Chapter 85: Sidelined by Success

"Bwahaha! That’s my son-in-law! Not only did he burn their supply bases, but he captured that bastard Count Épinay’s prized horse—his reputation’s been dragged through the mud! The enraged bastard will come charging down in a fury! He won’t even notice an ambush, will he?"

"With his supply bases burned and his prized horse stolen, he’s got plenty of reason to."

Count Euz agreed with my father-in-law’s assessment while making a sour face.

And my father-in-law told the count with obvious relish:

"How about my son-in-law’s abilities? Isn’t he the finest son-in-law material?"

"...Definitely an excellent son-in-law. Too good for the War Minister."

"What? What’s wrong with our family!"

"Sir Streit. Instead of that ignorant brute, how about becoming son-in-law to the ruler of Euz? I have a daughter of marriageable age as well."

What kind of dangerous talk is that when I have Hilda? Naturally, daggers flew from the eyes of the War Minister’s people, Michael included. Conversely, Count Euz’s vassals looked at me with open hostility. From the Euz nobles’ perspective, an outsider racking up military merit must have been galling.

Especially when their lord valued him enough to offer his own daughter.

But I had no intention of becoming a border lord’s son-in-law. Count Euz had made the offer because he valued my military abilities highly, but if I became his son-in-law, I’d spend my life grinding away on battlefields. I’ll pass on that life. Wisest to take what I can get and bow out.

"I appreciate the count’s offer, but I’m the War Minister’s son-in-law and Fräulein Steiner’s fiancé. My wife will only be Lady Steiner."

The connection with the War Minister’s family was important, but I didn’t think there was a woman as attractive as Hilda. Satisfied with my answer, my father-in-law and Michael smiled warmly. Count Euz, who’d been watching me carefully, said with a sigh:

"With an offer like mine, most men would waver, yet there’s no hesitation in your eyes. I’ve never once envied the War Minister, but I envy him his fortune in finding such a son-in-law—having such a knight in the family."

"Hahaha, you just need to choose a good son-in-law yourself."

"They’re all just greedy—not easy to choose."

Just as Hilda had chosen me despite my low status, Count Euz seemed troubled because he had no suitable son-in-law. The Duchy of Beren was a small country, so fierce competition to secure suitable marriage partners was unavoidable. If not for Hilda, I might have become one of those desperate suitors too.

Looking abroad for partners was an option, but unless the marriage brought tangible benefits, it was quite rare. The Middle Ages had strong regionalism and were hostile toward outsiders, so the pool of choices was very narrow. That’s why there were many cases of taking capable men of low status as sons-in-law.

My father-in-law accepting a duchy knight with no background as his son-in-law was purely because he respected Hilda’s opinion. In an era when arranged marriages were the norm, having a daughter choose her own husband was highly unusual—possible only because my father-in-law cherished his family that much.

By now, my father-in-law’s choice had proven an excellent decision.

That’s exactly why Count Euz envied him.

Children’s marriages are a headache everywhere.

Then the Crown Prince spoke.

"You faithfully followed even unreasonable orders and achieved results beyond all expectations. No other duchy knight possesses such dedication and ability. I am very proud of you."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince promised to report all my achievements in detail and ensure I received full compensation. The Crown Prince’s guarantee was what I wanted most. With the Crown Prince paying special attention, even ministers wouldn’t dare play tricks.

"Your Highness, the enemy camped at Meriant to prepare for siege warfare, but now that they lack supplies, they’ll definitely push south soon."

"If I were them, I’d retreat—will they really advance?"

"Count Épinay will take risks to restore his crushed reputation and earn the Duke of Burgundy’s trust. It’s an excellent opportunity to annihilate the enemy with an ambush."

Returning to the main topic, we planned operations with the Crown Prince at the center. The most numerous duchy forces would lure the enemy’s main force while the count’s forces hid and struck the flank. The Beren Lance Cavalry would face them head-on. With the best assault unit available, not deploying them would be unthinkable.

