Empire of Ice

by Hyougetsu

  * * * *

  —Veight’s Letter to Airia: 1—

  Dear Airia,

  We have successfully arrived in the land of Rolmund. Currently, we are staying at Princess Eleora’s castle, Fort Novesk. For the present, we are learning Rolmund’s customs and language from the mage corps. As one would expect of a country with a history as long as Rolmund’s, its culture is deep and complex. I must say, I find myself fascinated by it. I’ll tell you all about it when I return home to Ryunheit.

  How are things on your end? While East Rolmund’s climate is milder than the empire’s other regions, it’s even colder than Krauhen here. In Ryunheit, temperatures only dip this low in late autumn. That being said, the days are growing colder in Ryunheit as well, so make sure to stay warm. I pray you do not fall ill.

  Sincerely, Veight.

  * * * *

  Once I finished penning my letter, I resumed studying Rolmund’s culture and language. I needed to work hard to cultivate my persona as a mysterious foreign noble. The unknown was capable of manipulating people’s emotions in all sorts of ways. The reason why demons were so feared by humans was that humans didn’t know anything about us.

  While I was busy learning, Eleora was focusing on camouflaging our movements. In order to make it seem as though her campaign to conquer Meraldia had been a success, she needed to do a lot of preliminary things. Eleora was the mastermind in charge of the deception, while we Meraldians simply signed whatever documents she needed us to. As I’d expected, she was quite used to political maneuvering. Her being so skilled made my job easier. It took only ten days for Eleora to finish all of her preparations.

  “His Majesty’s condition has improved somewhat, so we have permission to report to him directly. It took a while to sort things out since the crown prince doesn’t want us to meet him.”

  “Well done, Eleora. This is a good opportunity to build connections inside the royal palace.”

  I was a little apprehensive about appearing in public so soon, but we needed to hurry before the emperor died. We had to gather as many allies as possible while he was still alive. My palace debut would also be a good opportunity to learn more about Rolmund’s internal situation.

  * * * *

  —Airia’s Reply—

  Dear Veight,

  Thank you for taking the time to write to me despite how busy you must no doubt be. When I saw your straight, sharp penmanship, I felt as though you’d returned to my side for a moment. By your account, Rolmund is as cold as the rumors claim, so I’m grateful you remain healthy. Naturally, I’m worried about the rest of the expedition party as well, but seeing as you’ve not said anything about them, they must be well.

  Back here, Sir Ryucco has made great progress in analyzing and upgrading our new weapons. As the details are classified information, I cannot tell you much more in this letter, but he has managed to implement many of your suggestions. There is much regarding domestic and international affairs that I wish to speak to you about, but as there is a chance this letter may be intercepted, I shall refrain from doing so here. Fortunately, everyone is in good health, including the councilors and the residents of the demon capital. I shall take care of things here in Ryunheit, so worry not about us. Focus on your mission, Veight. Everyone here is praying for your safe return.

  * * * *

  “She sure replied fast...”

  I slipped Airia’s letter into my breast pocket and remounted my horse. We were getting ready to depart Fort Novesk. It would be me, my werewolves, and Eleora going on this expedition, while her mage corps stayed behind to defend the fort. I wasn’t planning on getting into any battles, so the fewer troops I took with me, the better. If I brought too many, people would start to suspect I was scheming something. For that reason, Eleora was only taking Borsche and Natalia with her.

  Fort Novesk lay on the southern tip of what had once been Eastern Rolmund. On the other hand, the imperial capital Schwerin was at the center of Western Rolmund. The capital naturally was named after the royal family that ruled it. Regardless, it lay a good distance away.

  Various lords ruled the territories between Novesk and Schwerin, and we’d have to pass through at least one of their lands on our way to the capital. Since Eleora was an imperial princess, courtesy demanded that we pay a visit to whoever’s lands we passed through. Naturally, that would mean we’d need to dine with the local lords and possibly spend the night at their castle. If we refused, it would make them look bad. However, this was a land in which people were poisoned on a daily basis, so I wouldn’t be able to relax in a stranger’s castle.

