Record of Wortenia War: Volume 3

by Ryota Hori

  Chris shook his head, however. Chris was mature enough to understand what she was apologizing for, even without any context.

  “No, this is all as Grandfather wished... He said quite adamantly that if he were to die, he’d curse General Albrecht to death in the afterlife. And you owe me no apology. A knight’s true value lies in war, after all.”

  Chris spoke in a tone that imitated his grandfather’s. Just how much resolve was hidden behind his words?

  They had failed to obtain the nostrum, but that wasn’t to say the Morgan household lacked the wealth needed to buy it. Just like Helena, Frank Morgan had worked his way up from being a commoner, rising to the position of a high-ranking knight. He was always a taciturn man who didn’t favor an extravagant lifestyle and was limited in how he could spend his wages.

  Even if he was in financial trouble, he could ask his acquaintances for help. With Helena herself being a prime example, many of his past friends would gladly chip in and lend Frank money if he asked for it, and the same could be said of Baroque. Helena said they were all like family, and those words rang true. Bonds formed by fighting back to back on the battlefield were strong.

  The same held true for his connections. Even retired, he could rely on the connections he made during his service. He hadn’t risen to the upper echelons of a country’s military for no reason, after all.

  In which case, why were Frank Morgan and Baroque, the master of this estate, tormented by the Carrion Disease like this?

  The answer was simple. Because the head of the knights’ faction, General Albrecht, and his aides loathed anyone who was close with Helena. General Albrecht placed great importance on one’s social status and family and found nothing more loathsome than commoners who worked their way up, like Helena and her peers.

  He’d harassed them when they were active knights and persisted in doing so even after their retirement. Of course, Helena and the others did nothing to directly resist, but with the tip of the blade turned against families and friends, their hands were tied now that they were retired from active service.

  The cause of all these troubles was General Albrecht’s hatred. And to cut off the source of that hatred, Frank and Baroque essentially forfeited their own lives, all to present themselves as submissive and powerless...

  “Grandfather has told me that with the passing of His Majesty, King Pharst the Second, the weight holding the knights’ and nobles’ factions will be lost, and their antagonism will intensify, splitting the kingdom in two... But it is for that reason exactly that our gathering under Princess Lupis will have meaning.”

  Hearing Chris’s words, Helena’s lips curled upwards. It was a smile that was like dark flames, the sort of grin she wouldn’t normally show. A just cause. One couldn’t unite the knights without it. And right now, that brocade banner flapped over Helena.

  “Yes... The only question remaining is how fast we can turn the others over from General Albrecht’s side. It’s a race against the moment he realizes what’s happening and begins acting accordingly.”

  Helena loathed General Albrecht but didn’t doubt his skills as a politician.

  Even as he was hated by everyone around him, he’d maintained his power struggle with the leader of the nobles’ faction for years and stood at the top of one of the two factions the Kingdom of Rhoadseria was divided into.

  “I hear the younger knights are quite dissatisfied with him. After all, even within the knights’ faction, only those of pedigree receive his favor. Honestly speaking, many of the knights only obey him because of how long he’s been in power. But once they hear you’ve returned to service under Princess Lupis, things will definitely swing in our favor. No, I will make sure they do!”

  Chris concluded his words with a cold smile. Apparently, things already seemed favorable enough, because he made his declaration with quite a bit of strength behind it.

  “Yes... Waiting for as long as we have was worth it.” Helena nodded at Chris after heaving a deep sigh.

  A reason to justify her personal vengeance. With the just cause of setting the Kingdom of Rhoadseria on its rightful track by supporting the first in line to the throne, Princess Lupis, the legitimacy of their cause was made more solid. The chance had finally come for Helena and her peers, who had been persecuted and tyrannized by General Albrecht so greatly.

  “Thank you, Chris. And all of you... I’ve kept you waiting a long time.”

  Those words could only mean one thing. As Helena lowered her head, all present rose to their feet and thrust their fists towards the heavens.

