Chapter 323 - Episode 315: Winter Days ②
"...What, I'm the last one?"
Mid-January of the year 220 of the Royal Calendar, after the new year had dawned. Entering a restaurant facing the East Street of the territorial capital, Noeina, Radley muttered those words.
"You're late. What were you doing?"
"I left the command of Aspida Fortress to Rick and came straight here the moment I got back. I hurried as much as I could. It couldn't be helped."
As Radley took an empty seat while answering Pence, the others at the table called out words of appreciation one after another.
This restaurant was the family home of Rosetta, who was also Pence's wife.
Since it was a shop owned by a relative of the Arqvist family's retainers, it was easy for those with the status of squire to use. Not only were they given priority for back seats or private rooms where other customers couldn't overhear their conversations, but since the cooking was handled by Rosetta's mother—her teacher in the culinary arts—everything they ordered was exceptionally delicious.
And today, the shop had been rented out entirely, and the core retainers of the Arqvist family—those who would receive peerages in accordance with the founding of the Grand Duchy—had gathered.
"Alright, then let's at least have a toast... Hey, give me some beer."
When Pence called out, a response of "Coming~" arrived from Rosetta, who was standing in the kitchen today helping her mother.
This was a dinner party—or rather, a banquet—that had come to fruition after Pence and Radley had talked about drinking together for the first time in a while, then decided to invite Bart and Edgar, who would become fellow Knight Bachelors, then invited Edgar's wife Anna, then invited Damian, who would receive an honorary peerage like her, and finally invited Damian's wife Christy; since so many were gathering, they decided to rent out Rosetta's family shop.
The only reason this group, who were always busy, could gather all in one place was because it was winter, a time when the flow of society almost came to a halt. Yuri and Mai had also been invited, but Yuri had a discussion with his lord, Noein, and Mai had a Women's Association executive meeting, so both were scheduled to arrive a little late.
As for Gustav, who would also receive an honorary peerage, he was on a business trip to the Royal Capital and could not be called. This was simply unavoidable.
"Here you go everyone, beer for the toast~"
Saying so, Rosetta came to the table carrying a tray with glasses.
Once the glasses had been distributed to everyone, Pence spoke on behalf of the group.
"Alright everyone, today... it's quite early, but let's call this a pre-celebration for our investiture. Our positions will change and our responsibilities will grow. Let's use this opportunity to talk about whatever we want—worries, complaints, or just stupid stories. Once winter ends, we'll be busy again, and we won't be able to gather as casually as this."
Following Pence, who said "Cheers" in a light tone, they each clinked their glasses.
"Still, we'll be nobles next year. How should I put it... we've come a long way, haven't we?"
"Come a long way, huh. It certainly feels that way. I never imagined my life would move in this direction."
Sitting next to a wryly smiling Bart, Pence muttered with deep emotion.
"Former mercenaries who once fell to the point of being practically bandits are finally becoming noble lords. No one could have predicted this... burp."
Nodding at the conversation between the two, Radley downed the beer in his hand in one breath and let out a magnificent belch. Pence grimaced at this.
"What a vulgar noble, you are."
"My bad, my bad... I mean, you weren't much different from me back in the day, Pence."
"How long ago was that? Now I'm the Captain of the Arqvist family's Imperial Guard. I can't stay a crude mercenary washout forever. The behavior expected of me is different from yours, you eternal vanguard captain."
"Heh, is that so?"
Laughing through his nose, Radley ordered another beer from Rosetta.
"...I understand for all of you who have been active outside the territory, but I wonder if it's truly alright for even me to be appointed as a Knight Bachelor."
The one who muttered with a slightly troubled expression was Edgar.
"What are you talking about? Flashy, visible things aren't the only achievements. The Arqvist territory wouldn't be running if you weren't here."
"That's right. The reason I can speak assertively with other noble houses as the one in charge of foreign affairs is not just because the Arqvist territory is strong, but because it's stable."
"You need farmers to support the soldiers. The reason we could commit ourselves fully to the Betumia War was because you managed the agriculture so well."
Facing the lacking-in-confidence Edgar, Pence, Bart, and Radley all rushed to encourage him at once.
Agriculture is the foundation that supports everything in society. Among the various disasters that occurred over the last two years, it could be said that the Arqvist territory managed to avoid such great chaos thanks to Edgar, who ran the territory's agriculture with an efficiency that was nearly perfect.
"Please keep encouraging him just like that. This man's self-evaluation is always far too low. I want him to have more confidence in himself."
Sitting next to Edgar, Anna said this while stroking her husband's head. At his wife's action, Edgar became embarrassed, worrying about the gazes of Pence and the others, saying, "Hey, not like this in front of everyone..."
"Hahaha, your seriousness works in a bad direction at times like this. But if you're going to become a noble, at the very least, appearing confident on the surface becomes part of the job. For the sake of the main house, too."
"...You're right. If there is a timid noble, the Arqvist family and the Grand Duchy will be looked down upon. I must not let that happen because of me."
Giving a faint smile to Edgar, who tightened his expression, Pence looked back toward the end of the table.
"Compared to Edgar, that one over there is far too relaxed."
"Hmm? Me?"
The one who responded, noticing the gaze, was Damian. Not much time had passed since the drinking party started, but his face was already red, and he was smiling happily.
"Damian-san is as weak with alcohol as ever."
