After finishing my audience with Count Euz, I returned to the banquet hall to find that most nobles had retired to their camps as the night deepened. Michael and the cavalry commander were nowhere to be seen either. My father-in-law and the Crown Prince seemed to have left too. But Fried was waiting in the banquet hall until the very end.

"Did you have a good conversation with Father?"

"It was quite beneficial. My mood improved too."

My total income exceeded 30 gold coins—of course my mood would improve. I did promise to help when the Euznirk family is in danger, but by then, wouldn’t I have become a noble with my own power base? With 30 gold coins, it was enough money to sustain a vassal cavalry force without strain.

"You’ll return to Breisburg, but don’t forget your friend in Euz."

"I have no intention of forgetting. I’ll send letters to check in from time to time."

"Good. I’ll send letters about my circumstances too. They’ll probably be useful to you."

Hmm, did he mean he’d send various information? If I could learn the border situation in greater detail, that alone would give me considerable intelligence capacity. Perhaps even faster than the duchy government. Fried offered me wine and I drank with him. The night grew deeper and deeper.

The next day, I gathered all my retainers.

Knight August, soldiers Ted and Oscar. Messenger Anton and Maria, whom I’d taken in as Anton’s niece. Winter, who’d become the Streit stable master. Five-year-old little Maria hugged me without hesitation. It was a similar feeling to when I’d held my friend’s children, whom I could never see again.

When I held her in a comfortable position so she wouldn’t squirm, Oscar seemed surprised.

"You look quite skilled. I had no idea how to hold them."

"I’ve held kids quite a bit. It’s important to support the bottom like this."

"I see. Maria looks very comfortable."

I’ve never raised children, but I watched my friend struggle a lot raising three kids. I sometimes helped look after them, and that’s when I learned the basics. So my friend’s children took to me well. But I can never see them again now. Same with my family. Bittersweet memories surfaced for a moment.

"Winter, how many horses did I capture in total?"

"Thirty-five horses. I’ve set aside the ones to sell in Euz."

"I’d like to take them all, but ten is the limit, so there’s no helping it. Well done."

The stable at Rosengarden can only accommodate about 10 horses. At first I thought it was a pointlessly large stable, but I was wrong. Excluding Mont Blanc, Schatten, and the reserve horse Rotbraun, seven slots remained—just enough for three cavalrymen. Because cavalrymen must have reserve horses.

When mustering cavalry, having them bring their own equipment and horses is standard, but not all cavalrymen possess good horses. If they showed promising skill, I needed to supply them with horses and weapons. That’s why I went around capturing so many horses.

I also collected several weapons in good condition. Cavalry armor is useless if it doesn’t fit the wearer’s body type, but weapons are different. I distributed some of them. I couldn’t help but chuckle watching my retainers excitedly choose weapons. Winter, who had no interest in weapons, looked at me in bewilderment.

"Um, master? What are you doing with Maria’s hair?"

"Braiding it. Can’t you tell?"

"I know you’re braiding it, but for you to do it yourself, master..."

I gently combed Maria’s freshly washed brown hair and braided it into pigtails. Maria seemed to like it too, smiling brightly as she looked up at me. But the sight appeared to be a culture shock for Winter. The head of a household personally braiding a girl’s hair!

"Master, you’re full of surprises. Like hiring me as a stable master too."

"But I’m much better than your previous master, aren’t I?"

"Comparing you to that French bastard is itself an insult to you, master!"

Winter had cared for the horses well but suffered all kinds of contempt from Count Épinay. So he grew serious, saying the comparison was absurd. I don’t meddle or interfere with Winter’s work on a daily basis. Because I knew he was conscientiously caring for the horses. As a rule, I give my retainers full trust in their duties.

Except for receiving reports to check the horses’ condition, I barely even see his face.

So Winter tries even harder to avoid mistakes.

Is he anxious because I trust him too much?

"Preparations for withdrawal are in full swing, and you’re leisurely braiding a girl’s hair?"

"Looks like the Beren Lance Cavalry is done preparing, seeing as you’ve come all the way to my tent."

"I just give orders and I’m done. The men below have to handle the rest themselves."

The cavalry commander strode toward me, taking a bite of an apple he’d gotten from somewhere. Then he stared intently at Maria, and Maria stared right back without backing down. The cavalry commander smiled and patted her head, then said to me:

"She’ll be quite a beauty when she grows up, won’t she?"

"If you’re thinking of setting your sights on her, we’ll have to have an honor duel."

"Tsk tsk, getting all serious. I’m not interested unless they’re widows."

The self-proclaimed husband of all widows had firm preferences. I gestured to Winter to take Maria away. Maria clung to me and refused to leave, but I barely managed to soothe her and send her off. The cavalry commander wore an incredulous expression at the sight, as if asking what on earth I was doing.