  “““All hail the Kingdom of Rhoadseria! Glory to the Ivory Goddess of War!”””

  In this very moment, the knights rose to carve open the path to Rhoadseria’s future. But neither Helena nor any of her cohorts knew this would result in something they could never predict and draw them that much closer to open hostilities.

  It was a certain brothel in the back alleys of the city of Epirus. Standing in front of the entrance were women with lascivious outfits that exposed their chests, which reached out to tug at the sleeves of passing-by men. It was a seductive world, filled with the indescribable fragrance born from the mixing of perfume and alcohol.

  In one of this establishment’s luxurious rooms was Akitake Sudou, an undercover operative of the Empire of O’ltormea. This was a base of operations for O’ltormea’s eastern expansion, and a source of funds for the Organization.

  “Hmm...” Sudou squinted, looking at a document handed to him by a subordinate. “This is something of an unexpected development.”

  “So there’s a chance it might disrupt the Organization’s plans... What should we do, Mr. Sudou?”

  “Let’s see, then...” Sudou nodded lightly at his subordinate’s question, placing the document on the table.

  Leaning back into the sofa, Sudou stared into the air.

  This is a problem. So Ryoma Mikoshiba would stick his neck into here... I didn’t think he’d be such a source of misfortune for the Organization.

  To start with, he slew O’ltormea’s court thaumaturgist, Gaius. His murder triggered a sequence of disturbances. Sudou handwaved away in front of Saitou, but in truth, Gaius’s death came as quite a shock for the Organization.

  The Organization went on to balance the accounts one way or the other, but it required making large scale amendments to their long running plans, and its members needed to work at a significantly faster pace to confirm everything and keep up with these changes to policy. Due to certain circumstances in play, the Organization had no plans of assassinating Ryoma Mikoshiba, but for a time, it had certainly intended to.

  And then came this issue. Even Sudou had trouble coming up with a quick countermeasure.

  Maybe this is fate at play here... Who would have imagined Pherzaad’s guildmaster would have taken part in such a pointless scheme? And he used one of those twins as bait...

  The guild was the Organization’s public front. It was spread across the western continent and transcended national borders, forming a massive group. This was why the guild was required to be neutral and fair. If one were to draw a comparison to Sudou’s own Earth, it was like the United Nations.

  But at the same time, Sudou was well aware that this was only pretense. Fairness, equality, neutrality. Those were easy concepts to put into words, but they were certainly not ones people committed to.

  As a matter of fact, most guildmasters had dealings beneath the surface. That was an open secret of sorts, and this was only natural given that those guildmasters had power equivalent to that of a noble. Corruption and bribery were ordinary occurrences.

  And still, the timing here was simply too bad for us. To think he would end up coming to Rhoadseria...

  For the Organization, the Empire of O’ltormea was a precious host to leech upon. The Organization’s authority over the country allowed them to shape the direction of the war and profit from it safely.

  O’ltormea is moving to invade Xarooda... And to do that, the
political situation in Rhoadseria must remain unstable.

  The western continent’s east was comprised of Myest, Rhoadseria, and Xarooda respectively. Myest held the strongest trade prowess in the country, but even it alone couldn’t match up to O’ltormea’s national power. The same held true for Rhoadseria, with the bounties of the abundant river Thebes at its side, and Xarooda, with its surrounding mountains serving as a mighty, natural fortress. An alliance of two countries wouldn’t do, either.

  But the three countries uniting would change things.

  Put another way, O’ltormea’s invasion of the east hinges on the three countries standing divided.

  It was because Sudou knew this that he came to Rhoadseria. From a geographical standpoint, Rhoadseria was sandwiched between Myest and Xarooda. If Myest were to send reinforcements to Xarooda, they would have to march through Rhoadserian soil.

