NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37
I felt a sense of relief as if I believed everything had come to an end, and I began to hear the small sounds I had previously missed in the morning.
The chirping of sparrows and the call of nightingales in the morning, even the sound of the wind hitting the tent of my barracks…
Experiencing such leisure after a long time felt incredibly comfortable and sweet.
So, to enjoy that leisure, I closed my eyes again and focused on the sounds of nature coming from around me.
And, after a brief moment, I felt a gentle touch tickling my face.
When I opened my eyes, I found a single thread… no, it was Ella, lying on my bed in a maid’s outfit and gently touching my face with her hand.
Ella, with her left arm resting beside her and a truly happy expression on her face, carefully tickling my cheek with her right hand, looked so lovely.
At the same time, a vivid memory of the debauchery I had committed while drinking yesterday came rushing back.
However, seeing her smile and touch my face gently like that, it didn’t seem like she disliked what had happened between us…
But after having done something with a girl whom I had considered like my biological younger sister until yesterday…
It felt incredibly awkward, and I had no idea what to say…
With the mindset that it would somehow work out, I opened my eyes and stammered, “Ella, did you sleep well?”
Upon hearing my words, Ella withdrew her right hand from my face in surprise and replied, “M-Master? Ah, you weren’t asleep?”
“I woke up in the middle.”
At that, Ella’s face turned as red as a ripe apple.
Finding her reaction amusing, I playfully asked her, “But why were you touching my face? It was like you were treating your Master’s face like a treasure…?”
“Th-that’s… Master…”
Ella hesitated for a moment, turning her face from side to side, then spoke in a whisper-like voice.
“When my mom and dad were alive… I remember my mom saying she was happiest when she touched my beloved dad’s face while he was peacefully sleeping beside me… I’ve been feeling the same way about you, Master…”
Realizing that Ella cared for me to such an extent filled my heart with two conflicting emotions that swirled in my mind.
One was the relief that I had not forced myself onto her, knowing how much she disliked it.
The other feeling was an overwhelming embarrassment at receiving such a straightforward confession of love…
Ella continued speaking with a determined expression, as if accepting that what had happened could not be changed.
“When the Bailiff held me as bait, and it seemed I would have no choice but to become yours… you said I wouldn’t have to if I didn’t want to. You personally punished the Bailiff who tormented Jacques and me, and you even saved the villagers of Windheim who suffered along with us…”
Ella accepted it this way, but in reality, all I had done for her was to refuse when that bastard Bailiff Mars tried to use her as bait.
Punishing the Bailiff was merely a desperate act to avoid going to the Academy, and improving the lives of the villagers of Windheim was to build the strength to become independent from the Count.
“And in the meantime, you always looked after me. Even when you went to the Count of Nante’s territory, you bought expensive sweets meant only for nobles in mind of me, and in Windheim, you always dined with me, worried that I would feel lonely. After making sugar, you remembered that I loved sweets and baked them for me…”
Then, as if having made up her mind, Ella took a brief breath and looked straight at me as she spoke.
“Master, you feel just like the prince in the stories my village priest used to tell when he was young—so kind and magnificent.”
I never thought that the seemingly trivial things I did would come to be seen by Ella as such meaningful events, memories, and sources of happiness.
She saw it that way, but to me, I simply did what I had to do while doing my best to take care of Ella, who was always helping me.
However, why was I not aware that the ‘difference in status and situation between Ella and me’ was what caused her to feel this way?
Trying to suppress those thoughts, I smiled faintly and gently patted Ella’s head beside me.
“Yeah.”
After concluding our short but profound conversation, Ella came around behind me and quietly helped me put on my armor.
Once I was fully armored and was about to tell Ella that I could step back now, she quietly whispered in my ear.
“Master, have your worries lessened a bit? Actually, Sir Balt said… if he sees you struggling in war, it would help to comfort you physically…”
“Ella, thank you. Thanks to you, I feel a lot more at ease.”
After saying that, I exited my barracks.
Moreover, with all the knowledge I had instilled in Ella, I felt a mix of gratitude for Balt’s prior contributions and a bit of resentment for his role in providing me with the factors that led to my earlier debauchery…
I decided to assign the fertile but labor-intensive territory to him.
**
Soon after, my soldiers and I withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the Croilet Count’s territory.
While I had to ride on horseback to show dignity as a lord leading to battle, the war was now over, and I had gained overwhelming victory…
Thus, there was no need for such effort, so I returned with Ella riding in a carriage.
This was not simply because I wanted to travel comfortably.
Nonetheless, to boost the morale of the soldiers, we needed to conduct rewards and punishments as quickly as possible, and I couldn’t handle ‘paperwork’ while on horseback.
Thanks to that, I was able to effectively utilize the approximately seven-day journey to separate the ‘soldiers and officers who deserved punishment’ from those who ‘deserved rewards or promotions’ and determine the appropriate rewards for them.
After all, in the medieval era, issuing rewards and punishments to ‘my subordinate army’ was entirely within my authority, so by doing this, I could carry out the ‘reward ceremony immediately upon returning from the battlefield.’
