Chapter 110
(Kyle
Calendar Year 507: Age 14)
Sudden
Visitors ①
Translator : PolterGlast
As autumn deepened,
the season for the supreme tournament arrived once again.
"This time, there
are no special guests scheduled, and we have the arena and inns ready, so we
can enjoy it without worry!" Claire, who oversees operations including
reception, also had a relaxed air about her.
"In the end...
the young ladies are still going to bet large amounts this year, aren't they?
Surely..." Miseri let out a slight wry chuckle.
Indeed, Lady Yuka,
entrusted by Viscount Gorman to receive Mage training, and my sister Chrisia,
who for some reason showed no inclination to return to Est and had also settled
in, had now been here for six months. And now, they were greatly looking
forward to the "game" (gambling) they had learned last year.
"Well, they've
become good friends with everyone, so I hope you'll overlook them letting loose
a little." I somehow felt that Viscount Gorman would casually drop by,
longing to see his daughter.
One day, while
enjoying a relatively relaxed life, a messenger arrived from Margrave Hastburg.
The message was for me, not my father. Surely the Margrave was in the Royal
Capital, accompanying Lady Flora for her academy enrollment? A premonition of
dread washed over me as I read the letter.
"..."
Claire's flag had
spectacularly exploded. The letter contained only a single line:
"A certain noble
desires to watch the tournament. Prepare and secure without fail. Furthermore,
this matter is to be kept strictly secret; inform only the minimum trustworthy
individuals."
The messenger added a
comment to me as I read the letter. "Regarding the contents of the letter,
my lord will also accompany them for the reception. I was instructed to inform
you of that." He seemed unaware of the letter's contents himself.
"Miseri!
Immediately gather everyone... no, gather the heads of each department, and
Commander Weiss, and Kiira-san, and my sister and Yuka-san!"
Some time later...
Commander Weiss from
the Frontier Knights, Captain Gale from the garrison, Vice Commander Kiira from
the mercenary corps, Christoph from the checkpoint defense command, Claire
representing the Mages, Miseri representing the administrative office, Yoltia
representing the trade exchange, Anne from the lord's manor, and Marianne
representing the medical division had gathered. In addition to these nine key
members, excluding Bart who was currently on a special investigation, my sister
Chrisia and Lady Yuka were also present.
"First, I
apologize for gathering you so suddenly. But I've called you here to convey
something urgent and important. First, I ask that what I'm about to say remains
strictly confidential to those present here."
Seeing my serious
demeanor, everyone held their breath.
"I believe some
of you know that a messenger arrived from Margrave Hastburg today. The content
is that a certain noble from the Royal Capital will visit to watch the supreme
tournament. This noble is important enough that the Margrave himself will
accompany them for the reception..."
"Eeeeeeeehh!"
Everyone shrieked.
"We will
immediately prepare the guesthouse and make arrangements for the
reception."
"Anne, I'm
counting on you."
"If that's the
case, the accompanying guard troops won't be fewer than 500, I presume. We will
empty all of the Frontier Knight barracks."
"The garrison
barracks have room. We can't accommodate all the Knights, but about
200..."
"The mercenary
corps' barracks can accommodate about 100 Knights."
"If we station
soldiers at the outworks and both checkpoints, we can accommodate about 200 of
the remaining Knights."
"Commander, Gale,
Kiira-san, Christoph, thank you. Please handle the reallocation of the Knights
to empty the barracks."
"We'll reserve
the entire highest-class inn. I believe attendants of considerable status will
also accompany them."
"Miseri, thank
you."
"We'll open the
pioneer villages that haven't begun receiving settlers yet and turn them into
temporary lodging facilities. If general visitors are accommodated in the post
town and its temporary facilities, I think it will be fine to impose
restrictions on Teigun's city accommodations."
"Claire, it'll be
a rush job, but I'm counting on you."
"I'll send
messengers to Est and Fran. We need to ensure the ingredients are to the
visitors' liking, and also the quantity..."
"Yoltia, I'm
counting on you."
"I'll send a
messenger to Mother. I'll borrow excellent maids and chefs like Miguel-san from
the Est mansion."
"Chrisia, thank
you."
"Please allow me
to help with the reception too. Should I... not tell Father?"
