Regis was in a deep slumber.
A voice called to him from a very close distance.
He couldn"t tell if it was a dream or reality, but it was the voice of a girl.
"He is totally not getting up! Is he dead?"
"Fufufu... He is probably exhausted. Princess, since there are no urgent tasks, let him rest."
"... Mu, can"t be helped."
There was still some time before he awakened.
Regis was woken up by a chorus of angry yells.
"Hah!"
"...ugh?"
Regis opened his eyes.
Before him was an unfamiliar ceiling.
It was built with stones in the shape of an arch, a grey ceiling without any decorations.
A curved line could be drawn from the ceiling to the wall.
This looks like a dungeon, Regis thought in a daze.
Regis was lying on the innermost bed in the room.
He could touch the uneven walls if he stretched his left hand. A window was carved out of the cold wall, and it was open.
Sunlight was shining in from it.
A loud, spirited, manly yell could be heard from somewhere.
"Hya!"
That was probably the soldiers training; the sound of the wind from the slashing weapon and the stomping of the feet could also be heard.
"... Ah... So that"s it."
I was banished to Sierck Fortress — Regis recalled as his mind started churning.
The soft bed was heavenly compared to the carriage of the caravan. He was glad to be alive after recalling yesterday"s event.
"... Is it morning?"
"Hoh!"
The weird noise started again.
Regis cupped his ears.
"Is it... Always like this here? What a terrible alarm clock..."
He pushed himself up.
He was frozen stiff by the time he had reached Sierck Fortress last night. After getting some warm water, he was told to use this room— he couldn"t remember anything after that.
He surveyed the room again; it was s.p.a.cious enough for four beds and desks. A pillar was placed right in the middle. 10 soldiers bunk in one room. A non-commissioned officer (NCO) like Regis was a.s.signed to a four-men room.
But there was only one bed beside the wall in this room.
Next to the bed was a desk so grand Regis thought someone had mistaken his rank and grade. And it came with a shelf!
It was s.p.a.cious enough from the bed to the door to accommodate six more big shelves.
Regis instead of feeling happy felt uneasy.
"Is it because there are excess rooms in the countryside? But this fortress is small and cramped... Did they really mix up my rank and grade?"
A fifth grade admin officer was 10 ranks down from the very top.
— Field marshal, general, lieutenant general, major general, brigadier general. These were the general ranks.
Officers were divided into admin and combat officers, first grade, second grade grade and third grade admin officers were commissioned officers.
This was followed by the NCOs, from grade four to six.
This meant the fifth grade admin officer was just two ranks from the bottom.
The rank and file has the ranks of lance corporal, trooper first cla.s.s and light trooper. Even a light trooper in the empire"s regular army would enjoy good welfare and wages. Conscripted farmers forming militias and underaged apprentice soldiers were considered voluntary soldiers and were not paid.
And so— for an admin officer two ranks from the bottom to be a.s.signed to such s.p.a.cious quarters, this must be a mistake, Regis concluded.
"If I don"t find someone to lead me to my actual room... Ah, who is my commanding officer?"
The commanding officer of an admin officer would guide Regis in various things as his supervisor.
Regis hadn’t met him yet.
Regis took his clothes off in the room.
It was cold even though it was indoors during daytime. He realised again this really was the north.
He put on the brand new uniform laid out on the desk.
The Belgarian military uniform was elegant with the color palette of green, red and white. But the border regiment"s uniform was dull in design with a dark green color that was almost black as its base color. However the material was thick and the pockets were plentiful, a practical design.
"Hmm, the uniform is well thought out, as expected of the regiment at the most forward position."
After dressing up, he heard the shouts of a horde of men.
"... Doesn"t seem like anyone is coming. Guess I have to find him myself."
He left the room.
When he opened the door, the stone corridor extended to his left and right.
It could barely fit two people walking side by side. The path meandered slightly, with a few wooden doors adorning the wall.
He headed to the very end of the left corridor and entered the courtyard.
"Hei!"
A chorus of shouts rose again.
The courtyard that was surrounded by stone buildings was a training field where the ground had been compacted by the soldiers’ stomps. 30-odd soldiers were practicing their sword swings here.
In front of the orderly ranks was a huge and bulky man.
This man who was made up of muscles and swinging his fauchard with sweat all over his body was about 40 years old.
He had a thick black beard and bald head.
Regis was so cold that he wanted to wear a scarf, but this man was showing off his body full of battle scars, and also dissipating heat.
He smiled after looking at his way.
"Ugu, you are awake, young man!"
What a loud voice.
The muscular youths training in front of him were also shouting "hei!" and "hah!".
They were also topless, hot and sweaty.
The bald man offered his halberd to Regis.
"Good! Come and swing this too! Your fighting spirit will rise with a bang! Swing it swing it, make the wind howl! Wahaha!"
Regis backed away and said:
"No, no... I am an admin officer so using swords and spears is a bit... By the way, you are the knight that aided us yesterday right?"
The man nodded after Regis asked.
"Yes. I am Evrard de Blanchard, first grade combat officer. I am the knight commander of the Beilschmidt regiment!"
"I am Regis Auric, fifth grade admin officer. I am grateful for your aid... You really saved us."
