Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Board Grows Too Large
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“This board is getting too big...”
At the mayor of Mopern's words, the guild masters gathered in the study of his mansion smacked their lips.
The meeting, held at the request of Gardye, the merchant guild master, centered on Sir Eugene.
“Fine, let's say the extra money is acceptable. Building a small castle isn't that burdensome. The problem is that the Bemos Duke's mansion is included in the castle site.”
Even though it had been abandoned without an owner for a long time, it was a mansion owned by the youngest son of Marquis Archibald.
If they arbitrarily renovated it, there was a high chance the new Marquis Archibald—who would emerge after sorting out the family's disputes—would make trouble over it.
“Can't we just pay appropriate compensation? By that logic, the entire land Sir Eugene has claimed as his fief could become a problem later.”
At the textile guild master's words, Gardye quickly stepped in.
“Exactly. Hasn't it been over a year since they paid any attention to that area? Because of that neglect, our city has suffered considerable damage. And regardless, Sir Eugene is the one responsible. Even if complaints arise later, we'll have plenty of excuses to brush them off.”
“I agree with the merchant guild master's opinion.”
“Me too.”
The mercenary guild master and stonemason guild master chimed in. The other artisan guild masters mostly nodded, signaling their agreement.
“What I'm saying is, won't the Archibald family—not to mention other nobles—start viewing our city with suspicion?”
“Hmm...”
“I acknowledge Sir Eugene's achievements, but isn't the pace of progress too fast? He's only twenty-two? Twenty-three? Too young, even if he is young. Nobles unfamiliar with Sir Eugene might think Mopern is using a novice knight as a puppet to expand its influence.”
“Those who haven't experienced it firsthand might think that way.”
“Hm?”
As the mayor narrowed his eyes, Gardye took a sip of tea and continued.
“Under the condition that all our city's guilds are fully involved, it will take at least six months or up to a year to complete the castle. What do you think Sir Eugene will be doing during that time? We didn't hire mercenaries on his behalf just so he could hole up in his fief, did we?”
“...!”
“Those nobles who haven't experienced it might react as you fear, Mayor. But those who have will be speechless, I guarantee it. Isn't there the actual example of Baron Beogalan?”
“Oh ho!”
“That's true.”
It was already well-known that Baron Beogalan had recognized Yan Eugene as a lord and gotten nobles close to him to sign a joint pledge.
The exact reason for the baron's decision wasn't public, but no one disputed that he had witnessed and experienced Yan Eugene's abilities firsthand.
“Baron Beogalan, who employed Sir Eugene, recognized him as a lord. So what about the nobles who will face Sir Eugene? No—how do you think Sir Eugene will deal with those he considers enemies?”
“...!”
Gardye smiled at the surprised mayor.
“It's still a long way off before results appear, but if Sir Eugene succeeds, no one will doubt his abilities or achievements. We won't be seen as propping up a puppet, but as wise investors who recognized a shining gem.”
“Gardye.”
“Yes?”
The mayor looked at Gardye with an expression of utter amazement and continued.
“Since when did your perspective become so grand? Most impressive.”
“Someone gave me a little help. Haha.”
Gardye laughed awkwardly, flinching despite himself.
He absolutely could not confess that most of what he had just said came from a certain 'fief manager.'
“Then let's build Sir Eugene's castle right away. All in favor?”
“Let's do it.”
At the mayor's words, the Mopern guild masters nodded vigorously.
* * *
“...What is this now?”
Eugene, who had chased after the knights charging recklessly into the forest that served as the bandits' base, was dumbfounded.
Amid the knights' triumphant mood, over thirty bandits knelt, trembling.
“Sir Eugene! These guys were so awed by our valor that they surrendered immediately! Haha!”
“You saw it, right, sir? We said we wouldn't hold you back!”
“Doesn't this prove you can trust us from now on?”
Having captured the bandits without swinging a sword, the knights brimmed with sky-high pride.
Eugene had to admit it. If he and Galpredic weren't so overwhelmingly strong, these bandits wouldn't even be a match for ordinary knights like them.
Just six or seven knights charging on horseback in solid armor created pressure equivalent to mid-to-high-tier monsters.
Moreover, these were knights who had survived years of chaos on the Kalsbagen Peninsula.
Though they lacked superhuman abilities like his or Galpredic's, each was a perfected killing machine.
With seven such knights charging in at once, the terror the bandits felt must have been beyond imagination.
They surrendered without even thinking to use the advantage of their home turf in the forest.
‘Still, surrendering at first sight? That's a bit odd.’
With that thought, Eugene approached the bandits, who were trembling while only watching his group.
“Hey.”
“Eek!”
He had just called out, but the bandit jumped in fright. Eugene tilted his head.
“Why are you so scared? It's like someone's going to eat you.”
“Hahaha! It must be Sir Eugene's fame, right? Especially with us here too. No wonder they're startled...”
“...Right?”
“What?”
As the bandit muttered something, the knight whipped his head around.
Drenched in sweat from sheer terror, the bandit stammered.
“W-We heard he really eats people alive. I-Is that not true?”
“What the hell are you saying?”
As the knight glared, the bandit flattened himself on the ground.
“Eek! F-Forgive us! We heard in Maren that anyone who opposes the Black Iron Knight from Maren gets eaten alive! And if you surrender, you're made a slave! Please forgive us! Sir! Have mercy!”
“...”
Eugene was speechless.
Of all things, rumors of him eating people.
Of course, as a vampire, it wasn't entirely baseless.
