There were no particularly challenging reports, but the assembly to reconcile the conflict between the merchants and the church over the usage time of Roudken Square took longer than usual. About 30 minutes after the assembly ended, Duke Aldrant, who was reviewing documents in his office, raised his head at the sound of someone entering.
A knight captain with short brown hair, displaying a solemn demeanor, bowed respectfully and approached. Although he held the highest position in the Guard Knights, he was relatively young, in his mid-thirties. Gezell put down the documents he was reading and greeted him. After inquiring about the completion of training and any unusual occurrences, Gezell asked a somewhat unconventional question.
“How’s the atmosphere in the Guard Knights lately?”
“The new recruits who joined this quarter are enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is good.”
Anton seemed to be asking, “What’s going on?” with his expression.
Gezell, after glancing at the mirror, which now returned to being an ordinary reflective surface, shifted his gaze.
“Have you ever raised animals?”
“If you mean raising… well, I’ve taken care of hunting dogs and horses, but I haven’t raised small animals like cats or birds.”
“Neither have I. But when I was young, I saw others raising them.”
“Kingdoms like Valsena have a wide variety of animals raised.”
While answering Gezell’s question, Anton couldn’t hide his curiosity. Despite being asked if there was something to discuss related to his duties, Gezell, who usually liked to get straight to the point, wasn’t bringing up the main topic immediately today.
“According to a book, the world is divided into animals that are raised in confinement and those that are raised freely.”
“Well, that’s right. If you keep those that need to be raised freely in confinement for too long, they easily get sick. Even if you don’t let them graze, you should take creatures like sheep, goats, and horses out once in a while.”
“People are probably no different.”
At that remark, the knight captain shrugged his shoulders, seemingly amused.
“If we were to compare humans to animals, humans are undoubtedly creatures that need to be raised freely. Being confined somewhere causes suffering, hence it becomes a punishment, and that’s why we imprison criminals. If humans were creatures that could be confined, imprisonment wouldn’t be a punishment.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“…That statement is correct.”
Gezell nodded and leaned back in his chair. Knight Captain Anton Sorel, who observed his somewhat serious expression, couldn’t help but feel a sense of tension.
Recently, Roudken had been more peaceful than ever. Gezell Jivendad, who ascended to the position of Duke at the age of sixteen after the abdication of the previous ruler, was a unique boy compared to his uncle, who had ruled Roudken until then, and, in fact, all the previous rulers.
The former Duke was known for his exceptional martial skills even among the warlike rulers of Roudken, and his daughter, Princess Frida, inherited her father’s temperament, fearlessly wielding a sword outside the city walls from a young age. In contrast, Gezell Jivendad was always quiet, preferring to stay secluded in the library or his own room, engrossed in reading.
Rather than establishing martial prowess and socializing with people, he enjoyed pursuing knowledge and conducting research by listening to the stories of scholars and wizards. Not many in Roudken predicted that he, who seemed more inclined towards scholarly pursuits, would be the next ruler.
Above all, Roudken needed to focus on defending against demonic invasions. Would Princess Frida be more suitable as the ruler, given her inclination towards military matters?
At that time, many, including Anton, who had not yet assumed the position of knight captain, harbored such doubts, and furthermore, some even held discontent. However, the selection of the next leader was a powerful authority granted to the former ruler.
The succession to the throne proceeded smoothly without any conflicts, and Gezell Jivendad ascended to the position of the new Duke. Subsequently, Princess Frida, claiming no talent or interest in politics, took command as the commander of the northern fortress, dedicated to the defense of the northern region.
However, with several years passing since Gezell Jivendad assumed the position of Duke, nobody questioned the reasons behind his becoming the new ruler. The young Duke, with a deep interest in academics and magic, directed the use of magic, previously used only in battles against demons, to various fields needed in Roudken.
Now, Roudken not only communicated using magic within the capital but also directly exchanged communications using magic in the castles in the capital, extending to some territories outside Roudken governed by nobles.
The arid land, which had to rely on trade with other countries for food, saw a significant increase in production through the use of magic-managed greenhouses and seed improvement. The technology for storing these goods also advanced remarkably, and Gezell Jivendad’s major contribution was resolving the chronic food shortage.
The communication speed between the northern fortress and Roudken improved, and, most importantly, the effectiveness of combat magic used in real battles became incomparably stronger than in the past.
Anton, not well-versed in magic, was aware that magical power was not infinite and that the current ruler, who efficiently utilized this finite power, was not an ordinary person. The bold decision to appoint Anton, who was barely thirty at the time, as the knight captain was an unprecedented and daring choice.
In summary, under Gezell Jivendad’s rule, Roudken was experiencing unprecedented innovation and peace. Considering the heavy atmosphere, Anton, as the knight captain, couldn’t help but worry.
