You've done a very good job of following difficult orders. Good job, Kevin. Did anyone else get hurt?

　With as much dignity as possible, Mikoshiba Ryoma called out to the five people kneeling in front of him.
　Even so, his words were filled with genuine concern for the five men's bodies.
　Ryoma basically wished for a more friendly interaction, but Rionne had pointed out to him that he should treat the soldiers with more dignity.
　A few months later. Although it still makes him feel a little awkward, his behavior as an aristocrat has become much more boarded up.
　Basically, Ryouma has an aversion to authority figures, but in the class society of the Earth World, if he shows a friendly attitude towards the commoners, he will be belittled by the surrounding nobles and knights.
(I think it's just a silly vanity...)
　However, while I thought so, I also understood that a certain amount of discipline was necessary.
　It is impossible to gain the trust of the soldiers with an arrogant and arrogant attitude, while military discipline cannot be maintained with the way you flatter the soldiers.

"What a waste of words. Oyagata-sama.

　At the same time as Kevin's reply, who bowed his head deeply as he said that, the four men who were standing behind him also bowed their heads with one knee down on the spot to show their respect.
　Goyagata-sama is the honorific title that Kevin and the other soldiers call Mikoshiba Ryoma.
　The Baron-sama gives the impression of being a nobleman, which Ryoma himself doesn't really like, but the young master and the lord of the house also feel something different.
　He couldn't call him a boy like Rionne, so he finally settled on Miyagata-sama, a name the Igazakishu had come to use.
　In fact, Ryoma lives in a mansion built in the center of the town of Seirios, so it's not a mistake.

''We managed to achieve our lives without using our trump card.

　Ryoma nodded wordlessly at Kevin's words as he answered while running his hand over the vial lowered behind his waist.
　It was one of the trump cards he had prepared for the upcoming battle, but he managed to achieve his goal without using it.
　I'm sure you'll find a satisfied smile on Ryoma's face as he stands behind her.
　A soldier that he himself hand-raised from zero.
　To Lionet and the Red Lion's mercenaries, he's like a child of their own.
　It's not hard to be happy to see that power visibly demonstrated.

It's easy to win if you use it out of the blue, but if you use it, you'll have a lot of trouble with Zaruda in the future.

　The trump card he gave to Kevin and the others, in addition to his mastery of the legal arts and the coordination of his squad.
　The reason why Ryoma was confident before the start of the match that he could win at worst.
　It wasn't difficult to gain victory if he used it.
　But it's a double-edged sword.
　It is obvious that if you use it on the battlefield, even if it is nominal, some people will shout "coward" if you use it in a match.
　It's different from hiding the fact that you've mastered a legal technique in order to catch the enemy off guard.
(Well, it's no surprise that they chose these five people because they thought they could win without using that guy.
　Kevin and his friends have the physical strength gained from living under the threat of the monsters on the Woltenia peninsula, and the skills they've developed through daily rigorous training. On top of that, Kevin and the others have a strong sense of cohesion and an insistence on survival, having risen from the same situation.
　It's not a bad idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the marketplace.

''Yes, I was warned by Laura-sama about that beforehand.......that I would only use it if I felt I would inevitably lose.......''

　The four people behind him gave a small nod at Kevin's words.
　What comes to the eyes of the five of them is the light of reason. And a certain determination to fulfill their mission, even if it means giving up their own lives.
　It is proof that they understand the role they have been given.
　This is an achievement that cannot be achieved by simply commanding the commoners from on high.　
(So I wasn't wrong. The best thing that could happen is a draw with no one to beat and these guys know what that means. And so does my dad........)
　As he looked at the backs of the five men leaving the tent, the face of Julianus I came to Ryojin's mind.

　It was obvious that losing was unacceptable, but winning this match was never the best outcome either.
　If the only goal is to enhance Mikoshiba Ryoma's personal fame, then winning the match is fine, but the best thing to do is to make the onlookers recognize the power of Ryoma and his team and then cancel the match before it is settled.
　I was going to suggest it when the timing was right, but the fact that Julianus I made the decision on his own is a pleasant miscalculation.
　To be honest, at first, Ryoujin didn't have much expectation of Julianus I, who has a reputation for being a mediocre king, but his opinion of Julianus I has changed little by little since he met him during his audience.
He is sensitive to where the victory or defeat is going and chooses the choice that will hurt him the least.
　It's easy to put into words, but doing so requires self-control to not give in to your own greed.

''So far it's been on schedule........''

　As Ryouma sat deep in his chair and relaxed, Saara called out to him.

''Oh, somehow this will ensure that we won't be ignored by them when we make our offerings at tomorrow's war council.

　Taking a gulp of the red wine poured into the glass, Ryoma exhales deeply.

''And it's fortunate that we found out that His Majesty the King is more shrewd than we thought,''

''I felt that too. Ryouma-sama, after all, His Majesty was able to stop the match there...''

　Laura nodded at Rionne's words.

