Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 25 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

The dark curtain of nightfall covered the world. A noble mansion stood in a corner of Pireas, the capital city of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, where a certain noble family was trying to escape.

All of them had hoods pulled up around their faces. They constantly looked around, fearful others would see them as they filed into the carriages they had prepared. Each family member held small lamps that didn’t produce enough light to fully illuminate them, but around thirty or so shadows were moving in the darkness. Based on appearances, the group didn’t seem to be composed of just men.

While the hoods hid them, the figures’ range of builds showed there were also women and children among the group. Some were nursing mothers, holding small bundles to their chests. They were all climbing into carriages in the dead of night.

The scene was strange. They weren’t getting into passenger carriages made for nobles. Instead, they were carriages farmers used to transport grain, usually covered by canopies.

It was indeed a rare sight in this part of the city, where so many noble residences stood. If someone were to witness the scene, they would assume the hooded figures were a group of criminals skipping town or on the run for similar reasons. Thinking the group dangerous, they would notify the guards who protected the capital. The group of hooded figures also understood that and feared getting caught as they boarded the carriages. Once the group had spread out and entered into the five carriages, they headed for the city gates in the southern part of Pireas.

The wheels turning on the carriages echoed throughout the night. Eventually, they saw the southern gate and the city’s walls. Due to the lights placed around the area, they could see the large stone wall through the darkness. As they approached, the carriage drivers gulped as if feeling the weight of the impressive, towering fortifications.

These walls were once an impenetrable iron shield protecting the city from would-be invaders. Under the current circumstances, they felt more like a hulking obstacle that prevented people from escaping the hell that was the capital city. But that depended on who was looking at them.

And so, the driver of the leading carriage tightly gripped the light in his hand as he held it overhead and traced out the number eight in the air.

In complete darkness, the orange flames resembled a will-o’-the-wisp floating in the air. They had decided on this motion before leaving, as the figure standing atop the city wall noticed it immediately. Judging from the figure’s armor, they were the commanding officer of the capital’s defensive garrison. His helmet and the clasps holding his cloak onto his armor indicated the man’s status.

It was a little strange that a man of such standing was atop the gatehouse at night, watching over the capital. His name was Alan Wood.

He was the leader of the Sixth Battalion, which guarded the noble and artisanal quarters of the capital and the outer district, where the common people lived near the southern gate. He was usually found buried under a pile of paperwork in his office, and had no reason to be out here at this time.

As he was in charge of the division, he often patrolled the area during the day. But Alan’s subordinates standing behind him couldn’t help but question why he was out here at such an unusual time. At least, that much Alan could deduce from their expressions.

Alan went on with his task, fully understanding his subordinates’ discomfort with the situation.

“They’re here... Just as planned,” said Alan. From his demeanor, he seemed somewhat nervous.

Although everything had proceeded smoothly, he wasn’t very happy about the visitors. Honestly, he’d rather not aid them—that much was plain to see. But Alan was in no position to lose his nerve and back out of the plan. So, he signaled to the carriages below by waving his lantern.

“Open the gates,” Alan ordered the vice commander standing by him. His voice was stern, and he now appeared like a commanding officer declaring an attack on enemy forces on the battlefield.

Vice Commander Eric furrowed his brow.

“Are you really sure? If this gets out, it’ll land you in pretty hot water, Commander Wood...” replied Eric. His role was to support his superior as vice commander of the Sixth Battalion. He felt he had to confirm this action with his commanding officer, and he admonished Alan with a sincere warning.

At the very least, Alan’s subordinates, including Eric, all looked up to him. Eric’s words calmed Alan. The vice commander looked genuinely concerned for his superior. If Alan was overthrown, the effects would ripple to his subordinates; as people said, “If one falls, they all fall.” It was impossible to tell how serious said effect would be, making Eric naturally hesitant.

However, Alan simply shook his head in response to Eric’s concerns. Seeing the look of anguish on Alan’s face, Eric understood the trouble this decision would bring.

“I’m well aware of that... However, I accept the risks. Open the gates. I’ll take full responsibility,” added Alan.

Having been ordered by his superior, Eric could only respond in one way. There was certainly the question of just how much he could trust his superior when he said that he would take responsibility. Few superiors would assume such a burden to ensure their subordinates didn’t get into any trouble. It was prudent not to place too much weight on their actual intentions in such instances.

