episode_0005

The successor of the vassal’s family visits the lord’s family’s castle for the first time. This is a big event for both the vassal’s family and the lord’s family.

Above all, the Mayer family was originally a family of meritorious servants and made contributions in this war as well, so their presence was significant, and as such, everyone was paying attention to this victory.

The Mayer family sent 50 knights and soldiers, led by the powerful Asilia. For a personal escort, it was quite large.

I took a carriage and headed northeast to Torgenberg.

As I headed northeast, the fields I had burned inevitably came into view. That’s right, since the fire was mainly on the road leading to Torgenberg, it was natural that the currently burned fields heading towards Torgenberg could not be seen.

“… ”

I wondered what to do for a moment. Should I apologize to the owners of the rice fields and to the people I killed? Otherwise, should I just pretend not to know?

If the people I killed to stop the enemy come back alive, I will give them compensation. I will also offer a sincere apology. However, even if I apologize in my heart to people who have already died, it will only put my mind at ease, but they will not receive any compensation.

So I just stared blankly at the burned fields and villages. These were sins I had to bear. Lightening one’s heart with a clumsy apology would be nothing but hypocrisy.

“I entered a shitty world.”

It would have been great if I had gotten something like an instant death cheat and created a harem of pretty girls. But I know that this world is not that easy. I was a weak character and had to get down and dirty to survive.

Outside the carriage, a family could be seen weeping over the loss of their village.

I didn’t stop the carriage.

—–

Entered Torgenberg. Torgenberg was a mountain range located halfway up the mountain. However, it was different from common acid. A part of the mountain was dug out and made flat and a castle was built there, but there were not many flat parts. Most of the area was created to match the shape of the mountain. And this shape made Torgenberg Castle a natural fortress.

There is a mountain peak to the north, so entry is impossible. There is no road because there is a river to the east and a forest to the west. The only way was south, and a huge moat dozens of meters wide had been created at the south gate. If the drawbridge does not come down from the castle gate, it is difficult to even enter the castle.

There was a castle village at the bottom of the mountain, and this village was quite large, with more than 10,000 people living together. If a battle breaks out, some of them will be housed in the castle, while others will have to flee to other cities.

“I can study.”

I have seen Torgenberg Castle several times in books, but this was my first time seeing it in person. When I actually saw it, I was able to understand many parts that I hadn’t seen in the book. For example, there was a point that the castle boundary did not end inside the castle, but continued outside the castle. This castle was truly a natural fortress with all of nature as its allies.

But it was difficult to think about this in detail. That’s right…

-Rat! thud!

The carriage I was riding in shook as if I had stepped on a stone. Due to the personality of the Mayer family, the carriage I rode was one that emphasized defense rather than comfort, so I had no choice but to hit my butt on the hard chair when I jumped.

“Evil!”

As I shouted, forgetting my face, Asilia, a red-eyed escort with long black hair tied back, sighed.

“Asilia, how much longer does this have to go?”

“Half left.”

“Crazy, there’s only half left?”

“Actually, there is a little more than half left. I’m sorry for disappointing you while trying to be considerate.”

“Fuck… ”

I swore and sat back down in the carriage, holding the handle tightly. However, I couldn’t help but feel that my butt hurt every time the carriage stepped on a stone or jumped over a bumpy floor.

-thud

“Evil!”

When I shouted again, Asilia sighed and said.

“How about following your younger brother’s example?”

Brother.

Yes. Lucille followed me. It wasn’t something I had specifically requested, but my lord, the Setia family, had requested that they also want to see Lucille.

Even though Lucille’s butt was hurting, she was reading a book with her usual calm expression.

-hissing

I could hear her turning the pages of a thick book. I read the cover of the book.

‘Melkia… I can read up to this point, but I don’t know what happens after that.’

The cover was written in the ancient imperial language. Since my automatic translation function was limited to ‘Standard Imperial Language’, I was only able to read the ancient Imperial language at the very basic level that I had learned here. However, even at the age of 11, my younger brother was reading difficult books in the ancient imperial language.

