“Persuasion.”
The person who called out to me was someone unexpectedly familiar.
That person was a girl with pink hair and blue eyes, the eldest daughter of the Byreus Margrave family, Lauren.
I had known her since my time with the Malbert family, and I could somewhat sense that she had special feelings toward me.
She was also present during the engagement scandal with the princess in the capital, and it seems she was still eagerly aiming to marry me.
“Oh, Lauren. What brings you here?”
“Well, why are you here? Aren’t you the de facto successor of the Margrave family?”
“Even without me, the Margrave family has two more younger sisters, so there’s no problem.”
Currently, she was engaged to my younger brother, Mark. However, it was merely a “planned marriage” and not as binding as a modern engagement.
Especially among nobles, it was common for engagements to be broken off depending on the circumstances, and in this case, the engagement serves as a disguise to avoid being approached for other marriage proposals.
I think if I hadn’t appeared and she didn’t know my true nature, Lauren wouldn’t have been so fixated on me. However, due to the circumstances, it became difficult to proceed with the plan while hiding my true nature, so there was no other choice.
And as for why she was here at the front lines in this war, I speculate that it was to broaden her perspective as the future successor of the Byreus territory and gather experience for the next time a war occurs.
AD
“Weren’t you engaged to my brother?”
“That was a false engagement to deceive the world. The one I truly admire is the only one in this world.”
While saying that, Lauren directs a strong gaze toward me. It was like that of a fierce beast aiming for its prey.
“But I got carried away with the princess’s story the other day. I deeply apologize for the reckless action that didn’t consider your feelings at all.”
“So, are you giving up on me then?”
“That’s why I will strive to turn Roland-sama’s attention towards me from now on. Please keep that in mind.”
“……”
Lauren apologized for the incident of directly negotiating the princess’s engagement, and as she tried to drive a wedge to make me give up, she responded with a slightly overlapping reply, as if she had anticipated it.
“Anyway, I will handle the enemy alone, so I want everyone else to stay away and watch from a safe distance.”
“What if I refuse?”
“In that case, you will have to sleep for a while. When you wake up, everything will be over. Or rather, you knew you couldn’t refuse, right?”
As I answered that way, Margrave furrowed his brow and made a difficult expression. When he heard that I had come here with the king’s permission, he should have already understood. Interfering with my fight would be an act of tarnishing the face of the king who gave permission.
In other words, Margrave’s question, asking something he already knew, was a modest form of resistance, a way to express his protest against my actions. As a lord, it went against the nobility’s pride to easily risk the fate of the territory they govern on someone else. This kind of thinking suggests that he was a reasonable noble.
However, in this urgent situation and considering the total number of casualties if I were to leave everything to Margrave, it was not difficult to imagine a significant number of victims. If there were two options: one that results in casualties and another that didn’t, anyone would choose the latter, and Margrave understood that.
As evidence of that, Margrave sighs as if he had given up and pleaded with me.
“It seems it would be best to leave everything to you this time. It’s a pitiful tale for a warrior, but I beg you.”
“Yes, that’s my intention.”
“I trust Lady Lauren will be fine, but please don’t push yourself too hard. Take care.”
I nodded in response to Lauren’s words and headed toward the location where the army of the Kingdom of Seconds had set up camp.
***
The time was when the sun set, and the pitch-black darkness of the night descended. I started my action.
On the nameless grassland that stretches across the border between the Schells Kingdom and the Second Kingdom, the enemy’s army was camped with a large force of thirty thousand soldiers. It was a number that should not be underestimated.
I was several hundred meters away from their camp, observing their situation. Frankly speaking, their vigilance was lacking. Most of the soldiers were intoxicated with alcohol, and even the guards who should be on alert are lazily standing there, showing signs of carelessness.
“This is like inviting a night attack.”
“What are you going to do?”
At the time I muttered words that contained exasperation, there was a person asking me a question. That’s right, it was Mocha, who was my companion this time.
Despite her emotionless and expressionless face, the atmosphere suggested that she was excited about what method I will employ to fight. It almost felt like there were star marks floating in her eyes.
As I had promised Byreus Margrave not to cause any casualties, I couldn’t use a highly lethal method. So, I’d have to resort to other means.
“For now, let’s make them leave this country.”
“?”
Mocha tilted her head cutely, as if not understanding the meaning of my words. Would she like some sweet potatoes?
I handed her a sweet potato, and she received it, eating it with a gesture like a small animal enjoying its meal. Smiling inwardly at her reaction, I explain my plan to her.
“…That’s the strategy.”
“…”
Mocha listened to my explanation, her expression asking if it was really possible. Although she maintained her stoic demeanor, her emotions were leaking out, making it quite obvious.
Amused by her attitude, I decided to put the plan into action.
