フォカロルの領主館の隣には、以前の領主が建てた大きな別宅があり、愛人や使用人が住んでいた。現在は職員の独身寮として機能している。
部屋は余っていたので、ホーラントからの移住組で独身かつ職員としての就業希望の者は一時的にだがここへ住むことになった。元々が職員寮なので、食堂で三食提供される。
その他、領軍に入ると希望した者は領軍兵士たちの独身寮や家族寮へ入り、その他の職を希望する者や鍛冶や木工の技能を持った者は、街中で宿や職人の弟子たちの寮へと移って行った。
職員としての道を選んだ者たちに、最初に与えられた試練は勉強だった。
領地の成立経緯とはかけ離れたイメージではあるが、今のフォカロル領は国内どころかこの世界でも最先端の教育のメッカとなっている。
強制的に勉強させられているヴィシー離反側からの出向も含め、近隣の街や他の貴族領にて文官として働く者、出入りする商人の子息などがこぞって教育を受けさせるためにフォカロルへと“留学”してくる。
いわゆるカリキュラムを組んで進められる基礎学習に加え、成功的な発展を遂げているフォカロルの領地経営についても余すことなく教えてくれるという魅力があった。
この教育事業だけでも、トオノ伯爵領の運営資金はかなり潤っている。
人口は増えているが、職員たちが戸籍の登録や市民情報の運用に慣れてきた事もあり、領主館内はむしろ落ち着き始めている。ホーラントからの移民等で一時的にバタつきはしたものの、文官奴隷たちも含めて、多少は休みが取れるようになってきた。
そんな中で、面白くないと感じる者もいる。
「最近は、めっきり面白い物を作る機会がなくなったな」
制作班の班長として、一時は寝る時間も無いほどだったドワーフのプルフラスだ。彼らも最近は椅子や机などの事務用品を作っては、余暇に酒を飲んでいるという穏やかな日々を送っていた。
「面白い物?」
話し相手になっているのはヴァイヤーだった。
最初は領軍の訓練に参加して、その特殊な隊列であるスリーマンセルの考え方や、軍の運営についても学ぼうと、軍務担当の文官であるミュカレを尋ねたのだが、アリッサと離れ離れで不機嫌極まりない彼女に追い出されてしまった。
場所が領主館内の一室だったこともあり、
「幸せオーラ出している奴は出て行け!」
というミュカレの叫びは、2階フロアに職員に語り継がれる名言となった。
余裕が出てきた独身職員の間でカップルが増え始めているのも手伝い、この一言でミュカレは完全に“お局様”の地位を固めている。
「そう言えば、領軍が使っている台車や投槍器もこちらで作られたそうですね」
「作りはしたが、考えたのは領主様だな。台車は、最初はトロッコという名前で領地内を走り回っている荷車に車輪を付け直したやつだな」
中々うまく走ってくれなくて大変だった、とプルフラスは笑って、片手に持った酒を呷った。
「あれやこれやと作らされたぜ。使い方がとんとわからねぇ武器なんかもな。“扇子”っていう折りたたみの扇が、フォカロルの土産物として売ってるのは見たか? あれだって、オリガの嬢ちゃんが持ってる鉄扇を作る時に試しに木で作ってみた奴が元なんだよ。名前をつけたのは領主様だけどな」
聞けば聞くほど、一二三という人物像がわからなくなっていくヴァイヤーは、いつの間にか難しい顔をしていたのだろう。プルフラスが笑う。
「何をヘンテコな顔をしてやがる。領主様の事が知りたいなら、オリガの嬢ちゃんに聞くのが手っ取り早いぜ。まだ帰ってきてないけどな」
「なるほど......」
「それより、あんた騎士様だろう? 興味があるなら、領主様が使っている武器の予備があるぜ。見てみるかい?」
「良いのですか?」
嬉しそうに言うヴァイヤーを見て、プルフラスも嬉しくなった。
「おう、領主様からは武器の作成依頼はどんどん受けて良いと言われているしな。気に入ったのがあれば、持って行ってもらっても構わんぞ」
立ち上がったプルフラスは、ヴァイヤーを連れて作業室の奥にある倉庫兼試験室へと移動した。
土がむき出しの広い試験室には、壁一面にいくつもの武器と思しきものが並ぶ。木製や鉄製の物がほとんどだが、中には魔物の素材だろうよくわからない材質でできた物もある。
「これはすごい。騎士隊の訓練場でもこんなのは見たことがない。持ってみても?」
「もちろん」
許可を得たヴァイヤーが最初に手にしたのは、鎖鎌だった。鎌をじっと見てから、鎖とその先端についた分銅を興味深く見つめる。
「変わった形状の......武器なんですか?」
「そうらしい。何度か修理をしたが、試しに使ってる所を見せてもらったときは面白かったぜ」
使い方を聞いたものの、鎖の先の部分を振り回して、重りを当てたり、鎌で切りつけたり引っ掛けて引き寄せたりすると言われても、ヴァイヤーには今ひとつ理解できなかった。
さらに寸鉄や三節棍に始まり、
組立式の十手や手裏剣についてはプルフラスにも説明できたので、ヴァイヤーは聞き逃すまいと真剣に耳を傾ける。手裏剣は、試しに何度か投げてみた。
「こういう小型で携帯性の高い武器は良いですね。城内での警備にも利用できそうですし......」
「興味があるなら、あの鉄面皮カイムに聞いてみたらいい」
プルフラスから出た意外な人物の名前に、ヴァイヤーは首をかしげた。
「カイム殿、ですか?」
なぜ文官の彼の名前が出てくるのかという質問に、プルフラスは自分でも不思議だとは思うが、と言う。
「あの無表情野郎は、ここにある武器の内容を一通り知っている。使い方もある程度は領主様に教わったようだし、手裏剣と鎖鎌についてはこの試験室で毎朝訓練しとる」
さらには、他の奴隷達も時々はここで訓練をしているらしい。
「彼らは奴隷で、しかも文官でしょう? どうして訓練をしているのでしょう」
