Chapter 268: Nambonan Peace Treaty |
Reference: Territory map before Operation Snake’s Jaw
Map (By みてみん)
The season had swiftly changed to autumn now.
The wind coming in through the window of the carriage was a little cool.
[Nambonan City is finally in sight. …It’s already October.]
From the departure of Newnelly to the assault on Othelloria.
From the beginning of the attack on Othelloria to the surrender of the Spierzeig family.
From the decision of the noble family head to surrender to the completion of arrangements for peace.
This was in chronological order, and also in order of the least amount of time required. It seems that the battle is resolved more quickly when there is intense movement. It’s like me on the bed.
[Operation Jaw was so shocking. I think it can’t be helped that it takes time to put things together…]
The adjutant who was riding with me said that with a troubled expression.
Looking back, the final adjustment work was the most messy. It may be like getting back the mess that you’ve made with interest, but after Romilie surrendered, the rush of letters made me want to worry. I’m afraid I’ll get slammed if you say that.
[Newnelly must have had a hard time too.]
The main force led by me pushed forward in a direction that was not planned in advance, and the additional Quordenze reinforcement army, which was brought in in large quantities from the mainland, began military operations here and there to wipe our a*s. The military officers stationed at the general headquarters in Newnelly City must have had an extremely difficult time keeping control of the situation.
[…That’s one thing, but above all, we needed to know what Young Master thought.]
Of course I know. The biggest reason for the delay in all parties involved was the magic of goodwill that I inadvertently spread during my conversation with Romilie.
Before and after that, the attitude of the people around me changed drastically. Their vigilance towards Romilie was always at its maximum limit and fixed. As a result, I ended up spending a very stuffy day where my every move was watched.
In fact, suspicions even surfaced about the contents of the peace treaty that had been drawn up in advance, such as, [Maybe Young Master has secret feelings for Lady Romilie and is trying to show favoritism to the Spierzeig family?].
I drafted the article after consulting with those around me, but I also included some of my own ideas. This resulted in a lot of negative speculation.
[I see. It’s my own fault.]
That was a temporary lapse of consciousness, or rather, it was just a mistake that I had made. I don’t think it’s possible from their standpoint, but I hope they don’t worry about it too much.
Also, since Romilie decided to surrender because of that incident, I wonder if it will be okay in the end. I don’t think I’ll get it. I couldn’t get it.
I won’t be entangled with her, I just wanted to hold her a little, it’s the same as my desire for Fanny and Plume, so now I’m going to hold Rose and prove that I’m not a partiality man… I’ll do my best to clear up the suspicion. I tried to do that, but it didn’t have much effect.
I found out later that it wasn’t like I was spreading an erotic mood filled with lust. As the person who released it, it was difficult for me to accurately grasp that area. From what I hear, something resembling a genuine positive favor has been spread.
My conversation with Romilie happened after I had s*x with Rose, I felt refreshed at that time. It is certain that my libido meter was at an extremely low level. Because of that, the image of a pure young man was planted among those around me. It is no wonder that everyone felt a sense of crisis.
That’s why I received so many letters that I hardly like them, not only from Newnelly, where my father was located, but also from Reisleaf, where my grandfather remained.
When I responded to my father, I would receive a letter from my grandfather, and after I responded to my grandfather, I would receive an additional letter from my father, which was similar to the Wanko Soba system.
[Well, that’s good. Father seems to have agreed.]
Otherwise, we would still continue exchanging letters by now.
[I’m sure Master is not completely convinced. There are some parts that he had to accept after all.]
My military exploits in defeating the current head of the enemy family, taking siege on the enemy home base, and forcing the next enemy family head to surrender were so great that even the Head of the Quordenze family couldn’t just simply ignore them.
Even so, I think it must have been difficult for my father to have to swallow such reports one after another. It looks like we’ve turned into a tsuchinoko and became like a snake that can’t move.
[…That’s right, let’s try not to say anything unnecessary.]
The Quordenze had literally turned into a bush snake. I have to be careful not to mess it up.
I have no intention of saving the Spierzeig family. All I’m thinking was, [I wish I could hold Romilie].
I’m not looking for much. Considering my accomplishments, isn’t it a rather humble request?
[Master will also be present today. Please be careful.]
It seemed that my grandfather was very angry that Magnis and Kindlor’s bodies were returned to the Spierzeig. However, he also understood that it is I who have achieved such great military feats. Perhaps because of this, the letter that I received from him had a mysterious text that seemed to alternate between dissatisfaction and satisfaction. I think he is very skillful in his writing.
There were other things in the letter from my grandfather that caught my attention. That’s because the letters were shaking.
When I first saw it, I was nervous, thinking that his hand was shaking with anger when writing it, but I soon realized that I was wrong.
My grandfather, who I saw at the battle of Reisleif, was seriously injured and could barely stand up. The physical disability caused by the residual magic energy had become apparent, which is what primarily caused the hands trembling. I checked with the people around me just to be sure, but my assumption was correct.
[…grandfather.]
I’ve been in Othelloria City all this time, so I hadn’t been able to see my grandfather even once since that day. The image of my grandfather in my head was never updated as he was lying injured at Reisleaf.
Honestly, I’m a little scared to meet him, even if this Romilie’s incident hadn’t happened.
[I hope he’s alright…]
Today, the peace agreement will finally be officially signed in Nambonan City.
I thought it was uncertain whether my grandfather would attend the signing ceremony. The onset of magic malfunction is still a top secret of the Quordenze family. He can’t afford to show his weakness in a place where nobles from other families are also present.
However, it would be suspicious that my grandfather did not appear at the huge event of peace between the Quordenze and Spierzeig families. It will lead people to suspect that his health is in a more dangerous condition than magic malfunction. For example, the after-effects of the magic power residue are so severe that he can’t even move.
After considering those concerns, he probably decided to attend, even though it was a bit risky. If there are no symptoms of magic power malfunction, it will probably not be found out because he will not be any different from the usual state. And if we can show that Galfis Quordenze is alive and well, it will be a big shield for Quordenze against the foreign enemy.
Although I had been informed that my grandfather would be attending before leaving for Othelloria City, there was a possibility that he would become ill during the trip and be absent. For now, I’m just glad that he was able to reach Nambonan City safely.
After my adjutant briefly shared the latest information about my grandfather’s health, he took out a wooden tag out of nowhere.
[These are the people who will be attending today’s signing ceremony. Would you like to confirm?]
I received it silently and took a quick look at the whole thing.
The names of not only the nobles but also the accompanying knights and dignitaries were written on the wooden tags.
[Is this confirmed?]
[Affirmative.]
I somehow noticed the list of attendees from the Spierzeig family, but there were no surprises.
In the first place, I was the one who brought the Spierzeig’s entourage from Othelloria City. We knew their members from the beginning. If it decreases, it would be a serious incident.
[Etoilesa won’t be participating, huh?]
The fact that she would be absent had been confirmed for quite some time, but I couldn’t help but bring it up because it was a cause for concern for the future.
Etoilesa is a young Princess and one of the collateral relatives of the Spierzeig family. Her whereabouts were the focus of attention during the siege battle to capture Othelloria, but her importance decreased a little after Romilie surrendered.
It was only recently that her whereabouts were discovered.
[The Eudion family still refuses the extradition request.]
[They’re a troublesome bunch.]
It seems that Etoilesa happened to be visiting other territories when Operation Snake’s Jaw was in full swing.
