Book 12: Chapter 3: Numbers
The Banfield family has a private lounge for the Numbers.
It is a place that can be used by any Numbers for 24 hours a day.
The couches were arranged in a circle.
I nominated Numbers, but the first one was Klaus.
For some reason, Chengshi is attending as Klaus' attendant, but she is not interested in the discussion and is sitting on the sofa, trimming her fingernails.
I have no complaints if Klaus called her, but seeing that he's so good at handling Chengshi, who is difficult to handle as a knight, it is obvious that Klaus is excellent.
I look at the other members of the team.
I named Kukri, who leads the dark division, as number two, and chose Ellen as number three.
Emma, the number four, is sitting on the couch attentively.
I had nominated four people for the time being, but since Tia and Marie were core members of the Banfield family and could not be left out, I invited them to join me in the lounge as my escorts for this one time only.
"I heard that the Empire is going to send a conquering force to the Banfield family. I'd like to hear what you guys think about it."
Emma, who was looking at me with a troubled gaze, raised a small hand.
"I've heard rumors that they have an army of more than six million soldiers, is that true?"
Emma inquires about the size of the enemy army, and Tia, standing diagonally behind me, answers.
"It is true."
"That size of an army is rarely seen in foreign wars, is it not? The fact is, the army is not that large."
Is he going to disperse a huge army of six million and eradicate the old Cleo faction - my faction? Marie now answers Emma with such a thought.
"No, the conquering army will come at the Banfield family with all its might. I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think the other nobles will care."
I expected the restless Emma to be upset, but I was wrong.
She immediately put her right hand over her mouth and began to ponder how to get out of this situation.
"Would the number the Banfield family could provide be a million?"
In order to operate with that many, I have been developing the territory for decades, pushing myself to the limit.
But this time, the Banfield family's territory is the battlefield.
We can bring in more forces.
Klaus tells Emma - and us - how many we can prepare.
"No, one and a half million. That's the limit for the present situation."
It's a shameful thing that we can only muster a quarter of the enemy's army.
I also took into account the fact that we have time before the empire moves.
"There is also time before we are attacked. By that time, I will be able to increase our numbers a little more."
The difference in strength is fourfold.
If we fought them head-on and fair, it would be a difficult number to beat.
Quality is important, but quantity is justice in war.
Since the battlefield is in the Banfield family's territory, we have the advantage in terms of geographical advantage.
Since they had made defensive preparations, they would have been able to push back even a slight difference in numbers.
With three million, we could have easily repelled them, but with six million - we would have had to be reckless.
Ellen is pondering with her fist on her chin.
"Even if we could defeat the conquering army this time, the empire would send a second and a third conquering army. The Empire has that much national power."
Ellen was right.
Even if they inflict half-hearted damage, the Empire will immediately organize and send in a second conquering force.
Even if we defend them once or twice, if they ravage our territory, we will be the losers.
Normally, if we lose 20% of our territory, we will be annihilated, but the empire has the national power to lose a few times without any problems.
That's why I tell everyone in the room.
"I don't have the time to deal with them over and over again. I will have the conquering forces literally annihilated. --You must draw them into our territory and beat them thoroughly. You guys will have to come up with your own strategy for that."
With that, I get up and leave the lounge by myself.
In the lounge after Liam left, Klaus wanted to look up to the heavens.
I try to be patient, but I don't like what I see in front of me.
(How could this be, with an army of six million coming at us?)
In front of Klaus' eyes, Tia and Marie were grabbing each other's chests and pressing their foreheads together.
They are cutting each other off.
"As you wish, I'll throw you into the middle of the enemy army and vaporize you and your men."
"Don't play with me, you mincing bitch! We'd rather move on our own than get pulverized by your shady tactics."
As a general consensus, we agreed to go on the offensive even if we were on the defensive.
But who would be in charge of the whole operation?
Klaus is in charge, but he leaves the planning of operations to Tia and her team.
Thanks to this, Tia and Marie were complaining to each other about the operation.
It was Emma, who had joined the Numbers, who interrupted them.
"Both of you need to calm down!"
Ellen looked at Tia and Marie, who still did not stop fighting, with a dumbfounded look on her face.
Sitting on the sofa, she folded her arms and complained.
"You two are still the same, aren't you? Nothing has changed since before I left my master."
Tia and Marie's gazes moved simultaneously when the young Ellen told them they had not grown.
They both look at Ellen with a deadly glare and remove their hands from each other's chests.
Tia doesn't like Ellen's petulant attitude.
"You've got quite a big mouth now. You used to be so much cuter."
Marie, for example, was clearly in a quarrelsome mood.
"She is a little girl who got into the numbers with Liam's kindness, and she has a big mouth. At the very least, I'd like to see you get a little more credit for your accomplishments."
Ellen joined the Numbers as Liam's favorite pupil, so she was far behind the other members in terms of achievements.
Ellen is one of the elite of the elite that Liam brought up, and if she is still young, it is undeniable that she lacks experience.
Ellen, however, snickered at them.
