Sevens

Volume 2, Chapter 20 – Request

Translated by: Reiji

──That day.

The feudal lord of Dalien, Ventra Rodornia was cutting open the seal of a letter that he didn’t really want to read inside his mansion’s office.

Night had come and he was able to make time, so he was finally going to check it. He was reluctant because the sender of the letter wasn’t someone that was really likable for Ventra.

No, the likeable here wasn’t in the personal capacity, but in his capacity as feudal lord. The sender was a young man in his early twenties, Dale Bagan.

The Bagan House was a dependent of Ventra who was a Baron. It was a house with Knight rank, and its head was a feudal lord who governed over a small village. (Note: In Japan, in the Sengoku period, there was this system of yorioya and yoriko. It’s a system where a powerful retainer house (yorioya) will act like a parent to several other smaller retainer houses (yoriko). The yorioya will have to take care of their yoriko if they faced some kind of trouble, in return the yoriko will have to mobilize their force if their yorioya need it and act under his command. This system seems to be adopted sometimes in the WN that has nobility in the story. I’m going to use the word dependent to describe yoriko and caregiver for yorioya here. Or does anyone know any better words for this?)

But, since the head of the house changed, there wasn’t any contact from that house. From Ventra’s point of view, it was nothing more than a house that he kept associating with because of a certain reason.

The Bagan House’s previous house head and his eldest son mobilized their troops because of the Rodornia House’s demand and then both of them died in battle. Dale then succeeded the house.

After that, the Bagan House openly showed their dislike of any intervention from the outside. Certainly the responsibility for the war that caused Dale’s father and big brother to die also lay with Ventra. It was a war between fellow feudal lords in Bahnseim that caused big damage to both sides.

Both sides asked his majesty the king at Centralle to act as mediator. Thanks to that the expenses wasn’t little.

It had been three years since the Bagan House continued to refuse associating with him.

But then they suddenly sent him this letter.

Ventra felt a bad premonition.

After he checked the contents of the letter, a scowl formed on Ventra’s eyebrows. Seeing the expression of the kind and plump feudal lord cloud, the nearby vassal opened his mouth.

「My lord, is something the matter?」

Ventra put the letter on the table and joined his hands before relaxing his expression.

「Good grief, they didn’t send any contact at all until now, and yet when it suddenly came it’s this……」

In Bahnseim, a dependent meant the small feudal lords who followed their caregiver, which referred to the powerful feudal lord in their area. They were feudal lords of the same rank and equally served the Bahnseim Kingdom, but as expected there was a pecking order that existed due to the scale of their respective territories.

Only houses with the rank of Baron and above could become a caregiver, and it was also the caregiver’s role to consolidate their dependents. And so, Ventra also couldn’t ignore the letter that came from Dale.

Ventra sighed.

「……Looks like they caused a dispute with their neighboring territory. It seems their opponent is just a vassal of a vassal knight house, but they are still outclassed. This letter is requesting me to lend them soldiers.」

「That’s……」

The vassal made a complicated expression.

The Bagan House’s territory was bordered with a territory that was governed by a feudal lord of another region.

In Bahnseim, a vassal knight referred to a knight that served not the king but served a feudal lord. Speaking of their status, the Bagan House was higher, but the scale of the opponent’s territory was bigger, because of that they were outmatched.

They caused a dispute with such an opponent.

Normally, nobles considered vassal knights to have lower status than them. But, among the vassal knights there were also a lot of them who were more powerful than even nobles.

Incidentally, the Maini House that was bordered with the Bagan House’s territory was a case like that.

Furthermore, this wasn’t a dispute between Ventra’s fellow dependents, but a dispute with the vassal knight of another feudal lord.

A dispute was troublesome. That was the honest opinion of Ventra.

「If I carelessly send soldiers there, it will provoke the other side. But, if we ignore this and they start killing each other, as caregiver I’ll have to come out. Good grief, they are bringing this kind of troublesome problem to me.」

He didn’t have any interaction with the Bagan House normally and their relationship only amounted to being acquaintances.

He didn’t have any feelings towards Dale personally. But, he also had interactions with the previous head and his eldest son. On top of that, if the rumor that Ventra abandoned his dependent spread, he would be troubled.