The destination they are visiting is the Eudion family, whose territory faces Lake Meo in the south of Spierzeig territory. It is one of the so-called independent noble houses that do not belong to either the Zinkaen Empire or the Levios Kingdom.
It’s a mystery why the Spierzeig sent their girl, a collateral relative, to do diplomacy, but there seems to be no doubt that she is currently staying in Eudion’s territory. When my father asked them to hand over Etoilesa, they politely refused.
[Probably, but I think they have no intention of letting Princess Etoilesa go until they get assurances of security.]
The Eudion family, under the protection of the Spierzeig family, has been fighting with the Evenafis family over the hegemony of Lake Meo. If their backer is defeated by the Quordenze family, the future will only become bleak. From now on, they will have to fight the Evenafis’ army alone.
If the survival of the family is their top priority, this is the time to consider reconciliation. However, there was no way the Evenafis family would agree to a cease-fire so easily. If that’s the case, what they should aim for is negotiation through the Quordenze family. It’s not a bad move to restrain Etoilesa and use her as a diplomatic card.
The good thing about this is that the Eudion family has almost no disadvantages. If the negotiations are successful, they can improve their relationship with the Quordenze’s faction, and even if they fail, they can still latch on to the Spierzeig family.
The upper echelons of Spierzeig would probably want to avoid Romilie and Etoilesa all falling into the hands of Quordenze if possible. Considering the future, I’m sure it would be easier to move around if the latter were to remain in the Eudion family’s custody and protection.
Even if we try to force the Spierzeig family to hand over Etoilesa, it probably won’t go well. The Spierzeig also wants Etoilesa back, but since the Eudion family has decided to do so, we can’t interfere… If they give us such an excuse, we won’t be able to go any further.
If the Quordenze family is favorable, they will hand over Etoilesa to ensure their security, and if that is not possible, they will protect her for the Spierzeig family and think about the next move. The Eudion family is weighing the two. The word “bat guy” crosses my mind, but it is the correct way of life for an independent noble family.
[We will need to take action eventually, but right now it is most important to suppress the Spierzeig. As long as we have secured Duchess Romilie, Princess Etoilesa is not of much value.]
In any case, we don’t have the time or energy to invade Eudion territory. The other party is probably hoping for a diplomatic solution, so I hope they continue to manage the issue appropriately. It’s much better than having a Highlord go missing like a human nuclear weapon.
Unexpectedly, this situation may have been the result of Etoilesa herself lobbying the Eudion family. Since Romilie is a Princess who was created for diplomacy purposes, there is a high possibility that Etoilesa, who has Spierzeig’s blood flowing through her lineage, is also a wonderful Princess with wisdom, courage, and pride. I’m starting to want her as well a little bit.
[That’s right. If Etoilesa is as beautiful as Duchess Romilie, then I wouldn’t mind invading Eudion.]
[Don’t worry. It seems that she pales in comparison to Duchess Romilie.]
I meant it as a light joke, but the officer responded with a frighteningly serious expression and tone. Is the topic related to Spierzeig still sensitive?
According to my adjutant, Romilie and Etoilesa sometimes called people from the clothing company to make dresses together. After conquering Othelloria city, the Quordenze’s army summoned the merchants and interviewed them about the Princesses’ appearance and other details. The comments that they made there are what he said just now. No matter how you say it, it’s too frank an opinion.
However, I think most women would pale in comparison to Romilie. Which means, Etoilesa is actually pretty beautiful…
[Young Master.]
[Right now, the priority is to finish the signing ceremony safely. I know that.]
[People from other families will also be attending today. Please be aware.]
When I heard about the conclusion of a peace treaty, I had the impression that a third country other than the parties involved will serve as a witness. However, it seems that there is no such arrangement on the Eruo continent. Apparently it’s okay as long as the parties involved agree.
Therefore, there would be no problem if the four families, the Quordenze family, the Sylopea family, the Evenafis family, and the Spierzeig family, quietly concluded a peace agreement. In principle.
[…From the Kingdom’s side, it’s the Viscount Galiana family, and from the Empire’s side, it’s the Count Nongite family.]
This time, my father decided to invite a third party to the signing ceremony, considering various circumstances.
As expected, it was decided that the scale of the peace between the Great Nobles such as Quordenze and Spierzeig was too large to end in private. However, as expected, no matter how much time we have, there won’t be enough time if we invite anyone. That’s why they decided to invite a family from the Levios Kingdom’s nobles and a family from the Zinkaen Empire’s nobles.
On the wooden tag was a list of attendees from the Galiana family and the Nongite family.
[Count Nongite really came out.]
From my father and grandfather’s comments, he seems to be a very cautious old man who never lets anything slip.
Up until now, he had always kept an eye on the situation while keeping a certain distance from both the Quordenze and Spierzeig families.
[I guess that’s why they’re taking this incident so seriously. The Nongite’s territory borders not only the Quordenze’s territory, but also the noble territories under Spierzeig. I think they have decided that it is necessary to determine the future direction of both families.]
I understand the reasoning, but it’s a little surprising that he would personally intervene in an event with strong political elements, such as the signing ceremony of a peace treaty.
[I heard that he was a cautious benefactor, so I didn’t expect him to go out of his way to come on a business trip. I’m sure there would be quite a reaction from the neighboring noble families.]
[I have heard that the current Count Nongite, Tarzast, is extremely cautious, but he is not a coward. It is believed that he took this seriously as an opportunity to come forward and decided to attend. This time, it was not a peace conference where interests would be reconciled, but a place to witness the signing of a peace treaty that had already been decided. I guess they judged that the impact on the surrounding area would not be too great.]
The adjutant said that had the peace conference taken place before Operation Snake’s Jaws had been carried out, he would never have come out. It is true that if he attend such a meeting, he will be bombarded with all kinds of comments from other people, such as “Nongite sided with Quordenze” or “He favored the Spierzeig”.
He went to see the peace talks between the Great Nobles who are adjacent to his territory, and this time he decided to attend because he was in a situation where he could allow that, I guess?
[In addition, Count Nongite seems to be very wary of Young Master. He may have thought that he should not miss the opportunity to see you in person.]
What will the Quordenze family do next, after concluding the peace agreement as the winning side? The Nongite family must have raised their alert level several levels after considering all possibilities.
After all, Wilk Quordenze is the young man who pierced Voistra’s Great Shield with Operation Serpent’s Fang, and has now crushed Othelloria with Operation Snake’s Jaw. Is it possible to say that his eyes are not fixed on Nongite next?
[What on earth are they supposed to be wary of when faced with such a pacifist like me? I feel like he’s just completely paranoid.]
The straight man act didn’t get any response. I had no choice but to continue reading the wooden tags.
After being rocked by the carriage for a while, I finally approached Nambonan City when I heard a voice from outside the carriage.
[Young Master, may I have your time?]
The carriage stopped quietly. Although it was planned in advance, I was a little nervous.
[Very well. Let’s go.]
When I asked them to open the door, another carriage was parked facing ours.
The crew on the other side had already left, so I also disembarked with my adjutant.
[Lady Romilie, if I may?]
When she heard my voice, she slowly walked towards me while maintaining her dignity. Along with her was Zannahorus, the leading Knight of the Spierzeig family.
The previous Knight Zannahorus was killed in Nambonan City during Operation Serpent’s Fang, so this one is currently taking the position. The new Knight Zannahorus is a middle-aged man with a fearless face.