"Wahaha! I was wondering why I couldn"t find the princess. So she disguised herself as a wagon driver and snuck into town. And the bandits are rampant lately. That gave me a scare."
"Hahaha, me too."
To think the wagon driver was the royal princess.
"But if it is the princess, she might wipe the bandits out instead!"
"Ah... She is really strong."
"Because she is a G.o.ddess!"
After Evrard finished, his subordinate knights nodded and agreed. "Yes! A G.o.ddess!"
Regis didn’t understand what they meant.
"I think the princess is a princess...?"
"She is a G.o.ddess!"
"... Ah, I remember there is a religion of La Victoire in the north."
"Yes! A G.o.ddess!"
"I see..."
The worshiping of idols was banned by the church, but things were less stringent here in the border regions. The restrictive doctrine of the church was less influential 100 Li (444 km) away.
With the way she wielded her giant sword with her thin arms, it was not a stretch for the soldiers to think of it as a holy miracle.
"She scattered the grey wolves with a single strike yesterday! Marvelous! Wahaha... Cough hack hack!"
When Evrard laughed so hard that he choked, these young charges were smiling happily.
"Wahaha!"
Manly voices.
Regis was grateful for their a.s.sistance, but he was not comfortable with the manly atmosphere.
"Haha... I will take my leave then..."
Evrard stopped him with a "wait!" just as Regis was going off. He shouldered his heavy halberd and approached with heavy footsteps.
He breathed slowly as he leaned closer.
"I want to ask just in case."
"Wha, what is it?"
"Did you do anything weird to the princess?"
The gaze of the subordinates sharpened suddenly.
Blood vessels appeared on Evrard’s bald head.
Regis took a couple of steps back.
"Anything weird?"
"The princess looked different yesterday. What, did you do?"
"I didn"t do anything... Just chatted with her."
"What did you talk about!?"
"Erm, rumors from the capital and stuff..."
The youths muttered among themselves. "He said rumors from the capital." "It must be about the social world." "For farmers, it will be about the yam harvest of some family or which family"s cow has given birth." "That"s not rumors." "d.a.m.n, guys from the cities p.i.s.s me off." "The capital sucks!"
Regis felt that he was in danger.
Evrard leaned further in, their lips almost touching.
"Ugh~! The princess was acting just like my daughter after her first date! What did you do, brat!"
"Wait, wait! I told her how the capital thinks about the fourth princess and stuff about politics. How can I say those things to a child... And I am not boasting, but I have never held hands with a girl ever!?"
Silence.
The noise was gone.
Evrard smiled gently like a saint depicted in paintings.
His knights showed angelic expressions.
"Be strong, young man."
"Good things will happen one day."
"Fighto."
I don"t need such sympathy — Regis thought.
Regis shouldered the useless and gentle encouragement and carried his heart heavy with defeat, leaving the sad courtyard behind.
He went to the corridor before his room and headed down the path to the right instead.
He heard humming.
"Hmm♪ hmm, hmm~♪"
"Huh?"
He peeked in from the open door and saw a big room.
There were eight long tables and 50 chairs arranged in rows.
"Is this the officers’ dining hall?"
The stony walls gave off a rugged impression, but the vase with flowers decorating the place made it feel elegant.
A maid was cleaning the table with a rag.
She was the one humming.
Wearing a maid uniform with a red base, with her brown hair tied behind her. She was swaying to the rhythm of her humming.
She was about Regis" age.
The lady"s hazel eyes and lovely smile left a deep impression. Her beautiful hair and light skin was really charming when she worked.
"Mmm mmm, hmm hmm~♪ la, lalala~ the lady maid just like Cinderella told the mouse~♪ there will be a party in the castle tonight~♪"
She was singing now.
Her tone was a bit off though.
She twirled around and the food sc.r.a.ps fell to the ground. Was she cleaning or dancing?
Their eyes met.
She noticed Regis standing at the door.
The maid became stiff.
Her singing stopped.
Regis felt the atmosphere becoming tense.
"Oh... what a nice song."
"Eh, really?! You were moved by my song?"
"I didn"t say I was moved..."
"This is a popular song that is trending lately~"
"I see, but this is the first time I’ve heard it... Is it popular in this fortress? Or is it famous in the streets of Tuonvell?"
"Wrong, it is trending in my heart!"
"So it"s just you!"
"I came up with it just now."
"Didn"t you say it"s trending lately?"
Ignoring Regis" retort, the maid explained the song with a smile.
"Hufufu... It"s about a mean-spirited master badly treating his maid. And then, a granny with magical powers turns up. It"s really romantic."
He read a similar tale before. Regis nodded.
"Did the granny use magic to help the maid attend the party in the castle?"
"What story is that? The song is about the granny using combat spells to turn the mean master into an oily splat.
"Where is the element of romance?! What a direct use of magic. Are you dissatisfied with your current treatment?"
Magic was just something from fairy tales, so it was just a joke. But he could feel the darkness in her heart from this tale.
The maid smiled dryly.
"Ahaha, that"s not it. The princess is a good child. The battles are terrifying, but it is safe inside the fortress. It is just that the future looks a bit grim."
