The color of the generals'' eyes changed at my words.


    Of course, some of them are worried about what will happen if they lose this battle.


    But there are many who are motivated, as if it were the day before the festival.


    Raviara, for example, is on the excited side. She was about to shoot her bow and arrow somewhere.


    We have come this far by defeating our enemies one by one, rather than rising to the top through intrigue. It''s like a flower that can only bloom on the battlefield.


    "Arsrod-sama, Laviala will lead the archery squadron and make full use of it!　If you don''t go into battle, you''ll lose your skills."


    "Yes, of course, go get the general''s head. But I''m not sure..."


    I went in front of Raviara and gave her a light pat on the shoulder.


    "Make sure you come back alive. You''re my mother."


    Laviala''s face instantly became mysterious.


    She must have been thinking of her daughter. That''s a natural reaction of a parent. I know that he is firm in his political stance, but when he has time, he is there for his daughter.


    A child is better off with both parents. Especially our children, who will always be involved in power struggles."


    "Yes. I will raise you and Serafina''s boy well.


    "Also, I hope Raviara will have more children. ......"


    "Mr. Arsrod, you don''t have to say those things here!"


    Laviala blushes and protests. Behind her, the generals'' loud laughter echoes.


    I''m sorry, Raviara. It''s a common practice in war to make things lively by saying something vulgar. Please forgive me here.


    Now, since you''re here, I have a request for you as well, Mr. Arsrod.


    It is typical of Raviara, the nanny child, to be able to say such a thing here. As I''ve grown up and become a big man, Raviara''s position as a big sister is fading away, but she still shows her big sisterly side at times.


    "Please spend more time with your children, Mr. Arsrod. I know you have a hard job, but please do it. Lately, I''ve been hearing a lot of "Where''s daddy? >>Sometimes the children ask me, "What do you want me to do?


    "Ugh. ....... Now you bring it up: ......"


    I was never unaware of this. However, I had always given priority to political affairs.


    "If we make a wrong turn now, you may all end up on the street. I was just doing what I should have done as a regent. ......"


    "Yes, that''s right. But if you leave it to mothers alone, children will grow up not listening to their fathers at all. If that happens, Raviara will have nothing to do with it, even if they complain about it.


    Another loud laugh. Raviara has dragged me into her sacrifice.


    "Well, I''ll think about it when this battle is over."


    "Yes. You don''t make promises you can''t keep, do you?"


    "The Regent does not speak twice. They are the ones who will be my successors."


    If we hit the cathedral, we''ll have some leeway. Yes, there will be peace for three years. That''s how long we need.


    By the time my son and daughter are old enough, I''d like to have the eastern part of the country somewhat settled, aside from the former king''s forces. Well, let''s see what happens.


    "All right, those who will go with me, fight with all your might. Let''s march!


    With a battle cry, we turned away from the cathedral and moved.


    We were in the cathedral.


    Of course, I have not neglected to gather information about the cathedral. During the trip, we had received small messages from the bugler.


    As I had predicted, the cathedral was going to accuse me of maladministration and attack me between the lords I was invading.


    In the capital, there is the king Hasse, who will have a hard time drawing his bow. They want me, not the king, so of course they will.


    If the rebels occupy the capital for a long time, there will surely be complaints from the citizens of the capital. This is the inevitability of history. No matter what they do, they have no choice but to suppress the city by force, so the freedom of the citizens will be suppressed.


    When it goes too far, the citizens are eager for a rebel force to pursue the rebels. If the inhabitants of the land are made enemies, the war will be greatly disadvantageous.


    I am sure that high priest Kamito and the others know that much. So all he thinks about is crushing me.


    But I don''t think he thinks he can destroy me. If they can get favorable terms of peace, they will win and they will be able to convince the cities that are on their side.


    I don''t intend to make such a simple hand-clapping ceremony.


    I will attack the rebellious cathedralist cities so that the cathedrals will have no choice but to fight.


    I''m confident that if it comes to an all-out war, I''ll win.


    --You''re a fool. You''re a hunchback. I''ll say it again. You''re even more impudent than the High King was when he was young!


    Odanobunaga talked to me a lot during the march. He talks to me in my head, and it is very noisy.


    You had a hard time with the religious forces too, didn''t you?　They operate on a different logic than the lords, and they have a strange cohesiveness and economic power.


    --I know!　The Ikkyoso were much more troublesome than the Takedas. They would unite all their people against us. A lord does not have the power to make his people go to war with such purity. They are foolhardy! War is fought between those who fear death, and these men are breaking that law.


    You know exactly what I''m talking about.


    The enemy is strong. That''s why they strike first.


    A town not much bigger than a city, surrounded by a moat encircling it, stands before us.


    All the wooden bridges have been raised and they are on the defensive, but the moat itself is narrow. It is almost like a ditch.


    "Well, who will be the pioneer?　They''re going to completely turn on us, so there''s no need to show any mercy."


    Let me do this!"


    The first to speak up was Dorborg, captain of the Black Dog Squad, one of the SS.


    He is a war wolf man with numerous scars on his face. Originally from the Brantal province, he was a scrappy kid, but as he gathered his friends and became a mercenary, he grew in strength.


    These mercenaries came to work for me and became my direct troops. I added a few more soldiers to the unit, and it became the Black Dog Squad. Because of this, we have a high degree of independence among the SS. But there''s no way you''d have the advantage of giving up on me.


    "In return, please let me take as much money and goods as I can. I''ve had to be polite in many battles over the years."


    You look more like a scoundrel than a proper soldier. I suppose that''s a good thing, coming from where I do.


    "Yeah. I''m surprised you''ve put up with me this long. You can be as violent as you like here."


    I, for one, would have liked to have seen these guys in their element.