"If that is what you wish, Father..."
"I will follow your command."
"Will you be alright with that?"
"Of course."
Patrick answered with a smirk. And Baron Schneider was grateful to him for that. Unlike himself, who had lost his fiery spirit with age, wasn't Patrick still at an age where his blood boiled with passion?
On top of that, unlike himself, Patrick had amassed an unbelievable level of martial strength with his immense talent. He had not only elevated himself but also the soldiers around him, leading the entire Schneider Barony to become stronger.
For such a Patrick, this event was a golden opportunity to display his skills and make his name known to the world. But at a single command from his timid and incompetent father, he agreed to suppress that fiery spirit and obey. Baron Schneider was grateful to his son for that.
"I am sorry. It is because your father is incompetent..."
"Well, that is true."
"... Normally, wouldn't you say that's not the case?"
"Eh, what's going to change if I say that?"
"Speaking of which, why are you so bad at everything, Father? You can't wield a sword, can't earn money. Are you even handsome? It's only because Mother is an incarnation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion that she lives with you. If it were me..."
His gratitude vanished in an instant. In any case, even if he did not want to actively seek glory, he could not refuse to send troops to Count Parmas.
Count Parmas was a great noble representing the eastern part of the Atronia Kingdom, and he also held the position of Marching Count, which allowed him to forcibly conscript soldiers from surrounding fiefs if necessary. The fact that he had requested soldiers by letter instead of commanding their conscription was not much different from saying, "cooperate while I'm asking nicely."
And if they didn't cooperate? Things would inevitably become very tiresome from then on. Therefore, the Schneider Fief had to send soldiers.
"Let's just send exactly half."
"Will half be enough?"
"Well, to be honest, I think sending just thirty men would be enough. But..."
Patrick said with a smirk.
"If we want to hide our skills and at least make a minimal show of it, we should probably have 100 men."
"Alright. I understand. Then I'll leave the preparation of the soldiers to you."
"Understood. April."
"Yes, young master."
"Please call Butler Lawrence for me. I need to discuss the armament and supplies for the soldiers needed for the expedition."
"Yes, I understand."
Patrick proceeded with the preparations for the expedition step by step. He selected the soldiers and appointed April as the person in charge of managing them during his absence. April refused, saying she had to stay by Patrick's side, but Patrick was firm.
"It's an order."
"... Yes."
April reluctantly agreed with a sullen expression. In truth, Patrick had no other choice. The goal of this expedition was to go, stay as inconspicuous as possible, just make an appearance, hold their ground, and return.
But April's very existence was conspicuous. 'I'd rather take the Orcs with me than you. That would be less conspicuous.'
At least with them, people would just be a little curious and that would be the end of it. At the very least, there wouldn't be guys in heat hitting on them. After all preparations were complete, Baron Schneider set out, leading 100 soldiers.
"Well then, I'll be off, my dear."
"Please take care of yourself."
"Don't you worry about me. I'm more worried about you. Please, while I'm away..."
"Can we get going already? Let's go. How's an unmarried man supposed to live with all this sorrow?"
The baron and baroness, who were dripping with honey, finally separated after Patrick spoke.
"Ahem, all troops, advance."
"Yes, sir!"
The 100 soldiers of Baron Schneider's army. It was the moment they revealed themselves to the world for the first time. The eastern part of the Atronia Kingdom was a barren land.
There was little land suitable for farming, and they had to struggle to survive by fending off the monsters pouring out from the great forest to the east, so it was bound to be barren. But for that very reason, the development of commerce was important.
Since half of the fiefs could not produce their own food through direct farming, most of them resolved their food situation by buying from the outside. In other words, it was a place that would naturally wither and die if merchants did not constantly connect the fiefs and distribute goods.
Therefore, the Marching Count of the east, Count Parmas, needed to manage this eastern distribution network well. Were any of the nobles getting greedy and charging excessive tolls? Or was some merchant group hoarding important goods and manipulating prices?
He had to manage the distribution network in such a way. But recently, a problem had arisen. Bandits had taken up residence on Mount Phils in the east and had begun attacking merchants.
In fact, it was a common occurrence and not a major problem if dealt with quickly. Count Parmas issued a subjugation order to the lords near Mount Phils and told them to resolve the issue swiftly. Thus, the nearby lords formed a subjugation force of 500 men and moved to suppress the bandits.
But an unexpected result came out.
Annihilation.
Not just a defeat, but the entire 500-man subjugation force was annihilated. And of the three lords who had gone on the subjugation, two were killed in action, and only one barely escaped with his life. A band of thieves with the power to annihilate 500 regular soldiers had established itself in his territory.
Enraged by this fact, Count Jayden Parmas decided to personally step forward and subjugate the thieves. And to be fully prepared, he requested reinforcements from the lords of the nearby fiefs. As a result, nobles from the east were gathering one after another in the Parmas County, leading their armies.
"My lord. Viscount Antonia has joined us with 500 soldiers."
"Mm, good. What is the total size of the subjugation force now?"
"It has surpassed five thousand."
"That should be sufficient."
At the count's words, the butler smiled bitterly and said.
"To be honest, it is excessive for a bunch of bandits."
"Hahaha. That may be so. But isn't it better to have too much than too little?"
"That is true."
"If we carelessly leave the thieves be and their power grows, we may need an even larger force. If we wish to nip it in the bud, a little excess is fine."
"I understand."
"Receive the lords who have come to support us as guests and treat them without lack."
"Yes, I understand."
Hosting the visiting lords as guests and feeding and housing the soldiers they brought with them. All of it was a task that required a considerable amount of money. But Count Parmas did not spare any expense on this matter.
