Chapter 313 - Episode 305: Social Hour ①
From the end of early September to the beginning of mid-September in the year 219 of the Royal Calendar, the heads of high-ranking noble houses from across the kingdom arrived one after another in the royal capital, Lichthagen.
Having settled into their respective villas or noble-oriented inns in the royal capital, the nobles met with nobles from other factions or court nobles with whom they had connections, exchanging information through light tea parties and dinner gatherings before the day of the ceremony and banquet. By doing so, they gathered a general overview of the current topics of conversation before the actual social events began.
In the process, word spread that Noein Arqvist had been granted the title of Grand Duke and that the Arqvist territory would become independent as a Grand Duchy. Rumors that the purpose of this reward—which seemed somewhat excessive—was to sever Noein, an outlier in the kingdom's noble society, from the rest... spread with a strangely fast pace for some reason.
Due to this and other factors, the ceremony held at the end of mid-September proceeded without any particular major confusion, and those who had contributed to the war, including Noein, each received rewards from King Oscar Rhodeberg III.
Then, on the evening of that day. A banquet was held to celebrate the victory and to introduce those who had become the new heads of noble houses in place of those killed in action.
"My sincerest congratulations on your independence. Truly, I had heard of Your Excellency Arqvist's achievements even before the Betumia War, but to think you could conceive of such an original strategy. I am full of admiration."
"Thank you. However, I am still but a Viscount... please feel free to call me 'Lord Arqvist'."
The person Noein was chatting with, glass of wine in hand in the great hall of the royal castle, was Viscount Queul of the southeastern nobility.
What Noein had received at the ceremony was the declaration that "the title of Grand Duke shall be granted upon independence." Once it became a matter of independence as a nation, the preparations would be enormous. For the time being, Noein remained a Viscount.
"Hahaha, for my part, it would be too daunting to address a hero who saved the nation in such a manner. I was truly surprised when I joined the northern nobles and heard the kingdom's plan... it was truly a turnaround from the brink of death, a stunning plan that one would not think of in an ordinary life."
"Ahaha. However, I have heard that Lord Queul also performed quite brilliantly. That you achieved great results with tactics that skillfully created enemy negligence and exploited those gaps. When I heard of your tales of valor, I was surprised that such a method existed. It was a tactic I could never have thought of."
Viscount Queul had achieved the greatest results among the nobles who continued guerrilla warfare while hiding in the south. Following Noein and the high-ranking nobles who served as generals of each army, he was one of the contributors given particularly large rewards.
"No, no, in terms of tactics, I cannot even reach the heels of Lord Arqvist. I heard you also excelled as the general of the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Western Army. That you wielded a hand that was ruthless not only to the enemy, but sometimes even to allies and civilians. I surely could not have imitated that."
"I am humbled. However, if placed in the same position, Lord Queul surely would have made the same choice. Since you executed such skillful tactics without hesitation, you surely would have been able to reach a decision more easily than I."
At a glance, it looked as if they were praising each other, but in reality, what Noein and the other were engaging in was an argument of "your personality is worse than mine" while wearing fake smiles.
Without ever using direct words of accusation, they were testing how well they could point out the twisted nature of the other's thinking. As evidence, a slightly tense atmosphere, unsuitable for a friendly chat, drifted between the two. Other nobles kept their distance from them.
"...Hey, is it alright to leave them be? The atmosphere doesn't seem very good."
Baron Viowulf Rosbroke, who was watching Noein and the other from a slight distance like the other nobles, spoke to Baron Noah Wikander and Baron Tobias Oggoren, who were also observing Noein's condition.
"It should be fine. Noein-dono isn't hot-headed enough to start a fight in a place like this, and the opponent, Viscount Queul, is a man famous for being twisted. That is something like a playful spat born of mutual dislike for their own kind."
"That's right, that's right. It's nothing to worry about. Lord Rosbroke is a bit too serious."
Unlike the worried expression of Viowulf, Noah and Tobias muttered this as they drank their liquor.
Having fought in the same Western Army during the Betumia War, and having each built a friendly relationship with Noein, the three were now in a relationship that could be called friends.
"By the way, I heard Lord Rosbroke was granted new territory as a reward. Congratulations."
"Ah, thank you... the reward is an honor, but it's an exclave. It's not in such a distant location, but management is a bit difficult."
While responding to the words of congratulation from Noah, Viowulf made a slightly troubled face.
