I folded the contract and tucked it into the inner pocket of my coat.
Though I would’ve loved to go charging into enemy territory right away, there were things that needed doing first.
Knock. Knock.
“Are you finished with your preparations?”
“Yes.” I nodded and opened the door.
As the door opened, a butler of Praha was already waiting, bowing his head.
“The Patriarch is waiting for you. Let us hurry.”
“Of course. You lot stay here. It may be a guest room, but it’s a rather fine one—plenty comfortable for whiling away the ti.”
“Just go already,” Lancelot muttered.
I let out a brief chuckle and set off, saying, “Let’s go.”
A day had passed after returning to Praha Manor.
An appointnt with the Grand Duke was on the schedule.
* * *
“You’re here? Sit down for a bit. I’ve still got so work to finish.” The Grand Duke, pausing in his paperwork, gestured at the table.
“Take your ti.” I nodded, walked over, and took a seat at the table.
Long minutes passed.
“Hrrngh—.”
With a stretch, the Grand Duke finished his work, got up, and ca to sit across from .
After settling down, he signaled to the head steward, who’d been waiting nearby, to bring so tea.
“I have sothing to discuss with Sir Berg, so co back in thirty minutes. And bring the tea then. Would you like so as well?”
“Hibiscus for , please.”
“Give him sothing boiling hot, and I’ll have a warm herbal tea.”
…And just how am I supposed to drink sothing that’s boiling?
I shook my head at the Grand Duke’s mischief and sighed faintly.
After the steward bowed and left the office, the Grand Duke began to speak.
“I’ll get straight to the point. You’re going to be our family’s son-in-law. As I told you before, the engagent ceremony will be in a week.”
“That’s quite a tight schedule.”
“His Majesty has ordered to explore the Demonic Realm. Still, I am a father. Surely I should at least see the engagent before I go?” The Grand Duke muttered this, his eyes carrying a hint of bitterness.
Was it really necessary to look so sentintal over an engagent ceremony? It wasn’t even the wedding, after all.
I stared at the Grand Duke, completely baffled.
He waved his hand in the air and said, “Don’t look at like that. You’ll understand if you ever have a daughter. There’s nothing quite so infuriating as having your precious little girl leave your arms and run off to so scruffy nobody.”
“…Apologies for being the scruffy nobody.”
“Hah… No need to apologize. That’s just how I feel. Anyway, in a week, you’ll be part of our family. And if that’s the case, shouldn’t you at least have command in the North?”
Command in the North…
I t the Grand Duke’s gaze for a mont in silence.
The North was, by all accounts, a place where cold and conflict were as constant as taxes.
The northern winds were so fierce, even Aura Masters would shudder as if their very bones had caught a chill.
The land’s barrenness was so notorious that even the wealthiest rchants would shake their heads and vow never to invest a single coin.
And, of course, such harshness didn’t just apply to humans—it extended to animals and other races as well.
If anything, the Darkspawn from the Demonic Realm were the lesser of two evils.
At least those creatures ca to kill humans on purpose, not because they were starving and desperate enough to risk everything for a al.
But the other races—now, they were a different story.
The Orcs, a people with green skin and enormous tusks. They invaded human lands purely to survive, charging in with nothing but hunger and a willingness to die for it.
And they did this every single winter.
So, whether it was to fight off the Orcs or to hunt down the monsters that crawled out of the Demonic Realm, the North needed knightly battalions.
And now he wants to give command of one of those battalions.
Of course, it wasn’t likely that he’d hand over the Commander-in-Chief’s position or the 1st Battalion.
The Commander-in-Chief’s seat was reserved for the head of the family, and the 1st Battalion and Inspector Battalion were already claid by Lea’s older sisters.
Besides, Lea herself would be leading a battalion, so it was questionable whether they’d entrust even a single battalion to a son-in-law brought in by marriage.
Still, it would be better than nothing.
I nodded and said, “If you’re offering, I’ll gratefully accept.”
“Of course, as you probably expected, I can’t just hand you a whole battalion. Frankly, I’m not sure the n would trust you completely, either.”
“That makes sense.”
“So, you’ll have to find your own.”
…Excuse ?
I blinked dumbly at the Grand Duke, who wore a mischievous grin.
He continued, “I an it. You’ll have to recruit your own unit mbers. Personally.”
“…What do you an?”
“As of this mont, I appoint you as Captain of the Northern Special Taskforce. Since it’s a newly created unit, you’ll have the authority to select your own mbers and assign them to your command.”
The Grand Duke finished, his grin widening.
“Let’s see what you can do, Special Taskforce Captain.”
* * *
And so, quite suddenly, I found myself with the shiny new title of Special Taskforce Captain as I stepped out of the office.
The Grand Duke’s cheerful suggestion that I stay for tea echoed behind , but I ignored it and kept walking.
On my way to the training grounds, I muttered to myself. “Ugh… so I really have to fill out my own squad.”
I violently scratched the back of my head.
A mont ago, the Grand Duke had said I could pick my own people, but that was a poisoned chalice if ever there was one.
If I let just anyone in, I’d be planting spies in my own ranks, and it was obvious I wouldn’t get any real loyalty that way.
In other words, the Grand Duke was saying this: find a way to win their loyalty and build your own battalion.
