The Doomed Fief’s Dying Lord (37)

-drip

I rubbed and wiped the blood that had flowed.

Nosebleed.

This bastard comes too often, as if shameless.

Because of that, my pockets were full of handkerchiefs.

The left pocket had an unused handkerchief.

The right one had a used handkerchief, stained red to the corners.

But now there’s nothing in the left pocket?

“Ugh.”

I lifted my head to stop the nosebleed.

At that moment a familiar voice came.

“You’re always bleeding despite not even being a warrior.”

A pitying tone.

It was Izack.

He handed me his cloth.

“Thank you.”

No response.

An awkward silence lasted about two seconds.

Izack* spoke abruptly.*

“I have a favor to ask.”

Of course. That’s why he came to me right after the battle.

I nodded vaguely.

“Go ahead.”

“Leave Ronari out of it.”

“So you heard. From Elder Pietro.”

“Yes. Father went to persuade Ronari.”

“Isn’t that settled then? Whether to join this fight is up to Miss Ronari herself. Why are you asking me?”

I said brazenly.

But Izack was serious.

“I want to protect her even if I have to break Ronari’s will.”

That must be his earnestness as a father.

I felt heavy-hearted.

“When you appointed Ronari as a staff member, I endured.”

Izack* said.*

“When you made Ronari a tactician, I endured. When you took her to Limone, I did too.”

“Why did you put up with that?”

“Because I trusted you.”

I felt like I’d been punched.

I somewhat expected he’d say that.

I checked the Status Window.

[Izack Arenta]

[Trust: 96/200]

He must have heard everything from Pietro.

His trust level remained as it was.

“I believed you wouldn’t put her in danger. Because you’re the real deal. A man who truly wants to protect his people. And I knew that.”

“You must understand that isn’t the case anymore.”

Even after saying it, the bitterness didn’t go away.

But Izack shook his head.

“No. You will continue to do your best. I still don’t doubt your will. But no more. I can’t keep her by your side.”

Izack* pointed at me.*

“You are dangerous.”

I had a sense of déjà vu.

It was something I’d also heard from Ronari.

“Remember? I told you. You have the talent of a leader. You draw people to your side. You captivate them. You make them want to give you everything.”

“Ha ha… Someone might think I’m a magician if they heard that.”

Now I really am a mage.

But I haven’t learned that kind of magic.

“Cut the jokes. Ronari will do anything to be acknowledged by you, to surpass you! You should know that best!”

I couldn’t refute that.

I bit my lower lip.

“Whether you want it or not, it’s the same! You put your people in danger. What you want is Denabi’s salvation, and for that you throw yourself into danger.”

“……“

“I’m enough to wade into that hell. I’ll throw myself in. I’ll tear those monsters below apart ten times, twenty times more than others. But… not Ronari.”

-gulp, gulp.

Izack* dropped to both knees on the ground.*

And bowed his head.

“I beg you, Shane Astrier. I will serve you. But release Ronari.”

’…Damn.’

I bit my lip.

I felt a strong temptation.

What if I accepted Izack’s request?

Tie Ronari up somewhere safe, whether Denabi Castle or elsewhere.

Then Izack’s trust would rise.

Probably above 100.

With trust over 100 comes appointment.

She would become a Regular contracted talent.

Then she would [Blossom], and I might be able to use an A+ grade Denabi warrior as a pawn.

It was an appealing option.

’…It’s just maddeningly painful that I must refuse that.’

I said.

“Stand up.”

“……Why!“

Izack* shouted.*

“Why? Are you so covetous of Ronari’s talent? Or do you harbor selfish feelings?”

[Human Resources Info Update]

[Izack Arenta]

[Trust: 96 194/200]

“Fine! If she’s happy, I don’t care. Take her and make her your bride if you like. But no war. Never!”

“I’ll keep her safe.”

“Cut that answer out!”

A blade slipped silently from its sheath and stood before my throat.

I faced Izack.

Izack* thundered.*

“What is she to you! Why won’t you let her go!”

‘Because she’s my only S-rank.’

And her talent is aimed at the battlefield.

I’ve never seen S-rank potential in anyone else.

Nor have I seen anyone with a similar aptitude.

So how could I let her go?

With her, who knows how many people could be saved.

I’m dying of curiosity about what great things she could accomplish if she were with us.

‘How could I return her to you?’

I’ll grant Izack’s request this once.

Then I’ll use Ronari afterward.

I could think like that.

But that’s impossible.

Izack* has already labeled me dangerous.*

And he has no intention of risking his daughter’s safety.

The moment I promise him Ronari’s safety, she will be forever gone from my hands.

“If you want to protect Ronari… Izack, there’s only one thing you can do.”

I said coldly.

“Go and fulfill your duties. Take care of your exhausted subordinates, send them out to fight, and make sure they return alive.”

I stood up from my seat.

Izack*’s sword followed the line under my chin.*

But I paid it no mind.

“I will do the same. I will go the path I have chosen.”

[Human Resources Info Update]

[Izack Arenta]

[Trust: 06 06 155]

“That’s all I have to say.”

I dismissed the Status Window in front of me.

And I walked past Izack’s blade.

