285 - Maisel Wolt
――The Wolt family estate.
There was a man there with gray hair slicked back. While tracing his well-groomed beard with his finger, he smiled as he looked at a letter that had come from Central. After placing the letter on the grand desk in his office, he then turned a sharp gaze toward a crumpled report.
Turning his gaze toward his vassal, Vale Landburg, who had visited the room at night, the current head of the Wolt family, Maisel Wolt, spoke in an exasperated tone.
"I had heard that the Eastern Army was defeated, but the scale is beyond my expectations. According to the reports from Celes and Claire in Central, only a very few were able to escape... To think they were played so thoroughly by that disgrace to the Wolt family!"
While Maisel wore a bitter expression, Vale remained serious.
"Is that not fine? Even for one exiled from the Wolt family, it has made it known that they possess such capability."
Maisel leaned back into his chair, looking dissatisfied.
"Don't be foolish. Even though Celes has become the Crown Prince's consort... that disgrace will obstruct the Wolt family to the very end. They should be eliminated as soon as possible. It seems there are traitors as well. I will find a reason to march on Lufence."
Vale countered Maisel's words.
"Lord Maisel, in Central, Lady Celes is eagerly awaiting your arrival. Keeping her waiting too long..."
Maisel burst out laughing. That smile was brimming with confidence.
"That is a joyful thing. My lovely daughter is eagerly awaiting my arrival. However, my pride as a father will not allow me to go to Central without a souvenir. Tell Celes that I will be slightly delayed."
Knowing that there was no change in Maisel's decision, Vale replied.
"Currently, the frequency of deployments is increasing. Furthermore, as it is winter, there is a limit to the number of troops that can be mobilized. Even if we move them, it will be on a scale of several tens of thousands."
Maisel spoke with absolute confidence.
"Were they Porters? There is also the technology that Celes brought to the Wolt family from Alamsars. The rear support is also in order. Mobilize the dependent vassals and the related houses as well. There are plenty of people who will do anything just to see the joyful face of Celes!"
Vale offered his opinion to Maisel.
"Even so, it is a matter of whether we can reach fifty thousand. I believe Lufence has a considerable number of troops? It seems the spies are also struggling to infiltrate. Why not wait a little longer?"
Maisel stroked his mustache with his fingertips.
"They likely used a Wolt family heirloom. That is all. However, skills are irrelevant to me. They seem to be getting a bit carried away... but before me, they are meaningless. I shall also take back the Wolt family heirloom that thing took. That thing itself has no value as a gem, but it is an important heirloom. It is because that old fool kept it hidden and gave it to that thing. Honestly, Father was a troublesome man as well."
When Maisel said that, Vale agreed.
"Lord Broad, before he passed... perhaps he was depressed because Lord Zenoa passed away first."
When the talk turned to the seventh head, Broad, Maisel looked up at the ceiling.
"The sight of that strict father becoming senile was pitiful. Telling me to 'wake up'... I wonder what he wanted to say."
The two remained silent for a while. Finally, Maisel spoke.
"...Hurry the preparations. Even if that thing's head is impossible, I want to deliver victory to Celes."
Maisel was a man who treated Celes and Lyel with an utter difference in care――.
"About Father? No, well... ah, I don't have much memory."
I gave an ambiguous answer, but in reality, I have lost most of my memories. Because of that, I lacked a considerable amount of knowledge regarding my father, Maisel Wolt.
The current head of the Wolt family, who rose to become the strongest in Banseim――.
And now, he is mercilessly destroying Celes's enemies.
Inside the Jewel.
In the Room of the Round Table, I sat facing my grandfather, the seventh head. Perhaps so as not to interfere, the third head was shut away in his own Room of Memories.
The seventh head had a slightly――no, a quite difficult expression.
"...Lyel, you are also my grandson, but Maisel is my son. That is precisely why there are things I can say."
Memories of my father are truly few. In the few remaining memories, my father was truly kind before I was treated coldly. He was strict, but there was certainly kindness as well.
Considering his attitude after I was treated coldly, that became very clear.
"Maisel did not place importance on the Jewel. Do you know why?"
