136 Seriously




'I have a favor to ask of you all. I need your help in the kingdom.

 When Erica said this, the conference room was silent.

 What were the nobles thinking?

 We can expect that, but I don't think we're going to have very good feelings about it.

''Our enemies are former nobles who have received support from foreign countries. If this continues, the kingdom will be flooded with the enemy's army. If that happens, the kingdom will be engulfed in a sea of fire in many places.''

 Some of the nobles will be moving in for this, fortunately.

 A nobleman with his arms crossed says to Erica while glaring at me.

''Erica-sama, do you also want me to follow the command of the Baltic Falt boy?

 He doesn't like me.

 Erica nodded proudly.

'You are right to complain that the Duke is too young. But I believe it's for the best.

 The nobleman who had his arms crossed fell silent as Erica said.

 The gentleman-like nobleman sitting next to me with his hands crossed asked me.

''I would like to ask you if you are confident that Duke Baltfart can get through this confusing situation.

 Few people have a proper understanding of the current situation.

 It's hard to gather information.

 But I've had no problem with Luxion.

 I keep thinking about it.

 Cheats are great.

I have the confidence. If you work for me, you're going to win.

 The people around me gave me a pained look at my words.

'The upstart has a lot of bluster. It would be reassuring if it were true.'
'This is an enemy that has rallied together. How can you win when you're on the back foot?
Everyone can win. The problem comes afterwards.

 Yes, this coup, but from the enemy's point of view, it is expected to fail.

 All they want to do is to stir up trouble within the Kingdom of Horphath.

 No one expects it to happen in the first place.

''I'll have the people here to head for the border immediately. Our domestic enemies will be dealt with at the Royal Palace.

 The muscular aristocrat looked at me, laughing.

'My God. You think we can solve this on our own?

'Yes. Because the biggest problem is the border.

 The gentlemanly-looking nobleman nodded.

''-- It's good to see that you're not incompetent. Certainly, those who have decided to take a stand in the country will be discarded.

 Mr. Gilbert, who was representing the Redgrave family, gave me a cold look.

''Duke Baldfalt. So which borders do you want us to defend? The kingdom is vast. We can't just send our forces all around it, can we?

 I feel like you're testing me.

'It's the reinforcements to the Fraser family that are in a hurry.

 Pointing to the map on the table, I indicated where I was to send reinforcements.

 The Earl of Motley was surprised to see that.

'Quite an unbalanced arrangement, isn't it?

 The same goes for the other nobles.

''The Dukes of Van Oth's side is left alone?
It's ready to move.
If this arrangement fails, the kingdom will be swarmed with enemies.

 That's how biased we wanted to be in our placement.

 The reason was that he had studied the countries that were likely to move in advance.

''The Dukes of Van Oth won't move. We don't have a lot of spare capacity over there.

 The Earl of Mottley stroked his chin.

'Do I assure you? If it's the Fan Oth family up until now, I'll use this as an opportunity to make a move?

'I beat him thoroughly on the battlefield before. If we weren't stupid, we wouldn't have attacked them. We can't prepare a cohesive force in the first place.

 Most of the nobles here were heading to the border during the Duchy War.

 A gentleman-like nobleman asked what everyone wanted to hear.

''It's an edict from His Majesty. I will obey. But I want to be clear. We want to make sure that we are clear on the position of Duke Baldfalt. We are concerned that House Redgrave might take advantage of this confusion for their own gain.

 Mr. Gilbert closed his eyes.

 'The nobles here seem to be worried that I'm going to take advantage of the situation and get around well.

 --of course I'm going to get around well!

Don't worry, I'll do my best to protect the kingdom. I will continue to do my best to protect the kingdom. If you want to usurp it too, you can do it. I will smash it all down.

 Erica was surprised and grabbed my sleeve, but I ignored her and continued.

'I don't like that bastard Roland, but I don't want to go to war with him either, if you like. I don't want to bring up the past now and get back at him for being so nebulous.

