Chapter 36

Chapter 36 – Fortress (1)

I brought out the object— a sword.

Yes.

It was the very sword I received from Count Arsene.

‘I realized immediately that it was no ordinary item the moment I saw it.’

Impeccable balance.

A blade sharp enough to slice a falling leaf.

The unique mark of craftsmanship that only ‘they’ could create was especially noteworthy.

“Judging by your reaction, it seems it is indeed because of this sword made by the dwarves.”

Dwarves.

Artisans known to be the best at crafting tools on the continent.

However, they were fundamentally reclusive.

They did not interact with humans.

Given this reality, items made by dwarves were incredibly rare.

In fact, it was no exaggeration to call them treasures.

‘There is no being as cunning as a human. The dwarves learned this fact long ago.’

Dwarves were particularly hostile towards humans amongst all the other races.

That’s because there was a time when their entire race lived as slaves to humans.

That was more than several hundred years ago.

‘But a sword made by dwarves in the hands of a minor count from a remote country?’

As Narakas said.

Possessing something beyond what one could handle only brought ruin.

Moreover, the sword in my hand was a genuine article.

‘Druip 97.’

The faint mark engraved on the handle was proof.

It meant it was the ninety-seventh sword made by the dwarf named Druip.

Any item made by dwarves would fetch double the price.

Naturally, there were many counterfeits.

The mark was to prevent that.

Only dwarves could inscribe such miniscule letters on the handle with such skill.

‘If Count Arsene’s house has a route to communicate with the dwarves, all the circumstances so far make sense.’

Count Arsene, who was deep in thought, let out a heavy sigh.

“......I’m not sure if you’re aware, but our Arsene County borders the land of the dwarves. Well, the northern region is practically abandoned, but still......”

Dwarves lived together in one place.

In the harsh Anagri Mountain Range in the north.

‘On the entire continent, only the Duchy of Meeke and the Kingdom of Hart border that barren region.’

Incidentally, the territory I received from the queen as a reward, or rather, my intended place of exile, was also there.

I was kidnapped by slave traders while on my way there.

Knowing that this place was adjacent to that area, it was not an incomprehensible story.

‘The Empire has monopolized fine swords since ancient times.’

No, it wasn’t just the Empire.

Knights, by their very nature, have always craved the highest quality swords.

Moreover, if the Empire is indeed preparing for a continental war as I suspect......

‘The demand for weapons will inevitably skyrocket.’

In the midst of this, a new dwarven weapon had surfaced in the human world.

And it emerged here, in Count Arsene’s territory, close to the dwarven domain.

How could one not be interested?

“Years ago, I went on a reconnaissance mission to the cursed lands in the north. By chance, I encountered dwarves under attack by monsters there.”

“So, you helped them and received this sword as a token of gratitude.”

“That’s correct.”

“Who else knows about this sword’s existence?”

“Quite a few people. There were many eyes in the reconnaissance team at the time.”

There is no such thing as an eternal secret.

The more witnesses there were, the more likely rumors would spread.

“Moreover, the dwarves later sent hundreds of swords as tokens of gratitude, saying they were failed products and not to worry about it.”

No wonder all the knights’ swords were so dazzling.

Even if they were considered failures, they were still made by the dwarves.

They were likely of much higher quality than anything made by ordinary human craftsmen.

“......Now I understand. Outsiders, unaware of the exact circumstances, must have assumed that you had a special relationship with the dwarves.”

“I had a rough idea. We tried to be cautious to avoid rumors...... but it seems that was the cause after all.”

Count Arsene smiled wryly.

I, on the other hand, felt a sense of relief.

The fog in my mind had cleared.

‘The Empire’s primary goal was the trade route or dominion over the dwarves. The civil war in this remote country came second.’

The Empire’s spies probably realized shortly after arriving here.

The special relationship between Count Arsene and the dwarves was a one-time occurrence.

Then, they shifted their focus, using the already deployed spies to incite civil war...... This was the most likely course of events.

‘With their trail uncovered, the Empire will have no room to intervene.’

In war, you must always be wary of variables.

But now, the biggest variable is gone.

This means I can concentrate solely on the Foltaine Marquisate.

“First, convene a meeting with the retainers.”

