244 - Boy Fredricks
In Banseime, the term "true noble" refers to those of Baron rank or higher.
Knight and Baronet ranks were positions below that. It was not that they were looked down upon, but considering the scale of their territories and responsibilities, it was not incorrect to say that true nobility began with the Baronial houses.
The number of subjects they supported, and the breadth of the land they managed.
They bore the obligation to protect these things, and thus assumed the role of patrons to Knight and Baronet houses.
However, the surrounding nobility felt uneasy about the House of Walt, which had not occupied such a status for many years, but had instead risen as upstarts.
Things were fine during the era when the third generation was a hero and the fourth generation was favored by the King... or so it was thought. But then came the era of the fifth generation.
Around this time, the interior of Banseime began to grow turbulent. After all, foreign invasions had decreased. Naturally, the national strength that had been exhausted during the third generation's era recovered, and it was a time when excess dissatisfaction and domestic problems began to surface.
The Room of Memories of the fifth generation—.
The sight projected there was something I could not believe.
It was an unfamiliar mansion, not the estate of the House of Walt. The fifth generation in his boyhood—Fredricks, with his green hair, was surrounded by boys and girls in a deserted area of the mansion, his formal clothes stained with dirt.
Fredricks was crying.
"I... I didn't do anything..."
He had been small since childhood, and lacked the detached atmosphere he possessed now. Seeing his past self, the fifth generation covered his face with his right hand.
"...I thought it would be better not to show you. But unless Mireia is satisfied, I will never be able to entrust the skill to you."
The gathered boys and girls were kicking Fredricks.
"Shut up, you upstart!"
"Our house is suffering because of yours!"
"Just because you're called a hero, you've gotten arrogant, even though you're from a lower house!"
The girls, who were giggling, looked truly delighted as they watched the boys kick Fredricks.
Unable to bear it, I reached out toward the foot attempting to kick Fredricks, but I passed through without touching anything. In the memory's image, Fredricks was slammed against a wall.
The fifth generation explained.
"The succession to the throne had already taken place. The King who felt gratitude toward the House of Walt... or rather, the King who feared the third generation, was the grandfather of the previous king. The situation had changed. Perhaps these children felt that in their own way?"
"What do you mean, 'because of the House of Walt'?"
"Hm? Ah, that. It's just that the fourth generation was truly skilled in internal affairs. He invited craftsmen to a place where there was nothing and nurtured them. He tried and failed, learning from Mama about territory management, and tried various things... and those efforts bore fruit."
Those efforts bore fruit. Because they had, it seemed the House of Walt had become an existence that stood out far above its surroundings.
The tax rate was high, the same as the surrounding areas, but it seemed he drew out the motivation of the people by granting exemptions or paying rewards if they cooperated in various ways.
As a result, the House of Walt created a situation where taxes were effectively lower than those of the surrounding areas.
"I can understand their resentment. If one place lowers taxes drastically, the people will flow there. It's a nuisance for both the side that can escape and the side that receives the refugees, right? That's why they hold discussions to align things to a certain extent. I heard the fourth generation recommended this to the surroundings as well. No one feels motivated when they think their income will decrease. Even if the neighbor has achieved great success. Well, that wasn't the only reason, though."
The fifth generation muttered that many people do not change their ways even when they know success is possible. And it seemed that here, the House of Walt faced a major problem.
"...The House of Walt, which they had thought of as lower, now possessed the greatest power in the area. However, if the surroundings cooperated, it was still possible to suppress the House of Walt. We were on a very delicate balance."
The children who were bullying him had apparently grown up watching their parents fear the House of Walt.
"Thinking back on it, maybe they were scared too. Of the House of Walt, which continued to grow."
As the fifth generation spoke, the children disappeared from the surroundings. The tear-streaked Fredricks wiped his face with his sleeve, stood up, and brushed the dirt off his clothes.
Then, his attendants arrived, led by the mansion's servants.
"...Were the servants in on it too?"
The expressions of those servants were mixed; some looked conflicted, while others were suppressing laughter. Perhaps they had conspired with the heir of the house, or perhaps they had intentionally let the attendants drift away.