[Thank you for your cooperation today, Wilk-dono.]
Romilie gently held out her hand. I touched her fingertips and welcomed her into the carriage.
The peace this time will be arranged by the commander-in-chief of the Quordenze’s Army, Wilk Quordenze, so it will be my role to escort her to Nambonan City.
[Let’s go.]
After confirming that everyone was on board, the adjutant instructed the driver to depart.
There are four people in the carriage now. It’s me, my adjutant, Romilie, and the Knight Zannahorus. There was an indescribable tension as the two middle-aged men stood facing each other in silence. There was no place to talk unless I do something about it.
[It seems that my father and grandfather have already entered Nambonan.]
Romilie nodded quietly in response.
I never get tired of seeing her melancholy expression, but the fact that I can’t touch her bare skin is downright scary. Since our magic power lines are not connected, it is a little difficult to instantly know when the opponent will activate their magic.
The Highlord’s magic with excessive attack power is really no joke. Most of the people around the carriage are Quordenze’s army, so it’ll be easy to crush them. But if we all get killed by the first attack, it’s all over.
There’s no way Romilie wouldn’t think anything of the man who killed her grandfather, father, and big brother. Even at this very moment, there is a non-zero possibility that she will attack me and say something like, [My father’s enemy!]. When someone says a standard line like that, it makes me want to say something like, [Hehehe, how does it feel to be impregnated with your enemy’s child?]. But, it’s not like I can make babies if I die though.
As long as you don’t let your guard down, you’ll be able to block the activation of magic in time, and after that you’ll be able to crush them to death. On the other hand, if you let your guard down, you will die.
There was a completely different pressure than when Fanny and Plume were next to me. This is the presence of a Highlord.
[Father and grandfather… by that you must mean Lord Luxus and Lord Galfis. I feel a little sad.]
Maybe I shouldn’t have used words that reminded her as the daughter of her family, who had just had her father and grandfather taken away from her?
Maybe because the battle has come to an end that I feel like my resistance to guilt has decreased a little. In an unexpected moment, a feeling of regret peeks out from deep within my heart.
For example, imagine Fanny in Romilie’s place, having Galfis, Luxus, and Wilk killed while she herself was captured by Spierzeig’s army. Although she acts bravely during the day, at night she might be crying silently in her room alone. …..That’s not good, maybe because I imagined it as Fanny, I felt a strange sense of reality and started to feel really sorry for her. This analogy is dangerous. It causes unnecessary damage to my own heart.
[…Don’t worry. As the commander-in-chief, I will take responsibility for the situation today.]
[Yes, I’m counting on you.]
In the meantime, it seems that the carriage entered Nambonan City. Tremendous cheers rang out from all directions, and even from inside the carriage, I could feel the vibrations of the sound.
To be frank, it’s too noisy. I had expected some excitement, but now it’s just too much of a festive mood.
Perhaps the victory of Quordenze has been conveyed to the citizens. If I listened carefully, I could hear many screams celebrating victory. It was completely like a triumphant parade.
I wonder what the citizens of Nambonan think of the signing ceremony. Even if they welcomed me in a more solemn atmosphere, I wouldn’t have been able to punish them.
[This is Nambonan City…]
Romilie, perhaps ashamed of being taken aback, continued speaking in an attempt to cover it up.
[I heard that Wilk-dono is in charge of governing this city. It’s a lively city, isn’t it?]
I received a compliment, so I’ll accept it honestly.
Nambonan City remains as vibrant as ever. Before we know it, new things are being built one after another and the number of people is increasing, so it seems that the officials of Quordenze are confused every time they inspect the city. It seems to be regarded as a very young, rapidly changing, and active city. I do think it’s a bit too restless compared to Newnelly City.
Othelloria City is also a mature city like Newnelly City, so Nambonan City will look fresh. Romilie, who was looking out the window of the carriage with interest, seemed a little childish.
[Are you curious about the view outside?]
[…..pardon me if I’m being rude.]
[No, it’s alright. Whenever I go to a new place, I always look outside.]
I also took a peek outside the window. I could see a large number of civilians overflowing on the other side of the soldiers walking in line.
Most of the ordinary soldiers who guard the carriage are Nambonan soldiers. They were walking with sharp faces and staring straight ahead. This is the result of my advice that it would be better to return triumphantly with a resolute attitude.
Ever since Nambonan City was chosen as the venue for the signing ceremony, Nambonan soldiers have been practicing marching on the outskirts of Othelloria whenever they find time. I’m sure they’re thrilled to be able to show off their bravery to their local acquaintances today.
They did it once during my stay in Othelloria, but I would like to prepare them a place to praise and work hard again.
They will also feel good if they are praised in front of the citizens. The Nambonan soldiers did such a good job that this much was forgivable. If I treat them well, they will continue to work for me.
After passing through the large boulevard, the carriage turned in a fan-like motion and stopped.
[This is Nambonan Castle, where today’s signing ceremony will be held.]
The driver opened the small window in front of him and said that. Apparently, the angle of the carriage was changed so that the people inside the carriage could see better.
It’s a place I’ve been to many times, but it’s an unknown building for Romilie and the others on Spierzeig’s side. I guess it’s decided to show them the whole view here to reassure them.
[…Oh my?]
Romilie was stunned, and I could immediately guess why.
[It’s probably a small castle. Nambonan City was originally just one of the small cities that were common on the coast. The castle still remains as it was back then, so it’s not par compared with its current size.]
Even if you know the information in advance, it seems strange after seeing the development and bustle of the city. My father was also surprised at how small Nambonan Castle was when he saw it for the first time, and Romilie seems to have had a similar impression.
Nambonan Castle, which is always described as poor, is also pitiful. For the time being, the interior is not as bad as the exterior, as a fair amount of money was spent on it.
The officials from the Quordenze family who had come from Newnelly City were already lined up at the entrance to the castle.
I took Romilie’s hand and got off the carriage. Just then, a civil officer came forward.
[I will escort you to the signing venue. Everyone is already here.]
Everything went as planned, and we were led straight into a room in the castle by a civil officer.
The stage for the signing ceremony was the large room that was also used when Nambonan City fell last year. This time, the people lined up there are not commoners, but nobles.
With Romilie and I entering the room, there were a total of 11 nobles in the room.
From the Sylopea family, the current head of the family, Asia Sylopea, was standing next to Plume, the next head of the family.
From the Evenafis family, the current head of the family, Macvan Evenafis.
From the Galiana family, the current head of the family, Milord Galiana, and his legal wife Tochi.
From the Nongite family, the current head of the family, Tarzast Nongite, and the next head of the family, Canan.
And from the Quordenze family, there is the current head of the family, Luxus Quordenze, and the previous head of the family, Galfis.
There were knights from various noble houses around them, but they were almost like air in front of the pressure of the nobles.
Right now, the people that I’m most concerned about are my father and grandfather. However, I couldn’t read any feelings towards me from the expressions of the two people wearing noble masks.
[Thank you for organizing the place and for coming here.]
For now, I decided to give a quick greeting.
The nominal organizer of this signing ceremony is Luxus Quordenze.
The Head of the Quordenze family, on the advice of the Commander-in-chief of the Quordenze army, invited the Head of the Spierzeig family and concluded a peace treaty, and this would become an official record.
As the Commander-in-chief of the Quordenze army, I allowed the Spierzeig family to surrender, but it was like a job offer in job hunting. It won’t be perfect unless it is finally approved by my father. However, once this informal offer is made, there will be a very strong binding force, so a de-facto peace will be concluded.
