Chapter 265: Old Knights

It was late afternoon when Canfor Nex received a visitor.

An old man and a young man got out of a carriage, as if trying to hide from the public. When the servants confirmed this, Nex moved to the entrance of the mansion.

'Oh, well, well, Sir Nex!

The old man, who had already been led inside by the servants, smiled and approached Nex as soon as he saw him.

The old man's name is Garetta Seiman. He was a knight in the service of Count Nongaite, one of the aristocratic families of the Zinkaen Empire.

Seiman's bald head showed no sign of his youth.However, his exaggerated gestures and his high, dry voice his made Nex feel nostalgic.

I am glad to hear that Sir Seyman is doing well. We are both retired, and I never thought we would meet in the capital like this.

Nex and Seyman are old acquaintances. When they first met, they were young cousins ​​and enemies. After that, through twists and turns, there was a time when they faced each other as knights in the Imperial Capital. Be summed up in the simple words “Friend” Or “Foe.

No, no, I am getting old! The interval of the magic insufficiency is getting narrower and narrower these days, and at this rate, I will be ashes tomorrow, and I am no match for you!Haha!

Seyman laughs with a small, sly smile. Many people who suffer from magical insufficiency tend to lose their energy and become withdrawn, but Seyman still seems to be very active.

Nex turned his attention to the young man standing next to Seyman. He was in his early twenties, neatly dressed, and had a mild-mannered demeanor.

The young man noticed Nex's gaze and was about to greet him, but Seyman opened his mouth before he could.

The other day I was in a bit of trouble.I was so eager to give them a little practice, but as soon as I went out into the garden, their magic power was cut off.If that happens, I'm nothing but an I don't even work half the week anymore. Crane! What are you doing? Say hello to him early! I'll be dead before I know it if you're too lazy! The way you wrote that letter yesterday.

Seyman begins to whisper to the young man, slapping him on the back.

The young man missed the opportunity to say hello because of Seyman's endless chitchat, but that is apparently not a consideration. From sermon to sermon, another sermon unfolds, and from there, more chit-chat ensues. To get through the rush and finish his greeting.

Nex, following his lead, turned the water to him at the right moment.

Knight Garretta, it's been a while.

The young man, Garretta Crain, the current head of the Garretta family, looked relieved and his expression softened.

Sir Nex, it has been a long time. Thank you for accepting my unexpected visit.

Seiman was the only one with a disgruntled look on his face.

This is Crane,” He said. Don't you have the guts to stand up to the nagging old man in your family? I'm sorry to say that I'm not very happy to have to show you such an unflattering appearance. I am sorry to have to show you such an unflattering appearance. I know I'm saying this as someone who has long since retired, but don't you agree with me, Sir?

Seyman said, tapping his bald head, “I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble. The servants and maids around him relaxed at the somewhat droll atmosphere.

Unfortunately, there are not many young people around……

Nex ordered the servant to show them to the drawing room, while making an appeal that he was no longer in the forefront of politics.

Nothing has changed. That was Nex's frank impression after he came in contact with Seiman.

Catching people off guard with charming gestures and pleasantries was one of Seyman's specialties his.Nex had been shown his strength several times before.

It would be safe to say that he had become old and good-natured, but that would be overly optimistic. Nexh reminds himself that he should not let his guard down.

To begin with, today's expected visitors were the knight Garretta and one of his entourage.Since that entourage was Seiman, I could only assume that he was up to something.

When I entered the drawing room, Seyman started small talk first thing.

In a public setting, a conversation between Nex and Crane, an active knight, would usually be the first thing that comes up. First of all, Seyman's name was not on the list of participants, so to speak, and he should have sat in silence. However, this meeting was a private one.

I apologize for the urgency of this request. I am an old man, and when I learned that you were in the Imperial City, I proceeded on the spur of the moment. No, I am sorry. I will be sure to thank you for this……”

Seyman was right, it was indeed an urgent call.It was only yesterday that a messenger from the knight Garretta came to the mansion to inform them of his wish to meet with them.

Nex does not want to act too conspicuously at the moment He was not interested in doing anything too conspicuous at the moment, and to be honest, he was about to refuse to receive a knight from another family at his residence in the imperial capital.

