Chapter 67. Keeping in Check (4)
Meanwhile, I called Witch Winnie to strengthen security around the territory’s important facilities.
Her face looked terrible.
Her eyes had sunk inward.
Dark circles reached almost to her jaw.
Her pupils looked unfocused.
“What happened to your face?”
“Obviously, research. I’m handling two major research projects at the same time.”
The current projects were the anti-inflammatory painkiller made from white willow inner bark, and fertilizer made from guano.
“If they succeed, you’ll earn a lot of money. Hang in there.”
“Can’t we hire more alchemists?”
“No. Are we trying to make money just to feed more alchemists?”
“Ugh. Fine.”
“Also, I’ll assign knights and soldiers. Increase security around the antidiarrheal medicine factory and fertilizer laboratory.”
Winnie’s cloudy eyes immediately regained focus.
“War?”
“No. Spies may try to damage our production facilities or steal research data.”
Terrorism and industrial espionage.
If Count Perrier intended to damage me, those were obvious methods.
Even if Court Count Chatillon mediated, Perrier might recklessly act anyway.
The fertilizer laboratory in particular was vulnerable to explosions.
It also produced toxic gases during fires.
That was why it was located outside the lord’s city.
Its security needed to be increased.
“Hehehe. Finally, I can show them the majesty of a witch.”
“What do you mean, finally? Anyway, if anyone acts suspiciously, arrest them first.”
“I like that. Beat them first, ask questions later.”
I never said that.
Winnie smiled while exposing her white teeth.
For some reason, she looked evil.
* * *
Separate from our alert against Perrier, interviews with the Free Knights continued.
The reason it took so long was simple.
More than half the Free Knights were men who had caused trouble and been fired.
There were very few worth hiring.
Today, I was once again conducting interviews with Axel in a corner of the training field.
Out of consideration for the Knight Commander, I let him ask the first question.
“Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself. Tell us your religion as well.”
The middle-aged knight answered nervously.
“Ahem. I am Orian, a knight who received investiture in Aquitaine. I am a Lower-rank Sword Expert and a follower of the Church of the Sun God. And...”
Appraisal.
[Orian Lechaux, 41]
[Son of the late Armand Lechaux, Knight of Aquitaine. Unemployed. Worships Helios.]
True.
I gave Axel the okay signal.
Axel nodded without realizing it.
Apparently, he liked this man’s first impression.
However, considering his age, his level was only average.
What should I do?
I asked the middle-aged knight,
“Do you have any family members to support?”
“No.”
“Did you lose them?”
“No. I’m unmarried.”
You should have become a mage instead.
No.
That was prejudice.
Sorry, old man.
“Can you spar right now?”
“Of course. A knight must be prepared to fight at any moment.”
As expected from someone older.
Even his answers were good.
I immediately stood and drew a wooden training sword.
“Come to the middle of the training field.”
“Gasp! Are you sparring personally, Viscount?”
“Is that a problem?”
“I’m fairly strong.”
“...Mister, I’m strong too.”
“No, I mean, I also use some low-level magic.”
“You’re a mage? Or a magic item operator?”
“Uh... I’ll show you.”
Orian also drew a wooden training sword.
“I’m starting.”
The moment he finished speaking, he charged.
Fast.
His footwork did not match his age.
He had probably practiced that dash thousands of times.
I hurriedly received his sword in the standard manner.
I could have parried and redirected it.
But I wanted to see the ‘low-level magic’ he had mentioned.
Crack!
The wooden swords collided.
The impact sounded like splitting wood.
Then we locked swords and began pushing against each other.
His strength is decent too.
At that moment, Orian held his sword with only one hand.
Is he going to cast magic with the other hand?
Just as expected, I sensed mana gathering in his left hand.
“[Flame].”
Fwoosh.
Orian thrust his left hand toward my side.
Apparently, he intended to hit me with the fireball.
Boom!
It struck my flank directly.
“Gasp! Viscount, are you all right?!”
Orian panicked and checked on me.
“I’m fine. I let it hit me on purpose.”
“Phew, that’s a relief. But you really are powerful. You took that directly and barely reacted.”
Orian’s magic was extremely unusual.
Gathering mana and creating flame was similar to other spells.
But when the flame reached my body, the mana gathered outside my body to defend me suddenly scattered.
If I had not gathered mana deeper inside my body instead, I would have suffered severe burns.
In knight terms, anyone unable to use [Aura Focus] would be injured.
I brushed at the hole burned through my outer clothing.
“One of the few outfits I own just got burned.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you would actually let it hit you.”
“Is that technique a family secret?”
“Yes. My father taught me.”
It was going to disappear soon.
The man was unmarried.
“Such an impressive technique, yet you became a Free Knight?”
“Well... the knight order was reduced and my contract was terminated.”
So he had been laid off.
Since he had no dependents and was older, they had probably fired him first.
My condolences.
“Accepted. But I have one condition. Take a squire and pass your family technique on to the next generation.”
“Can’t I have a son and teach him?”
“Weren’t you committed to remaining unmarried?”
“I am not! I simply haven’t found the right partner yet...”
Oh.
Sir.
There was now a very high chance that technique would disappear.
I should study the method of disrupting mana.
I could not exactly ask him to teach me a family secret.
I would just secretly copy it.
“Anyway, accepted. Sir Orian, remain in the lodging for now. Tomorrow, someone will explain the investiture ceremony and manor allocation.”
“Yes, my lord.”
There were two Free Knights to interview today.
We welcomed the second one.
Axel began with exactly the same question, without changing even one word.
“Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself. Tell us your religion as well.”
“My name is Albert. I attend the Church of the God of Abundance. I was knighted in Perpignan and am a Mid-rank Sword Expert. Hmm, this reminds me of the years I worked in LA. That was already ten years ago...”
That ‘LA’ referred to Le Arles, a border checkpoint with the Iberian Kingdom.
Perpignan was a royal viscounty nearby.
The knight continued talking endlessly after only one question.
I used [Convenient Lesser Appraisal].
[Albert Narbonne, 32]
[Third son of Baron Narbonne. Knight of Perrier. Worships Annapurna.]
A spy had arrived.
Baron Narbonne was a vassal of Count Perrier.
In other words, this bastard was an agent sent by Count Perrier.
I had no idea why they had sent such expensive manpower as a knight.
Perhaps they assumed he would obviously pass because of his skill.
I should reject him and send him back... Wait. I can use this.
I smiled.
“Accepted!”
Axel looked at me in surprise.
I wrote ‘spy’ on a piece of paper and showed him.
He understood.
Spies go to the frontier.
Axel apparently assumed Albert Narbonne would also be sent somewhere useless.
However, I suddenly thought of a stranger prank.
* * *
“Huff, huff. Sir Albert, how much farther?”
“Almost there. Keep going.”
Knight Albert had infiltrated Marcel under orders as a spy.
He and his squires were now moving toward the middle section of the Rhône River, which crossed southeastern Franche from north to south.
The Rhône was the same river I intended to connect to my canal.
“Sir Albert! I can see the river!”
“Ohhh. We finally arrived.”
It was a massive river around one kilometer wide.
Its water volume was enormous.
The slope was gentle, so the current moved slowly.
Albert had never visited this river while serving as a Perrier knight.
For a moment, he simply admired the scenery.
“Look at this. What a beautiful place. It’s hard to understand why no one uses it.”
“Obviously because of the mudflats downstream. Large ships can’t enter from the sea.”
Albert pointed toward the small boats on the river.
“Those still travel, don’t they?”
“I heard they’re fishing boats. There are also many wetlands, so almost no vessels use this area for trade.”
“Well, there are monsters near the river mouth too.”
The wetlands and mudflats around the lower Rhône were Lizardman territory.
Lizardmen usually remained inside their own domain unless attacked.
So surrounding territories left them alone.
If someone attacked carelessly and triggered a full war, the tough Lizardmen could wipe out an entire territorial army.
“Sir Albert, let’s cross now.”
“Ghh. Of all the assignments, I had to receive an investigation mission into Perrier.”
“I know.”
Eric had ordered him to cross the Rhône, investigate the Perrier Territory, especially the road leading to the lord’s city, and update the map.
Albert and his squires borrowed a fisherman’s boat and crossed the river.
Then they spent several days wandering around and adding notes to the map.
Eventually, they followed the main road deep into Perrier.
The lord’s city was now nearby.
Albert sat on a stone milestone while scribbling with a feather pen.
He suddenly complained.
“Damn it. Even when I worked for Perrier, I never worked this hard.”
“Sir Albert, people are coming from over there.”
Albert sensed several people approaching from the direction his squire pointed.
He also heard the hoofbeats of several horses.
It seemed like nobles or soldiers.
“Unless they stop us, pretend you didn’t notice and stay still.”
“Yes.”
The group approached.
Soon, they passed the milestone.
Then one of them recognized Albert.
“Sir Albert? What are you doing here?”
Albert looked up.
Count Matthias Perrier was sitting on horseback.
“Count Perrier? I’m carrying out my mission... Well, the thing you ordered me to do.”
“Didn’t I clearly tell you to go to Marcel?”
“Well...”
Albert looked around at the others.
The Count waved dismissively.
“You may speak. Everyone here is a loyal servant of this region. We are touring nearby villages.”
“Ahem. Viscount Marcel ordered me to update his map of the Perrier Territory. I’ve been doing this for ten days.”
The moment Count Perrier heard that, he understood Eric’s trick.
That bastard! He knew Albert was a spy from the beginning and sent him here! He’s mocking me!
Even if they had not met directly, eventually someone would have reported the suspicious knight adding notes to maps.
Albert panicked after seeing the Count’s face turn red and blue.
“Count? Should I return to Marcel?”
“You stupid...!”
The Count sighed.
“Forget it. Sir Albert, join our group. Your mission is canceled.”
“What should I tell Marcel? My luggage is still there.”
“What are you talking about? Just follow me!”
Count Perrier deeply regretted not sending a smarter man.
Albert and his squires obediently joined the back of the group.
* * *
Several days later, Knight Commander Axel reported Albert’s disappearance.
“Should we treat it as desertion?”
“Yes. His full name is Albert Narbonne. Send wanted notices to every neighboring territory.”
“He’ll be thoroughly humiliated.”
Naturally, I did not expect anyone to actually arrest him.
The purpose was to damage the honor of both Albert and Count Perrier.
“Sir Axel, send Sir Orian into Perrier next. Have him continue Albert’s task.”
“Sir Orian has no squire.”
“Send him alone. Tell him to travel while pretending he is still a Free Knight.”
He had only recently been selected.
The disguise should work.
“And tell him to inspect the soil carefully along the road from the Rhône to Perrier’s lord’s city.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The canal project was progressing step by step.
I had already pulled both Court Count Chatillon and the Roches Tower Master into it.
Count Perrier would eventually have no choice but to withdraw his threat and support the canal project.
Imagining his angry face made me smile.
