Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 24 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Under the Flag

A few days had passed since Leonard Orglen had visited Viscount Romaine. The sun shined its warm rays on the land around midday. Even the public square in the royal capital was packed with people, almost as if it directly resulted from the good weather.

Knights approached the location and climbed on a platform that had been prepared and spoke up.

“Listen up! To the people of the royal capital! Seven days from now, the House of Lords will hold a hearing against the leader of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy for the death of Viscount Romaine’s son, Mario Romaine! The queen, Radine Rhoadserians, will preside over the hearing. Any outcome of the hearing is not to be challenged, and this hearing will show how our great kingdom deals with justice!”

The announcement rang throughout the streets, reaching everyone’s ears, with its range undoubtedly the work of martial thaumaturgy. Afterward, the knights put a notice on the bulletin board in the public square. The populace looked on at the knights, their eyes filled with curiosity, suspicion, and some despair. Many people stopped beside the bulletin board, looked at it for a while, and hurriedly left the area. It was clear to see how they felt about the announcement.

Ryoma Mikoshiba, the hero who stopped a noble’s tyranny, was to go to a hearing. The atmosphere in the public square had changed as if the once bright afternoon had suddenly turned to night. Viscount Romaine watched from his horse-drawn carriage in an alley that branched off the main street as the knights put the bulletin on the board. He chuckled at the civilians’ reactions to the news, smiling with the arrogant confidence of a man who had already claimed victory.

“To think this day actually came... When Viscount Orglen first approached me with this proposition, I deemed it a trap. But seeing it announced to the public like this, I no longer have any reason to doubt him.”

At the very least, it was a done deal. The House of Lords would summon Ryoma Mikoshiba to a hearing, and no one could stop it from proceeding. After all, knights had announced it to the public and posted it on a bulletin board to make the information official. Since the House of Lords had made their suspicion public, retracting it would undermine their reputation and that of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

It would also be a serious blow to the newly appointed Queen Radine. I can’t imagine Diggle McMaster or Helena Steiner doing anything stupid like stopping it from going ahead, thought Viscount Romaine.

Things would be different if there were a clear indication that Diggle or Helena would intervene. But Viscount Romaine had done his research and hadn’t found any hints that they were planning something. Everything was progressing exactly like Viscount Orglen said that night when he visited Viscount Romaine, so he did not doubt that what Leonard said was the truth.

But... I had no idea Viscount Orglen had that side to him. I thought he was a small-minded, hateful man who merely pretended that his loyalty to the throne and duty as a noble were perfectly aligned.

As Viscount Romaine ordered his driver to head toward another bulletin board in the west, his conversation with Viscount Orglen passed through his mind. He wasn’t very fond of the latter, although it was probably more accurate to say he hated Viscount Orglen.

Overall, Viscount Orglen was an attractive middle-aged man with clean-cut features, complemented by his well-proportioned body. He was often the object of many noble ladies’ covetousness. Not only that, but he boasted incomparable ability as a warrior and was a genius in the humanities, being incredibly knowledgeable about art. If that alone was enough to be the envy of men throughout the world, Viscount Romaine might have kept his dislike of Viscount Orglen at bay.

However... Those eyes... I just can’t stand the way he looks at me.

Such thoughts resulted from Viscount Romaine’s paranoia; Viscount Orglen had never directly insulted him. He had few memories of them even talking. When they bumped into one another at dinner parties, they would exchange pleasantries and end that. In those small interactions, Viscount Romaine felt as if Viscount Orglen’s gaze became entwined with scorn and disgust.

Those eyes of his. His clear blue irises are as sharp as ice-cold blades.

The gaze Viscount Orglen gave said, “You’re nothing but a garbage human being constantly involved in power struggles, neglecting your duties and responsibilities as a noble, and are a failure of a politician.”

Of course, that was just what Viscount Romaine felt because he deeply hated the man’s eyes. After hearing what Viscount Orglen had to say a few days ago, that hatred disappeared. Viscount Romaine now understood that while Orglen masqueraded as an upright, loyal man, he was just a snob like himself.

Queen Radine selected Viscount McMaster, even anointing him as prime minister. It seems it won’t be long until she promotes him to count. Meanwhile, House Orglen has received no such fanfare. It makes sense that they harbor some dissatisfaction.

