216 – Prove your worth (2)
When I touched the sword, blue light enveloped Baron Ainz’s body.
A bloody atmosphere was instantly created where if I did something even more strange, it would be considered an attack on Margrave Estelle.
But if I fight this person now, all I’m going to do is lose my hair, and it won’t do any good for me or my mercenary group.
“I have absolutely no intention of attacking the Margrave. “I just want you to take a look at my sword.”
He raised both hands above his head and made it clear that he had no intention of fighting.
Then Baron Ainz relaxed his fierce guard.
“I participated in the war between the Montmartre Empire and the Kingdom of Barcelo when the Whitebeard mercenary force numbered only 500 people, and I performed a great performance that changed the game.”
The Margrave caressed the emperor’s emblem engraved on the scabbard and handle as if he was interested.
“Baron Ainz, please check.”
When Baron Ainz held the sword and infused it with aura, blue light began to leak from the decoration on the sword.
A sophisticated identification device was activated to indicate that this sword was a genuine product made by the imperial family.
Now even the Margrave will have no doubt that this sword is fake.
“How did you get this sword?”
“In the last war, when we faced the 80,000-man Barcelo army head-on, I led 2,000 of our troops to save Baron Amigo, who was in danger of being stranded among the enemy forces.”
The two people’s eyes widened when they heard that a mercenary leader who led a force of over 500 had saved a baron from isolation.
“I have heard from everyone, including Baron Maurer, that you contributed greatly to the victory of the Imperial Army in Montmartre. “I didn’t expect that you could lead a mercenary army of only 500 men and save a baron who was almost stranded.”
Strictly speaking, he went with about 2,000 soldiers led by Baron Eclair and rescued him…
Anyway, I am the one who rescued that man.
“It’s definitely amazing. However, that doesn’t mean you’re qualified to be the prince’s direct vassal, right?”
There are two reasons why I want to join the faction led by Margrave Estel.
One is because the Margrave is a very capable person whose abilities have been fully proven.
The other reason is that the faction that Margrave Estelle currently belongs to is the weakest of the six factions, so it is so dangerous that one has to grasp at straws.
It is natural to help in a favorable situation, but helping in a dangerous situation is showing a favor…
‘Stopping losses is dangerous.’
“In that case, my mercenary unit will side with the other faction.”
Estelle’s expression suddenly crumpled.
“What did you just say?”
“I told you that I was thinking of joining the First Prince’s faction. “Our mercenary corps is already famous for its tremendous performance leading up to the capture of Raseu Castle.”
I also helped by giving money to the intelligence guild, but the emperor’s servants and other nobles volunteered to spread rumors widely about how active I was in leading to the capture of Raseu Castle.
To the extent that this rumor spread among ordinary mercenaries in the Barcelo and Montmartre empires as well as the Rhine Palatinate empire.
‘The Emperor of the Montmartre Empire asked Martin Mayer to serve as Marshal of the Imperial Army in the future, but he refused.’
From Noble mtl dot com
Although there was a little bit of foam, what the emperor said was so unconventional that it could have been misunderstood.
“Well, the emperor didn’t actually ask me outright to be the marshal of the Montmartre imperial army in the future, but he did say this.”
“What do you mean?”
“In the future, the nobles of the Montmartre Empire will offer me all kinds of bribes in order to receive a better position and more opportunities to play an active role in the next battlefield.”
There are countless cases of this type of rumor being exaggerated by two to three times, like foamy beer…
At this level, it is a statement that is actually a fact without any exaggeration, just without adding the word ‘enemy’.
“Oh, you said that too. “Because you didn’t reveal who you were, there won’t be anyone attacking beautiful women.”
The corners of Estelle’s mouth suddenly dropped.
“What nonsense…”
“If it is a lie, even if the rumor spreads, it will disappear. No, the content of the rumors that spread to the Rhine-Palatinate Empire will be different. Well, I heard the emperor wanted to give me his daughter. It is said that the emperor went crazy and invited Martin Mayer to bed and committed homos*xual acts. “In this way, only false rumors would have spread.”
“…… That’s not true.”
After saying that, I stared at the face of Margrave Estelle.
“My reputation is quite high among mercenaries. This is because since I joined, the Whitebeard mercenaries have never been defeated. No, I made it possible for me to win a war that was destined to be lost. “I even persuaded Baron Pappenheim, whom I know well, and achieved victory against an enemy that was twice as large.”
“……”
“Besides, isn’t the Margrave’s faction the smallest among the factions seeking to become the emperor of the empire? But can you handle it if you turn me into an enemy?”
I raised one corner of my mouth and looked at Margrave Estelle with deep eyes.
Extremely, without saying anything.
Relaxedly, as if observing the naked body of a beautiful woman without a single thread on.
I could feel the slightest agitation in Estelle’s eyes.
Baron Ainz, who was standing next to him, became angry on behalf of the Margrave.
“Martin Mayer! I looked at you kindly, but now you can’t climb up! Take your head off right now…”
Ah, if the Margrave kills me, the Estelle faction will collapse from that moment on.
