Chapter 144

A week after the war completely ended, I safely led my soldiers into Agencour, the city that serves as the heart of the territory corresponding to three-quarters of the former Architel Duchy.

Immediately afterward, I announced the distribution of rewards across the Croilet Count’s domain.

First, I expanded Balt’s territory and authority, entrusting him with the defense of the area around Agencour.

Next, I dispatched Baron Frost and Baron Beerman towards Nante, while simultaneously granting each of them twelve villages from my direct territory.

At the same time, I transferred the management authority of the Helzman Count’s territory to my father so he could support the southern and northern parts of our domain.

In recognition of Colonel Frost’s significant contributions during the war, I promoted him to the rank of Colonel and awarded him a quarter of the Bourbon Baron’s territory to commend his efforts.

Thanks to the timely awards I gave to many other officers and soldiers based on their merits, the soldiers did not express dissatisfaction about being unable to rotate even after the war ended.

Additionally, I provided exemptions from the Knight Academy entrance exams as well as various scholarships and military pensions to the families of knights and soldiers who were killed or injured.

Because I gave such substantial rewards…

Lost in thought, Colonel Samuel spoke to me in a worried tone.

“Count Your Excellency, are you alright?”

I waved my hand dismissively and responded as if nothing was wrong.

“There’s no problem. I’m just thinking about the soldiers who can’t go back even though the war has ended…”

“You need not worry about that. Haven’t we already explained to the soldiers through the commanders below the battalion commander that if they return now, they will have to march out again to suppress a rebellion in this area? Moreover, Your Excellency has also provided them with additional rewards in recognition of their hardships, which they can spend here without their wives finding out.”

“Then I’m relieved. However, it is the lord’s duty to ensure that they can return to their families after the war. So it’s natural that I am still concerned. By the way… do you feel any dissatisfaction with me?”

Upon hearing that, Colonel Samuel looked at me with a bittersweet smile and replied.

“I was truly disappointed when you suddenly appointed Colonel Frost, who was under my command, as the commander in my place. However, when I think about it calmly, I didn’t know much about the new weapon called the matchlock rifle back then. If I had taken on the same role as him during the battle at the Waine Plains… I surely would have made mistakes and left the dishonorable mark of ruining my lord’s war.”

It is never easy to accept another subordinate’s successes without feeling inferior.

Yet, the ability to face reality like this is indeed indicative of extraordinary patience and a keen sense of reality.

I did not wish to leave someone with such capabilities unattended merely because I had an excellent substitute.

Whether he was aware of my intentions or not, Colonel Samuel continued speaking.

“Moreover, whenever you had the time, Your Excellency, you came to comfort us, didn’t you? Then, you even ordered us to feign defection to mislead the enemy. Though, our efforts were fruitless as the enemy’s unity was too strong.”

Hearing this made me feel heavier with guilt for making things difficult for a person who was living a successful life as a soldier in Nante for the sake of strategy.

At the same time, I gained the conviction that someone with such loyalty to me, even amid these circumstances, could indeed be entrusted with the grand project I was about to undertake.

Because in this feudal contract dominated by mutual interests in Europa, as opposed to Joseon, individuals with such loyalty are extremely rare.

I pointed to the chair near my desk in my office, and while spreading out the map of the surrounding area, I said.

“Since it seems like this conversation will be lengthy, take a seat.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

I confirmed that Samuel was seated and then opened my mouth to speak.

“First of all, while we have successfully occupied three-quarters of the Architel Duchy, as you know, this place can’t strictly be said to have completely fallen under my control yet. Do you know why?”

Samuel paused for a moment before responding thoughtfully.

“First, the Barons and Nobles who previously ruled this land have all left, but the Bailiffs and Village Heads who managed the territory remain. Furthermore, the serfs harbor grievances against Count Your Excellency, who brutally slaughtered them in the last war. Although they may not attempt a rebellion right now due to fear of you and us… if the Bailiffs and Village Heads feel our power wane, they will seize the opportunity to incite the serfs to return under the Architel Duke’s rule and lead a rebellion. To put it bluntly, we have merely gained the land of this territory, not the hearts of the people living in it.”

As he said, we had shown overwhelming force in the war, instilling bone-deep fear in the serfs, who formed the backbone of the opposing force.

As a result, the serfs in this territory wouldn’t dare openly oppose us or even dream of revolting…

However, that submission does not come from a place of genuine loyalty.

In fact, they essentially attribute their hunger and hardships entirely to us.

It was the aristocrats of Architel who collected taxes from them… but it is I, SIEL von Croilet, who rules over them now in their state of hunger and distress.

And the Bailiffs and Village Heads, who are well aware of this situation, must be waiting for the right moment to incite a rebellion, hoping that the Architel Duke will reward them when he retakes the territory.

Though I fell short to Colonel Frost due to the command of the matchlock regiment, he was still indeed a man of sound judgment, having commanded the defense forces of Nante, the capital of the Croilet Count’s territory.

“You’re right. We’ve merely acquired this land; we haven’t won the hearts of the serfs living in this territory. There are limits to the rule of fear in this situation. Eliminating all the Village Heads and Bailiffs who could possibly incite a rebellion would be foolish…”

If I were to remove all of them, given that the Village Heads and Bailiffs are likely to incite rebellions, the 93-94% of the population consisting of serfs would be filled with the terror of being murdered just like their village heads.

Then, with the mindset that if they’re going to die anyway, they might as well try something, they would rebel.

On the other hand, if I let them be, I could not just watch idly as their dissatisfaction towards me grew along with their ambitions to rise using that discontent, akin to a malignant tumor…

I need to eliminate the ringleaders attempting to orchestrate the rebellion, much like a doctor performing surgery on a cancer patient.

However, rather than me secretly gathering intelligence and eliminating them, it would be better if they turned on one another and denounced the core instigators of the rebellion.

This way, trust among those considering rebellion would be shattered.

However, if suspicion grows too strong, the rebels might start to falsely accuse moderates, much like lizards cutting off their tails, so…

I must perfectly identify the hardliners likely to initiate a rebellion or those with rebellious intent, as well as the moderates who could remain loyal.

Samuel, perhaps sensing that I was going to assign him an important task, began to look at me with serious eyes.

“I will follow your orders, even if it means death.”

At those words, I chuckled lightly and replied.

“That’s not my intention. I simply want to make use of your current situation as it appears. I’ll give you an order. Colonel Samuel, I will assign Lieutenant Short to you, so mobilize him and his soldiers to identify those who wish to oppose me.”

“Understood.”

“Depending on the results you show in this task, I will consider whether to entrust you with information across our entire territory. In other territories, intelligence-gathering spies— even if they are of noble birth— tend to be viewed as slightly lesser, but we are different.”

I paused for a moment, then pronounced each word clearly.

“Gaining even a single piece of crucial information on the enemy can sometimes strike a greater blow to the opposing forces than killing dozens of knights. Therefore, it could be a chance to earn as much, if not more, rewards. Now, you may leave.”

Shortly after Colonel Samuel left, Baron Laurent’s son entered and said to me.

“I have come hurriedly upon receiving your command. I am Alps Laurent, the son of Baron Laurent. I hope I am not late…”

“No, thank you for coming on time. So… is the plan I prepared feasible?”