Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 26 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Endesia’s Revolution

It had been around ten days since Ecclesia Marinelle entered the fortress city of Jermuk along with three thousand soldiers and large amounts of supplies. In the early afternoon, everyone from the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, as well as Ryoma Mikoshiba and Ecclesia, known as the Whirlwind—one of the Kingdom of Myest’s most powerful generals—gathered in a conference room on the second floor of a fortress in the center of Jermuk. They were listening to a report from the Igasaki clan, which had been spying in Endesia.

“Thus ends our report, Master,” said one of the Igasaki clan’s shinobi, bowing their head deeply toward Ryoma.

“Good work. Stay vigilant. If anything seems off, report it to me immediately,” replied Ryoma.

The shinobi of the Igasaki clan bowed once more before hastily leaving the room. They understood they no longer needed to remain in the room where all the leaders had gathered once they’d completed their duty. After all, the report from the Igasaki clan hinted at an oncoming storm. A heavy silence filled the room after the shinobi left.

The first reason for this silence was the realization and fear that the nation’s brief period of internal stability was about to end. The second reason was that the storm in Myest seemed like it was the beginning of something even greater.

But they knew that already. They had freed Jermuk from the siege held by the allied forces of Brittantia and Tarja and pushed them back to the southern border. However, simply pushing back the enemy did not end the war. In fact, this struggle in Jermuk was wholly unexpected by Ryoma.

“I see... More than ten thousand enemy reinforcements are marching toward the southern border. That means they’ve finally finished their preparations,” muttered Ryoma as he looked up, his arms crossed over his chest. His mind was racing as he tried to come up with their next move.

Leonard Orglen sensed the excitement and joy in Ryoma’s voice and thought, He’s so young, yet so calm. 

The Igasaki clan had reported the enemy’s forces being close to twice that of theirs. There was no telling when the reinforcements from the Kingdom of Myest would arrive. Comparing the two sides, Jermuk’s defenders were at a huge disadvantage. Leonard Orglen was a Rhoadserian noble with ample experience in battle, yet it required a lot of effort from him to remain calm in such a situation. But he sensed no such disturbance in his newly appointed leader. There was no sorrow in Ryoma’s voice. He wore a confident smile, as if eagerly awaiting the impending war.

Well, that’s to be expected. Ryoma Mikoshiba is a monster who triumphed in the civil war between the nobles of Rhoadseria. After using his power to crush the northern subjugation led by Queen Lupis, he backed Queen Radine and put her on the throne... He truly thrives in war. He clearly expected this from the enemy forces. 

Leonard Orglen was aware of the person Ryoma Mikoshiba was and had set aside his pride as a Rhoadserian noble to become a vassal of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. While the Orglen family remained viscounts within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, their status change from direct vassals of the crown to subordinate vassals of another noble could have been considered a kind of demotion.

In modern terms, it was similar to an office worker working at the main company transferring to work at an umbrella company, or a full-time employee becoming a subcontractor. Either way, many people would refer to it as a humiliating downgrade. Few people would wish for such a thing to happen to them...but that didn’t mean there were exceptions to that fact.

There is a high possibility the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy will further expand its influence. This could include the absorption of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria in the process. Such is especially true if Ryoma, the mastermind, is leading the way...

The law of the jungle was one of the main laws on Earth. There was no denying that fact. To deny it, one had no choice but to become the strongest.

This is due to the inevitability of the strong consuming the weak. We should reduce our losses and be absorbed on favorable terms. 

Based on these ideas, Leonard had begun working for the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. If his own country of Rhoadseria were to be attacked, they could use the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy’s power to reduce their losses. The young leader was seemingly living up to his vassal’s expectations. Ryoma kept his arms crossed as he looked up at the ceiling, opening his mouth to speak.

“In that case, we should gather more information on the enemy’s forces... There’s something I wish I could try before the battle. Well, as it’s one of Nelcius’s creations, I doubt there’ll be any issues.”

However, no one in the room knew what Ryoma was talking about. That was evident from the expressions of even the Malfist twins, who sat on either side of Ryoma.

“By gathering more information, do you mean the Igasaki clan infiltrated their ranks? While I’m sure they’ll be able to do just that, they also have a lot of work on their plates. I’m a little worried our information-gathering network could become overextended,” said Laura, looking at Ryoma. Her eyes were filled with conviction, and her doubts were natural. She knew that her master understood this danger already, but she was also curious who they would use to gather information if not the Igasaki clan. Even the newcomer, Leonard, had the same thoughts as Chris Morgan, who sat next to him.

