Chapter 16: Volume 2 - CH 3

[TL: I’ve changed Ulfert to Wolfert.Ulfin to Wolfin]

Eastern region of the Kingdom of Zain. A wild yell echoed through the residence of Viscount Wolfert, who has a fiefdom in one corner of the kingdom.

The voice was uttered by a mature man with a fat belly. It was Viscount Bobart Wolfert, the owner of the mansion.

“My family has been defending this land for generations! So why should I suddenly surrender my lands unconditionally!”

“….. If you want to know why, I’ve told you many times, haven’t I? Viscount Wolfert.”

Sighing deeply and wrinkling her brows was a knight belonging to the Royal Order of Knights – Saara Leifet. The female knight, who was also Darren’s second-in-command, glared coldly at Viscount Ulfert, who was shouting while scattering spit.

“In the previous war, you sided with the enemy, the Arslanian Empire, and accepted to be subservient to them. This is a clear betrayal of the Kingdom of Zain. We are therefore recommending that you return your territories, disarm and surrender.”

Saara had visited the Viscount Wolfert’s residence ahead of Raidorl and Darren  was to advise him to surrender peacefully..

The Viscounts of Wolfert were originally nobles in the service of the Zain royal family, even though they had surrendered to the Empire. Instead of destroying them through question and answer, Saara tried to encourage Viscount Wolfert to surrender and give him the right to be judged in a judicial forum. However, what Saara received in return for her warm-heartedness was hysterical shouting.

“Shut up!　In the first place, my land was forced to surrender because a key border fortress was destroyed, allowing the enemy army to invade! The king and his army are to blame, not me!　Why should I then give the lands!”

“……….”

The logic was so self-serving that Saara was at a loss for words.

In the first place, nobles were given territories in exchange for their loyalty to the royal family. When he betrayed the royal family to the imperial side, Viscount Wolfert lost his legitimacy to rule the territory.

Indeed, it was the fault of the kingdom’s army that the border fortress of Balmes was broken through. It could be said that it was the fault of the king and his army.

However, the reason why Viscount Wolfert and the other border nobles were given lands in this region in the first place was to intercept in the event of an invasion from any enemy kingdom. No matter what the traitors, who had abandoned the role given to them by their ancestors and instead turned to the enemy kingdom to which they should point their spears, spoke, it did not pierce Saraa’s heart.

Viscount Wolfert, who had not fulfilled his duty to protect the border region from invasion by another kingdom, could not be allowed to get away with any reasoning.

“If you want me to surrender, bring me a letter from the king saying that I will not be questioned about this matter at all! I may serve the Zain royal family again if I am granted a pardon that will secure my title and my fiefdom!”

[Hmph!] with his chest heaved with pride, his belly tucked up and down in a luxuriant heap.

‘Who does he think he is to 『serve』 the royal family?’

Sarrah pressed her fingertips between her eyebrows as if to stave off a headache.

“…..Are you seriously saying that? Do you think such selfishness is acceptable?”

“Of course!　I am the ruler of this land, The Viscount Wolfert! If you touch me, you will have the entire Eight Families of the East against you!”

“……….”

The Eight Families of the East were a group of noble families who ruled the eastern regions of the Kingdom of Zain. They held one-fifth of the kingdom’s land. Because they ruled the border regions, their military power was strong and their influence could not be ignored even by the royal family.

‘But……that glory is now a thing of the past. They don’t have so much power now.’

Saara sighed with a sullen look on her face.

The Counts of Arbeil, the largest of the 『Eight Families of the East』, had fallen as a result of their refusal to accept Imperial rule and their thoroughness in the war. Similarly, the Viscounts of Ilkas, who were known for their military, were overrun by the Imperial forces

The Eight Families of the East were not as powerful as they used to be. Although they had been under the umbrella of the Empire, they were so cornered that their downfall was inevitable in the current situation where the Imperial Army had been dealt a heavy blow by Raidorl.

‘He probably thought he was on the winning side by abandoning a dying kingdom and riding on a winning horse, but……his wager is off. This man does not realise he is on a sinking ship. He thinks he can still make a deal with us on significant terms.’

