Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 24 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

Haggard breathing echoed throughout the dark, dense forest as a man sprinted eastward. Even though he had already confirmed no one was pursuing him, he made sure not to use any form of light on the off chance someone still was following him. Using light in that kind of darkness would alert the enemy to his presence, putting a target on his back. That meant he would need to keep running.

Simply put, it was a suicide run.

On Earth, monsters, no longer mere beasts, roamed. The man wasn’t an amateur, so he was capable of fighting. Though, one couldn’t deny that his chances of victory were low in a forest in the middle of the night.

While the man had a higher chance of succeeding than an ordinary person because he knew martial thaumaturgy, he could not match a monster’s physical build and strength. There was only one way for humans, the weaker beings, to balance out the difference. That was to have more individuals in combat. The strong went alone, whereas the weak favored numbers.

It was the natural law and an effective choice when fighting for one’s life.

However, it’s a little hard for me to pick that option right now, thought the man.

He would be safer with more people, but that would also mean he’d stand out more. When the man thought about the secret message he had tucked away in his clothes, he really didn’t want to stand out.

Bringing a party might also end up stirring the monsters in the forest, which I’d like to avoid.

Of course, the monsters wouldn’t do anything if they viewed the group of humans as a threat. But they might see them as food. Or they might see them as intruders in their domain. It all depended on how the monsters in the forest would react. The man would also have to factor in each member’s stamina and strength and move accordingly. While he could get rid of any dropouts or deserters, it wouldn’t be without sacrifice.

It’s better to be alone when avoiding an attack and to be in a group when expecting an attack.

Either way, the risk was never zero. It all depended on what possibility he focused on and what he decided didn’t matter.

After giving the situation plenty of thought, he had made a break for it on his own through the dark forest.

Of course, just running only gives me a smaller chance of actually getting out of here.

No matter his choice, he was still a renowned spy from the Kingdom of Xarooda and faced a life-threatening gamble. In other words, he had bet on his life. The odds weren’t in his favor, and he knew that well enough.

If he could have refused the mission, he would have—that was his thought.

Regardless, I have to get this secret letter to them.

The man instinctively reached into his breast pocket to check if the letter was still there. He held important documents that would influence the Kingdom of Xarooda’s future. Although it was mere paper, it was more important than the man’s life.

The documents entrusted to him by Joshua Belares contained delicate and significant information about King Julianus I’s critical condition. That included the O’ltormea Empire’s invasion.

Even though Earth had limited communication methods, neighboring countries were aware that unique intelligence was enough to sway the fate of the country in question. There were many spies in Xarooda’s capital city, Peripheria. It wouldn’t be long before the whole western continent heard the news.

But if I can get this information to this person a day or two earlier, maybe we can still have hope. 

Delivering the information ahead of the surrounding countries might have changed nothing. In reality, it wouldn’t change anything. But if the man could get it to the person in mind even one minute earlier, then Xarooda’s luck might change for the better.

The chances for that were like how one wouldn’t know what a die had rolled until it stopped. That thought and wish kept pushing him forward.

He continued running through the forest, pushing plants out of his way, choosing his steps carefully so he didn’t lose his balance and fall on a rock. His eyes were well-adjusted to the dark, but he also relied on the slivers of moonlight throughout the trees to guide him.

The man didn’t know how long he had been running through the forest. Counting back from when he had first set foot in the forest yesterday morning, more than a day had passed. During that time, he hadn’t taken a proper break from running. While he had a well-trained body from working as a spy and strengthened it with martial thaumaturgy, he was close to reaching his limit.

Yet it appeared the gods respected his willingness to die. The man spotted a pale light through the trees.

I made it... I have the gods to thank. 

The view, once blocked by trees, began to open up. Just then, the man looked at the sky and sighed deeply at the moon’s pale glow.

Also visible in the moonlight was the incredible sight of the outer castle wall of Rhoadseria’s capital city, Pireas. An artist would have felt inclined to bring out their brushes, or a photographer might have taken out their camera and searched for the perfect spot to capture the scene. Moreover, a poet would have wanted to write about it.

But one needed to have room in their heart to appreciate the beauty of something. The striking appearance of Pireas from the small hill he stood on did nothing to stir the man’s heart.

