Virgin Knight Who Is the Frontier Lord in the Gender Switched World - Chapter 171

There was no choice but to submit.

That was the conclusion I reached.

After finishing my calculations, I gave a small nod and responded favorably.

“…Princess Valiere. I am deeply grateful for your intervention in punishing the bandits infesting my lands—a duty that should have fallen to me.”

The situation was dire.

With no escape route left, there was nothing I could do. The one before me was Liesenlotte von Anhalt Valiere, daughter of an elector prince, whose lineage and worldly honor far exceeded my own.

No matter how much control I held over the imperial roads leading to the capital as a feudal lord, in comparison to the offspring of an elector, I was merely a country knight.

After all, my family had only been granted our castle and lands within the last three generations, a rise in status that was still fresh.

If my honor had been insulted, I might have felt the need to put up a facade of defiance—but there was no such pretense here.

“If I could serve as a substitute for you, the esteemed protector of the Holy Gusten Empire’s laws and the safeguard of its good people, then I, Valiere, would feel proud,” she declared, her voice as sweet as the scent of blooming flowers, with not a trace of falsehood.

She went on to elaborate on the history of my house and my own battle achievements, as if a skilled herald had prepared her words, praising them so extravagantly that my loyal knights and subjects smiled in satisfaction.

Princess Valiere was fully restoring my honor. Publicly, she demonstrated that this country lord, I, was of equal stature to the daughter of an elector prince and that my feudal house was worthy of the highest regard.

To be honest, I did not mind this at all. It was a beneficial act for me. From the daughter of an elector praising me in public to the annihilation of every last bandit—Princess Valiere continued to provide me with clear advantages.

“Indeed, your house’s ancestor fought alongside our elector family against the infidels three generations ago,” she remarked.

Princess Valiere wasn’t entirely fabricating the truth, but back then, my fragile house hardly had the standing to even exchange greetings with the electors in such a dynamic.

She was engaging in what nobility call “honor modification,” publicly enhancing the prestige of my house.

With the backing of the elector family, she chose to do so, and I had no reason to refuse.

I decided to make a donation to the monastery leasing our lands, intending to “discover” this newly embellished history of our alliance with the Anhalt electors.

I recalled that the electors had once praised my ancestor as “the most valorous hero in our ranks!”

“It is indeed a great honor. However, I must admit that I feel regret for having troubled you with this matter,” I ventured, a slight humblebrag that felt appropriate given the compliments.

“It couldn’t be helped. Every nation has its circumstances, and I understand why you couldn’t suppress the bandits. It’s not easy to demand military service from knights and soldiers,” she empathized, showing a deep understanding.

Indeed, it wasn’t that I had deliberately allowed bandits to overrun the roads—it wasn’t out of preference but because suppressing them was simply too costly.

Maintaining peace was expensive, and the costs would ultimately burden my subjects with taxes.

“I am sincerely grateful.” 

With the bandits annihilated by overwhelming force, it was indeed a significant benefit.

But what truly frightened me was the cost of these benefits—it always boiled down to money.

“Though you are in haste on your journey, might you consider staying at my castle tonight? There are matters I wish to discuss privately,” I invited her, needing to converse in solitude, as initially planned.

I had no choice but to pay Princess Valiere, for if her 1,500-strong brigade wished, they could easily devastate my land.

Considering her perspective, I couldn’t see her accepting any plea for a lesser tribute as if we’d fought a battle together.

That’s why she employed the likes of Amelia von Berlichingen, a villain for hire.

No, it was likely a simple contract for hire. Despite her capabilities, I couldn’t imagine that merciless knight bowing her head without imposing the highest possible tribute my house could afford.

And there it was—the unavoidable truth.

I could just barely afford to pay, but it would be a fatal blow to my territory.

The subjects are my assets. I couldn’t bear to impose further taxes.

Thinking of my youngest daughters who might receive less bread, or sons who might end up sold into unspeakable lives, I felt a cold chill down my spine.

Unable to bow my head in front of Princess Valiere and the public, I silently felt like crying.

――――――――――

Valiere’s request had caught everyone off guard.

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold to ask…”

The amount was certainly substantial.

Just a tad less than what my family could scrape together at our absolute limit—it was exactly what had been demanded. Yet, the terms were slightly unusual.