She was a maid with a sharp tongue.
She followed the proper etiquette and introduced herself again.
"I am the handmaid serving the princess, Clarisse. Please address me as "hey" or "wench"."
"I won"t use such a mean way of addressing you!? Hah~... Allow me to address you as Ms. Clarisse. I am Regis Auric."
"Yes! I heard a lot about you from the princess."
"Really? What did you hear?"
"Letting the princess use the only blanket in a blizzard, and sharing your bread with her. And facing the grey wolves courageously, things like that. I think your actions are outstanding."
"You flatter me... This is embarra.s.sing. Anything else?"
"You are also worse at swordsmanship than a child, and a loser who spends all his money on books~"
"Sorry."
He shouldn"t have pressed on.
Clarisse smiled as if she had no ill intentions.
"Is there any way I can be of service? Contrary to how I look, I am actually quite busy. Just kidding."
She meant no harm. Probably.
"Do you know who my commanding officer is? Have you heard?"
"I don"t know about things like that."
"You are right. Then Altina... Ah, no... Can you tell me where the princess is?"
"Fufu... I know about the nickname so that"s alright. But please restrain yourself if people other than me or the princess are present."
"I see. Very few people have permission to address her this way?"
I have to be careful of the knights in the courtyard, Regis thought.
"I think she granted me that privilege... The only other person would be her mother?”
That"s fewer than he thought.
Regis felt more confusion than joy.
"Then... Why?"
"Are you asking why the princess has few friends? That"s because of her character~"
"What an evil tongue... That"s not what I meant, why did she allow me to call her by her nickname? It might be refreshing for royalty to be asked their name, but that"s natural if she dresses like a wagon driver. I am probably not the first commoner she is acquainted with..."
Clarisse tilted her head.
"I don"t know what the princess is thinking... Did she think of you as a confidant? Despite how it looks, she is in a difficult position."
"Confidant..."
"Yes, the same level of trust she has in her mother..."
"Is that so..."
Regis recalled his meeting with the redhead girl.
Because he bought a really expensive book— she asked whether he was an idiot— was that related?
Clarisse waved her hands with a smile.
"Mah, you tend to make mistakes when you are young~"
"You conclude her trust in me is a "mistake of youth"?! I can"t prove otherwise, but isn"t it too early to judge it so?"
"I"m joking. Because Mr Regis reacts to everything I say. Seems like those words have a great impact on you."
"Don"t tease me..."
"Because if I say it with Evrard and friends, they will just reply "yeah, a G.o.ddess!’, a really vague answer."
"Ah, that"s what the knight commander will do."
Regis smiled bitterly as he recalled the topless, sweating knight commander he met in the courtyard.
Back on topic, he asked for Altina"s whereabouts again.
Clarisse gazed at the clock on the wall.
"She"s out. She will be back in a while."
"Out of the fortress? That"s early if she went to town. She has a serious character so she probably didn"t go out to play... Is she hunting or scouting?"
"Something like that. By the way— everyone has taken their breakfast, what about you, Mr Regis?"
"Thank you, I was about to faint from hunger."
"I see, it will be harsh~ There is quite some time before lunch."
"Why is the scene where you offer me breakfast missing?!"
"Ahaha, can"t be helped, it"s a special service this time."
Although Clarisse was a maid that kept playing around, she was quick with her work, bringing out some food in no time.
It was soft bread and vegetable stew with chicken meat.
It was a luxurious meal since they were on the front lines.
"Amazing..."
"Please enjoy your meal."
Clarisse continued her ch.o.r.es with a smile. She hummed as she cleaned the tables with a duster.
Regis enjoyed his breakfast leisurely.
As Regis was finishing his late breakfast—
Altina showed up at the dining hall.
"Ara, Regis. It"s great that you are alive."
"Thanks to you."
Altina didn"t dress up like a wagon driver or wear her sword today.
She had put on a one piece dress with laces, equipped with minimal armour which were gauntlets and shoulder protectors.
She had a snowy white coat under her arm, that was taken by the maid Clarisse with a bow.
"Welcome back princess."
"Thank you Clarisse. Can I have some tea please?"
"Understood."
Clarisse bowed again and left quietly.
Surprisingly, she was acting like a maid seriously.
Altina sat to the opposite of Regis.
"Hah, it"s no good today too..."
"I heard you were out?"
"I was patrolling the streets. Some time ago, bandits targeting caravans appeared."
"I heard about that on my journey too. The probability of bandit attacks rises the further away from central you are."
The deterioration of security in town was one of the reasons of price inflation. It had caused failed deliveries and additional costs of hiring armed escorts.
"It"s difficult for the caravans and the citizens."
"Have you heard rumors of the impending attack by the barbarians?"
"What is the situation really like? I can"t find relevant evidence here so I am not sure either. It is impossible for the soldiers stationed in the fortress to protect all the caravans."
"That"s why the commander herself is patrolling this early in the morning. The time when you just wake up and its cold."
"Because everyone hates that shift, so the commander should lead by example."
"Oh... That"s impressive."
"I didn"t really want to patrol. It will be best if the bandits just disappear!"
"I think so too."
