Published at 29th of November 2020 02:06:56 PM
Chapter 100
“Nice to meet you . I am Artur von Benno Bowmeister . ”
“Nice to meet you too . I am Amadeus Freitag von Breichrader . ”
If you think about it, it’s a strange greeting .
I am now retired, but my first meeting with my close parent, Breich Rader, has been the head of the Knights of the Baumeister family for more than 30 years .
Usually impossible, but the League Great Mountains between the former Knights of Baumeister and the frontiers of Breichrader made it a reality .
Remembering, on the way to the royal capital to go to the assassination after his father’s sudden death, Bleich Rader, the frontier, who greeted me was the predecessor .
He accompanied a trading company who returned to Breichburg, greeted the previous generation with Klaus, who was also young at the time and used to crossing mountains, and stayed in the mansion until the flight of the magic airship to the royal capital came out .
The cost was a little floating, but the cost of the round-trip magic airship was for two people, and the stay cost in the royal capital .
I really wanted to go alone, but even a poor knight was hesitant to go to the royal capital alone, so the cost was high .
Despite that, my father had died earlier, so I had to be attacked as soon as possible .
Claus carrying a heavy box of armor and a sword looked apologetic to me as I paid all the expenses .
Normally, the attendant should not mind such a thing .
It means that we are so poor .
However, it is also true that when I looked at Klaus’s line of sight, which I thought was physiologically inappropriate, I was angry as if I was stupid .
Klaus is excellent, but does not warp with me .
It was at this time that I first strongly recognized it .
Breihill Rader’s retired family members also looked at me as if they were foolish .
It’s up to that point, but it’s something that comes to mind .
However, even those who do not like that are killed in the forest of the magic with their predecessors .
It was a big blow to us, but it may have been the fact that there was only one drop in drinking .
“It’s an incompetent predecessor who can’t control the ridiculous runaway runaway . ”
“Well, well… I wonder if I would have had a similar result at that location… I’m not even Wendellin . ”
The modern-day Breichrader frontier seems to be not as arrogant as his predecessor, even though he is young .
Because I care about such an incompetent retreat .
“You don’t have to worry about it . I couldn’t make the decision to hand it over to Wendellin . I’m an incompetent ex-principal . ”
“When I do that, it seems like a lot of repulsion…”
“The other brothers . Erich if you can? If you had him take over, you would have used Wendellin well . Stop complaining . ”
“I agree”
I stopped talking about assumptions that could not be realized anymore, and in fact, I was summoned by Breichrader’s frontier count because I had to make important decisions as Vendelin’s father .
Until now, it was impossible to reach Breichburg in just one day, even if it was suddenly called by the Breichrader frontier .
That is because now I will arrive immediately if I board a Mage airship that regularly comes with the new territory of Paul where I moved .
It is no longer necessary to cross the Major League Mountains in preparation for the danger of altitude sickness and the assault of wildlife and Wyverns .
The development of the territory is proceeding smoothly thanks to the magic of Wendelin .
Paul called on his former guard colleagues and his acquaintances to form a vassal, accepting the territories who were no longer in the Baumister Knights due to the Kurt case, and now have a population of 200 . Over .
Approximately two months after Kurt’s death, it is an amazing speed .
“Isn’t the problem about that “Woman?”
“Well, that’s why”
Although it is not a very customary practice, an “appealing woman” is a woman who teaches such things before the aristocrats’ heirs get married .
Because it will be difficult if you do not teach and you will not be able to have children as a result, you will send such a woman to the trace of the royal family, aristocrats, merchants, and large-scale farmers .
Most of the time, it applies only to the eldest son, but when financially affordable, there were also houses where the second and third sons could apply .
This area can be said to be case-by-case .
However, the selection conditions are strict .
Even if I consulted with the frontier of Breich Radar in front of me, it was a problem that he was also pondering .
First of all, business women are useless .
Because there is a problem of illness .
Since some women have problems with their sexual roots, there was a possibility that the relationship would be heard publicly or, at worst, they would be forced to talk about it .
Next, even amateurs who are greedy or have a light mouth cannot use it .
Anyway, it will be known by rumor in the territory, but since it is not officially concubine, I can not even look at my wife who got married later .
Since a man was the first woman, I liked it strangely, and when I tried to forcibly envy, the order of the back was disturbed and sometimes it caused a fight .
There were quite a few cases in which the woman herself had an ambition and disdained the man .