“Persuasion.”
The person who called out to me was someone unexpectedly familiar.
That person was a girl with pink hair and blue eyes, the eldest daughter of the Byreus Margrave family, Lauren.
I had known her since my time with the Malbert family, and I could somewhat sense that she had special feelings toward me.
She was also present during the engagement scandal with the princess in the capital, and it seems she was still eagerly aiming to marry me.
“Oh, Lauren. What brings you here?”
“Well, why are you here? Aren’t you the de facto successor of the Margrave family?”
“Even without me, the Margrave family has two more younger sisters, so there’s no problem.”
Currently, she was engaged to my younger brother, Mark. However, it was merely a “planned marriage” and not as binding as a modern engagement.
Especially among nobles, it was common for engagements to be broken off depending on the circumstances, and in this case, the engagement serves as a disguise to avoid being approached for other marriage proposals.
I think if I hadn’t appeared and she didn’t know my true nature, Lauren wouldn’t have been so fixated on me. However, due to the circumstances, it became difficult to proceed with the plan while hiding my true nature, so there was no other choice.
And as for why she was here at the front lines in this war, I speculate that it was to broaden her perspective as the future successor of the Byreus territory and gather experience for the next time a war occurs.
AD
“Weren’t you engaged to my brother?”
“That was a false engagement to deceive the world. The one I truly admire is the only one in this world.”
While saying that, Lauren directs a strong gaze toward me. It was like that of a fierce beast aiming for its prey.
“But I got carried away with the princess’s story the other day. I deeply apologize for the reckless action that didn’t consider your feelings at all.”
“So, are you giving up on me then?”
“That’s why I will strive to turn Roland-sama’s attention towards me from now on. Please keep that in mind.”
“……”
Lauren apologized for the incident of directly negotiating the princess’s engagement, and as she tried to drive a wedge to make me give up, she responded with a slightly overlapping reply, as if she had anticipated it.
“Anyway, I will handle the enemy alone, so I want everyone else to stay away and watch from a safe distance.”
“What if I refuse?”
“In that case, you will have to sleep for a while. When you wake up, everything will be over. Or rather, you knew you couldn’t refuse, right?”
As I answered that way, Margrave furrowed his brow and made a difficult expression. When he heard that I had come here with the king’s permission, he should have already understood. Interfering with my fight would be an act of tarnishing the face of the king who gave permission.
In other words, Margrave’s question, asking something he already knew, was a modest form of resistance, a way to express his protest against my actions. As a lord, it went against the nobility’s pride to easily risk the fate of the territory they govern on someone else. This kind of thinking suggests that he was a reasonable noble.
However, in this urgent situation and considering the total number of casualties if I were to leave everything to Margrave, it was not difficult to imagine a significant number of victims. If there were two options: one that results in casualties and another that didn’t, anyone would choose the latter, and Margrave understood that.
As evidence of that, Margrave sighs as if he had given up and pleaded with me.
“It seems it would be best to leave everything to you this time. It’s a pitiful tale for a warrior, but I beg you.”
“Yes, that’s my intention.”
“I trust Lady Lauren will be fine, but please don’t push yourself too hard. Take care.”
I nodded in response to Lauren’s words and headed toward the location where the army of the Kingdom of Seconds had set up camp.
***
The time was when the sun set, and the pitch-black darkness of the night descended. I started my action.
On the nameless grassland that stretches across the border between the Schells Kingdom and the Second Kingdom, the enemy’s army was camped with a large force of thirty thousand soldiers. It was a number that should not be underestimated.
I was several hundred meters away from their camp, observing their situation. Frankly speaking, their vigilance was lacking. Most of the soldiers were intoxicated with alcohol, and even the guards who should be on alert are lazily standing there, showing signs of carelessness.
“This is like inviting a night attack.”
“What are you going to do?”
At the time I muttered words that contained exasperation, there was a person asking me a question. That’s right, it was Mocha, who was my companion this time.
Despite her emotionless and expressionless face, the atmosphere suggested that she was excited about what method I will employ to fight. It almost felt like there were star marks floating in her eyes.
As I had promised Byreus Margrave not to cause any casualties, I couldn’t use a highly lethal method. So, I’d have to resort to other means.
“For now, let’s make them leave this country.”
“?”
Mocha tilted her head cutely, as if not understanding the meaning of my words. Would she like some sweet potatoes?
I handed her a sweet potato, and she received it, eating it with a gesture like a small animal enjoying its meal. Smiling inwardly at her reaction, I explain my plan to her.
“…That’s the strategy.”
“…”
Mocha listened to my explanation, her expression asking if it was really possible. Although she maintained her stoic demeanor, her emotions were leaking out, making it quite obvious.
Amused by her attitude, I decided to put the plan into action.