‘Just unify the world yourself.’

With that in mind, I asked the guy.

“What book do you read?”

“This is the rise and fall of the ancient Melgian Empire. It’s Ferdinaus’s work. Actually, I’ve already read the translated version a few times, but I wanted to read it in the original language too, so I used my pocket money to buy it.”

“Really? I used my pocket money to buy pretzels.”

“Pretzels are also delicious.”

Pretzels are a type of snack. It was my first time eating here, and the taste of sugar I’ve had for the first time in a while was quite exquisite.

“Doesn’t your butt hurt?”

“It hurts.”

“But how are you so fine?”

“I’m going to endure it.”

Asilia, the escort, chuckled. I wanted to hit the arrogant guard who was laughing at my lord’s son, but I held back because it was obvious that I would get in trouble.

As we were talking about the rise and fall of the ancient Melgian Empire for a while, the carriage suddenly stopped. I looked outside to see what was happening, but nothing had happened and I had already arrived at the castle.

“Put down.”

Asilia got off first and escorted us. Outside the castle, a group of knights in silver armor were greeting us.

“Meet the heir of the Mayer family.”

“Meet the heir of the Mayer family.”

A group of knights bowed their heads to me. I gestured for them to raise their heads, and they recognized the gesture and immediately raised their heads.

“Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone. My name is Franz Meyer, the eldest son of the Meyer family.”

With that, the drivers each introduced themselves and I followed their directions to the guest room.

—–

Inside the room.

“Why do you think the Setia family called you brother?”

My younger brother asks that question while turning the pages of a book. I thought for a while and then answered.

“Our lord Henrik von Setia has changed hands three times. Because the betrayal was successful, you are now on the throne.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s not just the owner that changed. Every time the owner changed, the family also changed. It was Henry who married the lord’s daughter and eventually killed the lord himself.”

“That’s right.”

“There is no way a person like that would have called us to thank us for saving his family. There must be some political calculation. Right?”

She nodded quietly. Since she nodded, my answer must be correct.

“How about this? Henrik is a man who rose through many betrayals. That’s why you’re so wary of betrayal from others. However, in a situation where we could betray at any time and join Kruzenstein, we were intrigued by the fact that we did not choose betrayal in the end.”

“Hmm… That might be possible.”

That may be so. That said, maybe not. This means that it is not a wrong answer, but it is also not a correct answer.

“Then how about this? The Mayer family is the most powerful among the Setia family’s vassals. Maybe 3rd or 4th place? He wanted to make the successor of such a family on the same side in advance.”

“That too is definitely a possibility.”

It is highly likely. Does this mean that we have approached the correct answer?

As I was lost in thought for a while, he spoke first.

“I am interested in talented people who did not choose betrayal in situations where they could. Moreover, since they are the heirs of the Mayer family, I wanted to make them on the same side in advance. That’s all true.”

“But if that was all, your answer wouldn’t have been ambiguous, right?”

She smiled faintly.

“That’s correct, but the subject is different.”

“Ah!”

Only then did I understand why we had been called here.

—–

“Franz Maier, Lucille Maier. Welcome to the Setia family’s castle.”

The voice of a young man who was quite aristocratic, but somewhat nervous, echoed through the hall.

“See you, the next lord.”

When I bowed my head, he smiled confidently and stood up.

“Clear field tactics, clear field tactics.”

He got up from his seat and came right in front of me, muttering to himself a few times. And then.

“I like it. It’s just my taste.”

After saying that, he put his hand on my shoulder.

The name of the young man who said that was Andeln von Setia.

He was the son of the current lord, Henrik von Setia.

Lucille’s words.

[I am interested in talented people who do not choose betrayal in situations where betrayal is possible.]

[Plus, since he is the successor to the Mayer family, I wanted to make it on the same side in advance.]

Yes. The reason we were called here was ‘to get us on the same side.’

But the subject is different. The person who wanted to get us on the same side was not the current lord, Henrik von Setia, but the next lord, Andeln von Setia.