Chapter 174: 174

Vol. 1 Chapter 174

Successor to the Quordenze family

Translated by Raizu

 

As January drew to a close, that morning was wrapped in coldness and silence that chilled me to the core.

Walking down the unfamiliar hallway to eat breakfast, I casually looked outside and saw fine snow falling that could be mistaken for smoke. Indeed, it seemed that this was the cause of the cold that had gone up a notch.
I can’t say anything about the climate of the entire Eruo continent because there is not enough data, but at least the central part of the continent, where the Quordenze territory is located, varies from year to year. In years when it snows, it piles up to the level of Hokkaido, but in years when it doesn’t, it doesn’t rain at all. This winter, it snowed for the first time today.

I felt a little excitement from the falling snow, so I stopped walking towards the dining room and moved to a balcony-like construct which offer a good view.
I just stared blankly at the scenery that had completely changed overnight.

[Ho.]

The unintentionally spilled sigh spread steam that vanished in the blink of an eye into the winter sky. The earth, like a silk veil, somehow looked mysterious and captivating.
Cynthia once said that the spirit of the snowy field, Tiamessa Leil, has the appearance of a maiden with white snow-like hair so long it drapes on the ground. Like the Japanese legend of the yuki-onna in my previous life, snow may be destined to be associated with beautiful women.

[Neith Riff…]

In the ancient language, Neith is an adjective that describes the deserted and unpopular, and riff means market. If I were to translate it literally, it would be something like a deserted market.
I think that the word “Neith” is appropriate when looking at the vast expanse of land, as if the large-scale battle that had taken place just a few weeks ago had never happened.
However, riff…there was something more famous than the market. This area, which in ancient times would have been nothing more than a deserted market, is now known by a different name.

Reisleaf.

Hearing that name, anyone would think of Reisleaf Castle, the castle owned by the Spierzeig family.
……No, those words weren’t accurate.
To be precise, it would be the castle owned by the Spierzeig family.

The Voistra Plain spread out in the distance, and the Reisleaf Castle situated at its feet.
Even now, sometimes I feel uncomfortable with myself standing here.

Operation Serpent’s Fang. The second fang pierced Reisleaf Castle… and Quordenze managed to take control of it.

=====

Today’s breakfast consisted of biscuits-like ration food made from mashed grains and rabbit meat soup. It is a menu that I am tired of eating irresponsibly.

[I just looked outside and it’s snowing.]

When I say that, the military officers all turn their gazes towards me. After entering Reisleaf Castle, I ate in the dining room with the military officers, so there were a lot of them.
I was just going to have a casual chat, but everyone put down the dishes at the same time and kept silent, as if they couldn’t afford to miss on what I say.

[…Soldiers must be feeling cold, too. I think it would be nice if we could provide them with hot soup during their breaks, but do we have enough supplies?]

I decided to talk about work because I couldn’t say [Let’s make some snowman] while so much attention was directed at me.
When the military officer in charge expressed his opinion on the current state of the stockpiles, the other officers responded by sharing their opinion, and a light discussion began. I watched the progress while poking the biscuit-style ration with a fork. The soup idea was approved before I knew it.
It didn’t feel like they were trying to force themselves to fulfill my wishes, so I finalized the decision to provide soup for the soldiers.

Knight Gatoren, who was eating at the same long table as me, said his piece after the crowd had settled down.

[Enemy will not go into battle in this snow. It seems that our soldiers are also exhausted, so I think we should give them a rest at this time. Of course, we must not neglect our vigilance.]

Since this is the first full-scale snowfall this winter, it seems that there will not be enough time to move the army as everyone is rushed to deal with it.
Before I knew it, the protagonist of the story had changed from me to Knight Gatoren, and the atmosphere of a morning assembly spread in the dining room.
The military officers began reporting on their respective posts and about the schedule for the day. I put the idling spoon back on the table and silently listened.
After the military officer finished talking, the civilian officer started talking about the overall schedule. The soup was already cold by then.

[General Galfis is scheduled to come here today.]

[Through this snow?]

The military officers around me answered my question.

[He wants to meet Young Master.]

[Is the General annoyed about something?]

[We have never managed to enter the castle before.]

[He must be frustrated. When Voistra’s great shield was finally shattered, he was nailed to the frontline base instead…]

At the moment, most of the people who have entered Reisleaf Castle were members of the Wilk army who came from Nambonan City.
The main army of Spierzeig had already withdrawn, but it seems that grandfather Galfis cannot leave the front line base, so I have yet to see his face.
A military officer from the Galfis army would occasionally come to Reisleaf Castle with a letter, but it was a little scary to see my grandfather’s brush strokes change violently with each exchange. I guess he’s suppressing his feelings of wanting to join me in Reisleaf.

[…it’s just as everyone says. Grandfather’s long-awaited fall of the castle, I understand his desire to see it with his own eyes.]

When I said that, the military officers raised their voices with a little excitement.

[I think there is also that, but the General wants to hear directly from Young Master.]

[Yeah yeah. I can pretty much understand the General’s feelings too.]

[Conquering Reisleaf Castle… Anyone can’t help but be interested in this.]

