Chapter 23: Big Deal (1)

Marquis Taion used the entire week that had been given to him. During that time, Simon spent his days touring the city with Ranieri or shutting himself inside his bed and doing nothing at all.

“Isn’t today the deadline?”

“It is. But do you intend to return directly to the Arcturus Family? Or will you go to Minor Village and conclude the contract first?”

“Would it not be better to go straight back to the Family?”

“I think time will be too tight for that.”

“Making it not too tight is the strategist’s job.”

Simon’s demand was not unreasonable. It was far better than his saying he would not inherit the Family.

Ranieri’s mind began turning at full speed.

If they cut out one or two stops along the way and rode hard, they ought to be able to make it in time.

“Still, this is unexpected. I thought you would go to Minor Village first to see Miss Lua.”

“I am not some beast in heat.”

“That was not what I meant.”

“If I bring Father good news quickly, will he not be pleased? Only after that will it carry weight when I say I want to rest for a while.”

“As expected, you had already thought it through.”

“The seat of eldest son is not an easy one.”

Just then, there came a knock from outside. The one who appeared was Jin.

“My lord. His Excellency requests your presence.”

“Oh? So a conclusion has finally been reached. What is the mood among the vassals?”

“As expected, they are divided. The knights are opposing it with all their might.”

“That makes the choice a difficult one.”

“Even so, it seems a conclusion has been reached. Though he did not tell me himself, of course.”

“I am looking forward to hearing it.”

With that, Simon went to see Marquis Taion. Jin and Ranieri followed him inside.

In the short time since he had last seen him, Marquis Taion seemed to have lost quite a bit of weight.

That alone was proof of how much worry had been weighing on him.

“I pay my respects to Your Excellency.”

“Come in. I trust I have not made you wait too long?”

“What are you saying? I understood from the beginning that this would not be an easy matter. Whatever answer Your Excellency has reached, I am prepared to accept it, so please speak at ease.”

“Hearing you say that makes me feel easier as well. Then I shall be direct. I will grant the Arcturus Family the right to station troops in the south.”

Simon barely managed to suppress the upward curl of his lips.

He bowed his head and saluted with perfect courtesy.

“I do not doubt that Your Excellency’s decision, made for the sake of peace, will become an example to the Empire.”

“It pleases me to hear you say so.”

“And through which region may the forces of Arcturus pass?”

“The Kilstone region. One could call it the farthest south of the south.”

Simon pictured the map in his head. Even within the south, it was a very narrow region. Passing troops through it would pose no problem, but stationing an army there and building fortifications would be difficult because of the terrain.

‘What a cunning old fox. Even at a moment like this, he still found room to think.’

Then again, if he had tried to broaden the permitted area any further, the knights would have opposed it to the death.

“If it is Kilstone, then it happens to border the Orcs’ region as well. Excellent.”

“When will Arcturus be able to dispatch its troops?”

The marquis asked carefully. Simon answered without the slightest hesitation.

“The moment I return, I will request that the order for deployment be given.”

“Is that truly so?”

At once, color returned to the marquis’s face.

After granting the right to station troops, if the forces did not move, that too would be threatening. It could be interpreted as proof of ulterior motives.

“How could I possibly lie before Your Excellency? I pledge it upon my name.”

“Heh heh, this is truly good news. If matters proceed this way, we will be able to establish a defensive line before the Orcs begin moving in earnest!”

“Of course. The knights of our Family, too, will be glad to stand beside the glorious knights of Aldebaran.”

Unable to contain his delight, Marquis Taion rose to his feet. Then he patted Simon on both shoulders.

“My thanks! The courage and wisdom you have shown here today shall be made known not only in Aldebaran, but across the entire continent!”

That would not do.

But there was nothing for it. He had to preserve the favorable atmosphere.

“It is an honor, Your Excellency.”

“Hahahaha! Since matters have turned out so well, we ought naturally to hold a banquet this very evening. I shall give orders for one to be prepared.”

“Your Excellency. I believe this is not a time for feasting and drinking. Would it not be better to hold an even grander banquet after the Orcs have been subjugated?”

Watching from the side, Ranieri admired him sincerely. To think he could speak with such seasoned grace.

“Hmm. Now that I hear it, your words do have merit. With tensions rising in the south, it would not do to hold a banquet in the castle. Very well! I accept your proposal.”

“Thank you for your wise decision, Your Excellency.”

“Then do you mean to depart at once?”

“Yes. I intend to carry this news swiftly back to the main house so that every preparation may be made.”

“In that case, let us conclude the treaty at once.”

Two documents of elegant design were brought forth. Marquis Taion and Simon moved to the side table and pressed the seals of their Families onto them.

Once all the proper procedures had been completed, and each took one copy of the document, Simon smiled to himself.

‘Little brother, wait just a little longer. Your elder brother will soon make you into a Sword Master.’

Before leaving, Simon quietly summoned Jin.

By now, Jin had become wholly Simon’s woman. No one looking at her would have guessed in the slightest that she was poisoned.

“For now, take this.”

“What is this?”

“The antidote.”

Two antidotes in transparent vials were placed into Jin’s hand. Her eyes shone.

“And yet a fortnight has not passed.”

“It is a kind of reward. Thanks to how diligently you roasted the marquis, matters were resolved very easily.”

“I am glad that you recognize my efforts.”

“Keep up the good work.”

“I told you, did I not? I will free myself from this poisoning as quickly as possible. You may look forward to it.”

“Good. I like that confidence.”