“Your Highness, may I inquire about the condition that nearly all of the payment be spent within my own territory?”

The meaning behind it was puzzling.

This was an official document, inscribed on parchment, adorned with the seal of Duchess Valiere herself.

According to the document, Valiere promised to spend virtually all the tribute we paid back within the town. Her dealings through the Ingritt Trade Guild were mentioned, ensuring fair trade prices with local merchants.

“It means just what it says,” Valiere replied nonchalantly.

I hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. But, lured by her rose-scented voice—well, more like there were just the two of us here, with no audience nor attendants to overhear my whining.

This was a situation where a little bit of whining might be permissible.

At least, in front of the Duchess, it seemed alright.

That was the aura Valiere emanated.

So, I voiced my thoughts.

“Honestly, I was prepared for you to drain my coffers to the last coin.”

“That’s not my intention at all. I don’t want you to resent me,” she replied to my grievances.

Her words sounded utterly sincere.

“So, I prepared a plan that hopefully won’t make you cry. Besides, I’m not even sure how large the brigade will grow.”

I understood that supplies were necessary.

Her brigade already numbered over 1500, and even as we spoke, black knights, mercenaries, traveling merchants, and entertainers continuously sought an audience with her. Although, as Lady Sabine, one of her aides, had informed me, Valiere wouldn’t meet anyone without a gift.

Entertainers, musicians, and preachers filled the ranks, swelling the brigade further.

And still, it grew.

Essentials like bread, dried meat, wine, and beer were undeniably needed.

I get that, but…

“Your Highness, my lands produce everything from crafts and ores to textiles. Are you planning to buy up all of it?”

“Just as the document states.”

Indeed, it was written.

But what was Valiere thinking?

“It’s truly a blessing if you intend to invest the sum I pay back into my territory. If the silver circulates locally, it’s essentially just providing supplies, and though it hurts, it’s not fatal.”

“Well… I suppose it’s still going to hurt,” Valiere mused.

It would hurt, but not fatally so, if the silver stayed within my domain. After all, it would eventually return to me through taxes.

If I calculated the initial loss against the eventual gains, it was a rather good deal.

Production could be ramped up over time. That’s manageable.

But then…

“I find it difficult to comprehend your intentions, Duchess. What exactly are you planning?”

“Just as I said initially, I don’t want you to resent me. Also, I need the supplies for the brigade, and I intend to settle the final accounts in the capital…”

Then it dawned on me.

Ah, so that was it. It wasn’t just feudal lords like us; Valiere intended to have the trade guilds in the capital pay as well. By leveraging her lineage as a prince-elect and the might of a thousand swords, she planned to coerce the guilds: “Buy up all the goods with gold, or choose death.”

The guilds couldn’t refuse to convert such a massive quantity of goods into money.

This was her way of distributing the load of the march, but it was also a scheme to generate vast profits through trade.

Ingenious and beyond anything I could have imagined…

“Ingritt Trade Guild has crunched the numbers and thinks these goods can be profitably liquidated in the capital. I’d also like to pay the mercenaries and guards out of these funds…”

This, too, was a form of her benevolence.

I shuddered.

What kind of mind could orchestrate such plans?

It wasn’t just profit-driven.

Nor was it merely merciful.

She had woven all conceivable notions into her actions.

A chill ran down my spine, but it wasn’t just from fear.

It was filled with deep reverence.

“Duchess Valiere.” 

I prostrated myself.

Except for the Sacred Emperor of Gustein, I, a mere upstart lord, vowed fealty not bound by any covenant.

“…What’s this? Even if we’re alone, you shouldn’t perform such acts as a lord.”

“A rustic knight like me, who’s never valued any lordship or knightly bond, wishes to make a plea.”

I couldn’t stop myself.

There was no one else to see; it was just a personal vow.

I found myself pledging allegiance to Duchess Valiere.

“Not as the second daughter of the Anhalt electors, but to you personally, Duchess Valiere von Anhalt. While I remain a feudal lord, this is my personal oath…”

I had fallen in admiration.

To have such a great lord was an eternal aspiration.

And she seemed fitting to fulfill that desire.

Thus, I vowed.

After giving myself enough time to hesitate, I indeed received the homage from Duchess Valiere.