"Lady Yuka, thank
you. As long as you kept it strictly confidential, you can tell him. Chrisia,
you too, tell Mother and Father the same. Make sure they don't lead an overly
militaristic army here by mistake."
Somehow, everyone was
surprised at first, but they quickly came up with calm responses and
countermeasures. That's good. I guess you could say they're used to chaos from
being with me.
"Brother, it
didn't say who would be visiting, did it?"
"No, it said '『I can't write it, but figure it out』. That's what I think it means."
My sister's question
was obvious, but no one else had dared to say it. I, too, refrained from
explicitly stating it. I would just prepare as if that person were coming.
※
A few weeks later, two
days before the supreme tournament, a messenger brought news from my father,
who was waiting in Fran. All possible preparations had been made during this
period.
Somehow... I feel like
this pattern repeats every year.
Commander Weiss and I,
along with a few others, knelt outside the still-under-construction New
Checkpoint on the Fran side, awaiting their arrival.
500 elite Royal
Capital Knights flanked them on either side, 200 elite Hastburg Margraviate
troops led the way, and 100 troops led by my father, along with 100 troops led
by Viscount Gorman, guarded the rear.
"Thank you for
the grand reception. I heard Gouras and Hastburg were surprised, and I really
wanted to see your city."
"It is a
boundless honor to receive Your Majesty's visit to such a frontier."
Yeah, I expected it,
but it's the most noble pattern among them.
I knew nothing of
royal etiquette. Neither did my father and the other frontier nobles. There
wasn't even time to ask for guidance.
"Being rustics of
the frontier, we cannot offer hospitality according to proper etiquette, and I
am utterly ashamed, but I intend to serve you with utmost sincerity. I humbly
ask for your forgiveness for any shortcomings."
"It matters not.
I dislike formality as well. I wish to hear your guidance during the journey,
so ride in my carriage with me."
Ordered thus, I
hesitantly boarded the carriage. Knight Commander Gouras was also riding in it.
Somehow... I'm
incredibly nervous, and he told me to sit, but should I really sit?
"By the way, the
Knight Commander mentioned that this checkpoint didn't exist before. Are you
building it anew?"
"Yes, compared to
the Demon Realm side, our defenses here were vulnerable. I believe that Teigun
truly has meaning only when both sides are protected by strong checkpoints, so
we are proceeding with new construction using the budget granted by Your
Majesty. Also, in the unlikely event that Teigun falls, we plan to utilize this
as a defensive shield."
I deliberately kept
silent about the other purpose. There was no point in discussing it at this
stage.
"What is this
area we're passing through now? I didn't see this last time either..."
It was natural for the
Knight Commander to be curious. After all, it was still under construction last
time. I explained about the pioneer villages, which were built as settlement
areas.
"I see, so even
after passing through the checkpoint, invading enemy soldiers would be
subjected to a rain of arrows from above when passing through these narrow
passages enclosed by earthen walls, huh?"
I, bewildered, could
only give a strained smile and affirm, having had the outer walls of each
farming village understood as serving an unstated purpose.
"What?! New forts
on either side of the city?! When did this happen?!"
"Gouras, don't speak
before me. I am the one who wants to hear the explanation!"
Amidst such exchanges,
we finally arrived in front of the city's main gate.
On the wide central
street, 500 members of the Frontier Knights branch and 500 individuals who
fought as the self-defense force in the Teigun battle were lined up alternately
on either side, kneeling in an endless line. On both sides of them, flowers
were placed in two bamboo tubes per person, creating a "flower path"
extending far beyond the Second District. Frankly, I had no knowledge of royal
etiquette. I also had no time to seek guidance on it. So I planned the
reception based on "Nishida's" intuition.
"The flowers
lined along the path are those that the citizens of this city gathered from the
fields to welcome Your Majesty. And the individuals lined up alternately with
the Knights, wearing unusual garments (happi coats), are the citizens and brave
warriors who defended this city in the previous battle."
"Oh! Is that
true?! This is the first time I've received such a welcome! And those are the
heroes of that battle!" His Majesty the King was greatly pleased.
Well, for now, I think
I managed to grab their attention. Though there's a lot of troublesome stuff
ahead that gives me a headache...
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