“Are you a widow in the territory?”
“I can come in, but I’m the wife of that incident . ”
Because they were ex-wives of Kurt’s accomplices who tried to assassinate Vendelin, I couldn’t help it .
“I’m a man, so I’ll take consultations, but it’s hard to introduce myself . ”
If you were the hunter of the old Baumeister Knights, Bleich Radar Frontier should have recommended you immediately .
However, considering the current influence of Wendellin, if he introduces a bad woman “Attempt Woman” and the woman does extra things, it will be Bleich Radar’s frontier who will be criticized .
He would not want to take any extra risk .
However, it doesn’t mean that I have a good guess .
After all, I’m just a retired old man .
“Why don’t you hand over a book to make the tea cloudy?”
Since it is impossible for all children to be an “approaching woman”, I usually prepare for it after seeing such books after my second son .
The woman who becomes a wife also learns such books from her mother before she is married .
“I’m very sorry for the very personal story, but how was Mr . Artur?”
“There wasn’t a specific “woman” . ”
When I was young, women from the southern part of the territory were sexually liberal .
Although I am a married woman, I have an affair with no harm .
Moreover, I refused to accept the invitation from the woman, and I was very disappointed .
However, after being known by the priest, Meister, that custom was abolished at once .
Are I the youngest person at that time?
“What a slutty custom! Can you speak openly to God?
Meister, who was an old man from that time, was usually mild, but only this time he was angry like a fiery fire and the villagers were frightened .
Klaus seemed to look at me with such a blame, but at that time I thought that I wanted him instead .
A man who was really disgusted by the habit of knowing how much people are struggling to reconcile in their territory .
“It was normal for me”
The older brother who was the heir was sick, and it seems that such a woman was also addressed to her who had been preliminarily treated .
“I was a daughter of a small prince . I lost my husband at a young age and was a widow . ”
Since we teach such things, naturally women with experience are selected .
Because the husband gets more complicated, the widow must be chosen .
“At the time of my marriage, the relationship ends, and I end up paying nuisance charges . ”
It seems that the woman is now the second wife of a certain old-aged vassal .
Of course, it seems that they are being grown up because they are included in the words of the members .
I was envious of the Bleichrader frontier family in that I could be grown up .
“What about Kurt?”
“I can’t afford that…”
Since it is a small isolated territory, problems can easily surface if you apply such a woman . ‥
So I handed over the book and made the tea muddy .
If you think about it, it may be the reason why Kurt is strange, including such parts .
While I am the inheritance of an aristocratic house, why is the treatment different from the inheritance of other houses?
I don’t think so, but there was a pain that I couldn’t say for 100% unless it was the cause .
“I want you to prepare yourself, Artur-san . Just…”
“I want to avoid the Countess of Baumeister…”
Since there are a lot of new vassals in the new Earl’s family, there is a possibility that trouble will occur if you decide from that edge .
If you are a woman who is badly related to some aristocratic family, it is likely that you will tell it out because it is against the emerging family of Count Baumeister .
Since the formation of the vassals has not ended, there is a possibility that they will become a serious vassal at that edge .
Become your favorite nun and give birth to a child, forcibly take over the child and use his power as a relative .
As is often the case, you should avoid that kind of danger . ‥
“I was troubled……”
Well . What do you think His Majesty want from us?”
“Wendelin, as far as I’m concerned, it’s probably not a big deal . ”
“I hope so . ”
It was now autumn and the harvesting of crops had already begun .
Once that was over and the taxes were paid to the state and the nobility, the mobilization for the defeat of the Duke of Nuremberg would finally take place .
The Imperial Army would mobilize 300,000 men for the frontline alone .
The actual number would be much higher, as there were many supply units, intelligence gathering units, and units in charge of the military administration of the occupied territories .
No matter if the finances were strained or the emperor was incompetent, it was proof of the excellence of the empire’s bureaucratic system .
But, alas, wars are determined by the ability of the military personnel .
While the militaries skill and supply situation remained constant, the Duke of Nuremberg had the advantage of the ground, his army was more elite, and he had more money and supplies .
The quality of the commanders were superior on that side as well .
Even the lower level commanders were selected and trained personally by him .
Even if the Imperial Army were three times as large, I couldn’t imagine a future where the Imperial Army could win .
In the midst of all this, Alfons and I had been called to the Imperial Palace again .
