Winter Field Chapter 28

Farmland was barren, so food production, which had always depended on trade with other nations, became capable of far greater yields through magically managed greenhouses and seed improvement, and the technology for storing them had also advanced astonishingly. Resolving the chronic food shortage was a great achievement of Gisel Siebendad.

The speed of telegraph messages traveling between the northern fortress and Loudkhen became faster, and above all, even the might of combat magic used in actual battle had grown incomparably stronger compared to the era of the previous sovereign.

Anton did not know much about magic, but he did know that magical power was not an infinite force, and that his current lord, who maximized that finite power and utilized it efficiently, was no ordinary man. The appointment of Anton himself, who was just barely thirty at the time—a young age—to the position of Knight Commander, was also an unprecedentedly bold selection of personnel.

In summary, under the rule of Gisel Siebendad, Oldenland was experiencing unprecedented innovation and peace. With such a lord facing him with a heavy atmosphere from the morning, the Knight Commander could not help but worry.

“Do you have some concern?”

“I wish to seek your opinion regarding the disposition of Lord Malosen.”

Ah, so he had been pondering that issue.

Anton nodded. Though he had only met him briefly, he of course remembered him as well. The unfortunate illegitimate son of the Cornian royal family who had arrived here in place of the princess who should have become the Grand Duchess.

When he first heard the Grand Duke’s declaration that he would hold the wedding ceremony with him, he had been greatly surprised. Just as he was about to click his tongue, thinking the Grand Duke was indeed an unusual person, upon hearing the circumstances, the plight of the one called Rensley Malosen was pitiable, and the Grand Duke’s words also made sense.

The Grand Duke had said that once Rensley Malosen’s treatment was decided, he might need Anton’s help then, and had also tipped him off about the wedding ceremony and the secret surrounding the Grand Duchess.

“Have you decided what to do?”

Since the wedding had been held for now, the safest course would be to let a little time pass, then create a suitable pretext for him to step down from the position of Grand Duchess, and rather than keeping Rensley Malosen in Loudkhen, send him to live in a remote fief.

In any case, since he was a guest personally taken in by the Grand Duke, a few members of the knight order would likely need to be dispatched as his escort. Perhaps some of them might have to remain there for a few years…

“Externally, we decided to say that the Grand Duchess is of frail constitution and is confined to her quarters.”

“Yes. So far, no one seems to harbor any doubts. Now, if we simply wait a little longer and announce…”

“I have come to think there is no need to keep Lord Malosen confined solely to the bedroom.”

“…To some extent, that would be true.”

Unable to fully grasp what the Grand Duke was trying to say, Anton offered an agreeable response.

Come to think of it, now that he mentioned it, it seemed no one would suspect whether the Grand Duchess was actually living in the Grand Duchess’s bedroom or not. Since only the head maid could freely come and go, as long as she subtly deceived people, this situation could be maintained indefinitely.

…But rather than that, everything would become simpler if they gauged the right moment and sent Rensley Malosen off to a distant fief. While he was organizing his thoughts alone, Gisel continued.

“According to what he himself has said, he is skilled in swordsmanship and horsemanship, so I wanted to ask your opinion on whether he might take the examination in the knight order.”

“…You speak of the entrance examination for the Royal Guard Knights?”

“Hm. Letting talent rot is a measure unbecoming of Oldenland, so if he has the ability, would it not be proper to appoint him?”

“The entrance examination can certainly be arranged, but… would it not be dangerous? If the Grand Duchess—no, if Lord Malosen freely roams outside or exchanges words with people, the possibility of his true identity being discovered may increase.”

At Anton’s concern, Grand Duke Gisel, for whatever reason, only gave a faint, almost imperceptible bitter smile. Since his liege was a man whose expression hardly changed even if one spent the entire day with him, this small difference was quite noticeable. Anton quietly awaited his explanation.

“Even so, it is not a matter where we can imprison him, either.”

“What do you mean…”

“I called you because I was curious about your thoughts as Knight Commander. If Lord Malosen has talent, would you be willing to accept him as a member?”

