have no choice. That is the fate of our whole clan¡­¡± ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 45 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 27 Editor: Cruiser. Chapter 2 Episode 27 Day 171 after being summoned to another world: (Assassin 4) When such hoarse voice reverberated inside the tent, an old man standing at the entrance of the tent. (Did he just come down from above the tent? Well indeed it is possible to climb the tent looking at how strong the pillars supporting the tent are, but looking how easy he infiltrate, this is worrying. )* ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­¡± Sara and Laura was immediately prepared for a fight while calling Ryouma¡¯s name in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Standby.¡± Ryouma ordered with a small voice and nodded toward Lione and the others to ask them to wait and see. (Now then, a clan of assassins huh?¡­ What are you going to show me this time¡­) This is different from a surprise attack, Ryouma didn¡¯t feel much different with one or two more assassins shows up this late. Ryouma who felt he had plenty of leeway turns an inquisitive gaze towards the intruder. Sakuya¡¯s gaze shifted towards the old man. It seems like an unexpected person has appeared based on Sakuyas suprised expression. ¡°Ojiji-sama¡­ Why are you here?¡± Sakuyas voice was filled with confusion. White mustache and white hair. Just like Sakuya, the old man also donned similar black attire and even a complete newbie could understand that he has been through alot based on the scars and wounds on his face. And in his left hand he held a cane that was slightly bent to draw an arc. ¡°Hou¡­ Don¡¯t you feel surprised with my visit? I find this to be quite hard to understand, whether you¡¯re some sort of a big shot or a fool who is unable to comprehend the current situation¡­¡± Disregarding Sakuya¡¯s question the old mans eyes quickly scanned his surroundings. ¡°No, I feel surprised enough you know? After all, an uninvited guest has appeared.¡± Ryouma replied to the old man with the signature zero Yen Japanese smile, the old men looked around, noting that no one in the tent seemed surprised at his sudden visit. (Hou, that young man, he seems to be dominating this room huh.) The old man was impressed with Ryoumas reaction or lack thereof. If the one who leads were to be suprised or tensed in a situation then the ones who are under him would also follow suit. This showed that Ryouma understood that he was in complete control of his subordinates and the surrounding atmosphere. ¡°Fuuh! Well, whatever¡­ What I want to know is, why didn¡¯t you kill her? Why have you allowed the assassin who was aiming for your life to continue to live?? And furthermore, why arent you attempting to capture me while Im standing here?¡± ¡°Oh? I thought you came here because you had already understood why.?¡± Ryouma answers the old man with a broad grin. If it¡¯s only to help Sakuya to escape, then the old man wouldnt have revealed himself to Ryouma. The fact that the old man revealed himself means he bore no hostility towards Ryouma. ¡°I see, you can make such judgment huh? You¡¯re much more calmer than I had thought, young man¡­, well now let¡¯s hear it once again¡­ Are you people of Hinomoto?¡± The old man directed a question towards Ryouma. Ryouma understood that telling a lie at this point would not have been forgiven as he noticed the intimidation flaring from the old mans eyes. Hinomoto was how the people of the olden generations referred to Japan. In other words, what he was referring to was Japanese people. The name has lost its value in modern Japan and is most common in medieval themed novels. ¡°That is correct. I¡¯m indeed from the country you call Hinomoto.¡± While answering the old man, Ryouma was also able to derive some answer of his own based on the old man¡¯s words. (Hinomoto huh?¡­ That kind of olden way of speaking¡­, I guess as I¡¯ve suspected huh?) ¡°Hou¡­ Ive heard that the recent people who come from Hinomoto have foolishly forgotten the ways of a warrior yet there still exist warriors such as you..¡± Saying so, the old man turned toward Sakuya. ¡°Sakuya, stand up and take off your clothes.¡± ¡°Eh? H-Here?¡± Sakuya¡¯s complexion changes after hearing the old man¡¯s words. Aside from being an assassin, she was still a women after all. Although she stood up, it was easy to notice that she was hesitant to take off her clothes.. Well, unless you¡¯re a human with unusual tastes, no one would feel comfortable stripping around so many watchful eyes. ¡°Too slow!¡± *Kacha* Together with the old man voice, silver light suddenly radiated from the cane, and immediately disappear as if being sucked by the cane again. Ryouma¡¯s eyes who saw that turn sharp. Ryouma¡¯s eyes caught the old man right-hand pluck out the blade hidden in his cane, and in a single moment slashing Sakuya¡¯s kimono from the bottom up. ¡°Hou¡­ Iai huh? That¡¯s quite a good ability you have¡­ To only cut the clothes without harming the skin.¡± While Ryouma said those words, Sakuya¡¯s clothes began to slowly crumbles into pieces. Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, the old man smiled at Ryouma who was gazing at Sakuyas body.The old man then placed his hand on Sakuyas shoulder and began to examine it. ¡°Hou, as I¡¯ve expected¡­, you¡¯ve delivered blows to her vital point. Moreover, looking at the hit points, this is no mere punch¡­, this is a penetrating blow is it not?¡± To answer the old man, Ryouma only pushes out his fist. ¡°Hou, a fist where you push out your index finger joint out huh? Indeed such fist is effective for aiming vital point.¡± The old man said those words based on how Ryouma push out his fist. ¡°That is correct. It¡¯s called one point fist.¡± While nodding at Ryouma¡¯s words, the old man touches Sakuya¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Ow!¡± Sakuya¡¯s face distorted in pain. ¡°I see¡­, This is the effect of the fist huh? You change the grip of your fist depending on your aim, is it not? This is very similar to the technique that is handed down in our clan, and this techniques aim is to interfere with the victims breathing am I right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Ryouma nodded toward the old man¡¯s question. ¡°With that technique, you should have been able to kill Sakuya at anytime, no? You sure have quite considerable skill¡­¡± The old man sighs deeply after saying those words, nobody was sure if the old man was lamenting Sakuyas lack of ability or if he was impressed with Ryoumas overwhelming skills. Attacking the vital point. It was easier said than done, especially in real battle where one has to consider the many factors in a short amount of time. Unlike vital point that leads to serious injuries, a strike to the shoulder or diaphragm requires precise power and also pinpoint accuracy to have an effect. It¡¯s not something that is easy to apply. And yet, to perform such thing on Sakuya who¡¯s an assassin, not to mention in the dark to boot, that truly shows how skillful the human named Mikoshiba Ryouma is. ¡°It was a surprise attack after all. The result might not have been the same if we were to have battled head on.¡± ¡°Are you stupid¡­ Do you think there¡¯s an assassin that attacks from the front?¡± * Hearing the old man¡¯s words, Ryouma showed a thin smile. After all the old man words were nothing more than an argument. ¡°Well that is true¡­, oh right, it would be pitiful to leave Sakuya-san like this, please use this.¡± Ryouma picked up a nearby blanket and handed it to Sakuya. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± ¡°No no, it is indeed a sight to behold.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Sakuya immediately hid her chest behind her arms. She had finally realized that her chest had been laid bare throughout the conversation. ¡°Fuh¡­ You, you seem to know how to handle women?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about knowing about it or not. Well, you can say that this is just my courtesy.¡± * While answering the old man, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders Ryouma is quite fond of women, but, it is no hobby of his to watch naked women in torn up clothes. It would be different if it were only the two of them in private room but right now they were surrounded by people. Well, he does not know if such thought in this world is normal or not; however, Ryouma have no plan of deviating from his common-sense except in life threatening emergency. ¡°Well then, if possible, I would like to ask you a few questions¡± Ryouma turned the tables on the old man as he couldnt have allowed the old man to be the only one questioning. After all, the old mans identity was still a mystery to him. ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­ But I think you¡¯ve already got all the answer no? What else are you going to ask this old man?¡± The old man responded as such. ¡°Well, sometimes our expectations and reality can be entirely different, you know?¡± Upon hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, the old man enters a deep thought. ¡°I see¡­ You sure are a cautious one, well since you¡¯re leading an army it must be natural huh? Very well, I will answer your questions.¡± ¡°First let me confirm something, did your clan descend from a previous clan that was summoned a long time ago.*?¡± ¡°Well let see, it is said that the first generation of the clan were the people who were summoned from another world around 500 years ago¡± The old man readily responds to Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°500 years ago huh? Wait, ¡®people¡¯? Not just one person?¡± There was an unexpected word mixed in the old mans answer.. ¡°That is correct; our ancestors were summoned along with their entire village.¡± ¡°The entire village you say?¡± The old man nods toward Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right, well, back then it was only a small village with a population of 20 people.¡± According to the old man story, their ancestors were summoned while they were still asleep in their futons. Well since the flow of time between this world and the other is different. It would be possible that the summoned people were sleeping in the middle of the nigh.t ¡°But still, is it even possible to summon an entire village?¡± As far as Ryouma knew, he never heard of such a strange phenomenon especially in a modern age where information around the world flies freely, news of a village disappearing overnight was never mentioned. ¡°No, well that is a story of the past. Now the catalysts needed for summoning are scarce and expensive, even among the great powers. They are barely able to summon several people in a year. (That means, I was quite unlucky huh?) A nation can only summon several people in a year. Although he doesn¡¯t know how many nations exist in this world, even if all of them perform summoning, it would only average about 200-300 people in a year. With billions of people in that world, he was still one of the chosen 200 or so people to be summoned, Ryouma couldnt help but curse his bad luck. ¡°I see, then why is your clan still a clan of assassins?¡± 500 years had passed since then but the clan has still maintained their assassin ways even after such a long time. What exactly was their purpose as a clan of assassins and what of their goals? This was something Ryouma wanted to confirm as soon as possible. ¡°Our clan is a clan of spies.¡± Listening to the old man¡¯s words, everyone except Ryouma and Sakuya drew a blank expression.. A spy is an occupation that was well known for their abilities, some even refer to them as grass due to their ability to carry out missions without so much as a peep from their targets. Throughout the years they garnered many names but there was a specific name that came to Ryoumas mind, Ninja. Sakuya¡¯s clan is a clan of Ninjas. (I see¡­, I now can understand as to why their clan remained as such despite the fact that their ancestors were summoned over 500 years ago.) Certainly, if the summoner had summoned Ninjas to this world where wars are rampant, they would definitely want to utilize the ninjas abilities. As a result, the Ninjas survived for over 500 years and in that time began to hone and refine their combat skills. And being in a clan of spies, that means Sakuya not only specializes in assassination but also information disturbance, sabotaging and bodyguard duty. ¡°I see¡­ By the way, which Ninja schools arts did your clan inherit?¡± ¡°Who knows, a spy is a spy. We infiltrate, we steal and we kill, that is all.¡± They didnt need something like a school name, it might have been necessary if they wanted to spread their influence and be distinguishable from others in the same field but since their arts were only passed down within their clans descendants the thought of having a name would be unnecessary. ¡°By the way, do you know the name of the place in which your ancestors came from? ¡°I don¡¯t know the name of the place but, I do know that they had lived on a mountain near a big lake.¡± The old man answered Ryouma¡¯s question honestly since it wasnt information that had much value. (A lake¡­ Is it Lake Biwa? That means they came from Iga or Kouga clan huh?) Those are the names of famous Ninja clans though there are still a number of other possibilities. ¡°I see, then lastly, you said earlier that ¡°It is the fate of our clan¡± what does that mean?¡± It was Ryoumas final question. And the answer was beyond Ryoumas expectations. Japanese ninja usually live in a specific area and either search for employment elsewhere or swear loyalty and server a specific lord. And in a world where many people strive for power more than anything else, many would want to employ their services, it was hard to imagine that throughout all this time that theyve been wondering about. It is a situation that was difficult to fathom unless there¡¯s a special reason. ¡°Fumu, about that, that is something that cannot be said to an outsider¡­ It is the rule of our clan.¡± The old man shows a distorted expression. ¡°Is that so, then please forgive me for being rude.¡± Ryouma lowered his head when he heard the old man answer. ¡°Hou, are you not curious about it?¡± The old man was caught off guard with Ryoumas lack of interest. ¡°I do not have any hobby of exploring other¡¯s secret. Besides theres a famous saying Curiosity killed the cat ¡± As a human being, it was natural to be curious about other peoples secrets and the more people try to hide it the more it picks ones curiosity. There are many reasons why one would try to hide their secrets because of that for some revealing their secrets could be life changing. (Knowing things without the capability to bear it will only introduce more dangers to myself.) There¡¯s no need to take an extra risk in this world where the value of life is very cheap. That is what Ryouma had thought. ¡°You sure have a great self-control¡­ Alright, I¡¯ve decided! My name is Igasaki Genou. Please take care of us from now on.¡± The man suddenly announced. ¡°From now on?¡± Ryouma was puzzled at Genous statement since it was sudden even for Ryouma who was considering the outcomes of the situation. ¡°What are you surprised about? Since you had spared Sakuya¡¯s life, that means you were planning to make her your comrade right? Then you gotta make this grandfather of hers your comrade as well!¡± Genou shows a face as if saying ¡®isn¡¯t that obvious?¡¯. The atmosphere around the old man changed from being serious to a more cheerful tone. ¡°Ojiji-sama?¡± Sakuya asked the old man timidly. ¡°What is it Sakuya? Dissatisfied? By right, since you failed to fulfill your duty you should have died by now but your life has been spared by Mikoshiba-dono, you know? As a punishment and a sign of gratitude why not serve this person?¡± Genou had referred to Ryouma as Mikoshiba-dono, this meant that the old mans image of Ryouma rose from a young man to a man worthy of his respect. ¡°Eh?!¡­ No¡­ Y-Yes¡­¡± Sensing Genou¡¯s firm decision, Sakuya nodded her head. ¡°You don¡¯t mind, right? Mikoshiba-dono.¡± Ryouma was in deep thought after hearing Genou¡¯s question. Certainly, as a fellow Japanese, it is nice to get help and with Sakuyas abilities as a ninja, Ryouma felt he could utilize it well but for some reason Ryouma felt the story had taken a weird turn ever since the person named Genou arrived. (What the heck just happened?) For Ryouma, he knew that this is an opportunity to increase his number of close subordinates, besides Laura and Sara, all his relationships so far have been that of acquaintances. The mercenaries under Lione and Bolts might be trustworthy now, but no one knows when they are going to betray him and the Knights under Ryouma¡¯s command follow him because they were ordered to by the Princess who acknowledges him. If the Princess choose to give up on Ryouma, then the knights would either abandon or turn on him. That¡¯s why, for Ryouma, it was a godsend if they wanted to become Ryouma¡¯s comrade. However¡­ (The situation progressing too quick¡­, you are the people that had aimed my life, you know? But still, their abilities are indeed useful. It is not a bad thing for them becomes my comrade. The problem lay in their objectives¡­ If they are serious then¡­) Ryouma gazes turns to Genou and invisible sparks scattered between them. ¡°Very well.¡± Ryouma finally came to a conclusion. He wants to add another useful card to his hand. (I want people who are capable of conducting intelligence gathering¡­, the problem is whether or not they would be able to find any useful information¡­ Well, that will ultimately depend on my own judgment.) ¡°Well then, together with my granddaughter, we will serve you. Milord¡± Genou lowers his head towards Ryouma and at the same time encourages Sakuya to do the same. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 46 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 28 Editor: Tan. Chapter 2 Episode 28 Day 171 after being summoned to another world: (Assassin 5) ¡°Ojiji-sama! Why did you do that?¡± Sakuya lashed out at Genou out of frustration. Currently, the two of them are alone in the forest across the moat. Only the moon floating in the night sky was witnessing their conversations. ¡°What are you mad about?¡± Genou casually returned Sakuyas question with a question of his own. However, his laid-back attitude caused Sakuya to grow even more irritated. ¡°Are you seriously thinking about serving that man?!¡± ¡°Oho, do you have any complaint?¡± Genou brushed aside her concern as if it was nothing important. ¡°There are a lot of things that I¡¯m dissatisfied with! Firstly, how could you abandon the request on a whim like that? Even worse, you proposed that we served the man who was our target up until just then?! Secondly, why did Ojii-sama appeared in that place?! This is my mission!¡± Sakuya was outraged as she let out a series of complaint towards her grandfather. Currently, she¡¯s 18 years old, and she holds the reputation as a prodigy of the clan. While failing to kill her target and getting caught as a result is quite humiliating enough, the appearance of her grandfather, who is an elder of the clan, just adds further insult to the injury. With Genou being present as a witness, Sakuya¡¯s ability would become a subject of doubt to the other elders. Her pride was hurt greatly, since the appearance of her grandfather did only solidified the fact that her ability was lacking. Moreover, her grandfather decided that she and himself would be serving Mikoshiba Ryouma from this point onwards, without seeking permissions from the other elders. It was totally understandable why Sakuya ended up frustrated. However, in their clan, age and blood relation is not a factor that determines their ranking. While Sakuya and Genou are blood related, there is a huge difference in their social status. One day she might follow her grandfathers footsteps and become one of the elders in her clan, but right now, she¡¯s only a low-ranked Ninja(Genin). Forgetting her standing, that low-ranked is naively talking back to an elder. (This brat¡­ She still has a lot to learn, huh? To lose her calm over something like this¡­, Well, whatever. I shall overlook it this time¡­) Genou sighed as he turned his cold gaze towards Sakuya, who has yet to calm down. Normally, Genou wouldnt have let Sakuya off the hook easily. He is not the sort of man who spoils his grandchildren. However, right now he is in great mood. ¡°Brat, who do you think you are talking to?¡± The air turned heavy in an instant. Genou¡¯s bloodlusted gaze pierced deep into Sakuya. *Gata* Sakuya felt a chill down her spine, causing her legs to give out and dropped down onto her knees. (I-I¡¯ll get killed¡­.! W-What am I doing?!¡­) Realizing that she has been overstepping her boundary, Sakuya came to her senses. They are called the elders not because they are old. Indeed they usually do not take assassination requests. But that is not because they are weak. They have engaged most of their lives doing dirty work. It is a remarkable feat to survive through this type of work until the age of 60. The difference in ability and experience between a veteran and a newcomer like Sakuya is earth and sky apart. ¡°I-I¡¯m very sorry¡­¡± Sakuya tried her best to squeeze out an apology. A gaze filled with bloodlust pulled Sakuya back to reality. ¡°Good¡­¡± Genou averted his gaze away from his granddaughter who fell on her knees. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand your concern. However, it would be very regrettable to kill that man.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that he could be useful to us? But what about the contract?¡± Sakuya asked cautiously. A contract is a very serious for an assassin. Failing to fulfill a contract damages their reputation and will turn any potential clients away from hiring them in the future, Let alone doing something very bizarre as serving the assassination target without permission. This simple problem could turn into a matter of life or death for the entire clan. But Gendou laughed off Sakuya¡¯s protest. ¡°You fool. There¡¯s no meaning to such contract! Nevermind the humiliation from mission failure, you should have been dead back there! Plus, do you really think that noble, Gerhardt, would pay the price as we had promised?¡± Sakuya was left speechless upon hearing what Genou said. In general, a contract begins once the employer and the employee agree on the conditions. Once the employee completes the tasks required in the contract, the employer would reward him as agreed. However, it isnt uncommon for people to not honour their contract. They would dispatch soldiers to kill off the contractor once they finished their work. Sakuya herself was betrayed many times her clients in the past. Especially this time, when her client is no one else but Duke Gerhardt, who is known as a stingy man, the possibility of betrayal cannot be ruled out. Although the amount of money he offered is a lot, it is another matter whether he plans to to pay or not. ¡°Then¡­ Wouldnt all our potential clients turn lose their trust and stop coming to us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind; I have no problem with losing jobs from this country. We¡¯re wandering people after all. We can just work in another country. As far as I know, there are many places where people would love to have my service anyway. Leaving that aside, I¡¯m really pleased to have met that young man¡­, probably he¡¯s¡­¡± Genou stopped his words. (¡­ I guess, I can¡¯t tell Sakuya yet¡­ Besides I have to discuss this matter with the other elders first¡­, till that man, I will be disappointed if he¡¯s just a good-natured man. But if not, then my wandering life might be over soon¡­) Genou went into deep thought, as he remembers all the things that happened today. When Sakuya was caught, Genou was prepared to sacrifice his own life to save her. Sakuya, who¡¯s regarded as the brightest prospect within the clan has failed on her assassination once. Behind every mission assignment, an elder would secretly spy on their young prospect to assess their abilities and lend a hand when things go wrong. This time, it is Genou, Sakuyas grandfather, who followed her as the insurance. On top of assessing Sakuya¡¯s ability, as soon as she failed her assassination attempt, Genou would finish the mission himself. However, from his perspective, Sakuya¡¯s work can be considered as great even without being biased as her grandfather. Her agility, how she erase her presence, and her resolution. By standard, her ability is without a doubt first-rate. However, the target for her mission is exceptionally shrewd. One can even say that she was unlucky. Having trained for a longer period, Genou¡¯s night vision is much better than Sakuyas. During the time when Ryouma was explaining his plan to his peers, Genou was watching through small hole he created on the roof of the tent. (To think he would put his armor on a corpse, and pretend to be a manikin on the side of the tent¡­) Ryouma was sitting like a manikin wearing an armor in the corner of the tent. With the help of darkness, he would be able to catch people off guard. Then he put the corpse with armor on the bed, and waited for Sakuya to come. Sakuya, who was unaware of the dummy trap, swung her sword and struck the armor, causing her to stop momentary due to the shock. With this opening, it was easy for Mikoshiba Ryouma to strike her vital point. Genou couldnt help but take interest in Ryouma¡¯s plan. ¡°Emm¡­ Ojiji-sama? Why do you want to serve that man?¡± Sakuya tried to speak to Genou, who fell silent indulging in his own thought. Sakuya wants to know the reason even if it incurs her grandfathers wrath. ¡°Because with him, our wandering fate might be coming to an end soon¡­¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Sakuya couldnt hide her surprise. Their clan has been wandering around this world for over 500 years. And now it might be coming to an end? ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°You do not need to know yet¡­ It is just a possibility¡­ Now then, enough with the chit-chat, our deadline is in two days. We won¡¯t be able to make it in time if we don¡¯t hurry.¡± After saying that, Genou then proceeded through the forest toward the north. His destination is 20 km north of Irachion, part of the forest where their clan is camping. The time he was given was two days. Even for the two people who have well-trained bodies, two days to make a round trip and hold a discussion with the elders is a pretty tight schedule. ¡°Understood!¡± Sakuya replied, and followed Genou¡¯s lead. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Day 172 after being summoned to another world. ¡°Are you out of your mind?! In the first place, when Sakuya failed her mission, Genou, you should have been the one to finish the mission! That was the reason why we had you tailing Sakuya. And not only did you pull out of the assassination, you decided to serve the target on a whim?!¡± One of the elders shouted furiously. It was a totally understandable reaction. Even Sakuya, who is sitting beside her grandfather, couldnt help but agree with the elder. ¡°A-About that¡­¡± Sakuya has things that she wanted to say. At least, she did not intend to give up on her mission. She only decided to give up because her grandfather convinced her to. That was what Sakuya wanted to say. ¡°Silence! You have no right to make any comment! There wouldnt be a need for this meeting had you not failed your mission in the first place.¡± Another elder interrupted Sakuya before she could make any comment. Only angry voices can be heard from the poorly-built cottage. Normally only the five elders who have the authority over the future of the clan can enter this place. It is not a place where a low-ranked like Sakuya can freely enter despite being the granddaughter of an elder. However, since she is the center of the problem this time, she was given an exception. She is there to testify what happened. ¡°Well well~, please don¡¯t raise your voice like that. It will only hurt your throat. If anything, Sakuya was only following Genou¡¯s instruction. As a Genin(low-ranked ninja), that was the right thing to do, so don¡¯t be cruel and blame everything on her like that¡­¡± ¡°Well then Genou, you do not seem to have any ill intent. I presume you have your reasons?¡± The ones who calmed down the angry elders are the female elders called Oume and Osae Other than Oume, Osae, and Genou, the other two elders are Ryuusai and Jinouchi; they are the five elders who manage the entire clan. Although there are disagreements every now and again, since they have been together for a long time, they are able to compromise eventually. Ryuusai and Jinouchi, both of whom blasted at Sakuya with accusations earlier, reluctantly agreed to at least hear Genou and his granddaughter out. ¡°Anyway Genou-dono, what Ryuusai-dono has pointed out is also true¡­ Well then, let us hear your explanation for this.¡± Oume turned her sharp gaze toward Genou. ¡°I agree. Surely this cant be on a whim.¡± Following Oume, Osae also turned her face toward Genou. The two female elders are rational. They are impartial when it comes to judgement. ¡°That man could be the one our first generation had been searching for all this time¡­¡± The air around them froze up instantly as soon as Genou made his statement. ¡°Genou-dono is that¡­¡± Shocked expressions appeared on the elders faces. ¡°Is that true? Genou-dono?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true then, we¡­ no, we should not waste anymore time! We must welcome him immediately!¡± Junouchi and Ryuusai changed their stances promptly. All the reactions from the elders left Sakuya perplexed. ¡°Hold your horses!¡­ I said it is only a possibility did I not?¡± ¡°¡±But still!!¡±¡± Ryuusai and Jinouchi couldnt help but be impatient, despite the emphasis from Genou. ¡°Relax!¡± Genou raised his voice. ¡°Please calm down, gentlemen. Just as Genou-dono said, it is still just a possibility. Genou-dono, are you certain that this person is of the same origin as the first generation?¡± ¡°His eyes and hair are black like us, and his skin is yellow-toned. Furthermore, he described Sakuya as a ¡®Japanese¡¯¡­ It is no doubt that he¡¯s someone from Japan, just like the first generation. ¡± ¡°If thats the case, then that means his origin is not a problem¡­, the problem now is whether he has the quality or not.¡± Osae followed up Oumes opinion with her own, after Genou explained Ryoumas features. ¡°Oume-dono, Osae-dono, if that is the case, then wouldnt it be better for us to welcome him sooner?¡± ¡°I agreed what Ryuusai-dono said! If I recall correctly, he¡¯s currently in the middle of a fight against Duke Gerhardt? What are you going to do if something were to happen to him? The opportunity of fulfilling our clan¡¯s longstanding desire may slip away once again.¡± Ryuusai and Jinouchi are bold and assertive, While Oume and Osae are more conservative and rational. ¡°Let¡¯s us remain patient¡­ If he really is the man the first generation had been searching for, then he will surely survive with his own power.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ We have waited for this for over 500 years; it won¡¯t hurt to wait a little more to gauge his quality¡­¡± When three out of five elders agreed to wait, there was no room for Ryuusai and Jinouchi to object. ¡°First, Sakuya and I will serve that person. Well, it would take time to judge his ability clearly. By the time the war against Duke Gerhardt is over, we should have a clear answer¡­¡± ¡°If Genou-dono said so, then I have no objection.¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Oume and Osae agreed to Genou¡¯s proposal. ¡°Will you two be alright by yourselves? Why dont you take some young ones from our clan with you?¡± ¡°I also agree with Jinouchi-dono. Anything can happen in the battlefield! Youd be better off with more in numbers, don¡¯t you agree Genou-dono?¡± Ryuusai and Jinouchi do not have a grudge against Genou. Both of them are only worried of Ryouma¡¯s and the two wellbeings. Because Genou understood their concerns, he did not rebuke them harshly. ¡°No¡­ Even if we explain the details, that person might not believe me. And if we took the youngsters with us, many might grew suspicious. .. Besides, this story is just a possibility. It is still too early for us to tell the others.¡± In the beginning, this was only an ordinary assassination mission taken by Sakuya. Just because they are from a clan with Japanese ancestries, it does not necessary mean that Ryouma open up and trust them right away. Right now, Ryoumas intention is to wait and see. If Ryouma suspects either of them even for a moment, he might just kill Genou and Sakuya on the spot. ¡°Indeed¡­ We should avoid causing suspicion. Lets conclude by leaving the judgement Genou-dono.¡± The remaining four people nodded toward Jinouchi¡¯s words. They were desperately trying to suppress their feeling of joy. Mikoshiba Ryouma could just be the one they have been hoping for. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 47 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 29 Editor:Moosebruce Chapter 2 Episode 29 Day 174 after being summoned to the different world: (Decisive Battles 1) ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ Are you sure you can trust them?¡± ¡°Hmm? You mean Genou and the others?¡± Ryouma said while wiping off his sword. ¡°What do you think? It shines brightly, doesnt it?¡± Ryouma didnt answer Laura¡¯s question and was looking at the glow of the sword. ¡°Ryouma-sama!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re that dissatisfied?¡± Ryouma had no choice but ask such question while flinching back from the angry Laura. ¡°Yes¡­ Aren¡¯t they the assassins thathad cometo assassinate Ryouma-sama? What is Ryouma-sama going to do if they betray us?¡± ¡°Of course I understand such a thing you know? I intend to let them swim freely at the beginning. Well, our plan did end up going out of order though.¡± ¡°Try to say that again! Is it because of that katana? Is it?!¡± Laura glared at the katana that was given to Ryouma by Genou. ¡°Well! That¡¯s not unrelated indeed! Definitely!¡± Ryouma admitted without hesitation. Because he thought it¡¯s no use to deceive her. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t they already return within the deadline given by me?¡± After Ryouma said that, Laura couldn¡¯t find the words to rebuke him more. After all, among them, it was only Ryouma who believed that Genou and the other one would come back. At the time Genou and Sakuya wanted to report to their clan, Ryouma let them do so willingly. Laura, Sara, Lione, and Bolts had strongly protested, but Ryouma didn¡¯t listen to them. They were not sure whether Sakuya and Genou were going to serve Ryouma for real, not to mention the possibility of them just running away. Giving up on the assassination is one thing, but if they havent yet given up on the assassination, then it is without a doubt it would be more convenient for them if they are near their target Ryouma. ¡°Well yes, they¡¯ve already returned, but¡­¡± Even after talking to Ryouma, Lauras expression kept showing discontent. Of course, it¡¯s not weird for her to do so. The Marfisto sisters have acted together with Ryouma for nearly six months, and their journey together makes their loyalty toward Ryouma quite high. Of course, they are not following Ryouma blindly. They think and act according to their own will. They respect Ryoumas will as long it is not harmful to himself. The sisters would assertively give him advice and also reprimand him when it is necessary, because they know that Mikoshiba Ryouma is not an invincible hero, despite being a strong and wise man. (I don¡¯t care even if I end up being hated. I don¡¯t care even if I end up being neglected¡­ It is our duty to point out Ryouma-samas blind spots and make him aware of things.) That is the thought process the girls had imposed on themselves. And Ryouma understood what the sisters had in mind. That¡¯s why Ryouma trusts the sisters. ¡°Well~, I can understand Laura¡¯s concern, and I think it is the correct thing to have such a concern. But right now, the people I genuinely trust are only you girls¡­ You understand this, don¡¯t you?¡± Laura nodded her head to Ryouma¡¯s question. Both Laura and Sara fully understood that their current situation couldnt be described as satisfying. ¡°But then¡­ the knights and their position should be the same. Why did you trust them so much? If it¡¯s like this then isn¡¯t it alright to trust the knight as well?¡± She was referring to the Knights under his command given by the Princess and the assassins that had come to take his life. From Laura¡¯s perspective, the Knights provided by the Princess are much more trustworthy. Sara, currently guiding Genou and Sakuya to their designated tent, also has the same opinion as her.. Although the knights and those two dont have much of a difference in terms of trustworthiness, at least the knights won¡¯t aim for Ryouma¡¯s life without the Princess command. However, contrary to Laura¡¯s concern,Ryouma seems to trust Genou and Sakuya more than the knights. ¡°Well, they might be similar in regards of their trustworthiness, but Laura, you¡¯re wrong about one thing¡­ But, I¡¯ll leave it to you to figure out on your own as homework¡± ¡°Homework?¡± ¡°Yes, you can also discuss it with Sara or Lione and think about it together¡­ As for Bolts, I guess you can¡¯t discuss it with him. He seems to understand the reason why after all.¡± Recently, Ryouma had begun to say this sort of thing, the purpose of it being to make Laura and her sister able to think outside of the box and increase their analytical capability. Because the number of the pieces in Ryouma¡¯s hands are limited, he has to raise the strength of each piece. Making the girls think about why Ryouma took such an action will make them obtain a better understanding of the situation and other things as well. It will also help them understand the personality of Mikoshiba Ryouma, making them closer to him, and thus killing two birds with one stone. As for Bolts, since he has more life experience, as one would expect he has rich wisdom. Ryouma ultimately did not tell the girls his reasons, and letting them figure it out is proof that he¡¯s a good commander.And of course, other than that Ryouma also wants to hear the sisters opinions. ¡°Understood¡­ But, its really not because they gave you that sword, right?¡± Laura once again gazed at the sword in Ryouma¡¯s hand. ¡°Haa~, why don¡¯t you trust me more? Do you think I¡¯m someone who would trust another person just because they give me some sword?¡± Saying that, Ryouma shook his head as if saying ¡°good grief!¡± Unfortunately for him, Lauras pestering didt end there. Looking at the spear standing in the corner of the tent and still doubting him, Laura continued on. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that spear is also a gift from them, right? Not just the sword.¡± The spear had a shape that Laura had never seen before. Spears commonly used in the western continent mostly have a straight spearhead shaped the same as a sword. There are also some other types, such as the Halberd, with the spearhead shaped like an axe. However, she had never seen a cross-shaped spearhead like this one. And when she looked closely, the handle seemed to be made of iron. ¡°W-Well, i did also get that cross-shaped spear from them¡­ But that doesnt mean that I trust them, okay?¡± Ryoumas words sounded like a sore loser making some excuse and Laura had to try hard not to laugh. The more he explained it, the more it ended up sounding like an excuse. ¡°Well, fine. If Ryouma-sama has made his decision, then we¡¯re not going to object.¡± After saying that, Laura bowed to Ryouma and left the tent. Laura decided that there was nothing more to say about it. Even if Ryouma ends up getting deceived, Laura is already ready for the consequences. Her resolve was to protect Ryouma, even if she has to use her own body as a shield. ¡°Did I make her angry?¡± Ryouma, finding himself eft alone, awkwardly muttered to himself. He had noticed recently that Laura and Sara are very similar to his cousin, Asuka. Whenever they give their opinions to Ryouma, they resemble her. ¡°Well, whatever¡­ Since its also true that I was fascinated by the gift¡­¡± Indeed, the katana that Genou had given to him as a gift was better than he had expected. The blade is thicker, and thus has more force. The length is also suitable for use on the battlefield. Although he was happy to have both weapons, he was still going to need Genou to perform maintenance and sharpening after using them in battle. Ryouma did not have the knowledge of how to perform maintenance and sharpening after battles. And especially with sharpening, its absolutely necessary to leave it to the specialist. If you were to use the sword in battle, it would get chipped, and if you were to cut a person, the sharpness would fall due to the human blood and fat. Not to mention too that when you cut a person, blood will also enter the sword¡¯s tang where the blacksmith put their mark, thus also requiring proper maintenance. If not, the blood will corrode that part. He¡¯s not looking for high value or a work of art, so he did not care about the beauty of the blades crest or the sword¡¯s guard, he just needs a sharp sword. With that being the case, him being unable to take care of the katana himself disqualifies it as a weapon. But because Genou is able to fulfill that job, Ryouma honestly feels relieved. ¡°I wonder if it was worth it to make such terms¡­¡± After listening to Genou¡¯s request, Ryouma placed some conditions on him, one of them being to give the katana to him. Although he had seen Sakuya¡¯s katana, the katana that wass given to him is even better than hers, exceeding his expectations. ¡°Well! Even if I said that, I definitely didn¡¯t believe them because of this¡­¡± Ryouma felt thankful toGenou for giving him the katana and the spear. Ryouma¡¯s grandfather had trained Ryouma to make him a warrior capable of wielding both sword and spear. Although all of his battle knowledge can be applied to swords and spears from this world, its even better for him to use the katana and cross-shaped spear which he is more familiar with. However, Ryouma is not naive enough to trust Genou just because he had given him some good weapons. (Well, I just have to pray that they won¡¯t do anything unnecessary until the decisive battle against Duke Gerhardt is finished¡­ The problem now is how much has my plan actually worked¡­ Its been five days since we repulsed Kyle¡¯s army, but there¡¯s still no movement from Duke Gerhardt¡¯s side¡­ Is it because my plan worked perfectly, or is it because he¡¯s doing something¡­ Either way, two more days and the army lead by Princess Lupis will arrive. Will the decisive battle happen sooner than I had anticipated?) Ryouma does not believe in God. But for now, he wants to at least pray for victory in the upcoming battles against Duke Gerhardt. -The sun slowly sinks into the horizon- ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Is the organizing not done yet?!¡± Duke Gerhardt¡¯s roaring voice resounded inside his office. After Kyle¡¯s defeat, Duke Gerhardt had issued a mobilization order to all of the nobles. In addition to the 30 thousand soldiers initially collected at Irachion, he was also planning to integrate the soldiers from the other nobles. He gave them the order to organize in two days. However, the nobles are gathering slower than he had expected. No, the problems were not limited to the nobles. ¡°Not yet¡­ We ran into more problems than expected¡­¡± His aide standing at his side give the report, while Duke Gerhardt¡¯s anger rained down on him. ¡°Fools! What have you been doing all this time! Three days have already passed since I issued the order! Threaten the nobles if necessary and tell them that they have to bring their soldiers to Irachion by tomorrow!¡± ¡°That is¡­ The problem is not just coming from the nobility¡­¡± The aide frantically lowered his head. When youve been given an order and are unable to execute it properly, you have to take responsibility for its failure. If he¡¯s unable to adequately explain why the order failed, he might lose his head. ¡°What are you talking about?! Whats the problem then?!¡± Duke Gerhardts aide nervously explained the problem. And it turned out that the problem wass far worse than Duke Gerhardt had expected. (What the heck is happening! Why dont the peasants want to go to wars so suddenly?! I even promised them that they can loot as much as they want!) Having heard the report from his aide, Duke Gerhardt sank deeply in his chair in confusion. (No, I think I know the cause¡­ It must be that man¡­) The name of the man on Duke Gerhardt¡¯s mind was Mikoshiba Ryouma. He got Ryouma¡¯s name from the report of his aide. After Kyle had lost 5.000 men in a single battle, 60.000 men were what was left of Duke Gerhardt¡¯s military strength. This number Duke Gerhardt got after he included the nobles and the peasants he had drafted. The problem here is that Irachion does not have the production capacity to maintain 60.000 army troops. Realistically, no city in this nation could permanently accommodate such a large amount of soldiers. It would be different if it were in a city of a larger country like the Ortomea Empire, but in Rozeria Kingdom its impossible. In other words, Duke Gerhardt can only accommodate those 60.000 troops for a limited time. And now, even after Duke Gerhardt issued his mobilization order to attack Ryouma, only 2.000 soldiers turned up. All of his efforts are focused on taking back the ground that Ryoumas forces gained in order to prevent Princess Lupis forces from rushing into his territory. For the sake of winning against Princess Lupis, it is necessary to crush Ryouma. However, the mobilization order he had issued ended up having almost no effect, because of the rumor circulated among the peasants. It was then spread to the surrounding rural areas and the other nobles territories around Irachion. (Kyle, you bastard! How far are you going to drag me down!) Gerhardt cursed at Kyle in his mind. Had Kyle been standing in front of him, he would definitely have killed him with his own hands. That is how much he was outraged by the situation. Ryouma¡¯s flood plan had eliminated 5.000 of the 7.000 lives in the attacking force. This fact was then exaggerated and spread throughout Irachion. ¡°Oi! Did you hear? I heard that Kyle-sama lost!¡± ¡°Yeah I heard he lost against an army four times smaller?¡± ¡°It seems so! Most of the commanders ended up dead, you know?¡± ¡°T-That can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Oi! Did you hear the enemy commander¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Indeed! Hes called the cold-blooded demon, Mikoshiba Ryouma!¡± ¡°What the heck?! A demon? That sounds so stupid!¡± ¡°Fool! That¡¯s not the problem! I heard that he used the Thaves river to drown the soldiers!¡± ¡°Is that true? Did he use magic? No, no way, is it even possible to do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s a demon!¡± This wild rumor spread among the populace. It was a rumor that Ryouma would smile upon hearing., However, for the peasants, it was something terrifying. After all the demon they are talking about is their enemy. ¡°Oi¡­ Isn¡¯t this bad?¡± ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve heard that he won¡¯t show any mercy toward his enemies.¡± ¡°You know, I heard that he killed prisoners of war with a smile on his face.¡± Facts and lies mixed together, creating an image of Ryouma as a demon. Then, the mobilization order came amidst such rumors. The only people willing to volunteer after hearing these things were the more daring ones. As a result, despite having ordered mobilization multiple times, Duke Gerhardt was only able to amass 30.000 strong men. ¡°Damn it!¡± Duke Gerhardt said resentfully. The situation had grown worse beyond anything Duke Gerhardt had anticipated. He had even ordered his adjutant to conscript soldiers from the surrounding villages forcibly, but it was doubtful that he would manage to gather the planned 60.000 men like this. ¡°If I can get 50.000, it should be alright¡­ No¡­ will I even manage to gather that much?¡± If he forcibly conscripts people from the village too much, they might run away. That is the extent of how many problems Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s name and reputation had caused. In terms of the soldiers quality, it would be impossible to win against Princess Lupis with what the Duke has. Because of this, he aims to win the war using numbers instead. However, the all-important soldiers won¡¯t gather under him despite his mobilization order. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ Was this the enemy¡¯s plan all along?¡± This ominous thought came to Gerhardt¡¯s mind. Kyle¡¯s loss is a fact. However, how were the details of the battle spread amongst the citizens? That is what Duke Gerhardt was wondering. The situation has turned disadvantageous for Duke Gerhardt. He¡¯s frustrated enough to want to strangle God to death for it. But, what if its true? That all of this is the enemy commander¡¯s plan? What if his aim was not only blocking 7.000 soldiers but a much bigger army? What if the purpose of the flood was not just to drown the soldiers? And finally, what if the one who spread the rumor was Mikoshiba Ryouma himself? ¡°No¡­ That can¡¯t be¡­ Such a thing is impossible! If something like that were true, then its as if he¡¯s a demon with clairvoyance!¡± Gerhardt shook off the fear that appeared in his mind. But the fear of the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma has already settled in his heart. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 48 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 30 Chapter 2 Episode 30 Editor:CptCruiser Day 175 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 2) ¡°Sudou¡­ Please lend me your wisdom.¡± Irachions castle had been dyed red by the setting sun and within one of its rooms Duke Gerhardt lowered his head to a hooded man. ¡°Duke-sama, please raise your head. A noble person like you should not have to lower your head to commoner like me.¡± The tone was very courteous but such tone left an impression that the man was disgustingly polite. ¡°I beg you! I have no one else to depend on but you!¡± Usually, it was unimaginable for Duke Gerhardt to lower his head like this and hidden by the hood was Sudous sneering face, since the cause of Duke Gerhardt sudden gestures began like this. Because the reason why Duke Gerhardt lowered his head like this. This story all began in the morning. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Are you seriously going to replace me and command the army instead ?! Hodram! ¡°Of course¡­ Since you took command, even in battles where the situation is favourable to us, you have lost. Dont you understand your situation, your Excellency Duke Gerhardt.¡± ¡°You bastard! For someone who ran away from the enemy what nonsense are you spouting! The meeting to decide the future of duke Gerhardt and Hodram had turned sourv where the peaceful atmosphere was now slowly filling with pressure from both of them. ¡°However, if I¡¯m the one who takes command, we can win you know? This might sound rude, but I don¡¯t see any talent of commanding an army inside of Duke Gerhardt. With that being the case, isn¡¯t it better for me to do so?¡± Initially, Duke Gerhardt was thinking of using Hodram by only giving him only some rights of a commander.. However, for Hodram, does not want an inexperienced person standing as the commander. After all, it would be more efficient if he took command by himself. The meeting turns into chaos due to Hodram nonchalantly brushing off Duke Gerhardt¡¯s suggestion. ¡°What are you saying! Within Duke Gerhardt army, there are lots of good warriors! There¡¯s no need to leave the command to Hodram-dono!¡± One of Duke Gerhardts adjutant retorted. Hou? This is the first time Im hearing this but despite anything you say, you still lost to an army even with an army four times larger. If the person your talking about is strong like Kyle then I expect that hes someone with average abilities. Hodram plainly ridiculed Duke Gerhardts way of command by comparing is abilities as a leader to be poorer than Kyle, this left the adjutant speechless. ¡°T-That is¡­¡± ¡°In the first place, appointing such an incompetent person as a military commander also show how bad Duke Gerhardts ability is, no?¡± ¡°Wha-!¡± ¡°How rude!¡± Listening to Hodram¡¯s remark, Duke Gerhardt¡¯s adjutants got angry. ¡°Hou? I just pointed out the truth so that they can understand your ability, right? Your Excellency Duke Gerhardt!¡± Hodrams tone of voice was filled with ridicule and although it was in a polite manner, it was filled with a rude intent directed at Duke Gerhardt. ¡°You bastard¡­ What are you aiming?¡± Duke Gerhardt asked Hodram. (How? How can he be so confident? He was only able to bring 2,000 of his knights and even though he knows that I have more 20,000, how is he so confident?) It is true that Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s existence caused the situation around Duke Gerhardt to turn sour. However, Duke Gerhardt couldnt understand, why Hodram was able to show such confidence. ¡°I was hoping to win this war. Everything I do is for the sake of winning.¡± (That much I can understand¡­ There must be something more, something Im missing!) In all fairness, what Hodram had said is true. From the point of view who has the most commanding ability then Hodram stand above. But then, ¡°I agree with General Hodram opinion!¡± The conflict was broken by the man sitting in the corner of the room. ¡°¡±¡±Wha-!¡±¡±¡± All eyes turned towards the man. ¡°Did none of you hear what I said? Then let me say it once again! I said I suggest leaving full command to General Hodram.¡± The meeting room turned silent all of sudden. Noone had an immediate reply. ¡°What are you doing? Are you betraying me? Kyle!¡± Duke Gerhardt¡¯s voice is flat and cold. With Kyle showing approval toward Hodram suggestion. Duke Gerhardt was unable to suppress his anger anymore. ¡°What are you saying! your Excellency! I¡¯m doing my best to do my duty you know!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Gerhardt asked Kyle. ¡°In the first place, I join Duke Gerhardt because you wanted my military talents! That¡¯s why I want Duke Gerhardt to win this war!¡± Kyle then looks around at the nobles inside the meeting room. ¡°That¡¯s why, since we¡¯re facing an enemy that can even beat me, we should leave command to a person who¡¯s better than even me!¡± ¡°K-Kyle¡­ You bastard!¡± Gerhardt understood what Kyle¡¯s aim. (This bastard¡­ He¡¯s planning on changing sides, that¡¯s why he is trying to curry some favor with Hodram! Damn it! I should¡¯ve never allowed him to attend this meeting!) Kyle who realizes that he had lost Duke Gerhardt trust due to his previous defeat ran for self-protection. One can say that this is a blunder for Duke Gerhardt since even though Duke Gerhardt had received the report of his previous defeat, Duke Gerhardt still let Kyle attend the meeting. Duke Gerhardt never expected Kyle to notice, that Duke Gerhardt wanted to use Kyle as much as possible until the (Damn it! Why did I let Kyle attend this meeting!) Duke Gerhardt¡¯s gaze was directed toward his adjutant who is sitting next to him. Like this, the situation turns worse for Duke Gerhardt. He can¡¯t blame the adjutant. After all, his adjutant had advised him to punish Kyle,instead he decides to postpone the punishment and also did not forbid Kyle from attending the meeting. This is the result of it. The treatment toward Kyle still the same as before, and only his punishment end up being postponed. He should never let Kyle attend the meeting with Hodram. Furthermore, this meeting was where they had to decide the direction their faction was heading to. ¡°Hou! So you¡¯re Kyle-dono! I guess I can¡¯t rely on rumors only. I never thought that you¡¯re someone who was able tojudge the situation.¡± ¡°Your praise is too generous for me.¡± The mouth that had ridiculed Kyle until recently is spouting words which were the complete opposite now.. And although Kyle was around when Hodram ridiculed his abilities, he acted as though it was never mentioned. ¡°I see¡­ If Kyle-sama said that much then I also agree!¡± ¡°Wha-!¡± ¡°This can¡¯t be! What are you saying Earl Aldeheid!¡± Gerhardt asked the person who show an agreement toward Kyle¡¯s suggestion. Duke Gerhardt¡¯s adjutants face turns pale. It was a natural reaction. After all, the one who agreed was the second most powerful person in the noble faction. In other words, the right-hand man of Duke Gerhardt who had supported him for many years had approved Hodram leadership. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. Duke Gerhardt¡­ We¡¯re responsible for our vassals after all so I cant just sit down and wait for our deaths to come.¡± His tone of voice seems to indicate that he had made a difficult choice, but Duke Gerhardt was not going to be deceived. For many years, the Earl had exploited Rozeria Kingdom. Vassals? Gerhardt had known the Earl for sometime and in that span of time he never once heard of the Earl having such admirable thoughts. But, if the Earl shows such a regretful face and voice, the surrounding will easily be deceived by it. (This¡­ This is hopeless¡­) While hostility and anger dominating his heart, Gerhardt tries to calm his mind and assess the situation. He thought that if Earl Aldeheid the second most influential person within the faction approve Hodram leadership, then it would be just a waste of time for him to argue more. In a matter of fact, the nobles within nobles¡¯ faction seem to have approved Hodram leadership. ¡°Well then! With this, I will lead the soldiers!¡± The meeting ended with Hodram uttered those words. Leaving Duke Gerhardt to sit in silence in his chair. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°I¡¯m begging you Sudou! I can only depend on you! Please!¡± Sudou is looking at Duke Gerhardt with cold eyes. Disregarding his appearance, Duke Gerhardt clung on Sudou for help. ¡®Kyle or Hodram huh?¡¯, that is what inside Sudou¡¯s mind Sudou is not sure what had happened, but he can see that as the result of the meeting, it has become clear that Duke Gerhardt has lost his faction. Understanding that Princess Lupis main army is closing in, Duke Gerhardt is cornered. (This is the man that holds the position of prime minister of Rozeria Kingdom? The moment he lost in power struggle, all that remains is trash eh¡­) Within his mind, Sudou was scorning Duke Gerhardt. (Speaking of influential people, the moment a person falls from power, that person would end up alone huh? Well, I guess this is what we call politics.) However, for Sudou, to achieve his mission he can¡¯t just ignore Duke Gerhardt. At least for now¡­ (In order to fulfill the mission from my home country, in half a year¡­ Well, I will make use of this guy, I guess I need to take a few measures huh?¡­) ¡°Please rest assured Duke Gerhardt. I will try to help you¡­¡± Sadou gently grasps Duke Gerhardt¡¯s hand. ¡°Ooh! R-Really? Will you really help me?! But, right now my situation is¡­¡± His usual high handed attitude had disappeared completely. Sudou thought that he might lick his shoes if he ordered him to. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I have a solution.¡± ¡°What! You have a solution for this situation?!¡± Duke Gerhardt¡¯s tone had returned to his usual in a blink of an eye revealing that the humble and servile attitude he donned just moments ago was nothing more than an act. However, Sudou did not care about Gerhardt¡¯s attitude. ¡°Well, but your Excellency will have to pay all the burdens alright?¡± Hearing Sudou¡¯s words Duke Gerhardt¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Pay¡­ Is it money? Or power? It can¡¯t be, my head?¡± (This bastard¡­ Even while he¡¯s in the middle of such crisis, he still cares about his personal greed?) Sudou shook his head as he felt amazed towards the creature called nobles . ¡°It¡¯s fine without your neck. I can¡¯t do anything unless you give up all your money and power.¡± ¡°Foolish! Then there would be no meaning!¡± ¡°No no, that is not the case. I did say to give it up, but it doesnt mean we are just going to give it up so easily..¡± Duke Gerhardt¡¯s expression change. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Right now, Duke Gerhardt has very little cards to play after General Hodram robbed you of your authority over the army..¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that without you telling me!¡± Hearing Sudou¡¯s words, Gerhardt raises his voice, feeling that Sudou was mocking him and rubbing salt on his wounds for his failure. ¡°But, I can say that this can actually be considered as a stroke of good luck.¡± ¡°What did you say? What does that mean?! Hodram stole my authority from me and you call that lucky?!¡± ¡°To be honest, the enemy¡¯s commander is quite powerful. Plainly speaking, there¡¯s no chance of winning here.¡± ¡°What! You bastard!¡± Gerhardt shoots his gaze toward Sudou as if trying to kill him with it. ¡°Please listen first.¡± Sudou did not change his tone of voice. But it was evident that the atmosphere has changed. The air filled with a bloodthirst. Sadou¡¯s words immediately return Gerhardt¡¯s mind back. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± Words of apology come out from Gerhardt¡¯s mouth. ¡°Let me continue explaining it. Although I¡¯m half in doubt, it was quite a feat with how the enemy¡¯s commander defeated Kyle by drowning him. His information manipulation is also good. ¡± ¡°Information manipulation? You mean those rumors?¡± ¡°Yes. The rumors were cleary the enemy commanders doing..¡± ¡°As expected¡­ It¡¯s true huh¡­¡± Gerhardt seems to have also noticed it. ¡°Do you think General Hodram can defeat an enemy that is capable of drawing such detailed plan? It is obvious that the enemy should still have some trump cards in his hand?¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Indeed. If it was me, I would definitely have one hidden..¡± Gerhardt felt like the face is hidden behind the hood was laughing. ¡°Then what are we going to do?! Should we tell Hodram about it?!¡± Gerhardts response was one that anyone would naturally come to but considering Gerhardts current predicament, even by doing so, he wouldnt be able to get everything back. This was something Gerhardt failed to realize. Sudou denied his proposal by shaking his head. ¡°If we do that, it would be useless. Rather than doing that, I will make use of it.¡± ¡°Make use of it? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Leave it as it is, and let General Hodram lose against Princess lupis.¡± ¡°Such foolishness! If that were to happen then everything would be over!r!¡± Although this side has Princess Ladine as justification, from Princess Lupis perspective, this is only a rebellion and since Gerhardt was the mastermind of such a rebellion, if Princess Lupis were to win the war he would without a doubt be held accountable and take responsibility for his actions thus far. Sudou shook his head once more. ¡°That is fine. We can push all responsibility to Hodram.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± ¡°After all your leadership has been taken over. Thus, let¡¯s make the most out of this situation.¡± Gerhardt felt that a frightening smile appeared on Sudou¡¯s face. ¡°But, is that even possible? But, the fact that I had gathered the army won¡¯t change¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ Indeed that is true. However, we still can alleviate the responsibility. Even Princess Lupis would need to execute someone as the mastermind of the civil war. Normally Duke Gerhardt would be the one¡­¡± ¡°I see! But right now Hodram is here¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. If there are two people that can be executed as the mastermind, one of them should be able to negotiate for their life.n.¡± ¡°But¡­ Is there something we have that will make Princess Lupis spare my life?¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way that she would spare the mastermind,¡¯ that is what Gerhardt had thought. It is probably impossible for Gerhardt to capture Hodram and present it to Princess Lupis either. Sudou keeps insisting despite Gerhardt¡¯s suffering. ¡°You do have it no? In that dungeon.¡± ¡°Dungeon? Dungeon, Dungeon!¡± Toward Sudou¡¯s words, Gerhardt remembered a certain human. ¡°But still¡­ Is it really worth that much?¡± As Sudou had said. Indeed it can be used as a negotiation tool but Gerhardt was doubting if it really was worthy enough to make the Princess spare his life. ¡°What are you saying¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it. Princess Lupis will definitely respond to the negotiation.¡± From behind the hood, Gerhardt can hear he¡¯s laughing and he couldnt help but nod his head while feeling anxious in the coming days. Right now he was in a desperate situation and as the big battle approaches, noone would be able to foresee the outcome of it. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 49 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 31 Chapter 2 Episode 31 Editor: (Tan) Day 176 day after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 3) The Sun rises above the horizon, marked the seventh day since the mission started. Princess Lupis main force are supposed to arrive today. Ryouma stood by the Thaves river bank and looked toward the opposite shore. He sees the first group, led by Elena, is about to cross the river. ¡°Nothing happened, huh¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ I was expecting a night raid, but Duke Gerhardt did not make any move. I wonder what happened¡­¡± Saras remark left Ryouma pondering. Judging from the result of the battle against Kyle, it was a logical to think that Duke Gerhardt would want to retaliate. However, the enemy¡¯s main army never show up. Last night, Ryouma and co braced themselves for a possible night raid from the enemys main force. The troops were on high alert all night, but nothing happened in the end. And now Princess Lupis main force has arrived as scheduled. ¡°Could it be because of the rumor Ryouma-sama spreaded?¡± ¡°Indeed. While Im positive that the rumour will have a significant effect, there is no way that this alone would reduce the total number of enemy to zero. At most, I expect no more than 30% reduction in enemy force.¡± Just like Sara had pointed out, the rumor Ryouma spreaded was effective. However, there are still many measures Duke Gerhardt can use to recruit soldiers. He can threaten with brute force, Offer them with money, Or perhaps a combination of both. Some peasants would be forced to join despite their reluctance. Of course, the rumor can reduce their numbers. However, not to the point where the Duke cannot recruit at all. Ryouma does not doubt the effectiveness of his strategy. He is simply being realistic. ¡°Is there still no movement at Irachion?¡± ¡°Yes, the reconnaissance unit is keeping the city under close monitor. If they make any movement, then we should know about it right away.¡± ¡°If they were planning to attack us while our main force is in the middle of crossing the river then, they won¡¯t arrive here in time if they don¡¯t depart now.¡± Toward Sara¡¯s answer, Ryouma looked puzzled. ¡°If that is the case, then¡­ Are they trying to attack us on the plain?¡± ¡°Decisive Battle, huh?¡± Between Ryouma¡¯s camping location and Irachion, there¡¯s a field sandwiched in between two forests. The plain area is especially large, as it is a place where wheat is produced. Within Rozeria Kingdom, Irachion is one of the most resourceful territory that generates a lot of income. However, it would undoubtedly turn into ash if the land becomes the battlefield. But looking at the Duke¡¯s movement, it is likely that he plans to use this place for the decisive battle. If Princess Lupis main force can cross the river without any intervention, then there is nothing else the Duke can do to cause Ryouma worry. The plain is a perfect place to organise a large army. However, considering the consequent of the battle, there is no doubt that this valuable land will be severely damaged. It is a terrible place to hold a battle from a country-governing perspective. Thinking that, Ryouma felt something was off. (This is too fishy¡­ I feel something is wrong¡­ As if someone is pulling the strings from behind the scene¡­) The more Ryouma thinks about the situation, the more he becomes suspicious. (But¡­ Looking at the Duke¡¯s movement, It feels like he is not exactly aiming for the win¡­ What¡¯s going on¡­?) ¡°Ryouma-sama?¡± Sara called out Ryoumas name as he spaced out. ¡°Ah¡­ My bad, I have something in mind¡­¡± ¡°No, if I¡¯m in the way, should I leave?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It was something trivial anyway¡­ Has Sara considered the possibility that this could turn into a siege battle?¡± Ryouma changed the topic. (I guess I might have overthink this, huh? I should forget about it for now, until things go sour¡­¡­) Ryouma calculated the possible gains and losses in his mind while giving Sara a question. ¡°Siege battle? I think thats very unlikely.¡± Smile appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face after hearing Sara¡¯s response. From the start, Ryouma has never considered that possibility at all. Because judging by the city scale, it is impossible to host the tens of thousands of soldiers. In other words, the city does not have sufficient power to maintain even if they managed to gather the soldiers. Ryouma predicted that they can hold up to half a month at most. ¡°It would be impossible to fight Princess Lupis from inside the city alone. If we include the citizen and the soldiers, they will run out of supplies by around the end of the month.¡± Sara continued. A siege battle would be difficult without using a large number of troops. However, supplies would run out if they gathered too much. In the end, Duke Gerhardt can only use maximum force to wage a short battle. However, the same can be said for Princess Lupis too. Feeling satisfied, Ryouma nodded toward Sara¡¯s words with a smile. In the past several months, the sisters have shown considerable improvement at strategy and analysis. By improving in this area, Ryoumas chance of survival has increased as well. ¡°Ryouma-sama! Elena-sama and her unit of 3,000 Knights have crossed the river.¡± ¡°Understood. Please guide Elena-san to my tent, and tell the others to rest.¡± After instructing the reporting Knight, Ryouma returned to his tent with Sara. This is where the real deal begins¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°You¡¯ve completed an impossible feat¡­ To create such impressive fortification¡­¡± Elena had nothing but words of admiration for Ryouma. ¡°It was nothing praiseworthy¡­¡± ¡°A humble one, arent you? At least, this isnt something I can do.. Im sure her highness the princess would be very surprised too.¡± Ryouma shrugged his shoulders as Elena continued to shower him with praises. ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m afraid that I might have disappointed the princess intead¡­¡± Elena showed a perplexed expression. As far as Elena see, this was the best result they could have hoped for. Why would the princess be disappointed? The answer is, there is one small flaw in what otherwise was a perfect result. That one flaw is the loss of Mikhail Banashu. Ryouma decided to report everything to Elena. There is no use in keeping it a secret, as it would only raise her suspicion and eventually lose her trust afterwards. ¡°I see¡­ so Mikhail is¡­¡± ¡°Well I¡¯ve not confirmed his dead body yet, but at least I¡¯ve not seen him since the reconnaissance mission¡­ While he made a grave mistake of ignoring my order, since he is the Princess aide¡­¡­¡± Elena sighed involuntarily. (This is bad¡­ Indeed, this could turn into a big problem¡­) She feels Ryoumas concern is very justified. Since Mikhail was the one who found Ryouma, the princess assigned him to supervise the newcomer by working closely under Ryouma. With Princess Lupis entrusting the control of her soldiers with Ryouma, she cannot risk any possibility of betrayal. Other than Meltina, Mikhail is the only other person with the same level of loyalty that can be relied on. That is why Princess Lupis trusts Mikhail. Even though it was Mikhail fault for neglecting orders, the fact remains that he died under Ryouma¡¯s command. Despite no clear confirmation of his death, the probability of being alive is rather bleak. Regardless of the battle outcome, from the princess perspective, she has lost an important servant. If the princess can understand that this is a result of war, then there would be no problem. However, in the worst case scenario, she might think it was Ryouma who killed Mikhail instead. ¡°I sure hope Im overthinking this.¡± Elena wished she could tell him yes right away. However, this matter is far too complicated to simply laugh it off. But, realistically speaking, Ryoumas concern is very possible. ¡°No¡­ But we still have to report it, no?¡± Certainly¡­ Well, that¡¯s why I decided to consult with Elena-san first.¡± If Ryouma actually killed Mikhail, there is no way the other 1500 Knights would have followed him. As for Elena, the fact that Ryouma had secured the beachhead is already a proof of Ryouma¡¯s innocent. However, despite all these concrete proofs, there is no telling whether the princess would accept the outcome. Both Ryouma and Elena are not closely associated with Princess Lupis. Their relationship is simply a princess and her retainers. Other than during the meetings between them, there is no contact between Ryouma and the princess whatsoever. And Princess Lupis trust in Ryouma does not extend to the point where she could allow him free control of her army. Hence the reason why Mikhail went sent as an insurance. ¡°Very well¡­ I shall be the one to report this matter¡­¡± Elena decided to volunteer herself. Regardless how justified Ryouma is, there is a chance that the princess still takes it as a lie. However, if Elena is the one who explains the situation, Princess Lupis won¡¯t judge it emotionally because she¡¯s someone unrelated. ¡°Sorry to make you do this, Elena-san. And thank you.¡± Ryouma quickly understood Elena¡¯s intention and offered his gratitude. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We cannot afford to have you dismissed right now¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­ You should take the duty of reorganising the army. I will bring up the subject to the princess tonight. Well, someone has to do this anyway.¡± Elena allocated her work to Ryouma. To make a reason for Ryouma not reporting directly to the Princess. ¡°Understood¡­ Well then.¡± Elena breathes a deep sigh while looking at the back figure of Ryouma who was leaving the tent. ¡°Now then¡­ I wonder how should I report this¡­ No, I should not report it directly.Perhaps it would be safer if I talk to Meltina first.¡± Although there is no direct correlation between this incident and the result of the future battles, if she were to make a wrong move right now and cause distrust between the princess and Ryouma, the rest of the plan will undoubtedly fall apart. ¡°As expected, I should speak to Meltina first¡­¡± As she made her decision, Elena walked to the dock to meet Meltina, who is on the verge of arriving with the second unit. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡®Unnn¡­¡± Meltina let out an inevitable sigh. ¡°As I said, it was not Ryoumas fault that this happened.¡± ¡°No, I understand that¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Elena¡¯s grew impatient as Meltina hesitated. ¡°You see, Mikhail served the princess as her personal guard since she was a young child¡­ It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say his bond with the princess goes a long way back¡­¡± Elena¡¯s expression changed instantly upon hearing Meltinas explanation. The development is indeed just like what Ryouma had feared. ¡°As expected, would the princess have doubts on Ryouma?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so¡­ I doubt the princess will blame everything on Ryouma, but she will, without a doubt, be greatly saddened by this¡­¡± Meltina immediately ruled out the worst possible outcome that Elena was concerned about Even Meltina understood that the last thing they want happened is for the princess to lose her trust in Ryouma. After all, the Princess chance of victory in this war depends heavily on Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s strategies. ¡°Then would it be better for us to leave the reporting to the princess to you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I shall be the one to report this matter to her Highness¡­¡± Meltina nodded her head toward Elena¡¯s question. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- At night, when all the 23.000 soldiers led by Princess Lupis have successfully crossed the river. The camping area is being quickly expanded. Princess Lupis tent is also one of the many tents that was recently built. ¡°Mikhail¡­¡± The Princess muttered Mikhails name softly as she lays on her bed. ¡°Mikhail¡­ Didn¡¯t you say that you would protect me forever¡­¡± Upon hearing the news of Mikhail¡¯s death from Meltina, memories of the time they spent time together when they were young begins to reappear in her head one after another. Streaks of tear streamed down on her beautiful face, like droplets of pearl. After receiving the report from Meltina, Princess Lupis tried her best to put up a tough front. As a princess, she refuses to blame Ryouma for it. In all fairness, from a strategic point of view, there was nothing wrong with Ryouma¡¯s command. It is in fact Mikhail who was at fault for ignoring the order and led 500 knights to their annihilation. The princess understands that much. It was a sensible conclusion. Yet her heart just could not accept such outcome. As a result, Princess Lupis headed back to her tent from dinner party earlier than scheduled. Because she was well aware that she could have directed all her anger and disappointment onto Ryouma had she stayed any longer. ¡°Aah¡­ Mikhail¡­ You promised me that you are going to take me as your bride¡­¡± Since Princess Lupis is a royalty and he¡¯s merely a knight, of course, she has never considered this as serious. A childhood promise is usually nothing but childrens fantasy. However, memories of the time they had spent together begins to resurface one after another. ¡°You even promised that you will always be by my side¡­¡± For Princess Lupis, Meltina and Mikhail are her two most trustworthy vassals. In fact, it was Mikhail who made the proposal to suppress General Holdrams ambitious plans. For Princess Lupis, Meltina can be considered as her sister, while Mikhail is her elder brother or a father figure. The sorrow she is experiencing is even greater than when her biological father, King Farst the Second, passed away. After all, the relationship between the late king and Lupis is more of a king and a princess, rather than father and child. ¡°Hou~¡­ It seems you¡¯re very upset, as I expected. Your Highness Lupis.¡± Suddenly, an unknown mans voice spoke out of nowhere. ¡°Whos there!? An assassin?! Is there anyone?! Somebody!¡± Princess Lupis tried to raise her voice immediately. It is unknown as to how he entered the tent, but there should be a few knights guarding around her tent. And they should have responded immediately after hearing her voice. However, no matter how long she waits, no one answered her call. ¡°It¡¯s useless, your Highness. Because right now, they are asleep due to my sleep magic.¡± As the man spoke, Princess Lupis begins to grasp the situation. She pulled out the sword near her bed. ¡°You do not look like an assassin. State your purpose!¡± No assassin would talk with their victim. But it does not mean that he¡¯s not a threat. Until she finds out his motive, she¡¯s not willing to put her guard down. ¡°Purpose huh¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­ Since we do not have the time, Ill be frank¡­ I came here to talk business with you.¡± The princess tension loosened after hearing the man¡¯s words. ¡°What do you want? In the first place, who are you? How are you able to enter here?¡± The man slowly revealed his face hidden under the hood. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the late introduction. My name is Sudou, Sudou Akitake.¡± Sudou lowered his head as he introduced himself. To show that he does not have any hostile intentions. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 50 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 32 Chapter 2 Episode 32 Editor: Tan & Moosebruce Day 176 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 4) Lupis looked at the face of the man that appeared before her. Black eyes and black hair. An average body build with yellow-toned skin. Apart from the difference in height, the characteristics of the man are very similar to those of Mikoshiba Ryouma. Humans with some similar features is fairly common, but this is the first time she has seen someone who has all the same characteristics as another. Needless to say, the other one with such characteristics is Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°Please dont stare at me that intently, its making me feel embarrassed¡­¡± Usually the one who say these sort of lines would be someone like a princess. When it is said by a man, however, it gives the impression of someone shy. And the man standing of her was giving off that vibe. He has a decent-looking face with some hints of wrinkles, and his belly slightly protrudes. If one were to guess, his age is probably around 40. But despite having such a body, his arms are thick and robust, implying that he¡¯s a warrior. Although the man spoke in a gentle tone, Lupis did not let her guard down. ¡°Well, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped that you are wary of me since I did disturb you in the middle of the night like this. That being said, can¡¯t we at least sit down?¡± Sudou proceeded to sit down on a chair without waiting for Lupis reply. ¡°I will ask once again, who are you?¡± Lupis thrusted her sword at Sudou¡¯s neck, who was sitting on the chair. ¡°I¡¯m called Sudou Akitake.¡± ¡°Your aim?¡± ¡°To negotiate with you, Princess Lupis.¡± ¡°How did you managed to sneak in here?¡± ¡°I swam from the upstream of Thaves river and went to the campsite. Oh right, the commander here is Mikoshiba-san, right? Since he seems to have placed extra security near the moat, the river banks had minimal protection¡­ Because of that, I was able to come here.¡± Sudou let out a laugh as he finished his sentence. (This guy¡­ He swam through the Thaves river¡­) Certainly, people with know-how would be able to swim. And there is no denying that the security near the river banks is way more relaxed than other places. The question now is why he came here. ¡°What is it that you want to negotiate?¡± ¡°Could you please withdraw this dangerous thing first? It is rather difficult to speak when your highness sword is pointing at my neck.¡± Lupis looked him in the eyes to see if he was telling the truth. Nevertheless, it is indeed rude to point a sword at anyone while holding a negotiation. Even if that is a suspicious man who sneaked into a princess¡¯ tent in the middle of the night. After some consideration, Lupis pulled back her sword. Although she pulled it back, shestill kept the sword near her just in case, as insurance. ¡°Good¡­ Let us negotiate in a peaceful manner.¡± ¡°No need for chit-chat. State your goal.¡± Princess Lupis gazed at Sudou. Despite being stared at, Sudous expression remained relaxed. ¡°As you might have presumed, I¡¯m serving Duke Gerhardt. Well, not quite exactly that but something along that line.¡± Lupis decided to ignore his introduction. She thought that if she responded to everything he said, it would take forever to reach his real objective. With her intention for no idle talk made clear, Sudou straightened up his expression. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Ill be blunt. Duke Gerhardt wants to capitulate to Princess Lupis.¡± ¡°Capitulate? You dont mean surrender?¡± Lupis tried to rephrase Sudou¡¯s words. Although she was lacking in experience, her educational background is far superior to that of an average person¡­ In this situation, either the man was sent to kill her or to deliver the surrender message from Duke Gerhardt. ¡°No, Duke Gerhardt really wants to capitulate to Princess Lupis.¡± Lupis frowned at Sudou¡¯s reply. ¡± Are you even aware of your current situation? Why would I accept Gerhardts capitulation now?¡± Between surrendering and capitulating, the difference is huge. In the case of surrendering, Duke Gerhardt would be executed. All his territory and wealth would be confiscated. On the other hand, in the case of capitulation, she couldnt just execute Gerhardt. And although his territory would be significantly reduced, it couldnt be completely crushed. Additionally, some properties would need to be guaranteed as well. In a war of good versus evil, the goal would usually be to force the enemy to surrender. Even when one side is capitulating, they still couldnt demand too much from such a position of weakness. Because this fight is a fight for supremacy, Princess Lupis is not in a situation to care about Gerhardts demands. With this knowledge, Lupis immediately rejected Sudous proposal. Whats more, Duke Gerhardt has been supporting an illegitimate child to become the queen, causing a huge rebellion in the kingdom. From Lupis point of view, Gerhardt is the culprit and mastermind behind everything. It is impossible for her to even consider sparing his life. That was, until the moment she heard the next words from Sudou. ¡°Mikhail Bahashu, does that name ring a bell?¡± Lupis expression changed drastically. The name of the person she was just mourning came out of nowhere. She could not hide her surprise. ¡°Eh?¡­ What do you mean?¡­ It can¡¯t be!¡± The name of the man who was supposedly dead was mentioned by an enemy messenger. This could only mean one thing. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Mikhail is¡­¡± As she was speaking, something was suddenly thrown inside the tent. *Shuka* *SyuSyu* Blades of wind flew past and struck the chair where Sudou was previously sitting. ¡°Eh?¡± Lupis was left speechless. The figure of Sudou who had the impression of being slow and sloppy had disappeared from the chair. Sudou was able to react and stand up in the blink of an eye. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous, you know? No matter how suspicious I look, to attack out of nowhere is a little bit rude, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sudou pulled out the chakram that was stuck in the chair. ¡°This is unusual¡­ Someone capable of using this weapon¡­ It was you, wasnt it, Mikoshiba Ryouma?¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, another chakram came flying in Sudou¡¯s direction. ¡°Oh my, are you ignoring me?¡± Sudou deflected the chakram using the chair. Despite all of this, Sudou¡¯s tone of voice remained easy-going. Ryouma continuously threw battle chakrams at him, one after another. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least say something? It feels like Im talking to myself here.¡± While saying that, Sudou threw a chakram in his hand back toward the entrance of the tent. Sudou didnt expect to hit Ryouma with just that. He only wanted to provoke Ryouma. His eyes were vigilantly focused on the entrance of the tentnot knowing that Ryouma had a plan. ¡°Your Highness! Here!¡± Meltina appeared behind Princess Lupis by tearingthe fabric tent. ¡°Meltina!¡± ¡°Your Highness! Hurry!¡± After making their way out of the tent, the next thing the princess saw was a group of knights surrounding the tent. ¡°Please forgive me for the earlier blunder, your highness! I shall receive my punishment for this mistake later!¡± Meltina said while bowing her head toward Princess Lupis. ¡°Mikoshiba-dono! Her highness is safe!¡± As Meltina signalled, the surrounding knights stepped forward with torches in their hands. ¡°Do it!¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s order, the Knights immediately threw the torches toward the tent. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t kill him! Meltina! Please, bring the water!¡± Lupis raised her voice in desperation. (Not yet! From what Sudou said¡­ Mikhail is¡­) All her hope of seeing Mikhail again clung on Sudous fate. However, it was too late. The torches ferociously set the tent ablaze. Moreover, in the event that Sudou managed to somehow escape from the tent, the surrounding knights were ready with their swords. ¡°What are you talking about your highness? Isn¡¯t he an assassin?¡± Meltina questioned the princess unexpected demand. After hearing that the princess was in a dangerous situation, she acted promptly according to Ryouma¡¯s order. Hence she was unable to comprehend the current situation. She was not aware of the fact that Sudou had mentioned Mikhails name. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Go help him, now!¡± ¡°But still¡­ He¡¯s¡­¡± The tent was wrapped in fire. Normally, anyone trapped inside of a tent on fire would suffocate and eventually collapse due to the lack of air. This would leave them helpless from being burnt to death. Sudous chance of survival is almost impossible. However, Meltina immediately heard a certain voice. ¡°Uooh! This guy¡­¡± ¡°Spear corps, foward!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Meltina heard the voices of the Knights from the opposite side. ¡°Meltina!¡± ¡°Yes, maam!¡± While she hadnt grasped the situation entirely, she could tell that Princess Lupis clearly did not wish to kill the man. Meltina decided to follow her order and told the knights to stand down. ¡°Geez¡­ You sure are cruel, you know? Couldnt you spare me some mercy?¡± Sudou appeared before Ryouma. His clothes were burned in several places, yet he was as calm as ever. ¡°You bastard¡­ Are you really human?¡± The sight of Sudou walking effortlessly out of the tent cloaked in fire was really an astonishing sight, one that even Ryouma couldnt help but be surprised at. ¡°Oh! Youve finally said something! Thank goodness!¡± Ryouma ignored Sudou¡¯s comment and drew his sword silently. ¡°Oh? Back to the silent treatment? Geez, you¡¯re really an unsociable one¡­¡± *Byuu* Ignoring Sudou¡¯s words, Ryouma closed the distance between them in a single instant and scythed down his katana. *Clang* There was the sound of metal clashing as red sparks scattered between the two. Without anyone noticing, Sudou had pulled out a dagger from somewhere. ¡°Can we settle this battle at a later date?¡± Sudou said while defending against Ryouma with only a dagger. (Is he being serious or not? Is this really so easy for him?) The Knights enclosed the surroundings, unable to gauge Sudou¡¯s true intentions. *Doga!* Ryoumas right foot powerfully stamped the ground. He had tried to stamp Sudous foot, but Sudou had managed to avoid it. Sudou used this chance to create some distance between them. ¡°Geez¡­ You really intend on ignoring me huh? This is not the time for us to fight you know.¡± Ryouma silently raised his sword and prepared for a powerful strike. Murderous intent emanated from his eyes. ¡°Jodan-no-kamae? This is bad.¡± Sudou sounded resigned to receiving the attack. An attack launched from that stance would be two times heavier and stronger than normal. And there¡¯s no technique that Sudou knew able to defend against it using only a dagger. Even if he were able to defend against it, his body would be thrown down by the force. (This bad¡­ For me to die here is¡­) But he hasnt run out of luck yet. ¡°Wait! Mikoshiba-dono!¡± Meltina appeared, stopping Ryouma. She was breathing so hard, it seemed she had run while shouting the whole way here. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you ask me to stop?¡± Ryouma asked Meltina without changing his stance. His line of sight was still directed toward Sudou. ¡°I don¡¯t know! But her highness asked me to stop you!¡± ¡°Her Highness Lupis? Is that true?¡± ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s no doubt. I received the order personally.¡± Ryouma exhaled heavily and lowered his sword. ¡°Alright¡­ But I still don¡¯t know the situation. Please bring the princess here. ¡± ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± From behind the knight, Lupis stepped forward. ¡°¡­ Can you explain what¡¯s going on here?¡± Ryouma asked Lupis without sheathing his sword. Ryouma saw no reason to keep such suspicious man alive. Furthermore, Sudou might still bare his fangs. ¡°Fine then¡­ Sudou, there¡¯s something I would like to ask as well! How about we change the setting first?¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. I also want to continue the previous conversation.¡± Sudou replied, nodding his head in agreement. ¡°Then Ryouma, can you prepare a new tent? Meltina, go call Elena!¡± ¡°I understand¡­ But please be careful¡­¡± After saying that, Ryouma left the scene to follow Lupis¡¯ instruction. Sudou made a doubtful expression after hearing Lupis words. ¡°Your highness, why did you invite the others? I only want to talk with your highness directly.¡± He thought that there should be a chance for negotiation if the princess was willing to listen. And by not having him being killed, he knew that she was interested in Mikhail¡¯s well being. But she had invited the others. Why? After all, this could be considered the Princess personal affair. Sudou assumed that the princess wouldnt want many people to hear about it. ¡°Since I will have to make a decision that will affect the kingdom as a ruler, I can¡¯t decide it arbitrarily. Or maybe you won¡¯t be able to talk if there¡¯s a lot of people?¡± Sudou realized that Princess Lupis is still cautious of him. (Fuuh¡­ She¡¯s not as stupid as I thought. Well, with this I should be able to do something¡­ She¡¯s someone without much experience anyway¡­ The problem is that man. I was wondering what kind of person had killed Gaies-sama, but indeed, he seems troublesome¡­) Sudou desperately held down the murderous intent that began to spring out from his heart. It is not the time for him to confront Mikoshiba Ryouma yet. Because there¡¯s a mission Sudou needs to complete. (Even if I want to kill him, I won¡¯t be able to do it in any ordinary way¡­ It would become dangerous if I force it here¡­ Well, whatever. For now, I should prioritize my mission.) Sudou quickly calculated his plan while giving his consent to Princess Lupis to talk in the presence of the others. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 51 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 33 Chapter 2 Episode 33 Editor: CptCruiser beep boop bap bam Day 176 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 5) ¡°With that being the case, Duke Gerhardt wishes to capitulate and ally himself with Princess Lupis once again¡­ As a proof for negotiation, we will hand over Mikhail Banashu who is under our protection in Irachioon.¡± Hearing Sudou¡¯s words, heavy air dominated inside the tent. Everyone was speechless after hearing Sudou¡¯s words. No rather, it¡¯s more correct that everyone was unable to think properly because Sudou¡¯s suggestion is that much of outrageous. It was an unexpected situation where the mastermind of this war suggested capitulation and change allegiance before the decisive battle. ¡°Ane-sama¡­ This situation¡­ It¡¯s bad isn¡¯t it?¡± Sara whispered close to Laura¡¯s ear. ¡°Indeed¡­ Ryouma-sama¡¯s plan might get hindered because of this¡­¡± Laura directed her line of sight with a blank expression the moment she heard Sudou¡¯s words. There are 16 people currently present. Princess Lupis, Meltina, Elena, Ryouma, naturally accompanying him are Laura, Sara, Lione, and Bolts, other than these people, there are also some influential nobles under Earl Bergston present. Inside the tent, these people listened to Sudou¡¯s words intently while sitting at a round table. ¡°As expected, the effects will be bad huh?¡± ¡°Yes, by looking at the current situation, thats all I can imagine it will be.¡± The two sisters are whispering to each other making sure that the others could not hear their voices. Lione and Bolts, Lupis and Meltina, and the nobles who sat near each other began to also discuss the matter in low voices. Only Ryouma and Elena remained silent. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ With this situation, what he¡¯s going to do?¡± Toward Sara¡¯s question, Laura was unable to find an answer. In the end, they both directed their eyes toward Ryouma in silence. No matter what the conclusion of this situation is, it was irrelevant for the sisters. They have already sworn to follow the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma anywhere he goes. Ryouma closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair relaxedly.. By doing so, he tries to mask his emotions from the others but in his mind he had already begun analysing the situation and was trying to find the best possible solution and there was only one way that he could imagine to break them out of their current situation.. (This really hurt my head¡­) That was Ryouma¡¯s true feeling. Even if she¡¯s someone whom he can trust as a human, in term of capabilities, she¡¯s not someone whom he can trust completely but Ryouma has never thought that Princess Lupis was this stupid. (In Sudou¡¯s argument¡­ He was asked to forgive the Duke who raises a rebellion against Rozeria kingdom¡¯s royal family with the reasoning that he¡¯s doing it because of the will of the last king¡­ No matter how I see it, that¡¯s just too unreasonable¡­ And now because Hodram betrays him, he wants to capitulate and pledge his allegiance to the princess with the reasoning that the General is rebelling against royal family? That¡¯s just too stupid¡­) That¡¯s was Ryoumas honest opinion towards Sudous words. Gerhardt was trying to play innocent by saying that he was only following the previous kings will. Furthermore, because Hodram betrayed him, he wishes to show his loyalty to the kingdom because he couldnt forgive the general who¡¯s rebelling against the royal family with no proper reasoning Forcing Hodram to bear all the blame for the rebellion. Another problem was that Sudou spoke these words in the presence of others and one could say that this situation has taken a turn for the worst. Of course, Ryouma has no problem with the people who gathered but the one that Ryouma was looking at was Princess Lupis, from the beginning Ryouma had never trusted the Princesss capability in politics. That is why he wanted to leave the judgement all to the Princess and although he wanted to praise the princess for realizing her shortcomings and gathering the others, he understood that the praise would be for nothing if the topic of discussion was about the exchange of Mikhails return for the Dukes pardon. This topic was already bad but it got worse when she invited others to the discussion. Why? That because the conclusion can easily be seen. (In the end, the princess does not want Mikhail to die huh¡­) Ryouma¡¯s heart becomes cold. Indeed Mikhail¡¯s is a man with great loyalty and high battle strength. For the princess, he¡¯s one reliable and trustworthy retainer. Thus, as a human being having the princess not wanting to kill him is a natural thing for that reason alone, Ryouma doesnt want to blame her for it. However, a ruler must never show their wavering feelings and no matter the cost must repress them. The issue was not about Mikhail who was a reliable subordinate in the eyes of the princess but more about Gerhardt who wanted to be pardoned. No matter how reliable one life is, it couldnt be compared to the life of Gerhardt who began the rebellion in the first place, to spare such person for a single retainer was unthinkable¡­ Although the princess has not yet openly declared her intentions, Ryouma was convinced that the Princess wanted to help save Mikhail. If not, the princess would surely think of taking Sudous life, since he was an unknown person that had entered the Princesss tent without permission. It was an undeniable fact that Sudou is an invader among the people in the tent, so no one would complain if the princess decided to take his life The princess went through all the trouble of gathering all her important personal to listen to Sudous words, so regardless of her decision, her heart could easily be seen. (¡®I want to help Mikhail, so I want to grant Gerhardt wish¡¯,that must be her line of thoughts. However, she seems to realize that alone can¡¯t become a justification thus she tried to gather the others so that it won¡¯t become skewed later.) If the princess were to accept the demands just like that, it would obviously have many repercussions. After all the one she was about to spare was the mastermind behind the whole rebellion. That reason alone was why Lupis gathered the others, to spread responsibility for these actions as much as possible. ¡°Well then, I would like to hear everyones opinion.¡± Ryouma wanted to click his tongue immediately after hearing Lupiss words but no matter how annoying the situation was for him, he wouldnt allow himself to show his anger. ¡°Does anyone have any opinions?¡± The room was silent to Princess Lupiss question while her gaze traversed towards each member in the room. However there was no response, since everyone already understood that the Princess had already decided what to do in her heart. Ryouma himself did not consider the life of Mikhail to be equal to the life of Gerhardts, it can be said to compare the life of a mere knight to a demon lord but it would be useless for Ryouma to voice his reasons since if he were to suggest abandoning Mikhail he would have to do it after the meeting. ¡°Do you want Mikhail to die!¡± ¡°You assume that even without trying to help!¡± ¡°What are you talking about newcomer!¡± Those kinds of words awaited for him if he took the wrong step, the ones most likely to argue were Mikhails colleagues, the knights.. Furthermore, even if Ryouma were to suggest abandoning Mikhail here, the Princess will probably not accept it. If that were the case, Ryouma would be painted as the villain and besides that, Mikhail had been captured under Ryoumas command so if he were to suggest abandoning him, he might be accused of wanting to kill him. Sometimes even the most sound arguments will be dismissed due to human empathy. However when a ruler has been drowning in kindness, distortion is bound to occur somewhere. If there was no room for the ruler to hear the suggestions then it would be better for Ryouma to hold off on the suggestions. In such situation, Ryouma felt Elena¡¯s gaze. ¡°It¡¯s useless¡­¡± Ryouma shook his head while he murmured toward Elena in a low voice. He understood what she wants to say from her gaze. However, if she said that, Elena would definitely be accused of being a bad person.. ¡°If that is the case then, let me¡­¡± ¡°Please stop. If the princess holds any distrust toward you here, it will become harder to rebuild the future.¡± He immediately denies Elena¡¯s suggestion. For her, she has not gained a trust from Princess Lupis similar to that of Mikhail and Meltina. Of course, for her to raise an objection in place of Ryouma would carry more weight since she still has the nickname of ¡°Rozeria¡¯s White Goddess of War,¡± but he thinks that the princess will not give up Mikhail¡¯s life. ¡°Then what should we do? If we stay like this¡­¡± Elena understood the danger of their present situation, just like Ryouma. In exchange for Mikhail¡¯s life, Duke Gerhardt will survive from prosecution and in turn Princess Ladine will be acknowledged as royalty and be given the rights for the second succession. With that, Princess Lupis was putting herself into a more dangerous position. A mastermind of rebellion should be beheaded, that is common sense in this world. If she were to pardon Gerhardt, it would mean she does not acknowledge Duke Gerhardts actions as a means of rebellion but rather as the previous kings will and such will not be counted as a rebellion. There was no other way then to let everything play out even if it were just mere wordplay. (I guess the only one who can break through this situation is Meltina huh?) Ryouma¡¯s line of sight is directed to Meltina, sitting next to Princess Lupis. (Tch¡­She looks happy enough knowing that Mikhail is alive¡­ Well, I can understand since her colleague survived¡­ But she doesnt realize that the situation is just worsening with every passing second¡­ I guess it¡¯s impossible for her, that means¡­) He gives up on Meltina the moment he saw her smile, Ryouma then tries to desperately think up of a method to breakthrough the tension.. (It is impossible to kill Gerhardt. Which means we can only kill Hodram in this battle¡­ The problem is after that, Princess Lupis can¡¯t control Gerhardt. Even if she abolish his power, it will return someday¡­ Wait a minute, someday? ) A cruel idea came up inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. Indeed, there¡¯s no need for Ryouma to kill Gerhardt. (Does she really want to die that badly?) Ryouma planned to abandon Lupis. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ (Don¡¯t worry your highness, I will not betray you. However, if you stay like this, you will die. I don¡¯t know how many years it will take, but that day will come sooner¡­ Of course, I will still advise Elena. However, I have no intention of helping you anymore. Afterward, please deal with the people in Rozeria kingdom by yourself. At best, try to take care of that Gerhardt afterward.) Ryouma raised his hand to gain permission to speak. ¡°Then, can I say something?¡± For a moment, Lupiss expression turn to one of pure fright.. She understood that her judgment was not right but her empathy refuses to abandon Mikhails life. ¡°Go ahead, Ryouma.¡± ¡°Well then!¡± Ryouma stood up from his chair after Lupis give her consent. ¡°I think we should accept Sudou¡¯s suggestion and accept Duke Gerhardts allegiance.¡± The tent shook after Ryouma said those words. ¡°Wha! Are you serious! Mikhoshiba-dono!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious, Earl Bergeston.¡± Bergeston was a nobleman who had managed to acquire enough military knowledge to understand the situation, adding his experience in diplomacy and court politics, he was someone who could perceive the dangers of accepting Sudous proposal. ¡°What are you aiming at?¡± Ryoumas words had surprised Earl Bergston to the point that the nobleman decided to ask Ryouma of his true intentions even in the presence of an enemy messenger. ¡°No, but I can¡¯t forsake Mikhail¡¯s life. Furthermore, there might be some truth in Duke Gerhardt words. Regardless, this would be better than war, no?, and considering that the area around Irachion is prospering, having a large scale war would undoubtedly affect their growth and lower their potential income, Wouldnt it be better if the princess were to accept the Dukes allegiance?¡± There¡¯s no lies in Ryouma¡¯s word. If they confront the duke¡¯s army, they will undoubtedly suffer greatly in the future due to the reduced tax revenue but even after Ryoumas explanation the Earl appeared to not be satisfied, since the reduction in tax revenue had already been calculated by the time they had decided to march towards Irachion. ¡°However your highness! When we accept the Duke¡¯s allegiance, we should add some condition from our side.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t balance everything with only the return of Mikhail, we should confiscate the Gerhardts title and also ask him to pay reparations for the war.?¡± Hearing Ryoumas words Lupis then entered deep into her mind. She realized that the conditions provided by Sudou were extremely disadvantageous for her and the only reason she had considered his proposal in the first place is due to them using Mihail as leverage. Thats why she could somewhat understand Ryoumas aim but if she were to negotiate poorly, it could cost Mikhails life and even though she had given up on him when she thought he was dead, now knowing that he was still breathing she wanted to help. Between justice and her own empathy, her heart couldnt decide what was worth more to her. t ¡°Fine¡­ His Excellency the Duke has delegated me that he¡¯s willing to accept such condition¡­ He will pay the reparation of war as much as 500 million Baht, and also relinquish his Duchy rank and title.¡± ¡°¡±¡±5-500 million?¡±¡±¡± From inside the tent, loud voices arose. The amount Sudou mentioned was more than enough to cover the cost of the current war, a breath of relief overcame the nobles since they could give enough rewards to their subordinates while also securing enough income to bring into their own households. ¡°Thats not all, I want him to also promise to not attend any office within the court for the next five years..¡± Sudou¡¯s face distorted after hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. (Fuuh¡­ He had expected that we would confiscate the Duke wealth and title¡­ But he seems didn¡¯t expect that we would suspend him from office¡­) For Ryouma, that condition is absolute.It was a measure put forth for the protection of Princess Lupis who in her current form would only be prey to Gerhardt. Thats why he proposed to suspend Duke from office for five years, this way the nobles who become the foundation for the princess will be able to root out all of Duke Gerhardts power from various branches of office. ¡°Fine¡­ I accept your condition as Duke Gerhardt¡¯s representative. Is that enough? Your highness.¡± Sudou asked Princess Lupis who¡¯s dumbfounded. ¡°Yes¡­ That is enough¡­¡± She had no choice but to nod. ¡°Very well¡­ I will immediately return to Irachion and report to the Duke, and then I will bring Mikhail here.¡± After saying that, Sudou lowered his head and immediately left the tent. After Sudous departure, the meeting ends and the nobles leave to go about their various duties, leaving only five figures in the meeting place, Ryouma, Bolts, Lione and the Marfisto sisters. ¡°Is it alright to just leave it at that?¡± Toward Lione¡¯s question, Ryouma had no choice other than to nod his head. ¡°Although it is not what we really wanted, this is all I can do given the current situation asking for any more would be impossible.¡± Indeed Ryouma had done his best. In fact, he wants to praise himself to be able to do that in such a situation. ¡°Will they manage it in five years?¡± ¡°Who knows? To be honest, I¡¯ve never thought that far.¡± Ryouma shrugged his shoulders while answering Sara¡¯s question. All, Ryouma did was buy time, if he were to put this in medical terms, Duke Gerhardt and Hodram were nothing more than dangerous disease which Ryouma planned to cleanse with surgery(Warfare). Lupis who is acting as the patient as requires the surgery, refuses to remove Gerhardt so with that being the case Ryouma had no other choice but to keep the disease at bay. By keeping Gerhardt at bay for five years, the patient may naturally become stronger this in turn allows her to handle the disease by herself. There was nothing else Ryouma could do anymore but pray for Lupiss growth in the coming years. All that remains is for the people of the kingdom to help guide her, Ryouma who had been rolled up into this war by chance was not someone who had to carry such responsibilities. ¡°Well with this, all that remains is Hodram and his 2.000 knights¡­¡± Lione nodded her head after hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. After dealing with Hodram, everything should be over. ¡°Will it be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°The day we attack Irachion eh?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ It would be our last battle in this war!¡± Ryouma nodded in agreement while answering Laura¡¯s question. What remains is the decisive battle against Hodram. The civil war in the Rozeria Kingdom is finally reaching its conclusion.. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 52 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 34 Chapter 2 Epiosde 34 Editor: Moosebruce Day 178 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 6) ¡°Everyone! Finally, we¡¯ve reached this far! This will be our final battle. The decisive battle will start from now on. From here on out, this is the battle to determine Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s future! The total number of the enemy force is 2500. I¡¯m convinced that we will obtain victory if everyone does their best in this battle. I believe in the power of everyone! We will grasp victory! Glory to the Kingdom of Rozeria!¡± ¡°¡±¡±OOOOOOOH! Victory to us! Glory to Rozeria Kingdom!¡±¡±¡± Responding to Princess Lupis speech, the Knights raised their voices in a victory cry. A knight standing at the front raised a fist high, and those standing in the back raised their spears high. It was the voice of the Knights resentment that had been repressed by General Hodram for many years. They finally had the opportunity to gratify their grudges. Furthermore, they are currently in a very advantageous situation. Gerhardt had quickly put into action his intention of switching his allegiance. As soon as he had presented the terms to the messenger, he immediately began working behind the scenes to take down the man currently controlling the nobles faction; Earl Adelheid.. Because of the measure put into place by Ryouma,the result was achieved quickly. The nobles faction also now strongly desired to curry favor with Princess Lupis in order to improve their standing. The effect of Ryoumas measure was demonstrated dramatically. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Ooh¡­ Duke Gerhard-sama, I was rude the other day¡­¡± Earl Aldeheid couldnt hide his embarrassment at the sudden visit of Duke Gerhardt. He greeted him with courtesy and tried not to be rude. He was camped in the suburbs of Irachion with a tent. ¡°No no, It is me who is rude for intruding on you so suddenly like this.¡± This was just the usual lip service between nobles. Aldeheid had supported Gerhardt for many years, but now Aldeheid had betrayed him for General Hodrams side. Anyone would be angry in that situation. But from his expression, no one would be able to see his anger. Hes an arrogant man, but he was a man who could adopt a humble attitude if necessary. It might be said that his act is perfect. Of course, for someone like Aldeheid who has worked under him for many years, Gerhardts acting was transparent. But it did have the effect of making the conversation flow smoothly. They could speak calmly without having to raise their voices. ¡°So? What is the issue? There¡¯s a lot of preparation needed to be done for the decisive battles according to General Hodram, so we dont have much time¡­¡± Although Earl Aldeheids words are polite, there was a hidden implication. To put them bluntly, he has no time to talk with Duke Gerhardt right now. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry about that¡­ But, do you know about this? The princess is going to make a bold move¡­¡± Gerhardt said meaningfully. There¡¯s no other choice for Earl Aldeheid than to listen to Duke Gerhardt. ¡°A bold move? Has Princess Lupis plotted something?¡± If Princess Lupis is planning on doing something, the Earl definitely can¡¯t just ignore it. Especially if it comes from Gerhardt. ¡°Her Highness seems to have split the knights into a few groups and headed towards the noble faction members¡¯ territories, to burn them.¡± ¡°Wha! It can¡¯t be! There¡¯s no way her Highness would do that!¡± It is no surprise for the Earl to react this way. Right now is a war between countrymen, a civil war. In other words, for Princess Lupis to burn the noble factions territories is the same as hurting the economy of the Rozeria Kingdom, which in turn will also harm herself. Razing and pillaging vallages is not an usual strategy in war, and is in fact a standard tactic. When used correctly, it can be a very effective tactic. However, the Earl had never heard of such tactics being used against the nation¡¯s own territory. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ For the princess to take such measures¡­ Did something happen?¡± Of course Earl Aldeheid would be surprised in this situation. Gerhardt though is convinced that his report has captured the Earl. ¡°Indeed! That is because Her highness is a gentle person.¡± ¡°Right? That¡¯s why there¡¯s no way the princess would do that.¡± The way Earl Aldeheid said those words is as if he does not realize that he has been taking part in a rebellion. Well, for those who know Princess Lupis it is reasonable for them to understand that. Gerhardt keeps on talking while also suppressing the urge to laugh. ¡°But¡­ There¡¯s a man under her highness who does not care about such things¡­¡± Hearing this, the Earl grew restless. ¡°A man¡­ Is it that one that is being referred to as the demon?¡± ¡°That is right. It was that man, the one known as [The Demon of Irachion]¡± ¡°Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­¡± Duke Gerhardt silently nodded his head hearing the name from Earl Aldeheid. Having drowned 5.000 soldiers, and killed the remaining survivors with a smile on his face, he was known by the surrounding people as ¡°The Demon of Irachion.¡± It was actually just the result of the rumor that Ryouma had spread, but, peasants who did not receive proper education easily believed it as the truth. This rumor had also reached the Earl. Most of them had heard the rumor because so many peasants had pleaded to return back home. ¡°But still¡­ That rumor, is it really the truth?¡± ¡°Whether he¡¯s the demon or not, its just a rumor. However, his demon-like brutality and unforgiving personality is the truth.¡± Of course, Mikoshiba Ryouma is not a demon. Even though he did kill the enemy with no mercy, he¡¯s not someone who has the fetish of enjoying killing other people either. However, the image of him being a demon is important right now. ¡°¡­ Indeed if it was [The demon of Iracion] then, it might be possible¡­ But, is it really the truth? That he¡¯s going to do what you¡¯ve said?¡± The Earl seems still unable to believe it yet. Of course, Gerhardt also realized that. But his aim is only to shake the Earl. ¡°Well, I told you that I just heard such rumor. Whether to believe it or not it is up to you¡­ Well then¡­ I can¡¯t disturb you more than this¡­ I will leave now.¡± ¡°Eh? Are you going back already? You don¡¯t have to hurry like that!¡± The Earl tried to detain Duke Gerhardt as if forgetting his first words. The Earl seems to feel uneasy already. That is why the Earl wants to hear the information more clearly. ¡°No no, It is not good for me to get in the way of your work¡­ Well, if you feel concerned about my story, how about ask the merchants in the city. Since I also heard the information from there. The person who told me the story would surely tell you the story in more detailed.¡± Since he said that , the Earl couldn¡¯t detain him much longer. ¡°I understand¡­ Thank you for telling me such an interesting story.¡± ¡°No no, I apologize for disturbing your busy work. Well then, excuse me.¡± Gerhardt left the tent. The Earl immediately gathered his aides. He wants to ascertain the truth of the rumor that Duke Gerhardt had left. ¡°Well then, is that rumor is the truth?!¡± Earl Aldeheid was amazed at the report that his aides brought to him. ¡°It is unknown whether the rumor is true or not¡­But it is true that the merchants who came to Irachion spread such rumor¡­¡± His adjutants words hit him. The nobles have a certain instinct imprinted on them. That is to always maintain their family name, power, and territory as the top priorities. They are stubborn when it comes to their territory. They have no intention of cherishing their farmers. However, there¡¯s also no lord who would keep silent when their territory is being damaged. To have their home burned down is the same as losing their stronghold. Not only are their families there, but they also gather militia there. Now, there are only women left at home, meaning defending is almost impossible. (This is bad¡­ Really bad¡­ But, what should I do?) The Earl was filled with anxiety. If the rumors are true, then there¡¯s no other choice but to go back and protect his territory and family. But returning to his territory without obtaining nothing just leaves debt. Although his subordinates have not yet gone out to battles, he can¡¯t leave without any wages either. Even the peasants who¡¯ve been conscripted ended up leaving their work. If they returned home with nothing, then it would create dissatisfaction. (But¡­ If that is the truth then¡­ My family¡­ My wife and grandchildren¡­) It would be good if they only end up being sold to a slave trader. He would still be able to purchase their freedom. However, the person he is dealing with is the man known as [The demon of Irachion]. He will kill mercilessly, even if it¡¯s a small girl.. This fear grasped Earl Aldeheids heart tightly. His son, who was beside him, was unable to understand his fathers distress. But it was also clear that they both want to return to their territory as soon as possible, for their wife and children. ¡°Earl-sama! Please excuse me.¡± A soldier appeared in the entrance of the tent. He seems to have brought some report. Earl Aldeheid turned to dismiss the interruption. ¡°What is it?! I told you not to disturb me.¡± But the soldier hesitatingly tried to say something. ¡°I understand but¡­ Viscount Romane and the other nobles want to meet your Excellency. I told them that your Excellency does not want to be disturbed, but they said it was urgent¡­ What should I do?¡± The Earl sighed because he knew exactly why the Viscount and the others had come. ¡°¡­ I understand, let them come.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± While watching the soldier¡¯s back, the Earl turned to his son. ¡°What do you think about this?¡± ¡°I think, my thought is the same as father¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You too? Then what should we do?¡± The Earl was happy that his son had grown up to be a wise man just like him. ¡°I think we should go back to our territory¡­¡± ¡°Your son¡¯s is right!¡± Several people came into the tent. Oh, I see all of you have come because of this emergency. But what are you going to do about it? With the Princess forces this close, it would be impossible for us to return to our territories. The Earl asked the small, middle-aged man that entered the tent. He sat down in a chair abruptly, but no one paid attention to the small discourtesy when there were more important things to discuss. ¡°Earl, I wish to say this plainly. I¡¯m planning to return to my territory.¡± ¡°Wha!¡± Viscount Romanes words shocked Earl Aldeheid. The Viscount is one of his faction members, but his desire to return to his territories will not be easy to deal with, on account of his arrogance and position. As the leader of the lower nobles, he was an aggressive but kind person. Individually, the nobles have anywhere from dozens to hundreds of soldiers, but united they are a formidable force. For this reason, the Earl ignored the Viscount¡¯s behavior. However, he cant just ignore his declaration. The Earl raised his voice with as much dignity as possible. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish! Do you intend to betray Duke Gerhardt?!¡± It was too late for him to say that since the group under Earl Aldeheid had already switched sides from Duke Gerhardt to General Hodram. However, the biggest army still belongs to Duke Gerhardt. Although he has no real power, the Duke still is the flag of their faction. But the viscount only twisted his lips lightly and sneered at him. ¡°What are you saying now? Aren¡¯t you the one who betrayed him just the other day? Although you¡¯re already old, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re at the age where you forget things easily.¡± The Earls adjutant who heard this moved his hand to the hilt of his sword. ¡°Stop!¡± The Earl immediately stopped his adjutant. Then the Earl turned around facing the Viscount as if giving up. ¡°Indeed, I have no excuse to say that¡­ Fine, let¡¯s get right to the point¡­ Why?¡± He was asking why the Viscount wanted to return to his territory. Although the Earl had anticipated the reason, he just wanted to confirm. And based on the answer, he would then plan out his own future. ¡°You should know the reason already, no? About those rumors¡­¡± The Viscount said with an irritated expression. ¡°As expected¡­ That was the reason huh? Is that rumor really true?¡± The Viscount shook his head indicating that he did not know. ¡°Did you all decide to withdraw without confirming the truth first? All of you?¡± ¡°The authenticity of that rumor is irrelevant, Earl-dono.¡± The one who said that was a young noble standing behind the Viscount. Earl Aldeheid was unable to remember his name. It was probably one of the lower-ranked nobles belonging to Viscount Romane. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The rumor has spread among the peasants. As a result, a lot of them asked us to return home.¡± The ones with the most at risk if their territory got burned was the peasants. All of their property would be gone, and their houses would turn into ash. The nobles might receive help from their relatives, but peasants could only protect their family by themselves. They would hardly be able to take care of another person if something were to go wrong. That is why they want to return home,to protect their modest wealth and the lives of their family. ¡°Foolish! Just make one or two people among the peasants into examples by punishing them, then this will all be taken care of, right?¡± The Earl was stating the nobilitys usual method of taking care of these sorts of problems, and it was a very effective method. Normally. ¡°About that¡­ The peasants seem to have prepared to revolt against us if we don¡¯t let them go back home¡­¡± ¡°What?! The peasants what?!¡± That was quite a considerable surprise for the Earl. He never expected that the peasants had been cornered that far. ¡°Indeed. I managed to calm them down for now, but after investigation, similar incidents happened in almost all of the other camps¡­¡± ¡°So what¡¯s going on? Did you find something?¡± The Earl did not want to hear about it anymore. He didnt want to listen to more bad news. ¡°Marquis Schwarzen has already withdrawn together with his army.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be¡­ To decide that so arbitrarily!¡± Nobles also have factions among themselves. Within the nobles faction, Marquis Schwarzen is number 3. Although in terms of Duke Gerhardts trust, Earl Aldeheid won because of his rank in the faction, but going by the size of territory and influence, then Marquis is second only to the Duke. Even in the formation of this army as well,the Marquis soldiers are second in number to the Duke only. The Earl can¡¯t disregard it easily if such an important person had withdrawn from the front lines without saying anything. ¡°Have you reported this to General Hodram?!¡± That was the question the Earl wanted to ask the most. However, the young nobleman only shook his head while showing a nasty smile. ¡°At this hour, what result are we going to get by reporting to that person? Marquis Schwarzen also told me that if we disturb his movements, he won¡¯t hesitate to battle it out. If that is the case, we have no other way anymore¡­ We should start thinking about our familys survival rather than reporting to General Hodram, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Did you want to sacrifice General Hodram? Are the others also of the same opinion?¡± They were silent when the Earl asked this. In other words, they agree to it. The Earl felt sick to the stomach by their indifference. However, he also felt that he could understand their attitude, even if it was disgusting. It might be because of the nobles survival instincts that were ingrained into them since childhood that lead to such an attitude. ¡°Fuuuh¡­ Fine¡­ If you all have prepared for this much, I have no more words to say¡­ Let¡¯s follow your opinion.¡± ¡°Then, let us all withdraw immediately. Whether the rumor is true or not, we must defend our territory!¡± Receiving Earl Aldeheid words, Viscount Romane immediately left the tent. While looking at his son, Earl Aldeheid muttered. ¡°I betrayed Duke Gerhardt and then immediately sacrificed General Hodram huh¡­ That is not a beautiful thing to smear our family name with¡­¡± All of his aides and his son remained silent. They all realized how harsh the life of nobles is. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 53 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 35 Episode 2 Chapter 35 Editor: Mahou Shoujo Cruiser-Chan Day 180 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 7) ¡°Your Highness! The instruction to march!¡± Meltina urged Princess Lupis to stand in front of all the troops. According to Ryouma¡¯s plan, all the nobles stationed troops around Irachion should have returned to their respective territories. Since Gerhardt had switched sides, all that remained was the 2,500 knights commanded by Hodram. In contrast, Princess Lupis currently has 25,000 soldiers under her banner. The situation where princess Lupis was inferior and being overwhelmed had now been reversed, the knights who stood awaiting the Princesss command had impatient gazes. Their morale was at an all time high, after all, they numbered more than ten times the enemys size. However, contrary to the Knights high spirits, princess Lupiss heart is filled with bitter feelings. Despite the situation she was in she was unable to dance in joy or feel happy. The fear of a certain man had budded in her heart. (This is that man¡¯s power¡­ The man who could turn the tides of war for such an inferior person ¡­ I¡¯m scared of that man¡­ Mikoshiba Ryouma. I¡¯m afraid of that intelligence, and I¡¯m scared of his lack of leniency, I¡¯m scared of that heart that has no respect toward royalty. That man will leave this country the moment we finished dealing with Hodram. That is good¡­ After all, that was the promise we¡¯ve agreed upon at the first time. But¡­ What if he were to join the enemies side? I can¡¯t compete against him¡­ Is there even a person who can match against him in this country? What if he were to oppose us, the man who was able to make light of both Hodram and Gerhardt.) She had realized it since the beginning, no, rather she was convinced of it. Despite beating Hodram, anxiety welled up in her heart. In the meantime, she tried to suppress her feelings of uneasiness. (No, I should think about this later. Whats important right now is to ensure Hodrams defeat) Nodding lightly toward Meltina, Princess Lupis begin to face forward. ¡°Everyone! Advance!¡± She raised her sword and pointed it toward Irachion. Right now all that mattered is to finally defeat Hodram. (Everything¡­ Everything I¡¯ve done is for the sake of winning this war!) ¡°¡±¡±OOOOOOH!!!¡±¡±¡±¡± The cheers echoed once again, and the Knights began advancing all at once. Their aim is to get Hodram Albergs head. Only that. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ Is it alright?¡± The Knights led by Princess Lupis leave trails of dust behind them while marching towards Irachion. A group of people watched the knights advance from a nearby hill. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no point for us to participate in the attack on Irachion.¡± Ryouma answered Laura¡¯s question lightly. Together with these two, there¡¯s her sister Sara and approximately 80 members of the mercenary group led by Lione and Bolts. Although all of them were prepared to go to the battlefield at anytime, Ryouma who is the commander told them that they are not going to move from their current position. ¡°But young master¡­ If we don¡¯t attack Irachion and the war does not end, what are we to do?¡± Bolts make such a question that carried the concern of all the present people ¡°If we don¡¯t attack Irachion, the battle won¡¯t end? I see¡­ Does everyone share the same opinion?¡± Everyone who heard Ryouma¡¯s question nodded their head. Since Hodram did not move his army out of Irachion, there is no other way to end it but to go on the offensive even if Gerhardt had already fallen under the Princess. Ryouma who understand Bolts concern shows a smile on his face. ¡°Then heres a question. Currently, there¡¯s only the 2.500 Knights led by Hodram at Irachion. Since Duke Gerhardt had pledged allegiance to the Princess, there only exist one enemy, also known as Hodram. Do you understand?¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s question, everyone nodded their heads. Due to the rumor Ryouma had spread, the nobles quickly returned to their own territories as a result, a large number of soldiers had left the outskirts of Irachion. This is another reason why Princess Lupis decided to take the initiative Only Hodram and his subordinates were all that remained as Princess Lupiss enemies. All the people present understand that well enough. ¡°What about princesss military force?¡± ¡°Around 25,000 soldiers.¡± ¡°Sara is right, then now, how many troops does Hodram has?¡± ¡°2,500!¡± Bolt quickly shouted. ¡°That is correct, the difference is more than ten times, hasnt anyone wondered why Hodram chose to seclude himself within the city walls?¡± Ryouma¡¯s gaze turns toward the distance. Everyone tried to guess what Ryouma¡¯s words mean. ¡°Do you think that the General himself is not inside the city?¡± Lione tried to confirm the thing she had thought. ¡°Yes. But well, that probability is around 50-50 I guess? As far as I know, Hodram is an arrogant and indifferent man, but at the same time I think that he¡¯s a strong man who knows that giving up is a bad thing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not going to give up?¡± ¡°At first I thought that he would confine himself within the city since there would be no reinforcement for him. After all, the nobles are not going to help Hodram after returning back toward their own territory. With that being the case, Hodram only has two option left, an honorable death or escape¡­ But I do not think that Hodram is going to choose honorable death.¡± ¡°Then doesnt that mean he¡¯s going to escape? But still, can he even pull it off with such a large difference in power?¡± Lione¡¯s reply toward Ryouma was skeptical. Lione who has experienced many battlefields is fully aware of the difficulty when withdrawing from the battlefield. It is simple to make an army advance forward but it becomes difficult when an army has to withdraw at a moments notice. Furthermore, despite the fact that the Knights are good as individual soldiers, they lack cooperation and teamwork as a group, so if a sudden order to withdraw were to occur, they would need proper cooperation to avoid chaos during retreats. Conversely, if the soldiers are just thinking of escaping by themselves without cooperating with the others, the prospect of them being dead is high. History has proven this to be true. Since the knights lack the ability to work together, the probability of Hodram would be closest to zero. ¡°Indeed, that might be true. Well, to do that he would need to prepare a lot of things¡­ Furthermore, we are only considering the scenario where he would try to escape with his knights, the worst possible situation would be if Hodram were to escape whilst abandoning his subordinates, only bring his close aides and family members.¡± Lione nodded in agreement after hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. Even if it was possible, Ryouma felt the possibility of Hodram retreatingwhile leading the army to be very low. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ To abandon his people¡­¡± ¡°Young master! No matter how bad a person he is, I don¡¯t think he would do that¡­¡± Everyone was at a loss for words. He may be able to escape if he abandons his subordinates and escapes alone. However, doing that means Hodram would need to give up the Knights who believed in him and chose him to be their general. Even for Lione and Bolts, they would not do something so shameless despite being mercenaries and some armies employ peasants and mercenaries to act as meat shields and for Hodram as a commander of an army to abandon his own trusted knights, no one seems to believe he would do such a thing¡­ ¡°Well~, that was just a possibility¡­ To ascertain that, there¡¯s no choice other than for us to attack Irachion. I decide for us to not participate in the attack is because I don¡¯t think it would make much difference. That¡¯s why I asked the princess to let us do another task¡­¡± Although Ryouma was not 100% sure of the outcome, the odds of it occurring were quite high based on the fact that Ryouma said there was a 50/50 chance of it happening. Certainly, the Princess is in a very advantageous position, even without Ryouma participating in the battle, it will not affect her chances of obtaining victory. But if he were to take into account of postwar rewards, deciding not to participate in the assault might not be too profitable from a reward standpoint. But even with that in mind, Ryouma still decided to stay back on the basis that Hodram might escape. ¡°Still doubting my decision?¡± Everyone shakes their head in response. Having explained up to this point, everyone felt convinced with his reasoning. ¡°Now then¡­ We have to wait for Genou to come back I guess?¡± ¡°Genou is it?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Laura scanned their surroundings. Certainly, the two people, Genou and Sakuya are not present. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ I just ask them to go to Irachion for some errand¡­ Spreading rumor and other stuff¡­ Oh speak of the devil, how was the situation? Genou, Sakuya¡­¡± Mercenaries disguised as merchants have been spread around Irachion to perform espionage duties. Their primary duty is to spread the rumor of the person called Mikoshiba Ryouma to the peasants, while some were given the mission to sneak into Irachion to investigate the enemy¡¯s movements. Now that Gerhardt has changed his allegiance, they can place full effort in monitoring Hodram with Genou and Sakuya acting as liaisons.. Ryouma¡¯s gaze is directed towards the two people who just got arrivedfrom Irachion. ¡°Thank you for waiting. Mikoshiba-dono.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late.¡± The two people apologize toward Ryouma while bowing their head lightly then they begin to give their report. ¡°Mikoshiba-dono hunch is right on the mark¡­ According to those who kept surveillance on Hodrams mansion, they spotted a number of merchants being summoned yesterday to hurriedly conduct business negotiations ¡°Business negotiations huh¡­ Do you know the contents of the negotiation?¡± Genou nodded his head in response towards Ryouma¡¯s question. Ryouma had predicted such a report would come, but he couldnt decide the course of actions without a more detailed understanding of the situtations. Thus he asked the two to investigate. ¡°Yes, when we asked some of the merchants who came out from the mansion, I heard that the people from the mansion want to sell some clothes and other furniture.¡± Ryouma nodded his head while listening to Genou¡¯s words. It seems like Hodram wants to escape aboard. Thus he wants to sell all of his assets. ¡°Well now, he appears to be trying to raise some funds to escape¡­¡± ¡°Also, they seem to have stocked up on preserved food.¡± ¡°Preserved food¡­ I guess he¡¯s going to abandon his subordinates after all¡­¡± Hodram would not need to prepare preserved foods if he were planning on bringing his subordinates with him, since there is a unit in the army that handles supplies. Furthermore, to call upon the merchants personally, it proves that he is hiding it from his subordinates. ¡°Yes, the probability is high.¡± Genou nodded in agreement. ¡°How about the escape route? Have you been able to predict it?¡± ¡°No, as expected, I havent spotted anything so far. But¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you catch something interesting?¡± ¡°It would be quite hard to escape while bringing his family together. With all the baggage, there¡¯s no other choice other than to pass via the highway.¡± ¡°Ryouma-sama! This¡­.¡± Sara quickly spread the map in front of Ryouma. ¡°With Irachion¡­ We have four possibilities.¡± Ryouma noted that there are seven highways connected to Irachion, three of which are being blocked by Princess Lupiss army, he might be able to cross it if he were to circle around the army but it would be too dangerous if he were to bring his family with him. Ryouma narrowed the options down considering Hodrams reputation within the kingdom. ¡°Southeast, South, Southwest, West, there are four possibilities¡­ Since he will be going with his family, I guess we can exclude the west since it would lead toward the Zalda Kingdom.¡± Ryouma nodded his head in agreement toward Laura¡¯s words. (Certainly, the Zalda Kingdom who is known as Iron country has many steep mountains road. It is a terrain that is too severe to go with family.) ¡°We can exclude the southwest for the same reason¡­ Thus, what left are southeast and south¡­¡± Both southeast and south are directed toward the southern region. That place is the biggest fierce war zone in the western continent where small countries jumbled up close together. However, it is also a perfect place to hide. ¡°These two choices huh¡­. Now then which one¡­¡± Ryouma then looked up toward the sky. He has 100 troops on hand. Every single one of them has very high competence as warriors, but Ryouma also knows that his opponents would resist desperately, so he had no other choice but to recognize their battle powers to be equal. All that was left was to predict the number of troops he would bring with him. It couldnt be too many since if he were to bring too many, it would be less inconspicuous. Ryoumas estimated that Hodram would have around 50 knights with him as his escort. (It is a foolish idea to divide my troops¡­ But I can¡¯t let them escape either¡­ What should I do, I wonder?) For the future of Rozeria Kingdom, Hodram must die. And there¡¯s also his promise toward Elena. Various idea appears within Ryouma¡¯s mind, but he immediately discards them. No matter how good Ryouma was with thinking up of strategies, there was always a limit to it. He couldnt figure out a solution to supllement the shortage of troops pursuing Hodram. ¡°Ryouma-sama.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sara whispered into Ryouma¡¯s ear who is absorbed in his own train of thought. ¡°Just now, a report was made that some military units passed this area¡­¡± ¡°Is it the enemy?¡± Sara shook her head toward Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°No, it is Elena-sama.¡± ¡°Elena-san? She should be participating in the attack with Princess Lupis¡­ Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, they will arrive here soon.¡± ¡°Understood. Please lead me to her.¡± Sara nodded at Ryouma¡¯s words, and they both left the place. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 54 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Chapter 22.5 Chapter 22.5 Chapter 1 E 22.5 (Aftermath) ¡°What did you intend to say?!¡± An angry voice resounded during audiences. The owner of the voice is a person nicknamed the prime minister of iron and blood, Lord Dornest. The emperor who should have been the most important person silently listening to Sardina¡¯s report while resting his elbow on the armrest of the throne. ¡°That¡¯s all for the report. I¡¯m willing to receive any punishment.¡± In front of the Emperor, starting from Sardina and Saitou, Seria, Rolph, then Orlando had kneeled down together. Within Sardina¡¯s mind, replayed the event that had happened a few days ago. After letting Ryouma escaped, Sardina had waited for dawn to come and the soldiers that had been scattered to return. She bet on the chance that she might be able to catch up to him. Since her mistake that leads his escape is due to the lack of soldiers. The situation might change if she collects all the soldiers for pursuit. However, in the end, Sardina cannot catch a glimpse of Ryouma figure again. ¡°I know it; it¡¯s impossible huh¡­¡± Hearing what Sardina had muttered, Saitou responded with a sour expression. ¡°It cannot be helped¡­ It was hard to gather all of the soldiers after all¡­¡± For Ryouma, he might have expected something like this to happen. To said it plainly, he might have calculated that they won¡¯t be able to continue the pursue until he was able to cross the border. ¡°That guy, he¡¯s not careless at all it seems¡­¡± Not having naive mind might be the greatest strength that Ryouma possesses. Sardina bites his lips for realizing that she¡¯s being too optimistic. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­ Let¡¯s return to the imperial capital.¡± Saitou¡¯s face shows a clouded expression after listening to Sardina¡¯s words. Indeed since they have failed to capture Mikoshiba Ryouma, there¡¯s no meaning for them to stay inside the forest for much longer. Not only they need to immediately let the border to be opened again to make sure it does not inflict much damage to the empire economy, but they also have to inform Seria and the other that had gone to the south. Although Saitou can understand the situation, he still feels uneasy toward the treatment that Sardina will receive. After all, it was a big loss for them to have failed to capture Ryouma. And the worst part is, they let the arrested person to escape. Furthermore, there are some casualties among the knight. Although there was some unexpected event that Ryouma have some companions, this is not something easy to ignore. ¡°Dornest face will definitely turn into rage eh~¡­¡± In spite of Sardina¡¯s joking words, Saitou¡¯s expression remained stiff. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± In Saitou¡¯s mind, he can imagine Dornest figure yelling toward Sardina in front of the emperor. He was nicknamed the prime minister of blood and iron, due to being a politician that has a strong mind like iron and having the determination to shed blood. He won¡¯t change his attitude toward Sardina just because she¡¯s royalty. He will definitely won¡¯t let this case end like this. Furthermore, there¡¯s also another concern. ¡°I think there¡¯s also a problem how to handle Seria-sama after this¡­¡± Sardina nodded toward Saitou¡¯s subdued voice. The one who¡¯s the most enthusiastic about this mission is Seria who had lost her family member. What are they going to say toward such Seria? ¡°Well, we will manage it somehow. Seria is not that stupid after all. I think if I were to explain the situation to her properly, she wouldn¡¯t complain too much¡­¡± (That is the case if it was the usual Seria though¡­¡± Saitou was uneasy due to whether or not she was able to remain calm after her relative being murdered. Maybe she read him having such complexion on his face. Sardina shrugged her shoulders and said, ¡°Well, leave that matters to me. In any case, there¡¯s no other choice than to return to the imperial capital.¡± A while later, Seria, Rolph, and Orlando sat down in front of Sardina. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Seria¡¯s voice lacked her usual energetic vibe. After the decision of returning to the imperial capital, Sardina recalled the three who had gone to the southern border, and she decided to join them at the town south the imperial capital in order to share the information before having an audience with the emperor. Thinking the current location of Sardina, people might think that she had to pass the imperial capital to get there, such way of thinking is not wrong. This place is the suburbs of Oito, where the road junction merge. In the tent that was set up, Sardina told them the situation. ¡°I see¡­ If the situation ends up like that, no wonder you¡¯ve failed to catch them huh.¡± Rolph¡¯s face turns sour. His expression indicates his regret to be unable to accompany Sardina together. Orlando also has the same expression. ¡°But still¡­ Right after being summoned, that person, Mikoshiba Ryouma was it? He has people who help him? Furthermore, they have such a degree of ability?¡± Toward Rolph question, Sardina shakes her head. That question is the one that Sardina and Saitou had contemplated seriously along the road as well. ¡°I¡¯ve also thought of that along with Saitou¡­ But to be honest, we are not sure either.¡± Toward Sardina who shook her head, Orlando asks a question reservedly. ¡°Emm¡­ Your highness, how are we going to report to the emperor?¡± This was a question that all of them except Sardina were worried about. The order of the Emperor is absolute. Since they could not fulfill them, at worst, the death penalty may befall them. ¡°I will report things as they are¡­¡± Saitou nodded his head in agreement toward Sardina¡¯s words. That is because the two of them had agreed between themselves as to what to do when they are on the way toward Oito. ¡°Is that alright?¡± The complexion on Rolph¡¯s face indicating was it really fine to do that. If they report it as it is, all the responsibility will hang over Saitou¡¯s and Sardina¡¯s head. Although one of them is a member of the imperial family, she might not get out from it unscathed. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. It was a fact after all.¡± Sardina answered as such quietly. And she has prepared to do so¡­ ¡°Even if you¡¯re an imperial princess, to report something like this!¡± ¡°Dornest¡­ Be silent for a bit¡­¡± The emperor¡¯s voice interrupted Dornest angry voice toward Sardina. Saitou shook off the imagination that appears within his mind and turned his consciousness to the emperor¡¯s words. ¡°In response to Sardina¡¯s report, I have no intention to criticize.¡± A heavy voice comes from the throne. A surprised expression appears on Dornest face. ¡°However¡­ Your majesty!¡± ¡°Listen to what I had to say¡­ Dornest!¡± The Emperor presses his elbow on the armchair harder and called him with a low voice. ¡°Indeed Sardina had failed to fulfill my order. That is a fact. However, an unexpected strong people also appeared. What do you think they can do in that situation?¡± Dornest was unable to reply the emperor¡¯s question. Certainly, that was the truth. No, being able even to capture the other world person once is already close to a miracle. After all, at first they don¡¯t even know the name and face of him. For that, Dornest understood. ¡°But still¡­ To let the other world person escape!¡± ¡°I also know that. However. Sardina and Saitou are an important strength of our empire. No matter how much we want to suppress the hateful man that had killed Gaies, we can not put the empire in danger because of declining strength just to kill that person in question, no?¡± They should avoid losing the leader and vice leader of the Succubus Night chivalric order that they are so proud of at the same time. Now with Gaies have died, the empire power has declined, and if they also have to part with the leaders of the new formed main force, the empire hegemony will be without a doubt getting threatened. Considering all kinds of matters, Sardina judgment was right. ¡°However¡­¡± The gaze of the emperor looking at Sardina. ¡°Although be that as it may, it is also a fact that you cannot fulfill my order. Therefore you will take over Gaies job in conquering the Eastern countries. Sardina, you will be in charge of command.¡± After that words reverberated within the audience hall, Sardina and the other four lowered their heads at once on the spot. Instead of giving them punishment, the emperor gives them the opportunity to gain merits to offset their mistakes. ¡°We will certainly respond to your expectations. Your majesty!¡± Chapter 55 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Episode 1 (The despair of those who are being summoned) 63rd day after being summoned to another world. The northern part of the western continent. Three travelers proceed through the Doshu desert where the yellow sand blows violently. The mantle which the three of them wore are stained and scratched slightly, symbolizing the harsh journey they have been through. Their steps are heavy. ¡°There is an oasis of Mireish at the end of this sand dune.¡± ¡°That fellow is there, right¡­?¡± Ryouma eyes turned toward the sand dune that Laura had pointed out. His eyes pupil had a sadness mixed with despair and a little hope. ¡°Let¡¯s draw the conclusion. I feel sorry; however, it is impossible for you to return to your former world. ¡± Inside this place which crowded by books and parchment that have turn yellow due to age, the room manager said such words while sitting on the chair. The manager of this room is a lady who wore hemp clothes. Her age is around 35 years old to early 40. Her appearance is just like your ordinary woman living anywhere. She¡¯s neither beautiful nor ugly. Black eyes and black hair. She does not have any characteristic feature. Even if she dress herself up. She will be just your ordinary woman found anywhere. However, her real value is not that. She¡¯s one of the best people who has the knowledge of magic of the western continent engraved in her mind. That is the reason why Ryouma visits her. The woman whom people call the hermit of Mireish. Her name is Anamaria. ¡°That is because right now there¡¯s no magic for that right?¡± Ryouma looking at her with sneering eyes. Those words are the words of many magic art masters had said to him along the way after he escaped Sardina pursuit before reaching here. However, what she¡¯s about to say overwhelm Ryouma. ¡°No. It¡¯s not because there¡¯s no magic art for it that you cannot go back. Because the technique cannot be created that¡¯s why you cannot return. ¡± ¡°What did you say!¡± An angry voice comes out from Ryouma¡¯s mouth. It was a fit of anger that even Sara and her sister who have been traveling together never saw. During these two months, Ryouma and the sisters while doing guild¡¯s work, had visited several renown magic users to seek a way for him to return to Earth. Of course, he did not meet the one within the imperial territory. And all of them gives the same answers. And that is there¡¯s no return home for him. However they just answer it as, There¡¯s no magic developed for it. That¡¯s why Ryouma asked them if they can develop it or not. And all of them uniformly said. It¡¯s impossible for them to do so. And gives the name of people who can develop the magic. And one of those names is Anamaria. ¡°Calm down. Nothing will change even if you¡¯re getting agitated. ¡± Even when Ryouma shows his anger, Anamaria expression did not change at all. It seems like she was a civil officer in the past, she had to give up her job after having confrontation against a cabinet minister at the place she worked. ¡°My bad. ¡­ It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve calmed down. ¡­ Can you explain why I cannot go back?¡± He said those words after trying his hardest to hold back the rage inside his heart. ¡°The reason is obvious. ¡­ But before I¡¯m explaining it to you, I want to ask, how far is your understanding regarding magic art?¡± ¡°Understanding regarding magic art huh? ¡± Knowledge about magic art that he had received from Sara come to mind. A magic art is a technique that needs energy known as Prana if one were want to use them. And depending on how one use it, there are three different systems. One is magic art that uses Prana resided within one¡¯s body. This technique that does not require casting is overwhelming in a close combat situation. Another one is Incantation type magic art. This magic art is the kind that borrows some power from outside being such as God, demon, and spirit. Because of the need to cast, it was not suitable for close combat. However, since one were using the power of non-human being, they were able to create a phenomenon that cannot be done by humans, such as fire and manipulating the wind. And the last one is magic art by way of bestowing. This technique uses Prana on a substance that does not have Prana within them, such as Swords and Spears, this method will raise the strength of the one who does not have Prana within them. With Ryouma explanation, Anamaria face smiles broadly. ¡°That¡¯s right. You seems to know about the basic.. but now I will ask you a question. Do you know which type is the one that¡¯s being used to summon people from a different world?¡± Ryouma replied Anamaria¡¯s question with annoyance. ¡°The syntax system type!¡± Hearing the answer, Anamaria nodded her head. ¡°Exactly. Now the problem is, to whom we should offer the Prana in another world. ¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean by that? I was summoned to this world. It was the consequence of this world magic art that I was being brought here! Won¡¯t you just need to pray to God who has summoned me to this world!¡± Ryouma comment is reasonable. However, Anamaria expression remained the same. ¡°You can leave this world. I¡¯m sure of this. ¡± ¡°Then!¡± Yet, The words that come out from Anamaria after this knocked Ryouma down to the bottom of despair. ¡°However, you will end up drifting within the interstices of space-time forever. ¡° Chapter 56 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Episode 2 (The despair of those who are being summoned 2) . . Day 63 after being summoned to another world ¡°What did you say?¡± To Ryouma question, Anamaria answers him without even moving her eyebrow. ¡°I said that you will end up drifting forever in the space between space-time, which means, you will die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me!¡± All the emotions that have been building up inside Ryouma heart since the time he was summoned to this world exploded at once. *Bang!* Ryouma¡¯s fist sinks into the wooden desk, and cracks run through the desk surface. Although it seems to be an expensive desk, however for Ryouma, such a thing does not matter right now. ¡°Ryouma-sama!¡± ¡°Your hand!¡± Laura and her sister who are being silent all this time screamed. Blood split out from Ryouma¡¯s fist after he hit the desk without holding back. ¡°Ryouma-sama! Your hand.¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t intervene!¡± He brushes off the sisters who are tried to treat his hand, and continue scowling at Anamaria while ignoring blood dripping out from his hand. ¡°Try saying that again!¡± A deep cold hatred dwelled within his eyes and his voice which seems to contain a clear murderous intent. ¡°Even if you threatened me, the conclusion will not change. Your original world. In other words, you cannot go back to the reverse world Rear]¡± ¡°Reverse World Rear?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The world you¡¯ve come from. We call it Reverse World Rear The other side of the world where we live, the world Earth¡± After hearing Anamaria further explanation Ryouma regained his calm. No matter how angry he was, nothing will change. Thus, listening to all of the stories has become the top priority. (But still, this world is Earth? And the place I¡¯ve lived previously is Rearworld huh? Well, it was the name given by the people who live in this world after all¡­) This also a common story that happens in his world. Although the sun gives light equally to all nation, the nation called as the rising sun is Japan, while the Earth is round, yet the China is being called as Middle Empire. When you have to name some place represent both sides, It was a natural for a human psychology to list the world in which side they have lived, Anamaria then continues talking. ¡°However, physically there¡¯s nothing such as back and front. Such naming conveniently comes out since among all the world exist, including ours, only two have life in it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care which side which! Tell me the reason why I cannot get back!¡± Anamaria shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s simple. To summon human from the Rear world to this worldEarth, we have to offer Prana to the existing God in this world Earth to get authorization to summon them. This is because there¡¯s a barrier around this world to prevent intrusion from the outside; however, there¡¯s also a similar barrier set up on the Rear world as well.¡± ¡°Wait a minute? Enough about the barrier stuff. I was summoned to this world is that not it? Won¡¯t it be enough just by asking the God who had summoned me?¡± ¡°No. Whether or not you can enter each world, depends on Gods within each world whether they let you in or not. In other words, to enter the Rear world after leaving this world Earth, you have to get permission to enter the Rear world from the God who manage the barrier of the Rear world.¡± Ryouma head converts the explanation that Anamaria gives into something easy to understand. (So, it¡¯s free to leave? But the problem is the permission to enter¡­ Isn¡¯t that similar to a self-locking door?) The auto-lock system which common in a hotel. It¡¯s easy to open the door from the inside, but when the door closes it will automatically lock itself up, and to come inside from the outside, it requires a key. Replacing the two worlds as hotel rooms, and replacing the space between space-time as the hotel passage may make it easier. ¡°In other words, If it¡¯s just passing the boundary barrier on this side then it is possible; however, it is not feasible to pass the boundary barrier on the Rear world side. As a result for that? You will be drifted within space-time¡­¡± ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is¡­ ¡± ¡°But, if that is the case, what if we know the God who manage the barrier on the Rear world side!?¡± Ryouma told Anamaria in rebuttal, expecting the answer to this argument. It is not known since when the people of this world Earth have been summoning that world Earthling, however, certainly it¡¯s something that has been done more than 10 or 20 years. In other words, there are more than thousands people that have been summoned to this world Earth. Some of them might try to return to their original Earth after running away as Ryouma did. At least, it was a certain thing that Ryouma is not the first person who have tried to return. *Bang!* Anamaria throws a book with dull color on the cracked desk. ¡°This is the record of human from another world who have tried to return. ¡± The book that Anamaria had offered is as thick as a Japanese Dictionary book that is published by Iwanami. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to prepare the return home magic rituals. Because you can just change the summoning ritual a little. But there¡¯s nothing I can do if I don¡¯t know the God which I have to offer the Prana to. ¡± Ryouma opened the page of the books and offered it to Ryouma. ¡°The name of Gods that exist in your world are written here. In other words, this is the name of the God that we tried to use in the ritual and yet have no effect. ¡± ¡°That means¡­ Unless I know the name of the God that have not yet being mentioned here¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to return to your previous world.¡± A heartless declaration pierced Ryouma¡¯s chest. ¡°Tsukiyomi, Susano, Amaterasu, Jehovah, Yahweh¡­¡± Inside the Inn after returning from Mireish, Ryouma shut himself inside his room leaving out Sara and her sister and examined the book desperately. The face Ryouma shown when returned from Anamaria place is like the face filled with tragedy, which Sara and her sister cannot describe it with words. In front of the room where Ryouma stayed, the sister was standing. Their gaze is poured on the door of Ryouma¡¯s room. ¡°It¡¯s already 5 hours¡­¡± Laura nodded her head toward Sara¡¯s words. It¡¯s already late night. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­¡± The sisters knew how Ryouma¡¯s feeling to be unable to return home. Shivers run through their body just by imagining what they would do if they are in Ryouma¡¯s position. However, the sisters are unable to save Ryouma. What they can do is only feeling concerned about Ryouma condition while standing in front of the door. Chapter 57 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 2 Episode 3 (The Despair of Those Who Are Being Summoned 3) Day 64 after being summoned to another world The morning sunlight come through the window. Laura and her sister looking at each other and decided to knock the door of Ryouma¡¯s room. *Ton Ton* What they are holding in their hand is a tray filled with breakfast that they had ordered from the innkeeper. Since last night until now, Ryouma have never left his room. Ignoring an invitation to have a dinner and the snack, they deliver at midnight, only the sounds of a page being turned over can be heard inside the room. Fatigue can also be seen on the sisters face. They have been worried about Ryouma who is currently checking the book as if something was possessing him. *Ton Ton* They knocked on the door slightly harder this time. It was not the sisters¡¯ intention to disturb what Ryouma has been doing; however, they could not leave Ryouma who have not yet eat since last night dinner, and he even hasn¡¯t taken some water to drink. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­?¡± She called him fearfully. As expected, there¡¯s no answer from him, only the sounds of turning page can be heard faintly. Finally, the sounds stopped. ¡°Sara¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ I guess there¡¯s no other choice, ane-sama.¡± After they gaze at each other, they placed the tray that they had on the floor and turned their body toward the wooden door. *BANG!* Their body strengthened by martial art blew off the door. ¡°¡±Ryouma-sama¡±¡± The room is dark. Despite the fact that sunlight can be seen entering the room through the window, the room remained dark and cold. That was caused by the man who was sitting inside of the room. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­?¡± Cautiously, Sara tried to call him. Ryouma did not turn his eyes toward the sister who had kicked the door open and just stared at the desk in silent. Maybe due to him opened the page of the book over and over again, the tip of the page end up looking worn out, and some part of the pages are wet due to sweat dripping on it. Numerous paper was scattered on the desk and the floor, on the papers is written names with a horizontal line. (This is¡­ Did he wrote all the name of the Gods he knew and checked whether it was listed in the book or not¡­) Even with only a brief look, Sara can see more than a dozen of papers scattered. ¡°Ane-sama¡­¡± Laura handed over two pieces of paper toward Sara. The papers are tightly filled with names with horizontal lines crosses over it. And when she look closely, the name written on it are identically the same. The line that crosses over it also the same. ¡°This is¡­¡± Toward Sara¡¯s murmur, Laura nodded her head. Ryouma wrote all the name of the Gods as far as he could remember and checked whether it was written in the book or not, and put a horizontal line if the name exist in the book., And then, when everything written on it has a horizontal line, he once again repeats it, in case there¡¯s a mistake, or he missed one of the names. Looking for hope that does not exist¡­ He repeated his works again and again. ¡°¡­ None¡­¡± A small voice comes out from Ryouma¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ryouma-sama?¡± ¡°I¡­ Can¡¯t return home¡­¡± This time, his voice can be heard clearly by the sisters. ¡°I can¡¯t return¡­ I can¡¯t return¡­ I can¡¯t return¡­¡± The words that come out from Ryouma¡¯s mouth gradually grows stronger. With the room being dark, it turns the atmosphere into deep gloom. ¡°Ane-sama!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The moment the sisters entered the room, they feel something uncomfortable. In the sisters¡¯ eyes, the image of Ryouma is someone powerful, calm, ruthless, and a little bit kind. However, the Ryouma in front of them now is fragile and unstable. And yet, it was frighteningly ominous for him to have such image. The two sisters immediately embrace Ryouma¡¯s head between their chest. Just like how one¡¯s comfort a baby. Letting the baby wet with tears and be relieved. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Ryouma-sama. We¡¯re both here. Always by your side¡­¡± Wonder how much time have passed. The dark and heavy air that drifted inside the room has gone. A calm breathing of a sleeping person leaks out from between the sister¡¯s chest. ¡°Ane-sama. Should we carry him to bed?¡± Laura turned her eyes toward Ryouma and said such words. ¡°I guess so¡­ Laura, try to carry that side.¡± Having a huge body exceeding 100 kg, the two sisters somehow managed to lay Ryouma on the bed. ¡°From now on, what are we going to do?¡± Laura line of sight turned toward the broken door. ¡°I think he won¡¯t be able to wake up until evening due to the fatigue from the all-nighter. We should talk to the innkeeper about the door and pay extra money¡­¡± Then Laura began talking in a hesitant manner. ¡°Ryouma-sama is scary isn¡¯t he¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, however, that does not matter¡­ Ryouma-sama has saved us. That¡¯s why we¡¯re Ryouma-sama belonging. We should just devote ourselves to Ryouma-sama.¡± ¡°Un, I agree. Ane-sama.¡± After the sisters had exchanged such conversation, they turned their gaze toward their master who has been sleeping on the bed. (Where is this?) Ryouma¡¯s consciousness was inside a darkness. Cold darkness, which feels like it can freeze one heart. (I¡­ That¡¯s right!. I was inside my room examining the book.) Little by little Ryouma¡¯s consciousness becomes clear. ¡°This place is within your mind.¡± A cold robotic voice without emotion can be heard. (My mind? Am I inside my consciousness? ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± (I did not say anything yet?) ¡°This is inside your own mind after all. Something like spoken words is insignificant.¡± (But you¡¯re talking you know?) ¡°No, that is you only think so yourself.¡± (What are you?) ¡°Me? Me huh? I¡¯m someone closest to you, an existence that understands you the most.¡± (What is that?) ¡°For now, you are good knowing just this much¡­ One day, you will reach the answer yourself.¡± After the voice said such word, its asked Ryouma a question. ¡°What is your wish?¡± Ryouma thought for a moment about his strongest wish. (I¡­ I want to return home. I want to see, Asuka, Grandfather, and my classmates¡­ I want to go back to my original world.) ¡°But that will not come true. Did you not confirm it yourself?¡± The heartless voice smashed Ryouma¡¯s wish. (I can¡¯t come back? Can¡¯t I go back to that life once again?) ¡°You can¡¯t. Although the possibility itself is not 0. However, are you prepared to pay a great sacrifice? There¡¯s no other method other than clinging to your own luck. You should have understood this¡­ Later, will you have the resolution to lose a great sacrifice? Or end up giving up?¡± (Hah? What are you talking about?) Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, the voice continue talking, ¡°You should understand everything already¡­ It¡¯s just that you don¡¯t want to admit the answer.¡± (I¡­ I¡¯m¡­) ¡°If you unleash your rage, you can even destroy this world. Forcibly being summoned to this world and to be made to fight. All of this, whose fault do you think?¡± (That is¡­ the old man and the people in that empire fault¡­) ¡°Wrong¡­ This is also the problem of this world. This twisted world which filled with sacrifice made by the people from your world.¡± The voice denied Ryouma¡¯s answer. (A twisted world?) ¡°That is correct, this world was established with the premise of taking away! Kill¡­ Violate¡­ Take back what was robbed from one¡¯s body. You have the right to do that!¡± (I have such right?) When Ryouma was about to nod his head toward the voice, another voice resounded within the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s alright Ryouma-sama. We¡¯re both here. Always by your side¡­¡± It was a warm, soft and comforting voice. When he heard that, Ryouma lost his consciousness and disappeared from the world of darkness. ¡°Fumu¡­ You¡¯re leaving without freeing me huh?¡­ Well, that¡¯s fine. Sooner or later, even if you don¡¯t want to, you will have to choose. Either to be accompanied by me or to be swallowed by me¡­ No matter what you decide, it¡¯s yours to decide¡­ After all, I¡¯m you¡­¡± In the darkness where Ryouma has gone, only the cold robotic voice can be heard. Chapter 58 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 4 Chapter 2 Episode 4 (The despair of those who are being summoned 4) Day 64 after being summoned to another world, evening ¡°U¡­unn¡­¡± Ryouma woke up on the bed when the evening sky began dominating the day. ¡°Uh¡­ *Yawn*¡± A big yawn leaked out of Ryouma¡¯s mouth. The first thing that reflected on Ryouma eyes is the broken door. The door is completely broken, and the light from the corridor entered the room. Next, he was curious about his current position. Somehow for some reason, he ends up on the bed. *Pun* A delicious fragrance inviting his appetite entered his nose. The smell of stew drifts from the opened broken door. It seems that meals are being served in the cafeteria downstairs. The broken door, and how he ended up on the bed, there are many things that he has a question about; however, he cannot win against his hunger. After wearing his get up, he went downstairs. ¡°Oh! Did you wake up already!?¡± The innkeeper greets Ryouma. The innkeeper raises his head at the receptionist desk. Apparently, he was doing the book register as well. ¡°Ah, Thank you. Good morning¡­¡± Except at the time he was checked in, the inn owner is rarely talked to Ryouma. ¡°Because the repair cost has been paid by those girls that you brought together. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Ryouma answered the innkeeper with a puzzled expression. ¡°Ah¡­ I see, so you¡¯re not aware huh? If that¡¯s the case, then you should ask those girls for the details. After all, for your sake, those girls broke the door.¡± ¡°Haa¡­¡± Ryouma who still could not grasp the situation can only answer ambiguously. ¡°Well, other than that, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything, since you¡¯ve reimbursed the damage. Do you want to move to another room tonight? I will move all of your baggage if you want to.¡± It seems he has no choice other than to move to another room. After all, although he feels sorry, he can¡¯t sleep with a broken door. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Ah right, you have not eaten since last night right?¡­ Since my wife just finished making a stew, go bring some to your room.¡± And then he called his wife in the kitchen. ¡°Yes yes! You don¡¯t have to shout that loud!¡± The wife comes out from the kitchen while bringing a tray in her hand. It seems like she has prepared everything while listening to their conversation. ¡°Here!¡± A tray is being handed over to Ryouma simultaneously with a lively voice. The scent of tasty stew stimulates his appetite. The hot freshly baked bread. However, Ryouma felt confused. It was because there is three worth of meals being put on the tray. The stew that is poured into a big serving is definitely for Ryouma. But, what the other two serving for? *Doga* Suddenly Ryouma¡¯s right foot shin was get kicked. ¡°You. Those are for the young ladies share!¡± He has a body with 190cm of height and weight that cross over 100kg. It¡¯s not a body that usually gets kicked by a woman on the shin, but, he was still surprised for getting kicked. ¡°You! Have you thought for a moment how you¡¯d troubled those girls huh? you big guy.¡± It seems like she does not like Ryouma expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to, having your appearance look different at the time you¡¯re returned, not eating dinner nor the late night meal¡­ If you don¡¯t want to eat, then that¡¯s your problem! However, because you did not eat, those girls can¡¯t afford to eat by themselves either you know?¡± ¡°Eh? They have not yet eaten?¡± The complexion on Ryouma¡¯s face changed. ¡°Haa. This is why men are such¡­ You listen! It¡¯s about time for those girls to wake up! Go take this tray and eat together!¡± She returns back toward her kitchen while heaving a big sigh and shaking her head. ¡°Well, That is what it means not being alone. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re worried about, however, if you think too much, you will lose another precious person.¡± After saying that, the inn owner clapped Ryouma¡¯s shoulder and returned to the account book once again. (I¡¯m¡­) The words of the married couple stuck within Ryouma¡¯s mind. Ryouma remembered that he has been traveling solely for the purpose of returning home to Earth; however, it was that moment when he was strongly conscious of being supported by Sara and her sister all the time. (It seems like I¡¯m not paying attention toward my surrounding¡­) For Ryouma, this world is nothing but pain. Ryouma who was forcibly summoned cannot love this world. Rather, Ryouma hated this world. Naturally, the people of this world as well. However, Ryouma was always being supported by human beings of this world which he supposedly hates. If one¡¯s to recall, not just the lady in the restaurant at the Imperial capital, but the receptionist at the guild as well. They taught Ryouma various things which he does not know. Different things¡­ That is what we call relation between people. After all, a person cannot live by themselves. No matter how much one hates the world, that is the truth which cannot be changed. *KonKonKon* ¡°Yes. Please enter¡­¡± Ryouma entered the room of the two sisters. That day, the meals Ryouma ate together with the sisters feels like the most delicious food he ate since coming to this world. Chapter 59 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 36 Chapter 2 Episode 36 Editor: Tan Day 180 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive Battle 8) ¡°Fuuh, thank goodness, I made it in time!¡± With a subtle smile on her face, Elena dismounted from her horse and stood before Ryouma. However, Ryouma could feel the malice hidden behind that smile.. ¡°Elena-san¡­ Shouldnt you be leading the attack on Irachion?¡± ¡°Oh? It looks like you arent part of the force yourself either, right? Well¡­¡± Hearing her words, Ryouma couldnt help showing a bitter smile. (As expected, even though she is known as the hero who saved the country back in the days¡­. Despite being old, once she¡¯s angry she could still show this kind of expression, huh¡­ She wouldnt stop at anything until she could kill that person by her own hands¡­) Ryouma immediately understood her intentions for coming here as soon as he saw the expression on her face. Just like Ryouma, she also predicted that Hodram will attempt to flee. Her grudge with Holdram has to be settled sooner than later. ¡°How many soldiers did you bring?¡± ¡°300 of my most trusted men.¡± (No room for mercy, huh. But then again, I suppose, it can¡¯t be helped¡­) Within Elena¡¯s heart, revenge has become her reason for living. The total number of soldiers under her direct control is around 300. Judging by how she brought almost everyone of her close associates, it was clear as day that she has no intention of stopping until Holdram is dead and gone. Even if Hodram chooses to surrender, she would most definitely execute him regardless. ¡°So, how¡¯s the situation? Has Holdram made his escape?¡± Ryouma shook his head. ¡°Is that so? Regardless, there is no way he chose honorable death in Irachion, right?¡± The color of anxiety crossed Elena¡¯s face. This possibility was outside of her expectation. However, she¡¯s not so naive to think that her expectation is always right. However, she can¡¯t afford any mistake this time. Because her grudge will never be settled if Holdram died that way. ¡°I doubt he would do something like that. Plus, Ive heard that he has been securing a large amount of escape funds¡­¡± ¡°¡­ As expected¡­ What else should I have expected of that despicable man.¡± Elena said those words as if she was spitting on Hodram. ¡°Do you know where he¡¯s heading?¡± Ryouma received a map from Sara and spread it in front of Elena. ¡°We have narrowed it down to two possibilities¡­ The first is, assuming he uses a horse-drawn carriages to escape and considering that Hodram¡¯s family can¡¯t go around the dangerous terrain, I think he will flee toward the south.¡± Ryouma¡¯s traced his index finger around the map. ¡°I see¡­ Indeed it would be difficult for him to head east. If he were to go that way, he would be caught by the nobles who want to butter up the princess¡­¡± Ryouma nodded his head. Since Princess Lupis is about to win, The nobles who were hostile at the beginning will attempt to curry favor with the princess to save themselves. It would be a suicidal act if Hodram chose east. Everyone would want to take Holdrams head to please the princess. ¡°West would also be impossible¡­ The terrains toward Zalda¡¯s empire are full of mountains¡­ Which left South as the only other option,huh?¡± Elena¡¯s analysis was similar to what Ryouma has in his mind. In fact, her expression shows that she is quite sure about it. Ryouma couldnt help but wonder if there¡¯s a reason behind that. ¡°Ryouma-kun, you seem worried about which way he is going huh?¡± Ryouma nodded his head silently. ¡°Do not worry. Hodrams escape route is down south. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t choose the other one.¡± Elena said those words with confidence. ¡°What makes you think that way?¡± ¡°Because his wife is a noble of the Thalluja Kingdom.¡± The Thalluja Kingdom. A country located roughly 100 Km south of Irachion. Certainly, if his wife is from that country, then it would be a safer choice as an escape destination. Since his family has such connection, there is a good chance that they would be happy to shelter him. ¡°I see¡­ Indeed, it would make sense if he chose to escape to the Thalluja Kingdom when he has such connection, but wouldnt he know that we are aware of this fact?¡± Ryouma is by no means trying to find faults with the plan itself. Elenas theory is already quite convincing. However, based on his experience from escaping from the Ortomea Empire, the most ideal solution may not always work out best. This is because the most ideal option is the easiest to predict. Hence, a good strategist would usually go with the second best option instead. ¡°Not choosing the best option on purpose, huh? Worry not. I dont think that will be the case¡­ After all, if he were to go southeast, he would reach the Britannia Kingdom¡± Elena¡¯s finger pointed to the territory next to the Thalluja Kingdom. ¡°It looks like the distance between here and the two places are about the same. Is there a reason preventing him from choosing the Kingdom of Britannia?¡± Elena shook her head in response to Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°That is not the case¡­ Truth is,Thalluja and Britannia Kingdoms are long-standing nemesis¡­ If Hodram intends to escape, he wont be able to flee to Britannia with his wife who is from the Thalluja Kingdom. Furthermore, Hodram can¡¯t just leave his wife either. After all, if he does that, he would lose all of the backings that he has¡­¡± ¡°Does Elena-san think that Hodram will try to make a comeback by borrowing the power of Thalluja Kingdom? Will he keep looking to reinforce his power?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Hes not the kind of man who would back off without a fight.¡± If what Elena has said is correct, then Hodram would definitely escape to the Thalluja Kingdom. For Hodram, a country where his wife has some degree of influence is much preferable to one that he has no connection with whatsoever.. However, Ryouma has a new concern after he heard Elena¡¯s explanation. He previously did not have any concern towards Holdrams wife, since she was not an important factor. However, Elena¡¯s revenge is not just Hodrams life alone. She wants to get rid his entire family. Naturally, that also includes Hodram¡¯s wife. By killing Holdrams wife, it could create an international dispute between Rozaria and Thalluja kingdom, resulting in a new hostile relationship.. (Elena-san knows Hodram well¡­ Right now I should just follow her judgment¡­ Although I was a little bit worried since Hodram¡¯s wife is a former noblewoman from another country¡­ Is it really alright to kill her just like that?) However, Ryouma immediately shook off such concern¡­ ¡°I understood. I will follow your lead then¡­¡± He intended to make Elena¡¯s revenge a top priority. Elena nodded her head. ¡°So, whats the plan? Shall we attack them immediately after they left Irachion, or should we wait until they are a little further away?¡± ¡°I vote to kill him immediately here¡­ What do you think?¡± Elena moved her finger to a nearby spot on the map as she answered Ryouma. According to the map, the place she had pointed to are mostly covered by forest. It is a good place for setting up an ambush. ¡°I see¡­ In that case, we should split our units into two¡­ Let¡¯s see, how about I take 200 troops with me and chase them from the back? Will that be alright with you, Elena-san?¡± Ryouma knew exactly what Elena wants, and his suggestions clearly reflect it. And Elena understood Ryouma¡¯s intention. ¡°Thank you, Ryouma-kun.¡± Those words represent all of her heart. And also the fate of Hodram and his entire family. ¡°Kyle, Is there anyone on our tails?¡± Kyle glanced back one more time before answering. ¡°We are safe for now, your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ It seems it was a good call to listen to your advice, escaping at the same time when Princess Lupis began to close in¡­¡± ¡°Sir! Thank you for your kind words!¡± Kyle deeply lowered his head. After Hodram had cashed in on all his assets, he gathered a few of his aides in his mansion and waited for the right timing. They all waited for an opportunity to escape Irachion. And the time is today. The time when Princess Lupis begins her assault on Irachion. Huge panic broke out in Irachion. While Holdram is well aware that Gerhardt had changed his allegiance to side with Princess Lupis, this information has yet to be known to the public. As a result, the residents thought that the princess is marching her army to purge the duke. Regardless of what the ruling class did, it has nothing to do with the citizen. However, if the city is under attack by a large army, the citizen will, without a doubt, suffer damage. With the city being under dire situation, the citizens attempt to escape the city to protect their wealth and lives. And Hodram took full advantage of the window created by the confusion to escape. ¡°Fuuuh! I never thought that it would go this smoothly! I will reward you later, Kyle.Curse you, Lupis and Gerhardt¡­ I swear I will make you pay for what youve done!¡± Feeling relieved that no pursuers are after them, Hodram began to curses his enemies. His words had no trace of respect whatsoever. Usually, it is extremely disrespectful to address a royal family member by their name without any honorifics. However, he had already given up his position within the Rozeria Kingdom. Prestige, knighthood, and reputation. Hodram has thrown away all of his status as ruling class within the Rozeria Kingdom. However, even with all of the things that happened to him, there¡¯s no justification to his grudge. The princess was not the cause that costed him his status. If anything, it was him who betrayed the princess first, and then tricked by Gerhardt. Karma came back to bite him hard. But he could not accept the reality. All of his hardship was caused by others and none of it was his fault. And because being that kind of man, he is even willing to abandon everything and flee to another country. ¡°How are my wife and daughter doing? Is there any problem?¡± Hodram turned his eyes to the carriage behind him. Inside, his family members are on board. ¡°Yes, sir! We¡¯re doing our best to ensure they are comfortable in the carriage.¡± ¡°Hmph. They are my last trump card! Listen to me! I will not tolerate any mistake, you hear?!¡± ¡°Please rest assured. We will surely take them to Thalluja safely! Isnt that right, men?!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes, sir! Please leave it to us!¡±¡±¡± The surrounding knights voiced their agreement in unison. Hodrams trump card can also be regarded as everyone¡¯s trump card. Just like Hodram, everyone who is present here are people who cannot live within the Rozeria Kingdom anymore. They are the people who have benefitted from Hodrams influence in the past. That is why they did not betray Hodram. If Hodram became influential, then so would they. And vice versa. It was not a loyalty relationship, but rather a mutual benefit and survival. ¡°Good! If the prince of Thalluja Kingdom marries my daughter, then I will gain power despite being a foreigner! When that happens, I shall reward you all accordingly!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± Hodrams last trump cards are his wife and his daughter who are nobles within the Thalluja Kingdom. He wants to set himself up by marrying his daughter to the prince of Thalluja. This was what Hodram had planned for since the beginning. After all, he does not have much influence within the Thalluja Kingdom¡¯s nobility and the royal family yet. In order to gain more control, he needs more backings. And there are only a few possible options to do so. And among them, the prince is the likeliest to provide Holdram the platform he needs to gain power. His heart has yet to give up. (I will not let it end like this! I will definitely reclaim my power again with these hands!) Such aggressive thoughts from a former general, drunk in former power. The pleasure of being the person in power. It is similar to that of narcotics, devouring one¡¯s heart and mind. ¡°As if I will let it end like this!¡± Holdrams eyes reflected nothing but darkness. Chapter 60 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 37 Chapter 2 Episode 37 Editor: Chuuni Cruiser-kun Day 182 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive battle 9) It was currently in the middle of the day, where the sun stood right above ones head. The highway was free of all traffic, it wasnt clear if it was due to the civil war or other matters but currently only Hodram and his party were passing through the highway. With him, several carriages and knights who acted as guards, numbering around 200 people. Immediately, a vast forest appeared in front of their eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve finally reached this place¡­ any signs of the enemy? Hodram spoke with a tired voice. ¡°No pursuers are showing up yet¡­ I think we should not be worried about that anymore¡­ After we go pass this forest, it would only take a one day ride toward Thalluja Kingdom¡¯s border.¡± After Kyle said those words, a smile appears on Hodram¡¯s face. ¡°Just a little bit more huh¡­¡± Hodram anxiously looked toward the carriages behind him. Kyle¡¯s gaze also follows him. ¡°Both of them are really patient¡­¡± Hodram responded toward Kyle¡¯s words with a big sigh. ¡°Umu¡­ Theyve been waiting patiently l¡­. But it seems like this is their limits. They have not yet eaten food, and they also didn¡¯t want to drink water. My wife and daughter seem to have felt a slight bit of nausea¡­ I guess, this is the limit of their physical abilities¡­¡± Three days have passed since their escape from Irachion. The shaking of the carriage due to the high speed it is travelling with caused Hodrams wife and daughter to feel sick. Well, this is not a sightseeing trip after all. The circumstance to live as a fugitive was giving the sheltered ladies a large amount of pressure and the reason they have yet to complain despite being sick is because they had already understood that theyre lives were on the line. ¡°Kyle¡­. Today, if we find a good place for camping, what do you think if we took an early rest?¡± Hodram wore the expression not of a ruler but of a worried father and husband. Although the day was still early he wanted them to take a rest, knowing that his wife and daughter were already at their limits. If they were to die on their journey then it would only be troublesome for Hodram, his wife acted as an intermediary between Hodram and Thalluja Kingdoms nobles and his daughter is to enter a political marriage with one of the royal family members. This was the true nature of humans. ¡°I think that is a good judgment¡­ your Excellency¡¯s wife and daughter physical strength seem to have reached the limit¡­ After entering the forest, we will see if we can find a good camping spot.¡± Kyle also seems to fully understand that Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter had reached the limits of their physical strength. Thallujas border was only one day away. Furthermore, after escaping from Irachion, they had never seen any pursuers. (It will be alright¡­ We successfully escaped¡­ Perhaps they had directed the pursuers to an entirely different direction. Now, whats important are the madam and young lady condition¡­ Because our lives depend on them¡­) Carelessness and S elfishness. That is the two thing that determined their fate. The night was illuminated by the moons gentle light. The bonfire needed to be kept to a minimum size as to not be spotted but thanks to the moonlight, one wouldnt require to expand the fire. ¡°Our luck is really bad¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ To end up as a watchman for today¡­¡± The two knights turned their eyes toward the dark forest around their vicinity. Both knights stood donning their armor and armed with spears. Although both looked the same age, the knight on the right was a slight bit taller than the one on the left. Tonight was a memorable knight since Hodram had finally permitted the knights to take off their armor after the three long day ride but these two unlucky knights continued to wear theirs since they were assigned to the night watch. Since they were professional soldiers, they were still able to take on the role despite the long journey however they were still human beings, so being unable to take any rest had caused them to be weakened. ¡°But tomorrow, we will finally arrive at the border. Once we cross the border, we can relax¡­¡± The tall knight muttered those words. ¡°Indeed¡­ We¡¯ve gone this far¡­¡± Responding to the tall knight, the other knight muttered those words in a small voice. ¡°Still¡­ To cast away Rozeria is a bit¡­¡± The tall knight sighed greatly. He belonged to a prestigious knights household and all his family members had pledged their allegiance to the Rozaria kingdom as knights but it all ended at the last predecessor of the family. He himself held no loyalty towards the royal family, that is why he followed Hodram who had provided for him, women, gold and position within the knights order. Even without pledging his loyalty, Hodram continued to give him the things he desired. However, everything has fallen apart. Princess Lupis whom was previously Hodram¡¯s puppet and the nobles who worked with him, was able to break away from him and betray him. Now they all end up without a place to live within the Kingdom of Rozeria. With such a situation, they only have two paths left for them. Either wander around the continent until the day he finds a new lord, or keep following Hodram and bet on his comeback. Despite thinking that, until a few month ago they all were at the height of their life. Now, all of them are being chased out from their own country. Thus he lamented his current situation. ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± The other knight replied with a stern low voice. ¡°But you know¡­¡± The tall knight keeps on talking. ¡°Shut up! I know what you¡¯ve been thinking! I know that but, leave it at that¡­¡± The other knight also seems to feel the same as the tall knight. The short knight feels angry for the same reason as the tall knight¡­ ¡°My bad¡­ Sorry.¡± The tall knight understood that and immediately apologize. ¡°Anyway! We just have to concentrate as a guard for now! Tomorrow we can finally cross the border towards Thalluja Kingdom¡­¡± From within the forest, something cuts the air. And the words of the short knight stops halfway. ¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡± The tall knight turns to his comrade who stood beside him and although he stood perfectly still he noticed the eyes of his comrade were different. (?? What is going on?) *Hyu¡­* While he was thinking what was going on, his thought process ceased.¡ª Another arrow was released from within the forest once again. Within Sakuya¡¯s vision, she can see knights figure standing some distances away from where she stood. She held her breath and pulled the bow to the limit to deliver the finishing blow. The arrow that was attached to the bow was dyed black. That is why it would be impossible for the knights to dodge them in the middle of the night like this. Such concealable weapons were handed down within their clan. Knowing the line of work that their clan dwells in, many of her techniques worked well at night. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ I¡¯ve killed them¡­¡± ¡°Alright¡­ We should begin moving¡­¡± Toward Sakuya¡¯s report, Ryouma sends a small hand signal toward Sara who has been on standby behind him. ¡°Well then¡­ We shall proceed according to the plan¡­¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s signal, Sara tells the mercenaries to move forward with the plan in a small voice. ¡°Alright¡­ Listen up, Our role right now is the same as hunting dogs¡­ Bark as loud as possible when you see the enemy.¡± Sara nodded her head in responding to Ryouma¡¯s words, then Ryouma move towards the enemy encampment. Behind him, ten mercenaries followed. Another unit led by Laura and Genou are also around, and they might begin to move after they finished their preparation. ¡°Young master! The preparation are finished!¡± One mercenary comes close to Ryouma to give his report. ¡°Alright! Begin!¡± Ryouma then immediately gives the order to the surrounding mercenaries. Several mercenaries quickly disappeared into the dark. Within a few minutes, a red light begins to appear within the camping ground. At first, it was a small red light inside the darkness, but as time goes, the light illuminates began to illuminate the whole camp. ¡°Fire! Fire~~~!!!¡± ¡°No! The enemy! It¡¯s an enemy raid!¡± A scream begins to resound from the camping ground located near the highway. Along with the scream, sounds of metal clashing against each other can be heard. ¡°What?! The enemy?!¡± Hodram immediately raised his sleeping body. ¡°Who?! What the hell is going on?¡± Brushed the blanked away, Hodram then reached out his hand toward his favorite sword leaned on his bed side. ¡°Dear? What¡¯s wrong?¡± His wife who had fallen asleep next to him woke up. ¡°Father¡­¡± He also heard the worried voice of his daughter who slept a little bit away from the two. They both seem to have woken up due to the screams of the watchman. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I will do something about it. Both of you have nothing to worry about.¡± Hodram calmly told the two of them who were trembling in fear. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± One of his knight voice came from outside of the tent. ¡°Umu! What¡¯s wrong? I heard there are fires and an enemy raid?¡± He asked the knight from inside the tent. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m very sorry to disturb. Currently, Kyle-dono has been leading the defensive battle. Your excellency should immediately prepare to depart¡­¡± Hodram¡¯s complexion changes due to the knight¡¯s words. ¡°Understood! Did you hear? We will leave here immediately!¡± Hodram did not hesitate even for a moment. If he were to hesitate in deciding something, then he wouldnt have been able to become a General of the Rozeria Kingdom. Hodram expression has already changed into an expression of a warrior who has gone through numerous battlefields. ¡°Dear, we¡¯re already ready.¡± When he looked back, his wife and daughter already been dressed, understanding the situation they judged it best to quickly prepare for departure. ¡°Umu! We¡¯re going!¡± Hodram takes his wife and child towards the carriages while being guarded by the Knights. ¡°Your Excellency! Is everything alright?!¡± ¡°Kyle! What¡¯s going on?!¡± At the time when Hodram gets his wife and children into the carriages, Kyle comes while running. Kyle who appears in front of Hodram donned his armor with his sword in hand.. Looking at Kyle¡¯s appearance Hodram face relaxed a little bit. Because Kyle who looks calm without getting nervous looks reliable. ¡°Kyle! What¡¯s the situation? Is it pursuers sent out by Lupis?!¡± Hodram quickly asks Kyle his question. ¡°Because there¡¯s no banner, it is unknown whether it was Princess Lupis army or not¡­ But 20 knights are currently engaging the enemies. The fire was started by them as well!¡± Kyle delivered his report. The guards were assuming the attackers belonged to Princess Lupiss army but due to the darkness and the fact the attackers had no banners made it impossible for them to affirm who their enemies were. Other than pursuers, the only possibility is bandits. Should they fight back, or should they run away¡­ They seem to contemplate which decision to take. ¡°I see¡­ How about the defense against the enemy?¡± Hodram throws another question toward Kyle. ¡°I¡¯m doubtful that we can take them on like this¡­ Your Excellency, I suggest you to get your wife and daughter and immediately leave this place¡­¡± Kyle urged Hodram to move by opening the door of the carriage immediately. ¡°Now then your Excellency. We should immediately leave this place!¡± Hodram quickly nodded his head toward Kyle¡¯s words. ¡°Umu! I will ask the detail later! Kyle! We¡¯re going to go toward Thalluja capital city immediately!¡± Saying that Hodram quickly entered the carriage. He entrusted everything to Kyle. Since there was nothing to be done by staying here. Hodram must survive this ordeal since if he continued to live, he could reward his subordinates. He may have been arrogant but he wasnt foolish enough to think that his power could solve everything. ¡°Now then! You! Start moving the carriage!¡± Seeing Hodram already board the carriage, Kyle immediately shouts toward the Knight who held the reins. ¡°Ha!¡± The Knight lashed his whip and struck the horse to move. The horse-drawn carriages rush onto the highway whilst accelerating. Surrounding it were around 30 knights commanded by Kyle. The low number was taking into consideration the knights who managed to wear their armors and follow Hodram. Although many knights had taken their armors off to rest, some chose to continue wearing it during the break. ¡°Your Excellency¡­ Are you alright?!¡± Kyle muttered such words while looking around. Along the way, some knights jumped out with only their clothes clung to their bodies. They have spears and swords on their hands, but those who had taken off their armor were not good as war potential. It would be good if the enemies were only amateurs but since the enemy was able to mount a night assault so swiftly, made Kyle understand that the opposition is experienced in war. Everyone present were awaiting Kyle¡¯s next orders. They all understood. To survive this, they have to follow Kyle¡¯s order to the letter. ¡°Listen! Those who are not wearing armor! You should withdraw slowly! Position your spear towards the enemy! Do not engage the enemy in close quarter combat! Understood?!¡± Toward Kyle¡¯s words, all the knights nod in silence and begin to set up their spears in position. ¡°Here they come!¡± According to Kyle¡¯s voice, the knights readied their spears. Chapter 61 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 38 Chapter 2 Episode 38 Editor: Pokemon Trainer Cruiser (TN: Pokemon slaver you meant?) Day 182 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive battle 10) A smile slowly appeared on Ryoumas face when he spotted Kyle gathering the remaining knights. ¡°Ho ho~¡­ Not bad, to put such defensive posture so quickly despite receiving a surprise attack like that.¡± ¡°What should we do, boy? Should we push them? If we don¡¯t prepare to make sacrifices here we wont be able to break through, yknow? Kyle¡¯s formation is simple. Even if the knights had learnt magic, they are people who emphasize individual capabilities thus never learning how to properly cooperate and setting up complex battle formations. That is why Kyle can only order them to stand in a defensive line and be done with it. However, even with just that, such formation can be formidable if one was able to do it in a short amount of time. And with such thought in mind, Kyle¡¯s gives his order. They arrange their shield in the front row and projecting spears from the gap. Such formations utilize the shields to prevent damage while the spears are able to attack any enemies who attempt to assault the formation. It was a good defense formation. Nonetheless, such formation is only a formation that is hard to break. Just like what Lione said, if Ryouma were prepared to make some sacrifice then Ryouma can win this battles with brute force. ¡°No¡­ We can finish this with one blow! Contact Laura who is waiting at the back and on standby! Tell her to carry out a pincer maneuver, if she attacks the rear while we attack the front, the formation will easily be broken. Draw the enemies attention so that Laura can encircle the enemy from behind.¡± Ryouma proposed the plan to intercept the enemy by making Laura and her units move behind Kyle. Ryoumas intention is to annihilated Kyle. He has no intention to be merciful to Hodram and his men since for Rozeria Kingdom they were worthless things to keep alive. Rather they could provide to be a more dangerous factor in the future. ¡°Understood! Attracting the enemy¡¯s attention here huh¡­ Then is it better for us to hit them using arrows?¡± Bolts nod his head in agreement with what Lione had said. ¡°To start with we can use a lightning magic attack! Listen alright; we will attack them in a flashy way to attract their attention, nothing more!!¡± Following Lione¡¯s command, the mercenaries turn their palms toward the enemy. ¡°¡±O spirit that governs over thunder. With my blood as the compensation, please lend me thy power! In accordance to the pact, take down the enemies in front of me!¡±¡± After they chant together, a small ball wrapped in thunder appeared in their hands. It gradually increases in volume. ¡°Do it!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Lightning bolt bullet!¡±¡±¡± Lightning balls are released at the same time from their hands and attacked the knights. The lightning balls begin to change into a gigantic lightning ball while absorbing each other. ¡°All member defensive posture!¡± In response to Kyle¡¯s voice, the Knights hold their shield down touching the ground, and put power into their arms. *crack crack!* A sound of high-pitched electr ic discharge echoes. The gigantic lightning ball exploded after touching their shields creating raging thunders around them. ¡°Listen up! The shield had been given anti magic art! Do not let go of it, no matter what!¡± Kyle¡¯s vision is dyed white due to the light caused by the electric discharges. If the Knights were to let go their shield even for a moment, the lightning balls would strike them straight on. Everyone waited patiently for the lightning ball assault to end. However, because of them focusing on defending against the attack from the lightning balls, they neglected their rear defence, not knowing that Ryouma had accounted for that. ¡°Second row! Start chanting!¡± Again under Lione¡¯s direction, numerous mercenaries who waited in the second row come forward and start chanting. ¡°¡±¡±O wind spirit. respond to my request, like a ragging storm and blow away the enemy!¡±¡±¡± ¡°Release!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Charging Wind!¡±¡±¡± A gust of wind appears. From the palm of their hands. Winds strong enough to blow away even an adult men begin assaulting Kyle. ¡°Chi! Damn it! Maintain the defensive formation! The enemy¡¯s magic art won¡¯t reach here! If they continue using magic art like this by the end of the day, they will end up exhausted!¡± Kyle was convinced that he would be able to surpass the ordeal. (Humph! I guess they are just bandits after all¡­ If they were military pursuers, then they wouldnt attack like this¡­ If that is the case, then let the idiots continue attacking like this and get exhausted because of it¡­ Since we have the anti magic shields, we can prevent the attack well enough. Afterward, we just have to wait for those bastards to get exhausted!) Usually, when it comes to long magic battles, the one who is on the defensive is more advantageous. Those who are able to use magic art often unconsciously clad their body with prana to prevent a lethal attack from the enemy¡¯s magic. Furthermore, if the defending person knows the enemy is going to attack just like right now, the person can thicken the prana around their body to temporarily protect the body. In addition to that, the armors worn by the knights usually have magic incorporated on it by using endowment magic art. With all of these, most of the magic art can be rendered harmless, or at least prevent the person from suffering from high damage. Of course, even defending has it limits since the person in defense also consumes prana to cover their body. But in this regard, the attacking enemy is also in the same position. However, in term of prana exhaustion, the attacking side is much more severe. That is why the people who conduct war in this world usually use their magic art on their body to strengthen their body then bring the battles into close quarter combat. ¡°¡±¡±UOoooh!!!¡±¡±¡± Suddenly voices can be heard from within the forest behind the defending knights. At the same time with shouting, shadows jump out from within the forest. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone escape!¡± The men who came out from the forest attacked the back of the knights which was left unprotected. ¡°Wha! Enemy attack! The enemy is attacking from behind!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Fools! Don¡¯t lose focus! You can just strengthen your defenses against the enemy from the back as well!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable! We can¡¯t change the formation right now!¡± ¡°Shut up! Do you want to die?!¡± They had received a suprise attack whilst defending against the onslaught of magic performed by the units under Lione. The soldiers began to think of their next course of actions. Some considered standing their grounds to continue their defense against the magic arts while some wanted to go on the offensive to deal with the threat that appeared from behind. There were also those who despite being in such a situation, wanted to await for their new orders from Kyle but in the end even with the number of strategies they thought up, nothing changed. After all they had already made the biggest mistake since the start of the battle, waiting for Ryouma to finish his attack. ¡°Now! Push forward!¡± Following Lione¡¯s order, the mercenaries pull the swords out and head towards Kyle. ¡°Khu! Front row! Don¡¯t break your stance!¡± Kyle is desperately giving out his order. The victory and defeat has not yet been decided. If the Knights follow his command, then the possibility of victory still remains. However, his words no longer reach anyone¡¯s ears. It was natural for it to end up like that. After all, having a surprise attack happen behind their back, a considerable training and trust toward their commanders are needed to keep the formation from being broken. While in this case Kyle and the Knights lacked both of these traits. A strong attack from behind led by Laura and Lione who advanced from the front gradually broke the formation. The formation was broken as if it were nothing more than a sand castle being swept by a sea¡¯s wave. ¡°Kyle-dono! This is impossible. Let¡¯s withdraw!¡± One of the knights shouted toward Kyle. ¡°That would be impossible! In this situation, there¡¯s no way for us to escape!¡± Kyle shook his head as if giving up. There are only 20 people left around him. Kyle who was being assaulted from his back and front were surrounded and completely isolated. Those who wanted to escape to the forest. Those who wanted to stay and keep fighting. No matter what they chose. The result would be the same. And that is Death. (Damn it! Why?! Why did it ends up like this! For them to attack us using a pincer maneuver! Are they not bandits?! Don¡¯t tell me. They are Lupis men?! Damn it!) Kyle cursed under his breath. Even if he lamented his fate, nothing would change. If Kyle were being impatient here, then everything will end for real. (Khu! 20 people left¡­ Should we run toward the forest? Otherwise, we have to defeat the enemy and break through¡­ Which one should I choose? If I were to die here, everything would end! Even though I was volunteered because I thought I could prevent the attack with our ability!) It was not out of good faith that Kyle let Hodram goes first. He let Hodram go first is entirely for his self-interest. (If I can stop the enemy here, the impression Hodram has toward me would improve. Since Hodram who was on a decline would need a trustworthy subordinate!) That was what Kyle had in mind. He was thinking of raising his appeal towards Hodram so that he would receive even better treatment once they reached Thalluja Kingdom, that was the only reason that Kyle allowed Hodram to escape with his family first. In other words, he assumed a dangerous position to reap the benefits from Hodram, after all, if they were only mere bandits then they would be no match for Kyle. Even if he suddenly received a surprised attack, he predicted he would be able to survive and win by making use of their sheer power and equipment. Of course, if the people who attacked him was Princess Lupiss subordinates, then his calculation would be thrown far off. (What should I do? What should I do to survive?) Kyle thinks desperately. Around them, the sounds of swords clashing against each other gradually become fewer. Since the mercenaries were able to deal with the knights one by one. (This is bad! If this continues¡­ there¡¯s no other choice¡­ If escaping to the forest is impossible then¡­) Kyle directed his eyes forward. Even if he were to escape, he would just end up being pursued. He must make the enemy confused in order for him to escape the pursuers. (That¡¯s it! Over there is the enemy¡¯s headquarter! There¡¯s no other way than break through and attack that place at once!) Kyle spotted a small group that hasnt moved since the beginning of the battle. He judged that it must be the enemy¡¯s commander. ¡°Listen! Keep pushing forward! We will attack the enemy¡¯s commander!¡± ¡°Are we going to break through the enemy?!¡± The Knights become noisy. However, they immediately quiet down. After all, no one else had thought up of another solution to survive. ¡°Listen! Only focus on the enemy in front of you! Kill all those who stand before you!¡± Kyle only demands one thing from the Knights. And that is to kill the enemy who stands in the direction where they are advancing towards. Straightforward and clear orders restore the knight¡¯s spirit who was caught in fear. (That¡¯s right! Push and kill!) (If I want to survive, kill!) (Kill, Kill and only Kill!) Within the knight¡¯s heart, they only want to kill Ryouma. ¡°¡±¡±OOOOoooh!¡±¡±¡± Their fighting spirit was burned up once again. ¡°PUUUSH!¡± Following Kyle¡¯s order, the knights begin to push the mercenaries back. Just like how a cornered mouse will bite the cat. Kyle who was driven to the corner due to Ryouma¡¯s plan is similar to that of a mouse. And now, Kyle tried to bet his life on the line by engaging Ryouma head on. ¡°Khuu! What¡¯s going on! Somehow they managed to gain some momentum!¡± ¡°Calm down! That was just their last resistance!¡± Being pushed by the knights who suddenly gain their momentum, the mercenaries movement was stopped. ¡°Stupid! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°This is bad nee-san! If we stay like this, they will break our front line!¡± While wipping some blood stuck on her sword Lione clicked her tongue after hearing Bolts words. ¡°Enough! I will personally handle the front then!¡± Originally, she is a warrior. Although she can command troops, her real value lies in her competence as a warrior but Bolt couldnt let her go to somewhere so dangerous either. ¡°You can¡¯t nee-san! Did you forget what young master had said?!¡± ¡°Stupid! This is not the time for that! If we leave it like this then¡­¡± The goddess of war is smiling at Kyle this time around. While Lione and Bolts were arguing with each other, Kyle managed to break through. ¡°Nee-san,its dangerous!!¡± Bolt covered for Lione. A sword clashed against each other in high speed. ¡°Khuu! Who are you trying to obstruct me!¡± The men voice resounded and he raises his swords fast aimed at Lione. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Are you the leader of this people?! Why did you attack us?! Well whatever, whether you¡¯re a bandit or Lupiss follower, there¡¯s no difference, die!¡± Kyle sword began to move toward Lione¡¯s head who was caught off guard. Clear murderous intent can be felt coming out from him. ¡°DIE!¡± ¡°Damn it! Nee-san!¡± ¡°Dodge! Bolts!¡± Bolts and Lione were prepared for death. *Hiyu* Suddenly the sounds of wind being cut can be heard. *Clank* ¡°Who?! Who is it?¡± Kyle shouted while trying to fix his stance after deflecting a blade flying at him. *Hiyu, Hiyu* *Clank, clank* Kyle desperately knocked down the blade that was being aimed at him from somewhere. ¡°Damn it! Show yourself!¡± Around Kyle, the knights who had survived the break through standing surrounding him Only five of them left. ¡°Boy¡­¡± What reflected in front of Lione¡¯s eyes is Ryouma. ¡°Are you alright? Lione-san.¡± ¡°Y-Yes! You too, where did you come from?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s talk later¡­ Lione-san and Bolts-san should withdraw here and command the remaining units.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ This guy is mine.¡± Ryouma¡¯s eyes shine coldly. His gaze freezes Kyle and his knights for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s you huh?! You¡¯re the one who interfered!¡± Ignoring Kyle¡¯s words, Ryouma pulls his sword in silent. ¡°I will personally eliminate you, Kyle Irunia-san.¡± Then he performs Kage no Kamae, a stance where he hides the end of his word behind his back. ¡°You bastard! We won¡¯t let you touch Kyle-dono!¡± The knights around Kyle began standing in front of him tried to protect him. However, in the next moment, blood splashed out from their neck. ¡°Do not disturb my lord. Youngsters.¡± From the shadow, Genou appeared while wiping blood from his sword. No one realizes how fast his movement was. Despite the confusing battlefield, there are five knights left. Yet he was able to kill all of them in a single moment. For his enemy, his movement is equal to that of a god of death. ¡°W-Wha-What are you!¡± Kyle raises his eyebrow in surprise and fear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind me. I only want to get rid of the hindrance. Your opponent is my lord over there¡­¡± That was the cold words coming out from the person whom Kyle thought to be a god of death. Ryouma and Kyle. The fates between the two will be decided here and now. Chapter 62 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 39 Chapter 2 Episode 39 Editor: SniperIRL Day 182 after being summoned to another world: (Decisive battle 11) There are only two people stand on the battlefield. The noise of the surrounding gradually disappears, and silence dominates the place. Mercenaries who previously hunted the knights gradually gathered together and form a circle where Ryouma and Kyle stand in the middle. ¡°Nee-san¡­ What do you think?¡± Toward Lione who is not responding to him at all, Bolts gives up. Since he was a longtime acquaintance of hers. He would naturally know what was inside Lione¡¯s mind. Toward Bolts, Lione suddenly speaks without turning her face. Before her, Kyle and Ryouma confronted each other. Her eyes were staring at both of them, observing every movement. ¡°Since the enemies are mostly taken care of, there¡¯s no need for us to take command anymore¡­ And then asking us to let him do this battle. It can¡¯t be helped if my warriors blood boils, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Toward Lione¡¯s words, Bolts can¡¯t help but show a bitter smile. He also a man who has crossed many battlefields as a warrior. Although he has begun avoiding melee fighting after he lost his left arm, his warrior soul has not yet rusted. Just like Lione, Bolts is also an outstanding fighter. Witnessing something such as two people dueling to the death. As a warrior they both respect and support such battle. Everyone present in that place understands that feeling. Not even one of the mercenaries wants to stab Kyle from the back after seeing the current situation. Although it might sound embarrassing, some might actually want to do something but don¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Still¡­ I did hear something about Kyle¡¯s ability¡­ But to think that he can go this far¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. It would be a suicidal act for you who lost your arm to fight against him¡­. Even for me, if I were to fight him one-on-one, I think I have no chance¡­¡± Lione regrettably voiced her opinion. The reason for her for feeling regretful is because she realizes that Kyle¡¯s sword art is better than herself. One of the most important abilities for someone who fights on the battlefield is the capability to judge others ability. Is the enemys skill better than my own or not?. Is the enemy¡¯s equipment quality better than mine? Is the enemy a strong person who can fight well in a rough battlefield? To survive on the battlefield, the ability to judge for such things is necessary. No matter how strong you are, if the enemy is far stronger than you, then your own power means nothing. Naturally, Lione and Bolts who have survived through battlefields for many years have such quality in them. They understood Ryouma and Kyle¡¯s ability as they watched them. ¡°Well it can¡¯t be helped then? For nee-san and I, we never learned formal swordsmanship¡­ Our sword is a sword tempered by the battlefield. If it was a battlefield then I think our ability is enough already, you know?¡± A mercenaryies sword art is a sword art that has been polished in harsh fighting where enemies always surrounded them. It is not to say such sword art weak. What that means is that some sword arts are only applicable in a certain situation. While mercenaries sword art is more specialized to fight on a crowded battlefield, Kyle¡¯s sword art is more centered around a duel one-on-one sword style. Lione lightly nods her head in agreement. She understands about what Bolts had said. ¡°The young master also does not seems to lose compared to him¡­ He¡¯s not even one step behind of Kyle¡­ Damn, what a vigor! I even feel overpowered by them while standing here¡­¡± Even without them clashing their swords, their competence can be seen. The air released by them is different. A cold, sharp, and intimidating air is discharged into the environment by them. ¡°Does the boy not intend to move?¡± ¡°Well, they both tried to see each other¡­ And Kyle also wears an armor and also a small buckler¡­ He cannot move however he like when the enemy has such defense¡­¡± Kyle is wearing his armor along with his helmet, sword in the right hand and a small shield buckler on the left hand. He¡¯s fully equipped as a knight. On the other hand, Ryoumas weapon is the sword presented by Genou held by both hands, while his armor is the thing called leather armor. It was a lightweight armor which has a high mobility, but in term of defense power, it was overwhelmingly inferior compared to what Kyle¡¯s wear. ¡°Kyle has a heavy equipment with him¡­ If I were to confront him as it is, I would try to fight him by shaving his physical strength bit by bit¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, but usually we will strengthen our body with magic in that fight, that¡¯s why I think we can¡¯t compare it to them¡­¡± ¡°I agree¡­ Although he was wearing such heavy armor, Kyle¡¯s agility did not get dampened at all. That¡¯s why the boy who can not use magic arts is without a doubt at a disadvantage¡­ Yet, why is that child showing such confidence?¡± Toward Lione¡¯s words, Bolts has no words to return. Kyle who uses magic art to strengthen his body. Resulting in his agility not being dampened by the heavy armor. Having Kyle use such ability while wearing armor with strong defense. Ryouma is in a disadvantageous situation. However, Ryouma did not show that he¡¯s in trouble at all. In fact, he looks confident As if he has nothing to fear. One can say that he has an absolute confidence. Or he actually a fool who can¡¯t judge the situation. *Clank* Spark scattered between the two. The two of them move at the same time and crashes their swords. *Clank, clank* Sword rub against another sword in high speed, creating a high pitched sounds. At first, their strength is equal, but gradually the sword starts to approach Kyle. After all Ryouma using his sword with both hands, while Kyle only uses one of his hand. Between both hand and one hand. It would be obvious that holding the sword with both hands would generate more power. However, the battle cannot be decided with just that. *Doga* A dull sound can be heard. Kyle quickly uses his shield and throws his body forward pushing Ryouma back. After that, both of them jumped back to create a space between them once again. (Damn it! What¡¯s wrong with this guy?¡­ Is he trying to say that he¡¯s equal to me? Me? Who is one of the best magic and sword art users within Rozeria kingdom? Furthermore, his weapon¡­ He seems to use a single edged sword¡­ What kind of a sword is that? Is it a weapon specialized in killing?) While Kyle had such thought, he postured his shield in front of him to harden his defense. (No wait¡­ Let¡¯s calm down first. My opponent only wears a light armor. For having such sword and a light armor¡­ His defense can be said as thin as paper¡­ If I manage to prevent his attack with the shield then push him down at the same time, everything would then be over¡­ I who has a better defense than him without a doubt holds the advantage¡­ There¡¯s no need for me to rush, I just have to harden my defense and wait for an opening¡­ I can do this¡­) His sword is his family heirloom. His armor and shield are said to be passed down generation after generation by his ancestors who served the Rozeria Kingdom. He places more strength in his hand, and fixes his stance. ¡°Oryaaaaaaa!! A sudden loud voice comes out from Ryouma, a strong shock struck Kyle¡¯s left hand. The left hand which is holding the shield feels numb and get pushed to the side. (Damn it, what a blow! My arm went numb¡­ How come his slash is heavier than before?! Like this, I can¡¯t move my sword and can only concentrate on defense! Damn it, you monster!) Ryouma uses all his body weight to swing his sword. Such slash where he uses all of his muscle power can be said to be a death blow. The evidence for that can be seen on Kyle¡¯s shield, which ends up with a deep mark from the slash. A shield buckler is made with wood and leather material on the inside, while the surface is covered with thin iron. Such shield had its iron torn off, and the wood part is peeking out from inside. Ryoumas eyes saw that. (Did I manage to cut the surface? As expected, it was not made purely out of steel huh?) Even for Ryouma, it would be impossible to cut a shield made out of pure steel. However, looking at the damaged steel, Ryouma feel reassured. If this were Ryouma¡¯s previous world, it would be common sense to ditch such damaged shield, but here is another world. Since there¡¯s a magic to strengthen the body, such common sense can¡¯t be relied upon. (Certainly, it was unbelievable for him to move that freely despite wearing such thick armor.) Ryouma calmly observed his opponent. Usually, such heavy armors would limit your body movement. It would be more so if iron is used as the base material. Yet Ryouma¡¯s opponent was still able to match his speed. The fact that his opponent was able to block most of his attacks is a proof of that. Indeed the knight would be able to boast as a person who has an overwhelming power in battlefield if they can move with such armor and shield that easily. (Magic art which can complement one own martial art huh? Not only that it also did not need chanting too¡­ Indeed, such thing is much more annoying than magic art that requires a long chant¡­) Such magic art can only be applied toward one¡¯s own body, but with the benefits of eliminating the need to chant, having the prana consumption much lower than normal magic, not to mention the effect. Having such magic art no wonder that this world people called it a trump card in warfare. Whether or not you¡¯re able to use magic art, that would determine between being a human who dominates others or being dominated. (However¡­ There¡¯s no such thing as absolute¡­) Ryouma¡¯s eyes gaze over Kyle¡¯s weakness. (Kyle¡­ I will kill you bastard here without fail! I will show you! The technique that my grandfather had teach me!) Cold air wrapped around Ryouma. [Ryouma Listen¡­ Katana is part of your body. Instead of swinging a sword, think of it as moving your arm¡­ When you take out your katana, never hesitate. Hesitation will only distract your mind and consciousness, such hesitation would then be transmitted to your katana. Focus and don¡¯t hesitate! Believe in the technique that I¡¯ve taught you! And your katana would never be broken¡­] In Ryouma¡¯s mind, his grandfather¡¯s words emerge. (Focus and don¡¯t hesitate¡­ What I have to do is only one thing, and that is to kill my opponent!) ¡°Kyleeeeeeeeeee!¡± Ryouma shouted his opponent name. At the same time, he rushed toward Kyle with great vigor. (Come! I will defend against your blow, and then I will push you back!) Kyle prepares his body to receive the blow. *Bang!* Ryouma¡¯s body who come rushing at Kyle flew into the air. (What?! Are you stupid?! If you jump into the air like that, you will be unprotected until you landed!) With such judgment, Kyle raised his left-hand overhead. While he was still mid-air, Ryouma bent his body back. He put all the power from his muscles into this blow. ¡°Eat this!!¡± A blow that was very strong. It struck Kyle¡¯s body with the entire force of Ryouma¡¯s body. *Bang! Crack!* The sounds of something being broken can be heard. And dull sounds just like when someone cuts a watermelon can be heard. ¡°What?!¡± Astonishment appears in Kyle¡¯s face. He turned his eyes slowly toward his left hand. The first thing he saw was that the shield buckler on his hand had been cut in half. Then he saw the sword that cut into his arm. Gradually he can feel his left hand become hot and the skin start to become drenched by blood. The warm blood flow passed through the armor and reached to his elbow. *Drip. Drip* A reddish drop appears on the ground. The spot is gradually getting bigger. ¡°DAMN IT!¡± Kyle¡¯s mind that was occupied by amazement begin to move once again, and he starts to swing his sword toward Ryouma. However, despite such resistance, nothing happens. Since Kyle¡¯s position is bad, Ryouma was able to avoid his sword easily. (My left arm¡­ Damn it I can¡¯t feel it anymore! My sensation seems to have been paralyzed too¡­ Shit! What is he?! To cut through my shield and harming my left arm, the left arm that was covered completely with armor! Is he a monster?!) ¡°That kind of bleeding¡­ I guess I got your bone and arteries. This is the end for you.¡± Ryouma declared those words expressionlessly toward Kyle. Ryouma told Kyle that the battle is over already. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me! The duel is not yet over! I can still fight!