Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 25 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Crimson Lion Roars

“First unit, march!”

Robert Bertrand had bellowed the order as he lifted his beloved axe high above his head. Black armor covered his huge figure. As a famed war hero, he was the personification of the god of war himself. The soldiers cried out in response to Robert’s order.

“Uooooooh! Yes, Lord Robert!”

“Victory to the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy!”

“Let’s slaughter those O’ltormean dogs!”

Angry roars and cheers reverberated across the land as the troops headed toward Xarooda as backup marched out of Pireas’s suburbs.

As midday approached, horns and drums filled the air. Robert led the advance guard, a unit made up of around one thousand cavalrymen. Signus Galveria, the other Twin Blade, followed as he led the second unit with one thousand cavalrymen of his own.

After them came around three thousand foot soldiers, all clad in armor made from monster scales and hides that only existed within the Wortenia Peninsula. Two thousand cavalrymen and three thousand foot soldiers provided a balanced formation.

The troops, all skilled in martial thaumaturgy, began their march west toward Xarooda as reinforcements. They had all received training under the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. Above their heads flew a flag with their crest: a double-headed snake wrapped around a sword. The snake had one head of silver and one of gold. Its eyes were red and gave off a rather intimidating feel, though that could have been people’s imagination.

That feeling could have also resulted from the fighting spirit and vigor of the soldiers who made up the reinforcements. They came across as intimidating to those who saw them. Each soldier knew how to use martial thaumaturgy and had undergone extensive training. All were also skilled at working together in a unit.

In addition, they all wore special leather armor crafted by the dark elves of the Wortenia Peninsula, using endowed thaumaturgy to strengthen it. The dark elves boasted mastery over that kind of endowed thaumaturgy. As such, each soldier’s combat power was several times that of an ordinary knight.

The Crimson Lioness, Lione, watched the extraordinary soldiers with a satisfied expression. She was the supreme commander of the reinforcements and led the foot soldiers. She was also beautiful and wore a ferocious grin suitable for her nickname.

“What a sight for sore eyes... I feel like I’ve become a general.” Lione had previously been a leader of mercenaries, but her destiny had changed for the better ever since she met Ryoma Mikoshiba.

After all, she was once a chief who commanded around a dozen mercenaries, but now she led a troop of over five thousand soldiers. This moment was rather sentimental for her as someone who had made her living from war.

That said, Lione couldn’t spend long basking in the moment. Her commands would decide the lives of her soldiers as they assisted Xarooda as reinforcements.

I’m surprised they let a gal like me lead a whole troop of soldiers, thought Lione.

Lione was confident in her ability, naturally. As leader of her mercenary group, the Crimson Lions, she had achieved victory for her employers with her outstanding leadership skills. Many noble families had paid for her services, even asking her to work for them. She was also ranked A-tier by the mercenary guild and was often showered with compliments by those around her.

Regardless of her talent, that wasn’t enough to become known on Earth. After all, she was now commander of five thousand men. Considering that a unit of knights was usually around two thousand five hundred men strong, the force she led was more numerous. This meant she had more authority than the commander of a unit of knights.

Giving Lione, once a regular civilian, such an important role was a bold decision.

Those two are here as well...

This time, Robert Bertrand and Signus Galveria were under Lione’s command. Many regarded them as the most powerful warriors within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. Considering their status and ability, it wouldn’t have been strange if either of them were supreme commander instead of Lione. In fact, it would have been very natural if they were given such a role. Even so, Lione had received the role of supreme commander.

Well, I gotta say that I do have more experience as a commander than those meatheads.

Of course, Robert Bertrand and Signus Galveria weren’t simply meatheads like Lione called them. She didn’t really look down on them, having experienced many battles with them ever since the Twin Blades began to serve Ryoma Mikoshiba. Lione knew well enough that they were exceptional fighters and sufficiently skilled to make worthy commanders.

I’m a better leader in defensive battles, but when it comes to attackin’... They’re both great at runnin’ straight into enemy camps. But what’s even scarier is how good they are at identifyin’ the enemy’s weak spots.

They also possessed a strong sense of smell, which made them natural hunters. This talent had allowed them to win several battles. At the very least, they differed from Mikhail Vanash. He had abandoned his scouting duty to run right at Kael Irunia when he saw him on the battlefield because he had betrayed Queen Lupis. Mikhail’s recklessness caused him to end up as a prisoner of war.

Plus, Robert and Signus are both barons.

The fact that Ryoma Mikoshiba had entrusted her with the command of the expeditionary force to Xarooda suggested that he considered Lione more important than Robert and Signus, who were the heads of their own families. Only Ryoma Mikoshiba had the full authority to appoint the general commander of the expeditionary force. And Radine Rhoadserians had given him this authority.

Ryoma Mikoshiba’s words were final.

It was a strange decision, especially here on Earth, where status was everything.

Ryoma can put Robert and Signus to work as much as he likes, so doing it this way is probably for the best, thought Lione.

Robert and Signus were good in an offensive role. To get the most out of them, putting them on the front line was paramount and allowed them to lead their own squads. Lione, skilled on the defensive, supported the Twin Blades by bringing up their rear.