Of course, the person who made the offer has a heavy responsibility. If the offer is easily rescinded, Wilk Quordenze, and by extension the Quordenze family, will be seen as dishonest and will lose credibility. My face will be completely tarnished.
The only thing my father can be involved in is making minor adjustments to parts that are not related to the general outline of the agreement that I’ve put together. If he makes too big a change, the person who put together the agreement in the first place, in other words, my ability, will be questioned. And even when making amendments, it is necessary to obtain agreement from Spierzeig’s side. It’s safe to say that it’s almost done as soon as it’s finalized.
Well, even though I led the peace process, I drafted the provisions after consulting with surrounding knights and government officers. The people who were around me during the capture of Othelloria were knights and government officers who were taken from the military base in Newnelly. In other words, many of the upper echelons of the Quordenze army were included.
Since they were well aware of my father’s thoughts, they were sure that the draft would be one in which my father would not get angry. At worst, the content should be easy to swallow even if a bit bitter. My father took the situation where we transformed into a tsuchinoko seriously.
After I finished speaking, Romilie also took a step forward.
[Please allow me to say my greetings as well. Thank you very much for your participation…]
Then, Romilie continued to spin her words as if to continue my greeting.
Is she trying to show off their relationship with me? Since a third party, the Nongite family, is present, they may think that the host, the Quordenze, will not get angry and tear apart the event. However, I don’t want her to make any moves that will provoke my father and grandfather too much. I’m scared of what will happen next.
After Romilie finished speaking, everyone in attendance began to greet each other. However, most people just say their name and that’s it. At the end, my father gave a rather long talk, but he didn’t say anything of particular interest.
When my father finished, a high-ranking official from Quordenze came forward in his place. He’s today’s host.
[Since the war is still ongoing, I would like to proceed with the signing of a peace treaty.]
The first thing to do is to conclude the treaty.
As a senior official said, we were officially still at war. In such a state, the Highlords on both sides cannot do things like leisurely chatting with each other.
A high-ranking official guided those involved in the signing to a horizontally long desk set up at the back of the room. It’s an agreement between the Quordenze family and the Spierzeig family, but since I’m the one who made the offer, I’m supposed to participate in the signing as if I were a semi-main player.
My father and Romilie were seated at either end of the long desk, and I was seated between them. In other words, it’s in the center.
I made eye contact with all the attendees. In this case, I’m the main character.
[Please confirm the treaty.]
The high-ranking official came next to me again and placed a set of parchment with the provisions written on it.
Two more sets have been prepared for each of the Quordenze and Spierzeig families to keep. Wilk Quordenze needs to confirm that the contents are the same and that no tampering has been done as per the prior agreement.
I received the original version of the peace treaty from my adjutant standing by my side and began comparing it.
[Regarding the format of this peace treaty…]
While I was checking, a high-ranking official began giving supplementary explanations to all the attendees.
There were no unified rules or formats for noble diplomatic documents. My guess was that this has something to do with the historical background.
Originally, the nobility was under the control of priests, so they had no opportunity to conclude treaties. No, rather than not, I should say that it was under the jurisdiction of the priest. All agreements between nobles that were not mediated by a priest were considered private agreements and were not treated as public agreements. You cannot sue anyone just because a private treaty has been ignored. And if a war was started in retaliation for a violation of a private agreement, severe punishment would be given by the Zeth Holy High Council.
Considering those circumstances, it would have been safer to simply ask the priest and officially conclude the treaty. Priests also had roles similar to judicial secretary and administrative secretary. I think that through the era of priests, a sense was born among the nobles that “agreements between nobles should be made by asking priests to make them”.
After that, a period of war ensued, but the noble society had not accumulated the know-how to conclude treaties. However, as the war continued to spread, some areas were unable to rely on priests.
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention, but I think the cornered nobles had no choice but to find a way to conclude a treaty on their own. This probably led to the proliferation of diplomatic document formats all over the continent.
And this situation continues to this day.
For example, the Quordenze family uses a method of simply writing down the details of the agreement in bullet points, but the Spierzeig family often uses the minutes of the proceedings themselves, which record the statements of the parties, as the treaty document.
The methods are completely different depending on the noble house, and even within the same noble house, the format is not always standardized. This peace treaty is a version of the Quordenze format with my own arrangement.
Because of this background, it was necessary to explain in advance what kind of rules and format were being used.
[The confirmation has been completed. There are no problems with the content.]
After returning the set of documents to the high-ranking official, they were delivered into the hands of my father and Romilie. Now it’s their turn to check the treaty document.
There was silence in the room for a while, but eventually the two acknowledged that there was no problem with the content.
[Well then, Young Master…]
Basically, treaty documents are not made public.
However, it would be dishonest to keep this a secret even from the nobles who attended the signing ceremony. Therefore, this time it was decided to give an oral presentation. We are not giving them a copy of the document though.
And it became my role to read this article aloud.
After I stood up and raised my hand slightly to attract the attention of everyone present, I tensed my stomach. It would be embarrassing if I made a mistake here.
[The Peace Treaty between the Quordenze Family along with related Houses and the Spierzeig Family.]
The room was already quiet, but it felt like it had become even quieter.
[Preamble.]
The arrangement to the Quordenze format is the addition of a preamble. This reminds me of the time when I was on Earth, but I had the impression that a treaty document would have a preamble.
Of course, I didn’t just put it in somehow. When I was thinking about the draft of the regulations in Othelloria City, I thought about various things, and I included it because I thought it was necessary.
Although some corrections were made, the content was written almost exactly as I thought it.
[We, the guardians, are fighting against an unspeakable and unprecedented disaster, and although we are driven by kindness, we consider the cause of being the master of the people, public order and reason, and protect the people from the sorrow of endless wars caused by blood grudges. In order to save the land, bring peace and prosperity to the territory in the future, and ensure that the descendants and descendants of the Trinity and One Spirit can enjoy life in an unsullied world, we hereby embody the spirit of protecting the land and conclude a pact for peace.]
To summarize briefly, “Now that the number of our Highlords and their followers has decreased due to the Yersinia disaster, we have decided that it is not a good idea to continue the war due to personal grudges, so we have chosen a cease-fire in order to take responsibility as the guardians of the land”.
It merely describes the cause, and there are no particular agreements imposed on it. Some people questioned whether there was any point in including such meaningless content.
However, the inclusion of the preamble is of great significance.
The de-facto leader regarding this peace is me, Quordenze Wilk. With this in mind, a preamble is essential.
What would happen if there was no preamble? Surprisingly, a treaty document would be completed that only lists the benefits that the Quordenze family will receive. It’s even more open to show-off what we gain as the winner.
That would be fine if only those involved in the Quordenze-Spierzeig conflict would have the opportunity to see the document. However, to those around us, there is a possibility that it may be disclosed to outside nobles depending on the time and circumstances. In fact, those concerns were justified as it was announced that the Galiana and Nongite families attended the signing ceremony.
If it had remained a greedy document without a preamble, people would have thought, “Wilk Quordenze is too ambitious! He’s dangerous!”. That would be a very unfortunate story. I just wanted to stop my beloved sister from being married off in the first place.
Wilk Quordenze has no ambitions, he is filled with a sense of responsibility as a protector of the land, and he has chosen the path to peace by breaking the chain of hatred and putting the protection of the land, which is the main duty of a nobleman… I wanted to make this claim to some nobles who would eventually come to know about this document.