He said, “No, no, the Countess of Nongaite gave me a lot of trouble last year. Compared to that.

However, there was one circumstance that made it difficult for Nex to refuse.

Last year, he visited Quardenze Gulfis. The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the future policy of Spierzeig, and it was the Nongaite family that he relied on at that time.

As expected, it was impossible to enter the Kuordenze territory via the Spiaseik territory.

Although the Nongite family had been appropriately courteous to him in passing through, it was true that he owed them a debt.Nex also felt a bit of psychological guilt.Therefore, he decided to settle the matter by agreeing to this meeting.Considering that he would eventually go back to Quardenze, he would rather make a debt to Nex.

Seyman understood this, which is probably why he forced through the sudden request for the meeting, Nexx thought, even after all this time.

However, Seyman also seems to be aware of the fact that he made a reckless request and has been trying hard to follow up on it since a while ago. , Is probably one of the performances and considerations to emphasize that it was a secret meeting. The content of such a meeting that disrespects the active knight will not be able to be revealed. It is an appeal to say, “We will never tell anyone else.

Is the Grand Protector in good health?”

Count Nongaite must be aware of this matter, Nexh asks, insisting that he is aware of it.

The old man is in good health. He is in Nongaite at the moment, but he is always looking out for the Imperial City.

Of course he is,” Seyman replied, and continued.

The old man seems to be painfully aware of the lack of strength in the younger generation, and these days he spends most of his time training the younger generation. So I have been asked to come and help him discipline the children in his household.

I see.

The Nongaite family is one of the aristocratic families that had a major personnel reshuffle due to the Ercinea disaster. The Nongaite family has become noticeably younger as a result of the generational change, Nex had overheard several times.In fact, when he entered Nongite territory last year, he was concerned even about the youth of some of the officials who came out to deal with the situation.

Considering the stagnant state of the empire, Nex thinks it is not a bad idea to tolerate a few mistakes and let the younger generation gain experience. Perhaps the Nongheit family's initial policy was more in that direction. However, considering the fact that Seiman is now back on the scene, there is no doubt that a course correction was made along the way.

A dying old man whose only purpose in life is to self-mock the frequency of onset of magic insufficiency is just a distraction, and the children don't want him out in the open.As you can imagine, I thought about declining. Now that the old man has asked me personally to protect Nongaite, I can't say anything else.

It's a story that knighthood is all about. I envy Sir …… Seyman who can serve his lord until the moment he is reduced to ashes.

The words he uttered were sincere, but as for Nex, it was a story he did not want to welcome.

If they were back in the field, albeit as assistants, it would be difficult to use the Nongheit family unilaterally.

I am a little bit flirtatious now, aren't I? I am ashamed to expose all my rudeness in front of you, Sir. The Elsinian disaster has affected so many places that I have to think a lot about how I should behave myself.

Seyman's words hinted at information that was known only to those close to the center of the empire. He is of the generation that lived through the period when Emperor Zinkaan was active, so his personal connections are extensive. Listen was enough to make Nex's backside involuntarily flinch.

But right now, I'd rather think about how to take care of my children than myself,” He said.

The story up to now seems to have been a prelude to the main topic. It is a conversation that is almost like a check to show that he is still in good health.

What do you mean by “Child”?

It is as you can see.The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of ​​what you're getting into.I think she lacks experience.

I cannot agree with that. The actuality that the actual knight is not a member of the family is the reason why the actual knight is not a member of the family.

Is that so? Even if that were the case, I think it's quite common among knights today.'

Not enough to worry about, I avoid making a clear statement with a vague answer that can be interpreted in any way.

However, Nex understood exactly what Seyman meant. For those who have lived through turbulent times, it often feels as if there is a looseness in the empire today.

I don't think it's a good thing to be constantly pressured to live and die, but the experience can have a big impact on one's behavior.

Yes, yes, I understand that. I do not miss those rough days when I was confronted with the rise and fall of my family at every turn. For that, I am deeply grateful to Emperor Jingkaen.

I felt a tinge of relief in his voice as he spoke.

But I don't think it's good that I don't know.

Nex couldn't help but nod at these words.

