Chapter 4: Duplein (1)
For the sake of preparing for high society, it is quite common for a noble young lady to set foot in the mansion of Ebelstein.
And to support a single noble young lady who has been granted her own separate mansion, it is said that at least forty servants are needed.
A head maid, a head butler, three house maids, three cooks, four kitchen maids to assist with cooking, three scullery maids, five personal maids, a chief maid to manage the personal maids, a butler and assistants, a coachman, a gardener, and so on .....
On top of that, at least one high-ranking retainer has to be assigned, and if she is preparing for her debut into society, tutors for each field have to be attached, and the number of those tutors alone often reached more than ten.
In particular, the teacher in the field of magic, which is considered both a noble's privilege and a qualification, was regarded as the most precious manpower, because to begin with, there were almost no upper-level mage who were deeply versed in magic, and even if there were, they would usually sit in important posts rather than become a young lady's tutor.
The fact that Margrave Elvester, the most famous war hero in the eastern region, personally took katia under his wing was, in truth, because of such a background.
A talent who possessed deep understanding of noble culture, outstanding magic skills, and even the charisma to teach people was rarer than gold. Even if all sorts of prestigious families caused an uproar trying to recruit such a person, it would not be strange at all.
The anecdote of the northern count dellerus personally riding a carriage all the way to the capital just to bring back a single 3-Star teacher has now become famous. He said he was in a hurry because he was afraid another noble might snatch them away, but it was a frivolity that did not suit his position.
In the end, those called parents were people who were prepared to sell even their liver and gallbladder just to attach a good teacher to their child.
Even nobles who sat on the throne and toyed with the world were no different in that regard.
If you attach retainers, servants, teachers, and even knight forces for escort ….. in the end, it is no different from moving an entire small army or merchant group just for one prestigious family's young lady.
It feels as if the whole world is moving for the sake of one small girl who has not even come of age yet.
That is the status that a young lady of a famous noble family holds.
….. It was as if Derrick lived in an entirely different world, so it was only natural that there should be no point of contact at all.
*
"I've snagged a proper one after a long time. It's nothing less than a request from that Duplein Ducal House."
Jayden was the owner of the inn called 'Tears of Veldern' located at the very back of the tavern street, and also the captain of the Veldern Mercenary Corps.
"So don't grumble that I suddenly called you yesterday without any notice, Derrick. You know well that I usually work with proper procedures."
"Duplein Ducal House? Somehow it doesn't feel very believable ... what would a place like that be lacking that they'd entrust work to us?"
"It's hard to believe, but it's true. For the Veldern Mercenary Corps, this kind of opportunity doesn't come around again."
When people of Ebelstein think of mercenary groups, two images usually come to mind.
One is a genuine military group that stations in a specific region and carries out territorial or national-level requests.
Usually they band together around retired generals and rarely come out of their garrisons, so it is hard to see them easily.
And the other is various local request-handling groups that operate around places like the tavern street of Ebelstein.
There are limits to coming into the street as an individual mercenary and working like hired help. Mercenaries who have built up their skills gather together among themselves and take on more difficult and demanding requests.
The former have very strong bonds among themselves, but the latter do not have that strong of a sense of comradeship as one might think. In truth, it feels closer to being business partners.
Jayden was a middle-aged man who founded such a Veldern Mercenary Corps. It sounds grand, but the scale was not that great.
Still, he was a man whose ambition to someday develop it into a great mercenary group was admirable.
Derrick was not deeply involved with the Veldern Mercenary Corps, but from time to time he would carry out requests together with them.
"If I miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, then even if god forgives me, I, Jayden, will not be able to forgive myself!"
Jayden himself had also been a tough warrior who went through many wars in his younger days.
However, now that time had passed, he had become a middle-aged man with a rough beard shadow that left an impression, and a boss who poked his nose into the management of the tavern.
Since useful mercenaries tend to gather at decent taverns, it was something he needed to do from his standpoint as well.
"You know well how nobles spend their money. They readily hand over gold coins for missions that aren't even that great, and once they acknowledge that your skills are decent, they keep coming back, making them top-tier customers."
"So, what's the content of the request?"
Derrick, who had sat down in front of the tavern table while letting his robe hem hang down, asked with an indifferent expression.
"As I said, it's not that great. It's a simple request to subjugate a few monsters on the outskirts of the duchy."
