Swordmaster of the Great Wall

"Is the young lord really saying he wants to join the Watch?"

"Yes. I've been considering it for a while now."

"But why on earth?"

Konrad was just as confused. No wonder—illegitimate or not, for the southern grand duke's scion to enlist in the Watch?

Unless he had committed treason or something.

It was so rare as to be something for the history books. There was simply no reason for the offspring of noble families to join the Watch, and for the scion of such a distinguished grand duke's house, even more so.

It was strict meritocracy. Noble status was seen, if anything, as a label best ignored, an attitude that made the aristocracy shun joining the Watch.

Besides, the Watch was a haven for those of humble birth. As long as you had the ability, you could rise as high as you wished.

So naturally, Konrad couldn't understand why someone like Erich, from a family second only to the Emperor's, would choose the Watch.

"Do I need a reason?"

"It's not that, but... If that's the case, every obstacle to the young lord's proposal disappears."

Nominally, those who joined the Watch had to donate all their property to the organization.

Of course, that was only on paper; whatever you brought with you when enlisting normally remained your own personal property.

But what about a fief?

Unlike gold, fiefs are assets where having your name on the official documents matters. You can just take a coin out of your pocket, but a fief comes with revenue and troops—and all those things are intricately tangled.

It was an exceedingly rare occurrence, but sometimes people did join the Watch with a fief. Even Erich, after years in the Watch, had only encountered this kind of case in historical documents.

He clearly remembered the real-life fief dispute he'd found so intriguing in those old records.

'What would it have been like if I too had inherited a fief from Krupp? I'd only ever imagined it.'

—The ruling: The fief belongs to the Watch, but management is entrusted to the family's representative.

That was the judgment once handed down by one of the Empire's Emperors. It had become law, though so rarely applied that few remembered it.

But Erich intended to use that ruling to formally attach Heinkel to the Watch.

"The Watch at the Great Wall always lacks people and supplies, I know. But if it's the size of Heinkel, that would ease your concerns considerably, wouldn't it, sir Konrad?"

A hard offer for Konrad to refuse—and Erich already knew that. No matter how much the grand duchess promised as a reward, there was nothing more valuable than this.

"The only condition you require is that the tournament bracket be revised—is that all?"

"I see you're starting to like the idea. Still, just handing over Heinkel for that is too much of a loss, don't you think?"

"True enough. So, what do you want? As long as it's reasonable, I'll agree."

"Hand me a pen."

Konrad picked up the feather pen from the table and passed it to Erich. Then, Erich calmly wrote down his demands on a piece of paper.

When Konrad took the paper and read it, his eyebrows shot up.

"... How far ahead are you looking, exactly? Do you really think things will turn out like this?"

"If you lack confidence, you can just say so."

Erich lifted the corner of his mouth in a slightly provocative smile. Konrad replied in kind.

"Of course not. But remember, young lord: you're betting on things you haven't won yet."

The Heinkel County wasn't Erich's—yet. Even if this plan worked, if he failed to win at Iceborn, it would all come to nothing.

But Erich knew Konrad was only testing him.

"Still, you've placed your bet on me. I doubt you're the type who enjoys games with no chance of winning."

"Well. Let's just say, something about you inspired trust—would that be enough of a reason?"

"You saw the light in my eyes as well, didn't you?"

That glint in the eyes—the sign of a Swordmaster. Upon hearing it, Konrad chuckled wordlessly.

But in this room, only Konrad and Erich knew what 'the light' really signified.

So the negotiation ended.

Erich dragged the already lifeless Finn along as he left the room.

–Bang.

For a while, the room was silent. The first to speak was Konrad's adjutant, Joseph.

"... Did something impossible just happen?"

"The grand duke's illegitimate son certainly made things interesting."

"Should I proceed with the bracket revision?"

"Yes. Take my earlier instructions and do the exact opposite."

"But...will the grand duchess really stand for it? If you do that...all the tough opponents originally assigned to Erich will end up in Ludwig's bracket."

Konrad fixed Joseph with a cold stare. Expecting a scolding, Joseph squeezed his eyes shut.

"The illegitimate son's wager is worth the risk. Whether his scheme succeeds or not, it's worth trying."

"... You're not angry?"

"In your position, it's natural to ask."

"Then may I ask one more thing?"

"Go ahead."

"You're betting on him despite risking the grand duchess's wrath. If he doesn't win, then what?"

"... Not win?"

Konrad smiled faintly, dragging his chair back and turning his gaze out the window.

"Is the grand duke himself participating or something? Otherwise, the winner will be that kid."