Because the other dependents that were following Ventra would hold distrust towards him then.

Ventra touched his flabby jaw and pondered for a while.

But, an idea seemed to flashed in his mind and he picked the letter to check it.

「Hmm, perhaps it will work out somehow after all.」

His vassal looked at Ventra with a puzzled look.

「My lord, did you have some kind of ingenious idea? I cannot even think of anything.」

Ventra took out a paper and his hand held a pen.

「It’s troublesome for both sides’ parents to show up at a fight between children. The other side should understand that too. In that case, I’ll take some measures first.」

Ventra started to write a letter for the feudal lord who was the lord of the vassal knight involved in the dispute. He was writing about the person he would dispatch there in the letter.

The vassal read that name and tilted his head.

「My lord, is this really alright?」

「Yes, the other side will guess our intention with this. It’s fine, I understand the disposition of the other side’s feudal lord, he will guess our intention well enough with this.」

Ventra had met the neighboring feudal lord face to face several times in places like parties and the like. And then, if the other side read the name of the person he would dispatch, Ventra was convinced that he would guess his intention.

Ventra ordered his vassal.

「Call Zelphy. Also, send the request to the guild too first thing in the morning.」

.

The cart of the wagon was shaking.

A cloth was laid out as roof, so there was no need to be bothered by the sunlight.

We who are traveling slowly through the highway with tranquil scenery stretching on continued to question the back of Zelphy-san who was driving the wagon.

「Zelphy-san, this request is completely unexpected isn’t it?」

Zelphy-san’s shoulders twitched at my question.

「N, no, look……as expected even this kind of request, it’s better to accept it don’t you think so?」

Aria-san looked slightly happy.

「That’s right! As expected, receiving this kind of request really feels like an adventurer! It really gives that kind of feeling!」

Apparently she was happy that we finally went out to do a job that was exactly like in her imagination.

From inside the Jewel I could hear the completely opposite reaction of the First and the Second.

『Aria-chan in high spirits is really adorable.』

『I wish she will feel more tension. This is a problem between territories they are going to. If they are careless someone might end up dead.』

Yes, for some reason when we gathered in the guild, Zelphy-san who was fully prepared told us that there was a request and we would head to the location.

The contents of the request she accepted was a dispatch as reinforcements to a place that was in a complicated trouble between territories.

I want to say that they should send Dalien’s soldiers normally. The reaction of the Fifth until the Seventh was also really cold.

『A dependent caused a problem with another territory, and then others have to take care of that problem for them. Good grief, what a troublesome matter.』

『Exactly. I wish they would do something about it by themselves before running in tears to others.』

『If they are running and crying to their caregiver, the other side will also run in tears to their own caregiver……. Just what do they want to do by making the problem bigger.』

The three of them reacted negatively to the request of the feudal lord who was a dependent.

On the other hand, the opinion of First until the Third was,

『Stupid idiot! It’s a caregiver’s job to lend a hand if there is a problem! Even the dependent has worked hard in various things for their caregiver!』

『That’s right! A caregiver that cannot be relied on shouldn’t be a caregiver!』

『Well, they should help each other when this kind of thing happens.』

As always these seven people’s opinions weren’t the same, but this time the Fourth was placed in a complicated position.

『……I can understand the feelings of both sides so I cannot say anything here.』

Inside the wagon Novem was checking the supply. The wagon was filled not with just food. There were also various tools loaded in it.

But, even though we are going to a place where there was trouble with another territory, there was no weapon transported. Speaking of any weapon that was brought in this trip, there was only our own weapons.

「There isn’t anything like weapons here, so what are we going there for?」

Sophia-san was making a complicated expression.

「……I am acquainted with the head of the Maini House that is on the other side of the dispute. In the past there was also times when he gave me some gift for my birthday or the like, so I don’t want to participate in this request. Or rather, I cannot believe at all that that person would cause problem with another feudal lord……」

Zelphy-san yelled at Sophia-san with a thundering voice.

