Translator: NightNote
Contract
Last week, the Academy’s Martial Arts Tournament, in which the Principal of the Academy suddenly asked me to participate, ended with Kurena winning and then losing badly to the Master Swordsman Doberg.
Revenge against Doberg in the next year’s Academy Martial Arts Tournament is Kurena’s goal for the next year. I think we ended up with a good result, with more motivation than ever before to raise our level and improve our equipment in the future.
I wonder if the reason Doberg is fighting the winners of the Academy is to make them know the difference between them and to make them lose their arrogance. After graduation, students go to the battlefield. It would be a shame if they were to do something reckless on the battlefield because of their ego from winning, and that would lead to the death of not only the student but the entire unit.
I’m sure that the Academy Martial Arts Tournament and the match with a Master Swordsman is held in the Academy Cities of every country.
Afterwards, the tournament’s ceremony was held in a hall-like area of the Academy.
The 16 students who qualified for the Final Round of the tournament were also invited to the ceremony where Nobles and guests from various countries who came to observe the tournament were present. Viscount Granvelle also participated as a Noble who observed the event.
As a representative of the contestants, Kurena received a congratulatory letter from the Crown Prince. There were no particular gold seals, trophies, or certificates in the ceremony.
I, of course, was not present at this ceremony, but I snuck in via G-rank Bird Chappy inside Kurena’s pocket.
The Crown Prince said to her, “You have fought well. From now on, you may wield your sword for the Kingdom.” She replied “Yes!” in a voice that echoed throughout the hall. I didn’t see the Crown Prince’s face, but he might have been quite taken aback by the buzzing around him.
After the ceremony we returned to the base. Since there was a ceremony, it was now late at night.
The Viscount was sitting at a table in the living room that is usually used as a dining room. In front of the Viscount was Kiel. Next to him was his younger sister, Nina.
The Viscount came to the base to fulfill another purpose.
Kurena, Cecile, Dogora and I were also sitting at the same table and looking.
“So you’re Kiel. Well, you have a vague resemblance to Viscount Carnell.”
“…Yes.”
Kiel replied, a little nervously.
The man sitting in front of him is the Viscount who caused the Carnell Family’s downfall. His father’s actions may have been outrageous and not right by anyone’s standards, but that doesn’t change the fact that his house was destroyed. As the next head of the Family, he desperately tried to act tough in front of the Viscount.
“Hmm, don’t be so uptight. I brought you this today.”
The Viscount sighed, wondering if he could blame Kiel for his condition. With those words, the Knight Commander behind the Viscount walked over to Kiel and unfolded a rolled up piece of parchment and placed it on the table.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a contract. It’s already signed by His Majesty the King.”
Kiel, Cecile and Dogora, who were looking into the situation together, muttered quietly, “A contract.” Only Kurena listened to the story, saying, “Hohoho.”
Kiel began to read the contract.
It contained the conditions for Kiel to restore the Carnell Family.
Be active in the battlefields designated by the Kingdom or the Five Continent Alliance for 5 years.We will consider shortening the term if you achieve a reasonable level of success.
It was stamped with the name of the King and the Royal seal with the Royal Family’s coat of arms.
“Do you mean to say that His Majesty the King has promised to restore the Carnell Family?”
“Yeah.”
In fact, it was a verbal promise from the Royal Messenger, and the King had not heard of it.
However, the Viscount had talked his way up to a contract from the King in a two-month time. The King agreed to re-establish the Carnell Family.
This contract is a rare occurrence for the Royal Family.
Kings do not make contracts easily. It is only when it is a very serious matter and he needs to make a contract or a promise with another country or a large Noble family. The King has Ministers under his control, so he leaves the detailed contracts with the Nobles to them.
This time, the King drew up a contract just for Kiel.
“Why are you doing this for me?”
Considering what his father, Viscount Carnell, had done, signing a contract with the King was an exceptional response. Kiel uttered his thoughts, wondering why the Viscount was doing this for him. There was no need to do this. According to what Rifol said, the Viscount himself may have been spotted by the Crown Prince, the next King, and his position may have been jeopardized.
“A Noble is a man of his word. A Noble keeps his word and takes responsibility for his actions. I think I have done what I should have done as the head of the Granvelle Family.”
Perhaps he knew Kiel would ask this question and had prepared an answer beforehand, the Viscount quickly responded.
The Viscount said that he has no regrets whatsoever for destroying the Carnell Family.
However, the Viscount, in his own way, feels responsible for his actions, even if it was for the sake of his daughter, Cecile, and even for the destruction of the Carnell Family, which had been Franvelle Family’s neighbors for several hundred years.
He said that his response to Kiel this time was the result of thinking about what he should do as the head of a Noble Family.