  If they weren’t allowed to do that, they would have to go around through the south, but many of the southern countries had long standing border conflicts with both Myest and Rhoadseria, putting them in poor standing with those countries. They would never allow Myest and Rhoadseria to cross their territories.

  And dispatching troops through the sea was effectively impossible. Certain circumstances had rendered the seas northeast of the western continent impassable by ship.

  With the state of the western continent being as such, Sudou’s objective in coming to Rhoadseria from O’ltormea was clear.

  And to top it all off, Helena Steiner... I’ve heard the rumors, but I never imagined Mr. Mikoshiba would bring her back after years of retirement.

  Sudou spoke to himself in something of a grumble. He was one to spin plots himself, and so knew of Rhoadseria’s influential figures and their relationships. He’d naturally looked into Rhoadseria’s Ivory Goddess of War, too. He had an inkling as to her antagonism with General Albrecht as well, but never imagined she’d return to active duty now.

  General Albrecht’s skills are one thing, but his popularity is as low as can be. He’s kept his opponents under his thumb through fear of his power, but the situation will change drastically soon.

  He was able to oppose to Duke Gelhart, and so General Albrecht’s haughty, overbearing attitude didn’t mean he was without his supporters. Many of the knights loathed the nobles for their impudence, and to them, obeying General Albrecht was a means of opposing them.

  But the way things were headed now, that would soon change in a significant way.

  A prideful, exclusive man who advocates pedigree against a national hero who rose from the masses. Judging by the displeasure and state of the country, it’s clear who people would gravitate towards. Which means General Albrecht has only two roads available to him. He either sticks to the struggle knowing he’s at a disadvantage, or he flees to another country and waits for a chance to resurface. His best chance would be to seek refuge in Tarja with a few loyal knights. But judging from his personality, he’d only choose to do so at the worst possible situation.

  General Albrecht’s wife was related to Tarja’s royalty. The very act of comparing Tarja’s territory to Rhoadseria’s felt awfully foolish, but the southern countries had held their own in a bitter war against the knights before and boasted strength to be reckoned with from a military standpoint. If his intent was to bide his time for a comeback, fleeing now wasn’t a bad choice.

  But he would have to clear several conditions to allow for that. He’d need to be hopelessly backed against the wall, and given General Albrecht’s personality, it was hard to imagine him abandoning everything just because things weren’t going his way.

  That man is not just greedy, he’s also prideful. If I don’t make some kind of play now, he’d likely persist and prioritize keeping his faction intact at all costs. And if he does, Helena Steiner will devour his faction, leaving him unable to act.

  Having realized this much, Sudou could see what path he’d have to take. The worst thing for O’ltormea right now would be if Rhoadseria were to resolve its civil war and consolidate its political affairs under a single, stable government. The Organization didn’t desire for this to happen, either.

  I don’t have much of a choice. I’ll have to deviate from my initial plan and extend a helping hand to General Albrecht.

  Sudou rose from the sofa, with the same smile a child who had just found a new toy to play with might have on his lips.

  All to drown this country in death and agony...

  “Aww, man. To think this would happen... Shit, this throws a wrench into all my plans...”

  Shutting himself in the room he’d been given the other day in the castle, Ryoma scratched his head as he looked up into the air. Rays of dusk sunlight streaming in bathed his face in a red glow. The chair he’d leaned his weight on creaked under the pressure.

  “I didn’t think that bastard Albrecht would give up so easily... I guess he wasn’t as dumb as I thought. I underestimated him... No, the timing’s too good. It’s like someone’s seeing through my movements... In that case, it’s all the more...”

  His words were equal measure exasperation and praise. He wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular, however. The only other people in the room were Sara and Laura, clad in maid uniforms, but Ryoma wasn’t speaking to them.

  As was often the case, Ryoma was staring into thin air, submerged in his thoughts. His whispers were only his thoughts leaking out to the surface, effectively a soliloquy. Having spent months with him, the Malfist sisters understood this very well.

