Chapter 413: In Earnest

This was a very important mission, but to outsiders it would look like nothing more than a pointless game. Framing it as recovering the Church’s lost property made for a justification people could accept.

I got the backing of Francisco, who had taken up his post as court chaplain. He didn’t know what the lost property was, but he was pleased to hear I’d be recovering something belonging to the Church. Naturally, no such thing existed.

If by some chance something related to the Church did turn up, I was willing to donate it. Placing it in the Rosenheim church wouldn’t mean it had left my hands. As long as it stayed within my territory one way or another, that was enough.

"First, the one location that has been specifically confirmed is a spot in the mountains south of Breisburg."

Mort had wished for his illegitimate younger brother’s safety and peace, but finding whatever was hidden in this area came first. And since I’d promised Mort, I had no intention whatsoever of harming the brother.

If the brother wanted to move elsewhere, I planned to settle him in my territory. Mort had been an enemy, but I pitied the life he had led, so I meant to show his brother at least a minimum of mercy.

Ted’s face lit up when he saw the map Mort had provided.

Unlike that detailed map, the other two were little more than simple sketches.

"With this, I think we can find it in no time. But won’t the estate managers object?"

"Ted, the Gale Knights are His Majesty the Grand Duke’s personal order. That means we can enter anywhere in the royal demesne without permission. Of course, we should give notice first, so the estate managers don’t faint."

But Ted still looked uneasy.

"Are you worried about being looked down on?"

"Estate managers are usually nobles, aren’t they? I don’t think they’ll exactly welcome a commoner like me."

"If you were just any commoner unit commander, they’d snub you openly. But you’re my retainer, aren’t you? Who’s going to look down on the Baron of Rosenheim’s retainer for being a commoner?"

The estate managers under the Administrative Department can’t do a thing against me. When even the Administrative Minister walks on eggshells around me, it’s safe to say no mere estate manager would be reckless enough to snub Ted for being a commoner.

It was me standing behind him that they feared. That’s why they say a master’s power becomes his subordinate’s power. And Ted isn’t the type to throw that power around in my name.

If anything, Hans was the one with that tendency, though Göring’s stern lesson had set him straight.

"R-right. I guess I was worrying over nothing."

"If anything, you’re in a position to demand cooperation from the estate managers and put them to work. There’s no need to tiptoe around them, so search to your heart’s content. Just don’t cause trouble for people."

"Every single thing I do reflects on your reputation, my lord. Would I ever be careless?"

"From Oscar that would be strange enough, but hearing it from you is stranger still."

He didn’t throw his weight around, but his lazy, idle streak was the problem.

Ted laughed sheepishly and swore he’d be diligent in his mission.

"And while you’re going around the royal demesne, keep a close eye on the estate managers. If anyone tries to flatter you, humor them within reason, and if there’s anyone who refuses to flatter you and sticks to principle, remember his name."

That’s the kind of talent I absolutely need to recruit.

Ted just blinked, apparently never having considered it.

"I’d be lucky just not to be snubbed. Would they really flatter a commoner like me?"

"You only think that because you’ve never seen nobles flatter someone. This is just my guess, but since you’re currently unmarried, they’ll probably try to slip their daughters into your bedroom. Keep it in your pants."

I was exaggerating a bit, but nobles who engineer a night together to make a match a done deal aren’t rare. For a connection to me, especially, wouldn’t they sell their souls to the devil?

Ted’s face went pale.

"Wha?! E-even so, th-they wouldn’t go that far..."

"Watch out for the nobles’ sticky temptations. Well, if you give in and fall for it, there’ll be nothing to be done. I’ll find Gustav’s little sister a good match, so don’t worry about that."

"Absolutely not! I can’t be parted from Isabel! I swear to God!"

"Fine, I’ll trust the search commander’s heartfelt vow. But if some illegitimate child shows up out of the blue claiming to be yours, know that you’ll die by my hand before Isabel ever gets to you."

"I’m telling you, that won’t happen!"

