Chapter 27 : Chapter 27
Chapter 27. A Life for a Life (1)
Emilia was glaring at the wooden stick neatly placed on Blanc's desk.
"So you are saying this is the sword Lord Aselheit bestowed upon you?"
"It's amazing that it looks like a sword to you. Emilia."
Usually, it was the custom until now to bestow a sword to the appointed knight during the knighting ceremony.
However, since a sword is not something made in a day or two, he had no choice but to temporarily receive the wooden stick Aselheit used.
Because that was the only item related to Aselheit.
Aselheit appointing Blanc as a knight was truly an impulsive choice. Since originally, a knighting ceremony was a ritual performed in a somewhat prepared state after mutual agreement.
However, Aselheit realized through the spar with Blanc that he was a boy with outstanding talent and a strong soul, and decided to grant Blanc the position of the sixth knight on the spot.
Although Aselheit had to leave in a hurry to investigate the newly born calamity, Blanc would probably have a fine sword sent by the Wandering Duke in a few months.
Until then, the wooden stick received from Aselheit was the proof that he was Aselheit's sixth knight.
Blanc had shoved the glorious wooden stick he was bestowed carefully into the corner of the room.
Emilia, seeing that, was appalled and brought it out again, waxing it and polishing it, but her senses, having worked as a maid all her life, were speaking.
"Young master, no matter how I look at this..."
"That story in your head. You can say it."
Emilia was anxious wondering if she could say this irreverent story, but since she received Blanc's permission, she decided to say it refreshingly.
"No matter how I look at this! It looks like a m, m, mop handle! It really does..."
Blanc grinned upon hearing Emilia's words.
"Maid Emilia. Death penalty."
"Pardon? Pardon?"
"The charge is the crime of tarnishing Lord Aselheit's honor."
"Aaah! Young master, I absolutely did not say it with that intention. I said it looks like a mop handle because the mop handle in front of me looks like a mop handle..."
Emilia gibbering in front and asserting her innocence.
Blanc, pitying such Emilia, took the mop handle Aselheit bestowed and swapped it into the mop Emilia brought for cleaning.
"As punishment, clean thoroughly with this mop today."
Emilia, holding the mop Blanc handed over, ended up making a crying face, unable to do this or that.
"What do you want me to do... What are you telling me to do, young master..."
Emilia receiving the sword handed over by Aselheit's sixth knight.
She became the first maid in history to handle Aselheit's sword.
***
Year 355 of the Goddess Calendar.
Blanc welcomed the new year after passing 354, which was like a nightmare. Now, in a few months, he would be an adult.
After the spar with Aselheit, Blanc felt that handling the White Thunderbolt became much easier than before.
Edwin said that the level of enlightenment naturally increased because he experienced a higher realm, but Blanc still had nightmares of falling mop handles.
"By the way, how about participating in this Kingdom Tournament? Baron Blanc."
Edwin spoke casually to Blanc who was training.
Blanc, who gained great enlightenment through the spar with Aselheit, had deepened his achievement in the White Thunderbolt and his overall level had greatly improved thanks to that.
To the extent that it would be good to say that the Blanc before sparring with the Wandering Duke and the current Blanc were completely different people.
Thinking that with this level of achievement, it was time to go out into the world and clash, Edwin was subtly suggesting participating in the knight tournament hosted by the Felix Kingdom this time.
"Well..."
Blanc also felt that the atmosphere of the knights within the Tolome family was changing.
The knights who had already received permission to participate were focusing on training day and night, and among them, the most enthusiastic person was Jonas.
"Of course, since it is an honorable competition hosted by the King, I also want to participate, but I wonder if it is feasible with my current skills..."
Blanc stated his thoughts modestly, but Edwin snorted upon seeing that appearance.
Because he knew well that the boy named Blanc was not a figure who would be scared and back down at that level.
Wasn't he the guy who thrust his head first at the legend Aselheit?