The real problem was the decision those in power had made. In this case, it all relied on Queen Radine Rhoadserians, her assistant Helena Steiner, and Prime Minister Diggle McMaster. As the vice commander, Eric had no other option than to follow his superior’s orders.

“Understood...” responded Eric, signaling the troops waiting behind him. His words sounded hesitant and conflicted. He would open the city gates at night without prior authorization, allowing a mysterious group to pass through. It was something he couldn’t easily overlook, especially as a member of the royal capital garrison. The unit had been entrusted with protecting the gates and managing who entered and exited through them.

This was a dereliction of duty—or perhaps an even more serious offense. Depending on the circumstance, their defiance might be deemed an act of treason toward the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

Eric gazed at Alan as the worst-case scenario passed through his mind.

If I’m going to stop him, now is my last chance, thought Eric. He couldn’t make Alan retract his order with a simple warning; force would be necessary. However...

Although Eric was proud of his swordsmanship, Alan Wood—a commoner who had risen to the level of an intermediate knight—was easily leagues more talented than him. Thus, he was aware of the outcome if they were to have a one-on-one duel. Eric then made a calm, composed decision as a knight.

If I were to have a chance of winning, I would have to attack him from behind. Otherwise, we would have to overwhelm him with the other guards. Realistically, neither is feasible.

Should Eric carry out a surprise attack, it would probably end in a draw—and that was being generous. It would be challenging for Eric and the soldiers to surround Alan now. If he unsheathed his sword, it would look like he was leading a revolt. Considering that, there was nothing that he could do right now.

But Eric couldn’t accept that just standing there watching everything unfold was fine.

What should I do? What can I even do?

Doubts filled his mind. As Eric mulled over these thoughts, the situation progressed, and about a minute passed.

The gate opened with a strained groan. Then, the carriage wheels and the horses’ hooves making contact with the stone pavement reverberated in the night air as they made their way through the gate.

There was no way Eric could stop the carriages. The die had been cast.

“All right... I will go remind the troops.”

“Yeah... Sorry for the trouble,” said Alan.

Eric nodded slightly before turning around. He hurriedly made his way down the steps inside the gatehouse wall, wondering to himself all the while. Although he couldn’t stop Alan, what he could do was hide what happened tonight.

It’s fine. If the troops keep quiet about it, there’ll be no problem... Or at least the soldiers won’t make such a foolish mistake. 

The troops on guard tonight would be automatically involved since they were present when the group passed through the gates. Although it was an order from their superior, opening the gates without confirming whether it was appropriate meant they had abandoned their duties. They were unlikely to spread word of what had happened, at least not the details.

Even if he were to silence the troops, there was no guarantee that the mysterious group went completely unnoticed by others. For example, a resident could have just happened to look out of their window and noticed the group. They could have found it strange and proceeded to notify the garrison, which would blow the whole operation wide open.

Well, there’s no real chance of that happening. If it were to go public...

Alan, the battalion captain entrusted with guarding the city gate, would be most affected by that outcome. The minimum punishment he could receive was being dismissed from the city garrison.

Eric losing his job would be an ideal conclusion.

For this crime, Alan could face imprisonment or even become a slave. If he attempted to flee, he would have to run from the royal capital with his family before the soldiers had a chance to arrest him. Regardless, his reputation and achievements would all be for naught. It was a conclusion that was as plain as day.

It was natural to question the merit of risking all he had built up by allowing this group to pass through the gate.

Of course, his position as captain of the garrison isn’t all that important of a position. It’s just an ordinary job without the status that comes from being a knight. If he didn’t take his job seriously, then I can’t deny the possibility that he was bribed.

But Eric knew that the chance of that was low. While an ordinary soldier might have taken a bribe, it was unlikely that such a temptation would sway a commanding officer and induce them to open the gate at night.

But if this information gets out, many people will assume money was his main motivation for doing so, mused Eric, letting out a sigh filled with a sense of defeat and sadness.

When children were asked what they wanted to be in the future, a lot of them responded that they wanted to be a knight. A small number of them said they wanted to join the garrison, so it was more appropriate to say that none answered they desired to join.

