The main gate of the fortress is on the east side, but there is also a hidden entrance on the west side. Deite-san of the archers called it the 'back door', and he said that it was often used except when returning to the fortress after making a big announcement to the soldiers.

　As the soldiers led him into the fortress through the back door, Deite first stopped at the armory on the first floor of the fortress.

''I should say that it's a good thing that the enemy soldiers came to craft it, as His Highness ...... read, that this will be available in this phase. I know it sounds cynical.

　Overnight, the situation had changed dramatically. By using Zirconia's warships, it was now possible to send a coherent number of troops from our side to Zirconia's side, and also to equip the warships themselves with weapons.

　Cannons brought by Zirconia's engineering unit. The ammunition and a set of wheels for transporting it were prepared for use by Mr. Deite, who ordered his men to prepare it for use.

　The 'fire spear' made from cannon ammunition seems to have considerable destructive power as a portable firearm, but after all, if the cannon itself can be transported and used, it should be a more powerful trump card than the 'fire spear'.

　　　◆◇ ◆

　We headed to the round table and, without a moment's rest, we began our military discussion.

'We must assume that the enemy forces have some kind of trump card to play. Or maybe they've sent a crafting unit to test out a new weapon ...... Either way, we have to be careful about the enemy's firearms.
'Your Highness's intuition is also due to the guidance of the divine tree. Perhaps General Alejandro's troops will have powerful firearms.
Do you mean the cannon ...... or are you going to use a tube of gunpowder, like the one Mr. Deethe made?

　It is said that the fire spear is a weapon that, on impact, explodes and shoots out flaming bullets.

　But from what I've heard from my sister-in-law, there is a weapon that converts gunpowder explosions into propulsion and shoots metal bullets out of an iron tube that is thinner than the fire spear - it's called an 'iron fire canister' and has the power to penetrate a knight's armor and has the potential to greatly change the shape of a battle. They said they had it.

　Fortunately, it hasn't been mass produced yet. And for a weapon made in the south of our country, it's unlikely that Zirconia is deploying it in large numbers. No soldiers have been seen equipping it in actual battle, and even if the necessary resources are available, the technology to make the 'iron cannon' is unlikely to exist.

'Since gunpowder came into use in warfare, I have come to believe that the age of knights will one day come to an end. One look at it and you can see that those weapons, which cost so many men their lives at a distance, will eventually replace the sword and spear and the bow. It will use up a lot of our mineral resources, but with a ranged weapon as powerful as the Iron Cannon, we won't have to make heavy armor to protect ourselves.

　His Highness Astina is worried about the 'change in the army'. If the technology of the 'iron cannon' is transferred to Zirconia, which is capable of producing large amounts of gunpowder, it will be difficult for this Isle Rose Fortress to repel Zirconia's army with old weapons alone.

　We need to decide on the battle plan now that we can cross over with a formation of infantry, knights and archers - Zirconia's will to fight must be broken.

'By those whom Glass first interrogated, it was discovered that Zirconia had been supplied with arms by our side. The number of troops may be greater than ours, but they are not all equipped ...... We think we should wait for this and attack them from us before they send weapons to Zirconia by other channels. And we have to take out General Alejandro: ......
"Raquel, sister ...... I'll do it. The next time Alejandro comes to the front, I'll cut in and do whatever it takes to get him up to the head grade.
''Hold on, Presha. Even for you, I don't think you'll be able to handle an attack if you ride solo into a room full of Zirconia's elite soldiers.
...... But I have to do it, too. It's the only thing I can do for everyone else who died.

　Presha's inner danger. I understand now at this moment what it is that I've been feeling but not seeing clearly.

　The resignation of having seen so much death. In the midst of the battle, her heart was worn out, and so was hers. It has become a mind that is willing to sacrifice itself in order to end the battle.

'...... laying down your life will not save anything. It is only conceit. If you think of the regret of those who have died, you must live.

　From the beginning, I had been thinking about it.

　Why was Ms. Presha so angry when she first took me to the dungeons and had me witness her interrogation?

　The weapons that had been shed by the treachery of the Royal Army could have been used to kill her men. She had no way to take that anger out on anything at that time.

　If I show the slightest suspicious movement, I will kill you. When she said that, her mind had already reached its limit, and yet, up to this point, she had continued to wield her spear.

　How was I able to do nothing in front of her as she walked with her open wound intact? It's the proof that I only cared about the wounds on her body and neglected to examine her mind.

...... Yeah. Okay, ...... sorry, I'm sorry, I'm the attack captain, what happens if I stick out on my own ...... and that's exactly what I'm going to do, I'm going to put my men in danger again.
'Up until now, we were on the defensive. We were not allowed to attack ...... but now it is different. Your Highness will fight to protect Laiseneier, and that will not change.

　There are those who try to twist it into a mere 'violation of orders' or an act of rebellion and tell the center.

　Vaisek - that man who didn't even mourn the soldiers who were sacrificed and insulted His Highness Astina.

'Your Highness, I was told that you were keeping an eye on Vaissek. You can keep tabs on his movements at .......

　His Highness Astina shows us the report from the secret agent.

　Seeing what was written there, Raquel-san closes her eyes. And then he clenches his fists on the desk with a painful force.

'...... Contacted the patriarch of the great family in his sickbed, Hartner Reinfeldt. He blew the whistle that any cooperation with His Highness Astina to engage Zirconia would be considered rebellion. ...... If that is true, Vysek is ......

　They are working to obey central orders and avoid an all-out war with Zirconia - it's not that pretty.