「That’s obviously not allowed! You’re a member of this party. All of you share your lot with one another. Besides, there is no way I can do something about this with me alone……」

It seemed the mumbled words in the later half were her true feelings. Apparently Zelphy-san’s employer was involved with this request.

Novem looked up at the ceiling inside the wagon.

「It seems there is meaning in Lyle-sama, not Zelphy-san going there. I can guess the situation in general but……. Lyle-sama, I feel that we will be able to accumulate a precious experience here.」

Then the Third who was listening to the talk spoke out. There was no doubt that he was thinking something wicked.

『Hou, in that case the neighboring territory that is the opponent is the territory that was involved with the bandit subjugation last time then. No, it’s the caregiver that was involved I guess. I see, that’s the reason why an instructor like Zelphy, or rather Lyle was dispatched like this.』

The Sixth spoke with a delighted voice. These people are a bit scary.

『Nice. You will be able to ask for an extra reward using this as the reason.』

The Fourth leaped at the money topic.

『Extra! That has a nice ring to it. I see, by dispatching Lyle who had been a help for the other side too, it showed to the other side that this side has no intention to fight. The intention is to resolve the matter with the involved parties only.』

I see, apparently the feudal lord of the other side was in my debt.

The bandit group that was rampaging in the neighboring territory was hiding in Dalien so that they couldn’t be touched. I was the one who restrained that bandit group before handing it over to them, so various complicated matters were resolved.

……Eh? What if the other side didn’t guess this side’s intention? Won’t this be meaningless then?

While I was feeling troubled, Aria-san talked to me worriedly.

「A, are you alright, Lyle?」

「Yes, I’m fine. I’m fine but……what did Ventra-san say about this?」

Zelphy-san kept her mouth shut, but after a while she sighed and explained the situation.

「The problem happened several weeks ago. The retainers of a vassal knight put on their full equipment and patrolled the inside of their territory in order to defeat monsters. But, one of the retainers went missing. In the end he wasn’t found so his comrades went back. But, that retainer crossed over to another territory and died inside a forest with his equipment stolen.」

If there was death, then it didn’t feel like it would end peacefully no matter what.

The Third whistled and then his tone turned serious.

『This is bad. The neighbor absolutely won’t draw back like this. Because, one of his retainers died. If he drew back it won’t set a good example for his other retainers. What’s more the death happened at another territory……uwaa, I don’t want to get involved.』

Zelphy-san continued.

「And, from here on it’s important……that Maini House is suspecting the Bagan House. Well, obviously he would be suspicious if his retainer died in the opponent’s territory. Besides, it looks like the retainer who died was really trusted.」

The Second spoke to me with a serious voice.

『What happened with the corpse after it was found? Lyle, confirm it.』

「Err, who was it that discovered the corpse? Well, it must be someone related with the Bagan House though.」

In response to my words Zelphy-san was,

「That’s it. it was a villager of the Bagan House who discovered the corpse. But then, for unknown reason the Maini House sniffed out that discovery quickly. It’s curious how did they know, and the Bagan House too is thinking that perhaps this is a scheme of the Maini House.」

The Seventh spoke in exasperation.

『Haa, troublesome. Well, if Lyle is there then the other side will also act considerately to a certain degree, and there is also no need to worry that the big boss of the other side will come out. If the boss actually came out then let’s give him a warning. Though it’s unthinkable that Ventra hasn’t done anything.』

Ventra-san had the appearance of a kindly uncle. He was also highly evaluated as a feudal lord, but after actually talking with him I knew that he was a strict person.

I want to believe that he had already arranged various things beforehand.

Zelphy-san’s shoulders dropped. She shouldn’t want to accept this kind of troublesome request. What’s more, it was only us five who participated.

The one with motivation was Aria-san and……Novem perhaps? Zelphy-san looked really reluctant.

「Even I don’t want to accept any troublesome requests. Something like trouble related with territory often has deeply-rooted factors in it so it’s really difficult. Aa, I don’t wanna……I don’t want to go.」

Then the Second agreed with Zelphy-san’s opinion.

