Evening of January 3, 2814 in the Western Continental Calendar

　A twinkling bonfire was burning in the training grounds, and in this place where no one but soldiers usually visit, many nobles and royalty could be seen.

''It looks like they're all pretty bored.

'It can't be helped, after all, there's no spectacle that attracts so much attention in wartime. And they're not the only ones. Even I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

　It's a good idea to have a good time with them.
　It's a very good idea to have a good time with them.
　A gentle grandmother and grandson.
　To the casual observer, the relationship between the two seemed to be exactly like that.

'Oh dear, even Elena-san looks like someone else's problem...'

Of course it is. This is a chance to see what you and your soldiers can do, so why should I care?

　Chuckling at Elena, who smiled cheerfully, Ryoma turned his gaze to the group camped on the opposite side.
　What's about to take place is a friendly match between the Knights of the Parent Guard of the Kingdom of Zaruda and the Baron Mikoshiba family.
　Normally, restrictions are imposed on the armor used to avoid leaving a grudge against each other, but this time, due to the strong wishes of the other side, all restrictions on the armor used have been removed in order to make the match more practical for the actual battle.
　They are clad in steel plate armor and hold a spear in their hands.
　The dull gleam from the blade's barrel showed that the battle that was about to take place was not a match.

It's a good thing that you have a good chance of winning, but don't let your guard down. They are one of the shields and pistols of the Zaruda royal family, and they are planning to kill you and your soldiers?

　Before I knew it, the smile had disappeared from Elena's face.
　Instead, what floats in its place is a steel will.
　It's a face as if she's about to go into battle.

"Elena-san is quite a worrier, isn't she? Do you think I'll have a game to lose?

　Turning her gaze teasingly, Ryouma Elena shook her head with a sigh.

'Are you kidding me?　Of course I know you. I also know that you single-handedly defeated Cale Irunia, one of the finest swordsmen in all of Roselia. But what about the girls? Forget about you. It's not too late for that. You've led a small contingent of skilled mercenaries into the army.

　In response to Elena's question, Ryoma remains silent with a gentle smile on his face.
　Of course, Elena, who is only a reinforcement general, can't settle the situation that has progressed to this point in the conversation.
　Even if Elena has a personal connection to Julian I, she can't exert that much power over the aristocracy and knightly class of the Zaruda Kingdom.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　Even so, Elena couldn't help but check with Ryozen, even though she knew it was useless.
　Elena's gaze turns to the group waiting behind them.
　The soldiers in their eyes were all young.
　Some of the soldiers have an appearance that is more suitable to be described as young than young.
　Not only boys, but also girls could be seen.
　Of course, as far as the care of the armor in their hands was concerned, they were as impressive as skilled mercenaries, but when it came to the actual battle, it was a different story.
　Elena had seen the corpses of young children many times on many battlefields.
　A conscripted peasant soldier.
　A young knight who was a young man and the heir to his family.　
　Whether he wants to or not, on the battlefield, the Reaper's blessing falls on everyone equally, whether they want it or not.
　Status has no meaning there.
　It is an unavoidable reality.
　That's why Elena doesn't want to see a child's corpse outside of the battlefield.
(Though it's only self-satisfaction, after all...)
　Such a self-deprecating thought came to Elena's mind.
　I suppose it is not unrelated to the death of my beloved daughter who was involved in a power struggle in the past.


Now, let's conduct the pregame. Baron Mikoshiba of the Kingdom of Roselia, and the Knight Commander of the Knights of the Paramount Guard of the Kingdom of Zaruda, Lord Orthan Greed. You two, please come to the center.

　When that voice echoed through the training grounds, the hustle and bustle of the surroundings came to a halt.



　At the call of the old aristocrat who served as the referee, Ryoma smiled with a grin and lifted his lips.
　The match was a group fight of five against five.
　According to Count Schwartzheim's strong desire to see if he could handle a group battle as a soldier on the battlefield, rather than his personal skills as a warrior.
　I've been told that Count Schwartzheim is not very pleased with Mikoshiba Ryoma.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market.

''It's okay. You should go and join them in their bets. You can make a lot of money. In fact, I've already made them bet on it...............................oops, keep that one private.