The territory Viowulf newly acquired was located about two days' travel by magic carriage to the southeast of the main Rosbroke Baronry. It was an exclave formed by merging two adjacent knightly estates that had unfortunately lost their lordly families.
"Rather, in terms of war achievements, I believe Lord Wikander and Lord Oggoren also fought as hard as I did... were your rewards only monetary?"
"Hahaha, we are northern nobles. Even if we were given an exclave in the south, we would only find it cumbersome, and since it's post-war, there are various things we need. Money is the best reward. Money can be exchanged for anything."
This time, Tobias answered Viowulf's question.
The three of them talking also attracted the gaze of the surrounding nobles, though not as much as Noein.
If Noein became a Grand Duke and independent, the three who were on good terms with the Arqvist house would be in a position that could be called the pro-Arqvist Grand Duchy faction. They would become existences who held a direct friendly relationship with the master of a nation, however small. There was no doubt they would gain a position one step stronger than now within the kingdom's noble society.
The heads of three houses who would likely make great strides from here on. Many were watching for an opportunity to greet them, hoping to speak with them even a little and be remembered.
.....
"You achieved a promotion in rank at noon, and now you are at a banquet celebrating the victory, yet you don't seem very happy, Count Koenitz."
Arnold, spoken to by Count Edmund Marcel, turned around with an expression that, as pointed out, could not be called happy.
Facing Count Marcel and Count Shuvalov standing beside him, he answered with a sigh.
"Yes, well... thinking about it now, I cannot help but feel that my family's promotion was ultimately timed to coincide with the independence of the Arqvist house."
Although his son had served as the staff officer of the Western Army and he himself had supported the fight by commanding supplies and such from the rear, he had thought that a promotion to Count was a somewhat overly generous reward. However, upon hearing the reward given to Noein, he was convinced.
If the Arqvist territory became independent as a Grand Duchy, the Koenitz territory would once again become the edge of the kingdom's northwest. Moreover, it would not be a frontier that merely faced the Bezel Great Forest to the west as before. It would become the gateway for entry and exit between two friendly nations: the Lancel Kingdom and the Arqvist Grand Duchy.
Additionally, the Koenitz house had a kinship relationship with the Arqvist house. For the lord of a strategic point bordering the kingdom's frontier to also be a relative of the head of a friendly nation, the rank of Count looked better than Viscount.
As for Arnold, he could not help but feel as if he had risen in the world by receiving the leftovers of his son-in-law's success.
"The Koenitz territory is a territory of decent scale for a frontier, but it is only 'decent'. I do not intend to be incompetent, but I am not an exceptionally outstanding lord either. I simply got lucky because Noein happened to move next door... I know there have been voices ridiculing the Koenitz house in that way for some time. From now on, those voices will likely grow even louder."
"Hahaha, I can understand the feeling, but there is no need to belittle yourself so. You were the one who discovered the talent of Lord Arqvist when he was still a knight in name only, treated him with courtesy, and connected him to the northwestern faction and, by extension, the royal family. It can be said that you were the one who guided Lord Arqvist within the kingdom's noble society."
"It is as Lord Shuvalov says. If Lord Koenitz had not treated Lord Arqvist friendly, Lord Arqvist might not have been present at last year's military council, and the Rhodeberg Kingdom might have perished. Considering that, the promotion can by no means be called an excessive reward."
To the complaining Arnold, Count Shuvalov and then Count Marcel offered words of comfort.
"It is the way of the world that those who can conduct steady politics do not stand out. What is required of a house that borders the Arqvist Grand Duchy is not flashy power. It is the steady political strength to get along well with the Arqvist house and continue building a relationship of mutual prosperity. You, and your eldest son who will serve as the acting lord from now on, have impeccable ability in that regard. You should have more confidence."
"Indeed. Lord Koenitz's steady skill is beyond doubt, but the heir, Frederick-dono, also possesses good talent. I have not spoken with him many times, but just by exchanging a few words, I could clearly tell his seriousness and excellence. I hear his achievements in the kingdom's army and his contributions as the Western Army staff officer in the Betumia War were also splendid. He is more than fit for the position of the next Count."
"...Since you have gone so far as to say that, I must work hard without doing nothing but complain."
Having been thoroughly encouraged by the two senior Counts of the northwestern faction, Arnold, the rookie Count, let out a faint, wry smile.