Chapter 266: Mother and Daughter |
“I wonder if the war situation will change again soon.“
Merly Evenafis sealed the letter addressed to her parents’ home while feeling such anxiety.
[I would like to have tea outside today. Can you relay a word to Fanny if she wants to join me?]
While saying that, Merly handed the letter to the middle-aged maid who was standing by her side.
[Understood.]
The middle-aged maid is Merly’s exclusive head servant. Her origin is from the Evenafis territory, and she was one of the people who accompanied Merly when she got married.
After checking the wax seal on the letter that she received, the middle-aged maid instructed the other servants who were waiting outside the room to prepare for the tea party.
Ever since Operation Snake’s Jaw began, Merly had been in a state of tension. And the same goes for Fanny, who was entrusted with Newnelly by Wilk.
She wanted to set up a tea time to give her daughter a break from her hard work, and also to think about the future.
[I’m glad you invited me, Mother… Umm, how are you feeling?]
The daughter entered the pavilion where preparations for the tea ceremony were being made and looked at her mother with concern. Merly smiled as she realized that her intention of freeing her daughter from the hard work ended up being a concern for her.
[Luxus-sama has returned, so there’s no need to be so anxious. Fanny did your best in this matter. Let’s relax a little and enjoy the tea for now.]
It was only about two weeks ago that Luxus Quordenze, who had been to the Royal Capital, returned to Newnelly. Tension still continued at Newnelly Castle, but the heavy responsibility placed on Merly and Fanny has been relieved to some extent.
[Is father doing alright?]
Fanny, who was sitting on a chair, asked while looking at the castle.
Luxus had been working without rest since returning to Newnelly Castle. He had no choice but to keep moving. This is because almost at the same time as he returned to the castle, a report arrived from the front line saying that the army had begun an attack on Othelloria City.
Luxus wasn’t the only one who was surprised by this news. At that moment, everyone in Newnelly Castle was shocked.
They had certainly heard of the plan to aim for Othelloria, but no one expected that they would be able to advance so quickly. Anyone can understand the logic of riding the momentum of victory and aiming for Othelloria City. However, it was supposed to be a major offensive that would last weeks or months. At least, according to conventional wisdom.
The panicked Luxus hurriedly sent instructions to the front line saying, [We are preparing reinforcements. Don’t rush and continue the siege of the city!]. However, the reply that came back a few days later was [We have already invaded the city. It’s currently under our control.]. At that moment, Merly saw her husband’s haggard face for the first time.
[It seems that the army is having a difficult time capturing Othelloria Castle, so I think it has become a little easier for Luxus-sama, but…]
While saying this, Merly felt strange. In this situation, it is as if they are being helped by Spierzeig’s army.
[It seems that Operation Jaw has progressed to a point beyond our imagination. We cannot see the situation on the ground in any way.]
There was a big gap between Newnelly and the people on the ground. It’s not just a matter of distance.
On the Eruo continent, the commoners, in short, serfs, are insignificant. They are weak people who are simply slaves to the Highlords and their Lord-class followers, and their will and actions are not thought to have much influence on the masses.
The reason why Operation Snake’s Jaw, led by Wilk, achieved critical hits at key points was because the movements of the commoners were ideal. The military officers on the ground actually see it with their own eyes, so they can feel first-hand how the civilians were helpful. However, those receiving the report were still unable to fully understand it.
Incidentally, the report also describes the role played by commoners. However, the activities of a strong man, such as overcoming Arknoa, subjugating the current and previous family heads, and raiding the enemy’s stronghold, blindsided and hindered understanding. It must be due to the will and actions of Wilk, the supreme commander and a Highlord, that they were able to achieve such spectacular military results.
Reports had been received from the front lines, but the level of heat at the scene had not been conveyed.
[…This is the reality.]
Merly laughed quietly as she gently set the cup down.
[Mother?]
[Hehe, I was just thinking about it. In my family home, Evenafis, there are many stories that tell of the first generation’s bravery. The battle for Hartinos, the invasion of the surrounding noble territories, and the subsequent pacification…..]
Evenafis is a noble family founded about 100 years ago. The first head of the family was a blessed child born in Hartinos City.
[My late brother also liked the story of the first generation. Just when you thought he had conquered a city, he challenged another noble family to battle, defeated it, and annexed it. The situation changes one after another, so I was quite fond of listening to it. It was interesting at first, but when you’re actually thrown into the whirlpool… you don’t really have time to enjoy it. This time, I realized the difference between a story and reality.]
