To the Worst Land
“You mean to leave for the Bricks Territory, Dieter?”
“Yes, Brother. Please grant me permission.”
I answered with a respectful bow toward Oskar, the eldest son of the family and the oldest of the four brothers. However, he merely questioned me again, his face filled with suspicion.
“Father’s funeral only ended yesterday. There is much to be done from now on, so where do you think you are going?”
“As you said, Brother, these are difficult times. I merely wish to help the family by taking on even the most unpleasant duties.”
Asking to leave for Bricks, a territory abandoned long ago, was no different from volunteering for exile. I had expected him to send me away gladly, but Oskar still looked doubtful.
[Oskar Vermont]
[His gaze is filled with XX. His intention to test you is XX.]
At that moment, a blue rectangle appeared at the edge of my vision, displaying information about Oskar. An ordinary person might have been startled, but I had possessed this ability since birth. To me, it was simply a part of everyday life.
“Is that so? It sounds rather strange to me. Are you not merely using that as an excuse to satisfy your desire to become a lord? A bastard born from a maid’s womb?”
Oskar’s words made anger surge through me so fiercely that my eyebrows twitched, but I suppressed my emotions as I thought of my late mother.
“I have always been grateful that His Grace the late Duke took in someone as lowly as me and accepted me as a member of the family. Though it may be late, I merely wish to repay a small part of that kindness by contributing to the family. Please grant me permission.”
My voice grew more earnest, but the suspicion in Oskar’s eyes did not waver in the slightest.
[He says nothing, as though XX. He seems to be XX in an attempt to determine my XX.]
I steadied my nerves as another blue rectangle appeared. As always, several words had been erased, preventing me from fully understanding the description.
Judging by the circumstances, however, he was clearly racking his brain in an attempt to discern my true intentions.
‘It is a blue window that shows the condition of whatever I can see, so I suppose I should call it a Status Window.’
This ability, which I had named as such at some point, had been quite useful to someone like me, who had always been forced to watch the moods of those around me and act accordingly.
It was also a secret I had never revealed to anyone. Naturally, anyone who heard me claim that I could see blue boxes containing written descriptions would treat me as a madman.
“Very well. Then what about the Dauer Territory?”
“The Dauer Territory… you say?”
It was an unexpected proposal. The Dauer Territory was no larger than a barony, but the income from its apiaries rivaled that of a viscounty, one rank higher.
‘It is a fine territory that everyone covets. There is no reason he would suddenly hand such a place over to me.’
If he granted the Dauer Territory to a bastard like me, the vassals would erupt in protest. Oskar could not possibly be unaware of that, which meant he had some other scheme in mind.
“Yes. As you know, Horik was always an eccentric fellow. He devoted himself entirely to managing the apiaries, only to die suddenly without leaving an heir. It has created quite a troublesome situation.”
“……”
“There is no suitable justification for entrusting the territory to another vassal, either. It would look better and cause fewer disputes if one of us brothers took charge of it. You should take this opportunity to govern the place.”
At some point, Oskar had adopted an exceptionally gentle smile. To anyone unaware of the circumstances, he would have appeared to be a caring older brother looking after his younger sibling.
Of course, a sinister intention to test me undoubtedly lurked beneath that expression. If I eagerly accepted his proposal, it would only confirm his suspicions.
‘Besides, more than a few of Oskar’s loyal men are stationed in the Dauer Territory. It would hardly be surprising if I were assassinated at any moment. I can never accept it.’
Furthermore, I had a reason I absolutely had to go to the Bricks Territory. I could not accept his offer.
“I am grateful for your consideration, but the Dauer Territory is beyond someone of my standing. I fear that if I were to mismanage the apiaries, I might disrupt the supply of honey. Please send someone else in my place.”
“You do not want the Dauer Territory? You would abandon such a comfortable and prosperous land and insist on going to Bricks? To that savage land crawling with monsters? To a place that has remained undeveloped for so long?”
Suspicion flashed in Oskar’s eyes once more. It seemed he had no intention of letting me go easily.
‘Damn it. I have no other choice.’
In the end, I lowered myself to the floor and prostrated before Oskar. Pressing my forehead against the ground, I spoke.
“I will be honest with you. Please spare my life, Brother. I harbor no ambition whatsoever. I will be more than satisfied simply to remain alive.”
“……”
“If you send me to the Bricks Territory, I will never set foot in the main estate again unless you summon me. I will not even look in the direction of the main estate. I will live quietly and remain out of sight.”
I swallowed my humiliation and begged him. I was in no position to concern myself with dignity.
My father, who had protected me simply because I was his son despite my illegitimate birth, was dead. I had no guardian or protector left. The only way to survive those who had always regarded me as a thorn in their sides was to lower myself like this.
I had spent my entire life enduring contempt and scorn for being born a bastard. Humiliation of this degree was as familiar to me as breathing.
‘I have to survive first before I can even begin to plan for the future.’
I repeated that thought to myself as I remained on my knees. I did not know how much time had passed before the words I had been waiting for finally came.
“Ha ha ha! Very well. If that is truly what you wish, you may go to the Bricks Territory.”
As Oskar’s hearty laughter rang out, I struck my forehead against the floor once more.
“Thank you, Brother Oskar! I will never forget this kindness.”
“Ha ha ha. Why speak so solemnly over such a small matter? How could I refuse a simple request from my own flesh and blood?”
He personally helped me to my feet and patted me on the shoulder. It seemed he had decided that there was no longer any need to concern himself with someone who had begged for his life so pitifully.
