Chapter 85

"Hey, Ars. Are you really okay with this? We won’t be surrounded and killed the moment we arrive, right?"

"What, are you scared, Brother?"

"Shut up. I’m not scared. But when you suddenly hear about a ceasefire, you can’t help but wonder if it’s real, can’t you?"

"Yeah, I get that. Well, if anything happens, let’s make sure we can run away quickly."

We had arrived in the city of Fontana. Through negotiations with the noble family’s head by Bishop Paulo, a secret ceasefire had been agreed upon. However, this was only an unofficial agreement. This time, it needed to be made official. After all, not only would I be joining the ceasefire, but I would also become a part of Fontana.

For this reason, I left the castle we built in Kawakita in the hands of my father and others, and came to the city with a small group, including Brother and Vargas. If we could formalize the procedures here, I would finally be cleared of all charges and could look forward to peaceful nights. I understand Brother’s concerns, but the thought of finally returning to a normal life brings a sense of relief.

We arrived at a church in the city. It was much larger than the one in the village, and Bishop Paulo would read out the ceasefire treaty he had agreed upon the other day, and both sides would agree to it. This would lead to the final stage.

"Ars Balca, step forward."

"Yes."

"Do you swear to serve Carlos de Fontana and support him from this day forward?"

"Yes, I swear."

"Carlos de Fontana, step forward. Do you swear to appoint Ars Balca as a knight, to fight alongside him, and to protect the people?"

"Aye, I swear."

"Then, let us seal the oath."

I knelt before Carlos, and he drew the sword hanging from his waist. It was the Ice Spirit Sword. I couldn’t see it directly because I was slightly bowing my head, but the sword’s gleaming blade, which flashed with light, seemed the same as the one I saw in the previous battle. It was incredibly scary to have someone holding a sword in front of me.

However, the sword did not harm me. Carlos gently tapped the sword on my shoulder.

"Ars Balca. I hereby appoint you as a knight and bestow upon you a name. From this day forward, your name shall be Ars von Balca. I look forward to your service as a knight of Fontana."

Here it comes. The meaning of this name-giving was that I would join Carlos under the ceasefire agreement. The reason Carlos agreed to a ceasefire with me, who was in the midst of combat, and even took me under his command, was because of the benefits of the magic pass. The nobles receive a supply of magic power from their subordinates in exchange for bestowing magic. This magic pass allows the head of a noble family to become the most powerful magic user in their territory. Having a lot of magic power is a threat in itself. It not only increases the number of times one can use magic but also enhances physical strength, making one stronger even in a simple fist fight. In this world, it’s quite common to use magic to enhance physical attacks.

Carlos had his eye on me to gain strength to resist the pressure from the remnants of Raymond’s faction. Since he became the head of the family at a young age, Raymond had taken care of all the affairs of the territory, and the magic power pyramid of the Fontana family had been built to concentrate on Raymond’s faction. Therefore, Carlos made the bold decision to absorb my magic power to increase his own strength.

By connecting this magic pass to Carlos, I, too, would receive the benefits. The earth magic I couldn’t use no matter how hard I tried, and the ice magic of the Fontana family, would be bestowed upon me, and through me, to the Balca forces.

***

"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Ars. Now, you are the lord of a castle and a territory."

"Yeah, I guess so. We do have a castle, after all."

In the end, no one in the city tried to harm us, and the ceasefire agreement and the knighting ceremony concluded peacefully. I am now back at the castle in Kawakita, talking to Gran in one of the towers.

"So, how do you feel about receiving the villages of Balca and Linda, as well as this castle, as your territory?"

"Not bad. I think the conditions were better than I expected."

Generally, it’s quite rare for someone to become a landowner, even if they are appointed as a vassal for their military achievements and then promoted to a knight. Only a select few knights are given land. However, as a result of this battle, I received two villages and a castle. Initially, I was told I would be in charge of governing Balca village, but it was the result of my insistence. I didn’t want to let go of the castle we had built, and I also didn’t want to lose people like Vargas. After some back and forth, my demands were accepted.

"So, what do you plan to do from now on, Lord Ars?"

"Do? What do you mean?"

"Even if it’s just two villages, governing land is one of a man’s romances. Is there something you want to do?"

"Hmm, I might have something I need to do rather than something I want to do."

"Something you need to do?"

"Yeah, I need to make money."

Romance be damned. The first thing I need to tackle is not talking about romance. My wallet, which was emptied by paying Bishop Paulo, needs to be replenished. I need to urgently recover the economic situation that could lead to immediate financial ruin. Thus, as a landowner, I became determined to focus on making money.

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