Viscount Romaine knew that Viscount Orglen once attended a banquet Ryoma Mikoshiba held. The banquet featured famous products from not only the Kingdom of Rhoadseria but also the western reaches of this continent and even other continents. A variety of delicacies were present, making it a rather exquisite banquet. While Viscount Romaine didn’t attend as they saw him as an enemy, he’d learned about the banquet immediately. Naturally, he also knew that House Orglen, who was close to House McMaster, would attend. Now that Viscount McMaster had become the prime minister of the nation, it would be natural to assume that House Orglen would also stand next to Queen Radine.

But nothing had changed for House Orglen. Their status had neither diminished nor risen. The house wasn’t in a bad situation like other noble houses on the brink of collapse, but it wasn’t in an ideal state. Compared to Viscount McMaster and his surprise promotion, the treatment of House Orglen was rather lackluster.

Thus, the reason for such dissatisfaction toward the upstart who does not attempt to take himself seriously. 

It would be natural to have some irritation with such treatment. As a result, Viscount Romaine felt a sort of kinship with Viscount Orglen. Regardless, he was a man who had survived the monster’s nest that was the royal palace and didn’t trust Viscount Orglen. So, he focused on gathering information.

As I thought, they’ve announced it here too. They made such a large-scale announcement that there’s no way they can stop the hearing. The House of Lords would not willingly side with that upstart. I can already picture the outcome of the hearing.

Viscount Romaine then confirmed that the guards had also placed an announcement on the bulletin board in the southern part of the city. He nodded with a satisfied look.

Ryoma Mikoshiba had a history of killing the head of the House of Lords and his subordinates before fleeing the city the last time he was under investigation. The House of Lords now perceived those events as a blunder, as they fell into a trap put together by Viscount Romaine implicating the surrounding countries. The surrounding countries had tried to frame the hero Ryoma Mikoshiba, who had more recently won during the siege of the capital. At any rate, Queen Radine had decided that Ryoma held no responsibility, meaning the House of Lords could not publicly air their discontent.

But she wasn’t being considerate only to Ryoma Mikoshiba. The surrounding countries had also manipulated House Halcyon, which led them to attempt to condemn the hero Ryoma Mikoshiba. They had apparently redeemed themselves through their losses, ensuring minimal impact on their families.

By hinting at the existence of a nonexistent third party, it meant that the House of Lords did not consider Ryoma Mikoshiba a victim or an offender. It was a somewhat ambiguous decision due to Queen Radine’s many considerate choices. Although both sides had taken damage politically, Charlotte Halcyon and other members of her family only grew to hate Ryoma more due to the death of her father.

She’s no doubt been waiting for the right time to get revenge for her father. Getting close to Queen Radine, gaining her trust... She probably saw Mario’s death as a good time to act. 

It was a surprising development for Viscount Romaine. But it also felt like a very natural development for him, who had his beloved child Mario taken away from him. Anyhow, there was nothing unnatural about how the sequence of events unfolded.

House Halcyon has always had a lot of leverage within the House of Lords. Even Charlotte Halcyon is in regular contact with the current head of the House of Lords. She may very well be holding the hearing.

That meant the House of Lords stood in solidarity with the nobles who were victims of Ryoma Mikoshiba. Noble houses who meekly accepted the situations they had found themselves in would no doubt serve House Romaine.

It makes sense. People don’t easily forget the murder of their loved ones.

If given the chance, they could put more pressure on the House of Lords and have the hearing redone. Depending on the situation, it could go as far as trial rather than a hearing. With law, a saint could become a sinner, or a sinner could become a saint. It all depended on the skill of the attorney.

In that case, we’d finally be able to corner him. Even if we can’t bring an end to his house, we can strip him of his influence and get back some of the northern territory he took from us.

As it stood, no one had found fault with Ryoma Mikoshiba over that matter. But once the issue ignited the flames of resentment, the voices of those he trampled on with his military rule would soon become known—voices Queen Radine could not deny.

Even if our demands are denied, the same thing will happen.

It was a choice and an aspiration of a vassal who served the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, but one that could never become true. However, Viscount Romaine was confident. The result of the hearing in seven days would usher in a new era where the nobles could once again enjoy their power and influence.

That fateful day came seven days later.

The gloomy, overcast sky and rain made the sunny day a few days prior seem like it never happened. It was the kind of day when any normal person would have stayed inside. Many people on Earth found rainy days horrible for fieldwork, construction, and sales, making it a rare day off for them. The street vendors and stores along the main streets would remain closed as no one wanted to go outside.