『I get it. I totally get it. Dispute with neighboring territories will absolutely happen. For example, like a villager crossing over to another territory and plucked the grass there. That kind of problem really happened a lot……and gradually both sides will become antagonistic to each other. Anyway it’s troublesome.』

I think it’s amazing that the Walt House was able to get along well with the Forxuz House who was our neighbor at the beginning if that was the case.

But, the First spoke with a puzzled voice.

『There will be disputes? I never heard anything like that in my era.』

For an instant I wondered if perhaps no one reported to the First when trouble happened or something. But, there should be someone reporting to the First seeing that he was the feudal lord.

Then the Third laughed.

『No, no one in their right mind would stir up trouble with the First who single handedly subjugated the savage tribe and defeated a dragon. Our neighbors at that time were absolutely shaking in their boots. In fact our caregiver was also scared.』

The Second too, he spoke as though he had just noticed it.

『Eh, is that so? I thought that the neighbors were cold in my time though……』

The Third was exasperated.

『Right, about that, the Second was also in the bad. You made light of associating with the neighbors. Do you know how much hardship I went through to get along with my caregiver because of that?』

I felt surprised thinking that the Third also went through hardships. The image in my mind was that the Third with his wickedness would overcome such problem with his cunning so it was shocking hearing this.

With confidence the First was──

『Well, I have two hands though.』

It was a remark towards the Third’s words of single handedly, but the Second spoke coldly.

『Stop it. It’s embarrassing and cannot be laughed at even if you said that while actually understanding the meaning of the word. If you said that without any understanding, then it’s really embarrassing and cannot be laughed at. No matter which way, both are embarrassing so stop it.』

The First sulked at the Second’s fault finding.

I sighed on the cart and looked down.

「What should we do there?」

Zelphy-san was also perplexed. But, it seemed Ventra-san only told her to head to the location.

「Don’t ask me! I was only told to go there!」

It might be Ventra-san saying to not get deeply involved in his own way.

But, as expected I felt that the case this time was a heavy burden for me.

.

We arrived in the territory of the Bagan House after several days.

However, it seemed we weren’t welcomed.

Zelphy-san talked to the representatives, but the gathered lineup were all young people. There was one girl in her teens and two young men in their twenties.

Those three welcomed us but the other villagers were only watching us from inside their houses.

When I muttered 「We aren’t welcomed huh」 with a small voice, Novem nodded.

「I think it can’t be helped. It’s scary for them to know that there is an armed group staying near them.」

The Seventh’s voice came from inside the Jewel.

『Especially when speaking of adventurers or the like, they are ruffians. Lyle, this is how the fief’s populace will react. Remember it.』

The Third made fun of the Seventh.

『That opinion is absolutely influenced by your personal thinking isn’t it? They will react the same even to non-adventurers. After all, it’s terrifying to see soldiers coming. Well, even if it can’t be helped that they aren’t welcoming, this is……I cannot decide which of these three is the representative. I think it’s the kid with the blue hair though.』

It just as the Third said.

At the center was a tall young man with deep blue hair. Beside him stood a young man with tall height too and black short hair.

At the opposite side was a freckled girl with brown hair that was braided at the back of her head, standing with a worried look on her face.

What troubled Zelphy-san was her inability to guess the status of these three from their appearance.

「Aa~, we are the adventurer party who came here due to a request from Dalien’s feudal lord. Am I right to believe, that you’re the feudal lord of this village?」

The young man with deep blue hair that grew until his shoulder had a slim but trained body. He looked like an agreeable youth just like Rondo-san.

But, his clothing wasn’t any different with the villager young man standing beside him. There was also no sword hanging at his waist, it was impossible to conclude that he was a feudal lord from his appearance.

「Yes. I am Dale Bagan. The feudal lord of this land. Can’t you see that?」

Was the sarcasm at the end necessary?

The Second was a bit doubtful.

『Strange. He should at least dress his part at this kind of time but……his appearance, looks like he had only just finished doing farm work.』

Looking at his clothes there was also some spots that were dirty from mud. Perhaps he was really just coming from doing farm work.

Aria-san’s expression turned cloudy.

「That way of speaking is……」

Sophia-san also had the same opinion.

