So, what's the plan?

　Before Signis and Roberto can say their greetings as they enter the room, Count Salzberg cuts to the chase with a straightforward requirement.
　It is the attitude that a master has towards his vassals.
　Of course, since there is a heaven and earth gap in status between the Count and the third son of the baronial family, it would not be disrespectful, but it would be an action that could be perceived as arrogance.
　This is quite an unusual attitude for Count Salzberg, who has consistently recognized their abilities and treated them with courtesy and moderation, while those around him have been ridiculing Robert and the two men.
(So the skin has been removed? That's how hard they've been pressed...)
　The Count's attitude made Signis feel a surge of anger in his heart.
　Of course, he thought he was more than aware of Count Salzberg's feelings and the state of the war.
　This battle, which was supposed to be overwhelmingly advantageous, has somehow begun to turn into a protracted battle with no future in sight.
　It's inevitable that the Count has begun to show his true nature, which he has been hiding in frustration.
　However, even though you know this, it's the human heart that can't be convinced.
I'm not going to be able to get to the bottom of it. It's a good thing that we are in the middle of a battle.
　Pushing aside his own anger, Signis gave Roberto a look. I'm sure you'll find that Roberto's hands are trembling with anger.
　Watching their attitude, Count Salzberg looked at them with a bottomless gaze.　　

'I'll ask you again. How do you move forward?''

　Signis and Roberto look at each other when the question is posed again.
(There's no point in lying. We should be honest here.)
　Count Salzberg doesn't like to hear this proposal, but what needs to be said must be said.
　Signis, with slightly lowered eyes, speaks his mind.

''If we're going to play it safe, an early ceasefire would be the best thing to do.

　A few weeks ago, this would have been a measure that we would have snickered at. However, considering the current situation, it's an extremely reasonable proposal.
(I never thought they would use the northern lords as a weapon.......)
　The fortified city of Ipyros is the cornerstone of the defense of the land in the northern part of the Kingdom of Rosería, and is the largest and most populous city in the world. It's a truly impregnable city surrounded by walls.
　I've been stockpiling food and improving my armor to begin with, and I've increased it significantly in time for the current battle.
　However, the current Iphiroth didn't have the luxury of food and supplies.
　The reason why the situation had changed so much in just a short period of time. That's exactly why there are countless refugees who lie awake at the southern gates of Ipylos, waiting for the gates to be opened.
　They are fiefdoms living in the villages and towns of northern Roselia.
　There is naturally a reason why these people have abandoned their daily lives and fled to Ipylos.
　That's right, it was the effect of an attack carried out by a group that seemed to be a detachment of Baron Mikoshiba's army.
　Because the lords sent many of the knights on hand to Ipylos for this battle, the defense of the territory was extremely thin.
　I'm not going to be the only one who has the ability to do this.
　The enemy has taken advantage of the gap.
　They burned down the territories of the ten northern families that existed south of Iphiroth one after another.
　With their homes burned to the ground, the inhabitants had no choice but to move to the supposedly safe city of Ipiros.
　It may be because they knew that their lord was in Ipiros.
　And now, in the city of Iphiroth and outside, countless people are crowding together, seeking the protection of Count Salzberg, the biggest and most powerful leader of the ten northern families.

It's not good for us........just because we're in a somewhat unexpected situation now doesn't mean we're at a disadvantage. I'm sure you've got a lot more men than we do, and we're not going to be starving anytime soon when it comes to stockpiling supplies.　

Of course. But even if we continue to fight this war, it will be very difficult to win. The enemy is trying to kill us. When we go on the offensive, they will wait for the time to come, without losing their defensive position. Whether or not we will lose that now Roberto, what do you think?

The other day I took a shot at them, and it's safe to say that their skill level is pretty high. That's exactly what you'd better think of as the regular knights of the kingdom. Normally we would not be a bad match, but........

　Roberto cowered his shoulders in response to Signis's question.
　Although it was indeed an attractive bet in the sense that it was a one or two-bit gamble, he refused to say that the wager was his life.

''With the current state of affairs where the northern ten families are in disarray.......is that impossible?''

　Count Salzberg shook his head with a deep sigh at their attitude.
　Everyone is holding back their dissatisfaction.
　In such a situation, the Count's competence as an ally would be limited.

''Yes, that's the problem with everything. And Baron Mikoshiba has skillfully exploited that weakness.''

　The current situation in Ipilos is out of control with many different agendas.
　First of all, there are always disputes between the refugees and the existing inhabitants. For the inhabitants of Ipiroth, the filthy refugees are nothing more than a hindrance.
　From the use of water to the distribution of food, the quarrels are endless.
　But even so, the refugees housed inside Ipilos are still good. The people outside the south gate are overflowing with many times that number of people.
　Even Count Salzberg's almsgiving barely reaches them outside the city walls.
　And in response to the complaints of these refugees, the heads of the ten northern families come to the Count almost daily.
　Although they were the same refugees, it was only natural that they would complain, since one of them was inside the city walls in its own way and had a meager meal, while outside the city walls they had to sleep on the bare earth.
　And the lords couldn't just leave such dissatisfaction of the lords to their own devices.
　Even the nobles who usually only see them as tools to squeeze taxes out of them, they do take care of their tools.
　However, even the Count of Salzberg has no other option but to take care of his tools.
　Even though it is the largest city in the north, there is a limit to the number of people Ipylos can accommodate.
　Food and water are not infinite.
　It would be impossible to provide all the refugees with a sufficient number of houses and tents for camping.
　And the biggest problem is the fact that these supplies will never increase in the future.

　A cul-de-sac with no answers.
　The room turns red in the sunset.
　It was a foretaste of the fate of the three men.