I’ve made it this far... Just a little more to go, thought the man as he continued running east. Once again, he was on his way to drive out the danger heading toward his home country.

Although late at night, four figures stirred inside a room at Count Salzberg’s manor. One was a young man considered the new supreme ruler of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Beside him on both sides stood female twins with golden and silver hair who followed him around like his shadow.

Before the three of them stood an uninvited visitor, one who had suddenly appeared late into the night. Ryoma Mikoshiba turned pale as the secret envoy, who had run day and night from Xarooda, relayed his message.

“His Majesty Julianus is in critical condition? And O’ltormea has advanced on Xarooda?” asked Ryoma in an unusually panicked manner. The young man was normally calm and collected. At least, the twins standing near the wall had never seen Ryoma so shocked the whole time they had known him. In a way, that made sense.

O’ltormea invading plus the king of Xarooda becoming ill were both something that could completely change the state of affairs within the kingdom. It was like an information bomb. If they had happened simultaneously, the prerequisites for Ryoma’s strategies would also change.

Basically, Ryoma’s plans to seize the Kingdom of Rhoadseria and further develop the Wortenia archduchy would be altered drastically. It made sense that the Malfist sisters, who were closest to Ryoma, wanted to cross-examine the secret envoy and learn more about the situation. As assistants to their master, they wouldn’t be able to support him if they couldn’t get any more information.

But the situation the secret envoy spoke of required haste. Naturally, one’s human nature would make them want to gain insight about what was happening. Yet, the Malfist sisters did not attempt to question him further. They understood that if they were to say anything unnecessary, it might hinder their beloved master’s train of thought. The man who had brought the devastating news understood that too.

While the man held back his fervent desire to save his country from its wretched situation, he remained kneeling, waiting for Ryoma’s annoyance to subside.

Ryoma turned to his thoughts as the gazes of those around him focused elsewhere.

Laura and Sara were right to wake me after hearing he was a secret envoy sent by Mr. Joshua.

It was past two in the morning. Ryoma had already retired to bed until Lara and Sara had awoken him because they had received a report from the guards on night watch. He was a little disgruntled, but that irritation and displeasure had already faded.

A specific question now occupied his mind.

Although they’re both out of my control, these things happening at once is intriguing.

Ryoma couldn’t hide his surprise and panic over this news, especially as he was so close to ensuring the extinction of Viscount Romaine’s house and finally tightening his control over the nobles of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Still, he had no time to think about questions with indiscernible answers.

He let out a huge sigh as he put his feelings behind him.

“So, what else did Mr. Joshua say? Did he give you any more information?” asked Ryoma.

The man retrieved the letter from his breast pocket and handed it to Ryoma.

“I see you brought a letter. Let’s have a look at the seal. It hasn’t been tampered with...”

The wax seal bore the Belares crest—a hawk—and was in perfect condition. Someone had used endowed thaumaturgy to set the seal, meaning no one could see the contents of the letter unless they used a special device to open it. If one were to force it open, the letter would simply burst into flames and fade away.

This kind of information management matches or even exceeds that of modern society. Gotta hand it to them. 

Ryoma opened a drawer in his desk and took out a single paper knife. He then swiftly peeled off the sealing wax with the knife.

I removed it with no issue, which means that this is indeed from Joshua Belares.

While the secret envoy said they were from Xarooda, a slight chance of him working for a different country existed. However, the paper knife that Ryoma had received from Joshua when he left Xarooda after being there on a previous mission as reinforcements dispelled any worry about that. As Ryoma was a strategist, he was more careful than others when dealing with such information.

Nothing is more troubling than information which you can’t grasp the truth about, thought Ryoma, looking over the letter from Joshua. I see. It’s just as the envoy says.

He clicked his tongue. The letter spoke about how the O’ltormea Empire had amassed troops at Xarooda’s border and that Joshua had headed to the front line in order to deal with the situation. It also mentioned that Joshua had received urgent news from Peripheria while preparing the defenses. King Julianus I had collapsed, so Joshua had to return to the capital in a hurry.

When Joshua returned to the capital, the O’ltormea Empire announced they would one-sidedly abandon the ceasefire. Then they invaded Xarooda. Interesting.

