Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Inheritance of the Kroitel Barony
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"A message from Baron Kroitel Excellency. The late Count Nant Excellency is critically ill, so you are commanded to head to Nant County immediately! Please make haste."
The moment I heard that Count Nant was on the verge of death, I recalled the count's pale face from before, when he'd desperately tried to hide it by applying powder.
I'd had a nagging feeling he could drop dead at any moment since then, but according to the memories etched into this body, he was supposed to live at least another year...
"Understood. You'll come with me. You there, soldier—fetch Helmut and Baldt here right away. It's late tonight, so we'll depart tomorrow."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ What would normally take a week by carriage, we covered in just five days by pushing the damn thing to its limits.
Upon arriving at the count's manor, the steward there came out to greet us.
"You've arrived sooner than expected. Thank you for coming. Baron Kroitel Excellency arrived three days ago. Please wait a moment, and I'll show you to your quarters."
"Much obliged."
A short while later, a young steward whispered something inaudible to me behind the elderly one standing in front of me.
Then the old steward spoke.
"There are no rooms available in the count's manor... so would you mind staying at the annex instead?"
"...The annex. Very well."
"Thank you. Erich, show him the way."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The annex was about a thirty-minute walk from the count's manor.
The house, surrounded by a brick wall, with whitewashed walls and a red roof, looked like one of those quaint little villas straight out of a Greek countryside—it was right up my alley.
"Erich, was it? I really like this place. Thanks."
"Thank you, Young Master."
"Alright then, off you go."
With that, the steward who had guided me bowed and left.
Once he was gone, I turned to Baldt and Helmut behind me and said,
"Helmut, unpack the luggage here. Baldt, you're with me—we're going to see Father right away."
"Yes, Young Master."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Truth be told, my body's in rough shape right now.
Because we crammed a week's journey into five days, and that rickety carriage was already a bone-rattler on a good day.
My ass is bruised black and blue from bouncing around inside like that.
Still, if I took it easy like some ordinary person and rested overnight, I might miss the perfect window of opportunity—so no choice but to push through.
Dragging my weary body a bit farther, I soon arrived at the room in the count's manor where the baron was staying.
Before entering, I knocked three times on the door and said,
"Father, it's Siel von Kroitel. May I come in?"
"Come in."
I opened the door and entered the baron's room.
The floor was covered in a carpet from the Orient, atop which sat a bed big enough for four grown men, a sofa, a desk, and an office desk with chair for handling work.
The baron was seated on the sofa at the far end of the room.
"Father."
The baron heard me, paused for a long moment, then finally replied.
"Ah, sorry... Yes, sit down."
As I took a seat on the sofa, the baron let out a sigh and spoke.
"Ever since that audience last time, I'd been bracing myself deep down... but I never imagined he'd decline so rapidly. I just saw him, and it looks like he doesn't have much time left... He won't last the week."
"I see. For Count Excellency to weaken so much..."
"That's part of it, but there's a bigger problem."
"A bigger problem? What is it?"
The baron made a face like there was no good answer and spoke in a heavy voice.
"Barons Eyland, Sercland, and Hyver are seizing this chance to bolster their political power. They won't draw swords or start a civil war outright... but with Count Excellency gone, won't it make things hard for young Count Schwain to rule Nant County?"
Schwain von Nant was just 25 years old, after all.
And from what I saw at that last audience, summoning me in the dead of night to push women on an unmarried guy like me...
The man had zero judgment, obsessed with money, booze, and women—a total degenerate.
To the baron, he must still look somewhat respectable as the 'lord of Nant County.' But not to me.
Anyone in their forties or fifties would see a Schwain who chased skirts, liquor, and gold as nothing but a walking piggy bank.
I simply nodded in silent agreement.
"Up till now, those vultures could glare all they wanted as long as Count Nant Excellency was alive—no issue. But once he's gone, what then? They'll surely whisper all sorts of rotten schemes into the new Count Schwain's ear."
Just as the baron said, the memories in this body confirmed it: soon, Schwain von Nant would hand over de facto control to those three barons—Eyland, Sercland, and Hyver.
In exchange, he'd drown himself in women and wine, day after day, until the domain was crushed under an overwhelming army due to their worst decisions.
Knowing that future, the baron's 'foresight' struck me as downright prescient.
