Night of November 14, 2813 in the Western Continental Calendar


And then?　Why did you give him those conditions?

　It was about the conditions that Ryouma gave him during the daytime audience.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　It's natural for Lupis to feel itchy and not so much pain.
　You can see that Lupis made an immediate decision on the spot without being called into a meeting with the ministers.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.　Elena.

　Ryoma answered Elena's question with a smile.
　It didn't look very contrary from that expression.
　However, Elena was sure of it.

'Suspicious?　There is no such thing. No, there's too much of it.

　Ryoma couldn't hide his surprise at Elena's increased speech as if to assure him.

''No, what do you mean you can blame me for not having it?''

　That's a natural objection.
　It would still be understandable if there was something suspicious to be questioned, but it was natural to be unconvincing to be questioned when there was nothing suspicious.
　However, Elena's expression did not change.

''Ryoma-kun.......what are you thinking about?''

　His eyes were serious and unwavering.　
　As long as I can't get a satisfactory answer, Elena won't pull back.
(Oh dear.......well, it certainly looks unnatural from Elena-san's point of view?)
　A bitter smile involuntarily appeared on Ryoma's face.
　It's not that there's a great deal of backstory to it.
　It was just a suggestion to increase the infinitely low odds, even a little.
　As long as you go to the battlefield, you will die if you don't do your best.
　And with an army that Ryojin can lead, he is not very powerful enough to influence the outcome of the war.
　I'm not sure how much work a few hundred troops can do on a battlefield where nations clash with each other.
　If they can do it, they can strike a blow-by-blow killing spree through an opening. That's about it.
　The main players on the battlefield would be the knights led by Elena and the supporters of the Mist Kingdom.
　The truth is that they are trying to lower Elena's burden as much as possible.
　Just to make it just a little bit more advantageous for them.
　Even as a nuisance fee, it's unbelievably cheap.
(It can't be helped. If Elena-san gets suspicious, it would be bad for us...)
　Ryoma let out one sigh and asked quietly.

''Is it about the military fund?''

　A month or so of preparation to join the reinforcements in allowing the exiles and commoners living in and around King's Landing and the peninsula to move to the peninsula.
　It seems that the migration of technicians has become a bit of a bottleneck, but still, it's not something that needs to be said out loud.
　The exodus of exiles will restore the security of the deteriorating royal capital, and if it's a month as a preparation period for joining the reinforcements, it can even be said to be rather short.
　If that's the case, Elena is only concerned about the 50 million baht she got from Lupis in the name of military funding.

''Didn't I tell you that we would prepare the armaments and rations?

　Elena turned her probing gaze to Ryoma.
　The name of the military fund is also unnatural and the amount is small.
　Elena understands that the funds are needed for the development of the Woltenia Peninsula, but then it's just a matter of being honest.
　Everyone knows that they are forcing themselves on Liangma.
　No one would complain if you put financial support for the development of the peninsula as a condition for joining the reinforcements.
　There's no need to name it as a military fund under these circumstances.

''True, but if you look at the situation in King's Landing, you're too scared to leave it to me.

What do you mean?

''It means exactly what it says. Your Majesty is not in control of the current royal capital. In your lap?　Do you think you can collect and manage supplies from within the country under those circumstances?

　Elena's face tightens at Ryoma's words.

''Well, it's not like Your Majesty is collecting them directly, but....

　Shrugging her shoulders and giving a chuckle, Elena felt a chill go down her spine.

　It is true that Lupis' reformation has never been successful.
　It's a good idea to say that it's almost a setback.
　Originally, Lupis was the head of the Kingsguard, so he didn't have much contact with the bureaucrats and nobles.
　As a result, the centralization of power to the king, which Lupis aims to achieve, has caused a major backlash against the existing bureaucrats and aristocrats for greatly restricting their authority.
　For them, a political novice who doesn't know anything about left or right is using the king's power as a shield to invade their territory.
　That's all they had in mind.
　If Gerhardt had died, they might have given up on him, but Gerhardt, who had a royal family called Radine, had lowered his title from a duke to a viscount, but in terms of real power, he had become stronger.
　Specifically, the head, the ministerial class, was indeed replaced.
　Led by Zeref, Earl Bergston, and others, the nobles who had spent their unhappy days on the sidelines until now had been appointed.
　But their orders are carried out by middle and lower level bureaucrats who have served since the days when Gerhardt was in power.
　There is no way that the country will be able to run successfully if they turn their backs on them.
　In fact, from the time the decision to reinforce Zaruda was made until now, they had ordered the procurement of supplies, such as armaments and rations, mainly from the royal capital, but only about two-thirds of what was needed had been gathered.
　Of course, you will be able to get supplies from the Kingdom of Zaruda as well, but you can't leave everything to them.
　As long as we go to reinforcements, we can't loot the area, and it's only natural that we will make some preparations on our own.
　In fact, the Mist Kingdom was also followed by a cart full of many supplies behind the army led by the majestic Knights.
　Not to mention food, spare armor and horse tamer. Medical supplies for the wounded soldiers.

''Ryoujin-kun.......you.''

　Elena was at a loss for words.
　The young man in front of her knows what an army is at this young age.
　An army is equal to a giant creature.
　It is a huge beast that only devours vast amounts of goods and does not produce anything of its own.
　As a matter of habit, if there is a shortage of food, the creature known as an army will immediately begin to run amok.
　However, few people understand this.
　The only people who understand this sensation are those in senior positions in the military.
　But while she's surprised, a question comes to Elena's mind.
(This girl........where in the world is she going to get it from?)
　Sure, we need supplies. So I understand what you're saying about war funds.
　But it doesn't matter how much money we have if we can't get people to sell their supplies.
　The amount of goods consumed by the army is outrageous.
　One Order led by Elena and several hundred soldiers led by Ryoma. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get the same amount of goods from the shops in the city.
　There is no other choice than to ask a merchant association of a decent size to do so, but no merchant association would accept such an order from a customer at first glance.
　If you don't have a good track record, no chamber of commerce will be able to undertake such an order.
　It was because stocking up on goods was always a risk.

Oh, it's all right. The only thing left to do is to pay him. All that's left is to pay.

What?

　Elena couldn't help but ask back at Ryoma's words, which were lightly said as if it was nothing.

''I've already spoken to the Chamber of Commerce in Ipylos. Well, we were lucky. That's why we've secured supplies for the next six months here as well.''

Well that's a month, isn't it?

　The young man who smiled leisurely and calmly in front of me had come to this royal capital after making all the preparations.
　I can only assume that he had thought about the possibility of being called up beforehand.
　Ryoma is willingly trying to work for this country.
　That's something to be happy about.
　But considering what he's done in the past, that's not possible.
How long have you been ... no, not since ... no, not at all. What the hell was the point of that?)
　Elena did not ask Ryoma about the questions that arose in her own mind.
　I felt that if I said the words, everything would fall apart.....