Chapter 2. Kneel! (1)
Chapter 2. Kneel! (1)
"Erna!"
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Hmm, good.
As expected, a subordinate should show this kind of obedience. Especially since, in Rosalyn's memories, Erna always had a stiff, hardened expression, making the difference feel even more distinct.
In the past, Rosalyn was the captain and Erna was just someone beneath her... Of course, that's still the case now, but the position is quite different.
There are other knight orders directly under the Duke besides the Blutrosenorden. In fact, those are closer to the Duchy's true standing army, while the knight order with Erna as captain is simply a knight order made for my decoration. So, its status depends entirely on my hands.
As long as it was just 'my decoration', she could have somehow maintained the position of Vice-Captain as long as I was alive, but now, it's a 'Knight Captain' under the 'Duke'. In other words, since she's in a position employed by the Duke, it means the Duke can get rid of it at will.
Anyway, since the knight order is composed of two commoners including Erna, and the rest are daughters of noble families within the Duchy, there wouldn't be any huge problems—like the knight order turning into a band of bandits—if I disbanded it.
"Is the position of Knight Captain bearable?"
And, honestly, I feel good whenever Erna is in front of me.
It's not because I like Erna.
It's just that I feel at ease because at least Erna doesn't use that damn 'sawayo' speech style. And since she's become quick to listen to whatever I order her to do, it's also good for giving orders.
"Yes, it is comfortable!"
I stared up at Erna's face.
"It doesn't really look like it, though?"
"No, it is not!"
At my question, a light sweat formed on Erna's forehead.
My eyes narrowed on their own.
Rosalyn is a noble. Of course, she rarely pays attention to what others think, so she isn't as perceptive as others. She was a young lady who was fundamentally wrong somewhere, thinking that everyone in this world loved her dearly, and thus thinking it was only natural for them to follow her words. That was the original Rosalyn in the game.
But even for a Rosalyn like that, Erna's expression was not doing that well enough to notice.
There are dark circles under her eyes.
Since I appointed her as captain based on her looks, such changes are very noticeable.
"Shall I guess? Perhaps the members of the knight order aren't listening to you well?"
"N-no, that's not it!"
"It must be because of the noble-born and commoner-born difference."
I have many names. I am a Duke, a Count, and until recently, I even had the title of Knight Captain.
These 'names' are all 'separate yet one'. Rosalyn managing the County has different duties from Rosalyn as the Duke, but when revealing my name somewhere, the first name that comes out is naturally 'Rosalyn von Artena', not 'Knight Captain Rosalyn'.
And this would be the same within the Blutrosenorden. The weight is different between Erna, who only has the title of 'Knight Captain', and a 'Baron's daughter' or 'Count's daughter'.
"Hmm."
Something is bubbling up from deep inside my chest.
'Because they touched my person.'
—that reason was obviously not it.
It's closer to a backlash against ignoring what I said.
The number of mourners is a bit small today. At least those who could come from the surroundings have all visited over the past week. From now on, those who will visit will be people coming on purpose from further away, or those who are too far away to come in person and just send letters.
"Good. Then let's visit the knight order today."
I said that and stood up from my seat.
"Your Grace?"
"Why? Is it something wrong for a Duke to visit the knight order under her command?"
"N-no, it is not that, but..."
"Do I need to send special notice when a Duke visits her own direct knight order?"
"That is not the case..."
"Then, let's go see how well you, Erna, are doing your job."
I said while smiling.
Of course, that smile wasn't a pure smile at all.
"Shall we go see what you've been doing as Knight Captain?"
At my words, Erna shuddered.
For some reason, that sight was a little enjoyable.
*
The knight order is, so to speak, an elite group of an army. As you can tell when you hear the word 'knight', naturally, people who just walk around are not called knights.
In modern society, the name 'knight' is used by the king of a constitutional monarchy to appropriately bestow upon someone to praise their merits, but in this world, which is still a feudal society, 'knight' is still a professional position. Riding horses, traversing the battlefield, and crushing enemy infantry.
So, for now, its headquarters is also similar to a military unit. There is a training ground where they can move on horseback, an armory, and there was a dormitory for the knights, the squires who follow those knights, and the administrative staff who manage the surroundings to eat and sleep.
