Season Opening of Year 79 - Part 1
I shifted my stance on Erich’s romance from active intervention to quiet observation. Timing is everything with these things—step in at the right moment and it works; hover over him twenty-four hours a day and everyone just gets exhausted. If that fatigue ever piled high enough for Erich to snap, “I’ll handle it myself!”, I would collapse from stress-induced illness and he would go down with a fist-shaped bruise. That much was obvious.
Fortunately, the banquet marked a clear change in him. According to Sera and Zenobia, his messages had grown more frequent, and even the casual remarks he used to toss out without thinking now seemed to pass through a few beats of consideration first. That was more than enough for me to step back into observation mode.
Hope was visible. Last year had been a complete write-off spent walking on eggshells around Erich, but I had a gut feeling this year would be different. Maybe I was popping the champagne a little early, yet the situation had undeniably improved from the year before.
— Your Excellency.
Just as I was unconsciously picturing Erich standing at the altar, Viscount Kiselle’s voice through the communication orb yanked me back to my senses.
I had completely spaced out. Already daydreaming about Erich’s wedding? That was the mental equivalent of a fresh private, barely assigned to his unit, dreaming of discharge.
— Did I perhaps contact you at a busy time?
While I sat there vacant, Viscount Kiselle—who had called to deliver his report—began reading the room.
“I was briefly distracted by a personal matter. Nothing the steward needs to worry about.”
I gently shook my head at the slightly shrinking Viscount Kiselle.
Viscount Kiselle was the steward who managed the territory in my place, given that I spent more time away from Wiridia County than in it. When a steward like that went out of his way to contact me, I owed him my time even if I was genuinely busy.
— Then I shall report again.
“Go ahead.”
His expression brightened, and the steward quickly continued. Markets within the territory were expanding in scale, trade with the east continued smoothly, and a band of wandering wild horses had crossed into the territory over the frozen river…
Nothing major.
The more I listened, the more at ease I felt. The steward’s report was about Wiridia County’s development metrics continuing their steady climb, not about any crisis erupting.
Of course, anywhere people lived would have its share of problems, but as long as nothing big enough to reach my desk occurred, that was fine by me.
“Wild horses?”
That one, however, I had to ask about. Did I really need to know that a few wild horses had simply wandered in? From the sound of it they were northern strays who had crossed over only because the river had frozen solid.
— Yes, Your Excellency. That is…
The steward’s following explanation drew a hollow laugh from me. The number of wild horses that had entered the territory was hardly large—barely ten head, a mere handful even compared with the horses already inside Wiridia, let alone the entire North. Their behavior, however, was impressive.
The wild horses that barged into the pastures managed directly by Wiridia challenged the original residents—the Wiridia horses—to a contest of dominance. And they won it cleanly.
Afterward these outsiders brazenly settled into the pastures, grazing, lounging about asleep, playing among themselves, or even mating with the Wiridia horses as if they owned the place.
Are they thugs or what?
It was absurd. Why come all the way down to Wiridia to raise hell when they could have stayed in the North? Were they going around challenging every dojo they found?
— At first we tried to drive them out, but they paid no attention even when people threatened them, and if we attempted capture they would simply flee and return later.
“Cunning little bastards.”
A wry laugh escaped me at the steward’s words, which carried a subtle note of fatigue. Beating the established horses was already unusual; their intelligence seemed far from ordinary as well.
— Therefore I have a proposal I wish to make to Your Excellency.
“Speak.”
— Though they are wild horses of unknown origin, their build and abilities are solid. What if we simply leave them in the pastures and allow them to breed as they will?
Hearing that, I understood why the steward had bothered reporting this incident at all.
Horses were strategic materials of high military value, and superior warhorses ranked as top-grade assets. Spreading the genes of outstanding mounts to mass-produce fine stock was essentially a major policy for every nation and territory.
But spreading the genes of wild horses whose lineage no one could trace? It might look good at first glance, yet if any undiscovered defects spread along with them the result would be a genuine headache. Even for a steward, this was not a decision he could make without reporting to me, the Count.
“Can you be certain?”
After a moment’s thought I put the question to him. Could he take responsibility for a choice that might introduce a flaw into our strategic assets?
In truth, even if a flaw appeared it would not be catastrophic. The genes would spread only within Wiridia, and Wiridia as a whole was a minority compared with the North. If this genetic gacha failed we could simply call it stepping in shit, import fine northern horses, and restore the stock. Bothersome and expensive, but manageable.
Still, just because something is manageable does not mean one should push ahead blindly. Waste manpower and budget on odd projects and they will not be there when you truly need them.
— Yes. After observing them for the past two months, I have judged that it is worth attempting.
The steward answered without the slightest hesitation.
Hmmmmm.
“Then let’s try it.”
— Thank you, Your Excellency.
Since he put it that way, I simply approved.
