episode_0090

A knight is a general term for a war weapon that provides labor in exchange for an appropriate fee.

However, before asking them to fight for themselves, there are things that need to be clarified.

They had to reveal their employer and the purpose of their employment, listen to detailed conditions including compensation, and be satisfied.

War can be entangled in troublesome political issues and grudges.

Employers and employment purposes are matters that need to be carefully considered.

If dealing with savages or bandits, such political considerations may not be necessary, but this was clearly a civil war.

It is something that needs to be pondered before speaking.

The value of a life is not as easily determined as the price of bread on the street.

There are cases where this value is replaced by the names of holy wars and faith.

However, naming a war between brothers of the same faith a holy war is truly a disrespectful act.

And a little while ago, she had revealed her compensation.

If not that, Heinrich didn’t expect an immediate answer.

“Um, well…”

Heinrich’s mouth produced a default filler for the designated time.

During this, one part of his mind was thinking about what to say next, while another part was wondering why.

Could it be that under the guise of friendship, Lycia had offered her help without even asking for persuasion?

No. Lycia, though intelligent, didn’t seem like the type to think that far.

Their interaction was not based on personal affection, and they had only seen the Emperor’s face once or twice, so that had to be ruled out.

So, could it be that Lavine himself harbored dissatisfaction with the Pope’s recent actions? Other nobles were subtly expressing their discontent, so he might have been influenced by that.

But even considering that, the decision was hasty. To assert without even mentioning compensation.

It seemed as if a plan had been decided upon as if to say, “This is how it will be.”

And he was not the type to silently endure such situations.

If someone was willing to help, it was a grateful thing. It was a precious opportunity that needed to be cherished, especially when focusing on gathering allies. While his father’s position as Emperor was urgent, the position of Crown Princess was also at stake.

Yet, there was still an underlying anxiety from not knowing the other’s true intentions.

It was a chronic disease that arose from dealing with people with hidden motives as a member of the imperial family.

Although he had received treatment for paranoid delusions that began during his university days, it was difficult to completely abandon the habit that had been nurtured over a long period.

“It may sound strange coming from me, but… could you tell me why you thought that way?”

“Didn’t I mention it to you sometime before?”

If it was sometime, the number of times they had met narrowed it down to a few.

And the first thing that came to mind was the incident when they arrived at Bolagna. It was when he had decided to trust people a little.

“You mentioned it was for your own satisfaction. You wanted to do something more honorable.”

“Do you remember that? That’s correct.”

“So, do you think it’s more right to defeat the rebels?”

“To be precise, I am not fighting for the rebels, but for the Pope.”

Heinrich now realized that he had been mistaken.

“His Majesty and the rebels also want to end the civil war. And the only faction that wants this war to continue is the Papal Court.”

And now, Lavine understood why he was joining the war not at the beginning of the civil war, but now. He was not fighting to start a war, but to end it.

Believing in people was still difficult. Other than Lycia, whom she frequently encountered, there weren’t many people she could trust wholeheartedly.

But perhaps, in this case, he was the type of person she could trust at least a little. He didn’t seem like the type to betray her for trivial reasons.

“Understood. I feel reassured that you’re with me.”

“I will do my best to be of help.”

The conversation was coming to an end in a somewhat awkward atmosphere.

Come to think of it, there was something she had forgotten. Her business with him didn’t end with the knight contract.

Maybe it was something she wanted to say when she first saw Raven, what was it again?

Ah, right.

“Sir Raven.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“Do you happen to know about the Earl of Ravena?”

“Yes.”

Although he didn’t exclaim an awkward interjection like she did, this time it was Raven who fell silent.

*****

The princess’s words momentarily made her head spin. She couldn’t quite figure out why.

Ravena, Earl, it seemed like their names were somewhat similar.

Who was that again?

It sounded familiar, so she pondered for a moment.

Before long, she was able to retrieve that familiarity from the dusty pile of memories.

So, on the day her mother died, he barged into the house and said this to her.

