Chapter 144 - Episode 141: Clara the Historian
"――October 17th, Kingdom Calendar Year 212. The Arqvist territory suffered an invasion by a large-scale band of bandits, but through the strenuous efforts of the Lord, Noein Arqvist, and the residents, as well as the power of the new weapon, the Crossbow, they successfully subjugated them... Is this manner of writing acceptable?"
"Yeah, in short, that's about how it was."
"Do you have a record of the detailed flow of the battle? Not the subjective account you told me before, but records of the detailed combat progress..."
"Back then, we didn't have a proper territorial army yet... Yuri, Pence, or Radley probably remember it in some detail... I think."
Early winter. While relaxing in the living room of the lord's manor, Noein was exchanging such a conversation with Clara.
Paper, a pen, and an inkwell were placed before Clara, and she was scratching out the history of the Arqvist territory as told to her by Noein.
Unlike her usual refined expression, Clara proceeded with the recording with an innocent face, almost like a child.
"Clara, are you having fun?"
"Yes, it is very enjoyable. I am currently recording the history of a noble territory with my own hands. As one who aspires to be a historian, there is nothing more heart-pounding than this."
When asked, Clara answered with a bright, beaming smile. At that cuteness, Noein instinctively patted her head.
"I see. If Clara is having fun, we're happy too. Right, Matilda?"
"Yes, Noein-sama."
While managing the school, Clara had also begun to move little by little as a historian.
She listened to Noein about the events and the flow of development of the Arqvist territory thus far and recorded them as the territory's history.
On the other hand, from the vast memos of knowledge Noein had obtained from books as a child, she gathered and read through everything related to history to learn about the history of the kingdom and the world.
Furthermore, she borrowed historical materials regarding the Viscount Koenitz territory and the northwestern part of the kingdom from her own family, the House of Viscount Koenitz, and summarized the contents.
"It's fun having a wife who's a historian because my own knowledge expands too. It's good study for me as a lord."
"Ufufu, I am still very immature as a historian, though. I am happy to be of use."
The insights gained from Clara's activities were interesting and helpful even for her husband, the lord Noein.
For example, the origins of the neighboring Viscount Koenitz territory.
It was said that the Viscount Koenitz territory was once an uninhabited land where forests were scattered and low-ranking monsters such as goblins, gluttony rabbits, ash wolves, and kobolds swarmed.
That land was developed by a knight of the Bechtolsheim Kingdom, which was an independent nation at the time. The knight gathered settlers, hunted monsters, built a village, and having been granted autonomy by the King, he called himself the first Marquis Koenitz, and his descendants also strove for development as local powerful clans.
About 170 years ago, when the Bechtolsheim Kingdom was absorbed into the Lordberg Kingdom, the Marquis Koenitz of that time was incorporated into the Lordberg Kingdom's nobility system, granted the rank of Viscount, and had his territory confirmed.
Since then, the Viscount Koenitz territory apparently prospered reasonably well as a vast territory at the furthest edge serving as the boundary between kingdom civilization and nature, and as a defensive land in the event that monsters overflowed from the Bezel Great Forest or if foreign tribes from the western lands (at the time, the Lancel Kingdom did not yet exist, and it was believed that barbarians lived in the west) crossed the forest.
"Therefore, from now on, the Arqvist territory will take over that role. Also, since the Koenitz territory will now also have the role of a distribution relay point, I believe it is appropriate for both parties to find a path to co-prosperity based on that common understanding," when Clara spoke those words, even Noein was impressed by her analysis.
Count Maximilian Kivileft had gathered books haphazardly for the sake of his own vanity, so the knowledge Noein grew up reading was scattered across fields and eras, with many holes.
In that regard, Clara, who explored a single field of study systematically, sometimes presented analyses that Noein, who simply had a large volume of knowledge, could not.
Noein had pride in being reasonably intelligent himself, but it was reassuring to have a wife by his side who was clever in a different way from him. The conversations were also enjoyable.
"――Well then, since we've reached a good stopping point, I'll end today's historical description here. Next, let us proceed with writing this: the life story of the pioneering noble, Noein Arqvist."