Ted really was fun to tease. In the end, he apparently even swore to Gustav’s sister that he wouldn’t yield to temptation or desire. In any case, Ted led the search unit out on its first campaign.

With Ted’s appointment, most of my retainers had been placed in key positions. Hans was hard at work as the guard captain responsible for Rosenheim’s public order, and Oscar was commander of the Streit Gunners.

Winter, as manager of the Feuzen ranch, had risen highest among the stable masters, and Anton had climbed to vice commander of the renowned Gale Knights. Arzt, the former executioner, had become court physician.

At first I’d worried they might develop an inferiority complex at being pushed aside by outside appointments, but thankfully things had worked out well. August, Viktor, Beort, Ferke, and Drek are vassals, so they’re a separate matter.

Ivan and the Hungarians Barosi and Herto are treated as vassals, but strictly speaking, they haven’t formally sworn vassalage. I plan to accept them properly once matters are settled.

"A letter has arrived from the Elsheimer viscount’s house."

Daniel handed me the letter with a pleased look. The seal bearing the Elsheimer crest meant Bodo had sent it not in a personal capacity, but as acting Viscount Elsheimer.

Only sending a letter now? That cheeky brat!

[To the esteemed Baron of Rosenheim]

It opened with the greeting nobles typically use.

Oh? Is this the effect of his education? Using such refined language?

But most of the contents started with griping and ended with gossip. Figures. Apparently the lessons from Brenner, the Elsheimer house’s new head butler, and from Ariel, his half-sister, were brutal.

Brenner in particular had openly treated Bodo as an ignorant child, and was apparently astounded to find the boy could at least read and write. Bodo said he was now downright grateful for the lessons he used to hate.

Well, when there are so many nobles who can’t even read, it would come as quite a shock that an illegitimate child raised in the brothel district was literate. All thanks to a master who valued education.

The marriage talks between Lord Adelbert and Ariel were nearly settled, he said. Once Ariel had married fully into the Reinfeldt count’s family, Bodo would formally inherit the Elsheimer viscountcy.

Bodo wanted me to attend. Of course I’d attend. I needed to show the world that the Elsheimer viscount’s house was under the influence of the Streit baron’s house, which stood one rank below it.

And by then, Rosenheim’s political situation would have stabilized considerably. There was no telling what sparks might fly in from outside, but it wasn’t a distant campaign, just a visit to Breisburg, so it hardly mattered.

For several days, I watched over the training of the Streit Gunners.

Hilda had ordered overcoats made so the gunners wouldn’t be cold, and morale couldn’t have been higher. For the lord and lady of the house to care this much was proof of how special the gunners were.

Of the 150 applicants, the 30 judged unfit were sent home. Seriously, what were eldest sons thinking, sneaking in just because they hated the family business? A few second sons were sent back too, after their parents pleaded.

The unit was reorganized into 140 gunners in total: 20 existing members and 120 recruits. Recruitment was limited to Rosenheim for the time being, but I planned to take applicants from Vintenheim, Hissen, Neudenburg, Denmach, and elsewhere as well.

Training was being run by Erich and the other veterans.

I called Oscar and the duchy army commander to watch with me.

"Everything’s still awkward, but their passion for training is on par with that of elite soldiers."

Oscar was proud of the gunners. They were a fine unit in vivid colors, but he seemed more moved by their enthusiasm. There was pride, too, in their being the Duchy of Beren’s only firearms unit.

The duchy army commander’s expression, though, was sour. From what I heard, his men were feeling left out. Apparently they’d been pestering him for permission to decorate themselves in bright colors too.

"I’d like to run joint training between the duchy army and the gunners. Would that be all right?"

"The training you mentioned before, forming a pike line in front of the gunners?"

"That’s right. The duchy army’s cooperation is absolutely essential."

The gunners alone could never take on cavalry. Without pikemen to check a cavalry breakthrough, the firearms the gunners currently carried were spent after a single shot, leaving them no way to hold the line.

The time had come to introduce the tercio concept in earnest.