episode_0049

Four years had passed since I began my life as a knight.

It may seem short or long, but for a free knight with only a sword and a suit of armor, it was definitely too short to establish a territory.

The definition of success may vary from person to person, but this achievement was one that most would agree on.

Isn’t it a world full of people who spend their whole lives wandering without a single piece of land, only to end up in a small house in a rural village?

Originally, I had planned to make a name for myself on the battlefield where the Pope and the Emperor clashed, but my goal suddenly shifted without going through the intermediate process.

Still, looking back, this situation seemed to have erupted during the Pope’s attempt to challenge the Emperor with his oath… It didn’t seem like a wrong prediction.

“Recently, the bandits have been quite active. I believe I don’t need to explain much about this place.”

“I understand.”

“There is a village located on the path through the mountain range between the Empire and the Papal States. If the security in the area is well maintained, many people will come and go. I want to entrust that place to you.”

The Count proposed this to me. Perhaps it was due to a sense of urgency caused by the recent events.

The location of the land seemed fine, so if what he said was true, there was no harm in accepting it.

Becoming a knight with land meant being entrusted with certain obligations.

Firstly, I had to fight for the lord for a certain period of time. It was only natural, considering that the land was received in exchange for battle.

And I also had to take care of the tenant farmers who were attached to the land.

They were vulnerable to bandits and wild animals.

But rights also came with obligations.

The income obtained from the land became solely the knight’s possession. It was an income that I had only dreamed of. It also meant that I could focus on battles without worrying about money.

In other words, the tenant farmers provided taxes to the knight, and the knight provided them with protection in return.

If they didn’t want to pay taxes, they could lie down, but there was no such person in the world.

“I heard you have a daughter.”

“She is just a ward under my protection.”

“Ah, I heard you would answer that way. Then let’s go with ward.”

Where on earth are you hearing these things from?

Despite my inner disbelief, the Count leaned forward and spoke.

“It’s about time to settle down, isn’t it? It’s not easy to wander in search of battlefields. The land is also located in a strategic location, so you won’t be disappointed.”

Come to think of it, the girl also mentioned that she needed a place to stay for a while. The land of the Count, located between the Empire and the Papal States, wasn’t too far from a university.

The Count seemed to be misunderstanding something, but his logic was sound.

Therefore, there was no reason to refuse this offer.

I gladly gave him the answer he was expecting, and the Count smiled satisfactorily.

I promised to go to his territory with him on the spot, and as soon as the meeting was over, I returned to my room and informed Lycia of this fact.

“I visited the Count, and I have good news.”

“What is it…?”

“He offered me land. I am now a lord.”

“…?”

The girl, who was buried under the blanket, peeked out with a blank expression on her face.

And whether she quickly understood the situation or not, she opened her eyes wide and looked at me.

*****

The word “loyalty” carries a strict and rigid feeling.

As if the lord commands, one must jump into the fire, and in times of crisis, one must sacrifice their life to save them.

But in this era, the loyalty of a rogue, a knight, is a bit different.

“Milord, it seems this war will last quite a while.”

“Indeed. It’s been about two months already… By the way, where is Kyung going?”

“I’ll be off duty. May you achieve victory!”

“No, wait! Wait!!”

The lord could order the knight to fight for a certain period of time, but only that far.

The knight collapses like a sword when the period ends.

“Just one more month, that should be enough.”

“Indeed, I cannot help but admire your generosity, my lord! But how will you deal with my dire poverty that leaves me in shock?”

“…I am a little short on money due to the war.”

“Please do not despair. You will receive land as well.”

Therefore, if my lord wishes to request additional battles, tears must be shed as additional expenses are incurred.

In a sense, the knight is like a subscription service.

Having reached the pinnacle of the era’s scoundrels, the knight, not as despicable as cowardly bigots, now preys on nobles after farmers and clergy to squeeze money out of them.

And it doesn’t end there.

“Kyung, Kyung! When did I call you, and where have you been that you are only coming now?!”