"Of course you can! You are Aselheit's knight and received guidance from me, Edwin, so if Baron Blanc says his skills are lacking, who among the knights of the Felix Kingdom can participate in the tournament!"
"However..."
"Besides, as a knight who will grow in the future, experiencing defeat is not a bad thing. Because there are things to learn from failure and defeat!"
'I have already learned enough and mastered it. Sir Edwin.'
Blanc smiled bitterly inside thinking of his past life.
"Then I will take it that you are participating in the tournament. Baron Blanc!"
Although he was speaking in a polite tone, judging by the spirit, it was a tone implying he wouldn't let him be if he didn't participate in the tournament.
"I understand. Sir Edwin. I will do my best."
Edwin nodded as if satisfied seeing Blanc's refreshing smile.
However, whether Edwin was satisfied or not, there was a plan already laid out in Blanc's head.
'It was about this time.'
Blanc had no intention of participating in this Kingdom Tournament.
The Kingdom Tournament, which was now less than a month away. In his previous life, there was an incident that broke out around that time.
'For me, going there is much more beneficial than the tournament. Since I have secured enough honor, now is the time to secure practical benefits.'
Bartomyu Tolome has 4 sons.
The eldest son, Schumacher Tolome, was currently serving as the vice-commander of the Royal Knights. He was elevating Tolome's honor there and at the same time exercising influence over the central power.
The second, Vitelli Tolome, had been handling the family's large and small affairs while staying within the Tolome family.
While assisting Bartomyu who had to handle outside matters, he exercised the greatest influence within the Tolome family among the brothers.
The youngest, Weird Tolome, was in charge of operating the merchant guild, which could be called the heart of the Tolome family.
It was no different from him earning more than half of the Tolome family's income.
And the third, Stefan Tolome.
He was the commander of the knighthood possessed by the Tolome family. Leading the private army group of the Count family, he played the role of helping families with close ties to Tolome and solidifying the influence of the Tolome family through armed demonstrations.
If the Tolome family were a family owning a territory normally rather than a Meritorious Noble, Stefan Tolome's role would have been maintaining public order through continuous monster extermination and bandit subjugation, but Tolome did not have a territory to do so.
Therefore, Stefan circulated the private army group outside and lent military force for the allies of the Tolome family.
Effectively, he was no different from the leader of a mercenary corps operated by a noble family.
In the previous life, it was Vitelli, not Schumacher, who succeeded Bartomyu. The most decisive factor allowing him to succeed was largely that Vitelli took over the private army group Stefan operated.
It must have been an unavoidable choice and flow. Because Stefan Tolome died in action during a mission.
Vitelli, who naturally absorbed the private army group after Stefan died, set up a confrontation angle with his brother Schumacher in earnest from then on.
Blanc intended to dig into that gap.
Blanc, who had to recover Norington, needed military power.
And he needed well-trained strong soldiers, not ragtag mercenaries.
If he could receive full support from the knighthood and private army group of the Tolome family, the possibility of recovering Norington would become even greater.
Because they were high-quality troops that could not be bought with money.
'Let's wait for the time. The opportunity will come.'
Blanc sweating beads of sweat while swinging down the sword he was holding.
Blanc pretending to be engrossed in training for the tournament diligently while waiting for the approaching opportunity.
And the next evening. There were two horses urgently entering toward the Tolome family.
***
Late at night, a summoning order was issued to all knights within the Tolome family.
About 40 knights were entering the huge conference room following the order of their lord Bartomyu. Among them was Blanc, who had just received his knighthood.
Since Blanc was not Bartomyu's knight and did not serve him as a lord, he did not have an obligation to respond to the summoning order, but there is such a thing as moral face.
Unless Blanc became completely independent from Bartomyu, he would have to mind him.
Of course, he did not come here simply to save face. He came because the current situation was the moment of opportunity Blanc had been waiting for.
Although it was a summoning order issued late at night, the eyes of the knights gathered in the reception room were clear. Because everyone noticed that it was an unusual matter.
