The Strategist Knows Everything

Dio-sama is having a difficult expression by my side, while looking at the desk. No, actually it’s the map of Veris spread across the desk. Basically, if Dio-sama is smiling while having a difficult expression, Dio-sama is most likely rather troubled. After being together for ten days, you will naturally know.
(TL: No gay!)

In these ten days, I got to know various things about myself. First off is that I am able to read the words of this world. Though words that I know nothing of, due to some reason, the words change to j.a.panese in my head. I am still practising writing, but as it isn’t really that different from English, I have pretty much memorised it.

Another thing I found out is my skill. It’s a skill that reacts to queries. But, it doesn’t automatically trigger if you don’t really desire for the answer to the query. That is why when I saw Sophia-sama, there wasn’t any reaction. From prior knowledge, I already knew that she was such a person. Though in the case of the automatic activation, when I desire for the information, I found out that basically, it will be displayed on the screen naturally.

“It seems to have weakened.”

“Is there a problem again?”

“Yep. That’s right. Till now, n.o.bles who were originally still on the fence, turned to our side because of Yukito, so the war potential against Father is pretty much on par. Just that, we can’t win on equal terms.”

First of all, it is a faulty expression to say that it was due to my a.s.sistance. Honestly, it was due to Sophia-sama. Sophia-sama is still in this castle. This fact makes a large number of n.o.bles perceived that Albion is supporting Dio-sama. Or the current king’s deed has provoked the wrath of Albion. Whichever it was, the scrambling n.o.bles all came to unite under Dio-sama. Well, even though officially we are receiving support from Albion, Albion isn’t really angry. I guess Sophia-sama is having a rather extraordinary disgust for the current king though.

Even then, because of this reason, Dio-sama’s encampment ascends from just a rebel army of a certain district to one of the two main armies of the country.

“I don’t think it’s because of me though….”

“Don’t be humble. No matter how you think, Yukito, you are the reason why Sophia-sama stayed in this castle.”

“That’s true. Yukito-dono”

The person to agree with Dio-sama was a middle-aged male who is carrying loads of doc.u.ments from a room next to the one we are in, Earl Oswald Uren. Though he is rather aged, his hair is neatly combed down without being tinted with anything white on it, and is still a rather active person, whose tension is higher than even both Dio-sama and I.

“Earl Uren…”

“I am envious! To be called by name by such an unparalleled beauty, and furthermore, to be certainly called for a conversation every night. I, Uren! Is so envious that I can’t helped longing to take your place everyday!”

He is serious. As usual, he is really active. At the moment of the exchange, I feel that Sophia-sama would really return to Albion like the wind. Blowing off Earl Uren with it.

“Ah.. well, I am just a companion whom she can speak to.”

“Just…, you say. Sophia-sama asked me certainly if it is fine to bring Yukito back to Albion. Quite the serious tone she had, you know.”

“….how did you reply?”

“I replied that I will think about it. With this, I don’t think she will return to Albion for the time being. It really helps that we are gathering war potential and the morale of the soldiers are rising steadily just from catching an eye of Sophia-sama once in a while.”

Dio-sama floated a slightly evil smile. Just to show the soldiers, he purposely called for lunch at the balcony or basically the exterior. I finally comprehended it at long last. Rather than a talking companion, I, being treated like a servant, was obviously helping out with the preparations. Since the preparations are hectic, I was at least hoping for a closer place to have a meal.

“The Celsus Maiden is in this Earl Uren’ Castle. I believe the ancestors would be really happy about it! ”

“Is it something so special?”

“Yukito-dono has no idea how fortunate you are! Why was there no ‘accident’ when both of you are all alone!?”

“There is no way that would happen, right!? What’s that weird outrage about!?”

“Hahaha, it is really not boring with Yukito around.”

“Dio-sama!? Earl Uren’s words is a little too crude, you know!? A diplomatic issue might develop, you know!?”

“Even though you are the companion of Diorood-sama, to put a finger on Celsus Maiden, I am so envious I won’t forgive you!”

“Like I said, I won’t do that!”

While taking on the Earl Uren continuous barrage, I listened to Dio-sama.

For the past few days, it has been like this everyday. Yep, that is before that notification arrives at the castle.

At night. Even though I say that, it was after dinner, just before one would go to sleep, I was called to Sophia-sama’s room.

Standing in front of a strictly secured room, I received the glance filled with anger, likely mixed with a touch of jealousy from the guards, while I enter Sophia-sama’s room everyday in a mentally exhausted state.

