Fun Territory Defense of the Easy-Going Lord - Chapter 134
[Another Viewpoint] March
[Murcia]
“…ugh, I’m anxious.”
I haven’t slept well for the past week. My stomach hurts, I couldn’t eat much, and my body had no strength. If the march had not been in a carriage, I would have collapsed.
Looking out the window of the carriage, I noticed that the view from the road has clearly changed. Compared to three days ago, the forest was deeper and the mountains were steeper.
The depth of the forests and the steepness of the mountains implicitly convey the threat of magic beasts that dwell there. It was as if they were refusing to allow people to live there yet.
“…Going to a place like this…Van must have been very uneasy.”
My heart ached when I thought of Van’s feelings after being kicked out of the house by our father in a way that almost resulted in his alienation. At that time, I could only give him money that I had on hand, but I still wished I had asked father to give him some subordinates.
For a moment, I thought of such a sympathetic thought, but then I remembered that I was now in the same position, and I let out a sigh.
“…But Van defeated a dragon in such an environment and even got a Knight Order.”
No matter how much I thought about it, I didn’t think I could do what he had accomplished. Even if I was facing a dragon that was unable to move, it would be difficult for me to defeat it. I could only see a future where I would use all of my magic until it was depleted, and then I would end up at my wit’s end.
Van had been smart since he was a little. He must have come up with some ingenious plan that I would never have thought of myself to defeat the dragon. But even so, it must have been a tough fight.
What could I have done if I were to manage such a village?
As my anxiety grew stronger and stronger, I heard a voice from outside.
“Oh, hey…that…”
“Maybe we took the wrong road…”
Hearing the puzzled voices of the soldiers, we looked in the direction we were going. Then, we saw a huge building at the end of the road. The building was rectangular and appeared to be huge.
There is also a huge waterwheel, which I wondered if it was used to transport water to the top floor of the building. There was also what appeared to be white smoke coming out of the windows of the lowest level in some places.
As we continued on, we saw a wall like the Royal Capital at the back of the building. What is the point of building a wall without protecting the building? Was it possible that they had built a sturdy wall only on one side because the threatening demonic beasts were coming from the other side of that wall?
My confused mind was imagining all kinds of things, when suddenly the carriage stopped and a voice echoed from outside.
“Marquis Jalpa Bull Ati Fertio and his entourage! I am Dee, Commander of the Knights of the Barony of Van Nay Fertio! I welcome you!”
It was a familiar voice. I involuntarily looked up from the carriage to check the direction of the voice. A large man in armor was standing in front of the entrance to the large building by the water mill. It was definitely Dee. Two young knights I have seen before are standing by his side.
I am somewhat relieved to see Dee and the others looking so healthy, and then Espada and Till appeared from the back of the building. Then that former slave boy and finally Van come into view.
“Van!”
I didn’t even realize I was speaking out loud. I leaned out of the carriage and waved to Van, who waved back with a happy face.
At a glance, he seems healthy and unharmed. Dee, Espada, and Van looked the same as they had been even after the news of slaying a dragon.
“Big Brother Murcia!”
Van walked towards us, calling my name.
My father was in the middle of the line of knights, so he was probably still a few hundred meters behind me, but if Van, who was a lord, greeted me first, I would be in trouble.
To save my father’s face, I hurried back into the carriage.
“Va, Van…go greet father first. I can talk to you later.”
I told him from inside the carriage. But Van randomly grabbed the carriage window with both hands and shoved his face into the carriage. When I froze in shock, Van raised the edge of his mouth in a smile like that of a mischievous child.
“Brother, it’s been a long time. Thanks to you, my territory is stronger. In fact, I wanted to show it to you first, brother.”
I held back the tears that threaten to well up at Van’s words. I thought that my helping hand might have only made Van’s future a harsh one. I have thought about that many times. That was why I involuntarily burst into tears when Van expressed his gratitude to me.
“No, no, I didn’t really give Van any help…I couldn’t do anything. I wish I could have advised my father to provide you with more money and more men, but I was unable to bring myself to say it.”
Excuses, akin to penitence, poured out of my mouth. I couldn’t face up to my disappointment.
But Van laughed as I leaked a sigh watching his face hanging over the carriage window with his arm over it.
“I was really supposed to have died over there. Even if father did not execute me, I would have died before I got to the territory if my brother had not offered me a hand. So, thank you.”
He said this with an innocent smile like a blooming flower, and I finally burst into tears.
“Ugh…ugh…ugh.”
I held back from sobbing and wiped my tears with my hand.
“Well, I am going to go greet the Marquis. You can go to Seat Village first.”
“What? We are in Seat Village?”
I questioned Van’s words in a tearful voice, but Van was no longer there.
Instead, Dee’s face came slipping into the carriage.
“Oh! Long time no see, Murcia-sama! How are you!”
“Umm, yes. You look good too, Deputy Commander Dee…oh, you’re the Commander of the Order of Van now, aren’t you?”
“Wahahaha! I am the Commander of the Knights of Seat Village and Espada-dono is the Commander of the Knights of Espa! Please join us later to see the training! I’ll knock your socks off!”
Saying this, Dee pulled his face out of the carriage window and directed the surrounding soldiers.
“This is your resting place! On the first floor there are large baths for men and women, and on the second floor are private rooms for officers and above! Just beyond the walls is a town for adventurers and peddlers, and further beyond that is the Seat Village! Civilians may not be able to go to the Seat Village, but they can shop and eat and drink well within the town there!”
Dee briefly described the situation in the vicinity, but everyone looked at the building in front of them in disbelief.
The first floor of this huge building was a large bathhouse. Not even the royal family would own such a huge bathing facility.
Furthermore, the unusually strong-looking walls were not the same as those of any major city and could only be found in Van’s domain. Dee spoke as if it were a bonus, but I found it very hard to believe.
“…Was my imagination completely misplaced…?”
The youngest brother was sent to a remote, nameless village. A harsh environment that would kill him nine times out of ten. I thought so, but the scene in front of me did not seem so.