“Leave this village. And never come back.”

“Son of a…!”

He threw a single coin and drove her out of the hometown where she didn’t belong.

Despite the discomfort, he was, after all, her biological father. Thanks to him, she grew up strong from a young age.

Was it to avoid the stigma of killing a child like me, or was it to stand proudly before God after death?

In fact, it didn’t matter much. Telling a child under ten to leave the village alone was no different from telling them to die.

But personally, she didn’t have strong feelings towards him.

Although the narrative of being banished, becoming stronger, and returning for revenge had become a cliché, she had indeed become stronger, but she had no intention of doing so.

However, there must be a reason why the princess suddenly mentioned his name.

It wasn’t for idle chatter about their similar names, so she didn’t think there was no reason at all.

“Yes, I am aware.”

“Is he your father?”

“I dare say so, as far as I know, that is correct.”

“I see…”

It was a fact she almost forgot about herself, but half of her current life was indeed of noble descent.

The other half was that of a tenant farmer, so it was a bit complicated. Even so, becoming a respectable freeman made those restrictions meaningless.

To be honest, she had expected to be exposed at least once.

When a person is born, their name is recorded in the church register. The clergy act as doctors, and the church serves as a hospital.

Even after taking their last breath, the church register is revisited. The clergy act as funeral directors, and the church serves as a funeral home.

Although the process from life to death is not recorded in detail, it is generally documented.

Delving deeper into tenant farming can complicate things, but in simple terms, it’s not far off to call it the property of the nobility.

And this property, whether shared in love or lost to a wolf, is constantly tracked and recorded like numbers in a bank account.

With the assistance of the church, handling administrative tasks wouldn’t be too difficult. It was certain that my name was recorded in this human genealogy ledger.

Even if it’s a commoner child, what would the church think of a child openly listed on the resident registration list?

If you don’t want any further rumors, it must be clearly recorded.

So, if someone deliberately digs into my past, there would be no way for my roots not to be exposed.

When I was just a knight, the nobles didn’t go to such lengths, so it wasn’t a big concern.

The only person who has shown interest in this fact so far is probably none other than Countess Ravenna herself.

And even after more than a decade, he hasn’t shown any particular movement, so now it was just something to be expected.

And since the Emperor stands behind the Princess, he probably even conducted a discreet investigation into my background.

But I didn’t think I would hear such words here.

For a moment, I wondered if they were trying to use this fact as leverage to threaten me, but no matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason for me to be intimidated.

“So, do you want that position?”

“Even though I am only half noble blood, how could such a thing be possible for a commoner like me?”

“It’s not unprecedented. In fact, isn’t it even in progress?”

I immediately understood what “Heinie” meant.

In the distant northern part of the continent, across a narrow strait, there is a kingdom on a large island.

Every land has its own owner. There was, of course, a king who ruled that place.

And he had a fancy nickname; people commonly called him Conqueror King William.

But those who sought to undermine his achievements also called him the Bastard King in secret.

The fact that a commoner ascended to the throne was a matter that some nobles found bitter.

Nevertheless, the Conqueror King proved that even a commoner could surpass the status of nobles.

“Your father is considering offering you a noble position.”

“Is that the payment given through a contract?”

“No. It depends on you from then on. Just like the king did.”

The succession system of the royal family is nothing more than a distant story for peasants.

But among those who pride themselves on having a bit of culture, it is a topic worth discussing.

My purse strings were almost non-existent.

This was because I had traveled around the empire, facing nobles, administrators, and knights who had a little taste of power.

“Do you know what the conditions are?”

“It means there is no need for a formal ceremony to inherit the title of nobility.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

By leaving only the option of inheriting the title for the commoner, it was enough to make the family and fortune disintegrate.

It would be a difficult sight for anyone to see something they had devoted their whole life to crumble in an instant.

But no fruit falls into your mouth just by opening it under a tree.

So what else could it mean? If Heinie wants that position, she was telling me to fight for it.