Chapter 7

I entered the top 10 in the daily rankings! Thank you! From now on, I will expand my territory.

"First, I will sincerely apologize for belittling your profession... Even without the power boost from your profession, you have fulfilled your role admirably. Well, it’s undoubtedly the greatest achievement in the clan... It’s... wonderful..."

When I met my brother Geisel at Neave Castle, he still didn’t have a smile on his face. It’s probably because the person he had always belittled achieved too much.

This means that he had no eye for recognizing talent, and in the end, he belittled someone who wasn’t foolish. In other words, Geisel’s pride was hurt. I think he deserves it.

There’s no benefit in making Geisel angry here, so I’ll play it safe.

"Sending the lord’s brother to a critical fortress was a move made by the lord, my brother. This proved that your strategy was spot on. Our late father would certainly praise you as well."

"Y-Yes... Well, that’s how it is..."

Geisel was easily pleased. If he’s this simple, it must be easy for sycophants to handle him.

"Now, I must reward you for your achievements. Until now, I’ve only given you half of the small village of Hart. I will give you the entire village and the two neighboring villages. In total, you will be the lord of three villages. And I will grant you the title of Baron. You should call yourself Baron Hart, after the village."

"I am deeply honored. I will continue to fight for Neave."

The title of Baron, unlike that of Viscount, is not hereditary. Therefore, it can be given as a reward without any issues. Besides, as a small lord, I don’t have the right to grant the title of Viscount.

Moreover, Neave, the Viscount, is only a small lord who owns one county and half of another.

The Kingdom of Sauriel divides its regions into administrative units called counties. Each county contains roughly ten counties.

Generally, lords who own more than half of a county hold the title of Count, while those who own only one county hold the title of Viscount.

Therefore, the House of Neave, the Viscount, is a rather precarious power. It’s not as if it will be destroyed at any moment, but it’s not far from that.

Honestly, I want to exile my brother and take over the position of Viscount. I dislike him, but more importantly, having an incompetent person as a lord puts my life at risk when I receive orders like holding a fortress.

However, it’s impossible to immediately start a rebellion and win. Besides, I don’t have a just cause.

—There’s no need to rush. To become a hegemon, one must first lay the groundwork. It’s difficult to obtain the first county, but it’s easy to go from five counties to ten. Eventually, the time will come. The hegemon Oda Nobunaga didn’t control all of Owari until after defeating Imagawa Yoshimoto.

My inner voice said the same thing, so I’ll believe it. I don’t fully understand the meaning of the proper nouns, but...

However, this voice really seems harmless. I feel like I read a story about a demon whispering to a child when I was young...

—Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of power. At most, I can only enjoy watching you become a hegemon.

It doesn’t seem to be trying to deceive me overtly, so I think it’s okay.

I finished my meeting with my brother and decided to take charge of the newly acquired land.

Even though it’s only three villages, as a lord, it’s a significant improvement, so I’ll take it.

When I returned to my manor, I first visited my sister Althea.

"Brother, I never thought we would meet again..."

My sister immediately burst into tears when she saw me.

"Hey, hey, do you not trust me?"

"Because it was a mission that seemed impossible to survive..."

Althea’s reaction wasn’t exaggerated; it was entirely reasonable. I had crossed a dangerous bridge and made it through.

"I think I can make you feel more at ease from now on."

"Yes... Brother..."

For my sickly sister, I want to move to a place with better ventilation.

That’s right, I have that option.

Officially, I submitted a request to move to a higher ground in the village for my sister’s convalescence. My reputation in the area had improved significantly, so the construction proceeded smoothly.

It’s true that I did it for my sister, but at the same time, moving to higher ground significantly enhanced the defensive capabilities. If necessary, I can fortify here and fight.

The new building had a refreshing breeze, and Althea was delighted. Her health seems to have improved compared to before.

And when the building was completed, another piece of good news arrived.

The old general Sevick, who had defended the fortress with me, came to my manor.

"The fortress has stabilized, so I have returned after being relieved by others."

"It’s been a while. I’m glad to see you again."

"By the way, if possible, I would like to serve as your aide."

Sevick is still a vassal of the lord. Strictly speaking, he cannot serve me, who is also a vassal of the lord. Therefore, he wants to serve as an aide to assist me, a vassal. It’s not unusual for influential vassals to have such aides.

"Understood. I have no issues. Please speak to my brother."

"Hah! I am deeply honored! This old bone, Sevick, is ready to die for you, Lord Alstrod!"

The permission was granted, and Sevick became my de facto vassal. This further enhanced my reputation. Sevick had long defended the fortress and was well-respected.

Several others who had fought alongside Sevick for a long time also came to me. For warriors who value bravery, serving me now seemed valuable.

Among the swordsmen living in the area, more and more wanted to become my vassals. Those who did not have a direct lord-vassal relationship could be easily incorporated into my vassal ranks.

Additionally, through Laviara’s connections, her relatives and others began to serve as my aides. They seemed to have decided to rely on me after hearing about my achievements.

Especially the Elven clan on Laviara’s mother’s side supported me significantly. Other Elves followed, and the Elven influence in the county was almost entirely under my control.

Due to these overlapping factors, my influence in the Neave territory grew to the point where I was second only to my brother, the lord Geisel.

Originally, I was a vassal of a medium-sized lord. Owning three villages is quite significant. With multiple peers joining me as vassals, it was natural for my influence to grow.

The next update will be in the evening! Thank you!