Chapter 51 : Second Clash (10

Chapter 51: Second Clash (10
A fief?

That meant he was not just offering knighthood but essentially planning to make him a lord.

Because of that, Shatien could only blink his eyes.

As far as he remembered, Captain Mordo himself had been a fallen noble who lost his lands and wandered as a mercenary.

So how in the world could he grant a fief to someone else?

“Oh dear. Right. I spoke without thinking.”

Captain Mordo chuckled in a big, easy laugh, as if he had read Shatien’s thoughts.

“Have you ever heard of the County of Hessen?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure. I am sorry, Captain Mordo.”

Shatien shook his head.

He had spent many years as a mercenary and picked up a lot of tales, yet he knew little about nobility.

He only knew the bigger, weighty names.

Captain Mordo gave a bitter smile.

It was the kind of reaction he clearly expected.

“It is my family, the one that no longer exists now. The County of Hessen used to be my father’s fief. It was a fine territory, with a trade network through the central Empire.”

“…?!”

A house of that size collapsed overnight, and now he wandered the land as the head of a mercenary company?

“Yes. I know what you are thinking. But my house had many enemies. The moment my father, the lord, died, those enemies tore the fief apart. Especially since the heirs died one after another. In the end, the succession rights split, and the territory was sold off piece by piece as my half sister’s dowry.”

Captain Mordo’s smile turned more bitter.

Only then did Shatien feel as though he understood a little. The one strange thing was why a son had not become heir…

‘I can guess even if he doesn’t say it.’

Mordo was clearly born out of wedlock. So he had been unable to inherit the house and had been driven out at once to live as a wanderer.

At last, Shatien understood the odd shadow he had always sensed in Captain Mordo’s bitter expression. Beyond resentment, a blazing hunger burned at the same time.

Resentment toward the house that had lost everything his father built, and the desire to someday restore it all.

In a way, Shatien felt that Captain Mordo might be someone very similar to himself.

“So you are saying you plan to introduce me to your half sister?”

“Right. My half sister’s family is staggering under external pressures. Heretical elves are running wild in the north, and in the east the Teutonic Knights rampage in the name of forced conversion. They need capable vassals.”

“Hmmm…”

At that, Shatien rubbed his chin. It was indeed quite a good opportunity.

If he did well, he might build a base there and restore a house.

However, Shatien did not waver.

‘I’m truly grateful, but…’

If he had wanted to walk the orthodox path of a noble, he would have accepted Count Bellua’s offer. In Shatien’s memories, Count Bellua kept climbing without stopping, a truly pivotal figure on par with the Emperor. Serving under that man would give him chances for greater merit and greater fiefs.

‘Besides, in only three years the Empire will fall into a larger civil war. When that happens, a northern fief will be almost impossible to hold.’

Before long, a truly enormous war would break out. Not a small, scattered border skirmish like this, but a great war where every lord and every king on the continent chose sides and fought.

‘They used to call it the Endless Great War, I think?’

The war had not ended, not even by the time he died. It went on for nearly twenty years. During those long years, there was nowhere inside the Holy Empire that escaped the flames. Fiefs burned and were pillaged.

That was why securing military strength, especially high quality private soldiers, would be crucial from now on.

‘A time will come when the value of a mercenary captain surpasses that of a preening knight.’

The power of a knight?

It was certainly strong and sharp.

He did not deny that. Yet at most, the number of men a knight could directly command hovered around a dozen, including his squires.

On future battlefields, where troop counts would grow to the thousands and tens of thousands, the real voices of power belonged to mercenary captains who controlled forces in the thousands.

In fact, during that war, many mercenary captains had become nobles. So there was no need to cling to the title of noble right now.

‘It is better to keep building the mercenary company.’

Besides, what Shatien needed most at this moment was practical experience.

Not research on how to enrich a fief or manage its development, but blood soaked battles on a field full of curses and screams. He needed experience handling and commanding soldiers.

So instead of becoming a noble and receiving a fief, it was far more advantageous to stick to his earlier decision and follow Captain Mordo.

“I am grateful for the offer… Captain. But I will not go.”

“And you won’t regret it?”

“No. If I become a noble of the Empire, I might end up pointing my sword at your mercenary company one day, you know?”

“Haha. That is fine. My half sister’s husband, Baron Hugen, is in the anti imperial faction. Of course, no one knows where a noble’s path might lead. But at the very least, it will be rare for you to cross swords with me.”

“Hmm.”

The persuasion was more persistent than he expected.

Shatien tried to think of a way to refuse that would not hurt the man’s feelings and might even deepen Captain Mordo’s favor.

“Is there something that troubles you?”

Captain Mordo felt disappointed. It was a recommendation given in good faith, yet Shatien’s reaction was lukewarm. However, the answer he received was something he had never expected.

“To be honest, I like your mercenary company, Captain.”

“What?”

“We have risked life and death on the battlefield together, have we not? Many of the men I recruited have already died on various battlefields. They are my comrades in arms. I do not want to abandon them for my own ambition and leave them behind irresponsibly.”