The books would be cheaper if it becomes safer.
Altina used her entire vocabulary of swear words to curse the hiding bandits.
After she was done, Regis changed the topic.
"By the way, I want to greet my commanding officer... Who will that be? Has it been decided?"
"Commanding officer... You mean the leader of the admin officers?"
"Yes."
"There are none."
"No commissioned admin officers want me?"
"Hmm. Apart from you, there are no other admin officers in this fortress."
Regis sat stiff because he couldn’t comprehend the words he was hearing.
Regis squeezed out some words after a while.
"... What did you say?"
"This regiment has always been under the command of general Margrave Jerome Jean de Beilschmidt. He chased all the admin officers away half a year ago."
"What is going on? Can they fight a war with only combat officers...? Who is in charge of the accounts and resupplies? The battle reports? Tax collection and submission?"
"The Margrave"s Chamberlain is doing it."
Chamberlains were administrators taking care of the estate of n.o.bles.
They handled the collection of tax within the territory and the purchase and sale of goods. They even handled the distribution of salary for the servants. They were often tapped on to handle accounting works, so there was no problem letting them handle huge amounts of paperwork.
"What an outstanding Chamberlain, as expected of a Margrave house. Was he an ex admin officer?"
Doc.u.ments related to the military were unique and complicated; Regis spent two years in military academy to learn the ropes.
While Regis was feeling impressed...
Altina shook her head.
"We receive letters of complaint every month because of the errors, and the inspectors even came to audit us."
"What?! How could this be... Is this really the Belgarian Empire?"
"The ones originally stationed here are Jerome"s private army."
"I think I read that in a book. When my a.s.signment to the borders was confirmed, I took the chance to investigate lots of things."
"... You are really weird. Normally, you will feel annoyed about the place you are banished to."
"Do you feel annoyed?"
"I... Have a goal..."
Altina stuttered uncharacteristically.
Regis felt it yesterday too, she was hiding something.
She dd not say it because she judged that it wasn"t appropriate. Regis stopped this line of thought.
"From the books and rumors, I know about Jerome"s brave exploits... But news of him chasing the admin officers out are less widespread. What happened?"
"I asked him before... But he didn"t tell me. Because Jerome dislikes me."
"He dislikes you?
Altina nodded with a frail expression.
"If a young girl becomes your boss because of a power struggle you were not involved in, you will dislike that girl too right?"
"So that"s why..."
The new commanding officer and the original commander not getting along was a common scene.
Normally, the original commander would be posted to another unit. But Altina was a novice while Sierck Fortress was a strategic position in the north. It might be by the emperor"s edict, but transferring Jerome away was too stupid of a move to make.
Altina looked dissatisfied.
"If the regiment is operating normally and protecting the citizens, I have no intentions to b.u.t.t in..."
"I didn"t know there were no admin officers."
"Jerome is not really hardworking either."
Both of them sighed.
Clarisse brought a white porcelain tea pot with two cups.
She placed the cups down and poured a translucent red liquid in.
The fragrance of the tea was strong.
"Sorry for the wait princess. Some sugar for you?"
It was being used casually, but red tea leaves, sugar and porcelain wares were high cla.s.s items in the empire. It was impossible for them to be military issues items, so they must be the princess" personal stash.
"Thank you Clarisse."
"You are welcome— what about you Mr Regis?"
"You prepared my share too? Thank you."
"What are you saying? I"m asking about your plans for the future."
"Ugh..."
The maid stabbed him with sharp words while wearing an innocent face.
"Ahaha, that is an important question."
Regis’ plans for the future was a difficult question; he scratched his head and thought.
"Erm~, why did Jerome send the admin officers away...? There is a need to understand this..."
"That"s good, but do you want to help me with my job?"
"Anything that I can help you with?"
He remembered her saying that she would work him really hard.
"I need your help with an important task~ Find the bandits that are hiding!!"
"So you have been patrolling."
"Yes. Both the merchants and the citizens are troubled by this; it"s a pain for the soldiers too. Can you think of a way to resolve this? Regis, you are a tactician right?"
"No... I am not a tactician..."
"You can"t do it?"
"I mean I am not a tactician, but I do have a plan... What are the manpower and time frame available?"
Altina poked her index finger together, fidgeting and said:
"For the time frame, as soon as possible... The bandits started being rampant half a year ago, but they didn"t stir up too much trouble so there was no rush. The problem is the available troops."
"Only a small part is available?"
"Will it be okay if it is just me?"
"Huh? What are you saying...?”
"I am confident in my swordsmanship."
"I know you are strong, but there are a lot of bandits. If you manage to nab a couple, the rest would have fled."
"Ugugu... You are right."
"Do you want to catch them all yourself?"
"No... It"s just that very few soldiers will listen to my command."
She said something that couldn’t be ignored.
"Why is that so?"
"Erm... I told you Jerome dislikes me right?"
Altina’s face had a troubled expression just like a 14 year old.
The accomplished original commander disliked the new commander"s orders, so very few soldiers would follow the new commander.
"What a surprise. I met knight commander Evrard and his men; they seem to adore you right? They even claim that you are a G.o.ddess."
Regis remembered. The group in the courtyard felt dangerous.