“………It’s out of the question. At present, the Royal Army is on its way to this region to punish the betraying nobles. His Royal Highness Raidorl is in overall command. Do you not understand what that means?”

“Raidorl? Hmph, what can such an outcast prince do!”

Viscount Wolfert snorted mockingly at Saara’s words.

Rumours of Raidorl had already reached the Viscount’s ears after the battle at Fortress Blaine. However, he did not believe for a moment that his strength and mythical fighting style were true.

The fact that Raidorl wielded the Holy Sword, blew up the enemy army and defeated the enemy’s Holy Sword holder were assumed to be exaggerated fictions of great grandiosity.

“This town is impregnable! With thick walls, ample food supply, even the Holy Sword Holders cannot break through!”

“………..”

“I will repel that country bumpkin prince and banish him back to the frontier! I will make you regret underestimating me!”

“I really don’t understand…….Why, why couldn’t you show that bravery when the Empire attacked?”

Saara gave up trying to persuade the man in front of her and shook her head as if there was no recourse.

The negotiations had broken down. The arrogant man who was only interested in his position and authority would never be persuaded. Perhaps Viscount Wolfert would not admit his mistake until the very end. He would cry out that he was not wrong until the moment he was defeated and his head was chopped off.

“The next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield. Please be prepared.”

“I’ll serve the kingdom again if you guarantee me a peerage, a fortune and a territory! I, the very best of the best, will return you to the nobility of the kingdom!　Make sure you tell your master that!”

“…… Excuse me.”

There was nothing more to say. Leaving the Viscount with his face contorted in arrogance, Saara left the mansion as quickly as she could.

‘My persuasion has failed. Now this town will become a battlefield…..’

Saara looked gloomily at the town ruled by Viscount Wolfert.

As a woman who became a knight and rose to the rank of second-in-command to Daren, the Chief of the Thousand Horsemen, Saara was a valiant and daring knight who was undaunted even in the face of more than ten thousand enemy soldiers. However, the thought of fighting in his own territory and against those who used to be his country’s people is disheartening.

‘Besides, according to information obtained by…… Darren-sama, somewhere in this town lurks a storage full of firecrackers set by His Majesty Granard. They will open fire as soon as His Highness Raidorl attacks the town. Is there no way to save the people of this town?’

“What should I tell Darren-sama…..and I am sorry that I have not lived up to His Highness’ expectation …….”

“Hello, Ojou-san. May I have a word?”

“What?”

Saara was about to leave the town on her beloved horse when a voice on her back made her turn around. She remained astride her horse and stared alertly behind her, but….there was no one behind her.

“……It can’t be a ghost?”

“No, no. A bit lower down.”

“Haa…..aa?”

When Sarra looked down further, she saw a small, skinny boy.

He had soft golden hair cut back around his ears and brown eyes. He was dressed in simple but good quality clothes, as if he were an aristocrat. Perhaps he was related to the Viscounts of Wolfert.

“Umm..you are…….”

Sarra asked the boy, her expression loosening, which had hardened in alarm. The boy put his hand on his chest and bowed his head in a polite gesture.

“I’m sorry I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Sven Arbeil. I am the third son of Ronald Arbeil, the head of the Arbeil family. A pleasant meeting with you.”

“Hee…..A,aa…Arbeil?”

Saara could not help but stutter when she heard the boy’s name.

It was the family name of a count whose family was destroyed by the Empire. Saara blinked in confusion at the name, which she did not expect.

“Why is the son of the Count of Arbeil here……? Are you related to Viscount Wolfert?”

“We’ll talk more about that later……but more importantly, I have something to say to His Royal Highness Raidorl. Please, I beg your attention.”

“What do you have to…..tell His Highness?”

When Saara raised her eyebrows in suspicion, the boy – Sven Arbeil,smiled childishly and assertively.

“I can remove every single one of His Highness’ fears. I can advise him on how to control this town without harming the people!”

〇　　　　　　　　　〇　　　　　　　　　〇

Raidorl was heading east to conquer the traitorous nobles and was joined on the way by Saara Leifet, who had preceded him as a messenger of surrender.

The time was already approaching evening and the female knight, who had come to the tent that Raidorl had pitched for the encampment, was followed by a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old.

