My name is Hermann von Benno Baumeister.
However, although that territory might be in the sticks, a large-scale development of the adjoining Savage Lands has begun.
But, the path up to here wasn’t easy at all.
The second son, born to a noble household, has always been reputed to be the spare of the eldest son.
And, there are many, who can’t marry, either.
In my childhood I didn’t know that.
However, once he grew up, he gradually grasped the situation of the household and territory.
As there was also a mistress, younger brothers and sisters were gradually multiplying, but their situation might have still been better.
As red-bloods*, they would become village headmen or assist their elder brothers. For the younger sisters it would be fine as long as they married, even if it was a wealthy farmer. (*T/N: in contrast to the blue-bloods, aka nobles)
I was given a private room more or less, but I couldn’t regard it as anything but a jail without bars.
I just hated the established rules of the nobles.
And also into the training of the formed guard unit, which consisted of the second and third sons of farmers in a similar situation.
In an emergency it would naturally become the core of the feudal army.
Even the feudal army shouldn’t have an opportunity to get a turn, if there wasn’t that previous expedition to the Demon Forest, which caused heavy losses, though I didn’t go there myself.
In this territory the guard unit was dispatched for incidents of that level.
Also, there was the occasional subjugation of wild boars and bears, who lost their way into the fields, I guess?
There wasn’t a considerable amount of work for the guard unit.
Be that as it may, the members had ordinary jobs, too.
As it didn’t make sense to abandon the fields in order to carry out the training according to the regulation, father, who is the previous feudal lord, carried out a large-scale reclamation saying that it was for the sake of increasing the tax revenue.
Given that reclamation was more important than training, I mainly helped out with that as well.
『Hermann, the place you are in charge of today is over there.』 (Artur)
Digging up the soil at the place designated by father, I chopped down hindering trees and uprooted their stumps from the ground with several people.
However, as the field, which was assigned today, had been properly prepared by the unit members, it was decided that Helge would receive it.
Therefore he couldn’t afford failures in this reclamation.
『Thank you, Hermann-sama.』 (Helge)
『Let’s not say such stuff to each other. If you didn’t remain in this territory, the already shabby guard unit would have become even more shabby.』 (Hermann)
『Hermann-sama, that’s a taboo word.』 (Helge)
We had a great laughter with the guard unit members, who were assisting in another reclamation.
As everyone was a second son and below, there were only people in the same circumstances. The method of laughing rather than sighing, even if it was masochistic, ended up comforting us emotionally.
『You have been paying a large amount of money as taxes. So, don’t hold back.』 (Hermann)
Helge, who became 20 years old this year, was a survivor of the Demon Forest expedition, although it was difficult to see that.
No, it was probably correct to call it getting rid of a nuisance.
To be frank, I’m believing that it was good for me, who was 18 years old at that time, to no be dispatched with the army.
It was obvious, once you looked, that the women had to help with the reclamation since there weren’t enough male helpers and subordinate warriors, serving the branch family.
I became their target as well, however that was probably inevitable.
I’m still alive due to the sacrifice of grand-uncle’s group after all.
『Possessing that much money, there was also the option to go somewhere else. Seeing that it was taken away, you have to properly receive a field, Helge.』 (Hermann)
It wasn’t like Helge was particularly excelling in swordsmanship. His body was also short and slender.
He, who was treated as underling due to his age, worked as messenger in the expeditionary force.
For the previous Margrave Breithilde grand-uncle’s group was the retainers of his retainer.
Grand-uncle kept the Baumeister feudal army a bit away from the feudal army of Margrave Breithilde.
Because more than 20 people of that small force survived, I have no doubt that he was likely preparing for the failure of the expedition.
It was likely that it would become a problem in the future, if the Baumeister feudal army had almost no victims while the Breithilde feudal army got annihilated.
Even so, he wanted to let the young men escape as much as possible.
It was the best outcome grand-uncle was able to leave behind with his sphere of influence.
However, it was cruel for father’s evaluation.
Even so, father had the position of feudal lord.
On the surface it was necessary for him to reprimand grand-uncle, who lost 80% of the war potential.
『Certainly, it’s just as father says.』 (Kurt)
Following up on father, my elder brother, Kurt, criticized grand-uncle, too.
But, with that brief comment I noticed Kurt’s lack of military talent.
Father likely wanted Kurt to praise grand-uncle.
However, if the succeeding son praised grand-uncle for returning as many young men as he could, it would have been possible to somewhat alleviate the anger of people of the branch family.
Be that as it may, Kurt didn’t realize that.
Such things should be arranged ahead of time, was the only thing I could think.
『Putting that aside, we have to thank those who were able to come back.』 (Hermann)
I considered it butting in, but I proposed that father should directly call out to the people, who were able to return.