"I now understand why the two of you, who are the oldest and most accomplished members of our family, have not been able to make it to the top of the list. With your personality problems, it will be difficult for you to make the numbers list in the future."
She points out their terrible personalities.
Seeing the expressions disappear from Tia and Marie, Klaus decides it's too dangerous and joins the conversation.
"That's enough. It would be a nuisance to those below if we, who will be deciding the policy from now on, were to fight over it."
With every minute counted, there was no time for quarreling.
However, Tia and Marie's gazes turn to Klaus.
Their gazes were filled with jealousy and hatred.
Tia lets out a dry laugh.
"You are the first knight whom Liam-sama recognizes as his right-hand man, aren't you? You are the perfect model of a knight."
While Tia's words are tinged with sarcasm, Marie's are more direct.
"I will eventually push you aside and take your place as the first knight."
The two were in full throes of murderous intent, but Chenngshi, who was at Klaus' side, stood up.
She stood in front of Klaus and gave them a provocative smile.
"Oh? I wonder if you guys are going to kill each other?--If you want to kill Klaus, you'll have to deal with me first."
That Chengshi is trying to protect Klaus!
Besides Tia and Marie, the Numbers were also surprised.
Even Kukri's eyes widened for a moment.
"--A knight who was even called an ally-killer has changed so much."
The others were surprised at Chenngshi's change.
She doesn't seem to be bothered by it.
"I quite love Klaus."
The one who was most shocked by that statement was none other than Klaus himself.
What did I do?! And what's with this!?)
Klaus was confused inside with a blank expression on his face when he was told that he was loved by Chengshi, a difficult and dangerous knight to deal with.
After leaving the lounge, I called my Junior sisters to practice swordsmanship.
While dealing with the two who were slashing at me, we had a conversation about the future.
Fuuka, who is a dual sword fighter, slashes at me in succession.
"You're fighting with the empire this time, right? Senior brother, are you sure you can win?"
"I'm the one who will win."
"I don't expect Senior brother to lose. But war is different, isn't it?"
As she flicked Fuuka's sword, I avoided a blow from Rinho, who now swung her sword up from behind.
"I was pretty sure that was a good shot."
"Still too naive."
They are smiling at each other, as if they are having fun slashing at me.
Although we are using serious weapons, this is not a serious killing match, so it is just for fun.
We are playing with each other, forbidding each other to use One-Flash.
If I lifted the ban, I would have to kill my Junior sisters.
--The weakness of One-Flash is that you can't go easy on the opponent.
So we only check each other's basic moves.
"This time, too, you will be working for me."
I'm going to ask my Junior sisters to join us.
As expected, the empire is not so naive that I alone can win the war.
I'm sure I can win depending on how I go about it, but the problem is what happens afterwards.
The territory is in shambles and the army is devastated, making it impossible to govern.
Rinho and Fuuka looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before looking at me.
"Senior brother is strong, but very troublesome, aren't you? If only you were as light as us, you could live free and easy."
Rinho doesn't seem to understand my way of life.
I answer while sheathing my sword.
"I like being the ruler, because in this position, I can do many things freely."
For me, who aspires to be a villainous lord, position and military power are indispensable.
Fuuka also sheathed her sword and folded her hands behind her head.
She looks at me as if she doesn't understand.
"Why don't you just kill the emperor and the traitor Cleo? I'll take care of it. I'll go assassinate them right away."
I let out a deep sigh at Fuuka, who proudly says she will take on the assassination.
Then I approached and grasped her chin with one hand.
"A swordsman of One-Flash pretends to be an assassin?"
"I-I'm sorry."
I immediately let her go, and I also looked at Rinho, who was smiling at Fuuka.
"Rinho, you too, don't do anything unnecessary."
Rinho, who was glaring at me, hurriedly smiled back and nodded.
However, because of her strong spirit, she forced himself to be strong.
"Unlike that idiot over there, I'm a thoughtful person and wouldn't do such a thing. The most important thing to remember is that you should never be afraid to ask for help. --As a swordsman, you know."
She was cute in a strong way, so I decided not to blame her too much.
As a swordsman, if I were to ride fair and square into the capital planet and aim for the heads of the emperor and Cleo, I would probably pass the test.
"Sorry, but the emperor is my prey."
After finishing my conversation with Rinho, I look at Fuuka, who is regretting her blunder.
Fuuka also has a strong temperament, but unlike Rinho, she has a rather straightforward personality.
That is why she gets depressed when she thinks she has made a mistake.
Although she is more flamboyant looking than Rinho, Fuuka was more sensitive.
Therefore, follow-up is essential.
"Fuuka, don't imitate an assassin. You are a swordsman of One-Flash."
"U-Un."
The first thing I did was to pat the depressed Fuuka's head a little roughly.
If this was a normal knight, I would have beaten him up mercilessly, but they are my cute little sister disciples.
They are from the same school - they inherited One_flash from the same master, so even I, an evil lord, would be concerned about them."
"So, how will you fight?"
I answered like the villainous lord that I am.
"It's up to my men to figure it out."
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