¡± Kyle holds up his sword. Certainly, what Kyle had said might be true. As long as one still breathing, they can still fight. But still, for Ryouma, the duel is already over. ¡°It¡¯s useless¡­ There¡¯s no way you can defend against my slash with just your right hand when even with a shield you failed to do so¡­ Furthermore, that bleeding. If you do not take immediate action, such bleeding can kill you. However, you have no one to treat you at this place¡­ Thus, this is your lost¡­¡± Kyle¡¯s face becomes distorted. As Ryouma had said, the victory and defeat have already been decided. Kyle¡¯s left arm has its bone broken, and it already stopped moving. Not to mention, Ryouma¡¯s slash also reached his artery. Due to the shield and his left hand being completely covered by metal, Ryouma could not cut Kyle¡¯s left arm completely, but without a doubt that left arm is already completely broken. His left arm won¡¯t be able to move anymore, unless he receives an appropriate treatment and has some rest. Not only that, the blood that came out from Kyle¡¯s body also drains his strength without mercy. If he does not stop the bleeding immediately, in the next few minutes, he will die of blood loss. This is in the middle of a battlefield. He has no friend to take care of such bleeding, and having an opponent in front of him. He can¡¯t take care of the bleeding himself. ¡°I guess, it was up to this far huh¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Ryouma nods his head toward Kyle¡¯s words. ¡°¡­ To think that I would die in this place¡­ I¡¯m a man without any luck¡­¡± On Kyle¡¯s face, there¡¯s an expression similar to that of a warrior who had prepared to die. ¡°Are you the one called Mikoshiba Ryouma?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ While being an excellent tactician, you¡¯re also an excellent warrior that is better than me¡­ Are you a monster?¡± Kyle uses the word of ¡°monster, ¡± yet it does not contain any contempt in it. On the contrary, one can feel a word of praise from it. ¡°I was proud of being a knight without any equal¡­ My sword art is superior to any other, and my mind was always able to see one step ahead of the others¡­ Yet I can¡¯t surpass you in both, commanding soldiers and in a sword fight¡­ Why did I lose?Is it because you¡¯re a man with more talent than I do?¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t have talent better than you¡­ I do not think of myself as inferior, but I also do not think that I have talent better than you.¡± Ryouma answered Kyle¡¯s question with words filled with his true feeling. Ryouma answered like that because he thought it is a courtesy toward the man who is about to die. ¡°Then why did I lose?¡± ¡°That was because you lost track of your own heart¡­ It was the arrogance that caused you to lose¡­¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes opened wide while he was listening Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°My arrogance caused me to lose huh¡­ Fufuhahahaha¡­ Let me ask you one thing¡­ Why are you following Princess Lupis? Is it money? Or power? You should know that such a thing is just an empty promise right? In this nation, the social status wall is very high¡­ Even if the princess is willing to give you something, the other nobles won¡¯t!¡± My goal is neither money nor power. Ryouma shook his head in responding to Kyle¡¯s words. ¡°¡­ That can¡¯t be¡­ Then why did you fight? Why did you fight against us?Why?!¡± Kyle¡¯s voice grew louder and louder. He wanted to know. The reason why the enemy in front of him fights and causes him to die here. ¡°That¡¯s an easy question¡­ The reason we work together with Princess Lupis is because of you.¡± ¡°Because of me?¡± ¡°Indeed. You, do you remember you tried entrap Mikhail?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s words, Kyle expression distorted. He nodded his head as if remembered something. ¡°Is this about how Princess Ladine was heading toward the Rozeria Kingdom in the past?¡± ¡°That is right¡­ We receive a request from the guild and were attacked on our way toward the Rozeria Kingdom. As substitutes for Princess Ladine.¡± ¡°I see, I did send fake information to Mikhail as a decoy. In the meantime, the real Princess Ladine was being transported to the Rozeria Kingdom¡­ Which ended well in our part¡­ Thanks to that I was able to get myself a position within Duke Gerhardt faction!¡± Within Kyle¡¯s words, one can feel some pride in it. Ryouma then spoke with a smile on his face. ¡°Indeed, that was a good move¡­ That is if you hadnt involved us!¡± That might be not 100% Kyle¡¯s fault. Because he did not have any intention of involving Ryouma. It was just coincidental that Laura has silver hair. It was coincidental that Laura is the only silver haired mercenary within the port town of Fulzad. As the result of that coincidence Ryouma is standing in front of Kyle. Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, gloom appears on Kyle¡¯s face. If any person were to hear Ryouma story, they would not be able to keep cursing over their fate. The fate where, because of one¡¯s own plan, it causes one to lose one¡¯s own life. ¡°It was my bad luck huh¡­¡± Such words leaked from Kyle. That was the words of grief that came out from a man disliked by the goddess of destiny. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re unlucky¡­¡± Ryouma quietly nodded. ¡°I have one request.¡± Toward Kyle¡¯s words, Ryouma nodded his head once again. Kyle¡¯s face is already pale due to the bleeding, and it was a matter of time until he died. And Ryouma was not ruthless enough to insult someone who is about to die. ¡°I want to die, as a Knight¡­ Can you be my opponent?¡± Ryouma nods silently and fixed his stance. ¡°Thank you..¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± Ryouma silently raises his sword. Kyle then starts charging at Ryouma. ¡°Uoooooh!¡± The moment Kyle¡¯s sword tried to strike Ryouma¡¯s torso, Ryouma slashes his sword down. *Gatsu* In the next moment, the sword slashes Kyle¡¯s head. Kyle¡¯s body keeps moving away passing Ryouma. Two steps, three steps¡­ Gradually Kyle¡¯s body stops moving and eventually fell to the ground¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 63 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 40 Chapter 2 Episode 40 Editor: SniperIRL Day 182 after being summoned to another world: (Elena¡¯s revenge.) At the time when Ryouma cuts down Kyle to the ground¡­ Elena carried out her revenge deep inside the forest. ¡°Damn it! Protect the General and his family!¡± ¡°Follow me! We will break through!¡± Different orders flew from here and there, it was a very confusing battlefield. A person suggests protecting Hodram. One tried to gather some knights and break through. While their armor gets broken bit by bit, they desperately deflect the attacks that came at them. However, reality is a cruel thing. Their good luck was not being rewarded. While holding shield and sword trying to break through the encirclement, one after another they fall down into the earth. The number Hodram has on his side is about 30 people. In contrast, Elena has 200 people under her command. Because the troops of both sides are Knights, the effect from the difference in numbers has become apparent. Currently, Hodram who received a surprise attack by Ryouma at his base got ambushed by Elena in the forest during his escape. This trap is actually Ryouma and Elena¡¯s plan from the beginning. While Ryouma acted as a hunting dog, Elena acted as the hunter. Such measure has proven to be very successful. ¡°Elena-sama¡­ We¡¯ve done everything as instructed. After this what left is to take Hodram and his families heads¡­¡± ¡°Good¡­ Looking at the process I can already see the result. Ryouma¡­ You really did a great job¡­¡± Elena nodded her head and mentioned Ryouma after hearing the report from her adjutant. ¡°But still¡­ To think that it worked so well¡­ That young man is really terrifying¡­¡± Her adjutant muttered such words while paying attention to the battle development. In front of his eyes, there is a battle that could be described as a total massacre. Of course, it was Elena¡¯s side who massacred the enemy. Having four to five knights ganged up against one of the enemy¡¯s knights, one can already see the result of the battle. Furthermore, some knights also surrounded the area in case someone escaped. Only death remains in the eyes of the knights who followed Hodram. And this kind of situation was created by a man named Mikoshiba Ryouma. In the adjutant eyes, fear toward such a man can be seen. ¡°I guess so, he¡¯s indeed a great man¡­ Are you by chance scared of him?¡± After praising Ryouma with a smile on her face, Elena asked a question toward her adjutant. The smile she displayed previously disappear from her expression. Her adjutant kept quiet toward her question. Such attitude speaks his true feelings. At least, for now, Ryouma has not made any move disadvantageous for the Rozeria Kingdom. It would be fine to admire Ryouma¡¯s ability as an ally. However, Elena¡¯s adjutant can¡¯t erase the uneasiness that appears in his mind. (Certainly, he had made a lot of wonderful achievements. His strategies and commanding ability are great¡­ However, he is not someone from this country. He¡¯s just a stranger¡­ if such strategist were to get appointed by the enemy of this country and invade this country¡­ What¡¯s going to happen?) He acknowledges Ryouma¡¯s ability. Of course, the adjutants thought is nothing but imagination without basis. And of course, he also understands that his fear was only his imagination, but he still fears Ryouma. Such feeling is also attributed due to how Ryouma does not show any loyalty toward the Rozeria Kingdom. He does not pledge his allegiance to Princess Lupis, nor does he have any sense of affinity for the Kingdom. It was by accident that Ryouma and Princess Lupis become an acquaintance. And the executives under Princess Lupis know that. That¡¯s why Elena¡¯s adjutant was terrified of Ryouma¡¯s achievement and capabilities. ¡°I see, so you¡¯re really afraid of him huh? Well, I can understand the reason why you¡¯re that worried¡­ I¡¯ve received this kind of consultation several times already¡­¡± Elena¡¯s muttered those words with lonely expression. Hearing her words, the adjutant expression changed. The worst possibility appears in his mind. And that is the thing called assassination, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve told the others to not do something unnecessary¡­ After all, we might accidentally stir up a snake by poking the bush which might end up badly for us.¡± Elena shrugged her shoulders and said those words¡­ ¡°Is that about the possibility of killing Mikoshiba Ryouma?¡± Elena did not deny her adjutant¡¯s question. After all, it was the truth that such plan was suggested by some people already. (I guess, this is like the saying ¡®the nail that sticks out gets hammered in¡¯ huh?) Within the adjutants heart, there is feelings of vexation and also desolation. Certainly, he was afraid of Mikoshiba Ryouma. However, he never had an idea to assassinate someone just because of that. (However, no one has achieved more than him in this civil war. It was thanks to him that Princess Lupis could take down General Hodram and Duke Gerhardt¡­ Even though he is not a citizen of the Rozeria Kingdom, to eliminate someone who has produced the greatest achievement by assassination is a bit¡­) One can say managing a nation is not all pretty. For that, the adjutant can understand. However, he can¡¯t really accept if they decide to assassinate Ryouma. There¡¯s also another problem other than the adjutants reluctance to acknowledge such thing. It is fine to choose assassination as a measure. However, to perform that, a certain condition must be met. And the condition is to ¡®not fail¡¯ They have to be absolutely successful in doing it. If the assassination ends up as a failure, they might actually create an enemy greater than Hodram and Gerhardt. That¡¯s why the adjutant didn¡¯t feel the need to kill Ryouma due to such risk. (The best outcome would be for him to serve the kingdom¡­ Thus this country and Mikoshiba-dono can prosper together¡­) But that is easier to say than done. The social status barrier in this kingdom is quite high, even the citizens of the Rozeria Kingdom never dream to be a noble in this kingdom. ¡°Elena-sama, what your thought regarding this problem?¡± ¡°Mine? Of course, I¡¯m against it¡­ After all, it was thanks to him that I can kill Hodram¡­ And if we fail with the assassination, we might actually end up with a more dangerous enemy¡­¡± Toward the adjutant¡¯s question, Elena tried to speak ambiguously. Even with such ambiguous answer, a conclusion can be drawn easily. The problem is, whether or not one has the determination to carried out such thing. When that time comes, Ryouma would never forgive the kingdom. After all, no matter what the reason, in his eyes the Rozeria Kingdom has betrayed him. Nevertheless, Elena is a knight of Rozeria Kingdom. There¡¯s no choice for her other than to fight anyone who becomes the enemy of the country. ¡°But¡­ If he really ends up as the enemy of Rozeria Kingdom¡­ At that time¡­¡± Elena¡¯s last words were being cuts off from reaching the adjutant. ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooh!¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±We caught them!¡±¡± Drowned by the cheers that sprigged up from the battlefield. ¡°Are you guys injured? Listen, we will try to break through the siege¡­ Hold my hand tightly! Keep your focus and don¡¯t pay too much attention to the surrounding!¡± Hodram is running around desperately trying to break through the siege while covering his wife and daughter behind him. The horse-drawn carriage has turned into a useless thing after the horse pulling the carriage was killed by the enemy. After the horse was killed, he quickly takes his wife and daughter out from the carriage. However, Elena¡¯s encirclement is so strong that can be said to be like an iron wall, Hodram¡¯s escape routes have already been sealed off. In the end, he had no choice but to forcefully break through the encirclement. However, this world is not as sweet as to allow such story to happen. Due to him trying to unreasonably break through the encirclement many times, the Knights around him began to decrease one by one. ¡°Father¡­¡± The face of his daughter turns pale due to having people with murderous intent surrounding her. Until just a few weeks ago, she was the daughter of an influential person within the country. Someone who has never dreamt of plunging into the battlefield. Yet, fate threw her into current predicament. ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m here after all! You just have to keep your attention toward me and run!¡± Hodram raises his voice to reassure his wife and children. He understands that if he shows a slight hesitation it would end up break the two ladies hearts. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Believe in your father.¡± His daughter nods her head toward her mother words. Or rather, is there even another option other than agreeing to it? the answer is none. ¡°Here we go!¡± Following Hodram¡¯s words, the Knights around him nodded their head. Their number is four people. From the 30 Knights following him only four remains. ¡°¡±Uooooh!¡±¡±¡± They all rushed together to break through the encircling net. They raised their swords. Swinging those swords like mad dogs. They completely abandoned their defense. After all, they had realized that if Hodram dies, everything will end. And such fact turns them blind. ¡°Your excellency! Over here!¡± The encirclement collapsed for a moment due to their reckless move. ¡°Here we go! We will rush into the forest at once!¡± Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter nodded their heads at his words. After he confirmed that his families are ready, they ran at once. ¡°Your Excellency! Hurry up!¡± Hearing their guard soldiers voice, they increase their speed. 3 meter until they will break out the encirclement. (A little more! After we break through the encirclement, we will be fine! We can escape!) Of course, there¡¯s no guarantee that they would survive even after they break through the encirclement. However, the possibility for them to survive would raise more if they able to break through the encirclement. ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Suddenly Hodram can hear his daughters screams. ¡°You insolent! Get your hands off of her! She¡¯s my¡­¡± *Doga!* Dull sounds resounded. ¡°Mother! Stop! Don¡¯t be rough with her!¡± In front of Hodram¡¯s eyes, his daughter was being held down by a knight, and his wife is crouching down after being hit. It must be due to being hit by the Knights. Gastric acid and saliva are leaking from his wife¡¯s mouth. From the viewpoint of chivalry, people would never believe it if they were told that a knight just hit a woman. However, such beautiful things only appear on a fairy tale, on the battlefield, everything¡¯s the same. Hodram becomes hesitant. (Damn it! Just a little bit more! What should I do? Should I help them? No, that would be impossible¡­ Should I run just like this? But, that would mean deserting my daughter and wife¡­) His line of sight crossed with his daughter. He can see from her eyes that she wants help for her and her mother. But he could do nothing. Just a little bit more run and he would be able to escape. It is practically impossible for him to help his daughter and wife here. His cold-hearted mind begins to calculate the loss and gains. It¡¯s impossible. He thought he should run away and abandon his wife and daughter. However, that would also make matters worse. (If I abandon my wife and daughter, even if I manage to escape to the Thalluja Kingdom, the chance for me to get asylum there would be close to none¡­) The Thalluja Kingdom would accept Hodram because he has his wifes parents family there. But if Hodram were to abandon them here, his wifes family won¡¯t be able to forgive him. His own instinct to survive made him unable to move. The road left for him no matter which path he choosesonly leads to ruin. ¡°General Hodram! Throw down your weapon and surrender, or do you want to die like this?!¡± One of the knights step forward and shout loudly. Hodram has already been trapped in a situation where there was nothing he could do. (Damn it!) The Knights already blocked his path to escape. Even if he abandons his wife and daughter to escape, it would be hard for him to break through against them. ¡°What would you do?! Are you going to escape in front of your wife and daughter?¡± Such cold words pierced Hodram. Both his wife and daughter have swords around their neck. ¡°Dear¡­¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± Their eyes stabbed Hodram more than anything. With this, his fate is already sealed. Hodram throws his sword on the ground. ¡°I surrender¡­¡± ¡°Very well!¡± In response to Hodrams words, the knight nods his head and raises his hand. Several knights quickly jump out and arrest Hodram. ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooh!¡±¡±¡± ¡°¡±We caught him! We caught him!¡±¡± Such cheers resounded within the forest. Everyone raises their sword overhead to express their victory. ¡°It has ended! Now the Rozeria Kingdom will enter a new era!¡± ¡°Glory to her highness princess Lupis! Prosperity to the Kingdom of Rozeria!¡± Words of delight were shouted by the Knights. ¡°What are you guys going to do to us? Where is the trial going to be held? At Irachion? or at the royal capital? Can you guarantee the safety of my wife and child until the decision is made?¡± Hodram asked the knight standing by his side. ¡°Trial? There¡¯s no such thing you know?¡± Being looked at by the knight cold eyes, Hodram shows a surprised expression. ¡°What?! What do you mean by that? I¡¯ve surrendered! That¡¯s why I have the right to receive a formal trial!¡± Hodram already forgot that he was under arrest as he tried to grab the knight cuff. Hodram thought that if he surrendered he would be put on trial by the princess. Or at least he thought that his and his family lives would be guaranteed until the trial is settled. At worst, Hodram was sure that the kind princess won¡¯t execute his family. (At least, at least if I get myself time to explain things, I could spare my family from execution!) However, his thought was being overturned. ¡°What does this mean?! Didn¡¯t you pursue us by the order of princess Lupis?!¡± ¡°No, that is wrong¡­¡± The knight immediately denied Hodram words. Then a knight with armors dyed with the color of pure white shows up from the crowd. ¡°You seems to have misunderstood something, General Hodram¡­¡± ¡°That voice¡­ That figure! It¡¯s you! Elena Steiner! You, why are you here?! You¡¯re supposedly participating in the attack at Irachion!¡± Hodram expression completely changed. After all, the person he had admitted to defeat is actually the person called Elena Steiner. ¡°Elena Steiner-sama? The one who¡¯s called [Rozeria¡¯s white goddess of war] ?¡± ¡°Are you really that Elena Steiner?¡± Those are the words that came out from Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter. Such doubt is natural, after all, they have met someone who¡¯s hailed as the hero of the nation. Elena nods her head toward Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter questions. ¡°Is it that surprising that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Did you read all of my action?! That can¡¯t be! You¡¯re not someone who¡¯s capable of doing something like that!¡± Hodram roared. ¡°Oh, my? You are still the same man who¡¯s unable to accept reality huh? Overconfident with his own ability and looking down at the others¡­ From the day we met, you¡¯ve never changed¡­ But the reality now is that I¡¯ve caught you, can¡¯t you even accept this fact?¡± ¡°Shut up! You peasants! I¡¯m a man from a family with high prestige! Not someone like you, you low life!¡± Toward Hodram¡¯s words, Elena shows a bitter smile. (Such a stupid man¡­ He only thought about his ambition and lineage¡­ Why can a man so full of talents like him be so stupid like this I wonder?) ¡°You bastard! Did you think you¡¯re better than I am? You¡¯re not someone who¡¯s equal to me!¡± ¡°Such pathetic person you are¡­ That¡¯s why Fried-sama appointed me as the General back then, not you¡­ Because that person realizes that your arrogance will erode the country¡­ To think what that person had thought about you turned into reality! Can you see the knights present here? Do you think they hold the same view as you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me! Fried-dono is the one who¡¯s unable to judge someone talents! For him to give the General rank to a commoner like you instead of me, someone who is born from a noble family! You people! Don¡¯t you think it was humiliating that the glorious knights order of the Rozeria Kingdom being led by a commoner? Furthermore a woman?!¡± Hodram raises his voice and looked around. However, no one presents shows an agreement toward Hodram¡¯s statement. Rather, everyone shows a despise toward Hodram. ¡°W-What¡¯s with you guys?! Why are you looking at me like that?!¡± The gaze that was directed toward Hodram. Such gaze was the same as how Hodram directed his gaze toward a commoner. The difference is that the gaze directed toward Hodram is the result of how Hodram had been leading the Knights order. ¡°You¡¯re really a stupid person huh¡­ Do you know? The knights present here are of low rank and most of them are born from a family of commoners. You, someone who¡¯s born from such prestigious family never realize¡­ The existence who actually supported the Knights order!¡± Just like some knights who are from families that become a knight generation after generation, there are also commoners who become a knight. However, for a commoner to become a knight, one must pass the exam 100 times harder than those who come from a prestigious family. Those commoners make a hard effort until they vomit blood. However, despite being the same knights, there was a clear barrier between those who are a commoner origin and those who came from a knight¡¯s household. It was a daily routine to have a knight from prestigious family snatch an achievement from those who came as a commoner. It would be always the Knights from the prestigious family who led the march. People who originated as a commoner can only do the backstage work. Among the Knights here, some of them lost their lover forcibly. Some of them are people who¡¯ve wrongly being convicted as a corruptor. And the one who does those things to them is the Knights from the prestigious families. It was always the commoner who undertake the dirty works and suffered because of it. Not to mention the one who becomes the leader of the knight orders is someone who is obsessed with a special right. If someone who becomes the leader is like that, then it won¡¯t be weird if those under him turn out hating him. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me! We¡¯re born not equal! You can become a knight because of our sympathy! You all should follow us quietly!¡± Hodram¡¯s emotion was high, his face flushed. His behavior has become weird, but everyone presents understood what Hodram wants to say. He wants to say the knights with commoners origin should follow him who came from a distinguished family. ¡°Such frustrating person you are¡­ You¡­ Oh well, whatever¡­ You can bid farewell with that idea of yours¡­¡± ¡°You bastard! Are you going to break the national law?! I do have right for trial!¡± Toward Elena¡¯s exclamation, Hodram could not hide his surprise. He himself has been breaking several laws these past few days. He does some unfair things, such as positioned someone he doesn¡¯t like to a border guard duty. Embezzling military expenses, received bribes from merchants, and so on. He also traps his colleague who becomes hindrance to him by accusing them of crime. However, at the end of his life, what he relied upon was the law itself. Even if that sounds unreasonable, he still relied on it. After all, he does not have anything left anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand alright? In official record, Hodram Alberg is attempting attack toward Elena Steiner, thus he ends up being killed in action. And his family are killed due to attempting to escape. That would be the official record¡­ That was your favorite way of getting rid someone right? Hodram¡­¡± Elena smiled sarcastically toward him. ¡°Can¡¯t be! That¡­. You can¡¯t do something like that! Where¡¯s the justice!¡± ¡°Justice? This is not justice you know? This is revenge¡­ For my husband and daughter whom you had killed 10 years ago.¡± Hodram face froze toward Elena¡¯s words. Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter also show a surprised looks. ¡°What are you saying?! I don¡¯t do that! I don¡¯t know the matters about your family!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up some excuse¡­ Five years ago, I heard from Heinz, a slave merchant who was ordered by you to do the jobs. He¡¯s the witness¡­¡± Following Elena¡¯s words, her adjutant who stands beside her nodded his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know of such thing! I don¡¯t know that slave merchant either! And that merchant has already been executed! Where¡¯s the proof! The testimony!¡± ¡°Dear¡­ Just what happened here? Did you really¡­ Killed Elena-sama¡¯s family?¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± ¡°What?! What¡¯s with those eyes! I don¡¯t know anything about that matter! Are you not going to believe your father¡¯s words?!¡± Hodram¡¯s family also begin to suspect him. However, the more he tried to defend himself, the colder their eyes become. It was obvious for them that Hodram has wronged everyone present. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I do not have such evidence indeed¡­ But, I don¡¯t need such thing. Because what I want is to kill you¡­¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡± Hodram finally noticed the madness in Elena¡¯s eyes. And also the fact he won¡¯t be able to escape. ¡°But, be relieved¡­ I will also kill both your wife and your daughter together with you¡­ My daughter was violated and killed, but, I will forgive you¡­¡± Elena then pulls out her sword from its sheath and walks toward Hodram¡¯s wife and daughter. ¡°Wait! My wife and daughter have nothing to do with me!¡± Hodram is immediately suppressed by the knights around him due to him trying to stand up. ¡°It does you know? After all, they are your family¡­¡± ¡°Wait! Somebody! Somebody stop her! This kind of thing, this kind of thing cannot be tolerated!¡± Looking at Elena, Hodram desperately seeks help from around him. However, amongst the 200 people present, no one listens to Hodram¡¯s plea. Because everyone present wants him to die. ¡°Nooo! Please¡­ Help¡­¡± Tears appear from the daughter¡¯s eyes. She understood that his father has committed an unforgivable crime. And how much his father was hated. However, she thought that among the 200 knights, there would be still someone who can show mercy. ¡°Goodbye¡­ It was not your sins¡­ But your luck was bad¡­ At least, I won¡¯t make you suffer like my family¡­¡± ¡°STOOOOP!¡± Hodram roared. However Elena did not stop, her sword gently swayed in the air down to Hodram¡¯s daughter. *Zazh* Hodram¡¯s daughter collapsed to the ground, from her neck blood dyed the earth. *Zash* This time Hodram¡¯s wife lost her life. ¡°You bastard! How dare you! I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!¡¯ Hodram eyes were red in anger, saliva scattered from his mouth. However, being pressed by several knights, he was unable to move his body even for an inch. ¡°That¡¯s good! That¡¯s what I wanted to hear from you! Because I lived to see you like this!¡± Elena walks toward Hodram with an innocent smile on her face. (With this¡­ Everything is over¡­ Seria¡­ Dear¡­ Now you both can rest in peace¡­ With this, all of your regrets, I¡¯ve erased them all¡­) The grudge that she had for these past 10 years will be released. Inside her heart, the appearance of her husband and daughter appeared. ¡°With this, everything comes to an end¡­ Hodram Alberg!¡± Elena raised her sword overhead. ¡°Damn it! You bastard! You damned low life!¡± That was the last words of Hodram Alberg, the mastermind behind the rebellion. With this, the civil war in the Rozeria Kingdom came to an end. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 64 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 41 Chapter 2 Episode 41 Editors: SniperIRL Day 212 after being summoned to another world: (Princess Dilemma) ¡°¡­ What should I do, I wonder¡­¡± Princess Lupis directed her eyes toward the windows, looking at Pireaus royal city from her room. The pure white dress which greatly exposes her chest highlighted her beauty. She¡¯s the same person who wore armor and was revered as General Princess, but her appearance now is completely different. However, the gloom in her eyes negated the brightness of her beauty. ¡°Fuuuh¡­¡± A big sigh leaked out from her mouth. Even though the bustling people in the town are so vibrant to the point of it reaching the castle. Every citizen expected a new beginning with the civil war ended. The civil war ended with Hodram death, slain by Elena Steiner¡¯s sword. Hodram who was joined the true mastermind midway ends up being killed and become the scapegoat, while Duke Gerhardt survived. Although there are some indescribable parts, she was able to preserve the face of Rozeria Kingdom by having Hodram take all the responsibility. The Civil war was already over some time ago, and one month has passed. However, Princess Lupis who should have been full of hope was instead buried in worry. ¡°Father¡­ Am I suitable to become the leader of this country? I who is getting lost just because of thinking how to treat that man?¡± Many times she had asked such question toward her dead father. That being said, of course, the dead cannot reply with an answer. She asked a question to her father who cannot answer. Such behavior shows what kind of state of mind she has currently. ¡°Fuuuh¡­¡± Again, deep sigh leaked from her mouth. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Meltina looked at Princess Lupis figure in sorrow. Along with the crowning of Lupis, she was being appointed as the leader of the royal guard knights. Although originally she had to carry out her work, she still needs to accompany the princess as her assistant like usual. (As expected¡­ Having Mikhail end up under house arrest has become a hard blow for us¡­ If it were me alone, I don¡¯t think I can support her highness¡­) Speaking about intelligence, Meltina and Mikhail were no different. However, having a life experience of 10 years more than Meltina, was unexpectedly not something to be trifled with. And Mikhail also is more suited in influencing the knights. Although the civil war has ended, the princess¡¯ power is still unstable. It would be natural for her to want a trustworthy human around her. However, one of such important persons is under house arrest. After the civil war had ended, Duke Gerhardt handed over Mikhail to Lupis. Naturally, Meltina and Lupis thought he can get back to work just like that, but it was impossible. Separately, Ryouma never said anything. In the beginning, Mikhail¡¯s punishment was being postponed. The princess was going to overlooked his mistakes by offsetting it with his achievement during the civil war. For his second mistake, Lupis and Mletina could not do anything other than pursuing Earl Bergston to make his faction stand as a bystander and not getting involved by giving unnecessary thought. ¡°You know¡­ About Mikhail¡­ Is it impossible for me to reinstate him? Is it fine if I just demote him? Can I solve his punishment with that?¡± This time Meltina received a barrage of questions from Lupis. It was already half a month since Mikhail under house arrest. And the princess¡¯ question has been constantly repeated since then. Meltina shook her head silently while sighing. ¡°No matter how much your highness wanted that, it would be impossible¡­ Of course, I want to finish his house arrest punishment too, but¡­¡± Meltina too wants to fulfill Lupis wish. She does not think that Mikhail would be able to solve all the problem they had, but, since he¡¯s someone they both can trust, Meltina wants to reinstate him as well. However, with the current situation, something like that was impossible. The reason for that is it would make the others start questioning the princesses actions. No matter how much the princess trusted him, she can¡¯t just reinstate someone who had failed twice. The first failure can be solved by making Kyle take the responsibility, but, the second failure is deadly. Although it was temporary, he had become a prisoner of war and also he ignored the orders of his superior officers. Moreover, because of that, the plan to get rid of Duke Gerhardt fell apart.. Some executives have voiced of wanting him executed. Even as a princess, it would be impossible to reinstate Mikhail without any punishment. If she does that, it would be an act that can shake her regime, which has not yet found a solid foundation. ¡°I guess so huh¡­ I¡¯m sorry Meltina. For asking something unreasonable¡­¡± Lupis also understands that as well. The problem is despite her mind accepting some portion of her heart still unable to accept it. Meltina had no choice but sighing inside her mind. ¡°Well, Mikhail aside¡­ What do you think about our other problem?¡± Lupis switches the topic and asks Meltina. Her problem is not just Mikhail, there¡¯s another person that she doesn¡¯t know what to do with. ¡°Mikoshiba Ryouma is it¡­ As I¡¯ve expected, the nobles and the knights would definitely disapprove it¡­ If only we can give him a job as a unit leader for his achievement, but¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Lupis grimaced after listening to Meltina¡¯s answer. The problem she has other than Mikhail is about Mikoshiba Ryouma. If she follows the first contract they have, she supposedly helped him to prove his innocence, with the Rozeria Kingdom become their backing. And after being proven innocent, they supposedly leave the country. As soon as the civil war ended, Lupis have sent a letter explaining the situation to the local guilds as the princess of Rozeria Kingdom. In this way, it has been already admitted that Mikoshiba Ryouma and his colleagues have done nothing wrong. The only dissatisfaction they had was for being unable to prove the guild leader from Wallace Heinkells wrong doings which cause him to escape any punishment, but such result is not a surprise. If they follow Duke Gerhardt testimony, it seems like Kyle is the one who arranged everything. And now with that Kyle getting killed by Ryouma, it is difficult for them to find someone with testimony and evidence. And the neighboring guild masters could not pursue it further without any evidence. In fact, there¡¯s a no way out of this anymore. However, having Princess Lupis prove Ryouma¡¯s innocence, Princess Lupis has already fulfilled her promise to him. Then no one can stop them if they want to leave. But right now, they still remain in the royal castle. That was because Lupis asked them to wait until her coronation is over. ¡°And the opinion from the knights are also still not good, regardless if they are from commoner or distinguished knight family.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°As expected to give a man not the citizen of Rozeria Kingdom an important post they think it would be bad for us to do that¡­ Well, I don¡¯t even have to ask for the reason why it would be bad¡­ However, if we force him into the knight orders, indeed one important post would be reduced then¡­ And for a human being who aimed at a higher post, and only to have the post getting snatched by a foreigner, I think we have to consider what would the others think about this¡­¡± Lupis face gets cloudy due to Meltina¡¯s statement. Lupis is afraid of Mikoshiba Ryouma. The fear was growing to the point where it was overflowing from her heart, after all, he is the man who makes it possible for her to be the queen of the Rozeria Kingdom, making the person who was in a disadvantageous situation previously now stand in front of the coronation ceremony. ¡°He who only move for himself, I don¡¯t think I want to appoint him as a knight either¡­ After all, he does not have any respect for the royalty nor loyalty to the Rozeria Kingdom itself¡­ It is too dangerous to have him as a person who protects the royal family, at least that is what I thought as a knight.¡± Evaluation regarding Mikoshiba Ryoumas ability is very high. Such evaluation also comes from those who think negatively about him. Thus if the princess is able to appoint him, he can get any job done as a knight. However, when we asked how much confidence all of us have in him as a knight, everything went south. As a knight, he has to protect the kingdom with his sword. Military power is necessary for the king to control the domestic power. But what if even the king do not have confidence with the person who holds the military? Such situation would force them back into the era similar to the time when Hodram ruled the military. The king might become the puppet and the country management becomes disturbed. Right now Lupis has to rebuild the kingdom. Nevertheless, she cannot just appoint someone with unknown origin to an important position within the knight orders. Such opinion was not only voiced by her but also among the executive leaders within the kingdom. ¡°But¡­ We can¡¯t let him out of the country like this! Absolutely not! What if another country manages to appoint him?!¡± Lupis raises her voice. This is what she was afraid of. She is unable to give an important position to him. However, what would happen if another country could? ¡°I know¡­ I also agree with that¡­ Your highness about that¡­¡± Meltina hesitated to continue. But Lupis is sensitive enough to understand what she wants to say. ¡°No! No matter how dire our current position is¡­ We cannot do that!¡± Meltina keeps silent due to Lupis clear rejection. Silence ruled the atmosphere. Meltina did not speak any words. But what she was about to say had already been proposed by the others executive leaders, especially the nobles. And that suggestion is an assassination. With assassination, they will be able to have a good sleep without worry that another country might recruit him. (I understand that¡­ But¡­ He¡¯s not even my enemy yet¡­ He even kept his promise with me¡­ Yet, am I going to pay him with death as gratitude? Furthermore¡­) For better or worst, despite her naive kindness, she also possesses some wisdom in her. If she was completely stupid, she would immediately fulfill her promise to Ryouma and let him leave the country without any fuss. If she was evil, she would immediately command the assassination without thinking a second thought about her promise with him. She does not want assassination because she does not wants to be completely evil. But since she is not stupid, she does not want him out of this country either. Like that the princess stuck with the current predicament. And there¡¯s also another reason why Lupis does not want to choose assassination as an option. Hidden within her heart, something that she does not dare to say. And that is¡­ (If I choose assassination, are we going to kill him using the knight of this country? If¡­ If they failed to kill him, and he realizes that I was the one who commanded it¡­) Of course, if all of the kingdom citizens unite and fight against Mikoshiba Ryouma, they could fight against him without a problem. After all, an individual cannot conquer a country by him or herself. However, Ryouma might still be able to escape. Calmly thinking such probability would be less than a million. However, it was still not absolute. And Lupis feel that Mikoshiba Ryouma would be able to make something impossible become possible. Like how he was able to make her the queen of this country¡­ (If I do that¡­ That man will not forgive me¡­) Such fears froze Princess Lupis movement. *Kon*kon* ¡°Excuse me, your highness¡­ Sudou-sama wants to have an audience with you. Is it alright for him to enter?¡± Lupis and Meltina. The silence between them ended with the door being knocked from the outside. Meltina gazes at Lupis for confirmation which she gently nods. ¡°Come in¡­¡± At the same time with her voice, the door is opened, and Sudou wearing a noble-like clothing is standing there. ¡°Pardon for my intrusion your highness¡­ Are you troubled by something? We can¡¯t have that¡­ Your beautiful face will be ruined if you show that kind of expression. Although it is presumptuous of me, if you do not mind, how about you try and consult with me Princess Lupis? Or rather, Your Majesty the Queen.¡± As he came in, he speaks those words suddenly. In the first place, he was not a man that can be easily associated with the word of ¡®polite¡± ¡°You bastard! How dare you be rude to her highness like that!¡± Meltina tried to pull out her sword. In this situation, no one would say she was short tempered. After all, Sudou was very rude toward a royal family member. ¡°Meltina, stand down¡­ and Sudou, you better try to be a little bit polite with your words as well. I will tolerate you this time, but there won¡¯t be any second times.¡± In respond to Lupis words, Sudou bows his head respectfully. But the people inside the room understood that he was just acting. ¡°Well, whatever¡­ So, what is your business by coming here? As you can see, I do not have much free time right now. Briefly, state your business¡­¡± After Lupis permits Sudou to take a seat, she immediately cuts to the chase. ¡°Oh come on¡­ No need to be stiff like that. Well, Your highness seems to be in trouble after the civil war ended, so I thought of helping to remove your highness trouble from your highness heart, and come here¡­¡± Meltina¡¯s eyebrows were raised. She is curious as to what kind of respond Lupis would have from listening to those words, she then directed her gaze to Lupis. However, Lupis was caught by surprise and unable to find any words to say. ¡°I see¡­ Thank you for your concern¡­ But, do you know why I was suffering, Sudou?¡± Lupis questioned Sudou while feeling doubtful. ¡°Of course. Or rather, anyone would notice if they are just a little bit observant¡­ Your trouble, it was about Mikoshiba Ryouma is it not?¡± Lupis tried to suppress the unrest that raised inside her heart due to Sudou exclamation. She will become the queen of this country thus she can¡¯t easily express unrest expression easily. (Calm down! Don¡¯t let him see what is inside my heart!) ¡°What do you mean? Sudou?¡± Lupis wanted to say, why did he think that¡­ Asking Sudou while tilting her neck slightly. However, for Sudou, her desperate act looks like an amateur theater play. ¡°Hou¡­ I was mistaken huh¡­ If that the case, then I should leave since I don¡¯t want to waste your highness precious time.¡± Sudou said those words while rising his body from the seat. Meltina and Lupis expression completely changes. ¡°Wait a moment! Sudou-dono¡­ her highness has already taken the time to listen to your talk while she is busy. Why are you leaving while not saying anything like that!¡± Meltina immediately tries to halt Sudou. ¡°Huh? Well, I thought her trouble was about Mikoshiba Ryouma, but seeing it was not about that, my purpose of coming here has become meaningless¡­ Since it would be rude for me to disturb her highness busy time, I won¡¯t waste more time than this. That¡¯s why I tried to leave¡­¡± Looking at Sudou¡¯s expression, both of them know that it was just a lie. He just wants to tease Lupis. He wants to make Lupis ask Sudou personally. If she asks, it might lead to a breakthrough. However, Lupis can¡¯t just admit easily that she was troubled by Mikoshiba Ryouma existence. ¡°I see¡­ Sudou. Since I¡¯ve taken the time, I will try to listen to your words. Go ahead and talk¡­¡± Lupis set the table by ordering Sudou to talk. ¡°Sure¡­ Well then, let¡¯s cut to the chase¡­¡± Sudou decided to talk while sinking his body into the chair once again. ¡°Just like what I said earlier, the trouble about Mikoshiba Ryouma. Your Highness seems to be unable to decide what kind of treatment should be given to him, if he is a loyal person to the kingdom then your highness can just appoint him as a knight, but he was a mercenary, thus it is impossible. And if your highness allows him to leave the kingdom, another country might recruit him¡­ And it is also possible that the country who appoints him will attack the Rozeria Kingdom.¡± Toward Sudou¡¯s words, their expression changed. It was exactly what they both have been troubled with. ¡°Your highness can¡¯t appoint him as a knight, yet also can¡¯t let him go out of the country. Nevertheless, your highness can¡¯t also kill him¡­ After all, if a human with such high achievement ends up getting killed, it would definitely leave a bad record for the future¡­¡± While talking about his opinion, Sudou keeps observing Lupis expression. (Fumu¡­ Just I have thought huh? Well, for someone like her, she does not have the ability to control the man who is able to go head to head against Princess Sardina after all¡­) His eyes have grasped the full ability of Lupis. ¡°Fuuh¡­ So? How are you going to solve such problem?¡± Lupis stop trying to pretend not to be interested in the topic. She understood that there¡¯s no point in doing so anymore. Sudou then continues with a smile¡­ ¡°If your highness can¡¯t appoint him as a knight, and don¡¯t want another country to get hold of him. Why not appoint him as a noble?¡± Lupis was at lost for words. The same can be said about Meltina as well. ¡°Are you stupid? We¡¯re talking about a commoner here, what kind of a high heaven¡¯s dream is that, did you really want us to make a mercenary into nobility?¡± Sudou nodded his head toward Meltina¡¯s question. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with us!¡± Her high pitched voice resounded within the room. ¡°There¡¯s no way such a thing can be done! No rather, it would be more realistic to appoint him as a knight! Not to mention the nobles won¡¯t agree to it either!¡± Lupis had no choice but nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Besides, how are you going to do that?! By giving him territory controlled by the government?!¡± A territory is necessary to appoint a noble. Of course, such thing is possible by giving the land controlled directly by the Royal family, or by giving the territory that the government got from the nobles that were lost during the civil war. However, if they do that, the royal families power would diminish. With civil war having come to an end, Lupis wants to have the whole country under her control. For that purpose, she needs all the lands she has. She wants the throne to have enough power even when they have to fight against all the nobles combined together. Considering both the nobles and the commoners feelings, it is impossible for them to appoint Mikoshiba Ryouma as a noble. However, Sudou already anticipated such rejection. He then spread a map from his pocket onto the table ¡°This is? The map of eastern part of the western continent?¡± Sudou nodded his head toward Lupis words. ¡°Your Highness can just take care of him by giving him this territory. What do you think? With this, the royal family won¡¯t lose their land, and the nobles won¡¯t fuss over it either¡­ Furthermore, your highness does not have to worry about a revolt because of it¡­ How about giving him the title of the lowest noble, Baron? Well, with this size, it usually needs the office of Duke, but it is this place, after all, so we can ignore that¡­¡± Both Lupis and Meltina were at a loss for words due to Sudou¡¯s suggestion. The land that Sudou has pointed his finger at. The size it self is one-tenth of the whole of the Rozeria Kingdom itself. Giving such land to a common people, much less a mercenary, that is an insolent act borderline insane. However, just like what he had said, there¡¯s no fear of any objection from the nobles if she were to give the land to Ryouma. Because nobody wants to be the lord of that land¡­ ¡°Wortenia Peninsula¡­¡± Lupis muttered some words. With that words, once again, Mikoshiba Ryoumas wheel of fortune begun to roll. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 65 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 2 Chapter 42 Chapter 2 Episode 42 Editor: SniperIRL Day 227 after being summoned to another world: (The determination of the summoned person) (At the end of the day¡­ I was too naive huh¡­) Ryouma looked at the ceiling while lying on his bed inside his bedroom located within the royal castle. Inside his mind, the stiff and firm expression of Princess Lupis appears. Ryouma was called in the morning for an audience to receive the title of Baron and Wortenia Peninsula land from Queen Lupis. Such situation is not what he had expected. Because he was just recently talking with the Marfisto sisters about their next destination. However, he could not decline the reward. Of course, it was not because he was happy with it. But because he noticed. Behind Lupis expression, he can see fear toward him¡­ And also the murderous intent leaked by Meltina who was standing beside her. If Ryouma were to decline here, Meltina will without a doubt instantly order the guards inside the room to attack. They are very afraid of the human being called Mikoshiba Ryouma. He was sensitive to that, that¡¯s why he avoided giving them an immediate response. But first, he thought about why such decision come to being. (First, why did they not want me to decline¡­ What is their aim¡­) Back during the audience. Ryouma was able to suppress his anger toward Lupis, and able to give out words of gratitude. (Wortenia Peninsula huh¡­ Somehow the situation turned weird¡­ That damned woman!) Ryouma thought about the event that happened in the morning and cursed the person who caused it inside his heart. Although he does not voice out the words. Nobody is inside the room except him. He told the Marfisto sisters to leave the room to give him the time to think by himself. The red setting sunlight that came through the window dyed his face red. His expression is as cold as an icy winter, despite a raging fury inside his heart. Her gaze is filled with murderous intent. The anger for being betrayed by the person one believed in. Hatred toward Lupis is growing despite trying to restrain his feelings. He thought it was stupid of him from the start, for believing in her. But right now, he can¡¯t make any reckless moves. At least for now¡­ After all, the one who betrayed him is the lord of this castle, the new queen of this country. (They say the walls have ears and the doors have eyes¡­ I need to be careful¡­ After all, someone might be spying on me¡­ It is also a bad for me to voice my dissatisfaction now¡­ But the current situation is worse than the time when I killed that Gaies dude¡­) Ryouma tried to clarify everything in his mind until his mind grew numb. It was difficult for Ryouma to escape Ortomea Empire, but he succeeded back then. However, it is different right now. The condition and the situation are too much of a difference from last time. That means of escaping from this place is realistically impossible. (First, there are too many people who know my face and name¡­ And if Lupis moves her hands toward the guild, I won¡¯t be able to live, since I can only do jobs via the guild¡­) According to Lupis¡¯ letter, she had already explained to the guild and proved his innocence.¡¯ In other words, if Lupis said ¡®I don¡¯t know anything about that letter¡¯ or ¡®what I wrote is a lie¡¯, then everything could be overturned. Having the testimony being pulled back, Ryouma would lose his innocence once more. (Damn it¡­ Having royalty hold power can be troublesome too¡­) Remembering how he was happy back then when his innocence was proven, he wants to puke. Per say this happen might be because he underestimates the power of royalty. One way or another, when we talk about the power of a country, one can say it was very powerful. After all, with the power of a country, one can make black as white and white as black. (I want to leave this country as soon as possible¡­ But, it¡¯s impossible huh¡­ Some knights have been placed around us in a pretext of guarding us¡­ But I bet, if we make a stupid move, they will definitely try to kill us¡­ Kuh! I¡¯m such stupid man for believing what Lupis had said¡­ Wait until her coronation over she said! Damn it! Don¡¯t joke with me¡­) Originally, as soon as the civil war ended, he planned to leave the country. That¡¯s why Ryouma did everything to win. He avoided a close relationship with the nobles more than necessary, without questioning Queen Lupis intention. He was not aware how he was being seen from his surroundings. Such mistakes have become overwhelming. Right now, one month has already passed since the civil war ended. Ryouma still remained inside the castle even after his crimes had been cleared. Because Queen Lupis asked him strongly. At first, Ryouma caught that as a sign of anxiety. The anxiety of carrying the responsibility of a country on her back. Having her trusted person being punished, Ryouma thought his existence helped her to alleviate her anxiety a little bit, but that totally backfired. Ryouma was told to stay in a room for a whole month. What he does for a daily routine is only eat a nice meal, practice martial arts with Lione and the Marfisto sisters. And have some small talks with Bolts and Genou to kill time. This was the only calm days he spent since the time he was being summoned. However, that was the story under the premise that he could leave the country. If he realized that he has to remain in the country from the beginning, he won¡¯t spend his days like that. Right now, what he needed is silence to think. Quietly and surely, Ryouma analyzed the current situation. (I can¡¯t believe it that that woman would break her promise¡­ Forget it, I¡¯ve decided to not think about such thing¡­ One can say that I was making light of her too much, and put too much trust in her¡­) He understood that she was afraid of him. That is why he was planning to immediately leave the country. However, the fear inside Lupis seems to not easily disappear just because he left the country. (Wortenia Peninsula huh? If I think straightforwardly, this is a big success¡­ But Lupis should never make this decision, and she should¡¯ve known it¡­ After all, appointing civilians as a noble in this kind of time would incite another rebellion¡­ Lupis government is still highly unstable. If she makes the decision to make me, a civilian a noble in this kind of situation¡­ then there must be something behind it.) The thing she was trying to give to Ryouma is a noble rank and a territory. If one think normally, such thing can be said as a great success. However, Ryouma is not foolish enough to take it just like that. Without any prior discussion, Queen Lupis pressed the noble rank and territory onto Ryouma, ignoring her previous promise. If she really wishes to borrow Mikoshiba Ryoumas power, she should never do such thing. She can just say that she might need help in the future beforehand. His present situation. The current state of Rozeria Kingdom. And the attitude and expression Queen Lupis shown. By assembling them within his mind, he immediately understood Queen Lupis¡¯ aim. (I see¡­ She wants to confine me huh¡­) First and foremost, it was unnatural for her to give Ryouma a territory since she was afraid of him. If that was the case then, there must be something that might limit him of his movement by giving him the nobility rank. (First, I should think about the Wortenia Peninsula that I was given¡­ There must be a problem there. First, it was bordering with conflicting neighboring country¡­ Since Lupis was giving it to him with such pressure, there is no way to refuse it¡­ In order to refuse this, he needs a very solid reason¡­ A good reason¡­ Come on, think!) In order for him to decline the territory and the noble rank, he needs a sufficient reason without unnecessarily crushing her. If he were to refuse it plainly, it would only paint mud on Lupis¡¯ authority. Of course, Ryouma does not care if something were to happen to Lupis, but what situation would arise if he were to do something like that? Lupis and Meltina will without doubt move to kill Ryouma using any means necessary. Meaning, receiving the gift or not, he will still see hell. ¡°In the end, I was too naive¡­¡± Such self-mockery leaked from Ryouma. He feels like he could not win against the power called ¡®the country¡¯. Even if he can win against Lupis individually, he could not win easily against her authority. In a place where defiance will be punished severely, it would be bad for him to do that. In other words, in term of life, Ryouma is weaker than Lupis. He was wondering what he should do in this kind of situation¡­ (The one who can win against a country is another country¡­) Ryouma¡¯ mind finally comes to conclusion. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re caught in some trouble, my lord.¡± Someone spoke to Ryouma who was in deep thought. Ryouma immediately raises his body and glares toward the owner of the voice. ¡°How did you enter here, Genou?¡± ¡°From the door, of course¡­¡± Genou responded to Ryouma¡¯s question with a relaxed manner. ¡°What do you want? I do not remember calling you?¡± ¡°Indeed, you did not, my lord.¡± While receiving Ryouma¡¯s words lightly, Genou settled down on a chair. ¡°We¡¯ve checked the entire situation. About Wortenia Peninsula¡­ It would likely be a troublesome land¡­¡± ¡°Why did you know that?!¡± Ryouma narrowed his eyes toward Genou. Ryouma have not yet even told the sisters yet, but this old man already knows about it. ¡°It is our occupation to find things. Something like this is an easy walk.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I guess you¡¯re right indeed.¡± Ryouma agreeing with Genou¡¯s statement. Genou came from a clan well versed in stealing and assassination. It would be easy for them to find information. ¡°Well¡­ I was just being asked for some favor by those twin ladies. They said my lords behavior is strange. That is why Sakuya and I tried to find out the reason.¡± ¡°Those two?¡± Genou deeply nods his head. Perhaps the sisters sensed some change in Ryouma¡¯s behavior, and then they asked Genou to do something. One can definitely say their consideration is very wonderful. ¡°So, do you know what situation we¡¯re currently in?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ It is certainly troublesome. However, there¡¯s a silver lining in everything.¡± ¡°Silver lining? Which part of this situation that is a silver lining?!¡± Ryouma instinctively raised his voice. This all according to Lupis expectation. Being given land. And having the land filled with trouble. However, Genou lightly shook his head. ¡°My lord¡­ Let¡¯s ride on Queen Lupis expectation. And then, we build our own power.¡± Ryouma could not immediately nod his head toward Genou¡¯ statement. After all, that was what he was thinking just a while ago. ¡°My lord, can you believe in us?¡± Genou¡¯s words pierced Ryouma¡¯s heart. ¡°We¡¯ve already made our decision. Lione-dono, Bolts-dono, and of course the two young ladies as well¡­¡± Genou eyes look straight at Ryouma His words transmitted his strong intention. ¡°That¡¯s right! Why didn¡¯t you say anything to us boy¡­¡± ¡°Young master! We will accompany you anywhere!¡± The door opened, Lione, Bolts, Sakuya and even the Marfisto sisters show up. It seems like they have come to a decision just like what Genou had said. *Fuuh* Ryouma facial expression relaxed. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything you know? After all, I was just a commoner who never managed a territory before¡­¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s words, Genou nodded his head. Everyone present understood such things. Still, they believe in the human being named Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°Being able to admit that is already splendid enough, that¡¯s why the nobles are nasty because they always pretending!¡± Lione¡¯s words represent everyone¡¯s mind. They begin to sit surrounding the table to decide their future plan. First, they are thinking as to how to respond to Lupis tomorrow. After all, the deadline for his reply is tomorrow. Tomorrow, he must decide whether or not he receives the rank and territory. They all stay up all night to develop some countermeasures. ¡°Well, she does have her position to think about.¡± Ryouma¡¯s words are somewhat cold. One can say his words are filled with anger. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel aggravated by it?¡± Lione turns her gaze toward Ryouma. ¡°Let see¡­ Well, I do not have a plan of forgiving her for this though¡­¡± Ryouma responded with those words while laughing. Everyone present looking at Ryouma¡¯s face can feel a cold shiver run down on their spine. This is the laughter of a demon. Filled with malice and hatred. A dark and deep darkness, filled with ambition. (Lupis¡­ I don¡¯t know what situation you¡¯re in¡­ But you¡¯ve betrayed me¡­ Well, It was also my mistake to get deceived like this¡­ But this time, I will make you pay the price!) Tonight, the light in his room remained lit until morning came. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 66 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 2 Chapter 42.5 Chapter 42.5 Day 260 after being summoned to another world: (Those who move behind the scene) ¡°With that being said¡­ My report ends here, is that alright? Your Highness.¡± Sudou sat in the chair while facing Princess Sardina who was intently listening to the report. They were currently in Sardinas private office which resides in the castle of the imperial capital. Sardina was listening to Sudou report regarding his infiltration into the Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°I see, well, for now, everything seems to be going well¡­ Though there are some unexpected things that happened, it was a great result in terms of weakening the Rozeria Kingdom¡­ Saitou, is there anything you¡¯re concerned about regarding his report?¡± Sardina asked Saitou who was standing by her side. ¡°Let¡¯s see, thanks to Sudou-san, we don¡¯t have to change much of our plans. If they managed to kill Gerhardt then Princess Ladine will also be killed. For you to be able of making the two of them survived¡­ As expected of Sudou-san. Gerhardt aside, we have already invested a lot of money bringing up that Ladine.¡± In response to Saitous compliment, Sudou¡¯s expression breaks into a smile. ¡°No no no, It¡¯s not really my power you see¡­ That Princess¡­ Oh right, now she¡¯s a Queen huh¡­ Well whatever, that woman is really stupid! Even if he¡¯s a trustworthy aide, no matter how much she trusts him, to think that she was willing to risk everything for the life of a single knight¡­¡± Sudou said those words of humiliation towards Lupis while also being humble regarding his own ability, but in his eyes, one can see he held confidence in his own intelligence. One can say such humility is a unique trait of Japanese people. However, such humility is only a form. And Sardina fully understood that he¡¯s actually a prideful and an arrogant person. One can even say that he¡¯s the embodiment of arrogance. ¡°Although her head is smart, she lacks determination¡­ I guess one can say that was the naivety of a kind hearted person huh?¡± Sudous criticism spared no mercy regarding Lupis since within his heart, he truly despised her. ¡°Ah about that¡­ Indeed I too wonder what the enemy¡¯s doing¡­ Well, it is good for us if the enemy is stupid though. But if they are too stupid, it makes me feel bored you know¡­¡± Sardina shrugged her shoulders while laughing. While Sudou nodded his head in agreement,Saitou refutes her words with a slight frown. ¡°But still Your Highness. Isnt it also troublesome for us to not destroy them completely this time?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s about that guy huh¡­ Tch! Hes always getting on my nerves. I really hate that guy!¡± Toward Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina spat out only hateful words. Saitou¡¯s words made her mood instantly getting worse. The face of a young man that looks a bit older compared to his real age appeared inside her mind, which she tried to shake off. Well her hatred toward him is justified. After all, he was the man who got in her way on more than one occasions. ¡°Well, but just like what we heard from Sudou¡¯s report, he¡¯s just someone who got involved by accident¡­ I don¡¯t think he participated in this war because he knew of the empires movements¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it was infuriating¡­ Just when we were figuring out where he ran of to, we found him participating in the war, and furthermore by accident? Thanks to him our original plan is barely intact!¡± Toward Sudou¡¯s relaxed tone, Sardina raised her voice in responding. ¡°Well its something similar to what wed call fate? He is the one who managed to interrupt Gaies-samas grand plan and also single-handedly kill Gaies-sama after all. Khukhuhu.¡± ¡°Fate huh¡­¡± While looking at Sudou laughter, Sardina sighed. The civil war in Rozeria was actually a strategy that the deceased Gaies had developed in order for the Ortomea Empire to conquer the easter territories of the western continet. The Ortomea Empire who already conquered the central part of the western continent was planning on conquering the eastern parts of the continent while enduring pressure from the Ernest Gora Kingdom situated in the north, and Kirtantia in the west. The national strength of both countries can be said to be almost equal when compared to the Ortomea Empire. The three-way stalemate has continued for almost 20 years. The countries understood that if two parties were to engage in all out war, the third party would be the one to benefit the most from it. Despite continuous skirmishes at the borders of each country, none of the countries have launched a major offensive Gaies, who was the military leader and also the main brainchild of the Ortomea Empire presented a solution to the Empire. It was an established fact that if the Empire(As it was currently) were to launch a major offensive against either the northern kingdom or the western empire that it would be difficult. Thus, Gaies proposed them to turn their attentions towards the either the southern areas of the western continents or the easter parts of the western continent. Whilst the empire were deciding which to invade first, Gaies recommended them to conquer the eastern areas of the western continent first. The southern areas were divided into 15 smaller countries which were always having territorial disputes with one another. This meant that there were quite a number of experienced soldiers that could be brought against the Empires flag. On the other hand, the eastern parts of the western continent had 3 kingdoms who had a very long rule, not only did they have a very strict status system,their citizens have tendency of being exploited by their ruler, thus it would be more easy for the empire to control the land after the empire conquers them by giving the citizen lower tax or other things. With that reason, the Emperor made a royal decree to carry out Gaiess plans. The first steps into the plan was the civil war of Rozeria Kingdom which also bordered the Zalda Kingdom. The national strength of each individual nation of the western continent was much weaker when compared to the strength of the Ortomea Empire but if the nations were to join together even Ortomea wouldnt be able to grasp an easy victory. The purpose of the civil war in Rozeria Kingdom was to divide the eastern powers. ¡°2 years have already passed since the time Gaies received the decree from the emperor and since Sudou found Ladine. After King Farst the second gradually weakened due to age, we used poison to finish him under the guise of a disease and after all the preparations were completed, Gaies ended up passing, jeopardizing the plan.¡± One can say that the Empires plan was in great danger because of Gaies summoning the man called Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Saitou nodded deeply toward Sardina¡¯s words. ¡°So? What happens to him?¡± ¡°Mikoshiba Ryouma huh¡­ Well¡­ He¡¯s really a crafty one¡­ Although in the grand scheme of things we manage to complete all of our objectives, but¡­¡± Sudou cuts his words midway. From his expression, one can see he was at lost for words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didnt you manage to confine him within Wortenia Peninsula?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ I did manage to do just that, but that man¡­ He manages to pull a last minute condition¡­¡± ¡°Eh? What do you mean by that? Isn¡¯t he being confined within Wortenia peninsula with the pretext of rewarding him with the territory as Baron? What do you mean by condition?¡± Sudou nodded with a serious look toward Sardina surprised expression. ¡°He¡¯s really a manly one¡­ He manages to gauge his opponent vital point just by speaking and Queen Lupis was overwhelmed by him.¡± After Sudou gives such a preliminary statement, he began to talk about what had happened during the audience that day. That day, Ryouma immediately ask for an audience as soon as Lupis had the time for one. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re fast¡­ Mikoshiba. I heard you already have an answer?¡± Lupis asked Ryouma while maintaininga strong facial expression. ¡°Yes, your majesty¡­ I¡¯m very happy for your majestys offer¡­ If possible I wish to accept it, but¡­¡± Ryouma swiftly cut his words and gazed towards Lupis, she noted that there was no fury in his eyes unlike the previous days. He was trying to show respect towards Lupis. ¡°Does that means you¡¯re going to refuse, Mikoshiba?¡± Lupiss voice was getting low and cold, for a ruler to turn a mere commoner to a noble would be something many commoners would crawl and beg for but even without any words Ryouma understood from the atmosphere. (Fuuh¡­ Stupid.) Ryouma suppressed the sudden insult that slipped into his mind. ¡°I wouldnt dare¡­ I want to express my deepest gratitude toward your majesty¡­ However¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Before accepting the offer, there¡¯s something I would like to confirm¡­ I will accept the reward after hearing the things I want to confirm¡­¡± Due to Ryouma¡¯s evasive words, irritation begins to appear within Lupis¡¯ heart. ¡°Your majesty¡­It would be better for us to listen to what he¡¯s going to say, rather than letting him get away¡­¡± Meltina who¡¯s standing beside the throne whispers to Lupis. ¡°Very well¡­ Mikoshiba. What do you want to ask?¡± Following Lupis permission, Ryouma bows his head as a sign of gratitude. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ First of all¡­ How much do you know about the current state of Wortenia Peninsula?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Both Lupiss and Meltinas expression were dyed in a colour of doubt. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know much about it, but this Wortenia Peninsula seems to have a considerable problem, does it not?¡± ¡°Oh, my? Is that how so?¡± Lupis attempted to probe Ryoumas words for the first time and although Lupis did not plan on telling him the truth here, it was quite obvious to Ryouma that she was playing coy. ¡°Yes¡­ I tried to find information about Wortenia peninsula, and I realized¡­¡± Ryouma turn his eyes toward Lupis once again. ¡°This Wortenia peninsula, if we look at how big the territory was, it can be said to be a generous offer.. However, there¡¯s a problem.¡± The problem Ryouma told her are as follows. 1. The tax revenue is 0 because the place had been used to sent exiled criminals, basically, there¡¯s no proper citizen there. No citizen no tax income. 2. A lot of powerful monsters inhabited the land, as a result, it would be difficult for ordinary people to live there. 3. The existence of hostile settlements. 4. The issue with pirates who make their base in the territory coastal land. 5. It directly borders Zalda Kingdom, and is filled with constant conflict. The first and second were the biggest issues. After all, without tax revenue Ryoumas ability to develop his territory decreases significantly. It is a fact that nobles require revenue to maintain their country so giving a noble territory with absolutely no revenue or funding is like throwing a live fish in a desert. It was clear to Ryouma that Lupis bears malicious intent in giving this territory to him but for now Ryouma hid his emotions. One should only show their anger and hatred towards their opponents. ¡°I see! As expected of Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­ In a short time, you¡¯ve managed to gather that much of information¡­ Does Mikoshiba-dono want to reject the offer because of that? Betraying her majesty expectation?!¡± Meltina raised her voice to support Lupis who was rendered silenct after Ryouma pointed out all the problem. ¡°Mikoshiba-dono! In response to your achievement in helping to defeat Hodram and Gerhardt, Her Majesty is already breaking customs by making you a nobleman! Indeed, Wortenia peninsula is not a rich territory. However, it is a vast land within the Rozeria Kingdom, comparable to that of a duchy territory. It would be a waste to leave the land as it is and refuse the offer, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°I see¡­ Does that mean your majesty wants me to develop Wortenia peninsula so that people can live in it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Indeed it was a harsh land. However, if it¡¯s you, I believe we can have a high expectation!¡­ Am I right?¡± ¡°Can I take Meltina¡¯s words as her majesty intent?¡± One can say Meltina put in a good word. Because your an excellent person we give you difficult territories.. One could interpret it that way. However, Ryouma was not easily deceived by such words. Ryouma immediately averted his gaze from Meltina and turned towards Lupis who has a stiff expression on her face. Towards Ryouma¡¯s question, Lupis had no choice other than to nod. No matter what, she can¡¯t say that she wants to confine him after all. And Meltina¡¯s words are within Ryoumas expectations. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is! If that the case I would gladly help!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is your wish just to confirm my will?¡± Listening to Ryoumas reply, Princess Lupiss expression changes. Of course, Ryouma wasnt so stupid, everything fell within his plans. For him to corner both Lupis and Meltina¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not it, Your Majesty! Because if I don¡¯t confirm your majestys will, it would be hard for me to ask for my wish¡­¡± A chill ran down the spin of the two who were about to hear Ryoumas wishes. ¡°What is it that you wish for¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I just want to borrow some money to develop the peninsula¡­ to calculate the borrowed money, I need to understand your majesty intention first¡­ And it is really a great honor for me that your majesty put your majesty¡¯s expectation on me. I will do my best to meet your majesty¡¯s expectation!¡± Ryouma deeply lowers his head toward Lupis. ¡°Wait! What are you talking about? The Wortenia peninsula is your territory! The royal family should not have to fund that!¡± Meltina slightly raises her voice. While Ryouma¡¯s expression does not change. ¡°Ha? This is different! Her Majesty knows the situation within Wortenia peninsula, and she wishes for prosperity and development of the territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s why we want you to develop the territory with your talent!¡± ¡°But then, I¡¯m just a commoner. I have no property. Does Meltina and your Majesty know that?¡± ¡°Well, we do¡­¡± ¡°Since I have no money, I need to borrow from someone to answer Her Majesty expectation¡­ But no merchants willing to lend funds for the development of the territory.¡± Merchants hate taking such large risks, development of a territory that housed demi-humans and monsters. No matter from which angle one were to view it, there were no merits in developing it. ¡°That¡¯s why, with your talent¡­¡± Meltina desperately tried to cling to their plan. If they were overtaken by him, everything will burst into bubbles. If they can¡¯t contain Mikoshiba Ryouma, Lupis would be crushed. It is absolutely necessary for them to avoid such thing to happen. ¡°Of course! I have my talents. However, I¡¯m not God! There¡¯s no way for me to develop such land without any resource¡­ I think the wise Queen understand that?¡± Ryouma bows towards the now pale looking Lupis. Originally she planned to impose him under unreasonable conditions but since it managed to proceed this far she could not refuse him because she had already affirmed her will previously. ¡°How much do you need?¡± ¡°Your majesty!¡± Lupis ignored Meltina¡¯s scream. They were not alone, other nobles were watching and there werethe knights who guarded the audience room. Lupis could not show any disgraceful behaviours in front of her people. She needs to show them that she is the monarch that would ask a commoner to do an important task. ¡°As expected of your majesty! Very understanding! Well then, the rough estimate fund that I need is around 100 billion baht!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C *Pfft* Following Sudou¡¯s explanation, Saitou burst out into laughter. For him who¡¯s usually calm and polite, this is an unusual occurrence and Sardina had no intention of reproaching his behavior either. After all, she was also surprised because of the explanation. Firstly, a cheap hotel in town is usually cost 100 baht per night. Another 100 bath if you want to take meals in the morning and night. That means, 200 baht is necessary for a person to live for a day. With that, one can understand, how much the demands Ryouma had put forth. ¡°Such an incomprehensible amount¡­ With that amount they have to lend the entire income of the kingdom!¡± Following Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina also nods in agreement. ¡°Even for the Empire, it is impossible to put forth such an amount in one go¡­¡± It wasnt an impossible task but no nation within the western continents are able to pass such an amount in one go since the income of a nation is fixed based on the annual budget. Most of the things that are impossible to neglect such as salaries of the officials and capital investment in the military. If the empire had to put out such amount in one go, they would have to spend hours working over the multi-years worth of budget. Even for just the paperwork alone will take a lot of time. That¡¯s why it is impossible for the Rozeria Kingdom which has smaller size compared to the empire. Toward Sardina¡¯s words, Sudou nodded in agreement. ¡°I agree¡­ However, it would be bad for them if they don¡¯t put some funds despite wanting to develop the land.¡± Opening up the forest, creating roads, hiring a work force and soldiers, preparing to take care of the pirates and demi humans. Money was also required to settle emigrates. If one were to look at it from an economical standpoint, that much would be quite reasonable if one were to develop the peninsula. ¡°But still that many¡­ Just what¡­ Ah!¡­ I see so that¡¯s how it is!¡± ¡°As expected of your highness¡­ did you notice?¡± Toward Sardina realization, Sudou smiled and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did he really think he would be able to receive that amount of money? What if, he expected to get rejected and presented smaller demands?¡± Sudou picked out a piece of paper from inside his pocket and presented it to Sardina. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°The list of things that Mikoshiba demanded from the Queen Lupis¡­ I¡¯ve confirmed that all of them are troublesome¡­ It seems like the territory would be completely independent from the Rozeria Kingdom.¡± The clauses on the paper are detailed, and there are quite a few items. Sardina looked at each of the conditions Ryouma put forward, from top to bottom. Her expression then turns cloudy. Ryouma was roughly ask for, To leave all law, military, diplomacy, and economy to Mikoshiba Ryouma. Exempted from a tax that nobles have to pay to the kingdom. In other words, while being in a position of being a Baron, Ryouma held an authority comparable to that of a Duke. ¡°Did she¡­ Queen Lupis¡­ Really accept this?¡± Sudou nodded his head answering Sardina question. ¡°I heard she¡¯s stupid¡­ But to this extent¡­ This is the same as giving freedom to a venomous viper¡­¡± ¡°It seems like her mind was dazzled by the amount of funds initially asked, thus she gave permission without much thought¡­¡± ¡°Well, I understand that¡­ But still¡­¡± This is the same as giving freedom to a very dangerous man. Moreover, with the land. ¡°Well, the saving grace is no matter how much authority over the land he has, the land has no revenue and also unexplored¡­ Basically, he has to create everything from nothing¡­¡± ¡°Saitou¡­ Do you think the same?¡± Sardina asked Saitou who was in silence since a while ago. Land without tax revenue. Filled with monsters. No assistance from the Rozeria Kingdom. Just what in the world can Ryouma do? But Saitou could not say that¡­ Because he also slightly holds some fear toward a being known as Mikoshiba Ryouma. Sardina diverted her eyes from Saitou. Everyone within the room has the same feeling of anxiety. ¡°Sudou¡­ Your plan¡­ Are you sure its not backfiring?¡± Sudou answered her question with silence. Sudou himself is the one who suggested Lupis to make Ryouma a noble. And that is to confine Mikoshiba Ryouma. Of course, Sardina also doesn¡¯t want Ryouma being appointed to another country. Especially the countries located in the northern and western part of the continent. But the plan might actually backfire¡­ Such anxiety binds the three people inside the room. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine¡­ Sudou¡­ Don¡¯t let him out of your sight, understood?¡± Sudou nodded toward Sardina¡¯s command without many words. ¡°Well then, your highness¡­ The next plan, is it alright to assume that the invasion of the Zalda Kingdom begins?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ As planned before, we¡¯re going to invade them next month¡­ Sudou! You remember our plan right?¡± ¡°Please be relieved. Due to the previous civil war, unrest is spreading within both the aristocracy and knights. Because they need to focus on their internal affairs, Rozeria won¡¯t be able to reinforce Zalda.¡± ¡°Very well! I leave the Rozeria¡¯s matters in your hand!¡± Toward Sardina¡¯s words, Sudou and Saitou nodded their head. The Ortomea Empire began bearing their fangs toward their neighboring country. Chapter 67 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Episode 1 Editor: SniperIRL Day 275 after being summoned to another world: (Towards the peninsula) 1 ¡°I wonder, how long has it been since then?¡± Clear blue sky. Calm wind runs through the royal capital Preaus. No one would think that the kingdom where the city is located just experienced civil war. The scenery spread in front of Elena¡¯s eyes is calm and full of vigor. Elena muttered those words while gazing at the landscape through the window. ¡°Are you talking about Mikoshiba-dono? It has been half a month since he left. If they don¡¯t find any obstacle along the way, they should arrive at the peninsula about now.¡± Her aide who was checking some documents answered Elena¡¯s muttering. ¡°I see¡­ I guess that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Her eyes turned toward the north. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Elena answered her adjutant question with silence. Or rather, there¡¯s no need for her to say anything. ¡°There¡¯s no other way¡­ Her majesty Lupis herself had commanded it. That was the ruler¡¯s decision¡­¡± Despite thinking about Elena¡¯s feeling, the adjutant himself supported Queen Lupis decision. He has no ulterior motive, he just thinks professionally. And many knights and nobles also think the same. (Elena-sama¡­ Certainly, we owe him¡­ But, for the nation¡­) Ryouma is someone who¡¯s too powerful to be left alone by the nation. Thus it seemed like a matter of course for the adjutant to think such thing. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this talk for later, now I would like to talk about Mikhails appointment as General. I know Elena-sama has dissatisfaction regarding this, but please try to restrain your thought for now.¡± Elena nodded her head toward her adjutant suggestion. Mikhail¡¯s mistakes were already well known throughout the kingdom. However, for Lupis, he¡¯s the most trustworthy man. For the knights, nobles and also the citizens, many of them want Elena to continue as the General, but everyone knows Lupis thoughts. If by any chance Lupis doubt Elena¡¯s loyalty just a little bit, Lupis would be willing to dismiss her and propose Mikhail as the General. As a person, Elena is someone who never underestimated Mikhail. It is without a doubt that Mikhail and Meltina would be the future of Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s military leaders. But Elena thought it was too early for them to lead the army. Composure, depth of their knowledge, martial arts, and strategy. They are lacking all of those aspects. One supposedly lost their qualifications to get promoted due to abandoning their mission just because of impatience. (I know that. But I can¡¯t leave the General position to the current Mikhail¡­ And, I also have betrayed that man.. Even if for argument¡¯s sake that I did it for the nation¡­) She knows thinking like that is an indication of being naive. She also understands that even he did not help her solve her problem not out of goodwill. However, because of him, she was able to get the opportunity to kill Hodram. Within her heart, regret was swirling about. But, even so, she could not abandon the country which she was born into. Currently, the present Rozeria Kingdom is in danger. From Elena¡¯s perspective, Queen Lupis as a leader was too immature. Politic al ability, Diplomacy, Economy. Except for the military, she lacked all of them. As the head of the nation, she¡¯s not very reliable. The reason for that is also clear. She lacked the experience in internal affairs, and also for the better or worse, her own good nature as a person. As for knowledge, she at least possesses a sufficient level due to being raised as royalty. And because of the people of the kingdom like her, as a royalty, she¡¯s not that bad. But the problem is how she behaves as a ruler. Especially the power structure she currently aims to build, Lupis wants to keep all the power centralized within her arms reach. That is a minus. A ruler who can¡¯t take decisive action. Aides who do not have the necessary intellect. The nobles who began to move secretly behind the scene. And, lastly, the kind heart she posses when it comes to her family or close associates. After only just two months, she already reinstates Mikhail. Everyone understands that as a ruler, she needs trustworthy people around her to rebuild the nation. However, for a person who committed such grave mistakes yet received such light punishment, while the commoner who actually ended the civil war is being pushed to the Wortenia peninsula, was her majesty unable to see things properly? Is what Elena had thought. Her Majesty doesn¡¯t understand. The civil war might have ended, and the decline in national strength was minimum. But, the internal dispute has not decreased at all. Or rather, it has gotten worse. On the surface, the kingdom seemed have regained its stability and peace. However, it¡¯s actually a situation similar to that of a castle tower being built on a foundation of sand. It is very delicate and prone to collapse. That was the situation the Rozeria Kingdom is currently in. The circumstance might be different if the people who assist the queen are more resourceful. Or at least, if the Queen herself was a person with strong determination, the situation might change. But the reality is different. The wall of status between commoner and ruling class within the kingdom was very high, both the knights and the nobles hate the young man who managed to get all the credit during the civil war. If that man becomes Lupis aides and helps to steer the country, the current crisis would be something avoidable. Elena opposed the decision where Mikoshiba Ryouma has to leave the nation. She wishes for him to remain in the Kingdom. However, Lupis ended up afraid of him. And Lupis ended up throwing him to the Wortenia peninsula instead. ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Elena sighed greatly, she began to turn her eyes back to the document once again. No matter how much trouble one is in, the reality won¡¯t change. She already made her decision. As the current General of the kingdom, she strives to rebuild the country. That is why she did not say anything when Lupis made her decision. Right now, Elena who¡¯s currently the General, can¡¯t object to the new Queens decision. If she recklessly speaks her mind, the current state that is already fragile enough would end up breaking apart. ¡°Rebuilding the nation come first now. Even if you¡¯re dissatisfied, you can¡¯t change the future of this country just by being reckless. Besides, despite being a commoner, he was being elevated to a noble and given land. Although it was different from the first promise, there should be no problem.¡± ¡°I hope that¡¯s true¡­¡± Elena felt fear after listening to how her aides speak about it. Most of the nobles seemed to have also thought the same as him. Only a few people under Earl Bergston understood what implication that decision entails. (It was as if letting go a poisonous snake in your own garden¡­) In Elena¡¯s eyes, she can see that Ryouma hides raging anger and hatred. Just like flowing magma under the ground, quietly, slowly, surely surfacing. She understood that because she had already spent her days hiding such feelings when she waited for her revenge time against Hodram. (Hatred toward those holding authority, and those privileged class¡­ I still remember them clearly¡­) Although as an option Lupis choice was something not to be praised, it was also not something to be condemned. However, she made a mistake as to how she proceeded with it. It should be fine if she just asks Ryouma kindly for his consent and explained the situation that lead to it. However, the status difference between the two got in between them For Her Majesty, she thought that common people should be silent and listen to her words since she¡¯s the ruler. Or at least that¡¯s what Lupis behavior indicates. It is common in this world that a ruling class trampled over the commoner just because of their identity. Elena herself was born as a commoner, she was made to taste a lot of regrets because of the same issue. Despite that, she chose to become a knight for the kingdom and rise through the ranks. But that was because she IS a citizen of the kingdom. That¡¯s why, despite being made to taste a lot of regrets, she still loves her nation, but what would happen if the person in question does not have affection for the country? The result would be a raging anger and hatred. (I wonder, if someday, I would have to fight him?) Such anxiety appears inside her heart. However, she does not have any intention to voice out such anxiety. In fact, if he were to come and execute his revenge, she¡¯s going to throw her sword in silently. After all, for her, his revenge is just and right. (Five years huh?) The day before Ryouma left the royal capital Pireaus, he told her something. It was the grace time left for this nation. Gerhardts status has been demoted to that of a Viscount, his territory was also changed into a land near the border south of Rozeria Kingdom. There is a remarkable difference in terms of income compared to his previous territory. However, the kingdom can¡¯t do many things in case of his personal assets, thus he has no economic problems. It was a month after the civil war ended. Elena heard that he already made a move toward the nobles who survived the purge and kept them close to him. That alone was the result of Queen Lupis appointing Earl Bergston who was from neutral faction into an important position, those who lost their jobs because of it, flocked to Gehardts side. They seem to be rebuilding the nobles faction with Gerhardt as the head. Of course, there also the matter regarding princess Ladine. Thanks to Gerhardt, she was officially recognized as a member of royal family. That itself is not enough to cause a problem. But because the Queen hesitates to execute Gerhardt, he manages to begin a fresh start. No, rather, Elena felt that Lupis is being cornered despite being the winner of the civil war. Hodram who has ties with Thalluja kingdom ends up dead. Straining the relationship between the two nations. Zalda And Mist kingdom are far from a close relationship. No one knows when war could break out between the two countries. The Rozeria Kingdom is not safe yet. While worrying about the enemies outside the kingdom, there¡¯s the problem of grace period left for Queen Lupis to consolidate her authority. And that grace period is just estimation. Looking at the reality, it seems it would be shorter than the estimation. ¡°Lupis will die, unless she managed to consolidate her authority within five years¡­ Well, I guess you understand that already¡­ I just don¡¯t want Elena-san being rolled up into it.¡± Ryouma told her those words while laughing. When she saw that, Elena realize that Ryoumas heart has already abandoned Lupis. And his words are purely out of concern toward Elena. He gives her advice so that she does not get destroyed because of an incompetent ruler. ¡°Five years huh?¡± ¡°Eh? What did you say?¡± Her adjutant asks such question after hearing Elena¡¯s murmur. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­ Continue sorting the document..¡± In accordance with her words, her adjutant gives her new documents. She looked at it briefly signed it and put a seal on it. Until the day Ryouma told her about come, there is still time. (Ryouma-kun¡­ Please survive¡­ And once again¡­) Elena prayed from the bottom of her heart for the young man who is far away from her, just like a grandmother praying for her own grandchildren. Hoping for a day they meet again. The sun rising above the head, pouring its light toward the people walking along the highway. Because of the civil war, the distribution of logistics within the Rozeria Kingdom have been disturbed, but due to the internal administrative dispute, the problem was delayed more than 2 months after the civil war had ended. Right now, the life of the people has returned to that of the calm, pre-civil war one. Meanwhile, A group of people who bore a characteristic crest is moving through the highway. Flag with a pure black background. On the surface, there¡¯s a crest of twin snakes with red eyes entangling a sword. The eyes of the snakes give the impression of staring at the surrounding. When Mikoshiba Ryouma took up the position of Baron, that was the coat of arms he made at the royal capital, the crest of Mikoshiba household. The sword represents military power, and the snakes symbolized cunning and wisdom, it can be said that the crest represents a man called Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°Boy! We¡¯re about to arrive at the fort city Epiroz!¡± While her crimson hair swayed due to the winds, Lione shouted towards her back. ¡°Indeed. Finally huh¡­ My ass is already sore¡­¡± ¡°Ma~ Ma~, Ryouma-sama, please endures it a little bit more alright? I will apply some medicine after we arrive at the nearest inn.¡± ¡°If you want, how about changing into a carriage? If we got into the carriage, we can immediately apply the medicine.¡± Toward Laura¡¯s words, Sara made some interjection. It seems like the two sisters are in the middle of the war to win Ryoumas affection as their master. ¡°O-Oh, it¡¯s fine¡­ I need to get used riding a horse after all¡­¡± Ryouma answered the two of them while enduring the pain on his butt. He has not much experience riding a horse. Not to mention a car seat, even a saddle of a bicycle is more softer than a saddle used for a horse. As a person from a modern-day Japan, for him riding a horse for a long period of time, no wonder his ass end up hurting. At the time he was chasing after Hodram, the sisters taught him how to ride a horse, but then again that was an emergency measure. And being used for marching for a half-month during the military campaign., the saddle platting have already come off. ¡°Well, be a little bit patient! A little bit more and we will be able to see the walls of Epiroz city.¡± The total numbers of this group including Lione is 30 people. Other than Lione, Bolts, Genou, Sakuya, the Marfisto sisters, and Ryouma, there are 23 mercenaries. It might be said as impressive in term of employing mercenaries. However, in term of managing territory, such number of people are very lacking. (I guess I need people who can handle office work huh¡­) Ryouma is someone who has a good mentality and direction when it comes to the military. Although the current power he has can only be said as a small unit compared to an army of a nation. (Well I guess I have no choice other than moving one step at a time¡­ There¡¯s no way the country I plan to make can suddenly be established.) While Ryouma thinks that, he directed his gaze forward. (I will survive! And¡­ Lupis! I will definitely make you pay for what you¡¯ve done¡­ With interest added too¡­) In his mind, new determination surges. Who would expect, that the group that about to enter the fort city of Epiroz would influence the situation within the west continent. Western Continent Calendar, August 5, 2812. A new page of history is about to be written in the book of history of the western continent. Chapter 68 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Episode 2 Editor: SniperIRL Western Continent Calendar August 5, 2812: (Towards the Peninsula 2) Fort city Epiroz. The city is located northwest of the Rozeria Kingdom, and it is a key border point. The city was protected from invaders by a 10 meter high wall. The city itself has 3 entrance points. They are positioneds at the east, west and the north side of the city. The lords castle is located in the south. Everyone within the kingdom knows that the city is a defense facility, a protective wall between the Rozeria and Zalda Kingdoms. The result, the citizens know the city as a city that was able to prevent multiple invasions by the neighboring country. However, those who live in the city know that living in this city feels like a kettle lid holding down what¡¯s inside¡­ Currently, Ryouma¡¯s group is inside a room they rented in an inn within the city. After finishing all the procedures they reached the fortified city, the gateway toward Wortenia peninsula. Currently, Ryouma¡¯s core member up to Bolts is inside the room while relaxing. They are discussing their future plans. ¡°Because this was a border town, it is no wonder being a defense specialized, but it seems like it was not built just for preventing invasions.¡± Bolts said those words while shrugging his shoulders. There is something that someone who has been working as a mercenary for years always does first before doing other things. And that is purchasing and gathering information the moment they arrived at the inn. ¡°Rather than invasion, they built the city like this to prevent monsters entering the Rozeria Kingdom, am I right?¡± Bolts nodded his head. ¡°It seems like the place we¡¯re heading is more severe than we had initially thought¡­¡± Everyone nodded their head agreeing with Bolts¡¯ words. They all know that it was a harsh land since they were at the royal capital. However¡­ ¡°For now our first priority is prepare everything we need in this city¡­¡± What they need now is detailed information regarding the fort city and the Wortenia peninsula. If they entered the peninsula just like this, they would undoubtedly end up dead. Geographical information, necessary equipment, Ryouma does not have all of these aspects in his possession. Not only that, pirates and demi-human villages seems to have existed within the peninsula. Next, there¡¯s also a problem of food and water. There¡¯s no doubt that they can¡¯t buy them from the pirates and demi-humans. Which means, until Ryouma and the others can establish a town, they would have to buy their necessity from this fortified city. Considering that, one has to also carefully choose a trading partner properly. They need to know all the circumstances within this neighborhood. Because they have to do their best to survive. ¡°We sisters will be the ones who are going around for negotiation with the various companies¡­¡± ¡°Fumu, I leave it to you both then¡­¡± Laura has picked up both sisters role. Ryouma also understand that she has a clear understanding of what to do for the present situation. Even Sara also understands that which she, in turn, nodded agreeing with her sister suggestion. ¡°Then Bolts-san should go to the guild. Gather information about the peninsula as much as possible. Especially the locations of rivers and lakes. And don¡¯t forget all the information regarding the mo nsters inhabiting the peninsula.¡± ¡°Understood, young master! Please leave it to me!¡± Bolts tap his chest with his right arm. After nodded Ryouma turned his eyes toward Genou. For him, there are no qualified people other than Genou and Sakuya when it comes to gathering information at any place. Noticing Ryouma¡¯s gaze, Genou¡¯s eyes shine sharply. ¡°Genou investigate the influential people in this town¡­ Family composition, character, weakness, strength¡­ I want all of that information since we¡¯re going to make our base here for a while¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ Indeed, it is best for us to make sure the influential people in this town are on our side¡­¡± Ryouma nodded his head, satisfied with Genou¡¯s answer. ¡°However, don¡¯t do anything noticeable alright? It would be troublesome if they turn hostile toward us right now¡­¡± ¡°Please rest assured¡­ I will answer my lords expectations without fail¡­¡± Genou gently lowered his head. ¡°Boy¡­ Then should I get some mercenaries?¡± While Sakuya joined Genou in gathering information regarding the influential people, only Ryouma and Lione left. But, it seems like Lione already understand what her role was. ¡°Indeed¡­ Only Lione-san is capable of doing this job, please select capable people with good skills¡­ I would like to increase our numbers as much as possible, but since we don¡¯t yet have clear revenue, we need to keep it reasonable¡­¡± ¡°Should we offer them knight job?¡± ¡°No¡­ In the future, I will employ all of you as knights under me, but for now, I want to hire people as mercenaries employed by me¡­¡± Of course, he wants to hire people as knights under him, but it would be too dangerous to hire people in a situation where everything is not yet clear. Anyways, it was not even clear if Ryouma can secure the salaries if he wants to hire them as knights. ¡°I see, I guess that makes sense¡­ It may be better for us to keep the knight¡¯s employment away until the territory development has gone on track¡­¡± Lione who has the experience of leading a mercenary group understands how big military expenditure can get. ¡°Well if that the case please leave it to me! How many people are you going to hire? It will cost money if you want skilled people, you understand that, yes?¡± Naturally, good mercenary comes with high price. If Ryouma did not say how much budget he has, Lione won¡¯t be able to begin the negotiation. In respondse to her question, Ryouma¡¯s eyes turned to Laura. All of his money is in the hands of the Marfisto sisters. ¡°We have 35 million baht in funds. This all is Ryouma-sama¡¯s personal assets.¡± Lione opened her eyes wide hearing Laura¡¯s words. ¡°Eh?! You¡¯re actually quite rich aren¡¯t you?!¡± Her reaction was natural. Because Ryoumas assets are comparable to that of intermediate nobles. It was the money they got after taking the slave traders gold and selling all the jewels. ¡°However, we will need some funds when we begin creating a village. Developing the land, and we also need some helping hands¡­¡± ¡°In other words, we can only use a small part of that budget?¡± Answering Lione¡¯s question, Ryouma nodded his head. This money will become his and the others lifeline. He has to spend it carefully if he wants to survive. ¡°How about 5 million baht? Hiring them for one year, including their food and water, we should get around 200 people, I think?¡± Toward Lione¡¯s suggestion, Laura nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Sure, if it was that much we can prepare it¡­¡± ¡°Alright then! I leave the rest to you Lione-san¡­¡± In respond to Ryouma¡¯s words Lione nodded with great power. For her who has the experience of leading a mercenary group, hiring someone with good ability is as easy as eating breakfast. It was a perfect role for her. Now, Ryouma is the only one who has not yet discussed his schedule. ¡°Then, what Ryouma-sama planning to do?¡± ¡°Me huh? I think I should meet with Earl Salzberg.¡± Answering Sara¡¯s question, Ryouma told everyone what he was planning to do since a while ago. ¡°Isn¡¯t that person the Epiroz city lord? Why do you want to meet that person? He might involve you with something unpleasant you know? Besides, the nobles here despise commoner rising in status, won¡¯t they harass you?¡± Everyone nodded their head agreeing with Lione¡¯s words. Her anxiety can be said as something understandable. Because of Lupis betrayal, a ruler of this very country. They had become distrustful toward the royalty and nobility of this country. However, Genou seems to agree with Ryouma. ¡°I see¡­ I think that was not a bad idea though?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Genou.¡± Lione can¡¯t comprehend why Genou agreed with Ryouma. She turned her questioning gaze toward Genou. This is where she can be said as a good leader. She has her own opinion yet still willing to understand others. This quality is the one which the nobility within the Rozeria Kingdom is lacking. ¡°Certainly, not many people within nobility is good¡­ However, we should not isolate ourselves either just because we have misgiving feelings toward them¡­ Looking at the reality, Epiroz city is next to Wortenia peninsula, it is not a bad thing to meet the lord of the city¡­ In fact, it might end up troublesome if we don¡¯t visit them immediately and they took it as an insult.¡± Hearing Genou¡¯s words, Lione can imagine that they will take it as an insult. In any case, right now, for Ryouma and the others to be able to survive within Wortenia peninsula, they need some supply from the city. If Ryouma makes a mistake and the Earls mood turn bad and then ends up putting some pressure so that Ryouma was unable to do any business in the city, Ryouma would end up dried up alone. ¡°¡­ Certainly¡­ That¡¯s highly possible¡­¡± ¡°See¡­ Noble people have a high pride after all¡­¡± Everyone is convinced by Genou¡¯s words. ¡°Well, for now, I would like to see what kind of person he is and if he would become our friend or enemy. Everyone nodded after listening Ryouma¡¯s words. It is true that they have been betrayed by the royalty and the nobles. However, it does not mean they have to stop trusting all nobles. In the end, whether or not someone deserves the trust, one should judge someone else individually not based on the group they are born or belong to¡­ ¡°My lord¡­ Do you need something from me?¡± Genou who should¡¯ve left the room after the discussion has come back inside the room. Ryouma turned his gaze. ¡°Indeed. I have something to ask¡­¡± Ryoumas face does not show any surprise when Genou opened the door without any sound. (Fuh, did he notice my presence beforehand? Has my skill become dull or something? No, I guess it was his ability¡­) At a young age, Genou had seen much bloodshed. As a member of the elders within his clan, he rarely did field work, but even with that, his skill can be regarded as one of the best. (As expected¡­ This man is the same with the first generation¡­) Genou¡¯s line of sight examines Ryouma. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Genou?¡± Ryouma who feels Genou hot gaze asked him a question. His gaze is looking at Genou with suspicion. ¡°No, please forgive me¡­ So, my lord, what do you need from me?¡± Genou lowered his head respectfully and begin sitting down facing Ryouma. ¡°Well¡­ I have something that I want you to do¡­ But before that, there¡¯s something I want to hear, is that alright?¡± ¡°Understood¡­ Please ask anything¡­¡± It is unlikely for Ryouma to dismiss him this late in the game. Which means Ryouma wants to ask something that he doesn¡¯t want Bolts and Lione heard. (Probably, it¡¯s about Sakuya and me¡­ Even if I¡¯ve pledged my allegiance I can¡¯t buy his trust that easy huh?¡± Genou understood Ryouma mind quickly. Their first encounter was when he and Sakuya perform their mission to assassinate Ryouma. But Ryouma ended up employing the assassin that came to assassinate him instead. Which in turn shows the magnitude the human being called Mikoshiba Ryouma. However, at the same time, Ryouma took one step back when it comes to trusting Genou and Sakuya. He does not yet trust Genou and Sakuya completely. (Well I guess that is natural¡­ After all, I also have not yet told everything to him either¡­) Genou muttered those words inside his heart. It was a relationship where they both can¡¯t trust each other yet. But it does not mean they have a dubious relationship. It would be more accurate that they are waiting for the right times. And their relationship might change according to how Ryouma makes their move from now on. (Should I talk about everything? No¡­ It¡¯s still too early¡­ I can¡¯t entrust my family future to him yet¡­) His decision would decide the future of his entire clan. It would be natural for Genou being cautious. ¡°Relax, I just want to ask you something simple¡­ Why do you want to serve me?¡± Genou wondered if Ryouma actually able to read minds. Ryoumas question was the things he was contemplating about. The question which Genou did not want to answer yet. However, Ryouma took Genou¡¯s silence as an answer. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me anything yet huh?¡± They both gaze at each other straight. (I don¡¯t want to lie¡­) He thought that, but Genou mouth feels heavy. If it was about lies, then Genou is confident that he can say as many as he wanted. But if he does that, he won¡¯t get any trust. He can only keep silent, which does not deny nor affirms Ryouma¡¯s question. After a long silence, RYouma shrugged his shoulders as if given up. ¡°Fine¡­ I guess you have your own reason. I will not ask any further¡­¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Genou showed a surprised looks. ¡°Are you really okay with that?¡± ¡°Of course not¡­ But I don¡¯t think you keep silence out of malice¡­ I do feel like you have some secret that you keep from me, but let¡¯s just wait until you want to say it then¡­¡± Ryouma felt strongly that Genou served him for some kind of purpose. However, since he does not feel any malice from it, he let it pass. In fact, if he felt some malice from it even if it was just a little, Ryouma would mercilessly get rid Genou and Sakuya. Even if they both share the same Japanese blood just like him. (I guess, this much is fine for now¡­ If the time comes, the other side will come to me¡­ For now, let¡¯s fix the problem we have on hand first¡­) That is what Ryouma thinks. Besides, he needs as many helping hands as possible right now. ¡°By the way, Genou¡­ I¡¯d like to employ your clan for some work, can I?¡± ¡°That is¡­ Of course.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s question, Genou regained his calmness. At the same time, his calm brain immediately tried to find out what Ryouma wants him to do. (He wants to hire my clan¡­ Which means he does not want to move Sakuya or me away, that means the job won¡¯t be around Epiroz¡­ It can¡¯t be, did he want to assassinate Lupis?) Considering Ryouma¡¯s personality, that is very likely to happen. He¡¯s someone who never forgets someones gratitude, but also never forgives someone who does harm to him. Despite their short relationship, Genou was able to understand Ryouma that much. Considering how Lupis forcibly threw him into the frontier territory, it is no wonder for Ryouma to retaliate with assassination. However, Genou dismisses such thought by his own. (No¡­ For him to ask that¡­ It would be very unlikely¡­) When they are at the royal capital, there¡¯s that choice. But since they are already in front of the peninsula. There would be no point for him to kill Lupis after coming this far. (If he killed Lupis, he might get caught in something troublesome again¡­ It is too reckless to do that when he still does not have his own base yet¡­ which means¡­) It would take several years to develop the peninsula as a territory. If Ryouma screwed the country now, he won¡¯t have the time to develop the territory instead. There¡¯s no way Ryouma would choose such option with little profit. ¡°The person I want you to deal with is¡­ Wallace Heinkell. The guild master of port town Fulzad.¡± Hearing the name that came out from Ryouma, Genou tilt his head. Of course, Genou had heard of someone with that name. It was the name of the person who has trapped Ryouma. It was the name that came out several times when they are discussing their plan. But, all of their problems with him should have been settled. ¡°What¡¯s with that strange look? Was it that surprising? Do you want to know why?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, Genou nods his head obediently. ¡°Yes¡­ My lords and everyones innocence should have been proven¡­ Why did you want to get rid of that person now?¡± Is it just simple revenge? If so, then Genou have misjudged Ryouma. Right now, Ryouma and the others need money no matter how much it is¡­ There¡¯s no future for a human who gives out their money to satisfy their individual revenge when they are in such dire situation. Which means, there¡¯s no future if he entrusts his family to Ryouma. However, Genou¡¯s uneasiness is a mere imaginary fear. ¡°Indeed, with Lupis power, we were able to prove our innocence. However, with the same power, Lupis can make us guilty again, no?¡­ Wallace had his way once, putting us in predicament. It is natural for us to hate him¡­ But for him, we who survive has become a nuisance¡­ At the time when he thought we¡¯ve become too much of nuisance, won¡¯t he form an alliance with Lupis then?¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s explanation, Genou immediately aware of such possibility. The ruler of the Rozeria Kingdom and Guild Master. Certainly, that would be troublesome to handle if they join hands. ¡°Crush the seed before it can even bloom, is it?¡± Ryouma nodded his head. ¡°Understood¡­ I will dispatch someone with the best skills among my clan¡¯s members to perform the task¡­¡± ¡°That would be a great help¡­ I can¡¯t have you or Sakuya go after all, since it would be too far.¡± It would take two months for the trip between Epiroz and Fulzad, another half month to prepare for the assassination. There¡¯s no time to do all that, when there¡¯s a much more important problem on Ryouma¡¯s hand. ¡°About the reward¡­ How much?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for such thing.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you sure? ¡­ No, I guess you have some condition?¡± Speaking about the Guild master, it is a big deal to assassinate such person. It would be no surprise if Genou demands reward around 100,000 or 200,000. Yet he asks none¡­ That means there¡¯s a condition attached. ¡°Yes¡­ There¡¯s one thing¡­¡± ¡°Fine, go ahead and talk¡­¡± In this day, what kind secret agreement Ryouma and Genou made, no one knows. Only the heaven and the moon that shine brightly in the sky know. Chapter 69 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Episode 3 Editor: SniperIRL 7th day, 8th month, the year 2812. Western Continent Calendar: (Towards the peninsula 3) A carriage stopped in front of the Earls house. The sky has become completely dark, people can only walk around while holding a candle. The black painted two horse carriage stopped in front of the mansion. It is not something nobles would usually use. But the one riding the carriage does not care about such things. He hurriedly procures the carriage after the two sisters make a fuss about how he should maintain a minimum appearance as noble. Servants who stood in line in front of the doorway lowered their heads all at once the moment Ryouma gets down from the carriage. ¡°¡±¡± Welcome, Mikoshiba-sama.¡±¡±¡± As expected of servants serving an Earl family. They welcomed Ryouma with such impeccable conduct. Two people then appear as if waiting for the servants to speak those words first. ¡°Welcome, welcome! Baron Mikoshiba-dono.¡± The man who welcomes him exaggeratedly while raising his arm is the lord of the fortified city Epiroz, Earl Salzberg. His height is around 180cm. His age is around late 30. He¡¯s a middle-aged man with his belly pushing forward a little, but one can see that he was a warrior. Might be due to the city being near the border. (I heard it was a prestigious family that has been around since the founding of Rozeria Kingdom¡­ Which in turn makes them not your ordinary noble family¡­ But what¡¯s up with that greeting? Somehow it feels disgusting¡­) Ryouma who receive extremely polite greeting end up feels uneasy. When it comes to rank, his rank is two level below that of an Earl rank. Ryouma felt it as something very unnatural for the Earl to welcome him who¡¯s a vagabond just the other day like this. Ryouma braced himself. After all, he once took such behavior from Lupis for granted and was betrayed by her. It is reasonable for him to be more cautious. Despite feeling like that, he did not show it on his face. Ryouma smiled and lowered his head slightly to express his gratitude just like how a noble does things, and the one who taught him the manners of nobility was Laura. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for visiting so suddenly today. As someone who¡¯s just a greenhorn, I would like to ask Earl Salzberg his continued guidance.¡± Today, the attire Ryouma wore is not something spectacular. Although he had money from selling the things he got from killing the slave trader, he needs that money to build the territory. He can¡¯t use too much money in something unnecessary. But then, nobles have to protect their honor. He can¡¯t just visit them with a commoner shirt and trousers. That¡¯s why today he wears black pants, silk shirt, and a belt with gold like buckle. When going outdoors he also put a cloak over his clothes. Even with all of that, this is the bare minimum of clothes for nobles. The minimum amount he needs to protect his honor as a noble. The Earl in front of him is actually in contrast compared to him. He wears various jewelry to express his authority for being born as a noble. The articles make him look dignified but does not make him feel vulgar either. His shirt buttons are made in the shape of pearls. On his chest, there¡¯s a brooch with the shape of a flower. Despite such glamorous looks, his wife who¡¯s standing next to him is actually worse. Give or take, her age is around 30. She wore a silk dress that was designed to show her cleavage. Her dress is dyed pure white, matching her shining golden hair. She has a small silver crown atop of her head and large ruby and sapphire rin gs on her hands. She¡¯s exactly a walking gem. From the sense of modern people, her appearance has too many decorative items. However, with her smile showing her elegance, she manages to keep her beauty with exquisite balance. (Fancy but not vulgar¡­ I guess this is the thing called nobility character huh?) Ryouma evaluated the two people smiling in front of him. ¡°Please come in. It must be hard with the long journey from the royal capital. Please relax inside our house tonight. Isn¡¯t that right, Dear?¡± Earl Salzberg nods greatly responding to his wife¡¯s words. ¡°My wife is right, please rest at our place and heal your fatigue. After all, there won¡¯t be any towns or villages once you enter Wortenia peninsula¡­ And until the territory is developed in the future, it would be necessary to carry supplies from Epiroz. Since our territory is next to each other, I hope we have an everlasting relationship!¡± ¡°Thank you, I express my deepest gratitude¡­. From now on, I¡¯ll be in your care¡­¡± Ryouma lower his head slightly toward the Earl. (Fuuh¡­ My purpose for coming here have been known huh? From the way he talks, he seems wiling to cooperate in terms of purchasing goods¡­ But first, I need to find out if that is really whats inside their heart¡­) Ryouma eyes shone sharply. Ryouma is accompanied by the Earl toward the table. ¡°Well now, we¡¯ve prepared everything for the sake of welcoming Baron Mikoshiba today, I asked the chef to perform his extraordinary cooking skills. Unlike the royal capital, there¡¯s not much product in this remote area, but there¡¯s quantity, please relish to your hearts content.¡± Along with Earl Salzbergs words, the door of the hall was opened up, and maids came in with dishes on a cart. ¡°This is¡­¡± It was natural for Ryouma to be lost for words when looking at the dishes being arranged on the table. There¡¯s a whole roasted pig, various cuts of beef, bird meat, and then fish meat, there are also various vegetables and seaweed presented as salad. Seasonal fruit chilled by using crushed ice. The table that can easily seat 20 people was overflowing with foods. ¡°Oh dear, this is very embarrassing. Perhaps this is not usual at the royal capital but when a guest visits, it is a custom for us to welcome them with more food than can be eaten¡­ Well, it is just a custom from the countryside, consider it as a token of wanting to build a good relationship.¡± Earl Salzberg said those words while stroking his head. ¡°No no, as an upstart I¡¯m very grateful toward Earl Salzbergs warm welcome.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! I guess an upstart always being this humble. Mikoshiba-dono, you¡¯re someone who has made remarkable achievements during the civil war. I heard the princess trusts you very much¡­ On the other hand, I can¡¯t move even one step due to my anxiety that the Zalda Kingdom might make their move.¡± Ryouma made an amiable laugh in response to the Earls words. ¡°Dear? Enough with the story. The food will get cold you know?¡± The Earl¡¯s wife named Yuria warned him. ¡°Oh right! That was rude of me¡­ Oi! Pour some wine into Mikoshiba-donos glass.¡± Following the Earls words, the crimson wine was poured into the glass in front of Ryouma. ¡°Well then¡­ To celebrate Mikoshiba-donos prosperity and relationship between our families! Cheers!¡± Together with the Earls words, Ryouma raised his glass. A rich grape fragrance spreads inside his mouth. It has a very stimulating flavor. Afterwards the deep richness of the wine spreads through his whole body. He can feel the wine easily slide down his throat. It was sliding just like silk. (Such fine quality wine¡­) Ryouma is a high school student who supposedly never know the taste of an alcohol, However, because of his grandfather he was already experienced with alcohol, and since he came to this world, he he drinks it almost every day. From his experience in this world, the wine the Earl has offered is one of the highest quality. While he was staying at Pireaus castle, he was offered luxury liquor, but the one he is drinking currently is a grade higher. (The cooking, and this wine¡­ What¡¯s going on? No rather, how did they manage to do all of this? Are they able to do this just by using revenue from the tax?) Even if it was only the food. Looking at the ingredients they have used. Numerous spices had been used without holding back. No matter how much one said it was their custom at welcoming people, this is too extravagant for the sake of welcoming an upstart Baron. (Maybe, this is something normal for them? If that is the case then¡­) Looking at the Earl¡¯s wifes clothes, it was such extraordinary luxurious. Rather than regarding their welcome as something extravagant, what if their living standard that was simply high. (No, that is impossible¡­ With only tax, such luxury cannot be maintained¡­ That¡¯s means¡­) Ryouma was unable to conclude an answer. Because he only has a little information about them. But if Ryouma think about it, he can imagine where this all came from¡­ (I have to consider all the reports everyone has gathered after this is over¡­) ¡°Oh. It seems like you only ate a little, does the food not match your taste?¡± After drinking a bit of wine, the Earl spoke to Ryouma who has kept silent without eating much of his food. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was because he¡¯s too tired due to the long journey, Dear. Were the meat dishes too heavy for your stomach? Anna. Please give Baron-sama the cold fruits. I¡¯m sure Baron-sama would like it.¡± According to the Earl¡¯s wife words, one of the maids brings the fruit that was in a golden container filled with ice. ¡°Please excuse me. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡± After saying that, Ryouma ate the cold orange. He was actually just thinking of something, but he has no intention of correcting the Earl¡¯s misunderstanding. ¡°As expected, you look tired¡­ I do want to hear your story as the person who helped to end the civil war but¡­ But I guess it can¡¯t be helped? Since usually to reach here, one needs to ride a horse for half a month.¡± ¡°Dear! That¡¯s rude¡­ I¡¯m sure it was because of mental fatigue due to suddenly being appointed as noble¡­ Am I right? Baron-sama.¡± Yuria¡¯s words are filled with concern for Ryouma ¡°Indeed¡­ Suddenly I was given a territory, to be honest as a commoner it was very confusing¡­¡± Ryouma answered her briefly while carries a piece of beef meat into his mouth. ¡°Is that so? I heard Mikoshiba-dono is a person with excellent wisdom. I will help you whenever you need help. And since our territories are next to each other, we should help each other in times of need¡­ Oh? Was the food not good?¡± The Earl looks suspiciously at Ryouma who chewed the beef meat slowly and carefully ¡°No, it¡¯s just that this uses salt more than I thought¡­ Back at the royal capital, the salt in the dishes tastes quite thin. That¡¯s why I was wondering.¡± Just like spice, salt was very precious in this world. At any rate, in this world salt is fundamental to someone livelihood, and there are only two ways to obtain it, either making a field for drying salt or dig up rock salt. If ones territory is facing the sea, then they won¡¯t have to worry about it, but Earl Salzbergs territory should not have any land facing the sea. If that the case then, either they found rock salt, or transported the salt from another place. ¡°Hahahaha¡­ I guess those who have accustomed to the light taste from the royal capital would feel surprised.¡± Ryouma interject the Earl words. His purpose is to jolt them and blurt out their secret. ¡°There shouldnt have been any parts of this territory that touched the sea¡­ Did you find a rock salt vein?¡± ¡°No, in fact yes that¡¯s right¡­ We¡¯ve found a large rock salt vein in recent years¡± The Earl¡¯s wife interrupted the Earl¡¯s answer with smile. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Hou¡­ That¡¯s very enviable¡­ ¡± Ryouma responded to the wifes answer with a smile as well. There¡¯s no need for Ryouma to push for the answer here. (Salt huh?¡­ I guess it is worth investigating¡­) Ryouma swallowed the beef inside his mouth while having such thought. After that, nothing dramatic happens, and the talk proceeds normally, Ryouma and the Earl have succeeded in establishing friendly relations. Both of them talked while drinking wine, and the Earl¡¯s wife also joined the conversation occasionally. They did not show any arrogance as nobles, and welcomed Ryouma from the beginning to the end. After finishing their talk the Earl asks Ryouma to stay in the mansion which he accepts. Ryouma entered the room which the maid guided him to. A room filled with types of furniture that show craftsmanship with a great deal of effort to make. Both the curtains and the sheets are made by using silk. There are some paintings and vases around the room. The luxury was comparable to that of a first-class hotel. (Just how much would all this be worth if I sold it?) Ryouma muttered those words while lying down on the bed. This room alone is filled with mountain of treasures. Then the thought of how much money one needs to develop a territory crosses his mind. (This is a proof that they have economic power huh? But as far as I know, according to the documents I¡¯ve checked in the library at the royal capital, they should have no major product though¡­?) He can¡¯t understand the Earl and his wifes attitude either. Looking at the outside, they look like a friendly couple, but one can¡¯t be sure how they actually feel inside. *Konkon* While Ryouma was in deep thought the sound of someone knocking the door brought him back to reality. ¡°Baron-sama¡­ May I enter?¡± A faint voice of a young woman can be heard. ¡°Come in¡­ I didn¡¯t lock the door.¡± ¡°Please excuse me¡­¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s words, the door was opened and a maid stepped inside. ¡°Does the Earl call me?¡± ¡°E-Emm¡­ The madam¡­ To Baron-sama¡­¡± Looking at the appearance of the maid that came in, Ryouma is able to guess what had happened. The attire that covered the maid¡¯s body is a s.e.xy baby doll lingerie. Under that, one can see alluring pink panty and bra. Looking at her shoulders quivering occasionally, one can immediately understand that she desperately endured something. ¡°If I said I do not need it, will you get in trouble?¡± When she heard Ryouma¡¯s words, the color of despair appeared on her expression. ¡°Ah! E-Emm¡­ T-This is¡­ My first time doing this¡­ U-Umm¡­ I-I¡¯ll do my best for Baron-sama¡­ A-Am I no good¡­?¡± It might be because she was being ordered, but one can see her determination and eagerness. Who can turn down a girl that already said that much with such a reddened face? ¡°Very well¡­ Come here.¡± Ryouma called out to her as gently as possible so as not to frighten her. Of course, Ryouma is not someone with an abundance of experience when it comes to women. However, he can¡¯t let himself show a boorish attitude by rejecting her, and there¡¯s also his honor as a man. He grabs the maid¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Hearing the maids powerful reply, Ryouma brings her body closer towards him. The candlelight on the bedside disappeared and darkness dominated the room. Chapter 70 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 3 Episode 4 Editor: SniperIRL 7th day, 8th month, the year 2812. Western Continent Calendar: (Towards the peninsula 4) ¡°Geez, did we really have to welcome him like that?¡± While drinking black tea, Earl Salzberg spat out dissatisfied words. And his wife was sitting in front of him while listening to him The figure of the person who had welcomed Ryouma full of smiles has gone, replaced with a dissatisfied expression. His face now shows the arrogance and contempt for commoners. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ He did embrace the maid, for now, do you want to hear the result?¡± Hearing she said that with a smile on her face, the Earl scowled at her in irritation. ¡°I don¡¯t need it! I laid my eyes first on that girl you know that right? Yet, why did you give her over to that upstart! It was natural for the Earl to get upset, after all the maid girl he aimed at was given to someone else. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine? There are a lot of other maids you have here¡­ Besides, you will just get bored of her after one month, no?¡± ¡°This and that are different matters! Even if I get bored and throw her away, I can¡¯t stand giving my things to someone else! Furthermore, she¡¯s a girl that I¡¯ve not yet laid my hands on, you know that? Geez, and she was that pretty!¡± Even if the Earl expresses his wrath, nothing can be done now. Yuria feels disgusted but does not show it on her face. (*Sigh*¡­ I wonder why this mans habits are so terrible. ¡­ He can get as many prostitutes or slaves as he wants, but he always seeks out innocent girls that have little to no experience¡­ Besides, he will undoubtedly sell them to the slave trader after embracing them in bed once or twice¡­) She looked at her husband who only likes virgin girls with cold eyes. However, she tried her best to hide her true emotions. In order for her to keep living, she needs Earl Salzberg. After the Earl complained for a while longer, his mind seems to have calmed down. He took a deep breath and relaxed his body deep into the sofa. ¡°Well, whatever¡­ I have no interest in a used woman that has been touched by commoners¡­ However, why did you tell him about the mine? Won¡¯t that create suspicions instead?¡± His eyes that had been previously clouded by lust turned sharp. Although he is the worst type of human, in regards to being a ruler and commander he was someone excellent. If he was not like that then he wouldnt be able to maintain the territory and Zalda Kindom would have succeeded in invading the country. ¡°I guess that might be the impression the other party would get¡­ But, the other party had no intentions of believing our story to begin with¡­ If he felt interested with the salt, he will definitely check it himself. If that is the case then there¡¯s no meaning hiding it, no? To be honest, he might actually stop checking it instead.¡± ¡°Fuh¡­ I wonder if he thinks that far? Besides, how did you know that? He was just a former mercenary who has some little achievement during the civil war you know? How is he going to investigate where the salt came from? Isn¡¯t he someone that is only good at fighting? From Earl Salzbergs viewpoint, Ryouma looks like your ordinary good guy. Listening to his wife advice, The Earl welcomed him with the highest hospitality, but inside, he was actually looking down at Ryouma. (Just from looking at his body build I can see that he is a good fighter¡­ But that face, I can¡¯t see any trace of intellect from it¡­) The Earl can only see Ryouma as someone calm and good-natured, the Earl couldnt detect any aura that indicated intellectual capabilities from him. For the Earl, good-natured man represents the weakness of one¡¯s heart, while being calm is an equivalent of having no ambitions. Based on Ryoumas appearance, Earl Salzberg concluded that Ryouma was only good at fighting in battles. ¡°Certainly he does not look like a resourceful man. But, I don¡¯t think that is true¡­ Absolutely.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ The rumors might say that, but what is your proof? I think he was just someone who curried some favor into Elena Steiner though?¡± Maybe he felt dissatisfied towards his wifes opinion, but the Earl clicked his tongue while talking about his own opinion¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think that Elena-sama would do something like that though¡­¡± ¡°Fuh¡­ Well, forget about that¡­ So? About that girl whom you told to accompany him, she did manage to get some information right?¡± Answering the question his wife shook her head. Seeing that, the Earl feels irritated. ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to talk about something so suddenly¡­ Last night, he seems to have only embraced her¡­ Next time, I will tell him to take the girl with him. Well, hearing from the report, that girl seems to not mind being his possession, thus I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to refuse.¡± From the maid that Ryouma embraced, Yuria had received a report of what they both talked about last night. (Well he sounds like someone who¡¯s kind toward women¡­ And most men would usually open their mouth after sharing a cup and bed with women.) She thought of that while looking at her husband sarcastically. ¡°Geez, to think that I have to shows such behavior toward an upstart¡­ It¡¯s really troublesome¡­ And this all is because of that foolish princess huh?¡± ¡°It is not foolish Princess, but a foolish Queen. She has been crowned as the new queen of the Rozeria Kingdom just the other day after all.¡± It seems like the image of Lupis being a foolish queen has been confirmed. It was a word that would cause them to lose their life, but for the couple, that was their common view regarding her. ¡°To give him the Wortenia Peninsula¡­ It would only cause us more troubles!¡± ¡°Well, you can complain as much as you want¡­ Right now, we have to watch that man, making sure he¡¯s not going to do anything unnecessary¡­¡± The Earl¡¯s wife gives him advice while ignoring the Earl¡¯s complaint. Apparently, in this household, the one who holds the real power is the wife. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­ At worst¡­¡± ¡°Have you calmed down now? In any case, the monsters within the peninsula will be happy that he is coming there¡­¡± The Earl shows a cold smile after hearing his Wife¡¯s words. ¡°Young master! You seemed to be having fun last night¡­¡± The middle-aged man sitting on the coach spoke up. Following after the way Bolts addressed Ryouma, the bunch from the [Red Lion] have started calling him young master. After being involved with¡¯ the civil war together, they all have become good friends with each other. ¡°Hnn? How did you know that Mike?¡± They are currently heading back towards the Inn from the Earl¡¯s mansion. Since they have a lot of time, they rode the carriage slowly. And as soon as they left the mansion, Mike starts talking with Ryouma. ¡°Oh, I just so happened to hear about it when I talked with the workers at the mansion!¡± ¡°Did Bolts order you to do that?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I was told to get as much information from the workers at the mansion as possible.¡± Mike answered Ryouma¡¯s question while stroking his beard. ¡°As expected of Bolts¡­ He¡¯s fast¡­¡± ¡°True¡­ Well, Nee-san is strong when it comes to battle, but she¡¯s weak when it comes to backdoor scheming¡­ With that being the case master Bolts has to cover for her in that regard¡­¡± Among Lione¡¯s [Red Lion] mercenary group, Mike is ranked right in the middle. He was a dexterous person who can do almost any work. This time, he was given the work of Ryouma¡¯s escort. ¡°Honestly, I never thought that we would stay at the Earl¡¯s house just like that¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ Thanks to that I felt creeped out by how they welcomed me¡­¡± ¡°Me as well¡­ Though they did not send me some woman. The alcohol and food are not something that is usually served to the servants¡­ And the bedroom was really great too.¡± ¡°You too huh?¡± ¡°Indeed, To be honest¡­ I also feel creeped out by it.¡± Hearing Mikes words Ryouma nodded his head lightly and closes his eyes. Both of them felt the same thing when they stayed at the Earl¡¯s mansion. ¡°I wonder, why did they go that far?¡± After being silent for a while, Ryouma throw some questions toward Mike. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a smart head like young master or master Bolts after all¡­¡± With those words as the beginning, Mike begins to speak about how he felt. ¡°I feel like they might want something from young master, or they want the young master to leave the city as fast as possible¡­¡± ¡°I want you to go out, but I don¡¯t want us to be hostile to each other huh? ¡­ I guess that¡¯s possible.¡± There¡¯s also the possibility that Lupis pulled some strings behind the scene. For Lupis, she can¡¯t rest easy unless Ryouma has arrived at the peninsula after all. It is easy to understand if she asked Earl Salzberg to let Ryouma enter Wortenia peninsula without any hindrance. (Either way, what option do I have in response to all of this? ¡­ I guess it¡¯s useless to think about this now. I need some information first. I should wait until Bolts and Genou presented their report first¡­) ¡°And to even provide such hospitality toward me a servant, that means¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s something under the table huh¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Mike agrees with Ryouma while nodded his head. ¡°By the way Mike! You didn¡¯t tell Laura and her sister about what had happened last night right?¡± Ryouma switched the topic. At that time, since he doesn¡¯t know the intentions of the Earl, he has to do what he needs to do. But right now, the most important thing is to stop Mike blabbing his mouth. Hearing Ryouma¡¯s question, Mike shows a stiff smile. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see¡­ When I told them that young master is having fun last night¡­ Uwaaah, those ladies immediately went into a fit of anger you know?¡± Because of how underdeveloped this world civilization, s.e.xual activities are one of the few forms of entertainment that exist. Of course, as a mercenary Ryouma also had experience going into the red light district. (TLN: There you have it, Ryouma is not a virgin when he embrace the maid) ¡°Oi! Tell me the truth! I don¡¯t know why, but somehow I know that they are definitely going to kill me, you know?!¡± Hearing Mike joking answer, Ryouma instinctively raise his voice. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that obvious? Besides, the young master should have noticed those young ladies feeling right?¡± Mike spoke those words as if he was an elder speaking with his son. ¡°W-Well, yeah¡­¡± Ryouma respond to him with a short answer. There¡¯s no need to tell Mike in detail. Ryouma fully understands the sisters feelings. ¡°If that is the case, young master should understand, no? Those young ladies also want to be embraced by young master. That is those twos deepest desire.¡± After Ryouma was summoned into this world, he saved the two sisters. It¡¯s been over 8 months since then. The three of them have acted together all the time. It is no surprise such emotions were born between them. Ryouma himself was also aware that they are both women. ¡°I know that, but¡­¡± ¡°Did you feel bothered that one day you might leave them when you got back to your original world?¡± Regarding his circumstance, Ryouma had already explained them to the [Red Lion] mercenaries. It was because they had questioned him regarding Genous question if he was someone from ¡°hinomoto¡± ¡°Well¡­ Yeah, that too¡­ I think I might lack determination too¡­¡± It was unusual for Ryouma to be vague with his words. He understands that he can¡¯t go back to his original world, and his mind also understands that he will have to remain in this world. But, his heart can¡¯t accept it yet. He still unable to forget the friends and family he left in Japan. Although one can say that Ryouma is someone who¡¯s merciless, he is a human being too. It was natural for him to feel troubled with such feelings. (To embrace those two¡­ I need to be prepared¡­ To stay in this world, together¡­) If it was women who work in the nightlife business, then he does not have to feel bothered. Since money settled that. But in case of the Marfisto sisters, they show affection toward Ryouma without expecting anything from him. To embrace such women¡­ There¡¯s no way Ryouma would be able to return to his original world alone and leave them behind. ¡°Well¡­ As the young master knight, I will say this¡­ Since young master has accepted the territory, doesnt that mean young master already decided what to do?¡± ¡°Well, since I¡¯ve involved everyone¡­ I can¡¯t really go back to my original world now¡­¡± This was fate. If Ryouma left this world and went back to his original world, what¡¯s going to happen to Lione and the others? (If there¡¯s a way for me to get back¡­ I¡­) He already has the answer. As well as Ryouma¡¯s resolution¡­ ¡°Well, as young masters knight I will also keep what happened last night a secret¡­ But in exchange, buy me some drinks next time, deal?¡± Mike said that while laughing. ¡°Fine, you can drink as much as you want!¡± Mike changed the subject because he was being considerate toward Ryouma. And Ryouma who knew that responded in kind. (Everything is up to me huh?¡­) Chapter 71 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 3 Episode 5 Editor: SniperIRL Western continent calendar August 8, 2812: (Towards the peninsula 5) ¡°Welcome back¡­ Just like Bolt¡¯s predicted, you stayed at the Earl¡¯s house last night¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ It was a very grandiose welcome you know?¡± Genou picked up Ryouma at the inn¡¯s entrance, after receiving his cloak, Genou folded it. ¡°Hou¡­ That¡¯s amazing¡­ There¡¯s a possibility they have some shoddy intention by doing that¡­¡± Genou lightly answered Ryouma¡¯s words. Although his voice did not change. Ryouma understood what that meant. ¡°Indeed¡­ There must be something behind the scenes¡­ Genou, you don¡¯t show any surprise¡­ Did you already find some information?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ I will begin my report later. Everyone is already waiting inside milord¡¯s room¡± Hearing Genou¡¯s reply, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Oh come on¡­ You guys are really talented people huh¡­ To think you guys already finished your investigation¡­ If that is the case then, just hurry up and tell me what you know.¡± After returning from the Earl¡¯s house he doesn¡¯t even have time to take a breather. (Geez, since when have I become such busy person like this¡­ But, I guess I have no choice huh? ¡­ Then again, I have a bad feeling about this¡­) The results of their investigation might be related to their survival. With that in mind, Ryouma steeled his heart. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Well then boy, I guess I should start with my report¡­¡± The moment Ryouma sits on his chair, Lione who was already waiting for him handed some parchments to him. ¡°Nee-san? This is?¡± ¡°It was the list of mercenaries that I have interviewed!¡± Hearing Bolts question, Lione answered him in a relaxed manner. ¡°This, all of them¡­?¡± It is reasonable for Bolts to make such surprised voice. The parchments size is similar to that of A4 paper, in it, there are mercenaries names and their ranks which Lione had interviewed. There are 10 parchments above the table, enough to make you think it was completed by two people¡­ And inside of each those parchments are the description of almost 50 mercenaries. She seemed to have hired them using the pretext of recruiting them as a member of Red Lion mercenary group. ¡°Not just their names and ranks¡­ You also write their weapon specialty, quest achievement percentage, and origin¡­ Theres even Lione-san¡¯s impression of each individual written¡­ To think you would manage to do this in just a few days¡­¡± Ryouma read Lione¡¯s impression of the individuals written on the parchment carefully. Beginning with something simple such as how they communicate and talk, how they make eye contact. Their individual behavior is written in detail. ¡°Well, the more skilled people we get, the easier it will be for us to sleep at night¡­ Furthermore, we can¡¯t have people that are unable cooperate with others, with that in mind, for every 50 people I¡¯ve interviewed, around 10 of them worth considering for employment¡­ Those people are the ones whose names I have circled¡­¡± Just like she said, some of the names have circles on them. ¡°Hmm? I understand about the circled names, but, what about the names that have lines crossing over them?¡± Examining the parchments Ryouma noticed that there are 3 names that have line crosses over it. If the one with a circle means worth considering, and those with nothing on it means people that are not worth mentioning, then what about the names with line crosses over it? ¡°Ah that¡­ They are the troublesome one¡­¡± Lione speaks in a vague manner. ¡°So? What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°The black wolf Yohan¡­ The red clay Celes¡­ And the long distance arrow Riui¡­ All of them are first-rate¡­¡± Together with Ryouma¡¯s question, Bolts read the name of the individuals one by one. ¡°Are they famous?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ The people who do not know them would be a novice who have registered just yesterday.¡± ¡°That means they are people that one would hear here and there huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ But these guys are lone wolf mercenaries¡­ They are the type of people who ignore the surrounding and push toward the front line¡­¡± Answering Laura¡¯s question, Bolts replied while grinning. ¡°I see¡­ I guess I can understand Lione-sans concern¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ This is unnatural¡­¡± Ryouma and Genou nodded to each other. ¡°Right¡­ Those three are indeed very skilled. In a one on one fight, it would be hard to win against them¡­ But those who believe their skill is the best usually hard to cooperate, not to mention they are all the type of guys who always stick to the money, which means they will accept dirty works without hesitation¡­ To be honest I highlighted them because I feel suspicious¡­¡± ¡°They came here to gather information regarding us is it?¡± Lione silently nodded her head in responding to the question. ¡°Indeed¡­ If we consider who pulled the strings behind the scene. Then it would be either, Lupis or Earl Salzberg¡­¡± ¡°No. Those two are indeed formidable, but, you should also consider if they are actually being sent by another country.¡± Genou voiced another possibility. Certainly, since Wortenia peninsula is close to the border, they might be a spy sent by some nation who wants to invade the Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°Another country huh¡­ Then that means it would be impossible for us to narrow it down huh?¡± What they know about these three people is that they are all suspicious. There¡¯s also the possibility of them wanting to join just because of their whimsical mind. ¡°For now, I told them that we will decide for an answer at later date¡­ Should I refuse them?¡± Lione is someone who likes the least dangerous route. She herself was not sure about her judgment regarding this. However, Genou voiced his disagreement. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was such a good idea¡­ If they turn out to be just like what we¡¯ve suspected and refused them here, the mastermind might send others in their place. It would be lucky if Lione-dono notices them next time, but there¡¯s the possibility that we miss them as well. It would be better for us to accept them, then assign people to monitor them.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ I think that is the best option¡­ But then, who¡¯s going to monitor them? It¡¯s not like we can disclose this matter to all [Red Lion]¡¯s members¡­ And I can¡¯t give this task to Genou or Sakuya either¡­ Since they already have a job to do¡­¡± Ryouma said while groaning. (Should I inform everyone? No, that would be too direct¡­ They might realize that they¡¯re being watched¡­) It was clear what Ryouma¡¯s problem is. And that problem is the lack of hands. While being small in numbers, they have many things to do. This causes Ryouma a headache. ¡°If that is the case, do you want to draw some people from my clan?¡± ¡°Genou¡¯s clan?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ Right now, what milord needs the most is people under milord command¡­ Furthermore, those whom milord can put his trust to¡­ If it¡¯s my clan¡¯s people, then they will definitely meet your expectation.¡± ¡°The reward¡­ The same as last time?¡± ¡°That is good enough¡­¡± Genou nodded his head responding to Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°Fine then¡­ Lione-san. Put some of Genou¡¯s clan members into the mercenary group. Let them monitor those people. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Alright! I will personally create their personal history so that they won¡¯t be found easily¡­¡± Lione said those words while nodded her head. ¡°Alright then, with this, we¡¯ve solved the problem regarding the mercenaries employment. Please report again if any problems arise¡­ Next, Bolts. How much information did you get regarding the peninsula?¡± Ryouma immediately asked Bolts. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Following young masters order, I¡¯ve gone to the guild looking for some information. But as far as the topography and the current state of the peninsula concerned, there¡¯s not much difference from what we¡¯ve learned. As for monsters and demi-human living there¡­¡± ¡°It was a den isn¡¯t it?¡± Ryouma sighed deeply. ¡°Indeed¡­ The information regarding the river and lake I will talk about it later, regarding the detailed information regarding monsters that inhabit the territory. It seems like only high ranked monsters live there, ordinary people won¡¯t be able to live easily, and will only become prey for those monsters.¡± Saying that Bolts spread out the parchment he had prepared. ¡°What the hell is this? Most of them are classified as D rank and above!¡± Lione screamed as soon as she saw the name of the monsters listen on the parchment. Of course, that is normal. Looking at the name listed there, it was the names of monsters that rarely being seen. There are ten categories within the guild ranking system for monsters, from A to E, with S being the most powerful one. And this corresponds to the mercenaries guild rank. Although individual ability is not necessarily consistent with the guild rank, it is something that can be used as rough indicator. Judging that the monsters inhibiting the Wortenia peninsula are above E. Monsters ranked below E are not the type that cause harm to humans directly. But those that are ranked above, starting from C, they are the types that would attack villages and towns, not only that some of them would also make a nest near highways and prey upon the people that pass by. Usually, monsters who have done such thing would immediately be given a minimum of rank C. In other words, monster that are classified as ¡®friendly¡¯ are up to D rank. ¡°Even the ones with E rank¡­ Most of them are the types that cannot be dealt with using magic art¡­¡± ¡°That is true¡­ No wonder the ruler of this kingdom abandoned that land. Like this, if we bring people and create towns, the maintenance cost to defend it will be quite high¡­ Since the knights magic arts will be not much of use, it would be hard to defend¡­ Not to mention, one can¡¯t expect profit immediately¡­¡± Bolts and Lione immediately voiced their opinion as battle-hardened mercenaries with a lot of experience fighting against monsters. They understand the difficulty level of living within the peninsula more than anyone inside the room. Between human and monsters, there¡¯s a huge difference in physical capability. Strength, reflex, endurance. Every human was significantly inferior to them. As life-form, the human is significantly inferior. Mercenaries and adventurers acquire skills by training and gain experience to close the gap, but they can¡¯t not fill up the gap regarding their physical specifications. Somewhere they will hit a wall where they can¡¯t overcome. But then, humans were able to overcome such wall by creating one thing. And that is magic art. A technique that the weak human developed to beat the strong monster. However, the current human has used them to fight against each other. And the magic art ends up as a wall in social status. Which makes it so that even a King can¡¯t easily tell ordinary people to learn the magic art. As a result of that, Wortenia peninsula was being left alone all this time. ¡°Magic art huh¡­¡± Ryouma have some knowledge about it already. Back when he was trying to return to his original world, he had received some basic education about it from Marfisto sisters. But that does not mean he is already able to use it. Even the fastest people who learn it would take around 4 months to be able to use magic art. When Ryouma was involved with the civil war, he has no time to learn it, and before that, he was busy trying to figure out how to return to his original world. (Should I hire those who can use magic art only? No, I guess I can¡¯t do that. The first problem is it costs too much money. Since the Knights and mercenaries that can use magic art are quite useful their salaries end up high¡­ Then I guess I have no choice other than to teach ordinary people to learn them huh?¡­ But wait, how about making this into an advantage? A place, a country where everyone is able to use magic art¡­ That would become an overwhelming force¡­ Besides, everyone can learn magic art¡­ The problem is who going to teach them? Should I educate the entire member of the mercenary group first? After that, should I invite citizen from another city? No, that would be bad¡­ No lord wants their citizens taken away by other people¡­) Ryouma immediately makes calculations inside his mind, but he still can¡¯t come up with a good plan. It was not a problem that he can fix easily. ¡°Well let¡¯s figure out about what to do about this later. Everyone should think about some solutions too¡­ Bolts, continue with the topography information.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Responding to Ryouma, Bolts nodded his head. (Geeez¡­ Problem after problem¡­) It was no wonder that Ryouma is having a headache. This was only the second report he gets, yet it was already this bad. Coming after this are the reports from Genou and the Marfisto sisters. (Especially the report from Genou¡­ From how he was talking earlier¡­ I can feel that he has something¡­) Ryouma sighed while feeling depressed. But then, there¡¯s no other option other than to listen to their report. No matter how harsh their report turns out, reality won¡¯t change. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 72 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 6 Chapter 3 Episode 6 Editor:Youtuber boi Cruiser(Please Like and Subscribe, 1 like = 1 edit)(TLN: 80% Edited, oi cruiser, where are you going?) Western continent calendar August 8, 2812: (Toward the peninsula 6) ¡°So, Genou shall I hear your report now?¡± Ryouma directed his gaze towards Genou.Only Genous and the Marfisto sisters reports remained but since Ryouma had a bad feeling about Genous report he chose to prioritize it over the sisters who were in charge of reporting about the merchants who they should purchase goods from. However, Genou shook his head. ¡°No¡­ I will be reporting last¡­ Laura-sama should give their report first.¡± There seems to be something wrong. Ryouma nods his head while feeling doubtful and asks the Marfisto sisters to begin their report. ¡°Hmm¡­ Fine, there¡¯s seems to be some reason for you to say that¡­ Laura, Sara. Please give your report first.¡± ¡°Understood¡­ Well then¡­¡± After nodding her head Laura begins her report, the contents of the report dropped Ryoumas optimism to the depths of an abyss. ¡°In conclusion, most of the business here have strong ties with Earl Salzberg.¡± ¡°Strong relationship?¡± Ryouma tilted his head due to Laura¡¯s words. From her way of saying it, it felt more than just the ordinary relationship between a lord and merchants. ¡°Yes, in fact, it is a very close relationship¡­¡± Saying so, Sara spreads out a map on the table. ¡°This is¡­ The map of Epiroz?¡± ¡°Yes, And these red dots represent the places where the merchants conduct their businesses¡­¡± Sara pointed out all the red dots on the map. There are ten of them. That is the number of shops located in this fortified city of Epiroz. ¡°Mistel Firm¡­ Rafiel Firm¡­¡± Sara reads the name of the shops written next to the dots. ¡°All ten of these businesses are united, they are in full control of the economy within Epiroz¡­. The problem is that the *daughter of Mistel firm* is the Earl¡¯s wife, and Mistel Firm is the acting representative of the coalition.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Ryouma complexion changes. It was natural for him to be surprised. When he entered Wortenia peninsula, he knew he wouldnt be able to be immediately self-sufficient in terms of food, in other words he had to temporarily rely on Epiroz city for food until he was able to produce enough food for themselves. Although monsters can be eaten, hunting was not an option for him as a majority of the monsters within his territory are inedible. It was a precarious situation since food and water was not something they could easily disregard. If he were to get on the bad side of the Earls wifes family whom has large influence over the economy it was something that even Ryouma did not want to imagine. ¡°Yes¡­ To steadily purchase more than a certain amount of food, there¡¯s no choice but to have trade negotiation with one of these ten shops¡­ But the problem is the Earl¡¯s wife is the daughter of the leader of this business coalition¡­¡± Laura cut her words shorts, because even without saying it everyone understood. This means Ryouma cant disregard Earl Salzberg no matter how small the matter was since if the Earl were to apply pressure on their trades then everything would be over as Ryouma would starve to death in the peninsula. ¡°It seems like the one who leads Mistel Firm is someone who has big ambition¡­ The representative of the coalition was originally Christoph Firm. However, due to the daughter who is married to the Earl, Mistel firm seems to have taken over the seat.¡± ¡°Well, I guess if one¡¯s daughter got married to a nobleman, it was no wonder for them to expand using the influence¡­. That¡¯s good and all, I can understand¡­¡± Everyone nodded their head hearing Ryouma¡¯s words. Sure that was not an uncommon story. It even happens back at his original worlds. ¡°But still¡­ Do nobles in this country usually take daughters of merchants as their wives??¡± When it comes to social status, Merchants are just a commoner. No matter how much money they have, they still a commoner. Yet, one of their daughters manages to become a noble wife. It is natural for Ryouma to feel puzzled over it, since the daughter did not become the noble¡¯s concubine or mistress, but rather the legal wife. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated regarding that as well¡­ But it seems like the Earls finances is under considerable pressure¡­¡± ¡°Fuuh¡­ That¡¯s means he borrowed some money? In the first place, why did his finance deteriorate so much, could it be due to military expenses?¡± The Earl found himself with enough financial problems to make him marry the daughter of a merchant such a move could be considered quite bold among nobles. The question is why the Earl suffers such a crisis¡­ ¡°Yes¡­ The Earl needed a big budget for his military because of his territory near the border, and countermeasures against the monsters that occasionally invade from the peninsula.¡± Everyone present nodded in understanding. The military is always something that cost a very considerable sum of money to maintain. It does not produce anything, but always consumed a lot of resources. It was a gluttonous monster called ¡®The Military¡¯. The stronger the military becomes, the bigger the budget they needed. Starting with the soldiers salary all the way down to their armaments as well as continuous supplies to maintain a soldiers health such as food and medical supplies. Besides, that is the story of a ¡®normal¡¯ situation. When such military enter a war, they will consume even more supplies. No matter how much money is poured into them, its never enough. But even with that, one should always prepare a budget for the military. That is because the military is the one who protects the people. If a nobleman was entrusted to a territory nearing the border then the responsibility becomes much heavier, it was not unusual for the Earl to be facing financial difficulties in such a situation. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s natural? After all his territory is bordered with Zalda, and not only that, he also needs to be vigilant when it comes to the monsters living within the peninsula.¡± ¡°According to the documents I¡¯ve investigated¡­ It seems that there¡¯s a large scale of monsters invasion once every ten years.¡± Lione nodded in agreement with Bolts statement. ¡°And as you can see, this land is not suitable for agricultural development. A land that does not have any specialty can be called a poor land.¡± ¡°Then what about the salt? Yesterday when I talked with them, apparently they have found a rock salt vein.¡± In respond to Genou¡¯s words, Ryouma gave out a question. Considering their attire when welcoming him yesterday, they don¡¯t seem to have any financial difficulty. Although there¡¯s also the possibility that they done something like that to protect their pride, but there is a limit even for things like that. Whether it be their attire or meals, the Earl indeed looks like he does not have any trouble with money. The dishes atop the table was also not something ordinary. Moreover, those dishes also used a lot of spices. If he was really in trouble with money, he would be unable to do that. That¡¯s why he suspects it might be due to the rock salt vein. Although the salt price is not that high, but because it is needed for daily life, the demand is constant. If the Earl really in the possession of it, he should be able to recover from his financial situation. ¡°No¡­ There are no rock salt vein within Earl¡¯s territory.¡± Genou shook his head while showing a meaningful smile. (What does that mean? If there¡¯s no rock salt vein how did he manage to handle his finance? Does he have some kind of other industries?) Ryouma thought of the various possibilities. (If he has other resources, why did his wife lied to me and told me that they have rock salt vein?¡­) A good way to lie is by mixing some truth in with said lie. It is surprisingly difficult to tell something that is 100% a lie. Because in reality, a 100% lie is something that always easy to crumbles. ¡°Ah! Perhaps¡­¡± Sara suddenly raises her voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sara? Did you find something?¡± When Sara nodded her head when Laura asked the question, then she turns her eyes toward Genou. ¡°Perhaps¡­ The Earl does not have rock salt vein within his territory? But it existed within the Wortenia peninsula?¡± ¡°¡±¡±Ha?!!¡±¡±¡± Everyone raised a surprised voice. Meanwhile, only Genou showed a subtle smile. ¡°Ah, it seems the lady noticed. Just like she said, there¡¯s a rock salt vein within the territory. He kept it secret from the kingdom¡­¡± It was something unexpected, but if Genou is the one who said it then it is possible¡­ ¡°Did the Earl actually embezzle the rock salt vein in the peninsula without permission from the kingdom? Even if it was an abandoned territory, that was a very huge catch¡­ Won¡¯t he get executed if the kingdom found out about it?¡± Before Wortenia peninsula was passed to Ryouma, it was in possession of the Royal family. Even if the royal family left the territory untouched, it was still a bad idea to use the lands resources without permission as if the royal family were to find out about this, the Earls head would definitely roll and not to mention those who carry his blood. He was crossing a dangerous path and had brought his entire family with him. ¡°Is that how it is? Damn it! And here I was wondering why they were so friendly like that¡­ He really wants me to quickly step into the peninsula and die huh?¡± Ryouma manage to understand the Earl¡¯s intention from hearing all the reports. ¡°He does not want to immediately kill me because the royal government will come and investigate¡­¡± ¡°The reason why he had welcomed milord with such warm welcome is to indicate that if something were to happen, it was the fault of the monsters within the peninsula, thus the central won¡¯t suspect anything¡­¡± ¡°He wants us to become food for the monsters huh¡­¡± Ryouma¡¯s eyes turn sharp¡­ ¡°What should we do? If it was me or Sakuya, we both could take the Earl¡¯s head immediately¡­¡± ¡°I wonder about that? I think we will actually lose a lot by doing that?¡± ¡°Hou? Does Sara-dono think the opposite? May I hear the reason?¡± Sara seems to disagree with Genou¡¯s suggestion of assassination. ¡°Although assassination is an effective method to erase the Earl¡¯s motive, but the stability of Epiroz is very important for us to survive in the peninsula¡­ If the assassination succeeds, the evil hands of the Earl might disappear, but who¡¯s going to rule this land after that? Someone under direct command of Queen Lupis would come then¡­¡± Instead of killing a wolf, the result might actually invite a tiger. Since Lupis is very cautious when it comes to Ryouma, no one can predict what kind of move she¡¯s going to make at that time. Such claim was reasonable. ¡°Fumu¡­ I can understand Sara-dono concern. I guess we can regard my suggestion as the last resort.¡± Genou nodded his head agreeing with Sara¡¯s claim. ¡°I guess so¡­ Even if we took over the rock salt vein, we still do not have any business channel¡­ I guess I should turn blind eye until I can pick a fight against him huh¡­¡± ¡°I guess, that is the right move¡­ Although it was regrettable, since that was a very good source of income. Even if we took over the vein from the Earl, Epiroz merchants will refuse to make a trade with us¡­¡± ¡°I guess I agree with that¡­ Since the Earl and the head of the business coalition are close, he can use his influence to put pressure on the coalition.¡± Even if Ryouma and the others took back the rock salt vein, Ryouma won¡¯t be able to turn that into cash. It would be a different matter if there¡¯s another town nearby, but to perform trades from Wortenia peninsula other than Epiroz, it can only be done via sea. In the future, Ryouma might be able to do maritime trade, but at the present time, that is not something he can do immediately. ¡°Then why not we leave the Earl alone for now?¡± ¡°Leave him alone huh?¡± Toward Laura¡¯s suggestion Ryouma frowned. There¡¯s no lord who would feel pleased when their territory was being robbed by another person. . ¡°Well, we can¡¯t bring this matter to the royal family either. The Earl will be executed if we told them. And the result would be the same as us assassinating the Earl¡­¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± There¡¯s also that problem. Even if it is good to kill the Earl. And there are many methods to kill him other than using assassination. However, that would only give Lupis room for intervention¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s why we should give up the rock salt vein to the Earl, and ask him to help us in return¡­ In the meantime, we should build up our power, in order to crush him in the future¡­ Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Laura¡¯s plan might be not the best plan, but it was a very realistic one. The question is whether the Earl would accept such proposal. ¡°I agree with Laura-dono.¡± ¡°I guess I as well¡­ That was the most realistic plan¡­ We should take a step back for a while and build our power¡­¡± ¡°I agree as well¡­¡± Lione and the other agrees one after another. ¡°Not bad¡­ With that, we can earn some time, but the problem is, whether the Earl is willing to take this proposal¡­ No, I guess he can¡¯t make a move on us huh? Since he would not want to attract the attention of the royal family. If I the feudal lord of the territory give him the official permission, it will reduce an unnecessary fear in him¡­ I guess that is the advantage¡­ There¡¯s a high possibility that the Earl may accept the proposal¡­ Though it was really regrettable¡­ But then again, even if I hold it, I don¡¯t have any means to make a money out of it yet either¡­) Ryouma hardened his determination. First of all, he¡¯s going raise his power. Not just military force. But also economy and politics. ¡°Very well¡­ We will buy some time and build our power first.¡± Following Ryouma decision, everyone nodded their head. ¡°Well then, we¡¯ve already made our decision. First, what should we do?¡± In respond to Ryouma¡¯s question, Laura gives out her opinion. ¡°First, we should search for a trustworthy merchant¡­ We do need to purchase food and other supplies, not to mention when we¡¯re going to sell the salt in the future¡­ My aim is Christoph firm, the one who lost their influence within the coalition due to Mistel firm¡­¡± ¡°I also agree with my sister. Since the other eight companies are under Mistel firm umbrella, dealing with them might be bad news. And we heard that Christoph firm has been trying it best not to get influenced by the other firm, which means there¡¯s a room for negotiation for us¡­¡± As expected¡­ These two seems to have examined every single firm. Ryouma who realize that can only thank his excellent subordinates who support him. Everyone has been doing their best to help Ryouma. They pledge their loyalty to Ryouma despite he was just a youngster. (Earl¡­ I will let you do what you want for now, but¡­ I will definitely get it back!) Ryouma¡¯s heart feels satisfied. And he immediately steeled his determination. He cannot lose. Because his defeat would be resulting in the death of his companions. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 73 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 7 Chapter 3 Episode 7 Editor: SniperIRL Proofreader: mr.tanen Western Continent Calendar August 9, 2812: (Towards the peninsula 7) 1km east of Epiroz city, one can see a rampart nearly 10 meters high. Seeing the height of the wall being almost taller than the royal capitals walls signifies the importance of this location. Trade within this city is also flourishing. The width of the main street is around 20m, which makes it easy for people to move around. One can see a lot of wagons come and go on the road. All the shops lined up facing the street also look magnificent, many people can be seen going in and out. The time right now is 15:00(EN: 3:00 pm). One can say it is the perfect time to do some business, which explains the crowded and vibrant street. Meanwhile, the building Ryouma was looking at is nestled quietly as if it were a building from a different neighborhood. The size of the building is much larger compared the surrounding shops. The store itself was built with stone. The signboard of the shop also uses fine oak. It is a perfect example of a store that combines tradition and formality. However, the shop was empty, there were no customers. While looking at the fine detail, the building has something like dirt marks here and there. ¡°Here huh¡­ I see, they really are being treated like an enemy huh?¡± Ryouma compares the shops around him to the one in front of him. While the surrounding ones have a lot of people coming and going, only the Christoph firm has no patrons entering or leaving. It¡¯s as if there¡¯s an invisible wall between them. The shop itself faces the main street, and is also close the eastern wall, which should make it normal for it to have a lot of customers. However, the reality is different. Judging from where the shop is located, one can say this is a considerably unnatural phenomenon. People are ignoring the existence of this store as if someone¡¯s malice was covering this shop. ¡°Yes, due to the Mistel firms constant harassment, this shops customers have dropped severely.. They are unable to endure the pressure from the Mistel firm, and are pulling away from this one, the Christoph firm.¡± ¡°As a result of our investigation, there are hardly any large clients left¡­ Even with that, the chairman was able to keep the company standing, which can be attributed to the chairman¡¯s only daughter, Simone Christoph.¡± Hearing the Marfisto sisters words, it was clear that they had a firm grasp on the Christoph firms situation.. ¡°Hoo¡­ Despite being a woman, she¡¯s a tough one, huh?¡± After nodding in response to Ryouma¡¯s words, Laura continues her explanation¡­ ¡°Indeed¡­ She has been dealing with all the business administration matters since her father was bedridden.¡± ¡°Bedridden eh? Is it because of illness?¡± ¡°From Saras investigation of the neighborhood, she heard that the father has grown senile rapidly after having his post as the chairman of the business alliance taken away by his rival.¡± One can say such a story is common for people who usually work on the front line of business. Perhaps, the heavy pressure from when he worked as the business alliance chairman suddenly disappearing caused him to break down. But, that is only a rumor. To confirm that, one has to ask the person in question himself. However, whether the father is sick or not, it is actually true that his daughter, Simone, has taken over the business. ¡°I see¡­ She needs to break away from the Mistel firm, and her father is currently not able to be relied upon¡­ Uhuh, there¡¯s a lot of room for negotiation.¡± Ryouma muttered those words to himself while showing a cold smile. What he wants is a handy piece to use in his hand. Right now Ryoumas situation is overwhelmingly disadvantageous, and he would not care about Simones current circumstance either. Although by doing what he is about to do is like taking advantage of Simones weakness. ¡°Well then Ryouma-sama. It¡¯s almost time.¡± Sara said those words, then she opened the shops door. Together with the sisters, Ryouma stepped into the building. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- The entrance hall spreads before Ryouma¡¯s eyes. The bright red carpet that Ryouma stepped onto was really soft. Although people call this place a shop, it seems like the building itself was only used for business negotiations. The furniture inside the premises stood comparison with ones in the Earl¡¯s house. If there¡¯s a difference then it may be the sense of unity between the furniture. It¡¯s not about cheap or expensive, but one can feel the rich feeling it gives just by seeing how they arranged the furniture. Although the Earl¡¯s luxurious house feels right, compared to this place, the latter has a more refined feeling. ¡°Welcome¡­ Your Excellency, Mikoshiba Ryouma. Excuse me but please enter and rest in the waiting room, I will immediately notify the chairperson that Mikoshiba-sama has arrived,¡± saying that the old man that welcomed Ryouma bowed his head. The man¡¯s age is around mid 40s. Tanned skin can be seen in contrast to his white shirt. His smile gives off the feeling of a gentle person. However, the light from his eyes gives the feeling that he¡¯s different from your ordinary gentleman. And his body somehow exudes the feeling of a man of the sea. ¡°I understand. I will wait¡­ Can you guide me to the room then?¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s request, the man guided Ryouma to the room. ¡°Excuse me, Your Excellency. May I hold custody of the sword that you are holding right now? The two people over there as well please.¡± ¡°I have to leave my sword?!¡± Together with Laura¡¯s rising voice, Sara put her hand on the hilt of her sword. The way the man request them is indeed somewhat rude. There¡¯s no reason for a merchant to disarm a nobleman who is about to become their customer. ¡°I am sorry for troubling you, but this is one of our company¡¯s rules since everyone here is about to meet with the chairperson¡­¡± His words are kind of polite, but his body indicates that he¡¯s not going to negotiate¡­ That is the impression Ryouma and the others felt. But Ryouma also felt that it was not just because this is the rule of their company, he felt there¡¯s something more to it¡­ (I wonder if there¡¯s a reason for this¡­ Is it because they are wary of possible assassins? I guess there¡¯s no choice if it was something like that. After all, in their point of view, a friend of the Earl is coming to visit them¡­) For the people of the firm, Ryouma and Earl Salzberg are from the same stratum, they both belong to the aristocracy. They don¡¯t care for the truth¡­ Since for Simone and the others, Ryouma is someone from the Earl¡¯s faction. ¡°Very well¡­ Laura, Sara leave it at that!¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s words, the sisters removed their swords and handed them over to the man. For the sisters, they felt anxious to be within someone¡¯s territory without a means to protect themselves. However, since it was an order from their master, they have no choice. ¡°I see¡­ I will also hand this over, please take care of it.¡± Ryouma handed over his sword and a bag that was hanging on his waist. ¡°Hou¡­ This is¡­¡± The man narrowed his eyes when he inspected the content of the bag. Inside, there was Ryouma¡¯s chakram. A throwing weapon with considerable power. However, it was not a weapon a nobleman would usually carry. Then, the mans gaze was directed toward Ryouma for a moment, and only after a few seconds had passed, he averted his eyes. The man immediately continued to guide them. ¡°Well then¡­ This way, please. I will guide everyone to the second floor.¡± Apparently, Ryouma earned a favorable impression by taking the initiative of handing the chakram by himself. Ryouma nodded his head lightly and followed the man, as he went up the stairs. ¡°Well then¡­ Please wait here. Shortly, Simone Cristoph will come.¡± After guiding Ryouma and the others to their room, the man left. ¡°Sara, what do you think?¡± Ryouma asked the sisters in whispers so that only they would hear. Since he does not know what kind of secrets are hidden inside this room, he thought of the possibility that someone might eavesdrop. ¡°He seems to be quite a master¡­ Also, there¡¯s something that bothered me about his tanned skin¡­¡± Laura lightly nodded her head agreeing with Sara¡¯s words. The man caught everyone¡¯s attention. They did not believe that the man was actually a merchant due to his behavior and the gaze of his eyes. It was obvious that the man was a martial arts master. ¡°No matter how I see it, I can feel that he¡¯s someone who is familiar with the sea¡­ But, there¡¯s no sea within the Earl¡¯s territory¡­¡± ¡°Laura¡¯s right. I also felt the same¡­ Maybe he was someone from the neighboring town? Or possibly¡­¡± There are several possibilities. However¡­ ¡°Well, it is no use for us to think about this right now¡­ First of all, we need to finish the talk with Simone.¡± *Kon*Kon* The door was being knocked, waiting for Ryouma¡¯s response. ¡°Is it alright for me to enter?¡± A young woman¡¯s voice. A calm and gentle voice, yet also giving off a strong feeling from it. ¡°Please enter.¡± After Ryouma said those words, the door was opened, and a single woman was standing at the entrance. Her chestnut colored hair is carefully tied using a silver hair ornament, The silk dress dyed with blue color giving her a cool image. ¡°Please excuse me, and thank you for waiting for me. You are Baron Mikoshiba, am I right? I am happy for being graced with this occasion. My name is Simone Christoph, the chairperson, and representative of the Christoph firm.¡± She is the daughter of the man who fell from grace. Her manners and gesture are perfect. There¡¯s dignity and also elegance displayed from how she acted. (Fuuh¡­ I guess in terms of how she acted, she¡¯s equal to the Earl¡¯s wife.) Ryouma compared Simone with the Earl¡¯s wife. Both of them are beautiful. But, the two of them boast a different kind of beauty. To speak of it, the Earl¡¯s wife is a gorgeous woman. Gorgeous jewels matching her beautiful appearance. The Earl¡¯s wife shows strong self-assertion. In contrast to her, Simone gives off the feeling of a pure and innocent woman. Glossy hair and healthy white skin. Minimal accessories. She gives off a somewhat discreet and quiet aura. One might imagine them as a rose and a lily. However, even with her calm expression, Ryouma could feel that a ferocious beast is hidden underneath. Especially after she came to this room by herself. Ryouma originally thought that the man from before was going to escort her. (I guess, this won¡¯t end easy huh¡­) ¡°Emm¡­ Excuse me?¡± Towards Ryouma who was standing silently without saying anything, Simone uttered some words while refraining herself. ¡°Oh¡­ Please forgive me. My name is Mikoshiba Ryouma. I apologize for suddenly coming like this¡­¡± ¡°My¡­ Please do not mind it¡­ Since Your Excellency is an important customer after all.¡± Ryouma made his request to meet just this morning. Although his visit can be said to be sudden, Simone did not show any unpleasant expression. She smiles gently. ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your kind words, despite my sudden visit.¡± Ryouma waited for Simone to sit down facing him to begin the talk. ¡°Oh my, you are being too humble¡­ But to be honest, right now I am not sure if I can satisfy Your Excellencys expectations¡­ You might not know but, my father the chairman of this firm has fallen ill and became unconscious. Therefore, despite being young, I am currently acting as his substitute.¡± ¡°Hou¡­ Unconscious huh? I heard that due to the Mistel firm taking the position of the business alliance leadership from him, he has fallen ill, is the rumor true?¡± Ryouma provoked her in a sarcastic way, to anger her, and to see his opponents reactions. After all, one can guess someone¡¯s thoughts just by seeing their attitude. ¡°Is that so? It seems like Your Excellency knew about that as well, despite having just arrived in the city seven days ago. It seems like Your Excellency has a lot of excellent subordinates. But then I guess that was natural. Thinking about Your Excellencys activities at Irachion, I can see that Your Excellency values information highly. Even for an amateur like me, I was in awe of your strategy back then¡­ For you to be able to perform such a stratagem, I can only see Your Excellency as someone fearsome indeed.¡± Simply smiling, Simone said those words while looking at Ryouma with gentle eyes. She does not show any sign of repressing anger either. Conversely, she manages to lightly bite Ryouma back. ¡°Hohou¡­ Knowing about what had happened at Irachion¡­ I guess I can expect that you also know why I have come here?¡± Ryouma gazes at Simone with a questioning gaze. With this worlds low infrastructure, it was hard to get information from somewhere far away. It is a world without TV, Radio or the Internet. They can only spread information using letters, or rumors that are being spread from one person to another. Given that, it was important to have the means for spreading information. And here, Simone knew about how Ryouma manipulated the information before the battle at Irachion. That indicated she also understood that he did not just simply lead Queen Lupis to her victory. Such knowledge is not something someone should know unless they had gone to the site and investigated it in detail. With all this, it was obvious that Simone is not just a mere daughter from a rich family. ¡°Well now, I wonder about that¡­ I am not completely sure but I guess I understand around half of it. Although I expected, with how resourceful Your Excellency is, you would be able to immediately see through Earl Salzberg intention, but I never expected you to come to my place within a few days after having arrived here. At most, I thought that you would start to seek influence from now on.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Then I take it that you understand the situation I¡¯m in?¡± Simone does not change her facial expression when she heard Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°Of course. The matters regarding Her Majesty the Queen, and the matter with Earl Salzberg as well¡­ Oh my, how rude of me! For me to not be serving tea to the customers, someone!¡± Saying that she called the maid to serve the tea, as if she were about to have a tea party with her friends. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 74 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 8 Chapter 3 Episode 8 Editor: SniperIRL Proofreader: mr.tanen Western Continent Calendar August 9, 2812: (Towards the peninsula 8) While gazing at the tea that the maid had prepared, Ryouma narrowed his eyes. ¡°Please enjoy it. It is made with the specialty tea leaves of Kirantia.¡± The high-grade tea leaves were being carefully processed. The mellow fragrance when the tea was being poured from the teapot into the cup entered Ryouma¡¯s nose. Matching with the cookies presented, the way the tea was served was indeed a masterpiece. ¡°This is¡­ Delicious! The tea leaves are great, but the way you brew it is perfect! Furthermore, it fits perfectly with the sweet cookies¡­ I can tell that the one who prepared all this has reached an expert level.¡± Although he could not properly word it like a gourmet enthusiast would, Ryoumas tongue had good taste in general. There was also the fact that his grandfather was a hobbyist when it came to tea. Besides, delicious things are delicious no matter who eats or drinks them. Not only that, the sisters, who tried it, also widened their eyes in amazement. ¡°Oh, my! Do you understand it? It seems like Baron-sama has a very refined taste.¡± Simone smiled with admiration. ¡°Refined is it? Well, for me, at least I can judge if it¡¯s something delicious or not.¡± ¡°I see¡­ It seems like the other world is a great place is it not?¡± Ryouma desperately suppressed his surprise. He couldnt declare the truth of her words right then. (This woman¡­ How much does she know?) ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ryouma asked such question without changing his complexion. ¡°I did not think it was something that needed to hidden¡­ From the way Baron-sama displays refined conduct, resourcefulness, and ingenuity¡­ It was not something an ordinary commoner should have. And no matter how much I probe, I cannot find anything about your past. There is no information of you before your guild registration. Naturally, such a thing is impossible to happen¡­ Even if I cannot grasp the full knowledge of it, with my intelligence network, I should get at least a little bit of information. Even if the target of such an investigation was a royal family member. Yet, you are different, nothing comes out even after investigating you as deep as I could¡­ It is as if you had appeared in this world all of a sudden¡­ see? Not only that, Baron-sama registered at the guild within Ortomea Empires capital city. Perhaps, you were summoned by Ortomea? That is what crossed my mind.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Since youve uncovered that much, I guess there¡¯s no point in hiding it.¡± Ryouma said those words while showing resignation. (Damn it¡­ This is bad, I guess I have no choice but to kill her¡­ Although I wouldnt want to kill a woman if I had a choice¡­) It was not like Ryouma wanted to put on airs. But, he did not have the distorted hobby of happily killing women either. (But then again¡­ She¡¯s good¡­ Her intelligence network that is¡­) Since Ryoumas past couldnt be investigated, she had predicted that Ryouma was a summoned person. This meant that she had absolute confidence in her intelligence network. ¡°Well¡­ To be honest, I was not entirely sure when I said you were an otherworlder. I do think that the possibility is high, but¡­ Usually, a su mmoned person would be unable to escape, since the summoner would put a Geass magic immediately on them.¡± ¡°I see¡­ So then, since you know that much, what are you going to do? Are you hostile towards me?¡± Thirst for blood surged from Ryouma¡¯s body. Of course, this was an attempt to threaten her. If he was seriously going to kill her, he would have silently thrusted his hand into her throat. A few seconds passed, and it seemed that Simone also understood Ryouma¡¯s intentions. Despite having been showered by Ryouma¡¯s killing intent directly, she did not show any reaction. ¡°No¡­ I have no such intentions. I am speaking honestly like this because I wanted to show you the value of our intelligence network, and also as a proof that we do not hold any hostility against Baron-sama.¡± It is true that talking honestly about the information one holds about one¡¯s opponent shows that the former doesnt bear hostility. If Simone had any hostility towards against Ryouma, she wouldnt have disclosed such information. ¡°Hoohou, I see¡­ For the sake of talking heart-to-heart is it?¡± Ryouma then erased his murderous aura. ¡°As expected¡­ You are so strong, to the point I was unable to move my body¡­¡± ¡°It seems you still had some room for it though?¡± ¡°That is because I knew that Baron-sama was not serious¡­¡± Simone showed a mysterious smile, just like a mischievous child would. ¡°I see¡­ But, it seems like the person hiding behind the wall does not think the same as you though? I can feel their presence, you know?¡± ¡°It couldnt be helped. Since I also have considered that this might have been some devious scheme by Mistels henchmen. Please excuse me for that¡­¡± Saying that, Simone bowed her head deeply. Along with that, the strong presence from behind the wall disappeared. ¡°Is that the man who guided us before?¡± ¡°Yes, he is my aide and also bodyguard¡­ Ah come to think of it, I also should apologize for having taken the swords as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s obsessed with such a thing, and as a side note, you can relax.¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, Simone sat on the sofa, relaxing her body while showing a bitter smile. ¡°Then, let us start our negotiation shall we? I have grasped some of Baron-samas intentions by coming here. Baron-sama wants to purchase some supplies until the Wortenia peninsula becomes self-sufficient. Am I right?¡± Simone¡¯s eyes were smiling. However, her aura and behavior changed completely the moment they began the negotiation. Her gaze turned sharp like a sword. ¡°Indeed¡­ You¡¯re right, and in the future, I¡¯m planning on performing trade by making a port in the peninsula. In the time to come, I want to leave the selling and procurement of goods to the Christoph firm as our exclusive partner.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s statement, Simone¡¯s expression changed. She probably did not consider that far. ¡°That is¡­ Indeed a magnificent plan¡­ If it can be realized, the peninsula would be able to obtain a very abundant financial resource and not some semi-permanent wealth¡­ Why did you ask us for help?¡± Simone¡¯s voice was trembling. It couldnt be helped. If Ryouma¡¯s story could be made into a reality, then the Christoph firm that would be helping him would be given special privileges and would be able to garner a huge fortune that couldnt be compared to the other firms current businesses. If it were a trader with little to no power, such a plan would be deemed impossible. However, inside Simone¡¯s mind, the appearance of a port being built on the Wortenia peninsula clearly emerged. ¡°However, to do that, a lot of time and money would be needed¡­ Furthermore, this is not something that can be left halfway through. In other words, as you provide some funds, we would also share the same fate.¡± Ryoumas proposal was talking about the future. In order to get there, he needed to make a town on the peninsula and secure trade routes. It was a proposal that would take many years. If she went along with his plan, then it would be the same as betting the fate of the Christoph firm on Ryouma. But inside Simone¡¯s mind, she had already made her decision. Even without Ryouma saying anything, she was planning to offer some funds. ¡°Fine by me¡­ That was actually my intention from the beginning¡­ Though, I did not think it would be this big¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ As expected, the firm seems to be barely standing, eh?¡± Ryouma stared at Simone with inquisitive eyes. Her store was indeed filled with expensive and old furniture that one could see was inherited for many generations. With such an appearance, it was hard to believe that the Christoph firm was facing some sort of financial crisis. But then again, that was only a facade. That is because there couldnt possibly be a future for a business firm that had lost all of their business partners and were also unable to find new ones. ¡°Indeed¡­ Since we still have some assets we will still be able to stay alive for a while, but in this state, it would be great if we managed to survive for another three years. We had to make the decision by then. Either abandoning Epiroz city and finding a new base, or finding a new source of strength, enough to compete against the Earl and the Mistel firm.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I guess we need to know about each other more, eh?¡± Simone nodded her head in response to Ryouma¡¯s statement. ¡°Indeed¡­ We should talk more about each other¡­¡± Ryouma then talked about his plan and future prospects. After that, he needed to show Simone that he had the power to realize it. ¡°By the way, how did you get Kirtantia¡¯s tea leaf? Kirtantia is a major power located in the western part of the continent. That means it would demand a considerably long time to establish this trade, either using the sea or the land route, am I right?¡± After explaining his present condition to the Christoph firm, Ryouma asked Simone the question that he was most concerned about. Goods carried from a great distance are expensive, because the transport fees are also included in the price. Despite being in dire financial problems, the Christoph firm was using expensive tea leaves. Furthermore, it was from Kirtantia. Here Ryouma felt some hidden intention. ¡°So you have noticed¡­ This tea is something that I ordered from Fulzad the other day.¡± Saying those words, Simone spreaded the map of the continent on the table. ¡°Do you know the port town of Fulzad that is located in the Mist Kingdom?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been there once.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Simone nodded while pointing her finger to the left end of the map. ¡°The tea that is currently being served is the best product from Kirtantia. It is one of the best products traded at a very high price in other countries¡­ This tea leaf is produced in a city located in the northwest part of Kirtantia.¡± Her finger pointed to a mountainous city, a little distance away from the coastline. ¡°The tea leaves produced there are then transported to the nearby trading city, Lorcana, from where they are shipped to the east by sea.¡± Having said that, Simone¡¯s finger moved from Lorcana to the south of the continent and then towards the port town of Fulzad. Lorcanas location was in the northwest corner of Kirtantia. It was obvious that this route would mean making a long detour. Considering the distance, they would need to sail around nearly two-thirds of the western continent. Ryouma then stared at Simone suspiciously. ¡°Have you noticed?¡± ¡°Why did they go through such a roundabout route? No wait, I see! It was because of the Wortenia peninsula, huh?!¡± ¡°That is right. The reason for the detour is the Wortenia peninsula¡­ That place is the biggest reason why the north cannot be used as sea route.¡± Even before the pirates appeared, the northern sea route was being avoided by sailors. The reason was simple. It was because there was no port on the peninsula for resupplying the ships. Of course, that was natural since there were no people there. But because of that, it would also be hard for sailors to ask for help in case of an emergency. One could not know what would happen in the ocean. Even in the coastal areas, there were monsters that inhabited the sea, and there was also the problem regarding storms. It would be hard if by some chance the rudder or some other part of the ship broke because of it. If that were the case, there would be no choice but to go ashore and wait for the repairs to finish. It took around seven to ten days to sail around the peninsula by a normal ship. Considering the dangers, it was natural for seafarers not to use the northern route. ¡°Furthermore, there are pirates who have strongholds there. With so many additional hazards, it was obvious for the northern route to be abandoned.¡± ¡°In other words, by building a port town for the re-supplying of ships and suppressing the pirates that have made their stronghold on the Wortenia peninsula one can make huge profits¡­ Simone, you told me this story about the Kirtantian tea¡­ Was it because you¡¯ve planned to build a port town on the peninsula from the beginning?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ If a port was built on the peninsula, Kirtantia would not be the only objective. Trade with Ernestgora and others would be possible as well¡­ if that happens, the peninsula will turn into a mountain of treasure.¡± Saying that, Simone¡¯s eyes shined mysteriously. She was about to stake her whole fortune and future and bet on Ryouma¡¯s plan and ideas. ¡°I see¡­ Turns out, this is not me testing you, but you testing me instead, huh?¡± This talk was to see if he could understand her plan, and whether or not he would lend her his power. And if by any chance Ryouma was a fool, she was ready to leave Epiroz. ¡°To be honest, I never expected Baron-sama to understand up to here. If by any chance Baron-sama thought the same things as I did¡­ I had decided to venture the whole of our Christoph firm.¡± ¡°Did I pass your test then?¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Simone smiled gently and presented her right hand. ¡°Of course. Please, by all means, lend our Christoph firm your power.¡± Her smile was not only solemn, but also beautiful. It was the face of a noble warrior who was ready to fight. Chapter 75 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 9 Chapter 3 Episode 9 Editor: SniperIRL Proofreader: mr.tanen Western Continent Calendar August 9, 2812: (Towards the peninsula 9) ¡°Hoooh¡­ She was trying to test my Lord? Despite being a woman who leads a business firm, she seems to be a capable one, eh? But still¡­ Being able to thoroughly investigate the matter regarding my Lord like that¡­ I guess her intelligence network can¡¯t be underestimated. It would also turn troublesome if we became her enemies.¡± Genou¡¯s eyes turned sharp after hearing Ryouma¡¯s story during the meeting. For Genou, being able to probe Ryoumas background seemed to have elevated his impression of Simone. He was not someone who was blind because of loyalty. ¡®What?! To think someone is trying to test my Lord! Unforgivable!¡¯ Although usually he was someone who might have said something like that, but as expected, he wouldn¡¯t do it in this kind of place where many people were present. ¡°Well, for now, there¡¯s little possibility for her to turn into our enemy. As long as she¡¯s planning to stay in Epiroz, I¡¯m an essential existence for her. And, I have the rights over the Wortenia peninsula¡­ But well, if I have to say, we also don¡¯t know when the situation will change. Just keep your eyes on her, Genou.¡± ¡°Understood¡­ But her intelligence network is really remarkable¡­ I think she uses the merchants to conduct information gathering, what do you think?¡± ¡°It appears to be so. It seems that since they are an old business firm, they have a lot of connections within the country and overseas. With that being the case, they might be using some kind of carrier pigeon at regular intervals to exchange information.¡± ¡°A firm with a long history, huh¡­ Like that, they need to organize and send people to gather information.¡± ¡°Right, they seem to have dispatched merchants to trade while also telling them to gather information¡­ In the future, Genou has to work in cooperation with them¡­ Since if they were only capable of listening then I wouldn¡¯t be able to put up a fight even if it was only for self-defense.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then please let us support my Lord from the shadows.¡± As far as acquiring a wide range of information using a large number of people, Simone was the better option. However, when it came to assassination, stealing, and other clandestine operations, Genou was far more suitable. If one could successfully combine the advantages of both it would become a very powerful intelligence organization. A calm and relaxed smile appeared on Genou¡¯s face. He seemed to be relieved that his value did not go down. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that good? Despite being unscheduled, for such an agreement to come from the first discussion with her, it was not bad. So boy, are you also going to leave the purchase of supplies to the Christoph firm as well?¡± ¡°No¡­ I do not have any intention of trading with the Christoph firm this soon.¡± ¡°Eh? What does that mean? I thought the meeting a while ago was to start a deal? If not them, who are you going to buy our supplies from?!¡± While feeling surprised Lione raised her voice. They had looked specifically for a firm that had nothing to do with the Earl, and even made an agreement of cooperation with that Christoph firm. Yet, Ryouma said that he would not make any trades with the Christoph firm so soon. In Epiroz, there were nine other business firms. However, all of them were under the Mistel firms umbrella which was siding with Earl Salzberg. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re going to trade with the Mistel firm¡­ Well, I¡¯ve also discussed this with Simone¡­ It would be bad for us if we immediately traded with her Christoph firm. That would only alert the Earl, see?¡± Everyone was convinced when Ryouma said those words. For Earl Salzberg, if Ryouma made any dealings with the Christoph firm he hated, it would only raise a feeling of danger inside him. ¡®Why did he trade with a business firm that is my enemy? Does he intend to going up against me?¡¯ Such thoughts might have surface within the Earl¡¯s mind. For the current Ryouma, such a situation would be undesirable. That was why Ryouma and Simone decided it was best for them if he traded with the Mistel firm and the others first, until they had enough power to go up against the Earl¡¯s might. On the other hand, Ryouma would be leaking information to Simone while also preparing themselves for a future confrontation against the Earl. Besides, for Ryouma, Earl Salzberg might have provided various conveniences if he were to ask for them earnestly. The reason for this was that for the Earl, there was still the issue where he was embezzling the crown, by way of the rock salt vein operation. ¡°I see¡­ Indeed, that would be a safe move.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± The two people who usually gave input to Ryouma with wisdom agreed. ¡°Well, I guess, it really sounds like you. Especially with how you¡¯re trying to use the Earl as much as you can,¡± Lione laughed loudly while saying those words. What she meant was that Ryouma always made his opponents become careless and then destroyed them with one blow, placing emphasis on efficiency. Some might call people like that cowards. However, someone who could do something like that usually became a formidable adversary. ¡°But still, Ryouma-sama, to meet with the Christoph firm first and not Mistels¡­ Won¡¯t that make the Earl grow suspicious of us then?¡± Saras eyes who were looking at Ryouma looked uneasy. ¡°Well¡­ According to Simone, they always dispatched someone to watch the Christoph building¡­ Thus, no matter what I do, they would know that I¡¯ve visited her.¡± ¡°Then, what are we going to do?¡± ¡°Well, I will just talk honestly: I tried to purchase some supplies from her and she refused¡­ Because of that, I now run and ask the Earl for help, requesting him to introduce me to the Mistel firm.¡± He refrained to ask the Earl for help immediately because he couldnt afford to trouble the Earl without reason. And the reason why he visited the Christoph firm first was simply because the shop seemed to be empty. Using that, Ryouma would go to meet the Lord of Epiroz, seeking help purposefully after telling him that he was being rejected by the Christoph firm. Ryouma would then tell the Earl that he aimed to make a deal not only with the Christoph firm, but with the others as well. This, in turn, would create the impression that he did not have the intention of antagonizing the Earl¡­ Based on Simones and Genou¡¯s descriptions of the Earl, the nobleman was a completely different person compared the one he had seen at the castle. The way he praised Ryouma and also his kindness¡­ All of that was an act. The truth was that he was an arrogant person who looked down on other people. Considering his personality, if Ryouma were to come to him and beg him for aid in earnest, it would then fulfill the Earl¡¯s sense of superiority. Thus, the Earl would never suspect Ryouma¡¯s maneuver. ¡°I see¡­ You¡¯ve thought about it that far ahead while also considering the Earl¡¯s personality, huh?¡± ¡°As usual, young master is really a terrifying person¡­¡± Such casual tones were voiced by some of his close subordinates. ¡°To mix the truth with a lie would make it a good lie. One that will not only make the Earl incautious and inadvertent towards us, but also give us some help while at it. After that, I just have to exploit him until I have no further use for him anymore.¡± Saying that, Ryouma showed a cold smile. He was planning to provoke the Earl¡¯s carelessness, and then use it against him. ¡°I guess, that is good enough¡­ But what are we going to do about the population?¡± Genou voiced his question. For the time being, they had solved the problems regarding hiring the mercenaries and the purchasing of supplies. What was left was the problem regarding the people that would become the future citizens of Wortenia. ¡°That huh¡­ Does anyone have an idea?¡± Clearly, this problem was a very hard one, since in the first place, it was a difficult thing to settle inhabitants. For example, if Ryouma set up a notice board in the neighboring cities and villages, advertising that he was gathering emigrants, was there anyone who would then be willing to apply? To go to an undeveloped territory such as Wortenia? such doubts were in Ryouma¡¯s mind. Powerful monsters wandered around, not to mention the pirates that had strongholds within the territory. Not only that, but it was also a territory that had no resources. Normally, what he could provide was some form of tax incentives, but with just that, nobody would be willing to move in. Besides, even if some of them did migrate, another problem would arise, and that was related to the nobles who would have previously been their lords. People that lived in a territory paid taxes. What would happen if someone took those people? The number of the taxpayers would decrease, and in turn, the income of the nobles would also decrease. Which would end up with either the nobles complaining to Lupis or using brute force. And then, whichever was chosen, Ryoumas fate would have been over. Regardless, Ryouma¡¯s current situation was that he was weaker than any other noble in the area. When Ryouma asked the question to see if someone had any idea, everybody remained silent, thinking of some possible solutions. After having acted together with Ryouma all this time, they also understood the importance of ideas. The ideas that defied the common sense of this world! It was that kind of ideas that often led to a solution for their problems. ¡°How about this¡­ It would cost money but we could gather some slaves who would then become permanent residents in the future¡­ And it is also a good way to avoid the other nobles scrutiny.¡± The surrounding people turned their gaze on Sara. Her words were very convenient for the current situation that Ryouma was in. No, rather, it could be said that it was too good to be true. For Ryouma, being able to solve the current problem with gold was so convenient that it was hard to believe. ¡®If you want citizens, then buy them¡¯. Such a convenient way, did it even exist? ¡°There are a lot of slave merchants in the backstreets of this town. How about buying some labor slaves at that place? With this, we can get the people we want by using gold. Magic arts can be mastered by anyone anyways, which means wed have to educate them. This way, it would be a lot safer for us to buy slaves rather than taking residents from other territories and angering the nobles by doing so. Hearing Sara¡¯s explanation, everyone immediately thought about the merits and demerits of her idea. The first one who broke the silence was Genou. ¡°It is not bad¡­ But what worries me is that the slaves might turn against my Lord.¡± ¡°Genou-donos doubts are reasonable. In the first place, our finances are already tight, no?¡± ¡°How about we buy them in bulk? Since slave labor is cheap, we can ask for a discount if we buy them in large amounts¡­ If we go with this, we shouldnt have to worry about the money.¡± If Ryouma purchased the slaves at once, he could negotiate the price of the individual slaves and ask for a discount. And if they bought them on a regular basis, the slave merchants wouldnt be able to refuse their offer. ¡­ ¡°But, what are we going to do if they rebelled? Even if we managed to get the gold, will these slaves really become Ryouma¡¯s people?¡± ¡°Then how about we offered them their freedom?¡± Towards Sara¡¯s suggestion, Lione shows an expression as if she doubted what she had just heard. ¡°Ha? What are you saying? After we buy them with our own money, we release them?¡± ¡°Yes. Both my sister and I were originally war slaves, but Ryouma-sama released us. Because of that, we hold the utmost loyalty towards Ryouma-sama. If back then we had still been slaves then the story would have been different¡­¡± If they had been still slaves, they wouldn¡¯t have held such loyalty for him like this. Everyone understood what Saras words implied. They suspected that most humans would hold no loyalty towards a master as a slave. They would only serve their master out of fear of being hurt, while deep inside their hearts a smoldering murderous intent would be lodged. In their minds would for ever remain the intention to murder their master the moment they found a chance to act on it. ¡°I see¡­You guys So thats how it is¡­¡± Lione murmured some words as if having just realized something. Both she and Bolts always wondered why did the Marfisto sisters displayed such a strong devotion and trust towards Mikoshiba Ryouma. (I see¡­ Slaves are also living beings. Meaning, they also have the sense of gratitude¡­) Lione at least could understand what kind of life a slave had. It was full of humiliation and suffering. Lione herself came from a commoner family. And as a commoner, both her status and life were not that far apart compared to a slaves. When commoners couldnt pay taxes, or the country lost a war, they would usually end up being sold as slaves. What would follow was a thorny road where they lost all of their human dignity with little hope to regain it until the end of their lives. ¡°I see, that is not bad, letting them feel loyalty towards my Lord by setting them free, while also making their hatred towards nobility disappear¡­ I say, it is not a bad idea at all¡­¡± Their fealty to Ryouma as a feudal lord would be the most important thing. Or one could also say, their devoted love, support, and defense of what they would consider their home, Wortenia. Ryouma himself was only an upstart, but he would give them the one thing that they usually wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain. As long as Ryouma did not make any foolish policies, they wouldnt disobey him. ¡°Very good indeed¡­ We can give them some salvation from slavery as well¡­ I will immediately begin to look around the slave traders starting tomorrow. Sara, Laura, you both come with me. Genou, continue to keep an eye on Earl Salzberg! Lione-san should continue hiring mercenaries, and as for Bolts, continue looking for information regarding the peninsula.¡± Everyone nodded their heads. Ryouma hated the slavery system which treated humans as if they were mere commodities. He thought it was important for a human being to have their own free will. This cuold also be said to be why he hated Lupis. That was because she ignored Ryouma¡¯s identity as a person and his intentions. The oppressed Ryouma would in consequence borrow the power of the oppressed slaves to retaliate. Will the story end up as exciting as it sounds? (Class system? All of that can just go to hell! I¡¯m going to crush all of you bastards to oblivion!) This day would later be known as the day the oppressed people first saw the light. The will of the people inside this room was one that would eventually swallow the entire continent. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 76 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 10 Chapter 3 Episode 10 Editors: SniperIRL/mr.tanen Day 10th, 8th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Towards the peninsula 10) ¡°Is this the place?¡± When the sun passed its peak and was about to set in the western sky, Ryouma arrived at his destination In front of Ryouma, there was a dimly lit alley. Despite having just come out of the main street, the darkness covered the alley. ¡°Here is where the shops that deal with slaves are.¡± Ryouma nodded his head after hearing Laura¡¯s explanation and stepped into the dark side of the world. ¡­ ¡°Welcome, milord! Is this your first visit? I am extremely honored with your presence, sire. We are the biggest slave merchants of Epiroz city. Labor slaves, s.e.x slaves, and even war slaves! We guarantee that we have all types and as many as you could possibly want. We are confident that we can find apt slaves that will suit your taste, sire.¡± The big guy with whiskers on his face that seemed to be the shopkeeper lowered his head the moment Ryouma entered the store. Surrounding them there were slaves bound by chains, staring at Ryouma and the others with dead eyes. Different compared to the shopkeeper whose eyes shimmered as if seeing gold. It was as if his face were saying ¡°I¡¯m greedy¡±. His body could be considered tall and also large. Although his height was slightly shorter than Ryoumas, his girth was definitely the size of three Ryoumas. He wore a robe with a long hem and decorated his body with jewels. There was also a leather whip hanging from his waist. One could easily guess that the whip was for disciplining the rebellious slaves. The grip on the leather wrapped around the handle seemed to be smooth, indicating that the whip was frequently used. ¡°Im looking for slaves.¡± Ryouma tried to suppress his emotions as much as possible. If Sara and Laura hadnt clutched the hem of his robes, Ryouma would have started raining blows upon the slave merchants face at that very moment. However, the merchant seemed to have failed to realize what was in Ryouma¡¯s heart. ¡°Oh! Thank you very much. So then milord, is it labor slaves you want? Or perhaps some s.e.x slaves to play with? If it is war slaves we do have some but the amount would be limited since our current stock is small. Please speak, what type of slave would you like to purchase?¡± The shopkeeper was full of smiles while he rubbed his hands. In spite of his appearance which made him seem like a slow-witted person, his declaration showed he was an affluent merchant. Besides, if one were to look at him as a merchant and how he tried to please his customers, one could even go so far as to say that he was a good merchant. Only a few people would be able to realize that Ryouma was a noble by simply looking at him in his current appearance. After all, Ryouma was wearing only a silk shirt and the cloak that he wore when he met Earl Salzberg, and he did not wear any accessories that would indicate that he was from nobility. ¡°I want slaves, a lot of them. But not only that, I also have several conditions. Males and females, ages ranging from 10 to 15¡­ As for the ratio, I want it to be balanced. For now, I want around 300 people¡­ If you don¡¯t have enough in your store, you can call out the other slave merchants and gather the required amount¡± After hearing that, the slaver couldnt help staring blankly. It was because Ryouma¡¯s statement was too unexpected. ¡°Excuse me, sire, wouldn¡¯t those slaves be too young for grunt work? I think slaves around the age of 20 would be more suitable for labor¡­ Even if the slaves were to be used as a disposable labor force, I think they wouldn¡¯t be too useful¡­ And if we talk about reselling them as s.e.x slaves, as labor slaves, they do not possess the necessary looks to qualify as s.e.x slaves¡­ And 300 people? Our shop is the biggest slave-dealer in Epiroz, but with those numbers¡­ Even our shop won¡¯t be able to meet your demand¡­ I beg your pardon sir, just what are you going to do with them?¡± When the slave merchant asked that, Ryouma shifted his gaze toward his eyes. A labor slave was mainly used for agriculture. They were usually treated as farming tools not unlike cows or horses. And the value of labor slaves depended on their strength. Men were therefore considered more suitable than women because of this, and usually, they were sold as adults rather than children. Although some might have bought women for labor, it was uncommon for someone to actually want them in the same amount as the men. At least, for the slave merchant who had a long history in the business, this was the first time he had experienced something like this. Furthermore, Ryouma did not bear the countenance of someone with some lolita-complex. Not to mention, those children would have underdeveloped strength. And because their body is still growing and developing, they would need more food than usual. In other words, those children worked less and were more costly to maintain. Thus it was natural for the slaver to ask such questions. However, Ryouma answered him with a cold voice. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, is it?¡± When Ryouma said those words, the sisters who stood behind him trembled. And it was also the same for the slave trader. Ryouma never raised his voice. In fact, from the tone of his voice, it was that of a calm character. However, his voice felt very cold, as if it were a steel blade. And his message was clearly being conveyed to the slave dealer. (I will f*cking kill you¡­) Inside the slave merchants mind a scene played where he was being slaughtered. So far, he had slain a lot of slaves. Old slaves, rebellious slaves, slaves who had lost some part of their bodies and slaves that had been infected by some illness, among others. And the slaves that the man before Ryouma had slaughtered the most were the children. For him, younglings who couldnt be expected to become labor slaves were annoying. At first, he would always chain the children he bought cheaply on the storefront. Most importantly, he bought youngsters who had both good looks and physical strength, since that way they would still be of use. But naturally, even with that, there remained some children left without buyers. Those who couldnt be sold even after a certain period of time were usually disposed of by the slave merchant. He did this in order to avoid the expense of feeding merchandise that would only be a burden to him, and which would then cause his profits to decrease. In opposition to their traded goods, the slave dealers were known to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle, growing fat from the profit of their shady business. Concerning all the cruelty he was responsible for, he fully disregarded it. After all, in his mind he had simply gotten rid of defective slaves. As for those victims of his trade, in his eyes were nothing but tools in human shape. And when a person stops seeing another person as a human, all feelings as a fellow man would disappear. That was why he did not feel any kind of pity. And right then, when looking at him, Ryoumas eyes shined just like how the slave merchants when looking at his own slaves. ¡°N-No, of course not! Please forgive me. I beg your pardon! Please! I was a fool! Please forgive me¡­¡± The slave merchant immediately crawled on the ground, begging for forgiveness. Around them, there were no slaves, but he had no intention to pretend either. He knew, unless he was forgiven, he would have no way to survive that day. This was not because Ryouma was a nobleman. Even if he had been a commoner, the slave merchant would have done the same. The slaver could see the clear difference in power between them and that itd be effortless for the young man before him to end his life. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­¡± Laura strongly pulled Ryouma¡¯s cloak, while he was looking down at the shopkeeper, who kept bowing down on the ground, with a cold stare. To be honest, Laura and Sara also wanted to kill the slave merchant. They had also seen the gruesome condition in which the slaves inside the store were. Living amidst filth and squalor; whip scars clearly seen on their bodies; they had probably never even taken a bath before! Their hair was matted, and their clothing was less than minimal. In the case of the children, they seemed to be lucky to even wear underwear. The majority of the others were not so fortunate and were outright naked. The light of life had disappeared from their eyes. What was left was only dead eyes, staring at the empty void. Even though Sara and Laura were slaves once, they had been born and raised in a prestigious knight¡¯s house. And most importantly, they both were very beautiful. That was why, even when they were slaves the same as the ones theyve just met, they had never been treated too harshly. In that sense, the slave merchant who had bought the sisters could even be considered as a kind person. That is, compared to the man who was grovelling before them at the moment. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ Right now is¡­¡± Once again, Laura pulled Ryouma¡¯s cloak. ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m fine Laura¡­ I know that I should not listen to my guts right now¡­¡± Ryouma tried his best to hold down his emotions. (Calm down¡­ I can¡¯t do anything right away¡­ If I killed this guy now, I won¡¯t be able to save anyone¡­) As he was going further inside the alley, Ryouma gradually grew angrier, but for the time being, he couldnt let his anger explode. This was due to the fact that this was also part of Earl Salzberg¡¯s territory. What this meant was that the slave merchants had gotten permission for their businesses from him. If Ryouma made some sort of trouble here, he would be blamed for disturbing the Earls citizens livelihood. At the time, Ryouma had yet to achieve any real power. And since he understood that, he tried to ignore all the misery that he saw around him. It was the hapless merchants last utterance that caused him to be unable to hold all of his anger in and let part of it exude. Fortunately for the slave dealer, Ryouma did not draw his sword immediately. ¡°Enough¡­ Raise your head¡­¡± ¡°Y-Yes! T-Thank you very much.¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s statement, the slave merchant immediately complied. He tried to not do anything unnecessary anymore, thinking that if he worsened the young nobleman¡¯s mood once again, he might get butchered on the spot. ¡°I will say it once again¡­ I want 300 slaves, both males and females, with healthy bodies, and their ages need to be around 10 to 15 years old. Can you prepare all of that?¡± Ryouma repeated his wish once again. ¡°O-Of course¡­ Please let me arrange your order, milord! Leave it to me. We will risk even our lives so that we can prepare all of them.¡± This time, the slave merchant also did not utter any useless drivel. And responded to Ryouma with just the necessary words. ¡°Good then¡­ First of all, how much is it for 300 people?¡± ¡°The prices depend on their gender and age¡­¡± ¡°How much?¡± Ryouma repeated his query while showing that he was once again beginning to feel annoyed. ¡°H-How about 1.5 million baht?¡± This meant that a single head would cost 5,000 baht. Converted to Japanese Yen, that would be 100,000 Yen in total. Ryouma wondered if it was because of his previous burst of anger that he was being given such a bargain. But since Ryouma did not know the price for the children in the first place, he was not entirely sure either. However, for now, Ryouma agreed on the price. ¡°Fine¡­ At what time shall I come to get my goods?¡± ¡°Well, because this shop alone cannot fulfill that order, if possible please give me a week of time!¡± ¡°Very well¡­ How about the delivery place?¡± ¡°I am very sorry, but since it is 300 people it would be hard to do it inside the city¡­ How about we meet on the outskirts of Epiroz?¡± Indeed, it was impossible to deliver all 300 slaves inside this dark alley. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. It was necessary for them to meet at a spacious place. (Well, we also need to leave towards the outskirts to provide those slaves with some education. North of the city is the border with the Wortenia peninsula, while the to the west is the border with the Zalda Kingdom¡­ I guess well have to camp on the eastern outskirts, huh¡­) Ryouma immediately calculated everything in his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather meet at the eastern outskirts¡­ I will pay half of the price now. The rest will be paid after you deliver all the goods to me. Is that fine?¡± Ryouma took the gold bag from Sara and handed it to the slave merchant without even counting what was inside of it. ¡°Inside, there¡¯s 750,000 baht. Go and confirm it, then bring me the receipt.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment!¡± After receiving the gold from Ryouma, the slaver ran into the shop. Very shortly after, he returned with the receipt in his hand. He did not dare to count the money inside the bag. As a merchant such an act would be considered sloppy, but in this case, no one could blame him, since he was in a state of shock and excitement. ¡°Well then¡­ One week, is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, sire! Thank you very much for your patronage. Please rest assured, we will definitely deliver the goods after a week!¡± Ryouma immediately left the shop, ignoring the slave merchant who bent down his body. He did not want to stay any longer in such a place. Inside there, Ryouma had to constantly fight the urge to puke. The shop emitted too much feeling of human greed and malice, which caused Ryouma to become nauseous. Ryoumas group quickly walked out of the dark alley until they had finally come back to the bright town¡¯s main street. The three people then breathed out a deep sigh. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ Are you alright?¡± Laura anxiously asked Ryouma. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­Forget about me, are you two fine?¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s question, the two sisters silently nodded. Their expression was stiff. ¡°I guess that was the dark side of this world, huh¡­ Damn it!¡± Although he already knew about the slave system, the reality was harsher than he had imagined. (I will definitely change it¡­ Absolutely!) Ryouma vowed inside his heart. He realized that such a vow was just self-satisfaction. What he had just witnessed was the reality of this world. And what Ryouma could take care of right now was just the tip of the iceberg. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 77 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 11 Chapter 3 Episode 11 Editor: mr.tanen Day 17th, 8th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar:(Towards the peninsula 17) One week had passed as promised. Ryouma and the others left the inn they were using as their base and set up a camp 3km away from Epirozs eastern gate. Before entering the peninsula, they all had to undergo a series of trainings and trials. However, other than the Earl¡¯s private armys training field there was no place large enough for them to train within the confines of the fortress city. That was why Ryouma chose to camp outside of the settlement, since one did not simply ask the Earl to lend him the place. ¡°Preparations are already complete¡­ What is left now is to see how many people are going to pull through whats to come, I guess¡­¡± The sun reached its peak. Ryouma¡¯s eyes gazed at the walls of Epiroz. ¡°It is impossible to expect all 300 people to survive¡­ I think we should be satisfied if half of them survived, don¡¯t you think so my Lord?¡± Genou, who stood behind Ryouma, said those words. ¡°I guess so¡­¡± Ryouma shrugged his shoulders and replied Genou in a relaxed manner. A week had passed since he had made the deal with the slave merchant. From here on the selection of personnel would begin. The strong ones;the smart ones; and all those who possessed a strong will. Only children possessing such traits would be given their freedom. Of course, everyone was going to be released from slavery. However, in this world, only the strong could possibly obtain true freedom. But still, the children bought by Ryouma were certainly fortunate. Whether they could obtain their freedom or not wasnt the point, but that, unlike most in the same circumstances, they were at least being given the opportunity to grasp it with their own hands. ¡°My Lord, you ought not to worry about it too much¡­ I think those children are already lucky enough to be bought by none other than my Lord.¡± Hearing Genou¡¯s words, Ryouma frowned. Ryouma was aware of this even without Genou saying it, he already knew. It was just¡­ Even if the young man realized such things, his heart still couldnt accept it fully. (I, who is buying those children to be used, and the slave merchant, who sold those children¡­ I guess I¡¯m no different, huh¡­) This train of thought rose inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. However, he also knew that he couldnt be soft and stop here, because it was at this moment that everything would begin. ¡°Young master! The merchants have arrived.¡± Bolts voice hailing Ryouma could be heard. ¡°Understood! I will go meet them immediately.Let¡¯s go, Genou.¡± After having said those words he began walking towards the open area. The hesitation that had once shown on Ryouma¡¯s face was nowhere to be seen. He comprehended better than anyone else that reality was harsh and heartless, and that if he were to hesitate here, this truth wouldnt change. ¡°Milord, thank you very much for using our services. As promised, we¡¯ve prepared the items. Please check them, sire.¡± After saying that the slave merchant bowed his head carefully just like how he did the other day. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve caused you some trouble, huh?¡± Even if Ryouma didnt care for the other person, he wouldnt dismiss their hard labor, and would never forget to appreciate it. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing, sire. After all, this is a business¡­ Furthermore, the business is currently on the downslope and we have been unable to attract many customers. Actually, I¡¯m very grateful to milord for bringing us this deal¡­¡± The slave merchant waved his hands and denied Ryouma¡¯s concession. Ryouma¡¯s gaze then turned cold, looking at the slaves standing behind the slave trader. There appeared to be more girls than boys. Ryouma then questioned the slave trader in a forceful tone. ¡°Well, whatever. So then? What about the ratio and quantity that I have requested?¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­ In fact, I¡¯ve brought 320 people with me here. In term of ratio, it¡¯s 7:3 between females and males.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the amount exceeding that of my request?¡± ¡°Yes milord¡­ Because there werent enough male labor slaves¡­ As compensation, we brought more than 300 people.¡± Upon hearing the slave merchants excuse, Ryouma did not try to hide his bad mood. ¡°I take it that this is your form of apologizing?¡± The slave trader smiled without saying anything. ¡°Well fine then¡­ None of them bear any physical defects, right?¡± ¡°Yes milord. I¡¯ve thoroughly examined each and everyone of them. None suffers any type of ailment.¡± Some of the slaves bore whip scars on their bodies, but they were only scratches that were within the scope of possible recovery. As expected of a trusted slave dealer, he seemed to understand how to perform a good trade. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll trust you¡­ I will take all of them. You now just need me to pay the remaining 750,000 baht, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right, sire.¡± Ryouma lightly nodded his head and handed over the money bag to the slave trader. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± The slave merchant immediately lowered his head without even checking the money inside the bag, very much like he once did back at the shop. Then he presented Ryouma with two documents. ¡°Then please sign this delivery note milord¡­ With this, all the slaves here now belong to Mikoshiba-sama. One piece of the document will be given to Mikoshiba-sama, and we will keep the copy.¡± After confirming that Ryouma¡¯s name was written in the documents, the slave merchant nodded visibly satisfied, then he put one of the documents back in his bag. ¡°With this, we¡¯ve finished our trade, milord. In the future, please use our services again, the Abutal firm.¡± Pleased with the trade, the slave traders left the camp with smiles on their faces. ¡°Now then¡­ Lione! Distribute the clothes that we¡¯ve prepared. After that, Laura! Are the meals ready?¡± Even if the weather at the time was mild, people could still get sick if left naked. Ryouma had already seen how the slave merchants treated the slaves back at the shop, so in preparation for this moment, Ryouma had arranged for clothes, underwear and warm meals to be ready for the slaves. He had thought that the slave merchants might have provided some clothing when they delivered the slaves, but it seemed that this kind of service did not exist in this world. First of all, Ryouma had to let the slaves put on some clothes. The members of Red Lion distributed the garments to the slaves who were standing still like dolls without a soul or will of their own. ¡°Boy, we¡¯ve finished distributing the clothes¡­¡± Lione showed a troubled expression while reporting to Ryouma. The cause was clear. It was because, even after being given the clothes, the slaves only held them in their hands. Normally naked people would immediately put the clothes on. Or at least, normal people would ask if they could wear them or not. However, these children just stood there silently. They received the outfits but did nothing, not even asking anything. ¡°These children¡­ Why wont they put the clothes on? It can¡¯t be, it isnt because they don¡¯t know how to wear clothes, right?¡± It wasnt like they were infants. They might have been slaves, but it would have been too much if they didnt even know how to wear clothes! ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ Please leave this to me.¡± After saying this, Laura walked towards the children and spoke gently. It was a most calm and gentle voice. When spoken to like that, the children began to show some expressions. At first, they showed surprised looks, then dazed looks. However, after Laura urged them to wear the clothes, the young crowd started to put on the garmens that they held in their hands with frightened expressions. After a few minutes, all the children had gotten dressed. ¡°Just what did she say?¡± It was normal for Ryouma to be taken by surprise. The slave childrens countenances were still gloomy. However, after Laura talked to them, some sort of expressions, even if a little, showed up on their faces. Although it was faint, they now bore something akin to human expressions. Compared to their previous doll-like visage, Ryouma thought it was a great improvement. ¡°Its easy. I just told them that the clothes we¡¯ve given to them are theirs.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Wasnt that obvious?¡± Ryoumas doubt was natural. For him, the clothes he had distributed were already the younglings belongings. However, Laura shook her head. ¡°Slaves can¡¯t think like that. They will accept the clothes only after their master clearly told them to¡­ After all, I¡¯ve experienced that kind of life for a long time as well¡­¡± Thinking about it a little, Ryouma understood. Because the children had been treated poorly, they had even repressed their will to question. For a slave, the masters will would determine their life and death. They had no rights. They only had to obey and not show incompetence, so that their master wouldnt get rid of them. ¡°Ah, I see now¡­¡± After Lauras explanation, Ryouma finally comprehended the situation. They couldnt do anything unless Ryouma gave them permission to. That was what the children believed. Thus, Ryouma first had to order the children if he wanted them to do something, even though they were humans. Young men and women who had their own free will. From there on, Ryouma discerned that he had to tell them loudly, and make them remember, that they were humans, that they were people with souls and wills of their own. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C That day, Melissas fate changed for the second time. It was three years ago that her fate had changed dramatically for the first time. She was born in a small fishing village in the Zalda Kingdom, while her family had been poor, she had lived surrounded by her family experiencing a peaceful life. However, this life suddenly ended due to the pirates that came from the Wortenia peninsula. She had learnt that sea raiders had made their base at the peninsula when she was an infant. But, compared to the trade ships loaded with expensive goods, there wasnt much value in pillaging the fishing village. That was why her village had never been attacked before. Besides, who would want to attack a fishing hamlet just to get dried fish to begin with? However, reality was harsher than she had previously thought. In front of her eyes, a massacre took place. Her parents died with their bodies skewered by spears. It was unknown to her what had happened to her siblings and friends. There was only one thing an eleven years old girl could do back then. And that was to run away from that place. She had managed to avoid the pirates¡¯ hands and escaped from her burning village. What was inside her mind back then was the overpowering desire to survive. She had no recollection of what had happened after that. What she could remember was that she had managed to flee the village, but her memory was cut off from there. The next thing she remembered was that she was picked up by some man from a certain town. Then, all of a sudden she found herself standing naked side by side with people wearing collars. Back then she could not fathom what had happened. However, reality gradually hit her. That was, the reality where she would get beaten no matter what she did or said. When she cried, she would get flogged; when she shouted she would get flogged; when she begged she would get flogged; when she talked she would get flogged. Like that, she learned how to take care of the scars caused by the whip. She learned that to survive, she had to kill her own will and behave like a doll, devoid of any feelings. Such thoughts continued to become more and more lodged in her mind after seeing many slaves being disposed of in front of her eyes. Even more aggravating, she was a female slave, without much much physical strength. Although her face could be said to be pretty, it was not a face that someone would deem a matchless beauty either. She might have been sold as a s.e.x slave if she had been a bit older, but she was only 14 years old right now. Due to living the life of a slave for many years, her body had withered, it was not a body that could entice men¡¯s lust. Had Mikoshiba Ryouma not bought her then, she might have ended up dying not long after. However, fate worked in mysterious ways. (These clothes¡­ What should I do with them?) Mellisa was brought together with the other slaves, and unlike some of the others, she at least wore a piece of underwear and a ragged piece of cloth given to her by a slave trader a long time ago. Her fellow sufferers also showed puzzled expressions when they received the garments. (What is this even? Can I wear it?) The underwear she was wearing right then had been worn for months already and the ragged shirt was torn on more than one place, by courtesy of the slave traders whip. That was the state and entirety of her current attire. Of course, she yearned to change her clothes! However, such a wish would never have been granted. Because she was only a thing. When people were given something, normally they would immediately consider it theirs from then on. However, at the same time, Melissa thought that something like that would have been impossible to happen to her. (No¡­ I am a thing¡­ There are no people who give clothes to a thing¡­) She promptly acted the way she consistently did. This had to be a trap, similar to the time when the slave merchant presented them with meat and told them to eat. What followed then, was a thorough thrashing for those who took the food. That was what something that Melissa had experienced in the past. A slaves ration consisted of only hard bread and cold, bland soup. There was no way that meat would be served to them. It was almost as impossible as for the heavens to turn upside down! A slave could only eat food fit for slaves. Even if meat were to fall on the ground, a slave never ought to wish to eat it. This very doctrine was drilled into the slaves by their owners and slave trader. Down to the very core. All the slave children that were brought outside the fortress city that day had gone through such brainwashing. That was why nobody made their move. They were all just standing still on the spot. However, the situation abruptly moved in an unexpected direction for them. A woman with blonde hair stood in front of her and proclaimed something that thoroughly surprised Melissa. ¡°It¡¯s cold, isn¡¯t it? Those clothes in your hands are yours from on. My master, Mikoshiba Ryouma gave those clothes to all of you. Wear them properly¡­ That is what your master wants you to do.¡± When she heard those words, Melissa doubted her ears for a moment. (Giving clothes to slaves? Really? This kind of good clothes?) They were not clothes made from silk, these were articles that could be bought from any clothes store. However, this was not something that a slave would usually be clothed in. They were items that would usually be worn by the town citizens. Not only that, the items on her hands were also a brand-new one. Not some old used clothes. It was definitely something excessive to be given to a slave. Melissa looked around. Very much like her, everyone else exhibited confusion after hearing the woman¡¯s announcement. But, the speaker¡¯s voice was calm, and she did not show any hostility. She didnt seem to be lying. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Hurry and put on your clothes! After this, we¡¯re going to have a meal!¡± Deciding to listen to her this time, a boy got dressed. Only after the others saw the blond woman nodding her head towards the daring boy, did they proceed to put on the clothes as well. After all of the slaves became clothed, a man stood in front of them. He was a greatly dignified person, displaying the august aura of a king. It was at that very moment, that their fate as slaves changed forever. It was the beginning of their harsh life towards freedom. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 78 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 12 Record of Wortenia War ¨C v3-c12 Chapter 3 Episode 12 Editor: mr.tanen Proofreader: Mr.Blue Day 17th, 8th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Towards the peninsula 12) Melissa and the other slaves finished putting the clothes on. However, because none of them had ever taken a bath before, their hair was all tangled and twisted like a dumpling. In other words, their appearance was one that shared quite a few similarities with that of modern vagabonds that could often be found sitting depressedly in an alley. And now, after having donned new garments, it rather made their dirty bodies stand out all the more. ¡°Well¡­ First, we need to give them food¡­ After that, a bath, huh? It will be quite the challenge with this many¡­¡± Ryoumas concern was only to be expected. A group of slaves was simply standing in front of him with empty eyes. It was a large group of over 300 people. He could easily handle clothes and meals, but when it came to taking baths, the difficulty involved grew considerably. There were public baths for the general public, but there was no way any of them would be able to take care of 320 people all at once. And not only that, but because the slaves were terribly filthy, no matter how much Ryouma paid the public bathhouse, they would likely reject him. Just imagining 320 people entering a single public bathhouse felt ludicrous to him. As expected, it was out of the question to only rent a single building for bathing. Of course, it would have been possible to push such unreasonableness if Ryouma had flaunted his noble status, but Epiroz belonged to Earl Salzberg. It would only spell trouble were he to force his wishes in a territory with a resident lord that was not him. ¡°First of all, let them eat their meals. It would be a pitiful waste if they were to get cold¡­ As for the bath, we can just boil some water and let them scrub and wash their bodies.¡± Ryouma nodded his head after hearing Laura¡¯s suggestion, then he called Lione out. ¡°Alright then¡­ Lione! Go ahead and get started!¡± There were a lot of things he needed to do; he felt like a juggler at a fair, keeping half a dozen balls in the air at once. ¡°Alright, everyone! Line up!¡± Following Lione¡¯s directives, the children split into five lines. They moved sluggishly, but they didnt fail to follow the instructions properly. The children showed a confused expression while following Lione¡¯s instructions. They were all still scared of the pain caused by the slavers whips. Although Ryouma did not even consider the possibility of flogging them if they did not obey, the slaves believed differently. They were firmly convinced that their new master was no different to their previous ones, and would not hesitate to put the whip to use whenever he became displeased or had they not done as ordered. Even after the children listened to Laura and wore their clothes, their eyes remained vacant. ¡°Heed my words, alright?! It¡¯s hot, so you need to eat it slowly and with care so that you dont get scalded!¡± Once again Melissa could not give credence to her ears, from what she had just heard; nor to her eyes, for in front of her she could see a steaming, hot bowl of soup. The soup was even filled with plenty of different ingredients. Not only were there carrots, onions and potatoes, but also meat¡­ It might have been different had the meat been just big enough for the sake of making sto ck, but this was not the case. This kind of food was considered lavish even for the average commoner, let alone them, who had been abandoned by the gods of fortune. Most commoners would only be able to afford a couple of daily bowls of corn soup with onions or the like. Meat and other equally sumptuous vegetables would only be present on their tables during special occasions. At least for Melissa, who hailed from a poor fishing village, the soup in front of her looked like nothing less than a luxurious meal. (T-This is¡­ What are they trying to do? Why would they give us something so extravagant?) Melissa could tell the soup was hot just from holding the bowl. Her diet for the past few years as a slave was nothing short of miserable. She would only be fed twice a day, once in the morning, and again at night. The slave merchant would pour the soup in plates that, more often than not, could barely hold the watery brew, and the soup itself would be nigh on tasteless. Furthermore, ever since falling into slavery, she had never witnessed it being served hot. It was made in large batches, and was distributed in the form of a cold insipid soup. And since the bread given along with it was never less than a couple days old, it was unsurprisingly hard. So much so, that she wouldnt have been able to eat it properly if she hadnt soaked it in the water-like soup. Even the lowest of commoners would eat better food. They could eat meat several times a year. Compared to that, what was known as slave food was downright horrible. That was why she simply couldnt believe what was served in front of her. The memories from the times before she had become a slave emerged in Melissa¡¯s mind. (Warm¡­ It¡¯s like the soup that mother usually made¡­) Even though Melissa¡¯s family had been poor, her mother would have always made sure to put warm food on their table. Of course, it would have been just a soup affordable for poor commoners. The ingredients themselves wouldnt have been that great. Generally theyd have consisted of just some vegetables, and only rarely would there have been fish or meat in the dish. However, for Melissa, her mothers soup was the greatest of feasts. Always warm, and the taste had been good too¡­ ¡°Hot!¡± Besides Melissa, a boy raised a surprised voice. Along with his surprise, the bowl fell from his hands, and the soup spilled over the ground. Looking at his hand held in his mouth, he seemed to have been unable to hold his urge and endeavored to gorge on the soup even when the master had told them not to eat it yet. A frightened expression appeared on the face of the surrounding children. To them, what he did was akin to abandoning one¡¯s life. Not to mention, he had also wasted such a luxurious soup¡­ The youths around him immediately distanced themselves from him, while he immediately crouched down out of instinct. This was also how slaves normally behaved, since no one could predict what kind of brutality would befall them if they stayed near someone being, or about to be, punished. This behavior was concededly a form of self-defense. The surrounding children could only pray that they wouldnt get dragged in and get punished when they saw a silver-haired girl running towards the boy. However, their expectations and what actually followed were worlds apart¡­ ¡°Are you alright?¡± A gentle and calm voice was heard. The boy who had prepared himself to receive the anticipated punishment could only look up towards the owner of the voice with fear. ¡°Are you really alright? No soup was spilled over your feet, right?¡± Sara said those unexpectedly caring words while picking up the dish that fell to the ground. Steam could still be seen rising from the edges of the bowl. All the contents were scattered on the ground, spreading the smell that further stirred up the childrens appetite. ¡°Hmmm¡­ For now, it seems like you¡¯re just surprised because of the hot soup¡­ Please be careful from now on, alright?¡± Hearing Sara¡¯s admonition, the boy looked bewildered. That was because her words contained only concern for him, there was no rebuke in them. The children from his surroundings showed the same bewildered looks. ¡°Right¡­ Please eat it with caution this time, alright?¡­ Huh? Wait, wait, waaait!¡± His soup had already been absorbed by the soil, and there was no way for it to be eaten anymore. Sara had meant for the boy to get a new one, but he greatly and dismally misunderstood her. He proceeded to kneel on the ground without hesitation and struggled to gather the spilled vegetables and meat. If Sara had not stopped him, he would have, without a doubt, eaten the food that had fallen to the ground. ¡°Not that! There! Get a new one from the woman with red hair over there!¡± Due to encountering such an unexpected behavior, Sara felt a bit upset and desperately pointed towards Lione. The boys gaze followed the direction her finger was pointing at with anxiety and doubt. Looking at the boy¡¯s eyes, anyone could have seen that he was now frightened out of his wits. Sara then tried to shake off his dread by talking to him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, go on¡­ Listen to me, alright? You don¡¯t have to eat something that has fallen down on the ground! We have a lot of food. You can even ask for a second helping afterwards, so please, eat it carefully, alright?¡± Prompted by Sara¡¯s words, all the children proceeded to gingerly ingest the food while still being fearful. Sara felt relieved that at least they had started to eat, while at the same time feeling worried for a different reason. ¡°Fuuh¡­ Will we be alright, I wonder?¡± She understood Ryouma¡¯s aim. She knew that Ryouma never considered giving them warm meals and new clothes simply out of goodwill. It was nothing but a means to an end; to make the children remember what it felt like to have desire in their hearts; to make them remember what a will was, that is, the power of choosing their own actions and asserting their choice. To eat, to wear clothes, and to have a place to live. These are basic needs, and only after recognizing them as such would you seek to satisfy them. This is the origin of humankinds actions, but not its end. After that thered be the pursuit of a better life, for oneself and the ones they love, comparing things against the others, and envying the differences. Because of this reason, a human has the ambition to strive. Back in Ryoumas world a great statesman had once said: A mans worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions. Desire is the strongest driving force to make a human act. Because there is selfishness, people seek and crave. And a slave did not have that. They had lost something once, something they couldnt live without as human beings, their identity! They had become mere animals in humans clothing. Of course, it was natural for them to have none of that. After all, they had abandoned their most basic foundations. And they had abandoned it because of the harsh reality that fate decreed they had to experience. No matter how much someone told other people to never give up, if the people didnt have the will, they would never succeed. And the slaves had even given up on trying. However, this was not an unchangeable truth, for they were living beings, and to live is to constantly change. And Ryouma intended to achieve that by making them remember that they were human! A creature like none other, with a will to ever move forward. Of course, it was impossible to make them recall immediately. After all, their harsh life and the despairs that formed their current mindsets were not something so shallow or inconsiderable that could be changed in a single moment. They were fundamentally different to the Marfisto sisters. The sisters had been war slaves, and they had come from a prestigious family. Their foundation and minds had been very strong. That was why, before anything else, Ryoumas plans hinged on educating the children for a period of time of no more and no less than six months. That was the grace period Ryouma was going to give them. In that time, they also needed to regain their will and desire as humans. But if they failed¡­ (What are you going to do? Ryouma-sama¡­) To be honest, no one knew the answer. Not even the man himself had a clear answer for it. Sara then stopped thinking about it and began to look around. All the children seemed to have started eating their food. Despite being silent, their behavior was vigorous enough. Already, in front of the large cauldron, some of them stood in a long line, asking for another serving. For now at least, it was enough if they could relive what is was like to have hearty meals and remember the pleasure of eating. (It seems like the first step was successful¡­) Laura, who was standing a bit away from Sara, was of the same mind. The twins eyes met each others, and they both nodded their heads. (For today, we give them the carrot. After all, starting tomorrow the stick awaits) The children were going to be faced with harsh training by Lione and her mercenaries under her. At first, they would aim to improve the childrens basic physical strength; after that, they would gradually teach them an assortment of battle techniques, mainly with spears and swords; then how to ride a horse; then to fight with bare hands. For one month, they would undergo a bitter and demanding training. After that, they would be taught how to use magic arts. And during the last month, they would be thrust into real battle. Ryouma had no need for warriors who couldnt fight. They would have to go up against monsters, and kill them; put up a fight against people, and kill them. Those who survived all of the ordeals would be given their freedom; those who escaped would only have one of two fates awaiting them: to live the rest of their lives with the stigma of a runaway slave or death. What Mikoshiba Ryouma wanted was the capable and unyielding ones only. In this harsh world, the ideas of equality did not exist; only the strong could attain true freedom, while the weak lived on in misery. There was no time to help a fellow human; those willing to live, those who wanted freedom, needed to make every effort for it! He intended to give the chance to change their fate only to those who wished to grow stronger. However, in the end it was up to the children whether they wanted to become strong or not. Would they die as the weak, or be reborn as the strong? At the time, those were questions that no one knew the answers to¡­ Chapter 79 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 13 Chapter 3 Episode 13 Editor: mr.tanen Day 19th, 8th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Negotiation 1) ¡°Oh, Mikoshiba-dono¡­ I heard you¡¯ve recently bought a lot of slaves. Is your preparation to find personnel for developing the peninsula progressing smoothly? Well, it is not bad to have some fun with some slaves, but I¡¯m worried about the peninsulas development you see. After all, those slaves can only be regarded as cattle or horses for the grunt work. I can¡¯t help it but feel like you might use those slave as bait for the monsters at the peninsula.¡± The moment Ryouma entered the reception room, Earl Salzberg immediately showered him with probing comments. As expected of the lord of Epiroz, he had already grasped Ryouma¡¯s movements. The appearance of the Earl and his wife was not as glamorous as the first time they had met. Although what they were wearing were nonetheless tailor-made clothes, the accessories on their bodies were minimal, and their outward aspect had a more relaxed air to it. There were three steaming cups on the table, one of them was for Ryouma. ¡°Oh my, dear For you to talk like that out of the blue, please let Baron-sama sit first¡­ Please forgive my husbands rudeness. Now, please sit down.¡± After having chided the Earl, his wife promptly invited Ryouma to take a seat. ¡°Oh, that was indeed rude of me! After all, the Queen has been constantly sending messengers, that¡¯s why I had become impatient.¡± The Earl offhandedly delivered the remark while stroking his head. As expected of husband and wife. Their coordination was exquisite. ¡°Ah, please don¡¯t mind it. Actually, I have a matter to discuss with Earl-sama¡­¡± Ryouma looked at the Earl while feigning a troubled expression. ¡°Ho ho? Do you need something from me? Well, when the messenger came so suddenly like that yesterday, I thought something had happened but¡­ As expected, is this about the slaves? It seems like you¡¯ve really overdid it and bought a lot of slaves yesterday. Did they do something troublesome? If you wanted me to, I could make use of my name¡­ Although it might be a bit impossible for all of them to be taken back, I can recover some of your money if you so wished.¡± The Earl smirked. He gave the strong feeling of being someone who wanted to sell Ryouma a favour. Although Ryouma had yet to say anything, it would appear that the Earl was convinced that Ryouma was troubled by the slaves he had recently acquired. (He believes that the slaves I bought are causing me trouble, and I couldn¡¯t smoothly sell them all back¡­ And as expected, he¡¯s being watching us. The problem is whether that was by order of Lupis or if they did it by their own initiative.) From the start, the reason Ryouma visited the Earl was not because he wanted to return the slaves. He came because he wanted to negotiate a different matter. But, the Earl¡¯s attitude was far too patronizing. It was as if he really wanted to forge some ties with the fledgling Baron before him. At once, Ryouma talked about the reason why he had come while pretending to be in a hurry. ¡°Yes¡­ In fact, I was in a pinch¡­¡± ¡°As expected, is this about the slaves?¡± Ryouma shook his head. The day before yesterday, Ryouma had purchased a lot of slaves from the slave merchants and was currently giving them basic training. He came to the Ear l¡¯s residence not to sell back the children. With Ryouma denying the Earls guess, his wife summarily followed up on the question. ¡°Oh, my? Then what¡¯s wrong? Our household has been asked by the Queen to help Baron-sama as much as possible. That¡¯s why I beseech you to please don¡¯t hold back. I¡¯m sure we can help you, even if a little bit. Am I right, dear?¡± Hearing the womans query, cold sweat ran through Ryouma¡¯s back. Although she spoke of it in a casual manner, some of the words held some clear indications. (Being asked to help, huh¡­ Does that mean they were asked to watch me? That bitch! As expected, she won¡¯t leave me alone and is using the Earl to watch me, huh¡­ Fine, Ill play your fucking game, but I don¡¯t have to play by your rules¡­) For Lupis who was wary of Ryouma¡¯s existence, she couldnt just leave him be. And sure enough, it turned out that she had ordered the Earl to keep an eye on him. Once he arrived at that conclusion, Ryouma could no longer accept what was said by the Earl¡¯s wife at face value. ¡°I see¡­¡± The reason why they received Ryouma with a warm welcome in the first place might also have been due to the Queen¡¯s order. However, the couple were actually not the Queen¡¯s loyal dogs she thought they were. Despite them conveying the impression of being staunch loyalists, they had actually been embezzling the Royal resources all along. (As expected¡­ He¡¯s the type of person that will always choose the side which benefits him the most¡­ If that is the case, I still have room for negotiation¡­ In exchange for the salt vein profits, I should add a condition where he will give Lupis a false report about me¡­ Well, everything depends on how well I play my cards here, and that¡¯s why I can¡¯t afford to screw up now.) It was dangerous for Ryouma to antagonize the Earl and his wife at the moment. He had to be precise with his timing. And right then was the best timing for him to make a certain deal. ¡°Well, please, do not hesitate to tell me what troubles you, Mikoshiba-dono. I will do my best to help you¡­ So then, if it was not because of the slaves, then what is your dilemma?¡± The Lord of Epiroz looked at Ryouma with an inquisitive gaze. It seemed like he was very worried about what could possibly concern the young newly entitled nobleman. ¡°Actually¡­ There¡¯s a salt vein in the peninsula¡­¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s first sentence, the room temperature dropped by several degrees in an instant. ¡°¡­ Wha-what do you mean by that? Why do you know something like that? Did you investigate it yourself?¡± All traces of laughter disappeared from the Earl¡¯s face, and his gaze turned sharp. He looked at Ryouma with undisguised suspicion. The reason why he did not try to cover it was because he thought that there was no meaning to it. (Fuck! Why does he know about the vein? The Mistel firm should¡¯ve managed that matter with the utmost care! Is it because of the other days dinner? What should I do? Should I kill him now? No, maybe I should confirm it first, before killing him¡­) In the worst case scenario, he would just have to end up killing Ryouma. Baron versus Earl, even though both were of noble rank, the difference in power was not small. Besides, at the time, they were inside the Earl¡¯s residence, and the capital city was quite far away. Frankly speaking, the Earl could have pretty much done anything he wanted in his corner of the country. However, before he really committed himself to killing Ryouma, he needed to corroborate what was really going on. ¡°To tell you the truth¡­ I¡¯ve received news of this yesterday.¡± ¡°What?! Let me see it!¡± Ryouma held out a letter. It was made using a most common type of paper and ink that everyone could buy from any shop. The characters were messy, clearly in order to disguise the handwriting. There was no way to ascertain the authors identity. After the Earl read through the letter, he fell silent. (Tch! Which bastard dared to do this kind of wanton thing?!) The Earl tried to control his enraged heart and to analyze Ryouma¡¯s intentions. (Damn it¡­ Who dared to tell him about this matter? Is this the doing of Christoph¡¯s little bitch? I¡¯m sure it was her¡­ If it¡¯s that girl, it wouldnt be weird for her to have sniffed this matter out.) Currently, inside Epiroz and its surrounding territory, there were very few people who could openly oppose the Earl. Amongst them, the Christoph firm, who lost their position as the leader of the business alliance, was the Earls most dangerous enemy. Thanks to the Earl backing the Mistel Firm, the holder of the reins of the economy of Epiroz had changed. However, the Christoph Firm, who had served as the trade alliance leader for many years, were an old and established firm, boasting a long history behind them. (I¡¯ve let Mistel be the leader of the trade alliance for three years now. If we can hold the position for another two or three years, we can completely crush the Christoph firm¡­ No wait, I guess that was why, huh¡­ ) The Christoph firm that had been holding their ground against the Earls pressure, had finally made their counter-attack. That was the most likely story. (But why did she leak this information to him?) For Simone Christoph, finding the salt vein at the Wortenia peninsula and wanting to make money out of it was fine and all. After all, she was a woman who managed a business firm, but the problem was how she did it. (Why did she tell him about the vein? Why not move by herself?) The answer was in relation to the Earls misappropriation of the vein. To effectively use this information, it would have been more productive if she had used Ryouma to report this matter to the Royal officers. After all, it was the truth that the Earl had been embezzling the Royal familys resources. With that, his family would have been executed. (That is why she told Ryouma about this matter. Other than that, there¡¯s no meaning in telling him. Well fine¡­ Let¡¯s calm down for now¡­ It won¡¯t hurt to hear what he has to say for a bit¡­ This is my territory after all¡­) Earl Salzbergs gaze turned even sharper and colder. He was ready to bare his fangs against Ryouma. In fact, there was a time when the Earl had bared his fangs against his own father. Earl Salzbergs household, whose territory bordered with the Zalda Kingdom, had been on the verge of bankruptcy due to repeated increases in the military budget. They had had to increase the number of troops; followed by a necessary increase in weapons procurement; not to mention the construction of a fort. The list would go on and on. In spite of that, the Royal family had never helped them. They left the territory to be operated at the discretion of the ruling Earls. In other words, they wouldnt intervene with what the Earl was doing, but the Crown wouldnt give them any money either. However, without reinforcing the army, they wouldnt had been able to defend the territory. They had saved and scrimped on as much as they could, but the Earl¡¯s household still could not shake the ghost of bankruptcy that had been haunting them and had been left in a poor state. They could only maintain the bare minimum appearance of a noble family. Nevertheless, the Salzberg household had never complained and dutifully clenched their teeth, enduring their suffering out of sheer loyalty towards the kingdoms Royal family. The then heir and current head of the Salzberg family, Thomas Salzberg, however, was of a different nature. He would do anything to satisfy his desires. He would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes. It all started when a rock salt vein was found within Wortenia five years ago. A territory that then had belonged to the Royal family, and which now belonged to the Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma. On the mountain a days march north of Epiroz, a certain salt vein was discovered. It was an accidental find. The Wortenia peninsula had no inhabitants. That was why the peninsula was filled with monsters wandering around the territory unhindered. Other than runaway criminals and exiled prisoners, the people who would go to that territory willingly would usually hold a certain profession. And those folks were either adventurers or mercenaries. People who made money out of fighting. For them, the peninsula was a good battlefield that allowed them to gain good battle experience, and also a place for them to earn some income. In any case, only powerful monsters lived there. The leather and fangs from those monsters fetched substantial amounts of money. Although they needed to put their lives on the line to get them, they considered the rewards to be well worth the risks. And one such group of adventurers was the one who chanced upon the salt vein. However, even if they had found it, they couldnt directly profit from it. Although salt was an essential item and could be traded at a hefty price, it was not something that was profitable unless one were to sell it in large quantities. They talked about their finding at the guild when they returned to sell the goods they got from the peninsula. And that was how it eventually reached Thomas Salzberg¡¯s ears. For the Salzberg estate, which faced dire financial problems, such a finding, if properly handled, would have been nothing short of a blessing. At that time, he was just a 30 years old young man. He had begged his father desperately and had asked him to use this opportunity to rebuild the households economy. After all, from his perspective, they had practically found a buried treasure in their backyard! To quietly let such a treasure that was practically in their grasp to go to waste or end up in someone elses hands was something he could simply not abide. If it had been located deep within the peninsula, even Thomas would have hesitated, but this salt vein was located only a days march from Epiroz. Although it was dangerous with monsters around, such a distance still could be considered as close. And the encounter rate with monsters was also not that high. However, Thomas father ignored his pleas. No, not only had he been ignored, his father even looked at him with contempt. It was obvious that his father was angry. His family had been protecting the border for many years, proving time and again their loyalty to the Royal family. Even though it was right in front of them, Wortenia still had belonged to the Crown. His sons idea of bolstering their ever decreasing treasury using the rock salt vein was the same as embezzling the Royal familys property. With his pride and loyalty on the line, the previous Earl outright rejected his corrupt sons plan. He considered it a breach of the fealty owed to the Crown as a guardian of the public peace and order. However, in the case of Thomas, who had been looked down by their peers because of their lack of money since a young age, his heart bore no loyalty for the Royal family, but resented it instead. Not only was the territory far from the royal capital, what was more, the royal family had never helped them in their time of need with their economic struggles. In his eyes, for the Royal family to not intervene had been the same as to neglect them. Of course, reinforcements would come if the Zaldians decided to launch a full-scale invasion, but for small skirmishes, all of it was to be handled by Earl Salzberg and the surrounding nobles. For Thomas father, that was the proof that the Royal family trusted his household.. FFor Thomas, it was different. For him, doing something like that without expecting expecting anything inthing in return wasnt just not worth it, and bordered on , but it bordered on sheer stupidity. Thomas preferred more tangible things over something obscure such as trust. Specifically, he preferred money, resources, and power. The discussion between Thomas and his father then took a turn for the worse. There was no longer any room left for compromise between them. Practicality and pride. There were cases where such ideas could work together, but this time, only one could be chosen. It is said that it is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities. In the case of the overly greedy Thomas, he opted to cross path with his father. The reason? He couldnt find any way other than to do that to fulfill his desires. (No matter who, I won¡¯t let them get in my way¡­) The Earl kept repeating to himself his life motto. He wouldnt sit idly and let his life end then and there. After all, he had managed to get everything he now had only after he painstakingly killed his own father¡­ Chapter 80 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 14 Chapter 3 Episode 14 Editor: mr.tanen Day 19th, 8th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Negotiation 2) ¡°You¡­ What do you want?¡± The Earl who had been silent finally opened his mouth. He already had no intention to pretend and hide the truth. The tone of his voice had changed completely into one of someone who was looking down at his opponent. He threw away his pretentious mask and looked at Ryouma with overt suspicion and vigilance. The Earl then remembered the existence of the person who might have given the information to Mikoshiba Ryouma. He was still unable to find the reason why she did not move on her own. Although such a juicy piece of information was enough to bring the Earl down, she did not use it herself. And the person who received the information from her came to the Earl, and not the Royal family. (Which means, there¡¯s one possibility Did he want to blackmail me?) It was something that normal people would have done when accidentally gaining information that could be turned into money. Although the man in front of the Earl was also a nobleman, the person himself was of commoner origin. It was normal for someone like that to not be too insightful and simply ask for gold or power. (Fuh, stupid¡­ Do you think I will obediently pay you? No, rather, if I really gave you the money, what would you do then, huh?) If Ryouma had really wanted to blackmail the Earl, he should have never showed his face directly. Once a blackmailer let his identity be known, he would lose one of his strongest advantages. However, the Earl¡¯s expectation was betrayed by Ryouma¡¯s reply. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I want to make a trade with the Earl.¡± Despite receiving the Earl¡¯s cold gaze, Ryouma¡¯s voice did not falter. He faced the Earl head-on. ¡°Trade? What do you want to trade? I thought for sure you would want to blackmail me.¡± Both the Earl and his wife stared at Ryouma with wariness. With the way the atmosphere around them had become, the word trade could be said to have had an element of extortion. So the Earl¡¯s ears mistook Ryouma¡¯s underlying message as that. The same could be said of his wife. That was why the Earl and his wife kept looking at Ryouma with suspicion. ¡°Blackmail, huh? I did think about it, but that is not what I meant¡­ If I were to do that, I¡¯m sure your Excellency wouldnt hesitate to cut me down¡­¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s answer, the Earl showed a broad grin. That was exactly what the Earl was thinking. After all, the threatened person should never lightly let off someone who threatened them. Because if they did, the extortion would never end. Two times, three times, Ryouma could have extorted money and other things from Thomas Salzberg until he was robbed blind of all he possessed, be it riches or power. That was why the Earl decided that he would never bow down to blackmail. Even if he were to hand over some gold, it would be with the sole purpose of killing the blackmailer. ¡°I see¡­ To be able to understand that, for a man who was once a commoner, you¡¯re not bad at all¡­¡± Five years had passed since the day he began to embezzle the salt vein. Although this secret was strictly concealed, there were a few people who managed to find out about it. However, it never reached the ears of the Royal family because the Earl had swiftly dealt with thos e who would disturb the clandestinity of his operations without mercy. The Earl himself also understood that the things he did were dangerous. That was why he did it carefully and with no lack of ruthlessness. ¡°Dear¡­ I¡¯m curious about the thing that Baron-sama wants to sell to us.¡± ¡°Indeed. Well then, Baron Mikoshiba. What is the item that you want to sell?¡± The Earl asked the question after hearing that his wife¡¯s curiosity had been piqued. His tone, although still condescending as ever, was now missing his previously displayed high-handedness and was no longer looking down towards the former commoner. Right now, the Earl was dominated by his own curiosity. The Earl wanted to know what was the thing that Ryouma wanted to sell for the trade. ¡°Please look at this.¡± Ryouma pushed the prepared documents towards the Earl and his wife. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This is a contract, right?¡± ¡°It is the contract regarding the transfer of the salt vein.¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s statement, the couple quickly confirmed the contents. ¡°Indeed¡­ But¡­¡± ¡°What does this mean? There¡¯s no money required for us to pay written in these documents¡­¡± The couple¡¯s doubts were natural. Since Ryouma had come with the intention to sell something, he should have written the selling price, but there was no such thing on the documents. ¡°I¡¯ve come to sell, alright, but I do not have any intention of getting paid with money.¡± The Earl and his wife showed puzzled expressions after having heard this. ¡°Then, what do you want from us in exchange?¡± ¡°I want the Earl to become my backer¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Ive already told you last time that I will help you as much as I can, havent I?¡± Towards the Earl¡¯s words, Ryouma shook his head lightly. If that was what Ryouma really asked, it could be said that the Earl had already delivered. Certainly, previously, the Earl had promised to take a friendly attitude towards Ryouma and to assist him as much as he could. However, that was not the Earl¡¯s true sentiment. After all, he was being ordered by Queen Lupis to monitor Ryouma, and he felt obliged to do so in order to avoid possible attention towards his defalcation of the rock salt vein. So in the end, the truth was that the Earl did not genuinely want to help Ryouma. At least until now¡­ (I see¡­ Instead of pretending to be helping him, he wants me to truly help him, huh¡­) The Earl now understood Ryouma¡¯s wish. (Well, it¡¯s not like I didnt want to help him at all¡­ Besides, compared to Lupis whos only capable of sending down orders, this man knows what courtesy is, especially the part where he did not ask for any money in return¡­ In addition, he seems to possess some wisdom despite being a former commoner¡­) Ryouma who saw the Earl relaxing his expression lifted up the corners of his mouth into a smile. (As expected, it was the right decision for me to not ask gold from him, huh? Well, he needs money to the point that he embezzles from the Crown after all¡­ That¡¯s why there¡¯s no way for him to willingly give money to me. In the first place, the management of the vein is already in his possession. Even if the vein is something that belongs to me, he¡¯s not someone who would compensate me even if I were to demand it of him.) The Earl needed gold, that was why he misappropriated the salt vein. Even though it wouldve been a legitimate request had Ryouma asked the Earl to pay him off, the Earl wouldnt have nicely and peacefully handed the gold over. Ryouma was able to see through the Earls facade and discerned that he was a true money grubber. Confirmation was given to Ryouma that his decision was right by way of the expression the Earl currently displayed. ¡°Baron Mikoshiba-sama, I still can¡¯t understand the value of these documents. Can you please elaborate?¡± The Earl¡¯s wife, who was born from a merchant family, was also in possession of a strong political acumen. She married into the Earls household in order to establish familial connections, but she was also very good at dealing with business related issues. From her point of view, these documents held a value that could be turned into a huge amount of money. Yet, she told Ryouma that she didnt know of their worth. This was in order to ascertain two concerns of hers: Firstly, to see if Ryouma actually knew the value of these documents or not, and, secondly, whether or not this idea had come from Ryouma himself or somebody else. She suspected that someone was actually pulling the strings from behind. ¡°I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s the need for me to explain it, though. The Lady is famous for being well versed in this kind of thing, am I wrong?¡± Ryouma answered her together with a smile on his face. A silent exchange took place between the two of them. (Don¡¯t get shaken¡­ His answer does not seem to be a lie. He really believes that from the bottom of his heart¡­) ¡°Fine then¡­ I will admit that your proposal is worthwhile. But Id like to have a little bit of time to consult this matter with my husband.¡± ¡°Very well¡­ We shall stop here for today¡­ Please let me know whenever you are ready.¡± The couple nodded their heads following Ryouma¡¯s words. Neither side wanted the negotiations to conclude so soon. Therefore, no one present showed any sign of dejection. (Well, I guess it was natural¡­ Besides, I also wanted to add some new conditions as well¡­ It would have been terrible if we had signed the deal today¡­ That way, I wouldnt have had enough time to plan everything properly.) The Earl seemed interested in Ryouma¡¯s bait. What was left was to make him grab it with both hands. (Please do take your time worrying about it¡­) ¡°Alright¡­ we will go with that. Let¡¯s meet again another day.¡± After finishing their talk Ryouma bowed towards the couple and left the mansion led by the maid who was waiting outside the door. ¡°He left¡­ But still, is it alright like this?¡± Earl Salzberg, who was staring at the carriage Ryouma rode from the window, asked the woman sitting on the sofa. ¡°Yes, he should also understand everything already¡­ Well, there¡¯s also the possibility that what he said was all an act, but if that is the case then he is a really great actor¡­¡± The Earl¡¯s wife shrugged her shoulders. She had an absolute confidence when it came to judging people. Let alone the time when she was still just the daughter of an affluent merchant, after she married the Earl, the amount of sly foxes gathered around her had increased. And as a result of meeting that kind of people on a regular basis, she became competent at discerning peoples intentions. ¡°I see¡­ For me, Mikoshibas proposal sounds good enough, but, what do you think Yuria?¡± The Earl spoke his mind while sitting in front of his wife. His tone was not that of someone who held the true power within the family. It felt like he was refraining himself. But that could be explained easily. The Earl was a warrior at heart. He preferred aggressive action and had a ruthless personality. But he also knew that he was not perfect. Especially when it came to diplomacy and politics, he understood that his ability in that regard could at best be considered mediocre. He strongly felt that it was only wise of him to ask for his wifes opinion on such matters. His wife who had seen many kinds of people for many years was the most reliable partner for the Earl. ¡°Theres something that I¡¯m worried about¡­¡± ¡°Worried? Is it about that woman from the Christoph firm?¡± For the Earl, the most worrying matter was about that. The firm that had lost its position as the leader of the business alliance. Originally, they should have been crushed a long time ago. However, they managed to hold their ground, even though their business scale had been shrinking as of late. But, the thing that the Earl¡¯s wife said next defied the Earl¡¯s expectations. ¡°No, it¡¯s something else¡­ The one that worries me the most is that man, and his true intentions¡­¡± ¡°About Mikoshiba? Certainly, he¡¯s more knowledgeable compared to the normal commoner. His courtesy is not bad either¡­ And he has a good head on his shoulders. For me though, he¡¯s a bit lacking but¡­ You think he isnt?¡± ¡°No, I also felt that way¡­ Even during todays negotiations, I didnt feel that he had an ulterior motive¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡± The Earl looked at his wife who was being vague with a wondering expression. ¡°It¡¯s just, what? What are you worried about?¡± ¡°Somehow, someday, it felt like that man might actually crush us¡­¡± ¡°Khu, Khuhahahahahaha¡­ Yuria, your wisdom has helped us a lot of times. That is why I trust your words. But for something like that to happen, isn¡¯t that impossible? How much power difference do you think exists between us and Mikoshiba? It might be different if we talk about 100 years later, but even if we talk about 10 or 20 years later, I don¡¯t think there would that much of a difference from the current situation.¡± The Earl laughed off his wifes concern. He thought that for her worries to come true the impossible had to happen. There was a clear power gap between Mikoshiba Ryouma and Earl Salzberg. Economic power, political power, diplomatic force, and military power. The Earl overwhelmed Ryouma in every aspect. And the biggest difference lied in their power bases, that is, their fiefs or territories over which they ruled. The territory Ryouma possessed, not only was it a conflict zone bordering another kingdom, but it was also a territory filled with monsters, and there was a grand total of 0 citizens in it. It was a difference that was not even worth comparing. ¡°I guess so¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Of course I am, Yuria. You¡¯re worrying too much. Hahahaha, still, you really make me laugh, I feel refreshed. If you are still worried, send the maid from that time and let her spy on him. You let him have her first for that reason after all. How about that? Still worried?¡± Hearing the Earl¡¯s words, his wife nodded her head. She still felt not entirely convinced of something. However, it was something vague even for herself. That was why she tried to brush it off just like her husband told her to. Since she was not a goddess that could predict everything. ¡°Fine¡­ Let¡¯s just do that¡­ Well then, let¡¯s see how many conditions will be added before we seal this deal with him. If we can officially secure the salt vein, we can finally relax.¡± ¡°Umu¡­ I will leave that to you then¡­¡± This decision would decide the fate of the Earls household. Mikoshiba Ryouma who gained support in exchange for the salt vein, and the Earl who gained the vein without even spending a single coin. At the time, it still remained to be seen which side had gained the most. But all that would be revealed at a later date, that is, the day the two of them faced against each other¡­ And this story shall also be told. Chapter 81 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 15 Chapter 3 Episode 15 Editor: Sebastian J. Proofreader: mr.tanen Day 17th, 9th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (The Ways To Learn Magic Arts 1) ¡°Oraa! All of you, don¡¯t stop swinging! Hey you! Your swing is too weak, put more power into it! Imagine that the enemy is bigger, stronger and better equipped than you are. You need to beat them with only your sword!¡± With almost 20 children swinging and practicing their swordplay, the ground around each of them was soaked with their sweat and the tension was huge. After lunch ended, a whole two hours had already passed. A little bit farther from the place they were training, even from their location, another group of kids could be seen practicing their sword skills as well. The strategy was to divide the children into groups and have the members of the Red Lion mercenaries teach and drill them. A faint roar could be heard across the plain, it was exactly the kind of words needed for the children to find their motivation. ¡°Young master might be kind, but that does not mean that slacking off is permitted! In the battlefield, one mistake could cost you your life! If you desire power you must work hard! Swing your sword with the intent to kill! Imagine that the person you hate the most is standing right before you! Hold nothing back, you must have no fear in order to surpass your limits! A strong but obvious tactic was to use battlecries, they heightened one¡¯s morale while striking fear into the enemy. Even in training, one also had to control their emotions to control their adrenaline, as it could lead to mistakes and ultimately, death. It could also lead to fatigue, which played a huge part in the number of deaths an army suffered. Understanding that, the mercenaries who became the children¡¯s trainers, raised their voices the moment fatigue was noticeable on the their faces. ¡°Mike, how is it?¡± ¡°Oh?! Young master! Out on a patrol are ya? Alright everyone, let¡¯s take a break! But, make sure not let your body get cold!¡± Mikes intense expression immediately relaxed after the training was suspended. Although Mike was a nice guy, he knew it was for the better to raise his voice towards the children because he understood that his hard work would one day decide their fate. He knew, that if he spoiled the children and gave them an easy time, he wouldnt be suitable for coaching the kids. For the sake of raising the childrens skills and endurance, he would not mind if he was detested by them. To respond to the young masters question, Mike thought about his training regimen. ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems like there¡¯s no problem. In a months time they have already learned so much and starting tomorrow we plan to teach them useful magic arts. Will that be satisfactory with you?¡± A month ago Ryouma instructed the children to form 5-man squads and to have four of those squads gather together as a small brigade. Finally to complete the set-up he chose a member of the Red Lions to lead each brigade. To ensure a proper teaching, Ryouma gave Lione and Bolts the position of overseers and directed the idle mercenaries that were not leading any brigades to assist with the training. Ryouma, thinking carefully about the training, made the Red Lion mercenaries the leaders as they were experienced in cooperation and teamwork. He considered that those who abandoned individuality and performed well with others would have a higher survival rate than others. This could be seen from Elen a¡¯s achievements. By abandoning her individuality, in her time within the knight corps, she became known as Rozeria¡¯s white goddess of war. In other words, they would be more efficient and safer while fighting as units compared to fighting individually. This was the difference between a soldier and a warrior. That being the case then, those who from the start were taught how to cooperate would undoubtedly perform better in that regard. Of course, they had to learn the basic and personal skills as well, but for the sake of efficiency they focused on one thing at a time. By dividing 1 brigade into 4 squads of 5 people each, then making them live in the same place, having the same meals, and sleeping together, it would create a sense of solidarity growing among them. With solidarity growing within their consciousness, it would strengthen their unity and will to mutually protect each other. Along with that, the quality of the soldiers would inevitably also increase. That is what Ryouma was aiming for. Afterwards, it would be just a matter of how much they could learn of the fundamentals within one month. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ve also already talked with Bolts and Nee-san, I think its coming along well? I¡¯ve also talked with the others, and their results seem to also be quite favorable¡­ As long we don¡¯t take the faces theyre making into consideration, I guess it is tolerable?¡± The distrust and anxiety from the children hadnt been dispelled yet, but it could be felt a lot less now compared to the first time. They were now regularly eating delicious food and wearing clean clothes. They now had beds where they could sleep inside tents, which while not being really that comfortable, were also a far cry from the treatment they got before they were sold to Ryouma. And the most important thing was that they were all released from the previously constant fear of being flogged. They at least understood that they wouldnt get struck with a whip for no discernible reason. The evidence for that was in the childrens eyes, which showed no fear towards Mike. They understood that their leader and instructor looked at them as peers despite raising an angry voice every time he addressed them. This was a point that Ryouma insisted on before starting the training. Fortunately, the Red Lion mercenary group consisted of people with a commoner background, which made it easier for them to understand Ryouma¡¯s goal. If they had been knights or nobles, they would have, without a doubt, laughed when presented with similar instructions. ¡°I see¡­ It seems like everyones doing well¡­ And looking at the way they swing their swords, they seem to be fine¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. We did teach them carefully after all. Without a doubt, we have met our first objective and did so within a month¡­¡± They were all holding swords meant for adults, purchased from the Mistel firm. After meeting with Earl Salzberg he managed to form a commercial relationship with them. After one month, and as a result of enjoying adequate meals and adequate sleeping, and undergoing moderate training, the bodies of these children started to develop some muscles. Of course, it was not something drastic, but even if little by little, they were surely growing up. Their stance would no longer crumble after just a few swings of the heavy sword. At the time when the slave merchants delivered these children, their bodies were skinny because of their poor diet, but it turned out the merchants did not lie when they said that they had brought him healthy slaves. ¡°And the effectiveness of giving them candy after training¡­ As expected, their enthusiasm becomes high with rewards dangling in front of their eyes.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, sweets are not something that commoners can easily get their hands on after all¡­ I guess this is all proceeding according to the plan.¡± ¡°Well, they do not yet need money after all¡­ That¡¯s why I don¡¯t think giving them such rewards is a bad move¡­¡± At the end of the training, a small candy ball would be distributed as a reward by the teachers. Based on the teachers¡¯ judgment, those who worked harder compared to the others would get two. This kind of system where everybody got one unless they played truant, seemed to be very effective for children. It made the children not necessarily compare each others results, while also giving something extra to those who worked harder and thus raise their motivation. In this world, where sugar was expensive, sweets were a luxury good that even commoners rarely could afford. Yet, Ryouma purchased the candy balls from Epiroz and distributed them to the children. And the effect was truly dramatic. Back in Ryoumas world, one couldnt motivate children with only candy balls, but in this underdeveloped world, it was a splendid bait. ¡°Is that so? Well, I guess it was a worthy investment. It would have been a big loss if the effect did not come out well¡­ Alright then, Mike, from tomorrow onwards we¡¯re going to teach them magic arts.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! Please leave it to me.¡± In addition to the expenses needed to cover the basic needs for this number of people, the price paid for the candy balls was also pretty high. However, it seemed like the effect was well worth the investment. Ryouma then left the place after receiving Mike¡¯s vigorous reply. (All of them show a reasonably good result¡­ Afterwards, it will depend on the results of magic arts lessons¡­ I also need to tell Laura about my training thats starting tomorrow¡­) Magic arts was also something unknown for Ryouma. He himself needed to master magic arts before he could go ahead with the rest of his plans. In order to survive in the Wortenia peninsula, he needed to master as many skills as possible. The next day, the Marfisto sisters came to Ryouma¡¯s tent right after breakfast. They seemed to be very happy that Ryouma asked them to teach him magic arts. Their faces were already brimming with smiles. ¡°Ryouma-sama, we will start the magic arts lesson, is that alright?¡± ¡°Sure¡­ I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble¡­¡± Ryouma lowered his head towards the sisters. At least, in regard to magic arts, Ryouma would be their disciple. It was natural for him to maintain proper etiquette since the sisters would be his mentors. Seeing that, Sara wanted to say something about it but Laura shook her head telling her not to say anything. She probably felt bewildered that their master was actually bowing before them, who were his subordinates. However, both sisters also understood why Ryouma was doing something like that. He was someone who would never let his mind be swallowed by arrogance and always kept a low profile. Such behavior for him was a perfectly natural thing. ¡°Alright then¡­ Let¡¯s get started. Ryouma-sama, do you still remember our explanation regarding magic arts?¡± The sisters let Ryouma sit in the center of the tent. Normally, on the first day of learning, they would have to explain the things regarding magic arts, but since Ryouma was already told about the basic theory, the sisters wanted to review the things he knew first. ¡°There are three magic types, one that requires chanting, a battle magic that does not require chanting, and endowment magic that can be used to bestow magic unto things.¡± When the three of them wandered around the continent, the sisters taught him about magic arts. At that time, he did not acquire the magic arts themselves and only learned about the theory behind them because he was more often than not on the road, and they didnt stay put in any one place for long. ¡°That is right. All magic arts consume Prana to activate their effects.¡± Following Laura¡¯s explanation, Ryouma nodded his head. This also he already knew. ¡°Spirit Prana is an energy that exists within all life forms. That is why any human supposedly should be able to use them.¡± ¡°Right¡­ That¡¯s why we also make the children learn about it too, right?¡± A technique that everyone could use. A technique was not affected by gender or age. ¡°That is correct. Most people with a teacher should be able to master the basics within four months, more than that can be considered as a late bloomer. Well, even when one only learned the basics, that ones strength already cannot be compared to that of people who have not learnt them.¡± ¡°Right, Just like you said, I do not think I will be able to learn all of it perfectly in just 4 months. What I was hoping for is to be able to use even the most basic magic arts. Even being able to use only the basics, one child will be able to work just like 2 or 3 adults together.¡± Separately, Ryouma had no intention to use magic arts for bellic purposes only. After all, even children would be able to do the heavy lifting equivalent of several adults if they were to use magic arts. Carrying tree logs; carrying large stones; building houses; those and many other uses were there for it. That¡¯s why Ryouma had no intention to let such abilities sit by idly. Even if such a way of thinking could be considered as heretic in this world. In this world, it was told that magic arts were a technique passed down by one of the Gods. The Light God, Meneoz. He was one of the six pillars amongst the Gods who built this world. These 6 were the existences known as the main Gods. And magic arts were said to be the technique and power given directly by this God. For Ryouma, it did not matter whether this was true or not. In this western continent, there was a group called the Church of the Light God. This organization spread the myth as the truth, and the problem was that they had a huge amount of believers following their teachings. During the civil war, a few months prior, Ryouma used magic arts to build a camp. For Ryouma, such techniques could only be regarded as convenient , even when used for civil engineering purposes. However, the reaction of the people around him was surprising, they looked at Ryouma as someone weird. If the reason hadnt been to build an advanced camp for the goal of quickly defeating their enemies, the knights would have without a doubt refused to do as asked. Neither the mercenaries nor the commoners would have a problem with it, but for the aristocracy and the royalty who were privileged classes, such a mindset of using magic arts for everything was akin to a can of worms that they did not want to be opened. According to them, the fact that the magic arts were bestowed upon them was the very proof that they had the right to rule over the rest of the people. And because they also thought that such power should only be used for self-defense, it became limited to combat uses. When he heard that, Ryouma felt a strong contradiction in the idea of a sacred power given by God being limited to be used only for fighting. But then again, religion was an irrational thing to begin with. And Ryouma had no intention to waste time nor energy discussing religious views. For him, the problem was whether or not it had value and utility. If it was something he couldnt use for his purposes, then he would simply ignore it. And for Ryouma, who was an otherworlder in the first place, there was no reason for him to respect this world¡¯s Gods. For him, God was simply a tool. That was why he would just consider whether that God was something he could use or not. That was what Ryouma had in his mind. The Marfisto sisters then walked towards Ryouma¡¯s back. ¡°Well then, we will start the preliminary training then¡­¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± Ryouma nodded his head, and as he was told beforehand, he sat on the ground in a cross-legged position. Then the sisters¡¯ palm touched Ryouma¡¯s back. ¡°¡±Here we go!¡±¡± After the sisters said that, Ryouma could feel something hot being poured on his back. The sensation gradually rose upwards from the sisters¡¯ hands and spread around his body. Ryouma also felt that something was crawling up within his body, giving him a shivering experience. ¡°Take a deep breath. Then slowly release it¡­ Calm your mind, and relax your body¡­ Do you feel a hot sensation from the back?¡± Ryouma lightly nodded his head in response to Laura¡¯s question. He then relaxed his body and mind letting his consciousness take in the hot sensation, in order to control it as it began to spread around his body with his own will. Chapter 82 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 16 Chapter 3 Episode 16 Editor: SniperIRL Proofreader: mr.tanen Day 18th, 9th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (The Ways To Learn Magic Arts 2) ¡°Khu! My body feels like it is on fire¡­¡± Ryouma¡¯s face was distorted while he groaned in pain. He only muttered in a small voice. However, the fact that Ryouma, who usually hid how he felt, was showing a pained expression, indicated just how much pain he was currently enduring. At first, he only felt a warm feeling from where the sisters touched him, but the warmth was suddenly switched into intense heat. Ryouma desperately withstood the pain while trying not to jump from his position. Because he bit his lips too hard while enduring the agony he felt, a taste of blood began to spread within his mouth. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re channeling our Prana into Ryouma-sama¡¯s body. Please bear with it for a while, and also, try to control the heat within your body.¡± Following Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma tried to heighten his consciousness. The Prana poured by the sisters began to encroach Ryouma¡¯s body little by little. Five minutes had passed. Ryouma now felt as if he was burning from head to toe. Due to his sweat, his clothes and even the blanket he had laid down on were soaking wet. ¡°How is it? Is Ryouma-sama able to keep going? Please inform us if Ryouma-sama becomes unable to endure it anymore, alright?¡± The sisters began to show a pained expression. The reason for that was because, as long as Ryouma was unable to control the energy that had been awakened inside his body, the sisters had to continue pouring more into him. Such an act was just like pouring water into a bucket with a huge hole in it. The question now was whether the sisters would exhaust their Prana first, or if Ryouma would be able to control the Prana within his body first. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­ I can still keep going, please continue.¡± The moment he opened his mouth, a drop of sweat fell down from the tip of his nose. At the moment, due to massive perspiration, Ryouma¡¯s body was in dire need of water. Despite having trained his body thoroughly for a long time, he had never felt so badly cornered before. However, he couldnt unreservedly stop and withdraw here. If he were to stop now, he would need the sisters to pour their Prana again tomorrow. (Gaies¡­ Kyle¡­ There should be at least a fragment of life force from those whom I¡¯ve killed inside my body¡­ I can do this¡­ Begin to rotate my chakra!) Ryouma tried to imagine channeling the hot feeling towards his lower abdomen He then tried to awaken the Muladhara chakra inside his body. The basics of magic arts were to strengthen one¡¯s body. After being able to feel the existence of Prana and use it for martial arts; the second stage was to then learn the magic arts that required chanting; and the last stage would be learning how to use magic arts to endow magic on things. After all, the way to use chanting magic arts or to enchant something was a little bit different. Being able to control the life energy inside ones body, did not mean that one could control the life energy released outside of the body. Like this, in order for him to master the first stage, he needed to accomplish three things. 1. Being able to feel and recognize Prana inside his body. 2. Being able to awaken his Muladhara(root) chakra with his Prana. 3. Then being able to stop the rotation of Muladhara chakra by his own will. Being able to use magic arts, meant being able to awaken the chakras inside one¡¯s body. By rotating the chakra wheel, a person would be able to exert more power from their body. And the more chakra rings awakened, the more power that person would get. Within the human body, there are 7 chakra wheels. And right now, Ryouma was trying to awaken and rotate the chakra wheel called Muladhara(root) by borrowing the sisters¡¯ life force. (Feel¡­ Something is different¡­ I can feel something is moving around within my body¡­ Is this Prana?) Something that was sleeping inside his body began to awake thanks to the twins triggering it by pouring their own Prana. Ryouma desperately tried to control the life force that was currently moving violently inside his body. It felt like trying to control a beast. Then the sisters sensed some kind of resistance while pouring their Prana into Ryouma¡¯s body. The moment they felt that, the sisters immediately took off their hands from Ryouma¡¯s body. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I can feel it¡­ It felt like a beast rampaging inside my body¡­¡± Ryouma answered Sara who was feeling worried. Right now, Ryouma¡¯s Muladhara chakra was rotating violently due to the injection of energy. If Ryouma had relaxed his body and stopped being careful he might have actually jumped towards the sisters like a hungry beast. The desire for battles, the desire to harm people, the desire to kill people. Such desires were overflowing within Ryouma¡¯s mind and heart. Normally desire was something that was always being connected with something called reason. (Calm down¡­ Take a deep breath, then breathe out¡­) However, Ryouma¡¯s body wasnt listening to him and began to retaliate. His muscles started to move involuntarily, and his heart started beating faster. The sensation he experienced at that time was as if all of his senses had been awakened. After looking at Ryoumas condition for a bit, the Marfisto sisters nodded towards each other and then left the tent. Because there was nothing they could do other than waiting for now. ¡°How is the boys condition? I want to report that the childrens training has finished for today. Is it alright for me to enter?¡± ¡°Lione-san¡­ Not yet, Ryouma-sama is still training inside¡­¡± Lione then told the sisters how the training for the children had gone and that it had finished successfully for today. Today¡¯s training ended after they taught the 320 children the basics of knowledge about magic arts and pouring Prana into all of the children¡¯s bodies. However, the person Lione wanted to report to had not yet finished his own training. Knowing that, Lione then nodded towards the sisters. ¡°¡­ It seems like he took a lot of time¡­ You guys started before noon right?¡± Looking at the position of the sun, they could tell it was already past three o¡¯clock. ¡°Yes¡­ We were going at it for around 5 hours¡­¡± Hearing Sara¡¯s words, Lione showed a surprised expression. ¡°Then, for you guys to be outside right now, his ring chakra is¡­¡± ¡°Still rotating¡­¡± An uneasy expression appeared on Laura¡¯s face. Lione also began to frown. They both were concerned about the same thing. ¡°For five hours¡­ I guess that was because he has a lot of life force from the people and creatures he has killed¡­ No wonder we¡¯ve finished our training first¡­It can¡¯t be helped then¡­ But still, five hours, huh?¡± Although the learning method was the same, the prerequisites for the training were very different between Ryouma and the children. Not to mention the total life force the individual had previously absorbed. The amount of Prana within the childrens bodies that had no experience of taking the lives of other people or creatures was the amount that was originally already inside of their bodies. On the other hand, Ryouma had killed a lot of human beings and many monsters. As a result of this, he had been absorbing part of his victims life force, and therefore the amount of Prana within his body was nearly twice as much as that of an ordinary man. Commonly, it would be considered that the more energy one had the better. However, for someone who had just begun to learn how to control it, this was not necessarily the case, since too much of it could become disadvantageous at this point. In other words, it had now become more difficult for him to control his Prana. That was the general knowledge that everyone knew. They had also advised Ryouma about it, but he chose to dismiss their misgivings. The reason for that, was because no one could guarantee that Ryouma¡¯s chakra wheel would naturally awaken. ¡°Well, I guess we don¡¯t have any other choice but to move forward since we¡¯ve already come this far, huh¡­. By the way, how about you guys take some rest? Both of you have been using a lot of Prana, right? I will watch over the boy, so you guys can relax and have something to eat.¡± Lione looked at the two sisters with a gentle gaze. ¡°Thank you for your concern¡­ But if thats the case, Lione-san should take some rest as well¡­¡± ¡°My elder sister is right. Lione-san too, has been pouring Prana into the children up until a little while ago, right?¡± Hearing the two sisters response, Lione laughed out loudly. ¡°Oh dear¡­ Did you guys forget? I¡¯ve only poured my Prana into six children you know? Unlike the boy, it was quite easy to pour one¡¯s Prana into the childrens bodies.¡± Indeed, Lione did not show any fatigue at all. That was also a proof that Ryouma¡¯s life force was enormous compared to the childrens. ¡°It¡¯s fine! You girls should take some rest now¡­¡± *Dosha* A sound as if something falling could be heard from within the tent. The three of them immediately rushed into the tent. ¡°¡±Ryouma-sama!¡±¡± ¡°Boy!¡± In front of them, Ryouma was laying face down. ¡°He¡¯s fine¡­ It seems like he just lost his consciousness¡­ Laura how about you prepare his bed for now? And Sara, go and fetch some water!¡± His pulse was normal. Judging that he had lost his consciousness due to dehydration and fatigue, Lione immediately ordered the sisters to set things up for him. ¡°Understood!, I will immediately prepare it!¡± Even though they were exhausted, the sisters immediately got going. ¡°For the love of the Gods¡­ After I told him to do the training in moderation, he ended up like this¡­¡± After Lione judged that there was no danger to Ryouma¡¯s life, she uttered such words in a low voice. Lione herself understood that they did not have much time. It was fine for Ryouma to be unable to use magic arts since the others could just back him up. There was no need for him to work this hard. But despite wanting to chide Ryouma for his impatience, Lione was actually feeling happy inside. Ryouma who was their leader worked hard to learn how to use magic arts. That meant that he was trying to step onto the same stage as Lione and the others. Ready to soak his hands with blood, both his own and his enemies. Although Lione had only known Ryouma for a short while, she already understood his personality. Looking at him in his current state, it showed just how much Ryouma was preparing to face what was to come. (Ryouma¡­ I¡¯m glad that I¡¯ve met you¡­ If it¡¯s you¡­ I¡¯m sure you can change it¡­ I¡¯m sure you can change the fate of all of us¡­) The fate of the mercenaries would often be to end up being betrayed by their clients or getting killed on the battlefield. Either way, mercenaries were people without bright prospects. Only a few mercenaries managed to live long enough to meet their grandchildren. That was why they were mostly not afraid of death. This did not mean that they liked dying in vain, either. If it was unavoidable, they would at least want to find a good place to die. (If it¡¯s you¡­ If it¡¯s for your sake¡­) Lione gently stroked the hair of the boy who was currently fainted in her arms. Just like a little baby. Chapter 83 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Vol 3 Chapter 17 Chapter 3 Episode 17 Editor: mr.tanen Early 10th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (The Eastern Invasion 1) Around the time Mikoshiba Ryouma was learning the way to master the magic arts, the clouds of war were covering the skies of the neighboring country, the Kingdom of Zalda. The Ortomean Empire, the sovereign of the Western continents central regions, finally bared its fangs and started the invasion of the eastern parts of the continent. One side fought for the sake of development and hegemony. The other fought for their very survival. Set on the Notiz plains bordering the two countries, the battle where defeat wasnt an option for either side was about to start. ¡°What¡¯s the status?¡± At the imperial invading armys headquarters, Sardina glanced over the huge map spread in front of her. On the map, red and black coloured pieces were arranged in some sort of formation. ¡°According to the report, the main force is progressing en route as planned, Your Highness. The report also mentioned that three of our vanguard troops are facing against the Zaldian Royal Knights at the east of the Notiz plains.¡± Saying so, Saitou repositioned the red pieces facing against one of the black pieces at the east of the Notiz plains from three directions. These pieces represented the friendly and enemy units. The red pieces represented the empires forces, while the black ones represented the kingdoms. The number of red pieces placed in the center was 15. Five were placed far away to the north and five more the south. Each piece represented a troop of 1000 soldiers, which meant that around 25,000 soldiers were deployed on the field on their side. ¡°What about the enemy?¡± Saitou arranged the black pieces near the border between the Notiz plains and the mountain area. The number of pieces was 20. ¡°An army, composed only of knights, they number about 20,000¡± Following Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina lifted the corners of her mouth. She smiled like a hunter who was convinced that her prey had fallen into her trap. ¡°Good¡­ They seem to have moved the entirety of the forces under direct command of their king¡­ Just as planned.¡± ¡°Well, Your Highness, we have been doing our best to create the situation where they do not have any other choice after all¡­¡± Following Sardina¡¯s words, Saitou replied while shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Only five days have passed since we declared war¡­ Which means, there wasnt enough time for them to properly recruit soldiers.¡± As a result of their successful efforts at information manipulation, the Kingdom of Zalda was unable to grasp the movements of the imperial army. The kingdom had a mountainous area that served as their natural protection. However, much like this time, if they failed to notice the advances of their enemy¡¯s army, their natural barrier could very well turn into a liability instead. The area where the steep mountains were located was a treasure that yielded abundant ore mines, but was an unsuitable locality for placing soldiers. Deploying an army there without any preparation and strong positioning would only cause a disaster. ¡°On purpose, we leaked the numbers of our main force, coupled with the limited time they had, it forced them to mobilize the Royal Knights in haste with no other support, and draw them towards an open field.¡± & nbsp; Sardina praised Saitou¡¯s ingenious scheme from the bottom of her heart. Even though she was an Imperial Princess of the Ortomean Empire, she also had great talent for leading armies to war. The enemy side reluctantly understood this fact all too well as well. The Kingdom of Zalda¡¯s total military force numbered approximately 70,000. However, that also included the conscripted commoners and the nobles soldiers. The force that the Zaldians could mobilize in such short notice was the combatants under direct royal command, which numbered approximately 25,000 men. Having failed to grasp the enemy¡¯s movements, led to having no time to arrange the nobles soldiers and to conscript the commoners, which in turn led to having only a third of their actual strength to stop the foreign invaders. Zalda¡¯s military command was caught by surprise and ended up being impatient. They then desperately endeavored to gather any and all information available regarding the enemy¡¯s forces in order to find a breakthrough for their current predicament. They tried to find out about the enemy¡¯s general, their number of soldiers, the enemy¡¯s expected advance route¡­ They also gathered innumerable bits of other information. Then they analyzed them and devised some measures. By then, they noticed something. The fact that the size of armed forces under Sardina¡¯s command was not so large, and that even if they could mobilize the army under the King¡¯s command alone, they could still expect to come out of it victorious. At first, the Zaldian military command was thinking of pulling the Ortomean army into their country and dealing with them in their own turf. However, there was a big flaw to that strategy: if the war was fought within the Zaldians¡¯ territory, then even if they won, the consequences would still be quite drastic. Even after taking into consideration the sacrifices that would be made if that were to happen they were going to go ahead with it until they received the momentous report that the contingent that Sardina led appeared to not be large. This made them change their plans in consequence. If they presented battle in the open fields near the border, the kingdoms territory and population wouldnt need to suffer too much. No one likes losing. Besides, the creature known as human always chooses the option where they dont lose anything if the option is presented. The Kingdom of Zaldas military command then took their army towards the Notiz plains while leaving 5,000 knights behind as reserve. However, little did they know, that it was Sardina who made them think like that. The truth that they knew would go on to become the lie that would eventually defeat them. ¡°What about our detached forces to the north and the south? It¡¯s going forward as planned, right?¡± Sardina turned her sharp gaze towards Saitou. For now, the trap her side had set was working perfectly. However, Sardina understood from her experience, that a small carelessness could turn everything upside down. That was why she always did her best to be cautious. The experience she got from going through many battlefields, and the setback and lesson she had learned from Ryouma made Sardina grow into a meticulous yet daring military leader, into what could be considered an ideal commander. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. We have been informed that both units are waiting for our orders and in position.¡± Hearing Saitou¡¯s report, Sardina felt satisfied. She smiled and nodded her head. ¡°Good¡­ Then execute the next phase, you remember the arrangement right, Saitou?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Please leave it to me.¡± Saitou¡¯s tone of voice was the same as ever. A calm and polite tone. He bowed towards Sardina and left the tent. People could hardly believe that such a polite and calm man was about to head towards the battlefield. However, Sardina could clearly feel Saitou¡¯s hidden fighting spirit. Within the eyes he used to gaze at her, Sardina could see violent flames raging. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± Saitou mounted his horse then called out to the surrounding officers. ¡°¡±¡±¡±Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡±¡± Short and powerful words entered Saitou¡¯s ears. The heavy knights under his command stood behind him. They numbered 10,000 men. Only 2,000 men were left behind to protect Sardina. They reduced her guard to the bare minimum. This was a gamble, where they bet the entire battle in this one move. This battle, this war, and the future of the invasion, all of it now rested on Saitou¡¯s shoulders. Before Saitou¡¯s eyes, the advance troops were fighting against the Zalda kingdom in a bitter struggle. ¡°Commander. Please give us your order, sir.¡± One of Saitou¡¯s adjutants asked him. Saitou then unsheathed his sword and pointed towards the sky. Everyone silently waited for what would happen next. All of them stood by while feeling elated. Saitou stayed silent for a few seconds. And then after feeling the fighting spirit of the soldiers behind him, Saitou dropped his sword silently and pointed it toward the enemy. ¡°¡±¡±¡±Oraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡±¡±¡±¡± The soldiers then run past Saitou while raising a battle cry. Bows were drawn taut following which, arrows were released. The knights, on their fearsome steeds, rushed towards the enemy. The knights were wearing heavy armours of steel, covering their entire bodies, and the horses they rode were also protected by rigid pieces of plate armor made of both of leather and steel. If the foot knights were considered living fortresses, when mounted they were nothing short of the tanks of this world! They strengthened their bodies with magic arts, rushing towards the enemy, who they then trampled underneath their warhorses and pierced with their long lances. ¡°Kill them all! Show no mercy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t escape! Those who turn their backs towards the dogs of Ortomea are cowards and traitors!¡± ¡°Damn it! My arm¡­ My arm is¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! If you have the time and energy to yell and cry then just swing your sword and kill them!¡± Savage voices could be heard from all across the battlefield. This was the result of the imperial cavalry units storming towards the enemy comprised of foot soldiers. They charged against the Zaldian army with great effect, not only wounding and killing many, but also destroying their formations. However, the Zaldian knights werent so incompetent that theyd let themselves be trampled for long. ¡°Everyone! Re-group! Spearmen, to the front! Immediately form a spearwall to stop and skewer the enemy¡¯s cavalry!¡± ¡°The rest, listen up! You don¡¯t have to fixate yourself with your platoons! Form up on the wings and close in on their cavalry once its engaged. Form up immediately!¡± The commanding officers were quick to perceive the situation and immediately issued the orders. Rather than using cavalry against cavalry, they chose to get the infantry in formation and used that to face the enemy¡¯s cavalry charge. The confused Zaldian knights immediately followed their commanding officers and reorganized their formations. ¡°Infantry! Attention, forward!¡± Noticing that the enemy¡¯s army had regrouped and reorganized their formations, Saitou immediately pulled back his cavalry troop and in return ordered his foot soldiers to confront the enemy line. Heavy cavalry units were very powerful, but they were not without flaws. Although the average warhorse here was bigger than the Japanese horse, their strength and stamina still had a limit that needed to be taken into consideration. The advantage of a cavalry unit was its weight and speed. Conversely, if the horses were stalled in place, they would only become an easy target for the enemy. Mixed units battle tactics were like playing janken(rock-paper-scissors). Knight>Spears Knight>Cavalry¡­ The circle of evil¡­ > archers/swords > spears > cavalry but i guess it depends on what you played. Also, it goes beyond saying that reality is infinitely more complex.> No single unit variant stood supreme. ¡°Listen up! Send the invaders to oblivion! Push them back! Don¡¯t let them advance!¡± The commander of the Zaldian army, after making sure that his army formation had become solid, raised his voice. The Zaldian infantry stood in formation and began to move forward with uniform steps. ¡°Don¡¯t let those sissy knights from Zalda daunt you! We¡¯re the proud Imperial Knights of Ortomea! We shall crush our enemies and see them driven before us!¡± Following their commanding officers words, one after another, the knights from the empire plunged into the front lines. At first, the armies from both sides stood in formation, but as soons as they collided with each other, their front ranks got distorted and collapsed. Both forces were now comprised of foot knights only. Their armours consisted of a complex series of garments, chain mail and thick iron plates. They used not only broadswords, but also two-handed swords, battle axes, maces and spears as weapons. Their bodies were also strengthened by way of using magic arts. At the time, no big difference in fighting power between them could be discerned. Both sides seemed equal in this battle, every time an enemy got killed, an ally soon followed him to the underworld. At this point, the battle had become one of attrition. However, the difference in the commanders abilities would decide the fate of the two forces. Chapter 84 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 18 Chapter 3 Episode 18 Editors: mr.tanen/Noble Blue Early 10th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Eastern Invasion 2) Sardinas aim was to destroy the Kingdom of Zalda¡¯s main force. If they managed to destroy the kingdoms Royal Knights, all that remained would have been the private soldiers owned by the regional nobility. With that, the subjugation of the Kingdom of Zalda by the Ortomean Empire would advance drastically. Sardina had carried out several plans in order for them to occupy the entire kingdom as soon as possible¡­Before the beast in the north awakened. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- (Indeed¡­. I was careless that time¡­ While predicting Mikoshibas movements, I accidentally made a mistake during a critical moment¡­ But in a sense, it was a good lesson. Whatever advantageous situation I create, there may always be a place where even a slight carelessness can become the cause of death¡­) Sardina stared at the map spread across the desk inside the main tent. The face of a certain man appeared inside her mind. A young man who seemed to be much wiser than someone his age ought to have been. At first glance, he looked gentle, but hidden inside was the form of a ferocious beast. The eyes of the man who Sardina and Saitou confronted in the past were cold and cruel, he was a man with strength like a fine steel sword. A man who was capable of breaking free from the net she had wrapped around him, using only his strength, and escaped the empire¡¯s pursuit. (If that person was the commander of the enemy force then¡­) Such meaningless assumptions filled Sardina¡¯s mind. She had thought about the plan again and again to ensure victory. However, the shadow of that man would stubbornly refuse to disappear from her mind. ¡°Your Highness¡­ It is about time¡­ Is it alright for me to issue the signal?¡± Sardina who had drifted into the sea of thought was returned to reality after hearing her adjutant¡¯s words. ¡°S-Sure, Indeed¡­ We should send the signal.¡± So as to not let the people around her become aware of her anxiety, she ordered them in a calm manner. (What am I doing?¡­ If I go on like this, I will end up repeating the same mistake from back then¡­ Right now, I should concentrate more on the current situation.) The victor of this war had already been decided. To achieve all this, she had been plotting various schemes and tricks. However, there was always the possibility that a little inattention or rashness would overturn the situation. Even if she had won on this most crucial of battles, it did not mean that the war was over. (I¡­ Will not lose! Absolutely¡­ Not lose.) Sardina supposedly was part of the superior side, steadily progressing to this point by using a number of plans and strategies of her own design. After this, all that was left was to issue the final push. In spite of this, her heart continued to beat intensely. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Deputy General! The signal! The gong resounded from the headquarters! One of the adjutants who followed by his side raised their voice after hearing the sound of the gong. Saitou silently listened. Although it was hard to distinguish it from the enemys shouting all around him, the sound of the gong managed to reach his ears. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no mistake¡­ This is the signal pattern Her Highness Sardina described before. Everyone should know what to do, yes?¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes, sir! Ready to go!¡±¡±¡± Having received their orders, Saitou¡¯s adjutants scattered to various places. ¡°Listen up! Just like this, we will withdraw to the back! Ring up the bell!¡± Following Saitou¡¯s shout, the sound of bells informing of the retreat echoed throughout the battlefield. ¡°Retreat! It¡¯s a retreat!¡± ¡°Do not panic! Don¡¯t be confused! Withdraw while protecting each other!¡± It was not easy for them to cooperate without knowing what was going on, since when in battle one does not have the power to completely act alone either. Even though they lacked organisation, the soldiers began to withdraw one after another and retreated towards the rear-line headquarters. While retreating, they kept paying attention to see if there was an ally who was in peril, and if so, the nearest knight would go help. There was no need for them to kill the enemy, they only had to fall back safely. At the time of issuing the retreat command, the difference between the offensive side and the defensive side would become clearly visible. Only one thing was important for the Ortomean knights, and that was to minimise their casualties. While on the other hand, the Zaldian knights priority was to increase their enemys casualties. For different purposes, the swords of both sides clashed against each other. ¡°General Belharres! Ortomean soldiers have begun to withdraw!¡± When the voice of the messenger coming back from the front lines echoed in the tent, all the previous noises that were dominating inside the tent began to recede. And by the time they understood what the messenger had to say, all the clamouring returned once again. ¡°What?! Is that true?¡± Everyone inside the tent understood, that this war was one that could bring about the fall of their nation. Comparing the national strength of the Ortomean Empire to their kingdoms, it was obvious that they were in for disadvantageous warfare from the start. However, an unexpected opportunity had presented itself! The enemy showed signs of retreat. It was natural for the adjutants of the General to think that unless they wagered everything right now, they wouldnt have another chance for victory. ¡°Ortomea has drawn back their troops he said! If that is true, then, this is as good an opportunity as it gets for us! We should be pursuing them immediately!¡± ¡°Your Excellency! Please give us your order to pursue them! This is a testimony that God has not yet forsaken our Zalda!¡± High spirited words sprung up one after another. While stroking his long white beard and nodding his head from listening to his adjutants¡¯ advice, the highest commanding officer of Zalda, General Belharres took his time to contemplate the situation. While the adjutants around him proposed to advance enthusiastically, it was only himself who remained calm. ¡°Father¡­ What should we do?¡± A man asked General Belharres. Unlike the other adjutants, his words seemed to indicate that he was more interested in hearing the General¡¯s opinion, rather than voicing his own. The one who addressed the General was a man that looked like the 20 years younger version of him. The adjutants then stopped their chatter and directed their sharp gazes towards the young man. Despise, ridicule and stares filled with negative emotions overflowing from them. Usually, when people were to find themselves under such gazes, they would shrink back, but this man seemed to be impudent enough in a bad way. He did not flinch even though he was under such glaring from the adjutants. ¡°What do you think yourself? Joshua.¡± The General asked his third son who sat down on the lowest seat. ¡°Fuh! Needless to say. If we¡¯re going to pursue¡­ Then we should be prepared to get annihilated, should we intend to take Sardina¡¯s head.¡± He then brought his finger close to the cigar that he held in his mouth and flung it away. ¡°¡±¡±Eh?¡±¡±¡± In response to Joshua¡¯s words, the other adjutants unintentionally showed surprised expressions. His words were that unexpected for them. However, compared to his adjutants and their surprised faces, General Belharres simply nodded while displaying a satisfied smile. Joshua then lit up another cigar and calmly smoked it, even though such an act was prohibited during a war council. In fact, it was this very calm attitude he gave off, that made his utterance even more eerie. ¡°Fumu¡­ So, if it was you, how would you make use of the situation? Would you withdraw here?¡± Joshua replied to his father, General Belharres, with a shrug. ¡°If you want to survive, then we should withdraw¡­¡± While saying those words, he turned his sharp gaze to his surroundings. The absence of motivation that oozed out of his body until just now completely disappeared, suddenly he was releasing a mix of murderous intent and fighting spirit. ¡°If you guys want to preserve the Kingdom of Zalda¡­ Then we have no choice but to obtain victory here.¡± *Gulp* The sound of someone gulping their saliva echoed inside the tent. It was proof that the senior officers were intimidated by the young man sitting in front of them. ¡°Joshua-dono¡­ I¡¯m sorry for being rude, but what do you mean by those words?¡± The eldest among the officers timidly asked Joshua. For the senior officer, up until now, Joshua was merely a hindrance to them. He was someone who had no respect for his elders, an alcoholic, stingy with money and a man with a bad reputation at the royal capital. There were a lot of rumors that he had been visiting bars in the slums, gambling and brawling with people there. So to speak, he was a human being that reeked of a criminal and a lowlife. On this occasion, all of the people present here were aware that his father, General Belharres, had ordered him to join the army. However, the adjutants had thought that it was due to the General¡¯s parental love, wanting his third son who had a bad reputation to get some prestige. That was why, for them, even after Joshua joined the army, they had never thought he would be giving his opinion. They only thought of him as human garbage. ¡°Don¡¯t you all understand? This is a trap¡­ To pull our army further in and perform a pincer attack. Although they seemed worn-out, it is also evidence that they still have some ace up their sleeves¡­ On the other hand, I would like to ask all of you, are you really planning on pursuing them just like this?¡± In Joshua¡¯s eyes, the sentiment of contempt could be seen. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ On what basis did you reach such a conclusion?¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much!¡± ¡°General! He is only an amateur who does not understand warfare. Why should we miss this opportunity that might only appear once? Are you going to let it go as well?¡± The adjutants turned their attention to General Belharres. Among the adjutants, there were those who also considered Joshua¡¯s point of view regarding the possibility that all of this was according to Ortomea¡¯s plan. The adjutants who had fought through many wars, would not be so foolish. Although they seemed to lose control due to the unexpected good fortune and proposed to pursue the enemy, their excitement from before had now died down. However, they couldnt admit to it here. No human being would suddenly follow someone who had a bad reputation and had been looked down upon by his peers all along. They persisted in pursuing Ortomea not to win but to keep their pride. ¡°Everyone shut up for a bit¡­ Joshua. You mentioned two options earlier, what did you mean by that? Why did you want us to decide between victory or defeat here despite knowing it was a trap?¡± Hearing General Belharres¡¯ words, his adjutants grew silent. If Joshua had thought it was a trap, then he should have told them to withdraw. In such a scenario, it is only common sense to return to one¡¯s base. Even so, Joshua¡¯s remark allowed pursuit. Furthermore, he also added meaningful words such as ¡®if you want to preserve the Kingdom of Zalda¡­¡± It was no wonder that his words attracted interest. ¡°Father¡­ This, I do not have to tell you about it, no? You should already know the answer.¡± ¡°Say it. Explain it to everyone.¡± Responding to such words, Joshua just shook his head as if giving up, and General Belharres kept sending his sharp gaze urging him to talk. ¡°Fuuh¡­ Fine¡­ The reason is simple. From a strategic point of view, this battle against Ortomea, has already been lost.¡± Hearing Joshua¡¯s words, everyone who had calmed down previously, began to doubt their ears. ¡°Y-You bastard! Do you know what you¡¯re saying?!¡± Breaking the silence, one of the adjutants raised a voice of anger. He ran towards Joshua and grabbed him by the neck, completely ignoring the courtesy that was owed to the son of the General. A bloody battle was still ongoing in the front. Everyone was desperately fighting to defend their land from the hands of the invaders, betting their lives for the sake of peace for their motherland. For him to declare that they had already been defeated, it was nothing but an insult towards the knights that had to give up their lives so far. In a sense, it was normal for him to even send his hand towards his sword hilt. ¡°Wait! What are you planning to do?! This is a war council you know?!¡± A colleague who noticed that his hand was about to grab his sword immediately pressed him down. Everyone there could understand the adjutants anger. However, they couldnt also let him kill an ally at a war council. Everyone turned silent. Because they knew, opening their mouths here would only invite the others jeers. The only one who did not change his facial expression after hearing Joshua¡¯s words was General Belharres. ¡°Fumu¡­ Although your words lack courtesy¡­ I guess you¡¯re not wrong¡­¡± It was a small mutter. However, the words of the General echoed within the tent that was filled by silence. Just like a declaration of death. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 85 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 19 Chapter 3 Episode 19 Editor: SniperIRL Proofreader: mr.tanen Early 10th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Eastern Invasion 3) Hearing what General Belharres said the expressions of everyone present turned pale. Who would have thought that their top commanding officer would admit defeat here? ¡°Y-Your Excellency¡­¡± One of General Belharres¡¯ adjutants called to him with a trembling voice due to shock. In this world, combat was fought mostly in close quarters, but no matter what world, the morale of the soldiers would always be a determining factor for the outcome of a battle. And in order to keep that morale always high, trust towards the commander is more important than anything else. Soldiers can bet their lives in war because they believe that their commander will win. Conversely, there are few humans who would stake their lives for a commander who they know cannot win. And in this war, General Belharres was the highest ranking commanding officer of the Kingdom of Zalda¡¯s armed forces. This meant that their victory or defeat depended on how he thought. No matter how many soldiers had been lost, as long the commander did not admit defeat, the war would still go on. Even if they lost the battle, the war itself was still not lost as long the soldiers did not lose their fighting spirit. On the other hand, if the soldiers were already losing their fighting spirit, no matter how many of them remained, the war was as good as lost already. All this points to the fact that one of the most important qualities that any military commander must have is an indomitable will and strength of mind. One could compensate the ability to formulate strategies by appointing skilled subordinates. However, it is impossible to compensate for a commander that lacks mental fortitude. In that sense, General Belharres should have been the best commander. The Ortomean Empire, the Kingdom of Ernestgora. It was him who prevented those two countries from invading the eastern kingdoms for many years. Together with the coalition of the eastern kingdoms, he has repeatedly helped to stop the ambitions of the great powers in the west many times. For his adjutants, hearing an admission of defeat from such a general was akin to hearing words of despair. From their minds, Joshuas arrogant manner had already disappeared. ¡°Your Excellency¡­ Isn¡¯t that a bit too much?! Many knights still believing that victory is still possible are fighting on the front lines, betting their lives¡­ Yet, why does Your Excellency admit defeat so easily?!¡± One of General Belharres¡¯ adjutants shouted in anger. He showed a violent behavior that should have never been permitted to happen, but no one tried to stop him this time. The reason for this was that all of them felt the same. General Belharres then raised his hand slowly to stop him, and turned his sharp gaze to the surroundings. ¡°Who said I accepted defeat in this war?¡± He said those words with a calm voice. Both confidence and the air of dignity from a warrior who had survived many battles could be felt from his voice. There was no indication of fear in those words. Only firm resolution existed within them. ¡°Eh? But Your Excellency¡­ Just now¡­¡± ¡°I never said weve lost the war. Joshua did not say that either.¡± None of the officers present could understand the meaning of what the General had just said. The adjutants were sure that the General had said that they had already lost. And they could not all be mistaken. ¡°What I meant by lost is in term of strategy¡­ Well, as long we¡¯ve already been defeated strategy-wise, the way towards victory would be almost non-existent.¡± General Belharres deeply sighed. Then he showed a dark smile and continued talking. ¡°Ortomea has executed a multilayered strategy for this battle, limiting our movements ¡­ Is there anyone here who understands what this means?¡± No one opened their mouth. Everyone keeps quiet and waits for him to continue. It can¡¯t be helped that they could not understand the Generals words. It is unreasonable to ask knights who live on the battlefield about grand strategy. General Belharres then starts talking so that the others could follow. ¡°In the first place, why did we choose an open field as the battlefield.?¡± ¡°That is because Ortomea only mobilized a small force which we thought that we had a chance of defeating by mobilizing the army under His Hajesty the Kings direct command.¡± ¡°Correct, now let me ask all of you, in the past, has our country have ever won against Ortomea by fighting alone?¡± In the past, Zalda never fought against Ortomea alone. They always cooperated with the neighboring countries. The adjutants start to realize what the General is talking about. Then, they all reach a single conclusion. ¡°¡±¡±Ah!!¡±¡±¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ The Rozeria civil war is¡­¡± General Belharres¡¯ adjutants turn a probing gaze at him. ¡°That is right¡­ Of course, I have no proof. However, this invasion, the timing is too perfect for the Ortomea side¡­ Perhaps they have prepared for this invasion for many years¡­ Waiting for the chance when our allies won¡¯t be able to send reinforcement.¡± Territory, population, and economy. In all aspects, the kingdom of Zalda is inferior compared to the Ortomea Empire. Still, the reason why the Zalda Kingdom has been able to maintain its independence is because of the existence of the alliance between the eastern kingdoms. Rozeria, and Mist, whenever an emergency occurs, those two nations always sent their reinforcements. That is why, the kingdom of Zalda has survived this far. Of course, they werent helping out of the kindness of their hearts. If the Zalda Kingdom were to be destroyed, that would mean the territory of a great country will spread into the eastern region of the western continent. Which means, it would be almost a guarantee that their invasion would reach both, Rozeria and Mist. ¡°Due to the aftermath of the civil war, Rozeria could not afford to send reinforcement¡­. Physically, it is just impossible for them. And since Rozeria is currently in the middle of confusion, Mist kingdom could not dispatch soldiers through Rozeria land¡­ It is also difficult to send reinforcement via sea route. It takes too much time to navigate through the southern direction, and via the north, there¡¯s wortenia peninsula¡­ I don¡¯t know who created the plan, but being able to plunge Rozeria into civil war and contained both countries at the end¡­ This person must be quite formidable.¡± All of his adjutants understood that in this war, it is hard to expect any reinforcement from the two other nations. Realizing that, the adjutants hold their breath. After having been explained this far, they finally understood, what kind of a dangerous situation they are in. ¡°If that the case¡­ The thing that Joshua-dono called trap is¡­¡± They might have realized that the words of the man they had hated contained some truth in them. They speak with a more friendly voice. ¡°Do you think the enemy who has prepared carefully this far would retreat that easily? I¡¯m sure, they have troops lying in ambush¡­ For the sake of choking the life of us¡­¡± Toward Belharres¡¯ remark, the others are unable to say anything. After hearing Ortomeas retreat, they all felt excited towards the unexpected event, but when they regained their calmness, they finally understood that this all was actually a trap. ¡°So that is why this battles victor has been decided, is it? Does that meant this war is also useless?¡± Words filled with sadness and despair. They will fight because they thought they will win. They can bet their life because they think they can protect those who are important to them. For those who believe that General Belharres would win, the words of Joshua and the General is just like a death gods breath. The adjutant who tried to confirm it can only speak while feeling brokenhearted. However, General Belharres denied his statement. ¡°That is not it. The things we just talked about is what we see from the point of view of strategy, disadvantages, and advantages. Well, falling into despair is one of the causes of disadvantages, but there¡¯s still a way¡­¡± ¡°¡±Is that true?!¡±¡± The weaker the human being, the easier they can be baited by the sweet temptation called hope. The hope that appeared suddenly after being made aware of the despair that they cannot expect victory. Who would blame them for clinging to such hope? But the road before them was much harsher than death. ¡°That is by taking their highest commander, Sardina Eizenheit¡¯s head¡­¡± Following General Belharres words, the air inside the tent froze. That plan is suicidal with a low chance of success. Indeed, by killing the enemy¡¯s commander, victory could be attained. Strategic defeat could be overturned by a tactical victory of taking Sardina¡¯s head. Certainly, the theory is not wrong. ¡°¡­ But, Your Excellency¡­ That plan is too reckless¡­¡± And elderly adjutant made up his mind and began to voice his concern. Trying to aim for the enemy commander¡¯s head, while also plunging into the enemy¡¯s trap. It is something easy to say, but will be a hard plan to execute as if trying to find a single needle inside a battlefield. However, the adjutant can feel General Belharres determination, thus he fell in silence. ¡°I know¡­ This can be said as trying to break the enemy¡¯s trap by force¡­ That is why we must be prepared for annihilation here¡­ But, even though it was small, there¡¯s the chance for us to save the country¡­ If we retreat like this, Ortomea Empire army won¡¯t lose anything. They would even be able to make a base in Zalda with their current force¡­ Given the national strength difference, with the enemy building a base inside our territory, we won¡¯t be able to gain it back¡­¡± The natural defense where Zalda is being protected by many high mountains. The rugged territory that prevents the invasion from the enemy. If they let the enemy country make a base within Zalda territory, they won¡¯t be able to retake it again. Indeed, the national strength of Ortomea Empire is higher. In fact, if their entire force were to come attacking, Zalda won¡¯t be able to defend itself. It is common in a strategic teaching that when besieging a fort, the attacking side needs three times more force than the defending side. But from the start, Ortomea is already stronger. ¡°Besides, tacticians easily to lose their head over something. Up to this point, it is developing according to the strategy of the enemy¡¯s strategist. This strategist should have been confident that the victory is in their hands. Usually, when strategist is in such state, they would be careless¡­¡± No other option is present. The only thing remaining is the harsh hope. ¡°Your Excellency¡­ Is your decision final?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, all of you have to go down with me like this¡­¡± General Belharres words are ruthless. Because he gives out a plan with little possibility of success with also little possibility of returning alive. However, no one present shows an indication of fear. At the beginning, the hearts of the adjutants were filled with despair. It was natural, normally, no one is willing to bet their lives when defeat is already expected. But General Belharres manages to capitalize on that. Because nothing is stronger and more terrifying than a human being who prepared to die. ¡°Very well¡­ With this, we shall pursue the enemy commanders head with the entire force left. There will be no retreat! Do you all understand?!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes, sir!¡±¡±¡± From within their bodies, fighting spirit starts to burn like never before. Knowing their predicament and to not die pointlessly, the will of men prepared to give up life for their country. Zalda against Ortomea. The battle between the two countries has reached the final phase. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 86 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 20 (Unedited) Chapter 3 Episode 20 Early month, 10th month, the year 2812, western continent calendar: (Eastern Invasion 4) ¡°¡±¡±Charge!¡±¡±¡± Cavalry Knights holding spears charged towards the Ortomea army¡¯s line. And the foot soldiers followed behind them while brandishing their spears. ¡°What are you doing?! Ready your spears! Surround them and kill them! Don¡¯t let go of your weapon!¡± Ortomeas commander shouted the order. He gives instructions to his confused subordinates who were frightened by the enemy¡¯s cavalry assault. Due to his shout, the restless knights begin to calm down. The frontline commanders immediately follow the order and repeat the order to their squad. ¡°Surround them! Don¡¯t be frightened!¡± The commanders who realize their subordinates being frightened reprimanded them. After that, the Ortomea soldiers begin to direct their spears toward the charging cavalry. ¡°The real value of cavalry is their mobility and rushing force! That¡¯s why, if we manage to stop their movement, we can finish them!¡± One of the Ortomea commanding officer who ordered the soldiers to surround Zalda cavalry knights smiled. Although the attack strength and maneuverability of a cavalry is excellent, their defense and endurance are low. Even if their body is hardened with metal armors. No matter how strong their horses are, a living thing has its limitation. ¨C Not to mention, it is not wise to plunge into the enemy line and fight on the spot without trying to withdraw. In fact, the moment one of the Zalda Kingdom cavalry stop and swung their spear, they will fall from their horse and die. With cavalry unit, the moment they cannot withdraw, they can only swing their spears. And the cost for such reckless charge is big. Because the foot soldiers who followed them from behind would end up getting pressured as well. And they end up with only half survived. ¡°Good! Just like this, crush them all! If we succeed here, we will get a lot of war merits!¡± Ortomea commanding officer smiled showing his greed and desire. Knights who can ride horses usually have a high position. Taking the lives of such Knights greatly affect one¡¯s war merits. That is why the commanding officer faces greatly relaxed. However, his expectation was being crushed by the reality that happens. ¡°Unit commander! There¡¯s another wave!¡± ¡°W-What?!¡± The mind of the unit commanding officer who heard of the report of his subordinates froze. It was because the report was too unexpected. ¡°What should we do?! If we stay like this we will end up being sandwiched instead!¡± Even without being told by his subordinate, the commanding officer understood how dangerous the situation is. To deal with the enemy¡¯s other unit, he has to draw back his troops and regroup. However, once he does that, he will give another chance to the Zalda Knights whom he has painstakingly surrounded. (It can¡¯t be helped¡­ I can only divide the troops.) In case one is being sandwiched, there is only a few way to deal with it. His judgment is not wrong. But, to perform this measure, there¡¯s no time for his unit to break up. At the time he was preoccupied with his subordinate report and thinking about countermeasures, he committed an irreparable mistake. Something cold entered his belly. The surrounding noise disappeared from his ears. And a sense of something warm slides down on his skins. There¡¯s no pain. However, a feeling of heavy fatigue assaulted his body. ¡°You bastard¡­¡± A spear is being pushed into his stomach from the side. His eyes finally manage to focus on, what he saw is a body of the Zalda Kingdom knight dyed with blood from his subordinates attack. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Approximately 1000 new troops attacked Ortomea¡¯s frontline soldiers. They joined up with the troops that rushed earlier than them¡­ Contrary to the Ortomea side expectation, the enemy charges into the battle formation once again. Surpassing Saitou¡¯s expectation, where he thought that the enemy¡¯s new unit that appeared has come to rescue the unit that is being surrounded. ¡°Khu! Why, why they are not withdrawing? What are you people intend to do?! Are they planning on giving up their lives?!¡± The Zalda Kingdom¡¯s central Knights are pushing the line forward one step at a time. They repeated their reckless charges again and again as if they are losing their mind. No matter how much Ortomea knights kill them, they seem not wavering. Normally, after an army executes an assault they would immediately withdraw from the front line, and rebuild their formation. Of course, that was the case when the enemy is not blocking the path, but it is impossible to not choose to withdraw. Especially when you took command of a cavalry unit. Of course, in a war what matter is winning. As long you win the war, the method is not important. However, in Saitou¡¯s eyes, the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s attack looks like a desperate attack. In his eyes, the Zalda kingdom commander seems to have abandoned the winning possibility and appears to have chosen to kill the Ortomea soldiers as much as possible. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why their advance speed did not falter? If we let them proceed like this, her highness plan would get ruined!¡± Saitou bitterly scowled at the scene. His duty is to lure the Zalda Kingdom soldiers until the place where the Ortomea soldiers are laying in ambush. This mission where he lured the Zalda Kingdom army while moderately engage them and preserve his allied soldiers as much as possible is crucial. Fighting the enemy while making it as natural as possible, he also needs to draw back the troops without letting them getting sucked into a confused fight. Despite that, Saitou and the Zalda army were fighting a rough battle that could be called a quagmire. The Ortomea army who wants to withdraw. And the Zalda army who does not want to let them go. The problem is, the Zalda army does not seem to rush at all. Although the Zalda army formed a horizontal formation, the one who performs pushing is only the center part. It felt like the unit deployed on the sides are only wanting to nail the Ortomea army in place rather than trying to advance. ¡°Vice-leader! Both right and left wings are hopeless! Far from reinforcing the central part, their wing seems to stay stand still! Those Zalda bunch, they are not advancing at all, but when we tried to lure them, they persistently keep us fighting. They completely stopped our movement!¡± It was someone from the Night Demon chivalric order who ran desperately to report to Saitou. ¡°Cih, what are they aiming at¡­¡± From Saitou¡¯s point of view, the situation has turned into something unnatural. The central force of Zalda Kingdom is rushing while abandoning their lives. The left and right wings of Zalda troops that appeared after them harassing Ortomea army making Ortomea army unable to withdraw. Due to Ortomea using crane wing formation to surround the enemy at the beginning, the Zalda Kingdom army formation begin to change from a horizontal formation into a fish scale formation. (It can¡¯t be¡­ This guy¡­) A single hypothesis appeared inside Saitou¡¯s mind. (It can¡¯t be, are these guys aiming at her highness head?) Saitou who came up with such conclusion shuddered. He began to realize Zalda kingdom strong fighting spirit. (Are they insane? To aim her highness head like this¡­ Certainly, if they manage to take her highness Sardina¡¯s head then they would win this war¡­ However, the possibility of that to happen is even lower than 5%. Besides, whether or not they manage to do it, their army will without a doubt suffering a devastating loss! But why are they still willing to bet on it like this?! No, the reason is not important right now¡­ First, we need to rebuild our front line¡­) Saitou¡¯s immediately shakes off the doubt in his mind and start thinking for countermeasures. Either way, the Zalda kingdom central troops has descended into madness, and due to the suicidal attack by them, the horizontal formation had changed into the shape of a fish scale formation. If he does not rebuild the formation it would be dangerous for Sardina, because of the possibility that the enemy might penetrate the central formation. ¨C After thinking about it for a second, Saitou immediately made a quick decision. ¡°Messenger! Change of plan, at this place, we will fight the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s army. Tell the situation to her highness Sardina immediately! Listen! inform her that the Zalda kingdom army might aim at her head!¡± The place where the north and south detached units will perform their ambush is still 3km away toward the west That place has small hills from three directions, north, west, and south, a perfect place to perform an ambush. And it is Saitou¡¯s job to lure the Zalda army there, and if he manages to do that, his ally would be able to decimate the entire Zalda army. However, Saitou has given up on luring the enemy toward that place. He was being cornered by the desperate enemy¡¯s soldiers and driven to a situation where he might be defeated if he keeps trying on retreating. Furthermore, if the enemy manages to break through the battlefield here, there¡¯s a chance that Sardina would meet with danger. Of course, there are still troops guarding her but, there¡¯s still the chance the enemy manage to break through that as well. If that is the case then, only one choice remaining. He has to stop retreating and prevent Zalda¡¯s offensive right here. (If we manage to report to her highness Sardina in time, her highness will surely turn the detached forces toward this place, and attack the Zalda kingdom from the rear¡­ Only the point of ambush change¡­ However, the damage to our troops would be high, damn it that persistent bastard!) For Ortomea side, even if they win, it is not enough. They also need to reduce the casualties as much as possible. If they failed to do that, Ortomea Empire would not be able to advance. Saitou who understand that curses the Zalda Kingdom commander for doing what he did right now. ¡°Immediately inform the reserve unit! Hold the Zalda army in this place at all cost! Don¡¯t let them break through! I¡¯m sure, Her Highness will immediately send the reinforcement! Until then, do not let them break through!¡± Saitou loudly gives his order, abandoning his calm atmosphere. This shows the urgency of the situation. And his subordinates who understood that immediately filled with tension. ¡°Absolutely stop them here!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes, Sir!¡±¡±¡± After being given the order, all of them immediately scattered all the way toward their place. The Zalda Kingdom against Ortomea Empire. The battle of both armies begins to turn into a total war. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 87 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 21 (Unedited) Chapter 3 Episode 21 Editor: Early month, 10th month, Western Continent Calendar: (Eastern Invasion 5) ¡°They got us good eh¡­ As expected General Berharres I guess? Immediately send the message to the detached forces. One hour¡­ Tell Saitou to halt them only for one hour!¡± After hearing the message from Saitou, Sardina clicked her tongue while looking at the map spread in front of her, then she gives out the order to the messenger. Sardina who heard the information brought by the messenger instantly realize Belharres intention. (Just like Saitou said, he¡¯s aiming at my neck¡­ No, probably not just that¡­ The things that General Belharres aim is¡­) ¡°Yes! Immediately¡­¡± Being overwhelmed by her angry look, the messenger immediately runs out the tent to execute her order. ¡°Someone, is there someone! Get me another messenger! Tell the other messenger to head toward the detached forces and tell them to reinforce Saitou as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Be relieved, your highness. I¡¯ve already ordered some messenger to do just that¡­¡± Following Sardina¡¯s high voice, a calm voice echoed inside the tent. She did not realize when he has come. The moment Sardina directed her eyes toward the entrance of the tent, Sudou calm face entered her vision. Sudou, the matter regarding Rozeria seems to have settled down, thus he was being tasked to lead the escort unit and participating in this battle. Sudou who is good at maneuvering behind the scene is also good at leading the army. Sudou and Saitou. By putting two of these capable Japanese in her army shows how much Sardina stakes her everything in this invasion. ¡°Sudou¡­ Right¡­ Thank you.¡± ¡°No no, for your Highness, this Sudou will do anything.¡± Saying that Sudou shrugged his shoulders while looking like usual. This man expression never changes no matter what the situations are making him hard to understand. ¡°Fuuh¡­ You seem to have a lot of free hands eh? Sudou.¡± She understood what he said was just a superficial, but Sardina replied to him with sarcasm while looking relaxed. The more one understands the situation, the more anxiety and frustration will be born within one¡¯s heart. ¨C ¡°Even if I got impatient, the situation won¡¯t change after all¡­ Well, I can at least say, I understand the feeling of Your Highness for being impatient.¡± Even after Sardina told him a sarcasm, Sudou¡¯s expression did not change. On the contrary, his tone of voice has become calmer. ¡°Well, it seems Zalda Kingdom¡¯s army is not that stupid¡­ Their commander is General Belharres after all. As expected from a man with a long history of military service huh? I don¡¯t think they have the blessing of their king and the ministers, but to execute this kind of plan at the end¡­ This is really something¡­¡± ¡°Is that how you going to tell me that they might be able to take my head?¡± Listening to Sudou¡¯s words, Sardina asked him. Hearing her question, Sudou smiled. ¡°Please don¡¯t joke¡­ I just praising their strategy. After all, General Belharres never honestly thought that they will manage to take your highness head.¡± After hearing Sudou¡¯s answer, Sardina was convinced that her intuition was right. ¡°As expected¡­ That was their aim huh?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ Their aim is to make this battle turn into a draw. I think they want to exhaust both war power. Considering the difference in national power between our nation and the Zalda Kingdom that is something they should never do. And yet, they still choose to do that which means¡­.¡± ¡°A third country¡­ They are planning to drag Ernestgora into this war.¡± ¡°I fear that it¡¯s likely to happen¡­¡± Sudou nodded his head after hearing Sardina¡¯s words. There¡¯s no smile appear on his face like he usually did. His gaze turns into a sharp gaze, looking far beyond the battlefield. It is such an overwhelming sense of intimidation, that only someone who has survived many battlefields usually has. ¡°They realize that they cannot win against us in strategy, thus they choose a desperate measure¡­ Geez, what an absurd people¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps this is an arbitrary decision made by General Belharres. Since I don¡¯t think that Zalda¡¯s King and his ministers would approve such a plan.¡± Toward Sudou¡¯s opinion, Sardina nodded in agreement. ¡°No king would grant such permission after all¡­ to pull in Ernestgora into one own country and engage the war¡­¡± Sardina bitterly spoke. ¡°I guess it will depend on how much we can suppress the casualties from this battle¡­ If we were down to less than half then¡­¡± ¡°I know¡­ It would be hard for domestic control if we lost more than half of our current force. If that happens¡­¡± ¡°Ernestgora in the north won¡¯t stay silent¡­ They will also invade Zalda and aim for the coastal territory, or endorse take over the entire territory¡­ For those guys, as long they can reduce our power even for a bit, they would be happy to do it after all.¡± To occupy the Zalda Kingdom itself was relatively easy, given the difference in national power. Even if the Rozeria Kingdom and the Mist Kingdom came for reinforcement, it is still possible to obtain a sufficient victory. However, it took too much time to devise the strategy, directing the strategy while also being conscious of the shadows of the other two major powers. Kirtantia in the west aside, Ernestgora in the north have a border with the Zalda Kingdom. If Ortomea Empire took too much time to occupy the Zalda Kingdom, then it was clear that Ernestgora would obstruct Ortomea territory expansion. ¡°What do you think that female fox of Ernestgora would do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ That person is someone who likes to take control of everything without dirtying her own hand after all¡­¡± Listening to Sardina¡¯s words, the young queen of Ernestgora figure appears inside Sudou¡¯s mind. Her appearance is normal. Compared to Roezeria Lupis or Princess Sardina, they are similar put at the same time completely different. It is wasteful time to compare them. However, contrary to her appearance, her personality is horrible. She is ruthless and cold-hearted ruler, born to rule, she even not hesitate to obliterate her family member. Sudou had only met her twice, but the intense impression was imprinted on his mind. A queen with superior intelligence who earned herself the nickname of the female fox. She¡¯s someone who will never miss a great opportunity. ¡°First, she would, without doubt, move her soldiers into Zalda¡¯s territory¡­ Since she won¡¯t let us be the only one who increases the territory.¡± ¡°In the process, Ernestgora and us will definitely collide. Will Zalda have room for negotiation in such situation?¡­ Honestly, how stubborn of them¡­¡± ¡°Weak country is a weak country, they just desperate to survive.¡± Hearing Sardina frustrated words, Sudou quietly shook his head. ¡°Well, whatever. Anyhow, we need to win this battle first. Because this will decide our next move.¡± The problem now is to win against Zalda army. After they win, that would be the time to decide what the next move. ¡°Indeed, although the possibility is very low, there¡¯s still the possibility that our army gets overwhelmed by their fighting spirit, and get defeated instead¡­¡± The biggest concern for them right now is this battle. Whether or not the Zalda kingdom manages to break through the front line. ¡°I as well¡­ I will head to the front!¡± Sardina said those words while looking tense and stared at Sudou. It can be said as a foolish decision. Because she was planning to bring out the enemy¡¯s target before their own eyes. However, Sudou did not deny her decision. Because he felt the strong will to fight after looking at her eyes. Furthermore, there¡¯s also an advantage in her plan. ¡°I see¡­ To wager everything huh?¡± ¡°If I proceed to the frontline, the 2000 escort troops can also be turned into a war potential, and if I go to the front line, won¡¯t the morale of the soldiers would raise as well?¡± The reason why Ortomea is in a stalemate against Zalda is that they only bring the same amount of soldiers. Zalda Knights morale is high because they are not afraid of dying. To be exact they are in a state of ecstasy. They are swallowed by the sense of crisis and patriotism to protect their homeland. ¡°If your highness heads toward the front line, the morale would definitely raise¡­ And we can also turn the escort troops into war potential, increasing the possibility that we can hold them until the detached forces arrive, but¡­¡± Sudou stopped his words. Thinking about it, the probability of winning is there. With their highest commanding officer present, the Ortomea¡¯s soldiers morale would raise. However, when he thinks about being her adjutant, Sardina proposal is too dangerous. Between the safety and risk¡­ He can¡¯t really choose. Since even if he was absolutely sure of winning, there¡¯s still the possibility of losing too. ¡°I will be absolutely careful of the danger¡­¡± Hearing those words from Sardina, Sudou make his decision. He thought that thinking too much like this won¡¯t make any difference, and having the thought of losing making him feels like a fool. What he needs to do is to believe in his highest commanding officer, Sardina. ¡°I understand. We will immediately move the escort troops to the front line¡­¡± Sudou answered with those words and slowly lowered his head toward Sardina. It was him paying his respect to his commanding officer decision. ¨C ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- On that day, the battle between the Zalda Kingdom and Ortomea Empire was won by Ortomea Empire. However, in Ortomea eyes, it was not a perfect victory. It is true that Ortomea manages to obtain victory after taking the head of Zalda¡¯s highest commanding officer, General Belhares¡­ But Sardina expectation was right. Zalda lost 16,000 of its soldiers, while Ortomea lost 17,000 soldiers. Due to the nearly equal number of damage, Ortomea has no other choice but to temporarily stop their invasion. Sardina who has control over the nobles near the border tried to recover their strength. However, she could not immediately resume the invasion. Just like what she had predicted, Ernestgora crosses Zalda border, and begin to bared its fangs. At this place, a three-way war between Zalda, Ortomea, and Ernestgora will begin. And with the disturbance within the Zalda Kingdom escalate, Mikoshiba Ryouma able to get the time he needed. The time required for themselves to survive¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 88 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 1 Chapter 22.5 Chapter 1 E 22.5 (Aftermath) ¡°What did you intend to say?!¡± An angry voice resounded during audiences. The owner of the voice is a person nicknamed the prime minister of iron and blood, Lord Dornest. The emperor who should have been the most important person silently listening to Sardina¡¯s report while resting his elbow on the armrest of the throne. ¡°That¡¯s all for the report. I¡¯m willing to receive any punishment.¡± In front of the Emperor, starting from Sardina and Saitou, Seria, Rolph, then Orlando had kneeled down together. Within Sardina¡¯s mind, replayed the event that had happened a few days ago. After letting Ryouma escaped, Sardina had waited for dawn to come and the soldiers that had been scattered to return. She bet on the chance that she might be able to catch up to him. Since her mistake that leads his escape is due to the lack of soldiers. The situation might change if she collects all the soldiers for pursuit. However, in the end, Sardina cannot catch a glimpse of Ryouma figure again. ¡°I know it; it¡¯s impossible huh¡­¡± Hearing what Sardina had muttered, Saitou responded with a sour expression. ¡°It cannot be helped¡­ It was hard to gather all of the soldiers after all¡­¡± For Ryouma, he might have expected something like this to happen. To said it plainly, he might have calculated that they won¡¯t be able to continue the pursue until he was able to cross the border. ¡°That guy, he¡¯s not careless at all it seems¡­¡± Not having naive mind might be the greatest strength that Ryouma possesses. Sardina bites his lips for realizing that she¡¯s being too optimistic. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­ Let¡¯s return to the imperial capital.¡± Saitou¡¯s face shows a clouded expression after listening to Sardina¡¯s words. Indeed since they have failed to capture Mikoshiba Ryouma, there¡¯s no meaning for them to stay inside the forest for much longer. Not only they need to immediately let the border to be opened again to make sure it does not inflict much damage to the empire economy, but they also have to inform Seria and the other that had gone to the south. Although Saitou can understand the situation, he still feels uneasy toward the treatment that Sardina will receive. After all, it was a big loss for them to have failed to capture Ryouma. And the worst part is, they let the arrested person to escape. Furthermore, there are some casualties among the knight. Although there was some unexpected event that Ryouma have some companions, this is not something easy to ignore. ¡°Dornest face will definitely turn into rage eh~¡­¡± In spite of Sardina¡¯s joking words, Saitou¡¯s expression remained stiff. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± In Saitou¡¯s mind, he can imagine Dornest figure yelling toward Sardina in front of the emperor. He was nicknamed the prime minister of blood and iron, due to being a politician that has a strong mind like iron and having the determination to shed blood. He won¡¯t change his attitude toward Sardina just because she¡¯s royalty. He will definitely won¡¯t let this case end like this. Furthermore, there¡¯s also another concern. ¡°I think there¡¯s also a problem how to handle Seria-sama after this¡­¡± Sardina nodded toward Saitou¡¯s subdued voice. The one who¡¯s the most enthusiastic about this mission is Seria who had lost her family member. What are they going to say toward such Seria? ¡°Well, we will manage it somehow. Seria is not that stupid after all. I think if I were to explain the situation to her properly, she wouldn¡¯t complain too much¡­¡± (That is the case if it was the usual Seria though¡­¡± Saitou was uneasy due to whether or not she was able to remain calm after her relative being murdered. Maybe she read him having such complexion on his face. Sardina shrugged her shoulders and said, ¡°Well, leave that matters to me. In any case, there¡¯s no other choice than to return to the imperial capital.¡± A while later, Seria, Rolph, and Orlando sat down in front of Sardina. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Seria¡¯s voice lacked her usual energetic vibe. After the decision of returning to the imperial capital, Sardina recalled the three who had gone to the southern border, and she decided to join them at the town south the imperial capital in order to share the information before having an audience with the emperor. Thinking the current location of Sardina, people might think that she had to pass the imperial capital to get there, such way of thinking is not wrong. This place is the suburbs of Oito, where the road junction merge. In the tent that was set up, Sardina told them the situation. ¡°I see¡­ If the situation ends up like that, no wonder you¡¯ve failed to catch them huh.¡± Rolph¡¯s face turns sour. His expression indicates his regret to be unable to accompany Sardina together. Orlando also has the same expression. ¡°But still¡­ Right after being summoned, that person, Mikoshiba Ryouma was it? He has people who help him? Furthermore, they have such a degree of ability?¡± Toward Rolph question, Sardina shakes her head. That question is the one that Sardina and Saitou had contemplated seriously along the road as well. ¡°I¡¯ve also thought of that along with Saitou¡­ But to be honest, we are not sure either.¡± Toward Sardina who shook her head, Orlando asks a question reservedly. ¡°Emm¡­ Your highness, how are we going to report to the emperor?¡± This was a question that all of them except Sardina were worried about. The order of the Emperor is absolute. Since they could not fulfill them, at worst, the death penalty may befall them. ¡°I will report things as they are¡­¡± Saitou nodded his head in agreement toward Sardina¡¯s words. That is because the two of them had agreed between themselves as to what to do when they are on the way toward Oito. ¡°Is that alright?¡± The complexion on Rolph¡¯s face indicating was it really fine to do that. If they report it as it is, all the responsibility will hang over Saitou¡¯s and Sardina¡¯s head. Although one of them is a member of the imperial family, she might not get out from it unscathed. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. It was a fact after all.¡± Sardina answered as such quietly. And she has prepared to do so¡­ ¡°Even if you¡¯re an imperial princess, to report something like this!¡± ¡°Dornest¡­ Be silent for a bit¡­¡± The emperor¡¯s voice interrupted Dornest angry voice toward Sardina. Saitou shook off the imagination that appears within his mind and turned his consciousness to the emperor¡¯s words. ¡°In response to Sardina¡¯s report, I have no intention to criticize.¡± A heavy voice comes from the throne. A surprised expression appears on Dornest face. ¡°However¡­ Your majesty!¡± ¡°Listen to what I had to say¡­ Dornest!¡± The Emperor presses his elbow on the armchair harder and called him with a low voice. ¡°Indeed Sardina had failed to fulfill my order. That is a fact. However, an unexpected strong people also appeared. What do you think they can do in that situation?¡± Dornest was unable to reply the emperor¡¯s question. Certainly, that was the truth. No, being able even to capture the other world person once is already close to a miracle. After all, at first they don¡¯t even know the name and face of him. For that, Dornest understood. ¡°But still¡­ To let the other world person escape!¡± ¡°I also know that. However. Sardina and Saitou are an important strength of our empire. No matter how much we want to suppress the hateful man that had killed Gaies, we can not put the empire in danger because of declining strength just to kill that person in question, no?¡± They should avoid losing the leader and vice leader of the Succubus Night chivalric order that they are so proud of at the same time. Now with Gaies have died, the empire power has declined, and if they also have to part with the leaders of the new formed main force, the empire hegemony will be without a doubt getting threatened. Considering all kinds of matters, Sardina judgment was right. ¡°However¡­¡± The gaze of the emperor looking at Sardina. ¡°Although be that as it may, it is also a fact that you cannot fulfill my order. Therefore you will take over Gaies job in conquering the Eastern countries. Sardina, you will be in charge of command.¡± After that words reverberated within the audience hall, Sardina and the other four lowered their heads at once on the spot. Instead of giving them punishment, the emperor gives them the opportunity to gain merits to offset their mistakes. ¡°We will certainly respond to your expectations. Your majesty!¡± The End of Volume 1 : Being Summoned to another world. TLN: I¡¯m going to update some of the website page, well, look forward to the beginning of second volume tomorrow! Affiliate Shop Chapter 89 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 22 Chapter 3 Episode 22 *Unedited* Editor: Day 15th, 1st month, the year 2813, Western Continent Calendar: (Wortenia Peninsula 1) *Gushu* A sound something being crushed resounded inside a forest. Grassy-smell that came out from the trees mixed with the rusty smell of blood entered Sara¡¯s nose. ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ How are you feeling? Is there anything uncomfortable about your body?¡± While saying that, Sara handed the towel toward the person standing in front of her eyes. ¡°Oh¡­ There¡¯s no problem¡­ This is a great thing, a combat magic art that is¡­ I felt like my body have turned into a fierce beast.¡± ¡°Ryouma-sama have mastered the basic. Afterward, it is only a matter of practical experience.¡± ¡°Acquiring experience huh¡­ With this alone, I already able to kill a fierce monster with just bare hands. I wonder how far can I go if I train myself with this¡­¡± Saying that Ryouma lifted his lips and smiled. The figure he was now is exactly like a smile of a demon. With blood from the monster smeared on his face. Both arms dyed with blood up until the elbows, and from his fingers, bloods driped down to the ground. Near his feet, ferocious wolves were laying dead. Five of them in total. The wolf body length was around 1,5 m with the weight of its body around 50kg. The wolves that was supposedly being categorized as one of the strong monsters inside the forest, now were laying dead near Ryouma¡¯s feet. It was the appearance of a loser in a battle for survival. From the wolves body with its head being crushed blood keep coming out soaking the ground. ¡°To be honest, I never thought that it would be this easy, to the point I can actually kill them with bare hands. Not only my strength increased. But my sense and body have also become sharp.¡± Saying those words filled with his overwhelmed feeling, Ryouma shift his gaze toward the wolves dead bodies. Other than the exhilaration rising from the depth of his body, the things that appear in front of him felt like an illusion. A human muscle strength is significantly inferior to that of animals. Even if you were armed with guns and knives, you can¡¯t say that you can absolutely win. That is how much difference between humans and animals. And yet, now he could kill animals with just his body alone. Not only that, he was taking the enemies at the same time. And after wiping his body with the towel. Ryouma could not find any injury either. It is a proof that Ryouma is using the strength that is higher than the ferocious animal¡¯s strength. The warm temperature he felt when he pierces the wolf¡¯s belly with his hand. The feeling when he ripped the wolf¡¯s head by holding its upper and lower mouth. Besides that, the one that Ryouma had killed is not just your ordinary animal. It is a ferocious creature categorized as monsters. A sense of accomplishment for being able to do what he could not do previously begin to swell up. Ryouma could feel such sensation dominated his body. ¡°Of course not everyone could do it. This is possible because Ryouma-sama already has a trained body. And also had an actual fighting experience.¡± Just like Sara had said, it was thanks to Ryouma¡¯s body that had been trained by his grandfather. Moreover, he had experienced actual fights that he cannot get at his original world. With various factors and together with the new power he gained called magic art, this is the result of such synergy. ¡°Even the children who learn the same combat magic art, currently, they have a hard fight¡­¡± Saying those words, Sara directed her gaze toward the depth of the forest. Although she speaks ambiguously, it is rare for her to direct words that indicate criticism toward Ryouma like this. ¡°A hard fight huh¡­ Is Sara dissatisfied?¡± Ryouma frowned toward Sara while asking the question. He can also felt the dissatisfaction from her tone of voice. Of course, Ryouma is not stupid enough to think that his choice as absolutely correct. However, this selection process is absolutely necessary even if it was something not right. There¡¯s no other choice even if Sara told him she dissatisfied with it. Since right now, Ryouma has no room to save the weak. Sara looks directly at Ryouma¡¯s unshakable eyes, and unexpectedly she diverts her line of sight. She herself also understands. But even if she understands it with her head, her heart could not really swallow it. ¡°Of course, I understand the reason why Ryouma-sama brought them here¡­¡± Her elder sister Laura does not feel about it too much, but Sara seems to have a strong trauma toward slave life. The vulgar look filled with desire that the slave traders directed to her. Anxiety thinking about the moment when she is going to be sold. And also despair for being treated as domestic animals. Every time she saw the children training, such feeling spring up from the back of her heart. Nevertheless, she understood that there¡¯s no other choice, she also have no intention to fully criticize Ryouma who ordered her to teach the children how to fight, and beyond that, she also felt benevolent from his intention. In this world, it is a survival of the fittest. In this world, the right to live can only be obtained by one own¡¯s power. and there¡¯s no consideration toward the weak. But, if you do not mind being oppressed by the others with powers, then you can stay as the weak. Getting robbed, violated, and killed. If you were prepared those kinds of things to happen to yourself or the people you want to protect, then you can stay as the weak. Being robbed by thieves, or having your loved one violated by unreasonable nobles, or having you being killed by monsters and become their food, if you prepared to experience all that then you can stay as the weak without learning how to fight. But if you want to live with the rights and pride as a person. If you want to protect those important to you, then there¡¯s only one option. And that option is to become strong. You can be strong financially. you can be strong violently. Or you can also use wisdom. All of that can become power. The power itself is justice. For some people who understand that, Ryouma¡¯s method can be said as something gentle. He taught the slave children reading, writing, and also give them the power to fight. That is the same as giving a hope to the weak. Even if such choice comes from Ryouma, the act itself is not something to be condemned. In truth, the children are fortunate. They were given the opportunity to change from the weak and become strong. Now, while they wander around the boundary of life and death, they were about to change from their weak self, and be reborn as the strong. They will become the strong by surviving in this forest, where strong monsters wander around. Sara turned her gaze to the depth of the dark forest once again. Then she quietly prays for the safety of the children. It is the only thing she can do for the children, hoping as many children as possible survive this trials. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Melissa! What are you doing! If you idly around like that you¡¯re going to die! Ready your sword properly! The enemy is going to attack again!¡± Melissa was unable to react immediately after hearing the boy voice. In her eyes, the figure of a black beast bearing its fangs is being reflected. That is the figure of a black fur tiger. From its mouth, two sharp curved fangs protruding out trying to tear Melissa¡¯s body. The tiger runs like a win and attack Melissa with its 3m huge body. ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Melissa screamed out of fear. Although she was able to hold her sword properly. But her body won¡¯t move because of fear. Light flashes on the tiger eyes. With its two sharp fangs. And its huge body, far bigger compared to Melissa¡¯s body. Such fact binds Melissa¡¯s mind and with no combat experience her body ends up frozen in place. ¡°Are you idiot! Clan! Take Melissa to the rear! Coil! you and I will engage the tiger!¡± After pushing Melissa aside, the boy set his sword, ready for battle. The boy releases his murderous intent. But such murderous intent from him is not a threat to the tiger. However, the tiger seems to change its evaluation which previously only looking at him as a food. The tiger stopped its feet, and turn toward the tiger, creating some distance between them. ¡°Melissa! Get back, now!¡± The boy called Clan grabs Melissa body and drag her toward the rear. ¡°Eh?! Wait! It¡¯s hurt! Wait a bit¡­¡± Melissa who was being dragged with full force unintentionally protest. The boy who confronts the tiger reacted to that voice. The moment the boy reacted, the tiger strike the boy like an arrow being released from the bow. ¡°Damn it!¡± The next instant, the boy clenched his sword and thrust it into the tiger that jumped toward him. And the moment the huge tiger pushes down the boy, the boy called Coil pierced the tiger belly from the side. The moment when the tiger attacked the boy, he had unintentionally pushed his sword forward. That was just his instinctive act trying to protect himself, but it seems like the goddess of fate didn¡¯t want him to die yet. His sword stabbed directly into the tiger¡¯s opened mouth. However, because of the overwhelming weight of the tiger, he was being pushed under the tiger body. ¡°Are you alright?! Kevin!¡± Coil shouted out the name of the boy who was being pushed down by the tiger. The tiger had already died but Coil cannot afford to be happy yet. In his heart, Coil was worried about Kevin¡¯s safety. ¡°Clan, Help! Help me move the tiger! Melissa watch the surrounding! Listen, there¡¯s the possibility of another monster come and attack us. Don¡¯t miss any movement from beyond the forest!¡± Just because they killed the enemy in front of their eyes, it does not mean everything is over. Monsters are wondering inside the forest. And some of them might be attracted toward the blood of the tiger they had killed. ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± Melissa replied weakly while nodding her head. Coil and Clan then begin to deal with the tiger dead body. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s soo heavy¡­ Clan! Put more power!¡± ¡°I know!¡± The two boys tried to lift the 300kg dead tiger body. ¡°Kevin! Kevin! Now¡­ Crawl out!¡± Clan calls out toward Kevin the moment there¡¯s a gap between the tiger body and Kevin body. Even though they use physical strengthening magic art, they are physically still at the age of 13 to 15 years old. Due to the fact that they had lived a tough life as slaves, their original physical strength is kind of low. It could be said that the reason why they managed to lift the tiger body is thanks to the four months they had been trained. ¡°Fuck! This is bad, Clan! Kevin might have been unconscious!¡± Coil said those words after seeing Kevin did not move out from under the tiger body. ¡°Melissa! Help Kevin! Hurry!¡± ¡°Eh?! Wait¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up Melissa! Clan and I can¡¯t hold this huge body much longer!¡± A boy raises his voice in anger toward the hesitated Melissa. ¡°What are you waiting for! Are you trying to kill Kevin or what! Hurry up!¡± The boys cannot hide their irritation toward Melissa who did not move. The four of them have been sharing their happiness and sorrow for the past four months. Their bond is strong. They do not think differently even toward Melissa. In their mind right now they are only worried about Kevin¡¯s safety. ¨C ¡°I-I¡¯m alright¡­ Can you lift it up already¡­ It¡¯s heavy¡­¡± ¡°Kevin!¡± Hearing the voice from under the tiger body, Coil shout out Kevin¡¯s name. Before long, Kevin crawl out from under the tiger¡¯s body. ¡°Are you alright, Kevin?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine, my shoulder got injured a little¡­¡± Kevin answered Coil¡¯s question while holding his left shoulder. His left arm hung down listlessly. Due to the overwhelming tiger weight, his shoulder might be dislocated and worst case scenario would be the bone is broken. Well, for him survived after getting attacked by such a huge tiger can be said to be lucky, after all, if their number getting reduced their overall chance of surviving inside the forest also will be reduced. ¡°Melisa, we will take over watching the surrounding. You take a look at Kevin¡¯s shoulder.¡± After Clan said those words, he grabs his sword and turns his eyes toward the surrounding. His behavior befitting of a soldier is the result of his training after four months. Although he was worry about his friends, he cannot afford to neglect watching the surrounding. Coil also nodded his head and take the opposite direction to watch over the surrounding. Melissa who was stand petrified all this time immediately took out the medic supply from her bag and check Kevin¡¯s injury. After checking Kevin¡¯s injury, it seems like he was lucky that his shoulder is only dislocated. After performing the first aid taught by the mercenaries and let him drink the medicine, he should be able to move his shoulder like usual after a few days. With this, their overall battle potential drop is minimized. However, Melissa heart still cannot recover. She thought that it was because of her failure that Kevin got hurt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kevin¡­¡± While rolling the bandage around Kevin¡¯s shoulder, Melissa said her words of apology. When she saw the tiger, she was unable to move due to fear. And she was also unable to help Kevin out from under the tiger body. Melissa was apologizing for all of that. However, on the contrary, after hearing her words, Kevin frowned his eyebrows. ¡°Are you stupid? Why are you apologizing? Aren¡¯t we comrades?¡± He bluntly said those words to her. But, one can also felt the deep affection from his words. ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I said already? We¡¯re a team. Living together, Die together¡­ Am I right?¡± Kevin strokes Melissa¡¯s head with a smile on his face. This act of kindness is backed by absolute trust and affection. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 90 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 23 Chapter 3 Episode 23 *Unedited* Editor: Day 25th, 2th Months, the Year 2813, Western Continent Calendar: (Wortenia Peninsula 2) ¡°Depart!¡± A woman with red hair shouted out loudly while straddling her horse at the front of the army. And she raised her spear high. Following her voice, a group of about 300 people goes through the north gate of Epiroz city and headed toward the Wortenia Peninsula. It was a very solemn and magnificent sight. Merchants and commoners who walked through by the streets would stopped their feet silently as they watched the army to passed by. No one opened their mouth. Rather than wanted to cheer, they felt like being pressured by such sight. The equipment of the army is very special, which give a huge impression to the people who saw them. All black¡­ Under their leather armors, neither shirts nor shoes, even their swords sheaths and spears handle are pitch black. Even the harness metal was also painted black. Only their horse color not all black, nevertheless the sight was very unusual. And the flag they had carried also made people unable to avert their eyes away. A sword on a black background. And two golden snakes coiled itself around the sword. The snakes¡¯ eyes were sewn red, giving an intimidating aura toward the surrounding. If it was used separately then it won¡¯t be unusual. However, they had used all of that element as a single coat of arms. For all that, the figure of those people was able to bind the heart of the people who watched them. It was as if they are people of darkness that just came out from the depths of the abyss, that was the impression the people got from such scene. ¨C ¡°I see, so she is one of that man close associates huh? If I¡¯m not wrong, her name is Lione. I heard she have a career as a mercenary¡­ I see now. She¡¯s a good woman¡­ That is what I wanted to say, but¡­ Indeed, this looks magnificent.¡± From one of the Epiroz city¡¯s watchtower, an old man with grey hair muttered those words. He was an old man with a mild expression. And it was also obvious that he¡¯s a wealthy man. On his fingers are jeweled rings, he also wore silk clothes. And the most concrete evidence was his big belly. ¡°Father-in-law is such worrywart, just like Yuria¡­ I don¡¯t think we should be worried about them too much though?¡± Earl Salzberg who was looking the same scene as the elderly man said those words with a somewhat amazed voice. In fact, he was already fed up with the old man reaction. Even his wife Yuria, urged him to be cautious toward the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma. It was also Yuria suggestion to hire some mercenaries and tasked them to infiltrate. The Earl thought by doing that it was overdoing it since he could just be killed by using the army, but his wife Yuria never stop telling him to be cautious. She was very careful as if she feared that the Earl would fought against Mikoshiba Ryouma. However, from the point of view of the Earl, Ryouma¡¯s power was just like an ant. After all, they don¡¯t have even a base. The Earl never regarded his wife¡¯s ability lightly, but he never understood why he had to be very careful around Ryouma. Such question begun to created some complaints in his mind, and gradually dissatisfaction begun to fill the Earl¡¯s heart. ¡°Do you think so? Look at that, at first, those soldiers were mere slaves. And yet, they are able to perform such organized movement, you know? Only a few month had passed since Baron Mikoshiba buy those slaves and started to educate them. Being able to achieve this with just such a short amount of time¡­ Earl Salzberg, to be honest, I felt fear after seeing this scene¡­¡± The old man had a very strong confidence in his judgment. With his ability to judge he was able to bring the Mistel firm which does not have big influence at the beginning to became the chairman of the business alliance. Such fact gives him a very strong self-confidence. And from the perspective of such man, the group who left via the north gate looked like a threat. ¡°How foolish¡­ Certainly, the weapon they had bought from father-in-law are good ones, but their soldiers are only mere mercenaries and a bunch of slaves. I¡¯m sure those black clothes which made them looked strong was only a bluff. Well, from the eyes of a father-in-law who had never seen battlefield, such shows might be impressive¡­¡± After saying those words, Earl Salzberg turned his gaze toward the old man. The old man is the father of his wife. However, the Earl always looking down at the old man standing in front of him. Although there¡¯s the part where he still uses honorific to call the old man. Of course, the old man in front of the Earl could claim his privilege as a father-in-law, but even if he did that, the Earl would disregard it lightly¡­ That¡¯s why it was weird for the old man to be that reserved toward his own son-in-law. Besides, for Earl Salzberg, Ryouma¡¯s army was not worth much consideration. Their numbers are only around 300 people. On top of that, it was organized by mixed mercenaries and slaves together, if another noble were to hear it, they would without a doubt giving the same opinion. The only thing the Earl thought to be worth consideration was the all black clothes. But even with such appearance, in his eyes, it did not mean they are a strong army. That¡¯s why the Earl cannot help it but directed his criticism toward the old man who cannot saw through such bluff. ¨C ¡°You might say that¡­ But do you think men without leadership would be able to move like that?¡± Certainly, there was no disorder. Of course, it was also true that their numbers are only around 300, which made their commanders¡¯ order easier to reach. However, the old man thinks it was impossible for amateurs to perform such orderly march. Although the old man was thinking that, he did not insist on his opinion. He seemed to understand the Earl obstinate nature. And toward such Earl, the old man thought rather than directly denied the Earl, it was better for him to guide the Earl by using doubt. Such technique was actually an advanced negotiation technique. ¡°Well, if they trained only to march for a few months, it is easy to make people move that organized¡­¡± Because he was also a commander of his army, the Earl¡¯s judgment was clouded by the thought that soldiers cannot be made within just mere a few months. ¨C Walked on the highway while in organized formation. Just to make amateurs to did that would be required a lot of work. Furthermore, the one being instructed are slaves children. Slaves children are like a living corpse, It would have been quite a laborious task to teach them. However, the old man did not say anything since it would just be ended up displeased the Earl more. Even if he said something, the Earl would not try to understand his words either. ¡°Well, it was just some words from the amateur me, please don¡¯t mind it¡­¡± Hearing such words from the old man, the Earl gently nodded his head and turned his body. ¡°Well then, I will excuse myself now¡­ I have many works needed to be done¡­ Oh also, please visit the mansion once in a while. It would be nice if we can eat dinner together with Yuria, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ Then later¡­¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s answer, the Earl nodded his head with satisfying expression and went downstairs. ¡°What a hopeless guy¡­ Although he did have the ability, he was too naive. Furthermore, he hated the commoners and slaves too much. Well, he was still a lot better compared with other nobles but¡­ Geez, did he even understand that if he ended up getting crushed, I would be ended in trouble too¡­¡± After the Earl left, the old man said some words in a low voice. The expression on his face had completely changed. His face, when he had a conversation with Earl Salzberg, was gentle and he also wore unreliable atmosphere around him. Toward his son-in-law, he was taking one-two step back. But now was different. If Earl Salzberg saw the old man face now, the Earl would have revised his evaluation toward the old man. The old man eyes glinted while looking at the distance. ¡°We cannot be careless against that army¡­ To be able to make them move like that in such a short amount of time¡­ It was the right decision Yuria, to put some surveillance earlier¡­ If we deal with them carelessly, it would be annoying if they end up become hostile.¡± The old man had begun to think some countermeasures. While watching the black troops disappeared into the horizon. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Father¡­ May I enter?¡± The old man who fell asleep on the desk jumped up in surprise after he heard the voice that called him. It was unusual for him to fell asleep this early. Before he fell asleep, it was still daytime, but now rather than candles, the moonlight illuminated his office. He wondered why he could fell into such deep sleep. ¡°Yuria?¡± The light on her hand illuminated her face. She wore a black robe with hood covered her face. Considering her usual dress. it was something unbelievable. ¡°Yes. I came because father called me¡­ Did I disturb you, father?¡± She sounded anxious about something. The old man then asked Yuria with a somewhat tired voice. ¡°No, sorry for calling you so suddenly like this. I have something that I want to discuss with you¡­ Did you already cleared the people around?¡± Following the old man question, Yuria silently nodded her head and closed the office door behind her. Yuria already understood why she was being called to this office. ¡°Why did you called for me? In order to keep my husband from being suspicious of us, I thought we supposedly contacted each other following the time we had agreed upon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I thought I would like to finish this matter as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°Is this regarding Mikoshiba Ryouma?¡± With uneasy expression, Yuria asked the old man while standing in front of the desk. And the old man responded by nodded his head slowly. Even with that alone, Yuria was able to understand her father¡¯s mind. It was filled with anxiety, just like her mind. And just like her, the man who dominated Epiroz city economy also felt the same. ¡°Did father also thought that man as dangerous?¡± ¡°He is dangerous¡­ Well, I¡¯m not quite sure about who else he is dangerous to¡­ But at least, for Earl Salzberg, he is dangerous¡­ I did feel that he was dangerous when we talked during the time I delivered the food supply¡­ But today, I¡¯ve become convinced that he is dangerous.¡± Even if the two of them asked each other what part of Ryouma was dangerous, they were unable to answer. It was simply their sense as merchants, that alerted them of something. It told them that this man is dangerous. ¡°My husband had complained to me¡­ He said that father-in-law was a coward, just like me.¡± It seemed that Earl Salzberg told his wife about the conversation they had at the watchtower when he had returned to the mansion. ¡°Earl Salzberg is the type of person who only recognizes visible power, such as military and money¡­¡± ¡°Such thought can be said as a realist, but¡­¡± ¡°I know¡­ It does not mean he is incompetent. If he was such incompetent man, I won¡¯t hand you over as his bride¡­ There¡¯s no need for me to do that¡­¡± Looking down, the old man said those words while he clenched his hand hard. (Right, if Thomas Salzberg was an incompetent person, no one would be willing to present their lovely daughter to such a man) The old man have a lot of economy influence within Epiroz city. That was why he knew all the bad conduct of Earl Salzberg. The Earl¡¯s bad habit with women, the Earl¡¯s dirty money. The Earl was hardly suitable for his daughter. The only thing that made the Earl as his daughter¡¯s husband was because there¡¯s no choice¡­ It was a marriage that both of them never wished. That is why the two of them could never afford to go down together with the Earl. ¨C ¡°Well, for now, there¡¯s nothing we could do. The development of the peninsula would take times. That man won¡¯t be able to move immediately. In the meantime, we can slip in some agent. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve made the Baron took some maid from the mansion together with him. In the future, we can expect a regular report letters.¡± It was the girls that they had presented to Ryouma everytime he visited. Because the girls¡¯ family lived in some village within the Earldom, they will never betray the Earl household. Thus those girls was the most suitable spy for them. ¡°Umu, it would be bad if he ended up hostile toward us¡­ But, it was also dangerous to leave that man alone¡­ There was no other choice but to monitor him closely. Depending on how we handled the letters from those girls. We might be able to understand what the other side thinks¡­¡± There was no need to sent a secret latter in particular. Just from daily information. Such as was there any food and water, how was the weather, who was with you, how was live there¡­ Such information was meaningless on its own. However, if one were managed to arrange the information properly, the people who knew its value will pay a thousand gold just to obtained it. And if Mikoshiba Ryouma stopped the letters from being sent, that meant he was hostile. Either way, there was no loss for the two of them to do this. While feeling relieved toward her father calm judgment, Yuria timidly spoke a certain matter that she had hid inside her heart. It was something she had hid in the depths of her heart ever since she became the Earl¡¯s wife. ¡°Father¡­ If¡­¡± Looked at Yuria fumble around with her words, the old man nodded her head silently. ¡°I know¡­ But, It was still unknown at this stage¡­ I cannot move yet. I¡¯m sorry¡­ Yuria¡­¡± The old man then stood from the chair he was sitting on. And silently the old man hugged Yuria¡¯s body. He hugged her with full of kindness, just like a parent when they hugged their children when they cried. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 91 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 24 Chapter 3 Episode 24 *Unedited* Editor: Night time, Day 28th, 2nd Months, the Year 2813: (Wortenia Peninsula 3) ¡°We manage to come this far as scheduled huh? Finally tomorrow¡­¡± Everyone sitting around Ryouma nodded their head with a strong spirit. On their face, a fearless smile appeared. Their territory. Their country. Apart from longing for such things, within them, there was also an absolute self-confidence that they had been able to survive inside the dangerous territory. After entered the peninsula, they had been attacked by monsters 14 times. Assuming if they were hunters who intentionally followed their prey, it can be said that meeting 2-3 prey in a day indicated it was a good place for hunting. And compared to that, the encounter rates within the peninsula was abnormally high. Furthermore, all the monsters are dangerous species, that was classified as an intermediate and advanced creature. The fact that they were able to killed those monsters without letting anyone died, although it caused several people injured, it can be said as a great accomplishment. It was impossible for them to not felt exalted. Three days had passed since they had entered the Wortenia Peninsula territory. The road from Epiroz city had already ceased, and the troops stepped into the unexplored forest. Tallgrass, densely populated trees, and tree branches, as if rejected their approach. In order for them to march, they must carefully pay attention and at the same time deal with the tree branches. However, despite the harsh environment, they were not troubled by either refueling water or choosing a place for them to camp. Originally those tasks were the most difficult things to do. However, Ryouma spent several months in advance to investigated the peninsula¡¯s topography. ¨C As a result of that, they were able to choose an efficient path through the peninsula¡¯s interior, while also had sufficient rest. And now, while spreading out the map of Wortenia peninsula made by Genou, they were discussing the future move. ¡°Our movement has been proceeding as planned, the quality of our soldiers might be high but, this also due to the decision to let them grasp the topography beforehand as well, I think? After all, the information we had obtained from Epiroz city guild was not detailed enough.¡± Everyone nodded in response to Sara¡¯s words. Although the interior territory was unexplored, it did not mean that no one can¡¯t enter. It does not mean that adventurers never go to the Wortenia peninsula for money either. And the information brought by such people was being kept in the adventurer guild of Epiroz city. However, Ryouma ordered Genou to dispatched skilled people from his clan to investigate the peninsula as well. And the result of that decision was great. In the map spread out before them, map legends such as the type of trees, valley, rough flow of river are being described. Without this map, their march through the peninsula would be hard. At least, they wouldn¡¯t be able to come so far without anyone died. ¡°I think so too¡­ It was the right decision to ask Genou to investigate the water source and camp field. Ganou, thank you for your hard work.¡± The condition to search for water sources was different between adventurers which only have 10 members versus an armed force with 300 members. It would be impossible to satiate the need of 300 people with only a spring of water that came out between rocks. The condition for choosing a camping field also different. Depending on the number of people, the conditions required for suitable place to camp naturally differ. That was why it was natural for Lione to gave her gratitude toward Genou who had managed to gather such information. In actuality, it was possible to obtain a stable amount of water by using magic art, and the same can be said for finding a camping ground, but of course, it was better to do it manually since it would require less labor thus less fatigue. ¡°It was given that my clan had dispatched skilled people. However, this land was truly hash, one pair of people we had dispatched to investigate the territory had not yet recovered their injuries. The case for pirates was true, but the most concerning matter is ¡®that¡¯, I think..¡± ¡°What you mean by ¡®that¡¯ is the demi-humans I suppose?¡± Toward Sara¡¯s inquiry, the gentle atmosphere around them turned tense. It was something that already had been reported before, but it was still caused them shock after hearing it again even after entering the peninsula. ¡°Demi-humans huh¡­ I heard stories that some of them had survived but, I never expected them to be here¡­¡± ¡°I as well, Bolts. To think some of them survived¡­ Furthermore, in the form of villages?¡± For Bolts and Lione who were tasked with slaves training, they have only heard the future policies in the form of a rough report. The army supply, selection of camps, the army marching path. Apart from taking the command for slaves training, they were also had many other things they needed to do. Thus they did not know Mikoshiba Ryouma thought regarding the demi-humans. ¡®In the first place, what is the definition of demi-humans in this world?¡¯ The answer was every race other than human who had a bipedal method to walk, similar to that of a person, and also had a certain level of culture. That was what define demi-humans in this world. Beastmen with beast¡¯s head, dwarfs, elves, also other existence that speaks words and had certain culture. However, people who lived in town or city would find their existence as nothing more than fantasy creature. Well, even the adventurers who had ventured the unexplored land almost never encounter such existence. Because they are legendary inhabitants of this world that were extinct by human hands a long time ago. There were several causes of their extinction, but the biggest reason for it would probably the existence of the light God Meneoz. In this world, there were exist Gods which the people refer to the six pillars. It was said that God Meneoz governs over light. And a religious community who believed in Meneoz as God called themselves as light God Meneoz religious organization. Their doctrine was simple. They regard light God Meneoz who was said to have created humans as supreme God and because humans were created by supreme God, they regard themselves as supreme beings. Nonetheless, there was also other elements that made them religion. However, religion was something that human usually created for the purpose of making everything convenient for them, thus it was natural if they also placed human as special existence.(*Opinion varies) And at first, such element of doctrine was not a problem. Even if some religion made some people think they are the chosen one, such things were supposedly not something that caused many problems. Indeed since the light God Meneoz religious organization founded, 1,000 years had passed. However, 400 years ago, the demi-humans was deemed as the unclean existence and the human began to drive them away. In other words, since the organization was founded they did not make any racial elimination movement until 400 years ago. Right, had 400 years ago two men did not appear in the history of this world, this world would be a place where beast-men, elves, and others lived. However, the reality was different. Although the demi-humans races had extinct since a long time ago, beyond the unexplored lands within the continent, there were rumors that a small number of demi-humans had survived. ¡°For the moment, we have no intention of working together with the demi-humans. I already told Genou this but, I don¡¯t want to touch the northern part of the forest where their villages were located.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s answer, Bolts and Lione widen their eyes. In any case, his subordinates who were tasked to investigate the peninsula although managed to return were injured. It felt unnatural for Lione to hear him said that he would overlook the incident. Considering Ryouma¡¯s personality, it would be normal for him to exercised his power and sent some protest. ¡°To be honest, I just don¡¯t want to stimulate them right now¡­ We already had Salzberg and Lupis on our back, I do not want to increase our enemies more than this¡­ Besides, we also entered the vicinity of their village without permission. That was why I chose to leave them alone for now.¡± After saying that, Ryouma draw a big red circle on the map. It was a very large circle, nearly a quarter of Wortenia peninsula. In other words, this circle indicated the boundary between them and Ryouma¡¯s group. ¡°Well I guess so¡­ the situation in the Zalda is also chaotic right now, it would be bad for us to only create more enemies, I guess? Considering that we had carelessly crossed their territory, I guess, it was normal for them to respond with violence huh¡­¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s decision Lione voiced her agreement. She herself did not have any particular repulsion toward the demi-humans. She will fight if necessary, but she did not have any intention to intentionally fight against them. And besides, Ryouma decision was very logical and fair one. The attitude where he was not only thinking about his subordinates getting injured, from Lione¡¯s perspective, his judgment was favorable. ¡°But what are we going to do with the pirates? It would be bad if we don¡¯t have a harbor by the time Simone¡¯s preparation is over¡­¡± After the matter of the demi-humans was over, Lione asked another concern. For Ryouma and Simone¡¯s secret agreement, the existence of pirates caused them a problem. Whether to win them over or exterminated them, it was a big problem. Up until now, she was busy with other task but, now that they had entered the peninsula, Lione needed to know Ryouma¡¯s clear policy regarding them. ¡°There¡¯s only one conclusion regarding them. Clearly, I do not need them in my country.¡± Ryouma responded to Lione¡¯s question in a casual manner while shrugging his shoulders. Inside the tent, a fire should be lighted only to keep the temperature moderate. However, everyone who heard Ryouma decision felt cold sweat ran down their spine. Ryouma words and tone are calm, just like he was usually. However, no man could misunderstand what was the meaning of his words. ¡°That means, we will have to annihilate them huh¡­¡± Lione¡¯s words echoed inside the tent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Melissa, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Coil called Melissa who had been stirring her stews with her spoon without trying to eat it. They were eating their warm dinner while surrounding a bonfire. The tense feeling during the march had become relaxed, around them laughter and chattering between comrades could be heard. It was rare that they were allowed to drink a little bit of alcohol, many of them then act without restraint and made some ruckus. In such hustle bustle, only around Melissa that the atmosphere was quiet. Rather, it was too quiet. ¡°Unn¡­ There¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Nothing huh? Let me guess¡­ You think about Hana right?¡± Toward Melissa denial, Coil asked back in return. ¡°¡­!!¡± Seeing Melissa widen her eyes in surprise, Coil made a big sigh. From the point of view of Coil who had shared everyday life as a team for several months with her, it was easy for him to understand her thought. ¡°There¡¯s no point thinking about the guys who ran away now is there? If they are lucky, they should be able to survive in some town¡­¡± Coil said those words with uninterested tone. For him, Hana who ran away was ungrateful and a traitor. His hatred was not to the point that he wanted to chase and killed her, but it was to the extent that he does not mind if those who ran away died dogs death somewhere. Such sentiment was oozing from his words. ¡°To say something like that¡­¡± Melissa unexpectedly dislike the way Coil said his words. Hana was a slave girl who was in the same group as Melissa. But now, her figure was not here anymore. Because the training was hard, she had escaped with a group of children who were unable to endure the training. It was obvious that the one in the wrong was Hana who had escaped. That alone Melissa understand. However, she was worried that Hana right now could not eat the same warm stew like she did right now. ¨C ¡°It cannot be helped you know¡­ That fellow escaped due to the hard training, you see? Or Melissa also forgot the favor toward Mikoshiba-sama who had released us, and sided with the guys who had ran away?¡± Coil emotion was rising. Tonight was a night that would mark a milestone for their lord, Mikoshiba Ryouma, it was the moment they would step their foot into the mysterious land called Wortenia peninsula. And finally, they would arrive at their destination tomorrow. Even if one were to look at the ingredient used to made the stew for this dinner, and also being allowed to drink alcohol, it was clear that tonight they had been given a special consideration. In such a day of celebration, Melissa was instead depressed thinking about the guys who ran away and betrayed their lord. He could forgive her for looking like that. ¡°Those guys are traitors!¡± Coil shouted those words. It was a very strong shout. Caused the surrounding noise to stop for a moment, all the surrounding people line of sight was directed toward the two them. However, Coil ignored those gaze. The emotion which he usually able to suppress was sprigged up. The training was painful. Some have failed to overcome the fear of actual battle. It was not something that everyone could bear. Even Coil could understand that. However, it was Mikoshiba Ryouma who made them a person from the lowly status as slaves. Coil also understood that Ryouma never did all that out of good will. However, it does not change the fact that Ryouma had given him the chance to crawl up. In this world, there was a little opportunity for the weak to crawl up. That was why Coil could not forgive those feeling. Despite being given a good opportunity, they instead ran away without making a good use of it. ¡°That¡­¡± Melissa could not return Coil cold words. ¡°Oi, Coil. Leave it at that¡­¡± ¡°Kevin¡­¡± After he felt that Coil had become too emotional. Kevin decided to start speaking after hearing the two conversations silently. The leader of their team is Kevin. If he told Coil to stop, Coil could not refute. Coil himself did not have any intention of blaming Melissa. ¡°My bad¡­ I lost my composure¡­¡± Coil stood up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Kevin then looked at Coil with questioning gaze. ¡°I¡¯m going to another group place¡­¡± Said that Coil looked back at Kevin. With firm gaze. Kevin then realized the meaning of that gaze. ¡°I understand¡­ Clan, you should leave with Coil as well.¡± Kevin who understood the meaning of Coil¡¯s word forcefully told Clan who had kept silent eating stew. He must speak with Melissa by any means necessary, just the two of them. Due to Kevin strong gaze, Clan stood up and silently followed Coil. After confirmed that their backs were out of sight, Kevin hesitantly asked a serious question toward Melissa. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 92 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 25 Chapter 3 Episode 25 *Unedited* Editor: Day 28th, 2nd Month, the Year 2813, western continent calendar: (Wortenia peninsula 4) ¡°You, you held some grudge, am I right?¡± Kevin¡¯s expression was very serious that it could not be seen as a joke. ¡°Eh?¡± She could not pretend that she didn¡¯t hear what Kevin had said. After all, even though his voice was low, Kevin¡¯s voice had without a doubt entered Melissa¡¯s ears. However, Melissa was unable to fully comprehend Kevin¡¯s words, thus she was taken aback. ¡°You, about Hana¡­ I heard that you bear a grudge against Mikoshiba-sama due to those who ran away?¡± Hesitantly he told her what he meant, Melissa who heard those words showed an astonished expression toward Kevin. Kevin¡¯s words were too unexpected even for Melissa. And gradually she understood the meaning of Kevin¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s! Why?!¡± Melissa unintentionally raised her voice. *Jiii* And Kevin just silently stared at Melissa¡¯s face. It was sharp eyes that were trying to probe Melissa¡¯s heart. Nobody knows how long these two people stared at each other. ¨C *Crack* The sounds of burning trees entered Melissa¡¯s ears. ¡°¡­I guess you don¡¯t hold any grudge.¡± Having said that, Kevin finally relaxed his expression. Looking at Melissa¡¯s expression, he was finally able to understand her true feeling. However, Melissa shouted ignoring Kevin. No one can help it. Because even for her, it was very unexpected that he was suspicious of her. ¡°Why? Why did you say something like that?¡± She flared up toward Kevin with enough force that it was very different compared to the usual Melissa. ¡°Melissa¡­ As expected, you don¡¯t understand do you?¡± Kevin looked at how Melissa had responded, he looked amazed yet also felt somewhat convinced of something. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Just like I said¡­ You don¡¯t realize the position you¡¯re in right now¡­¡± Melissa frowned at Kevin¡¯s words. ¡°Even for me, I appreciate Mikoshiba-sama kindness you know?¡± Melissa would never forget, the day when they perform the last trial, and finally being recognized as the member of his army. At the beginning, the number of her comrades was 320 people, and at the end, on that day it had decreased to 196. And toward those who had survived until the end, Mikoshiba Ryouma released them from slavery. On that day, the contract of slavery who tied them down had become ashes. For her and everyone else, they hold the debt of gratitude toward him. After all, they had literally regained their lives once again. And that feeling was something they could not easily forget. However, Kevin shook his head. ¡°That is not what I meant¡­ What I meant was after that¡­¡± ¡°After that?¡± Melissa was still unable to understand Kevin¡¯s words. She was indebted to Mikoshiba Ryouma, she understood that. But, she wondered what exactly he meant by after that. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Mikoshiba-sama was very merciful. He freed us from slavery, given us education, magic art knowledge, and martial art. He gives it to us, mere labor slaves. He also provided us shelter and clothing for living¡­ But that was not entirely out of good faith. Of course, it does not mean that he did that for bad reason either. However, for a good reason, he had given us power.¡± In regard to that, Melissa could also felt it. Buying labor slaves for cheap, then given them education, magic art knowledge, and martial art. She realized that Mikoshiba Ryouma did that not out of pity or sympathy toward the children. ¡°That esteemed person, he is testing us¡­¡± ¡°Testing us? What are you trying to say?¡± Kevin then looked around, and he lowered his voice more, and answered Melissa¡¯s question. ¡°Whether or not we¡¯re ready to follow Mikoshiba-sama.¡± Teaching slaves how to fight was equivalent to giving a mean to oppose him. That was why usually people did not give such education to ordinary slave, those who were given such education would be regarded as war slave, subject to a more strict seal, and such war slaves could not use their power unless their Lord had given them the permission. However, Mikoshiba Ryouma had never made any restriction order on the children he bought. In fact, at the beginning of the training, many slaves had escaped from the harshness of the training, but they didn¡¯t take any measures to prevent anyone to escape. ¡°At the beginning, our team consist of five people right?¡± Melissa nodded her heard. At the beginning, Ryouma had made the children train as a team consisted of five men. Five men that would act together as a team, waking up together, sleep together, eat together, and train together. ¡°But now, he added one mercenary to our team who only had four people now, which made our team into five men team once again. Do you understand what the meaning of this act?¡± The group formation had completely changed compared to when they had started The five men team consisted of children at the beginning was being dismantled, and new team was formed with one mercenary and four children as its members. She thought, Ryouma had simply placed one platoon leader with battle experience, but it seemed like it was not that simple. Then a hunch appeared inside Melissa¡¯s heart. ¡°By any chance¡­ Is this monitoring?¡± Kevin nodded his head after he heard Melissa¡¯s murmur. Melissa who saw that finally understood what Kevin and Coil had worried about. ¡°Listen alright, they watched us to determine whether or not we¡¯re good enough. And even now they still continue to do that.¡± Kevin words entered Melissa¡¯s heart and became something she could not forget. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Next day. Under the clear blue sky, Mikoshiba Ryouma and the 300 members of his troops arrived at the destination, it was a bay¡­ After pushed through the dense forest, and walked toward the west on the river banks which had width near 400m, the scenery in front of them greatly changed. What they saw now was the white sand beach that extends toward the north and south. Beyond that, blue sea with transparency enough to made people could easily saw the bottom of the ocean. The waves that strike the beach are calm and the sea breeze tickles Ryouma and the others¡¯ nose. Far away from the bay, he could see several silhouettes of island. This place was truly a place where human hands had never touched, it was the embodiment of both, splendor and beauty of nature. This place was surrounded by slightly elevated hills on three sides, it was at the same time can be used as natural defense, if he opened the forest, and used the big river that flowed into the sea, it would be possible for self-sufficient food production. And furthermore, with little effort, the more than 10km coastline could be used as a harbor. ¡°I see¡­ I heard the report but, this is really an amazing place¡­¡± Two man was on one of the hills and directed their eyes to the beach under their eyes. They both had came to the place to confirm the surrounding topography. Genou talked with Ryouma while on horseback, and intense sunlight made both men squinted their eyes. On Genou¡¯s face, proud expression can be seen due to the fact that his family had bring back the information of this location. ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s no other place as good as this one¡­ Let¡¯s give them some good liquor later.¡± Ryouma directed his eyes toward the surrounding topography. Then he saw a little open space between the forest and the beach near the river. There, he saw many people wandered. He wondered if they preparing for the camping. He could only saw that logs were being pierced into the ground one after another, and tent being spread open. While looking at the sight, Ryouma nodded his head feeling satisfied. The river that flowed into the sea can be used as drinking water and agricultural water, and for other practical defensive use, such as being used as water moat. The abundant woods from cutting the trees can be used for a wide range of needs, as the forest being opened, the area could be used as agriculture lands. The distance from Epiroz was also reasonable, it was 4 days of a walk. It was also easy to develop self-defense in this place. The location can be said as very perfect. Hearing Ryouma¡¯s praise, Genou could not help but shows a joyful expression. It seemed it was not just because his hard work was being recognized. Mikoshiba Ryouma knew what most important was to give subordinates reward for their achievement. It was not just about giving money. The important thing was to understand the achievement after performing hard work. Good job. You¡¯ve worked hard. Thank you. Such small gesture was important aspect in regard to relationship between people. ¡°Thank you for your consideration. Those guys would be happy hearing my lord¡¯s words.¡± ¡°As you might know, being able to choose a base freely can be said as advantage. It was natural for us seeking the best place. However, I honestly never thought that it would be this good. Like this, we can immediately create village soon.¡± Having territory where most places were left without human influence, Ryouma was able to choose a place to build his base anywhere he wanted. Had within this peninsula there was a village, Ryouma won¡¯t be able to choose anymore. Even if from the point of view that the place was disadvantageous, for the safety of people living in that village he must proceed the development started from that village. Since Ryouma does not have sufficient military power enough to protect a village while he also building a new base. ¡°Young master! The tents are ready. Please come this way.¡± Apparently, the camp had already finished being built. Bolt voice could be heard calling for him. Tomorrow they can finally open up the forest and start building the village. ¡°Everything will start from here huh¡­¡± Ryouma turned his challenging gaze toward the south. As if staring at the enemies that were not yet visible. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 93 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 26 Chapter 3 Episode 26 *Unedited* Editor: Day 15, 4th Month, the Year 2813: (One¡¯s line of sight) ¡°Oi¡­ I think my eyes have a problem¡­¡± The man took off the telescope from his eyes. He then closed his eyes and rubbed his eyelids with his hand many times. His hair which had been exposed by the sea breeze changed into light brown, and his skin was burning red due to the strong sunlight. He had the look of a skilled sailor. Then a man with the similar feature can be seen holding the ship¡¯s steering wheel. If one were to stand beside them, the strong smell would enter one¡¯s nose. Such smell was the result of a long time spent in the sea. Together with the smell of the sea, the smell of iron and blood also emanated from their body. It was a testimony that these two people were not ordinary seafarers. ¡°No, I also saw the same thing with my eyes¡­ Right now I started to doubt my sanity¡­¡± The man who held the steering wheel answered while staring at the coastline. Although they were reconnaissance of the ship that was currently 2km away, these men had been living in the sea for decades. These two men had a high reputation for having good eyes among their fellow crew. And right now, both of them doubted their own eyes. A cape that protrudes toward the sea like a horn of a cow. In the middle between the two horns, they saw a town. No, it may not be an exaggeration to call what they saw as a small port city. As if trying to resist the darkness, torches light was set across the small city, and a bonfire was set ablaze grandly, this even made the two men able to ascertain the whole harbor. ¡°But you know¡­ Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It was impossible and bullshit¡­ But it was right in front of my eyes¡­¡± The men holding the steering wheel spoke some curses. ¡°True¡­ What should we say to the captain? They definitely won¡¯t believe us. It was such absurd story after all¡­¡± Right now, what stand in front of them was an incredible sight. If they report it as it is, their superior definitely won¡¯t believe them. They might even get accused of drinking alcohol then got drunk and saw a dream. ¡°What are you saying¡­ Do you want to report some lie? If they found out about it, they might peel off your skins and make you into a shark¡¯s bait you know?¡± Imagined the punishment they might¡¯ve received, caused their body hair to stand. It was punishment for those who break the code, and traitor. Indeed, several people had become prey to such punishment. A scene from the past surfaced inside both men mind, caused their body to tremble. ¡°Then what should we do?! This is your problem too you know?¡± They knew that their captain was ruthless. He especially hated lies. But even if they reported to him as it is, they were sure that he won¡¯t believe it either. They hardly think that the other side would believe what they were going to say. (Fuck! To get the short end of the stick like this¡­) If they were just bystanders then there won¡¯t be any problem. They could just laugh at the unlucky guys. But it would be different if they were the concerned party. It involved their lives. ¡°We have no other choice. We will try to take a closer look tomorrow morning¡­¡± ¡°Are you sane? Captain had ordered us for wait-and-see, remember?¡± If they betrayed their captain¡¯s order, they might¡¯ve ended up as shark¡¯s food. That was the rule. However, the man holding the steering wheel shook his head. ¡°Either way, we will still end up as shark food no matter which path we choose. If that was being the case, we should get more reliable information, although by doing that we ended up disobeyed captain¡¯s order¡­ Or would it be better if we tried to escape instead?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? Where are we going to run away with this small boat?¡± Their boat was one of those small boats equipped on a sailboat to be used for landing. Although it had no problem to move using it near the coastal area, it was impossible to sail using it for long distance. Other than that, they were also only had a supply for one day left. And it was only enough for their return trip to the mothership. If this was an ordinary place then there won¡¯t be much problem, but since this was around the wortenia peninsula which was regarded as an unknown place. If they landed on a wrong place, they might ended up eaten by monsters. Although they were isolated from the power of a country, they did not have to worry about being caught by the authority. But at the same time, they also could¡¯ve only reached the outside world by limited means. ¡°If that the case we only have one choice. Besides, even the captain, if we explained to him with certainty and reason, he won¡¯t killed us just like that.¡± The moment the man said that the man holding the steering wheel shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Are you really sure about that?¡± ¡°Do you have another option then?¡± His question was being answered by another question. He understood that there were no other options. And no matter which options they choose, they felt their future was bleak. He dropped his gaze to his feet and fell silent. (Damn it! No matter which choice we made, we¡¯re done for¡­ I guess we have no choice but to ascertain the situation huh¡­?) *Fuuu* With a big sigh, the man lifted his face. ¡°Understood. Let¡¯s draw the boat toward the cape. We might be able to get to the shore before dawn.¡± Hearing the man words, the men holding the steering wheel pulled the anchor. And the small boat quietly moved toward the shore. ¡°This is¡­ So it was not our mistakes. I cannot believe it, how did they manage to make it this fast¡­¡± The two men brought their boat to the northern side of the cape and climbed up the hill. What they saw was a breathtaking cityscape illuminated by bonfires. ¡°A town? No, with this kind infrastructure, it can be categorized as a small city¡­¡± All the western banks of the coastline were using the stone pavement, it completely had the function as a port. A deep moat was dug on the east side, drawing in the river water to flow toward the north, completely separated the city and the forest. On the south side, something like a castle wall can be seen. Although it was not perfect, it had all the function as a port city. But with that alone, the two won¡¯t be this surprised. But the thing that caused them to felt surprise was because this place was the wortenia peninsula, a place where monsters wandered around, and two months ago there was no such city here. ¡°Is that stones? At least that does not look like woods¡­ How did they do this? Did they bring all the materials from Epiroz? No, that can¡¯t be¡­ But, how else?¡± Such mutter leaked from the man while he looked through his telescope. Although they got more information compared to when they still on the sea but, on the contrary, they also ended up with more question inside their head. If everything was built using wooden they both could understand. If the two men overlook the question about the labor force, but since the surrounding was a forest. It was not impossible to do it. However, if it was using stone, then it caused doubt instead. There were small hills surrounding the bay, but the two men could not see any quarry that produces the stone building. There was also the possibility of using the coastal rock, but there was a limit to that. Besides, if they really used that method, a quarry near the coastal line would be indispensable but, they both did not one. With all of those considerations, that mean the people who built the city carried the material from another city, but unfortunately, this place was not an ordinary place. The road that leads to Epiroz had not yet been developed, it was near impossible to transport materials without the road. No, it might be possible with a large troop as an escort but, if there was such situation, some communication from their friend who was a spy at Epiroz city would contact them. ¡°Using sea route? No if they used that we should¡¯ve noticed¡­¡± As if answered his subordinate words, the men who were steering the boat previously said those words. Although it was possible if the people who built the city used the sea route, it was impossible for ships carried such large amount of materials to slip past their watch. And if such large fleet had crossed to this place then it would be impossible for them to not notice. Their ship was watching the adjacent waters like a net, forget about sailing ships passed through, they also keep watching the coastline for any movement. ¡°Damn it! What had happened. It should have been only two months had passed? How the hell did they manage to build such city in such short amount of time?¡± The hand of the man gripped the telescope with more power. It was more than half a year ago that their friend who was a spy at Epiroz contacted them and told them that Wortenia peninsula was given to some nobleman. Those who heard the report at that time scoffed at that nobleman. For them who understood the environment of the peninsula, they regard the thought of developing the peninsula as a dream. In fact, after the noble in question entered the Epiroz city, they heard that he never entered the peninsula. Those who heard that report regard it as something natural. They thought that the noble choose to stay in Epiroz city after finding out that the peninsula had no value. However, their thought was wrong. The proof was the city spreading in front of their eyes right now. ¡°We should head back¡­ Whether or not captain believed us, I don¡¯t care, but this, we definitely need to report this¡­¡± Cold sweat ran through their back. The hand holding the telescope was trembling. He himself did not understand what he was being afraid of. They immediately ran down the hill toward their small boat, and as soon as possible head toward their mother ship located in the north. But they did not notice. The existence of a person watching them from the darkness¡­ Dawn breaks and the morning sun illuminates the city. The bonfires across the city had finished their duty. ¡°Good morning. Ryouma-sama.¡± ¡°Morning, Laura¡­ Is something happen?¡± Although it was already dawn breaks, it was still 5:00 am in the morning. It was early in terms of getting out of bed. However, Ryouma answered Laura with a clear voice as if he had already awake since a while ago. ¡°Sakuya is coming¡­¡± ¡°Did the prey took the bait?¡± With Laura¡¯s short words, Ryouma had already managed to predict what had happened. Rather than that, Ryouma had prepared everything since a month ago, thus if the prey did not take the bait it would¡¯ve caused him trouble instead. ¡°Probably¡­¡± Listening to Laura replied with plain words, an evil smirk appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face. ¡°If that the case, shall we clean up the peninsula immediately?¡± Laura nodded her head silently in agreement. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 94 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 27 Chapter 3 Epiosde 27 *Unedited* Editor: A sailing ship quietly anchored. The ship was a fast ship which had three masts on it. Though right now all the sails were folded and the ship quietly waited for the captain¡¯s command. It had an ordinary appearance. It was a western-style ship. The total length of the ship was 30 meters. As a type, it was close to that of Galleon ship. It resembled the ships that were being built frequently during the era of the great voyage. The only difference between this world ship and the Earth ship was that this ship did not have any firearms such as cannons. Perhaps, the existence of gunpowder was not common. On the north side of the bay, within the gap of the forest, several sharp gazes were looking at the ship. Black dyed clothes and mask covered their entire face, making them became one with the darkness. The dwellers of darkness. They were not afraid of anything, even the monsters within the forest. Because they were the most dreadful monsters¡­ ¡°Everyone, just like we had planned¡­¡± After Sakuya signaled, the leaves of trees shook faintly And the presence around Sakuya disappeared. Only the same type of humans can perceive their presence. This time she had to bring people with good skill among her family. The bait had been set. After that, it was just the matter of waiting for the prey to take the bait. ¡°Well now, where is your base, please show me as soon as possible¡­¡± A cold smile appeared on Sakuya¡¯s face. It was the face of a hunter. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°You¡­ Do you think we could believe such story?¡± Ten men surrounded the two men inside a dim room filled with sea smell. Every time the lamp gently swayed to the left and right the shadows wandered the room. All of their appearance were that of sailors, with burned red and black skins due to the sun. However, with the smell of blood diverging from their bodies, one can predict what kind of occupation they had. Cold voice struck the two men who were kneeling. ¡°But¡­ we really saw it. With our own eyes¡­ Right?¡± The men talked to the other men who were silent on his side. ¡°Yes, I also saw it clearly with my own eyes. There was a town, with unbelievable scale over there. No, That is not a town I guess. It was more like a city.¡± Listening to those words, one man who surrounded them began to spook. ¡°Cih, stop playing around. You guys, then explain, how did they manage to build a city in less than two months? If you can explain it then we will consider your story!¡± Toward those words, ridicule and approval rose from the surrounding. No one believed the two men story. ¡°About that¡­ We really saw it¡­¡± However, the man who knew that their lives were on the line keep trying desperately. If their story were judged as a lie, they would surely be ended up getting killed. And surely, they would be killed brutally and made it as a lesson for the others¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! You guys must be drunk or something!¡± Someone shouted. ¡°We did not! We really saw it!¡± ¡°It was true¡­ We did not have any liquor or drug with us¡­ We only abide the captain¡¯s command.¡± The people who shouted grew silent but their eyes were still cold. ¡°Be silent for a bit¡­¡± It was a low voice. The voice was small enough that people might miss it if it was a normal situation. But, the words of that man clearly entered the ears of everyone present inside the room. Everyone¡¯s eyes were directed at the place where the man sat. He had a solid body, with a reddish-brown beard. His eyes emanated cold-blooded aura. Hidden by the silk shirt, sunburned skins can be seen. He had the style of men of the sea. His name is Henry. It was a man who was feared by many other pirates, the one who had the nickname the ¡®Shark¡¯. Originally, he was a fisherman from a small village in the Kingdom of Ernestgora. He was a criminal who had killed a nobleman due to a tax dispute, and he escaped. He was a man that will approach its prey like a shark, and eat them without saying anything. ¡°Captain¡­¡± ¡°W-We¡¯re¡­¡± The two men turned their eyes toward Henry. The two men lives depended on that man¡¯s mood. ¡°Well, fine then¡­ It was hard on you guys huh¡­ You guys can go an eat some meals¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Because his words were too unexpected, the man who blamed the two men the most leaked a stupid voice. However, the man immediately blocked his mouth. ¡°Go.¡± Ignoring the surrounding gaze, Henry ordered the two men to go by waving his hand. It was almost like he told a dog to leave¡­ ¡°A-Aye. Pardon me for being rude¡­¡± ¡°Pardon my intrusion. Captain.¡± The two men dropped their head then jumped out of the room immediately. It was unknown whether it was because Henry¡¯s whim or not, but the two men did not question it since they didn¡¯t want to lose their life. ¡°Captain, what the meaning of this? Did you believe such absurd story?¡± One of the man who remained inside the room asked Hendry. They were the top brass within this ship, along with the chief navigator. Unlike the other sailors, they were allowed to question Henry for a bit. Of course, extreme caution was in place, since they did not want to impair Henry¡¯s absolute authority. ¡°Those guys, I cannot believe that there would be a time when they lied to me. Besides, if you want to tell a lie won¡¯t you tell something that has some truth in it? You guys should be familiar with this no?¡± While stroking his beard with his hand, Henry turned his sharp gaze to the man who asked him before. From the start, Henry did not think the two men lied to him. What would happen if one were to lie, no matter how stupid those subordinates were, they should¡¯ve understood that well. Not only they would get killed, they would¡¯ve been made into a lesson for the others as well. Which mean, even if the two men story was absurd, they should¡¯ve made a more believable story if they wanted to betray him. Everyone silently nodded toward Henry¡¯s explanation. Certainly, the two men¡¯s report was very ridiculous, but if one were to consider it calmly, the risk of telling lie was too high. After all, everyone boarded this ship knew how cold-blooded their captain was. ¡°Certainly¡­ But then, what kind of magic trick did they use? Two months had not yet passed since that young man entered the peninsula you know?¡± They were able to understand that the two men did not tell lies. However, new doubt came to mind. ¡°Who knows. But, it would be possible if what they made was a fake¡­¡± ¡°A fake?¡± Toward Hendry¡¯s words, the men looked puzzled. The men were accustomed to a rough situation, but they were not that good in terms of using his head. Because inside of their head was occupied by wine and women. ¡°If the two of them looked from the distance, they can be deceived as many times as they liked right? Although the two of them said they had confirmed them up close. They only confirm it from nearby. Unexpectedly, those might just be Papier-mch made by using the woods¡­¡± ¡°Papier-mch is it?¡± ¡°Well, that was just one of the possibility¡­¡± ¡°Captain¡­ What should we do then? I assume that we have no choice but to go and confirm it ourselves¡­ That is what I thought but¡­¡± As a matter of fact, no one was going to argue about that. If that the case then they should just go and confirm it. However, Hendry shook his head denied it. ¡°No, that is not necessary¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You, are you questioning my decision?¡± Henry interrupted the man¡¯s words with his sharp gaze. ¡°If we go there now, we won¡¯t make it in time for the monthly meeting. Are you going to explain things to those guys?¡± Listening to Henry¡¯s words everyone held their breath. ¡°¡­T-That is¡­¡± ¡°See, we need to head back first. Certainly, whether or not the others would believe it is indeed a question¡­¡± In Henry¡¯s mind, two faces with the same rank as him surfaced. They were people he did not want to meet too often. However, the story this time cannot be decided by Henry¡¯s arbitrary decision. To that annoyance, Henry unintentionally clicked his tongue. ¡°Either way, we cannot move by ourselves. Whether or not we¡¯re going to attack or negotiate with them, we need to talk about this during the meeting first¡­¡± At the present stage, everyone can only guess. However, one thing was clear. Whether or not it was a trap, it can be said that Mikoshiba Ryouma had already known that there existed pirates that made their base within the peninsula. (This have turn troublesome indeed¡­) He thought that some stupid noble had been given a reclamation project on a whim but, it seemed like his thought was too naive. The man called Mikoshiba Ryouma, he had begun to carefully and seriously reclaim the barren peninsula. ¡°Alright, raise the anchor. We will head back to the harbor!¡± Under Henry¡¯s command, the anchor was rolled up and the sail was set. The ship began to slowly move and gradually raised its speed. They were heading toward their base¡­ Their base was a town, located at the northern end of the Wortenia peninsula. At the place where no men should¡¯ve existed. The inhabitants of the town have survived strongly. Where they came from, they didn¡¯t even understand it themselves. Most of them were descendants of the people expelled to the peninsula. Some were criminals with prize money tag on their head. The place was a paradise for them, some of them arrived via the sea, some arrived after going through the forest filled with monsters. In a sense, the place could also be called hell on earth. Certainly, no power was able reached the place. It was a town which was not under the arrogance of nobles or the power of a country. People may have called it paradise if it was only that much. But if they heard the one who governed that town, everyone would¡¯ve called it hell instead. The power who ruled that town. The strong one, that was the only rule of law within that town. Gender and age didn¡¯t matter. It was such a town. A small town surrounded by cliffs. As if it was a town that afraid of people¡¯s gaze¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 95 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 28 Chapter 3 Episode 28 *unedited* Editor: ¡°I see¡­ So you come back nonchalantly just like that?¡± Saying that, the woman gulped the alcohol from the beer mug. She had blonde hair that had been exposed to the salt breeze. She was not ugly but her face can be considered as mediocre. She had a small breast on her chest, making her charm as a woman quite lacking. However, despite being like that, no man would go against her in this town. She had survived in the world dominated by men. She possessed sharp eyes and intimidating aura around her. And her name is Luida Just like Henry, she had nickname circulated among the people of the town, and that nickname was ¡®Sea Snake¡¯. ¡°Does the shark came back just to be barbequed? I never thought that you would bring such story in this place¡­¡± The man with bald head sitting across Henry muttered such words as if in sync with Luida¡¯s words. His name is Andre. He was a man boasting thick arms and nicknamed as the ¡®Tsunami¡¯. His sharp eyes looked at Henry while he tapped his bald head with his hand. The three people surrounded the roundtable were the ruler of this town, also a captain of their own pirates¡¯ group. They used Galleon ships type as their flagship, also they commanded several medium ships such as Caravel ship and Carrack¡¯s ship, and several others small ships¡­ Those ships were operated around the Wortenia peninsula. Today was the regular meeting held once a month. It was an important meeting where they would be decided the future policy of the town. And right now, the biggest problem on the table was regarding Mikoshiba Ryouma who had become the owner of the peninsula. They had made a base in the peninsula because it was abandoned by the country. And now official authority had come to the peninsula. Which they could not ignore. ¡°Do you really think like that?