NOVEL NEXT “It’s a really secluded place.”
The carriage shook about.
A middle aged man that had a big build looked at the scenery outside the carriage and frowned.
‘Should I have rested instead?’
His regret came late.
But in the end the man shook his head.
‘No. I can’t just leave that Reil guy alone.’
If he slipped up, a force from the eastern region that followed him could appear.
“I can’t let him be like that. The eastern territory is my territory.’
The face of the man stiffened.
He was a middle aged man with a large build.
He was the commander of the eastern region of Rinse kingdom, Viscount Benjamin Doyle.
Then from the other side, a cunning voice could be heard.
“There’s no need for you to step out for things like this……”
The owner of the voice was Baron Ive Lever, who was a staff officer that had the rank of a corps commander and was close to Benjamin.
He was putting on a smile as cunning as his voice.
“No. I have to certainly press him down at this opportunity.”
“Viscount Baker is only a skilled spearman. He doesn’t even have a force at his side, so why are you this worried?”
He made a stupid sound.
Benjamin’s eyes became fierce.
“Don’t say such comfortable things. There are countless people that would gather below him if he just raises his flag.”
He clenched his fists.
“Now is the only opportunity to press him down.”
If he raised a disciple or obtained a territory, it was obvious that his forces would grow at an amazing speed.
‘If that happens, it would be dangerous for me.’
Benjamin took in a deep breath.
‘I have to make the corps commander stand by my side at this opportunity.’
He needed to have a starting point which Reil wouldn’t even be able to touch.
A dense desire appeared in Benjamin’s eyes.
******
“No. That’s not it. The position of your foot is wrong.”
Reil moved around busily and yelled.
He was checking on the training of the soldiers of rose troop while they were on the training field.
“You have to twist your wrist there.”
“Yes! Understood!”
The soldiers were putting in a lot of effort.
‘When will we be able to receive teachings from Viscount Baker!’
‘I have to learn all that I can!’
Their gazes were naturally directed to the front.
There was a youth with a childish face who trained just like them at the front.
‘This is all because of sir adjutant Roan.’
‘Sir adjutant begged Viscount Baker himself.’
The reason why the soldiers could receive Reil’s teachings.
That was because of Roan.
Actually, Reil already planned to teach Roan some important things before he returned to his territory.
Although he couldn’t take in him as a formal disciple because of the mana technique, he couldn’t just leave an outstanding talent alone.
In Roan’s case, if he fixed his many bad habits he had and altered some sloppy parts, he would be able to raise to a greater level than now.
Because of that, he followed Roan all day and taught him this and that.
And Roan realized that Reil’s teachings were quite an important thing.
At the same time, he thought that he didn’t want to receive the teachings alone. Instead he wanted to do it with the soldiers of rose troop.
Roan carefully revealed his thoughts and Reil accepted them with pleasure.
Because of that, the soldiers experienced an exciting situation that they normally wouldn’t be able to have even once in their lives.
“Now! Let’s do it from the start!”
Reil clapped and encouraged the soldiers.
“Good. You have to do it like that!”
Whether he complimented them.
“You have to step a bit more to the left when you do that.”
Or he gave them advice.
“Again! It’s all wrong!”
Or he became angry.
Reil passionately taught the soldiers.
“Mmm.”
His sight moved towards Roan.
“Ah…….”
A low exclamation flowed out.
‘He certainly became better.’
Originally, Roan didn’t have many useless movements in his spear skills.
But even so, there were still some lacking points in Reil’s eyes.
He showed Roan some postures of himself, and Roan fixed them.
And the effects appeared on the spot.
‘Do I have to say that his eyes are good?’
Roan had an ability to not miss even the slightest movements.
Actually, Reil didn’t know it, but Roan’s ability was thanks to Kalian’s tear.
‘I get to see many more things in a short moment because of Kalian’s tear.’
Even if Reil made a small movement, he could grasp all of the information like: the position of the wrist, the foot, the twisting of the joints, etc.
‘Because of that, I get to know how to make a proper and precise stance.’
Roan ground his teeth.
Spat!
The spear cut through the air and moved.
‘It certainly became more comfortable.’
He had only changed some small movements, but swinging and stabbing the spear became much more comfortable.
‘I have to learn all that I can before Viscount Baker leaves.’
Roan was even more passionate than Reil.