The unification of the western part of the continent by the Jingkaan emperor's faction is now treated like a heroic tale. Nex was an early member of that faction, so he was sometimes looked at with strange and sparkling eyes by the younger officials in the empire. This has become even more pronounced since the disaster of Elsinia reduced the number of people who know about the past. This was one of the reasons why Nex kept his distance from the imperial capital.

'In that case, it would be better if Sir Seyman himself told the story.

It was not a rejection, but Nex's true feelings for him.

'I see, that is also true.

Saying this, Seyman looks at Crain, who is sitting next to him.A smile was easily recognizable on his face.

It's interesting to think that I could ask for advice like this now.I and Sir Nex were initially mere enemies.It is important to know the personalities of both friends and foes.If you can see the person you are confronting, you can work together to find a compromise. Unnecessary fear will only lead to unnecessary conflict, and we must properly assess our opponents. …… Do you understand, Crain?

I see, so this is where we start.The way the conversation was going, Nex felt that the real reason for his request for a meeting was about to be thrown in his face, and he braced himself in his mind.

The actual reason for the request was to find out the real reason for the meeting.

“Well, why is that?”

The purpose of the visit may be to investigate the internal affairs of the Quardenze family, Nex asked back, careful not to give away any unnecessary information.

That's the thing.

From there, Seiman continued to ramble on about the concerns that Crane had about the Kuordenzes.

But there was not much in his words.He just rambled on and on about random things, and I had no idea what he was trying to ask.The words went on and on, with subtle expressions that could be interpreted in any way. .

I was not sure what he was asking me, so I asked him what he was asking.

The first thing that comes to my mind is that the question is about the “How” And the “Why” Of the question.

The name of the great noble Quardenze is too great for the still young Crane.

Seiman is right, Nex is very close to the Quordentse family.

He seems to have been born in the western part of the rough and tumble continent into a weak noble family. The reason for this is that Nex has no recollection of his birth. By the time he can remember, they had already been destroyed. , It was more appropriate to describe him as a cousin orphan who was picked up by Gulfis and Emperor Jingkaen.

To Nex, Gulfis and Zinkaen were father, brother, comrade-in-arms, and lord. Since he founded his knightly family by marrying a squire's attendant who had accompanied him on his westward journey to Quordentse Cassia, and took the name of Canfora, the first knight, Nex was publicly regarded as a member of the Quordentse clique.

'Heavily, but you need not fear. But you know that, Sir Seyman.'

Seyman is well acquainted with the personalities of Lukuse and Gulfis. Seyman himself would not expect them to invade Nongate territory. Nex replied that he had nothing to say, but this seemed to have convinced Seyman of one thing.

I've been in retirement for some time now, and my eyes and ears have deteriorated.

It was impossible for him not to know. If he did not know, he must have been referring to someone else. As soon as he thought of this, the name of the young nobleman who dared to carry out Operation Serpent Fang appeared in Nex's mind .

Seiman, and the Nongite family, are concerned about the next head of the Quardenze family, Quardenze Wilk. He did not know why they had suddenly started paying attention to him, but he guessed that was the purpose of the meeting.

Well, that's what I mean.

Seyman, noticing the change, tells him shortly. Before Nex could react, he continued to throw an oversized piece of information at him.

A large scale battle has started next to Nongate,” He said. No, I'm just curious.”

The implications of this were obvious.

The battle between Quardenze and Spierzeig had broken out.It was an unexpected battle that had not been included in Gulfis's plans for the future.

Nex suppressed his desire to get into the fray and turned his energy to thinking.

Seiman probably came here to confirm whether the battle had been planned, or whether Nex had been in the dark in the imperial capital in anticipation of that move.

Nex knew nothing about it. If he had known, he would have reacted deliberately when the name of Quordenze was mentioned, waiting to see how the other party would react. Some cases, Nex might have asked to meet with her.

However, that was already a matter of hindsight.

With a diplomatic smile tacked on, Nex deepens his thoughts.

It was to be expected that not much time had passed since the battle began. This was evident from Seyman's urgent request for a meeting. To begin with, no such request had been received in the Imperial Capital at this point. Is shared secretly among a very small group of people.

Mutual understanding is important.

It is true that the Nongites want to get information about Quardenze. And Seiman was concerned about being taken advantage of. If Nex knew everything and was working in the dark, he would not only be reluctant to give out information, but might also try to Manipulate the Nongaite family.