Of course, the Igasaki clan Ryoma employs are incredibly skilled. There’s no mistaking that his sudden rise to power was thanks in part to their organization.

Leonard was well aware of that. Ryoma was a talented strategist, but that alone wasn’t enough to explain his achievements. By gathering information, he could put together more appropriate plans. For that reason, having the correct information was essential.

It’s not only the Igasaki clan who were gathering information. For example, Count Elnan Zeleph spearheaded information gathering on the nobles of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Simone Christoph, the leader of the Christoph company, focused on the movements and financial developments of foreign countries.

But Count Zeleph and the Christoph Company could not gather information on military affairs. The Igasaki clan, led by Gennou and Sakuya, was picking up the slack. Leonard had yet to speak with members of the Igasaki clan directly, though he knew everything he needed to about them.

If information regarding the enemy forces was needed, there would be no other option than to send the Igasaki clan to infiltrate the foe.

Even though they’re skilled at what they do, they have their limits. Besides working on counterintelligence operations in the Wortenia Peninsula, they accompanied Lady Lione to the Kingdom of Xarooda. A simple calculation would reveal his lordship only has about one-third of the Igasaki clan left at his disposal. They’re not only gathering information on Endesia but also guarding our army against enemy agents. Considering the current situation, it’d be considered quite a feat if they could notify us of the enemy army’s movements in advance.

The issue wasn’t with the Igasaki clan’s ability. It was quite literally an issue with not having enough personnel.

Suddenly, Ecclesia realized something from Ryoma’s words and asked, “Are you perchance referring to all that luggage we brought?”

Ryoma wore a mischievous smile as he responded, “Oh yes. I’m sure you’ll be surprised. After all, it’s one of my secret weapons... It’ll take some time to prepare, so I ask that you all look forward to tomorrow.” He laughed aloud.

On the evening of the next day, an experiment was taking place in the courtyard of Jermuk—the first of its kind on Earth. Ryoma was attempting to have a hot air balloon take flight with people aboard. Many would have viewed it as a significant scientific development. It could quite reasonably be called a historical event. It was a moment on par with the first steps of American astronaut Neil Armstrong on the moon or the Wright brothers first airplane flight.

People from the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, including Laura and Sara, surrounded Ryoma. The bystanders watched with great interest.

From the average person’s point of view it’s a huge first step. But in reality, it isn’t even half a step forward, thought Ryoma.

Anyone who had been exposed to the knowledge and benefits of modern society would feel that way. While Ryoma Mikoshiba watched soldiers of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy attach a basket to the balloon envelope, he couldn’t help but smirk. Unlike the excitement and curiosity of those around him, he maintained a slightly calmer demeanor.

However, it was different for those native to Earth. They had yet to harness the capabilities of science, so what was happening here today was close to a miracle from the gods to them.

They probably never even imagined people could soar through the sky. 

That said, the first instance of flight had already taken place in this world. During the recent northern subjugation, Sakuya Igasaki and her subordinates had achieved flight in their mission to the fortress city of Epirus.

Though that much is kept secret. No one else knew about it apart from Lady Helena. This means that our first official reveal of flight is today. Well, it was to be expected. I wanted to keep this trump card of mine hidden away, just like the binoculars. 

A weapon referred to as a trump card could be employed in a couple different ways. One of these was concealing its existence and using it out of the public eye. That was more for a type of weapon that one didn’t want anyone to have any knowledge of. One could equate this to a chemical or biological weapon in modern times. Usually, people kept these weapons a secret until they were ready to use them.

In contrast to that approach, one could also leverage a new weapon by proactively announcing and demonstrating what one had.

A modern example of this would be nuclear weapons. Instead of using them, one would flaunt them and show them off, aiming to intimidate their opponents and lower their morale. It was essentially a weapon whose value lay more in its ability to threaten others, rather than its functionality on the battlefield. The exact workings of the technology might be a secret, but the weapon’s existence was something to be actively publicized.

In short, the qualities and uses of powerful new weapons varied significantly. In this case, Ryoma’s trump card had been something that he didn’t want to show off to others.

Showing off this technology creates a risk of others learning to copy it.

Earth was behind in technology compared to Rearth. The average level of civilization here wasn’t quite worthy of being called “primitive.” Rather, they were barely medieval, perhaps close to the tenth century. In comparison, people in modern developing countries lived relatively civilized lives.

However, that doesn’t mean all of Rearth is far behind Earth. 