　They are setting up to lose the war against Zirconia in order to unseat His Highness Astina.

'Why is that going on as if ...... this is going to be like ......'

　Mr. Deethe has already had an idea. The reason why Vaissek acts so unattended is because he has the power behind him.

　I have to say now what I heard from Noin. Who is the insider with Zirconia, who was only known as 'a person of the royal family' until now--''

' ...... Your Highness Astina. The people who are connected to Zirconia are Queen Cassandra ...... and the court mage who works with her, Jorg Frost.

　The second queen is trying to have her son, the prince, succeed to the throne. Even I, a mere student, knew this through gossip, so it was impossible for them not to know.

　But there was no proof. Even if there was, that wasn't a reason for His Highness Astina to immediately rebel against him - or to appeal directly to the king to denounce the second queen's actions.

　The fact that they were hostile to Zirconia, and that this fortress was a shield to protect her people, was the only thing she had to focus on and continue to fight for.

...... to seize the enemy's stronghold and restrain any further incursions. To get Zirconia to accept a ceasefire. I must accomplish that. Even if Lady Cassandra is trying to exclude me, I would like to come to the table for once to discuss this.
'Why ...... would His Majesty the King acknowledge the achievements of His Highness Astina? Then it is also ...... that you don't listen to him at all.

　To Raquel-san's advice, His Highness Astina quietly shook her head.

　The expression on His Highness's face, which always never crumbles, shows a shade that cannot be hidden.

　Brushing back his golden thread-like hair, His Highness looks somewhere in the distance.

　I can tell, as I am connected to her through the divine tree. What she feels is loneliness.

　She didn't receive proper love from her father or her mother, and she is still unable to consider her parents as her allies. To be pampered in this way weakens her heart, which she has been fighting for as a knight - she disciplines herself strictly in this way.

''His Majesty the King is looking to Cassandra-sama for a place in his heart. That's not unreasonable. ...... My mother was too sickly to be able to be always by her Majesty's side as queen. I've been told that she was greatly relieved by marrying Lady Cassandra, who was a child of her mother's equal status in the family. If I denounced Lady Cassandra now, His Majesty would only try to draw me away from the army.
"Even if the Second Queen wants to destroy the country? If we allow her to have her monopoly, this western territory will be cut off. Many will die just to unseat Her Highness Astina and satisfy Lady Cassandra's private desires.
...... It's a thorny issue no matter which way you choose to go. If we have to fight the motherland, it will affect the morale of our soldiers. Some of them have families in the middle.

　The progress of this Order is in trouble. His Majesty the King can't be expected to be an ally either - Zirconia could attack us at any time.

　But if we leave Vysek unattended, he will continue to work in the West - if the people under the rule of the great families stop cooperating with us, this fortress could end up in food shortages.

　We don't consider the western territories to be important and are willing to cut them off. If His Majesty the King is unaware of Queen Cassandra's intentions, the current situation is what it is - then.

'Rather than having our territory overrun by ...... zirconia. We should establish a system of governance so that the Western Territories can defend themselves of their own volition while we maintain our ability to take over.
On your own volition ...... Glass, do you know what that means?
'The enemy is attacking us across the canal. They're invading our borders. It's no longer a body of command to not fight back against it.

　The same is true of Queen Cassandra's orders to hold Her Highness Astina accountable for allowing Zirconia to invade, or to die an honorable death in battle.

　I know nothing of His Highness Astina's previous efforts or suffering. He is committing too great a sin for the purpose of making his still young child eventually king.

'...... As an independent territory, I will rule the Western Territories. You say that I should do so.
'Yes, sir. That is the only way we can continue to gain the cooperation of the people and maintain the strength of the fortress. There will be no way to get it back after a number of defections.

　His Highness will be the lord and explain to his people why he is fighting Zirconia, so that he can lay the groundwork to easily discredit the slander of the forces that interfere with it - I think we need to restrain him about Vysek, but even if we do, his replacement will be sent They only come in.

'So far, he has only been acting on behalf of His Majesty the King, acting on behalf of his orders. We cannot condemn him for his actions in the form that we have been able to block Vaisek's movements.
'Your Highness is of the blood of His Majesty the King and is the rightful heir to the throne. By nature, he could have taken a mate and become a lord without becoming a knight.
'Yes, that's ....... If His Highness Astina hadn't been knighted, she would have been .......
''In that case, I would not have received the territory, and it would have been considered a political plot to form an alliance with the enemy. I am glad that I chose to take up the sword. I am still grateful to His Majesty the King for giving me permission to do so: ...... but ......

　To His Majesty the King - point the sword at his father. If he declares himself ruler of the western realm, he will be one of Queen Cassandra's

　There is no "general" in the name. It's probably because His Highness Astina realized once again that this is an opponent that must be defeated.

　Presha-san wipes her eyes and stands upright with her bright red eyes and puts her hand on her chest.

　Raquel-san and Deete-san follow suit. His Highness evenly pulled out a shiny silver sword and placed his forehead on the bundle and prayed, then held it out in front of him.

　The three of them, who always use spears and bows, also wear swords at their waists. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

　I'm honored to be able to be present here. At the same time, the fear of the difficulties that lie ahead - the emotions that rise above them.

"We now swear to fight and live and die together. In the name of Astina-Razeneier, we launch Operation Zirconia Attack.

　Goosebumps enveloped my entire body. Just imagining how much their bravery would inspire the hearts of their people - just imagining it made my heart tremble.

''-- Glory to my knights!