Chapter 176

Chapter 176

***

The spring wind blew in, swept past the boy standing in the field and passed. The gently swaying blond hair received the sunlight and sparkled.

Whether where it blows from was unknown, whether what it carries was unknown, the spring wind presented a pleasant coolness to the one receiving it.

The boy was looking at a cow tied to a tree. Perhaps because their eyelashes were long, cows had truly pretty eyes. Looking at those eyes that seemed sad yet indifferent, he even felt an unknown sense of guilt.

To Roy the cow was a truly affection-filled animal. It was with him when he went a long way following his father, and especially when he couldn't enter the Clan lodgings and trembled in the cold all night, how comforting it was that it protected his side.

Ddid it recognize me? Would it recognize me? Roy looked at the cow's pretty eyes. And reaching out his hand he stroked its soft fur.

Thereupon as if the cow truly recognized Roy, it turned its head and flicked its long tongue out and in. In sharing friendship what words were needed. A smile spread around Roy's mouth.

"Roy."

Someone called from behind. Looking back it was Les. It was the first time in 1 year.

Although Roy wasn't fully grown yet, whether he was starting to resemble his large father, the difference in body size with Les was to the extent it could be distinguished at a glance.

Unable to look completely at Roy with a somewhat stiff expression, Les's pupils moved here and there.

"Have you been well?"

Toward Les who called first and then couldn't even speak, Roy asked calmly.

"Uh......"

"I don't see the kids who used to bully me."

"They all ran away. Will you get revenge?"

"No. Because I thought as expected."

"Right, they were all kids who were nothing much."

"And you stayed."

"Yeah."

It was a distinct difference. Between people who ran away and a person who stayed to fight.

Because Les was young he wouldn't be mobilized for direct fought, but if a fight truly broke out among Clans there were many various things he could help with.

Of course that wasn't an easy task either, and it was a task that required determination in its own way. Because what they would suffer if defeated was unknown.

Roy approached the cow further, leaning on it as if hugging it and said.

"I think I made a good friend."

"No, you made me. If it wasn't for that time, I would have been exactly the same now as those insignificant kids."

Roy looked back at Les again. Les said.

"For a while I regretted it immensely. I couldn't sleep at night. I should have spoken then. I shouldn't have kept my mouth shut like a retard, I should have stepped forward saying it was me. Sometimes I hit my head with my fist, went to the lakeside, shoved my head in and tried to die too. But it didn't work well. This time, when the word spread that a fight would break out between Clans, and everyone was anxious, I wasn't like that at all. The thought occurred to me that finally the opportunity had come. I definitely wouldn't run away like a retard again, and I must fight. So it's correct that you made me."

Listening to Les's words Roy merely smiled. His steadiness seemed to grow to resemble his father, and his composure somehow seemed to grow to resemble Rickart.

"Eternal friendship, that's the Viola Clan's maxim right? If you don't give up on each other it's not a nonsensical sound. Looking at my King, or Sir Bori, or the other people. They too must have had times like that. Moments when they didn't give up on each other, that is."

"Um...... I suppose so."

"Are your sisters doing well?"

"Huh? I guess they are."

"Even living in the same Clan you are indifferent, you."

"Aren't you indifferent to your sister too?"

"Right, me too."

Roy and Les both laughed lightly. Les approached. Hugging the cow exactly like hugging together, he looked back at Roy and asked.

"How is the royal castle?"

"It's wide. Immensely. There are many people too."

"How was the war?"

"I've almost never actually seen it. I did see my King go out and fight a few times. Even if I tell you you won't believe it."

"I'll believe it. So tell me."

"Um......"

Roy fumbled his memories for a moment. The sight of Rickart going out alone in Adelibari, fighting, and stealing the flag, that was. Thus the story began.

And thus the conversation began, and a long conversation continued between the two friends.

If there was a characteristic of childhood friendship, it was the point that even if there was a somewhat uncomfortable incident it gets stitched up quickly. Cleanly, without a scar.

Conversely adults' friendship wasn't easy. If you quietly think about why it's so, perhaps because as the body grew obduracy and greed and doubt grew together too.

Nevertheless, people who maintain friendship even after time passes were truly blessed. Because, instead of obduracy and greed and doubt, courage and consideration and trust connect each other.

By the way, there were those who banded together in friendship, their paths each divided, and then gathered again. Because paths being divided didn't mean friendship was split.

The Principal of the Beringen Academy Karlrich, the Master of the Viola Clan Bolka, the practical leader of the Michela Sword Monastery Ice, and Rickart and Bori.

It was a room where a large lake was seen. The lake where sunlight shattered and an emerald light lingered was unbelievably clear.

Standing by the window Ice deeply looked at the lake. Then hearing Rickart's voice from behind he turned his head.

"I will speak honestly. I don't intend to go trusting only friendship and loyalty. Rather the closer the relationship, the money calculation must be thorough, and in plotting matters together I think the profits for each other must be certain. First, the basic framework is let's help each other."

"......"

No one spoke. The ones sitting in front of the table were only Karlrich and Bolka, and Bori was sitting on a drawer in the corner. Ice was standing by the window.

Looking at their expressions they were mostly close to neither affirmation nor denial but just staring at Rickart.

"Just as there is a deposit when doing commercial transactions, Adelorn's army will act like a deposit. Including Marie, when the 6 original founding members unanimously agree we dispatch. Before that, we provide defense limited to the people who joined with Sword Masters as the main axis. Anyway we don't have the spare energy to organize an army so we can't do things like attacks. And if attacks are included there is a concern the organization will deteriorate. Instead, we certainly protect villages, cities, territories. Against defeated soldier groups or looter bands, that is. How about it?"

