Chapter 259 - Chapter 252: Days Until Departure ③
"...It has been a long time, Daphne."
"Yes. I am glad to see you looking well, Uncle."
A few weeks after being taken into protection by Viscount Noein Arqvist, Baron Ernst Alessandri was permitted to meet with his niece, Daphne, who had migrated to the Arqvist territory. The meeting took place in a room within the magic tool workshop managed by Daphne.
"You haven't changed much since the last time we met."
"Fufu, the same can be said for you, Uncle. Your elven blood is thicker than mine, after all."
One-eighth of Ernst's blood was elven. It was a thinness that no longer warranted titles like "XX Elf," but due to the influence of that blood, his aging was slightly slower compared to ordinary people. The same applied to Daphne, who possessed only one-sixteenth elven blood; combined with her own refined features, though she was nearly forty years old, she looked ten years younger than her actual age.
"...So, it seems you managed to leave Laden alive, Uncle. What happened to my cousins?"
"Both of them are in the Royal Army. I do not know of their safety, but... there is a far greater possibility they are alive than if they had stayed in Laden."
Since Ernst had married late, his two sons were still in their twenties. He had thrown the eldest into the Royal Army as training before he succeeded the Alessandri barony, and the second son as a stable place of employment. Both were stationed in the Royal Capital. As long as the Royal Capital held out, there was a sufficient possibility they were alive.
"...I see. Then it is still better than nothing."
Furthermore, Ernst's wife and Ernst's younger brother—Daphne's father—had both unfortunately died from an epidemic over ten years ago. Daphne's mother had died when giving birth to her. For Ernst and the others, there were no other close family members whose safety they needed to worry about.
A brief silence flowed between the two. From outside the room, the sounds of craftsmen and employees working busily could be heard.
"I am sorry that the place we meet after all this time is my workplace. Right now, we are preparing for war, so we are rushing the production of combat-use magic tools."
"Ah, I do not mind that... but you have hired people. You have."
"I have. I have clerks, and I even have several apprentices now."
Back when she had established her workshop in Laden, Daphne had stubbornly refused to hire other people, operating the workshop as a literal lone wolf. She would not listen to Ernst's words suggesting she hire someone to handle procurement or bookkeeping.
"I see... you have changed. Your expression seems softer than before as well."
Being told this, Daphne's face became slightly bashful.
"Because here, I do not have to be so wary of others."
"Wary?"
"Laden was certainly attractive as a place of business, but there were many enemies. If I let my guard down, my customers, my techniques, or if I were unlucky, my equipment and funds could have been stolen more directly. Since I could not trust people, I concluded that managing the workshop by myself was best."
Daphne paused her words, picked up a teacup, and took a sip. A cup of tea had been placed before Ernst as well, but he had not yet touched it.
"But this Arqvist territory is different. Perhaps it is because it is a newly developed territory, but it is filled with a sense of unity—the feeling that everyone is cooperating to develop this place. Thanks to Noein-sama's skillful governance, there are no people suffering from taxes or poverty... I felt that here, I could get along by cooperating with those around me without stubbornly insisting on doing everything alone."
"...I see."
Looking at the gently smiling Daphne, Ernst also softened his expression and took a sip of his tea.
"I am glad, Daphne. That you could migrate to a good territory."
"Oh, does that not mean you are indirectly saying the Count Kivileft territory was a bad territory? Is it alright for a vassal of the Kivileft house to say such a thing?"
"I am speaking now as your uncle. This much should be fine."
At her uncle saying something that sounded like a joke for once, Daphne let out a small chuckle.
.....
Julian Kivileft, who had been provided a detached house near the Viscount Arqvist estate as lodging, was spending tedious days forbidden from going out on his own and being monitored at home by territorial army soldiers.
However, a few weeks after being taken into protection, he was told by Noein, "From now on, you are permitted to go for walks once every few days under the supervision of territorial army soldiers."
And on that first day. While walking around and looking through the territorial capital Noeina with his wife Bridget and their son held in her arms, Julian muttered.
"...Amazing."
"But dear, Laden was a much larger city," his wife said with a bewildered expression.
Julian shook his head and answered her.
"It is not that—no, it is, but... how should I put it. Laden was large from the start. It was a large city long before I was born, long before my father was born. But here is different. Big Bro... Noein-dono built this city himself. That is why it is different."