Seiman must have been desperate to find out if Nex was involved in this battle.

By the way, does Sir Nex know how this battle started?

It was just a confirmation that he didn't know. The distance between Nex's base of operations and the Nongaite territory and the Quardenze territory is vastly different. The difference in information obtained was so great that it could never be filled by effort or talent.

When Nex recognized the situation, he quietly replied, “Unfortunately, I was far away.

I am sorry to say that I have been far away from here and do not know you. May I ask you something?

I see. Well, from now on, we will have a heart-to-heart talk.

Don't try anything unnecessary, and we'll make this an equal exchange of information. Nex accepts this proposal.

The fact that he wanted to know about the war situation and also the seriousness of the situation was clear from Seyman's desperation.

By the time I found myself in Nongate, the battle had already begun at Raishleif Castle.”

Shouldn't the Quardenze army have been marching toward Meijode ……?”

Our people have confirmed the battle at the castle of Reischlieff. We also received a letter from Spierzeig asking us to help them attack Raishleif, so you can be sure of that. Not only Lord Kindlore, but also Lord MacInnis was involved in the battle.

This was an unbelievable situation. It is too reckless for the previous and current heads of the family to go up against Gulfis, a man with a lot of experience in killing ancestors. No matter how much the Spierzeig side was getting backed into a corner, They would not attack in such a way unless it was a very good opportunity.

Soon after, Nex's thoughts reached the worst possible conclusion.

……No way.”

No way. The letter also said that Lord Gulfis had developed magical insufficiency. The front line collapsed and the Quardenze army retreated to the castle of Reischlieff, where they are now being driven back. Well, this is information from Spierzeig, so I think it is possible that it is false.

How many soldiers are there, how big is the battle, is Garfis safe, and can Raishleif Castle be maintained? There were so many questions that I wanted to ask, but I could not say them easily.

While trying his best to maintain a calm expression, Nex decided to confirm the most important point.

By the way, why did you ask to see me?”

That was the biggest question.

Regardless of how the battle at Raishleif Castle progressed, the impact on the Nongaite family would not be so great. If the Quardenze army succeeds in maintaining it, as it has so far, there should be no further northward movement even if the Spierzeig army succeeds in recapturing it.

There is no point in rushing to make contact with the Neks like this now. It would be enough to confirm this at the end of the siege of Raishleif Castle.

I'm in a bit of a pickle myself. I told you this days ago, but it happened days ago.

That meant that he had not originally planned to share the information with Nex. If they had intended to do so from the beginning, they would have been contacted at an earlier stage. Of Reischlieff.

The fact that they took the trouble to make contact this time is probably because the situation began to take an unexpected turn after the battle of Raishleif. Nex wanted to know the outcome of the battle, but he also wanted to know why Seiman had taken the trouble to move.

He said, “It seems that the Quardenze forces have defended Raishleif Castle well. It seems that the back side of the shield was also hardened in its own way. Our envoys were refused entry because of the ongoing post-war process, but from what I can tell, Lord Gulfis is probably still alive.I think he may have remained in Raishleif Castle…….But I don't know what to make of this.

This was the conclusion of the Nongheit family, which was adjacent to the Quardenze territory and had been watching its movements for a long time.

Nex was surprised at his own relief at the possibility of Gulfis' survival. However, he did not understand why he was worried about whether or not Galfis was at the castle of Raishleif. A man of Seyman's statue would be able to predict to a certain extent from the placement of his troops and so on.

I can't say what is troubling you, sir.

I can't say anything because I have too little information.Seyman let out a breath in a puff of air at Nex's wordshis.

The Quardenze army is still fighting after the defense of Reichleaf.I wonder if you could give me a guess as to where they are fighting now?

From the way they were talking, it seemed that there was no great battle for the survival of the family going on. If that is the case, the answer is naturally limited.

Is it not the recapture of the land lost in the retreat? Or a battle for the city of Meijerode? If the momentum of the counterattack picks up, they might succeed.

Anyone would have guessed so, Nex answered without bothering. Then Seiman grinned like a boy who had just pulled off a prank.

'It's Othelloria, sir.

What is?”