From an objective point of view, the currently most disadvantaged faction is the Estel faction, and they kill famous mercenaries who want to join that group?
Then what kind of mercenaries would come to sign a mercenary contract?
“Are you able to cut?”
Ainz ground his teeth.
“Ugh…”
“Master Margrave, don’t you know me well? “If you trust me and leave it to me, I will definitely make you a duke.”
“Okay, I’ll give you one year instead.”
“You mean one year?”
Estelle looked into my eyes and said.
“Within one year, bring results that can prove that you deserve to be treated that way. “Anyway, war will break out everywhere in the next few months.”
The inside of the empire had already festered to the point of bursting.
So, a civil war will soon break out in earnest, and I will have countless opportunities to prove my abilities.
“Wouldn’t a war break out if we just sat still? And I think the most dangerous one is Baron Maurer, which borders the Second Prince faction, which will be most eager to expand its power.”
The second prince’s faction is the weakest after us, so they will try to survive by increasing their power by eating us.
“Isn’t the Barony of Cologne also a territory right behind the Barony of Maurer? So, I will prove it by joining forces with Baron Maurer and stopping the Second Prince’s faction.”
“Like that. Now, you too, go back and eat. “You must be hungry after coming such a long way.”
“Then please excuse me.”
After getting what I wanted, I opened the door and came out.
“They will invade the Maurer Barony within a few months at the earliest.”
I need to discuss with Dalton how to deal with it.
**
After Martin left, Baron Ainz, who became the Sword Master and became Estelle’s closest associate, expressed his resentment and asked.
“Master Margrave, even though the situation is so bad that we would like to lend a hand as a newborn. Aren’t you suggesting conditions that are too favorable only to that guy? “The barons who are the direct vassals of His Majesty the Fourth Prince in our faction right now will become counts, unless they are quite idiots, and a guy named Martin Mayer will also benefit greatly from that.”
Depending on what position you are in during a civil war, the rate at which you receive dividends called fiefdoms drastically changes.
Even if you are a baron who is a direct vassal, if you mobilize thousands of troops and win the fight without doing anything stupid, you will receive at least one earldom.
In the case of Ainz, a baron under Margrave Estelle, he is eligible to receive an ‘Earlage’ only if he performs well enough to receive 2-3 earldoms if he were a direct vassal.
What is so important is what position you stand in the beginning…
Estelle also understood that opinion, so she nodded.
“I know, Baron Ainz.”
“Then why?”
“It’s because of the abilities of an individual named Martin Mayer. To be honest, his swordsmanship and brute force aren’t very strong. “In our Margrave family alone, there are 15 swordsmen of that level or higher.”
However, considering that no matter how powerful a Sword Master is, he will lose if he fights with 1,000 ordinary soldiers, what is more important than military force is the intellect to devise a strategy.
Estelle knew that well.
“However, the author, Martin Mayer, is a crazy man who leads only 500 men and rescues over 2,000 barons who are either amigos or idiots from the jaws of the enemy.”
“That’s right.”
“And you also heard the rumors, didn’t you? The reason the damn Emperor of Montmartre was able to achieve such a great victory was because of a scheme devised by Martin Mayer. “If it weren’t for Martin Mayer’s strategy while replaying that battle in our Margrave family…”
Ainz answered in a heavy voice.
“Yes, even if the Montmartre Empire won, the scale of its victory would be reduced by about 1/3, no matter how favorable the decision was to the Empire.”
“It would be unacceptable for us to lose him to another faction. “Considering the damage our faction will suffer if we turn him into an enemy, rather than helping our allies by having him… It is right to treat Martin that way.”
Then Estelle laughed heartily.
“And then. “Aren’t you excited?”
“What do you mean?”
“A crazy guy who acts like that with only 500 troops, and as a mere mercenary leader. “When he takes command of an entire front, I wonder what kind of strategy he will use to win.”
“Are you not worried about losing?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t honestly worried because it was a loss. Still, Martin Mayer…”
Margrave Estelle recalled a baron who was extremely incompetent under his command.
He was entrusted with 2,000 troops 10 years ago, but he was defeated by only 500 men for absurd reasons, resulting in 600 casualties.
In addition, even though he works really hard and sincerely, he has no ability to read documents, so he loses 10% of the supplies he was entrusted with every time he touches his hand.
I coaxed that guy and made him win against 5,000 enemies with 2,000 men…
“He’s a big guy who won a huge victory even with that damned Pappenheim guy. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Baron Ainz also nodded at those words.
“That’s right. What are you going to do with that Pappenheim… Then what are you going to do now?”
Estelle shook the bell on her desk.
“Isn’t it obvious? Let’s tell those in our faction that Martin Mayer, or rather Baron Martin Cologne, has earned the right to play at the same table as you. And I will convince you. Since you have decided to believe in it, you must believe it until the end without doubting it.”
And a few months later, Martin, who was in the Barony of Cologne, received an urgent message from Dalton.
“Baron Cologne, Baron Cologne, I give you a report! “Count Hansa of the Second Prince’s faction has invaded the Barony of Maurer with 15,000 troops!”