“Is the arbitration finally starting?” (Wendelin)
“Even Browig’s camp must be at its limit already. Seeing that it was their side who suggested the arbitration, I won’t go easy on them.” (Breithilde)
The dispute between the Margrave Breithilde household and the Margrave Browig household, which has lasted close to 2 months also including the time I haven’t participated, moved to the next stage.
It’s obvious for anyone to see but the Margrave Browig household’s side is clearly at disadvantage.
If you consider aspects such as expenses, it will become only more disadvantageous.
That might be their plan.
As expected, I’d like them to pardon me from something like a scheme to assassinate Margrave Breithilde.
“That’s right. Wilma-san and Elise-san participate as well, please.” (Breithilde)
The venue of the arbitration is located in the centre of the grassland where both military forces have their stand-off.
Margrave Breithilde decided for several retainers and Burkhart-san, several nobles, which have participate with their feudal armies, and their aides and me accompanied by Wilma and Elise to participate.
However, she is Minister Edgar’s adopted daughter. She was chosen because she is most suited for guarding.
There’s almost no place in this country where the influence of the church doesn’t reach.
“It will be alright even if you aren’t that nervous. Today will just be introductions.” (Breithilde)
As it’s my first experience to attend negotiations as noble, I had a serious expression which is unlike me.
It looks like the arbitration will be carried out for several days.
Once it becomes evening, both sides will finish for the day and retire. Further negotiations will be carried out from morning of the next day.
Once they agreed on the outline, the retainers in charge will reconcile the finer details and check the implementations of the conditions by holding a task-force conference.
“Having said that, the other side has an overwhelming disadvantage. How do they want to decrease the amount of money to be paid, I wonder?”
For example, something like a struggle over the sandbank of a river; even if they are forced to acknowledge that it’s ours, there are many cases where it ends up right back where it started once some time passes again.
Besides, if it is monopolized by one side, it might soon create a breeding ground for unnecessary future problems from the other side which will trigger a new dispute.
Since that will be endless, there are many situations where it’s better to roughly split the ownership in half.
“If they want to go back to the previous conditions, it will cost a large amount of reconciliation money and there is also the ransom for the people who were captured. The amount to be paid for that will increase if the imprisonment time is long.”
It’s necessary to treat the prisoners according to their social status.
Since catering a noble himself costs quite a bit money, those expenses will naturally be added to the ransom.
“In addition, the cause of the dispute is the other side.”
They commenced a surprise attack without announcing it ahead of time and thus broke the rules.
“The sum of the reconciliation money should jump up quite a bit”, Margrave Breithilde explained.
“Anyway, first it’s introductions.” (Breithilde)
In the middle of the grassland where both armies are confronting each other, the soldiers of Browig’s side, which proposed the arbitration first, are constructing the large tent in a hurry.
Once they finished that, one of the soldiers blew something like a high-pitched whistle and a short time later a similar whistle resounded from Breithilde’s camp.
“It means that the preparations are complete. Well then, let’s go?” (Breithilde)
Being urged on by Margrave Breithilde, the 20 members of the negotiation team walk up to the front of the tent.
When we entered with Margrave Breithilde at the lead, a long table and chairs were set up so that 20 people can sit down on each side while facing each other.
“You are Margrave Breithilde?”
“Indeed, that I am. The Margrave Browig over there seems to be different though.” (Breithilde)
“It’s the Supreme Commander Representative, Karla von Browig.”
Just as stated in the letter, the girl called Karla is serving as Supreme Commander of the Browig army.
Wearing a chain mail made out of mithril, which looks expensive and appears to be order-made, and having tied her black hair, which is roughly reaching her waist, she seems to be a beautiful girl that appears to have a bit of an Yamato Nadeshiko air.
The size of her chest is probably between Ina and Katharina?
With her mother being the daughter of a poor Knight and with her being hated by her other sisters, she never went to the East.
『She isn’t acquainted with me at all.』 (Wendelin)
『As she was apparently living in the capital by receiving an allowance from Margrave Browig-sama, she avoided contact with you, Wendelin-sama.』 (Elise)
Elise herself needed quite the long time to get acquainted with her.
Karla came to the church to take lessons in housework and studying while also carrying out her marriage training. Occasionally they did stuff like charity activities under the supervision of the church together.
That seems to be the extent of their relationship.
『You study in the church after all.』 (Elise)
Although she had the allowance from Margrave Browig, it wasn’t such a large amount of money either.
Given that there was a freeloader at the home of mother and daughter, they had to get a suitable amount of money.
『Karla-san’s grandfather-sama and uncle-sama aren’t very excellent…』 (Elise)
There’s a difference in peerage and they have offered their daughter in pursuit of money albeit being nobles appointed by the same country.
Moreover, although they apparently have done something like bribing to obtain an official position by using the allowance, it has been just a waste of money as they lack abilities and were judged poorly by the surroundings.
What made Karla come to the church to study for free was that kind of reason.
『That Karla-san has also been abused by by her deplorable family, eh?』 (Wendelin)
『Yes. That’s what has happened.』 (Elise)
I don’t know whether it’s because of that, but she has quite the interest in martial arts.
