Chapter 69 - Chapter 68: The Banquet ①
Two days after Noein and his companions arrived in Bechtoria, the capital of the Marquis Bechtolsheim territory. The day of the banquet held by the northwestern noble faction had finally come.
The Marquis's estate, located in the center of Bechtoria, was considerably larger than Noein's own residence, and even compared to the Viscount Koenitz estate in Retovik.
The venue for the banquet was the party hall of this estate. Noein was walking down the wide corridor leading to it with Viscount Arnold Koenitz.
Matilda followed behind Noein as a guard, and Arnold's squire also served as a guard behind him.
"Lord Arqvist, are you nervous?"
"Well, a little... this is my first time in such a formal social setting."
Noein answered Arnold's question this way, but to an outside observer, he didn't look nervous at all.
"Is that so? If you looked a bit anxious and relied on me, it would give me a sense of fulfillment as a senior noble... well, I have already informed His Excellency Marquis Bechtolsheim about you, and the other major nobles have likely heard the stories. It will end without incident."
"Yes, I will strive not to show any unsightly behavior."
While exchanging these words, they arrived in front of the hall. The servants of the Marquis's house standing on either side of the large doors bowed to Noein and Arnold, then opened the doors.
The nobles present at the banquet venue turned their gazes toward them all at once. Everyone was dressed luxuriously; one could tell at a single glance that they were people holding high status or strong positions among the nobility.
Noein walked into the venue following Arnold, maintaining as dignified an attitude as possible. During that time, appraising gazes pierced him from the surroundings. Those who frowned while looking behind Noein were likely displeased by the presence of Matilda, a beastman slave.
Arnold had told him, "No matter how much of a favorite she is, I do not recommend bringing a beastman slave. His Excellency Bechtolsheim is tolerant in that regard, but other nobles will not view it favorably," but Noein brought Matilda while being prepared for that.
Since he would eventually be known as "the eccentric who dotes on a beastman slave" anyway, he thought it would be better to expose that fact himself from the start.
The purpose of this banquet was to confirm the bonds of the northwestern faction, and it was the duty of each person to exchange words with many nobles and deepen their friendships. Therefore, Arnold headed straight for the host, Marquis Bechtolsheim, and Noein followed.
"Oh, Lord Arnold Koenitz. You've come."
The one who called out to the approaching Arnold was Marquis Siegfried Bechtolsheim, the leader of the northwestern faction.
Though he was already over fifty years old, he was a grand man with an impressive presence of dignity and power that did not betray his age.
"Yes. I trust that Your Excellency Bechtolsheim is in continuing good health—"
"Enough. Today is not a formal gathering, so let us skip the stiff greetings."
"Then, I shall do so."
Due to Marquis Bechtolsheim's desire to interact with the members of the faction with as much friendliness as possible, this year-end banquet tended to be informal every year.
Arnold began with a formal greeting for the sake of appearance, but immediately shifted his attitude to match the Marquis's preference.
"How have things been lately? I hear that in the westernmost reaches, large-scale bandit groups appeared from south to north, causing great damage."
"Yes. Fortunately, the cities and villages of my territory were safe, but I have heard that not a small amount of damage occurred in other territories. There were heartbreaking stories of small territories being annihilated along with the lord's family."
"I see, that was a hardship. And so, the youth who ended that bandit commotion in the west is this young man?"
"Yes, allow me to introduce him. This is Knight-Bachelor Arqvist."
"It is an honor to meet you, His Excellency Marquis Bechtolsheim. I am Noein Arqvist, having been granted land to the west of the Viscount Koenitz territory."
Even while facing a great noble who led a faction, Noein's greeting was dignified enough to be called a passing grade from both Arnold's and Marquis Bechtolsheim's perspectives.
"I thank you for the polite greeting, Lord Arqvist. Your achievements this time were great. As the one serving as the leader of the northwest, let me offer my thanks."
"I am humbled. As one who lists his name among the lowest ranks of the kingdom's nobility, I merely exerted my meager strength as a natural duty."
"A commendable mindset. However, if modesty is taken too far, it becomes sarcasm, you know? If you say such things, Lord Koenitz will have no standing. Right?"
Marquis Bechtolsheim looked toward Arnold with a slightly mischievous face. Since the Bechtolsheim territory was the eastern neighbor of the Viscount Koenitz territory, he had noticed that Arnold had spread rumors for the sake of self-preservation.
Having this pointed out indirectly, Arnold had no choice but to wear a wry smile.
"I admit that I lost my nerve... but if I may offer an excuse, it was not so much that I was incompetent, but rather that Lord Arqvist was too competent. To annihilate two hundred bandits in a village of two hundred people is extraordinary."
"Hahaha! No doubt. To confront a bandit group of that scale head-on would normally be difficult for anyone other than a great noble of Count rank or higher."
The territorial armies possessed by nobles were around one thousand even for one of the nation's leading great houses like the Marquis Bechtolsheim family. For the Viscount Koenitz family, it was around two hundred.
In an emergency, they could gather more military strength by mobilizing the citizenry, but as a standing army, that was the limit.
Furthermore, territorial armies were often scattered within the territory for the sake of maintaining public order. If one tried to immediately summon the territorial army in a territory the size of the Viscount Koenitz land, mobilize the citizens, and defeat two hundred bandits from mercenary backgrounds, they would have to be prepared for considerable casualties.
Viscount Koenitz's actions were not praiseworthy, but for other nobles who didn't know when they might fall into the same position, it was not something they could necessarily condemn openly.
"I have heard from Lord Koenitz about the new weapon of Lord Arqvist that defeated such a bandit group. I look forward to seeing it later. First, go and meet the other nobles to deepen your friendships. We welcome you to the northwestern faction."
"I am grateful, Your Excellency Bechtolsheim."
Having finished the initial greetings for now, Arnold and Noein left Marquis Bechtolsheim's side.
"You spoke quite well. If you are that calm at the start, it is sufficient."
"Thank you. I managed somehow."
Taking a sip of the wine received from a server along with Arnold, Noein took a breath.
"Now you just need to go through the motions of meeting the main attendees. I hold a reasonable position within this faction. I shall introduce you."
When Noein said that, Arnold seemed somewhat happy. He appeared eager to finally show his power as a senior noble.
According to the information he had learned from Arnold beforehand, the members of this northwestern faction consisted of Marquis Bechtolsheim as the leader, two Count houses, six Viscount houses, fourteen Baron houses, and a dozen or so lower nobles such as Baronets and Knight-Bachelors.
Since the Viscount Koenitz family had achieved reasonable success through mine development and other means, they apparently held a position second only to the two Count houses within the faction.
Generally, only high nobles of Baron rank or above belonged to such large noble factions, and lower nobles belonged indirectly to the faction in a dependent position by connecting with the nearest high noble.
Being invited to a faction while being a Baronet or Knight-Bachelor was a special case, such as being a branch family of a great noble, or in Noein's case, someone with outstanding achievements or abilities being treated like an honorary member.
Following the manners of the attendees by holding a glass of wine in one hand, Noein was led by Arnold to face the battle of greetings with the nobles.