「さあ、俺は聞いたことが無いから知らんなぁ。気になるなら、直接聞くといい」
「はぁ」
ヴァイヤーにとっては、カイムは正直苦手なタイプだった。沈着冷静で感情を表に出さないカイムは、どう考えているかがわかりにくくて会話が続かない。
「まあ、ここの出入りは俺が許可出しておくから、好きにしたらいいさ」
「ありがとうございます」
「やめてくれよ。俺だって奴隷なんだから、騎士様に頭を下げられても困るぜ」
笑いながら去っていくプルフラスの背中を見ながら、ヴァイヤーは苦笑い。
「ここの奴隷は、全然奴隷に見えないんだよなぁ」
気を取り直して、カイムに会いに行くことにした。この武器を近衛騎士隊に取り入れようと思ったのだ。
国境砦のホーラント側の警備はまだ回復できていなかった。先ほど殺した連中が警備部隊だったのかは不明だが、とにかく兵士は誰もいない。
砦周辺には、一般の民衆と思しき家族や夫婦が何組も座り込んでいた。
馬に乗ったまま街道上の国境を通ると、オーソングランデ側には兵士たちがしっかりと立っている。
「トオノ伯爵様! お帰りなさいませ!」
当番らしい二人の兵士がにこやかに出迎えた。一二三のホーラント侵入の時にいい稼ぎができたのだろう。
「ああ、後からホーラントからの難民が来ているだろう?」
「ええ、今のところは入国が許可できない者ばかりでして......」
ホーラント側の正式な許可も身分証も無いままでは、さすがに入国を許可するわけにもいかず、許可証を持つ商人以外は断り続けているという。
「なら、フォカロル領を目指す難民は通してやってくれ。その連中は俺の所の領民になるからな」
顔を見合わせた兵士たち。
「それは、自己申告でよろしいのですか?」
「構わんよ。それで自力で俺の領まで来れるなら、受け入れてやろう」
「そういう事でしたら、了解いたしました」
一二三は、あっちの領地に入ってもいいから、希望者がいるか声をかけるようにと行って、適当な心付けを渡した。
一人は残り、一人は喜び勇んでホーラント側へと駆けていく。一度破ってしまうと、国境の意識も薄れるのだろうか。
「じゃあ、あとは任せた」
「はっ!」
再び馬を走らせる。
街道をグングン走っていくと、通りすぎる商人たちが手を振ってくる。
情報に敏い者たちや王都に暮らす者たちには、一二三の容姿や姿、その腰に差した不思議な形状の剣までもが広まり始めていた。
一部のお調子者や流行りもの好きな冒険者の中には、真似をして片刃の剣を扱う者も出てきている。もちろん、使い方は滅茶苦茶な上に細いだけの粗悪な剣も多く、魔物との戦闘中に折れて命を落としたりという事も起きている。
王都のギルドでも、一部の新人が片刃の細剣を使っているが、ギルドでベテランが殺された事件を知っている者たちの中には、刀を恐怖の対象に見ている者もいる。
一二三は手を振られたら適当に手を振り返す。馬車に乗った若い女性や若かった女性が黄色い声をあげたりするが、馬を走らせている一二三は適当に聞き流して通り過ぎた。
「適当に愛想を振りまいておけば、領地に人も金も集まるだろう。また遠征するのに準備もしたいからな」
あれを造りたいこれをしばらく触ってない、と領地に戻ったらプルフラスに作らせる武器や道具を考えながら、馬をミュンスターへ向けて走らせる。
「あ~......ここが一番落ち着く」
「サブナク......じゃなかった隊長、こんな所で夕食を摂っていいんですか? 城内の自室に侍女が運んでくるんでしょう?」
城内にある騎士階級向けの食堂で、サブナクはテーブルについて第三騎士隊から近衛騎士隊へ移籍してきた仲間たちとディナータイムを楽しんでいた。
「公の場所でなければ呼び捨てでいいし、敬語もいいよ。まだ実感もないからね」
貴族階級が食べる料理だけに、食材も味付けもこだわりのメニューだが、騎士隊員向けでボリュームもある。
雰囲気的にクラブ活動の部室の様な気安さもあり、最低限のマナーさえ守れば、誰もうるさく言わない独特の空間だった。
グリルした魚とたっぷりのサラダをほおばりながら、サブナクはリラックスを通り越した緩んだ顔で笑っていた。
「侍女の子ね......そういえば名前を聞いてなかったなぁ」
サブナクの呟きに、肉と根菜のタルタルをパンに載せながら同僚が笑った。
「ひどい奴だ。城内の侍女と言えばどこかの貴族の娘だろう? どっかの高位貴族だったら、あとが怖いぞ」
貴族出身かぁ、とサブナクは侍女の顔を思い浮かべた。濃紺の髪に同じ色の瞳。見た目は整っているが地味ではある。
「でもなぁ......なんというか、怖い」
同僚が眉を潜めた。
「トオノ伯爵と普通に話せるくせに、何を言ってるんだ」
「そういうのとは、ちょっと違うんだよ」
よくわからないと肩をすくめる騎士の横に、どこからかミダスがやって来て座った。
「邪魔するぞ」
「あれ、ミダスさん......じゃなかった、副隊長どの」
座ったミダスの前に、食堂の職員がワゴンに載せてきた料理を並べて、去っていった。
「ミダスでいい。......ここの料理は多すぎるのが難点だな」
シチューにスプーンを差し込んだミダスに、サブナクが疑問を投げた。
「ぼくが言うのもなんですが、いつも家に帰って奥さんの手料理を食べてたのに、今日はどうしたんですか?」
「誰のせいだと思ってるんだ」
サブナクを睨みつけて、シチューを一口食べる。妻の料理の方が美味いと思った。
「戴冠式の警備で、城外の警備を騎士隊に丸投げしただろう。その責任者が私になったんだよ。おかげで今日は夜中まで帰れそうにない」
「あれ? ミダスさんは副隊長になったから、王城近くに家が用意されたんでしょう? 食事だけ帰れるんじゃないですか?」
「ああ、一応用意はされたんだがな......私も妻も、広すぎて落ち着かなくて、辞退した」
