Chapter 61 – 6. New Family (1)
It was late afternoon. It was around the time that those who missed the time and had lunch almost lost their stomachs. As usual, a snowy wind blows under the gloomy dark clouds. On the streets of the village, stalls and stalls were folded and they began to prepare for the harsh cold.
Even well-paved roads were useless in the face of heavy snow that had piled up to the knees. When it was sunny, the mountains and the horizon were whitish, as if I was wandering in a dense fog.
Wise northerners refrain from going out as much as possible in this weather. Not to mention long distances, even visits to nearby villages are postponed as much as possible, or they come and go quickly around noon when it will be relatively quiet.
“It is a very bad day.”
The cold of the barren frozen soil is a problem directly related to survival. In the same vein, the guards at the checkpoint, who always guard the road in groups of several, were warming up quietly in the temporary building today.
“Oh, I’m dying of cold.”
“Put in some more firewood.”
The weather was brutal enough to shiver from the cold even wearing winter clothes. Seven soldiers were sitting in a circle around a campfire in a log hut built for the purpose of serving as a guard post. He was boiling a delicious soup by placing a pot on a portable iron stove and dropping the ingredients he had on hand.
“Hey, does anyone have pepper?”
“I have herbs and salt.”
“Then let’s put that in first. What I ate for lunch was so greasy that I was bloated.”
Dishes with any kind of meat and vegetables, unlike their appearance, taste pretty good. There is a downside to having to boil it for a long time, but on a day like this, I only had to close the lid of the pot a couple of hours before eating and stir it occasionally.
The olfactory smell and the sound of boiling broth are often a great comfort to isolated soldiers. Even in front of the thrill of the solemn Mother Nature, it often brings relief.
“Why is it like this only on the days I stand on duty?”
“Hey, but these days, this is better than guard duty. I don’t know why, but the knights are so venomous that they’re so damned. Besides, today, only the classmates were caught, so no one will notice.”
“If I had known it would be like this, I would have brought a few bottles.”
“It’s a good day to snuggle up a drink.”
“Arthur, if you get caught, you’ll be fucking broken.”
The soldiers, who had been chatting with each other, sighed deeply. It was because it felt very difficult to live in poverty with no sign of change in the midst of repeated hard training. Even though soldiers like themselves did not have to worry about food or a place to sleep.
“I am tired of doing this. When will you be able to live without worrying about tomorrow…”
“Still, I heard that you started spending money here and there. The cabin here will soon be replaced with a stone wall building.”
“Do you believe that? At best, I’d put a roof of stone on it and slap it on top of the rest.”
“Isn’t Madame Lemoang like that?”
“All nobles are there.”
The soldier grumbled and took out a smoking pipe from his bosom. Drowsiness began to creep in because I felt like I had to put something in my mouth. He pulled out a heated pebble with tongs next to the stove and lit the pipe with it.
“Go out and spread it, the food smells.”
“How do you go out and stretch in this weather?”
“Then go over there to the window and smoke.”
Smokers are rare in frozen land. Unlike alcohol, which is consumed to warm the body, the impression of preference is deeply rooted, and most of the products supplied are of low quality compared to the price. It was a remote and rugged terrain based on the northern kingdom.
“Like picky children.”
The soldier reluctantly got up and moved toward the window. I breathed in the smoke while watching the scenery that was still thick and cloudy.
“… ?”
How many sips was it? He, who was stunned with his arms crossed, opened his mouth in a stunned expression. Even after dropping the smoking pipe, which he cherished so much that he thoroughly cleaned and groomed it every day, he stuttered his words without thinking about picking it up.
“Oh, hey!”
The attention of the colleagues who had been teasing each other with trivial jokes was focused on one thing. Even then, when the soldier holding the smoking pipe sighed in frustration for a long time, he finally loosened up and got up and approached one by one.
“Why? Who’s here?”
“What is it?”
After that, everyone, without exception, stiffened. He repeatedly checked to see if he was dreaming or seeing a mirage, and when he realized that it was real, he fainted and looked for his weapon.
“Huh, huh!”
“Crazy…!”
The perplexed soldiers moved quickly. What was visible outside the window was a crowd of people occupying the road, just like during the vice-count’s rebellion. It was a few karamas covered in black clothing like manes and the entire wagon they were pulling.
“Um, maybe that’s not what I think, is it?”
“That’s right, so stay alert!”
“Okay, we’ll be in charge here, so you go and tell your wife!”
It happened in an instant. Those who nodded at each other soon began to act. The soldier who was to deliver the news to the fort threw everything that could be a burden and ran out, and the rest of the personnel quickly equipped themselves with weapons and moved outside in line with the five.
“Mmm, stop!”
The size of the sudden arrival of the crowd was staggering. It was a fact that I only knew after leaving the cabin, but there was not one carriage, and there were dozens of escorts around it who did not care about heavy snow and strong winds.
