A single sword wound ran from Ryouma's right cheek to his forehead.
　A popping open wound.
　Judging from the momentum of the blood flowing down continuously from the chin to the chest, it could be said to be a very deep wound.
I have to thank Yan Ou........
　Looking down at Count Salzberg, who had fallen to the floor, Ryoma exhaled heavily.
　Both sides, both aiming for a blow-by-blow combat, ended in Mikoshiba Ryoma's victory.
　However, it was only because he managed to grab it by a paper-thin margin.
　Using his trump card, the Wailing Power, he managed to force his way into the sixth Ajunya Chakra, and although he was able to get to the fifth minute physically, the repercussions were too great.
　As for skill, Count Salzberg's skill was also extraordinary.
　His breathing, his pacing, the smoothness of his weight transfer.
　The swordsmanship that he must have learned as a knight has been honed over a long period of time on the battlefield and has reached a point where it is comparable to the Salzberg school of swordsmanship, where it is possible to create a single school of swordsmanship.
　The reason why people from the earth world were able to use the iaido is unknown, but at least Count Salzberg's slashes were comparable to those of his grandfather, Koichiro Mikoshiba.
　Ryoma and Count Salzberg. It's no secret that these two men were evenly matched in terms of mind, technique, and body.
　So, they were supposed to be evenly matched, but what separated them was the difference between them. What separated them?
(The difference in their attitudes...)
　For Ryoma, this war is an inevitable battle for his own survival.
　If he didn't do anything, he would have been crushed by the hands of Queen Lupis at some point, it's obvious.
　In order to avoid this, it was necessary to bring the entire northern part of the Roserian Kingdom, starting with the county of Salzberg, under your control.
　It could be said to be a kind of backwater battle.
　And moreover, the lives and futures of the subordinates who believe in and follow him hang on Ryojin's shoulders.
　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one.
　What about Count Salzberg, on the other hand?
　The old Count Salzberg would have had a different outcome, but the current Count is nothing more than a foolish aristocrat who has turned his back on the world, indulging in pleasures and coveting wealth.
　The sword of the man who risked his life and the sword of the man who indulged in luxury.
　The difference between the two is what decided their fate.
　However, it is a vague thing, not much thicker than a piece of paper.
　God knows which one of them would win if they had to fight again.
(Well, there's no such thing as a second time.)
　Ryoma laughed at the ridiculous assumption that had passed through his mind with his lips and fishing.
　It was a self-mockery for the fact that the idea came to him as if he were an athlete.
　Separately, he didn't want to disparage the athlete.
　But there is a definite difference between a match and a killing contest.
　There is a difference between a fight and a killing contest. There is a difference between a match and a killing contest, and that is whether or not there is another match.
　A match is nothing more than a rehearsal for a real fight that may come at some point.
　In the original meaning of the word, it's just a rehearsal, so it doesn't matter how many times you keep losing, if you take it to the extreme.　
　It is true that in a competition, the players' lives depend on it, and there is no doubt about the passion and earnestness with which they approach the game.
　But on the other hand, there is a next time.
　Even if the tournament you are in at the time is over, there is still another tournament, or another tournament, to be played.
　Some players say they are risking their lives to show their commitment, but no player ever dies.
　In fact, there are only a few players who announce their retirement in terms of their lives.
　To be honest, it's annoying to me as a fan to see people betting their lives on the outcome of a single fight, but killing each other is a different story.
　There are rare occasions when both fighters are on the same page, and a referee may decide that the match is a draw, or both fighters fight each other, but this is a very rare situation.
　At the very least, it can be said that once it starts, the death of one or the other is fixed at that stage.
　There is no room to argue about the possibility of maybe, or if we had done that, we could have won.
　There is just a dead body in front of us that doesn't say anything.
　That's the reality that can't be moved.
　How long in the world did Ryoma stare at Count Salzberg lying on the floor for?
　A few tens of seconds, or maybe a few minutes....
　Before I knew it, a shadow was standing cocooned behind Ryoma.
''Miyagata-sama........''
What about inside the castle?
　Ryoma asks without turning around.
　There is no need for anyone to do anything now.
　This castle is already completely controlled by the Igazakis and the Black Elves' elite.
''No problem. With the guidance of Lord Signis Garbeira and Countess Julia Salzberg, as originally planned...''
'Well what happened to Roberto Beltran?
No problems there either. He's on the medication now, so we don't expect him to wake up until about noon.
All right. Treat it gently for now. But make sure there's more than one person who can watch him.
Yes, sir.
　To Ryoma, Signis and Roberto could be said to be the big pieces that he wanted to get his hands on together.
　The reason why he took the trouble to capture Signis Galveira's only weakness, his nanny Elmera, unharmed, was all to bring Signis under his control.
　And, having chosen to surrender, Signis obeyed Ryoma's orders and gave his best friend Roberto a drink with a sleeping potion in it.
　As a proof of surrender in Signis's position, there was probably no other choice.
''All that remains is ... the subduing of the castle?
　Ryoma turned his gaze towards the window.
　Even though they had set the fire themselves, they couldn't leave the fire unattended.
　The citadel city of Iphiroth is now the territory of Baron Mikoshiba's family.
　But that is something that doesn't need to be said by Ryojin now.
''That too has already been arranged by Rione-sama. With Yuria-dono's cooperation, it won't take much time to subdue them, and that's all I have to tell you.
　He could not wait to tell them of his victory.
　A slight excitement could be felt in the shadow's words, and Ryoma smiled slightly.
''Alright ... go.''
　Hearing those words, the shadow gave a small bow and disappeared into the darkness.
(With this, we've taken the first step...)
　Depending on how it is handled in the future, the Count Salzberg and the Ten Northern Families that hold northern Roselia, led by Count Salzberg, will be greatly reduced in power as a result of this war.
　This is the first step in the nation-building envisioned by Mikoshiba Ryoma.
　However, it is also a sign that the deadly battle with the enemy of the old grudge is approaching.
(What remains to be seen is whether Queen Lupis will make her move or use her power or...)
　For better or worse, this world is a world of power.
　The weak are eaten by the strong and the strong are eaten by the even stronger.
　It's a world of never-ending violence.
It's like polio venom...
　A type of spell that was handed down from China, where poisonous insects could be placed in a single jar and pointed to cannibalism until there was only the last one.
　Aside from its effectiveness, it seemed to Liangma that this earth world was like that jar of mushrooms and poison.
　Even if he became one of the strongest in the jar called Ipilos, the next jar called Roselia would be waiting for him. And, of course, beyond that....
(But that doesn't mean I'm going to back out now...)
　Ryoma silently clasped his hands on the corpse of Count Salzberg, the only thing he could give to his dead enemy.
　It was the only thing he could give to an enemy who had died at his hands.