Chapter 226

Chapter 226 - Barcia (1)

"Sir Aaron. You know that the envoys of the Emperor Faction and the Aristocrat Faction fought under the mountain range, right?"

"Of course. I heard it passed into a lull without major damage."

Such a situation is the most dangerous for travelers.

If either side was smashed, you only need to avoid the victor. It isn't difficult since their bodies would be injured and tired, and their luggage heavy with spoils of war.

However, what if both sides have their nerves on edge while preserving their forces like right now?

- Stop for a moment. Who are you?

- I am from the Gildan Merchant Company...

- Shut up! You spy bastard! I caught you perfectly well!

- What are you talking about out of nowhere?!

Just by being conspicuous, you could get picked on for all sorts of things. Needless to say the risk of being robbed by mercenaries or knights hungry for spoils of war.

"Since the road is dangerous, we plan to hire mercenaries. Because the ones who participated in the uncharted territory subjugation are anxious to find new work."

"It will cost a considerable amount of money to employ them from here to Barcia."

Inside the cloak Aaron lifted while smirking, there is a thick money pouch.

Compared to the compensation Eugene received, it's a handful. Because it was the price for concluding a partnership as the core of the subjugation and a Great Lord. Still, it is a considerable amount as an individual knight.

However, Eugene doesn't intend to make him necessarily spend that.

"Put that money away."

"Yes?"

"Isn't it a rare connection? It's somewhat awkward to just send you off on a long hard journey. All of you Sirs follow me. I will give you a ride to your home country."

"Give us... a ride? Ah!"

The bewildered faces were for a moment. Aaron soon realized Eugene's intention and his mouth opened wide.

* * *

"Please visit anytime! When you must take refuge from enemies, when you need food and water, when you simply long for warmth. Khazad-dor will always welcome everyone! I will pray for good luck on your future journey too!"

Right after they departed to the east of the mountain range receiving the enthusiastic send-off of the Dwarves. The Barcia knights quietly whispered.

"Did he really come riding a Moving Castle?"

"Then did he perhaps cross the Sand Worm desert? In the east, there are only black rocks and sand."

Aaron accepted Eugene's carpooling proposal. Because they could not refuse the goodwill bestowed by the practical ruler of Britannia.

'These guys. They believe it better than I thought?'

Eugene was a bit surprised at the appearance of the knights readily following him to a dead end. Because there were still many people in the world who viewed his achievements and faction suspiciously.

- Ey! Flipping a ship with a breath. That's ridiculous.

- I heard he sank it with a javelin, not a breath?

- Look at this. As I said, rumors swell up like this every time they cross a bridge, right? The way I see it, he hired adventurers and inflated his military merits. It's a method often used when a noble lacking in lineage rises abruptly in the world.

Accepting it a hundred times, Eugene's heroic tales can at least find similar precedents. Since heroes killing dragons also commonly appear in fairy tales.

However, a castle that crosses space is hard to even imagine unless it's a person interested in the Bonyard.

Therefore, even though Eugene has been on a roll with Moving Castle for 2 years, there were far more people who distrusted him.

Among them, the ones who believe him even without seeing it are representatively the retainers of the Pierce family.

- He's truly a ridiculous man. When he climbed with just one Squire on Might in the countryside, the image is still vivid before my eyes.

- For me, it's more amazing that he cured your insomnia. How glad I was when I saw him sleeping soundly while even snoring.

- I didn't snore.

- I wasn't the only one who saw it back then...

- I said I didn't snore.

They are the Marcus siblings who already have favorable feelings. Whenever they heard Eugene's rumors coming from far away, they would make it a topic of conversation at banquets.

The Lord always speaks nicely of him, so there's no way the retainers would form a bad impression either. Naturally, they also came to approach the rumors favorably.

Like that, passing the eastern gateway of the mountain range and arriving in front of the basalt zone.

"...It was real."

Aaron covered his face that seemed to feel dizzy.

A structure soaring up against the backdrop of an entirely pitch-black barren land. That is an unrealistic sight that is hard to believe.

