novelraw Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter : 111
Of course, Azuela wasn't completely brazen or shameless.
She had her own reasons.
Coming here at the Emperor's request, she hadn't received knight escorts and had come all the way alone.
The Emperor, for whom the war was urgent, could not bear to divert knights, a valuable military asset, to other places.
Though she had managed to get soldier support from nobles on the way here thanks to a letter with the Emperor's seal...
“W-Wouldn't it be a bit awkward to ask Baron Vigneux for the way back? Your Excellency. Hohoho.”
“So, you find it hard to trust Baron Vigneux?”
“N-No! That's not it, Your Excellency.”
As she spoke, Azuela shrank her neck and scanned the surroundings.
This was still Baron Vigneux's castle.
If a passing servant heard this, she would go straight back to the cold prison.
“T-The situation is just like that. Seeing that Your Excellency released me, it seems Baron Vigneux has cleared the misunderstanding, but....”
“But?”
“Nobles care tremendously about face, Your Excellency. How could I ask Baron Vigneux for help?”
“.......”
I was momentarily speechless at her truly incredible logic.
So, that half-wit mage was claiming that Baron Vigneux might off her to keep a secret.
‘Well, she has a point....’
Wasn't it better the fewer people knew a secret? No, actually, it was best if only oneself knew.
He might not leave that half-wit mage alone, knowing she held the tail end of a secret directly tied to the family's honor.
Besides, mages were only scary when prepared from a distance.
Dealing with a mage with a flashing blade at close range wouldn't be that difficult.
However.
“Did you not think that I am also one of those face-saving nobles?”
“Aha...?”
“And Baron Vigneux decided to give me his full support. Yet you speak words that disparage the honor of such a Baron Vigneux.... Your thinking is a bit short.”
“Ohohoho.... Y-Your Excellency? I didn't mean it that way...?”
Azuela's two eyes looking at me shook rapidly.
It seemed like a part she hadn't thought of.
Indeed, this half-wit mage was consistent. Well, that was also what made her interesting.
“Would it be impossible? Your Excellency? I'll go separately in the middle of the way to the Duchy of Bourgogne! There's the Emperor's directly-managed land near there.”
“Hmmmm.”
What to do with this trouble-making half-wit mage. It was hard to ignore her when she requested so desperately.
‘Well, she handles herbs and the mysteries of healing, so she might be useful.’
Eventually, thinking that, I nodded and gave permission.
“Fine, I will accompany you until the Emperor's directly-managed land near the Duchy of Bourgogne. In return, you must not cause trouble like before. Keep quiet and watch your mouth. Understood?”
“D-Don't worry! That's obvious.”
“Since someone can't do the obvious things obviously, I can't help but worry.”
“.......”
* * *
“Waaaaah-!”
“Your Excellency! Please visit again!”
“I will pray to God for your safe journey. Ah, our pious Excellency.”
Cheers were heard from all directions. The people of Baron Vigneux's territory came out of their homes and were grandly seeing me off as I left the barony.
And this wasn't just the territory's people.
“Margrave, Your Excellency. Please make sure to stop by my territory on your way back. I will treat you to a magnificent banquet then.”
“I have already received enough. Baron Vigneux. I appreciate the thought.”
Baron Vigneux had also followed to the edge of the barony to see me off. He was treating me very warmly, as if he had become my feudal vassal.
Thanks to that, my heart was quite burdened as I left Baron Vigneux's territory and headed for the Duchy of Bourgogne.
“Why? It looks good. Such treatment should be natural for the path you will walk in the future.”
“Hmm.... Still, I'm afraid people might talk. Wouldn't it cause unnecessary trouble?”
At that, Magician Agpiel, who was riding a horse, smirked.
“Who? The reputation you have built up so far is now at a level that is hard to dare ignore. If there is anyone who treats you carelessly, that person would be a stupid noble. You just need to show them a lesson. Just accept it as natural.”
“You are right. I worried for nothing. Thank you for the advice. Agpiel.”
“No need for thanks. Hehe.”
Indeed, the reputation I built while conducting the southern heretic hunt was tremendous.
A powerful army, overwhelming military achievements, and even rumors of miracles that had spread widely.
Notarized by the Holy See and the Prince-elector of Bohemia, this was too huge for ordinary nobles to dare ignore or envy.
It was no different from having recovered the status of a true high noble now.
Therefore, Baron Vigneux's behavior this time was also a matter to be accepted naturally, just as Magician Agpiel said.
“However, it might become troublesome for another reason. Come to think of it.”
“?”
“Think about the reputation attached to your name. Plus the fact that you helped Baron Vigneux. Doesn't it look to anyone like a pious Excellency who loves to help the unfortunate? Won't requests for help come from all directions? Hahaha.”
“Ey, surely that won't happen.”
I shrugged at Magician Agpiel's laughing words. But I felt an ominous feeling somewhere.
‘Lately, "surely" has been catching people off guard too often....’
It was because of the law of coincidence I had suffered from so far. Surely it wouldn't roll that way this time too. I tried to calm my mind.
.......
.......
.......
Or so I thought....
As expected, Magician Agpiel's words were accurate.
“Oh, Margrave, Your Excellency! It is a great honor to meet you!”
“This is a specialty product of our territory. It is a gift the Lord is sending to the Margrave, Your Excellency. Please accept it.”
At first, friendly greetings and gifts like this came.
“Isn't the journey exhausting? Your Excellency. Please come to my castle and relieve your fatigue.”
“I have prepared a banquet that is second to none. It will not be a disgrace to the honorable Excellency. I would be truly grateful if you participated.”
