Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 25 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Collaboration of Shadows

A horse-drawn carriage transported a group of nobles along a side road in the farming region of Heraklion, in the southern part of Rhoadseria. They were near a forest south of the fortress city and were three to four days away from Galatia, which sat on the border to Myest. House Romaine owned some villages and cities around this area.

Thick clouds covered the sky, leaving hardly any moonlight. The stars were barely visible, and the party’s surroundings were coated in black. Lanterns—a rather modern convenience—didn’t exist on Earth; one could barely see two steps ahead of them in the dark.

The night was a completely different world from the daytime, protected by the rays of sunshine. Even experienced fighters like mercenaries and knights wouldn’t dare to travel at nighttime without urgent reason, and they were fully prepared for the dangers ahead.

Nobles, nursing mothers among them, had only small lamps to rely on. It was essentially a suicide mission. But they were all aware of that fact and had chosen to traverse the night on Earth.

A baby’s cry cut through the silent night.

“It’s okay... Don’t cry... Please...”

The baby was either hungry or had soiled its diaper, and the woman tried her best to soothe the child. All babies cried, but doing so now was incredibly dangerous for them. Barriers stopped monsters from getting onto covered roads. However, that didn’t stop bandits and other ruffians from accessing the roads. Even the barriers meant to keep monsters out weren’t perfect.

While it was a one-in-a-million chance, monsters that stampede toward human settlements could easily break through both the barriers and their endowed thaumaturgy cast on it. Besides, the nobles were traveling on a side road that branched off from the main road.

Although the roads were protected, the magic emanating from the barrier was weak. It bordered the monsters’ territory, making it highly dangerous. There was no way a baby’s cry would trigger a stampede, but they still had to be incredibly cautious.

They were escaping from the country; it was human nature they wanted to avoid detection. That said, shouting at a crying baby who couldn’t understand their words would only worsen the situation. So, the chief of their group, who sat at the front, holding the reins of the horses, looked behind into the carriage and spoke to the woman.

“Is everything all right? It’s just a little further to go...” The chief knew that his words just functioned as temporary peace of mind, yet there was not much else he could say. The woman looked toward her husband and nodded.

“Yeah... I know.” Her voice was frail. She was very aware of the situation they had put themselves in and knew that this was no time to ask for a small respite, even though she was reaching the limit of her energy.

The woman seemed to be in her late teens, not yet reaching her twenties. She was the daughter of Baron Mondou and her husband worked for House Romaine as a secretary. Even though she was still young and should have been full of life, she wore a distinctly exhausted expression.

It’s no wonder... We haven’t been able to take a proper break yet.

About ten days had passed since the group escaped Pireas. They had no opportunity to rest for long and had been traveling as fast as they could, day and night. The roads were made of cobblestones, and their carriages lacked suspension. Also, the constant jostling from the roads they were on had depleted their energy. They had taken small breaks where they could, but that took the form of simply lying in the shade of a tree.

None of them could stay at an inn in one of the villages or cities, so they had no opportunity to truly recover from their exhaustion. After all, they were traveling alongside roads where they wouldn’t be seen by anyone else. The lack of paved roads made the journey incredibly exhausting.

Even though we’re just riding along, this isn’t a carriage made to hold people... If I knew it was going to be like this, I’d have advised my uncle to pass along paved roads.

The woman had responded so as to not worry her husband, but it was plain to see that they were all at their limit. They had brought cushions and other items to make the trip easier, though it was still just a horse-drawn carriage used for transporting goods.

Carriages for nobles were pure luxury, while wagons were not to be expected to be equipped with such features like proper suspension. The carriage carried not only the husband and his wife but also two other families. They had used a piece of cloth in place of a curtain to partition the space they had in the carriage. It was better than nothing at all.

There were no other options than them looking away when it came to feeding the baby...

Commoners rarely worried about showing skin when feeding their babies. They might not have liked doing it publicly, but they didn’t seem to mind it much. However, as a noblewoman raised like a princess, she was heavily against anyone aside from her husband seeing her exposed skin, making feeding the baby in front of others a huge problem.

Even though they were in rather urgent circumstances, she still found it difficult to be pragmatic about it—and that wasn’t just regarding feeding the baby. While short durations were fine, having no privacy all day and all night had been really tough on her mental state.

She was not used to seeing to her baby’s needs; the wet nurses and maids usually did that. Yet she found it challenging to have privacy within the carriage, even if they shared it with fellow members of House Romaine. Plus, the carriage continuously shook for ten days straight.

