I'll Do It Together
As an ordinary returning student, I attended the Empire's diplomatic conference and came back with the Elven Legion of Honor.
Upon returning to the Academy, these official documents had arrived in front of me during that time.
[Rosberg Marquis, Adria Marquis. Request for a meeting.]
[Freitz Marquis, Gramstad Marquis. Request for a short conversation.]
[Edert Marquis, Brune Imperial Count. Please make time.]
[Plessen Marquis, Tierdal Imperial Count. There are matters to discuss.]
“…”
The four noble families who requested a meeting with me are all among the Empire's top noble families—the ones the Four Idiots belong to. They are also places where they have made the most names among the Marquis and Imperial Counts.
Yet, at almost the same time, these four families sent such documents.
‘These guys, did they cause some kind of trouble again…?’
The first thought that came to mind was, of course, that. With a few prior records, I couldn't relax.
But then, thinking about it, the guys haven't done anything strange lately. After the festival, they were busy with patents. Then they made a vulgar joke and spread it across the Empire.
... Thinking about it, making a vulgar joke is indeed strange. Could this be related to that?
One thing I'm sure of is that it will take quite some time to meet with these four nobles. They're not just some neighborhood uncles and aunts, but saying “Let's all gather in one place” is already rude.
Of course, it should be direct 1:1 conversation in a quiet place—
[Rosberg Marquis, Adria Marquis. Freitz Marquis, Gramstad Marquis. Edert Marquis, Brune Imperial Count. Plessen Marquis, Tierdal Imperial Count. The following nobles have the intention to move to the designated location.]
“…”
They want to meet on the same day. What urgent matter could it be that they're doing this?
Even after hearing the news, a separate contact came from my father an hour later.
[The Marquis and Imperial Counts are coming to see you, Karl.]
It was a picture that anyone would think was suspicious conspiracy.
It turns out I was the Empire's hidden bloodline and through a coup... anyway.
Fortunately, I was a Medal of Honor recipient, otherwise it would have been a big problem!
Please, let it be nothing. Even if something happened, let it be something I can handle.
Wishing inwardly, I headed to the location where the meeting with the four nobles was set.
“Come in. Karl Adelheit.”
The one who greeted me first with a dignified voice was the Adria Marquis, Schlipen's father.
“What do you mean ‘come in.’ You should call me Sergeant.”
That's the saying. The one who immediately interrupted was the Gramstad Marquis, Wilhelm's father.
“You two are quite the same as always.”
The one who let out a sigh was the only female Marquis among the Imperial Counts and Alexander's mother, the Brune Imperial Count.
“Sorry. It was too sudden?”
With an awkward smile, the one who apologized was the Tierdal Imperial Count, Joachim's father.
Even one of them is a noble among nobles that the Empire knows.
These nobles, who have come to see just me, are sitting in some cafe.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency the Marquis and Your Excellency the Imperial Counts.”
After greeting, I sat quietly on the seats they prepared.
... What is this? It looks like I'm in the heroine position wooing four male leads at once.
And these nobles seem to have come to scold the woman who is tailing their future heirs.
‘They won't hit me with a TS beam here. Ah, that's too strong a line.’
“I apologize for calling you so suddenly. Karl Adelheit... Sergeant.”
“No, it's fine, Your Excellency the Adria Marquis. You can call me by name too.”
“Is that okay? Look at this. Your friend says it's fine, but why are you always pouting?”
“You seem to not know manners. I'm afraid you'll learn bad habits from your son.”
“Hahaha! I'm really fine, Your Excellency the Gramstad Marquis!”
I can guess why Schlipen and Wilhelm were bickering at the Academy.
Right, their fathers are like this. What could they have taught their sons? It's obvious, obvious!
“You two, how long are you going to keep this up?”
“That's right. Karl also doesn't have much time, so let's get to the main point.”
I understood the positions of Alexander and Joachim, who always mediate between those two guys.
Looking at it now, the Imperial Counts are exactly in those positions. As expected, children resemble their parents...!
“Ahem. Ahem. Alright. Well, then Karl. Let me tell you why I called you.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“First, do you know that our son has been making a lot of money lately with patents?”
Of course I know. Even though patents don't immediately have effects, the popularity is so fierce from the start that anyone can see it's making a fortune.
Originally, all four of them are small marquis, so there's no issue with succession rights.