Said lineups made sense tactically, and anyone who had ever dabbled in the art of war would naturally come to the same conclusion. That said, there were times where people let their emotions cloud their decisions. After all, Lione was headstrong—especially for a young woman.

Earth tended to have a chauvinistic outlook. As a result, people would always look down upon Lione simply because she was a woman. This was an undeniable truth. It was a rather old-fashioned sense of value, but many men still adhered to the custom.

Even the Goddess of War couldn’t escape the envy and disdain that men hold toward women.

Making a common-born woman a commander was unthinkable in a society that honored tradition and social rules. Considering all that, Ryoma’s decision to make Lione a commander of the expeditionary force was a rather noteworthy measure.

At the very least, Ryoma Mikoshiba was probably the only person within the western continent who would make such a decision. Still, not everyone would be raising their voices in admiration. If anything, there would be many cries of criticism and opposition—mostly from the country of Rhoadseria’s airheaded nobles.

If we don’t deploy the troops, it won’t matter who is in charge of them since there would still be people complainin’ here. Well, that’ll no doubt be this country’s nobles, but I’m so darn tired of dealin’ with ’em.

Only people from Ryoma’s military forces formed the expeditionary force, and the same went for the troops traveling to Myest.

The boy decided it would be better to form a troop from only highly skilled soldiers within his grand duchy rather than mix with low-skilled soldiers. With Queen Radine’s new rule, getting the nobles to deploy their forces would be hard.

Naturally, it shouldn’t matter who was in charge of the expeditionary force to the nobles who hadn’t received orders to supply troops. However, they would still complain about it. They didn’t dare publicly insult or oppose Ryoma, meaning they would choose a very roundabout approach.

Said nobles often held Ryoma Mikoshiba back and looked for information they could use to attack him, which was why he was currently choosing the lowborn Lione to lead the expeditionary force.

That said, I shoulda asked the queen if I could become a noble when the boy was made archduke.

Not that Lione was interested in being a noble. If she had become one, nothing would change. Even when she had become a knight, she felt nothing in particular about it. That was why she had turned down any offers to become a noble when Ryoma became archduke.

Besides that, though it was only temporary, the fact that her master had changed from Ryoma Mikoshiba to Queen Radine also played a huge part in her declining the offer.

It looks like I’ll still end up in cahoots with the nobles.

Should Lione want it, Ryoma wouldn’t hesitate to make Lione a baron or a viscount. Depending on the circumstances, she could have even been made count. It was clear why Lione was one of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy’s knights and not a noble.

Lione wasn’t too attached to the idea of being a noble, and she was so busy responding to so many rapid changes lately that she simply didn’t have the time to receive such a promotion.

I mean, the boy hasn’t even had his own ceremony yet.

Ryoma had risen to the highest noble title within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Although the news had spread throughout the country already, there was still an expectation for a lavish ceremony to mark the occasion. However, doing so was impossible within the nation’s current climate.

If Ryoma had such time to spare, he’d much rather spend it preparing for the coming war. When all the preparations were complete, Ryoma had already issued an order to Lione. He wanted her to lead the expeditionary force and aid the Kingdom of Xarooda.

All he ever does is ask for the impossible.

Moreover, Lione knew all too well how dangerous this order was. She was putting her life on the line because the enemy was the tyrant of the western continent, the O’ltormea Empire. They had a large army, numbering between two hundred thousand and three hundred thousand soldiers. Yet Xarooda could not command its forces because King Julianus I fell ill. Sending five thousand troops to Xarooda was a drop in the bucket.

It would have been reckless for Ryoma to ask Lione to end the war in the Kingdom of Myest to buy time for him to spearhead a troop heading toward Xarooda instead. In other words, it would have amounted to simply ordering them to die.

But if it were an attempt to buy time just for Lione’s group to go down in the flames of glory, there would be no point in time spent making such careful plans nor in preparing such vast quantities of supplies.

Basically, the boy’s got a good chance of winning... Just like that one time.

His actions also meant he believed the Crimson Lioness could complete the dangerous task. Ryoma giving Lione such a dangerous task set her heart blazing, motivating her. It was the ultimate evidence that he trusted her.

That face... Whenever he pulls that face, I know he’s up to somethin’. But I dunno how far ahead he’s planned. He’s damn good at deceiving people, that boy.

Lione remembered Ryoma’s meek expression as she covered her face, stifling a laugh. A man called out to Lione, noticing her expression.

“You seem to be having fun, miss. We’re busy checking supplies, organizing marching orders... We’ve been rushing so much our feet are liable to fall off. Seeing as you’re the supreme commander, miss, it wouldn’t hurt if you were to lend us a hand.”

In response to the voice, Lione looked over her shoulder, her gaze falling on a man missing his left arm known as Boltz. He was once Lione’s second-in-command back when they were mercenaries. And he was a cultured man, all too accustomed to restraining his hotheaded captain from making rash decisions.

Boltz wore an expression like he was chewing on a wasp as he glanced sharply at Lione. He had never had soft looks, but nowadays, his facial features resembled those of a demon. Lione gave such tasks such as replenishing supplies and arranging transport to Boltz. But there was a huge difference between the supplies needed for a few mercenaries and the amount needed for a group of soldiers boasting around five thousand members.

