I prepared a few souvenirs for my grandfather, who was hard at work on his castle, and set out with the army for the westernmost part of the Quadrant.
Departing from Nambonan City, we proceeded westward over uneven terrain for a day and a half, until we came upon the base where the flag of the Quardenze army was displayed.
Looking to the northeast, Mount Erechtheion, the highest peak on the continent, loomed over us, supported by the Keebolf Mountains.
On the other side of the Keebolf Mountains is the northern part of the continent, a land of mist.
It is a barren land where the soil is polluted by the endless birth of mature demonic beasts, and only a few ethnic groups live there.
The central part of the continent is protected from the mature demonic beasts of the north by a natural curtain of mountains and rivers.
"Looks like construction is underway."
It hadn't been long since the construction of the castle had begun, but the walls and fortifications were beginning to be built, albeit in parts.
There were buildings here and there that looked like watchtowers, similar to rook pieces from chess, and I could see that they were packed with soldiers.
The color of the surrounding soil was strangely noticeable, probably because it had been cleared. Since my grandfather has the magical power of a nobleman, and his troops are full of soldiers with magical power, they were very fast at clearing the ground.
There were people everywhere engaged in civil engineering work, trying to keep up with the speed of the land clearing. Although they didn't have whips, I could see that the soldiers nearby were working them hard.
Most of the workers here were former mercenaries who had been deprived of their freedom after surrendering to the Quardenze allied forces in the Battle of Nambonan.
Although their lives had been spared, they had been forced to work as slaves in the harsh civil engineering work, and they were looking at us with resentful eyes.
I left the troops I had led from Nambonan City with the captain at the base and got out of the carriage.
I shrugged my shoulders in the chilly wind, and Tesh pulled a thick cloak over me.
This time, I was accompanied by Tesh and Odie. They had come all this way to take care of their grandfather as servants.
The soldier who greeted us led us to a wooden structure that looked like a prefab hut and a log cabin divided by two.
The soldier led us to a wooden structure that looked like the sum of a prefab hut and a log cabin, and with the back of his head turned, he began to explain.
"General Galfis is currently out in the surrounding villages. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait here."
Despite its appearance, the building was spacious inside and seemed to have several rooms.
I was taken to one of the rooms and told to wait here for the soldiers.
"Did he say how long he would be back?"
"...... Sorry, I don't know the details. I only know that he left this morning."
Judging by the outfit of the soldier, he didn't seem to be the kind of person who would normally talk to my grandfather or me. He was more like the captain of a small unit.
Perhaps he was just ordered to show me to this room in case the senior military officer was not there when I arrived.
There was no point in asking him too many questions about this and that, since would make him feel intimidated.
"I see. Well, I guess I'll have to wait a bit. Well, when my father return, let them know I've arrived."
"Yes sir!"
The soldier replied, not bothering to hide his relief, and hurried out of the room.
There was a simple mobile fireplace in the cool room, and firewood was ready nearby.
Immediately, Tesh and Odie began to move quickly to set up the environment in the room.
The fireplace was lit and the room was getting warm when another soldier came into the room.
He was a military officer in my grandfather's unit, and I had talked to him a few times.
"General, you are scheduled to stay overnight in a nearby village. He'll be back around noon tomorrow."
It seemed that he and my grandfather had gotten mixed up.
It was inevitable, since there was no civilized means of communication like the telephone. A letter can only give a rough estimate of arrival.
"Are you on a tour?"
"Yes, sir. We're trying to identify the traitors."
This area is a land that has only recently come under the control of the Quardenze family. Before that, it was ruled by the nobles of the Empire.
As a matter of course, they would kill the enemy nobles and knights, but they would not slaughter all the inhabitants.
The inhabitants of the villages, towns, and cities continue to live with the newly arrived rulers, the Quardenze family and the knightly families associated with them, as their lords.
However, there are those who oppose the rule of the Quardenze family. These are the commoners who had been taking advantage of the lord's side and savoring the spoils.
