I couldn’t look away as I watched the black smoke rise from the straws around the wooden stakes that had a people tied to it.
On a hot summer day when the intense sunlight blazed down, screams and shouts gushed out from the powerless, half-dead people. Those who had kicked and tied them up to the pillar were surrounding them and watching them with joy. They were absorbed in playing with the suffering victims as they splashed water and oil into the flames.
The screams of the blackening people gradually changed into wheezing. An awfully unpleasant smell filled the air. The heat and stench made me vomit, and loud laughter sounded from next to me. As if enticed by that laughter, I heard out of place laughter. My ears hurt, and my brain felt as if it was being stirred.
I wanted to shut my ears and eyes and crouch down because I couldn’t stand it anymore, but the arms that were holding me wouldn’t let me do so. I couldn’t tell them to let me go, and the adult’s arm easily held my small body in place even if I desperately tried to twist my body.
I was terribly dizzy. My head hurt so much it felt like it would break. The heat, the hot air, and the stench; all of which smothered me.
I couldn’t endure the nausea anymore. My throat twitched, and my stomach felt as if it was turning. The vomit that had reached my throat came out. The smell of people burning was mixed with a pungent odour that stuck to the nose.
I slowly lifted my half, half-stunned by my vomit.
I think I was trying to look at the person who was holding me. This was done reflexively, so I wasn’t sure why I did it. However, I deeply regretted doing this when I saw who was holding me.
The man with alluring long black hair that was blowing in the wind and blood-red eyes looked at me and his rapt smile made me shiver.
When I realised that it was my father, I woke up in bed.
“Otou-sama…”
I violently wiped the sweat that was falling down my cheeks in the hot and sultry bed. Perhaps because I had a nightmare, my fingertips were freezing, and I was shivering.
I crawled out of bed without opening the curtains that hung from the canopy. I was looking for cold air, but it was hot out of bed as well. It was so humid that it made me choke. I finally breathed in the fresh air when I opened the window.
Kaldia was facing intense heat for the first time in five years.
More people started collapsing from heatstroke in the fief, and the vigilante corps that had been launched in every village a while ago were working hard without rest to prevent and deal with it. Earl Thelesia and I, who often stayed inside, were also placed under the control of the people in the mansion and had to spend time hydrating and resting.
Soldiers were gradually returning from the settlements in the east because a few days ago, refugees started moving to our fief in groups of 50. There was a lot of water in the east and it was easier to live there, so some of the returning soldiers wanted to go back.
Two months have already passed since Kamil left the Golden Hill Mansion.
I flung my pyjamas that had gotten soaked with sweat to the side and wore a thin tunic and dalmatic. Mrs Hortensio was helping with my breakfast, so she won’t come and help me prepare in the mornings. She also won’t come to wake me up unless I oversleep since I am already over five-years-old. The sweat made my body sticky and it felt gross, so I left my room and headed to the dining room while looking for a maid.
There are only two maids at the Golden Hill Mansion, so it was hard to find them during the busy morning hours. I was probably lucky today since I met Phoebe, who was walking around collecting laundry in the mansion.
“Good morning, Ojou-sama.”
“Good morning, Phoebe. I’m sorry, but can you get my sheets as well.”
Both my bed and pyjamas were soaked with sweat, and I didn’t want to sleep in them since I would probably get a nightmare again. It was no surprise that I wanted to make myself comfortable since this heat made me have nightmares and made it hard for me to sleep. The other residents in this building must have thought the same because Phoebe muttered, “Well, it is sweltering,” before nodding firmly.
“I understand. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“I want to wipe my body after breakfast. Get the things ready in my room.”
Phoebe nodded again, bowed, and quickly walked down the corridor since she was busy. It was the maids’ job to pick up laundry, but it was the washing lady’s job to do the laundry. Even if I don’t take my time to eat breakfast, she’ll probably have the tub and cloth ready for me in my room.
Surprisingly, Earl Thelesia, Mrs Mareshan, Mrs Hortensio, and Claudia were sitting at the dining table. Earl Thelesia usually ate breakfast a little earlier, and Mrs Mareshan and Mrs Hortensio ate a little later. Elise and Maya have breakfast in their room, but it was surprising to see the others at the dining table.
… Which reminds me, I haven’t been to Elise’s room for a while. Elise has gotten better lately, so she often goes to the courtyard during the day, so I didn’t need to visit her room. Shall I visit her room today?
I squeezed the cloth that Phoebe had prepared for me and wiped my body. Then, Rashiok followed me as I headed to Elise’s room. When I knocked on Elise’s door, Rashiok made a sound, and Elise replied, “Come in.” I wonder if she’s a lot healthier than when she first came here.