A prime example of this would be the art known as thaumaturgy, a general term that encompassed three types: martial, verbal, and endowed. Among those, Ryoma felt that verbal thaumaturgy had the hidden potential to revolutionize the way of life in this world from the ground up. However, only creativity and imagination could unlock this hidden potential. The best way to evoke such qualities was to combine two different objects. So, the combination of a person from Earth and a person from Rearth was a good opportunity for a huge technological development.

If we proceed without restraint, the technology may be leaked to our enemies. Since we won’t be able to monopolize the technology, we’ll just have to prepare countermeasures. 

Modern society strongly prioritized information disclosure and collaborative development of technology. Companies working together to widen their business operations were a result of this trend. Similarly, in the IT world, there was open-source software. Programmers would share their source code, which led to further developments. Famous chefs would also share their prized recipes in cookbooks too.

It was undeniable that revealing once-hidden techniques and the like would lead to a healthy rivalry, contributing to further technological advancements. Keeping technology hidden away wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn’t necessarily good either. It was truly a multifaceted issue.

Just like every light had its shadow, good things were accompanied by bad things.

Ryoma didn’t think that revealing all information was beneficial. At the very least, he didn’t think he should have to reveal everything unconditionally.

Although people talk of freedom of information in modern society, the reality of the situation is that only a small fraction of information is readily available. 

Freedom of information led to healthy competition, which resulted in superior products. However, there were also technologies that were also technology sectors that didn’t publicly share their data. Information regarding security was a perfect example of this. No company would willingly reveal the inner workings of their locks, because they wanted to make locks that criminals couldn’t pick.

If such a company did share all their secrets, people would question their sanity, and in a worst-case scenario, they would be viewed as accomplices to criminals. The same applied to independent locksmiths. Anyone would naturally worry that sharing locksmithing secrets would spark a rapid increase in robberies and break-ins, and this would take priority over the possibility that sharing that information could lead to advancements in lock technology.

Such logic applied to martial thaumaturgy too.

Secret skills are paramount to war. If you want to defeat the enemy and survive, teaching your techniques to many people is dangerous.

In Chinese martial arts, there was a system known as baishi, in which a disciple underwent a ritual in order to have a pseudofilial relationship with their master. The relationship differed from that of a regular disciple, not only with how they were trained but also the techniques they were taught.

During the Edo period, Japan was divided into various provinces, each governed separately. Within those provinces, there were martial arts schools known as goryu or “secret styles.” These were exclusive to each province and were only passed down within the province. It was forbidden to show the school’s techniques to outsiders or spread its teachings beyond the provincial border.

Contests between different martial arts schools were outright banned. They practiced isshisoden, which ensured techniques were only taught to one successor. This was the ultimate outcome of prioritizing keeping such techniques secret.

Why were techniques not shown to outsiders and spread beyond the border? It was to prevent enemies from learning their skills. If the main goal was to defeat the enemy and ensure one’s survival, information had to be kept strictly hidden away. On the other hand, advertising themselves and showcasing their techniques was necessary if martial artists wanted to bring in a lot of students and generate income. This method of promotion would then generate interest from others.

Conversely, sports that generated revenue as a form of entertainment had to be widely publicized to attract spectators. This was true of combat sports like boxing as well as martial arts such as judo and karate.

Of course, it wasn’t about which was good or bad. For-profit sports simply followed a different thought process than martial arts. Current combat sports and martial arts were incredibly similar, but they differed incredibly in their end goals.

From that point of view, showing off the technology we have is a bad move. Lady Ecclesia is a general of the alliance, but she is still a person from another country.

Members of the alliance were allies for now. There was a possibility they would remain friendly for a hundred or a thousand years. But it was also possible that they’d become enemies tomorrow.

I may be overthinking this, though.

Had Ryoma and his allies simply thought sharing their technology was fine and gone ahead with everything, they would be unable to recover if it backfired. That applied to leading a country as well as the everyday operations of an office.

That said, I can’t really use the balloon without making it known. It might even be more impactful if I publicly announce it. 

If Ecclesia believed the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy should be feared, then that was all the better.

“Master, the preparations are completed,” said one of the soldiers, updating Ryoma on the status of the hot-air balloon.

Ryoma nodded, then turned his gaze to the Malfist sisters. “All right. Laura, Sara, are you both ready?”

The twins nodded in response.

“Yes, I have a good understanding of how the burner works.”

“All good here. I’ve already connected to my sister’s Wezalié’s Whisper.”

Ryoma nodded in approval and bellowed, “Then let us begin!”

Laura and two specially selected soldiers made their way onto the gondola, then approached a box that resembled a chimney in the middle of it. They put their hands near it and activated the mechanism. The hot-air balloon took around ten minutes to build up enough lift, at which point the gondola slowly began to rise into the air.

