Virgin Knight Who Is the Frontier Lord in the Gender Switched World - Chapter 155

I called out the name of the biggest fool in the royal guard.

“Lady Sabine, come here for a moment.”

“Yes, Lady Valiere.”

It’s not Lady Valiere. My name is Valiere von Anhalt, not Lady Valiere. At some point, the members of the Second Princess’s Royal Guard had started to abbreviate my name.

You all, you’d be punched if you did this to any other noble, you know?

Well, I won’t blame them for it. Sadly, my subordinates, these chimpanzees, abbreviate my name with affection. I understand that. What I do want to blame is something else.

When I was about to leave the royal capital of Anhalt for the Imperial City, and we planned a send-off outside the city walls—I saw the gathered people and realized.

Isn’t my army a bit too large? It had clearly swelled to about ten times its size.

“Why are there so many people? Isn’t it just supposed to be my royal guard and the sutlers?”

“Lady Valiere is heading to the Imperial City. Therefore, it is natural that the number of knights and servants would increase. There are also those who want to make a name for themselves on this journey, and merchants who want to do business, since the journey is dangerous and you never know when you might be attacked by bandits.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

It’s not an unusual story. Street performers, traders, knights without their first battle—it’s not uncommon for such people to join an army. Of course, we suspect some of them might be spies from other countries or enemies, but travel lacks entertainment and it’s hard to adequately provide for supplies and protection.

If it compensates for that and their identity is assured, it’s not uncommon for both parties to accompany each other. Conversely, there are even cases where knights or mercenaries ordered by the lord escort city merchants between cities. So, it’s not unusual to have companions, and I was prepared to accept a few.

“Lady Sabine, stop beating around the bush. Tell me the exact number of people accompanying the Second Princess’s Royal Guard.”

“You can’t fool Lady Valiere, can you? About 900 in total. The breakdown is 300 merchants, 500 mercenaries, and 100 knights from volunteer noble families.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

It’s obvious to any fool that my forces have swollen—what, ten times? We were supposed to move from the royal capital of Anhalt to the Imperial City of Gusten with a regular force of 100, so why has it increased to 1000 including the companions?

This is clearly strange. I already understand who’s behind this.

“Lady Sabine, what have you done?”

“Lady Valiere’s compassionate heart has reached everyone, and they all wanted to join the journey and help. I believe everything has happened in accordance with Lady Valiere’s heart.”

“I’m going to hit you.”

I wanted to hit her with a whip or something, but doing so would only make Lady Sabine happy due to her perverted tendencies. So, I didn’t. Instead, I demanded an explanation.

“No, seriously. What? Why did everyone gather like this?”

“Well, to be honest, I did do various things. It was a bit more than I expected.”

Indeed, I anticipated that merchants would gather, that unwanted children from noble families would join, and that mercenaries would assemble.

Lady Sabine muttered that it was a bit too many.

“We’re not going to some city to plunder or burn it, are we? I have no confidence in handling such a number of people.”

Why on earth do I have to travel with a number larger than a small town nearby? I asked Lady Sabine this.

In my first battle, it was just me and fifteen royal guards, and I wasn’t even entrusted with command over Lord Faust’s subjects. No way was I supposed to command such a number.

“Don’t worry. Initially, no commander can manage 1000 soldiers on their own. Just like when Lord Polydoro’s subjects were added under your command, Lady Valiere doesn’t have direct command over the companions. Also, Lady Valiere won’t be held responsible for any failures they might commit.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

I was about to let myself be reassured—no, wait, I stopped myself. I shouldn’t be deceived by the sweet promise of having no responsibility. It may be true, but knowing Lady Sabine, she might be weaving some sweet lies. I asked.

“So basically, you tricked them into coming by promising that I, Valiere, wouldn’t be held responsible if any of them died?”

“Lady Valiere says such interesting things.—Well, actually, that’s exactly it.”

“You really are messing around.”

This isn’t a joke. Indeed, the companions have their own circumstances for following me. I could dismiss it as none of my business, but I am not suited to be such a noble.

