The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

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The southern outpost was mostly filled with women. Occasionally, there were men roaming about, but the majority of them were strategists or administrators for rear support.

The only ones boldly carrying swords and banners among the knights were just Evan Kalia and me.

And Abel Kalia wasn’t just strolling around with a sword like I was. After a long time, I saw Evan easily slay a massive beast. Once the battle seemed to be over, he relaxed and caught his breath.

Since I had confirmed my knights and felt a bit more at ease, it was time to greet him.

“Kalia Ianette, it’s been a while.”

“Oh, Ray! Congratulations on becoming a Baron. I heard you were stationed in the same fortress as me. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”

During the meeting, it was mentioned that some of the Kalia Marquis Family’s troops would also be stationed in my fortress. It seemed those were the knights led by Evan.

Still, the fact that we knew each other and could communicate made me feel glad.

I decided to ask about the current situation.

“It seems there was a battle. Can you give me an update?”

“It’s nothing major. Beasts came down from up north, and we were just hunting them. This one here is one of the last monsters trying to flee, so by now, my knights should have taken care of everything.”

“I’ve heard that the northern fortresses frequently see wild beasts and monsters coming down. It seems that’s true.”

Abel looked down at the now-cold beast.

“Moreover, the frequency has increased recently. They were over twenty strong, so besides the cult’s attacks, we need to be cautious of the monsters setting up around here.”

Twenty of such large monsters came down?

It was clear that neglecting this could increase their numbers near the fortress and create more variables.

Even while stationed at the fortress, if there weren’t significant movements or operations issued, it seemed there would still be numerous small battles to face against them.

‘This is just fine.’

The tension is maintained appropriately.

It’s a bit awkward to face beasts, but still, I’d be able to reasonably gauge the coping abilities of the soldiers under my command.

“It’s best we continue this discussion inside the fortress.”

“Agreed. Our Baron’s house will assist with the cleanup.”

After Abel finished assembling and inspecting his knights, he began to lead the way.

So, I accepted his kindness while taking a look at the special forces.

‘Is it because they’ve experienced war?’

Abel’s knights gave off an impression of having blades honed to a sharp point.

Only the remnants of the Count’s house, following me, stood firm before their momentum.

‘It seems even our commanders are impressed.’

Perhaps it’s because they haven’t fought desperately for their lives like those from the Count’s or Marquis’s houses.

The way they were filled with military discipline was remarkable.

And seeing the Count’s soldiers, who expressed a sense of ease while still maintaining some decorum, I was curious how they would react when engaged in battle as vicious hunters.

‘Eventually, they’ll all become like that anyway.’

Since I was tasked with subduing the Demon of Gluttony.

Just as in the great war of the Great Forest or the defense battles at the Kalia Marquis family, I would need to experience and survive through calamities of an unconventional scale where many perish in despair.

I was curious how the commanders back then would have changed by now.

As I entertained such thoughts, the fortress finally appeared.

“This is the Fourth Fortress of the Marquis Family where we will be stationed. The locals call it Kisia Fortress.”

Abel added an explanation.

This fortress, named after the head of the Marquis Family who constructed the Fourth Fortress in the past, boasted the second-best facilities among the five fortresses.

However, what caught more of my attention than Abel’s explanations was the castle wall.

“It seems the castle walls suffered some damage recently.”

I spotted artisans repairing a section of the wall.

There were quite a few heavy tools deployed across a broader area, and I saw people going through final inspection tasks.

It looked like most repairs were nearly complete, but the extent of the damage the wall had to endure seemed considerable.

“The princess mentioned that the cult’s malice had begun to stir.”

Abel Kalia clicked his tongue briefly.

“The cult’s first attack point was Kisia Fortress. The royal regular army and the battle wizard brigade led by Epheana Alenarr managed to defeat them, but it seems their ambush still had some effectiveness.”

My brother fell for their scheming and nearly offered our family to them. He had vividly experienced the calamity that came from it.

“But it’s alright. Now that we are stationed here, there shouldn’t be any more attacks on these walls.”

It was natural for the owner of the extermination squad and a survivor of the Kalia Wars to react in such a way.

“Now that the Baron has arrived, Kisia Fortress will probably go on the offense too. Let’s meet again at the central command of the fortress later.”

“Central command… I believe I understand that we will meet there again.”

“Last time, we had little contact due to battling in different zones, but this time there will be more. Now that the Baron has opened a new frontier, I will surely be of great help.”

After bidding farewell to Abel, who left behind quite a reassuring statement, I sighed softly.

‘As far as I know, those stationed at Kisia Fortress include—’

Not just Evan Kalia.

There’s also Epheana Alenarr, whom I’ve already met once at the Academy, and her battle wizards.

Along with the combat infantry and cavalry of the 3rd Legion, known as some of the best from the royal regular army.

Since most of them are famous for swiftly unleashing firepower to pacify battlefields rather than simply holding their ground,

‘It’s going to be tough to keep up without rest.’

Kisia Fortress would focus on obliterating enemies found through the intelligence of the central fortress.

With the war beginning, like the unpredictable Northern weather. The enemy’s offensive could start again at any moment.

Eventually, as we confirmed the tails of those who had been caught, significant figures gathered under the roof of Kisia Fortress’s central command.

“The hidden enemies have been discovered nearby. They’ve been advancing like they created a permeated area in the Academy, increasingly covering a wider area with their magic. We cannot simply watch them expand their territory any longer.”