The Evenafis family had a succession of martial-minded heads: the first, second, and third generations. That’s why their territory is so large despite being a new emerging noble family.
Defeating enemy armies, taking down enemy generals, and seizing territory are all praised with open arms in the Evenafis family. This is because they have a history of developing their families by defeating their enemies. In fact, Merly grew up in such a tumultuous environment that when she heard the word “enemy”, she thought of other nobles first before demon beasts even came to her mind.
As an Evenafis, Merly should be praising Wilk’s victory. However, she couldn’t help but worry about her son, who continues to fight in the middle of enemy territory.
[It seems like we have the upper hand now, but the surrounding area is Spierzeig territory… I wonder if Wilk is injured or anything. That kid gets carried away in strange places…]
From Merly’s point of view, Wilk is a difficult child. Although his manners and education as a nobleman are impeccable, there was something about his behavior that made her nervous.
Since he is her first child, Merly is especially concerned about her twisted son. On the Eruo continent, there is a saying that a child who requires a lot of attention is cuter, but an equal amount of emotional movement exists to balance it.
Fanny smiled softly at her mother, who had a troubled expression on her face as she thought of Wilk, who was far away in enemy territory.
[It’ll be alright. This is my onii-sama we are talking about.]
And a strong light dwells in those blue eyes.
[Let’s believe in him and wait.]
It wasn’t a carefree remark that was optimistic about the situation, nor was it a thoughtless word that blindly trusted her big brother. These were the words of a proud princess who protects the rear of those who go into battle.
[…It seems like I’m getting a little weak. It’s no good, considering Fanny is so nervous.]
Because so many things had happened, Merly’s spirit was exhausted beyond her expectations. However, one of the purposes of today’s tea party is to take care of Fanny. It’s no good if she ended up being at the receiving end instead.
Thinking so, Merly slowly stood up and approached Fanny.
[Fanny, you have done a great job. It must have been very difficult to carry the name of Quordenze in the absence of Luxus-sama and Wilk, right? The battle is not over yet, but please rest and regain some strength. Take it easy. If you don’t rest when it’s time to rest, you won’t be able to fight when it’s time to fight. That’s what Evenafis teaches.]
Merly gently hugged Fanny, who was still sitting on a chair. Her daughter’s body was much stronger than she had imagined.
[I’m worried about you too.]
[Mother…]
The more she caressed her daughter’s curly hair, the more the tension loosened.
She must have tried her best to pretend to be calm so that those around her wouldn’t worry. Merly wondered if she would have had the same mindset when she was the same age. When she thought about that, she felt like she’s going to be overwhelmed by her own daughter.
[…It’s truly admirable.]
The first head of the family founded Evenafis, but Merly believes that it was the Quordenze family that laid the foundation for the noble family called Evenafis.
A Blessed Child cannot become a noble even if they overwhelm the nobles. This is because they lack the wisdom to inherit and protect their bloodline. It is nothing more than a native lord. In order to turn a mere lord into a noble, they needed the help of an actual noble.
The first generation of Evenafis was discovered by Ilmesca Quordenze, the Head of the Quordenze family at the time, and was given a princess to become his legal wife. They are essential to passing on the blood of Highlord to future generations. There was no way a princess would marry alone, thus her companions included many knights and government officials. This group of brides who came from Quordenze transformed the ordinary lord into a nobleman.
Therefore, the Evenafis family is extremely influenced by the Quordenze family. To be more precise, it is the idea of Ilmesca Quordenze.
Perhaps because of that background, there was a part of Merly that tended to be timid towards Fanny.
From Merly’s point of view, Fanny is the depiction of a perfect princess.
From an early age, she learned the graceful manners and etiquette befitting a Princess of Quordenze, and is able to act naturally and gracefully. Even so, she is not overbearing, and like Wilk, she is able to respond obediently to those who love her, and there is no arrogance in that.
Merly had highly valued the educational ability of the Quordenze family even before marrying into the family, and as Fanny grew up, that opinion became even stronger. She was made keenly aware that what makes a noble family is the education of their children, and the technical ability of the subordinates who are actually responsible for this.
Perhaps because of this, she often wondered whether it was alright for her, a member of the Evenafis family, to interfere in Fanny’s education. In modern Japan, there were times when someone saw their daughter like “someone else’s child”.
Compared to that, Wilk was easy to interact with. Wilk didn’t have any problems in terms of education, but when he started something, he had a tendency to involve everyone and make it bigger. Because of this, everyone had to put their heads together and think about the educational policy, so Merly was able to easily intervene.
