The double life of a count’s bastard

Chapter 5
The Year 977 on the Krasler Calendar

The Krasler Empire stood on the brink of a historic milestone: the completion of a millennial dynasty. This unparalleled achievement could largely be attributed to one family—the Slaters. Known as the “Sword of the Continent” and the “Shield of the Emperor,” the Slater family had long been the bulwark against the orc hordes threatening the northern borders.

For 800 years, the Slaters had defended the Inkeran Mountains, the only barrier between the orc-infested lands and the civilized world. The empire’s very existence depended on the Slaters’ ability to hold this line, allowing the Krasler Empire to flourish into a powerful nation.

Rousseau’s Training

Rousseau, a member of this legendary family, was a shadow of his former self. Once hailed as a prodigy, his swordsmanship had been the talk of the continent. At seven, he showed extraordinary talent, and by nine, he had bested a third-ranked knight in a formal duel. The expectations were sky-high, with many believing he would soon join the ranks of the continent’s greatest swordsmen.

But everything changed on his tenth birthday.

Now, at seventeen, Rousseau lay sprawled on the training ground, exhausted and disheartened. His once-promising future had been derailed by years of self-indulgence and neglect. The praise he once received was a distant memory, replaced by scorn and disappointment.

“……That’s a mess.”

Rousseau muttered, assessing his current state. His skills had deteriorated, his body weakened by years of alcohol and debauchery. It was almost laughable to think he could return to his former glory, yet he couldn’t afford to dwell on the past. He had to act, and fast.

The Expedition

Rousseau’s mind turned to the expedition currently underway. The Slater family’s annual campaign into the Inkeran Mountains was crucial for keeping the orcs at bay. This year, however, the expedition was doomed. Rousseau knew, with unsettling certainty, that it would end in failure. The dream that had shown him glimpses of the future was becoming reality.

“……by now, they’re camping at the beginning of the Inkeran Mountains.”

Rousseau whispered to himself, staring into the distance. The expedition would rest for a day before beginning the arduous climb. Historically, these expeditions took between twenty days to a month, but this one would last exactly fifty-six days, ending in disaster.

The losses would be staggering, with many men killed or maimed. The failure would weaken the empire’s defenses, leading to a cascade of destruction over the next two decades. The blame would fall squarely on the Slaters, tarnishing their legacy and weakening their standing with the Emperor.

Preparing for the Future

“Would it have made a difference if we had abandoned the expedition altogether?”

Rousseau pondered, though he knew the answer. Abandoning the expedition was not an option. It was a direct order from the Emperor and a vital part of the empire’s defense strategy. The orc threat necessitated these annual forays into the mountains to keep their numbers in check.

The next three years were critical. Rousseau needed to prepare, to reclaim his strength and skills. He had to be ready for the challenges that lay ahead, to protect his family and the empire.

“I have to build my body.”

With renewed determination, Rousseau gripped his sword. He couldn’t change the past, but he could shape the future. He would train, rebuild his strength, and reclaim his place as a defender of the empire. The Slater family’s legacy depended on it.

The Training Begins

From that day forward, Rousseau’s days were filled with relentless training. He pushed his body to its limits, honing his skills and regaining the prowess he once had. Each swing of his sword, each drop of sweat, brought him closer to the warrior he needed to become.

His journey would be arduous, filled with doubt and pain, but Rousseau was resolute. The future of his family and the Krasler Empire rested on his shoulders. He would not fail.

As the sun set over the Slater estate, Rousseau continued his training, the fire of determination burning in his eyes. The road ahead was long, but he was ready to face whatever challenges came his way.

In the distance, the Inkeran Mountains loomed, a reminder of the battles yet to come. Rousseau tightened his grip on his sword, his mind focused on the task at hand. The fate of the empire hung in the balance, and he was ready to fight for its future.

After a botched growth spurt that would have been more than enough if he’d taken care of himself and worked harder, Rousseau had to find a way to rebuild his body.

“Kwelan Mine. I have to go from there.”

Luckily, Rousseau knew exactly how to get there. The events of the next decade were crammed into his head. The miserable, hopeless dream he had during his ten days of fever was his only hope.

* * *

The Slater estate is located in the far north of the Krasler Empire. It has always been, and still is, one of the largest land masses in the entire empire, fitting within the top five largest provinces. However, no lord looks upon the vastness of the Slater estate greedily.

When the first Earl of Slater (then a Viscount) was granted the estate by the Emperor, it was a problematic gift. Its location in the north of the continent meant that the temperature never exceeded 10 degrees year-round, and the shape of the estate simply stretched out from side to side, making the distance between east and west a futile one.

That’s not all. Crop yields were woefully inadequate, with only a tiny fraction of the land being fertile, and the province’s location at the very edge of the empire meant that it was of little commercial benefit. Add to that the vaguely marked borders of the Inkeran Mountains to the north, and the province was regularly invaded by orcs and monsters. As it was, none of the Imperial nobility coveted the Slater estate, and they were relieved to be able to keep the orcs at bay with their lives.

In such a harsh environment, the Slaters would never have been able to defend their lands for the first two hundred years or so without the full support of the Emperor and the voluntary support of the nobility.

“The situation changed when the Inkeran Mountains were stabilized and the rich ore deposits were exploited in earnest.”

Rousseau chewed viciously on a piece of dried jerky and stared at the trunk of the Inkeran Mountains in front of him. The Slater estate’s fortunes had been turned upside down when they began to exploit one or two of the veins in the Inkeran Mountains that no one else had dared to try.