Even if they opened, they would have no customers because everyone expected the stores would be closed. It was a prime example of supply and demand.

A few unfortunate people still had to go out in the rain, mainly the knights who patrolled the streets to keep the civilians safe. They would do their rounds on their predetermined routes and times, no matter if it was raining or a storm was blowing. Today, some people would have a more unfortunate job than the guards. Even on a day like this, there was a line of horse-drawn carriages waiting to be allowed entry at the gates of the House of Lords near the royal castle.

Such lengths they go to, thought Ryoma.

The Castle of Law stood in the center of the House of Lords campus. Ryoma Mikoshiba had a slight sneer as he looked down from a third-floor window at all the carriages lined up. They all were here for the same thing. Moreover, they had come in droves to see the fall of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy and celebrate the day the Kingdom of Rhoadseria began anew.

However, they had something in common.

Although they had different standpoints and goals, Ryoma Mikoshiba had manipulated all of them. His plan had fallen into place.

To be honest, it wasn’t just my plan. If I didn’t have help from the others, it wouldn’t have gotten this far, thought Ryoma. Simply put, he was like the producer of the plan. So, people had followed his instructions and devised plans in response. I will have to reward them handsomely for their help. Well, assuming none of them betray me.

Ryoma wasn’t seriously thinking his coconspirators would betray him. He had ordered the Igasaki clan to survey his surroundings and act as bodyguards. Thus, he could confidently say there was a ninety-nine percent chance they wouldn’t betray him. But nothing was ever that certain. While an extreme example, he had no way of proving Laura or Sara wouldn’t betray him, despite having been with them since he was summoned from Rearth. If the one-in-a-million chance came to that, he wouldn’t hate them for it.

Only those prepared to hold no grudge when eventually betrayed should trust others. The number of people willing to go that far was severely limited.

I trust Laura, Sara, Lione, and Lady Helena... I guess that’s it. 

Besides the Malfist sisters, Ryoma had other vassals and friends he could also sincerely trust, such as Count Bergstone. But he would probably hesitate should they ask him if he would hold a grudge after they betrayed him. It was that difficult to trust people.

In addition, it was a bold and daring move using his newly hired personnel to help with these schemes. If anything, it was nothing but foolish. As a ruler of many civilians and vassals, it was irresponsible behavior. On the other hand, not trusting people was also a problem. He had decided that these plans they had created together were a litmus test, like a company entrance exam for new employees.

Ryoma mused over his thoughts when there was a knock at the door.

“Excuse me. It’s time.”

“Got it. I’ll be right out,” responded Ryoma to Laura.

He then stood in front of a full-length mirror and nodded, looking content. In the mirror, he saw his noble clothing and slicked-back hair—the image of a ruler.

“All right. I best get going,” whispered Ryoma before leaving the room. Once he was in the corridor and had the twins follow him toward the assembly hall, he asked the girls, “So, what about the Igasaki clan?”

“Sakuya is in position. Everything has gone to plan.”

Ryoma lightly nodded, then confirmed another concern of his. “I assume everything is fine with Charlotte and the others too?”

“They’ve already arrived at the assembly hall,” replied Sara. Since the twins knew Ryoma well enough after their long time together, they had already confirmed the information they anticipated he would ask for.

“I see. Then all that’s left are the finishing touches,” said Ryoma, smiling. He had the look of a hunter who was looking upon his prey. The twins slightly nodded to their master.

Soon, a magnificently carved door appeared before Ryoma and the twins. Each side of the door had a guard standing in full suits of armor, bowing when the three approached. Ryoma softly raised his hand, ordering the doors to be opened.

“His Grace Archduke Mikoshiba has arrived!” Two chamberlains, who stood just inside flanking the door, informed the audience hall as the doors opened. The audience hall went from bustling with sound and activity to absolute silence. Ryoma Mikoshiba slowly walked into the assembly hall as the gazes of all the nobles in attendance fell on him.

Tough crowd. Well, I did kill a lot of them. So that checks out, I guess.

Ryoma smiled wryly as he felt everyone direct their hateful, angry gazes at him. From the northern subjugation to the siege of the royal capital, Ryoma had launched countless severe attacks on the nobles. It was an unavoidable course of action, especially since it meant life or death for him and his companions. But they had left a lot of nobles’ corpses in their wake.