He often was unmotivated when working, but he seemed extra annoyed this time. That didn’t bother Lione, making her smile and laugh instead.

“No way... That’s work for my second-in-command, Boltz. I’m busy leadin’ the group, so you keep doin’ what you’re doin’. Just do it how you think is best.”

The two of them glared at one another on horseback. Lione smiled mischievously as if she were satisfied with a prank. Boltz sighed deeply as he dropped his shoulders, looking at Lione with a resentful gaze.

“Man... You haven’t changed a bit, miss. I get sick to my stomach just trying to work out if I can even finish the tasks the lad’s assigned me.”

Lione laughed scornfully.

“The hell ya sayin’? You did way more dangerous work way back when, didn’t ya? Didn’t even have suitable clothing, and could only trust those around ya... That’s all it was back then. Even though we’re going up against the big bad O’ltormea Empire, it’s not like we gotta win no matter what. Depending on what happens, we’ve even got permission to shrink the front line if needed.”

She then turned to Boltz and continued talking.

“Not to mention, we’re workin’ with heavily trained soldiers, with a commanding officer fit to lead such a troop of soldiers. Thanks to Simone, we’ve plenty of food, weapons, and other supplies. I’d say we’ve got it a lot better than we used to, don’t ya think?”

Boltz shrugged his shoulders and silently nodded in response. “Well, compared to then... I guess it is. The boy doesn’t get involved in a war if he doesn’t think he can win, nor does he neglect preparations.”

“Exactly... So, no complainin’. He’s also got those two here and must be plannin’ on going to war with O’ltormea and winnin’,” said Lione, turning to face the second unit of troops who had begun their march. She could see Signus Galveria holding an iron club.

“Ah, the Twin Blades... Yeah, with you, miss. I’m sure we’ll be able to buy some time. Though it depends on the situation in the Kingdom of Xarooda right now, I can’t see us losing... Right?” Boltz stated.

“Joshua will be there in Xarooda too.”

Then, Boltz silently tilted his head and replied, “Wasn’t he the son of General Belares? After the last battle with O’ltormea, I heard he earned the nickname ‘Falcon.’ There was also a rumor that he was a scrounger and nothing like his father. Just as a kite can’t give birth to a falcon, a falcon can’t give birth to a kite either.”

When the O’ltormea Empire tried to invade Xarooda, Boltz was occupied helping develop the Wortenia Peninsula, meaning he didn’t participate in the expedition. He hadn’t met Joshua before. But he had heard about Joshua Belares and Lione attacking the O’ltormea Empire’s supply lines, causing them to delay their invasion.

“That’s right. In fact, it’s pretty obvious concerning the boy,” commented Lione.

“True... In all honesty, I’d describe the lad as a monster of sorts. And his grandfather Koichiro, even more so.”

“Yeah, I get ya. After all, he managed to beat Signus Galveria with ease. It was like taking candy from a baby for him,” said Lione, laughing.

Within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, several talented people worked alongside Ryoma. Among such individuals were the Twin Blades, Robert Bertrand and Signus Galveria. But there were many more. That included the Malfist twins, Laura and Sara, who were like Ryoma Mikoshiba’s shadow. Then there was Nelcius, the leader of the dark elves and a warrior known as the ‘Mad Demon,’ along with his daughter, Dilphina.

There was also Chris Morgan, regarded as one of the best spear wielders in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Leonard Orglen was also known for his ability as a soldier. All these skilled people worked under the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. It would be difficult to find soldiers who equaled them in skill on this side of the western continent or, better yet, even in the world.

Unlike the monsters that served the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, Ryoma’s grandfather, Koichiro was a cut above the rest.

“When I heard that story from Mike and the others, I almost collapsed from shock. After all, it wasn’t like he was dealing with a few adventurers wet behind the ears,” said Boltz.

“Yeah, you’re right. I knew his grandfather was a monster, but I didn’t think he’d cut through them like butter.”

The two of them recollected the bout between Signus and Koichiro. Everyone knew that it was a rehearsal and not the real thing. Showing off one’s true martial arts ability in front of a large audience would be the height of stupidity. In this sense, one could truly determine a martial artist’s skill in fighting to the death.

Both Signus and Koichiro knew that well. They did not intend to speak ill of the bout nor say it was meaningless. No one would show all their skill within a simple rehearsal, and a skilled person could guess the skill of someone from that alone.

Even if they didn’t show off any special moves, one could tell from their gaze and defensive body movements. An especially talented person could even approximate their skill from how they went about their daily lives. When watching Ryoma Mikoshiba in action, it wasn’t difficult to work out who had trained him.

However, the way Koichiro fought in his bout with Signus was surprising. Even the Crimson Lions, who had faced many battles, saw movements they hadn’t seen before. No one had anticipated Koichiro would expertly deal with Signus’s iron club, which he waved around like a storm. Koichiro didn’t even move from where he was standing.

He had won against Signus without even inflicting a single wound. It went without saying how talented Koichiro was to achieve such a feat.

“I couldn’t put on a show like that even with two arms,” said Boltz, shaking his head and noting he was a seasoned mercenary. Although he now worked as Lione’s second-in-command and a tactician who often dabbled in work behind the scenes, there was a time he was once known as the Fierce Tiger or the Mighty Sword.