Even Ryoma knew that the O’ltormea Empire, which had long thirsted for control of the western continent, wouldn’t honor the ceasefire for long. Their invasion had only stopped because Ryoma burned down their supply fort, cutting off the supply line. That caused Shardina, who led the invasion, to agree to a ceasefire once she had realized the situation was no longer favorable. It was always a temporary agreement and didn’t mean that the O’ltormea Empire had given up on Xarooda.

They would obviously invade again once they had gathered more supplies and soldiers.

But this is too soon. I had predicted they would postpone it by at least another two to three years.

Certainly, his prediction was simply a prediction—there was no saying it would be correct. It didn’t matter if other famous generals from the western continent shared that prediction. That included Joshua Belares, known as the Hawk; Helena Steiner, the Ivory Goddess of War; and Ecclesia Marinelle, the Whirlwind. At that moment, he had to confirm more relevant things.

Ryoma went through them one by one.

“As far as I know, His Majesty Julianus was old yet full of vigor and vitality. He didn’t seem to have any health concerns. Had he suddenly become ill?” Considering his age, it wasn’t entirely surprising for Julianus I to be in a critical condition.

But the man shook his head in response to Ryoma’s question.

“He suddenly coughed up blood during a meal, then fell unconscious. Lord Joshua confirmed with a doctor from the imperial court that there had been no concerns with His Majesty’s condition before. It seems his cough resulted from overworking. He still had his appetite,” said the man, expressing anguish and doubt.

Even this man doesn’t entirely accept that explanation. And if Julianus wasn’t suffering from a severe illness, then...

There might have been a sudden epidemic. In that kind of situation, even young people could fall ill and suddenly die. Considering the state of hygiene on Earth, it was a natural outcome. Not to mention, it wouldn’t be strange for someone of Julianus’s age.

The average lifespan for Japanese males is around eighty years old. I never asked His Majesty Julianus’s age, but I want to say he was around seventy. Considering the level of medical care here is nowhere near that of Japan’s, it really wouldn’t be strange that he suddenly got sick, mused Ryoma.

It needn’t be so surprising. Humans could die at any time, after all. Julianus I was simply reaching the end of his life. Regardless, that wasn’t a satisfying conclusion.

That’s just how it goes. All I can say is, it’s incredibly bad luck, but... Is it even possible to have such unlucky timing?

One would have to be incredibly unlucky to coincidentally have O’ltormea invade and have Julianus I fall ill at the same time.

Even if there were concerns about his health, just like Joshua had written in his letter, they weren’t that serious. It matches up with what the envoy said. He really did face sickness, which is very sudden. O’ltormea making a move is almost too perfect... That leaves one conclusion...

At this point, one couldn’t put those thoughts into words.

I don’t have enough evidence.

That was probably the same reason the man kneeling before him was vague with his choice of words.

Well, there’s not much reason for me to put a lot of thought into it now. Of course, we do not need to address the issue as soon as possible. Joshua wrote in his letter that Xarooda was already looking into it. I cannot do much and should probably focus on what comes after. 

Ryoma focused on how to deal with the situation rather than look for the culprit.

The question is, do we send reinforcements to Xarooda? If we don’t, can they withstand O’ltormea’s attack? Probably not. Joshua’s letter mentioned that the enemy had over two hundred thousand men. Should that be true...

The face of a woman appeared in Ryoma’s mind.

Shardina Eisenheit.

She was the daughter of O’ltormea’s emperor, Lionel Eisenheit, and the empire’s pride as the princess general.

And she came prepared this time.

Ryoma had predicted O’ltormea’s second invasion from the beginning. That was why Joshua Belares had taken the initiative in preparing for it, with Ryoma helping where he could. So hearing the news that the O’ltormea Empire had begun their invasion wasn’t that worrying.

After all, Joshua Belares, son of Arios Belares, was spearheading Xarooda’s forces as their general.

In a previous war with the O’ltormean Empire, Shardina Eisenheit led a strategy which put the Kingdom of Xarooda in a precarious situation. Only the dangerous counterattack Arios Belares and his elite troops—collectively known as Xarooda’s Guardian Deities—carried out had saved the nation at the cost of their lives.

