Chapter 4: The Civil War Era - Damien de Mirbo (1)
As soon as I returned to the Duke’s mansion, I found myself tormented by incessant nagging.
“Young Duke! Do you wish to see me die of shock?”
A middle-aged man, with a protruding belly, reminiscent of my father’s age, was noisily blustering in my office...
“Baron Dumont, we returned without major incident, did we not?”
“By sheer luck, sheer luck! What lord in their right mind takes only knights and cavalry to stand against marauders! How am I to report this to the Duke?”
Well, if it were my father, he might finally be satisfied thinking I had acted like a true knight.
“By the time our entire army arrived, the village would have been a wasteland. It was a necessary action, and we did emerge victorious, capturing prisoners, didn’t we?”
“Ahem, that is indeed a great achievement, Young Duke. But as a vassal of the Duke’s domain, I must oppose such reckless actions.”
Baron paused for a moment, then looked at me earnestly before continuing.
“Even though you risked your life, Young Duke, the village still suffered considerable damage. You’ve even granted them a temporary tax exemption, so in the end, isn’t it true that we risked much for little gain besides our ransom?”
I looked at him and smiled bitterly.
“Do you think the tax exemption was excessive?”
“It’s a generous decision. The villagers will surely praise your mercy, Young Duke. But most wouldn’t go to such lengths. Even the greatest knights can’t protect every village, and even if they tried, they can’t prevent all harm. So, they choose to plunder enemy territories instead. Isn’t it difficult enough to send military funds to the Duke?”
That is the usual way.
Even if we try to protect the villagers, we don’t have enough forces to cover the entire domain, so there is a limit to how much we can stop them.
I used to think that way too, following my father’s orders and the Baron’s advice, plundering enemy territories instead of protecting our people.
“But continuing like this will break the villagers. Eventually, they won’t be able to pay taxes at all, and the same will happen to the villagers of our enemies.
If the civil war doesn’t end, we’ll have to keep squeezing them for military funds, and what else would be left but rebellion?”
Indeed, when the revolution erupted, centered around the city’s affluent commoners and intellectuals, the peasants, who had been driven to despair by years of plundering and exploitation during the five-year civil war, enthusiastically joined the revolutionary forces.
The flames of revolution quickly engulfed a kingdom already at its limit from the prolonged civil war, giving birth to a republic filled with hatred for the royalty and nobility.
Countless nobles had to pay the price, their heads falling on the guillotine.
...Including myself.
“I have a plan too, Baron. As you said, most nobles are busy plundering other domains rather than protecting their people. But the Count of Mirbo, who dared to touch our territory, suffered unexpectedly severe losses. The ransom of two knights and dozens of troops. They might think it’s bad luck once, but what if such incidents keep occurring in our domain?”
The Baron seemed to ponder for a moment before responding.
“...Instead of the Duke’s domain, they would likely target other territories.”
Most of the main forces of the lords are, after all, engaged in local skirmishes around the capital in the north.
Moreover, the Duke’s domain, known as the ’Blue Knight’s territory, is relatively less targeted compared to others. If a precedent is set that meddling with it leads to significant losses, it would be even more certain.
“That’s exactly right. There are plenty of territories for the Second Prince’s faction to target besides the Duke’s domain. If we can secure the safety of our territory to some extent, we’ll have more flexibility, whether we set out to plunder or support other families.”
Of course, I have no intention of plunder.
“Hmm, you have a point. But I doubt that such a result would come from just repelling a small-scale raid once. It’s also uncertain how long we must keep doing this, embarking on such reckless endeavors repeatedly is a bit...”
“Your opinion is valid.”
I readily agreed with the Baron.
Knowing that a revolution is inevitable, there’s much to be done.
We must naturally prepare against plunder, but it’s not cost-effective to just sit and wait for unknown plunder that might or might not come, without knowing how many times we’d have to repel them to deter further attempts.
More importantly, my father, the Duke in the north, would not hesitate to revoke my authority as his deputy if I didn’t send satisfactory military funds.