“Elise-dono, sorry to disturb you.”
“Eliza-sama! Hello. I thought it was only Rashiok.”
… Rashiok, have you visited Elise before? This is the first I’ve ever heard of this. Rashiok must have been aware that he’s a draconis, since he didn’t enter the room and sat down neatly at the door.
Elise was sitting on a chair by the window instead of on the bed like she usually does. Her face suddenly lit up, and she was about to get off the chair, but I stopped her with my hand.
“You look well today.”
“… Yes, I’m feeling well, thanks to you.”
I nodded at her as she smiled happily and approached her as if I was going to do something. When I stood next to her, she became bashful. “I was looking outside,” she said in a small voice.
“The outside?”
“Yes. You can see the courtyard and pond from here.
“I like looking at the view from here. I’ll go down there when I get better,” she laughed.
“I see,” I replied as I looked out the window, and saw the courtyard and pond that Elise was talking about. That was where I collected the poisonous leaves. The gardener doesn’t take care of the pond, so it might still be growing there. It’s a reservoir, so I think it is being taken care of, but they didn’t get rid of the plants because the toxins don’t dissolve in water.
Various types of colourful vegetation surrounded the water, and it looked quite pretty from afar. I squinted my eyes when I found a small rock nestled in the grass. So, you can see that ‘grave’ from here?
“Oh yes, you can ride Rashiok at that time. He’ll take you to the pond really quickly.”
“Oh my, on Rashiok’s back? Is that alright?”
Elise laughed happily. I thought her smile looked like the sunshine, and she seemed relieved. A sickly girl who can’t even go down to the courtyard alone. I felt miserable because I could only relax around someone like her.
Under the guidance of Earl Thelesia, I spent my days handling supply requests and talking about how the construction was doing in the settlement. The other day, 30 warhorses from Luctfeld fief were delivered to us, so Earl Thelesia’s establishment of a cavalry troop was one step closer to realisation, but other than that, not much happened.
Then, a messenger from Jugfena royal fief’s army arrived at the Golden Hill Mansion.
Earl Thelesia and I welcomed him in the parlour. The soldier was covered from head to toe in chain mail, and he wore a black tunic embroidered with the Arxian crest, a crown and the Sacred Code, with a mantle on top. I pulled on the Earl’s sleeve since I was curious about the clean fabric, and he replied, “He’s a knight.” I see; a knight? Is it alright to use a knight as a messenger?
Younger nobles who have become military officers are called knights. To be precise, those who officially enter a knight order are called knights, and commoners who enter a knight order become titled knights. Nobles without titles can become titled knights, so everyone in the knight order has peerage.
“Welcome to Kaldia.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome. I bring you a message from the commander of the Jugfena Fortress Knights, Earl Einsbark.”
The knight entered without even sitting down and remained standing between the chair and the desk. This meant it was urgent business. The Earl and I remained standing as well since the knight was still standing. The knight looked at the Earl and solemnly began to speak.
“A woman claiming to be from the Sill tribe arrived at Jugfena Fortress with 10 children, and are currently under our protection.”
… I gently closed my eyes when I heard the knight’s words. The time has finally come? It has been two months since we decided to accept the refugees, and the Sill tribe has done an excellent job fleeing from the Densel army.
“According to her, 60 more people will arrive from the Sill tribe. They’re being pursued by an army of 300 Densel soldiers. Kaldia has agreed to take in the refugees, but will there be any problems with accepting this many?”
“None.”
When I answered, the knight looked at me in surprise. Hmm, he glanced at the nodding Earl, then turned to face me after the Earl nodded a few times. He’s a commendable knight. Even if others know that I’m Viscountess Kaldia, they always talk to Earl Thelesia since they think of him as the feudal lord.
“Very well, then. So, you will take them in together with the 1000 refugees currently under the protection of the fortress?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The knight and I nodded at each other, then he hesitated a little.
“… Viscountess Kaldia, Earl Einsbark would like to request for your aid in defending Jugfena Fortress.”
It felt somewhat refreshing to see anguish and confusion in his eyes. His eyes were also mixed with guilt, and it was easy to see that he didn’t want children involved in a war. He’s an honest man and very ethical. I remembered that Earl Thelesia avoided my eyes when he first told me about the neighbouring kingdom, and I thought nothing of it. He probably thought it was too early to send me into war, or he might not have hesitated to send me there if it was necessary.
“I accept this request. I will take 80 soldiers from the Kaldia army with me to Jugfena Fortress.”
“You will?”