Altina blushed.
"It is embarra.s.sing to be called a G.o.ddess... Some people are willing to listen to me. I am grateful for that."
"How many? What about the rest?"
"Normal situations aside, they will only follow Jerome"s command on the battlefield."
"... Well, a famed general is more trustworthy than a G.o.ddess when your life is on the line."
"That"s right."
There were soldiers who liked Altina, but they were just treating her like a princess. Altina had yet to earn their trust as a commander.
This was normal since she had no accomplishments yet.
"I recall that Beilschmidt border regiment has 500 cavalry, 500 artillery soldiers and 2000 troopers."
"That"s... you really did your homework."
"How many of them are willing to listen to your command? I only need 300 men to execute my plan and achieve some results."
"About 300...?"
Altina replied in an apologetic tone.
Regis lifted his arms and leaned back, pushing down on his seat.
"...Didn"t you say "this is my border regiment"?"
Regis asked timidly.
Her eyes were tearing.
"That is... Although it feels like an empty t.i.tle now... But I will achieve something one day."
"You just need t.i.tles and remuneration to gather soldiers. But popularity will only come when you display your capabilities."
"When I display my capability..."
Altina repeated the words like a student digesting the teaching of her instructor.
Feeling uneasy, Regis continued.
"I am not sure about swordsmanship, but I know your skills are great. But it"s useless if the people you are competing with are better than you. A commander needs more than combat prowess... But strength is a simple way to show that you are better than everyone."
"That means Jerome is better compared to me?"
"Definitely, he is the "hero of Erstein"."
"Hero?"
Altina tilted her head in amazement.
But the one who was surprised was Regis.
"You didn"t know? Jerome was a famous general grade officer during our war with the neighboring countries."
"Really?"
"I didn"t see it myself—"
Clarisse placed the teacup before Regis to hurry him.
Regis drunk the fragrant tea as he told her the history of Jerome.
"Jerome Jean de Beilschmidt was the eldest son of a knight."
He won his first victory at 14, supplementing his aristocratic life. He followed up with a string of battle honors.
Among these honors, the one worth mentioning would be the battle of Erstein with the neighboring country of the Germania federation.
4 years ago—
To fend off the Germania army of 20,000 men that crossed the border, the empire sent 30,000 soldiers to intercept them. The place of the battle was the plain of Erstein.
The Germania federation was an alliance of several smaller nations under the lead of Prussia kingdom, constantly fighting civil wars and invading others. The member nations were impoverished, but their soldiers were veterans and well equipped.
The vanguard of the enemy was 3000 heavy cavalry.
Wearing yellow armor signifying honor, they formed ranks like a spear and charged.
The Belgarian army was intimidated by their show of strength. The enemy aimed for the gap between the armies of two aristocrats, it turned into a scene of the n.o.bles scrambling to get out of the way— the empire"s formation was dissolving like yogurt.
If the enemy broke through the formation, the command headquarters would be exposed.
The main forces would also face the danger of being attacked from other sides. If that happened, the soldiers would lose their leaders and rout. The Belgarian army was on the brink of defeat.
At this time, a unit advanced towards the charging enemy from the front.
Jerome commanded 500 cavalry with his hand gestures.
And the one leading the charge was the black knight himself.
The people were wondering if he was buying time for the headquarters to retreat by sacrificing himself honorably... But that was not the case.
The black knight Jerome took down the opposing heavy cavalry one after the other.
With their fierce leader leading the black cavalry, they shattered the enemy’s formation and charged in.
The Germania federation army pulled in the units on its flank to defend, but they couldn’t make it fast enough to stop the cavalry charge.
"— And so, Sir Jerome ravaged the enemy’s command unit, leading the Belgarian army to victory as the "hero of Erstein". As commendation for his actions, he was promoted from first grade combat officer to brigadier general. That was when he was 20 years old."
"He was such a powerful knight?! It"s hard to imagine..."
Altina frowned with a puzzled expression.
Clarisse said expressionlessly.
"Right now, he doesn"t seem like such a person."
Regis commented.
"Is that so? What kind of impression does he give off in the fortress? I have never seen him before, but he is quite popular among the n.o.ble ladies as an elegant and handsome type."
Clarisse was quiet.
Altina groaned.
"Hmm~~ Maybe it"s better for you to see for yourself."
"Ugh, he doesn"t seem to be doing well... His life is not that great after he became general."
"Something happened?"
"Those who were promoted because of ability are often ostracized by the jealous people in power. Those so called heroes were wary of Jerome who was made a general in less than half a year. He was awarded the n.o.bility t.i.tle of Margrave and this Northern Territory... But was driven out of his homeland in the empire."
On the surface, his "reward" included renaming the territory after Jerome"s family name Beilschmidt — but it was actually just a means to ostracize him.
After this, the name of the hero Jerome faded into the background.
Altina finished her slightly cold tea.
"I see... This happens quite often..."
Maybe she saw some similarity with her own circ.u.mstances. Altina was deep in thought moving her finger along the top edge of the cup.
"... You really didn"t know?"
"Yeah. He is probably strong as I thought. Evrard and the others didn"t tell me about Sir Jerome either."
