Chapter 31
(Kyle Calendar
Year 503: Age 10)
The Courage
and Wisdom of the Solis Barony
Translator : PolterGlast
【The Solis Barony has two exceptional assets: Dalek's
courage and Takuhir's wisdom】
Are you Ishida
Mitsunari?! I couldn't help but retort inwardly.
So, my brother is Shima
Sakon, and I'm Sawayama Noshiro, huh...
Originally, within the
territory, I was known as the Solis family's prodigy at the age of five...
There was such an
embarrassing moniker, but that was only among a limited number of people within
the Estol territory.
・Leading the dispatched unit under our banner to the
Hiyorimi territory.
・Everyone in the dispatched unit was loudly praising
me.
・The highly disciplined movements of the unit are very
eye-catching.
Including these and
other things, rumors of my reputation had spread.
In fact, the dried
"fortune-telling" noodles that had been shelved proved to be very
useful this time.
There was no need for
long-term preservation, and the dried noodles packed in bamboo tubes were easy
to cook. For the flood victims who had lost all their tableware, the tubes also
served as bowls, and a large quantity could be cooked without needing a pot.
Furthermore, the
turnip seeds that we had brought in large quantities grew anywhere, and two
months later, they became a valuable food source for the victims, even the
stems and leaves.
The dispatched unit
withdrew once a certain level of support system was in place and aid arrived
from the Margrave of Hastburg, but the remaining turnips were served at the
dinner tables of the grateful citizens.
The rescued farmers of
the Hiyorimi Viscountcy, out of respect for Baron Solis, had unknowingly made
it a habit to begin their meals with a prayer: "Thank you for the
blessings of Lord 'Turnip Baron'."
Father would probably
be happy, right...?
"I'm sorry,"
I muttered an apology
to Father in a voice that lacked sincerity.
Though I am a noble, I
work alongside the commoners, and the unit I lead, even the women and children,
are as disciplined as a military logistics unit, and do their jobs flawlessly.
Everyone in the
dispatched unit, even the renowned Twin-Headed Falcon Mercenary Corps, followed
my command as if they were serving their lord, acting in an orderly manner.
The words of the
people in the dispatched unit were filled with goodwill towards our Estol
territory and the Solis baronial family, and they treated the victims with
compassion.
The story spread that
the dried noodles and turnips were all my ideas, and combined with various
other factors, it led to this embarrassing nickname.
※
"Father, the
dispatched unit to the Hiyorimi Viscountcy has returned without a single
loss."
Father replied
magnanimously to my report of our return.
"The relief
dispatch this time was a great service. There was a letter of gratitude from the
steward of the other territory regarding your efforts, and the Margrave of
Hastburg also praised you."
"I feel honored.
I hope that my somewhat presumptuous actions did not tarnish the honor of the
baronial family."
(The nickname
"Turnip Baron"... I've spread it even further.)
"By the
way..."
Father continued with
a sudden grin.
"The response to
the flood has been managed for now. What will Lord 'Wise Takuhir' do
next?"
"Father!"
Father, Mother, my
brother, and even Raymond-san were laughing at my bewildered reaction.
Damn it! If that's the
case, I'll say everything I want to say.
"Father, once
again, the land of Estol, governed by the Solis baronial family, has been
blessed with good fortune, continuing unprecedented development and prosperity,
and the territory and its people have accumulated strength.
Furthermore, our
military prowess was demonstrated in the recent Battle of Southern Gate, and
having achieved victory, our strength has already far surpassed that of a mere
barony."
Yes, even before I
started meddling in various things, the Solis baronial family already possessed
economic power comparable to a viscountcy.
The frontier territory
we governed was vast, with many undeveloped lands, and aside from being
adjacent to the demon realm, its sheer size was close to that of a central
earldom.
"However, if I
may speak frankly, even so, we are just a barony in the frontier, and we cannot
go against the tide.
Our military strength
is limited, and our fangs are still too small.
