Chapter 251: Misty Village |
Illustration map:
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When I visited the villa with Eve, the maid reported that Lupetta was visiting. Apparently she was brought in in a hurry because I called for her.
Since I didn’t have anything else urgent to do, I decided to call her immediately.
[Captain-dono.]
[Lupetta? That’s fast.]
Lupetta entered the room with a maid, moving as if she was wary of the furniture. She must’ve felt that she needed to be careful not to get it dirty. Her civilian attire made her stand out in this luxurious reception room.
[Ah.]
Eve then suggested that she will go see Mimon, and hurriedly left the room.
[It’s rare for Lupetta to ask to meet me… isn’t it?]
When I look back on what has happened so far, I feel like I’m becoming her go-to temple when something goes wrong. I felt like there was going to be some trouble again, so I ordered the other people to exit the room, leaving only the bare minimum number of personnel.
[Now we can talk comfortably. So, what do you need from me today? I’d welcome it even if you just wanted to meet me.]
When I spoke to Lupetta in a gentle tone, who remained silent with a grim expression on her face, she took a deep breath and looked at me.
[I came because I had something to ask Captain-dono.]
[What is it?]
[When will the decisive battle with Spierzeig’s army begin?]
And it suddenly stepped into dangerous territory. When I saw the military officers moving into formation in silent and smooth movements, I hurriedly raised my hand to urge them to stop.
I dared to smile in order to calm her down as she stiffened as she felt the intense stares from those around her.
[Did you change your job from adventurer to spy?]
[No, I didn’t.]
[Then, choose your words a little more carefully. You’ll cause misunderstandings.]
What nonsense it will be if spies can directly ask enemy leaders for military matters. When I imagined that, I could naturally smile.
[You made the right decision not to ask for a message when you visited the military barrack. If you had asked a military personnel the same question, Lupetta would be in prison by now. If you’re unlucky, you’ll be in a coffin instead.]
When I said that jokingly, Lupetta shook her body and denied it. She seemed to have no intention of discussing this with anyone other than the Captain, which is me.
Apparently, I have gained a certain level of trust from Lupetta. At least she seems to recognize me as someone who will listen to what she says. This makes me happy. The law of action and reaction in human nature is that we want to return the favor to someone who shows us favor, and we want to return that trust to someone who trusts us. The military officers will probably put a stop to any lines that cannot be crossed, so let’s take this seriously.
[…So, why does Lupetta, who is a free adventurer, want to know about the movements of our Quordenze army? I think you said before that you have no interest in wars between feudal lords.]
Then, she let out a sigh and briefly announced her conclusion.
[I decided to go back to the village.]
[Village? You mean your hometown?]
[Yes.]
Lupetta begins to talk about the current situation in a businesslike manner. It was discovered by the local lord that she was operating in Quordenze territory, thus an order was given to the village to recall Lupetta, and it was declared that ifs she did not return, the village would be penalized in conscription. As a result, Lupetta and her partner Melgin decided to return to their hometown… Maybe they had already compiled what they were going to say in their heads, as their explanations were simple and easy to understand.
At the same time, I could feel the strong anger in her tone, which she didn’t even try to hide. It is understandable that she is irritated by the unexpected recall.
[I think I got the gist of the situation. …..what do you guys think?]
So, I turned my attention to the military officers waiting inside the room. There seemed to be a lot of interest in this, as it was a testimony from a Lord-class originating from Spierzeig territory.
[Is it a reasonable judgment? They wouldn’t want to mobilize the Lord-class commoners from my territory as much as possible, and neither can it be said to be for defending their own territory. There must be something afoot.]
Is something really afoot? There were reports that Spierzeig’s army is in short supply of soldiers, so I guess that’s what they’re talking about. Since Lupetta is an outsider, I think she was vague in her words to avoid giving out unnecessary information.
[Is that so? But, the way they do it is tyrannical and sloppy. If Lupetta didn’t come back, the whole village would be destroyed.]
I think it would be more profitable in the long run to tighten the hair in a wide and shallow manner many times than to narrow it down from one spot all at once. However, the military officers did not agree with what she described as sloppy.
[……May I know where Lupetta-dono’s hometown is?]
