Chapter 58. Domestic Affairs (3)
“Um... I heard people in the city saying that you are recruiting knights.”
“That’s right. I’m expanding the knight order.”
The knight’s expression became firm, as though he had made a decision.
“Would Naval Knights like us be allowed to apply?”
Why all of a sudden?
Had he become tired of fighting pirates?
“Is there some problem at Gibraltar Castle?”
“No. But recently, more nobles have been taking Naval Knights with them for colonial expeditions. So...”
In other words, rather than following someone to establish colonies on a distant continent, he preferred to remain in the stable and developed Northern Continent.
For a knight with a wife and children, working in Marcel probably sounded much better than moving his whole family to an unknown colony filled with unfamiliar dangers.
But this will attract too much attention.
The knights from Corse were already unemployed.
I could quietly recruit them without drawing too much notice.
But if even Gibraltar’s Naval Knights began coming to Marcel, attention would rise sharply.
Neighboring territories would notice.
Even the royal families of surrounding nations might begin watching us.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered first.
Every territory in the Franche Kingdom was currently disarming.
Backed by the Mage Towers, the royal family was centralizing power and reducing regional military strength.
If Marcel alone expanded its military in this situation, naturally we would be restrained.
What should I do?
This was troublesome.
At times like this, some kind of excuse would be useful.
I needed to find a justification.
* * *
Le Capital, capital of the Franche Kingdom.
Court Count Chatillon was receiving reports from his aides.
“...Therefore, we replaced a total of four spies. Naturally, we also inserted a new soldier into the Marcel Territory to fill the vacancy left by the one who was executed.”
“So this one hasn’t been exposed?”
“We trained him properly before sending him. If he is assigned somewhere useless, we also gave him enough money to bribe his superiors into changing his post.”
“Good work.”
Another aide stepped forward.
“Count, a letter arrived from Viscount Eric Marcel.”
“Marcel again?”
“It concerns the knight order.”
“Give it here.”
Chatillon opened the letter.
[To the great leader of the people, Court Count Chatillon.]
[...As tax revenue from the Marcel Territory has increased significantly, I request permission to strengthen the knight order so that we may better protect the property and lives of our residents.
This matter will influence both the national taxes paid to the Franche royal family and our friendship with the Berber Kingdom, so I humbly ask that you consider it carefully.
I am also sending gifts by carriage...
Respectfully, Eric Marcel.]
“What the hell is this?”
“It appears he is planning to conduct the sugar business with the Berber Kingdom. His tax revenue is expected to increase greatly, so...”
“No, no. I understand that part. What the hell does ‘great leader of the people’ mean? Damn it, is he making fun of me?”
“......”
The aide sighed internally while watching Count Chatillon nitpick the wording of the letter.
“What’s with ‘Respectfully’ too? Is he some old man?”
“It is commonly used in correspondence...”
Chatillon interrupted him.
“What presents did he send?”
“Three carriage loads of Canada syrup. They have already arrived.”
“Oh! Our tea parties will finally become lively again.”
Most Canada produced in Marcel was exported through the harbor.
It was difficult to obtain in inland cities like Le Capital.
Its value came less from the taste and more from its rarity.
Among nobles and mages, it had become a popular luxury item for tea parties.
For wealthy Count Chatillon, who had no need to worry about money, it was an extremely cost-effective bribe.
Pleased at the thought of showing it off, he grinned.
“How many knights is Marcel currently allowed?”
“The official limit is thirty. We estimate they currently have twenty-one.”
“How many does he want?”
“Fifty.”
Eric had originally planned to expand the knight order only to around thirty.
However, there were many unemployed knights in Corse.
Then Gibraltar’s Naval Knights also began asking to apply.
So he decided to use this opportunity to raise the limit all the way to fifty.
“What money is he going to use? Ah, right. He said he was selling sugar. That German country bumpkin has some talent. He sells every sweet thing he can find.”
Still grumbling, Chatillon looked around at his aides.
“What do you think Marcel is trying to accomplish?”
“Neighboring territories keep harassing him, don’t they? Perhaps he wants to show them that even a cornered rat will bite.”
“If his knight order reaches fifty men, that isn’t a rat anymore. That’s a wildcat.”
“The nearby Ronalp Territory has ninety knights.”
“That place is an exception. It used to be a margraviate, and Count Ronalp is a Sword Master. He also has a damn terrible temper. Ah, is that why? Damn it, that ignorant bastard is greedy too...”
Count Chatillon muttered to himself before reaching a conclusion.
“Tell them we will not oppose the expansion. In exchange, tell Marcel to send as much national tax as possible.”
Then he added,
“Write that the extra amount should be sent directly to me.”
He had openly announced his intention to embezzle money in front of his aides.
The old saying that the rich were greedier than anyone else seemed accurate.
“Won’t the royal family dislike allowing a territory to rebuild military power after working so hard to reduce it?”
“Who?”
“The Queen Mother, of course...”
“My sister? Please stop worrying about useless things. My opinion is the royal family’s opinion. Understand?”
“Yes, Count.”
Court Count Chatillon was the maternal uncle of the current King.
Together with the Queen Mother, who governed in place of the young King, he dominated the kingdom’s political world.
That was why he could interfere even in matters like the size of local knight orders, which were not originally part of his duties.
“Then I’ll prepare a draft of the reply to Viscount Marcel.”
“Good. Make sure I approve it before sending.”