Then, the military officers began to talk about the time we attacked Reisleaf Castle. I don’t know how many times it’s been, but I never saw them get tired of it.
As I listened to their stories, which sounded to me like a fever dream of a drunkard, the excitement that I felt when the second fang of the serpent was bared that day revived in my heart.

=====

Three weeks ago.
The Wilk army, a reinforcement force with me as the commander-in-chief, left Nambonan City. But we didn’t head for the front line base where my grandfather was waiting as originally planned, and instead attacked one of the fortresses that made up Reisleaf Castle.
If there was one miscalculation here, it would be that there were almost no military officers on the fortress side.
If I have to make a guess, the Spierzeig family seemed to be under a lot of pressure, and most of their personnel had been devoted to the surprise attack.
The Quordenze family will be on the defensive because they will attack the front-line base and Nambonan City at the same time after raising concerns such as the rebellion of the Galiana family and the invasion of the Evenapis family. Therefore, Reileaf’s defense was left weaker than usual…or so I thought.
It is a no-guard, all out attack tactic to end everything in a single decisive blow.

The first fortress fell in no time at all.

The unexpected appearance of the Quordenze army caught the defending army off guard. The Spierzeig soldiers, who were in carefree and relaxed state, crumbled very easily.
Having occupied the fortress, the Wilk army used it as a base to capture some of the surrounding fortresses and began destroying the fortresses from within. Long-term maintenance is difficult, even if it is temporary, and there is little merit in doing it. We devoted ourselves to harassment because we thought the fortress would be recaptured later anyway.

After capturing half of the fortress, which was fully equipped with countermeasures against magical powers, Wilk’s army decided to move again.
The main reason for the decision was that the Spierzeig’s main army, which was attacking the front line base, showed no sign of withdrawing. That and the destruction of one corner of the fortress group made it easier for Wilk’s army to move. If you compare it in a game, it’s similar to feeling that the enemy’s Zone of Control that suppresses mobility has decreased.
The Wilk army used their speed to launch an attack on the core of Reisleaf Castle, the true “Reisleaf Castle”.

The battle at Reisleaf Castle was extremely fierce.
As expected, the defense of Reisleaf Castle’s main enclosure was not thin…but it wasn’t that thick either.
Only one knight was stationed. There weren’t that many military officers, and most of the soldiers were poorly trained territorial militia.

However, what made Reisleaf Castle strong was not just the quality of its equipment and soldiers.
It is said that commoner militias who see Reisleaf Castle always lose their morale.
The strong appearance of the castle, which was built by hollowing out the surface of the mountain, seems to paint a picture of impregnability. And even commoners know about the “Voistra’s Great Shield”, which prevented even the invasion of Emperor Jinkaen, the ruler of the west.
It is said that there are many commoner militiamen who think that there is no way such a castle can be taken down. History has proven so thus far, and that they do not want to die. Anyway, I also felt like I wanted to go home when things went rough. If anything, I’d be glad to come here if it’s for sightseeing. But, if I had been told to do a siege battle from the beginning, I would have probably chosen to excuse myself.
Confronting Reisleaf Castle means confronting the history of the Spierzeig family.

It was the Nambonan Militias that played an active role in that battle.

Rather, they lifted their morale by confronting the mighty enemy, raised a flag with the crest of Nambonan City, and launched a valiant charge earlier than any other unit.
The zeal of the Nambonan militia was enough to boost the morale of the other Quordentze soldiers. Perhaps thinking they couldn’t be beaten by the hastily constructed unit, the engineer soldiers were roused, and the other soldiers were also in a state of excitement.
Against an opponent who could only shrink, the Quordenze army succeeded in fighting with their best performance.

And the actions of the Nambonan militia, who fought with the highest morale of any unit, led to a significant drop in the enemy’s morale.
It was only a few months ago that Nambonan City was ruled by the Quordenze family, and it is still fresh in our minds.
The common militiamen of Spierzeig’s army must have thought so. [Because of their disobedience against the Quordenze family, the residents of Nambonan must have been forcibly conscripted into the army and thrown into the front line as pawns, unfortunately].
But, that’s not true. Despite my propaganda, these militiamen stood on the front lines of their own free will. Their genuine zeal was obvious, even to the Spierzeig soldiers.

At the same time as the militiamen charged, they shouted at the Spierzeig soldiers who defended the castle. That the Spierzeig family is wrong, the Spierzeig family is evil.
The point was particularly effective due to the heavy tax that the Spierzeig put into their territory.
The taxes in the Quordenze territory are not light, but it’s relatively light compared to the Spierzeig territory, whose finances were depreciating due to war expenses. Some of the defending militias must have come from a merchant family, and they must’ve loudly protested on how heavy the taxes in the Spierzeig territory were.
As Rupetta said before, commoners don’t care about conflicts between nobles. As long as you, as a feudal lord, protected the land. The less conscription you make and the lighter the tax, the better the feudal lord will be in the eyes of commoners. The cries of the militiamen accurately gouged out the area.

Interestingly, the Nambonan Militia started the call out completely out of their own goodwill. I didn’t give them any instructions.
From the Nambonan militia’s point of view, the people of Spierzeig might have seemed like pitiful victims whose lives were exploited by evil nobles.
In a sense, good intentions without backing are the most unmanageable things.