Despite having no choice, the loss of the nation’s hero—their guardian deity—as well as his seasoned troops was massive. Said deaths lay heavy in the minds of Xarooda’s citizens.

As a result, their feeling of hostility and hatred toward the O’ltormea Empire was incomparable.

In addition to the warriors’ willingness to fight, Ryoma had revitalized the trade routes by working with Simone Christof, meaning Xarooda now had a lot of economic leeway.

We turned the devotion of the nationals into military strength. 

As expected, it wasn’t enough strength to face the conqueror of the western continent head-on. But they had prepared to take advantage of Xarooda’s unique geography. They would use the expansive mountain regions to ensure the country would not simply perish.

To hear that Julianus I has fallen ill changes things a lot.

There was never any chance that Julianus I would take to the battlefield and lead an army. So even if he was in critical health, it wouldn’t immediately have much of an effect on the front lines. But when a country was enduring a national crisis, the absence of that country’s leader was fatal.

Besides, Rhoadseria doesn’t have nearly enough men to send as reinforcements.

After all, the Kingdom of Rhoadseria was a country that lacked royal authority and was instead taken advantage of by nobles. It was hard to ask nobles for reinforcements to aid other countries, let alone ask them to partake in international expeditions for rewards.

Several nobles had lost most of their military might due to Lupis Rhoadserians’s northern subjugation and the Siege of Pireas, making the situation even more difficult.

No nobles would send reinforcements to Xarooda with the situation as it is now. Forcing them to do it could lead to a revolt.

While the number of men on the field was one of the most significant conditions to securing a victory, simply having more would account for nothing. Having men with no will to fight was equivalent to having an army of scarecrows.

That said, scarecrows would be better in that case. They’d cost fewer resources.

Plus, a unit of soldiers with low morale could lose control when confronted with the enemy. The hearts of men not prepared for the life-and-death gamble that was war would soon corrode.

Those kinds of men would choose to save themselves rather than fight.

They wouldn’t choose to fight, but they would choose to escape.

Seeing the frontline soldiers so broken down was terrifying because it could lead the units in the rear to tuck their tail and run, an event known as a formation break. If Ryoma allowed such a phenomenon, he could never rally the troops again. That was how dangerous it was having troops with no desire to fight.

We can’t rely on the nobles. Considering the current situation, I’m also not keen on using royal knights, thought Ryoma.

Although Queen Lupis lacked political ability, she had experience leading the imperial guards. She was purely their leader in name, but among the lower ranked knights, who weren’t quite aware of the reality of the situation, she was rather popular. They didn’t think too fondly of Archduke Mikoshiba, who had ousted Lupis from the throne and supported Queen Radine.

If they fought against the powerful military of the O’ltormea Empire, that would also do nothing for morale.

Depending on the situation, reinforcements can end up becoming a burden.

There was a saying in Japanese: “to even want the help of a cat.” It was a figure of speech, of course—even if a cat were to lend a paw, it wouldn’t be much help at all. That was why sometimes having no reinforcements was better.

What will the soldiers and knights of Xarooda, who are full of desire to avenge the fallen General Belares, think when they see Rhoadseria’s forces devoid of any morale? 

It would only generate animosity, akin to a housewife who tirelessly did the housework while eyeing her husband as he sat on the couch watching TV and yawning. The action would incite a similar level of resentment.

If you’re not going to do anything, at least do it somewhere else. 

Similarly, one could compare it to having a boss at the office who does nothing but read the newspaper and picks his nose all day. While one could contain that level of anger, it would build over time until it erupted.

Ryoma couldn’t deny that it could lead to bloodshed among the troops. Depending on the circumstance, that could even strain the alliance between countries.

That’s not all of my concerns either. Even if Rhoadseria were to send troops, there’s no general to lead them.

Helena Steiner was a fountain of wisdom regarding all things military for Queen Radine. While Queen Lupis had Mikhail and Meltina as her right-hand men, Radine had no retainers by her side. Thus, it made the most sense for Helena to assume that role.

After all, Radine Rhoadserians knows no more about national politics than the former ruler.

