Chapter 228

Chapter 228 - Similar but Different Friend

Although it is fundamentally an era with a strict class system, Barcia is a country where nobles' rights are exceptionally high.

It is one of the few regions on the continent without free cities; even just bringing up the 'F' in free cities will have a noble allied army rushing in to subjugate it.

Dudududu!

At the distinct sound of multiple cavalrymen charging, the commoners gathered their hands and bowed their heads. This is common to all countries, but Barcia is even more serious about it.

Aaron pointed at a large and solid-looking stone castle.

"That place is Green Nest Fortress. Lord has been staying there since last year."

Originally, the Marcus siblings lived in a city further west. However, as the country became disordered recently, they moved their residence here.

"He did so to suppress it because large and small wars of nerves with the Piranian family have been increasing."

"Since Roman, which has maintained international peace for a long time, is in that state, it's understandable that everyone is getting antsy."

Those in power want to invest when power and military provisions are accumulated. A situation where Roman is distracted with civil war and Britannia also had a bout of sword dancing.

It was enough to ignite the grudges or lust for power the Barcia nobles had been suppressing all this while.

Contrary to the strong rights of nobles, checking the Barcia characteristic of a somewhat weak royal authority, once a fight breaks out, it's hard to mediate too.

'Is that the reason the King pushed forward the tournament and trial by combat?'

It is a natural matter to want to preserve national power while other countries shed blood on their own accord.

Eugene watched the procession of about 20 nobles who arrived at the castle gate first go through inspection.

"Declare your identities!"

The guard captain on the watchtower shouted.

Unlike Britannia, all the guards on the castle wall hold crossbows. Even ordinary soldiers wearing good quality cloaks reveals the wealth of the Pierce family.

"Laurent Alames! I have come receiving His Excellency Marcus's invitation!"

"Open the gate!"

A little after the nobles entered, Eugene's party arrived at the castle entrance. Homi, who was repeatedly clearing her throat, makes a rare nervous face.

"It's our turn. Fighting!"

"Huuub!"

Homi nodded at Eugene who showed his clenched fist. She inhaled breath until her chest became full. Just as she was about to let out a thunderous shout.

"Bri..."

"Welcome! Count Mayer! All the pastures of Green Nest will fatten Your Excellency's military horses! Welcome!"

The resonant voice that was about to start the introduction as 'Count Mayer of Britannia...' was cut off from the start. The guards on the castle were taking military salutes, having lowered their weapons altogether.

"Uh... There will be another opportunity."

Eugene soothed Homi who became dispirited as her first debut(?) fell through. The thick tail drooping down swayed, hanging loosely by Sandy's flank.

"Because the envoy delegation already exchanged words while coming and going."

Aaron scratched his cheek with a troubled face.

Guards naturally familiarize themselves with VIPs' flags in advance. Let alone the giant Might, knights wearing viper patterned armor, and Dwarf riders whom it's certain anyone would be seeing for the first time.

Unless they are fools, it is a given they would recognize them from afar.

Inside the fortress, a scribe wearing purple velvet clothes had come out to meet them. He is human. In Barcia, Vampires and Dhampirs do not even make up 20% of the total population.

"Excellency. Master is meeting his vassals in the banquet hall."

"I saw them while coming in. Several flags were passing by."

A Great Lord commands many vassals. Adding up knights without territories staying in the royal court, minor nobles owning villages of around 20 households, and lords possessing titles, it is basically in the tens.

Considering the ceremonies of coming-of-age, marriage, funerals, and ancestral rites occurring in each family, there are hundreds of matters to congratulate, console, or thank for every year.

If they interact only through letters, the ruler-vassal relationship gradually grows faint. It was common for a Great Lord to host a banquet and rally the vassals when moving like this.

"Only two escorts are possible. Please kindly understand."

"Following the master's laws is the proper way."

At the scribe's careful words, Eugene signaled with his eyes. His squire Homi and direct adjutant Hind remained, and the rest of his subordinates were guided to the annex.

The gazes of the soldiers of other families who had arrived first all gathered. It is a familiar matter because it's so common now.

"Dark Elves... and Dwarves?"