“Excuse me.”

After a single word, I opened the door, and immediately closed the inverting door. That’s because I want to run away from the glance as soon as I can.

“Fu….”

“It’s fine if you do not want to come, you know?”

I can hear a slightly pouting voice across the back. When I look in that direction, I see a figure of Sophia-sama sitting on the bed in a slightly pale white robe, different from the normal clothing she usually wear. I am wearing the ma.s.s-produced island clothing that Dio-sama has bought from the merchants that came to the town outside the castle.

I sighed with a ‘fuu’, and asked while tilting my head.

“Then, why didn’t you tell me not to come?”

“‘I am mad so I am returning to Albion.’ Diorood-sama is going to be troubled, right?”
(TL: Her speech here is more in a hypothetical way.)

“That’s without doubt. My head will be in danger, I think.”

While knocking my head with my right hand, I use a rather familiar tone to speak. It was a request from Sophia. She wanted me to communicate with her as a friend. Since I am the first person and to communicate with her as friends, I was to call her ‘Sophia’. Though I am troubled to differentiate calling her with the ‘-sama’ honorific during the day.

“You are such a tease. You know I will be troubled if you say that.”

“If you dismiss your role here, I will also be troubled. See, we are both being a tease. I am not the only one at fault.”

While I shrug my shoulder, I single-handedly move the chair close to the bed. Since a few days ago, we have been talking this way. According to Sophia, talking to me seems to result in drowsiness. It’s the first time I heard that my voice has an drowsy effect. Now that I think of it, I have a professor in the university that has a voice that makes people really sleepy.

“Yukito?”

“Nhh? Yeah?”

“Pondering about something?”

“A bit about home. There was a person’s voice that soothes people to sleep, or so I thought.”

When I said that, Sophia started laughing, while putting her hand on her mouth. I wonder if there is need for a laugh at this point of time. I have no idea at all.

“Is it because I said that talking to Yukito makes me want to sleep?”

“Right. I was thinking if my voice do make people sleepy.”

“That’s not true. Perhaps, I am feeling sleepy because I am relaxed. Though I have plenty to talk about, I can’t help but feel sleepy. I might as well call you during the day, is that fine?”

“I have to a.s.sist Dio-sama, so I think it will be difficult.”

“Is it no good?”

“That hope is quite slim. But, Sophia, you do go for a walk during the day, right? Do you need me?”

The instant I talked about daytime, Sophia started smiling, came down from the bed, took something from the table of the idiotically enormous room, and showed it to me.

“A Gra.s.s….Crown?” (A crown made of gra.s.s.)

“Yep! The kids from the village made it! They say, ‘Onee-chan is really beautiful so she’s a princess’.”

I am sure she was certainly happy about it. She is showing the crown expressively by wearing it on the head. So she took a walk to a nearby village during daytime. Though I would say it’s dangerous, Earl Uren’s territory is said to be relatively safe, and also the escort from Albion, is also with her. I don’t think there should be any problems.

But.

“Were you happy about getting the Gra.s.s Crown? Or, being praised you were beautiful?”

“Both of them. Ah, you just thought ‘Something like that’, didn’t you?”

“Well, just that, I was thinking that for Sophia-sama, who should be tired of receiving expensive presents and compliments, would still be happy receiving such items.”

“I am happy. Very happy, more than receiving those gold and decorative compliments from those people that I have no interest of, the things from the children made me multiple times more, multiple of ten times more happy. Plus…. when I was a child, since I don’t have a chance to play with gra.s.s and flowers, the moment I was invited to play with them, I was really happy.”

Removing the Gra.s.s crown from the top of the head, Sophia hug the crown close to her chest dearly. I wonder how much the people in Albion who wish to be Sophia’s acquaintances would grieve if they found out that the present made by the children were more pleasant than their expensive presents of an unknown price tag, no matter how much they wish to know her. Nope, I think there will be a mountain of gra.s.s crowns being delivered the next day.

“As I thought, I don’t think I am needed during the day time. You seem to be enjoying fully.”

“It’s not that problem though….. It’s the fact that I don’t have any experience having fun with someone close to my age.”

Children are existences that are able to have fun. Naturally, there is also the fact about being adults, but in modern era, students have plans from kindergarten or schools. Even so, children are able to play. However, the time a person can stay as a child is astonishingly short. That’s why I think it’s a really precious period.

But, Sophia has none. It’s possible it is normal to have none. Because she is born that way. However, it’s a really sorrowful fact.

“After the war, I will request Dio-sama to bring me along to Albion.”

