Small family feud
“Territory people’s anxiety and distrust raising slowly right now in this Baumeister knight territory.”
I tried to move to Breitburg with teleport like usual in the morning, I stop it after feeling there human signs around.
I felt displeased finding that, before I realise it I have shout out towards the sign that I felt, village headman that governs village near the mansion, the mistress with my half elder sister and brothers show up there.
I heard their business but the words that came from village headman Klaus is like bombsh.e.l.l.
“I never hear that.”
I can only say it that way.
Father in Baumeister house is alive and well, and he also has announced already that the eldest son Kurt is the successor.
And he get married four years ago and even have a child now.
Adding this with that child’s a boy.
It was clear for the eyes that Kurt as the eldest son would inherit Baumeister knight territory.
“But Wendelin-sama.”
“We can’t discuss this without any reasoning in it.”
I’m troubled to suddenly had a talk like this.
It feel like they want to instigates the useless eighth son boy who still eleven years old, what they expected me to do?
“Father’s the current family head had already announced that the eldest brother Kurt as successor. And there also three people above me for the succession. What could I say other than absurd to Klaus’s proposal?”
Baumeister knight territory line succession right now is eldest brother Kurt, Kurt eldest son Carl, third son Paul, fourth son Helmut, fifth son’s Erich and with me as the last.
And the second son Helman who is the current family head of va.s.sal branch family has abandoned the inheritance rights, Erich nii-san who is currently a petty official in Imperial city pretty much have decided to enter his boss’s parent’s family as son-in-law, he also planning in giving up the inheritance rights immediately.
My inheritance rights advances up to five place but it is still too unnatural to make me as the next family head.
And the most biggest challenge is to convince father to make me the family head.
By chance, Klaus might intend to dispose me as the main culprit of family feud for being requested by someone.
Such conspiracy theory also came to my mind.
“Maybe I am an eyesore for Klaus superior judgment?”
“Why you!”
“Back off Walther!”
“But father!”
“Wendelin-sama’s your brother but your social standing is different! Back off now!”
Sixth son Walther rages at my remarks but was suppressed at once by Klaus.
I didn’t think much about it in my previous life but this status distinctions between legal wife and mistress is troublesome indeed.
Though Walther is eight years older than me, he can’t become my big brother.
“I am aware what I had said is absurd. But I am sure Baumeister knight territory will decline in the future if we didn’t take a measure.”
“Decline?”
I could not understand why this Baumeister knight territory in declines.
There is the savage land that produces enormous wealth if greatly developed, and the territory can be in touch with the sea if successfully opened some of Demon forest.
“Yes, our future is bright if development is possible. But it’s not possible now. And as of now this Baumeister knight territory will depopulated as population gradually decreased.”
Klaus begins to explain to me with Baumeister knight territory future in his a.s.sumption, his explanation from the troops incident in Demon forest that failed eleven years ago.
“Sending troops eleven years ago is our big blunder.”
“I know about that. I can’t understand the rush in opening the distance Demon forest with savage land spread wide just ahead like this. I had thought that sea was exceptionally wanted. That might make clear what Brihedar margrave hoped for in the monster territory.”
“And with current n.o.ble-sama partic.i.p.ate in it since soldier was elected for guide. Please think about it. Other similar territory don’t have the geography for savage land and Demon forest like ours. It’s obviously can be counted as military power.”
Brihedar margrave territory able to mobilize forces more than thirty thousands.
But with maintaining security in territory or dispute with a few n.o.bles in the near territory boundary, there also realistic budget and logistical problems.
Even the logistics is relied just like master magic bag, it was reckless for ten thousand soldiers to march toward mountain with almost the same alt.i.tude as Mt.Fuji.
Even for a va.s.sal, territory people in Baumeister knight territory just get overwhelmed by the superior force of other territory and only feel uneasy.
“And it was with a half-baked two thousand armies.”
“I’m glad that n.o.ble-sama sent only hundred people. And about Brihedar margrave true purpose…”
The late Brihedar margrave had two sons.
Eldest son Daniel and second son Amadeus, the late Brihedar margrave dotes on eldest son Daniel expecting him as his successor.
“But he ended up violated by incurable disease.”
