If Martina had been slated to be beheaded by another party, my principles—a horrific amalgam of my education as a knight with noble blood, and my morals as a Japanese man—would’ve abandoned the little girl without question. I awkwardly averted my gaze from her. I was no hero. Duke Astarte, for all her scheming, was the only one who’d tried to spare Martina’s life from the start—that was an indisputable fact.
“If I were to hate her knowing that, I would be an ungrateful wench,” Martina went on. “Methods aside, I cannot ignore her intentions, and personally, I harbor no resentment toward Her Grace.”
Martina was truly bright. She was wise beyond her years, even. I could see why Duke Astarte had genuinely wished to preserve the life of this child brimming with talent. Is Martina really only nine? Had she succeeded the Bosel fief, I was sure that she would’ve been an excellent lord. I pitied the circumstances that she’d been forced into. The adults around her were all idiots, which ultimately derailed Martina’s future.
My efforts might be clumsy, but if I can manage to give you the education you need to excel in this world… Martina was the daughter of a murderer who’d betrayed her kingdom. I’ll raise you into an excellent knight who won’t be shackled by those nasty rumors. I swore that oath in my heart, aware that now wasn’t the time to be worried about such things.
“Hmm,” I wondered.
Ever since that trial, Duke Astarte had sent me lavish offerings every week. The gifts were easy to trade in for money, and she must’ve expected as much; each letter of apology and self-justification was accompanied by golden treasures. I felt like Martina was the greatest victim in this entire debacle, but if she was no longer angry, I had to reconsider my thoughts as well. Should I forgive the duke?
“Lord Faust, will there be any benefits to you if you’re at odds with Her Grace?” Martina asked. “She’s a duke who owns a silver mine and has over a hundred thousand citizens under her control.”
“Well, I can’t refute that,” I replied.
Our gap in power and size was simply too vast. In fact, it was Duke Astarte who was very unusual for being so friendly and publicly declaring that a lord like me, with fewer than three hundred citizens in my fief, was her comrade in arms. And it was equally abnormal for a person of her status to repeatedly send me letters of apology. But Duke Astarte’s oddly fixated on my butt…
I knew that she wanted me as her paramour and wanted my chastity. I didn’t mind that since I still had values from my previous life, but if there was a risk that my child wouldn’t succeed the Polidoro fief, I had to decline the position.
I pressed my hands against my cheeks and expelled a loud sigh as though I was yawning. I wanted to hear Martina’s objective opinion.
“Do I seem narrow-minded to you?” I asked.
“No,” Martina replied. “You were used, so I think you’ve got every right to be angry. But Lord Faust, are you truly so petty? She’s sent you valuable items and even written countless letters of her loyalty to you.”
“Hmmm…”
Duke Astarte had admitted her misdeeds. She’d sent over letter after letter of apology along with precious goods. I see… If I keep showing my anger and can’t manage to let this go, it’ll make me look petty. Then should I just forgive her? I can’t decide. But that reminds me…
“Her duchy is famous for horse breeding, isn’t it?” I asked.
Martina was quick to catch on. “Her duchy has everything, I’d imagine. Shall we request her aid in giving Flugel an heir?”
It seemed like a suitable point of compromise. I would write a letter to Duke Astarte accepting her apology while requesting her help for Flugel’s child. Once the foal was born, it’d stay in the Astarte duchy for three years before I could have it, free of charge. This seems good enough. Duke Astarte was my precious comrade in arms in the Campaign of Villendorf, after all. I might have genuinely resented her for a while, but it wouldn’t be right to ignore the history we shared.
I sighed. “Helga, change of plans. Tell the messenger that we’ll accept the letter and to stay in the manor for a while as I draft my response. And be sure to entertain our guest well so that we won’t embarrass our fief.”
“Your wish is my command,” Helga replied. “However, I’ve got another matter to report today.”
“And what would that be?” I asked.
I thought that we only received a messenger for Duke Astarte’s letter. I don’t think I’m expecting anything else.
“You’ve received a summons from the capital,” Helga reported. “It pertains to the royal family, my lord.”
“Decline it,” I replied.
I’ll freaking kill those morons. I’d finished my conscription for the protection of my fief and even served as advisor to Princess Valiele. I was done for the year; why in the world was I being summoned less than a month later? I was exhausted. I had to educate Martina and govern the Polidoro fief. Why must I be treated like this?
“Then we never received a messenger,” Helga said. “Perhaps they were killed en route by bandits. Shall we use that as our cover?”
A dangerous glimmer appeared in her eyes as she peered into my face, tacitly suggesting that we kill the messenger. I would’ve loved to, but I needed them to deliver my message to Duke Astarte. Besides…
“Perhaps if I were a duke, I’d be able to use the excuse of never receiving a messenger, but…” I trailed off.
I might have been a lord knight, but I was a weak one with only three hundred citizens under me. Politically, I was akin to a pebble on the side of the road. There were no merits in committing a sin by killing a messenger who was simply doing their job, and we’d run the risk of the truth being uncovered by the royal family. Ugh, damn it. I’ve got no choice.
“Did you hear the reason behind my summons?” I asked.
“It’s apparently very important and highly confidential,” Helga replied. “Even the messenger wasn’t informed. You’re simply ordered to visit the royal palace with more soldiers than you brought for Princess Valiele’s first battle.”
“It’s clearly a dangerous request, then.”
I didn’t feel good about any of this, and I wanted to decline the order. Seriously, I wanna just say “Screw it.” Why me, anyway? I had the right to refuse these requests, and I considered stating as much in a letter and passing it back to the messenger.
“Lord Faust, you’ve fulfilled your duties as a feudal lord, and you have every right to decline, but you must do so in person,” Martina advised. “Otherwise, it would be seen as insolent. This is clearly a royal order.”
I remained silent as the little girl stood beside me and shot down my ideas. I know that, damn it. I had no choice but to head to the royal capital with more soldiers than before. I guess thirty or so will do.
“Helga, I’m really sorry,” I said. “Truly, I am. But I need you to steel yourself for another tough battle.”
“We squires and citizens will follow you without hesitation to the end of the world, my lord,” Helga replied. “I shall assemble the soldiers immediately.”
Helga had a young daughter. She left her child in her sisters’ care, as they all shared a husband. But while Helga had been away for our last military campaign, her beloved only daughter had forgotten her mother’s face. Helga fell to the ground in tears when she learned of it. After much effort, her daughter had finally remembered her, but it seemed Helga would go through this process several more times. That’s tough. Especially for my mental health.
“Lord Faust, I shall accompany you this time,” Martina said.
“You can relax here in the fief,” I replied.
“It’s part of my education as a knight to fight and obey the orders of my master.”
I was worried about dragging a nine-year-old child into this dangerous mess, but I didn’t want her education to suffer while I was away. Guess I’ve got no choice but to bring her along.
“Goddamn royals,” I spat.
All the while, I internally resigned myself to my fate.