「あ、わかる。ぼくも城内に部屋が用意されましたけど、一人で三部屋にバスルームまであるんですよ。独身寮に戻ろうかと思いましたよ」
いつの間にか、騎士隊が庶民派の巣窟になりつつある、と同僚騎士は思わず笑ってしまった。
「私の家のことより、さっき話していたサブナク付きになった侍女件だけどな」
「彼女がどうかしましたか?」
「彼女はシビュラ・ヴィンジャーという名前だ。ちゃんと覚えて置いた方がいい」
「......なんでミダスさんが彼女の名前を知っているんです?」
スプーンを置いたミダスは、深い溜息を付いて目を閉じた。
「たまたま宰相と顔を合わせる機会があってな。サブナクに会う機会があれば、よろしくと伝えて欲しいと言われたんだよ」
「どうして宰相が......」
「アドル宰相のフルネームを知らないのか?」
「それくらい知ってますよ」
胸を張って答えたが、サブナクが思い出すまでにたっぷり十秒はかかった。
「えっと......アドル・フィオル・ヴィンジャー様でしたよね。あれ? ヴィンジャーって......」
「彼女は宰相の一人娘だよ。現ヴィンジャー侯爵家当主の姪にあたる」
「え......だって彼女、玉の輿って言って......」
動揺してフォークがカチカチとサラダボウルに当たる。
「アドル様は宰相職に任じられた際に、実家への贔屓をしないことを示すために侯爵家から籍を抜いたから、娘である彼女は正確には貴族じゃないからな」
玉の輿なのは間違いないな、と聞いていた同僚は笑ったが、サブナクとしては笑い事ではない。
伯爵の子息は準子爵扱いとなるが、領地も無く年金も微々たるもので、ほとんど貴族とは言えない。貴族の次男以下が武官や文官を目指すのはその辺りに理由があり、騎士に慣れた者は幸運な方だったりする。
「落ち着けサブナク。イメラリア様からのご好意とこれまでの成果、近衛騎士隊長としての格の問題もあって、お前さんの実家と同等までの引き上げが検討されている。......条件付きでな」
「条件......ですか」
ミダスはしばらく言い難そうにしていたが、サブナクに睨まれて観念した。
「......それなりに釣り合う相手と結婚して、身を固めることが条件だ」
まあ、いつまでも独身のままフラフラしてないで観念しろ、とミダスがサブナクを諭している間に、同僚はそそくさと逃げ出した。
Next to the feudal lord's mansion in Fokalore there is a large second residence built by the previous feudal lord. His lovers and the servants lived there. Currently it is functioning as staff's dormitory.
Since there were rooms left, it was decided that the unmarried aspirants desiring to work as staff among the group of immigrants from Horant will live there temporarily. Because it's the staff's dormitory to begin with, they are provided with three meals per day in the dining hall.
In addition, those wanting to join the feudal army will enter the dormitories for families and singles of the territorial troops. Those hoping for employment and those, who possessed skills in carpentry and blacksmithing, were moved to inns in the whole town and dormitories for the pupils of craftsmen.
The people, who chose the path of becoming a staff member, were given a probation for studying first.
It's quite different from the image they had of the territory's circumstances, but currently Fokalore is becoming a cutting-edge training centre in this world, let alone within the country.
Including even those who have left the alienated Vichy, where education is compulsory, there are many people like the sons of the coming and going merchants and those who are working as civil officials in the neighbouring cities and other noble's fiefs, who are gathering in Fokalore for "studying abroad" to receive education.