"Shh! If you say Dark to their faces, you'll get slashed."

Their equipment being amazing is one thing, but two races that are hard to see being tied up in one unit is an even more amazing matter.

"This reaction is the same wherever we go."

"Enjoying the spectacle? Stop looking!"

As the decurions of the two races roared, everyone avoided their eyes overwhelmed.

* * *

When Eugene entered the banquet hall, there is a man receiving praise from pale-complexioned nobles.

'Marcus.'

A monarch who seems like he was met yesterday even though he's being seen for the first time in 3 years. This would probably be the best sentence to modify him.

A tall height and a severely handsome face. That is not the result of Marcus's genes striving to bewitch women. It was solely to give birth to a powerful leader.

When pushing forward with what he desires as a monarch, vassals submit to his charm and enemies retreat at his majesty. Marcus's beauty is of that kind.

Marcus also instantly recognized Eugene entering. Because he was aware of the entire banquet hall even while dealing with his vassals. Just like a commander in a melee scanning the entire battlefield while fighting the enemy before his eyes.

However, right now he had matters to do first.

"I swear loyalty. My Lord."

The Vampire noble kneeling before Marcus clasped his hands together as if praying.

"I will serve the Count following my deceased father. If the outrageous Piranian bastards aim for Bean Land, I will be the first to rush over holding a sword. I swear staking my heart's blood."

"I will accept that oath. I proclaim that from now on, you are the new Lord of Rovagne."

Marcus gently wrapped his hands around the noble's gathered fists. Joy settled on the face of the man whose inheritance was acknowledged.

Since his father died suddenly 6 months ago, the new Lord had received political threats from his uncle. Even being called by his first name. However, it won't be so anymore.

"Rise. Rise. Guardian Knight of Rovagne."

The new Lord retreated after kissing Marcus's signet ring.

The person who came and knelt gathering his hands next didn't meet Marcus's eyes. He bowed his head deeply to the ground.

"I swear loyalty. For the sin of daring to point a sword out of our family's greed and ignorance. I will repay it by serving for generations."

Because it is a family that staged a rebellion, was defeated, and surrendered.

"Your father, grandfather, and granduncle all fought against the Piranian family. Do not forget that a knight is a beautiful existence exactly when fighting real enemies."

"I only offer thanks for your mercy."

Marcus nodded his head.

"I will accept your family's apology and loyalty."

The nobles who were friendly with or had marriage ties to the rebel family sighed in relief.

"I permit taking down and recovering your father's corpse from the execution ground. I will return the occupied territories too. However, Monti Village is an exception. That place will be bestowed as Sir Bastian's fief."

A wandering knight who made great contributions to suppressing the rebellion.

"E-Excellency. That is..."

As the greatest core territory was being ripped away, the kneeling noble's body flinched but stayed quiet. It isn't just because of his committed sin.

Squeeze.

Because Marcus clamped down on his trapezius with a momentum to rip it off.

'Do not kick away the last chance I am granting.'

The blue eyes looking down coldly were saying so. Overwhelmed by that pressure, the rebel noble succumbed.

The last remaining person before Eugene is an old noble who came to petition. As he tried to kneel with difficulty, Marcus stopped him.

"It is fine, so speak standing. My wise counselor."

"My Lord. May God's blessing follow your generosity."

The old noble kissed the back of Marcus's hand instead.

"Since some time ago, the Piranian bastards have been dragging livestock crossing over to my land to graze. I intended to let it pass if it was moderate, but they unleashed as many as 50 goats."

Immediately, the nobles nearby buzzed.

"Goats?"

"Anyways those scoundrel bastards!"

One axis supporting Bean Land is the continent's best pastures and the high-breed military horses raised there. Just raising and selling 5 topmost grade pedigree horses is the revenue of several manors in a snap.

But a goat is livestock that ruins the land, digging out and eating even the grass roots. In Bean Land, their breeding is strictly prohibited by the Pierce family's order. If caught, a huge fine is imposed and even a sentence up to banishment can be given.

"My soldiers who tried to drive them out saying wasn't this too much were attacked. One died and 3 were injured, and they say a knight was on the opposing side."