"What level are those monsters...?"
"From what I hear, it seems to be just a few small goblins. At worst, dangerous opponents would be trolls."
"That's all?"
"Yeah. In fact, it would be a request that could be solved even if I only sent you or Felnine, but since the matter is the matter, I'll go out personally. When the future of our Veldern Mercenary Corps is at stake, the captain can't just sit back and do nothing!"
Behind the tavern table, there hung the large greatsword that Jayden used in his active days.
Now he was acting as both mercenary captain and tavern owner, but in his prime, Jayden was a man whom even famous warriors had to acknowledge.
That much, Derrick also had no choice but to admit.
Jayden was a man who had enough skill to call himself the captain of a mercenary group. He was a bit money-hungry, a bit optimistic, and a bit blinded by ambition, but still.
" .. Duplein Ducal House."
Ebelstein is a city located at the southern end of the huge Belcos peninsula that juts out in the western part of the continent.
And the northern half of that Belcos peninsula was all territory of the Duplein Ducal House. Considering its scale, it certainly seemed like an enormous client.
So instead, he felt uneasy. If it was the Duplein Ducal House, the quality of their private soldiers would also be excellent, so there would be no need to reach out to a local mercenary group from the tavern street.
Moreover, they said it was just simple task, and at worst trolls if things went wrong. It could be handled by the standing army in the ducal territory. Then why keep feeding and housing knights who had nothing to do?
"Something feels fishy."
"Derrick. We are mercenaries."
Jayden, who had been wiping a cup, said with a smile.
"We accept requests and receive compensation. That's all. As for what circumstances lie behind it, until it comes to light, there's nothing good to gain from digging into it."
"It's not wrong, but ... if the captain himself is going out, doesn't that mean you don't need me?"
Derrick was valuable manpower.
Basically, he knew at least the minimum level of swordsmanship, and he was also versed in magic.
On a tavern street full of commoners, being able to use even 1-Star magic is a talent that every mercenary group covets. They are people who can adjust the battlefield environment and deal with all kinds of variables encountered during exploration.
However, no matter how that was, he could not be more valuable than Jayden, who had entered the ranks of veteran mercenaries.
Goblins and trolls were things Jayden could handle alone. In short, it was a request for which there was no reason for Derrick to step in.
However, Jayden shook his head.
"There's a reason I called you in such a hurry like this a day in advance. I don't know why, but the retainer who came from the duchy requested that we bring along a mage."
"A mage, specifically? For a job where we just need to quickly wipe out some monsters?"
"I thought the same, so I asked the reason, but he just kept repeating that since they don't know what might happen, we must bring a mage along."
Jayden sighed heavily as he complained.
"The more I hear, the more it feels like a really fishy request ..."
"Well, worrying too much won't do any good either. Let's look at the good side. Here, look at this."
Jayden placed a gold coin on the table.
Oh, Derrick's reaction popped out first.
"It's one aidel gold coin. He just tossed it out without even negotiating the price. Isn't that crazy? It makes all the time we spent running around doing odd jobs for a few silver coins feel pointless."
"As expected, nobles really do have big wallets. To hand over a whole gold coin for a request to catch a few monsters."
"Want to hear something even more surprising? This isn't the request fee, it's the advance payment."
Derrick had no choice but to change his attitude.
*
By the afternoon, the clients who had promised arrived and sat down in the tavern.
There aren't many people who drink in broad daylight, so the tavern was in a quiet state.
Derrick, who was sitting at the long bar table, took a glance at the faces of the clients, and just by looking at their good skin and high-quality clothes, it was obvious they were people from outside this tavern street.
There were three people who came into the tavern. Among them, the one leading the group at the front was an old man.
At a glance, he gave off a vicious and tired impression, and from his half-bald head, sharp eyes, and the mass of wrinkles lined up on his face, you could see his personality clearly.
Behind him was an old woman who seemed quite aged, judging from the white hair mixed in here and there. And there was one person who had their face hidden under a robe.
As soon as they came and took their seats, Jayden personally went out and served them fruit drinks.
"Oh my. You've come earlier than the appointed time. I was waiting."
The old man leading the group glanced down at the fruit drink that Jayden had brought, then pushed it aside as if he had no intention of even putting it to his lips. At a glance, he looked like someone with no manners.
"Are you the swordsman Jayden who is said to have made great contributions in the dawn war?"