¡± It was a calm voice. (Well, it was natural for them to feel suspicious like this¡­ If I were in their position I would also felt suspicious about this kind of story¡­) Such thought calmed down Henry¡¯s heart. Ludia shrugged her shoulders and Andre just kept silence after they heard Henry¡¯s respond. They both understood Henry¡¯s ability. Henry was one of the bosses who handled this barren city. Thus his ability was something no one can refute. Since there¡¯s no such a thing as a noble privilege in this town. If Henry¡¯s power decline and he became weaker compared to others, he would already be dead and his dead body would have been thrown into the sea. For him to stay alive in this town. was a testament to Henry¡¯s ability. ¨C ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can do right now. Certainly, I also thought of landing but, I was unable to throw away the possibility of it being a trap as well.¡± Henry glanced at the two people as if asking them whether there were complaints in his judgment. The three people gaze clashed. ¡°A trap huh¡­ Indeed that might be possible.¡± ¡°That possibility itself means that bastard called Mikoshiba was a cautious person¡­¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Finally, the three people fell into silence. Such long silence ruled the room. The problem now was what they should do. Depending on their decision, their destiny can be changed. ¡°Should we attack them decisively? The enemy numbers are around 300 right¡­? If we go and fight them together, we could bring more than five hundred. The prospect of victory is high even if we use brute force, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Andre was the most hot-blooded person among them, and he proposed a frontal attack. His nickname of ¡®Tsunami¡¯ came from the way he attacked his enemy. He would draw near his prey quietly like a falling tide, and then struck his prey with overwhelming force. It was not a simple brute force either. He would prepare the surprise attack meticulously. Which it was not easy to do. Andre became one of the rulers of this town because he had the power to perform such tactic. However, Henry shook his head toward Andre¡¯s suggestion. ¡°No, making a move unskillfully would be unwise¡­ Performing surprise attack on unprepared enemy aside, this time they might have prepared something, which in turn will make the surprise attack disadvantageous for us instead. Their numbers might be small, but they seemed to have mercenaries among their ranks¡­¡± If it were the normal situation the three of them would take Andre¡¯s proposal without any hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s too much uncertainty huh? If that the case then, what should we do?¡± Although Andre proposal was being declined, because the one who did it was Henry, he seemed didn¡¯t mind it. Certainly, the number of people serving under Henry was larger, and their combat experience was also abundant. However, their actual battle experience was mainly at the sea. When they fight on the sea, they were merciless people who would crawl under the enemy¡¯s skin. However, their land battle experience was mostly only when they plundered villages and port town. And because their aim was to rob, rarely they fought on land. In addition, their biggest weapon was a surprise attack. No matter how much they had attacked towns with relaxed security, it would have been impossible for them to attack a well-prepared town head-on. ¡°Then, what should we do? Keep silent and persist in non-interference?¡± Although they were on the same peninsula, their town and the place where Ryouma had built his base were split by a forested area where monsters wander around. Their town itself was also hidden from people eyes and hard to find due to the town being surrounded by cliffs. Luida¡¯s suggestion was passive move, but it was also not wrong. Her nickname ¡®sea snake¡¯ came from her being able to wait as long as necessary. ¡°You meant waiting for an opportunity huh?¡± Hearing Henry¡¯s words, Luida grinned and nodded her head. There were many people who would choose to move, but only a few people were able to choose to not to move and waited for an opportunity. The reason why she was able to reign was that she was able to wait quietly until the power of the previous generation wane. And not only just waiting. She also had been engaged in scrapping the power of her predecessors as well as accumulated her own power and made sure that the opportunity came sooner. It was like a poison that corrodes the body¡­ That was the reason why she was called the ¡®sea snake¡¯. But then again, Henry shook his head toward her suggestion. ¡°That move in itself is not wrong but, this time around, I think we should have a negotiation with Baron Mikoshiba¡­¡± Hearing his words, Andre and Luida starred at Henry while full of doubt. That was because, his words was too unexpected for them. ¡°Negotiation huh¡­ Is it to make Mikoshiba drop his guard before we attack him?¡± ¡°That sound not bad, but you guys should remember that Mikoshiba is wary of us. Besides, if the rumor about him is true then, he is someone that would not drop his guard from just a mere negotiation¡­¡± There was the saying ¡®big body have little wisdom¡¯ but, Andre had more wisdom than average people. It was a matter of course, since previously he was a trade merchant who had crossed between the continents. He ended up becoming a pirate due to the huge debt he got after his trade ship was struck by a storm. Right now he had become a man who had no problem when using rough means but, he was once a man who had built a large wealth. Due to the many experiences when he was a businessman, among the three people, he was the most capable when it came to ascertaining someone. From Andre¡¯s point of view, Mikoshiba Ryouma was a man that was good at the scheme, and he also does not believe in others. It was not easy to gain trust from such human being. That was why Andre and the others need to plot something, but Ryouma might end up scheming against them in turn. However, once again, Henry shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ The negotiations are just the beginning. Our aim is to be under Mikoshiba¡¯s umbrella. That is what I really thought¡­¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Toward Andre¡¯s question, Henry nodded his head. ¡°You guys should¡¯ve already realized right¡­?¡± No one said anything. The people who lived in this town had vaguely realized, and for the three people present inside the room, this problem was bigger than the problem Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°Certainly¡­ We have no future¡­ But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also thought about that but¡­ In the first place, will Mikoshiba willing to come and negotiate with us?¡± However, Henry looked straight into their skeptical eyes. ¡°But, even if we continue our pirate business as it is, we have no future¡­ Right?¡± In those words, they fell silent. That attitude proved that Henry¡¯s words were correct. In actuality, their chance to perform plunder was not many. Certainly, plundered a village would garner them a big income. Although they were exploited by the nobles, the commoner would save(goods) like a commoner should. And plundering rob all of those saving. Speaking of agriculture, it was equivalent to eating everything one had harvested without leaving enough to use for sowing next year. As a result, it cannot become continued revenue. At first, it was not like that. At first, they had robbed one village and town each and regularly took money from the surrounding towns as a form of taxes. Piracy without causing blood and tears to spill. If they attacked, the women and children would have been mercilessly killed, raped and being sold as slaves. Such image binds the ordinary people¡¯s heart who does not possess the power to fight and ended up paying the pirates to escape their fears. For their own safety¡­ And the same case also happens when attacking a merchant ship. One can attack a ship when they passed the route. When the pirates appeared they would lose their goods and lives. Who would sail via such route then? In many cases, pirates can ask merchant ships to pay a toll fee. They decide on the price by the percentage per load. Otherwise, the next one would not come pass the route. Of course, they also need to sacrifices some to maintain their pirates¡¯ image, but it was not their method to completely rob their prey. However, when Henry came to power only scorched land remained. When they attacked the villages, they rob and kills everyone. It was also the same when it comes to merchant ships. Sailors who survived were sold as slaves and their goods were completely looted. Around ten years ago, such method increased in frequency, and now it had become their method of modus operandi. ¡°I know that¡­ Even now, it has become harder and harder to find prey¡­¡± Luida nodded toward Andre¡¯s words. The Merchant ships have stopped from going through the northern route. Currently, they were using the port town located at the eastern end of Ernest Gora. From there they would cross the continent via land route and transport it to the trade city of Fulzad. Compared to mass shipping, the labor cost and other expenses were much higher, but it was much better than being robbed by pirates. This was caused by Henry¡¯s rough manner of doing things. ¡°Our current profit is only barely enough for us to continue living¡­ We can¡¯t do things like we do a long time ago anymore.¡± A long time ago, there were not many citizens in this town. Even if it was increased, at most there were only several families a year. It was never increased more than 10 people once at a time. But, people suddenly flowed in a decade ago. The reason for that was obvious. That was the time when Ortomea Empire invasion became active. As Ortomea Empire expanded their territory, the countries that had existed in the middle of the western continent were destroyed one after another. In the process of that, many people escaped the difficulties and threw away their hometown. Of course, there were also many people who had chosen to live as the citizen of the Ortomea Empire. However, those who refused to become the Empire citizen they seek a new place to live one way or another. While most of the people from the privileged class were either choose expulsion or execution. Those people mostly return to the earth(died) under an unknown sky but, some lucky men would reach new place. And some of them had flowed into an unknown town that existed on this Wortenia peninsula. ¡°The judgment I made that time was wrong¡­ When we looked at the current situation, it was a complete mistake¡­¡± ¡°To say those words at this time, nothing will change you know?¡± Luida spoke comforting words toward Henry who spit out his irritation. Even if they reconsidered the situation at that time, the conclusion was only one. But looking at the result now, that conclusion was a mistake. Although it can¡¯t be helped when looking at the enthusiasm of those days. A number is a power. If the inhabitant of the town increased, they won¡¯t felt threatened by the monsters. Little by little they had become big. No people hated when the town where they lived being expanded. Especial for those who had been living while avoiding other humans. Initially, only some lucky people who broke through the forest area arrived but, the number gradually escalated. He ordered his ships to go to some town and invited some people who want to join the pirates. At first, everything was going well. The number of pirates increases, and the scale of the ship and town they had attacked grow steadily. They started to not feel afraid of the troops that sometimes being sent by the neighboring countries. Thus, the waters around the Wortenia peninsula have literally become Henry¡¯s territory. For Henry at that time, he had never expected that he had opened a door to hell. The town population grows. Thanks to that the surprise attack by the monsters inhabiting the peninsula decreased. ¨C The town population then grew once again. Thanks to that, the scale of the town they attacked get bigger. It was natural if they ended up thinking that they were in a seventh heaven. So they ended up forgetting something. That they themselves didn¡¯t produce anything. There were limits to the toll taxes as well as payments from the villages and towns. Even so, they need to live¡­ However, by increasing the number of inhabitants of the town unplanned, it was impossible for them to maintain the town with that income alone. And the balance that collapsed once never return back¡­ When the number increased the profit had become bigger but to maintain such number they also needed a bigger revenue. That was the start of the endless cycle of barely keeping the business going. The result, they gradually increase their plundering. They didn¡¯t have other option since it was hard to aim for self-sufficiency at their base. ¡°We ended up overdoing it¡­ Now, other than the whimsical one, none crossed the sea around this area. We also already plundered and exhausted the town and villages near the coastlines¡­¡± Both, Andre and Luida remained silent after they heard Henry¡¯s words. But they accurately read the hidden intent behind Henry¡¯s words, and their eyes shone brightly. ¡°But, that¡¯s why, there¡¯s room for negotiation with Mikoshiba. There¡¯s a room for us, to sell our power¡­¡± ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 96 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 29 Chapter 3 Episode 29 *Unedited* Editor: Night time, Day 18th, 4th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. ¡°A room for negotiation huh¡­?¡± Andre murmured those words while stroking his beard. For him, as a former merchant, Henry¡¯s words seemed to be feasible enough. It was not possible for them to became military force such as the navy, or engage in trade as escort for a merchant ship. ¨C The problem was whether or not Mikoshiba Ryouma had such interest. Ryouma had to keep in mind that pirates were an occupation that was hated by the general public if he wanted to employ them. It would have been impossible for negotiation if the other side were concerned regarding justice. Whether or not Ryouma had the capacity to accept the good and evil¡­ Such thought appeared inside Andre¡¯s mind. ¡°We will hand him a present¡­ ¡®And we will see whether or not that Mikoshiba guy would listen to us while we hand the present over, are you sure?''¡± Luida who had listened to the conversation in silent butted in. Toward her question, Henry nodded his head. Certainly, her concern was a matter of course. Originally that was a method to create a proper intermediation. Of course, it was impossible for pirates but at least to create a better image of them they needed to hand over some present. ¡°A present huh¡­ What should we give him? Money?¡± Andre questioned the two other people. It was not a bad option. With money, it was a straight ball without any twist, it was something that everyone needs and no one hate free money. Since the use of money was infinite, there were never times when someone said they had enough. But on the other hands, money can¡¯t impress other people. Andrew had suggested in using money because he had used the money for bribes several times. While money had an immediate effect, it also had no sustainability. Unless they planned on giving bribe regularly, it was something not suitable for a gift. ¡°If possible, I wanted to give something that would impress him and gives us advantages. The rarer the better¡­¡± Something with value and quality. Something that was rare and hardly available was better. In addition, it must not be something consumable. It would be better if it was something that would remain for a long time. Such thought crossed Henry¡¯s mind. ¨C ¡°Something unusual and can give us advantages huh¡­¡± ¡°Do you think of something?¡± Toward Henry question, Andre was lost in thought. There some rare articles when they robbed the trade ships being put in the warehouse. In this world where the logistic route was not developed yet, items imported from other continents are high in value. However, on the other hand, many of the items that are now sleeping in the warehouse are not practically rare. Spices, accessories, clothing, arms. Something that had clear use had already been used, and the demand was high. On the contrary, things such as books, paintings, antiques were good items for those who have interest in it, but for those people who had no interest toward it, it was just a garbage. In short, the demand for those things was low. Speaking of the items inside the warehouse, it was filled with those items that were hard to be changed into the so-called gold. ¡°In the current state where they just started pioneered the peninsula, it would be unimaginable to give them work of arts¡­¡± Although it was a good present if the peninsula had finished being cultivated, giving them a work of art in the current situation where they were just started would only cause them an obstacle. It had no meaning as a present if the person being given did not feel happy. Silence dominated the room once again. Both Henry and Andre understood that their survival depends on this negotiation with Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°But honestly, you guys brains are really lacking huh¡­¡± Voice of ridicule broke the silence. Henry turned his sharp gaze toward Luida and strike the table. ¡°What do you mean?¡± His voice was low. However, it was clear that it was filled with hostility. What they had in common were strong will and strong physical body. And ambition to overpower the others. None of them have the intention of keeping silent when being ridiculed. ¡°Wait, Henry¡­ What do you mean by that words, Luida?¡± Although he also scowled at Luida with full hostility, Andre stopped Henry who was about to attack Luida at any moment. Andre¡¯s gaze was asking for Luida¡¯s words true meaning. ¡°It was nothing impressive. If we have to show valuable goods, then it would be items that can only be obtained on the peninsula you know¡­?¡± Andre and Henry then looked at each other face and think about Luida¡¯s words. ¡°The things that can only be obtained within the peninsula?¡± Henry muttered those words and Andre¡¯s mind began to think about something. ¡°I see¡­ ¡®That¡¯ huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. People would be impressed if they were being given such present, especially a man.¡± Confirming Andre¡¯s question, a somewhat vulgar smile appeared on Luida¡¯s face. Henry who saw such smile on her face finally understood what she meant. ¡°You bitch¡­ We struggle hard to get that you know?¡± Henry turned his sharp gaze at Luida again. That was a matter of course. Since the item she talked about was not something that easies to get. It was an item that needed great effort and luck to get. It was an item that was hard to get no matter where. ¡°I know that¡­ But, isn¡¯t that why it was worth giving it? Any man would be pleased with that gift¡­¡± Originally Luida was a slave brought to this town as a prostitute. However, since she was judged won¡¯t be able to take any customer with her appearance, she was instead being given the job of managing the prostitutes, which in turn bloomed her talent. The talent of managing people and manipulates people. Luida was good with that kind of job. Through prostitution, she gradually expanded her influence. It was a good thing that there was not much entertainment in this place. The use of women, she controls the pirates by using their desire to touch women. Like that she expanded her influence. Until she managed to sit as one of the three leaders. ¡°Very well. I will agree with you¡­ It¡¯s not like we can find a buyer for ¡®that¡¯ item immediately either. If that the case then, might as well use it as a gift here¡­¡± ¡°Cih¡­ I guess there¡¯s no other choice huh¡­¡± Toward Andre¡¯s words, Henry nodded his head while clicked his tongue. The item was something precious enough that he does not want to exchange it for money. But if they give Mikoshiba Ryouma ¡®that¡¯, he might be willing to negotiate. Such thought was floating inside the three people¡¯s head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C *Kon*kon* When the morning sunlight entered the windows, the sounds of the wooden hammer can also be heard. Furthermore, there were also other voices such as people shouting and the sound of walking people. In term of the population it was comparable to that of a village but hearing the noise it felt like a vibrant city. This was how it sounds when people with a sense of purpose lived. In front of Ryouma eyes, the face of the people was filled with hope. (The city finally shows its shape¡­ A harbor that can handle large vessel, a stone paved road. The city wall is also already at a tolerable level¡­ We also had already discussed the other problems, and the shipment from Simone also have already arrived. After this, we just have to wait for Sakuya return¡­) The city already building houses to accept immigrants. If the last problem was finished being dealt with, the Wortenia peninsula can finally be reborn. Preparations were already in place. What they needed to do was to wait for the proper time. ¡°Ryouma-sama. May I come in?¡± ¡°Sure¡­ Laura? Did something happen?¡± Ryouma who indulged in thought while looking at the scenery of the city from the window of his room turned his eyes toward the door as he heard the sound of knocking. ¡°The report¡­¡± On such Laura, bewildered and astonishment can be seen mixed in her expression. It must be because an unexpected had happened. (What happened I wonder¡­) Ryouma urged her to speak with his eyes. And after listening to her report, a surprised expression appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face this time. The room was crude. Pillars and walls made of woods. Although it was being built firmly, the room was still looking bare, it was unthinkable that this room was an aristocrat office. Because the room was used by a man holding a rank, it was made as wide as possible. However, inside the room, the furniture was only a coarse wooden desk and chairs, which made the roughness stands out even more. In a sense, it might be natural for this. Ryouma only used this room twice a day. It was only the time when he received a report in the morning and night. Of course, there were also things such as the list of goods that needed to be purchased from Simone and confirmation details, but the number of cases of that was overwhelmingly small, and most of the minute detailed work had been left to Boltz and Marfisto sisters to handle. Ryouma only needed to confirm a few documents that they could not settle by themselves. If one were to asked what Ryouma job them, every morning he had gone out as a field overseer and took the initiative and participate in town¡¯s building. He personally took the initiative to move his body. Although it was sly of him, in this world where class society was strict, it was brought about a huge effect. In any case, for many soldiers, aristocrats are those who rule and exploit them. A nobleman exists only to rule, exploit, and use the people without doing anything. Actually, those aristocrats have a great responsibility and duty, but from the viewpoint of the person who was being controlled then, such negative view could not be helped. And Ryouma who was one of the ruling classes mixed himself with the common people. Such move sharply reduced the distance between Ryouma and the soldiers. They both sweat and exchange words together. Have the same meal, and sleep in a same poor bed. Ryouma action caused him to quickly gained his soldiers trust. Everything was going well. Yes, until Laura brought her report¡­ (Fuck¡­ What should I do¡­) While staring at the parchment on the desk, Ryouma clicked his tongue. It was a question that he had repeatedly asked toward himself. The night had already dominated the neighborhood. Ryouma who heard Laura¡¯s report, stayed inside his office room all day. Without taking lunch, Ryouma repeatedly asked that question over and over again. No, the conclusion had already been decided. But the problem was how he going to realize it¡­ (Demi-human eh?¡­) A letter of negotiation request had been sent by the pirates. The gift that was written in that letter had caused Ryouma to suffer for a half a day. Demi-human. It was rumored to have existed within the Wortenia peninsula, in general, it was a race that should have been extinct. The things that had been delivered by small boat this morning was a latter inviting Ryouma for a negotiation and one demi-human. She had dark skin similar to the color of amethyst. She had silver hairs, and her ears were sharper than human¡¯s ears. It was a race generally called the ¡®Dark Elf¡¯. A living jewel. Looking at how beautiful she was, such words were very appropriate. Any man would end up being the prisoner of her charm. No, even women would also felt the same when they saw her. Not only Laura and Sara, but also the people who had abundant life-experience such as Bolts and Lione had acknowledged the beauty when they saw her. Certainly, it was a unique gift that can only be obtained within the Wortenia peninsula. Ryouma was also a man, and all men would be pleased when they were being given a dark elf as a present. In that sense, it can be said the Pirates¡¯ selection was right. However, they mistook something. And this misunderstanding would cause everything to go crazy¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 97 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 30 Chapter 3 Episode 30 *Unedited* Editor: Daytime, Day 25th, 4th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. On the port¡¯s pier, several Galleon ships were quietly anchored. ¡°¡±¡±Welcome, Baron Mikoshiba-sama!!!¡±¡±¡± Approximately 10 people welcomed Ryouma after he goes down from the Galleon ship to the port¡¯s pier. The leading people of those people were Henry, Andre, and Luida. And those who lined behind them were their aides. ¡°My name is Andre. One of the leaders of this town. Although this is just a remote town, we will provide our best hospitality.¡± Andre bowed his head deeply after he took one step forward. He was able to do this kind of scene because of his former occupation as a merchant. Contrary to his looks, his movements were flowing perfectly. Following him, those who stand behind him also lowered their heads. It seemed that they had arranged all of this beforehand. Since despite being pirates, they had welcomed Ryouma with a perfect etiquette. ¡°No no, thank you for picking us up, and nice to meet you too¡­¡± After saying that, Ryouma nodded his head lightly. If this was Japan, this kind of greeting was barely passable but since class system existed in this world Ryouma¡¯s manner made people felt a considerable sense of incongruity. Furthermore, Ryouma was a noble while Andre was a commoner and a criminal¡­ Because of that, originally there was no reason for Ryouma to bow his head to Andre. Andre who saw Ryouma¡¯s act felt strange but he was not foolish enough to say something at this place and offended him. He then proceeds on showing the town toward Ryouma with a smile on his face. ¡°You seems to have bought only a few attendant?¡± Luida looked at the soldiers who came down from the ship following Ryouma while tilting her head. Roughly counted, there were 20 people following Ryouma. They wore black leather armors and holding spears in their hands, they were completely armed as if about to go to war and yet their number was too small for that. She guessed that he brought the minimum number necessary for his defense. ¡°Indeed, I only brought a few¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ryouma answered her ambiguously while Luida could¡¯ve only tilted her head in wonder. It was actually a good thing for Luida and the others that Ryouma only brought a small number of escort soldiers. However, they could not felt satisfied with that alone. Of course, Luida had no intention of tricking Ryouma. They really wanted to join Ryouma. However, that was Luida and her comrades¡¯ convenient thought, for Ryouma it was another problem altogether. Indeed if one were to take Ryouma¡¯s words at face value then it can be meant that he only brings the necessary escort toward a friendly partner, but Luida felt something was wrong. Luida who was standing on the pier with Henry on her side asked a question toward Henry while looking at Ryouma walking ahead of them with Andre leading him. ¡°You¡­ What do you think?¡± ¡°Ha? About what?¡± ¡°What do you mean about what¡­ Of course, it¡¯s him¡­ Don¡¯t you feel something is wrong?¡± ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t feel anything wrong particularly. On the other hand, I feel the opposite? He is treating us equally after all. His act is not something that normal nobleman would do. As expected, maybe it was because he was a former commoner. He is not your ordinary aristocrat.¡± Henry grinned while stroking his beard. There was a lot of aristocrats who will not bow their head no matter how much one bowed one¡¯s head and yet, Ryouma returned Henry¡¯s greeting who was a pirate, although it was a light reply. That attitude shocked Henry. However, such attitude did not leave any bad impression. In fact, Henry who had been oppressed by the noblemen in the past felt fresh and such an act left a good impression on his heart¡­ ¡°What I feel wrong is precisely that¡­ Why did he give us that amount of courtesy?¡± ¡°Well, that obvious, it must be because he knows our value. Besides, his act is leaving a good impression no? What is the problem when the other side shows a friendly attitude?¡± ¡°But that¡­ Don¡¯t you think it was too convenient for us?¡± This was what Luida was worried about. The situation was too convenient for them. That also included Ryouma¡¯s attitude. Although it would have been natural for him to shows a high-handed attitude despite being a former commoner, and yet, he didn¡¯t show such attitude at all. ¡°Haa? What are you saying? In an effort of making a good impression, we¡¯ve sent the demi-human to him you know? If his impression toward us was bad even after giving him that, it would have been a great loss for us¡­ In the first place, wasn¡¯t it you who suggested on giving that demi-human to make a good impression?¡± Currently, the number of demi-humans Henry had captured was 3 people. All of them were dark elf women but, the one he had sent to Ryouma was the youngest and the most beautiful one among them. ¨C Because their rarity was too high, it was impossible to sell them immediately but, if one were to sell them with a wholesale price then it would be easy to get tens thousand to hundreds of million baht. Henry thought that Ryouma took a friendly attitude because he had given him that much as a gift. ¡°That¡­¡± Luida finds it hard for her to rebuke Henry¡¯s words and decided to kept silent. ¡°Suspicion must be handled according to the time and situation you know? Everything now has been working well after so much effort. Don¡¯t read too much into things, you might hurt that person mood instead you know?¡± As he remarked that, Henry left the pier while he shook his head as if feeling amazed. ¡°I guess¡­ so¡­¡± Everything developed according to their plan. They were able to establish a place for negotiation with Mikoshiba Ryouma, and his impression on them was not bad either. The reason why Ryouma only brought a small number of escort might be because he trusted Luida and her gangs. Luida left the pier while thinking that to shake off the uneasy feeling and doubt inside her heart. Everything had been going well. She can¡¯t be suspicious and made everything turn bad. Such thought crossed her head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Please enjoy your self. Someone will bring something cold immediately.¡± ¡°Alright then, please excuse me.¡± Following Andre words, Ryouma relaxedly sat down on the sofa, and in short moment the door was being knocked as if the timing had been planned. ¡°Come in.¡± In respond to Andre¡¯s words, a woman came in while bringing drinks and cakes on a tray. Her age was around 30 years old. Her appearance was not bad but, somehow she gives off a vulgar aura. Perhaps she was a woman who had worked in a bar and being made to serve for this time. She put the drink and cake on the table while looking inexperienced with etiquette, her hands were obviously shaking, then after that, she left the room. (She desperately trying not to ruin my mood huh¡­ What a troublesome act¡­) Ryouma desperately held down the cold sneer that spring out of his heart. ¨C ¡°The two who stands there, how about it? Do you want a cold drink as well?¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t mind us.¡± Laura rejected Andre¡¯s invitation without changing her expression. As to who stand behind Ryouma, it was the Marfisto sisters. There were only four people inside this room, Ryouma, Andre, the Marfisto sisters, and a guard. ¡°Is that so¡­ Then please excuse me for having the other guards to relax in another room.¡± Having being curtly refused by the sisters, Andre said those obvious words to keep the conversation going. To begin with, it would have been impossible to host the entire escort in this room. However, responding to his obvious words, Ryouma lowered his head slightly while smiling. ¡°I understand. I¡¯m sorry for I¡¯ve caused you some trouble like this¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t mind it. It was our intention to provide our best hospitality¡­ By the way¡­ Your Excellency¡­¡± Ryouma smiled toward Andre who was at lost as to what to say. ¡°Is the matter you had suggested the other day was true? Regarding joining me¡­¡± In the letter sent last week, Andre¡¯s intention was also written there. Ryouma already knew what the other side thinks and wanted. And today he only came to confirm Ryouma¡¯s decision to Andre. Thus, there was no need to say unnecessary words. ¡°Y-Yes. That is correct. The demi-human we had sent the other day was the proof of our sincerity.¡± ¡°Sincerity huh?¡­ I see I see¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, that one article was very hard to get. Because there was a barrier around their village, we have no choice but to wait and catch the one who came out of the barrier¡­¡± Even if he said they needed to wait for one to came out of the barrier, this place was a Wortenia peninsula where monsters wander around. In order for them to wait for their prey to come out, a lot of labor was needed. ¡°I see, it was an article that needed a lot of work to get huh¡­ I see I see¡­¡± Ryouma nodded his head while smiling. Just to make sure, Andre had emphasized the amount of hard work they needed to do to give him such an article. The more he emphasized the danger, he judged that it would¡¯ve increased the other side impression toward their gift. This was a trick that Andre had gained from his life as a merchant. If one wanted to sell goods at a high price, one should explain how valuable the item and also explain how much effort spent just to get the item. ¡°Such valuable thing¡­ I see I can understand everyone¡¯s feeling¡­¡± Ryouma nodded his head toward Andre¡¯s appeal. ¡°Ooh, T-Then?!¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s respond, Andre replied while smiling in delight. That was a smile when one was conscious that they got the result as one had wanted. (Just like Luida said, he is a man after all¡­ It was the right decision to give him that¡­) No, rather than conscious, Andre had already convinced that they had gotten what they had wanted. If not, there was no reason for Mikoshiba Ryouma to come personally. But he came today. Andre thought of that as a fact that their plan had proceeded accordingly. ¨C However, such thought was shattered. By Ryouma who said the next words with a cold smile on his face¡­ ¡°Indeed, you guys shall die¡­¡± The moment Ryouma said those words, Laura and Sara¡¯s swords beheaded Andre¡¯s head. ¨C Because it was too unexpected, Andre was unable to respond. ¡°Well then, shall we begin? You guys understood what to do right?¡± Ryouma asked the sisters who were looking at Andre¡¯s corpse with cold eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do it!¡± Ryouma commanded the Marfisto sisters to execute their plan. [[O fragment of the sun, O heaven-sent child of fire, thou the son of the god of fire, thou shalt purify the sin under the heaven.]] As the sisters chant their spells, their chakra wheel started moving, and their Prana roared. [[Fire God¡¯s heavenly flame, Burning pillar!]] With the last phrase, the sisters flung their hand against the ground. At that moment, the earth roared, burning pillars broke through the ceiling of the mansion. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 98 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 31 Chapter 3 Episode 31 *Unedited* Daytime Day 25th, 4th month, the Year 2813, western continent calendar. Pillars of fire blew up from the center of the town spread out under their eyes. It was the flame signal that everyone standing on the cliffs surrounding the town had waited for. ¨C A man who had his face covered with a black mask stepped forward in silent toward Sakuya. Maybe because she felt his presence getting closer to her, Sakuya turned around her body. ¡°I know¡­ Has everyone ready yet?¡± The black shadow responded to Sakuya¡¯s words by nodding his head, they all wore kimono with its sleeves being tied by Tasuki, and on their belt, small flower vases were being tied. It was not something that usually would draw attention. The vase body was a big round and the vase neck was thin, it was ordinary porcelain vase one can find anywhere. However, two things were different from the ordinary. And that two things were that instead of flowers, there were rags being packed inside the vase. And the other one was the number of those vases. There were 10 vases hung on their belt using string. ¨C Since there were 20 men here, there were 200 vases with unknown use. There must be some reason for them bringing those things around but, if others who didn¡¯t understand that saw them like this, they might unintentionally burst into laughter. However, everyone present here didn¡¯t felt shy looking like that. On the contrary, their gaze felt cold. They understood properly what they about to do and why they did it as well. (At the beginning, I don¡¯t understand why he explained the detail of the mission to us though¡­) For those with authority, it would¡¯ve been too much of time-consuming to explain each and every detail every time they about to do something. Indeed that was what usually happened to Sakuya when she got an order from her clan. If the elders order her to do something, then she just had to carry it out. It was unnecessary for her to ask about the reason and why she had to do the job, and it was not like she had the right to ask either. However, this time was different. Ryouma clearly explained the mission purpose and necessity to Sakuya and Genou and to the other soldiers via Lione. It was not like the ninjas felt dissatisfaction toward the current situation either. (But then, the other¡¯s fighting spirit, it feels different¡­) Their way of calmly erasing their presence was still the same. But from their perspective, with a clear objective in mind, it had enchanted their physiological state of mind, which manage to drive them harder to plunge into the battlefield. (But well, I guess it was natural for them to feel this way¡­ Since we finally got ourselves our own city, no one wants someone to touch it¡­ Not even this country¡¯s Queen, Queen Lupis¡­) Inside Sakuya¡¯s mind, the scene of the conference that was held the other day crossed. On that day, seven men and women are sitting around a big round table inside a room. An expression of confusion appeared on the men and women after they heard Ryouma¡¯s explanation. ¡°This is the reason why I called everyone¡­ I¡¯m very sorry for disturbing everyone¡¯s schedule. Especially Sakuya¡­¡± ¡°Eh? No. It is alright¡­ Besides I¡¯ve already pre-arranged for some people to take over the job for the guard duty¡­¡± While she shook her head, Sakuya responded Ryouma¡¯s words. Sakuya had been granted the task to exterminated the pirates, and just the other day their scout team had managed to locate the pirates¡¯ hideout. She had conducted a thorough reconnaissance, examined the number of boats and personnel, the topography of the pirates¡¯ town in detail, afterward she just needs to carry out Ryouma¡¯s order. By the time she had almost finished her preparation, an order arrived, she was ordered by Ryouma to immediately return. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°So then¡­ Ryouma-sama, what are we going to do? Are we going to recognize the pirates?¡± It was then Lione who answered Sakuya¡¯s question. ¡°Regarding that¡­ Won¡¯t that be a hard thing to do? Although they are obedient right now, if we do something like that, those children might grow some dissatisfaction you know?¡± ¡°That would be natural¡­ After all, because of those pirates plundering the villages and towns their parents and siblings ended up getting killed, and they themselves were being sold as slaves. No matter how much they feel grateful after being released from the status of slaves, the grudge inside their hearts won¡¯t easily disappear, we definitely can¡¯t do this¡­¡± Toward Bolts statement, everyone nodded their head. ¨C All slaves had been released and in exchange, they had become Ryouma¡¯s soldiers. However, the reason why they had become slaves does not disappear because of it. Furthermore, because their current situation was good, the bitter past should be more profound inside their mind. ¡°But still, it is really regrettable that we have to discard the pirates¡¯ war potential. The assumption that we have to exterminate the pirates is because they might not obey us. But since we already have those guys allegiance, how about we use their war potential?¡± Toward Genou¡¯s remark, everyone was silent. No one could deny his words. Not only those pirates had value as a maritime power. They could be used for securing control of the sea area, they also had other useful values that can be used. Regardless of the future prospects, neither agricultural lands nor fishing ground had existed within the current Wortenia peninsula, the only things that can be regarded as a source of revenue were to sell materials obtained from the monsters, because there was no option to sell the demi-humans as slaves after all. ¡°That might be true but¡­ If that is the case, are we going to ignore the soldiers¡¯ dissatisfaction?¡± If they think about the immediate interest, it was not bad to pardon those pirates. However, when one was to think about the long-term policy, conflict might occurs between the soldiers and the pirates. Although it won¡¯t happen immediately, it might happen in the future. Under this kind of unfavorable condition he was in, Ryouma only strength was the quality and high loyalty that his soldiers had. Although the magic art they had learned was not that high grade, the quality itself was high. Recently they had begun to teach writing and reading to the soldiers Being released from slavery had made them strongly loyal toward Ryouma. But after given pardon to the pirates, that loyalty might be ended up getting destroyed. ¨C This problem was the most important concern for Bolts and Lione who lead those soldiers. ¡°I have no intention of receiving their allegiance you know?¡± A low cold voice echoed inside the room. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Genou watched Ryouma¡¯s complexion fearfully. Truthfully, Genou had no intention of sticking to his opinion. It was Ryouma¡¯s job to make the final decision, and because they understood that they supplement Ryouma¡¯s thought by giving him their consideration and opinion. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure¡­ It is impossible for us to accept them, no matter what¡­ After all, they are atrocious criminals¡­¡± This was not because of sentiment or other consideration. No matter how cheap life can be in this world, it did not mean that this world had no law. ¨C It was not because whether or not it was appropriate, but it was because a country could not exist without law. The Wortenia peninsula was formally a territory of the Rozeria Kingdom. Naturally, under the law of the kingdom of Rozeria, pirates were recognized as criminals. Furthermore, piracy was punishable by death. And not just their individual as pirates, the capital punishment also fell to their family members. Their punishment was heavier compared to ordinary murder because pirates had harmed other people on a daily basis for their own benefits. Moreover, it would have been hard for a nation to maintain security without showing and convince the people that they uphold the law. Things such as mercy and pardon were greatly influenced by times, education and living environment. If this was Japan, such law would have been too severe, but in this world, it was a normal law. If the nation were unskillfully showing mercy, the people might instead condemn the national decision. Even if the pirates have the intention of turning a new leaf, for the people in this world their existence was worthless and there was no reason for the nation to forgive them. And the family who had lived using the bloody money the pirates had earned also bear the same sins. Of course, it was possible for Ryouma to ignore the law by using the autonomy right he had gained from Lupis as a shield, but then such decision would¡¯ve created unnecessary conflict with his people and the neighboring aristocrats. No matter how much powerful Ryouma was, it was too risky for Ryouma to make such decision with the present situation where he was just an upstart nobleman. ¡°I have the responsibility to maintain the security the moment this territory become mine. Although we just begin and not yet gone anywhere, it would be hard for me to take responsibility for the past if I accept them.¡± It was a land that had been neglected for many years, and because ruling it was difficult no one said anything but, if the current situation was left as it is, all past responsibility will be charged to Ryouma. Of course, that could also be regarded as natural. It was regarded as being neglected because no one held responsible for it in the past, but now, since Mikoshiba Ryouma had become the person in charge, Ryouma must hold the responsibility. ¡°Well, I do mention various reason but, to be frank, I hate them¡­¡± Ryouma said those words and laughed. ¨C He understood the pirates¡¯ circumstance. Those people might not want to be pirates in the first place. They might have been victims. That was why there was still room for sympathy. However, they can only claim the right as victim toward the perpetrators who hurt them. It was never okay to harm unrelated general citizen just because they are victims. Psychologically, it was impossible to accept the pirates. ¡°That¡¯s why, I decided to annihilate them. Is there any objection?¡± A cold and sharp gaze strikes all the surrounding people sitting around the roundtable. At that moment, the destiny of the pirates had been decided. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Sakuya-sama, the order please¡­¡± Sakuya¡¯s mind returned to the current situation after she heard the man voice. (I need to focus¡­) In term of shogi, the situation was already a checkmate. For the pirates, there was no way left for them to escape. However, it did not mean Sakuya and the others can relax their guard. Sakuya nodded her head lightly, then she raised her hand high and swing it down. ¡°Disperse¡­ We have not much time. Half join with grandfather and quickly secure the target! The rest come with me. Until the next signal, no one shall retreat!¡± Sakuya and the other ninjas immediately start running just like arrows being released from the bow. Since Sakuya had carefully elaborated the plan previously, there was no reason for her to say anything more¡­ They silently jumped out off the cliffs with rope in their hands tied to the thick trees. The town without a name that Henry had created have some natural defenses. The town was surrounded by high cliffs from three sides, and a large sea spread on the north side. On the cliff¡¯s side, there was only one small stair with a width that can only be used for one person to pass. Originally it was prepared in case they need to fight against the monsters inside the forest in case they perform a frontal attack. And there were no other means to perform a frontal attack from the forest other than going down using the stairs. However, that was the story if the method was a frontal attack. Although it was impossible for those monsters, for human, there were many ways for them to get down from the cliffs. One of them was going down by using ropes¡­ Although there was no equipment such as karabiner like in the modern times, for the people of this world it was easy to slide down the rope. They easily slide down from the cliffs just using one single rope. ¡°Bolts-san, I leave that side to you¡­¡± After she murmured that words, Sakuya also jumped off¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Young master¡­ I have kept you waiting¡­¡± After Ryouma took care of Andre, Genou quietly appeared. All of his attire was black. There were no arts that can be used to see who was the man behind the ninja¡¯s clothes. However, from his low voice and the glint of his eyes Ryouma knew that it was Genou. ¡°Did you found it?¡± Genou nodded his head quietly in respond to Ryouma¡¯s question. ¡°Of course¡­ We already secured the target, right now we¡¯re moving the target toward the harbor.¡± Genou¡¯s role was to find the captured demi-human. He and the others had swam into the bay last night. People said that a Shinobi always had a comprehensive skill, but it seems they truly capable of doing anything. It was not impossible for them to swim in the middle of the night. And after Genou and his subordinates find the prisoner they quietly waited for Ryouma to make his move. ¡°As expected of you. If that the case then, shall we move to the next stage and quickly heads toward the dock? It seems like Sakuya and the others have started their move¡­¡± Outside the window of the building he was in, Ryouma could see that a fire rising here and there, throwing the town into confusion. ¡°The stairs on the cliffs has Bolts-dono and the others standing guard¡­ As long we take care of that, there was no other way for the pirates to escape.¡± ¡°Good, everything is just as planned.¡± A cold smile appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face. Ryouma himself does not like murder. However, if it was necessary, even if he did not like it, he will not hesitate to do it. (Burn this sinful town! Turn everything into ashes¡­.) This town was being built by weak people stepping on another weak people. These people were those who survived by doing all of those crimes. They were corrupted and distorted so much that there was no salvation for them. This was a town that should never have existed. The people living in this town were an existence that should have never be let alive. This mission was for the sake of Ryouma to move forward. (I will definitely become strong¡­!) The hatred inside his heart got heated. It was his hatred toward this crazy world. ¨C Ryouma, Genou and the Marfisto sisters walked into the town where black smoke swirled around. In order to finish everything. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 99 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 32 Chapter 3 Episode 32 *Unedited* Daytime, Day 12th, 6th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. The downtown area of the fortified city Epiroz. A man entered a love hotel located in the back of the dirty alley. The man throws a gold coin to the inn receptionist in silent. The owner of the inn who was doing the bookkeeping while sitting on the chair slightly lifted his eyes as if urged the man to go toward the second floor. There was no need for the man to ask. Since they already arranged everything beforehand. ¡°Room 204¡­¡± The owner of the inn tells the number of the room when the man began to climb the stairs. After told the man the necessary information, the innkeeper turned his face away. ¨C In this line of business, the necessary mannerism was to not see, not heard and not questioning. Many visitors to this place were people who wish to avoid public eyes. Despite being a love hotel, there were also men and women who met here not to have s.e.x. However, for the inn owner, as long they pay the money, what the visitors do was inconsequential. If one wanted to live long, one should never investigate the customers. Forget about a cat, the demon called curiosity could kill human easily. After putting the gold coin into the wallet, the inn owner turned his eyes toward the book once again. If someone were to ask who was the man just now, the inn owner would answer, ¡®There¡¯s no reason for a customer to come and stay inside this kind of inn, no?¡¯ ¡°Long time no see, your Excellency, Baron Mikoshiba. I heard the matters regarding the pirates have been being dealt safely. Congratulation¡­¡± When the man stepped into the room, Simone rose from her chair and gently lowered her head. She wore a red dress with large breasts opening, accompanied by the red lipstick on her lips. The dress had a large slit, and a slim white leg jumps into Ryouma¡¯s eyes from the gap. Today she dressed and looked sensual just like a prostitute that can be found somewhere. Even the people who knew her face won¡¯t be able to associate her present appearance to that of the chairman of the Christoph firm. No matter how one looked at it, Simone right now looked like a s.e.xy prostitute. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a long time, Simone¡­ As expected of you, you have very keen ears¡­¡± While he opened his hood, Ryouma showed a bitter smile on his face toward Simone who had already obtained the information that he had just reported to the Earl and his wife before he came here. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that floating around since a month ago. Besides, the damage done by the pirates also have been drastically reduced. Furthermore, having Baron-sama come to Epiroz city is also the proof¡­¡± As she said that, Simone returned Ryouma smile with her gentle smile. One day, the story about a town or villages being attacked by pirates had stopped. As a merchant with a good brain, she immediately gathered information on what had happened. Besides, Simone had been asked by Ryouma to act as a merchant and a spy for him. ¨C After she linked the information she had gathered and Mikoshiba Ryouma who had appeared in the city of Epiroz, such conclusion naturally appeared inside her mind. ¡°But still, Simone, it seems like you have chosen an amazing place to meet huh¡­?¡± After she heard Ryouma¡¯s words accompanied with a bitter smile on his face, Simone showed a mischievous smile just like a child whose mischief had been succeeded. In the present stage, it was not easy for the two people to meet, since Earl Salzberg would show unnecessary caution if he finds out about it. Following that pattern, Simone then chooses this love hotel located in the back of a dirty alley to escape other people eyes. Although Ryouma held the lowest rank of nobility, and Simone was the chairman of the Christoph firm, who previously also served as the chairman of the Epiroz city business alliance. For normal people, this place was too shabby for this two man and woman met. ¡°This place is just right for a clandestine meeting between men and women after all¡­¡± It was certainly a place to avoid public gaze. It was located in the back of a dirty alley. It was a dark place, but if one were to have money, everything can be done here¡­ It was a convenient place for Simone and Ryouma who wanted to avoid the Earl Salzberg¡¯ watchful eyes. Even if Ryouma was being traced, he can make as many excuses as he wanted, such as he met a prostitute here as a customer. If he said that he was going to buy a woman here, that alone can become a reason why he wanted to hide his face. Just for the record, Simone was supposedly lying at home due to illness for these past several days. ¨C ¡°So then? Have you managed to prepare what I had asked?¡± Inside, Ryouma immediately cut the case despite being overwhelmed by the mysterious s.e.xy charm that Simone gave away. He could not stare at her figure forever. After all, he had come here despite the risk because it was necessary for the two of them to meet directly and talked to each other. ¡°We already bought two ships and currently the ships were anchored at the port city of Mispoz.¡± Simone then took out the map from the bag placed under her chair and spread the map on the table. Mispoz was a port city located at the eastern end of the Kingdom of Ernestgora. It cannot be compared to the Fulzad city, the largest trading city of the western continent. While Ryouma building his base within the Wortenia peninsula, Simone had begun preparing the merchant ships at Mispoz city. ¡°Two ships huh¡­ How big was it?¡± ¡°It was the largest galleon type ship that was currently being sold. All the seafarers we hired are skilled and also has the experience of naval battle.¡± ¡°I see, it seems like you managed to think a lot of things eh?¡± ¡°Well, it was because I also considering converting the ship to a warship after all.¡± Simone flatly responded to Ryouma¡¯s question. Despite purchasing the ship using the Christoph firm money, she told Ryouma that she was willing using the ship as a warship in an emergency situation. Ryouma had a smile on his face hearing what she had said. ¡°You¡¯re such a great risk taker indeed¡­¡± Ryouma and Simone have already had a relationship where they both shared the same fate. The words Simone had said that she was ready to use the trade ships as warships was a proof of how much she had prepared for every situation. Toward Ryouma¡¯s remark, Simone quietly smiled and directed her gaze at Ryouma. ¡°How about the harbor?¡± They both had pre-arranged their individual role. Simone role was to procures ships and secures trade channels. While Ryouma¡¯s role was to eliminate the pirates and constructs the harbor. Although the elimination of the pirates had already finished, she hadn¡¯t yet heard anything regarding the port. She did not doubt Ryouma¡¯s ability, but only a few months had passed since he entered the peninsula. It was natural for Simone to felt uneasy. ¡°No problem. There¡¯s already a city complete with the city walls. The only thing left is only to transport the people in¡­¡± Simone responded to Ryouma¡¯s answer by staring at him silently. Her eyes trembled. (It seems like he really made it huh¡­) Simone who was unable detected any lie from Ryouma¡¯s words can¡¯t help it but heaved a heavy sigh. The man currently in front of her, had managed to build his base in a mere few months since he arrived within a territory filled with monsters. (This person, truly¡­) To express what inside Simone¡¯s mind and heart, it can be said as awe rather than fear. Fear would lead someone to exclusion but, awe would lead that person to obedience. One can¡¯t say that Ryouma had a beautiful figure. His appearance was that of an ordinary young man with a good physique. However, Simone knew. That he had managed to obliterate the pirates. She might only have a fragmented information but she knew for sure, that the man in front of her had annihilated the pirates and all of their families, none managed to survived. Such was the information she had managed to gather when she sent some merchant to the peninsula. The pirates¡¯ town that was being created in the cove was burnt to the ground, all the burning buildings and corpse was left just like that. The moment the merchant saw the scene where birds eating the burned corpse, he said it was looked like hell. She thought that the Pirates¡¯ end was too brutal, but at the same time, she also thought it was a natural end for them. Although one can¡¯t say to the others to follow the law strictly, one cannot ignore the law completely either. There were certainly unreasonable and irrational laws but, on the other hands, there were also laws that was indispensable for maintaining society. Had Ryouma show sympathy to the pirates, Simone may have stopped working together with him. The pirates were certainly a great fighting strength. However, many of her subordinates lost their family members by the pirates. Those who experienced such tragedy won¡¯t forgive those pirates. Had Ryouma decided to make them a friend, it was clear that some serious trouble would happen. However, Ryouma chosen to annihilate them. He might have been a kind man who released the slaves but, he also a man who could make a ruthless decision if necessary. A man that can hang the risk and merit on balance with icy cold heart. (I was right huh¡­) Such feeling sprung out inside Simone¡¯s heart. Turn out, the straw she was grabbing in a last attempt to survive after losing everything was not a straw but a sturdy rope. One cannot lead the people with just by being kind or heartless. Only the one who was able to do both can stand at the top. (A supreme ruler¡­) An electric shock ran through her back when that words crossed her mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ryouma asked Simone such question after she fell silent while kept looking at him. ¡°Ah, no, pardon my rudeness¡­¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ryouma then continued their talk while feeling doubtful toward Simone who lowered her head for some reason. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already finished building the city, afterward we only need the residence¡­¡± The city had already been build, ready to accept new residence at any time. ¡°I understand. I will bring the slaves more quickly from Mispoz.¡± ¡°Good, have you gathered them according to my request?¡± ¡°Of course. Healthy young men and women, ages around ten to fifteen years old. We have secured them¡­¡± Rather than buying the slaves from Epiroz, it was better for them to buy the slaves from Zalda or Ernestgora, that way it won¡¯t cause unnecessary attention from Earl Salzberg. That was also the same reason why Simone had bought the ships at Mispoz. ¡°Good then. Are fangs and leather enough for the payment?¡± Responded to Ryouma¡¯s words, Simone nodded her head silently. The fangs and leathers obtained from the monsters within the peninsula were traded with a high price. If one can hunt them on a regular basis, such monsters¡¯ fangs and leathers can become important special products. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that you guys had met with demi-human, is that true?¡± It was a casual interest-oriented question but, Simone question caused Ryouma¡¯s complexion to change greatly. ¡°Where did you heard that?¡± Simone was unable to breathe for a moment. Just like looking at the enemy, Ryouma¡¯s eyes were cold and sharp. After some time had passed. Ryouma¡¯s eyes showed that he had regained his calm once more. ¡°Ah, my bad¡­ Since the situation regarding them is a little bit complicated¡­¡± Noticed that Simone felt overwhelmed, Ryouma apologized while showing a wry smile. He had no intention of scaring her, but due to Simone¡¯s question, he had unintentionally ended up being cautious. ¡°Just what had happened? Did you really meet them? The demi-humans?¡± Simone took a deep breath and asked her question once more. For Simone, the existence of demi-humans can be said as extinct creatures. Although it can be said that some people think differently, but the majority of people living on the western continent would have the same opinion as her. Though sometimes she heard rumors that the demi-humans survived and lived within the corner of the western continent, such story was only a rumors without proof. She herself didn¡¯t expect Ryouma to encounter the demi-humans for real. She had intended to make it as a trivial topic. Just to provide some short talk. Although she had only thought of it lightly, looking at Ryouma¡¯s attitude, that rumor was not just a mere rumor after all. Ryouma began to talk while having a big sigh toward Simone who opened her eyes wide listening to him. It was a story that cannot be left unsettled. As Ryouma¡¯s story progressed, Simone face who was quietly listening gradually turn dark. Because it was a story about a deep hatred the demi-humans hold toward the humans¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 100 Volume 1 Wortenia Senki Volume 3 Chapter 33 Chapter 3 Episode 33 Night time, Day 12th, 6th Month, the Year 2813. The moment Yuria opened the door, she instinctively frowned. The moment she entered the room, a vulgar smell entered her nose, aphrodisiacs fragrance scattered here and there. He used the incense imported from the central continent, that was said to have an effect just like viagra. It was obvious as to what had happened inside the room. Earl Salzberg seemed to have enjoyed his entertainment gaudily. The Earl¡¯s disheveled self who was in the middle of drinking wine while sitting on the sofa were a proof as to how intense the act was. On the corner of the room a maid was lying on the floor, after Yuria told her to fix her appearance, the maid immediately left the room. Because what she was about to talk with the Earl were something that the servants should not listen. ¨C ¡°Dear¡­ You sure have a lot of fun huh?¡± Yuria sat on the sofa and gazed at her husband eyes who were sitting in front of her. Even though it was the gaze of his wife, the Earl¡¯s expression did not change at all. Furthermore, his wife did not seem to be angry either. She only felt a slight disgust. ¨C ¡°Fuuuh¡­ This is the only way to entertain myself¡­ Fumu, this wine is delicious. How about you have some?¡± Earl Salzberg drinks his wine once again while relaxed his posture. The color of the wine remained inside the glass was red. It was the finest grape wine harvested in the kingdom of Ernestgora, it was aged finely after being kept under proper temperature control. The Earl was in a good mood enough that he opened the wine bottle that he had regarded as a secret treasure of his. ¡°Geez¡­ To be honest, I can¡¯t feel optimistic like you¡­¡± Hearing his offer being declined, The Earl laughed at Yuria who spoke some words while frowned. The Earl knew what his wife was worried about. ¡°Is that so? To be honest, I think the future would be more interesting now¡­¡± A visage of a strong man appeared inside the Earl¡¯s mind. The Earl¡¯s expression looked like a person who looked down on someone from high above. Then the scene where he met Mikoshiba Ryouma during the daytime appeared inside his mind. ¡°That man was really easy to use¡­ It seems like the subjugation of the pirates went smooth as well. He is more usable than that stupid Queen¡­¡± ¡°I know that but¡­ Do be careful when you play with a sharp weapon like him since it might turn against you one day, you know?¡± Within Yuria¡¯s words, one can feel her worry that the sharp weapon might turn against them one day. ¡°I certainly won¡¯t deny that. However, I can eliminate him anytime I want. That¡¯s why I should use him while I still can, don¡¯t you agree?¡± He sounded like someone overflowed with greed. But, despite that, his head was filled with cold calculation. Being able to obliterate the pirates was a proof that Mikoshiba Ryouma had the capacity to maintain security. Even though monsters were still wondering about, people would still gather if the one ruling managed to maintain public order. In other words, it was obvious that the development of Wortenia peninsula was possible. And unexplored territory holds many possibilities. Despite the territory belonged to another person, Epiroz which situated near the Wortenia peninsula still can expect considerable benefits. Earl Salzberg had never thought of getting rid Mikoshiba Ryouma. He understood that it was better for him to use Ryouma than getting rid of him. Just by having Ryouma kept the peninsula at peace, the Earl would be able to reduce his military expenditure which usually being used for countering the monsters invasion. Although it won¡¯t completely make it disappear, it will without a doubt reduce some of the burdens. Along with the great potential which the peninsula hold in the future, the current situation was a great advantage for him. Given such situation, the Earl had no reason to eliminate Mikoshiba Ryouma at this stage, and he also did not wish to break the current flow. Yuria nodded in silent while listening to the Earl¡¯s words. She did not have the reason to overturn the Earl¡¯s decision¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Two months had passed since the time Mikoshiba Ryouma obliterated the pirates. As the season changed into summer and the scorching sun was shining on the sky, a group of 100 people headed toward the south while opening the forest. Those people were divided into three units. One unit had the responsibility of cutting off the trees, and harden the soil. One unit was responsible for paving the road with stones. The last unit was responsible for their guard. Their work was very quick and meticulous. Having understood each individual capability, they managed to share the works among themselves. ¡°Start the chant!¡± ¡°¡±O, Mother Earth, with your ability of solidifying, defend the child with thy arm, Stone Wall!¡±¡± Followed Lione¡¯s command, ten soldiers finished their chants and hit their palm on the ground. It was a low ranked magic arts, belonged to the Earth magic. Normally it was used for protecting the soldiers from the enemy¡¯s arrows and magic arts, but right now, they had used it not for to protect themselves. ¡°Now, dig it up!¡± Following the order, the soldiers who had strengthened their body with magic art beforehand quickly hooked ropes over the raised stone wall(2 meters in width and 3 meters in height) and pulled it down. Combined with the part where the stone wall was buried, the total of height the stone wall had become 5 meters. Then they carefully laid down the 10 cm thick stone wall on the ground. ¨C After five stone wall lined neatly, a huge road appeared there. ¡°Good! Let¡¯s take a break for an hour now. The guard¡¯s troops can take some rest in a shift!¡± The atmosphere around the group had become relaxed after they heard Lione¡¯s words. ¡°Fuuh¡­ With this we have finished half of the planned work, I think?¡± Ten days had passed since the day they started this work. Looking back toward the direction they had come from, a straight paved road can be seen. They had already built 30 kilometers of paved road. There was no need for them to fix the shape of the stone, and the width and height were also automatically kept the same. The only thing they needed to do was to line them up. And because it was only a low-level magic art, it was easier for them to acquire and the Prana consumption was also small. Given the labor and expenses involved, it was terrifyingly efficient. ¨C ¡°Does the fortification going well?¡± Suddenly she heard someone talked, Lione turned her head and she saw Mike talked with a smile on his face. ¡°That matters have been left to Bolts. There should be no problem.¡± ¡°I thought so. Fortunately, we¡¯re blessed with a good weather right now¡­Although I think it was also too good¡­¡± Mike said those words while looking at the sky. ¨C Although it did not obstruct their construction works, working under the strong sunlight was proven to be quite hard. ¡°I think we can finish our works in ten days?¡± ¡°I think so. Since we already finished half of the work¡­¡± Lione nodded her head answering Mike¡¯s question while looking at the road paved with stone in front of her. They had calculated that 20 days would be needed to open the forest and created 50 kilometers of paved road. ¡°Still, being able to do all this less than a month¡­ As expected of the young master plan¡­¡± If they wanted to do the construction the normal way, they would¡¯ve usually needed more than a thousand people. Beginning with securing the stone materials, it also takes time to shape and carry the stone to the intended place. It was a work that would cost a considerable money and time. Indeed, in this world, if one were to do a road construction on the scale that Lione was doing now, one would have needed a huge budget and a couple of years to finish. ¨C Having them finished the work in less than a month, Ryouma idea can be said to have overturned the common sense of this world. ¨C ¡°Well, the city also already took its form, the only problem left was regarding the Elf.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going well in that regard huh?¡± Mike turned a questioning gaze toward Lione. ¡°Well, I wonder about that? Those guys hatred toward the humans were quite high after all¡­ Well, Boya will do something one way or another.¡± Having said those words, Lione turned her gaze toward the northern sky. ¡°Furthermore, that child¡­¡± The small muttering from Lione did not enter Mike¡¯s ears. For the time being, Mikoshiba Ryouma devoted himself to the development of the Wortenia peninsula. Until the day when the cloud of war start approached from the west¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 101 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 1 Chapter 4 Episode 1 *Unedited* Noon, Day 6th, 10th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. A galleon ship named Atalanta was running at full speed towards the northeast. The ship was receiving a favorable wind direction. In fact, its sail was greatly swelled out due to the strength of the wind. ¡°Report! Sirius harbor already appeared on the northeast.¡± Land began appearing on the horizon. ¡°Understood. I will call captain Braz now.¡± The moment the lookout crew shouts out loudly, the crew underneath him goes inside the ship. ¡°Uhuh, indeed that is the city of Sirius. Oi! We¡¯re already close, prepare the anchor!¡± After checking the port using the telescope he had, the captain with black skins gives his order to his crew. (On top of not waiting for the wind to blow, we actually ended up with a constant favorable wind huh?¡­) Braz thought of such feeling while he folded his telescope. He had left Mispoz city by the end of the 9th Month, they had calculated that they would arrive at Sirius city in 4 days. But unlike his last route, He had chosen the route that did not navigate close to the coastal line, it was a route that goes straight across the ocean, but despite that, he managed to arrive earlier. (I was wondering about what would happen but, listening to the young one suggestion seems to be the correct answer¡­ I thought they were an amateur, but, I guess I lost this time huh?¡­) A bitter smile appeared on Braz¡¯s face. While the young one showed a certain respect toward Braz who was a senior and a veteran sailor, the youngster actually had the guts to order the shipping route in order to shorten the voyage time. Normally they would need seven days for the trip, that includes the waiting for a good wind to appear, for them to arrive within five days were already doubtful. Braz turned his gaze toward the group. At the time when they headed toward Mispoz from Serius city, all of these youngsters had become seasick and ended up useless during the trip, but this time was different. All of the youngsters were actually very young. Their ages were around 15 years old or even less. Furthermore, they were not sailors. They dressed in black leather armor, they were soldiers belonged to Baron Mikoshiba. Although they were amateur sailors just a few days back, now their skill was not less than skilled sailors. ¡°Captain Braz, how is the wind? Should we strengthen the sail a bit more?¡± Noticed Braz gaze. A girl from the youngsters¡¯ group talked. ¡°No, if we strengthen it more than this, there¡¯s the possibility that the sail would break. Besides, our destination is already this close. No need to be in hurry. Thank you Melissa-dono.¡± Braz answered Melissa with polite words despite her being the same age as his daughter. ¡°Understood. If that the case then we will maintain the current speed.¡± Braz showed a gentle smile toward Melissa who responded to him with such a bright smile. Just like how he usually responded to his own daughter¡­ In this world, the ship that usually being used was a sailing ship or a Galley ship. Both had different advantages, but Galleon ship was usually used for trade and transport because it had a large load capacity. The biggest drawback of a Galleon ship was the needed wind strength to pull the ship. Most ships including Galleon ship were using several sails to go forward. Although fortunately in addition to the square sail, there was also development in regard to a vertical sail, but once the wind stops, ordinary sail ships have no choice but to wait for the wind to blow once again while being swayed by the wave. ¨C It is impossible for a human to control the weather, so the only thing the humans can do was to pray to God. Yes, that was until now¡­ Melissa and the others did not do anything spectacular. They only used an elementary level magic art belonged to the wind magic that caused a gust of wind. Normally it was used as an attack magic, it was a fundamental basis for wind attribute users, which used the compressed wind to perform an attack. But rather than compressing the wind and release it all at once, they diffused the wind little by little. Of course, such wind won¡¯t cause any damage, but it was enough for the ship to move. Since it would be unusable if the wind were too strong and ended up damaging the sails. They might have been new magic users, but at the same time, it was making what they did quite meaningful. And for Melissa and the others, after having seen the usefulness of their immature skills it caused them danced in joy. Furthermore this method also a perfect way for practice. Knowing they were being needed, they begin to show a self-confidence. ¨C Other than that, the happy feeling of returning to Serius city after a few months being away must be quite high within her. Despite the city located at the place where many people hated it, the city itself was without a doubt a second hometown for her. ¨C ¡°Listen! I know you guys already being told by Lady Simone, but don¡¯t forget, don¡¯t ever tell anyone about what we going to see here anywhere else. Understand?¡± Contrary to his usual gentle attitude, Braz ordered his crewmen with a tough voice. The seamen nodded in silent toward their captain¡¯s order while preparing to anchor the ship. This was the second time they had performed this voyage. Although the sailors were feeling fed up being told those words repeatedly, they also understand why they were being told that over and over again. And they also understood what they should never spoke about. It was to that extent how surprised they were when they first saw Sirius city. It was a well-organized cityscape. The city had a well kept wide paved roads. The wall surrounded the entire city was also quite extensive. And of course, that alone was not the things that caused them feeling surprised. Looking at the scale, one would easily saw something like that in this continent if they go to a territory belonged to an affluent aristocrat family. However, the thing they felt surprised about was the place where the city was being build, it was being build on the Wortenia peninsula. All the more surprising when they found out that the city was being built just a few months ago. ¡°Captain¡­ is by any chance, my eyes broke?¡± A sailor talked to Braz while rubbing his eyes when they saw Sirius city that gradually appeared in front of them. Braz did not need to ask the matters in detail. He himself was also unable to believe the sight which spreads in front of him. ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your eyes are good¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ Then I was right¡­¡± Braz nodded his head in affirmation. ¡°Indeed¡­ The city has become bigger¡­¡± Clearly, the scale of the city had become bigger compared to the first time Braz saw it. Even the size of the harbor was 1.5 times bigger. (I can¡¯t tell anyone about this. If I do, they might doubt my sanity instead¡­) Such thought crossed Braz mind. ¨C It might be possible to build such city if one were to use tens of thousands people to work, but having to build such city in a place called Wortenia peninsula might cause every people to say such task as impossible. Around two months ago, together with another ship owned by Simone named Melanion, Braz had delivered 1,000 slaves, but, even with that, it was impossible to build such city with just that. Not to mention, the slaves that Braz had delivered were just some young boys and girls. Those children who had received the harsh treatment of their slave merchants had a weak body. Of course, they had been giving the slaves a proper meal on the ship during the trip, but it was impossible to recover one¡¯s health in one go. (No wonder my lady warned us about it. I can¡¯t tell anyone about this¡­) Braz then directed his line of sight toward Melissa and the others. Vaguely he understood the mechanism behind this impossible scene. ¡°Oi you guys, what are you doing. Work faster! Prepare the anchor!¡± Braz scolded his crewmen who looked stunned due to the spectacle. Although he understood their feeling, he also knew that curiosity killed the cats¡­ The city¡¯s name was Sirius. In Greek, it had the meaning of the ¡°shinning/glowing/brilliant¡± one. ¡°Ryouma-sama. Atalanta has arrived.¡± ¡°Understood. Is there any damage to the goods?¡± Responding to Ryouma¡¯s question Sara directed her eyes toward the parchment. ¡°Captain Braz have reported that the guys under Melissa command were useless during the voyage toward Mispoz due to seasickness, but on the returning trip, they seemed to have contributed enough¡­¡± ¡°Seasickness? Is that why they ended up late than planned? I did not see that coming¡­¡± Certainly, it was impossible to ask someone worked on the ship while it was their first time ride on one. There were people who had a constitution that made them hard to get seasick, but it seemed like the guys that were being put on Braz ship this time had a body constitution that made them easy to get seasickness. In fact, it was quite surprising that they all managed to overcome their seasickness during the return trip. (Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped since it was their first time. I guess I can¡¯t get angry over this¡­ They said that those who easily get motion sick are those who have a strong mental spirit¡­) Ryouma lightly smiled while listening to the report. ¡°There seems no damaged goods. Fortunately, due to the good weather, there were no goods destroyed by sea water or other cause.¡± If one were to encounter a storm during goods transport voyage., some load might collapse or ended up getting covered by sea water, but it seemed like this time they have been lucky. ¡°I understand. I want to prioritize on procuring the weapon and preserved food for now. As for the payment, is it alright if we use the fangs and leathers obtained from the monsters only?¡± ¡°It seems to be enough for now. However, Simone-san also has written some letters, because there are not many suppliers, she wants to increase the number of fangs and leathers being delivered.¡± ¡°Increasing the quantity huh?¡± Ryouma entered a deep thought after he heard Sara¡¯s report. Many monsters inhabiting the Wortenia peninsula had high priced materials in them, and if one were to go to the market with those materials, it would without a doubt being sold at a good price. Ryouma had originally wanted to leave all the fangs and leathers he had acquired to Simone, but he cannot reduce the amount he had currently sold to the merchants from Epiroz either. If he reduced the amount he sold to Epiroz merchants, they might realize another trade route existed. ¡°What about the new people that are currently under training?¡± ¡°They only begin the training less than two months ago, thus it would be quite hard to push them into a real battle immediately¡­¡± Ryouma had thought of increasing the procurement of the fangs and leathers by increasing the amount of hunting, but if the soldiers were lacking in training they might have ended up as fodder for the monsters instead. ¡°If that the case then we have no choice but to let Simone wait a bit longer¡­¡± Because the supply cannot keep up with the demand, it cannot be helped. (Also, it would be bad if the price collapsed because we sold too much of it too¡­) Ryouma had those thoughts while nodding lightly. ¡°Also¡­ There¡¯s something worrisome¡­¡± Ryouma frowned at Sara¡¯s words. When Sara said it like that, it meant something really bad. Of course, it was not her fault, it was just the way she wording it always caused some unnecessary anxiety. ¡°Is this regarding the demi-humans?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s also regarding that matter written in Simone¡¯s letter¡­¡± Right now, Ryouma¡¯s biggest concern was the demi-humans existence. The other day, Ryouma had delivered the three girls rescued from the hands of the pirates to their leaders, but at the time he arrived at their place, he received a hard time¡­ In a novel, usually the other party would¡¯ve ended up felt indebted to him, and immediately get along with each other, but the reality was not that sweet. It was not like they didn¡¯t show any gratitude. It was just they seemed to be unable to trust the human named Mikoshiba Ryouma immediately. After all, they were races that have been discriminated by the humans. The heavy history of that persecution tied their heart. In fact they did not want to get involved with the humans. That was their true feeling. That was why Ryouma spent a considerable time to persuade them. For Ryouma, he could not leave this matter alone. He wanted to absorb them under his rule, he wanted to obtain their power. Otherwise, there was no point for him opening a base in Wortenia peninsula. Once he managed to maintain his maritime authority, the only way to invade Wortenia peninsula was via Epiroz. Which meant he can finally concentrate his forces to the south. This was one of the greatest advantages of the peninsula being situated in the corner of the continent. And it would have been impossible to do that if there were another hostile power within the peninsula. He needed to do this all because it was necessary for him to secure a certain amount of strength. That was why, Ryouma made a suggestion to Nelsios, one of their clan leaders. He suggested that Nelsios and the other clan¡¯s leaders visit Sirius city once every half a month, and have a dinner with him. Having regularly met and ate with each other, even if it was just a little, he wanted to amend some of the distrust they had harbored toward the humans. Although it was a roundabout way, but due to the distrust and fear toward the human was very strong, the negotiations itself usually broke down just because some slight demand was made. That was also why Ryouma had paid more attention regarding the demi-humans, well, other than that he had no other problems. Until he read the content of Simone¡¯s letter¡­. Chapter 102 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 2 Chapter 4 Episode 2 Night, Day 6th, 10th Month, the Year 2813, Western Continent Calendar. ¡°There is some movement within the kingdom of Ernestgora. Soon, tens of thousands of soldiers would move toward the kingdom of Zalda¡­¡± Having finished reading the letter sent by Simone, Ryouma crushed the letters while clicking his tongue. The food and weapon prices were rising. Several knights that usually fighting in the western province near Kirtantia began to appear in the eastern region, so they might make a move in less than a month. ¡°It seems like she has formed quite a good intelligence organization¡­¡± Simone¡¯s role was to trade and perform intelligence activity. While Genou responsible for defense against uninvited guest entering the peninsula, and assassination of adversaries, Simone job was to gather day to day information within the continent one by one. Famine, pestilence, war, rebellion. There was always some movement in the market before and after those incidents happen. In case of famine, food prices would usually rise, and medicine prices would rise when plague happened. Economy activity within a country can be said as a mirror which projected the information within the country itself. It was easy to predict military movement just by looking at the movement of weapons and foods like this. In that regard, it can be said that Simone had played her role quite well. ¡°Indeed, she seems to have done her best.¡± Hearing Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma nodded his head in silence. However, his expression was sharp contrary to his behavior. ¨C ¡°The timing is really bad¡­¡± ¡°Well, even if we complain, nothing going to change¡­¡± Having Sara said those words to him made Ryouma relaxed his expression. War was something equal to a big rock being thrown into a calm water surface. Just like the thrown rock shake the water surface violently, warfare had various influences on the neighboring countries just like water ripples spread toward every direction. Whether or not such influence was good to one¡¯s country, but there was one thing that was clearly true. That no matter how small, there must have been some influence happens. And the problem was that one cannot predict where the impact would¡¯ve come from. Not only ended with food prices rising, depending on the situation Rozeria might have to deploy a reinforcement to the kingdom of Zalda. ¨C Right now, Bolts was the one who responsible for the territory security. Currently, he was in charge of building a fort in the Tilt mountain range foot, together with 50 elite soldiers. This fort was being built under Earl Salzberg permission he got during the other day¡¯s meeting, it was being built under the pretext of defense against monsters invasion toward Epiroz direction. But the real purpose for this fort was to eliminate adventurers and spy who tried to enter Wortenia peninsula from Epiroz. Monsters were mostly harmful to an industrial city but currently, those monsters were an important product of Wortenia peninsula. There was also the problem with the demi-humans. In order to build a trusted relationship with the demi-humans, it was necessary for them to trust the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma, but it would have been impossible if those adventurers entered the peninsula and screw things up.&n bsp; Since there was also the possibility that those humans would try to make them slaves just like how the pirates treat them. It would be fatal for their situation where trust was almost non-existence in their relationship. ¨C Right now, it was impossible for Ryouma to let adventurers entered his territory on their own initiative. And just like Ryouma had predicted, after Bolts started to perform his duty, the intrusions of adventurers entered his territory started to decline. Some people were tried to enter the territory without using the highway, but the disposal of those people was left to Genou and his clan. And the result of that policy was not bad. However, the war on the neighboring country may spread during this important times. No rather, the war would without a doubt spread over. ¨C Such situation was something that Ryouma could never afford since he wanted to focus on the development of the peninsula. ¡°But still, the main battlefield is in the kingdom of Zalda. There should not be much of direct impact on us¡­¡± Indeed, Sara¡¯s word was right. There was indeed no doubt that there would be some impact due to the war, but even if Rozeria were to send some reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom, if Ryouma was not involved in such troublesome things, he should not felt too much of an impact caused by the war. However, Ryouma could not agree with Sara. Ryouma felt some ominous premonition, that something that could affect them would happen. ¨C Currently, Ryouma had a few soldiers. Although recently, Genou¡¯s clan had joined, his fighting strength was still fewer than four hundreds men. It takes some time for the slaves delivered by Simone to become something. Besides, even if their training was over, Ryouma ability to mobilize his armed force would still not exceed 1,000. He might only be able to mobilize 800 to 900 men at a time. And if everything did not proceed according to plan, he might only be able to mobilize around 600 men. Since an ordinary knights group consist of 2,500 men, Ryouma could only mobilize half of that. Of course, for a local lord, the number of soldiers reflected on their strength. All the more if all of the soldiers could use magic arts. Although the current number Ryouma had were already considerable enough for a defense force. But¡­ (Should we lower the training method, for the sake of increasing the soldier numbers ASAP? I should ask Simone to prepare another 1,000 people¡­ After that, I can rush their training¡­) For Ryouma¡¯s intuition, the current numbers of his soldiers were something critical. After being summoned to this world, Ryouma had experienced many things in life. And one of them was that if he did not prepare everything in advance, it might cause him or his friend¡¯s death. ¡°Fumu¡­ This city has quite a stiff structure. Is that drains beside the road? I guess that was for preventing the escaped rainwater?¡± While looking at the scene outside the window, Jinouchi Ginai muttered those words. The moonlight illuminates the cityscape. This place was one section of the city which Ryouma had given it to the Iga clan. In one room of the mansion that was being built in the center, five men and women sitting surrounding the table. They were the elders who decided the future policy of the Iga clan. ¡°That is right. That was Master idea. Such method also being put in practice along the highway.¡± ¡°He seems to have thought it well, in a various way¡­¡± Answering Genou, Jinouchi nodded his head in admiration. ¡°Although it lacks artistry, it is quite a functional city. Also, the rate of the development surprisingly fast¡­¡± Ryuusai also began to spoke some words of admiration. The scenery outside of the window changed every day. This city was a city that was still expanding. And it was not being developed without thought too. Under careful calculation, the city land arrangement was made. ¡°Still, it really lacks elegance.¡± Osae then began to speak as if she was in disagreement. According to Osae, the Sirius city was well thought in term of functionality, but in term of artistic aesthetic, it was completely ignored. Somehow, the city gives off an artificial feeling. If they had used the way Japanese built their house using timber, it might be different, but Ryouma who was feeling cautious in case fire broke out decided to use stone as the main material for the building. That alone shows how rough this city was. ¡°Well, we¡¯re currently in the middle of a war against time after all. There¡¯s no time to think of such thing as elegance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that Jinouchi-san. Just like capital city Kyoto, it has such elegance no? Anyway, it would be troublesome if I ended up being a lord of a frontier place¡­¡± Oume lightly rebuked Jinouchi¡¯s words as if neglecting the important part. Elegance. It might be better to express that sophisticated artistry as a culture. Being practically functional was not wrong, but that alone was not enough. Culture is power. It had different power compared to violence, and it was also important for a country to have them. It was an important element alongside the armed force. One can steal a country just by using the power of culture. ¡°Well, we can think about that in the future. Right now, we have no time to worry about elegance.¡± Culture might be an important element for a country, but some country ended up getting destroyed because they were overwhelmed by their own culture. Ryuusai words was reasonable. ¨C ¡°Our Lord seems to have some interest in the demi-humans cultures. Well, we can start thinking about various things after we win over those guys first. Which mean, we still have a long way to go¡­¡± A subtle frightened expression of demi-humans appeared within Genou¡¯s mind. Although compared to their first meeting, they had already able to talk normally with each other, but if one were to ask whether or not they shared a relationship where they opened their heart, it was something hard to answer. The only salvation was that at least the humans on our side did not show any disgust toward the demi-humans. The majority of people living in the Sirius city were still in early teenage, and the mercenaries also seemed not holding any fanatical belief. If Ryouma had chosen to be hostile to the demi-humans, they would mercilessly remove them, but it was considerably lucky that Ryouma did not have any intention to be hostile just because of religious value. Time should fill the gap in their hearts. ¡°I, as expected, I think Mikoshiba Ryouma as someone whom the first generation had waited for, but what about you guys?¡± Toward Genou¡¯s question, everyone was silent. They had wished for a Lord. For that reason alone, the family had continued to refine their ability and moving from one place to another for the past 500 years. They wandered around in search of a lord. Sometimes they were despised and persecuted as a foreigner by other people. And finally, now they had found it. And the name of that man was Mikoshiba Ryouma. ¡°The time to talk with the branch family might come sooner¡­ Afterwards whether or not Mikoshiba manages to control that¡­¡± A murmuring leaked from Oume¡¯s mouth. The eyes of five people were poured into a sword that was being held in front of a shrine. The sword named Tsubaki was being kept sleeping inside its white sheath. Waiting for a worthy lord to hold it. Chapter 103 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Episode 3 *Unedited* Noon, Day 3rd, 11th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. On that day, The Royal Palace at the royal capital city of Pireaus was filled with heavy air. The senior bureaucrats ran through the relevant department with a pale face, and the military leaders have been forced to attend meetings. The Knights were waiting in their predetermined dormitory without anyone dared to take an off-duty, they were ordered to prepare their weapons. Within the royal palace, people moving around in hurry. However, most of them were people performed what they were ordered to do. As a matter of fact, only a limited number of people knew the situation. Although it can be said that not all of them were able to grasp accurately the current situation. Some people who passed a certain room within the royal castle they gazed at a certain room¡¯s door for a moment with a tense expression, then they hurriedly left the place. It was a room in the royal palace closed with a thick iron door¡­ ¡°I see¡­ I understand that¡­ But, It is impossible¡­¡± A deep sigh leaked from Lupis. Meltina¡¯s report had made her heart turn gloomy. ¨C Or rather, anxiety and sorrow were floating on the faces of the people gathered in this room. Inside the room, there were Lupis and his two aides, Meltina and Mikhail. Elena who was responsible for the military affairs. Earl Bergstone and other influential nobles from civil servant department. ¡°But your majesty¡­ This cannot be ignored¡­¡± ¡°I know¡­ But, do you think there¡¯s such power left in this country to perform it?¡± Lupis answered Meltina¡¯s words with a tone of resignation. Even Lupis understood that she cannot leave this matter alone. In fact, Lupis convinced that this problem needs an absolute attention. Despite her drawback of being easily discouraged, she was not someone incompetent. And as a royal family member, she had received the highest education money can afford. She was someone who could see reality as it was when she did not lose her calm. From her point of view, the current problem had brought the Kingdom of Rozeria into a state of dilemma. ¡°This is definitely impossible¡­ Especially when we need to pay more extra attention to the nobles in our countries¡­ But then¡­¡± ¡°But then, we can¡¯t ignore this request either¡­ Regardless of the civil war, nearly one year had passed¡­ Of course, from the viewpoint of reconstructing national strength, it will take more time, but we cannot use that as an excuse¡­¡± Following Meltina¡¯s frustrated words, Earl Bergstone opened his mouth. His gaze was directed toward the two letters on the desk. After the civil war ended, for his merits he had been given an important post due to his high political and governance capability. Especially, he had good sense when it comes to the political situation and power balance between countries. From his point of view, the challenge brought to this country this time was some kind of an invitation into an endless labyrinth without any way out. (No matter which choice we make, the future of this country is¡­) Such thought appeared inside his mind. Two letters were presented in front of Lupis. One was a letter that was being sent frequently from the Kingdom of Zalda since the war with Ortomea Empire started, it was a request for reinforcement sent by Julianus. The content of the letters was the same with the others that had been sent since the Rozeria civil war ended. The Zalda Kingdom that was being defeated by the Ortomea Empire during Notiz plain battle had lost most of their territory. In order to break through the predicament, it was obvious for the Zalda Kingdom to seek reinforcements from the Rozeria Kingdom and the Mist Kingdom. Since it was impossible for the Zalda Kingdom alone to fight against Ortomea Empire who had dominated the central part of the western continent. And yet even with that dominance. The Ortomea Empire still could be defeated if the three countries, namely, Rozeria, Zalda, and Mist bend together. In fact, together, they had managed to prevent Ortomea Empire invasion in the past. Although they did it not because of friendship or something such as chivalrous spirits. They simply did it because it was necessary for their survival. If the buffer country called Zalda disappeared, Rozeria would suffer direct invasion. Thus, it can be said that the other two countries sent their reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom because of their own interest. However, for a whole year now, Lupis had declined to sent reinforcement on the pretext that her country just recovered from a civil war, and she needed time to recover her country strength. Or rather, the truth was that she could not dispatch soldiers even if she wanted to. As a result of getting rid General Hodram who held the military power for many years, reorganization of the chivalric order was put in motion, and as a result of that, significant military strength was reduced. (As expected, we should¡¯ve eliminated Duke Gerhardt back then¡­ Ah I forgot, he is a Viscount now¡­ Anyway, it does not matter for Gerhard even if his rank dropped. In fact, he had taken up the situation quite plainly¡­) Such thought appeared inside Earl Bergstone mind. In actuality, despite he got his rank lowered, from Duke to Viscount, Gerhardt influence on the nobles did not disappear. In fact, because princess Ladine was officially recognized as royalty, the aristocrats that stand against Lupis began to form a solid unity. Because Lupis wanted to create her own power structure, many nobles were being forced out of their position since the civil war ended. Even if it was reasonable in her eyes to cut off people who took Gerhardt side, for those who were being cut off, they did not understand that. Nevertheless, if Gerhardt had died, even if they felt dissatisfied, they won¡¯t be able to unite. With Gerhardt ability, and Ladine name as a cause. They managed to block Lupis path at every turn. (Even if we sacrifice Mikhail Banashu¡­ Ah I guess it was too late even if I think of this huh¡­??) Earl Bergstone directed his gaze at Mikhail who was silent since a while ago. That was his regret. They should have managed to achieved complete victory back then. If only, at that time, they did not accept Gerhardt capitulation. (Having no other option aside, Mikoshiba-dono should have thought of something back then¡­) Earl Bergstone also understood what had happened back then. He himself had participated in the conference and he also received a proper explanation from Elena after that. ¨C When he understood it, he thought that it cannot be helped. But, even under such circumstance, he ended up holding a small anger against Mikoshiba Ryouma who let Lupis fell under Gerhardt mercy without being able to argue back. Or at least, in the Earl¡¯s point of view, if Lupis did not let Gerhardt getaway, Ladine would get executed, and half of Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s problem would have been solved. And as a further result of that act, even if it was only superficially, those who did not like Lupis would still follow her. If that happens, they should be able to dispatch soldiers to Zalda. ¡°There¡¯s also another big problem, that is the trend of movement within the Mist Kingdom. Their reinforcements are already close to our border, and as soon as we approve their passage, they will immediately be able to cross¡­ And my country cannot refuse this¡­ If we refuse this one, we will have to fight against the Mist Kingdom. If that happens, it would lessen the possibility of the Zalda Kingdom survival¡­¡± Bergstone¡¯s words caused the air within the room grew heavier. He said those words while looking at the second letter. ¨C The Mist Kingdom definitely won¡¯t pull back from this. Since if they abandoned Zalda kingdom, the Ortomea Empire army would run through the Eastern countries like an avalanche. ¨C In reality, if the three countries fought individually, there won¡¯t be any chance of winning. All three countries individual strength was far smaller compared to Ortomea Empire. With how Rozeria had been acted up all this time, one could say that both countries have been patient in dealing with Rozeria. ¡°I have no choice but to sent reinforcement huh?¡­¡± Lupis murmured those words while shaking her head. There was no other option. ¨C ¡°The question now is how many troops we can send, but from the perspective of our current domestic situation, dispatching one order of knight is all we can do.¡± Disappointment spread across the room when they heard Meltina¡¯s words. ¡°2,500¡­¡± Earl Bergston spoke on behalf everyone¡¯s feeling in the room. The number was too small to be called reinforcement. At least they should send 5,000. 10,000 should be the minimum looking at the current situation. Of course, it did not mean one had to use the knights under the kingdom direct control alone, but cooperation from the nobles seemed to be unlikely right now. ¨C Everyone felt restless and air of anxiety covered the entire Rozeria Kingdom. Right now, all of the people anticipated and paid more attention to Gerhardt movement. In this case, faction was not the problem. Even Earl Bergstone and Earl Zeref who held the position close to the queen could not muster any soldiers. Since if civil war broke out once again while they were being dispatched to another country, their noble territory would turn into ashes. With such domestic situation within the Rozeria Kingdom, they could not afford to participate other country¡¯s war. ¡°The nobles could not move. We might conscript commoners but¡­ I honestly think the number won¡¯t be big enough¡­ Of course, we can threaten them to join but¡­¡± ¡°By doing that, they will only pull our legs instead¡­¡± Hearing Meltina¡¯s suggestion, Lupis shook her head in disagreement. If they conscript soldiers, they could meet the numbers they needed. In fact, they could easily recruit 20,000 or 30,000 men. Even 100,000 was possible. However, one could not clearly expect them to be a proper fighting force. And on the contrary, they might be ended up as a baggage instead. ¨C That was because this war was not invasion war. If this was an invasion war, people would be willing to fight for their country. Because they would be allowed to loot villages, or even to rape women. While the enemy captured citizen can be sold as slaves. ¨C There were certain sufficient merits enough to bet one own life. However, this war was a reinforcement to help another country. They could not loot or assault the people they defended. If they were allowed to do such thing, then it won¡¯t be counted as helping. Certainly, food, clothing, and shelter were guaranteed, but that was only the minimum. It might change if they managed to capture the enemy¡¯s commander during the war, but such fortune should not be expected. They would only get paid a small amount of gold. With such amount, one could say it was not enough to bet one own life for it. That¡¯s why, conscripting the commoners would only cause the soldiers¡¯ morale ended up low, while also increasing the troubles as well. And the scariest thing was that those ¡®commoners turned into soldiers¡¯ might accidentally attack Zalda citizen out of frustration. Even if it was a short-term operation, it would be hard to sent reinforcement compiled of conscripted soldiers. ¡°There is no other choice but to sent commanders whom the other two countries could accept.¡± Everyone nodded toward Earl Zereff words. They absolutely could not lose. If Zalda ended up being defeated here, Ortomea Empire would turn their fangs toward the Rozeria Kingdom. Thus, this war was something that Zalda, Mist, and Rozeria could not afford to lose. But if Rozeria only sent small reinforcement, they might not be regarded contributing to the victory. In fact, for such lack of support, the two other countries might demand big concession in term of trades instead. ¡°I will go¡­¡± Elena finally opened her mouth. ¨C And hearing what she said, everyone fell in silence. ¡°Are you sure? Elena?¡± Finally, Lupis asked for confirmation. On her face, a sense of guilt can be seen. In a sense, it was natural for her to feel that way. Since she could only give her 2,500 men to command as reinforcement. Furthermore, this was not only a matter of reinforcement. They needed to persuade the other two countries when it comes to war merits later. To put it bluntly, Elena was about to receive the short end of the stick. ¡°Of course, your majesty.¡± Inside Elena¡¯s heart who nodded her head, strong will to fight can be felt. Since she realizes that there was no other choice to save the Rozeria Kingdom. Even when it comes to Lupis closest associate, Meltina or Mikhail, they both have not yet made their name known around the neighborhood countries. No one would be convinced that Rozeria had sent reinforcement if these two only bring 2,500 soldiers. It was obvious that friction would happen. In that respect, by sending [Rozeria¡¯s white goddess of war], along with the small reinforcement, it should have been enough to convince the other two countries that they were truly a reinforcement. ¡°In that case, since Elena-sama would be the commander-in-chief, there should be another person who needs to act as her adjutant.¡± Everyone nodded hearing Meltina¡¯s words. ¡°Indeed that is true. But, who are we going to send as her adjutant, is there anyone competent enough for the job? Should Mikhail-dono go? Or Meltina-dono?¡± Earl Zereff question was natural. In the present Rozeria Kingdom, only a small amount of military official present. Not only that, those two people had work which substitute could not do. And once they dispatched as a reinforcement, it would be six months later until they returned to Rozeria. While depending on the war situation, it might actually take years for them to come back. Thus, they could not afford to sent them. However, they also could not let Elena go by herself to a battlefield that equal to a suicide mission either. Everyone fell silent, and a short time later, a man broke the silence. ¡°How about we asked Mikoshiba-dono to go?¡± Chapter 104 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Episode 4 (A messenger from neighboring Country 2) *Unedited* Noon, Day 3rd, 11 Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. ¡°What are you trying to say, Mikhail. Do you know what you are talking about?¡± Earl Bergstone raised his voice. Due to his anger, he had completely forgotten about courtesy. He also called Mikhail without an honorific, but nobody was going to reprimanded him. It was because Mikhail¡¯s words were too unexpected and also shameless. (This bastard¡­ Right after he was being freed from his punishment of house arrest¡­) Since the meeting began, Mikhail had been quiet, and the Earl had thought he was being thoughtful after his punishment, but apparently, it was Earl Bergstone misunderstood. ¡°Mikhail-dono¡­ Just what is your intention by saying that?¡± Earl Zareff inhales his breath deeply and slowly began to talk. He also turned his investigative gaze toward Mikhail. In his words, wariness toward Mikhail can be felt. ¡°Is there even alternative to my suggestion? I¡¯m confident that based on the result, I think it was the best choice we have.¡± Certainly, thinking about the result, Mikhail suggestion was correct. It was certainly due to the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma, Queen Lupis managed to obtain victory. Originally his name should have been mentioned early, but no one ever mentioned that name. Or rather, it can be said that they had intentionally erased that name from inside their head. ¡°If you¡¯re serious with that then, I can only doubt your pride¡­¡± Anger oozing out from Earl Zeref. Since he was someone who rarely spoke, and always act behind the scenes, his words were especially felt heavy. However, Mikhail returned his gaze with a cold light on his eyes while smiling. ¡°Is that so? He was used to be a commoner, and now he is a nobleman. Isn¡¯t it reasonable to ask him to help Rozeria in time of crisis? Furthermore, this might be our last chance. If we miss this opportunity, the country might get destroyed. Am I wrong?¡± He was not wrong. Certainly, Mikoshiba Ryouma once was a commoner. Furthermore, he was a mercenary with doubtful origin. If one were to take Mikhail words as it was, his words were certainly correct. And because he had gained nobleman status from the Royal family, it can be said that it was obvious for him to defend the country. Well, that might be correct if we all ignore the reality where Queen Lupis pushed him into Wortenia peninsula which filled with monsters because she feared him. ¨C Following Mikhail¡¯s words, Lupis was silent. However, fear accompanied with a sense of guilt appeared inside her heart. And also, a single hope. And everyone knew what inside Lupis heart. That she probably thought the same thing as Mikhail somewhere in the corner of her heart. Or rather, everyone inside the room might have the same thought somewhere inside their mind but unable to voice it. Certainly, that answer might be the only way to save the current Rozeria. ¡°I admit, I understand why you suggest that name but, I¡¯m not sure if he is going to agree¡­¡± Earl Bergstone spoke while waving his head. A sharp sarcasm was included in his words. He spoke as if he was making fun of someone somewhere. Of course, the Earl himself wanted to ask Mikoshiba Ryouma for help. Considering his skill during the time of civil war, it can be said that his ability trumped everyone in the present Rozeria Kingdom. And now, considering the current situation the Rozeria Kingdom was in, there was no reason to conserve a trump card. If the kingdom of Zalda surrendered to the Ortomea Empire, next they would without a doubt attack Rozeria next time. And at that time, without being able to perform any resistance, the kingdom would be destroyed. Most of Rozeria Kingdom territory were plains. They had many populations due to their land being blessed with a good natural irrigation for farming, but because of that, they had limited numbers of topography which they can call a stronghold. ¨C The open field was a good place to perform military effort on a grand scale. That was why, if the Empire could move beyond the western mountain range where they had a border with the Kingdom of Zalda, they will be able to overrun the Rozeria kingdom with their overwhelming soldiers. ¨C Once they invaded the Rozeria Kingdom, even reinforcement from the Mist Kingdom can be said to be meaningless. That was why, if one were to consider only the circumstance regarding the kingdom, Mikhail¡¯s proposal was completely correct. His words have accurately spoken the truth regarding the current national strength of the kingdom of Rozeria. And it would be meaningless to reserve the strongest card if they really needed it. However, that was if they could ask Mikoshiba Ryouma, if they could do that, they won¡¯t be worrying like this. And it was also natural for Earl Bergstone to shows some anger. Because all of this mess started due to the mistake of the man called Mikhail Banashu who was sitting in front of him. Because he wanted to gain military merits, he had disobeyed an order that caused him being captured and turned into a prisoner of war. ¨C But when Mikhail heard what Earl Bergstone had said, Mikhail did not change his expression. ¡°There is no need to convince him. Just order him. Then, if he declined, we can just label him as a rebel. If he declined to help during a national crisis, then he is disqualified as a nobleman.¡± There was not even a single piece of emotion could be felt from his words. Just monotone voice. ¨C ¡°Did you lost your mind?¡± Earl Bergstone doubted Mikhail¡¯s sanity while he seemed to have completely forgotten that the Queen was in front of him. ¡°Earl Bergstone, did you think I was wrong? Why should we keep a noble alive if they had no loyalty to the Royal family?¡± ¡°What did you say¡­ If you said that, if that is a nobleman¡¯s duty, then most of the nobles of this country would be targeted.¡± They began to use hostility to speak with each other. Most of the current Rozeria aristocracy did not hold such unconditional loyalty to the royal family. Even without Ladine presence, they will still be a non-cooperative attitude to some extent from the aristocracy. Earl Bergstone himself had only promised to swear loyalty to Lupis because he was promised of an important post after the civil war had ended. Even so, there was a limit to everything. (Nothing had changed, even after one year had passed¡­) Earl Bergstone was a bystander during the start of the civil war a year ago. Many times, Meltina and the princess had called for help but he did not accept it. That was because they had asked for help with a reason of pure loyalty. Loyalty to the royal family. It was certainly a nice word to the ears. However, that alone won¡¯t make people move. Mikhail should have known that as well. Because Mikoshiba Ryouma had demonstrated how to move someone in front of them one year ago. ¡°Why did you look impatient like this?¡± Suddenly Elena who was keeping silent all this time opened her mouth. ¡°Impatient? Of course. That is because we only have a little time left. And if necessary it will be better if we execute Baron Mikoshiba to make an example for the other nobles, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Due to Elena¡¯s unexpected words, Mikhail somehow becomes angry. ¡°I see¡­ So that is how you really thought.¡± Hearing Elena¡¯s reply, Mikhail¡¯s face distorted. Due to Elena¡¯s previous unexpected question, Mikhail had ended up spoke unnecessary words. Certainly, his words were true, it might be useful to do that in term of making an example for the nobles. However, there was no need to target Mikoshiba Ryouma just to do that. After all, there were many other candidates for sacrifices. (This guy¡­ As expected, he holds some grudge over what had happened¡­) Earl Bergstone instantly realized. Certainly, Mikhail¡¯s claim was something that was right at first glance. However, it was hard to understand the true intention of someone behavior. To insist on doing something meant that there was some personal intention behind it. ¡°I do not understand what you¡¯re trying to imply.¡± It seemed like Mikhail had decided to play dumb, although everyone thought it was already too late. ¡°Did you hate Mikoshiba Ryouma that much? That time, it was your fault you know? I think it is irrelevant for you to hate him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean by that.¡± The moment Earl Bergstone gaze at Mikhail¡¯s eyes at the time he said those words, he could feel the cold sweat run down his spine. (That eyes¡­) He could feel hatred from Mikhail¡¯s gaze. It was a hatred close to that of an obsession. It was an attitude that was very unusual if one were to remember the old Mikhail. He might be thoughtless and careless as a human being, but this was the first time for him to show a hostility against one individual. A spark scattered between the three people. ¡°Enough!¡± Lupis voice resounded within the room. ¡°I¡¯ve decided¡­ First of all, Elena. Please contact Mikoshiba Ryouma to come to the royal palace. We don¡¯t know if he is going to refuse or not, thus we can discuss again regarding how to dispose of him after he truly refused. Is that alright with you, Elena?¡± ¡°Your majesty¡­¡± Lupis spoke rapidly ignoring the stunned Meltina. She could not let the useless discussion to continue. Thinking that Lupis decided to stop worrying. It might not actually just that. She might felt the cold atmosphere, and tried to protect Mikhail again. ¡°I will dispatch him as reinforcement. Since preparation is necessary, he can come here in one month. Also, tell the army of Mist kingdom which is waiting at the border that we give them the permission to pass. Do you all understand? Earl Bergstone prepares everything in one month.¡± ¡°In one month? That a bit too close. Also, are you sure we should let Mist kingdom pass just as it is?¡± ¡°There is no other choice. The impression of both countries toward us would be bad if we do not move fast. Not only that, it will also take time for us to deliver the message to the border¡­ Is that enough?¡± It takes time to move an army. Especially when an army was being dispatched to a foreign country, they needed a huge amount of supplies. It was natural that Earl Bergstone showed a frowned face, but there was not much time left. The time left to think was already over. Even looking at the letter sent by the Zalda Kingdom, one could understand they won¡¯t be able to wait much longer. Well, no matter what the reason, this was a ruler decision. As a minister, one can only nod. ¡°¡±¡±Certainly, Your Majesty!¡±¡±¡± Everyone who was sitting on the chairs began to stand up, they immediately stood up and obey the royal order. Everything was for the sake of protecting the Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°Why did you say such thing?¡± Three people remained inside the room. ¡°I just proposed the best method to protect this country as your subject.¡± Toward Lupis¡¯ question, Mikhail said those words without hesitation. His voice was cold, unlike how he was in the past. ¡°Is that really true¡­?¡± ¡°What do you majesty mean by that?¡± Mikhail expression did not change even after Lupis looked at him questioningly. His expression looked like a doll, almost with no emotion left. ¡°Mikhail-dono. Such attitude toward her majesty is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Meltina.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± While suppressing Meltina who was trying to reprimand Mikhail, Lupis looked at Mikhail with sad eyes.¡± ¡°Fine then, you may leave.¡± ¡°Well then, please excuse me.¡± She could not do anything other than watching Mikhail as he left the room with sad eyes. ¡°Why everything ended up like this¡­¡± Meltina could not answer Lupis muttering words. The reason was clear. However, she could not put out the words. ¡°Your majesty did nothing wrong.¡± Meltina did not have any other choice other than to said those words¡­ Chapter 105 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 4 Episode 5 (A messenger of neighboring country 3) *Unedited* Midnight, 3rd Day, 11th Month, the Year 2813, Western continent calendar. In a private room within the royal castle given to Mikhail. two men confronted each other across the lamp placed on the desk. ¨C One was the master of this room. The other was a man who should not be inside this room. ¡°It seems the dispatch of troops has been decided as planned.¡± Toward the sudden words Sudou had spoken, Mikhail who was sitting across him frowned. ¡°How did you know that? We still have not yet make it public you know?¡± It was decided during the meeting today that the kingdom would sent reinforcement. Such information had already been issued to the public offices, but the man in front of Mikhail should not be part of any of such offices. Even if he will find out sooner or later, it was surprising that he could find out about it within the same day the decision was made. ¡°Even if you tried to hide it, such information would spread sooner or later.¡± Toward Sudou¡¯s arrogant attitude, Mikhail frowned further. ¡°As usual you¡¯re as arrogant as ever huh. Sudou¡­¡± It sounded like he was complimented him but, Mikhail¡¯s eyes obviously showed despise toward Sudou. ¡®You¡¯re just a vulgar commoner who was sneaking around the castle.¡¯ Although he did not put those words out, Sudou felt like Mikhail gaze told him so. ¡°Well, I have no other talent than that.¡± ¡°Fuuh¡­ I could not understand why Ladine chooses a guy like you to be her aide.¡± ¡°Similar to Mikhail-sama, one cannot evaluate the other¡¯s loyalty toward the royal family without accepting the good and the bad sides.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think you have any loyalty to the Rozeria Kingdom.¡± Mikhail replied him while feeling displeased. Looking at him, Sudou mocked Mikhail inside his mind. (Such an idiot. Being unable to restrain himself with just a mere small provocation.) Since last year¡¯s civil war was over, Mikhail image had plummeted. If one had to say it clearly, in fact, it was not just decreasing but his image had turned into minus. (I guess this guy has already been driven to a corner¡­ What left is just for me to give him the finishing blow. Now then, how should I make him fall?) Once he was known as Lupis adjutants he was praised as a glorious and best knight in the kingdom. As a master swordsman, she had gained an unwavering trust from Lupis. And his loyalty was once said to be one of Rozeria Kingdom treasure. That was until he became a prisoner of war, being a prisoner of war was a huge embarrassment, and instead of getting punished accordingly, he only got himself a house arrest for a few month, not only that, after he was being released, Lupis picked him up as the commander of the royal guard, caused his colleagues to looked at him with negative eyes. Of course, it was natural for a ruler to put a reliable and trustworthy aide near you if you¡¯re Lupis. But the surrounding people won¡¯t understand that. As a result, the surrounding thought of Mikhail as a coward who only survives because Lupis favored him. And Mikhail reputation fell down to the ground following the rumor mixed with truth and lies made by Sudou spread inside and outside the castle. His subordinates and colleagues gradually showed disdain toward him. And nobles started to ridicule him. For someone as prideful as Mikhail, the current situation was a living hell. If he was a truly wicked man then he won¡¯t care such situation. But because he was genuinely a proud human, he was unable to bear such reality. That was why he started to look down on others so that he can raise himself. Despite knowing that doing such a thing would only narrow one¡¯s mind¡­ He tried to not depend on anyone, but because he tried to do that he ended up getting isolated. And because he was isolated from the surrounding, he fell down further. Thus, just like that, Mikhail was unable to escape his own self-bondage. ¡°I course, I¡¯m not someone with stature like Mikhail-sama after all. However, Ladine-sama is still a child. Even though she had already been recognized as a royalty, there were only a few people who swore loyalty from the bottom of their hearts to her. Even a vulgar person such as I could understand that you see.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Mikhail answered while showing a satisfied smile on his face. Such small praise from him had already made Mikhail¡¯s small-pride satisfied. Although he smiled at him while saying those words, Mikhail knew that it was a blatant flattery. However, such poisonous words give off a sweet fragrant scent for Mikhail who has become weak after being ridiculed all the time by his subordinates and colleagues. That was why, even if he knew that Sudou said a lie, he might just want to be caught by that sweet words¡­ ¡°By the way¡­ I had already made the suggestion, just as you said. Are you sure this will be fine?¡± ¡°Of course. Although this might sound rude, does Mikhail-sama have another way?¡± Sudou asked Mikhail a question. ¡°That is¡­ But how are we going to expect him to do it obediently? At worst, we might actually cause internal disturbance instead¡­¡± As expected, although he hated Mikoshiba Ryouma for a personal reason, it seemed like a small amount of his judgmental ability was still intact. (Truly, a contradiction huh¡­ To think he gives suggestion during the meeting just like I had told him despite knowing this much. I wonder, how should I call this man head, a smart one or the other way around¡­ Oh well, this is why you¡¯re suited to be my puppet.) Sudou tried to suppress his ridicule while showing a soft smile toward Mikhail. Although it was Sudou direction, Mikhail¡¯s mind and act were certainly contradicting each other. Mikhail had lamented his current situation but he seemed to also have blamed Mikoshiba Ryouma for it. Impatience, hatred, jealousy, anger. Such burning feeling filled Mikhail¡¯s heart and mind thus clouded his normal judgment. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then everything should be fine. He will be viewed as the disloyal retainer, and Mikhail-sama loyalty toward the royal family would come to light once again.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°Do not be afraid to shed some blood when it comes to justice.¡± ¡°But still¡­ This will go smoothly right?¡± Mikhail¡¯s face was full of anxiety. ¡°Mikhail-sama. Do not be afraid. Everyone in the surrounding actually knows that Mikhail-sama is correct. Since it would be impossible to govern a state with a feeling of guilt. Sometimes one has to do absurd things to defend one own country. And right now, Mikhail-sama is the only one who could do it. For saving the Kingdom of Rozeria, for the sake of her highness Lupis!¡± Sudou¡¯s strong words silenced Mikhail. One minute, two minutes. Their line of sight crossed over in silence for a period of times. ¡°I understand¡­ I will believe in you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Then, afterward, just like we had planned.¡± Sudou said those words and left Mikhail¡¯s room. And Mikhail could only look at him in silence while he left. ¨C ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Sudou who had left Mikhail¡¯s room walked as quickly as possible to avoid eye contacts with other people. (Well, it has gone according to my plan, smoothly enough that I want to dance in joy¡­) Recalled his meeting just now, a dark smile appeared on Suodu¡¯s face. People believe what they wanted to believe. After the civil war, Mikhail ability and personality had ended up being doubted by the others. That was why the sweet words from Sudou easily invade Mikhail¡¯s heart. As for his grudge against Mikoshiba Ryouma. Well, it was actually just a mere small grudge. However, after spending nearly a year together, Sudou had managed to turn that small grudge into a justice. The justification of that justice was in the name of defending the Kingdom of Rozeria. (But still, while thinking about the country, he actually ended up undermining his country with a pretext of loyalty toward the Royal family. Khuhuhuhu, what a comical guy.) Lupis confidence in Mikhail also had backfired. The more she tried to protect him, the more Mikhail¡¯s surrounding ridiculed him. When that happens, Lupis would protect him again. Then the vicious circle never end. Well, of course, Sudou had also shed various rumors within and outside the royal castle by his own hands. (I guess this is what happens if the bond between the ruler and retainer had gone too far huh¡­) Such an irony. Mikhail who holds such high loyalty did not hold any power in his hand, while Mikoshiba Ryouma who did not have any shred of loyalty ended up holding the future of this country. (After this, how Mikoshiba Ryouma will move I wonder? He¡¯s kinda hard to predict. But this time, it¡¯s already the third time we confronted each other¡­ I wish he will finally disappear this time. Now then, how is he going to move?) Since the time Mikoshiba Ryouma got himself in this world, two years had passed since then. Sudou¡¯s side had confronted him when they pursued him during the aftermath of Gaies death, and during the involvement of Rozeria civil war, this was the third time his side was going up against Mikoshiba Ryouma. (Although we will appreciate it if he¡¯s not participating, but based on how he usually move, he will definitely join the reinforcement mission¡­ The problem now is how much the cost he will put in exchange for him to move since I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t do it for free.) Whether or not he wants to reinforce the Zalda Kingdom, the situation did not permit him to answer no. If he refused to join the reinforcement, Mikoshiba Ryouma would be put in a difficult situation regardless the reinforcement obtained victory or defeat. It would be a different story if he had already finished his preparation for independence, but such story was impossible if one were to think with common sense. If that is the case, will Mikoshiba Ryouma participate with the reinforcement free of charges? Judging from his character, he will without a doubt demanded something from Lupis in a negotiation. (Will it be money? Or territory?¡­ There is the possibility of him asking rank as well¡­ But well, if we think of something that is less troublesome, he might just demand some gold.) It was clear that the development of Wortenia peninsula had not yet done, they won¡¯t be able to manage it if they increased the territory. If he asked the free adjacent territory near the peninsula, such territory might have ended up as an enclave. (If I remember correctly, the closest territory to the Wortenia peninsula belonged to Earl Salzberg, with a border with the Zalda Kingdom nearby¡­ It would be impossible to give him who only held the title of a Baron such territory. Which left us with Gold or higher ranks, but considering his personality, there is a high chance that he won¡¯t ask for a higher rank. Since he is going to throw away the Rozeria Kingdom after all. Thus, he will definitely won¡¯t ask a higher rank from a country he was going to throw.) It would be different if he was going to stay permanently within the Rozeria Kingdom. Since Mikoshiba Ryouma might develop his own country or fall under the protection of another country, he won¡¯t ask higher rank as a reward. However, it was certain that it would cost a lot of money to develop the Wortenia peninsula. (I guess he will ask some gold¡­ Now then, how much is he going to ask, I wonder¡­) By the amount of money, he asked, one can predict Mikoshiba Ryouma movement in the future. (If he asked for around tens of thousands then it might get paid for the next ten years, but if he asked more than a hundred million then¡­ I might have to move up our plan a little bit¡­) Sudou could not help but have fun with the current situation. When he was summoned to this world, he had no choice but to lament the difference of the living environment, but he seemed to be better living in this world. Manipulate and controls people using plans at every turn. A sense of fulfillment that he won¡¯t be able to obtain in Japan. Especially when his stratagem will decide the victor of a war that took place somewhere else. (Now then, I can¡¯t wait for what happen next¡­) Sudou smiled while feeling convinced that he will obtain victory. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 106 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 6 Chapter 4 Episode 6 Editor: (Starbuck11) Noon, 6th Day, 11 Month, the Year 2813, Western Continent Calendar. The city of Sirius was full of vigor. The slave children that had been delivered the other day frantically swung their swords in order to grab their own fortune with their own hands, after five months of training, those who finished the trial will obtain freedom. They all worked hard in order to create their new hometown. Everyone used their power to steadily develop the city. They held Mikoshiba Ryouma, the one who returned back their dignity as a human beings, in high regard. ¨C The air inside the room changed the moment Ryouma read the letter sent by Elena from the royal capital city of Pireaus. Looking at the letter date, it was written the day before yesterday. And considering the distance between the capital and the Wortenia peninsula,The letter arrived quite early. Since the essence of the letter was confidential, the messenger must have been running while changing horses in various places. ¨C ¡°I¡¯m not feeling surprised since the boy has warned me about it, but as expected, I cant laugh it off either¡­¡± Lione said those words, while she smiles bitterly. Everyone in the same room thought the same thing as her, and the color of discomfort appeared on everyone¡¯s faces. Only Mikoshiba Ryouma showed a gentle smile. ¡°This is quite troubling indeed, right when our city expansion has been going well¡­¡± Genou muttered those words while smiling at the noise that came in from the windows. ¡°Indeed. However, We have no other choice but to go. It was pleasing enough that she actually called us. Since there is also the possibility that we won¡¯t get involved because she hasnt made her mind yet on whether or not to involve the friend she cast away.¡± Ryouma smiled while saying those words. Everyone in the room nodded in response to those words. It was easy for them to reject the request just by giving some reason, but given the subsequent result, it was not that easy. The Kingdom of Rozeria was about to sink. That was a fact with no room of denial. The power structure Lupis had aimed only created a negative impact due to her lack of determination. Certainly, if one were to consider that she was a royal member that had been deprived of the real power for a long time, it was understandable that she wanted to concentrate the power around her. ¨C However, the problem was Lupis Rozerianuzs personality. (It¡¯s not like she is bad¡­ Actually, she is a good person. Her brain is also there. She has adequate knowledge too. And because she can show consideration to the people, in theory, she should have been a good monarch.) Ryouma¡¯s evaluation of Lupis was not really bad. Not to mention, despite the fact they were not without some faults, Meltina and Mikhail were appropriate aides. Both have loyalty toward the royal family that can be regarded as first-class. At least they cannot be incompetent. (In the end, the biggest problem for me is doing something that I do not know the situation yet¡­) There were words in the book of The art of war written by Sun Tzu. Those words were Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will never lose a battle Even people who didnt know Sun Tzus The art of war, they should at least have heard of those words at least once in their lifetime, but actually, there was a continuation of it. If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will obtain victory. If you do not know your enemy and you do not know yourself, every time you fight, you will clearly be in a danger. What did those words mean, many still argue, but the one most agree on was to gather intelligence before advancing to the battlefield. And also the need to know about your own self. Knowing yourself and the opponent you fight against made you able to see if there was the possibility of winning. if you¡¯re able to judge whether or not the possibility of winning existed, you will easily win battles. You also can avoid fighting if you know that the chance of winning was not present in advance. Following those words, one should never fight if one did not know the power of the enemy and were still unable to understand oneself. Because if one were to fight with such conditions, the only result would be a total loss in every fight. The most important things were to know oneself. Understand one¡¯s advantages over the enemy. Find any weakness within oneself. And to understand them. Had Lupis understood her own shortcomings, she wouldnt have made this kind of political system where everything was centered around her. The ruler¡¯s duties were to decide on various important things, but because her heart was too gentle and kind-hearted, she lacks determination when she needs to make a harsh decision. Ryouma himself believes that Lupis should have introduced a council system, and after strengthening the powers of the prime ministers and ministers Lupis would have had a good form of government where she makes a decision based on the ministers¡¯ suggestion. Of course, there was also the possibility of sabotage by Gerhardt, but if she holds the entire authority of the military, she should have no problems. In actuality, had Lupis consulted with Ryouma after the war without any extra plotting, he would have said that. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to get involved, but as expected, we have no choice but to go huh? Im honestly reluctant to accept this¡­¡± She was using a light tone as usual, but Lione¡¯s eyes looked serious. Considering her, no one can help it if she did not want to get involved in this affair. After all, Bolts and her were the ones who took charge of the training of the children. In case of a war, it would place those children lives at a great risk. Had it been for the sake of the city of Sirius, Lione would have ordered them to fight to the death However, it would be hard to convince them to die for this worthless Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°Although Lione-san is not wrong, I still cannot refuse this summon. Though, I have no intention of doing this for the Rozeria Kingdom or Lupis. This is for the sake of our survival and to expand our power beyond what we have right now.¡± ¡°To oppose the Ortomea Empire is it?¡± Ryouma nodded toward Genou¡¯s question. ¡°If Zalda were to be destroyed, the next one will be Rozeria. Given the national land and strength, the three eastern countries can oppose the Ortomea Empire together. But if it was only two countries then..¡± ¡°It would be impossible¡­¡± Lione said those words bitterly. It did not mean she did not understand the current situation. She just can¡¯t accept that due to the current situation they ended up helping Lupis once again. ¡°Well, I guess thats how it went¡­ Besides, I¡¯m planning on taking full advantage of this and pull us forward¡­¡± Ryouma replied while shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Advantage ? Pull us forward ?¡± Lione turned her eyes toward Ryouma after she heard such a strange word mixed in. ¡°Well, the shape of the city has come to light, thus Id like to proceed with full development of the Wortenia peninsula. More specifically we need farmers and migrants with special skills. After that, we also need civil servants¡­¡± ¡°If thats the case, we¡¯re not in the position to sent reinforcements huh?¡± ¡°Indeed, but you know, no matter what we do, we can¡¯t increase the population with slaves alone. No matter how big the saucer is if there is no content to put inside then it would be meaningless no?¡± ¡°That might be true¡­ Since the maintenance of the road and the building of house are fairly easy, we can accept any people anytime, but¡­¡± Confusion mixed within Bolts¡¯ words. Indeed, besides people from the Iga clan, only the slave children and mercenaries lived inside this Sirius city. Mercenaries, soldiers, the ninja and their family members. Among the ninja people, there were some people who have blacksmith knowledge, thus it was not a problem when it came to repairing a weapon, but this city was still a homogeneousheterogeneous city with only soldiers but without merchant and farmers. The only exception to that were the few maids sent by Earl Salzberg. Of course, Bolts himself didn¡¯t think that it was good to stay like this forever either. Since, in any case, it would be impossible to take taxes unless they develop the industry and cultivate the farmland. However, how are they going to do it? That is what was inside Bolts¡¯ mind. ¡°If it¡¯s now, even if they are cautious with our power growth, they will, without doubt, accept the conditions even if it was a bit unreasonable¡­¡± Farmers aside, no rulers would easily let their engineers leave their territory. Techniques and technology cannot be learned overnight, that was why they were being closely kept secret. It would cost a great fortune just to get them. Since there won¡¯t be people who are going to give rivals advantage without profits. However, with the current situation, people might accept the conditions no matter how unreasonable it was. No, rather, for Lupis, she would easily accept it rather than having to pay for it with gold or territory. ¡°I see¡­ We¡¯re taking advantage of the situation and at the same time develop the peninsula at once.¡± For Ryouma, Lupis was just a prey. As a stepping stone for him to take a leap. ¡°Since the invitation already presented itself. Why dont we take advantage of it huh?¡± Toward Lione¡¯s murmur, Ryouma laughed while showing a smile. And with a smile on his face, he turned his face toward a certain man. ¡°Nelsios-san. Do you have any input?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, a perplexed expression appeared on the man¡¯s face. The man had a slender but muscular body. Golden eyes, with bluish black skin. The light of the sun made his silver hair shine more. ¨C He had a face where if someone was asked how he looked, they would answer it with ¡®he is a pretty boy¡¯ ¨C ¡°Why, did you call me to this place?¡± A low and calm voice. His appearance was around thirty, but his voice made him sound like he was an elderly man. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, Nelsios quietly shook his head. ¡°No¡­ But certainly, this causes me to wonder. Why did you invite me, a demi-human to this meeting?¡± Nelsios was obviously confused. Inside this place gathered people who would one day become the core of Baron Mikoshibas household Within those gathered people, only one looked different. He was just a stranger that had nothing to do with Baron Mikoshiba. At least, that was what he had thought. ¡°Well now, don¡¯t worry about it too much. For now, whats important is for Nelsios-san to appear at this meeting.¡± ¡°Ha? What does that mean?¡± Nelsios tilted his head after he heard Ryouma explanation. He was not being asked of opinion. He was not asked to provide aid or other supplies either. He was just asked to come and listen to their discussion. It was an unexpected development for Nelsios since he had thought that Ryouma would make some request by now. Ryouma smiled and looking straight at Nelsios who looked back at him suspiciously. ¡°Well, sooner or later I guess..¡± The meeting ended with Ryouma saying those words. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- (Such a strange man. His behavior did not show any fear of us. Besides, why did he called for me in the first place?) Nelsios remembered the previous meeting while he was heading toward the house he had used for lodging since a few days ago. (But not just that man alone¡­) Everyone inside the room did not show any disgust toward Nelsios. Despite the fact that he was a demi-human. Although he had vaguely felt it since they started their relationship a few months ago, these people did not hold any prejudice towards demi-humans. They talked with each other over drinks and eat. But somewhere within his heart, Nelsios still cannot trust these people. It was certain that Nelsios felt disappointment when he was being told to attend the meeting this morning. ¡®I guess he was just a human too.¡¯ That was what was inside Nelsios mind at that time. However, Ryouma just smiled at him today. The knowledge of magic arts that the elves and the dark elves had. Treasures that had been treated as a lost treasure since a long time ago. In addition, the elves were naturally gifetd with power equal to that of a knight. They possessed a strong power. But at that day, that was not what Mikoshiba Ryouma had wanted. He did not ask Nelsios to provide technology or to dispatch any soldiers. In exchange for the girls Ryouma had saved from the pirates, he had only demanded him to visit Sirius city once every half a month. At first, Nelsios just came without expecting anything. Even when Ryouma spoke to him, he only answered mechanically. However, as the meeting repeated several times, they started telling each other jokes, exchange some discussion and eat together. The exchange they had arranged for once every half a month had only become a form. Recently, Ryouma had provided Nelsios and his people with accommodation such as houses, and several of his people had been staying in this town since. Among the clan, they were the youngsters, no older than 200 years old, they did know the history of human persecution, but none actually experienced those things. It was the story of 400 years ago when demi-humans had lost their dignity and existence by clashing swords against humanity. Of course, among the demi-humans tribes, many held hostility toward the humans. The resentment when their family were killed by the humans and their beautiful hometown being destroyed. Some even called Nelsios as a coward for getting close to the humans. (I see¡­ He invited me there because he wanted to show me huh¡­¡± When Nelsios realized it, he groaned unintentionally. (We do not intend to conceal anything. Is that what he wanted to convey?) That was the way Mikoshiba Ryouma said he believed the demi-humans. He did not speak of it with words, but with his attitude. Nelson began to return back. He thought he cannot let that man have his way as he expected it. If it was reasonable to return resentment with a grudge, it was also reasonable to return a trust with trust. Because Nelsios was also one of the clan leaders of the proud black elves He cannot forget the grudges he had against the humans. However, that was only him. He also cannot ignore the future that was spread before his eyes. Perhaps, it might be possible to return to the olden age, which it was told that the humans and the demi-humans oncelived together in harmony. Such thoughts pushed Nelsios back to move forward. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 107 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 7 Chapter 4 Episode 7 Editor: (Starbuck11) Noon, 14th Day, 11 Month, the Year 2813. For the first time in over a year, Ryouma visited Pireaus, the capital city of the Rozeria Kingdom. A first big city after a long absence. The fortified city of Epiroz boasted an exceptionally large population, but it cannot be compared with how big the royal capital of a kingdom was. Well, although the city population was not as big as Tokyo or London, this city was still one of the biggest in this world. ¡°The atmosphere around here is not really good¡­¡± Ryouma had come via the first gate to enter the city. Although he had said the atmosphere was not good, it did not mean the smell was bad. Of course if one were to sniff carefully, unpleasant smell from the sewage can be felt but that was the same in every city, and it was not that bad because the road was maintained properly. There were various things if one were to compare it with the clean sense of a modern people, but this was not a poor environment when one had to consider the technology this world possessed. But certainly, the atmosphere around the city was heavy. ¨C While surrounded by around 20 soldiers around him, Ryouma advanced toward the Royal castle. ¨C ¡°Somehow don¡¯t you think the atmosphere feel restless?¡± ¡°The street shops also does not seem to have much activity either.¡± Sara and Laura seemed to have sensed the same thing. They looked around suspiciously. ¡°The problem is ¡®what¡¯ had happened huh¡­¡± Ryouma¡¯s eyes looked straight on the street. The city where the country had ended a civil war should have been lively. Streets where it was filled with crowds and vendors being built here and there. Originally the voice of the shopkeepers trying to attract customers should have reached even where Ryouma was. It was wrong to say that he did not hear anything, but somehow it felt like the shops¡¯ owners have lost all of their enthusiasm. ¡°Maybe Queen Lupis reign is not very good?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± Responding to Sara¡¯s question Ryouma glared at the royal castle. If the government had been going well, the situation won¡¯t go this bad. There was not much change around the main street, but it seemed that the number of people living on the streets had increased. ¡°Well, Like this it won¡¯t be hard for us to gather farmers I think¡­¡± They were people who abandoned their land and homes. Although it was almost like they had same status as refugees, but it actually have a different meaning: people who lost their own country because of war or religious crackdown were called refugees, but many also called those who lost their home due to economic reason as well. Well, both were people who lost their homes. In front of these people, only two roads existed. One was to be sold as a slave, and the other was to die on the roadside without anyones care. Unfortunately, unlike modern society, in this world, there were no such things such as world organization or NGO to help them. For these people, there might be a great chance for them willingly to migrate to an underdeveloped Wortenia peninsula. ¡°Queen Lupis is unable to get rid of the troublesome people after all. Particularly those with a dissenting attitude.¡± ¡°Indeed. Well, it was convenient for us if she ended up like this. But still, just what happened to make it end up worst this fast?¡± Just like Laura had pointed out before, Lupis might even be glad to let these homeless people emigrate. The existence of these homeless people caused a decline in public security. It was better for her to push these people to the peninsula rather than letting them live within the royal capital. The problem here was why the number of these people had increased over the past one year. Of course, bad luck also existed in this world. There were also people who loved to gamble and live in debts, while there were also people who have lost their homes because they could not work due to illness or injury. A lot of such human beings existed within the royal capital even a year ago. However, the number of people sitting in the alley have definitely increased compared to one year ago. Although there was no war. And yet the number of such people had increased, there was only one possibility, and that was the government had not functioned properly. ¡°Probably, the aristocrats had tightened the taxes, or because of bureaucratic corruption¡­¡± There might also be another problem, but the most apparent one might be due to the confusion among the regional aristocracy because Lupis had caused the power to gather around her too much. It was common for people with a reformist agenda to collide with people who wanted to protect their vested interests. Either way, this was a proof that Lupis government had not yet gone well. (This is pretty desolate¡­) Looking at the state of the capital of a kingdom, it was not difficult to imagine what kind of rural aristocracy looked like. If that was the case, another big problem comes up. The movement of Princess Ladine. If the political instability continues, a power that wanted to overcome the current situation would arise. And surely a revolt will happen. Apart from whether or not it would develop into a civil war depend on the government changing. At the end of the civil war, Ryouma had predicted that the Rozeria kingdom would fall in five years, but apparently, it would be shorter than that. (I hope the flames of troubles won¡¯t reach us, but I guess thats impossible huh?) However, contrary to Ryouma expectation, even if there was a movement, he had confidence that this reinforcement to Zalda kingdom would still happen. Wortenia peninsula was part of Rozeria Kingdom, no matter how much it was left apart. Thus it cannot be said that no matter what happens nothing will happen to the peninsula. (Well, I will leave the rest to Genou and Bolts.) After reading Elena¡¯s letter, Ryouma had already consulted how to respond to some extent. Originally Ryouma was going to provide assistance with full reinforcement, but he cannot leave Sirius city empty either. The current human ressource who have to perform domestic administration will be Bolts, who had supported Lione as a second in command for many years. Ryouma turned his eyes toward Bolts who was looking at the surrounding end of the group. It seemed like Bolts himself felt unhappy for not being able to go to the battlefield, but Ryouma had regarded his domestic skill highly. Although he had not received a proper education, he had known the world by experience, thus he can make use of his experience for work. In this place, where the majority of people were warrior types, someone with internal affairs ability-although not a specialist- was highly valuable. Ryouma crossed the castle¡¯s bridge while chewing the goddess of luck. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ May I have a bit of your time?¡± Sara entered the room where Ryouma was guided into and called to him. She made sure that no one was around. It seemed that she didn¡¯t want anyone to hear what she was about to say. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ryouma looked at her while smiling. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡­ It¡¯s just, Ryouma-sama, why did you reject Nelsios¡¯ offer?¡± It was about the meeting of last week. Nelsios came back and made a proposal that was actually favorable for Ryouma. Specifically, it was about the matter of synchronizing and harmonize the relationship between the elves and the humans, Nelsios suggested to use the young elves as the defense force of the peninsula, but Ryouma ended up refusing it. Ryouma did not tell anyone about that matter. Only one person, Sara who happened to have been watching the event on the spot was the only one to know about it, but she was still unable to understand, why Ryouma refused such a suggestion. She had been thinking about it all this time, but was unable to find the answer. ¡°Oh, is this about last week meeting?¡± Ryouma nodded while saying that as if convinced of something. (Well, she seems to have thought about it herself, but unable to find the answer¡­) The appearance of Sara who tried to think hard about it appeared inside Ryouma¡¯s mind, immediately after that he broke into a grin. ¡°What Sara is curious about are the reasons as to why I rejected Nelsios proposal right? And also, why I did not tell anyone about it, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± For Sara who was at the site at that time, the proposal was very favorable for Ryouma. The proposal where the young elves would move to Sirius city to help guard the city. They would be able to provide elvish technology as well, which in turn would have been a great help for Ryouma. In particular, the idea of moving the young elves to Sirius city would have been very attractive to realize Ryouma¡¯s dream. In fact, everyone knew, that Ryouma had a dream of harmonizing the relationship between the humans and the demi-humans once more. Had Ryouma not have such intentions, he would have tried to eliminate them. Just like how he destroyed the pirates. That was why Sara could not understand why Ryouma refused Nelsios offer at that time. Although she said refused, Ryouma didn¡¯t directly refuse Nelsios, Ryouma told him that he wanted to hear Lione, Laura, and the others opinion first. ¡°It¡¯s simple. That was Nelsios-san testing me.¡± Toward Ryouma who said those words as if it was nothing, Sara could not hide her surprise. ¡°A test, is it?¡± ¡°That was, you know, he tried to find out how serious I¡¯m as a person who wants to harmonize the relationship between the humans and the demi-humans. Does Sara know the reason why I invited Nelsios-san all this time?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, Sara hesitated and began to talk about her thought. ¡°To harmonize the relationship between the humans and the demi-humans¡­ And to communicate such intention?¡± Ryouma nodded deeply toward Sara¡¯s answer. She surely understood Ryouma intention. ¡°However, if that is the case, then Nelsios proposal would have been perfect is it not?¡± ¡°Certainly¡­ However, if we¡¯re late in figuring out something, we might end up in trouble.¡± ¡°End up in trouble, is it ?¡± Ryouma quietly nodded while showing a bitter smile. (Well, I guess she could not yet understand it¡­) It might be because of the difference in experience. Or was it the difference in talent? Either way, such ability was necessary for a ruler. And Lupis also lost everything because she could not understand about this matters. ¨C ¡°Well, the answer is simple. Indeed we do not have any repulsion against the demi-humans. However, that is if we talked only about us. It is impossible to predict what the farmers who were going to migrate into Wortenia peninsula thought about it. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Light God religious believers¡­¡± After she heard Ryouma¡¯s explanation, everything began to connect. (I see, come to think of it, my sister and I had come from the central continent, thus we did not care about it too much, while most of the people under Ryouma are mercenaries and slaves. We do not believe in the Light God Meneoz so strictly. However, that was not the case if we talk about the farmers that are going to migrate¡­) The Holy City Meneoz, the stronghold of the Light God religious organization was located in between the southern kingdoms and Kirtantia Empire. Although the distance was far, and the faith of the people in western continent eastern and northern part was relatively gentle, the degree of the faith between individuals varied, if one were to make the wrong move, it might even cause an armed uprising. Of course, since it was an uprising caused by commoners, it would have been easy to crush them, but the opinion among the demi-humans about the humans would have without a doubt turned to the worst. ¡°Besides, Nelsios-san¡¯s suggestion is actually impossible. That man might be one of the clan¡¯s leaders, but he was no dictator. There¡¯s no way that the whole clan would move by his thoughts alone.¡± Nelsios was certainly an influential person, but no matter what nation one ruled, it was difficult to move soldiers with an arbitrary power alone. Besides, one cannot dispel the history of human persecution so easily. ¡°Nelsios-san individual sentiment aside, among the demi-humans there exist those who are unable to forget the hatred they had for the humans. Of course, that was also include us.¡± ¡°I see, then Nelsios-san suggestion was¡­¡± ¡°He tried to find out, whether or not I could see the reality. Even though the ideal is being recognized, it does not mean I have the qualification to realize it, no? Had I jumped to Nelsios suggestion right there and then, he might never believe in me ever again.¡± A quiet smile appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face while he said those words, and cold sweat run down Sara¡¯s back. (What does this person¡¯s eyes see, I wonder? The far away ideals? Or the close reality?) Such thought appeared inside Sara¡¯s mind. = ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 108 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 8 Chapter 4 Episode 8 Editor:Starbuck11 Noon, 14th Day, 11th Month, the Year 2813. A heavy atmosphere covered the audience room. The color of tension appeared on the face of the guarding knights who had lined up on the left and right. Such an attitude was natural. Because the hero who had ended the civil war, and the ruler who tried to get rid of such a hero will face each other after a long time. The guards, and the civil servants. And also the major nobles. Everyones line of sight was looking at the kneeled man waiting for the Queen to enter the room. ¡°Long time no see Baron Mikoshiba. Raise your head.¡± When Ryouma was still kneeling down in front of the throne, Lupis voice echoed from the top of his head. Meltina who was standing on her side, looked at him with a sharp gaze. This Meltina was the same as the one whom Ryouma had seen during their first meeting. ¡°Indeed it has been a long time. Your Majesty.¡± As per Lupis order, Ryouma lifted his face, showing a gentle smile. On his face, neither hatred, anger or disdain towards Lupis could be seen. It was a perfectly aristocratic expression. And a gentle smile that looks good. Looking at him, the atmosphere inside the audience room relaxed. Although it was not something made public, the upper part of the aristocracy understood the feud between Queen Lupis and Mikoshiba Ryouma. They were worried that this talk would end up with an assassination attempt, but it unexpectedly began with a gentle start. It was no surprise if they all ended up stroking their chest feeling relieved. But in the next moment, their face became stiff once again, when Lupis spoke. ¡°I think the situation was written in Elena¡¯s letter, but let me say it straight. I would like for you to participate in the reinforcement mission to help Zalda Kingdom, together with Elena.¡± They all thought that the two would talk for a bit before beginning this kind of talk. After all, this was kind of history in the making. They all thought that the two would talk for a bit to amend their relationship and relax the atmosphere first, but Lupis seemed to think differently. She chooses to be straightforward. Perhaps it was not something favorable for the nobles who value formality, but on the other hand, it left a good impression in the eyes of Ryouma who did not like such pointless formality. Ryouma answered with a firm voice and a gentle smile on his face, while everyone looking at the twos exchange was left with a stiff expression. ¡°I will accept the order.¡± A stir happened after everyone heard Ryouma¡¯s reply. Certainly, those who knew Mikoshiba Ryouma would not believe the sight in front of them. His personality aside, it was only one year and a few months that had passed since he had been given Wortenia peninsula as his territory. An uncharted territory abandoned by the kingdom for many years. It was a territory with no citizen to pay taxes. In a practical matter, after being given such a land, there was no way for him to store up the power to gather soldiers in such a short amount of time. Naturally, most people present in the audience room thought that Ryouma would refuse Lupis order. Only a handful of people who knew Mikoshiba Ryouma could think the other way around. ¡°However, I have several requests.¡± Following Ryouma¡¯s words, a stir happened once again. (Well, I guess this is natural¡­) Lupis quietly nodded, urging Ryouma to continue. She was calm on the surface, but she had prepared herself in case he refuses her order. Yet on the contrary, her order was being accepted plainly, but the man in front of her was not that naive. He was a man possessing a wizened face with a gentle smile that looked good. Although his physique was good, his overall look was kind of mediocre. But, Lupis knows this all too well. That the man in front of her eyes was actually a beast that could devour anything. It was only over a year ago, when Gerhardt brought princess Ladine, the illegitimate child of the previous king. And the knight order who was originally the shield and spear of the royal family, 80% of it was being controlled by General Hodram, were pitted against each others. While she could only rely on Mikhail Banashu and Meltina Lecta who were her guards and aides since a long time ago. Then at that time, the man appeared in a situation when even a hope of light could not be seen. He was the man that in order to create a beachhead, had drowned thousands of enemy soldiers, and since afterwards, he was hailed as the ¡®Demon of Irachion¡¯ Brutal, cruel and cunning¡­ A man who will take any means necessary to achieve his goals. However, on the other hand, he was also a sincere man who respected Lupis. At least he was a man that can be believed more than the fickle nobles. (Yet despite all that, I betrayed this man¡­) Indeed, on the surface, for the reward of his service during the civil war, he was given the Wortenia territory and also a noble rank. However, Lupis herself knew that her act was actually out of fear towards the man in front of her. There was neither hospitality nor kindness when the Kingdom gave him the frontier territory, the without-revenue Wortenia peninsula. Such a thing was an open secret among the ruling class within the Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°Try to say it¡­¡± Lupis said those words while preparing herself. She had already made her decision. That was why she was planning on taking full responsibility. Lupis had decided to take any conditions for the sake of protecting her country. No matter how painful the requested terms were, she planned to accept it. Because there was no other way to protect the country. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª That night, Ryouma received a visit from Elena inside the room assigned to him. Sitting down on the sofa, the two gazed at each other. ¡°It was a quicker reunion than I thought¡­¡± Elena looked at Ryouma¡¯s face with a gentle smile on her face like a mother would. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m also feeling surprised by this situation.¡± The lamp placed on top of the table illuminates Elena¡¯s face. (She looked a little bit thinner since the last time I saw her.) While responding to Elena¡¯s talk lightly, Ryouma eyes were directed toward Elena¡¯s face. When he saw her during the audience, he did not notice it because of the distance, but it seemed like she had been working hard; she looked tired. ¡°Did my advice end up being a waste?¡± It was about the advice Ryouma told Elena before they parted ways over a year ago. ¡°Well, I can understand why you did that. I myself never thought the situation would deteriorate this much, to be honest¡­ At first, I wasnt sure how to say this to Elena-san¡­¡± Ryouma told her his thoughts without hiding anything. It was Ryouma who supported Elena in her current position, and in regards for giving the chance of performing pay-back revenge on Hodram and his family. It was inevitable for her to take some kind of responsibility despite the ship called the Rozeria Kingdom had almost sunk. Such thoughts appeared on the back of Ryouma¡¯s mind. ¡°As expected¡­ At that time, we should¡¯ve executed Gerhardt.¡± Ryouma shook his head towards Elena who uttered those words with a sigh. ¡°If I¡¯m to look at the current situation, even if we abandoned Mikhail and executed Gerhardt at that time, it would not have made much difference.¡± ¡°You mean that she is unqualified as a ruler?¡± Elena narrowed her eyes and looked at Ryouma¡¯s face. Those words can be regarded as slender towards the ruler. ¡°I won¡¯t say that she¡¯s disqualified, but it is true that she¡¯s not suitable for the job. Well, if she were to have someone capable who can be trusted to hold the real power, and she comes to be a symbolic existence, then results would have differed considerably.¡± Towards Ryoumas answer Elena¡¯s eyes lost its sharpness, and sadness begins to surface on her face. Regrets. That was what Elena felt. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­ Certainly, that would be best for this country and her highness Lupis too. If only, someone like you supported her¡­¡± It was a nonsense imagination. Although he had helped during the civil war, Ryouma was not a citizen of the Rozeria Kingdom. There was strong opposition from the aristocrats and senior knights in this country to give him more pedigrees. While they have their individual pride as nobles and knights, they all have a similar high-handed thought pattern when it comes to commoners. Nevertheless, if he was a Rozeria citizen, they would have consented. Even if they did so reluctantly. However, Ryouma was different. Not only was he not a citizen of Rozeria Kingdom, he was also a mercenary with a dubious background. The reason why they accepted Ryouma as a noble with a baron rank, was because it had been done for the purpose of keeping the troublesome person away until it died, it was a story that no one was going to question loudly. The Wortenia peninsula was also a special territory, that was why everyone accepted it to be given to him. Had it been a normal circumstance, such a thing would be impossible. Being thrown into such territory, Mikoshiba Ryouma would not be able to engage in the country¡¯s administration. Of course, Elena was also a commoner, but in her case, she was given her current position because of the achievements she had gained over many years while also being the citizen of the country. The nickname she had also spread to the surrounding countries and became some kind of national pride. Her situation was far too different compared to Ryouma. And the biggest reason was that Lupis herself pushed Ryouma away. With all those conditions, Elena¡¯s dream was a dream that could not exist. But still, Elena felt regrettable. ¡®If only¡­¡¯ Such words binded Elena¡¯s heart. ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave such story aside¡­¡± Elena tightens her expression while she looked at Ryouma. An assumption was no more than a hypothesis after all. No matter how much she regrets it, the situation won¡¯t change. (Right now, there¡¯s no other choice but to do what I can¡­) Indeed, she was right, because right now, another nation had begun to bare its fangs towards the Rozeria Kingdom. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 109 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 9 Chapter 4 Episode 9 Editor:Starbuck11 Night, 14th Day, 11th Month, the Year 2813. ¡°Well then? Why did you want those kind of terms?¡± It was about the terms Ryouma had demanded during the meeting this noon. Lupis had accepted all of them. It was natural for Lupis to do that because of how she was cornered and also of the urgency. It can be seen from how Lupis accepted Ryouma¡¯s demand promptly without going to go through a meeting with the ministries. Well, it was also true that Ryouma had kept the terms and conditions at a minimum so that it could be decided promptly, but the other side did not know that. ¡°Are you suspicious of me, Elena-san ?¡± Toward Elena¡¯s question, Ryouma answered with a smile on his face. Looking at his face, one can easily say that he had ulterior motives. However, Elena had her own convictions. ¡°Suspicion? There¡¯s no such a thing. You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Towards Elena who spoke with such assertions, Ryouma could not hide his surprise. ¡°You said you don¡¯t have any suspicion, but still you are asking me that kind of question?¡± It was a natural objection on his part. It would have been natural if she asked because she was suspicious of something, but to enquire something yet said not feeling suspicious, it was expected for Ryouma to doubt her. However, Elena¡¯s facial expression did not change. ¡°Ryouma-kun¡­ What are you planning?¡± Her eyes were serious, there were no fluctuations that could be seen from it. ¨C He was convinced that Elena wouldnt pull back if he didn¡¯t give her a satisfying answer. (Geez¡­ Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped for Elena to be like this, huh?) A bitter smile appeared unintentionally on Ryouma¡¯s face. It was not like he had an ulterior motive or anything like that. He had done so to increase the chance of winning even if it was just a little. Since in a battlefield, he would be dead if he did not do his best. And with the current army Ryouma had, he won¡¯t be able to influence the battlefield very much. How can hundreds of troops influence a battlefield where countries collide. What it can do was only to deal a death blow if there were some gap. That was what he was in the process of doing. The protagonists in this war would be the knight order led by Elena and the reinforcements from the Mist Kingdom It was also true that he did so he could lessen the burden Elena had carried. However, he could only provide a little advantage for them. It was a cheap price despite the advantages they get. (I guess I have no choice. It would be tasteless of me if I make Elena feel suspicious here¡­) Ryouma quietly thought of that and heave a sigh. ¡°Is this about the matter of war funds?¡± He had asked the permission to migrate homeless people from the royal capital and the surrounding territory, as well as one month time period to prepare for participating in the reinforcement. The emigration of engineers seemed to be a little of a bottleneck, but even that much won¡¯t cause too much noise. The departure of engineers might cause the security of the kingdom to worsen but it was not something to be too concerned about, and even the time needed for Ryouma to prepare for the reinforcement was especially short, which can only be regarded as a good news. Which only left one problem that concerned Elena, it was about the 50 million baht he had demanded Lupis to give him as war funds. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re going to prepare the war supplies by yourself?¡± Elena directed her investigative eyes toward Ryouma. The amount of war funds was unnaturally too small. Elena understood that Ryouma needed funds for the development of the Wortenia peninsula, but it would have been good if he had said so honestly. Everyone knew that the order for reinforcement was unreasonable. And nobody would have complained if Ryouma asked aid for the peninsula development in exchange for his participation. There was no need for him to name it war funds in this kind of situation. ¡°Well sure I wanted to do that, but after I saw the condition of the royal capital, I¡¯m not sure if I should¡¯ve asked that¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°It means just like what I said. Her Majesty does not seem to be able to control the kingdom. I guess she is already on her knees? That is why, I don¡¯t think she would be able to manage the supply when the country is under such conditions, no?¡± Towards Ryouma¡¯s explanation, Elena¡¯s face grew stiff. ¡°Although all of this was not because of her direct fault either, but well¡­¡± Towards Ryouma who ends his words with a chuckle while shrugging his shoulders, Elena felt a cold chill run down her spine. (This kid¡­ He is capable of grasping the conditions of the kingdom just by looking at the situation in the royal capital?) Certainly, Lupis reforms had never been successful. Or rather, it can be said that she had faced much frustrations. Originally, Lupis was someone who led the knight order she had minimal contact with bureaucrats and nobles. As a result, when Lupis centralized the power within the throne, it caused a big opposition from the bureaucrats and aristocrats due to the limitation it had imposed on their power. In their eyes, a political neophyte had invaded their territory using the throne as an excuse. That was the image the aristocrats had towards Lupis. Had Gerhardt ended up dead, they might have given up, but Gerhardt who managed to establish connections and backing with the royal family thanks to Ladine, despite having his rank demoted into a viscount, is now stronger in terms of political power. Although the ministerial level had been changed. Despite having Earl Bergston and Zereff, nobles who were bystanders and had nothing to do with Gerhardt, taking the office. The lower bureaucrats had been serving Gerhardt from the time he held the real power. With them being uncooperative, the nation could not move well. The truth was that since it had been decided they would send reinforcements, the order to gather supply such as weapons and foods had been released, yet they only managed to assemble two-thirds of the intended amount. Of course, the reinforcement party can get supplies from the Zalda Kingdom, but they could not let everything be done by Zalda either. Since Ryouma and the others would go as reinforcements, they could not loot the Zalda Kingdom territory either, thus it was natural for him and the others to prepare some amount themselves. All that being said, Mist Kingdom as well, behind their majestic knight orders, they also brought a lot of supplies. Not only medical and food supplies, they also brought with them spare armors, weapons, and horses. ¨C ¡°Ryouma-kun¡­ You¡¯re¡­¡± Elena was at a loss for words. The young man in front of her, despite being young already knew this much about the military. An army was equal to a huge monster. It was a beast that produces nothing, only eating a huge amount of supplies. And when such supplies run short, the creatures called troops would begin to desert. However, few people understood that basic principle. Even in the military personnel, other than some senior officers, most of them could not grasp such concept. But even with his answer, another question appeared inside Elena¡¯s mind. (This boy¡­ From where the hell was he going to procure the supplies then?) Certainly, supplies were important. Therefore, she understood why he had asked the war funds. But, no matter how much money one possessed, there were no points unless one finds someone to sell the goods. And the number of goods the military needed was always beyond comprehension. One knight order led by Elena, and the hundreds of soldiers led by Ryouma. Although the number was less than three thousand, they still could not gather the supplies needed for them from a small shop in the city. It was usually handled by a firm that was used to huge procurements, but those firms would not easily take an order from a first-time customer. If there were no arrangements beforehand, those firms wouldnt undertake the contract. That was because such huge procurement carried a high risk when it failed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. To be honest, I¡¯ve already made the arrangements. We can pay the money afterwards.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ryouma speak of Elena¡¯s worries as if it was nothing big. ¡°I¡¯ve already talked with a firm from Epiroz city. Well, in that regard, I was lucky. Anyway, in short, we already secured the supplies for the next six months.¡± ¡°I see, so that was why you only need one month¡­¡± The young man with a gentle smile on his face had come to the royal capital with all preparations in mind. One could easily see that he had already thought of the possibility of being called beforehand. By Ryouma¡¯s own free will, he was actually going to help the kingdom. In itself that was something to be happy about. But, considering his past actions, such a thing was incredibly unlikely to happen. (From when did he¡­ No, that is wrong¡­ The right one would be, what does he do all of this for?) Elena did not ask Ryouma the question that appeared inside her heart. Because she felt everything would collapse the moment she asked the question. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 110 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 10 Chapter 4 Episode 10 Editor:Starbuck11 Noon, 17th Day, 12 Month, the Year 2813. A group of soldiers camped in the plain on the outskirts of Epiroz. The soldiers numbered around 300 people. In addition, approximately around 100 men in poor clothes sat down on the ground. The soldiers who wore black leather armor gave sharp eyes toward the surroundings that did not match the young face they had. A fluttering flag with a black background raised in the campsite, was blown by the wind. The design on the surface of the flag was a double-edged sword with two snakes coiling around it. The red eyes of those snakes gave off a mysterious light. The flag that was swayed by the wind felt very intimidating to the surroundings. But, everyone in the camp was very proud of that flag. The sword symbolized power. And the two snakes , that twined around the sword symbolized stratagem and political maneuvering. That design was the exact embodiment of their master, it was also a testimony to the new country that they had built together with their own hands. ¡°Salted Fish, forty barrels.¡± ¡°Dried Dates, fifty barrels.¡± ¡°Dried pig meat, fifty barrels.¡± Voices of soldiers could be heard in sequences near the wagon that had been brought to the campsite. ¡°It might be a hassle, but please open the lid and check the contents one by one.¡± After the soldiers received Laura¡¯s instruction, they began working once again. At the same time, confirming the soldiers¡¯ words, a good-looking merchant checked the parchments in his hand in a hurry. ¡°I guess this is everything¡­ Geez, Earl Salzbergs recommendation aside, it was truly hard to gather this amount with such a short-time notice, you know?¡± Having finished to check all the goods, the merchant greatly sighed. Ten wagons of goods were brought by this merchant to the campsite. They then began checking the goods one by one matching the register. It was natural for him that fatigue could be seen from his expression. Still, after two hours of work, a smile finally appeared on his whole face. ¡°I did add an extra payment because of that, no? And in addition to that, isn¡¯t this all being sold above the market price?¡± Laura turned her cold eyes toward the merchant who complained while he kept his eyes on the parchments. As a result of the inspection, there were no problems when it came to the number of items or their quality, but the amount in the invoice delivered to Laura was too high. As a matter of fact, the merchants were enthusiastic about todays business, because their opponents were someone unprepared. That also showed how experienced they were when it came to negotiation with an unskillful noble. They aimed at such opportunities with eagle eyes, just so they could increase the profits even a tiny bit more. Even in front of Laura, the merchant continued showing a good smile while looking at the parchments in his hands. She could not let her guard down just because the good-looking merchant appeared to be a sincere man. ¡°Please don¡¯t joke like that. These all are the same prices Earl Salzberg usually pay us¡­¡± The merchant protested while looking vexed. Mentioning the Earl¡¯s name here showed how sly this merchant was. Certainly, once he had mentioned the Earl¡¯s name, the aristocrats who had ranks below him wouldnt be able to protest. They won¡¯t be able to protest because the aristocrats with lower ranks did not want the Earl to have a bad impression toward them. Thus such fear caused them to be unable to protest against the merchant. The goods brought by this man were food that could be preserved, such as dried meat and fish. Although it was true that the items were hard to gather because they were items that are consumed on a daily basis by ordinary people, but in much greater quantity, Laura still could not accept the amount in the invoice that the merchant just gave her. Because it was a little bit of an unreasonable demand, Ryouma had already told Laura to pay silently if it was 10% higher than the market prices, but as expected, a 30% increase was too much. Ryouma had conducted a market survey in advance and honestly bought some from the smaller shops who dealt with the household. Thus, he could easily determine the appropriate prices for all the items. Ryouma was not naive enough to easily accept the merchant¡¯s words. ¨C ¡°Is that so? Then you can take all of this back. We can just purchase the goods from another company.¡± Laura told the merchant to take the goods back home without hesitation. Ryouma certainly needed supplies, but there was still a limit to everything. This was one of those things where he could not compromise with. ¡°Wha?! That would be unreasonable. We had arranged the items despite them being impossible to gather, only because of the Earl¡¯s recommendation. If we bring them all back home like this¡­ your relationship with the Earl would turn bad, you know?¡± The merchant seemed to have seen Laura as a naive girl. He threatened her while mentioning the Earl¡¯s name. Indeed, this method would have been effective if it was the usual, but right now, he will regret his own words. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What ?!¡± After the merchant said those words, Earl Salzberg appeared while being protected by his guards. One could guess that he had arrived since a while ago. The merchant¡¯s mouth trembled looking at him. ¡°Oh my, Earl Salzberg-sama. pardon my rudeness, welcome to our camp.¡± Laura showed respect for the Earl with a perfect movement. ¡°Umu. Since Mikoshiba-dono is going for an expedition, I¡¯m thinking of saying goodbye personally. I did not send a messenger beforehand, but is the time alright?¡± With a happy smile on his face, Earl Salzberg asked Laura. ¡°Although we¡¯re busy preparing everything, toward the Earl who gave us consideration in various things, how can we say no?¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, please guide me.¡± After saying that, The Earl directed his eyes toward the merchant. ¡°You¡¯re one from Rafiel firm right?¡± Earl Salzberg didn¡¯t particularly raised his voice, but the merchants expression changed as if he was sentenced to death. It was the words of a feudal lord who also married the daughter of a firms chairman and had Epiroz business alliance within his grasp. For this merchant, the Earl¡¯s words were equal to that of an oracle from God. ¡°Mikoshiba-dono worked hard for the sake of the Rozeria Kingdom. How about you think about that a little?¡± The Earl himself did not order the merchant to do something in particular. However, the merchant was not a fool and he knew the real meaning behind the Earl¡¯s words. ¡°O-Oh, it was very rude of me. It seems like we¡¯ve made some mistake here¡­¡± The merchant did not say anything about giving a discount openly, but it was obvious that he was going to do just so. And Earl Salzberg didn¡¯t say anything more. Since the merchant seemed to understand what his words meant. ¡°Umu, I¡¯ve forced an unreasonable demand to the association, but this is all for the sake of the country. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for my mistake. We will redo the calculation immediately.¡± Perhaps after the calculation being redone a few more times, he was going to make an excuse that there was some mistakes in the previous estimate. (That was bad luck for him.) While she laughed within her heart, Laura gazed at the merchant who began checking the goods with sweat on his face. In her eyes, because the merchants wanted more profits he ended up giving a discount instead. Well, since it was also impossible to predict that the Earl was going to show up, it was more than appropriate for him to curse his own luck for this incident. ¡°Well then, shall we go?¡± Earl Salzberg then urged Laura to guide him as if nothing had happened. ¨C Of course, in actuality, for the Earl this was an insignificant accident. Because it was just about a greedy merchant being reproved. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re too good of a person. No matter how much she implored you to do, to think she asked you to participate in the reinforcement mission. That was very unreasonable of her.¡± As soon as Earl Salzberg entered the tent where Ryouma was staying, he immediately spoke those words while smirking. Hearing his voice and looking at that expression, it was not really a sarcasm on his part. His behavior gave off a feeling like a friend who spoke of abusive language directed at his friend. ¡°It has been a while. Earl Salzberg. Thank you for your assistance for this time¡­¡± Immediately after Ryouma gestured Laura to leave, he greeted the Earl without showing any surprise. ¨C ¡°Well, a dull greeting is good too. Since you¡¯ve made me gain a lot of money this time.¡± The Earl stopped Ryouma who was about to lower his head, and in a good mood Earl Salzberg immediately sat down on a nearby chair. ¡°There is no such a thing. Thanks to Your Excellency, we have gathered enough of the goods that we need.¡± ¡°Good then. From now on, let¡¯s work together for our mutual benefits.¡± Looking at Ryouma who lowered his head in agreement, Earl Salzberg had a satisfying smile on his face. ¨C Well, that would be natural on his part. Since just merely by having the Mistel firm chairman as his father-in-law, he had managed to make the business alliance to guarantee the number of goods Ryouma needed. The Earl didn¡¯t need to sweat to do it. At the same time, as an intermediary for the purchase, he had received mediation fee from Ryouma, and the numbers were not that bad either. ¨C Plus, he also should have gotten some kind of rewards from the firms¡¯ side as well. It was unknown as to how much Earl Salzberg made money out of this trade, but it should not be lower than one million baht. Having Ryouma bringing that much profits for the Earl, he had no intentions of asking Ryouma to show his gratitude toward himself. As for Ryouma, he precisely knew what kind of human being the Earl was. Human beings such as the Earl didn¡¯t like to act as if he owed a favor. On the other hand, due to his pride, he will also guarantee a proper return if the other side had taken a respectful approach. The important thing here was not to harm the opponent¡¯s pride. ¡°By the way, was Elena Steiner already heading toward the Zalda Kingdom?¡± With the atmosphere relaxed, Earl Salzberg began to talk about the upcoming war Because he was originally a military man, he seemed to be more interested in the reinforcement mission. ¡°Indeed, it would make Zalda and Mist Kingdoms have a bad impression if we delay the reinforcements much longer.¡± Of course, it was not a good reason. But if Rozeria had delayed much longer, Mist Kingdom would declare war against the Rozeria Kingdom because of it. ¡°Well, that would be obvious. For the Mist Kingdom, the Zalda Kingdom is an important shield after all. I can even say that the Mist Kingdom has quite the patience for waiting for over a year like that.¡± ¡°Well, they must already know the situation within the Rozeria Kingdom. I can see that they don¡¯t want to pass through Rozeria in a situation where her majesty can¡¯t keep the nobles under control.¡± ¡°Even if they don¡¯t know that, they must have expected the expedition would be difficult if they had to go through an unstable country after all¡­¡± It was fairly difficult for any country to perform a military expedition. Even just keeping the morale of the soldiers who have to live far from their country was very hard Furthermore, they also needed to procure supplies. And also many other concerns that needed to be addressed. If there was an unstable country where the expedition needed to pass through on top of that, it would be difficult for them to decide whether or not to execute the expedition. ¡°So, what will you do from here on?¡± ¡°We will go west from Epiroz and enter the Zalda territory. Afterwards, we will go south and join with Elena at Zalda¡¯s capital city Periveria.¡± ¡°I guess, that is a good choice¡­ Afterwards, everything depends on your luck huh?¡± Ryouma answered the Earl¡¯s words who felt like a tease with a silence. There was nothing for him to say. A lucky man would survive, and an unlucky man would die. No matter the world, that had not changed. After the talk, Earl Salzberg who was about to leave with his escort guards turned his eyes toward the flag with a black background. (Fumu¡­ A sword entwined by snakes huh?¡­ That design really suits that man.) At least, the snakes certainly represented that man accurately. (I have no intention of following his schemes but, well, I wonder whats going to happen next.) He did not trust Ryouma in particular. However, because Ryouma had given him an advantage, he ended up lending his power a little. Although they spoke to each other like a friend would do, that was only on the surface. And both of them understood that. (If that man can save Zalda, then good. If he fails then at that time we just have to negotiate with the Ortomea Empire together along the other northern aristocrats.) They were many ways for the nobles to survive if they didn¡¯t stick with the survival of their nations. However, it did not meant that they didn¡¯t have any wish of invading Ortomea Empire either. But, the war cost money. Even if you did not get involved with it directly. (I can see that mans intelligence being represented by the snakes¡­ So the sword would be power then? I guess, whether this flag ends up as the truth or just a bluff, it would be a sight worthy to be witnessed.) A cold smile appeared on the Earl¡¯s face. ¨C It was the appearance of a man looking down on someone in a grand manner. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 111 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 11 Chapter 4 Episode 11 Editor: Starbuck11 Evening, 22th Day, 12 Month, the Year 2813. Soldiers wearing all-black armor made a long formation and headed toward the south. Wagons filled with supplies followed behind them. With a red sunset behind them, they looked like evil spirits that had just came out from the depths of hell. ¡°Oi! Which noble do those soldiers belong to?¡± A middle-aged man looked toward the highway while he was plowing his field to create ridge plants, and asked his wife who was helping him nearby. Although the reason why he asked the question to his wife was just so he could take a little breather. The man rubbed his palm, which began to feel numb and turned his eyes toward the highway once again. In his eyes, unspeakable hatred could be seen. (No matter what time, what day, every time, it¡¯s always war, war, and war. Geez, even though we don¡¯t want to have anything to do with the aristocracy¡­) Living had become harder and harder every day for the man. For ordinary commoners, they did not care who they paid their taxes to. Eventually, they only wanted to be guaranteed a stable life and security. Right now, the Zalda Kingdom was being attacked by Ortomea Empire and was in danger of falling. Fortunately, the people who lived in the northeastern part of the Zalda Kingdom were still able to live in peace, although the sparks of the war could already be felt in some areas. Moreover, while the northeastern part of the kingdom had literally escaped the flames of war, it did not meant they were not being affected by it either. Domestic prices had been rising since last year, and under the pretext of defending the nation, the feudal lords had been raising the taxation temporarily. Which meant, life had just become harder. (But well, compared to the others, I guess I¡¯m still well off huh?¡­) The man had his own house and land. All he had to do was just to pay taxes to the feudal lord. Compared with the people who borrowed a land from some landlords, they have to pay the landlord and also the taxes to the feudal lord separately. Inside the man¡¯s mind, the neighbour who had sold their own daughter to the slave merchant just to help pay taxes came to mind. (That girl, she should be around 8 years or so, right?¡­ Damn it.) She was a cute little girl with clear blue eyes and brown hair. Their parents also loved her. ¨C That was why that child should not have ended up being sold to the slave merchant. (Fuck, I hope this all end soon. After all, we have nothing to do with all of those wars.) He thought that if in the end they were going to lose, then quickly lose instead. Since because the country had resisted for too long, the war expenses had swollen, and the side effects were being forced on the ordinary people. Although, he thought that, it didn¡¯t meant that he did not think logically. He thought that because he hated the taxes. ¡°Ha? What are you saying? Stop slacking around and start working!¡± The wife raised her voice after noticing that her husband had stopped plowing. She was a strong-minded wife. Which made her the type of woman who put her husband on a short leash. However, although she said those words toward her husband, she still looked at the highway. ¡°What is that¡­ Such unpleasant soldiers¡­¡± All black. From a distance, the soldiers looked all black from the top of their heads to their toes. ¡°Right, do you know where they come from?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such soldiers before.¡± ¡°I agree, I¡¯ve never seen such soldiers either. I guess those soldiers are not from the nobles in the vicinity.¡± The man murmured those words adding to his wifes answer while silently feeling a shiver down his spine. ¨C It was rare to see an army which had such huge characteristics. Although the numbers were not that much, it was rare for an aristocrat who made their soldiers wore the same armor with the same color. Usually the ones who did that kind of thing to their soldiers, were those from the royal family to their royal guards. ¡°Also, that flag¡­¡± ¡°Are those snakes? Those red eyes really give off an unpleasant feeling¡­¡± A flag with a black background fluttered in the wind. A sword that was being entwined by two golden snakes were sewn on it. It was a fairly unique design for a flag. And at the same time, it was a flag which left a huge impression and was not easy to forget. ¡°Dear¡­ How about you contact the village chief and the feudal lord?¡± Her eyes were shaking as she told her husband so. ¡°The village chief¡­¡± Certainly, his wife¡¯s words were right. Although right now they still managed to escape from a direct war,the Zalda Kingdom that they belonged to was still in the middle of a war. It was dangerous to leave alone a military from an unknown origin marching inside the kingdom¡¯s territory. ¡°And if those soldiers pillage the village then¡­¡± The man hold his breath after he heard his wife¡¯s words. Because those words were things he didn¡¯t want to hear right now. Fire set ablaze. A village full of smoke. River dyed red from the dead villagers. And lastly, women and children being sold into slavery. (Damn it! The battlefield should be in the west! Why are they in this kind of place instead?!) The homeless citizens who escaped the war had flowed into that village, and depended on several families or relatives. From their stories, the war should have broken out near their border with Ortomea Empire, located southwest of their kingdom. The villagers obtained that news recently, thus it was impossible for the enemy soldiers to appear in this northeast highway. However, the scene that happened in front of them was not a dream either. ¡°We should go to the village chief immediately to deliver the news¡­¡± Grabbing the trembling hands of his wife, he threw his farm tools away and began running toward the village chiefs house. He should be able to arrive there faster if he walked through the fields Although he had accidentally stepped on the ridge plants he had created earlier, such a matter was something trivial right now. They should be able to hide safely if it was only two people, but they felt concerned about the village where they had lived. As someone who lived in the same village, villagers thought of each others as a family. The man began raising his speed while pulling his wife¡¯s hand. ¨C ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­ The farmers¡­¡± Laura, while riding her horse, pointed her finger in a certain direction. Her finger was directed toward the farmers who previously escaped while trampling their own field. (Geez, those fields ended up getting damaged. Why do they always end up running away, despite the fact that we are reinforcements from a friendly nation¡­) Ryouma heaved a sigh after he had seen these scenes far too many times since he left Epiroz. ¡°Right, we should not mind them¡­ But then, it would be unbearable if we ended up being mistaken as an enemy again¡­¡± Though they were just farmers, if they had raised their hoes and rushed to attack, they could still be a considerable threat. Although soldiers won¡¯t lose against them, some damage would¡¯ve still occurred. But even if the farmers attacked, as soldiers who had come for the purpose of reinforcement, they could not attack back, or if they did that, then they would lose their sense of purpose for being there. Because of these problems Ryouma even forgot the pain on his butt from having been sitting on a horse for too long. He did not expect the villagers to welcome them, but at least he wanted the villagers to think about his feelings for a bit. Or at the very least, when a soldier approached them to inform that an army was going to pass by, he hoped that those farmers won¡¯t run away instead. Furthermore, if Ryouma wanted to pass through by dividing his soldiers into small numbers, there was also a chance that his soldiers might end up getting picked apart and destroyed. Certainly, the northeast area of the Zalda Kingdom was still relatively safe, but one couldn¡¯t really predict what may happen in a war. A few days ago, some feudal lords were almost at the point of taking up arms by creating a mixed army. The feudal lords seemed to have misunderstood Ryouma army as enemy soldiers who came to loot their territory. Ryouma, fortunately, managed to solve the misunderstanding before a disaster could happen, but honestly, he was worried about the situation. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± ¡°Based on the distance, we are ten days away from reaching the destination¡­ but¡­¡± It was regarding the time needed to travel to Zalda¡¯s capital city, Periveria. The map borrowed from Elena was for military purpose, thus it was very highly accurate. But of course, because there were no satellites here, it was only accurate when it came to this world standard, and was remarkably different compared to the ones used in the private sector. While riding the horse, Laura¡¯s expression turned cloudy when she opened the map. ¨C ¡°From here on out until we arrive at the royal capital, we will pass through the weak and small nobles territories.¡± ¡°That means, there¡¯s a chance that our communication will be cut off huh?¡± Responding to Laura¡¯s words, Ryouma frowned. Due to the incident the other days, Ryouma had sent messengers to deliver the news that they were reinforcements from the Rozeria Kingdom, but because the situation was as it is during a wartime, the information did not reach some nobles. And mostly it happened with the small nobles. These nobles mostly had territory located in a rural area which was far from the highway. Five days had passed since Ryouma left Epiroz city. If he tried to calculate, he had already traveled around 200 kilometers. It was kind of a forced march since Ryouma and his troops had to travel 40 kilometers per day. At a speed of 4 kilometers per hour. With infantrymen walking in a formation, and the logistical troops dealing with the supplies at the back. Their marching speed was considerably fast. But then again, they had come to reinforce the Zalda Kingdom, it would be Ryouma¡¯s loss if they ended up being misunderstood as an enemy and lost some soldiers. ¡°I guess we have no choice¡­ Let¡¯s send cavalry to chase after them. Listen alright, absolutely, do not hurt them.¡± He had come this far, thus he could not afford any strange troubles. Receiving Ryouma¡¯s command, several cavalry knights chased after the people who ran away. (Maybe, it would have been better for us to go with Elena back then¡­) In her case, she could just dispatch an advanced troop to inform the villages and towns to avoid the confusion. That worked well because she had her own fame. That was why it was also natural for the villagers to think Ryouma was an enemy if his all-black army passed through without any warning. He had only one letter written by Lupis as an identification. And it had only a limited usefulness. (Honestly, this is going to be hard¡­) Ryouma lamented his situation once again, then he heaved another sigh. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 112 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 12 Chapter 4 Episode 12 Editor:Starbuck11, Key, Kev. Morning, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814. ¡°Baron-sama, we can finally see it. That is the city of Periveria.¡± Following the direction the village girl had pointed, Ryouma saw a grey dot across the plains. As the group exited the highway, the outline of the grey dot become clear. It was a solid fortified city surrounded by high walls. Although it was the same fortified city just like Epiroz, the scale was on a completely different level. ¡°Ah! Father.¡± The village girl who saw her father waiting for her near the city¡¯s gate looked happy. They both had been separated for a few days, which made her behavior seemed natural, but Ryouma could not help but smiled bitterly. After all, the village girl who was supposedly already an adult, reacted rather childishly. (I did pay attention to her carefully. But well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­) It seemed that the Marfisto sisters, who rode beside Ryouma also felt the same way. They felt that perhaps the behavior of the village girl was a sign of anxiety and fear. For some money, they took the job of guiding Ryouma and the others toward Periveria city, and for them these past few days must have been quite intense. By accepting a job from an army of another country, it could be said that they had taken a gamble, although they did it because of the taxation starting to kill them. And even if they took the job because Ryouma told them that they were reinforcements from Rozeria, they still did not know if it was true or not. And what if Ryouma was an enemy of the country disguised as a friend ? If that happened, the villagers would have been executed as traitors toward the motherland. Even if they insisted that they had been deceived, they would probably be ignored. Since it would have been easier for the government to execute them to make an example. And to make the commoners stay in place. In any case, their lives were at stake. Even though the villagers did not realize it, they still instinctively felt it. Nevertheless, taking the job from Ryouma was nothing more than putting the villagers in a danger. Now when the distance between Ryouma and the welcoming party became shorter, the figures who welcomed them came into view, and Ryouma noticed that some of them frowned their eyebrows. A frightened expression was engraved on the face of the village girl¡¯s father. Probably noticing her father¡¯s expression. Grief can be seen on the village girl¡¯s face as well. (Oho? It seems there¡¯s some misunderstanding huh?) Had the village girl¡¯s father been chased by the enemy¡¯s soldiers, then he wouldnt be standing there. Furthermore, there were armored knights following behind him. (They are Zalda Kingdom¡¯s knight, no? Why does he looked frightened like that?) ¡°Ryouma-sama¡­¡± Ryouma put his hand on Sara¡¯s head who looked anxious, and he showed his usual smile. ¡°It will be fine. Both of you wait here¡­ Understood?¡± ¡°Please be careful¡­¡± After nodding his head in response to Laura¡¯s words, Ryouma stopped his army and proceeded alone toward the Zalda knights. After all, if both sides could not grasp the situation, it would be hard to shake hands¡­ The Zalda Kingdom¡¯s knights then split to the sides, and a single knight approached Ryouma while bringing some escort. Looking at the knight¡¯s helmet, that person seemed to be a high ranking one. And beside him, the knights who guarded him as escorts also wore good equipment. (Is he a leader of a knight order? Which means, he is a general huh?) Ryouma eyes narrowed. (Why did they bother to send a high ranking person just for this? Is this because of how much they had been cornered?) ¡°Are you the reinforcements from Rozeria?¡± As soon as he closed the distance with Ryouma, the man who seemed to have a high ranking position turned his sharp eyes toward Ryouma and asked him the question. For someone who met each other for the first time, the mans etiquette was kind of lacking. Or at least, that was not an attitude one should show toward the reinforcements that had come to help. However, Ryouma quickly lowered his head without showing any anger. ¡°I¡¯m a Baron of Rozeria Kingdom, my name is Mikoshiba Ryouma. To help in the fight against the crisis that your country currently face, Queen Lupis of Rozeria has dispatched me as part of a reinforcement mission. I would like an audience with Zalda Kingdom¡¯s King, Julianus the First, would you inform them?¡± Ryoumas etiquette was perfect. Given that he was a nobleman, his attitude could be said as good. But, even after Ryouma showed his courtesy, the man in front of him seemed like he didn¡¯t care at all. After he handed over his helmet to one of his men, he turned his sharp gaze toward the direction behind Ryouma. He was a man with a short blonde hair and at the prime of his life, If one had to guess his age, it would have been around the early forties. Although it was a bit vague because he was riding a horse, he seemed to have a large body built. A man with thick muscles around his body. One might actually say that he looked more like a gorilla than a person. ¡°Fuuh¡­ It seems you have less than five hundred with you? What can you do with that small number?¡± Words filled with sharp ridicule came out from the man. It was great that he was a man that was able to guess the number of soldiers with just a quick glance, but his high-handed attitude spoiled everything. The impression he gave made Ryouma not want to get involved with him too much. ¡°Does your Queen, Lupis, want to forsake the Kingdom of Zalda? We¡¯ve sent a lot of reinforcement requests, which ended up being ignored, and now finally, she does send reinforcements, yet the one who came was someone who had retired from the military a long time ago, and a young man who does not know anything. Is she unable to understand the situation properly?¡± The man seemed to have no intention of maintaining appearances. If Mikhail or Meltina heard those words, there would have been an instant war between the Zalda Kingdom and the Rozeria Kingdom. Since the man¡¯s words had insulted Lupis too much. But for Ryouma who had little to no respect for the Rozeria Kingdom and Lupis, the mans provocation was meaningless. ¡°As you have guessed, the number of soldiers that I had brought is around 300, and the people who manage the supplies are around 150 people. It is wonderful that you have such keen eyes¡­ You seem to be a high ranking person, but if I may, please do tell me your name?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to protect your pride or are you saying that you don¡¯t care about what I¡¯ve said?¡± Towards Ryouma who did not show any reaction, the man showed an amazed expression. (As if I would expose my emotions in public!) Ryouma silently ridiculed the man¡¯s provocation inside his mind It was important to hide one¡¯s feelings from one¡¯s opponent. For the purpose of hiding one¡¯s true intention. That was an important truth Mikoshiba Ryouma had experienced when he was young. And that truth he had realized during his social life also had value for warfare. ¡°It is a fact that our country could not reply to your request for a reinforcement a year ago. And it is also the truth that because of the situation in our country, which has not yet recovered,, we only managed to send 3000 soldiers, including the ones Elena-sama led. Thus it was natural for you to have such concerns ¡­ As for what we can do, we can only prove our ability on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Hoho, If those are your true feelings, then it is quite admirable.¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s words, the man seemed to have acknowledged his answer. Certainly listening to Ryouma¡¯s words, his words sounded smart. ¡°Very well¡­ Elena-dono has already participated in the war council. After you have an audience with his majesty, you also may participate in it as you are¡­¡± Ryouma was not really sure if the man had accepted his answer, but the mans expression had indeed become more relaxed. (It means that they have already made arrangements beforehand, huh? Which means that this man attitude earlier was just a test¡­ But well, even if it was not, in my eyes it is natural for them to feel concerned.) Perhaps, by suddenly insulting him, the man wanted to see Ryouma¡¯s attitude. And from the mans words it seemed that there was already a plan for Ryouma to have an audience with the King, it proved that the insult before was a test. ¡°Come to think of it, I have not yet introduced myself. I¡¯m Zalda Kingdom¡¯s royal guard leader Grahart Henschel. Pleased to meet you.¡± After he said those words, he turned his horse toward Periveria and began to walk away. (Now then, what is going to happen after this¡­) While staring at the back of Grahart, Ryouma took out the gold coin he had prepared. ¨C It was the payment for the villagers who rolled their eyes unable to grasp the situation. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 113 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 13 Chapter 4 Episode 13 Editors:Starbuck11, Key Afternoon, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814, Western Continent Calendar. Inside a room within the Periveria royal castle, a man and a woman were sitting face-to-face. One was an elderly woman with a gentle smile. Boasting unrivaled achievements and capability as a warrior, her atmosphere was relatively calm and warm. (No matter how much time had passed, this person never changes¡­) Grahart muttered such words inside his mind after looking at Elena¡¯s appearance when she carried the teacup and drank the tea elegantly. For Grahart the first time he saw [Rozeria¡¯s White Goddess of War] was when he had just enrolled in the knight order. Many of the knights from back then were fascinated by her friendly personality, but even when she had become old, her charm did not decline. Human beauty declines with age, but the appeal seemed to have been polished by the passing years. ¡°So? What do you think? What was your impression when you first met him?¡± Toward Grahart who was almost twelve years younger, Elena spoke to him with polite words. Gerhart himself felt disheartened with such an act because he also considered the difference in experience between the two, but he swallowed such thoughts and floated a bitter smile, since Elena wouldn¡¯t change the way she speaks even if he asked her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for betraying your expectations but, to be honest, I can¡¯t really tell.¡± Although he felt a little hesitation, Grahart talked as clearly as possible. ¡°Indeed, certainly he seems to have a strong self-control, but, the number of soldiers he leads is too small. Thus I do not think that he will affect the war situation too much¡­ Also¡­¡± Grahart stopped talking trying to think better words. ¡°Also, not only young, many of them are women¡­ am I right?¡± Listening to his words, Elena had an innocent smile like a child when their mischief succeeded. ¡°Did you see them already?¡± A surprised expression appeared on Garhart¡¯s face. ¡°No, I just saw them from afar a while ago.¡± ¡°A while ago is it?¡± Perhaps, she saw them from afar when Grahart met with Ryouma and escorted him to the capital. ¡°I do want to talk to that child before the audience this afternoon but¡­¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no other choice. Even his majesty has some great expectations for the reinforcements from Rozeria¡­ And if we let Mikoshiba-dono and Elena-sama meet first, we don¡¯t know what kind of movements those peace-seeking groups are going to make.¡± The situation Zalda was in was indeed bleak. Since a year ago, they had fought against the Ortomea Empire invasion. The national land was exhausted and the mood of desperation had started to spread even among the soldiers. Rural fields close to the frontlines were burned away, men in their prime were drafted as soldiers, and the remaining women and children could only move toward the neighboring urban areas. Furthermore, the number of people who couldnt receive sufficient protection from their lords and sold themselves as slaves had increased. The Zalda Kingdom national strength had begun to decline drastically. That was why, this was the last chance for the Zalda Kingdom. Now, with Rozeria and Mist Kingdom support, they had the chance to fight a decisive battle in a single strike. Of course, this was a gamble with the existence of a country as the piece, but this was a gamble that needed to be done. At least the men who wanted the survival of the Zalda Kingdom thought so. ¡°Grahart¡­ I understand your feelings, but you should not deny those people who seek peace, try to understand them alright?¡± Sensing Grahart who spoke with emotion when he mentioned the peace-seeking group, Elena spoke to him with a tone that was like a mother scolding her child. ¡°But still!¡± ¡°Listen alright? Those peace-seeking groups are not traitors. They just have their own way of thinking and try to make the best choice for this country and his majesty Julianus. Even though they choose a different way compared to the knights, what both of you are looking for is the same thing, no?¡± (Well, that is if they don¡¯t have any ill-will of course¡­) Such words crossed her mind, and Elena showed a bitter smile. After all, she knew that goodwill was the most dangerous poison a country could eat. Nevertheless, Grahart might seek his own justice if she did not try to put his mind back Unification of intention by force. It was not the best method nor correct choice, but that was the last resort after all other possibilities were exhausted. ¡°Of course¡­ For the survival of Zalda Kingdom.¡± Grahart who was unable to understand Elena¡¯s mind answered her with shaking voice. ¡°Some might choose the Zalda Kingdom to become part of the Ortomea Empire, as long as the Royal Family of Zalda survived¡­ Of course, the loss would be great but it is better than losing everything. Isn¡¯t it natural some people would think such a thing?¡± ¡°¡­ Does Elena-sama also think like that?¡± For him, Elena¡¯s words sounded like prophecy, and he heard something he did not want to hear, thus his expression was distorted in anguish. ¡°Do you think I came all the way here leading an army with such a thought in my mind?¡± The moment she said those words, the atmosphere inside the room froze. Her expression, nothing had changed. She just sat there smiling gently. However, Grahart body trembled in fear. ¡°I have said some foolish words¡­ I¡¯m very sorry.¡± She could not stay silent if the Zalda Kingdom was going to be absorbed by the Empire. If she did not think of at least that much, Elena Steiner wouldnt be here as a reinforcement. Although her expression did not change, her words had pressure enough to beat Grahart down. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a retired old lady after all. I can understand why you feel uneasy like that.¡± ¡°Were you listening to what I said?¡± It was the verbal abuse he had said to see Ryouma¡¯s true ability, Grahart never thought that the words he had said to Ryouma would¡¯ve reached Elena¡¯s ears. The air turned awkward just like when co-workers talked bad about their boss in a restroom and it turned out their boss was also inside the restroom. ¡°Indeed, even though I¡¯m old, my eyes and ears are still good you know?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t joke like that¡­¡± The eyes and ears Elena mentioned were possibly not about her physical condition. It was impossible for Elena to be in that place. Which meant, she had information sources within the Zalda Kingdom. (Such a terrifying woman¡­) Many people called Elena Steiner as the [Rozeria White Goddess of War], but her real ability was not about martial arts or strategies on the battlefield. No one knows how she did it, but she had the power to gather various information on the continent as if it was in the back of her hand. From such diverse information, she was capable of assembling her own hypothesis. Being able to tell the flow of a conflict, surely she was akin to a goddess of war on the battlefield. ¨C Grahart averted his gaze from Elena in shame, and he said¡­ ¡°Right, what I said was just a joke¡­¡± Hearing those words, Elena laughed while holding her mouth, she thought of Graharts attitude as something very funny. ¡°You have a bad taste¡­¡± ¡°If you are surprised with this much then you won¡¯t be able to control the reins of that child you know?¡± ¡°That much is it?¡± Grahart asked Elena while narrowed his eyes. He was not insensitive enough to not realize who ¡®that child¡¯ meant. ¡°Indeed, let me say this, he is like the wildest horse I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Wild horse is it?¡± ¡°Although with a head that is more like a snake or scorpion.¡± For someone who gave a review, Grahart felt her words were a great contradiction. ¨C A wild horse. Certainly, he understood that meaning. That meant Mikoshiba Ryouma physical strength was spectacular. Looking at his calm and good looking expression, Grahart could easily imagine he might change on the battlefield just like Elena. But, Grahart was unable to imagine Ryouma as a snake or a scorpion from the attitude and expression he had when they met. ¡°Grahart, do not underestimate that child. If you don¡¯t want to get eaten that is¡­¡± ¡°I wonder, are you trying to criticize him or praise him?¡± Elena¡¯s words sounded more like she was talking about an enemy general or some domestic political opponent. However, toward Graharts question Elena only shook her head in silence. ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Grahart. I trust that child, and that child also believes in me. However, Grahart, for that child you all are neither his enemy or friend yet. That is why do ask and seek help properly¡­ Before he thinks of you as an enemy and you get yourself robbed completely.¡± ¡°If that person really does have such power¡­ Certainly, at that time I will¡­¡± Silence dominated the room. ¡°That¡¯s fine, sooner or later, this country and you will understand¡­¡± Elena smiled gently. Thinking about the figure of that young poisonous snake and when he would show its fangs¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 114 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 14 Chapter 4 Episode 14 Editors: Starbuck11, Key, Kev Afternoon, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814. Tense air dominated the audience room. A red carpet spread from the door toward the throne and guards standing by on the sides without moving an inch. On the left and right side of the throne were military officers and civil servants. Many of the civil servants were aristocrats with high ranks. They wore silk with gold ink and plenty of silver thread as if symbolizing their power, large jewels that were on their bodies shining brilliantly. Still, maybe because of the noble blood in them, their appearance suited them well and didn¡¯t felt vulgar. And even though their country was in crisis, they still did their utmost to keep their appearances. The same could also be said for the military officers. Sure, they wore armor and carried a sword around their waist. However, because of the elaborate designs made by skilled craftsmen, it made it feel like an art piece rather than a weapon. (Well, their appearance would affect the morale of the soldiers if they appeared too shabby after all¡­ But, again, am I going to have an argument with these guys too?) While acknowledging the degree of their dressing, Ryouma sighs in his mind. Based on his experience after he was summoned to this world, the incompetents aside, those who wore luxurious clothes and had high positions were always a bad match for Ryouma. ¡°Please, come closer.¡± Whispered by the servant who was waiting on his side, Ryouma slowly began to move toward the throne. (These guys again¡­) During the audience, there were knights and aristocrats standing in line. They showed various emotions on their face. Joy, Expectation, Disappointment, Amazement, Ridicule. Roughly, these were the most common expressions amongst those people. In percentage, the expression of ridicule and disappointment were three times more in comparison to those who showed joy and expectation. (They feel disappointment because they really expected reinforcements yet the one who came was a young unnamed man huh?) Self-ridicule appeared inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. However, on the other hand, he also read the various informations he saw during the audience. (The numbers are¡­ more than I thought. The difference with back then, was that when it came to Lupis, it was about someone inheriting the throne and a guy with 30 years of experience in protecting the throne.) Although there were some similarities, the fact that people were here meant Julianus still had influence. If he was an immature monarch like Lupis, the nobles would run away to protect themselves. In fact that was what had happened with Lupis back then, in the beginning, no nobles gathered around Lupis. Many of the knights still followed her because they got their living salaries from her, whereas the nobility was a group with a strong sense of independence, possessing their own territory. Therefore, even though they would maintain the centralization with the King at the top during the peacetimes, once the situation turned south, and they doubted the kings ability to govern, they would run to protect themselves immediately. Given that possibility, the Zalda Kingdom Ryouma saw right now still had some promise. Of course, there would still be traitors, but in this situation, those people would lie in waiting and see how things evolved, which meant they still had an expectation that the Zalda Kingdom would survive. Albeit small, they still hadthe wish for the kingdom to survive. Because of those feeling, the noblemen were unable to leave the royal palace. But the moment they felt that there was no hope for the kingdom to survive,they would then run away to save themselves without minding the surrounding eyes. (To call this as the last opportunity for us to help is indeed right¡­ Was the one who predicted this Lupis, or Meltina? No, ironically there is the possibility that Earl Bergston might have been the one.) Although he was still unable to fully grasp the situation in his own country, he was able to grasp the neighboring countrys situation. Ryouma suppressed his laughter from such a contradiction. Meanwhile, Ryouma proceeded to the throne when he realized some cold emotions were directed to him. (This is¡­ rather than anger, thisis more like a murderous intent¡­) In order to find out who directed such a gaze, Ryouma turned his face to the direction where he felt the gaze from. (Those guys huh¡­ Somehow, I also hate them after seeingthem) On the corner near the throne, the owners of such gaze gathered. It was the first time Ryouma met all of them And from their gaze, he could felt not just a scorn or ridicule, but a darker and clear emotion. If one were to say it, that emotion was the one called hostility. They wore gorgeous clothes just like the others. Ryouma could tell from their dressing, that they had a high position. Thinking about their position, they must be considerably powerful. Although in reality, the status and power among them might not necessarily be equal. Some might be dukes but without power, while there might be a baron with power close to that of a king¡¯s second-in-command. However, the group that turned their hostility toward Ryouma seemed to have both status and power. (Che !