The Stubborn Lord’s Tale of Happiness: Conquering the Frontier Despite a Bad Attitude!
After parting ways with Radley, Bart and Dante hurried their horses toward the capital, Noeina.
Upon seeing the two return through the forest path with an air of urgency, Edgar, who was overseeing the farmers in the northern farmlands of Noeina, called out to them.
“Lord Bart, has something happened?”
“Edgar… It seems that orcs have appeared in the forest path.”
“What?! It’s only been about two years since the last time orcs showed up…”
“Yes, that’s right. The frequency is a bit too high, but since they’ve appeared, we have no choice but to deal with them.”
“Indeed… We should halt the farmers’ work and have them all evacuate into the capital, Noeina.”
“Please do. Dante, assist Edgar.”
“Understood.”
Entrusting the evacuation of the farmers to the two, Bart once again spurred his horse and rushed back into the capital of Noeina.
He raced through the town streets, heading straight for the school. At this time, Clara was supposed to be here, not at the mansion.
“Wow, it’s Lord Bart!”
The children cheered as they saw Bart from the school windows. Bart, already handsome, looked even more dashing riding on horseback with a sword at his side, which seemed to inspire admiration.
Meanwhile, Clara, who had also looked out the window with the children, stiffened her expression. Bart’s serious demeanor as he entered the school grounds likely meant that an emergency had occurred, one that required her attention.
“Everyone, I need to speak with Sir Bart about some important matters. Please wait quietly in the classroom for a while.”
“Yes, Miss Clara!”
At the school, Clara had the children address her as “Miss Clara.” Seeing the children obediently respond, she quickly left the classroom and called Bart into the reception room.
……
Once seated in the reception room at Clara’s urging, Bart skipped formalities and got straight to the point.
“Sir Bart, your demeanor suggests something serious has happened…”
Clara’s face showed signs of fatigue, with slight shadows under her eyes. It was already the time when Noein should have returned, but with no word from him, it was clear to the attendants that she was mentally drained.
However, with the current crisis at hand, Bart immediately delved into the practical matters.
“It seems the mining resource transport team was attacked by monsters on the forest path. From the scene, it’s likely orcs. Acting Captain Radley estimates there are multiple of them.”
“Oh no, how terrible… What about the transport team’s casualties?”
“Fortunately, they managed to evacuate before encountering the orcs. From what I saw at the scene, there were no human casualties, and they even had time to release the horses.”
Hearing Bart’s report, Clara breathed a sigh of relief.
“If this continues, we won’t be able to use the forest path, which means we can’t transport resources here or send food and supplies to the mining village. Moreover, there’s a risk that the orcs might directly attack Noeina or the mining village.”
“Indeed… Both in terms of security and economy, leaving the orcs unchecked would lead to immeasurable losses.”
Beyond the direct damage caused by the orcs, there would also be losses from the inability to safely farm outside the capital and the inability to transport mining resources.
If the mining resources couldn’t be delivered to the merchant Philip as scheduled, it would cause trouble for his Skinner Trading Company and its partner, Miles Trading Company. A few delays in delivery wouldn’t immediately ruin their trust, but repeated issues would create debts.
“However, with multiple orcs…”
Bart muttered with a grim expression. The thought of what could have been if Noein were here crossed his mind, but he refrained from voicing it.
If Noein’s golems and the two ballistae were here, they could have easily handled multiple orcs. But what’s gone is gone.
Although it’s unlikely that the members of the Aarkvist territory’s army who went on the expedition would die so easily, it’s indeed time to consider the worst-case scenario. In the midst of a crisis, it’s crucial to avoid unsettling Clara with such thoughts.
“Sir Bart… no, Attendant Bart. As the acting lord, I command you. Despite the difficult situation, please find a way to deal with the orc threat.”
Bart, who had been lost in dark thoughts with his head down, looked up at Clara’s strong voice.
“If Lord Noein were here, it would be a great comfort, but he is not. Therefore, the only ones who can protect the Aarkvist territory are you and Attendant Radley. I, as the acting lord, will provide all necessary assistance for whatever strategy you devise.”
“…Lady Clara.”
Bart had expected Clara to be distraught, given the misfortune of an orc attack while Noein’s safety was unknown. Contrary to his expectations, she was firmly grounded in reality.
“I must protect this territory and its people until Lord Noein returns. However, I am just a powerless woman. You are my only reliance. In return, I will use all my authority to assist you. I will arrange for whatever is needed and will personally intervene if you need collaborators… Please, I beg of you.”
“Please, don’t bow your head!”
Bart said, flustered. It was too much for the wife of the lord to bow her head to him.