Although he couldn’t become his formal disciple, he tried extremely hard to properly learn even a single stance.
Spat!
His spear cut through the air again.
*****
“Baron Tate, nowadays you would feel full even if you didn’t eat anything.”
“Hahaha. Honestly speaking, it is a bit assuring.”
Aaron faintly smiled and nodded.
He was facing Io and conversed with him.
‘To have the opportunity to talk with Count Lancephil for such a long while.’
He was noble that had only five such similar nobles in the kingdom.
For Aaron, who was only a baron, he was an existence that was really difficult to see.
On top of that, it was almost impossible to get closer to him with only conversing.
‘It’s already been four days since we were together.’
This was all for Roan.
‘It seems like he has fun when he talks about Roan.’
Io stayed in the headquarters of rose troop and talked about many things with Roan at his side.
Tactics and strategies were obvious, but they also talked about their own lives.
‘I have to get in his eyes in this opportunity.’
Aaron bit his lower lip.
If he could do so, he could gain a rock solid background into the kingdom.
“How long is Count Lancephil planning to stay in the kingdom?”
“Mmm. I wonder………”
Io’s last words dimmed.
Even if he didn’t do so, he was already worried about that part.
‘I was planning to return to Pavor castle after meeting with Viscount Baker……….’
His first objective was returning to the castle after taking Reil.
But now, he was pouring more interest in Roan rather than Reil.
But even so, he couldn’t leave his territory empty.
‘It would be good to move when Viscount Baker also leaves.’
He wanted to take Roan with him, but there was something called procedures in the army.
‘I could also invite Roan later.’
Before that, he was planning to raise their intimacy.
“Probably ten………”
When he talked up to then, a knock was heard.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“It’s Mendel.”
The owner of the voice was the closest one to Aaron and the eldest among the staff officers.
“Come in.”
Aaron slightly smiled towards Io and then looked at the entrance.
Kiig.
The door carefully opened and Mendel showed up with a perplexed expression.
“What happened?”
At the question, Mendel bowed down.
“The gift you asked for has just arrived.”
“Ah……”
A low exclamation came out of Aaron’s mouth.
He brightly smiled and nodded.
“It came at a suitable time.”
His voice was a bit excited.
But Mendel still had a perplexed expression.
“But……”
He couldn’t finish his words and hesitated.
“But……….?”
As Aaron asked back, Mendel let out a short sigh.
“Whew. The commander of the eastern region, Viscount Benjamin Doyle, has brought the gift himself.”
“Huh?”
Aaron frowned.
‘Viscount Doyle moved by himself?’
Something he had never thought about had just occurred.
Benjamin was originally someone with a heavy butt.
Aaron’s face stiffened.
‘It’s because of Viscount Baker.’
Benjamin not liking Reil was a fact that was well known.
‘If I make a mistake, a disorder may hap……’
When he thought up to this part.
Io’s voice was heard.
“Don’t worry too much.”
He also knew a lot about how Benjamin was thinking about Reil.
But there was no need to worry.
Io brightly smiled and continued saying.
“I’m here.”
Although Benjamin was the commander of the eastern region, he wouldn’t be able to act as he wished in front of a count.
The smile on his mouth became even more dense.
*****
Benjamin was really displeased.
‘I’m here but they don’t even come to greet me?’
This was the arrival of a commander.
They had just sent a staff officer that was called Mendel.
‘He wouldn’t already have connoted to that Reil, right?’
His face stiffened.
Ive, who was looking at the side, shook his head with a cunning expression.
“Baron Tate is really bad mannered.”
It was a sound that scratched your insides.
Benjamin tightly bit his lower lip.
‘I will have to properly scold him.’
He was planning to show his imposing self.
‘I will make him realize where the 7th corps is from.’
Benjamin and Reil.
He was planning to clearly show him who he had to serve between him and Reil.
Then, Mendel who was walking in front, stepped aside and bowed.
“It’s here.”
It was quite a shabby and small entrance.
This was Gale’s office.
“Whew.”
Benjamin spat a long breath and kicked the door.
Bang!
A sound that seemed the door may fly off rang out.
Benjamin moved inside through the open door and yelled with all his strength.
“Baron Tate! I came to visit myself but you dare……”
But his intent soon disappeared.
“Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?”