“I’ll gather them within an hour.”

Count Arsene nodded.

His eyes exuded trust.

“If you expect too much, it’s a bit burdensome......”

Anyway, with little time to spare, I left for the training grounds.

***

“......Huh?”

When I arrived at the training grounds, I tilted my head in confusion.

It was the designated training time.

‘I did wonder whether they’d be slacking off or not, but......’

I watched the training grounds with an intrigued expression.

‘Damn it...... Should I run away?’

Then Count Arsene added fuel to the fire.

“I understand you all have many questions, but from today, this honored guest will attend our military meetings and discuss strategies with us.”

“What!?”

Cries of shock erupted from all corners.

“I look forward to working with you all.”

I stood up, meeting their uncomfortable gazes one by one.

There was one sure way to handle situations like these.

They had only heard rumors, but had not seen my abilities.

Since they had only just been called to the meeting.

So.

“May I borrow that for a moment?”

“Wha......!”

Shiiing.

I swiftly drew a sword from a guard’s sheath.

“Wh-What is the meaning of this!”

Then, before anyone could react.

Hummm!

I poured my mana into the sword without hesitation.

Perhaps it was because I had taken the top-grade elixir?

The sword, greedily absorbing my mana, glowed hotter and brighter, asserting its presence.

“Au......ra?”

“M-My god. Aura at such a young age! So the rumors were true?”

“I-I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

It wasn’t just the retainers.

“Ha...... hahaha. The color is deeper and clearer than mine. Isn’t he stronger than me?”

Even Count Arsene let out a hollow laugh.

“In this field, skill is everything, isn’t it?”

“......”

Silence descended.

However, even in the quiet, some nobles’ eyes showed defiance.

After all, my known status was still that of a commoner.

“......Nobles are the same, then and now......”

“......Was it Ancelot? I’m tolerating you because of the lord’s orders, but you should watch your mouth.”

The lone viscount, having reached his limit, snapped at me.

At the same time, a smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.

“Oh dear, does it bother you that a mere commoner brat is acting up?”

“......If you intend to continue disrespecting the nobility......!”

“And that’s why we’re in this mess.”

I pointed my aura-infused sword at the nobles.

The four idiots flinched simultaneously.

“That pathetic superiority complex of yours.”

“......What?”

“When the spies were wreaking havoc internally, I bet your reactions were just like now, right? You ignored and looked down on anyone of lower status than you, only to get stabbed in the back— after which you were busy blaming others instead of finding the root cause.”

“......!”

The retainers’ faces flushed crimson.

“What’s wrong? Are you going to blame the lord for this situation? Your lord is the face of this region. He’s so busy with external affairs that two bodies wouldn’t be enough. So, who should be managing the household in his stead? That’s your job, isn’t it?”

“......”

“Shame on you. You sit quietly at home, doing who knows what, until someone steps up to fix things— after which you dismiss them for being young.”

The retainers were speechless.

Immediately, Count Arsene stood up.

“Listen.”

“......Yes, my lord!”

“From now on, the words of this honored guest are my words. No objections will be tolerated.”

“......!”

It was a declaration from the lord himself.

The retainers wouldn’t dare show any dissatisfaction with my words now.

At least not outwardly.

Now, all I had to do was prove myself with my abilities.

“So, what’s your plan, honored guest?”

This time, the other retainers also showed interest.

“The best defense is a fortress.”

Count Arsene nodded right away.

It was a basic military strategy that besieging a fortress required at least three times the number of troops defending it.

“And?”

“That’s it.”

“......What?”

“What more do you need?”

“......?”

“At this point, defending is the best strategy.”

“......”

It wasn’t just Count Arsene.

The other retainers who had shown some hope were now standing there with their mouths agape.

“Lock the gates securely and wait. Don’t attempt anything else. It’s a waste of manpower.”

“So, you’re saying......?”

“Yes, we do nothing. We wait indefinitely until they step into our territory.”

“......”

The one person who had been on my side from the sta

rt, Count Arsene, finally allowed a smile to touch his lips.

“Was trusting this brat a good idea?”

“You just said your thoughts out loud.”

“Ahem.”

His uncomfortable coughing continued for quite a while.

If you decide to trust me, just trust me, mister.