Brihedar margrave has done what he can do but his son dying time approaching closer.
And with slight hope to cure him.
It was an elixir made from monster ancient dragon blood in the legend.
“There was a possibility that the ancient dragon living in Demon forest.”
It couldn’t be found at the other monster territory which adventurers have entered.
So it was expected to be in Demon forest which an unknown area.
“They ought to have ask the adventurer.”
“With all due respect, they can’t do that.”
To start with, they will have a hard time in the long journey to Baumeister knight territory, and also traverse hundreds kilometers into savage land uninhabited by human.
After going that far to finally arrives at Demon forest and need to give their all in defeating ancient dragon.
I’ll hate such request even with all the gold.
“The result afterwards is just like in the past story. The late Brihedar margrave army is annihilated. It was about hundred people who return safely. Our Baumeister knight territory army is also the same. Only 23 survivors.”
Brihedar margrave territory have lost the family head, not the eldest son Daniel who died immediately after hearing his father’s death but second son Amadeus inherits it.
He did not expect as an heir, were made to inherit suddenly, begin with tenth of all military force and losing excellent mage retainer.
That must have been like a punishment game.
The great n.o.ble’s military campaign failure will become the primary factor for the dispute around territory border by the other opposed n.o.bles.
It is easy to imagine that the current Brihedar margrave’s have a series of trouble.
“That might be the cause the current Brihedar margrave paying a lot more solatium to Baumeister knight territory army that were killed in battle. Though it was rake-off considerably by n.o.ble-sama.”
It was revelation I don’t want to hear from the man who grasp Baumeister house’s financial affairs.
To begin with, just solatium alone can’t make the surviving family life easier.
And father accepting a foolish demand as condition for receiving that extra solatium.
This troops, since father want to develop demon forest, begged by the previous Brihedar margrave, he decide to make it look like accepted it unwillingly as va.s.sal can’t refused the request.
I don’t think the situation will get better by doing that, this kind of thing is like great n.o.ble’s pride.
“Rebuilding the lost army, planning new reclamation plan just before execution as the population at that time tend to increases only a little. n.o.ble-sama in need of the funds.”
But not just gold and resources that was lost.
Workers also lose all at once, resulting in forcibly selecting workers for the new land clearing and irrigation ca.n.a.l construction.
When not in land clearing, there also time for manpower that working on the fields to go hunting.
“Farm village in rural area with unsociable habit is resilient. Complaints on the bring of exploding but that something we can’t let happen.”
Not just that, Klaus still continues his story.
“There many people feels dissatisfied to n.o.ble-sama this time.”
First is, 11 years ago, the family that lost their family central pillar and promising young people.
And father even foolishly rake-off the given solatium that new Brihedar margrave handed to them.
If he was loved because of this, the territory people might be a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t.
Next is, the family members of granduncle’s the branch family current head who lead the reinforcements with his relative and retainers had been killed in action.
Second son Helman in this house is the current family head but he seems to be currently in bad situation.
If looked more deeply, Helman would also appear to be a spy sent to the branch family to strengthen the influence of the head house.
“Helman-dono also can feel the crisis. Since he was cut from the head house by being adopted into wife’s family, he is now in the position of expressing against the head house.”
“Hey…”
I didn’t really care that much since I will leave the house but the current Baumeister house seems to be in quite dangerous state.
“And this is the most serious.”
The new cultivation prescribed plan finally had been completed but it needed to be planned again if it gains a population.
“But cultivation work that n.o.ble-sama and young master command has a bad reputation.”
Not that the farmers get hit with a whip.
He works voluntarily spearheading it, take the same meals like everyone else.
But father body is strong so he can do excessive work, he had the habit of unconsciously force others.
Moreover, taking a break moderately or commanded the construction efficiently or the like, he seems to be lacking in ability as commander, I hear that he had a bad reputation from territory people who are partic.i.p.ating in the work.
“Kurt-sama have the same bad reputation for not saying anything to n.o.ble-sama.”
He is the number 2 and yet he didn’t reprove the number 1, he just do the same work as ordinary workers.
Being hated is a matter of course.
“Population increased, resuming that unpleasant reclamation work resulting in territory people anxiety…”
There also the insubstantial meal they dislike during cultivation, they have come to the point of not to increasing the population.