Regrettably, I wanted to make more porcelain if I had the time to do so, but we had to take care of business .
The instrumentalist led me to the throne room, where His Majesty the Emperor, who looked incredibly well-bred, was waiting for us .
The cronies around him, like suckerfish, were the same as before .
Can’t he gather some better people?
As soon as we completed the greetings, the emperor cut us off, “I would like the two of you to set up a camp around the Imperial City and work to maintain the security of the area . ”
“Huh…?”
It doesn’t make sense to me why he would order such a thing .
They should at least position us in the town of Sakart or put us inside the Imperial City and make us a reserve army .
Maybe they don’t want us inside the Imperial Capital, though .
“I don’t hold any troop, Your Majesty, but…”
“It would be good to borrow troops for Therese . ”
If I let Therese lead a large army into the Imperial City, she might try something in my absence .
However, I don’t want others to think I fear that .
One of his followers may have advised that Alfons, who had a poor reputation as a general, should set up camp around the Imperial City .
It was a minor, or rather, half-hearted order .
“We will begin preparing our troops as soon as possible . ”
“You’re in charge . ”
After leaving the Imperial Palace in a short amount of time, the only thing left to do was to return to the town of Sakart, but we have to stay a night in the Imperial City .
The guards commanded by me, as well as Alfons and Er walked around the Imperial City to find an inn .
“The Emperor didn’t ask you to stay in the Imperial Palace?”
“Wendelin, did you wish to spend the night there?”
“I don’t want to be rigid and obviously unwelcomed, and I also don’t want to take into account the possibility of poising in my food . I’m just saying . ”
“I’m with you on that one . ”
Walking through the commercial district of the Imperial City, I found that it seemed to have recovered a lot from the time following the recapture of the Imperial City in early spring .
The expressions of those walking around have also mostly recovered .
Since the magic airships can’t be used, the economy is a bit more depressed than before due to the drop in air traffic .
I’ve heard that the economic bureaucrats of the empire are arguing with the emperor’s cowardly bureaucrats in an attempt to raise funds for economic stimulus along with the war effort .
In their hears, everyone must want an effective leader .
“Er . Let’s do some business first . ”
“I wonder if porcelain could be sold without the emperor watching?”
“I don’t have a problem with him watching . ”
I’m using my hard-earned money in order to prepare the troops that His Majesty the Emperor has instructed me to prepare .
He may want to cut down on my financial resources, but I’m not going to blindly do his bidding .
“Don’t say such scary things . ”
The trip between Sakart and the Imperial City would eat up more than a week of my time .
It would be a blow to our economy because we can’t manufacture porcelain during that time, so I have brought a large quantity of manufactured porcelain in my magic bag .
Er seemed to be worried about the other potters, the nobles who protect them, and even the emperor who will watch me . But we have a large number of people who need to be fed .
I was going to fight back as much as I could, since it was forced onto me .
“It’s not like they’re squeezing the market by selling the same quality stuff . The price is different, so the buyers are different . The porcelain from the other potters aren’t enemies . ”
White porcelain is so popular that merchants are coming to Sakart in droves .
If the porcelain is taken to the Imperial City’s Grand Chamber of Commerce, they will pay a high price for it .
“If it doesn’t work out, we can take it back to Sakart and sell it . ”
“Why do you have to be so combative?”
Er frowned at Alfons’ words .
“I’m sorry Alfons, but the guys in the Empire are more combative with me than I am with them . ”
“That’s no excuse…His Majesty has recognized you as one of the most powerful foreign forces . ”
There’s no reason to not pay them for the work they’ve done so far, and just because I’ll pay for it later is no reason to impose a further burden on them .
To top it all off, people are struggling to earn money and even feed an army of mainly imperial forces, and then they are ordered to be stationed again .
There was no way this was going to be friendly .
“Alfons, you and Therese are perceived as a separate friendlier force . ”
“Even so…”
I don’t know if it’s because of the conflict with the Emperor’s faction, but there hasn’t been a supply of food recently .
They are in currently in a state of gradually stockpiling by joint hunting by gurus and military forces, and imports from neighboring areas and the country of Mizuho .
“I’ve complained to Therese . I told her to keep supplying Wendelin with food, no matter how hard it is . ”
“Why did it stop?”
“I thought you would be able to handle it, Wendelin …”
Alfons was against stopping the support, but ironically, his two nephews, who are in charge of the internal affairs of the Duke of Philip’s estate, voted to stop it .
