Episode 70: The One Who Seizes

　Requisition—this word carries various meanings, but it’s primarily used to refer to the act of the military forcibly collecting supplies or personnel from civilians.

“Count Kreving… no, I’ll call you Siegfried.”

　Gregor puffed out his chest arrogantly and declared.

“You haven’t even seen your first battle yet, so in the military, you’re still practically a child. You’ve never swung a real sword at another person, never killed anyone, have you? You might be shocked, but—this is reality. On the battlefield, people die over the smallest things. …Compared to that, something like this is hardly worth mentioning. Well, just act like the child you are and quietly watch.”

　Gregor mocked Siegfried, and the knights behind him joined in, wearing smug grins.

“Well, anyway. Requisition is a legitimate right granted to the military. It’s not like I want to torment the civilians. However, to serve the kingdom, we must maintain the army… In other words, I’m doing this out of patriotism. If you’re going to interfere with that, I’ll have to respond accordingly.”

　When Gregor glanced around, the knights all drew their swords at once, intimidating Siegfried.

　Assuming Siegfried would back down after this display, Gregor ordered his knight captain.

“Come on, Reginald. Continue.”

“Yes, sir!”

　Upon hearing those words, just as Reginald was about to resume his threats—that instant, Siegfried’s calm voice cut in.

“The Kirchhen Kingdom Code… commonly known as the ‘Kingdom Law,’ Article 2, Section 28, Clause 1—it contains provisions regarding requisition. To summarize its key points, it goes like this: ‘The military has the right to requisition supplies, personnel, and the like from civilians to maintain its forces’—and so on.”

“…What, you knew about it?”

　Gregor directed a gaze at Siegfried that seemed to say, why bring it up now?

“That’s right. Just as you said, requisition is a legitimate right granted to the military, and…”

“However, Article 2, Section 28, Clause 2 also states this: ‘Requisition must be limited to the minimum necessary for maintaining the military’—and so forth.”

　The act of the military requisitioning supplies from civilians is indeed permitted. But if it were allowed without limits, the land would fall into ruin.

　Even the upper echelons of the Kirchhen Kingdom understand that much logic.

　Therefore—requisition must be kept to the ‘minimum necessary for maintaining the military.’ That’s how the Kingdom Law stipulates it.

“Earlier, your knight captain ordered them to ‘hand over the young women.’ No matter how you look at it, that doesn’t fall within the scope of ‘the minimum necessary for maintaining the military.’ Ah, or perhaps, Lord Gregor… you didn’t properly understand the contents of the Kingdom Law regarding requisition?”

　Siegfried threw the words at him with a sarcastic smile on his face.

　Gregor’s round face flushed red with anger in an instant.

　The truth was, he knew nothing about the detailed provisions on requisition.

“Y-you…! How dare a mere youngster…!”

“—And to add to that, imposing excessive burdens on the civilians through requisition is something only an incompetent commander would do. …Isn’t that right? After all, if you can’t maintain the army without stealing supplies from your allies, that’s the case. To carry it out so boldly… Lord Gregor, you seem quite shameless.”

　There are indeed situations where requisition that places a heavy burden on the civilians becomes necessary. However, that’s a last resort, and for a commander, it’s a shameful choice. Yet Gregor was executing it with glee. It was truly the deed of a third-rate villain. Siegfried couldn’t help but sneer.

“Y-you think you understand anything…! —Hey, Reginald!”

　Gregor jerked his chin.

“Siegfried… teach this insolent brat the harshness of the battlefield by beating him down!”

“Are you sure about that, Lord Gregor?”

　Reginald replied while glaring at Siegfried with a gleaming gaze.

“I’m not good at holding back… I might end up killing him.”

“I don’t care! In that case—we can just report that he was killed in an enemy ambush! …Do it!”

“Haha! Understood!”

　Reginald laughed cheerfully as he looked around at his own knights and soldiers.

“Our fun was interrupted by this nuisance… First, we’ll eliminate them!”

　Reginald drew his sword and pointed its tip at Siegfried, as if locking onto prey.

　They had the advantage in numbers. The opposing commander, Siegfried, was in his first battle. There was no way they’d lose. Reginald was convinced of that.