For a noblewoman, she had done well putting up with it for so long, but she had begun to reach her limit. All the man could do was nod in response.

I understand that she’s reaching her limit both physically and mentally, but we can’t afford to lose any time.

The man knew he should at least say some gentle words, though. Even just saying, “We can rest in a little while,” would be enough to raise her spirits. Based on their situations, it would be nothing but a lie. It wouldn’t even be a kind lie. Resting here would be nothing short of suicide—the woman was also aware of that, so there was not much meaning to lying to her.

Just as long as we get through here unscathed...

Being members of House Romaine, they had already had people talking behind their backs. But now that they had escaped from Pireas using illegal means, they were criminals. Wanted posters were already in circulation in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. If captured, they would be sent straight back to the royal capital.

Should it come to that, anyway...

The people of Rhoadseria would expect them to receive severe punishment. No one would ignore the wishes of the populace and try to defend House Romaine.

Then there is that demon. He wouldn’t hesitate to execute us.

The outcome was as natural as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. This man and his family viewed Ryoma Mikoshiba as a demon who existed only to bring them pain and suffering.

Compared to that, I’m willing to take a few risks.

It was consensus among House Romaine that small sacrifices would not be avoided to escape such evil. But it seemed there were still a few people who questioned that. Even if they had reached that conclusion as a group, it was normal that some of them were wary about it, or had their doubts. The problem was, would they then show those doubts and worries in their words and actions?

The woman, having finally soothed the crying baby, said, “Are we really going to head to Tarja like this, dear...?”

She had hesitated to ask the question, constantly looking up and down, opening her mouth as if she was about to speak while she cradled the baby. Her body language indicated she had built up courage to ask about it. Her voice was weak, a result of the long journey. There was a sense of guilt and fear in her speech. She was logically questioning the group’s consensus.

They had abandoned their country, Rhoadseria, and were headed to Tarja, hoping to take refuge with relatives while planning their recovery. This act would label their offspring and their offspring’s descendants as traitors. It wasn’t just a matter of the family dying out entirely; the family would forever bear the title of cowards and traitors.

The man and his family had left the royal capital so quickly that they had no time to discuss anything. Reality had caught up to the woman as they approached the border. However, the man holding the reins shook his head slowly.

“Do you think there’s another way?” The man directed his strong will and criticism toward his wife’s question. He wondered why she suddenly started questioning everything. They had already escaped the capital and couldn’t simply return all high and mighty.

“You’re right... We have relatives in the Kingdom of Tarja and ties with my family, the Mondou Barony. It is a lot better than going to another country. But we’ll be labeled as traitors. Will they really accept us?”

Several noble houses in Rhoadseria were blood-related with families in Tarja, including the upper-level knight families. House Romaine was one of them, and it was a remnant of a time where both kingdoms put down their swords and observed a time of peace. Those blood relations were formed to honor the peace, even if it had been several decades ago.

Nowadays, the two kingdoms barely interacted. While they weren’t openly enemies, they viewed one another as rivals, but that didn’t matter to nobles. They prioritized blood relationships above all else. Even if there were no longer any other international interactions, those with family kept in touch. As a result, the nobles of House Romaine believed they could rely on those family connections within the Kingdom of Tarja. But that was a one-sided assumption.

If they take us in, they’ll end up making enemies of Ryoma Mikoshiba, an influential man who climbed his way to the top. Will they accept such risks and let us in? thought the woman.

The nobles of House Romaine had anticipated this happening when Viscount Romaine was arrested and had sent a letter to their relatives in the Kingdom of Tarja. Those relatives had responded, saying they would happily take them in. But those were just words in a letter—and words were wind. They had no way of knowing if their relatives really would keep true to their word.

Once again, the woman hesitated before posing another question to her husband.

“Couldn’t we have just accepted Ryoma Mikoshiba’s proposal? I know it is shameful to admit as a person related to House Romaine... But I still wonder, can’t we just rely on his mercy?”

From the wife’s perspective, this was a reasonable proposition. After all, Ryoma Mikoshiba had asked them to abandon House Romaine, live as ordinary commoners in town, and surrender all their possessions as reparations to the national treasury. It was a rather hefty price for them to pay. However, there was a possibility they would receive some of their fortunes back if they found jobs within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy.

Considering what the viscount did, I feel he was merciful toward us. He even arranged for us to continue to lead lives within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

That didn’t mean that the people of the country would suddenly hate them any less, even if they received pardon from Queen Radine. Commoners would think the Romaine nobles were living a carefree life without any sacrifice, further inciting the people’s anger toward them.