Clarisse said calmly.
"... Because everyone in the fortress is concerned with the princess, so they will avoid saying things that might upset you."
"Ara, is everyone that worried about me? My relationship with Jerome is not that good, but just telling me his story wouldn"t upset me."
"You might not be aware princess... But the soldiers think of you as an important guest."
"That"s mean, Clarisse. No matter what, they won"t be that distant.... Probably."
"Really? What Mr Regis just said... I heard it from the soldiers before."
"What did you say?"
Altina was surprised by the explosive content that was delivered calmly by Clarisse.
The maid smiled and continued.
"I am an easy to approach person after all."
"What, that means I am an unapproachable person?"
"How could that be. The princess is the princess. Not anything else."
"Well... You are right but... Ugugu."
"Please relax. Even if the soldiers in the fortress ostracize you, I will always be at your side. I am your only companion, my princess. The princess belongs only to me... Fufufu~"
Clarisse consoled the princess as if she was chanting a magic spell.
Although some of the content seemed inappropriate.
But going by her nature, she was probably joking.
Regis continued the topic.
"Well, that"s all I know about Sir Jerome. It is normal for the soldiers in the fortress to trust him more than the princess. He was not supposed to command a border regiment, but a division or an army."
"Ugh... I get it. I don"t think I have gained more trust than him among the troops. But it won"t be long till I change that!"
"That"s a great line to say when conceding. Although those saying it in the books I read are the minor characters..."
Altina glared at him unhappily.
"That"s it for the issue of command authority. Now, think of a way to handle the bandits."
"Erm... I need a certain number of soldiers to nab the bandits. If possible, I would prefer troopers over cavalry. Hence... I need Jerome to give the go ahead."
Regis" sight fell on the table.
Be it chasing out the admin officers or his relations with Altina, Jerome was definitely hard to get along with.
To be honest, Regis felt depressed.
Altina stood up spiritedly.
"Now is a good chance! Let"s try talking properly with Sir Jerome. He is definitely troubled by the bandits too."
"You sure are enthusiastic."
"Of course! It"s better than being down all the time."
She said with a smile.
Altina pulled Regis along and headed for Jerome"s chamber from the officers’ dining hall in the central tower.
Clarisse stayed behind to do her other ch.o.r.es.
With their footsteps echoing along the corridor, Altina happily chatted with Regis.
"You are really popular."
"Popular with whom?"
"Clarisse. You didn"t notice?"
"Are you misunderstanding something? She keeps toying with me though."
"People will only joke around with others they get along with. This is proof of you making her happy. Clarisse is normally silent and stays in her room all the time."
"Silent?! Stays in all the time?!"
"Yes. Emotionless, just like a doll."
"... Is the one speaking with me a different maid with the same name? Or is she messing with you too? I can"t trust things anymore."
"Ahaha!"
Altina laughed like a child as she ascended the spiral stairway.
They were heading towards Jerome"s chamber on the third floor.
They tried knocking on the plain wooden door several times — but there was no answer.
Altina pouted.
"That man seems to be out."
"As the de facto commander, he is probably busy."
"Hmm~ I don"t think he is that pa.s.sionate about work... Forget it. I will show you around the fortress as we look for Jerome!"
"That will be a big help."
"This way Regis! Hurry up!"
Altina rushed him.
They climbed the stairs again to the very top of the tower.
Regis breathing turned ragged.
The top floor was a conference room with a black table.
Be it the map of the border region pasted on the wall, the empire"s flag or the bare stone floor... This room gave off the atmosphere of war.
The wear and tear of the conference table alerted Regis of the fact that here was the most forward of the front lines.
"Over here!"
Altina crossed the room and opened the huge windows.
It opened with a bang.
The wind blowing in through the windows made the flag and map flutter noisily.
Altina let her hair flow with the wind from the window. Her hair basked in the sunlight. Altina pointed into the distance.
"Hey, look!"
"Be careful, I might b.u.mp into you and make you fall."
"Yeah yeah..."
Regis headed for the balcony, the wind that carried the aroma of the forest blew through Regis" hair.
The lush scenery took Regis" breath away.
The cloudless blue sky and the snowcapped mountains painted a majestic picture. The sun shone warmly over the entire world.
The sky and the mountains were within his reach, he felt like a bird flying high in the sky.
"Amazing", Regis said under his breath.
Altina who looked satisfied nodded.
"Isn"t this great?"
"I finally found a treasure after braving the storm to these far lands. Although I can"t keep it in my pocket, it will never disappear from my heart. I can remember that scene of the sky even when I close my eyes right now."
"What is that?"
"Quoted from Frenson"s autobiography. He was a very active painter in the empire, but he worked as a delivery worker because his pieces didn"t sell when he was young. After experiencing a harsh storm, he was inspired by the beautiful sky at his destination. The doubts in his heart and the fatigue to his body vanished at that moment, and he uttered these words in tears. After that, he focused on painting the sky. Shortly after, the "Frensons sky" became a highly acclaimed piece."
"I see. That means you can"t do a job well if you stay at home all day."
"Eh? No, this is talking about how he was moved by that scene..."