“I have returned, Your Highness Raidorl. Well, this is ……”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. His Royal Highness Prince Raidorl. I am Ronald Arbeil’s third son. My name is Sven Arbeil.”

Without waiting for Sarrah’s introduction, the boy bowed politely and introduced himself.

“You’re the son of Count Arbeil? I am surprised you survived…..”

Darren looked the boy in the eye.

Although Raidorl had only heard of him by name, Count Ronald Arbeil was a patriotic nobleman who was the first to send out troops to intercept the enemy when the Empire breached the borders of the kingdom. If it had not been for Count Arbeil’s valiant fight, the kingdom might have been destroyed by the Empire before Raidorl had time to come to the kingdom’s aid.

“Yes, I survived thanks to my father and brother who helped me escape. After escaping from the occupied Count of Arbeil’s lands, I moved in with my aunt’s family, the Viscounts of Wolfert.”

“I see……Count Arbeil was a truly magnificent man, a role model for all the nobility of the kingdom. My father, Bazel Garst, admired him for his valour.”

“Thank you. My father would be delighted to be recognised by General Garst, the Lord Protector of the Realm.”

The clever-looking boy’s eyes narrowed in delight at Darren’s praise. He looked firm, but his face, which was broken into a smile, looked young for his age.

“So? What does the son of the Count want with us?”

Raidorlr interrupted their conversation. He was sorry to interrupt the boy, who was happy to hear his father’s praise, but he couldn’t help wondering why Sven, who had been sheltered by the Viscounts of Wolfert, had come here.

“Ah, my apologies for the delay in explaining. I came here to show that the Counts of Arbeil …… well, only I and a few vassals have survived, that we have no intention of agreeing with Viscount Wolfert’s plot against Hon. From now on, I surrender myself to His Highness Raidorl.”

“Hmm, you mean you’re cutting ties with your close relative, Viscount Wolfert?”

“Yes. The Viscount’s treason has nothing to do with my family. We ask for leniency.”

“……………”

Raidorl glanced at Darren next to him. Asked by his lord with a glance, Darren spoke.

“No one can doubt the loyalty of the Counts of Arbeil, no matter how they were protected by the renegade Viscounts of Wolfert. Taking into account that they have surrendered themselves, it is highly unlikely that any punishment will be handed down to the Counts of Arbeil.”

“’I see. That’s good.”

Raidorl nodded his head in satisfaction. Even though he was not acquainted with the Counts of Arbeil, he did not feel good about punishing Arbeil’s family, who had fought for their lives and been destroyed.

Raidorl tapped the boy on the shoulder and offered him a word of thanks for his honesty.

“If that’s the case, we’ll take you into custody. You can relax and enjoy yourself until the battle is over.”

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words. But……please allow me to assist you in the conquest of the Viscounts of Wolfert!”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm….even if you wanted to help…our army doesn’t hire child soldiers, you know?”

Raidorl shook his head and rebuked the small boy, who was only as tall as his waist.

Sven, however, clenched his fists in his hands and continued to insist.

“I’ve done enough research into the inner workings of the Viscounts of Wolfert, his relationships, and the money that comes in and out. I even have a 『plan』 to take down the impregnable fortress city. I will definitely be of use in bringing down the Viscount, so please add me to the ranks of your vassals!”

“Hou…..you’ve got some interesting things to say. So ……Sven Arbeil, what do you want in return for your help in the attack on the Viscount’s house?”

A small statured boy was willing to go to war… and he was trying to lend his strength to the fight against a family that had ties with him. It would be natural to think that there was something planned.

“………..”

In response to Raidorl’s question, Sven took a deep breath and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.

“I would like you to recognise the restoration of the Countess of Arbeil and me as the new head of the family. And if possible, I would like His Highness Raidorl to become my guardian.”

“Guardian ……?”

Raidorl ruminated on Sven’s words in his head. As a survivor of the count’s family, it was reasonable for Sven to want to be restored to his family power. But for what reason would he seek Raidorl as his guardian?

“If you want a backer, I’m sure there are more suitable aristocrats out there. I think I’m……pretty poor, if I do say so myself, don’t you?”