While Radine needed people she could trust to support her, no one else fit the bill like Helena Steiner, the Ivory Goddess of War. Those who had served with her held responsibility for the future of Rhoadseria and were aware of this fact.

Even the notable figures in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria know that their roles are now set in stone, with Viscount McMaster helping with politics as the prime minister and Lady Helena tending to military affairs.

It would be difficult to ask Helena to lead reinforcements to Xarooda with the current situation.

Lady Helena will have no choice but to lead should it get to the point where we must do everything to win. However, everything is going so well. I want to keep things as they are.

Keeping his trump card in his hand would give Ryoma more leeway to approach the war, allowing them to make low-stake gambles.

But if there is one person I could trust to lead the entire army of Rhoadseria...

A few names appeared in Ryoma’s mind before disappearing. Though he wouldn’t have said any of them were unfit for the job, they all seemed to lack something, leaving no suitable candidates. Ryoma let out a deep sigh.

Thinking about it now, Meltina and Mikhail were important.

As a warrior, Helena Steiner boasted outstanding sword skills and could shoulder the defense of a whole country alone. She had around one hundred points as a general. Mikhail was around the low seventies at best, and Meltina was a little below him.

Both had exceptional strength as warriors but both were rash and unfit for the role of general or a bureaucrat.

That wasn’t to say they were talentless. They had simply gotten involved with national politics, something they hadn’t done before. I guess that makes them quite skilled, in a way.

They also had problems, but one couldn’t deny that they supported Queen Lupis. Despite being new to it, they had carried the nation’s politics on their backs for numerous years. Rhoadseria had a massive problem because they had no one to replace them.

While no one is suitable, it is the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s problem. There’s no way they can’t send reinforcements... If Helena cannot leave Rhoadseria, that leaves one choice. 

Ryoma would have to put a hold on establishing his domain and head toward a new battlefield.

I guess that’s how it will be, mused Ryoma, as he exhaled deeply. He’d tried to avoid this conclusion yet had to accept it. But it’s not like I’m Lionheart. What kind of monarch spends all their time in war like this?

The nickname of a king from Western history, known for his talent in battle and as a hero, came into Ryoma’s mind. Richard I’s reign lasted ten years, though he had spent mere months in England. The remaining nine years were spent waging war in other countries or becoming a prisoner of war. It must have been tough for him. As the tales would tell, Richard I was a strong knight and an incredible military leader. But he was a king, which raised some questions. Ryoma couldn’t help but think that Richard I must not have been a good politician.

After all, he had abandoned the country he was supposed to rule in favor of wars. 

The situation resembled how a boss of a company might abandon their post at the office and instead spend time in sales or product development. Of course, someone would take over for them in their absence. That only applied when the situation received proper management.

No matter how much people regarded Lionheart as a hero, that didn’t mean he needed to be revered as a powerful politician. Being away from his homeland for so many years had a heavy cost. Constant rebellions had occurred. His brother, John, had even conspired with the king of France and other outside parties to have Richard I held in confinement. Those were prime examples of how he failed to maintain his country.

That said, I might end up meeting the same fate. 

It was an ironic destiny.

Ryoma didn’t consider himself a hero like Richard I. Even though he had been officially appointed as archduke, he was still just a noble in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

His was a different position than the King of England, Richard I, who had devoted his whole life to the Crusades. While he owned the Wortenia Peninsula since establishing his barony, he had never once thought that he was in service of a monarch.

He had made sure that he didn’t deviate from his vassal duties while still having a sense of self-reliance. Overall, he had never lost his sense of independence.

In that sense, he was comparable to Richard I since he paid no attention to politics despite being the ruler of a country. Ryoma always rushed into battle, just like Richard I did when he went to recapture Jerusalem.

Ryoma was walking the same path as Richard I.

Naturally, he had his complaints. Despite it not being the best choice, it was the realistic choice.

As long as there’s no one else suitable for the role we can’t do anything. But I want to make some progress with developing my land. I don’t really wanna leave it unattended for too long.

If the war between the Kingdom of Xarooda and the O’ltormea Empire wasn’t a short skirmish, Ryoma would have to leave his territory and the newly ceded northern territory unattended for years.