“Oh, it’s really flying...” said Ecclesia, awestruck at the sight before her. Ryoma grinned when he saw her expression.

I expected she’d react like this...

The envelope contained the hot air. A contraption in the center had been charged with endowed thaumaturgy, making it produce hot air in the place of a conventional burner and giving the hot-air balloon its buoyancy. It began to gradually rise higher and higher.

After a while, the hot-air balloon finally pushed through the clouds. It was around one thousand meters high in the sky. The hot-air balloon also had endowed thaumaturgy that made it blend in with its surroundings. To the naked eyes of Ryoma and the others, it now looked like a smudge on the blank canvas they called the sky.

“So, how is it? Any issues?” Ryoma asked.

“No issues, I have a clear connection to them up there,” Sara answered.

Ryoma nodded in response.

Sara then focused on the Wezalié’s Whisper she was wearing and said, “Sis, can you hear me? Yes... I can hear you perfectly fine too... Loud and clear.”

There was no speaker function on Wezalié’s Whisper, so only Sara could hear her conversation with Laura, which was a little inconvenient. But requesting such a helpful feature at that point would be unreasonable.

It definitely has room for improvement. Even so, it’s a valuable piece of equipment that puts us ahead of our enemies. No other device on Earth functions like Wezalié’s Whisper, allowing us to communicate with others over great distances.

Ecclesia’s expression conveyed unmistakable surprise as she watched Sara communicate with Laura, who was soaring through the air in the hot-air balloon. Ryoma ignored Ecclesia’s reaction as she shifted her gaze at the trump card above.

We won’t need to worry about enemies noticing us at that high altitude.

Naturally, there was no antiaircraft technology on Earth. The only way their enemies could attack the hot-air balloon was to either fire arrows or use verbal thaumaturgy. Though, it was best to never say never.

There have been times where people successfully landed long-distance attacks...

Ryoma was not the negligent type. His caution made sense, especially as he had never once expected to be shot from a distance with a gun. That incident was a painful lesson in understanding that nothing was truly impossible. Consequently, the hot-air balloon was made of materials gathered from the monsters that resided in the Wortenia Peninsula. The materials were so strong and durable that they could repel bullets, but Ryoma knew that didn’t guarantee the balloon was invincible.

The chances are low, but a missile on the level of an FIM-92 Stinger has turned up somewhere on Earth. 

Even if such technology had wound up on Earth, there was also a low chance that anyone could use it effectively. Still, Ryoma knew to avoid needless risks. Worrying too much about a hypothetical situation was also foolish.

“I see... All right, begin scouting. What can you see?” Ryoma asked via Sara.

“Enemies far south,” Laura answered.

“How far?”

Laura took out her binoculars as well as a measuring instrument to swiftly calculate the distance and relayed it to Sara.

“Approximately thirty kilometers away, there’s around one hundred thousand soldiers. In addition, they seem to have siege weapons among their ranks.”

A hundred thousand soldiers...? Ryoma thought as he clicked his tongue. So they were waiting for reinforcements...including siege weapons.

Siege weapons came in a variety of forms, ranging from battering rams designed to knock down gates to ladders intended to help soldiers scale walls. There was a siege weapon for every purpose.

There is a high chance that they’ll use the battering ram to break down the gates, then storm the fortress.

Regardless of type, all siege weapons required a huge amount of resources and money. In other words, it was plain to see the enemy’s objective with all the siege weaponry they brought.

They have more soldiers than what we can see, so they may have another fifty thousand soldiers taking up the rear, putting their numbers to one hundred and fifty thousand. Worst-case scenario, there’s a possibility they have up to two hundred thousand soldiers.

That was a rough estimate of Ryoma’s as he had no idea of the exact number. The enemy general was no fool, however. If anything, it was more accurate to consider them as very sharp and good at their job. The defenders of Jermuk would need to be ready for the enemy’s next attempt to capture the fortress city.

The Brittantia-Tarja force is the type to orchestrate a siege on Jermuk to act as bait, wait for their reinforcements to arrive, and attack their enemies on an open field.

In the end, Ryoma’s outlandish scheme had succeeded, evening the playing field. If it had gone wrong, it could have easily resulted in the enemy forces eliminating Ryoma’s forces and winning the battle. Of course, their strategist wouldn’t have had all the information he needed on Ryoma’s forces.

Despite the Igasaki clan’s talents, they could not prevent all information from leaking. Even if the enemy forces didn’t have the exact number of Ryoma’s soldiers, they still had a passably accurate rough estimate.