"Yes, that's right. Now I've quit soldiering and, as you can see, I live while running a small business."
"Then your skills should be trustworthy."
When the old man sent his gaze, the old woman and the robed person came over and sat at the round table.
Derrick, who was at the bar table, perked up his ears and took a sip of cold water to wet his throat.
"I am Melvin, a dispatched officer directly under Lord Stuart, the Chief Secretary of the great Duplein Duchy."
Among the retainers of the duchy, the Chief Secretary is the highest in rank. If he is a direct subordinate, it means he is quite trusted even among the retainers.
Jayden greeted him with a smooth smile.
"And this one is a maid who came along as my assistant, and this robed one is an apprentice inspector. Both belong to the duchy."
Derrick looked at the two while pretending to drink cold water.
Both of them were wearing robes embroidered with the duchy's emblem, and the maid had her hood lowered, so her features were clearly visible.
The old maid, who gave off a seasoned and mature air, had a neat appearance. Through the gaps in the robe, a neatly dressed maid uniform could be seen.
On the other hand, the person wearing the hood could not be properly identified, but just by the silhouette, it was clear that their build was very small.
"If you're an inspector ... that means you're someone who reports directly to his grace the duke. We'll have to make a good impression. Haha."
"I'm still just an apprentice, so there's no need to be so strict. In any case, I believe we agreed to bring along one mage ..."
"Ah, of course. I brought the most skilled mage I know. Derrick! Come over and say hello!"
When Derrick, who had been sitting at the bar table, stood up and headed over to them, he felt as if all eyes were gathering on him.
Derrick felt a bit awkward, but as if to say whatever, he stepped forward, pulled down the hood of his dark red robe, and revealed his face.
"My name is Derrick."
Red eyes visible between well-groomed white hair. The pieces of equipment made of leather or iron here and there were well-oiled and maintained.
The equipment that peeked out from under Derrick's robe was not high-end, but it was practical.
Over a well-washed pure white tunic, a neat leather armor. On one side of a good-quality belt hung a dagger, and on the other side of his waist, a quite usable longsword was sheathed.
Along with a leather pouch, an essential item for wandering mercenaries, his gloves and boots were also clean without a speck of dust. It meant he diligently maintained them every time.
You can tell at a glance about riffraff. In that sense, Derrick was someone whose bones were clearly hardened through experience.
However, it wasn't that there were no problems at all.
" ….. Isn't he too young?"
The dispatched officer who had introduced himself as Melvin frowned and looked at Jayden.
"We wanted a skilled mage. You're telling us to bring along this kid who, at a glance, hasn't even gone through his coming-of-age ceremony, and call him a mage?"
They spoke so carelessly even with the person concerned right in front of them, which was fitting of people who worked for a noble family.
They were probably commoners by origin too, but when you work among noble bloodlines, you start thinking you've become noble yourself.
Melvin deeply furrowed his brows and protested to Jayden.
"They said you were a man of strong principles, but if you handle work like this, what in the world are we supposed to trust ... tsk ..."
"If you judge only by appearance, that's a bit difficult. And in a tavern street like this, even calling someone a mage means they're rarer than beans in a drought, so you should understand what needs to be understood."
"Even if he's a mage from a commoner background, his level should be obvious, and if he's this young, at best he can probably only use one or two 1-Star spells. Do you think we came all the way to this remote tavern for a mage of that level?"
Melvin said that and glared at Derrick once.
Derrick, as if he didn't have anything more to say, raised both arms with an indifferent expression.
It was as if he was saying that if they didn't like it, he didn't particularly feel like working either.
Perhaps that relaxed response from Derrick annoyed him even more, because Melvin clicked his tongue and said:
"If it's like this, then we might as well just go back as we are ..."
"Sir dispatched officer."
Just as Melvin was about to raise his voice in earnest, the maid who had been sitting at the round table called out to him.
It seemed she had exchanged some opinions with the robed person, because the maid approached Melvin and whispered something.
After hearing that, Melvin let out a deep sigh, then glared at Derrick again and asked:
"How old are you this year?"
"Sixteen."
"How much magic can you use?"
"I can handle a little bit of 1-Star magic."
"Hah, I see. For your age, that is impressive. You should consider yourself lucky."
Melvin let out another deep sigh, then said to Jayden:
"Fine. If that's how it is, it can't be helped. Let's depart like this."
