Volume 20 Chapter 2 A Modest Feast
The two returned to the house Gustave rented in the capital, where they joined his retainer Ozbert and his son Orville around the dinner table.
In many noble or knightly households, retainers eat separately, but not in the Channing family. Gustave, living in the capital, followed the same custom.
"Alfred, you're going to see the iron mine, right? When are you leaving the capital?"
Gustave asked while forking a baked potato into his mouth and chewing.
"Hmm, maybe tomorrow morning? Oh, are you coming too, brother?"
"Yeah, I want to report the knighthood matter to Father. There's also today's discussion. I doubt it's settled yet, but if I'm granted the title of Baron, we should discuss whether I should return or let Jasper take over. Personally, I'd rather stay with the knights..."
Hearing the words "knighthood" and "Baron," Ozbert and Orville gasped in surprise, exchanging glances.
"Actually, I was summoned to the castle by Lady Serena this afternoon. At that time..."
Gustave began recounting the events to Ozbert and Orville.
"Why didn't you tell us such important news earlier? We would've prepared a feast today!"
"Incredible, truly incredible! Sir Gustave. I thought becoming a junior leader would come first, but to be knighted already..."
Ozbert's voice was a mix of excitement and near-screaming.
Orville's eyes widened in shock as he spoke.
"No, no, it's not me who's great. It's Alfred. Orville knows that I didn't do a good enough job on this mission to deserve a reward. He did a great job on this mission. The knight is a reward for the Channing family. But with this, we can help our fathers a little."
Al also nodded at Gustave's words.
While it can't be simply compared to other places, Channing Village faces the frontier with threats from Barbarians and has little flat land, leaving it with no real industry besides forestry.
Even as the village lord, it's a struggle just to get by.
If Gustave is knighted, his salary will increase.
Things should become easier than they are now.
"So, what about the rank of Baron? When would that happen?"
Orville asked impatiently, but Gustave shook his head.
"The rank of Baron is just a possibility. First, Alfred would need to defeat Lamia, a Barbarian. I want him to do his best without overdoing it. Even if the subjugation succeeds and he's appointed as a magistrate, it would only mean overseeing Channing Village and a mine. Of course, his jurisdiction would expand. Many knights serving Margrave Rain oversee multiple villages, and it would be similar to that."
"If Sir Alfred succeeds, it sounds like things will get busy. Sir Nelson, Sir Jasper, Myron, and Neville──they'll be stretched thin. Roads, smelting equipment, and all that too?"
Ozbert fired off questions one after another.
"Since it's about being a magistrate, Margrave would handle some of the preparations for road maintenance and mining equipment, but we'll still be short on people. It won't just be about watching for Barbarians anymore. We'll need to ensure safety in the mines, hire miners and carriers. I'll have to discuss all this with my father. The rank of Baron would only come after the mine is running smoothly and a certain amount of ore is being extracted. It's a long way off."
So that's how it is...
Al felt a chill hearing Gustave's words.
It sounded like a lot of trouble, and he didn't think he could handle it.
Alfred thought it'd be great if he could help his dad now, but seeing his face, it seemed unlikely. Still, even if he lived as an adventurer, he'd need to return to the village regularly to watch for Barbarians targeting the iron mine. That much he'd ask for. Though, if Marquis Prentis's house fell, the Barbarians might decrease.
Gustave spoke to Al, perhaps noticing his reluctance.
Al nodded, thinking it wasn't too much to ask.
"My corps's been focused on treatment for a month and a half, so it's like a break for me. But if I leave the capital, I'll need to report it. Alfred, you'll fly there, right? Is leaving in the afternoon fine?"
"About 3 hours to the village. I'd like to arrive before dark. A month and a half of treatment──does that mean it's serious? There were some badly injured people..."
Al recalled the groans as he desperately gave first aid.
It was tough.
The envoy had priests for healing, but how did it go?
Gustave frowned at Al's question.
"Yes, you saw it yourself. The knights, still in full armor, fared better, but the squires... Some can't move parts of their arms or legs."
"Were they injured while working for the Order? Even if they're squires, they're still part of the Order. They'll get treatment until the end, right?"