After receiving the military officer’s question, I looked at Lupetta.
[……………………Weldburg village]
It seemed like she was really hesitating to reply. Maybe she thought we could take advantage of her weakness if she does. However, Lupetta and Melgin’s backgrounds have already been recorded by Newnelly City, so there is no point in hiding them.
Then, the military officer asked Lupetta the next question.
[Is it a farming village, or a frontier village that belongs to Weldburg City?]
The administration of the Eruo continent is often divided into cities. Rural areas and towns are managed like vassal states of the nearest city.
[Yes. …..Misty Village.]
Perhaps because of this custom, when people who travel across the continent talk about their hometown, they often refer to it in terms of cities.
For example, when citizens of Newnelly go to Levios territory, they often answer [I’m from Newnelly City] instead of [I’m from Quordenze’s territory]. The Kanagawa/Yokohama method is applied, such as when a person from Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture introduces themselves by saying they are from Nagoya rather than from Aichi Prefecture.
And people from towns and villages near Newnelly City will answer to the question with “Newnelly Town” or “Newnelly Village”. This is because saying the name of the village literally can be misunderstood.
The official name of Lupetta’s hometown is “Misty Village”, but there are probably many towns and villages with the same name all over the Eruo continent. There is actually one located near the city of Newnelly. Therefore, when Lupetta introduces herself in Newnelly City by saying, [I’m from Misty Village], someone may mistake her coming from this Misty Village, which is part of Newnelly City.
Therefore, the correct expression would be, [I’m from Misty Village, which is part of Weldburg City]. However, such lengthy exchanges are troublesome no matter how you look at it. It’s understandable that the phrase [I’m from Weldburg Village] has become popular, focusing on the city.
By the way, I only recently learned about this custom of travelers. I honestly thought that there was a village named Weldburg Village somewhere within Spierzeig territory. I was just wondering if it was a village related to Weldburg City.
[They’re probably trying to tighten up the draft in preparation for conscription. They likely decided that it would be more effective to make the children an example than the parents if it was around Weldburg. I think it was an appropriate decision rather than a sloppy response.]
The relationship between Weldburg City and its affiliated towns and villages is more like siblings than parent and child. Instead of towns and villages being born in a single metropolitan area, the pattern was for villages that sprung up here and there to work together and develop as a whole.
These are just hearsays, but there are several similar cities in the Quordenze territory, so it was easy to imagine them. In most such areas, the land is not unique, and on average it is easy to live in and many places are suitable for farming. People can live almost anywhere they want to live, so villages come to be scattered throughout the region. While special cities are difficult to grow, large towns and villages are being born one after another. It seems that Lupetta’s hometown, Misty Village, is also a fairly large village.
[So if you hang the youngest, the other siblings will panic too…]
Since they are in similar positions, they must feel a strong sense of crisis, wondering if their village or town will be next.
[That’s right. There are many towns and villages in Weldburg, and there is nothing wrong with destroying one or two.]
Lupetta’s expression stiffened. You probably think that there is something wrong with that. However, this is the lord’s way of thinking.
[It is necessary to conclude the situation in due course… The people of Spierzeig may have a stronger anti-war mood than we think.]
[Indeed.]
It was clear to me that no one on the lord’s side would sympathize with Lupetta’s plight. I need to take that into account and stay close to her. If Lupetta shows an attitude of being intrusive, suspicions about espionage against Lupetta may be strengthened among the military personnels.
[So, what do Lupetta want to ask me?]
The original question was regarding the timing of the decisive battle between the Quordenze army and the Spierzeig army.
[While informing the lord that you will return, you intend to delay your return as much as possible and wait for the decisive battle to begin. If the Spierzeig army collapses in a pitched battle, being late will be a waste of time…or something like that?]
To make the conversation easier, I tried to say whatever came to my mind.
[That’s what I thought. But, it’s probably not possible.]
Apparently Lupetta had thought about this as well. And she was right to kill this idea. If I may say so myself, this strategy of being late is not very good.
[Why do you think it’s impossible?]
