Chapter 54
Chapter 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Discard the Hunting Dog (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Despite His Excellency Schwein having messed up royally, thanks to the exploits of Viscount Kroitel, Baron Crescent, and me, Siel von Kroitel, the official verdict was still a complete victory.
As a result, a few days later, Helsman had no choice but to swear that he would cede the County of Helsman to Count of Nant, Schwein von Nant.
And today, inside the castle of the County of Helsman, Count Helsman and even his subordinate barons had gathered to begin the oath-signing ceremony.
It was a ceremony that required the attendance of all nobles with titles baron or higher, so I participated as well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Before the formal signing of the oath document, a banquet was held to encourage Count Helsman and his subordinate nobles for their valiant battle.
Count Nant and Count Helsman sat at the highest seats in the hall, with the barons under Helsman at the long table to the left and those under Count Nant at the long table to the right.
In such settings, people are usually seated by age among those of equal rank, but those with exceptional merits are often promoted to higher seats among their retainers...
Yet our great Excellency Schwein—whether out of grudge against me and the viscount, or burning with jealousy at someone better than him—had the audacity to stick me at the very bottom seat.
A moment later, Count Nant raised his glass and bellowed in a pompous voice.
"Now then, let us raise a glass to honor the noble nobles and brave soldiers who fought valiantly in this war and met their end. To honor!!"
From what I've heard, the one here who's most disgraced the notion of honor is none other than His Excellency Count Schwein himself, and yet here he is, pontificating about honor like some big shot...
I wasn't the only one thinking that, judging by how the atmosphere in the room plummeted instantly.
It got so bad that Helsman, unwilling to let his final war end on such a sour note, stood up, raised his glass high, and forced some cheer into his voice as he shouted.
"To my knights who died honorably in battle, and to the brave soldiers... And to the knights and soldiers of His Excellency Count Nant, who proved worthy opponents! Cheers!!!"
"Cheers!!!"
"To them!!!"
As soon as Helsman led the toast, the mood suddenly livened up, and Schwein—clearly irked that the victor was being upstaged—scowled openly.
But Count Helsman seemed utterly unfazed by it, silently digging into the feast laid out before him without a word.
Even if local customs allowed for chatting and laughing about the war with the enemy like this, my Korean sensibilities made it impossible for me to join in so casually with the very foes we'd slaughtered. So I stayed quiet.
That said, Viscount Kroitel and the other barons were following custom to the letter—whether genuine or not, they drank and chatted merrily.
"Hahaha, Baron Heiltz... That charge of yours was razor-sharp!! If I hadn't worn three layers of padded armor out of sheer paranoia on the day I sortied, I'd be dead! What kind of lance was that? It slipped right through the gap in my plate armor and pierced me..."
"Nothing to it, Your Excellency Viscount Kroitel. Just luck. You, on the other hand, commanded your knights masterfully—truly a sight to behold!!"
"Oh, come on now..."
"If that's the case, once I've found a new liege and settled down, how about a marriage alliance? It doesn't seem like our houses will be crossing swords with His Excellency Count Nant anytime soon."
"No need. Your lands remain intact, and you'll serve the surrounding counts... But my son already has someone in mind!"
"What a shame..."
As expected from the head of the House of Nant, a den of intrigue and paranoia-ridden patients, surviving as the de facto power-holder under a 'guardian'.
Even when that Heiltz guy openly trolled him, he parried it all without tarnishing his own honor.
That's how I spent the time observing those around me, quietly munching on the fine wine, roast beef, and bread in front of me like a dead mouse.
About half a day by my subjective reckoning passed in total silence on my part, and gradually, the barons' faces started flushing red from the alcohol.
Yet not a single one lost their manners or got rude with anyone, despite the drink.
"Ah, n-no... V-Viscount Kroitel, Your Excellency!! Why were your infantry so damn tough? What weapons did you give those serfs?"
"Weapons? A misunderstanding, my friend. Our serfs are just well-fed and sturdy these days."
"I-is that so... Nant truly is prosperous. B-but... Our County of Helsman is prosperous too. Share some of that prosperity with us here. O-otherwise... We won't be able to show our faces..."
"His Excellency the Count will handle it just fine, I'm sure."
The nameless baron fell silent at that, forcing a bitter smile before slinking back to his seat.
As the banquet wound down, with Schwein's face beet-red from drink, Helsman slowly made his way over to me.
Damn it, stay away... Anything he says to me will just give that meathead count an excuse to hassle me...
But Helsman ignored my silent plea and approached, speaking up.
"You're Siel von Kroitel, eh?"
I let out a sigh and replied.
"Yes, that's me."
"Handsome fellow. And sharp as a tack, they say? Heard it from Lance—your second war out, but you moved faster than us, surrounded the castle, and took it bloodlessly."
On the surface, it sounded like praise, but Helsman was using this last chance to salvage his honor while flipping me—the one who ruined him, Siel von Kroitel—the bird.