She appears to particularly excel in archery and knife throwing.
『Don’t overlap with me…』 (Wendelin)
『She apparently became the runner-up in the archery division of the last Martial Arts Tournament.』 (Elise)
『The level is too different…』 (Wendelin)
No, let me correct that.
Comparing it with my previous life, she is probably an existence called 『Female version of Nasu no Yoichi』.
However, as expected she hasn’t taken along her bow today.
“I’m the Supreme Commander Representative, Karla von Browig. I wish to express my gratitude in you taking part in the arbitration negotiations.” (Karla)
In the end that was the only statement made by her.
Although either of the two sons, who are fighting over the inheritance, would likely have taken the lead if one of them had attended, Karla hasn’t any actual experience in this field since she’s a woman.
Margrave Browig is absent on account of illness, although they are concealing it, or rather, it was obvious that there are some troubles with him not being at this place in this moment.
“(Hmm…)” (Breithilde)
“(What’s wrong?)” (Wendelin)
“(It looks like this will take a long time.)” (Breithilde)
One of the retainers had whispered something into the ear of Margrave Breithilde and he addressed me with a low voice while sighing.
That reminds me, I felt like I previously heard that many in the feudal army’s top brass belong to the eldest son’s support base.
“(Maybe this time’s dispatch has been largely influenced by the eldest son, Philip-dono.)”
The two were competing over the inheritance, but currently they shouldn’t be able to separate from Margrave Browig who can die any time now.
Accordingly, Philip, who has many supporters amongst the feudal army, dispatched the soldiers to get a decision in the inheritance matter by doing a meritorious deed for them.
The thoughts of Christoph, who’s the second son, are unknown, but he might be against the dispatch since the civil officials, who are his sympathisers, haven’t joined.
However, she was suddenly made Supreme Commander Representative of the feudal army.
Of course she was a decoration, but since it will be troublesome even if he really left her in charge of leading, this way might be fine, too.
“(Something like someone else taking over immediately following a large-scale dispatch of troops linked to a dispute has often happened in the past.)” (Breithilde)
Since unrest would spread to the retainers for not knowing whether their current family head would be alive tomorrow, the heir would sent forth the soldiers to show his own power.
Either way, with it being a move to turn the internal anxiety towards outside, it resembles the enemy recognition of a certain renown rice country or the anti-Japanese policies of a certain peninsula.
“(However, if it turns out like this…)”
If they had won, this would have become Philip’s achievement since he would be able to obtain advantageous conditions in the arbitration and the future of the feudal army’s top brass, which is supporting him, should have become bright.
Even just the ransom should be quite the sum.
However, in that case it will probably cause a big damage to the wallet of the Margrave Browig household.
“(What makes the situation even worse is that the civil officials, who are supporting Christoph-dono, aren’t here.)”
Given that the Browig household’s retainers consist of only military officers, it was quite possible that they didn’t prepare for paying money even if they lost.
Even if there were, this utter defeat is a blow that might cause a stop to the financial affairs of the Browig household.
If that failure was pushed by civil officials, who are supporting Christoph, it would be very possible for it to trigger the drop-out from the succession struggle for Philip in worst case.
“(No matter how stupid the other side might be, the reality is…)”
I wondered whether they can see it, but the first day of the arbitration finished with nothing more but an exchange of both parties’ claims.
Declaring that they will pay the ransom for the prisoners but want the distribution of the disputed area to be unconditionally returned to its pre-war state, the participating nobles from our side, including Margrave Breithilde as well, were enraged and considered it to be out of the question.
“You came and broke the rules first. Why should that incur losses to us who counter-attacked?” (Breithilde)
Margrave Breithilde’s point was reasonable.
Even if they have to delay it indefinitely, they will apparently struggle to gain an arbitration draft that’s close to a draw.
Progressing leads into hell and stalling leads into hell, that’s how it is, I guess?
“Even if it’s advantageous for you now now, it will become disadvantageous if our side dispatches the soldiers again.”
“Really? If you recover the disputed areas by sending forth soldiers again, that’s fine as we will send out our soldiers at that time, too.” (Breithilde)
Originally the defending side has the bigger advantage than the attacking side. At that time Katharina, Burkhart-san and me will depart to the front again.
Finishing it without killing anyone, it’s a very sweet business to earn money.
“By the way, how about your opinion on this matter, Earl Baumeister?” (Breithilde)
Margrave Breithilde signals me to state my opinion as well.
“As for me, it’s fine if my household and the Associate Baron Waigel household receive the ransom of the captured prisoners. The reconciliation money for returning the remaining concessions can simply be negotiated in good faith by each of the eastern nobles, who bet on a cowardly surprise attack. Of course, if something happens again, I will dispatch my soldiers according to the request of Margrave Breithilde-dono, who is my patron.” (Wendelin)
My opinion caused the expressions of the military officers of Browig’s camp, who are present at the negotiations, to become ghastly pale.
Having said that, if it turned into a desperate war where people get killed, it could be expected for the royal palace to get involved.
That means it has been treated as way to let off some steam and thus has been tolerated. If they violated that, the Margrave Browig household might at worst get crushed.