Merly regrets that she should have loved Fanny more honestly. Perhaps it was because she took on the heavy responsibility of Operation Snake’s Jaw, Fanny felt like she had to grow up all at once over the past few weeks. The feeling that they should have valued the interaction between mother and daughter more strengthened the power of her embrace.
[Mugu… Mother, it’s too tight.]
[Oh, sorry.]
When she stopped hugging Fanny, she looked up at her mother with regretful eyes. Seeing the expression on Merly’s face as if she regretted what she had said, a strange feeling welled up inside of her.
[I’m very happy that Mother praised me, but…I still haven’t learned enough. Even after hearing the report, I didn’t understand much about what onii-sama was doing.]
There was a time when the Quordenze family suffered from internal conflicts between the main family and branch families. Thanks to the efforts of Cassia, the previous head of the family, all of them were purged and centralized control was established, but the trauma still remains in Quordenze’s blood.
And Luxus is Cassia’s son. Fanny’s education was carried out with particular care in order to prevent a situation like a separatist branch family from occurring again.
If Fanny is to remain in the territory, she should not be given unnecessary knowledge. If she becomes clever enough, she may be able to stand up against the main family, or in some cases, be inspired by other families to plot a rebellion. This is why Fanny rarely leaves the castle and is not given much knowledge about the outside world.
Since the memories of Cassia’s purge are still fresh, no one can deny that they’re being more sensitive than necessary. However, it is an obvious fact that so much blood and tears have been shed in the past.
Luxus’ goal was to make Fanny be like an old woman from a branch of the Spierzeig family, who held out as a control over the western mountainous region in Silknoon City. It was enough as long as she had the dignity of a nobleman and the mental strength to carry out the ideology of passive defense.
[The fact that you stood up to protect Newnelly is the greatest thing of all. Be proud of yourself.]
Not everyone stands up to protect their home. Children of noble families who are cornered and surrender without showing any will to fight are by no means a minority. Merly, who watched the progress of the war next to Luxus, knows this well.
[Besides, you only recently started learning about the outside world in earnest, right? There’s no need to rush.]
Fanny’s educational policy changed significantly after the Yersinia disaster. Diplomacy also reached a major turning point as the number of nobles decreased across the continent. Luxus thought that depending on the circumstances, he should consider marrying Fanny to another family, so he gave instructions to give her some outside knowledge just in case. This was also related to the good relationship between Wilk and Fanny.
[I want to know many things like onii-sama does. Things around the castle, the territory, and even other territories. Then, I can talk to him more, right?]
[When Wilk returns from Othelloria, I’ll let him know how much Fanny worked to help him. I’m sure he’ll be happy.]
[I’m really looking forward to it. Fufu.]
Fanny’s eagerness to summarize what happened in the castle seemed childish for her age, and Merly’s heart warmed a little.
[However, even if we continue to win, I don’t know if he will come back right away. Just like with Reisleaf after Operation Fang, he may end up staying in Othelloria for a while after Operation Jaw.]
Rather, Merly’s opinion is that it will probably happen. It would be dangerous to keep Galfis, who has developed a magic power malfunction, in Othelloria City, and the head of the family, Luxus, cannot leave Newnelly City for a long period of time. It is also unrealistic to assign an old man from a branch family. At the very least, Wilk will not be able to leave Othelloria City until the subjugation of the Spierzeig knights and the extermination of the family are more or less complete.
And that would be extremely inconvenient for Merly.
[Fanny loves Wilk, right? You miss him, don’t you?]
[Un, maybe it can’t be helped, but I feel lonely.]
[If it takes too long, it might be a good idea for me to talk about it with Luxus-sama…]
We must act with an eye on what will happen after the war ends. Merly thinks that they should do whatever they can to achieve this.
[Do you think the battle with Spierzeig will be prolonged?]
[It depends on how the invasion of Othelloria progresses and how it is resolved, but I think the post-war process will take a long time.]
Considering the movements of the Kingdom and Empire, we will likely enter a very difficult phase from now on. Merly thinks it might have been easier if they had stopped their advance at Silknoon City and negotiated a cease-fire. Othelloria City is like a beehive. If it was touched recklessly, chaos would erupt throughout the Voistra Plains.
However, they probably couldn’t stop right in front of Othelloria City.
[…As expected, the grudge is deep-rooted.]
For Quordenze and Sylopea that is. Merly didn’t speak of it out loud.
In her honest opinion, if it was possible to contain the Spierzeig family, she would like them to do something about it at some point.