“Even if you come to Albion, I don’t think we will have time to talk. I am such an existence in Albion after all…”

“I see. That’s difficult. But, I promised. I will work hard to make time for such relief again, even if Sophia returns. With such a promise, does that ease Sophia’s anxiety?”

I tried my best to show a really gentle smile. I don’t have any experience in trying to smile to make someone feel at ease since I was born. And what’s more, towards a girl.

Though I think it’s fine to just naturally smile, I ended up in a situation where I am rejecting all other plans floating in my head. Even though I promised, I have no idea how long I will take to grant that wish. Just thinking of that makes me unable to smile.

“If you are planning to smile to relieve my uneasiness, then it’s unnecessary.”

“Eh… Was it exposed?”

“It’s my forte to make an artificial smile after all. To see through that is easy. But, it’s plentiful with your words. Even the days in Albion seems to be enjoyable with that promise.”

“Ah, Uhm… Please give me some time.”

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Just that, I should say the person who wish to meet me and can meet me is someone with authority from an allied country.”

Sophia said that while cheerfully revolved around the chair I am sitting in light steps.

Sophia is in a good mood when she can move around like this. And at times like this, she will certainly use wind magic so even in a secure room, you can still feel the wind.
(TL: Secure room here is more to a room that can’t be entered, usually taken as a stuffy room.)

In a good mood, to the point her hum sounds like her singing, Sophia, seemingly tired after a while, threw herself on the bed face-down.

“Fufu, I absolutely can’t do this in Albion.”

“I don’t think it can be done in front of friends as well?”

“It’s fine. If it’s Yukito”

“Seriously, doing something like that. What if someone…”

Just when I say that, a knock came from the door. It’s still not the time for me to leave. Someone has came to visit. Normally, not everyone is able to come over. Dio-sama has made such an order, and Sophia has also requested her escorts to do that as well.

So who is it? There’s only two possibilities. This castle’s owner, Earl Uren and ..

“Is it Dio-sama?”

While murmuring, I approached the door, and opened the door slightly.

The antic.i.p.ated person was there. And above all expectations, he was wearing armor.

“Sorry, Yukito. It’s an emergency. I wish to see Sophia-sama.”

“I will try to ask. Please hold on for a moment.”

I say that while closing the door, and look at Sophia who is at the bed.

She came towards me nodding after putting on the blue coat that was across her bed. I guess it means it’s fine.

“It seems to be fine.”

“Excuse me. Diorood Arkwright. I have come to give my greetings.”

“Diorood-sama. Greetings as in?”

“Just reported a while ago, my sister who is a.s.signed to the defense of the national borders, has been given  the responsibility of suppressing the revolt. Having ten thousand troops, she marched towards the castle in the frontlines. I will be going alongside with Earl Uren and his army to confront my sister to a castle close to the front lines. Since I am leaving the castle, I came to give my farewell.”

This development was just what Dio-sama has predicted. Since the strength is on equal terms, the ability of the leader will mean everything. The current foolish king is only well-versed in war. It’s fine even if the current king comes out himself. It’s also fine if Kaguya-sama close to the national borders is directed out. At any rate, Dio-sama puts his mind to make sure both of them are separated.

If Kaguya-sama is coming out, I don’t think Dio-sama will fight her head-on. He said it himself. He is not a match for his sister.

“Diorood-sama. I understand. I shall pray for your fortunes of war.”

“Thank you. Yukito, please come along for a while.”

“Roger that.”

While saying that, I apologized to Sophia by eye-contact, and left the room.

In the room that Dio-sama has brought me to gathers many unknown youngsters. Though the screen came out suddenly and started changing instantly, I don’t have the time to read every single one of them.

They are all being respectfully, surrounding a big table. They are most likely people of not really high status.

“The last one is Yukito, I see.”

“The people here are…. the people who will stay, is that right?”

“As expected of Yukito. Your conjecture is good. That’s right, they are people who have been entrusted to stay.”

“Is it right to think that I am to stay as well, since you brought me here?”

“I really wanted to bring you with me though. But I will have you stay behind.”

As Dio-sama said that, he pointed at one portion of the map that is spread out on the desk.

“As conveyed, my sister has appeared. The castle she is going towards is this.”

The position Dio-sama pointed out is a castle almost in the middle of Veris, Castle Canon.

Castle Canon. Veris’s largest castle. Though not geographically supreme due to being plains, the 3-layered enormous castle walls results in a castle that have never been sieged.