There were few gold or gem mines, the easiest money-makers, but the discovery of one high-purity iron ore after another made Slater the Empire’s premier iron mining region. With the Slaters constantly at war with the Orcs, iron ore was a godsend, a more valuable resource than gold or gemstones. With the occasional discovery of mana iron, which is worth twice as much as regular iron, the Slater estate quickly became extremely wealthy.

With this wealth, the soldiers and knights of the Slater estate were able to acquire some of the best armaments in the Empire, allowing them to control large swaths of the Inkeran Mountains. The untouched Inkeran Mountains were a treasure trove of resources in their own right, and as they came under the control of the Counts of Slater, commerce naturally flourished. It started with iron ore, but a series of fortunes quickly made the Earl of Slater one of the richest men in the Empire.

“It would be a shame to cut off the support.”

The Emperor’s support, and the support of many nobles, is suddenly gone. The only saving grace is that the Emperor silenced the voices of the nobility, who insisted on taxing the wealthy Earl of Slater to keep him in check.

“If you’re going to tax me, you’re a robber.”

Rousseau’s antipathy toward the emperor and the aristocracy was enormous, and he would have gotten away with it if he hadn’t had the dream. If he were in the capital, the sight of their faces would make him so angry that he wondered what he would do.

“We’ll see.”

Chewing hard on his jerky, their faces still etched in his memory, Rousseau pulled out his map and double-checked the location.

“Should we be there in about half a day?”

Rousseau’s destination is the Kwelan Mine, which he discovered roughly 200 years ago. It was in the Kwelan Mines that a small amount of mana iron was found, a type of mana iron that doesn’t break easily, doesn’t deform much, and has high mana conductivity. It is now an abandoned mine and no one visits it, but its true value will only be discovered in the next seven years.

‘Poohahaha, you stupid Slaters! You had treasure right under your nose and you didn’t even recognize it, and now you’re in this mess!’

“Count Lanslan…….”

Puddle!

Rousseau gritted his teeth as he recalled the face of Count Lanslan, who had mocked him with a stream of dog grease. It had been a dream, but he could never forget the way the Earl of Lanslan had laughed at them, a man who hadn’t even been treated with the grime of his claws just thirty years ago. And the fact that he dared to claim it as his own, even though it had been acquired from the Slater estate, was enough to make him feel his blood rush to his stomach.

“You guys are just waiting. I’m going to beat the shit out of you.”

As if that wasn’t enough. Just as Count Lanslan had done in his dreams, in reality, he planned to take everything he could from him. To do so, he must first finish the job at Kwelan Mines once and for all. Tucking the map roughly into his pocket, Rousseau moved faster and faster toward the Kwelan Mines.

* * *

“You don’t know where he went?”

His tone was calm and gentle, but Jason could feel a cold sweat running down his back.

“Dr. Rousseau gave me some sleeping pills…….”

He tried to make excuses, but even he knew how pathetic he sounded, so he kept his mouth shut.

And beside him, the driver in charge, William, whose face had turned the same earthy color, stood like a sinner.

“Haaaaa.”

Countess Slater sighed deeply at the sight of Jason and William bowing their heads like sinners before her.

“What could be wrong with them? It’s Russo’s fault for being straight and giving Jason and William sleeping pills, so what could they possibly be guilty of? Rousseau, just this once, please…….”

The Countess was already beginning to worry that Rousseau might have an accident. The expedition had been plagued with problems from the start, leaving Countess Slater more nervous than ever. As much as she wanted Rousseau to behave himself, the countess was worried that he might get into trouble again.

“Let them search the estate,” she said, “and send men to the neighboring estates, just in case.”

If he causes an accident within his own territory, they can keep it as quiet as possible, but if he causes an accident in another territory, it’s serious trouble. Knowing the Countess’s mind, Jason and William realized that they were responsible.

“I understand!”

“Don’t worry, we will find Master Rousseau!!!”

Jason and William shouted back, but Countess Slater knew all too well from too many experiences that Rousseau, once he had run away from home, was not easily caught. She merely said to herself:

“Rousseau, please don’t disappoint us anymore.”

Not as a mother, but as Countess Slater, she desperately hoped that Rousseau would return in good behavior.

—

The early morning mist clung to Rousseau as he moved swiftly through the dense forest, his eyes scanning the terrain with a practiced gaze. The Kwelan Mine was not far now, and he needed to reach it before anyone realized he was gone.

Rousseau knew the path well; he had memorized every twist and turn from his fever dream. The dream that had given him this second chance, a chance to change the fate that awaited his family and the empire. As he moved, he couldn’t help but reflect on the bitter memories of his former life—the shame, the downfall, and the betrayal by those who should have stood by him.

The sky began to lighten as dawn approached, casting a pale glow over the rugged landscape. Rousseau picked up his pace, determination hardening his resolve. He would reach the Kwelan Mine, he would find the hidden treasure, and he would use it to rebuild his body and his family’s honor.

He couldn’t afford to fail.

* * *

Back at the Slater estate, the search had begun in earnest. Soldiers and servants fanned out across the grounds and into the nearby woods, calling out Rousseau’s name, hoping to catch a glimpse of the young master. The Countess watched from her balcony, her heart heavy with worry. She knew Rousseau was not the same boy he had been, and she feared what might happen if he encountered danger in his weakened state.

The estate buzzed with activity, everyone determined to find Rousseau before something terrible happened. Jason and William, feeling the weight of their responsibility, led the search parties with grim determination. They knew the Countess was relying on them, and they couldn’t bear the thought of failing her.

—

Rousseau finally reached the entrance of the Kwelan Mine. It was hidden away, overgrown with vegetation, just as he remembered. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the task ahead. This was the first step in reclaiming his life and setting things right. He pushed aside the brush and entered the mine, the darkness swallowing him as he disappeared from sight.