There were other advantages to the strategy of not attacking the cathedral.


    The day before I left the cathedral county, I was invited to the cathedral by the chief priest.


    I entered the cathedral with only a few people in my entourage. Among them were the two SS commanders. Even if there were assassins, I am more than capable of fighting them off.


    The chief priest and the other members of the cathedral were all there to welcome me.


    "Thank you very much for saving the cathedral the other day. I cannot thank you enough for your patience and for not choosing to attack the cathedral itself until the very end.


    The chief priest is a man named Tenneh. He is the third son of a royal family vassal living near the royal capital. He has been a monk since he was a young man and has worked in temples around the country for over fifty years, and has been the chief priest of Fordneria Cathedral since he was over sixty years old.


    "No, I did what was natural for a count. I have been calling myself Count of Nevre for some time now, but I have always dreamed of the well-being of the entire province of Fordnellia."


    "The Count''s power is now as strong as ever in the whole province. There is no disrespect in calling yourself the Count of Fordonia.


    Priestess Tenneh''s words were not without a hint of sycophancy, but it is true that my power has spread to the point where I can target almost the entire prefecture.


    There are only three counties left in the northeastern part of the province. There are a total of eight small and medium lords who control a small area that is less than a county by a single family.


    "I will think about whether or not to take the name of Count Fordneria when I return to my castle. I will think about whether or not to call myself Count Fordineria when I return to my castle, since I do not yet control the entire county. So how can I help you this time?


    "The valor of the Count is well known even to the servants of God. I hope that I can give you something that will add to his valor."


    The chief priest motioned to his men with his eyes. Immediately, a subordinate brought a long, thin wooden box.


    "What is this?"


    "Please open it. I present it to the Count.


    When I opened it, I found an extremely long spear in it.


    It glittered as if the spear itself was glowing.


    I could tell just by looking at it. This must be some kind of workmanship.


    It was common for powerful families to dedicate weapons to their wives as a sign of victory or of destruction. It is not surprising that a cathedral would have weapons of the highest quality.


    Though, these weapons were made to be held by the gods and are too long for ordinary people to hold.


    "To receive something dedicated to God is ......"


    Please don''t say such a thing, but take one in your hand. A count needs a symbol of his power.


    I thought it would look good, and at his suggestion I took the spear.


    It felt so comfortable in my hand that I could hardly believe it was the first time I had held it.


    --Oh!　This is a weapon fit for a champion!　I''d wage war just to try this spear!


    Oda Nobunaga, you know about weapons too?


    --What warrior is not interested in weapons? But when it came to collecting them, I preferred tea utensils. Tea utensils are more interesting.


    Tea utensils?　This is a very unlike the High King''s taste.


    --It''s not like that. Rather, it''s a symbol of the peace he''s brought. No one ascends to the throne in armor. A High King must lay down his arms someday. If he spends all his time fighting, he is not yet High King.


    I know what it means, but it makes me a little sad. Fighting is fighting.


    But Odanobunaga had something interesting to say.


    Do you recognize this as a weapon?


    --That''s a strange thing to ask. This is definitely a spear.


    I had an epiphany.


    Are you sure I can have it?


    "Yes. As a matter of fact, if the knights in the cathedral had died a little later, they might have escaped with these precious weapons. We cannot even protect the belongings of the cathedral now. Then I thought it would be better to offer them to the Count of Fordineria."


    "Thank you very much, sir."


    I bowed reverently.


    This spear is more than a memento.


    It is more than a memento.


    I returned triumphant to Castle Nevre.


    I had expected to be greeted by a smiling Seraphina when I returned to the castle, but she was rather tearful.


    "Oh my God!　Sir!　Don''t leave me alone for so long. ....... I''ve missed you so much, I''ve missed you so much!"


    Serafina jumped into my chest and pounded my chest without effort. She wasn''t angry, but she really missed me, as she said. I feel like I have a new sister rather than a wife.


    People around us looked at me and Serafina warmly as a married couple. In war, it is better to be cold-hearted, but in front of my wife, I want to be gentle too.


    War is part of the job, you know.


    "Because ...... you would have taken Mr. Raviara, a military man, ....... I''m sure he had fun with Mr. Raviara ......"


    I thought it was a bad idea. I looked at Laviala and saw that she was blushing.


    "That''s ...... well, when the war is over, in moderation. ......"


    "I knew it. Master, I''m still your wife, after all."


    Then his sister Altia came into his life. She is looking at me with a little bit of a glare.


    "Serafina, you have been praying for your brother''s safety while he was away, haven''t you? Take good care of your wife, okay?"


    "Oh, okay. ......"


    Somehow I get the feeling that my sister and my wife are getting awfully close. They are close in age.


    A few days later, I faced all of my retainers with the spear that I had picked up in the cathedral.


    "I have always called myself Count of Neville. But now that I have successfully defended the cathedral, I have been instructed by the chief priest that I should take the name of Count Fordneria, which is the name of the province. Therefore, from this day forward, I shall take the name of Count Fordneria."


    No one objected.


    I nod my head in exultation.


    "Well, then, I would like to do my first job as Count Fordneria.


    From somewhere, "It''s finally time to unify the province!" Some people are saying things like, "I''m sorry, I don''t understand.


    As it turns out, no. That can wait.


    "We''ll move the castle from here in Nevre to the port town of Maust on the river."