He had thought of many ways to avoid that, and the most realistic option was for Ryoma to be the substitute in the battlefield.

In that case, I’d have to pick someone to be in charge of my territories. As soon as I think I have one thing figured out, another problem pops up.

The issue wasn’t as much of a bother as choosing a replacement general. At any rate, it just further narrowed down the candidates.

Well, I could leave Wortenia to my grandfather.

Koichiro Mikoshiba was also far more suited for the battlefield than he was for domestic politics. Ryoma knew that better than anyone else. Regardless, his grandfather understood modern society and how it worked. All this indicated he had more insight into politics than the politicians of this world. Koichiro’s knowledge and way of thinking were vital for Ryoma’s ideal nation-building.

There’s not a lot the people here can really do anything about.

Ryoma looked for ideas on implementing processes and establishing things like water supply, garbage disposal, and hygiene control. Such items were something the politicians of this world wouldn’t even be able to imagine.

This Earth had gutters to drain rainwater alongside its roads, but none of the lords had implemented sewer systems. In the modern society of Rearth, having sewers installed underground was incredibly normal. However, general knowledge of drainage infrastructure wasn’t very typical here. The same was true of town and road planning.

While homogenizing the width of roads and paving said roads with stone guaranteed that goods could be transported more smoothly, and thus supported more economic activity, the practice wasn’t very widespread on Earth. Common sense dictated that such roads would put one at a disadvantage when enemy forces attacked. Thus, some lords went against the grain when it came to urban development, offering other ideas. But that also meant that they had to lead with clear alternative solutions.

Ryoma envisioned more modern city planning and country management. For example, guilds assigning every citizen their own number in order to manage them with equipment wouldn’t be such a huge deal to someone from the modern age. To those from this Earth, however, it would be close to the invention of the century.

Earth doesn’t even have anything like a family register.

That was why Ryoma would write down the names of former slaves or dark elves he took in as residents and assign them numbers. It was similar to the My Number system in Japan or Social Security numbers used in America. Although the names differed, the concept was the same.

It’s a sound system for keeping track of the population of the nation. 

Not knowing the population meant that one couldn’t fathom the martial strength of the nation or what kind of policies were needed. Obviously, this would make tax collection even more difficult as well.

Because of that, it’s paramount to have an idea of the nation’s total population as well as gender and age demographics to avoid such problems. 

Even in modern society, some rejected the government having such control over its citizens. However, a more totalitarian approach that emphasized the general public over the individual was more effective in ensuring the strength of a country. Moreover, it was easier to manage.

When Ryoma lived in Japan, he had been a regular high school student, yet he had grasped how the world worked. Paying attention in social studies classes in middle and high school meant that such ideas weren’t that hard to understand.

But it wouldn’t be so simple for someone with no idea how modern society worked to reach the same conclusions. It would be difficult for Ryoma to get the people of Earth to envision and build his ideal society with only verbal and written instructions. Even if he were to mandate its development, he imagined the results would be less than satisfactory.

Still, they probably could build something. But without having an idea of what the final outcome should look like, it’d be taxing. 

Ryoma had thought of one way of doing it. He could let the citizens of Earth challenge themselves through trial and error, anticipating future developments. But the scale would be simply too large, especially considering the expansion of Sirius and reconstruction of the fortress town Epirus, which he had burned to the ground during the northern subjugation.

A conversation like that will be fundamental for the future of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy.

Sirius—the city acting as the main base for the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy located in a strategic area on the Wortenia Peninsula—and Epirus were essential for controlling the northern territory of Rhoadseria.

It was only natural that Ryoma wanted a fast and reliable response to the situation. Based on everything he reflected on, he was limited in his choice of candidates.

Samejima, Zheng, Veronica... They would be skilled enough for it.

Those individuals should at least be able to help make Ryoma’s territory similar to what he imagined, much more than someone from Earth with no awareness of modern society. Although Kikuna Samejima was a chef and worked as such, she was Japanese and could probably picture what Ryoma wanted. But she had never tried anything outside of her comfort zone as a chef.

Zheng and Veronica worked for Koichiro Mikoshiba, a role neither would leave, though if Koichiro asked them to do so, they would comply and leave his service.

