Volume 4 Chapter 16 (1/2)
Chapter 4 Episode 16
Editors:Starbuck11, Key
Evening, 3rd Day, 1st Month, the Year 2814.
Bonfires were lit surrounding the training ground, many n.o.bles and royal members came to a place that usually they never visited.
”All of them seems to have a lot of leeway, eh?”
”I guess it cannot be helped, rarely such spectacle like this happens during wartime after all. Besides, they are not the only ones. Even I also want to see the result of this match...”
Elena who sat beside Ryouma reproved him while looking at him with a gentle smile on her face.
They had spent time separately after the civil war ended, but even when they never met, their relations.h.i.+p did not got disturbed.
An easy going grandmother and her grandchild.
From the point of view of bystanders, they looked like that.
”Geez, Elena-san you said those words as if it was another person’s problem...”
”Of course... Since the purpose of this match is to confirm the ability of the soldiers you lead, meaning I have nothing to do with it, no?”
Ryouma smiled bitterly toward Elena and directed his gaze to another direction.
The thing that was about to happen after this, was a friendly battle between the Zalda Kingdom Royal Order and Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma.
Usually, in this kind of friendly battle, a limitation such as not using a sharp weapon would be put in place, but after a strong suggestion from the opponent to make this battle feel closer to an actual combat, such limitation had been removed.
In the end, they will use real swords and spears.
The dull light reflected by the blade made the atmosphere felt like the fight they were about to unfold was not a friendly battle.
”Well, since this is you that we're talking about, I'm confident of your winning prospect, but, don't let your guard down, understand? After all, your opponents are the soldiers the Zalda Kingdom is proud of... They might kill your soldiers you know?”
The smile disappeared from Elena's face when she said those words.
The expression on her face was tense.
It was as if she was about to enter the battlefield.
”Elena-san worries too much. Do you think I would lose?”
In respond to his question, Elena shook her head while sighing.
”Don't joke around like that you know? Of course, I know you... You were able to defeat Kyle who was one of the best knights of the Rozeria Kingdom. But, we don't know if those children would be able to do the same... It is not too late, some of the soldiers you have seem to be skilled mercenaries. You should replace those children with them... If the other side refuses to let you withdraw, I will do something about it.”
Toward Elena's concern and suggestion, Ryouma kept silent while showing a gentle smile.
Of course, since Elena was just a general from a reinforcement country, she could not dictate the situation.
No matter how much of a personal connection she had with the Zalda Kingdom's king, she had no power to make the Zalda Kingdom's n.o.bles and military officers back down.
If she did a bad maneuver, the Rozeria Kingdom might end up being driven into a further crisis.
But even if she could not do anything much, she still wanted to confirm everything with Ryouma.
Elena's eyes then directed to a group of people standing behind the two of them.
The soldiers standing there were young.
Some of them have a figure that could perfectly be called as young children rather than a young person.
Not only boys, there were also girls.
Of course, when she looked at the weapon the children carried, they looked no less than the mercenaries, but it was different when fighting was involved
Elena had already seen many dead bodies of young children on the battlefields.
Those young children were commoners that end up being conscripted by the army.
Some of them were young knights who succeeded their family knight household at a young age. -
But regardless of whom, the blessing of the death G.o.d would descend equally toward anyone in a battlefield.
A social position had no meaning in there.
And such reality was a hard truth in this world.
That was why Elena did not wish to see the dead body of a child other than in a battlefield.
(In the end, it was just for my own self-satisfaction... But still...)
That thought crossed Elena's mind.
Such thoughts were not related to the death of her daughter due to the power struggle in the past.
”Now then, In the presence of the Royalty, I present the match battle between, Rozeria Kingdom Baron Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma-dono, and the Zalda Kingdom Royal Order commander, Oosan Gurido-dono. Both of you please step forward.” <tln: the=”” name=”” ”オーサン・グリード”,=”” it=”” was=”” so=”” funny=”” i=”” laughed=”” pretty=”” hard...=”” it=”” can=”” be=”” translated=”” as=”” ”greedy=”” old=”” man”.=”” such=”” stupid=”” joke=”” by=”” the=”” author=””>
When that voice reverberated within the training ground, the surrounding noise disappeared.
”Oh, I've been called... Now then, I guess I have to go...”
Ryouma lifted his lips and headed toward the referee.
The match was a group battle of five versus five.
This was also due to the strong suggestion made by Earl Schwarzheim who wanted to see the collective capability of the soldiers rather than their individual ability.
That Earl Schwarzheim seemed to hate Ryouma for some reason.
At first, Ryouma’s opponent would be from the Royal Guard, but because Grahart did not inform anything to Julia.n.u.s beforehand regarding Ryouma, the Earl strongly suggested that Ryouma should fight against people from the Royal Order instead. <tln: royal=”” guards=”” are=”” knights=”” directly=”” under=”” the=”” ruler's=”” command,=”” while=”” royal=”” orders=”” are=”” knight=”” orders=”” under=”” the=”” command=”” of=”” regional=”” commander-in-chief=”” n.o.bles=””>
”It is fine... Ah, since this is a rare chance, how about betting with the others? Elena-san would be able to make some profit you know? Actually I also already made some bets... Oops, that should be confidential.”
While he whispered such words to Elena, Ryouma signaled the soldiers behind them to proceed to the middle of the training ground.
Apparently, Ryouma had engaged in an under-the-table gambling with the other n.o.bles.
Although the Zalda Kingdom was in a crisis, some with a screw loose always existed.
But well, humans cannot sustain themselves without moderate rest as well, thus such entertainment was not fully wrong. -
(My words alone won't sway your decision huh? But still...)
Looking at Ryouma's smile, she was able to convince herself that he would win.
However, for the person called Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma to bet on himself, it was not because he was naive.