「There is the suitable appearance for meeting with others. We are being looked down on.」

The First objected at that opinion. Sophia-san couldn’t hear anyway, so I wish he would lower his voice. After all, the consumption of my mana increased like this.

『A human isn’t based on their appearance! Look at the inside, the inside!』

The Fifth murmured.

『The First who has an appearance like a barbarian is also a barbarian both on the outside and on the inside though.』

The Third laughed.

『Well, appearance is important after all.』

Zelphy-san handed the envelope that was filled with the letter from Ventra-san.

「This is a letter from the Baron. The five of us will participate in the protection of this village. Do we have your permission?」

The gaze of the black haired young man turned sharp and he glared at us.

「This group of kids are the soldiers the Baron sent us? Oi, are you guys looking down on us, huh!?」

Then the girl stopped him.

「Zappa, stop! My apologies. I am Paola Carus. I am an acting higher-up who acts as the peacemaker of this village.」

When the girl introduced herself, Zelphy-san tolerated the man──Zappa-san’s rudeness.

「I understand your feelings. But, it’s not pleasant to hear it said right to our face. Well, both sides should pay attention to such thing.」

She looked like she really didn’t want to deal with Zappa-san. Dale-san who finished reading the letter looked at our way.

「It’s written here that the Baron cannot send soldiers, so he dispatched all of you in exchange. It’s unfortunate. Looks like from the Baron’s point of view, this kind of small village doesn’t matter.」

Zelphy-san scratched her hair.

「I understand what you want to say. But it’s not like the lord is forsaking this place. Even the cost of dispatching the five of us here cannot be sneezed at you know?」

Dale-san opened his mouth with a slight dejection.

「Three years ago this village also sent manpower to participate in a war. My father and big brother, and also Paola’s father died in that war. To receive this treatment even after that much loss……I cannot accept it.」

If that was true, certainly Ventra-san’s response felt problematic.

The Fifth spoke with an exasperated tone.

『He should have received various things like solace money for example. Besides, they participated by their own will right? Dependents really are troublesome huh. Or rather, isn’t the choice of personnel they sent to war strange?』

The Sixth also had the same opinion.

『Do they really want soldiers to be sent here and turn this into war? I wish they would have a wider outlook.』

The Seventh was enraged.

『What’s with this attitude after Lyle expressly showed up here!』

The First until the Third were sympathetic to Dale-san’s feeling.

『This isn’t a problem that money can solve! His family died you know!』

『Right. Do you know how difficult it is for this kind of small village if that much loss happened to them……』

『This is why nobles with the rank of Baron and above are no good. That’s cold. It’s too cold as a human!』

The Fourth who was able to understand both sides’ opinions stayed silent. The six people were quarreling.

Zelphy-san put her hand on her waist.

「My condolences for your loss. But, we too are coming here because of a request. We are adventurers after all, so allow us to accomplish the request properly. Besides, Lyle here has experience subjugating a bandit group before. He has experience in real battle, and even I have quite a lot of experience myself. We won’t do anything to make things worse, feudal lord-sama!」

Then Dale-san unexpectedly apologized honestly.

「My apologies. I was a bit worked up just now. We have prepared a hut for the five of you to use, so please rest there today. Let’s meet tomorrow to talk about our plan from now.」

Then Paola-san pressed on Dale-san.

「Tha, that’s no good, Dale! No, Dale-sama! We have to explain the situation right away.」

「They have just arrived and must be tired. Let’s allow them to rest.」

The Second’s voice came from inside the Jewel.

『Lyle, contact this young lady later. I want to hear the story from her.』

The Second was motivated. But, the Fifth and others didn’t seem interested. They were the same Walt House, but their opinions clearly differed due to their positions.

Even while thinking that this disunity inside the Jewel was just like normal, I decided to talk with Paola-san later.

.

──At the mansion of the Bagan House.

Zappa visited Dale when night came. Although it was called a mansion, it was only somewhat more splendid than the other houses. It was unimaginable that it was the feudal lord’s house. Although, the feudal lord only governed a small village. Even if he had a large mansion he would be unable to maintain it.

Dale was sitting facing Zappa in the living room of the mansion.