Due to Boltz losing his arm on the battlefield, he rarely had the chance to appear on the front line. However, he was still talented with a sword. He was skilled enough that if he were to fight with Signus or Robert, he might bring the duel to a draw once he got past their defenses.

He was skilled enough with a sword that it wouldn’t be too surprising if he were promoted to a knight somewhere. Even Boltz knew that Koichiro Mikoshiba was a cut above the rest in skill. But it was like gazing into a deep, dark ocean. Boltz was unable to discern the difference in his ability and that of Koichiro. Although one could guess the height of a mountain by looking at it, no one could easily guess the depth of the ocean by the same means.

The same could be said of Ryoma Mikoshiba.

“Although he’s also scarily talented, the lad doesn’t hold a candle to Koichiro’s ability.”

Lione laughed, then said, “He’s still young, so that much can’t be helped. That said, a monster is still a monster. Especially the boy.”

The difference between Koichiro and Ryoma wasn’t a matter of skill but time. Boltz and Lione were aware that Ryoma would someday be as skilled as his grandfather. They had known that much from the moment they first met the boy.

“Yeah, I know. If he wasn’t, who would even let themselves be talked into getting involved in a civil war by a young lad?” remarked Boltz as he recalled the memory. It all began with a request from Pherzaad’s guildmaster, Wallace Heinkel. Ryoma and Lione had been forced to escort a merchant to Rhoadseria. That was where they had captured Mikhail Vanash, who informed them that they had gotten themselves involved in a secret feud over who was next to succeed the throne. The issue involved Lupis Rhoadserians and the very influential noble faction.

It was a battle that determined the future of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Ordinary mercenaries couldn’t possibly get involved in quarrels between such influential people. Nor could they stand up in defiance. Under normal circumstances, political strife would have buried the mercenaries who made up the Crimson Lions in obscurity as poor victims.

The existence of Ryoma Mikoshiba, who had only become entwined in such strife because Laura Malfist had silver hair commonly seen in those with blood ties to Rhoadseria, had changed a fate that would have been most hopeless.

“Heh, you’ve got a point there... After all, siding with the young queen at a disadvantage just to secure his safety was one hell of a gamble. Anyone else would say it was suicide doing such a thing, never mind reckless. If it weren’t the boy suggestin’ we do that, I would’ve high-tailed it out of there too.” said Lione.

Why did Lione accept such a dangerous gamble? It was hard for her to put it into words. Was it simply instinct or fate? Looking back, Lione couldn’t settle what it had been. However, she had fully believed in Ryoma’s words and the future he would bring. The same undoubtedly applied to Boltz. And Ryoma’s words had ended up becoming a reality.

“I always knew the boy was gonna become some big shot, but I never bet on him being an archduke.”

“Same here. I was honestly surprised when he was made baron. Now he’s been promoted even higher,” responded Boltz.

“You just never know what to expect with the boy. I wonder where he’ll go from here.”

“True... I’ll do my best to live up to his expectations.”

Lione sneered as Boltz deeply nodded, and both put their clenched fists together. It was a handshake they had made since they were both mercenaries, one that signaled mutual agreement.

Eventually, the last line of Signus’s troop passed Lione by.

“Well, looks like we’re up. Lads, we’re off!” yelled Lione as she thrust her hand into the air, confirming her surroundings. “Raise the flags!”

Several flags with the face of a red lion embroidered on them appeared in the sky behind her. Ryoma had them urgently made in preparation for her heading to the Kingdom of Xarooda as reinforcements. The soldiers all formed a column, raising their spears to the sky as their war cries rang throughout the streets of Pireas, shaking the buildings of the capital.

It was like a roar from a crimson lion aimed at the O’ltormea Empire.

The Xarooda reinforcements marched west, resembling a large, black serpent slithering along the roads. Simone Christof stood in a watchtower at the west gate of Pireas as they silently watched the troops leave. She then spoke suddenly, addressing Ryoma beside her.

“And there goes the third unit. The artisans had to rush to make that flag, but it’s incredibly appropriate for Lione, the Crimson Lioness.”

“Yeah. While I asked them a huge favor, they did a great job. Make sure they’re paid handsomely for their work,” said Ryoma.

“I assumed you would ask me to do so, so I already did. They were pleased.”

“Good work. Thanks.”

“Ah, it’s nothing. It’s the least I could do,” said Simone in a beautiful voice that rang like a bell. It also brimmed with confidence and energy when directed at the troops. Most people wouldn’t have sensed anything strange in her statement, although that was only on surface level.

Ryoma could sense a slight sorrow and hesitation in her voice. Looking closely, he noticed that her shoulders were trembling ever so slightly. Even though she had completed her role, it seemed a small amount of unease still remained.

As I thought, she’s still rather nervous...

The fight against the O’ltormea Empire would require many supplies, and Simone’s job was to ensure they were adequately stocked. All of the logistics fell on her shoulders, meaning she struggled with the weight of her responsibility.

