Chapter 67

"Then... I would like you to introduce me to the faction of the nobility in the northwest of this kingdom and include me in their circle. I would like to ask you, Your Excellency, to act as an intermediary."

"…I see."

Upon hearing Noein's request, Arnold muttered as if in thought.

In various regions of the kingdom, factions formed by influential nobles exist, and there is one such faction in the northwest of the kingdom. By joining this faction, one can become part of a network of military and economic cooperation.

For a newly emerging noble to join such a faction, it is generally necessary to show some significant achievement and be introduced by a noble already part of the faction.

Noein has already achieved a great feat by "defeating a band of thieves." All that remains is to find an introducer, and it seems he wants Arnold to take on that role.

"As you know, my territory is still small in terms of population and economic scale. If we were to face a crisis like this again, I would like to join a large faction to secure peace and stability."

For a lord of a small territory like Noein, joining a noble faction means gaining a significant backing.

Incidentally, if Arnold were to divert thieves to the Alquvist barony as he did this time, he would no longer be able to do so if he were to join the same faction. This would be a serious act of betrayal, ultimately leading to his own downfall.

"I understand your feelings. If you wish, I would be happy to introduce you to the northwest faction."

Arnold decided to accept Noein's request. As a noble with a considerable standing in the northwest, introducing Noein to the faction would not be much trouble for Arnold. If this would allow him to be forgiven for the current incident, it would be a fair deal.

"Thank you. I am truly grateful for your kindness... I have another request, if you don't mind."

"What, what is it?"

Just as Arnold was about to let his guard down, Noein's sudden request made him tense up again.

"Regarding the crossbow I showed you earlier, I am proud of it as a groundbreaking weapon, and I want to spread it beyond my territory. I would like to ask you, Your Excellency, to be the first to purchase it among the other nobles."

"Are you going to sell it? Without keeping such a powerful weapon secret?"

Arnold's eyes widened at Noein's proposal.

After seeing the crossbow and recognizing its usefulness, he had been thinking of how to obtain it. Noein was now offering to sell it to him for money.

"Yes. While the concept itself is groundbreaking, the mechanism can be understood by many with just a glance. I believe it will eventually become known and replicated. Before that happens, I want to spread the technology within my circle—specifically, the northwest faction I will join."

Upon hearing Noein's reasoning, Arnold fell silent.

A weapon of such caliber would be more than sufficient as a gift to join a noble faction. If Noein were to bring this, he would be welcomed with open arms by the faction's nobles.

Moreover, if the crossbow were to spread among the nobles before the other factions, the power of the northwest faction would grow, and Noein's position as a new member would become more secure.

For Noein, it would be more beneficial to present the crossbow technology as his achievement rather than trying to keep it secret, which would eventually become known anyway.

For Arnold, being able to purchase the crossbow before other nobles would be a welcome proposal.

"Additionally, if this weapon were to spread, it would enable each noble territory to easily deal with bandits like those we faced this time. As someone who has a territory to protect, I would be delighted to contribute to improving public safety."

Noein smiled and spoke in a seemingly benevolent manner, but in essence, he was telling Arnold, "I'm giving you a powerful weapon, so you'll have to deal with bandits on your own from now on."

After a brief moment of thought, Arnold sighed and said, "…I understand. I will buy it. How much?"

"Thank you. Since this involves disclosing the technology, I will sell it for 50,000 rebo per unit."

Noein's asking price was abnormally high for a weapon, but considering the potential to obtain the crossbow, analyze its structure, produce it within his territory, and significantly enhance his military power, it was a worthwhile investment.

"Alright. I will buy five units."

"Understood. I will deliver them from my territory within a few days."

Arnold was beginning to realize that he could not outmaneuver Noein.

Through this interaction, Arnold became convinced that Noein was an exceptionally talented young man, not someone who would be content with a small territory.

Noein would likely continue to achieve results, expand his network, and influence not only his own territory but also the surrounding regions and society as a whole.