“They said it would be better to put that amount into loans as aid to the northern lords . ”
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From Therese’s point of view, the opinions of her brothers could not be ignored .
It’s probably because she thinks that if she makes enemies, the Emperor’s faction will cause harm to her .
“We are only outsiders, foreigners . ”
Still, we can’t give up here .
We need to defeat the Duke of Nuremberg .
“It’s an amazing building . ”
While we were talking, we had arrived at the headquarters of the Grand Chamber of Commerce, one of the most prominent places in the Imperial City .
After informing the gatekeeper guarding the front of the building of my identity and my business, I was escorted into the reception room where expensive tea and sweets were served .
“As expected, it will become one of the empire’s large business associations . ”
“This is more delicious than the yerba mate that Elise usually brews . ”
Alfons and Er were impressed with the taste of the tea that the maid brewed for them .
The fact that the tea is better than the tea Elise brews means that it is much more expensive than the tea leaves we usually use .
“As expected of the most important member in the Baumeister family, his most important person, and Alfons, Duke Philip’s confidant . You all have quite a discerning palate, don’t you?”
A well-dressed middle-aged man, who appeared to be the head of the Chamber of Commerce arrived and commended Alfons and Er’s taste buds .
“And Wendelin Baumeister, your power is rapidly expanding . ”
“I don’t like to be doing this . But, I’m sure as the master of the Meier Trading Company His Majesty has been very unsympathetic to you, hasn’t he? It’s the same for me . ”
“Yes . But when repaid with the profits from the defeat of the Duke of Nuremberg, there will be a good amount of imperial bonds with no interest indefinitely . ”
“That’s a funny joke . I assume you’re getting a tax break on your purchases?”
“Well, well, well . For a young man, Earl Baumeister is quite knowledgeable . ”
It’s not that I’m knowledgeable .
I’ve just heard of a case before where they sold credits on such terms .
“It’s the same for me . They say they’ll make up for it later with rewards, but I don’t have any income, so I’m taking a side job so I can feed people . ”
“Throughout the Empire, Earl Baumeister, a nobleman from the Kingdom of Helmut is said to be living off the porcelain to support his vast army . ”
“A vast army? I think a large army is only possible when you have at least the Duke of Nuremberg in place . ”
“It’s difficult for our trade association to support an army of 10,000 men . ”
“I could feed hundreds of thousands of people if I wanted to . ”
“That’s a short-term solution . ”
“I know . ”
Porcelain sells for a high price now, and the soldiers being feed were only paid a small allowance .
The hired official baronet Bohnhoff and most of those below him, were paid handsomely, but I couldn’t pay everyone .
If I had, I would be long dead .
“So it is that I, such a wretch, have come to sell porcelain to the Meier Trading Company . ”
“That is good news for me . Earl Baumeister’s white porcelain pieces with the Mizuho porcelain craftsmen are very popular . Even in the midst of a civil war, there are people who spend money to keep their morale up . ”
“I’d like to request the shipping cost and friendship price . ”
“Yes, of course . ”
Soon after that, I took out a large amount of goods from the magic bag and showed it to the head of the Meier Trading Company .
“Is it a high-grade item?”
The head of the family had stopped selling the plain, low-priced items . When he saw my items, his face broke into a smile at the tea sets and vases that had been gilded by Mizuho craftsmen with gorgeous, delicate paintings and golden rims that could be considered works of art .
“The Imperial government doesn’t have the money, but some places do . Those people are waiting for these items . ”
The amount offered by the head of the Meier Trading Company was higher than I expected .
Just to be sure, I haggled a bit and the price went up by 20% .
I don’t know how much profit he expects to make, but he must be confident that he can earn even if he buys at that amount .
“I’m fine with that amount . ”
“If you have a similar item, please contact the Meier Trading Company . By the way, where are you staying tonight?”
After taking the goods out of the magic bag and handing them over, I received the payment . I was about to leave when the head of the company asked where we would be staying .
“I haven’t decided yet . ”
“In that case, I’d like to introduce you to an inn I’m familiar with . ”
He recommended an inn he enjoyed and sent a young servant to guide us there .
“Thank you for taking us . ”
I gave a silver coin to the servant as a tip and we checked into the inn .
The inn is a high-class luxurious inn that offers an extensive dinner .
Instead of eating in the room, the food is served in a restaurant in the inn .
After washing up, we came down for the meal .