“Yes.”
“And look at this, too. It is signed by me and the Earl of Hamilton.”
“What?”
The contract was also signed by the Viscount Granvelle and Earl Hamilton. There was also something written below the signatures.
“What’s this?”
“It describes the obligation of both parties to cooperate in the restoration.”
It was written there that Earl Hamilton will be a close parent and provide maximum assistance to Kiel when he re-establishes the Carnell Family.
And it also says that the Viscount Granvelle is obligated to cooperate.
It may have been one of the conditions of the King’s promise to revive the Carnell Family.
In addition, the Viscount told us that, although it was not mentioned in the contract, Nina and all of Kiel’s servants were to live in the Hamilton Family’s mansion during Kiel’s service.
“Thank you.”
Words of gratitude come out naturally from Kiel. I felt as if all the bad feelings he had about the Granvelle Family were going to disappear.
Kiel signed it without hesitation. Nina was looking at him. Now, if Kiel fulfills his duties as stated in the contract, the contract will be fulfilled and the restoration of the Carnell Family will be in sight.
“But, I want you to hear what I have to say from here.”
Now that Kiel had signed, the Viscount said there was a problem.
It was the condition of His Majesty the King. The King is now nearly seventy years old, which is quite a long life even in this world. Recently, the King has been lying in bed and his condition is not good.
As a result, the Crown Prince has been gaining more and more power in his hands.
Since it was 5 years after our graduation, about 7 years in total the Crown Prince could have ascended to the throne. He said that even if the contract was made with the previous King, it is of course valid, but there is no guarantee that the contract will be fulfilled.
But Kiel didn’t seem to have a look of anxiety on his face when he heard that.
“No, I will do what I must as a returning Noble.”
He said he would not change his course of action depending on what happens in the future. The road to the restoration of the Carnell Family has been made, so it seems that he will just continue on regardless even if the road will be cut off in the middle.
The Viscount said that the contract signed by Kiel will be kept by the Granvelle Family according to the terms of the agreement. This is because it could be destroyed if the Crown Prince becomes the King.
The Viscount had finished his business, so I brought him something we had prepared from the next room.
It was a small box.
“We got it in a dungeon. You have been exceptionally helpful, so this is a thank you from the entire party.”
“Thank you. I’ll open it. Hmm, a ring?”
“Yes. It’s a Poison Resistance Ring.”
We have been going to the dungeon every day, and in the chests of the A-class dungeon, we usually find Poison Resistance Rings. Since we found it in a dungeon, we all discussed it and decided to thank the Viscount for his efforts. However, after hearing about the contract, I thought that one ring was not enough.
We don’t sell all items we find in the A-class dungeon. If we think it’s necessary, we discuss it and someone will equip it. If it’s a weapon or armor, it’s easy to know who can equip it, but for items with magical effects, we prioritize who can equip it and who needs it.
It is expected that many of the items available in the A-class dungeons will make us stronger when equipped, so for the time being, we were prioritizing on improving our equipment over money.
“Isn’t it rather expensive? I’d rather you give it to Cecile than me.”
He was putting his daughter Cecile in front of himself. It does make sense since there are a lot of magical beasts that use poison.
“No, we use a potion daily that protects us from poison.”
C-rank Grass’ Awakening skill, [Flavored Vegetables] works on everyone in the party within a 50 meter radius at once. When I use it on the base, it seems to activate the effect on Nina and servants who are not in the adventuring party as well. So, I use [Flavored Vegetables] every morning for breakfast.
Apparently, the definition of a party is much looser than what I think.
This time, the ring is a perfect item for a Viscount who is a poor Noble and cannot afford a Poison Resistance Ring yet.
The Viscount slowly looked at the ring and then at us.
“Well, you’ve got good friends, Cecile.”
The Viscount, who had been the head of Granvelle Family for about 30 years, might not have used the word “friend” in a long time.
“Well, we’ve stayed till quite late. Zenov, let’s go back.”
The Viscount told the Knight Commander to head back.
“No, we’ve got some rooms available. Would you like to stay here? Hmm? Someone’s here.”
Clip-clop Clip-clop
As the Viscount was about to leave, and I was about to ask him to stay since it was quite late, a carriage came to the base. The gates were already closed, so I went to see what’s going on and found two men standing there.
My eyes stopped on the carriage illuminated by a light magic tool held by one of the two. The carriage, illuminated by the lights of the magic tool, had the Royal Family’s coat of arms engraved on it.
“Why are you here this late?”
“I heard that the Viscount Granvelle is here. We’ve been looking for him.”
In response to Allen’s question, the man spoke to him in a dissatisfied tone.
Translator’s Corner
Thanks for reading.
