The Main Family Is About to Die Out, so I, from a Branch Family, Am a Seed Provider (WN): Chapter 11

Episode 11: Knight's Duty 1

 Slowly, I look around the place.

 Countless numbers of people and horses are swarming about on the plains, and banner-like flags move right and left, repeatedly.

 Occasionally, the unpleasant smell of gunpowder would hit my nose, brought by the wind current. For a moment, I thought about turning in my horse and going back to my parents' house.

"Young master, the cavalry is coming from the direction of two o'clock!"

 But the knight Armes shouted, and I had no choice but to return my attention to the front.

 I looked in the direction Armes had mentioned and saw a group of men and horses approaching us, billowing a cloud of dust.

"Armes, please."

"Ha!"

 When I commanded, she rushed out with her face in high spirits. As expected of the leading young knight. She rushed forward without fear, even if she is a woman.

 Meanwhile, all I have to do is give instructions from the back. And if the results are good, I get the credit. It's still an easy job. Though it is a dangerous job because if I fail, I die immediately.

 Consultation on the young lady's worries... Well, a week had passed when we resolved her frustration.

 While Mashiro and I were spending some quality time alone together at my parents' house, we received a report that the eastern empire had invaded the border of our territory.

 Our kingdom, located in the south, had been hostile to the neighboring empire in the east for several hundred years, and they often invade in this way.

 At such times, it is the job of frontier nobles like my family, who was on the edge of the kingdom's territory, to stand in the line of fire.

"Young master, it's about time..."

 ......But in reality, "We are at war!" The two sides are just skirmishing, appealing to each other's home countries.

 In the beginning, both the kingdom and the empire were fighting fierce battles with their main forces, but now it is only small-scale battles, and full-scale battles have stopped by the time I was born.

 They fight to a certain extent, and when the time is up, they blow the retreat horns at each other.

 So as long as one doesn't make mistakes, one won't die.

 It's really an easy job. It's much more tiring to deal with Lady Ritia. The returns are better, though.

"Ah……"

 It was almost time for me to give the instruction to retreat.

 Right in front of me, Armes was overzealous and took out one of the enemy knights in command. I thought she was trying too hard when she should have done it in moderation. In this world, it would be tiring to work too hard, right?

 It's not what we planned! The atmosphere is like that, but a schedule is just a schedule. The reason they were defeated was because they made a mistake in their decision to leave. Armes is not to blame. And it's not my fault either.

 However, the troops on the other side didn't think so, and they were all closing in on Armes at once, as though to avenge their fallen commander.

"Stupid......"

 The one who muttered was Elfie, a knight who was next to me as an escort.

 She, who had fought in many battles, told me that the enemy's action was a bad move.

 According to a military strategist, "If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will never be in danger in a hundred battles." The enemy had recklessly rushed into Armes, who was superior in ability and was beaten back with his head flying off without even a scratch.

 Even so, Armes worked very hard even though her opponent was the empire.

 The knight Armes is not from the kingdom but is a drifter from the empire.

 Armes has brown skin and short-cut hair with a dark purple color. The empire has severe discrimination against such people, especially against those with skin like Armes'.

 And people like Armes are sent to frontlines as soldiers, and for Armes, this meant wielding a sword against her former countrymen.

"Don't worry, young master. I am sure Armes has no need for such concern."

 As I look at Armes with concern, Elfie said so from next to me.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. For that child, you are her home and her parent. She had no sorrow for the country she abandoned."

 Armes is eighteen this year. It's been more than ten years since I met her when she wandered into my family's territory.

"Young master!"

 As I was talking with Elfie, Armes, who had finished cleaning up the rest, came back to me with an innocent smile.

 I think it's very gallant of her to smile like this, even though she had returned with blood on her in places. If Lady Ritia is here, she might faint.

"Now, let's pull out. It looks like it's going to rain, so let's go home early."

"Yes!"

 The sky I looked up at was covered with dark clouds, and a warm breeze blew through us.

 A few moments later, the drums of retreat sounded from both armies. The soldiers on the frontlines heard it and began to retreat, one by one.

 This time, they turn their heads and turn their backs to the plains, where the lingering scent of war still lingered.

 I want to see Mashiro at the villa sooner than this bloody place. In three days, I'll have my usual seeding duties......

 As we left the battlefield, the only thing that caught my eye is the watchtowers and pitiful forts in the area, when I'm on the border. Well, I never saw those things functioning.

"Hm? Is it raining?......"

 We were halfway through to return back as I watched the empty scenery.

 Rain began to fall in drops from the clouds. And it didn't take long before it started pouring down in earnest.

"Young Master, let's stay at the fortress up ahead today."

"Can't we just keep going?"

 Elfie advised me to stay the night instead of going as it is through the rain, and I showed my disapproval. I was eager to get home as soon as possible.

 However, Elfie did not take it well at all and started to lecture me, saying, "As the future head of the family, you should care about the people under you". So I obediently followed her.

 Elfie took the lead in deciding the fort where we would stay tonight. She is better qualified to make these decisions than I am. She was the one who could do it all. If I force my way in, I'll just get in the way.

 When we entered the chosen fort, the person in charge of the fort came out to greet us at the gate and quickly prepared everything from baths to meals to sleeping arrangements.

 He was apparently a former second-in-command of the knight Elfie and was now in charge of the fort to honor his long years of service. It can be said that it is an extraordinary career change to become a fort owner from a former rural village.

"So, is the bath a steam bath?"

"Yes. There aren't many facilities to store hot water unless one go to the mainland."

 Even on the mainland, my family's home is quite rural from the perspective of the kingdom as a whole. The quality is lower when it came to the borders of the kingdom. Well, it can't be helped.

 After removing the dirt and smell of the war in the steam bath, I finished eating a simple meal.

 It was dark outside, and all I could hear was the sound of rain.

"I'm going to bed. Where's my room?"

"I will guide you."

 With that, the person in charge of the fort got up and led me, Elfie, and Armes, through the dimly lit fort.

"Armes, you should escort the young master in the room."

"Yes!"

 I heard Elfie saying that to Armes behind me.

"Hey, I don't need an escort or anything, do I?"

"No, we can't rule out the possibility that something might happen. Besides, if it's the young master now, he'll be able to...... to Armes."

"?"

 Elfie, who usually spoke clearly, was at a loss for words. Her gaze moved back and forth between me and Armes.

"Anyway, I will assign an escort to you. The young master has other important duties besides being the next head of the family."

"……Got it."

 I am the only suitable seed provider for the Fregrance family at the moment. They wouldn't want me to die.

 Even Elfie, who is usually by my father's side, had been assigned to me as my bodyguard.

 Well, I'd like to tell him not to send me into battle if it's that important, but in my family, it's our duty to go into battle. It would be bad if I didn't.

 In the end, Elfie pushed an escort due to my situation, and it was just me and Armes in the dark room.

"Then, for the time being, please take care of me. Armes."

"Yes!"

 Armes' smile was strangely clear even in the dark room as she nodded her head innocently.