[The Quordenze army, after defeating the Spierzeig army in the decisive battle, will use that momentum to rush forward into the battle to capture Othelloria. If they can take Othelloria City, the Quordenze army will win. The Spierzeig army, which has just lost in the decisive battle, will not be able to counter that momentum. When Voistra is invaded from the west, the road to Othelloria City will be opened all at once. The Quordenze army postponed conquering the northern part of Voistra and the eastern part, where there were many people and strongholds, but will forcibly attack Othelloria City via the western part. The half-destroyed Spierzeig army will be reorganized in the northern, eastern, and southern parts of Voistra, where the Quordenze army’s offensive is weak, and will be used in the defense of Othelloria. That’s why we get drafted. The village of Weldburg is located around there. The lord is desperate because he can see themselves losing. Returning to the village late may be a nuisance, but in the end, we’ll still be taken away by the military.]
The military officer’s gaze at Lupetta, who was speaking indifferently, became sharper than before. I felt a strong sense of caution.
[…Did Lupetta come up with that prediction on your own?]
[Melgin said so.]
She said that she doesn’t really understand it, but the fact that she could speak in front of me like this means that she understands the situation. Lupetta isn’t stupid after all.
[I’ve been thinking about it on and on.]
I remembered talking with an officer earlier about the route for invading Spierzeig territory. There is a reliable and time-consuming route to conquer the northern part of Voistra, and a short-term forced march through Silknoon City to the western part of Voistra.
▼Reference: A solid and time-consuming route to conquer northern Voistra
Illustration (By Mitemin)
▼Reference: Short-term forced march Voistra western route via Silknoon City
Illustration (By Mitemin)
Back then, I hadn’t thought about a decisive battle at the entrance to the plains, but if a large-scale battle were to take place here and we were able to win, the Western Voistra route would suddenly become more realistic. Immediately after the victory in the decisive battle, Spierzeig’s army would be in tatters, so it would be impossible to put up any kind of resistance, and the city of Silknoon, which was on the way, would definitely fall immediately.
Although it depends on the damage done to the Quordenze army, a battle to capture Othelloria City is quite realistic. Melgin’s predictions are generally correct.
[I’ve been thinking and considering. I want to protect the village, and I don’t want to die either.]
It didn’t look like she had come up with a good idea after careful consideration. Lupetta continued with a gloomy expression.
[…Melgin and I will return to the village.]
[If you do that, you’ll be conscripted.]
[I’ve given up… If I have to fight Captain-dono on the battlefield, I’ll pretend to lose, so you can take me as prisoner. If that’s the case, there will be no punishment for the village.]
She’ll fulfill her responsibilities already by participating in the war. Losing the battle shouldn’t earn her punishment. In fact, the village will be praised instead.
[Isn’t that difficult? If they realize that you lose on purpose, you’ll be exposed as a traitor.]
Maybe there was no other good idea, but I have to say it was a last resort.
[I heard that the real intimidation of the Nobles is amazing. I’m sure I’ll be too scared to move. I’m not a soldier. …It can’t be helped that I get arrested.]
Did she mean the threat with murderous intent? If it was released only to the troops with Lupetta in it, it might cause some turmoil…
[Then, I would like you to request the surrender and exchange of prisoners, Captain-dono.]
Am I going to tell Spierzeig to give me money because I captured your subordinates? The main purpose is to convey that Lupetta did not flee before the enemy, but was captured by the Quordenze army. If you offer a large enough amount of money that the exchange will be refused, you may be able to make people think that the negotiations broke down and the prisoners were executed.
Even so, I feel like I’m always demanding ransom. The Spierzeig family might think of me as a miser.
[I understand the content of the consultation. If we can successfully secure Lupetta with our army, I will at least ask Spierzeig for a ransom.]
As long as that’s the case, there’s no problem. The problem lies just before that.
[However, in the first place, I don’t know which unit Lupetta will be assigned to and whether the unit I’m in will clash conveniently to yours. It’s not something I can ask my grandfather to do…]
[Yes. that will definitely require a perfectly set situation, on the battlefield no less.]
The military officer’s tone was stern. He was implicitly telling her that if we have time to fix matches, we should focus all our efforts on crushing Spierzeig’s army instead. Our army will probably forgive one or two threats, but we will definitely not allow you to manipulate the placement of our troops in order to do so.
