Ch.124124. Oath of Loyalty

“……..”

Faced with such a sudden, unexpected proposal, Enerval Gatrang couldn’t bring himself to respond carelessly.

To transfer his loyalty from the Baron to the druid standing before him? Considering the impact that breaking or transferring a vassal contract without cause would have on his reputation, this was surely an offer he should not accept…..

‘……..Wait, is that really true?’

Suddenly, abruptly, a very sweet temptation called hope began to seep into Enerval Gatrang’s mind.

If he returned now, Enerval would inevitably face a miserable fate.

His salary would be reduced by at least half, and the small manor he was scheduled to receive according to his contract would certainly be lost.

No matter how loyal a servant he, Enerval Gatrang, might be, that was the reality.

His loyalty originally stemmed from the terms of that contract, and without receiving compensation for his loyalty…. was there really any need to maintain his allegiance to the bitter end?

Unlike ordinary knights, Enerval Gatrang possessed a sense of self based on middle-class sensibilities, and he could not resist such “temptation.”

“May I… may I hear more about this offer?”

“Of course, Sir Knight. I’ll tell you everything.”

Thus, unable to resist—or rather, not wanting to resist—the voice in his heart, Enerval spoke up, and Druid Gregory began explaining with a grin, methodically laying out his proposal.

“Sir Gatrang. I’ve returned to this manor, which I’ve neglected for some time, because I’m considering putting it back into operation.”

“I… I see……”

Inwardly, Enerval wanted to ask what exactly that had to do with him, but not wanting to face the disaster that might follow such impertinence, he swallowed the temptation and quietly listened to the man’s words.

“I am a druid. As a guardian of nature’s mysteries, I intended to make this manor a paradise that could function without me…. but as you and your men have discovered, such lands are often coveted.”

“…….”

“Ah, I’m not blaming you at all. I merely wish to make a proposal. To entrust the management of my manor to someone with sufficient military capability, like yourself.”

“……..?!!”

Enerval couldn’t help but doubt his ears. He couldn’t hide his bewilderment at whether what he had just heard was true.

Entrusting the management of a manor? And to someone he had just met today—under less than favorable circumstances, no less?

It might be more trustworthy to leave a fish shop in the care of a cat.

At least cats are cute, and they couldn’t devour all the fish at once.

At this point, Enerval was nearly driven mad trying to understand what this being before him could possibly be thinking.

With the “common sense” of an ordinary medieval-fantasy world human, he could only vaguely sense that the scope of thought possessed by the being before him was unimaginably vast and expansive.

And to such an Enerval, Druid Gregory calmly revealed his true intentions…. and in a tone that had somehow shifted to one of casual familiarity.

“What you may not know is that druids who manage their own territories in the kingdom are treated as territorial nobles. As the disciple of such a druid…. you can consider me something of an heir apparent.”

“So you’re… the future lord of Alreinos Forest?”

“That’s right. That’s why I’m rather busy. Busy enough to have left this not-so-bad manor abandoned for quite some time.”

“I… see.”

Gregory Alreinos’s explanation was brief and concise, but Enerval could discern his intentions even from these few words.

He could even understand why such a large tract of land—one that could be called “my land” despite its less than ideal location, and which strictly speaking could not be called worthless—had been left abandoned.

In truth, for an abandoned property, this manor had quite favorable conditions.

First, the area of arable land was quite extensive, and though somewhat distant, there was a river with decent water flow nearby, meaning there was no need to worry about ordinary droughts.

True to the reputation of the Frankish Kingdom’s soil fertility, this land boasted farmland of at least average quality.

Additionally, the value of the nearby forest—an exceptionally rare safe woodland in this world—could not be overlooked.

The space produced timber and tree fruits essential for survival in this era, as well as small animals that could provide fur and meat—all resources of considerable value.

Moreover, the former village site was well-situated; one could simply build houses and live there, and thanks to the druid’s forest nearby, it was relatively safe for a rural outskirt.

He had wondered why such a valuable land had been abandoned, but to think it was simply because the owner was busy managing an even more valuable territory!

……..Of course, this was quite a misunderstanding compared to the reality, but Knight Enerval Gatrang, who had no way of knowing better, could only make such assumptions.

Anyway, after roughly understanding the intention, albeit through misunderstanding, the two now entered into negotiations about the terms.

“If you were to enter into a contract as my vassal, I would entrust you with the management of this manor.”

“By management… do you mean governance?”

“Similar, but likely far from the governance you’re thinking of. As a druid, I intend to operate this manor differently from the ordinary manors you might envision.”

“So it would be… different from farming.”

“That’s right. Your main duties would be managing and protecting the residents. For reference, the residents of this manor would be… well, you, your subordinates, and your families, I suppose.”

“My family… you say.”

More than any other word spoken thus far, that single word—”family”—shook Enerval Gatrang’s heart in various ways.

As the head of a family who had met a compatible woman and formed a harmonious household, he couldn’t help but worry about his children and wife.

But as Enerval considered this, a question suddenly occurred to him.

“……..Druid, sir. I don’t believe my current lord would easily release my family.”

Indeed, since holding his family hostage would be the only way to keep Enerval—whose heart had essentially already left—there was considerable logic in his statement.

However… would Gregory truly be unaware of this?

“You need not worry about that at all. There are ways to handle such matters.”

Druid Gregory said nothing more and simply closed his mouth, but Enerval Gatrang somehow felt he understood what the druid meant without hearing it explicitly.

The invincible method of imposing one’s will on others while completely disregarding their wishes: violence, the master key.

Anyway, after a brief silence, Gregory calmly began explaining the specific plans.

Starting with how the manor would become a space with special magical enchantments, to details about the food for the soldiers and their families who would live there.

Additionally, Gregory showed Enerval the “Nature’s Hut” directly, actively appealing to him about the treatment he could receive.

And… after a long exchange of explanations and questions, Enerval asked what he himself felt was his final question.

“Then… may I ask one last thing? Why did I catch your eye, Druid?”

“……..Well. Perhaps because you’re mid-tier and well-respected by your subordinates?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. ….And also because you were willing to sacrifice your honor for the well-being of your soldiers.”

“……..?!!”

Startled by this unexpected statement from the man who had seemed like an incomprehensible monster from Enerval’s perspective, he looked up at Gregory in surprise, but Gregory continued calmly.

“You should be proud. You abandoned honor and instead upheld human decency. This is… not something anyone can easily choose.”

“……..I, see.”

Enerval Gatrang couldn’t bring himself to say more in response to those sincere words.

In this moment, he thought that perhaps he had encountered someone truly worthy of his service.

“….I pledge my loyalty to the great Druid. My sword is yours.”

Therefore, his pledge of loyalty to the druid was, from Enerval Gatrang’s perspective, essentially inevitable.

After all, knights are creatures who ultimately live on honor.