The small hall had no assigned seating, allowing everyone to converse freely as they pleased. Tables and chairs arranged in a circle around the room were there for anyone to use however they wished. The sudden feast had been organized without any way of knowing how many guests from
Grandfather came to where I was sitting, and his attendant went to fetch food. Adoptive Father took a seat to hear Grandfather's report, and Father—who had finally managed to make an appearance at the feast—stood behind Adoptive Father. In the one remaining empty seat,
"Ilkner is quite far, isn't it?"
Grandfather's tale of valor began with those words. As he said, Ilkner, located at the southwestern tip of Ehrenfest, was indeed far away. A march on riding beasts would take an entire day. They had to match the speed of the lower-ranking knights, and it would be counterproductive to burn through so much magic power gaining speed that they arrived at the battlefield too exhausted to fight.
"But the longer the journey takes, the greater the likelihood of Ilkner falling.
Ilkner's population was slowly growing, but it was still a land with few nobles and commoners alike, dominated by mountains and forests. There was a great deal of territory that needed defending, but very few to defend it. If a large territory launched an attack, it would be overwhelmed in the blink of an eye.
"That is why we used the teleportation circle, which only the Aub can operate, to travel to Ilkner's summer estate."
Grandfather said that since they had it, it would be a waste not to use it. The teleportation circle for moving people required a considerable amount of magic power to activate, and only the Aub could operate it. It was not something to be used lightly. The reason they were able to send knights to Ilkner via the teleportation circle this time was that Ehrenfest had not yet been attacked, and they still had some margin for recovery potions and rest time to replenish their magic power.
"Once we arrived at Ilkner and the fighting began, we quickly realized this was a raid designed to lure the Knight Order."
"Why is that?"
"Because the number of knights was smaller than expected, and their movements weren't aimed at capturing the Giebe's estate."
A force of knights—too many for the small number stationed at Ilkner to handle—had been sent in, and they fought in a manner that dodged attacks while making it clear they had no intention of destroying Ilkner before the reinforcement Knight Order from Ehrenfest arrived. On top of that, they were targeting the territory's magic power, and the enemy was operating over a wide area. For Grandfather, they were by no means powerful enemies, but they were certainly troublesome opponents.
"However, since their intent was to lure the Knight Order, they must have planned to hold out for two or three days. They were quite surprised when we appeared through the teleportation circle."
Grandfather gave a smug little smile. Even when the Aub received a request from a Giebe, it normally took several days to depart—preparations, travel, and so on. But because they had been preparing for an assault and used the teleportation circle, reinforcements had arrived at Ilkner in the blink of an eye.
"Easier said than done. We pushed ourselves pretty hard to get the teleportation circle running."
Adoptive Father said this with a disgruntled look, but Grandfather continued his story with a perfectly innocent expression.
"Midway through the fighting, we received word that
Grandfather rallied the knights, urging them to finish off the enemy at Ilkner and then make for Gerlach. Under
"Why did you think Father needed to go to Gerlach?"
Father asked with the stern expression of a Knight Commander, and Grandfather's face shifted from that of a grandfather boasting to his granddaughter to a serious gaze.
"Gerlach had a dangerous feel to it. I felt that we needed to get there as quickly as possible."
"A dangerous feel?"
"Yes. I sensed the presence of a powerful enemy—one who would put up quite a fight."
"A presence..."
In a way, Grandfather seemed very wild—operating on instinct, perhaps, or with an exceptionally keen sense for danger.
"Grandfather, was Brigitte injured? She was my escort knight, so I'm concerned about how she's doing. In this battle, Brigitte provided Ehrenfest with extremely valuable information—that the enemy would arrive by ship..."
When I relayed the story of the ordonnanz that
"It's the sort of thinking pattern you'd expect from someone who wants to give their retainers a chance to earn merit—sending information that would be perfectly useful to the Knight Order, but routing it through Rozemyne's attendant instead, all while complaining that there's no one on the receiving end."
"...It makes me very happy that even from so far away, they still think of me that way."
When I expressed my joy, Grandfather nodded. "Rozemyne has good retainers."