"Master Fredricks! What happened to you!"
"A-Ah, this is..."
Before Fredricks could say anything, a mansion servant spoke.
"Did you fall? That is terrible. We shall prepare a change of clothes for you."
Saying so, they led him away.
Seeing this, I couldn't say anything. I hadn't imagined the fifth generation had such a past.
The fifth generation spoke.
"...Riel, let's stop here for today. This is quite painful for me as well."
I nodded at the fifth generation's request and stepped out into the Room of the Round Table.
In the Room of the Round Table, Mireia-san was leaning on the floor, breathing heavily.
The third generation, sitting in his own seat, was watching her.
"Riel, were you able to learn anything?"
The third generation had been yawning and didn't seem to have moved from there. I looked at Mireia-san and the third generation and spoke.
"Did you perhaps separate Mireia-san on purpose?"
The third generation chuckled.
"Everyone has a past they don't want others to see. I thought Mireia-chan, who has a bit of a father complex, would want to follow along. She has a brother complex too; she's quite a troublesome great-granddaughter."
Mireia-san stood up and looked at me.
"...Riel, did you see the fifth generation's past? What you learn from it is up to you."
I shook my head.
"Mireia-san, please don't say things like that as if everything that just happened didn't occur."
When I said that, she pointed the muzzle of her gun at me, so I decided to escape back to the real world.
The morning we departed from Cartaphus.
I looked at my companions, whose atmosphere felt strange.
Shannon was the same as always. She was sitting on the bed of the reborn Porter, swinging her legs and looking at the scenery outside.
However, Clara's behavior was a bit odd.
She was talking with Ludmila-san, who had come to see them off, and Ludmila-san's attitude was as if she were talking to a friend.
Ludmila-san spoke.
"This is what you asked for. It's a good thing it was in Cartaphus, as it's relatively rare. Please handle it with care."
The item Clara accepted with a nod seemed to be some kind of ammunition.
"This helps. Ammo is precious, too."
Ludmila-san had given a large amount of those precious bullets to Clara.
"It's fine. Your safety is important to me as well. Besides, it's necessary to protect Riel."
Saying so, Ludmila-san smiled.
It was certainly true that it would be helpful if Clara had a means of fighting. Whether against monsters or bandits, attacks from a handgun have a certain level of effect.
However, Aria, who had been watching the two of them, had a conflicted expression. And she was strangely distant from the two of them. No, she seemed distant from Shannon as well.
Monica, who was near me, noticed that distance.
"Oh, it seems there are new movements within the factions. They should just crush each other. For the chicken coward, this Monica alone is sufficient."
Seeing Monica start talking about factions, I snorted.
"What factions? You're exaggerating. A lot happened before, but it's not to that extent. Honestly... still, if Ludmila-san were to get along with someone, I thought it would be Aria."
I thought Aria and Ludmila-san, both being women who fight, would surely have many things in common. However, after they were together in the bath, it seemed the one who got along with Ludmila-san was Clara.
I wanted to tilt my head at the unexpected combination, but I decided to accept that such things happen and depart.
From within the Jewel Orb, Mireia-san, who had been silent and grumpy, spoke up.
"...A strong enemy has appeared. To think that girl would join that side."
The third generation spoke in a voice slightly lower than usual.
"I'll be angry if anyone lays a finger on my favorite Clara-chan."
While listening to the conversation between the two and wanting to tilt my head again, the seventh generation spoke.
"How unexpected. I thought Ludmila and Aria would get along... perhaps it's a case of hating those similar to oneself?"
Amidst this, only the fifth generation spoke to me.
"...Riel, talk to Aria. Even just speaking to her during the trip is fine. Also, have a bit more sense of tension."
I thought it was because we were heading to Banseime, but it seemed that was not the case.
"This is bad. A wife who knows about factions. She might be more troublesome than Novem."
The fifth generation seemed to be seriously troubled.
The journey in the reborn Porter was comfortable.
On most roads, we could move with little shaking. Since we were moving in a mass of iron, bandits and monsters, for some reason, remained cautious and did not appear.