The king, the supreme authority, wanted to alienate and repel him. Having Raidorl as a backer could put Sven and his house in the middle of political strife.

“If His Highness is saying that he is at odds with His Majesty Granard, then I am prepared. I am willing to swear my allegiance to His Highness knowingly.”

“……You don’t seem to be unaware of what’s going on. How come you’re on my side knowing I’m screwing my older brother?”

“His Highness is a hero who defeated the Imperial Army. For me, you are the benefactor who avenged my father and brother. And……with all due respect, Your Highness still doesn’t seem to have many allies.”

“….. You know perfectly well. As you know, I am a little short of men.”

At the moment, only the maid Neimilia was on Raidorl’s side and there were no more than Darren and his soldiers. As a force, they were still counted as newcomers and did not have enough personnel to compete with the king.

Not only were there not enough soldiers, but also field commanders who organised soldiers on the battlefield, military strategists who thought about strategy and strategy, secret agents and operatives who investigated the enemy’s internal affairs, and even civil servants who conducted internal and political affairs in the rear.

“If your highness is short-staffed, there would be room for a kid like me. The sooner I get on the winning horse, the better…….And if I can make His Highness king, I can not only restore the Count of Arbeil, but also make my house a great noble with a strong influence in the heart of the country.”

“Haha!!”

Raidorl burst out laughing at Sven’s answer.

Apparently, the boy in front of him was quite a gambler. He had lost his home, his immediate family and under such circumstances, he was willing to chip away at his own life to make his count’s family leap forward.

“You can’t call me a 『horse』, even if I am royalty!　You’re a lively little shit, despite your looks, aren’t you!”

“I thought that would be more to His Highness’s liking than a child with a good ear. Am I wrong?”

[TL: Sven probably meant a person who follow orders blindly and remain passive]

“You’re right. Such madness……looks like you’d make a fine vassal for me.”

Raidorl laughed, his shoulders shaking.

The boy Sven Arbeil was not just a child. He was a very clever schemer. With this boy on his side, he would surely be one of the fangs that would eventually bite Granard.

“Sometimes I do need a new scenery. Looks like I’ve picked up something I didn’t expect! So, how on earth does the Little Strategist plan to bring down the Viscounts Wolfert? If you have a plan, let’s hear it!”

You are reading story Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl (LN) at novel35.com

“Yes, of course! My Lord!”

With a mischievous, boyish smile, Sven uttered his plan for the downfall of the eight families, who had once been huddled together.

〇　　　　　　　　　　〇　　　　　　　　　〇

The provincial town of Wolfin was ruled by the Viscounts of Wolfert. The town, which until a few months ago was part of the kingdom’s territory, was on high alert, with many soldiers coming and going on the walls surrounding the town.

The town of Wolfin, being a town near the border, had high walls and a deep moat on the outside. The town was built to withstand a month of siege even if surrounded by Imperial troops, but now it was being prepared to attack the Royal Army, which was supposed to be on its side.

“All right, come on through!”

“Oh, thank you very much…….”

Bowing to the soldiers, who were looking at them like hawks, a group of shabbily dressed men ducked through the city gates.

At the entrance to the town there was a long queue of people. It was a procession of villagers from the surrounding villages, who had taken refuge in Wolfin on the orders of Viscount Wolfert. It was ostensibly an evacuation order to flee a village that might become a battlefield, but some soldiers knew its real purpose.

“Captain……I’m still in heartache. Are we really going to take advantage of these people?”

One of the soldiers who had finished screening a group of villagers and led them inside the city walls made a weak comment. The man called the captain had a look of regret and patted the young soldier on the head.

“Don’t say that! There’s nothing you can do about it now..”

“But these people aren’t knights or mercenary soldiers, they’re just villagers! There are women and children too, and we can’t force them to fight……”

It was never to save the villagers that Viscount Wolfert gathered the villagers from the surrounding area. Rather, it was the opposite. The aim was to conscript them as soldiers to fight against the kingdom’s army.

“No, not even as soldiers!　The Viscount is holding them hostage…..”

“Don’t say another word! You don’t know who’s listening!”

The captain shouted at the soldier who almost unintentionally revealed the secret.