To put it bluntly, I asked for the preamble to be added in order to make an excuse.
I’ve been talking a lot about the responsibilities of a guardian even in the Royal Capital, so regardless of whether I can be trusted or not, people should think I’m consistent. Reuse for a good cause is a truly ecological story.
Besides, this will also be my father’s excuse.
If there was a preamble like this, there would be room to say, “My son agreed to make a peace agreement without permission…” or something like that. Up until now, the Quordenze family has been at war under the pretext of avenging my uncle Gardacle, so they need a reason to make peace. If this were the case, he could use the excuse that his son was acting out of control.
For this reason, the venue for the signing ceremony was also held in Nambonan City. It was just to show the outside world that I was in charge of this issue.
Also, another point is that if I could act being slightly sarcastic, such as poked fun at the Levios family that their plans were messed up because of Yersinia’s disaster, and I could implicitly claim that a peace treaty would cost the Spierzeig family a huge loss is the right thing to do. The former is a warning measure against the Levios family who might make unnecessary advances, and the latter is a measure against my father and grandfather, who show that they are not letting their guard down against the Spierzeig family.
It’s sad that there are only excuses written on it. This is a preamble that makes me realize how small my own vessel is.
Additionally, there was an opinion from within the Quordenze that the preamble should include a list of the Spierzeig family’s misdeeds, but this was rejected.
This preamble is just my excuse. If we are going to write sentences full of beautiful words, it is important to maintain a sense of fairness at first glance. If we wrote biased facts here, the preamble itself will suddenly become questionable. The first impression will be better if we list only beautiful things that everyone will like, and thus it will be harder for the opponent to deny it.
It seems that the contents of the article were already conveyed to the Sylopea family and the Evenafis family in advance, but for the Galiana family and the Nongite family, they will hear about it for the first time here. Viscount Galiana was showing an interesting expression, but Count Nongite had not changed his expression.
While I was thinking about how they would have received this preamble, I started reading the article aloud.
[Article 1, the Quordenze family and…]
The first article describes the end of the fighting between the Quordenze and Spierzeig families. This includes the Sylopea family and the Evenafis family.
This article was slightly changed after reaching an agreement with Romilie. At first, the peace was only between the Quordenze family and the Spierzeig family.
The title of the treaty, when it was presented to Romilie, was “Treaty of Peace between the Quordenze and Spierzeig”. After further adjustments, the Sylopea family and the Evenafis family agreed to peace, so the first article and title were slightly revised. Since it was only a benefit for the Spierzeig family, agreement on the change was quickly reached.
This article will bring an end to the long-running war in the central region of the continent. Since it is a peace treaty, this should be the first thing to be written about.
[Article 2, the Spierzeig family shall cede the following cities, metropolitan areas, regions, and similar areas without delay…]
Article 2 is an agreement regarding the cession of territory. This is a provision that allows the Quordenze family to unilaterally take away the Spierzeig’s territory.
At the end of the article, the name of the city or region to be ceded is written. I took a breath and then started reading.
[First, Othelloria City.]
At that moment, Canan Nongite’s eyes widened. I’m sure they didn’t expect that Othelloria City, the home of the Spierzeig family, would be chosen.
However, with neither Magnis nor Kindlor present, the Spierzeig family has no choice but to give up Othelloria City in order to keep their family alive. Even if Romilie had chosen to fight completely, I would have been able to take Othelloria City. The cession is natural.
[Second, Silknoon City.]
Even if we only acquired Othelloria City, it would become an enclave, so we decided to take it with the idea of connecting it with the Quordenze territory.
This second article established that the territory would be connected from Reisleaf Castle to Othelloria City via Silknoon City. This includes Dornia City, which I directly invaded and conquered, and Meiziode City, which was surprised by the rotten rope strategy and surrendered to me.
[Third, Weldburg City.]
Several places unrelated to Othelloria City are also targeted, such as Weldburg City, which became the beachhead for Operation Snake’s Jaw, and Dosselan City, which was the next city that was invaded.
Weldburg City is especially important. If there is another war with the Spierzeig family in the future, there is no doubt that it will be useful as an invasion base in the northern part of the Voistra Plains. Securing it is essential.
Incidentally, there was also the purpose of making Lupetta’s village into Quordenze territory. Now she can safely conceive my child.
[Next, Chamclade area. …that is all.]
There is not just one beachhead for re-invasion.
Chamclade area is like a giant floating island, created when the Amelia River forks into two. It is a land owned by the Spierzeig family, who literally stopped the invasion of the Quordenze army at the water’s edge.
If Quordenze controls this area, it will be easier to assault the eastern part of the Voistra Plains. Although this area did not see any fighting during Operation Snake’s Jaw, it was included in the cession as a condition of peace.
When the target was read out, Viscount Galliana showed a puzzled expression. He must have realized that the territory that we could obtain through cession was not that large.
In fact, the cities that I myself captured, such as Balaika City, Fanes City, and Torsa City, were not included in the scope of Article 2. With this alone, we would only be able to obtain the area necessary to reach Othelloria City and a beachhead to the northern and eastern plains.
Of course, this is not the only territory to be taken. The heart of this peace treaty actually lies in Article 3.
[Article 3, the Spierzeig family will cede the following cities, metropolitan areas, or regions, and similar areas within 30 years after the conclusion of the contract…]
Article 3 is also an article regarding the cession of territory. However, rather than immediate cession, a 30-year transition period has been established.
Even if we suddenly acquired a large amount of territory, we would not be able to properly govern it unless the Quordenze family had enough personnel. After all, the subject of Article 2, so to speak, the territory of Article 2 is a little wider than the territory of the Galiana family. This is a really big area. No matter how many descendants the Quordenze family had, there was a limit for us.
This is the part where knights and government officials who are actually entrusted with governance will have a hard time.
If my father or I told them to do something, the knights might manage the territory with their spirit and guts even if there was a shortage of manpower, but I think a system like that of a black company is unstable. If possible, I would like to govern our new territory in the best possible way.
In Article 2, we decided to acquire territory that we could adequately govern with our current resources, and to receive additional cession as soon as we had enough human resources. That is the gist of Article 3.
[…Therefore, the Spierzeig family will rule the land with a benevolence spirit, without violating the pride as its guardians…]
It has been agreed that the Spierzeig family will continue to rule in good faith until the cession is complete.
Since it is originally their own territory, it would be most stable to have the Spierzeig’s knights continue to govern it. Using them is the most efficient way to manage the post-war chaos.
Furthermore, the enactment of Article 3 caused considerable controversy.
It wasn’t so much that I had a problem with them, it was that they didn’t understand me. Not only on the Spierzeig side but also on the Quordenze side.
It seems that they can’t understand the idea of separating territory and governance.
It is said that these two concepts are inseparable. It seems that the idea of ”Actually, I own the territory, but I’m not going to govern it yet, so I’ll let you keep it for a while” is too meaningless.
I argued that it was probably similar to where the nobles entrusted their territories to knights to govern them, but I was vigorously refuted. Saying that this was completely different. Knights are noble agents no matter what, and the subjects who own and govern land are always nobles.
A good example of this value is the issue of non-governance that is currently emerging in the Kingdom Levios. This is a question of who will rule the territory that has become vacant after the noble family was destroyed due to the Yersinia disaster.