The nobles of House Romaine had lost their chance at atonement, which in turn dealt a hard blow to their prospects. If they had given up their fortunes to the kingdom, it would have greatly altered the situation. Of course, that wouldn’t free them of all their crimes, but it would still have meant that they had sacrificed something, even if it wasn’t exactly the appropriate amount of money. People would give them an easier time than if they made no concessions.

Despite legal declarations, their crimes couldn’t be erased, and they’d still be morally responsible for them.

At the very least, we could still live within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. It would be hard to escape all responsibility for our past. 

People would bring that up at any opportunity and gossip behind their backs. There were two very different ways of avoiding that.

One method required using authority and force to silence any criticism. The other would have involved surrendering everything and becoming punching bags who willingly accepted everything demanded of them as they waited for the storm to blow over. However, the man and his wife could not choose either in their current situation.

House Romaine had lost its status, so they no longer had any authority, nor was it very realistic for them to use violence to silence the hostile voices. If they readily accepted all the criticism around them, there was no future for them that way either.

I guess we just have to find some common ground.

That meant they would have to return their illegally accumulated funds, making amends for that crime, at least. They would then live on as commoners.

As someone used to living as a noble, submitting all my funds to the country and living as a commoner is a cruel fate... To make it worse, I’d no doubt face criticism from those around me... But even then...

She couldn’t help but think it was still better than being punished as a traitor.

Will the Kingdom of Tarja really take us in?

The woman couldn’t get that one thought of her head. She had reviewed all of their options but still felt that Ryoma Mikoshiba’s offer didn’t sound bad. If anything, it was worth considering, at least. But it seemed her question had angered her husband as his face turned crimson.

“You want to bend the knee to that upstart?! He mercilessly murdered my cousin Lord Mario, cornered my uncle to blame him for it, and even went as far as chasing our family out so that we would become extinct! Yet you want to beg for mercy?!”

The husband’s sudden frenzy caused the baby to burst into tears again.

“Ah... Please stop crying, son...” The woman tried to soothe her son while dealing with her husband’s anger. Though, that wasn’t her only problem. On the other side of the blanket partition, the other House Romaine members were resting. They were also a young couple traveling with a young child, so while they could sympathize, it probably wouldn’t be long before they began complaining.

Why today of all days is he crying so much? If only I had a wet nurse.

The face of the wet nurse who always helped the woman appeared in her mind, followed by the face of the wet nurse’s husband, whom they had to fire without giving them any compensation money. Looking back, the young noblewoman had no right to complain. Even so, she tried her best to soothe her child, but it was for naught.

Soon, war cries from both sides of the forest drowned out the baby’s whimpering. A light abruptly pierced the darkness. Their numbers were astounding, with at least one hundred lanterns, perhaps even more. The man pulled tight on the horse’s reins, bringing the carriage to a sudden stop, which jolted the passengers in the back. But the man’s sudden stop turned out to be the right decision to make.

Among the sea of torches, dark figures hid in the shadows.

“Huh... Huh?! Bandits?!”

It was the second worst thing the man expected to happen as they escaped. Although, he was unsure if being caught by soldiers from the capital was really worse than being caught by bandits.

However, this isn’t that bad... If they are bandits, I can at least negotiate with them, thought the man.

Should the bandits be ruthless, they would simply kill the men and sell the women and children into slavery, not accepting monetary negotiations. But some bandits often let people pass through if they simply paid a road toll. That all depended on whether they had claimed an area as their base and established roots there or were simply wanderers who used thievery to make money. They wouldn’t know in advance which type the group they faced.

Yet it was not what the man expected; instead, it was far worse.

A rock the size of a clenched fist struck the man. Red blood poured from his cheek, dripping onto the earth below.

“Oh, no!” cried the woman, laying her baby on the carriage floor as she hurried to attend to her husband with a cloth. The man felt dizzy, yet he could clearly understand all the shouting around him.

“They’re from House Romaine! Kill them all!”

“They’re behind everything! Let me do it! Viscount Romaine had his way with my daughter, then killed her! I’m going to murder them all!”

“My family starved to death! All a result of their stupidly high taxes!”

“My son passed in front of a House Romaine carriage once, and they cut him down where he stood! Today’s the day I get my revenge!”

“Kill them! Kill them all! Completely wipe them out!”

Their words were filled to the brim with hatred and anger, teeming with murderous intent.