The old noble has 8 soldiers in total and isn't a knight himself. In this situation, he was helpless.

"I understand well. I will exempt your taxes for this year, so form a youth corps to supplement the public order vacuum. If it is difficult with that, I will arrange trustworthy mercenaries. I will settle this matter with Piranian."

"Thank you! Truly thank you!"

As the old noble withdrew, it was finally Eugene's turn.

Marcus's eyes and mouth, which maintained strictness as a monarch until just now, curved for the first time. It is a smile of affection sent to the only equal existence in this banquet hall.

* * *

"Count Mayer. It is an honor to meet you like this."

"It is an honor for me as well."

Eugene and Marcus exchanged greetings placing their hands on each other's chests.

"I want to request this right away, how about we speak comfortably to each other?"

"..."

At Eugene's attitude of throwing a fastball right from the start, all the nobles in the room made flustered faces.

"Observing formalities is good too, but I'll speak honestly. I like the relationship we had when we first met 3 years ago more. Just as knight to knight."

Said nicely it's openhearted, said badly it's an unrefined attitude. However, the nobles' reactions were all favorable. The secret to that is because of the footsteps Eugene walked.

A person who didn't walk the elite course from birth as the successor of a great family, but started as a single knight and seized everything with a single sword.

- Oh! Glorious Invincible Knight! The one who always takes but never is taken from! The Great Overlord who rose building a castle with the corpses of everything that blocks his path!

It is a bard's song praising Eugene.

If it's a person who walked that glorious path of struggle, even a rough attitude is packaged as magnanimity. This is a privilege that can only be gained through honor built on the battlefield, not lineage.

"I will gladly accept those feelings."

Had his boredom and exhaustion already vanished? Marcus formed an even deeper smile.

"But know this. There are many picky people among Barcia's Great Nobles. There will be many who fail to recognize your charm and insult you."

"I came here to be the Pierce family's friend right from the start. Whether the other guys curse or not."

As Eugene shrugged his shoulders, the vassals clapped and stomped their feet. Eugene truly utilized the fame he built up unsparingly as a shield.

They say not making 1 enemy is more important than making 9 allies, but in Barcia, it's an irrelevant story.

Isn't it a country too far from Eugene's territory and full of the most arrogant nobles? It was rather better to surely make one friend and manage him well.

"Maria will be regretful."

"Why that young lady?"

"She badgered me around the time rumors were heard that you became an Invincible Knight in Bonyard. Saying I should quickly invite you, give you a territory and take you in as a vassal before it's too late. Saying now is the last chance."

"I didn't know I was receiving such good evaluation. Because for 90% of the time I knew her, I only faced coldly glaring eyes."

Marcus laughed even making noises.

"But when I was about to send the invitation, you had already become a vassal of the Morad family. After that, you flashed in the east and flashed in the west, then news cut off. And then one day, you suddenly ascended as a Great Lord of Britannia."

Marcus also found it hard to trust whenever Eugene's rumors were heard. Because his speed of success leaped in bounds far too much.

'Is it possible for a mere knight to become like this in just 3 years?'

What he accomplished is amazing too, but the aura he exudes as an individual also definitively changed.

The appearance of realizing he himself is an apex predator. The confidence that he can break through no matter what he faces, whether as an individual or a group, surrounded him.

While currently in the same position of Great Lord, it must be the reason he looks overflowing with mental composure unlike Marcus.

"It hasn't been long since you became the Count of Britannia, is it okay for you to be out like this? By any chance..."

Eugene realized the trailing end of Marcus's words.

"You mean a rebellion?"

"Yeah."

"I like rebellions."

"..."

The nobles in the banquet hall had somehow stopped their idle chatter and were listening in on the conversation between the two Great Nobles.

The power they possessed was power, but the conversation itself was interesting. The unique friendliness exchanged by the two young leaders, and the commonality of being supreme rulers amidst the non-mainstream also formed a strange picture.

"Your joke is too much. Where in the world is there a monarch who likes a rebellion?"

"I'm serious. Because sometimes 1 rebellion is more practically profitable than 10 expensive banquets. It's good for managing the vassals' mental states, and I can bestow a territory to a knight who wants success."

