Chapter 245

Chapter 245 - Entering the War (5)

The two young knights looked at their successful senior with eyes filled with admiration.

"Sen... Sir Hind! I'm glad to see you again."

The knight with an androgynous appearance tried to call him senior but got his foot stepped on by his colleague and quickly corrected himself. The one who stepped on him is a massive figure close to a whopping 2 meters. His reticent personality was revealed from his lips tightly shut in a straight line.

"All the instructors talk concerning you, Sir. They say you have never lost in a spar not even once. And yet you started training earlier than anyone else and swung your sword until late."

Hind is Eugene's first knight and a closest aide who served in the army for every journey. Eugene's right-hand man whether in military force, as a chief of staff, or in seniority.

His salary alone is of a level that lightly surpasses a lord possessing a small manor. Hind was sending the most donations among the graduates of the House of Border Knights.

"It's to the point where there are even people coming visiting from Britannia wanting to enter our training camp."

"I see."

Even at a story that would make one's shoulders shrug up in pride, the party involved's reaction is monotonous.

"Sir Hind. What's with that reaction? You should respond a bit more properly."

"Because I'm not accustomed to this kind of side, you see."

Hind made a perplexed expression. Eugene turned his gaze to the two knights who were rigidly disciplined.

"Have you both had a meal?"

"Not yet. Because after giving greetings to His Highness Duke Leray and coming out, we coincidentally discovered Your Excellency's flag and came."

The two border knights are greenhorns who haven't even been knighted for half a year. Even though they have semi-noble status, this place fully gathered with lofty people is no different from a dragon's den. It's lucky if they could even just offer a greeting in front of a great lord, and luxury banquet halls are a gate-cut.

Because their wallet situations weren't leisurely either, they carpooled on a food transport ship flowing down the Ichor River under the pretext of escort.

"It worked out well then. Sir Hind and I haven't yet either. I'd like you to please join my dining table."

"It is an honor!"

The young knights, who suddenly ended up dining with the Allied Forces' greatest noble, thumped their chests with trembling voices.

During outside activities, Eugene eats the same food as his subordinates additionally serving as a check on military provisions' state. However, right now is a situation of treating guests as a family head. Having invited knights, serving barracks food is no different from an insult.

That doesn't mean he would put on a luxury of burning a thousand high-quality candles in merely one night, or watching performances going around leading a hundred diverse entertainers each though.

Kkulkkeok.

The knights swallowed their saliva at the beautiful appearances of the tribe handmaids setting up the dining table. Being attended sincerely by those prideful and dignified Dark Elves is a luxury even Duke Leray cannot enjoy.

Kkolkkak.

The knights swallowed their saliva for the second time looking at the set food. First, the main menu is roasted turkey that inhabits only the New Continent.

Omul!

"...?"

"It's... not chicken?"

The moment they put the steaming lean meat into their mouths, two pairs of pupils opened wide.

The thickly boiled soup with bacon, potatoes, and clam also made the young knights' spoons continuously go up and down.

"I am eating black pepper for the first time."

The knight with an androgynous appearance sprinkled black pepper with a trembling hand. His attitude was careful, but at the sight of him endlessly sprinkling it on, Hind's eyebrow shot up.

"Keep your dignity. If you're going to express appreciation for each and every thing, say more refined words. You should have gone through a composition class every 3 days?"

"It's nice to see, so why? Don't squeeze them too much. Now, now, don't mind the scary senior and eat comfortably."

The two knights, who flinched at Hind's words, were relieved at Eugene's attitude of kindly patting their shoulders. Even after that, dishes continued to come out.

Spread made by grinding seasoned pork ribs and crispy baguettes to eat it applied on.

Croquettes fried after lumping together mashed potatoes, ham, and spices.

Salad dressed with wild raspberries, apples, and honey.

Even a dessert completed by sprinkling cacao powder obtained from the New Continent onto a cake mixed with sugar, cheese, and eggs.

It is a dish composition that only Eugene can serve due to storage skills, cooking skills, and the presence or absence of ingredients.

'They really eat well.'

The rookie knights ate wildly as if it were a death row convict's last meal.

A world where gastronomy is extremely restricted. Having stayed at the House of Knights all along, whole chickens or trouts coming out a few times a year was everything for them in terms of feasting. Condiments were entirely salt, and even eating a whole one of those is a dream-like matter.

Being treated to dishes that even a great lord has a hard time eating thanks to their school connections with their senior, an indescribable emotion surged.

After the meal ended, Eugene straightforwardly asked the two knights with happy expressions.

"Do you Sirs have no thoughts of trying to work under me?"

He was just needing more knights who would help Eugene in diverse situations including leading mercenary cavalries. Hind has so many tasks he's in charge of that even having 2 bodies would be lacking.

"If it's border knights who finished Commander Largo's strict course, verification is effectively finished. Whether in skill or in character."

"You overpraise us. We merely made qualitative efforts so as to not dirty the footprints of the senior knights."