I tilted my head. Certainly, after I obtained it, the blue orb became the Blue Jewel. Even so, the skills left by the successive heads all possessed performance that could be called extraordinary.
There was no way my father didn't know that, so why didn't he investigate that Grandpa Zel had it? If he had felt like it, he should have been able to investigate and search for it as much as he wanted.
"Thinking about it, it is strange. It would also be odd for him to have no attachment to the family heirloom. He took pride in the Wolt family."
The pride of the Wolt family――because of that, my father disliked how his grandfather, the Sixth Generation head, Fines, had done dirty things.
Then, why did my father not take the Jewel?
"Maisel did not need the Jewel. No, to be precise, it had only the value of an ornament. Maisel cannot handle the skills of the Jewel."
"Cannot handle them? Was there some problem with Father? He didn't seem that way."
I think my father was a grand person, just like the successive heads. Before he was driven mad by Celes, he strove to be a good lord.
The seventh head spoke about my father.
"No, he was excellent. And precisely because he was excellent, Maisel could not use the blue orb. Maisel... possesses a skill that inhibits the use of skills. Moreover, his own skill is so strong that he cannot even use magic tools."
Hearing that, I understood why my father had not been obsessed with the Jewel.
――The royal castle of Rolfis.
Anneliese had lifted herself from the throne in front of one of the Valkyries stationed in Rolfis.
"W-what did you just say?"
Other prominent figures were also gathered in the audience chamber, receiving a report from the group sent to Lufence while surrounding the Valkyrie dressed in a maid's outfit.
The Valkyrie spoke flatly and expressionlessly.
"Therefore, a marriage has been established between Lord Baldor Landburg, a vassal of my master, and the vice-commander of your country's knights, Alette Baie. It is said to be a wonderful result for both countries. Lord Baldor is my master's close aide. If things continue this way, his promotion is certain, and while there is currently a difference in status, eventually the positions will reverse――"
"That is not the point! Why! Without consulting me, why is Alette getting married! It is only natural that there would be a consultation with this side!"
Those around her muttered similar things to Anneliese.
"T-true. The marriage of the vice-commander is unexpected."
"But there are benefits."
"That does not change the current situation! Zain, Galleria, and Lusworth have all married their daughters to the leader. People of appropriate status! There may certainly be benefits... but if we do any more than this, we will face backlash from those around us."
The Valkyrie watched the reactions of those around her, moving her red eyes.
From Rolfis's perspective, the best outcome would be for Anneliese to marry Lyel. However, since the throne would be left vacant, Anneliese stayed in Rolfis. The desired situation was that if a child were born, they would become the heir.
It might be called selfish, but Rolfis had its own circumstances. Voices had begun to question why they had cooperated this much without even being married.
Considering the situation outside the country, if they were to withdraw from the alliance, Rolfis would collapse the moment they did. They knew that, but they could not leave domestic problems unattended.
The Prime Minister, Lombolt, spoke while sweat poured from his head.
"...You are saying that marriage with Lady Anneliese cannot be permitted? Could you tell us the reason for that?"
The Valkyrie spoke flatly.
"It is precisely because I think of both parties. Furthermore, Lord Baldor is a distant relative of my master. If dissatisfaction were expressed, even if my master himself felt nothing toward Rolfis, one must consider what those around him would think."
The younger siblings of the Sixth Generation head had also married into the Landburg family. Therefore, Lyel and Baldor were relatives. Although they were in a master-servant relationship and the awareness of being blood relatives was thin, from the perspective of those around them, refusing it would also be a problem.
There were problems with Lyel's attitude, but there were many problems on Rolfis's side as well. Both were shaky, and continuing the conversation like this would lead to a quagmire.
Lombolt spoke to the Valkyrie.
"...We shall recognize the marriage of Alette Baie. I will have formal words of congratulation prepared in writing later."
The Valkyrie held her skirt with her fingertips and gave a beautiful bow.
"Thank you. I am grateful for the depth of your country's tolerance."
However, only Anneliese remained.
"W-wait! Prime Minister, what happens to my marriage! You were the one who said it was necessary for the sake of the country!"
Facing the shouting Anneliese, the Valkyrie thought.
(Should I tell them that the bomb disposal is complete?)