Another purpose for which the villagers were gathered. It was to treat them as meat shields in the event of an attack by the Royal Army. Viscount Wolfert was a renegade who betrayed the Royal Army and joined the Empire. But even so, the people living in the Viscount’s territory were still the true citizens of the kingdom. If they were lined up on the city walls as hostages, the Royal Army would not be able to attack aggressively.

And so, to buy time to ask for help from the other eight eastern families or to win amnesty by bribing the central nobility – that was what Viscount Wolfert was planning to do.

The young soldier’s fists shook with righteous indignation at the ruthless viscount, who treated even his own people as tools. It was no wonder that he took out his pent-up resentment on his superiors.

“I volunteered to be a soldier to protect this kingdom from the Empire! Why is it that this town surrendered to the Empire without a fight and I have to fight the Royal Army? And on top of that, using the villagers I am supposed to protect as shields is ridiculous!”

“…. I know. I’m dissatisfied with this too. But we are mercenaries employed by Viscount Wolfert. We’re not Royal Guards, we’re the Viscount’s private army. This spear, this armour, even the food was prepared by the Viscount.”

“But that doesn’t mean……”

“Look, the next villager is waiting for you! Go on and deal with it.”

Kicking the soldier in the butt who was still trying to argue his case, the captain forcefully ended the conversation.

No matter how unsatisfying it might be, there were times when  men had to put their hands in the mud to support and feed their family. He scolded the young soldier who didn’t  know how to drink from the same cup of water, and put him back to work.

“Uuu…”

The young soldier looked unconvinced, but went back to his work. He ran up to the villagers waiting in front of the city walls.

More than a dozen villagers were waiting for the soldier to examine them. Following behind them was a horse-drawn carriage loaded with luggage.

“Let’s see…..what village are you from?”

“We are from Giza village in the east. We have been ordered to evacuate.”

A group of villagers, an elderly man at the head of the group, replied in a polite tone.

Among the dozen or so villagers were some children. The young soldier’s chest tightened as he recalled his earlier conversation with his captain.

“Well……umm what’s in the wagon over there?”

“Wheat and millet from our stockpile. I brought it with me as emergency rations.”

The young soldier took one look at the jute bags packed in the wagons. Normally, the contents of the luggage would have to be checked properly. However, such a diligent work ethic had already disappeared from him.

“You can come through, but you must pitch your tent in the square and live there for a while.”

“……Thank you very much.”

The villagers, who were easily allowed to enter the town, looked momentarily dismayed, but soon walked into the town.

“Wait!”

“ ……!”

But …… a sharp voice shot out at their backs. The voice belonged to the captain who had just reprimanded the young soldier.

“What’s wrong, Heishi-san??”

“…… No. If there seems to be a surplus of wheat, you can bring it to the soldiers’ hall later. I will buy them at a higher price than at the market. We’re going to war now. You can never have enough food for the troops.”

“…… I see, I understand.”

The villager bowed deeply and went inside the walls this time.

“………..?”

The young soldier silently watched the villagers’ backs as they walked away, slightly questioning the strangely tense villagers.

A group of villagers entered the town of Wolfin, but instead of heading to the square where the soldiers had led them, they entered a house on the outskirts of the town.

The house used to be owned by a wealthy merchant, who kept his mistresses in and it sat quietly in an out-of-the-way back street. The villagers entered the grounds and stopped their carriages as a matter of course, even though the house was now uninhabited and unvisited.

One of them then slowly opened the rusty door and carried the load on the wagon into the building.

“Fu…… It’s surprising they don’t find out about us.”

One of the villagers scrubbed his face with a cloth to remove the dirt from his face. The face of the king’s younger brother, chosen by the Holy Sword, appeared from beneath the dirt-stained face of the villager. It was Raidorl Zain himself.

“I’ve never been on an undercover mission before. Well, I’m thrilled.”

“It’s my first time too. YareYare……”

Darren, who was disguised as a villager like Raidorl, sighed tiredly.

“Your Highness, Darren-sama, I will fetch water in the tub at once, please wait a moment!”

His second-in-command, Saara, took a wooden bucket from her luggage and ran to the well outside.

