[Panamera]
“Oh! So, that’s Cayyenne Fortress City!”
As I said this while still mounted on my horse, Macan, the captain of the Panamera Knights, spoke up.
“Impressive walls... This fortress city truly fits Viscount Panamera's stature.”
“Haha! Indeed, it’s a fine city! After all, it’s my city!”
I answered proudly, and Macan smiled like a father looking at his child. He was the only knight in his forties in our order, not particularly tall, but still one of our most capable knights. One of the reasons I made him captain was his aptitude with water magic, but above all, it was his experience as a commander who had survived numerous battles.
As we approached the city gates, a group of about ten guards walked toward us. Clearly, they weren’t intending to engage in any battle.
“Excuse me! May I ask who you are...?”
One of the guards, a man with a beard, raised his voice.
“I am Panamera Carrera Cayyenne, Count of this land! You should’ve already received word, but by the command of His Majesty the King of the Scuderia Kingdom, this fortress city is now the domain of Count Panamera Carrera Cayyenne ! Let us through!”
I declared loudly while sitting proudly on my horse. The guards, though their expressions slightly twisted, bowed in response.
“...Understood! We will open the gates!”
The man gave the order, and the gates creaked open. Given the age of the gates, it was no surprise that the upper part of the walls was crumbling, and the gates themselves squeaked as they opened and closed.
“Hm. I’ll need to have these gates and walls repaired. No, I haven’t checked the inside yet. Perhaps I should first look at the castle that will serve as my residence.”
I muttered to myself as we passed through the gates, revealing a historic brick-built cityscape. The streets were wide and seemed easy to navigate. Despite the age of the town, it had clearly been maintained, with cleaning and upkeep evident in the surroundings.
“...Viscount Panamera, it seems they are somewhat wary of us.”
Macan spoke quietly, and I snorted in response.
“Of course. After all, we were once enemies just a short while ago. They must be anxious about how they’ll be treated.”
The King had imposed heavy taxes on the Yellenetta Kingdom, a nation that had effectively become a vassal state, taxing them just enough to keep them alive, but not enough to break them. There was still some leniency, however. The common people’s wealth was untouched, and their lives remained mostly unchanged. This was to avoid unnecessary resentment.
That said, the nobles who held land were likely trying to profit as much as they could before the new administrators arrived. Some would probably levy taxes even higher than those imposed by the King and pocket the difference. This had caused turmoil in various regions of the Yellenetta Kingdom.
Well, it was foolish and despicable behavior, but it was the common folk who would bear the brunt of it.
I pondered how I would govern this place as we proceeded down a street with few people.
“Viscount Panamera, this will be your residence.”
The guard who had been guiding us stopped in front of the castle that stood at the back of the town.
“Oh? The castle is certainly of interest, but I’m more intrigued by the knights lined up in front of it.”
I said as I looked at the knights standing before the castle gates. There were several hundred sword-bearing knights lined up, their posture slightly too tense to be a mere welcoming. At this, Macan placed his hand on his sword hilt, showing some caution.
I gestured to stop him with a raised hand and looked toward the man standing at the center of the group. He was a striking figure, probably in his mid-thirties. He met my gaze directly and spoke.
“...It’s been a while, Count Panamera.”
“Hmm? Do you know me?”
I asked, surprised by the unexpected words, to which the man shook his head.
“I participated in the recent Werner recapture operation... No, more specifically, the battle around Werner Fortress. During that time, the name of the Panamera Viscount, alongside that of Count Venturi, reached our ears. We heard of your incredible martial and magical abilities, despite your youth.”
“Oh? So, you were in that battle? And hearing that the hero of Scuderia was coming, you all decided to come out and greet me?”
I asked with open arms. The man paused for a moment, then quickly shook his head.
“No, that’s not it... Our swords are here to protect Grozar Fortress City. Even if we are now part of the Scuderia Kingdom, we stand with this city. The reason we’re here waiting for you is to see how you intend to manage this city.”
With a determined look, the man spoke. His words made me smile. He was a good knight. It's rare to find someone so devoted, both in body and spirit, but the fact that he was able to maintain his integrity in front of me was admirable.
But, as much as I respected his resolve, I had to say something that would surely irk him. Regretfully, I crossed my arms and responded.
“First, I will change the name of this city to Cayyenne Fortress City.”
“…What did you just say?”
The man furrowed his brow and spoke in a low voice, and I smirked as I raised an eyebrow.
“As I said, from now on, this city and the surrounding ten kilometers will belong to the Scuderia Kingdom, and it will be under my domain. The nation has changed, and so has the administrator. It’s only natural that the name should change. And, of course, the laws will also be those of the Scuderia Kingdom.”
“And how will those laws change?”
“The reason I’m here is to discuss that very matter. I assume you’re not the current administrator of this city. Call the current administrator.”
“…Understood.”
The man reluctantly agreed, his face showing clear dissatisfaction. From the look on his face, it seemed there was at least some basic interaction with the other cities of the Yellenetta Kingdom. He likely knew the heavy taxes being imposed on the other regions.
“Please, follow me.”
“Very well.”
There was no use in worrying about it. I should first proceed with taking my knights into the castle.
Leading a group of ten, including Macan, I entered the castle. It was a fairly large structure, about three stories tall. The entrance hall was spacious enough to accommodate around twenty people, but the furnishings were to my liking. The stairs were directly in front of us, splitting the first and second floors. I decided to head up to the second floor and proceed down the corridor toward the back. There, I found a staircase leading up to the third floor. Once on the third floor, a large, black, unrefined door appeared before us.
“This is the administrator’s reception room.”
“Open it.”
I ordered the guide, and two guards knocked before opening the door.
“…Excuse us. The Viscount Panamera of the Scuderia Kingdom is here.”
The guard’s awkward introduction left something to be desired, but I stood in front of the door as it opened.
On the other side was a large hall. At the far end, a large window let in sunlight, casting a warm glow over the room. Someone stood in front of the window, watching us. However, the light streaming in from behind made it impossible to discern their face, turning them into a shadow.
“I am Panamera Carrera Cayyenne, Count of this land. State your name and rank.”
I declared, and the person standing by the window walked toward us, giving a bow of respect. They placed a hand on their chest and gave a slight nod, indicating no hostility.
The man had ash-gray hair, nearly silver in color. He looked to be in his thirties, just slightly older than me. He was tall and slender, wearing silver-rimmed glasses—something still rare even in the Scuderia Kingdom. It was unusual for someone who wasn’t a noble to wear them. The man looked up at me, his face still bearing traces of a battle he had fought and lost.
“…My name is Zetros. I was the butler under Duke Ekonic At Shitan, the son of the Duke, Lord Actro.”
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