Since this is related to the Spierzeig family, if I act too easily, Lupetta may be dealt with behind the scenes. It is necessary to speak with the utmost caution.
[If I can’t encounter Captain-dono’s unit, I could just surrender.]
It sounded like it was a sincere statement.
[Would that be alright?]
[It wouldn’t. But, I don’t want to get caught because I can’t trust a squad without Captain-dono in charge. In that case, it’s better to escape on my own.]
The followers who came from Spierzeig’s side are like bombs that may explode at any moment. It’s no wonder that there are people who want to hold their breath for safety’s sake. And on the battlefield, you can do as many deceptions as you want.
In fact, it’s a little suspicious to think that our knights will protect Lupetta. I feel like they’re going to secretly deal with her in the name of clean-up the remnants of Spierzeig. At least I think so. That’s why it’s natural for Lupetta to be wary as well.
[Do you trust me?]
[…If you say you’ll take me prisoner, I’ll believe you. Captain-dono has never lied to me before.]
She is a girl who says cute things. When someone expresses their honest feelings without flattery, I can’t help but want to ask them to rely on me. However, when someone looks at me with such straight eyes, I can’t simply give a straight answer.
[…Do you guys have any thoughts? I’d like to hear your honest opinions.]
For now, I decided to listen to the military officers. Since we are talking about the battlefield, I would like to hear the opinions of professionals.
[In my honest opinion, it would be best to arrest Lupetta-dono here. It will definitely protect her, and even if it is only a small amount, there will be fewer soldiers in the Spierzeig army.]
Un, that’s too frank of an opinion. This is exactly why Lupetta is extremely cautious.
[That’s a good idea. It’s best for me if Lupetta doesn’t die. But if we do that, what will happen to the men in Lupetta’s hometown?]
[Most of them will be scattered on the front lines. However, after the fall of Othelloria City, it seems possible to control all areas except the southern part of the Voistra Plain in a relatively short period of time. Wouldn’t it be a good idea for the Young Master to lend Lupetta-dono some help and try to revive Misty Village?]
Depending on how you interpret the phrase “protecting the village”, the idea of military officers is the most logical. It’s a happy ending because Lupetta doesn’t die and the village remains.
[…..is there another idea?]
Naturally, Lupetta disagreed. Well, that’s true, because what Lupetta wants to protect is the lives of the villagers rather than the village.
[It’s a problem. I love Lupetta, so I don’t want her to die. However, considering how much she has relied on me, I don’t want to forcefully restrain her. That would betray Lupetta’s trust. Because that’s what it is.]
If that’s the case, I’ll probably arrest her later on because my orders didn’t go through properly. It’s just a story where my subordinates do what they want without my knowledge. However, in that case, they must be prepared to be confined for a considerable period of time.
[It’s a difficult problem alright. …..Actually, what do you think is the possibility that Lupetta will be drafted and die?]
As I said this, I realized that this was not something I should ask in front of the person in question. What should I do if someone makes a blunt comment like “she’s definitely going to die”?
[As long as you go to the battlefield, death is always next to you.]
The military officer continued after admonishing me.
[It seems that Lupetta-dono will be incorporated into Knight Weldburg’s unit. If that is the case, there is a low possibility that she will be sent to a fierce battle zone.]
[Why? I understand about the troops. Just thinking about it, if they were to be conscripted from a village belonging to Weldburg City, their destination would be the Knight Weldburg’s Army.]
[Knight Weldburg is in charge of coordinating the knights who rule the southeastern area of the northern Voistra Plain. Considering what will happen if they lose the decisive battle, they can’t afford to lose.]
I wanted to toss out a tsukkomi, wondering if there are idiots who think about losing before they even fight, but if you look at Quordenze’s current momentum and don’t expect defeat, then you’re more of an idiot. And at least Magnis Spierzeig I saw at the Royal Capital didn’t look like an idiot.
[…I see, I don’t know how big the impact of the decisive battle will be, but I don’t think it will be possible to take over Weldburg City all at once. It’s certain that the northern part of Voistra will become a battlefield, but the southeastern area will be either way. That being said, it looks like it will be a base for a counterattack by Spierzeig’s army]
While facing the Quordenze army attacking the north, it is necessary to reorganize the army and send reinforcements to the defense battle of Othelloria. In order to make this happen, while reeling from the effects of defeat in the decisive battle, the presence of knights rooted in the local area is essential.