They watched from afar, and since our travel speed was higher than ever, they quickly gave up on chasing us.
While sitting on the sofa-like long chair of the cargo bed, I spoke to Aria beside me.
"It's become quite comfortable. Though it's a problem that some strange parts were added and it's become a bit narrow."
Aria seemed to agree.
"It doesn't shake as much as before, and it's more comfortable, but it is narrow. It would have been better if it were larger. Like the one at Damian's—"
Aria was smiling. However, when she mentioned Damian's name, Monica, who was knitting, reacted. She stood up and spread her arms.
"Are you saying that fake Porter that's just big is better!? To mock the crystallization of love between me and the chicken coward, which even has a transformation mechanism—ow!"
Borrowing Aria's spear, I lightly tapped Monica's head with the shaft. With teary eyes, Monica sat down, holding the spot that was hit with both hands. Her twin-tails fell beautifully onto the floor.
Since Valkyrie No. 1 had recently taught me that she calculates everything to look cute, it felt calculated.
"Monica, be quiet for a bit. You'll wake Shannon, who's sleeping and drooling beside us."
Looking at the happily sleeping Shannon, Monica took out a cloth and wiped away the drool.
"Please do not soil the Porter of me and the chicken coward."
Saying so, she sat back down and resumed her knitting. Winter would soon arrive. She said she was preparing various things for that.
Last winter, I received a heavy sweater, muffler, and gloves that were filled with too much love. I was a bit curious about what would be completed this year.
Sighing, I returned the spear to Aria.
"Thinking back to the beginning, the number of people has increased. And at first, I was trying to become an adventurer in Darion while being scolded by Zelfie-san. Now, I'd probably be kicked out of the Adventurer's Guild."
Zelfie-san was an adventurer who guided us when we had just become adventurers. She was a veteran in the town of Darion, where there were many rookie adventurers.
In the past, her family had served Aria's house, and she had been like an older sister to Aria.
"Looking at me now, I wonder what Zelfie would say... in terms of appearance, I'm a fine adventurer, right?"
Certainly, Aria had developed the dignity of a female adventurer. In addition to her well-used equipment, her fighting style was not inferior to any man's.
Still, from my perspective, having seen Aria fail at various things when she was a rookie adventurer.
"You've become wild, but I don't think you've changed much. You're active, and surprisingly, you still have a girlish side."
Aria looked awkward.
"I'm just coarse anyway."
Though she said that, she didn't seem to mind much. She smiled slightly. However, her expression soon turned dark.
"Riel, I want to ask you something."
"What?"
Aria looked up at the ceiling, confirmed that Clara, who was operating the Porter in front, could not hear, and spoke in a slightly small voice.
"After all... I'm, you know... like this, so I'll cooperate, but... I'll pass on becoming your wife."
What Aria spoke were words saying she would cooperate but would not marry me. However, somewhere, I had intended to accept that.
After all, I wanted Aria to be happy too, and if that was Aria's choice—.
But, the one who voiced an opposing opinion was, unexpectedly, within the Jewel Orb. The fifth generation.
"Riel, hold onto this girl no matter what. I'm telling you, this girl is absolutely necessary for you."
The fifth generation seriously told me to hold onto Aria. While I was confused, Aria also seemed a bit tense, as if waiting for my answer.
I opened my mouth.
"...M-May I ask the reason?"
"T-That's because, you see! I'm not stronger than the others, I can't provide money like Vera, and I can't provide manpower like others. I'm not as smart as Novem or Miranda... I can use magic, but I'm not good at it. I'm aware that I'm a hindrance."
Hearing Aria's words, the fifth generation spoke from within the Jewel Orb with a stronger tone than usual.
"Riel, absolutely do not let Aria escape. This girl possesses something you will need in the future. Not Novem, nor Miranda. She's different from Vera or Ludmila, but she is absolutely necessary for you."
While listening to the desperate opinion of the fifth generation, I thought about what I should say to Aria. However, what I thought in my heart was—if she stays by my side, will Aria be able to be happy?—which was a question.
I also wondered if it was okay to continue following the words of the successive heads and pursue only my own happiness.