The Spierzeig army’s military officers struggled to raise morale, while the Spierzeig soldiers continued to decline.
If life would be easier than now, wouldn’t it be better if the Quordenze family became the lord? Even if they surrendered, they might be forgiven like Nambonan City…some of the soldiers might’ve thought that way.
Of course, there is no such thing as an army of justice, and since we are not fighting for charity, we may not be able to respond to their wishes. That will have to wait until after the war.

Due to the Wilk army’s onslaught, Reisleaf Castle quickly fell into disrepair. And two days after the attack began, it finally fell.
Voistra’s great shield had been broken. And so quickly at that…no, if there was even one leader on the enemy side, we would never have been able to capture the castle.

It seems that it took more than a day for the news of the fall of the castle to arrive. But at least the Spierzeig’s main army, which was attacking the front-line base, began to withdraw in a hurry.
Naturally, on their retreat route, they intend to retake Reisleaf Castle, which is currently being occupied by the Wilk army. The Wilk army was now confronted with two choices under such a time limit: to destroy the fortress from the inside and then withdraw, or try to defend the castle, which had been worn out by the battle.
It’s the Reihleaf Castle that I was able to obtain miraculously. However, I would be wrong to underestimate the Spierzeig’s main army that is currently returning from the front line base. The speed of which the army marches under the family head leadership cannot be trifled with, and there is no time to prepare for interception in an unfamiliar castle.

That was until my grandfather took action.

As soon as my grandfather learned from our messenger that Reislief Castle had fallen, he led the exhausted Galfis army from the siege and attacked the withdrawing Spierzeig army from behind. It is said that it was not a full-scale pursuit, but an indiscriminate attack that was devoted to harassing the enemy soldiers in order to panic them.
The failure of the strategy, the news of the fall of Reisleaf Castle, the red demon that suddenly appeared and attacked… I wonder how the Spierzeig soldiers must have felt when reality hit them.
Spierzeig’s main army was unable to withdraw quickly, and as a result, the Wilk army was able to make time to prepare for a minimum interception at Reisleaf Castle.

The sky was cloudy when Spierzeig’s main army arrived at Reisleaf Castle. As if mirroring the fate of the Spierzeig family.
The Quordenze crest fluttering on the final line of defense that must not fall was a sight of despair for them, and it is not hard to imagine that it was a reality they wanted to turn away from.
The head of the Spierzeig family, who was the commander-in-chief of the Spierzeig main army, must have thought a lot about whether to launch a siege battle to recapture it, or retreat to their territory through a weakly defended area.

The Quordenze army defending Reisleaf Castle and the Spierzeig army confronting it. It was an unusual sight that was never supposed to exist.
The staring match lasted for less than an hour, and then ended.
Snow started to fall.

Spierzeig’s main army finally fell apart after being hit by the cold winter rain that froze their bodies to the core. The nobles’ army that had followed the Spierzeig family since the time of the Voistra Kingdom had fallen out of the chain of command and began to flee. Since the Reisleaf territory consisted of most of the former Voistra, they had no idea how to escape.
It seems that the Spierzeig family’s main force also decided that they could no longer recover after seeing their subordinates fleeing one after another, so they bypassed Reisleaf Castle and returned to the Voistra plains.

And of course, the Wilk army did not have enough forces to pursue them. So we did the next best thing: see them off with a shout of victory.

Three weeks had passed since then.
The impact of having the core of Reisleaf Castle under control was great, and the remaining fortresses were relatively easy to take down. Even though I’ve never been to the front, it’s already 70% down.
From time to time, the Spierzeig family comes to attack with an army to recapture it, but so far I’ve been successful in repelling them all.

The only troublesome thing is that there is not a single cute girl that can be brought to bed because we are on the front line against Spierzeik.
We have dispatched soldiers to the villages near the castle to search for beautiful women, but it was fruitless so far. In this state, the semen might accumulate too much and my balls might just eventually explode.

[The fact that Grandfather is coming here means that things have calmed down in the West?]

I had heard in a letter that the reason my grandfather had not been able to enter Reisleaf until today was because there was always something to worry about in the west.
Just because Reisleaf Castle was taken over successfully doesn’t mean that the situation surrounding the Quordenze family has been dramatically resolved.

Due to the low level of civilization on the Eruo continent, there is always a delay in information transmission.
The Spierzeig family’s surprise attack had already ended in failure, but before they got the information, they said things like [The Spierzeig family did it! I have no choice but to get on this big wave! Don’t miss the bus!]. There’s no way to know that there won’t be any nobles who will join the bandwagon of the current winner. In addition, it is quite possible that it will lead to a chain of declarations of war.
From the opportunistic nobility’s point of view, in addition to being able to seize the Quordenze territory under the cover of confusion, it is a great favor to the family of Duke Spierzeig, the leader of the Jinkaen Empire’s great faction. It’s high risk high return.

Then, would it be safe if the information about the fall of Reisleaf Castle reached them? Rather, the letter from my grandfather said that it would be more dangerous.
What do the other nobles think when they hear that the Quordenze army has captured Reisleaf Castle? The answer is one: [Both the Quordenze and Spierzeig families must be in a greatly weakened state now].
It could be said that the surrounding nobles shared a common understanding that a large amount of blood was necessary to break Voistra’s great shield. In other words, they think that the Quordenze family must have sacrificed a lot of blood to achieve what we did. Naturally, the Spierzeig family, who fought to the death to protect the last line of defense, should also be weakened in the aftermath.