With a newly rich and
continuously growing barony, a business-savvy current lord, and a next lord
with a reputation for valor, both surrounding enemies and allies will become
increasingly wary, and we may stumble in unexpected places."
Having spoken this
far, I took a breath.
This analysis of the
current situation was something that everyone present already understood.
"As far as I am
concerned, since the previous campaign was entangled in the succession dispute
between the enemy's first and third princes, I believe that this will not be
the end of it. And when the next time comes, we will be the ones in the line of
fire.
Last time, it was just
a fluke that our strategy worked, and the same trick will probably not work
next time.
In the current
situation, if we were to clash head-on with 1,000 iron cavalry, we would suffer
devastating damage.
In preparation for the
near future, we need to build up our forces to at least the level of Viscount
Gorman, and preferably Viscount Kirias.
Now is the time to
accumulate strength and sharpen our fangs. To that end, Father needs to assume
a position befitting his current power (viscount), and we need to accumulate
more economic and military strength than we have now.
If we do that, we can
openly increase our military strength and recruit citizens to match our family
status, right?
I believe the first
priority is for Father to make that decision and to work through the Margrave
of Hastburg to make it happen."
"What?!"
Father was speechless
at my unexpected counterattack.
The limitations of
being a frontier baron would be a major shackle for the Solis baronial family
in the future.
I had thought this for
a while now.
"The Margrave of
Hastburg has already given an informal indication of your promotion to
viscount, hasn't he?"
This was an unfounded
bluff.
However, we had
sufficiently accumulated achievements, such as supporting the neighboring
territory during the famine, the victory in the Southern Gate Annihilation
Battle, and the dispatch of the relief unit this time.
Taking another breath,
I deliberately continued slowly and forcefully.
This was the most
important part for me.
"Along with
strengthening our military power, it is also necessary to further secure mages
and, at the same time, keep it as secret as possible.
I strongly recommend
the creation of a magic corps as a trump card in times of crisis on the
battlefield.
If possible, I would
like this task to be entrusted to me, and I would like to be put in charge of
the magic corps.
We will invite
Commander Weiss as a strategist to devise effective tactics, and we will
strengthen and militarize the magic corps.
And as a base to
conceal the magic corps and as a defense for the south of the barony, I would
like you to entrust me with the governance of Teigun and its surrounding
area..."
"Takuhir, that's
not fair!"
My brother interjected
here.
"Brother Darek is
the next head of the family. He's in a position to stand above us, and besides,
he just became the commander of the Solis Iron Cavalry Corps the other day,
didn't he?"
Since studying under
Weiss-san, my brother's swordsmanship had reached the [Master] level, his
riding ability had improved, and he had become knowledgeable in military
strategy. He was already at the top level in the Solis baronial family,
excluding the three [Sword Saints].
And I knew that he
would continue to grow and would display tremendous power if he were to command
an army.
"The above is my
'solution' to Father's 'question.' What are your thoughts, Father?"
Having said this, I
gave a deliberately wicked smile.
"..."
Father fell silent.
"You have
completely lost. Now it is your turn to be tested on your magnanimity to accept
the wise man's proposal."
Mother said with a
smile.
Yes, the one person I
absolutely couldn't make an enemy of was, of course, Mother.
Father, who had
brought this on himself, was holding his head in his hands.
I was a little happy
that I had gotten the chance to say what I had been unable to say for so long,
thanks to Father's mischievousness.
"There seem to be
points worth considering, however..."
"M-Y-D-E-A-R!"
"Regarding the
proposal, we will implement it from what is possible... we will try to..."
"AND?"
"The magic corps,
including the mages, should still be under my..."
"SNAP!"
Mother's smile froze
again.
"Eek!"
I thought I heard
Father's scream.
"W-well...
regarding the magic corps, as the lord of the Teigun area, I officially
recognize it."
"Whom?"
"This matter...
we... shall recognize all of Takuhir's proposals, and entrust the mages, the
magic corps, and Teigun entirely to Takuhir..."
"Well done♡"
Mother smiled the
brightest smile of the day.
I deeply thanked
Mother. Along with an indescribable fear.
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