The Banfield family has a lounge prepared for the Numbers.

It's a place that any of the Numbers can use, twenty-four hours a day.

Inside, sofas were arranged to form a circle.

These are the Numbers I've appointed, with Klaus at the head.

For some reason, Chengshi is here as Klaus's attendant, but she seems uninterested in the discussion, sitting on a sofa and tending to her nails.

I have no complaints if Klaus invited her, but seeing how he's managed to tame the difficult-to-handle knight Chengshi, it just goes to show how capable Klaus is.

I turn my gaze to the other members.

I appointed Kukuri, who leads the black ops, as Number Two, and chose Ellen for Number Three.

Number Four, Ema, is sitting upright on the sofa.

For now, I've appointed these four. However, Tia and Marie are core members of the Banfield family and couldn't be left out, so I invited them to the lounge as my attendants for today.

"I hear the Empire is dispatching a punitive force to the Banfield family. I'd like to hear your opinions."

As I broach the topic with a relaxed demeanor, Ema, whose gaze had been wandering about worriedly, timidly raises a small hand.

"Ah, um, I've heard rumors of a grand army exceeding six million. Is that true?"

The one who answers Ema's question about the enemy's size is Tia, standing diagonally behind me.

"It's a fact."

"A force of that size is rare even in foreign wars, isn't it? Will they be split up and sent to the frontier noble factions?"

Is the plan to divide the six-million-strong army to annihilate the former Cleo faction—my faction? To Ema's thought, this time Marie responds.

"No, the punitive force will bear down on the Banfield family with all its might. It's a harsh way to put it, but they likely don't even have the other nobles in their sights."

I expected the restless Ema to show her agitation, but my prediction was wrong.

She immediately brought her right hand to her mouth and began to ponder a way to overcome this situation.

"Can the Banfield family muster a million troops?"

To operate such a number, we've been pushing ourselves for decades to develop the territory.

But this time, the Banfield territory itself is the battlefield.

We can deploy more forces.

Klaus informs Ema—and the rest of us—of the number we can prepare.

"No, one and a half million. That's likely the limit for now."

It's quite a pathetic state of affairs that even after scraping everyone together, we only reach a quarter of the enemy's numbers.

I take into account that we have some time before the Empire makes its move.

"We have time before they attack. We should be able to increase our numbers a little more by then."

The difference in strength is four to one.

If we were to fight them head-on, fair and square, it's a number that would be difficult to overcome.

Quality is important, but in war, sheer numbers are justice.

Since the battlefield is the Banfield territory, we have the home-field advantage.

We've also made defensive preparations, so we could have pushed back a slight numerical disadvantage.

If it were three million, we could have repelled them easily, but with six million—we'll have to do something reckless.

Ellen is contemplating, her fist on her chin.

"Even if we repel this punitive force, the Empire will surely dispatch a second and a third. The Empire has that much national power."

Just as Ellen predicted, the problem is what comes after we repel them.

Even if we inflict half-hearted damage, the Empire can immediately form and send a second punitive force.

Even if we defend successfully once or twice, if our territory is ravaged, we'll be the ones slowly worn down.

Normally, taking 20% losses is considered annihilation, but the Empire has the national strength to lose several times without issue.

Therefore—I declare to everyone present.

"I'm not so free as to deal with them over and over. The punitive force will be, quite literally, annihilated. Lure them into our territory and crush them completely. As for the strategy to do that—you all figure it out."

With that, I stand up and leave the lounge alone.

◇

In the lounge after Liam had left, Klaus felt the urge to look up at the heavens.

He was enduring it, but the sight before him was becoming unbearable.

(A grand army of six million is on its way, so why has it come to this?)

Before Klaus's eyes, Tia and Marie were grabbing each other by the collar, pressing their foreheads together.

They were glaring daggers at each other.

"You should just shut up and follow my plan. As you wish, I'll throw you into the heart of the enemy army and let you and your little friends get vaporized."

"Don't mess with me, you mincing bitch! We'd rather act on our own than be ground to dust by your insidious strategy!"

As a general consensus, they had agreed on the opinion of launching an offensive even while on the defensive.

But who would take overall command?

Klaus was in charge, but he had left things like strategy planning to Tia and the others.

Thanks to that, Tia and Marie were arguing about the strategy.

The one who intervened between the two was Ema, who had just joined the Numbers.

"Both of you, please calm down!"

As Tia and Marie continued their fight, Ellen looked at them with an exasperated expression.

Sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, she complained.

"You two are the same as ever. Nothing has changed since before I left Master's side."

Being told by the young Ellen that they hadn't grown, Tia's and Marie's gazes shifted simultaneously.

The two of them, directing murderous glares at Ellen, let go of each other's collars.

Tia seemed to dislike Ellen's impudent attitude.

"You've certainly learned to talk big. You were much cuter back in the day."

Marie, for her part, was clearly looking for a fight.

"A little girl who only got into the Numbers through Lord Liam's pity has a big mouth. I wish you'd at least achieve a few more accomplishments."

Ellen had joined the Numbers as Liam's beloved disciple, so in terms of achievements, she was far behind the other members.

Ellen was the elite of the elite, raised by Liam, but being so young, her lack of experience was undeniable.

However, Ellen scoffed at the two of them.