Because no matter how much of an outsider I was to him as a Count of Nant and lord from another realm, even he could tell from my bottom seat that I was being kept in check...
Speaking only to me was a blatant way to draw all eyes to me and stir something up.
Truly repulsive.
"You're too kind. I merely lent a hand to His Excellency Count Nant's brilliant strategy. All the credit goes to him."
Helsman, finding no fault in my impeccable response, wore a relieved expression, patted my shoulder, and whispered.
"That Nant bastard's a moron. Keeping a talent like you down like this. If it were me, I'd marry you to my daughter and make you a viscount—or just assassinate you. Since you've utterly crushed our house with its two centuries of proud history, make sure you survive."
With that, Helsman strode back to his seat with dignified poise.
And soon after, the banquet concluded.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The day after the banquet—where victors and vanquished feigned 'mutual respect' over food and drink—we proceeded with the scheduled ceremony to sign the cession oath for the County of Helsman.
First came a 'service commemorating the honorable battle,' hosted by the bishop of the County of Helsman—while everyone was still hungover from the night before.
Regular weekly Sunday services usually lasted an hour, but this one dragged on for over four.
And that wicked bishop... spent three hours preaching about how the new lord of the territory, His Excellency Count Nant, should graciously donate more to the church.
His droning tone, like some elderly professor's, nearly put me to sleep—I had to fight hard to stay awake.
Hell, I even ended up mentally designing the dress I wanted to put Ella in and brainstorming baby names mid-service...
Fortunately, I avoided dozing off during the service, and at last, the cession oath-signing rite began.
In the center stood a desk with a long scroll already prepared, detailing the reasons for yielding the territory. Count Helsman and Count Nant positioned themselves around it.
A short distance away, the viscount—the highest-ranking after the counts—and the bishop stood as witnesses, while the rest of the barons lined up to the sides of their lords, clad in full armor.
Once everyone was in place, the bishop and barons spoke in unison.
"In the most noble name of God, praise to Count Helsman and Count Nant, who fought honorably! And now, by the just outcome of this war as revealed by God's will, Count Helsman shall cede his lands to Count Nant! Oh Lord! Grant peace to we who follow Your will."
'Fair war'? That's bullshit even ancients wouldn't buy... And how are the guys who just fought supposed to feel 'peaceful'...
God, the pompous phrases these era's nobles spout are utterly insane.
The bishop handed each their signet ring, dripped wax onto the spots for the seals, and declared.
"This contract shall now be fulfilled justly under God's watchful eye. Your Excellencies, please affix your seals together."
At those words, the two quietly pressed their rings into the wax.
"God shall now safeguard this contract. Well done."
With that, Schwein held out a pouch stuffed with gold coins to Count Helsman and said.
"May you and your family live out your days in peace."
Helsman smirked mockingly and replied.
"Thank you. I wish you long life as well, Count Nant. And as per the oath, refrain from harming my men for three years."
"Would I ever? Off you go, Helsman."
Whoa, that psycho... He could've at least partially restored his reputation by just letting him leave gracefully, but dropping the title like that to trample his honor?
Classic Schwein—just a pig with nothing but women, booze, and playtime on his brain...
Anyone who follows that idiot deserves to die.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After His Excellency Schwein took over Helsman Castle, we stayed inside for about a week until the merit awards were distributed.
And during that time, surprisingly, His Excellency Count Schwein put some real effort into normalizing the internal affairs of Helsman Castle.
Well, 'effort' meant ordering his men to distribute food moderately and occasionally showing his face to bask in prostrations...
Still, thanks to that much, no rebellions broke out after occupying the County of Helsman...
At least that was a relief.
If a revolt had sparked... Helsman could've led his barons back to strike...
Lost in such thoughts and zoning out, I suddenly heard the end of 'Schwein's self-aggrandizing praise fest' echoing from the audience chamber of Helsman Castle, full of all sorts of flowery rhetoric.
"This is why my victory was utterly inevitable."
With those words, a young knight entered bearing the scroll listing Schwein's merit awards and began reading aloud.
"By custom, a guardian serves until the first war is fought, so Paul von Kroitel is hereby relieved of guardian duties! However, considering his merits to date, his provisional viscountcy is confirmed as permanent. For his achievements in this battle, the fiefs of Windhelm and Finehelm are granted to his house. Furthermore, for Siel von Kroitel's bloodless capture of Helsman Castle, the lands of Orbo and Souturon are granted to him! At the same time, considering he remains unmarried, marriage to Lady Alice, illegitimate daughter of the late Count of Nant, is approved!!"
He gave decent chunks of his own county for the sake of his reputation, but this lunatic's handing the top contributor—me and our house—a concubine's daughter as the principal wife?
This is basically a declaration of war to isolate our house within the Nant faction...
Even when he's in no position to pull this crap?
Ah, now that he's swallowed the County of Helsman, he thinks his position's secure enough to shake things up?
Damn it, 'once the hunt's done, the hound ends up in the stewpot'—that's what he plans for our house?