Well, I get it. After all, our enemy is the supreme ruler of the central part of the western continent, the O’ltormea Empire. Not to mention, the situation is worse than it was before. Although Simone looks calm and collected, I know she really wants to run away from all of this.

“By the way, Master... I couldn’t help but notice how you looked at the troops earlier. Are you perhaps worried about something?”

Ryoma let out a wry laugh, surprised she had observed the same thing about him that he was just thinking about her. He tried his best not to let his feelings show, which was natural, considering he was the master of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. The same could be said for Simone, the head of the Christof Company.

Ultimately, that is the responsibility of those higher up.

It wasn’t good for leaders to show their uncertainty and bewilderment to those around them. It would have been better if only the subordinates were anxious and concerned about the future.

Humans never ran out of things to worry about. Their anxieties and worries began as seeds, growing as they carried on through life. Eventually, those seeds would blossom into betraying someone or simply choosing to run from everything.

In terms of an office, it’s similar to the boss complaining that the company won’t last much longer when it’s in a crisis. It would be fine if seen as a joke, but it might have some people looking to change jobs.

This wasn’t limited to bosses and subordinates, though. It was the same for politicians and civilians or doctors and patients.

It’s not always good to remain closed off from your subordinates.

People would rebel against a stubborn leader. Before Ryoma was summoned to Earth, a boss in Japan who managed his company a bit too strongly was making the news for workplace abuse. It caused so much news in Japan that the bookstores were filled with books on how to be a better manager. Whether one was good at managing all depended on the situation.

From that point of view, leadership is better here on Earth. 

Those living on Earth, for better or worse, were accustomed to the hierarchical system. The average citizen couldn’t even write their name. If they could do basic arithmetic, then that would be enough for them to become a government official or a merchant.

The idea of a fellowship was for subordinates to motivate and work for themselves, which was a wonderful idea in theory. But without any baseline education it was difficult to tell them to just get to work. This meant that Earth needed strong leadership, even if it was borderline dictatorial. And strong leadership required unwavering will and decisiveness.

After all, I’ve witnessed many failures.

Ryoma recalled Lupis first, as he had never seen a ruler so incapable of leading. Despite her lack of ability, she clung to the throne and tried to take the initiative, only for it to backfire, losing her the crown.

However, Lupis’s unease and lack of confidence were a major part of the problem. She wore her heart on her sleeve too much, revealing it all to Meltina.

Meltina was incredibly loyal to Lupis and tried earnestly to support her, which Ryoma found commendable. However, Meltina took Lupis’s thoughts too seriously and schemed to eliminate Ryoma, which caused the northern subjugation.

It was fair to say the war resulted from Lupis being too careless with how much she revealed her thoughts and feelings. These displays were definitive proof of how dangerous it was for someone in power to be so open.

That said, I’m also just human.

No matter how much Ryoma tried to suppress his worries and keep a calm exterior, he could not hide all of it. Such concern was evident when he was around someone he had known for a long time. The more they got to know one another, the harder it was to hide it.

Just as Ryoma had sensed it within Simone, she had sensed his unease, which he had buried away within himself. He was incredibly concerned about the expeditionary force to the Kingdom of Xarooda.

I have known Simone for a long time now. It’s no wonder she saw right through me, mused Ryoma. Hiding one’s feelings too much was also a problem. If she senses I don’t have much faith in what I’m doing, it might cause her worries to grow worse. 

Both being too open and not being open enough were problematic. Finding balance was necessary, so Ryoma answered Simone’s question earnestly.

“I spoke with Lione and had the heavy infantry removed from the expeditionary force. I’m waiting to see if that was a good or bad decision.”

Simone nodded deeply, instantly working out what Ryoma was worried about.

“I see. The Kingdom of Xarooda is rather mountainous. If their main objective is defense, you were not incorrect in removing the heavy armor.”

“I guess... Our soldiers are elite, our pride and joy. However, they are going up against the O’ltormean army.”

Elite soldiers made up Ryoma’s units. Just one of Ryoma’s ordinary soldiers boasted around two times more strength than a soldier from another country. Said strength stemmed from their training in martial thaumaturgy. On Earth, people often favored those who had mastered martial thaumaturgy because they tended to be much more powerful.

The difference between a person who had mastered martial thaumaturgy and a person who hadn’t was akin to the difference between an adult and a child. However, the reason behind the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy’s prowess wasn’t just martial thaumaturgy. The soldiers were trained to read, calculate, and coordinate, contributing significantly to their military strength.

Another critical point was that the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy had enough financial resources to equip each soldier with an appropriate weapon for their body type. At the very least, the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy provided even ordinary soldiers with equipment typically reserved for knights or nobles in other armies.

Simply put, every soldier had semi-made-to-order equipment. Someone from the modern world would find such equipment surprising. Wearing a uniform that didn’t fit would not only be less efficient but also increase the risk of an accident.

But here on Earth, where civilians are often conscripted, few people think giving them high-quality equipment is worth it.

In simple terms, many people simply thought that higher numbers won wars. Of course, having more soldiers than the enemy was helpful in conflicts. Books on warfare often wrote that it was advantageous to gather more troops than the enemy.

The problem is that few people understand that you can’t just keep increasing your numbers. 

