Swordmaster of the Great Wall

Erich left the arena and headed toward the match table posted on the wall.

He hadn't paid any attention to it before, but after witnessing Alexander's martial prowess, he had a new thought.

"Hm."

On the match table were the names of the opponents Erich would face. And on the path toward the semifinals against Milon, there were names of opponents even stronger than Alexander.

'As I thought. They have no intention of letting me through easily, huh?'

Erich paused for a moment, lost in thought. Defeating Alexander had been easier than expected—the man hadn't yet acquired the martial skills he was renowned for before Erich's regression.

But the opponents ahead were the kind who, even aside from winning or losing, could sufficiently wear down Erich's stamina.

The one he'd meet in the semifinals, Milon Roland, was a formidable adversary. He was certainly the greatest swordsman in the South after the grand duke.

It might prove difficult to subdue such a knight easily, especially if the grand duchess's scheming was involved.

However—

A slow smile rose on Erich's lips.

That was because several pieces of the puzzle in his mind had just come together.

'I suppose I should play a few tricks myself. Maybe it's time to toy with our "Mother" a little.'

Just as Erich was staring at the match table, someone came running toward him. He easily recognized who it was by the limping gait.

"Yo, young master!"

It was Finn, the steward. However, as he hadn't fully recovered yet, bloodied bandages peeked out from inside his coat.

"To be running around just a few days after being stabbed—perhaps you're more cut out for knighthood than steward, Finn."

"Seems I was fated to live out my days, after all. But, young master, that's not the issue. The grand duchess...!"

"She's planning to poison me, isn't she?"

"... Huh? How did you know?"

Finn's eyes went wide. Erich looked at him, wearing a slight smile.

'Looks like he came here as soon as he woke up. Seems Victor didn't fill him in on the details.'

He hadn't realized it before his regression, but when Erich thought about it, Finn had always given him his loyalty without expecting anything in return.

Just the fact that he'd stuck to Erich's side, when there was little hope for him, made Finn more than a mere steward.

"You visited the Northern Merchant group, didn't you? I heard the whole story there."

"Yo, you went there yourself? There's no way those bastards would've left you alone...."

"So I gave them a taste of my blade. They quieted down right away."

Finn's eyes turned into triangles of concern. He'd tried to dissuade Erich, and yet the young master had braved danger and gone anyway. His face was the very picture of held-back nagging.

But that only lasted a moment, and then Finn began to calculate things.

"Why would the grand duchess have stayed quiet? She wouldn't just let someone mess with her...."

"Exactly."

"She didn't need to act. Since the investigation into the Northern Merchant group has started, she must have too many things she wants to hide."

Finn was quick to guess correctly. But his speculation was missing a critical piece.

"There's another reason, too."

"... And that is?"

Finn stroked his chin. If the grand duchess made this matter public, she could put Erich in a bind, even if it cost her a little.

But why hadn't the grand duchess bothered to bring this into the open? Finn soon realized the reason.

"Th—the Northern Merchant group no longer serves its purpose?"

"That's right. Now that she's gotten what she wanted, it's useless."

Finn replied with a grim face.

"From now on, I'll taste all your food before you eat. And all the servants coming in and out of your room—"

"That's enough, Finn. Gluttony isn't becoming for someone your age."

"... Excuse me?"

Finn's eyes rounded again. But Erich already knew the answer.

'She would've already made her move.'

From the start, Erich knew well the effects of that poison. Judging from previous cases, it was so subtle that the victim wouldn't notice it themselves. Moreover, the poison's effects could be activated at the user's chosen time.

Most likely, that's the kind of poison the grand duchess used.

"I'm sure there are conditions for the poison's activation. If it could kill just by being eaten, there'd have been no need to get something from the North."

"Then I'll do some research into that poison. Since I've already acquired the original sample, if I find someone who knows about the North, maybe I can discover something."

"The semifinals against Milon are only two weeks away. If she was that careless, she wouldn't be the grand duchess."

"Young master, you talk as if it's nothing, but this is a matter of life and death. We have to grasp at any straw...."

"A straw's still a straw. Anyway, I have something important to do now. Want to come with?"

"... Something important?"

What could be more important than a matter of life or death? Yet Erich grinned.

"To negotiate."

***

Finn followed alongside Erich. Although he had no idea where they were headed, Erich seemed to know already.