  We’d be spending our first night with Eleora’s uncle, Lord Kastoniev. Lord Kastoniev’s castle was built on a wide, empty plain and surrounded by a deep moat. Though it had been built for war, few soldiers guarded it and there was a laid-back atmosphere around the castle.

  “Your Highness Eleora, congratulations on your successful campaign. Come in and rest. You must be tired.”

  The man who came to greet us at the castle gates was Lord Kastoniev himself. He seemed like a good-natured, middle-aged man. Apparently, there was a ten-year difference between him and Eleora’s father, and he’d doted on Eleora’s father quite a bit in their youth. I guess it should have been obvious, but it seems even among Rolmund’s nobles there are people with proper human emotions. But despite the warm welcome, Eleora’s tone was formal.

  “It’s only thanks to you keeping my lands safe in my absence that I was able to fight without worry, Lord Kastoniev. I’m deeply grateful for your help.”

  I didn’t see why she had to be so formal with her own uncle, but it wasn’t my place to butt into other people’s family affairs. While Lord Kastoniev prepared a feast for us, I asked Kite, Lacy, and Parker to gather information. There was a lot I wanted to know about this empire, but the most important thing was to find out how the bulk of the empire’s citizens, in other words its slaves, lived. Even if they were slaves, it was important to know how they were treated. And more importantly, what they thought of their lives.

  After lunch, I sought out Kite and asked him what he’d found.

  “Almost all of the slaves around here are serfs. There are few things differentiating them from free men, but there are some restrictions they need to abide by.”

  Serfs had to live in the villages their lords told them to, and they could take up no trade other than farming. They were unable to move and could not choose their career. Personally, I’d hate a life like that. However, in return for being forced to live a simple life, they were guaranteed food and shelter. During years where the harvest was bad, the serfs’ lord would provide them food. A feudal lord’s serfs were his main source of income, so naturally he wouldn’t want them to die.

  Kite added darkly, “They’re basically being treated the same way I was when I was working for the Senate... though I guess farming’s less dangerous than my job was.”

  “I suppose farming would be preferable to negotiating with a werewolf one on one.”

  One huge perk of being a serf was that serfs weren’t conscripted into the army. Within Rolmund’s culture, using serfs as soldiers was a huge taboo. Even the most powerful nobles would have their lands and titles stripped if they attempted it. When I heard that, I smiled ruefully.

  “I see the empire’s nobles are terrified that if they give their slaves military training they’ll rise up in revolt.”

  “Huh? Ah... I see. I guess if trained veterans started a revolt, they’d be a lot harder to suppress than disorganized rabble.”

  Kite nodded in understanding. On paper, it seemed as though serfs had an easy life, but I doubted that was truly the case. I stared absentmindedly out the castle window. Past the plains surrounding the castle was a dark conifer forest. Behind the forest towered a series of massive mountains. From what I could tell, Rolmund was situated on a highland plateau.

  “What’s wrong, Lord Veight?”

  I turned back to Eleora and said, “There’s something I
need to know. Is Lord Kastoniev loved by his people?”

  “He is. He’s been very prudent during his rule to ensure no one is inclined to revolt. He’s even kind to his slaves so that they don’t think of fleeing beyond the mountains.”

  Eleora spoke with pride; it was clear she thought highly of her uncle. Though she remained vigilant even around him, it seemed she still loved him. At any rate, this meant that Lord Kastoniev was one of Rolmund’s better nobles. Perfect. I decided to explore the castle town while I waited for evening. Of course, in order to do so, I’d need Lord Kastoniev’s permission. Fortunately, my position as a foreign noble meant he couldn’t be rude to me.

  “Lord Kastoniev, may I have your permission to explore your domain?”

  “Of course, feel free. I shall assign you a guide, so you don’t get lost.”

