TL: Etude
The former knight of the Grayman family, Fergus, rode his horse leisurely on the road. The fresh air exhilarated him, and the thought of indulging in a hearty drink at the upcoming banquet lifted his spirits even more.
Since the Alda family established a standing army, the many new rules formulated by Paul for the military made many of the old subordinates loyal to the Grayman family uncomfortable.
Especially those knights accustomed to a relaxed and free lifestyle, who previously spent their days leisurely in activities like sparring and hunting.
Being made officers in the new army, required to sign in at the barracks at specified times and oversee the soldiers’ training all day, and forbidden from getting drunk on regular days... Oh, how tedious and bland! Was this even a life worth living?
Therefore, within half a year of the formation of the new army, nearly a third of the family knights resigned from their military positions. However, they swore to Paul that they would return to serve the Grayman family in times of crisis.
Most of these knights had estates either inherited through generations or bestowed by the old count. Thus, many moved away from Lakeheart Town and returned to their rural estates to live a pastoral life.
Fergus was one of them. A close friend of Bryce, the former military chief of the Grayman family and now the second-in-command of the Alda army, they often competed in drinking. On the day he left Lakeheart Town, it was Bryce who personally saw him off.
Now, Fergus spent his days overseeing work on his estate, hunting with neighboring gentry and landowners every now and then, and occasionally visiting his friends in the military at Lakeheart Town. Life was quite comfortable for him.
Thinking about drinking, Fergus fondly remembered his friends in Lakeheart Town. Every visit to the town brought a sense of nostalgia as he observed its constant changes, whether it be newly paved roads or newly constructed buildings, resembling an ever-busy construction site. The marketplace was increasingly prosperous, filled with shops and goods from various places, even from distant regions like Horn Bay.
Under the governance of the young count, Lakeheart Town finally looked like a city, which would surely please the ancestors of the Grayman family.
However, the booming marketplace also led to rising prices, causing Fergus to wince each time he treated guests, but as a wealthy estate owner, these expenses didn’t pose a financial burden.
Another discomfort for Fergus was the influx of outsiders in Lakeheart Town, with their varied accents, making every visit feel unfamiliar.
No sooner had he seated himself than a man approached to clink glasses with him. With a round figure and small, mung bean-like eyes, Fergus’s facial muscles twitched slightly in recognition.
This was Baden, the landlord responsible for the salt worker uprising. Lord Valen had invited such a person? After the unrest, Baden had been severely punished, with most of his property confiscated by Count Grayman and his status as a taxpayer revoked, significantly lowering his standing among the gentry.
Fergus really didn’t want to associate with someone with such a tainted history, who had even dared to forge orders from the lord’s mansion, causing turmoil. However, out of respect for the host of the banquet, Fergus still raised his glass and clinked it dryly with Baden.
Sensing his unpopularity with Fergus, Baden exchanged a few pleasantries before returning to his seat.
As the guests continued to arrive, announced one by one, all were notable figures from the region. The banquet in the Northwest Bay was robust and straightforward, with loud conversations, large drinks, and hearty eating, lacking the intricate formalities of southern wealth. The living room buzzed with noise as the atmosphere reached its climax.
“Gentlemen, thank you for attending my birthday banquet!” Lord Valen raised his glass once all the guests had arrived. “First, I propose a toast to our respected lord, Paul Grayman!”
“To Lord Paul!”
The guests raised their glasses in unison and drank in one gulp.
“Under Lord Grayman’s leadership, we people of Alda have finally held our heads high in the Northwest Bay! Last year’s Usurper War was our decisive blow, thwarting the usurper’s schemes!”
“Haha! The people of Emden always looked down on us, but now they are under our lord’s rule, and it’s our turn to look down on them.”
“Even the current Duke of the Northwest relies on our support from Alda!”
The hall echoed with various praises for Lord Paul Grayman.
Fergus listened with a smile, feeling immensely proud, as Paul was the lord he served. Despite not being called upon during the Usurper War, he still felt a hint of regret at being left out as an “old servant.”