Shifting his gaze nearer, he could see the fortress clearly. This was obvious since this observation post was meant for commanders to grasp the battle situation and make tactical decisions.
Fortress Sierck was built halfway up the mountain.
To the gentle slope to the north were six connected walls, with an observation tower.
In the middle was the central tower for the commander and staff to use. Regis and Altina were on the balcony of the top floor of this building.
Be it the NCO block in the east or the troopers’ buildings in the west, they were all rectangular stone buildings.
Most of the soldiers reside in the west, so it occupied a lot of s.p.a.ce with 20 connected rectangular buildings.
The courtyard where Regis met Evrard was between the central tower and the eastern block. The north that was closest to the enemy was the main gate and parade square.
It couldn"t be seen from this position, but the food warehouse, armory and stables were to the south of the fortress, Altina explained.
Regis set his sights on the construction works of the outer wall. Wooden scaffolds were set up at a part of the outer wall.
"Is restoration work going on over there?”
"Yeah. The Varden republic attacked three months ago; the walls were damaged by their cannon fire. It usually holds up fine, but seems like the opponent used very powerful cannons this time, so the walls were slightly breached."
"Powerful cannons? Please tell me more."
"Erm... I just took on my post back then, so I stayed in my room back then. I was told to not come out. So I didn"t see anything."
"But you are the commander..."
"When I get up from my chair, they will say "princess, please leave this to us" and was escorted back, it can"t be helped!"
"Well, I can imagine that. Do the neighboring countries attack frequently?"
"About once every three months. But it is hard to traverse the forest during winter, so they probably won"t come this time."
The distance between Varden republic and the empire was just 30 Li (133 km), but there was a forest with barbaric tribes residing between them— Regis had read in a book.
"What about the barbarians?"
"I have not seen them before, but I heard they climbed over the outer wall when they attacked in the summer, it was a fierce battle."
"Ugh..."
When battling the ill-equipped savages, the situation might change abruptly either to their advantage or disadvantage. The empire"s cavalry was overwhelmingly superior in the open plains, but there were examples of the barbarians counterattacking them in the forest.
There were cases of barbarians scaling the walls with their bare hands. They were opponents you couldn"t take lightly.
Altina turned around.
"That"s about it. It"s about time we visit the next place."
"Ah, thank you. You showed me a wonderful view."
"That"s great. But where has that man gone?"
They didn"t find Jerome in the central tower.
After taking a spin at the parade square and the eastern block, Regis and Altina headed for the south of the fortress.
They were going to the stables.
It was a series of small buildings made for the horses. The work horses and war horses numbering 600 were reared inside.
The pungent odor of beasts was strong.
"This surprises me."
"What is it?"
"You are a princess, Altina... But you have no reaction after smelling this."
"Instead of learning music and dance, I prefer fencing and riding cla.s.ses. So I can take care of horses too."
"That"s impressive."
Altina ran to one of the horses.
"Good afternoon! How"s your leg? Sorry about yesterday!"
The skinny horse neighed in reply.
It was hard to differentiate them, but it seemed to be the horse that was pulling the wagon yesterday. Its right hind leg was bandaged.
Altina caressed the head of the horse as she fed it some vegetables.
It was a big one. The scene of the horse munching its food was meaninglessly charming.
"Isn"t it cute? Do you want to try feeding it?"
"Never mind, it feels like it will bite my hand off as well, so I will pa.s.s..."
"Ahaha, this child won"t do that. Horses are smart alright?"
"If that"s true, I am the type that is disliked by horses. They keep throwing me off their back during riding cla.s.ses."
"Eh? So you can"t ride a horse?"
"That"s nothing to be proud of. I have never made a horse run before."
"That is really not something to take pride in."
Altina started to smile.
"Then, let me teach you!"
"I don"t want to trouble you."
"Which horse should we choose? One that is small and kind?"
"Hey hey... Don"t I have a choice? I have the right to refuse orders that are beyond my capabilities. By the way, hierarchy is meant to be broken..."
Altina went to the back of the stable, ignoring Regis" protest.
They arrived at a place full of horse feed.
Suddenly, a woman appeared from the shadow.
It was someone who didn"t fit in a place like a stable. She was not in military or maid attire, but dressed in peasant clothing, with a basket of apples. She averted her eyes in a panic when she saw Altina.
"Ah, the princess?"
"Hmm? Who are you?"
"I am... That is... Ex, excuse me!"
She fled in a hurry after finishing.
Altina saw her off silently.
"... Who was she? Seems like a civilian from town?"
"Did she come to peddle?"
"She was carrying a basket of apples."
"Ah. It is still daytime... So she was not a courtesan."
Regis had a slip of tongue.
The young girl beside him asked.
"What was that?"
"Eh?"
"What is this courtesan you mentioned?"
He was careless. Altina was still underage.
But not really. She could marry at 15, so it was not surprising for her to know at 14.
But she was a royalty.
She probably doesn’t have any shady friends or adults around her.
Why did it turn out like this! If this goes on, he would become a bad person teaching useless things to a naive young girl— Regis shivered when he thought about that.
Altina pressed him:
"Why are you not saying anything, Regis? Teach me properly.”