However, that unreality. The question of 'He builds such a giant castle in this kind of place?' ironically instilled the belief that the magic was real.

* * *

After the guests rolling their wide-open eyes like owls were guided to their lodgings.

At the announcement of going to Barcia, the retainers in the meeting room generally had questionable expressions.

"I thought you would attack the Emperor Faction under the mountain range, Sir Knight."

Lex said.

"Necessarily?"

"Aren't you already in a relationship where you have crossed the river of no return with the Emperor anyways? It would be good to sweep them away as well as appealing to the Aristocrat Faction, the enemy's enemy."

It's an envoy delegation that came to propose an alliance to the Dwarf Kingdom. It was a sizable group including nobles with territories and knights. Even so, if Eugene's army struck, it would be nothing more than a handful to deal with.

"If you repel the Emperor Faction under the mountain range, your name will be imprinted on the Roman noble society at once."

Valda was also viewing it positively.

"The Aristocrat Faction is already considering me an ally. Even though this side has never officially shown the will to participate in the war."

"Because there are multiple circumstances to consider it so. Moreover, you are essentially a vassal of the Morad family for now."

"Pfft!"

"Ahahaha."

Before Valda even finished her words, laughter was heard from here and there.

Eugene is in a state where he hasn't completely broken off his contract with the Morad family yet. Because since there's no duty of summons anyway, there's no reason to cut ties first.

Even now, having achieved great success, the vassal relationship with Morad is continuing with Northfork as the medium.

"Why are you all laughing?"

"No, Sir Knight. Isn't it funny that a tiger is a wolf's subordinate?"

"In human noble society, it's not particularly strange either."

Vassal relationships ignoring the difference in power frequently occur. Such as due to inheritance, marriage, political reasons, etc. Though it might be hard to understand in Dark Elf culture which revers the supremacy of the strong.

"How about slowly tearing it up using this opportunity? Honestly speaking, I hate that there is someone above the Lord even if nominally."

"No."

A tribal knight suggested it, but Eugene firmly dismissed it.

"Is it because of loyalty?"

"No. The holiday gifts will disappear."

"..."

The Great Nobles of Roman have a custom of sending gifts to their vassals once a year to mark the holidays.

They generally send local specialties, and for the Morad family it is naturally wine. A specialty of a not-for-sale product you can't buy even with money.

This relationship gave Eugene the feeling of a discontinued contract product. Now that he has become a Great Lord of Britannia, who would dare propose something like 'Become my vassal. I'll give you specialties.'?

The moment he breaks it off, the right to receive holiday gifts disappears forever.

"Does a person with a lot of money necessarily hang onto things like holiday gifts?"

"It has a big meaning to me."

Eugene who is doing well as a monarch, but sometimes he also feels the desire to leave lightheartedly.

Things he must protect and take care of wherever he looks. The overflowing things he has to take responsibility for is something where he feels a heavy pressure beyond imagination.

The gifts that come during holidays as bestowed articles rather than tribute goods were Eugene's own sort of refreshing drink.

The statements in the enclosed letters changing as the years go by is also a fun part.

'I give thanks for your loyalty as a vassal. I expect you to devote yourself for the glory of Morad going forward as well.'

The first letter he received flowed over with dignity as the Great Lord of Western Roman.

However, in the second letter he received, words like vassal or loyalty were excluded.

And in the third letter he received, polite speech and praise were added.

'The great achievements of the Mayer family are already ringing out across the whole continent beyond Roman. The Morad family always prays for the great knight's military fortunes. I hope that the good connection God has tied will last for a long time.'

It was a letter that became polite enough to be confusing about who the vassal was.

"Anyway, I don't intend to purposefully meddle in Roman's civil war. Besides Northfork, my territory is outside of Roman. If a huge profit is guaranteed I would participate, but not right now."

From Eugene's standpoint, it's watching a fire across a river, or rather, across the sea.

"Is there profit in Barcia?"

"Of course. Did you think I'm going just because I want to see old acquaintances?"