Besides, I still don’t know what any of their intentions are. 

They weren’t enemies, naturally. Should Ryoma have suspected they were enemies, there was no chance they would still be alive. He had no intention of keeping his enemies close.

He had the Igasaki clan monitor Samejima, Zheng, and Veronica. But there were no reports of them doing anything suspicious, giving no reason to point the finger at them. That did not mean Ryoma considered them allies either.

Zheng is hiding information related to the Organization. I know one of their key members, Liu Daijin, had sent two of them to look after my grandfather. They might have other motives, though.

Nonetheless, Ryoma did not want to interrogate them at this point.

I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to speak with them. But I could just ask my grandfather if I wanted to learn more about the Organization. Well, eventually...

Koichiro and the others had not attempted to talk about the Organization in detail, and Ryoma figured there had to be a reason. If there was, all Ryoma could do was wait for them to decide when they should share what they knew.

Since Ryoma felt they were hiding information, it was difficult for him to declare them allies. All this was a little more complicated concerning Kikuna Samejima.

The timing of her coming to my territory was a little strange.

Kikuna Samejima, introduced to Ryoma as a chef for the evening party he held to display Wortenia’s financial power to the nobles, very much lived up to his expectations. Her culinary skills had left the nobles flabbergasted, as they only expected such cuisine from an experienced chef. However, it was almost too good to be true.

Plus, there’s just something off about her.

The encounter felt almost as if a third party had arranged the whole thing. Though it could have been pure luck, everything felt too lucky. Kikuna seemed even less trustworthy than Zheng and Veronica.

She’s good at cooking, and her pastries are incredibly popular among the upper-class ladies. I’d like to keep her working for me, but... Hmm. Just how much can I actually trust her?

As it was, he couldn’t trust Kikuna Samejima like he trusted Laura, Lione, and the others. That meant only Koichiro, who had a grasp of how to handle internal affairs, was someone he could trust.

Even though it was a little disappointing he couldn’t have Koichiro with him on the front line, there was no other choice in this situation.

That just leaves the issue of dealing with the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. What can we do there?

The original plan was to start by putting pressure on the Romaine family and eventually disposing of the nobles in Rhoadseria. Even so, Ryoma was unsure if he should proceed with that considering the present state of affairs.

Do we go with the original plan or think of something else?

There were many nobles within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, and they were the reason the royal family had suffered. The queen’s abilities were insignificant compared to the main problems in the kingdom. It didn’t matter if the queen was Lupis or Radine—there was only one choice.

If someone asked Ryoma about how he would implement his plan in the current climate, he could not give a confident answer.

I could destroy the Romaine family, then wait for the right time for the others.

At first glance, it appeared like the safest option. Ryoma would have to give up on the idea of heading back to his territory should trouble break out in Rhoadseria after he left for the war in Xarooda. He couldn’t dismiss the possibility of that happening.

By and large, there is a lot of resentment here in the kingdom. As long as Lady Helena is here, there should be a low chance of anything panning out, thought Ryoma, understanding that would definitely be the case. This is no good. I can’t get my thoughts in order.

No matter what he chose, it would change his plans. The problem was that destroying the Romaine family or taking out the nobles had their positives and negatives. Plus, he didn’t have enough findings to decide the best course of action.

Ryoma exhaled, putting his elbows on the table and crossing his hands under his chin as he spoke up.

“I need some time to organize my thoughts. Time is not on our side, but please give me until tomorrow to respond to Joshua’s letter.”

The spy nodded silently. In all honesty, he wanted a hasty response. Aware of the situation in his home country, he recognized he had to get back there as soon as possible. But the man had no intention of questioning Ryoma.

Terrified by Ryoma’s eyes, which shone like light reflecting off a blade, the man could do nothing but nod in response.

The spy and the Malfist twins had exited the room, leaving Ryoma to ponder. He crossed his arms behind his head as he looked out of the window.

What to do?

Light was already creeping over the eastern horizon. Thanks to the unexpected visitor, he had been awakened from his warm bed at around 2 a.m. He had gotten lost in thought for around three hours or more. Yet he still didn’t have an answer.