The reason why the Evenafis family is anti-Spierzeig is basically due to the influence of the Quordenze family and the Sylopea family. Her impression is the worst because the Evenafis have suffered various disadvantages from the Spierzeig family who considered her family to be on the Quordenze side, but she does not have any deep hatred that could be considered as an ancestral grudge.
[Is it the same for onii-sama?]
When Fanny asked that question, there was a part of Merly herself who had doubts.
[…I wonder? There are some things about Wilk that we don’t quite understand.]
He considered Spierzeig as an enemy, but that seems to be a decision based on rationality rather than emotion. At least, Fanny, who has seen Wilk most closely, has doubts about it, and it might be best not to have any preconceived notions that he harbors a strong grudge.
[Perhaps he resembles Duchess Cassia.]
[To grandmother?]
[Yes. Before I came to Quordenze, I heard something from the knights of Evenafis. Cassia-sama seemed to have recognized the Spierzeig family as an enemy to be defeated from an early age, but it was not until she lost her eldest son, Gardacle-sama, that she began to hate them.]
In that sense, Merly thought that Wilk had a similar way of thinking to Cassia. The elderly people who serve the Quordenze family said that Wilk and Cassia are very similar in that they are eccentrics.
[But, some people say that onii-sama resembles grandfather more.]
The brave march Wilk did during Operation Serpent’s Fang is often compared to Galfis, the symbol of Quordenze’s military power. Merly had often heard that rumor as well.
[That seems to be the case. However, there is an increasing number of opinions among the Kingdom’s nobles that says he resembles Luxus-sama. I do think Wilk is most similar to Luxus-sama.]
This was the result of being praised for his tact in the Royal Capital’s society. And since Wilk imitates Luxus as a role model, there are many similarities in their words and actions. Many people found common ground there.
[Grandmother, grandfather, and father…]
Apparently it was strange that they were connected through Wilk, even though they were completely different people. Fanny twisted her head and read out the names.
[Evenafis’ grandfather, who learned about Operation Jaw, praised Wilk as being like Ilmesca-sama.]
[…..The Great Predecessor?]
Evenafis’ grandfather is the current Count Evenapis, and Great Predecessor is one of the honorific titles of Ilmesca Quordenze.
[That’s right. Ilmesca-sama reached out to the first generation, who is a Blessed Child. Wilk also reached out to the Blessed Children and used them in war. There is a difference in how they are treated indirectly and directly, They are similar in that they used Blessed Children as their subordinates. Normally, Blessed Children would be shunned among the nobility.]
In times of war, there were many such cases where people intended to use the stray Highlords as soldiers, but they would be killed in the end. The risk of having a Highlord who can fight is enormous. In particular, it is no exaggeration to say that male Highlords who can produce a large number of Lord-class soldiers are potential enemies.
[Ilmesca-sama unified the interior and laid the foundations of the Great Noble Quordenze. If Wilk continues to carve out a large portion of the Voistra Plains, his accomplishments will be even greater than that. No wonder grandfather felt a resemblance.]
[Do you think so too, Mother?]
[…Well, I wonder about that? I have never met Ilmesca-sama, so I cannot judge his personality.]
Count Evenafis’ analogy is a kind of riddle.
Ilmesca unified the interior, but it was also an unreasonable expansion. Shortly after the unification of the country, a branch of the Quordenze family was encouraged by the Spierzeig family to plot to become independent from the main family. As a result, the Quordenze territory was divided into five parts. It was Ilmesca’s great-granddaughter, Cassia, who crushed this plot and reunified the country.
Ilmesca is considered one of the Great Heads of the Quordenze family, and is highly regarded as the First Protector of the Evenafis family. However, the merits and demerits of his deeds are equally great.
When Count Evenafis compared Wilk to Ilmesca, it was an instruction to Merly to think carefully about post-war governance. If they were to annex a large portion of Spierzeig territory, at the very least, they would like to kill as many Speirzeig Knights and vassals as possible in the battle for Othelloria Castle, and capture the head of the enemy family, Romilie, as a prisoner.
[Wilk is good at imitating other people’s methods. Perhaps he chose the Blessed Child to follow the example of Ilmesca-sama. He likes new things, but on the other hand, he also has a cautious side that prefers following precedents.]
This is a behavioral principle typical of Wilk, who lived his previous life in Japan. If it’s a field that didn’t exist before, such as a Pioneering Association, he can do whatever he wants, but he hesitates when it comes to systems that are already operating in the style of the Eruo continent for fear of making mistakes based on shallow knowledge. That was a part where he often got stuck.
[Grandmother, grandfather, father, and Great Predecessor-sama…]
Fanny once again listed the people who are said to resemble Wilk. She wasn’t sure what to say, but Merly added one more thing.
