Glaiftrum War Chronicles The Salvation Strategy of Matthias, the Smiling Strategist
April 15, 1197, Unified Calendar
Shwerrenburg , the royal capital of the Kingdom of Glaiftrum , Effenberg Count’s residence. Lazafam von Effenberg.
After talking with Matthias, I head straight back to the mansion today.
On the way home, I halfheartedly respond to Iris, who tries to strike up a conversation, while thinking about Matthias.
The first time we met was at the academy’s entrance ceremony. My initial thought was, “So this is the guy who scored perfectly?” But it wasn’t jealousy or anything like that—just curiosity about how he managed to solve those difficult questions.
That same day, I approached him.
There wasn’t any particular reason; I just had a gut feeling we’d get along. And that instinct was spot-on.
We’d talk for about an hour after school, and I found out he knows a lot about all sorts of things and thinks deeply about them.
If he has a goal, he sets objectives, considers what means are necessary to achieve them, what obstacles stand in the way, and how to remove those obstacles. He’s always thinking about these things.
We once had a conversation like this:
“So, what do you want to do when you inherit the Effenberg title?” he asked.
Without thinking much, I blurted out what was on my mind.
“Lead the knights and protect the kingdom, I suppose.”
He pressed further.
“Do you mean leading the Kingdom Knights? Or the Effenberg Knights?”
The Kingdom Knights, officially called the Shwerrenburg Knights, usually refer to the entire Glaiftrum Kingdom military. It’s common knowledge that His Majesty the King leads the kingdom’s army as its supreme commander. Naturally, I was thinking of the Effenberg Knights.
When I told him that, he shook his head slightly.
“The last time His Majesty personally led the Kingdom Knights was over four hundred years ago, during the War of Independence against the Grantzfut Republic. The Royal Guard Knights are led by a prince or a duke, so that’s out of reach, but it’s not impossible to lead the Shwerrenburg Knights, the main force of the kingdom’s army. In fact, last year at the Battle of Fairlart, Count Weigelt led them, didn’t he?”
“That’s true, but…”
“You’re set to inherit the Effenberg family, a renowned martial house. Leading the Shwerrenburg Knights isn’t impossible. And if your goal is to protect the kingdom, wouldn’t leading the entire kingdom army be better than commanding the three thousand Effenberg Knights?”
It was a revelation.
I’d always admired the idea of leading the kingdom’s army, but no one from the Effenberg family had ever become its supreme commander, so I never considered it a realistic possibility.
But Count Weigelt comes from a count’s family like ours, and when it comes to martial prestige, the Effenberg name is better known.
I also recalled that there were several instances in the past where counts had led the kingdom’s army.
“But how would I even do that? I know it’s not simple…”
“Of course, it’s not easy. First, you’d need to graduate from the military department of the academy’s advanced division with excellent grades—preferably at the top or close to it. That way, you could start as a unit commander in the Shwerrenburg Knights, which would fast-track your rise through the ranks.”
The military department attracts the kingdom’s most talented individuals. Even in the elementary division, I was outdone by Matthias for the top spot, so it would be tough for me. And a unit commander in the Shwerrenburg Knights leads nearly two hundred subordinates. I couldn’t even imagine myself in that role.
“Top of the military department… unit commander…” I muttered, stunned.
But he continued.
“It’ll be tough even after joining the knights. You’ll need to build a record strong enough to silence the Markthofen Marquis faction, and one achievement won’t cut it. You’ll have to seize every opportunity to rack up accomplishments. Plus, you’ll need to make allies within the military. The kingdom’s army these days is full of people clinging to their vested interests.”
I was surprised by his unusually sharp words.
Noticing my reaction, he gave a small smile and changed the topic.
“Anyway, there’s no need to limit your possibilities from the start. With your talent, I think you’re more than capable.”
His words made me a bit embarrassed.
To cover it up, I asked him a question.
“Enough about me. What do you want to do?”
Matthias mumbled, “I hadn’t really thought about it,” before speaking slowly.
“I’ve been helped by a lot of people, so I guess I’d like to repay them.”
Not to get back at him, but I pressed a bit mischievously.
“Repay them? How exactly?”
“Well…” he said, falling into thought.
After about ten seconds of silence, he spoke.
“I haven’t thought about it in detail, but all I’m good for is desk work—analyzing information, helping with administrative tasks, that sort of thing.”
I didn’t fully understand what he meant by analyzing information, but I said what came to mind.
“If you joined the military, I bet you’d rise through the ranks too.”
With his intellect, I was sure he’d succeed.
My words made Matthias, who rarely gets surprised, widen his eyes.
“Me, in the military…?”
He shrugged lightly.
“In my case, I’d be useless on the battlefield. It’s just not my thing.”
Iris chimed in at that point.
“He’s right. If you can’t swing a sword or ride a horse, joining the knights would be tough, wouldn’t it?”
Matthias nodded without taking offense at her words.
“I completely agree. I’d just be a laughingstock.”
As my sister said, the chances of Matthias joining the military were slim.
Still, I couldn’t help but want to fight alongside him on the battlefield.
I don’t know why. I just felt like, with him by my side, we’d never lose.
As I was lost in these thoughts, Iris’s voice broke through.