'He's really beating the drum and the gong all by himself.'
Derrick nodded to the dispatched officer, who was full of anger, with an indifferent expression.
Jayden smiled in satisfaction and patted Derrick on the shoulder. Judging by the situation, it seemed that the clients had no intention of even departing if there was no mage.
In any case, from Jayden's standpoint, thanks to Derrick's existence, he had landed one big job.
"As you heard earlier, I am Melvin. As I said, I am a dispatched officer."
"I'm Delia. I'm a scullery maid who also handles small chores at the Duplein Ducal House."
Among the retainers, the dispatched officer is a direct subordinate of the highest-ranking Chief Secretary.
A scullery maid is among the lowest-ranking servants of a noble mansion, a maid in charge of menial tasks such as assisting with cooking or managing tableware.
After shaking hands with the first two, it was finally time to shake hands with the mysterious robed person.
Her hand was more slender and soft than expected, and when he looked under the hood, it turned out to be a woman.
"As Melvin has introduced, I am an apprentice inspector. I am a retainer who checks whether things were handled properly and reports it."
Her skin was so white it was almost pale. The hair that slightly showed was black like ebony, but her eyes had a clear and pure feeling.
Even under the dark shadow of the robe, those eyes seemed to shine brilliantly, and within her gentle smile, there was something like a noble dignity.
Even in each small movement, grace was evident, and it truly gave off the feeling of someone of high status.
"I'm sorry that I can't properly take off my robe and greet you. My skin is weak to sunlight."
"It's fine."
Derrick gave a proper handshake, then bowed his head and stepped back to create some distance again.
In any case, since things seemed to have gone well, Jayden put on a satisfied smile and said:
"I've arranged for a coachman at the stable up ahead. It seems the discussion is over, so let's quickly wrap up the work. It's not a job that needs to be handled with this much fuss, is it?"
"They may be a bit rude, but people from noble families are all like that, so don't take it to heart and just let it go in one ear. They pay a lot, don't they."
Perhaps worried that Derrick's feelings might have been hurt because of the quarrel at the tavern, Jayden approached him on the way to the stable and whispered.
"Well, I don't really mind."
Derrick replied as if it didn't matter and looked ahead.
The three members from the ducal house were walking toward the stable visible up ahead.
Walking a bit behind them, Derrick rested his chin in his hand and fell into thought for a moment.
"Well, the first impression was bad, but they look like people with quite a bit of money. What do you think, Derrick?"
"All three of them looked like they were lying."
"Really?"
Derrick was from the slums, but he had heard a fair bit about noble culture in general from his teacher, katia. Before sleeping or while strolling the streets, she would often tell him stories about nobles to pass the time.
And Derrick, being from the bottom, had a habit of carefully observing people no matter whom he met.
"I heard that dispatched officers from noble families often have to move around a lot, so young and energetic men usually take the role. Since they often have to represent the voice of the ducal house, I also heard that many of them are sociable people. In that sense, that old man doesn't look like a suitable person for a dispatched officer."
"Oh ….. is that so?"
"And that woman who introduced herself as a scullery maid is strange too. She's wearing a maid outfit, and her demeanor is certainly like a servant's, but ... when I saw her hand during the handshake, there was no sign of things like eczema, and it was smooth. Her nails were neat too. That means she's someone who's past the stage of doing menial work."
In short, both of them seemed to have lowered their status when introducing themselves.
Among both retainers and servants, the ranks and status vary greatly from person to person. If you reach the top among the retainers and servants of the Duplein Ducal House, they would have authority so great that ordinary commoners wouldn't even dare to look at them.
"In that sense, if we examine that person who claims to be an apprentice inspector under a robe ….."
"Derrick."
Just as Derrick was about to say more, Jayden stopped him with a chuckle.
It was as if he knew exactly what Derrick was about to say next.
"…."
"I told you. We don't need to dig too deep. Being too sharp-witted isn't always a good thing."
Mercenaries work and get paid. That's enough.
There are many who end up shouldering nothing but trouble after getting unnecessarily involved in the inner circumstances of high-ranking people.
Those were words Jayden often said like a habit.
Derrick also agreed with those words, so after letting out a short sigh, he lowered his gaze as if it didn't matter.
Jayden was right.
On this road that is like the middle of the wilderness, only making a living is the most important goal.
Everything else was, in the end, something that didn't really matter.
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