"Ugugu... That is... That... means female merchants who work at night..."
"Hmm~? Now that you mention it, normal shops only open during daytime."
"That"s it."
As Regis was still conversing with Altina—
A man who seemed to have rendezvoused with the female merchant came out from the place the woman appeared from.
He was wearing general grade attire.
Muscles could be seen from the chest that was exposed due to his untidy attire. The man was tall with broad shoulders.
His black hair was combed back and he sported a stubby beard. He was in his mid-20s.
He had light brown skin and sharp eyes.
Although preferences differed from people to people, but Regis had to admit that objectively, he was a handsome man.
But this man had a demeanor of a drunkard.
An apple in his left hand, a beer bottle in his right.
His hiccups smelled of alcohol.
"Eh... I was wondering who it was... So it is the little girl."
"You didn"t partic.i.p.ate in patrols to buy apples from peddlers? Be more serious about work, Sir Jerome!"
The surprised Regis didn"t make a sound.
He pointed at that man with his index finger to confirm:
"You mean this drunkard is Sir Jerome?! He is Margrave Jerome Jean de Beilschmidt?! The hero of Erstein?!"
The man tilted the bottle in his hand and gulped down the amber colored liquid. He then glared at Regis with his sharp and turbid eyes.
"Fuuu~.... And you are?"
"Ah, I am Regis Auric... fifth grade admin officer."
"Go back."
"Alright, I will prepare a transfer order. I just need your signature."
"Regis?!"
"Just joking. My appointment will be under the control of her highness."
Because Jerome was present, Regis changed his way of addressing. Although he had slipped up already just now.
"Don"t, don"t ever joke about that!"
Altina seemed unexpectedly worried about this.
Regis who had never felt the value of his existence was baffled by Altina"s reaction. He concluded that she didn"t want the new admin officer to run off.
Also, he was in the midst of helping her tackle the bandit problem.
I see, it"s because the job she tasked me with was not complete yet— Regis thought about it that way.
"Well, that"s the situation... Regrettably, I can"t return to the imperial capital without the princess" permission."
"Hmmp... There is no food for useless admin officers here. Go and eat hay."
"I have questions about this too... Can you tell me why you chased my predecessors away? I don"t want to make the same mistake too."
"Don"t bother me about what I do. That will be good enough."
"I understand. It seems like your Chamberlain is handling the paperwork right now... Can you leave that to me? It is difficult for one person to handle all the tax and accounting work, so I wish to be of service..."
"Do what you want. I will use the money when I want to in the way I want to."
At this point of the conversation, a disgusting thought rose in Regis" mind.
Or rather, Jerome"s action was ordering Regis to "realize this".
Altina had a blank expression, unable to understand that.
Regis asked seriously.
"Pardon me... Could it be that the previous admin officer lost his job because the Margrave"s usage of the military budget clashed with his opinion?"
"Kukuku... That"s it. I used the funds for alcohol and gambling, that fellow kept bothering me about it so I chased him out."
"Oh... This is embezzlement."
Regis looked upwards.
What a bold criminal declaration.
He might even face execution if convicted in military court.
"What"s wrong with that? The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds from the neighboring countries and the savages can"t get in if this fortress still stands. The money is given because the fortress is here; it is my freedom to use it as I wish."
He took another swig of beer.
And a bite of the apple.
Altina showed a bewildered face.
"Regis..."
"Yes?"
"Is it true that you can spend the budget freely if you protect the kingdom? Is it true?"
"The answer is definitely no. — The empire"s finance ministry sets the military funds at 20% of the total budget. Because the money is collected for the empire"s defense, to use it for unnecessary entertainments is non-compliant with standing orders."
"It is obvious when you think about it. You got it wrong, Sir Jerome."
Altina criticized.
But he mockingly smirked and replied:
"Hmmp, an admin officer with a corrupted mindset. Even if you say these on the surface, you all will say the same things."
"May I ask what you mean by that?"
"Kukuku... You are planning to tell me "give me money and I will close an eye" correct? All you admin officers are the same."
Jerome let out a chilling laugh.
Regis looked up once again.
"Oh... On top of embezzlement, isn"t this intimidation, this... is too overboard..."
"Liar! You definitely won"t say this Regis, right?"
Altina looked over anxiously.
Good guys were always bullied, although people told Regis before— but he was glad to be a lawful person. Because he could settle this without making her sad.
He told Sir Jerome clearly:
"I am not interested in embezzlement."
"Huh? You don"t want money? Kukuku... Stop putting up a front. There are other things that you want right?"
There were things Regis desired.
Of course.
But that had nothing to do with embezzlement.
For a moment the price of the books flashed across his mind, but there were other things too.
"I won"t do such despicable things. That is as good as giving up on my life."
"Haha, you won"t speak the truth with the little girl present? Relax, she can"t do anything."
"Mu..."
Altina pouted, leaving it to Regis to settle this scene.
"I think I created some misunderstanding, Sir Jerome."
"What did you say?"
"... It doesn"t matter who is here. If you ask me why, it is because everyone must decide the way to live his own life."
"Haha, are you mimicking a priest?"
"No, this is a social gain and loss issue— if someone did bad thi