This belief gave them the false image that the balance of power in the central part of the continent has collapsed.

In the central part of the continent, it could be said that the struggle for supremacy between the Quordenze family and the Spierzeik family continued.
If both parties are weakened, it is quite possible that some of the imperial nobles, who have been neutral and non-interfering until now, will emerge with ambitions. An eastern faction that has been hiding in the shadow of the former Voistra faction within the Empire could attack to establish itself as a third power.
Specifically, it is conceivable that the nobles of the eastern part of the empire would unite and attack Reisleaf Castle. They invaded with some random reason such as to [overthrow the Quordenze family who continue to invade the imperial nobles territory]. To that end, if maintenance is possible, the castle will continue to change hands without being returned to the Spierzeig family even after recapture.
With Voistra’s GreatShield taken away, the Spierzeig family influence within the empire will definitely fall.

The Quordenze territory is protected by a natural barrier in the north, by the allies of the Sylopea and Evenapis families in the south, and the Levios Kingdom in the east. However, its west had remained extremely unstable.
The Quordenze territory, which spreads widely to the west, is adjacent to the imperial nobles’ territory here and there. They had remained neutral or non-interfering in their diplomatic policy since their forefathers. But, relying on their neutrality is like walking on a thin sheet of ice.
The front line base was set up not only as a foothold for the invading the Spierzeig family, but also meant to drive a wedge against those opportunistic imperial nobles.

It was written in the letter that my grandfather returned to the front line base without having a single conversation with me because he judged that it was necessary to check the western direction. He seemed rather irritated in the letters.

I haven’t heard anything about a conflict between my grandfather and the imperial nobles, but my grandfather remained attached to the frontline base.
The fact that he’d be here today means that the bad smell of the western area has eased a bit.

[ It seems that he felt the movement of the army several times, but the situation seems to have calmed down recently.]

[ ……That’s good to hear. The thought that Grandfather is coming makes me feel a little better.]

The original purpose of Reisleaf Castle is to serve as a shield that protects against attacks from the north. It is not built to withstand attacks from the south, in particular, from the Voistra Plains. From the perspective of the Spierzeig family, it can be said that it is easy to retake the castle.
Even though I’ve reinforced the castle with emergency defenses, I’m sure I won’t be able to defend it alone if the Spierzeig family forms the former Voistra Allied Forces again and attacks.
But, knowing my grandfather can move in an emergency now really makes a huge difference in my mentality.

[Young Master, are you tired?]

[What do you think? To be suddenly entrusted with such a key point…]

[How do you feel today?]

My weak voice perhaps made the military officers worried.
Apparently, I’ve been surprisingly upstrung lately. When I realized that my grandfather was able to move, I lost my tenseness.

I was suddenly entrusted with the important matter of being an answering machine at Reisleaf Castle after all. But well, it can’t be helped because I had no other choice.
The one who can accurately respond to the imperial nobles’ movements, which require good judgment, is my grandfather. He has a lot of experience in scenes of carnage and is well known as a warrior. On the contrary, I can’t control the frontline base.
On the other hand, the enemy attacking Reisleaf Castle is only limited to the Spierzeig family or its subordinate noble families, so it’s not that difficult to do it. Except for the fact that they might muster another invasion again. If the enemy comes, there is no need for political judgment, just repel it without thinking about anything else.

A civil officer who was watching the situation spun his words as if he was concerned about us.

[The General is visiting today to respond to an envoy from another family. It will also lead to stability in the West.]

[Ah, is it today?]

I remember receiving such a letter from my father in New Nelly.

It seems that the rumor that I took down Reisleaf Castle had spread quite a bit in the last three weeks.
It is said that it was a series of battles, starting with the Spierzeig family’s surprise attack and ending with the fall of Reislief Castle. The incident was more known as the “Shieldbreaker Snake”.

The nobles who learned of the rumors were stunned by the fact that Reisleaf Castle actually fell, and were still surprised to learn that it was not done by the Quordenze’s elder, Galfis, but the 12-year-old eldest son who had not yet been nominated as the next head of the family instead.

Nobles from all over the land became interested in the existence of “Wilk Quordenze” who rose to fame out of nowhere. After all, I have hardly appeared on the front stage of the noble society yet. At most, I have only met with the nobles of the Quordenze faction of the Kingdom of Levios. There must not be much information about me.

[Even the envoys have to go through all the trouble in the snow.]

[ I don’t know how many days it will continue to snow, but if it remains like this morning, he should arrive soon.]

Of course, just because we can’t gather information doesn’t mean it’s the end. In particular, as a large noble who stands side by side with the Quordenze family, they would want to get information no matter what.
At the very least, it is necessary to know the truth behind the rumors about the fall of Reisleaf Castle.

For that reason, a large number of congratulatory letters have arrived at Newnelly Castle.
The contents of the letters can be summarized as follows: [Congratulations on capturing Reisleaf Castle! As a noble of the Levios Kingdom, I’m happy for the achievement! I’ve prepared a small gift to celebrate, so I’d like to give it to you! I wish I could give it directly to Wilk-dono!].
Reconnaissance of Reisleaf Castle, checking the number of casualties of the Quordenze army, and trying to dig up anything regarding the rumored eldest son. Them being happy is nothing but a pretense.