Other countries’ armies often had armor that didn’t fit or had to use spears with signs of rust in times of crisis. The lack of preparation was blatantly apparent. If they were allowed to wear better armor, it would only be in exceptional cases where the need arose.

We spend a fair amount of money on arms and armor, so that’ll never happen to us.

Ryoma Mikoshiba viewed the lives of his soldiers as more important than equipment. They were taught to read and write, how to train their bodies, and had combat knowledge instilled in them. Even with short-term intensive training, it would take months to years before they were fully qualified. During that time, the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy would pay for all of their food and lodging. Considering the expense of all that, it worked out much cheaper to give each soldier good equipment and ensure they lived longer.

Countries that don’t plan such an initial investment see men’s lives as cheaper than weapons. If you plan to use them all up, it is much easier.

Earth’s approach to soldiers was simple because one could pluck soldiers from the fields. No one took the lives of people from a lower social class seriously.

I find it cheaper giving them an education and training them.

There was some merit to his approach. Ryoma won wars because he spent both time and funds on developing his soldiers. Yet that was a luxury afforded to him as he held tremendous financial power within the western continent.

“You really care for each and every soldier, don’t you, Master?” Simone commented. Ryoma responded with a nod.

“They put their lives on the line to fight on battlefields. If I have the funds available, I might as well put it to use and educate my troops to give them the best fighting chance. Though, that’s impossible for other countries financially.”

Ryoma was getting the most out of the Wortenia Peninsula’s location and was benefiting from intercontinental trade, with the Christof Company doing exceedingly well. With such a good financial foundation, he had three kinds of equipment made for his soldiers. The most commonly issued items were the standard-issue armor and helmets made from a combination of metal and leather found on the western continent.

Fortunately, these items were created with each soldier’s measurements and body type in mind, and they even had spares. These standard-issue items were of fairly good quality but had no special attributes.

In addition to the standard-issue items, there were two other types of armor: light and heavy armor. Light armor was made from leather gathered from monsters in the Wortenia Peninsula. It was lightweight and focused on not hindering mobility even if the wearer had it on for a long time. Moreover, it matched ordinary plate armor in defense and could be used when traveling long distances or performing surprise attacks.

Heavy armor was close to two times thicker and heavier than plate armor, and was meant for specialized use in defense. It was made from commonplace steel.

Such heavy armor would be difficult to wear and hinder the use of martial thaumaturgy. It was common knowledge that the quickest way to increase the defensive capability of armor was to make the metal parts even thicker. When done carelessly, it made movement challenging. There were many occasions where it ended up being useless garbage.

The dark elves had solved the problem using endowed thaumaturgy, making the armor more practical.

That said, it’s not perfect by any means.

Both the light armor and heavy armor were exceptional. If people from other countries saw it, they would do anything to get their hands on it. Despite its imperfections, it was an object of envy to others.

No matter how much the leather armor was tempered with endowed thaumaturgy, when comparing the strength of the material to the heavy armor, the steel armor was clearly superior. Regardless, light armor was preferable in terms of weight.

Although they had been tempered with endowed thaumaturgy, it’s not like we can keep adding to it.

At most, one piece of armor could have around four to five thaumaturgy spells cast on it. Even then, people could only handle armor endowed with that many spells thanks to a technique best performed by dark elves; for most humans, armor with one or two enchantments would be the max. The armor supplied to the soldiers by the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy only had two spells cast on it.

I would like to increase that number in the future, though.

Ryoma and those close to him, such as Laura and Sara, were the only ones who could use the more advanced dark elf technique. The technique was not universal and varied based on the situation and circumstance.

Heavy armor is better since it’s a defensive battle at the castle. Even if they jump down from the ramparts and throw themselves into the battlefield, they wouldn’t take much damage wearing heavy armor. The only problem is the Kingdom of Xarooda’s mountainous terrain.

These heavily armed infantrymen, once led by Lione, were boasted as one of the strongest defensive units on the western continent. They wore heavy armor and carried shields large enough to fend off enemy attacks. They were strong enough to even repel attacks from Signus and Robert.

Such power had already been demonstrated during the northern subjugation, at the battle of Epirus.

Now Lione’s unit had the mission to buy time for Ryoma to end the war in the Kingdom of Myest, so it made sense to send out troops in heavy armor with high defense. And yet this time, Ryoma had assembled a unit in light armor.

There was a reason the expedition infantrymen wore light armor, which was worse at defending, and not heavy armor. The soldiers would need to cross the uneven mountainous terrain of the Kingdom of Xarooda. Although endowed thaumaturgy could make the heavy armor lighter, it would still be a heavy burden for the soldiers.

Heavy armor’s true strength was its ability to allow better defense in formations, but this terrain would make fighting in formation challenging. The rugged terrain would also make it difficult for the cavalry to move around freely.

Ryoma had considered all that and had arranged the unit based on the ability to break through enemy lines, considering various possibilities. There was no way to see if it would work except on the battlefield.

Simone had successfully seen right through Ryoma, noticing his worries buried deep inside.

“You did well to notice, Simone. Or did my expression give it away?”

She smiled and laughed as she nodded like a mischievous child.

“No, no. I don’t think many people would notice. I’ve been with you a long time, Master... I could just tell. Plus, didn’t you notice that I’m feeling uneasy too, Master?”

