Common Sense of a Warrior Chapter 19

Part 2~

It was mostly just intuition.

However, they were words too precise to simply shrug off as merely being his imagination.

While thinking that it was impossible, that it had to have been just a coincidence……but, compared to him going to that bar simply because his father told him to get to know the people, it was a much more convincing reason.

Because presently, I was here.

“It is true that I normally go to bars, ya know? I explained it earlier as well……but, that is true…….”

His eyes as he said that with a wry smile burned with a dubious light.

“That, ‘in this world, there’s no such thing as coincidence’.”

For a moment, I was overwhelmed by him, and went into a daze.

“That’s impossible……the reason why I went there that day was because my subordinate called me. It was a complete coincidence. It couldn’t be that you ordered my subordinate……?”

“You do know that it’s pretty damn hard to get one of those guys who, more than simply respect, but worship you, to take you out.”

“Then, just how……?”

“When people take action, I believe that there are internal and external factors that lead them to do so. The internal factors are, in brief, their way of thinking. That depends on their respective personalities and can be guessed at if you take into consideration their usual conduct. And so, the external factors include things that have already happened, and things that will happen in the future. Taking all of that into account, this was the result that was brought out.”

I got goosebumps at how Romel spoke as if it was nothing.

I’d still be more convinced it he had said it was just a coincidence.

“This time’s prediction was simple. After all, you went drinking with the guys from the previous group, right? Well, the group this time heard about that, so there’s no way they wouldn’t take you out to drink on the last day of training.”

It is true that ever since I took the position as General, I have gone to observe the training of many people.

The country requested that I do so for people other than my direct subordinates, but……as there were so many aspiring candidates, I divided them into groups and went to observe them periodically.

Like he said, it is true that on the last day of the group I was observing previously, I was invited to go out drinking.

However, that was something that happened only once several months ago.

Leaving aside those who were enlisted in the army, for someone who was working as the Prime Minister like Romel to know the precise details of the training schedule, to the point where he even knew they went out to drink, surprised me.

“Just how far reaching are your eyes and ears?”

“It’s only natural to know the movements of the army as the Prime Minister. As for the drinking, well, if you don’t try and hide it, then of course people’s mouths are gonna run. I have ears in the town’s bars, you know? Since you’re famous.”

“In any case, I’m surprised you knew. Even though it was a different shop than before.”

“If you go to a lot of places, then you’ll come to know which ones are frequented by knights.”

I felt a bone-deep chill run through me.

Just how much has the man in front of me seen through to……! -I thought.

It was no longer a mere prediction. It was foresight.

He connects all the various points scattered here and there, makes a conjecture, and then intervenes to bring about the result that he desires.

This is this country’s Prime Minister, I shuddered.

“……having gone that far, why are you seeking my assistance?”

“Well of course, 90% of it is due to my interests as the Prime Minister……right now, you’re someone that this country can’t afford to lose. You have popularity amongst the masses, and your very existence itself serves as a deterrent to other countries. In reality, the negotiations with Towair Country went smoothly because you were there……that’s why it would be troublesome to crush you if you became disgusted with this country’s graces.”

“The country, is it?”

“That’s right.”

“…….I understand your power. I ask this while knowing that, but just what sort of assistance can you give me? It may be rude of me to say this, but I do not think that you have any fighting power.”

“That’s true…….I’d probably even lose to your daughter too.”

At Romel’s words, I stiffened.

Though I’ve been given continuous surprises up until now, I still haven’t gotten used to it.

Just how much could this man see through?

“Surely you jest. My daughter has a weak constitution, and simply cannot bear to fight.”

“Even though that sickly daughter easily mowed down a bunch of bandits recently?”

Romel cackled, looking at me with a gaze filled with certainty.

I quickly sensed that, and let out a single sigh.

“Just for reference but……how did you know? At the very least, the outside story is that my daughter’s body double that was concurrently acting as her guard took care of it.”

“The first reason is the distance from the Capital that she was attacked. A decoy is something that should be sent far ahead of oneself. If you were to have a single guard acting separately as a decoy, then doing it that way would be more efficient. However, the location of the decoy was somewhere where they’d just barely be able to make it to the tea party if they went at their fastest speed. Would you really make a weakly ojou-sama go on a forced march? – is what I thought.”

“……and the second?”

“……intuition.”

Hearing Romel’s words, I laughed for the first time since my arrival.

“That answer’s quite unlike you.”

“I think so too. Just……I saw with my own eyes, and felt it. That was the main reason for my conviction.”

“Even though my daughter has never even left the territory?”

“I attended your wife’s funeral, right?”

“……ahh……”

“You know, it gave me the chills. Amongst everyone, only she was focussing on the future. While despairing at the irrationality of reality, her strength that didn’t yield to it……a flame dwelled within those eyes.”

As I listened to Romel’s words, my eyes narrowed.

……it was the same.

The same as the feelings that I had once felt from her.

“Though I don’t know if she’s got talent in the military arts. But it wasn’t likely that your daughter would fall ill ‘because’ of the loss of her mother. She’d kick aside the sickness, and run past it. If she were a man, I’d want to have her train under me.”

“Don’t you have a son?”

“She’d train together with my son under me. If the two of them join forces, it seems like they’d be able to do some pretty interesting things……..well, it’d be quite an extravagant thing to do.”

“No doubt. She’s female, and above all else, I’m also looking forward to how far she can refine her martial arts. That’s why I can’t hand her over to you.”

“Kukuku……I thought so. Well, we’ve gone off topic but……it is true that I lack combat power. However, do you not think I have quite a bit as a civil official? In order to make it easier for you to move, I’ll back you up as much as possible. If we join forces……it won’t only be the bandits. We’ll be able to crush everyone behind those bandits too.”

“Behind……the bandits?”

“What, you haven’t investigated that far yet? Then it’ll be a secret until you ally with me.”

“Kukuku……hahaha……!”

I laughed.

A grand laugh, from the bottom of my stomach.

My laughter caused the room’s furnishings to quake……it was that big a laugh.

“Interesting, how interesting. You will accompany until I complete my revenge……is it alright to think that it is for that purpose you will be making things easier for me? Is it fine for me to wield all my power entirely for my own sake?”

A feeling of completion welled up from the depths of my heart.

Just how wonderful a thing it would be to be able to use all of your strength and move without having to think about the consequences?

My true nature, in the end, was simply that of a single soldier……having just realized that, I laughed at myself.

It wasn’t bad to run around the battlefield as a General.

Rather, to influence the progress of a battle according to my will excited me.

However, during peacetime, the title of General was already nothing more than a pair of shackles.

It had numerous duties and negotiations.

The country and the people all swarmed to share in my glory.

Even though I entered the army in order to run away from the aristocratic society that I detested, before I knew it, I was completely submerged in the middle of it despite my opinion.

The ones approaching would give a friendly smile, in attempts to draw out the best terms for themselves.

Like I care about something like that! -is what my true feelings were, but when I thought of my subordinates, I was unable to run away from it.

Those sort of burdens made it harder and harder for me to move.

“Of course. I took great pains to join hands after all……first off, do something about that stuffy way of speaking.”

“My bad! Then, once again……I must say, I’ll be in your care!”

“Damn right.”

And so, Tasmeria Kingdom’s Prime Minister Romel, and I, the General, firmly joined hands.