Karlrich slowly raised his hand. Rickart pointed at him with his chin and said.

"Uh, why? Speak."

"Shouldn't we deal with the One-Eyed Clan first now?"

"Such bastards even if just me and Bori step forward we can slice them all up. Finding where they are scattered takes long. That matter itself is not a big problem."

The Viola Clan was saying it would be ruined or not because of the One-Eyed Clan, but since Rickart came, true to his words it wasn't a big problem.

"Any other questions?"

"......"

Karlrich merely looked back at the other people, and this time too no one answered.

"First if we decide to create an organization, Marie and I organized things like rules we have to follow first, okay? Read it once and if you have anything curious about tell me."

Rickart slid a piece of parchment swish onto the table. It was a document used by the royal family, gilded with beautiful patterns on the borders, and Rickart's elegant handwriting style filled the contents.

1. The Master's Federation (hereafter, Federation) decision-making body was the Council of Six. Subsidiary bodies and branches were established according to the meetings of the Council of Six.

2. The first Council of Six shall be the King of Adelorn Rickart von Rikarn, the Queen of Adelorn Martelia von Nivelinger, the Principal of the Beringen Academy Karlrich von Rosten, the Adelorn Royal Librarian Bori, the Michela Sword Monastery Monk Ice, and the Viola Clan Master Bolka.

3. Complete Council of Six members were lifelong positions, and unless it was betrayal, or acts equivalent to it, no one can strip that position.

4. Council of Six members may retire according to their completely free will, and upon retirement must designate an heir. If there was no heir, it was decided according to the meeting of the remaining 5 people, or the remaining members.

5. When adding Council of Six members it must be decided unanimously by the Council of Six.

6. The Council of Six meetings shall have a regular meeting twice a year, and each member must necessarily attend. Each member had the authority to convene special meetings besides regular meetings.

7. The Federation provides defense, not attack, to its constituent members.

8. The Federation reviews requested commissions from constituent members, and mmade sincere efforts to resolve them.

9. When disputes occur among constituent members, the Federation ddid not intervene on either side. However, depending on the results of the Council of Six meeting, it may intervene exceptionally.

10. The Federation ddid not infringe upon the unique rights of the Lords, such as legislative, judicial, administrative, and tax collection rights.

11. The independent status of each Clan belonging to the Federation was recognized, and there was no interference.

12. The constituent members of the Federation can secede freely at any time. However, until seceding, they must respect and observe the decision matters of the Federation.

13. According to the meetings of the Council of Six, constituent members may be expelled.

14. For acts betraying the organization such as breach of trust, embezzlement, information leakage, all constituent members were sure to punish the betrayer.

15. In the work the Federation ddid, it pursues an exclusive status. When similar organizations arise, they were considered enemies.

16. The fund management of the Federation was......

.

.

.

Traces of agonizing over the balance of roles and power in its own way were visible.

Because it was a kind of rough draft, Bori who had already read it naturally didn't look at it, and Ice was just quietly standing by the window. The only ones looking at the rough draft were Karlrich and Bolka.

"The Master's Federation? Did you already make the name?"

Bolka asked.

"Why, do you not like it? I made it agonizing immensely in my own way. Our positions are each different right. Ice is a monk, Bolka you are a Clan Master, and I am a King. Bori is a Librarian, and Karlrich is a Principal. The work we do or positions are all somewhat different, but nevertheless, to be in an equal standing I said Master."

"I thought it meant the Master of Sword Masters. I'm not a Master right."

"That meaning could be included too. However what's important is not whether we are Sword Masters, but whether our wills can unite as one. I want this to be a long-lasting organization, not a temporary one you see. As a legacy to pass down to descendants."

"......Legacy huh."

"By the way Karlrich don't you have anything to say?"

Bori had come together from the start, and Ice didn't seem likely to nitpick much due to his personality, but Karlrich was knowledgeable in his own way but didn't have any particular words.

Karlrich carefully read the rough draft, then said to Rickart with a worried expression.

"......Is this okay?"

"What? If we work hard won't it become something at least?"

"Not that."

"If not that then what is it."

"This...... is work the Emperor does right."

"......"

Rickart looked at Karlrich with a blank expression for a moment then said.

"I didn't think of that."

"But since there is no Emperor now, well......"

"If the Federation grows big, are we conquering the Empire?"

Ice said. His gaze or expression now seemed almost like a monk who had attained enlightenment. Combined with his beautiful appearance his presence was felt to the point of being unrealistic.

Rickart didn't think for long, touched his chin a bit and asked everyone.

"So anyone who opposes?"

There was no one. Truly fascinating was that among the people present here now, no one had eyes harboring ambition.

Ultimately the rough draft was reviewed by Karlrich and after slight supplementation and revision it was finalized right that day.

Marie's signature had already been received, and the remaining 5 people signed in handwriting styles that revealed each of their personalities.

At the bottom of the document the Gold Seal of the Adelorn King was stamped, and later meaning the Adelorn King guarantees it, it was called the 'Britzringen Golden Bull' or the 'Rickart I Golden Bull'.

The original copy of the Golden Bull was to be stored in Britzringen, and they decided to make copies to utilize for work.

Thus the Master's Federation was established, and the first Head of the Federation was Rickart. Right after establishment on the first line of the meeting minutes of the Council of Six these words were written.

'The Master's Federation Council of Six resolves unanimously to annihilate the One-Eyed Clan.'