Shit... Have the locals come to attack us?

The man knew this would happen if the locals in this area found out about their group. It was a reasonable possibility for the locals who lived within the House Romaine fiefdom and had suffered under their rule to take revenge. Because of that, the man had chosen to travel on the backroads to avoid them.

How? How...did they know we were coming through here? Why were they waiting to ambush us?

Moreover, the man had specifically chosen roads out of the public eye that few people used. It was also nighttime when monsters were even more common. These attackers had not taken this decision lightly. Even if they were strong in numbers, it was still a risky decision.

Fire arrows began to rain down on the carriage. The neigh of the horses and the screams of his wife filled the man’s ears.

I have to protect them...

His wife clung to their crying son. He knew he was the only one who could protect them. But his thoughts were interrupted as he slipped into an eternal darkness he would never return from. Then, the light of the pale moon peeked through the clouds, illuminating the earth below.

It was like a kind light sent from the gods to soothe the dying. The man had but one small fortune at the end of his life; he would go to hell without having to see the demise of his beloved family.

About half a month had passed since the remnants of House Romaine had left the royal capital, Pireas. Stars sparkled in the sky alongside the pale white full moon that hung in the night sky. It was around 9 p.m., a time when most people would finish dinner before enjoying a long soak in the bath, ridding themselves of the day’s exhaustion. For the people of Earth, living in a culture without modern-day commodities such as electricity, it wouldn’t be strange for them to crawl into bed after their baths.

Regardless, the young supreme ruler had no time for such luxury. Ryoma Mikoshiba scanned various documents, signed them, and stored them in a payment box. Endowed thaumaturgy illuminated his office in the Salzberg mansion. It didn’t seem like the mountain of documents on his desk was getting any smaller. But he was fast at his work and had made good progress. The only problem was that more would be brought in and added to the pile whenever he finished a few documents. He was in a strange, unrewarding limbo.

He had little choice and couldn’t simply abandon it. Doing so would mean abandoning Xarooda and Myest, which were ravaged by war. Ryoma understood that he could only do one thing—check the documents and sign them if there were no errors. Not that he was particularly pleased with the task.

To think I’d come to another world and be stuck doing paperwork... How did I even end up here? mused Ryoma.

He stopped writing with his quill pen and fell into thought. He already knew the answer to his question and could only imagine the face of Gaius Valkland, the O’ltormea Empire’s court thaumaturgist. The man was the very same who summoned him to Earth.

It’s all his fault, thought Ryoma as he busied his hands again with paperwork. Every minute felt like an hour. As he worked, he could only sigh and get on with it. I feel like a salaryman working through the height of Japan’s economic boom. I’ve had one hell of a time since coming here... And to think I used to be a normal high school student.

He arrived in this hellish world as a high schooler. A few years had passed since then. If he were still in Japan, he would probably be around the age of a university student or a fresh graduate exploring the job market.

Nevertheless, he had somehow found himself at the helm of a country’s future. He couldn’t deny that he had garnered the affection of Lady Luck. After all, he had the fortune of meeting the Malfist twins, who were like his shadow; Lione, known as the Crimson Lioness; and the Igasaki clan. It was also true that Ryoma Mikoshiba had both the ability and qualities to be a politician. Had that not been the case, he wouldn’t have been promoted to the second highest rank in the kingdom, below only the monarch.

But not everyone with the ability and qualities for such a role personally wanted to do it. Even in modern society, younger people preferred working in ordinary positions where they could focus on their private lives more than being promoted into roles with more responsibility. In other words, they liked a better work-life balance.

If that asshole hadn’t summoned me here, I’d have no doubt made my way through tons of new movies and anime by now.

Enjoying movies, anime, good food, and alcohol was a modest life that wasn’t so difficult for people living in modern Japan to achieve. Some people might not live such a life, but hard work and a little luck might give them one they could enjoy. It wasn’t a life only reserved for influencers on social media with tons of followers or famous actors.

Ryoma’s family had enough funds, and he had the appropriate academic experience and ability. If he hadn’t been summoned to this world by Gaius, he would have been leading his ideal, ordinary life in Japan.

That all feels like a distant dream now, after everything...

A dream had become a reality, and reality had become a dream.

As a man, I won’t say I’ve never dreamed of being summoned to another world. To actually have been summoned to one... Let’s just say I have a few choice words to say to Lady Luck.

If only it had remained a dream. Ryoma, unfortunately, would never wake up from this nightmare.