It sounded as if he couldn’t help but ask that question. Oops, his expression seemed to say, and I stared at him in wonder and goodwill. His values seemed similar to what I remember from my previous life. It was normal for children under ten to be soldiers in this world, and feudal lords just over five-years-old have been to the battlefield. I felt strangely warm as I nodded firmly.
“… I understand. I will inform Earl Einsbark. I will excuse myself now.”
The next morning, a messenger pigeon arrived from the royal capital.
The message it brought was an order to dispatch troops, from the Upper House of Lords. The Upper House of Lords is also commonly referred to as the ‘Imperial Court’, and it is where the representatives of the king and the House of Lords make various decisions. It’s similar to the Grand Council of State in my previous life, and it consists of the king, prime minister, commander-in-chief, priests, high priest, the three judicial families, and five representatives from the House of Lords.
“Viscountess Kaldia shall command her fief army and join the defence of Jugfena Fortress… Even the Imperial Court went through the trouble of drafting this order.”
This must have something to do with Earl Thelesia’s actions and our acceptance of the refugees. Receiving a direct order three times in a lifetime from the Upper House of Lords is considered to be very rare. Furthermore, it was in the form of a royal decree from the King. A simple order from the regular House of Lords would have been good enough, but I somewhat understand how the upper stratum thought of and treated Kaldia fief. I sat down reflexively as I stared at the document that I had picked up.
“You don’t have time to take it easy and stare at that document, Ada-dono!”
“It’s Eliza, Claudia-dono.”
“Hmm, my apologies. Well, since you have to mobilise your army, you should hurry up and get ready! Come on, hurry up.”
As I looked at the person in front of me, Claudia seemed overly excited and didn’t even try to hide it. This girl…
“There’s something I would like to talk to you about before that.”
“Hmm?”
I sighed and turned to Claudia. She tilted her head and looked tense and serious. I already knew that only her expression is serious after associating with her for the past several months. Still, this was a serious conversation, so I also changed my expression.
“I believe Earl Thelesia has asked you to be my bodyguard in place of Kamil.”
“Umm! ……. Hmm?”
… Am I an idiot for trying to have a serious discussion with her? Am I in the wrong? I felt that it was a wasted effort when I heard her confused response. Maybe I made a mistake the moment I decided to have her as my bodyguard.
“……… Oh, ooh! Come to think of it, he might have told me something like that, or maybe he didn’t…?”
Claudia clapped her hands together, and I swallowed down my imminent sigh. She has completely forgotten about this. She just read the room and went along with what I said.
“Unfortunately, Kamil can’t return from the settlement right now. Since there’s nobody else who can speak the language of the new settlers, or take charge of the construction project.”
“It’s definitely like that.”
Claudia kept nodding while humming, but I wonder just how much she understands…
“What I’m trying to say is, Kamil can’t come back to be my bodyguard, so I would like you to act as my bodyguard until we get to Jugfena Fortress. Is that alright?”
“Of course, no problem.”
She answered immediately, and her complacent smile changed into a joyous one. I see, so it’s no problem. That’s good.
“Then, you’ll return to the Golden Hill Mansion immediately after sending me to Jugfena Fortress. Gunter will guard me during my stay at the fortress.”
I’m glad she didn’t say, “I noticed your intention and want to be your bodyguard during the defence mission!” Claudia had been entrusted to Kaldia fief. It would be a major incident if she were to die or get injured in a defensive battle.
“… What?! Then, I’ll only be able to guard you half-way!!”
“It’s less dangerous here in Kaldia. I can’t have you accompany me to the frontlines.”
“No! I want to protect you!”
“Waah,” Claudia quickly tried to get me to retract my previous statement. I slipped past her and ran to the Earl’s office. I win as long as I make the report. I pledged… Or, so I thought. Claudia was surprisingly fast, and she chased after me with all her might. I survived since she had no sense of directions in buildings.
Since Earl Thelesia’s private army was assigned to protect the mansion, I summoned back 20 of the 30 soldiers I had sent to the settlement. With this, I now have the 80 soldiers I had promised to that knight. The soldiers marched in union with Gunter’s orders, and I looked down at them from my horse. A squire was leading the reins for me, so it was a lot easier compared to my birthday celebration.
“I thought you weren’t able to ride a horse…”
Claudia whispered as she rode next to me. She thought that I didn’t know how to ride a horse because we rode together on our way back from the royal capital.
“I can ride them, but I don’t have the strength to ride them for a whole day.”
“You’re really weak. Let’s devote ourselves to intense physical training when we get back.”