I know what I should choose to do and can’t throw the Kingdom of Xarooda aside. So, I must send reinforcements, thought Ryoma, recognizing the problem was who could send the reinforcements they needed. But there’s so much to worry about.

Most notably, Ryoma’s lack of information regarding the intentions of the Church of Meneos and the Organization was a major disadvantage.

Although they don’t seem to be hostile on the surface, I have no idea how they really are.

Discerning who were friends and who were foes was difficult, but Ryoma could not do much without some idea of their intentions. The Church of Meneos had withdrawn their troops from Rhoadseria, which could be taken as them avoiding any hostilities with him. They were allies, or at the least, a neutral party.

The same could apply to the Organization, considering that they had a close relationship with Koichiro. Ryoma had never spoken with Liu Daijin but could infer from Zheng that he had no wish to be hostile.

I have no evidence to support any of that. 

For that reason, Ryoma had prioritized ridding Rhoadseria of its nobles and forming a stable foundation. With the O’ltormean invasion alongside Julianus I suddenly falling ill, the events had completely destroyed Ryoma’s expectations.

“You seem rather troubled,” a man’s voice echoed throughout the room. Ryoma should have been alone, so how did he get in?

Sneaking in without making a sound was rather skillful. If the intruder were an assassin, he would be one of the best. But the person who should have been the most shocked had identified the voice.

“You could at least knock next time, grandfather. Don’t you know the saying ‘Good fences make good neighbors’?” Ryoma turned his gaze toward the entrance of the room. “I guess you spoke to the twins?”

“Yes. The twins said you were worried about something, and they wanted me to address it,” stated Koichiro, sitting on a sofa near the wall. “Since it’s you, I thought it was none of my business. But you really do seem troubled. What’s on your mind? I’m assuming there’s no other option than sending reinforcements to Xarooda?”

Ryoma nodded and said, “So you think that too? That just means I have to be even more cautious about this.”

Koichiro frowned slightly. “I thought you weren’t as lively as usual, so you were already considering that possibility. Someone is likely behind all of this, with the timing of the king of Xarooda falling ill and the O’ltormea Empire invading. That being so...”

“Something might happen after I go to Xarooda. The most likely being a revolt by the Rhoadserian nobles or the assassination of Queen Radine,” explained Ryoma. Clearly, he had already taken several measures to prevent that from happening.

The suppression of the Romaine family was in response to how harsh his son had acted, but it also connected to Ryoma’s plans for strengthening control over internal affairs. However, most of those measures were still half-baked.

“Even if you go to Xarooda, there would be no need for revolts or a successful assassination.”

Ryoma nodded again and responded, “If we could be sure those things would happen, that’d be enough. Thinking about it like that makes it easier for me to go. As a result, it just means I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place if it unfolds when I’m in Xarooda.”

The biggest fear when going to a different country to wage war is that one would be cut off from their home country and forced to become independent. If that were to come about, even if they had plenty of supplies and war funds, the army’s morale would disappear before one’s eyes.

Soldiers of the Mikoshiba archduchy army were essentially slaves who had received high levels of training. Even if they were more loyal and reliable than other soldiers, there was no saying that they wouldn’t be affected.

“That is certainly possible. But there is the chance it’s a groundless fear. It could even be a bluff,” added Koichiro.

“I see. So you’re saying the enemy anticipated I would think of that, causing me to stall.”

Of course, none of this was confirmed. It was purely hypothetical, though ignoring the possibility was dangerous.

“Dammit... What should I do...”

It was important to assess possible dangers ahead of time, regardless of the scale of the job. There was no difference between a small business and the management of a nation in that regard.

Preparing for every outcome was impossible. Hence, it was important to prioritize the more notable dangers. Ryoma’s problem was that he didn’t have enough information to assess which was more dangerous.

Koichiro presented the worried Ryoma with a solution. “Spending more time on this is a bad move. You have to come up with a decision in some way. So how about talking about it with someone you can get advice from? There appear to be people who want to get close to you, and they’re probably the best to ask about the nobles here in the kingdom.”

“You’re right. After all, it takes one to know one. It seems there are some very talented people in this country, so it would be best to make good use of them,” said Ryoma, laughing and simply nodding.