'I think he understood that he couldn't afford to lose. The proof is that he didn't order the referees to stop the game, he ordered Grahart to interrupt directly. He saw that I wasn't going to complain.

　Because he saw through Ryoushin's true intentions, Julianus announced the cancellation of the match without any prior consultation.

It's not only that, but they also tried to expose the parasite that is eating away at your body. It's definitely a sharp guy.

　At Rionne's words, Ryoma sharply clicked his tongue.

It's a good thing that you're a raccoon father. He saw through our intentions and used us.

　But Ryoma isn't as grumpy as his words.
　Saara pours wine into an empty glass.

''Maybe the boy's plan will pay off.

Yeah, I was skeptical about whether or not I could pull this off myself, but now we have a chance. It looks like the fact that I got Lupis' permission beforehand will not be wasted.

　At Rionne's words, Ryoma lifted his lips and laughed.

''The rest depends on tomorrow's military council........''

　At Saara's words, Ryoma silently tilted the wine glass in his hand.
　The lamp lights floating on the surface of the red wine poured into the glass twinkling bewitchingly while looking at it happily.......


It's an unexpected result...

　At the man's words, the people around him shouted their approval.

''I never thought it would turn out this way at all.

'The Greedo guy is sloppy too. I can't believe he's got nothing but men to lose to a kid like that.

　Eight men sit around a round table in a room of a certain nobleman's mansion that stands under a castle.
　If you look at their clothing, you can see that they are all high-ranking aristocrats.
　No, if you look at the arrogance etched on their faces, it's easy to see what they are really like.

''Your Excellency.......what do you intend to do? This match was deliberately set up by us in order to drive a wedge in the relationship between Zaruda and Rosellia. That won't satisfy her with such a half-hearted result.　

'Exactly. This makes no sense for me to have bothered to spank that stubborn man.

　At those words, laughter rises from the mouths of the men around the round table.
　It's a malicious laugh that mocks the clown.

''Count Schwartzheim, it's a comical thing. That man's behavior in the audience room. I was trying my best to hold back the gush.

Absolutely. I can't help but enjoy the thought of the look on your face, you stubborn little bastard, when you realize that your actions are a danger to Zaruda and to your beloved king.

　The men laughed again, thinking of Count Schwartzheim, who, thinking of his country, had admonished the king with a desperate resolve.
　Then, after a moment of laughter, one of them sat at the back of the room and muttered in a hushed voice: "But that young man is certainly dangerous.　

''But that young man is indeed dangerous... I think I can understand why Lord Saito and His Highness Shardina are in danger.

　At the man's words, the people around him have a look of skepticism on their faces.

''Is that so?　I don't think that young man is that dangerous to me, but...

I feel the same way. It is true that the fact that they have an army in spite of owning such a remote area as the Woltenia Peninsula is worthy of recognition, but warfare is only a number. With less than five hundred troops, you can't go out to the battlefield alone, and you can't do much good if you have a mixed unit with unknown nobles.

　That decision is not wrong.
　If it's a force that influences the war situation, I want at least around two thousand five hundred per knight group.
　Operating a small number of units of less than five hundred on its own is too dangerous.
　In a real battle, they'll probably have to team up with a nobleman of similar size to create a mixed unit.
　If that happened, Mikoshiba Ryoma's unit would be only one of the steps.
　No matter how good Ryoma's unit was, if the aristocrats working together with him were not as skilled, the unit as a whole would be much less powerful.

''Mm, I understand that, too. But I'm still curious...''

　Silence swept the room.
　The gazes of the men around the round table were drawn to the owner of the voice called His Excellency.
　The power the man possessed was too powerful to laugh at as a faint of heart.

''You mean to tell me that you would interfere with the Empire's advance in the same way that Joshua Belhareth did?

Yes, they may not be of much use on the battlefield, but it would be dangerous to underestimate the ingenuity of a man of such quality who could violate the secret pact we had made with His Highness Prince Shardina if he were to make a wrong move.

　All of the men in this room have a lot in common.
　They are all arrogant, greedy, and hungry for honor and power. They are also the lords of a vast domain with one of the most prominent families in the Kingdom of Zaruda.　　
　But the greatest common denominator is that they are traitors who prioritize their own prosperity and glory, even if it means selling out their country.

''Despite the fact that we successfully eliminated General Belhareth in our first battle, things haven't gone our way since then,''

Joshua Berhares.

　A sigh escaped the men's mouths.

'Well, good. Anyway, there is no way to strike now. It's not too late to find out what happens at tomorrow's council meeting. Then let us pray for our prosperity, as we always do.

　The man's words were met with one voice of approval after another, and the men picked up the wine glasses placed in front of the round table.

'All for the prosperity of our family!

""For prosperity!"

　They drank their drinks in one gulp and slammed their glasses down on the floor in unison.

"No one will stand in our way whoever it is.

　When he muttered that, the man called his lord stepped on a piece of broken glass.
　It's as if he's trying to stamp out the insects that crawl under his feet.......