The walls and floors of the ruined mansion were completely deserted and every footstep made an ominous creaking sound. Raidorl sat on the steps of the mansion, carefully stepping over the floor to prevent it from falling.

He loosened his clothes, which were slightly tightened, and turned his attention to the initiator of this infiltration operation.

“Sven, we managed to get in just as easily as you said we would. To be honest, I don’t know how the security in the border towns can be this bad.”

“That’s how demoralised the guarding soldiers are, Your Highness Raidorl.”

Sven Arbeil responded with a smile to Raidorl’s words.

“If you betray without a cause, you will be distrusted not only by your enemies but also by your subordinates and subjects, who are supposed to be your allies. It is a common occurrence in history that a rebel who betrays his lord is abandoned by his subordinates and loses his life, you know?”

“I see. …… I’ll be careful not to be caught red-handed.”

Raidorl, who had his heart set on his king brother, nodded sagely. [Tomorrow is my own]. He deeply engraved in his mind that he would not suffer the same fate.

Raidorl, Sven, Darren and their 20 men invaded the town of Wolfin.

The house was in ruins but Sven, who had fled to this town, had ordered the surviving members of the Countess of Arbeil’s family to use it as a hideout. Raidorl didn’t expect this to happen, but he was impressed by how well-prepared the boy was.

“Well…..so what are we going to do now? Do we just cut our way into Viscount Wolfert’s mansion?”

Raidorl tore open the sack on the carriage and took out his beloved sword, which he had hidden amongst the oats.

He had hidden it in a sack filled with wheat to deceive the eyes of the gatekeeper but the jet-black holy sword, which was covered by wheat, did not like the careless treatment and protested by spewing black miasma.

In the lobby of the mansion, soldiers disguised as villagers tore open the sacks one after another and assembled disassembled swords and armour to arm themselves. Although their numbers were small, all of them here were elite members of Darren’s inner circle. They would not be easily defeated by the demoralised soldiers of the viscounts.

“Yes, that’s true. The number of men is not very large, but as long as His Highness Raidorl is here, the Viscounts’ mansion should be easy to take down. Once we are inside the city walls, victory should be unassailable.”

Darren also nodded in agreement with Raidorl.

At the same time, Saara returned and offered them a wooden tub of water. While Raidorl and Darren wiped themselves off with the water, they turned to Sven, the initiator of the operation.

“No……we’d prefer to avoid a hardline approach if possible.”

“Oioi, you’re not backing out now, are you?　Sure, we may be outnumbered in soldiers, but it’s a gap you can make up with me and my Dáinsleif, with plenty of time to spare, you know?”

“No, it’s not that……because if there is a battle, the operatives that King Granard has set loose in the town could move in and set it on fire.”

Raidorl had also told Sven that Granard wanted to take advantage of the chaos of the battle to set fire and give Raidorl a bad reputation. Sven was surprised to hear of the king’s plot and was dismayed by the king’s outburst.

“True…..we still have that problem. Firebombing operatives are waiting to set the town on fire.”

In response to Sven’s concern, Darren also contorted his brilliant face.

“…. Certainly the presence of a huge fire is a concern, but isn’t a certain amount of damage inevitable?　If we subdue Viscount Wolfert quickly without moving the army, there won’t be much chaos and even if the firebombing does happen, the townspeople will be able to evacuate quickly, won’t they?”

“Maybe so. But maybe not. We don’t know how prepared the firebombing operatives are, so we want to take the most prudent measures we can.”

“Hee….it looks like you have a plan. Fine, this time you’re in charge. Let’s see how the little master-at-arms does.”

Raidorl laughed amusedly and patted Sven’s head roughly with his hand.

Sven, his hair raked messily, [Awawa!] and flailed his arms and legs, struggling to escape from Raidorl’s hands. 

Meanwhile, the soldiers finished preparing for battle. Sven coughed and cleared his throat, running his hands through his messy hair.

“Now……there are currently two forces in this town that are hostile to us.”

“Viscount Wolfert and those firebombing operatives……right?”

“Yes, exactly. Of those two forces, it is the agent that poses a threat to us.”

Viscount Wolfert might have a powerful territorial army, as he had the border region as his fiefdom. But…..the kingdom’s side had the Excalibur Holder Raidorl.