“…Attendant Radley and I serve the Aarkvist baronetcy as attendants for times like these. Please leave it to us. We will surely hunt down the orcs and protect the Aarkvist territory.”
Clara couldn’t possibly be free from worry. Yet, as the lord’s wife and now acting lord, she maintained a dignified presence in front of her subordinates. As an attendant, Bart couldn’t possibly fail to meet her expectations. With that thought, Bart nodded.
……
“Alright, Lilith, please inform Master Serfass of the details. I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
“Priest Hassel, I apologize for the trouble, but please assist us as well.”
“As servants of the gods, it is only natural for us to cooperate in such situations.”
“Your words are much appreciated. Thank you.”
Bart, who had been planning the orc hunt with Radley at the mansion, informed Lilith, a trainee doctor summoned by Clara, and Priest Hassel, who ran the church, of the situation.
The orc hunt could result in many casualties. They needed to prepare to receive and treat the wounded.
After seeing them off, Bart returned to the attendant’s office to discuss further actions with Radley.
“Now, next is… Henrik, I need to explain things to you.”
“I’ve already heard the details from Lord Radley. Let me do it.”
When Bart called out to him, Henrik, the stablemaster who managed the horses at the mansion, nodded and said so. He was to play a crucial role in the upcoming orc hunt.
“Let me ask again, are you sure about this? Your job is to manage the stables and drive carriages. You’re not obliged to risk your life.”
When Radley asked, Henrik grinned, showing a gap from a missing tooth that added charm to his smile.
“I’m just a country bumpkin whose only skill is handling horses. Lord Noein hired me at a high wage. If there’s something I can do, I’d be glad to do it.”
“Is that so… Thank you. I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe if we clash with orcs, but I’ll make sure I’m eaten before you.”
“Hehe, I won’t let the orcs catch me; I’ll just drive the wagon. I’ll be ready to go anytime.”
With that, Henrik left the room.
With Henrik’s cooperation secured, the next step was to gather combatants. Protecting Noeina while hunting orcs in the forest required more manpower than the half-depleted territorial army could provide.
Just then, an unexpected person requested entry.
“Excuse me. I am Zadrek, the overseer of Lord Noein’s labor slaves.”
The large tiger-man who entered upon permission was the head of the farm slaves, managing the lord’s fields. Radley and Bart, who frequented the mansion as attendants, were familiar with him.
“Ah, it’s you… What brings you here? You might have heard, but we’re busy dealing with the orcs that have appeared in the territory.”
“About that orc hunt… I heard that half of the territorial soldiers are away with Lord Noein. If you need more hands to fight, we would like to assist.”
“What? You’re not combat slaves. There’s no need for you to join such a dangerous battle.”
As Radley said with a surprised expression, Zadrek nodded and continued.
“We understand that. But we have received great favor from Lord Noein. Especially for a beastman slave like me, it’s an unprecedented favor. We wish to repay that kindness by protecting Lord Noein’s territory.”
“…Lord Noein is truly loved by both the citizens and the slaves.”
Hearing Zadrek’s words, Bart smiled wryly. Radley also sighed, slightly exasperated.
“…If you insist, then join us. But your role will be to hold crossbows and distract the orcs. Fighting upfront is the job of us attendants and territorial soldiers. Your chances of dying are lower than ours, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you. The other slaves will surely be pleased—”
As Zadrek was speaking, someone noisily entered the room.
“Lord Radley! I heard orcs have appeared! Can I join the battle too? I want to see how crossbows and ballistae are used against orcs!”
“Me too! Is there anything I can help with? I want to be useful to the territory and tell Lord Noein about it later!”
It was the workaholic duo, Damian and Christie.
“…First, Damian. You’re not coming. With multiple orcs, even being in the rear isn’t absolutely safe. If you were to die carelessly, it would be a huge loss for this territory.”
Damian was one of the most important figures in the Aarkvist territory. It would be no joke if he died while observing an orc hunt out of curiosity.
“Come on! Please!”
“No. We’ll make good use of the crossbows and ballistae you made and report back, so just bear with it this time.”
“…Understood.”
Damian reluctantly nodded.
“And Christie. You’re smart, but you’re not cut out for battle… How about assisting Master Serfass in case there are injured? You’ve graduated from high school, so you must have some medical knowledge, right?”
“U-understood!”
Christie, knowing her place, nodded obediently.
Then, another person entered the room. It was Rick, one of the leaders of the territorial soldiers.
“Excuse me. I’ve gathered the soldiers, including those off duty.”
“Understood, good work… Then, let’s get moving.”
Nodding at Rick, who reported with a salute, Radley stood up from his chair in the office.