My head hurt from Claudia’s grandiose exaggeration, so I held my temple. I’m not weak. I should have more physical strength than the average six-year-old after completing my squire training. I looked forward without bothering to reply to her, and Gunter came up to me on my other side. Claudia called out his name in a bright voice.
“Gunter!”
“Yo, Ojou-chan, and ‘My Lord’. The march is going well.”
Asyl was in charge of the overall march command while Gunter commanded from the front. I saw that the longest-serving soldiers were hyped up and nodded at him slightly. Then, I tilted my head a little.
“… Erm, why are you calling me My Lord?”
“Oh? You don’t like it?”
Of course, I wouldn’t like it if you suddenly change the way you address me. Of course, it would be strange for someone who has always been calling me ‘brat’ to suddenly address me as ‘my lord’.
When I first started living in the barracks, the other soldiers also called me brat just like Gunter did, but they started calling me Tsar after they got used to me, just like Kamil does. I’m suspicious because Gunter stubbornly never changes the way he calls me.
“It’s your first campaign. I can’t treat you like a fucking brat forever. I’m going to drop honorifics too.”
Gunter laughed at his own sarcastic remark, and instead of being pleased, I frowned. Those words felt as if they completely overturned the nature of our relationship up until now. Up until now, Gunter and I have been interacting with each other as a mere adult and child, or a teacher and his pupil, without any words that indicated that I am a noble or feudal lord. It was so sudden, then I wondered if something inside of him had changed.
“You’re really not honest.”
“That’s so true.”
“You used to talk horribly and arrogantly. I thought you were crazy when you were overly polite to me. But, it didn’t feel bad.”
I felt like something insulting had come out from Gunter’s mouth, and my frown deepened.
“… Well, if that’s what you say, then so be it. Hurry up and state your business. You left the command to Asyl and came here to tell me something, right?”
Claudia chiming into Gunter’s sarcasm gives me a bad feeling. I thought about Claudia, who went relatively quiet when I started a serious conversation and ended the chatter. Gunter must have read my mind because he shrugged and muttered, “Are you a fucking brat?” Huh? Do you usually cuss by saying fucking brat?
“I came here to talk to you about the path we’re taking. Are we really not passing through the settlement?”
“We won’t. If we head directly east to the new village, then the Monster Forest will be in our path, as well as many ponds. We’ll resupply in Loucks Village.”
“Alright, I got it, okay. Anyway, My Lord probably just got into a fight with Kamil and doesn’t want to see his face.”
Gunter said over his shoulders as if he was aloof, then went back to the front of the line. As expected, he’s good at reading me because we’ve known each other for so long. We didn’t have a fight. I was the one who chased him away.
I lifted my left arm and rolled up my sleeve a little. I looked at the thin chains, embedded with yellow gems, that shone with the sunlight, and had complicated thoughts.
We rested at night and headed for Jugfena Fortress again the next morning. The residents of Loucks Village saw us off with vigilance and complicated expressions. The aura here was the same as Cyril Village, since they were close to each other. I thought about Radka and my chest became heavier.
Unfortunately, the weather was terrible on that day, and we entered Jugfena fief while it was drizzling. We couldn’t tell the time because we couldn’t see the sun, and we had to proceed carefully so that we wouldn’t go in the wrong direction with this low visibility.
While everything was hazy and we had many routes to choose from, we kept following the path to the right and arrived in front of a dense forest that didn’t exist in Kaldia. Alfena Forest was a primaeval forest which was said to have once covered this entire area, and what was left of it had now become known as ‘Monster Forest’. Sometimes, I heard the sounds of beasts roaring and insects buzzing from the depths of the forest along with the sound of the falling raindrops.
“It’s creepy…”
A voice muttered from among the soldiers. Maybe because of the rain, there was a chill in the air even though it was summer. The soldiers seemed tired, they seemed sullen and marched on in silence, and it was awfully gloomy.
“Gunter, raise our speed to the extent that we don’t get lost.”
“Understood. I also want to get out of here as quickly as possible. Even being outside the Monster Forest makes me nervous.”
That was how eerie this road was since even the fearless Gunter thought so. I looked at the forest to my right while pulling the reins of my horse. The dark outline of the forest was hazy because of the rain. Although we were quite a distance away from the forest, it felt like the Monster Forest was looming in on us; maybe it’s because it took up so much of my vision.
I felt something unpleasant from the forest and proceeded while trying not to look at it too much. Before long, a soldier cheered in the front.
“I can see it! We’ve reached Jugfena Fortress!!”
All the soldiers cheered when they heard this. On the other side of the drizzle, the shadow of a giant man-made structure vaguely asserted its presence.
“Wow. It’s such a big building…”
As we got closer, I was gradually able to make out the contours and features of the enormous fortress.