Benjamin stammered because he was seriously surprised.
He discovered Io too late.
Benjamin pointed at Io with a trembling finger.
“Why, why is sir, sir count here……”
Then, Io brightly smiled and shook his head.
“Viscount Doyle. Did you just point your finger at me?”
At those words, Benjamin was surprised and hid his finger behind his back.
And then, he deeply bowed.
“Greetings to Count Lancephil.”
Ive also hurriedly bowed down.
But Benjamin slightly turned his head and looked at Ive.
‘Why didn’t you tell me that sir count was here?’
Those eyes.
Ive shook his head with a perplexed expression.
‘I also didn’t know.’
Those eyes.
Then, Reil and Roan appeared from the open door.
Reil discovered Benjamin who was bowing deeply and burst out in laughter.
“Hahaha! Viscount Doyle, you have come!”
Then, he hit Benjamin’s back and sat next to Io.
For Benjamin, this was a really humiliating situation.
‘Reil, you bastard………’
Curses surged up to his throat.
‘Damn. Let’s calm down for now. Calm……..’
He forcefully smiled and stood still.
Only then did Aaron stand up.
“Come over here.”
“Thank you.”
Benjamin had a rotten smile and moved towards Aaron’s seat.
He bowed once more towards Io.
“I didn’t know that sir count Lancephil was here.”
“I hurriedly came here after hearing that Viscount Baker was here.”
“Ah…..You did.”
Benjamin was still putting on an awkward smile.
Then, Aaron’s voice was heard.
“Sir commander. Should we start?”
A carefully asking look was seen on his face.
However Benjamin saw him to be really detestable.
‘Damn. I can’t even say anything because of Count Lancephil.’
He couldn’t do anything and just awkwardly smiled and nodded.
Aaron smiled brightly and looked at Roan.
“Roan.”
“Yes. Corps commander.”
Roan replied in a low voice.
He was feeling stifled right now.
‘Benjamin Doyle. Why did this Viscount come over here?’
His eyes became fierce.
‘In my past life, because of this viscount……..’
One of the reasons he would stay as an ordinary spearman.
That was because of Benjamin.
Then, Aaron’s voice was heard.
“Do you remember what I told you before you left for the temporary retirement?”
Roan didn’t reply hurriedly and waited for the next words.
Aaron faintly smiled and continued saying.
“That I would give you a gift when you returned to the troop.”
“Ah……..”
Roan let out a low exclamation.
‘He did. He said that he had some gifts for me.’
As he couldn’t get a hold of himself, he had forgotten that truth.
Aaron slightly looked at Reil.
“One of those was an invitation for Viscount Reil Baker……..”
Now, he looked at Benjamin.
“The other one……..”
Benjamin stood up as if he was waiting for it and extended his hand towards Ive.
Ive hurriedly approached and gave him a wide wooden box.
Click.
The lid of the box opened along with a pleasing sound.
Benjamin carefully raised the object inside the box with his two hands.
A round object that was a bit larger than a coin and had a high class silk band hung from it.
Aaron brightly smiled and continued saying.
“It’s a commander class military achievement badge.”
At that instant, Roan’s eyes turned big.
‘Badge?!’
This was a really unexpected gift.
‘At most, I thought that it would be a good spear or an armor.’
Just thinking about it made him satisfied. But to suddenly receive a badge.
“It seems like you’re really surprised?”
Aaron faintly smiled and grabbed Roan’s shoulders.
“Although it’s a commander class, it’s a military service badge that received permission from the kingdom. Do you know what this means?”
Roan shook his head.
Aaron said as if he was whispering.
“That however much you accumulate merits, there’s a limit to the rank of a commoner. At most they can become staff officers in their respective troops. Beyond that, you need a title of nobility.”
Roan nodded.
It was something he knew very well.
“But for a commoner to obtain a title of nobility and become a noble is as difficult as getting a star from the sky. You can see it as being almost impossible.”
Aaron’s sight moved to the badge.
“But if you have a badge, the situation changes. A commoner that has a badge reaches the minimum condition for enabling you to receive a title of nobility.”
“Ah……..”
Roan let out a low exclamation.
His eyes moved towards the badge on its own.
Aaron’s voice was heard.
“Roan. Now, the path to become a noble has opened up.”
< A new start (4) > End
Translator’s note: Thank you for reading!