Thinking about what my grandfather told me, I’m not so sure I can blame it all on Gaius.

Gaius was behind the summoning circle that brought Ryoma here, though. That much couldn’t be denied. As his grandfather Koichiro would say, Ryoma being summoned to Earth wasn’t a simple twist of fate.

After all, my father was summoned here as well...

That summoning had occurred around the time the population of Rearth would hit around eight billion. When summoned, Ryoma didn’t know how large the population was on Earth, but his summoning was probably a one-in-a-billion chance.

Koichiro and Asuka Kiryuu were also summoned to this world shortly after Ryoma. The Mikoshiba family had achieved astronomical odds of everyone being summoned to the same world.

No matter how it happened, it wasn’t mere coincidence.

The cause behind all of it made no difference to Ryoma and his situation. Being able to enjoy dramas and movies on Earth was just a dream within a dream. It was difficult to produce food here that would match the same quality as a three-star Michelin restaurant. Ryoma had pure luck when he recruited the skilled chef Kikuna Sameshima, and there was a limit to the freshness and quality of the food on Earth.

It wasn’t like Ryoma was simply a bystander during all of this. He planned to breed more livestock, such as cows and pigs, and produce more agricultural goods, like wheat and apples. Simply put, he wanted to introduce so-called branded items.

However, it would take years before he could realize such a goal as well as a lot of trial and error. Ryoma aimed for a certain level of produce that would take him around five or ten years to achieve. Even if he invested half a century in it, it was still possible that it would remain unrealized.

The world is at war too. It will be difficult to achieve.

Essentially, a world wrecked by war would focus on developing weapons more than advancing civilization with efficient cultivation methods. People often asserted that a civilization could only progress if it possessed sufficient food and clothing. Without them, advancement would prove difficult.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It didn’t stop Ryoma from working his way through the documents, though.

“Come in,” said Ryoma without looking up from his work. Usually, the soldiers guarding the doors on either side of the office would confirm who the visitor was and their business, but this time was different. Bureaucrats trailed back and forth with bundles of documents, and Ryoma had a lot of visits from soldiers and nobles. Having been promoted to the prestigious title of archduke, he knew that he should present himself accordingly and have methods to achieve this. Keeping it simple worked best in this situation.

In addition to the Igasaki clan, he had his guards spread around the perimeter of Count Salzberg’s mansion protecting it. Very few people could enter undetected, make it to the office, and knock on the door. But it seemed to be a guest that Ryoma wasn’t expecting.

“Gennou...” A slight wrinkle formed on Ryoma’s brow. His voice sounded somewhat unhappy—that wasn’t just Gennou’s imagination. While this response was a little strange for the young ruler, Gennou carried on the conversation.

“Yes, my lord. I apologize for interrupting you while you are busy, but do you have a moment?”

At that moment Ryoma could be considered one of the busiest people in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. He was fighting two wars, sending reinforcements to Myest and Xarooda.

Annointed Supreme Commander Ryoma Mikoshiba faced a variety of important decisions. He was so busy he would have appreciated any help he could get. Only an important report would stop Ryoma from continuing his work. Since it was the leader of the Igasaki clan, who were known for their intelligence gathering and espionage, Gennou could only have been here about a limited amount of topics.

“Is it what we talked about before...?” asked Ryoma, sighing. It was a report he didn’t want to hear, even though it was Ryoma who had ordered Gennou to see the task through to the end. Since he gave the order, Ryoma was responsible for listening to the report, no matter how hard it was to do so.

“Yes, it’s a report from my subordinate...” Gennou responded.

“I see... Judging from your expression, I assume it went as planned?” Ryoma asked.

“Yes... The secret agents sent out by Charlotte Halcyon stirred up the commoners living on the outskirts of Prolegia and Thelmis. They went on to attack the group of House Romaine nobles.”

Ryoma could envision the fate of the nobles based on Gennou’s report alone.

“Wiped them all out, I see...”

Gennou nodded silently in response.

“Hmm... I knew they would head to a different country since they refused my offer, but they were going to the Kingdom of Tarja... Well, it’s not like they could escape to Myest or Xarooda; my territory is in the north too. That means the only direction they could go was south. They knew it was a dangerous risk to take, but they had no other option,” mumbled Ryoma as he leaned against the back of his chair, looking at the ceiling. He knew that the chance of them fleeing was so high that he had given them one last chance and offered them an opportunity to live as ordinary citizens, working to make their money.

However, they willingly declined the offer.