If he himself had been given a small amount of money and thrown out of his house, could he have built a city of this scale in less than ten years? There was no way. He surely would have been able to do nothing, spent all his severance pay, and died in a ditch. Julian thought so.
Driven from his hometown, losing his parents, and during the days of wandering within the kingdom as even the planned refuge of the Royal Capital was no longer safe, he had been able to do nothing. While being seen off by his parents telling him to "protect the family," he could not even properly protect himself, let alone his family.
In the end, all he did was cling to his half-brother in tears.
He had been taught by his parents that Noein, who was mixed with lowly commoner blood, was a human inferior to them who maintained noble lineage, and was not worth dealing with properly. He had been told it was fine to make fun of him, and fine to look down on him.
But what was the reality? He had been protected by Ernst, cared for by Rottenmeier, and had barely managed to survive until now. On the other hand, Noein had succeeded in reclamation in a short period to build this territorial capital, and even in this year of famine, he had stabilized society without letting the territory fall into chaos.
None of the people walking within this city looked hungry. On the contrary, everyone had expressions that looked happy, as if they felt hope in life.
Laden was not like this. It was certainly a metropolis where the scale of the city and the flow of people were incomparable, but the wealthy who were satisfied with life and the poor with dark faces lived mixed together.
"I... I cannot do something this amazing. In truth, I am a much, much more useless person."
Even when he had an audience with King Oscar in the Duke Halsberg territory and gave a formal report on the end of Laden, the King seemed to have no interest in Julian other than the fact that he was "Maximilian's son." He was not looking at Julian himself.
Meanwhile, Noein was being spoken to by the King in a manner that clearly showed he was trusted and expected of as a single vassal. The difference in the King's attitude seemed to directly represent the difference between his half-brother and himself.
While walking the streets of the territorial capital Noeina, which wore a bright atmosphere even in winter, Julian was enveloped in a sense of helplessness.
.....
Late January. The day before the expedition. On this day, Noein gave everyone heading to the battlefield the afternoon off. It was a consideration so that those heading toward a great war with no guarantee of returning alive could spend time slowly with their families.
And Noein himself took a break, spending a peaceful moment with Matilda, Clara, and Eleos.
"Ahhh. In truth, we should have been able to live peacefully without any incidents starting this year—"
Noein muttered while swaying Eleos in his arms. Eleos seemed to enjoy being swayed, frolicking with "kyaa kyaa" sounds.
Beside him sat Clara, resting her head on Noein's shoulder. She snuggled close as if she did not want to waste a single second of the last moments she could spend slowly with her husband before the expedition.
"I will have to leave the role of acting lord to Clara again. This time, I probably will not be able to return for several months... I am putting you through a lot of hardship."
"Compared to you, who will soon face battle, my hardships do not even count. Consideration for me is unnecessary... please, just return safely. I want to be together with you and Matilda-san forever from now on."
Clara answered anxiously, looking slightly frightened. It is only natural, Noein thought.
What Noein and the Lordberg Kingdom were about to face was an unknown war. In scale, enemies, and strategy, there were no precedents in anything. There was no guarantee of victory, nor a guarantee of returning alive.
But, even so.
"It will be alright. Both Matilda and I will definitely return. I promise. I will not let a war like this interfere with my happiness. Right, Matilda?"
"Yes. I will certainly protect Noein-sama. And I, too, will continue to live and support Noein-sama from now on."
If the Arqvist territory was not wealthy and peaceful, if the territorial people and subordinates were not happy, if his family was not happy, then Noein would not be happy either.
For the sake of revenge against his deceased father, and above all for his own sense of satisfaction, Noein wanted to protect his happiness. In order to continue enjoying happiness while alive, he wanted to win the battle and return. He would do anything for that. Noein had sworn firmly to himself.
"...Pa-pa. Pa-pa."
Then, Eleos, who was held in Noein's arms, made a sound while reaching his hand toward his father's face.
Surprised by this, Noein's eyes widened. Clara, who was snuggling close, and Matilda also turned their eyes toward Eleos.
Recently, the number of meaningful words Eleos spoke had been increasing little by little, but perhaps because pronouncing the "pa" sound twice in succession was difficult, he had never been able to clearly call Noein "Papa" until now.
To his son who spoke clearly while looking at him for the first time, Noein smiled gently.
"That's right, Eleos. I am your Papa."
As if mimicking his father's expression, Eleos gave Noein a beaming smile.