If there were an outlier who desired to join the city guard, they would likely be a child whose parents or close relatives were already a part of the garrison. The garrison played an essential role in protecting the city, but it wasn’t a position that would see them achieve fame for incredible feats on the battlefield. It didn’t lead anywhere in terms of professional development.

That means Commander Wood could have been swayed with money...

Eric also couldn’t say with conviction that no other members of the capital city garrison had dirtied their hands with bribes. If this corruption were to go public, it would also become clear how many people participated in it in the course of a year.

Many in the garrison were born commoners. There aren’t many who started on the same level as the knights.

The troops who made up the city defense forces weren’t skilled in martial thaumaturgy like the knights. That also meant that they were looked down upon or viewed as a few grades lower than the knights.

In any case, all we do is guard the vast area that the royal capital Pireas spans and patrol the streets, so it makes sense we’re looked down on.

The job of the soldiers within the garrison was the same as those of a modern-day policeman. Protecting the city required a lot of soldiers, and most of the people they policed were commoners like them. These commoners did not know martial thaumaturgy, meaning a soldier who underwent daily military training could easily suppress them.

At times, they do have to deal with mercenaries or adventurers who know martial thaumaturgy, but there are rarely any exceptionally skilled people who cause trouble. Even in cases where someone can use martial thaumaturgy, the city guard’s sheer numbers would overwhelm most mercenaries and adventurers. Plus, regular soldiers fighting against a strong individual could also call for a commander or a battalion commander.

The garrison’s collective strength far surpassed that of any individual soldier. It was essentially quantity over quality.

Due to the garrison’s all-commoner composition, most soldiers could imagine fighting an enemy while confined within the city. In the event of a siege, the garrison would remain high on the city walls, using stones and arrows to attack the invaders. Even though the garrison served the kingdom alongside the six units of knights, their lack of martial thaumaturgy meant the knights generally held them in disdain.

However, that only applied to the regular soldiers and the platoon commander.

Eric was unsure if knights looked contemptuously on garrisons from smaller cities. In major cities like the Pireas, only nobles who had obtained the rank of knight or commoners who had risen through the ranks and became high-ranking knights could hold positions of authority. Such included company commanders and above.

A battalion commander would need both luck and talent to survive the cutthroat competition for the position against the best of the best. The battalion commander was also in charge of the garrison, which protected the gate to Pireas and the capital city itself. They had to undergo a rigorous exam that tested their loyalty to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria and their knowledge about it.

It is a job with zero glitz or glamour...

Eric no longer tried to fool himself regarding his job’s responsibilities. It was an important role because the guard preserved the peace of the royal capital. The kingdom considered that and treated commanders accordingly. Eric thought that way because of his position as vice commander. Since Alan held an even higher rank and was treated even better, it would be unfortunate if he gave it all up just for a little extra money. Nonetheless, Alan had still taken the risk.

He must have a good enough reason for it.

Eric had already tried to envision who the group of people really were, especially considering it had caused Alan to make such a dangerous decision. If Eric was correct, he questioned whether Alan’s punishment alone would be enough to resolve the situation.

It depended on the situation, but the vice commander and the other soldiers in the garrison were likely to be caught in the eventual cross fire. If Eric’s suspicions were correct, it would make those in the garrison a group that would become the target of much ire and ridicule from the commoners in Pireas.

Come to think of it, there’s only one house in the kingdom that would need to take such measures to escape the capital.

House Romaine had stood trial a few days before and attempted to slander the kingdom’s savior. As punishment, many of the house’s members had been imprisoned. While House Romaine had been around since the formation of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, it now seemed it would become extinct.

Guilt by association was standard practice on Earth, meaning that the family of the guilty would receive the same punishment. There weren’t many human rights on Earth, nor was there much in the way of policing criminals. Thus, there would be no way to keep crime down if they didn’t have procedures in place that made examples of lawbreakers.

But it was a little different this time.

Some of House Romaine’s blood relatives had been incarcerated, but not every single member of the family. Queen Radine had become known for her mercy, so many blood relatives had avoided prison.

Nobles believe that a new monarch shouldn’t bloody their hands from the get-go, so she pardoned some relatives of House Romaine. But just because it’s merciful, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing.