Parents, children, cousins, friends—everyone here had lost someone dear to them. It was natural that they despised the cause of their deaths—Ryoma Mikoshiba—even if it didn’t make much sense for them to hate him. But they all eagerly waited to see him condemned for his crimes by Radine.

Unfortunately for them, that won’t be happening.

Ryoma felt genuinely sorry that he couldn’t satisfy the audience’s expectations. But for a producer, there was no fun in having everything go exactly according to what people wanted.

I don’t think I’ve ever gone along with their expectations, though.

Opposite him sat Viscount Romaine and the members of his family, who had applied to the House of Lords to be a part of this hearing. Viscount Romaine shot a murderous gaze at Ryoma as he calmly crossed his legs. The man had no intention of interacting with Ryoma before the hearing began. Judging from the ever so slight twitching of Viscount Romaine’s hands as they rested upon the table, rage consumed him.

It looks like he’s about to spout steam from his ears. Hope he doesn’t burst a blood vessel.

Obviously, Ryoma wasn’t bold enough to say that to Viscount Romaine. The viscount glared at the archduke, who shrugged it off. That alone left an impression on the nobles who watched the scene unfold, which resembled a dog barking and a lion calmly ignoring it. Their fruitless standoff soon ended as the chamberlains announced the arrival of Queen Radine Rhoadserians.

Following Radine was Prime Minister Diggle McMaster and Helena Steiner—a display declaring that the powers who ruled the nation would support the decision made at the hearing.

“Please be seated, everyone.” Radine told the nobles.

All the nobles in the assembly hall stood and bowed as the queen entered the room.

Finally, the hearing Viscount Romaine had been earnestly waiting for had begun. But it would not unfold as he had hoped.

“Before we begin the hearing, I have a concern that I wish to share with you all. Said news should have been shared at the royal palace, but as we have little time, I am taking the liberty of doing so here.”

Everyone tilted their heads in confusion. Even Viscount Romaine, who expected the hearing to start, looked confused. Radine disregarded their doubtful looks and carried on with her announcement.

“Last night, an envoy arrived from the Kingdom of Xarooda with an urgent message. They informed me that the O’ltormea Empire has begun yet another invasion of their kingdom. Their army is over two hundred thousand soldiers strong.”

The assembly hall remained silent. Then, shrieks and shouts filled the room as the nobles collectively processed the queen’s announcement.

“That’s impossible... Two hundred thousand?”

“What? O’ltormea is invading Xarooda?”

“Wait a second... Aren’t Xarooda and O’ltormea observing a ceasefire? Does that mean O’ltormea broke it?”

“In that case, we need to send out reinforcements at once, right?”

“Are you stupid? Just how many troops do you think our kingdom has?”

“But we can’t remain passive toward such tyrannical acts by O’ltormea. If we do nothing, we could be the next ones to get invaded!”

The nobles continued to air their worries and unrest.

Seems the nobles are dancing exactly to our beat. That’s understandable, considering Queen Radine has started with this kind of topic, mused Ryoma.

Not everything Queen Radine had said was the truth. The messenger from Xarooda had reported the situation to Ryoma Mikoshiba around ten days prior. Those who knew the truth remained silent. To the nobles who were unaware, Queen Radine’s sudden announcement was a bolt out of the blue, justifying their confusion. They were no longer interested in the hearing with the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy and instead were full of questions on how the kingdom would deal with the O’ltormean invasion in Xarooda. It was exactly as Ryoma and the others had planned.

Suddenly, Helena broke her silence.

“Please be silent!” Her voice echoed around the audience hall. It was a voice that only a general who had commanded an army could produce—a voice filled with severity. The nobles all went silent in response to such an intimidating voice.

Radine continued to speak. “We have no plan to turn a blind eye to the situation in the Kingdom of Xarooda. If we were to do so, it might not be long before O’ltormea sets their evil sights on us!”

The nobles all nodded deeply in response. As long as they weren’t all idiots, most nobles should have understood the real meaning behind Radine’s words. Viscount Romaine wore a look of bewilderment, different from the reactions of those around him. Ryoma turned to face Viscount Romaine as he sneered.

There we go. Now he’s started to think something is off. Well, there’s no way he can stop it now. 

Viscount Romaine believed Ryoma Mikoshiba should face justice for his crimes. Before he even realized it, the purpose of the hearing had changed from that to the topic of sending reinforcements to Xarooda. As a vassal of his country, Viscount Romaine could not go against his queen’s words. Radine took no notice of his reaction.