Regarding this issue of non-governance, I don’t think the seriousness of it can be fully conveyed from a global perspective. This is because although the noble families have perished, some knight families still remain and continue to manage their territories. The knights who lost their master to serve are still trying to maintain the status quo. The people of the territory continue to live according to the knights as they have always done, and are by no means living in a situation at the end of the century.
When earthlings hear this, they may feel that they are in control. However, in the Eruo continent’s way of thinking, this means that governance is not possible.
The people who can own land are the original nobles, not knights. And territorial possession and governance are one set. Land that no one owns is necessarily ungovernable.
Land ownership by nobles is taken very seriously. To overturn this idea, it was necessary to return to the values of the time where the priests ruled.
Let’s consider Article 3 on the premise that such values exist.
If a year or two has passed since peace was established, and the Spierzeig family is still openly governing land, it seems that it is considered to be land owned by the Spierzeig family. In Japan, it would be like a strengthened version of the statute of limitations for acquiring land.
The people around me were constantly talking about the fact that having territory means governing, and having government means owning territory. Entrusting the government to the founder, Spierzeig, could be interpreted as tacitly ceding territory.
[First, Auteria City]
The territory covered by Article 3 is quite large. Reading out cities is also a challenge.
To put it simply, the target area is all the areas from the western part of Silknoon City to the southern part of Othelloria City, and all the areas from around Balaika City to the northeastern part of Othelloria City.
To be honest, it’s a ridiculous amount of space.
[Next, Rilne City]
From the drafting stage, I kept being told, “Article 3 will absolutely be ignored. I think other families will agree with the Spierzeig family’s argument. There is no point in just writing it. Let’s just ask for more cession in Article 2”. Their basic policy seems to be to take what they can, when they can, in order to ensure their possession and governance.
However, I don’t want to forcefully annex Spierzeig’s territory right now. The situation in the Kingdom is getting worse, so I don’t want to be stuck in a situation where we can’t move. Let’s avoid becoming Tsuchinoko.
Moreover, if such a large amount of territory were to be ceded all at once under Article 2, the voices of opposition from Spierzeig’s side would have been louder. I believe that the reason why there was no strong resistance to accepting Article 3 is that if the situation ever arises, there was a desire to claim territorial rights and refuse the extradition on the grounds of continuing control over them. From their values, this is true.
Taking advantage of that recognition, Article 3 had another important role to play. The purpose was to reduce the shock to the Levios Kingdom’s nobles and Zinkaen Empire’s nobles.
Considering the values of ownership and governance, the territory that was written on Article 3 will not be handed over immediately, so from the outside it will remain Spierzeig’s territory. Anyone who doesn’t know the detailed provisions would probably conclude that the Quordenze family was only able to acquire the territory which Article 2 talks about.
And if only the territory that was written on Article 2 was ceded, it would seem that the Spierzeig family is still alive and well. It would be a mistake to say that Quordenze is the strongest. This is a good blinder.
This time, the Nongite family and the Galiana family had learned about the provisions, but it is doubtful whether they will be able to properly convey them to the other families. After all, this is a provision that I myself had a hard time explaining. If they started asking “You’re saying a lot of things, but in the end, the Spierzeig family still rules the Article 3’s territory, so it’s not the Quordenze family’s territory”, I think I’d be at a loss for an answer for that question. I was in trouble.
[Next, Yian City]
It is calculated that the Spierzeig’s territory will be smaller than the Sylopea’s territory if the territory on Article 2 and the territory on Article 3 are subtracted. If it were according to the Kingdom Levios standard, it would be ended-up as a medium-sized territory.
Most of it is plains, so I think it will be much richer than a territory with a similar area, but it will be surrounded on all sides by Quordenze, Sylopea, and Evenafis.
Rather than enclosing it, there was also the idea of pushing Spierzeig’s territory to the south and west. However, I rejected that idea. In the west, it is adjacent to the mountainous noble houses under Spierzeig’s influence, and in the south, it is adjacent to independent noble houses such as the Eudion family. Since its their home base that will be relocated, it will also make them become closer to the Zinkaen Empire.
If the Spierzeig family were placed in such a remote area, they could do whatever they wanted behind the scenes. Truly terrifying. In that case, it would be safer to have it close to my hand.
Additionally, in the westernmost region, mountains, hills, and deep forests become more prominent. This is a difficult place to invade in case of an emergency. Considering this, it would be more convenient to have them set up residence in a wider plain, as it would be easier to invade. I wanted a capable and dangerous virtual enemy to be within easy range to hit in case of an emergency.
However, if surrounded by Quordenze, Sylopea, and Evenafis, I think the Spierzeig family might consider building friendly relations with the three families in order to survive. Although it may be a bit of a naive idea.
[Next, Thethmoa City.]
Also, since Article 3 has been established as a text, I intend to press for its implementation. It doesn’t matter what the Spierzeig family thinks or what other families misunderstand. A promise is a promise. I have no intention of giving up any territorial rights.
I hope that there will be no problems even if 30 years have passed after the cession period has been postponed. When I play games, I like to level up a lot and win easily.
The one who would benefit most from this peace was the Quordenze family. If you allocate the resources that were allocated for war to govern the foreign territory and the territory on Article 2, the land power of the territory will be greatly improved. I can move my hips as much as I like, so the number of followers will increase as time passes.
Thirty years from now, I’m sure there will be a large number of my Lord-class babies growing up. I will be able to lead the sons I have yet to meet and destroy Spierzeig’s territory all at once. By that time, the number of people in Quordenze will have also increased, so there will be no need to make peace next time.
This would make my father smile too. If we are going to destroy a Great Noble like the Spierzeig family, wouldn’t this method much safer and more certain?
Therefore, in order to create an army consisting of my sons, I will have to work even harder to have children in the future. Article 3, banzai!
[Article 4, in order to achieve the previous article, the Quordenze family has the right to pass through the area and establish a base…]
Article 4 is the article that provides the basis for intervening in the territory on Article 3.
Since we are aware that Article 3 will not be respected, we have made it clear that we can enter at any time. It is also a warning that the Spierzeig family does not have complete ownership of the territory.
Isn’t it a natural right since we’ve all agreed to Article 3? Spierzeig’s side had a disgusted look on their faces, but I made them swallow it.
In order to travel from Weldburg City to Othelloria City, it is necessary to pass through the territory on Article 3, but it would be troublesome to ask for permission each time, so I wanted to make it easier and free to pass through.
If we want to take advantage of it, we can even construct a front-line base without permission. In the future, if the relationship between Quordenze and Spierzeig becomes questionable, we can put it to good use.
[Article 5, the Spierzeig family will pay compensation to the Quordenze family…]
This is simply reparations. While I was doing things pretty recklessly elsewhere, we were very considerate here. The terms of the agreement are modest: 「Please pay within the next 30 years」 and the payment amount is not that high.
By the way, it seems that the Sylopea family and the Evenafis family will conclude separate treaties and collect compensation. We received a lot of their cooperation behind the scenes of Operation Snake’s Jaw, but to be honest, I’m not sure if we can call it an achievement worthy of requesting the cession of territory. I think it’s safe to settle for money.
In the first place, it seems that neither family is very attracted to acquiring some territory on the other side of the Amelia River. It’s doubtful that they’ll be able to maintain it if war breaks out in the Voistra Plains again, and they may have decided that solidifying their defenses is just a hassle. The number of their Highlords has decreased due to the Yersinia disaster, so there may be a reason why they can’t send out many people.