They passed through the mansion halls, passing servants and other stewards, until Erich stopped at the quarters where the Watch's members stayed.

"What brings you here..."

"I'd like to see Sir Konrad. Is he in?"

"Yes, he is. Please wait a moment."

The Watch member answered in a polite tone, unlike before. Apparently, subduing the senior member on the first day had changed their attitude.

Having heard the Watch's reputation, Finn seemed to have similar thoughts.

"... I can't believe they're so polite. Weren't they supposed to be a bunch of ignorant thugs?"

'They weren't like this before.'

Erich smirked. If you had skill, you received respect. That was the rule of the Watch.

After a brief wait, the member returned and bowed his head.

"He's waiting for you inside."

Upon entering, Erich and Finn found Konrad, the chief officer of the Watch, seated and waiting to greet them.

"To think the young lord himself would come, I hope my subordinates haven't been rude."

"Not at all. They were very courteous."

"Well, then. What brings you here?"

Konrad slowly sized up Erich, as if trying to guess his intentions.

"I came to make you an offer."

"Oh? And what might that be?"

"Stop cooperating with the grand duchess. In return, I'll give you a tempting gift."

"I don't know what you mean."

A slow smile crept onto Konrad's lips.

"You must already know about the grand duchess's plots. The match table, for instance."

"Oh dear, was there some problem with the match table? I'm not really familiar with those matters. But an offer, you say? Now I'm curious. What are you proposing?"

"I'll give the Heinkel County to the Watch."

Doubt flickered in Konrad's eyes. That reaction was the same among everyone listening in the room—Finn, whose eyes looked about ready to pop out as well.

"Yo—you don't mean, young master!"

Finn cried out as if in despair. But Konrad just kept smiling.

"That's quite a joke, my lord. Heinkel County is the key military outpost of the South and the fief of Her Grace, the grand duchess."

"That's right. Her Grace is the Countess of Heinkel. It was the fief given to her by the grand duke as a dowry."

"Forgive me, but the Watch doesn't wish to cause turmoil in the South."

Konrad carefully withdrew. Heinkel County was virtually the military center of southern Krupp. That it was given as dowry to the imperial princess, the grand duchess, said as much.

Of course, if the Watch were to acquire Heinkel County, they'd gain not only immense resources but troops as well.

But if they openly accepted that from the grand duke, it would earn the resentment not only of the grand duke but also the grand duchess. So, Konrad laced his fingers together and continued.

"The Watch has no wish to make enemies of the Southern Overlord and the Imperial Family. Besides, you're an illegitimate son of the Krupp family. How could you give such a rich territory to the Watch?"

Konrad flatly refused. But only for a moment; he continued on quickly.

"Still, I'm curious. I may be an uneducated brute, but you seem a clever man. So I doubt you'd make an offer you knew I could neither accept nor accomplish."

"You flatter me, sir. You're right—I'd have no way of gaining Heinkel by ordinary means. But I'm not one to make empty promises. I'm certain you know how I could acquire Heinkel, sir Konrad."

"... Pardon?"

"As the winner of Iceborn, I can become a knight of Krupp and receive a fief."

Iceborn: the dueling tournament founded by the first head of Krupp, Reinhardt von Krupp, and the Watch, under their oath. In essence, it was a mutually beneficial institution.

The Krupp family got exceptional talent as knights and the Watch increased its standing in the South.

Naturally, Krupp would never grant a strategic rank to the winner as a matter of course—Heinkel County, for example, was far too large to be given to a 'knight'.

"Isn't it up to the grand duke to decide which fief is granted?"

"Family affairs are always complicated, aren't they? The grand duke will grant me Heinkel. He has his reasons."

"... Let's suppose you receive it. But if the Watch simply takes such a key territory, the grand duke—who's a Swordmaster—will turn his wrath on us. We couldn't handle that, nor would we want to."

But Erich just grinned slyly.

There was a way for the Watch to absorb the grand duke's fief without incurring his wrath.

A way for Heinkel to remain Krupp's while also belonging to the Watch.

That was the scenario in Erich's head.

"I'll join the Watch after acquiring Heinkel."

"Hah..."

Konrad laughed incredulously. There was no one in the room who was not shocked by Erich's words.

Well—except for Finn, whose face had already gone pale in stupefied disbelief.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】