The cold Epheana spoke, looking at me, who understood the seriousness of the situation better than anyone.

“Inform the surrounding fortresses. Before their sorceries complete, we must eliminate them immediately.”

Finally, the deployment was at hand.

*

The soldiers from the Baron’s house were filled with anxiety. No, to be precise, it was the low-ranking soldiers.

For them, this was their first big war, and they weren’t protecting their hometown. The fear of possibly dying in the North, a place they’d never imagined going, began to change into dissatisfaction.

They’d only seen the cult’s schemes in the newspapers. For the soldiers from the Baron’s house, who had never experienced their wickedness nor the reason to fight and risk their lives for the future of everyone, it was difficult to instill a fighting spirit, like a wildfire igniting in their hearts.

Thus, they couldn’t easily understand why the knights from the Count’s house were so eager for a battle in this foreign land, unlike themselves.

“…Without our commanders or the head of the family here, I have to ask something.”

“Why are you being so shy to ask? If they’re our deputy commander’s knights, they’re basically comrades. Ask freely.”

“It’s just… you all don’t seem afraid of this huge war. Unlike the knights who have reached a level of mastery, us regular soldiers might end up dying without doing anything…”

When I asked them why they were different, the Count’s soldiers replied readily.

“But even if we meet that death, if we pour out all our strength until the very last moment, we can delay the enemy’s invasion even a little longer.”

“…What kind of time would we buy with our feeble efforts—”

“Hey, why are you so negative? If knights and folks like us give all our best, that brief moment adds up to change the tide of war and save many lives. After all, you’ve lived as a soldier too. Isn’t our very existence about leading the war to victory?”

“…”

“If we do our best until our last breath, no one would call that a futile death. Rather, it would be hailed as a glorious ending, and they’d praise me like I was a god.”

The Count’s soldier chuckled.

The confused expression on the Baron’s soldier’s face was amusing.

“Well, I used to think like that before experiencing war. But once you survive and participate in a victory celebration, your mindset changes.”

“Changes how?”

“Little kids look at me like I’m a hero and wave at me. Even handsome men’s gazes are filled with admiration. And… they all shout out together how I saved them.”

“…”

“Can you imagine it? Because of the role of helping children grow into adults, the hero of the Count’s house, Deputy Commander Ray— wait, I meant Baron Karpel calls you a hero.”

“That’s hard to imagine.”

“Well, it’s an absolutely blessed thing for soldiers like us to bleed and fight a just war. If we survive and meet victory, all the honor awaits us. The entire world recognizes you. Nothing could be more exhilarating than that.”

The Baron’s soldier looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Calling her a war fanatic seemed too good-hearted, yet if we called it otherwise, it also felt like she desperately craved war.

“In that sense, we’re quite lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“We’re slated to battle alongside Baron Karpel.”

The soldier, finding it an honor to fight alongside a head of the family, asked out of curiosity.

“Is our head really that strong? I was amazed at how he cut through the rain and snow, but I’ve yet to see him fight.”

“Ha! That’s a given. Let me tell you before we start the story. In every war I know where the deputy commander was involved, he’s never suffered a defeat.”

As if he had a motor in his mouth, the Count’s soldier began to weave tales.

Stories of the times he was saved while flailing around on the castle walls.

Tales of how the Baron utterly slayed low-class demons in an instant while he was struggling to shoot fire arrows.

The soldier soon smiled awkwardly while recounting numerous stories.

“I respect him. Well, he probably doesn’t even know a girl like me exists. But my admiration won’t change until I take my last breath.”

Just then, someone approached behind the Count’s soldier.

“Who said I didn’t know you?”

Ray Karpel’s appearance caused the soldier’s eyes to widen in shock, and he hurriedly saluted.

“Ah…! Glory to Deputy Commander Ray… I mean, Baron Karpel!”

“Why are you so flustered? I remember your face well. You’re from the Count’s wall defense unit, a longbow soldier. One of the few who survived from start to end in the castle wall war. I wouldn’t forget a face I’ve seen so many times on the walls.”

“…It’s an honor!”

Ray’s gaze shifted from the Count’s soldier to his family’s soldier.

“You’re the same. No need to force yourself into great feats. Just surviving and holding your ground is already a remarkable achievement.”

The Baron before him carried an extraordinary air.

His deep, resonating voice held a sense of intimidation, and his cold expression conveyed his sincerity.

The soldier, overwhelmed by the aura of a knight who had traversed the battlefield, listened closely to the words of the head of the family.

“If this place falls, the entire kingdom would be in danger, and the Baron’s territory might also be affected. Even the fact that you came here to prevent that possibility is already honorable. I’ll remember your face as well.”

“Th-thank you!”

“I intend to hear your name after the war. If you survive and become a hero, I’ll personally ask for your name.”

Finally, the head of the family’s small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, as he patted the shoulders of the lowly soldier and departed, which soon spread like wildfire among the troops.

That the head of the family remembered and praised the face of a common soldier. He offered words of comfort to a soldier trembling in fear of war and helped instill new aspirations.

Thus, people began to ignite a small spark of hope in their hearts.

In the midst of it all, the Baron was conversing with his spirit in his personal command tent.

“Elvis, Tania. How did that go?”

“The reactions seemed pretty good! Dad, you were amazing!”

“It’s because now’s the time to let them know. I feel good, really good.”

“Hmph, that’s only natural. If you want, I can keep helping.”

And they exchanged compliments, very cheerfully.