“Our country has suffered many losses due to the failures of the previous queen, Lupis Rhoadserians. Although I have assumed her position, I am still lacking experience as a ruler. Without the support of Helena Steiner and Viscount McMaster, I could not manage this country.”

It was an understandable point to bring up.

Only because of their help was Radine able to act as an adequate queen, even if she was not perfect. The nobles were more open to the idea of sending reinforcements to Xarooda if it had come from Helena, who played a major part in managing the nation.

However, that raised a specific question. A few nobles had worked out the true meaning behind Radine’s announcement as the rest looked on with bated breath.

“Thus, I have decided to put Archduke Mikoshiba in charge of the reinforcements sent to Xarooda. I am giving him full authorization to do everything required to aid the Kingdom of Xarooda! So we may protect our proud Rhoadseria from the clutches of the O’ltormea Empire!”

This was yet another unexpected statement. The nobles had anticipated Radine would make a surprising statement but had not foreseen this. If Ryoma hadn’t heard about it beforehand, he would have been as amazed as the rest of the nobles.

As the queen had declared it, the nobles could not protest. While they might have had their complaints and arguments against it, they had no choice but to remain quiet.

It’s like she’s handed me a blank check, with the only restriction being that it’s strictly to be used to aid Xarooda.

It was a decision that Lupis Rhoadserians could never have made. Indeed, no other monarch on the western continent could make such a decision as this.

“Archduke Mikoshiba! Come forward!”

Ryoma nodded lightly in response to Viscount McMaster’s command. As they had previously discussed, he walked over and faced Radine, getting down on one knee. She smiled at him as she spoke.

“Archduke Mikoshiba... Though I do not doubt it will be a tiresome task, do you vow to devote your life to it?”

“Yes. I vow to put my life on the line and will definitely live up to your expectations.”

When Ryoma finished talking, the assembly hall filled with the voices of soldiers cheering. Then, the guards banged their spears on the stone floor as they cheered, “Hail to Archduke Mikoshiba! Victory to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria!”

The whirlpool of enthusiasm eventually engulfed the nobles, who also began to cheer.

“Hail to Archduke Mikoshiba! Victory to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria!”

Viscount Romaine and his family were the only ones not caught up in the enthusiasm. They were unsure how to act in such a situation as Ryoma chuckled and looked over at them.

Makes sense they’re like that. They’re not stupid enough to think I will get prosecuted in such a situation. On the other hand, there’s no way they would start cheering for me like the nobles around them. 

One could say that Viscount Romaine could not go against the flow of those around him. But Ryoma had no intention of burying the past.

At Ryoma’s signal, Viscount McMaster said, “All right, let’s begin the hearing! The plaintiff today is Viscount Romaine! Come forward!”

Silence filled the assembly hall again, with everyone adopting troubled expressions, and with good reason. Archduke Mikoshiba was to head to Xarooda as the general of their reinforcements and had full authority to do so. There was no reason to hold a hearing against someone like that. Queen Radine had just given Ryoma Mikoshiba total immunity, effectively declaring he was justified in his actions and had done no wrong. Viscount Romaine understood that, and his face turned red with anger and hate. He also knew that he had fallen into a trap, going from the top of the world to back down in the dirt. Perhaps that was what Viscount Gelhart felt when the position of prime minister was taken from him by Viscount McMaster.

Judging from how Viscount Romaine glanced at Leonard, who sat in the visitor gallery, it was plain to see that was the case. He was undoubtedly thinking about how he wanted to kill Leonard. The viscount might have already attacked Leonard if soldiers didn’t surround him. But his face continued to change color as the anger coursed through him, and he looked around the room.

I wonder if he’s looking for someone to help him out of this situation.

Yet, no one had stepped forward for him. The relatives and house vassals he had brought with him said nothing. No one wanted to take the risk. Still, no individual could ignore the words of Prime Minister McMaster. Viscount Romaine had realized that no one would come to his aid.

Radine turned to Viscount Romaine and spoke to him in a relaxed tone.

“Now, Viscount Romaine... Let us hear your side of the story. It seems there have been some accusations made toward Archduke Mikoshiba regarding the death of your son?”

