Chapter 206 - Episode 199: Subordinates ②
The grounds of the Viscount Arqvist estate are more vast than any other facility in the capital city of Noeina.
Within the grounds lie the main manor, warehouses, row houses where the lord's slaves reside, and furthermore, experimental crop fields and processing plants. A portion of the lord's farmland is also located within the estate grounds rather than outside the city walls. This is a measure to ensure that the lord's household alone can safely maintain self-sufficiency in case of emergency.
Additionally, the stables for caring for the horses and the garages for various carriages, including the lord's private carriage, were also located within the estate grounds. The one managing them is Henrik, who has now become a retainer.
The number of horses currently held by the Arqvist territory is about thirty, including pack horses and farm horses. Since those not personally owned by the military retainers are the property of Lord Noein, only the number of horses usually used by the territorial army for training, messengers, and patrol duties are entrusted to the army headquarters; all others are managed in the estate's stables.
Early January of the Royal Calendar year 217, after the turn of the year. While Henrik was caring for the horses as usual, guiding the stable hands and slaves who had become his subordinates, he caught sight of a figure entering the stables out of the corner of his eye.
"Excuse me, is Retainer Henrik-sama present?"
A voice that was somewhat inorganic, and though not loud, carried well. Henrik immediately recognized it as that of Kimberly, who was the head maid... or rather, now the house steward. He left the horse he had been brushing and approached Kimberly, who stood at the entrance of the stables.
"Kimberly-san, do you have some business with me?"
Even as he spoke, Henrik sensed what the matter was.
The only times Kimberly came to the stables like this were for business communications, informing him of when Lord Noein would be using a carriage so that preparations could be made. Previously, Noein's adjutant Matilda had come to deliver these messages, but it seemed that since being appointed house steward, Kimberly had also been handling this kind of operational support for Noein.
As always, Henrik thought that for a woman, it was quite impressive how she didn't move a single muscle in her expression even when coming to the stables, which had a distinct animal smell. Even among men, many new stable hands would wrinkle their noses at first.
"I have come with a message from the Master. He will be heading to Retovik in the Viscount Koenitz territory in three days using the lord's private carriage. It is said to be for New Year's greetings to Viscount Koenitz-kakka... therefore, he requested that the carriage and horses be prepared by the morning of that day. Additionally, there were instructions for Henrik-sama to serve as the driver."
"I see. I've certainly taken note. Please tell Noein-sama to leave it to me."
"Understood."
Having delivered what needed to be said, Kimberly attempted to leave the stables immediately.
"Prrrrrt!"
"Wah!"
However, right then, a horse brought its face close to her over the fence and snorted. Caught by surprise, Kimberly let out a surprised cry, which was rare for her.
"Ahahaha, looks like that one took a liking to you."
"...Do you think so?"
When Henrik laughed, Kimberly spoke with her usual expressionless face, yet her voice sounded slightly more shaken than usual.
Henrik thought that while his opportunities to meet her for work had increased recently, this was the first time he had seen such a reaction.
"That one is Noein-sama's favorite; it's the horse that always pulls the lord's carriage. It has a black coat, but it looks a bit blue when the light hits it."
Prompted by Henrik, Kimberly looked at the horse up close. Indeed, illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the stable windows, parts of the black fur seemed to shine blue. A horse possessing both the black that Lord Noein preferred for his military and ceremonial uniforms, and the blue of lapis lazuli, which was also a symbol of the Arqvist territory. It was understandable why Noein liked it.
"It has a gentle personality, so it's okay to touch. You should try stroking it around the nose."
"...Like this?"
As Kimberly stroked the horse's muzzle as told, the horse narrowed its eyes comfortably and rubbed against Kimberly's hand.
Henrik pretended not to notice that Kimberly smiled faintly, likely unconsciously.
He figured she wouldn't want to be teased if it were pointed out.
"Horses can tell if the person facing them is a kind human. That one figured out that Kimberly-san is kind."
"...I see."
When told this, Kimberly's expression remained the same, but the atmosphere she radiated was softer than usual. Henrik thought she probably didn't mind it.
"...Um. Even if there is no business matter, would it be alright if I came to see the horses here occasionally?"
"Of course it's fine. The horses are happy when people they like come to see them. Please come whenever you like."
"Thank you... then, I will come again."
Kimberly, who thanked him with a face that had unintentionally softened, suddenly looked startled as if coming back to her senses the next moment, and hurriedly left the stables.