Moreover, it was better for morale and loyalty to reward the soldiers and officers immediately rather than a few days after returning from the battlefield.
After all, just like salaries and bonuses, getting them quickly was the best.
Thanks to these efforts, on the day of our return, I commanded a day of rest for the soldiers and knights and, after that ordered rest had ended, I was able to hold the reward ceremony right away.
**
The attired wooden floor, the red carpet stretching from the main gate to the Croilet Count’s seat, and the audience hall decorated with portraits of past Croilet Counts.
The people here were mostly knights or nobility such as lieutenants and captains, and the ‘squad leaders’ holding the ‘reward documents I wrote myself’ were scheduled to go and announce the rewards to the soldiers…
However, among the soldiers, there was exactly one soldier—one I had called on purpose—standing in the farthest corner, expressing discomfort with his whole body.
Thus, on my way into the audience hall for the reward ceremony, I patted the soldier’s shoulder.
At that, he looked flustered, then knelt on both knees and bowed his head to me.
I tried to help the soldier up… No, it was the soldier who had shown the most remarkable effort in the infantry combat, ‘Mark.’
“Private Mark, who belongs to Lieutenant Frost’s squad… Stand up. If it weren’t for you, more soldiers would have perished in this war.”
Upon hearing my words, Mark stood at attention, completely stiff.
Seeing that, I smiled warmly and sat in my chair at the far end of the audience hall to begin the reward ceremony.
As I raised my hand, all the nobles and officers who had been standing until a moment ago knelt on one knee and paid their respects to me.
Then, I had the announcer I appointed unfurl the scroll and begin reading.
“We shall begin the reward ceremony. First, to Sir Jack Frost, for his outstanding achievements in this battle, I bestow 50 gold coins and the nearby four villages of Blueport, in exchange for returning his previous territory. To Sir Balt, who commanded the infantry, I bestow 40 gold coins and two nearby villages of Blueport. To Sir Helmut, I bestow 50 marks of the same region. To Lord Minderheim, who captured two knights after defeating them, I bestow 100 gold coins and 20 marks. To Sir Oril, I bestow 10 gold coins and 10 marks…”
Thus, when the lengthy reward ceremony for the knights concluded, the announcer unfurled a slightly inferior parchment and declared.
“Captain Weiss, despite his past achievements and injuries, is promoted to knight for his involvement in attacking the enemy’s main forces. Lieutenant Schwarze is promoted to captain and is granted four gold coins…”
The announcer appeared fatigued after reading for a long time. He took a sip of water from the glass being served next to him and continued reading once again.
“… Lieutenant Frost is awarded 20 gold coins and a promotion to lieutenant for his role in leading the squad and paving the way for victory in infantry combat. Furthermore, Private Mark is recognized for his brave attacks that pierced through the infantry phalanx and is promoted to sergeant with five gold coins. Thus ends our reward ceremony.”
Having completed his reading, the announcer slightly bowed his head towards the knights in front of him, then knelt on one knee and bowed his head to pay respect to me.
Once the reward ceremony concluded, everyone seemed to smile despite the solemn atmosphere, clearly satisfied with the unexpected rewards.
Especially Balt and Helmut were pinching their undressed thighs, trying to hold back laughter.
Well, those chaps would want to hurry back to their families and retainers to boast about their rewards.
Therefore, to respect their expectations, I raised my hand and said, “I sincerely thank you for your efforts! Although I have only minimally recompensed for your achievements, if you think it is insufficient, I want you to tell me again! If there are no complaints, everyone is dismissed!”
Upon hearing my words, the knights and officers hastily left the audience hall, doing their best to avoid any boisterous behavior.
However, Mark still knelt on the ground, unable to leave.
Thus, I patted Mark’s shoulder and said as I passed by, “Had it not been for your achievements, I would have lost more brave soldiers like you. Therefore I called you to show my gratitude and to let you know that I am rewarding you for your bravery and devotion to your comrades. Hurry along if you want to see your family. Go to the squad leader immediately; you have my permission for leave.”
Upon hearing my words, Mark appeared overwhelmed and suddenly began to cry, unable to respond.
It seemed that my taking care of him, a mere commoner, despite being of noble status, had a profoundly significant impact on him…
He simply couldn’t control his emotions…
So, instead of comforting Mark, I quietly left the audience hall to give him the space to savor his happiness.
**
Before long, an envoy from Duke Maxburg visited.
He delivered a document stamped with the “Duke’s Seal” showing I would receive the compensation amount of 5,000 gold coins, further including the ownership of the harbor, Blueport, and salt mines from those foolish counts.
I was grateful for that and intended to throw a banquet as a gesture of hospitality, but the envoy looked annoyed and turned away, leaving immediately.
Thus, saving on banquet costs made me feel exceptionally good, but soon, an envoy from Count Schwabin, who hadn’t done anything, came to me and said.
“His Excellency Croilet Count was greatly angered by Your Excellency’s negotiations made without the approval of the Count. However, considering your previous deeds, he has decided to forgive your offense on the condition that you donate 3,000 gold coins of the compensation you received, which you may hand over to me now.”
How audacious…