I was about to confront Lady Sabine—

“Lady Valiere. The captains of the mercenary groups and leaders from merchant guilds other than Ingritt’s are requesting an audience with Lady Valiere—”

My royal guards, understanding the situation, continued to press.

Understanding that the companions must have their own standing, I was about to agree—

“Don’t fool me. Refuse them all. I’ve told everyone beforehand. I will not meet anyone who has not shown some results. Make a proposal after accomplishing something on this journey.”

“Understood.”

Lady Sabine refused coldly and brushed them off. The royal guards smiled with understanding and left the room.

I yelled.

“Lady Sabine!”

“Lady Valiere. This is necessary. If it were unnecessary, Lady Sabine would not do anything that Lady Valiere dislikes.”

I don’t want any of this.

“I’m just moving from the royal capital to the Imperial City—”

“No, that’s not going to be the case.”

Lady Sabine denied it.

What is she trying to say? Trying to calm down, I breathed out and urged.

“Speak.”

“Even I, Lady Sabine, cannot understand everything, but I can easily imagine that Lady Valiere and I, Lady Sabine, as the fiancée of Lord Polydoro, are entangled in a complicated situation.”

“I’m being swept along a bit, but I haven’t actually agreed to Lady Sabine as a mistress, you know? Why does everyone, every single one, preemptively demand my fiancé’s chastity? Are there only crazy people around?”

I interjected, though Lady Sabine obviously wasn’t listening.

“Why did you particularly call Lady Sabine to the Imperial City? Lady Valiere might know a little, but when I was at my family home, the Wesperman family, I was educated not only as a spy but also as an assassin.”

“I know that. But that doesn’t mean—”

“It’s limited to that. My family, the Wesperman family, is unreliable. So, use Lady Sabine. But she wouldn’t come to the Imperial City alone—no choice. Let’s call the boss, Valiere von Anhalt. That’s what the discussion turned into.”

Digesting Lady Sabine’s advice, I finally grasped the situation. It wasn’t me, Valiere, who was needed in the Imperial City—it was Sabine. And I understood that my sister Anastasia would be giving her some sort of order.

“Lady Sabine, let me make this clear. Once we reach the Imperial City, your life will be secured, but there’s no guarantee of safety on the journey. There’s a real risk we could both be killed.”

“What do you mean?”

“There will definitely be sabotage. Given that Lady Sabine is heading to the Imperial City, those who are hostile to Princess Anastasia there will likely interfere in some way.”

Isn’t that a bit paranoid? That thought crossed my mind, but then again, it troubled me. I couldn’t refute Sabine’s words, especially since Marina from the Wesperman family, our home, was among Anastasia’s followers.

Why would they specifically call Sabine, who had been ousted from her home? It was a point I couldn’t completely dismiss.

“Lady Valiere, please, if I’m mistaken, I’ll apologize as much as you want later. But please proceed to the Imperial City with the thousand troops. This wasn’t done without reason.”

This is troubling.

I put my small, appropriate hands to my forehead, closed my eyes, and pondered for a moment. No matter how I thought about it, it seemed that some upheaval was occurring in the Imperial City, and even Sabine had become an unavoidable insertion into this situation. It then seemed inevitable that there would be sabotage from those hostile to my sister.

“Alright, I understand. But why only now?”

“It is indeed last minute. Everyone gathered here has their own reasons for being here, and even if you, Lady Valiere, personally told them to leave, it wouldn’t happen.”

In fact, this might ignite their resolve even more. Those who had agreed to a journey with no guaranteed return came with the understanding that it might be their last choice. “We’re prepared!” they’d all eagerly declare. Sabine muttered this, and I realized there was nothing more I could do.

“I understand. At least, let me do everything I can for everyone. I get what you’re saying, Sabine, but from here on, I’m doing things my way.”

“I understand. I am your faithful knight, after all.”

A faithful knight wouldn’t normally increase their lord’s forces tenfold.

I was about to say that, but stopped myself.

“First off, what sort of people have you gathered? Let’s start there.”

We need to organize the current situation.

Regardless, I must try to arrange things so that those gathered do not suffer unnecessarily. I truly wish to be kind to everyone.