¡­ This will be troublesome. Why won¡¯t everything just go smoothly¡­) Looking at the current situation and the one during the Rozeria civil war, Mikoshiba Ryouma seemed to have been destined to oppose those with power. (But still, that Gorilla is not there¡­ If I¡¯m not wrong, his name was Grahart¡­) Ryouma searched for Grahart appearance while swallowing his bad luck. It was his position that concerned Ryouma the most right now. Graharts standing position during the audience should clearly show his position in this situation. Ryouma could not find Graharts presence amongst the knights that were lined up. But when Ryouma directed his gaze toward the throne, he could see Grahart standing right at the left side of the throne. And despite standing by the King, he still wore armor in addition to carrying a sword around his waist. (Heee¡­. That old man, he seems to have the king¡¯s trust.) Graharts large build felt like a shield protecting the throne and the King. (If he is the close aide of the king, then¡­ His attitude during the first time we met, the possibility of that being suggested by another person is high¡­ But the problem is who? Although I cannot rule out the other possibility, the most suspicious one is Elena-san huh?) The closer one stands to the throne, the stronger their voice to the king and higher in status they become. However, the story would be different if one were to stand right next to the throne. To get that, one needed not only status and ability. It was necessary for the king to trust such person. The Royal Guards and the Chivalric Orders are the shields and swords of the King. But even so, if the King let one of them stand next to the throne while holding a sword, that meant the King trusted that person very much. In case of Queen Lupis, such positions were held by Meltina and Mikhail. And to send such a high standing man to welcome Ryouma. It was doubtful that King Julianus the First, knew about Mikoshiba Ryouma in detail. If there was such a minute intelligence network, then the Zalda Kingdom wouldnt have fallen into this kind of crisis. Which meant, someone had informed the king. Naturally, there was some kind of goal as well. (But still, even if it was Elena-san¡¯s idea, to have the magnanimity to accept such suggestion is a different matter¡­ Julianus the first huh? I hope I won¡¯t rub him the wrong way¡­) Ryouma kneeled in front of the throne while thinking of such a thing. He waited for the king to appear, while also thinking about a rumor that the king was someone mediocre. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°You¡¯ve come a long way¡­ It must have been hard.¡± A gentle voice came from above Ryouma¡¯s head who was kneeling in front of the throne. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°I see, you don¡¯t have to be that respectful to me. Please show me the face of Rozeria¡¯s proud young hero. Besides you¡¯re not a nobleman of Zalda. It would be good if you try to relax a little bit you know?¡± In response to such words, Ryouma raised his head, and he saw the figure of an old man with an abundant white beard sitting on the throne. He wore a red silk cloak and a crown featuring a brilliantly big shiny diamond on top of his head which proved the status of the old man. He had a gentle face with deep wrinkles. From his gaze wisdom and intelligence could be felt. His body was not that of a big build. Because of the way he sat on the throne, Ryouma could not find out the exact measurements. However, he was sure that the King had a medium size body. But even with that, the atmosphere around the old man was definitely the dignity of a ruler. It was the atmosphere of a ruler who had certain number of achievements and had survived after decades of ruling the country. He had an unique pressure coming from his body. (This is bad¡­ I heard the rumors that he was a mediocre king¡­ But it seems I cannot rely on those rumors¡­) Certainly, noticeable achievements could not be seen during the reign of Julianus the First. His evaluation was normal, or at least he didn¡¯t have a failing grade. However, by maintaining power during the war, that itself was a proof that he was no mediocre king. ¡°Umu, I heard the story from Elena but¡­ I see¡­¡± Julianus the First smiled gently toward Ryouma. (So I was right, it was Elena-san¡­) From the king, Ryouma finally found the answer. As he had expected, Elena must have established a close relationship with the king of Zalda Kingdom. ¡°Currently, my country is being threatened by Ortomea Empire, and is driven into a corner.¡± In response to the king¡¯s words, Ryouma nodded his head lightly. ¡°However, now that the reinforcements from the Mist and Rozeria Kingdoms have arrived, I thought that the opportunity to recapture our lands had arrived, but, what is your opinion?¡± Ryouma waved his head quietly as if trying to deny Julianus words. Certainly, now that the reinforcements from the Mist and Rozeria Kingdoms had arrived, such opportunity seemed to have arisen. And indeed many people present in the room during the audience were waiting for such decisive battle. ¡°Hoo¡­ So do you think this is not a good opportunity?¡± ¡°I cannot say if this is a good opportunity or not. First I need to examine the information gathered so far, after grasping the situation, I would like to give your majesty a proper response.¡± A stir was raised among the nobles, and the hostility directed toward Ryouma had increased sharply. Was it because of simple antipathy, or were there any other reasons¡­ The people inside the audience room could only gulp down their saliva looking at Ryouma who expressed his opinion magnificently to the King¡¯s question. ¡°Heeh¡­ Such a cautious man aren¡¯t you?¡± Julianus¡¯ eyes shone slightly while looking at Ryouma. Those sharp eyes usually belonged to a ruler that was trying to read his opponent. After a moment, the stir ended, and silence dominated the room once again. (His eyes are very firm without any fluctuation¡­) Julianus could feel a strong will emanating from Ryouma¡¯s eyes. He felt that the man in front of him was a man with an iron-clad willpower. (What kind of life would make a young man such as him possess such eyes, I wonder¡­) Julianus knew only of two people that had the same eyes as the young man in front of him. One was the guardian of the Kingdom of Zalda, the deceased General Belharres. And the other one was Elena Steiner, Rozeria¡¯s White Goddess of War. It was the eyes of people who had an absolute confidence in oneself. ¨C ¡°Very well¡­ I would like for you to lend me your power together with Elena-dono.¡± The sharp gaze from his eyes disappeared, and Julianus returned to the gentle expression he had a while ago. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best and bring victory to the Zalda Kingdom.¡± Ryouma lowered his head slowly and promised victory to the king. ¡°Umu, I have a great expectation¡­¡± ¡°Please wait!¡± When Julianus felt satisfied with Ryouma reply, one man shook off the guards, moved forward, and stood before the king¡¯s throne. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 115 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 15 Chapter 4 Episode 15 Editor:Starbuck11 Afternoon, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814. Western Continent Calendar. ¡°Do you need something? Earl Schwarzheim¡± Julianus the First looked at the person kneeling in front of him with a somewhat happy expression while resting his chin on one hand. It was a man named Earl Schwarzheim, he wore silk clothes made by using an abundant amount of gold thread, and looking at the amount of jewelry he had on his body, he must have been a very influential person within the royal court. Furthermore, the King still let him spoke even though he was pushing the guard and forcefully moved forward in front of the king which also showed how much power he had. He was a man around his forties, with smooth blonde hair, and a protruding stomach. However, from the way he was standing and his arms, he did not seemed like an ordinary powerful man. ¡°With all due respect your majesty, I need to inform your majesty of something, even if this will cause your majesty displeasure.¡± While lowering his head, the man glared at Ryouma with a sharp look. Hatred, anger, envy, contempt. There were too many emotions coming from the man¡¯s gaze. (Woah woah, what the hell is going on with this man¡­) Anyone would feel perplexed if someone who they didn¡¯t know and meet for the first time suddenly glared at you with such gaze. Ryouma tried his best to suppress the unrest within his heart due to the sudden development. Since he didn¡¯t want to show his possible enemy a weakness. Of course, there was also a plan that deliberately made him being seen weak to reduce hostile enemies, but right now what Ryouma needed to do the most was to impress the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s aristocrats. To that end, he needed to perform extreme caution. ¡°If you want to say something to me, say it.¡± ¡°This retainer think this Mikoshiba person doesn¡¯t have the power to fulfill your highness expectations. I think we should just send him back to his country.¡± Due to the man¡¯s provocative attitude, commotion resounded within the audience room. ¡°Hou, so the Earl wants me to sent Mikoshiba-dono who have come all the way here as reinforcement back to his home country, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Toward Julianus the Firsts question, Earl Schwarzheim nodded his head without showing any feeling. ¡°Does the Earl understand what you¡¯re asking me to do? Does the Earl wants to create a crack between Rozeria and our kingdom?¡± ¡°Indeed, that might be true, but your majesty only said that because your majesty has not seen the army this person lead.¡± The audience room grew silent the moment Earl Schwarzheim said those words. ¡°Elena-dono said that they have sent their best personnel as reinforcements, don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°If your majesty thinks everything was alright because of General Elena Steiner then your majesty is wrong. We have confirmed, but the army he leads is only around 300 soldiers. Not only that, the majority of them are women, which have no use on the battlefield. If your majesty sent his army to the battlefield so poorly prepared, and his troops end up becoming the enemy¡¯s prey, the morale of our soldiers would fall, and I think it would bring unnecessary unrest to the whole army. Not to mention, after nearly one year of conducting a defensive war, we have no spare supplies. As we cannot use his troops as a war potential, I think it would be better for us to sent his army back to his home country.¡± During the time Earl Schwarzheim talked, his voice was the only one reverberating inside this room. The reinforcement from the Rozeria Kingdom comprised of 2,500 people led by Elena and 300 people led by Ryouma. Although the reinforcement was being led by the infamous Elena Steiner, it was also a well-known fact that the reinforcement from the Rozeria Kingdom was too small compared to the reinforcement the Mist Kingdom had sent which amounted to 10,000 men. It was very rude to the person who had came all the way as a reinforcement, but the Earl¡¯s opinion itself was not completely wrong. A weak ally was much more annoying than a strong enemy. In a war, breaking the opponent¡¯s heart was the most important. Certainly, it was true that war ended with the enemy¡¯s commander dead, but sometimes the battlefield could only end when the last enemy soldier died. And the reason why most of the time war ended when the Generals were killed, it was because the soldier¡¯s heart broke first due to the reality that their Commander-in-Chief had been killed. Many victories and defeats arrived the moment the soldiers and the General who led the army became aware of the impending defeat. (Hee¡­ He does understand well when it comes to soldiers¡¯ morale. This guy, he doesnt seem that incompetent¡­) Reasonable and logical thinking. That was Ryouma impression after he paid attention to Earl Schwarzheims speech. His attitude was arrogant and he looked like a stupid noble, but this also confirmed once again that one should never judge a book by its cover. ¨C While such prejudice faded away, Ryouma came to understand Earl Schwarzheim¡¯s true motive. (There are two possibilities. Is he being serious or is he trying to induce something¡­ If he was being serious then he is a reliable person. But if he was actually trying to induce something then, he¡¯s an enemy.) Ryouma stared at the Earl as if he was trying to read the Earl¡¯s mind¡­ In a sense, the Earls concern made sense. Looking only at the surface, the army Ryouma had led was only around 300 men, it was too small. Not only that, his army was filled with young people, it was also mostly women. Since military organizations in this world were mostly filled with healthy men, Earl Schwarzheim¡¯s words actually made sense. It was rare for a country to conscript the common people and send them as a reinforcement, and they also understood the situation within the Rozeria Kingdom. Currently, the Rozeria Kingdom people was doing its best to rebuild the country after a civil war, which also made them unable to send reinforcements to the neighboring country. That was why they appreciated that even with such condition the Rozeria Kingdom still sent them 2,500 soldiers led by Elena. However, the army led by Mikoshiba Ryouma was different. Not only the composition of his army, they also thought that the soldiers were being led by an inexperienced upstart nobleman. ¡®You sent us this kind of reinforcement! Are you making fun of our country?!¡¯ That was the anger inside the Earl¡¯s mind. From the Earl¡¯s point of view, Ryouma¡¯s soldiers looked like conscripted commoners that were being made to look like proper soldiers. ¡°That is why, thank you for coming this far, but, we cannot afford to babysit you. I do not know what is your purpose for bringing such soldiers but, speaking frankly just by being here you¡¯re already an annoyance, although the soldiers you have brought are only around 300, we still cannot provide you any supplies or weaponry that are important to our people!¡± Such roar echoed within the audience room. Certainly it was hard for any nation to share valuable supplies during warfare. ¡°Earl Schwarzheim, don¡¯t you think your words are a bit too much?¡± ¡°What are you saying, General Henschel. In fact what are you thinking? I heard you picked him up before he entered the royal capital, yet you didn¡¯t inform his Majesty about this in advance. You should have sent him away before presenting him with an audience like this!¡± It was a sound argument with no room for defense. What Zalda Kingdom wanted was a reinforcement not an additional burden. Such opinion within the audience room made Grahart unable to provide any assistance. ¨C For the other nobles, the Earl looked like someone who was thinking of the best interest for the Zalda Kingdom. The neighboring countries might think Julianus the First as a mediocre ruler, but for Earl Schwarzheim, he was a man worthy of service. (His Majesty is not a mediocre king. He is someone who is able to manage the country throughout many wars!) Such thought emerged inside the Earl¡¯s mind. ¨C ¡°Fumu, I can understand the Earl¡¯s concern¡­ But I have no intention of sending Mikoshiba-dono back.¡± Julianus smiled while stroking his white beard. Then an uproar happened inside the audience room once again. ¡°Why? What is your majesty reason to decide that?!¡± With such unexpected words from his king, the Earl could not contain his surprise and tried to approach the throne. ¡°You¡¯re being rude toward his majesty!¡± Grahart immediately restrained the Earl. ¡°Damn it! Let me go! Your majesty, why?!¡± His face dyed red, and the Earl also tried to shake off Graharts hands. ¡°Henschel. Let him be¡­¡± After Julianus said those words calmly, Earl Schwarzheim immediately realized his own action. His action could be seen as an act of rebellion for trying to forcefully step too close like that. ¡°P-Please forgive me for my rude behavior, your majesty¡­¡± The Earl¡¯s immediately lowered his head begging for forgiveness, and Julianus only lightly waved his hand and asked him to raise his head. ¡°It is fine¡­ I can understand the Earl¡¯s concern¡­¡± After he said that, he turned his eyes toward Ryouma who up until this time kept kneeling quietly in silent. ¡°How about this ? Everyone in this room might have the same concerns as the Earl. Although it might be troublesome, how about showing your power to everyone?¡± ¡°Does that mean in a battle?¡± ¡°That is right. Or are you going to say that the Earl¡¯s concerns were true?¡± After he said those words, Julianus smirked provoking Ryouma. (I see¡­ It is a bit irritating that the situation ended up like this but¡­ Since we will have to fight in the end. I guess I will have to move the plan forward a little¡­) Originally Ryouma had come to defend the Rozeria Kingdom as a reinforcement. Now that he had taken sovereign control of the wortenia peninsula, what he needed now was fame. It was no exaggeration to say that the reason he had come as a reinforcement was also to obtain that fame. A small sacrifice needed to obtain a glorious reputation. The more blood flowing, the more Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s name would spread across the continent. ¡°No, please let me prove the power of my soldiers in front of everyone.¡± Saying those words, Ryouma¡¯s face distorted. He showed the smile of a beast who found its prey. But no one was able to see his smile since Ryouma lowered his head when he did that. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 116 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 16 Chapter 4 Episode 16 Editors:Starbuck11, Key Evening, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814. Bonfires were lit surrounding the training ground, many nobles and royal members came to a place that usually they never visited. ¡°All of them seems to have a lot of leeway, eh?¡± ¡°I guess it cannot be helped, rarely such spectacle like this happens during wartime after all. Besides, they are not the only ones. Even I also want to see the result of this match¡­¡± Elena who sat beside Ryouma reproved him while looking at him with a gentle smile on her face. They had spent time separately after the civil war ended, but even when they never met, their relationship did not got disturbed. An easy going grandmother and her grandchild. From the point of view of bystanders, they looked like that. ¡°Geez, Elena-san you said those words as if it was another persons problem¡­¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Since the purpose of this match is to confirm the ability of the soldiers you lead, meaning I have nothing to do with it, no?¡± Ryouma smiled bitterly toward Elena and directed his gaze to another direction. The thing that was about to happen after this, was a friendly battle between the Zalda Kingdom Royal Order and Mikoshiba Ryouma. Usually, in this kind of friendly battle, a limitation such as not using a sharp weapon would be put in place, but after a strong suggestion from the opponent to make this battle feel closer to an actual combat, such limitation had been removed. In the end, they will use real swords and spears. The dull light reflected by the blade made the atmosphere felt like the fight they were about to unfold was not a friendly battle. ¡°Well, since this is you that we¡¯re talking about, I¡¯m confident of your winning prospect, but, don¡¯t let your guard down, understand? After all, your opponents are the soldiers the Zalda Kingdom is proud of¡­ They might kill your soldiers you know?¡± The smile disappeared from Elena¡¯s face when she said those words. The expression on her face was tense. It was as if she was about to enter the battlefield. ¡°Elena-san worries too much. Do you think I would lose?¡± In respond to his question, Elena shook her head while sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around like that you know? Of course, I know you¡­ You were able to defeat Kyle who was one of the best knights of the Rozeria Kingdom. But, we don¡¯t know if those children would be able to do the same¡­ It is not too late, some of the soldiers you have seem to be skilled mercenaries. You should replace those children with them¡­ If the other side refuses to let you withdraw, I will do something about it.¡± Toward Elena¡¯s concern and suggestion, Ryouma kept silent while showing a gentle smile. Of course, since Elena was just a general from a reinforcement country, she could not dictate the situation. No matter how much of a personal connection she had with the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s king, she had no power to make the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s nobles and military officers back down. If she did a bad maneuver, the Rozeria Kingdom might end up being driven into a further crisis. But even if she could not do anything much, she still wanted to confirm everything with Ryouma. Elena¡¯s eyes then directed to a group of people standing behind the two of them. The soldiers standing there were young. Some of them have a figure that could perfectly be called as young children rather than a young person. Not only boys, there were also girls. Of course, when she looked at the weapon the children carried, they looked no less than the mercenaries, but it was different when fighting was involved Elena had already seen many dead bodies of young children on the battlefields. Those young children were commoners that end up being conscripted by the army. Some of them were young knights who succeeded their family knight household at a young age. ¨C But regardless of whom, the blessing of the death god would descend equally toward anyone in a battlefield. A social position had no meaning in there. And such reality was a hard truth in this world. That was why Elena did not wish to see the dead body of a child other than in a battlefield. (In the end, it was just for my own self-satisfaction¡­ But still¡­) That thought crossed Elena¡¯s mind. Such thoughts were not related to the death of her daughter due to the power struggle in the past. ¡°Now then, In the presence of the Royalty, I present the match battle between, Rozeria Kingdom Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma-dono, and the Zalda Kingdom Royal Order commander, Oosan Gurido-dono. Both of you please step forward.¡± When that voice reverberated within the training ground, the surrounding noise disappeared. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been called¡­ Now then, I guess I have to go¡­¡± Ryouma lifted his lips and headed toward the referee. The match was a group battle of five versus five. This was also due to the strong suggestion made by Earl Schwarzheim who wanted to see the collective capability of the soldiers rather than their individual ability. That Earl Schwarzheim seemed to hate Ryouma for some reason. At first, Ryoumas opponent would be from the Royal Guard, but because Grahart did not inform anything to Julianus beforehand regarding Ryouma, the Earl strongly suggested that Ryouma should fight against people from the Royal Order instead. ¡°It is fine¡­ Ah, since this is a rare chance, how about betting with the others? Elena-san would be able to make some profit you know? Actually I also already made some bets¡­ Oops, that should be confidential.¡± While he whispered such words to Elena, Ryouma signaled the soldiers behind them to proceed to the middle of the training ground. Apparently, Ryouma had engaged in an under-the-table gambling with the other nobles. Although the Zalda Kingdom was in a crisis, some with a screw loose always existed. But well, humans cannot sustain themselves without moderate rest as well, thus such entertainment was not fully wrong. ¨C (My words alone won¡¯t sway your decision huh? But still¡­) Looking at Ryouma¡¯s smile, she was able to convince herself that he would win. However, for the person called Mikoshiba Ryouma to bet on himself, it was not because he was naive. (I guess he has some plan huh¡­) Mikoshiba Ryouma boasted a sharp mind. And Elena was fully aware of how sharp his mind was. Because even Elena herself was able to obtain the long-awaited revenge thanks to his help¡­ Now, Elena ended up with two contradictory feelings. One was that she wanted to see the soldiers Mikoshiba Ryouma had raised. The other one was the feeling of a mother who didn¡¯t want to see young children getting hurt. Those two emotions were Elena¡¯s true feelings. (But no matter what, I decide to believe in you¡­ Ryouma-kun.) Elena stared at Ryouma¡¯s back with a gaze full of expectation and sadness¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Now then, are both sides ready?¡± The one who asked such question toward Ryouma and Gurido was an old nobleman with gray hair that had been appointed as the referee. The referee was a nobleman who also had his own history as a warrior. But rather than the referee, he felt like a moderator just to make sure that the contest was honest. Since once this match started, it would be impossible for an old man like him to stop a bunch of knights with full equipment fighting against each other. Well, even if it was just a form, this seemed to be the wishes of the nobles who wanted to dilute the gruesome massacres even if it was just a little bit. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Cold gazes rained down toward Ryouma. A frustrated face could be seen on Gurido¡¯s face. ¡®Why doproud royal knights like us have to fight against children like this?!¡¯ Such a thought floated inside his mind. Within the training ground, no one cared about who was the winner or the loser. Since it was a fight where fully equipped knights were up against young boys and girls. Although the children seemed to be wearing sturdy leather armors, their physique was too different. Considering that, even in modern fighting sports they would also adopt classification by weight. And despite that famous saying of ¡®willows are weak, yet they bind other woods¡¯, but in reality, the strongest usually crushed the weak. Of course, it did not meant that Gurido knew such words, but it was similar no matter where. That the winner was mostly always those who possess a stronger body built. Inside Gurido¡¯s mind, it was impossible for the children to win even if they tried their best. ¨C However, he did not have any intention of voicing his opinion. Since Zalda Kingdom¡¯s king, Julianus the First would be watching the match. No matter how frustrated he felt, he could not show his unwilling attitude in front of his king. ¡°Yes, we can do it anytime.¡± Looking at Ryouma¡¯s calm smile, Gurido¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Very well then. Both sides¡­ No matter what the result, none shall bear a grudge, is that clear?¡± The referee urged Ryouma and Gurido to move forward. Apparently, he wanted both of them to shake hands. ¡°Please take care of us¡­¡± Ryouma extended his hand toward Gurido. However, Gurido just snorted at Ryouma and left the place as it was. ¡°O-Oi. Gurido-dono, what are you trying to do here?¡± Looking at Gurido¡¯s attitude, the old man referee raised his voice. Whatever the reason was, his attitude was too disrespectful. ¡°Pardon me, but I have no intention of making a friend with someone that I¡¯m going to fight¡­ Let¡¯s do that later.¡± Gurido answered with those words while walking away toward his men. ¡°This is troubling. I seem to end up being hated, again¡­¡± Ryouma said those words while scratching his right cheek. However, from how he spoke, Ryouma didnt seem to care even though he was being ignored. ¡°That guy¡­ He¡¯s already being rude even before the match begins. Mikoshiba-dono, please do forgive his behavior.¡± ¡°Well, I can understand Gurido-sans feelings. Besides, it must be troublesome to be appointed as our opponent so suddenly like this. Please don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± Ryouma smiled gently at the old man after saying those words. Inside his heart, he didn¡¯t even care about Gurido¡¯s attitude. After all, for Mikoshiba Ryouma, he was just a prey. ¡°Now then, let the match begin¡­ Please show your ability as much as possible.¡± Ryouma muttered such words with a small voice.. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 117 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 17 Chapter 4 Episode 17 Editor:Starbuck11, Kev Silence dominated the training ground. Only his own faint breath entered Kevin¡¯s ears. The training grounds space was around 100 meters. And nobles and military officers surrounded the place. There was nothing such as spectator seats like the ancient Roman stadium had. There was only an open ground with stones surrounding it for the people to sit on it. (This is huge¡­ It would be disadvantageous if we face them head on¡­.) Such thought appeared inside Kevin¡¯s mind while he looked at the figure of knights standing 50 meters away from him. The battle to see through each other fighting potential had begun. The infamous sentence from the book of the art of war ¡®Understand the enemy and yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be in peril¡¯, it was never an exaggeration to call that sentence as true. Since it was important for a person to make a proper preparation before heading toward a battle. And such attitude was the first thing Ryouma and the others taught the children. As usual, Kevin observed the five knights in front of him for information. Apart from his height that was almost 170 cm, his body muscles were only half of the opposing knights. From the viewpoint of simple muscular strength, the outcome was already obvious. Even with a weapon in hand. The knights had heavy steel armors covering their whole body, even their face. The weapons they held were 3 meters long spears. On the other hand, Kevin and the others were only being protected by leather armors and wooden shields that had been reinforced with steel. Of course, the leather armors made by using the monsters material they obtained from inside the peninsula was not inferior compared to the steel armor, but as a result of emphasizing on maneuverability, the overall defensive power was lower compared to the whole body steel armors. It was a good choice if they thought that they were about to fight within the Zalda Kingdom which was famous for its mountainous land, but it was obviously disadvantageous to use such armor in a straightforward match. Because of the tension, Kevin¡¯s lips felt dry. His heart beated fast, and he felt chill on his skin. Such feeling was known as fear. It was a feeling that people usually felt and tried to suppress when they were about to fight. After moistening his dry lips with his tongue, Kevin grasped his favorite iron sword while turning his eyes toward the comrades around him who also showed the same expressions as him. (Everyone feels the same huh? I guess that is understandable. This is only our second time after all¡­) Fear when facing an actual battle where people risked their life. The fear that they might lose their own life and the fear of taking other people lives, such feelings invaded Kevin and the others¡¯ hearts. It was the fear that he even felt when they performed the subjugation of the pirates, despite the mission also being for their revenge. However, Kevin understood that he could change his fear into power if he didn¡¯t try to deny it. Fear was not weakness, if one were able to understand the fear inside one¡¯s heart, such fear can become power. Several months had passed since the time of the pirate subjugation. Kevin also had survived the fights against monsters within the wortenia peninsula. For him, the feeling of fear he was familiar with was a friend, and a weapon to survive. (Don¡¯t think anything useless. We¡¯re the ones in a weaker position, if we hesitate, we will die¡­) Although formally it was just a friendly match, the truth was this battle was a dangerous battle where the participants bet their lives. The term of victory or defeat was decided when the opponents died, loses consciousness or the referee judged that the battle was over. There was no point system or round system. There were only two choices in this match, getting knocked out or knocking out the enemy. If one were to compare the knights and Kevins strength in numerical value, the knights would be 100 while Kevin and the others would be around 70. Kevin was definitely disadvantaged. However, winning or losing was not being determined by strength alone. (We just have to do the same as usual. Just like the instructors said, we just have to fight. To survive together with my comrades.) Living on the wortenia peninsula had forged Kevin¡¯s and his comrades¡¯ body into a beast. What Kevin needed to do was to use that body efficiently. ¡°Just like usual¡­¡± Kevin muttered those words in a small voice, and the comrades around him nodded their head silently. The fear he had and the urge to kill started to spread inside his heart. The Prana inside of their body began to circulate extra power. Along with that, their fighting spirit also began to increase¡­ ¡°Start!¡± The old man referee broke the silence. ¡°Leon and Rina you guys attack from the right. Annet and I will go from the left. Melissa! Look out for the timing!¡± After being recognized as soldiers, the children had been assigned into a five men unit. Several months had passed since then. They had performed many strategies together and repeated it many times over. The moment Kevin gave the signal, the four people charged from the right and left at full speed. Although they moved fast, the speed they used was still in the category of human ability. With four people charging from the left and right. Melissa alone was standing in the center facing the knights. ¡°What¡¯s this? I guess they are just brats huh? Dispersing like this, are they trying to throw away the match?¡± One man muttered those words while snorting his nose. The Knights thought that even if they charged immediately, in the end, their opponents were still children. Besides, they were all wearing leather armors. From the start, the knights thought the winner and loser had already been decided. Or at least, most of the knights thought like that. With such situation, the knights thought the children will gather up in one place and performed a defensive battle. ¡°Oi, the leader said we should not go easy on them¡­ Let¡¯s just go and finish this as fast as possible.¡± Following the platoon leaders words, the other Knights nodded their head. Since it was an order, they did not have to mind killing their opponents. Although they never thought of murder as something fun. (At least, I should not make all of you suffer¡­) It might sound like a hypocrite, but that was all of the knights true feelings. The knights grasped their spear while observing the children moving closer to them. They have no intention of using the military magic arts. However, such thought proved to be a mistake¡­ ¡°Do it, Melissa!¡± [Breath of the fierce wind spirit, now is the time to respond to my prayers, -] The moment Kevin shouted, the distance between the four children and the knights which were around 20 meters was shortened in a blink of an eye. And subsequently the Knights heard the small muttering from Melissa¡¯s lips. ¡°Wha?! Magic Arts?!¡± ¡°This is bad!¡± Looking at Melissas behavior the knights immediately tried to activate their Prana, but looking at the speed Melissa chanted, they would not make it in time. Realizing that, the knights simultaneously readied their shields. Under normal circumstance, they would usually performed defense magic arts and fortified their shield, but because they looked down on their opponents too much, they didn¡¯t do that. Nevertheless, even with body reinforcement alone, it should be enough to defend themselves. That was of course if it was a normal one¡­ Melissa who finished the magic art chant raised her hands. ¡°[Wind Wave!]¡± The moment Melissa swung her hand, at the next moment, a strong gale of wind raised above the ground. It was a beginner magic art. Which could not be said as to have a strong killing power, it was a technique that only caused a wave of strong wind. Because it was easy to use, it also had low power. The wave of wind was also only up to the extent of people wanting to say ¡°ah the wind is strong today.¡± The knights who also knew what magic art Melissa had used showed mocking smiles. However, what they didn¡¯t realize was Melissas other intention. As the gale of wind hit the ground, it pushed forward toward the Knights. Rolling the dust and dry sand together with it. Causing everything to become blurry¡­ ¡°Damn it! My view!¡± The Knights¡¯ field of view was getting considerably reduced due to the dry sand carried by the wind. In the first place, the full-face helmets the knights wore were already causing their view to be limited. And now with their view completely being disturbed, Kevin¡¯s and his comrades swords came attacking. They abandoned their camouflage provided by the wind and by using the strengthening magic, they revealed their body. ¡°It can¡¯t be! These children as well, they can use magic arts!¡± ¡°These guys, just what are they?!¡± Due to the panic of Kevin and his comrades closing in, the Knights began attacking using their spears. However, the attack they performed didn¡¯t have the sharpness they usually had during practice. For Kevin and the others who had experienced fighting against monsters, the opponent¡¯s attack speed was close to standing still. Kevin avoided the protruded spear¡¯s head by tilting his body to the side slightly while also aiming his sword at the opponents hand, especially the fingers that held the spear. Although the knights wore full body iron armors, the joint part was relatively low in defense. ¨C ¡°Gaaah! Damn it! My fingers!¡± Kevin¡¯s sword attack cut off his opponent fingers with high precision. Usually, Knights won¡¯t be screaming unsightly like that, but due to all of the sudden development, the knight was caught off guard. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? I thought they were just mere children!¡± Looking at his comrades figure losing his fingers, one of the knights felt into confusion. Despite still in battle, he was letting himself defenseless. And his enemy did not overlook such opening. Kevin then delivered a strong blow to the knight¡¯s foot that was standing still in shock. Kevin aimed at the joint part of the armor once again, it was around the knight¡¯s knee. When Kevin¡¯s sword struck his opponent, it felt like he was breaking a tree branch. But that was not the end. The moment the knight crouched down, Annet¡¯s sword came attacking. It was a side sweep aimed at the Knight¡¯s neck. Had Ryouma didn¡¯t tell them not to kill if it was possible beforehand. Annet¡¯s attack would¡¯ve surely cut off the Knight¡¯s head. However, Annet only used strength enough to cause the knight to fall unconscious. The fallen knight fell into the ground as if he was a marionette whose strings had been cut off. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°I see, so that¡¯s why¡­ Now I understand why that child showed me such confidence¡­¡± A sigh of admiration leaked from Elena who was watching the match together with Julianus the First and Grahart. Looking at the speed the battle had proceeded, it was clear that the quality of soldiers Mikoshiba Ryouma had brought was high. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Such young children using magic arts? Furthermore, such commoner children? Unbelievable¡­¡± ¡°Grahart, since this is reality, accept it as a fact. Or else people might question the status you have as the General of the Royal Guards.¡± Due to Elena sharp words, Grahart¡¯s face was dyed in red due to embarrassment. After all, a person should never become a commander if they could not accept the reality presented before their very own eyes. ¡°P-Pardon my rudeness. To show you this kind of unsightly appearance.¡± Grahart immediately lowered his head. ¡°I see, if all of the soldiers he led have the same quality as those who are currently fighting, then indeed he has a lot of war potential.¡± Julianus the First muttered such words while stroking his beard calmly. ¡°Your majesty¡­ For all the 300 men? It can¡¯t be, right?¡± Grahart shook his head feeling disbelief. Of course, such disbelief was reasonable. With how this world common sense worked, the war power Ryouma had was hard to maintain. Grahart himself to be honest thought that Earl Schwarzheim remarks were right. Remembering where Ryouma had come from which was the Wortenia peninsula. A territory where there was almost no tax revenue. ¨C And without high tax revenue, it would have been hard to maintain this kind of army. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure that only those handful of people are capable of performing such prowess, no? Setting aside the method he had used to make commoners acquire magic arts, if he actually managed to teach the five of them then why not also do the same with the others as well. That is why, we can safely assume that the 300 men Mikoshiba-dono led are capable of performing magic arts, am I wrong? Of course, there¡¯s also the possibility he had chosen them on purpose to make us think like this as well¡­¡± The gentle expression had already disappeared from Julianus¡¯ face, what was left was his sharp eyes that were looking at a new prey. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 118 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 18 Chapter 4 Episode 18 Editor:Starbuck11, kev ¡°it can¡¯t be¡­ This is impossible¡­¡± Ousan Gurido doubted what he had seen. From the mouth of Gurido, a warrior who had survived many battlefields, a small mutter filled with disbelief could be heard. Before he had realized it, Gurido¡¯s palms had become sweaty. Having protected the Kingdom from the invasion of Ortomea Empire for many years, the Royal Order were composed of the best knights in the Kingdom. Among them, this time he had specially chosen people with guaranteed ability. Of course, because he thought that the reinforcements were a low-grade army he didn¡¯t choose the best men among the Royal Order. but still, those chosen men were people with good quality skills and experience. It could even be said with confidence that they were above-average knights. Yet, those strong knights failed against young children. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ To think such commoners¡¯ born children were able to use magic arts¡­¡± The surrounding nodded in agreement to one of his aide¡¯s remarks. Certainly, those words were reasonable. It was true that anybody could master magic arts if they trained, but normally commoners won¡¯t even have the opportunity to learn it. As generally known, there were two ways to learn magic arts. One was by taking many lives and waiting for the Prana absorbed by the bodies to mature naturally, and the other one was by the method of being mentored by a teacher who had already acquired magic arts skills. But in reality, it was hard to find a teacher willing to do that. The biggest problem was the cost of hiring such teacher. But there was also another problem, as most people know, magic arts were a powerful weapon, which could be turned into a shield, but alsocould be used as medicine as well, and for most people it was a symbol of status. Although not all people who learned magic arts were aristocrats, it was essential for most aristocrats to acquire magic skills. All of that came down to the sense of elitism, where it was said that those who learn magic arts were chosen by the Gods, thus magic arts could not be taught easily to others. Actually being chosen by the Gods aside, it was the truth that those who had learned magic arts wouldn¡¯t have much trouble in life. During wartime, for meritorious services in war, some nobles could even enter the Royal family, and it was not a mere dream for knights or commoners to become a noble if they could use magic arts. Other than government positions, those who could use magic arts also have a sufficiently rich life as mercenaries or adventurers. Magic arts were a convenient and easy-to-use technology in this world. It was a technology that could drastically affect the life of human beings. That was the easiest way to express it in words. ¨C Which brought us to, if hypothetically a commoner could find a teacher to teach him or her, usually, they would be met with the first problem, that was that they would¡¯ve been made to pay an astronomical amount of money. That was why, normally in order for a commoner to acquire magic arts, he or she must continue fighting as adventurers or mercenaries and absorb their victims Prana, and wait for the day when the accumulated Prana inside their body awakened. However, unlike his subordinates who felt surprised due to the sudden development, Gurido also realized the threat Kevin and the others possessed. (Unbelievable¡­ They can use magic arts at that age¡­ Furthermore, the way they collaborate, such action can only be done after a considerable amount of training and actual battle experience¡­) Because magic arts were powerful techniques, its handling was also extremely difficult. Although it was not unusual to see a Knight who trusted their magic arts too much ending up dead against another knight. There was also the difference in Prana one possessed between each individual. Just like a car consuming gasoline, magic arts consume Prana, without Prana it was impossible to use magic arts. And if no magic arts were involved, a Knight was only slightly stronger than a commoner, that was why, no matter how matchless a knight was, he or she would not be able to survive if they were being thrown into the battlefield alone. Nevertheless, those who possess magic skills were always perceived as someone individually strong. However, currently, Kevin and the others used magic arts skillfully while also defending each other as a team, they shaved the Zalda Kingdoms knights power bit by bit, and were aiming for an opportunity to end the match. (This is bad¡­ We will end up being pushed by the difference in number¡­ We should end the fight here¡­) Gurido¡¯s hands trembled after he realized the disadvantages his soldiers were in. Zalda Kingdom¡¯s knights were superior in term of skills and ability. ¨C However, the match had already ended when the surprise preemptive attack succeded, causing one of the knights to end up losing his fingers, and another one to fall unconscious. With the success of Kevin and the others achieved through collaboration, they managed to overturn the battlefield. (However¡­ If we ended it here, that means we have to forfeit to such children.) From the point of view of Gurido, Annet who didn¡¯t cut off the knight¡¯s neck meant that Kevin and the others have no intention of killing the knights. However, on the other hand, looking at the way they cut one of the knight¡¯s fingers meant they have no hesitation of injuring them. (As long as nobody dies, huh? Fuck, I see. You¡¯re making fun of us) Now that the conclusion could be seen, if he followed his logic, he should have asked the match to end. However, Gurido who understood the cost of losing this match could not agree to end the match, even though he understood the situation his men were in. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Gurido then directed his line of sight toward the only man who could end this match. ¡°Melissa! A bold move is not necessary. Listen, Support us and Annet. And chip off the opponents fighting strength!¡± Kevin gave his instructions rapidly while also dealing with the knight in front of him with his sword. In the first preemptive attack, Kevin and Annet managed to take down two of the knights, while the other two kept the other three busy. Now the remaining knights were moving in formation while protecting the unconscious knight. The feeling of mocking Kevin and the others for being children had disappeared from within their hearts. ¨C While the knights were fighting while relying on their steel armors and trying to find a way to escape their predicament, Kevin and the others delivered light blows repeatedly to keep the Knights in check. ¡°Platoon leader. If we stay like this, we won¡¯t be able to hold out. We should push them here and settled it with one direct blow.¡± In response to his subordinates who were currently defending against Kevin¡¯s consecutive attacks, the platoon leader remained silent. He himself thought the same thing. (Just like he said, we can only finish this match with one decisive action¡­) Although the power of Kevin and the others attack was light, if the consecutive pressure continue to happen, it was clear that the knights would reach their limit. Which left two options to take. Continue fighting or just admit that they had lost and surrender, abandoning their pride in the process. Because this was not a battlefield, even if they surrendered in this battle the people would still recognize them. However, although it was against their will, this was also a battle where all the participants bet their lives. Some people might think that they were trying to deny their shortcomings and use the match as an excuse to escape death. If that happens they would end up miserable. And even if other people might not care about such things, the knights knew that everything would be over if they surrendered. Furthermore, if they choose to surrender here, their pride as knights of the Zalda Kingdom would fall to the ground, which would make them a subject of ridicule among their own peers. ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± In response to the platoon leader, the knight who was facing against Leon nodded his head. Nobody could see what kind of face the knights had but they were probably smiling just like a warrior who was prepared to fight to the death. (Sorry everyone¡­ Although it feels like we get the short end of the stick, and we might be unable to win, we cannot lose here either¡­) There was no honor in a victory where somebody lost their lives during the match. The feeling of remorse and self-responsibility for involving his subordinates in this useless match appeared inside of the platoon leader¡¯s heart. Still, he could not dishonor the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s reputation. They must keep the pride of the knights, even if that meant losing their own life, because if they did not do that, the morale of the knights would fall and the Ortomea Empire would be able to have their way. As the knights resolved themselves, Grahart suddenly pulled out his sword and broke in between them. And at the same time, Julianus the First¡¯s words resonated. ¡°That¡¯s it! Enough!¡± Following that words, the surrounding cheers completely disappeared, and silence dominated the field. Grahart who stood in between the Knights and Kevin, acted as a wall preventing them from continuing the fight. Looking at the King¡¯s chair, he was standing, overlooking the place. And peoples gaze naturally were looking at him. ¨C ¡°Y-Your majesty. Wh-What has happened? The fight is not yet over.¡± The referee old man spoke in a fluster. ¡°No, that is enough. If we continue the fight any further, casualties will appear. Then because of it, a big lump of grudge would remain inside the hearts of both sides. Mikoshiba-dono soldiers have already proved to us that they are equal to our knights. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Considering the matter why this fight had happened, Julianus the First¡¯s judgment was right. Because there was no reason to fight in a life and death battle against the soldiers that had come as reinforcement. However, the surrounding reaction of the aristocrats and nobles was quite different. Some people nodded in agreement, others were feeling ashamed that their knights ended up losing against children. Meanwhile, the one who showed the most dissatisfaction with the result was the referee old man. ¡°Your majesty! If we leave it like this, I¡¯m concerned that the pride of the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s knight would fall. Am I right? Gurido-dono?¡± The old man turned his gaze to Gurido. Looking at the old man referees behavior who most definitely was not neutral, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders in response. ¡°No, I believe nothing good would come if we continue the match.¡± ¡°What?! You bastard! Is that the attitude the leader of the royal order should have?! Be ashamed!¡± Gurido¡¯s shoulders trembled in response to the old mans accusation. Although he himself felt unsatisfied, soon enough they would have to fight decisive battles where the country¡¯s fate would be decided, thus he could not let his subordinates die in a meaningless match. ¡°I said enough. This is an order from the King. The match is a draw. There¡¯s neither a winner nor a loser. I want everyone to consent to this¡­ Is Mikoshiba-dono also fine with this?¡± Following Julianus¡¯ words, the surroundings directed their gaze at Ryouma. ¡°Of course. It was an honor for us who are less skilled to be presented an opportunity to practice with everyone from the Zaldas Knight Order. We just hope that our power could help Your Majesty and everyone else.¡± In respond to Julianus question, Ryouma answered gracefully while bending on one knee. ¡°Very well. No one would think of your troops as a hindrance if they saw the match a moment ago. From now on, I request you to help this country¡­ Is everyone alright with this?¡± Julianus then directed his sharp gaze toward the surroundings. Because the king had asserted that much, nobody could protest against him. Despite all the hidden complaints inside their hearts, the surrounding people were silent. (Now then, the development here is as expected¡­ Well, I do feel bad if Elena is indeed betting on our victory, please do forgive me about that¡­) Ryouma himself had put his own bet and urged Elena to do the same in order to appeal to the surroundings that the match was serious, but in fact, he had aimed for a draw from the beginning. At least, Ryouma didn¡¯t have any intention of killing his opponent to win the match. (But still, that old man is indeed a big deal¡­ they said that he was a mediocre king, but this proves once again he is not¡­I guess I can¡¯t trust rumors about him now) In the initial plan, Ryouma had the intention of making a suggestion to the King, but Julianus had made the decision before Ryouma told him so. Which meant, Julianus at least understood what would happen if the Zalda knights lost this match. And he forcefully declared the match to end as a draw. Which made Ryouma think that rather than a mediocre king, Julianus looked like a big sly raccoon. He continued to hide his fangs from the surrounding countries and made the neighboring countries think that he was a mediocre one. (Well, I guess Lupis would not stand a chance against him¡­ Also, it seems that that old man noticed it.) That there was a poisonous needle inside his own country. While kneeling on one knee, Ryouma stole a glance at a certain direction. He was looking at the elderly nobleman who served as the referee of the match. It was unknown whether it was because he felt responsible as referee of the match, but it was definitely unusual for someone to protest against the king directly. However, his behavior indicated two possibilities. (That guy¡­ I wonder, which one is the reason he protested against the King?) Was his behavior because he loved his country, or because he harbored ill will toward it¡­ Ryouma lifted his lips to form a smile. ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 119 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 19 Chapter 4 Episode 19 Editor:Starbuck11, Kev ¡°You accomplished such a difficult task very well. Thank you for your hard work, Kevin. Has everyone come out okay?¡± Mikoshiba Ryouma addressed the five people who kneeled down in front of him, while showing dignity as much as possible. Still, he could not suppress his worry toward the well-being of the five people. Ryouma basically wanted a more friendly interaction, but Lione told him to be more dignified around soldiers. Several months had passed since then. Although he was slightly awkward, he had become considerably accustomed to the nobility behavior. Although Ryouma was someone who hated the behavior of flaunting power, in this world, nobility was part of social structure, it seemed like he would get despised by the surrounding nobles and knights if he showed too much of a friendly attitude toward commoners. (Though I think this kind of behavior is annoying¡­) Despite having those kind of thoughts, he also understood the necessity of a working structure within society. Being arrogant and haughty won¡¯t earn him trust from the soldiers, but on the other hand, the soldiers won¡¯t be able to properly work without a clear chain of command within the military. ¡°Your words are too generous for us. Milord.¡± Following Kevin¡¯s words, the other four who kneeled one step behind also honored Ryouma by lowering their head deeply. Milord was the honorific title Kevin and the other soldiers use to call Ryouma. Although Ryouma himself didn¡¯t like it because it gave too much of an aristocratic feeling, it was also somewhat better than when they called him young master or sir feudal lord. It was not like the soldiers could call him ¡®boy¡¯ like Lione did either, thus they all settled down and use Milord to call him, similar to how Igas clansmen called him. Actually, Ryouma lived in a house built in the middle of the city, thus it was never wrong to call him any of that. ¡°Somehow we managed to survive without using our trump card.¡± Ryouma nodded silently while listening to Kevin¡¯s report who also moved his hand to the small bottle they hung behind their back. The small bottle was one of the trump cards Ryouma had prepared for the battle, but they had managed to end everything without using it. Right now, a satisfied smile could be seen on Lione¡¯s face who was standing behind Ryouma. For her, they were soldiers whom she had raised from nothing. For Lione and the member of the Red Lion mercenary group, these soldiers were their little babies. That was why they felt satisfied looking at Kevin and the others growth. ¡°Good, if you used that, obtaining the victory itself would be an easy task but, at the same time it would cause us to have a troublesome relationship with the Zalda Kingdom as well.¡± In addition to magic arts and team collaboration, Ryouma had also given Kevin and the others a trump card. That was why Ryouma was convinced that even in a worst-case scenario they would still obtain victory. By using it, it would be easy for Kevin and the others to win. However, that trump card was a double-edged sword. In the middle of a battlefield aside, since officially this fight was a match, if they use ¡®that¡¯, people might call them cowards. Since it was a bit different compared to hiding one¡¯s ability to surprise the enemy. (Well, I did choose these five because I knew they could win the battle without using it.) Having their body forged by training in the wortenia peninsula every day, and magic arts acquired after harsh training. In addition to that, Kevin also had strong solidarity toward his friends who crawled up from the bottom together, and he also had respect toward the living. Although they still have room to grow since they were still young, they had already reached a good standard as soldiers, and as knights. ¡°Sir, on that point, we¡¯ve already received a warning from Laura-sama beforehand¡­. She said we should only use it when we don¡¯t have any other way to win¡­¡± Following Kevin¡¯s words, the other four behind him nodded their head. Ryouma could see a sharp light glint in their eyes. It showed their determination to win no matter what the cost. And also a proof that they understood the role they had been given. They wouldn¡¯t be able to have such attitudes if Ryouma had ordered them around high-handedly since the beginning. (I guess I¡¯m not wrong. The best result was a draw without anyone winning¡­ These guys also seem to understand that. And that old man as well¡­) Ryouma remembered the face of Julianus while he was looking at the back of the five people leaving the tent. Naturally, Ryouma could not allow his men to lose, but winning was never the best option. For Mikoshiba Ryouma, if he wanted to raise his status, he could just won the battle, but the best way in this situation was to end the match after the spectator acknowledged Ryouma¡¯s power and before the battle truly ended. Ryouma had planned to propose to end the battle before the victor could be decided while looking at the timing, but it was a pleasant surprise for him that the King, Julianus the First, also had the same thought as him and made his decision. To be honest, Ryouma initially didn¡¯t expect Julianus to have such ability since there was a rumor that he was a mediocre king, but Ryoumas evaluation regarding the king had changed little by little since the time he met him during the audience. The king was sensitive in regard to the victory and defeat, and managed to choose the option that didn¡¯t hurt him the most. To do that might sound simple, but to be able to do something like that, the person needed to have a strong self-control as to their own desires. ¡°Up until here, everything is according to plan, no?¡± Sara asked Ryouma who was sitting in his chair. ¡°Right, somehow I guess¡­ Like this, we won¡¯t be ignored when we give an opinion during the war council tomorrow I guess¡­¡± Ryouma gulped the wine in his glass in one breath and then exhaled his breath to relax. ¡°Besides, it was fortunate for us that his majesty the king was a better person than I thought.¡± ¡°Ah, I can understand that. Ryouma-sama, as expected, the reason why his majesty ended the match at that time was¡­¡± Lione nodded her head in response to Laura¡¯s remark. ¡°I guess he understands the trouble that would come if he loses the match. Not only that, instead of stopping the match by ordering the referee, he directed Grahart to enter the match and interfere. Since he managed to see through everything, I guess I have no complaints¡­¡± Julianus declared the match had ended without prior consultation simply because he had realized Ryouma¡¯s true intentions. ¡°In addition to that, he managed to bring out the parasites within his own people. That old man was really formidable.¡± Following Lione¡¯s remark, Ryouma smacked his tongue. ¡°Che, he¡¯s indeed a sly old man. After he found out my intention, he actually used it for his own good¡­¡± Despite saying that Ryouma didn¡¯t sound displeased. Sara then poured more wine into his empty glass. ¡°Like this, the plan should bear fruit then, boy?¡± ¡°Indeed, I was a little bit pessimistic when it came to the realization of our plan, but like this, we definitely could achieve it. It seems like getting permission from Lupis beforehand had not become a waste.¡± In response to Lione¡¯s question, Ryouma answered while laughing merrily, he then gulped his wine in one go. ¡°Everything would depend on the result of tomorrow¡¯s war council¡­¡± Responding to Sara¡¯s remark with an empty glass on his hand, Ryouma leaned his body onto his chair in silence. While he was looking at the flickering lamp, the glass was filled with wine once again. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°We had a lot of unexpected results¡­¡± To the mans voice, all the people present voiced their agreement. ¡°Indeed, I never thought that such result would come out.¡± ¡°That Gurido was being careless. To think his subordinates would lose to such children.¡± Inside a nobleman mansion near the castle, eight men sat surrounding a roundtable. Looking at their attire, they were definitely nobles with high status. And looking at their arrogant expressions engraved on their faces, it was obvious what kind of lifestyle they had. ¡°Your Excellency¡­ What are we going to do now? Despite this match being for the purpose of driving a wedge into the relationship between Rozeria and the Zalda Kingdom, with this kind of result, that esteemed person won¡¯t be convinced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Like this, there¡¯s no meaning for me to specially demand an action from that pig-headed person.¡± Hearing those words, laughter escaped from all the men surrounding the roundtable. It were such vicious waves of laughter. ¡°Earl Schwarzheim huh? He was a funny guy indeed. That mans behavior during the audience. When I looked the way he was shouting, I nearly burst into laughter.¡± ¡°Agreed. Such a stubborn person, I wonder what kind of face he will make when he realizes that his actions were harmful to the kingdom and the king he loved.¡± The men laughed again thinking back how Earl Schwarzheim talked desperately to the king. And after they laughed for a while, a person began to speak. ¨C ¡°However, that young man is certainly dangerous¡­ Now I can understand Saitou-dono and Her imperial highness Sardina¡¯s feelings.¡± In response to the person words, the other men showed a half doubtful expression. ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think he is that dangerous though?¡± ¡°I feel the same. Although certainly, he was worthy of evaluation, despite being placed in a remote area called wortenia peninsula, he had managed to gather such soldiers. But still, even if he brings five hundred men with him, that alone won¡¯t be enough to influence the grand battlefield, and I¡¯m doubtful that he could work with the other nobles with mixed units.¡± That judgment was not entirely wrong. At the minimum, one knight order needed 2,500 men, with that amount of soldiers, one could influence a grand scale battlefield. In such battlefield, it was dangerous to operate troops numbering less than 500. In actual battle, probably he would have been combined with nobles who brought the same number of soldiers to create a mixed troop. If so, Mikoshiba Ryoumas army would just become one part of a company. Which meant, regardless of how good Ryoumas troops were, if he was to be paired with inferior nobles who were poor when it came to cooperation, their overall ability as a corps would drop dramatically. ¡°Of course, I knew that. But still, It is kind of worrisome¡­¡± Silence dominated the room. The gaze of the men surrounding the table gathered at the one called His Excellency. The man was quite powerful even among the men presented in the room. ¡°Will he disturb the Empires advance just like Joshua Belharres, you meant?¡± ¡°Indeed, his army might have been useless in a grand scale, but if he can put some ingenuity in it, with such quality soldiers, he might be able to do something damaging¡­ And then the secret agreement we¡¯ve obtained from Her highness Sardina which we¡¯ve worked hard on, might break down.¡± All of the men inside this room had a lot of common points. Arrogant, greedy and also hungry for honor and power. Also, the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s leading noble families which ruled vast territories. ¨C But the biggest common points was that they were people who were willing to sell their own country for riches. ¡°Despite the early success of eliminating General Belharress, not much progress happened afterwards.¡± ¡°Joshua Belharres. I heard that he was just a third son, but why¡­ In this one year, Her highness Sardina also seems to have difficulty dealing with that guy as well.¡± A sigh leaked from the men while saying those words. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do immediately right now. We will see the result of tomorrow war council first, and after that well decide what to do. Now then, may our prosperity continue as time goes on.¡± Words of approval came out one after another, and these men raised their glasses filled with wine. ¡°All for the prosperity of our family.¡± ¡°¡±¡±For prosperity!¡±¡±¡± After they drank the wine in a single breath, they smashed the glass of wine to the floor all at once. ¡°To think you dare to disturb us¡­ I wonder, who are you?¡± After the man called His Excellency muttered those words, a man showed up while stepping on the fragments of the glass. As if the things under his feet were insects¡­ ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 120 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 20 Chapter 4 Episode 20 Editor:Starbuck11,Kev Two days had passed since the battle match happened. Right now, there were more than 30 people gathered inside a big room within the castle. ¡°These are the conditions our country currently is in. Today, I would like ladies and gentlemen here to discuss it and find a way to break our current situation.¡± A map of the Zalda Kingdom was spread on the desk. Grahart said those words while pointing his baton at pieces representing army units and forts on the map. ¡°I would like everyone to help defend our country.¡± Sitting down next to Grahart, Julianus the First opened his mouth. What was happening right now was a military assembly of the three nations that occupied and dominated the eastern end of the western continent dubbed a joint war council. In addition to the Generals of the Zalda Kingdom and also those sent by the Mist and Rozeria Kingdoms, nobles and ministries of the Zalda Kingdom who dealt with diplomacy and finances were also present. For most of them, this was the first time they met each other. Inside the room, also present was the Zalda Kingdoms king, Julianus the First. Up until now, only in a few occasions did Julianus the first showed up during war councils. With the king present, it also showed how much dire the situation within the Zalda Kingdom was. With the king being present, the war council was full of heat from the beginning. ¡°No, I think we should maintain the frontline as it is while letting the coalition of armies to pressure the Ortomea Empire so that they back down!¡± When a nobleman shouted those words, the young knight beside him snapped at his words. ¡°What are you saying?! That¡¯s what Ortomea want us to do. Their aim is to occupy the national land while waiting for the chance to crush our army and occupy the country!¡± ¡°Calm down. In my opinion, the Zalda, Mist and Rozeria Kingdoms alone won¡¯t stand a chance against Ortomea. Isn¡¯t it better for us to wait until Ernestgora participate?¡± ¡°About that, since the outbreak of the war you¡¯ve kept saying it, but even after a year had passed, they have not made any moves at all.¡± ¡°But still, we won¡¯t be able to hold the frontline by ourselves. We need to drag Ernestgora by all means. That¡¯s why we should make more effort for that, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Are you stupid?! There¡¯s no reason for Ernestgora to help our country. Dont you know what the Queen of that country is called?!¡± ¡°Agreed! She only moves her army near the border, while answering our messenger evasively so she must have planned on obtaining our country¡¯s land.¡± Regarding the problem of Ortomea Empire invasion, the empire was having difficulties regarding the supply lines since they were surrounded by enemies from many directions, thus the elder generation of the officials suggested that the alliance should continue defensive battles while waiting for an opening, on the other hand, the young generation had developed a self-theory that they should make a rally to keep the morale of the conscripted commoners high. Everyone voiced their wisdom and vigorously gave their opinion. Meanwhile, four people Ryouma, Lione, and the Marfisto sisters were gathered in one of the corners of the room while observing carefully the others with a cold gaze. ¡°Fuh, they are all vigorously trying to be a smartass huh?¡­ Damn it, if we continue with this situation, we¡¯re already in a checkmate then. What are they doing shouting things that are certainly obvious.¡± Hearing Ryouma mutters, Lione smiled bitterly. Although he was saying those words carefully in a low voice, it was still words that should not be spoken inside this war council. But still, the reason why Lione didn¡¯t rebuke Ryouma was clear. (Geez, boy, you¡¯re being too harsh¡­ But then again, it is the truth, so it can¡¯t be helped eh¡­) The contents of the hot debate that were currently being held in front of them had already been considered and discussed among the five people including Sakuya who was not currently in this place. That was why, Ryouma and the others thought the heated argument that happened in front of them was just a mere farce. ¨C In the first place, the Zalda Kingdom national power was less than a third of the Ortomea Empire. It finally had enough power to equal Ortomea Empire after the three eastern countries united their forces. However, Rozeria was exhausted due to the civil war, and the Zalda Kingdom itself had suffered a massive defeat during the early invasion on the Notiz plains. (If we stay like this¡­ The fate of this country has already been sealed¡­) Ryouma didn¡¯t felt shaken with his own assessment of the current situation. He had the will to face the disadvantaged that appeared in front of him. Lione understood that possessing such will was one of the characteristics of Mikoshiba Ryouma and one of the reasons why he kept surviving despite all of the predicaments. ¡°The situation was already to the point that the front line was pushed near the capitals suburb¡­ As it is, the north and south of the national lands would be both cut off from the capital, if that happened, they would be defeated individually. Thus this country would meet its end¡­¡± The Zalda Kingdoms land area was close to a rectangular shape extending from north and south. The capital city Periveria was located in the center, and also closer to the eastern border. The frontline was a mountainous area three days walk on foot from the capital. The army led by Joshua Belharres was desperately keepingthe frontline in check at this very moment. However, speaking frankly, the invasion of the Ortomea Empire had advanced little by little every day. Thus, it was necessary to reinforce him as soon as possible. ¡°Well, it is impossible to turn around the current situation here simply by telling them straightforwardly to do so after all. Or at least, I have no intention of doing so¡­¡± Lione shook her head with a bitter smile. The current situation of Zalda Kingdom had already been analyzed by Ryouma and the others. The conversation Ryouma had with the others last night was re-emerging inside his mind. ¨C ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C One year ago, after the Ortomea Empire army had achieved a decisive victory, they advanced their army eastward, then they stopped their advance near the mountainous area. There they built a fortress, and after they finished doing that they took advantage of their national power and brought a lot of additional troops and supplies to the Zalda Kingdom. After reorganizing, they then gradually moved eastward from that fort. And it was clear by looking at the advance route the Ortomea Empire army took that they were not rushing toward the capital. The route they had taken was slightly south of the royal capital city Periveria. Which meant the aim of Ortomea empire was to divide the south part of the kingdom from the Capital. Once it was divided, the nobles who had territory in the south of Zalda Kingdom will be blocked and isolated, unable to contact the capital, and from there the Ortomea Empire could just take on and destroy the shaken nobles one by one. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°As expected, I think we can only break the current deadlock by using Ryouma-sama¡¯s plan¡­¡± To Sara¡¯s remark, Lione lifts her lips and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I think that is impossible right now. Well, certainly, if we could realize the things we had discussed yesterday, we can change the situation drastically. However, whether or not we can realize it is the problem. After all, changing an opinion is something that is not easy to do, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Another problem is the Mist Kingdom¡­ Whether or not they are willing to go with our plan is a huge question.¡± In response to Lione¡¯s remark, Laura nodded her head lightly. ¡°Well, Mist Kingdom aside. I¡¯ve ordered Sakuya to gather some information on them. Besides, I¡¯ve not yet told the aforementioned plan to his majesty, Julianus. For now, we should persuade Elena-san and his majesty, Julianus, first.¡± Then the line of sight of Ryouma was directed toward a young woman standing in between Grahart and Elena. She had gorgeous raven-black hair and smooth white skins. Her age was around mid-twenties and early thirties. Her elegant behavior and appearance made her look like a princess from somewhere. And if it was only her beauty, she would be a good match on par with Queen Lupis. ¡°Eclatia Marinel¡­ goes by another name, ¡®Windstorm¡¯¡­ Although its hard to see which part of her bear the nickname due to her appearance¡­¡± Lione murmured those words while showing a distorted expression as if she had chewed some worm. Certainly, in Ryouma¡¯s eyes, the appearance of Eclatia could only be associated with an elegant noble daughter. ¡°Lione-san had met her once in the past, am I wrong?¡± Before heading toward the Zalda Kingdom, Bolts had told him something about it. She didn¡¯t expect Ryouma to know about it, Lione opened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Bolts told you huh? Geez, that blabbermouth guy¡­ Yes, I¡¯ve met her before. A few years ago, I¡¯ve fought against her during the time when the Mist Kingdom collided with the various southern countries. In the first place, her name was already pretty well known back then, while we were only one of the pawns in that war. I think the other side was not even aware of us.¡± The thing that appeared inside Lione¡¯s memory was a bitter defeat. Lione kept on talking about her memories as if she was spitting some regret. ¡°I thought that it was dangerous, thus I stopped the pursuit back then, which in turn makes me glad that I took such decision. Anyhow, only our company didnt sustain much damage, while the other mercenaries got completely annihilated¡­ Thus we ended up being defeated¡­ At that time, it wouldn¡¯t have beenweird if we had ended up getting obliterated by her scheme¡­ Honestly, she has such a gentle face yet she¡¯s such a scary woman. ¡°- Looking at Lione¡¯s attitude that was filled with regret while admitting Eclatias ability, Ryouma could only respond with a faint smile. In Ryouma¡¯s eyes, as a commander, Lione had an excellent ability. She was capable of making a calm judgment and had the capacity to inspire soldiers. Although sometimes she would lose her temper, she was still able to immediately hold it down and remain calm. If there was no such things such as status barrier, she would have been hired by many countries. Having this Lione recognizing Eclatia Mariels competence, Ryouma could not make light of her. ¨C (Well, it is not bad in having more capable people around right now¡­ Because Elena and I will not overturn the current predicament alone¡­ I also should make an acquaintance with Joshua Belharres, who currently remains in the front line, as soon as possible¡­ And whether or not the Mist Kingdom can see eye to eye with us is also a problem.) Until this very day, Ryouma still could not see the true intentions of the Mist Kingdom¡¯s reinforcements. What was their aim, and how far were they willing to sacrifice. It was too dangerous for Ryouma to voice his plan if he didn¡¯t know about the others¡¯ thoughts. ¡°I can expect something from the way they look at it, I guess¡­¡± How far were they willing to sacrifice to save the country¡­ That words were not only being directed to the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s king Julianus the First. At the time Ryouma muttered those words, he was looking calmly at the foolish people who had fiercely continued their heated argument from the corner of the room.. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 121 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 21 Chapter 4 Episode 21 Editors : Starbuck11, Kev ¡°Do you really think we would do such a thing?! Are you making fun of the Zalda Kingdom?! There¡¯s no way we want to survive while enduring such humiliation!¡± It was midnight, a time where most of its residents already slept, such high voice resounded inside one of the rooms within the royal castle. It was a voice filled with fury, the roar of a lion whose pride was being hurt. Grahart stared at Ryouma full of anger. Julianus had intentionally ordered the people to empty the room beforehand, but due to how high the voice was they had unintentionally turned theirhis eyes toward the door. That big voice was certainly suited for someone who was used to command in battle, but it was not suitable for someone doing private talk. Bitter smiles also appeared on Elena¡¯s face sitting next to Ryouma, and also on the woman who was sitting on the left of Grahart. ¡°This was never about can or cannot. In fact, there is no other way¡­ Or do you want to be destroyed by Ortomea just like this?¡± Ryouma talked back without even changing his complexion accepting all of Grahart anger. ¡°What are you saying?! We have not lost to anyone yet! In the first place, your proposal is an empty theory. If it was only my nation we might lose, but not if we have Rozeria and Mist Kingdoms like now, that is what I think. If you thought the other two countries would accept your proposal, then you¡¯re insane!¡± ¡°Well, that is indeed true¡­ Then, Grahart-san, do you have another way for us to win this war? There are several methods if you just want to delay the extinction of your nation for a few years, but if you want to save the Zalda Kingdom and win¡­ Then there is no other way¡­¡± ¡°That is the purpose of the war council, to discuss this kind of things! Look at you, at that time you only kept silent in the corner of the room, and now you act all important ! Your majesty! I set up this meeting due to Elena-sama reputation, but I think I cannot allow this to continue anymore! This is only a waste of time. Please return to your room.¡± Grahart turned his face toward Julianus and urged him to leave. However, Julianus replied while stroking his white beard, and narrowing his eyes. ¡°Well, wait, Grahart. We finally managed to set this meeting after going through all the troubles. Let¡¯s not rush to a conclusion.¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s wish for a private talk, they had set this meeting with great effort. Thus the King thought it was no good if they ended the meeting half-way. ¡°However, your majesty. This mans proposal is only a pipe dream. First of all, if we do it the way he said, our nation would end up becoming the possession of ErnestGora instead.¡± However, what Julianus said after that was a surprise even for Grahart. ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine, Grahart ?¡± After he said those words, silence ruled the room. Even Elena could not hide her surprised expression. ¡°Y-Your majesty¡­¡± ¡°What are you surprised about? If we stay just like this, we will end up as Ortomea Empire¡¯s vassal state, if not that, the only other way is to lead my people to an honorable death. Either way, the result will not change much from that. If that is the case then, why not choose to be a vassal state to the one with the better condition.¡± If they fought until the end, then Zalda Kingdom¡¯s land would fall into ruin. The lives of the people would also fall into ruin. That also applied even if the Zalda Kingdom voluntarily suggested to become a vassal state via negotiation. After all, a war was always filled with economic activity. The more important the war expenditure they had to spend, the more money Ortomea Empire would squeeze next from Zalda who had become their vassal state. Every year, they would¡¯ve demanded the Zalda kingdom for a hefty tribute. And also an unequal tariff rate. The difference was whether they choose instant or slow death, no matter which one Zalda choose, their situation remained the same. But, that was not because Ortomea Empire was an evil state either. After all, they also understood that their country would end up falling if they did not recover the cost of war from somewhere. ¨C ¡°Becoming ErnestGora¡¯s vassal state isnot a problem in itself. However, Mikoshiba-dono. It would be meaningless if we ended up with a situation that is similar to becoming Ortomea¡¯s vassal state. Am I right?¡± Toward Julianus question, Ryouma nodded his head. Ryouma also understood that was a question that naturally would come out. ¡°That was the reason why I had asked to gather the representatives from all three nations, the Zalda, the Rozeria, and the Mist Kingdoms. Well, first of all, I would like to correct something, what I suggested was not to become a vassal state, but an alliance of four countries with ErnestGora at the top¡­ But then again, I can also understand, and it was also not completely wrong if you mistook this action as to become their vassal state.¡± ¡°The thing I don¡¯t understand the most is that! Why do we have to involve another country in our circumstances ? Furthermore, we have repeatedly sent a messenger after the battle of Notiz Plain to encourage them to participate in the war. But look at the result, one year has passed but they never moved. I do not believe that your plan can be realized.¡± Grahart bites at Ryouma again. His words might be because of he hating the plan, but his words were also not wrong. (Geez¡­ Why won¡¯t you listen to someone until they finished speaking? Mikhail also did the same as him¡­ Is this due to their occupation?) Ryouma sighed hard. Although Grahart was not wrong, Ryouma had also drawn the plan after many considerations. If people listened to someone until they are finished talking, then most would come to understand each other, but most people would become irritated the moment certain topics they didn¡¯t like were brought open and then they would refuse to listen further. It might be understandable since Grahart wanted to protect his country so much, but Ryouma¡¯s patience also had run out. (In the first place, isn¡¯t this because of your incompetence that here I ended up as a reinforcement? After all, the defeat of the Notiz Plain was also because you people had fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap. You morons! If you guys don¡¯t like my plan, then clean up your own mess by yourself!) For Ryouma, he wanted the Zalda Kingdom to survive. If the Zalda Kingdom fell here, the Ortomea Empire would overrun the Eastern countries like an avalanche. The Mist Kingdom might survive to some extent due to their strong economic power, but the Rozeria Kingdom which had not yet recovered from last year civil war wouldnt be able to survive. Or rather, since Lupis policy was not functioning properly, the situation within the Rozeria Kingdom itself might be worse than last year. Under such circumstances, there was no way they could handle another problem. For Ryouma, he had racked his brain out just to think of a way out of this desperate situation. Nevertheless, he could not forgive someone shouting in the middle of him telling his plan to the point that it instigates Julianus to stand up. Dark flames began to burn inside Ryouma¡¯s heart. And they were gradually eating Ryouma¡¯s reason. (Fine then, should I murder you?) Such idea crossed Ryouma¡¯s mind. Even if he was the leader of a knight order, if Ryouma ordered the Iga clan to send its best person to perform an assassination, he would die. ¡°Grahart-sama you¡¯re too fast at drawing the conclusion, don¡¯t you think? Mikoshiba-sama has not yet explained all of it you know? And just like his majesty Julianus had said, we have put a lot of effort just to make this meeting happen. It is up to you to decide if the plan is foolish or not, but first, how about listen to it until the end?¡± A bright and refreshing voice echoed inside the room, it was a woman voice. Listening to her voice, the fire of anger inside Ryouma¡¯s heart rapidly faded away. (That was bad¡­ Recently, my line of thought has become somewhat hasty¡­ I guess, I felt unconsciously cornered too huh?) Immediately making the nuisance disappeared. That was not a wrong pattern of thought, but one could not live with that alone. A hasty decision would only create another enemy. Besides, in this kind of situation, it was better to have more allies even though they were a bit stupid. Making such ally disappear was only a last resort. ¨C ¡°Marienel-dono¡­ Do you find something worthy in this mans plan?¡± Grahart expression became distorted from her unexpected words. ¨C Since it was from a General of another country who had also come as a reinforcement, even if Grahart felt dissatisfied, he had no choice but to listen. ¡°Of course-desuwa. After all, it was quite an interesting plan¡­¡± Saying that, Eclatia turned her eyes toward Ryouma. ¡°Mikoshiba-sama¡­ am I right? I¡¯ve heard your name¡­ During the civil war last year, you had fought for her majesty Lupis and got a wonderful achievement. Am I right, Elena-sama?¡± ¡°Indeed, he is the best strategist and tactician I know¡­ Just like I have said to Grahart-san before, but it seems like he could not believe it¡­¡± Elena replied while waving her head as if feeling disappointed. ¡°H-However, which part of his plan is worth that much ?¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Grahart. Leave the room if you cant listen to Mikoshiba-dono silently.¡± Being admonished by his lord, Grahart showed a hesitated expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your talk. Grahart seems to have understood his actions as well. Could you continue?¡± ¡°Of course. Your majesty.¡± Urged by Julianus, Ryouma nodded his head and continue talking about his plan. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Elena-sama¡­ He is indeed an able and sharp person¡­¡± ¡°Right, as far as I know, his strategy is top rate.¡± ¡°And also, as an individual warrior¡­¡± After the talk was over, the only ones who remained inside the room were Eclatia and Elena. Sitting face to face, they talked among themselves while drinking some wine. ¨C ¡°That was not just a mere clever plan, right?¡± Elena nodded quietly after listening to Eclatia¡¯s muttering. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was just a mere clever plan. Since it was also a plan that has been brought out actively during the war council¡­¡± ¡°But then again, it was a plan that no one could realize in the past one year¡­ Does Elena-sama think Mikoshiba-sama can do it?¡± Elena swung her head responding to her question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Although during the meeting, if it was that child I felt he could realize it¡­ But to be honest, I¡¯m not sure if he could move that northern female fox¡­¡± Elena didn¡¯t lie. If it was from the viewpoint of possibilities then Ryouma¡¯s plan had sufficient odds to succeed. However, if she was asked if the plan would absolutely succeed, then she would shake her head. To tell the truth, she thought the plan only had a 50-50 success rate. ¡°What about your thoughts Eclatia-san? This time Elena asked Eclatia a question. ¡°Of course I¡¯m planning on sending a messenger this evening. As expected, this plan is too heavy for me to take an arbitrary decision¡­ But I believe that person would approve this measure.¡± Elena and Eclatia have no authority to make a decision to ride or not on Ryouma¡¯s plan. However, unlike Rozeria, which had exhausted its national strength and only had little options left, the Mist Kingdom still retained its economic and military power, so much so that it was possible for them to fight for several years alone. If they thought there was no meaning to cooperate with the other two nations, then they could still fight alone. ¡°After thinking about the postwar consequences, I think it is better for us to cooperate¡­ Although I¡¯m a bit irritated that it has developed just like Mikoshiba-sama had wanted.¡± Saying that Eclatia shrugged her shoulders while showing a mischievous smile like that of a child. ¡°If Eclatia-san already saw that much, then there¡¯s no meaning for me to say anymore¡­ I guess it was a mistake to hold you back after the meeting like this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such a thing. I¡¯m fortunate that I could talk with someone who holds the title of Rozeria¡¯s White Goddess of War like this.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m a bit embarrassed if someone with the title of Windstorm said that to me.¡± They both then laughed while tilting their glass filled with wine. ¡°Before this I was a bit worried about this war, but thanks to Mikoshiba-sama, I feel a little bit interested in it¡­¡± A small mutter leaked from Eclatia¡¯s mouth. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 122 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 22 Chapter 4 Epiosde 22 Editors : Starbuck11, Kev Built within the Zalda Kingdoms territory, was an Ortomea Empire¡¯s fort. The fort was built at the foot of the mountain range that lies on the border between the two countries, it was the most important fort for the invasion of Ortomea Empire. In one of the rooms inside the fort, Sardina was laying her body on the sofa listening to Seria¡¯s report. ¡°The personnel and goods we have gathered at the Notiz fort would arrive here at least within a month. That was the report regarding the supply status.¡± Seria cut her words after she read the numbers listed in the documents. Notiz fort had become a place where personnel and goods gathered from the Ortomea Empire. From there, via the mountain range valley, they carried the goods to the highway and then brought toward the inner territory of the Zalda Kingdom. ¡°Good¡­ Finally, we will finish all of this mess¡­¡± Sardina shaked her head while sighing. This invasion had ended up as a costly invasion that span more than one year. The disaster happened after the first battle against the Zalda Kingdom. For Sardina who had thought that the war could end within six month, she could only curse her luck for the war that was still on-going even after a year. Sardina who had nearly lost the same amount of soldiers as the enemy during the battle of Notiz Plain, stopped the advance of her troops in order to observe the movement of ErnestGora who had began to move their soldiers along the border of their nation with the Zalda Kingdom. Being wary of an intervention by a great nation such as ErnestGora, it was a natural decision for her to divide her army in two, the main force and the invading one. Even when she thought back on it, Sardina didn¡¯t think that her decision was wrong. As a result however, it was also true that Sardina¡¯s decision was one of the reasons that prolonged the conquest of the Zalda Kingdom. If she had advanced with the army after the defeat of the Zalda Kingdoms main army as a whole, it was possible for her to capture the capital city of Periveria and move their troops into the Rozeria Kingdom by now. ¡°Finally, I can get rid of that bothersome man¡­¡± Remembering the biggest cause of all this mess, Sardina murmured those words while chewing her thumbnail. It was one of her bad habits whenever Sardina felt irritated. ¡°Is this about Joshua Belharres?¡± ¡°Thanks to that man, everything has become a complete mess¡­¡± After his father Belharres honorable death during the battle of Notiz Plain, Joshua had withdrew the surviving soldiers. Although she had suffered the same casualties as the enemy, since the enemy commander-in-chief ended up dead, victory was indeed in Sardina¡¯s hand. Although the competence of individual soldiers was important, the most critical elements during warfare were cooperation and command capabilities. For Sardina, it was natural for her to feel convinced that she had obtained victory after the death of General Belharres, which the Zalda people thought of as the Kingdom¡¯s Guardian. Indeed, within the Zalda Kingdom, no one boasted the same fame and track record as the deceased general. However, the invasion army that should have proceeded smoothly met a counter-attack from the Zalda forces under the command of Joshua Belharres, leading the invasion force to end up with high casualties and fail. Because of ErnestGoras movement, it was impossible to increase the invasion troops, but the invasion force should have enough power to invade deep into the Zalda Kingdoms territory since the enemy general was already dead, and the enemy chain of command should have become a complete mess too. But such force was defeated by Joshua Belharres. It was not because Sardina was stupid, Joshua had made use of the poor visibility and other features along the mountain valleys to his advantage, which caused her to praise him for his superb surprise attack. And with Joshuas ability in leading a defensive battle, coupled with the sympathy after his father death, he had attracted the hearts of many Zalda aristocrats who were keen on protecting the country and their territory. Thanks to that he was hailed as a hero¡­ At that moment, the outcast third son jumped into fame. ¡°We¡¯ve been temporarily forced to pull in the Western Army which is strong in mountainous warfare. From here on out, I won¡¯t let you do as you please, Joshua Belharres.¡± In a war, the more troops one possessed, the more advantageous it would become. But then again, even if that thought was not wrong, on a battlefield nothing was certain. Sharp mountains and deep forests filled most of the Zalda Kingdom territory, making a commander unfamiliar with such topography unable to lead an army properly. In addition, the metallic fullbody armor worn by the knights might have exerted an outstanding power in plain battle, but in the mountainous areas where there was a difference in elevations, such armor would only become a burden that exhausts the soldiers¡¯ physical strength. However, Ortomea Empire could overcome such limitations by putting soldiers who had experience in irregular battlefields as well as provide them with a map that they had painstakingly made by making use of the locals. With the soldiers quality becoming equal, the element that could determine the victor would be the number of soldiers one possessed. (With the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s aristocrats turning over to us, strategic victory could have been achieved¡­ I should not make any mistakes afterwards. Letting a prey escape once is enough¡­) Carelessness, self-conceit, arrogance¡­ Sardina knew that such momentary mistakes could lead her into disaster. Strategic planning fills only 99 percent of the victory conditions. A tactical victory was also needed to fill the 1 percent gap and make it a 100% decisive victory. ¡°Also, there is a letter sent by his majesty the emperor for your highness Sardina¡­¡± When Sardina was drifting through the sea of thoughts, Seria took out a letter from her bosom. ¡°From father huh?¡­ It must be filled with a reminder that the war with Zalda Kingdom needs to be finished soon, no?¡± While sighing, Sardina sat up and fixed her posture. For the past year, all the letters that had been delivered using fast horse and birds once a week had the same content. (Father is too impatient¡­ Though I can understand his feeling, but¡­) Naturally, there were limits to both, national strength, and mobilization capability. Not only that, the fighting along the border with ErnestGora on the western side of the continent had not ended yet. It was natural that the Emperor wanted to end the battle quickly. ¡°Give me the letter¡­¡± Seria handed the letter to her silently. ¡°Che¡­¡± Sardina¡¯s face turned cloudy after she read the letter from the Emperor, and after she read one of the sentences inside the letter, she clicked her tongue. Such an act was very rare for Sardina who had always kept her elegant appearance as the first princess of the Empire. (It seems like bad news have come¡­) An uneasy feeling appeared inside Seria¡¯s heart. ¡°Here, you read it as well¡­¡± ¡°Is it alright?¡± Seria took the letter being presented to her after Sardina replied by nodding her head. (I see¡­ no wonder¡­) Seria¡¯s facial expression who read the letter also turned cloudy. ¡°Here it comes, the northern female fox. Finally, she started to move¡­¡± Seria sighed after she read the letter that informed them that ErnestGora army had started to move. ¡°As of now, their second corps had been stationed near the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s border¡­¡± From the beginning of the war, Sardina had anticipated that this time would come someday. However, one year had passed since the Notiz battle, and for her, it was definitely a bad timing to have them move now. ¡°Our plan of dividing the Zalda Kingdom is already in front of our eyes, and yet¡­ Geez, why nothing has gone according to plan¡­¡± All the bad fortunes in this war made her felt like the God of War hated the idea of Ortomea Empire becoming prosperous. Most likely, ErnestGora had sent their spies into the Zalda Kingdom to monitor Sardina¡¯s movements. ¡°Is there any possibility that this movement is only a bluff? One year has passed since ErnestGora had declared war on both Ortomea Empire, and the Mist Kingdom, but all this time they only occupied the northern part of the Zalda Kingdom without moving south. If they had any intention to actively intervene in this war, then they should¡¯ve moved a year ago.¡± ¡°Which means ErnestGora has no interest in moving to the south eh?¡± Seria nodded her head to answer Sardina¡¯s question. After the Notiz Plain, ErnestGora first corps had broken through the border, entered the Zalda Kingdom territory and occupied several cities located in the northwest of the country. However, in the past one year, other than occupying those cities, ErnestGora troops had not moved. Despite having replied to the letter sent by the Zalda Kingdom properly, they didn¡¯t make any move. ¡°One year had already passed. Your Highness had stopped the advance of our entire army because of ErnestGora movement. I think this time is also a bluff to delay the movement of our army¡­¡± ¡°You might be right, even so, we still need to think about the countermeasures, just in case¡­¡± This kind of problem, even if it was a bluff, one had to prepare a countermeasure¡­ Sardina and the others would not be able to stop ErnestGora from moving toward the south if they didn¡¯t prepare something. And, while it might be true that ErnestGora had no intentions of moving toward the south, one could not be sure about the future. Sardina had sent a messenger at the time when ErnestGora entered the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s border, suggesting that they should split the Zalda Kingdom into two, but as expected, no reply arrived. Because of that, Sardina could not proceed to capture the Royal capital Periveria since it would expose her flank. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Hearing Seria¡¯s question, Sardina creased her forehead. (Wait for the reinforcements to arrive, then gain victory by dragging Joshua Belharres out¡­ After that, lower the Zalda¡¯s morale by dividing the country into two north and south halves¡­ We need to obtain a decisive victory by using a small amount of time¡­ I guess that is the only way¡­) What crossed Sardina¡¯s mind was the plan they had devised before the war broke out. Just in case when they could not move that northern country into a negotiation table. If Sardina kept being concerned about the movement of that country, she wouldnt be able to occupy the Zalda Kingdom for many years. Sardina then opened a paper on the table, and immediately run her quill pen with intense force. ¡°Call back Sudou who is currently in Rozeria. As soon as the reinforcements from the west arrive, we will immediately begin our decisive battle. Also, sent this to father¡­¡± Seria opened her eyes wide when she heard the content that needed to be written in the letter. ¡°Your Highness, you want Rolf-dono to come here?¡± He was the leader of the imperial guard that had been praised by many countries as [The Emperor¡¯s Shield]. As one of the Emperor¡¯s trusted aides, he was the commander-in-chief of the Emperor¡¯s guard. The moment when Rolf went to the frontline, was the moment the emperor himself moved. ¡°There¡¯s no other choice, no one is better in defensive battle than Rolf¡­ After we move our army forward, the fort would be left empty with no one protecting it, we cannot afford that to happen.¡± ¡°There¡¯s the chance that Zalda would move and cut us from the flank is it?¡± Sardina nodded her head in response to Seria¡¯s question. If this fort fell, Ortomea Empire¡¯s soldiers would be disconnected from their homeland, unable to obtain their supply and become isolated. Looking at the remaining of the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s soldiers and the quality of their commanders, such a thing had a low possibility of happening, but Sardina was aiming for perfection. ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t just move the Imperial Guard. However, I intend to have my close aides defend this fort. It is inexcusable but, I have no choice other than to convince my father¡­ We absolutely cannot lose the next battle.¡± Seria nodded her head in silent after she heard Sardina made her decision, then she turned her heels and left the tent. ¡°¡­ Absolutely, we cannot lose¡­¡± Sardina murmured those words once again to confirm her resolve while glaring at the sky outside via the tents window. Various expectations intersected, while the decisive battle that would decide the fate of the Zalda Kingdom approached day by day¡­ Here is a brief explanation, -Imperial Guard is a unit under the Emperor¡¯s direct command, no General could give the Imperial Guard an order or move them unless the Emperor said so. -Imperial Knight Orders are under Generals¡¯ command given by Imperial authority. -lastly, the Imperial Army is a combination of both, under the command of the Emperor.> =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 123 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 23 Chapter 4 Episode 23 Editors : Starbuck11, Kev From high above a cliff, Joshua put a cigar in his mouth while overlooking the transportation corps with a phoenix flag moving by on the highway, indicating that itbelonged to the Ortomea Empire. That place was the mountain range on the border of the Zalda Kingdom. Innumerable men and horses covered the highway. That group was the army corp that had been tasked by the Imperial princess Sardina to carry the supplies from Ortomea Empire. Just how much goods did they had brought, no one could really guess. The Ortomea Empire was one of the three strongest countries in the western continent. Such sight was as if to show the enormous national strength they possessed. (I guess the information was right huh? Which means that that woman had become impatient¡­) It was impossible for Ortomea Empire to gather that amount of supplies and just spent them on one front line no matter how much national strength they possessed. (This is really troubling¡­) With a bitter smile on his expression, the figure of the first imperial princess of the Ortomea Empire which he had confronted this past one year appeared inside Joshua¡¯s mind. However, Sardina¡¯s figure inside Joshua¡¯s mind had no face. Joshua only knew from the rumors and reports that Sardina was a beautiful woman, but in this world where photograph and tv basically were non-existent it was impossible for him to know the face of the princess from an enemy¡¯s country. (Looking at this, that means they are planning on crushing us in one go by using their national strength huh? Just what I¡¯ve expected, they have chosen that option¡­ Well, looking from the various point of view, this is indeed a sound tactic.) Somehow his expression looked casual despite all of the events. Beard that had never been maintained. The smells of liquor and cigar drifted from his whole body, his hair was also being unkempt. Although he did not have the usual smell of cheap perfume which a prostitute would had used, the figure standing there was indeed the third son who had spent all his time in the slums inside the royal capital. Joshua then summoned fire on his fingertip using fire magic arts, and brought the fire closer to the cigar in his mouth. Then he quietly inhaled and enjoyed the tobacco for a moment. (Sensing the movement of ErnestGora, she wants to deal with the obstacle before her eyes immediately. I guess she is pressed for time huh? Although, I guess we¡¯re also the same¡­) Joshua¡¯s brain already knew that the Zalda Kingdom had little time left. And it seemed that the Ortomea Empire also had the same problem. In the past one year, the Zalda army had used irregular warfare by using the topography and successfully reduced the speed of the Ortomea Empire¡¯s progress, but they had not yet solved the fundamental problem. It was like putting a life support treatment on a terminally ill patient and betting everything on the arrival of an unknown new medicine. And the flock of people that were moving under the cliff was equal to that of a god of death who ruthlessly announced the death of the said sick patient. (Well whatever¡­ Either way, I¡¯ve already decided to gamble my life and the destiny of this country by following that man¡¯s plan, I just need to do my job here¡­) The face of the man who had exchanged words with him for the first time appeared inside Joshua¡¯s mind. It was a young man, younger than Joshua. Furthermore, he was a man from an unknown origin which had become a noble. However, the plan presented by the young man had sufficient value to even make Joshua bet everything on it. The plan itself was not original in particular. With just a little bit of wisdom, anyone could come up with such plan. However, while it might be true that the plan was easy to come by, the possibility of the realization was near impossible. (I can¡¯t help but think that he is an interesting man¡­) The figure of Mikoshiba Ryouma with a fearless smile on his face appeared inside Joshua¡¯s mind causing him to lift his lips into a smirk. Joshua knew that he himself was a hopeless gambler. High risk, and high return. It was a gamble several times more thrilling than the one he had on the outskirts of the town. And from it, Joshua felt an indescribable feeling of excitement. ¡°Now then¡­ It¡¯s almost time¡­¡± From here on out, it was the biggest gambling he had ever made before. It was a gambling betting the fate of the three eastern countries. Joshua then threw away the cigar to his feet and step the fire with his boots. At that moment, a ferocious expression emerged on Joshua¡¯s face. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re going to push all of the work on me huh? Such a good social position you have there¡­¡± The one who spoke to Joshua with teasing words from behind was a mercenary woman with burning red hair. ¡°Are all the preparations finish already?¡± ¡°Yes, we can begin anytime¡­¡± When he turned back looking at the person, Lione nodded with confidence. ¡°I see¡­ Good work. Lione.¡± ¡°Youre welcome. Troublesome brat-san.¡± Looking at the smiling Lione who said those words, Joshua leaked a sigh from his mouth. Joshua knew that Lione was not as easy going as she sounded. ¡°My guys¡¯ skills are indeed good, but they are kind of the quirky type. Unless they admit it themselves that someone is above them, they won¡¯t easily bow their head.¡± In fact, they won¡¯t even listen to the command of the knights dispatched from the royal capital Periveria. They were soldiers specially organized by the late general Belharres. And now, since the general had died, the soldiers belonged to Joshua. They were special because, after all, they were previously criminals such as small time bandits and thieves that vandalized the Zalda domestic territories. General Belharres was a great knight and also a great strategist, he was aware that he could not win against the Ortomea Empire national strength if he fought straightforwardly, just like a knight would. The size of the country, the national strength, human resources, basically the differences were too much. No matter how much militaristic the Zalda Kingdom was, no matter how good a single knight was, they would not be able to compete because of the inferior numerical numbers. Besides, the Zalda Kingdom was not entirely made of rocks either. Originally, the land was obtained by opening up forest and hills. Although the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s king was a sovereign and the leader of the aristocrats, he was not an absolute ruler. It was difficult to make a decision in the Zalda Kingdom without causing the nobles to ask questions, quite different compared to the Ortomea Empire where they were unified under the will of the Emperor. Even a baby knew which one was better. Therefore, General Belharres who knew about that, took various measures to compensate the national power difference between the Ortomea empire and the Zalda kingdom. Naturally, the measures where he waged a war that deviated from the way of the knights was also included. One of such measures was making the security within the Ortomea Empire to decline. To that end, General Belharres had sent the bandit leaders who had been sentenced to death in Zalda to the Ortomea Empire, and ordered them to disturb the security there in exchange for their pardon. Those men were people who had rougher lives compared to the mercenaries and the adventurers. And to make such men abide by her command confirmed Lione¡¯s ability. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. I didn¡¯t do anything special, I just teased them and kicked their asses a little bit. They are quite adorable.¡± Lione laughed while narrowing her eyes. In reality, Lione had no problem getting accustomed to Joshua¡¯s men. While being a woman she was the leader of [Red Lion] which shows she¡¯s a capable one. (I see¡­ Just like that man had said, she was a useful woman. Besides, I have faith in that man.) Mikoshiba Ryouma was not in this place. Currently, he was heading to meet the female fox while betting the destiny of the three countries. Joshua and Lione were given the responsibility of blocking the Ortomea Empire¡¯s advance as much as possible while Ryouma would work to realize the plan. The job both of them took can be considered as a sacrificial pawn. But despite under such conditions, Lione didn¡¯t show any uneasy expression on her face. It showed that Mikoshiba Ryouma and Lione shared a bond that was not half-hearted. ¡°Fine then¡­ Let us begin.¡± ¡°Roger that. ¡± After nodding her head Lione turned her body around. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Listen! There¡¯s the possibility that the enemy might strike anytime. Tell the leading soldiers to keep an eye on the surrounding. And inform the rear soldiers as well!¡± When the commander on the horseback raised such voice, the messengers immediately ran to their destination. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit too vigilant?¡± The commander shakes his head in response to his aide¡¯s question. While it might be true that he looked too wary, its also true that in the past one year, many troops had lost their lives at the hands of Joshua Belharres and his surprise attacks. The commander wanted to avoid his predecessors¡¯ mistakes Furthermore, he absolutely cannot fail the transport duty this time. ¡°Her Highness Sardina-sama has firmly told me to be cautious. Or do you want us to fail this mission?¡± Toward his boss question, the aide shook his head in panic. ¡°Please don¡¯t joke like that¡­¡± ¡°If you know that then just shut up and follow me¡­ The scale of the importance of this mission was incomparable compared to the previous one, you realize that don¡¯t you?¡± According to Sardina¡¯s command, they had brought a significant amount of goods and soldiers from across the Empire toward the Notiz fort. However, no matter how much supplies they had at the rear base, it had no value if they could not bring them to the front line. Answering the commander question, the adjutant nodded his head silently. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Begin!¡± Following Lione¡¯s order, more than two hundred soldiers started chanting. ¡°¡±¡±O Mother earth, Thou shall defend the child from the evil with thy firm arms, Stone Wall!!!¡±¡±¡± Rock walls were raised one after another from the earth. It was big rocks. It was best described as thick and heavy walls rather than rock walls. Although it was a magic art that was used only as a barrier in the past, in their expression there was no doubt. ¡°PUSH THEM!¡± Again, following the order, the soldiers put their strength on the walls. ¡°OOOOH! PUSH THEM!¡± ¡°Put more of your strength!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be lazy. PUSH IT!¡± It was rock walls weighing a few tons. Even those who had strengthened their physical ability with martial arts wouldn¡¯t be able to move those rocks easily. They pushed the rock walls to the point where their face turned red. Their muscles bulged, blood ran through their whole body. ¡°Just like that, push them down the cliff all at once!¡± ¡°¡±¡±UOOOOH!¡±¡±¡± With a final push, the soldiers managed to move the rock walls. They had done so to crush the Ortomea Empire¡¯s troops under the cliff. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°What was that sound?¡± The commander tilted his head toward the mountain where he felt he heard the voice. ¡°Your Excellency! Rocks! There are rocks falling down from the cliff!¡± When looking at the place pointed by the aide, gigantic rocks fell from the cliffs rolling down with dust and dirt trailing behind. Because the rocks themselves were not perfectly circular, they were rolling down by changing their course in irregular movements. The rocks movements were hard to predict and difficult to avoid. ¡°Kuh! This must be Zalda¡¯s surprise attack! What were the scouts doing?!¡± ¡°We will talk about that later. Your Excellency, please escape!¡± Of course, they don¡¯t have any way to escape. Because if they wanted to escape, they would need to move the soldiers who filled the highway to the sides. On this day, Joshua Belharres would cause serious damage, enough to further reduce Ortomea Empire¡¯s advance. And such event gives Mikoshiba Ryouma the most vital time he needs¡­ =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 124 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 24 Chapter 4 Episode 24 Editor : Starbuck11 Near the Zalda Kingdoms border. A group of certain people ran through the road crossing the large forested area, heading toward the northwest. It was an area where trading was not very popular. On top of that, thanks to ErnestGoras uncertain movements, it was now only the commoners who used this highway. That was why, no matter how fast they ran the horse, no traffic accidents ever happened. Even from the distance, the noise of the horses¡¯ hooves could be heard. And after the people saw the dust and dirt flying about in the distance, they would immediately move to the side. The group was dressed in poor clothes. With the exception of the highway that was being protected by a barrier for safe travel, right now they used the side road probably to shorten the distance. The fluttering mantles they used looked worn out, tattered in some places by beast claws, there were also bad smells drifting from their body, it made one wonder for how many days they had not taken a bath. Probably, they also never stayed at the inn during the journey and choose to use camp. If they didn¡¯t bring weapons while riding horses, people who saw them would think that they were refugees who escaped the war. On the face of the group of about twenty people, fatigue can be seen clearly. ¡°Leader, I can see it!¡¯ One young knight who leads the group looked back and shouted. He was given the duty of scout, leading the group toward the land occupied by ErnestGora. A sense of relief that he was finally going to get released from strong pressure, can be felt from his voice. Everyone directed their eyes toward the direction where the royal knight pointed. ¡°That is the northern city, Menviz.¡± Looking at the direction pointed, Oosan Gurido and Ryouma gradually could see the shape of the city. Eventually, Ryouma could see the castle walls surrounding the city clearly. One year had passed since ErnestGora occupied Menviz which was the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s important northern city. The flags of the ErnestGora Kingdom were standing on the city¡¯s walls. ¡°Ah, Indeed¡­ Finally¡­¡± Ryouma turned his line of sight toward the city walls without reducing the speed of his horse. ¨C ¡°It has been four days¡­¡± A frustrated muttering from Ryouma could be heard by the Marfisto sisters who ran their horses in parallel with him. ¡°I think this is considerably faster than normal¡­ After all, we¡¯ve been running day and night while strengthening the horses with magic arts, furthermore, we also changed horses whenever we passed some town. Thanks to that, we managed to reduce the time spent for the horses to rest¡­¡± Confirming Laura¡¯s remark, Sara nodded her head in silence. They had imbued the horses¡¯ saddle and hooves with magic arts, by granting them physical strength recovery and speed enchantment, they managed to move with great speed for a long time. With such method, Ryouma and the others had been running nonstop, while also making use of Gurido¡¯s position as a leader of the Royal Guard, they changed horses whenever possible. ¡°Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­¡± Ryouma muttered those words, and turn his line of sight forward again. ¡°Are you feeling dissatisfied?¡± After he shakes his head to Sara¡¯s worried words, Ryouma raised the speed of the horse once again. (Dissatisfied, indeed I feel dissatisfied, but it would be no use for me to voice it either¡­ Damn it, will I make it in time?) Although magic arts were highly versatile and convenient, it didn¡¯t mean that there were no disadvantages either. Fatigue would accumulate, and the speed of the horse was limited even though its physical stamina was being strengthened by magic arts. For that reason, they switched horses whenever possible. ¨C Furthermore, they had considered reducing their luggages and clothes, so as not to further exhaust the horses¡¯ physical strength. Many of the Zalda Kingdoms soldiers used full body metal armors, but the knights accompanying them right now only worn light leather armors just like mercenaries. They also didn¡¯t bring their sword and shield that have the Zalda Kingdom crest on it. If people saw them, nobody would¡¯ve guessed that they were knights. Only a one-handed sword hung around their waist could be seen. There were neither spears nor any other replacement weapons. Other than that, only portable water bottle and a small cloth bag containing dried meat were hung on the saddle. Looking at their light dresses and equipment, it could be described as a reckless group of people going on a journey. Although they replenish their small supplies in the towns scattered along the way, unlike the modern Earth, in this world many unexpected things might happen during a journey. Actually, if it was the usual Mikoshiba Ryouma, he would absolutely refuse to go on a trip with such equipment. But because he was in a great hurry, he had no choice other than to gamble on it. (If it¡¯s those two then they should be able to buy us a few days, but the number of soldiers compared to the Ortomea Empire is too different. Considering the topography, we need at least ten days¡­ Even if we manage to pull the negotiation, we might not arrive in time for the decisive battle.) Lione and Joshua¡¯s appearance appeared inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. As his close associate and trusted confidant, he had confidence in Lione¡¯s ability to command. In addition, although Ryouma only met him for a brief time, Ryouma felt Joshua had the same smell as him. He was not worried about their abilities. However, no matter how successful the surprise attack tactics they had used to disturb the advancing supplies transportation, there were still limits in everything. (I hope, that ErnestGora¡¯s queen is someone capable just like the rumor said¡­) Of course, there was the prospect of victory, but it was not an absolute one. Thinking like that, Ryouma bites his lips and stared at the ErnestGora¡¯s flag. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°I see, you¡¯re the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s messenger, Mikoshiba-dono? Surprisingly, you¡¯re quite young. To shoulder the fate of a country with such young age, you must be quite the caliber, eh?¡± In a room where Ryouma and Osan Gurido were shown, A man in the late thirties welcomed them standing with a smile on his face. Despite the sudden visit, he didn¡¯t show any dissatisfied expression. In fact, it felt like he was saying that they arrived according to their schedule. (As expected, they managed to read our movement, huh? But well, it¡¯s not the time to think about that.) The moment they entered the gate, the people from ErnestGora must have gathered information in them since there was no big identity check when they passed the gate. Since even if they sewed the crest of the Zalda royal family on their mantle, it was not a proof of their identity, because such a thing could be easily forged. ¡°Oh, that was rude of me. To call someone without introducing myself¡­ My name is Arnold Grisson. I hold the position of General in the ErnestGora army. As well as the highest commanding officer of the Eastern Theatre.¡± He was a skinny man with a pale-looking face. He didn¡¯t look so healthy. He might be too much of a hard worker since despite being young his blonde hair was mixed with white hair here and there. And with silver-rimmed glasses on his face, it was hard to see him as a military man. It would¡¯ve been more convincing if he told Ryouma and the others that he was a merchant or scholar. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for our sudden visit. Grisson-sama. Because of this matter related to Zalda Kingdoms fate, pardon us for being a little bit hasty. My name is Mikoshiba Ryouma. And this person with me is Osan Gurido, he is one of the Royal Guard knight order¡¯s leader.¡± Toward Ryouma who carefully bowed his head, General Grisson narrowed his eyes. After they sat down on the chairs, General Grisson once again opened his mouth while looking at Ryouma gently. ¡°Hou¡­ Not just young but also courteous. I heard you¡¯re a former commoner, but I can see from your manner that you¡¯ve grown accustomed to your position.¡± It didn¡¯t feel like a sarcasm coming from him. Rather, it felt like he was looking at Ryouma with a favorable impression. (I wonder if that was true¡­ Well, I better not think too optimistically.) He might hide his true intention, just like the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s nobles, there was a possibility that he just doesn¡¯t want to show his contempt and mockery blatantly. Either way, Ryouma could not let his guard down, since from here on out he needed to perform serious negotiations. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, but since we don¡¯t have much time, I want us to enter the main topic immediately.¡± Ryouma talked straightaway, to hold the initiative. ¡°Very well. Since I also have not much free time either.¡± General Grisson shrugged his shoulders and urged Ryouma to begin. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I would like you to provide assistance to the Zalda Kingdom.¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, General Grisson raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Assist the Zalda Kingdom is it?¡± Ryouma nodded his head to confirm General Grisson¡¯s question. ¡°Well, certainly, with the current situation, there¡¯s no other reasons for the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s messenger to come, then let me ask you a question alright?¡± ¡°Is there something else?¡± Toward Ryouma¡¯s question, General Grisson only replied with a gentle smile. ¡°A year had passed since we occupied this Menviz city. Up until now, many messengers had been sent to us, but we didn¡¯t come to help the Zalda Kingdom. I think by now our policy can be fully understood by you, is it not?¡± ¡°Of course, I realize that. For the kingdom of ErnestGora, it would have been more convenient to have the Ortomea Empire occupy the entire Zalda Kingdom at once. Am I right?¡± General Grisson lifted his lips and laughed after he heard Ryouma¡¯s reply. It was a dark smile that was in contrast to his outward appearance. ¡°I see now, to think you can grasp our intention¡­ Fumu, being a former commoner and gaining a noble position, I guess it was not just a fluke¡­ You¡¯ve great perception indeed. That is right. We do not want the Zalda Kingdom to survive. At this point in time, the only thing the Zalda Kingdom could do is a concession of territory, but even with such a thing, it is not profitable enough for us to exchange sword with Ortomea Empire in earnest¡­¡± Certainly, General Grisson¡¯s words were right. For the ErnestGora Kingdom, they have no reasons why they must help the Zalda Kingdom fight against Ortomea Empire. Rather than letting the Zalda Kingdom continue to half-exist with a land concession, it would¡¯ve been easier for ErnestGora to aim for re-occupation, with the pretext of releasing it from Ortomea Empire had ErnestGora let Ortomea Empire occupy the Zalda Kingdom by now. Of course, for such a thing to happen, the timing was important. Before the Ortomea Empires administration become effective, what remained after the war would¡¯ve been the hatred held by the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s citizens. They waited for that timing, and that was why ErnestGora didn¡¯t show any movement for nearly one year while occupying the border city of Menviz. However, that was not all that Ryouma read from General Grisson¡¯s strategy. ¡°I guess that would be natural.¡± When he saw Ryouma nodded his head without any hesitation, General Grisson¡¯s expression changed. Doubt and bewilderment can be seen in his expression. Ryoumas manners and words were contradicted with each other. At least that was what General Grisson felt ¡°This is indeed surprising¡­ You seem to have read our aim in advance¡­ Since you can understand that much. Then, what did you come here for?¡± it was natural for General Grisson to ask such question. ¡°Of course, to ask for a help.¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s answer that was told with no hesitation, the color of contempt appeared on General Grisson¡¯s face. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve come here just to make fun of me¡­ It was quite the interesting talk, but I do not wish to waste our time further.¡± Just as the talk ended, General Grisson raised his back from the chair. ¡°Please wait.¡± Gurido who was watching the talk from behind Ryouma unintentionally shouted. He had heard what was going to be negotiated beforehand, but the negotiation itself was left completely to Ryouma. Gurido himself understood that he was unsuitable for such negotiation. That was why he had kept silent all this time. However, the negotiation was about to fail. It was natural for Gurido to raised his voice. ¡°What do you want to say? Isn¡¯t it the same with the messengers you guys have sent all this time?¡± General Grisson words were as if he throwed some spit. His tone of voice was cold like a knife. Toward such cold anger, Gurido was unable to continue his words. However, even after he saw General Grissons anger, Ryouma didn¡¯t change his expression. ¡°The farce is over¡­ Go back from where you¡¯ve come.¡± General Grissons line of sight looked straight at Ryouma. Not a request, but a command. Although his appearance didn¡¯t show him as one, he was without a doubt a General from one of the largest countries in the western continent. If normal humans heard his words, they would follow it without a doubt. However, Ryouma¡¯s facial expression remained the same. (This is where all began¡­) Ryouma breathed heavily and settle down his mind, he then opened his best trump card. ¡°Well then, I would like to talk directly with ErnestGora Kingdom¡¯s Queen, Queen Grindiena¡± Next =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 125 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 25 Chapter 4 Episode 25 Editor: Starbuck11 Across the table, two people stared at each other silently. Ten seconds, twenty seconds¡­ the passing time felt like an eternity. Only the sound of the clock with stunning carvings could be heard. (What did he say just now?) Pushing back the fear that began to crawl up, Grisson repeated Ryouma¡¯s words inside his mind. ErnestGora Queen, Grindiena Erneshal was currently in the Menviz city, away from her royal capital Drizen. It was a reality that the young man in front of Grisson knew of such a truth. That was why the words of the young man in front of him supposedly can only be regarded as something stupid. Grisson would want nothing more but laugh at it, yet somehow his mouth felt dry. (It can¡¯t be, does this man noticed her majestys expectations?) Grisson had heard rumors and reports about the young man in front of him from spies and merchants, they had described him as an able man. Despite being a commoner, he had influenced the fate of one country¡­ (No, that is impossible¡­ Being able to speculate her majestys expectations means he is equal to her¡­ That is a bit too much¡­) ¡°Are you stupid? Her Majesty currently is in the royal capital Drizen¡­¡± Listening to Grisson words Mikoshiba Ryouma lifted his lips and laughed hard. Just looking at his expression, Ryouma was confident that he had won the bet. ¡°At the royal capital, Drizen is it ? I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Grisson¡¯s expression becomes distorted after Ryouma gazed at him with stabbing gaze. ¡°What on earth is the basis of that confidence of yours¡­¡± Until recently, Grisson was the one who led the conversations. However, the atmosphere of the place changed completely. Right now, the young man in front of him was the one who took all the initiatives. Although Grisson didn¡¯t have any intentions of underestimating the young man from the beginning, this development was beyond Grisson¡¯s imagination. Grisson unintentionally turned his gaze toward the mirror placed on the wall¡­ ¡°I do have some basis¡­ But, if I have to explain it, then we can save more time if we do it together with Grindiena-sama.¡± ¡°T-That is¡­¡± Grisson was at loss for words. Neither affirmation nor denial was able to come out from Grisson. ¡°This is troubling¡­ As General Grisson already knew, we do not have much time, see?¡± Ryouma said those words as if he was really in trouble. Although it was actually the truth that Ryouma had only a little time. He had none to waste with someone that had no authority¡­ Ryouma then turned his gaze towards the mirror hanging on the wall. Grisson face turned pale realizing what was the meaning of his act. (This man¡­ How?) ¡°However, since it would be rude to meet her majesty suddenly like this¡­ For now, shall I go back just like General Grisson had suggested, I wonder? Gurido-dono, let¡¯s leave for now.¡± ¡°O-Oi¡­¡± Saying that Ryouma stands up and urges Gurido to leave with him. Before he heads toward the door, Ryouma bows his head toward the mirror hanging on the wall. Only Grisson and another human being knew the meaning of that action. Gurido readied himself following Ryouma while feeling bewildered by the situation. ¡°Well then, please excuse us. As I will stay at the inn in Menviz, my subordinates will inform you of the address, please do notify us as soon as possible when your side is ready for a meeting. It was a bit rude for General Grisson but, please do deliver my message to Grindiena-sama.¡± Lowering his head toward him for the last time, Ryouma then turns the doorknob. However, before Ryouma opened the door, a womans voice could be heard from behind him. ¡°Shall we end our farce of probing each others intentions, right here and now? ¡± When Ryouma turned his head back, there was a woman standing, where none should have existed inside the room before. Along with her, bookshelves that should not exist also appeared. Probably, she had been watching Ryouma through a magic mirror. And judging that there was room for negotiations, she decided to come out from the hidden place. (ED : one-way mirror) ¡°I¡¯ve received reports regarding you¡­ A young hero of the Rozeria Kingdom, a summoned individual from another world, performed by the Ortomea Empire. Am I right, Baron Mikoshiba ?¡± Her voice sounded clear just like the ring of a bell. And also contained pressure that makes people bow down to her. The woman standing beside Grisson gave an overwhelming presence. However, Ryouma kept his calm expression and gently lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m happy to be given the opportunity to meet you. Your majesty, Grindiena Erneshal-sama.¡± Looking at his response, ErnestGora¡¯s young Queen, Grindiena Erneshal smiled elegantly with a glowing crown on top of her head. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Well then, shall we begin our talk?¡± Grindiena sat down elegantly with Ryouma sitting down across the table. Certainly, she was not someone that can be categorized as an absurd beauty. Although she was dressed in a luxurious pure white dress with lace and jewels, if one was to compare her beauty with Lupis and Sardina, she looked inferior several times against them. However, her elegant wavy blonde hair and her strong-willed gaze could turn peoples eyes towards her. Her age was around mid-twenties or early thirties. That was the appearance of the woman known as the northern female fox. ¡°Now then, where shall I begin the talks ?¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s question without being nervous, Grindiena opened her eyes wide and laughed merrily. ¡°Aha, let¡¯s see¡­ Since Grisson seems to care about it, how about starting from how did you find out that I was here? You¡¯re fine with this right, Grisson?¡± Grindiena turned her gaze at Grisson who was standing by her side. ¡°That is¡­¡± Ryouma slowly opened his mouth after seeing Grisson nodding his head in response to Grindiena¡¯s question. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t know that Grindiena-sama was here¡­ However, considering various conditions, I thought that I might be able to get some cooperation if I negotiated with General Grisson stationed in Menviz.¡± ¡°From your words, you seem to understand my aim, is that right?¡± Grindiena gaze turn sharp. ¡°Although I don¡¯t think I can grasp your majestys intentions completely¡­ But I can guess what your majestys aim is¡­¡± Ryouma nodded quietly while spreading the map of the western continent that he had brought on the desk. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Not bad¡­ Despite me having scattered hints here and there, the stupid Zalda guys spent and wasted almost a year figuring out nothing¡­ To be honest, I¡¯m worried if the Zalda Kingdom get destroyed by Ortomea Empire, you see¡­¡± While she talks about the fate of a country, Grindiena uses light tone as if she didn¡¯t care about anything. (As expected, she knew that this war could break the balance of power¡­ As one would expect from the one nicknamed northern female fox huh?) Looking at Grindiena¡¯s attitude, Ryouma realizes that his prediction was correct. ¡°Well then, shall I hear your explanation in detail then?¡± Grindienas eyes shine like a child who got a new toy. ¡°Sure, well then¡­ First of all, despite having the army mobilized so quickly, I¡¯ve noticed that the ErnestGora¡¯s army had stopped from invading right after the occupation of Menviz city. Which indicates that ErnestGora is ready for a negotiation.¡± ErnestGora could not stand silently while the Ortomea Empire invaded the Zalda Kingdom. However, ErnestGora was also not stupid enough to fight side by side with the Zalda Kingdom if they only get a small profit from it¡­ Because the Zalda Kingdoms territory itself was a mountainous area, the land was unsuitable for food production. And it was the same as total destruction if the Zalda Kingdom lost its iron production since they didn¡¯t have any other industries. Although the aristocrats of the Zalda Kingdom held some feeling of patriotism, fundamentally they were independent and were not obedient to the King¡¯s order. In fact, the Zalda Kingdoms royal family position was only as the leader of the aristocrats. Having Julianus the First being portrayed as someone mediocre was something natural. After all, he was just a mediator and a representative for the kingdom, not the ruler of the Zalda Kingdom. ¡°In the past year, the Zalda Kingdom had sent messengers, but the discussions didn¡¯t progress¡­¡± ¡°Right, what do you think of that?¡± Grindiena tried to probe Ryouma while caressing the teacup filled with black tea. No matter how many lands they took, there was no meaning in it if there were no profits coming from it. ¡°Of course, in my eyes, Grindiena-sama judgment is natural. On the contrary, if your majesty move the army with just that kind of small profits, I will feel suspicious that something must be hidden behind the curtain.¡± Listening to Ryouma¡¯s answer, Grindiena nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Right¡­ Although I can understand why those morons presented us with those kind of terms¡­ It was naive of them to think that we will move just with that little of a profit.¡± ¡°As expected, I was right, huh?¡± ¡°Of course, think about it, it felt like I was being pushed to take care of those independent nobles.¡± Grindiena sighed as if feeling amazed. The territory the Zalda Kingdom was about to give to ErnestGora was the northern part of the Zalda Kingdom. It was one-fifth of the whole country. However, it was natural for Grindiena to feel disappointed with such an offer. Certainly, the terms were quite extraordinary. It can be said that the terms were presented as if the Zalda Kingdom vomited some blood. After all, they gave away part of their territory without a fight. However, that act was actually a selfish act performed by the Zaldan side. They lacked Grindiena¡¯s viewpoint as the receiving side. Just because one knows what one¡¯s side wants, it doesnt mean that it equates to what the other side also wants. In the first place, the Zalda Kingdom territory was unsuitable for agriculture. Having mines aside, other than that the vast land given to her has no particular value. Not only that, half of the territory being given to her had lords governing it. That was the biggest problem, not all the territory being given was the belonging of the Zalda royal family. And it was also unlikely for those nobles to follow Grindiena¡¯s rule quietly. Grindiena could not afford to leave lords with questionable loyalty to govern the border of her nation. If she left such lords to govern,they would be susceptible to foreign intervention and they might rise up in conflict. However, she could not easily change their ruling territory either. Because it would be more efficient to have the nobles who are familiar with the territory and had governed the land, generation after generation, to take care of the land. That was also why those nobles will not let go of their land if Grindiena didn¡¯t prepare another rich land as a replacement. And if she forcefully changes the lord, they will end up rebelling against her. From Grindiena¡¯s perspective, she felt like being forced to take care of something troublesome. ¡°With that being the case, it would have been better for your majesty to take the parts your majesty want, after the Ortomea Empire destroyed the entire structure of the Zalda Kingdoms government. Like that, your majesty would be free from the troublesome nobles all at once. That was what your majesty, Grindiena-sama had aimed for¡­¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Gurido heaves a big sigh. Although Ryouma had explained it to him beforehand, such words were still hurting for the one who had been serving the Zalda Kingdom. It was as if being told that the existence of the Zalda Kingdom was lacking in all sense. ¡°I was right to take that decision, don¡¯t you think? After all, I¡¯m the Queen of ErnestGora. I need something reasonable to mobilize the army, where the soldiers might die¡­¡± Looking at Grindiena who shrugged her shoulders, Gurido unexpectedly felt some fear different from what he usually felt during a battle. Although her face was laughing, her eyes emitted a sharp light that only people who were aware of the responsibility as a ruler could have. ¡°Next, in case there¡¯s a full confrontation against the Ortomea Empire. Although their national strength is somewhat better than ErnestGora, it can be said that overall we are near equal, which makes it hard to see which side is going to win. Much less waging a war in the unfamiliar territory of the Zalda Kingdom. If possible, your majesty wishes to not wage war in your majestys own territory.¡± Before anyone realizes, Ryouma calm gaze had turned into a sharp gaze. ¡°So?¡± ¡°That was the reason why Grindiena-sama didn¡¯t move the army further after occupying the Menviz city. And came all the way from the royal capital Drizen to this city personally. That was in order to understand the situation and the surroundings perfectly, and also to see if there would be a person worthy enough to fight hand in hand.¡± Grindiena laughed happily after she heard Ryoumas explanation, soon after, she directed a sharp gaze at Ryouma in turn. Her expression was befitting someone being called the northern female fox. ¡°Of course. Since I have no reason to associate myself with fools¡­ Very well then, since you understand that much, how about we go down to the main business immediately¡­ What kind of negotiation terms have you brought today?¡± The tense atmosphere immediately filled the room, it was as if two people holding swords faced each other. No, it would have been more precise to say that their words will be the swords. Words that carry the fates of ones own country. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve brought with me something that I¡¯m sure will satisfy your majesty¡­¡± Saying that Ryouma handed over letters to Grindiena. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 126 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 26 Chapter 4 Episode 26 Editor : Starbuck11 ¡°Everything has advanced as Your Majesty had expected¡­ Am I right?¡± Grisson sighed while he wiped his glasses with his handkerchief. Anxiety floated on his face¡­ It was a question whether he had such an expression because of the person in front of him or because his prediction was correct. ¡°Oh my, Arnold, if you sigh too much, happiness will escape from you, you know?¡± Grindiena teased Grisson while she lays down on the sofa, inside a room where Ryouma and the others previously performed the negotiations. Even though her dress would become wrinkled because of her action, Grindiena didn¡¯t seem to care about it. Looking at her childish manners, Grisson leaked another sigh. Despite looking like that, she was a lord worthy of respect who showed extraordinary talents in both political intrigues and warfare. (If only her childish mannerism could be cured¡­ But well, I guess no human is perfect, huh?) Grindiena¡¯s slovenly behavior was painful to see, but there was certainly a part that makes it feels lovely as well. It humanizes her¡­ ¡°Please don¡¯t joke. Being able to serve your majesty as I am, there¡¯s no happiness greater than this.¡± ¡°Hnn, I wonder, somehow your answer is a bit weird, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Hearing Grisson¡¯s answer, Grindiena looked puzzled. She felt his response was the exact opposite of what she had expected. ¡°Is that so ? I don¡¯t know what your majesty is thinking but, I swear that I have told your majesty the truth.¡± it was a remarkable statement that might come out because he was a vassal, but Grindiena only showed a bitter smile and didn¡¯t have any plan to tease Grisson further. Within the ErnestGora Kingdom, there were four Generals. Among them, Grisson was one of Grindiena¡¯s aides who had served her since before the time she usurped the throne from her father. Although they never show it in public, there was a certain bond between them that goes beyond lord and vassal. ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave it at that¡­ So, has the army finished its preparations to move?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve ordered my adjutant to leave the garrison in Manviz and ordered the rest of the army to move.¡± The preparations for war had already finished. The eighth chivalric order under Arnold Grisson¡¯s command was currently waiting for the war to start. After that, they only needed to decide where to attack. ¡°The problem is where and how we¡¯re going to attack¡­ If possible I don¡¯t want to wage a war inside the Zalda territory.¡± For Grisson, although he didn¡¯t want the Zalda Kingdom to fall into ruin, if possible he didn¡¯t want to fight inside the Zalda Kingdoms territory either. Since it was difficult to move a large army in a mountainous area. The Zalda territory was mostly filled with thick forest and mountainous areas that obstructed their line of sight. It was extremely difficult to move a large army on such land. If he did something wrong, even just once, the movement of the army might get disturbed. If nations have the intention of waging a battle with more than 100,000 men, it was better to perform such battle at a place where there were only a few things that could hinder the visibility, like an open plain area. ¡°Although we have informations from our spies, it does not mean we have detailed informations like a person who is familiar with the land¡­ Well, first let us hear Mikoshiba-dono opinion during the war council tomorrow, then after that, we can decide our next move. Probably, he already has a plan¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, probably that is right¡­ Since looking at these letters, he seems to be a man that we should not make light of¡­¡± Grisson eyes stared at Grindiena. ¡°The problem is whether or not he would become our enemy¡­ How does your majesty see him?¡± However, looking at Grindienas smile in response, Grisson could only heave another sigh. It was good for us to be an ally, but if we become enemy, it will become troublesome. Although Grindiena understands that, there was not even a single particle of anxiety appearing on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry Arnold. Mikoshiba Ryouma would never turn against ErnestGora as long as the Alliance is standing, he knows very well the importance and profits he would gain from it.¡± While laughing off Grisson¡¯s concerns away, Grindiena took a candy ball and threw it into her mouth. Rozeria, Mist and the concerned country, Zalda. Three letters from the sovereign of these three countries were something that cannot be handled carelessly, yet it was being left on the table just like that. (Geez¡­ No wonder her majesty has the nickname of the northern female fox¡­) Grisson swallowed the words of admonition that were about to come out, then he opened the letters present on the table. ¡°But still, he¡¯s quite a man. Being able to push a trade agreement while at the same time trying to form an alliance¡­ Like this, all four countries would be able to earn profits.¡± ¡°For Zalda, since formally we have become the leader of the alliance, they can expect us to send a reinforcement. For them, to save their lives and their beloved country this was a small price to pay.¡± Grisson nodded his head toward Grindiena¡¯s words. ¡°Rozeria which has exhausted their national strength due to the civil war should be the most reluctant about the current conflict. They would be pleased if the war end faster than predicted because my country joined the war¡­ And because of the alliance, the Rozeria who seek a way to restore their national strength could get our backing, the war turned into a godsend for them.¡± ¡°Right, and from the agreement, the Mist would be able to strengthen their economic power due to the activation of the trade agreement. A splendid plan where nobody loses¡­ That is if we looked only at the appearance¡­¡± She was right, no one will lose from the agreement. In fact, it was a splendid plan that ensures everyone gains profits from it. However, these two are fully aware of Ryouma¡¯s intentions behind the scenes. ¡°He is really a clever one¡­ Because he is the owner of the Wortenia peninsula, he would be the one who gains the maximum profits from this.¡± Grindiena¡¯s eyes shone mysteriously while she looked at the map where Wortenia Peninsula was located. The biggest problem of the northern route was the existence of the Wortenia Peninsula, also called the unexplored area filled with demonic beings. A horrible land where monsters wander around and pirates make their bases. However, with this agreement, his territory had turned into a gold mine. Among the letters sent, other than defense matters, clauses on trade were also included. Especially the standardization of tariff rates should greatly improve import and export. This creates great advantages for ErnestGora and Mist which mainly had trade ports dealing with other continents, but it didn¡¯t mean the other two countries lost in term of profits either. With the activation of a trade agreement, tax revenue should see some improvements. Since all four countries will have to put more efforts into their commerce. In line with that, the number of goods transported will increase at an accelerated rate. If the land transportation couldn¡¯t meet their demands, the merchants will consider alternative ways via the sea. ¡°Not only that, transportation via the sea was quicker compared to land transportation. With the pirates being eradicated from the Wortenia peninsula, the merchants would once again consider the northern sea route, with that being the case the city in the peninsula would be able to prosper as a trade point.¡± Not only being used as a point where ships can resupply, but also a place where ships can discharge the goods that needed to be transported to the Rozeria Kingdom. This trade agreement promises prosperity for the Wortenia peninsula unless they implement some stupid policies. ¡°With this, I can clearly see his character. Bold yet cautious. Not only that, his cautious mind makes him able to maneuver around while showing as little of his ability as possible. Fufufu, he¡¯s indeed a scary man¡­ While securing the maximum profits for himself, he also maneuvered around to make sure that the surroundings won¡¯t complain. But well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped since there was some aspect that he could not do alone with his current strength.¡± The more gold you get, the more you would try to monopolize it. However, such an act would invite others¡¯ envy. Of course, even if Ryouma wanted to monopolize everything, right now he had no power to protect his interests. And Mikoshiba Ryouma understood that very well. ¡°This deviates from your majestys expectation a little. Originally with the surroundings isolating him, we would pull him over to us¡­¡± ¡°True¡­ I didn¡¯t expect him to be that sharp. It seems like I¡¯ve underestimated him too much.¡± Raising her body up, Grindiena picked up the teacup on top of the table and took a sip from it. Grindiena had been paying attention for a long time to the geopolitical value of the Wortenia peninsula. After all, if she managed to do something to that territory, she would be able to open up a route from the Mist Kingdom to the ErnestGora Kingdom. For Grindiena who knows the commercial value of such territory, she doubted the sanity of the political apparatus of the Rozeria Kingdom, who had left the territory vacant all these years. ¡°Well, I guess everything is acceptable for now. I have no particular complaints.¡± ¡°But is it really okay? We might actually able to get the land itself depending on the negotiations.¡± Toward Grisson¡¯s remark, Grindiena opened her lips and laughed. ¡°I have no intention of personally controlling the Wortenia Peninsula. If Mikoshiba Ryouma is capable of governing that magic land and brings profits to me, everything is fine¡­¡± Saying that she smiled full of dignity and majesty, fitting enough to be called the northern female fox. The most important thing for Grindiena was that the trade network would be expanded due to the establishment of this alliance. By doing so, ErnestGora would become more affluent. Grindiena understands that territorial expansion was certainly important, but having too big of a territory could also become an obstacle to governance. Having big territory with bad management might cause revolts to happen all the times, which spell more troubles than profits. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Whew, that was scary just like the rumor said¡­ As expected from someone who had been called the female fox of the north. Lupis is no match for her. She¡¯s indeed a monster.¡± After his audience with Grindiena, Ryouma sighed deeply inside the lodging room while drinking. On his face, awe toward the northern female fox could be seen¡­ The cooled malt ale that Laura had poured for him helped to chill down his burning heart. ¡°But, didn¡¯t the meeting end up successful?¡± Laura smiled at Ryouma while pouring more ale to his glass. The marfisto sisters had already changed their attire from the dirty travel clothes into neat town girl attires. It was woven hemp skirts which looked gorgeous on them. Their bodies also gave off the scent of roses. It seems like they had bought perfume together with the clothes. ¡°That¡¯s right. Even Gurido-san left in a good mood because of how smooth the negotiations had gone.¡± ¡°Well, I guess so¡­¡± Looking at Sara who said those words with a smile on her face, Ryouma gulped down the ale once again. ¡°Is there something that Ryouma-sama is worried about?¡± ¡°Right, I think I¡¯ve overdid it a little¡­¡± Ryouma recalled the gaze Grindiena had when they were about to leave. Her eyes looked like those of a carnivorous beast aiming at its prey. He didn¡¯t think he had done a bad job but, he thinks that there were more he could have done¡­ ¡°I wonder if I should¡¯ve hidden my cards more¡­¡± He thought that it might have been better if he had chosen someone else to come here rather than do it directly. (Well, I choose to move directly because I feared that the other side would be suspicious of us, but then again¡­) If Ryouma had decided to delegate someone else, Grindiena might have hold some suspicions toward the Zalda Kingdom. And the lack of time also caused Ryouma to have only so short to think about his plans. ¡°But then again, if we took it more leisurely than this, we might not make it back in time¡­ As expected, I think this is for the best?¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± Toward Laura¡¯s remark, Ryouma had no choice but to nod his head. It might be a hard blow for him not to be cautious of Grindiena but, he should worry about that later. Whats important right now was to make it in time to help Lione who is currently fighting against the Ortomea Empire. ¡°My elder sister is right. If everything goes according to plan, by now they should have confronted the Ortomea Empire around the Ushas basin. Even if it has to be by combining the power of the three countries, I think they could at most buy half a months time.¡± Hearing Sara¡¯s words, Ryouma directed his gaze toward the ceiling. (Time, time, and time¡­ Although everything with ErnestGora had gone smoothly, as expected, we¡¯ve barely managed it in time¡­ Damn it, I hope nothing goes wrong¡­) They were currently trying to turn the situation which was overwhelmingly disadvantageous. If they didn¡¯t gamble something, somewhere, the situation wouldn¡¯t change. Although saying that, it didn¡¯t mean that they should win a single gamble either. ¡°Right now, we have no leeway to mess around. I have no choice other than to put my faith on Lione-san and Joshua-dono that they would be able to hold on¡­ At least until we manage to bring down the Notiz fort.¡± The face of the two people appeared inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. ¨C =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 127 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 27 Chapter 4 Episode 27 Editor : Starbuck11 Surrounded by rugged rocky mountains, a vast pocket of land spread in the middle. The Ushias basin was a relatively rich plain when compared to the majority of Zalda¡¯s territory that was mostly made of rocky mountains. While most of the agricultural crops rely on imports from neighboring countries, these kinds of greenery areas scattered in several places around the country are mainly responsible for growing staple food such as wheat. Although the Zalda Kingdom territory was not suitable for agriculture, it can¡¯t rely solely on imports either. Assuming the country has to give up on other grocery goods, it should never import staple foods from outside, because if it ever relies on this then it will have a very big weakness. Since, if a country imported even the staple foods it needs, the neighboring countries could easily intervene by threatening to stop the exports of such essential foods. It was no exaggeration to call Ushias basin the heart of the Zalda Kingdom. Thus, from the perspective of national defense this place could not be ignored. The Ushias basin was located a hundred kilometers southwest of Periveria, the capital of the Zalda Kingdom. The basin was also a traffic hub that people need to pass if they wanted to go to the south and west of the Zalda Kingdom. In this basin, due to the vast area, it was hard to perform a surprise attack. Thus unexpected situation was unlikely to happen. In such a place, a robust fort had been built on the east side of the basin, stuck in the middle of a valley. Being located in that situation, it was standing tall as if it was the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s guardian deity. The fort that had been developed by the Royal family for many years, and the support it gets by making use of other forts located in the mountains, coupling with the advantage of topography, made it an impregnable fortress indeed. Therefore, even after two months had passed, the 65,000 troops from Ortomea Empire could still not conquer the fort. Today as well, the Ortomea Empire soldiers rushed toward Ushias fort with much zeal. Everything was for victory¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Everyone! This is a critical moment. By combining the forces from our three countries, even with Ortomea Empire as our enemy, we will not let them capture this fort! The current enemy supplies should be low and such condition should¡¯ve caused their morale to drop! Let us show them our strength and bestow those invaders with iron justice!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Glory to the eastern three countries! Death to the Invaders!¡±¡±¡± When the beautiful general from the Mist Kingdom, Eclatia Marienel, ended her speech, the soldiers cheered with much vigor. They also raised their fist high towards the heaven. These soldiers placed their absolute trust in their commander who stands in front of them with a gentle smile on her face. Even though Eclatia was from another country, for the soldiers such a thing was irrelevant right now. Although there were reinforcements from the surrounding forts and also the Royal capital, it was because of Eclatias outstanding command that the Ushias fort still managed to hold on against the 65,000 enemy troops. ¡°Prepare the bows ! The first line, draw your bow ! Second line and third line in standby ! They are going to bring the siege weapons out ! Let the arrows loose as soon as they enter the range. Those on the rear, don¡¯t forget to prepare fire arrows ! Are the oils ready ?! Listen ! Do not let any soldiers survive ! Kill every single one of them ! The commanding officers give their orders across the fort walls. The arrows wrapped in cloth are then soaked with oil. There were also iron pots filled with boiling oil raising some steam. If such oil was poured on the Ortomean soldiers that tried to climb the walls, their skins would melt. After that, they will be baptized with fire arrows. No one can escape intact from such continuous attack. For the Ortomea Empire soldiers, fort Ushias was akin to the gate of hell. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever take a step back ! Rozeria Kingdom soldiers ! Let us show our value here !¡± Elena yelled at the surrounding knights while letting loose the bow that was aimed at the Ortomea Empire soldiers trying to close in. Of course, even if they have the advantage of geography, this battle was not an easy one. Their enemy was Ortomea Empire that boasts exceptional national strength. Having abundant human resources. The enemy performed a human wave attack. The pressure of such tactic was not light. Regardless of how high the walls protect them, in the end, it was the soldier¡¯s heart that decides everything. Elena encourages the troops desperately while shooting her arrow at an Ortomea Empire soldier that tried to use magic arts. In a siege warfare, the most important thing was to keep the morale of the soldiers up. The battle will end when the morale of the soldiers falls. The only way to make the enemy morale breaks down was to keep pilling enemy corpses. ¡°Watch out for the battering ram!¡± Warning shouts come from the watchtower. It was a simple battering ram, a tree with a handle on its sides and the tip covered with iron. but it was something that should never be underestimated, even an iron gate could fall because of such a thing. ¡°Fire arrows ! Purge that thing !¡± Under the quick command of the commanding officer, oil was poured from above and the fire arrows squad rained their projectiles toward the battering ram. Apparently, the Ortomea Soldiers learned from their previous mistakes and covered themselves with wet clothes, but such small tricks won¡¯t prove much useful. And as everyone had expected, such measure was proven fruitless. (No matter how big the army is, if the situation only provided for a small number of tactics that can be chosen, then this will happen huh? Afterwards, everything depends on that childs progress, and until that time comes I need to keep the morale up¡­) Elena¡¯s face was dyed red due to the evening sun, together with a dark smile appearing on her face. ¡°It is about time for todays attack to end¡­¡± A womans voice called to Elena who was commanding the front line. ¡°Indeed¡­ The sun has already fallen, shortly after this, the enemy soldiers should begin pulling back¡­ Is something happening that caused the General of the army to come out to the front line like this?¡± Elena asked back while keeping a casual attitude. In response to Elena¡¯s question, Eclatia answered by shaking her head. ¡°Nothing in particular. It seems Grahart-san is doing well against the enemies who are advancing via the mountain route.¡± ¡°Well, it was natural, since he is a capable person.¡± Elena nodded her head confirming such news as a matter of fact. Grahart Henschel is the head of Zalda Kingdoms royal guard, he was one of the best soldiers of the Zalda Kingdom. His capability as a commander-in-chief who oversaw the entire war was not that good, but as a commander of a single battlefield, his capability and experience should be sufficient enough. For him who was born in this country, the Ortomea Empire should never be able to defeat him when it comes to mountainous warfare. It was the right choice to leave the defense of the Ushias fort to the army of the three kingdoms, while Grahart himself was in command of the surrounding forts located in the mountainous area. Nonetheless, it was hard for Elena and Eclatia to ask Grahart to do such defensive job. And after a rough strategy meeting, it took the Zalda King giving him a direct order to make Grahart take the job. The reason why Elena and Eclatia pushed such task to Grahart was that he was the one most familiar with the land. No matter how strong Ushias fort was, it would be meaningless if the enemy could just go around it. The morale of the soldiers would fall all at once if that was to happen. ¡°For now, it seems todays battle is about to end¡­ With this, we managed to win the 20 days schedule as planned¡­¡± While looking at the Ortomea army that was slowly retreating, Eclatia said those words with a smile on her face. Although there was the possibility of a night assault, she had already prepared something for that. If the enemy decides to keep the assault, they will be met with a hard blow. ¡°Indeed, that child should be able to do it¡­¡± In response to Eclatia¡¯s words, Elena turned her gaze toward the north. Waiting for the hand that will turn this war around to arrive¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Saitou, even with your command, we still could not break through?¡± Sardina¡¯s frustrated voice reverberated inside the tent. It was unusual for her to be this frustrated. Her expression was also terrible. Anxiety from the prolonged war caused the light on Sardina¡¯s eyes to grow dimmer. Her hair also lost its gloss. The dark circle around her eyes also showed the situation she was currently in. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry¡­ That fort was built in a valley, it takes time to break through it¡­¡± Saitou lowered his head with a serious face. It was not Saitou¡¯s individual responsibility for the war to get prolonged like this. After all, it was Sardina who held the entire authority. Conversely, it was the responsibility of Sardina who have the highest command. Besides, Saitou was only a commander of some units. If one were to speak about responsibility, the one who was most responsible was none other than Seria who just arrived for her new job, as Sardina¡¯s close aide, and the staff officers, not only her. But Saitou was not some child that would rebuke Sardina and say that everything was her responsibility. The most important thing right now was to win the war. For Saitou understands that he should avoid remarks that might cause Sardina¡¯s mind to become cloudy. However, despite Saitou¡¯s concerns, an annoying man opened his mouth. ¡°Well well, that¡¯s not all of it. Those guys, they dispersed their army along the mountains while focusing the defense on this fort. When we tried to meet with their challenge in the mountains, they immediately pulled us in. While at the same time with tens of thousands of troops, we still could not push back their defenses here¡­¡± ¡°Sudou-san!¡± Although Sudou has the qualification to speak as an advisor, Saitou still yelled at Sudou for his conduct. In the first place, Saitou never liked Sudou. Although Saitou held some sympathy as someone who had the same fate being summoned to this world, their personalities were like water and oil. Sudou who likes to make strategies and schemes was completely different compared to Saitou who was more like a warrior. (It¡¯s not like he is a bad person¡­ But somewhere, this persons mind is broken¡­ But then I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­) Sudou likes to see bloodshed with his plans. Saitou saw him as someone with a broken part as a human being. However, if he argues here, coupled with Sudou¡¯s manner of speaking, it might disturb Sardina¡¯s mind further. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sudou. You can say what you want to say¡­¡± Sardina interrupted Saitou with a tone as if she gives up. To be honest, she didn¡¯t want to hear Sudou¡¯s words. However, she understood that Sudous ability at making strategy was better than her. Although his personality was difficult to handle, she could not ignore Sudou¡¯s words either. Hearing Sardina¡¯s words, Sudou glanced at Saitou in triumph, then he lifts his lips. ¡°Ushias Fort is a fortification within another fortification. Not only that, we don¡¯t have proper siege weapons with us this time as well¡­ It was because we used troops that are more suited for mobile warfare that we suffered this kind of unfortunate result¡­¡± Because the fort walls were fortified by magic arts, the only way to bring down such fort was only by using standard siege warfare. However, most of the siege weapons were heavy and inconvenient for transportation, thus Sardina could not fully prepare for this kind of battle. Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t prepare anything either : along the way, she ordered her soldiers to gather logs by cutting trees to create small siege weapons, but even with that, the attack performance from such weapons was too inferior compared to the one made by a proper craftsman. Particularly, there were too many holes on the durability side. Such weapons didn¡¯t have enough defense against fire arrows and oil poured from overhead. ¡°In addition to that, the movement of the Zalda Kingdoms nobility that we supposedly brought to our side was also dull. Probably, because we were met with hard fights, they decided to sit on the fence¡­¡± In a siege battle, the easiest way to attack was from the side. In other words, the easiest way to win a siege battle was to use traitors. However, the nobles they had bought to perform the task were somehow moving slowly. ¡°They decide to play both sides, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. If I was in their position, that is what I would do. They have no loyalty to anyone. Well, the reason why we could bring down General Belharres was also thanks to those kind of people¡­¡± In response to Sardina¡¯s question, Sudou gave his answer while laughing. The cooperation from last year was only because of their opportunistic personality. Listening to Sudou¡¯s words, Sardina once again bite her thumbnail. (Those guys must have doubted the Empire¡¯s power because of these prolonged battles¡­ Damn it, I should¡¯ve decided on a short and decisive battle after all¡­) ¡°Fine then¡­ What is your plan, Sudou?¡± ¡°The best plan is to pull soldiers back and be satisfied with the land we¡¯ve currently occupied. Trends in the north are questionable, while we¡¯re also low on supplies. With Belharres¡¯ son raiding our supply convoys all the times, it is hard to get new ones. Local procurement is also severe, as the Zalda soldiers burned the villages and fields when they retreated.¡± Such tactic was called scorched-earth warfare. It was used many times throughout history. When such tactic was used, an army could not procure supplies from the locals, thus making the maintenance of the troops become harder. It had been proven highly effective against large invading armies, especially when transportation was also difficult because of mountainous or cold areas. However, despite its effectiveness, it also had great drawbacks. The biggest disadvantages of such tactics were to make post-war reconstruction become harder. In other words, for the Zalda Kingdom to prevent the enemy from winning, they decided to cut their own flesh. The only way to break such tactic was to win the war in a short period of time, thus an army didn¡¯t have to worry about resupplying from its own nation. When both methods fail, it was natural to withdraw the army. However, Sardina shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ Sudou. Do you think I can withdraw now?¡± She understood that Sudou¡¯s words were correct. However, she could not easily withdraw the soldiers now. Sudou was also aware of that too. ¡°True, to be honest, it would be a very difficult situation. At least your highness position would become unfavorable. Of course, that also means our position¡­¡± In this one year, Sardina¡¯s war expenditures had exceeded 500 million baht. Such amount was very enormous, it was even comparable to the budget of a small country. It was not an amount that could easily be levied, even for Ortomea Empire. However, the amount of war expenditures was not the problem this time. Since when everything is considered, Ortomea Empire could gather that amount of funds in two to three years time. The problem was whether the expenditure was worth it or not. There were many reasons for a war to happen, but the most common one was due to economic considerations. The reason a nation occupied a land was also mostly because of the taxes and resources obtained from that land. Thus, pouring money to achieve that was not a problem. The problem lies whether the money spent and the amount one¡¯s get was balanced out. ¡°As soon as we withdraw the soldiers, we will have to negotiate with the Zalda Kingdom¡­¡± Saitou stopped his words. Negotiation was not a bad choice, as long as the situation was a little more inclined towards the Ortomea Empire. Although the ideal goal was to destroy the Zalda Kingdom, the Ortomean Emperor had said that it was okay to make them a vassal country. However, with this kind of situation, Sardina could not accept such end. ¡°It is true that if we failed in capturing Ushias basin, we can¡¯t justify the war costs¡­ Especially with the current situation, it is impossible¡­¡± ¡°I know that¡­ That is why I made it a priority to capture this fort¡­¡± Silence dominated. Sudou and Saitou remained silent, while Sardina stared at them. The profits the Empire would get by starting negotiations before they can capture the Ushias fort was minimal. The Zalda side won¡¯t give up so easily the important land that produces food for their country. However, Ortomea Empire was not a naive nation either. In other words, the Empire also needed to return the cost of waging war. ¡°It seems like we have to continue attacking like this¡­¡± ¡°But, Sudou-san!¡± ¡°If we can¡¯t retreat then we can only move forward, no?¡± Saitou responded to Sudou¡¯s question with silence. Sardina had received a lot of trust from the Emperor, thus many people were jealous of her. Especially her two older brothers. Envy usually accompanied honors, but if this expedition ended up in failure, she would become an easy target for the monsters in the imperial court. ¨C Such a thing also applied to the imperial family. Execution might be not considered, but she would without a doubt end up isolated. ¡°We should make tomorrows battle a decisive one¡­ Sudou, we will use the plan you talked about earlier¡­¡± Sardina¡¯s eyes turned sharp once again. She re-confirmed her objectives once again. ¡°Very well, a whole-army wave attack it is¡­ If this fail, everything is over¡­¡± Sudou confirmed the plan with a smile on his face. (Is Sudou-san referring to a mobile form of attack? Certainly, there¡¯s some possibility¡­ However¡­) Saitou¡¯s instinct that had been polished since he was summoned to this world, gave him a warning alarm. However, it was also true that they were out of options. ¡°Saitou, you will be on the front line as well tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Your Highness¡­¡± Sardina turned a sharp look at Saitou who remained silent. Pushed by the momentum, Saitou could only nod his head while feeling a little uneasy. Next =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 128 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 28 Chapter 4 Episode 28 Editor : Starbuck11 The next morning, Elena was staring at the Ortomea Empires army who camped far away. The cold wind that blows from the mountains caused Elena¡¯s hairs to sway. (They have risen up earlier than usual¡­ I guess they are trying to settle the battle today or tomorrow¡­ Those guys, they have grown impatient, huh?) Her warrior sense sniffed out the subtle difference in the situation. Coupled with her tempered body, she also possesses eyes that could see the enemy¡¯s teams kilometers away. (At last, they are going to strike with full power huh?) Elena muttered those words while staring at the innumerable white smokes. The possibility that smokes goes up on a battlefield before a battle is due to start, was limited. Judging by the time, it was highly possible the smokes were coming from the enemys breakfast preparations. ¡°Good morning, Elena. It seems like the enemy has finally decided to settle the battle, huh?¡± Clear like the sound of a bell, Eclatia speaks to Elena from behind. She had come to the fort wall while bringing her guards along. Fascinating jet-black hair that was combed carefully. The smell of perfume subtly tickles Elena¡¯s nose. If she were told that Eclatia was a noble daughter that was raised with tender care, she would not doubt it. However, Eclatia didn¡¯t wear a silk dress, but instead, she wore full body iron armor. On the surface of her armor, countless scratches could be seen. It was evidence that Eclatia was no sheltered child. ¡°Good morning, Eclatia¡­ Indeed, it seems the enemy is going to do just that¡­¡± Elena keeps staring at the rising white smoke without looking backward. ¡°Roughly, the situation has developed in the direction Mikoshiba-sama had predicted¡­¡± Elena shakes Eclatia¡¯s hand after she arrived by her side, then both of them turned their gazes forward. ¡°They seem to take their sweet time by having a proper breakfast¡­ Probably they won¡¯t pull back their army even when the time has already entered evening¡­¡± Once the battle begins, unlike Elena who performed defensive battles, the Ortomea Empire army who was on the attacking wouldnt have time to eat until they withdraw the soldiers during the evening. Of course, it was not like they didn¡¯t have preserved food, but other than that the only things they could eat without cooking were nuts and fruits. It was better to have something rather than nothing. Furthermore, the Ushias basin had a climate peculiar to that of the highlands with low temperatures. Inevitably, it was necessary to firmly fill one¡¯s belly in the morning before the start of the battle. Due to that, it was normal to see such smokes go up in the morning. ¡°I see now¡­ They are going to perform a night assault, huh?¡± Hearing Elena¡¯s words, Eclatia lifted her lips and laughed. One needs a lot of preparations to do a night battle. For a commander, it was natural to prepare as much as possible, and wish that the other side won¡¯t find out about their plan before the battle begins. However, no matter how careful the preparations, if the other side catches on it, then there was no meaning. Because if one knows the enemys movement beforehand, one can prepare for countermeasures. ¡°To be more accurate, they seem to have decided to attack us throughout the night. Considering how they split the troops, by splitting into three or four they could attack us without taking a break¡­¡± ¡°They try to win through physical endurance and reducing our morale huh?¡± Eclatia nodded her head while putting her finger to her chin. For the experienced commanders, they could read such informations just from cooking smokes. Starting from the supplies condition, the soldier¡¯s morale, up to the the commanders expectation¡­ However, only a small amount of people could do such a thing. How much information they could read was also different depending on the individual. ¡°Now then, how are we going to deal with this?¡± It was a question, but Eclatia said those words with a strong confidence. As if she had already decided what to do in this situation. Seeing Eclatia¡¯s eyes shine brightly, Elena showed a bitter smile. For Elena, Eclatia¡¯s behavior was like a child waiting for their mother to come bringing sweets. ¡°I guess so, don¡¯t you feel tired of fighting a defensive battle?¡± ¡°True, to be honest, I have no passion or love regarding defensive battles¡­¡± Toward Elena¡¯s question, Eclatia answered while shrugging her shoulders. Eclatia who had the nickname of windstorm was more accustomed to aggressive warfare. Eclatia Marienel was more used to attacking the enemy with a surprise attack with highly mobile units. ¡°If thats the case, isn¡¯t this a good chance¡­?¡± It was a conversation between fellow Generals. Elena¡¯s words were ambiguous, but Eclatia managed to accurately read what she meant. This time, the reinforcements led by Eclatia were made of mixed troops. Up until now, they didn¡¯t have much opportunities to play an active part, since it was mostly a defensive battle, but when the time for their turn to attack come, they will wreck a havoc on the Ortomea Empire¡¯s army. ¡°Indeed, that is true¡­ Then, I will accept Elena-sama¡¯s offer and rampage around for a bit. I really dislike defensive battles after all¡­¡± Elena shakes her head in bewilderment towards Eclatia who proclaimed herself as someone who was weak in defensive battles. After spending several months together, Elena had already recognized that she had enough ability. And from Eclatia¡¯s perspective, she also felt the same way towards Elena. ¡°Alright then, I will also contact Grahart from here then¡­¡± ¡°Will you make it in time?¡± Elena floats a bitter a bitter smile in response to Eclatia who tilted her head. ¡°it is fine¡­ He¡¯s one of the best people within this country. I think both of you are a great match, you know?¡± Although he was under General Belharress shadow all this time which makes him lacking in recognition, Elena appreciated Grahart¡¯s ability and loyalty towards the royal family. Humans with low loyalty but skills. And humans who have high loyalty but are incompetent. Among such people, Grahart was a rare existence that has high loyalty and also capabilities in him. That was one of the reasons why Grahart was given the command of the forts located in the mountains. ¡°I understand. I will leave that to Elena-sama then¡­ Well then, please excuse me¡­¡± Having said that, Eclatia bowed her head elegantly to Elena and left the place. A ferocious and meaningful smile appeared on Eclatia¡¯s face when she left. Like a hungry wolf that has finally found its prey¡­ ¡°Oi, move quickly! The commanding officer will be mad at us!¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ I wish you¡¯d woken me earlier¡­ Geez¡­¡± A similar complaint was being raised one after another while the soldiers were standing in line. The time of meals was equal to warfare. There was a lot of steam rising from the large pan set up here and there, but it was doubtful if all the soldiers could get a full bowl of warm soup. Worst-case scenario, the last one could only get the soup water without any ingredients in it. For lower-level soldiers who have to line up for a meal even on the battlefield, the amount and the quality of foods were an important part that was directly linked to their lives. In addition, today, by the order of the commanding officers, the soldiers were woken up earlier than usual. It was natural for them to feel frustrated. ¡°Shut yer crap ! If you ! If you guys are to continue complaining, I will report all of you to the commander !¡± When the cook hit the rim of his iron pot, the surroundings scowled at him. However, while he wore everything white. Which made him looked like an ordinary chef, his chest was thick and his arms muscle were bulging. Indicating him as someone who has experience going to the battlefield. His voices immediately shut down the surrounding people. ¡°Geez ! It was annoying for us too you know¡­ Now hurry up, next ! move your ass or I will kick your butts !¡± After he muttered his dissatisfaction towards his boss in a small voice, he shouted at the soldiers waiting in line to move. The distribution of meals on a battlefield was very important and needed a lot of care. The soldiers often snap at each other even if it was just because of small things. And if someone showed a small opening, the others would treat that person as a novice. As a chef, one should not yield against those rowdy soldiers. ¡°Geez¡­ These guys are mostly only complaining. If you want to be treated better, then go and succeed in life¡­¡± When the soldiers heard the chef spit those words, the soldiers knitted their eyebrows looking puzzled. Suddenly, they felt like the earth trembled. At first, it was only a small vibration, but it gradually became stronger. (An earthquake ?) The surrounding soldiers also began to notice. Everyone stopped their meals and looked around them. ¡°Is this an earthquake? No¡­ This is different¡­ It¡¯s vibrations from horses hooves !¡± ¡°Enemy attack ! The enemy is attacking !¡± ¡°Fuck, what are the scouts doing ?!¡± ¡°Fuck whatever, just move your ass. There¡¯s no time to eat !¡± Shouting voices in panic could be heard one after another. And the next moment, countless arrows fell down on them like a rain from the sky. Chapter 129 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 29 Chapter 4 Episode 29 Editor: Starbuck11 Eclatia who rushed out from Ushias fort could immediately see the tents of the Ortomea Empires soldiers. The troops she led had entered the 300 to 400 meters distance separating them and the enemy camp. It was quite a far distance for effective bow range, but regardless of it, Eclatia still gives out her order. ¡°Second wave prepares to shoot ! Do not hesitate ! Give hell to those Ortomean dogs !¡± Following Eclatias order, the knights on horseback pulled the bow again. ¡°Loose the arrows !¡± Eclatia swung down her sword and the Knights shot the arrows. The sounds of bowstrings and the flying projectiles penetrating the wind, resounded in Ushias basin. On the Knights¡¯ hands, they held a bow with a unique curve. The shape was fairly similar to that of a Turkish bow. Such bow was quite unusual in this world where the longbow was the most popular one. Or at least in the western continent. Such bow certainly had a convenient shape to use on horseback. But of course, there was also a drawback. Because of its compact size, it was easy to handle when riding, but on the other hand, the distance and penetrating power were quite low compared to the longbow. Well, the bow itself was not widely used for some reasons despite existing in this world. The greatest weapons in this world¡¯s warfare was the body, that was strengthened by magic arts. That was the common sense in this world. However, the bow the knight order that Eclatia led was different in many aspects. It was Mist Kingdom state-of-the-art weapon that cost a lot of money and time to develop. Taking advantage of their status as a trading nation, they managed to fuse the technology they procured from a distant continent. The bow was created by making use of a thin metal, leather, and bones from various creatures. The bow itself boasts very strong tension which makes it impossible for a normal human to draw. It was already impossible for ordinary people to draw such bow. Let alone drawing such bow on the unstable horseback. It would be more reasonable to use a crossbow in such situation. However, there was no problem for a knight that was capable of boosting their physical ability by using magic arts. Of course, because the knights were shooting the arrows from horsebacks that shake violently, they could not hope for a high rate of accuracy, but in the current situation, such high accuracy was not needed. Since what they needed to do was only to make the arrows reach the Ortomea camp. For the sake of disturbing the enemy. ¡°The enemy seems to fall into confusion¡­¡± ¡°That is natural. They must have never thought that their enemy would steal the first move. After all, we¡¯ve been only doing defensive battles, and never came out of our fort before¡­¡± Eclatia lifted her lips and laughed after she heard her adjutant words. Her smile was very elegant yet felt like a wild animal smiling at its prey. Despite her elegant behavior, she gives off the same ferocious aura that Mikoshiba Ryouma has. But one can say that it was normal, because without such attitude, she wouldnt be able to rule the army of a country as a general. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± Their move caused huge surprise because they never made any aggressive moves since the beginning. Only defensive warfare. ¡°I can understand your sentiment, but this kind of scenario can always happen. Please prepare the next stage carefully¡­¡± Following Eclatia¡¯s meaningful words, her adjutant nodded his head. ¡°Please do not worry. I¡¯ve prepared everything quite carefully after all¡­¡± Their surprise attack was aiming only to bleed the opponent. It was part of a multi-layered trap they had devised. There was a plan that was aimed at stopping the Ortomea Empires breath. And while waiting ¡®that¡¯ plan could be executed, they needed to do something to fill in the blank. Looking at the her adjutants back moving away, Eclatia murmured in a small voice. ¡°You¡¯re quite a naive one¡­ O Imperial Princess¡­ You cannot win against me and Elena with mere numbers alone¡­ Especially, against that man¡­¡± Sardina¡¯s strategy by moving a huge force and performing consecutive wave attacks was not a mistake. However, such an idea was not the best one either. The more troops the army dispatched, the slower they could move, and it also accelerated the consumption of supplies. To be able to effectively use a large army, a general needs a lot of experience and ability. And Sardina was still lacking in experience for moving a large army¡­ ¡°Now then, it¡¯s time for our counterattack¡­ Let¡¯s carve Mist Kingdom¡¯s horror into their hearts¡­¡± Eastern hearts¡­¡± Eastern alliance might sound good to one¡¯s ears, but it was an alliance of convenience made because of a war. If there was an opening, interest, or opportunity¡­ Any of them will attack each others by using the fangs they had previously hidden. In that sense, this war against Ortomea Empire was also an opportunity to show off one¡¯s national power to the other two. Now that Eclatia began to see that the war was about to end, she decided to show off her country¡¯s strength. ¡°Retreat if the enemy starts to make a move!¡± Eclatia lifted her lips in a good mood while watching the enemy screaming across the field. ¡°Reporting ! Approximately 2,500 enemy troops have attacked our camp, because of the enemy¡¯s rain of arrows, hundreds of people have suffered injuries¡­.¡± The moment she heard the report, the bowl filled with soup fell from Sardina¡¯s hand. Because of the unexpected report, Sardina¡¯s mind ceased to work for a moment. It was also the same for Saitou and Seria who were surrounding the table. After being able to understand the situation, Sardina immediately raised her voice. ¡°An enemy surprise attack ? What were the forward sentries doing ?! I told you to dispatch scouts and pay close attention to any movements from the fort!¡± The messenger immediately replied despite being showered with Sardina¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°I beg your pardon, your highness. The enemy movement was too fast¡­¡± The messenger lowered his head while gasping for air, everyone could see an arrow stuck on his shoulder. Looking at his figure, small clicking sounds leaked from Sardina¡¯s mouth. ¡°Very well then¡­ Go instruct all units to calm the situation and prepare for a counterattack!¡± Regardless of how much she wants to complain, it was the truth that her army suffered a surprise attack. (What the hell had happened¡­ I never thought they would make a move when we¡¯re about to intensify our offensive¡­) Sardina, of course, was wary of Zalda¡¯s counterattack, but she was impressed by Eclatia¡¯s knights that were able to move like a thunder. ¡°Your Highness ! Please wait a moment. we have to move carefully here¡­¡± Saitou immediately opened his mouth to stop Sardina making a hasty decision. ¡°Saitou, there¡¯s no time for us to slack. If we talk about numbers, we¡¯re superior compared to them. Theythem. They have finally come out from the fortress you know ? What are you going to do if we don¡¯t strike now ?!¡± ¡°But your highness, the Zalda¡¯s side that was only doing defensive battles finally took an offensive stance¡­ They must be hiding something¡­.¡± ¡°That is right, the most important thing right now is to reorganize our troops.¡± Seria agreed to Saitou¡¯s words Certainly, even if the enemy managed to perform a surprise attack by using one knight group, it was impossible for such an attack to continue. As the time goes on, the group will be overwhelmed by Sardina¡¯s army. If that was the case, then one should think about Zaldas true aim. Thinking of that, Sardina took a deep breath. (I need to calm myself¡­ They are right¡­ What is the enemy trying to achieve by doing this?) Rain of arrows comes flying from the distance. It was certainly possible to reduce the opponent¡¯s numbers, but it could not be said as a decisive strike either. The first attack seems to have caused substantial damage against the opponent, but once they entered the battle mode, the damage should¡¯ve been reduced considerably. The moment the soldiers wear their helmet and hold their shields, it should reduce the effectiveness of the attack. (If that is the case then, is this just a harassment ? That can¡¯t be, right ?) Such attack was surely baffling to the opponent, but it was only that. Over time, the Ortomea army will manage to calm down. And in front of the Ortomea army that would have regained its composure, the enemy force of 2,500 troops was too small. ¡°Is this a decoy?¡± Hearing Saitou¡¯s words, Sardina knitted her eyebrows. ¡°Which mean, they want us to focus on their attack from the front, and the enemy will take us from the side?¡± Sardina who was lost in thought glanced at Seria on her side. ¡°No, that¡¯s probably not it. Because this camp is surrounded by flat land, there is little possibility of that to happen¡­¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­ I don¡¯t think they will switch from defense to offense hastily¡­¡± ¡°Of course, the possibility is low but¡­¡± From the beginning of the war, the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s movements were fairly consistent. They performed defensive battles inside a fortress in the basin to reduces damage and made use of the surrounding fortresses in the mountain to their mountain to their advantages. For them to suddenly change their strategy, the chance was quite low. (So then¡­ Why now¡­) Every action always had a reason. How quickly one can realize the reason, usually determines the victor. And it was a report from a messenger that makes Sardina realized the enemy¡¯s motive. ¡°Report ! We¡¯ve some parts of our troops sortieing out. They are currently chasing the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s advancing troops, heading directly towards the Ushias Fort !¡± The moment she heard that report, Sardina immediately realized. Cold sweat runs down Sardina¡¯s back. (Luring¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, this is the reason ?) That thought turned into conviction when someone in the tent began to speak. ¡°The situation has turned into an unfavorable development. Saitou, you should head out and consolidate our troops immediately. We might have Rolf-dono here, but it would make her highness Sardina have a peace of mind if you head out as well. Do not let those guys run wild any more than this¡­¡± ¡°Sudou-san¡­ What does that mean?¡± Saitou who could not completely grasp the situation asked Sudou. However, Sardina immediately interrupts. ¡°Saitou, I¡¯m sorry but please head out immediately. Do not let the soldiers to be lured in much deeper !¡± The situation had become a race against time. They understand Rolfs competence well enough, but insurance was necessary for this situation. Just like Sudou had indicated, if the invading army makes a reckless move here, it might cause a fatal injury to their forces. Saitou stopped asking further questions after one look at Sardina¡¯s eyes, and he immediately leaves the tent. ¡°Kukuku, finally the enemy makes their real move, Elena Steiner and Eclatia Marienel, is it ? It seems they understood our army quite well. As expected from people who have abundant experience. Now then, to what extent did they read our army preparations¡­¡± ¡°Close your mouth. Sudou!¡± Towards Sardina¡¯s anger, Sudou replied with a sarcastic smile on his face. While staring at his attitude, Sardina sat down on her chair once again. ¡°Ah, light God Meneoz, please bestow us your divine protection, so that those two could make it in time.¡± Words of prayer came out from Sardina¡¯s mouth. However, Seria who was on her side could not understand the situation. ¡°Your Highness¡­ Just what has happened?¡­¡± Looking at the praying Sardina who closed her eyes and clasped her hands, Seria could not hide her surprised feelings. Chapter 130 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 4 Chapter 30 Chapter 4 Episode 30 Editor:Starbuck11 There was always a cause-and-effect in all things in nature. Whether it was the science-ruled Earth, or the mystery and miracle-filled another world, that rule alone stays the same. There was always a cause and a consequence. (What will happen, what is the consequence of this event¡­) Sudou and Sardina, the two of them were contemplating the same thing. And Seria desperately tried to understand the situation while looking at Sardina who has her face down. (I¡¯m here as a military strategist. Think¡­ What do I know, what should I see in this situation¡­ All started the moment when that messenger arrived¡­) Seria could still remember every single conversations after the surprise attack. And finally, Seria noticed something. (Wait¡­ What did the messenger say? Part of our army sortied out?) Then she remembered what Sudou said after that. (Sudou said we might suffer fatal injury if we continue to act recklessly¡­ reckless? In other words, their sortie was not part of her highness¡¯ expectations¡­ Those troops came out from the camp, in other words, if the surprise attack was actually a decoy then¡­ the unit that sortied out will¡­) After she thought further ahead, all the pieces started to come together. (Depending on our troops¡¯ movements after this, it will decide the trend of the war¡­ And the real intention of letting Rolf-dono and Saitou calm the troops¡­) After that, Seria¡¯s thoughts come to a conclusion. ¡°The surprise attack is a decoy¡­ Then what awaits for the lured unit is¡­¡± When Seria said those words, Sardina raised her face and look at her with a sharp look. Eyes filled with rage and sorrow. It showed that the conclusion that Seria had reached was the correct one. Sardina and Seria stared at each other in silence. Other than that, Sudou had an unchanging smile on his face. After a while, the heavy silence was broken by a knight who runs into the tent. He was coming into the tent hastily. He kneeled before Sardina immediately while trying to fix his rough breath. ¡°Report ! Saitou-sama and Rolf-sama have successfully calmed the army.¡± Seria unintentionally stroked her chest after she heard the report. It can be said that having Rolf who was originally tasked to defend the rear come to the front line was a fortunate thing. At first, Sardina just wants more manpower before she launched the all-out battle, but it has unexpectedly brought good luck. It would¡¯ve been impossible to calm the soldiers unless the words came out from a man with a proven track record like Rolf. Saitou was not bad either, but he won¡¯t be able to calm the current situation alone. Seria smiled in relief. However, Sardina¡¯s wary expression have not yet disappeared. ¡°How many soldiers went out without permission?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed the soldiers who sortied numbered around eight thousands, the soldiers mostly belong to the 3rd, 5th, and 8th chivalric orders that were part of the western region army.¡± Hearing that, Sardina clicked her tongue. If Zaldas intention was to lure Ortomea¡¯s troops, then their chance of coming back was low. (Eight thousands¡­ It¡¯s more than I had expected¡­ And as I had feared, it was the troops from the western area we had asked as reinforcements¡­ My command seems to not have spread properly¡­) Most of the reinforcement soldiers had gone out without Sardina¡¯s permission. That was one of the Empire¡¯s downside for having a large territory. Even though they had come from the same Imperial Army, for those who were not familiar with her command, it was particularly hard to enforce an order. Thus Sardina herself could not utilize them efficiently. ¡°Rolf-sama also asked permission to sent a rescue unit¡­¡± Sardina didn¡¯t reply the messenger¡­ If they do nothing, eight thousands men might well die. However, knowing that there was a trap, Sardina could not order the rest of the army to jump into it either¡­ ¡°We have no choice but to cut our losses, huh..?¡± Sudou opened his mouth while looking at Sardina who kept silent. His voice felt irritating. Despite the current situation, Sudou¡¯s manner of speaking didn¡¯t even change. ¡°Cut our losses, you said?¡± Seria looked puzzled, unable to understand such term. ¡°Yes, cut one¡¯s losses. If we tried to help and save those soldiers poorly, we might suffer a bigger disaster instead¡­¡± Cut one¡¯s losses In term of business, it was a move where one abandons an enterprise or course of action that was clearly going to be unprofitable or unsuccessful before one suffers too much losses or harm. Following that thought, what did Sudou meant by saying cut our losses? The answer was¡­ ¡°We should not send a rescue unit, you want us to abandon them, is that right?¡± Seria held her breath when Sardina said those words while glaring at Sudou full of hatred. ¡°Of course, if your highness wanted to¡­ This Sudou will not say anything more and dispatch a rescue unit¡­ However, although it might be rude of me, I want to say that if we sent a rescue unit now, the chance of success for the invasion would be drastically reduced. Furthermore, It is already too late, if we go now, instead of a rescue we will be be met with a crushing defeat¡­¡± Sudou laughed lightly¡­ It was written on his face. That he wants Sardina to decide¡­ ¡°You already know that much yet still want me to decide huh?¡± (Sudou Akitake¡­ He was the right-hand man of Gaies who had already passed away¡­) Although his personality can be said as nothing but disgusting, when it comes to his ability, Sardina could not say anything. In fact, Sudou merely stated the truth. And like the old people said, sometimes the truth can be painful¡­ ¡°Of course¡­ If we let our subordinates got killed in front of us like that, the morale of the whole army will fall. That is why, no matter which path your highness choose, we will sustain heavy damage. If that is the case then, I suggest we take the choice with less damage¡­¡± ¡°Should we maintain morale, or should we choose to preserve the soldiers¡¯ numbers, is that it?¡± Sardina then chewed her thumb¡¯s fingernail. (If we don¡¯t send a rescue unit, the soldiers will be dissatisfied with my command¡­ Creating the possibility of them deserting the army¡­ But if we sent a rescue team while fully knowing that it was a trap, we might suffer heavier losses instead¡­) Either choice was a major problem for Ortomea Empire army, one wrong move here might cause the invasion to become a complete failure. It was a very difficult choice. And the right answer might not exist when it comes to these two choices. It was two disadvantageous options. And just like Sudou had said. Sardina needs to make a decision. That was the responsibility of someone who leads an army. ¡°Very well then¡­¡± After a long silence, Sardina finally opened her mouth. But the choice she made never reached anyone ears. ¡°Urgent! Please let me have an audience with her imperial princess Sardina-sama.¡± Because her voice was overlapped by the voice of another messenger who entered her tent in a hurry¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- It was already dark outside the window; in her private room located in the corner of the fort,.Elena sat on the chair while drinking. Strong alcohol slides down her throat. Elena didn¡¯t like drinking too much, but on the battlefield, occasionally some people want to drink alcohol so badly to relieve stress. Especially right after a battle. During those times, the image of dead bodies across the battlefield would usually appear inside one¡¯s mind. However, what was inside Elena¡¯s mind right now was the appearance of a single woman. A young lady with luxurious armor. Her white-skinned face looked very smooth. That¡¯s right, the figure that appeared inside Elena¡¯s mind was the beloved daughter beloved daughter of the Ortomea Empire¡¯s Emperor, Sardina. ¡°Fuuh¡­ I thought she would choose to bring a rescue unit, but unexpectedly she was calmer than I thought she would be¡­ I wonder if I underestimated her too much?¡± Looking at the sighing Eclatia, Elena poured some alcohol into Eclatia¡¯s cup. ¡°In my eyes, she has made a splendid decision. Because they should vaguely realize that the previous move was a trap. I guess, as a military commander, her judgment was right, but¡­¡± Eclatia smiled in a grand manner. As a matter of fact, they both didn¡¯t care whether or not Sardina sent a rescue unit. Since, no matter which choice Sardina made, she was bound to lose something¡­ ¡°I guess so¡­¡± ¡°Now, the question is whether she would be able to regain her soldiers¡¯ trust or not¡­¡± For soldiers, what was most important were their own lives. And sometimes the commander best choice was not always the best one for the soldiers. Because Sardina didn¡¯t send a rescue, strong distrust would start to appear among the Ortomea Empire soldiers. Out of uneasiness, those soldiers might start to think that they were just disposable goods. ¡°Well, for her being that young, it would be impossible. Even though she has war experience, all of it comes from using the overwhelming military power of the Ortomea Empire. No matter how much talent she has, she lacked the experience to tilt the situation back to the Ortomea side¡­¡± Inside the room, warriors born from the weak smiled. Indeed, no matter how much talent she had, for Elena and Eclatia, Sardina was a little bird lacking the experience of being weak. Sardina had too little knowledge when it comes to waging a war with disadvantageous situations. She was especially lacking the resourcefulness of someone who survived a desperate warfare. ¡°I guess it all depends on her adjutants now?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ We can¡¯t let our guard down now¡­¡± Elena nodded in agreement. They both generally understood Sardina¡¯s situation. What they needed to do now was to understand the men who assisted her. ¡°Well, even if we think about that now, we won¡¯t be able to reach a conclusion¡­ For now, let us rejoice at the small victory we just had¡­¡± Saying that Elena raised her cup. ¡°Agreed, Grahart-san also did a great job, more than I had expected. In todays battle alone, we managed to cut off more than 5000 enemy soldiers¡­¡± After Eclatia successfully lured out the Ortomea Empire, Grahart performed another surprise attack on the soldiers who were chasing Eclatia, causing a massive damage. It was two surprise raids. The plan itself can be regarded can be regarded as successful, but on the corner of her mind, Eclatia felt unsatisfied by the result. ¡°Although the result was a bit unsatisfying for something that took a lot of time to prepare, I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ I should be satisfied with this for now¡­¡± Elena showed a bitter smile after hearing her remark. They had sacrificed a lot of time in preparing the previous strategy. Since they arrived as reinforcements, Elena and Eclatia had done nothing but defensive warfare. Comparing the result with the time spent and the troubles they went through in preparing the previous surprise strategy, it was indeed disappointing. ¡°Well let¡¯s forget about it for now¡­ We¡¯ve managed to perform our role, and besides, the result wouldnt decide the fate of the war either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ But with this, we have no trump card left, since we also already used the bow cavalry in todays attack. After this, we have no choice but dedicate ourselves fully to defensive warfare¡­¡± They both shrugged at each other. However, they both didn¡¯t show any anxiety in their expressions. In fact, the two of them only smiled at each others. They laughed as if they didn¡¯t have any concerns at all. That was because the two of them believed in the man who was currently in a distant land within Ortomea Empire territory¡­ Then suddenly the door of Elena¡¯s private room was knocked. By the hand of the goddess of destiny¡­ ¡°Emergency ! Ortomea Empires army is showing some weird movements!¡± A knight high-pitched voice could be heard from outside the room. Hearing the knight report, Elena and Eclatia nodded at each other. ¡°It seems the time has come¡­ Eclatia.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case¡­¡± They didn¡¯t continue into details. During the day, Ortomea Empire didn¡¯t only lose soldier lives, but also some of its morale. Under such circumstances, it was unlikely for Ortomea Empire to perform a night battle. With that being the case, only one possibility was left. It was something Elena and Eclatia had believed in. Had they not, Eclatia and Elena wouldn¡¯t just stay and perform defensive battle in Ushias basin all this time. However, as a human being, they did have some uneasiness inside their hearts that they refused to let it show. ¡°So, you made it in time¡­ Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­¡± Along with admiration, Elena speaks out a man¡¯s name. The war between the Zalda Kingdom and the Ortomea Empire had spanned for one year and a few months, starting with the Notiz plain battle. It finally came to an end. By the scheme of a one man¡­ Chapter 131 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 31 Chapter 4 Episode 31 Editor: Starbuck11 All started a few days before the time the Ortomea army led by Sardina, withdrew in a hurry. A huge fort standing tall above flat ground. It was a stone-made fortress, something that wouldn¡¯t fall from a half-baked attack. Inside the fortress, several thousands soldiers were stationed. And within the warehouses of the fortress, abundant foods and weapons collected from various locations in Ortomea Empire were being stored. . If one was to choose to attack the fortress from the front, one needed to prepare tens of thousands of soldiers, siege weapons and be ready to spend months of time. ¡°That is Notiz fort, huh? Certainly, such a great fortress¡­¡± While being swayed by the horse¡¯s back, the man lifted his helmet¡¯s face cover and gazed at the fortress. This fort that had been built on the western end of Notiz plain and had since continued to exist as a defense base against the Zalda Kingdom. For Ortomea Empire, the Notiz fort was similar to that of Ushias fort for the Zalda Kingdom. ¡°Indeed, certainly that is magnificent¡­¡± A beautiful voice comes out from someone who followed the man. Her chest presented a rich curve. One can¡¯t see her face because she didn¡¯t lift her helmet¡¯s face cover like the man did, but spilling out from the gap of the helmet, one could see silky shiny silver hair swayed by the wind. The man shrugged his shoulders when he heard the lady¡¯s words. ¡°Well, because of that we have prepared extensively¡­ If we fail here, then we won¡¯t be able to show our face¡­¡± It might be difficult to bring down Notiz fort by using a frontal attack. However, it was not necessarily impossible if one were to choose the means. For that reason, he had prepared many things. And finally, it was the time for him to attack¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait. It took me some time to do the explanation, but they have agreed for us to enter the fortress¡­¡± The knight who reported such news breathed out a heavily . Looking back, the man gazed at the long lines of soldier formations that were behind him. (We¡¯ve finished all of our preparations ¡­ Everything has gone according to plan¡­) Although his expression looked calm, inside the man¡¯s heart he could feel raging anxiety and frustration. Because the fate of three countries lay heavily on his shoulders. If he was just an ordinary man, he might shrink from the responsibility and be unable to properly move. However, inside the man¡¯s heart, an earnest desire to fight could not be forgotten. He also felt the joy of being given the opportunity to demonstrate his power, mixed among various other emotions. (This is fine¡­ Everything should go well¡­ It¡¯s no different compared to that time¡­) He lifted the corner of his lips, tension and excitement began to rule. The scene from a few years ago resurfaced inside his mind. He remembered the times when he was desperately trying to protect his life and pride as a human being¡­ ¡°Here we come!¡± Following the man¡¯s words, the others nodded their head. The troops slowly advanced towards Notiz plain. Sounds of countless horses and wheels of the carriages. In the dark night, the light of torches illuminated the silver armors. They looked like the messengers of the god of death, that had come out from the realm of the dead. The stage was the Notiz fort located on the border between Ortomea Empire and the Zalda Kingdom. Everything will end at the place where everything began, at the Notiz plain where General Belharres met his honorable end. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Finally, next is the transport unit, huh? Their escort is around 2,000 men¡­ Fumu, it seems like I can breathe a sigh of relief for now¡­¡± Such words can be heard inside one of the offices inside the Notiz fort. Along with a deep sigh, Greg Moore smokes a high grade cigar, a product of the central continent, as he tried to calm his heart. He had been appointed as the Notiz fort defense commanding officer to replace Rolf, and was also responsible for providing support to the front line troops. ¡°Indeed, finally we¡¯ve finished carrying the foods and weapons from the imperial capital¡­¡± Moore then put the cigar on the ashtray and received the documents his adjutant presented him with. It was an official document with Ortomea Empires seal on it. ¡°Still¡­ Isn¡¯t this number a bit too much?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I think they made it this way in anticipation of the possibility that the enemy performed a surprise attack¡­¡± Hearing those words, Moores temple twitched. ¡°Joshua Belharres, huh?¡± Unkempt appearance with short blonde hair. Sturdy physique. And the characteristic aura of a warrior that had survived many battlefields. Wound marks on his face made him look very intimidating. His belly might be slightly bulging because of age, but he was without a doubt a seasoned warrior. And more than that, it was because of his abilities that he was appointed as the commanding officer of the Notiz fort. Moore unconsciously rubbed his right thigh. It was a wound he suffered during the battle against the Zalda Kingdom during the battle of Notiz plain. His right leg was supposed to be amputated after getting crushed by a horseshoe. Using expensive secret medicine and high-rank healing magic arts, they finally managed to regenerate the crushed foot but he still feels some discomfort from it. Although there was no problems to perform with daily life. However, when he wore armors and wielded his sword, it felt like his foot wouldn¡¯t move properly. It might not be much of a problem if he fights against an ordinary opponent. But it would be an issue if he had to fight against someone very experienced. It might be only a small little discomfort. But such discomfort might be fatal during battles. (Had this wound not leave this kind of feeling¡­ I would¡¯ve gone to the frontline¡­) He had no intention of making light of his defense mission, but for Moore who was a warrior that was used to the front line, the situation was something worth to contemplate. He then turned his sight at his beloved sword leaning against the wall. ¡°That annoying pest¡­ Although the outcome of the war already can be seen, they keep on struggling¡­ What a hateful parent and child. To think those two tried to stop the Ortomea Empires movements¡­ Well, with what we have here, we might be able to soothe her imperial highness feelings a little¡­¡± Prolonged warfare. Currently, the frontline was being stalled at Ushias basin. And Moore was irritated that he could not do more for the troops on the frontline. ¡°Well, with how many of our transport supplies are getting destroyed by Zalda¡¯s surprise attacks, it was natural for her imperial highness to be mad¡­¡± As a result of the Zalda Kingdom scorched-earth strategy, supply procurement locally was extremely difficult. And no matter how much soldiers one possessed, one cannot do anything if one didn¡¯t have stable supplies. ¡°Lately we¡¯ve failed to fulfill the demand from her highness Sardina, at least with this we can save our face a little¡­¡± Although they had managed to not lose everything, but because they had to be wary of a surprise attack, the speed of the transportation had become considerably slower, and even if not all the supplies were destroyed, the damage done to them was not insignificant either. And the reason for that was because the Zalda troops have no wish for the supplies. They didn¡¯t hesitate to burn or crush the transports with rocks. Making use of the advantages of narrow roads along the valley between the mountains to perform surprise attacks. And because they were wary of a surprise attack, the Ortomea Empire had to increase the security of the transportation units which further hampered their delivery speed. On the other hand, if they wanted more speed, they needed to reduce the security. ¡°But well, apparently the end of the war is near¡­¡± Moore adjutant nodded his head while looking at Moore who lifted his mouth and laughed. Information from the front line had said that Sardina had made a decision to perform an all-out attack against Fort Ushias. ¡°Indeed¡­ What we have to do now is to send the supplies to the front line. Well, with 2,000 guards guarding the supplies it should be sufficient enough.¡± The troops led by Joshua Belharres was estimated around 800 to 1,000 troops. Joshua choose to take that numbers because it was very effective in terms of mobility and chain of command. ¡°Fumu, if we sent nearly 4,000 troops, that annoying man will meet his end. Although it is only temporary, the defense of the Fort would be reduced¡­.¡± Hearing his aide words, Moore placed his hand on his beard while thinking. Initially, Notiz Fort defense force was numbered around five thousand, but now it was down to around 2,500. If two thousand soldiers were being assigned to supply transport security, then the defense of the fort will only have 500 troops in it. Although it was sufficient enough to protect the fort from thieves, it was not near enough to protect such an important base. ¡°How about we wait for the dispatched troops to return?¡± ¡°No, it would be better for us to deliver the supplies soon, given the situation on the front line¡­¡± Answering his aide, Moore shook his head while reading the letter he took from the drawer. He could not let Sardina¡¯s all-out attack be hampered because of supplies problem. Seeing Moores determination, his aide nodded his head. ¡°Very well then, I will prepare everything. Please excuse me.¡± The aide bows his head and leaves the office room. After he left, Moore muttered in some small voice. ¡°A little bit more¡­ After the war is over, everything will be restored¡­¡± Although the Empire possessed a vast territory, the ruling foundation was more fragile compared to the other nations. And right now, it can be said Ortomea Empires control over its territory had began to shake. The biggest reason for that was the declining of public security within the Ortomea Empire because of the invasion. It was because Sardina had pulled out a considerable amount of soldiers from all over the country. Thanks to that, there was only minimum security left for small cities or rural villages that possessed little to no strategic value. Because Ortomea Empire was surrounded by enemies, they could not pull out soldiers guarding the borders, thus they pulled out the troops assigned to the domestic security instead, causing the public safety to deteriorate. Particularly for the small cities and villages with little to no strategic value, the damage caused by thieves had escalated. ¨C Moore himself had no intention of pampering the commoners. He also didn¡¯t possess a lofty sense of mission such as the duty of a ruler. In this world, the country was much more important than individuals. Besides, the value of commoner lives was never that high either. However, security deterioration was not something Ortomea Empire could ignore as an invading state. And although the value of a commoner was low, it would be bad to completely ignore their needs as well. In fact, if the public order gets much worse, the prestige of the country will fall, and the citizen will begin to question Ortomea Empires right ot rule. Although the aristocrats might think of the commoners as dust, they will be troubled if they start to revolt against them. Once revolt happens, they might link it with the citizens dissatisfactions. And following that, trade and tax revenue will be hampered greatly too. If it were to occur during the time the army invaded the Zalda Kingdom, then the troops might get isolated in the enemy¡¯s territory instead. (It would be bad if the commoners¡¯ dissatisfaction exploded. It would be best to immediately fix the problem¡­) In the Empire, Moore who understood the value of human resources was quite a rare existence. Ortomea Empire might possess a vast land area, and when it comes to physical strength, many people were comparable to Moore. Many also had studied more than Moore. However, only a few people could achieve both in balance. Just the other day, villages in the vicinity of Adelpho were seriously getting damaged by thief groups. In order to calm the commoners, Moore had to dispatch security troops from the fort. Also since he also needs good security for the supply transportation, it was inevitable that he did that. ¡°Your highness Sardinsama¡­ Please hold on for a while¡­¡± While turning his eyes at the stars outside the window, Moore prayed for Sardina. However, Greg Moore didn¡¯t realize. That the God of death was creeping behind him¡­ =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 132 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 32 Chapter 4 Episode 32 Editor: Starbuck11 ¡°Fumu¡­¡± Small mutterings resounded inside the room. A man lying on the bed in the bedroom located on one of the corners of the fort. He gazed at the ceiling and sighed for many times. ¡°Fuuh¡­¡± Moore sighed again. He closed his eyes but once again he immediately opened them. No one knows how long he did that. The darkness outside the window began to disappear. It was thirty minutes before the sun rises from the horizon. (I can¡¯t sleep at all¡­) The time he laid down on his bed had not changed. In other words, he had laid down on the bed without being able to sleep for hours. The sense of something wrong bothered him throughout the night. And such anxiety troubled Moore¡¯s heart. In the battlefield, when the time to sleep comes, soldiers should sleep. And soldiers should be able to switch between asleep and awake immediately.That was why soldiers should sleep whenever possible since no one knows when prolonged a battle spanning days would happen. However, Moore could not sleep at all. (I guess I have to give up sleeping now and get up¡­) He got up on his bed and rang the bell placed on the bedside. ¡°Please excuse me¡­ Is there something you need?¡± He ordered a guard guarding his room to bring some water. (Fumu¡­ Delicious) Moore poured the water from the jug into the cup, after he drank the cold water he could feel his body being refreshed. It seems the anxiety had undermined his body. After a while, Moore lay down on the bed once again. It was not for sleeping this time. (I don¡¯t understand¡­ What is this feeling of anxiety?) It felt like some warning bell resounded inside Moore¡¯s heart. It was similar to the feeling when an ambush was about to happen. It felt like an insect was crawling beneath one¡¯s skins. However, Moore was currently on the border between Ortomea Empire and the Zalda Kingdom. Furthermore, he was inside a stone-walled fortress with thousands of soldiers guarding it. Notiz fort had been built at the western end of the Notiz plain, which meant an attack could only happen from the front, and only if the Zalda Kingdom managed to defeat Sardinas army. And Moore never received a report that Sardina had been defeated. If the invading army was completely lost, it would cause the Ortomea Empire to question its very own survival. That was why such report of defeat wouldn¡¯t be missed at any cost. ¡°Damn it, what¡¯s going on with me¡­¡± Saying that, Moore got off the bed and shook his head. Then he grasped his beloved sword. From a logical point of view, the uneasiness inside his heart was something mind-boggling. But his intuition said he could not discard it either. In the end, he doesn¡¯t know whether or not he should ignore it. (Because I¡¯ve believed in my intuition all this time, I survived many battlefields¡­) On his hand, he held a sword with a complicated carved pattern. It was a sword forged by the best blacksmiths and also being bestowed with magic power performed by the best magic arts users. For Moore, this sword was his alter ego. His expression turns sharp the moment his hand held the sword cold handle. In reality, his intuition was never wrong. Because right now, flocks of hungry wolves were going to strike with their fangs. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- Countless people crawled on the fort courtyard. Many carts had been left alone forming long lines. It was left unattended without bringing the goods into the warehouse because they thought it was already late when they arrived, and by the next morning they were going to leave to the front line, it was more efficient without unloading the goods. And Ryouma used that opening to enter the Notiz fort at night. (Morons¡­) For the enemy, it was certainly an effective choice. Because they knew they were going to use the cart soon anyway, thus there was no reason to unload and load it again the next day. However, because of that, Notiz Fort have to pay a great price. If one were to checks the documents properly, there should be a big difference between those submitted and the actual goods being transported. Inside his heart, Ryouma laughed merrily. ¡°Begin¡­¡± Ryouma shakes his hand forward. Following the signal, ErnestGora¡¯s knights wearing Ortomea Empire armors scattered throughout the fort. They also brought sufficient amount of oil with them. No matter how hard a stone fortress was from the outside, once the fire is started from within, the people inside the fortress would suffer. Since it was impossible to make everything inside a fortress using only stones. ¡°Now then, please dance according to my expectations¡­¡± Small mutters leaked out from Ryouma¡¯s lips. During the dawn, peoples wariness were low, it was a convenient time for a sneak attack. At this time, security guards who got up all night watching the surroundings are usually tired due to the fatigue. Notiz fort might possess strong defensive power if attacked from the outside, but not from the inside. Before long, the quiet morning turned into turmoil within a second. ¡°Fire! It¡¯s fire!¡± ¡°Extinguish it! Water, get some water!¡± At first, it was a small voice, but then it was getting bigger and bigger. ¡°It¡¯s an enemy attack! It¡¯s an enemy attack!¡± ¡°Wrong! Calm down¡­ Gather each units and wait for an order!¡± ¡°Are you a moron?! We will die if we don¡¯t extinguish the fire first! Bring some water here!¡± Burning fires fuel human¡¯s fears, and black smoke interferes with their vision. Fear due to the fire. No matter what world, humans always fear fire. An angry and panic voice could be heard one after another. Information got tangled up, caused no one to be able to grasp the situation accurately. Everything was in utter chaos. Furthermore, ErnestGora soldiers who dressed up as Ortomea Empire soldiers shouted random nonsense, causing the Ortomea soldiers getting further confused. ¡°Everything seems good, eh¡­ Sara, Laura. Each of you takes 500 men with you and set fire on the storehouses. Since the security should be loose around now¡­¡± ¡°¡±Yes!¡±¡± After the barracks and monitoring towers were set ablaze, next it was the turn of the storage rooms. That was the plan Ryouma had devised. ¡°We have a lot of oil with us. Don¡¯t hesitate and burn everything to the ground!¡± Sara and Laura nodded their heads after hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, then they left together with the soldiers. The two of them didn¡¯t hesitate to head towards their destination because they had already memorized the structure of the fort beforehand. ¡°Now then, I should make my move as well¡­¡± While looking at the Marfisto sisters who left the place, Ryouma pulled out his sword from its sheath. ¡°Here I come¡­ Don¡¯t give them mercy! Kill anyone in sight! We don¡¯t need any war prisoners! Charge!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Uoooooooooh!!!