Ryoma lightly shrugged, almost as if he was throwing his hands up in surrender.

“I guess that goes for both of us...”

“It does. After all, we’ve both shared a room before.”

Several years had passed since Ryoma Mikoshiba first met Simone Christof in the fortress city of Epirus. At that time, both had faced the highs and lows of life together. They knew each other incredibly well and were as close as lovers or married couples. Though they had never had any form of intimate interaction, they had met in hotels that rented out their rooms by the hour, hidden away in back alleys, but that was only ever to exchange information.

If anything, their relationship was more akin to comrades in arms.

“Well, you are my fellow comrade, Simone,” said Ryoma wholeheartedly. But she looked a little puzzled by his statement.

“Fellow comrade...? It is an honor, Master. However, I’ve never stood on a battlefield. I don’t deserve such a title...”

Her face displayed two expressions, both at odds with one another. She was delighted with what Ryoma said but also felt a slight sense of guilt. Laura and Sara were undoubtedly his fellow comrades since they had fought by his side ever since being summoned to this world.

Better yet, Lione, the Crimson Lions, the Igasaki clan—even Robert and Signus—were fellow comrades to Ryoma. They had all overcome several battles with Ryoma and had walked the line between life and death with him as vassals. And yet, he saw Simone as one of his fellow comrades. She struggled to accept what he was saying.

I see. Well, I guess Simone never has wielded a weapon and stood on the battlefield by my side, and I don’t think she ever will.

Comrades stood on the battlefield and put their lives on the line. In contrast, Simone had always supported Ryoma from a place of safety, hence why she felt guilty about how he had referred to her.

Simone Christof was indeed a vital comrade, as well as a vassal. She was most powerful when navigating markets, not on a battlefield with a sword in her hand. Referring to her as a fellow comrade would come across as a little off the mark. While Ryoma understood that, she was still a fellow war comrade. If she ever wanted to head to the battlefield, he would stop her right in her tracks.

People had places where they belonged. For Simone, that was trading in the markets. Ryoma was aware of that, and he never expected her to fight on the battlefield.

That said, this is a bit of a sensitive subject. If I don’t respond to this well, it could cause issues in the future.

Kiyomasa Katou and Masanori Fukushima, the talented generals who worked for Toyotomi Hideyoshi—said to have ended the Warring States period in Japan—were regarded as two of the powerful Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Both were skilled in martial arts and supposedly hated Kazushige Ishida and Yukinaga Konishi, two men well-versed in politics.

During the Battle of Sekigahara after Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s death, Kazushige Ishida sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu, even though they were at war with Kiyomasa and Masanori. That almost gave them more of a reason to dislike Kazushige. Naturally, the shadows of history obscured the truth, leaving unclear whether Kiyomasa and Masanori’s dislike for Kazushige had influenced his decision to defect.

Even the name Seven Spears of Shizugatake was said to be an alias. People often believed that Toyotomi had few valuable vassals working for him. Kiyomasa and Masanori disliked Kazushige Ishida because he had never shown any valor on the battlefield, yet he had climbed the ranks. Ryoma couldn’t overlook that part of the tales.

Hearsay indicated that Kazushige Ishida, who was talented at logistical support, saw the battle-hardened Kiyomasa Katou as nothing but a boor who could only swing his spear.

Though, when it comes to Simone, the situation is a little different, mused Ryoma.

If the story about Kazushige Ishida was true, then the general dislike for him resulted from him flaunting his achievements and victories while insulting others.

Simone Christof felt self-conscious about her job, having self-deprecation and guilt about her inability to stand on the battlefield. Although she didn’t show it in her expression, her emotions were a whole different matter.

“You needn’t worry. I wouldn’t be able to win without you handling logistics, and I don’t need anyone around me who can’t see that for themselves,” said Ryoma. Simone laughed loudly to relieve her guilt, then smiled as she nodded. She may still disagree, but she’s come to a sort of compromise.

Ryoma should have been preparing for a war, but there wouldn’t have been a point in starting anything if his main logistics officer didn’t feel confident.

However, it is worth giving some thought to training Simone in combat...

That didn’t mean Simone would have to stand on the battlefield. No real reason existed to teach her how to use a sword or a spear, but Ryoma felt a bit uneasy saying there was absolutely no need to teach her.

I have the Igasaki clan keeping watch on her, but even that has its limits. No one knows what the future holds, so I cannot guarantee her safety. If she has the means to protect herself, her chances of surviving anything would be considerably higher.

Despite the lack of immediate danger, enemy organizations could simply send out an assassin or conduct an act of terrorism—to put it in modern terms. In such instances, it was less about killing the enemy and more about having the correct means to retaliate. It could be the difference between life and death.

It would be a good idea to teach her some self-defense. Or should I give her a concealed weapon or poison to use instead?

The best method would be to teach her unarmed combat. Not that showing her how to use a spear or a sword was necessarily bad, but knowing self-defense with unarmed martial arts, such as jujutsu or kenpo, was better. This option would suit her if she were suddenly attacked.