But by securing the family’s financial lifeline themselves, it's quite perfect—
“At first, I thought they were doing something for the family. But it turned out not to be.”
Not perfect...? What kind of talk is this. They filed a patent but said it's not for the family.
“I heard from Wilhelm. Karl. That, the Veterans' Pension Fund, right?”
“Eh? Ah, yes. Your Excellency the Gramstad Marquis. I did hear something like that. But it's only a very small part of the profits from the patent...”
“That’s exactly why I called Karl.”
“Your Excellency the Brune Imperial Count?”
Are you trying to say that they're taking too much money?
But then, these people aren't the type who are greedy for money, right?
“Hah. The three of you, if you say it like that, won't Karl get embarrassed. Look, Karl. We want to give full support to our four families for that pension fund. That's why we called you.”
At Tierdal Imperial Count's words, I let out an involuntary ‘Eh?’ sigh.
It's starting again. Again. Why does everything with me turn into such a big scale!
*
[Father. No, Your Excellency the Marquis. I want to borrow the family's power.]
When I first heard those words from my son, I was very surprised.
My son. Schlipen Rossberg. The one who will become the next Marquis of Adria.
Some noble children get spoiled by the family's power and go in the wrong direction.
But Schlipen was different. As the eldest son of the Marquis family, no one treated him roughly.
And he didn't use the family's power lightly. Always, he wanted to do it himself.
... Although he didn't actually go to the training ground by enlisting as a soldier.
Anyway, when Schlipen said that, my expression hardened involuntarily.
Could this guy have just realized the family's power? Was there something I was worried about?
[The family's financial strength is needed. We're trying to create the Veterans' Pension Fund, the more the better, right?]
After hearing the reason, I was even more surprised. Veterans' Pension Fund? Why suddenly?
And before an hour passed, a call came from that bastard friend.
[Adria Marquis. Did you receive a magical communication from your son too?]
“You too?”
[Suddenly, what is this about a pension fund. It's the Veterans' Pension Fund.]
My son too. And my friend's son. They didn't explain the reason.
They just said they want to create a pension fund. They only said they definitely want to do it.
After hearing the news, I found out that the Brune Imperial Count and Tierdal Imperial Count were in the same situation.
The four guys at the Academy seemed to have coordinated their opinions and conveyed them.
‘Veterans' Pension Fund. The intention is clearly good. But... do we really need to do this?’
The Empire is already implementing various policies to support post-war soldiers from the welfare side.
And the ones paying the most taxes on those policies are, of course, the nobles.
In a way, we're already helping them. At least we can say it proudly.
Eventually, unable to bear it, I contacted Schlipen to ask for the reason.
I added that if I don't hear a more detailed explanation, I have no choice but to reject the family's support.
[Karl Adelheit.]
The words that came out of that son of mine were unexpected.
[He's my friend. The Empire's war hero who received two Medal of Honors, right? But listen, Father. Even such a great guy is struggling with the wounds of war. Not just physical wounds, but mental wounds too. Even heroes have that, so what about others?]
[I want to help these people. Since they risked their lives to protect our Empire, now it's only right that we protect their future and that of their families?]
I almost cried. Schlipen, this guy. My son. When did he become this big?
He still feels like just a kid, but you already know how to think like that when you're all grown up.
Trying to hide my tears, I tried to contact my friend again.
But this bastard got ahead. With tears in his voice.
[Kuuhk! Hic! L-look. Marquis! O-Our son. Do you know what Wilhelm said!? Well...]
“…”
It turns out they were saying the same lines to each other, but so what. All four of them have grown in thinking.
‘Karl Adelheit.’
As expected, the Empire's top war hero. A Medal of Honor recipient. Leading our children like this.
At the same time, the fact that this young friend is suffering from the wounds of the battlefield made me feel sorry.
Anyway, this doesn't seem like something that can end with just our kids' initiative.
We need to start with more adults and bigger things to grow even larger.
With the three Marquis and the three Imperial Counts, we moved to the cafe in the city.
Others may not know, but this place is actually a favorite meeting spot for government officials.
At the Karl we met there, our four families extended our hands without hesitation.
“The Veterans' Pension Fund. How about we try it together?”
Glorious soldiers of the Empire. Be proud of yourselves.
We will remember you as the proud heroes of the Empire.