"And when he gets drunk, he gets even more high-spirited and troublesome. Though it's a blessing that the work-maniac side of him settles down."
"Hehe, ehehe."
Looking at the grinning Damian, Bart gave a wry smile, and Radley looked exasperated.
Damian apparently had a craftsman's pride in "not touching work while drunk," so once he had alcohol in him, he stopped talking about smithing or development entirely. He became a jovial fellow, but he stopped running wild in strange ways.
"That's why, when we want to force this man to rest when he's too obsessed with work, we mix wine with water and make him drink it. That way, he'll fall asleep before he ruins his health from overworking."
The one who said this with a strong nod was Christy, who had officially married Damian last year.
"It must be tough for you with a husband like this... At this rate, children are still a long way off?"
"Nah, it's just that I'm always falling asleep because I'm tired from work, or falling asleep because I'm drunk, so the nighttime side of things is quite difficult. Though Christy asks for it all the time!"
"Wha—wait, what are you saying!"
The flustered Christy's face became even redder than Damian's.
"Well, it's a busy time right now... though the sooner the better, there's no need to rush."
"Children are great~ seeing them grow every day makes life shine~"
Rosetta, who had brought the refill beers, agreed with her husband's words and sat in an empty seat herself.
"Once we become nobles, the education of the heirs will become even more important. Our Nikolai seems to be fine for now, though."
"He's mischievous and can get along with anyone; he's a son to be proud of~"
Pence and Rosetta's son, Nikolai, was reputed to be particularly energetic and have a fearless personality among the children of the squires.
"Our Theodore... is becoming more like you by the day. Perhaps he's almost too good a child."
"No, he takes after you too."
"Hahaha, either way, it means he's serious. That house is secure too."
Pence replied with a laugh to Anna and Edgar, who were talking about their son.
"Sasha at my place is too spirited. She's already pretending to practice spear drills, saying she'll succeed me. Ivan might have his position as heir stolen."
Radley muttered this while boldly gulping his beer again. Sasha was his five-year-old daughter, and Ivan was his two-year-old son.
"Well, isn't that also fine? Ivan-kun seems to have a slightly shy personality. There are other paths, like being a civil official or a merchant."
"I guess... but if the eldest daughter can become the heir, then Amanda at your place is also promising."
"Yeah, as expected of Bart's daughter. She knows her own cuteness well, and even at that age, she understands how to behave to make use of that weapon."
Amanda had an adorable appearance that made one think she would surely become a beauty in the future, and she often made gestures that showed she understood, at four years old, that smiling amiably would give the other person a good impression. Nikolai and Theodore, who were mentioned earlier, were often completely charmed by such an Amanda and tried to get her attention.
Since Bart's son, Fabian, was only one year old, it was unknown how the power dynamic with his older sister would evolve, but at this point, Amanda was thought to have a temperament suited for foreign affairs, just like her father.
"I don't intend to have taught her anything in particular... I wonder why she became like that?"
"It's blood. After all, the parent is you."
"Yeah, no doubt. In the future, one day she'll suddenly say 'I'm making this person my husband' and bring home some unknown man. Just like when you suddenly brought a wife from Retovik."
As if agreeing with Pence and Radley, who stated this decisively, Edgar, Anna, Christy, and Rosetta also nodded. Damian, not listening to the conversation, was grinning while picking at the food.
"...I don't want to think about things that far ahead yet. She's at such a cute age."
Bart let his shoulders slump while saying such a thing.
"...Speaking of promising futures, Yakov at the Squire Commander's place is also amazing."
At Edgar's sudden mutter, the group responded one after another.
"True. I can't believe he's only seven. He might be smarter than I was at fifteen."
"That's what they call a child prodigy, I suppose."
"Right... it sounds bad to say, but in the future, he might become a more capable subordinate than the Squire Commander. Of course, more so than us too."
Yakov, who would carry the next generation of the Baronet family, was a boy whose intelligence everyone recognized.
A year or two earlier than other children in the territory, he had started attending school this year, and it was said he had already learned basic reading, writing, and arithmetic and was studying the next stage. He also showed a caring nature, such as taking the lead in teaching simple studies to the other squires' children.
There was no doubt that among the children of the squires, he was the one receiving the highest expectations.
"...For now, it seems the Arqvist Grand Duchy will be alright until the next generation, at least."
"...Yeah."
Pence nodded to Anna, who spoke as if summarizing the conversation about the children, and the others also showed their agreement.
The first generation of retainers of the Arqvist family was a distinguished group who had each risen to their positions through their own merit, but the problem started from the next generation.
Since they carried the blood of capable people, it could be expected that a certain amount of talent would be inherited, but that didn't mean they could immediately be at ease. If one looked at history, there were countless noble houses that fell because an utter fool became the heir.
However, for now, it seemed they would be fine until their own successors. What happened from the third generation onward depended on the efforts of their descendants and was out of their hands, but at the very least, they could fulfill their duty of "leaving behind a decent heir."
Relieved by that once again, Pence and the others continued to drink alcohol, eat food, and talk about everything from serious matters to trivial, stupid stories.
Yuri and Mai arrived slightly late, and the banquet continued until before sunset—since going out after the sun set in the dead of winter was not encouraged.
[Author's Note]
On a personal note, yesterday 11/8 marked one year since I started writing novels.
I will do my best to make sure everyone enjoys the second year as a web novelist!