Even after the semifinals came to an end, the fervor filling the Grand Drill Grounds showed no signs of cooling down.
Leading Clarice and Serena, I walked down from the spectator stands and headed toward the passage where the combatants were returning. Alecia had been stopped by tournament officials, and the old man was apparently heading over to the Eldran army. Both of them had looked quite cheerful right up until we parted ways, but I was in no such mood. Advancing to the finals sounded like nothing more than having yet another unwanted title slapped onto my name.
I had already stood out far too much by backing Alecia during the Royal Selection, gotten made into a duke as a result, and then had marriage brought up right in front of a massive crowd at the Coronation Ceremony... Just turning that down was going to make my name the talk of every tavern in the royal capital for quite a while. If I actually went and won the Military Tournament on top of that, I truly wouldn't have any place left to hide...
—Fourth place was supposed to be plenty, damn it...! The moment we reached the finals, my plans were already thoroughly ruined...
While I walked along brooding over this, I spotted a woman raising one arm from beyond the flow of the crowd.
"Vain—!"
Elsa came walking up from ahead. The master blacksmith was beside her as well. Both of them had apparently been watching the match, and Elsa's face still bore lingering excitement.
"...You won. You really made it all the way to the finals... We were getting pushed back so many times in the middle there that I thought it was over, but that last move was incredible!"
"I figured we'd lose like normal too, to be honest. Or rather, I wouldn't have minded losing at all... Wait, you actually came to watch the match?"
"What's wrong with that, anyway...?! But was that opponent really that strong? The second we won, the people all around us went absolutely wild, though...?"
Elsa had told me before that she came from another country. There was no way she would know what place this kingdom's nobles had taken last year. Before I could answer, the master stroked his beard.
"They were last year's runners-up. Their soldiers were thoroughly trained, and it was a shock when the marquis himself came out wielding a sword... But even so, the Duke's soldiers put on a magnificent showing."
"We beat last year's number two? Then you've done something way more incredible than I thought!"
"That's why it's a problem... I absolutely don't want to get any more famous than this!"
Elsa gave me a puzzled look, but I turned my gaze toward the returning soldiers. Were there any who couldn't walk on their own feet...? Even so, there were guys clutching their shoulders or limping to protect their legs. New dents had been added to their shields, and some had bent metal fittings on their armor.
Elsa seemed to notice right away as well, the smile on her face vanishing.
"...That guy's shoulder armor is bent. The dent in this shield over here is pretty deep too. I'd hate to send them out for the next one looking like this..."
The master also checked one soldier's breastplate before furrowing his brows.
"We'll repair what we can, but next up is Duke Eldran, right? If they clash like they did today, neither the troops nor their gear are getting out unscathed... Even with two days before the finals, it's best not to push them recklessly."
"Right... I think so too. Second place is plenty... We get prize money either way, don't we? There's no need to aim for first place at the cost of piling up more casualties. In the finals, don't overdo it, and pull back if it gets dangerous. We'll call it a day with that."
Elsa nodded in agreement. "Better than getting hurt, yeah."
Alright... This was fine. All we had to do was let them rest for two days, wrap up the finals half-heartedly, and head back to the domain. Second place in the Military Tournament was more than respectable enough, and for my part, I wouldn't have to make a bigger name for myself.
Up until that moment, I genuinely believed that.
◇
Upon returning to the encampment, Raisa and Lydia began checking the wounded, while Clarice jotted down the number of people receiving treatment and the damage to the weapons and armor. Elsa and the master went down the line inspecting the shields and armor being brought in, while Serena kept watch over our surroundings from slightly behind me.
Even if I wanted to help, I knew nothing about medical treatment or blacksmithing. I would only get in the way, so I sat down on a chair and idly flipped through the tournament-related documents resting on the desk.
Prize money by ranking.
Fifth place: 50 gold coins... huh.
At first, I thought reaching that would be plenty.
I shifted my gaze upward.
Second place: 200 gold coins.
First place: 500 gold coins.
"......Hm?"
I picked up the sheet of paper and checked the numbers once more. It wasn't a mistake... There was a difference of 300 gold coins between second and first place!
"Clarice...! Roughly how much did the medical treatment for the wounded from the matches so far cost?"
"Why so suddenly? I can tell you right away if I check the ledger, but..."
"Make it quick, please. And Master, assuming the gear took as much damage today, how much would it cost to repair if an equal amount gets wrecked in the finals?"
The master lifted his head from a shield.
"If it's about the same as today, it's not like we're remaking everything from scratch... Even if you estimate on the higher side, it shouldn't amount to that massive of a sum, but..."
Clarice opened the ledger with a tilt of her head. In the meantime, I recalled the injuries sustained so far. Bruises, sprains, shallow cuts. It was mostly that sort of thing; no one had suffered life-threatening wounds.
Even if all 300 men sustained the same level of injuries as today in the finals, there was no way the medical expenses alone would burn through 300 gold coins. Even if I added a generous estimate for the equipment repair costs—combining Clarice's figures with the master's estimate made the answer simple.