Not people who side with the Elder Council, nor those loyal only to the family—he wanted a battalion loyal to alone.
…Easier said than done. As if that’ll ever go according to plan.
I let out a long sigh and frowned.
I could probably bring in one or two people. There was Lancelot, and Kai.
But the real problem was that a battalion needed at least five mbers.
And with just five, the budget would be so tiny you’d need a microscope to find it.
“…Who would volunteer for a job like this, anyway?” I pressed a hand to my throbbing forehead and let out a sigh.
Just then, a voice called out from close by. “Lord Louis?”
“Ah, Lady Lea.”
Lea Praha. My fiancée and the knight with the greatest talent in the world.
She stood before , platinum hair shining, clad in armor, gazing straight at .
“Have you been well? Our, um… engagent ceremony isn’t far off now…”
“Oh, that I know. I’ve morized all the customs of the North, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
“…That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.” Lea turned her head away with a prim, indifferent air.
I wasn’t sure what her problem was, but it seed sothing unpleasant had happened.
At tis like this, silence is golden.
It was a survival tactic I’d picked up back when I married Hera.
“…Honestly. Would it hurt you to stick a little closer at tis like this?” Lea let out a faint sigh and muttered under her breath.
But I couldn’t quite make out what she said, so I blinked and asked, “Sorry, what was that?”
“It’s nothing,” Lea replied curtly, clearly having no intention of explaining.
I simply nodded. After a pause, I continued, “Well, alright. By the way, where were you headed?”
“Haa… I was on my way to the barracks.” Lea brushed her bangs aside as she spoke.
“The barracks?”
“Yes, we’re starting a mock battle today. My father gave command of the 6th Battalion a few days ago, so I need to put in the effort to get to know the troops.”
…A certain sobody was handed nothing but a title, while another got the whole 6th Battalion, just like that.
Honestly, it’s enough to make a man feel sorry for himself.
“…I see you’re working hard,” I finally managed.
“I wouldn’t want to bring sha to my father’s na, after all.” Lea answered with a bright smile.
For a mont, I was left staring blankly at the complete change from her earlier sulking.
…She really is beautiful.
It wasn’t for nothing that she was called a goddess incarnate.
It really put things into perspective. Here she was—sa age as , mind you—living her life with such earnest devotion to her father…
…I really was a worthless scumbag back then.
Suddenly, my chest filled with a suffocating guilt toward my own father.
But then again, what’s done is done. The past has already packed its bags and left the building.
No sense in wringing my conscience dry over it now.
…Still, I suppose I ought to pay him a visit. Eventually.
I let out a shallow sigh.
Just then, Lea seed to rember sothing and said, “Oh, by the way, my father ntioned he’d be giving you command as well. Did you receive it?”
“…I did, technically, but there’s a bit of a problem.”
“A problem?” Lea tilted her head, curious.
I explained the situation.
Afterward, Lea’s face lit up with conviction as she grabbed my hand, exclaiming, “If that’s all, I can fix it for you! Leave it to !”
“???”
* * *
…So.
“This is your solution?”
“Yes! Of course it is!” Lea thrust out her chest and answered with loud confidence.
I barely glanced at her, more interested in surveying my surroundings.
I saw little children all lined up before . Or, if not children, people old enough to start taking up the sword.
Squires. Those who volunteer for servitude in the hope of one day becoming knights.
They were all staring at with eyes that sparkled with the desperate hope of snatching up an opportunity.
“Sir! Thank you so much for your help the other day!”
“It’s an honor for our family that you helped us pitch our tent, sir!”
“I’ve never t you before, but I’ve heard all about you!”
Every single one of them was crying out with urgency.
“Hmmmm…” I clutched my throbbing head and tried to steady my breathing.
But then, after a mont’s thought, I shook my head.
…No. This might actually be a good thing.
To be completely honest, the only people in my current unit were two others.
Three, counting myself.
One was just an Aura Adept while the other was a forr slave turned assassin.
Certainly, both were talented in their own way, but with just us, we’d have trouble taking down even a baby Orc.
There wasn’t a single respectable knight in their right mind who’d willingly set foot in a group like mine.
But what if, by so miracle, I managed to dig up a decent raw gem here?
If I managed to gather five people, form a unit, and either train them myself or find soone else to teach them—
…I could create the strongest unit there is.
My eyes glead as I looked over the squires.
It wasn’t as if I had any other options. Given what was left to , the only thing to do was choose the best from what remained.
At least there wouldn’t be any Elder Council or Artezia lackeys skulking about here.
I nodded, my mind made up, and agreed with Lea. “This really does seem like the best way forward.”
“Right?” Lea bead, her shoulders rising with satisfaction, clearly pleased with herself.
I gave her a thumbs-up, then turned away.
I needed to find soone with genuine talent. If anyone would know, it’d be .
After all, I’ve got the miracle of ti regression on my side.
I took a deep breath and looked around.
Unfortunately, there were no future legends in sight—just a bunch of middling talents, all cut from the sa unremarkable cloth.
Tch. Guess it can’t be helped.
I scratched my head in resignation.
Talent isn’t like autumn leaves—you can’t just find it lying around everywhere. It’s rare, which is exactly why people chase after it and put it on a pedestal.
But just as I was about to settle for anyone and fill out the numbers…
“…Wait a second.”
A man caught my eye.
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