That said, Ryoma was short on time. Simone often traveled to the Kingdom of Helnesgoula for trade, meaning he had only a little time to train her. Not to mention, Ryoma would soon head to the Kingdom of Myest with his own troops, thereby reducing their time even further. But that didn’t change the fact that Simone needed some form of training.

It’s often said that a little learning can be dangerous... For now, we’ll just have to wait.

Now that one of the expeditionary forces had left for the Kingdom of Xarooda, it was time for Ryoma to set out for the Kingdom of Myest. And so, he changed the subject.

“By the way, how are the preparations for the expedition to the Kingdom of Myest going? I apologize for asking you to manage the expeditions for both Xarooda and Myest, but there was no one else I could ask.”

Simone shook her head in response. “I’m aware of that. There is no need to apologize... However, it will take me some time to prepare the provisions and materials needed.”

Ryoma frowned as he let out a sigh. “I see. Well, that makes sense. There’s not much we can do since all the materials accumulated in the royal capital are all being sent to Xarooda.”

“I asked Lady Yulia if she could use the Mystel Company and the other merchants in the north to get us more materials, so that shouldn’t take too long. We also have some goods coming from the central continent.”

As the O’ltormea Empire was invading the Kingdom of Xarooda, it was the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s duty to do everything in their ability to assist with reinforcements. All four countries in the alliance, led by the Kingdom of Helnesgoula, had to uphold this pact.

From a geopolitical standpoint, given the stakes of the war in the Kingdom of Myest with the southern kingdoms, there was no other option but to delay the full reinforcements to the Kingdom of Xarooda. The main issue now was how best to assist Xarooda in the meantime.

Lione is skilled, but she is less famous than the likes of Lady Helena. 

Helena, the Ivory Goddess of War, led the expedition unit to the Kingdom of Xarooda as their supreme commander in a previous war. Even though they were a little under three thousand men strong, Xarooda was more than accepting of it, thanks to Lady Helena’s fame.

But the situation was different this time. Neither Helena nor Ryoma, the Hero of Salvation, were able to travel to the Kingdom of Xarooda. Helena was assisting Radine as her counselor as well as keeping the nobles within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria in check. Meanwhile, Ryoma had to head to the Kingdom of Myest as aid.

It was an unavoidable situation.

Even though the Kingdom of Xarooda understood, that didn’t mean they would simply approve. There would be even more backlash than last time, so bringing gifts to quell their discontent was more important.

In war, one could never have too much food or too many weapons. With the Kingdom of Xarooda, they were undoubtedly desperate for anything they could get.

We must offer food and weapons as well. For now, we’ll give Xarooda the supplies we’ve stockpiled in Pireas. That should help them keep their front line strong. We would probably profit even if we sold them at a discounted price.

Naturally, Ryoma couldn’t continue providing Xarooda with free supplies. He could sell them some to tide them over temporarily. He had nothing to lose, considering the Kingdom of Xarooda to be a future customer in this way.

We can also set up sales with the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, which supplies the materials too. This talk is about whether we can even stop the O’ltormea Empire’s invasion, thought Ryoma, knowing he had to put his needs aside for now. There was no way he would lose the war due to them. Simone is doing an excellent job with the trading side of it all. 

Since Ryoma had already shared his main policies with Simone, he did not need to micromanage her.

“Which brings me to the question at hand. Did you hear back?”

“They said they didn’t want to get involved with the wars above the waves... But upon presenting them with a letter from Nelcius, they would like some time to deliberate.”

Ryoma nodded. “Nothing we can do about that, then. Based on the geography of the ongoing war, fighting could take place on the sea. So I wanted to recruit the Merfolk, who are accustomed to the seas. I imagine if I push for it, it’ll all be for naught. We’ll just have to negotiate with them patiently.”

He had anticipated their potential aid in the coming war but was disappointed their response wasn’t in his favor. The relationship between humans and demi-humans had soured in the past as a result of the Holy War. Ryoma was relieved they hadn’t halted all communication and were considering his offer.

“Yes. Nelcius also asked for some time, if possible,” continued Simone.

“It’s best to have the demi-humans negotiate among themselves. If we do so, we should prepare some ships in Sirius. Sorry for asking this at a time like this since we want to use boats to gather more supplies.”

“Please don’t worry about that. I’ve already asked Alejandro. We have around ten ships docked at Sirius’s port.”

Ryoma nodded deeply in response.

With that, we’ve made all our moves. At the very least, we’ve done our best.

While Ryoma understood what they were capable of, he couldn’t say his plan was perfect. After all, Ryoma felt conflicted that he hadn’t taken the initiative this time. That didn’t mean he would lose, though.

“Sorry for all the trouble,” said Ryoma, gazing toward the southeast, where the Kingdom of Myest stood. He could faintly see the ever-approaching fog of war. 

Two weeks later.

The sun shone over the land in the middle of the sky, and a breeze blew through the fields. Sweat covered the soldiers, making their cheeks wet. However, they didn’t feel so hot because of the sun or the temperature.

A horn blew, followed by the clash of a gong reverberating throughout the land. The forty thousand men that made up Ryoma Mikoshiba’s army began marching to the southeast. They would assist the friendly nation of Myest in fighting their aggressors, the southern kingdoms Brittantia and Tarja.