For starters, to comfort him, I mixed in a bit of white lie.
"That's for you to prevent, Father. And from what I've seen of Count Schwain Excellency, he may indulge in women and drink a touch, but he's properly inherited Count Nant Excellency's wisdom. No need to worry too much."
Perking up a little at my words, the baron gave a wry smile.
"Right, you're correct. And thanks for coming so quickly—I figured it'd take a few more days."
"How could I not? When Count Excellency, who's favored me since childhood, is at death's door? I dropped everything to come—as his retainer."
"I've raised one fine son, that's for sure. Alright, off you go. We'll visit Count Excellency on his sickbed tomorrow afternoon together. If you have any ideas on thwarting those three's schemes before then, speak up."
"Yes, Father."
With that, I closed the door behind me and left the baron's room.
Walking a bit farther to an empty spot, I muttered quietly to myself.
"No, Baron. I'm ditching that count. I'd follow a proper Count Nant, but that Schwain pig? Useless. Fat as a hog, obsessed with women, debts piling up... How the hell do you survive this chaotic medieval world serving trash like him?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next morning, at the appointed time, we headed to the count's bedroom.
The count lay on a small bed barely big enough for one person, with chairs around it for me and the baron.
As we entered, the count's personal physician, standing at the head of the bed, spoke to us softly.
"Baron Kroitel Excellency, and Young Master. Count Excellency's condition is relatively stable today, so you should be able to talk at length. But loud voices aren't good for him—please keep your emotions in check and don't cry too loudly."
"Understood."
"Got it, Doctor."
With that, the physician stepped aside to give us privacy.
As I sat, the baron gently stroked the count's hand and said,
"Count Excellency, Paul is here. Forgive my tardiness."
A moment later, the count replied with effort.
"P-Paul...? Heh heh, thanks for coming so quick. Ah, and that beside you must be your son Siel? My eyes don't work so well anymore—bring your face closer."
I stood, leaned in, and showed the count my face.
"You've become a fine man. How old are you now?"
"Seventeen this year."
"Seventeen, eh. Married yet? If not, you should be—soon as possible."
"No suitable match yet... but one should come along soon, right?"
The count chuckled, a wet, phlegmy sound mixed in, then spoke.
"The genius of Kroitel who devised new farming methods and rakes in fortunes from sugar... hopeless with love? Your father was the opposite—always bragging about his sweetheart right in front of..."
"Excellency, please."
"Heh heh, alright, not in front of the boy. Kroitel."
After that, we spent about an hour chatting idly.
The baron and count reminisced about battlefield tales, premarital escapades, the 'spear' the count had gifted as a birth present for me... light stories at first, then heavier ones: the sorrow when the count's wife died birthing Schwain, comrades lost in war...
Through it all, those two reflected on the weight of their shared path.
Whether to keep me from getting bored or not, when sharing ribald or battle yarns, the count awkwardly played the chummy elder: "Heh heh, when you're young, these things happen, eh?"
Clearly, he was scheming to evoke maximum sympathy and closeness in me—Siel von Kroitel, son of his trusted Baron Kroitel—toward himself and Schwain.
Hoping I'd serve Schwain von Nant as faithfully as Paul von Kroitel had served him, even if it meant him abandoning lordly dignity. It was a touch pitiful.
A bit more time passed.
"So, you really ought to marry soon. If you're that set on it... *cough*."
Mid-laughter, the count suddenly vomited bright red blood onto his blanket.
As we panicked, I moved to fetch the doctor waiting outside.
But the skeletal count gripped my hand hard enough to hurt and stopped me.
"Wait. Just a moment. One last thing I want to say... Yes, Paul."
The baron, who had been laughing moments ago, now teared up as he replied.
"Yes, my lord."
"I'm envious... your son turned out so splendid. Even without you, Siel will do well, won't he?"
"Yes..."
"I beg you, Paul von Kroitel. As you've cherished me, now cherish my son in turn..."
The baron simply wept silently at those words.
"And Siel von Kroitel."
"Yes, Count Excellency."
"From the moment I die, you are the Baron of Kroitel. In your father's stead, rule that domain well. He'll need to protect my son."
...And with that moment, I effectively gained full authority over Kroitel Barony.
I'd hoped for something like this, but for it to play out so perfectly...