With me breaking through their encampment and entering the castle, they should know that the Jermuk forces are around forty thousand soldiers stronger now. 

If so, the enemy would presume that the Jermuk forces were now over fifty thousand, a huge jump from the initial twenty thousand soldiers.

In addition to that, Brittantia and Tarja should have also added the reinforcements from the Kingdom of Myest into their equations. If they plan to capture Jermuk, they’d probably act before the rest of Myest’s reinforcements arrive. If they’re hoping to defeat us on an open field, they are probably preparing for a large-scale battle. That is a little hard to imagine, and I doubt they have much leeway in their logistics. 

Nearly three months had passed since the war started. In that time, the campaign against Jermuk had consumed a lot of war matériel and rations. That wasn’t a trivial matter to Brittantia and Tarja. Although they were two of the strongest of the southern nations, they were originally rather poor countries.

Myest depends on resources imported from other countries. According to Simone’s reports, there was no sign of Brittantia and Tarja doing so. There is a high chance that they’ve imported relevant goods in secret, which is impressive considering it’s nearly impossible to slip through her information network unnoticed.

Myest wouldn’t immediately run out of resources, but they also didn’t have much leeway. The enemy general ideally wouldn’t wish for a long campaign.

If Myest mobilizes more soldiers for a long struggle, that’ll mean more resources will be needed, thought Ryoma. It might be better for him to stay huddled in the fortress city than to appear on the open field. According to Ecclesia, Alexis Duran will soon arrive with reinforcements... We should be able to hold it out until then with the Fire Drake’s Breath I brought. 

That was his formula for victory, constructed using several sources of information. At the very least, he felt it was the best option they had. Ryoma Mikoshiba—a mere mortal, not a god—had no idea that within a week it would turn out to have been the worst option he could have chosen.

The sun was nearing its apogee. Gentle rays rained down on the ground, generously bestowing the blessings of the sun upon all life. White clouds lazily drifted across the clear blue sky. It was a peaceful, calm day, perfect to pass the time by lying in the fields and enjoying the cool, comfortable breeze.

However, the tragedy about to take place on this day in the Kingdom of Myest belied the apparent calm and peacefulness present.

“Your Majesty, His Excellency the prime minister requests an audience with you,” announced the lone soldier guarding the office door. King Phillip, the monarch of the Kingdom of Myest, was sitting at his desk working through some documents. He stopped writing, looked up, and stared at the clock on his desk.

“Oh, it’s that time already... That’s fine, bring him through,” responded King Phillip.

The door to the office opened soon after, and a man came into the room.

“You’re here, Prime Minister Spiegel,” said Phillip, standing up from his chair to welcome his vassal.

It was fair to say it was a rather excessive gesture, especially as his guest was just a prime minister. However, they were in the king’s personal office. This wasn’t a formal meeting with nobles in attendance, so he was relatively free to do what he wished. He looked at his half brother and nodded to himself.

“Owen... I owe you so much. As the king and your brother, I am incredibly pleased with your achievements.” King Phillip’s words expressed heartfelt praise and gratitude. Yet, Prime Minister Spiegel calmly refused such compliments from his half brother.

“Please, Your Majesty... I have done nothing of note. Ecclesia Marinelle and General Duran are the ones deserving of your praise. She put together the army mobilization plans, and he saw them through. You need not compliment me, but rather those two,” remarked Spiegel.

Organizing reinforcements for Jermuk had proved to be a difficult task. The conflict among the nobles due to financial discrepancies between the northern and southern nobles posed a danger that could shake the very foundations of the nation. Arranging for reinforcements from the southern nobles required a great amount of bargaining ability.

Because Ecclesia was a noble of House Marinelle, a viscount family based in the northern part of Myest, there was a lot of backlash from the southern nobles. Thus, it took some time to gather reinforcements to send to Jermuk. It was also true that General Duran, who took over for Ecclesia and carried on the plan, had also yielded incredibly successful results.

No matter how brilliant a plan Ecclesia had put together, it would have been an entirely different story if it had gone ahead without Alexis Duran. Prime Minister Spiegel was correct in insisting that the two of them receive praise for their work. However, Phillip calmly shook his head in response to his half brother.

“What are you saying? I know that you have done a lot during this national crisis. Securing supplies for the soldiers heading to Jermuk must have been difficult. Not to mention, it must have been quite a feat getting General Duran to return to his duties... While I understand that Ecclesia and General Duran have achieved a lot, I don’t think that means I have to reject your own achievements. Have more confidence, my dear brother... I will bestow you with a most suitable gift to match your achievements once this is all over. You can count on that,” said Phillip, opening both arms wide and pulling his beloved brother into an embrace.