The civil officer averted his gaze and looked at the military officers.

[ ……Today, there will be an envoy from the Marquis of Adellahan. Be careful with your behavior.]

A noble from the north, the Adellahan family, one of the five major noble families of the Levios Kingdom.
Like the Quordenze family, they are a noble family with the title of Marquis, but they don’t interact much with each other. It’s a delicate relationship that can’t be said to be good or bad.
The Adellahan family also approached the Quordenze family with a congratulatory letter, but what was clever here was that they directed it to grandfather instead, saying [I would like to congratulate Duke Galfis, the commander-in-chief of the Western Invasion].
My family could easily refuse a request to meet me, as I was still a nobody right now. However, my grandfather, who is also the predecessor of the family, has the nature of a public figure. Refusing such a request may leave a bad impression to the other nobles.

However, for the Quordenze family, the offer was a transitional proposal.
Receiving an envoy from the Adellahan family is like implicitly saying [the Quordenze army is so strong that it is not a problem even if it is seen by someone not of our own faction. The taking of Reisleaf Castle is not a fluke].
The possibility of the nobles from the eastern part of the empire acting rashly will also decrease at once.

[The Adellahan family is another big name…]

[ I wonder which knight house will be chosen as their envoy?]

[Since it’s between Quordenze and Adellahan, there can be only one pick.]

[Then, as expected, the Ritabria family?]

[That would be right. In terms of family status, it could be the Wikshal family or the Gliokia family, but…]

[First, it can’t go lower than that. Otherwise it’s too rude.]

The military officers began talking about the Adellahan family’s envoy.
As expected, the noble Adellahan family and their subordinate knight families seemed to be well-known in their own way. Family names came out smoothly from the mouths of the military officers as if all of it is common knowledge.

The status of an envoy is important in diplomacy between nobles. Especially after a serious incident, since it’ll be more likely to attract attention from the outside.
For example, when the Quordenze family sends envoys to other families, the most respectful pattern is to use retired knights of the Gatoren family as envoys. This is because the surroundings recognize that the Gatoren family is the leading knight house of the Quordenze family.
Of course, sending envoys from the head knight house every time gives the impression that the family is too humble and pathetic, so we send envoys from the Gatoren family only when it is really necessary. Otherwise it will be chosen from other knight houses. The family will choose a knight, a retired military officer, or a civil officer. This just means that a job as a diplomat awaits after the retirement of a knight or a talented military officer.

In this case, it was right after the major event that is the fall of Reisleaf Castle, and it was an exchange between Quordenze and Adellahan, both of whom usually had little interaction. A retired knight should be selected from a suitable knight family to act as an envoy.
The knights and military officers couldn’t help but wonder if the Quordenze is being underestimated.

[…..so it’s still unknown from which knight family the envoy is?]

[Yes.]

And this is also a strange custom, but in many cases it is not known in advance from which family the envoy came from. This was also the case with the envoy of [Adellahan family].
Even if it is possible to communicate with my father, it may take time to make adjustments by letter, so we may not receive advance notice in case they changed envoy.
For example, at first, I was thinking of sending out an envoy chosen from the top knight house, but when it came time to actually send out the envoy, the situation changed, and I decided to send out a lower-ranked knight house instead to go with a certain agenda.

Either way, there seems to be no advance information this time as well.
I thought they should at least check in with us when they entered the Quordenze territory, or give us a hint of their arrival. But due to custom, no one cares and we’d just welcome the [Adellahan family’s Envoy]. I wish we could do some identity verification.

[I mean, wouldn’t they just send someone from the Ritabria family?]

In order to calm down the military officers who were getting too excited over the discussion on the envoy, I told them my predictions to end the conversation.
All of the knight families mentioned by the military officers are the oldest knight families that are said to have existed since the beginning of the establishment of the Adellahan family. If the retired knights of these houses were to come, it wouldn’t be disrespectful.

However, it doesn’t matter to me who comes.

[With all due respect, Young master, how are you…]

I abruptly interrupted the civil officer who opened his mouth to doubt me.

[I know, because my father told me so. Please let me know as soon as the messenger arrives. I’m going to take it easy indoors today, it’s snowing after all]

The messenger from the Adellahan family will visit with the pretext of [Please allow us to celebrate the fall of Reisleaf Castle with General Galfis], so I won’t be meeting the envoy at all.
This is an action that was clearly instructed by my father in a letter, so I can’t even meet them on my own.

The strategy seems to be to tell them about the actual situation at Reisleaf Castle, but not to tell them about the rumored heir.
Knowing the current situation of Quordenze’s army, which had not suffered much damage, and Reisleaf, which not only the main castle but also most of the branch fortresses has been taken by us, everyone must not be able to help but become even more interested in the man who accomplished it.
Thinking about the spring rounds in the capital, my father was already on the move. I have no intention of going against it either.

[After eating, I’ll go back to my room. Please excuse me.]

The soup that I scooped up with my spoon was already a little cold.

=====

The room I’m using as my room has a large window overlooking the north. It must have been built that way to check the situation in the event of an enemy attack.
Thinking of drinking some tea after dinner while looking at the falling snow, I removed the wooden board attached to the window frame.