At that point, Ryoma had expected them to flee the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

They could have lived as ordinary citizens with their money from working. But I can’t imagine they would have been prepared to face all the criticism and insults from those around them. 

Even if they had the resolve to withstand it, it still wouldn’t have ended well. People who had lost their noble status could not remain silent and live as ordinary commoners. The group of nobles understood that and decided to flee the country instead of accept Ryoma’s offer.

They probably didn’t trust me, but that wasn’t the only reason. 

Ryoma had brought down House Romaine, so Ryoma suddenly changing his direction and offering them help would have been unbelievable. But the real reason they had declined his offer wasn’t because they didn’t trust him. The actual reason was that they were opposed to working for such an upstart with dubious origins who simply got lucky.

Nobles and their pride... I don’t get it. If they were wiped out, it would have all been for nothing. 

A tragic ending for them.

“Even so, what were they thinking, passing through House Romaine’s old territory? Did they think the peasants there needed them or something?” stated Ryoma.

“They may have thought traveling through land they were familiar with would make it easier to shake off any pursuers. It is also the shortest route to the south,” responded Gennou.

“I see... Makes sense. It is a huge boon having a lay of the land if trying to get to Tarja quickly...”

Criminals often chose areas they knew well or large cities when planning their escape.

Escaping through a territory they don’t know well would be mentally taxing, so I understand their decision. When I killed Gaius and fled O’ltormea, my situation was completely different.

In his escape from the O’ltormea Empire, Ryoma chose the quickest path to the country’s border. But he had to decide based on very little knowledge of where he was. He had just been summoned to Earth and had no prior knowledge about this world. The distance on the map was essential to his decision, even though choosing the shortest route wasn’t always correct.

At a minimum, Ryoma believed the House Romaine nobles’ actions were reckless. Even if they had no choice but to escape by heading south, they could have entirely bypassed their old territory.

They could have passed through nearby noble lands if they were familiar with the region.

Not all noble lords would quietly let them travel through their lands, but at least they would have avoided the ire of the commoners. In the event of an attack, they could have negotiated with the nearby noble lords to ensure their safety. If it were commoners from the old Romaine territory instead, they could do nothing.

It’s only natural that the commoners have so much hate and anger toward House Romaine. 

According to reports from the Igasaki clan and Count Zeleph, Ryoma already knew that the Romaines ruled with an iron fist—they were harsh and unforgiving. The Romaines heavily taxed the peasants, and if they couldn’t pay, they would be sold off to slave merchants. Even if a famine hit them due to a failed harvest, they still had to pay taxes.

Judging from how Mario Romaine conducted himself within the royal capital, it went without saying how he acted within his territory. The citizens who lived under the Romaines’ tyranny for many years saw the noble family as their enemy.

Years and years of ancestral hate...

The only reason there had never been any riots in the Romaine’s territory was due to the strength of their knights and their status as a viscount family. Without those two things, the commoners would mercilessly turn on them and exact their revenge.

There’s no way they would do nothing with their enemies before their eyes. It’s very easy for those not involved to say that revenge is wrong. But for those affected, getting revenge is as natural as breathing.

When given the chance to take revenge, commoners armed themselves with weapons and attacked.

The locals didn’t mind if a third party puppeteered the entire situation, mused Ryoma. If anything, they were just grateful they were given the opportunity for revenge.

“Disposing of obstacles without dirtying your hands... Good move. I was considering doing the same thing...” Gennou complimented Ryoma.

“Yes... I believe it’s a rather natural decision to make,” Ryoma responded.

Had Ryoma gone easy on the nobles, it may have caused some damage to the image the commoners held of him as a revolutionary and a hero. Being personally involved in eradicating House Romaine would have done the same. At the very least, it would have been a bad move to make at this time.

The best option was choosing the method that would mend the situation entirely to avoid that.

“However... There’s not really any methods I would want to use... I don’t really enjoy doing stuff like this...”

Gennou nodded solemnly. Plots and tricks weren’t inherently bad or crude. They were a respectable, efficient method of ensuring the safety of oneself and their companions. From a more ethical point of view, they weren’t deeds that one would take pride in. But from the perspective of a politician, it was often the only means to an end.

During the Warring States period in Japan, Amago Tsunehisa—a mastermind of strategy—rose from the position of ronin to ruler of the ten states in the San’in region.

Mouri Motonari, who killed Amago, was also renowned as a military commander well-versed in strategy.

It was rather natural for weaker people to rely on strategies and plots in order to overcome stronger people, making up for their difference in strength. Using such strategies led to the contents of such methods becoming darker and more morbid over time.