There was a sense of both sadness and pity in Phillip’s words. In reality, his half brother Owen Spiegel was a beloved family member to him, but in a different sense to his niece Ecclesia.

Until now, Owen has always been in a difficult position as the child of a concubine... As a result of his mother’s family losing a political battle with the northern nobles, their family wasn’t well-off, so he rarely had any support from his family, thought Phillip.

Despite both being the sons of a king, there was a distinct and undeniable difference between them, namely the power of their mothers’ families, which significantly shaped their upbringing. The nature and frequency of gifts sent from their families differed greatly, as did the number of nobles who sought a connection with each prince. As a result, it was common for royal children who had no support from their mother’s family to lose their place in the line of succession.

Of course, the child’s ability and personality also played a huge part in the outcome of the struggle for the throne. The king wasn’t the feebleminded eldest son; it was, in fact, the talented youngest son who had inherited the throne. However, it was true that situations involving a great disparity in ability were incredibly rare. Since royal children all received the same education, it was inevitable that their abilities would be largely similar.

That meant that when deciding the next candidate in the line of succession, the influence and power of their mothers’ family would be a huge deciding factor. Although Owen Spiegel was a royal family member and in the line of succession, because he didn’t receive any support from his mother’s side of the family, other nobles saw no value or potential in him. It was only natural for them to want to take the side of the obvious winner. As a result, Spiegel had a strange childhood in which nobles publicly ridiculed and insulted him.

That was why I chose Owen as my prime minister. I tried my best to properly acknowledge him... However, he’s always felt rather reserved and a little unfriendly.

Phillip never once thought he had made a mistake making Owen Spiegel prime minister. He was well aware that because Owen was the son of a concubine, the nobles often spoke behind his back, half out of jealousy for his position and half from distaste for his background. Regardless, Prime Minister Spiegel had performed well at his tasks. Phillip had no complaints regarding his aptitude for politics, nor did he doubt the prime minister’s loyalty. However, King Phillip couldn’t help but feel that even though Spiegel shared the same blood, he held himself somewhat aloof at all times.

I’ve tried to reward him countless times, but he always refuses. I wonder if it’s to avoid criticism from those around him?

Owen Spiegel held this avoidance of criticism as one of his main worldly wisdoms. Phillip was painfully aware of that fact, causing him to feel sadness and pity for Spiegel. His brother was forced to prioritize his image and to restrain himself where possible.

But today, Prime Minister Spiegel responded differently.

“Is that so? Well, Your Majesty... No, I mean, brother. May I be so rude to ask for a reward? It’s something only you can give me.”

When Phillip heard those words, he felt an inexplicable chill run through him, causing him to thrust prime minister Spiegel to one side, out of his embrace. However, Phillip felt a cold object thrust into his left side. He then sensed it turn inside of him, his organs twisting along with the cold, sharp object. All the strength left his body as his vision began to blur. He was only barely able to make out the twisted, evil expression his half brother wore.

“Why...? Wh-Why...?” mumbled the king of Myest as his body slumped to the floor. His half brother, Spiegel, looked down as he stood over him.

“And with that, I accept your gift... The title of king...” said Spiegel, dropping the dagger on the floor close to Phillip’s dead body. He then took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood off his hands.

“I see the job is done,” a man’s voice came from behind Spiegel.

“Yes, as you can see. I killed my brother, the king, with my own hands...” said Spiegel, turning around to face Alexis Duran. Blood, clearly from the guard outside the office door, coated the sword Alexis was holding.

“Now, we’ll proceed as planned.”

“Yes... Hurry up and get it over with.” Prime Minister Spiegel closed his eyes. He was prepared for what was to come next, and all that was left was for him to play his role.

“Relax... It’s fine!” General Duran casually swung his sword.

A moment later, he glanced at Prime Minister Spiegel lying on top of Phillip’s corpse, then kicked the windows wide open and began to raise the alarm.

“Impostor! Someone has attacked His Majesty and His Excellency the Prime Minister!” The words acted as a cue. Soon, fires blazed throughout the royal palace, engulfing the royal capital, Endesia, in a whirlwind of chaos and madness.

That night, the fortress of Jermuk was in uproar, like a beehive that had been disturbed.

“What’s going on?! What do you mean, the king was killed?” Word from Endesia had reached the soldiers. The king had been assassinated, and Owen Spiegel was to take the throne immediately.