“Where did you hear that?”
“A-At a pub in the nearby village. That's why we haven't left the forest at all lately. Believe us! A-After hearing about you, sir, we really just stayed put and did nothing!”
“Mercy!”
“We repent! Sir!”
The bandits prostrated themselves without exception.
“Looks like it's not us knights they're afraid of, but Sir Eugene.”
“Yeah.”
As the watching mercenaries whispered, the knights' expressions grew awkward.
“Master! Praise, praise.”
At that moment, Mirian whispered in Eugene's ear.
‘Ah, right.’
Recalling the method of handling knights Galpredic had taught him, Eugene turned to the knights, who had lost their bravado and were smacking their lips.
“Still, if you knights hadn't charged bravely, would these guys have surrendered? Good work, sirs.”
“...!”
The knights flinched, their lips quickly curling up.
“Hahaha! No, no. It can't compare to Sir Eugene's valor.”
“We truly can't match Sir Eugene's sharp judgment. Haha!”
“It's the combination of your lofty fame and our boldness that led to this result, isn't it?”
“But you know.”
“Yes?”
The knights stopped laughing as Eugene's voice suddenly dropped.
“Didn't I say all orders come from me?”
“Uh...”
“This is the only forgiveness you'll get, sirs. If anything like this happens again...”
Eugene swept his cold smile over the knights.
“From then on, we'll spar with real steel. And during those spars, accidents—deaths—will probably happen from time to time.”
“...”
A chill silence descended in an instant, filled only by the knights gulping.
* * *
From that day on, the knights watched Eugene's mood and followed his orders to the letter.
Of course, on the surface, they weren't orders.
What Eugene said to the knights was things like, ‘It would be good if you did XX,’ or ‘Wouldn't it be best if Sir XX handled that?’
But wary of ‘unfortunate accidents that might occur during real-steel spars,’ the knights responded thoroughly to those expectations and requests.
Thanks to that, Eugene was able to nearly wipe out the bandits and roamers inside the fief—recognized by surrounding nobles—without significant troop losses.
‘Nearly,’ not completely, because the rest had fled the fief on their own.
As a result, the villages and hamlets in the fief regained peace and stability after almost two years, and the residents fervently revered their new lord.
Once the personnel dispatched by Mopern's various guilds arrived, the fief would enter a stable phase, and Eugene had already entrusted that to Delmong, so he set out again immediately.
In the meantime, Galpredic had joined after leaving only a portion of the troops to manage the silver mine.
Their destination was the fief of Andre, a knight of the marquis's family backing the marquis's eldest son, Gabriel.
* * *
“Sir Eugene! Sir Eugene!”
“What? Did you spot more roamers?”
The scout who came galloping up bowed his head and reported.
“No. Lord Pidren's sons wish to see you, sir.”
“Lord Pidren?”
As Eugene tilted his head, Verlon quickly sidled up.
“He's a local lord, but not titled nobility. His family has held the land for generations, so Marquis Archibald appointed him a knight.”
“I see. But why do his sons want to meet me?”
“I'm not sure...”
Partek stepped forward in place of Verlon, who scratched his head.
“Don't they just want to build a connection with Sir Eugene?”
“A connection?”
“Partek's right. More likely, they want to size up the master in person.”
Galpredic smirked and turned to the scout.
“How many sons?”
“Three.”
“And their entourage? Surely not just the three of them.”
“At least ten, including servants and soldiers.”
At the scout's answer, Galpredic spoke to Eugene again.
“Yep. With this many troops moving around, it's intimidating and makes you wonder what they're up to. Exchanging greetings should be fine, no?”
“Hm. Alright, then let's do that.”
Since he had decided to become a lord anyway, it was essential to at least know the neighboring nobles, even if not close friends.
“Bring them here.”
“Yes, sir!”
The scout galloped off again.
In the meantime, Eugene heard more about Lord Pidren from Verlon.
As Verlon was merely a small mercenary band leader, he didn't know much important info, but it was enough.
‘About the same as the Tiwin fief, roughly?’
The Pidren family seemed to have more wealth, but the fief size, troops, and such were similar to Tiwin's.
As he thought that, the scout returned alone, sweating profusely.
“Hm? Why are you alone?”
“Well...”
Without catching his breath, the scout knelt on one knee and glanced at Eugene nervously as he answered.
“Their eldest son told Sir Eugene to come to them.”
“...”
“Crazy bastard?”
“Seems like it.”
Partek gave Galpredic, who looked incredulous, a wry smile.
Ordering the commander of a force over a hundred strong, complete with chief quartermaster, to come—when he wasn't even a lord, just his son.
“You're sure you relayed it properly? Did you explain who Sir Eugene is?”
As Galpredic scowled, the scout jumped and replied.
“Of course! I clearly said he's the one recognized as a lord by Baron Beogalan and many other peninsula nobles!”
“And he still said come? What a lunatic. Master, want me to go?”
Eugene stopped Galpredic, who cracked his neck side to side.
“No, I'll go.”
“Huh?”
“It's just greetings. What could go wrong?”
The others tilted their heads as Eugene shrugged indifferently.
There was no reason for the higher-status Eugene to meet Pidren's son first.
But one being saw through Eugene's intentions.
“If something goes wrong! If they pick a fight and get their asses handed to them by our master, that'd be great!”
Eugene inwardly flinched at Mirian's excitement. Even if it was occasional, the lump of desire's intuition was hard to ignore.
(To be continued)