Chapter 55
Chapter 55
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Discard the Pawn After Victory (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After wrapping up the rewards for our family, which had earned the greatest merits, the young knight continued announcing the rewards for the other barons.
"... To Baron Crescent, we grant twenty villages around his territory in recognition of his achievements to date. That concludes all reward announcements. As Your Excellency Count of Nant must stabilize Helsman for the time being, the barons are to return to their respective territories."
With that, Viscount Kroitel and all the barons knelt on one knee, bowed their heads, and paid their respects to the count.
Seeing us perform this courtesy, the count extended his right hand slightly and shook it.
"I thank you all for fighting honorably in my name. Your loyalty has been rewarded, so now return to your territories and rest easy."
"Thank you."
And with that, we left the audience chamber to head back to our territories.
As the viscount and I walked down the long corridor, separated from the other barons, Baron Crescent's voice reached us.
"Looks like it's the end for Viscount Kroitel and the baron too. What's the use of having talent if they won't obey His Excellency's orders and just chase their own glory? Tsk tsk... Our rewards ended up like this because of them, didn't they, Baron Ren?"
"But the Kroitel family's merits are on a different level, aren't they..."
"Nonsense. If they'd factored that in properly, they should've shared some with us too, right? Those guys snatched up all the merits. The territories they got... aren't they the best spots in the county?"
"True... Copper mines, limestone quarries... Even if their capture of Helsman Castle was the biggest feat, their territory has effectively doubled in size. They've surpassed us outright and become the number two."
Baron Ren and Baron Crescent kept badmouthing us until they were too far away for us to hear.
Putting their conversation together, it seemed the other barons were stoking jealousy toward our Kroitel family, aiming to split into a 'majority faction loyal to the count' and the 'Kroitel baronial family' down the line...
No matter how much the viscount and I had become vassals of the county, if he was going to do this, he might as well order us to 'go independent' instead of pulling these petty stunts.
This was the height of cowardice—throwing away noble honor just to cling to life...
The king who purged Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the righteous army leaders could learn a thing or two from this guy...
As we walked from the audience chamber back to our lodgings, the viscount looked at me with a troubled expression.
"Siel. What should we do now?"
Deep down, I wanted to rush back to the territory right then and declare, 'Fine, then I'll grant you independence!!' and just break away...
But if we did that, the Count of Nant would seize the chance and invade our territory, sparking a war.
In a war, no matter how elite our soldiers were, we couldn't handle the endless waves pouring from the County of Nant.
A well-trained soldier is strong, but even one can't beat five peasants armed with rusty pitchforks.
So I gave the most textbook answer.
"No choice. I'll stabilize the newly expanded Barony of Kroitel, so Father, please take charge of 'Blueport.' Maximizing our territory to prepare for the next war is our best bet, isn't it?"
The viscount nodded at my words.
"Right. Now that the other barons have started envying us, all we can do is rack up more achievements."
"Yes. And if we properly integrate all this and prove our capabilities... we can build an even wealthier, stronger territory than before. With the copper and limestone mines alone, what do we have to fear?"
Pleased by my confident response, the viscount replied with a satisfied look.
"Exactly. With rewards this big, jealous types were bound to appear... For the previous count's grace alone, we must keep striving."
By referring to the 'previous' count—not the current one—when he'd always professed loyalty to the Nant family as Count Schwein's guardian...
It was clear the viscount was deeply disappointed in Count Schwein for using this reward ceremony to check us.
After all, nobles in this era were beings who pledged loyalty 'always' to their current lord—not to some dead guy out of personal gratitude...
This was as good as declaring in front of me, 'The one I truly serve is the late Count of Nant, not this Schwein.'
"Yes, Father."
**
After the conquest of the County of Helsman, my Kroitel baronial forces returned to the Barony of Kroitel, while the viscount headed to Blueport.
Before parting, I made this request of the viscount.
"Blueport is a great port for trading with the Northern Alliance. Please push forward exchanges with them. If you offer to sell them 'sugar' and 'grain,' they'll surely open their doors."
"Of course. The Northern Alliance shares our Holy Roman Empire as an enemy, so an alliance would secure our rear too."
"Yes, Father. I leave it to you."
The viscount thumped his chest.
"Leave it to me. In a few months, I'll rake in every coin those Northern Alliance bastards have."
"Then we can spend without a care. Looking forward to it."
With that, the viscount set off for Blueport with five of my standing army companies.
Baldt, the rest of the soldiers, and I hurried back to the Barony of Kroitel.
Got to get back quick, eat something tasty with Ella and Baldt, and rest up...
Then figure out how to smash that damned count.
**
Back at the territory, I first finalized the soldiers' rewards and took a week off with them.
During the break, I slept till noon almost every day, handled only urgent tasks, then dragged Ella and Baldt to villages outside Kroitel Castle or picnics in the hills behind.
On the last day, we snuck out in disguise, bought three chickens in a rural village, roasted them over a campfire...
Eating in secret where no retainers could see made them taste amazing.
After that, work poured in like a flood to manage the expanded territory.
"Your Excellency, the copper mine in Southron has produced no more ore since last year! The miners are out of work and desperate. What should we do?"
"Isn't that for you to figure out and report back on?! Find alternatives now!!"
"Your Excellency, we lack manpower for the limestone quarry!!"
"Shove the copper miners in there!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Your Excellency, the four-field rotation isn't catching on here, so we're short on food. What now?"
"Send all the hardtack stored over seven months to them."
"Understood."
Work kept coming nonstop like this... sigh...
Even getting Blueport and the salt mine only meant a bit more work back then, but snagging what amounts to a full 'barony' from the count exploded my workload...
At this rate, two bodies wouldn't cut it. Maybe appoint some gentry or knights as inspectors to offload mid-level tasks...
Yeah, just dump it on them... I'm not Philip II overseeing every local monastery build...
So I picked promising gentry and knights from the files and drafted inspector appointment letters to delegate to them.
Of course, if they had the chops—like with the soldiers—I'd promise them territories or higher titles.
Oh right, gotta recruit soldiers from the new lands too...
With food to spare, to face the count, conscript another 2-3,000 across the territory...
Even modern states see issues if soldiers top 2% of population, but 3% standing army in a medieval territory...
Impossible without printing money via sugar.
Any other lord would've gone bankrupt at half this scale...
If we're talking workload alone, war's easier than sorting this new territory. Seriously...
Beyond this, approve marriages and matchmaking for soldiers rank 'corporal' and up, check sugar export volumes to Northern Alliance with admins, grain surplus hitting army limits so time for serious poultry farming...
Sigh, am I gonna die from this?
**
Like that, I spent a full year buried in internal affairs.
As a result, I smoothly integrated Orbo and Southron into my territory and even lime-washed some houses and castle walls.
Also, a Hamburg craftsman had mastered making a powder that chills water, so I hired him at exorbitant cost.
He boasted it'd make a luxury food called 'ice cream,' so yeah, it cost a bundle.
50 gold coins for one technician...
But if it's what I think, this powder's worth not 50, but 500 gold in tech...
Good investment, let it slide.
And as planned, I conscripted and trained 2,000 more soldiers.
But as they say, good fortune always brings misfortune...
Finally, the event symbolizing Elrain Empire's turmoil occurred.
The puppet emperor—but still 'His Imperial Majesty'—passed away.
Damn, as a baron now, I gotta go with Count of Nant to the imperial capital 'Elisium' for the first time in my life to mourn His utterly disrespectable Majesty.
And secretly meet the great nobles, get their tacit approval to subjugate Schwein...
Then I can swallow the County of Nant whole.
I'll pay a price, but with money, anything's possible.