Eugene pointed at the northwest of the continent map on the table. It is the territory of the Pierce family as the frontier region of Barcia facing Roman. For that area, the place name Bean Land is used.

"Bean Land. It is a place I definitely wanted to visit at least once someday."

"I heard Alfalfa covers the entire land."

Like nomads, the Dark Elves pricked up their ears and reacted.

Like the name Land of Beans, it is a famous pasture plastered with the topmost grade feed Alfalfa belonging to the legume family.

This place is a famous production area for raising military horses well-known even on the continent. It was the source of the power the Pierce family possessed.

"I have been terribly coveting Barcia-produced military horses since a long time ago. Seizing this opportunity, I plan to open a route to supply them."

"!!!"

That moment, the eyes of everyone who rides horses changed. The likes of the Emperor Faction under the mountain range instantly flew away to the other side of their memories.

"Since the Dwarf Armored Cavalry Unit has been organized, I must now reinforce our existing cavalry power too."

If one wing has been strengthened, the other wing must also be strengthened to balance it. No matter how robust the Vertigos are, there are also many missions only military horses can accomplish.

Barcia military horses are faster and smarter than other breeds, but that isn't the end of it. Once they enter the state of blood calming, they gain resistance to pain and fear enough to be called zombie horses.

That there is no horse more excellent than this for heavy cavalry use, is what Eugene who has been together with Might felt acutely.

"What the me from 3 years ago could present was just hot dogs and a cup of blood in total, but it's different now. No matter what they want in return, I will be able to trade sufficiently."

"Eugene. The Barcia nobles do not recklessly take their military horses out."

Valda said, worried that her husband would be disappointed.

"That's something we can compromise on gradually. To speak honestly, I also just have the mind of wanting to see the Pierce siblings. I cannot deny that their gift has a stake in my success today."

This was decisive. The people gathered in the room agreed to heading to Barcia at once.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aaron and his fellow knights, surrounded by servants and slaves, checked their appearances several times over.

"Blessings really do follow the victors. All the nobles of Barcia will envy us."

"To think that after fighting side by side with His Excellency against monsters of the other world, we would even be treated in the legendary castle."

The road back to their hometown from eastern Roman is arduous. The glory of victory is glory, but honestly sighing was inevitable.

Just at that time, being invited to Moving Castle, even the majestic knights' expressions softened.

"Hurry! If we are late to the banquet His Excellency invited us to, apologies with the likes of your lives will not suffice!"

"Yes!"

At their master's bellowing, the slaves moved their hands even more busily.

Among all the knights in the world, the ones most sensitive to fashion are Barcia knights. They decorated and decorated themselves again paying much more attention than even the Dwarf King's banquet.

And the banquet was beyond what they expected.

"Honorable comrades-in-arms. You Sirs are the first Barcia guests to ascend my castle. May the Goddess's blessing be together with this monumental dinner."

To Eugene raising his glass from the seat of honor, the Barcia knights bowed their heads containing awe.

"With His Excellency speaking so, we do not know what to do with ourselves."

"We have visited various banquets, but such a luxurious place is a first."

Eugene normally distances himself from waste, but when treating outside guests, it's an exception. Because if you have the status of a noble, specifically a Great Lord, luxury is both a virtue and a duty.

If you show a frugal appearance even in front of guests, you hear criticism that you are stingy. If unlucky, you might even suffer a loss in employing talented people or diplomatic relations.

Because if a free knight of outstanding skill receives invitations from two noble families, they are naturally bound to head to the family that puts on luxuries.

It is essentially a membership fee to maintain membership in the privileged class gathering called noble society.

And Eugene's treatment has one more special thing.

"What is this? Beans? It is far too luxurious of a color for beans."

In the bowl, golden grains were floating in waves of cheese like the Milky Way.

"It is called corn. It is a spoil of war obtained from the new continent expedition."

"Putting in plenty of cheese too, it is truly beautiful. It is like a gratin brewed with gold and silver."

"It's called corn cheese. I hope you Sirs taste and evaluate it. For reference, I simmered the sauce myself."

"!!!"