'If I think of it as the price for uniting the entire east while subjugating the thieves, it's rather cheap.' This was another one of Count Parmas's intentions. Count Parmas was a great noble with the title of Marching Count and was the ruler of the east, but in recent years, his influence had been slowly waning.
It had naturally become so as there had been no reason to summon the nearby lords in the name of the Marching Count. A blade left in its sheath will rust. 'Sometimes, you have to draw the sword and swing it for it to do its job.'
He planned to use this opportunity to remind the lords of the east just who ruled this land.
"Ooh. It's bustling."
"Indeed. This could be called a magnificent sight."
"Eh, it's not quite magnificent..."
Bringing all the troops gathered in the Parmas County into the inner castle of the fief would cause problems. So Count Parmas had the soldiers set up camp outside the castle and decided to bestow them with alcohol and meat instead.
As they gathered one by one, setting up tents and resting, a considerable number of troops had gathered and formed a camp in the fief. The attendant who had guided Baron Schneider this far spoke.
"Baron Schneider. Please have your soldiers rest here, and you, my lord, must go to the inner castle to see the Count."
"I understand. Patrick, will you come with me?"
"Me? No thanks. What's so special about some high-ranking person..."
"Your words... You brat. Please..."
A count was indeed a high-ranking person. And Count Parmas was not just high-ranking; he held the position of Marching Count and was practically the king of the east. Seeing his father pleading while glancing at the attendant next to him, Patrick shrugged his shoulders and said.
"Alright. Anyway, you go on ahead. I'll rest here with the soldiers."
"Alright. But the Count might hold a banquet, so be sure to attend then."
"A banquet, you say? Yes. Got it. I'll go to that."
Banquet = Alcohol. With this formula in mind, Patrick willingly nodded his head. 'Why do I feel uneasy?'
Baron Schneider felt quite anxious about leaving Patrick behind and moving separately, but he had no choice.
"Let us go."
"Yes. Please come this way."
After the baron left, Patrick spoke.
"Sanson."
"Yes, young master."
"Set up the tents around here and let everyone rest comfortably."
"Understood. You all heard him. Set up the tents first."
"Yes, Captain."
The soldiers diligently set up the tents and prepared for camp.
And Patrick...
"Kuh, being born a noble is nice at times like these. Long live the class system."
Patrick, who had lived a penniless life in his previous incarnation, keenly realized how convenient it was to be of high status at times like this. While the soldiers were working hard, not a single person said anything even as he lay back at an angle, sipping from a liquor bottle.
He thought, 'This must be why people want to succeed in life.'
"Come to think of it, I was so miserable back in the day. I couldn't do anything I wanted and had to watch what others thought..."
Who had to watch?
Who? Watched? Was miserable?
Couldn't even do what he wanted? It was a load of nonsense that would make all the enemies and allies associated with the Radiant Dragon Grandmaster Jin Cheon in his past life cough up blood and collapse. Baron Schneider calmed his trembling heart and bowed respectfully.
"Baron Jaycol Schneider pays his respects to Count Parmas. It has been a long time."
"Mm, it is a pleasure to meet you, Baron Schneider."
The two exchanged greetings, but their attitudes were clearly different. Compared to the overly tense Baron Schneider, Count Parmas was perfectly at ease. In fact, the difference in their temperaments could be seen from their greetings.
Baron Schneider said it had been a long time since he'd seen Count Parmas. This was because he remembered visiting him in his youth to pay his respects to the Marching Count, shortly after inheriting the fief a very long time ago. But Count Parmas had completely forgotten about it.
In fact, it was an event from almost twenty years ago, so it would have been stranger for him to remember. To Count Parmas, the lord of Schneider was just one of the many lords in the east.
"How many troops have you brought?"
"My family's circumstances are difficult, so I am ashamed that I could not bring many."
"..."
'It seems that's truly the case,' Count Parmas wanted to say. According to the attendant's report, Baron Schneider had brought only 100 soldiers. Not a single knight, just 100 soldiers.
This was the weakest force among the lords gathered this time.
But...
'It can't be helped. For a poor family, they must have done their best.' Although the troops were few, there was a sense that they had done their best, rather than just bringing them for show.
The soldiers' armaments were said to be not bad, and above all, he had brought his only son with him. In Count Parmas's view, this... 'Although our forces are lacking, we are still doing our best to carry out the orders of His Excellency, the Marching Count.
Please recognize our efforts.' It even looked like a desperate plea. So Count Parmas smiled faintly and said.
"Stay and rest comfortably. The subjugation of the bandits will take place in two days."
"I understand."
"This evening, I will hold a simple banquet to welcome the lords. So the baron and your son should also attend."
"It is an honor, my lord."
"Return and rest comfortably."
Just as the greeting was about to conclude warmly... An attendant rushed in and said.
"My lord. Excuse me."
"What is it?"
"A fight has broken out in the barracks where the soldiers are gathered. It seems the deployment of knights will be necessary."
"Kuh..."
The one who let out a groan at the attendant's words was not the Count.
"What is the matter, Baron?"
"Ah, that is... My son and my soldiers are there right now. It's just that he..."
"Hmm, do not worry. It must be just a small trouble. Even if high-spirited soldiers cause some trouble, would they dare to pick a fight with the son of a noble house?"
High-spirited soldiers.
They probably wouldn't. But... 'Will my son be able to hold back?' No, it wasn't a matter of holding back or not.
He could instinctively realize it. The moment he heard that a disturbance had occurred among the soldiers summoned by the Marching Count's order, in the Baron's mind, the culprit of this incident was already confirmed.