"Grandfather, how was Brigitte?"
"Hmm... Her skills as a knight had dulled a bit. Female knights inevitably drift away from training due to marriage and childbirth, so it can't be helped, but it's a bit of a waste."
I had wanted to ask about how she was doing recently rather than her abilities as a knight, but the answer was very much like Grandfather.
"Even so, she performed admirably as a knight defending Ilkner's territory. She fought desperately to protect the mountains and forests needed for the workshop and papermaking that Rozemyne had established. As a Giebe's sister, I believe she properly protected the land and its people."
And so, Grandfather, together with Brigitte, had gone deep into Ilkner and captured the former Berkeshitok Giebes who had been siphoning away the territory's magic power.
"When an ordonnanz flew in mid-battle saying that Rozemyne and Ferdinand had headed to Gerlach leading Dunkelfelger's knights, I was truly shocked. Rozemyne had given a brave speech, but I never expected her to actually rescue Ferdinand and return in such a short time. ...Well done, Rozemyne."
"Thank you very much, Grandfather."
Having Grandfather—someone who had told me it was pointless to go, that I should give up—acknowledge and praise me made my heart feel warm and fuzzy.
"Rozemyne, I think you also protected many things quite well. I was hoping you'd hold out until I could get to Gerlach, but right before I departed Ilkner, I received a report that Gerlach had already been dealt with. I thought the ordonnanz was broken and tapped it several times in disbelief."
...Grandfather, if you do that, you'll actually break the ordonnanz!
"The Dunkelfelger knights fought very hard at Gerlach, you know."
I pointed to
"But wasn't it Rozemyne who led the Dunkelfelger knights?"
"No. It was Lord Ferdinand who rallied the Dunkelfelger knights and led them to Gerlach, saying that taking Ahrensbach's foundation alone wouldn't end a true Ditter. When Lord Ferdinand and the others departed, I was laid up ill in Ahrensbach's castle."
Ferdinand had been poisoned, yet he led the Dunkelfelger knights with almost no rest. When I said, "Lord Ferdinand is truly amazing," Grandfather seemed a bit miffed and looked at Ferdinand with a hmph.
"When I asked the Aub to use the teleportation circle so we could return to Ehrenfest now that Gerlach was dealt with, I was refused. He said to use the teleportation circle to invite Dunkelfelger's guests to the feast and bring Rozemyne and Ferdinand back, and that we should find our own way home."
"The priority is Dunkelfelger's guests. Besides, the reason given for using the teleportation circle was that Rozemyne had been summoned—how could he possibly grant permission for that?"
The battle had just ended and recovery potions had been severely depleted. Knights were exhausted from the wide-scale diversions. Civil officials and attendants were swamped with feast preparations. Under those circumstances, the teleportation circle could not be used for Grandfather.
...I wasn't the one who summoned him, though.
Grandfather insisted that Rozemyne had called him and raced back at full speed, leaving the other knights behind. That instinctive drive was what led to his immediate declaration of "I've come to save you" upon arrival.
With so many instinctive reactions, I could understand why he was both reassuring and a bit terrifying—and why Grausam devoted so much effort to countermeasures against Grandfather. Having him as an enemy would be frightening.
"So, how were things on your end?"
Grandfather turned his gaze to Adoptive Father. Today, Adoptive Father only wanted to listen to everyone else's tales of valor and had been reluctant to speak about himself, but he now opened his mouth with a resigned look.
"It began with Damuel's ordonnanz delivered to the Knight Order—or more precisely, with information from Brigitte. That was around the third bell, I believe..."
Word had come that enemies were likely to arrive at the West Gate, and the knights had mobilized. Ordonnanz were dispatched in all directions, and each person took up their assigned position. No one knew when the enemy would appear or when the battle would begin. Since the foundation absolutely could not be taken, Adoptive Father was immediately ordered to enter the Foundation Room.
"I was on standby in the Foundation Room. I had to hole up in there, but honestly, there was nothing to do. The only thing happening was ordonnanz flying in and out through the holes in the wall."