It is the existence of a special menu that the master directly developed and served.

The knights lifting their spoons had faces more nervous than when they swing their swords at monsters.

Chew chew!

The deep flavor of the cheese and the saltiness of the spices wavy. The corn grains rolling around as if surfing on top of it dripped sweet juices.

The knights' spoon moving speed doubled and tripled. It isn't a hand movement originating from courtesy towards the Great Lord, but incited by pure appetite.

"It's a relief that you seem to like it."

"Excellency! If there is a stronger temptation than an honorable battle in the world, it must only be this dish!"

"The scent of the cheese is sweeter than the bloodshed of the battlefield, and the flowing butter is warmer than burning castle walls. And this corn is like the gold coins searched off the corpses of enemies."

Barcia knights were famous for their aesthetic appreciation of pleasure. That doesn't simply mean they are debauched. It is to return a pleasantly rich reaction to the side treating them.

Thanks to that, they are unexpectedly welcomed guests in Roman and the small kingdoms where they have no particular grudges. Their martial prowess as knights is outstanding too, so there's nothing bad about becoming close with them.

"As expected. Nobles amongst nobles. Not inferior to your swordsmanship, even your expressions overflow with refinement."

"Hahaha! As expected His Excellency is honorable!"

As Eugene smiled and poured wine into their glasses to the point of overflowing, the banquet atmosphere excitedly ripened even more.

* * *

During the banquet, Eugene wanting to get some fresh air came outside.

- Leave this place to me.

Since Valda is presiding as the Lady of the House, there will be no problems.

"Lord also came out?"

While he was walking stepping on the grass, a voice was heard from up in the tree. Cassandra, getting some night wind, smiled brightly and swung her legs.

Her skin, having taken off her outer garments perhaps because she was hot, sparkles receiving the moonlight. The trained body and ornaments enhancing femininity harmonized, radiating a unique charm.

"I wanted to take a look one more time before we leave."

Eugene pointed at the basalt land to the east.

"It's a scenery I like. Because it's an entirely pitch-black land, when seen at night, the boundary between sky and earth is blurry. Like a world clumped into one. Should I say it feels like having the space of the universe in front of me?"

"Universe?"

To Cassandra tilting her head in puzzlement, Eugene only smiled.

"What business did you come out for? It doesn't seem like you particularly enjoy night walks either."

"I was looking at the onlookers gathered near the gateway."

The last gateway east of the mountain range. That place is full of large and small tents and campfires. It is a camp set up by onlookers who came from all over the mountains.

"The daily life natural to us is an illusion and legend passing by momentarily for them. Without distinguishing status."

Over there, not only Dwarves but also several flags of human nobles who came from under the mountain range could be seen.

"It's somehow funny. The appearance of nobles doing exactly what commoners looking up in reverence do when a noble parades. It seems they don't have such an awareness, though."

Actually, among the nobles, there were also those who suppressed and held it in even if they terribly wanted to go look.

Saying that looking up at another's castle containing wonder and marvel is a humiliation.

Such appearances came sweeter than any liquor to Cassandra. As expected, she is someone whose natural disposition is a Queen.

"You've worked hard today. You were skilled at treating the knights?"

"As you know, our tribe is clumsy at dealing with outside guests. Alessa must maintain dignity as the Chief of the clan. When treating outsiders, I mainly took the lead and commanded."

Not just enjoying together, but leading the banquet as the host so the guests enjoy it is somewhat tiring work.

Cassandra restlessly gave instructions to the servants and slaves and tidied up the banquet hall.

She memorized the foods and liquors each knight liked and additionally set them up closer.

Thanks to that, Eugene could focus only on laughing and chattering with the guests.

Valda, being a Princess status, was always in the position of being treated. In this kind of operation related to menial tasks, she was very inexperienced.

"As expected, it is reassuring. You are different from warriors who only use a sword well."

"Fufu."

As Eugene reached out his hand, Cassandra held it firmly. Feeling the tough arm strength beyond the soft hand, Eugene kicked off the tree trunk, went up, and sat side-by-side.