　So, after a small earful to Elena, Ryoma silently made a hand signal to the soldiers behind him and then proceeded to the center of the training grounds.
It seems that Ryoma is biting into the dark gambling going on among the Zaruda nobles.
　It's a crisis for the existence of the Zaruda kingdom, but there are stupid people everywhere.
　It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with your friends and family, because it's not possible to keep up the tension in human beings without adequate rest, so in a way it can't be helped.　
(I'm not the kind of girl to be swayed by my words....... But.........)
　Seeing Ryoma's smile as if he was convinced of his own victory, such thoughts came to Elena's mind.
　If you were on the sidelines, you would think it was inappropriate, but on the other hand, you can't help but make a bet.
　But the person Mikoshiba Ryoma, who can bet on himself in his current state, is not just a man with brazen nerves.
It means there's a chance of success....
　A young man named Mikoshiba Ryoma possesses a wisdom that is as sharp as a blade of ice.
　Elena is well aware of its sharpness.
　By obtaining the help of Elena herself, she was able to accomplish her long awaited revenge.
　Right now, two conflicting feelings were clashing inside Elena.
　The first was as a man of war, who wanted to see how well the soldiers raised by Mikoshiba Ryoma were doing.
　The other is the feeling of a mother who has a child, who does not want to see her young child die.
　The words I just said to Ryoma were both Elena's true feelings.
(I believe in you.............Ryoma-kun)
　Elena stared at Ryoma's back with a gaze full of anticipation and melancholy....


Now, are we both ready to go?

　A white-haired old nobleman appointed to serve as a referee checks in with Ryojin and Greedo.
　This old aristocrat, who is proud of the saga of his youth, has personally come forward as a referee.
　However, in reality, it would be more accurate to say that he is an emcee and an observer of the game rather than a referee.
　Once the match starts, it's impossible for an old man like him to hold back a group of fully equipped knights by force.　
　The most important thing to remember is that this is not the only way to get the best out of the game, but it is also a way for the Zaruda aristocrats to reduce the horror of the carnage that is about to take place, which cannot be called a match.

''Of course.''

　Nodding a few mouths, Greedo turned his cold, disdainful gaze to Ryoma.
　The slightest hint of dissatisfaction with this match appeared on Greedo's face.
''Why should the Royal Contraption, the Parent Guard Knights, have to deal with a child like that?'' he must be thinking.
　Almost all of the people in this training ground are not interested in winning or losing.
　It's a match between a fully equipped knight with a strong physique and a group of young boys and girls.
　They appear to be equipped with sturdy leather armor and a reasonable amount of equipment, but their original physiques are too different.
　The fact that most modern martial arts use a weight class system takes into account the reality that the larger and heavier the body size, the stronger the fighter is.
　The idea of "softly conquering stiffness" is a very famous phrase in judo, but in reality, it is almost always the case that the harder you are, the stronger you are.
　Of course, Greedo may not know such a word, but the way people think is very similar to each other, even though the world is different.
　A game that is a natural to win.
　The thought that it is useless to try to win may be swirling in Greedo's mind.　
　However, it seems that he still has enough sense not to express it openly on the surface.
　The match is held in front of Julian I, the king of the Kingdom of Zaruda.
　Even if you're dissatisfied, you couldn't show your unwillingness to show your attitude to the king.

''Yes, this one is ready whenever you are.

　Greedo's shapely eyebrows twitched up at Ryoma's words as he replied with a gentle smile.

''Very well. 　Is that all right?

　The aristocrat playing the role of referee urged Ryoma and Greedo to move forward.
　Apparently it means to shake their hands before the match.

''Please do so.''

　When Ryoma said that, he held out his right hand to Greedo.
　However, Greedo sniffed at Ryoma as if he was making fun of her and turned his back on her and started to walk away.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one. You are going to say what the hell you are going to say, Commander Greed.

　The old nobleman voiced his surprise and confusion at Greedo's attitude.
　No matter what the reason, it was too uncivil and impolite.

''Excuse me, I don't intend to get into conflict with the enemy before the match so I'll accept your scolding later.

　Greedo replied as if he was going to spit it out with his back turned and then walked away towards his men.

It's a problem. This guy is also severely disliked.

　Ryoma scratched his own cheek with his right hand, which was ignored by Greedo.
　But the expression on his face wasn't as troubling as his words.

Mikoshiba-dono, please don't take this the wrong way.

'Yes, if you're in Mr. Greedo's position, there's no way around it. And it's no fun to be ordered to be our opponent all of a sudden. I hope the old man doesn't mind too much.

　You can find a lot of people who have been in the business for a long time, but you can't get rid of them.
　I have no interest in Greedo's attitude from the bottom of my heart.
　He is, after all, nothing more than bait laid out in front of Mikoshiba Ryoma....

Now, let's get this party started I want you to dance as loud as you can.

　A small murmur escaped from Ryoma's lips.