CH 77

Translator: Nisarah    Editor: Fleeting

♦

“Welner von Zeavert has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

“Pardon my rudeness.”

I feel like I’m in a court. Well, it’s close actually. This hearing is practically a military court. At that time, I had no other option than leaving for Alea Village immediately, but it did violate the military law so now let’s be obedient here.

At any rate, I brought some souvenirs a.k.a evidence so I don’t think I’m going to get the death penalty.

When I entered the camp, Duke Grunding glared at me with a terrifying expression while Grand Duke Seyfart beside him showed his usual expression. Well, he came here as the person that led the supply corps but, as expected, a Grand Duke is a Grand Duke so he sat in one of the highest seats at the table.

(T/N: Japanese have a rule of order of seating depending on the person’s rank.)

Duke Grunding is an old man. Well, he had a powerful aura befitting the supreme commander though.

The captains of the 1st and 2nd Division are sitting on the left and right side each. The rest of high ranked nobles starting from Marquis, the captain of the mage unit (probably), and counts are all here.

Most counts here are probably younger than Father. They seem to be in their thirties or mid-forties, the age people are most thirsty for achieving. Though the knight captains, the marquises, and the captain of the mage unit are older.

“Viscount Zeavert, let us hear your argument first.”

Right to the point? I was prepared to hear some berating first though. Then, is it fine for me to assume that everyone here understood my situation?

“Yes, sir. Then let me start with what happened.”

I proceeded to explain what had happened as concisely and objectively as possible. If I immediately mentioned my self-defense here, they would think that I’ve done something I need to feel guilty of.

“…So that is what had happened. As for why I decided to take action…”

Now, I explained the reason for my action. My explanation contains my subjective opinion since I need to tell my opinion to justify my action. I didn’t do anything suspicious though… No, I think I did. I mean, having the memory of my past life, in a sense, is quite a suspicious thing.

Well, no one is going to believe me even if I tell them about my memory so whatever.

“You swear that all your claims contain nothing but the truth?”

“I have sent a messenger bearing my report about my actions to the capital and the Hearthing family is also in the capital. Please send a message to the capital to inquire about it. Until you get your confirmation, I will not mind being put into prison.”

This was actually a veiled threat. ‘I’m a deputy count, a noble with peerage. If you treat me as a criminal just based on your doubts, I will get back to you later.’

Well, my threat shut him up.

“Why didn’t you just escort the Hearthing family here?”

“That is because I have seen the ruins of Valeritz. I judged it would be unwise to show that scenery to normal villagers.”

“Not because of your desertion attempt?”

“In the name of my family, I swear that I have no intention to desert.”

Several nobles said malicious words like that to me, but I didn’t get angry. I’m a bit surprised by how calm I am. Maybe I’ve spent all my anger in the Alea Village.

The meaning of ‘swearing in the name of my family’ is that I swear by putting the honor of all Zeavert’s family ancestors in line. The oath in the name of your family is an oath second in importance only to the oath to serve the king.

“You could have just told others the circumstances and asked them to go.”

“As I have explained earlier, even though I rushed to the village immediately after I realized what might happen, by the time I reached there, the hero’s family was already in danger. I admit that I am at fault for moving without authorization but I don’t think that my decision at that time was wrong.”

“Didn’t you also have the choice to ask for assistance from other armies?”

“At that time, there was only the 2nd Division in the main camp and it was unclear when or where we would meet up with the rest of the army. And then, we also did not have enough food to go to the village with a large number of people.”

Somehow the people of Count house and below are being really persistent. Ah, I see! It’s classic ‘the nail that sticks out gets hammered down’.

I’m more than happy to keep playing with them but I’m afraid that the fire might spread to the Mazell’s family later so let’s play it safe here.

Compared to when I was criticized by the black company’s president because his microscope-like eyes found a little misalignment in my presentation, this is nothing. Well, in the past, I never thought that this kind of experience was going to be as useful as it is now.

“Is it true that you encountered devils in that village?”

“It is only a guess that they are devils, but the chance of that guess being true is quite high. I also discovered a strange stone when I killed them.”

“Show it to us.”