"Quite a soft side for someone with the reputation of the Gale Knight."

"Call me a domestic knight if you will. I’m kind to all children."

"Hmph, spare me that chivalry nonsense."

The cavalry commander isn’t a knight. From what I know, he’s from a provincial noble family in Saxony, but he became quite rough from living as a mercenary and distrusted chivalry. Expecting chivalry on the battlefield would be asking too much. But why had the cavalry commander come looking for me? He’s the type who usually bickers with Michael.

"How the hell did you track down Count Épinay when he was retreating?"

"Didn’t you get a report from your lieutenant? I headed north along a path I knew and found him by chance."

"Looks like you have no intention of satisfying my curiosity. A back road you’d never traveled counts as a path you knew?"

"Then just chalk it up to amazing intuition."

I’d found him with the Commander Scouter, but there aren’t many ways to explain that. I don’t even care anymore whether the other person accepts my explanation or not. I’m not close enough with the cavalry commander to bother telling him the truth. I’m grateful he lent me a lieutenant, but ultimately the surveillance purpose behind it was more significant.

"Well, fine if you won’t tell me. More importantly—make sure you come to the tournament."

"Tournament? What are you talking about? Is there a tournament being held somewhere?"

"What? Holding a tournament after a victory feast is tradition. What are you even saying?"

I know what a tournament is, but this was the first I’d heard that holding one after a victory feast was tradition. And even if I had known, entering a tournament right now would be asking to have my ransom taken. Because my mounted combat was still at stage 1 and I hadn’t completely mastered the cavalry sword.

Perhaps Fiel, who handles the cavalry lance skillfully, could manage it.

The cavalry commander spoke to me with an incredulous expression:

"I’m crazy too, but you’re not far behind."

"Don’t insult me. That’s unpleasant to hear."

"No. You and I have plenty in common. So, make sure you come to the tourney."

The cavalry commander said that and left.

No, I said I have no intention of entering!

Tournaments were quite a popular form of competition, divided into individual and team events.

Individual events were formal bouts where two riders clashed with cavalry lances, each trying to unhorse the other first. Team events were the ultimate main event, where numerous riders fought as in a real battle, competing in strategy and tactics. There was a tournament ground in the northern area a short distance from Breisburg.

An unexpected proposal.

Could the Grand Duke possibly be inviting me to attend the tournament because I was the top achiever in this war? If so, I absolutely had to advance to stage 2 of mounted combat, no matter what. With all the expectations placed on me, if my lance skills proved terrible, I’d be a laughingstock forever.

A day passed after that.

I bought gifts for the retainers at home.

Along with distributing the spoils of war, I finished all preparations for withdrawal and received our supply allotments. Michael and I took the vanguard, while my father-in-law and the Crown Prince’s party led the center column. Cavalry dragging captured horses and wagons loaded with spoils of war followed behind. August, Anton, and Winter led my horses.

I was currently riding Schatten.

I left Mont Blanc in Winter’s care.

Fried came with us to the border.

It was rare for the Euznirk heir to personally accompany us to the border as a send-off. Fried considered both Michael and me friends and repeatedly promised to help whenever the opportunity arose. Beyond the military achievements, establishing a friendship with the Euznirk family was also a major accomplishment.

"See you next time, friend."

"I wish you peace."

After spending a day in Feuzen, August’s hometown on the border between Rosenheim and Euz, we passed through Rosenheim and finally reached Breisburg’s familiar castle walls. The Crown Prince naturally took the lead, and Michael and I followed in the next rank.

Just as the people of Euz Castle had welcomed us, countless citizens came out to the boulevard to greet us in triumph. They enthusiastically showered us with flowers and cheers as we entered majestically. As expected of the capital, the scale was staggering. I was busy scanning the crowd in case Hilda had come out.

"Brother-in-law, are you looking for Hilda?"

"Yes. But there are so many people I can’t see well."

The welcoming crowd was tremendous, as if every soul living in the capital had come out. Then amidst the cheers, a familiar voice gradually made itself heard. Following that sound with my gaze, I could finally spot her. Michael remarked that I’d managed to find her and clicked his tongue.

"Wolf! Over here!"

I made eye contact with beautiful Hilda, wearing a gorgeous dress.

And Sabine, Hans, Bodo, Daniel, and Priscilla were nearby too.

When I gestured, Hilda approached and I lifted her onto the horse in front of me.

In that space full of cheers, it felt like only Hilda and I existed.

Hilda stroked my face and we shared a deep kiss.

Waaaaaah!

The cheers seemed to grow even louder.