At those words, Captain Mordo’s lips twitched.

‘So… it’s because of loyalty? Because of comradeship?’

It was an astonishing reason that was rare to see.

Of course, there were people who set aside their ambition for such things. Yet those were the kind of men you heard about in heroic tales sung by bards.

Does that mean this young mercenary standing before him might be on the path to become one of those heroes?

Captain Mordo could not be sure.

But what he did know was that this young mercenary drew him in.

“I know what feelings moved you to make this offer, Captain. But they say a man follows the one who believed in him to the very end. Since you promoted me in such an exceptional way, I want to honor that trust. I will not leave you, at least not until we have built the greatest mercenary company on the continent.”

“…”

It was an incredibly bold declaration.

He would repay loyalty and only leave on the day he made this company the greatest on the continent. For a moment, it felt as if he had been pulled into a storybook legend.

“Hahahahaha!”

“?”

Because of that, Captain Mordo burst out laughing. He laughed loudly for quite some time, then suddenly cut his laughter off and looked straight at Shatien.

“You… really are an entertaining one. I completely underestimated you. I am sorry. Forgive me.”

“…?”

What was happening right now? Shatien felt bewildered. Regardless, Captain Mordo was sincerely grateful.

“The fact that you will remain in my mercenary company. It makes me feel very grateful. Moreover, your reason for it is clear. I will give you a position that matches your ability.”

“…?”

-Clink.

While Shatien still looked dazed, Captain Mordo placed two rings in front of him.

They were silver rings with numbers engraved on them, symbols of a Centurion.

“I have been needing to increase the number of Centurias, since the company keeps expanding. I grant you the right to organize three Centurias. You could call it a senior Centurion I suppose. It may not be as honorable as a noble title… yet in terms of authority, it will surpass that of most knights. What do you say?”

“…!”

He was stunned.

The reward was too enormous. It was practically the authority of an acting commander of the entire mercenary company.

On top of that, three hundred men was a larger force than the company he had commanded in his previous life.

‘But…’

He did not feel especially giddy.

In the past, his heart would have pounded and leaped with joy, yet now things were different.

Perhaps… It was because he believed he had earned the qualifications to match this role. Has Master Joachim not said so before?

Those who possess real skill eventually find their way to appropriate positions.

That was exactly what this was.

“Thank you, Captain.”

Because of that, Shatien did not refuse the offer.

Instead, he spoke more confidently.

“In that case, may I choose the officers under me as I see fit?”

“What? Ahahaha. Of course. It’s all up to you. Just make sure you choose them well. Hahaha.”

Thanks to that, Captain Mordo only laughed heartily again. He truly liked this young mercenary.

* * *

The ceremony for Shatien’s appointment as senior Centurion was very simple.

They gathered the entire mercenary company, and he made the announcement in front of them.

Although they had won and were now garrisoned here, they were still in enemy territory, so there was no room for an elaborate event.

Moreover, the simple ceremony also served to protect the pride of Jenga, the Centurion with the long face.

Of course, Shatien was not the type to sulk over something that trivial.

He had received sincere congratulations from Captain Mordo, Centurion Jacri, and the Centurias under them, and that was more than enough.

And there was another reason, too.

‘I am too busy!!’

That was right.

To reorganize the Centurias that had lost men in this last battle and to command the newly added ones, he would be incredibly busy.

Even forming a single Centuria made the paperwork explode. Now he had three.

It was not something he could handle alone. From here on, he truly needed to train his own subordinates. Fortunately, he had a very dependable adjutant.

“Damn it. What do you mean you want me to lead a Centuria?”

“Now, now, Miles. I am going to work you very hard. Stop pouting and get to it.”

“Keek keek keek!”

Miles twisted his whole body and voiced his displeasure, yet Shatien did not yield.

After all, Shatien had witnessed Miles’s ability with his own eyes in the past. Although he had been worked to death in command of a mere squad of ten, he had been more than capable of serving as a Centurion.

He was seasoned, bold, and knew how to handle his men.

‘Good. This is coming together faster than I expected.’

Because of that, Shatien felt relieved.

He could sense that his forces were stabilizing before full scale battle resumed.

Now, the only thing left was…

‘To prove everything in battle!’

It was true that many people viewed his unusually fast rise with suspicion. Jenga was far from the only one.

That suspicion could easily grow into doubt of Captain Mordo’s judgment as well.

Which meant…

He had to prove that Captain Mordo was right to place him in the senior Centurion’s position.

And the stage for that proof arrived sooner than expected.

-Neighhh!

A mounted mercenary galloped up over the hill and burst through the gate in the palisade.

“Make way-! Move!”

He waved his hand urgently, sprang off his horse, and ran straight toward Captain Mordo.

“Captain! The enemy is here. Their number is around two thousand. It is the imperial army.”

That was right.

With that, the brief calm ended and the shadow of war spread over the palisade.

“They came faster than I thought. Have all the Centurions gather in my command tent.”