  I guess that’s one way of keeping an eye on me while seeming polite.

  Together with Kite, I visited a nearby village. Two of Lord Kastoniev’s knights followed silently after us. They were armed and dressed in lightweight armor. Most of Rolmund’s soldiers were expressionless and taciturn, and these two knights were no exception. However, I could tell by the smell of their sweat that they were nervous. Man, this is awkward...

  The first thing I noticed was that the village had no fence or watchtower.

  “Meraldia’s citizens only feel safe behind sturdy walls, but it seems Rolmund’s citizens aren’t worried about demons or thieves.”

  “Plus, if villages have no defensive structures to speak of, they’ll be easy to quell if they revolt.”

  “I see.”

  We kept our voices low, so the knights behind us wouldn’t hear. It was oddly quiet when I entered the village. There were no villagers in sight. But when I strained my ears, I could hear the faint breathing of humans coming from within the houses. They were trying to make no noise, but they couldn’t fool my senses.

  “Looks like they’re pretty wary of us.”

  “It makes sense.”

  It seemed foreign nobles were something to be afraid of. That made sense, since there was no telling what they might want. Most villages in Rolmund were made up almost entirely of serfs. There were also a few free men, but they mostly worked as tenant farmers, so they weren’t much different. Not long after I entered the village, the village’s overseers came to greet me. They were two middle-aged men. Overseers were granted the authority to bear weapons, but the sword belts at the men’s hips were empty. However, there were tassels hanging from the belts to denote their status. One of the knights walked forward and whispered into the overseers’ ears.

  “That man over there is a Meraldian noble and a guest of Her Highness, Princess Eleora. Don’t do anything to offend him. But don’t reveal too much, either.”

  “Understood.”

  Of course, my hearing picked their words up easily. Granted, I’d expect the knight to say something like that. I’d been hoping to have a chat with some of the serfs, but they were all hiding in their houses. If this were a movie or novel, right now would be when I’d reveal some special skill to attract people’s attention. Then kids would start slowly coming out to watch or something. Unfortunately, with how closely the knights and overseers were watching me, I wouldn’t be able to pull off something like that. Not that I had any special skills that kids would find interesting to begin with. Guess I’m stuck talking to these guys.

  “I am Veight, a visitor from Meraldia. Our country doesn’t have a slavery system, but after speaking with your princess, we are considering instituting one. Is there anything important I should know about how to handle slaves?”

  Of course, I wasn’t going to do anything of the sort, but I needed to make these guys less suspicious of me. The other knight standing behind started signaling something to the overseers with his eyes. I cleared my throat in order to interrupt him.

  “This seems like a good village to learn from. It’s why I came all the way out here. For the sake of Her Highness’ invasion, I need to understand more about slavery.”

  By bringing up Eleora’s name, I hoped to cow them into acquiescence. My position as her guest seemed to give me a good deal of authority, as the overseers caved to my demands.

  “O-Of course. Our serfs are all obedient. Not once has this village risen up in revolt.”

  One of the knights hurriedly added on to the overseer’s words, “In fact, none of the villages within our lord’s territory have revolted in the last fifty years.”

  The report I brought back to Eleora would have a huge impact on their lives, so they were naturally worried. I decided to assuage their fears a little.

  “I see Lord Kastoniev is as wonderful a ruler as the rumors claim. But I’m sure such stable rule is only possible thanks to the efforts of you knights and overseers, correct?”

  Relieved, the overseers’ expressions softened a little.

  “Indeed! They may be serfs, but they live together with us and eat the same bread we do. If you treat your serfs harshly, they’ll grow rebellious and become less productive.”

  I see the people here understand the importance of treating your workers well. Depressing as it was, the serfs here probably had better lives than I had in Japan. I wish I could tell my old self that.

  I gave the overseers a gentle smile and attempted to butter them up further.

  “I have heard from Her Highness that Lord Kastoniev is a truly wise lord. I suppose he must be, if he has surrounded himself with such capable retainers. I am impressed by his insight.”