[There is actually another one. Emperor Zinkaen.]
He was a man who conquered the western part of the continent, which was suffering from the era of turmoil, and built a powerful nation. His heroic tales are still being told throughout the continent.
The flashy episodes created by Wilk’s actions, such as breaking Voistra’s Great Shield and subjugating demonic beasts in the Royal Capital, were reminiscent of Emperor Zinkaen. It probably has a lot to do with the position of the Quordenze family.
[Depending on the spread of public opinion, Quordenze will be in a predicament.]
If the Spierzeig family falls, the Royal Nobles will view the Quordenze family in a different light. If many people view Wilk as the second coming of Emperor Zinkaen, they will be forced into a very difficult position.
The Royal Nobles once feared the advancement of the Zinkaen Empire. Depending on the outcome of this battle, it could lead to reliving that trauma.
[It will be important for the Kingdom to show an attitude of solidifying its internal strength.]
The Quordenze family has no further ambitions, and Wilk has not inherited Emperor Zinkaen’s will. If we don’t show this sentiment to the outside world, the Royal Nobles will be unnecessarily afraid of Quordenze.
[…And I think that’s enough. Luxus-sama has been suffering for a long time.]
Merly thinks that it is necessary to actively discuss with Luxus how to deal with the Spierzeig family.
The biggest problem the Evenafis family is currently facing is the issue of succession. The Evenafis family, which suffered tremendous damage from the Yersinia disaster, is now facing the worst situation for a noble family, as their bloodline will die out if things continue as they are.
This is a situation that Merly cannot overlook. Of course, the disappearance of the Evenafis family is not what the Quordenze family would want. In the face of the big project of annexing Spierzeig territory, they would want to avoid the collapse of the allied noble house in the south at all costs.
Depending on the situation, Merly was considering receiving seeds from Wilk, but if possible, she would rather leave it to Fanny. They’ll probably have more children that way, and above all, it’ll be auspicious.
Merly is thinking that if possible, she would like to receive two or more children born between brother and sister for Evenafis. Of course, the Quordenze side needs to get a commensurate advantage. The blood of Highlords is something that money can never buy after all.
[In any case, the situation surrounding Quordenze will become even more difficult from now on. I will support Luxus-sama. Therefore, Fanny, please support Wilk.]
[Of course. I am also a noble of Quordenze.]
Fanny answered with a big smile without hesitation.
Merly couldn’t decide whether that response actually showed Fanny’s agreement to have a child, or if it was just her joy at being able to get along with her favorite big brother.
As expected, in the current situation, she couldn’t talk about anything more vivid than this. However, as Fanny didn’t seem to have any bad feelings towards Wilk, Merly was relieved.
[…Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard Fanny’s opinion.]
There was a strange pause, so Merly returned to the topic and created a flow of conversation.
[My opinion?]
[Yes. I personally think Wilk is very similar to Luxus-sama. Popular opinion says that he resembles my father-in-law, Cassia-sama, and Emperor Zinkaen. So, what do you think, Fanny?]
[To me, onii-sama is…]
After saying that, Fanny averted her gaze and turned towards the castle. When Merly turned around to see what was going on, she saw a civil officer running towards her.
[Madam, Princess! A new report has arrived from Young Master!]
The civil officer ran to the gazebo empty-handed. The report was already in Luxus’ hands. He could only announce the results out loud.
[The Spierzeig family surrenders!! Othelloria has fallen!!]
Huh? Wasn’t Romilie standing up and showing resistance in order to protect Othelloria? Why did Wilk decide to fight before the reinforcements from the mainland arrived? How many troops remain on Spierzeig’s side?
Various factors were spinning around in her head, and Merly was unable to stand up immediately.
[Mother, are you alright…]
[….Yes. Yes, I’m fine]
For now, Merly decided to think positively.
[If Othelloria has fallen, then there won’t be anything else that could surprise us anymore. Probably.]
The letter to her family home hasn’t been sent yet, so it’s easy to correct it. In a sense, Merly’s mind had reached the point of giving up when she thought of such a thing.
[I’m sorry, but the tea party has to be suspended. Let’s go support Luxus-sama.]
[Yes, Mother.]
Merly returned to the castle to confirm the details.
After hearing the details of Spierzeig’s surrender, the two were left in a dilemma.
===============
Bonus
Fanny: [Father! Who do you think onii-sama resembles the most?]
Luxus: [I believe he resembles my late brother Gardacle the most.]
Fanny: [What kind of person he was?]
Luxus: […..]