"... What makes you so sure?"

"It's not a matter of certainty. It's just as good as decided. Besides, there are other things you should worry about."

"... Sir?"

"If things get interesting, you might have to face the grand duchess's muscle. How about it? Think you're up to it?"

"You mean those Imperial Knights, or whatever they're called? The tin cans?"

"Exactly."

At Konrad's words, Joseph exchanged glances with the other members. Then, all the officers in the room let out a collective chuckle.

As if Konrad had just told a particularly amusing joke.

***

"Y-young master, what are you planning to do!"

"What did I do?"

"Uwaack!"

Finn clutched his head, looking more pained by the turn of events than any wound his body had sustained. He was so lost for words that his mouth opened and closed, unable to start.

"I don't even know what to call disaster first!"

"Just list things as they come to mind?"

"... No, it's already happened. But why make an enemy of the grand duchess? What are you thinking?"

"Really? Was she ever not hostile to me? I don't get it."

"But to go so far as to steal the grand duchess's l—"

About to shout, Finn looked around, then dropped his voice to a furtive whisper.

"...lands. She won't stand for it."

"I know. She'll probably try to kill me."

"You did this even knowing that?"

"Finn, the grand duchess never intended to let me live. If I win at Iceborn, she definitely won't."

"Because you'll have beaten Ludwig, the legitimate heir?"

"Exactly. The moment I do, I'll be thrown into the succession struggle. Krupp is a family of swordsmen. When it comes to choosing an heir, they have no choice but to judge by skill. One way or another, war with the grand duchess is inevitable."

"But how can you anger her so and then run off to the Watch? Wouldn't it be better for you to stay and become the heir here instead?"

Finn's eyes flashed with resolve, surprising Erich for a moment.

'... This is the first time I've seen Finn so animated.'

No wonder, since Finn had always served loyally by Erich's side, with no conditions. He didn't want to miss the chance for his master to rise at last.

But...that wasn't what Erich wanted. It couldn't prevent the coming doom.

'... If I were to say that, in the near future, everything alive is destined to die... he wouldn't believe me.'

An endless army of the dead. The immortal King of the Dead. Erich had witnessed the Empire's destruction at the very front lines.

No, not just the Empire—humanity itself had fallen.

Even if a handful of humans survived in the domain of the dead, they would be nothing more than walking corpses. The King of the Dead was a monster fully capable of creating such a world.

For now, the Empire and the great landholders of the realms still held power. But in the near future, civil war would strip them of everything—including Krupp.

That was why Erich had to return to the Great Wall. To stop the encroaching dead.

Everything he'd done so far had just been preparation for that.

"Finn. Thank you for caring for your foolish master all this time. I've thought I'd like to repay you someday. But truly, there's something I must do."

"Just being alive as you are now is reward enough for me, young master."

"Well, my promise to repay you isn't empty. So look forward to it."

Erich smiled wryly at Finn. Finn bowed his head with a complicated expression, but soon relaxed.

So what if I stir things up and leave the family noisily?

The family problem child. Krupp's useless leech. For the first time, the master he'd loyally attended was drawing public attention with his accomplishments.

That alone left Finn quietly satisfied—a smile playing on his lips.

***

Moonlight filtered softly through the window. Seated on the edge of the desk, the grand duke swirled a glass of amber liquor.

"... Do you have anything to report?"

—Ssshhh!

A dark figure emerged from the shadows, bowing deeply to the grand duke.

"Grand duke. I have information about the third son."

"Speak."

The grand duke listened quietly to the masked man, frown deepening as the story went on.

Erich, who advanced to the round of thirty-two, went to meet Konrad of the Watch, and struck a sort of deal with him. While the entire contents weren't clear, Heinkel was offered as the price, with Erich vowing to join the Watch.

As the grand duke listened, his eyes narrowed.

"Take Heinkel for himself, is it...?"

Lost in thought, the grand duke's gaze slowly shifted, then, as if realizing something, he gave a faint smile.

"A scheme that resolves my headaches while fattening his own purse."

At the grand duke's smile, the shadow's shoulders twitched. Had he ever seen his master smile? To him, it felt more like a death sentence.

—Clack.

The grand duke picked up a sword gleaming golden on the desk. Even the scabbard was exquisitely adorned—a treasured heirloom of Krupp, unmistakably rare.

"It seems your master could change, shadow."

In the darkness, the shadow's eyes flashed.

The man called 'Shadow' understood at once. This meant the grand duke's estimation of Erich had soared.

And what that implied was clear—

That Erich was now the closest to the position of successor.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Unfortunately not...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】