This means that not everyone has territorial ambitions.
[Article 6, the Spierzeig family swears the following decisions as guardians…]
This is a provision for the people of the territory, which I devised.
In this battle, the people of Spierzeig joined me. One of the reasons for our victory may be due to their actions. Therefore, if this is left as it is, it is possible that the Spierzeig family will inflict some kind of punishment on the people of the territory. That doesn’t make me look good, and I didn’t want people to think that they had been deceived by the Quordenze family.
In addition, the citizens of areas unrelated to the cession, such as the cities of Balaika, Fanes, and Torsa, which were designated as territory on Article 3 and will not be immediately annexed to Quordenze, are likely to be dissatisfied. That’s because I agitated them for the liberation of Voistra. In some cases, a large number of refugees will flow into Quordenze’s territory.
In order to avoid such trouble from entering Article 2’s territory, which will be busy establishing the new system, I decided to have the Spierzeig family make some announcements to the people of the territory.
The three main contents of the article are to strive to maintain peace with the Quordenze family, not to punish the people who sided with the Quordenze family, and to work to restore the territory with the advice of the Quordenze family.
If peace is reached, the Spierzeig family will abolish war-related taxes, return conscripts to their homelands, and focus on reconstruction. The standard of living of the people of the territory should definitely improve compared to during the war.
That’s why please make these declarations in advance. Then, they’ll start thinking, [Our life has gotten better because the Quordenze family defeated the Spierzeig family recently! Quordenze Wilk even protected us, the citizens of another noble territory! This peace and reconstruction is thanks to the Quordenze! Long live liberation!]. Of course, I plan on working to create that kind of atmosphere.
Although it is unlikely, if the control of the territory on Article 2 becomes difficult, it is possible that the Spierzeig family will attempt a rebellion in order to take back Othelloria City. Therefore, I want to instill in the people of Spierzeig an aversion to fighting against the Quordenze family. When war breaks out, morale will plummet. They may defect to Quordenze when conscription begins.
In addition, when the Spierzeig family begins to view the Quordenze family as enemies, we can make fun of them by saying, “You’re supposed to be working to maintain peace and restore your territory, so why are you preparing for war? Oh, are you serious?”. This would be one of the reasons for a future declaration of war.
Regarding Article 6, which focuses on the people of the territory, there were a number of questions from within the drafting stage. However, I was able to persuade them to add it in a clever way. They probably thought it didn’t matter whether it was there or not.
These are the provisions that mainly benefit the Quordenze family.
It seems like all the articles are based on the assumption of the next invasion, but this also includes a lot of suggestions for my father, grandfather, and the people around me. I’m implicitly claiming that I have not given up on the destruction of Spierzeig. Somehow, I really just keep making excuses.
From this point forward, the articles will include the interests of the Spierzeig family.
[Article 7, regarding Romilie Spierzeig, the Quordenze family recognizes her as a guardian who shares the same values, and sincerely respects her life and dignity…]
The first thing to do is to guarantee the safety of Romilie. This was a line that Spierzeig would never compromise on. If this had not been approved, no matter what other provisions there were, they would have been immediately rejected.
The person who guarantees this safety is not Wilk Quordenze or Luxus Quordenze, but the Quordenze family. In other words, it’ll still be in effect even if either of us is replaced.
The Quordenze family must guarantee Romilie’s life and dignity.
The meaning of life is a commitment not to kill. And dignity means that as a noble woman, we must not treat her in a way that would bring her dishonor. What constitutes dishonor depends on your interpretation, but it’s definitely wrong to keep them in prison for the rest of their lives, sell them to other territories, or expose them to the citizens as meat toilets.
[Article 8, regarding Romilie Spierzeig, her residence shall be moved to Quordenze territory. However, her life shall be under the guardianship of Wilk Quordenze, and her wishes regarding her residence shall be given due consideration…]
Quordenze will seize Romilie’s custody.
The internal of Spierzeig family seems to have collapsed after losing Magnis and Kindlor. It is doubtful that they will be able to maintain their current leading position. Even if they resisted the Quordenze family, there was a possibility that the internal situation would become chaotic due to interference from other families. Taking advantage of that weakness, we made some rather aggressive demands.
However, it was expected that Spierzeig would show strong disapproval regarding this. I wouldn’t agree unless I could see some sort of relief. Having the head of the family detained is a blood-curdling humiliation for their subjects.
Therefore, consideration was given to asking Romilie herself about her wishes for a place of living.
This is not a bad story for the Spierzeig family. This is because, as stated in Article 2, Othelloria City will become Quordenze’s territory after the treaty is concluded.
In other words, if Spierzeig hands over that city quickly, Romilie will be able to remain in Othelloria City, albeit with limited freedom. The Spierzeig Knights would probably feel more at ease if Romilie remained in Othelloria City under Quordenze’s rule, rather than being imprisoned in Newnelly City as a hostage.
In any case, if Romilie did not agree to peace, she was certain to die in battle. It seems that she has decided that if she can remain in Othelloria City in any way, it is unavoidable for her to become a prisoner.
By the way, the reason why the guardian is “Wilk Quordenze” is at the request from the Spierzeig’s side. In the draft at the time of the dialogue with Romilie, it was originally written as the “Quordenze family”.
In response to that previous statement, I received a request to revise the draft. Me being her guardian will bring men and women closer together. It was clear that they were trying to ensnare me.
Well, considering the family structure of the Quordenze family, there was a high possibility that I would continue to be assigned to Othelloria City, so I don’t think it would have made much of a difference whether it was the Quordenze family or me who is in charge. So, I agreed to the change.
Incidentally, it was this Article 8 that my father and grandfather were most worried about.
It seems that they’re very afraid of me and Romilie getting close. They’re complaining every day about whether we could somehow change her custody to the Quordenze family. It was too late though.
[Article 9, regarding Romilie Spierzeig, when making the following decisions and judgments, please seek the advice and approval of the Quordenze family…]
Article 9 restricts the actions of Romilie, the current Head of the Spierzeig family. Restrictions are placed on family inheritance, marriage permission and placement among relatives, appointment and dismissal of knights, and the dispatch of diplomatic missions.
In this peace agreement, we are not requesting vassalage from the Spierzeig family. It’s strange that the current head of the family is not being treated like a subordinate, but this article will treat the Spierzeig family as an equal noble family.
If the relationship between the Quordenze family, which belongs to the Levios Kingdom, and the Spierzeig family, which belongs to the Zinkaen Empire, is messed up, there is a possibility that it will develop into a turmoil that involves the entire continent. This was the result of the judgment that it was necessary to maintain the status quo from an external perspective.
Also, if it becomes a vassal-master relationship, it becomes difficult to deny them openly. Our ability as a leader will be doubted by those around us.
Furthermore, this provision ceases to have meaning after a certain period of time.
[Article 10, regarding Romilie Spierzeig, all biological children are to be educated as guardians within the Quordenze territory until they reach the age of 22…]
If a child is born to Romilie, they will be educated in Quordenze’s territory until they are 22 years old. Of course, after that, they are free to return to Spierzeig’s territory, and it is also possible for them to inherit the Spierzeig family.
If this child becomes the Head of the Spierzeig family, all of the restrictions in Article 9 will be abolished. This is because Article 9 was written on the assumption that Romilie was the head of the family. Naturally, this will not apply to the next generation.