Raidorl’s fighting ability was truly one of a kind. If it were talked about in a storybook, it was not impossible for Raidorl alone to attack this town.

“But if the operatives set fire to the town, Your Highness will lose at that point. As His Majesty Granard intended, His Highness Raidorl will be condemned as an evil, treacherous, and inhumane person who set fire to the town. He will be feared by the people, and will have gone from being a hero to an object of terror.”

The reason why the people of the kingdom had favourably accepted the Excalibur Holder, a man of fearsome power, was because they believed that Raidorl was on their side. They believed that no matter how heinous his power might be, it would never be directed against them – and this was why they praised Raidorl as a hero.

If the town of Wolfin was burnt to the ground and the responsibility for the burning was placed on the Raidorl, the people would be in fear.

“To avoid that, we need to overrun the viscounty without causing chaos in the town and without the people or the firebombing operatives realising that a battle has occurred.”

“I can see the logic, but …… is that even possible?”

Darren raised a question. His second-in-command, Saara, also gazed at the neat profile of her superior officer and repeatedly nodded her head.

“It’s not impossible. I’ve been laying the groundwork for this day for a long time.”

Sven had a look of determination that belied his age  and he looked back at Darren with a serious gaze. The look on his face was mature, unlike that of a young boy who was no more than a few years old. What in the world could have made Sven so determined?

“Isn’t it fine? Sven’s situation is a bit of a mystery but we’ve been following his lead and things have been going well so far. Let’s just trust him for the time being.”

“If Your Highness says so, I have nothing to complain about. Then, what’s your plan to subdue the Viscount?”

Darren nodded his head deeply at his lord’s words and turned to Sven.

“……First of all, the attack on the Viscount’s house, I would like to take command of it, even though I am the newcomer to the group.”

“…..Without His Highness and Darren-sama? That is indeed an impolitic thing to do!”

Saara looked miffed and protested. Raidorl, who was a member of the royal family, was fine, but she seemed angry that Sven, who was only the orphan of a fallen noble, neglected his superior officer whom she respected.

Sven looked at the disgruntled Saara and bowed his head in agreement.

“You are right, Lord Leifet. I am aware that it is too much for someone like me, who does not know anything about warfare, to be in charge of His Highness’ soldiers. But……His Highness and the Lord Commander of the Thousand Horsemen are both so well-known that, aside from the gatekeepers, the viscounts and soldiers may recognise their faces.”

“So you mean …… that instead of attacking, you’re going to infiltrate under the guise of an ally?”

“That’s right. I have some freedom to go in and out of the Viscount’s house, as my aunt is married to him. It’s not easy to take soldiers with me, but I have some of the ….. viscount’s servants in my pocket, and I’ll be able to talk my way out of it!”

Sven assured them with a confident expression.

If this intelligent boy could say that much, he ccould an be trusted, but……Raidorl’s lips twitched in frustration.

“So I’m useless now, am I? I’m tempted to cry that I’ve come all this way and I’m going to have to stay here?”

“No, you’re not! I’d like His Highness Raidorl to do a job that only he can do. Namely, the suppression of the ……firebombing operatives!”

“Hmm, of course I don’t mind fighting those operatives, but… do you know where they are?”

“I do. It’s obvious from the flow of goods in this town.”

Sven pulled a rolled up piece of paper from his luggage and spread it out on the floor. It was a rough map of the town of Wolfin.

“Burning down a town requires a lot of oil and firewood. Bringing it in from the outside would look suspicious, so the operatives are planning to bring in the bare minimum of supplies from the outside and get the rest locally.”

“So if we find someone who is buying large quantities of oil and firewood from…..does that mean he is the one who is starting the fire?”

“Good observation. I have already looked into that suspicious person.”

Sven pointed to a point on the map he had unfolded. His finger pointed to one of the warehouses in the commercial zone.

“It turns out that the trading company renting this warehouse is stocking large quantities of oil and firewood!　There is no doubt. This is where those operatives must be lurking!”

Sven asserteds, took a deep breath and declareds.

“We will attack Viscount Wolfert’s residence and the enemy operative’s hideout at the same time! We will not allow them any opportunity to counterattack!!”

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