“I’ll explain. First, the 300 merchants. The head of the Ingritt Sutlers among others have summoned a small assembly, but most are poor horse traders. They’ve gambled all their possessions on this trade venture between the royal capital and the Imperial City, even pledging their lives as collateral. Can you see that poor horse trader over there, petting those two donkeys, desperately encouraging herself, ‘I must win! I must win!’ and bowing deeply to you, Lady Valiere?”

“Next!”

I didn’t want to hear more about the merchant’s tragic tales; there was little I could do for them. After all, I can’t replace a life if it’s lost.

“Next, the 500 mercenaries. From the interviews conducted beforehand, the leaders of these groups have varied backgrounds but ultimately come from the disgruntled third and fourth daughters of nobility. They left their homes due to a bleak future, ending up leading bands that were indistinguishable from bandits or mercenaries. Mostly, they command poor former peasants who have fled their homes—villages burned by bandits, ostracized as unwanted family members, or exiled from their communities. Their sad stories are nearly all the same. Everyone here has staked their lives on this journey, hoping for a chance at knighthood and a modest official position, which would allow them citizenship, income, and the right to settle if they manage to impress the Anhalt royal soldiers. As you see, they look at you, Lady Valiere, with eyes full of admiration, not just for a one-time payment but staking their lives on this endeavor. If this doesn’t work out, they’d consider their lives a lie.”

“Next!”

Again, I did not want to dwell on the mercenary group’s tales of woe.

What could be done? Perhaps if they achieved some feat of arms along the way, I might be able to help them. But without any reason, I couldn’t just hand out knighthoods. There must be a reason even to save someone.

Well, Sabine must have prepared some background where I could help them if they accomplish something significant.

So, next.

“Next, about 100 younger daughters from noble families. Frankly, these are the same as the mercenaries but younger and not yet fully turned into ruffians. It’s complicated due to various familial ties, but each family has been approached with the condition, ‘Don’t complain if you die on this journey.’ They’re all notorious, engaging in knightly extortion schemes among clergy and citizens, and frankly, their families would be pleased if they died. But look into their eyes. Those born into knightly houses, even if only half-heartedly educated as knights, cannot help but aspire to knighthood. If they succeed on this journey, they’ll be granted a one-generation knighthood and a position that will keep them fed. Further exploits might even bring them greater prospects! How could they not be motivated? They are willing to die for Lady Valiere! As non-heiresses who have also suffered misfortune, they revere Lady Valiere and declare their loyalty while kneeling.”

“Next!”

Again, I didn’t want to hear any more about the spare nobility’s tragic tales.

I remembered Hanna, who had died defending me in my first battle, and it made me sentimental. Her memory will remain in my heart until I die.

Why did Sabine live and not Hanna? Perhaps a better future awaited me with Hanna, who was competent and would have been gentler on my heart.

With that thought, I murmured for something more stomach-settling.

“Do we really need to hear this?”

Sabine suddenly turned serious and spoke to me, silencing me momentarily.

There was something. Some group.

“Who are they?”

“The Cologne Sect.”

Armed with muskets pointed skyward, firing blanks into the air, this group had gone mad with the excitement of the perilous journey.

Indeed, it was the Cologne Sect.

Dressed in nun attire, with maces and pistols hanging at their waists and muskets in hand, they were the type even bandits would flee from at first sight.

You could tell at a glance that they were filled with combativeness, unafraid of death—more so than the life-staking merchants, the seasoned mercenaries, or the bandit-like noble offspring.

They were, to an extent, the last sort of people I wanted to approach. Clearly touched in the head.

A lively group of young members from the Cologne Sect, even among those risking their lives, they stood out.

“Who invited them?”

“No one, except maybe the vicar from Lord Polydoro’s territory,” Sabine replied.

Her answer was genuinely unknowing, but that didn’t mean I wanted to tell the Cologne Sect to go home.

I quietly knelt down, my face to the ground.

There was no one I could save.

That was the sad reality I contemplated, watched by Sabine, who probably found some perverse pleasure in seeing me miserable.

That much was painfully clear.