In addition to learning the basics in what is called advancing through a set curriculum, there was a charm in being taught anything without reserves concerning the territorial administration of Fokalore, which has accomplished a successful expansion.
Even with only this education service, the Tohno territory's operation budget is profiting quite a bit.
Although the population is growing, the staff members got used to handling the citizen's information and the registration in the family register. Rather, the situation has begun to settle down within the mansion of the feudal lord. Although the immigrants from Horant caused some temporary noise, it reached the point that the staff could take a little vacation, even including the civil official slaves.
There is one person that doesn't find such situation amusing.
"Recently the opportunities to build remarkably interesting things vanished." (Pruflas)
As group leader of the development team the dwarf Pruflas hadn't even the time to sleep for an hour. Nowadays they are building office supplies like tables and chairs. They bid farewell to the calm days where they could leisurely drink sake.
"Something interesting?" (Vaiya)
His conversation partner was Vaiya.
Participating in the training of the feudal army in the beginning, he asked Miyukare, who is the person in charge of military affairs, to teach him the management of troops and the unique way of thinking to implement three man cells within the ranks, but he ended up being driven away by her, who was extremely displeased over being separated from Alyssa.
There was also the matter of the place being a room within the lord's mansion.
"Guys, who are emitting an aura of happiness, should just leave!" (Miyukare)
This shout of Miyukare became a famous saying handed down amongst the staff on the second floor.
Contributing to the increasing number of couples between the single staff members appearing, Miyukare has completely solidified her position as "Court Lady-sama" with those few words.
"Now that you mention it, the wagons and spear throwers, used by the feudal army, apparently were developed here." (Vaiya)
"We built them, but the idea came from the Lord. The platform wagons were wagons with wheels attached for travelling within the territory having the name rail car at the beginning." (Pruflas)
"They didn't run well and were terrible." Pruflas laughs while gulping down the sake he held in one hand.