[Yessir. As the Spierzeig family, they need to firmly control the southeastern region.]
If they’re looking at the next line of defense, they wouldn’t want to lose Knight Weldburg.
[However, the decisive battle is a battle where the fate of the family is at stake. When the time comes, all knights will not hesitate to fulfill the mission engraved in their name and blood.]
The military officer warned us again that it’s not absolutely safe, and that we should keep that in mind. I took a naive view and didn’t want Lupetta to die, so I nodded strongly.
[If you think about that, I don’t think you’ll feel safe even if you join the Weldburg squad. There are several other knight families in the southeast region. Even if you leave them behind, they’ll still be able to organize things…]
[No… I think that would be difficult. As Young Master may know already, there are not many particularly large cities in the Voistra plains. There are, however, many cities and towns of moderate size.]
There are several large cities, including Othelloria City, but basically there are many sister cities. Voistra Plains is a very good land.
[This tendency is particularly strong in the northern part of Voistra, and perhaps that is why the knight families entrusted with that area are generally equals, and none of the houses are particularly suited to waving the flag…]
It is said that just like the cities, the positions of the knight families are also the same.
[Once upon a time, when the Spierzeig family unified Voistra, knights who were important vassals of Othelloria City were stationed all over the plains. The knight who was given the name of Weldburg was one of them. He was appointed as the leader of the southeastern region. This is probably because everyone is aware of this process.]
The only clear difference is their history as knight families. It is said that it’s all Knight Weldburg had over the other knights in the region.
[…It means that we don’t have time to worry about selecting and coordinating which knights should be the main focus in order to rebuild the army that collapsed in the decisive battle.]
No matter which knight you choose to wave the flag other than Knight Weldburg, you’ll end up with a feeling of “I wonder what this means”. If there is a crisis with the master’s family, they probably won’t openly oppose or interfere, but dissatisfaction will probably build up somewhere. It is also questionable whether it will be possible for the two organizations to work together effectively by having a knight with little experience in coordinating them as the leader.
[Yessir. It is unknown whether rebuilding without Knight Weldburg will go smoothly. On the other hand, if Knight Weldburg is still alive, it is thought that rebuilding in the southeast region will not be difficult.]
If you think about it that way, Knight Weldburg is a piece that they don’t really want to lose. Unless it’s a serious situation, they’d like to keep him in the back as an insurance policy in case they lose.
[…Do you really think Lupetta will be assigned to Weldburg’s unit?]
In my opinion, it seems like a relatively safe position. Of course, we can’t be overconfident.
[That is the most likely outcome.]
Other military officers also agreed with that notion.
[If the villagers returning from conscription will be considered obedient citizens. It’s like being chained. They’re much easier to use than mercenary foot soldiers. It’s a shame to waste them so easily. ]
Compared to mercenaries, they are less likely to betray you, and if they survive, they will be useful for post-war reconstruction. The military officers assured that obedient vassals would be treated accordingly.
It seems unlikely that Lupetta will be sent to another knight’s army. Since the people connected to Lupetta’s local lord can make the most effective threat, there is no reason to hand her over to another place.
[…But, that’s Lupetta-dono’s story.]
I felt like the officer’s eyes flashed like a bird of prey aiming for its prey.
[I don’t know what will happen to the Lord-class adventurer who is working with Lupetta-dono.]
[What about Melgin?]
The military officer nodded silently in response to Lupetta’s request for confirmation.
[Weldburg City should have known about Lupetta-dono since her birth. There is no doubt about her origin.]
There are no knight families who do not control how many Lord-class commoners stay in their territory. They must have known for a long time that she had left the territory.
[Melgin was someone from another territory.]
To make the conversation easier, I would like to add a few words.
[Indeed. Therefore they won’t place him in the same unit as Lupetta-dono. It’s risky.]
Lupetta’s face turned pale, as if she hadn’t expected that.