Queen Radine’s mercy had allowed them to escape prison, but she had seized their personal funds. Those who hadn’t been imprisoned had lost everything they needed to live. Furthermore, the only exoneration they received was in regard to their slander of Ryoma Mikoshiba.

No doubt they’ve been under fire from the commoners, considering how House Romaine used to treat them.

The soldiers of the garrison bore witness to the nobles’ violence and the hurt they caused the commoners. They also heard the commoners express their ire. Eric had heard about House Romaine’s heir, Mario Romaine, and what he had done. Low-ranking members of the garrison had urged their commanders to come up with countermeasures to suppress anyone who might protest Mario’s punishment, which was an almost unprecedented step for the soldiers.

Moreover, these soldiers knew the divide between the nobles and the common folk, and naturally wanted to avoid the risk of standing against nobles, thereby provoking their wrath. Even so, they had dared to advocate opposing nobles who came to Mario Romaine’s defense. It was a testament to how far Mario Romaine had gone with his behavior.

It went without saying that the behavior of House Romaine’s members—letting Mario Romaine run free and do as he wished—was nothing short of disgraceful.

They’re all birds of a feather anyway.

All those family members had gotten a taste of just how uncertain the world can be. They had enjoyed a lot of special treatment being relatives of House Romaine, including being able to cover up their crimes. They were foxes borrowing the authority of a tiger; they could do whatever they wished under the aegis of House Romaine’s status and power.

They lived boldly under such protection and were nothing once that was gone. Obviously, they would face the ire and hatred of the commoners hunters and fall prey like the foxes they were.

But there are also young fox cubs among them too.

That would make it difficult for the hunters. Their consciences and empathy would undermine their resolve, making it difficult for them to truly eradicate the foxes. However, there would probably be those who wished to get revenge and would gleefully attack them.

I heard other nobles have been trying to cut off the House Romaine nobles too.

No one in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria had made any effort to openly support them. This was an unusual situation in noble society, considering most were related in some manner. Queen Radine had already made her intentions quite clear, though.

Prime Minister McMaster and Helena Steiner, who controlled the military, had already begun to work toward isolating House Romaine, so it would have been difficult for the other nobles to go against the national government. Even if they wanted to help House Romaine, doing so would have been dangerous.

If there were people who attempted to help House Romaine, they would surely be fools emerging from under a huge rock.

Fools like that would not stay a noble family for long. Of course, nobles in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria weren’t known for being exceptionally skilled at politics. Even so, they weren’t entirely incompetent fools. If anything, they were very well-versed in keeping themselves safe and their pockets full. They were incredibly well-suited to undermine their own country.

They were exceptionally skilled at protecting their fame and lives, so they escaped at night.

In simple terms, they use their abilities to serve themselves and nothing else.

It wasn’t a completely bad thing. It was natural for living beings to be concerned with pursuing profits and happiness. The saying “Fish will not live in water that is too clean” originally meant that people who appeared too clean and innocent were exactly the opposite in reality. But that wasn’t something that applied to only individual people.

The saying also applied to politics and society in general. Those who ignored reality and just chased after ideals would always face ruin. Just as fish wouldn’t live in fully clean water, they would also not live in water that was too dirty.

In essence, it was the last drop that would cause the cup to overflow.

Yet, the nobles of this country rarely pay much attention to keeping that balance of clean and dirty. 

It was no doubt a result of their being a part of the most privileged class for many years. Everything had come to a head. The situation resembled asking someone to pay their ever-increasing debt all in one payment.

Such a debt belonged not only to Viscount Romaine but also to his relatives.

Although the repayment differed depending on if the debt were money or grudges, the destination for those who owed debt, be they noble or commoner, was all the same. They either paid with their lives or had their dignity stolen from them as they were sold off as slaves.

No matter what, it would be a rather tragic ending.

For those who didn’t wish to meet such a fate, leaving everything behind and escaping from it all was the only answer. It was a natural choice for the group to make. The real question was, why did Alan let relatives of House Romaine escape?

Maybe one of the noblewomen came crying to him. There’s only one reason a noblewoman would choose to appeal to the battalion commander, thought Eric, as he considered why his senior had ordered them to open the gate.

Alan was born a commoner but was a prodigy, as shown by his passing the knighthood initiation test with flying colors. He was charismatic and skilled enough to become not only the battalion commander of the knights but commander of the royal capital garrison.