 When I tell Gilbert-san my feelings, the surrounding nobles complain about it.

 Some of the nobles were tormented by the kingdom's policies.

''Even if they are unreasonable, their loyalty in serving the kingdom is something to look up to.
I guess it's not the same as it was over the years.
You don't seem to understand our suffering.

 I punched the table.

'Unreasonable? A grudge? Suffering? --You guys don't seem to know how I got the Lost Item. I'll tell you. I got the Lost Item because I was about to be groomed by a woman over fifty. And it's for a survivor's pension!

 The eyes around me have eased up a bit.

 Some are rubbing their eyes.

'My father suffered every month to send money home for his real wife and her children who live in King's Landing. Do you know what it's like to be a nobleman, ploughing the fields and securing food for ourselves? My real wife and her children, who live in luxury, didn't even appreciate it because they took it for granted!

 It's unreasonable to think about it now, but I'm glad I didn't have to think about all this trouble back then.

'I'm pissed off too. I'd like to wake Roland up and punch him in the face right now! But that wasn't Roland's decision. Nor did the queen. Getting angry now and burning down the royal family won't solve anything.

 Mr. Gilbert, who was listening to this, opens his eyes and says to me.

''But it's also true that we can't get it together in the current royal family. Do you think it won't be a problem if we force them to extend their lives? You tell me to forget all the resentment and pain, but I hope you understand that I can't forget it to that extent.

 I know.

 But I have a duty to protect what I do.

"Do as you please. If you think you can beat me, come at me. Or maybe I'll just be turned against you. I'll be able to deal with you without a care in the world if that happens, and I don't mind.

 If you have a problem with that, step forward.

 As he said this, the Earl of Motley clapped his hands.

The young hero is a radical man. But I understand the sincerity with which you are dealing with this crisis. Gentlemen, how about fighting under the command of Duke Baldfart? It's no fun to let the enemy do whatever they want, either.

 The place was agreed to, in part because of what Count Motley had said.

 But it was apparent that he was dissatisfied.



 As I leave the conference room, I talk to Luxion as he approaches.

'Luxion, what's the situation?'

'That's a better deal than I had planned. It's so good, I have my doubts.'

What do you mean?

 It seems to have worked out better for us than we had planned.

'The facility that the enemy attacked, but only today the troops were deployed. Airships with live ammunition were also launched under the guise of exercises, and we were able to respond quickly.

Is that you, Miss Milene?

Roland seems to have made the arrangements. You've been beaten, Master.

 What the hell does he want?

 Or rather, did you foresee this?

 I'm confused, and Erica, who is following me, calls out to me.

'Oh, Uncle. Why did you say that? Didn't your uncle want to live in peace?

 I stopped at Erica's words.

 --I want to live in peace, and I still do. I do think.

 Turning around, I smile at Erica.

'I don't want to put my niece on the executioner's block.' --I'll have to leave the slow life for a while.

But!

You can't just say you want to stay in now, because the circumstances won't allow you to. It's like the price of getting this guy.

 He poked at Luxion and looked unhappy.

'Are you so unhappy that you got me?'

No, I'm just not happy about it.

 It feels good to talk back to him because he usually says all he wants to say.

''-- Uncle, there's no reason to dwell on your previous life now. You don't have to force yourself on me.

 To Erica, it would seem that I'm obsessed with my previous life.

 But that's just as well.

'If I have a past life like this, there must be some meaning to it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any memories of my past life, would there?

'This is the first time I've heard of it. Did you just come up with it?

Yes.

 As I'm making light remarks in front of Erica, Luxion reports to me.

''Master, I hear we've found the ringleader's hideout.

You're early.

''You are a foreign agent to begin with. The goal is to disrupt the kingdom, and they probably didn't have any expectations. The real work begins here.''

I know. Erica, I'm sorry, but your uncle is a little busy. I'll talk to you again when I'm done with my work. I've got a lot of questions to ask you.