As all the knights entered, Bartomyu and Edwin appeared from the other side of the conference room.
With their appearance, all knights knelt on one knee and welcomed the appearance of their lord.
The only person among them who did not kneel was Blanc. Instead, Blanc placed his right hand on his left chest and bowed his waist at a right angle, showing the utmost respect for Bartomyu.
Bartomyu disliked special formalities.
He went straight to the main point as soon as he sat on the chair prepared in the conference room.
"Stefan Tolome, the commander of the Tolome Knights, is missing."
Bartomyu proceeded with the matter with a calm voice even though his son was missing.
"Noel and Aubert, come forward. Explain the situation to the knights."
Two knights stepped forward at Bartomyu's call.
Resembling each other exactly in physique and face, they were twins. And those faces had a sense of resemblance to Bartomyu, the head of the Tolome family.
"Our father, Commander Stefan Tolome, received a request for help from the Baum family and rushed there."
Noel Tolome, Aubert Tolome. They were Stefan's sons and Bartomyu's grandsons. In other words, they were Blanc's cousins.
"The content was that miners were disappearing from the mine possessed by the Baum family. Baron Tigor of the Baum family investigated on his own, but could not find any traces and eventually requested help from Commander Stefan Tolome."
The two twin knights recited in detail the situation where their father went missing.
Indeed, they were bold like lions of Tolome.
"A total of 6 knights divided into 3 groups with soldiers and explored inside the mine. Among them, 10 members of the second group went missing during the exploration, and the first group under the Commander attempted a search to find them, but they are also missing."
Noel and Aubert, who were in charge of the last remaining third group, felt the situation was unusual and quickly came to the main house to request support.
'Excellent judgment.'
Since their father was missing, it would have been understandable to lose reason, but the twin knights maintained their cool and made the best judgment.
However, those two were also eventually just young knights in their mid-twenties. Soon, as the explanation of the situation ended, the two reddened their eyes.
Bartomyu continued speaking as if he had been waiting as soon as the two's explanation ended.
"They encountered an unknown danger. Since even the seasoned Commander Stefan is missing, it will absolutely not be an easy task."
Bartomyu turned his solemn gaze to the knights. He would also be urgent in heart as his son was missing.
However, Bartomyu, the Lion of Tolome, did not show it.
"Who will challenge this dangerous mission? I will accept volunteers."
If possible, it would be correct to designate personnel and assign the mission, but Bartomyu trusted his brave knights. They were knights acknowledged by the Tolome family.
Indeed, as per Bartomyu's trust, about 30 out of 40 knights stepped forward.
'Not yet.'
Blanc was clearly aware of his position. He was a person in a slightly higher position than the knights who stepped forward. There is no need to act like them.
Blanc waited for the opportunity without stepping forward.
Bartomyu looked at the 30 knights who stepped forward as if pleased. However, every mission requires placing the right talent in the right place.
Edwin, receiving Bartomyu's glance, began to weed out the 30 knights who volunteered.
Knights who were brave but lacked patience, knights who were honest but lacked wisdom.
Such knights would suit a battlefield where blood and flesh splatter better than a mission like now. Now, knights who were calm, sharp, experienced, and could look after themselves were needed.
10 knights remained after weeding out such knights.
The knight squad to investigate Commander Stefan's disappearance case was completed.
Now the only thing left was to select a standard-bearer to lead them.
As that moment approached, Jonas, who was summoned, was looking only at the ground with his head bowed.
Jonas knew. That the most suitable talent among the standard-bearers to lead them was himself.
However, the situation was that he had raised his condition to the best for the tournament that would take place soon. He did not want to give up this opportunity.
The opportunity to win in this tournament watched by the entire kingdom and be acknowledged by Schumacher once again.
Blanc stared blankly at Jonas who showed his intention not to take the role of standard-bearer.
'You really only look one inch ahead. Jonas.'