Having glimpsed an unexpectedly cute side of her, Henrik watched her receding figure with a smile. He remained unaware that this scene had been perfectly witnessed by the stable hands and slaves.
"...Henrik-sama, you and the house steward-sama seem to be in a good atmosphere."
"Hehehe, isn't that great?"
"...Aah?! Be quiet! You shouldn't tease your boss! Get back to work!"
Being teased by subordinates who were all older than himself, Henrik shouted in a panic.
.....
"...No, even for me, running while carrying this is tough. It's a bit too heavy. At this rate, wouldn't even Noein-sama's golems struggle?"
"Aaaah! I knew it! And here I thought this would increase both defensive and destructive power even further!"
A river that flowed diagonally from west to south within the capital city of Noeina. At the large workshop directly managed by the lord located at the furthest downstream side, the chief blacksmith Damian and the Claymore's Gustav, Cecilia, and Alain were conducting experiments on a new product.
The location was a testing ground built next to the workshop for testing prototypes and the like. There, Damian was having the three of them test the feel of a "new type of castle-breaking shield with increased strength by forging iron mixed with several other metals."
However, this castle-breaking shield was heavy. Even Gustav, who was considered the most skilled in the Claymore, and Cecilia, who had already been made to test it earlier, could lift the shield with their golems, but they could not run at full speed as they usually did.
A castle-breaking shield generates power through the combination of weight and speed. If one cannot run properly even if it is lifted, it is merely a shield with poor usability.
"...I mean, I probably didn't need to come."
Cecilia, who had already finished her test and was now redundant, sat on the lap of her golem which she had seated at the edge of the testing ground, watching the three men engage in the test boisterously. In terms of ability, she felt that Gustav and Alain alone would have sufficed as experimental personnel. She wondered if there had been any meaning in her being called.
"Hup!"
"Ooh! With such ease!"
"...Alain, you're amazing. Do you think you can run like that?"
In Cecilia's line of sight, Alain's golem lifted the new castle-breaking shield with apparent ease, far more so than Gustav had earlier. Seeing this, Damian became excited, and Gustav's eyes widened.
"If I push myself... I can do it!"
"Ooh!! Amazing, amazing! You're amazing!"
"No way... as I thought, if it's just running power, you're by far the best in the Claymore."
While Cecilia's and Gustav's golems could only run sluggishly, Alain's golem ran around the testing ground, steadily increasing speed while carrying the heavy new castle-breaking shield. Cecilia honestly admired him, thinking that as expected of Alain, whose charging speed alone had surprised Lord Noein.
"...Hey Alain, you should slow down."
"Oh... ah, I can't stop. Is it because it's heavy? Whoops, whoops-whoops-whoops!"
With a flashy sound of crash, Alain's golem, pulled by the momentum of the castle-breaking shield, slammed into the stone wall surrounding the testing ground. As expected of a new model with increased weight and strength. It punched a large hole straight through the stone wall, which would have been difficult to destroy conventionally.
The area around the testing ground, where test firings of ballistas were also conducted, was off-limits to anyone other than those involved for safety reasons. There was likely no worry about someone outside the wall being injured. However, that was not the problem.
"Ohoooo! Incredible power! With this, it'll be a huge success even in a full-scale siege!"
Damian jumped for joy upon witnessing the results of the new weapon, but Cecilia thought that wasn't the point.
"...Hey, aren't we going to get scolded for this?"
"...We'll get scolded. First, Anna-san, the one in charge of finance, will nag us because unnecessary repair costs will be incurred. After that, probably Lord Noein... might laugh and forgive us, but we'll likely get a severe scolding from the Chief Retainer or someone."
It was as Gustav said. The testing ground of the lord's directly managed workshop naturally belonged entirely to Noein. If the stone wall was damaged, the repairs would be paid for from the lord's household budget... in other words, from the lord's wallet. Even if the kind lord forgave them saying "I'm glad no one was hurt," the strict Chief Retainer would definitely be angry because of their position.
"...It's Alain's fault. We don't know anything about it."
"What!? It's only my fault!?"
"No, you were the one in the wrong just now. You get scolded alone... no, as the captain of the Claymore, I might also be seen as having failed in my supervision. Sigh~"
Ignoring Damian, who was still jumping around alone, Alain panicked as his face turned pale, and Gustav let out a sigh. Cecilia thought from the bottom of her heart that she was glad she wasn't the one who had messed up.