Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 118

Chapter 118   The Barkworth Family, a Local Noble in Leroy

Early April, Year 568 of the Unified Calendar—

The clear sky and lush green land stretched out before us.

The Roland region, made up of several small basins, each with its own charm, provided a pleasant and ever-changing landscape that never failed to captivate travelers.

I, along with Pokorina and Kumama, entered the town beneath Leroy Castle. From the town, the castle towered above on its steep cliffs.

“Sir, have you decided on a place to stay?”

“No, not yet. I’ll stay at your inn.”

“Thank you very much.”

I responded to a friendly innkeeper’s offer and decided to stay at their small establishment. As soon as I entered the room on the second floor, Eclair appeared out of nowhere.

“My lord, I have completed the investigation you requested.”

“Good, thank you. So, what did you find out?”

“Yes, well…”

The task I had Eclair investigate was about how the rewards from the recent battle at Leroy Castle were distributed.

The soldiers who defended Leroy Castle numbered around 3,000. Of those, a local influential figure named Peter Barkworth had gathered the largest force of 1,000 men.

However, King Gilmore, ruler of the small kingdom, did not grant Barkworth and his men many rewards. Instead, he gave most of the rewards to the local nobles with whom he had close relations. None of the prized anti-demon swords made of mithril, which were intended as bait, had been distributed to Barkworth and his forces.

As a result, Barkworth was struggling to compensate his men. His subordinates were not so generous as to work for free.

In the Roland region, where demons are numerous, the demand for anti-demon swords was much higher than in other regions. That’s why I had them brought in from the homeland of Rillburn.

“You did well.”

I handed Eclair a small pouch filled with gold coins as reimbursement for expenses.

“No, I shall continue my investigation.”

“Please do!”

After seeing her off, I went downstairs to the inn’s first floor to have lunch.

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Around noon—

At the inn’s dining hall on the first floor:

“Kumaa!”
“Poko~!”

I ordered barley bread and boiled lamb, but this sparked a fight between Pokorina and Kumama over the meat.

It had been a while since I’d eaten lamb myself, and for these two, who were in their growing phase, it was undoubtedly an irresistible treat.

“Hey, if you’re going to make a scene, you’ll have to leave!”
“S-sorry about that!”

This was enemy territory. The last thing we needed was to get caught by the city guards responsible for maintaining order.

I hurriedly scooped up Pokorina and Kumama, rushing out of the inn as if fleeing.

“Poko?”
“Kuma~♪”

Since they were still fighting over the meat, I bought three bowls of barley porridge from a street stall and decided to eat under the eaves of a nearby building.

The two suddenly became friends again, as if nothing had happened, leaving me with a strange feeling.

Afterward, I left the town of Leroy, heading east toward the Barkworth family’s mansion.

◇◇◇◇◇

Traveling along the road, I passed through two villages and crossed a mountain before finally spotting the Barkworth family fortress.

Around the fortress was a small town, surrounded by vast, fertile wheat fields. Upon entering the town and approaching the fortress, I saw a large mansion.

“Is this Lord Barkworth’s residence?”

“Indeed. And who might you be?”

I introduced myself and handed the guards a letter of introduction from the Duke of Rillburn’s household.

“My apologies, sir. Please, come in.”

“Thank you.”

A maid escorted me inside the mansion. Although not quite as grand as a royal palace, the mansion’s furnishings and decor radiated a sense of nobility.

“This way, please.”

I was led to the lord’s chamber, where I was greeted by Lord Barkworth.

“Welcome, Baron Reister. Let’s share a drink, shall we?”

“Haha, I’d be honored to join you.”

Lord Barkworth had a bold and jovial demeanor, appearing to be a man who enjoyed his wine. The maids brought out wine and side dishes.

“This is a mountain brew. I’m not sure if it will suit your taste…”

“No, it’s quite delightful.”

Lord Barkworth and I chatted for a while, mostly about wine.

“Now then, what brings you here?”

At a suitable moment, Lord Barkworth initiated the serious conversation.

“Well, I’ve heard that the rewards from the recent battle have been unevenly distributed…”

“Oh? So, you’re saying the Duke’s house is willing to cover the rewards I owe my men?”

“Precisely. However…”

“However?”

Lord Barkworth’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

“We would like you to ally with the Cade Confederation.”

“Never!!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, he barked out his refusal. Lord Barkworth shut his eyes, his mouth set in a hard line.

“……”

However, seeing that he didn’t immediately dismiss me, it seemed Lord Barkworth had his own reasons and was hesitating.

“I understand your feelings. I’ll leave the gifts here and will visit again.”

With that, I quietly placed four Mithril anti-demon swords on the table before me and left the room.

I then returned to the town of Leroy, took up lodging, and later that night, in my room on the second floor of the inn, I received another report from Eclair.

“So, how did Lord Barkworth react?”

“Yes, my lord. Your gifts had the desired effect. He seems to have given the anti-demon swords to the main contributors of the battle.”

“…I see. But he still won’t change allegiance?”

“Indeed. It seems his wife and children are sheltered in Saizeria Castle, which might be the reason.”

“…I see. So if that situation were resolved?”

“Even then, it’s hard to say…”

In any case, the next step would be Saizeria Castle. I quietly continued my preparations.