¡±¡±¡± A roar rose from ErnestGora knights who were standing behind him. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ¡°Fire, you said?¡± He replied to his adjutant¡¯s urgent report with a low voice. His aide looked surprised that Moore had already worn his armor and ready for battles. ¡°Sir ! There are fires surging within the fortress, and also the eastern and western towers.¡± ¡°What did you say ?¡± Moore knitted his eyebrows after he heard the report. ¡°What has happened ? What is the security personnel doing ?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand it myself. All of it happens in a split second¡­ Every units are currently trying to extinguish the fire, but the progress is slow¡­¡± Moore fell into silence after he heard his aide¡¯s report. His brain tried to process all the information which lead to one conclusion. And with the sense of anxiety he had since last night, he immediately draws a clear conclusion. And if he considers it properly, there were many unnatural points yesterday. (Damn it¡­ Those Zalda men¡­ Are they aiming at my head? No, this is bad¡­ If what they aimed was something I feared, the Zalda invasion will turn into failure¡­ And her highness Sardina fate will¡­) Certainly, fighting the fire was something very important. However, it was obvious that the fire was being instigated by someone. Thus it must not be just any ordinary fire either. Their real aim was¡­ ¡°You moron ! does that meant everyone is leaving their post ?!¡± It was a sharp harsh voice. Moore began running¡­ (Not yet¡­ If it¡¯s now, there¡¯s still a chance¡­) It should be possible to calm down the troops and reorganize the chain of command if Moore manages to give out orders efficiently. However, Moore himself needs to take over the leadership personally. He needs to show his figure in front of the soldiers and inspire them. ¡°B-But still¡­ How did all this happen?¡± His aide who followed behind him spoke while catching some breath. Afterward, the soldiers they passed along the way follow them one by one. Moore was currently descending through the staircase. High-pitched metallic sounds clashing against each others could be heard. However, before he can head towards the source, unknown figures were blocking Moore from moving further. ¡°Who are you people ?! How dare you to block Moore-sama¡¯s path !¡± It was not unreasonable for his aide to raise his voice. In this world, social status was very important. No one dared to stand in front of Moore¡¯s path since he was a high ranking knight who was given the command of Notiz fort. Although they didn¡¯t have any intention of harshly punishing people because of it, it was certainly effective to be used to enforce order in this situation. ¡°You bastards, what unit are you coming from ? Give me your name !¡± The people who blocked their path then moved to the sides, and a man comes forward. While feeling a faint sense of incongruity in his dignified footsteps, the aide raised his voice. ¡°Take your helmet off ! Show me your face !¡± The aide approached the man in a hurry. ¡°Wait ! Get away from him !¡± ¡°Eh ?¡± Moores high voice resounded inside the fortress. The moment the aide heard his voice, the aide could feel something cold stuck on his stomach. A dagger pierced through his stomach. ¡°D-Damn it¡­¡± Taste of blood stuck in his throat. He had tasted it many times when he was near death during battles. ¡°What¡­ has happened¡­¡± He looked down and saw the bloodied dagger in the man¡¯s hand. Light gradually disappeared from the aide¡¯s eyes. Until the end, the aide could not understand why he was being killed. ¡°I knew it, you bastards are people from Zalda¡­¡± Hearing those words the soldiers standing behind Moore pulled out their swords. Moore¡¯s words pulled those soldiers back to reality after they saw the unbelievable scene unfold before their eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s hear your name¡­¡± It was a low and cold voice. Murderous intent can be felt coming from Moore¡¯s whole body. ¡°Fine¡­¡± Saying so the man took off the helmet and exposed his face. A man with a good-natured face. There was some charm from his appearance, but not absolutely handsome either. ¡°This is our first time meeting. I¡¯m part of the Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s nobility, the ruler of Wortenia peninsula, My name is Mikoshiba Ryouma. Pleased to meet you.¡± Ryouma then smiled warmly. He slightly lowered his head while keeping watch of the enemy¡¯s movement. However, Ryouma¡¯s soft smile was instead terrifying for Moore. It felt like he was seeing a monster with the shape of a human. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 133 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 33 Chapter 4 Episode 33 Editor: Starbuck11 It was a large hall located on the first floor. The two stared at each others while the sounds of metals clashing nearby entered their ears. Because the enemy surrounded them, their breaths turned rough. Or rather, it was because they felt something from the man standing in front of them. (I see¡­ So this guy is the one who killed Gaies-sama¡­) Moore gazed at the individual standing in front of him. At first glance, he was a young man with good physique. A smile that looks good. However, Moore can feel the sharp gaze the young man have. That cold aura was filled with hatred. ( I see now, this guy is indeed dangerous for our country¡­) Moore had heard rumors about Mikoshiba Ryouma. He heard that Ryouma was similar to a dangerous monster who intentionally hide its fangs Not only that, he heard Ryouma was like a poisonous snake when it comes to scheming. (I¡¯ve heard rumors about him enough to the point that I feel fed up. I heard he is a cautious and cunning man. And no matter how much advantage he has, he will always stand on the front line¡­) Moore makes an eye signal to his other aides standing by his side to move up using the stairs. It was a vague signal, but for those who know him, they would immediately understand what Moore had meant. His other aides immediately head towards the stairs while bringing several soldiers with them. (This is good enough¡­ If we can gain some time, we can prevent the worst possible outcome¡­) Inside the fortress library, various things that can never be handed over to an enemy were being kept. After taking a glance at his aides retreating figures for a moment, Moore returned his gaze towards Ryouma. (Did he have too much room, or did he have some other aim ? Why is he only standing ? Oh well, either way is good for me. It seems like he also wants to gain some time¡­) Anyway, Ortomea Empire had its name reaching even across other continents as a powerful country from the western continent. Yet a single man had escaped from such a powerful country. Not only that, he was an otherworlder whose social standing didn¡¯t exceed even a slave. Furthermore, he was also a fugitive for killing Gaies, one of the pillars supporting the Ortomea Empire. If other countries found out about it, Ortomea Empire could lose its face. That was why the news of Gaies death, as reported to the public, was that he passed away because of an accident. A high ranking official died in the castle where the Emperor lives, not to mention the fugitive had managed to escape. It was obvious that the news had to be dealt with special care. With the Emperors absolute authority, the Ortomea Empire managed to save its face by keeping the truth within the inner castle. However, the more one tried to hide it, the easier it ends up leaking, that was also the truth. Although it was being kept secret, it was natural for the general public to hear some rumors once or twice. It was to the respect of the country that no one speaks about it loudly, but Mikoshiba Ryouma was indeed Ortomea Empires mortal enemy. Looking at the surroundings, Moore clicked his tongue. (Damn it, this is bad¡­ Everyone is getting swallowed by this man aura.) It was natural for Moore¡¯s subordinates to hate Ryouma. But on the other hand, however, it was also natural for human beings to fear and feel awe at something or someone and be unable to move because of its presence. Simply put, for Ortomea¡¯s Knights, Mikoshiba Ryouma was a hateful man, yet that they were unable to fully hate him. The recent hard fights Ortomea Empire had these days. It was all started when Gaies, one of the military leader of the Empire died. It was no exaggeration to say the man standing in front of them was the cause of Ortomea¡¯s suffering. However, as a warrior and as a man, they also respected Mikoshiba Ryouma as someone powerful. After all, he had managed to escape the Imperial Palace with his individual strength alone and fled the country by outwitting imperial princess Sardina at each turns. A country against an individual. There was no doubt the difference in power was like that of the sky against the earth. Nevertheless, the man in front of them managed to escape Ortomea¡¯s fangs. Even if Ryouma was their enemy, for Ortomea¡¯s knights, they couldn¡¯t help it, but recognize the achievements and abilities of such a man. And it was also the nature of humans to envy things that one didn¡¯t possess. (I guess I have no choice, I have to buy us time as much as I could by myself¡­) One shall choose the best option. However, Moore had no other options left. While keeping an eye on the surroundings, Moore opened his mouth. ¡°I see¡­ As expected of someone I heard from those rumors. Diverting our attention from the front with arson fires, your aim is to burn the supplies without a direct fight, am I right?¡± Moore tried to be as much calm as possible, but it seems his efforts were meaningless. Hearing him speak, everyones gaze shifted to Moore. The only one who didn¡¯t change his expression was Ryouma. Ryoumas attitude suggested that Moore¡¯s guess was right. (It was natural for the others to not notice his aim, even I didn¡¯t until it was this late¡­) Moore tried his best to keep his fighting spirit that was almost broken up, while his subordinates were at a loss for words after they heard his speech. His prediction was right. However, as soon as he spoke about it, it turned into heavy pressure on the mind of Moore¡¯s subordinates instead. The Ortomea soldiers thought they had invaded the Zalda Kingdom with overwhelming power. But it was overturned in an instant. That was why it was normal for the soldiers to feel uneasy. For them, it made them feel like fools who thought they were in an advantageous situation, but actually not. (What a man¡­ Are all of the events under this mans calculation? If that is true then, even the raids by thieves on the neighboring town or villages were also this mans doing ?) Inside Moore¡¯s mind, he manages to gather clues, pieces by pieces. For starter, the aim of the attacks on town and villages was to reduce the security forces in Notiz fort. Otherwise, it was impossible to think that the lack of security guards, the thief attacks and the enemy present in front of them on the same day as just a coincidence. (But then, how the hell did he cross the country and attack us from the back with an army ? The border between the Zalda Kingdom, ErnestGora, and the Ortomea Empire should have strict monitoring¡­ No wait, there¡¯s one possible way, but¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­) There was only one possibility. However, such way was a very hard one to achieve. In truth, it was impossible to monitor every inches of the national border. There was no surveillance from satellite or radio in this world The highway connecting every city across the western continent might have clear surveillance posts. However, when it comes to an uninhabited area such as deep forests or steep mountains, the security on those places was low. Even if one draw a border-line on the map, there was no actual man guarding such remote area. Surveillance is usually being done around the important cities and border-crossing highways. That was why, if one is brave enough to pass through the deep forests or steep mountains, one can actually invade any country. In reality, those who are familiar with fights such as adventurers and mercenaries, or criminals such as thieves and others, it was normal for these people to explore or cross the border by using the forests and mountains. However, that only applied to a small group of people, not a whole army. Supply problems, marching speed, and others, there were many difficulties that make such maneuvers using an army as something next to impossible. And above all, no matter how much risks are taken, if the whole army moves together, the movement would inevitably be detected due to its large numbers. The danger of being detected by the enemy will increase as the size of the army increases. But for the security of crossing those areas where monsters also exist, one very much needs to increase the size of the army. In addition, a map was not as detailed as in the modern world. Surveying technology itself was the field of state management, and most of the time national geography was handled as confidential information belonging to the military. Under such circumstances, no detailed map was provided to the public no matter what era one was in. For security and assured victory, one needed more soldiers, but to make the army maneuver successfully one also needs not be detected and thus to reduce the number of soldiers. Two contradicting choices. That was why, in the long history of the previous world, many strategies were being carried out with the thought of a gamble or miracle, instead of a tactic. And now, Ryouma was creating one such miracle. Plunging Ortomea Empire into a more desperate situation¡­ ¡°Everything has gone according to your plan, eh?¡± ¡°Indeed, although it was not easy to achieve all of this either¡­¡± Ryouma replied while shrugging his shoulders. It might be a short reply, but he knew what Moore wanted to hear the most. ¡°Raids by thieves were scattered quite extensively around Notiz Fort. Which meant, small numbers of troops divided and entered the Ortomea Empires border before rejoining near Notiz fort while attacking towns and villages along the way, am I right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, by selecting people with skills from ErnestGora, Zalda Kingdom, and the private corps of thieves that General Belharres had prepared beforehand. We managed to pull it off although it was pretty close to gambling¡­¡± ¡°General Belharres private corps? Is this about the Red Moon group?¡± It was the nickname of the unit the late General Belharres had created. It was a unit filled with people with a criminal record, such as thieves, murderers and rapists. Because of their vandalism, that group was hated by the citizens of the eastern Ortomea Empire. ¡°Apparently, they were initially tasked to grasp the Ortomea Empires topography. That was why I managed to use them effectively¡­¡± ¡°Everything is for victory¡­ Is that what you wanted to say?¡± ¡°Indeed, for victory in this war, I will even employ criminals if there¡¯s value in using it. Everything is for victory¡­¡± Ryouma said all of that with a gentle smile on his face. In actuality, Ryouma himself knew that those group of people were heinous criminals Back then, if Ryouma hadn¡¯t come to help Laura and Sara, both of them would have ended up getting raped. People sometimes contradict themselves with the beliefs they claim to hold when it comes to victory in war. Ryouma didn¡¯t like them and hated them. He hates them to the extent he wanted to kill them all, but this was not about likes or dislikes¡­ He could not forsake victory in war because of a personal grudge ¡­ (What the hell is with this man¡­) One didn¡¯t have to wash away peoples actions and forgive them if it was something wrong. However, one shall endure one¡¯s grudges if you needed their power in warfare. Understanding that, Moore held his breath unintentionally. Such behavior was not befitting of a warrior or a knight. It was the way of thinking of skilled politicians or diplomats. (We cannot let this man alive any longer¡­ He¡¯s too dangerous for our nation¡­) There was still a chance for Moore to escape the current predicament. If Moore used his full ability and sacrificed the knights around him, he might be able to escape. However, Moore chooses to fight rather than escape. (I should¡¯ve earned enough time¡­ What left now is to end this situation¡­) ¡°Fight me one-on-one ! Mikoshiba !¡± It was a sudden and absurd shout. Everyone present turned an astonished gaze at Moore. However, Moore had conclusive evidence that Ryouma wouldn¡¯t turn down his challenge. In the first place, Ryouma should not be here if he was not ready for a fight. (I don¡¯t care whatever your plan is¡­) Fighting spirits spread inside Moore¡¯s body. The excitement raised his body temperature. Moore also started to activate the Muladhara chakra inside his body. A stream of ragging Prana began to flow. Moore then carefully controls the flowing prana while fixing his breath. Following that, Moore also slowly activates the second and third chakra, the Swadhisthana chakra and the Manipura chakra. (Preparations complete¡­ I don¡¯t care if I have to die here¡­ I will bring you down together with me !) Moore grasped his beloved sword tightly, and the carved pattern on the sword began to emit a pale light. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 134 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 34 Chapter 4 Episode 34 Editor: Starbuck11 The food warehouse was being burnt grandly to the ground. From inside the inflamed building, one can smell food turned to crisps. And from the surroundings, angry voices could be heard. Together with that, countless screams of pain also could also be heard. It was a massacre. Laura¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver even when such battlefield was spread in front of her, she only stared fixedly at the burning central building. ¡°Onee-sama¡­ Is everything alright here?¡± Along with the sounds of clashing weapons, a beautiful voice could be heard calling for her¡­ In such battlefield, that voice was not matching the environment. But to those words, Laura answered without turning back. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no problems here. Thanks to Ryoumsama stopping Moore¡¯s movements, we managed to burn the warehouse smoothly. It will be impossible to stop this fire now even if they ceased their fighting ¡­ Not even if Moore used the water magic arts hes renowned for¡­¡± In front of her, a large fire was burning the warehouse. Not only because of the burnable goods, such result was also possible because they had used oil. If it was still in the early stages then it would be possible, but since it was already this late, it had become impossible to stop the fire. Of course, if Moore was able to take the lead to stop this chaos, then there would be a slight possibility he would succeed, but with Ryouma stopping him, such an event was now remote. ¡°How is your mission ?¡± ¡°We also didn¡¯t encounter any problems. Because they thought we were part of their army when we infiltrated, the sudden fire has thrown all of the soldiers into confusion, thus making it easy for us to dispose of them¡­¡± ¡°I see, it seems like no one was injured ? All is fine as long you¡¯re alright¡­¡± Laura nodded her head without turning her gaze to Sara while grasping her iron sword drenched with blood. One can certainly grasp from her voice that she was worried. However, if she really felt worried, she should¡¯ve shown a different kind of attitude. But even with her being like that, Sara didn¡¯t show any anger towards her elder sister, Laura, for displaying such cold attitude. Sara herself felt the same. Both of them had been betrayed by their trusted vassals and sold as war slaves, but an old-faced young man saved them and gave their freedom back. For the Marfisto sisters, giving everything they have for him was an absolute truth. They would not hesitate to even sacrifice their lives for him¡­ ¡°At this time, Ryoumsama would be¡­¡± Feeling a slight sorrow from Sara¡¯s voice, Laura turned her gaze at her sister who was now standing beside her. ¡°Probably, right now, Ryoumsama is fighting Moore?¡± Laura was not sure. During the meeting, no related topic was being mentioned. However, if Ryouma could take the head of Greg Moore who had a big reputation, he could expect more rewards as war merit. For Ryouma who was currently trying to develop Wortenia peninsula, such rewards were very fascinating. Whether it was money or power, for the current Ryouma he lacked both. With that, considering Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s character, he was not someone who will abandon such opportunity. ¡°As expected¡­ We should¡¯ve gone with him¡­¡± Words filled with anxiety and anguish come out from Sara. No matter how strong Greg Moore was, as long they gang him with numbers, they could kill him. However, Laura quietly shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for us to do that¡­ If Ryoumsama didn¡¯t see the prospect of winning, Ryoumsama wouldn¡¯t fight. Sara should also know that too, dont you ?¡± Ryouma had collected a lot of informations from Simone and Iga clan¡¯s members beforehand. It was a fact that Mikoshiba Ryouma was weaker compared to the battlefield hardened Greg Moore. Although Ryouma possessed comprehensive martial arts capabilities, he was not someone very proficient in magic arts, compared to Greg Moore who had experienced many battlefields as well, but also possessed high magic arts competence. And not to forget, Greg Moore¡¯s magic sword ability. Even though Mikoshiba Ryouma possessed the characteristics of a person from a different world, one still cannot replace actual experience. That was why Saras concerns were with founded. Laura also understood that. However, she didn¡¯t doubt Ryouma¡¯s victory. Or rather, she desperately tried to believe in it. ¡°We only need to finish our job properly¡­¡± She squeezes such words from the depth of her heart. It was not like she didn¡¯t feel any anxiety. Laura herself knew that there was nothing absolute in a battlefield. That feeling was not related to her trust in Ryouma¡¯s ability. It was more like she was being anxious because she was unable to stand besides her important person. However, on the other hand, Laura also understands the importance of her work. She was feeling anxious regarding her master¡¯s safety and also wanted to answer her master¡¯s trust towards her. Such conflict broke out inside Laura¡¯s heart. ¡°Although the many surprises had thrown the enemy into confusion, it will eventually die down over time. It would be dangerous if many of the Ortomea Empire¡¯s soldiers managed to survive. We should devote our self with the current task and don¡¯t think about unnecessary worries¡­¡± In her eyes, a strong determination could be seen. However, Sara didn¡¯t miss the trembling when she looked at her sister¡¯s shoulders. (Nee-sama¡­) There were many things she wanted to say. However, being able to sympathize with Lauras feelings, Sara left the place quietly after she turned her eyes towards the central building for a brief moment. To fulfill their duty¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C At the time Laura and Sara directed their gazes at the central building, the opening of Ryouma and Greg Moore¡¯s introduction to each other was over, and their decisive battle was about to start. Dull silver light shone on Ryouma¡¯s eyes. Among the swords created by the Iga clan¡¯s blacksmiths, there was the battle katana that boast a reputation as one of the strongest. The katana was a masterpiece that would not lose in quality compared to the work of master blacksmiths that left their name in history. Ryouma licked his lips while drawing his katana with a side stance, as if trying to hide his sword. (The rock-solid Moore¡­) Glint of delight can be seen from Ryouma¡¯s gaze, as he thought about the nickname of the knight standing in front of him. If one were to prioritize his survival, he should¡¯ve used the ErnestGora soldiers that were standing behind him to attack. However, he had no such intentions. The fact that Moore needs to find his end here was an absolute priority, but the rewards obtained from the way he died changed dramatically depending on which methods Ryouma choose. ¨C (I can¡¯t help it but somehow feel excited¡­) In a battlefield, an opportunity for one on one battle was hard to happen. That was why Moore¡¯s proposal could be said as a godsend for him. The aura emitted by Moore¡¯s body was very similar to that of Ryouma¡¯s grandfather, Mikoshiba Kouichirou. It was characteristic of a strong person. In fact, Moore was someone who had his name spread even to the neighboring countries as a large broadsword user. If Ryouma managed to kill him, the distinction for war services would be massive. If Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s name grew bigger, he could demand more things from Lupis for the development of the Wortenia peninsula. This situation was within his satisfaction. And as well as a perfect opportunity for him. But, outside of profit thinking, Ryouma also could feel the excitement from within his own emotions. ¡°Uoooh !¡± Moore shouted out while raising his sword above his head. His shout shook the atmosphere around them. And his prana immediately activated the magic art engraved on his broadsword. The distance between the two was still around 10 meters away, but Moore swung down his sword without hesitation. At the same time, a crescent-like transparent wave flies toward Ryouma. Instinctively Ryouma swung his sword diagonally to parry the attack. Shock ran through Ryouma¡¯s hands, and blood comes out of one of Ryouma¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Khuu¡­¡± If Ryouma didn¡¯t parry the attack, he might have lost his arm. Dull pain starts to ache from his wounded left shoulder. However, Ryouma didn¡¯t lose his concentration even for a bit. (Is this the power of that water magic sword? Had I not gathered information beforehand, I might¡¯ve died by now¡­) Seeing water dripping from his enemy¡¯s sword, Ryouma sighed inside his heart. ¨C Water magic with cutting specialty, [Water Cutter] A memory which he saw back when he was in Japan started to resurface. He remembered something he saw on TV, it was an education program about how water could penetrate solid object or cut an object if it had enough pressure. Although it was unclear how the water magic scientifically works, the fundamental was similar. The difference with Water Jet machine, Moore¡¯s magic sword didn¡¯t have any compression mechanism. Not only that, he didn¡¯t have any water tank with him either. He just needs to apply his prana to the magic engraved on his sword. Only that. In that sense, one can say that such attack was a fairly convenient ability. (I guess water attacks will come flying at me every time he swings his sword? Somehow, it feels like the blade flew away instead¡­) A blade of water flew at high speed. To use a common image, it was very similar to the extended slashing attack that usually appears in manga or anime. It was capable of attacking while maintaining some distance, not only that, it didn¡¯t require any chanting like normal magic arts. The advantage of such an ability was very big on a battlefield where life and death often stand on a knifes edge. In addition to being able to use the sword¡¯s ability as a ranged attack, if one swung the sword sideways then it would become an anti-group attack. However, even with all of that, it didn¡¯t mean such power had no weaknesses either. Although the speed of the water attack itself was fast, the attack still needs Moore to swing his sword first, thus it was still possible to predict the flying water attack by observing the timing. If Ryouma pays attention to Moore¡¯s arm movement and his foot position, as a martial artist, those should be enough for Ryouma to predict when and where the enemy is going to attack. (Certainly, that magic sword is really troublesome¡­ However, if the magic attack can only appear along the sword¡¯s path, I still can handle it¡­ Not yet, I still can do this without the use of magic arts.) While turning his eyes to the back, Ryouma returned into middle-level-stance. Since it was disadvantageous for him to deal with fast flying water attack with side stance. (Starting from his sword, the water attack can attack approximately around 20 meters away.) It was only his prediction, but he was full of confidence. That was also because he saw the water easily being repelled by the ErnestGora Knights¡¯ armor. It was proof that the water attack pressure and speed would get dampened by nature. The range of the attack was very long compared to the water jet cutter machine, but if one were to see the attack from the perspective of fantasy-like in this world then, had Moore¡¯s attack not lost its power as it went further, the attack should¡¯ve torn the ErnestGora knights¡¯ body. Not only that, there was also a problem that the attack was made of water. It might have been different if the water was mixed with sand or stones, but the attack cutting power was limited to that of pure water. Thus, even though it was powerful enough to harm the human body, without the strong pressure it was not something that was strong enough to slash a thick iron armor. Ryouma was able to understand that after he saw his katana not breaking from the attack deflection earlier. However, of course, it didn¡¯t mean he can safely escape from such attacks all the time either. While clicking his tongue after he saw the chipped blade, Ryouma also tried to read Moore¡¯s mind. (I need to pay attention to the distance between us¡­ I think he will try to attack while taking advantage of his weapon and keep check of the distance between us¡­) Ryouma gazed at Moore, observing his movement. ¨C As Ryouma had expected, seeing he had managed to deflect the attack, Moore clicked his tongue and once again raised his sword high. And again the water blade was released towards Ryouma the moment the sword was being swung down. First shot, second shot, third shot¡­ It was a continuous stream of attacks. After he swung his sword down, Moore immediately performed right and left slash as well. Moore swung his sword as he roared. While he prepared to defend against the attack with his katana, Ryouma felt a premonition. (Somehow, those attacks feel dull¡­) The monotonous attacks can be easily avoided. Causing Ryouma to question why the enemy did it. But, the answer to that question quickly appeared. By the time the enemy performed the third slash, the water attack pushed the first attack forward with high speed. The trajectory speed raised exponentially. Had the attack assaulted Ryouma as it was, it would¡¯ve torn Ryouma¡¯s body in half who was wearing only light armor. After he managed to deflect the wave of attacks, Ryouma returned to middle-level-stance. (Vertical and Horizontal¡­ I see¡­ That was his aim¡­) Repeat monotonous attacks and suddenly pull an attack with different timing. Ryouma would be dead if he didn¡¯t concentrate here. Both men then glanced at each other eyes. The Ortomea and ErnestGora¡¯s knights were also watching the match with a tense atmosphere. (Well, I wouldn¡¯t be able to win this battle if I kept defending like that¡­ I guess I¡¯m in a more disadvantageous position than I had thought I would be ?) In order for Ryouma to win the battle, he needs to fill the distance gap between the two. On the contrary, Moore wanted to keep the distance between them and disturb Ryouma¡¯s stance with a ranged attack. (I guess his aim was to make that thing flew faster¡­ Well, It might be true that his chance of winning lay there¡­) What comes to Ryouma¡¯s mind was a sword technique called quick sword draw. He thought the enemy was going to bet all on it. But soon, Moore overturned Ryouma¡¯s expectation that he wanted a long range battle. The moment his third chakra¡¯s ring [Manipura] activated, Moore¡¯s speed and muscular strength exploded. After he performed a quick draw to create a water attack like before, he also dashed forward with a speed that was beyond what a normal human could possibly do. And at the next instant, violent sparks scatter between the two people, sharp metal sounds echoes inside the hall. For a moment, Ryouma¡¯s body floated into the air. He was using the momentum to jump back to create some distance. (That was bad !¡­ He charged to attack the moment I thought he was going to only perform long ranged attack¡­ Not bad !) A drop of blood appeared on Ryouma¡¯s cheek, but Ryouma smirked with a fearless smile on his face. Because of the fast attack, he didn¡¯t manage to fully deflect the water blades. And that water blade grazed on Ryouma¡¯s cheek. Using a long ranged attack to cause the enemy to make an opening, then close the distance and bring the fight into close quarter combat. It was a difficult method, that requires precise timing. The trace of the attack still could be seen on the weapon in Ryouma¡¯s hand. Some of his katana¡¯s blade was now chipped because of it. (With a difference in weapon performance, if I met that attack head on once again, my sword would break in two¡­) Although it was a katana made for battle, compared to Moore¡¯s magic sword, the one Ryouma had had no magic arts being imbued in it. In other words, his weapon was nothing more than a durable sword. In contrast to that, Moore had a magic sword in his hand. Such swords won¡¯t get dull because of blood fat and many other things, and by applying Prana to it, the sword durability will increase. Ryouma too could use magic arts, but he was lacking in terms of experience in using them compared to Moore. Furthermore, Moore himself seemed to have realize that in this battle Ryouma¡¯s sword had not yet been imbued or enhanced by magic arts. (Well, this is also fine. When one has to fight in order to win, the weaker side just needs to fight the way they want to¡­) The difference in weapon performances. And as well the difference in experience as a magic arts user. If one were to simply see it from the viewpoint of the strong versus the weak then, Ryouma wouldn¡¯t be able to reach Moore. Of course, it was also true that the strong have the higher possibility of winning. However, it didn¡¯t mean the weak could not win either. There were many methods to use when disadvantaged, like a better strategy, attack the enemy when they fall asleep, increase one¡¯s allies and turn the fight into a collective warfare, take the enemy¡¯s family members as a hostage, or use poison, and many other options. If one didn¡¯t consider the ethics or one¡¯s reputations, it was not possible for the weak to gain an easy victory. Just for arguments sake, no matter what situation you were in, as long you keep on walking, there will be always a way, unless you give up along the way. For Ryouma who had been taught by his grandfather regarding that matter since a young age, his heart wouldn¡¯t falter just because he was put in the weaker position. (Since he seems to have realized that I lacked experience in both, battlefield martial arts and magic arts , I bet he will soon come attacking at me because of arrogance¡­. And looking at the time we¡¯ve spent, he will also lose his patience soon¡­ With that, I guess the next attack will decide this duel¡­) The last moment of the duel will come in a few seconds. The moment when Ryouma obtained the victory. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 135 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 35 Chapter 4 Episode 35 Editor: Starbuck11 Sounds of blades clashing with each other resounded in the open space. And a few seconds later, both overlapping shadows jumped back to create some distance between them. No one knew how many times they had repeated such actions. With rough breathing, both people¡¯s shoulders went up and down. ¡°You¡¯re tougher than I had expected¡­¡± Moore slightly murmured those words while keeping his eyes on Ryouma who had kept his posture in front of him. The long-distance water attacks didn¡¯t bring the results Moore had expected, and even if he brings the fight to close quarter range, Ryouma continuously manages to accept his attacks. (I never knew there was that way of fighting¡­ I guess this is how he, no, otherworlders fight, huh ?) Although it was a great misunderstanding, Moore felt proud for being a person who experienced fighting against a technique that was from another world. Moore¡¯s way of fighting itself was not wrong. It was a simple way of fighting by using magic arts to further strengthen ones body that was already tempered by practicing martial arts, Moore was very familiar with that way of fighting. It was a fighting strategy that maximized muscle strength, and that method was also the most popular among the knights of this world. But Ryoumas way of fighting was slightly different, not only did he use his muscle strength to the maximum, he also used combat strategy that combines weak and soft fighting movements that utilize his opponents power. Ryouma himself has no particular fuzz regarding his method. Because for him, to fight means to kill his enemy, just that. Sometimes he goes in with full force, sometimes he pulls the enemy in and handles it with a soft technique. He mixes both ways very well. For him, that was the way the weak should fight against the strong. As for Moore, who had been used to fight against opponents with the same tactics as him, this duel was very refreshing for him. For the weak to be able to do that, one needs to concentrate and pays attention to the opponent¡¯s flow and then try to control it. In a battlefield, it was hard to do that kind of thing, because of how one should pay attention to other things rather than just the enemy in front. Even for Ryouma¡¯s martial arts master, Mikoshiba Kouichirou will also meet difficulties when performing such tasks on a battlefield. Of course, Moore didn¡¯t realize it, he just felt that the way Ryouma fight was very different compared to the way of fighting he had experienced so far. (Well, whatever. I just have to deal with it¡­) In order to gain victory, Moore had gathered information from the surroundings as much as possible and formulated a method to win. (Should I cut down his physical strength with water attacks? I guess no, he could even defend against the continuous attacks ¡­ Although it is possible to make some scratches, I guess it is impossible to cause a fatal injury with it¡­ Instead, I would be wasting my Prana and losing my strength first¡­) That didn¡¯t mean scratches were completely useless. Even if it was a small scratch, if there were quite a lot, it would cause a huge amount of bleeding, and as a result, the enemy¡¯s physical¡¯s strength would be greatly reduced. However, in exchange for a scratch, Moore needed to use a huge amount of Prana, thus it was not worth it. In war or business, cost-efficiency was very important. In other words, it was directly tied to the return on investment versus production cost. Moore then glanced at the sword in his hand. Although it was certainly convenient for him to be able to use magic arts attack without chanting, it was never something that can be regarded as invincible or like a versatile ability. Especially the amount of Prana consumption during the fight. For Moore, something like that was not something he could ignore easily, even though he was a warrior who could activate the third chakra ring, Manipura. Furthermore, he had to maintain the three chakra rings together with the consumption of Prana, to use his water attacks. No matter how much Moore boasted about his abundant Prana, he would still run out of it during battle if he used it recklessly. No matter how high-powered the car, if there is no fuel left, it won¡¯t be able to run. (I guess I can only end this fight if I make it into a close quarter showdown, huh?) However, Moore immediately denied that idea. (No, if he keeps defending like this, it would be hard for me to inflict any fatal injury. Even if I brought the fight to close quarter combat, the fight will still drag on¡­ Furthermore, all would be over the moment I run out of Prana¡­.) Certainly, in overall strength, Moore was stronger compared to Mikoshiba Ryouma. However, in a one on one duel, such evaluation was not necessarily guaranteed victory. The point of Moores strength was located in his proficiency of using magic arts. In other words, the moment he runs out of Prana, Moore would turn into just a normal knight with more battlefield experience. But, that also didn¡¯t mean Moore would turn into someone weak, although he will definitely find it harder to kill Ryouma, since even with magic arts at his disposal, he had already met with serious difficulties in killing Ryouma. In front of Moore, right now stood a man with a body as strong as a beast, unyielding will and spirit. If he showed any openings, that beast of a man would definitely strike and kill him. (If we are talking about talent, I guess he has more of it than I do, I guess ?) Moore who used magic arts, and Ryouma who did not. It was a reality that was difficult to admit, but one cannot do anything but be honest about it. Because in a battlefield, reality trumps anything. However, such things were only understood by the two people engaged in the duel. ¡°¡±¡±Uooooh ! Victory for Moore-sama ! Glory to the Ortomea Empire !!!¡±¡±¡± The screams of the Ortomea Empire soldiers who watched Moore¡¯s fight from a distance resounded. It was natural for the soldiers¡¯ morale to raise if they saw that their commander was attacking relentlessly, and the enemy was only able to defend. Because of that, for them, Moore looked more powerful compared to Ryouma. It was also no wonders that the surroundings thought that Moore would be victorious. (Che¡­ Those morons¡­) A gaze of resentment was directed to the nearby soldiers for only an instant. If it was the usual duel, it would be one¡¯s pleasure to get praised and cheered like that. The cheers that were directed towards Moore would usually give an extra fighting power. Well, outward appearances aside, for Moore, looking at those people who didn¡¯t know anything yet were shouting so irresponsibly, it caused him to feel irritated. but because he knew that they cheered him out of good will, it left him at a loss for words instead. And because of that uncomfortable feeling, it caused Moores steps to become gradually more tense. (Tch, I can¡¯t be too tense at this time¡­ But now I see, the reason he had been playing defense all this time was for this, huh¡­ And as expected, I need a little bit more time for full recovery¡­) Particularly about his feet, which didn¡¯t feel right when he tried to draw his sword. Discomfort. It was something he felt in one part of his body that would erode Moore¡¯s movements as time goes on. To heal his wound, he had been using a uncommon method, which caused him to feel a sense of discomfort. (Tch, if this drags on¡­ I have no other way but to turn this duel into a close quarter combat, huh?) It was something he had dismissed before but he could not think of any other way. (Well then¡­) He had no choice but to use his last trump card. Moore needed to pay a great price for using it. And once a trump card was revealed, it cant be called one anymore. But, Moore had already made his decision. Even though he had strengthened his body with magic arts, when it comes to swinging sword, the lower part of the body was very important. (A little more¡­ please endure it a little bit more¡­) While glancing at one of his legs, Moore raised the large broadsword he had above his head. The killing intent was being released from Moore¡¯s whole body. The raised broadsword began to spark under the reflection of the lamps light. ¡°DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Mikoshiba !¡± Moore shouted his words with a roar. (The first attack, it will come diagonally !) His muscles started to strengthen. His brain becomes highly focused too, increasing his speed and reflexes. It was the instant where humans increase their concentration to the extreme. Moore put a large amount of Prana into his sword and swung it down, a very large water blade that cannot be compared to the previous ones flew towards Ryouma. And without stopping, Moore continued to slash the sword horizontally. (The second strike from the left¡­) The water blades immediately assaulted towards Ryouma. (Ceh¡­ As expected, hes still able to defend against it, huh?) On Ryouma¡¯s hand, there was a thick katana sword that had cut the water attack that came flying at him, and smashed it. If it was up until that far, then it was still the same as before. But this time, it was different. Moore clicked his tongue and strengthened his body much further. The third attack had not yet been executed, which usually comes at the same time. Although he cannot use it all the time, Moore was someone who could perform three consecutive attacks with his beloved sword. Because his sword can be categorized as a longsword, it was very hard for a normal person to change their stance immediately after performing one slash. Moore¡¯s beloved sword was boasting twice the thickness of the usual swords and had a full length of up to 1,5 meters. The weight of it exceeds ten kilos. Certainly, it was not impossible to lift the sword, but if one were trying to fight with it, the story would change completely. The common one-handed sword weights around 1,5 kilos. Moore¡¯s sword weights double or even triple that of a normal two-handed sword which is usually around 3 to 5 kilos. Furthermore, if a human swung such a big sword, the centrifugal force would be applied, which caused the weight of the sword to be multiplied during an attack. One need a lot of effort to use such a sword. Not only strengthening the body, but also in training to gain proficiency in using one¡¯s own weapon. In Moore¡¯s eyes, the figure of an exhausted Ryouma was being reflected. It seems like after he prevented the oversized water blades, he had cut loose some tension. (You moron, with this you will die !) He had consumed considerable time to put his body into the stance. He had only used two consecutive attacks, this third attack was the one he had planned as a surprise move. (Eat this !!) He draws his sword backwards to the limit. He put all of his power for this last attack on his hands and lower body. All of his muscles screamed all at once due to the force deployed. It felt like his muscle fibers were about to get torn apart due to the stance. Especially the burden on his wounded leg and waist were huge. But Moore ignored all of the pains. And because in order to endure the pain, he had bitten his lips too strongly, it caused them to bleed now. This will be the his strongest skill in action. It was an attack that used all of his body power to the limit. (The final attack ! Die !) He bet everything on this one finisher. Moore who had poured all of his Prana began to swing his sword. But at the next moment, red splash with a strange metal sound resonates after the two people intersected. Two shadows passed each other in the blink of an eye. Silence dominated the place. (I-Impossible¡­) Something warm flow out from his neck. His respiratory trachea and oesophagus were completely cut off. Something hot gets caught in his throat, and red blood begins to falls from Moore¡¯s lips. Power escaped Moore¡¯s body all at once, and he fell to the ground. (I see¡­ This guy¡­ magic arts¡­) Moore certainly caught a glimpse of it. The sight that can¡¯t happen if Mikoshiba Ryouma could not use magic arts. For Mikoshiba Ryouma to fill the distance within such a short amount of time. The moment he lost his strength, the moment his neck was being cut off¡­ He understood¡­ All of Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s aim. And as well the meaning of the smile Mikoshiba Ryouma had when they met for the first time¡­ ¡°Your Highness¡­ Please forgive me¡­¡± In his final moment of fading consciousness , Moore apologizes to Sardina for his unworthiness. Although he understands that it was just for self-satisfaction¡­ Next =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 136 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 36 Chapter 4 Episode 36 Editor: Starbuck11 ¡°A messenger huh ? If you¡¯re someone from the Ortomea Empire, then¡­ I guess you¡¯re a new face ? I¡¯ve never seen you before¡­ Your name is Sudou, am I right ?¡± Heavy silence dominated the office room. Julianus the first sit deeply into his chair while turning his line of sight towards the man kneeling in front of him with pity and ridicule. For someone who was in the position of disadvantage all this time, this scene was the best. A reversed situation. A sense of superiority dominated Julianus the first sensation. ¡°Yes, your majesty. Thank you for granting me this audience¡­¡± ¡°So, what do you want by coming to my place ? Is it to surrender ?¡± A sarcastic tone leaked from Julianus the firsts mouth. It was only a few days ago that a report that the Ortomea¡¯s rear supply base, the Notiz Fort, had been destroyed by Mikoshiba Ryouma. As a result of that, the Ortomeas imperial army, which was locked in a battlefield around Ushias basin ended up getting isolated inside the enemy¡¯s territory, with their supplies line cut off. With that, the Ortomea Empire invading strength of nearly 60,000 men ended up becoming like rats inside a bag. Even if they were a big army, the fact that they were separated from their home countries was devastating. The commanding officers aside, the unscrupulously drafted citizens and mercenaries would definitely become upset with the situation. Under such circumstances, the Ortomea Empire¡¯s army could not do anything else but send their messenger to Julianus the first to negotiate for surrender. An unconditional surrender. Although what Julianus said was indeed the truth, Sudou felt the words he had heard were very ironic. But because Sudou understood Julianus feelings, e didn¡¯t feel angry from such ironic words. Sudou raised his face slowly and opened his mouth towards the pathetic clown sitting in front of him. ¡°There is no such a thing¡­ An unconditional surrender negotiation, I didn¡¯t come for that¡­¡± Sudou shook his head. ¡°Then, why did you come here ? It can¡¯t be, but did you come here for a cup of a tea ? But then I guess you cannot afford such a thing now, huh ?¡± Arrogance came out from both mens mouth. Toward Julianus words, Sudou smiled bitterly. With just a single victory. However, no one really understood the meaning of this victory. Up until now, it was always the Ortomea Empire that took the initiative. When and where to attack. They completely controlled the flow of the war. In that sense, now with Notiz fort fallen, Ortomea and Zaldled allied forces changed roles. Towards the figure of Julianus who desperately held back his happy expression, Sudou desperately tried to suppress his laughter. (Such a stupid man¡­ As expected of a clown. Despite the victory he had, it was not something he obtained with his power¡­) Certainly, one existence had lit the light of hope towards the Zalda Kingdom. Considering the current state of the Zalda Kingdom who had been always on the defeated side, this rear-blocking strategy could be said as their hope of resuscitation. But, that didn¡¯t mean it solved all the problems. While there were some problems solved because of such event, it also created other issues that were harder to solve. Furthermore, it had the potential to become fatal unless the Zalda Kingdom solved it by themselves. (Now then, just how far does the Zalda Kingdom knows where they are standing¡­) Indeed the situation was greatly reversed, and now the Ortomea Empires army was being cornered. However, that was only a temporary situation. ¡°The reason why I¡¯ve come here is to end this unfortunate war¡­¡± Sudou slowly opened his mouth. He had used a tone that was befitting of a young child pulling a prank. ¡°What did you say ?¡± Being unable to understand Sudou¡¯s unexpected words, Julianus knitted his eyebrows. ¡°To put it simply, Ortomea Empire wishes for a harmonious relationship with the Zalda Kingdom.¡± Thirst for blood surged from Grahart Henschel¡¯s body who stood by Julianus side after he heard Sudou¡¯s words. Murderous intentions start to leak out like a snowstorm towards Sudou. (I guess they are not stupid enough to show anger at this place, huh ? Splendid¡­) Sudou had gathered information regarding Henschel and Julianus beforehand, but both of the men were calmer than he had thought. But that was natural, after all, if one was trying to win in a diplomacy battle, one should hide one¡¯s feelings. (Julianus aside, that Henschel man, he is far better than I had thought¡­ Looking at this, there seems to be some room for negotiations.) A reconciliation negotiation proposal comes from the Ortomea Empire side who was the one that started everything. Thus it was natural for Henschel to feel anger since his nation had been overrun by them all this time. But thanks to his strong discipline, he had managed to show a deadpan face despite Sudou¡¯s remarks. It was evident that he understood that it won¡¯t mean anything if he gets emotional here. But it also meant that there was a room for negotiations. (Because there won¡¯t be any if the other side was already spewing anger before talks begins¡­) As long he was being given a chance to talk, Sudou was convinced that he would be able to obtain victory. ¡°Pardon me, but I don¡¯t understand your words. What do you mean by that, I wonder ?¡± ¡°The meaning is the same as I had said, your majesty. The Ortomea empire wants a temporary harmony between our nations.¡± Light shone in his eyes. ¡°You¡­ are serious huh¡­¡± Hearing Sudou¡¯s serious words, Julianus sighed deeply. He felt amazed. After invading another nation, they had shamelessly proposed a reconciliation, Julianus felt amazed. ¡°Do you realize that it was your nation that triggered this war?¡± ¡°Of course, your majesty. It was all started the moment my country attacked yours.¡± Towards Julianus¡¯ question, Sudou answered back smoothly. It was an anticipated question. In diplomacy, it was important to have both confidence and some slight arrogance. ¡°If you understand that, then why do you think we would accept reconciliation proposed by your side?¡± Hearing that, Sudou¡¯s eyes glinted. The situation had thrown Julianus the first into confusion. He also felt anxiety from Sudou¡¯s attitude. ¡°Pardon me for interjecting¡­¡± Henschel¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Do you really think that our country would listen to that?¡± A few months ago, Julianus would¡¯ve definitely jumped into the negotiation. However, the scale of the war was leaning towards the Zalda side right now. Thus Julianus didn¡¯t feel it necessary to take Sudou¡¯s proposal by this time. However, Sudou who didn¡¯t feel shaken by Julianus words opened his mouth with a smile on his face. ¡°Indeed, if your Majesty understands the position your majestys country is in, I think your majesty will definitely accept our proposal.¡± ¡°What do you meant?¡± ¡°It is simple, really. I come here as a friend who wishes to help you out from the predicament you find yourself in.¡± Towards Sudou¡¯s arrogant attitude, Julianus even forgot to shout. There were indeed people who would show such arrogant attitude before the ruler and get punished¡­ Yet, Julianus could not shout such order against the smiling man in front of him. If one were to ask why, it was because he felt a premonition, a gut-feeling, a survival instinct¡­ ¡°In the first place, does your majesty realize ? That your majesty has been dominated all this time¡­¡± Sudou lifted his lips into a smirk. He was sneering. He was sneering towards the fools who didn¡¯t realize the position they were in. ¡°When was it ? Ortomea Empire¡¯s army 60,000-strong men are trapped like rats inside a bag. Not only that, they should be in the position of lacking supplies due to the surprise attacks, and should soon runs out of reserve.¡± Although he felt uneasy, Julianus kept his calm expression towards Sudou¡¯s bullish attitude. ¡°You will run out of supplies, and replacement for armor, then no matter how big an army, it will only turn into a paper tiger, no ?¡± ¡°Certainly, that is a fact. As your Majesty said, our army is being cornered. However, if your majesty thought that your majesty is in a superior position then that is nothing more than an illusion.¡± (Here comes the critical moment¡­) Just as Sudou thought of that. His body trembled with excitement. ¡°Well then, how about this¡­ How does your majesty intend to end our army ? Does your majesty really think your majesty could destroy our Empire entirely ?¡± ¡°What did you say ?¡± Julianus knitted his eyebrows unable to understand Sudou¡¯s words. ¡°Just like I said, your majesty. There were three ways to end the war. One of them is to destroy the enemy completely, lose against the enemy, or negotiate for a ceasefire and reconcile during the war¡­ With that being the case, which kind of way does your majesty wish to end the war ?¡± Win, lose or a draw. Each of them had its own variation, but to put it briefly that were the three choices that existed. ¡°That is¡­¡± Hearing Sudou¡¯s words, Julianus was at a loss for words. He realized that Sudou had pointed out his lack of vision. The other day, right after the Notiz Fort fell, Elena while leading the Zalda army inflicted significant damage to the retreating Ortomea Empire¡¯s army. The trend of the war indeed began to tilt toward the Zalda¡¯s side. However, that was only limited to this war. In the Zalda Kingdom, it was the aristocrats who held the real power. The Royal Order and the Royal Guard had also suffered a lot of damage to their war potential in men right now, and the reinforcements from the other countries will not help in the invasion of the Ortomea Empire going forward. Under such circumstance, it would be impossible to make a reverse invasion strategy against Ortomea Empire. Unless Julianus managed to direct the entire alliance army to invade the Ortomea territory, he won¡¯t be able to do anything. If that was the case, only two options were left. Continue the unfortunate war until the day the Zalda Kingdom is getting destroyed, or negotiate a peace agreement. In that view, it was a huge improvement that a peace request had come, compared to the previous messenger who advised surrender. ¡°Let me ask your majesty once again who seems to understand the current situation. Would you like to keep this unfortunate war going?¡± He sounded like a devilish temptation. Towards Sudou who said those words with a smile on his face, Julianus had no other options but to agree with Sudou¡¯s proposal. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C On that day, the capital city of the Zalda Kingdom Periveria was being covered with wild enthusiasm. Or rather, it was not just Periveria. It was likely that the entire Zalda Kingdom felt the same atmosphere. It was a proof that the dark cloud that had covered the Zalda Kingdom until the other day had been cleared up. On both sides of the main street, a lot of people gathered. It was full of young and old people, even an old man holding a cane continued to wave at the soldiers marching the road. ¡°Hurray ! Zalda Kingdom, Hurray !¡± ¡°God Bless the King ! Glory for our country !¡± People line up on the sides of the main street and shouted words of victories. Just the other day, the war against the Ortomea Empire which lasted more than a year had come to an end with a peace negotiation. That mean, the various taxes that were being imposed due to the wartime emergency had been lifted, and the men who had wife and child finally can go back home. The news had brought them the hope of returning back to their former calm life. However, there were some people who didn¡¯t share the same sentiment. One of the men was the king of the country who had made the decision to proceed with the peace talks. He was sitting deeply in his chair inside his office while looking at the ceiling. ¡°I wonder if what I did was the right decision ?¡± It was a deep voice filled with anxiety. It was proof that he was not confident with the decision he made. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± In Julianus response, Henschel slowly shook his head. ¡°At least, we managed to earn some time, that was a fact¡­¡± ¡°Time, huh¡­¡± The Ortomea Imperial army had begun their full retreat. Although temporary, depending on the future, it was possible for them to gain a few years of time. Thus it was possible to gain the time to rebuild the war-torn Kingdom. ¡°I cannot waste the little time we have now¡­¡± ¡°By your will, sire¡­¡± Grahart Henschel nodded his head deeply, confirming Julianus words. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 137 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 37 Chapter 4 Episode 37 Editor:Starbuck11 The place was one of the room in the Royal castle within the royal capital, Periveria. Mikoshiba Ryouma who had received the message that peace talks were going to happen after he captured the Notiz Fort, had started to draw the soldiers back to the royal capital. (They are being happy while knowing nothing.) Ryouma sneered at the merry people around the castle town. ¡®Ignorance is bliss.¡¯ That saying was really true¡­ (How pitiful¡­) The people in the royal capital didn¡¯t realize the dangerous situation they were in. They cannot understand that, because they can only see the problems which were in front of their eyes. Like a child playing on top of a lake covered with only a thin ice. They didn¡¯t realize that sooner or later, they might fall into the bottom of an abyss. (But then again, even if they understood the situation, they will only see that they will meet a rough future¡­) Inside Ryouma¡¯s mind, the Zalda Kingdom King¡¯s face emerged. To be able to predict the future was not always something good. They were the only handful of people capable of doing that after they observed the many events from the surroundings. The problem was that even if one can predict the future, it didn¡¯t mean one can avoid it. Even if one were to prepare against the predicted adversary, many unexpected events can still occur, And it was the worst for the Zalda Kingdom which didn¡¯t have an effective central government. (After this, it depends on that old man abilities¡­ But I guess, it would be hard¡­) Although it was a ceasefire negotiation, it seems like the Ortomea side was already taking the initiative. No matter how much Julianus made his moves, it was doubtful that he would be able to make a huge impact. Realistically thinking, the Zalda Kingdom¡¯s national strength was too small for them to improve their situation with the time they bought from the negotiations. Furthermore, while Ortomea Empire proposed the peace talks, they also already thought of another way to win. According to Ryouma¡¯s observations, there were some traitors among the nobles of the Zalda Kingdom. And they seemed to hold very significant influence within the Kingdom. Otherwise, the situation wouldn¡¯t be this dire. (Everything will depend on the negotiations, but I believe the hostility will reopen within one year¡­) Ortomea Empire would stretch the negotiations as long as they needed, and then end them without any resolution when they were ready for another war. After that, they can just invade the Zalda Kingdom, once again. For the Ortomea Empire, these peace negotiations were only for the purpose of evading the complete destruction of their army, and not seriously talking for the consideration of a peace treaty with the Zalda Kingdom. When that happens, the people who were now cheering will change their attitudes and raise a voice full of grudges. If the expected didn¡¯t come true, it was in humanitys nature to feel grudges. Because Ryouma didn¡¯t feel any dislikes against him, he could only look at Julianus with a pitying gaze. (Well I guess I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­ It was something inevitable¡­ Besides, as long as I get the objective I wanted, I should not get involved any further with this Kingdom¡­) People might be pleased that the war had ended, but things can¡¯t be that simple. The end of the Zalda Kingdom was floating inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. However, Ryouma¡¯s thoughts were being disturbed by the noisy conversation he heard from behind him. ¡°It was a flavor that I¡¯ve never tasted before, but there were a lot of tea types, huh¡­ Which place is the origin of this one?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard that one is a product from Lisnose.¡± ¡°From the central continent ?¡± Sara nodded her head answering Elena¡¯s question. ¡°Because this one is Ryoumsama¡¯s favorite, thus we import them to Sirius City. How about another helping ?¡± Elena directed her gaze at the cup which became empty and lifted her lips. ¡°The faint fragrance of the tea leaves is really great¡­ Well then, please another one¡­¡± This time, Laura presented the dishes she had towards Elena. ¡°Oh, my ? This is¡­¡± ¡°It is a confection created after hearing the description from Ryoumsama, the name is Macaron. It is very good you know¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, really ? It has really an interesting shape, doesn¡¯t it ?¡± Saying that Elena brings the Macaron to her lips, and the moment it entered her mouth, her cheeks loosen. ¡°This is¡­ it uses a significant amount of sugar doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like it was very common for the people from Ryoumsama¡¯s hometown to make it this way¡­¡± To put it more accurately, they didn¡¯t hold down the consumption of sugar. Whats important was for the people to keep the balance in using sugar. ¡°Hee¡­ Not bad Ryoumkun¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, though, it was really hard to gather all of the ingredients¡­¡± Ryouma answered Elena¡¯s words with a bitter smile on his face. In this world, confectionary is something that was usually made by chefs, since it was using a large amount of sugar, which was considered as a luxurious item. And for the most part, the upper class restricts the amount of sugar those chefs can use. That also included everyday lives. Rather than taste, sugar was mostly used to show one¡¯s own financial and political power. As a result, for someone who had come from modern Japan, the taste of confections in this world was very dull. The first bite aside, it was very boring eating confections of this world. He can forgive it if it were only the liquors, but he was really irritated with the taste of confections in this world. (Thanks to Asuka, I guess¡­) She would usually force him to make food together sometimes, but looking at the current situation, it made him feel thankful towards that cousin of his. When Ryouma received the teacup from Sara, he sat down deeply on the sofa in front of Elena. ¡°With this, the war has ended¡­¡± Elena opened her mouth while lowering her eyes slowly. ¡°Indeed, it is a satisfying result¡­¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± Elena only answered Ryouma¡¯s with short words. For the time being, the Ortomea Empire¡¯s army had pulled back. It can be said that the reinforcements had fulfilled its mission. Even if the peace was only for a brief time, even if it was only stalling for the inevitable. ¡°After the ceasefire messenger came to explain the situation, I spoke with Eclatia for a bit¡­¡± ¡°Did she say anything?¡± ¡°She said that she will keep in touch with her home country and see the future movements. Well, she seems to speculate the Ortomea¡¯s aim as well¡­ But honestly, it was something that couldn¡¯t be helped¡­¡± ¡°And ?¡± Towards Ryouma¡¯s question, Elena shook her head quietly. ¡°Mist Kingdom doesn¡¯t have more leeway¡­ Frankly speaking, it would be impossible for providing reinforcements beyond this¡­¡± Zalda, Rozeria, and Mist. Among the countries called the eastern countries, the most stable and powerful country was the Mist Kingdom, where trade with the central continent was thriving. However, because they were rich, they also have a lot of enemies. The border with the southern kingdoms was always tense, considering that Mist Kingdom strength lay with its navy, it was hard for them to dispatch a large army to help another country. On top of that, the battles were far from their country. Although they sent their army because they understood the importance of the conflict, they never liked the war. With such thought, the ceasefire this time was not something that the Mist Kingdom thought as disadvantageous. ¡°If thats the case then, as expected¡­¡± ¡°Right, I will return to the Rozeria Kingdom as soon as possible and replenish my soldiers for the next round¡­ Though how far her majesty Lupis reforms have advanced is also a problem¡­¡± More than a year had passed since the start of the reinforcement mission. It would not be surprising if Lupis gained some successes during that time. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think she will gain some satisfactory results¡­¡± Towards Ryouma¡¯s bitter words, Elena fell silent while showing a bitter smile. Elena herself probably thinks that the reforms have already advanced a lot. ¡°How much time we can get from the negotiations, it depends on his majesty Julianus. I guess¡­¡± ¡°We can only leave things to him for now. I¡¯ve played my role long enough, and I can¡¯t leave Wortenia peninsula much longer.¡± He didn¡¯t want to get involved any more. Elena turned her gaze at Ryouma¡¯s eyes after she heard his words that indicated he didn¡¯t wish further involvement. ¡°I feel like you still have some leeway though?¡± ¡°Oh please, I¡¯m at my limit here you know ? In fact, I¡¯m just barely able to keep things together. That¡¯s me being honest here¡­¡± Saying that Ryouma showed a gentle smile. He didn¡¯t have time to spare anymore. That alone wasnt a lie. However, that was not the complete truth either. If it was on schedule, the initial development of Sirius City, which already became his home base, should be about to end. After that, he needs to gradually develop the whole peninsula. In that sense, Ryouma still have some room to spare. However, it was for his own territory, not for another country. Besides¡­. (Even if I involve myself further, there are not many things we could do¡­) That sentiment too existed inside Ryouma¡¯s heart. He had obtained enough reputation, and the reinforcement mission this time ended honorably, furthermore his fame as a strategist should spread to the neighboring countries. Above all, it was very satisfying for him that he had managed to open diplomatic relations with leading countries such as ErnestGora and Mist. (Reputation, connections, and profits¡­) He had nothing more to aim for¡­ If one were to take the discussion further, it was not like Ryouma didn¡¯t have the means to make the Zalda Kingdom achieve a real victory. But, Ryouma just didn¡¯t want to use it. The problem was the labor and time he needed to spend to achieve that. And it was also not a hundred percent sure he could achieve it. After all, Ryouma was not a God that could see ahead with 100% certainty. (Well, it would be greedy of me if I tried to get more than what I have right now anyway¡­) Now that he had managed to obtain the results he had originally planned, further profits might end up hurting him instead. Because profits were something that can make other people feel envy. From that point of view, he thought it would be better for him to end everything here¡­ Although personally, Ryouma favored Julianus more than Lupis. ¡°Well, fine then¡­ I guess I can¡¯t burden Ryoumkun any more than this¡­¡± Elena sighed after she said those words. For Elena, she wanted to keep the personnel she can use as much as possible for the war that will happen again soon. However, for Ryouma who had a duty to finish his territorys development, she could not say anything. (If only that child could understand politics like Ryoumkun¡­) With those thoughts, the face of a blonde young man that she had raised as her close aide. appeared inside Elena¡¯s mind. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hmm? Ah, I just thought a bit about Chris¡­¡± ¡°Chris? Ah, Elensan¡¯s aide, am I right?¡± A bitter smile appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face. He understood why Elena looked gloomy. ¡°At the time he heard about the ceasefire, he was very furious was it not?¡± Elena nodded her head by way of answering Ryouma¡¯s question, while shrugging her shoulders. ¡°Indeed, he even flared at me.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­ But then, I guess it was reasonable for him to get angry, no ?¡± A beautiful young man that looked like a woman. Thinking about the figure of a pretty man getting angry at Elena, Ryouma could not help but laughed a little bit. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I think it was normal for a field commander to be like that ? Does Elensan think differently?¡± It was a fact that Ryouma¡¯s plan had aimed at the complete destruction of the enemy invading army, and a lot of effort had been put into it. How much blood had to flow for that plan to be carried ? And, another chance of victory might not come the second time. Yet, the Zalda Kingdom king ceased the fight without the consent of the other countries. Not to mention, at a time when the Ortomea Empire army was trapped in a cage¡­ As a matter of course, it was natural for Chris. However, that was because he was a field commander. Each position had its own opinion. Each position had a different view at things like someone who saw the scenery from the top of the mountain compared to someone who saw it from the foot of the mountain. ¡°Of course¡­ ¡± She was putting her expectations on Chris. Elena wanted to make him her successor in the future. As the elderly Elena had lost her daughter, he was someone she regarded as her son. That was why she wanted him to find the answers by himself. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped after all, even Chris-san has his share of bad luck. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± One of the Rozeria Kingdom General had died. Chris who was always being overshadowed by him for a long time was hungry for some acknowledgments. He was being impatient to achieve a good result, he cannot let himself get satisfied with some low assessments. Combining with his beautiful face, it had become his inferiority complex. He didn¡¯t want to be despised by the surrounding people. And he wanted the people to acknowledge him. Such thoughts were swirling inside Chris¡¯ mind. Ryouma himself didn¡¯t think that Chris was someone who was ambitious. After all, every person wanted to receive a valid acknowledgment from other people. ¡°Well¡­ I guess so¡­¡± Elena was well aware that she cannot compare Chris with Ryouma. Within the knight orders, Chris was among the best, his head was not that stupid either. In terms of talents, Chris was someone who one day will be responsible for the next generation of the Rozeria Kingdom military. However, youth come with roughness. Especially when it comes to reading other people¡¯s minds, he was very naive. Also, the lack of understanding for the politics of a country¡­ (Like that, I always ended up comparing Chris with the youth in front of me. It might also be the reason why Chris felt irritated all the more at me¡­) However, if one were to think about the Rozeria Kingdoms fate, it could not be helped that she thought like that. In truth,if only the young man with mediocre features that was in front of her could stay by her side¡­ Thinking that, Elena then sighed while looking down at her cup of tea. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 138 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 4 Chapter 38 Chapter 4 Episode 38 Editor : Starbuck11, key A country existed in the southwest part of the western continent. A city-state, filled with temples built by using majestic marbles. Despite the border with the southern kingdoms and the Kirtantia Kingdom, which was one of the major powers, becoming tense, the country had survived preserving its independence for many years. No matter how much the borders of neighboring countries changed, there was no effect to this city-state. Even Ortomea Empire didn¡¯t touch this country, even though by doing so they would be able to gain the southern harbor they had desired for so long. It was as if the country was a giant sleeping monster. In fact, if that monster was awake, it would be easy for them to conquer the entire continent. The name of that city-state was Holy city Meneztia It was the city of God dedicated to the light god Meneoz, and it was the home of the light god religion organization with believers across the continent. While some might¡¯ve called it a temple city, it was not like the entire town was an inviolable sanctuary. When world war happens, even a religious community cannot protect themselves with only the authority of abstract divine existence. The city was protected by high walls. Above all else, it had guards watching the surroundings at all times with sharp eyes. Those guards had thick iron armors, with the tip of their spearhead shone brightly. And the light in the eyes of those who walked around the town, was full of desires. It was the gaze that should not belong to the servants of God. And the soldiers were not the only ones who had such a gaze. These people were like hungry wolves. They were people who foolishly believed that they were people blessed by the God and that their actions were for God. They shouted the name of God as a tool to satisfy their desires. And deep inside this city, located at its center, the noblest man in town gently relaxed in the luxurious chair that was similar to a throne, playfully with a glass filled with wine while hearing reports from his subordinates. Luxurious canonical robe with white as base color, sewn with gold threads. The gloss of the garments indicated that the clothes he wore were made of silk. The staff decorated with jewels that were by the man¡¯s side indicated his high status. ¡°Hoo, Ortomea has pulled their army back?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Holiness¡­ After the death of Greg Moore, the Notiz Fort has fallen into the enemy¡¯s control.¡± ¡°What about the casualties?¡± ¡°According to the spy report, the Ortomean side immediately proposed a ceasefire the moment they found out they were being flanked from behind, thus allowing them to escape the total annihilation of the army. However, the attacks led by Elena Steiner and Eclatia Marienel had managed to kill around 10,000 of their men.¡± Hearing the report from the man kneeling in front of him, he lifted his lips and laughed. The smile was truly like the devil¡¯s sneer. Most people would shake in fear if they saw his facial expression. However, the kneeling old men didn¡¯t show any expressions even though the master of the room showed such malicious laugh. ¡°I see¡­ 10,000 huh¡­ Considering Ortomea national strength, such casualties can¡¯t be said as fatal¡­¡± ¡°Along with Notiz Fort having fallen into the enemy¡¯s hands, the storages of supplies had also been reduced to ashes¡­¡± ¡°Well, it was the correct decision for both countries to pull back¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That Zalda King seems to be a tenacious man, huh?¡± ¡°I heard rumors that he was just someone mediocre, but I guess those rumors were wrong¡­¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s word, the man nodded his head. It was an evidence that the old man kneeling in front of the man was an able person. Ceasefire when the Ortomea Army was trapped. Not only that, before the negotiations finished, they let the Ortomea Army retreat intact. If one were to look only at that part, Julianus might be seen as someone stupid. Since it was obvious to them that Ortomea Empire had trampled over their country, and the King had just let them return home. For ordinary people, most will definitely demand some reparations . However, those people wouldn¡¯t realize that there were pitfalls here. It was a trap. In the first place, many people didn¡¯t realize that the negotiations were actually meaningless if one were to compare the two countries economic and military strength. There was nothing binding if it was a just verbal promise. A penalty could only happen if one were trying to breach a contract. That was the easiest way to understand the word of ¡®promise¡¯. And the law only had its meaning if there was the force to enforce it. The existences who punished those who broke the law. People will only follow the law if there was such a force. If it was only the law, but there was no force to enforce it, then the law would be meaningless. And that was the same with a peace treaty. Certainly, those negotiations were a process based on the premise that the two sides will keep their promises. However, what if there was an overwhelming power difference between the two ? A relationship like parent and child, teacher and student, CEO and employees, lastly big and small countries¡­ Each relationships was different, but the essence does not change at all. In this case, the aggregated strength of Ortomea Empire and the Zalda Kingdom was like that between a parent and a child. If some sort of treaty was born from the negotiations, will Zalda have enough power to force Ortomea to abide by it? It does not mean that the strong one won¡¯t keep their promises. If one were to ask, in the Ortomea¡¯s point of view, there was plenty of room for negotiation if they deem it necessary. However, this case was different. For Ortomea Empire, they didn¡¯t have any reasons to force the Zalda Kingdom into the negotiation table. The man sitting on the throne thinking deeply while he plays with the glass in his hand. (First of all, it will be difficult after this. And Julianus seems to have noticed¡­ When the negotiations are over, the one with less power will get destroyed¡­) Even if the Zalda managed to make Ortomea Empire promise to pay the repair money, it didn¡¯t mean they would really pay it. Many people didn¡¯t notice that. Because the innocents believe that promises exchanged were something that should be guarded and preserved. ¡°Before even the negotiations start, they let the Ortomea Army leave, huh¡­ It¡¯s not bad at all¡­ That decision¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if the Zalda makes the Ortomea Army stay throughout the negotiations, it would¡¯ve taken considerable effort to prepare for everything, thus the Zalda side seems to have agreed to let them leave¡­¡± ¡°Do you think the King will be able to earn some sympathy from the nobles and earn their help ? ¡°At least, not from those who sided with the Ortomea Empire¡­¡± Of course, it was unclear how effective it would be if a government where many of its influential nobles bow down towards the Ortomea side. However, it was also the fact that they can use the Ortomean retreat as an achievement to convince the nobles to help. ¡°For the Zalda Kingdom, this development has given them a little ray of hope, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Yes, if they continue the war, the Zalda Kingdom defeat would become absolute. Even if the Empire army got annihilated, it is doubtful that the Ortomea Empire would stand silently. Not to mention if they tried to take Sardina down¡­¡± ¡°That situation is normally something the Zalda side should rejoice about but¡­¡± If one were to take the commander-in-chief, the war will end. However this time, doing such a thing would only hasten the arrival of the next battle. ¡°From the Zalda Kingdoms point of view, such a plan was not really good. Of course, they can ignore that and keep doing the siege battle, but¡­¡± ¡°If one of his imperial daughter who has a high position within the imperial family died, the Emperor himself might leave the domestic governance and make Zaldas conquest as a top priority.¡± ¡°Yes, with that being the case, I think the second wave would be ready within a few months. However, by then the Zalda Kingdom won¡¯t be ready. Since Ortomea was the one who proposed ceasefire, rather than being persistent in taking the chance of victory they choose to think it over¡­¡± ¡°Rather than short-term victory, choose to earn time for a real victory, huh? Indeed, good decision¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it was not bad¡­ However¡­¡± ¡°The more the Zalda King tried to survive, the longer this fight will be. And will that be in line with the peoples aspirations ?¡± ¡°Yes, and since the start of this war, the prices of goods within the entire continent have soared high with no sight to stop, as far as the information goes, a considerable number of high profile companies have profited from it. It is only my suspicion, but this ceasefire, those guys might be behind this¡­¡± ¡°Like a vulture extorting the corpses, huh¡­¡± A sarcastic smile appeared on the man¡¯s face. However, it was certainly matched for the person who also tried to advance their own interests in this war. ¡°Precisely, Your Holiness¡­¡± ¨C For the two of them, the survival of the Zalda Kingdom was not important, but for the King of the Kingdom, it was his top priority. After a long silence, the man opened his mouth. ¡°Do you have any plan?¡± ¡°There is¡­¡± ¡°Hou¡­¡± ¡°Has Your Holiness heard the name of Christoph firm that has its base in the fortress city of Epiroz?¡± Responding to the old man¡¯s words, the man shook his head. The Pope never heard the name of a small business that exists in only one part of the continent. ¡°So ? What¡¯s with that Christoph firm ?¡± ¡°They seem to have used the same method as those guys, and made a huge profit from the war¡­¡± Hearing the words of the old man, the mans eyebrows moved. ¡°Are they those guys comrade?¡± ¡°It is impossible to understand which side they are on, but it seems that there is a nobleman who supports them from behind the scene¡­¡± By listening to the old man words, the man understood which the direction the report was going. ¡°I see, shake that nobleman and see his reaction, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, we can monitor the trend and see if he is a member of those guys or not.¡± ¡°Will he become a good piece, I wonder?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, Good¡­ Let¡¯s go with your plan¡­ Hahahahaha¡± The man smirked and crazy laughter can be heard from inside the throne room. =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 139 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Episode 1 (Early in the morning) May 8. ¡°Drive more in!¡± An angry voice resounded early in the morning on the surrounding residential area. The owner of the angry voice is an old man with white hair flown to his back. His height is around 170cm. On his chest, one can see solid muscle which looks wonderful with him wearing a kendo uniform. His upper arm is very masculine, and in his right hand, he¡¯s holding a 2 shaku 8 sun length katana Had there no wrinkles in his face and white hair, no one would believe that he¡¯s an old man, for having such wonderful body. In front of the old man, a young man holding a sword in the same way as him. ¡°Old man. If I were to drive more in with sharp blade without pulling out, won¡¯t you die! I don¡¯t care if you die, but, I don¡¯t want to get in trouble with the police¡­¡± The young man height who is spouting an abusive language is definitely exceeded 180cm. Possibly it already reaches 190cm. With that height and his armor muscle, his weight will easily cross over 100kg. Like this, people who approach him will look him with the look as if looking at a demon. But fortunately, one can guess that he was brought up well, having a face that exudes gentleness who will make the beholder feel a peace of mind. ¡°Funn¡­ You brat? Killing me?¡± The old man laughed while snorting his nose. Even from his abusive language alone, one will believe his words¡­ But what reflected on the old man eyes is full of affection. ¡°Now, I wonder? I¡¯ve been practicing my sword too after all, don¡¯t you think there would be a time that you would fail at receiving my sword and die?¡± ¡°Hoo? You mean, your sword will exceed me, is it? Very well! At that time, I will exempt you from morning practice, and I will give you my inheritance!¡± The old man laughed toward the young man, while the young man affixed his sword with welcoming eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t the morning practice and all the bullshit disappear naturally if you die, old man?¡± While smirking, the young man prepares his 3 shaku katana with his hand in Seigan stance. ¡°But, that¡¯s not bad if the inheritance is being included!¡± The two eyes glared at each other. They entered their opponent field of vision while letting loose their focus. In sword fight victory or defeat, it¡¯s not about defense = being on the defensive. Defense only exists in a match game of kendo. In real combat, it is about who cuts the opponent vital point precisely first. Being able to bring forth a certain kill move first, is what we call the deepest technique in sword art. That¡¯s why, for the sake that the opponent won¡¯t find out where one line of sight aimed at, one does not necessary shows a focus eyes. ¡°Fuooo!¡± ¡°Kaaaa!¡± Breathes leaked from the two mouth. *Jariin!* Sounds of iron rubbed against each other resounded, the moment the two people intersected their blade, red sparks scattered around. After the two of them crossed each other and moved 2 meters and replace each other place, they both entered Seigan no Kamae stance once again. ¡°This brat! Did you just tried to cut my central throat seriously just now!?!¡± The old man pressed closer to the young man. Suddenly, they seem already forget about killing for the inheritance. In the old man eyes, he can see the thirst forblood coated the young man katana. ¡°There¡¯s the thing about a teacher teaching their students to kill their parents after all¡­ or rather, aren¡¯t you also aimed at my throat when our blades clashed!¡± The reason why the old man was angry must be not because of the young man sharp tongue. After all, the old man is the one who hammered all the technique into the young man since childhood. The moment the sword intersected is the moment you kill your opponent, the one who hammered such mental attitude was the old man. Of course, the young man feels angry toward the old man unreasonableness, despite him only carrying the old man teaching faithfully. However, even with the young man pointed out reasonably, for the old man who has his blood rush to his head only sees it as bullshit. ¡°Of course it is! My technique is a one hit kill after all! I will only cross sword when I have the resolve to kill!¡± ¡°Like I said¡­ That kind of dangerous thing, I won¡¯t be able to use it won¡¯t I?. in this Japan, where on earth am I going to use it anyway? That kind of technique. In the first place, how are you going to teach a pupil with that kind of technique?¡± Hearing the young man natural opinion, blue vein appeared on the old man forehead. ¡°Argh Shut up! You can just be silent and practice!¡± The old man swung down his sword while roared. If by any chance, the young man failed to receive his attack, the slashing power is enough to split open the young man head. ¡°Like I said! Even though this is just practice, why are we putting our life on the line!¡± *Gatsu!* Dull sounds resounded from two swords clashing each other within the residential area. It comes from 16,530 square meters plot of land filled with bamboo thicket which is rare in the present day of Japan. Though they did not disturb the surrounding residence, they are indeed two lively people. Gigigigi. The sounds of the two competing against each other resounded repeatedly. An old man and A young man. The outcome of the battle is gradually tilted toward the young man. If it¡¯s only in pure strength, then the old man definitely have no chance. No, it is even surprising for the old man to have enough power to keep competing against the young man up until now. The more the young man power pushed in, the more the blades approach the old man neck. *Shu!* The old man must have judged that if one only uses power in this battle, that would be disadvantageous. When the old man change his way handling his sword with both hands and separate his left hand from the sword, he aimed at the young man eye. As one might expect, the young man pulled his body in surprise. ¡°You bastard old man! For practice, that¡¯s playing dirty! Aren¡¯t you already an adult!¡± The young man patience will soon hit its limits too. From the old man mouth, come out foul words. ¡°Funn. Practice without an actual fighting has no meaning! Like I care about being dirty or any bullshit!¡± In the old man eyes, an actual battle is something dirty I guess. He¡¯s not even shy to use his bare hand in a sword fight. In the first place, the reason why the young man can evade that surprise attack might be due to that kind of thing being a normal occurrence. One can say that their practice battle is similar to that of actual battle from a longlong time ago. The old man then flew backward and withdrew his katana, and then leaned his katana on the bamboo near him. And then, he relaxed his body naturally. ¡°Come, I will do it barehanded! I will teach you that such strength is useless!¡± ¡°Fine by me! I will keep you company! But, are you trying to fight me without a katana after can¡¯t win with one?¡± Words of ridicule escaped from the young man mouth. However, the old man only signaled with his chin to store away the katana. After the young man had put his katana on a nearby tree, he turned toward the old man. He pulls his left fist near his chin, his right hand down to hide the median line. Putting his center of gravity on his left foot, and then pull his right foot tip of toes inside. He takes the stance where he can do offense and defense to cover his vital part, and being able to use kick and fist consecutively. *Guuuuu.* Abruptly, the young man stomach rumbled. He wakes up 5 o¡¯clock in the morning, and it has been one hour since the lesson start. It was natural for his stomach to rumbled from hunger. However, that grandparent won¡¯t stop the practice just because the grandchild is hungry. (Damn it! I¡¯m starving¡­ this damn grandpa, won¡¯t he end it already?) However, the young man prayer was gone in vain, seeing there¡¯s no opening in the old man stance. He seems to be in full motivation. By the moment the young man relaxed his stance, the old man would most likely rush attacking. ¡°Please end it already~~! even though I¡¯ve worked hard making the breakfast, won¡¯t it turn cold now!¡± At that time, an angel flew down gently rescuing the young man. ¡°Geez~. what are the both of you doing fawning with each other so early in the morning?¡± Before the young man eyes, a girl was wearing an apron with her long black hair being tied in a ponytail style. Her height is around 175 I guess? A charming girl with strong willed brown eyes. Kiryuu Asuka¡­ That is the name of the girl. ¡°Fawning? With this gramps? Please don¡¯t joke around¡­¡± ¡°Then? What are you both doing?¡± ¡°Trying to kill each other??¡± *Gotsu!* ¡°Ow, ow¡­that¡¯s hurt.¡± *Pashi!* ¡°What kind of stupid things are you spouting about!¡± The thing that the girl pulled overhead with menace is a ladle. From where did she pulled that out? The thing that has been used to hit the head of the young man is a ladle, which currently is in her hand. You may say the way she pulled that out is as fast as lightning. Even though the young man has strong physical strength, having that ladle being hit with that speed is even he cannot avoid it¡­ As for the proof of that is, at the moment the young man crunches down while holding his head, the old man fist come close, and he was able to catch it with his hand. (This gramps, how dirty¡­ I still can¡¯t let my guard down.) It is only the attack of the girl which he¡¯s unable to avoid. But that is still better. Back in the days, there¡¯s similar thing like this. A manga where the protagonist got himself being hit by a hammer every time he makes passes at another girl. It is a weird phenomenon where the protagonist who canwho can even avoid bullets being unable to avoid the main heroine hammer. Well even with that, one can say that his situation is much better. After all, no matter how much his body is being trained, he would die if he were to get hit in the head like that using a hammer. ¡°Fuofuofuo. Asukchan yo. Aren¡¯t you having fun doing a comical married couple dialogue like that?¡± The main culprit who hit the young man head with a ladle, the one who being called Asuka has a triumphant air around her. The overpowering spirit and intimidating air from the practice in the surrounding disappeared completely. And there, standing an always good-natured old man. (This is why, I hate this old man¡­ ) If one have to say honestly, this is the only gap that the young man unable to compete. ¡°Ojii-chan! What are you saying! I have a boyfriend already. and it¡¯s definitely not Ryouma!¡± Asuka turns a meaningful line of sight toward him. He then heaves a heavy sigh while murmured. (Don¡¯t joke around¡­ even I don¡¯t want to be with you either.) Of course, he doesn¡¯t have the courage to speak up his mind. After all, he understands the character of this younger cousin of him all too well. ¡°Though you said that Asukchan yo. You always prepared breakfast every morning like this aren¡¯t you? This is definitely not just because of being ¡®childhood friend¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± The old man persistently coiled around Asuka. ¡°Of course it is not only because of that, isn¡¯t that obvious? this is for the sake of my 20.000yen pocket money!¡± Since this is Asuka we¡¯re talking about, there¡¯s no way that she have such a virtuous mind like making a breakfast every day¡­ it seems like she has a negotiation with my aunt to do this. (As expected of Asuka¡­ my younger cousin, such shrewd woman.) ¡°Umu¡­ It seems like this relative of mine is a money monger ja na~¡­¡± Listening to the old man speaking like as if feeling amazed, the young man has some thought. (Come to think of it, aunt is someone who makes a fortune from stock trading too¡­) Like that he has a feeling that he can consent with what his old man is saying. Kiryuu Asuka is someone with a good brain and attractive appearance. It is easy to get close to her, and she does not have such an overbearing air typical of a beautiful girl. Her cooking is delicious, from cleaning to doing laundry, one can say that her housework ability is perfect, though her money management is strict, that too is because she has a good sense¡­ when one think about it more, she has no minus point. Many people would call her ideal woman, but, for the young man, that¡¯s sounds like a joke. For example, even if they are not blood-related, the young man thought it¡¯s just hopeless. Being together since the dawn of childhood, he seems to be unable to see her as a love interest. ¡°Aaaaaah~!¡± Suddenly Asuka screamed a loud voice when she takes a look at her wristwatch. ¡°Because I have an archery morning practice, I¡¯ll get going alright. Listen up, Ryouma! Put the tableware properly later!¡± Leaving such words, while taking off the apron and run toward the main building. ¡°Fuofuofuo¡­ such busy child ja na~¡­¡± The old man said such words with a triumphant face. ¡°Won¡¯t she lose her time to have breakfast because having a banter with you just now?¡± ¡°That because you have no respect for old people¡­¡± It seems like, /> It seems like, in this old man dictionary, there¡¯s no such a thing as ¡®Reflecting.¡¯ Well, it¡¯s not like I have any say to that sound argument of his either. (Honestly! one day, I will strangle you to death¡­) Such difficult problem¡­ ¡°Haaa~~~~¡­.¡± The young man greatly sighed. ¡°What is it?¡± He began to walk toward the main building while ignoring that question. Though it was not Asuka, he feels like time flew by fast when he¡¯s accompanying that gramps. After all, he can¡¯t go to school without changing his dress. Though it is because of the promise that such morning ritual was being carried out, by the time he sits down at the dining table, his breakfast has already become cold. The name of the young man is Mikoshiba Ryouma. As you can see, he¡¯s a 16 years old boy with a little luck. Every morning, he becomes a victim of abuse by his grandfather in the name of training. By the time when he was aware of it, it already became a daily routine, As for his parents, it seems like they have already died when he¡¯s still small. As for the cause of death, grandfather does not want to talk about it. There¡¯s also no grave, and that¡¯s why he don¡¯t know if they are dying because of illness or accident. The truth is there might be one somewhere, but, because he never being taken to one, he never saw any graveyard. Surprisingly they might live somewhere, but, he does not have any interest in parents that is not here. No matter if they are alive or already died, it has no meaning for him if they are not feeding him. That¡¯s why it was natural for him not to feel any interest. That¡¯s why he lives with his grandparents the two of them, in a quiet residential area within Suginami district. He has a very ordinary face. Though depends on the person, the valuation might change. Well, one can say that he has a manly face, but, when we talk about his strong feature, then it¡¯s no big deal. Well, one can say, a typical Japanese face. His body is definitely leaned toward big category. However, it is not fat. It was because of his refined muscle. His arm and legs are thick like a log, in contrast to the now popular hosomatcho. His nickname in high school is ¡°Sleeping Bear.¡± It is a nickname coming out from his body like a bear while exuding a gentle aura. And with a complex of that old looking face. Which become his biggest trouble. Even though he¡¯s just 16years old, people from the surrounding would think that he¡¯s 30 years old. An evaluation that would put someone in shock. Although with such adult-like face, there¡¯s a few advantage of it, like buying an eroge at Akihabara smoothly, or drinking sake as one like. And his grandparents are not noisy regarding that either. On the contrary, he feels pleased to have evening drink together. Because he¡¯s like that, he was unable to have a girlfriend. At home, there¡¯s only an abuse like training, at school there¡¯s nothing particularly interest him. Well, one might think ¡®just talk with a classmate,¡¯ but it¡¯s not like he has someone close either. Definitely, a high school student with little luck. And that is a human called Mikoshiba Ryouma. But still, he¡¯s still someone normal who has a common dream of meeting a cute girl and get married¡­ this kind of person, today, at the time of lunch break, will be thrown into hell Chapter 140 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 1 E 2 (Summoned to Another world) 1 ¡°Fuu¡­ Finally lunch time huh.¡± When the morning class ended, Ryouma breathes out a huge sigh; he then took out a lunch box from his bag. It is a lunch box that Asuka had made this morning. In the high school Ryouma attends to, the lunch break spans 1 hour from 12.00 o¡¯clock until 13.00 o¡¯clock. He then took his lunch box and pet bottle filled with tea and opened the classroom door. ¡°Ryoumkun¡­ are you going to eat at the roof-top again? how about eat with us once in a while?¡± A classmate who is currently preparing the table to have a lunch break called out to Ryouma. A very beautiful girl with big eyes and long black hair. Hearing her voice, Ryouma stopped at the classroom entrance. For a moment, hesitation appeared on his face; however, he immediately turns himself with a smile. ¡°Ah¡­ Sorry, let¡¯s do it next time!¡± It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to have lunch with my classmate. The reason why Ryouma does not want to eat with his classmate is that he just don¡¯t want to shows the content of his lunch box. After all, Asuka lunch box is just too cute, which did not fit with his image. At least, that was what he himself thought. In society, there¡¯s the so-called character lunch box The various character being made using ingredients, the world of mothers will try to devote themselves to this craft; however, Asuka is also a master of this art. Her variation is vast, start from Pikachu and the others, though it expresses the ingredients, to be honest, for Ryouma, having his lunch box in the form of character lunch box, it can¡¯t be helped if he wants to stop it. Being a high school student, yet having a Pikachu being drawn in his lunch box. Though it makes woman reputation goes higher, in exchange, it destroys a man honor. However, for Asuka who make this lunch box, she didn¡¯t take any consideration to Ryouma manly heart at all. There is no problem with this lunch box until middle school. However, it becomes a problem when he brings his lunch box to high school. He has no parents, and his grandfather is not someone who will make a lunch box for Ryouma sake; thus it was a custom for him to just buy bread from the school cafeteria, it was the later half of April that there¡¯s the talk that Asuka should make a lunch box. I feel grateful when she made me one and surprised when I received at the time of lunch break that time. (Even now, I still feel a chill down my spine¡­) When Ryouma remembers that time, his body shakes. He ate the lunch box frantically, making sure that the surrounding did not see it; thus he was able to protect his honor, later after he returned home he called Asuka and made a protest, but, by the next day, his lunch box, a homemade lunch box, has become a white rice with a single pickled plum in the middle. (And the breakfast turn into hell too¡­ it turn into cold cereal with milk.) Like that, Ryouma suppressing his dissatisfaction in his heart, he apologizes to Asuka. Thus, his lunch box ends up with character lunch box once again, until now. ¡°You said next time, next time, aren¡¯t you making this every day! Mou, fine. But, next time, you absolutely have to eat with us by all means!¡± She said such thing while puffingher cheek. Such lovely expression. However, after Ryouma raised his right hand, she sits down while laughing lightly. She does not seem to be particularly persistent. Well, you can say it was just a lip service of a popular high school student. ¡°My bad my bad. I will do so next time!¡± Every day whenever the weather is clear, he will eat at the rooftop, and have a siesta until the bell chime, that was Ryouma daily routine. ¡°Well then, see you next time.¡± After saying that words to his classmate, Ryouma left the classroom. And then, when Ryouma climbed the stairs, at that time, something absurd happens. That¡¯s right; his hell began from there. Fuu! ¡°Ah?¡± The floor disappeared from Ryouma foot. Suddenly, his body is falling vertically. It¡¯s not like he missed his steps. He was sure that the stairs were there before, but abruptly disappear, and just like that, he fell bellow. He then tried to stretches his hand forward trying to grab the stairs board rim, however, that stairs board rim also disappeared, making his hand only grabbed the void. The light from his school building grew narrower little by little. And then, the light finally disappear. In the jet black darkness, he merely keeps falling. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly Ryouma noticed. Before he notices anything, his body is not falling anymore, but surfacing. ¡°This is bad¡­ Is this a dream, or hallucination? was there something wrong with me?¡± Ryouma grumbles to himself. Well, that, of course, make sense. After all, even though it is not weird for a body to fall. Though it was unlikely, there¡¯s the possibility of the school building collapsed, or the ground fall out, making the body fall deeper underground. But having one body floating is absolutely impossible. Because a person cannot fly in the sky with his own strength. No matter how much that person trains his own body. Ryouma then looked above. Before he noticed, from his overhead, a downpour of light comes toward him. The body then keep floating, and the light downpour becomes more stronger. And then, finally, Ryouma body jumped out from the light. ¡°Where is this? This place¡­ the school didn¡¯t have this kind of place, right?¡± For Ryouma, this place is inside his school building, or at least within the school ground. That¡¯s why, despite the fact that in front of his eyes the scene is looks like a temple, he just thought of it as a school facility. However, such pattern of thought, the moment he saw the people in front of him, crumbles away. There is five man before Ryouma eyes. One of them is an old person who wear a white robe which being embroidered with silver and gold thread gaudily. But, the problem is not that. The problem is the appearance of the remaining four people. Their body height and build are not that different compared to Ryouma. Their body are fairly trained. Just by looking at their muscle thickness on their thigh and upper arm, one can see that they are not amateurs. They also cover their body with metal armor, the one that being used in ancient Greece and a helmet (helmet with crest and on the nose part being guarded with T shape metal), on their hands, they hold, ax, spear, and halberd. I don¡¯t know whether or not their armor and helmet are real. However, having eyes where he deals with a real weapon against his grandfather, Ryouma can see that the spear and halberd that they hold are real. With that being the case, that means the swords on their waistwaist are also real. If it was only their armor, then Ryouma might think that it was just a costume. Since if he uses the money, he can buy it normally in Japan. There wouldn¡¯t be anyone who is going to buy it either, and if they were buying it, they wouldn¡¯t use it, but, the fact that there¡¯s a human being who wears it at least, in reality, has always been in the scope of comprehension as a fact that occurs in reality. However, even if Ryouma did not think that this is a parallel world, it does not mean that he won¡¯t recognize that this place is a place that far apart from his regular daily life where he himself have lived all this time. It is because of all those spears, halberd, and swords, all of them are sharp. He did not think that having real spears and halberd to be a joke. First, he cannot imagine that a situation like this happens in Japan. Even if this is a robbery or some kind of random attacker, there¡¯s no one going as far as to prepare such thing as that kind of spear and halberd. Usually, it would be just a knife or kitchen knife. And Ryouma can feel the thirst of blood from them as something real. One that is similar to the time when he receives his grandfather attack. He feels stung on his skins as if it was being pricked. (Oi Oi, are you for real¡­ no¡­ They are indeed serious¡­ these guys eyes are¡­) Inside Ryouma heard, something has completely changed. From a usual to unusual one. It was the moment, where his daily life, fall apart. ¡°Ho hou? It seems like the summoning this time is a success huh?¡± Looking at Ryouma, the man wearing a robe talked to the man on his side. The man he spoke to wear a helmet with a lot of red tassel decoration on it. Looking at them where only one person has an extravagant armor, Ryouma thought he must be the captain. ¡°No, Gaies-sama. That kind of judgment is still too early. Though indeed he has a great physique, you must think about things as deceptive appearance,¡­ after all, out from 100 summons, less than ten people are sufficient.¡± The eyes of those two people gazed at Ryouma. It¡¯s like they are trying to discern the value of goods at a store. ¡°Fumu. I guess that¡¯s true¡­ very well then. Whether or not he can be used, I won¡¯t know it until I develop him.¡± While muttering so, the old man pointed at Ryouma with his chin. With that signal, three-man approach Ryouma with their ax, spear, and halberd slowly. Things regarding what is the intention of these guys are something that Ryouma do not know. After all, just until a while ago, he¡¯s at his school. And then suddenly, he¡¯s being thrust by a sharp weapon. He could never be able to understand. However, it was evident, what they are going to do is not a good thing for him. Having pointed a sharp weapon, it was evidence that there¡¯s malice in them. He immediately looked around, but, he was unable to find windows for escape. The only escape way is by using iron door behind the old man. In Ryouma mind, there¡¯s no another choice other than to live. And then he remembered the teaching of his grandfather. (In order to protect one self, is it?) Should he receive it, despite he know it¡¯s going to be something bad, or should he kill themkill them and escape. Furthermore, he doesn¡¯t know the exact situation, and there¡¯s no one that he can ask about it either. If that is the case, then there¡¯s only one way. He should try to keep alive the one that looks the weakest which is the one who wears the robe, and kills the others. (I¡¯m barehanded, and the opponents are wearing armors and holding weapons¡­ attacking them head on would be disadvantageous¡­ If I don¡¯t kill them fast, it would be dangerous¡­) Of course, such decision is actually unacceptable. For modern day people, such decision should never be made. However, Ryouma did not feel any hesitation. He chooses the road where he himself survive. Even if that means that he has to walk a bloody path. And his brain thought out a way with the highest probability for him to survive. He erased his intent to kill within his mind. Then he let go the lunch box that he hold in his hand, and shows a smile on his face. For an instant the soldiers where puzzled toward Ryouma who smiled at them. Even for them, they did not think that the people that they have to summon would smile at them That would be obvious. After all, it was a smile from someone being kidnapped toward their kidnapper. The soldiers being bewildered, stopped their walk. That action actually what Ryouma has aimed. In the next moment, among the three soldiers, Ryouma run toward the man standing at the left end. And then, his finger pierced at the soldier eyeballs deeply. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± A scream comes out from the mouth of the soldier. Eyes are among one of the vital that would always be in immediate danger. Even just by using a grain of dust already painful, but, Ryouma mercilessly gouge them. Ryouma gouges the eyes socket without pulling his fingers, as it is he pushes down his arm downward. It was bad luck for the soldiers because they wear armor. After all, no matter how powerful Ryouma is, he won¡¯t be able to kill four people wearing armor. If that the case then, he needs to aim at their vital from a gap in the armor. And form that, it was the eyes that have such high probability. The soldiers who have his eyes gouged, fell while screamed loud cries. Before Ryouma line of sight, the soldier cervical vertebrae is being exposed between his helmet and armor. Then he sprung into action. Ryouma then dropped an elbow toward the defenseless man neck; He took the fall of Ryouma who has a weight of more than 100kg. *Gusha* It as if something watery being smashed, a dull sound resounded within the room. Using his elbow and with the weight of his body, Ryouma shattered the soldier neck bones. From the soldier mouth, blood bubbles come out. Ryouma then took the sword of the dead soldier, and charge toward the remaining three soldier. ¡°Oraaa!¡± *Buo* Ryouma with the sword in his hand, he throws it at the face of the soldier who has been standing still in front of him. A surprised expression appeared on the soldier face. He probably thought to think Ryouma would throw his only weapon. In a hurry, he uses his halberd vertically to repel the sword that Ryouma had thrown. But, that is something that Ryouma have aimed. After all the soldier would pull back his body to avoid the sword, and his body which being protected by armor and helmed would then being exposed. No matter how much one protect their body with armor, there would always be a place where he can where he can breach it. If there¡¯s no gap, then he just has to make it. Ryouma toward the neck of the soldier who virtually defenseless, he stabbed there using his right hand. *Gushuri* Ryoma crushed the soldier neck, and then he fell down on his knee. Though it¡¯s not an instant death, the man will die from suffocation with his respiratory being crushed. One of the shoulders immediately go after Ryouma, and Ryouma Immediately put up guard. Including the old man, three men left. ¡°Die!¡± A halberd spear being thrust toward Ryouma from behind. Ryouma then just throw the man whose throat has been smashed away. And made the body of the man as a shield. *Gashu* Dull metals sound clashing each other resounded. Though the solder had pushed the halberd spear with all his might, the blade mashed the man with broken neck and pierced his armor; then the halberd spear stuck in his body. (Stupid.) Ryouma then moved behind the solider, while the soldier, in panic, frantically tries to pull out his halberd spears, and then Ryouma attacked the defenseless soldier neck. The human body is unexpectedly strong; thus if you stabs the body part too deeply, it might result in the blade being hard to pull out. Contracting muscle is surprisingly tougher than one¡¯s think. Furthermore, there¡¯s also the pierced armor; thus it would be more harder to pull out. (Two remain) Ryouma then glared at the two people. The two individuals that remain are the soldier that looks like the captain of this bunch, and the old man wearing a robe. That captain throws away the spear he holds and pulls out the sword from his back. Looking at Ryouma way of battle, the captain judges that it would be more efficient to fight with the sword which has more maneuverability. The fourth person seems to be different compared to the rest of the guys. As expected, he is indeed the captain of the other soldiers He was able to carry a minimum assessment to adapt the situation. The captain aims the blade with it blades edge down and then pull it to the side. ¡°Side stance huh¡­ are you trying to hide your sword length?¡­ I guess he decided to end this in one strike eh?) Ryouma was able to grasp the intention of the captain just by looking at his stance. In that stance, there are only two kind of slash. A slash from right to left to scythe down the torso, or rounded from the right foot to left shoulder, just that two. And to do another slashing, it is necessary for him to re-do his stance. And that delay will become his fatal mistake. The ears of such Ryouma who was pondering about the opponent in front of him hear¡­ ¡°O God of Thunder O God of the storm!¡± When he turned around the man wearing a robe is murmured something. (This is bad!) Ryouma was unaware about magic until this point. However, his survival instinct screamed. (Avoid it!) Through quick decision, Ryouma then runs toward the captain who¡¯s holding the sword. An all-or-nothing bet. Ryouma dashed toward the captain while avoiding the slash by then slipped under his right side. Then turn around behind the captain. *Dogaa* Ryouma kicked the back of the defenseless captains. And just like that, he falls upside down. ¡°Listen to my request, and destroy my enemy! Bolt Storm!¡± At the same time, Ryouma ducked down into the ground, the storm released by the old man rushed toward him. Chapter 141 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 1 Chapter 3 Wortenia War ¨C 1 E 2 (Summoned to another world) 2 ¡°You finally kicked the bucket huh!¡± The old man who fire a killing move magic spell gasping for breath. A smile of victory appeared on his face contrary to his rough breaths. Among the magic he can use, he chose the shortest incantation and had the highest killing ability. No one can take that head on and survive. That is such magic he used. That¡¯s why the old man relaxed his guard. He did not check whether Ryouma has actually died. And that cause a fatal mistake. Ryouma who was lying down on the ground, jumped up as he senses the old man have lowered his guard. His movement is unthinkable for someone who has a 100kg body. The distance between him and the old man immediately closed in a flash. When the old man noticed, he tried to chant another incantation; however, he did not make it in time. ¡°Wha! This can¡¯t be! This almighty¡­¡± *Dogun* A small sound echoes from the old man right side. ¡°Guho¡­¡± Ryouma drives in a fist which mercilessly drives air out of the old man right lung, and chancel his incantation. It is an easy trick. After he had kicked the back of the soldier, Ryouma ducked his body to the ground. Just that. If by any chance, the magic that the old man using was fire, even if it didn¡¯t hit directly toward Ryouma body, he would still get inflicted by massive damage. If by any chance, the magic art the old man uses was something that causes spears to appears and pierced through the ground then, without a doubt, Ryouma¡¯s body won¡¯t last. However, the magic art that the old man uses is a thunder and storm magic. For the old man, it was a technique that brings a sure death. However, the Thunder flew toward the man with metal armor whom Ryouma kicked to the front, acted as a lightning rod, the thunder passed over Ryouma head who immediately ducked down. Human is a creature that always being careless when being confident. Having an overconfidence that his magic didn¡¯t miss. And the overconfidence that he has killed his opponent. This two overconfidence are the things that brought victory to Ryouma. ¡°Oi Old man. Where is this?¡± Several of his ribs have broke. Approaching the old man who crouches down and holding his right side with both hands. Ryouma asked such question. ¡°Guuu¡­.¡± ¡°Oi~?¡± *Beki* Unpleasant sounds resounded within the shrine. A sound similar to that of breaking a dead branch. Ryouma¡¯s kick breaks the old man left elbow. Continuously, Ryouma without hesitation he uses his tip of toes attacking the old man left sides. ¡°Oi~ Old man. Answer my question, will you? Since you said something like Die!or You finally kicked the bucket huh!, you understand what I¡¯m saying right?¡± Innocent smiles float on Ryouma face. However, for the old man, that smile is the most dreadful thing. ¡°Guuuu¡­¡± But, the old man still did not say anything. The old man did not say anything and endured the pain while crouching down. As the result of Ryouma kick, other several ribs broke. ¡°Oi~ Old man. I¡¯m not really a kind person you know? Like this!¡± Ryouma caught the old man left ear and twisted it. From the old man left ear that began getting ripped off, blood dripped little by little. ¡°S- Stop it. Let go of your hand!¡± ¡°Well well. Let go you said? Is that how a person asked something? Good grief¡­ it seems like, despite your old age, you don¡¯t understand how to listen when somebody is talking.¡± He¡¯s showing his usual thin smile, but, that glint from his narrowing eyes feels chilling like ice. He shows an expression that is very uncommon coming from high school student who just talked with his classmate a while ago. His eyes are sharp, and his face is expressionless just like that of Noh mask. This might be his real character which he usually try to hide. The real nature of a beast. And this old man becomes the first victim of Ryouma¡¯s true character. *Gogun* Dull sound resounded from the old man side once again. ¡°Gyaaaaa~~!¡± Scream like a beast comes out from the mouth of the old man. Ryouma merciless left fist blew off the old man with height 160cm and weight 60kg as far as 2 meters away. Because he hit the old man without letting go the old man left ear, the old man left ear remained in Ryouma hand. ¡°You know~ old man. Be obedient alright? I only need a few answer, and it will will end you know?¡± Ryouma walked toward the old man in a slow pace. ¡°P¡­lease¡­ ugh¡­ sto¡­p ¡­ it¡­ I will talk¡­ anything¡­¡± Because the old man has broken ribs injury, every time he speaks, bloods coming out from his mouth. His face was dyed deep red because of the blood that comes out from the ripped ear. Indeed he won¡¯t be able to endure any more pain. The old man then began talking while enduring pain. ¡°Fuu, I understand, I understand. Well then, answer the first question. Where is this?¡± ¡°Here is¡­ Ortomea¡­ Empire¡­ Royal palace. ¡± ¡°Ortomea Empire?¡± Hearing the old man answer, doubt appeared on Ryouma face. Ryouma who likes social studies has pride in his geography knowledge. He can almost say all countries name that exists on earth. However, he¡¯s unfamiliar with a country called Ortomea Empire that comes out from the mouth of the old man. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right. the ruler¡­ of west central¡­ part¡­ of the¡­ continent. ¡® After he said that, the old man is coughing blood once again. He seems to not notice Ryouma change on his complexion. ¡°Well then, next question. why am I here?¡± ¡°¡­B Because¡­ I had summoned you¡­¡± ¡°Funn¡­ well, I guess so¡­¡± Ryouma returned an indifferent answer toward the old man words. However, nobody knows what he thought of, and what inside his inner feeling, There¡¯s no way to peek what¡¯s in his mind. ¡°Now then, the third question¡­ because this is the most important issue, answer it properly alright? it will significantly affect to what will happen to you from here on!¡± Saying that, Ryouma looked toward the old man face. ¡°Can I returned to my original world?¡± His voice is calm. Though his voice sounds coarse, but, there¡¯s not a feeling of someone coercing another person. It feels like someone talking with a close acquaintance. However, that is what makes it more terrifying. The old man heart pulsates as if going to explode. Just now, it was the question that the old man did not want to hear the most. The old man considers lying so that he can survive this place desperately. (Should I say he can return? No, speaking about wanting to go back, he must be wanting to go back as soon as possible. If that is the case then, what then, what should I say? should I say the preparation need times?) As the chief of Ortomea Empire imperial court magician who¡¯s being hailed as Ortomea brains, Gaies Wookland, he can¡¯t be killed by a mere commoner. After all, on the old man shoulders, hang the Empire future. (As expected, there¡¯s no another way other than buying time¡­ the soldier will come if they find something abnormal.) Gaies who desperately think up a way while fighting against the pain from bones fracture noticed Ryouma fingers were on his neck. ¡°Na~ old man. You can¡¯t lie alright? A lie you see¡­¡± Ryouma looked at Gaies face while grabbing his hairs. ¡°Wh¡­ lie¡­ you say¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking about it right?¡± After accurately guessing what inside Gaies mind, Ryouma continued. ¡°Your blood. You. Fearing me finding out your lie, your pulse has become faster see.¡± Actually, Ryouma speech is only a bluff. He definitely feels the old man pulse grew faster, but, he don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of the old man trying to tell a lie, or because of the bone fracture, or because of the old man fear toward Ryouma. However, Ryouma was confident. After all, expression of fear appeared on the old man face when he asked about the third question. In other words, what the answer might be, it would be bad for Ryouma. Seeing that the old man did not respond to it immediately, that means he was considering lying to get himself out from this situation. ¡°Y-You bastard¡­ that¡­ kind of ability¡­¡± ¡°Now now~ say it already. Can I go back? Or I can¡¯t go back?¡± After finding himself terribly troubled, Gaies finally opened his mouth. On his face, an expression of as if he has given up floats. ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡­ at least¡­ I think so¡­¡± ¡°Fumu¡­ Well, I can guess that looking at your attitude. If that the case then, is there any technique for me to go back?¡± Anger never appeared on Ryouma face. Even after listening to this desperate old man words, his tone is still that of the calm one. (What¡­? why did he not getting angry? why he didn¡¯t feel shaken?) Within Gaies mind, his fear grew bigger. He has been summoning at least 100 people from another world, but there¡¯s no one like his type. Up until now, most of now, most of the summoned individuals who realized what happen to them will just get themselves panicked and rant¡­ Of course, they would be able to get restricted by the soldiers and without being able to do anything, Gaies can put curse mark of obedience. Among the summoned people, there¡¯s also some who gives a sense of danger to Gaies and the others. However, they are no match for the soldiers. After being arrested by the soldiers, in the end, they will prostrate themselves toward Gaies. But, the young men who stood in front of him now is different. Even though he just being summoned, but, he was immediately able to kill four soldiers. ¡°F-From¡­ my¡­ knowledge¡­ there¡¯s¡­ no other way¡­ even in other nations.¡± While various questions are welling up inside of him, Gaies answers the question. ¡°You can summon but cannot return them kind of thing huh? Why is that?¡± ¡°T¡­ That is¡­¡± Gaies pulse gets more faster. (This is bad¡­ what¡¯s good should I say? What should I say so that I can survive?) For Gaies, he doesn¡¯t know how to answer Ryouma so he can survive. Up until now, Ryouma has no mercy toward his opponent, which makes Gaies understand what kind cold-hearted person he is. And right now, if he answers his question truthfully, this cold-hearted man won¡¯t keep him alive any longer. A smile appeared on Ryouma face after seeing Gaies being hesitated. ¡°Fumu¡­ it seems like it¡¯s hard for you to answer¡­ fine then. then I will answer it for you.¡± Toward Ryouma words, Gaies expression freezes due to fear and surprise. His heart throbbed to the point as if going to burst out. (It can¡¯t be¡­ no, he can¡¯t possibly understand. since he¡¯s someone who just arrived from another world¡­) However, Gaies wish did not come true. The words that come out from Ryouma, for him, it¡¯s sounds as if an invitation to hell. ¡°For something like a technique to send another world people back did not exist means, possibly because there¡¯s no intention to send us back right? There¡¯s no meaning sending off the corpse, after all, that¡¯s why you people didn¡¯t research about technique to send us back. That¡¯s why, no nation have any method for us to return. That¡¯s how it is right? How is it! Am I wrong?¡± Chapter 142 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 1 Chapter 4 Chapter 1 E 4 (Summoned to another world) ¡°Y-You bastard¡­¡± Listening to Ryouma words, Gaies prepare for the worst. The words that Gaies unable to say. Everything of that is something that Ryouma had thought. (Everything is already hopeless. If he already knows this far then¡­ no matter what I said, this bastard won¡¯t let myself go alive.) Making a quick judgment based on the situation, and taking a preemptive attack without being confused because of the summoning. Having the ability to kill four soldiers barehanded. Furthermore, having the will to do torture for the sake of information without hesitation. And having the wisdom to make a proper inquiry, based on the information that Gaies gives. (If I were to be able to employ this person¡­ it might be possible for my Ortomea Empire to become the conqueror of the western continent.) Such thought passes through Gaies mind. However, the man in front of him is already completely hostile toward the empire. Because he already understood regarding the purpose of the empire calling him. And how he think about the treatment of another world people. (Am I going to die here?¡­ NO! I can¡¯t die here. I can¡¯t let the dream of the King and I to get crushed here! Fortunately, I was able to block my wound with magic. For now, I should wait for an opportunity¡­ there should be a way for me to escape.) Since his means to go back does not exist, one can¡¯t possibly think that this man will let him go alive. Gaies is able to at least understand that much. (He¡¯s right now letting his guard down since he think I¡¯m injured¡­ if that is the case then I will wager everything the moment he¡¯s about to kill me!) Gaies then observe Ryouma movement for the sake of finding a chance to win. The moment Ryouma relaxed his body. ¡°Bull¡¯s-eye huh?¡­Ah, I give up.¡± Ryouma sighed toward the sky. Even without the old man telling lies, looking at his complexion, one can understand it. The reason why he did all the torture that he does not like is that he don¡¯t want any lies. However, the result that comes out is the worst. But still, this is not enough. If one cannot go back immediately, then that would be all the more he need to get various information out of the old man. One has to do anything. For the sake of survival. ¡°Why did you summon me? since you have no intention to return me alive, then is it to turn me into slave and make me work until I die?¡± Gaies was at a loss for words to answer Ryouma. (Again, he guess it precisely once again.) Gaies looked at Ryouma face once again. (No good! This person already finds the answer already. Even if I told him lies, he would know about it immediately¡­ and the reason why he asked is that he wants confirmation.) Looking at Ryouma unwavering eyes, Gaies realize. He should give up trying to deceive Ryouma, and tell him the truth. ¡°We are going to employ people from another world¡­ to win a war.¡± Such reason can only be perceived as self-centered. The human summoned from the earth are only going to be recruited to go to the battlefield. However, even after listening to Gaies words, Ryouma expression did not change. His expression is as if saying that he is only confirming a fact. ¡°About the world¡­ give me more detailed information. As far as I know, in my world, not many people are accustomed in fighting using the like of swords or spears you know? And there¡¯s no one like you old man who can summon thunder from his hand too. Or is there exist another different world, and some of the summoned people have such power?¡± ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s indeed another world, but it was only your world where human exist.¡± ¡°Fuun¡­ I thought it would be hopeless to call people from my world, though. What is the purpose?¡± It would be dangerous to answer this question. However, Gaies did not want to give up on living yet. Since he¡¯s one of the pillars that supporting the empire. ¡°It was because there¡¯s the possibility that the persons from your world will become the best soldiers in this world.¡± Hearing Gaies words, a question mark floats on Ryouma face. ¡°Theface. ¡°The best soldier huh? Can a guy who have never done any training become the best soldier, I wonder?¡± Ryouma question is a reasonable one. Just like him, the people that being summoned from another world might also don¡¯t know any military art after all. ¡°Or perhaps, you will only summon human who passes a certain power condition?¡± If so then, that would explain everything. However, Gaies shakes his head hearing what Ryouma had said. ¡°What kind of person that would appear is completely up to luck.¡± However, it was true that the majority of people whom they summoned said they don¡¯t know anything about fighting. Since they are not living in the warring state period. Martial arts is something that already becomes one with culture. In the modern age, only a handful of people training martial arts for the sake of battle. The majority of humans even trying to avoid killing an animal. Does it really make sense to summon such people? ¡°If that is the case then, there¡¯s some profit even if the summoning only resulting an amateur from another world huh?¡± Gaies nods toward Ryouma statement. ¡°Every time someone from your world killed a living being from this world, they will be able to hold some part of the being power. And someone from your world, they have a better absorbing ability, compared to the humans of this world.¡± Ryouma can understand what Gaies is getting at. ¡°What¡¯s that? is that means the power of that four soldiers whom I killed just now dwell in me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ryouma then looked around his body. However, he did not feel any different. His legs did not grow longer, and his hands also did not get any thicker. There¡¯s no different than the usual. ¡°Is it something that I cannot feel?¡± ¡°That is because there¡¯s nothing much to absorb if the one that gets killed is human.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand¡­¡± If one were to kill someone, one would be able to absorb their power. Since Ryouma never knows such phenomenon, thus it was natural for him to be unable to understand it. ¡°To be precise, you will be able to absorb a portion of one person power after killing at least 10.000 humans.¡± Ryouma showedhumans.¡± Ryouma showed an amazed face. He did not expect that the words of killing 10.000 humans would appear. And only for the purpose of taking one person worth of power for your own ¡°Won¡¯t the efficiency turn bad if it¡¯s like that? to be honest, is there any worth to sacrifice that many people?¡± It was something reasonable for Ryouma to feel amazed. If we talk about the labor if killing off 10.000 people, one would feel the rate does not pay off at all. ¡°That is if the target is human. you will get your power raised to around ten times if you¡¯re able to kill one dragon see.¡± Gaies desperately continue talking . (A little bit more! Just a little bit more, if I can buy more time, the soldiers might come to this place. They would feel suspicious since I did not return yet!) Thinking like that, he thought that was his last hope. ¡°Funn~¡­ Well, I¡¯m able to understand the story about power absorbing. In the end, why did you guys gone all the way through the troubles to just summon someone from another world?¡± ¡°For one thing, it¡¯s because the ability for absorbing power is much higher.¡± ¡°Hnn?¡± Hearing such answer, Ryouma shows a question mark on his face once again. ¡°In other words, even if the human of this world and another world killed the same number and the same kind of living things, the end power result would be clearly different.¡± Hearing Gaies answer, Ryouma narrowed his eyes. ¡°I see. It was the growth after summoning which is important huh¡­ even if they are humans being with no experience, they will eventually become stronger than a human being from this world. That¡¯s the reason why you guys prefer a human being from a different world is it¡­¡± Suddenly, Ryouma paused his grumble. And then, his sharp gaze pierced Gaies like a needle. ¡°Which remind me, old man¡­ I see that it seems like your wound have been healed?¡± Cold ran down Gaies back. After Gaies got hit by Ryouma and crouched on the ground, all this time he has been using healing magic. Even such thing is being found out by Ryouma. ¡°Wh!¡± Gaies raises his voice in surprise, while Ryouma was while Ryouma was looking at him with cold eyes. ¡°Of course I would notice it¡­ I gave your lung damage by breaking your ribs you know? The old man who¡¯s talking while coughing blood at the beginning, yet, suddenly he¡¯s able to speak fluently. If that is the case then, that would mean you had been healing yourself while crouching down isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Y-You bastard! You¡¯d noticed from the beginning!?¡± Ryouma answered Gaies question by shrugging his shoulders. ¡°W-Why¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Why I¡¯m being silent? Well, that because I thought you would talk about various things, if I gave you time to heal yourself. Furthermore, you¡¯ve been observing me to see if I make some opening right?¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ you understand until that far!?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be that surprised isn¡¯t it? If you really want to catch me off guard then, you should act like you have a severe wound¡­ well, whatever¡­ For the time being, I understand about things that you had said. Though I don¡¯t know how far I can trust your words, it seems like the things about I can¡¯t return immediately is the truth¡­¡± Ryouma approaches Gaies while shows a smile filled with cynicism. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Unconsciously Gaies shrink back. Because of the fear he harbors toward Ryouma, he moved his body unconsciously. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t do any funny you know? For now, I want to ask you about various things. And I will kill you without making you suffer as the compensation¡­ how¡¯s it? It¡¯s pretty good deal right?¡± Hearing what Ryouma said, Gaies try to make his last bet. No matter what the chance of winning is. Even if the chance of winning is almost 0. ¡°The wind of¡­ Gah!¡± A hand pierced Gaies throat like a sword, which stops his chanting. ¡°I said it didn¡¯t I?¡± Ryouma declared such while gazing at Gaies who¡¯s crouching on the ground once again with his cold gaze. Ryouma then kicked the back of Gaies head whom crouching down. *Gusha* Sounds similar to that of fruit being crushed resounded. ¡°If you do something funny, I will make you suffer.¡± That words from Ryouma mouth was the last words which Gaies Wookland heard in this world. Chapter 143 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Episode 5 Editor: Starbuck11 Night dominated the neighborhood when all the prostitutes and their customers had entered the world of dreams, inside a room on the corner of the mansion hall, one man was still waiting for someone. ¡°Fumu¡­ The meeting seems to have dragged on considerably, eh?¡± Showing a wry smile, the man crosses his legs while looking at the clock hanging on the walls. And slowly he picked up the glass filled with bright red liquid from the table beside his sofa. The moment the rich aroma spread throughout his mouth, the man nodded deeply satisfied and swallow the liquid slowly. Blissful sensation wrapped his entire body. It was the only time the man who was always drenched red with schemes and violence could feel such relaxation. While he was enjoying the taste of the drink, the sound of knocking on the door could be heard, he immediately returns his expression to normal and allowed the person to enter the room. Such was the manner of a boss who was about to meet with his subordinates. ¡°Sudou-san, I¡¯ve finished talking with Saitou-kun for the time being¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work. It seems you¡¯ve taken quite a bit of time, did something happen ?¡± After the man took a glance at Kikukawa who entered the room, the man showed his usual smile on his face. Hearing such words from the man, Kikukawa directed his eyes at the clock hanging on the wall and sighed. It took one hour more time than he initially thought. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. It took me quite a while¡­ But well, looking from his point of view, I can understand his feelings.¡± Pain from losing a family. Such loss would give pain and sorrow to a person. If it was from sickness or accident, then people might be able to move on relatively easy. However, the story would be different if the pain was caused by losing a loved one because of other people using force. Similar flame of intense hatred was held by many people belonging to the organization. Even Saitou held such feelings despite how cool and cold he was on the surface. It would be understandable if he felt restless as the day of revenge comes closer while serving the enemy he hated so much. ¡°I see¡­ Well, it is natural for him to feel that way¡­¡± ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Sudou beckoned Kikukawa who said those words with a bitter smile. ¡°Alright then, thank you for your hard work. Kikukawkun. Don¡¯t just stand there, come sit down and have a drink¡­¡± Sudou¡¯s attitude won¡¯t change even if he was working as a senior executive of the organization. Speaking frankly it was his nature to be like that. And on the other hand, Kikukawa took his attitude as a matter of course. ¡°Thank you, well then, please excuse me¡­¡± He sat down on the sofa opposite to Sudou, and lift the cup from the desk. It was a silver cup carved with detailed artistry. Kikukawa slowly drinks the liquid inside the cup after enjoying the carving. ¡°This is quite good alcohol huh¡­ It was quite a waste to drink this with just us, men¡­¡± Rich fragrance entered Kikukawa nostrils. The drink was wine made from good grapes. The wine they had was around ten years old. ¡°Of course, it was a famous product I bought from the south, you know? Well, It is certainly true that it would taste much better if we drank this with a woman¡­¡± Enjoying a feast while being surrounded by beautiful women. It was something every man at least had dreamed once. Furthermore, in this world where amusement was limited, such entertainment was one of the few things that could be considered as such. ¡°Indeed that would be a nice suggestion but, we¡¯re not yet done with our work¡­¡± Hearing Kikukawa saying those words while giving the documents to him, Sudou shrugged his shoulders like a father listening to his children being stubborn. ¡°How diligent¡­ But well, that was why you¡¯ve been appointed as executive despite being young¡­¡± ¡°That is the report this time¡­¡± ¡°I see I see, I guess this is to be expected based on his character¡­¡± After roughly skimming through the documents handed to him, Sudou lifted one of his eyebrows. Inside the reports were written the movement of Mikoshiba Ryouma, Simone Christoph, and her collaborators. ¡°Because I was being warned by Sudou-san beforehand, I managed to prevent some serious damage to our profits this time. But still, that Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­ He¡¯s quite the crafty one¡­¡± Zalda and Ortomea. The war between the two countries had increased the prices of goods in the entire continent. In a sense, it was natural for that to happen. A war consumes a large of amount of goods, which was the best condition for merchants to perform their activity, and if the consumption was drifted upward without being balanced with the supplies, the prices would rise without control. It was some basic economy that anyone could understand if they used their brain a little bit. The difference was how much you can understand and how much you can make use of such situation¡­ ¡°Well, I guess so, he is crafty because he is young after all¡­¡± In this world, it was questionable as to how many people could move like Mikoshiba Ryouma¡­. Most people can¡¯t even use the opportunity even when it presented itself in front of them. ¡°Apart from the reinforcement mission he took, I¡¯ve never thought that he would dig into the Ortomea Empire who was his enemy. Above else, to think that Christoph firm had some channels to compete ruthlessly against the firms with political ties in the imperial capital¡­.¡± ¡°To be frank, he seems to only know about his surroundings. It¡¯s just that his luck is considerably good, and he also knows how to make use of it. He¡¯s quite the promising young man, isn¡¯t it? ¡± In response to Sudou who laughed hard, Kikukawa shrugged his shoulders. Certainly, one cannot deny Sudou¡¯s evaluation of Ryouma. Indeed Mikoshiba Ryouma was someone who was loved by the Goddess of destiny and he seemed to know well how to make use of such things. However, he might become an obstacle that the organization could not ignore¡­ ¡°This is not something we can laugh about, you know ? Do you know how much profit we might lose if I didn¡¯t put pressure on their business partner ? If that had happened, then¡­¡± ¡°It was nice that we could prevent it before the prices collapsed, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Lifting the value of goods was similar to sending air to a ballon. And balloon with too much air in it could burst easily with just a little poking around using a needle. At the very least, the organization wanted to be the one who decided the timing when the balloon burst¡­ And in the meantime, they also earned profits while maintaining the high prices with balance. ¡°Geez¡­ Seriously¡­¡± Since Sudou was someone who wouldn¡¯t change his attitude, Kikukawa could only shake his head and breathed out a small sigh. Had counter-measures been delayed, the organization wouldn¡¯t be able to reach their target. If that happens, they would need to revise their plan. A plan that the organization spent years preparing. A chill runs through Kikukawa¡¯s back thinking what if that scenario had happened. If it did, it meant the organizations goal getting farther away. ¡°Well, I certainly don¡¯t want that to happen¡­ That is why I told you to be careful and watch his movements, no?¡± Without breaking his attitude, Sudou expressed some grudges in his words. ¡°I know that¡­ However, since there is a lot of risk coming from him, why dont we do something more?¡± Indeed, Sudou had informed the organization about the existence of Mikoshiba Ryouma. He had warned them to be careful and watch Ryouma¡¯s movements. However, he did that only just to be sure. That was why the organization didn¡¯t take Sudou¡¯s information seriously. If one were to question who should take responsibility for such mistake, it would be the upper echelons who didn¡¯t listen to Sudou¡¯s words seriously. Kikukawa himself also understood that. However, he also wanted to voice his dissatisfaction. Towards such Kikukawa, Sudou only keeps talking without changing his expression. ¡°Anyway, the results won¡¯t change much either way. Even if I had predicted these movements by the time I gave you the information on that man, I cannot imagine how much the organization would have believed in my words. And if we strengthened the surveillance of that man poorly, the result might turn worse instead.¡± Who would¡¯ve thought that this kind of situation might happen. It was impossible to predict everything accurately. Also, even if the organization took Sudou¡¯s information seriously and strengthened the surveillance of Mikoshiba Ryouma, they still won¡¯t be able to stop his movements. Although the organization had a huge power, enough to make a dramatic influence within countries, there were no choices other than to spread their power carefully, because there were two gigantic enemies equal to them, namely Kirtantia and the Empire. ¡°Well, for now, we should keep an eye on him¡­¡± ¡°That is the intention of me and the others for now¡­ But then, we still have no information regarding them at all¡­ Recently, I¡¯ve set up a request in the Guild, but I was declined with them saying that they had their hands full with monsters¡­¡± Hearing Kikukawa¡¯s words, Sudou narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Hohou¡­ There¡¯s still no information regarding the Peninsula?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right since I was refused by the Guild, I¡¯d picked some people from the eastern part of the continent and sent them to the Peninsula, but I¡¯ve not yet received any report back from them. I¡¯ve hired some people in the fortress located south of the Peninsula as contact person, but all of them said they had become prey to the monsters. Recently, the rumors of disappearances have spread, because of that the adventurers and mercenaries have intentionally avoided work that is related to the Peninsula.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I guess they are intentionally blocking information from leaking, isn¡¯t it ?¡± ¡°As expected, Sudou-san also thought of that ?¡± It was normal for people to rely on the Guild when it comes to dealing with the monsters. Of course, some influential aristocrats might have powerful vassals to deal with it themselves, but it was weird that Mikoshiba Ryouma, an upstart noble, didn¡¯t rely on the Guild at all¡­ The only possibility as for why he didn¡¯t do that, was because he didn¡¯t want any information related to the Peninsula to go out¡­ ¡°What should we do ? Should I get the people among the hunting dog to perform a raid on the peninsula?¡± ¡°Fumu¡­ Moving the S rank is it?¡± The S rank, officially they were known as the strongest force the Guild had. They were individuals boasting the strength of thousand men, and also the best fighting group within the organization. Just by sending 20 of them to the Wortenia Peninsula could be enough to reduce it to ashes. (I have no objections when it comes to killing him but¡­) It would be easy for the organization to just kill him, but for Sudou, such things had no style¡­ Sudou kept silent for a while then he shook his head. ¡°It would be better for us to not make a move on him. It would be no good for us to move the hound dogs and show some opening to the Knights of the Church.¡± If the hounds were the trump cards of the organization, there was also another one belonging to the light god religious organization, known as the Church¡¯s Knights. The fighting power of both can be said as nearly equal. It would be a dangerous decision to move a fighting force and showing an opening against such antagonistic opponent. ¡°If thats the case, then what should we do ?¡± After his suggestion having been rejected, Kikukawa words sounded sharp. However, he immediately raised his eyebrows the moment he heard Sudou¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ How about we left him alone for now ?¡± To the unexpected words, Kikukawa was at a loss for words. ¡°Are you serious? I¡¯m well aware of the danger caused by that man. To leave him alone is¡­¡± ¡°Well, certainly he is a dangerous man, but I think if we can use him properly, then we can use him as a shield¡­ Especially when he reeks of a smell similar to us¡­¡± Kikukawa leaned his head unintentionally towards those meaningful words. But after a brief silence, only one answer comes to his mind. ¡°Shield ? As a decoy against Kirtantia and the people of the church, is it ?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the more he blocks the information, the more those cultists and the Kirtantia people doubt our relations with them. Furthermore, looking at his movements, it looked like as if we had been working together¡­ With that, it would be impossible for our enemies to wipe away any suspicions. Along with their suspicions, they won¡¯t be able to stay silent then¡­ Which in turn would make them meddle around with Mikoshiba Ryouma. See ? What do you think ? He¡¯s a good shield for us, no ?¡± ¡°But, won¡¯t that let him do however he pleases as well ?¡± ¡°That is why we need to let him do whatever he pleases to make this work well¡­¡± Sudou didn¡¯t think that Mikoshiba Ryouma had the whole picture of the organization inside his mind, but he should at least be aware of the existence of a group that thinks just like him. In reverse, if an organization using the same method as him appeared in front of his eyes. He would also place a priority when it comes to counter-measures. ¡°So we meddle with his priorities, huh ?¡± ¡°Right, he should not find any difficulties in making such a judgment¡­¡± Just like how people won¡¯t care if their relatives are the victims of an earthquake when their own house is currently on fire. ¡°I see¡­ That is indeed not bad¡­¡± Listening to Sudou¡¯s plan, Kikukawa showed an admiration. A medicine could be a fatal poison if it was not handled properly. Conversely, whether it would become a medicine or a poison, it depended on the people handling it. In contrast to Kikukawa who wanted to eliminate the poison called Mikoshiba Ryouma, Sudou¡¯s plan was something that made use of him as a medicine instead. It clearly showed the difference in experience between Kikukawa and Sudou. ¡°I understand. I will tell Sudou-san¡¯s plan to the representatives then. But I¡¯m sure the representatives will not oppose this plan.¡± ¡°Is that so ? Well, I will leave it to Kikukawkun then¡­¡± ¡°Well then, since it is already the time, I should leave soon. Counselor Sudou¡­¡± ¡°Alright, once again, thank you for your hard work. Please do contact me if there¡¯s anything else¡­¡± They said what needed to be said. Soon after that, Kikukawa left the room after he deeply bowed toward Sudou who didn¡¯t show any change in his attitude. After Kikukawa left, Sudou relaxed his body on the sofa while glancing at the ceiling. ¡®Khukhukhukhu. This will be fun¡­¡± For Sudou, the organizations ideals and desires were no longer important. He did things only because he held some obligation. Blood, more blood, red blood¡­ That was the only desires Sudou wanted¡­ ¡°Now then¡­ How are you going to move, Mikoshibkun?¡± Sudou words echoed inside the room followed by a merry laughter. It was as if he was the strong man looking at the weak one. He didn¡¯t know that Mikoshiba Ryouma had already begun to move. Next =============================================== ============================================== AMAZON AFFILIATE Chapter 144 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 1 Editor:Starbuck11 ¡°Ha, ha, ha, ha¡­¡± Rough breathing could be heard. Although he knew that his action could¡¯ve informed the enemy of his position, his body didn¡¯t listen to the young man¡¯s mind. Certainly, the young man¡¯s body who had experienced many battlefields was strong. Furthermore, it was also being strengthened by magic arts. However, even if he possessed muscular strength and endurance that can¡¯t be compared to the regular guys, he still possessed the body of a human being. His body still needed to inhale oxygen into its lungs, burn sugar and fat inside his body to produce energy. Then, the energy generated would be consumed by the muscles, oxygen then turns into carbon dioxide and is released outside of his body. Such fundamental things that were characteristic of a human being, didn¡¯t change no matter how strong one became. The young man was one of the best among the guild members and was C ranked. He wiped sweat dripping from his forehead with his hand. The young man then took the leather water jug hanging on his waist toward his mouth. Water tasting like animal¡¯s skin entered his mouth. It was not the taste that could be said as delicious, but for the young man whose life depended on it, he can only think of the water as equal to high-quality wine. ¡°I should be okay now¡­¡± After he squeezed the water to the last drop, he threw away the leather jug while feeling irritated. If he could reach a water spring scattered inside the forest, he should be able to replenish the jug. Actually, the young man had memorized the Wortenia Peninsula map he saw at the guild. Although it was not something that can be compared to a modern world map, it was enough to at least give him the directions of where he could find water. However, he never got a single chance to reach those water springs. (They intentionally pursue me towards the direction opposite of those water springs¡­ They tried to exhaust my stamina¡­) He spits out his irritation while glancing backward. He was someone who could run 10 kilometers straight on the highway and feel nothing about it, but this place was an uninhabited place. The trees and the monsters living in the forest disturbed his escape path, with unknown pursuers following behind him, he was being cornered mentally and physically. Such situation made him want to take a small break somewhere¡­ (Fuck this shit¡­) The comrade who urged him to take on this job had already gone to hell first¡­ He was a greedy man, but the young man strangely got along with him. When they had a good income they often went together to the bar or brothel. However, inside the current young man¡¯s mind were regrets that he accepted this job, after being persuaded by his comrade who had already died. The amount of the reward for this job was five times more than normal. Furthermore, they paid the money in advance and depending on the result of the investigation, a bonus will be given. Although it was suspicious that the job didn¡¯t go through the guild but directly from the nobles, the amount of the reward was very delicious to pass¡­ That was why the young man took part in this job. However¡­ (What do you mean by a simple investigation¡­ That bastard¡­ Involving me in this kind of shitty job¡­) Wortenia Peninsula. It was a name that one should have heard once if the person belonged to the guild. And indeed, the young man had heard rumors about the land in the past. According to the rumors, the territory was abandoned and became the home base of pirates, and a hidden sanctuary for demi-humans¡­ It was a harsh place, but it was also filled with a mountain of treasures that were in the form of high-level monsters with skins and fangs that could be traded at a very high price. Every time such stories were told, he and his comrades would raise high their arm in a bar while saying that one day they would go there. After all, if they go there and come back, the guild will recognize you as a skilled person. Thus, it was natural for the young man to feel both admiration and fear towards the place. And it was about two years ago that changes happened to that Wortenia Peninsula. Suddenly, a nobleman with a name that had never been heard before was born, and the ruler of the Rozeria Kingdom had given that nobleman the Wortenia Peninsula. It was like a thunderbolt out of the blue sky. Many people felt surprised when they heard that an unknown mercenary was given a noble rank, but soon they laughed at said mercenary when he was given the Wortenia Peninsula. Although it was a reward, for normal people who knew about the territory, they could only see it as harassment and punishment to the mercenary. Certainly, the Wortenia Peninsula was a vast land for a noble to possess as one¡¯s territory. Even within the western continent, only a few nobles possessed such vast land. But no matter how large the territory was, there was no meaning in it if there were no people residing inside said territory. The land had no industries, and no people to rule, in other words, a fake ruler. Or rather, in case of people to rule then there were only the pirates. Either way, in the eyes of the general public, Baron Mikoshiba was a popular person, but mostly known as an idiotic noble or unlucky one. However, the young man realized that such evaluation was a big mistake. ¡°The one who created that must be¡­ a monster¡­¡± The monster¡­¡± The sight he saw from the top of the hill emerged inside the young man¡¯s mind, then words of curses and admiration came out from the young man¡¯s mouth. He might be someone who was born in the countryside of the Rozeria Kingdom, but he never saw a city as big as that¡­ Surely, the scale was still inferior when it was compared to the Ortomea Empire¡¯s capital city that he heard from his colleagues¡­ However, if one looked at the city surrounded by the heavy city¡¯s walls and the huge harbor, nobody would be able to calm down. And at the center of the bay, a castle was being built. That magnificent castle overwhelmed the heart of the young man and his comrade. ¡°I will definitely report it¡­ about that place¡­¡± Right now, nobody knew the exact situation within the Wortenia peninsula. That was because Baron Mikoshiba refused to create a guild branch within the Wortenia Peninsula, and set up an official office north of the Salzberg territory, blocking almost all traffic. Because of that reason, right now the requests for gathering resources in the Wortenia Peninsula increased, and the requests of the neighboring nobles who wanted to know the truth regarding the situation within the peninsula cannot be ignored. And thanks to that, the reward for the job this time was good, but the reality was heartless. ¡°I will tell them that, that place is a monsters den¡­ That everyone who comes there will be erased¡­¡± After Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma took the Wortenia Peninsula, an incident occurred where all of the mercenaries and adventurers who head towards the peninsula disappear. Initially, the people from the guild thought it was because those mercenaries and adventurers misunderstood their skills and got killed by the monsters, but the young man knows the true reason for that incident. The huge fortified city he saw from the top of the cliff tells everything. The skills capable of building such city in this wild territory in just a few years was exactly the work of a monster. The sense of returning back together with the information moved the young man¡¯s body. Losing his comrade, he thought that at least if he survived it would compensate for everything¡­ Eventually, the young mans path started to open. The moment he came out from the forest of the foothills, he would be near the border of Earl Salzbergs territory. The young man used all of his strength and ignored the fatigue to move his body frantically. (A bit more¡­ A little bit more¡­) The young man kept running desperately. However, before long, suddenly, black shadows fall down from the top of the tree¡­ Something glowing reflected in his eyes, and something cold struck the young man¡¯s throat. ¡°Eh?¡± The young man stopped his feet and his hands touched his throat with fear and astonishment. Warm sticky fluid. Something other than other than sweat flowed out of the young man¡¯s neck. He felt that his hand became dull and the young man fearfully looked at the hand that touched the liquid. ¡°Blood¡­¡± Every time his heart beat, blood dripped from his neck to his chest. His hand was dyed with the dark red blood. Hot blood clogged the youth throat, and he immediately fell down to the ground. ¡°He is a lucky guy, to be able to run up to this place¡­¡± The black shadow overlooking the dead body of the young man said those words with inorganic voice while wiping off the blood from the kodachi using cloth. ¨C ¡°Those guys seem to have trained well, but I guess they still have a long way to go¡­ Should I tell Genou-dono to train them a little bit more strictly ?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that was the problem you know, Ryuusai-dono ?. Only in a few months, those children have become quite skilled. If you do things too harshly nothing would come out of it¡­ Our Lord also told us to not train them too harshly no ? Let¡¯s not get impatient here¡­¡± Hearing the woman voice from behind, the shadow turned around slowly. ¡°Well, that might be true, but Oume-dono, don¡¯t you think we should raise our ability a bit more before our Lord returns back?¡± Ryuusai voiced his dissatisfaction. For Ryuusai who was responsible for the rise and fall of the Iga clan as one of the elders, he wanted to appeal the value of his clan even if it was only a little bit more. Shinobi only exist as a tool. And tools only found meaning when being used by humans. ¡°Well, I can understand your feelings¡­ Those kids already managed to at least deal with up to four intruders. Isn¡¯t it fine to recognize their efforts a bit ?¡± ¡°Which means this guy ability is above average, huh ?¡± Ryuusai kicked the young man¡¯s corpse abruptly. ¡°Right¡­ Also, this is why we¡¯re here, to purge this kind of guy¡­¡± In those words, Ryuusai reluctantly nodded his head. Actually, it was not just for sight-seeing that the two elders of the Iga clan showed up in this kind of remote place. ¡°Certainly¡­ Oume-dono is right¡­¡± ¡°The training method that our Lord provided is actually quite successful. After all, despite being just children, they are competent enough to perform shinobi work now¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, at first I could not understand when he told me that we should let these guys cross over the border intentionally¡­¡± Saying that Ryuusai showed a bitter smile. The development of Sirius city cannot be known to others yet. Sooner or later, the city would become a popular trade in the whole continent. However, right now Mikoshiba Ryouma was currently on a mission to the Zalda Kingdom and out of the office, if the office, if such informations leaked out, one cannot predict what kind of movements would happen. That was why it was right to block the information leaks by doing a total border blockade. But the problem was Ryouma other command. ¡°I also felt that way¡­ Other than the esteemed one, who else is going to devise this kind of dangerous training after intentionally letting the spy enter the peninsula. Although it is true that through the experience, the ability of those kids will surely rise.¡± Instead of blocking the spy invasion on the border, let them invade until closer to the city. At first glance, that order seems to be unreasonable and provide them with unnecessary risk, but in reality, it was the reverse. It was making use of the selfish thought of human being. And in fact, such plan was working very well. For the short period of time since the slave children had been brought to the city from places all over the kingdom, they now were able to perform shinobi works. ¡°I once heard that a lion give their children a weakened prey when teaching them how to hunt, is this the same principle I wonder ?¡± ¡°Well, giving them courage by doing that was the right thing¡­¡± ¡°But, if that is the case then, this training method also has become quite dangerous, don¡¯t you think ?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ Although I¡¯ve not yet told Ryuusai-dono about this, lately those who manage to avoid the childrens pursuit and close in to the border to escape has increased.¡± ¡°I see, so that was why you called me¡­¡± Listening to Oume¡¯s words, Ryuusai sighed deeply. Certainly, unless they were fools, they wouldn¡¯t keep sending spies without taking any counter-measures each time. ¡°That¡¯s right, Although it should be fine right now, but then, I think it would be better to call you early¡­¡± Naturally, if no one returned after being dispatched to the peninsula, the guild would then raise the rank qualification. At first, those of rank E and F were dispatched, but recently, people who had the skill of rank B began to appear. If one were to go with this trend, soon those who possess the ability of rank A would appear. If that was the case, it would not be always possible to dispose of the intruders however they wanted, even though they had the geographic advantage. With that being the case, they thought of performing a double layered defense so that no one would be missed. ¡°It would be alright if all of the future intruders were of this level but, I guess that is an optimistic thought of mine¡­¡± ¡°Well, about that, we can just consult with our Lord after he comes back¡­¡± Hearing those words, Ryuusai nodded his head then looked up at the southern sky. ¡°Two more days, huh ?¡± ¡°I guess that is about right¡­¡± Chapter 145 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 2 Editor: Starbuck11 Sirius city was wrapped in the darkness of the night. From the mansion built in the center, the light was still on despite being late of night. It was around this afternoon that the celebration at Pireaus, Rozeria Kingdoms capital, took place. And after that, he went back to his city after more than one year of being an absentee. After leaving his job for more than one year, he was forced to sit down and do all of the delayed document works. The present Ryouma had no time to rest. (As expected of the life of a feudal lord, huh?) A smile of self-ridicule showed up on his face. Ryouma read a bunch of thick reports while resting his elbows on the desk. It was a counter-espionage plan that was going to be set up around the Wortenia Peninsula described in detail, made by Genou. (The problems and proposal for improvements. Then what I should prioritize. Whether it is Genou or Bolts, both of them lacked sophistication¡­) Ryouma nodded his head lightly in satisfaction. Of course, those two men were not civil servants thus they were not good with desk jobs. The quality of those written sentences was not that high. It was very rough since it was a fact that they have never actually done any desk jobs. If they showed these documents to the civil servants who served the royal family, it would probably go to the garbage box without being reviewed after calling it a scribble made by barbarians. However, although he knew the importance of an official written style, as long it was readable, for Ryouma it was not important whether or not it was on par with the usual style of official documents. What was important for Wortenia Peninsula were people with ideas, and people to lead those ideas. Furthermore, Ryouma wouldn¡¯t have left the territory to the two people, if it didn¡¯t have any chance of success, even if there were no other people other than them. The basics of managing and operating an organization was always the same no matter where. One needs a short-term goal, mid-term goals, and long-term goals. After one decides on them, one needs to further clarify the risks and merits of the plans, then the countermeasures for emergency cases. Although that was more like the way modern society does things, it was passable. But, even in this kind of era, the top would have to think about the state projects, while the bottom would have to think about the common family plannings. However, although it was essential to create and operate an organization, there were surprisingly only a few people who understand how it worked and managed to execute it. (I guess it was the correct choice to haveleft the job to those two¡­) The abundant life experiences they possessed. It was something they had acquired over many years. And for Ryouma, that was a very important treasure. Genou had led the Iga clan for many years, his viewpoint was tough and accurate. It was also the same for Bolts Looking at the results of the report, Ryouma thought his judgment was right. Since ,if they felt pressure from their job, they would write more simple and beautifully worded reports. (Well, I guess it was a bit funny¡­ Besides, I have no confidence that I would be able to do it as well as them either¡­) The face of the two men who desperately tried to make a report appeared inside Ryouma¡¯s mind which caused him to smile. Ignoring his own lack of confidence. ¡°Fuuh¡­ A bit more huh¡­?¡± Ryouma who finished reading the last page sighed and passes the document to Laura who stands by his side. ¡°Yes, the last would be Simone-sama report.¡± ¡°Roger that¡­¡± Ryouma reviewed the document she handed over obediently with a tired expression. Up until now, ever since he had returned to the Wortenia Peninsula, he had spent his time buried with office work. However, despite his disgust with the job, he understands the importance of the task. Ryouma was confident in Genou and Bolts¡¯ ability, but he didn¡¯t trust them unconditionally. Confidence and trust were different things. (How difficult¡­) It might incite dissatisfaction if he didn¡¯t trust his subordinates and intervened too much, but humans would decay into corruption if they were completely neglected¡­ Such thing was the same whether it was in a family, company or society. Then¡­ ¡°As long you understand the essence, you can apply it, eh ? I see¡­¡± It was the words which Mikoshiba Kouichiro, his grandfather, always told Ryouma about. Because his grandfather had told him repeatedly it was stuck in his brain, and after he remembered it, Ryouma instinctively smiled. Back in Japan, Ryouma had regarded his grandfather words as an old man nagging, but now that he was in another world, he felt thankful towards his grandfathers words that saved his life a lot of time. (I never thought that I would make use of grandfather teachings here, though¡­) Although it was troublesome, document works were the basis of an organization. One cannot manage an organization if one didn¡¯t take care of documents work. Even in the martial arts world, it was important to repeatedly do the fundamentals/basics. (Besides, my aim is beyond this after all¡­) The moment he thought about his final goal and drew it in his mind, it sent a chill down his spine. It was something that was impossible to do in peaceful Japan. Every man would have at least dreamed of it once, However, the possibility of such dream to come true was very low and close to that of being a daydream. Furthermore, that was not the end of his ambitions. Ultimately, for Ryouma, thatthat dream was only a stepping stone to achieve his hope. (Well, let us not rush things¡­ There is still a long road ahead¡­) Ryouma deeply inhales his breath and slowly releases it in order to calm his mind. The hidden ambitions and the fire of hatred that was still burning fiercely inside of his heart. If he was not careful, it might destroy him instead. ¡°Thank you for the hard work. I will immediately prepare some tea.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you¡­ Shall we take a breather, then ?¡± He himself realized that he had lost concentration. Ryouma gently nodded his head in response to Sara¡¯s words. Paper was something very valuable in this world where parchments were more common, but it was not something that bothered the current Ryouma. The securing of stable supply of paper was something he asked Simone to do as one of the highest priority together with gathering funds. To succeed in securing that was truly a great achievement for Ryouma. However¡­ Ryoumas expression became cloudy when he read the middle of the report. (Almost everything went as planned, I wish we had gained a bit more¡­ But well, I can¡¯t have everything I guess, but still¡­) In fact, there were many things that didn¡¯t go according to Ryouma¡¯s expectations. The question was whether one should modify the goal to suit one¡¯s results or ignore the report because it didn¡¯t go as one¡¯s wanted. Ryouma reads the papers further while creasing his frowned eyebrows. Among the jobs handed over to Simone, the part of securing iron, woods, and most importantly paper had generally yielded satisfactory results. Creating a spy network was also proceeding smoothly, with how he manages to have detailed information agents in the three eastern countries within the western continent. Simone had managed high achievements. A good result that was almost perfect. That¡¯s right, except for one thing. After he drinks his tea, Ryouma sinks his body on his chair while deep in thought. (We only gained half of the planned money¡­ Well, it was not part of the money needed for the immediate use and with the trade going well, we can cover it, but¡­) It was the top priority order he had given Simone. It was the fundraising for the development of the peninsula, but the result didn¡¯t go as he had expected. The amount stated in the document was about 300 million baht. It was only about one-third of the amount Ryouma had expected when he met Simone before he went to the Zalda Kingdom. And the problem was that there was no reason being written as to why it had ended up like that. (I don¡¯t think this is because of Simone management skills¡­) In fact, Simone¡¯s abilities were outstanding. At first, her firm had only two galleon trade ships, now it had eight moving around doing trades. With the new commercial treaty between ErnestGora and the three eastern countries nearwithin the Wortenia Peninsula, her influence would rise. Although it/> Although it was not a free trade agreement like the one from the modern world, the agreement had made business much easier. And with ErnestGora and Mist Kingdoms as the leading forces, the production, import and export would greatly increase for all four countries. A great business opportunity. However, competition between merchants would intensify at the same time. And because she produces excellent profits, the problem was not because Simone had no business talent. But if that was the case, for Ryouma, the problem would¡¯ve been more serious. Words of advice from the Zalda King Julianus the first emerged inside Ryouma¡¯s mind. (I feel something bad is going to happen¡­) Whether or not it was related, there was no proof. However, Ryouma¡¯s intuition alarm began to ring. Perhaps, Simone deliberately didn¡¯t list the problem¡­ (Whether she didn¡¯t write it or was unable to write it¡­ I need to confirm this directly with Simone¡­) The hand of the clock hanging on the wall pointed at 1:00 am early morning. It was not the appropriate time to call a young woman, but he had no choice. Because he felt that the problem he was about to face would become a turning point as to how he would move in the future. (I wonder¡­ Is this about ¡®that¡¯ matter?) In spite of the sudden notice, Simone didn¡¯t show any surprised expression. Although she described everything in detail, only that matter she didn¡¯t write down. Considering Ryouma¡¯s personality, it would be easy to predict that he would come to check personally. (But still, to be called at this time¡­ I wonder if I¡¯ve underestimated him¡­ But I guess, the time is just right. I also had something I wanted to ask him directly¡­) Simone was about to propose a meeting after dawn, but Ryouma seemed to have paid more attention to the matter than she had expected. However, although she had anticipated the meeting to some extent, the young woman still worried about her physical appearance after being disturbed from her sleep. Since she didn¡¯t have enough time to set her hair, she used her hands to fix them while feeling concerned about the shape. ¡°Simone Christoph has arrived. May I bring her in ?¡± A guard who was guarding the office door announced Simone¡¯s arrival. A young soldier who still had some childishness on his face. However, his behavior was that of a perfect soldier. (I guess he also taught manners to these children, eh¡­) Of course, it may be somewhat inferior when they were being compared to the servants working in the other nobles households, but in Simone¡¯s point of view who had interacted with many nobles, their act was sufficient enough On top of that, these soldiers, despite being young they were more superior. All the soldiers protecting the office of the Wortenia Peninsulas ruler had magic arts capabilities. And when it comes to guarding the gate, it was better to choose the loyal choose the loyal ones. ¡°It¡¯s fine, bring her in.¡± A voice sounding like a beautiful bell could be heard. The door of the office opened slowly, then Simone stepped forward. Ryouma smiling face that she didn¡¯t see for a while appeared in front of her eyes. (Just like usual¡­ Like dogs that don¡¯t want to leave their master¡¯s side¡­) Behind him, like a shadow, the twin sisters with golden and silver hair were standing, an emotion that was akin to that of jealousy began to appear inside the depths of her mind as Simone showed a bitter smile. That was because Mikoshiba Ryouma never made any advances to Simone, not even once¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you in the middle of the night like this¡­¡± ¡°My, I do not mind¡­¡± She then sits down on the sofa following Ryouma¡¯s direction. This was the only expensive furniture he had bought from Simone, the comfort was exquisite. (Geez¡­ I can¡¯t be like this, I need to concentrate, this is my work¡­) Simone then directed serious eyes while fixing herdress as if trying to hide her dissatisfaction. ¡°I see, it seems my decision to ask directly is correct.¡± ¡°Yes, I thought it would be best for us to meet as soon as possible¡­ But I never thought I would be called this soon¡­¡± However, there was no feeling of sarcasm from those words, despite Ryouma had called her during the dead of the night. In fact, Simone wanted to praise Ryouma¡¯s fast judgment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing this kind of inconvenience, but well I was also at a loss regarding what to do, but then I remembered the Zalda King¡¯s advice¡­¡± ¡°Advice is it?¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not sure whether or not it was related to the problem here but¡­¡± A question mark appeared above Simone¡¯s head after she heard Ryouma¡¯s words. ¡°May I know what is it?¡± The advice of the Zalda King, Julianus, who was known as a mediocre king. Regarding the upcoming battles, the evaluation of Julianus within the Rozeria Kingdom can be said as ¡®cold¡¯. In fact, Simone herself felt doubtful with the King¡¯s ability. (In the first place, it was weird that he immediately agreed to the peace agreement and obediently withdrew¡­ As soon as the battle was over, the initial plan collapsed¡­) Such incoherent decision. At least Simone felt that way. However, Ryouma interrupted her thoughts. ¡°I know what Simone wanted to hear¡­ Lione-san also had asked the question a lot of time. But, I¡¯m sorry that I have to postpone talking about that until later¡­ Beside Genou and Bolts would also demand an explanation as well anyway¡­¡± Since he said that much, Simone didn¡¯t have any choice but to nod her head even though she felt dissatisfied. ¡°Now then, time is limited. Shall we begin the talk?¡± Towards Ryouma¡¯s question, Simone slowly opened her mouth. That day, the discussion between Simone and Ryouma lasted until dawn. Chapter 146 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 3 Editor:Starbuck11 Money/Gold. It was an all-around weapon in civilized societies that went beyond certain constant standard. Money can be turned into foods, clothing and shelter/residence. In times it can be turned into knowledge and depending on the situation it would even rule over life and death of a person. It was the so-called ultimate power. (Such things didn¡¯t change even in a different world¡­ Well in that sense, I can feel relieved that this world is not an open world with no currency.) In extreme cases, no one knew whether or not there was another world with people primitive enough, that they didn¡¯t know the term of currency . Because being in this world itself can be said as absurd as a fairy tale. Resting his cheek against one of his hand, Ryouma listened to the progress of the meeting while looking at the gold coins in his other hand. (This does has a nice touch¡­) A certain weight, characteristic feeling of gold. Naturally, he lifted his lips after he felt such peculiar sensation on his hand. Although Gold coins were heavier than bills, and they were inconvenient to carry, there was a sense of fulfillment in holding them that paper money didn¡¯t have. ¡°I don¡¯t understand really well¡­ In other words, the aim of the both of you was gold from the start?¡± A conference meeting room. It was a place where the ruler of Wortenia Peninsula and his aides surrounded a huge ebony roundtable. The one who opened her mouth was Lione who had kept silent during the meeting, but the moment Simone ended her speech, she was the first one to open her mouth. Ryouma smiled bitterly since he could notice dark anger hidden behind her pupil. (Wah, her mood turned bad¡­ I guess I¡¯ve expected that reaction from Lione¡­) The problem was the reason why she was angry. As a mercenary Lione could understand that reason. And as a field commander, she could also understand that such aim was also right. But, the problem was she wished that Ryouma trusted her a little bit more. And not only Lione held such thoughts. (Though she herself seems to have calmed down considerably¡­) Otherwise, Lione would¡¯ve flared up seriously right now. And if she was that short-tempered, she would¡¯ve left a long time ago. ¡°Lione-san, your words, I think it was a bit wrong. It is true that Ryouma has given me the duty to gather funds and supplies. But for him, that was not everything.¡± Lione frowned after she heard Simone calm argument. Probably because she realized something from Simone¡¯s words. (Well, it¡¯s not like what she said is a lie¡­) At least,Ryouma never told Lione a lie. Certainly, he didn¡¯t say everything in details, but he cannot be blamed for deceiving either. If there was a reason for Ryouma to be blamed, then there was only one. And the only reason was that he didn¡¯t explain everything properly. ¡°I see, then what the young master told us at the beginning, that he wanted to demonstrate our prowess to the neighboring countries and nobles, while buying time for Zalda to find a breakthrough¡­¡± Sitting next to Lione, Bolts who was silent all this time opened his mouth. ¡°Regarding that, Ryoumsama didn¡¯t lie. As a matter of fact, those objectives were essential for us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t say everything, is it ?¡± ¡°Briefly speaking, that is right¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ That means it was not important to tell us everything, eh ?¡± Bolts then directed a meaningful line of sight to Ryouma. ¡°No no, I have no intention of keeping it secret.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Which means just like Simone-san had said. It was because we didn¡¯t ask about it in the first place, is it ?¡± Bolts scuffled his hair while shaking his head sideways in an exaggerated manner. ¡°Well, fine then. I¡¯m not convinced, but certainly, I didn¡¯t inquire about it in the first place¡­¡± Probably because she finally understood Ryoumas intentions. Lione let it pass despite feeling distrusted. ¡°Well then, how about we talk about it from the start. That was the reason why the boy had gathered all of us here this early in the morning, no ? And besides, I also have something that I wanted to ask. About various things¡­¡± Following Lione¡¯s gaze, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders. Certainly, there were many things she would want to ask. Because she felt that Ryouma himself avoided proper explanation. ¡°The things you want to hear, is it about the matter with King Julianus?¡± It was the problem that Lione had kept asking for an answer, and also the problem that Ryouma had kept avoiding to answer. ¡°That¡¯s right, I was wondering, just what is it that that old man told you, right before we returned back?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that question ?¡± Bolts who cannot follow the conversation stared at Lione¡¯s face questioningly. Or rather, everyone in the room did the same. Their line of sight focused on her all at once. However, Lione applied silent pressure while kept starring at Ryouma without averting her gaze. ¡°You can¡¯t go and say there¡¯s nothing to say, alright ? After all, your behavior that night was unusual¡­¡± Her tone of voice demanded a proper explanation. It came out after enduring Ryouma¡¯s attitude all this time. (Well, fine then¡­) It was a long story. And also pretty complicated too. Speaking frankly, Ryouma was troubled as to where he should start talking. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I guess I should talk starting from that¡­¡± Ryouma opened his mouth after sighing deeply. ¡°King Julianus, rather than just the previousprevious war, he told me that every wars happening on this western continent was the work and intentions of a certain group of people¡­.¡± The things that came out from Ryouma¡¯s mouth was as shocking as a bomb explosion. Because of the unexpected words, Lione was looking stunned. ¡°Wh? What do you mean by that?¡± Not only Lione, almost everyone else also stared at Ryouma with a surprised expression Only two people didn¡¯t show any surprises, and that were the Marfisto sisters. ¡°Well, at first, I could not believe it either¡­¡± It was a very natural reaction. Ryouma himself would doubt the sanity and wonder how he should interact with people who believe in it immediately, if he told them. A heavy silence dominated the room. Everyone gazed at Ryouma without saying any words. From the others point of view, Ryouma¡¯s words could only be regarded as delusion or words that came out from someone insane. ¡°Well, let us hear young master explain everything until the end first.¡± Finally, Bolts opened his mouth. Although he himself felt the same as the other, he seems to have decided that he should listen to everything first. Doubt and suspicion clearly floating in his eyes. ¡°My bad, Bolts¡­ Now then, let¡¯s us continue the story¡­¡± After confirming that everyone had regained their calmness, Ryouma opened his mouth once again. ¡°Let me say this first¡­ I never had the intention of swallowing the story King Julianus told me about. After all, it was a fairly crazy story to begin with¡­¡± Everyone surrounding the roundtable nodded deeply in silence without saying anything. It was also the same for Sara and Laura who had heard about it first from Ryouma before anyone else. ¡°That was why, even after I heard this story from King Julianus, I didn¡¯t tell anyone¡­ To be honest, I doubted that old mans sanity when I heard it. However, as soon as I got back, and had the time to think about it myself, I thought that there might be some truth in this story. At least on the Ortomea side, the people who wanted to prolong the war are not just a few¡­¡± ¡°What does that meant?¡± ¡°First, Joshua Belharres¡­¡± It might be because he had the geographical advantages going for him but, it was the truth that Joshua Belharres had defended against the Ortomea Empire for a year. But thinking about it calmly, such thing was unnatural. He used the basic strategy of disturbing the enemy¡¯s supplies transport. However, Ortomea should¡¯ve been able to anticipate that well enough. Why didn¡¯t they put any countermeasures? No, naturally they should¡¯ve put many measures against Joshua tactics. Yet under such circumstances, Joshua had managed to attain a lot of success. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean that everything he did was a success. But still, he managed to slow down the Ortomean invasion. Ryouma himself thinks that Joshuas ability was excellent. However, when hewhen he thought about it more calmly, that alone won¡¯t be enough to attain such success. ¡°In other words, there was an information provider on the Ortomea side?¡± ¡°Making friends from amongst the enemy ranks is a basic strategy. In this regard, Genou and Ryuusai would¡¯ve been more familiar with it, no?¡± Towards Lione¡¯s words, Ryouma turned his gaze to Genou and co. ¡°I see¡­ That might be true but¡­ As far as Sakuyas report go, no one in Zalda should¡¯ve possessed such ability, though?¡± Although they nodded their head, Genou and his clan members still could not understand fully. If the Zalda Kingdom had an excellent intelligence network, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up being cornered in the first place. Being unable to grasp the Empires movement in itself was a proof that the Zalda Kingdom didn¡¯t have such resources and even if they did, it would¡¯ve been a very small organization. ¡°Right, that was why I thought everything was because of Joshuas skills¡­¡± Skill was something very important in a war, but that was about it. To win a war, one needs to build a precise and huge information network, and one needs a lot of excellent people working as assistant staff. And above all else, it was very important for them to have high loyalty and a sense of duty. Such things should not be available in the Zalda Kingdom who had exhausted its strength. The only people who had such quality might be only the two people, General Belharres and Joshua who succeeded him, who waged an unconventional warfare after looking at the difference in power between two countries. ¡°However, that thought seemed to be a mistake¡­¡± When the war was over, Ryouma had asked Joshua about it directly, but he said the spy he had only told him about general various information and didn¡¯t indicate that there was a betrayer within the Ortomea Empire. Of course, Ryouma could not take Joshua words for granted either, after all he should not be able to create an excellent spy network under such dire situations. If that was the case then¡­ ¡°Someone in the Ortomea side, who is close to the high command leaked the information intentionally?¡± ¡°If you think about it more calmly, the way the Ortomeas army moved certainly was unnatural¡­¡± Towards Lione¡¯s words, Ryouma nodded his head. Compared to the strategy during the time they killed General Belharres, the Empire movement afterwards lacked precision. ¡°At the beginning, I thought there is someone who wants to pull down Sardina¡¯s standing on the Empire side¡­ After all, internal conflicts for a leadership is very possible¡­¡± Sardina Eizenheit is the eldest daughter of the Emperor, and also Emperor Lionels favorite child. His confidence in Sardina¡¯s ability might be even above the crown prince who was her elder brother. Thus the likelihood that someone was trying to pull Sardina¡¯s legs was very likely. Ryouma¡¯s words were only words were only based on guesses, but because it had enough logic, people felt such scenario was possible after listening to it. ¡°Wait a moment. Even if it was just a guess of the young master, this story is about if there was someone betraying the Ortomea Empire during the war, right ? Does it has anything to do with what King Julianus had said ?¡± Bolts butted in with a question when he heard the arranged story. And the question was something right to ask¡­ ¡°Well, Bolts doubt is natural. Certainly, the current story is only possible if there is a conflict within the Ortomea Empire itself. However, you will be convinced if you listen to me until the end¡­¡± ¡°Is this regarding the amount of money Simone managed to get?¡± ¡°Yes, I ordered Simone to earn at least a billion baht. By making use of this war, that is¡­¡± ¡°A billion¡­ Such amount¡­¡± Ryouma talked about the amount as if it was nothing, but Lione who didnt hear about it in advance felt surprised. It was close to 10 billions in term of Japanese Yen. It was the amount of money normally someone wouldn¡¯t be able to attain in their lifetime. However, Ryouma talked about it as if it was nothing. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that surprising really¡­ After all, such an amount won¡¯t be enough to fund my final goal¡­¡± As a matter of fact, the more money Ryouma have right now, the better. One billion baht was only enough for the maintenance and development of the Wortenia Peninsula. However, he could not perform any expansion with that amount alone. ¡°But still, is it really possible for you guys to be able to get that money ? Seriously ?¡± Liones skeptical gaze was directed at the surroundings. It was good to have a goal, but it would be meaningless if it was an impossible goal. And, thinking about it with common sense, it was quite difficult for the current Ryouma to earn that amount of money. However, Simone opened her mouth as if waiting for such question. ¡°Yes, if everything had gone according to the plan, it was possible for us to get that amount of money¡­¡± ¡°According to the plan?¡± ¡°Yes, Zalda and Ortomea. It would be possible if we made use of the war between those two countries.¡± Lione tilted her head in confusion after listening to Lione¡¯s explanation. (Well, it was natural for her to not understand¡­ In this world, it was not common for someone to understand war emergency economic demands¡­ But if that is the case, then¡­) Ryouma realized that his guess was highly possible. And such thoughts suggests the possibility that someone had the same knowledge as him. ¡°As expected¡­ I have no choice but to start to move on, huh¡­¡± Ryouma muttered those words with low voice while Simone explained the method she used in the conference room. Chapter 147 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 4 Editor: Starbuck11 Ortomea Empire. As a champion of the central part of the western continent, the capital was the seat of powerful people who controlled such a country. Although its ambitions for conquests had been put to a halt starting with the death of Gaies, but for the commoners, it was still the same as usual. Evening in the imperial capital. Prostitutes and drunken people were walking around¡­ (Damn¡­ I¡¯m a bit late¡­) Because the work in the imperial palace took more time than expected, the appointed hour had already passed since a long time ago, thus the man immediately headed towards the red district on the northern part of the capital. ¡°Hey Onii-san over there¡­ How about spending some time with me for a bit ? You can do it with 100 baht.¡± ¡°How about me ? 75 baht is okay¡­ How about some service ?¡± Ignoring the prostitutes who smell the money in him, the man accelerates his steps further. Although he didn¡¯t have to hurry since he already told the other side that there¡¯s the possibility of being late. However, the men¡¯s legs didn¡¯t stop walking fast because of his innate serious personality. Maybe because of feeling irritated by the mans cold attitude, the women began to forcefully grab hold of his cloak. The man intentionally frowned from the prostitute vulgar fragrance mixed with the smell of sweat and tobacco. Although comparing prostitutes with normal citizens was not wrong, but for Japanese people who are used to bathing every day, doing such low-class prostitutes was out of mind. To be honest, not all men are fine with any woman. After the man forcefully shook off the woman¡¯s hand, he advances his feet without looking back. The booing voice of a woman can be heard as the man kept walking. Due to the man forcefully shaking off the woman, she almost tripped over. (In a way, this is because I could not use a horse¡­ But well, I¡¯ve told that person that I¡¯m going to be late beforehand, but¡­) Regrettably, despite that it could solve all of his troubles, no matter what status one had, one cannot use horse-drawn carriages or a horse in the red-light district north of the capital. It was similar to the red-light district during Edo period, with the exception of doctors, they could not use normal transportation at the time. (Geez¡­ Every time I come here, I can¡¯t feel calm down¡­) He did not mind the liveliness and the hustle-bustle, but that also depends on the degree of how much. Up until now, he felt irritated by how lively it was. However, because he understands that the place was the best spot for his meetings with his colleagues, he didn¡¯t mind about it. After all, it would be drawing too much attention if they met at the normal places. Before long he saw a mansion with an impressive gate that could be mistaken as something belonging to some noble. This house, protected by a high fence and a strong gatekeeper was the home of the finest prostitute in the imperial capital. ¡°Excuse me, dear customer. We would like to confirm your membership card. Or has someone introduced you to this place?¡± Noticing the man, the gatekeeper greeted the man. No matter what position one had, everyone received the same treatment, and the gatekeeper seemed to have gone through a proper education. ¡°Is this fine?¡± The man handed over a card to the gatekeeper as usual. This was an interaction that had already been repeated many times. And, the gatekeeper should not have forgotten the face of the man who was a member of the same organization. Although it was not a bad thing to use a face recognition, it was never bad to emphasize on security, considering the importance of this mansion. At least such a cautious attitude was the most important since many secrets needed to be kept hidden here. ¡°Yes, with this you may enter. Please enjoy your time here¡­¡± After confirming the number and names written on the surface, the guard inserts the card to the equipment placed inside the station. After confirming the information displayed on the crystal he nodded lightly to his comrade. Then the metal gate opened slowly inward while making a heavy noise. ¡°Everyone has been waiting. Saitou-sama¡­¡± He replied to those words with a small nod and Saitou immediately entered the mansion. The man¡¯s name was Saitou Eimei. It was the same man who was the aide of the first princess of the Ortomea Empire, and the vice commander of the Succubus Night chivalric order. Saitou who entered the mansion was guided by the maid, and went up the stairs after passing the hall illuminated with glittering chandeliers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late¡­¡± He was on the third floor of the building. Entering one of the secluded rooms, Saitou lowered his head immediately after he saw the men sitting on the sofa. Two men were sitting on the sofa. There was no problem with one of them. Because Saitou visited this place to meet him. However, after he saw an unexpected face, cold sweat ran down his spine. ¡°It¡¯s fine, also no need for the greetings¡­ Now then, since we are all already gathered, shall we begin the talks ?¡± Around the late twenties to mid-thirties. One might wonder if he was the same age as Saitou. Trimmed short black hair with sunburn skin. Compared to Saitou, he possessed a body physique twice larger. The man sits on the sofa showing a refreshing smile smile towards Saitou. ¡°Carter-san¡­ What¡¯s going on here ?¡± While sitting down on the sofa, Saitou spoke to the white blonde man sitting next to him. ¡°Saitou-kun. It¡¯s fine¡­¡± Being gazed with a sharp gaze, Saitou instinctively swallowed the words that were about to come out. ¡®Sit silently.¡¯ As if his eyes told him those words. the person was James Carter the owner of this mansion and also the leader of an information network stretching around the Empire¡­ Saitou fell silent obeying the man who was rumored to be a former member of the United Kingdom of Great Britains intelligence department. (What¡¯s going on here¡­ As expected, he¡¯s here because of the invasion of the Zalda Kingdom¡­ But, I never expected that director Kikukawa would show up¡­) An unspeakable uneasiness started to appears inside Saitou¡¯s heart. As his body remembers how he had been reprimanded by him, Saitou could not calm down. However, if he was going to get banished, there was no need for this man to inform Saitou personally. (It can¡¯t be¡­ Exiled¡­ No, wait¡­) It was a feeling of fear greater than when he had an audience with the Emperor. ¡°No need to be that tense. Saitou-kun¡­ I didn¡¯t come here to reprimand you¡­¡± ¡°Haa, but, then, why?¡± Looking at the smiling Kikukawa, Saitou felt doubtful. He could not just obediently believe that he had no reasons for being here. Although they both were the same age, Kikukawa was one of the top ten inside the organization. Saitou himself had the authority as the head of the operation element, but that rank was only around intermediate rank within the organization. If one was to compare to the situation in a company, the difference in rank between them was like a board director meeting with a section chief. The fact that such a man appears here meant a state emergency. However, despite Saitou¡¯s concerns, Kikukawa opened his mouth with a calm expression. ¡°No no, because now that I¡¯ve been appointed as the contact point within the Empire side, I¡¯ve been positioned in the imperial capital for now¡­¡± Kikukawa smiled as if he got a stroke of luck. (I see¡­ If that is the case then it is normal for him to be here, but¡­) Privileged to conduct direct dealings with the country. They were merchants with huge influence and capital power, that could influence the administration of a country. Remembering that Kikukawa was an influential merchant with certain political ties, Saitou found himself unable to relax. However, if what he said was true then Kikukawa should¡¯ve been in the imperial capital for a few years. (But, why suddenly¡­) Maybe because he could feel Saitou¡¯s questioning gaze, Kikukawa shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Nothing really important,really important, I was just simply in the imperial capital, and as a result, I had been ordered to deliver a message of appreciation from everyone¡­ The business people also having a free time, because the invasion troops had returned home¡­¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± Saitou felt like he needed to respond with something, but was unable to say anything, thus he showed an awkward expression. While looking happy at Saitou¡¯s expression, Kikukawa continued speaking. ¡°First of all, I would like to express my appreciation for your work. Especially you, Saitou-kun, I would like to thank you very much. Because you managed to control that Princess Sardina, our plan could proceed well¡­¡± No matter how much Ortomea Empire lost or won, the war could have ended easily. However, for the organization who tried to make a profit out of the war, such situation was not convenient. To keep a subtle balance, Saitou had intentionally leaked the marching route of the troops to delay the Ortomean invasion. It was not easy for Saitou to do that as someone who was among the central people in the war with the Zalda Kingdom. Had he been suspected, his head would have rolled on the ground. ¡°Well, it must be hard to be the partner of that wild horse princess, no ? After all, that blitzkrieg strategy, it was her who came up with it¡­¡± Princess Sardina was not stupid. Although she didn¡¯t leave any impressive result as of late, it was her strategy and planning capabilities that defeated General Belharres, who was known as the Guardian God of the Notiz plain. Had Saitou not leaked the information properly, the Zalda Kingdom would¡¯ve disappeared a year ago. ¡°No¡­ after all, they didn¡¯t know that the magic arts of submission placed on me had been lifted¡­¡± In response to Kikukawas question, Saitou shakes his head. Magic art of submission. It was the magic art performed upon the human summoned to this world. Or it may be better to call it a curse instead¡­ By using such magic art, they forced the terrified people from another world into the middle of a war. ¡°Certainly. They won¡¯t doubt you unless they found out that the submission magic has been lifted¡­ And of course, that is our intention from the start as well¡­¡± Saying those words, Kikukawa lifted his lips and laughed. Normally, there were no magic arts capable of unlocking such technique arbitrarily. To begin with, people summoned from another world such as Saitou and the others, they were being regarded as human-shaped monsters. At the very least, their appreciation was that the people from another world were not fellow humans with the same status. Of course, there were some open-minded people with a different thought. However, most people in this world thought of the humans from another world from another world as a convenient tool, that they can exchange words with. Thus from the beginning, they had no choice such as freedom. That was why, unlike the usual magic art for slaves, the ones used to control otherworlders was a powerful magic art that needs catalysts to perform. A spell that causes pain if one were to have a rebellious thought, and might kill if one were to make a rebellious movement. Magic arts that guaranteed safety for the summoner. Such magic arts was the reason why Ortomea Empire can easily give authority to people like Sudou and Saitou. It was a carrot and stick policy. However, no matter how great the magic arts were, there will be always a gap to break. ¡°But still, they would still suspect you if you wander too much¡­ Furthermore, despite having the chance to murder those guys to get your revenge, you managed to control yourself, your performance is worthy of respect. Judging from that point of view, you¡¯ve done well.¡± When a beast was freed from its shackles, usually they would immediately bare their fangs. And people were also the same. Even if one knows that one might die¡­ That was why people like Saitou was necessary. ¡°Because nothing would change with only two people dead¡­¡± Sweet thoughts of revenge. There were only a few people who can endure such temptations His ability to keep leaking information to the Zalda Kingdom without the others finding out was excellent. In his eyes, dwelled murderous intent and hatred. The darkness that was hidden inside Saitou appeared a little bit. ¡°I know what had happened to your lover, I also feel sorry. However, please be more patient. With the war this time, we have managed to gather an amount close enough to our target.¡± Hearing Kikukawa words, Saitou lowered his head in silence. Even if one gets words of comforts, the things that had been lost won¡¯t return¡­ (Preservation, huh? But until when¡­) For almost ten years, Saitou had been crying blood and drinking mud. It was all for the sake of one wish. Maybe because he felt such feelings from Saitou, Kikukawa continued his talk. ¡°With the successful result this time, we managed to obtain a considerable amount of money. So, the other day, the committee decided to set out a new strategy.¡± There Kikukawa stopped talking and stared at Saitou. It was a big turning point even for Kikukawa. No, it was a big turning point for everyone within the organization. ¡°I want you to take a new job¡­¡± The deep voice reached Saitou¡¯s ears. ¡°A job?