“Do you have any concerns?”
“I want to discuss Sir Maelrosen’s disposal.”
Ah, so he was troubled by that issue.
Anton nodded. Though they had only briefly met, he naturally remembered. The unfortunate scion of the Cornia royal family who arrived here instead of the princess who should have become the Grand Duchess.
When he first heard the Grand Duke’s declaration that he would marry him, Anton was greatly surprised. He initially thought that the Grand Duke was an eccentric person, but upon learning the circumstances and the plight of Rensley Maelrosen, it evoked sympathy. The Grand Duke mentioned that he might need Anton’s help when the time came to decide Rensley Maelrosen’s treatment and shared the secrets related to the wedding and the Grand Duchess with him.
“What decision have you made?”
Now that the wedding has taken place, they temporarily allowed some time to pass, and creating a suitable pretext, it would be safest to gradually remove Rensley Maelrosen from the position of Grand Duchess and send him to live in a secluded territory rather than keeping him in Roudken.
Regardless, since the guest was personally chosen by the Grand Duke, it would be appropriate to send some knights as an escort. Perhaps among them, some may need to stay there for a few years…
“Externally, it was decided to announce that the Grand Duchess is frail and will be relocated.”
“Yes. So far, no one seems to have any doubts. If we wait a little longer before making the announcement…”
“There’s no need to confine Sir Maelrosen to the bedroom. I think.”
“…I suppose so.”
Anton couldn’t fully grasp what the Grand Duke was trying to say, so he made a vague response.
Now that he thought about it, there seemed to be no one who would doubt whether the Grand Duchess truly lived in the Grand Duchess’s quarters. The only person with free access was the chamberlain, and if she subtly deceived people, this situation could be maintained.
…But rather than doing that, it would be simpler to estimate the right time and send Rensley Maelrosen to a distant territory. While Gezell was contemplating this, he spoke.
“According to what he personally said, he is skilled in swordsmanship and riding. I’d like to seek your opinion on having him take the entrance exam for the Royal Guard.”
“…Are you talking about the entrance exam for the Royal Guard?”
“Well, corrupting talent is not the way of Aldrant, and if he has the ability, wouldn’t it be appropriate to employ him?”
“We can certainly prepare for the entrance exam… but won’t it be dangerous? The Grand Duchess, or rather, Sir Maelrosen, freely wandering outside or mingling with people may increase the risk of revealing his true identity.”
To Anton’s concerns, Grand Duke Gezell responded with a wry smile, as if revealing something. As his lord was a person whose expression hardly changed even when they were together all day, this slight difference was quite noticeable. Anton waited quietly for his explanation.
“That’s why we can’t just lock him up in a prison.”
“I’m not sure what you mean…”
“I called you because I’m curious about your thoughts as the commander. If Rensley Maelrosen has talent, are you willing to accept him as a member?”
“If Your Grace commands, I will follow.”
Even if he couldn’t understand the order, Anton was ready to accept it. There were more things that he couldn’t understand than things that made sense since he first sat on the throne.
One’s personal approval doesn’t matter in matters decided by the ruler. It was already clear that Gezell Jivendad was an excellent leader, possibly one of the best among all the rulers of Aldrant.
Gezell nodded. Lowering his gaze as if calculating something, he muttered like someone who belatedly remembered something.
“I see. We should also hear his opinion.”
“Didn’t both of you already discuss this and then summon me?”
“I’ll give my testimony soon. Please return for now.”
“Understood.”
Internally perplexed, Anton chose not to add any more comments and left the Grand Duke’s office. As he closed the door and glanced inside, he saw that the Grand Duke, Gezell Jivendad, was looking at a mirror.
Walking steadily back to the knight order, as the distance between the office and him increased, he sighed with a sense of unease. The Grand Duke, Gezell Jivendad, was undoubtedly an excellent leader without a doubt, but there was one thing – no matter how knowledgeable he was, he was not an expert in horsemanship or martial arts.
There were countless people who could talk endlessly about riding well and wielding a sword, even if they were constantly shuttled around in a carriage. He had briefly met with Rensley Maelrosen to discuss the fake wedding ceremony and plans for the life of the Grand Duchess, but he didn’t feel any essence of a warrior.
It was hard to find a sense of dignity, and in terms of physique, he was delicate compared to the people of the North. Could he properly handle Aldrant’s famous heavy lance designed to fight against monsters? Even as an apprentice, it would take quite a long time of effort to fulfill a person’s role.
He would follow the order, but for the first time in a long time, Anton Sorel had to suppress a slight resentment toward his lord’s judgment.
Thanks for the chapter
Hope Rensley makes a great warrior :3 I see a lot of potential in him
He might do better as a scout than a warrior… He’s agile, strong, stealthy, all good qualities of a scout