'It's…… Othelloria.'

The first word was in a joking tone, and the second word changed to a very serious tone.

I can't tell where Lord Gulfis is, and that's part of the reason. The two sides, Quardenze and Spierzeig, are not on the same page. I can't see the whole picture of this battle. Quardenzes have won the battle.

Seiman did not mention what kind of claims were being made. Since the Nexus side has not given any information so far, he is probably saving it as a material for exchange.

I asked, “Does Sir Nex know the heir apparent of the Quardenze family?”

The air was tense. The air was tense. Nex was sure that this was the information that Seyman wanted to know the most.

He was sure that this was the information Seyman wanted to know the most.

I'm afraid so. The young serpent who made a name for himself by splitting the great shield of Vojstra is now making new moves. My people have learned that this military operation is called Operation Serpent Jaw.

After the fangs, now the jaws. …… And they are attacking Othelloia.

It was completely unclear why the retreat from the front lines would lead to an attack on Othelloria.I wondered what was going on with the cities that were supposed to be in between.The same thing must have happened to Seiman, and the two of them Groaned silently as they faced each other.But no matter how much they thought about it, they could not understand what they could not understand.

Perhaps to lighten the mood in the room, Seyman patted his own bald head once.

The time of the fangs,” He said, “You stopped by dropping the lyschleaf. Then where will it stop this time? The old man was a bit of a fool to lie, but he was a good liar.

If I lied badly, this old man would immediately see through it and would not share any more information with me. We needed to be sincere. However, Nex, who even knew the name of Operation Snake Jaw for the first time now, could not answer anything.

We know Lord Louxe and Lord Gulfis. We know Lord Louxe and Lord Gulfis, and we know how to get along with them. But we are not acquainted with Lord Wilke. Even with all the gossip I've heard, I can't get a glimpse of his personality. Many say that he may have a similar temperament to Lord Gulfis, considering his bravery in Operation Serpent Fang…….

Quardenze Wilk has inherited Gulfis's military prowess, a rumor that has been heard often since after Vojstra's great shield-splitting.

The wars waged by nobles who can make themselves soldiers are, as they say, fast. It is dizzyingly fast. Emperor Zincaen conquered the western part of the continent, and Lord Gulfis crushed all the nobles in the eastern part of the empire in just 20 years or so. I believe that Lord Wilk, who has already shown his fangs once, is a noble from that side. If he has defeated Othellia in this battle, I can't even imagine how powerful he is. Very difficult existence. Even as a nongaite, I don't want to antagonize him unnecessarily, but while I try to understand him, the young snake moves on. Ummm, this is troubling.”

If Wilk is a man with strong ambition to expand his territory, the neighboring Nongaite territory will be pushed into a critical situation. If that is the case, wouldn't it be better to bite him while he is still exposed to the defenseless belly by biting deep into Spierzeig territory, or to finish him off when he has swallowed Spierzeig territory and is unable to move?

Nex understood what the Nongites were afraid of and what they were wary of. It was only natural that they would want to get information as quickly as possible. If they were going to intervene, it would be more effective now than after the war. Response before and after the fall of Othellia City would be completely different.

We met last year, didn't we, Mr. Wilk?

Well, that's interesting.”

Next thought that if he was going to cover for the Quardenze family, he should provide them with some information.He recalled Wilk's appearance his last year, when he was introduced to him by Gulfis and had a conversation with him.

'This may come as a surprise to you, but I thought he looked more like Lord Louxe than Lord Gulfis. I was surprised to see him split a large shield at the beginning of the year, because I never got the impression that he was armed ……. I could not believe that he had made such a bold move. I had heard that you had defeated a hexenbiest in New Nellie City, but a hexenbiest battle and a main ancestor battle are two very different things, aren't 't they?”

I suppose so. However, when it comes to defeating demonic beasts in New Nellie City,……, I believe there was a field there where the second-ranked demonic beasts appeared?

'There is no mistaking that field. Unfortunately, I have not seen the actual treasure.

Information on the defeat of demonic beasts in distant places is not very reliable.

The audience was only for a short time, but I thought he was calm. I thought he was well educated and behaved in a manner befitting a heir to the prestigious Quardenze family. Him in such a way. He seems to be a lovely grandson for Lord Gulfis.