Jugfena Fortress is the only place where people live in the Jugfena royal fief. Rain drizzle down the fortress that was made of polished black stone and metal. It had towers spaced uniformly apart with Arxian flags on top of them and walls that were taller than the ones at Golden Hill Mansion. Unlike the castles in the royal capital there were no decorations, but its systematic structure seemed supremely magnificent.
The Kaldia army soldiers, who have never left Kaldia before, and even Claudia, who grew up in the royal capital and was used to seeing castles, stared at the iron fortress with their mouths wide agape. I was no exception either. In front of this overwhelmingly beautiful fortress, the Kaldia army proceeded while being fascinated like fools.
“Mm, Elena-dono, over there.”
Claudia, who seemed to have the eyesight of a wild beast, pointed at the bottom of the fortress. Her vision was so good that she could even find a speck of grain in a large kitchen.
“It’s not Elena, it’s Eliza.”
“Did I get it wrong again…? My bad. I’m sorry.”
We finished our usual conversation of me correcting her, and I squinted my eyes at the place Claudia was pointing at. The horses proceeded to move forward in the meantime, and when we got a bit closer, I was finally able to see what Claudia was pointing at.
“That’s… the refugee tents?”
Surrounding the fortress, and utterly different from the tent I used to sleep in, were rows of simple tents meant for the soldiers. The low tents were spread out around the side of the fortress as far as I could see. It seemed like they were moved inside the fortress when it was decided that my fief would take them in. I could see people crawling out from their tents without caring about getting wet from the rain. They stood up and I noticed their clingy glances. Our two-day march had come to an end.
They must have known that Claudia and I had higher positions than the soldiers since we were riding on horses, so they focused their attention on us. Their faces drooped down, and only their eyes were staring at us. Some kept staring at us in silence as well as those who quickly returned to their tents. They all seem unhealthily skinny, and I could tell that they all appeared to be exhausted and wounded. I’m sorry, but we’re not picking you up this time. I put what I had seen into the corner of my mind.
We stopped in front of the castle gate, and Gunter informed someone inside that we had arrived. The large door in front of me was made out of wood, but it was held up with an iron lattice frame, and I could tell that this castle was indeed constructed to be a stronghold. When the huge door opened, Gunter gave everyone the order to advance, and we slowly entered the castle in columns. The two columns of soldiers slowly spread out, so that Claudia and I could pass through them. We entered the castle first. The inside of the fortress was brightly lit with torches. The first floor seemed to be the stable, and many horses were relaxing in this large space.
“Thank you for coming over, Viscountess Kaldia.”
“Thank you for welcoming me. As promised, I’ve brought along 80 soldiers from the Kaldia army.”
We were guided by some soldiers from the fort, and the knight, who had come to Kaldia the other day to act as a messenger, greeted me. He might be the one in charge of our liaison. He wasn’t wearing any chainmail today, so his hair was loose, and he looked a lot younger than the other day. If anything, I’d say his current appearance matches his real age more. Even though I don’t know how old he is.
“On behalf of our lord, Earl Einsbark, thank you very much for your nobility and chivalry of spirit.”
The man thanked me and kneeled down in a special knightley pose. His right palm touched his left shoulder. As expected of a real knight, his movements were graceful. I saw Claudia’s eyes sparkle in excitement from the corner of my eyes, and a bad feeling ran down my spine. The feeling was also similar to wanting to push Claudia into a suitable room as quickly as possible.
“I’m sorry about this sudden request, but can I let my soldiers rest now? They’re a bit tired since they’re not used to travelling long distances.”
“Of course. You can rest over there.”
The knight issued instructions to the soldier behind him, and he took my soldiers up to the second floor. Only Claudia and I were left.
“Then, I’ll repeat it. Welcome to Jugfena Fortress, Viscountess Kaldia. My name is Ergnard Einsbark. I’m the commanding officer of the 1st Knight Order platoon. I will be your liaison, so I think we’ll get to know each other very well. I look forward to working with you.”
… Einsbark? I doubted my ears when I heard his unusual surname. I thought that he would be a low-ranking knight, since he had acted as a messenger, so I can’t believe that he’s a commanding officer.
What’s more, since his surname is Einsbark… this means that he’s related to Earl Einsbark, the governor of this area. He’s acting as our liaison with his social position? What is the Earl up to, selecting such a person to be our liaison? I was puzzled, not knowing what the cunning veteran knight, Earl Einsbark, could be up to.
Claudia and I entered the room that Ergnard had guided as to, and as soon as he carefully closed the door behind him to leave, Claudia couldn’t contain her excitement anymore and jumped on top of my bed.