"Please eat. There's a natural habitat nearby so I picked some."

Next to Cassandra, there were wild raspberries wrapped in large leaves.

"I'll eat well. It's nice because it brings back memories of when we lived in Kingdom's End."

"Welcome to being my guest."

After that, the two wordlessly looked at the last night view of the Dwarf Mountain Range. The night wind, riding the basalt zone and touching their backs, was pleasantly cool.

* * *

The day of transfer to Barcia.

In the east of the mountain range, an even more increased crowd had flocked.

"Ow! Why are you hitting me?"

"I must have told you not to cross the blockade line 3 times?"

"I didn't cross it. I just stepped on the line."

"This guy hasn't been hit enough yet."

"Ack! Ack!"

The eastern gateway guard unit who would normally be comfortably sucking honey had their nerves on edge. Controlling the large number of onlookers, even the off-duty ones were all called in.

The only architecture of the ancient kingdom that Dwarves acknowledge defeat in masonry to. At that, an opportunity to view the magic castle wandering riding lightning. Those who felt boredom in mountain range life all flocked here.

Among the onlookers, there were also many Dwarf Chiefs who participated in the uncharted territory subjugation. They are those Eugene negotiated with for the development of new continent mines.

- Everything is a world different from here. Once you arrive, you must live there until I come to pick you up.

- But you mean there is a clean gold mine that hasn't been touched by any nation's hands?

- Right. There are no competitors there. If you discover a gold mine or silver mine, you just have to dig it out. There's no need to rummage through land ledgers worrying if other families are intertwined, nor a need to offer bribes.

- It truly is a dream-like story.

Anywhere on the continent has an owner. Or there are those who used to be owners.

Let alone a silver mine, even if just a salt mine is discovered, all sorts of factions stuck their spoons in. It doesn't matter even if that place is barren land or uncharted territory.

My in-laws and eighth cousins blah blah blah.

Our ancestor who subjugated monsters nearby a few hundred years ago blah blah blah.

Nobles claiming ownership through various methods appear leading armies.

A vein perfectly liberated from such interference is the dream of all miners.

- They are rapturous conditions, but it is difficult to find applicants right away.

- Of course. It isn't a business that can be started hurriedly. I intend to take a long view. Will you come to see my castle first? To speak openly, you'll be doubtful whether I've even been to the new continent.

- Keuheum! How could we doubt Your Excellency?

- That's enough so treat it as being fooled and just come to spectate.

Thus, they were the Dwarf tribe members and Chiefs who came with interest on the transfer day Eugene informed them of.

Pajik!

"I-It seems it's starting!"

In the clear sky, a large whirlpool cloud was generated only in the sky where Moving Castle was.

Hwiyuuoouuung!

Huoooong!

The unnatural strong wind met the basalt zone full of countless holes and created bizarre sounds.

Flash!

The castle taking up an enormous volume ascended to the middle of the eye of the typhoon in an instant and disappeared.

The aftermath rushing into the place that became a vacuum state afterwards was stronger than normal. Because it was a rock plain open on all sides.

"Uaaaak!"

The Dwarves endured it with their innate strength and low center of gravity, but the human mercenaries were a mess rolling around here and there.

The old Dwarves trimming their beards with serious faces looked at each other.

"I now have not an inch of doubt towards His Excellency. And you all?"

At one Chief's words, the other Chiefs also shrugged their shoulders.

"Things like this are first come, first served. The ones who catch the eye first are treated better. Besides, seeing him cherishing and caring for the Hammer guys so much, well."

"Even without that, there are many young ones who say they are sick of living in the mountains and want to run out. Since they're going out anyway, rather than rolling around doing mercenary work in a harsh world, it would be better to work under the Count noble."

Now they will return to their respective tribes and put up notices.

For Dwarves who will willingly challenge themselves to an unfamiliar world for the glory of pioneering, adventurous spirit, and great compensation.

Clench.

Seeing some Chiefs tightly clenching their fists and shining their eyes, it seems some intend to step forward themselves. They are those who were slowly thinking of stepping down as Chiefs.