But no matter how charismatic or skilled he was, it was common knowledge that his merits weren’t enough to make it in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, a strictly class-based society. Being born as a commoner was a major hindrance in one’s life. This was especially true regarding the royal knights or the palace knights—one couldn’t become one without a pure noble background.

Of course, there have been exceptions to that rule...

For example, Helena Steiner, the Ivory Goddess of War, was born a commoner yet rose to the rank of general. However, that was quite the exception to the rule. Only a few extraordinary people on the entire continent had ever pushed through the ranks and eventually become known as gods of war.

Those people are monsters who have taken on human form. But we’re different from them. 

If one possessed an above-average level of wisdom, they might advance regardless of their commoner background. The system was kind of merit-based. Conversely, it also revealed that one’s ability wasn’t enough to overcome social status, even if they were more capable than others.

Although Alan Wood was exceptionally talented, he was only as good as his status. He was fine for a commoner.

I have no doubts that Alan is remarkable. Considering how he was raised as a commoner, he could have risen no higher than a company commander for a garrison in some other town or city. 

Even though he held the same status as a knight, others often disregarded him. He was only the battalion commander of the royal capital garrison instead of one in command of the royal knights. As a result, there was rarely any competition for Alan.

That said, he is the battalion commander of the royal capital, protecting the castle gates of Pireas. Even a noble would see that he is worthy of some merit. 

Despite there being those with roles higher than him, he was rather valuable. His position was significant enough that even nobles often assumed the role, making it surprising that a commoner had it. If the choice between a noble and a commoner with no difference in abilities presented itself, the role would always go to a noble.

I can’t imagine any generous nobles willing to give up a coveted position to a commoner. It wouldn’t be all that strange to want to prioritize the noble with a long-standing history over a commoner with a dubious background, mused Eric. In reality, Alan had risen to the role of battalion commander. There was a reason such a thing was allowed to happen. 

Alan Wood had married Baron Perman’s fifth daughter, which could be the only reason for his ascension. She was an illegitimate child because the current head of the Perman barony had an affair with a commoner woman. But those from the Perman barony treated her as a pure-blooded noble, and the expectation was that she would marry another noble.

Rhoadserian nobles didn’t look too kindly on marrying their daughters off to someone from another noble family. Should they marry into another family, they would have to pay a sizable dowry or become the second wife of a man old enough to be their father.

Even though Alan was born a commoner, the Perman barony must have thought it was advantageous for her to marry a battalion commander, mused Eric as he recognized the protection Alan received from the Perman barony. If I’m not mistaken, the Perman barony is distantly related to House Romaine... In light of Baron Perman’s protection and backing to receive promotion to battalion commander, Alan just couldn’t ignore the noblewoman’s pleas. 

All this meant the Permans were in the same situation as the Romaines. That was the weight Alan had to carry after being given a position that he usually wouldn’t be able to reach. Moreover, he was betting his life and livelihood on tonight’s decision.

Not to mention, if he had rejected their pleas, it would’ve been a bad outcome for him anyway. I doubt tonight’s happenings were instigated by Baron Perman alone.

Several castle walls surrounded the fortress city of Pireas. Alan and his troops were tasked with protecting the districts where nobles and affluent merchants lived. Only one gate separated the commoner districts from those districts.

To leave Pireas, one would have to pass through yet another gate. No matter where that gate was, if the guards protecting it didn’t permit them, the nobles would be unable to leave the capital. That meant at least one other group of guards was involved in their escape.

There’s a chance all the commanding officers and knight units have caught wind of this.

It was plain to see that several nobles, all with power and influence, were involved. With so many people involved, there was no way the night’s events would stay secret.

The plot thickens... I imagine it’ll get resolved differently depending on how it goes. The main question is, why did they have to go through this much trouble? Especially at a time like this...

Although the nobles’ authority was dwindling, for those in control of the country, it would be a small matter if the night’s events went public. The timing was weird. Ryoma Mikoshiba had just been promoted as a reward for his victory in the previous war, and the country was creating a new political system under the new monarch, Radine Rhoadserians.