“Wah?!”
My shoulders jumped at Claudia’s sudden, eccentric behaviour. What’s wrong all of a sudden? Claudia buried her face into the sheets, rolled around, and wrinkled the sheets. Stop, you’re making a mess of my bed.
“Ahhh… Being a knight is so dignifying and lovely…!”
Claudia mumbled with her face, still buried in the bed. I was stunned and became speechless and just stared at Claudia with a complicated feeling. She probably likes knights way too much.
“… Claudia-dono, your spear will fall.”
“What?!”
Claudia seemed to have returned to her senses and raised her face. At the same time, she saw that her precious spear had been placed on the floor and looked at me in amazement. She stared at the wrinkled sheets and got off the bed.
“I, I’m sorry…”
“Please fix the sheets properly.”
I sat down on the chair that was in front of the desk by the window, sighed while thinking about how tired I was, and stretched. As expected, riding on a horse for two days straight is harsh on a six-year-old.
I glanced at Claudia as she fixed the sheets in an unfamiliar manner and looked outside the window. For defensive purposes, the inside of the window had iron bars. On the other side, I could see rampants, which were considered as the border, through the glass. It was basically built in the same way as this fortress, and there was a closed gate on the rampart walls. Beyond the rampart is the Densel Dukedom. I felt tension since this was the forefront of the national defence. I braced myself since something could happen at any time ―――.
“Nooo, why can’t I make this nice and straight like the maids do?!”
Suddenly, Claudia’s idiotic scream interrupted my thoughts, and my spirit dispersed. My elbows, which were on the desk, felt weak. Claudia was struggling with the sheets as she cursed it for some reason, and her actions were getting rougher since she was getting frustrated that it wasn’t going well. I hurriedly stopped her and told her that was enough before she could rip the sheets. Claudia was still worked up because she was angry and dissatisfied. She slowly turned to face me and muttered seriously.
“Erin-dono, please let me remain here and guard you.”
“It’s Eliza. And, no.”
“Sorry, I got it wrong again… But, who will protect you while you’re here?”
She was usually persistent, probably because she saw a real knight up close. But you can’t stay even if you stare at me with those puppy eyes. Claudia’s stare was full of feelings, and her blue eyes resembled a cat.
“Of course, I will leave things up to the soldiers, and I can take care of myself. Claudia-dono, you’re a guest who has been entrusted to me by the Lorenzorell House. You really shouldn’t be in such a dangerous place.”
“… I see. Fine. I’m sorry. I was too selfish.”
Claudia shook her head sadly and laid down on the bed. It was rare to see her so quiet, and even though it was great that she was quiet, I couldn’t help but ask her a question.
“Claudia-dono, do you like knights?”
I remembered how she looked at Ergnard with sparkling eyes and asked her lightly.
She suddenly bounced back up like a spring. She smiled like a blossoming flower and looked at me with glistening eyes. Seeing her significant change, I asked myself if I had spoken prematurely.
“Thank you for asking!”
… And my answer was, I had indeed been too hasty.
According to Claudia, who was acting bashful, she had a period in her childhood when she had no talent in anything whatsoever, and her brother recognised that she had talent for martial arts and anything related to war. She was indeed strong like a war maiden, but her excellent abilities are totally useless in the future if matched with Arxian’s general knowledge. Women have been slowly allowed into academia and fief management, but war was still a man’s territory. Claudia pouted and said that her parents told her to practice her sewing skills if she had time to swing her spear, but that was how strange it was for Arxian women to have fighting skills since it was natural for her parents to say that… Well, I am an exception.
Her older brother was worried that his younger sister refused everything, even though she was useless with all-female hobbies, and told her that she had exceptional talent as a knight. Until then, her brother had acted cold towards her because of her excellent skills with the spear, but he swallowed his pride to protect her mind. It was an interesting story, so I listened in silence and occasionally hummed to show that I was listening.
“My older brother is a fine knight now! I admire him. Someday, I’ll become a knight like my brother!”
Claudia became starry-eyed, and she was probably dreaming of becoming a knight and running around the battlefield on a horse. I could only sigh while she was overflowing with hopes and dreams.
“Oh yes, Eliza-dono, don’t you have any?”
“Any what?”
Claudia’s cheerful face looked at me, and she asked me a question with no context at all. She didn’t get my name wrong this time, how rare.
“Something you’re aiming for. Do you have any?”
“I’m aiming to become a great feudal lord.”
“That’s not what I meant… Hmm.”
Claudia frowned and groaned since that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.