Arnold, who considered himself a competent lord, was only competent in the sense of maintaining the peace of the territory he inherited from his predecessor. He would probably not be able to match someone like Noein in the future.

The best he could do was to continue being a favorable neighbor to Noein, having been one of the first to recognize his talent. This would be the best choice for the Keinitz barony.

"Ah, and one more request."

"Is, is there something else?"

As Arnold's face tensed, Noein reassured him.

"No, it's not a big deal... I would like you to improve the road connecting the capital Noeina and Retvik. The road on the Alquvist side is already complete, but the road on the Keinitz barony side is still in the middle of the plain."

"Oh, that... I understand. I will send people to improve the road."

"Thank you."

If improving the road to the Alquvist territory would please Noein, it was not a big deal. Arnold readily agreed.

...

With Arnold accepting Noein's various requests, the tense discussion came to an end. Noein, along with his guards Matilda and Bart, now had a relaxed demeanor.

Arnold, relieved by this, moved on to the next topic: the specific method of introducing Noein to the northwest noble faction.

"A dinner party?"

"Yes. It is held annually under the pretext of confirming the bonds of the northwest faction. In reality, it is a gathering where the nobles report on their recent activities and exchange information. Since all the nobles in the faction attend, it would be the perfect place to introduce the Alquvist baron."

"I see, that makes sense. When is the dinner party scheduled to take place?"

"Mid-December."

Noein was slightly surprised by Arnold's response. Mid-December was essentially the dead of winter.

"That... seems like a difficult time for travel."

"For commoners, perhaps. But influential nobles in the northwest faction all have high-quality carriages equipped with 'heating' magic devices. Since most lords have free schedules in the winter, it is actually more convenient to gather at one place."

The dinner party is held in winter for the ease of scheduling, and the nobles travel in expensive, heated carriages. To commoners, this might seem extravagant, but for nobles, whose networks and information can sometimes determine the fate of their territories, this is a necessary expense.

Incidentally, a poor noble who cannot afford a heated carriage is not qualified to join a major faction.

"I understand the situation. However... to be honest, I do not have a carriage suitable for a noble family."

Noein said this with a slightly troubled expression.

Having only obtained his title two years ago and owning just one village, Noein did not possess a carriage suitable for a noble. It was now mid-October, and it was uncertain whether he could have a suitable, expensive carriage prepared for a public appearance in two months.

"You don't need to worry about that. I will sell you one of our carriages at a low price. With some minor modifications and a new coat of paint, it should be perfectly usable."

"Is that acceptable?"

Noein was surprised by Arnold's unexpected offer.

"Yes, it's fine... I have two carriages suitable for noble families, but to be honest, one is enough. The previous head of the family is no longer with us, and most of my children have left home."

The Keinitz barony has a large family with two sons and four daughters. However, the eldest son, who is the heir, is currently gaining experience as a soldier in the capital, and the second son is working as a bureaucrat in another noble territory. The daughters have all married except for the youngest.

Furthermore, the previous head of the family, Arnold's parents, have already passed away.

What was once a large family, the Keinitz barony, now finds the second high-quality carriage unnecessary.

"Besides, by the time my son takes over, we will likely have to rebuild the carriages anyway. So the second one we have now is really not needed. Please take it without hesitation."

"...Thank you. I will accept your kindness."

Surprised by Arnold's unexpected kindness, Noein sincerely expressed his gratitude.

"Do you have enough horses to pull the carriage?"

"Yes. We obtained several horses as spoils of war against the bandits."

The property of bandits, regardless of the original owner, goes to those who defeat them. This is a customary law to encourage nobles and mercenaries to actively engage in bandit suppression.

Therefore, Noein had obtained the bandits' equipment, money, and four out of six horses that survived the battle, as well as the money from selling the captured bandits as slaves.

"Then there should be no problem. I will have the carriage prepared for you to take home today. I will inform you of the specific date of the dinner party later."

"I am grateful for everything."

"Don't worry, consider it a token of my sincerity."

Noein, who had arrived at the Keinitz barony's mansion with a foreboding presence, left with a smile, shaking hands with Arnold.