It is a tone overflowing with confidence, not even considering a suppression failure.

"It's a ruling method possible because you are the Lord of Moving Castle."

Marcus said containing envy.

Daemyungjus (Great Lords) keeping their seats isn't simply because their butts are heavy. They also wanted to actively travel around pursuing profit.

- Do you mean to receive the full price while buying this much?

- Viscount. This year, arbitrary discounts are impossible due to the new regulations set by the Merchant Guild.

- What? Are you telling me to follow rules set by merchants right now? Are you insulting me?!

- That is not what I mean...

- Be quiet. Show your respect for a noble. Not with words, but with actions!

- A-Ah it's not allowed...

When a monarch parades themselves, any trade becomes an unfair meeting of a master and servant relationship. The means or justifications the opposing party normally used are sealed. By that much, there are also many things they can obtain.

However, the more people one leads, the more firmly the leader must hold the center. Those harboring corruption or greater minds look at the empty throne and spring up like poisonous mushrooms.

"I previously vacated my seat, suddenly returned, and did a grand cleaning once."

"There must have been many swept away, and many who succeeded."

Those who couldn't seize the chance are sharply observing Eugene's territory aiming for the next.

"Through that incident, loyal mice and birds increased. Even though I haven't particularly thrown a piece of cheese or a grain of wheat."

Marcus rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes.

"I think Moving Castle might be a treasure more suited for ruling than war."

"It might be."

Eugene also resonated with it. As his faction grew larger, his retainers feared Moving Castle's shadow no less than its real form.

Even though Haven's throne was empty, they felt the illusion as if their master was sitting there like a ghost. All of that returned as Eugene's authority and revenue.

"It's late, but congratulations on your marriage. However, did your wife not come together with you?"

"Because an extremely precious magical herb is just about to bloom. She said she put in effort for 2 years and it only blooms for a few days, and if she doesn't harvest it then, it goes to waste."

Eugene asked if she couldn't leave it to the witches, but Valda was stubborn.

- It is a task more important than any assignment, so please understand.

"Just what kind of amazing effect does it have?"

"Well. I asked but she wouldn't tell me. It seems to be an herb seen for the first time that even the witches don't know."

Eugene scanned the vassals who were waiting for the next turn but couldn't dare to cut in.

"It's an apologetic matter for me to take up a long time alone. I will step back around here. I have been curious about Barcia's food since before."

"Thank you for the consideration."

As the two Great Lords placed their hands on their chests and bowed, the musicians started playing gently.

There were many who wanted to meet the foreign bigshot who suddenly appeared. In the banquet hall, there are not only nobles but also wealthy merchant company heads, renowned mercenary captains, and many wandering knights intending to participate in the tournament.

Eugene greeted all of them and shared conversations. Because given the place, there was a lot of vital information and information that would lead to profit. It was no different from a task of digging up a treasure map.

* * *

"I heard you have a lot of quarrels with your neighbor?"

As the night grew deeper, Eugene had private time with Marcus.

"There can't be two kings in one region, can there? If we were on good terms with the neighboring Great Lord, that would be stranger. You would be the same too."

"Well."

Eugene substituted his answer with an ambiguous smile.

Besides the south, Britannia was in a smashed state in general. Even if they recover from the damage over 10 or 20 years, they wouldn't be able to have an equal relationship like before.

Haven, which was already the best city from the start, is becoming an even greater center where wealth, information, and high society gather.

- Haven is truly the capital of this blessed island nation.

Such awareness is spreading across the entire country. Voices saying House Mayer should be put up for a higher title are also springing up regardless of region. Naturally, that also enters Eugene's ears.

'It's still too early.'

Weighing the pros and cons, Eugene was waiting for the time to ripen further.

"I saw many knights heating up at the banquet."

"Because it's a tournament hosted by the King. Opportunities for success better than this are rare. Moreover, trial by combat guaranteed by the King is also possible."

His blue eyes flashing coldly, perhaps he had been waiting for a long time.

"Because there are guys I must make an example of this time."

"Oh."

Eugene clenched his fist.