Al asked worriedly.
Squires in the Order included those brought by knights from their lands, like Ozbert, and knight apprentices introduced through middle school.
Gustave himself was like that, and so were some of Al's classmates who joined the Order.
The squires who serve the Knights' Order are either people like Ozbert who the knights brought with them from their territories, or apprentice knights who have been introduced to them through middle school or similar.
Gustave's voice sounded a little bitter.
Even when he was with Orson, he heard that in order to heal, he needs a deep connection with the temple and a large amount of money.
As for Orson, Guildmaster Levy was able to offer him a stuffed wyvern for treatment.
Of course, since it is a knight order belonging to Margrave, Margrave can ask the temple for it, but it would probably require a considerable amount of donations, and it would be impossible for the knight order to bear that much.
"I see... I hope they can make a comeback after a month and a half of treatment"
That's the best Al can say to them.
Gustave agrees and shakes his head.
"Well, I'll leave tomorrow, and I'll leave either Ozbert or Orville at the capital."
"I will. Orville hasn't been back to the village for a while..."
Ozbert answered Gustave's question with a smile.
He can clearly see that he doesn't want to fly anymore.
Al couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Okay, let's do that. Orville, get some souvenirs for the village."
"Okay!"
Orville answered cheerfully.
Ozbert brought some wine that was a little dusty.
"Let's not look sad. I prepared this for a celebration. Let's toast to the knight's award."
"Wow! Nice. It's also a celebration of Alfred coming of age. Lord Duran himself said so. Please open it. Remember that delicious cheese we bought the other day? Could you bring that out too? Let's drink today!"
Gustave, as if shifting his mood, spoke with a cheerful voice.
* * *
"I'm back."
Al said this as he opened the door to the 8th floor of the research tower.
After enjoying wine together, he locked his assigned room and returned to the tower using a teleportation magic tool.
"Oh, welcome back, Sir Al. You still weren't at your brother's house today?"
Patricia, Baroness Tabasa, and Doris were sitting at the table, eating something.
On the plates were piles of round, deep purple fruits about 3 centimeters in diameter.
"Yeah, still at Big Brother Gustave's place. I haven't had the chance to talk about Patricia yet, so I can't relax. Today, I thought I'd check if the Tabard repair was done."
"It's finished. I'll prepare it for you."
Baroness Tabasa said this, washed her fingers in the finger bowl, and stood up.
Al noticed that the atmosphere of her clothes had changed slightly.
Patricia and Doris's outfits were similar, with plenty of draping.
It was a design Al hadn't seen much before.
"Hey, the clothes..."
"Ah."
Patricia stood up, slightly embarrassed, and lifted the skirt of her pale pink dress, smiling at Al.
"That's right. We made new dresses with the fabric we were allowed to use. Since we didn't have a pattern, we asked a High-Rank Worker Golem, and this is how it turned out. It's said to be a popular style from the ancient civilization era."
"Huh, it's quite nice."
"Hehe, thank you."
Patricia's face turned bright red at Al's words.
As they were talking, Baroness Tabasa returned, carrying a tabard on a tray.
She smiled softly, noticing the two.
"Does it suit Lady Patricia well?"
"Yes, yes. Baroness Tabasa, and Doris too."
Baroness Tabasa wore a deep purple dress, while Doris had on a light blue one.
Both were simpler than Patricia's but shared a similar basic design.
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
Doris followed Baroness Tabasa in expressing her gratitude.
"Oh, right! This..."
After taking the tabard, Al pulled out several scrolls from his button-shaped magic bag and laid them on the table.
They were textbooks on rhetoric, language, history, and arithmetic, used in elementary and middle school.
He had been asked by Baroness Tabasa when he visited the research tower 3 days ago.
Primarily for Doris's education, though Patricia would use some too.
"Thank you. This is a big help."
Baroness Tabasa bowed deeply.
"Well, if anything comes up, feel free to reach out through Patricia. Sorry I can't stay longer. I'll head back now."
"It's fine. Just seeing your face is enough... Take care."
Patricia smiled as she spoke.
Al waved to the 3, stepped outside, and used a teleportation magic tool to return to his room in the capital.
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