Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60. The Grasslands of Bronberg (1)
Deep night, the Cadmus family office. I was sitting at the desk, taking out and reading the letters in the old box.
Southern union... a new order. The box kept in the Cadmus family vault contained the traces of my father, Pallard Cadmus, in their entirety.
I am sorry for misunderstanding you, father. Until now, I had thought that Pallard's mistake played a large part in the downfall of the Cadmus family. However, the letters currently piled up contained Pallard Cadmus' struggle to somehow protect his family and survive.
The Cadmus family, which shared a border with Gartaria at the southernmost tip of the Felix Kingdom. The Lacie family, claiming to be the overlord of the south, was turning the southern nobles bordering the boundary into puppets while at the same time cutting off their limbs to use them as their own shields. The incompetent Felix royalty was preoccupied with pulling up their own prestige, which had fallen due to several mismanagements.
Furthermore, Gartaria, which was increasingly becoming centralized beyond the feudal system, was in the middle of accumulating power. The southern nobles, whose trade routes were reduced by the Lacie family and who were ignored by the royalty, were in the middle of a desperate struggle to survive before the spearhead of Gartaria pointed toward them.
Through marriage, Pallard tried to borrow the strength of the Tolome in the center and establish friendship with Gartaria while at the same time gathering southern nobles in the same situation as him to try and create a new order called the Southern Union within the Felix Kingdom. The letters in the box contained such a series of processes. The replies of the nobles who understood Pallard's intent to persuade the southern nobles and unite to survive together were kept in their entirety.
However, that attempt failed. Although I didn't know the exact reason, the three families of Gartaria, which had been friendly, directly invaded Norington, the surrounding families remained silent regarding such movements, and the Lacie family, which claimed to be the overlord of the south, stood by.
The Felix royalty went even further, preoccupied with replenishing the royalty's finances by receiving massive compensation from Gartaria and restoring their own influence. Those who should have taken responsibility did not, and those who had pledged to be together backed out. Only the Tolome, who had lost their influence in the south, had been flying into a rage.
I picked up only one old piece of paper placed at the very top of the letters, gathered the letters containing the replies of the southern nobles as they were, and put them back into the box.
"These are not yet to be taken out."
I closed my father's box and fastened a newly prepared lock. And I also put these swirling emotions and questions into the box together and fastened the newly prepared lock. In the dark night, my eyes sank deep.
"I will find out once I reclaim Norington."
The center of the storm still had not left Norington, the territory of Cadmus.
"Now is the time to follow the stars."
As for my father's revenge, I would naturally reach its substance if I followed the path. Now was the time to move following the major purpose. I looked at the paper I had picked up. It was the paper Ulrich had delivered in the illusion. Just like what was written on the golden statue of Wilhelm I, the paper written in the code of the Liberation Front said this.
-There is something I have placed in an old mansion in the forest where a star fell, so the white thunderbolt shall guide the way.
I looked at it for a long time. Then I brought the paper to the candle flame. The old paper slowly became ash and fell under the desk. While I was burning the paper Ulrich had delivered, the dim dawn was breaking outside the window.
***
Winter is a time when everything huddles. The ground freezes so life cannot grow, places where snow is piled become difficult to move through, and the harsh cold drives people into their homes to huddle. Although almost all occupations spend the winter quietly while waiting for the spring to come next year, there were people who were not so, and they were the mercenaries.
Because the period when monsters that have run out of food come down from the mountains to attack private houses was this very period. Also, since the best time for war was around late autumn to early winter, just after finishing the harvest, mercenaries naturally used to scatter to receive requests for monster extermination the moment their contracts ended in the war mobilization.
For those who held swords, the season called winter was not a time to huddle, but a time to move more busily than any other time.
"It is a decent proposal."
I was nodding my head after receiving the letter sent by the Tolome family. During this period, requests from families wanting the support of the Tolome Knight Corps used to flood in. Not only was it difficult for them to defend all their territories from hungry monsters with only the troops they possessed, but they were also requesting the knight corps in the sense of confirming their relationship with Tolome.
Furthermore, the Tolome Knight Corps was one of the top knight corps even in the Felix Kingdom. At least there was no chance of failing a task by calling them. Therefore, the Tolome Knight Corps during this period used to divide into about three to four groups, lead the private soldiers in the family, and scatter to perform missions. And Bartomyu proposed whether I would like to do this work together.
"Must we hire mercenaries?"
"The usable mercenaries will already have been contracted. Those remaining will only be those like husks who were not selected by employers."
Hansen was right. Mercenaries with good skills and rich experience were already preempted by quick-witted lords and employers.
"The private soldiers of the Tolome family are robust. Lord Bartomyu knows your circumstances to some extent, so perhaps he sent this letter after already preparing private soldiers that you can command."
I showed a thin smile at Hansen's words.
"I suppose so. Since I currently have no money, I am not in a position to easily hire mercenaries."
Bartomyu did not know. The fact that 10,000 gold was held in my hand. This fact was something only I and Perlman, the manager of the Iron Bank, knew.
"In that case, should I just move my body alone?"
"More accurately, it would be good to move the knight corps. At least to show sincerity, you should mobilize all your knights."
"I was planning to take them anyway this time, so do not pressure me too much."
Hansen scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed and asked me.
"By the way, where are you planning to leave for? Since it's winter, heading south would seem to involve less suffering."
In the letter, Bartomyu had shown favor by saying that if I joined Tolome, he could arrange for the knight corps to be stationed wherever I wanted.
"We will head east."
"East?"
"We are going to Bronberg, a territory located in the east of the Felix Kingdom."
