Chapter 170 - Episode 165: Negotiation
Noein looked up at Viowulf, who was looking down from a bell tower roughly the height of a three-story house, and the two glared at each other for a while. Noein had wondered why they had gone so far as to build moats and earthen walls just to occupy a single village like Karenu, but he figured that with a earth mage like Viowulf present, such a feat would have been easy.
Matilda stood ready right beside Noein, prepared to carry her master away at any moment should earth come raining down.
Meanwhile, Radley and the spearmen held their spears in a reverse grip, poised to throw them at Viowulf the moment they received the order. The crossbowmen, except for a few keeping watch in other directions, were also on standby with their sights aimed at Viowulf.
"Lord Arqvist! Are you safe!"
"Yes, we are fine. We only had some golems buried."
Baron Wikander, having noticed the anomaly, arrived leading the main force and began the encirclement of the church. In response to Baron Wikander's call, Noein answered without taking his eyes off Viowulf.
"...Excellency Rosbroke, why are you here? You are already a high-ranking noble holding a baronial title. There should be no reason for you to lend a hand to other high-ranking nobles and participate in such a territorial violation, should there?"
Noein was the first to speak, breaking the silence of the glare.
"...This place is already the domain of us Southwestern nobles. Leave at once."
Viowulf did not answer that, instead declaring it to everyone surrounding the church.
"D... Don't be ridiculous! This is a village possessed by my House Wikander! You are the ones who should leave this instant!"
Baron Wikander shouted in a voice full of rage. In response, the lower-ranking nobles under the Baron's patronage, the territorial army soldiers, and the conscripts also cursed Viowulf one after another.
Amidst the echoing insults, Noein felt a sense of incongruity. The reason lay in Viowulf's tone from a moment ago.
Viowulf was a man of quiet and reserved character, but even so, there was far too little emotion in that voice. He felt a lack of motivation, as if he were merely reciting lines he had to say because of his position, just to get the job done.
Behind that, Noein could glimpse an emotion as if he wanted to finish this tedious work quickly and go home. Just like Noein himself right now.
"...Excellency Rosbroke, wouldn't it be enough already? Please surrender."
To an onlooker, it sounded as if he were saying, "You're outnumbered and have no chance of winning, so surrender," but Noein called out with the hidden meaning of "I also find this tedious, so let's end this quickly."
"I cannot do that. I am also a Southwestern noble."
Viowulf replied with those words. Noein felt that instead of a stubbornness like "I cannot afford to lose as a Southwestern noble," a message was embedded: "I actually want to surrender, but I can't because of my position."
The two gazed at each other again. However, rather than the antagonistic feelings of enemies, there was a shared sentiment of "How should we settle this situation?"
"...Baron Wikander, if you would be so kind, could you give me an opportunity to persuade him?"
"That... is it possible? He doesn't seem to be in the mood for it at the moment."
When Noein made the offer, Baron Wikander asked back, appearing slightly surprised.
"I cannot say for certain that I can, but there is a possibility. We became something like comrades-in-arms during last year's war with the Kingdom of Lancel... if I speak with him properly, he might comply. If we end up in a melee with him, there will be damage to the village houses, so I would like to try my best."
"...Very well. But please, be extremely careful."
"Yes, thank you."
Having obtained permission from the commander-in-chief, Baron Wikander, Noein looked up at Viowulf once more.
"Excellency Rosbroke, if you like, would you care to speak with me for a moment? If the situation can be settled through discussion, that would be for the best. May I enter the church?"
"...Very well. However, please enter with only yourself and one guard. I shall do the same."
"Understood."
Noein shifted his gaze to Matilda beside him, and then to Yuri, the Chief Retainer. After confirming that Yuri looked at him and nodded, he entered the church accompanied only by Matilda.
"Yuri, the opponent seems to have his own reasons, so while blurring the inconvenient parts appropriately, relay the contents of the negotiation to Excellency Wikander."
'Understood.'
As he passed through the church doors, Noein exchanged words in a low voice with Yuri, who had connected via 'Far-Talk'.
.....
Having entered the church, Noein looked around the interior.
The interior of the church consisted only of a chapel, stairs that seemed to lead to the bell tower, and a single door that likely led to the room of the priest who managed the church. Simultaneously with Noein closing the entrance, Viowulf descended the stairs accompanied by a middle-aged man.
"That person... is that the slave who was brought along at last year's banquet? You really are fond of her."
"Yes, I place absolute trust in her... and your guard?"
"He is the Chief Retainer of the House Rosbroke. He has served since the time my late father was the head of the house."
As he was introduced by Viowulf, the middle-aged man bowed his head slightly. No emotion could be read from his expression.
"I see... then, shall we have our discussion?"
"Indeed... um, if it does not displease you, sir, may I change my manner of speaking? I am not very accustomed to polite speech."
"Of course. You are older and higher in rank than I, so please, speak in whatever way is easiest for you."
"I am grateful. Now, regarding the matter you asked earlier, about why I am here..."
Viowulf hesitated after speaking that far.
"...May I speak my true feelings, regarding you as a comrade-in-arms who guarded the same battlefield? There are parts of what I am about to say that I do not wish the other Northwestern nobles to know."
"I understand. I swear I will not breathe a word of the parts that are inconvenient for your Excellency... for I, too, wish to resolve this conflict quickly and go home."
When Noein spoke with a bashful smile, Viowulf, who apparently had been thinking the same thing, also wore a faint, wry smile. Then, he began to explain his circumstances.
"...The one who originally decided to occupy this village of Karenu and seize the food was Viscount Barassen-sama, the patron of the lower-ranking nobles who executed the occupation. The House of Viscount Barassen was also once the patron of my House Rosbroke."
Noein had heard from Arnold that there was a high-ranking noble behind the territorial violation, so this much was within his expectations.
"Until my talent for earth magic increased agricultural productivity, the House Rosbroke was a mere, weak minor noble house. We often relied on our patron, so I still owed several debts to Viscount Barassen."
"I see. And so you assisted in this territorial violation?"
"Yes. Excellency Barassen told me to repay my debts before I became independent as a high-ranking noble. Thus, this time, I ended up participating as a guest general, bringing my Chief Retainer... once this battle is over, the House Rosbroke will sever its ties with the House of Viscount Barassen and become free."
Viowulf muttered, his eyes looking slightly distant.
Hearing that, Noein's lips curled up for just a moment. He found it amusing that he felt a slight kinship with the man over the single phrase "become free."
"That is all for the explanation of my circumstances... if possible, I too did not wish to leave my own territory to participate in such a quarrel. I miss my lands."
Saying so, Viowulf let out a deep sigh. Noein felt an even stronger kinship at his words.
"Because my earth magic has a high possibility of killing if used against living humans, I lent my strength for the fortification of the village rather than direct combat... but even so, not fighting at all is... I figured I could target only the golems, so I buried them. My apologies."
"No, that is unavoidable in a battle... I understand the circumstances, but is there no longer any meaning in fighting? No matter how you look at it, your side has no chance of winning. Please surrender. Let's end this quickly and go home."
Noein asked again, praying that he would nod.
However, Viowulf shook his head with a disappointed expression.
"I am sorry, but I cannot do that. I shall fight you, sir."