The ransom from capturing two minor knights of the Count of Mirbo is far from enough to cover the military contributions to the Duke.
“So, I’d like to catch a bigger fish. Baron Dumont, who is currently managing the Count of Mirbo’s domain?”
“The Count’s second son, Young Count.”
The Count Mirbo’s second son, huh.
His name was... Damien de Mirbo, if I recall correctly.
That’s all I know about him.
It’s embarrassing to admit that this is all I know, even though he must have raided the Duke’s domain before I returned.
But at least, I can tell that he hasn’t become the Count yet.
“Any other information?”
“I’m sorry, but there isn’t much else...”
Baron Dumont, with his plump face, wiped the sweat from his brow and bowed his head.
It’s not strange.
Even though it’s a neighboring domain, detailed information about a second son from a family we have little interaction with, except for the Count himself or the heir, is hard to come by.
“But we can still make some guesses.”
Given that the Count and his eldest son, the heir, are out seeking glory on the main front, and it’s the second son, not the Countess or a vassal, managing the territory, it’s likely that this second son is quite favored by the Count.
Moreover, the Lafayette family, though a rising nobility, is still a ducal house of knightly origin. My father, the Duke, is known as the ‘Blue Knight,’ the strongest knight in the Kingdom of Francia.
Even though it’s unusual to consider the Duke’s military might as weak, the second son of Mirbo still sent raiders to the Duke’s domain.
In reality, most of the Duke’s forces are out with him, leaving his domain with fewer troops than befitting his status...
“Since the main forces of the lords involved in the civil war are on the front lines, there are many territories ripe for plundering. But the second son of Mirbo specifically targeted the Duke’s domain, which other lords would have put lower on their list.”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
“So, the second son of Mirbo is proactive enough to attack a place less likely to have been previously plundered, and must have sources to understand our domain’s situation.”
The Baron narrowed his eyes and replied.
“Hmm, either as you say, or he is a fool. One of the two.”
But I shook my head.
“A fool who’d blindly make a move without any information wouldn’t dare attack the territory of the ‘Blue Knight,’ and it’s unlikely that the Count’s vassals would be so incompetent or unmotivated as to fail to dissuade the second son, who is not even the heir.”
Hearing my words, the Baron looked at me with surprise, then bowed his head.
“Ahem. Perhaps, I have underestimated Young Duke all this time. My apologies.”
No, to be honest, I think the Baron was right in his assessment.
Normally, at this time, I would have been quite timid, hardly responding to such plunders.
Though I did provide relief to the plundered villages, looking back, it might have been mere self-satisfaction.
Ah, better not to dwell on it.
“No need to apologize, Baron Dumont. I have always been grateful for your dedication to the Duke’s family.”
“To hear that Young Duke appreciates my efforts is truly an honor!”
The Baron wiped his tears with a handkerchief.
Although technically acting as the lord, I've been passing almost half the responsibilities to the Baron, so I don't really have a say, but still, not showing even a bit of humility...
I cleared my throat to change the atmosphere.
“He might have prepared himself and even aspired to be the heir, hoping to impress the Count, but now he’s in a situation where he owes not just military funds to the Count but also ransoms for the knights. He must be desperate to make amends. We’ll draw him in.”
“But Young Duke, having been thwarted once, they might not act rashly again...”
“That’s where we throw a bait so tempting they can’t resist... I’ll have to ask for some help from our allies.”
To meet the Duke’s military demands without additional taxation or plundering, the best option seems to be fleecing the nobility.
***
Count’s Domain of Mirbo.
Damien de Mirbo, the second son of Count Mirbo, frowned in frustration.
While most second and third sons acting as lords during the civil war played it safe, targeting weaker domains for modest military contributions, Damien aimed higher.
His older brother, the heir by virtue of being the eldest, was at the front line, receiving the honor but without significant achievements. This was Damien’s chance to provide an exceptional military contribution, pleasing the Count. He invested time and effort, planting informants in the relatively wealthy yet still vulnerable Duke’s domain.
Through these informants, Damien learned of the surprising laxity in the Duke’s defenses and rumors about the acting lord, the Young Duke.
