Chapter 163 - Episode 158: Request for Reinforcements
Early October. Noein had been summoned by Arnold, the lord of the neighboring territory and his father-in-law, who told him, "There is something I wish to discuss," and had thus visited the Koenitz Viscount residence in Retovik.
"Me, as reinforcements for a skirmish with the Southwestern faction...?"
"That is correct. Around the western edge of the border between the kingdom's Northwest and Southwest—in other words, due south of this Koenitz Viscount territory. I wish to borrow your strength to resolve a conflict with Southwestern nobles occurring there... Hey, don't make such a disgusted face before I've even finished explaining."
In the residence's reception room, Arnold spoke in an exasperated voice to Noein, whose expression grew more gloomy as the conversation progressed.
"But... I hate to say it, but it has nothing to do with me, or rather, isn't it a problem for the parties involved in the conflict? At least on the surface."
Noein's abilities and martial prowess had become well-known within the Northwestern faction, and he had expected that some would want to borrow his strength based on their shared factional ties, but even so, Noein wanted to avoid being dragged into conflicts as much as possible—especially squabbles between nobles of the same kingdom.
"Just listen until the end... This conflict, you see, is a dangerous affair where Southwestern nobles have completely occupied a single village owned by a noble of the Northwestern faction."
"A single village? And you said Southwestern nobles 'plural'?"
"Yes. Apparently, they seized the village with a force of about a hundred men, reinforced the gates and wooden fences to turn it into a fortress, and are now squatting there. It seems they've even arbitrarily collected this year's harvest and taken it back to the Southwest. It looks like several lower-ranking nobles are acting in coordination, but there is likely a high-ranking noble acting as a patron behind the scenes."
In other words, a high-ranking noble who wanted the Northwest's food but did not want to be at the forefront of the conflict was inciting their clients to commit territorial infringement.
"The area where the occupied village is located was originally disputed land. The high-ranking noble on the Northwestern side who suffered the infringement is also apparently countering by mobilizing their own clients. That is why it has become a quagmire."
"...To commit territorial infringement by making only your clients do the work; some nobles really are petty."
"Indeed. However, we cannot simply leave it be. If we allow the occupation to cross into the new year, it gives them a track record of effective control over a long period. Furthermore, there is no telling how the villagers are being treated."
If territorial infringement by other nobles is permitted for a long period, it can be regarded as having abandoned the ownership rights to that region. Additionally, if the occupation is for the purpose of obtaining food, the village farmers have likely had all their harvests stolen—leaving only the bare minimum of wheat to keep them from dying—and must be in dire straits.
Either way, it was not a situation that could be left alone.
"I understand the circumstances... but why must I be the one to provide assistance? Aside from the fact that I'm personally not in the mood, isn't there a lack of reason why it must be me, or a justification for my participation?"
When one noble sticks their nose into a quarrel between other nobles, it is desirable that there be a reason worthy of such interference. Geographical proximity, connections between patrons and clients, and kinship ties are often used as justifications.
It wasn't that providing aid simply for a pile of money was forbidden, but in that case, one had to be prepared to be seen as "a vulgar noble who acts like a mercenary, and a noble who borrows the hand of such a person."
"The reason you were called upon is the military power of the Arqvist territory, which is immense relative to its size. Moreover, as you hold territory at the northwestern edge, you have reserves even amidst the post-war chaos. As for the justification, that is fine. The noble whose village was occupied is Baron Wikander."
"Baron Wikander... I see."
Upon hearing that family name, Noein realized the connection between the Baron and himself and made a sour face.
"Clara's older sister's husband?"
"Exactly. I explained it when I introduced him to you at the factional banquet, so it seems you remembered. The one who married Clara's immediate older sister, Lory, is Baron Wikander. Therefore, as a relative, you have the justification to participate in the conflict he is embroiled in."
The strongest reason for a noble to help another noble is the fact that they are "relatives." This is precisely why nobles desire to form kinship ties with other influential nobles through political marriages.
"Even so, isn't the relationship a bit distant? The husband of my wife's older sister, with whom I've done nothing more than exchange greetings at social gatherings... there's no direct blood relation, and he's practically a stranger."
"It is fine. Lord Marcel, for instance, has gone all the way from the northeast to participate in skirmishes with Southwestern nobles based on a connection as thin as being the husband of a cousin's daughter."
"..."
Noein fell silent with a conflicted expression. If Count Marcel's logic held, then Noein and Baron Wikander were sufficiently close relatives, leaving him unable to argue.
"...B-but, as a relative, you are closer, Arnold-sama. Baron Wikander is your son-in-law, after all."
"Of course, at first I thought I should be the one to provide aid... but to put it bluntly, I do not have the leeway to help Baron Wikander right now."
Arnold sighed as he spoke.
"I won't say the Koenitz Viscount family's territorial army is weak, but because the territory is in a peaceful frontier, they aren't exactly elite. The scale isn't that large either, so I cannot lend enough combat power for a conflict to reclaim a single village. There are also issues within the territory."
"Issues within the territory?"
"Yes. The Northwest, including the Koenitz territory, is on the side that hasn't been heavily affected by the post-war chaos, but that doesn't mean it's non-existent. Recently, in particular, the number of refugees passing through our territory toward the Arqvist territory has increased... I am struggling to maintain vigilance so that suspicious characters don't slip through among those refugees."
As he spoke, Arnold cast a meaningful look at Noein. Receiving that gaze, Noein sensed what his father-in-law wanted to say.
When Noein became engaged to Clara, Arnold had promised that "the Koenitz Viscount territory would become the shield of the Arqvist territory."
Even now, true to that promise, he checked the prospective migrants and merchants attempting to head toward the Arqvist territory via the Koenitz Viscount territory, and if he found spies from other factions or former criminals, he would send them away using an appropriate excuse.
Furthermore, to crack down on border-crossers attempting to enter the Arqvist territory by bypassing Retovik, he had been conducting focused patrols of the highways and plains.
It could be said that the peace of the Arqvist territory was maintained even now precisely because Arnold went out of his way to allocate the labor of the Koenitz territorial army.
"I too wish for the territory of my daughter's husband to remain peaceful, but if I were to deploy my own army for the sake of another daughter's husband, I would no longer have the hands to manage the checkpoints for those heading to the Arqvist territory."
"...In other words, to indirectly protect the peace of my own territory, you're telling me to break a sweat myself this time."
"It is regrettable, but that is how it turns out... Baron Wikander will cover the necessary expenses, and a corresponding reward will be paid, so it's not like you're working for free. It's not such a bad deal."
Told implicitly that refusing to help Baron Wikander would increase the possibility of suspicious characters slipping into the Arqvist territory... Noein exhaled as if resigning himself. There was no room for choice.
"...I understand. I'll go. In exchange, please continue to be the shield of the Arqvist territory."
"I'm glad you agreed. Of course, my territory shall continue to be of help as the shield of the Arqvist territory. My sincere, honest feeling is that I want the land where my youngest daughter lives to be peaceful."
"...Thank you."
When he made a face like a truly earnest father, Noein found himself unable to say anything too harsh.
"The reason that conflict has dragged on is that Baron Wikander's camp lacks the decisive power to break through the defenses of the fortified village. With your golems, I'm sure it will be settled easily. Besides, knowing you, didn't you already make some strange new weapon to prepare for such a conflict?"
"...Hahaha, no, surely not."
Without saying that he had made a shotgun-arrow Crossbow anticipating this kind of situation, Noein glossed over his words to deceive him.