“The boys from the second son onwards have left this Baumeister territory.”
There also many that leave their home with the dealer group that come once in a few months to the closest city, Breitburg.
Those who arrived in Breitburg can look for a job or applying for recruitment to the new settlement that other lord are recruiting.
“And even the girls recently…”
Expect the eldest son who can succeed the field and girl who can become a bride, even the girls now began to go out of Baumeister territory.
There is nothing can restraint the outflow of population if it was like this.
It would be the first step of depopulation when the eldest son can’t take a bride.
“The worse things is Wendelin-sama’s magic get exposed.”
It’s the precious magic.
It would be nice if I could live in this Baumeister territory to develop it, for father to keep the knighthood inheritance order, I try not to be in contact with the territory people.
If I really want to develop the territory, I could work for territory when the heir changed to me.
Having a ruthless decision like that, isn’t that the mission of the so-called n.o.ble.
“Territory people have seen everything. n.o.ble-sama is treated as a n.o.ble in this farm village in remote place, I believes that you can succeed the house without any dissension as others won’t say anything about it.”
It might be severe when fathomed up to there.
Human is a creatures who suffer from greed.
Although excessive desire is not good, an appropriate desire.
And that desire also to improve their own live a little more is essential to human.
“It is important to at least feed all the territory people. But n.o.ble-sama stopped there. Of course that also important but I believes it was essential for the ruler to look at the future ahead.”
Klaus speak up here had sighed now.
Let alone the population of this Baumeister territory that already stagnant, if this downward trend storming in as he said, there would be many endless problem.
“Though I can understand Klaus feelings, do you want me to declare here that I would become the next family head? An unnecessary uproar will only increases.”
No matter how I think about it, there will be no one supporting me as the family head.
It’s futile when father does not make me as successor, and when the capital city hear about the successor conflict.
Since there is the thoughtless distance feeling, the bureaucrat in capital city practically may command to confiscate the territory or the territory was reduced.
“Solely making a fuss is pointless. It’s much better if we did not make a fuss. Persuade father, livelihood to increase new immigrants, we can only push forward for efficient development.”
“But with Wendelin-sama’s magic…”
“When I did decide to use magic, what would you do if I die?”
“That is…”
I hear that talent as mage is not genetic.
When it was genetic, of course the royal family and n.o.ble ought to be full of mage.
This is why the royal family and n.o.ble decided to spend a fortune to enclose an excellent mage.
Back to topic, when I decided to make use of my magic to enrich this Baumeister territory.
But how they will preserved that when I died later.
Perhaps a dreadful decline even more than gradual depopulated await.
“And there must be those disagree when I was forced to become the family head.”
Klaus seems to hold dissatisfaction to father but people in territory does not hold that much dissatisfaction in father and brother.
After I take the position as the current head, there would be no point even when they feel antipathy to me.
“So I’ll pretend that I never hear about this discussion.”
When I leave that word at the end, I run hastily to the depths of the forest and disappears at once with teleport magic.
In that situation, Klaus were watching dumbfounded.
‘I mean, what do you want me to say…’
I understand Klaus’s feeling but the order is wrong.
There someone else he would have to talk before convince me.
He need to convince father first, only talking to me is useless.
‘But this is look bad…’
It was unclear whether father and Kurt nii-san knows about Klaus’s real intention.
At worst, the suspicion of rebellion might wind up to me.
It become troublesome in many ways if that happens.
Even if I goes out of house, when I can’t leave the house after peacefully giving up the inheritance rights, there the possibility that I become a nuisance in society as the person disturbing the inheritance order of my parents’ house.
When I am carrying such nasty rumor, my life after that will be difficult.
But I am hesitated to consult father about this.
What if it was used by father to dispose me?
The solution getting more complicated the more I thought about it.
“Daaa! Thinking about it is useless! Ignore Klaus! Ignore!”
At my moving destination in the prairie of undeveloped area, I let loose a large-scale explosion magic in full force.
And made a big hole there.
“The environment get destroyed due to me reducing stress.”
Though I was reflecting after becoming a little calm, I have no word to say when this large hole is used as an artificial lake by people in the future, only heaven knows.