POV David
"So… that's it?" Smith asked dryly.
"I got a massive headache because of some bullshit game system thing and I leveled up?" My brother shouted with fury. I shrugged and nodded, though that lvl2 next to his green tag was difficult to disprove. I'd spent the last hour giving my brother the rundown of what had happened.
He sighed and drained the glass of wine he'd been nursing. "Tastes like shit."
"Can't argue that." I replied as I set my glass on the table.
"Is that what happened to you last night then?" Smith asked as he looked at me. I grimaced and shook my head.
"No, I had something else…" I replied vaguely. My brother just waited for me to continue. I glanced at Shyora, she'd perched herself on the back of the couch and smiled proudly.
"We recognized Master as our Prince." Shyora smiled at me.
Smith looked between the two of us and snorted. "You can't… you… she's pulling my leg right?"
"Inspect me." I replied with a helpless shrug. Smith narrowed his eyes for a moment before leaning back. He let out a long sigh.
"I see… no wonder you didn't want to talk…" Smith was interrupted by a knock at the door. I used telepathy to ask Isirith who was outside.
'Lady Jackowitz and the Brigaders, master.' She replied.
"Come in." Isrith led them inside before returning to her post at the door.
"David." Rena smiled as she pulled me into an embrace. I noticed the officers started speaking with Smith and glancing at Rena as if she lacked professional discipline.
"It's been some time since we last met. I brought the armor Veria and I promised, you should try it so my armorer can make any adjustments." She stepped away and chuckled.
"It's good to see you too. Congratulations by the way. If you don't mind sharing who's the lucky guy?" I nodded at the ring on her hand.
She smiled. "Its Veria, she proposed."
I kept my face a neutral mask but nodded anyway. To say I was surprised was… an understatement. I didn't know the two of them swung that way, particularly since Veria had tried to get me into her harem before.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Veria sends her regards, but her duties as Crown Princess kept her from coming along." Rena apologized.
"It's nothing to worry over." I replied.
Rena gave me a long look. "It is…You have more influence than most Earless and you've been a noble for half a year? It's upsetting the balance of power and the noble faction doesn't like it one bit."
"The Queen will be the one putting an end to this rebellion, in the end she gets the glory of it." I replied with a tired sigh as the Queendom's politics raised their ugly face.
"But who made it possible?" Rena pressed. I tilted my head to the side, not understanding what Rena was getting at. Sure I'd made the plan, but the Queen had approved it… wait. I made the plan…
"They think I'm the mastermind?" Rena nodded at my revelation. There goes my chance at a quiet life… not that I had much chance of one in the first place.
"Besides your 'Army of the Lobau' dealt the greatest general of the age a stinging defeat. While heavily outnumbered no less." Rena pressed.
"I'll have to be rewarded this time won't I?" I muttered to myself. I tried thinking of every excuse I could, but nothing would work… not without it looking like I was plotting to overthrow the royal family myself.
"Jackowitz, is your force to be subordinated to my command?" Smith suddenly interrupted us. I was grateful for the pause, it let me start thinking about what I would need to do to cement my position. What would I be likely to get if I was rewarded?
Title most likely, it was the most likely, possibly some of the territory along the border would be given to me… I'd already asked for the 49th regiment, so maybe them as well? No… that would be too much. Even the greatest noble houses only had three regiments.
Wait! Venia had contributed the eternity of her regiment to this as well. I could shove some of the credit off on her, after all the 33rd 'phoenix' regiment had performed just as well as my own 86th 'Lobau'. I glanced at Rena as she shook Smith's hand.
"I'm more than happy to have your soldiers train my regiment, I'm sure Earless Barford would have no complaints either about her regiment being trained by the victors of Lodi!"
"Then that's settled, your command will become the 4th brigade of the Army of the Lobau. We'll start training as soon as we clean up that battlefield and let the army rest. I'll return the soldiers you gave me early to start reorganizing your troops." Smith smiled and looked at me.
"That sound good to you?" I sighed as they looked to me. I had barely heard anything. Fuck it, this little army is under Smith's purview anyway… it's not like he'd do something stupid. I nodded my assent.
"Good. I'll organize a crash course, we'll march on Heston in a week." Smith groaned.
"Now you'll have to excuse me, I haven't slept in over forty eight hours and my bed calls." he marched out of the room, bringing the meeting to a close. I should probably get some sleep myself.
I excused myself and started towards my room. I closed the door behind me and suddenly the world disappeared.