In addition, the O’ltormea Empire had restarted its invasion of the Kingdom of Xarooda, while the southern kingdoms had sent troops into the Kingdom of Myest. Problems were piling up everywhere. Rhoadseria was facing a life-and-death situation. One wrong move could spell the end of the nation.

The nobles should be very aware of that.

Such events spurred the nobles to act, since they understood the dangers. It was hard to say what their exact motivation was. Were they acting to save their families? Or was it an act of revenge toward Ryoma Mikoshiba, the leading cause of their situation?

There is also the possibility they just want to hold him back too...

But Eric didn’t feel that was a satisfying explanation. Nobles, after all, were parasites living within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria’s walls. In that parasitic relationship, if the nation were to die, the nobles would die out along with it. This group of nobles had devised an elaborate plan to avoid that.

While the Perman family was fully aware of that, they still chose to prioritize their selfish wants and needs.

I can’t say I’m surprised... But I wonder if there’s another reason for it.

After all, this was just Eric’s assumption, and he didn’t have any concrete evidence to support it. But the thought remained in his head after he descended the stairs. Eric wouldn’t be privy to an answer anytime soon. The reason for that was that the only one who knew the truth was the group of nobles, who carried the dark secrets of the kingdom with them.

“Well, there’s no use thinking about it. I can only do what I can, after all,” mumbled Eric as he hurried toward the assembly area near the castle gate. His mind was filled with fears, though he had hoped they were all for nothing. But Eric hadn’t noticed something. That night, another group of people watched everything unfold.

The men in the group wore all black clothing. They blended into the dark of night, loitering around like ghouls in the shadows. They were everywhere—on roofs and in alleyways. Scores were nearby; including the men hidden within the royal capital suburbs, the number was close to one hundred.

Most people weren’t aware of their existence. And if someone discovered them, that unlucky person would meet a fateful end.

Only highly trained individuals could sense the mysterious figures’ presence. The failure of Alan, Eric, and other high-level military personnel to notice them was a testament to their proficiency in stealth.

These mysterious men’s eyes shone with predatory delight as they gazed upon their prey, starkly contrasting their undetectable presence. They were shades that lived and died in the shadows. The nobles with the most influence within Rhoadseria employed them as venomous daggers.

Additionally, they existed for one reason: to do their master’s dirty work. They now lay in wait, creating a web around Pireas to complete the task their master gave them.

The nobles who had escaped by means of the shadows were at the center of their web. In a small hut on the outskirts of the capital, the chief of the dark shadows lying in wait was listening to a report from his subordinates.

“I see. So all is going according to plan so far... I have heard that Alan Wood, commander of the Sixth Battalion, is a rather virtuous man. He does have a commoner background. I was a little worried he wouldn’t play along to our tune...” said the chief in a strained tone.

“According to the observers’ report, Alan was rather hesitant,” said one of the men.

“Hmm... Having the young lady speak to Baron Perman was the right idea,” responded the chief, relieved. The chief, who was always calm and collected, was surprised to realize he had been so tense. Those who worked in the shadows had a lot of practice hiding their true emotions. But no one in the room thought anything was strange about their chief’s response. It was only natural that they knew this mission’s importance to their noble master.

The fate of my very own House Halcyon hangs in the balance, thought the chief.

At the recent meeting with Grand Duke Mikoshiba, Charlotte Halcyon, the newly elected head of her noble house, was recognized for her tactical and political abilities. While temporary, she played a significant role in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

The situation resembled someone getting a guilty verdict and receiving a suspended sentence. During that grace period, it was up to House Halcyon and the group of shadows to show their worth; otherwise, they would be immediately discarded.

There was one method of avoiding that—a method that would truly prove House Halcyon’s usefulness.

Well, the same could be said for other houses.

Charlotte Halcyon, Diana Hamilton, and Bettina Eisenbach played central roles in their respective houses. Beautiful and brilliant, these three noble ladies were well accustomed to the political battles of the royal court.

None of them had ever picked up a sword and ridden into battle. But they excelled at intrigue and strategy. Wielding knowledge as their weapon, they were often involved in the shady happenings of the royal palace. Although they were women, they were the ones who would continue their house’s lineage.

They were all hungry for the necessary results needed to ensure their families could continue living. On the whole, they were families that had been around since the founding of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

It was a struggle between life and death. There was a problem, though. This struggle featured unbreakable rules, regardless of the circumstances. Judges would be necessary to ensure adherence to the rules.