Like Amago Tsunehisa and Mouri Motonari, Ukita Naoie was another renowned skilled strategy leader, who was known as one of the main figures of the Warring States period. He was said to have been feared by his half-siblings and even his retainers.

His half brother, Ukita Tadaie, used to wear chain mail when appearing before his elder brother, Naoie, out of fear of assassination. Although it was a turbulent time, where even families feuded, it spoke to Ukita Naoie’s reputation that even his blood-related younger brother had to practice such caution when with him.

At minimum, it was easy to assume that the military commander, Ukita Naoie, would do anything to win.

If you get overly accustomed to deceiving others with schemes, it can negatively impact your personality.

It wasn’t as if Ryoma had no recollection of what he had ordered Gennou to do. Those skilled in strategy and scheming had to be incredibly aware of themselves and the thoughts of those around them too.

Well, no use crying over spilled milk.

Although Ryoma’s attitude was rather cold, he couldn’t sit and think about the order he gave, which spelled the end of the Romaine nobles’ lives. He had friends and subordinates who all believed in and followed him. Then, he asked Gennou about the results of another order he had given.

The question was even more important than finding out the fate of House Romaine. It would affect the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy and the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s espionage activities going forward.

“Gennou, from your point of view, how skilled are the nobles’ spies here? According to Charlotte and the others, they gathered quite a talented bunch.”

“In terms of combat, they couldn’t lay a finger on the Igasaki clan. But they seem fairly skilled in everything else. There are a few highly skilled spies, but they do not seem very well-versed in the art of ninjutsu. In all honesty, there are many facets they would all benefit from improving on. Even with all that considered, I think you will be able to make good use of them, my lord,” responded Gennou, nodding slightly.

Ryoma picked up on what Gennou meant immediately. “I see... Meaning they’ll do well gathering information and rumors?”

“Yes... Not that the Igasaki clan wouldn’t be able to do that as well. However, those spies know their way around these parts far better than us, so it would be easier for them to avoid detection.”

“In that case, is it safe to assume they did well sharing the information between noble houses?”

“Yes, I didn’t see anyone trying to get ahead of another. They were under strict instruction. Considering it was a rather improvised alliance, I would say it went incredibly well.”

Gennou wouldn’t say that it was perfect. But that much was inevitable, as each spy was from a different noble house and thus acted individually. Not only was the method of information sharing hastily decided, but also which house would play a role.

Not to mention, the spies were originally an independent group. Their masters’ houses were formerly separate entities with conflicting interests, even though they were now all in an alliance. While they weren’t enemies, neither were they friends. Although a little awkward, they had done well to play a part in the act Charlotte and the others had drafted together.

This was the work of those accustomed to working behind the scenes. Upon hearing Gennou’s glowing review, Ryoma nodded in satisfaction.

I see... In that case, I can then leave internal espionage work to Charlotte and the others. Although the Igasaki clan are incredibly talented, I can’t keep asking them to do everything.

Besides the Wortenia Peninsula, the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy had acquired the Salzburg manor and the ten noble houses of the north. Its scope had long surpassed that of a mere regional ruler and was now around the level of being its own country. One could say the Igasaki clan was close to their limit, gathering intelligence in other regions and working on covert operations in other countries.

If anything, the land that Ryoma controlled was bigger than the countries that made up the southern kingdoms. In addition, he had decided to help Queen Radine and became involved with the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s secret intelligence too. Ryoma would have liked to leave all of it to capable individuals but struggled to find them.

Viscount McMaster supported Queen Radine as prime minister and handled national politics, while Helena Steiner managed the military.

Of course, the nobles who had pledged allegiance were still going strong and looking for any opportunity to help. That said, Ryoma couldn’t leave secret intelligence work to untalented, unknown people. He was also aware that the best way to find suitable people for the job was to look for them. Despite that, the situation had changed a great deal now that he had to send reinforcements.

Gennou and the others would be able to do something, but they already have enough on their plate. If something were to go awry, the Igasaki clan might not be able to handle it on their own. 

While the Igasaki clan was outstanding in what they did, even they had their limits. The Mikoshiba Grand Duchy was involved in sending reinforcements to the neighboring countries of Xarooda and Myest, which were at war. It also managed the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s secret intelligence.

The Igasaki clan had dealt with most things during times of peace, so it was uncertain how they would fare in times of emergency.

It would be no laughing matter if the Igasaki clan suddenly couldn’t respond in a time of emergency because I had spread them too thin.