"We build this and that. There were also thing's that couldn't be used as weapons at all. There is the collapsible fan called "Folding Fan." Did you see them being sold as souvenirs in Fokalore? That thing is something we originally tried to make out of wood as a trial at the time we produced the iron-ribbed fan Origa-jou-chan possesses. Though it was the Lord who gave it its name." (Pruflas)
The more he heard, the less Vaiya could understand the character called Hifumi. Before he noticed it, he was making a troubled face. Pruflas laughs.
"What are you making such weird face for? If you want to know about Lord-sama, you simply have to ask Origa-jou-chan. Though she hasn't returned yet." (Pruflas)
"I see..." (Vaiya)
"Putting that aside, you are a knight-sama, aren't you? If you are curious, there are spares of the weapons Lord-sama uses. Do you want to have a look?" (Pruflas)
"Is that alright?" (Vaiya)
Seeing Vaiya saying this delightfully, Pruflas became happy as well.
"Aye, you can say it's fine because we are steadily receiving requests to produce weapons from Lord-sama. I won't mind you taking some with you, if you are pleased with them." (Pruflas)
Pruflas, who stood up, took Vaiya and moved to the testing room, that also functioned as storage, which existed within the work room.
The testing room, with its wide, bare ground, has countless weapons and kimonos lined up on one wall. Most of them are made out of wood and iron, but there are also items with unknown materials on the right side that might have monster materials within.
"This is amazing. I have never seen something like this, even not at the training field of the knight order. Can I also hold them?" (Vaiya)
"Of course." (Pruflas)
The first thing Vaiya held after receiving permission was the kusarigama. After gazing at the sickle, he intently stares at its chains and the counterweights with their pointed ends with great interest.
"A strangely formed... weapon, is it?"`(Vaiya)
"Seems so. I repaired it several times, however it was interesting at the time I was shown the place where it was used for testing." (Pruflas)
Though he had heard about the way to use it, it was said that you could swing the end part of the chain, hit with its weight, cut with the sickle and throw and pull with it. Vaiya wasn't able to understand most of it.
Furthermore, beginning with the suntetsu and sansetsukon and arriving at the tokko and caltrop, he couldn't imagine how to use those.
Because Pruflas was able to explain about the shuriken and the jitte for enforcing orders and regulations, Vaiya earnestly and carefully listened to him without missing anything. He tried to throw the shuriken several times to test it.
"Such small and hand-held weapon with high adaptability is great. It can be used by guards within the castle..." (Vaiya)
"If you are interested in it, it's fine to ask that arrogant Caim." (Pruflas)
The name of an unexpected person appeared at this place from Pruflas. Vaiya tilted his head to the side.
"Caim-dono, it is?" (Vaiya)
Even Pruflas himself considers the question, why the name of that civil official appeared here, to be strange.
"That expressionless arsehole knows the basic details of the weapons in this place. It seems he was taught the way of using them to some degree by the feudal lord. He is practising his usage of the shuriken and kusarigama in this testing room every morning." (Pruflas)
Furthermore it appears that the other civil official slaves practise here sometimes as well.
"Aren't they slaves, and even more civil officials? Why are they training?" (Vaiya)
"I don't know. I don't care since I wasn't told about it. If you are worried about it, go and ask them directly." (Pruflas)
"Haa." (Vaiya)
Vaiya was bad with the type of person like Caim. He couldn't keep up a conversation with Caim, who doesn't show his emotions on the surface, since he doesn't know what he's thinking about.
"Well, since I gave you the permission to come and go here, it's fine if you do as you like." (Pruflas)
"Thank you very much." (Vaiya)
"Please stop. I'm a slave as well and will be troubled if a knight like you bows his head to me." (Pruflas)
Vaiya smiles bitterly as he is watching the back of the leaving Pruflas who is laughing.
"I can't see the slaves here as slaves at all." (Vaiya)
Pulling himself together, he decided to go meet with Caim. He considered to adopt these weapons in the Royal Knight Order.
The guards in the border fortress on Horant's side still hadn't been replaced. Although it's uncertain whether the previously killed group was the guard unit, there are no soldiers at all.
In the vicinity of the fortress the common people, apparently families and couples, were sitting in countless groups.