In his previous life, he had suffered greatly because of the Ceres Family.

Those strong in brute force made life miserable in short, violent bursts. Those with sharp minds made life miserable thinly and for a long, long time.

The Ceres Family had been the latter. He had never met Jin herself before, since she had died young in an accident, but he had heard of her.

‘Now that the future has changed and she serves me instead, she probably will not die young.’

He did not know what sort of accident would have taken her life.

‘If she dies, then so be it. But if she lives and continues serving me, then that is the better outcome.’

Through this affair, he had come to understand Jin’s value precisely. Not someone to keep too close, perhaps, but an excellent talent to use from a proper distance.

‘Ranieri is probably thinking something similar.’

Simon said,

“I will leave this place tomorrow. Send me word at least once a week.”

“Understood, my lord.”

“And that bribery ledger I mentioned before, work on it slowly. The day will come when it proves useful.”

“Yes.”

At the very end, Simon mentioned the Alphonse Count Family.

“Trace them more thoroughly. We need to identify, as quickly as possible, which people in the Imperial House they are connected to.”

“At your command.”

“I am counting on you.”

That brief phrase—I am counting on you—struck deep into Jin’s chest. She lowered her head.

***

A few days later, the carriage bearing Simon and Ranieri arrived at the estate of the Arcturus Family.

The vassals and knights who had heard in advance that Simon was coming had gathered before the estate. The outcome of the negotiations was still unknown to them.

“Did Young Master Simon truly manage it?”

“I heard he went to conclude a treaty. I only hope there are no strange terms hidden in it.”

“The dissatisfaction of the soldiers on the front is rising. If we do nothing but remain on the defensive like this, the losses will be great in many ways.”

“Still, the fact that there have been no troop losses because we have not fought is a blessing in its own way.”

“The Young Master must surely have thought it all through. Is he not colder and clearer in judgment than anyone?”

Opinions poured out among the knights.

Yet Powell, Commander of the First Order of Knights, remained silent. He believed it would not be too late to respond after seeing the result.

“The Young Master is arriving!”

At the soldier’s shout, the estate gates opened. Soon the carriage of the Arcturus Family came racing in.

A moment later, the door opened, and Simon and Ranieri stepped down from the carriage.

Simon patted at his aching backside.

“Ah, damn it. I am going to grow calluses on my rear at this rate. Can nothing be done about the ride? This is supposed to be the Arcturus Family’s own carriage.”

“I am not a technician. You should be asking a technician for something like that.”

“That fine brain of yours is going to waste, I tell you. You ought to make more of an effort.”

“I shall keep it in mind.”

“That means you are not going to do it.”

“There has been additional expenditure for our Family lately. If you raise my salary, I may consider it.”

Ranieri still had the antidote on his mind. He had been wounded by Simon’s earlier claim that there would be no problem.

“You really do hold a grudge. Women are not going to like that.”

“You are not a woman, Young Master, so it does not matter.”

“Enough of that skin-crawling nonsense.”

The two of them, bickering as they were, fell abruptly silent.

Far too many vassals were hurrying toward them.

And over there, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, was Marquis Deneuve, looking this way. Kalim stood beside him.

“Brother!”

“Elder Brother!”

Kenard and Ioline came running first. Simon smiled brightly and embraced them both.

“Has everything been well?”

“Nothing at all has happened. I am truly glad you have returned safely, Brother!”

“I told you there would be no trouble. And your training?”

“I did not miss a single day. I trained diligently.”

“Well done.”

After patting Kenard and Ioline on the head, Simon straightened his chest. Now it was time to face the vassals and the knights.

“My thanks to all of you for coming out to receive me. Let us go inside first. I do not believe this is a suitable place for discussion.”

The vassals and the senior-ranking knights gathered in Marquis Deneuve’s study. They stood parted to either side, with Simon in the center.

And on the seat opposite him sat the lord of Arcturus himself, Marquis Deneuve.

“You have worked hard on a long journey, Simon. Well then, was there any result worth speaking of?”

“I concluded a formal peace treaty with the Aldebaran Family.”

“Ohhh!”

Exclamations broke out from all sides. No one had expected the treaty to be concluded so easily.

Yet the severe expression on Marquis Deneuve’s face did not change in the slightest.

“You do not mean to say you consider that an achievement? Had anyone else gone, the peace treaty would still have been concluded.”

“I agree completely. Which is why I added one more option.”

“An option?”

“I secured the right to station our troops in the southern region of Aldebaran. More precisely, in the Kilstone region.”

Fwoosh!

Simon spread open the document he had been carrying. Written within it was the guarantee of passage and stationing rights for the army of the Arcturus Family, together with the seal of the Aldebaran Family.

“Good heavens! Troop stationing rights! You have seized an enormous prize! Does that not mean we may enter their land without spilling even a single drop of blood?”

“As expected of Young Master Simon! So you truly had a plan!”

“I knew I could trust you, Young Master!”

Simon was not particularly pleased by the cheers.

‘Being noticed this much is troublesome.’

He handed the document to Deneuve. Once the marquis had confirmed it for himself, he could no longer maintain his poker face.

This was a tremendous achievement.

“Unbelievable...... This is not the sort of decision an Imperial Marquis Family could make lightly. What did we give them in return?”

“Nothing at all.”

“Nothing?”

Marquis Deneuve tilted his head. That too was impossible to believe.

“More importantly, Your Excellency, I would ask for a private audience. There is one matter of great importance I must speak of.”

“……All of you, withdraw.”