 A story about my parents.

 Erica's story.

 There are a lot of things I want to ask you.

 Erica looked down.

''--I'm sorry, uncle.

No problem. I just need to rely on Luxion for a bit.

"I wish you had made that decision a little sooner.

 I stuck it out until the last minute.

 If there's nothing I can do about it, I'm going to have to do it.



 As Leon and Luxion left, Erica grabbed her skirt.

 She looked down and wept.

'Uncle, you didn't have to push yourself for me.

 In the end, he couldn't say it.

 Because if Rion found out, he would surely suffer if he found out.



 An alleyway in the royal capital.

 It was the members of the Lady's Forest who were on the run.

''Impossible. This can't be possible!
What about all the foreign aid?
How could you fail? I told you it would be a success!

 They were on the run in their dresses, their clothes torn and trapped in the garbage.

 And waiting at the end of the women's escape was Zilk with a gun at the ready.

 He rode an air bike and surrounded the members of the ladies' forest.

 Surrounding them were soldiers on air bikes as well.

''There is no escape, sir. Please surrender.''

 As the women sit in place, the soldiers approach and restrain them.

 Approaching Zilk is a knight who has graduated and taken a job riding airbikes - a boy who was Clarice's crony.

'I never thought I'd be working for you,'

'Same here. I just want you to understand.

'You, though, I trust your bosses, you know.

 Zilk is Clarice's former fiancé.

 For the boys who were Clarice's cronies, they would like to complain about it.

 But I relented and now I'm obeying Zirk.

'Anyway, what are you going to do now?

'We're heading to the next one. There are a number of ringleader groups that have led the rebellion, you know.

 Zilk and the others handed over the members of the Lady's Forest and headed to the next.



This is the sixth plane!

 Gregg, riding in his armor, wielding his spear, was on a rampage.

 The armor Luxion had produced was overwhelming the enemy's new model.

 While watching the situation, Chris was checking the instructions from the royal palace.

'Greg, let's move on. I heard that the armor rampaging around the royal capital is still there.''

'How can these guys carry so much armor?

 Greg was stunned, but so was Chris.

 The armor that is running rampant in the king's capital has been brought in quite a few.

''There must have been a lot of collaborators. We need to examine that area in detail as well.''

 It wasn't demolished, but the disgruntled nobles must have had a hand in it.

 Some of the armor came from the nobleman's mansion.

''There's nothing wrong with taking them down, but are the ones from Blood okay?''

 Brad was the only one not in King's Landing.

'Don't worry. He's a good commander.

 With that, they went on to the next.



 There were six flying battleships aiming for the royal capital.

 Waiting for them before they reach the royal capital are Leon's friends.

 They were led by Blood.

You know exactly what I mean. The position of commander is exactly what I deserve.

 On board is Daniel's airship.

 Daniel is in trouble.

'Why is the son of a frontier count on board my ship?

 When Daniel complained, Brad patted him on the shoulder and pointed forward.

'Don't be so evil, Daniel, don't be so evil. Now let's deal with them, shall we?

 We have twelve airships.

 That's twice as many as the enemy.

'I don't want to lose, but really, just don't get in my way.

Don't worry. Look, the enemy has flanked us. Why don't we just aim and sink him?

 As the enemy moves, Danielle gives instructions.

'Oh, God! Bombardment. Bombardment! Tell Raymond and the others.

 He instructed his men to begin bombarding the enemy fleet.

 Brad turned his gaze to the map as he watched.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea to hit them or not, but I think it's a good idea to hit the other fleets that are trying to get to the rendezvous point. Is this the next one in terms of location?

 Daniel complains.

"Leon, you're working us over again. I'll let you buy me a drink at an expensive place.

 Brad laughs.

'Yeah, just in time for the celebration. We should join in.

What, are you guys coming too?

Of course. I thought we were friends now.

 Danielle hid her face in her hands as she remembered something disgusting about the sound of "friend".