　And then, he suddenly noticed.

“Hm? That knight… is she a woman?”

　Reginald realized that the knight standing by Siegfried’s side was a woman.

“Hehe… She has a scar on her face, but… she’s quite the beauty. Kuh… kukuku…!”

　Reginald was a man who derived twisted pleasure from harming women.

　With uncontrollable joy on his face, he gave orders to his subordinates.

“Come on, let’s enjoy this… —Charge!”

　Shouting, Reginald began his charge toward Siegfried.

　But in that moment—before his eyes, a knight with flaming red hair closed in.

“Wha…!?”

　With masterful handling of the reins, accelerating the horse in the shortest distance possible, it was the knight captain of the Kreving Earl family—Beatrice Nightray.

　As she approached, Reginald hurriedly raised his sword.

“Do it, Beatrice.”

　In response to Siegfried’s voice, Beatrice answered with her own sword.

　A single flash—.

　The strike unleashed by the red-haired knight knocked Reginald’s sword flying. And without losing momentum—it cleanly bisected Reginald’s body.

“Wha…! A, eh… Aaaah!?”

　Reginald, severed from his lower half. His upper body flew through the air, wearing an expression of shock and despair.

“W-why me…!?”

　He was supposed to be the one one-sidedly tormenting them. For it to turn out like this… no way.

　Reginald’s gaze turned to Beatrice. But she no longer had him in her sights.

　As Siegfried’s knight, she simply charged straight ahead… toward her next target.

“Aaaaaah…!”

　Raising a cry of despair, Reginald’s upper body fell to the ground.

　Thud—.

　A wet sound echoed across the battlefield.

“I-impossible…!”

　Gregor shouted.

　But he had no time to stand there stunned by his knight captain’s death.

　Because the tall man—Leon Vague—was charging fiercely, leading the infantry.

“Eek! P-protect me!”

　Gregor ordered his soldiers, hastily forming a battle line in front of him.

　But—,

“Oraaa!”

　Leon crashed into the soldiers, sweeping his spear with all his might. The spear blew the soldiers away, easily piercing a hole in the wall of troops Gregor had created.

“There… I made a hole for ya, Boss…!”

　As if responding to Leon’s voice, charging through the hole he had opened—was Siegfried, riding the black horse Noctis.

“Hii, hiii!”

　Gregor on horseback desperately raised his sword, attempting to intercept. But—the difference in skill was far too great.

　Siegfried easily knocked Gregor’s sword aside—.

“Gyaaaa!”

　Siegfried’s sword pierced Gregor’s chest. Even his luxurious, expensive armor was like paper before Siegfried’s magic-infused blade.

“Hii… Gahiii!”

　Falling backward off his horse, Gregor looked up at the sky with an expression that seemed to say he couldn’t believe it.

“I-impossible! Y-you…!”

　Gregor glared at Siegfried with unfocused eyes.

“Killing me… do you think that’s allowed…!”

“—I don’t want to kill allies either.”

　Siegfried smiled thinly.

　In truth, he had no hesitation about killing allies. Because—they were evil.

　But for now, he continued his words without breaking his scheming villain smile.

　He knew that doing so would make Gregor, the third-rate villain, stand out even more.

“However, this is for the sake of the Kirchhen Kingdom.”

“Wh-what…!?”

“You’re so useless that you could be killed by a youngster like me—. If someone like you dies, it saves on rations. No wasted food consumption, which helps the kingdom too.”

“Wha…!”

“As someone overflowing with patriotism, this must be a joyous thing for you. Come on… smile.”

“Wh-what are you saying!? N-no! I don’t want to die! I-I don’t want to…”

“‘On the battlefield, people die over the smallest things.’ Isn’t that what you said earlier?”

“No! I, I—”

　Soldiers might die, but as a noble, he was never supposed to stand on the front lines and die.

　Being robbed, losing lives—that was all for the commoners.

　That was—that was supposed to be the way of the world. However, such a principle crumbled fragilely before Siegfried.

“N-no… I-I… I…! …Don’t want to…”

　Gregor let tears overflow, shouting in a trembling voice. However, his voice gradually lost strength—and eventually, it faded completely.