215 – Prove your worth (1)
The day after I met Dalton, I told Otto about the mercenary corps management policy while I was away, and then headed to the Estel Margin.
Dalton, who was in charge of introducing me to the margrave, 10 mercenaries who became knights under Dalton, and me. This is how the group was formed.
What would take a month on foot, we were able to cover in less than a week by riding horses.
I was immediately granted an audience with Margrave Estelle.
“Martin, I know you will take care of it, but I will say it again. “Don’t be rude to the Margrave for no reason.”
Although I risk my life on the battlefield without hesitation, I am a person who restrains my words and actions as politely as possible in front of a higher-ranking person.
If I cause unnecessary ill-will, it will always turn into trouble and come back to me.
Dalton, that nobleman is also worried for no reason since he becomes a baron, and he cautions me about such a basic thing.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“No, I just said this to caution you. “I’m only telling this to you, but I actually trust you more than my master.”
“Isn’t that disloyalty?”
“I will not listen to your request to hit the Count in the back of the head.”
As we waited and chatted for a while, the door to the throne room opened and Margrave Estelle came in.
It’s been only 3 years since we met, but I guess the civil war has caused a lot of emotional distress.
His face became haggard and his complexion also darkened significantly.
Dalton bowed, and since I was still just a mercenary, I got down on one knee and bowed.
“It is an honor to meet you, Margrave.”
Estelle ran towards me and lifted me up from my knees.
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“Martin, seeing you here, it looks like our team has already won! “Wake up!”
When I woke up and looked at his face, there was a smile on his face.
If this continues, it gets to the point where I wonder if the corners of my mouth will be torn all the way to my ears, like a red mask.
I heard at first glance that of the six factions that currently exist, Margrave Estelle’s faction is the weakest…
You welcomed me so warmly when I brought only 1,000 mercenaries.
I feel like the stake I can take away from this will be bigger than I thought.
“Thank you, Margrave.”
“First of all, the conversation will likely be a bit long, so make yourself comfortable. And the butler should immediately prepare a dinner for Baron Maurer and his knights.”
After hearing that, the deacon politely signaled Dalton to leave.
“Baron Maurer, the Margrave has prepared a small dinner. After enjoying the dinner, you can relax as much as you wish in the Margrave’s castle.”
“Thank you, Chief Butler.”
“No, let’s go now. “It would be a shame if the dinner we prepared so much went cold.”
Are you doing this with the intention of preventing Dalton from giving me some advice during the negotiations between the two of us and preventing the contract from being concluded on more favorable terms?
“Excuse me?”
And then, in place of Dalton, Baron Ainz, wearing a black suit, came in with a sword strapped to his waist.
It was brought in to protect Estelle, but the reason why someone who has reached the level of a sword master was brought here…
‘I guess they’re trying to break my spirit as much as possible.’
“Nice to meet you, Martin. “When I saw you three years ago, you were just a centurion commander, but you have already become a mercenary leader with over 1,000 mercenaries under your command.”
“Margrave Estelle’s generous offer was of great help.”
Due to the nature of the mercenary army, whose value fluctuates depending on the reputation of the mercenary leader, he proposed that I, who was only a centurion leader, be made a baron, and he evaluated me as a great man.
With that fact alone, my evaluation went up quite a bit, whether I knew it or not, and it helped me greatly in increasing my power.
“If the evaluation of you as a person was as empty as beer foam, you probably wouldn’t have made it this far. But…”
Baron Ainz placed his hand on my shoulder and began releasing a heavy aura.
He didn’t put any physical weight on it, but his auror suddenly felt like a rock had been placed on my shoulder.
They say that when you reach the level of a master, you can engrave a piece of stone while wearing an aura on your finger…
“Don’t betray the Margrave.”
“Mercenaries do not betray.”
“I like the answer.”
Baron Ainz tried to lightly control my spirit, but when he failed, Estelle pushed him away from me.
“Baron Ainz, why are you being so scary?”
“I apologize.”
“It’s okay, hand it to me.”
Ainz handed me the document he was holding in his left hand.
“Read it.”
In it was written the same content that I saw the last time I talked to Dalton.
It is said that one baronage will be handed over first, and depending on merit, more territory will be given and a title will also be raised.
These are not very good conditions, to be honest.
There was one piece written that really offended me.
‘I make Martin Mayer a vassal of the Margrave Estelle and grant him the Barony of Cologne.’
As far as I know, the Barony of Cologne has a population of over 100,000, and is also an important commercial base, so it is like the yolk of an egg.
If I became Estelle’s vassal and participated in the war, even if I made achievements, all of those achievements would primarily belong to Margrave Estelle.
I am in a position where I am receiving public waste… I will turn this around from now on.
“Thank you for your generous offer. “What I would like to say, however, is that my participation in this war is to serve His Highness the Fourth Prince, who will become the emperor in the future.”
Actually, I am not interested in anything like what kind of person the Fourth Prince is or what he thinks.
After all, the commander of this civil war right now is Margrave Estelle, and for that man to take power, the civil war must end.
However, even if you start from the same baron, the growth limit is completely different between starting as a subcontractor under Margrave Estelle and starting under the emperor’s direct command.
Margrave Estel laughed at my words.
“Do you think that makes sense now? I admit that you definitely brought over a thousand mercenaries. “It’s a great feat, and it will be a great addition to my faction.”
When most barons go to war, they take at least 250 and at most 500 soldiers under their direct command.
So, you could say that the troops I brought are equivalent to the forces directly subordinate to the four baronial families…
The strength of our mercenary force is only half of the strength that one Baron can muster, including the souls.
Because the barons have fiefdoms where tens of thousands of people live.
“But I cannot accept that offer. “Because in order to become a direct vassal of His Highness the Fourth Prince, you must be a baron who directly holds a barony.”
I have no idea what the difference is when I hear this, but…
“And the barons and other nobles who held baronies all risked their lives and families in this war. Not only will he hire the standing soldiers in his territory, but he will also hire mercenaries as much as he can. In addition, serfs will be conscripted to make up 3,000 people, and one baron who doesn’t care about anything will gather up to 4,000 people.”
It is impossible for one baron to raise up to 4,000 unless he completely raids the family’s treasury and is very determined…
If you can survive among the six factions, you can rise to the rank of ‘Earl’ in the future. In this world of the might of the jungle, you have to do at least this much.
“I approve of your mercenary unit and your resourcefulness. So, it is said that the size of the mercenary force is only about 1,000 people. Okay.”
Estel Margin spread his two fingers.
“We will treat you the same as if you led 2,000 mercenaries into the war. And of course, depending on your achievements, you could rise to the rank of count. If we win this war, I will become the duke who holds real power over the empire.”
I was almost tempted by those words for a moment.
“So now, stop being so stubborn. “Isn’t it a miracle just to be born as a low-level knight and rise to the rank of count?”
If a low-ranking knight is a level 9 civil servant, the count is at least a minister.
If a level 9 civil servant makes use of his work ability and political acumen and reaches the rank of minister when he retires, he will become an object of envy.
Everyone will applaud and say that this cannot happen.
This is especially true in this world where the status order has become completely entrenched.
However, I can sell myself at a slightly higher price now…
“It is certainly a miracle that a low-ranking knight, Naboorang, could rise to the rank of count through his own ability.”
Because it is impossible, in normal times.
But now, if you risk your life and invest, it is a fire market where you can reap a thousand-fold return.
“But I don’t think the value of our mercenary force is that much.”
Having said that, I sheathed the sword with the emblem of the Montmartre imperial family engraved on it.