"Those points are what catch my eye. Bravery is sufficient if it's about the level of charging into the enemy camp along with me. An intermediate commander equipped with virtues of humility and easygoingness on top of that. That is the ideal appearance I desire. The House of Border Knights truly raises such talented individuals very well, it seems."

Certainly, it seems in a negotiation, the side with many cards is overwhelmingly advantageous. Eugene could already anticipate their answer just with the knights' expressions and postures.

Kkamppak. Kkamppak.

Because he could see them dispersing the tears welling up by diligently blinking.

'Isn't this too easy?'

That thought occurred to him for a moment as well, but in fact it's not strange. Eugene is a great lord who became the ruler of Britannia striking down countless strong enemies with a single sword.

For such a legendary knight to treat rookies, whose courage and skill are everything, like this is a miracle-like experience.

"I wish to take you in before other lords snatch you away. Would you please run through the battlefield together with me? Aiming spears fluttering with the Mayer family's flag at the enemies."

The two knights rose from their chairs and kneeled. And they gathered and attached their two hands together as if praying. It is that posture from the time Marcus's vassals swore an oath of loyalty in front of him.

"My monarch. I will be reborn as your person. Until the last drop of blood in my body disappears, I will serve you with loyalty."

The lines recited during an oath of loyalty are different for each Knight's House. This is the official statement taught at the House of Border Knights.

"I will gratefully receive that heart. What I will provide in return for it is the best equipment and military horses. And the awe of those who face you."

Eugene held the knights' hands together one by one and nodded his head.

"Sir Hind. Issue the spare Hydra armors and Barcia military horses to the two of them. You also teach them regarding our standard formulations."

"Understood. Both of you follow me."

Hind, who offered a military salute, led the young knights who had now become company juniors from alumni juniors.

"...Close that mouth a little."

Although Hind attaches importance to disciplined military spirit, for this time at least he let them off somewhat loosely.

Not enough with becoming a great lord's vassal, to receive Barcia military horses and armors belonging within the category of treasures. Because even if it was himself from 3 years ago, he would've been equally dumbfounded.

* * *

Among the guests Eugene received, there were also Gnome moneylenders belonging to the Hanseatic League.

"It is 400 old Aurex gold coins and 1100 Gord gold coins."

"Castle Lord. Both the numbers and quality have no abnormalities."

A Dwarf appraiser, who was looking meticulously holding a magnifying glass, nodded his head. Such duties became much easier thanks to the precious metal appraisers scouted from the Cazador expedition.

"Thanks for the good information. We almost got hit with a rip-off."

"...It's a relief it became a help to Your Excellency."

At an expression too cheap for a great lord, the Gnomes laughed awkwardly.

"The Roman Emperor is said to secretly be reducing the purity of gold and silver coins in order to bear the war expenses. Some have already been released to the market. Up to the old bills issued last year can be trusted, but I recommend exchanging to Gord gold coins from now on. If it's that, you can use it without loss across the entirety of Reach."

Let alone various nations, free cities or merchant firms acknowledged with privileges also independently issue currencies. Regarding gold coins alone, the types were in the dozens, and silver or bronze coins numbered in the hundreds.

To spend money in a foreign land, one needs to exchange into the currency commonly used in the local area. If it's the credibility of Britannia and Cazador currencies Eugene possesses, it works anywhere, but not receiving the proper price is the problem instead.

Even considering commissions, exchanging and using it could minimize losses.

"If it's alright, could you share some information?"

Eugene slid a black beverage over to the moneylenders.

"They say money always arrives before phenomenons, don't they? It's exactly as the saying goes. Those who know how the world turns better than Gnomes must be rare."

"It is an honor that Your Excellency recognizes our proverb."

"We will drink it with gratitude."

Feeling awed and grateful, the Gnomes put the black beverage to their mouths. And their expressions stiffened.

"It's... not coffee?"

Coffee is a situation where it's been transmitted to Roman via the Eastern Empire as well. Because the circulation amount was small, it was as expensive as black pepper, but its existence itself was well known.

However, what Eugene served is chocolatl brewed by adding roasted cacao beans and corn, a little bit of spices, and sugar.

"W-What is this?"

"Will you answer my question first?"

The Gnomes, who couldn't pull themselves together at the unique flavor, only then realized their rudeness and immediately regurgitated information.

The Count's authority and the shock a special food gives. Combining the two was convenient because one could always occupy an advantage against decent conversation partners.

"We are viewing that the war will become longer. Because the dissatisfaction of mercenaries, who were showing signs of leaving due to delayed wages, subsided. The Emperor is massively transporting prisoners to the silver and gold mines he occupied while achieving a great victory. He has the intention of making them do forced labor there."

"Are they expecting he'll pay their remunerations with gold and silver extracted there?"

"It is a state where the Emperor already publicly declared it staking his own name."

The Gnomes grinned.

"Of course, what the mercenaries will receive would be gold and silver coins with dropped purity, though."

"It's atrocious."

"Isn't it those who set the rules that wield the world? No matter how much mercenaries boast about being the Emperor's sword, they're merely leaves floating on the water. A true person of power just blows Hoo! and they drift away."

"Do you know anything regarding the army of heterogeneous races as well?"