I had said everything I wanted to say, but I didn’t feel relieved at all.

Only uneasy.

The outcome was equally unclean.

‘What can you do. You reap what you sow.’

It’s already done anyway.

I decided not to worry about it further.

A bigger headache is approaching over there.

Several hours after the battle ended.

Half of Limone’s brigade had arrived at our battlefield.

Three hundred.

A number that’s small if you think so, large if you think so.

To civilians who learned war from grand historical battles, it might feel small.

But not for us.

Somewhere, a murmur was heard.

“Damn, it’s a lot.”

“Isn’t that a good thing then?”

“Good. Yeah. Very good.”

It wasn’t exactly a tone of being pleased.

At best we have only about a hundred.

Even as reinforcements, they’re soldiers from another contingent three times our size.

We couldn’t be free from anxiety.

So our faces receiving the reinforcements weren’t very bright.

We’d just come from fighting and were tired, nerves on edge, what could we do?

But since our side’s mood wasn’t good, it’s natural theirs wasn’t either.

The atmosphere in the main camp, with all troops assembled, was nothing short of hell.

So what are you supposed to do?

‘What are you supposed to do: units also need icebreaking. That’s the point.’

But it wasn’t my turn yet.

I’m just the Lord’s son with no post in the brigade.

The leaders should start.

“Long time no see, Commander Vittorio. Welcome to Denabi. Thank you for keeping the pact as allies.”

Alejandro broke the ice in the conversation.

It was a simple greeting, but showed experience.

To Alejandro, Vittorio was in fact a friend’s son and a friend of his son.

He could have treated him informally, but Alejandro didn’t forget courtesy and formality.

He treated Vittorio as the commander of the Limone brigade.

Vittorio took Alejandro’s outstretched hand and shook it.

“Long time no see, Your Excellency.”

A concise greeting befitting Vittorio.

While diplomatic rhetoric passed between them, I beckoned Ebinger nearby.

I whispered to him as he approached.

“…That thing I mentioned. Is it ready?“

“Yes. It’s definitely ready!”

“As expected of my Steward. If their talk seems to be winding down, take the cue and strike in!”

“Understood!”

We watched Alejandro and Vittorio’s conversation closely.

And slowly…

“Now…!”

With my signal we set off.

Not too slow, not too fast.

As if our appearance was natural.

Very naturally!

I slid in to Alejandro’s left, Ebinger to the right.

“…Shane?“

Alejandro, whose conversation had just paused, turned his gaze to me.

I tipped him off.

“…That ‘thing’ I mentioned earlier. It’s ready.“

Alejandro smiled.

And he turned his head back to Vittorio.

“Ah. He says it’s ready. Your soldiers must be tired from hastening here; they should rest. A strategy meeting can be handled by the staff alone.”

At that moment it was Ebinger who interjected to Alejandro.

“There’s our brigade’s encampment nearby. I’ve prepared a place next to it for the Limone brigade to camp. We’ve also made some preparations. I’ll guide you immediately.”

Vittorio nodded.

When he motioned concisely, the entire brigade moved.

Only then did the tension lingering between brigades ease a bit.

Well, naturally.

They probably felt they could finally rest.

But if they expected nothing more, they’d be badly mistaken.

What the Limone brigade encountered at the encampment were several carts filled with casks of alcohol.

-Wow

A chorus of exclamations broke out.

Until then, the silence that had been maintained was broken.

I stood before them and raised my voice.

“Today, thanks to the support of the valiant Limone riders, we won our first victory and succeeded in reclaiming the land. The glory of the first victory belongs to you. To all of you who came from afar to fight for your neighbors, we prepared a gift for you. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

This was the surprise present I had prepared.

I looked to Vittorio for his reaction.

He was glaring at me.

He didn’t seem pleased.

‘But what are you going to do about it! You have to follow me. Just accept this gift.’

“……“

In the end Vittorio permitted them to have the alcohol.

A feast broke out among the Limone soldiers.

‘Hmm. As expected. A proven method. Very effective!’

Whether in university or at a company, there’s something you always do to newcomers.

Feed them alcohol.

It’s not something to recommend, but it’s a solution with history and tradition.

‘What else is as good for icebreaking as this?’

So I ordered specially from the brewery.

The first brew from our brewery, just finished aging.

I planned to use this to improve relations between brigades.

Of course it’s a bit under-aged and may not taste great, but as they say, hunger is the best sauce.

They’d hastily marched for three days in hardship, and at the end awaits this alcohol.

It couldn’t possibly taste bad.

I watched the feast among the Limone soldiers with satisfaction.

‘Yes. Good. Drink it all. Drink it up!’

They didn’t disappoint my expectations.

The alcohol was quickly consumed.

“Oh, this cask is empty. Bring a new one!”

“Wait! This cask is empty too?”

Voices calling for more alcohol.

Less drunk voices could be heard here and there.

They hadn’t gotten drunk enough.

But the alcohol ran out and…

It would be hard to bear.

‘How about it, isn’t it tantalizing?’

Just giving them alcohol made relations better.

That’s kind of lame, right?

So I prepared one more.

That’s my real ace.