Thinking about it, this was the first time the steward—essentially the number two of the county—had voluntarily offered an idea of his own. Coldly dismissing it would undermine his authority. He was already a new noble who leaned more on bureaucratic standing than noble prestige; I had no desire to crush that with my own hands.
“By the way, Steward. How are the new bureaucrats?”
I casually broached the subject with the steward, who was still bowing his head in gratitude.
— They are still young and lacking in experience, struggling with the gap between theory and the field, yet they possess abilities and passion that more than compensate. Experience is a problem time will solve; they will become excellent bureaucrats.
“High praise indeed.”
My lips curved upward as the compliments poured out the moment I prodded. Of course, among the new bureaucrats were former student-council officers for whom I myself had written recommendation letters, so harsh evaluations would have been awkward anyway.
And he’s praising his own child while he’s at it.
The steward’s daughter was also on the list of new bureaucrats. Praising the talents I had recommended while simultaneously praising his own daughter—what a profitable deal.
“In that case, take a few of the newcomers along when you handle this matter. There are still many vacant posts, so we’ll have to make do with the people we have.”
— Yes, I shall do so.
Hearing my words, the steward wore a blank expression for a moment, then nodded with a subtle excitement in his face. He understood that much right away.
It would be stranger if he didn’t get it.
The steward’s own post was filled, yet countless key positions remained vacant. Those posts were either held concurrently by the steward or filled temporarily by bureaucrats with a little seniority. That was the reality.
Yet I had mentioned those vacancies and said we would have to make do with the people we had—while also telling him to put some of the newcomers to work. Anyone with even a minimum of sense would realize that even a young, new bureaucrat could rise to a key post.
His daughter will have a chance at a key position, so he’ll work hard.
That was enough. As my vassal and as a father, the steward would throw himself into this genetic gacha with everything he had. If the project succeeded his daughter would advance; what father would neglect that? When family is on the line, humans show infinite potential.
I hope it goes well.
I was secretly looking forward to it. If this project succeeded properly, would Wiridia’s horses not be treated like purebloods? The especially outstanding ones might even display the majesty of legendary steeds like Red Hare.
If that happened I would even be willing to grant a title, not merely a key post.
Privately I was helping with my brother’s romance project; publicly I was directing the territory’s business. Even though I was on honeymoon leave, I felt I was making good use of the time.
And now that honeymoon leave was coming to an end.
“I don’t want to go to the Academy.”
Lying on Mar’s lap, I muttered the words half in jest and half in earnest. Mar burst into a soft laugh.
Well, of course—a married man past twenty whining to his wife that he did not want to go to school. If I had been in Mar’s position I would have laughed too.
“Complaining won’t help. You have to go to the Academy.”
“Even if I go, I won’t get a diploma anyway.”
At that Mar bit her lip. She seemed to be holding back a laugh at my self-deprecating joke, afraid it would hurt my feelings.
I appreciated the consideration, yet it only made me feel worse. At times like this she should have countered with, “Well, you never even had an entrance ceremony, so of course.”
“Still, at least I won’t be staying in the dorms. We almost ended up living separately right in the middle of our honeymoon.”
“If that had happened, I would have gone to the Academy as well.”
When I quickly changed the subject Mar hurriedly nodded and played along.
It was a little sad. The diploma joke had really hit her laugh button.
“…To be honest, I want to act big and tell you to stay at the Academy, but just thinking about not seeing you for even a single day makes my heart ache. I’m sorry.”
Then Mar, who had been stroking my head, kissed my forehead as she spoke those words.
After discussion with my lovers we had agreed that this year’s Academy posting would be “Karl and Trixie commute daily by teleport, while Rory and Rin live in the dorms.” It was a luxurious arrangement made possible only by having a great mage like Trixie.
Because of that, Mar carried a subtle sense of guilt—a quiet fear that she was making things troublesome for Trixie and me.
“What are you talking about? If you’d told me to stay at the Academy, I’d have been hurt.”
“Hehe, is that so?”
Seeing Mar smile softly, I felt a little regret that she was older than Rory and Rin. If Mar had also been a student there would have been no need to worry—
We wouldn’t have been able to marry.
Come to think of it, if Mar had still been a student she would still be unmarried. Clear pros and cons.
“You’ll come home right after club time ends, right? I’ll time dinner for then… Ugh!”
Mar suddenly retched, and I hurriedly sat up.
At the same time excitement and anticipation surged. In the past I might have worried that she had eaten something bad, but at this stage of our lives, when it came to morning sickness, I had one thing in mind.
“M-Mar, are you okay?”
Still, I suppressed the excitement and asked after her first. My guess might just be wishful thinking. She might really just have an upset stomach.
But looking at Mar’s expression, she seemed to be harboring the same expectation as I was.
“…Titi, go fetch the butler.”
— Wang!
Titi, who had been playing in the corner by chewing on a cushion, heard my words and dashed out.
The clever little guy would find him and bring him back soon.