“What are you going to do, Brother? If you ask Father, he might get upset again.”
Last night, after sword practice, I asked Father about the knights. I remembered how he looked displeased.
“Even so, I have to ask. I feel like Matthias thinks it’s important for me to find out the truth from Father.”
We’ve only known each other for about three months, but I know Matthias doesn’t do anything without a reason. There’s some purpose behind him asking me questions instead of explaining things directly.
When I return to the mansion, I practice swordsmanship.
My instructor is Herald Kreiman, a guard knight of our house.
Herald is a master of the Eastern-style Four Elements School and rose from commoner to knight after catching my grandfather’s eye—a true warrior.
After about thirty minutes of practice swings, we move to sparring.
The Four Elements School has ranks—Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Master, and Ultimate—but I haven’t even been recognized as a Beginner yet, and I’m starting to think I might lack the talent.
After an hour of training, I wash off the sweat and have dinner.
In the Effenberg household, the whole family eats together—my parents, Iris, my younger brother Dietrich, and me.
Following the teachings of the Fia religion, we offer prayers to the Four Sacred Beasts before starting the meal. During dinner, I ask Father about something Matthias brought up.
“Yesterday, you told me about the structure and characteristics of the Effenberg Knights, but why are our longbowmen so exceptional?”
Father, who hadn’t been in the best mood even before dinner, furrowed his brow deeply at my question.
“Why do you want to know such a thing?”
“I just wanted to understand why our knights are among the kingdom’s finest.”
Father let out a huff through his nose.
“You’ll understand such things once you start working with the knights. Or did you hear something from somewhere? That our knights are in decline?”
I couldn’t hide my shock at his words.
“In decline…? I’ve never heard such a thing! Is it true?”
“There are many who slander us, saying we’ve lost strength since my father’s time. And those voices come from people who were once vassals of our house.”
He spat the words out and downed his wine in one gulp.
“That’s…”
I couldn’t bring myself to ask more.
Matthias probably knew about this. When I boasted about our knights, he must have wanted me to learn the truth, which is why he asked me those questions.
The next day after school, I told Matthias everything I’d heard from Father.
“…So, it seems our knights are in decline. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Matthias nodded slightly and said, “Yes.”
“I knew that after the previous count, Lord Egmont, passed away three years ago, your father pushed through drastic reforms, causing veteran knights and retainers to leave.”
“So you knew more about our knights than I did. Why did you pretend you didn’t and ask me instead?”
“I wanted you to understand the situation.”
His blunt words sparked some defiance in me.
“You could’ve just told me, and I would’ve understood. I wouldn’t have had to upset Father.”
“If I had told you, would you have believed me without question? Or would you have just pushed back?”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“You’re right. This all started because I said our knights could’ve won the Battle of Fairlart. I doubt I would’ve easily believed you.”
Matthias gave a small nod, but seeing my dejected expression, he quickly changed the topic.
“But it wasn’t pointless for you to ask your father directly. It’s important for you, as the heir, to take an interest in family matters and to hear your father’s thoughts firsthand.”
“But Father dislikes me. If I make him hate me more, I might get kicked out of the house…”
It was the first time I’d said it out loud, but over the past few months—especially since I placed second at the academy—I’d felt Father’s gaze on me grow harsher. Meanwhile, he dotes on Dietrich.
“That’s not…” Iris started to say, her eyes wide, but her words trailed off.
Matthias, however, kept his usual calm smile.
“Getting kicked out? If you’re that worried, you should know even more about the family’s situation. No, you should think about how to improve it—for your own future.”
He looked me straight in the eye, and I faltered under his steady gaze.
“Improve it? If Father couldn’t do it, there’s no way I can.”
“Normally, you’d be right. But in this case, I have a plan.”
With that, Matthias pulled out a few sheets of paper.
“Let me say this first: what your father is doing isn’t wrong. If the kingdom’s army stays as it is, in the not-so-distant future—say, when we’re adults and have kids our age—it’ll be swallowed up by the Empire. Modernizing the military is absolutely necessary to resist that.”
I couldn’t even imagine it.
“Our kids…? You’re thinking that far ahead?”
“It’s twenty or thirty years from now, but even starting now, it’ll probably be just barely in time. Changing old mindsets alone will take five or ten years. There are plenty of people, like those opposing your father, who don’t want to change the status quo.”
Twenty years from now, I’ll be thirty-two—about Father’s age now.
“And even if new ideas are adopted, it takes time for them to take root. I’ve thought of ways to speed things up, but it’ll still take at least a decade.”
Iris and I could only listen in stunned silence. This wasn’t the kind of thing elementary students think about.
Noticing our expressions, Matthias gave a wry smile and changed the topic.
“Anyway, let’s talk about the Effenberg Knights. The fact that veteran knights and retainers retired isn’t necessarily bad. As I said, it effectively weeded out those stuck in old ways.”
“But you can’t fight with just soldiers, and having only inexperienced commanders left isn’t good, is it?”
“Normally, yes. But if you’re aiming for a military like the Empire’s, past experience can be a hindrance. Younger people are more adaptable and learn faster. But let’s get to the main point.”
Matthias picked up the papers from the table.