Stranger's Handbook

Chapter 64: Meeting at the Fortress – The Secret of the Frontier Count’s Household

“Hohoho. You led 1000 soldiers through a formation of thousands of enemies. You really are reliable.”

The Frontier Count was showing a smile worthy of ‘the last boss’.

We moved to the conference room to hold a strategic meeting.

“And that speech of yours, quite impressive. The soldiers were happy.”

…….I stole the spotlight, sorry.

“Gahahahaha. You took the lead, assaulted the enemy and penetrated their formation! Even though this isn’t the typical job for a duke.”

My shoulders were creaking.

Haha, my foster father was way too energetic.

After this short exchange, we moved to the main subject.

“What is the general situation of this war?”

At this point, I was using the seat of honor since my court rank was the highest.

This doesn’t suit me…….It feels awkward.

“Both my Commanders, Sonia and Galef, already went wild on the battlefield. And now you’re here too, son-in-law-dono. I can’t picture us losing anymore.”

“To say it clearly, there’s no way this fortress will fall with you inside it, son-in-law-dono. Don’t look down on your own strength.”

………Master is calling me ‘son-in-law-dono’ too; this is way too awkward.

But they’re right.

I still have lots of magical power left, so we might take turns and hail them with magical attacks.

“With son-in-law-dono, Sonia and I together, we could take on about 10.000 enemies. Tomorrow we’ll be enjoying a grand fireworks display with our families.”

“It sounds good. We’ll leave the approaching enemy soldiers to Galef and Albert. They’ll do the job.”

“Gahahahaha, Albert! We’ll go wild tomorrow!”

“Yes sir! I won’t let anyone get close and return with his life!”

Gahahaha

Ha ha ha ha

Hohoho

……..I brought reinforcements in order to protect this place.

But was I even needed here?

Everyone stopped laughing suddenly.

Hiii!

It’s been a while since they made me feel this frightened!

“Lord Zest, thank you for bringing reinforcements, I’ll be forever grateful. The Frontier Count’s Household pays back its life debts with its own life. Even if you’ll become an enemy to the Empire, we will never betray you.”

The Frontier Count bowed his head and everyone else followed his example.

“Please stop. It’s only natural to want to save my own family. I don’t want you to be indebted to me.”

Hm? Did I miss something?……

There’s no reaction coming from them, it’s too embarrassing…..

“Hohoho, you are not greedy, it seems. Well, you must be tired, so you might want to rest a bit.”

When being told that, I had no other choice but to comply……Did I really get it all wrong?

I saluted everyone and walked, with some difficulty, towards my room.

I’ll go to sleep early today…..

By the time I was falling asleep, the discussion in the conference room was still ongoing.

“………However, this is a huge help, your Excellency. If we were to continue like that, it would’ve gotten rather dangerous.”

“Indeed, Galef. Now that son-in-law-dono is here, we are saved. He rescued Bea for me and now this…….Life sure is unforeseeable………Sonia, I am now adding something new to my testament……Listen well!”

“……..As you wish, father.”

“You must tell to the future generations about Lord Zest’s achievements, about how he bravely responded to the compression and enhancement training in such a short period of time. He saved the eldest daughter of the Frontier Count’s Household. He was the first person to put his life at stake and came rushing to us………My domain was saved by him and I’ll never forget this favor. If he ever ends up pointing his bow at the Empire, the Frontier Count’s Household is to aid him to finish it. Lord Zest has strong magical powers, so I’m sure he’ll live long. You will listen to this last request and obey it for as long as he is alive.”

“I swear I will forever act according to your will.”

“Hohoho, I can’t possibly write this in an official document though. The head of this household will have to follow the oral instructions by any means. You heard it too, Galef. The Gaiyus’ Household is the overseer…….You are to kill the heads of this household who reject my will and don’t act accordingly. If the head of the Frontier Count’s Household shows signs of ingratitude, this would only bring about its own ending.”

“Yes Sir!”

“As you wish, your Excellency.”

“Hm…….Because of our debt to him, I followed and protected the will of the First Emperor until this very day, but who would’ve thought that it would change with my generation…..”

“Yes. His will was…….’Observe the conscience of the Empire, and in case the Empire ends up oppressing the good people and those coming from a different world, you have to destroy it. However, if this never happens, you are to be loyal towards it’……So it was.”

“Right……That’s why I gave my protection to this summoned stranger…”

“As I thought….The ones who summoned him are……..”

“Hoho, it was the Tarminal Kingdom’s royal mages. Even though the summoning was a success, his death was a certainty. And so, they panicked and came to attack us.”

“I see…..However father, what if……What if son-in-law-dono will start oppressing the good people and the otherworlders? What will we do then?”

“Gahahahaha, don’t worry about it. He resisted that hellish compression and enhancement training, he has guts. In order to let him live, we made him do absurd things, but he endured it all. Well, if by any chance he ends up doing something like that, I will secretly dispose of him, without the Frontier Count’s Household knowing about it. This is the conviction entrusted to the Gaiyus’ Household.”

“However”

“Still……”

“But you know….?”

“ “ “He is way too kind, we don’t have to worry about it.” “ “

“Furthermore…….”

“And yet……”

“Besides……”

“ “ “He’s surprisingly timid, so we really have nothing to worry about.” “ “

“With him being such a person, I’m amazed he endured that type of training. Such a mysterious son-in-law-dono.”

“You are so right.”

“With ability and guts, that’s how he made it.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

They found out I was a timid person…

However, it was at a later time that I realized what a recklessly strong sense of duty the Frontier Count’s Household actually possessed.