Volume 6 Chapter 2 Young Girl Noble And The Southern Guardian
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Abyss Vena held its New Year celebrations in a subdued atmosphere due to the fallout from Gertroud’s coup.
My territory, Estfort, also showed its condolences regarding the tragedy that struck Abyss Vena, and the feeling of restraint spread widely.
It seems that my father-in-law reported this situation to my brother, Gwain, and decided to seek Gertroud’s general’s dismissal, the kingdom’s wanted certification, and compensation.
Compensation involved the transfer of the western garrison and permission to create a new battalion of a thousand.
Even Gwain, who usually stood firm, seemed to have decided to transfer the western garrison, not wanting to suffer damage from this scandal.
”Father-in-law is relentless. Gwain lost to the Black Dragon Dukedom, and now he’s going to be busy putting out the flames caused by his own general’s misconduct.”
I had come to visit my father-in-law, who had been wounded in the castle’s fighting.
While it was not a fatal wound, it was still significant.
No one had spoken about how Gertroud had been taken over by the Demon Lord Orphée Bleu.
”Kent. I was attacked by that young brat and even got hurt. I don’t want news of my brother’s own general staging a coup reaching His Majesty, so as a brotherly favor, I decided to keep quiet about the matter by accepting the transfer of the western garrison and permission for a thousand troops.”
My father-in-law never fell without taking something down with him.
He fervently pursued Gertroud’s accountability before dear Gwain, so much so that Gwain, astonished by his fierceness, ended up granting the garrison transfer and new troop formation permission.
As a result, Gwain lost a military foothold in the south, while my father-in-law, the Margrave in the south, gained more power.
Furthermore, the southern nobles, who had been victims of the coup, had many without heirs or had died, causing a significant drop in the influence they had maintained until now, further increasing my father-in-law’s power in the south.
”Father-in-law is quite impressive…”
”I feel bad for the deceased, but I’m relieved that the Nobles who were dragging me down are gone. I’ve confiscated the assets of the disbanded house.”
”That’s why Nobles dislike you. It wouldn’t be fun to let monster hunters into the Nobles, would it?”
My father-in-law decided to confiscate the assets of the disbanded Nobles and appoint 3 new Nobles.
The new Nobles were Hendric of the ‘Golden Apostles’, Soumei of the ‘Hand of Glory’, and Matthew of the ‘Silver Wolf’.
They would later become the pioneers of the new hunting Nobles tier.
”In the central regions or elsewhere, it’s fine to have Nobles who don’t fight, but we don’t need non-fighting Nobles in the south, right? I thought Kent would share the same opinion, but was I wrong?”
”I think the same way, but… it might be a bit too much… They are probably grieving for their deceased family members too.”
Hearing my words, my father-in-law chuckled softly.
”Kent… you’re too naïve… You should learn a bit from the Nobles’ sordidness. Those people will shamelessly push to have their own children recognized as heirs, claiming to be the hidden offspring of the deceased head of the disbanded house. They won’t be mourning their relatives. For them, a relative’s death is merely an opportunity to increase their wealth.”
My father-in-law exposed the inner workings of the Nobles.
Of course, not all Nobles think this way, but many surviving Nobles acted similarly after the recent coup.
”…That’s despicable… They even exploit death…”
”You’re a Noble yourself, a great Noble at that, so you should learn from this. If you want, you could support a Noble without a guardian, right? They are only 8 and ten years old, but the struggle for their guardians is fierce. If you were their guardian, no one would dare interfere.”
My father-in-law started discussing an inconvenient topic.
He suggested that I become the guardian of the young Noble girls.
Already labeled a womanizer by the townsfolk, I could only imagine the rumors that would spread if I became the guardian of young girls.
”Father-in-law… a little girl is not okay. I… I’m not ready to take the Criminal job yet.”
”If there’s consent, there’s no crime. After all, you are a big Noble. As long as Milly doesn’t say anything, I won’t pursue it too deeply.”
Father-in-law… are you setting me up to embrace a little girl?!
No, wait, this is a trap!
Father-in-law is planning to use a little girl as bait to put me in a tough spot.
”Ahem… Father-in-law, you truly are cunning. I only deal with adults, you know.”
I decided to muster all my self-control to shake off Father-in-law’s temptations.
”Actually, those 2 are staying at this castle. Let’s have you meet them. Hey, go bring them here right now.”
The man who was serving Father-in-law dashed out of the room.
”Father-in-law! Please wait! I can’t fall for the little girl trap!”
”Fool! I’m telling you to be their guardian! The talk about concubines can wait until they are grown.”
Father-in-law emphasized being their guardian, so I reluctantly decided I would at least meet the two.
However, I later realized this was a cleverly devised trap by Father-in-law.