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the crown prince and Sardina. I want you to set those two against each others¡­¡± Realizing the meaning of those words, Saitou expression turns ugly and distorted. Chapter 148 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 6 Editor: Starbuck11 Grass-covered plains were spreading in front of ones eyes. Amidst the magnificent scenery, something huge, black, and flat, was moving through the ground while shaking the earth. (I see Certainly, thats huge So, that is the Big Eater, huh ?) The thing he was gazing upon was a huge centipede monster with its numerous legs. The distance between him and the monster was around a few hundreds of meters. The figure of the monster was very disgusting so much so that it might actually cause nausea just by looking at it. Then, the name Kevin had heard in the Guild the other day comes to mind. (15 meters No, I think its around 20 meters? It is best to crush the centipedes head if someone wants to kill it but, it is impossible to kill this one with just using our feet alone) While keeping an eye on the centipede, Kevin showed a bitter smile. It was not that hard to step on the centipede since it was not that high, but it was impossible to kill it with only ones foot. In fact, with that huge body, even if Kevin had a solid body, the monster might only feel itchy from Kevins weight. (I guess the other way might be to cut one of its legs? But without figuring out how to handle that movement speed, it would be impossible to do that) Not only did it possess agile movements, it was also very aggressive The chances of that monster managing to bite and tear off ones body was high. And if they didnt do something to slow down the centipedes movements somehow, the result would be them having to fight it in close combat. (Had this place been a rocky place, it would have ben easy to kill it by dropping some stones but I guess, that is also impossible.) Kevins eyes scanned the surroundings while thinking about that. It was a grassy plain with a good view. There was hardly any terrain that could be used as the place to drop the rock. (I guess the last method would be using martial magic arts to attack it from the front and using chanting magic arts from the back? But well, no matter how much we attack from the front, the result would still be a bit doubtful) Kevin turned his gaze back and leaked a small sigh. (If its me, then I would use chanting magic arts to slow it down or use traps and decoys But, I wonder, how captain Rick would deal with this) It was a big bet for someone to face an adversary while risking ones life together with people who have not yet built a relationship of trust with you. Individual competence was unknown, and whether or not the group could cooperate might cause uneasiness as well. Nonetheless, right now, Kevin was part of a group/clan specialized in adventurer work, such as monster extermination and resource gathering, and the name of the clan was [Cloud of the Azure sky]. And the leader of that clan is Rick who had a high reputation among other adventurers who were currently active within the Rozeria Kingdom. Rick individual guild rank was a double-A, while his clan as a whole had a single A rank. Such evaluation was above those of the [Red Lion] who trained Kevin and the others. Of course, there were some differences between mercenaries and adventurers clans, and the rank from the guild was not necessarily a direct link to ones strength, but it was without a doubt that it would be difficult for someone weak to reach such high rank. (Well, I guess, I can only try before saying it is impossible, huh ? Furthermore, I can finally kill something worthwhile after all this time) Excitement spread throughout Kevins body. Having muscular strength peculiar to insect and skin as hard as steel armor. The centipede who had the combination of both was a living nightmare. However, that didnt mean the large centipede was a predator belonging to the absolute rank. Otherwise, humans who were the weakest creature and more fragile than any others wouldnt be able to dominate the majority of this world. Kevin had several plans drafted inside his head to kill that centipede. Within the Wortenia Peninsula, many dangerous creatures lived. He would not be able to survive if he was not someone who could kill this kind of monsters. Although his appearance was a child in mid-teens, he had extensive battle experiences. It was already two and a half months since he had left the Wortenia Peninsula. Finally, he met a prey that was worth his time, thus naturally he showed a smile on his face. How is it, Kevin. That is one of the dangerous monsters nicknamed by the guild as [Big Eater]. In other words, a big game From behind him a man with deep voice talked to him, and he tapped Kevins shoulder. At that moment, Kevins expression changed instantly. It was an expression of nervousness and fear plastered on his face. (Phew, thats bad I cant let my identity get out here) Kevin slowly turned back while suppressing the excitement that started started to surge inside his body. Currently, Kevin was under a [cover story], he had introduced himself as an amateur adventurer, and a secret child of a fallen knight household. Yes, Ive never thought it would be that big Are we really going to go up against that, Captain Rick ? He used voice mixed with embarrassment and fear. Also on his face, he used an expression that usually a recruit wouldve shown during their first battle. When he turned back, a pair of man and woman entered Kevins field of view. they were the number one and number two among the clans member. A middle-aged man with dazzling looks and short, trimmed hair spoke to Kevin. Right, that thing is not just big. Not only is its skin very hard, it also possesses vitality similar to that of an insect. Originally it might be just a centipede, but it would become dangerous if it grows that big That thing might not be able to use magic arts but, its muscular strength and hard skin are a serious threat. I dont know whether or not it was true, but someone said that that thing is equal in strength when its compared to a lower class dragon species. Despite it is just a centipede A dragon, is it ? In this world existed dragons from various species, from lower-class to upper-class dragons, they possessed power that was impossible for a human to reach. Only a few people had seen them personally because they were small in numbers and also rarely came out of their hideouts. But one thing was certain, the damage would be tremendous the moment they start to rage around. Villages and towns would be reduced to ashes, and if handled poorly, it was not weird for a country to get destroyed. That was why damage caused by dragons was usually regarded as a natural disaster. And even though Wortenia Peninsula was called a land with many monsters, Kevin never once saw a dragon. No, in fact, even if we go back to the dawn of history, those who had survived after fighting against dragons were less than 100 people. Kevin swallowed his saliva after he heard the mans threatening story. Well, what I told you just now was a joke, but it would not be a joke if we leave that creature alone for much longer After all, rarely do such big creatures appear in public, yet it is appearing now. Do you know why ? As if enjoying Kevins reaction, Rick asked a question Of course, it is because they had tasted human flesh, human flesh, right ? It wasnt only humans that could get more power from killing other creatures. In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that insects and monsters received more benefits from power-ups than humans. A principle of the survival of the fittest. Eat or be eaten, kill or get killed. Only the strong ones would be born from such harsh competition. That was if we only talk about the standard. Here,even though humans might be able to kill a dragon, such possibility was one in a million. It was close to that of a miracle. If we talk about the possibility, then with how low the possibility was, such task would be considered as close as impossible to achieve. However, despite people calling it impossible, it didnt mean it was not doable since sometimes the goddess of destiny give a huge power to the little ones. Which sometimes overturn the law of the food chain Thats right The new face here seems to have learned his lesson well As you had said, it was confirmed that that thing had tasted/eaten adventurers or mercenaries in the forest, and after gorging itself, it began to crawl out. From that monsters point of view, adventurers and mercenaries were nice preys Rick was satisfied with Kevins answer. Whether the taste was good or not wasnt important for the monster : those who had the shape of humans would provide raw nutrients and Prana at the same time. That was why, humans needed to fight in order to survive. As of now, five people have been confirmed eaten by it. There were also those adventurers who had not yet come back from the forest, thus there might be more than ten victims That is why the guild has set this matter as a top priority A woman with bewitching expression showed a soft smile while talking to Kevin. It was a wavy blond-haired woman, with gold-rimmed glasses on her face. Kevin frowned after he heard Anastasias words, she was regarded as the number two within the [Cloud of the Azure sky]. Is this amount of people enough to hunt such monster ? Isnt it better to have more ? Kevins line of sight drifted towards the men and women on the back. Their numbers were around 20 people. The average party had a number of people around four to ten, thus here they had the amount of personnel equal to more than two parties. Although it was not a small number of people, it was not wrong to always wrong to always want more. It was obvious that these people had abundant experience, but Kevin thought that the number of people here was insufficient to face that kind of monster. (To fight against that kind of class monster, I wish we have twice the current numbers) If possible, he wished around 50 people. Gazes filled with uneasiness and sadness were poured towards Anastasia. It was Kevin being half acting, half serious. Kevin had no intention of being intimidated by that centipede, but he was also not that naive. It was true that Kevin had the experience of killing many monsters of that class together with his colleagues when he was on the Wortenia Peninsula. But that was the result of passing through the bloody training which strengthened their bonds and relationships at the same time. It was only less than two months ago since Kevin joined [Cloud of the Azure sky]. He knew that the clans reputation was high in the guild, and he also managed to understand the ability of certain individuals inside the clan, but it didnt mean he understood them completely already. And lack of understanding each others could occasionally cause a fatal accident. (First I should watch whether or not it is really possible, if the situation turns bad, I should immediately run I cant let myself get killed here after all) Do not fight unless there was the possibility of winning. Such teaching was deeply ingrained inside Kevins mind. He thought cautiously as he tried to calm his excited mind. However, from Rick and the others point of view, Kevins attitude only looked like an anxious rookie. Whats wrong ? Scared ? If you follow Anastasias directions, everything should be fine Well, I can understand your feelings, but dont look so uneasy like that. If youre too fidgety, your luck will decline, you know ? It will be fine You should focus on what you need to do Saying that, Rick slapped Kevins back while laughing as if to ease his tension. And Anastasia showed a soft smile while walking back to their comrades. I guess more than this would be impossible, huh. Originally, Kevin wanted to hear the complete strategy but if the newcomer asked such a thing, it would give an unnatural impression. (Now then, do you both have the capacity to meet my Lords expectation, I guess for now I should observe them) Kevin lifted his lips while looking at the back of the two people, a smile that was not suited for a rookie appeared on his face. Here begins the mission his Lord had given him. Chapter 149 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 7 Editor: Starbuck11 The sun had already sunk on the horizon. The fortified town was filled with the hustle bustle of nightlife, and among those, one man was buried in the countless paper works. Celebrating the success of the previous mission, voices of the clans members can be heard downstairs. It was a big job given by the guild as an urgent request which they had not done after a long while. The job was the subjugation of that big centipede creature. They had managed to subjugate it while only suffering minor injuries. It was no wonder that the members raised a voice of celebration. (They seem to have a lot of fun Well, such is a good thing.) Rick who heard the noises could only smile wryly while feeling a slight envy. Currently, the members of the Cloud of the Azure Sky were drinking and eating meat excitedly in the inn they had borrowed especially for todays celebration. After being satisfied to some extent, some would then disappear into the towns night street. In order to suppress the feeling of exaltation after surviving a life and death situation, most of the men would seek a womans soft warm body. Such was an instinctive desire for human beings. Rick himself, when he was young, often would bring the money he got from a job and go to the red districts together with his colleagues. However, from Ricks standpoint now, he had no freedom to behave like a young man anymore. As the head of the clan, he needed to finish the paperwork. Rick who had finally reached the last bundle of paper filled with bills from merchants, sighed deeply. Good, this is the last one A heavy fatigue that he had never felt when he fought against monsters assaulted his body. Ricks nature was that of a warrior. He was the type of man that would go to the front line and wear armors on his body. Drown in the enemys blood, and dancing with the god of death. With his skills and a little bit of luck, he had survived many battles with the only weapon on his hands. For such brave man, this kind of paperwork was more painful than that of a battlefield. Although it was something Rick had repeatedly done, his body never got used to it. (Ive never thought that it would be like this Had I known, I would not have readily accepted when father retired and asked me to take over the clan) Although it was something inevitable, every time Rick recalled the decision he made back then, he sighed deeply. He was just an orphan from a village that was caught in a war and lost both of his parents. The man who picked up little Rick and looked after him was Donovan, the former head of this clan. To be honest, Rick was not exactly sure why Donovan picked him. Whether it was for the convenient labor force, or because Donovan felt something from Ricks eyes, or maybe it was just a whim Rick never knew the reason. However, regardless of the purpose, Donovan raised him as a warrior. Sometimes he would teach Rick harshly, sometimes gently, and before long, he was like a father to Rick. It was five years ago that Donovan decided to retire from the adventuring business. At that time, he was already more than 60 years old, and for that reason, most of the clans member thought of him as a father. Of course, despite being old, his ability was well known. Thus it was possible for him to continue working if he wanted to. His martial arts comprehension and Prana absorption had become slower compared to the young ones. But he had overwhelming life experience and a strong body. If Donovan asked for it, any country would give him a captain rank in their army. For what reason such Donovan decided to retire from the adventurers work ? Rick himself never heard of it. However, after becoming the head of the clan, Rick somehow could understand the reason (Well, I guess it was natural for him to feel fed up) Meaning that a person should not just be strong, but also need some brains. It cost money to keep a clan. Income and expenditure. Profits and expenses. If one were to work as a solo adventurer or mercenary, they could just perform simple accounting, but Rick had a few men under him, which formed the group called Cloud of the Azure Sky, thus it wont do if he only did simple financial gimmicks Beyond battles, there was the need to take care of other essentials such as weapon maintenance and supplies. And since his clan didnt have a base, they needed to stay at an inn or forced to camp outside. If someone gets injured, the treatment expenses were large, and if it was diagnosed as something impossible to recover, it was necessary for him to cover a reasonable amount of money in accordance to the person years of service and achievements. Of course, such things were not mandated by law. Because in this world, the form of human rights and concept of employment or workers rights were not yet being developed. But that didnt mean that way of thinking didnt exist either When it comes to living, there was not much of a difference between the two worlds. And also what one needs to do as necessary. When people recognized the need, then they must act in response. Although it was not recognized by law, Rick had to do something even if there wasnt any obligation. Donovan, the former head, was fully aware of such necessity. Although he also realized realized that he was not suitable for desk work. (Well, I dont think Im suitable either) Rick floated a bitter smile while looking at the mountain of documents stacked on the desk. It was hard for an amateur to negotiate with merchants. Although in the end he would be swindled to some extent, it would be bad if he would be had too much. Although he could be assertive when in negotiation, still seven out of ten times he would still end up swindled. The position of the head who had to perform negotiations only seemed to be a very ill-suited role for rick. Or rather, for Rick now, there was also other stuff he needed to think about other than negotiations with those merchants. (Besides, there were many suspicious things happening Since we have enough money for now, should we leave Rozeria ?) Despite choosing the battlefield as an occupation, adventurers and mercenaries still could not escape the authority of a country or of influential persons. The more one gained rank within the guild, the more one had power, and around that time more or less one gained some political obligations. If towns or villages were being attacked by monsters, they would work as normal adventurers or mercenaries, but it was not that irrelevant for adventurers to get roped in and involved in a war where the city they had chosen as a base is engulfed in a conflict. All the more if one were to have friendly relations with the influential people. That was why most mercenaries and adventurers devoted themselves to information gathering. Because they understood that some rumors might decide whether or not they could survive tomorrow. (Princess Lupis No, I guess shes a Queen now?) Rick had been to the royal capital only once. At that time, he saw Lupis face by accident, and remembering that, he could only smile wryly. She was someone who loved her people and respected justice. Everyone would agree, that Lupis Rozerianus was loved by her people. Many citizens cheered when she ascended to the throne, driving away Duke Gerhardt from the political stage. For a long time, Rozeria Kingdom was ruled by the nobles tyranny. Although privileged class existed in all country and was something inevitable, every since Duke Gerhardt held the real power, the condition of this country was extremely harsh. Meanwhile, the change of government happened. (But well, I guess this is something that is to be expected) For the people who had lived a suppressed life, the presence of Lupis must have given them hope. They rejoiced at that feeling. Without knowing that such thing was just a fantasy. It was impossible for Rick who was an adventurer to analyze what was wrong with Lupis reign, and he also didnt have the intention to do so. Only he felt the current Rozeria Kingdom Rozeria Kingdom was in a more dangerous state than at the time during the civil war. In the guild, there was no demand for killing bandits or security requests, and many villages had begun reinforcing their vigilante groups. Everyone had seemed to realize that a storm was about to come. And right now, among Ricks clan members, there was someone he could not stop thinking about. That man, even though he was a new face, he had more ability than he would let show. His ability as an adventurer might be low, but when it comes to his individual proficiency alone it was comparable to the middle ranked members of the clan. As the guild staff said indeed, he was a promising young man. However (A newcomer, with that kind of skill, at this kind of time, joining us If it was only that, then it shouldve been something worth celebrating. But, was it truly coincidental ?) There was nothing wrong in particular if such man wanted to become a mercenary or adventurer and wished to join a clan as a mean for a stable life. The problem was if such person joins for some other hidden reason. (I should consult with Anastasia about this) Rick didnt regard himself as someone stupid. His views as a person had expanded considerably since he had become the clans head, but his nature was that of a warrior, his true talent was for battles. Negotiation with merchants was not his forte. Thus for him, the existence of Anastasia who was the deputy head of the clan can be regarded as the clans brain. She was born as an illegitimate child of a noble family, and compared to the commoner-born Rick, she was much more thoughtful and considerate towards other people. Oi, Lloyd, are you still there ? When Rick called the person, a middle-aged man immediately opened the door. Do you need me, boss ? Is your job finally done ? His eyes shone with expectation. A face that was expecting certain words from Rick. His body fidgeting as if he was a young boy who wanted to go out for an excursion. Thats not it, stupid. Theres still a lot of them Hearing Ricks merciless words, Lloyds hope was crushed. Is that so A sunken expression appears on his face. Today was Lloyds duty to guard the head of the clan, which was kinda a bad luck for him. His duty was to follow Rick who was the head and help him with some chores, and also as security. Which meant, unless Ricks work is finished, Lloyd needs to keep himself together, while his other colleagues enjoy the night. Lloyd, you wont be able to drink tonight Just give up, anyway, go and call Anastasia now She should be in her room by now I understand Geeez, why did my turn coincide with this kind of this kind of party Since I will give up on going out with women and go drinking, please treat me with some good food after the heads work is finished, okay ? Fine, fine I will let you have drink as much as you want later. Go and call Anastasia now Sending away the Lloyd who looked displeased, Rick directed his eyes towards the ceiling. (Well, I can understand his feelings) Rick himself didnt want to force his subordinates to guard him, but after Anastasia had given her advice to do so as deputys head, and seeing her suggestion had saved Rick from losing his head multiple times, he could not stop the policy now In reality, when one becomes the head of a clan, one cannot avoid getting involved with politics. A celebration for finishing a big job. Even for Rick, he could understand how painful it was for Lloyd who couldnt participate in the party with the others. From Ricks point of view, had he not have the job as clans head, he wouldve already jumped out and enjoyed the night. I guess this is part of the job, haaah Saying that Rick took out a cigar and sighed a little. Shes late That Anastasia, what on earth is she doing ? Rick looked puzzled while smoking. According to Lloyds report, it seems the timing was kind of bad. Although Anastasia said she would be here immediately when he knocked on her door. Anastasia was a strict person. It was rare for her to make Rick wait for too long When Rick thought whether or not he should call her once again, the door was quietly being knocked. Head, Im sorry for making you wait May I come in ? Listening briefly, it was her usual bewitching voice. However, Rick instinctively could feel that there was some slight tension in Anastasias voice. It can be said that he felt that, because she was his comrade who had survived a lot of life or death situation together with him. (Did she get threatened by somebody ? That does not seem so She spoke as if suppressing some high tension within her emotions.) Sure, come in, Anastasia Rick allowed Anastasia while having some thought in his head. Then, please excuse me The door opened slowly. I see So thats how it is Despite wanting to say that she was late, the words that came out from Rick was different. After he saw the man standing behind Anastasia. That day, the talks proceeded until midnight. Only the three of them knew what was the content of the discussion. And that day was the turning point where the Clan [Clouds of the Azure Sky] would undertake active jobs in Rozeria. After several months passed since that day. The gears of history would start to turn with creaking noise With human blood as its oil. Chapter 150 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 8 Editor: Starbuck11 It was a somewhat hot day with the sun rising above the head. A white cloud floats above the sky, while on the hill there were some sheeps eating grass. Time flowed gently. Certainly, there was a threat of bandits or monsters in this world. However, they rarely attacked the villages that had moats and fences around it. And the probability of such villages being attacked was only once or twice each year. Even when one lived in a world filled with war, it didnt mean there was no place for peace. However, such small peace was easily broken by just a little malice. For small villages that didnt have any strategic value, the officials dispatched from the central government or the feudal lord are usually the one who threatened their peace. And now, in a small village located in the countryside of the Rozeria Kingdom, one could hear angry voices reverberates despite the peaceful landscape. A square set in the center of the village. Villagers stood to form a ring showing a mixed expression on their faces. The group of the villagers directed their sight at the center of the ring. Or more precisely, the man standing in front of the villagers. Please dont joke with us If you take more than this, we wont be able to live Words of plea come out from a desperate middle-aged man, that was being interrupted by a dull sound. A big fist covered in metal glove easily punched the mans face. Taste of blood spreading inside the mans mouth. The drip of blood coming out from the middle-aged mans mouth stains the earth black. Father Eyes mixed with anxiety and fear. A girl shakes off her mothers hand and jumps into the center. The young girl looked very young. She herself knew that even if she jumped to her father, she wont be able to do anything. However, the girl was still unable to ignore her fathers appearance. Looking at such beloved daughter, the man tried to calm her down by holding her shoulder. In truth, the man didnt wish for his daughter to see this kind of scene. (Why Why is this happening ?!) Various thoughts emerged inside the mans head. Certainly, when Lupis Rozerianus ascended the throne, everyone felt a wave of new transformations. From the time when she was in charge of the chivalric order, the people familiar with her would describe the Princess as someone with a fair personality. The man can still vividly remember the cheers he had with his colleagues when she became a Queen. If one needs to say, then indeed changes definitely happen. However, the changes were not something good for the man. I will say it again When are you going to pay the taxes ? From the back of the knight that hit the man, the tax collector smiled with a disgusting smile, casting cold words at the man who fell due to the punch. Individuals who loves to dominates others were usually humans that wont feel anything even when they tramples over others. As a tax collector, the value of the man in front of him was his taxes. It was the same as hunters who didnt care about their prey. Of course, we will happily pay if we can But, right now this is the limit The mans words once again were disturbed by a dull sound. His diaphragm was struck with a punch which caused the man to be unable to breathe for a moment. The knight from earlier once again attacked. Geez, you plebeians are truly beyond help Are you truly that stupid ? I asked you when youre going to pay. I dont want to hear your circumstances In the merciless world of tax collectors, the man could not do anything but spat out cursed words inside his mind. (Damn it, shit, shit Doing whatever you want) Dark murderous intent springs up inside the mans heart. In his mind, he wanted to stab the tax collector to death. In the first place, the man had no way to pay the sums the tax collector wanted him to do. Even if the man can be said to be quite well off in this village. And the man didnt have the intention of avoiding taxes either. Since the man who was previously a peddler understood that the Rozeria Kingdom was in crisis and needed more money. That was why he closed the store he had built. Originally, cash income from small villages was insignificant. Self-sufficiency was the basic for such villages, and to supplement the things they didnt have, they performed bartering with other villages. They could only make cash if adventurers, mercenaries, or peddlers visit their villages. To live in this villages it didnt require much money. Well, that was until the tax collector appeared at this village. (Ive had even sold most of the store goods, yet is it still not enough now ?!) It had all started with the slogan of rebuilding the country. Of course, course, at first, everyone cooperated with it. Since they placed high hopes to the new Queen, and they also loved the country. But, it didnt end there Once, twice, on and on, endless tax collectors came one after another At first, it was just a small amount that it didnt affect the villagers lives, but it gradually escalated. Pressures started to build up. And anger also starts to swell inside the peoples heart. To be precise, if it was only once or twice, they would manage to pay. However, to the tax collector, such things didnt matter. The only thing left for the middle-aged man was to sell his family as slaves. Otherwise, his family would have to move away and wander around without a home. (If I could earn more money Like this, will I just lose everything again ?) Regrets and fear run throughout the mans body. He was not that of a great merchant. However, he was an honest person with a kind nature that helped the people in the back alleys to earn some small income. Thus his friendship was wide and many people loved him. As a good man. Had he been born in the modern era, or at least in a developed country, he wouldve received high respect from the surroundings. However, in this world, such virtue could mostly bring harm instead. Once upon a time, he was asked by a friendly acquaintance of him to lend some money. At that time, he had a plenty of cash on his hand since he was a former peddler and had a shop of his own. He had the money, but he never had such big deals during his life. However, the acquaintance of him bowed down and begged while pleading. Then he lends the money believing that he would return the money in time. However, when the man visited his friends house following the deadline, he saw many creditors there. It seems due to a storm, the ship of his acquaintance sunk to the bottom of the sea along with the expensive cargo. And his business partner disappeared with the money he lent him to. As a result, the man lost everything. The failed big deal battered his credibility as a merchant. The fact that he was deceived by his acquaintance who he trusted, raised a question mark regarding his competence. He was branded as someone who could not see a persons character. The way the man lent his money just because just because of a verbal promise also became a disadvantage for him. Although he appealed to the feudal authorities, the lord didnt listen to him and drove him away. There was no effective way to clear a dispute in a countryside when the one he was up against had already disappeared. In the modern world, the power of social security was very apparent, and the state organisations of enforcing such security was strong, while in this world, one can only respond in real time to disputes that happened. Since it wouldve been very hard to investigate every territory and every people in this kind of era. Thus, the mans goodwill was being trampled all over and he lost everything. And towards him who was in such decline, no one was willing to help. Yes, including the business partner he was kind towards in the past He fell into the depth of disappointment and left the town, then he wandered around. He was just like a moving corpse back then. But, his fate change when he meets a woman during the time he happened to stay in this village. The love that appeared lit the fire inside the mans heart, and once again he tried to stand up. And a new life was born between him and her. (No No matter what, I wont sell my wife and daughter) The one that the tax collector look at was not the crouching man. The tax collector was looking at his daughter who comes close to him and was shivering on his back. And after the tax collector got his daughter, he could guess that his wife would be next. Despite coming from a small village, both of them looked refined. Even without their bright attitude and beautiful faces, their figure alone could capture a mans heart. For people who wants to get in a relationship, their appearance was much more preferable than the impossible-to-obtain absurdly beautiful one. Thus, to change those two women into gold was not something difficult. He could sell them to the brothel, and obtain enough money for his life and even enjoy some nightlife. From the gold he obtains, he then would be able to pay some taxes and fees towards the tax collector. Or rather, since it was this kind of tax collector, it was highly possible that the tax collector would demand to taste the two womens body before selling them The problem was that there was no way for the man to stop man to stop it. (Didnt her majesty say she will change our lives ?) He spat his saliva to the ground and slowly stood up. He clenched his fist firmly. There was a flame of dark anger appearing inside his eyes. Dont just keep silent. In the first place, this strict tax is the order of her majesty the Queen. For rebuilding this country and protect our citizen The tax collector walks up to the man while showing a dirty smile. The two men stared at each other in close distance. The smell of cheap cigarettes exuded by the tax collector entered the mans nose. Her majesty Lupis Rozerianus need the tax money to defend and nurture the country you know ? And it is not only the feudal lord that needs to pay. If you dont pay, itt is the same as going against the Rozeria Kingdom. Meaning a traitor A rebel. Traitor Yes, when that happens, your family naturally wont escape harm so easily. Even if you struggle, the result will be the same The tax collector lifts his lips and laughs. If one can put the stigma of a rebel to someone, it was the same as a death sentence for the persons entire family, which will be turned into slaves. It was no different compared to selling his family and paying the tax. It was the villager who diverted his gaze first. Despite his anger, he could only cast his gaze down. A patriotic man usually wont feel guilty as long he regards what he did, was for the countrysake. But what the man felt right now was fear. The terror of the overwhelming power of the huge system called a country. Being overwhelmed by the merciless words of the tax collector, the man looked at the ground. He could not imagine that he would be able to go up against a country when he was just a mere commoner. For villagers, even if they complained once in a while, it never crossed their minds to go up against a country. (Then what should I do? To protect my family To protect my village ?) The man desperately seeks a solution. This was the harshest situation he had faced since the time he was born. For the villagers, for his family, for his own happiness The man desperately worked his head. A long silence dominated the square. However, the time would come when he needs to speak of an answer. A moment later, the time comes In the form that nobody expected. Chapter 151 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Vol 5 Chapter 9 Editor: Starbuck11 (Anger, frustration, and despair. An unbearable expression mixed with various feelings) In this heavy air, the knights in the surroundings have kept their expression like a Noh mask. But one man was desperately trying to suppress his laughter. The man name was Elliot Chamberlain. His hair was red and he had white skin. It was someone with a relatively common feature when compared to the people living in the Rozeria Kingdom. But actually, he was an American born with british lineage. Although he had succeeded in suppressing his laughter, he cannot calm his trembling body. The knight standing next to him directed a curious gaze since his armor began to rattle. Of course, a decent human being wont be able to enjoy this kind of sight. Even more so for a knight. It was because they were given a strict order by their boss not to stop the tax collector. Many knights present in this place were swinging between their sense of duty and sense of individual justice. However, Chamberlain was different. For him, the value of humans being in this world was nothing more than that of a toy. For Chamberlain, the scene in front of them looked like a good comedy. Even if his co-worker directed a doubtful gaze, that nature alone he could not deny. A tax collector who displayed his superiority and a commoner who was forced to succumb by sheer force. Hatred and ridicule dominated both mens minds. Feeling such atmosphere, Chamberlain could not help but get turned on. (This atmosphere really give me a great feeling Looking like this, it seems Sudous plan would bear fruits faster) He and his colleagues were ordered to perform some mission in the Rozeria Kingdom. Chamberlain could finally feel the result of his hard work. Gerhardt who was demoted following the aftermath of the civil war was still being treated as a duke by the other aristocrats. Despite having been transferred from Irachion, a famous green territory, to a remote place in the southern part of the kingdom. A legitimate title was surely important. Indeed, it was a big hurdle and disgrace for Duke Gerhardt who had his rank demoted to that of a Viscount. That was why it was natural for the other aristocrats to keep their distances from him after the civil war was over. However, that situation was only in the past. The nobles who had lost their job as tax collectors gathered under Gerhardt in the name of interest. And it was Elliot Chamberlain and his co-workers who had created such a situation. (Sudou-san this time has given us a really fun job. It really combines hobby and profits. I wish I could share this sensation with him right now) Chamberlain thanked Sudou who was currently in the Imperial capital. And at the same time, deeply regretted that he could not share the comedy with his boss. (Well, Ortomea is currently in a mess, I guess it could not be helped Well, lets enjoy the situation for Sudou-sans share as well) It was a pleasure for him to see the citizen of this world hating each others and murder each others. (Go and kill each others. Struggle more, and hate each others more Die, die, die, die Everyone in this world should just die) It was the expression of someone who lost a beloved person because of thepeople of this world. Seven years ago, when he was heading towards Wall Street like usual, he was summoned to this world together with his lover Vanessa. A good looking beautiful businesswoman. It can be said, his situation was very commonly called hero setting. A hero being summoned with his beloved. And then beautiful ladies from another world trying to enter the fray. That was the clich scenario that usually happened. However, the reality was far from that. Chamberlain was not asked to be a hero, but instead a foot soldiers in a war, Vanessa who was an active model, being beautiful as she was, was made into a rare toy among aristocrats. It was further bad luck because the one who used Vanessa as a toy had a distorted personality who liked to see women scream. Vanessa was a liberal and also a human right activist. Thus Vanessa was a crispy prey for them. It made the aristocrats pleased when they heard Vanessa who had modern education screaming about her rights as a person when getting violated forcefully. It was the sensation that one wont have by doing it with someone obedient. As a result of that, Vanessas heart who could not withstand the continuous assaults and tortures, and broke into pieces. The light disappeared from her eyes, and drizzle dripped from her half-opened mouth, Vanessa had turned into a broken doll, and the nobles threw such Vanessa back to Chamberlain. They threw her as if she was garbage. Since they were particularly powerful nobles, they were able to procure as many toys as they wanted. And Chamberlain who could not do anything because of the spell cast upon him, could only watch as everything happened. The nobles were also having fun when violating and beating his lover in front of his eyes. Watching his beloved cry and scream. Every day he was being forced to watch without being able to do anything. Thus it was difficult to imagine how Chamberlain felt during those times. And from thenl that darkness started to appears inside his heart. It was the result of a good man who lost his sanity. The thought of not wanting to cause his beloved any more sufferings, this financial businessman ended her life by his own hand. While swearing that one day, he would kill that nobleman and his families. Chamberlain survived the many harsh battlefields with just that one desire. He trained his body, he learned magic arts. He just seeks strength. Such dream was actually inappropriate for Chamberlain who had a slavery curse engraved on him. Until one day, the organization saved him. (More, more ! Trample more. Hate each others more. Keep stirring those hatreds) Currently, the commoners were indeed suffering the tyranny of the nobles. That was because those nobles had the authority. However, no matter what authority one had, there was a limit to everything. And everything would collapse if they forced more pressure using their authority (You shouldve massacred those foolish nobles if you wanted to rebuild the country. Your Majesty the Queen) Chamberlain laughed inside his heart. For him who had come from another world, Lupis Rozerianus was like that of a ruler from a storybook. Having burning ideals, loving the people, a high standard of education. Originally, her reign may have become one of the most excellent ones in this world. However, Lupis half-hearted naivety ended everything. Not having Gerhardts family purged, and only gettinggetting them relocated to another territory, the nobles who revolted mustve thought they were also not going to die. While afterwards Lupis policy was filled with for-the-people-oriented policy. For the nobles, they could only think that Lupis was nothing more than a naive woman. Of course, ruling using fear was never the best way. Too much fear might raise doubt among people, and eventually caused the fruit called resistance to bloom. That was why it was better to make the commoner afraid of underestimating the government. And the result of that spread in front of Chamberlains eyes. (It was very difficult for me to move the nobles back then, but thanks to her everything went smoothly.) Most of the nobles were people that were stuck with the idea of elitism. And for them, it was easy to perform this kind of violence. However, only a few of them did it on their territory. Because government works only when tax revenue existed. It will certainly raise the income of the territory temporarily if one shows off the authority one had, and forced the people to pay more. But, such method could not be repeated more than once, since the result would decrease every time it was being repeated. And security would also get worse, while the peoples heart and faith in the government deteriorating. When that happens, the things that would occur wouldve been either people crushing the government or the government crushing the people in the name of rebellion. Most noblemen understood such matters sufficiently. That was why, even when the aristocrats were looking down on the people, they kept the territory while maintaining a suitable balance. But with a just cause of rebuilding the country, and the result of underestimating Lupis power. It caused the nobles to go mad. (Furthermore, although some of the nobles being appointed as tax collectors are competent, many of them are third class. It was worthwhile to ask Gerhardt to pull some strings to cause those people being appointed. -) Chamberlain turns a scornful smile towards the back of the tax collector. The otherworldern used his skillful communication, that he had cultivated as a financial businessman in modern America, to gain his favor. After Chamberlain got his trust, he started to pour poisonous words to him. (If it is like this, then I think everything would be over in 3 or 4 months Until then, I need to control everything skillfully I guess I should end it today here Although I want to see more of this comedy) While glancing at the crawling villagers, Chamberlain moves closer to the tax collector. He wants the public in the Rozeria Kingdom to raise a rebellion. But the timing was very important. More precisely the timing when the organization would then profit the most from it. And right now, the organization had not yet given their green light. And if they corner the villagers more than this, it might instigate a revolt now instead Your Excellency, these guys shouldve learned their mistakes. Lets pull back today Why ? If we threaten them more here, we can get some money The tax collector tilted his head in response to Chamberlains words. For inside his head, there were only thoughts about the amount of money he would get. I know If we keep it up, they would definitely pay. However, if we threaten them too much here, it might cause them to revolt, whichrevolt, which will affect your Excellency. We should pull back here and take this chance to make them feel grateful towards your Excellency Self-protection and greed were fighting inside the tax collectors mind He wanted money, but he didnt want to be responsible for any chaos that entails. Fumu If you say that much then, fine Let us pull back for now Soon afterwards, the tax collector agreed to pull back. (You moron There is no reason for these people to truly feel grateful towards you just because you pulled back here) Thank you very much, your Excellency. Were grateful for your mercy Chamberlain was making a fool of the tax collector inside his mind and also felt disgusted with himself that he had to thank him for something And when he lowered his head to express his gratitude, something happened. The sound of arrows splitting the wind entered Chamberlains ears. And the next moment, two arrows penetrated the tax collectors body. Your Excellency ! Your Excellency ! Protect his Excellency ! Form a circle ! Hurry ! Its a revolt ! Escort Knights came running one after another towards the body of the tax collector who was lying on the ground. With all of this happening around, inside Chamberlains mind, he tried to keep his calm. There was no fragment of concerns to the tax collector. He only moved according to the necessity. (Damn it ! Instant death, huh ?) Chamberlain who checked the tax collectors pulse by placing his hand on the now deceaseds neck clicked his tongue. Even though the tax collector was just a toy in Chamberlains eyes, but if he died prematurely, the organizations plan might need some big revisions. (If it comes to this, the question is who and why did they kill him) The arrows that pierced the tax collectors body were something that could be found anywhere. However, there was some kind of black liquid sticking to the arrowhead. Chamberlain gently wiped it with his fingertips and briefly licked his finger with the tip of his tongue, but immediately he spits it. (Poison Now, this has become troublesome) The type of poison was unknown, but based on the bitterness that stimulates his tongue, he thought that it was a plant-based poison. And it was a fairly powerful one. (If they used poison, that means it was not the villagers doing But if that is the case then, who ?) From the direction of the arrows, it was apparent that it was coming from beyond the village walls. The problem was, who shot the arrows. Judging normally, it would be one of the villagers who resented the tax collector. But, for mere villagers to use sophisticated poison, it was nigh to impossible. Looking at the surroundings, Chamberlain tried to think about the situation. Oi, Chamberlain ! What should we do about this ?! One of Chamberlains colleagues shook his shoulder. It might be because of fear that his colleagues hand was shaking. Shut your mouth for a bit, Im thinking right now. In the eyes of Chamberlain who raised his face, the visage of the villagers were istantly reflected. From all of them, whether they were men, women, children, or old people, all of their eyes were filled with murderous intents. One can see that from the start, they were already prepared for a revolt. Each of revolt. Each of their hands was holding agricultural tools such as plow and hoe. I see now So this is the aim of the culprit ? Chamberlain muttered those words while sighing. The tax collector was shot and died. Inside this village. Thus no matter how much the villages head tried to explain the situation, they would still be blamed for his death. For that reason, there was no use for them to appeal. Since in the end, the one who judges would be the nobles And for those nobles, they have no reason to listen to the commoners argument. One could already see the conclusion just based on the situation. And the villagers also understood that as well. And with hatred inside their heart, it further fueled their actions. The villagers now didnt have the usual calm face. They showed murderous intentions like beasts looking at their prey. Slowly the villagers closed the circle between them and the knights. Their aim was Chamberlain and the other knights life. We have six people. While the villagers have more than 100 people with them This will be hard One knight was said to be as strong as ten people combined. However, that was the case when their mind and body were in perfect condition. Their opponent was the people of their own country. In the first place, they were on the side who cornered them first. The villagers might think since the end would be the same no matter what they did, they choose to take the knights lives together with theirs. Under those situation, the knights wouldnt be able to show their best performance. It cant be helped Lets forcibly breakthrough. Follow me if you guys want to survive While speaking to his colleagues who kept whining at him, Chamberlain pulled his sword. Although they were a knight with magic arts capability, they were just six people. Even if one of them had the strength of ten people, it was not a guarantee that they could avoid the villagers fangs in their desperate fight. For an escorting mission it would be enough, but when this kind of situation happens, it would immediately put them into a disadvantageous situation. (The situation right now is not accidental Someone purposely made this timing to instigate a revolt This is bad, we need to immediately leave this village) Dissatisfaction and antipathy against the country were already well widespreadl in the Rozeria Kingdom. Once one put fire on it, it would be hard to put it down. (No matter how I think about it, it would be impossible to stop the revolt now The timing of the revolt happens far from what the organization had planned. I cant imagine the effect of that on the organizations overall plan I guess I have no choice I need to contact my other colleagues and think about the countermeasure.) After thinking about the next move. Chamberlain began to get ready by activating his prana. The rebellion that was about to happen inside the Rozeria Kingdom. Initially, it was thought to be something that would be crushed easily, but as a result of citizen anxiety and discontent that spread throughout the country, the small fire turned into a wildfire that would burn the entire country. It was the beginning of the second Rozeria civil war, and later would be regarded as the trigger of the complete destruction of the Rozeria Kingdom. Chapter 152 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 10 Chapter 5 Episode 10 Editor: Starbuck11 It was the turning point of history. The beginning of an incident that would later be engraved deeply into the history of the western continent, and it started with one seemingly unchanging morning. ¡°I told you it is up to you how to handle that, isn¡¯t it ? If you can¡¯t do it then for what reason did we appoint you ? This is not about can or can¡¯t do. No matter what it takes, make it work¡± Inside the Rozeria royal capital, Pireaus. A shouting came from a woman and echoed inside the white castle located in the center of the city. The two guards who heard the voice coming from inside the room could only sigh. These two people didn¡¯t hate the lord of the room. It was because they understood how hard the person had worked as someone who the young ruler of Rozeria trusted. However, having to hear such shoutings daily, it could not help it that they wanted to sigh. (It was a bad day today, huh. Or rather, today too) Such thoughts appeared inside one of the man¡¯s mind. In actuality, there was not even a day where the lord of the room seems to be in a good mood. Back then when it was her first day after being given this big job, she entered the room with a smile on her face. And in the past few months, this spectacle happened every day. ¡°But, Lord Lecter. Even I could only stand and watch without being able to do anything¡± A tall yet thin young man began to make an excuse to Meltina. Thin sweat appeared on this nervous man. Following the young man, the middle-aged man who was watching from the side opened his mouth slowly. His stomach that protruded like a bag looked impressive. ¡°That¡¯s right. To be honest, we have no other way to do this. Of course, the problem will be solved immediately if her majesty makes her decision. However, right now the possibility is low. With that being the case, I suggest we do not rush and try to break it down gradually and make some allies¡± Being shouted down by Meltina who was younger and also a woman, both men faces showed dissatisfied expression. Even though they didn¡¯t show it, they were experienced, low-level bureaucrats. They both had the experience and also achievements in handling various projects. And according to them, Meltina demands wouldn¡¯t be able to be realized under current conditions. (What are you being haughty for, you¡¯re just some novice when it comes to politics ! You¡¯re here just because you¡¯re her majesty lackey) If they spat out the dark feelings inside their hearts, it was hard to imagine how refreshed they would be. The men desperately endured their desires that wanted to shout at Meltina without mercy. It was not because they were arrogant, but they felt like that because of their pride as a person. More so when the situation present was not because of their fault. Still, they cannot show their anger at Meltina here. They aren¡¯t doing so not because of right or wrong, but more because of courtesy. They simply didn¡¯t want their future work being affected by it. These two men didn¡¯t mean bad. They both understood the root cause of Lupis¡¯ policy not going as they had expected, thus they proposed some measures to Meltina at an early stage. While the two worked as much as possible within the scope of their position. Which was why, despite not having a good result, it cannot be said that everything was their fault. However, whether or not Meltina could show understanding to that argument was doubtful. Or rather, as far as Melita character was concerned, the conclusions were visible. She won¡¯t hear other people if it was not the same as her own justice or feelings. On the other hand, she might¡¯ve ended up hating the people who deny her righteousness. Towards those two men, Meltina eyebrows frowned. And her finger played frustrating tap dance on the table. (Does that mean you need time ? Are you stupid ? Do you think we have that kind of time ?) They were officials appointed when Lupis ascended to the throne. Although these two men were rumored to be particularly outstanding among the young and middle-ranking officials, originally they wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to be in their current office. That was until Lupis took the throne. It was because of Lupis that they could take the job of senior bureaucrats despite being only from lower-class aristocracy. That was why they could not say no But even so, they still arrived at the conclusion that the policy was not possible unless the reality changed. ¡°Need time you said ? Don¡¯t be stupid Just how much more time do you need to spent ?!¡± A considerable amount of time had passed since Lupis took charge of the state¡¯s affairs. Several months had passed since Meltina took her new job. (Yet, nothing changes Nothing at all) Lupis got the throne And became the ruler of the Rozeria Kingdom. However, if one were to be asked whether or not there was some change, the answer would be difficult to say There were some indeed. It was just that everything went bad compared to before her crowning. Even Meltina herself could feel it. That she could not carelessly neglect the problem. How nice it would be if she could just admit it that everything was unmanageable. ¡°Whatever enough for today, looking at your faces more than this feels sickening. Go and return to your offices immediately. I¡¯m expecting a more decent report tomorrow¡± After frustratingly chasing away the two men, Meltina sits deeply into her sofa. The moment she heard the closing door, she heaves a deep sigh. While looking at the ceiling, Meltina massages her eyebrows. Her fingers got a little wet from doing it. ¡°Why why won¡¯t everyone cooperate with her Majesty? Why only pursue their own interests. Does nobody love this country ?¡± For Meltina, the Rozeria Kingdom was like a mother to her, and a very important existence. She believed that it was natural for her to drain herself to help the said important existence. For such Meltina, the current situation was very hard to fathom. Prior to Lupis sitting on the throne, Duke Gerhardt was the one who managed the state affairs, many people were afraid of tomorrow. Only senior aristocrats and their underlings prospered. And Meltina wanted to change that situation. All efforts were made to make sure Lupis took the throne. Looking at the circumstances, whether the effort was appropriate or not, it was not the problem now. What was important for her, was that Meltina believed that she had bet all of her everything on it. Indeed, she had put much effort into her work, and the surroundings were also able to see it. However, despite Meltina¡¯s efforts, the country didn¡¯t change. Aristocrats who corrode the country and use their authority as a shield. They only think about their own prosperity. Merchants that utilize their abundant financial capabilities and connections colluding with the nobles, they all still existed. Lastly, those people who hate the situation yet are only complaining They all criticized Lupis. (If this continues this country would be Just what should we do?) Meltina fully understands that there were problems. However, she didn¡¯t know how to solve it. It was like a mountaineer that was about to conquer the mountain that no one had managed to conquer. Although one could see the mountaintop, one didn¡¯t have the map or knew the path to reach there ¡°Fuuh, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t be like this Her Majesty is in a harder position than I do I will support her with everything I can¡± After heaving a small sigh, Meltina stood up from her sofa. She then moves towards the figure mirror placed on the corner of the room. Her clothes were vibrant and as beautiful as usual. However, Meltina¡¯s face was definitely looking tired, and her eyelids were slightly swollen. ¡°What a horrible face I had Despite the fact that I¡¯m about to have a meeting after this¡± Gently stroking her cheeks, Meltina opened her cosmetic box placed on the shelf. Even though she¡¯s not that good when it comes to using cosmetics, still she could not go to a meeting with such a fuzzy face. ¡°Now then, what is today agenda? Are there any other topics ?¡± Lupis opened her mouth slowly while looking around at the people sitting on the roundtable, the room was being illuminated by the setting sun coming from the windows. From the bottom of her heart, Lupis was tired of these meetings that were being held every day starting at 2:00 p.m. The constantly unchanged conference room, the unchanging expression, the same discussions and the same topics. She felt this meeting was just a waste of time She wanted the conversation to move forward even if it was just a little. In this kind of situation, the duty of making the meeting progress make it feel like a bad luck. (In the end, it is just me holding a meeting again today Nothing determined, nothing improved. They merely swear at each other, throwing responsibility back at each other) Everyone in this place were people chosen by Lupis. They were people that had no problems governing on their territory despite not being in the nobles¡¯ faction A clean, and fair country. They were supposedly the talent Lupis had chosen for the sake of making such country. Thinking that Lupis almost accidentally heaved a sigh. Right now, she can¡¯t show an attitude or behavior that could be described as indifferent towards politics and current circumstances. Lupis, in her own way, just wanted to fulfill her duty as the ruler of the Rozeria Kingdom. (Is there anyone? What should we do? Is there anyone with some idea?) Lupis looked around with stabbing eyes. That didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t understand the situation the country was in. In fact, her desire to solve the problem was stronger compared to everyone present in this room. However, Lupis could not come up with a solution to solve the problem. The only thing she could think of right now was to pray that someone would suggest a means to solve the problem. However, everyone averted their gaze away from Lupis¡¯ eyes. Even her closest aides Meltina and Mikhail did the same. ¡°No one has some suggestions, is it ?¡± Then something happens when Lupis was looking around one more time before she ended the meeting. Earl Bergston, sitting on the left of Lupis, raised his hand gently. ¡°Your majesty, may I say something ?¡± The surroundings immediately directed their eyes toward the Earl at the same time. Chapter 153 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 11 Chapter 5 Episode 11 Editor: Starbuck11 (What is he going to say? Will it be a criticism for me, or) Her heartbeat was beating like a fast bell. Anxiety and subtle hope dominated Lupis¡¯ mind. The persons who understand politics the most amongst Lupis¡¯ subordinates, Earl Bergston and his brother-in-law, they were, in fact, the people who should¡¯ve held initiative when it comes to reforming the country. When Lupis took the throne, Earl Bergstone was fully demonstrating his skills as the one responsible for proposing reform. It was the time when hopes and dreams for the future were high. However, that honeymoon period didn¡¯t last long. Lupis refused Bergston¡¯s motion who proposed using state power to enforce reform. Since then, there seems to be an invinsible crack in their relations. And such crack became evident when Lupis made the decision to reinforce the Zalda Kingdom. To put it more bluntly, it was the result of her trying to protect Mikhail from the cold glance, but that incident left a big rift between Lupis and Bergston. In the end, Lupis decided to send Mikoshiba Ryouma and Elena as reinforcements to the Zalda Kingdom. There were no alternatives left to her. After that, Earl Bergston stopped attempting to formulate aggressive policy, even his brother-in-law disappeared from the conference. The result of that was this political confusion. There were those who lack political ability, yet are loyal. And there were people who lack loyalty but have the ability. As such, there were two problems. Speaking of chess as an example, it felt like the queen and the knight disappeared, and only pawns were lined up. However, in chess, the pawn can also become the strongest piece, depending on how one used it, it could become a Queen by the rule called promotion. (For me, I have no skill, talent, or experience in politics to manage them compared to Earl Bergston) After all, at the end of the day, everything depends on the player. (In truth, it might be best for me to apologize to Earl Bergston and ask for help But, it¡¯s impossible) Lupis herself also felt guilty when she made the decision. But even when she understood that she had no other means. And in Lupis¡¯ current position, she could not easily voice her regrets after making a decision. Depending on which country, a King or Queen was the highest authority in charge. To the surroundings, these two rulers were seen as an absolute person. If people in such position apologize and doubt his or her own decision, it will cause the surroundings asking about their competence and credibility as a ruler. And since Lupis was lacking firm achievements, she had no clear right to question other people¡¯s competences when it comes to governance. And more so, Lupis was afraid that by admitting that she was wrong, the people might direct their accusation at Mikhail Banashu instead. For Lupis, he was an aide who she could trust just like Meltina. It didn¡¯t change even when people in the surroundings looked at him with cold eyes now. When it comes to the future of the kingdom, Lupis herself understood that she needs to leave Mikhail. However, no ruler could abandon all of their personal desires. For the man that Lupis looked up to as an elder brother, she could only pray that time would solve everything. And Earl Bergston, who had kept silence since the time their relationship got worse, asked permission to speak. It would be inevitable if even she was almost unintentionally about to raise her body from the chair. ¡°Sure, please go ahead. I permit you to speak, Earl Bergston.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. Your Majesty¡± Hearing Lupis¡¯ slightly grateful voice, Earl Bergston slowly rises from his chair. And after he bowed to Lupis once, he looked around at the surroundings, then breathed out heavily. ¡°I think all of you realize, including her majesty, that our country has many serious problems.¡± A loud voice echoed inside the room. Although it was not intimidating, his gentle voice clearly entered everybody¡¯s mind. A voice of a man backed with overwhelming confidence and beliefs. ¡°Essentially, every problems should be resolved immediately, but, if I have to point out the most concerning one, then the invasion by Ortomea Empire of Zalda Kingdom is the highest priority.¡± Everyone around the table nodded silently. After all, inside this room, everyone was desperately trying to rebuild the kingdom for the forthcoming event. ¡°We managed to settle the invasion of Zalda Kingdom last year by forging an alliance with ErnestGora and the eastern countries. However, we should not let us think that everything is over by that. Right now, I heard the Zalda Kingdom is attempting negotiations with the Ortomea Empire, but I believe that also won¡¯t settle the problem. And Ortomea Empire will find some reason to invade the Zalda Kingdom once again.¡± Voices of approval rise from everyone. ¡°And for such Ortomea Empire, they will try to break the alliance. In this case, what kind of possible movement they would make ? When our nation needs to split its national strength to deal with issues other than the war in the Zalda Kingdom.¡± Small mutters escaped someone. ¡°The Southern Kingdoms¡± The air inside the room froze. Even an amateur who had a little bit of intelligence could understand, Ortomea Empire who claimed itself to be the champion of the center of the western continent cannot just withdraw as it had. For Ortomea Empire who had placed other countries under its rule, the power lostagainst the Zalda Kingdom might lead discontented elements to then start to take the opportunity. If that was the case then, Ortomea Empire could not afford to lose another war against the Zalda Kingdom. It was easy to see that Ortomea Empire would come up with a measure to achieve that goal. Amongst the strategies Ortomea Empire would choose, most likely they would trigger something with the various southern Kingdoms, and cause hostility between two countries, Rozeria and Mist Kingdoms. In the first place, the negotiations between the Zalda Kingdom and Ortomea Empire could happen because Mikoshiba Ryouma attacked Ortomea¡¯s logistical base, causing their army to become isolated while the three eastern countries and ErnestGora tried to form an alliance to deal with Ortomea Empire. Even if Ortomea Empire was being regarded as a great country, it won¡¯t be able to easily stomp the alliance of the four countries. With that being in the way, Ortomea then must think of how to break the cooperation of these countries. The easiest way was that to increase one¡¯s allies while trying to divide one¡¯s opponents. And the easiest way for Ortomea Empire to gain allies was by making contact with the southern countries, where they had repeated bloody battles with each other. The southern countries¡¯ lands were mostly small, and their national strength was not that high, but their individual soldiers were very strong due to the combat experiences they had. In actuality, the Rozeria Kingdom also had several confrontations against the southern countries in the past. If such confrontation were to happen again, then even if Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s national strength was better compared to the current one, they still wouldn¡¯t be able to send reinforcements to help the Zalda Kingdom. (In the first place, if the situation were to remain like this, when the invasion happens, it would be hard for us to stop it. If that is the case then it might have been actually better if Lupis-sama stayed as a figurehead and let Duke Gerhardt rule as a prime minister) Such ironic imagination crossed Earl Bergston¡¯s mindand caused him to leaked a small sigh. The late Hodram and Duke Gerhardt were certainly problematic people. They were self-righteous arrogant men, ambitious men who would do anything to raise their influence within the Rozeria Kingdom and make the king their puppet. If one was trying to evaluate them, they were indeed despicable people. That was why a war broke out to remove those two men¡¯s influence and return the power to the throne. However, what was the result of that ? The Rozeria Kingdom became a country filled with a flock of sheep without a shepherd. (However, it does not mean we have to stay put without doing anything This will decide everything) The room fell into silence. Everyone waited for Earl Bergston next words. Earl Bergston takes out his last trump card from the bag he had placed on his feet while receiving a curious sight from the surroundings. For this reason, he had kept silence for months. However, the goddess of fate betrays Earl Bergston once again. ¡°Well then, this is¡± Earl Bergston took a heavy breath before continuing, but at that moment, the door of the room was knocked. Chapter 154 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 12 Chapter 5 Episode 12 Editor: Starbuck11 One man looked up at the ceiling of his office while expressing his anguish. No one knew how long he had spent in this state without moving since he had come home. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes. Or was it already 1 hour ? Inside the man¡¯s chest, were full of indescribable conflicts and regrets. This was the first time he felt a sense of weakness and emptiness. (I wonder, where did I go wrong We should still have had a little bit more time Did we make a mistake somewhere ? Or was there no way to save this country from the beginning?) When his father-in-law lost in the struggle for power against Duke Gerhardt, he never felt this hopeless even compared to his younger days when he had to stay indoor within his territory all the time. ¡°Please excuse me Zeref-sama has come. Shall I let him in ?¡± The knockings of the old butler brought back the Earl Bergston¡¯s consciousness to reality. ¡°Let him in ¡± Inside his heart, the feeling of wanting to meet and not wanting to meet intersected. He directed his sight at the bundle of paper placed on the desk. A few hours ago, that was the last trump card that could change the Rozeria Kingdom, but now, it was a garbage that had no purpose anymore. Just how much efforts and sacrifices did one had to make this mountain of papers that turned into uselessness, no one know the answer When he thought of that, the man didn¡¯t have the courage to look straight at the face of his brother-in-law who had trusted him sincerely. Even when he knew that his relative was not someone who easily blamed others. ¡°Such a gloomy face you have there Brother-in-law¡± Opening the door, Earl Zeref frowned his eyebrows the moment he saw his brother-in-law Earl Bergston. ¡°Well, I guess it can¡¯t be helped Especially in this kind of situation¡± Earl Bergston replied with a deep sigh towards Earl Zeref who said those words while sitting down his obese body on the sofa. ¡°I heard it on my way here, that Her Majesty had collapsed after an urgent news arrived.¡± Feeling surprised, Earl Zeref stared at his brother-in-law. ¡°That¡¯s right, she collapsed after she heard that a rebellion happened. Right now she¡¯s resting in her bedroom. For her, she also has a lot to worry about after all But still, you¡¯re impressive to know about this matter, how did you know? There should¡¯ve been a gag order for those who attended the meeting¡± In response to that question, Earl Zeref shrugged his shoulders. It was easy to order people to keep quiet, but it was very difficult to execute such order. And such things were obvious for Earl Zeref who was good when it comes to gathering intelligence. ¡°There¡¯s no meaning on placing a gag order if, in the end, it would spread you know ? After all, even for a God, it was hard for him to keep someone¡¯s mouth shut. Especially now, when everybody was anxious about the country¡¯s future¡± In the first place,humans were a creature who liked rumors. They would spread gossips like a ripple, from one person to another. While in the same time interweaving truth and lies. It was difficult to suppress such instincts with power. ¡°Something inevitable is it ?¡± ¡°Right¡± Earl Zeref replied to Earl Bergston with affirmation. The two people stared at each other for a while. After a long silence, Earl Bergston slowly opened his mouth. Right now, for him, it was not the time to worry about Lupis¡¯ health. ¡°I¡¯ve wasted your good effort. I¡¯m very sorry¡± Earl Bergston deeply lowered his head toward Earl Zeref. However, Earl Zeref only smiled at him calmly like usual. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, brother-in-law.¡± ¡°But !¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Since originally it was something with a low chance of a success¡± Earl Zeref expression didn¡¯t show any hint of indignation. From the bottom of his heart, this time¡¯s result was something that could not be helped. (This guy Or was it because I¡¯m still too naive ?) Seeing such attitude from his brother-in-law, Earl Bergston directed his eyes on his desk once again. This bundle of papers placed on the desk was packed with information on tax collection being done within the Rozeria Kingdom. Who, when, where, how much money, and what kind of means was used to gather them. And among that money, how much did they put into their own pocket and how much was handed over to the government. Everything was written in those bundle of papers. Based on that information, Earl Bergston planned to purge the people who were part of the noble¡¯s faction. Many of the country problems were caused by nobles gathered under Gerhardt. They were fanning up dissatisfaction toward Lupis, intervening in national defense, and pressuring the bureaucrats to delay state affairs. Such actions taken separately might not cause a fatal injury, but those were things that could not be ignored either. And malicious non-cooperative attitude was far worse than being blatantly hostile because it was much harder to deal with. Not to mention, Lupis¡¯ position and personality also makes it hard to respond. The easiest solution to overcome this conundrum was to purge two or three non-cooperative houses with a low political power to make an example. Having one¡¯s household being crushed was something that the nobles most feared, but such fear was necessary to bind their heart and blunt their hostility. Afterwards, one can use the soft method to bring the other nobles closer. There was not much difficulty when it comes to the reasons for the purging either. When one carries a government on their shoulders, it was natural that lip service was not enough. Every house had one or two dark secrets behind it, where it was natural to call those hidden secrets criminal. More or less if Lupis had the patience of bearing some pains with her absolute authority, doing the purging was not impossible. But, Lupis tends to choose the calm and moderate responses, being unable to exercise her state power caused her to fail to achieve anything. Thus Earl Bergston had only kept an eye while not taking any measures. Until the day the other nobles loosened their vigilance and exposed their violent fangs and ugly nature under the bright daylight. ¡°To be honest, I would be very lucky if all of that had gone well. After all, that plan was very difficult to do¡± Earl Zeref cuts his words and breathed out lightly. The plan he was talking about was to eliminate the nobles after grasping their hidden crimes. Under the state law, it was a legitimate move. But the timing was very difficult to execute. The biggest problem was that those nobles had used Lupis name for their own gains, and caused dissatisfaction amongst the citizenry. The aim of those nobles was a rebellion. No matter how weak they were, the oppressed people cannot be under one¡¯s mercy forever. It was not necessary for the ruler to love the people, but one would be disqualified as a ruler if the people raised a rebellion. For that reason, one had to have the knowledge to properly maintain one¡¯s territory. With that being the case, there were two ways to deal with the current situation, the first one was to use state power and purge them while bearing the stigma that comes with it, or alternatively grasp the opponents¡¯ aim and judge them under the law before their goal becomes reality. However, both measures were now already turned into bubbles. All of that ended, when the tax collector who visited a certain village died. ¡°Being a minister to the Rozeria Kingdom aside. I also have loyalty to the Queen. That was why I accepted my brother-in-law¡¯s request to create a measure, despite being not very useful, at least I could help, but everything is for naught now¡± ¡°Zeref You¡± Earl Bergston unintentionally held his breath due to Zeref words filled with sympathy. ¡°Brother-in-law-dono You should¡¯ve noticed it right ?¡± The gentle smile that was always on Earl Zeref¡¯s face disappeared. His words had a pressure that felt like something out of the blue. ¡°Zeref, that¡¯s enough We¡¯re her subjects¡± It was obvious what he was trying to say. From here, Zeref¡¯s words would run counter against Earl Bergston¡¯s beliefs. It was not because Earl Bergston didn¡¯t understand the reason. However, Earl Bergston didn¡¯t want to hear the continuation of his brother-in-law words whom he trusted the most. Because if he listens to it, he would need to make a decision whether to share the path together or take a different one opposing him. However, this time Zeref was very serious regarding the situation. Even though he understands Bergston¡¯s feelings, Zeref kept continuing to speak. ¡°Oh Brother-in-law, let us see the reality We¡¯ve fulfilled our loyalty to the country more than enough. Should we not explore the way for our future¡¯s survival now ?¡± ¡°But That is¡± ¡®Do you mean, we¡¯re going to forsake Lupis ?¡¯ Bergston ponders as if asking that question. However, Zeref didn¡¯t pull back. It was visible that a great disaster would befall him and his family if he pulled out here. The worst case scenario, his relationship with his brother-in-law would be destroyed. But up until there, even Zeref had prepared to accept everything. ¡°Either way, there¡¯s no more way for her majesty to stand If we cannot suppress the revolt, even the commoners won¡¯t keep Her Majesty alive due to their grudge¡± ¡°Which means, Gerhardt will be using princess Ladine and push Lupis out ? Their legitimate reason would be, washing out the incompetent ruler¡± In response to Bergston¡¯s words, Zeref slowly nods. There was no such things as legitimacy the moment the ruler¡¯s ability was being questioned. Sometimes, the question regarding legitimacy might become one¡¯s strongest weapon. In the last civil war, such reason was the greatest asset in Lupis¡¯ hand. However, now it was all reversed. ¡°Then we will need to negotiate with the commoners¡± Peaceful settlement through negotiation, not suppression with an armed force. That way, Lupis might take less damage. However, Zeref disagreed on Bergston¡¯s proposal without even looking deep into the topic. ¡°That would be a waste. In this situation, people won¡¯t trust our words, and aristocrats won¡¯t easily concede to the commoners either¡± No matter which worlds, the secret of national stability was limited to how much fear towards the government one can maintain. Either by using financial strength, the power of law, or military power. People followed the state because the state was strong and fearsome. For better or worse, security by using power was absolutely needed to achieve stability. And right now, Lupis had no such power. And bBecause she had none power, she held no credibility, wich meantth no credibility her words were meaningless ¡°The cause aside, many people now questioned Her Majesty Lupis ability to govern. And this revolt would be a fatal injury for her. All the aristocrats would then support Gerhardt then¡± ¡°Is it really impossible for us to do something ?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. In the first place, Gerhardt¡¯s influence extends to nearly 40% of the entire nobility of this country. And there is also the current situation. Neutral nobles would flow under Gerhardt unless they held very high resentments towards him.¡± Legitimacy was Lupis strongest weapon. However, in the present situation, just cause would be hazy if Gerhardt would say he wants to get rid of the foolish ruler. Furthermore, if he used Ladine as the figurehead, he could also declare legitimacy. ¡°Nothing can be done, is it ?¡± ¡°At least, if we managed to do something to Ladine-sama, then there might be some way but¡± Without Ladine, no matter how much Gerhardt glosses it over, it won¡¯t change the fact that he usurped the throne from Lupis. Some aristocrats didn¡¯t like thosesuch prospectsimage, thereforesome people then might choose to obey Lupis and might listen to Bergston, but with the current situation, such thing was impossible. ¡°I guess everything is too late ? In the end, the judgment at that time ended up as a fatal one, doeisn¡¯t it ?¡± Bergston looked up at the ceiling and sighed. (As expected, it would have been better to purge Gerhardt the moment the civil war wasis over) Although he understands that there was no point in talking about the past, it can¡¯t be helped if he felt regretful. Because the dawn of the bright Rozeria Kingdom was over in that moment. (But now everything is too late. The brilliant future fell from our palm. And with this revolt, her majesty rule is over. If that is the case, then) Should he perish together with Lupis, or should he explore a way for survival ? The sense of obligation as the minister of the Rozeria Kingdom, and his responsibility as the ruler of his territory. Both were large things that could not easily be abandoned. But right now, he must choose one among the two. Long silence dominates the room. Zeref was quietly waiting for Bergston¡¯s decision. Then, come the time where he needed to speak out his decision. ¡°Very well Let me hear your opinion. How can we protect our household ?¡± Lupis¡¯ judgment. As a human being, her decision was never wrong. And, she also was never wrong as someone responsible for national affairs. However, that was it. She¡¯s not suitable to be a ruler because she was not wrong. To put it more precisely, she chooses the right option as a person, not a ruler. (Your Majesty Please forgive me) Bergston shed blood tears in his heart. He never hated Lupis. Although Lupis occasionally made a stupid and childish judgment, her personality was that of a kind one. At least, in the previous civil war, Earl Bergston served Lupis sincerely. However, in the current situation, not much choice was available. Because Bergston also had family and vassals whom he needed to protect. ¡°That is sensible judgment. Brother-in-law-dono.¡± In responsed to Zeref words, Bergston nodded while biting his lips. Chapter 155 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 13 Chapter 5 Episode 13 Editor: Starbuck11 ¡°Clear blue moon It makes me feels like I could see everything even in the night¡± While he felt the shaking of the carriage, Earl Zeref looked up out the window. It was a beautiful moon that makes one could see everything in the surroundings. It was a perfect full moon without any cloud in the sky. Looking at such a beautiful scenery, the thing that floated inside Zeref¡¯s mind was one¡¯s own dirtiness For persuading his brother-in-law to abandon the Queen and flee However, Zeref didn¡¯t have time to indulge in such sentiment. ¡°After we pass this mountain, everything will be over, but the problem is Elena¡¯s aim¡± The future plan was alreadygenerally settled at Bergston¡¯s house. Among them, Elena¡¯s movement who was stationed on the western border was the key. In the preparation of Ortomea Empire next invasion, Elena who returned from the Zalda Kingdom had been stuck on the border. Under her command were roughly comprised three chivalric orders, including mercenaries from all over the Rozeria Kingdom. About eight thousand troops in total. This was the biggest force in the Rozeria Kingdom when it comes to quantity and quality. The movement of Elena Steiner wouldl greatly influence the future. Elena herself had various options to take. Will she choose to support Lupis just like the oath of the knights should be, or will she support Gerhardt under the banner of getting rid of the foolish ruler ? There was also an option of staying silent and watching the situation evolve. The existence of such Elena cast a shadow to Earl Bergston. (It would be great if she cooperates with us But for now, this should be enough. The story won¡¯t proceed unless we grasp each other¡¯s intentions properly. The problem is) Although he didn¡¯t say it to Bergston, Zeref was 70% sure that his measures would turn successful. It was true that the timing was bad. However. he had already received a report regarding the moment made by Gerhardt and the nobles from the vicinity. (We should have had a little bit time before the commoners¡¯ dissatisfaction exploded. Will this be me misreading things, or) Zeref knew that this rebellion was intentionally awakened by someone. He also knew that the person in question had manipulated the nobles faction. But he didn¡¯t know the identity and aim of that existence. Of course, that existence being an Ortomea spy would be the most likely answer. For Ortomea Empire who tried to conquer the eastern part of the continent, dividing the Rozeria Kingdom was never a bad plan. It can even be said that everything was Ortomea Empire¡¯s doing. However, this assumption could only happen under the premise that Gerhardt had a relationship with the Ortomea Empire. (Whether or not he made such a decision Or rather, he was not a stupid person, so I guess, he might¡¯ve opened a cooperation with Ortomea Empire without anyone noticing) The man named Julio Gerhardt was a greedy and selfish man, but also the type who respect a face-to-face meeting regardless of one¡¯s standing. It would depend on what kind of interest was presented, but Zeref could not imagine that Gerhardt would sell the country to the Ortomea Empire. It would be much more believable that Ortomea people were manipulating Gerhardt. (Or was this all Gerhardt¡¯s plan ? No, that can¡¯t be) Next was the possibility that Gerhardt wanted the throne at all cost, but Earl Zeref thought that possibility to be low. Right now, under Lupis names, aristocrats were levying high taxes causing the common people to rebel. It was certainly enough reasons to overthrown Lupis and set up a new dynasty, but if he failed to quell the rebellion or have another country invade, even if he gains the throne, only devastated land would be on his hand. (And no matter how much Gerhardt want to sit on the throne, he would still be viewed as usurping the throne, despite using the justification of overthrowing a foolish ruler. Will he choose to bear the stigma of the usurper, a traitor to the country, or not That would be the question It would be a more natural course for him to take the prime minister¡¯s job while Ladine sits on the throne as a figurehead. But still, I can¡¯t deny the possibility that all this was part of his strategy Well, in any case, it didn¡¯t answer the question of why the rebellion happened now) If Ortomea was the mastermind, they would choose the timing for the rebellion at the same time as their invasion or right before the invasion began. Since there was the possibility of military suppression if a rebellion broke out too early. And as far as Zeref analyzed it, Ortomea Empire¡¯s next invasion at the Zalda Kingdom won¡¯t happen at least until another year. Fear that as if he was looking at the depth of abyss, total darkness, wells up inside Zeref¡¯s heart. (I would like some allies A friend that could help me) It was no doubt that Bergston, his brother-in-law, was a reliable man. In fact, he was an intelligent man, when it comes to the military and political field. However, if Zeref were to be asked whether or not his brother-in-law was perfect, he would shake his head subtly. Although he had the disposition of being a wise man, his brother-in-law Bergston was sometimes too naive and had little experience when it comes to scheming and gathering intelligence. Of course, he was a million times better than the stupid aristocrats, but one cannot say he was perfect. And right now, what Zeref need was a perfect talent. (I wonder, will that man work ?) Floating in his mind was the figure of a man that kept silence in the far remote area in the north. The man who was a commoner, an adventurer, who had the chance to became a nobleman in the Rozeria Kingdom. A man who helped Lupis take the throne despite innumerable disadvantages. Even in the eyes of Zeref who was good when it comes to schemes, that man boasts sharpness to the point of being scary. (Well, fine Soon enough I will find out) Zeref ceased his thoughts. Due to the horse-drawn carriage being stopped suddenly, and his body leans forward. ¡°What happened ? Oi ! What¡¯s wrong ?!¡± His head hit the sofa¡¯s corner, making him dizzy. Zeref went outside the carriage when the driver didn¡¯t answer, while holding his forehead. Due to a small cut received, blood dripped on his beautiful silk clothes. ¡°Oi, what happens¡± Unintentionally, Zeref stopped his words due to the sight in front of his eyes. Both men sitting on the coaching box had collapsed. Numerous arrows stabbed deeply in their chest. ¡°Damn it It can¡¯t be This is¡± The driver of his carriage were able men, one of them was an intelligence-gathering officer and the other one was a good warrior. They both had the capacity to handle up to twenty thieves alone. Even Zeref didn¡¯t expect that they would be dead without being able to respond to the attacker. ¡°Damn it ! What happened¡± Words filled with curses escaped his mouth. ¨C If he had too many escorts, it would be impossible for him to take quick action and would¡¯ve drawn too much attention. That was why he choose to bring a small escort, but that judgment seemed to have been wrong. The skill that was used to kill his bodyguard obviously belonged to trained men. (The one doing this is definitely not the homeless kind of thief. which meant, they were trained assassins aiming at my life. The question is, who sent them) A sound of winds being cut resounded once again and innumerable arrows attack the coaching box once again. Zeref quickly used the escort¡¯s corpse as a shield. (Only using bow At least I didn¡¯t feel any magic being involved) If it was only using bows and arrows, Zeref could still use dead bodies as a shield, but that cannot be said the same if magic were involved. Whatever attributes the magic user had, the carriage could have been easily blown up. Conversely speaking, having used only bows and arrows at the beginning suggested that there was no magic user involved. (Unlike my brother-in-law, I¡¯m not that good when it comes to martial arts But I guess, I have no choice here I can¡¯t just sit in silence and get killed) Borrowing the sword of one of his dead escort, Zeref hides behind the shadow of the passenger car. The surroundings were covered with dense wood. And it was also in the middle of the night. The possibility of a third party coming to help him was zero. Furthermore, Zeref was not a natural fighter. Although he had undergone magic and martial arts training, he was no stronger than a fresh knight Even the younger knights could easily surpass him if he didn¡¯t do well. The problem was his own heart. No matter how much power one had, if one¡¯s heart had fear in using it, then that power would become dull. However, there was only one way to survive this situation. And that was to kill the assassins with his own two hands. Even if the possibility of success was low. However, when Zeref was about to solidify his determination, the situation changed dramatically. ¡°Have they run out of arrows ?¡± The arrows that were constantly striking the horse-drawn carriage, stopped instantly. Zeref then observed the surroundings from the shadows. Silence dominates the landscape, one could hear the voice of crows from the distance. (Is this a trap ? But if I don¡¯t do anything, nothing will change) Zeref slowly leaves the shadow while keeping the surroundings under his watch. ¡°Who ?!¡± Zeref pointed the sword towards the sound that was coming from the depth of the forest. The tension caused his hands to tremble. His throat becomes dry, and his heart beating very fast. ¡°Please put your sword down. Earl Zeref. We¡¯ve dealt with the assassins¡± The person emerging from the shadows speak to Zeref with a calm voice. ¡°Don¡¯t say something stupid ! Who the hell are you ?!¡± The situation was too unexpected. And Zeref was not stupid enough to accept it. He kept his sword ready while his hands grew sweaty. ¡°Do you not recognize me ?¡± The owner of the voice gradually moved closer. Eventually, looking at the face illuminated by the moonlight, Zeref couldn¡¯t help it but raising a surprised voice. Chapter 156 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 14 Editor: Starbuck11 ¡°I see So we made it in time I¡¯m glad that Earl Zeref is safe¡± While listening to the report brought from Tristoron city, located in the west of Rozeria Kingdom, Ryouma put down the pen he was holding while breathing out a sigh of relief. ¡°Yes. I heard the news from Sara, it seems Earl Zeref¡¯s escort was killed by the first raid, it was quite a dangerous situation, but somehow Sara and Sakuya managed to deal with the assassins, and right now they are having a talk with Elensama. Like Ryoumsama had expected, the two people had decided to abandon Queen Lupis. Furthermore, Elensama also handed us a letter that she wanted to meet Ryoumsama at all cost for consultations regarding the future of the country.¡± As soon as he read the letter, Ryouma floated a smile of satisfaction on his face. Although Elena was a competent soldier, she was never a good politician. If it was only one city or town, then she might be capable enough, but when it comes to a whole country, she was well aware that she didn¡¯t have the capacity. The content might well have been a wish to consult regarding the future, but in fact, there was no mistake that her letter could be seen as her intention to enter Ryouma¡¯s umbrella. Ryouma looked up at the ceiling while leaning his body deeply. A slightly happy expression could be seen on his face. ¡°Earl Zeref has moved as I had expected, Although the timing of him leaving the royal capital and meeting Elena can be said as something limited¡± ¡°Yes Not only did he manage to persuade Earl Bergston to give up on Queen Lupis, I never thought that he had the power to actually make Elensama cooperate.¡± Laura gazed at the letter once again. Inside her mind, she still could not believe the content of the letter. At least in her eyes, Earl Zeref was just a sneaky middle-aged man hiding in the shadow of his brother-in-law. Even though she understood that everything was only for an appearance, she still could not believe it. ¡°Are you surprised ?¡± ¡°Yes I still cannot believe it¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s question, Laura gently nodded her head showing confusion on her beautiful face. Even though she had been told about it in advance, Laura still could not believe it that under such mediocre appearance, Earl Zeref could pull off such movements. However, seeing Laura with that expression, Ryouma raises a laughter. ¡°That is also his own doing. He calculated his own appearance according to his influence towards the surroundings.¡± ¡°It was calculated ?¡± ¡°Right, everything was calculated by him¡± Both brothers were well-regarded politicians, but one was a dandy middle-aged man who boasts refined a smart look and a tall body, and the other was a middle-aged man with tattered appearance. Looking at such contrast, no wonder that Earl Zeref was often being considered as just a follower of Earl Bergston. That was the thing Earl Zeref made use of. He used it to carry the dark side of the politics on his shoulders. ¡°That person realized that simple appearances didn¡¯t attract much attention. And usually, he was under Earl Bergston¡¯s shadow taking one or two steps back from the surroundings.¡± ¡°Which meant, he didn¡¯t want to attract attention, is it ?¡± ¡°Well, you can regard him as a backstage actor¡± The actors who stood on the stage might shine, but for them to do so, they needed the support of backstage people working in the shadows. It was work that usually didn¡¯t receive enough evaluation. However, it might be true that if the backstage crew didn¡¯t devote themselves to their work, the stage wouldn¡¯t be established. And the relationship of Earl Bergston and Zeref can be described like that. Earl Zeref who carry the dirty role of supporting his brother-in-law, and Earl Bergston who stand on the political stage. It can be said that they were two people sharing one fate. ¡°Either way, with this we have managed to obtain three more pair of hands¡± ¡°Elensama, Earl Zeref and Earl Bergston ?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it is a considerable helping pair of hands. Especially Earl Zeref¡± ¡°Earl Zeref ? not the other two ?¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s words, Laura tilted her head. There was no objection when it comes to how influential these three people were. However, if one was to be asked who was the most powerful one among the three, the natural answer would¡¯ve been Elena or Bergston. Elena who had the most experience when it comes to military and relationships with the neighboring countries, and Earl Bergston who was given the responsibility in charge of administration under Queen Lupis, although Laura understood that Earl Zeref was not your ordinary man, but compared to the two, in her eyes he was below them. Looking at Laura¡¯s expression, Ryouma shakes his head. ¡°The information network that person has, was something Iga clan didn¡¯t have. In the future, that would be the most needed thing in taking down the Rozeria Kingdom.¡± Iga clan might have been a very important piece for Ryouma, as an intelligence and counter-intelligence body, but if being asked whether or not they were perfect, the answer would be a no. Iga clan had members around 200 people including women and children. Now they were teaching spy work to the children previously purchased as slaves, but those who can take up jobs didn¡¯t exceed more than 100 people. Of course, Iga clan planned to expand in the future, but if one thinks about the future expansion, they will need more people. Especially, when it comes to keeping an eye on the nobles, people who were familiar with the society were indispensable. (Well, I don¡¯t care much about nobility but) Ryouma had pictured his ideal country in his head. It would be a country centered on the merit system. Basically, Ryouma didn¡¯t like the existence of aristocracy. In his eyes, he saw the majority of aristocrats as nothing more than insects exploiting people with taxes and immersing themselves with pleasures. And Mikoshiba Ryouma was not somebody kind enough to let such insects spread on his own garden (country). His ideal was to obliterate the entire Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s aristocrats and take the entire territory under the royal¡¯s administration, but that would take too much work. Which meant, only one option was left. After one sorted out the gems from amongst the stones, one can then spend the time to further sort the best gems amongst the other ones. For that reason, Ryouma needed Earl Zeref ability. The man who knows the secret of many Rozeria¡¯s aristocrats. Nonetheless, it was still a faraway story when Earl Zeref could exercise his full ability under Ryouma. It can¡¯t be helped if people regards this as a presumptuous dream created by a small feudal lord from a remote land. (For now, I need to immediately take my first step Can I do this ?) If it was as planned, the disturbances and revolts by the commoners will cause the aristocrats to be unable to move their forces until near the border. Although, in this situation they still might be able to use unreasonable force. And the attack towards Earl Zeref was the proof of that. Normally, one should not use such frontal assault. Since there were ways that draw less attention, like making a threat or using poison. Yet, they had gone all the way to make a frontal assault. It was easy to regard that as a warning to the nobles who were dissatisfied with Lupis. In those kind of times, there was only one person who will cross such dangerous bridge for Lupis¡¯ sake. ¡°The time has come Call Simone and Genou¡± Hearing the name Ryouma had said, Laura immediately understood his intention. ¡°Ryoumsama Finally¡± ¡°Right, we will take over Epiroz¡± Hearing his answer, Laura immediately left the room to call the people Ryouma had asked. Ryouma who was being left alone in his room, directed his eyes towards the Japanese sword that leaned beside the work desk. It was the proof that he had inherited the whole Iga clan, who had been waiting for a master to serve for several hundred years. A smile appeared on Ryouma¡¯s face. If someone were in this room, one might mistake his expression as the face of a demon. ¡°With this, finally you will have something to work with Do please show me your best scream, Kikoku.¡± Slowly, Ryouma called the name of the boorish-looking Japanese sword with a gentle voice. At that moment, Ryouma ears could hear a wind of roar coming from somewhere. It sounded like a crying demon Chapter 157 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 15 Editor: Starbuck11 5-15 (The two headed snakes poison) On that day, at the border between Baron Mikoshiba and Earl Salzberg¡¯s territories. A man makes an appearance on the second floor of the fort built at the boundary. ¡°Finally we made it this far¡± Ryouma nodded with satisfiction while looking down at the lines of soldiers in black. It had been several years since Mikoshiba Ryouma, your ordinary high school student, had been summoned to this world by the goddess of fate¡¯s mischief. No one knows how much blood and tears Ryouma had to spend until he reached this stage. Numbers were equivalent to power. No matter what world, such fact didn¡¯t change. And now, Ryouma was trying to show the power he had cultivated in this world for the first time. The power he had kept hidden for all these years. Even so, Ryouma still felt uneasy inside his heart. (Once we start this, there won¡¯t be any going back. I have no choice but to win.) He fully understood that his existence was alienated from the surroundings. For the majority of the Rozerian aristocrats, Ryouma was just an upstart. While for the Knights, he was a target of envy. There were few people who saw through his power and become part of his strength, but the numbers of these people could be counted on both hands. Mikoshiba Ryouma was close to that of a heretic for most people living in the Rozeria Kingdom. And no matter what worlds, people hate heretics. Nevertheless, the reason why he didn¡¯t lose against his surroundings was because Ryouma always tried to hide his powers and talents, and managed others¡¯ evaluation towards him so that they would¡¯ve underestimated him as much as possible. (No, I will be fine I¡¯ve also talked with Elensan. And she had given me a satisfactory reply. Everything has gone according to plan Afterwards, I just need to) It was the army he had brought up with great care. Thus it was not confidence in how he trained the army that he was worried about. It was just that most of his soldiers had no war experience, except for those who were part of the reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom. Naturally, they possessed big strength. But most of them only had the experience of hunting monsters within the Wortenia Peninsula. As a fighting force alone, each of them had the power of a mid-ranked knight. However, a war where people killed one another was completely different compared to a battle where they killed monsters. A war between people was a place where the strong would not always win. It was filled with strong murderous intents towards the others, and the desire to survive. ¡°It will be fine. Definitely¡± Laura who stood on Ryouma¡¯s side, gently grasped his trembling hand. No matter how much steel nerves one had, it was difficult to keep calm if one were to start a conflict that will decide the future of so many people. In this war, Mikoshiba Ryouma didn¡¯t shoulder his future alone. ¡°Finally we took the first step towards our wish. Mikoshibdono.¡± Suddenly he was called from behind by someone who was not supposed to be there, and Ryouma turned back while showing a smile on his face. ¡°Please don¡¯t surprise me like that. Nelsios-san.¡± ¡°Well now, that was rude of me. As hunting is one of my way of life, erasing my presence has become a habit of mine.¡± Ryouma shrugged his shoulders in response to the black-skinned man who scratches his silver hair while laughing. Behind him, a few soldiers are hiding their faces with cloaks and hoods were kneeling. ¡°Thank you for seeing me off today¡± Nelsios and the others¡¯ views were still uncertain. Although he had visited Ryouma¡¯s mansion at Sirius city and attended important meetings there, Nelsios was still not a vassal of Ryouma. If one were to describe their relationship, an alliance would be more appropriate. ¡°No need to be so humble. After all, today is an important day for all of us. There might not be many things we could do, but we will spare no efforts to help you as much as we can.¡± Nelsios said those words and took out a single cigar from his pocket. He then twisted the tip and bite it. ¡®Excuse me. Recently I could not calm down without doing this¡± Saying that, Nelsios lit his cigar using fire magic from his fingertip. ¡°As long you¡¯re pleased, I would feel the same.¡± Although Nelsios¡¯ attitude was far from being polite, Ryouma nodded his head with a gentle smile. By utilizing their physical ability and characteristics, demi-humans had managed to live peacefully within the Wortenia land They had spent a lot of time adapting to such a harsh land. However, it didn¡¯t mean their life was great. Even though they managed to survive by collecting nuts, mushrooms, or hunting monsters¡¯ flesh for daily food, it was impossible for them to get any luxurious goods. They might manage to get liquor made from tree fruits as raw material, but the amount of production was relatively small. They simply had no leeway to make more. What they were thinking all the time was just for living. Of course, such train of thought might be natural for those who lived within the Wortenia peninsula. Compared to their capacity of magic arts and weapon production, their cultural production such as luxury and entertainment was low. That was why Ryouma had given them luxury goods and taught them the pleasure of life. In order to get into the demi-human bosom who had little entertainment. ¡°This is really spectacular. They looked like the heroic army that appear in the myths of old.¡± Ryouma felt slightly itchy by Nelsios words who compared him with the hero from the stories of the long past. However, rather than feeling discomfort, he wanted to smile bitterly at Nelsios desperation. (Well, from his standpoint, I guess it is normal. After all, it is already impossible for them to cut contact with the outside world.) An extraordinary effort and strong will were necessary to lower people quality of life once it had been raised. ¡°This is all thanks to many people¡¯s contributions including Nelsios-san and the clan. I¡¯m very grateful. After all, it was hard for humans to make this many weapons with magic arts engraved on it. Furthermore, all of you possess magic skills much more advanced than us.¡± Nelsios nodded with satisfaction in response to Ryouma¡¯s grateful words. Indeed, no matter which countries, if their knights saw the weapons Ryouma¡¯s soldiers had, they would raise their voices in surprise. Engraving magic arts users were precious existences. Far fewer compared to the chanting magic arts user, those who could perform such bestowal magic were usually protected by the state or powerful merchants. Furthermore, because the weapons that had been engraved by magic arts were very expensive, usually it was only given as a gift for a special talented high-ranked knight, even in the western continent, the three major powers including Ortomea could only have armed a team or two of knights with such weapons. Then such soldiers were usually appointed as Imperial Guard who protect the ruler directly. People who saw Mikoshiba Ryouma soldiers which were armed with such weapons would feel something surreal afoot. Without knowing that the one who created such anomaly were the demi-humans who lived within the Wortenia peninsula. ¡°We¡¯re happy to hear that. After all, we would like to continue trading into the future Also¡± Saying that, the soldiers behind Nelsios stood up. ¡°Actually, today we would like to propose to advance our relationship further.¡± ¡°Which means ?¡± ¡°You guys, go ahead and show your face.¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s question, while showing a smile on his face, Nelsios told the soldiers to take off the hoods. In front of Ryouma¡¯s eyes, people with beautiful appearance appeared. ¡°This is¡± ¡°I¡¯ve chosen among my clan members those with the best appearance and ability. Please use them anyway Mikoshibdono sees fit. Their abilities as guards and magic practitioners are high. And their ability to make children is also great. And you don¡¯t have to worry because they already agreed for this¡± Ryouma had no words to reply him with, as he looked at Nelsios who laughed like a mischievous child. (This guy to make this kind of approach.) Ryouma had begun to understand the aim of his surprise attack. (It would be a poor move for me to refuse Nelsios-san Whether or not I should embrace them aside, I have no choice but to make them my guard I guess.) At first, it was only liquor and tobacco, then medicine and luxury that were rare products to the Wortenia peninsula, he was the only partner Nelsios had to perform such trade. And that trading partner¡¯s name was none other than Mikoshiba Ryouma. At least, one can say that it was impossible for Nelsios to replace him and find another supplier. After all, even if they had the strength to influence the western continent, the majority of people living there believed in the Light God¡¯s teachings which advocates an outright ostracism against the demi-humans. That was why the demi-humans had to live in seclusion in dangerous territories such as Wortenia peninsula. How high was the chance for the territory to have a feudal lord that would not oppress the demi-humans ? And if the territory managed to have one, how high was the possibility for such feudal lord to meet Nelsios ? Given such factors, for Nelsios, the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma was an important piece that could not be changed. At least, Nelsios wouldn¡¯t betray Ryouma unless Ryouma made an unreasonable demand. (That is why Nelsios-san must be very worried right now Should I increase our business transaction, I wonder ?) In Ryouma¡¯s eyes, he also wanted to strengthen their relationship, as two people who lead a persecuted life, of course, it was natural for both of them to feel like that. ¡°Then in return, lets me increase the amount of liquor and the number of goods traded including cigarettes.¡± ¡°Uhuh, We would highly appreciate that. Since both goods are very popular among my people.¡± Nelsios¡¯ face showed full of smile, letting Ryouma know just what he wished for. It was natural, that one should gain something in exchange for cooperation. However, it was dangerous to word one¡¯s wishes during such cooperative exchanges. Since it might change into plain gratification and the possibility that Ryouma¡¯s mood would worsen. But even if one didn¡¯t voice one wishes, there was also the danger of some misunderstandings if it wasn¡¯t properly aired. ¡°I guess it is time for me to go Then, let me excuse myself for today. If there¡¯s a problem during my absence, please consult it with Simone or Boltz.¡± After saying the first line, before parting ways, Ryouma whispered words to Laura¡¯s ears which she responded with a nod. ¡°I understand. May the fortune of war be with you, master¡± Nelsios deeply bowed his head after Ryouma headed out for the meeting. He was bowing as a retainer towards their supreme ruler. On that day, in the year of 2814 Western Continent Calendar, The two-headed snakes with silver and golden head had begun to show their fangs and quietly swallow the entire continent. Of course, nobody had realized it yet. Even those who would become the prey of their poison Chapter 158 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 16 Editor: Starbuck11 On that day, modest knockings resounded throughout Earl Salzberg¡¯s mansion located in the middle of fortress-city Epiroz. ¡°Dear. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you but, may I have a little bit of your time ?¡± Yuria Salzberg called out the lord of the room while listening to a girl moan in broad daylight. Hearing her voice. The woman¡¯s moans and the sound of squeaking stopped for a moment, then the voice of a frustrated man could be heard from the inside. ¡°What is it, Yuria? Currently, I¡¯m in a good part. If it¡¯s not important, can we talk later ?¡± His voice was filled with arrogance and confidence as if he was talking to his servants, not his wife. Despite being called by his wife while in the middle of his affairs with a young maid, Thomas Salzberg didn¡¯t sound guilty at all. If those who knew the Earl heard what he said, they might doubt their ears. Because between the Earl and his wife, many people thought that she was the one leading the two. Besides, even among noblemen, Earl Salzberg¡¯s behavior right now can be regarded as abnormal. They might question whether or not the Earl see Yuria as his wife. In the modern world, this kind of treatment would be regarded as emotional abuse. If one were to have a decent mind, it was natural for the woman to think about divorce or at least live in a separate house. However, Yuria had no options to choose from. (I only work for this man like a slave. Divorce aside, there¡¯s even no way for us to live separately That is something I could not hope for But) Yuria herself personally didn¡¯t care about the details. If her husband wanted a concubine, she herself had the generosity to grant such wish. If asked more, she was even fine to hand over the seat of the legal wife. In the first place, Yuria was only the daughter of an influential merchant in Epiroz city. Judging from the class system, even though economically wealthy, the merchants were only commoners. Certainly, there was those who were called business magnates. People who could influence the movements of a certain country. Even if they were commoners, if one could become such merchant, then even a king would pay some respect accordingly. However, nobody even know how many such merchants exist in the entire world. Yet, despite not being one, Yuria had become an Earl¡¯s wife. But looking at his manners, one could see what kind of existence Yuria was for the Earl. Even though formally she was his wife, in his eyes, she was essentially the same as servants. Even though she was prepared for this kind of situation from the beginning, her heart still screams every time she see her husband¡¯s mindless attitude. Disgust, anger, and deep sorrow mixed into one. While suppressing the feelings of wanting to cry out, Yuria continues speaking ¡°A letter has come from Baron Mikoshiba.¡± She heard that he was clicking his tongue inside the room. Although he was in the middle of having fun, it seems he still managed to judge the situation properly. ¡°I see Wait a bit, let me wear my clothes.¡± Hearing his words, Yuria sighed. The current Earl Salzberg¡¯s debauchery just started recently. It was the result of being tired by the strict frugal lifestyle. He ousted his father and didn¡¯t hesitate to release his suppressed desires from the day he sat down as the head of the Salzberg household. Lavish foods and women occupy most of his mind. While it was his wife, Yuria, who was the one who did the job as a lord. In the Earl¡¯s eyes, Yuria, who was not from a noble family, was like a gardener who took care of his garden. His garden named Epiroz. If her value disappeared, he would just hand her over to someone else Yuria herself understands that as well. Although it was an unwanted marriage akin to human sacrifice, Yuria herself had made an effort to love her husband, in fact, she had been doing her best for the past decade. The result of her hard work, Earl Salzberg¡¯s fame and popularity had increased thanks to stable governance for many years. And he became the most influential aristocrat who leads Rozeria northern nobles. In order to support those, Yuria had taken over the economy of the city. Her achievements are by no means light. However, the reality was heartless. (I¡¯m just a tool in the eyes of this person) From the surrounding people, they saw her as the strong woman who controls the Earl¡¯s household from behind the scene, but in reality, she only amounts to this much. The moment the door was opened, Yuria turned her head to the side, away from the fishy smell that entered her nose. ¡°What are you doing? If you have a business then get in¡± It was a cold voice. His voice sounded displeased because his fun was being disturbed. Yuria who stood at the entrance was ordered by Earl Salzberg to enter. The moment she heard him, Yuria¡¯s heart was set. ¡°You should leave. Also, nobody should approach this room until I call.¡± After giving such order to the maid who opened the door, Yuria set her foot inside the room. ¡°A letter from that youngster? What happened ?¡± Earl Salzberg extended his hand towards Yuria while looking suspicious. ¡°It¡¯s firmly sealed with wax He¡¯s really stiff¡± The design of a double-headed snake entwining a sword on the sealing wax indicated that the sender was Baron Mikoshiba. Earl Salzberg took a knife and opened the letter. ¡°Let¡¯s see Just what is that youngster going to say exactly ?¡± The Earl¡¯s eyes slowly traced over the letter. Earl Salzberg who eventually finished reading the letter slowly folded the paper. After a brief silence, his laughter echoed inside the room. ¡°KhukhuHAHAHAHAHA ! Magnificent. This is going to be fun.¡± His figure who laughed while covering his face with his right hand was an evidence that he was making light of his opponent. ¡°What is written inside ?¡± In response to Yuria asking such question, the Earl handed the letter to her. Yuria herself actually knew the content from her father and grasped the situation, but she could not show it here. She took the letter silently. ¡°What do you think ?¡± Earl Salzberg asked Yuria who was currently reading the letter. ¡°This is A declaration of war, no ?¡± The letter gives no impression of a lie. Reading the letter, one can only interpret it as that. However, Earl Salzberg only continues to laugh even after reading the letter ¡°Stupid There¡¯s no way for me to not notice his movements. That must be also why he declared war openly like this¡± In the letter, it was written first a demand of apology and compensation for all the spies the Earl had sent to sabotage the Wortenia peninsula. Second, demanding to delegate the soldiers stationed near Epiroz city to Baron Mikoshiba for restoring security and order due to the rebellion of commoners. However, Earl Salzberg knows that both reasons were just a mere excuse. First of all, it was true that he had sent spies to the peninsula but, it was not only him, most of the nobles near the peninsula had done the same. Also, it was true that he had ordered the spies for sabotage, but there was no reason for Earl Salzberg to acknowledge it. Although it was written as demand for an apology and compensation, it was reasonable enough to look at the letter as a declaration of war from the sender in case the sender had anticipated denial from the beginning. Also, it was unreasonable to demand to hand over military command with the reason of restoring order. In what world would one hand over command of their army to other people to protect one¡¯s own territory the answer was none. Not to mention that the one demanding that was the person who accused you of espionage and sabotage. In other words, it sounded like, handing over command of the army to the person who hated you. Only in comedy did such things happen. No matter what kind of justifiable matter it was, in this kind of situation, no one in their right mind would hand over command of their armed forces. There were two possibilities. Whether the person who wrote the letter was someone who could not understand authority, or that the person wrote it possessed a full understanding that the request would be denied from the beginning. But, Yuria and Earl Salzberg never thought of Mikoshiba Ryouma as a stupid person. ¡°I think he is going to make use of the commoners¡¯ rebellion to expand his power.¡± ¡°I see In this situation, the royal capital won¡¯t be able to intervene after all¡± Hearing Yuria¡¯s remark, Earl Salzberg responded with a dark smile. The position of Mikoshiba Ryouma within the Rozeria kingdom could be said as a sensitive issue. The Wortenia peninsula he was ruling was a remote place where tax revenues can hardly be expected. However, with the alliance of the eastern countries and ErnestGora everything changed. As a relay point of trade for the continent northern route. Also, from the monsters inhabiting the peninsula, many things could be traded for high value. Now he holds such riches. Of course, for the neighboring nobles, such a situation was not fun. Fortunately, it was known that Mikoshiba Ryouma who had been exiled in the remote region by Queen Lupis bore hatred towards her. And that feeling of frustration surely would cause a war between them. And while the Queen planned a change of territory, the nobles would seek a share of the pie. As a matter of course, there was no way Mikoshiba Ryouma wouldn¡¯t realize his own unstable position. This letter showed what his countermeasure would be ¡°It is hard to feed soldiers by creating farmland from scratch. If that is the case, there¡¯s no choice for him but to storm the neighboring territories.¡± ¡°If that man is to survive, he only has one choice. And that is to strike south.¡± An upstart noble, aristocrats who were ready to cooperate with Baron Mikoshiba who was seen as a heretical existence, were few in numbers. In other words, the pressure from the nearby aristocrats and the potential intervention by the Royal family caused overwhelming disadvantages. Even if Baron Mikoshiba had legitimacy over the land, it won¡¯t show any effects. Justice would always be decided by the majority vote. However, with the present conditions where the domestic situation of the Rozeria Kingdom is in chaos, the story would be different. Even if Mikoshiba Ryouma moves his army and took other territories by force, the Royal family doesn¡¯t have the capacity to intervene and blame him for it. ¡°Fumu I guess that is his aim then¡± Earl Salzberg deeply nodded while crossing his arms considering Yuria¡¯s words. (This provocation seems to be a reckless choice at first glance, but for that man, won¡¯t there be another way around ? Is this his do-or-die gambling ? Or is there something else ?) Various thoughts crosses the Earl¡¯s mind. ¡°So then, what are we going to do ?¡± ¡°Since I don¡¯t know the state of the peninsula, I don¡¯t want to jump in, but we have no choice but to talk to the surrounding nobles, just in case¡± In response to Yuria who broke the long silence, the Earl finally gave his orders. Despite sending a lot of spies, he was unable to grasp the situation within the peninsula. He thinks it was improbable, but Earl Salzberg thought it might be possible for Ryouma to exceed his military power by using financial power. Although he was making fun of Ryouma all the time for being an upstart, Earl Salzberg¡¯s experience as a military commander was still reliable. ¡°Gather soldiers and crush him in a single swooping battle. Certainly, it is of low taste, but I guess there¡¯s no other choice. I understand. I will immediately prepare the letter¡± After saying that gracefully, Yuria quickly leaves the room. At that time, Earl Salzberg felt a bit of a sense of incongruity. The Earl keeps staring silently at Yuria¡¯s back. As if trying to probe the depths of her heart. Chapter 159 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 17 Editor: Starbuck11 It had been a week since Earl Salzberg received a letter from Ryouma that could be best described as a declaration of war, and he decided to fight in a direct confrontation. A cavalry party crossed the highway towards the east with heavy clouds hanging above their heads. The weather that indicates heavy rains are about to come, caused the man wearing an armor and straddling a white horse to click his tongue. Currently, he was heading towards Epiroz. In his field of vision, he could only see grasslands, there was no place for him and his cavalry party to find a shelter. However, even if there was such a place, in this kind of landscape, it would be too small to shelter a party comprised of more than 100 men. ¡°Cih ! the rain is about to pour at any moment now. I was only helping that old man Salzberg because of father, and now the weather is making me irritated.¡± A large man riding a white horse who leads the party, bitterly said those words after looking up towards the sky. Looking at his appearance, he was a man aged around late twenties. His arm and leg muscles looked trained, and his body was twice bigger compared to the people in his surroundings. His face looked intimidating, especially the deep scar carved on his right cheek that looked eye-catching. Most people who saw him would first think of him as some bandit or mercenary. But in this world, the words of ¡°don¡¯t judge a book by its covers¡± seems to apply as well. Hearing the man¡¯s complaint, a knight comes closer to him. His role as an aide was to appease the leader¡¯s dissatisfaction that had been going on since they left their territory, without gaining animosity from him. For the man, even though he understands something, he was the type that won¡¯t bend his opinion no matter how until the end. Although his willingness to listen was good, his personality was lacking the ability to express something without saying them, which should be indispensable as a nobleman. That was why, even though he¡¯s smart enough in analyzing the situation, his ability to deal with the surroundings was bad. In other words, one can regard him as a man who could not read the mood. ¡°Young master, I fully understand young master¡¯s feelings but, please do endure it for now. All of the ten northern noble houses must send soldiers. It would turn into a dangerous situation for Baron Bertrand¡¯s house if we¡¯re the only ones who didn¡¯t respond to Earl Salzberg¡¯s call.¡± The aide¡¯s argument was right. And those words were also the same words he had said many times before already to appease the man¡¯s irritation since they left the territory. There were ten noble houses situated in the northern territory of Rozeria. Among them, Salzberg house with the rank of Earl had the biggest military power and was the leader of the ten houses since the founding of the Rozeria Kingdom. For the northern nobles, they would feel more nervous when they deal with Earl Salzberg compared to the ruler of the country that was situated far away from their territory. ¡°It is because of attitudes like yours that Baron Mikoshiba got angry. In the first place, what is wrong with their heads, fighting against each others when the country is unstable like this This is also why I objected and didn¡¯t want to go It was because my father and elder brother won¡¯t shut their mouths about the obligation to the Earl and the pride of being the Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s nobles that I got out like this¡± ¡°Our enemy this time is an upstart after all. There¡¯s the saying that ¡®the nail that sticks out needs to get hammered in¡¯. Besides, the war this time is not only for helping the Earl. Wortenia peninsula seems to have the ability to generate wealth beyond what we had thought previously, thus if we win this war, we might be able to demand some reward.¡± The man snorted after he heard his aide¡¯s words, who showed a broad smile on his side ¡°Fuuh, is that something a knight that serves the glorious Bertrand family should say ? How wonderful of you.¡± It was him being sarcastic. But, the knight didn¡¯t seem to feel any concerns after hearing it. ¡°I could not help it. After all, I could not survive with a knight¡¯s pride alone. Besides, Earl Salzberg was not the one who started this whole situation. Don¡¯t get any misunderstings there¡± ¡°Are you saying the one that gets provoked is stupid ?¡± Indeed, that is from a normal point of view, Mikoshiba Ryouma argument was right. For men of power, the existence called spy was the same as a thief who steals treasures known as informations. Moreover, depending on the situation they could¡¯ve also become a more destructive agent such as assassins. A dangerous pest that damage the flower garden known as the territory. If one were to sent such dangerous presence. Even if the world is at war, or that it was not uncommon for nobles to sent spies to other territories, there was no reason for not feeling uncomfortable. If it was one or two spies, then it might still be forgivable. And one might endure it after considering the difference in power between each parties. However, the story change if more than ten people were sent. Not to mention, even though Baron Mikoshiba was part of the Rozeria Kingdom aristocracy,the nobles surrounding the peninsula persistently had kept sending spies No wonders Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma felt a sense of crisis. However, even if one were being provoked, for a Baron to go against an Earl was absurd. As long as nothing strange happens, the difference in power could be used to justify who was right and who was wrong. (Well, it is also natural for my father and elder brother to be in frenzy. Especially now that Wortenia has become a mountain of treasures) For better or worse, it was the nature of aristocrats to want to increase their territory and their wealth. The tendency was particularly strong now because the country was currently in chaos. For them, it was necessary to keep their family alive. That was why, as long they judge some profits could be obtained, they would gather like hyenas and rush towards the decayed flesh. Threatening, blackmailing, use everything necessary to get one¡¯s object of interest. (But wait I see, did that man deliberately provoked Mikoshiba Ryouma for this purpose ? If it¡¯s those guys, then it is possible) Sending spies endlessly to fuel Baron Mikoshiba¡¯s tension. And then, when everything was about to breake out into all-out war, beat him up with overwhelming military force. What remains afterward would be Wortenia peninsula which had become an important commercial port. Then distribute the rewards to the surrounding nobles. He didn¡¯t have any proof to claim this thought, but inside the man¡¯s head, the outline of the war had started to appear. (Now I began to think something nasty. Am I actually hating such upstart this much ?) It was the truth that Mikoshiba Ryouma was disliked by the majority of the Rozeria aristocracy. The majority of them viewed Mikoshiba Ryouma as a vagabond mercenary who gained noble status without knowing his social standing, even if it was a reward for his contributions during the civil war. Thus there was no reason for the nobles to remain silent when the Wortenia peninsula had turned into an economic powerhouse territory. (But still, who planned all of this ?) He didn¡¯t believe that his brother, father or his immediate family had the ability to draw up this kind of plan. They both were worldly-minded people that were only interested in exploiting the citizen and enjoying their lavish life. (Was that old man Salzberg the one who planned all of this ? No, even if that man could draw some plot, the way he does thing feels different. Which means, is it his wife, Yuria, who is known as a poisonous woman, then ?) While thinking so, he immediately denied his own thoughts. (No, she might be smart when it comes to the economy, but I don¡¯t believe she had the capacity to plot something like this If that is the case then) The faces of the head of household of the ten nobles family floated inside his mind But none of them were deemed to be the mastermind. ¡°Young master, please look ahead.¡± His knight aide brought back his senses to reality. ¡°A golden Eagle with red background Is that the flag of Baron Garbera¡¯s house ?¡± Southwest and Southeast. The place they were right now was where two intersections meet to the direction of Epiroz city. ¡°Halt !¡± In accordance with the man¡¯s command, the cavalry party stopped moving. The road ahead might be wide compared to a normal one, but it was not to the extent that two forces could advance side by side. Thus it was necessary to decide who should advance first. ¡°All of you wait here.¡± After he gives his command to the nearby knight, the man slowly advances alone and jump down from his horse. Normally, it was not necessary for the commander to negotiate personally, However, the man kept advancing. Apparently, the other party also had guessed the man¡¯s intention as well. Since one man from Garbera house¡¯ army also advances his horse alone. ¡°As expected, it is you the one who led the army, huh ? Long time no see I guess, Signiz.¡± Hearing those words, the man called Signiz jumped down from his horse and spread his hands while laughing. ¡°Same to you Roberto Bertrand. I¡¯m happy that I could see that stupid face of yours.¡± ¡°Piss off You damned fourth son !¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line !¡± While spouting curses at each other, the two firmly hugged each other. ¡°It has been three, no, I guess four years since the last time I saw your face¡± ¡°Indeed, last time we met was when we had a skirmish near the border of ErnestGora.¡± Roberto answered Signiz¡¯ words with a sigh. ¡°Fumu, well there¡¯s no choice for us. Since we are only a baron¡¯s fourth son¡± In aristocratic society, unlike the first son, the second and third son only had worth as insurance in case that something unfortunate happened to the first son. And if an unfortunate accident didn¡¯t happen, then their value would be gone. Of course, compared to the first son, the treatment towards the second son and third son were bad. Not to mention if one were to become the fourth son, most of them would be treated as if not existing. It was rare for them to meet other nobles, and when they do, they would meet those with the same situation. Normally, such people would drop their house name and become independent. ¡°Look at you Roberto, you haven¡¯t changed at all¡± ¡°Well yeah isn¡¯t that the same with you ?¡± Hearing Roberto¡¯s question, Signiz nodded while showing an expression as if he had given up on something. ¡°Well yeah, I¡¯m only being called when something troublesome like this happens¡± The two men circumstances were similar. Having been born in poor baron families as fourth sons, having no place to stay inside the families, and having only the talent of being a knight. In particular, their talents as a warrior was prominent. To the extent that their parents and brothers didn¡¯t want to let go of them. The two were given work that was related to fighting, such as maintaining public order or disposing of homeless people that frequently appeared in their territory. Despite being given such work, they had no right to speak in regards to territorial management, and their position within their houses was the lowest. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. This is the only thing we could do¡± ¡°Well, I guess so¡± Even if they aimed to take over the household, they would need to kill their own father and brothers. It might be true that they despised their family, but they were not cold enough to kill their own immediate families. Signiz nodded his head in responding. ¡°We have no choice but to end up with this. Anyway, let¡¯s just finish our job fast. When we arrive at Epiroz, how about some drinks ? Since I have plenty of stories to tell you¡± ¡°Sure On the other hand, Signiz, you will be the one who pays for the drinks.¡± ¡°Fine by me. I will treat you to only one cup¡± Hearing those words, both men smiled at each other, then began to ride their horses once again. ¡°Well then, towards Epiroz !¡± ¡°Alright !¡± Roberto returned back to his troops after seeing off his old friend head first. There was no fragment of doubt left inside his head. No one knows if that was good luck or bad luck. But at this very moment, the Rozeria Kingdom northern territory was about to plunge into a great storm. Next Chapter 160 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 18 Editor:Starbuck11 A man staring from the inn¡¯s second floor located near Epiroz city¡¯s gate, reported to Jinouichi who sat down silently inside the room. ¡°Yet another army has entered Epiroz¡¯ city gate. Their flag design is a golden eagle that spread its wing with a red background.¡± ¡°Fumu, Eagle is it ? That means they are from Baron Garbera¡¯s household. The numbers ?¡± Jinouichi asked the man while holding a silver smoke pipe on his mouth, handed down by his ancestors, the people that were summoned to this world. ¡°Around 100 Cavalrymen.¡± In response to Jinouichi question, the man answered without hesitations. Although he had sufficient experience when it comes to assassinations and sabotages, it was as battlefield intelligence that he was known as the best. His main task was to get into the enemy territory as a spy, then inform back the number of the enemy¡¯s soldiers. Due to his training, he was able to guess the numbers of an army just at a glance. ¡°Only knights ?¡± ¡°Yes, they are only knights.¡± ¡°I see, they have dispatched soldiers as much as possible without conscripting the citizen, huh ?¡± Jinouichi smiled like a Buddha while removing the ashes that clogged his smoke pipe. ¡°Maybe because they are worried that rebellions might happen if they do that ?¡± ¡°I guess so As expected, they are not stupid enough to recruit the commoners when the situation is like this.¡± Jinouichi nodded his head slowly. (With this, seven northern noble houses have entered Epiroz city. With numbers of soldiers exceeding 2,000 men.) Other than Earl Salzberg and the seven other houses, only two houses remained. In this world, nobility more or less had their own private army. Even if the country was ruled by an absolute monarch, for the nobility, along with their autonomy, the private military was indispensable for them. Outside the walls surrounding towns and cities, or outside the village, it was an area that was not dominated by people. Occasionally attacks from monsters happen, or the criminals that were being kicked out from a city aiming at some isolated villages. Even with security, that didn¡¯t mean the towns or villages were completely safe. That was because although it was not frequent, there were also the possibilities that some kind of a dragon or monster with similar power comes to attack. However, though it was not perfect, such security still had a major impact on the economy of towns and villages. People gathered because they feel safe, and goods increased where people assembled. Security brings energy to the people and promotes economic activity. Although it was not to the point of wanting to live in a place where locking doors were unnecessary, people would choose the feudal lord who was capable of maintaining public order. And merchants were particularly strong in that feeling. Since it was hard to do business in a city where public safety was bad. That was why they always look for the safer city. Unlike farmers who were tied to the land they cultivate, merchants could pretty much move anywhere. That was why it would be the right judgment for them to always look for a safe place to do business. In order to deal with such unforeseen threats and protect commercial activity within one¡¯s territory, it was one of the feudal lord¡¯s duty to hire knights and maintain public order. However, even though military power was necessary for them, it was impossible for them to recklessly hire knights. Since, if a noble family held military power equals to that of the King¡¯s, the King might see them as an existential threat that aimed at the throne. That was why nobles who raised their military strength would always be monitored by the Royal family. In some cases, there would be a situation where a noble family was eradicated because of a suspicion of rebellion. Which bring us to the conclusion that, military power was indeed necessary, but if one had too much power, it will crush one¡¯s family instead. Which contradict why they needed military power in the first place. That was why, it was common sense in this world that the aristocrats would keep military power to a minimum as possible, and cover the gaps by recruiting the commoners or pay some mercenaries. As an example, a noble in the Rozeria Kingdom with a Baron rank holds an average of 50 to 100 knights, and the number of the recruits from commoners usually up to 500 men. Viscount power would be around 150 to 200 knights, with the ability to recruit up to 1,000 commoners. While the Earl could have around 300 knights, with the ability to recruit their citizen up to 3,000 men. Of course, that was only if we talk about average value. Naturally, the numbers of soldiers within one territory would always fluctuate and never stay the same. (It is good that they only dispatched their knights, and also a proof of the feeling of insecurity the nobles held. Up until now, everything is according to the plan As expected, Genou would definitely be impressed by this.) Given there was a social barrier between the nobles and the commoners, the reasons why the nobility took care of the commoners were limited. Had there been no disturbances, the nobles would definitely recruit the commoners without hesitation. With Earl Salzberg¡¯s economic power, and the mobilization of the citizen of the northern nobility, their power could easily exceed 10,000 men. Although that number was still far from the normal numbers, Jinouchi who had done intelligence activity in their territory was quite confident with that estimate. To the extent that he might be willing to bet his own head. In the first place, the northern nobles were particularly strong because their remote territory was hard to reach by the King¡¯s authority. Furthermore, in the past, the northern nobility was usually the one who dealt with Zalda and Mist¡¯s incursions. Not to mention with the help of the merchant¡¯s guild, the territory of Earl Salzberg had become the biggest commercial city in the northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom. Of course, the noble houses from the neighboring territory also benefited from that. From both a military and economic perspective, the northern nobles can be described as an extraordinary existence within the Rozeria kingdom. In addition, the reason why they could bring out such huge military power was because they were mostly not worried about their surrounding nobles. As long as nothing serious happens, no sane noble within the Rozeria Kingdom want to fight against the northern nobles. Except for Baron Garbara of the east, and Baron Bertrand of the west, the possibility of the northern nobles getting attacked was quite low. ¡°Head ! That is probably Signiz Garbara¡± From the inn¡¯s second floor window, his eyes were directed to the man advancing in the middle of the troops. Jinouichi¡¯s eyes showed their sharpness as if he was looking at his prey. ¡°Garbera of the East, eh ? As expected, Earl Salzberg is going to bring out all of his best pieces Since he had come, that means, Bertrand of the West will definitely come too¡± Among the northern nobles, the House of Garbera and Bertrand were known as Earl Salzberg¡¯s rocks. Both houses were ordinary Baron houses, and their territory had nothing that caused one to opened one¡¯s eyes, but one thing definitely stands out. ¡°Northern twins sword First, let us test how much the rumor was true¡± Saying that, Jinouichi smirked. That evening, a huge party was being held at Earl Salzberg¡¯s mansion. It was a luxurious party where he used valuable condiments and ingredients generously, and let many old wines being served. It was a splendid party that was suited for the leaders of the northern nobles. The only regret was that there were not many women in appearance. There were rumors that the maids working there were all beauties. but since some said that all of them belonged to Earl Salzberg and he would get angry if someone touches the maids, no one dared to talk with them. (Well, even if there¡¯s a noble lady here, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to greet them either) While cursing the situation, Roberto Bertrand enjoyed eating the chicken dish presented there. If he was the successor of a house then it would be natural for him to deepen his connections. However, since Roberto was not the eldest son, he didn¡¯t care to interact with other people. Roberto himself didn¡¯t have any ambitions, but the surroundings didn¡¯t seem so. In addition, Roberto himself had high military fame. For the eldest son who could not perform martial arts but was born from the first wife, he was a nuisance. ¡®Do not let the child of concubine inherit the family¡¯s name¡¯. Such sentiment could not be helped, but for Roberto who became the victim, it was unbearable. Not to mention that they also demanded him to fulfill his duties to the family in this war for their convenience. ¡°Like usual, he has a lot of money Damn it, at home, I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat like this Oi, bring the wine¡± He gulped the wine in his glass and asked the maid to fill it again. At that moment, someone tapped Roberto¡¯s shoulder from behind. ¡°You¡¯re the same as ever¡± ¡°Earl Salzberg Long time no see¡± ¡°Umu, it seems like you¡¯re having fun That¡¯s good¡± Looking at him eating the dish heartily, Earl Salzberg nodded deeply. ¡°Well, it is rare for me to eat something like this at home after all¡± ¡°Well, it is good if you¡¯re happy with it Since I will expect a lot from you on the battlefield. Go ahead and have fun¡± The Earl¡¯s words were as if he was looking down at him. However, Earl Salzberg greeted Roberto personally because he recognized his ability. Indeed, those two people, Signiz and Roberto, were the Earl¡¯s most important pieces in this war. ¡°But still, do you really need to mobilize all the northern ten houses ? Of course, I heard the rumors about Baron Mikoshiba, and it seems there is also some movements within the peninsula, but still¡± Considering that the Earl had greeted him, Roberto took the opportunity to ask the question that had been plaguing his mind. The opponent was only a Baron. Not to mention that the opponent¡¯s territory was also the underdeveloped Wortenia peninsula. In comparison, the northern ten nobles had huge war potential. From a common sense point of view, this war had already had its winner. ¡°Who knows Honestly speaking, I also thought that this is overdoing it But it is also a fact that I could not predict that man¡¯s behavior. That was why I could understand the reason that my wife wants to have some safety measures Well, we will find the answer within the next few days¡± Saying that Earl Salzberg turned his eyes to outside the windows. As if gazing the northern land through the darkness of the night. And a few days later. The army dressed all in black finally revealed itself at the north of Epiroz city. Chapter 161 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 19 Editor: Starbuck11 Signiz narrowed his eyes, his blond hair waving due to the strong wind. What he saw was an army with armors dyed in black. In the middle of the day such color was easy to spot, but during the night, it would assimilate with the surroundings. Several kilometers away, from the enemy camp, he could see their flags whose coat of arms was the design of a sword with gold and silver-headed snakes entwined on top of a sable background. It was such a rare design, and the snakes¡¯ red eyes were as if glaring at the surroundings. (Hmm, their number is around 1000, I guess ?. All of them wore unified armors Probably it was something that Baron Mikoshiba had gathered from a trade, and I would guess that he still have extra money to spend. I think it is foolish for us to underestimate Baron Mikoshiba They said that we will defeat him in one fell swoop, but) The number of soldiers of Earl Salzberg which had the ten northern nobles assembled, numbered around 2000. The commanders gathered on the city wall when they received news that the enemy force had arrived. They wanted to look at Mikoshiba¡¯s army with their eyes. ¡°How is it, Signiz ?¡± From his back, while crossing his arms. Roberto spoke to Signiz who kept staring at the enemy camp. ¡°This battle It might turn into something that we can¡¯t understand how to handle it¡± Signiz murmured those words in response to his friend¡¯s question without looking back and kept starring at the enemy. It was proof that he himself realized the words he was saying were something he should not have aired. After all, in term of soldier¡¯s numbers, Earl Salzberg¡¯ side had twice more. Furthermore, the Earl¡¯s soldiers were based in Epiroz city that was known as a fortified city. They still could also hire the city residents or mercenaries from the guilds. Speaking about pros and cons, with the current situation the Earl¡¯s advantage seems solid. That was why, if the surroundings heard him spoke so pessimistically, they would think of him as someone like a coward or moron. However, Signiz spoke his worries daringly It was like an experienced warrior smelling the scent of war. His intuition that had been nurtured throughout many battlefields told him something The moment he saw the enemy¡¯s army, his intuition told him that something very dangerous was approaching. ¡°Fuuh Well, if you said that then I guess you¡¯re right¡± ¡°You really never change huh ?¡± Signiz smiles bitterly at Roberto¡¯s unchanging steadfast attitude. Among Earl Salzberg¡¯s army, Signiz and Roberto boasted overwhelming power and the most battle history. And it was decided that both of them would lead the frontline. The frontline commanders in this world were those who lead the first charge to cut the enemy¡¯s line. Their group was the one who decides the success of their army, while the second and third groups would be the one who finished the war, It can be said their mission was to directly control the flow of the battlefield. Originally, for men, such a position was considered something very honorable. Since that means the others recognize the ability of the man who holds the role of vanguard, but at the same time that position was the most dangerous position. However, despite holding such important responsibilities, Roberto remained calm when he heard Signiz¡¯s words. He has neither affirmed nor denied them. Or rather, his attitude could be said as indifferent. ¡°Well, even with you saying that it won¡¯t change our work anyway. I just want to kill the enemy in front of my eyes Afterwards, the old man and those buffoons that need to think> Saying that, Roberto directed his sarcastic gaze towards the surroundings. His cold eyes virtually represented the words he wanted to convey. ¡°Oh, is that Baron Mikoshiba army ? Their appearance looks exaggerated.¡± ¡°But looking at that equipment, it seems Wortenia Peninsula is a wealthy land beyond our initial thoughts¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard it from the Earl ? I heard that they had recruited slaves as soldiers¡± ¡°Although their numbers are splendid, in the end, quality is what matters. He seems to be quite a successful man for an upstart, but I wonder how useful those soldiers would be for him¡± ¡°According to the stories I heard from the Earl, all of the three hundred soldiers he choose to bring as reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom, were all capable of using magic arts¡± ¡°Truthfully, it must be some kind of bluff He must have hired some talented people and made it look like his entire army had the same ability.¡± ¡°Well, I also think that but¡± From various places, words of ridicule towards Mikoshiba Ryouma could be heard. Those groups were standing slightly away from Signiz. They were people who one day would inherit the ten nobles¡¯ territory. Although Signiz and those people were looking at the same thing, their impression was so different like it was heaven and earth. There were some people who advocated a somewhat cautious theory, but it seems they didn¡¯t show any disagreement at the others¡¯ opinion. Well, in a sense their behavior was something natural. Since they only have fragmented information when it comes to Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma and his territory. ¡°You don¡¯t have to bother yourself with them. What we need to do is to perform our duty.¡± Roberto erased the sarcastic smile on his face, then he stared at Signiz¡¯s eyes. Signiz diverted his eyes after seeing Roberto¡¯s sharp gaze. To Signiz, this war was just to help someone, it was something he actually didn¡¯t want to do, just like Roberto, but Signiz felt they should still do their best to win. However, Roberto seemed to have a different sentiment. ¡°But still, what do you think about the outcome of this war ? Besides, Earl Salzberg was a military man too If I told him about some plan, I¡¯m sure he would still listen !¡± As a commander, he had to do his best to preserve the soldiers¡¯ life. That thought was the reason Signiz did his best. If they could devise some measures, damage could be kept to a minimum. In extreme case, they might have to hole up inside Epiroz city for a while to gather information regarding the enemies. Although Roberto understood Signiz thoughts, he still disagreed. ¡°No matter what we say, no one would hear our opinion. They will only regard us as someone who doesn¡¯t know our place, or someone who wants to snatch away the inheritance by currying some favor with the Earl. Besides, I heard rumors that if I won this war, I would be killed.¡± Originally they were still alive because their families thought both of them had no interests with the inheritance, therefore both of them could become the commander of their territory¡¯s armed forces. Truly, their family thought they both were a convenient substitute for the actual heir that was lacking in courage. Conversely speaking, if their behavior was even a little bit suspicious, the lives of these two people would be doomed in an instant. The strong men on the battlefield were not necessarily secure men in daily life. ¡°Signiz, you¡¯re thinking too much, you know ? Seriously, you need to do something to that bad habit of yours. You should think about your own self for a bit. We just have to kill the enemies in front of us. And if there is a trap, we could just break it by force.¡± ¡°But still¡± ¡°Like I said, think about yourself a bit more¡± Saying that Roberto slightly taunts Signiz. A small mutter leaked from Signiz¡¯s lips. ¡°You Are you really thinking it is fine for us to be like that now ?¡± His longtime friend didn¡¯t answer his question and turned his back. ¡°Master. We have a report from Jinouichi-sama that all ten northern noble house¡¯s force has gathered inside Epiroz city.¡± After Ryouma received the information that the soldiers from the ten noble houses had finally gathered. Inside the command tent. On the table, there was a map with a detailed topography of the northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom. ¡°Also, I was instructed to deliver this¡± He then gave a sealed letter to Ryouma. Ryouma then put it inside his chest in silence without opening it immediately. ¡°I see You¡¯ve done well. Take a sufficient rest, then go back to Jinouichi immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Saying so, the soldier quickly bowed down and went out of the tent. ¡°What¡¯s wrong boy ? Is that a secret, again ?¡± Hearing that, he saw a woman with red hairs that reached down her shoulders smiling at him However, Ryouma was not a small child that would get upset with such words. ¡°Yes, It is a secret. Well, I will give you the detailed explanation later.¡± Although he said it was something secret. Ryouma easily said those words. ¡°Fuuh, I see You¡¯re really a child who like to tease others, eh ? Honestly though, that personality of yours has become worse lately¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve known perfectly well my method of doing things, right ?¡± In response to Ryouma who smiled at her while saying that, Lione floated a grimace on her face. ¡°Well, that is of course After all, you¡¯ve been such an impudent boy from the very first day we met. At first, I thought you were being childish because you¡¯re still young. However, since that time, it has been a few years, so it won¡¯t be weird for me to get accustomed to your personality. Am I right, Boltz ?¡± Saying that, Lione directed the topic to his confidant that was always together with her for many years. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to get surprised anymore at least After all, young master is going to make a big gamble right now. It would be best for him to be cautious¡± ¡°Well, I also think like that. It is better to be cautious than being a fool that never thought about anything¡± An inquisitive gaze was then being directed at Ryouma. ¡°If that¡¯s the case then, I pass, don¡¯t I ? After all, Lione-san is still going to trust me¡± ¡°Fuuh This boy, he got me but it irks me somehow¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Lione¡¯s face turned red. After saying those words, Lione then diverted her gaze to another direction. Everyone inside the tent knew that she was just trying to hide her embarrassment. Lione who had led the mercenary group for many years, and Bolts as her adjutant. Having the backing of the Guild aside, it was the two of them who decided whether or not their employer was trustworthy enough. As a mercenary, it was their job to fight for money while putting their life on the line. It was therefore a matter of life and death whether or not they could understand their employer¡¯s mind. That was why their discerning eyes was good. Besides, it was nothing more than because of circumstances that Lione and Bolts were serving under Mikoshiba Ryouma. Irrespective of any sense of moral obligations and feelings, if they judged that the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma was not going to benefit them, or he was not worthy of serving, Lione and the other mercenaries would head to another country. In other words, the fact that Lione still supports Ryouma was the proof of their trusting relationship. Nonetheless, it seems that even a woman like Lione would feel embarrassed if he told her that with a straight face. For a while, gentle air flowed inside the tent. However, it was not for long ¡°Well now, the entertainment is finished, let us get down to the main business. We will proceed just like I had told everyone in advance, thus I believe nothing needs to be explained anymore, yes ?¡± Ryouma¡¯s low and cold voice resounded inside the tent. Lione, Bolts and the other top brass¡¯ expression instantly tightened. ¡°First of all, as expected, the ten northern noble families had gathered their forces inside Epiroz city. Their total numbers are around 2,000 men.¡± Ryouma¡¯s hand put two knights pieces that looked like a horse on the map, just above Epiroz city mark. ¡°All of them are knights ?¡± ¡°Yes, Bolts-san is right, every single one of them are regular knights.¡± ¡°I see, it seems young master¡¯s plan has worked well, eh ?¡± ¡°Well, on the battlefield the number of soldiers is important, even if they are just a normal citizen. If they ended up being recruited it would increase the enemy numbers, which I don¡¯t want¡± The others inside the tent nodded their head after hearing Ryouma¡¯s explanation. Compared to chess the knight was like the rocks, knights, and bishops pieces that could move fast in special ways, while the citizen was like the pawn and could only move straight and slowly. That was why there was no way to compare their abilities, but a game was not something that was only decided by the piece¡¯s ability. Depending on the tactics, even the weaker pieces were still able to kill the stronger ones. ¡°For now, we will proceed as we have planned before After that, we will decide the next move after the results of our first battle, right ? How about the first battle ?¡± Saying that Lione smirked. Despite boasting excellent skill as a commander, her nature was more of a warrior. Her martial instincts seemed to have sensed the bloodbath that would happen soon. ¡°Right, we will face them head-on. We will perform a frontal attack.¡± The moment Ryouma said those words, the others immediately raised their voices. Chapter 162 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 20 Editor:Starbuck11 ¡°Now then It seems the enemy is also feeling motivated enough¡± In the distance, Epiroz city walls could be seen. Outside of the walls, many flags embroidered with the coat of arms of the ten northern nobles houses fluttered in the air. Since the enemy soldiers were twice their numbers, he understood that it would be more beneficial for them to fight a defensive battle. Contrary to that, they have choosen to take the field and end this war in a single stroke. Both choices had merits and demerits in them but, the Earl and the other nobles seem to have chosen the latter. In the first place, in their eyes, this war was a conflict between an upstart Baron against the ten northern house nobles. Even if they felt assured of winning, if they didn¡¯t fight a little bit hard, their family name would be disgraced. Not only will they be ridiculed among the nobles of the Rozeria Kingdom, but also those of the entire continent. After all, no matter what nation, the top are still the aristocrats. (Good, good, this means the enemy didn¡¯t leave many soldiers inside their territory) There were only two choices when fighting against an enemy while lacking in information. One was to fight a defensive battle and prevent damage as much as possible until information was available. The other one was to fight head-on with overwhelming force and strike the enemy in a single stroke. Deep inside their hearts, they were afraid. (These people have moved in accordance with my expectations. Well, people with high pride are relatively easy to read.) And right now, the current situation has narrowed the choices the Rozeria Kingdom had even more It made Ryouma feel like it was something worth the trouble to plan ahead. All of them want one thing. And that thing was the sweet wine called victory. ¡°Well then, shall we begin ?¡± The situation was already beyond where one could pull back. After all, they just have left everything to the instincts and weapon in one¡¯s hand Besides, there was no reason for him to issue a speech to uplift his soldiers¡¯ morale right now Following Ryouma¡¯s order, one of the soldier by his side blew the horn. Both armies immediately assumed horizontal battle formation. Each army formed no less than two lines and faced against each other. It was the most basic and orthodox formation that was often used in ancient era. Since it was the basic formation, it was easy to immediately perform it, but because it was the basic, it had only a few characteristics. The strong point would be that the soldiers¡¯ contact had become stretched, and it was easier to do melee combat. Mikoshiba Ryouma divided his army into two groups, with 500 men as the front line group, and another 500 men in the rear group. While Earl Salzberg divided his army into three group, front, middle and rear group. ¡°Those guys, despite them only walking, their movement is really fast ! Is that rumor actually true ? Damn it, what is the bow unit doing ?! They are about to close the distance !¡± Behind Earl Salzberg army, the commanding officer¡¯s shoutings could be heard. The enemy speed was something impossible to achieve if they wore metal armor. And it was questionable whether or not they could achieve it even if they only wore leather armor. Which means, there was only one conclusion. ¡°I see, he decided to perform a frontal attack and single-swoop the war. Here it comes. Everyone, brace yourselves !¡± The front knights raised their voices while preparing their spears. They were knights that had survived many battlefields, thus their voices and movements didn¡¯t show any confusion. With the enemy army charging as if it was a black tsunami, their minds were still crystal clear. ¡°¡±¡±Get ready !!¡±¡±¡± The surrounding officers shouted those words. The moment the figures of the enemy with black armors entered range for their clear view, the knights immediately activated their chakra. Most of the knights can activate up to three levels of chakra. It was up to Manipura chakra. In this world, that was proof that they were competent knights. And according to their intentions, the chakra immediately activated and strengthened their bodies. Three steps, two steps, one step The moment the enemy entered their spear range. ¡°DIE !!¡± The moment the knights swung down their spears, their opponents thrusted their ax spears, causing their weapons to collide. At that moment, a red spark flew here and there, and dull numbness hit their arms. Second strike, third strike one by one the enemy brought down the spears knight. The knights desperately tried to grasp their spears so that it won¡¯t get blown off. (This guy, he¡¯s equal to my power Is this guy actually the squad leader ?) Most of the front line knights thought the same thing. Most skilled knights were far stronger compared to normal people. And magic art made survival of the fittest a powerful axiom in this world. That was because, the strong could absorb Prana from the enemy they had killed, thus the strong would get stronger. That was why the Knights thought the enemy had the same skills and age as themselves. However, the next moment the knights doubted their ears ¡°Doyle, I¡¯ll cover your back ! Crush the enemy from left and right. I will handle this one. Go !¡± The content itself was not that big of a deal. The problem was the voice. It was the voice of a young man. His voice sounded like a teenage boy or at least a young man in their early twenties. (It can¡¯t be Is this person the same age as my son ?!) He only heard the voice for an instant, but he could feel that his age was not that different from his son that was currently living in the knight¡¯s mansion Nevertheless, the competence of the young man in front of him was comparable to himself. Because he understands his own son¡¯s skills due to daily training, compared to that the impact he received from his enemy attack was too great. (What are they This can¡¯t possibly happen) The enemy in front of them managed to prevent and counterattack the knights¡¯ attacks that were the results of many years of battle experience. For the knights, it feels like they were facing a nightmare. Eventually, after many times clashing their weapons, the knight¡¯s attack gradually lacked precision. Their attacks becomes monotonous and the force the knight could put also decreased. It was not because of physical fatigue. Since the endurance and durability of a knight were beyond that of a normal human. However, even knights who lived like a superman still had similar mental fatigue to that of ordinary people. (This can¡¯t be, it can¡¯t be, no, this is impossible ! Such thing is not possible !) In most case, a duel in a battlefield would be decided in a single blow. And yet, here he had already exchanged blows more than ten times but victory and defeat have not yet been determined. In all of his experience, such extensive battle only happened a few times, which he even could count in a single hand. His self-confidence as a strong man. It was about to collapse anytime now. ¡°Damn you stupid brat, DIE !!¡± His shout reverberated on the battlefield, the knight was attempting to give his best attack. However, after a violent shock assailed him from behind, his hand that was about to swing his weapon hung down weakly without power. Hot sticky fluid cough inside his throat. The taste of rusted iron began spreading inside his mouth. The knight, for a moment, forgot that this was a battlefield. He slowly tried to touch his back. This feeling, he could never mistake it. The knight slowly looked behind from his shoulder. ¡°You bastard, Go to hell¡± From the knight, words of curses came out. While knowing that there was no meanings for him to do that. Chapter 163 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 21 Editor:Starbuck11 Initially, the two forces clashed forming a rectangle. But gradually it had changed its shape little by little. The black force gradually encroached the white force. ¡°Oooou, this looks like it¡¯s going to become interesting. To think they are facing our knights head-on, and come out equal.¡± While holding a battle ax that has some characteristic patterns on his horseback, Roberto narrowed his eyes looking at the state of the front line. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re saying that as if it was somebody else¡¯s problem. We¡¯re the ones being pushed here, you know ?¡± Looking at Roberto¡¯s attitude that looked like he was enjoying the situation, Signiz could not help but wave his head. Although on Signiz¡¯s face, a sarcastic smile could be seen. Since this situation was something they had foreshadowed some time ago. ¡°Shut up, idiot You¡¯re the one who wanted to test our opponent hand, didn¡¯t you ? Oh ? Our front line commanding officer has been killed, huh ?¡± Listening to the report from the gasping soldier, Roberto lifted his lips and laughed. It was a wicked smile that didn¡¯t show any sympathy to the dead subordinates. After all, for Roberto, that commanding officer was more like a hindrance than a subordinate. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve managed to kill the watchdog as ¡®killed in action¡¯ eh ?¡± ¡°Right, he was someone who always used the present head of the house as a shield after all¡± Despite saying that, Roberto seems to disagree with Signiz words a little bit. ¡°But, don¡¯t get me wrong. It was not like I want him to die either. Since he had a big mouth, I gave him a job to achieve a little bit of merits, see. He should be the one who thanked me for giving him an opportunity to prove his martial arts¡± As the result of Roberto skillfully talking to him about honor and merits, the knight accepted taking command of the front line. And the result was as everyone could see. Roberto could gather the enemy¡¯s ability at the expense of a difficult-to-use subordinate. ¡°Which means, there¡¯s no loss huh ? Roberto. You¡¯re stupid, but your ability at discerning other people is really great like usual.¡± ¡°Fuh Unlike you, I don¡¯t like to think about something difficult. If you look at someone for a bit, you can understand what kind of a guy that person is If I can¡¯t understand that, then I won¡¯t be able to face the world.¡± Signiz stared at Roberto¡¯s profile that looked like he was sulking. They had a long relationship. They did their first battle on the same battlefield, and because they had a similar circumstance, they ended up confronting each other casually and they have been continuing that budding relationship since then. Their relationship was close enough to regard themselves as best friends. However, the nature of the two people was completely different. Compared to the precise theorist Signiz, Roberto was more like a wild beast. A natural hunter who fights with instincts. Even though he had good enough ability to the point he was given the same leadership rank, the evaluation of both people was completely different. (However, Even when this man had such good military character, his ability to make a strategy was really bad.) Despite being thought of as someone who could not read the air, Roberto was being recognized by people around as a brave warrior, and he instinctively used that evaluation about him. And he always used his instinct to find a suitable solution, in a sense, he was a kind of genius. ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯ve got the information I needed, I suppose we should go back to it. Signiz.¡± ¡°Right. It would be bad if we get defeated in the first battle after all.¡± Saying so, they both slowly activated their first chakra. Along with their breathing, Prana began to spread around inside their bodies. Mass of powers began to surge. Until they reached the highest chakra they could use, Vishuddda chakra. Among all of chakras level, which was said to have seven levels in all, it was said that turning the fifth chakra was extremely hard, and those who manage to use it were extremely few. It was said that to be able to use it, required harsh training that was also beyond actual battles. ¡°Let us go, Signiz ! You take care the left wing !¡± ¡°Alright. Leave it to me !¡± Both of them rushed toward the black tsunami. Doyle who was on the front line, at that moment felt the air on the battlefield had changed. In an instant, the atmosphere where they felt dominant was being reversed. (What the hell ? I feel like a big beast is suddenly standing in front of me.) He felt an itchy sensation as if something was crawling under his skins. He wondered if he was actually feeling ¡®fear¡¯. However, Doyle didn¡¯t try to deny the apprehension that springs up inside his heart. Feeling fear was never considered a weakness. Doyle who used to be a slave was given a new life and opportunity in the Peninsula, being taught by the members of the Red Lion how to be a warrior. For him, fear was an important feeling as a human being. And in his opinion, those who didn¡¯t feel fear were only second-tier warriors. Because you feel fear, you can protect yourself and deal with the danger properly. (This is bad) His master¡¯s words that he told him before the war resurfaced inside Doyle¡¯s mind. Suddenly the enemies ahead of him split up. And what appeared in front of him was the figure of a single knight holding a battle-ax with unique patterns in his hands. The knight was moving towards Doyle while pushing his subordinates to the sides as if he was moving through an ordinary field. It seems even Earl Salzberg¡¯s soldiers who followed him from behind were afraid that they would get stepped on if they obstructed his path. ¡°A skillful one has come ! Surround him !¡± Doyle felt his alarm instincts instantly warning him against the Knight in front of him. (He must be one of the people my master had told me about, Roberto Bertrand and Signiz Garbera, I wonder which one is he. But, this is interesting, let us decide which one is the true beast among us, you or I) Before the appearance of the strong knight that he should keep an eye during this war, Doyle¡¯s heart felt a deep fear but also exaltation. And it seems all of Doyle¡¯s team member also felt the same. ¡°My name is Roberto Bertrand ! Those who don¡¯t care about their life, come at me !¡± Roberto comes like a storm. Then he swung down his battle ax with overwhelming power. Such power was possible from the result of using his Prana to strengthen his body. And perfectly controlling it using his will. Intense metal sounds clashing against each other echoed throughout the battlefield. Doyle fights against such pressure with all of his power. (Heavy What a strong strike) Considering the handicap of him striking while riding a horse, Roberto¡¯s blow was too strong. The handle of the spear that Doyle used to defend against his battle ax blow ended up bending, Doyle then fell on one knee. Because he was wearing a helmet, he didn¡¯t receive any fatal injury, but Doyle almost lost consciousness due to the impact. ¡°Hou That surprises me. To think you¡¯re able to block my attack¡± Doyle heard his relaxed voice that was not suited for a battlefield. However, it was understandable since Roberto was a strong man, that was why he felt relaxed despite being on the battlefield. ¡°How about this ? Sorya !¡± His battle ax once again swung downwards at the same trajectory. An attack as if his physical form was being scooped up, hit Doyle¡¯s body. Chapter 164 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 22 Editor:Starbuck11 Together with a high roar, a clashing metallic sound echoed. Even in the battlefield where many intense clashings resonate, the blow that Roberto delivered against his opponent clearly could be heard by many soldiers. His battle ax moved very fast with an overwhelming force. Doyle¡¯s body was thrown into the air. Just like someone hit by a truck. Even if his body was reinforced by magic arts, normally this kind of attack would be an instant kill. And even if he survived the sudden death, the bones in his entire body would have been crushed and he would¡¯ve ended up unable to move. Being unable to move on a battlefield was the same thing as being a dead man. If Doyle was a high ranking knight or someone with high military fame, the story would be different, but if he was just an ordinary knight he didn¡¯t have to stubbornly endure. Normally, Roberto would start looking for another prey while ignoring Doyle who was lying on the ground. However, contrary to that, Roberto runs his horse towards Doyle, he raises his battle ax while laughing like a devil. He was going to make sure Doyle was dead. However, before he manages to do that, a knight wearing an all-black armor interrupted his move. ¡°Oi ! Someone ! Carry captain Doyle back and find someone to treat him ! Also, call for reinforcements. Don¡¯t let this man escape !¡± A shout from behind the black knight resounded on the battlefield. While the black knight who managed to stop Roberto¡¯s attack feels his body going numb. ¡°Oi oi, what is going on here ? There are two guys who managed to stop my attack consecutively ? Furthermore, this one did block it completely too¡± Roberto has a puzzled look with whathappened in front of his eyes. He wants to think the scene just now was only a dream, but unfortunately, it is reality. Which caused a big dent to Roberto¡¯s confidence in his power which he had cultivated for all these years. (Did I by any chance unconsciously held back my power ? No, that can¡¯t be But then, how did they manage to stop my blow twice ?) In Roberto¡¯s mind, he remembered the very few knights and mercenaries that were able to block his attack completely. In most cases, he would manage to win with the second blow. That was the power he had cultivated these many years. He had confidence in his power that was beyond what normal humans could deploy. At that moment Roberto Bertrand showed a slight opening. Even though he usually never showed such carelessness. Suddenly Roberto¡¯s body was being thrown forward. (Fuck ! I was careless !) They had made use of Roberto slight opening and strucke his horse¡¯s front leg. Roberto then instantly grasped the situation. Next he fixed his posture mid-air and landed on the ground perfectly. Holding his battle ax, Roberto surveyed the surroundings. (This is badreally, really bad) Once again, he confirmed the situation around him, where he could only see enemy soldiers. Men who were supposedly following his back, had already ended up being separated. (They attacked me precisely at the gap of the armor Even among our knights, only a few people could do it) Roberto swung his battle ax horizontally to deflect the protruding spears. Red sparks scattered as the result of their weapons clashing against each others. (They jumped back to absorb the power huh ? Damn it. All of them seems to be skillful) This time a spear was trying to attack Roberto from the back silently, which he barely managed to dodge. (Uoooh That was totally a close one. I need to pay attention to my rear too) Roberto who looked back through his shoulder felt cold sweats running down behind his neck. In total, there were five black knights surrounding Roberto. Although they were all quite skillful, their ability as a warrior was one or two-steps below Roberto. Considering Roberto could use up to Vishudda chakra, it was obvious that Roberto could win. But, that was if it was a one-on-one battle where he leaves his back to his subordinates. No matter how strong Roberto was, it was very dangerous to fight alone against five people on a battlefield. Furthermore, he was behind the enemy¡¯s line. Even if he manages to kill all of the five black knights, if he¡¯s unable to break through the enclosure, the fate that would await him would be death. (I was too naive huh ? Did they prepare all of this from the start, I wonder ?) Roberto¡¯s basic strategy was to cut through the enemy¡¯s formation and open a hole to take the initiative. As a tactic, there was no twist in it, but a style where the commander cut through the enemy line was very dangerous, that was why the surroundings hated him for being such a daredevil. However, at the same time, other than Roberto, no one was more efficient in using such tactics. In fact, because he had won in war several times using that tactic, Roberto thought this time as well it would be a success. However, today, such tactics had backfired. Although at first, he understood that the army he was facing was a formidable one, he never dreamed that each knights of the enemy¡¯s army had this kind of high ability. (It would be difficult for me to break the enclosure by myself It would be possible to change the situation if there is someone like Signiz but) An enemy soldier slowly narrowed the siege circle. While deflecting the spears attack, Roberto quietly waited for a moment when an opportunity comes. How long had passed since then ? A few minutes, ten minutes, or even an hour, Roberto didn¡¯t know. Rough breathing and massive sweat drenched his whole body. His favorite battle ax and armor were dyed with blood. It was the result of him desperately wielding his battle ax and swinging it by instincts. ¡°Roberto, are you alright ?!¡± Suddenly from the corner of the siege circle, Signiz appeared. Was it because he had gone through a fierce battle ? Human flesh had stuck on his iron club, and the helmet he had previously worn had disappeared. ¡°I¡¯m here, Signiz !¡± Roberto raised his voice as high as he could. ¡°Good, you¡¯re fine I can¡¯t stop and walk on foot. I will breakthrough just as is !¡± ¡°Understood. Don¡¯t worry about me !¡± Signiz who quickly grasped Roberto¡¯s situation, didn¡¯t stop his horse and kept on pushing forward. Since he knew that the moment he stops his horse¡¯s momentum, he would end up inside the enemy¡¯s enclosure as well. As soon as Roberto and Signiz succeeded in blocking the black wave¡¯s movement, the retreat bell was struck from both camps. Chapter 165 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 23 Editor:Starbuck11 Under the starry sky. In the middle of the night, the moon shines perfectly. It was the best view. The scenery which makes one admires the possibility of the infinite universe. It was rich in mystery, and beauty, giving us peace of mind. However, for the humans who lived in these times, they could not afford to enjoy such feeling. And right now, both sides, Baron Mikoshiba¡¯s army, and Earl Salzberg¡¯s coalition had finished their day-time battle. ¡°Excuse me. I have come to report.¡± Ryouma stopped the movement of the pen he was holding after he heard those words. The documents he was working on were the important ones which he needs to check it himself, he didn¡¯t have any reports from Laura that he was looking forward to. ¡°Laura ? You may come in¡± Following his words, the entrance of the tent was opened just a little. The one that appeared was a person with golden hair, smiling at him like a goddess. Looking at her smile, it gave peace to Ryouma¡¯s tense heart after a battle. ¡°Looking at that face, you seem to have successfully managed to obtain the desired result ?¡± ¡°Yes. The casualties on our side are thirteen people. The heavily injured people are 22 people. However, due to our medicine and healing magic arts, their lives should not be in danger. We may anticipate them to rejoin the army in a couple of days while waiting for their strength to recover. Also, from the report I¡¯ve received, the casualties were caused by two people.¡± ¡°I see¡± After listening to Laura¡¯s report, Ryouma sighed deeply and relaxed his back deep into his chair. No one knows what kind of feelings he had inside his heart right now. People have lost their lives today. Not because of an accident, but because his orders from the beginning, asking them to fight at the battlefield. Even though it was their professional duty as soldiers to fight on a battlefield, no normal human could bear the responsibility of carrying the death of those soldiers. (I am still not used to it Well, those who are accustomed to it, are those who have lost their sanity though) It was kind of a contradicting feeling for him. Up until now, Ryouma had ordered them to go to a battlefield where they might lose their lives. Whether it was when he ordered them to hunt some monsters within the peninsula or chasing the spies that infiltrated the peninsula, both cases have danger where his soldiers might die. Of course, Ryouma had also done his best to provide some measures and give it to the soldiers. However, no matter how many expensive weapons and armors he gave, there would always be dead soldiers. It made him feel his actions become dirtier each time. But in the end, this world was no different compared to his previous world. There won¡¯t be a result without a sacrifice, the person standing will have to move on at the expense of others. It was an awful and ruthless world. If he were to stand as the one being sacrificed, he understood that he would feel it to be unacceptable. However, even God could not create a world without sacrifice. Much less a human who was not a god, it was something one should never hope for. That was why, for Mikoshiba Ryouma, he could only do one thing. Take the sacrifices deep inside his heart and remember them, then prepare everything to reduce the casualties by as much as possible. ¡°Which meant those two are genuine monsters, also it was a proof that my army is far superior compared to the enemy¡¯s force.¡± ¡°Yes. The performance of the weaponry we¡¯ve bought from Nelsios was really amazing. After all, in other countries, such weapons and armors won¡¯t be sold for less than 10 gold coins a piece.¡± ¡°Well, the performance is something we¡¯ve expected.¡± What Ryouma worried the most in this war was : ¡°How to protect the soldiers under his command ?¡±. At first, the population of the Wortenia peninsula was close to zero. There was a settlement of demi-humans, but their presence was peculiar to the peninsula, an existence which hates humans, thus Ryouma could not ask them for taxes. Considering future expansion, it was indispensable to have an army to fight against other countries. However, Ryouma could not recruit citizens and push them to fight like other countries did. His situation was very contradictory, he needs an army but had no citizenry to recruit from. Ultimately, he managed to do it by buying slaves and educating them, but when one thinks from the viewpoint of cost efficiency, troops made from slaves was very expensive. Thus he could not use them like the other feudal lords, where they could order their soldiers like insects and have them replaced anytime. The only way he could do to compensate the numbers was by increasing their quality. Naturally, it would become a great loss to have a soldier, which he had spent so much time and efforts into, ending up dead. Thus Ryouma paid attention to the engraving magic arts that the demi-humans, especially the elves, had. Even now, in all parts of the western continent, weaponry made by the demi-humans were traded at high prices due to its performance. ¡°Having the armor engraved with magic that made it harder and lighter, for a human it would be hard to effectively reproduce such elaborate craftmanship.¡± ¡°Consumption of Prana also has a big influence on victory or defeat on the battlefield after all. As expected, trading with Nelsios-san was the correct decision back then¡± For armors, the thick strong material was the most needed. As strong and thick as possible, but at the same time, as light as possible. The engraving magic arts the demi-humans have, which could combine those two opposing factors, would make any warriors salivate. (At the same time we could not let this information go out Should I order Iga clan to strengthen their vigilance ?) If his soldiers used the weaponry purchased from Nelsios, their performance would increase greatly. However, in the end, weapons were just tools. Tools didn¡¯t choose their users. Of course, even if the weapon of his soldiers were stolen, the enemy won¡¯t be able to easily reproduce it, he just wants to pluck out anything that might cause him harm. (Well, for now, future policy has mostly been decided) Ryouma had already completed several plans. After that, he just needed to choose the best possible solution for the current situation. (It is unlikely that the frontline would be broken. The question is how am I going to deal with those two people) Signiz and Roberto. Those two people could influence the battlefield just by going alone on horseback. The proof for that was they could even break away from Ryouma soldiers¡¯ enclosure. The most reliable plan Ryouma could choose would be ordering his shinobi clan to assassinate them. Or induce Earl Salzberg to kill them both, but Ryouma didn¡¯t have any intention to choose either of them. As enemies, they were a terrible opponent. Only God knows whether or not they would be willing to chase at Ryouma¡¯s neck regardless of their own life. (However They could be really reliable as an ally) Ryouma didn¡¯t hope for total dominance of the northern Rozeria lands. He needed many excellent people under him to achieve his dream. For that purpose, there would be a time when he needs to make an enemy into an ally. (I have no choice but to purely compete here) ¡°I will take command of 500 troops and go south¡± The moment she heard him, Laura¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Understood. Then, what about the command of the front line ?¡± ¡°About that, I will leave it to you, Laura. You may ask Lione-san to assist you.¡± Laura quietly nodded her head in response to Ryouma¡¯s order. She didn¡¯t say anything more because she understood what Ryouma aim was Thus the curtain falls on the first day of the war which had many expectations intersected. Chapter 166 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 24 Editor: Starbuck11 The battle in Epiroz¡¯ suburbs began with Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s declaration of war. And the war had moved to a different direction compared to Earl Salzberg¡¯s prediction. Initially, the Earl¡¯s side had thought that Mikoshiba¡¯s army would be defeated without fail by the army of the ten northern house nobles families. Of course, it was not because the nobles were some chunk of people without consciousness, they had reasonable expectation why they thought they would win. When Ryouma was granted the Wortenia territory, no people were living there. And above all else, Mikoshiba Ryouma was originally not a citizen of the Rozeria Kingdom and also just a commoner. That was why, for the ten northern house nobles families, Ryouma¡¯s existence didn¡¯t really excite wariness among them Nevertheless, since the war started, the conflict had reached a deadlock, even though ten days had already passed. ¡°Damn it ! Every one of them only saying and doing however they like !¡± Inside Earl Salzberg house, intense anger echoed in one room. The scene of the meeting before, floated inside Roberto¡¯s mind, causing his face to become red with anger. Since the end of the first battle, Roberto was always being called a youngster who don¡¯t know war, or someone who bought martial arts with gold. At first, Roberto thought it was natural for them to ridicule Roberto and Signiz because they were just a nobleman¡¯s fourth son. But nonetheless, it was to be expected for Roberto to feel irritated by the lazy slender directed at them repeatedly. ¡°Oi, calm down a little bit Nothing will change even if you shout like that. Here, we have a wine that seems to be one of the Earl¡¯s treasure. I heard the taste matched the ten gold coin per bottle price. Why don¡¯t you just sit down and have fun ?¡± While looking at Roberto who had his face turned red in anger, Signiz slowly tilts his glass. Rich aroma spreading throughout his nose. At the same time, he placed the glass on his mouth. Strong taste with exquisite balance entered his mouth. He felt he had a good fortune to be able to taste such wine. The taste was far superior compared to the kind of wine he was accustomed to as fourth son of a nobleman. However, looking at Signiz¡¯s behavior, Roberto flared his anger. ¡°What are you saying. You do realize that we¡¯re in a bad situation right now, right ?! Those incompetent bastards aside, are you trying to make us fail too ?!¡± With such roar, Roberto flung his fist against the table. His body height was more than 200 cm (6ft 7in). It was also a body that had been forged throughout numerous battlefield. The ceramic glasses and plates fell on the floor and broke due to the shock. Reddish stains were made on the carpet, and the rich fragrance of wine began to spread inside the room. Signiz shook his head while looking at the scene. ¡°Geez You don¡¯t understand the words of ¡®waste¡¯, don¡¯t you ? It is a rare experience for us to be able to taste such good wine you know ? Even in our entire life, we might not be able to taste it again¡± While saying so, Signiz drinks the wine inside the glass he held. For Signiz right now, the most important thing was to concentrate on the wine taste that was left inside his glass. Maybe because he realized what he did and the way Signiz behave, Roberto relaxed his attitude. ¡°Signiz. That face you have right now is really stupid.¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve calmed down a little bit. The other bottle is broken on the floor, but we still have one here still fine. Want some drink ?¡± Signiz then took a wine from the cabinet and pour it into the glass. ¡°Fine Let me have some.¡± The smell of the wine tickles Roberto¡¯s nostrils. ¡°Certainly, this seems to taste good.¡± ¡°Fully calmed down, now ?¡± ¡°Sorry, that was my bad¡± In response to Signiz question, Roberto diverted his gaze. He himself realized that his act before was something he should not do. ¡°Right, this is the Earl¡¯s mansion. Even if we ordered people to not get near this room, we still can¡¯t be careless. But well, if you didn¡¯t scream in anger just now, I might have to shove a sword into those guys mouth.¡± ¡°You ?¡± In response to Signiz unexpected words, Roberto was at loss for words. ¡°Of course I would. If even you feel angry, it would be obvious I¡¯m angrier. However, I think it would be the same as admitting defeat if we get angry here. Even for the Earl, it was difficult for him to control those guys.¡± Even if Signiz was being recognized as someone with a calmer mind, in the end, his nature was also that of a mad warrior. Basically, he was also the type of man that thinks it was faster to kill his companions that persuade them with words. There was only one reason why Signiz didn¡¯t do that. That was because, by killing the next head of a noble family, he would be sentenced to death without even given an opportunity for defense. And for Signiz, he didn¡¯t want to give up his life for something so stupid. ¡°Also, even though it is a bit irritating, we still need those guys¡¯ soldiers in this war. Roberto, you should realize about that too, no ?¡± ¡°Well of course it can be seen from the battle of the last few days, that the quality of Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s soldiers and weaponry are far superior compared to us. Even now, I still can¡¯t believe what I saw though.¡± ¡°Agreed. I wonder what kind of means did he use to create such soldiers I¡¯m really curious¡± Signiz responded with a sigh. Unusual fighting spirit and high quality weaponry. Being good at group warfare aside, Ryouma individual soldier¡¯s martial arts was something that should not be underestimated. Even when they received Signiz and Roberto charge, they managed to counterattack without letting the front line collapse. And not to mention the enemy¡¯s high morale. ¡°The one deciding the winner in a war is number, they said¡± Signiz floated a sarcastic smile on his face. ¡°Looking that way, I think we¡¯re at a disadvantage, 6: 4. However, the enemy number is not even reaching 1,000. While conversely, we have about 2,000 soldiers with us. If we did a siege battle, we should not lose. It would be a good idea for us to hole up and be patient. And in the worse case¡± ¡°We might ask for reinforcements, is it ?¡± Dozen of knights were being left to guard the ten northern house nobles territory. In a worse case scenario, they could use them as reinforcement. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t guarantee the territory¡¯s safety with the current situation where the commoners are rebelling¡± Thus even if they won the war, it would come for naught if a rebellion happened inside their territory. ¡°Well, in any case, there¡¯s no way we would lose, we have Epiroz here. Because the Earl understood that, he kept silent during the meeting. While teasing us with his side-glances !¡± Roberto played with his glass while feeling frustrated. Up until now, everyone believed in Epiroz city fortifications, which was protected by high walls and deep moats. That was until the moment when the door of the room Roberto and Signiz had stayed in, was being knocked hurriedly. Chapter 167 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 25 Editor:Starbuck11 Let us go back ten minutes before knocks on Roberto¡¯s door. ¡°Oi Don¡¯t you think the outside look weird ?¡± ¡°They expressly sneaked around to the south huh ? That upstart noble seems to be good at small tricks. Oi you, come here.¡± The first one who noticed something was wrong were the soldiers who kept an all-night watch on the watchtowers. ¡°Certainly. Today, there¡¯s something going to happen. Somehow, I have a bad feeling.¡± One of his colleagues looked into the darkness. Tonight, the moon was hiding behind the clouds, thus the moonlight didn¡¯t reach the earth. The guards were unable to see anything properly. However, they could feel chills run down their backs, giving them a bad feeling that something was going to happen. For someone who had gone through many battles, such instincts were something that should not be underestimated. Intuition was mostly arrived at because of personal experiences. It was something that was hard to explain but it was not something that people should make light of. ¡°Night attack ? No, that can¡¯t be Someone please go and call the captain.¡± One of the soldiers nodded his head and went toward the staff¡¯s room. ¡°Damn it, I couldn¡¯t see anything in this darkness¡± ¡°But still I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something there¡± They had lit a fire on the walls, but the range of the light was extremely limited. Aside from the feet of the walls, one could not see beyond a few meters anything except for the darkness. But still, even if the soldiers could see nothing, they could feel that something was there. Then, the moonlight slowly illuminated the earth, after hiding behind the clouds all istime, and the answer entered their eyes. ¡°What the heck is that ? The enemy ?¡± One of the soldiers found something and pointed at the distant forest. It was something black but it was hard to understand what it was. And little by little the black thing began to take shape in front of the soldiers¡¯ eyes. ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t look like soldiers. Which means, no night attack But still, what is that ?¡± People, people, people, people. It was a group of people. Because they moved without coordination, it was obvious that they were not soldiers.0 ¡°But, even if they are not soldiers, that numbers is not something we should make light of¡± One of the soldiers muttered those words with a distorted expression. A single line comes out from the forest. Which needs more than hundreds of people to form. More likely it needs at least a thousand people to do that kind of line. And if one did it poorly, then ten of thousands of people might be needed. ¡°What an amazing numbers. The highway¡± It cannot be helped that the soldiers felt fear looking at those people going towards Epiroz in silent. Suddenly, a messenger came running through the dark night. The soldiers¡¯ gaze was directed at the messenger¡¯s face that was being illuminated by the torches. Then the messenger shouted in front of the gate. ¡°Open the Gate ! I serve Viscount Erin Grande. There¡¯s an urgent message from our Lord directed for Earl Salzberg ! Open the Gate !¡± Listening to his words, the soldiers at the gate looked at each others. ¡°Viscount Erin Grando is a member of the ten northern nobles right ?¡± ¡°Right, the Viscount is going to march into Epiroz.¡± ¡°He said it is an urgent message from the viscount¡¯s house This is important don¡¯t you think ?¡± Normally the city gate would be closed during sunset and being opened again during sunrise. In other words, entering the city at night was basically impossible. Such rule applied everywhere within the western continent. However, an exception also existed. Like in emergency situations. However, right now, Epiroz was in the middle of a war against Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s army. Considering such a situation, the soldiers were unable to decide whether or not they should open the gate. The soldiers kept looking at the messenger who continue shouting while praying that their boss would show up earlier. ¡°A little bit more. A little bit more and we willould arrive at Epiroz city I know it was hard, but please do your best.¡± The man talked to his daughter who was walking by his side. The baggage on his shoulders began to cuts into his shoulders, and their body screamed in pain due to the journey they had for the last few days. Still, the man smiled as hard as he could. ¡°Fuuh¡± His daughter nodded in response to her father words and keep moving her feet despite the pain. Even though she was young, she knew instinctively. That even if she cries here, nothing will change. Certainly, there were people around. But all of those people cannot afford to help others. They only think aboutWhat they think about was only the survival of their family. Even if she cried, those people would only pass by without paying any attentioninterest to her. Just like how they leftave other people to die before they arrived here. For their survival, they only thought of arriving at Epiroz at all costs. ¡°It is fine If we get to Epiroz, we should be fine. We willshould arrive the moment we¡¯re out of this forest. Please be more patient.¡± As soon as they were out of the forest, the city walls entered the man¡¯s eyes. The man kept repeating the same words while pulling his daughter¡¯s hand. While knowing that his words were only for calming her. Chapter 168 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 26 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C26 (Fix) POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2018 BY HASUTSUKI Editor:Starbuck11 The clear blue sky without any clouds. Soft sunlight embracing the earth and the calm winds that blew through occasionally refreshed the people, it was a wonderful morning. Normally speaking, this was the kind of day where people would appreciate life and enjoy each others company. However unfortunate, the world was never really fair, despite the blessings of the Heavens encompassing people equally. And such unhappy individuals under such a fine day could be spotted in Epiroz city. A group of men on horseback wearing polished white armor passed the city main street slowly. Cloudy gazes mixed with negative emotions such as resignation, dissatisfaction and furious anger were directed towards them. It was like a slave directing their attention at their hateful master. The situation seems rough Is everyone acting this way everywhere ? Roberto turned his eyes towards one of the knights while frowning at the smell of filth mixed with sweat from the roadside. The voice of the knight was not as powerful as he normally was. No It is unfortunate but, this kind of thing is still better because the main streets have more patrols on duty. As for the back roads and the alleyways, the situation is much worse. Forget outside of the gate While answering Robertos question, the knight watched the surroundings on alert,as if the enemy was close. In actuality, he had slept for only a few hours these past few days. Dark circles could be seen under his eyes. (What a headache Just for public order, and the situation was already like this It would be natural if this situation affected the war) In this war, Epiroz was protected by Earl Salzberg, and it could be said that it would be a victory if Mikoshibas army withdrew. They had an overwhelming advantage in term of defense, but it seemed something went differently this time. Right, everything changed the moment a group of people appeared in the Epiroz suburbs around two weeks ago. Suddenly, an angry voice resounded on the street. Apparently, some disagreement occurred between the inhabitants and the refugees. There behind the scenes, Roberto order the knights to quell the situation. (These guys might affect the course of our next battle, it seems it would be better if I were to speak with Signiz directly about this) In the first place, Roberto didnt feel enthusiastic about this war, he sighed while looking at the Earls mansion. But still, Earl. I would like to bring my people inside Epiroz as soon as possible. It would be too harsh to leave them outside of the south gate as it is Dont you think so ? That person was Viscount Baenna, he tapped on the desk with both hands. As his ranking was below that of an Earl, it was rather rude of him to behave like that. However, he was desperate. On his face, anger and impatience could be seen. Towards his attitude, Earl Salzberg had been sighing quite a few times already today. Certainly it is a terrible situation, I can understand Viscount Baennas feeling. However, Viscount. It is true that Epiroz city is the biggest city in northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom. However, theres a limit to it. Furthermore, were in the middle of a war against Baron Mikoshiba. I cannot be careless just because they havent showed any movement for more than ten days. That is why I want to preserve extra food even if it is only just a little. Indeed, what Earl Salzberg says is right. However, we cannot let the people fall into desperation like this. Our honor as Feudal lords would be tarnished. By all means, please consider the loyalty our family holds towards the Earl for so many years. Inside the Viscounts eyes, the Earl could see an insanity particular to a cornered human. Both men stared at each other in silence for a moment. I understand. I will leave it here today Please reconsider this matter Eventually, the first one who averted his gaze was Viscount Baenna. He guessed that it would be dangerous to push the topic any further. After he lowered his head deeply to apologize for his rude behavior, Baenna left the room slowly. Stupid bastard For his people, he said Do you think I dont know your aim ? The true intentions behind Viscount Baennas rational argument were made apparent. Earl Salzberg who managed to see through it, relaxed his body deeper into his chair. Then, he rang the bell placed on the desk. Call Signiz and Roberto. It is an urgent matter. After giving this order to the maid who responded, Earl Salzberg closed his eyes quietly. He was seeking for a way to survive in this chaotic situation. Chapter 169 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 27 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C27 POSTED ON BY HASUTSUKI Editor: Ryan&Brian So, how are we going to move? Earl Salzberg immediately spoke about business the moment he entered the room where Signiz and Roberto were staying. His manner of speech appeared similar to that of a master talking to his vassals. Of course, such behavior can be regarded as arrogant. However, it was expected due to the difference in status between them. This attitude is quite rare for Earl Salzberg, who had been consistently acknowledging Robertos ability even when others sneered at him. Finally, showing his true character huh? Which means, he can only compromise this much However Seeing the Earls manners, anger welled up inside Signizs heart. Of course, he understood that Earl Salzbergs mentality is due to the current war. The war, which they shouldve won with overwhelming power, had unexpectedly become a war of attrition. For him, to show his true character because he could not hold his irritation much more, there was a part that made it feel as if it could not be helped. However, even when Signizs mind understood was that, it was the nature of a human heart to always contradict such understandings. Calm down, currently were in a war. The situation would be worse if I minded such trivial matters now. After he regained his composure , Signiz exchanged a glance with Roberto. He saw Roberto trembling in anger. After seeing the behaviour of the two, without minding them, Earl Salzberg continued, Let me say this once again. How are we going to move? Signiz and Roberto looked at each other after being asked the same question again. There is no point in telling a lie. We should be honest here, huh? For Earl Salzberg, it might be something he didnt want to hear, but Signiz had to say what was needed. Signiz then finally spoke out. If we take the safest measures, we should consider an early cease-fire. A few weeks ago, such an action would have been laughed/scoffed at. However, it can now be considered reasonable given the current situation. I never thought that they would even use the citizens of the other northern territories as a weapon Epiroz plays a strategic role for the defense of Northern Rozeria. This fortified city is said to be impregnable. From the start, They didnt really stockpile food and weaponry, and because of the war, the consumption had increased significantly. At present, Epiroz could not resupply and their stockpiles were running low. The reason why the situation had changed so much was due to the existence of the countless refugees waiting for the gate to open at the southern outskirt of Epiroz. They were the people who previously lived in villages and towns in northern Rozeria. As a matter of fact ,they all had a reason as to why they abandoned their daily lives and ran away to Epiroz. And the reason for that was because there were raids on their homes, believed to have been caused by a detached force of Baron Mikoshibas army. Since their feudal lord had sent most of their knights to support this war, their homes were almost defenseless. Although they had left some soldiers to defend against thieves and monsters, they didnt have the strength to defend an attack from hundreds of knights. The enemy precisely took advantage of this information. They burned down the Northern nobles territories one by one, starting from the south. The citizens who lost their homes had all moved towards Epiroz. Perhaps they moved to Epiroz since they knew that their lords were there. And now because of the recent chain of events, the people had gathered at Epiroz city. As someone with great power and as the leader of the Northern Noble households, they had asked Earl Salzberg for help. I dont like that Now that the situation has turned towards an unexpected direction, to even propose a cease-fire would seem as if were at a disadvantage. We still have a greater number of soldiers, and its not like were going to starve immediately either. Of course, I understand that. However, if we continue the war this way, obtaining victory would be very difficult. The enemy is trying to kill us by starving us out. We should abandon our offense and focus on our defense, then we should wait for the time being. Whether we could wait it out or not, this would be the deciding factor Roberto, what do you think? Although I could win against them any other day, but we can see that their soldiers skills are quite high, I think we could regard them on par with an average kingdom knight. Normally, we could gamble it out and see who would win but Roberto shrugged his shoulders in response to Signizs question. Although it was an attractive bet in a sense of a one-in-lifetime gamble, he would decline if he had to gamble with his own life. Looking at how the northern noble households are falling apart Its a bit impossible Seeing the attitude of the two, the Earl sighed and shook his head. Anyone could feel dissatisfied. Under these kinds of circumstances, the Earls competence as a leader also was limited. That is the problem, and Baron Mikoshiba is skillfully aiming at that weakness The current situation in Epiroz was there were many people confused and proposed many ideas, making it hard to control everything First of all, there was the hungry refugees and the citys residents. In the eyes of Epiroz citys residents, those refugees were dirty disturbing people. From the usage of water to the distribution of the food, they were always quarreling. But still, even with that the refugees that were taken to the Epiroz city still can be considered as good. There were still many people left outside of the citys southern gate. Under that condition, because they were outside of the city, they didnt receive the Earls help. And because of those people complaining, the head of the northern nobles household came and asked the Earls assistance every day. It was natural for such dissatisfaction to appear among the refugees, they had to sleep on bare soil outside of the citys wall, and despite being the same refugees, they could not get any food. Their feudal lord could not let those citizens suffer further too. Since even if those aristocrats thought of the citizen as tools to gather taxes, they still need to maintain those tools. However, even Earl Salzberg had no other means left. Even if his city was the biggest city it was still limited to the number of people it could accommodate. Food and water were not unlimited. Also, it would be hard to arrange tents for the refugees as their numbers grew further. And the biggest problem was the fact that these goods would never increase in the future. They were stuck at a dead end. As the sun set, the room was dyed a deep red. It was as if foreshadowing the fate of these three people. Chapter 170 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 28 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C28 POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2018 BY HASUTSUKI Editor:barbequechar Extensive forest spread south of the Epiroz city. Darkness ruled the land as the moonlight was blocked by thick cloud. There were countless tents, bonfires, and people in the open space located in the forest. Milord. Ive brought chiefs words. A man appeared like a shadow bowed on his knee in front of Ryouma. Without minding his appearance, Ryouma asked the question while looking at the map spreading on his desk. Did any problem arise? No, everything has gone according to plan We can begin as soon as milord has giving the order. The shadow answered to the point. I see As expected of Jinnouchi, his work is fast No, everything is due to milords ingenious plan The moment he heard the shadows words, Ryoumas facial expression distorted for a moment. Although his face was covered by a mask, one could tell that he was a man around mid-thirties to forties. Ryouma was not impudent enough to feel calm after hearing words of praise from someone far older than he was. An ingenious plan huh? That was a very exaggerated expression but It is also difficult for me to deny it face-to-face. Given the future, as the leader he could not show any weakness inadvertently. After all, Ryouma would start to give missions where they might die from now on. However, even with that, it would be bad if he expressed his gratitude lightly. After having been lost in thought for a while, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders a little bit in response to the shadows words while feeling itchy. After all, a silent attitude was far more eloquent than answering poorly. (Now, we just have to wait for the bomb inside Epiroz city to explode How long it would take for it take?) Ryouma put a black horse on top of Epiroz city drawn on the map. The black horse piece with Baron Mikoshibas coat of arms was placed in front of ten small white horses pieces. There was dozens of pieces placed on the map. Each piece represents several hundred to several thousand soldiers. (Will Elensan abandon Tristrons defense and move to capture Epiroz?) On the map, other than the black and white pieces, there were three pieces with no color on it. Black stood for an ally, and white stood for enemies, while no-color stood for neutrality. In the meantime, it went without saying that the smallest number of pieces placed on the map were the black pieces. (If it is only to win this war, I could do it by just calling Elensan but Looking at the bomb that is going to explode, such decision would be regarded as poor tactics. And considering Lupis might also send reinforcement, should we leave it as it is?) Tristron city was located in the western region of the Rozeria Kingdom. There were several black pieces placed on it. The largest numbers of troops were located on Pireaus, the royal capital of the Rozeria Kingdom. Of course, the number of the black pieces was overwhelmingly smaller compared to the Rozeria Kingdoms aristocrats combined force, and the advantaged soldiers placed on Pireaus city were not just its military power. There were secret dealings between Elena and Ryouma. That was why Ryouma placed black pieces on Tristron. People who knew about it was extremely limited. Of course, Lupiz and her closest aides who didnt know about it, they naturally thought of Elena as their ally. Her piece was very important for deciding on offence and defence. (The problem was whether or not the Kingdom would send reinforcements For now, I would need to pull back when Lupiz makes even the smallest movement considering that, I should take Epiroz as soon as possible) All the strategies that Ryouma made was very flexible. His approach was to control the risk of failure by simultaneously proceeding with multiple plans. Thank you for your hard work, go and call Mike for me. Also, tell Jinnouchi that he should start the next plan after three days have passed. Then we will move in concert. Understood. The shadow figure melted into the darkness once again after he nodded his head slightly in response to Ryoumas order. Chapter 171 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 29 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C29 POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2018 BY HASUTSUKI Editor:Ryan Mike who was doing document work in his own tent felt a faint disturbance. With how the situation was , it was normal for him to be wary of assassination, but the place he was currently presiding was the base camp where many allied soldiers also located. Furthermore, as a senior officer, he was being protected by the Igclan shadows hidden in the darkness. Assassins who could break through this kind of defensive line could be counted on one hand. And it would be very unlikely for people to hire assassins aiming at Mikes life who was just an aide. If they could hire those kinds of people, they shouldve aimed at Mikoshiba Ryouma life instead. Which left him with one answer. Is there something you need? Without moving his line of sight from the document he was working on, he asked a question. Following his question, one man kneeled in front of Mike. Pardon me for disturbing you this late. Young Master is calling Young master? I see, did he received contact from EPiroz? Mike responded to the messenger calmly. At first, he was always panicked when the messengers came, but over time, he got used to it. Yes. After master received the news from the chief, he requested for me to call Mike-dono. I see, which mean, the news from Jinouchi-dono is good. The shadow responded to Mikes remark with silence. It was extremely rare for these kinds of people to talk more than necessary. Of course, they didnt abandon human feelings such emotions and desires, it was just they rarely showed them during a mission. Did young master said anything else? No. I was only told to call Mike-dono. I see Alright. Good work. After responding to Mikes word with a small nod, the shadow figure once again melted into the darkness. Fuh I guess everything has gone according to young masters expectation eh? The problem is after this After quickly putting away the documents on his desk, he sat down deeply in his chair and gazed toward the ceiling. Mike was deep in thought while gazing into nothing. Usually, since he was being called by his lord, he shouldve gone as soon as possible. But, compared to other lords, the one Mike was currently serving had unique characteristics. Have anything in mind? Is there any problem? How does it work? Is there any risk? What is the merit? Ryoumas way of seeking opinions from others after considering various factors would never allow Mike to think that he was just being called for nothing. (How should we move now? Epiroz movement was just like young master had expected. If we keep on the offensive with Jinnouchis cooperation, we could win But, the damage on our side would be bigger) It was true that getting a victory in this war was Ryoumas ultimate goal, but the way to win the war was also important. At the very least, Ryouma didnt want to waste troops by forcing into Epiroz if he could win another way. (Furthermore, we had to prepare for the next war) If Ryouma won the war, he would control the northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom. In other words, he will dismantle the northern nobles household and take away their territory. What became of that was Baron Mikoshiba would be occupying nearly a quarter of the Rozeria Kingdom. With such territory, he could create a principality. But, the Rozeria Kingdoms Queen, Lupiz Rozerianuz, would never allow such a thing to happen. (At that time, I never thought the situation would become like this) The memory caused a bitter feeling inside Mikes chest. At first the two people, Mikoshiba Ryouma, and Lupiz were close associates, helping each other during the civil war. The mercenary group that was led by Ryouma and Lione needed a powerful backer after they ended up being pursued by Fulzads guild leader. At the same time, Lupis needed someone who was capable of breaking the disadvantaged situation she was in. Someone capable but have no power, and someone with power but didnt have the ability. It was without a doubt heaven providence had destined those two people to met. And if their relationship remained good, the story wouldve turned into an epic hero [saga]. However, the honeymoon didnt last long. Their relationship ended right after the civil war was over. (Well, its not like I dont understand Queen Lupiz feeling) From the moment he was born, Mike had lived in this harsh world, thus he could understand the fear Lupiz had felt. It was not certain whether Lupiz had thought about it herself or she was being advised by someone else but, Lupiz had tried to seal Mikoshiba Ryouma by placing him in the Wortenia peninsula and try to let him died there. For rulers, there was nothing more horrible than a capable people with low social status. More so when the world was in chaotic times. In such situations, even parents, and brothers could not trust each other unconditionally. That was why only two choices remained for rulers when they had capable people but were unable to trust them. One option was to kill the capable person or confine the person to a place where he/she could never raise in power. Following that thought, Lupiz decision was not wrong. Since she thought that Ryouma would not cause her trouble in the future, she didnt think of assassinating him. However, such a decision was proven wrong. And after she missed the window to kill him, the crack between their relationship widen. And the snake she let go in the field had sharpened its poison. After Mike arranged his mind together, he slowly raised his body and left the tent. The moon looks beautiful Mike smiled while looking at the full moon after it breaks through the clouds. It was as if the moon told him about the future war that was going to happen Chapter 172 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 30 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C30 POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2018 BY HASUTSUKI Editor: Ryan There was a limit to every persons patience. No matter how tough that person was, there was always the limit toit. And the problem was sometimes people didnt realize their own limit. Unfortunately, that was also something one cannot easily express in numerical value just like in a game. In the same way, the human mind also could easily exceed its boiling point. It was just a matter of timing. It was a condition that was usually called as someone going berserk. Actions and words that usually never came out, unconsciously appeared. Then such anger and dissatisfaction could also spread to other people easily. Just like a plague, it would attack peoples minds one by one. Right now, the flame of malice and hatred were prevailing throughout the kingdom of Rozeria. And currently, the atmosphere in Epiroz is coming to boiling point. Because of the words of a certain man. Inside the fortified city. There was a bar located in a corner of the downtown area. Although the place was not a slum, it was a place where poor people gathered. The bar was a place that gave dreams to such poor people. However, it now had become the place where a feelings of malice and dissatisfaction gathered. All of this started after many refugees appeared outside of the fortified city. Uuuh, fuck One man groaned inside the bar. Usually, the bar was filled with the vigorously cheerful drunkards who would come back from work, but today, only cursing could be heard inside the bar. Many men with dangerous eyes were inside the bar. In the meantime, nearly ten girls were running around busily. Anna. Im sorry but, could you find something that could replace the bandage? Also, hot water. After all, our shop alone cant handle all this. Call the people from the neighborhood for help, and be quick . You, call the doctor. Hurry up! While tearing a mans shirt that covered the wound, a woman with a good physique called out to a dumbfounded young woman. Although her way of doing things might be a little doubtful when compared to a professional doctor, because she was the proprietress of the bar, she knew how to handle injured people. After taking off the mans shirt, blood could be seen flowing out from the wound, following the heartbeat of the man. It seems it got to your artery This is going to be hurt a little, but just bear with it. The proprietress then pressed both her hands dyed with blood on the wounded arm. Although she didnt manage to stop the blood flow completely it could be said the amount of blood spilling out was reduced. Besides, if a person could stop the blood flow by doing such a thing, one didnt need a doctor to begin with. (Theres no response) Despite her hands pressuring his wound, the mans reaction was weak. His consciousness seemed cloudy, and his eyes didnt have power. Okami-san How is he? The second woman gripped her hands, like a prayer, in front of her chest, asked the proprietress while trembling. Maybe because she felt it was her fault, regret and guilt could be seen on the womans face. Her face looked pale, and tears dropped down her cheeks. Its fine, and get a hold of yourself alright? Even if you keep on talking, nothing will change. If you want to help this kid then move! The proprietress shouted at the woman who kept standing in utter shock . (This is hopeless His body is gradually becoming cold Even with a magic potion, his fate might wont change) His heartbeat weakened, and blood coming out of his wound also began to lose its momentum. It was proof that death was creeping under the mans life. Big Brother! Suddenly the bar door was opened vigorously, a young man jumped into the bar. The surrounding people gaze naturally fell upon him. His face was very similar to the man lying on the floor. Oi! Where is my big brother? A woman called to him fearfully. Alan Im sorry Janis The moment he saw the Janis face, Alan immediately understood the situation. It was only the other day that Alans lover, Janis, came to help refugees by distributing supplies. Due to the prolonged war, even Earl Salzberg who was said to be intolerant to the commoners had to move his butt and help the refugees for the sake of the northern ten nobles household alliance. And there was also the fact that Baron Mikoshiba army didnt attack more aggressively. The Earl who supposedly was not able to care for the citizen of the city began to distribute food twice a day. And for helping the distribution, Janis got paid for a small fee. Many told her to stop but she ignored them. Alan grasped his fists tightly and stood there. (This is the worst I was worried that this might happen we shouldve stopped Janis) As a matter of fact, there was a good reason why the neighborhood warned Janis to stop. There was an endless reason for it, but the biggest problem was because of the deterioration of security within Epiroz city. A crowd of people flocked from the whole Rozerias northern territory. Even if Epiroz was famous as a fortified city, it was hard to accommodate all of them. Most of the people were escaping only with the clothes they were wearing, it was difficult for them to stay in an inn, and it was also impossible for them to rent a house. Inevitably, many refugees couldnt even have a roof to protect them from the wind and rain. Gradually they began to stay in the dark alleys. Where the many poor people lived, a place where the eyes of the security guards didnt reach. It was quite normal for conflicts between refugees and citizens to occur. Their thought of their future. Their endless hunger and thirst. And their anger toward the society that didnt help them. If such negative feeling took a root, even a normal citizen could turn into a horrible monster. To be honest, Alan didnt even know what was the problem that started it all. No, even the proprietress who always had some information couldnt know everything, and it was not like anybody would go and investigate it further. But, the thing that caused the hostility became clear was when the two sides collided over the use of a certain water well. Whom among them should use it first? Before anyone knew what was going on, hostility flared up, and the conflict that was only a fight between women who come to draw water turned into an all-out uproar, causing the guard knights to come and suppress the uproar, pulling dozen of injured people from both sides. Most of them when asked why all of this happened, their answer was something silly. It was not like they were children, the incident could have been avoided if they tried to compromise with each other. However, once they fought, due to the overflowing malice and hostility they ignored such logical reasoning. And, if they could not recognize the other side as their own, the ending would be disastrous. Just like what happened now. A refugee called out to Janis who just got back from work. It was uncertain what was the reason the youth called Janis, whether it was to thank her or was it due to ulterior motives, no one knew. The problem was the youth who called Janis was someone from the back alleys. Then, young people from the slums who were part of the vigilante corps saw the scene. It was unpleasant for them who admired Janis watched her being touched by the refugees. At first, it was just a voice of warning, but then it escalated to insulting words. After that, it developed into a brawl between the refugees and the vicinity citizens. And now, Alans brother who was trying to stop the brawl ended up being stabbed in the middle of the confusion. Big brother, it is me. Can you hear me? Oi?! Power escaped from the hand that Alan grasped. Alan desperately shaking his shoulders, and shouting at his ears, there was no answer. Oi, Big Brother! Big Brother! Alans desperate attempt didnt help, and life started to fade away from the man lying on the ground. Everyone was watching Alan silently trembling beside his brother. After a while I cant bear this anymore! I will make them pay! They act as if they own the place! The same as their feudal lord. Why should we endure this kind of thing?! Inside the bar, a man shouted That was the voice that represented the citizens grief. And that was the trigger to the last phase of this war. Chapter 173 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 31 Editor: That night, a myriad of torches flowed through the streets towards the castle like a river of lava. Jeers and angry roars dominated Epiroz citys atmosphere. It has begun, at least exactly like that person said Signiz gently closed the window curtain. He sat down deeply in the chair and took the letter placed on the desk. Emotions that sprung out from his heart were a mix of anger, sadness, and guilt. Such feelings filled Signiz¡¯s heart like a muddy water. (Everything was known in advance He planted the feuds between the refugees and the citizens of Epiroz . Afterwards just waiting for the balance to be broken. There were no difficulties for that man ) Anyone would desperately protect ones family. In this world, there was no paradise, only a hell like place that was similar to the place told by the followers of the light God . And that was also no different for Signiz, considered as one of the best knights in the Rozeria Kingdom. In this world, weak and foolish people only existed for being used and stepped on . (In the end, everything moved according to that man¡¯s intentions. What¡¯s important now is how should I move afterwards) A scene that had transpired weeks ago appeared inside his mind. Just right after the war began, Signiz Garbera received contact by one of Mikoshiba Ryoumas subordinates. A masked man wearing all black clothing entered the place where Signiz resided just like a shadow. Especially during the wartime like this where security would be doubled, such a task would be difficult to perform. The intruder was definitely an expert. And from him, Signiz who was already placed his hand on his sword heard a whisper. The shadow asked, together with Roberto Bertrand, would you like to serve Mikoshiba Ryouma? Of course, at the time, Signiz laughed at the intruder¡¯s suggestion. Even if the soldiers led by Mikoshiba Ryouma had extraordinary quality, that alone could not decide the victor of the war. Above all else, there was also circumstances where Signiz could not betray the Garbera family. As long as there was such circumstances, he could not betray Earl Salzberg who the Garbera family was loyal to. (I guess. It would be nave of me to think that everything would end just like that huh?) That night, when the many refugees appeared from the south of Epiroz, the shadow man appeared once again, he had delivered a letter then disappeared. When he read the letter, Signiz was undeniably shocked. At first, he doubted the contents of the letter, but soon he was disheartened after learning it was the truth, he soon realized that he had arrived at the crossroad that would decide his future. (It is true that since grandfather died, I dont care about the current Garbera family But it is also a fact that I have some obligation and gratitude towards the Earl.) The dark emotions that he hid in the depths of his heart since childhood appeared for a moment. Signiz was the sixth son of the Garberas family, but he was not the child of the legal wife. In short , he was a child of a mistress. Signiz was a child born from a commoner woman that his father slept with just once when he was playing around. Well, in this world, contraception was rare. It was natural for a child to be born easily. Naturally, Signizs father asked his mother to abort him. After all, although Baron was the lowest noble, the difference in status between noble and commoner was still huge. Furthermore, the man already had children from his legal wife and his concubines. If Signiz was the second or third son, then Signiz might still have value as spare successor. However, as a sixth son, his value was very low. And if Signizs mother was the daughter of a powerful merchant or knight, it would be different, but since his mother was just a commoner, he could not receive help from his mothers house. To avoid a crisis of succession, it might have been right for Signiz¡¯s father to ask his mother to abort him. And it also might be better for Signiz mother to have done just that. Since she was a commoner, she could not even become a concubine. Even if Signizs father wanted it, it would be not a good idea considering the conflict that would occur. If they took the wrong step, Signiz might get rolled up in the struggle between the legal wife and the concubines who wanted their sons to be the successor. Thus, Signiz became an unwanted child. Normally, a child like Signiz wouldn¡¯t be able to even be born then. Until the previous Baron Garbera who was known as a wise person said the final words Ignoring the normal custom, Signiz was taken over and recognized as an official sixth child. Was it because the previous Baron felt pity towards him, or was it because he felt something else, nobody knows. Signiz could not confirm the answer now. However, at least Signiz didnt waste the life his grandfather had saved and trained hard in the art of military and literacy. For the sake of triumph over his indifferent father and cold step-mothers. As a result, Signiz grew up as one of the best knights. Without knowing that such thing would lead to further tragedy. (I desperately worked hard so that I could find a place among them But as the results of my work hard, Ive become a potential enemy of Garbera family instead.) People with weak positions strove to win a place to stay. That would be the normal route. However, the reality was not a kind story. For the Garberas family who persecuted him, Signizs desperate effort could only be seen as an eyesore and the root of fear for them. And such thoughts were natural.. Since they would be worried if he would retaliate for all the mistreatment he received in the past. The stronger and more famous Signiz became, the greater the risk the others felt. Yet they could not kill Signiz nor destroy him. Signiz¡¯s ability and fame directly affected how powerful the Garbera houses army was. Of course, for that reason, they should also be worried. However, they soon noticed. Signizs biggest weakness (As far as the letter said, Elmeda seems to be safe.) It was the handwriting of the nanny that had taken care of him since childhood. Although he might mistake the handwriting of his real parents, there was no way he could mistake the letter written by the nanny that raised him, Elmeda. Dignified letters were written on the paper. And from the writing, it was easy to see that she was safe. (Other than telling she is safe, nothing is written. But, since Baron Mikoshiba subordinate was the one who delivered this letter That means only one thing) In a sense, for Signiz, Elmeda was his only family member. He didnt feel any affection from his father or mother, but Elmeda was different. For her sake, Signiz would be ready to die. Signiz it¡¯s me, Roberto. The situation seems to have turned bad. We need to move immediately. Suddenly, the rooms door was being opened in a hurry. Maybe because Roberto saw the situation outside he came all the way to Signiz¡¯s room. Rough breathing could be heard coming from him. (To come in a hurry like that Youre really a good guy, Roberto.) Standing in front of Signiz was his best friend who was indifferent toward society. A man that supposedly was not being recognized by the nobles in this war. Signiz himself also had heard Roberto¡¯s frustrations from his own mouth. However, even though he hated the nobles, he still came running after seeing the crisis that the Earl faced. Signiz could see that Roberto actions didnt stem from his sense of responsibility as one of the commanders,but in fact, as the proof that he longed for, an acknowledgment from Earl Salzberg while also cursing his surroundings and his own father. (I have no choice but to prepare for the worst huh) Signiz raised his body from the chair, and tooka white paper chartulae from the desk drawer. (Roberto Before the war, you said that I should think about myself more Im sorry, but I think I will accept your suggestion. I will accept your judgment after everything is over Even if you want my neck) Alright, we will go. But wait a moment As he said that he placed two glass on the table and secretly put the contents inside the chartulae into one of the glass. Chapter 174 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 32 Editor: barbequechar That night, Earl Salzberg was sitting inside his study room, while outside, the noise had grown louder.. He now wore the armor that he had not worn for many years, besides his chair, his beloved sword leaned Numerous bottles of alcohol scattered around the room. If he was an ordinary man, he would have been drunk and then fallen asleep by now. However, Earl Salzberg mind was still clear, his eyes were like a beast staring at the ceiling.. (It has been a long time since I felt this burning heart) The same feeling he felt every day until the day he robbed the household from his own father. It was an instinct akin to that of a sixth sense. An intuition which human beings would have after going through life and death situations many times. (At that time, I hated this kind of feeling, but) Earl Salzberg¡¯s father was a man of virtue and loyalty. He was also intelligent and had personality liked by other people. As a lord, and as a warrior, Earl Salzberg could not deny that his father¡¯s competence was above the standard. However, for Earl Salzberg, his father was not someone he would respect. That day, the admiration he held toward his father for many years was shattered. (Fumu Finally, you come) Earl Salzberg felt that his guest had finally come. He didnt feel the anger he had since the war broke. Only a sense of preparedness, and acceptance of his destiny. Come in. The door is not locked. After the door being opened, Earl Salzberg immediately opened his mouth. Hoo I thought you would be hesitating for a bit but I wonder if that is because youre being bold or not thinking? Looking at the man who appeared in front of him, Earl Salzberg smiled. Certainly, just like Earl Salzberg said, this place was supposedly the enemy stronghold. It would be natural for him to use surprise attack instead. From that point of view, it was indeed foolish of him to enter from the front door normally. Well, I guess youre not someone that foolish. Since I believe that youre not a boring man that would perform such cheap trick. Hitting the mark, Ryouma scratched his head looking embarrassed. Well, I guess after being told that much, I have nothing to say in return Earl Salzberg laughed after hearing Ryoumas reply. Long time no see. Baron Mikoshiba. The last time we meet, was it during the time you were about to head towards the Zalda Kingdom as a reinforcement? What happened to those two sisters who always followed you around? I dont see them That is right. At that time, Ive received a great favor from you. Those two are currently doing some errands Ive ordered them to do Responding Earl Salzberg question Ryouma lowered his head and answering with a smile. Although he had paid a huge amount of money toward the Earl as intermediate, Ryouma who had no connection at all was without a doubt greatly benefited from his relationship with the Earl. In a sense, Earl Salzberg was a benefactor of Ryouma. While looking happy at Ryoumas attitude, Earl Salzberg opened his mouth. I see, you seem to have some trouble of your own too huh? Indeed. Im currently struggling with all of my might. Good, Good. As expected of a young people. One needs to do their best. Saying that Earl Salzberg directed his eyes at Ryouma. By the way, let me change the topic a little bit, tonights riot, was it instigated by you? That is right, after considering the security around the city The content of the words that came out of both men were dangerous. However, they keep talking as if they were drinking buddies. Fumu, it seems your aims have succeeded. Most of the guards are currently trying to suppress the riot. Although it is splendid, dont you think it was a bit cowardly? After the first battle, I heard from Signiz and Roberto, your army seems to be quite a marvelous one. I heard there were many young boys and girls among them But to be honest, I never thought they could fight on equal terms against my forces. I did this because the death rate would increase if I naively wage a war from the front. Hearing Ryoumas response, Earl Salzberg showed a bitter smile. Certainly, there was no reason for the soldiers to die if there was a way. A soldier was akin to a pawn in a chess, they were many, but one should not wastefully spend them. Much less, when talking about people, not a chess piece, an aspect one could not just brush over. Ryouma words were right as a commander. However, Earl Salzberg knew the real intention behind these words. I see You dont want your war potential to decline further eh? Which mean youre not going to stop after this war Next would be Lupis Rozerianus head is it? In response to Earl Salzberg question Ryouma kept silent. However, the fierce smile on his face gave away everything. Fumu, It seems I was right But still, I could not understand something. Why did you do this? Certainly, her majesty Lupis had broken the promises made between the two of you, but your opponent is a ruler of a country you know? Looking at your position, the results can be said to be certain. Besides, even if you manage to win one way or another. It was impossible for this country to exist without the current system. In my eyes, it was you who dont seem to understand that So, you saying that I should live following that womans will? Toward Earl Salzberg question, Ryouma responded with a smile of ridicule. Certainly, following this world¡¯s common sense where social status existed, Mikoshiba Ryouma actions could be considered as wrong. Of course, Ryouma anger itself was justifiable. However, such justification only worked if both sides had an equal position. A teacher might accuse a student of a mistake, but only a few students would accuse the teacher of a mistake, and to do that the student would need considerable preparation and labor. It would be easy for a president to blame the mistake of his men, but it would be difficult for his subordinates to blame the presidents mistake. Someone who did that need to prepare for resignation. No matter which world, people were never equal. Certainly, I also think that somewhat frustrating. However, by obeying her, you wont lose anything, dont you? In fact, you gained many things after being given the aristocrats status. Both money and women, you can have as much as you wanted. Wearing luxurious costumes, enjoying delicious drinks and cuisine, and also sharing a bed with a beautiful woman. Dont you think those worth more than rebelling? Well, thats true In response to the Earls question, Ryouma nodded quietly. Mikoshiba Ryouma was without a doubt a healthy man. He also had the desire to spend a sweet night with a beautiful woman, and also the desire to eat delicious food. Although he had not much interest in clothes, it was also the truth that he enjoyed the clothes being specially tailored for him more than normal clothes. However I understand what the Earl wishes to convey . However, for me, I have something more important than those luxuries Ho? And what is that? (Now then, I should not get lost here Was it for moral justice? Was it for a righteous government? Or for love and friendship? Maybe hatred and anger? No matter which one, I think all of them are correct.) Hearing Earl Salzberg question, many words floated inside Ryoumas mind that disappeared afterwards. Who knows? I wonder what that is He shrugged his shoulders with a bitter smile on his face. That answer really represented Ryoumas heart. Any sublime intention would lose its meaning as soon as one used it as words. However, even though he could not express it in words, Ryouma didnt feel any hesitation in his actions. The light that dwelled in his eyes was an absolute confidence in his abilities. Something that Earl Salzberg lost after he killed his own father and took over the household. As expected of a young person. How enviable Ive thrown away that kind of feeling far into the past Earl Salzberg shook his head while narrowing his eyes looking