"They're a 3000 cavalry from the Grozya Khanate. Looking at the proportion of horse feed transported to the capital, the heavy cavalry ratio will be about 2 tenths. The rest seem to be horse archers holding horn bows."

"...They must be bothersome guys."

Eugene resolved that he must avoid a head-on showdown with these guys as much as possible.

The Fairy-race composite bows are overwhelming in durability and maintenance convenience, but their range and power fell slightly short of human nomads' horn bows.

If it's stone cavalry armed with siege-use crossbows they could wage a one-sided engagement bouncing off all arrows, but their numbers are lacking. Since their mobility drops, chasing fleeing light cavalry also wouldn't do.

Of course, that doesn't mean Eugene's army loses. Because the firepower of an archer unit holding Fairy-race longbows is much superior to horseback-use bows. If they ram into the Hammer Brotherhood forming a square formation in front of that, the Grozya heavy cavalry will get shredded.

"But it seems there will be no need for Your Excellency to worry. The Grozya Khanate's cavalry are by nature barbarians and pillagers. Even to the Emperor, they are bastards out of control. It will be hard to mobilize them for a battle with the Western army."

"Then is he thinking of releasing them into the North or the East? So that the nobles can't touch his back."

Operating mercenaries like a kind of privateer pirate is not a very uncommon thing either. Although using it in one's own country's territory is an unseen behavior.

"You are exactly right. It's said even in the midst of heading to the assembly point, a few Imperial Faction villages suffered sudden misfortunes. Though it seems it's being kept quiet under the Emperor's orders."

Because mercenaries' pillaging is their inherent right, monarchs also cannot easily control it. However, it was common sense to pillage the battlefield after a victory or occupied enemy territories.

To rob even amicable villages on their movement route, they aren't cursed as barbarians for nothing. Since it's a situation where he has to borrow even such people's power, it can't be helped though.

"And there's the Lanzheim mercenary group from the small kingdoms north of Roman. They are an elite infantry unit armed with numerous pikes, and these are soldiers who faithfully follow their employer's orders. They have a high probability of waging battle against the Noble Faction together with the Shadow Legion."

That was fine. If it's an infantry unit, no matter how well-armed elites they are, it won't become a problem. Because they wouldn't be able to approach Eugene's army in the first place.

"And this is an unconfirmed story, but..."

"It's fine, so speak whatever it is comfortably. I'm not a narrow-minded person enough to reprimand even if you're wrong."

"There is a rumor that pagan faiths are rising up capitalizing on the confusion of the civil war. It's said mercenaries who considered them a refugee group and attacked in the south were conversely annihilated. It's said farmers who wouldn't budge no matter how many bolts they took pounced fiercely."

"Aren't they just intoxicated on drugs?"

Some atrocious bandit bosses also drew out combat power by feeding drugs to their subordinates.

"The thing is, it's said there were people with red eyes and protruding horns among the farmers. Isn't this something impossible with drugs?"

"Normally, it would be an agenda the nobles and the Emperor would hold hands and investigate thoroughly."

The Gnomes sighed.

"It is not only this. Problems that need to be handled at a national level keep getting pushed back. The war should quickly end, though."

It's a situation where it feels like they are earnestly fighting only now, beginning the 4th year of the civil war. The world returning normally looked distant.

However, the ones making money the most lucratively in between are also people like the Gnomes in front of his eyes. It probably means the world is a mess enough that even these misers feel pity.

After the Gnomes returned, Eugene continued meeting guests until evening. Only after even finishing ship contracts with captains who would transport supplies from Moving Castle could he finally rest.

"You labored a lot."

Valda mounted the back of her husband lying face down on the camp bed and massaged his shoulders and back.

"The Princess wasn't just playing either, right? Because a lady naturally has the world of ladies."

"It was fine for me to listen to the wives' complaints and just nod my head. Since it wasn't work concluding transactions like you."

The massage she learned from the handmaids is still clumsy. But befitting a gatherer, her grip strength was good so it was quite refreshing. Above all, the affection filling her hand movements felt pleasant.

* * *

"The Great Lord of Britannia. His Excellency Count Mayer is entering!"

Together with the scribe's resonant shout, Eugene entered the grand conference room. Behind him followed Homi, who rejoiced realizing her liege's success, yet had a somewhat melancholic face.

Together with a ceremonial welcoming greeting, a badge proving the standing director qualification was awarded to Eugene.

'Oh?'

Among the attendees, Eugene saw a welcome face who came with the qualification of Bonyard's representative.

"Fani..."

"All preparations are finished! Now exactly is the time to deliver a steel judgment to the atrocious tyrant!"

Even before Eugene went to his assigned seat, Duke Leray's ringing shout echoed out.

'What's with this guy?'

Eugene rubbed his ear at the tingling sensation in his eardrum and glared sidelong at the Duke. That was the same for the Duke as well.

A dandy who, rarely for a person of this era, even groomed his eyebrows was looking at Eugene containing a competitive spirit and jealousy. It seems even if yielding the standing director seat couldn't be helped, he absolutely doesn't want to hand over the leading role of the alliance.