Before long, the page who left earlier returned with 2 young boys (through glasses).
”Ah, Lady Lumy and Lady Eris, welcome. This is my son Kent. Please greet them.”
A boy from the Majin Clan stepped forward and bowed to me.
”I am Lumy Blindia. As the heir of the Viscount Blindia family, it is an honor to receive the guardianship of the Viscount Blackdagger. I look forward to your guidance.”
Lumy, seemingly the older one, made a solid appeal for my assistance.
I remembered that the Blindia family was a Lord Noble with land at the base of Mount Mylon on Westtown Street.
On the other hand, the other boy from the Rakshasa Clan peeked out from behind Lumy while glancing at me, introducing himself.
”I am Eris Nolans The Nolans Viscount family is an ancient house with its own territory. If you will be my guardian, I may call you… Elder Brother Kent, if you want.”
Eris’s family was one of the few Lord Nobles in the southern region.
Her family’s territory was a key junction along the eastern town street.
Here, I could see my father-in-law’s intentions clearly.
He wanted me to become the guardian of the two young girls, placing them under my influence and controlling this crucial junction.
However, being a Lord Noble meant there were many decisions to make, yet it was impossible for ten or 8-year-old girls to make such judgments.
On the other hand, if a strange noble became their guardian, they might get taken over.
That’s why my father-in-law likely sought me as their guardian.
But I was torn.
As their guardian, I would also have to manage the affairs of their territory.
I was also handling Estfort, Godard, and the developing mining town of Rintblum, which had the bureaucrats crying out for help.
If I asked to manage 2 more territories here, it was clear that my mother-in-law would not only demand physical service but the bureaucrats’ daughters would also come to me for favors.
”This is Kent Blackdagger. I’m swamped with my own territory’s upkeep, so let’s forget about the guardian talk for now…”
Hearing my words, the two girls started to tear up.
”Whaaaat! If I can’t get Lord Blackdagger’s guardianship, I’ll have to marry a distant relative’s wife! If I have to become that pig’s wife, I’d rather die here!”
Lumy thrust her hidden dagger toward her throat.
Panicking at her action, I grabbed the dagger with my bare hands.
Ouch… I cut my finger.
It’s pretty deep…
Blood dripped from my hand where the dagger had cut.
Seeing that, Eris was also preparing to stab her throat with her hidden dagger.
”I… If I can’t get support from Lord Kent, I will die!”
I also grabbed Eris’s dagger with my bare hands, and blood started dripping from both my hands.
The two young girls turned pale at the sight of the blood.
”You idiots! Don’t just talk about dying! Ahh! I guess there’s no choice; I’ll take care of you two at my place. So let go of the daggers!”
”Waaah, I’m sorry!”
”Ehh, ehh, I’m sorry, Elder Brother Kent…”
Both of them let go of their swords and started crying.
I used healing magic to stop the bleeding from their wounds.
”Alright, Kent, I leave the guardianship of the two to you. Also, I’ve decided to grant the western garrison to Milly. With this, the greatest noble in the south is born, both in name and reality. Even if I am dismissed as Margrave, I should be able to seize the south by my own strength, right?”
My father-in-law has granted my wife, Milly, not only the two territories but also the western garrison.
Even though it was granted to Milly, it’s practically been granted to me.
As a result, I have become a great noble in the south, unmatched by anyone.
My father-in-law has given me these territories so that I can always hold power in the south, even if he is dismissed as Margrave.
”Father-in-law… you’ve set a trap for me, haven’t you…”
”You’re being too laid-back. The situation is changing rapidly. The kingdom’s foundations are starting to creak. If central control weakens, discontent will rise in various regions. The magic continent may be engulfed in war. At that time, I’ve given you a territory of suitable scale to protect the south.
You said before that you had no intention of becoming king, but a situation is approaching where you can no longer say that. I won’t say you must become king, but you will become the protector of the south. Consider this guardianship and the granting of territory as the shackles I’ve placed on you.”
My father-in-law stood up from the bed where he had been lying and grabbed my shoulders with both hands.
”If you become king, I will gladly serve as one of your generals.”
”Father-in-law… I understand. I will take on the responsibility of being the protector of the south.”
”That’s my son. I was worried because Milly told me that Kent has been having nightmares since that day.”
Just as my father-in-law said, I had started having nightmares since that day.
The scenes of taking lives under my command replayed in my mind like a flashback, with the soldiers I killed staring at me resentfully.
Each time I woke up, I felt like I would go insane if I didn’t hug Milly, who was sleeping beside me, and feel her warmth.
I was neither a hero from myth nor a warrior from epic tales; I was just an ordinary man.
Even though I was a resident of Another World, this was the reality I chose to live in.
In this reality, I took a life.
I felt as if guilt was about to crush me.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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