These people want to continue the vested interests they originally had, or they support guerrilla activities by hiding people from the former lord's side.
That is why it is necessary to make occasional visits to smoke out such people and execute them.
In some cases, tribute is prepared to impress the new lord. I've heard that this is more common than not.
Maybe I could have had all the cute village girls I wanted. When I think about it, I regret that my grandfather and I got mixed up.
"I see. What should I do now?
It was still early in the evening, and it would be unbecoming of a soldier to start sleeping so soon after arriving.
"I'd like to take a look around this base."
"Yes sir! I'll show you around."
The superiors can make their soldiers feel better just by walking around and observing them.
I had Tesh and Odie help me get dressed, so I could look like a soldier.
After I finished my inspection of the base, I had dinner with the soldiers.
If you just put on a big face as an aristocrat and neglect your soldiers, morale will not go up when it comes to battle. For this reason, moderate interaction is essential.
When I offered them a pile of sake barrels that I had dragged all the way from Nambonan City, the soldiers were very pleased. As I expected, it was a lot of work to carry the sake up here, so they didn't seem to be able to drink much.
After dinner, I returned to the building that had been prepared for my stay, and found Tesh and Odie having a meeting.
The two servants were staying in this building because they were going to inspect a military facility.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was having a little meeting about personnel matters after we return to New Nellie Castle."
Tesh walks up to me and takes off my jacket as he says this.
"Will people change?"
Tesh is my first in command, so if he were to talk about personnel matters, it would be about the transfer of my personal servant.
I wondered who was going to be changed, and before Tesh could give me an answer, I gave him one.
"Oh, Odie, is that you? Are you going to be my personal assistant?"
Although Odie often goes on business trips, she won't have any need to go to the capital until around next spring.
I think there is a very good chance that Odie will be my exclusive servant for a while.
"Perhaps, but I'm not sure what to do about Minith."
It was Odie who answered.
The unexpected name must have brought up a confused expression on my face, so she quickly clarified.
"In the letter from the head maid, it was written that Minith might not be able to work. That's why I've been talking with Master Tesh about who to add to our staff after Minith's departure."
The head maid, the big boss of the female servants at New Nellie Castle, is also Odie's mother.
I knew that the bundle of letters that arrived in Nambonan the other day contained a letter from the head maid to Odie, but I thought it was a father-son correspondence. However it seems to have been a business letter.
"I don't understand. Why is Minith unable to work?"
"Apparently, she is always late."
I was about to ask what the delay was, when I realized what Odie meant.
She nodded her head.
I'm sure you can guess.
According to Odie, Minith was apparently being taken notice of by the head maid.
Since the woman I've had the most sex with in New Nellie City is definitely Minith. There is a very good chance that Minith will be the first to conceive.
Every morning when Minith comes to work, she is greeted by the head maid with a smile like, "Good morning, did you get your period? I heard that every morning when Minith comes to work, she is checked for pregnancy by the head maid. It's a bit pitiful.
It's just that she's so young that she might really just be behind on her period."
Minith is a spry sixteen-year-old. Odie told me not to get my hopes up too high, as it was entirely possible that she was just having irregular periods.
"Well. Minith is ......."
If I had to gamble right now on whether she is pregnant or is just having irregular periods, I would definitely bet on pregnancy.
I believe in sperm produced by healthy 12-year-olds.
"Yes. I'd be delighted if it were true. ......"
She smiled at me, and it looked like the smile of a kind sister who is happy to see her little brother grow up.
But was it my imagination, or did I see a shadow in her smile?
"Odie?"
"Yes? What is it?"
At my words, Odie, who had instantly returned to her servant's face, straightened her posture.
"I'd like to talk to Tesh in private. Would you excuse us for a moment?"
"Certainly, sir."
Odie silently steps back without replying, opening and closing the door without a sound and going outside.
I turned to Tesh and said what I had been meaning to ask him.
TL NOTE: The next 3 chapters are R18 scenes, and since I don't have a habit of cucking people I'll be releasing them all at once, so expect a couple days until its release :))