“May we be allowed to have such a luxurious meal?”
“I’m paying for it anyway, so feel free to eat as much as you wish . ”
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The guards were hesitant, but this was a necessary expense .
I told them not to be hesitant at a time like this and began to eat, the guards soon followed suit .
“Good wine . ”
“Should I get one as a gift for Haruka?”
The three of us were sitting around a table, the guards sitting at nearby tables, when a young man, appearing to be a young night, appeared .
Er and the guards became cautious, their hands ventured to their swords, but the knight held up his hands and began speaking to me .
“You are Earl Baumeister, aren’t you? I am accompanying someone dining here with someone and he would like to have dinner with you . ”
“Is this man an Imperial nobleman?
“No, sir . His Majesty’s third son, Peter Oswald Delius von Ackert . ”
“His Majesty’s third son…” (T/N: the italics mean it is being whispered)
Now, I can’t help but wonder what’s going on .
After all, he is the Emperor’s child .
Maybe he was ordered by his father to say something to me .
“Alfons . Do you know him?”
I don’t know what the third Emperor’s son is like, so I ask Alfons, who seemed to have some knowledge of him .
“His public reputation is bad . ”
“Is it?”
“He’s been called an ‘imperial embarrassment . ”
He does his fair share of martial arts training, but when he has time to spare he goes out into town in a clique with the children of nobility, playing around, eating at the cheapest shops in town, and going into the forest to play war gobbler and hunt and barbecue the fruits of his labor .
He is not very much a child of the Royal Family and is constantly reprimanded by the Emperor and disliked and ignored by the well-behaved older sons .
Alfons whispered such information to me .
“Is he acting freely because he can’t take over the Imperial Family?”
“Freely… The reason for his bad reputation is because he is born of noble birth, but his behavior it too commonplace…I guess you could put it that way . ”
Alfons doesn’t seem to know that much about the Emperor’s third son either .
He doesn’t harbor any good feeling, but he doesn’t harbor any ill will either .
That’s about it .
“Let’s meet him . So, where is His Highness?”
“This way . ”
The young knight leads us to a VIP room at the back of the restaurant .
Er stands in front of me and gives me a look while signaling to the guards .
They quickly surround me and Er goes into the room first .
“Hey, Er…”
At the moment I called out to Er, he quickly drew his sword and pointed the cutting edge at a young knight in his early twenties or so, who was behind the door of the room .
“Interesting quirk, isn’t it? Even for an Imperial Highness . ”
“Er . You’ve learned well . ”
“Haruka and the Battlestar team training is useful . I can feel the murderous atmosphere even before I opened the door . Did you not notice?”
“Oh, the swordsman murderous atmosphere and all that . I didn’t notice him, but I did notice there was one pretty impressive wizard . ”
To test out my words, Er shot an ice arrow towards the back of the room, past the knight that was held in place by the sword pointed at him . Paired with the ‘Magic Barrier’, the ice arrow fell to the floor .
“This isn’t a simple meet-up, so can you stop trying this sort of thing?” I complained to the knight who showed us into the room, and he have me an apologetic look .
“Your lord’s orders? Does he like pranks?”
“…”
The young knight fell silent as I tried to ask questions .
A young man emerged from the back of the room .
The boy, who was about my age and was roughly dressed in high quality clothes, called out to Er .
“I’m sorry . Heh . You’re the first to preempt Golzt with a sword…So this is a Mizuho sword . It’s true that Earl Baumeister is good friends with Mizuho then . I guess you can sometimes rely on information from your shitty father, right?”
“And you?”
“Goltz . If you don’t put your sword away, Earl Baumeister’s best vassal, Erwin, will put a hole in your head . ”
Apparently, this boy is the third son of the Emperor .
However, he is so carefree in his speech and behavior that it’s hard to believe he’s the son of the Emperor .
“Your Highness, I’m sorry . ”
“I’m sorry . I’m the one who tried to get Goltz to do something weird . Erwin, would you put your sword away? Goltz did these things on my orders . ”
“Wel, what do you think?”
“Forgive him . ”
“Huh . Erwin, you really are Earl Baumeister’s best friend, aren’t you? Fellow adventurers . That’s nice . I’d like to go hunting for demons too . ”
The third son of the Emperor walks in front of me after dismissing the man names Goltz and Er from their battle positions .
And he was accompanied by a young woman in light green who appeared to be twenty years old .