We are greeted by a tall, well-built, middle-aged man walking the line before us. I knew him as a particular type of person, a no-nonsense military type. Renfield was the Captain of the House Guard at the time. The dark hazel eyes of the bald man peer into the eyes of every servant and slave as he walks by. He was also a mere servant but could handle any situation as a seasoned warrior. This man had been through many battles and was now marked with scars, signs that he had won. In addition, his armor was of higher quality than expected for a man of his status. The coat of arms' chest and left shoulder plates were decorated with Lady Silvia's crest.
He and three of his Lieutenants are assessing the most recent batch of warriors sent his way. As part of her personal army, the Countess routinely employed capable servants and slaves. It was evident that she was loved by those who lived on her estate. According to what I have seen and heard these past few days, those bound to her lived easy lives. Due to the amount of discipline and resources that the noble put into her charges, loyalty was guaranteed. In her own right, the woman was a military genius of the highest order. Renfield stops between Ballio and me. As he gazed into my eyes, he examined us for a while.
"The two of you have command and combat experience. You'll be serving directly under me. As a perk, you get to pick two subordinates. I don't care who they are as long as they are competent," Renfield said. "As for our blonde hair berserker. This man will serve as Captain of Streiter Company. The rest of these men and women will be divided into teams and assigned to an appropriate unit. Under Countess Silvia, you shall prosper and even gain your freedom in time. Serve the Countess well, and she shall reward you in kind," Renfield added.
We were given a moment by the Captain to choose our servants. As far as who I would choose was concerned, I had no doubts. "Ellisif, Grey, you'll be my subordinate," I said confidently.
There is a nod of acceptance from Renfield. Frida and Runa are chosen by Ballio. Aslaug was spirited away to the Streiter with Svan. It wasn't surprising to me since she was fierce throughout the battle. Once that business had been taken care of, we followed in the footsteps of Renfield and his Lieutenants. The man seemed to run the guard like a modern military organization. While shadowing the Captain's forces, I noticed they were often armed with modified crossbows that many of his soldiers used. It is interesting to note that even the armor was of a contemporary style while maintaining a Roman theme. It was clear that Renfield was an offworlder like us as well.
We finally ended up in the barracks that served as the headquarters for the House Guard after hours of tagging along. As a result, he delegated to the others, tasks that they should be familiar with to be efficient. Leaving the two of us alone. Despite the man's rough face, cut-up lips, and slashed nose, he gave the impression that he was a battle-hardened soul who had been through a lot. He takes a puff of a cigar left out on his table and takes a deep breath. It had never occurred to me that a modern world would have the luxuries I had taken for granted previously. Did the Romans even have access to tobacco during that time? ' The Captain saw the curiosity on my face.
"Offworlders brought tobacco to this world. Before that, it didn't exist here. Now, there are many types of alternatives to tobacco in this world," Renfield explained.
"That explains the modified crossbows and your armor," I said.
"It's not easy recreating technology here with no infrastructure. However, Countess Silvia is at the forefront of this advancement. Her goal is to make this world better for all races. She believes technology can achieve that goal," the Captain said.
"That same technology can end this world just as easily," I countered.
There was a long and hard look on the man's face as he carefully considered my words. Throughout my life, I have seen firsthand what science and technology can do for the world and the devastation that could be caused by its misuse.
"I hear you came from a world on the verge of eradicating itself. I can tell you what happens to a world free of war and famine. What it can do to a people. How it can make them weak. Just enough, a threat from above could wipe them out with little to no resistance. My world was peaceful. The wars of our children's time had passed with mine. We stood no chance when they came. Even with our superior might and enlightenment, only those that stood a chance were fossils like me. Our world fell within days. My story is the polar opposite of yours. This world we live in now is more unforgivable than what we left behind," Renfield explained.
"So where does that leave me?" I questioned.
"Well, You're the Countess's new Champion. Meaning you have a lot on your plate. Everyone here depends on how well you perform. A lot for a slave, right? That's because Governor Solus wants Lady Yessica so he can absorb her family's status and power. Countess Silvia is against this. Adding fuel to the fire is that nothing stops Governor Solus from simply marrying the Countess. No one's seen Count Servius in years, and many knew he had fallen ill prior to that. So, it doesn't matter if he has been reduced to a frail man trapped in his bed. That's enough for Lord Solus to usurp his position," Renfield revealed.
"So, I'll be fighting a proxy war between the two?" I asked.
"That's the idea. The problem is Lord Solus has an endless supply of Champions to throw at Countess Silvia. In contrast, she only has you," Renfield said. "He's rigged the war in his favor, and there isn't anything that can be done but to win," he added.
"Sounds like a cluster fuck to me. This is a war of attrition. I have no doubt I can take anything that man throws at me. It's what I don't see that bothers me. Politicians rarely act with honor or nobility. In truth, in war, anything goes," I countered.
"I know what you mean. I've known Miss Silvia since she was a child and fought as a Champion for her late father and mother. They, too, fought a cold war with that man," Renfield said.
"Just how old is this Governor?" I snapped.
The old veteran smiles. "Good, you see what I mean. Solus is what my world would call a methuselah. But, of course, people have yet to learn how old he is. So that's what we're up against. Although to be blunt, Solus isn't the only known methuselah," Renfield said.
"I see now; I understand the threat. My world had something similar to methuselahs, but this was still an emerging phenomenon. Most were genegineered soldiers like me. We outlived war," I revealed.
"Good, tomorrow is your first solo match with one of his Champions. It's a fight to the death, as usual. We don't know much about this Champion either. However, I have contacts inside Solus's estate. The Countess has granted you a slave of your own. This person is more like a personal servant than a slave. They'll act as a go-between while you are away in enemy territory," Renfield explained.
"I'm better off on my own. You'll just put this person in danger," I countered.
"Don't worry, SHE volunteered for the job. The woman is capable of sneaking in and out of places. That's because she's a shapeshifter, a rarity in this Kingdom," Renfield said. "She'll be waiting for you in your bunk. I advise you to acquaint yourself with her. Then, after today, things get serious," he added.
I dismissed myself after the conversation appeared to be at an end. Renfield had other important matters to see too. I knew enough by now to recognize a military build-up. If the Countess was up to this, then the Governor was doing the same. That brings up what Lady Svenhilde said about the Oromanian Praetorian Guard. They were supposed to prevent these kinds of conflicts. If they weren't in this case, they were either unaware of the coming clash or purposely allowing it to happen. I was still determining who my opponent would be. How strong there were or what they were capable of. The best tactic was storming them quickly and hard right off the back. Eliminating them before they could act was vital. I knew they would prepare for this strategy. It didn't matter if my foe couldn't attack in the first place.