“If Your Highness commands it, I shall comply.”

Even if he could not understand the order, Anton intended to submit to it. Ever since he first sat upon the throne, there had been more things he could not comprehend than things he could.

Whether he personally could agree or not had no bearing on the matters decided by the sovereign. The fact that Gisel Siebendad was an outstanding leader, counted among the finest even among the kings of Oldenland through the ages, was already self-evident.

Gisel nodded. As if weighing something, he silently lowered his gaze slightly, then murmured, like someone belatedly recalling a forgotten thing and speaking to himself.

“I see. I should hear his own opinion as well, I suppose.”

“Have the two of you not already spoken before calling for me?”

“I will send word shortly. You may return.”

“Understood.”

Though inwardly bewildered, Anton left the Grand Duke’s office without adding any further remarks. As he closed the door and glanced briefly inside, the Grand Duke was looking into the mirror.

Walking back to the knight order with steady steps, once he was some distance from the office, he let out a skeptical sigh. The Grand Duke was, without a doubt, an excellent leader, but there was just one thing—no matter how erudite he was, he was no expert in horsemanship or martial arts.

Fellows who only boast with their mouths about riding well and wielding a sword well are so numerous that they could be carted in continuously and a day would still not suffice. He had briefly met with Rensley Malosen to discuss the false wedding and plans for life as the Grand Duchess, but he had not sensed at all that he was the makings of a warrior.

It was hard to find any gravity in him, and his physique, too, was slender compared to the people of the north. Would he even be able to properly handle an Oldenland spear, renowned for being made heavy to face monsters? Even if they accepted him as an apprentice, it would take a great deal of effort over quite a long time to make him pull his own weight.

If it was an order, he would follow it, but for the first time in a very long while, Anton Sorel had to swallow a small measure of displeasure at his lord’s judgment.

∞ ∞ ∞

Violet eyes revealed themselves in the light, then quickly hid, then sparkled again. While his eyelids busily opened and closed several times, his lips remained tightly shut, not uttering a word.

Just ten minutes ago, he had repeated dozens of monologues of similar inner meaning—I’m bored, I’m weary, I want to go out. He had rolled around on the bed, briefly sprawled lazily in a chair, then done handstands, crossing from one end of the room to the other, and had even performed a play, taking on two roles by himself, reciting lines from some drama—this was Rensley Malosen.

Such a man was now acting as though he had suddenly lost the power of speech. Had he not understood his words? Gisel asked to confirm.

“Were my words difficult?”

Rensley’s lips slowly parted. But his tone and voice were different from what Gisel had expected.

“…Ah, n-no. No. It’s not that they were difficult, but what you said is just, hard to understand…”

“I shall say it again. If you wish, you may take the entrance examination for the Royal Guard Knights. You said swordsmanship and horsemanship were your specialties, did you not?”

Gisel paused briefly to look at the other man’s face, checking whether he had properly grasped what he was saying.

“Loudkhen’s royal knight order is constantly seeking excellent members, so if you, Lord Malosen, truly possess such talent, I felt it would be a waste for you to spend your time only in the bedroom.”

“But.”

Rensley still wore an expression that said he did not understand. He silently stammered for a moment, then spoke in a voice that had grown small, as if his spirits had sunk.

“But then… what about the position of Grand Duchess? At that time, everyone said that somehow, until a dissolution or deposition is announced after gauging the right time, I must play the role of Grand Duchess…”

“The Grand Duchess who came from Cornia has grown frail in health and cannot leave the bedroom all day. The only people who may enter and leave the bedroom are the head maid who attends her closely and a few who have been granted permission.”

“…”

“So, even if you, My Lord, are absent from the bedroom during the day, who would know?”

At those words, Rensley Malosen’s closed lips parted momentarily. His eyes, which had been staring stiffly up at Gisel, containing only puzzlement, rippled slightly.

Thinking he had finally understood his meaning, Gisel continued his explanation.