[That person… Melgin’s magic power is comparable to that of someone from a knight family. His origins are also dubious, which makes him less trustworthy than a serf mercenary.]
Well, it’s true that he might be suspected of being an agent of the Quordenze family, who is plotting to destroy the Spierzeig army from within.
[What will happen if the war situation worsens? Melgin and Lupetta-dono may conspire to plot a rebellion. Or Melgin may incite Lupetta-dono.]
[Such a thing…..]
[At least those who belong to Spierzeig’s army will always consider that possibility.]
[…But, Melgin said that we could join the same unit. That kind of thing happens often…]
[That person is from the south. It would be troublesome if their war, which was all about competing for a small piece of land, is equated with the war of the Nobles.]
Lupetta, who has no knowledge of military affairs, couldn’t even retort when the military officer flatly declares that.
[If I were Knight Weldburg, I would leave Melgin to a knight elsewhere. It would be easier to move Lupetta-dono afterward. And the knight who took Melgin would have no hesitation in throwing him into a fierce battle zone. If it’s just the amount of magic power, he’s no different from a knight military officer, and if they threaten to harm Lupetta-dono, he’ll probably do his job.]
Lupetta was shocked by the confident professional’s comment. But, I understand what they want to say. At present, military officers dared to give extreme examples in an attempt to induce her.
[What should I do…..]
Lupetta squeezed out her voice as if asking for help.
[It would be better for Melgin not to respond to the military draft. It’ll just give them material to threaten you. Let Newnelly City take responsibility and take custody of Melgin. Of course, instead of putting him in jail, we will make arrangements for him to be able to live his life as usual. We will take Melgin’s behavior into consideration, but if we attack the area near Weldburg in the future, it is possible to have him accompany the army as he can be considered a local. Wouldn’t Lupetta-dono’s village be able to surrender with peace of mind if Melgin was there?]
Lupetta’s eyes suddenly turned towards me. I didn’t deny it because I think what the military officer was saying was generally correct.
Lupetta looked down and was thinking for a while, but then she looked at the military officer with a determined look on her face.
[Alright. I’ll ask Melgin to stay in Newnelly.]
[I’m sorry. Please try to persuade him]
The military officer looked satisfied. With this, Spierzeig’s army will have one less soldier with fighting ability comparable to that of a knight. On the other hand, considering that he might be able to use said soldier in the Quordenze army, he was able to create a -1 to the enemy and a +1 ally with a single conversation. He must be feeling excited.
As a military officer, Melgin is probably more of a nuisance. Considering Melgin’s actions so far, I thought he was an idiot who wasn’t very intelligent, but he seems to be quite intelligent when it comes to observing the battle situation. If he joins Spierzeig’s army and gains experience in the field, he could become a nuisance.
Also, if Melgin is in Newnelly City, he can be threatened using Lupetta in an emergency. There is no way military officers wouldn’t think about that.
[Can you convince him?]
It was a simple question, so I asked.
That man named Melgin seemed to be in love with Lupetta, and I doubt if he would be okay with just one person escaping to a safe area.
Lupetta was speechless. Maybe she thinks it’ll be difficult too.
[We will support you if necessary. Please feel free to contact us in that case.]
I’m sure there will be a wide variety of threats involved. Since Lupetta has agreed to Melgin’s custody, she can also make false threats, so the contents should be quite vile.
[I’ll try to persuade him. But before that… I want to go back to the village with Melgin… Melgin will come back here. Absolutely. So…]
Lupetta was giving me a look. It didn’t seem like she was lying. I told the military officer to comply with her request.
[…There is no problem if both of you return home for about a month. However, if Melgin’s return to Newnelly is delayed any longer, we will consider him to have given in to Spierzeig… Please convey these words as they are.]
The military officer did not say what would happen as a result. Lupetta is also one of my mistresses, so I wonder if he was afraid to tell her something so cruel. I feel like it’s too late for that now.
[Is there any point in Melgin also returning to the village?]
[Melgin and the village chief want to cooperate with the Quordenze army.]
[Cooperate?]
[Life in our village and other villages is already so hard that it’s at its limit. They wish that their lord could lose quicker.]
Lupetta had said the same thing before, but now that it was almost certain that she would be conscripted, Lupetta was even more frank than before.