Although her tone was feminine and kind, a strong sense of irony lurked behind it. Viscount Romaine was at a loss for words despite being the plaintiff. If he confirmed the accusations, then the hearing would begin as both parties would have to explain the details to the queen. But Radine, who was playing the role of referee, had already declared her support of Ryoma Mikoshiba.

The outcome of this hearing was clear, with the only remaining issue for Viscount Romaine being how to get out of this situation scot-free. He had many possible solutions floating in and out of his mind, no doubt fighting an internal conflict over what to do. Eventually, he spoke while his body shook.

“I am truly sorry. I believe I have made a mistake...”

They were the words of a noble throwing away their pride. Viscount Romaine had raised the white flag before Ryoma. He had nothing else left to say. In a situation like this, Viscount Romaine could not say that he wanted to take responsibility for blaming the archduke, even if his life were on the line. Should he do it, nobody would approve of it anyway. Viscount Romaine had already worked out that if he apologized here, Ryoma and the others would put their swords down and put the situation behind them. The viscount’s words also came from a place of arrogance; as a noble family with a long-standing relationship with the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, he believed they would not dissolve House Romaine.

Unfortunately for Viscount Romaine, Prime Minister McMaster had no intentions on stopping the questions there.

“Hold on... We cannot pass this off as a mere mistake. This is a hearing held by none other than Her Majesty. It is not a matter that will end with you admitting that it was a mere mistake.”

Prime Minister McMaster had a solid, fair argument. If the queen hadn’t held the hearing, Viscount Romaine might have managed to worm his way out of it. That was not to be the case.

Helena delivered the final blow to the confused Viscount Romaine. “I wonder. Did you purposely put together a scheme in order to cause His Grace Mikoshiba’s downfall?”

All the nobles, who had been attentively following the hearing until now, exchanged looks. They were all very aware of the situation at hand. That included knowing what Radine and the others wanted from the nobles—to take Viscount Romaine’s side or believe Helena’s claim and side with Ryoma Mikoshiba.

The nobles chose to throw Viscount Romaine to the wolves to protect themselves.

“I overestimated you, Viscount Romaine! To think you tried to humiliate the savior of our kingdom, His Grace Archduke Mikoshiba! Have you no shame?” Someone shouted from the crowd. The comment stirred the hearts of all the other nobles who had been watching everything unfold.

I guess that’s the fake audience members Charlotte paid for, thought Ryoma, turning his glance toward Charlotte and the others. When she noticed his gaze, she nodded. I see plans like this are her forte. She’s scarily good.

Without this intervention, the situation would have stagnated. Once a second person joined, more people did the same. It was just like how most people would struggle to litter in a clean area, because they would feel guilty. Conversely, not many people would worry about littering somewhere already full of garbage.

Other nobles raised their voices, hurling a barrage of words at Viscount Romaine.

“Traitor!”

“Are you working for the empire?!”

“It’s your fault your son died! You should have never tried to bring His Grace Archduke Mikoshiba down!”

The tables had turned as the nobles continued their onslaught of jeers and abuse. Ryoma wore a cold gaze as the assembly hall filled with accusations toward Viscount Romaine. Although the man was foolish, feeble-minded, and just all around a wicked person, it was difficult to watch all the nobles—who had nothing to do with it—hurl accusations at him.

Though, it was simply a result of human nature.

That’s just how humans are. Some people haven’t got caught up and have enough of a backbone to remain silent, thought Ryoma. While they might have thoughts about Viscount Romaine and what happened, they remain quiet, unlike their fellow nobles. I’ll ask Charlotte about who they are later.

Ryoma felt the silent nobles were more trustworthy than those caught up in the atmosphere and accusing Viscount Romaine. They could read the room and were more confident of who they were as people and kept to their standards. Ryoma wondered just how many other nobles like that were in the crowd.

They truly are a mixed bag. A combination of precious stones among common rocks.

There was no better way to describe the nobles within the assembly hall. Viscount Romaine had proved his worth to Ryoma by letting him know who the good nobles among the crowd were. As Ryoma thought about this, he turned to Viscount Romaine and waved at him.

After all, this is the end for you. Thank you for your work.

Eventually, Viscount Romaine fell to the ground, as if his legs had crumpled beneath him. Remorse and anguish covered his face. He was coming to terms with the price of his arrogance and foolishness, realizing that this was the end of him, and his house.

After the guards picked up Viscount Romaine from the floor and escorted him out, Ryoma bid farewell to Radine and the others. He left the assembly hall and headed to his room on the third floor in the House of Lords.