Schunzel handed the bag containing the black gem brought along with the soil to someone who was probably an orderly. When the bag is opened and the gem is revealed, the Grand Duke and the leader of the mage’s unit showed complicated expressions. But why?

After that, I held my fort against another flood of slander disguised as questions. I finally spent all my patience and wanted to retaliate when these ‘questions’ started to change into obvious harassment, but then, the Duke butted in.

“Let us stop here. I understand Sir’s claim. For now, you may leave.”

“Yes.”

With the boss… I mean the Duke’s words, my questioning finally came to an end. Huff… I’m tired. Let’s obediently leave.

“I would like for the Grand Duke, the two Marquises, the two knight division’s captains, and the leader of the Mage’s unit to remain. The rest please return to the frontline to prepare in case of an enemy’s attack.”

“Duke, but…”

“It will be harder to talk with too many people. Or perhaps you cannot trust the people that will remain here?”

“O…Of course not!”

I heard a noble’s complaint was immediately shooted down as I left the headquarters. After that, I went to the tent next to the headquarters.

Hah… I’m tired. I let out a breath after sitting on the ground. I probably won’t be declared innocent. What I did violated the military law after all. I wonder what kind of punishment I will get.

3rd Pov

After confirming that they had left, the Duke sat down again and let out a sigh. He then proceeded to gaze at the people that had remained in the headquarters and said, “What is the opinion of Sirs about Viscount Zeavert’s action?”

“I judged that the viscount has no intention to desert the army”

The first person that answered the Duke’s question is the 2nd division’s captain, Hindermann. The first time he and Welner met was when Welner arrived in Valeritz a few days prior but Hindermann has always held Welner in high esteem.

“At the Stampede, the Viscount himself took the most dangerous position, the rear, and his action also saved many of our kingdom’s men. I do not think he is a coward who will attempt to desert the army.”

“Perhaps, this time he truly had the intention?”

Marquis Norporth said, but it was not out of malice. His tone suggests that he purely wished for confirmation.

“He tends to move without authorization but I don’t think he’s a coward. His attitude earlier was also quite confident. It was this country’s blunder for not paying attention to the hero’s family. We can even consider his action as a military achievement.”

The captain of the 1st division, Vilsmaier, responded to the Marquis’s question. He didn’t have any particular good or bad relationship with Welner. He simply stated his judgment.

The Marquis answered, “He certainly has a tendency to move without authorization.” and this might now become a common perception of Weiner’s character. 

“Even though he’s young, he was quite calm. Maybe he acted calm because he truly has done nothing worthy of our suspicion?” Hindermann asked 

“He was too calm. He has clearly made the mistake of moving without any authorization.”

Marquis Schramm refuted Hindermann’s claim. The captain of Mage Unit glanced at the silent Grand Duke before finally saying, “I still need to investigate it but the Viscount has perhaps earned for himself a considerable achievement.”

“What do you mean?”

To answer the Duke’s question, the captain of the Mage Unit pointed to the stone that Welner had brought.

“This stone appears to be the same as the one that has been recovered during the stampede and the Veritza Fortress incident.”

“Well…”

The Grand Duke finally opened his mouth.

“I have seen the stone that was recovered after the death of the general of the Veritza Fortress’s army and it looks exactly like this stone.”

A small commotion arose among everyone in the tent. The Grand Duke still had a complicated expression.

“Then, the person he killed was a demon commander?”

“That’s hard to believe…”

“That’s not what I meant. In any case, captain of the Mage Unit, I want you to safely transport this stone to the capital for an investigation.”

“Understood.”

The captain of the mage unit bowed his head respectfully and proceeded to take the stone for safekeeping. After that, Marquis Schramm asked, “Putting the matter of this unknown stone aside, I would like to talk about what action should we take concerning the viscount’s act of leaving his post.”

“The fact that he saved the hero’s family can be considered an achievement but he did leave his post without authorization. Grand Duke, what do you think we should do to him?”

No one in the tent claimed that Welner deserved severe punishment.  The Grand Duke stroked his chin and answered the Duke’s question, “Hmm… Well…”

♦

T/N: The war is coming again….*dramatic drum*