[But even if the lord changes, there is no point if they still have to deal with heavy taxes. That is why they would like to cooperate with the Quordenze army and be exempted from taxes… I heard that there is no tax or military service for the Reisleaf area. Because the villagers cooperated in the capture of Reisleaf Castle.]
There were strange rumors going around. It is true that the Quordenze army controlled the area around Reisleaf Castle, but they collected almost no taxes. The simple reason is that we don’t have time to do that. Just take it away from the obvious people, like wealthy people with vested interests who were deeply involved with the previous feudal lord, and that’s it. The ordinary citizens are left alone.
There is no evidence that the people of the territory cooperated in the capture of Reisleaf Castle, but the rumor that there was no tax was probably lacking in credibility, which is why such rumors were attached. The fact that Nambonan soldiers encouraged castle soldiers to surrender during the battle may have had some influence.
[Cooperation? Does that mean you need to go back once to adjust and align our minds?]
Lupetta nodded.
[But, isn’t it enough for Lupetta alone to talk about things like that and be done with it? I don’t see the need to go back with Melgin.]
[The thing is, it was Melgin who first suggested it.]
So, Melgin was the initiator?
[Really? Lupetta’s explanation of the situation earlier was easy to understand, and I don’t think it would be that difficult if you just conveyed it.]
[I can’t… I just don’t know what to do.]
It didn’t seem like it’s a lie to get Melgin to return home. Lupetta looked seriously troubled.
[I don’t really understand. What kind of cooperation are you considering? I don’t think it’s that difficult.]
[…..I cannot say.]
Just as I was about to reply, Lupetta continued speaking.
[What I would like to say is, I want Captain-dono to meet with Melgin. Melgin should be able to give a more detailed explanation.]
[Is it that complex?]
[Melgin said he wasn’t sure if it would be understood well. It’s a method that isn’t heard in the Kingdom or Empire, so it’s no good unless he explains it himself. If I explain it, it might be misunderstood.]
Judging by the way she said it, I guess it’s southern wisdom.
Now that I think about it, the Nambonan soldiers that my grandfather brought with him remain in Newnelly City. Raylight, the Gatoren family military officer who was entrusted with the guidance of the Nambonan soldiers, has also traveled to the south, so if Melgin wants to talk with me this time, it might be a good idea to have Raylight sit with me and hear his opinion. It won’t hurt to ask.
[Very well. I’ll summon him later.]
[Good. Thank you, Captain.]
Lupetta was relieved that the story was over, but I couldn’t feel relieved at all.
In the end, if things continue like this, Lupetta will return to Spierzeig territory. The chance of being killed in action may be low, but there is no doubt that her life will be at risk.
I wonder if all the residents of Weldburg Village will move to Nambonan City.
[There are a lot of elderly people in the village, and I don’t know if they can survive in an unfamiliar place…]
[Young Master, if they move in a group, the lord will notice. There is also a risk that the relationship between Lupetta-dono and Young Master will be leaked…]
Is it impossible? The decisive battle with the Spierzeig family will take place after my father returns from the capital, so the earliest it will take is September or October. I thought they would be able to escape in three or four months, but I’m disappointed.
Another thing to think about is the military deployment policy after the decisive battle. It would be better to go to Newnelly’s military later and confirm the future policy.
[…..what?]
I noticed Lupetta, who was preparing to leave from the corner of my eye. She must have finished what she wanted to say since she had already said what she wanted to say, but she wasn’t done with it.
I slowly stood up, sat down next to Lupetta, and hugged her shoulder. As expected, Lupetta is neat and cute.
[I’m glad you trusted me.]
[Ah… Captain-dono… Oh no…]
When I kissed her lightly on the cheek, Lupetta shook her body reluctantly.
While we were having fun together, a good idea came to me.
[Hehehe… I don’t think the Spierzeig Army would even consider conscripting pregnant women.]
[Eh…]
[Yes, yes, I guess I’ll go ahead and take off my clothes to protect Lupetta.]
I couldn’t think of any other good ideas, so I’ll just enjoy her body and then think about it.
Author's Thoughts
TL Note: This chapter contain illustration maps.