"Ugh, we're doing that today too?"
When Clara said this while taking out another bundle of papers with a full smile, Noein returned a wry smile.
"Of course. You are the founder of the development of the Arqvist territory. We must leave a record of what you thought, what you spoke, and how you behaved. People of future generations will surely want to know."
What Clara said was reasonable, but Noein was a bit uncomfortable with this time.
This was because, due to the nature of a record called a life story, he had to speak quite candidly about the inner workings of his heart, reproduce words that could only be said sincerely because of the atmosphere of the time, and even recall as accurately as possible behaviors and words that were merely acting cool in the heat of the moment.
"If your personality is recorded like this, the residents of future generations will also be able to love you. That will surely lead to your happiness as well."
"That... is certainly true."
Being loved by the residents was Noein's happiness, and he also had a desire to be loved as the first lord, not only by the current residents he lived with, but also by their children and grandchildren. When told it was a record for that purpose, he had no choice but to nod honestly.
"Then, what I would like you to tell me today is... the story just before our marriage. If I recall, on the night before the wedding, you swore eternal love to Matilda-san, didn't you? I heard it from Matilda-san before."
In unraveling history, the private lives of great people also become a major point of interest for people of future generations. Romantic affairs are no exception, apparently. According to Clara.
"Now, please tell me how you swore your love."
"...I think, that night, I called out to Matilda before getting into bed. When I was making the wedding rings for Clara, I had ordered a matching ring for Matilda as well, and I brought that out."
While Noein spoke, looking at the two rings placed on his left ring finger, Clara wrote it down while nodding "ho-ho."
"And then, at that time, in what posture and gesture, and with what words, did you speak of your love?"
"Uh, I think..."
Noein had Matilda stand, and he performed the action of kneeling before her and showing the ring.
Glancing to the side, he saw Clara looking back at him with her hand on her cheek, saying "My..." Since he was being stared at while reproducing a confession scene that one would normally not show to others, Noein felt quite embarrassed.
Or rather, although Matilda was Clara's one and only best friend and comrade, was it really enjoyable for her to watch her husband swear eternal love to another woman?
When he looked forward, Matilda had her cheeks flushed red and a heart-throbbing expression, which made him even more embarrassed. Was she remembering that night?
"...I think it was something like this. And the words were, if I recall..."
"'Matilda has been by my side since I was nine years old. You have supported me longer than anyone, and closer than anyone. That's why I thought that if I were to give a ring as proof of eternal love, the first person should be Matilda. Will you accept it?' is what Noein-sama said. Hearing that, I shed torrents of tears out of joy."
"Ooooh, Matilda, you remember it so well..."
Noein was startled by Matilda, who reproduced the super-long line without stumbling, likely without a single word's difference.
"Those words were also a gift from Noein-sama. Everything is carved into my memory, so I shall never forget them for the rest of my life."
Matilda, answering thus, had a somewhat proud expression. She puffed out her ample chest with a huff.
"Wonderful... The blood-warm words of love of a great man, left in writing without being lost... There is no better historical material for people of future generations to know the pioneering noble Noein Arqvist."
"Is such a detailed record really necessary...?"
"Of course. With this single sentence, not only can your kind personality be conveyed to the reader, but future scholars can analyze that the love between the first lord Noein Arqvist and the slave Matilda, which transcended status and race, and their circumstances, became the root of the Arqvist territory's spirit of tolerance toward differences in status and race."
When Noein tilted his head, Clara said so with a serious face.
"Now that you mention it... that's certainly true."
Noein thought that it felt that way.
Nonetheless, the fact that even his candid confession of love would remain as part of history was still incredibly embarrassing. Looking at it differently, he could think of it as carving how much he loved Matilda into history and showing it to the world.
"Then, please tell me the exchange that followed, and also your feelings at that time."
Having finished writing, Clara looked up again and looked at Noein with sparkling eyes.
It couldn't be helped. This too must be the fate of a noble, a public figure, who leaves his name for future generations. Thinking this, Noein let out a small sigh along with a faint wry smile, and continued to answer Clara's questions.
This recording work came to be performed every day without fail during the winter, when they spent much of their time indoors.