Once he passed the border on the highway while riding on his horse, there are soldiers properly standing guard on Orsongrande's side.
"Earl Tohno-sama! Welcome home!" (Soldier)
The two soldiers, apparently on guard duty, greeted him while smiling. They probably were able to earn some good income during the time of Hifumi's invasion in Horant.
"Ah, the refugees from Horant won't come following from behind?" (Hifumi)
"Yea, currently there are only people who have no permission to enter our country..." (Soldier)
As it is there's no person in charge on Horant's side to hand out authorization and identification papers. As one would expect, they can't enter the country without permission. Except for the merchants, who have a permit, they will be continuously denied entry.
"Then let the refugees heading for the territory of Fokalore pass through. Those guys will become citizens of my place." (Hifumi)
The soldiers exchanged glances.
"Is it fine to do a verbal, unsubstantiated assertion?" (Soldier)
"I don't care. I will accept them, if they can come to my territory by themselves." (Hifumi)
"In such case, affirmative." (Soldier)
Since it's also alright to enter the territory over there, Hifumi handed over a suitable gratuity for them to go calling out whether there are any candidates.
One of them remained while the other ran off to Horant's side in high spirits.
"Well, then I leave the rest to you." (Hifumi)
"Ha!" (Soldier)
Once again he spurs on his horse.
As he is steadily travelling on the highway, there are too many merchants waving their hands at him.
People, who are living in the capital, and people, who are sensitive to information, began to spread Hifumi's appearance and figure as well as even the strangely formed sword affixed to his waist.
One part among them are adventurers, who have strange tastes in fashion, and people who get carried away easily. There are also people imitating him by handling a single edged sword. Of course, many of those swords are crude while being only thin making them nonsensical to use. Cases of people losing their lives during battles with monsters due to those breaking are occurring as well.
Even a part of the newcomers in the capital's guild are using a thin, single-edged sword, but among those people, who know about the incident of veterans being killed in the guild, there are those who regard the katana as object of dread.
Hifumi waves appropriately and returns waves. Although young women and young women, who boarded carriages, raise shrill voices upon seeing him, Hifumi, who is travelling on horse, passes them by while ignoring them irresponsibly.
"If I become suitably popular, it will likely gather money and people in the territory. Although I want to prepare an expedition again as well." (Hifumi)
"I want to make that and I haven't touched this in a while", while thinking about tools and weapons for Pruflas to make once he returned to the territory, he steers his horse to gallop towards Munster.
"Ah~... this is the most relaxing place." (Sabnak)
"Sabnak... no, I mean, captain. Is it fine to take your dinner at such place? Shall we have a maid carry it to your own room within the castle?"
In the dining hall intended for knight ranks within the castle, Sabnak was enjoying dinner time with his companions, who transferred from the Third Knight Order to the Royal Knight Order, at one table.
"It's okay to address me without honorifics unless it's an official place. Not using honorific language is fine, too. It still doesn't feel real after all." (Sabnak)
As it's only food eaten by nobility, the menu is picky about seasoning and ingredients, but the dishes intended for knights are plentiful in quantity as well.
There is a relaxed atmosphere as if in a club room for extracurricular activities. If one protects the minimum of manners, it's a peculiar place where no one will annoy you.
While stuffing his cheeks with loads of salad and grilled fish, Sabnak laughed with a face, that has gone beyond relaxing and is now slackening.
"The child of a maid, eh... ? Which reminds me, I didn't hear her name yet." (Sabnak)
As Sabnak mutters this, his colleagues laughed while dipping bread in a tartar sauce made out of root crops and meat.
"You are a heartless guy. Aren't they daughters of some nobles, if you talk about the maids within the castle? It will get scary  later, if she's the daughter of some high-ranking noble."
"Of noble origin, eh?" Sabnak remembered the face of his maid. She has dark blue hair and pupils in the same colour. Her appearance is put in order plainly.
"But you know... how do you call it? She's eerie." (Sabnak)
His colleague lowered his eyebrows.
"What are you saying in spite of being able to interact normally with Earl Tohno?"
"It's slightly different from that." (Sabnak)
"I don't quite understand", the knight at his side shrugs his shoulders. Midas came from somewhere and sat down.
"Let me intrude." (Midas)
"Eh? Midas-san... no, I mean vice-captain-dono." (Sabnak)
A dining hall staff member came pushing a wagon, lined up the dishes in front of the sitting Midas and left.