The king suddenly dying while they were at war was startling news. Additionally, they heard that several fires had broken out across the royal palace and in the city around the same time. None of the soldiers could keep their composure; they chattered anxiously among themselves, comparing theories and trying to deduce what had happened. While they had no idea what was happening, people were afraid to keep their mouths shut and remain quiet. Each time they spoke about something they had very little knowledge of, the lines between reality and hearsay continued to blur, which only fueled new rumors and speculation.

“What do you mean he was assassinated?!”

“I find it hard to believe too, but a messenger just announced a new king will be appointed a moment ago. I wouldn’t make a joke about something as serious as that! A capital crime of all things!”

The soldiers nearby were left speechless. No one would lie about the death of a monarch. In fact, it was more accurate to say that no one could do such a thing. Contrary to the modern world, speaking ill of or criticizing someone above oneself in a hierarchy was incredibly dangerous, and could result in one losing their own life. Criticizing the country’s politics was a surefire way to put one’s life on the line.

Everyone had an inclination to play critic of the government sometimes, such as complaining about taxes while having a drink at the bar, but even that in itself was dangerous. At the very least, complaining while at the tavern would usually be overlooked. The government knew it was the commoners’ way of letting off steam. However, in areas where the nobles were particularly strict, one could face imprisonment for voicing the very same complaints. Hence, it was dangerous to let such thoughts slip. Joking or gossiping about one’s monarch dying was simply not a laughing matter. Others could misconstrue such a thing as a sign of disloyalty.

If someone were to overhear such a rumor, the person who started it would be tried as a traitor and face execution by hanging or decapitation. The perpetrator would be lucky to even get a trial, and in most cases, before one could stand trial, they were often tortured to death. However, it wouldn’t end with the main culprit being punished. One’s friends and family could be ordered to work as slaves or, in some cases, would also face the death penalty. It made no difference if they were young or old, women or men. It was a heavy price to pay for such a minor slip of the tongue. Strangely, the gravity of this crime was compelling evidence that the messenger from Endesia had spoken only the truth. The common soldiers were filled with uncertainty. Given the news of their king’s death and Owen Spiegel replacing him, the soldiers naturally hesitated to carry on with their duties as if things were normal. Understandably, they were eager to seek the culprit.

“Who was behind it?!”

“No one knows... There’s a high chance it was either Brittantia or Tarja, but it could have also been the O’ltormea Empire.”

“Well, I heard it was an assassin sent by the northern nobles.”

“Don’t be stupid. Do you really think they’d aim for the king’s life at a time like this?”

The soldiers continued to share baseless speculations. But the longer they spoke, the more it sounded like the truth to them. The soldiers were well aware of the wealth disparities and strife between the northern and southern nobles within the Kingdom of Myest. Regardless, they found it difficult to imagine that someone from within the nation would stage an assassination while Myest was at war with Brittantia and Tarja. Even a child should have been able to work out the logic behind the assassination, yet the soldiers struggled to understand this obvious logic for some reason.

Putting the bickering of the soldiers aside, Ryoma Mikoshiba was lost in his thoughts within the fortress city of Jermuk. The Malfist sisters, who were often by his side, were nowhere to be seen.

“They finally made their move... While I don’t know who orchestrated it, they finally went ahead and caused political chaos within Endesia,” said Ryoma. “It’ll probably take a few days for Ecclesia to calm down. I’ve nothing to do but come up with a counterplan.”

The events had deeply unsettled Ecclesia, so she locked herself in her room after hearing the news. Phillip was not only her beloved sovereign but also her uncle. They were more than just lord and vassal; they were family, and it was a real bond, not a matter of blood alone. When Ecclesia’s father passed and she took over House Marinelle, her uncle Phillip looked after her, caring for her every need. His death was basically the same as losing her father again. Because she lost someone so close to her, the valiant woman known as the Whirlwind could not maintain her composure.

It’s understandable, considering she learned a loved one had passed. Rumors are even spreading that this was done by none other than the northern nobles.

Whether that was true, it was still hurtful for Ecclesia, who owned land in the northern territories of the Kingdom of Myest, to know that such rumors were circulating among the soldiers. And that serious blow she suffered could also undermine Ryoma’s meticulously put-together plan.

Ryoma scratched his head as he recalled Ecclesia’s reaction to the news. It was a rare sight and a sign that he was irritated. However, it was a reasonable response. The Kingdom of Myest’s politics would change depending on who carried out the assassination.

And just how will that turn out? Worst-case scenario, the Kingdom of Myest chooses to leave the four-kingdom alliance...