I frowned at the menu that appeared with the contents. What a bad combo of the strongest general and the greatest castle. Well, we can fight properly because of that though.

“It is as antic.i.p.ated that they will attack here. We will hold my sister at this point, while cooperating with the allied n.o.bles to form an encirclement net to corner the king. Though a tactical defeat, it’s not a strategic defeat. I have tried taking your advice, Yukito.”

“I only said that it’s better not to fight with the strong sister. The person who expanded from that into a strategy was Dio-sama.”

“Let’s leave it like that then. Also, there is a prerequisite to confront my sister and create a stalemate. That role will be taken up by both Earl Uren and I. Of course, high-ranking personnels will be taken along. That’s why in this place, you all here will be the highest ranking.”

A sound of someone gulping his throat can be heard. For people who seldom meet Dio-sama directly, to suddenly be entrusted with the castle, gulping at that is expected. This is not the time to treat it like other people’s affair. Dio-sama is looking over here.

“Yukito. As you know, we are just barely making it. In terms of talented people. Even then, do you know the reason why I am leaving you here?”

“Let’s see. I am the most closest to Sophia-sama, is that correct?”

“Right. This castle is at the distance of two days from the castle in the frontlines. As long as the main army is not taken out, I believe the enemy would not attack. Both tactical and strategic reasons are rather weak after all. It’s neither an important supply area, nor is it close to stab us in the back. If there’s anything, it would be to shake up Earl Uren though.”
(TL: All the things said here are refering to the castle that Yukito and others are in right now. Hope this clear up some people’s confusion. )

“I don’t think Earl Uren will betray Dio-sama. There is only one reason why they would attack such a castle. It’s Sophia-sama. You are in a hurry, right? Let’s get into the main topic, shall we?”

Unknown of the time Earl Uren entered the room, he was gesturing to hurry up. Though reluctant, taking from Dio-sama’s words, I decided to get the topic started.

“Now that I think of it, that’s true. Then, let’s get straight to the point. Matters with regards to the castle is being entrusted to Earl Uren’s younger brother. But he isn’t cut out for combat matters. That’s why in the event the enemy come with Sophia-sama as the target, Yukito, I want you to be entrusted with full authority.”

“….entrusting command to me? To a guy who is a servant that have never went to battle?”

“But, you are my most trusted aide, and Sophia-sama also follows your words. To make Sophia-sama run away, or be part of the defending force to protect the castle, your words are required. If so, it’s best that you are given full authority from the start. If there is a need for battle, but you are unable to take charge, you can entrust it to someone else. That’s your forte, right? To see through other people’s merit.”

That’s of course. Whatever one excels in can be pretty much known from the “Status”. Let’s put whatever he is suited for, his likes and dislikes aside, but what he is good at, and what he is bad at, can be antic.i.p.ated from the “Status”. But, from what the people I have seen in this place, though there are those that are taking command, there is no one who fits the role.

And that is something Dio-sama knows as well. That’s why he entrusted me with it. Frankly speaking, don’t joke about going to battle and becoming a murderer. Normally, I would have rejected even if I am begged. But, I was requested. Nope, the one who order it was Dio-sama.

“Someday….. I believe I will be asked to join in the fight.”

“Are you reluctant?”

“To tell the truth, I am really reluctant. However, my life was saved by Dio-sama. It’s because you have found me, right now, I can live without problems in regards to necessities. When I see the people living outside the castle, having problems eating, I always shiver at the possibility that I might have been in the same situation. So, if it’s your order, I shall do whatever you need. Even in h.e.l.l… or follow you if you wish for it.”

“Other than one thing, I have nothing that I can win my sister. If there is anything that I can be of ranked with, that would be the blessing of my surroundings. Except in emergency, …..Yukito Kurei will be my representative. Make sure you obey his instructions. This is an… Order from Diorood Arkwright.”

“““Roger!”””

Everyone in the vicinity kneeled down with one leg, their right fist on their chest and their left hand on the floor. Other than me.

It’s not that I didn’t know the way of etiquette. It’s just that I met with Dio-sama’s eyes, and missed the timing for it.

“Yukito. This is my grandfather’s dagger. Though he have retired after handing over the crown to my father, he taught me the way of the king. I shall hand it to you as a proof of command transfer.”

“…Much appreciated.”

Pushing one of my knee out, I received the dagger inserted in a golden scabbard with both my hands.

Continent Calendar Year 312. Month of s.e.x. The prince, Diorood who rebel against the king, led seven thousand troops with Earl Uren to the frontline.