January 3, 2814 a.m. in the Western Continental Calendar


The Baron, they're in sight. That is the city of Periferia.

　When Ryoma obeyed the voice and looked in the direction of the village girl walking beside him, he saw what looked like a gray dot beyond the plain.
　The small dot gradually became clearer and clearer in its outline as the group moved forward along the street.
　A solid fortified city surrounded by high walls.
　However, as expected of the capital of a country, it is so huge that it cannot be compared to the same fortified city, Ipylos.

''Ah!　Dad,

　The village girl waved happily when she spotted her father at the front of the group coming towards Ryoma and the others from Peripheria.
　Even though it was work, it was natural in a way, since the family had been separated from each other for a few days, but Ryoma couldn't help but chuckle.
　In appearance, the village girl, who should have already reached adulthood, looked extremely young.
(I was quite careful about it, though. Well, it can't be helped...)
　It seemed that the Malfist sisters, who were coming after Ryoma, felt the same way.
　Perhaps the behavior of the village girls is a sign of anxiety and fear.
　These days must have been a constant source of tension for them as they assumed the role of guiding the way to Periferia and heralding the arrival of the newcomers with food and some money as payment.
　Although the extra taxation imposed in the name of wartime had driven their lives to an inexcusable point, being hired by another country's military forces is quite a gamble.
　Even though he had accepted the job with the talk of reinforcing Roselia, it was hard to know if it was really so.
　It is possible that the enemy country is falsely claiming to be our friend.
　If that was the case, the villagers would be executed as traitors. As traitors to their country.
　If they claimed that they were lied to, it would probably be ignored.
　It would be easier for the country to be governed by executions as an example.
　That said, the peasants were better aware of this.
　After all, their own lives were at stake.
　Even if they didn't have the wisdom or knowledge, they understood it instinctively.
　Nevertheless, the only reason why they took Ryojin's proposal was that the village was in danger.

　As the distance between the two sides shrank, and the figure of the group clearly came into view, Ryoma noticed something and raised an eyebrow.
　The man walking at the head of the gang has a fright etched on his face.
　He must have noticed the expression on his father's face. A hint of melancholy appears on his daughter's face as well.
(What?)　(Though it doesn't sound like you're being chased.)
　If he was being pursued by enemy soldiers, he wouldn't be walking so slowly.
　Besides, there are armed knights following behind him.
(Those guys must be Zaruda's knights... why are they scared?)

Ryoma-sama....

　Putting a hand lightly on Saara's head, which was giving her a worried look, Ryoma smiled.

'It's alright. You two stay here ... and you know what I mean?

Have a good day...

　Nodding silently at Laura's words, Ryoma halted his march and advanced alone in front of the knights.
　Whatever the case, if we don't know what's going on, there's nothing we can do about it.......


　As the knights quickly split off to the left and right, a knight on a horse appears in front of Ryojin, with his guards in tow.
　Looking at the armoured helmets worn by the knights, they seem to be quite advanced.
　Moreover, the knights attached to the guards are also dressed in equipment that seems to be of fairly high quality.
(Is it the leader of a knight group or a general?)
　Ryouma's eyes narrowed.
(Why did you bother to bring out such a high-ranking person?　(That's how hard you've been tracked down, you say?

You're Roselia's backup?

　As soon as he saw Liang Zhen's face, a man who seemed to be a high-ranking person came to visit him with a sharp look in his eyes.
　It was quite a disrespectful attitude for a person who had never met him before.
　At the very least, it is not an attitude to direct towards someone who has rushed a long way to reinforce the army.
　However, Ryoma did not make a face at the anger and quietly bowed his head.

I am Mikoshiba Ryoma, Baron of the Roserian Kingdom. I have been ordered by His Majesty Lupith Roserian of the Kingdom of Roselia to send you a reinforcement at the time of your country's crisis. I request an audience with His Majesty King Julian I of the Kingdom of Zaruda, if you will permit me to do so.

　Rei could be said to be almost perfect.
　Considering the fact that he was a nihilistic nobleman, it could be said to be passable enough.
　However, the man in front of him was carelessly trampled on by the man in front of him, the courtesy shown by Ryoshin.
　As he took off his helmet and handed it to the squire behind him, the man turned his sharp gaze behind Ryoma with a jittery look.
　It's a mature man with blond hair cut short.
　I'm not sure if he's in his early to mid-forties, but I'd say he's in his early to mid-forties.
　It's hard to say for sure because of the state of being straddled by a horse, but he has a rather large build.
　A thick wall of flesh.
　It could be said to be closer to a gorilla than to a person.

The actuality of this is that it's not much more than five hundred by the looks of it, but what can you do with such a number of troops?

　The words were released from the man's mouth with a sharp sneer as he fished his lips up into a smile.
　It can be said to be brilliant to grasp the number of troops with just a glance, but no matter how great an ability the man has, it's a high-handed attitude that ruins everything.
　He's not the kind of person you'd want to associate with, apparently.

"Your Majesty, Lupus Roselianus, do you intend to abandon my kingdom of Zaruda?　After repeated requests for reinforcements, they have ignored all our repeated calls for reinforcements, and now, just when you think they are finally sending an army, they send an old man who retired from active duty long ago and a young man who has no idea where he came from.

　The man's words had stopped even trying to keep up appearances any longer.
　If the area around Mertina and Mikhail had heard the words now, there would have been a battle between Zaruda and Roselia.
　To that extent, the man's words are insulting to Lupis.
　But to Ryoma, who had no respect for the Roselia Kingdom or Lupis at all, it was just a meaningless provocation.

''As you said, there are about three hundred troops and about one hundred and fifty people to carry supplies.

Do you have any sense of self-respect, sir?

　A dumbfounded look appeared on the man's face at Ryoma's attitude, which didn't change his expression at all.
(Idiots don't reveal their emotions so easily in public!)
　Ryoma scoffed in his mind at the man's provocation, which was too obvious.
　The important thing is not to show your feelings to them.
　Hiding one's true feelings.
　This is one of the truths that Mikoshiba Ryoma realized from an incident he experienced as a child.
　And it is in this kind of war-torn world that this truth is of real value.

It is a fact that we have failed to respond to your request for over a year. It is also true that the situation in the country is not yet under control, and we have less than three thousand men with the first group of knights led by Lady Elena. I think your country's concern is justified. The only thing we can do is to testify on the battlefield.

"Oh, that's very auspicious if you mean it...

　At Ryoma's words, the man looked at him as if he were trying to price tag him.
　Indeed, if you only listen to the words, it sounds like a rather fancy way of putting it.

You are already participating in the military council in Periferia. You are going to have an audience with His Majesty, and after that you will participate in the military council.

　I don't know if he took Ryoma's words to heart or not, but I'm sure the man's expression relaxed.
(So it's already been set up.... so this guy's attitude is a play... well, it's only natural for them to be curious about us.
　Perhaps, by suddenly insulting him, he was able to infer this from Ryojin's attitude.
　Just the fact that the audience with the king is already scheduled, it's clear.

I'm not sure I've introduced myself yet. I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about. It's nice to meet you.

　When he said that, Grahart turned his horse to Peripheria as if to follow him.

(Well, well, what will happen now?)
　Gazing at Grahart's back, Ryoma took out the gold coins he had prepared from his pocket.　　
　In order to pay a reward to the man on the side of the road whose eyes were black and white because he couldn't grasp the situation.......