But the cavalry commander was nowhere to be seen.

"Where’s the cavalry commander during such an important meeting?"

"That brave loudmouth has never attended a meeting in his life."

So the Beren Lance Cavalry didn’t need tactics.

Breaking the enemy formation before the opposing cavalry could react was all that mattered. The Crown Prince still tried to assign me and the light cavalry an important role. But a noble from Count Euz’s camp stepped forward and addressed the Crown Prince. His expression was solemn, and his glance at me was thick with envy.

"Your Highness, Sir Streit achieved excellent results and has only just returned. He must be exhausted, so how about giving him rest? Let the proud Valent Cavalry of Euz have the opportunity to fill that role. I too am a commander who leads light cavalry."

The Euz nobles rallied strongly behind Baron Valent’s argument, and the atmosphere turned tense. Naturally, the War Minister’s camp insisted I couldn’t be excluded. As the confrontation flared up, the Crown Prince looked like he was developing a headache. Count Euz turned to the Crown Prince.

"That man is Baron Valent. A loyal knight and a brave, dedicated man who always takes the vanguard against Épinay. Sir Streit has worked hard all this time, so how about letting him rest and mobilizing the Valent Cavalry instead?"

"What? You’re sidelining my son-in-law?"

"Sidelining? It’s for Sir Streit’s sake—he achieved outstanding merit and endured more than anyone. If we overwork him and accumulated fatigue gets him killed on the battlefield, who’ll take responsibility?"

We were already fighting with separate duchy and count command structures, and now both camps were fighting over me. Eventually, the Crown Prince ordered me to rest. He seemed troubled about having sent me into danger with unreasonable orders. So I was assigned to stand by at the garrison.

Michael said with a bitter expression:

"Your achievements are too outstanding—that’s the problem."

"Because other nobles like Baron Valent need their chance to shine?"

"Exactly. Otherwise those men will rebel, and with the enemy still out there, we need to keep them appeased. That’s how it ended up like this. His Highness the Crown Prince decided, so there’s nothing we can do."

I understood, but being deliberately excluded from a stage where I could excel just to soothe others’ egos felt deeply unpleasant. During the break, my father-in-law quietly pulled me aside. Normally, he’d have just given orders and been done with it.

But now he was explaining the situation to me.

That alone told me how much my standing had risen.

"I was furious that the Euz bastards deliberately excluded you, but honestly, I’m in no position to complain. Within the duchy forces, there are considerable grumblings about you being favored. You’ve already achieved great merit—isn’t that enough for now?"

My father-in-law had reluctantly agreed to the Crown Prince’s mediation for that reason too. Like Michael said, doing too well was also a problem. Unlike Michael, who was direct lineage and the future War Minister, I was just a son-in-law. So I followed my father-in-law’s counsel and accepted giving equal opportunities to others who hadn’t earned their share of merit.

"We need to give others who haven’t achieved merit their chance. So you lead the remaining cavalry and stand by, then pursue when the enemy flees. I’ll make sure you get additional spoils."

"Understood. Hearing you explain it, Father-in-law, I feel much better about it."

"Thanks for understanding. If I had my way, I’d appoint you commander and give you a bigger stage, but that’s not realistic either. Border hicks with no ability but plenty of greed, tsk tsk. Unless we capture Count Épinay himself, you’re the top contributor in this war. I guarantee it. Count Euz and His Highness the Crown Prince acknowledged it too."

With my father-in-law taking the time to explain things like this, refusing to follow as his son-in-law would be unreasonable. And it was a perfectly logical reason. Anyone could see I’d achieved sufficient merit; being greedy for more honors could invite disaster. As I always say, nobles are creatures sensitive to matters of interest.

Nobles and knights aren’t subordinates but vassals, so their opinions can’t be ignored. Europe was still a society built on feudal contracts. So I simply watched the operational planning between Count Euz and my father-in-law in silence.

Only the Euz nobles were buzzing with excitement.

I had no intention of sitting idly by, either.

And then Count Épinay’s envoy arrived.