Lacking manpower due to the expeditionary force, it was only me, who was regularly patrolling by leading the still remaining inhabitants, but it was also necessary to rebuke and properly correct the group I was leading, if they made a mistake. They had to at least know what to not do, if they wanted to be praised and achieve accomplishments.
Rewarding their efforts, it was necessary for father to give them days off and rewards, even if it was only for their feelings.
『Certainly, that’s necessary.』 (Artur)
Father consented with my opinion.
And it actually took place, but maybe the plan to put me into the branch family might have been polished at that time.
『Holidays and such are unnecessary. Rather, it would be better to make them work in cultivating new land to allow them to forget that hell.』 (Kurt)
Kurt had such opinion, however once I considered that standpoint, it wasn’t like his view was wrong either.
Given that those, who no one would mind dying either, luckily came back, he probably judged that their manpower should be immediately used.
Although I could comprehend it, I wasn’t pleased with it on an emotional level.
During grand-uncle’s absence I read books in father’s study thinking it was necessary to study as it was an activity on the level of a patrol unit with several people, but within the books there was a description about mind sickness due to war.
According to their story, a large army of monsters came for a night attack.
Since the male help of grand-uncle’s family was completely gone, I wasn’t able to do anything but a sham patrol by leading a few guards around for a while.
I had hope for them, who had actual combat experience, but it was probably impossible to invite them as they were in such state.
『I will be alright.』 (Helge)
However, luckily it resulted in several young men, who had a strong mind, to participate in the guard unit.
Grand-uncle had appointed Helge as messenger to stay in touch with the Breithilde feudal army.
And that attempt was slightly successful.
The leaders of the Breithilde feudal army were as high-handed as usual, but with Helge, whose parents were in the same generation as the soldiers, regularly coming for communication, the soldiers apparently were affectionate towards him.
『For you it’s a disaster as well. You were dragged into a competition of obstinacy between fellow authorities.』
『I don’t mind since it will becoming horsemanship training, if I’m working as messenger.』 (Helge)
『You have a great character. Since we grilled meat of monsters, we hunted, go back after eating some of it.』
『Thank you.』 (Helge)
『Youngsters have to eat their fill without holding back.』
He was favored by the lower soldiers with such feelings.
As Helge was heading into the direction of the Breithilde feudal army’s encampment to carry out his messenger duty, they gave a certain something to Helge.
『We probably won’t be able to return alive. Boy, you have to survive at any cost. We will give you this.』
He didn’t quite understand anything, but he received several monster fangs.
Together with the other survivors they barely managed to reach the Baumeister territory one way or another, but after that he was assaulted by the blaming feelings in his chest.
Because they were given a reward by Margrave Breithilde in addition to going to hunt at the time they entered the Demon Forest, they paid it with the coins they possessed.
『Father, that’s probably crude, as one would expect.』 (Hermann)
『It might be as you say, but even so, the law is the law.』 (Artur)
However, even the reward, they had, was substantially reduced to zero.
『Besides, it’s probably not almost all money they have on hand…』 (Artur)
Certainly, it was as father said.
Everyone of the surviving group was second son and below.
Especially Helge, as the received monsters fangs would become ingredients for high-priced medicine, those were immediately bought by the merchant group, who had money, for 200.000 cents.
The money, he earned by putting his life on the line, was completely exploited by his home.
『(It’s a story, which is really sickening).』 (Hermann)
Be that as it may, this is the reality of an agricultural community in the countryside.
Recently the number of young people leaving the Baumeister territory together with the merchant group was increasing, but I was able to understand their feelings.
However, too radical measures would shake his reign in the territory.
I didn’t believe that the eldest son, Kurt, noticed father’s forethought though.
If it was from his point of view, it was likely the level of perception that the tax yield would increase, if the arable lands expanded.
『Hermann, you will enter the branch family as son-in-law.』 (Artur)
At the time when I heard that story from father, my realization was no more than 『Will it be less objectionable because it’s now, I wonder?』
I was told to work in the position of Junior Commander by being adopted into the branch family.
In the case of an emergency it was our duty to fight with all young men, but reserve soldiers, who would keep training, were also necessary to a certain degree.
One of the few results was Helge becoming my right-hand man by accumulating experience.
For Kurt, who had realized his secure position through being surrounded by the heirs of wealthy farmers and craftsmen from the same generation, such hardships were likely unnecessary.
At the time I heard that story, I ended up laughing as it was far too ridiculous.
If it was a vigilante corps and a certain extent of a guard unit, I would probably be able to command them more skilfully than father and Kurt.
While it may be true that I was the best in such isolated, rural territory, there should exist as many skilled guys as there were stars in the sky, who were more skilled than me, once you went outside.
Afterwards his jealousy vanished at the same time when I was adopted into the branch family.
He was a truly happy-go-lucky next family head.