Anneliese, treated as a bomb by the Valkyrie, was led out of the audience chamber by Lombolt and her attendants――.
Night.
In the bedroom within the Lufence royal castle, I sat in a chair and looked up at the night sky through the window. The room should have been warm, but for some reason, I didn't feel warm to the core.
Holding the chain of the Jewel in my right hand, I lifted it and looked at the blue jewel illuminated by the moonlight.
"...An anti-skill, huh. That's troublesome."
A skill that inhibits the use of skills. Simply put, my father could easily make me lose my superiority.
The transmission of information via skills. And in addition to grasping the surrounding terrain, confirming the enemy's position. It was because there was also an increase in ability via skills that I had been able to fight even with a ragtag group. If that were taken away, the difference in raw strength would emerge.
Even if there are excellent individuals, looking at the whole, the Wolt family army that my father possesses is superior in everything from unification of will to coordination.
The difference in training, equipment, and experience――considering various conditions, not being able to use skills was a considerable problem. Especially when the magic tool skill of the Jewel was interfered with and became unusable, Monica's line with me would be cut.
I could not expect Monica to be active.
"Looking at it this way, I really have relied on them. If I didn't have skills, the current me――"
When I said something weak, the third head called out from inside the Jewel.
"You're quite timid. It's true that Lyel has been able to fight thanks to skills. But I think it's not just that. When moving a large army, ability is necessary, but there are many other things needed as well. Even if you only had skills, you wouldn't have been able to create the current situation."
The seventh head also spoke to me.
"That's right. Have more confidence. It is not just skills. It is because you had your own strength that you were able to come this far."
I was a little happy to be told that. Gripping the Jewel in my right hand, I muttered.
"Even so, the inhibition of skills... if I cannot use the weapons of the successive heads either, it will be troublesome. Especially when we are in a dire situation."
The soldiers who had fled had become bandits, and I was allocating personnel to subjugate them. Their numbers were very large.
Furthermore, many of the gathered Beim soldiers were volunteers and had returned to being commoners. Even if everyone had stayed, I couldn't have supported them all, and the soldiers of the four-nation alliance had also begun returning home.
The third head thought for a while.
"...It would be better to gather trustworthy soldiers and quickly prepare a core. Depending on the situation, the soldiers on this side will likely betray us."
Among the many soldiers taken in, the third head said it was necessary to gather only the trustworthy ones and create an elite force.
"How much can I do by training them now... and if the enemy comes, the response will also..."
The seventh head laughed.
"Lyel, think with a broader perspective. You don't have such ordinary thoughts as simply training trustworthy people from among the soldiers, do you?"
"Is it different?"
The third head laughed.
"Honestly, after working as an adventurer until now, why haven't you noticed? If you're going to utilize something at a time like this, there's something convenient, isn't there?"
I was startled by the third head's words.
"The labyrinth! No, but... basically, I think the skills required for adventurers and soldiers are different."
In fact, the Beim soldiers were like that. While having adventurers as the core, they lost to the Banseim army in terms of numerical power. And they were not used to fighting between humans.
The seventh head said.
"Is it not just right for increasing individual skill while enhancing coordination on a squad unit? Moreover, Lyel... don't you think your constantly active skill is effective? At worst, just raising commanders and their assistants is fine. Or rather――"
The third head took over the seventh head's explanation.
"I want to fight within the labyrinth with our own army. Now is the only time we can deploy soldiers in large numbers and act while ignoring adventurer manners."
As I thought about it, the seventh head said.
"It will also serve as training for unit messengers and how to move them. Lyel, why not do it thinking of it as giving others experience? If you provide support, there won't be any large casualties. Let's grow them quickly in a short period and strive to strengthen the army. Incidentally, we can supplement the lacking commander class."
I decided to follow the opinions of the two.
"I understand. But if I participate, I won't be able to leave this place much."
The third head laughed.
"It's fine. Lyel's skills have also become rapidly stronger after growth. Perhaps thanks to the fifth head and Mireia-chan? Now, let's begin the Wolt-style army strengthening! This is getting fun!"
...Come to think of it, the only suitable labyrinth nearby is the one managed by Beim. Thinking about it now, this was the first time I had entered such a Beim labyrinth.