“I apologize, my lord. I was delayed by a battle in the neighboring territory.”

“The neighboring territory? Why were you there?”

“Recently, I had some spare time, so I made a new loyalty contract and came here.”

“Goodness, Kyung, are you aware that my lord already has four retainers?!”

“Do not worry. The fact that my lord made a contract with me for the first time will not change.”

When things calm down a bit, the knights start looking for new battlefields to juggle two or three jobs.

This crazy harem of my lord, who signed the first contract with a sincere heart, was a tearful affair.

But there is a lesson to be learned from this story.

Even if it means enduring such bleeding, only those who possess the skills that nobles want to use as pocket knives can become knights with land.

“Amazing!”

“No, you are amazing too. Noble and virtuous.”

“Hehe….”

After a while, Licia got up from the bed and naturally tidied it up as if nothing had happened.

I explained in detail what had happened earlier, and the girl who listened to the story confirmed that it was a good suggestion.

I gently stroked Licia’s head. It was something I couldn’t have done alone.

And even if we set aside magic, having such a kind heart from a young age was already remarkable. Wasn’t I deeply moved by it as well?

Honestly, I didn’t feel comfortable about it.

Being praised for something I couldn’t have done alone and having that merit swallowed up by others wasn’t very honorable.

However, if I wanted to explain this, I had to mention Licia.

So every time I cautiously brought up the subject, the girl would be surprised and shake her head.

“It’s okay. I want you to do that.”

But for now, I had a reward to receive from the bishop, and I was going to receive land, so I wasn’t short of money.

Even if I wanted to buy a gift, the girl hadn’t mentioned her preferences, so I was at a loss.

“Is there something special you want?”

“No. Just feeding me and letting me sleep until spring is more than enough.”

“Is that so.”

“Really….”

Although I said that, I knew I had to buy something special later.

Since the necklace I gave her first was broken, I had to choose something more meaningful this time.

But it wasn’t easy to expect a good item from a place that had been broken twice.

Maybe I could get something at the Papal Palace when I go to fix the compass relic. Or it would be fine to take her to university.

I talked with Licia for a while about what we would do when we received the land, what we would do until spring, and other trivial matters. I tried to figure out what she would like, but there was no particular progress.

We chatted like that for a while.

Suddenly, when I looked up, the view outside the window was brighter than I had expected considering the time. The sun was not yet setting, and the city was not falling asleep.

Looking outside, I saw soldiers gathering on the street, lighting fires and carrying food.

Come to think of it, there was a small banquet planned for the evening. I’ll figure out what she likes later on, so let’s put it off for now. I turned to the girl.

“Should we go and enjoy ourselves?”

“Yes!”

Licia replied with a big smile.

I took the girl’s hand and headed out onto the street.

*****

Time passed, and four days went by.

The Marquis seemed to think that the situation in Filahe had stabilized to some extent, as he entrusted the remaining cleanup to his steward and made preparations to return to his own castle.

I, who had decided to follow him, was busy from early morning.

I made sure Licia had a hearty breakfast, and I packed all our belongings onto the packhorse. As I was doing so, the messenger from yesterday approached me and asked.

“Are you ready to depart?”

“Yes. When should we meet?”

“Early afternoon, we will depart from the square. And once we leave Filahe, you should walk side by side with the Marquis.”

He, who will now be my lord.

Up until now, I had simply referred to him as the Marquis of Filahe, thinking of him as a passing acquaintance. Of course, that wasn’t an incorrect way to address him.

However, when referring to nobility, it is customary to use a title that befits their status. Therefore, the title of Marquis did not quite suit Filahe, which was just one of the cities he governed.

Hence, the name he is commonly known by is as follows.

“Marquis Canossa wishes to have a conversation with you on the way. It is not a complicated matter, just a desire to hear tales of heroism up until now, so there is no need to feel burdened.”

The Marquis of Canossa, who guards the southern borders of the Empire.

As the head of the Canossa family, tasked with that duty, he is simply known as Marquis Canossa.