"......There'll be plenty left over."
"Of what?"
Clarice looked at me quizzically.
"No... even if I factor in the amount spent on this entire expedition, there'd still be a surplus, right?"
"You mean the money? I think there would be, but... Vain, what have you been calculating this whole time?"
For some reason, a look born of a bad premonition gradually surfaced on Clarice's face.
—Wait! Don't panic, me...! Calculate it one more time...
Second place was 200 coins... First place was 500 coins... The difference was 300 coins. Even if the wounded increased and equipment got smashed, the chances of completely eating through that difference were low.
Which meant... wasn't winning more profitable...?!
The problem was that taking first place would make my name even more well-known than it was now, but...
I had already stood out in the Royal Selection and gotten made a duke. Alecia had even brought up marriage at the Coronation Ceremony, so I didn't need anything more. If the title of Military Tournament Champion got tacked on, I could already see people calling out to me every single time I visited the royal capital.
I cast my eyes down at the prize table.
500 gold coins, huh... Looking at it again, it really was 500 gold coins.
I hated the idea of getting famous, but—throwing away 300 gold coins right here was something I hated even more!
"......Alright!"
"Vain?"
I gripped the prize table tightly.
We had made it this far! There was no way I could let this chance slip away...!
"I have no choice but to gamble here... for the sake of my dream!!"
"...What have you been talking about this whole time?"
I placed the prize table down on the desk and stood up. A life of decadence wouldn't fall into my lap just by waiting around...! Sometimes, a man had to make his play!
◇
When I headed toward the center of the encampment, the soldiers who had finished the semifinals were resting as they pleased. Some were receiving treatment, while others were carrying their removed armor over to Elsa and the master. Raisa and Lydia were still continuing their assessment of the wounded.
Glancing sideways at the scene, I walked over to a spot where it would be easy to gather people. If I was going to tell them what I just decided, this was the place.
"Listen up, gather around for a second!"
When my voice rang out, the soldiers who had finished treatment and those carrying equipment turned their heads one after another. Raisa and Lydia approached to see what was going on, and Clarice came up beside me a moment later. Only Serena maintained a position that wasn't too far away, looking back and forth between me and our surroundings.
I looked around at the gathered soldiers. Having just wrapped up the semifinals, some had bandages wrapped around them, while others hadn't even taken off their armor yet.
Honestly, I hadn't expected these guys to fight their way this far. At first, fifth place was plenty, and even after reaching the finals, up until a little while ago I thought finishing in second place would be fine.
...However, circumstances had changed.
"First of all, you all did great! Winning your way to this point was undeniably due to your own strength. To be completely honest, I didn't expect you to make it to the finals either."
The soldiers' gazes converged on me.
"However—since we've come this far, don't settle for second place anymore, got it? In the finals, you'd better tear first place right out of their hands!"
The encampment, which had been noisy until just a moment ago, fell completely silent.
Raisa's eyes went wide before she slowly looked at me.
"Boss... weren't you saying just a bit ago that second place was fine rather than piling up more injuries?"
"I heard the same... Lord Vain, you said there was no need to push ourselves to win, did you not...?"
Even Lydia was bewildered, and voices flew from the soldiers near her as well: "Lord Vain?!" "Didn't you say fourth place was plenty?!" Clarice crossed her arms and finally chimed in.
"Vain... what on earth are you thinking?"
Clarice furrowed her brows in disgust.
"...Let me tell you right now, whenever you make that face, you're almost never thinking of anything good, you know?"
From a slight distance away, even Serena looked over at me.
"Opposite of what you said before..."
"Quiet...! Circumstances have changed!"
I cleared my throat once and looked around at the soldiers.
"Listen up! I'm not going to tell you to avoid getting hurt anymore! I will personally cover all medical expenses, without fail. If your armor breaks, I'll pay the repair costs too! So don't worry about the money! In exchange—tear first place right out of their hands, no matter what! Sprain an ankle, bruise a shoulder, if you can still move, push forward without holding back! I don't care if you come back injured... I'll take care of you all the way until you're healed! So win! Bring back those 500 gold coins!"
The encampment went quiet once more. The soldiers looked at each other's faces, then turned their gazes back to me. One man near the front raised a clenched fist to his chest.
"...If Lord Vain is going that far for us, there's no way we can settle for second place."
The soldier in front squeezed his fist tight. Hearing that voice, the surrounding soldiers lifted their heads one after another.
"He's right... Up until now, Lord Vain kept telling us not to be reckless, not to get hurt... And yet now, he's telling us to go take first place because he'll cover all the medical and repair bills, you know?"
"Doesn't that mean he believes we can even beat Duke Eldran?!"
With those words as the spark, the atmosphere shifted in an instant.
"Then let's give it everything we've got! We've made it this far, after all!"
"Who cares if they're last year's champions! Lord Vain is telling us to take first place, so we're bringing it home!"
"Even if we get hurt, he'll fix us up! Then all we have to do is stay standing until the very end!"