“That’s, um… Rather than what you want to be, is there anything that you absolutely have to become?”
“Huh?”
I know that Claudia was trying her best to come up with the right words to say, but I tilted my head since I couldn’t see the difference between those two things. Claudia clutched her head and groaned.
“Erm, um, um… Uh, for example, do you have anything you want to do?”
“Want to do… Right now, I want to prepare a place for the new citizens to live as soon as possible. And, I want to rebuild a church in the fief…”
“Isn’t that part of your work as a feudal lord?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But, that’s not what I’m asking…”
Her groans finally changed to whining. She continued to whine as she put her face between her hands and made a silly expression. Her beautiful face was completely ruined. It felt like a travesty upon my eyes, and I averted my gaze to look out the window.
“… Do you want to do anything other than things related to your fief?”
Claudia finally managed to squeeze out after a while.
Other than things related to my fief…? Hmm, I went over the things I wanted to do in my head one by one, but every one of them had to do with being a feudal lord or a noble. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do and admired my lack of selfishness. The back of my chest ached. At the same time, I felt as if my head was freezing over, and I drove away my thoughts of Kamil that had been forced to resurface in my mind.
To begin with, it’s odd for me to think of something I want to do, since I’m a sinner.
“… There’s nothing.”
“Really?”
Claudia stared at me, curiously. It might be hard for me to understand her since among the vast things that people wanted to do, like getting married to someone, she devoted herself to becoming a knight.
“… You’re unselfish.”
“I don’t think that’s quite accurate either.”
“Although I’m aiming to be a knight, I have other wishes that are unrelated to this goal, like wanting to eat boiled eggs until my stomach bursts, or being able to use magic like monsters can. My friends at school tell me they want to have a wonderful wedding ceremony or set the trend with dress designs. Is there really nothing you want?”
I tried to think about it again, since she gave me specific examples, but I couldn’t think of anything. I shook my head, and Claudia hummed while scratching her head.
“You are unselfish, after all.”
I didn’t deny it this time and just shrugged. I know perfectly well that I’m not unselfish. I have desires.
――― I want to be forgiven.
I can’t make it clear to anyone about who I want to forgive me, what I want to be forgiven for, or how I want to be forgiven, but I have always wished for this. I’m not unselfish.
Suddenly the figure of a thin maid flashed in my mind, then the child with the black pupils who had the intent to kill, and the complicated expressions on the citizen’s faces. Lastly, I recalled Bellway who looked hurt and wistful ――― and the empty eyes and failed smile of Kamil when I had first met him.
For some reason, he faced me while looking like that and called me ‘Eliza-sama’.
“… Ah.”
My voice slipped out. Kamil had called out my name when he had visited me last. I couldn’t remember when I had heard that tone before, but now I finally know.
It was in Cyril Village during my birthday celebration. He had cried out my name when I had fallen off my horse and lost consciousness.
“What’s wrong, Elena-dono?”
“It’s Eliza… And nothing. I just remembered something important.”
Claudia tilted her head curiously and smiled, “That’s great!”
I held the chain that was wrapped around my wrist with my sleeves on top. Why did he leave this? The back of my heart stung with uneasiness because I thought I was averting my eyes to something important.
The drizzling thinned down by the time it was evening, and I could see the clear skies from beyond the fortress walls from the window. In Kaldia, the sun set quickly since Amon Nohl Mountains was in the way, but the east of Jugfena Fortress is a wide-open plain, so it was still pretty bright during dinnertime.
I saw Claudia off and told her to return to Loucks Village by today. She turned back many times since she was reluctant to leave, but for the time being, she went home properly.
I went back to my room alone and sighed. Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I’ve been by myself. After Earl Thelesia came to Kaldia fief, I always stayed in places that made it easier for people to call me, except for when I was sleeping. Even when I went to bed, Rashiok was always there.
I thought of Rashiok who I had left behind. I left him at home since he is still in his infancy, but I’m sure he’s feeling lonely since neither Kamil nor I were at the mansion. Maybe he’ll go visit Elise again.
… Ergnard came to invite me to dinner while I was thinking.
“Do you have any complaints about your room, Viscountess Kaldia?”
“None. Thank you very much.”
“I see. The soldiers from the Kaldia army also seem to like their rooms as well. They’re more disciplined than I had expected. When we invite armies from other fiefs to come here for the first time, they tend to complain about everything on the first day.”
Ergnard spoke while we were walking in an unfamiliar manner, probably because he was considerate towards me. I replied in the appropriate places and secretly observed the knight from behind.