As expected, it is impossible to bind the Head of the Spierzeig family from generation to generation with a peace treaty. Not only is there opposition from the Spierzeig family, but there are also the eyes of other families. If we are going to go that far, we should just accept them as a vassal; this cannot be said to be respecting the other party as an equal noble, it is an act that humiliates the pride of nobles…and you will be subject to such slander. The knights and government officials said that the only thing we could interfere with was the one generation of the family head.
That’s why we have prepared a goal line. Article 9 is also a promise to intervene during Romilie’s reign, but not to interfere in the next generation’s governance.
However, Articles 7 and 8 remain valid even after the generation change. As a result, Romilie will be placed semi-permanently within Quordenze’s territory, with her life and dignity guaranteed.
Not only will the child receive our education, but their mother will still be in Quordenze’s territory, so I don’t think they will openly oppose Quordenze when the next reign begins. If they can be successfully brainwashed, they might become friendly nobles to us.
Whether to drive the Spierzeig family to extinction or transform them into a friendly noble family with small to medium-sized territory will depend on how things go in the future.
I personally think that the Spierzeig family is a noble family that cannot be left alone carelessly, so if I can destroy it, I would like to destroy it. However, I don’t think it should be done if it causes the relations with the Kingdom and Empire to deteriorate extremely and the Quordenze family position become unstable. My purpose is to destroy the Spierzeig family so that I can live safely, and there is no point in doing it if I end up losing a lot. Even before my father and grandfather, I insisted on an annihilation policy.
By the way, there is no deep basis as to why it’s until the child is 22 years old. People around me said that it was the appropriate age, so I think that’s probably the only reason.
The Quordenze family would like them to assume the position of head of the family immediately after the return. We want them to take a stand before being bombarded with unnecessary things.
However, if they are still a teenager, succession to the family head is too quick, and I would like to avoid doing it as soon as they turn 20 if possible. On the other hand, if it is too slow, Spierzeig will be dissatisfied. After considering all of those things, I guess they decided on a 22-year-old who was a good number to satisfy both sides.
Furthermore, the most important thing, how Romilie produces children, is not written anywhere in the article. This is something that the person concerned and their guardian should consider carefully. Okay, let’s think about it carefully.
[Article 11…]
Most of the articles from this point on are administrative, so there is nothing worth mentioning. I continued reading aloud, and eventually reached the last line.
[……that’s all.]
I felt a sense of fatigue rather than a sense of accomplishment. I bowed to everyone in attendance and took my seat.
[Please sign the treaties.]
In response to the call from a high-ranking official, my father and Romilie picked up their pens at almost the same time and began signing the treaty document in their hands.
When the two of them put down their pens, the high-ranking official walked back and forth between the long desks and replaced the documents on both sides. A document with Romilie’s signature was placed in front of my father, and a document with my father’s signature was placed in front of Romilie.
[Please confirm and sign.]
After checking the contents of the document again to make sure there were no problems, the two signed it smoothly.
Now both of the two sets of treaty documents have my father and Romilie’s signatures. All you have to do is put your thumbprint on it and you’re done.
[Please gather in the center.]
In response to the high-ranking official’s voice, my father, Knight Gatoren, Romilie, and Knight Zannahorus begin to move. I was sitting in the center and was sandwiched between four people.
I received the treaty document from the leading knights of both sides and confirmed the signatures.
[There are no deficiencies in the document.]
With that declaration, my father and Romilie began preparing the thumbprint.
The thumbprint of a nobleman is made using magic.
Just like using your index finger to write in the sand, you can use magic to write on objects. Rather than applying magic ink, it may be more accurate to describe it as leaving or burning marks on objects using magic. The marks traced by my fingers turned red and black and looked like burnt spots.
This so-called finger mark magic is useful when writing notes on wood or stone. However, it is not very suitable for parchment. This is because even a slight mistake in the amount of force can cause the parchment to tear easily. The magic power of the Highlord is difficult to handle as it fluctuates too widely.
However, there is no problem if it is a thumbprint. If you just press your thumb against it, it won’t break unless you’re really stupid.
[Then, give it your thumbprint.]
When I called out to them, the magic power of my father and Romilie wavered. Since it only targets the fingertips, the fluctuations were very small.
Still, it’s bad for my heart to have Highlords’ magic power move at this distance. Regardless of my father, Romilie’s magic activation is unnerving.
Once the thumbprint is completed, a high-ranking official quickly replaces the treaty document. I asked for a second thumbprint.
The magic power wavered again, and the finger print magic was activated. Perhaps because I felt the flickering of magic power once, I didn’t get so nervous the second time.
[…..Please confirm it.]
A high-ranking official showed me two sets of treaty documents. It has my father’s and Romilie’s signatures and thumbprints on it.
I gave a slight nod and handed one set to my father and the other to Romilie. From now on, both families will keep this treaty document.
With this, the peace talks have been completed successfully.
Somehow, I feel that it is completely different from the Nambonan Council, which ended the same peace with a clause. There’s a difference between nobles and commoners, even between nobles themselves.
To bring the signing ceremony to a close, I mustered up my spirit one last time and declared loudly.
The Nambonan Peace Treaty has been concluded.
[Peace between the two families has now been forged.]
====================
★Summary
▼Treaty name
Peace Treaty between the Quordenze family along with related families and the Spierzeig family (Nambonan Peace Treaty)
▼Preamble
We, the guardians, are fighting against an unspeakable and unprecedented disaster, and although we are driven by kindness, we consider the cause of being the master of the people, public order and reason, and protect the people from the sorrow of endless wars caused by blood grudges. In order to save the land, bring peace and prosperity to the territory in the future, and ensure that the descendants and descendants of the Trinity and One Spirit can enjoy life in an unsullied world, we hereby embody the spirit of protecting the land and conclude a pact for peace.
*The following is a super summary by Wilk.
▼Article 1
End the state of war between House Quordenze and its allied noble houses, and House Spierzeig.
▼Article 2
The Spierzeig family cedes designated territory to the Quordenze family.
(See the map in the story above/territory that was written on Article 2)
▼Article 3
The Spierzeig family will cede the designated territory to the Quordenze family within 30 years. Until the cession is complete, the Spierzeig family is obligated to properly and faithfully manage the designated territory.
(See the map in the story above/territory that was written on Article 3)
▼Article 4
The Quordenze family has the right to pass through Spierzeig’s territory and establish a base in order to achieve the previous article.
▼Article 5
The Spierzeig family will pay compensation to the Quordenze family.
▼Article 6
The Spierzeig family declares the following decisions:
・The Spierzeig family strives to maintain peace with the Quordenze family.
・The Spierszeig family does not punish the citizens who cooperate with the Quordenze family.
・The Spierzeig family strives to restore its territory under the advice of the Quordenze family.
▼Article 7
The life and dignity of Romilie Spierzeig are guaranteed by the Quordenze family.
▼Article 8
Romilie Spierzeig will be placed in the custody of Wilk Quordenze and her residence will be moved to a city within Quordenze territory of her choice.
▼Article 9
Romilie Spierzeig requires the approval of the Quordenze family to make the following decisions:
(Succession of family headship, status acts and placement of Lord-class officers, appointment and dismissal of knights, appointment and dismissal of diplomatic missions, conclusion of treaties, etc.)
▼Article 10
The children of Romilie Spierzeig will be educated in the Quordenze territory until they reach the age of 22.
*Article 11 and below are omitted as they are trivial.