He sat on the sofa and crossed his legs, wearing a winning smile. The Malfist twins were busy preparing tea for their master, now that he had finished his work.

“Master Ryoma, here you are,” said Laura.

“Thanks,” replied Ryoma, enjoying the aroma from the tea Laura had poured. He took a sip of the moderately sweet tea. It was smooth and satisfying to drink. “Lady Kikuna seems to have improved.”

“Lady Simone has stocked up on items from other continents, so it seems like Lady Kikuna has been experimenting.”

“I see... She’s Japanese, all right. We only have a nose for delicious things,” whispered Ryoma as he reached for his teacup again. He looked as if he was about to celebrate his win with a toast. If he didn’t have some work left to do, he probably would have knocked an alcoholic drink back—which made sense, considering the circumstances. After the hearing, Queen Radine dissolved House Romaine on the basis of spreading lies about the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. Viscount Romaine was stripped of all his rights and sent to jail.

It went exactly as Ryoma planned. He smiled as he thought how he had finally removed some of the garbage nestled within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. But Ryoma had the consideration to not let others know what he felt, recognizing his standards. That was no doubt why he had returned to the privacy of his room.

So he was thrown in jail. I guess he’ll die of illness soon.

Ryoma had a small amount of sympathy for him, but considering the weight of Viscount Romaine’s crimes, this was the natural result. The corruption and conventions in the noble ranks of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria had made him that way. That said, there was no use for Viscount Romaine.

Even if we made some use of him, there would always be the possibility he would plan his revenge in some form, which would be an awful move.

As long as he was alive, there was still the chance that he could undergo rehabilitation. Even in modern Japan, those against the death penalty believed in human nature and that lawbreakers could be reformed. However, that was always based on possibility. If someone were murdered, there would be no chance for them to reform. A person could change who they are only as long as they lived.

Viscount Romaine’s possibility of reform wasn’t zero, yet Ryoma felt like there was absolutely no chance that his adversary could change. Ryoma did not intend to push that on to anyone as the truth, though. When betting, people often chose the bet that they believed would win. Not many would place a bet on something they thought would lose. Although humans and horses were different, they had similarities in betting over them.

After all, betting was based on two things: what to believe in and what to pick. Ryoma saw Viscount Romaine as a high-risk, high-reward bet. Considering the various possibilities, it would be better if Viscount Romaine was no longer of this world. It would ensure no future trouble. However, having him die of illness while incarcerated was a better conclusion.

His dying of illness works better as a device for scaring the other nobles.

Law and justice were important. But there was a danger of people using those concepts against others. Such was similar to criminals shielding themselves behind their human rights.

Well, if we go too far, that is an issue, mused Ryoma, knowing balance was necessary. Then, a knock came at the door.

“You got a moment, boy?”

“I’ve been waiting for you. Come on in.”

The door opened, revealing Ryoma’s most trusted ally, who once formally earned great fame for her skills as a mercenary—the Crimson Lioness, Lione. If the Twin Blades—Robert Bertrand and Signus Galveria—were Ryoma’s swords, Lione was his shield. Like Laura and Sara, Lione had shared many highs and lows with him.

Ryoma smiled at Lione gently as he expressed his thanks. “Good to see you. You must have been busy, right? Take a break and enjoy some tea.”

Lione nodded and threw herself onto the sofa in front of Ryoma. She let out a deep sigh after sipping the tea that Laura poured.

“Thanks. As always, the tea you make is delicious. Calms me right down,” said Lione, laughing as Laura bowed her head.

“Sometimes I just want a nice drink of beer.”

“Yeah, I get that... But you’ve still got a lotta work to do. Leave the drink ’til the evenin’. The higher we climb, the less freedom we get. Makes me miss our mercenary days.”

“Yeah. Well, it’s not like I wanted to become archduke. I can’t really just throw it all away.”

“Don’t even go there, boy. If you throw it all away, we’ll all be on the street!”

Ryoma and Lione laughed. Though they had climbed to a position most people envied, they still had their thoughts and feelings about it. Regardless, there was no way that they could just throw it all away. Not only did Ryoma have the fate of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria on his shoulders, he also had to worry about Xarooda.

“Well, we’ve reached a point where we can take a breather. I think we need to hurry up and work on organizing reinforcements to send to Xarooda, right?”