Their voices swelled to the point that it was hard to believe they had just finished the semifinals, and fists thrust into the air all over the place. Even the soldiers who had been sitting down exhausted stood up, and before I knew it, the entire encampment was enveloped in a fervor that could hardly wait for the finals.
"No, wait, you guys...! What matters isn't the championship, but the prize mo—"
"Let's bring the championship home for Lord Vain!!"
Ooooooohhh!!
...It was no use. Nobody was listening to me anymore... Well, getting them motivated was a good thing, at least.
My voice was swallowed by the cheers. Raisa looked at the clamoring soldiers with a laugh and placed a hand on her hip.
"Now that's a good look on their faces, isn't it? If the Boss is going that far, I won't hold back either. I'll stop anyone who's about to collapse from overdoing it, but anyone who can still move is running until the very end."
"I will handle the overall coordination on my end. Those who need rest will rest, and I will return them to fighting condition by the finals. On top of that—we will seize two bases from my old home, Eldran!"
There was no hesitation in Lydia's voice either. Though overwhelmed by the soldiers' momentum, Elsa handed the breastplate she was holding over to the master.
"...Got it! If you're going that far, I'll inspect everything too! I won't let them go out to the finals with half-broken gear! What can be fixed in two days, I'll fix!"
"We'll make it in time on our end too, Your Grace. Just because you told them to win, though, don't let them bring things in with the assumption they can just wreck them, alright? Craftsmen don't have three hundred arms, you know."
"I know! I'll pay the money, but keep it as cheap as you can, please!"
"I knew that was the real motive..."
The master's face twitched. Clarice parted her lips as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she went right back to her ledger. Serena watched the boisterous soldiers for a short while before approaching my side.
"Do you really want those 500 coins that badly?"
"Of course I do! I want them way too much...! It's a 300-coin difference, you know?"
"Ah, I see..."
Saying only that, Serena returned her gaze to our surroundings.
Well, whatever... The soldiers were set on winning, and Raisa and Lydia were motivated too. Elsa and the master would fix the equipment. As long as there were gold coins left over after paying the medical and repair bills, I wouldn't lose out.
Second place was enough? I felt like I might have said something like that, but that was in the past now.
Just one more victory until 500 gold coins...!
Now that it had come to this, don't hold back—tear it right out of their hands, no matter what...!
◇
That night, the estate of Marquis Perkin in the royal capital was wrapped in complete silence.
Perkin sat before his office desk, looking through a report. Ever since the Royal Selection ended, the nobles of the former First Prince faction had been gradually cozying up to the new Queen. Now that His Highness Regnard had accepted defeat, that in itself was hardly surprising.
That was precisely why he had wanted to stop Razgrim in the Military Tournament. Not just in politics—if he could demonstrate that Razgrim was not an overwhelmingly exceptional existence in military affairs as well, he could still delay the political tide from solidifying into a single current. With that intention, Perkin had taken up a sword himself and stepped onto the battlefield.
—Yet, he had lost.
If House Razgrim went on to defeat House Eldran in the finals, the young man standing at Alecia's side would be someone who had secured her victory in the Royal Selection, been made a duke, and conquered the Military Tournament on top of that. The room for the former First Prince faction to rally once more would shrink even further.
Perkin tore his eyes away from the report and let out a long breath.
"...Is there no other move?"
The close aide waiting by the wall could not answer either.
Holding the Royal Selection over again was already impossible... Regnard himself had made no moves since then. Even if they waited for Alecia to misgovern, it was clear that her position would not easily waver so long as Razgrim continued to support her. Once the royal throne solidified, any leeway for the Prince faction to prop Regnard up again would vanish as well.
He searched for paths one by one, only for each to disappear in turn. Looking at what was left at the very end, Perkin's face twisted in anguish.
"...Turning a blade against Her Majesty would be treason."
The moment he spoke those words aloud, strength surged into his clenched fist. For generations, the marquis house had served the royal family. He had lived his life with that same conviction, believing anyone who would harm the monarch to be a traitor to the state.
And now, he was about to do just that.
"My Lord Marquis... please, reconsider while you still can."
"I know that!"
After raising his voice, Perkin closed his eyes. Before long, he slowly unclenched his fist.
"...I know full well. There is no way such an act could ever be forgiven."
Even so, he could not tear his eyes away from the map of the royal capital resting on the desk. The path to overturning this through politics had narrowed. The more time passed, the more Alecia's reign would solidify, and as long as Duke Razgrim remained at its center, merely waiting for the tide to change would be too late.
Perkin moved his fingers as if hesitating time and again, finally bringing them to a halt over the mark designating the royal palace.
"...There are two days until the finals. During that time, I will search for another path just once more. But if nothing else remains—"
His words broke off... If possible, he did not want to speak it aloud. Yet even if he looked away, the reality would not disappear. Perkin swallowed hard, as if forcing down something bitter, and finally continued.
"...Queen Alecia will simply have to be eliminated."