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[Hoo…]

Through the half-opened window, I could see something that looked like people in the distance.
Due to the falling snow, the distance looks hazy white, but I managed to catch the silhouette by enhancing my eyesight with magic.

Walking in the mountains was a group of about 100 people. They were gathered in front and behind, in a gourd-like formation.
At the front were several Quordenze military officers, dozens of militiamen who looked like engineers, and in the center of them was the familiar figure of my grandfather.
And in the back, a well-dressed human is riding an unfamiliar animal and walking a little behind. The person next to this rider seems to be a Quordenze civil servant, who appears to be talking to the rider from time to time.
…..Perhaps that is the envoy from the Adellahan family.

I called the escort who was waiting outside the room and pointed outside the window.

[Grandfather seems to be heading this way, but can you see the strange animal riders in the mix?]

When the escorts confirmed it with their eyes, they answered almost simultaneously.

[That’s the envoy of the Adellahan family.]

I wondered why they could tell very quickly even though that person didn’t seem to have a flag to indicate their affiliation.

[How do you know?]

[The strange animal Young Master mentioned is a type of horse only seen in the Adellahan region, so it’s easy to guess that the rider must be the envoy from the Adellahan family.]

I see, that was a very logical conclusion.
After listening to the escort’s explanation, I observed the creature again. It is one size larger than a normal horse, and the base of its neck seems to be strong. It is characterized by ivory-colored horns that look like a giant palm spread out, and red hair that is close to vermilion. All in all it looked vividly striking in the snowy landscape.
It looks more like a moose than a horse. However, there was something about the word ‘horse’ only seen in the Adellahan region that struck a chord.

[Is it a Mountain Horse?]

[So, Young Master knows. It is famous as a real tough mount]

Mountain Horse.
According to the book, it was a horse with large horns, an animal that lived in steep mountains. The scriptures of the Zeth Holy Society also described them as brave, ferocious, and proud animals.
Due to its temperament, it is said to be more difficult to handle than a normal horse, but it is strong against rough terrain with poor footing, making it suitable for movement in mountainous areas.

The Adellahan region is known for its cavalry, and because it is surrounded by mountains, mountain horses are used just as much as normal horses.

Among them, the most famous is the elite unit of the Adellahan army called the [Mountain Cavalry]. It is also known as the Adellahan Mounted Cavalry.
Due to their high level of proficiency and mobility, the cavalry have become a great force that dominates the mountainous Adellahan region.

One of the guards whispered while looking at the real mountain horse, which I had only read about in books and heard about in rumors.

[I’ve heard that the Ritabria family is the only knight family that is allowed to ride a red mountain horse.]

That’s what he said.
Apparently, he had talked to someone related to the Adellahan family before, and that’s when he heard about it.

[There is no doubt that the messenger is from the Ritabria family.]

[It’s hard to tell from here because it’s far away, but the envoy looks quite old.]

[Could it be Narvasyn Ritabria?]

[…..If that is the case, then there is no doubt that the Adellahan family takes this matter very seriously.]

[ Is Duchess Crowne making a move…?]

Although they are now one of the leading nobles on the continent, the Adellahan family is still considered as a newly emerging noble family with a history of only about 100 years. Many aspects of their origins are still unclear.
In reality, it is a noble family founded by only two founders, the older brother Oshimnia and the younger sister Crowne.
Narvasyn Ritabria is a loyal knight who ran through the battlefield with this pair of brother and sister, working hard to unify the Adellahan region. It is said that Crowne considered Narvasyn as the most important Knight when the latter was young.
It seems that he has retired from his job as a diplomat for the past ten years, probably due to his age, and I have never heard of him going to another territory. If it’s really Narvasyn over there, it makes me wonder if Duchess Crowne is making a move like they said.

[That’s really a big name moving on the scene.]

The Cavalry Corps is a unit that was devised and put into practical use by Crowne Adellahan.
At the turning point of an era, she grabbed her spear and rose to her feet, running across the land with her own cavalry. In the end, she came into conflict with her most trusted older brother, Oshimnia, and overcame him to finally unify the Adellahan region and change the family name to Adellahan.
The Adellahan family could be said to be a noble family originating from Crowne Adellahan. Surprisingly, she is still alive. But, since she is over 100 years old already, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she died all of a sudden.

[If Duchess Crowne is paying attention, you can’t be careless. We have to brace ourselves…]

Crowne can be said to be the symbol of the Adellahan family’s martial arts, and although she retired from the position of head of the family a long time ago, it is said that her influence is not only limited within the Adellahan family, but also over the Kingdom of Levios. Saying her influence reaches out to the entire continent is probably no exaggeration.
Although the truth is uncertain, there are rumors that Crowne participated in the war as an adjutant in the reinforcement unit that stopped Princess Orshian from invading Levios territory.
I wonder if the Adellahan family is short of manpower that they had to overwork an old woman who is over 100 years old. …..Well, the Quordenze family also deploys my grandfather, who is an old man over 80 years old to the battlefield. So, we really have no right to criticize them.

[Excuse me, young master. Since the envoy might request to see you.]

Before I knew it, a civil officer was standing outside the room. I guess he came to see if I had properly withdrawn myself.

[Yeah, I’m not leaving my room. Let me know when the envoy is leaving.]