I also have information that he is fond of women, but that is a top secret of the Quardenze family. It's not something to tell anyone, and giving out information like that would only make them look even more dangerous.

Besides, aristocratic men's libido weakens at the drop of a hat. Just because you can have him today does not mean you will be able to have him tomorrow. It is also possible that the strength of his feelings for Ghadakr is distorting his perception of Gulfis Unless his cousin's children were actually born in droves, he could not rely too much on the aristocrats' recognition of his sexual prowess.

He was curious if they had heard much about the imperial direction. I would say that he was more curious than ambitious. I got the impression that he was studying hard to become the next head of the Quardenze family.

I am surprised that he is held in such high esteem.From what you have told me, he seems to be a sergeant who is hardly a source of gossip.

Indeed. Whenever I hear rumors, I wonder if they really refer to the same person.

I see. …… I have actually met Sir Nex in person, so it is instructive to hear what he has to say.

I hope I have been of some help.

In the end, he could only tell them the bare minimum about his character, but anything more would be a lie.This was as far as Nex could go.

'Even so.

Perhaps relieved that at least he did not seem to be an unruly and violent person, Seiman changed the subject. Part of him probably decided that he couldn't get any more information out of him.

The next step will be more difficult,” He said. It is difficult for aristocratic families to survive after they have been eaten. A snake will risk its life to swallow a prey as big as Spierzeig. The battle of Othellia will be an indicator of how many knights can be slaughtered in battle.

If they did not kill as many knights and officials as possible, the Quardenzes would suffer that much from the remnants. Seiman did not see a very bright future for Quordenze.

If Quardenze is shaken, Nongate, which is located next to it, will also be shaken. He is probably concerned about that.

And if Spierzeig were to be destroyed, there would be a lot of trouble in the empire,” He said. The west and the south will be especially rowdy,” He said. ……

It is suggested that the nobles of the northern part of the empire may move into the outer regions of the Quardenze territory.

Nongate is the gateway to Quardenze from the northern part of the empire.It is not clear how confused the northern nobility will be, but some of them may unite to plan an invasion of the Quardenze territory.That would be an undesirable future for the Quordenze family.

In that sense, the resurgence of Seiman and his group is a positive thing. As long as the Kuordenze family is showing its power, the Nongites will not go along with the sweet-talking of the aristocrats in the northern part of the empire. Is unlikely that they will be influenced by the mood of the moment to move into the Quordentse territory. A sense, trustworthy.

I wonder if Sir Nex will be busy again.”

Nexh puts on a bitter face at Seiman's point.

The eyes of the people around him have changed since Operation Serpent Fang. The fact that the destruction of Speerzeig has become more realistic, some people are paying closer attention than ever before to its movements.

This is one of the reasons why I could not visit Quardenze to see the results of Operation Serpent's Fang. If Operation Serpent's Jaw achieved great results this time, Nex would be stuck once again.

The news of the attack on Othellia will probably reach the imperial capital in the near future. I don't know how many people will believe it.

It will not be easy to believe.

If it had not been for Seyman's words, Nex could not have believed the news of the attack on Othellia. To move was now.

Then Seyman smiled deliberately.

He said, “It is a pleasure to talk about the old days with Sir Nex. The old man said so, too. If you are ever free again, please do not hesitate to call on me.

It seems that his intention to gather information on Quordentse Wilk has not changed.

If you want to enter the Quardenze territory, the Nongaite territory will provide you with a way to do so, but in return, I ask you to share some information with us, so please tell us as soon as possible. Seiman's intention was correctly conveyed to Nex.

I'm glad to hear this. I hope so, before we are both reduced to ashes.

Seiman was the point of contact for the entry.Since the visitation began, Seyman has been saying that he will die soon, soon, soon.If the situation changes drastically after this battle and the Nongaite family decides that Quordenze should be cut off, they will say, “Seyman passed away in the territory,” And the intercession will be quietly rejected. Even if that were not the case, Seyman would be assumed to be dead if the Nongaites were deemed uncooperative.

It is necessary to revisit the Quardenze territory as soon as possible, while giving consideration to the Nongite family.

A turning point may come for the empire.

Nex and Seiman once again fell silent.