"I now understand why you two, despite being veterans with many achievements in this house, can't make it into the Numbers. With such difficult personalities, I doubt you'll be joining the Numbers anytime soon."

She pointed out their terrible personalities.

Seeing the expressions vanish from Tia's and Marie's faces, Klaus judged the situation to be dangerous and joined the conversation.

"That's enough. If we, who are about to decide on a course of action, are fighting amongst ourselves, it will be a nuisance to our subordinates."

In this situation where every minute and second counts, there's no time for fighting.

However, Tia's and Marie's gazes turned to Klaus.

Those gazes held jealousy and hatred.

Tia let out a dry laugh.

"As expected of the Head Knight whom Lord Liam recognizes as his right hand. Your words and actions are a model for all knights."

In contrast to Tia, who laced her words with thorns, Marie was more direct.

"One day, I'll push you aside and take the position of Head Knight for myself."

The two were radiating killing intent, but Chengshi, who was by Klaus's side, stood up.

She stood in front of Klaus and gave the two a provocative smile.

"Oh? Aren't you going to kill each other? If you want to kill Klaus, I'd like you to deal with me first."

That Chengshi is trying to protect Klaus!?

Besides Tia and Marie, the other members of the Numbers were also surprised.

Even Kukuri's eyes widened for a moment.

"—For the knight who was called a 'comrade-killer,' you've changed quite a bit."

The members were surprised by Chengshi's change.

She herself didn't seem to care.

"I love Klaus."

The one most shocked by that statement was none other than Klaus himself.

(Whyyyy!! What did I do!?)

Being told "I love you" by the difficult and dangerous knight Chengshi, Klaus remained expressionless while panicking internally.

◇

After leaving the lounge, I called my junior disciples for sword training.

While fending off the two as they attacked, we talked about the future.

Fuuka, the dual-wielding swordswoman, attacked with a series of slashes.

"This time it's a fight with the Empire, right? Elder Brother, can you really win?"

"I'm the one who will win."

"It's not that I think you'll lose, Elder Brother. But war is a different matter, isn't it?"

I parry Fuuka's sword, then dodge a strike from Rinho, who swings her longsword from behind.

"I was pretty confident in that last strike."

"Still too naive."

Perhaps they enjoy crossing swords with me, as both of them are smiling.

We're using real swords, but it's not a serious fight to the death, so it's just play.

We're sparring with the mutual agreement to forbid using the 'One Flash'.

If we were to lift that ban, I would end up killing my junior disciples.

—As I thought, the weakness of the One-Flash Style is that you can't hold back.

That's why we're limiting ourselves to confirming basic movements.

"I'll have you two work this time as well."

I'll have my junior disciples participate.

Even for me, the Empire isn't so weak that I can win a war all by myself.

Depending on the method, I could probably win, but the problem is what comes after.

If my territory is torn to shreds and my army is annihilated, I won't be able to govern.

Rinho and Fuuka look at each other, shrug, and then look at me.

"Elder Brother, you're strong, but you have so many troubles. If you were unattached like us, you could live freely as you please."

It seems Rinho can't understand my way of life.

Sheathing my sword, I give her an answer.

"I happen to like the position of a ruler. It's precisely because I have this status that there are many things I can do freely."

For me, who aims to be a corrupt lord, both status and military power are indispensable.

Fuuka also sheathes her sword and clasps her hands behind her head.

She has a look of incomprehension on her face.

"Why not just kill the Emperor and that traitor Cleo? Should I take the job? I'll go assassinate them right now."

To Fuuka, who brazenly offers to undertake an assassination, I let out a deep sigh.

Then I approach and grab her chin with one hand.

"A swordswoman of the One-Flash Style, posing as an assassin?"

"S-Sor—"

Fuuka must have realized her mistake, as she immediately starts to apologize to me.

I release her at once and turn my gaze to Rinho, who had been watching Fuuka with a smile.

"Rinho, you'd better not do anything unnecessary either."

Glared at by me, Rinho hurriedly returns a smile and nods.

However, being strong-willed, she forces herself to act tough.

"Unlike that idiot over there, I'm thoughtful, so I wouldn't do something like that. Well, if it were me, I'd just charge in and finish it quickly. As a swordswoman, that is."

Her trying to act tough is also kind of cute, so I decided not to scold her too much.

If she were to charge into the capital planet fair and square as a swordswoman and aim for the heads of the Emperor and Cleo, that would be acceptable.

"Sorry, but the Emperor is my prey."

Finishing my conversation with Rinho, I look at Fuuka, who is regretting her slip of the tongue.

Fuuka is also strong-willed, but unlike Rinho, she has a relatively honest personality.

That's why she gets depressed when she thinks she's failed.

She has a flashier appearance than Rinho, but Fuuka is the more delicate one.

Therefore, following up is essential.

"Fuuka, don't play at being an assassin. You are a swordswoman of the One-Flash Style."

"Y-Yeah."

I give the dejected Fuuka's head a slightly rough pat. When I do, Fuuka, realizing she's been forgiven, shows a relieved expression.

If these were ordinary knights, I would have beaten them mercilessly, but they are my cute junior disciples.

We are of the same school—comrades who inherited the One-Flash Style from the same master, so even a corrupt lord like me has to be considerate.

Rinho asks.

"So, how are you going to fight?"

To that question, I decide to answer in a way befitting a corrupt lord.

"Thinking about that is my subordinates' job."