envious. In fact, it was true that Earl Salzberg envied Mikoshiba Ryouma. There was something that Ryouma had which the Earl didnt have. I wonder, what was the cause for your change? The moment he heard the question, Earl Salzberg changed his expression. What do you mean? Despite maintaining a calm expression, Earl Salzberg face had evidently become stiff. As a warrior and a ruler, Earl Salzberg had outstanding skills and achievements. There was no reason for him to be drowned in self-indulgence. Earl Salzberg, I heard about you from Elensan As someone who had supported the Rozeria Kingdom, why did you change That was a question that didn¡¯t need to be answered. For Ryouma right now, all he needed to do was to kill Earl Salzberg. However, Ryouma wished to know the reason. As to why the well respected Earl changed into the man he is presently. Hou I see, now that you mention it, Elendono also was there during that time Following Ryoumas gaze, Earl Salzberg told him about his past. A past he never wished to remember. Chapter 175 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 34 Editor: barbequechar The violent clashing of metal could be heard coming from inside the room. For a moment, countless red sparks scattered in front of Ryouma, as Earl Salzbergs face nearly touched his own.It was enough that both men could feel each others breathing. However, in the next moment the overlapping shadow jumped away from each other again. (I missed my chance huh?) While feeling the wound on his right arm, Ryouma looked at Earl Salzberg standing right in front of him. Despite being wounded, Ryouma didnt show any gap in his stance. Through rigorous training with his grandfather Koichiro, Ryouma gained resistance to pain. Of course, that alone didnt mean he didnt feel any pain at all. If one had to say it, it was more akin to willpower and patience when dealing with the pain. But on the battlefield, winning or losing changes greatly depending on whether or not one could do such a thing. (Once again, I should be thankful to that grandfather of mine eh?) It would be a problem if he didnt feel pain, but it was also a problem if his skill was dulled because he feared pain. One can suppress pain with willpower and fighting spirit, but when pain was feared ,the only possible outcome was dulling one¡¯s own skill. The only way to prevent the fear of pain was getting used to it. Seeing Ryoumas appearance Earl Salzberg¡¯s lips curled, it was a smile of a beast that had tasted the blood of his own relative. The Earl was having fun inside his mind. The intense exchange of offense and defense. Ho hum It seems that wound alone isnt enough. Most of the people Ive faced would be finished by now Only you are different. Ryouma instinctively smiled at the Earls words mixed with sarcasm and praise. It might be because he had the intention of wait-and-see, but Ryouma could feel Earl Salzberg didnt show much of his ability yet. (The three important factors His speed, power, and skill, I think he was the best among the enemy I have fought so far Ive never doubted Elensan¡¯s ability when judging others abilities, he is indeed as good as she said ) Ever since he was summoned to this world, Mikoshiba Ryouma had gone through many life and death situations. Among them, two people, Kyle Iruna during the Rozeria Kingdom civil war, and Greg Moore who he met during the confrontation with the Ortomea Empire were particularly impressive for Ryouma. Physical strength increased by magic arts, and the solid confidence backed by their experiences through many battlefields. It was true that both Kyle and Greg boasted enough ability to be called first class warriors in this world.Also, Christ Morgan, one of Elenas aides who specialized in fast spear fighting. He was still young with many immature parts, but his talent and skill were one of the best Ryouma had met in this world. Those three people were undoubtedly strong men in this world. However, compared to Earl Salzberg, those three people were still lacking. His inner strength, technique, body strength, Earl Salzberg had them at a very high level. Furthermore, if one believed in the Earls words, he had only been using Anahata Chakra in this battle. (From the story I heard, The Earl should be able to use chakra up to the sixth level. In other words, it is possible for him to use Ajna Chakra) It was said that Sahashara chakra which was said to be at the top of the head, was the same as the eyes on the palm of the one thousand armed Avalokiteshvara. Speaking of Buddhist teachings when one reached that point, he or she had reached the point of enlightenment. Considering Taoist thought, that would be on the level of being one who was not being bound by earthly desires. Basically being on the level of a superman. Thus based on that theory, Ajna Chakra was said to be the highest point reachable by humans. Ryouma himself could not imagine how much power it could release, but there was only one thing he was sure of. And that was Earl Salzberg was indeed the strongest enemy he had ever faced. However, even with such objective point of view, Ryouma didnt feel despair, he instead felt excited. (¡®Well, I already knew all of that since the time I decided to do this battle after all) Ryouma had learned how to control Chakra with the help of the Marfisto sisters. After that, the Prana he absorbed from his battles on the Wortenia peninsula and the time he was doing reinforcement duty at the Zalda Kingdom, he had managed to open up to the third chakra, Manipura. In this world, Mikoshiba Ryouma could be considered among the strong warriors, but compared to Earl Salzberg he was still inferior. If Ryouma clashed swords from the front, sooner than later the Earl would catch him unguarded and strike , but facing him, Ryouma also held a secret. (What¡¯s left now is whether or not this guy would accept me as an appropriate master.) ¡®Ryouma turned his eyes toward the sword (wailing of the restless ghost) in his hands. The five hundred year old wish. It was time for the treasured sword to show its true power. Chapter 176 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 35 Record Of Wortenia War V5-C35 POSTED ON AUGUST 14, 2018 BY HASUTSUKI Editor: barbequechar Two shadows danced inside the room. The sound of steel clashing, rough breathing reverberated inside the room. Fumu. I dont know that when I used my fifth chakra youd still be able to fight against me, I dont know whether it was because you wanted to hide your abilities or you really were only able to use Manipura chakra, regardless youre good Earl Salzberg directed words of admiration at Ryouma which was rare. In this worlds martial arts fights, the amount of Prana one possessed and the level of Chakra one could release often was the one who decided victory. For example, Prana was akin to that of gasoline, and Chakra was like that of an engine. Naturally, the more horsepower, the more powerful the engine, and if there is more more gasoline the longer the engine can run. . (the analogy is unnecessary) Earl Salzberg was already using up to Vishudda chakra. The Earl admired Mikoshiba Ryouma who was able to deal with his attack. In your swordsmanship, I can feel a refined elegance that I can hardly believe belonged to a mercenary. I dont know what school youre in, but you seem to have a good teacher How enviable. Do all people of the other world use such swordsmanship? Im certain that you were born in a country called Japan Hearing his words, Ryouma instinctively laughed bitterly. Though he didnt desperately hide his identity, if he had to choose, Ryouma wish that his identity remained hidden. No matter which world, there were two kinds of information, one that needed to be hidden from the public, and the other that could be diffused. That was something fundamental. Some information was only known to a small part of the government, while the general public has information that was intentionally being transmitted to the whole world. Specifically, confidential information on national defense or diplomacy would apply in the former case, and in the latter case something like an advertisement on the launch of a new product. Either way, it was important to keep some secrets and control the time to release them. From his point of view, the information regarding Mikoshiba Ryouma was something he wanted to kept secret. Especially the information that he was from Japan. The reason was that just like food dishes, martial arts have strong ties with a nations history and culture. For example, Capoeira, a traditional Brazilian martial art was an art that was dominated by footwork, but it was also said to have been influenced and linked to slave tradings origins , that was the reason they couldnt use their hand, it was because the practitioners hands were chained. Another example would be old fashioned Karate, there was a technique using sticks and sickles as weapons instead of swords and spears, the reason being the Ryukyu royal family prohibited common folks from carrying weapons with them. Well, even if we set aside the authenticity of it, it was the truth that individual martial arts are rooted in the original countrys history and culture. The impact of knowing Ryouma was from Japan, was not just the martial arts, people with an education, might be able to imagine it. Setting aside how many problems could occur because of it , it was indeed never beneficial to Mikoshiba Ryouma if the truth of his origin was being known by others. (Earl Salzberg is a strong sadistic man. He also good at planning. Did he think of that by himself, or) It was necessary for one to identify the source of information. In worst case scenario, he might need to order Iga clan to place a gag on people who knew about the secret. Ryouma then casually asked Earl Salzberg about it while enduring the desire to click his tongue. So you knew that I was from Japan? Of course. Since you tried to get information on me, it would be natural I did the same to you. I did that, right after you came and brought the business regarding the rock salt. That is But well, I guess that is natural It was natural for someone doing business to check the other party identity. (This man, I guess I look down on him too much huh? I thought he would be much more bird brain but) The thought that the Earl was a bad guy and a greedy man may have clouded Ryoumas eyes. Among the nobles Ryouma had encountered, the Earl was indeed among the first rate, even outside of his battle prowess. You think so too yes? Indeed, in battle, one needs to know oneself and the enemy after all. Listening to Ryoumas words, Earl Salzberg breaks into a smile. I see, that was the proverb of another world, is it? Strangely fitting indeed. But well, in this world, many people still unable to think of such basic thinking you know? Though deplorable indeed! At the same time as he ended his words, Earl Salzberg attacked Ryouma once again. Chapter 177 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 36 Editor: The Earls sword grazed Ryoumas right cheek. At that moment, intense heat like one being touched by hot iron hit Ryouma. At first, there was no apparent change. However, the wound opened little by little. The blood appeared began to drip down on Ryoumas chest. and dyed it red. Ryouma didnt feel pain. If he had to say it, he felt uncomfortable that his cheek felt wet. That might be because of a large amount of adrenaline produced inside his body. What boils inside Ryoumas heart right now was pure admiration. Even when Earl Salzberg performed a surprise attack, Ryouma didnt feel any indignation toward himself who was unable to fully block the attack. Certainly, a blow in the middle of a conversation could create a surprise. It was without a doubt such an act could be regarded as cowardly. However, was there any value saying such criticism? Making a surprise attack, sneak attack, or causing agitation on the enemy by using words were the basis of fighting. If one had to say, it was natural for a fighter to do that. The two people who faced each other with swords were not dancing, they were people trying to kill each other. And there was no rule when it comes to taking the enemys life. Only result that matters. Live, or dead The reason for Ryouma admiration was something different, it was That surprises me To think you could shrink the ground I have no intention of being careless but, that indeed surprise me Somewhat weakened, blood keeps dripping from Ryoumas cheek. Having his body full of adrenaline aside, it was evident that the wound he sustained was quite deep. Ryouma smiled widely while his cheek and chest dyed in red. Hearing Ryoumas casual words, Earl Salzberg laughed loudly. Oh my, youre truly indeed a good warrior. In my memory, only a handful of people manage to block that attack of mine. Furthermore, I did it while doing a surprise attack. I never expected to hear words of praise instead of blaming words. Someone who said something like that is just a loser Saying that Ryouma shrugged his shoulders. Sports have rules. However, there was no rule when it comes to killing. Though that was not entirely accurate, in general, rules were meaningless when it comes to killing each other. That was the basic understanding unless they were fighting in a special circumstance and place like an official duel. Besides, they didnt decide on any rules before starting killing each other either. Since common consciousness to held rules didnt exist, cheating also ceased to exist. Furthermore, there was no audience around, only two people, Earl Salzberg, and Mikoshiba Ryouma presented in this room. If they didnt leave a document stipulated the rules, then what the meaning of having verbal rules with no witness. For rules to be effective as a rule, someone with absolute power was essential. If one were to breach the rule, that someone could bestow heavy penalty. That was thereason why, in Ryoumas previous world, even if people said they hate wars, the wars never ceased from existence. In term of current battles, far from having no meaning in blaming the opponent as a coward, the most such an act would do only making one lost calmness and digging one own grave instead. Ryouma didnt criticize Earl Salzberg was because he understood that. However, if Ryouma attitude touched Earl Salzberg heart string then, he was indeed want to laugh a little bit. Good, really good. Words of chivalry are only something a knight that didnt know of battlefield should speak Well, though many people still believe and adhere to the chivalry way Come to think of it, during the civil war, you seem to have some trouble with that eh? Ryouma smiles bitterly thinking at whom such words were being directed. Right, just as you said Cold and rational thought, pursuing one of profit by all means necessary. To be honest, Ryouma and Earl Salzberg was similar being. Originally, such a characteristic would attract them to be a friend. (Truthfully, how regrettable But then again, it is impossible for me to reorganized my hands now) The various thought crossed Ryoumas mind, but the death of Earl Salzberg had been deemed necessary. Although he was the mastermind, the time was already past the stage where he could overturn the plan just because Mikoshiba Ryouma wanted to. (But still To be able to use shrink distance is) The blow the Earl did before might be categorized as a special move. Shrinking distance. In a sense, it was almost a warp-like travel used by men in space era, but in martial arts worlds, it was different. Fast and bewitching steps technique was used to fill the intervals, such technique refer to the erasing of one initial movement and draw an attack It was something that the martial artist could attain after refining their ability for a long time For Mikoshiba Ryouma, the enemy in front of him was again on a whole another level. I have no choice. I also need to use my secret art I guess Ho ho, you still have something up your sleeves eh? Hahaha, youre indeed an interesting man. Hearing the Earls words, Ryouma shrugged his shoulders, while Earl Salzberg kept laughing. Though theres a problem with it and I dont want to use it too much Power began to come to both of his hands. This trump card was something that could invite Ryouma to a place beyond men. This trump card made him able to kill a huge monster by himself. However, a mighty power would destroy one own body if one were to fail in controlling it. Wake up, [Kikoku]. I offer you to carry those hatreds with this body of mine. Such whisper comes out of Ryoumas mouth. Chapter 178 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 37 Editor: As if responding to Mikoshiba Ryoumas words, a countless pattern emerged from the bled, dazzling red and black dyed the carpet. The patterns blinked as if it was breathing. Then eventually, the blade was fully dyed red. At that moment, Earl Salzberg could feel chill down his spine. (What is this) The chilling feeling he had never felt on any battlefield was assailing his body. The atmosphere noticeably becomes filled with an intense thirst for blood. It gives off the feeling that the atmosphere didnt belong to the living. The situation was exactly what people usually call bloodcurdling. Earl Salzberg heard rattling metallic sounds, thus he directed his gaze at his own hands. (Im trembling? Did I feel fear?) Earl Salzberg was a strong man. Even Queen Lupis, in a sense, fell behind the Earl. He had overwhelming power as an individual. And also as a warrior. As the Earl who ruled the northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom, Earl Salzberg was indeed powerful but, that alone was something he had no choice but get affixed on him Since the day he was young, he had continued to kill people and the monsters that appeared from the wortenia peninsula. The number might not exceed one thousand. But, as the result of the countless battle, he had accumulated experience and fighting ability as well as Prana that was higher than even Elena Steiner, which was being referred to as the White Goddess of War. If the famous Mikhail Banashu or Chris Morgan who was known as GodspeedSpear faced against Earl Salzberg, they might end up dead in a few minutes. Yet, the Earl who boasted such capacity was shaking in fear due to the smell of death released by Mikoshiba Ryouma. To think Im being overwhelmed like this That sword That is not just your ordinary magic sword isnt it? To possess this kind of power It can only mean that sword is a demon sword or cursed sword The Earl gazed at his magic sword in his hand and clicked his tongue. (This sword is indeed a family heirloom, but, the sword itself is just an excellent sword, nothing more. Which make me in disadvantage I guess? But even if I strengthen my magic arts and activated the swords engraving magic, Im not sure if I could cut that from the front) In this world, a sword with engraving sword was called a magic sword. The engraved weapons could exert various effects when the weapon user applied their Prana to the weapon. It was the type of weapon that never lost its sharpness. For warrior living on the battlefield, no weapon better than such weapon. Depending on the inscription engraved on the weapon, one could summon the wind or even fired it. Such magic weapon pushed the user competence one step further. However, just like people where there would always be someone better than you, such thing also the same for a magic sword. As such, there were swords with particularly strong power such as Holy Swords, Demon Swords, and Cursed Swords. The power between Holy swords and Magic swords were vastly different. Only one thing that could be said. And that was when those weapons were wielded by warriors with a reasonable ability, their power could slaughter even a huge monster single-handedly. Interesting. I knew it since we first met, that youre an interesting guy! Loud laughter from Earl Salzberg echoed inside the room. Indeed, it cant be helped if Earl Salzberg felt this situation as fun. Since the day he lost his pride as nobility and knight, Earl Salzberg had always longed for something like this. A thirst that cannot be healed, from all the property he now had, the delicious food he now could eat, the girls he raped just for fun, all of that could not heal him. It was as if he lived without purpose. However, right now, Earl Salzberg felt excited. You will surely heal this thirst of mine As he said that, Earl Salzberg put his sword into its sheath and lowered his waist. It was a very familiar stance for Ryouma. That stance Iai? How, did you know that? Looking at Ryoumas attitude who cannot hide his confusion, Earl Salzberg smirked and laughed hard. Thats right, your world. It is a technique that was handed down to this world a long time ago It was a stance that was used by an expert. And it seems the Earl didnt do that stance just because he wanted to. (A stance that waits patiently. I guess it would be bad for me to attack carelessly from here now) A sword was drawn from a perfect stance, the speed would be so fast that it could be regarded as lightning speed. In Ryoumas eyes, he could see the three-meter absolute radius centered around Earl Salzberg. A ruthless attack would come at him if he carelessly approaches the Earl. (Theres only one way for me to take) Ryouma quietly put his sword into its sheath, and took the same stance as Earl Salzberg. Two control zone. While concentrated their mind and feeling, they slowly narrowed their 10 meters distance. How much time had passed? At that moment. The two invisible radius touched slightly. Chapter 179 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 38 Editor: A sword slash approached Ryoumas head with fast speed. He barely able to dodge it causing his cheek to bleed badly. Looking at the blood dripping down from his chin one could see that it was quite a deep wound. I manage to avoid it but He was better than rumor said If I didnt have Kikokus power, I would be dead by now. I must thank Genou for this Ryouma breathing heavily while looking at Earl Salzberg who fell down on the floor. The two people who aimed at one-shot victory ended with Mikoshiba Ryoumas victory. However, Ryouma just barely won. Using the power of his sword, he somehow manages to forcibly open the sixth chakra Ajna, for five minutes, but the recoil was very big. In regard to skill, Earl Salzberg had some truly extraordinary skills. His breathing, fluency of his movement, and the mind that seek for a chance. His refined swordsmanship had reached an area that was even if he created his own school based on his swordsmanship, it would be normal. Ryouma didnt know how did the people of this world knew about Iai stance, but Earl Salzberg stance was indeed comparable to that of his grandfather, Mikoshiba Koichiro. Ryouma and Earl Salzberg. Without a doubt, these two men were equal in term of skill and mind. What separates these two equal men was (The difference in mental attitude huh) For Ryouma, this battle was a fight for survival. If he only stands and watches, he would definitely be crushed by Lupis. In order to avoid that, it was absolutely necessary to have control over the northern Rozeria Kingdom. To say it clearly, he did this battle with his back on the wall. Not to mention, Ryouma also had the life and future of his subordinates on his shoulders. The heavy pressure was very unbearable even for the bold Ryouma. On the other hand, how about Earl Salzberg? Although the result might be different if it was the previous Earl, the current Earl was a silly noble who turns his back on the world, drowned himself in wealth, and enjoyment. The sword who betted his life and future versus the sword of a man who drowned in luxury. It can be said those two difference was what decide the fate of both men. In the first place, the difference of those two difference, only as thick as a paper. One can say that only God knows who will win if they both fight once again. (Well, its not like theres a second chance though) Ryouma smiled at his own ridiculous thought. It was self-mockery for the thought like he was an athlete. Separately, he had no intention of looking down on athlete particularly. However, there was a difference between competition duel and duel to the death. The difference was, when we were in a competition duel, there was always the next duel. The competition duel was sometimes only a rehearsal for the public performance that may come some day. And since it was a rehearsal, you may lose how many times you liked. Certainly, some duel performed in a competitive tournament might decide the fighter future, and it had seriousness and passion. However, in a competition duel, there was always the next time. Even if the tournament ended, there will be always the next tournament. Some player might say they bet their own life in those tournaments, but in the end, no player actually dies. In a sense, they expressing life and death in a tournament by doing retirement. But, a duel to the death was very different. It was extremely rare for the pair to be equal in ability, there were some cases where the fighters were matching but, such case was rare. It can be said that death was set on one of them when the battle starts. There was no room for debating the possibility of a different outcome. Because only dead body remained in front of the winner. No one knew how long the time had passed, Ryouma was on his knees staring at the Earl. A few tens of second, a few minutes? no one knew Before anyone knew it, a shadow stood firmly behind Ryouma. My lord How are the people inside the mansion? Ryouma asked without turning back. It was not necessary for him. Because he knew that the entire mansion was already under his control. Theres no problem. Signiz Garberdono and Yuria Salzberg weve managed to secure them I see How about Roberto Bertrand? Theres also no problem. Now that the medicine is working, I think he will wake up tomorrow noon. Good. Treat them politely for now. However, please attach more than one guard on them Understood. Ryouma wanted Signiz and Roberto in his hand. It took time for him to catch Elmera, Signiz Garbera childhood nanny, the person that was said to be the only weakness Signiz Garbera had. Then Signiz who surrendered, following Ryoumas order, made his best friend, Roberto, drank a sleeping pill. For Signiz, he had no other way than surrender. Now then, next is how to calm the noise outside Ryouma turned his line of sight toward the window. Although it was him who instigate it, it was true that he cannot let the fire continue like this. Because the fortified city of Epiroz was already a property of the Baron Mikoshiba. However, it seems Ryouma not need to worry about that. Theres already an arrangement made by Lione-sama. With Yuridono cooperation, it wont take much time to quell down the commotion That was the message they left with me Ryouma could felt the excitement in the words of the shadow. He definitely wanted to immediately spread the words of victory, thinking that, Ryouma smiled. I understand Go. Hearing the Ryoumas words, the shadow bowed and faded into the darkness. (With this, finally I took the first step) It was up to the future process but without Earl Salzberg, the power of the ten northern aristocrats was greatly reduced. This was the first step of Mikoshiba Ryouma nation building. However, it was also the start of a battle to the death against his enemy filled with a grudge (Next, how will Queen Lupis move Will she exercise her power, or) For better or worse, this world was a world of power. The weak were eaten by the strong, the strong were eaten by the stronger one. It was a world filled with fighting. (Just like a poisonous insect) When being placed inside the pot, the insects would each other until one last standing Apart from the appearance, this world feels like the pot filled with such insect. Even if he was now the strongest in northern Rozeria, next he would be thrown into a pot named the entire Rozeria Kingdom. And naturally, the result would be (However, I cannot back down now) Ryouma gently touched Earl Salzberg dead body. It was the only respect he could give for the dead enemy in front of him. Chapter 180 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 5 Chapter 38.1 EDITOR: Few days had passed since Mikoshiba Ryouma killed Earl Salzberg and gain control over the fortified city Epiroz. This place was Trisstron, the border city located southwest of the Epiroz. By nature, it was a prospered city because of its function as a trade base with the Zalda Kingdom. I guess, he had said something about this long time ago Hearing Elenas words, Chris stiffened. He could understand why Elena looked bleak. But even right now, it was only because of Elena fame and power that they could maintain the condition of the Tristron city which had become a den-of-thieves. Elenas remark was something that would change the future. And right now, only Chris presented inside the room. That was why, even if some accidental words appeared, nothing will likely happen. And the safest thing was not to talk about it. I understand your feeling. But here is Sensing the meaning of his ambiguous words, Elena sighs once again and handed over the next document to Chris. The document she had been handling was the request to improve the security raised by the citizen. Furthermore, the petition came from the commerce association who control Tristron economy. Elena could not help feeling irritated because of the mountain of documents being sent to her again and again without any break. Of course, it was not like she could not handle it. In fact, Elena had experience ruling over a land occupied during a war. For Elena who could even successfully governed over the enemy citizen, there was no reason for her to fail at governing her own countrys people. However, ability aside, it was a fact that the current situation was a burden for Elena and also a major power abuse. Of course, because of the circumstance no one going to criminalized her, but that didnt mean she had to take the risk either. (Had I didnt put my hands on it, I can see that the administration of Tristron city would be paralyzed. And when that happens, even if reinforcement request come from Zalda, we could do nothing) Elenas role was to come as fast as possible the moment the Zalda Kingdom asked for reinforcement. It was clear that the Ortomea Empire which withdraws its soldiers once again would make a move. In the first place, this Tristron had no lord. In other words, this was one of the royal territories, the administration was handled by a magistrate appointed by the Royal authority. And the reason why government affair documents crossed Elena Steiner desk was simply due to her ability. (Well, for those who has the brain, it would be natural for them to have thought that there was no point making a petition at this late hour) Elena sighs again after a certain man face appeared inside her mind. Originally, this Tristron city was famous as a self-sufficient city. In the past few decades, at the time when a war against the Zalda Kingdom often happens, the soldiers garrisoned in the city moved every day, but in later years, they would only move once or twice every year except for the daily patrol. With that, it was rare for the city to mobilize all of the two hundred soldiers garrisoned inside the city. Commercial development had developed satisfactorily, and there was also a reasonable distance between this city and the royal capital. The distance was enough to be said that the Royal family eyes didnt reach much. It can be said Tristron was a land where lonely lower aristocrats could fill their pocket. If they remained silent, they could make a mountain of golds together with the company based in the city. However, the situation had changed greatly since she came. It was true that the scars caused by the previous civil war were quite large. The aftermath of the fight caused by the divided governing class of the Rozaria Kingdom was devastating. It was natural that it would have an impact on domestic production and security. However, it was also normal for the wound to be healed by now. Some sacrifice was made during the battle of Irachion, but with tens of thousands of soldiers collided against each other, it was a little surprising that there were only small causalities. (The damage of that battle was surprisingly small) Due to the former Duke Gerhardt showing a willingness to surrender, the Irachion city escaped the misery of siege battle. Some blood flow when they had to purge the knights that swore loyalty to General Alberg who occupied some part of the city. However, the clouds turn dark the moment the Rozeria Kingdom received reinforcement request from the Zalda kingdom. Due to the war, many farmers threw away their fields, and wandering people increased in the Rozeria Kingdom as a whole. As the result of people flowing into the urban areas, security had become deteriorated extremely. When wandering homeless people increase, it would also increase the number of thieves. And unfortunately, Baron Joseph Stein, the magistrate of Tristron city was not competent enough to handle this kind of trouble. The Baron had called his aide and stay inside the magistrate mansion under the pretense of a sudden illness. Because of that, Elena only had one choice. And the result of that was the disastrous scene one can see inside her office. (But, with this After the war at Epiroz city is over, next would be) Elena had talked with Earl Zeref who came to her the other day Their conversation was something that a vassal should never have, but there was no other choice left if they wanted to rebuild the Rozeria Kingdom. She understands that enough to the point of making her feels irritated. While holding such feelings, Elena kept running the pen on the documents. That evening, a message come in telling her that Epiroz had fallen. The stage once again would move to the Royal capital, Prieaus. Meanwhile, countless speculation was made while causing sparks here and there. Chapter 181 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 6 Chapter 5 Editor: Chaz A month has pa.s.sed since Mikoshiba Ryouma crushed Earl Salzberg and became the ruler of northern Rozeriza. It was a calm afternoon with no wind blowing and moderately warm.. It was exactly a day to say what a good day. Many commoners would perform their errands in this kind of weather rather than during a rainy day. And right now the main city street was more bustling than usual. If one had a garden in their house they could enjoy a cup of tea while reading a book or enjoying the scenery. Unfortunately, there was no such peace in the fortified city of Epiroz. Please check this as well. Ryouma who was working desperately in his office since morning could not help but smile wryly at Laura who handed him more doc.u.ments. Theres still more? The doc.u.ments he received in his hand felt quite heavy. It felt like something that usually is used to train ones muscle. Then the afternoon was giving way to early evening. For Rouma who had been working since morning, his mood felt a bit sour. Im sorry. Ive selected the most important ones but the amount still Laura lowered her head apologetically. Surely she didnt want to burden the Lord she loved more than necessary. The day Ryouma had secured Epiroz and he had stayed alert to evolving situations late into the night. It could be said the situation was improving as he was now able to secure 4 hours for sleeping. However he was only able to secure sleeping time and nothing more. Unfortunately, there were too many things that the new ruler of the northern Rozeria needed to handle. Although he has allocated work to Lione Bolts and other newly appointed people, the matters that can only be solved by him keep increasing. And as an emerging aristocrat, his trustworthy va.s.sals are very limited. I guess it cant be helped Saying that Ryouma put the doc.u.ments on the desk while smiling as if giving up. Considering the reason why the work volume had increased, it can be said it was Mikoshiba Ryoumas own fault. It was he who eliminated Earl Salzberg and the ten n.o.ble households who obeyed him. The more he gained in territory, the more work he needed to perform. In particular, when it comes to gaining territory using force, there usually comes some adversary effect. Above all that, Ryouma also wanted to implement an unprecedented rule of governance under his leadership. Since it could be said to be ground breaking in this world, he needed to perform trial and error to find the perfect balance. It cannot be helped if some negative effects arise because of that as well. (I guess Im too naive huh?) Compared with what he had in mind, the reality was that he needed to perform more hands on effort than he had expected. It was hard for people to understand that. And that thought also crossed Ryoumas mind. Ed-What thought? I¡¯m struggling with this section. But still, even if he was being asked whether his work was necessary, Ryouma¡¯s answer would be absolute. Since timing was also necessary to implement his policy right now. Even with that knowledge, for Ryouma, doc.u.ment work was still too painful. (Oh well, I have no right to complain What I need to do is to clean this up, even if it is just a little bit more.) Indeed, he had no right to complain in this late game. Mikoshiba Ryouma had many peoples fate on his shoulders now. Feeling that pressure Ryouma could not help but sigh. But apparently, Ryoumas G.o.ddess of fate was too vicious for him to relax. While Ryouma contemplated his situation in the middle of working, there was a knock on his door. It seems the scheduled visitor had arrived. After slightly gazing at the clock, Ryouma raised his body from the chair. Laura. Following Ryoumas order, Laura nodded silently and opens the office door. At that moment, the dull office atmosphere turns slightly more colorful. Ed-Sorry Laura! It might be because of the charm of the visitor. Im sorry for disturbing your during work. Saying so, Madame Yuria lowered her head towards Ryouma with a slight smile. Today the garment she wore was slightly different compared to the time he met her before. Maybe it was because she mourned Earl Salzberg as well? Right now, she wore a complete black dress. And the jewelry she was wearing was considerably less vibrant than usual. Ryouma, in turn, welcomed Madame Yuria with a smile. Please no need to worry. Come, enter Ryouma then guided Madame Yuria to the reception sofa placed in the corner of the office room. Please excuse me then. Saying that Madame Yuria Sat down on the sofa. Then Laura put a cup of tea in front of both ofthem. Oh, thank you very much. It was a very natural att.i.tude. Madame Yuria nodded her head and sipped the cup of tea without showing any suspicion. Fufu As expected A chuckle leaked from Madame Yuria. It was just a cup of tea, but it was enough for her to understand everything. A relaxed atmosphere drifted between them. However, such an atmosphere shouldve been abnormal. After all, these two people were the wife who lost her husband and the man who had killed said husband. But, Madame Yuria didnt show any resentment against Mikoshiba Ryouma. How strange this is When I first met Baron-sama, I certainly felt something vague, but I never thought this kind of situation would come one day. Somehow, it feels too quick to happen Well I agree Ryouma nodded deeply toward Madame Yuria¡¯s remark. Chapter 182 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki Volume 6 Chapter 6 Editor: Chaz A month has pa.s.sed since Mikoshiba Ryouma crushed Earl Salzberg and became the ruler of northern Rozeriza. It was a calm afternoon with no wind blowing and moderately warm.. It was exactly a day to say what a good day. Many commoners would perform their errands in this kind of weather rather than during a rainy day. And right now the main city street was more bustling than usual. If one had a garden in their house they could enjoy a cup of tea while reading a book or enjoying the scenery. Unfortunately, there was no such peace in the fortified city of Epiroz. Please check this as well. Ryouma who was working desperately in his office since morning could not help but smile wryly at Laura who handed him more doc.u.ments. Theres still more? The doc.u.ments he received in his hand felt quite heavy. It felt like something that usually is used to train ones muscle. Then the afternoon was giving way to early evening. For Rouma who had been working since morning, his mood felt a bit sour. Im sorry. Ive selected the most important ones but the amount still Laura lowered her head apologetically. Surely she didnt want to burden the Lord she loved more than necessary. The day Ryouma had secured Epiroz and he had stayed alert to evolving situations late into the night. It could be said the situation was improving as he was now able to secure 4 hours for sleeping. However he was only able to secure sleeping time and nothing more. Unfortunately, there were too many things that the new ruler of the northern Rozeria needed to handle. Although he has allocated work to Lione Bolts and other newly appointed people, the matters that can only be solved by him keep increasing. And as an emerging aristocrat, his trustworthy va.s.sals are very limited. I guess it cant be helped Saying that Ryouma put the doc.u.ments on the desk while smiling as if giving up. Considering the reason why the work volume had increased, it can be said it was Mikoshiba Ryoumas own fault. It was he who eliminated Earl Salzberg and the ten n.o.ble households who obeyed him. The more he gained in territory, the more work he needed to perform. In particular, when it comes to gaining territory using force, there usually comes some adversary effect. Above all that, Ryouma also wanted to implement an unprecedented rule of governance under his leadership. Since it could be said to be ground breaking in this world, he needed to perform trial and error to find the perfect balance. It cannot be helped if some negative effects arise because of that as well. (I guess Im too naive huh?) Compared with what he had in mind, the reality was that he needed to perform more hands on effort than he had expected. It was hard for people to understand that. And that thought also crossed Ryoumas mind. Ed-What thought? I¡¯m struggling with this section. But still, even if he was being asked whether his work was necessary, Ryouma¡¯s answer would be absolute. Since timing was also necessary to implement his policy right now. Even with that knowledge, for Ryouma, doc.u.ment work was still too painful. (Oh well, I have no right to complain What I need to do is to clean this up, even if it is just a little bit more.) Indeed, he had no right to complain in this late game. Mikoshiba Ryouma had many peoples fate on his shoulders now. Feeling that pressure Ryouma could not help but sigh. But apparently, Ryoumas G.o.ddess of fate was too vicious for him to relax. While Ryouma contemplated his situation in the middle of working, there was a knock on his door. It seems the scheduled visitor had arrived. After slightly gazing at the clock, Ryouma raised his body from the chair. Laura. Following Ryoumas order, Laura nodded silently and opens the office door. At that moment, the dull office atmosphere turns slightly more colorful. Ed-Sorry Laura! It might be because of the charm of the visitor. Im sorry for disturbing your during work. Saying so, Madame Yuria lowered her head towards Ryouma with a slight smile. Today the garment she wore was slightly different compared to the time he met her before. Maybe it was because she mourned Earl Salzberg as well? Right now, she wore a complete black dress. And the jewelry she was wearing was considerably less vibrant than usual. Ryouma, in turn, welcomed Madame Yuria with a smile. Please no need to worry. Come, enter Ryouma then guided Madame Yuria to the reception sofa placed in the corner of the office room. Please excuse me then. Saying that Madame Yuria Sat down on the sofa. Then Laura put a cup of tea in front of both ofthem. Oh, thank you very much. It was a very natural att.i.tude. Madame Yuria nodded her head and sipped the cup of tea without showing any suspicion. Fufu As expected A chuckle leaked from Madame Yuria. It was just a cup of tea, but it was enough for her to understand everything. A relaxed atmosphere drifted between them. However, such an atmosphere shouldve been abnormal. After all, these two people were the wife who lost her husband and the man who had killed said husband. But, Madame Yuria didnt show any resentment against Mikoshiba Ryouma. How strange this is When I first met Baron-sama, I certainly felt something vague, but I never thought this kind of situation would come one day. Somehow, it feels too quick to happen Well I agree Ryouma nodded deeply toward Madame Yuria¡¯s remark. Chapter 183 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 7 Editor: Chaz Two months had pa.s.sed since Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma started his rule over the northern Rozeria Kingdom. Currently, Ryouma is getting used to his office and official duties. It was in the middle of such work that a man appeared in front of Ryouma. Despite the man¡¯s intense sweating, Ryouma still invited the messenger from the capital city of Pireaus into his office. His age in appearance was around 40 and his facial expression was bland. He was a man with no special characteristics. If he was walking in the middle of the street, n.o.body would think of him as eye-catching. However, his appearance was therefore ideal for the duty he was given. Immediately, Ryouma read the letter that was being handed to him by the man. Ive thought that this moment would come but It was slower than I had expected As for just how slow it was, of course, he wouldn¡¯t say.. Such words escaped Ryoumas mouth the moment he read the letter. There was no need for him to read the letter in detail. As a matter of fact, he didnt really care about the meaning of the letter. However, the messenger seems to misunderstand Ryoumas muttering. Late was it? Toward such a question, Ryouma directed his eyes at him. His gaze felt like a man who could see through anything. In fact, Ryouma was trying to appraise the man standing in front of him Was he just a messenger or was there something else? (Well, since he is being trusted by that Earl, it should be fine but) The man in front of Ryouma looked like an honest person. Since he was delivering an important letter, it meant the man was a reliable va.s.sal of Earl Bergstone. It seems, however, that his head was not that great. But, that didnt mean he was stupid, its just that he might be the type that could not read the air. Since he looked at the information held within the letter with interest. An att.i.tude that can be said as impudent. (No wait Perhaps its actually the opposite?) Some thoughts crossed Ryoumas mind. His face looked like a naive honest person. However, under that guise, a churning beast might actually hide. (I guess I should be careful huh?) Despite having northern Rozeria under his rule, it didnt mean that the governance was already stable. Considering the future, it was better for him to eliminate uncertainties as much as possible. ¡°Ive certainly received the letter. Please give my regard to Earl Bergstone. As he said that, Ryouma stood up from his chair and spoke to the man. ¨C Ive heard about him from Master Sudou but That man is too different I do hear stories that j.a.panese people are all the descendants of Ninja, maybe that story is true after all? Officer Karl, his real name was Karl Ackermann, muttered those words after he left the place where Ryouma resided. He was a man summoned from the corner of Berlin the capital city of Germany. He was summoned to this world by a small country which now part of Ortomea Empire, luckily when that happened the Organization picked him up. Since then, Karl had rarely gone to the battlefield. In fact, he was living normally as a Gra.s.s. By the way, Gra.s.s was a reference to intelligence activity during the warring state period. The scope of their work was wide which made it hard to explain. However, most often Gra.s.s were people who lived in the enemy country, gathering intelligence, while Operatives were the one who perform sabotages and a.s.sa.s.sination. That said, Karl¡¯s work was not dangerous. As a matter of fact, the Organization mainly operated within the Ortomea Empire and around it. Of course, the relationship between Ortomea and the Organization was not necessarily a cooperative one. However for the Organization, Ortomea was a convenient tool and like any good tool, it needed to be taken care of. Since the Ortomea Empire goal was to conquer the Zalda Kingdom, information regarding the Rozeria Kingdom had become important. But to be honest, Karl job was not to gather confidential information within the Rozeria Kingdom. It was true that Karl¡¯s work was information gathering. However, it was just miscellaneous information that could be found by anyone, such as daily weather, the prices of goods, and the marriages of the n.o.bility. Furthermore, since he served Earl Bergstone, he wouldn¡¯t find much of such confidential information, after all, the Earl had been defeated during the previous political strife between his father-in-law and Duke Gerhart.. In fact, Karl chooses to work with Earl Bergstone because his household was in ruin back then. After all, in that situation, Karl would be able to move more freely. That time was over however. Over the past few years, Karl¡¯s environment had begun to turn tense. Of course the cause was clear and that was the existence of Mikoshiba Ryouma.. Karl had received a tremendous amount of trust from Earl Bergston, whom he had served more than ten years. It was only the other day that Karl was being ordered to investigate northern Rozeria which had become Baron Mikoshiba territory. (I thought him burning the villages and destroying the ten n.o.ble households was for making the security within Epiroz decline, but in fact, it was actually in antic.i.p.ation for the future) In Karl¡¯s mind, the scene of black soldiers guiding the farmers toward various place surfaced. He understood the meaning of that when he arrived in Epiroz. (Theres no doubt, hes trying to make a family register and trying to organize rural areas) Of course, since it was needed to collect taxes, a family register existed in this world. However, it was only a simple register. When it comes to villages, it was common to have written down only the number of people living in it, but not individual or family names. The register that Mikoshiba Ryouma was trying to make was a very detailed one. A society where numbers were a.s.signed to all individuals in an effort to manage them. It was close to that of national ident.i.ty numbers. (The problem was, how many people could understand that?) At the very least, with the current state of this world technology, it was impossible to create the country that Mikoshiba Ryouma envisioned. Even if one was looking optimistically, the technical power of this world was much closer to that of a middle age Earth There was no phone or internet. As a means of communication, people were still using carrier pigeon or raising smoke. An overwhelmingly poor information structure. In fact, there was only one way to solve that problem in this world. (Well, he might not think deeply about it Perhaps he will just go and ask for cooperation from the Guild.) Whether to dispose of them or making a connection, Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma would still need to make contact with the Guild. I guess I should contact Sudou-san immediately huh? Karl quickly left Epiroz. However, he did not notice the pair of eyes following him from the shadows. Chapter 184 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 8 Editor: Chaz After feeling a faint human presence, Ryouma woke up from his sleep. He checked for the dagger he hides under the pillow. However, this place was the most guarded in Epiroz , despite the situation not being fully under his control yet. This room was also the bedchamber of Mikoshiba Ryouma, with a shadow guarding it. No one could easily visit this place, not even for Bolts and Lione. That was because there was also guards who performed their night duties. Which only left a.s.sa.s.sins or the remnants of a dream. For Ryouma, even with such tight security, he never let himself lower his guard. Learning from history, no matter how tight the security was, if one were to lose caution, then one might die. (I need to protect myself.) In historical j.a.pan, n.o.bunaga carved his name nicely as the champion of the warring states. However, even such a great warrior who unified j.a.pan, he was killed by his own confidant at Honnoji. There were many mysteries regarding that incident. Many various opinions also existed regarding those mysteries. It was said at that time n.o.bunaga was the leader, but the army that protected him at that time didnt even number 1,000 men. As an influential person and conqueror at that time, such a number was too small. Since the Oda family had controlled almost half of j.a.pan, if he wanted to, he should have been able to mobilize around 10,000 soldiers to guard him. But, Oda n.o.bunaga didnt do that. Of course, whether or not he could foresee the Akechi Mitsuhide rebellion was a delicate subject. At that time, Kyouto was also under the Oda clans influence. While it might be true that he was unable to foresee the rebellion, it was true that n.o.bunaga actions during time was weird. From Ryouma perspective, n.o.bunaga was just being arrogant and careless. Which is also proof that there is no absolute safety. Perhaps that was what n.o.bunaga also thought? No matter, what was important was not to underestimate any possibility. My lord Im sorry to disturb you like this From the corner of the room, a shadow began moving. Genou is it? Did you have something? Ryouma asked a question to Genou immediately. Yes As my lord had expected. I see Recently Im happy that we could eat something other than monsters from the Wortenia peninsula, but other than that, nothing Good had happened all this time Did you find something interesting? Asked by Ryouma, Genou raises his body up. May I? Sure, wait a moment Ryouma then raised his body from the bed and lit the candle placed at his bedside. This is what that man was holding. Ryouma quickly checked the content of the paper he received. What was written there was a detailed map of Northern Rozeria with Epiroz at the center. Ed-for consistency sake, (and I¡¯m asking not telling) northern Rozeria is a region within the northern part of Rozeria and not a formal state/province, correct? It was a very detailed map, which could be mean it was for military uses. It was an item that one could never find in the General store. I see As expected, a spy from somewhere huh? A Big sigh leaked from Ryoumas mouth. It was he felt discomfort from the mans words that Ryouma apparently sent someone to investigate, which turned out to be a good decision. (Geez The c.o.c.kroaches never die) It was that reality that was making Ryouma want to sigh so heavily. Since Ryouma had taken control, the city of Epiroz had become a place where spies gathered and traded information. And based on Oumes report, the spies who tried to enter the Wortenia peninsula had doubled in numbers. Fortunately Sirius city was perfectly protected by geographical factors, but unfortunately, Epiroz was not like that. (Well, since Genou is the one who handles the security detail, it should be fine) No matter how tight your security was, some information bound to leak someday. Just because that was true, it didnt mean one should relax with no countermeasures in place at all. It was essential for one to aim for perfection. It was also necessary to prepare some sort of measures in the case of information leaked. (Now then The problem is, where did this spy come from?) The most likely suspect would be Queen Lupis or some aristocrats loyal to her. Ryouma noticed something else that started making him worried. ( A mix of Roman numerals and Arabic numerals huh?) The language of this world was quite different compared to Ryoumas world. Naturally, the letters and numbers were also different, but fortunately, the summoned people seem to be given the ability to understand them. That was why Ryouma could talk casually with Gaies, who summoned him back then. Such translation also happened when he read and wrote letters That was why Ryouma never felt inconvenienced with communication. Since the language between the two worlds was basically different and the people born in this world should be using the language of this world (Which meant, there are only two possibilities) A descendant or someone who was born under the same stars as Ryouma. Chapter 185 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 9 Editor: Chaz It¡¯s been seven days since Earl Bergstone has disappeared.. A lone carriage protected by knights wearing luxurious armor pa.s.sed under the Epiroz city gate. The group was bearing Rozeria royal coat of arms and no one was surprised as to their appearance here.. Not only the Epiroz citizenry but all residents of the northern Rozeria Kingdom watched the convoy with fear and anxiety, praying that they were not on the verge of another war. I see A letter of summoning huh? While having their meal together, Lione read the letter that had just arrived. It was written on a piece of high-quality white paper that was smooth and comfortable to the touch. (This thing I guess one piece would cost around one silver coin? Despite having no different use than regular parchment. But I guess, it also indicates the importance of the sender, huh?) It was quite unusual to see such high-quality paper in this world where the use of parchment was much more common. In fact, parchment was already considered a luxury. Depending on the location and economic situation, some even used thin wooden planks rather than parchment. It¡¯s cost made it impossible to use such high-quality paper on a daily basis unless the person had tremendous wealth and power. But, theres no charges written on this letter Ed-This would be an exception to the rule as it¡¯s a person speaking. If they want to start with But, they can. Bolts who peeped over Liones shoulder tilted his head. The only thing written there was a date and time to appear in front of the House of Lords. There were no charges written where such things should be. Despite having the seal, it looks doubtful that this letter had come from the House of Lords of this kingdom, an elite organization of upper echelon families. Lets see It is rare for me to see this kind of doc.u.ment with such lack of detail, but it also makes sense that they want to summon Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma Is there going to be an a.s.sa.s.sination or something? When Bolts pointed that out, Lione nodded her head slightly. As a mercenary, Lione had undertaken various requests. She had experience patrolling the territory of aristocrats or being an aristocrat¡¯s guard during any conspiracy. Even if she had such experience with conspiracy theories, she was still unfamiliar with the national legal system. Lione¡¯s memory related to this kind of doc.u.ment was that of a warrant forcing her parents to pay the taxes during her childhood. What she remembered from that time was not the things written on the warrant but the dirty face of the tax collector and her parents agony. In the end, Lione and her family lost the home where they had been living in for many years. They decided to leave their homeland and Lione chose the path of a mercenary. Since then, Lione had settled in many cities briefly, thus she was unfamiliar with legal system having never registered herself as a citizen.. However, Signiz Garbera opened his mouth answering Lione. That is because the summon this time is for him to appear in court as a witness. Bolts tilted his head in response to those words. Does that mean they are not going to accuse him an offender? But based on the letter sent by Earl Bergstone previously, the House of Lords had regarded young master as a hostile existence though? Asking someone to appear as a witness in court was different than asking someone to stand trial. Comparing the two, anyone could see which was the better option. However, in response to such a question from Bolts, Roberto Bertrand shook his head. Dont make me laugh. Theres no way that is the case, is there? Hearing that words, Bolts shrugged his shoulders. It was because Bolts himself understood what he said was basically impossible. That was because Mikoshiba Ryouma had killed Earl Salzberg and took the entire northern Rozeria kingdom under his rule. In fact, excluding Garbera and Bertrand household where Signiz and Roberto belonged to, nearly half of the ten northern n.o.bles household had disappeared from this world. It can be said it was extremely unusual for that to happen on this continent, especially considering the war was only being regarded as a small skirmish between two local lords. Just like Roberto said, theres no way a n.o.bleman would let this go untouched Furthermore, the n.o.bility are those who put an emphasis on things like blood ties. On the contrary, for them, our Lord is someone of dubious origin. There are no aristocrats who would keep silent while their relatives are getting killed by such a person. No matter how much of a coward they are (Did they hate the aristocrats that much?) was the thought that crossed everyones mind. Signiz and Roberto words could be considered polite, however their words sounded like a curse. Well, it may be normal for these two to have such sentiment since they had to fight on the front line while those aristocrats stood back enjoying their luxurious life. Which means, this letters aim is to get the young master to the capital? Just like Bolts-dono said, that possibility is quite high. Since they need to also consider if our Lord is being summoned as a defendant, our Lord might respond with armed force. If that happens, it wont end with just skirmishes between local lords anymore. Which Im sure Queen Lupis doesn¡¯t want that to happen. Also Up to that point, Signiz then directed his gaze at his new master who had kept silent since the meeting began. Summon me as a witness, then execute me an offender, is it? Most likely Towards Ryoumas question, Signiz slowly nodded his head. Speaking of the House of Lords, it was an organization that combines courthouse and prosecutors. In other words, it could be said as the apex of judicial authority within the Rozeria Kingdom. The only one who could overrule their judgment was Queen Lupis, the ruler of the Kingdom. Which in turn, made this judicial system unfair. If he went to such a place, Mikoshiba Ryouma would be judged as an offender without being allowed a defense. However, contrary to this serious situation, Ryouma and Signiz didnt show any anxiety. Well, this is something weve expected To that statement, all of the men and women surrounding the table nodded at once. Ryouma then started slowly looking at his surroundings. The people surrounding him were such as Laura and Sara who followed him immediately after he was summoned, then Signiz and Roberto who followed him after he defeated Earl Salzberg. Despite the difference in time of service, their eyes looked the same. Fine then let us start stealing the country. It was a flat voice devoid of emotion. It was as if he was telling the others, I want to go out for a bit Chapter 186 Volume 2 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 10 Editor: Chaz Today, a heavy air dominated the Rozeria Kingdom Queens office. The reason was obvious. It was because of the result of those who were tasked to deliver Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s letter of summoning. I see He easily responded just like that huh? Lupis who was just finished doing her day to day work leaned back in her chair and sighed, while Meltina kept looking at her. In Meltina¡¯s eyes, confusion and fear could be seen. She knew that she didnt want to cause more anxiety for her beloved Queen but Meltina, as one of her trusted aides, cannot afford to misreport the result. Yes I believed that he would give us some response, but I never thought it would be this quickly Mikoshiba Ryouma had managed to solidify his rule over the northern Rozeria, there was no time left. Normally it would be hard to rule over the new territory. Most of the time, a politician would try to taxas much as possible without thinking about ruling over it. Nonetheless, Mikoshiba Ryouma responded to the call, easily outside of Lupis¡¯ prediction. Of course, normally such news should bring rejoice. Ed-Why does this new bring joy? Because he¡¯s not squeezing tax out of the land? In any case, it was a subpoena issued by the Rozeria Kingdom House of Lords. One could say it had tremendous influence. It can be said that the letter was comparable to one of those issued by the Royalty. Of course, this time, he was only being summoned as a witness. It was different situation compared to one where he needs to come as a defendant. That was why it was natural that Mikoshiba Ryouma answered the summons almost immediately. However, Lupis and Meltina could not feel happy, despite such good news. After all, up until now, Mikoshiba Ryouma had been betrayed many times over. But then What do you think hes thinking? Toward Queen Lupis¡¯ question, Meltina could only tilt her head in wonder as well. It was a question from her beloved Queen. If it was Meltina from a long time ago, she would force some answer even if it was forced. The current Meltina could not do it however. She realized that answering something that she didnt understand will only cause confusion.. To be honest, if it was me I would think straightforwardly, receive the sentence written in the letter at face value and come as a witness Do you think, that Mikoshiba would naively make such judgment? No Such a possibility is very low. Saying that Meltina sighed. It was because they wanted to kill the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma that they¡¯d given him the Wortenia territory and the rank of a Baron. It was nearly impossible for a mercenary of unknown origin and not a citizen of the Rozeria Kingdom to enter it¡¯s aristocracy.,Thatwas why he was given a reward that was unthinkable if one were to see it from the time before the civil war, although the award was such remote area. In her defense, for the sake of national security, she could not tolerate such aggressive talent serving another country. Although Elena advised to make him a subordinate, it was Lupis who decided to purge Mikoshiba Ryouma. It can be said that the words of when the enemy is defeated, the victorious soldiers can be killed off was true The greatest enemy of a powerful person was a too competent subordinate, no matter which part of the world one came from. Lupis had decided not to kill Mikoshiba Ryouma. No, rather, she could not choose to kill him due to the eerie feeling that Mikoshiba Ryouma could survive. As the result of that decision, Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma had managed to expand his territory to the whole northern Rozeria Kingdom. She knew that he was an able and sharp person, but looking at how fast he grew, Lupis could not help but sigh. As expected, we cannot let him have the northern territory no matter what In response to those words, Meltina nodded her head. Of course. Regardless of the facts of the conflict, having the entire northern region under his rules aside, but having the many northern n.o.ble houses getting destroyed, it would be the same as trying to consolidate his rule. That was the problem of this war. In the Rozeria Kingdom, a war between the ten n.o.ble households, Earl Salzberg and Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma was not the biggest problem. Many skirmishes between lords happen, some were because of village wells, some were because of territorial rights of forests where their citizen picked firewood. Of course, those issues then would be solved by using national law. Ed- the Law sounds like there is only one, all encompa.s.sing law. Like Judge Dredd. However, in this world, where the technology of communication was scarce, there was not enough time or ability to judge each individual. Ed-effort implies they don¡¯t want to, ability implies they can¡¯t. That was why the rule of law was very fragile. Therefore, most of the time, the battle between local lords would be solved between themselves and be done with.. In other words, the winner preference takes precedence. But Still I can not allow this, as a ruler Absolutely couldnt The problem this time was a grey zone in the Rozeria Law. Speaking of the northern Rozeria, it encompa.s.ses a vast land tract that was nearly a fifth of the whole kingdom. Combined with Wortenia peninsula, Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma would have territory comparable to all of the southern kingdom combined. That was a size Lupis could not just ignore. There was also the question of whether or not Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma would willing serve the Rozeria Kingdom with such a vast territory and population. If we consider the whole territory he has now, Baron Mikoshiba has one-third of the Rozeria Kingdom territory under him. It is unthinkable for a retainer to have such vast territory. Having said that much, Meltina stopped talking as it felt like she had said too much.. However, it seems that Meltina¡¯s concern was meaningless for Lupis. I guess youre right That man is probably aiming for independence If he is the Mikoshiba Ryouma I know, he would definitely aim for that. Agony appeared in Lupis¡¯ expression. It was something that she didnt want to admit. However, theres no other possibility other than that. Having a retainer aiming for independence. That made it sound like Lupis was unsuitable for being a ruler. Your Majesty Meltina knew. From the day Lupis sat on her throne as a Queen, she had sacrificed many things. Meltina also realized that Lupis¡¯ heart was already broken. That was why Meltina had sworn from the bottom of her heart that she would follow her lord until the end. (But I wont let that man do whatever he wanted. By whatever means necessary) At that moment, a dark flame appeared inside Meltinas eyes. Chapter 187 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 11 Editor: Chaz A group of people wearing black armors lined up at the front gate of the capital city Piraeus standing in perfect order. They have been there since the morning and right now the sun was beginning to sink toward the west. They just merely stand there. That alone makes their competence known, a showing that they were a formidable force. Above them a flag was gently swaying in the breeze, a two-headed snake with shining red eyes entwined around a sword. There was no doubt in any citizen of the Rozeria Kingdom as to the meaning of the flag and that applied to the soldiers standing guard at the capital gate. Nonetheless, since they were gatekeepers, as their duty, it was hard for them to let Ryouma and the others enter. Even if they were only just a few, they were still fully armed soldiers. They needed to ask for permission from the right people of the Royal Palace. Finally, someone came from the gate after a while, seeing that Ryouma sighed. (How long are they going to keep me waiting?) He didnt know whose instruction it was for making him wait this long but it seems like the person disliked him very much. Despite having already reported the number of soldiers he was going to bring and also the date of arrival, they still made him wait for more than half a day. (I like to let them take a break soon but) The troops lined in front of the gate were elite units, wearing armors that had been enchanted with magic art by Nelsios clan. However, even with the burden being halved because of that, the strength of the soldiers was still limited. Not to mention, half of them were infantry which meant they had to walk here. Although they managed to take a break along the way, their strength should have been remarkably decreased if one were to consider the travel distance between Epiroz and this Royal capital. (My b.u.t.t also hurts) Two years already pa.s.sed since he was being summoned to this world. With that much time pa.s.sing, he had of course grown accustomed to riding horses. However, the horse didnt have the comfort like that of a car. Even for Ryouma who rode a horse, he wanted to end this as soon as possible. (But still I cannot blame these gatekeepers) He understood that even if he got angry at the gatekeepers, the situation wouldn¡¯t improve. After all, they just did what they tasked to do. Though, if he considers this world¡¯s aristocracy, usually n.o.bleman would ask for special treatment when something like this occurred. Although n.o.bility was not as strong as the royal family, they were still among the privileged cla.s.s. In that sense, it was not impossible for Mikoshiba Ryouma with Baron Rank to ask for special handling with n.o.bility as an excuse. However, Ryouma didnt like that kind of twisting reason. Maybe because of the previous world, the concept of shame was still with him. Besides, he also thought that showing high att.i.tude here would be bad. After all, he was just a person with dubious origin. Under normal circ.u.mstances, it wouldn¡¯t be weird for the entire Rozeria Kingdom n.o.bility to hate him. With that situation, it would also cause them to look down on his soldiers whom the majority of were commoners. Thus for Ryouma, he had no choice but to just sit and wait. An additional thirty minutes pa.s.sed and a soldier approached. Perhaps he was just got back running from the Royal Palace. He reported to the captain on the front gate by whispering. The captain nodded after hearing the report, then he walked toward Ryouma with a stiff face. Ive kept you waiting Weve received permission to let all of you go inside. Please follow me. His voice was stiff but his body was trembling with fear. Certainly, in this kind of situation, anyone would want to run away. Although it was because of his duty, he actually made someone who was known as the hero of the country and also the person with the largest military might to wait. Thinking the strict social status of the Rozeria Kingdom, it wouldn¡¯t be weird if he received backlash, where his entire family might get punished. (Though he just does his job, somehow I pity him) Ryouma feels pity toward the captain who was standing in front of him. In fact, Ryouma has no intention of taking revenge toward the guards who just got the short end of the stick. After all, a human should not get angry at the stone thrown at them but should get angry at the people who throw the stone instead. Though, the idea of getting angry at the stone seems to be prevailing in this world. Is that so? Thank you for your hard work. Hearing Ryoumas words, the captain face turned pale. Although Ryouma himself didnt mind, the person who heard his calm voice instead felt intense fear, as if Ryouma was actually angry. Ah Emm Ryouma shook his head briefly before the captain said any words. You dont have to worry. After all, youre just doing your job faithfully After saying that, Ryouma lightly kicked his horse and started to move. Chapter 188 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 12 Editor: Chaz That night at Earl Salzberg¡¯s villa located in the Royal capital Pireaus, Mikoshiba Ryouma received a guest. First of all, thank you. Thank you for saving my brother-in-laws life the other day. I know it should be my brother-in-law who directly told you this but, unfortunately, right now he can not move in various ways As he said that, Earl Bergstone stopped talking It must be because he was not even sure of what he was going to talk about after this. From the conflict that was reflected on his face, Ryouma was fully aware of what the middle-aged man was going to say and could only wait for him to say it. Both men stared at each others eyes. After a brief silence, Earl Bergstone started to speak again. Today¡¯s matter I would like to discuss it another day, together with my brother-in-law My Lord. Saying that Earl Bergstone bowed his head deeply. Earl Bergstone, who had higher rank, lowered his head toward Mikoshiba Ryouma. Certainly, the common sense of Ryoumas world stated that the Earl¡¯s act was normal considering Mikoshiba Ryouma had saved his brother-in-law from a.s.sa.s.sination. However, from the common sense of this world, that act was quite abnormal. It could cause an uproar if they did that in the Rozeria Kingdoms Court, where many held belief in the status system. Not to mention the Earl also referred to Mikoshiba Ryouma as Lord. That was the reason why they met in secret like this. Please be careful next time. We are companions with the same goal. That is why I dont need such formal words like that Hearing Earl Bergston words, Ryouma looked surprised for a moment, but immediately smiled. Ryouma just thought that he wanted to secure pieces with high values. In that case, Ryouma might not be considering saving Earl Zerefs life if he was an incompetent man. However, it would be foolish of him to say that upfront. Since Earl Bergston went through the trouble to act humble, it was necessary for Ryouma to act normal. The so-called, superior composure. After all, although informal, Earl Bergston had bowed as a retainer. That would change the relationship between the two men who had built cooperative work dramatically. (I thought I needed to make a bit more of a push, but judging from Earl Bergston att.i.tude He had already made his resolution.) Of course, there was no need for Ryouma to question Earl Bergston feelings at this late in the game. For him, this accident was a happy miscalculation. After all, after this, they would have to face against the Rozeria Kingdom. It was not very good to perform psychological negotiation with a cornered person. In any case, Ryouma was scheduled to confirm Earl Bergstone¡¯s motive after some talk regarding the future, but with this, it saved a lot of time. (Well, he seems to have a lot of stuff going on too) If one had a decent political feeling, it would be natural for them to realize that the situation of the Rozeria Kingdom had entered a crisis. However, what one can understand and what one can do were fundamentally different. Especially for Earl Bergston, who had no final say in regard to the countrys management. That didnt mean Earl Bergstone had been only standing by and watching. He had encouraged Lupis, who had the right of Final decision, to support him. Very disappointingly however,, the woman named Lupis was not suitable for being a ruler. Especially when multiple opinions emerged, Lupis tends to move according to her feeling rather than reason. Which means she cannot make a crucial decision such as cutting one¡¯s own limb to save oneself. The most remarkable example of that would be the incident where Mikhail got captured by Duke Gerhardt. Being compa.s.sionate was never a drawback. However, if a ruler was drowning in his or her own feelings, the management of the country would fall into disorder. It would be different if Lupis had chosen to be a figurehead, the country would have a different future. But, the reality was never kind. Now, many aristocrats have doubt about Lupiss governance and decided to gather under her own little sister, Ladine, who has Viscount Gerhardt ather back. As the result of that, the domestic situation had become unstable. Due to the uncertain future, some aristocrats had increased their local military, while some others used the situation to collect an unreasonable tax. When an influential person feels uneasy, it was easy to find them to take such an action. However, for those who were taxed, it would be different. For those people, they only seek one thing: a stable life. In extreme cases, if they can live in peace, they wont even care who the ruler is. As a result of that taxation, a conflict between commoners and aristocrats could not be avoided. For example, just the other day, the villages located on the south had staged an uprising, which the capital had sent out the royal guard to crush. Fortunately, the suburbs of the Kingdom was still relatively calm, but the situation wont last long. (The Royal capital also feels more desolate compared to when I visited the last time) With the domestic situation turned unstable, the economic activity would shrink. It can be said this country had near its end. (Well, I was among those who caused all of this though) To be more precise,. Ryouma had just rode along with someone¡¯s ploy aiming for Rozeria¡¯s destabilization. It was doubtful to call Ryouma the true criminal, it would be more precise to call him an accomplice. However, despite being an accomplice he hadn¡¯t communicated with the mastermind. Looking at the situation, it seems even the mastermind was suspicious of an intervention by someone, due to the situation that went out of hand. Or rather, if the mastermind was the one Ryouma had imagined, they mustve decided that it was too late to meet and make him an accomplice. (Either way, the trial at the House of Lords would be the key to all of this) Ryouma sensed euphoria inside his body. It was a pleasure that he had never felt during his peaceful life in j.a.pan. (Looking at it that way, being summoned to this world was not bad at all) While thinking about that Ryouma poured wine into the gla.s.s placed in front of Earl Bergstone. To welcome his new capable va.s.sal. Chapter 189 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 13 Editor: Chaz That night, Earl Bergstone who finished talking with Mikoshiba Ryouma exited the mansion via the back gate, so he wouldn¡¯t catch someones eyes. Good work. Remember, do not speak of what happened tonight with anyone. While speaking such words toward his servant who had served him many years, Earl Bergstone handed over a small leather bag from his pocket. For other people, he might look ordinary driver, but for Earl Bergstone, he was from a family that had served him for many generations. Though he was not at the knight level, he had enough martial arts to perform simple escort. Just like this time, he was a perfect person for this kind of secret meeting. His family house was next to this mansion, where he lives with his family. His son will start serving as an apprentice in a few years as long he didnt have any big mistakes. In a sense, it was natural for him to receive more trust from the Earl compared to other attendants. It might sound bad as if he was holding a family hostage but that¡¯s also why Earl Bergstone never treated him badly. After all, for n.o.bility, there was nothing more important than a va.s.sal that they could trust. Certainly, public opinion thought that n.o.bility was filled with arrogant, cold and ruthless people. However, it was also a fact that such thoughts were just one aspect of the n.o.bility itself. That n.o.bility was not stupid enough to think they could maintain their power by themselves. To be precise, a fool who could not understand that wouldn¡¯t be able to keep their house alive. By the end, even karma would strike back, demanding one pay the price for such foolishness. Just like a debt with a strange invoice. Well then, you should go back home and get some rest. And go buy some toys for the children Thank you very much My Lord The man confirmed the weight of the small leather bag then bowed his head, then he returned to the coach and quietly advanced the horse. The time was already late at night. It was the time when most people were already fast asleep and it was no different for the Earl Bergstone household as well.. The light was off in his residence. n.o.body would guess that the owner of the mansion would get back home this late night. The exception to that was the gatekeeper who opened the back gate. In such a mansion, Earl Bengston walked around with lamp on one hand. (Someones here?) The moment he tried to turn the doork.n.o.b of his office, Earl Bergston sensed someone inside the room and stopped moving. Listening carefully he could hear the sound of turning paper. (An a.s.sa.s.sin? No, theres no way an a.s.sa.s.sin would behave like this) If an a.s.sa.s.sin were inside his room, then the person would be second rate. Also, this mansion was the second residence of Earl Bergston in this Kingdom. Although it was not as extensive as his residence in his territory, the guard here was still hard to pa.s.s. The a.s.sa.s.sination attempt on his brother-in-law the other day had raised the alertness level of the guard. At the very least, there was almost no possibility that the a.s.sa.s.sin could sneak in. At the same time, his wife and the maid responsible for this mansion management would not just enter his office. Especially late at night like this. (If that the case then) When such thought pa.s.sed his mind, Earl Bergston turned the doork.n.o.b. Hernan, is that you? Bergston sighed after he saw the person inside the room. Well, even if he was his brother-in-law, it would be natural for him to feel somewhat amazed to find him inside his room in the middle of the night. But he was still rational enough to not get angry immediately. However, contrary to Earl Bergston thought, Earl Zeref replied with a cheerful smile. Thank you very much for your effort until this late at night. It was cold outside, no? Saying so, Earl Zeref takes out the brandy bottle from the shelf as if he was the lord of the room. It was a fairly rare behavior of Earl Zeref who usually took one step back behind his brother-in-law, Earl Bergston. However, despite showing such att.i.tude, Earl bergston didnt look bothered. For him, Earl Zeref was like a younger brother. Thus, he drinks the alcohol Earl Zeref poured. It was quite a strong liquor. Warming his body, it felt comfortable for Earl Bergston who finished his work late. It seems you manage to talk with him safely. First of all, congratulation Apparently, he seemed to figure out from Earl Bergston¡¯s facial expression. As usual, you managed to find out about it easily Although it was just like usual, your ability is indeed great. Well, I¡¯ve known you long enough as your brother-in-law. Of course, your wife knows you more than I do Hearing that, Earl Bergston burst into laughter. Earl Zeref was someone who had survived many political intrigues together with Earl Bergston. And Earl Bergston knew that it was not easy to read someone just from his or her expression. When one wants to laugh, cry. When one wants to cry, laugh. That was the acting skill of a professional actor. Only two people who had ever seen through Earl Bergston easily. One of them was his wife and the other one was his brother-in-law. It would be natural for his wife who spent a lot of time with him to be sensitive when it comes to his att.i.tude and expression. However, Earl Zeref was his brother-in-law, despite spending a lot of time together, they were not living together. In that sense, it shows how high the ability of the man known as Zeref Hernan for reading someones heart. But, such an ability was something that should be very dangerous for the surrounding. (Well, that was why he took one step back from the front stage) Earl Zeref appearance was a rounded body with an ordinary face. He was not ugly, but not the lady killer type either. His real value was not his appearance. In fact, Earl Zeref might take such appearance because he tried to avoid the eyes of the surrounding. From the eyes of those who dont know anything, Earl Zeref was just an ordinary n.o.ble stuck behind his brother-in-law Earl Bergston. It was difficult to see his real ability just based on his appearance. (No I guess those two also already notice it) The faces of two men appeared inside his head. One of them was the father-in-law who he respected. Although the father-in-law was defeated during the political struggle against Duke Gerhardt, he was still someone who once held the highest power in this Kingdom. And such man chooses Earl Bergston and Earl Zeref as his sons-in-law. At that time, many questions were raised as to why he choose Earl Zeref as his son-in-law, but the father-in-law never said anything. And the other man who knew his ability was a young man. A young warrior who became Earl Zeref and Earl Bergston new master. (Perhaps he is better than me) Such thought pa.s.ses through his mind and a sense of jealousy distorts Earl Bergstone heart. However, that was only for a moment. (No, stupid me Im not a child anymore) Earl Bergston and Earl Zeref was obviously a different type of people. One possessed talent in politics, one possessed talent in scheming. Being jealous of someone because one didnt have the same ability shows one didnt even understand oneself. Of course, one should not deny one heart that wants to be perfect, but one must refrain from jealousy that might cause misunderstanding and misjudge. Anyway, a big job now awaits Earl Bergston. Now then, shall I hear that person¡¯s order? Ah, right That person has asked me to tell you about various work Chapter 190 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 14 Editor: Chaz With a pale moon showing little light, a lone carriage traveled over stone pavement in the royal capital. Two men were riding inside it. Indeed he was a man, but looking at how beautiful he was, it would be no wonder if someone mistook him as a woman. While the other man had shaved head without a single hair. His age was around 40s. His height was somewhat little over 180 centimeters. One can say his body looked solid. People might call him a person that¡¯s as big as a bear. His upper arms were very thick. The feature that drew the most attention however, was the eyepatch made of black leather that covered his right eye. A scar ran from his eyelid down to his cheek. Coupled with smells of violence that oozed from his whole body, although he was wearing silk clothes with stylish design, it was obvious that he was someone who people should not come close to. Such a man sighed unhappily. Fumu To think we have to come to an upstart Baron¡¯s invitation The world seems to be coming to an end. Saying so, the man snorted. The man was from a knight household who served the first King who created the Kingdom of Rozeria. Inreturn, his household was being given territory located at the east of the kingdom, given the task to defend the country from the Mist Kingdom. His house saw a decline in authority after the downfall of Prime Minister Earl Ernest. Even with that, his household still remained as one of the most prestigious households within the kingdom. Normally, a baron of unknown origin wont be able to invite him so suddenly. By the standard of aristocrats of this world, an invitation was sent to someone lower rank than the sender. Of course, there was also a case where lower ranked aristocrats invited the higher ranked one, but that was because they had intimate relationships such as blood or marriage relationship. It was almost impossible for the man to accept an invitation from Baron Mikoshiba which he hardly even knew. To put it bluntly, it would not be weird if they just ignored the invitation made by Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma. Dissatisfaction was burning like a lava inside the mans heart. However, the young man in front of him had a smile on his face and showed a different att.i.tude. If youre going to complain that much, then it wouldve been better to decline the invitation. Our McMaster family was a family of a Viscount. It would be fine to decline an invitation coming from a Baron, no? Saying those words, the young man laughed and smiled. He had a beautiful voice with a siren like sound that would deceive people if one heard it. The man glared at the young man with a beautiful face. You said that, but do you really understand what you said? Well, certainly not much In response to the question from the man, the young man did not look like he regretted what he had said. In fact, the man¡¯s words were correct. In terms of common sense in the aristocrats society, the action made by Baron Mikoshiba might be seen as illogical. At the same time it showed that Baron Mikoshiba had the power to do just that. Even if his t.i.tle was the lowest among the aristocrats, the achievement Baron Mikoshiba possessed was unparalleled. It was Baron Mikoshiba who helped Lupis to take the throne. During a defensive battle against Ortomea invasion, he and Elena Steiner were sent as reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom and he played an important role that caused the two nations to come to a ceasefire. Not to mention, Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma had defeated Earl Salzberg who had dominated the northern part of the Rozeria Kingdom for all these years. Regardless of his rank, he was one of the big powers in the Kingdom. As of now, aristocrats who were trying to fight against Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma head-on were probably those with more influence or those stupid n.o.bles who wanted to die. Besides, the letter of invitation also had a joint signature from Elena Steiner, Earl Bergston, and Earl Zeref. It goes without saying, they were people with influence in the Kingdom since Lupis reigned as a Queen. In consideration to keeping face, it would be bad to refuse an invitation coming from them. Even if he dislikes the other side since he was just an upstart. (Thinking about that, I guess we need to think a bit further The young man sighed looking at his father¡¯s att.i.tude Why didnt they refuse the invitation? Even the father sitting in front of him should understand. With that being the case, it was foolish to look dissatisfied now. Nothing good will come if they showed dissatisfaction toward the other party. (Well I didnt say that you should accept it and not be feeling dissatisfied I just hope you wont show your dissatisfaction at the table) One might not say it with words when feeling dissatisfied, but for humans, when they feel dissatisfied, they often time show it from their att.i.tude to their aura. Furthermore, n.o.body knows when or where people would see or hear something. It might be one in a million chance but it might turn fatal if people heard you speak carelessly. (Well, I guess having him willing to meet face-to-face is already good enough I guess) He was a troublesome man. However, the young man had no intention of abandoning his father. In the first place, despite being a n.o.bleman, he was more of a warrior. Until he inherits the position, he was only a knight belonging to the Royal knight orders, which make his personality straightforward. If a monster attacked their territory, he would definitely go to the front line and slay the monster. Setting aside whether it was good or not to send a successor to the front line, for him, only those who are prepared to shed blood for the people who will be highly appreciated. Regarding his domestic skills, there was nothing remarkable about him, but thanks to his straightforward att.i.tude he manages to gain a certain level of trust from the people. Among the Rozeria aristocracy, his father was someone who could do much more. However, the young man this time wanted his father to use his skill to hide his heart. (Something is going to happen during this dinner The problem is what?) The question that was occupying the young mans mind these past few days had appeared once again. The reason why his household had come immediately to the royal capital was due to Baron Mikoshiba being summoned by the House of Lords. The reason for his summon was as a witness, but truthfully it was a trial that would be held at the House of Lords. The crime was that he had caused war in the kingdom and robbed others territory. Normally dispute of territory between n.o.bles wont turn into something this big. However, not only has this war caused Earl Salzberg to die, it also caused more than half of the families of the northern n.o.bles to end with literal discontinuities. It is because of that the image the n.o.bles had toward Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma was the worst. There were none among the members of the House of Lords who wished to save Baron Mikoshiba. One might consider the invitation was to improve relations between them, but everyone knew that one dinner wont improve relations immediately. Just like the relationship between commoners and their lords. How much time they spent time together decided how close the relationship between them. Of course, there was special circ.u.mstance like in an action movie where two strangers got close because of the situation in a short time, but unless there was a special circ.u.mstance, something like having a close relationship in a short time was near impossible. (If Baron Mikoshiba didnt know something that simple then he is a stupid man, but) Since the time they had received the letter of invitation, the young man had gathered information related to Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma. Of course, he might only have the information network of his father who was a viscount, which was not that impressive. However, from the information they had gathered, it was said that Baron Mikoshiba was not a stupid man. (But then, why?) The young man looked anxious while keeping silent. Whats wrong? What are you thinking right now? Nothing¡¯s wrong, I just wondered why Baron Mikoshiba invited us The young man gazed at the moon floating outside the windows of the carriage while answering his fathers questions. Black carriages pa.s.sed the mansion gate one after another. Tonight, the most splendid banquet was about to be held in Earl Salzberg¡¯s villa located at the Royal capital. Chapter 191 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 15 Editor: Chaz After viscount McMaster got off the carriage, he was immediately greeted in front of the mansions entrance. Before his eyes, 20 beautiful maids wearing silk maid clothes, they lined on the left and right with the red carpet in the middle. At the end of the red carpet, a black haired man with polite swept back hairstyle stood. He wore formal black clothes. Certainly, it was clothing that was neither bland nor inoffensive. However, it was also can be regarded as a dull color and it seems the person who was wearing it also understood that. Exquisite gold threads decorated the sleeves and neck part of the clothes. With that, the visitor could see that the man didnt like a showy appearance. It can be said the man had a balanced appearance, not too showy and not too gaudy. Welcome. Viscount McMaster With a soft smile on his face, the man bowed his head elegantly. Following him, the maids along with the silver and golden twins who were standing behind the man also bowed their head. It was such a perfect show. Although it was just the bowing of a head, the action itself was hard to describe with words. The angles and timing was something hard to perform In the world of aristocracy, polite manners were more important than polishing martial arts skills and politics. For the head of the family welcoming us directly like this, thank you Viscount McMaster returned the greeting gracefully. Pleased to meet you, Im honored to be able to meet with someone from a prestigious family that had been supporting the Rozeria Kingdom since the time of its creation. Theres no more happiness as a n.o.bleman thanthat Be that as it may, it would be rude for me to keep talking at the entrance like this. I will let someone guide you, so please relax inside. HouSounds good then Having said that, a maid then immediately guided Viscount McMaster. On the surface, it can be seen as a friendly first contact. However, inside Viscount McMaster¡¯s heart, he already began evaluating Baron Mikoshiba. (Fumu His servants education seems to be good. Theres also the possibility that all of them are borrowed from Earl Salzberg Either way, I need to pay more attention) The maid guiding him seemed to show a perfect control and didnt show any nervousness Even he could feel the elegance. It was a quality that rarely belonged to someone with a rank of Baron. Servants were the mirror of their master. One can understand the master¡¯s personality just by looking at the servants behavior. It was natural for the servants to reflect the master character. Looking at that, it can be seen that the servants in front of him had received an adequate education Furthermore, as far as he can see, the condition of the mansion also looked perfect. There was no single speck of dust on the floor and the carpet had no wrinkles. The furniture being placed was also in the right balance. (First of all, this residence supposedly belonged previously to Earl Salzberg, but it seems to have received quite good maintenance) Earl Salzberg rarely stayed in the royal capital, even Viscount McMaster could count with one hand how many times Earl Salzberg visited here. Despite the mansion belonging to the Earl Salzberg household for many years,Viscount McMaster never heard anything special about it. Naturally, most of the servants who served the secondary residence would have low morale. After all, their lord rarely showed their face. Of course, the ideal was that even if they rarely saw their master, the servants would remain loyal and dedicated. However, that was idealism. In reality, even for viscount McMaster who was from a prestigious family who founded the Kingdom, he wouldn¡¯t easily follow Lupis policy 100%. (Theres also the possibility that the management head of this residence is very competent) Ultimately it showed Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s capability at managing himself and also his servants. (Either way, the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma seems to understand how to act as aristocrat Though as an upstart something like that could be said as unnatural as well) Subtly, the viscount¡¯s evaluation toward Mikoshiba Ryouma raises Glancing at his back, he gazes at the young man (Do you think the same as well?) Seeing the young man nodded, Viscount McMaster sighed Despite having spoken ill of Baron Mikoshiba in his carriage, he felt irritated that the young man behind him looked at him as if he was wrong and pitying him. In strict Rozeria Kingdom cla.s.s system, it was a very rare exception that a commoner could be made a n.o.ble. But no, even looking at the western continent, there was only a few cases where commoners become a n.o.bleman. However, no matter how strict, many commoners had also occupied the positions of low ranked bureaucrats and knights. In a sense, they were not aristocrats, but they also not commoners either. Through the eyes of commoners, they were aristocrats and part of the ruling cla.s.s. However, from the viewpoint of a pure aristocrat? While thinking that, finally a heavy wooden door stood in front of viscount McMaster. The maid who guided him naturally opened the door. Please this way The spectacle spreading in front of him was beyond viscount McMaster¡¯s imagination. The audience hall was quite large. It should have enough room to host hundreds of people. Many of these people were talking with each other. (How many aristocrats did he call?) Of course he himself never thought the place would be deserted entirely either Starting from Elena who was the white G.o.ddess of war, then the influential Earl Bergston with his brother in law standing behind him, Earl Zeref. Of course, he never thought that the letter of invitation from Baron Mikoshiba would be completely ignored by the aristocrats. However, he never thought it would be this many. (Even Earl Burckhide and Earl Heinbel are also here) They were n.o.ble house who supported Marquis Ernest when he was prospered. They were like Earl Bergston, being forced to stay in their own territory when the Marquis fell from grace. I see It seems Earl Bergston and Earl Zeref had prepared themselves for the worst Viscount McMaster heard a familiar voice from his back and turned his head. Chapter 192 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 16 Editor : Chaz Looking back, a tall man was looking down at viscount McMaster. Although viscount McMaster was not a short person, this person was 10 centimeters taller than him. His age was around 50 years old. An attractive man with a stylish mustache His body shape was also well-balanced. The man didnt show any excess fat which usually appeared on middle-aged men. It can be said that his body was quite athletic but on could feel elegance from him. One could easily see that he was a man with high social circle since he was young You, Leonard? Seeing his estranged cousin which he hadn¡¯t seen for many years, viscount McMaster opened his eyes wide. However, despite the reunion, Viscount McMaster didnt seems looked happy In fact, he looked like someone who saw a person he rather not meet. Its been a long time Diggle Around 10 years, yes? Saying that Leonardo Olgren playfully closed one of his eyes. Indeed I guess around that time Toward his att.i.tude, Viscount McMaster nodded his head with an ambiguous smile on his face. (As conceited as usual What an irritating man) Leonardo Olgren was also from prestigious viscount family just like McMaster. Their family was a knight family that fought together with the first King of the Rozeria Kingdom. Therefore, despite having the territory far from each other, there was a deep friendship between the two families. For generations, their family had sent their daughter and son to each others houses for marriage. The most recent one would be Diggle McMaster¡¯s aunt, who married into the Olgren family and gave birth to Leonardo. Looking at only that, one could say that rather than enemy, he was an influential ally. (That alone I could understand, but) It can be said that the upper-cla.s.s society was the home of the evil. Living in such a place with ones own power was difficult. Ineveitably, one need other houses to be on one¡¯s side. That was why aristocrats placed importance on marital relations. However, Viscount McMaster had refused to have a close relationship with his cousin who should be his most dependable ally. Of course, even Leonardo Olgren wont blindly trust someone just because they were his relative. After all, in this world aristocrats were people who would kill their own parents or children for power. That was why it was normal for them to be cautious. However, the reason why Viscount McMaster didnt trust his cousin was different. Or rather, it was more like because he was aware that his cousin would be someone he finds hard to deal with. Unlike the master martial arts and warrior Viscount McMaster, Leonardo was a refined man. He was more familiar with music since childhood and was known to be a good musician. His skill was enough to make him a royal court musician, if only he was not the first child who could succeed the family. He learned everything from cla.s.sics to the latest music and dance, which in turn made the aristocrats who love social life close to him. For a while even, he served as a teacher of Lupis, who was back then still a princess. Because of that, although Leonardo was from a family that was similar to that of McMaster, he had a stronger influence on the royal family and also in the social circles of the Rozeria Kingdom. Together, both houses were part of the Ernesto Marquis faction, who opposed Duke Gerhardt. In the end with the Marquis being defeated, unlike McMaster house who ended up isolated in his own territory, Leonardo¡¯s family still could move in central politics. He also excelled in martial arts, which makes him hard to dispose of Which make him a Genius who left nothing but a result. It was natural for Viscount McMaster to feel envy toward his overachieving cousin and appearing by Leonardo¡¯s side would only make Leonardo look better. Well, let us not block the entrance like this and go inside Saying that Viscount Olgren urged Viscount McMaster to move to a corner that no one was occupying. (This means he still has something to talk about, huh?) They were both estranged for more than ten years. It was normal for old acquaintances to tell about each others life to warm up, but this was not the place for that. Which means Leonardo had something important to talk about.. With that being the case, Viscount McMaster could not easily reject him. After lightly nodding to the young man behind him, he followed Olgren. Would you like for some drink? Noticing Viscount McMaster and Olgren had moved to the corner, a maid immediately came toward them. On her right hand was a silver tray. Amber liquid filled the gla.s.s lined up on the tray. Hou I guess we will have some. Saying so, Viscount Olgren picked two gla.s.ses from the tray and presented one of them to Viscount McMaster. How about having one? Saying that Viscount Olgren brings his gla.s.s close to his nose to enjoy the fragrance while presenting the other gla.s.s to Viscount McMaster. Without waiting for McMaster response, he sips the drink from his gla.s.s. Ooh This is a good thing. It is sweet and easy to drink For a white wine, it seems to have aged pretty well. I wonder if this is the famed Rotgrande brand from the Kirtantia Empire? Hearing that, the maid put a soft smile on her face and bowed slightly, then returned to her job. Oho, looking at her response it seems I was wrong If that is the case then, is this from the Torufa Empire located in the central continent? But anyway, it seems the Baron has educated his servants quite well, to the point that they could point out my mistake just with that soft smile of hers Like that, Viscount Olgren shrugged his shoulders while telling a joke. Then he turns his eyes toward Viscount McMaster who still hasn¡¯t taken a drink from his gla.s.s. This is good stuff you know, Diggle?. It is a gem that is rarely seen at a banquet like this. I dont know why you hesitate but, this is something that a regular lord hardly could drink. You better enjoy it when the opportunity presents itself like this Looking at his cousin who showed a smile while saying those words, Viscount McMaster instead looks bitter. (Are you stupid? This place is equal to that of an enemy territory you know?) It would be the end if the drink had poison in it. However, Viscount Olgren smiled at McMaster response. As a military man, I dont think you have to be that anxious. Baron Mikoshiba has no need to a.s.sa.s.sinate you, who is just a rural lord. If you are still worried about a.s.sa.s.sination then I could only say that youre over-conscious Listening to that, Viscount McMaster changed his expression. In truth, the greatest reason why Viscount McMaster didnt talk back and drink from the start was because he was jealous that a Baron could host a banquet of this scale. In the first place, including the Rozerias White G.o.ddess of War, this banquet has the joint signature of Earl Bergston and Earl Zeref. Looking at that, I dont think they will be complicit in such a.s.sa.s.sination Not to mention, to offer this kind of good wine for a guest that is going to be a.s.sa.s.sinated? No way But well, if you still feel uneasy, I wont force you to drink it either After saying that, Viscount Olgren drank the wine left inside his gla.s.s. If he said that much and Viscount McMaster didnt move, he might be branded as a coward. After nodding to the young man behind him, Viscount McMaster drank the wine in his gla.s.s. At that moment, sweet fragrance entered Viscount McMaster nasal cavity. Hows that? No need for boring thought, right? To that question, Viscount McMaster nodded. (This is indeed) A sweet and melting taste. It was hardly bitter It had rich aroma and sweetness that he had never tasted before At the very least, Viscount McMaster could not express how it tastes with words alone. Moreover, the white wine was cooled to a suitable temperature. Everything was perfect. Even for the Royal banquet, this was indeed a rare article. (Yet, the Baron manage to offer this kind of drink for all to enjoy) Viscount McMaster looked around the banquet. He guessed that around 30 families attended this banquet. If one included the escort, there would be around 150 people present here To serve all of them, one needs to spend a lot of money It was too much of money for something like preserving aesthetic or a n.o.bles pride. (How a man whose territory was only that Wortenia peninsula managed to do all of this) While in the middle of thinking that, Viscount Olgren voice pulled Viscount McMaster¡¯s mind back into reality. Oho It seems the main host has entered Following that voice, Viscount McMaster directed his gaze at the entrance Chapter 193 Wortenia Senki (Wn) Volume 6 Chapter 17 Ryouma turned his eyes toward three people standing behind him. Now then, everything has been going well to this point but the actual show will start now Bergston, Zeref, Elena who followed his words from behind nodded their head. At first glance, it was their usual att.i.tude. However, if one looks closely, their face looked stiff due to the tension. That was normal. After all, Elena was a war hero that had seen many battlefields as the General of the Rozeria Kingdom. Earl Bergston might have only seen a few battles. However, his political skills were outstanding and his brother, Earl Zeref, also had a high ability when it comes to information warfare. Despite the fact that both sides had a difference as a fighter and politicians, both were a first ranked warrior in their respective fields. Normally, they should not feel nervous. After all, there was no way someone who would feel nervous could lead a country. That was why seeing them stiff like this was unusual. No one could blame them, after all, the banquet they were about to have would decide the rise and fall of the Baron Mikoshiba household. For Ryouma, in a sense, this was like that time when they were about to cross the Thaves river during the civil war. For these three people, they also had bet their own household on the survival of the Mikoshiba household. The heavy pressure they had was not inferior to that Ryouma felt. Instead, if something went wrong, they stand to lose more compared to Ryouma. Bergston and Zeref had prestigious families and those who lived in their territory. Elena was a reputable war hero. They wager the lives of their va.s.sals and family who had supported them. For all of them, this was a huge gamble. Well, that being said, the preparation is perfect, but there is no guarantee that everything would go smoothly. Saying that Ryouma shrugged his shoulders and tried to ease the tension. Indeed, for this banquet, Baron Mikoshiba had used extraordinary time and effort. First, in the garden, Roberto and Signiz had been stationed with their 100 skilled knights chosen from their respective houses. Together, they were called the twin swords of the north, but now they were under the command of Mikoshiba. . All attendees could tell the seriousness of the event given that Ryouma could station those two in charge of security for the mansion. After all, many aristocrats would be invited to the banquet in the future. It was a great opportunity to introduce the young lord that managed to enter the high society of the Rozeria Kingdom. The reason why those two came to the guard of this mansion was that, even though the possibility was low, Lupis might raid the mansion. If that happened, they planned to return to the Wortenia peninsula by meeting Leona who was stationed outside of the capital city with 500 men, while Roberto and Signiz acted as his guard. They had tried to think of every detail in this regard. Now then, shall we start? With those words being said, the door was opened and Ryouma entered the hall. At that moment all eyes gathered upon Ryouma. Many of them looked at him full of hatred. If one thinks with common sense, usually the guests would applaud the appearance of the host. But, he had learned most of the manners about n.o.bles in this world from Laura and the others. (Scorn, Envy, and Anger Though some of them are friendly, most people here don¡¯t like me But then again, Im not that surprised since I heard it from Sakuyas report and many rumors regarding this I dont dislike their att.i.tude since that is what humans would do) Such thoughts crossed inside Ryoumas mind causing him to sigh. He understood that his existence was not welcomed among the aristocracy of the Rozeria Kingdom. That being the case, being disliked this blatantly, even Ryouma felt tired of it. Of course, Ryouma also wont deny his feelings, since it was normal for a human to feel such a thing. Ryouma was also a human being, not limited to these n.o.bles of the Rozeria Kingdom. Every man had a darkness inside their mind, which usually didnt show up in daily lives. No normal humans would celebrate the success of other people from the bottom of their heart. (Well, unexpectedly there are also those who manage to come to terms with their own feeling, for example, those two) Ryouma gazed at the two middle-aged men who tagged along with him. He could feel some envy existed in the gaze of Earl Bergston and Earl Zeref who had sworn loyalty to Ryouma. Even though both of their households were spared by Duke Gerhardt during the aftermath of their political struggle, being able to survive and lead the people while dealing with the constant hara.s.sment, they felt pride for it. It can be said their skills showed some result. They were first rate talent among the many Rozeria n.o.bility. That was also why they had complicated feelings toward Mikoshiba Ryouma. After all, Earl Bergston had already pa.s.sed middle age and it was the same for Earl Zeref as well. On the other hand, the young man, who was younger than he looked, was supposedly the same age as their children or even grandchildren. He had managed to defeat the enemy who had tormented them for many years. How should they react to that? Certainly, they would feel grateful at first. On the other hand, it was also natural to feel envy toward Ryouma who managed to do that. The fact that it took time for Earl Bergston to make up his mind to side with Ryouma showed that. However, Ryouma didnt felt hatred toward such two people. Whether or not they showed it on the surface, people were always envious of others success. The important factor was whether they used it to criticize others or used it as a fuel for motivation. In that sense, no matter which world they were in, humans are the same. The only thing left was how to deal with the narrow-minded ones. (The best thing is not to get involved with them but) It was a very effective choice to not get involved with such humans. To put it briefly, one should avoid the narrow-minded ones. In theory, emotions always triumph against logic, even if it sounds reasonable, there was the possibility that those kinds of people might reject it. And if badly handled, it might instead cause a wound in the relationship. And eventually, one who keeps reason will have to make concessions. Of course, with an established forum for discussion, an exchange needs to be made to make sure that the problem was solved. However, it would take time to do that. Furthermore, third-party mediation was not necessarily always effective, and not only that it would cost a considerable amount of money and time. That was why the most effective thing was not to get involved. Usually, the realistic move when meeting with such a situation would beto change school, move residence or change place of work. Even if we thought of not getting involved, those narrow-minded people often times would still bother you like a stalker and there was even a case when one could not escape from them. Like this time Ryouma experienced. The course of action Ryouma could take was extremely limited. Namely, erasing the opponents existence by force or using intimidation to make them obey. It was too risky to kill all of the people belonging to the Rozeria aristocracy. If he did that, then the Rozeria kingdom would fall into dysfunction. (Well, its not like I could understand that woman¡¯s movement completely, but if I dont use the things I can use, I wont be able to advance) Ryouma¡¯s company was very fresh and from now on what he needed to do was expand his business. The most important thing for that was the human resource. He might be able to buy outstanding high-performance equipment, but if there were no one who could operate it, it would turn into troublesome treasure instead. Developing human resources takes a lot of time however, which meant the easiest way would be to recruit talented people. (Well then, why dont we start?) Ryouma lightly signaled the maid waiting at the corner of the hall. Then the maids immediately distribute drink to the guests once again. Ryoumsamahere you are. Before one knew it, Laura already stands beside him and handed him a gla.s.s and in front of his guests, Ryouma began to open his mouth. Chapter 194 Noble street of the Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s Royal Capital Pireaus. The horse carriage passes by the back gate of the annex house of the former Earl Salzberg that stand on the corner. The sound of the wheels traveling on the stone pavement resounded. Meanwhile, inside the carriage with Viscount McMaster crest on it, Diggle McMaster heave a deep sigh. The light of the pale moon reflected on his eyes. However, soon thick cloud covered the light. That seems to imply the situation within the Rozeria Kingdom. (That was Mikoshiba Ryouma huh?) He had heard rumors about Ryouma since a long time ago. Good rumors, bad rumors¡­ However, rumors were in the end just a rumor. No matter how high his reputation as a Hero, on the battlefield, someone could even die by a low ranked soldier if they make a small mistake. One could develop the territory by bringing wisdom from the outside, but one also could cause huge loss just because of a simple political policy. In this world where long-range communication was hard, words from person to person can often be different from reality. In the end, it fell into the category of ¡®rumors.¡¯ However, even if that was taken into consideration, what reflection on Diggle McMaster tonight was a monster beyond anything he had faced. At any least, Viscount McMaster could not find any words to describe what he saw. ¡°As expected of someone being supported by the White Goddess of War¡­ To think he grasped all of our situations¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. He himself didn¡¯t say anything, but judging from his words and behavior¡­¡± Toward Viscount McMaster who heave a deep sigh, Rosetta McMaster laughed merrily. It was probably because of the burden have been lifted from her shoulder. She showed a natural smile that he never saw since a long time ago since the time she stopped being a woman. (As expected, I¡¯ve forced her such heavy burden huh¡­) A sense of guilt clouded Viscount McMaster heart. ¨C Since his brother Glad had suffered illness, Rozetta McMaster has abandoned her identity as a woman. It was not just a merely by being a strong-minded person either. Hairstyle, clothes, behavior. Up to her character, Rosetta literally came alive as her twin brother, Glad. Of course, having a woman disguised herself as a man could be considered as a big gamble. As a rule of nature, a woman is a woman, no matter how she conceals it. With a slight disturbance, the disguise could fall apart. A day or a week might be okay, but it would be impossible to deceive the surrounding for years. However, such a thing was made possible since the two of them were twins. ¨C And the biggest reason was, they still have not developed their secondary sexual characteristic. It was not impossible for the twins, Rosetta, to pretend to be Glad, if they just be careful in regard to the clothing and hairstyle. A man that was not masculine. It was something that Viscount McMaster could not be proud of as someone who familiar with the battlefield. Of course, Rosetta herself didn¡¯t have any intention to voluntary become her elder brother. It was a bitter decision they made. At that time, Viscount McMaster only had Glad and Rosetta. This was rare for aristocrats who usually had a lot of bloodlines including from the mistress. It was not unusual to have concubines and mistress surrounding them. However, it would be arrogant to say all of the aristocrats were like that. Of course, it was not like he had no pride as aristocrats, or he didn¡¯t feel any pleasure from woman company. But that was not all of it. Protect one house and pass it to the descendants. To achieve that, many try to use any means necessary. It was like an insatiable survival instinct. However, the commoner which didn¡¯t belong to the nobility, such sense was something hard to understand. But looking at that, other than inherited the house, there was no other meaning. At least, had he have concubines and mistress, Rosetta might not have to live as a man. However, that was all in the past. Tonight, the meeting with Baron Mikoshiba, which was held after the dinner party changed everything. ¨C ¡°I wonder, how much money did he spend at that dinner party?¡± ¡°I think it was around a year worth of our tax revenue. Not just the best food, they also give the best drink. Everything was splendidly arranged. Perhaps, even the Royal Palace could not produce such show¡­¡± ¡°I guess so¡­ But, that was not just to entertain us, no?¡± In response to that words, Rosetta showed a wicked smile. In fact, Daggle McMaster had attended a lot of parties after he took over the Viscount household, but it was the first time that he had seen such extravagant on the table. The spices from the central continent erased the smell of the meat, a dish that came from the eastern continent. Furthermore, the dessert was something masterpiece. (To think that I would be able to eat sweets that made of sugar¡­) Diggle who didn¡¯t like sweets too much could even tell the high workmanship in the dessert presented to them. Among the bowls made with glass by experienced craftsmen, countless fruit was swimming inside the jelly. With the bright appearance, the taste was indescribable. On top of that, he didn¡¯t feel any vulgarity from such show of wealth. Not just the cooking. Even the conduct who serve them was attentive to every corner. It was a perfect feast. Speaking of the one being entertained, the consideration showed was something exemplary. To be honest, midway, Diggle forgot about his daily hardship and pressure during the dinner, he just wanted to immerse in the taste of the food and drinks. However, no one had such carefree impression after the dinner party tonight. Come to think of it, those who were invited might be only those who could understand that. ¡°It was to threaten us¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°That is indeed without saying. The problem is, your feeling after knowing that, father.¡± The two gazes intertwine. There was no need to say more than that. Knowing that Viscount McMaster sighed once again, and looked outside the window. While he worried the future of this country. Chapter 195 After the banquet, the guest who had been invited to the Earl Salzberg residence returned one by one. From the office of the second floor located near the corner, someone was laughing in satisfaction. It was a dim room. Speaking of lights, there was only the moonlight coming from the window and the candlestick placed on the desk. ¡°For the time being, this is the end of the first act¡­¡± *¡±Yes, everything had gone as expected¡­ Currently, they might have been in confusion by now¡­ Thinking what to do¡­ I think us serving goods that usually not available for them had given more pressure, which is a good thing. Especially when we served that fish dish, it was a spectacle. It should make the aristocrats understand Ryouma-sama¡¯s financial might¡­.¡± Laura who was standing in the corner of the room said those words while nodded her head. ¡°Well yeah. Direct intimidation is counterproductive in this case after all¡­ It was obvious, looking how foolish General Hodram had ended¡­¡± He was the ringleader who killed the husband of General Elena and took her beloved daughter hostage to intimidate her. And as a result, he transformed the Goddess General into the vengeful one. It was to the extent that General Hodram could not escape the karma. There was advantages and disadvantages when it comes to direct intimidation. Because he understood that, Ryouma choose to intimidate his guest indirectly by using his financial might, showing a dish from a distant land, just like how Charles Maurice had done. (Aiming at a family member in itself was not bad, but one need to understand the situation, morale and surrounding first. If we use that the wrong way, it would become a boomerang that affects one own family.) That was Ryouma true feeling. Well, it was something that he cannot say in front of Elena who had virtually lost all of her family. And that thought alone might produce cracks between Elena and Ryouma¡¯s relationship. However, to target the enemy¡¯s family member was not a bad choice in itself. Instead, if it was done well disregarding the moral, it might become the highest deterrent. At least, Ryouma himself didn¡¯t deny the effectiveness of intimidations. Just like the enemy of the Hero in anime or movies, taking hostage of the Hero¡¯s family. Being overused plot in itself was not bad as well. Because it was effective, it had become overused. Of course, it was something Ryouma didn¡¯t want to use, but if judged necessary, Ryouma won¡¯t hesitate. (But still, it does not make any sense, to use it without a proper assessment.) In that sense, the action General Hodram took was a lousy one. Certainly, it was not bad to kill her husband and kidnap her daughter to pull down Elena from her position. And her daughter being sold to a slave trader and being killed miserably in itself was part of the evil. (At that time, there was no way for Hodram to get Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s, General Rank. Elena-san and that man are too different¡­) The point was that whether General Hodram manages to take appropriate action to get what he wanted or not. ¡°Ryouma-sama, the part that makes General Hodram foolish¡­ Was it because he didn¡¯t kill Elena-sama when the opportunity arises?¡± ¡°To be frank, yes¡­¡± Ryouma himself never thought of General Hodram as a likable person. But, even if it was just a little bit, he did think that he was a man with class. Though that was if he didn¡¯t include Hodram nature. When it comes to pure ability, Elena and Hodram have not much of difference. After he drove Elena into retirement, he worked safely for decades, from someone who usurps the General position, into someone who seized the national power. Although his evaluations from the surrounding were low due to his tyrannical rule, that alone cannot decide someone as being incompetent. Though, it would be a different story if we talked whether or not he was suitable to have such authority. From that point of view, General Hodram was someone who destined to stand at the top, as for whether or not it was suitable, it was up for debate. Also, Elena and Hodram were not that old. When Elena retired, Hodram had also need to think about retirement. At least, it was impossible for General Hodram to not think of that. Speaking of that, once again, it was not wrong to aim at Elena¡¯s family. However, despite being someone who prepared to dirty his own hands, his last action was a total mistake. ¡°At least, if he wanted to kill her husband and daughter, he should kill Elena-san in a timely manner as well¡­¡± In the eyes of Ryouma, the biggest mistake General Hodram had made was to leave grudges alive. In the first place, taking her family hostage just to make her retired was a mistake. Threatening the family was effective because it makes the opponent afraid of the possibility something happen to them. Conversely, if one hurt and deprive the opponent family, what left was only hatred. It might be effective to kill her husband in the sense of giving credibility, but it definitely buys Elena¡¯s resentment. The risk was quite high. Furthermore, it was a bad idea to also kidnap her daughter yet not returning the daughter. Not to mention, at that time, when it comes to a human relationship, Hodram was the most likely suspect. If that was the case, he should have predicted what would happen. (In fact, everything was over when the slave trader spilled the beans¡­) ¡°Did General Hodram not understand that?¡± Toward Laura¡¯s question Ryouma shook her head. ¡°Well, looking at the result, rather than threatening, he did all of that because of strong jealousy and grudge against Elena-san, who rose from commoner status to become Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s General. Looking at the fact he didn¡¯t kill Elena-san, it might be because he wanted to see her suffering, rather than fearing her fame.¡± Of course, there was a risk when it comes to physically remove Elena. However, rather than taking that risk, General Hodram chooses to indulge his hatred. Given the essence of his intimidation, his action was foolish. ¡°Well, comparing General Hodram situation and our current situation was not right but¡­ When it comes to dealing with someone with high pride, one need to pay attention¡­ Looking at that, tonight banquet can be said as passable¡­¡± No one would feel dissatisfied to have an upstart such as Baron Mikoshiba welcoming them more than what they had imagined. (So far so good¡­ After that¡­) Certainly, the dinner party had ended successfully. But that was not the end¡­ ¨C ¡°Now then¡­ It would be bad to make him wait longer¡­ Laura, call Viscount Gerhardt.¡± Hearing that words, Laura nodded and went out of the room. The moonlight shines through the clouds, and pale light entered the window. It was as if pointing the road Ryouma going to take. ¨C Chapter 196 That day, Viscount Gerhard had been sighing a lot. Currently, he was inside Salzberg family mansion, located in the corner of the royal capital Pireaus. Though speaking more precisely, it should be called ¡®former¡¯ Salzberg mansion. (I looked at the tonight dinner party from the corner of the venue, that was indeed well managed¡­ There were servants who had served in the days of Earl Salzberg, but I didn¡¯t see any agitation. Apparently, their desire for revenge is low¡­) Thus, Viscount Gerhardt sighed again. (Anyway, that dinner party was indeed a masterpiece¡­ Confronted with that, any aristocrats would be keenly aware of Baron Mikoshiba¡¯s economic power.) After all, the nobles who had a discerning tongue had flocked the table as well¡­ The Baron should¡¯ve no time to organize such party since he was still battling the Imperial Court. (But I guess it is also natural for him to do it¡­ Anyone wants to show how much power one possessed.) Because of Viscount Gerhardt decided to just stand on the corner of the assembly hall, he didn¡¯t taste the food himself, he only got the information from those who ate the food. However, he could easily imagine the level of the dish presented from the smell which drifts from the table. The dish and alcohol presented on the table was indeed a first class. ¨C Spices imported from other continents were being used without hesitation. Some of the spices were said to be worth more than gold of the same weight¡­ That alone was comparable to the banquet held by Duke Gerhardt when he was still holding his power. Furthermore, the dishes were presented creatively. There were grilled and soup-styled dishes common to this country, but there was also dishes such as fried foods that oil consumption was so intense that it was hard to say anything about it, and there was also steamed kind of foods which bring out the cooks ability to the maximum. Also, what caught his eyes especially was the deep fried seafood smeared with spices. Except for the fruits, all the basic ingredients were rare even in this world. Viscount Gerhardt had heard that such rare foods have existed in the coastal area of the western continent, but he himself never had the chance to taste it before. That alone could be called a masterpiece already¡­ (I never thought there would be that many splendid fish being presented¡­) Who would have thought when there was a noble make a mistake and dropped that huge fish on the floor, it was immediately being replaced with a new one. ¨C Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma himself apologized for his bad service, but everyone knew what was going on. Moreover, the plate had become empty would be replaced with other new dishes. Some might think of it bad if all the dishes were being presented in one go, but that might cause the heat of the dishes to disappear by the time they were being introduced. And such an excuse was kind of vain since this time dinner party was also limited. (No, I think it was already included in his calculation¡­ Which also means he can get any kind of dishes no matter how much he wanted¡­) Viscount Gerhardt shook his head once again. (Certainly, that man territory was surrounded by sea. And because it has evolved into trading port with neighboring countries, he had more opportunity to get any kinds of seafood compared to us who lived inland. But¡­ Even so¡­) The Royal Capital Pireaus was far from the coastal area. Of course, naturally, the foods on the table were mostly meats. Fish dishes were not wholly absent, but mostly it was made with river fishes or shrimp. Among the influential gourmet nobles, some of them might¡¯ve tried to carry some seafood from the sea, but by the time it had arrived mostly the fishes had turned bad. There was even a joke about how much nobles died because of that. However, the goods presented this time showed a different kind of freshness¡­ As far as he had observed, there was no bad smell coming from the seafood dishes. However, the problem was not that¡­ (The plates used to distribute the food, the bowls¡­ those are pottery that skilled craftsman made. The quality was not bad either. It was at the level where it was enough to entertain high-level guest. But, it was not over¡­) Foods taste get worse over time, that was the fundamental problem with cooking. Hot noodles became warm with time, and along with that the taste also changes. However, the story would be different if the tableware was created to be able to be used with endow magics. By pouring prana on the tableware, the warm food could be kept warm and the cold food could be kept cold as long as they wanted. ¨C But, to make such tableware was not easy. Those who learn endowment magic was considerably scarce, even within the western continent. Not only one need to have the knowledge of magic chant, but one also need to have the ability to carve the complex magic design on the targeted tools. Also, due to the time needed to achieve that, it took more time compared to those who only learned magic arts and martial arts. Not to mention many of the bestowing magic users were exclusive. Most of them who were able to use it usually only teach their own descendant. A technique such as reducing the weight of the armors was considered to be a secret. ¨C The only exception was the coercion magic, used to manage slave. In any case, only a few magic users were capable of bestowing magics. (Usually, without the holder intentionally pouring their prana, the magic won¡¯t be activated¡­ Mostly because of the prana usage¡­ Which showed how skilled the craftsman was¡­) Bestowing magic technique could be activated by anyone. Therefore, as long someone could control prana, anyone could use it. It was also true that a normal human who was not a magic caster might be able to use some prana, but the amount of prana inside normal human should be not enough to activate the bestowing magic. However, the tableware used in today¡¯s dinner overthrown such common sense. In fact, the reason why Viscount Gerhardt had realized that was because the alcohol in his glass, despite not being given ice remained cold until the end of the banquet, which caused him to feel suspicious. (I don¡¯t know what means Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma had used¡­ However, it is certain in the eyes of the people come today, he has the power to provide such tableware for the hundred of guest¡­) What kind of significance that was, Viscount Gerhardt understood. After some time he indulged with his thought. The door was tapped lightly, and he could hear a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°My master wishes for Viscount Gerhardt to come to his office¡­¡± Viscount Gerhardt nodded, and raise his body from his chair. He then drinks the alcohol in his glass to wash away his throat and took a deep breath. Chapter 197 The sound of a door being knocked resounded inside the room. Then a beautiful voice that sounds like a bell reaches one¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the guest.¡± Perhaps, understand what kind of conversation they were about to have. ¨C Though faint, the voice had an unusual stiffness to it. The reason why Ryouma manages to notice that was because they had gone through joys and pains together since Ryouma just being summoned to this world. Sara quickly moved toward the door and turn her eyes toward Ryouma. Her pupil glitter like a gem. However, Ryouma also notice that within her gaze, there was a glint of anxiety within¡­ (Sara as well, she seems to be a bit nervous¡­ Well, I can¡¯t blame her for it¡­) Depending on the outcome of the talks, Ryouma path would change significantly¡­ Of course, he had done everything he could so that it would turn to his favor. However, even with that, this was still a huge gamble. That was why even Ryouma also could felt a sense of nervousness within him¡­ However, he could no longer pull back now, and making the guest wait any further would only bring negative outcome¡­ When she confirmed Ryouma small nods, Sara immediately opened the door. Then Ryouma proceed to invite the elderly man to enter the room¡­ ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you. Please come in¡­¡± Led by those words, Viscount Julio Gerhardt stepped his foot inside the room. However, one could see he remained vigilance¡­ Ryouma could also see that from Gerhardt gaze. (He don¡¯t have to be that vigilant¡­ But well, I guess it is safer to remain cautious¡­) Ryouma smiled at Viscount Gerhardt behavior¡­ He then slowly held out his right hand. ¡°Finally, I could meet you directly. I¡¯m very delighted to welcome you to this house¡­¡± His attitude was indeed friendly¡­ If a third party saw them and didn¡¯t know the history behind the two, they might misunderstand them as a close friend. But considering the difference in status between the two, it was indeed his greeting was kind of a cheap. However, their current behavior also didn¡¯t show that once upon a time, they were both stand at the opposite side as enemies¡­ Even if it was only a superficial. And the one who understands that the most was must be the two people themselves¡­ Viscount Gerhardt then lightly took Ryouma¡¯s extended hand. Of course, they didn¡¯t do anything childish such as gripping each other hands as if they were about to crush each other. There was no need to make such a move. (Even Viscount Gerhardt understand that much. I heard he was an arrogant and insufferable man, but I guess that was not all there was to him¡­ Well, if he was only like that he won¡¯t become the leader of aristocrats faction, I think¡­) The human mind was something one cannot see. That was why good intention could only be demonstrated through action, and malice was something one would try to hide. At least, Ryouma need to keep his friendly attitude and manners unless the difference in status was clear. Even if it was only pretense, no one could see the truth, to begin with¡­ (Maintaining a friendly attitude while still being vigilant. No matter what the viscount intention was, it seems he is willing to negotiate with me. However, the problem lies ahead¡­) Ryouma glanced. (Earl Salzberg had thrown the work to rule to his wife Yuria, and drown himself in his own pleasure¡­) Inside Ryouma¡¯s mind was the image of a single warrior who ended up being twisted by the absurdity of the aristocracy. He loved this country dearly, and his love was being betrayed, and his heart ended up filled with disdain and hatred. Then, giving up on such a mad world, he spends the day while drowned in pleasure, wishing death somewhere inside his heart. In his view, the people ended up as livestock or slaves. Or more precisely, he saw them as a tool to generate wealth. Of course, even in this world, people like Salzberg was rare. Since even though he ended up like that, Earl Salzberg still manages to hold his household dignity and become the military power and leader of the northern ten households. Though he might be able to do that because of the existence of Yuria Salzberg who excelled in politics and Epiroz which located near the center of the northern region. Under normal circumstance, Earl Salzberg household should¡¯ve been destroyed by people¡¯s revolt or the King¡¯s intervention. Most nobles might have seen people as a tool to gather wealth, but not many manage to did it like Earl Salzberg. And the man named Julio Gerhardt was the typical ambitious and arrogant noble who had many allies in the Rozaria Kingdom. By the time Ryouma allied himself with Princess Lupis during the civil war, their relationship had automatically ended up as enemies, but in reality, even for Ryouma he was not a man that Ryouma himself wanted to get along with¡­ In fact, based on his previous information, not only Ryouma didn¡¯t want to get along with him, Ryouma was the type who wanted a man such as Gerhardt to die. However, a report gathered by the Iga-clan changed everything. Of course, there was no specific evidence. Since what he had was only information gathered by the clan and assumption based on that information. That was why Ryouma decided to make this kind of secret talks. Ryouma then let go of his hand and invite Viscount Gerhardt to sit on the sofa placed in the center of the room. After which Ryouma bowed his head toward Viscount Gerhardt. ¡°I am very sorry for calling you this late night¡­¡± Certainly, Ryouma¡¯s apology was correct and relevant. Since Ryouma was ranked below him, unless they both had a close relationship, it would be rude to call one superior late at night. Though people might call it late at night, it was actually not really that late. It was only around twenty minutes pass the time. If based on the modern world, it would not be called late night, but since in this world people would go to bed after the sunset, this was a good time to call it late night. Even in term of dealing visitor, this may not be a good time. However, in response to Ryouma¡¯s apology, Viscount Gerhardt shook his head. ¡°Please raise your head. Baron Mikoshiba. Given the unfortunate misunderstanding that occurred between us, it was indeed an unexpected pleasure that we could have this kind of opportunity. No need to worry about our boring trifle. Let us talk about the happy future rather than talk about the unhappy past.¡± After saying that, Viscount Gerhardt smiled and nodded his head. Following his words, Ryouma raised his head and faced him. Both man eyes gazed each other across the ebony table. (Such serious eyes¡­ Not only he didn¡¯t put pressure using the difference in status¡­ He is also willing to talk with me, huh¡­) It was something viewed from the distance that Viscount Gerhardt was someone who overconfidence and the leader of a faction. (I guess he was not born immediately as the leader of a faction huh?) If the Viscount were indeed a foolish man, then he would gladly accept Ryouma¡¯s apology as if it was a natural thing. And if he was the Julio Gerhardt he heard from Lupis and Meltina, he supposed to be someone who was like that. (I judged him with too much-biased eyes¡­) Queen Lupis and Meltina had already been at odds with the nobles in order to regain the power of the throne. Of course, that makes their evaluation of Gerhardt would be inadequate. To appreciate the beauty and merits of the enemy, it was necessary to have a wide range of magnanimity and broadmindedness¡­ And unfortunately, it was impossible for those girls who were filled with young people idealistic mind. It was a rare mistake for Ryouma, who placed emphasis on information, that he got dragged by such evaluation of the girls. (Well, it was not so easy to have a face to face conversation with the former enemy¡­) Needless to say, even after the civil war, there was no direct acquaintance between Ryouma and Viscount Gerhardt. And Ryouma who was scheduled to leave the Rozeria Kingdom after the civil war was confined himself inside the room in the sense that to make sure he didn¡¯t get involved with any trouble. After Queen Lupis broke her promise, he went to Wortenia peninsula immediately after. Before the expedition to the Zalda Kingdom, he had returned to the court once, but at that time, Viscount Gerhardt was holed up in his new territory. It didn¡¯t mean that Ryouma didn¡¯t know Viscount Gerhardt¡¯s face since at least they had passed each other at the palace once or twice. But Ryouma only views him from afar, while Viscount Gerhardt surrounded himself with his faction. That was the only connection between the two so far. Of course, that was because the basis of Ryouma evaluation toward Viscount Gerhardt was based on information from Lupis and Meltina. However, when they meet face to face like this, Ryouma evaluation toward him changed considerably. It might be a fact that Gerhardt was an arrogant person, but at least he had the wisdom to hold it inside of him. Which means he had self-control of his own emotions. (Calling him arrogant might be too rude, in kinder words, he is more like an aloof person¡­) In the end, people only show what they wanted people to see¡­ ¡°Then I will accept your kind words¡­¡± ¡°Good¡­¡± In response to Ryouma¡¯s words, Viscount Gerhardt profoundly nods his head. Then, Ryouma slowly opened his mouth again¡­ ¡°I will ask you straight to the point. What are your view on the current status quo and the future of this country?¡± It was a very dangerous situation. It was not direct, but depending on how one listens to it, it may be interpreted as profane or treason. If Meltina heard Ryouma said that, she would¡¯ve definitely sentenced him to death. It was a word that needs a proper time and place to be said. Or at least, it was not words where one could say it anywhere they wanted. And answering such a dangerous question also involves the same danger. However, Viscount Gerhardt replied calmly as if he didn¡¯t mind the danger. ¡°Soon, this country will collapse¡­¡± He said it as if it was already set in stone. Viscount Gerhardt words were filled with deep conviction. Before he continues, his hand was reaching toward the glass placed on the table with a clear resolute¡­ Chapter 198 ¡°Collapse, huh?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Although it was part of the nature of time, it is still painful to see this country, which has continued to exist for more than five hundred years, to die. Especially since the first generation head of Gerhardt household was the first King younger brother¡­¡± If Ryouma question previously was a dangerous one, then Viscount Gerhardt answer had already crossed the line completely. However, Viscount Gerhardt had neither sorrow nor hesitation on his face. Despite if one think normally, such an answer would be very abnormal as a citizen of the said country. However, that was proof that both men had accepted the fact as a fact. And then, after Viscount Gerhardt drinks from his glass and put the glass back on the table, he continued. ¡°It goes without saying, that the reign of Lupis Rozerianus has already ended. The Queen¡¯s aide, Meltina Lecter, is desperately trying to sugarcoat it, but there are only a few things she can do. It seems she had strengthened the bureaucrats who work on the castle, but to be honest, it was nothing more than a stop-gap measure¡­¡± Saying that Viscount Gerhardt smiled at Ryouma. ¡°For a man called ¡®the devil of Irachion,¡¯ there¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t realize Her Majesty Lupis intention when she deliberately avoids intervening when you had a war with Earl Salzberg.¡± There was no malice or ridicule from his words. If anything, he smiles filled with the expectation of how Ryouma could survive this difficulty. Either way, it seems Viscount Gerhardt had more grasp on the current state of the country compared to Ryouma. (His rank was dropped from a Duke to a Viscount, his territory also changed from a center of the economy to that of a rural territory¡­ I guess that is proof of a man that was the leader of a faction¡­) It was said that the power of the aristocrats had shrunk considerably for a short time, but recently it seems they had gained back their lost power. It seems it was hard to completely cut off the personal network that was cultivated for a long time. To understand Lupis intention despite her being deep inside her castle might be a testament of Viscount Gerhardt¡¯s power. And it was also part of Viscount Gerhardt¡¯s conviction. That a man called ¡®the devil of Irachion¡¯ was not going to wait for his death. ¡± The Devil of Irachion was it? Although it was consequences for my action, still that was an over exaggerated bad reputation¡­¡± ¡°I tested defeat because of that bad reputation though? And in spite of the unstable period after conquering the ten households, you manage to suppress any rebellions thought of the citizen thanks to that reputation, no? Of course, there was also the part of using bribes. But in any case, you also put into account even your notorious nickname, yes?¡± In response to Gerhardt¡¯s words, Ryouma showed a bitter smile. That was because Ryouma understood that it was a fact. The existence of a Demon or Devil as the enemy of absolute justice of God didn¡¯t change no matter what world. It was an abomination that people linked to natural disaster to epidemics. Of course, his nickname was not as bad as it sounds. Just like Oda Nobunaga subordinate Shibata Katsuie who was then known as the ¡®Shibata the Ogre,¡¯ or Yoshihiro Shimazu who played the feat of breaking through the enemy lines after the defeat in the Battle of Sekigahara, he was then known as ¡®Shimazu the Ogre.¡¯ True enough Ogre(Oni), and Devil(Akuma) were different things. However, from the sense of Japanese people, the name of the Devil of Irachion didn¡¯t have to be heard as praise, such as having the strength of the Demon and the ingenuity of the Devil. Nevertheless, in modern Japan, other than limited industries or professional athlete, it was rare to get a nickname from other people. From that point of view, being given the nickname of the Devil of Irachion might be something one should be proud of. Though for Ryouma who was summoned from another world and he was just a high school student in his previous world, something like a nickname might be a bit embarrassing for him. However, that was only Ryouma personal impression as a Japanese. In a world where science and technology had not yet developed, the story would be different. In this world, where the mystery of the gods still existed, the meaning of the Demon or Devil and the witches were not easy to understand, since the unknown power such as Mana was still active. A particular book crossed Ryouma¡¯s mind. In this world where printing technology was undeveloped, books were expensive goods. However, it was something worth it to have. That was why Ryouma had asked Simone Christoph to bring a large number of books to the city of Sirius. From a particular book that record history, after a great conflict between human and demi-human, an indigenous religion who was from the detail believed to origin from remote countryside of the western continent, suddenly turned into the largest religious organization, they believed in blind acceptance that the true ruler of the world was the God who created human. (Demon hunting was it¡­) In the history of the western continent 400 years ago, when famine and natural disaster occur, it was said the cause was the presence of a demon. And the human succeeded in ostracized the demi-human as the enemy they were looking. And under the guise of purification and salvation, people who were deemed as Demon were condemned by the others. (God is good, and Demon or Devil is evil that need to be eradicated, it seems no matter which world, that thought stay the same. Those Demon hunting, it was just like how medieval Europe, witch hunting¡­) Of course, as far as Ryouma had read the history books, there was no clear evidence that the Demon had existed. There was only record about human believed to be a demon being executed. Some other books also had a similar record in it. In addition, most of those people who were demonized by the demon hunting were people who critical toward the church or people who didn¡¯t have land and used by the landowner as some sort of scapegoat. Most of them were people close to the bottom of social status, which was why it was hard to believe that there were actually Demon exist¡­ (First of all, if those power written as demonic power were really real, those people won¡¯t just stay and wait for their execution¡­) In the first place, those humans being demonized were said to have the power to manipulate the weather and cause plagues. If those people were caught, they won¡¯t just silently accept their judgment. They would desperately resist violently, even if the worst judgment of execution cannot be avoided, they at least would use their power to make chaos before they died. After all, based on the doctrine of Light God church, Demon or Devil was an absolute enemy seeking to scatter death and destruction, to cause suffer toward humanity. The point of that was an excuse, to eliminate an unsightly existence, or was a kind of sacrifice to suppress the grief of the masses who lost their family after a natural disaster. The reason might have been different, but in the end, the result was almost the same as the witch hunt, which was popular during the middle ages. Anyway, all of that was the story of the past, demon hunting was known as a thing of the past. Fortunately, on the western continent now, demon hunting was not being done for a long time¡­ (I was not sure about the race cleansing that was done by the Light God cult was done by themselves, or they got the idea from the human summoned from my world¡­) In the end, the problem was the miserable memories of that time had been handed down to the people who were still living in this continent, the descendants of that time. Still, people now had a calm sense toward words such as Demon or Devil¡­ When Ryouma returned from the Kingdom of Zalda, he began to be called as ¡®The Hero of Salvation¡¯ who saved the country from the invading Ortomea Empire, but his bad reputation still outranks his good reputation. Unlike Elena¡¯s ¡®Rozeria¡¯s white Goddess of War¡¯ or Lione ¡®Red Lion¡¯ nicknames, Ryouma¡¯s nickname was created by people out of people fear and hatred¡­ (I guess, though I did it by choice, I did kill that many people after all¡­ I also had prepared for the consequence to some extent¡­) At the time of the civil war, Ryouma had massacred the enemy soldiers by making them drown using the Thaves River¡­ Moreover, Ryouma was the one who ordered the merchants to spread the story toward villages, to avoid people willingly being conscripted by the nobles in Irachion. If one sees it from that perspective, Ryouma nickname of the Devil of Irachion was extremely appropriate, and it can be said that he reaps what he sows. (And Viscount Gerhardt deduction was correct¡­) People were afraid of the notorious one. And fear was a good deterrent. Ryouma certainly didn¡¯t know the true meaning of Demon or Devil in this western continent, but it was a fact that he had made good use of his given infamy. And Viscount Gerhardt had seen through that¡­ (It¡¯s like a poisonous dish huh?) To be honest, it would be a great gamble to partner up with Julio Gerhardt. It can be said that the powers that were hostile toward each other up until now were trying to join hands. In some case, it might turn Earl Bergstone, who was once a great ally into an enemy. However, it was also true that it was not realistic for Ryouma to seize the Rozeria Kingdom by force, and an alternative usable method should be used¡­ With that in mind, Ryouma asked the last question toward Viscount Gerhardt. Chapter 199 A few days had passed since the secret meeting between Ryouma and Viscount Gerhardt. Currently, the time was around mid-day¡­ Ryouma quietly open his mouth while looking at the people gathered in the room within the Salzberg¡¯s residence. ¡°Well, finally, it is tomorrow¡­¡± Those who surrounded Ryouma listened in silence. There was no one asking what day tomorrow would be¡­ Of course, that was natural¡­ Along with that of the original member such as the Marfisto sister, Laura, and Sara, inside the room, there were also members from the time he was mercenary such as Lione, Genou and his granddaughter Sakuya. There was also those that joined recently such as Yuria Salzberg, which now the new lord of the Salzberg house, also there were men who were once called the Salzberg¡¯ double-edged sword, Roberto Bertrand and Signiz Garbera¡­ Furthermore, there was a figure such as Elena Steiner who returned to the capital in haste, other than her there were also Earl Bergstone and Earl Zeref, who had secretly taken the position of retainer recently¡­ Those who were not present here were Bolts, who responsible for development and security of the city of Sirius, Simone Christoph who responsible for the internal affairs and who worked hard to support the economic power of Baron Mikoshiba, also the Elders of the Iga clan who right now rebuilding the protection network after Baron Mikoshiba territory expanded¡­ Nevertheless, those who gathered here were those who formally become vassals, and there were those who still stay as a collaborator, but anyway, they were people who support a man named Mikoshiba Ryouma with their individual expertise, such as internal affairs, military, and intelligence. For them, there was no need to ask what would happen tomorrow¡­ From the day since Ryouma arrived in the capital city, everything had been spent to prepare for tomorrow¡­ (If I can, I want to have Nelsios-san here too¡­ But well, that man existence itself is already a problem¡­) Ryouma then gazed at the five women who stand near the wall with helmet hiding their face. Originally, Nelsios, Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s influential collaborator had the right to be called to this place, but because of his other duty such as supervises the demi-humans living in the Wortenia peninsula as a tribe leader, going out of the peninsula was a bit difficult for him. Though the story would be different if the demi-humans fully support Mikoshiba Ryouma, but since there was still a bit of skeptic among them toward Ryouma, it was a day-to-day occurrence to perform trade with them to build trust¡­ For that reason, lead by Delfina as the representative, the girls would live in Wortenia Peninsula as a trial¡­ Even though they were representatives, they were just people selected among the seven tribes of which Nelsios was the tribal leader, thus calling them as the demi-human representative of the western continent might be somewhat misleading. However, it was also a fact that Nelsios was the one leading the trade with Ryouma, and it cannot be said that he was not a representative just because he was unable to come out of Wortenia peninsula. In Japan expression, such level of representative could be said as ¡®Goodwill ambassador or tourist ambassador.¡¯ And of course, it was a great honor to be chosen for such a position. In certain areas, they might be given their own authority, sometimes they may voice their personal opinion on the other country. However, they cannot have the right to decide unless they were given such authority. Right now, the six girls who were standing on the position were supposed to act together under Marfisto sisters. In short, they were Ryouma¡¯s private escort. It was indeed can be said a very extravagant escort group. ¨C After all, Delfina was the daughter of that Nelsios who was known as ¡®War Ogre,¡¯ when it comes to raw power, she was comparable to Roberto and Signiz. And Delfina also already proven her ability in front of Lione during the expedition to the Zalda Kingdom. Despite in the middle of a confusing battlefield, she manages to charge alone against Ortomea Empire¡¯s escort group and slay their commander splendidly. The five people led by Delfina were also people selected from among the tribes, they were the best in their ability. In term of shogi, they were like a big piece of rock corner. But, it was not without a problem. Even though their ability as a warrior was perfect, it was true that they were from demi-humans race, their movement was limited. Of course, Ryouma and the others didn¡¯t have any rejection toward demi-humans. In fact, the relationship between them can be said as friendly, it was thanks to Bolts the leader of Sirius internal affairs and Alejandro who become the negotiation window. However, that only applies in the region that Mikoshiba Ryouma had complete control. To be more precise, it was only limited to inside Wortenia peninsula centered around Sirius. Indeed, the Rozeria Kingdom was located in the eastern part of the western continent, where the influence of the Light God cult was not strong. However, if asked whether or not Delfina wanted to open his helmet and show her real face, she would still shake her head as a response. And if she did it, there would still be an uproar. That was why even after Ryouma managed to take control of Salzberg¡¯s city Epiroz, they were trying to remain invisible to the people of that domain. Of course, they had the plan to interact with the people little by little while keeping an eye of the timing. But for now, that was something they cannot do. If done unskillfully, it might trigger a great rebellion or another holy war. Nonetheless, it was not a good idea to show demi-humans face in the capital Pireaus where the situation was worse compared to the northern territory. In case of Ryouma, he was currently facing a subpoena from the house of lords, if the fact he had a connection with the demi-humans made known, it might be used by his enemies to defeat him. ¨C In that sense, it may be considered to be a mistake to even brought demi-humans to Pireaus. However, they were people that were selected personally by Nelsios to deepen the relationship between them. It would be not suitable for Ryouma to leave people who wanted to build a good relationship with him while he goes to the capital to meet his other allies. After much calculations and compromises, it was decided to make them Ryouma¡¯s personal escort. That being said, the problem was not completely solved. (Well, it is natural for the two to act like this, but¡­) Currently, Ryouma felt an intense gaze from both sisters who sits on his left and right sides. Laura and Sara were gazing at Ryouma full of Smiles. They didn¡¯t show any dissatisfaction. On the surface, they showed their usual cheerful smiles. However, it was definitely different than usual. Ryouma could even sense the intimidation coming from heir smiles. And Ryouma was not so insensitive as not to understand the meaning behind their smiles. To put it simply, they didn¡¯t like the fact he had gazed toward Delfina. The problem was, however, that the emotion was not because they hated demi-humans, it was more like hostility toward the same sex. (Geez¡­ Well, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand them¡­) The Elven girls, starting from Delfina, they boast beauties that would not be an exaggeration to call them a living gem. And unlike ordinary elves who had a clean and tidy atmosphere, the dark elves had this bewitching and indecent aura around them. And that was something the Marfisto sisters didn¡¯t have. (These two, why did they have such a sense of rivalry, I can¡¯t really understand¡­ In term of beauty, it can be said they are a very beautiful one, still why¡­) That was what Ryouma confused about¡­ Laura and Sara were a very beautiful person, it can be said their appearance was impeccable. Women who can rival their beauties were limited in numbers. Of course, if looked carefully, in this world there should be people more beautiful than the two of them. ¨C However, when it comes to the standard, they were cut above the rest. (But well, if they tried to compare themselves in bust size and butt, certainly, Delfina and the others won by a large margin, the two would lose in term of adult charm¡­) But for men, it was not always about chest and butt. The balance on the body should be important and don¡¯t forget the inner personality¡­ Also, the factors that men seek from their lover were different from the factors that they seek from their wife or mistress. The same thing might be said by the women if they asked the same question. Depends on the person, their interest in factors such as age and attractive parts might change. In the first place, in Ryouma¡¯s eyes, the two sisters chest were fine enough¡­ And when one thinks about the balance of their body, it can be said as the best. Sure Delfina and the other dark elves had such bewitching adult atmosphere around them, but many people also like those who have purity and devotion aura like the sisters. But then again, people always find value over things that one did not have and overlook what one has¡­ The saying ¡®The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Fence,¡¯ might be right¡­ (But then, I can¡¯t understand why the two get along well with Lione-san¡­) The female mercenary known as the ¡®Red Lion, was someone whose existence was unrelated to the words bewitching and innocent. Her appearance was attractive enough, bu5 she was not the type who show them upfront. If anything, rather than feminine attraction, it can be said that her character was more lined toward manliness and dazzling cheerfulness. ¨C It was a character that was able to tease and call Ryouma ¡®Boy¡¯¡­ In that sense, she and the Marfisto sisters were different as water and oil. However, for Marfisto sisters, Lione seems not to be regarded as a hostile opponent. Sure, they sometimes quarrel among themselves, but it was not to the point of hating each other. (Oh well, what I need to think about is tomorrow, this problem can be dealt with later, I guess¡­) If an organization grew bigger, not everyone could get along. Of course, it depends on the definition of friendship among individual, but there was always an exception when it comes to getting along. Just like students, even when they were from the same school, not everyone getting along with each other. Depending on the person, they might even the same classmate, but the relationship remained uncertain. When it comes to friends, it becomes more narrowed¡­ Some people could become good friends, some could not. Even when there were only three people, factionist bound to happen, it was mankind nature¡­ It was indeed great for everyone to get along, but in reality, such a thing was impossible. Even among human being was already impossible. Of course, the coexistence of demi-humans and humankind was Ryouma¡¯s ideal and dream, but the path to achieving that was still far away¡­ (Well then, I guess it is time to start, tomorrow problem¡­) Ryouma once again glanced toward his surrounding. Then he opened his mouth slowly¡­ Chapter 200 ¡°First of all, Signiz, and Roberto, you both have memorized the plan for tomorrow, yes?¡± Being questioned, the two men glanced at each other briefly and turned their face toward Ryouma. They both had two important jobs, the first was to protect the place where the dinner took place the other day. Also, together with Ms. Yuria being the witness of the battle between Earl Salzberg household and Baron Mikoshiba household. And their second job was to protect Ryouma after the trial. (Well, there¡¯s no particular problem with witness interrogations. All one had to do was to tell the facts.) Although it was particularly not effective due to the Iga clan counter-espionage measures, it was true that the ten household led by Earl Salzberg had engaged in espionage activities against Ryouma. The full reason they did that aside, it was hard to deny that their main reason was that Mikoshiba Ryouma had gained status in the Rozeria Kingdom. Certainly, it was also rare in the western continent aristocrats society, to have forced the transfer of command of an army. Since it could be used to deliberately provoked and brought the country to war. But, it was also true that Earl Salzberg didn¡¯t move the northern army during the civil war. Rational thought might see that as justifiable from the point of view that he had to protect the northern border of the Rozaria Kingdom during such crisis. However, if Earl Salzberg who was considered as one of the strongest warriors in the country were alive, he would say that he simply didn¡¯t see the problem that makes him need to move the army. Indeed, he could not move the border guards, but given how big Earl Salzberg army, it was possible for him to sent a small group of knights. If he didn¡¯t move even one soldier, then his loyalty to the Rozaria Kingdom would be questioned. In that circumstance, Ryouma argued that Earl Salzberg household and the ten northern nobles household had abandoned their duty as Rozaria nobles. Thus he wanted to make that reason as the reason why the war between Ryouma and Earl Salzberg had started. There was no major contradiction in theory. Of course, it was also a fact that at the beginning, they both had a close relationship due to their disagreement with the royalty, but then again, fortunately, no one had witnessed that. After all, the reason why they make it so that the ten household successors died in war was precisely for the sake of post-war treatment. And by the end of the war, the one who succeeds the household were people like Ms.Yuria who had survived, they had pledged loyalty toward Ryouma. Why did they pledge loyalty to him was because those people were like Roberto and Signiz. Simply put, they were people who were hated by their own fathers and brothers due to their ability. For them, they had no reason to trap Ryouma who had freed them from such gloomy life. (The problem is the number of soldiers¡­ I wish I could bring more of them¡­ I guess whether or not we could break through with such limited number of soldiers would be a gamble¡­) Of course, Roberto and Signiz were distinguished martial artists and had been Earl Salzberg guard several times. It could be said that they were the best choice in term of performance and ability, and Ryouma also had full confidence in both of them. However, even with that, it cannot be helped to feel anxiety. After all, compared to when the dinner being held where he was not sure that there would be a battle or not, now he had evidence that there would be a battle. Moreover, Baron Mikoshiba allies in the royal capital, Pireaus, was limited. If such a battle actually begins, the possibility of reinforcements would be extremely low. From that point of view, it was clear that the two of them(Roberto and Signiz) would be one of the key factors that separate failure and success. And the two of them also understand that. Though somehow their attitude toward Ryouma who had given them the task was a bit different when compared. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no problem, my Lord.¡± ¡°We¡¯re prepared, boss.¡± While Signiz talked like he was a vassal, Roberto¡¯s tone was like he had a contractor-boss relationship with Ryouma. It might be no problem if he spoke like that when there was only the two of them, but it was definitely not the way he should talk in the residence where many nobles present. In some cases, he might get executed for being rude. ¨C That said, Ryouma was not foolish enough to blame Roberto¡¯s rudeness now. As long this was not an official meeting and only the gathering of Ryouma¡¯s inner circle. It won¡¯t hurt Roberto value just because he was speaking freely. However, there was a man who seems didn¡¯t agree with such thought¡­ ¡°Roberto! You!¡± Signiz got out of his chair and glared at Roberto who sat beside him. Rather than being angry toward Roberto¡¯s attitude, it seems he was worried that the others might see them unfavorable. As their master who hates formality, Ryouma decided that reprimanded him would only have a small influence on him. Besides, as a newcomer, his attitude might have some appeal to the surrounding old staff. As for Signiz, Roberto was one of his few friends. He didn¡¯t want his friends got dismissed just because of such small things. However, before Signiz continues, Ryouma raised his hand. ¨C ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine¡­ Though this is a war council, those who present here are a close associate. Signiz too, please take it easy¡­¡± Hearing Ryouma¡¯s words, Signiz bowed his head slightly and relaxed in his chair once again. ¨C In fact, Ryouma didn¡¯t care as to how Roberto called him. Of course, there was a limit to that, and the time and place were also important. Such as if they were inside the Royal castle, or in a banquet, if Roberto had called him ¡®Boss¡¯ in such a place, then Ryouma¡¯s face would be destroyed. In fact, how Roberto called him boss was actually kind of cute. After all, even Lione and the others still didn¡¯t hesitate to call Ryouma ¡®boy¡¯. Anyway, Roberto was someone who had enough education as a noble. If he feels like it, and see the need for it, he would be able to show a perfect courtesy necessary for the time and place. In fact, as former commoner it should be Ryouma and Lione who begged him to teach them common courtesy among nobles. That was why there was not much problem with how he called Ryouma. ¨C (The conflict between newcomer and old member, huh? For now, it seems there is no problem, but¡­) Lione was one of Baron Mikoshiba top executive. Also, among the people in this room, she had the second longest relationship with him. And for such Lione who was the enemy of Roberto and Signiz during the previous war, her standpoint was by no means the same as Ryouma. Even though they both had become Ryouma¡¯s vassal. ¨C (The sensible Signiz and the rascal Roberto, huh? Well, there¡¯s no problem when it comes to their ability. And it seems the reaction from Lione and the others after seeing the previous exchange were not that bad¡­ After this, it depends on me how to make good use of them¡­) The fight between the old guard and newcomer often times the cause of an organization being split. It was the duty of the head of the organization to manage such conflict and making sure they didn¡¯t fall into the trap. After the meetings ended, Ryouma announced dissolution and everyone stand up one after another. Of course, tomorrow they would meet again for final confirmation. Everyone then quickly leaves the room. However, there was someone who didn¡¯t stand up from the seat. As Ryouma gazed at her, Elena quietly looked at him back. A moment passed with them gazing at each other. Eventually, Elena slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Still, you sure choose a drastic measure¡­¡± In her voice, one could feel sadness and conflicted feeling. Indeed, in the eyes of ¡®Rozeria¡¯s white goddess of war,¡¯ the event that would take place tomorrow would not be pretty¡­ And with Ryouma expression indicating there was no turning back was the proof that there was no other way¡­ Ryouma then quietly asked Elena¡­ ¡°Do you regret it?¡± In his eyes, there was no sight of a guilty conscience or hesitation. It can be said he was as calm as a calm lake. Ryouma had decided on his resolution. ¡°Well, I wonder¡­ From the day I decided to attend the dinner party the other day, I was prepared for anything that would come, but¡­ To be honest, I have a lot to think about¡­¡± Then, Elena quietly looked out of the window. A clear sky with no clouds. The blue sky as far as the eyes could see. ¡°What nice weather¡­ Unlike my heart¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, I agree¡­¡± Ryouma nodded quietly in response to Elena, who muttered those words without any power¡­ Of course, he understood Elena¡¯s trouble¡­ After all, his decision was the cause of it. However, Ryouma had determined, no matter what Elena feels¡­ (If possible, I wanted to avoid that possibility but¡­) Ryouma was just trying to protect his own and his comrades¡¯ life. He would like to avoid conflict if possible, but if not, there was nothing he could do but to fight back without fear¡­ Besides, it was not Ryouma¡¯s responsibility that the situation had turned this way. It was all began when Lupis Rozerianus broke her promise with Mikoshiba Ryouma due to her weakness¡­ But, that would only just be an excuse in front of Elena. In the end, Elena was someone who had devoted her life to the Rozeria Kingdom. That was why Ryouma didn¡¯t say anything further. Since it would insulting Elena¡¯s feeling if he tried to comfort her. Ryouma then bowed lightly toward Elena and leave the room quietly¡­ Chapter 201 On the next day, several carriages passed through Earl Salzberg residence¡¯s gate. There were about fifty riders around them. Of course, they were all fully armored. They looked like they were going to a battlefield. The carriages they defended were also giving sober impression based on black, and the horses pulled the carriages were also superb one. The shiny clean body showed that the horses had been given exceptional care and love. From the point of view of quality, it was without a doubt among the finest one. Nevertheless, their solid appearance gives off an air of intimidation to the surrounding. At least, it was horses the nobles won¡¯t usually be used for sightseeing. But then, that was natural. These carriages were something the House of Lords had prepared exclusively for nobles use, in other words, a prisoner carriage transport for aristocrats. The sky was also different compared to yesterday, today it was cloudy with a high possibility to rain, the atmosphere was suitable for the vicious carriages. It was as if implying the future that was about to come. Ryouma then gazed at the sky lightly. (Such ominous weather¡­ It will be stormy for a while, but whether that is good or not, that is the question¡­) Of course, regardless of the weather, the future plan won¡¯t change. Whether the sky was clear or cloudy, it was just a matter of time. But still, it was the nature of human to be superstitious. Though, the problem was it was hard to determine whether it was a good sign or not if rains were to come. During the warring states, Mori Motonari, who manage to conquer western Chugoku region, and laid the foundation for Mori clans, had raised his status from a local lord to become warring state warlord, despite having smaller force he won the battle of Itsukushima due to the heavy storm during the campaign. Also, in the historical book about Nobunaga, it was said that during the battle of Okehazama, the battlefield was under heavy rain. Some people had the opinion that that battle was said to be one of the reasons why Oda Nobunaga had won against Imagawa Yoshimoto by surprise. In that sense, it was hard to interpret rain as a good sign or a bad sign. Of course, the credibility about such opinion was low. After all, history was written by those who won the war. In addition, even if it was not forged due to bad faith, the human memory was unexpectedly unreliable due to fabrication from malice. And in daily life, misunderstandings were quite common. Moreover, the means of information transmission during the warring states period was extremely limited. There was no guarantee that the content of the message was 100% correct, whether it was delivered using letter or by oral delivery. In that case, no one knows whether it was actually really rained during the battle of Itsukushima and Okehazama, and even if it had some implication, no one could understand the meaning behind such weather. In the end, the concern was only up to that level. (In the end, it has both, good and bad sign, depending on how people interpreted it. Well, though I understand about that, in the end, I am me¡­) Thinking that there were no benefits for him to think further, Ryouma quietly proceed through the entrance hall of the Earl Salzberg mansion. A few steps behind him, Laura and Sara, dressed in maid clothes followed him, and behind them were Yuria and Roberto. Of course, everyone was wearing a formal dress. It would be natural for Elena, but even that Lione had dressed formally like that of a female knight. After all, being called by the House of Lords, was the same as being called by the government in Japan. Well, presently Ryouma was asked to come in the pretext of confirming the truth, but considering Ryouma position, if they had thought that it was likely to turn into a normal trial in court, it would be more normal for them if they dressed like usual. That was why, today, their master, Ryouma, was also dressed differently from usual. Unlike his usual all blacks attire, today, he wore a shirt with lace on the chest, and also a coat. Though the overall color of his attire was still black, it must be due to Ryouma¡¯s own preference. In the eyes of this world aristocrats, his attire must be kind of plain. However, his coat had gold and silver embroidery on the cuffs, it gives off a relaxed feeling, and show his standing as noble. Because there was no gorgeous decoration, it gives an overall clean impression, combined with his sword ¡®Kikoku¡¯ on his waist put in a black sheath. Rather than luxury, it emphasized vigor and strength. The security guard who surrounded Ryouma and the servants of the Earl Salzberg mansion looked excited when they saw Ryouma appearance. However, despite such positive reaction, Ryouma seemed uncomfortable due to their gaze. (This seems to be suitable attire for a Baron huh? Well, other than during the dinner party, this is the second time. Besides, I don¡¯t have any intention of disappointing the two who had prepared this attire with a lot of effort by not wearing it¡­ But still, I think this is too much¡­) Originally, Ryouma was someone who had not much interest when it comes to clothing. Of course, he was not a lazy person who wears something dirty or something that had holes in it either, he was someone who just didn¡¯t care if the clothes he was wearing was branded or not. Rather than spending money and time on clothing and accessories, he had rather spend his time on training and money on delicious food. Due to that, he had often quarreled with Asuka, who was a fashion-minded person, just like a normal high school girl. That said, that was during the time when he was still in Japan. Since the time Ryouma had been summoned to this world and being given the title of Baron, Ryouma himself understood that it was necessary for him to pay attention to his attire. That was why he had asked Lady Yuria to order such unfamiliar outfit in the Epiroz city. (¡­Well, it is worth the amount I had paid, so there¡¯s no problem¡­) Ryouma had paid a considerable amount of money to make the attire. And it was far from the annual income of an average person living in this world. It was an amount of money that even senior aristocrats such as Earl and Marquis would hesitate to spend. Still, it was a fact that it was worth it to pay that much. While thinking about that, Ryouma go toward the front carriage which stopped in front of the mansion¡¯s entrance. Then, a man wearing a knight armors moved forward. Looking at his face, he looked like in the middle of his forties. Looking at his gown type coat over his armors, it seems he was a staff dispatched by the House of Lords. ¡°Baron Mikoshiba-sama, right? I will be your guide today, my name is Hamilton.¡± Introducing himself, the man bowed his head toward Ryouma. In response, Ryouma narrows his eyes slightly. (Maybe because he is from the aristocrats¡¯ side, but his face showed an unpleasant look.) At first glance, the man was smiling softly. It was not a bad attitude. Chapter 202 The carriage then proceeds toward the royal palace. (This is the first time I ride a carriage since the time when I was visiting Earl Salzberg¡¯s residence¡­ At that time, I couldn¡¯t afford to care about it but¡­) Such feeling passes through Ryouma¡¯s mind as he gazes outside the window. The wooden chair was installed in the carriage. Riding this carriage gives him an awful and uncomfortable experience. Although they had put a cushion since he aboard the carriage, it didn¡¯t give much impact in reducing the feeling. It was a real shame despite the fact that the carriage had such a grand appearance. (I don¡¯t know if the suspension is existed in this world or not, or it exists but just has a bad performance but, this really hurt my butt and hips¡­) Ryouma involuntarily touched his butt, which feels sore in a different sense from riding a horse. It might be not a good behavior when it comes to nobility. However, there was no one who watched Ryouma, to begin with. Even the Marfisto sisters who usually won¡¯t leave Ryouma¡¯s side currently acted as escorts and maids. (Is this actually a form of harassment? Well anyway, even if that is the truth, this is the first time in a while that I¡¯m alone. Until we arrive at the destination, I guess I should have a bit of fun? Besides, the other side won¡¯t launch an assault at this late in time¡­) Of course, Ryouma would have considered an attack at this timing as normal. However, since after this they would have to play a farce, thus proper appearance was necessary. If they tried to unskillfully do something to Ryouma who was being praised by the masses as the Hero who saved the country, it might strangle them one day. The fact that Ryouma was being attacked despite having an escort would never benefit anyone. The rumors of someone was trying to kill the Hero would spread, and it may even lead into pouring oil to the Kingdom which security had already deteriorated. That was why they did all of this. And make the result coming out from a legitimate trial¡­ (Especially those powerful nobles who had their relative killed during this dispute¡­) Ryouma already understand that he was being alienated by the nobles of this Kingdom. At the dinner party the other day, a moderate number of people had gathered, but compared to the entire aristocracy belonged to the Rozeria Kingdom, only a small amount of them had attended. And most of them, the reason why they didn¡¯t attend was that they were the relatives of the nobles he had killed. If they were blood relative, they would kill each other without batting an eyelid. However, on the other hand, they would join hands against the enemy outside of their circle¡­ And there were large numbers of noble who had blood relation with Salzberg household, which had been existed since the time the Rozeria Kingdom being established. In that case, there were two ways for them to take revenge. Make an appeal to subjugate Ryouma using armed force, or judge him by using the law. However, the use of force was a fairly high hurdle choice for them right now. If all nobles in Rozeria could unite and attack, the story would¡¯ve changed, but based on the natural hazard of Wortenia peninsula, and Ryouma who had managed to destroy the ten northern household and also Earl Salzberg household, making them hesitate to cross blade. Rather than taking such a risk, it would be easier for them to just condemn him by using the law that prohibited the use of the private army for warfare between each other. It was due to the aristocrats thought like that, that Lupis Rozerianus and also her aide Meltina Lecter had been thinking about this strategy. (Well, I don¡¯t know how much of all of this are part of Lupis and Meltina¡¯s plan¡­) As one could see from the story he heard from Yuria after the war, it might be their aim to incite Earl Salzberg by asking him to perform espionage activity against Wortenia peninsula. However, it was hard to believe for him that Lupis had made such an elaborate plan and put in the calculation that the house of lords would move like this. At the very least, if she were capable of that, she would not have made Ryouma took control Wortenia peninsula in the first place. If her wisdom were that vast, then she would not avoid Ryouma until this much¡­ At that time, at least Ryouma won¡¯t hold a grudge against Queen Lupis, and Queen Lupis also would not fear Ryouma and tried to get rid of him without understanding Ryouma¡¯s feeling. (The time when the tides change would be, at the time when I was sent to the Zalda Kingdom as reinforcement¡­ I guess?) Wishing Ryouma to die, Lupis had given him Wortenia peninsula, but what happened had completely betrayed Lupis imagination, not only he gained solid ground, he also gained military power. And for a ruler, it was not easy to deal with something like that. If she were to try to confiscate by force the territory that Mikoshiba Ryouma had opened by his own hand, even the nobles who had their self-interest would turn against her. It could be fatal if such a thing happened when the domestic situation was not stable. That was why Queen Lupis didn¡¯t choose to intentionally intervene in the confrontation between the two households. And only tried to tempt Earl Salzberg and Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma to eat each other, While he was thinking about such a thing, the carriage begins to slow down. (It seems we¡¯ve arrived huh?) When the carriage stopped, Ryouma grabbed Kikoku and rose from his seat. ¡°Your Majesty. Please excuse me.¡± Lupis Rozerianus, who had been focusing herself working on the paperwork, stopped her hand when she heard her aide Meltina¡¯s voice and raised her face. What comes to view was a neat face looking tired due to overworking every day and dark circle under her eyes ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A worn-out voice. Hearing that voice, Meltina slightly frowned. That being said, there was something important that she needs to tell her. ¡°Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma has just arrived at the House of Lords.¡± The moment she heard those words, a dark shadow appeared on Queen Lupis¡¯ face. After a long silence, she nodded slightly and responded¡­ ¡°I see¡­¡± She looked full of conflict and guilt. As if she was trying to appeal something to Meltina. However, even if she understood the meaning behind her gaze, Meltina could not let her business-like attitude go¡­ Right now, if she tried to say something to Queen Lupis, she expected that the Queen would ask her to abort the plan. However, she knew that such a thing was impossible to do now. The preparation at the house of lords was already completed. They cannot cancel this plan now, where a lot of time and money hang in the balance. (No, if I prioritize her majesty feeling and cancel it, what would happen then?) The answer to that question had already appeared inside Meltina¡¯s mind. Now that it was already late in the game, there was no other way but let the plan advance as it was, even if she had to turn herself into a demon. That was why Meltina looked straight at Lupis gaze and made a silent bow. And as if ignoring Queen Lupis, who tried to say something, she turned her heels and leave the room. (She¡¯s already near her limit¡­) Inside Meltina¡¯s mind, who left the office was Lupis¡¯ worn-out expression. If this were a modern society, she would¡¯ve already been diagnosed with depression due to overwork. Normally, Meltina would honestly tell her to take a few days off and refresh both her mental and physical strength. (However¡­ It is impossible right now¡­) A few years had passed since Lupis took the throne and became a Queen. She was already getting used to her job as a ruler. However, due to the trend of Ortomea Empire that was unreadable, and now that the domestic situation was also under fire, there were too many things that need Queen Lupis personal attention to settle them. On top of that, the situation had turned worse due to the fact a rift appeared between Lord Bergstone, the central figure in the administration, and the Queen. (I think we should try to fix the relationship as soon as possible¡­) It was physically impossible for Queen Lupis to handle all of the state affairs, such as military, internal affairs, and diplomacy, even if they want centralized government under the Queen. Such a thing was understood by Meltina who helped in daily political affairs but also by the Queen herself. However, the relationship between Mikoshiba Ryouma and Earl Bergstone had made Queen Lupis and Meltina hesitant to take concrete action to restore the relationship. (However, everything will change today¡­ It must change¡­) That was the move that should blow away the dark cloud that hangs over the Rozeria Kingdom. Such expectation made Meltina¡¯s heart in high spirit. Chapter 203 ¡°Please leave the weapons here.¡± While saying so, Hamilton held out his hand to Ryouma. ¡°Hand over the weapon, eh?¡± Ryouma turned his gaze in response to those words. Basically, the House of Lords was occupying a corner of the royal palace. There was some difference in details, but as far as Ryouma know, the basic rules were the same. And, that was in the case of nobles, bringing a sword into the royal palace was permitted as long the sword remained on one¡¯s belt. That seems to be a national law of the Rozeria Kingdom, which had been around since the founding of the country. Of course, for Ryouma, since it was the central government building akin to that of the Japanese Prime Minister building, he felt a sense of incongruity when he learned that they could bring a sword into the royal palace as long the sword remained on one¡¯s belt. That being said, he never mentioned that before to anyone¡­ (Well, the concept of security always depend on the times¡­) It might be a good idea for such a thing to be allowed in this world since one own¡¯s safety could only be won by one own¡¯s power. However, nobles may be ordered to disarm when they were within the royal palace. For example, when one had an audience with the King. And the other was when one appeared in the House of Lord¡¯s court. Well, it could be said both were an appropriate reason. Bring a weapon when meeting a King would be not good for security. And House of Lords also had the same meaning. House of Lord¡¯s primary duty was to pass judgment to aristocrats who commit criminal acts and mediating disputes between aristocrats. Simply put, it was the country¡¯s supreme court. And with the assumption that the accused may feel dissatisfied with the judgment, it was natural that bringing a weapon into the House of Lords was strictly prohibited. The only exception was the knights who guard the House of Lords. In that sense, Hamilton demand was in a perfect line with his duty. However, even if Hamilton was right by the law, considering Ryouma was a nobleman touted as the country¡¯s hero, it should pose no problem. ¡°I heard the reason why I come here is to confirm the situation?¡± Recognizing the meaning behind Ryouma¡¯s words, Hamilton floated a vulgar smile. However, though here Ryouma could not pull his hand, they don¡¯t seem to mind letting him pull the sword. ¡°Yes, that is indeed what you¡¯ve heard. However, disarmament is a national law. No matter who you are, even if you¡¯re a hero, you will need to obey the law.¡± Ryouma was impressed by Hamilton¡¯s thick skin, while calmly speak about law. In other words, it had gone according to the other side plan. (I see¡­ Not because he could not be bribed, but he tried to take an opportunity to do something, huh? Indeed, that is efficient.) It was true that the disarmament law when entering the House of Lords had existed since the first King of Rozeria Kingdom. However, unlike meeting the King, some consideration could be made. Of course, if you were a defendant, you won¡¯t be able to refuse the disarmament. And, if you come as a witness, one might ask consideration. In other words, it depends on the status of the person who comes. Nevertheless, Hamilton asked Ryouma to disarm. ¨C If you look closely to that, the knight under the House of Lords had already surrounded the carriage. Even if he didn¡¯t pull the sword out, they might mercilessly disarm Ryouma forcefully depending on Ryouma¡¯s reply. ¡°Or are you going to resist?¡± The knights surrounding the carriage took a step forward. They were going to put pressure on him. Ryouma then turned his gaze at his sword ¡®Kikoku¡¯ on his left hand. (It would be stupid to pull out Kikoku here¡­) If he used the power of Kikoku, he should be able to force his way out of this situation. Since the battle against Earl Salzberg, Kikoku had absorbed a considerable amount of Prana, and to some extent had recognized him as its master. Though it won¡¯t be perfect, Ryouma should be able to bring out the power hidden in the sword. If he used the power of the sword and also Iga clan ability, he should be able to break through any situation when the opponent was just knights who only know martial arts. But if he chooses that path, Ryouma would be clearly branded as a criminal. Then everything they had done, would become a waste. After all, if he pulls out the sword after being asked to disarm by the House of Lords in accordance with the law, there would be no excuse for him to say¡­ Surely, under Queen lupis, a large army would be formed to hunt down Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma. And, nobles who were not obedient to the royal family, would not be able to refuse such a cause. (Is this purely Hamilton idea or the person behind him?) From Ryouma¡¯s point of view, what Hamilton did was something to provoke him. (In that case, I should obediently hand over Kikoku¡­ The problem is what comes after this¡­ I guess I will leave it to the Iga clan.) If he left the sword with Hamilton, the problem was how he get it back? If it was just a normal sword then, he could prepare it as much as he wanted but, this was the one and only sword that the Iga clan had inherited generation after generation. And there was no guarantee that the sword would be returned. That being said, given the development after this, speaking about human resource, only Ryouma¡¯s shadow escort that could do something about it. Feeling Ryouma¡¯s concern, Kikoku shook as if it was appealing for something. Apparently, it seems to be dissatisfied to leave Ryouma¡¯s side. Or was the sword didn¡¯t like being touched by someone the sword didn¡¯t know? However, no matter what the answer, Ryouma didn¡¯t have another choice. (Please be patient, I will get you back as soon as possible¡­ I speak in my mind like this as if the sword actually could hear me¡­) But, Ryouma¡¯s thought must have been transmitted. The tremor from the sword began to stop. And Ryouma after confirming it, handed the sword to Hamilton. However, that seems not the end of Hamilton provocation. ¡°Good, I¡¯ve received the sword. After that¡­ Physical examination¡­¡± A further strike was being released from Hamilton¡¯s mouth. ¡°Physical examination, huh? Are you seriously willing to go that far?¡± Ryouma sighed after he speaks with an amazed tone. This might be due to people behind Hamilton who were sensitive to Ryouma¡¯s hostility. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. After all, Baron Mikoshiba Ryouma is also good when using chakram, please forgive our rudeness¡­¡± However, against Ryouma, Hamilton in question stands still with a calm attitude. And since he had said until that far, Ryouma had no other choice. He took out the small bag where he put the chakram and handed it over to Hamilton Of course, what was being prohibited was only a sword. Thus he could argue to some extent, but he had judged it would be meaningless to argue here, and better to calmly passed over the chakram. Then Ryouma spread his head left and right. The kind of things that people did when they were being inspected by a metal detector. Due to Ryouma calm behavior, Hamilton was actually felt suspicious for a moment but immediately told the surrounding knights to check Ryouma. ¡°If you wish, do you want to change clothes too? As far as I know, the law of this country didn¡¯t say about changing clothes, but I would be willing to change clothes if you could prepare clothes with my body size.¡± Ryouma grumpily talk while having his body being shaken due to the knights¡¯ hands. At the same time, Ryouma also released intense anger and killing intent. Of course, he was not actually serious¡­ ¡®If it can be done, just try¡¯ that kind of provocation. However, the surrounding air freeze due to Ryouma¡¯s provocative words and murderous intent. The knights who examined him involuntarily took a step back, and Hamilton¡¯s face grew pale. This made them remember. Who was the person in front of them? After nearly ten-second silence, Hamilton opened his mouth. ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to go that far. I hope one understand that this is all due to duty¡­¡± After saying that, Hamilton bowed his head deeply toward Ryouma. Chapter 204 After the trouble at the gate, Ryouma finally passed through the thick gate and proceeds through the spacious garden. Ahead, he could see a white painted three-story building. Behind it, with the function as a watchtower, two spires could be seen. By the way, a full armed knight was standing side by side forming lines. (Protection for an important person¡­ I guess it is not such an optimistic thing, huh?) The aristocrats were certainly a VIP figure in this world. However, just because they were VIP, they would receive the same treatment. Baron and Viscount household was only one rank different, but when it comes to treatment, the difference was significant. Starting from where their carriage could stop, and the turn of having an audience in the royal palace. Above VViscount there was the Earl, above the Earl was the Marquis, above that would be the Duke. And royalty was the highest, the difference would be already too absurd when comparing a Baron and Royalty. But then again, as far as Ryouma know, he should not receive this kind of security. Which make it only two reasons remained. Ryouma was superior compared to royalty. Or the other one¡­ (That the VIP was a criminal¡­ That seems to be the truth¡­) Of course, this was ironic. However, in the sense of security, it might be correct. Prisons in any country were being watched strictly 24 hours a day. ¨C Ryouma advanced through the wall of knights. The House of Lords seems to be quite warry of Ryouma. The problem what was the reason for such anxiety. While thinking that in mind, Ryouma continued to walk calmly. How much time had passed? (I think more than three hours? Anyway that is not the problem here) According to Ryouma¡¯s stomach, five to six hours had passed. Ryouma, who was escorted to a room without a window, had been relaxing while lying on the sofa. Hamilton also had disappeared after he guided Ryouma to this room. Though Ryouma¡¯s behavior was no good in term of being nobles, there were no one eyes present. When he asked to go to the bathroom, the knights had brought something like a urinal. Of course, the received goods was not something bad. It was made with carving suitable for nobles. It even gives the feeling of being stylish. Still, Ryouma was quite reluctant to use it. At least, as long as Ryouma could remember, he had never used urinals in his life before. (Though I¡¯m not sure if it was true or not, I heard there was no toilet in Versailles Palace in France. I heard they would need to use urinals or do the deed outside when night time comes¡­) To be frank, that was random information he had obtained when he browse the internet. However, if that were the truth, the elegant image of France nobility inside Ryouma¡¯s head would crumble. (Well, if we think about they had lived in the sixteenth century, something like that would not be weird, I guess? In that sense, this world was much better off. Because at least there was a toilet. Of course, it was not flush toilet. It was like the one in the countryside, using the scooping method. But even with that, the numbers were limited. At least, it was not on the level that one could use a toilet just by coming into a convenience store. However, existing, and completely didn¡¯t exist, had a huge difference. (Well, I don¡¯t care for now since I don¡¯t feel like going to the bathroom¡­ But still, I need to eat¡­) Certainly, Ryouma didn¡¯t come to House of Lords to play. Thus it might sound selfish for him to have a meal. Besides, if he had to consider food poisoning, he won¡¯t be able to eat in relax. However, that at least only Ryouma¡¯s individual circumstance. If he were a ¡®normal¡¯ noble, he would¡¯ve already started to act violently by now. After all, he had been confined in a small room with no water and food being served. No, well, with that theory, no one other than Ryouma would be able to bear with it. Other than him, Yuria, Roberto, and Signiz were being carried using a separate carriage as a witness. Laura and the others were waiting as a housemaid. Of course, Ryouma could not understand why he was being given separate room from madam Yuria. If there was a problem with him sharing a room with her as a witness, Ryouma staying at Salzberg residence should¡¯ve been a problem too. It didn¡¯t make sense to separate them now. In addition, when it comes to treatment for the nobles, to separate the nobles with the people who take care of them, such as servants and maids, was indeed problematic. For nobles, servants and maids were literally equivalent to their own limbs. (Is this also part of the harassment?) Among the nobles in the house of lords, Earl Salzberg was a man who had close ties with the northern noble household. It was no wonder than many people ended up hostile toward Ryouma. Although most of them were aristocrats, they didn¡¯t have much power. Of course, all nobles could do anything they wanted in their territory but, when it comes to between nobles, the story would be different. At the very least, there was only a handful of them could plan an assassination. However, even without going that far, they still could get satisfaction. (Well, whatever. After all, this is within our expectation¡­) Ryouma never dreamed that the House of Lords would treat him fairly. Such possibility, he had thought it only had a 10% chance. And Ryouma had prepared countermeasures when something like this happened. (With this¡­ I guess we will go with plan B¡­ No, plan C, I guess?) It was one of the three pre-planned plans that would be changed depending on the House of Lord¡¯s treatment. Each plan had its own fine path, but broadly speaking, it was a friendly plan, neutral plan, or hostile plan. Plan C, to be honest, the plan was a plan with a little much care put into it. After all, it was filled with a rough method. However, it was also true that they prepared the plan to protect himself and those who close to him. (I can just leave the Iga clan to collect Kikoku¡­ The next one is¡­) While thinking about it, Ryouma quietly waited for the time to pass. The sound of whistling then come from inside the room. Sometimes low. Sometimes high. Sometimes sounds sand, and it was also rhythmic. Some people said whistling was not music, but if a skilled person was the one who did it, it might sound like a piece of music. But, that was not the problem here¡­ ¡°Oi¡­ Did you hear that?¡± A knight guarding the door asked the other. It was hard to see their expression due to the helmet, but it was not hard to imagine their puzzled expression. And it would be the same as the other knight. ¡°Yeah, I heard¡­ I wonder what is the meaning of it. That youngster¡­ Even if he is an upstart, to think a noble would whistle¡­¡± ¡°Did he not realize why he is here?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that is the truth but¡­ The problem is, what should we do?¡± Should they stop him? Or let him do whatever he wanted. Certainly, there was no law that aristocrats should not whistle. However, there was a thing called Time, Place, and Occasion. After all, here was the Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s house of lords. A place that was similar to that of a supreme court. It could be said it was one of the symbols of authority in the Rozeria Kingdom. Naturally, one should act serious at all time. Indeed, it was not a crime to whistle to waste time. The question the knights had was whether they should stop an act which definitely not a crime. Normally, because of the place, the knights would have stopped the person to stop whistling. The validity aside, but this place was a place where people need to stay serious at all time. Well, since ordinary nobles would not whistle in the house of lords, they had never thought such a problem would occur. But now, they were faced with such a problem. (Surprisingly they let me continue¡­) The Knights had been asked by a senior member of the House of Lords to monitor the person inside the room closely. In their eyes, it was unusual to prepare a special room in order for a noble to wait, furthermore separating them from their companion. Besides, from the story the knights had heard, the person¡¯s weapons had already been confiscated. It was true that weapon supposedly being kept when a person was about to enter the parliament hall where the hearing was held, not at the front gate. It was also true that the knights had many thought in regards to the man inside the room. In their eyes, he was a young man who was being bestowed the rank of Baron. He had high fame as a warrior. All of the knights admired him but at the same time also feel jealous. After all, the two of them had already approaching middle-age. Thus they thought it was something they would never achieve. However, if being asked whether or not they bear malice at him because of that, the answer was not. At the very least, they didn¡¯t hate him enough to harass him. ¡°For now, how about we observe? If they didn¡¯t like it, the top would come and told us about it¡­¡± ¡°I agree¡­¡± The knights nodded, agreeing with each other. The knight had imagined what their superior would think if they heard this. However, they didn¡¯t have any intention of intervening without orders. That might not be something malicious, but it was not for a good intention either. The two didn¡¯t want to get into trouble voluntarily. After deciding that, the two men stand silently in front of the room where whistle could be heard from the inside. They patiently waited until the time the inquiry begins. Chapter 205 At the time when Ryouma was enjoying tea time in a narrow room without a window. In the hall, located at the back of the first floor of the house of lords, called the courtroom, there were a total of twenty aristocrats, including judges and prosecutors. Where the parliament¡¯s members and Roberto had a fierce fight with words¡­ ¡°Roberto Bertrand. Let me confirm once again, are you really not going to condemn Baron Mikoshiba in this private war with Earl Salzberg, or ask his responsibility for the death of your father and brother?¡± One of the judges raised his voice. Mixed in his voice were fears and astonishment. Of course, he didn¡¯t fear Roberto. Certainly, Roberto was a mighty warrior, but this was an isolated place where the nobility performed hearings¡­ To be precise, it was a trial. In any case, it was a place where violence was not going to happen. He didn¡¯t fear the man, what he fears and could not understand was that Roberto didn¡¯t try to blame Ryouma. Blood relationship was one of the most important elements in Rozaria Kingdom¡¯s aristocrats¡¯ society. The child was expected to obey the fathers, and there were no children whose parents were killed and didn¡¯t swear vengeance. It was akin to Edo period revenge. For someone from modern period era, it might sound old-fashioned. But that was common sense on modern earth or at least, officially¡­ One could say, that was the modern society frameworks. Anyway, it was natural for him to be scared. Other than kinship, there were many necessary elements for aristocrats. The family standing was particularly had significant meaning. Being able to continue the family line or keeps the family name. On the contrary, other than that, it was surprisingly flexible. Honor and morality might come second and third when faced with the ultimate purpose of defending the family. But it didn¡¯t mean the other two completely didn¡¯t matter either. Or at least, if it was advantageous, they won¡¯t hesitantly use righteousness. As a weapon to hunt down the enemy. That was why everyone presents here could not understand Roberto¡¯s words. (Well, these guys won¡¯t be able to understand my feeling I guess¡­) Roberto was not going to disagree with the opinion that children should follow the parents. But, he thought that it was wrong for the children must tolerate all the parent¡¯s action. Or at least, he didn¡¯t think that he should consent to the point being treated like a slave. Even a slave had the right to rebel in exchange for whips. ¡°I will ask you again¡­ Roberto Bertrand-dono. You acknowledging the private war caused by Baron Mikoshiba¡­ Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± The question was repeated once again. To be honest, Roberto wanted to punch the judge and scream ¡®Shut up.¡¯ After all, Roberto was a man who was accustomed to the battlefield. His punch was no different than a weapon. If he punches the judge head, there was no different with watermelon being hit. (I¡¯m sure it would be refreshing if I could do that¡­) If this hearing was his personal problem, he might have not been able to put up with it. After all, he had to deal with these fools. One could say stress would build-up, and Roberto was not a patient person. But at least for this time, he could not do that. (Sure not easy to have a lord, huh?) Roberto never imagines himself that the day when he would serve a person would come. Even when he had received various consideration from Earl Salzberg, he never considers the Earl as his lord. Sure he felt gratitude. His surrounding might not look good, but they were indeed close enough that he could call him as ¡®father¡¯ figure. However, he also understands that the Earl did all of that in exchange for his battle ability. But now, Roberto had a lord. A man who was filled with ambitions, an ideal lord to devote himself with. In this world where there were many early marriages, unless he was unlucky, in his age, he should¡¯ve already had a child. Though some people might find it difficult too. But, all of that was trivial for Roberto. Because for him who was a warrior, right now he had a master who seemed to deserve his life Thus Roberto repeated the same words as a reply to the question¡­ Even though he knew it would be meaningless. A pale moon comes from the windows of the director¡¯s office set up on the second floor of the house of lords. The time currently was near midnight. Inside the room, the executives of the house of lords were all gathered, including Marquis Halcyon, the head of the house of lords. What appears on their face were a puzzled and upsets expression. ¨C In fact, irritation could be seen on Marquis Helcyon¡¯s face, who placed his elbows on his desk. ¡°This has become a less interesting development, huh? Director.¡± When he said that, Earl Aizenbach, the deputy director of the house of lords, sighed¡­ It was the truth that the development of the situation was unexpected. After all, the hearing itself was prolonged, the thought that they could end it today was carried over to tomorrow. It was unusual for the house of lords who had reached a conclusion delayed the result. Above all else, the witnesses that they invited showed a non-cooperative attitude contrary to their expectation. ¨C ¡°Roberto Bertrand, and Signiz Garbera¡­ I¡¯ve heard that they both are rebellious but, to think it would go that far¡­¡± Despite considerable pressure from the aristocrats¡¯ judge and persecutors, Roberto didn¡¯t bend his opinion at all. And not just Roberto. The other witnesses had the same issue as well. ¡°But no, the biggest problem is Miss Yuria. She defends Baron Mikoshiba while knowing that he was the one who killed her husband¡­ I heard rumors that she is a wicked woman but to think she has such a think skin¡­¡± Voices of agreement go up one after another from the surrounding. In regard to the possibility that Roberto and Signiz would defend Mikoshiba Ryouma, all of the aristocrats had anticipated that to a certain extent. After all, family treatment toward Roberto and Signiz were that bad. In fact, they thought Signiz was suffered the most. After all, despite being single, he was called a hero. A healthy man who was about to pass his mid-thirty. Of course, Signiz, who was born as an illegitimate child, could not be compared to Roberto, who was born from the legal wife. In the eyes of the aristocrats who value blood relation, such a thing was never a good thing. But that was if they both didn¡¯t have extraordinary prowess. As ¡®Earl Salzberg double-edged sword¡¯ many of the aristocrats wish to make them as their son-in-law. That if both houses didn¡¯t make interruption¡­ Naturally, the two would have a grudge against their family¡­ Generally, the idea that family forgives each other mistakes were true¡­ But there were also things that cannot be forgiven just because blood was connected. Of course, such scandals were not good for the aristocracy. That was why Baron Bertrand and Baron Garbera tried to hide such rumors. However, there was no meaning in their effort for people who had a certain level of power. Thus everyone in this place understands the position of Roberto and the others. Of course, it was within the expected range of the aristocrats how they would treat Mikoshiba Ryouma who reached out to them who was in such circumstance. But, Yuria Salzberg was different. Although she was touted as ¡®Wicked woman¡¯ or ¡®strong-minded woman¡¯ there was no fight between her and her husband. In fact, when Ms. Yuria disclosure Earl Salzberg¡¯s injustice and loyalty to the Kingdom, it becomes a considerable painful experience for the house of lords. In other words, that could justify Mikoshiba Ryouma¡¯s claim that the war had happened for the sake of Rozeria Kingdom¡¯s prosperity. ¡°But¡­ Since we called them in the pretext of hearing¡­¡± One of the executives, Viscount Therese, opened his mouth. It was the truth that witness was not condemned Mikoshiba Ryouma, but they could not blame them for that. In the end, the aristocrats hearing advocates fair neutrality. However, everyone present here understands that it was all just a matter of building the case. ¡°True¡­ But, if we left it like this, our plan would go out of order¡­¡± What they wanted was a testimony that incinerates Mikoshiba Ryouma who had destroyed Earl Salzberg house and the other northern ten households. If they got one, the story would be easy. The question was how they could get it. At the time they were in their thought, the door of the room was knocked. ¡°What is it?¡± Vice director Earl Aizenbach opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I want to report this immediately¡­¡± Knowing it was the voice of the director¡¯s secretary, Earl Aizenbach, directed his gaze to the center. Initially, looking at the time, he wanted to shout angrily. But, he thought it might be truly urgent that the person comes to report even though they might get punished for disturbing¡­ That was why, While nodding his head toward Earl Aizenbach, Marquis Halcyon opened his mouth¡­ Chapter 206 ¨C (Morning, huh?¡­) On the sofa where he was lying his back, Ryouma slowly opened his eyes. Although it was a room without windows and no clock, Ryouma internal clock was so accurate that he could easily tell that the day had passed. Furthermore, if he felt from the feeling when he woke up and the hunger of his stomach, he was sure of it. (After all, I¡¯ve not eaten in almost a day¡­) When he was called here, he was immediately being left alone. Furthermore, there was no other furniture, such a bed in the room. That was being said, there was a sofa big enough for Ryouma to sleep on it. It feels like he was sleeping on the reclining seat that was usually used in a net cafe. Thus Ryouma himself was not particularly dissatisfied except his leg was longer than the sofa, making it a bit uncomfortable. If possible, he also wished for a pillow and blanket. Certainly, this was not how a noble should be treated. The question was, whether this situation was harassment made by the house of lord toward Ryouma, or something had happened to them. (Well, anyway, they should move me today I guess¡­ But if they don¡¯t¡­ Should I use the Iga members?¡± If he used the Iga people who had infiltrated the house of lords in advance, he should be able to ask them to bring him some food, and he could also ask detailed report as to what happened outside. However, if he asked them to move outside what was planned, it might risk to expose them to the aristocrats. As for Kikoku, it was the guardian sword of Iga clan before Ryouma becomes its master, that was why it was unavoidable that he ordered them to take it back, but further risks should not be taken. Given the success or failure of the operation, it should be fine if he had to hold down his hunger for now. (But, if I keep silent without complaining is also a problem¡­ Balancing it is really difficult¡­) If he was too well-behaved, the opponent might suspect something. He needs to show a moderate rebellion, even if he knows that his demand won¡¯t be met. But, it seems the aristocrats had no intention to make him starve. Since he could hear a shoe sound echoing through the hall. Before long, the sound of footsteps could be heard in front of the door. After the sound of messing with the keys, the door was slowly being opened. There were three fully-equipped knights. One of then seems to come bringing a meal since he held a tray on his hand. While the two of them must be the escort just in case something may happen. It was sure very strict. It seems they didn¡¯t trust Ryouma at all. After they put the tray on the table, they left the room without saying anything at all. ¡°Heee, finally they served me something, huh?¡± Ryouma smiled, looking at the food on the table. It was his first meal after a whole day. However, since this was not a hotel, the food placed on the table was kind of bad. The bread was something that had been baked a few days ago. The soup was cold. Rather than a poor meal, it was more like a leftover. (Well, even if a first-grade food come out, I still won¡¯t be able to appreciate it, like this is more relaxing¡­) With that in mind, Ryouma eat the food and empty his bladder using the urinal left in the corner of the room. He was not some childish person who would throw a tantrum just because the food was poor. Ryouma was currently in the middle of a battle. And here was the house of lords. In other words, it could be said that he was in the middle of an enemy ground. At such a place, Ryouma was actually had no intention to eat the food the enemy had offered him. Considering the possibility of poisoning, that was a natural judgment. No, even if he didn¡¯t get poisoned, they might put some other drugs that make Ryouma unable to perform his usual behavior and thought. Of course, if we talk about the common sense of modern Japan, it would be crazy just to consider the possibility of poisoning. Speaking of others without proof would make people laughed and called him a paranoid. But, when it comes to being cautious of poisoning as a martial artist, it was basic of the basic to not eat the food served by the enemies. It could be said it was something that needs to be learned before training the martial arts. In fact, the poison was an effective way to eliminate an enemy. For example, the silver tableware that the westerner often used. Surely the silver tableware was beautiful and luxurious. However, it was actually a method from the olden age, by using the characteristic of the silverware which turn black when making contact with arsenic. Regardless of the Era, those who hold power had the possibility of being poisoned. That was a factual history, no matter west or east. That was why Ryouma won¡¯t eat the food the enemy had provided to him unless there was the possibility that he might starve to death. That was being said, Ryouma never feel angry or frustrated just because he could not eat for a while. But to be honest, he was happy when they put out the food. (Which mean, soon they will start to move¡­) Although it was low in quality, having a meal means that there was a movement in the aristocracy. If Ryouma expectation was correct, a knight should come to pick him up soon. The problem was whether they come to pick him up for the hearing or just immediately execute him. (Well, It didn¡¯t matter anyway¡­) Ryouma was patting his waist while he lay on the sofa again. After confirming the feeling transmitted from his left hand, he nodded and closed his eyes once again. After a while, Ryouma slowly opened his eyes, feeling a person had talked with the guard in front of the door. Soon, the sound of key unlocking the door could be heard. And the person who appeared in front of Ryouma after the door was opened was¡­ ¡ª ¡°Ah, Hamilton-san. Good morning. It has been a day, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ryouma greets the acquaintance he saw. Of course, Ryouma, who was a Baron, didn¡¯t have to greet Hamilton. But, Ryouma know that he was just trying to show off calmly. In fact, he was doing that while lying on the sofa. However, Hamilton didn¡¯t show any anger toward Ryouma¡¯s behavior. ¡°G-Good morning¡­I¡¯m very sorry to have made you wait¡­¡± He looked considerably uncomfortable. And he felt awkward. But, Ryouma also felt that Hamilton attitude was also included Fear. (I see¡­ It seems they have done something in a flashy way¡­) The people of the Iga clan seems to have followed Ryouma instruction and threatened Hamilton. As one could see, his family might have been taken, hostage. It was done by the Iga clan members who were a ninja household. They won¡¯t even hesitate to torture their enemies. (Had he didn¡¯t make light of me, this kind of thing won¡¯t happen, but¡­) Certainly, it was not a desirable method. No, in fact, from Ryouma¡¯s perspective, such a thing was pure evil. However, the fact that such an option would be very effective against a greedy person such as Hamilton could not be ignored too. Most of them have a low sympathy toward others, surprisingly arrogant toward the weak, but on the other hand, when it comes to their own or their family safety, they would turn weak¡­ Besides, considering Hamilton usual attitude, he was obviously on the enemy¡¯s side¡­ Ryouma was hesitating to threaten those who work in public service, but it would be a hypocrite if he didn¡¯t use what he had. (However, I need to be careful¡­¡­.¡± Resolving things by means of the assassination was effective, but it was also extremely hard to handle. In a simple team, as a treatment for the disease, surgical method means to assassinate the disease that someone suffered. Certainly, using medicine was more moderate action. On the other hand, when it comes to surgical method, it makes the people feel the stake was high. But just because of that, it didn¡¯t make sense to avoid surgical method altogether. What important was whether the medical care that saves people, whether it was medicine or a surgical. Assassination and threats were similar. But one needs to be careful when using such a method. The human had the habits of jumping on an easy success. When one crossed over that line, many things might be lost. Above all, the heavy uses of assassination and threats would surely lower one¡¯s morale and personality, creating unnecessary friction within the surrounding. Not many people were able to balance it out like Ryouma did. At the very least, necessary care must be taken to avoid unnecessary rumors to spread around. (Well, on that note, I leave it to my vassals though¡­) One needs to possess a balanced tolerant between good and evil. Ryouma believes one of the qualities of being a king was to be able to associate with both sides. ¡°So then, Hamilton-san, what order did you come here with?¡± After the greetings, Ryouma called on Hamilton who was standing stuck on the doorway without moving. In other words, Ryouma was trying to provoke Hamilton whether he had come in order to kill Ryouma. Hamilton¡¯s shoulders trembled a little the moment Ryouma asked him the question. Then, he opened his mouth with a different attitude compared to the other day. ¡°Of course¡­ I¡¯ve come to pick you up¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, shall we go now?¡± Hearing his answer, Ryouma woke up slowly from the sofa with a happy laugh¡­