I watched the door of the room close while thinking that I wanted to hear the heroic story of Crowne Adellahan.

=====

My grandfather came to visit the military officer’s workroom at around 3 o’clock.
The envoy seemed to have calmed down, and only now he has time to meet me.

[Wilk, are you there?]

As a result of asking for warmth, I came to the workroom. It’s because my poverty-stricken mind thought that it’s a waste to let the escorts use magic just for me.
Since I thought the envoy would never visit the workroom, it shouldn’t matter if I was in my room or here.

[I’m here]

I stopped writing the letter and called out to my grandfather.
Then, just as my grandfather’s head moved with tremendous force, he approached me with such force that he kicked the desks of the military and civil officers in his way.

[Wilk!]

[Ye, yes?]

With his arms outstretched, my grandfather looks like he’s blocking my escape route. I’m still 12 years old, and I’m shorter than my grandfather. There’s no way I can dodge this.

[Are you safe! ? Nothing’s hurt!?]

Grandfather said with a loud voice that pierced the eardrums.

[Grandfather? I wrote it in the letter, but…]

He was probably asking if there were any injuries from the duel with Verret Spierzeig and the siege of Reisleaf Castle. It had already been reported that there were no injuries.
However, my grandfather, with a grim expression on his face, grabbed my shoulders with a force that seemed to crush me.

[You can write as many lies as you like in a letter! ? Don’t be arrogant, be honest. If you’re in even the slightest pain, you should return to New Nelly and recuperate…!! Wilk! You don’t have to lie to me!?]

I guess he wants to check if I’m injured or not, so my grandfather presses his palm against my body over my clothes.
However, the momentum was so intense that I started to feel like I was being hit instead.

[Wait a minute, grandpa. I’m okay. There was no leader when we attacked Reisleaf Castle, and Verret Spierzeig was defeated in a single blow. I was surprised by the intimidation of the nobles, but that’s it.]

My grandfather’s eyes narrowed as if he was trying to determine if there was a lie in my speech.

[…..Did you feel any numbness in your body after the battle?]

I refrained from giving an immediate answer because his voice was unusually serious.
Then, I slowly closed my eyes and looked back in the darkness again, but I still couldn’t remember anything.

[There is nothing after all.]

My grandfather’s gaze pierced through my open eyes.
I would’ve been afraid that my lies would be easily seen through in front of this intense gaze. But it’s okay, I’m not lying this time.

[Really? Then it’s fine…]

When my grandfather let out a sigh of relief, my hair fluttered. But, the story didn’t end there. Perhaps because he was relieved, he started to preach instead, and I was given a bad review about my actions this time. 90% of the sermons were due to the duel with Verret. According to my grandfather, a duel between nobles shouldn’t be done casually.

[I thought you’d be a cautious child like Lux, but…now you look a lot like Cassia when she becomes bold, which I don’t understand…]

My grandfather put his hand on my cheek and hovered his finger over my eyes. It’s like looking at the silver eyes inherited from my grandmother.
However, I’m not particularly bold. Having prepared a large number of escape routes and considering the risks and returns before the duel, I would like you to say that I am somewhat like my father.

[I can’t tell you not to fight a duel between nobles. But when you do, do it when your family is nearby. …..the aftereffects should not be ignored either. Underestimating the malice-filled magical power is absolutely…no good.]

[You say that, but what about you, grandfather?]

[I’m already old, so I could care less about residual magic and aftereffects.]

[I’m worried about this. Grandfather has been fighting since you were young, so there’s something accumulated, right?]

[I haven’t fought many nobles head-on. The duel I’ve fought can be counted on the fingers of both hands.]

Well, normally, nobles don’t often engage in a duel anyway.

[Isn’t that enough…]

[Better than me, no, that’s fine. …Besides, I had Cassia by my side. I was able to dispose of the magic residue.]

I didn’t think it would lead to a story time on the spot.
I also want to have a cute wife. Especially now that my balls are bursting with semen, the thought crosses my mind all the more often.

[Don’t underestimate the residual magic power. I underestimated it when I was young. It’s too late after regretting it… I’m still…]

As I watched my grandfather’s voice gradually decrease, I thought about what I should say to him.
However, in the next moment, my grandfather let out a loud laugh as if to brush off his negative thoughts, and gently stroked my head.

[More importantly! I heard all about the battle from the military officer. It’s called Operation Serpent’s Fang!]

Play

Unmute

[Yes.]

My heart beat a little faster. From now on, the general review by my grandfather will begin.
I felt like I was getting my test results back from my teacher.

[Don’t worry, the sermon time is over. …..Well done, Wilk. Acquiring Reisleaf Castle… I can’t believe it! As expected of Cassia’s grandson, and Lux’ child.]

[I’m also grandfather’s grandson.]

[Hahaha, that’s right. As expected of my grandson!]

He patted me on the shoulder, rubbed my cheeks, and ruffled my hair while saying [Good boy, good boy].
My grandfather’s expression of affection is somewhat rough, but it doesn’t make me feel bad. Is it because I can feel that the other person is happy from the bottom of his heart?

[The decision to leave New Nelly after narrowing it down to knights, military officers, and the main army’s soldiers was truly splendid. Surprise attacks are weak against surprise attacks. The biggest reason for the success of this time is that the Spierzeig army was stunned by this.]

