Kerala. I''d love to have her. She would be the kind of subject I never had.


    "Kerala Hilara, if it is possible, I would like you to serve me too. I was a small lord in the countryside until a few years ago. I''m not very good with secrets. So I don''t know what I have to protect as a count. I hope it is only my shame, but if I am not careful, I may bring shame to the Crown Prince.


    It is good to be half truthful in this kind of thing. It was worthwhile to have a man who was familiar with the past as a vassal.


    "If it''s all right with me..."


    Good, that''s Fleur. You''re a good judge of character. You can''t afford to mismanage the ritual in your future career.


    It''s never a good thing if they think you''re just a countryman who''s good at war. When you enter the capital, you will not be trusted by the nobles of the dynasty.


    There have been times in history when barbarian-like generals have occupied the royal city, but because of their messing up the rituals, they were hated by the nobles and the lords near the royal city, and eventually fell.


    --I don''t like it. This woman.


    Oda Nobunaga seems to have a bad look on her face. But I can''t see her face.


    --This woman smells like Mitsuhide. He was an educated man with a good head, but in the end he chose the former Shogun and betrayed the High King. Mitsuhide, however, was old and not such a young woman.


    Ah, she''s like the one who betrayed you.


    --Mitsuhide killed the High King at Honnoji.


    Honnoji?　Is it a place name or something? Well, I have the impression that this Oda Nobunaga can do whatever he likes, so I guess some of them will betray him.


    --Be careful. In the first place, all people who excel in the truth are conservative. Conservative people are going to be incompatible with change-makers like you at some point.


    I know this as an objective fact, so I will be careful. I don''t think that a man who never misses praying to the temple would ever say that a dynasty or anything else should be destroyed and made new.


    "Then, Kerala, I will give you my own domain. Don''t worry, I won''t ask you to serve only me.


    "Thank you very much."


    I thanked her politely, but Kerala did not smile.


    It is not impossible for one person to have more than one lord, so there should be no problem. If she were the Crown Prince''s mistress, that would be a problem indeed.


    Let''s check it out just to be sure. It would be foolish for the Crown Prince to resent me for it.


    "By the way, by the way, I just want to ask you, the fact that you served me as well, doesn''t mean that the Crown Prince will get some strange idea about you?　If you and the Crown Prince are on very deep terms, I would stay away from you."


    "Then you needn''t worry. The Prince will not lay a hand on the Dwarves. It has been passed down from generation to generation since the first king that no member of the royal family should bear children to elves or dwarves.


    "I see. I''m sorry for asking such a trivial question.


    I''m glad to hear that your concerns have been put to rest.


    After that, I learned a lot of rituals and studies from Kerala in my spare time.


    I think I have learned at least as much as a country lord can learn, but that''s about as much as a country lord can learn.


    Kerala had been taught the highest level of education in the capital from a very young age, and she was accompanied by scholars and others in her exile. She probably knows enough now to make a name for herself as a scholar.


    Of course, that is in her spare time.


    He is also planning an invasion.


    The invasion is planned.


    First, they extended their tentacles to the eastern province of Icto.


    There are no big lords here. Some of the smaller lords have come to thank Hasse, so I can take advantage of his authority.


    The problem is the lords who did not come to bow down to Hasse. I will break them down one by one.


    Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the province of Shahra, about two thirds of the land is controlled by the Antoine family.


    They are one of the most powerful counts, but they are not my enemies. The reason is that the powerful viscounts have almost independent power here. These people can be easily dealt with if they are slightly disturbed.


    The expedition to Icto province was done somewhat slowly.


    The reason for this is that they needed time to firmly establish the Nagouri province as their own territory.


    If the lands were to expand too rapidly, the ruling structure would be in disarray.


    We are steadily taking control of the port towns for the future. I will consolidate the wealth of all port towns by making them under my direct control. With this wealth, I will increase the size of the SS and build the strongest army.


    Within a year or so after the official birth of Crown Prince Hasse, the entire province of Icto was almost under my control.


    We are one step closer to the capital.


    Laviala and I talked about the future of our march.


    Because...


    "It''s time for Raviara to return to the battlefield!"


    It was because of Laviala''s fervent wish.


    Yes, for the past year, Raviara has been fulfilling the roles of mother to her daughter and nanny to Serafina''s son. Raviara knew that this was her first priority, so she fulfilled her duties.


    However, Raviara''s main job is to be an archer. He was always conscious of going into battle.


    "Laviala has always practiced archery whenever she had time. If there is a war, I will be able to help you right away!"


    "I don''t doubt your ability either. I don''t doubt your ability either...it''s just that in the event of a war, I''d have to leave my kids. ......"


    You can''t take two children who are only a few months old into a war, no matter how hard you try.


    "That''s ...... the only time I would ask someone else to take care of them. ......"


    "I don''t think I would willingly take my own wife into battle, but I guess that''s the nature of warriors. ......"


    I have no right to stop you, having volunteered to go on such a dangerous mission.


    But I''m the one who won''t just roll over. I got a better idea.


    "Okay. You''ll be there for the next battle. The battle in Olbia. The enemy is not that strong.


    "Hey, aren''t we going to attack eastward along the sea?"


    "We can attack Shahrah, but first we must make sure that Brand Nahum owes us a favor. It is said that a number of lords are trying to join forces against him.


    After establishing a firm footing in the south, we will attack to the east.


    "I will also try to use a Dwarf woman named Kerala as a commander."