If there were to happen, the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy would suffer a huge blow. Or rather, they would be lucky if it were just that. Such a thing happening far from the headquarters in Sirius could spell the end of the grand duchy entirely.

I can’t take such risks...

Thus, the best way to handle the situation was to increase the number of personnel. That did not only apply to espionage work. It was a fundamental way of thinking one could use to manage a company in the modern age or a country on Earth. The critical part was understanding the importance of increasing the number of personnel and ensuring efficiency.

Bringing on more staff than one needs can also cause problems, so it’s not as simple as just increasing numbers.

Not having enough workers would exhaust those already working there, but too many would lead to issues with organization and management. There was no meaning behind bringing on more people who didn’t have the required skills or abilities. No guarantee existed that one could find suitable people, no matter how selective they were.

There were two options if it came to that: taking on people who weren’t suitable and training them, or rearranging the structure of the organization as a whole and dealing with the staffing shortage that way. Striking a balance was key when managing an organization, and was where the president or the head could show their ability.

And so, it seemed the spies employed by Charlotte and the others were skilled enough to have passed Gennou’s strict inspection.

In that case, I can leave the espionage work to them, thought Ryoma. It would mean less work for the Igasaki clan, somewhat lightening their burden. I’ll have the Igasaki clan keep a close eye on their movements. That should be all right for now. 

He was unsure if he could fully trust Charlotte and the others. They had pledged their allegiance to Ryoma Mikoshiba and offered to help. Undoubtedly, that decision was in their best interests, ensuring the longevity of their families.

They all understood that truth, which was why they worked with some of the best spies, a testament to their ability and usefulness. As the person with the most authority within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, Ryoma had taken the reality of the situation into account. If he were to fall into a dilemma, there was no proof that Charlotte or the others wouldn’t betray him.

At the very least, it was hard to assume where both parties stood in the current situation. However, Ryoma knew that he had to delegate tasks and trust them to some extent.

“Gennou... I apologize how sudden this is, but please dispatch some men to Xarooda and Myest as soon as possible. I want them to closely monitor the situation in the Kingdom of Myest. We lack adequate information about what we’re getting ourselves into.”

Gennou nodded as he had already guessed what his master wanted. He replied, “Of course... We will also keep a watchful eye on the young lady.”

“Thanks. I know it’ll be a lot of work for you, but I appreciate it.”

“Leave it to me, my lord... I wish to pass on the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s internal espionage to Lady Charlotte, so I will take my leave now,” said Gennou, bowing and turning to leave the room.

Ryoma watched him depart and sighed deeply. He picked up his feathered pen and continued his document work. As boring as it was, he believed this paperwork would play an essential role in the coming war.

A voice that resembled the cry of a woman reverberated around Ryoma’s office. The sound had come from his sword, Kikoku, leaning against the chair he was sitting on. It was as if his sword cried for blood. Ryoma gave a wry smile as he looked over his sword.

I don’t have much opportunity to use you these days.

The last time he had used his bewitched sword was during the siege when he invaded the royal capital and fought with Helena and Mikhail. His bout with Helena Steiner, who was the perfect prey for Kikoku, which sucked prana out of his enemies and strengthened Ryoma, was interrupted by Mikhail Vanash’s intrusion. Fortunately, Mikhail had fallen by Ryoma’s hand, allowing Kikoku to absorb his prana.

Mikhail was a soldier who had won fame in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria as one of its most skilled swordsmen. Although he wasn’t blessed with much talent as a commanding officer or a politician, he possessed extraordinary talent with a blade. As a result, his prana was of both good quality and quantity.

Mikhail’s prana was inferior to that of Helena, the Ivory Goddess of War. Kikoku felt so dissatisfied that it couldn’t absorb her prana.

For Kikoku, it was as if the main dish was skipped entirely, and it was served a dessert that wasn’t all that delicious.

Now, the bewitched sword created by the first generation of the Igasaki clan had sniffed out the scent of a new war beginning and demanded to taste blood. Kikoku’s feelings were akin to a dog instructed to wait in front of its prime prey.

Ryoma stroked the sheath of his sword, soothing it with whispers like a man to his lover.

“Kikoku, just a little longer... It won’t be long before we will require your power again...” Hearing its owner’s words, Kikoku stopped its lamenting.

Five days after Ryoma heard about the Romaine nobles, five thousand troops marched from Pireas to protect the Kingdom of Xarooda from an invasion from the O’ltormea Empire.