Indeed, there was never an official declaration that there were judges. Still, I can’t imagine there not being any at all...

Not only that, the chief felt as if people were also watching his group—a sort of sixth sense. He had served House Halcyon for many years, but he was uneasy and couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

I don’t think I’m just nervous or imagining things.

This only left one explanation for his gut feeling.

Grand Duke Mikoshiba has his own spies...

While the chief didn’t know their names or numbers, he had heard they had been around ever since Ryoma Mikoshiba headed for the Wortenia Peninsula. Among the other operatives and agents working within the shadows in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, Ryoma’s spies had become feared as demons and monsters. Every step of the way, they watched over the group of shadows.

Just imagining something going wrong while they’re watching is enough to give me nightmares...

If such a thing were to happen, Radine and the others’ efforts would be for naught.

“Has everything else been rearranged?” asked the chief.

“Yes... Exactly as commanded...”

“Good. They were strict orders from the lady herself. We cannot make even one mistake. You would do well to remember that,” added the chief, highlighting what was at stake. “Though I’m sure you’re well aware, that includes ensuring careful communication between the other houses. There is no room for error. We must primarily ensure that nothing gets misconstrued.”

“I understand. I have emphasized that point among my subordinates, so do not worry.”

“Good,” responded the chief, wearing a stern expression as he nodded.

Given the need for results, it was only natural for one to want to maximize all potential achievements from their task. With the survival of their houses at stake, human instinct made one defensive, even if it meant destroying other houses in the process.

Especially now that we have joined forces with House Hamilton and House Eisenbach...

Even if House Halcyon belonged to the same noble faction as them, they were by no means allies. They weren’t enemies either. Instead, these nobles were simply rivals to compete against as House Halcyon sought to expand its power.

At least before the northern subjugation, it would have been unthinkable for Charlotte and the others to form alliances. Joining forces with one another was an unexpected development that became a necessity.

If we disturb the peace, it may incur Ryoma’s displeasure. Not only would it incur his displeasure, but he would probably deem the nobles impossible to manage. That would mean the end of House Halcyon.

Ryoma Mikoshiba viewed the nobles of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria as literal garbage. That said, garbage did nothing but decay. It never intentionally tyrannized the kingdom’s citizens or ruined its politics. When one considered that, the nobles of the kingdom were even worse than garbage.

These famous houses have existed since the kingdom’s conception, and they’ve managed fine up to now. But Ryoma is different. I doubt he will be merciful.

The chief had never spoken to him directly, but the shadows dealt in information. They had gathered as much information about Ryoma Mikoshiba as they could. He had drawn only one conclusion from that information.

If Ryoma Mikoshiba feels you’re useless, he does not hesitate to get rid of you.

Because of Charlotte’s negotiations at the previous meeting, that disposal had been put on hold for now. But it was simply on hold. The chief, Charlotte, and the others all thought that Ryoma Mikoshiba wouldn’t change his policy.

Due to the surprising attacks on the Kingdom of Xarooda and the Kingdom of Myest, the nobles only had a grace period. It was paramount that Charlotte and the others proved their worth to Ryoma Mikoshiba.

Squabbling over leadership in such a situation is the height of stupidity. It was more or less a way of declaring that they had no control over the kingdom’s nobility, thought the chief.

Self-control and self-restraint were vital traits. On the basis of that mutual understanding, House Halcyon and other houses’ spies were to carry out the current scheme.

Right now, everything is going to plan. But if this were a play, we would have just reached the halfway mark of the first act. It’s too soon to relax.

The chief was confident in his subordinates and trusted Charlotte, the mastermind behind the scheme. As Charlotte was a woman, she often worked outside the public eye. She was more talented at it than her father, Marquis Halcyon. However, the chief understood to a painful degree that there were few absolutes in this dirty work.

“I hope everything proceeds without issue,” said the chief. The words were unfitting for a man who had earned his livelihood by getting his hands dirty. It was also his sincere wish. Moreover, the chief knew too well that all good plans could go to waste if there were one tiny discrepancy from the original plan. He had given himself up to fate. Suddenly, a shooting star flew across the night sky as if it were a sign the gods had answered his wishes.