「Zappa, don’t anger the adventurers too much. They are carrying weapons.」

「Dale, how can you act like that as the feudal lord! Besides, if it’s weapons, then that Pini is going to get some. We will also have weapons in a short while. That bastard Baron too only sent those unmotivated brats……he isn’t thinking anything at all about us. Just how much hardship we went through at that time……」

Zappa who was saying extreme things was like a big brother to Dale.

Dale who was a second son who wouldn’t succeed the house was doing farm work since he was little. At that time he became acquainted with the kids of the village and got along well with Zappa, Paola──and then the small, plump, and a bit unreliable Pini, who were the young generation the same age as him.

In the war three years ago, his father, big brother, and then Paola’s father, who was a higher-up of the village, died. Zappa and Pini also participated in that war.

「Zappa, I understand your feelings but calm down. For now, we have five more people on our side.」

He didn’t know whether they would be useful in battle, even so they were adventurers. They were also properly equipped. Dale considered it better to have them rather than not.

「Actually I wanted to solve this problem by both sides talking.」

Zappa strongly argued at Dale’s weak-kneed statement.

「Stupid idiot! You the feudal lord cannot be indecisive like that! Listen to me, Dale, the enemy is a vassal knight, his status is lower than you.」

「Zappa, the opponent’s village has five hundred people. Thinking simply, their number is five times ours. It’s reckless to fight.」

Speaking of status then Dale was higher, but the strength and scale of the other side was obviously higher. Zappa persuaded Dale.

「Listen, you are being underestimated as the new Lord. You saw the Baron’s attitude right? Even though normally he should send us soldiers, he only sent those kinds of brats here. The neighboring territory is also the same. Because you are young they are making complaints and deceiving us!」

Dale made a troubled expression.

In reality, the Baron’s attitude and the case this time that became a problem──it was a fact that a retainer of another territory died in their territory’s forest. Originally the other party should be the side that was doubted. And yet the opponent was plainly saying that this side was in the wrong.

The one who died trespassed into this territory and got killed. And yet the Maini House was doubting them. And then when they asked for help, their caregiver Ventra didn’t give a decent response.

Dale couldn’t say anything back because he also felt the same in some part.

「Zappa, when the corpse was found, it was really in our territory right?」

Then Zappa yelled angrily with a loud voice.

「Obviously! Are you doubting me huh!?」

「N, no……that’s not it.」

It was Zappa and Pini who found the corpse when they entered the forest. When the two were asked why they entered the forest, they answered that they were going to defeat monsters and obtain magic stones.

If the magic stone was sold when a peddler came, the price would be beaten down but they wouldn’t have to bother with bringing it to the guild themselves and it would become some amount of money.

「Hey, Dale. I’m putting my hopes on you yeah. In the case this time, we’re gonna pay back the Baron and also the other side. It’s the other side who is wrong.」

「……But, there is no way. Besides, if the other side gets serious it will be over for us.」

Zappa stood up from his chair and put his arm around Dale’s shoulders.

「Idiot. Believe me. It’s just the guys from another territory, I’ll beat them up easily. You just think of making this village bigger. Your father and big brother just wasted money pointlessly and didn’t save a single coin. They said it was for associating with the surrounding feudal lords when they only wasted our tax. That’s why this village couldn’t become big.」

Dale was agreeing with Zappa’s point. Dale who was a second son and mainly worked in the farm from the beginning had a thinking process that was closer to the common populace.

Dale also knew about how his father and big brother were pointlessly using the tax money when they were alive.

「Got it. After this case is resolved, let’s go all out enlarging the fields. I’ll also ask Paola about the matter that Zappa mentioned.」

Dale was a bit dejected when he mentioned Paola’s name. For Dale too, Paola who was around the same age as him was a girl he was close to.

There were also other young girls, but Paola could be said as his first love.

「So you will do it for me! Thanks a lot, Dale! That Paola, even when I called her out she wouldn’t give me any good answer. But, with this I’ll be able to marry into her house. If that happens, I’ll officially become a higher-up and support you.」

Dale pressed his left hand on his face.

「Yeah, that’s right, Zappa……」

Dale who was promoting the marriage of his first love with someone who was like his big brother had a complicated feeling──