Is he the same age as Gunter, or is he younger? He had a well-defined nose, looked fearless, and his features were indeed similar to Earl Einsbark’s, who I saw at the House of Lords. He was tall and solidly built; looking up at him like this made him look like a pillar or something similar. He wasn’t wearing formal wear today and was in a full black knightly uniform. The colours assigned to Jugfena Fortress by the King were black and silver. The only silver I saw was on the crest which was embroidered onto his mantle.
“… That black uniform looks very tight.”
“Hmm? Ah. Indeed. It feels tight when I put my hands through the sleeves every morning.”
Even though I had muttered this to myself, Ergnard answered thoughtfully while brushing his mantle. Then, he grinned and said somewhat proudly, “Doesn’t it look cool?” He’s playful, my impression of him changed.
When we arrived at the dining room for nobles, I saw that it had been decorated from an area in the corridor, and it reminded me of Earl Thelesia’s residence in the royal capital. The floor was carpeted, there was wallpaper on the walls, and the room was lit brightly by a chandelier. Velvety cloth curtains were hanging from the windows, hiding the rugged iron bars from view. The dining room was so ornate that it caused one to forget that this was an iron fortress. My eyes felt as if they were being blinded by the sight.
Several people were already seated at the long table in the dining room, including Gunter who sat frozen at the furthest end of the table. At the seat of honour was Earl Einsbark and two men who looked like they were his sons were seated next to him. They were all dressed in black knightly uniform similar to Ergnard. It almost feels like a funeral; that thought flashed through my head. Although, in reality, Arxians wore white instead of black to funerals, and I just recalled memories from my previous life.
“Ah, thank you for coming, Viscountess Kaldia.”
Earl Einsbark, who sat at the innermost seat, stood up and held his hands out in a welcoming manner. He looked like a strong knight in the prime of his life, and he didn’t have the same strict expression on his face like the one he had at the House of Lords, but a rather soft smile much like Ergnard’s.
“I’m very grateful that you have brought 80 brave soldiers from Kaldia, so as a welcome, I have prepared a small meal for you. Please enjoy it.”
“I’ve honoured and deeply thankful for this feast that you’ve prepared.”
Earl Einsbark’s eyes were soft and glistening as if he was looking at his grandchild. Ergnard guided me to a seat on the Earl’s left and took a seat opposite me. Then, they said their prayers before starting the meal.
“We beg for forgiveness for all the lives that have been taken in order for us to live on. All sins and virtues shall be judged by the scales of Xia.”
Well, I suppose this is kind of like the formal version of ‘bon appetit’. Apparently, the neighbouring kingdom right next to the castle walls say, ‘we are deeply grateful to the gods for this meal’ before eating. Unfortunately, I wasn’t religious in my previous life, so I’m glad that I wasn’t born into the neighbouring kingdom since I have complaints about it.
“I’m sorry for bringing this up right after our prayers, but is it alright for me to introduce the people here to you now?”
“Of course.”
When I nodded, Earl Einsbark pointed to the man who was sitting right next to him. His hair colour was similar to Ergnard’s, but there was a little bit of grey in it. He was a middle-aged man who resembled the Earl even more than Ergnade did. He nodded at me politely.
“This is Volmav. He is my eldest son and the commander of the Knight Order at Jugfena Fortress. Next…”
The man sitting next to Volmav had beautiful features, and he smiled gently at me just like Earl Einsbark had done. Compared to his family, he was the only one with delicate features, and I couldn’t help but think that he looked weaker than them.
“This is my second son, Wiegraf. Although he is a knight, he’s not very skilled at martial arts, so he’s the chief of staff. He resembles my wife and doesn’t have a stern face, so he’s not that frightening.”
Although it was easy to see that he was smiling dejectedly, his jaw muscles had stiffened. They’re modest and don’t hide anything from each other. I recalled how Ergnard was when he guided me here and smiled slightly.
“Over there is Ergnard. He is my cunning son who contacted you before me.”
“F-father…”
“I’m joking. But I’ve indeed been looking forward to meeting you when I heard that you were being raised by Earl Thelesia.”
Earl Einsbark laughed heartily, “Hahaha!!” At the same time, his eldest son, Volmav, who had pressed his lips together, began laughing, “Bufu.” Wiegraf and Ergnard laughed, “Kuku.” I smiled earnestly because of how they were acting. Gunter, who had been tensed and frozen, was also smiling broadly.
I thought that the Einsbark House would be straight-laced, but they were quite a gentle family. I felt relieved that they hadn’t scorned the evil villain's daughter when we had to be vigilant against the neighbouring kingdom’s invasion.
… However, Ergnard wasn’t Earl Einsbark’s relative, but his real son. Why was he really sent out as a messenger?