It seemed there were round warp holes specifically for ordonnanz in both the Aub's office and the Foundation Room, so the Aub could communicate with anyone stationed there. Beyond white ordonnanz poking their heads out to deliver reports, there was nothing Adoptive Father could do.
"So, since I had the time, I decided to install the traps that Rozemyne and I had conceived into the Foundation Room."
With absolutely nothing to occupy him, Adoptive Father spent the time before the West Gate attack began by sending ordonnanz to his attendants bit by bit, having them prepare trap components, and then hauling them in himself to set up additional traps.
"Is it all right for the Aub to do that himself?"
"No one else can enter, so I had no choice."
The trap-making that started as a time-killer involved sticking birdlime on the stairs and setting up nets and tubs as I had suggested. Incidentally, since metal tubs weren't normally used here, the traps were made with wooden tubs.
...A wooden tub hitting you would be more than just painful. What if
I suppose part of it was due to my poor explanation, but I hadn't expected them to use wooden tubs instead of metal.
"Throughout the trap installation, ordonnanz continued to fly back and forth. Ilkner was turning toward victory thanks to
Adoptive Father ordered Giebe knights to be sent out bit by bit to the surrounding territories and consulted Grandfather about whether he could move, but he didn't get a favorable response. The surrounding Giebes said they couldn't send their knight orders to Gerlach when they themselves might be the next target. From a Giebe's perspective, that was understandable—sending your forces to aid another territory while leaving your own undefended made you unfit for the role.
The knights defending the Noble District also couldn't deploy many forces when an enemy attack was imminent. Moreover, the Aub who could operate the teleportation circle was trapped in the Foundation Room. Unlike at Ilkner, they couldn't immediately send knights.
"The situation at Gerlach was deteriorating rapidly, with reports streaming in via ordonnanz, and I couldn't bear to just sit in the Foundation Room any longer. When I was about to try sending a few knights through the teleportation circle, a civil official's ordonnanz arrived with word from Ferdinand."
It was news that Rozemyne—who had taken Ahrensbach's foundation—had arrived at the border gate between Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach with Dunkelfelger volunteers, supposedly to bring the self-serving nobles and knights of her own territory under control on Georgine's orders.
"That genuinely shocked me. I've never felt the gods' dispensation quite so strongly."
"Adoptive Father is favored by the Goddess of Good Fortune, you know."
Adoptive Father ordered a civil official to contact Ferdinand immediately so he could head to Gerlach as soon as possible. Ordonnanz couldn't reach Rozemyne or Ferdinand while they were in Ahrensbach's territory—they needed to have a letter sent to the border gate.
And for Gerlach, an ordonnanz was dispatched saying, "Rozemyne and Ferdinand are rushing to Gerlach as reinforcements with Dunkelfelger's knights, so hold out until then."
"Even during all this ordonnanz exchange, enemies attacked the West Gate, fighting broke out near the North Gate, and the
Desperately suppressing the urge to rush out, Adoptive Father eventually received word from his wife that Georgine had been captured.
"Before I could do anything myself, the fighting was already over."
Even if it wasn't very exciting, ending quickly was better than the alternative. Adoptive Father left the Foundation Room to head for the White Tower and sent word of Georgine's capture to various locations.
But on the way to the White Tower, an ordonnanz from Florentia flew in, her voice tinged with urgency: "Another Georgine has appeared. She came down from the ceiling, so she must have been teleported. There may be others. Until the real Georgine is confirmed, do not leave the Foundation Room."
"Florentia told me that, and I hurried back. I thought the underhanded tactic of layering multiple traps was exactly like something Georgine would do. I returned to the Aub's private room in the castle and entered the Foundation Room. And then, without warning, I was struck by a massive water attack."
"What?"
"The moment I crossed the teleportation screen, the Foundation Room was filled with swirling water, and I plunged in with a splash..."
The real Georgine was in the Foundation Room, and the battle had already been initiated. Adoptive Father said the blood drained from his face when he realized that without Florentia's ordonnanz, the foundation would have been taken.