Since it was a knight order composed entirely of noble young ladies except for exactly two people, the dormitory was also flashy enough to be incomparable to places where ordinary soldiers stay, but—
"Y-Your Grace!?"
When I gathered people at that dormitory, only one person came out.
"Who are you?"
"Huk."
At my question, the girl, who looked a few years younger than Erna, hurriedly knelt on one knee in front of me. Her bobbed hair, cut short at the neck, chestnut-colored, swayed.
This one is also quite pretty, as if they picked her based on looks too. Not as much as Erna, though.
"Knight Inge, I greet the brilliantly shining Duke Rosalyn of the Artena Duchy, protected by divine grace."
"Ho-oh."
Not bad for a commoner.
Or maybe it's a greeting method that only a commoner could do. Saying every single title is a bit of a chore even among nobles. Who would attach words like 'brilliantly shining' every time they call someone? Usually, it would be 'Lady Rosalyn'.
"It seems you have been quite well educated."
I said that and looked towards Erna. Because Erna has never greeted me like this even once until now. Erna's face turned pale.
I mentally added a few points to Inge and then said.
"But, where are the other knights?"
"Ah, um, that is..."
Naturally, Inge couldn't answer properly. Erna's face also turned pale.
I suppose so.
Because it's practically just having their names listed.
Those young ladies were, for the most part, Rosalyn's... 'friends'.
Of course, rather than friends in the true sense, they were closer to the role of accepting Rosalyn's tantrums.
Since it was a place made for such vanity of Rosalyn, there is no reason to come out normally.
"..."
But, you see.
"I understand that the knights are working while receiving fair compensation."
That's right.
Even if it's just a decorative title, a title is a title. Just as that Knight Captain's name was listed under Rosalyn's name, the other knights would also have that knight title listed under their names.
Naturally, they receive money from the Duke, who is the lord. For a noble with a territory, it might be an amount that could be called 'pocket change'. But at the same time, it is also enough money for an individual to use. Aren't they knights? There is always a minimum cost to manage horses and maintain armor.
"Erna."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"What do you think as the Knight Captain?"
When I asked in a deliberately slightly affected voice, the sweat on Erna's forehead increased.
One thing, there is something people misunderstand.
That since the Duke has disappeared from this territory, the protective shield that would protect Rosalyn has also disappeared.
The guests I've met so far all had eyes that were evaluating me. There were even blatant people who said things like let's have a conversation soon, and after I compose myself, they want to invite me.
They must all be people who have heard the rumors about Rosalyn.
Just because you marry and your surname changes doesn't mean you are no longer a person of that family. The maternal family continues to look after the daughter even after that. In the first place, there are quite a few cases where people marry for such 'acts of looking after'.
Conversely, if the wife's family has no power, or if they just handed her over to make a contract through marriage, there is no reason for anyone to say anything even if the husband just confines the wife inside the mansion and brings in a lover.
They must think Rosalyn's future will be like that too. Either a new master of this Duchy enters, or they themselves become the new master. That is what they are thinking.
But in the original work. And in this reality.
That thought is wrong.
"As the Duke, I shall give one order to the Knight Captain, Erna."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Erna hurriedly knelt on one knee in front of me.
"Summon the knight order right now. Every single knight 'under your command', without leaving a single one out. Ah, naturally, tell them to bring the 'horse' they ride as well. And the weapons they wield. Since they are gathering as a knight order, they must each have armor, right? Tell them to wear it all and show themselves. This is an 'order', and it came 'from the Duke's mouth', so it doesn't matter if you sell my name."
"A-all right...!"
"Since it is the Duke summoning the knight order, the time is... good. One day should be enough, right? Because originally, these are people who should have already been in this dormitory."
"Th-then, Your Grace."
Erna said, now sweating profusely.
"If the knight order cannot follow Your Grace's order, that is..."
"It's insubordination, obviously."
Of course, there are very often young masters from famous families in other knight orders as well.
There are many cases where even if you try to gather people, you can't gather them easily. So even if they can't follow orders, you can't immediately charge them with insubordination.
But, well.
The person who gave the order now is 'Rosalyn', isn't it?
Would Rosalyn ever consider such things?
At least, it was a story that all the nobles within this Duchy knew.