The Duke Lafayette, a war hero who earned his title, annually gathered promising boys and youths from his own and other domains, holding contests with the top contenders being offered the chance to serve as knights in his domain.
The opportunity to become a knight based solely on merit, regardless of social status, was attractive. However, the reality of commoners, who lacked systematic noble education from a young age, competing effectively against the nobility was exceedingly difficult.
Naturally, most of the top winners in the tournaments held by Duke Lafayette were nobles. However, it’s said that the Young Duke Lafayette was defeated by a commoner named Gaston in one such tournament.
The Duke, hailed as the kingdom’s greatest knight, naturally regarded this as a great disgrace. He issued a gag order and never held the tournament again.
Such a pathetic person was the Duke’s only child and, for that reason alone, was acting as the lord of the Duke’s domain. With this knowledge, Damien didn’t hesitate to plan a raid on the Duke’s domain.
He pacified his concerned vassals with the information he had gathered and ordered a light raid on an outlying village as a preliminary reconnaissance...
“Incompetent fool! To think you couldn’t defeat a Young Duke who even lost to a commoner, and now we have to pay a ransom!”
“My apologies, my lord.”
Peter de Kazel, the knight standing before Damien, was in despair.
Although it’s true that he fell for the cowardly, archer-like tactics of the Young Duke, he had underestimated his opponent, especially due to the misleading information previously provided by Damien.
Had he not been so complacent, he might not have fallen so easily to such despicable tactics.
Of course, making such excuses in front of Damien would only make matters worse, so Kazel remained silent, enduring his lord’s tirade.
“Damn it all...”
After raging at Kazel for a while, Damien clenched his head in frustration.
He had received reports that the Young Duke had suddenly turned his cavalry into scouting units and started doing unexpected things, but how could he have anticipated that the Young Duke would attack a raiding army, which only came to plunder the outskirts, with just his cavalry?
While it was the incompetence of his subordinates that they were so easily defeated by a small force, ultimately it was Damien who had unnecessarily provoked and lost men and ransom for meddling in a place he shouldn’t have.
Moreover, when Damien received information that the Young Duke Lafayette, who had collected the ransom, was placing large orders for food and supplies from a neighboring domain that operated a trading company, he felt like he was about to explode with rage.
While he had to report to the Count that he had no military funds to send, the Young Duke seemed to have struck it rich thanks to his incompetent subordinates.
Damien felt an immediate urge to attack and intercept the shipment, but considering how astutely the Young Duke had responded to the raid, it seemed too risky.
Just then, a messenger pigeon arrived.
Familiar with the task, Damien untied the paper from the pigeon’s leg, unfolded it, and suddenly stood up.
[The eastern villages of the Duke’s domain have been attacked. Young Duke Lafayette assembled his army this morning and marched eastward.]
Damien’s eyes widened. Eastward meant the opposite direction.
If he quickly assembled his forces and struck now, he could intercept the supplies before they reached the Duke’s capital. Even if the Young Duke found out, he wouldn’t be able to return in time from the east to intercept them.
This was like a golden opportunity bestowed by the heavens!
Yet, at the same time, he felt uneasy.
It was all too convenient - the exact situation he desired had arisen at the very moment he needed it most.
After a moment’s hesitation, Damien’s decision was clear. If he failed to deliver the proper military funds this time, he would fall out of favor with the Count.
To pass up this chance just because of a mere feeling of unease was unthinkable.
Moreover, there was no sign of any efforts to root out spies in the Duke’s domain. It was clear they were unaware of the existence of his informants!
“Summon the army! We’ll intercept the supplies heading to the Duke’s domain!”
“What? But, my lord...”
Damien frowned at his knight, who hesitated cluelessly.
Did he not understand the golden opportunity before them?
He couldn’t rely solely on his incompetent subordinates who had already bungled things once.
And if he only sent those who had previously failed, his vassals would be reluctant. This time, he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Finally, Damien stood up resolutely.
“I will not entertain any objections! Follow me! I will lead the charge myself!”
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