"In a few seconds the swirling water dissipated, and my body—floating in the water—dropped to the floor. Immediately after, the tub I had set as a trap came crashing down too."
"A tub?"
"The trap I'd set had floated up with the water, and the wooden tub came down with a clang! I dodged it by a hair's breadth, but that was a genuinely dangerous trap."
When you cast Vaschen and fill the entire room, it's not just you that floats. I learned that the hard way when I first learned the spell. Everything in the room floats. And on top of that, anything the caster recognizes as dirt gets washed clean.
"The birdlime I had carefully applied to the stairs was washed away, and all the traps I'd painstakingly set had floated up and shifted from their positions. While wooden tubs were bouncing around at my feet with a clonk-clonk sound, I spotted a hand reaching out from the other entrance. It was chilling."
The hand, visible only from the wrist up, was gripping a Stab. Adoptive Father was reminded anew of how terrifying Georgine was—an enemy who could launch precise attacks without even being seen.
"If it looked like a wrist floating in mid-air, it's only natural to be frightened."
Adoptive Father immediately readied his Stab. Then Georgine strode in casually, wearing Gray Priestess robes but carrying herself like a queen.
"Georgine looked at me, her eyes widening in disbelief."
"With diversions happening everywhere, of course the Aub would be in the Foundation Room. What was so surprising about that?"
At Ferdinand's words, Adoptive Father made a slightly bitter face.
"Because it's so natural for the Aub to be in the Foundation Room, Georgine immediately released a lethal poison."
"...What?"
The instant-death poison would normally be dispersed by the wind outdoors, but in an enclosed space like the Foundation Room, it would be devastatingly effective. Her plan was apparently to unlock the door, throw in the poison magical tool, then wash the room clean so she could enter. That way, without anyone to interfere, she could take her time corrupting the foundation, draining its magic power, and collapsing it—doing whatever she pleased.
"Had Florentia not called me out of the Foundation Room, I would already be dead."
"Adoptive Father, you really are blessed by the Goddess of Good Fortune."
"Rather, I think Georgine simply didn't have the gods' divine protections."
After going through all that trouble to set up elaborate traps and plan meticulously, only for the opponent to avoid everything through sheer luck—how must Georgine have felt?
"So how did you capture Georgine?"
"I had my Stab ready, so of course I attacked immediately."
With some distance between them, Adoptive Father transformed his Stab into a bow, nocked arrows of magic power, and fired them in rapid succession.
"After one of Georgine's amulets shattered, she defended with a Gettilt. As I closed the distance while firing arrows, she threw something like metal needles, and one of my amulets broke. But since she apparently couldn't wear the silver cloth needed to enter the Foundation Room, magic attacks were effective, so capturing her wasn't all that difficult."
With a lifetime of physical training, Adoptive Father—a man—had significant advantages over Georgine—a woman who focused on social matters—in terms of baseline stamina, strength, and combat experience. Naturally, he was also overwhelmingly advantaged in age. His magic compression and reacquisition of blessings had increased both his magic capacity and efficiency, so in a direct confrontation, there was simply no element that could lead to his defeat.
"...But to think a person could hate someone that deeply."
Whatever Georgine had said, Adoptive Father refused to repeat it. But judging from his expression, the words had cut deep.
"She declared that nobles who had given their names still remained, and that those who had signed subordination contracts would carry out her wishes and destroy Ehrenfest."
"...Nobles who have given their names are dangerous."
"Yes. We can't know from our side whether any slipped through the purge. We don't know what a noble who has given their name might be ordered to do—whether they'll go on a rampage on the battlefield, or scatter that poison somewhere. We have to stop them before the damage spreads. ...I put an end to it with my own hands."
Adoptive Father said this and stared at his own hands. He had struck down his own sister—the one who shared his blood. With eyes that conveyed that weight, he quietly set a magic stone on the table.
My throat went dry.
Grandfather's and Adoptive Father's tales of valor.
Grandfather went wild at Ilkner.
When you can't quite see yourself objectively, having companions helps you understand what you actually did.
Adoptive Father overcame his trials and seized fortune.
Next time: Sleepless Nights.