Invitations poured in from each lord's castle. But soon, not long after, as we went up towards the Duchy of Bourgogne, the content of the envoys began to change little by little.
“Your Excellency, please help us.”
“Oh, pious Margrave, Your Excellency. Please resolve this incident that has befallen this unfortunate person.”
“The Alain family and the Botapan family are in dispute. Could the honorable Excellency perhaps mediate this? We will reward you accordingly. Your Excellency.”
Requests for help became increasingly frequent.
In fact, I could have ignored them all and left, but what held me back was, as expected, the reputation I had built up.
Pious.
Loved by God.
A fair and honorable noble.
These were the fancy modifiers attached to me. Especially while handling Baron Vigneux's affair this time, content related to this spread even faster.
It was because Baron Vigneux, out of gratitude, actively spoke of my actions to surrounding lords and merchants while hiding the parts that were hard to speak of.
‘This.... It's quite troublesome if the reputation is too high.’
If it were a terrifying infamy instead, they wouldn't dare to make requests for help like this.
Of course, that didn't mean I was unilaterally losing out.
“Ah, no! How could you solve this so easily? Thank you so much. Your Excellency!”
“Ooooh, such a method!”
“Your Excellency! Peace has finally come to my territory thanks to Your Excellency's beautiful mediation. Thank you so much. Please accept this.”
The troubles of the lords or merchants I met while passing by were actually all unexpected events I had experienced once in [Pangea Universalise].
I was able to solve the incidents easier than flipping a palm.
Those who received help offered thanks and gifts, and promised cooperation with me.
-Ding!
[You did not ignore the difficulties of the surrounding nobles and helped them. Some will think lightly of your help, but some will be grateful for it. Sometimes, intangible reputation exerts powerful strength. Your influence spreads widely in the central continent.]
[Notification: You have acquired influence over the central lords of the Elang Kingdom.]
[Notification: The minor lords of the western Holy Empire are interested in you.]
[Notification: The progress of the Relay Market increases.]
[Current: 91/100]
Thanks to this, I had built up immense influence over the central nobles.
* * *
‘Hehehe. Doesn't this feel like I'm getting a huge free ride?’
Seeing the intended results, I grinned. As expected, one should live kindly.
Since I live kindly, doesn't everything just roll in on its own like this?
Certainly, the people of the [Pangea Universalise] era had an 80s-90s vibe in many ways.
Should I say that although it feels somewhat rough and barbaric, there is a certain romance to it? Whether the help was big or small, if they received help, they had a habit of trying to repay it by staking their honor.
Thanks to that, the requests for help from surrounding lords now looked like nothing but a Golden Goblin's treasure bag.
Such cost-effective work!
“Meeeeeeeh! Lord. What are you thinking about? Mehr.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Meheheh. You are laughing very gloomily. Mehr.”
“K-Khum. Was I?”
“Yes. Meeeeh. It was a very.... greed-filled expression. Meheheh.”
Bishop Marco, the goat beastman, spoke while letting out his characteristic goat cry.
Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and quietly turned my head.
Just then, it was the elf knights who saved me.
“Your Excellency!”
The elf knights who had gone out as scouts had returned.
“Yes. Is there something ahead? Or perhaps a clearing suitable for camping?”
“No. Your Excellency. Some mercenary group has set up camp on the road.”
“Hmm? How many are there?”
“Quite a few. About dozens? But they look very shabby, as if they fled from somewhere. Your Excellency.”
I tilted my head at the elf knights' words.
“Was there a battle nearby?”
“Hmm.... I don't think I've heard of any. Wouldn't they be defeated soldiers who drifted in from afar? Recently, inside the Holy Empire, wars are being fought here and there because of the Emperor.”
“That could be true. Magician Agpiel. Since the Elang Kingdom is relatively stable, they might have been driven here.”
Indeed, as Magician Agpiel said, the mercenaries we encountered seemed to have drifted in from the Holy Empire.
The colorful clothes patched like rags were the characteristic attire of the Holy Empire mercenary corps.
Their appearance was very shabby, perhaps due to long outdoor life.
“How shall we subjugate them? Your Excellency? Just give the order!”
The elf knight shouted with sparkling eyes. Subjugating guys like that was a knight's duty and an honorable task.
It was also a way to easily accumulate meritorious service.
“What nonsense is that? There is no need to fight. Besides, aren't they not a bandit group?”
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of fighting.
“Isn't it obvious what fled mercenaries would do? They must have done some banditry while coming here anyway. Your Excellency.”
“We cannot do that based on suspicion alone, so just pass by.”
At my words, the elf knights smacked their lips as if disappointed. However, there were no elf knights bold enough to dare ignore the solemn(?) Excellency's order.
“Arrogant fellows. Bow your heads. Where are you looking up at?”
“Praise Your Excellency's beautiful heart for sparing you!”
Grumbling for no reason, the elf knights were giving cold stares to the surrounding mercenaries.
“Anyway, it is strange. Magician Agpiel.”
I said to Agpiel while examining the surrounding mercenaries.
“What is?”
“Isn't there no reason to leave fled mercenaries around the territory like this?”
“True, since they tend to turn into bandit groups easily, no lord would leave them be.”
“Could some problem have occurred?”
“Hmm.... That might be possible. Wouldn't we know if we go there?”
True, I'll know if I go.
Thinking that, I went up along the road.
And not long after.
“Oh, pious Excellency! Please help us.”
“???”
I could meet countless people greeting me.
They were skeletal figures who looked on the verge of death.