At this point, that was just conjecture. There was also a chance that nothing would actually change. It was possible the people of the Kingdom of Myest would be so outraged over the assassination of their monarch that they would quickly unite under their new king. There was no particular reason to assume they would leave the four-country alliance spearheaded by the Kingdom of Helnesgoula, nor that they would change their approach to dealing with the O’ltormea Empire.

Ryoma had little information on Owen Spiegel, the man who was reportedly assuming the throne of the Kingdom of Myest. Moreover, he had other pressing matters at hand.

I planned to wage war from the safety of Jermuk’s walls, but that’s now impossible.

Before proceeding, it was necessary to resolve several issues. These included the following: securing provisions, weapons, and other supplies for the army; shoring up and repairing the city’s defenses; and confirming when reinforcements would arrive. Indeed, there were too many pressing matters to count. If Ryoma were asked which of those were the most important, he would confidently answer that it was the morale of the soldiers.

Even if people were starving, we had no weapons, and there were no reinforcements coming, we would be able to continue to fight. As long as their resolve to defeat the enemy didn’t waver...

That said, it gave people a sense of security to have weapons and resources piled high in storage, and they would hold out if they knew that reinforcements would be coming eventually. Knowing relief was in sight did wonders for a person’s state of mind. Simply put, what faced Ryoma now was a question of how best to keep the soldiers motivated. While the availability of resources and the promise of reinforcements were important, those weren’t enough to keep a soldier’s morale high. Ryoma could meet all their material needs, but if he couldn’t keep their morale up, it would be impossible to fight successfully.

Morale is currently at its worst right now. The bad news shook and horrified Jermuk’s original garrison and the three thousand reinforcements Ecclesia brought.

Nothing could come of battling right now. Ryoma had to consider the possibility that deserters from Jermuk would leak information to their enemies in order to save themselves. Even if the soldiers did no such thing, Ryoma still had to keep the possibility of that happening in the back of his mind. It was akin to fighting an enemy but always having to watch your back. Under such circumstances, while they could use the fortress to protect themselves, there was no way they could match an opponent whose army was almost three times the size of theirs.

Moreover, I have no idea what’s happening with further reinforcements from Endesia.

Were they still going to deploy? If they did, when would they arrive? Ryoma had no answer for either question.

In any case, we should be getting more official news from the capital soon. Once I combine that with a report from the Igasaki clan lurking in Endesia, I should have a better picture of the situation. 

Ryoma hadn’t anticipated any of this happening. He had seemingly made the right choice in sending some of the Igasaki clan to keep an eye on things in the royal capital.

We can’t do anything if Myest doesn’t send reinforcements. They’ll prioritize getting the nation back on its feet after having their monarch assassinated. Regardless of whether the rumors circulating that the northern nobles were behind the attack are true, the new king will want to keep his soldiers nearby... 

Even if the government dispatched reinforcements to Jermuk, it would probably be a much smaller force than originally anticipated.

According to Ecclesia, they had around one hundred thousand soldiers ready to deploy. I’d be happy to get half of that... But I imagine we’ll probably get around three thousand in a worst-case scenario.

In order to completely rout the enemy, Ryoma would need around one hundred thousand men. If the objective was to stay within the walls of Jermuk and endure a siege, waiting for the enemy’s resources to run out would be fundamental. It wouldn’t be impossible to calculate if that fight could be done with about eighty thousand men in addition to the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy’s numbers.

But if Alexis Duran decides to send the majority of the assembled forces our way... Then there’s a high chance my intuition was correct. 

Ryoma was thinking about the worst-case scenario among the possibilities he’d envisioned. During his planning, he considered it a fairly ridiculous possibility. At this stage, it was no longer so far-fetched a prospect.

It’s not like all these thoughts are just a misunderstanding of mine, nor is it a trap simply to make me think that. 

Trusting people too much was a bad move, but unfairly doubting them was equally bad. What was important was ascertaining whether someone could be trusted.

I need hard evidence, otherwise I won’t be able to get Lady Ecclesia to cooperate with me. Plus, if I am completely wrong about this, it’ll open up an irreparable rift between me and the Kingdom of Myest.

He needed to decide what course of action to take fast, yet in the realm of diplomacy, he couldn’t always prioritize speed. If he went full speed ahead and made a decision without all the information, it could lead to a meaningless war.

But I must prepare.

Ryoma Mikoshiba would need to make a clear decision soon. The question was, when exactly would that day come, and what decision would he make? If he mistook the timing, it could lead to Ryoma dying in Jermuk.

He holds the key, thought Ryoma as he pictured the face of a particular man.