"Midas is okay. ... It's a bad point that there is too much of the food here." (Midas)
Sabnak threw a question at Midas, who put the spoon into the stew.
"It is difficult for me to say it, but didn't you usually go home to eat your wife's home cooking? What's wrong today?" (Sabnak)
"Whose fault do you think it is?" (Midas)
Glaring at Sabnak, he eats a mouthful of the stew. He considered his wife's cooking to be delicious.
"Due to the guarding of the coronation ceremony, all of the guarding outside the castle has been dumped on the knight order. I became the one responsible for that. Thanks to that, it doesn't look like I will return home until midnight." (Midas)
"Huh? Haven't you arranged for a house near the royal castle after you became a vice-captain, Midas-san? Can't you go home for just eating?" (Sabnak)
"Yea, more or less I did prepare it, but... my wife and me refused because we couldn't calm down with its too big size." (Midas)
"Ah, I know that feeling. There was a room prepared for me within the castle, however having three rooms and even a bathroom for myself... I wondered whether I should return to the dormitory for singles." (Sabnak)
"Before we became aware of it, the knight order has turned into the den of the commoners faction", their knight colleagues ended up laughing unintentionally.
"Rather than the matter of my house, it's more about the case of the maid attached to Sabnak you talked about before." (Midas)
"What's wrong with her?" (Sabnak)
"She is called by the name Sibylla Winger
"... Why does Midas-san know about her name though?" (Sabnak)
Midas, who put down the spoon, closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
"By chance I ran into the prime minister. He told me to convey his regards, if I meet you by chance, Sabnak." (Midas)
"Why does the prime minister..." (Sabnak)
"Don't you know the full name of Prime Minister Adol?" (Midas)
"I know at least that much." (Sabnak)
Even though he replied pridefully, it took Sabnak full 10 minutes to remember.
"Umm... it was Adol Phyiol Winger-sama, right? Eh? Winger..." (Sabnak)
"She is the only daughter of the prime minister. And at the same time she is the niece of the current head of the Marquis Winger household." (Midas)
"Eh... but she said something about marrying into money and power..." (Sabnak)
His trembling fork hits the salad bowl with a clacking.magic
"At the time Adol-sama was appointed to his duty as prime minister, in order to not make it seem like his family's home is being favoured, he gave up on his family status as Marquis family. That's why his daughter isn't a noble to be precise." (Midas)
"There's no doubt that she would marry into money and power", his colleagues, who heard that, laughed, though it isn't a laughing matter for Sabnak at all.
The son of an Earl is treated as Associate Viscount, but with having a small annuity and possessing no territory, you almost can't call them nobles. That situation is the reason why those below the second son of a noble are aiming to become military officers or civil officials. People, who became skilled as knights, were in a fortunate situation.
"Calm down, Sabnak. With your accomplishments so far and the good will of Imeraria-sama, you have reached the problematic status of captain of the Royal Knight Order. You can consider this as being raised to the same rank as your family's home. ... With conditions attached." (Midas)
"Conditions... it is?" (Sabnak)
Midas hesitated to continue for a short while, but he resigned himself when Sabnak glared at him.
"... The condition is to marry a partner that suits your rank and settle down with them." (Midas)
"Well, you should be prepared that you won't be able to idle around as single indefinitely", while Midas warned Sabnak, his colleagues escaped in a hurry.
Summoned Slaughterer
呼び出された殺戮者
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/summoned-slaughterer/
Action Adventure Fantasy Martial Arts Mature Psychological Romance Shounen
Adapted to Manga Aristocracy Arrogant Characters Average-looking Protagonist Beastkin Beautiful Female Lead Betrayal Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Cunning Protagonist Dark Demi-Humans Demons Determined Protagonist Different Social Status Dwarfs Elemental Magic Elves Enemies Become Allies Enemies Become Lovers Evil Protagonist Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fearless Protagonist God-human Relationship Gods Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Love Interest Falls in Love First Magic Beasts Magical Space Male Protagonist Marriage Monsters Nobles Obsessive Love Overpowered Protagonist Politics Power Struggle Protagonist Strong from the Start R-15 Royalty Ruthless Protagonist Samurai Schemes And Conspiracies S*aves Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Summoning Magic Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Transported to Another World Underestimated Protagonist Unique Weapon User Unique Weapons Wars Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4399ci/
井戸正善／ido