“That’s right. There’s a lotta issues yet to deal with, but I think it’s still goin’ smoothly regardless,” responded Lione, wearing a meek expression.

“I must admit, when I heard that O’ltormea had invaded Xarooda and His Majesty Julianus had fallen ill, I didn’t know what to do,” stated Ryoma as he sighed.

Lione shot him a sharp look. “It’s all the same. But I figured you’d have something up ya sleeve, boy.”

I wonder if she thinks I’m just going to throw it all on her. She is a jack-of-all-trades, after all. I am supposed to be her lord.

Even so, Ryoma would not object to what Lione said. He always pushed Lione and the others too hard at any opportunity. Most of the time, they were just the right people in the right place.

“Gotta say, I really thought Viscount Romaine would’ve put up more of a fight, but he was surprisingly obedient. I expected it to turn to absolute bloodshed, so I had a few knights hiding among the nobles. Good thing I didn’t need ’em anyway. I guess people who think like you are rather rare, huh?”

Ryoma smiled and added, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

By and large, he had once escaped from the House of Lords using force. When it came to being bad, none were as bad as Ryoma. Based on that, one could say that Viscount Romaine was honorable.

“Still, Viscount Romaine caused me a lot of trouble. I had to keep the other nobles in mind. It wouldn’t have been an issue if I was able to dispose of all the nobles in one fell swoop, but I’m glad things have shaped up.”

“Yeah... Asking Her Majesty for help was the right move to make. And what’s that lady’s name again, Charlotte? Acceptin’ her plan was a good idea, wasn’t it?”

Lione was one-hundred-percent right in her judgments. The addition of Charlotte and her friends was every bit as valuable as having Leonard Orglen on their side.

It’ll probably be ridiculously hard to get even more control.

Nevertheless, that didn’t change the fact that they were a resource he could use in the future. Just knowing that made the plan worthwhile.

“Right. Keeping the nobles in check was the best choice. Leaving nobles to other nobles is the best approach. I’m still wet behind the ears as a noble,” stated Ryoma, shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s right. Plus, I was super surprised by Her Majesty Radine. I’ve been watchin’ everythin’ unfold from behind the scenes. She’s got the decisiveness that Lupis lacked.” Lione smiled as she nodded.

Ryoma gestured in response, acknowledging her.

The Mikoshiba Grand Duchy was the highest-ranking noble house with the strongest army within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. His power almost surpassed that of the ruler of the country, Radine. She had given Ryoma boundless authority to help Xarooda with reinforcements. It was equivalent to stating that Radine Rhoadserians and Ryoma Mikoshiba were around the same level of social stature. That was the kind of resolve that Lupis Rhoadserians lacked, fearing Ryoma Mikoshiba and continuing to try to oust him from the kingdom.

Radine Rhoadserians believed in Ryoma Mikoshiba and had given him full authority. It was a striking contrast.

That’s where they differ in caliber, I suppose. It’s almost ironic seeing that Radine, who was born as an illegitimate child, has more distinction than Lupis.

The environment in which a person grew up also played a major part. Radine didn’t undertake any training as a noble and had lived alongside the common folk, enduring their struggles. Said experiences helped Radine mature as a person.

They say hard work pays off, and Radine is a perfect example. 

Because Radine was of such a high caliber, she paved the way for Ryoma to obtain victory against the O’ltormea Empire.

“Next up is ensuring we get reinforcements to Xarooda quickly.”

“That’s right, but that won’t be the end of the matter.”

“You’re right, especially with an army two hundred thousand strong, not to mention the condition His Majesty Julianus is in right now. Man, my head hurts just thinking about it,” remarked Ryoma as he looked at the ceiling and scratched his still immaculate hair.

“But, you’ll do somethin’, won’t ya?”

“Of course... I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, so I’ll do my best.”

Once again, Ryoma and Lione laughed. Everyone had already set their sights on the Kingdom of Xarooda. The eastern nations understood that if they could not stop the O’ltormea Empire from invading the Kingdom of Xarooda, there would be no future for them.

Now that Ryoma had a firm grasp of affairs within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, he could focus on the fierce battle that would unfold. Lione and Ryoma might have been a little too hasty with their planning though. No one could be sure of the possibility of anything unless they were a divine being. Unpredictable outcomes were unavoidable. Ryoma’s battle plans would have to change greatly again. About half a month after this, even more bad news made its way to Rhoadseria.

However, that news did not come from Xarooda.