“This is the fortress of Madame Orriane Lemoang, the legitimate ruler of the Northern Margrave of the Kingdom of Gaul. Outsiders who do not reveal their identity are not allowed to come in and out. If you want access, please get off your horse and state your name.”
One of the delegates said, imitating a solemn voice as much as possible. Unlike usual, his attitude was quite polite. In fact, the sentence engraved on the wagon was a sentence, so this was just a ceremonial procedure.
Moreover, among the leading men facing them now, there were also colleagues who had been in close contact with each other and who seized on new opportunities and succeeded in their careers.
Suddenly, the man escorting the largest carriage cautiously opened the door.
He was followed by a young man with a studious face. He was a handsome man with a good physique and a great face, and he had a lot of dignity.
“Is this Lemoang Fortress?”
The soldiers were silent, not knowing what to do. It was a natural reaction. It was because I couldn’t answer the question I received from someone who hadn’t revealed my name yet. It was clear that he was a young man, but the principles of this land were all like that.
“That’s right.”
It was the companion who was in the lead who came up with the answer. His name his, Antoine, who dismounted with his men his, was the direct deputy commander following Romuald Dior.
“As you’ve heard, it’s a bittersweet place.”
A young man who briefly commented on the world dyed white received an item he had been keeping separately from a nearby escort. It was a scroll wrapped in silk. Sensing that the time had come, Antoine’s group gave a signal to the sentries and opened their mouths.
“All who guard the gateway to the northern frozen land, listen!”
A cry like a loud roar rang out loudly over the raging blizzard. The attitude of those who were caught in the snow at this moment was indeed pious.
“The lawful and solemn king of the great Gaul, whom the heavens look upon, the Duke of Lumiere and the Count of Agincourt, the Baron Roche-Jaclain and the Lord of Duris, the Lord of Evreux, the Knight Commander of Calais, the guardian of the eastern plains and the southern jungle, the western wilderness. It is the procession of Inspector Vincent Renoir, who was acting on behalf of the ruler Alphonse de Gaul, the conqueror of the northern frozen land!”
The soldiers saluted in unison. The crest engraved on the carriage belonged to the Gallic royal family. And, as expected, the young man who rode it was a magnate among magnates, each of whom was an agent of the king.
Well, there were only a limited number of people allowed to ride in a carriage like this, except for the king himself and the royal family.
“Be polite!”
Those whose military discipline had risen stood upright again and took an immobile stance. Although the Margrave of Lemoang is relatively out of the reach of the king, the king’s agent is the same as the king who holds the kingship. If something was found to be flawed, the frozen land, which had just escaped the hardships of the war, would be blown with blood again.
So it’s natural to be quick.
“Thank you, Captain Antoine.”
Vincent, a young man who thanked me politely, brought his fisted hand his to his mouth his. He just cleared his throat and cleared his throat a few times. He began reciting the contents of the scroll of courtesy to all the soldiers who were waiting for orders to be taken down.
“Gentlemen? As the deputy commander introduced, I am Vincent Renoir. An overseer entrusted with full authority by His Majesty Alphonse, ruler of the great kingdom of Gaul. As of the present time, I will call you under my command with the legitimate right of the headmaster.”
At this point, it was no exaggeration to say that Vincent was a man with absolute power. So, if he wanted to do something, it was enough for him to simply order it. Even so, he reorganized all the soldiers at the checkpoint under his command his, even citing his rights his, and he looked around and added that they had followed me unintentionally.
“Do you have any objections?”
“Oh, no!”
“Great.”
Even the appearance of making sure to finish the back so that the noise does not come out.
“From now on, I will give you a mission.”
It was difficult to belittle him just by looking at his insignificant appearance. It was because he was one of the greatest geniuses in the middle of the country to the extent that the king believed in my authority and entrusted it to me. He accepted without a murmur the hurried decision to make his way to the north right away, and was holding back the pace like this.
“Go to the citadel. There, after seeking the pardon of the Marquis, he summoned the knight Romuald Dior. However, even if it is an understanding, it is only a formality, so keep in mind, and tell them that you must appear alone.”
“Muh, what kind of business should I call it?”
Someone accidentally asked. If you remember that there is a rule that you should not dare to ask the question of the king of Daejeo, he could have done more than pay off the sutra. However, as if Vincent had as much generosity as his stern attitude, he unexpectedly answered in person without much criticism.
“Your Majesty has bestowed a title on Romuald of Dior.”
“… !”
“And he personally granted the request of the Dior family, who had a strong will for branching out. Therefore, as soon as this message reaches him correctly, he will have to think about the rock to build on the frozen soil.”
He said the main reason for his visit was that Rom Dior would become a nobleman.
“Yes, I will raise a new family soon.”
The fact that a new wind will blow in this quiet land.