I was a man with many things to do. One of them was to stop by the Holy City Moirai to obtain the titles of the Pilgrim Seeking the Path and the Demon-breaking Knight who handles Evil. Furthermore, there was a place I had to visit following Ulrich's message.
If things go well, I can handle them all at once.
A route that pierced through them all at once was already being drawn in my head.
"Prepare the knights. This expedition will handle various matters in addition to monster extermination, so it will be a journey spanning a long period."
"I will follow your order."
Hansen bowed his head and answered my command.
"Ah, and."
"Yes."
I slammed my fist into my palm as if I had forgotten for a moment.
"It seems good to prepare that fellow Billy as well. Since it will likely be a long journey, we will need someone to serve me and the knight corps."
"He is the only butler of the Cadmus family, will it be alright to take him out and use him?"
Hansen asked as if puzzled, but I answered while TSKING my tongue.
"What kind of butler is a fellow who wanders around unable to even find his own work?"
Hansen gave a bitter smile after hearing my words. I was right. Billy was the only butler of the Cadmus family, but currently he was only loitering around the mansion without being able to find proper work. There was only one reason he couldn't find his work. It was because of Emilia, the head maid.
Emilia was the person with the greatest authority among the employees in the mansion. First of all, she received full support from me, the head of the Cadmus family, and she was also the person whom the mistress Ciella relied on the most. Since Emilia had spent a long time with me, Ciella tried to learn about me from her.
Emilia, who was trusted by the masters of Cadmus, naturally became the center of the employees. Whenever Emilia grabbed the mop pole Aselheit had given her and shouted at the servants and maids, there were no employees who dared not bow their heads before her. Thus, the only butler of the Cadmus family was quietly forgotten from people's memories.
"Since that fool is only biting his fingers after having his work stolen, it won't be bad to use him this time."
"Understood. In that case, I will prepare the butler so he can participate in the expedition as well."
Perhaps from now on, Billy would receive various education starting from basic physical training from Hansen. Although I hadn't intended it, Billy took his first step toward becoming an all-weather butler.
***
"Have there been no inconveniences while living in the mansion?"
"I have never stayed in such a wonderful place in my entire life, Baron."
Just as Bonas Gwendolyn said, the Cadmus mansion might not be large in size, but it was a mansion Berger had purchased while paying as much attention as possible.
"Furthermore, the Baroness has been paying so much attention that it's almost overwhelming."
"Hmm."
Ciella was paying much attention to the guests in the Cadmus mansion. In the mansion her father purchased, the mistress of the Cadmus family, who received the firm support of her husband, me, was handling the internal affairs clearly as I had wanted. Starting from the employees to Simon Diez's mother, the Gwendolyn family who newly entered the mansion this time, and Nilsen. she was creating an optimal environment for me to be active by taking care of the detailed parts I couldn't pay attention to.
"For the time being, you will be working under Weird Tolome. I know you were a merchant leader who led a merchant group, but you did go bankrupt once."
I put down the teacup I was drinking and looked at Bonas.
"Working under Lord Weird, one of the top major merchants in the Felix Kingdom, I believe there will be much to gain. What do you think?"
"Thank you for giving me another opportunity! I would have been truly grateful even if I had to start from the very bottom!"
It was exactly as Bonas said. If it weren't for me, he would have not only been separated from his family but his life would have also been shoved to the bottom. Furthermore, he was in a state where he would be grateful even as a cleaner in the mansion, so to have a position arranged in the merchant group of the Tolome family, which was one of the top in the Felix Kingdom.
I didn't know what position or role he would take there, but Bonas knew well that I was showing him great favor. Since I had not only saved him but also given him a new opportunity, it was a situation where loyalty toward me couldn't help but arise.
"Take that boy named Nilsen you brought along and try using him here and there."
"Thank you, Baron!"
Bonas Gwendolyn in the Liberation Front had excellent ability as a Supplies Officer, but he was also a man with considerable ability to discover talent and place them in the right spots. It was because of such ability of Bonas that the few remaining resources of humanity could be consumed with maximum efficiency.
Although the Bonas currently sitting before my eyes was not the Bonas from thirty years later who possessed excellent abilities, it was true that his discernment was superior, so I decided to try raising the boy named Nilsen while also raising Bonas.
"I will be leaving the mansion for a while to go on an expedition with Tolome. If you have anything to report, speak to my wife."
"Understood."
Ciella was a brilliant woman. Having shaken off the misfortune that fettered her soul, Ciella was increasingly reclaiming her talent and ability. she was becoming quite excellent not only in taking care of the vassals but also in the skill of operating the Cadmus family during my absence. The reason I could decide on an expedition spanning a long period was that I had that much confidence in Ciella's ability.
I should prepare too.
The reason I volunteered to go to Bronberg, which was in the east of the Felix Kingdom, was because the Holy City Moirai was located a week's distance from there. My established plan was to be stationed in Bronberg during the dead of winter to exterminate monsters and then, once the weather cleared as spring arrived, move to Moirai to receive the titles.
I'll have to meet Cardinal Julio.
If I had Cardinal Julio's recommendation letter, it would be easy not only to enter Moirai but also to obtain the titles. Cardinal Julio was a person with whom I had a connection as he had presided over my coming-of-age ceremony, and he was a person who had solidified his position within the Felix Kingdom once again by using my fame for killing the fear of the era, so he would sufficiently write me something like a recommendation letter.
After stopping by Moirai. And after finishing the work in Moirai...
I'll have to find the abandoned mansion in the forest where the star fell.
This expedition was going to be a long one.