“I will depart as soon as I am ready. I have little baggage to take with me, so I would be grateful if you could provide me with a single horse.”
“No. You are still a son of a ducal family. How could I possibly send you away like that? I will provide you with a carriage and several attendants so that you may travel in comfort.”
Oskar answered with an exceedingly generous expression, putting on airs as though he were bestowing some great benevolence upon me.
‘If I am not alone… things will become somewhat troublesome.’
It was an unwelcome development. The more eyes there were around me, the more restricted my actions would become. However, if I refused this as well after rejecting the Dauer Territory, it would appear suspicious.
“I will select those who are to accompany you and have them prepared. Rest comfortably until your departure.”
“Yes. Thank you for your consideration, Brother.”
I thanked the satisfied Oskar once again. In the end, I had achieved my objective of leaving for the Bricks Territory. This was my victory.
‘Yes, stop paying attention to me now. You will all be far too busy fighting among yourselves over the position of family head.’
The head of the family had died without leaving so much as a will, let alone naming a successor. What would happen next was obvious.
According to custom, Oskar, as the eldest son, should inherit the position of family head. However, the other brothers were all overflowing with ambition and would never accept that obediently. Before long, they would begin a vicious struggle for control of the family.
While they turned their blades upon one another, I would quietly gather my strength.
I would do so in the first territory I had ever possessed—the new home known as Bricks.
“Good heavens, what sort of place is this…?”
“It would hardly be an exaggeration to call this an abandoned pile of stones rather than a castle.”
“Good grief….”
The handful of servants could not conceal their disappointment as each offered their own opinion. In truth, my thoughts were not much different.
‘It may be called a castle, but it is little more than an abandoned ruin.’
The outer walls were covered in moss and had collapsed in several places, while thick, overgrown vines blanketed what remained. The spires that must once have risen high into the sky had all crumbled.
This ruined castle, little more than a heap of stones as the servants had said, would be my home from this day onward.
Of course, it had not always been like this. In the past, soldiers of the family had been stationed in the castle to watch over the surrounding forests, and several fairly large villages had reportedly been established nearby.
However, as the years passed, interest in the remote territory gradually waned. Then the monsters began to stir on a massive scale. In the end, the family effectively abandoned the Bricks Territory by withdrawing the soldiers stationed there.
As a result, only this ruined castle and its manor remained. All the surrounding land had been taken by monsters, leaving Bricks a territory that existed in name alone.
It was quite literally the worst territory imaginable, a place so far removed from the main estate’s attention that it had practically been forgotten.
That was the kind of land Bricks was.
“Let us go inside for now. We have arrived, so we should unload the baggage first.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
At my command, the servants began unloading the carriage. Most of those Oskar had selected were elderly and nearly old enough to retire.
Like me, they were regarded as burdens. Oskar had effectively gathered all the unwanted refuse together and thrown us away. Of course, I could not dismiss the possibility that one of Oskar’s agents was hidden among them to watch me.
‘I cannot trust anyone. It has always been that way.’
After unloading everything, the servants forced open the rusted lock and pulled apart the doors of the castle keep. When I followed them inside, a musty stench struck me at once.
The interior, built from dull gray stone, was covered in dust as far as the eye could see. Black rats scurried across the floor, while the ceiling was thick with cobwebs.
“Ugh, this… We will need far more than a day or two, Young Master.”
“Even if it is a small castle, it is still quite spacious, and there must be underground chambers as well. It will take more than a week merely to clean and organize everything.”
“On top of that, parts of the castle have collapsed, so there will be no shortage of places requiring repairs. Curse our rotten luck, bringing us all the way to a place like this….”
Everyone grimaced and voiced their displeasure. The castle was in such a dire state that they would likely be occupied with cleaning and repairs for some time.
“Get started at once. Clear and organize the first floor first. None of the wooden furniture is likely to be usable, so throw all of it outside.”
After giving my orders, I checked my equipment. All I wore was a suit of leather armor, and the mace at my waist was my only weapon. I carried only the bare minimum necessary for combat.
‘There should be an armory underground, but this place has been abandoned for hundreds of years. There will not be any usable weapons or armor left.’
There was no helping it. I would have to leave as I was.
“I am going out for a while. I should return by evening.”
After speaking to the servants, I headed toward the door, only for someone to stride forward and block my path.
“Where are you going now, Young Master?”
Hakon, my guard knight, spoke brusquely as he stood in front of me. Like any knight, his official duty was to guard and assist me, the lord of the territory. It seemed he intended to accompany me now as well.
Of course, that was merely his duty in name. He had originally served under Oskar, so it was almost certain that he had been ordered to watch me.
“It is nothing important. I only intend to take a walk and look around the manor.”
“Must you truly take a stroll through a forest when there is no telling what might leap out at you? Honestly… If you insist on going, then I will accompany you.”
Hakon made no attempt to hide his irritation as he answered. His attitude was exceedingly disrespectful, but just like the knights at the main estate, he had never treated me with proper courtesy. There was nothing unusual about it.
“No. There is no need for you to accompany me. I will return before sunset, so supervise the servants here in my place. As the lord, I am entrusting full authority to the knight under my command.”
I could not allow him to follow, so I refused firmly. Before Hakon could respond, I passed him and walked out through the door.
I headed toward the true reason I had chosen Bricks, the territory known as the worst land imaginable.
The tomb where the founder of our family lay buried.