  “Laura...” Sara whispered into her sister’s ear. “Master Ryoma seems quite deep in thought, but... Has he forgotten it’s past time for the dinner party?”

  She spoke in the quietest voice possible, so as to not disturb her master.

  “He’s likely forgotten... But we mustn’t disturb him right now... He will settle his thoughts eventually and call for us... We can simply tell him we declined the invitation in his name then.”

  The sisters realized his absence from the dinner party was set in stone already. That went to show they realized what their master needed right now.

  “Right, I see... Then I’ll go let them know he won’t make it tonight.”

  “Yes, please do...” Laura nodded, turning her gaze to Ryoma, who was still staring into space. “I’ll stay by Master Ryoma’s side... Give Her Majesty his regards, please.”

  Her words were full of intense will. It was arguable if Ryoma Mikoshiba even needed someone to watch over him. True, he wasn’t capable of thaumaturgy yet, but his massive body and the skills he possessed allowed him to easily dispatch experienced mercenaries.

  But strong though he may have been, Ryoma was not an invincible hero legends may sing of. And so long as he was human, he would leave openings and make some oversights.

  The Malfist twins knew this, and so they never left Ryoma’s side. The two of them would protect Ryoma with their own flesh if need be, because their hearts were gripped with selfless affection and undying loyalty for the man.

  “Is there anything else?”

  “Hmm, well... You should stop by the kitchen and prepare some dinner. I’m sure he’ll be quite famished when he comes to.”

  “Yes, understood.” Sara nodded at her sister with a whisper and quietly slipped out of the room.

  How long did it take? The red sun set over the horizon, and darkness reigned outside the window. Only the gentle starlight and the bonfires lit in the courtyard illuminated the room.

  “Ugh... I’m starved...”

  Ryoma’s mouth suddenly opened as he stared out into space.

  “Wait, what time is it?”

  “The bell just rang for ten at night.” Laura responded to his whisper.

  He must have been very concentrated to have missed the sound of that massive bell.

  “Oh. It’s already this late, huh...”

  At that moment, Ryoma recalled in the back of his mind that Princess Lupis had invited him to a dinner party the other day.

  “
Aww, crap! I was supposed to be at Princess Lupis’s dinner party tonight!”

  “We’ve already informed them you wouldn’t be going.”

  Ryoma went pale at remembering the appointment, but Laura’s words made him sigh with relief.

  “Right... Thanks.”

  Even Ryoma, who didn’t care much for social status, knew that ditching a dinner party hosted by a member of the royal family wasn’t something one was allowed to casually do. The walls of class and social position were exceptionally thick in this world, and irreverence was reason enough to be sent to the gallows.

  “Did she say something?”

  “She said she realizes you are likely mulling over a solution to the issue with General Albrecht, and that your absence is understandable. However, she will be holding a meeting tomorrow morning, and she wants you to prepare a plan for handling the situation.”

  Repeating Sara’s message without a hitch, Laura presented Ryoma with a cup of water.

  “Oh, thank you...”

  Gulping down the moderately cold water quenched Ryoma’s thirst.

  “Tomorrow, huh... The Princess makes it sound so easy... Still, we can’t let General Albrecht do as he pleases.”

  Princess Lupis was gracious enough to pardon his last-minute absence from a royal dinner party, but that was of course because of the report they’d received earlier that day.

  But in a way, this was Princess Lupis trying to cover up her own mistakes. After all, one could easily claim what caused this issue to begin with was her own naiveté.

  Ryoma’s stomach suddenly grumbled loudly in displeasure. Having contemplated everything silently until after sunset, Ryoma hadn’t eaten since lunch, and so his stomach was naturally rising up in mutiny against its stingy master.

  “I’m starved. Is there anything I can sink my teeth into?”

  “Yes, Sara borrowed the kitchen and prepared something, if it suits your fancy...”

  “Right... Then, how about you two join me? You haven’t eaten either, have you? I’ve got something to talk to you about.”