  Anyone would be happy if a foreign lord started praising them. The overseers gradually grew more talkative, and they started letting important nuggets of information slip. I heard the knights behind me sigh, but naturally I ignored them. Attempting to revolt or flee was a capital crime, so serfs tended to remain obedient unless they were pushed to the brink. They had no real rights, so it was up to their overseers to fight for the stability of their livelihood. From what these guys told me, when a village’s overseers were cruel or incompetent things got really bad.

  “But of course, we make sure to protect our serfs.”

  “These lands are safe, so we rarely even wear our swords. Of course, we can only walk around unarmed because the serfs trust us, hahaha.”

  I examined the two overseers’ sword belts. There were no traces of the wear that would normally occur if you hung a sword from them. It was true that they’d only be able to walk around unarmed if their relationship with their serfs was good. If the village was at risk of revolt, they’d need their weapons to keep the serfs cowed.

  I’d hoped to talk with some of the serfs directly, but I couldn’t afford to stay for too long. I told the overseers I’d return tomorrow morning before we left, then headed back to Lord Kastoniev’s castle.

  “Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me. I’ll be sure to tell Lord Kastoniev and Her Highness how hardworking the two of you are.”

  With that, their positions were secure. As expected, the overseers smiled and bowed deeply.

  “Thank you very much. By all means, please come again tomorrow.”

  A short distance away, I heard the knights whispering to each other.

  “Did you see that? I’ve never seen someone so eloquent.”

  “That must have been how he persuaded Her Highness to let him join her inner circle.”

  You know I can hear you, right?

  Lord Kastoniev’s family had only recently risen to the ranks of nobility. After the fall of the republic, West Rolmund had conquered North and East Rolmund. Kastoniev the First had made a name for himself in the bloody battle that had seen East Rolmund defeated. As a reward for his services, he’d been granted the territory he helped defeat.

  While all of the other newly minted nobles had been struggling with poor crops and serf revolts, Kastoniev had successfully won over his people. Soon after, he absorbed the lands of nearby nobles who’d failed at managing their territory and greatly expanded his power. Before
long, he’d become the most powerful noble in East Rolmund. However, his actual rank within the nobility had remained low, so he’d been looked down upon by other nobles.

  “It was only by cleverly navigating the political minefield that is the imperial court that the Kastoniev house is where it is today. Lord Kastoniev had his younger brother marry the emperor’s sister. In doing so, his family became part of the royal line, and he was given a title befitting his influence.”

  Sounding bored, Mao finished his report. He dug a piece of dried fruit out of his pack and started chewing on it. Apparently, despite marrying for political reasons, Eleora’s parents had gotten along well. However, Eleora’s father, Lord Kastoniev’s younger brother, had passed away from illness soon after the marriage. Whether it had truly been illness or just poison, no one knew. Either way, Lord Kastoniev now had two nieces with the right to inherit the throne.

  That was significant. It meant that Eleora had the backing of the Kastoniev clan. So you’ve got supporters after all, huh? Not only that, there was little chance they would betray Eleora. There was no future for the Kastoniev family if they abandoned Eleora and backed another heir. Because in doing so, they’d go from being a key player in the inheritance dispute to just another vassal of some other prince or princess. And even if they switched sides, it was possible they’d be wiped out if Eleora’s position was compromised. In which case it made more sense to throw their lot in with Eleora.

  “Mao, keep investigating the Kastoniev family for me.”

  “You want even more information?”

  Mao wasn’t enjoying gathering intelligence in a foreign land. I’d need to persuade him.

  “Because of how close they are to Eleora, they’re a prime target for assassination. Or bribery. We need to choose our allies carefully, or we’ll be in trouble later.”

  Mao lapsed into thought for a few seconds, then nodded.

  “Alright. I’ll keep that in mind when I’m digging for news.”

  “Sorry for pushing this onto you. I’ll let you handle how you want to do it.”