[Thank you.]

[The Spierzeig people who had come to the front line base never thought that the Quordenze Army would move from New Nelly so quickly. It can be said that this is also the reason why they misjudged the timing of their withdrawal because they could not read the war situation.]

My grandfather’s comments continued, but they were all praising me. There seems to be some dissatisfaction with the judgment of the duel, but I was praised for continuing to take safety measures without resorting to hard-line measures during the siege of Reisleaf Castle. Well, my goal was to rescue my grandfather, so I couldn’t get serious about attacking the castle.

[Lux also said that if this was the case, he would be able to entrust the next generation Quordenze with peace of mind.]

My grandfather handed out instructions to the military officer standing at the entrance while talking.
The military officer put a flat box on the desk near me and my grandfather, then took a step back. He left the box unopened.

[Wilk, open it.]

Thinking about the flow of the story, a feeling of “what if” inevitably born.
I put my hand on the lid of the wooden box while being careful not to shake my hand.

[This is…]

What was inside was a flag.
A snake entwined with intersecting spears and water splashing down on it…a flag with the Quordenze crest.
If there is a difference, it is the finish. The beautiful green-based flag was embroidered with a neat pictorial coat of arms rather than a simplified version.
It was a flag that I had always wanted, a flag that could only be used by the members of the Quordenze family who had received the mission to become the next head of the family.

[Lux sent it to me a while ago. He wants me to give it to you.]

[From father?]

When I tried to stretch out my arms to see the pattern better, several military officers approached and instead opened the flag for me, showing it to me.

[Lux will be mired in diplomacy work in the aftermath of this time, so he can’t hand it over directly. It seems that the official nomination will be done after Wilk returns to Newnelly Castle, but I was asked to hand over the flag first. …..The current simple coat of arms would not look good on the flag erected at Reisleaf Castle.]

There was also a letter in the wooden box. It was addressed to me from my father.
My grandfather urged me to read it, and when I opened it, the content was an indifferent notice that I would be nominated as his successor. The writing tone then changed repeatedly to subtly say that he cares about me and that I shouldn’t do anything unreasonable.
From now on, my father will be so busy coordinating with other families that he won’t have much time to celebrate my nomination as the next head of the family.
Well, it seems that the next head of the family has been unofficially decided. No, I’m glad it wasn’t a prayer letter. It’s unbearable to be reincarnated to the nightmare of job hunting.

[Congratulation, Young Master.]

[Congratulations.]

[Congratulations.]

The military officers in the room congratulating me involuntarily made my heart warm.
Until now, in order to become the next head of the family, I have reached out to study, learning martial arts and various projects, but it has finally paid off.

[I wonder if the fall of Reisleaf Castle was the decisive factor. I’m glad I did my best.]

When I muttered that, my grandfather laughed out loud.

[There is no way that is the only reason!]

[Eh?]

[If you can’t become the successor without taking down Reisleaf Castle, no one will be able to succeed the family estate! Gahahaha!! Gahahahaha!!]

Maybe finding my muttering funny for some reason, and grandfather held his stomach and laughed.
Perhaps lured by the laughter, the military and civil officers present were also smiling heartily.
Knight Gatoren, who was in the back of the work room, had a troubled expression on his face when I said something with a strange sense of values.

[Young Master.]

[Knight Gatoren, please help me.]

I desperately asked for a follow-up. I know from experience that it hurts less to admit a mistake than to cover it up poorly.

[You were talking about it the other day, weren’t you? Miss Minith in Newnelly Castle has been confirmed to be pregnant by a doctor.]

[I said that, yes, but…]

Letters from New Nelly City were also sent to Reisleaf Castle, and among them was a letter from Minith.
The servants who work at the castle kindly let us in.
The letter states that Minith’s pregnancy has been confirmed by a doctor who serves the Quordenze family.
To interpret it from a noble point of view, it means that it was determined that the fetus in Minith’s stomach gives off a magic reaction. In other words, a mage.
In order for Minith, a slave, to conceive a mage, she must’ve received the seed from a noble. In other words, I am the father of the child in her belly. …..Unless my father or grandfather is sleeping with Minith behind the scenes.

I see, I understand somehow.

[Is it not possible to appoint a successor until the ability to create an heir can be confirmed?]

After saying that, Knight Gatoren silently showed his affirmation and quietly withdrew.

What is required of nobles is to continue the bloodline of their ancestors, and it seems that a seedless person cannot become the head of the family. Very reasonable.
This is also the reason why noble’s sons are often nominated for the next family head in their mid-teens. Considering the feelings of the son of a nobleman who is sensitive to sex, he probably can’t convey that making a child is a requirement.
If you think about it for a moment, you can easily understand it. It must have been quicker to nominate a successor if he dabbled in a woman rather than in a business.

[Well… well, good. With this, I am also the next head. I have to work harder from now on.]

If I become the successor to the Quordenze family, my position in the society will change dramatically.
First of all, we have to think about the maintenance of Reisleaf Castle, and how to fight in the Royal Capital in the spring.
As someone who will be responsible for the next generation of the Quordenze family, I have a lot of things I want to do and things I have to do.

In order to realize a more fulfilling sex life than now, I can’t stand still.

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