The Little Duchess' Home Tutor (Novel) - V2 C29

Volume 2 Segment 6

Chapter 29 – The Leinster Household

Translator: Mab

Editor: Kiriyume

The House of the Duke Leinster, the ruler of the southern part of the kingdom, had been literally undefeated and victorious in every battlefield it participated in.

This family had wielded the ferocious Culmination Magic Flaming Bird and the Secret Art True Crimson to slaughter its enemies ever since the founding of the kingdom. 

This was no different during the Demon Lord War, the greatest warfare mankind had ever faced since the Continental War. The Leinsters, along with the Howards, the Beastmen Brigade led by the Shooting Star, and the Hero, had always been fighting in the front line. When retreating, the Leinsters had always been the last.

Up until the very end, the Leinsters never tasted defeat.

For mankind, the final battle of the Demon Lord War, the Battle of the Five Monarchs, was afoot from the very start. 

The forces of the Duke of Algren and the Duke of Ruphelia had stolen a march and slipped into the Demon Territory. 

The Demon Lord’s Army detected this and made a brilliant ambush, crushing both Dukes’ forces.

The Knights of the Holy Spirit thus selfishly deserted from the front line, their excuses being ‘this is what the Holy Spirit wanted.’

While the battle line was breached and confusion spread, the Duke of Leinster and his army were completely unfazed.  

Immediately after numerous messengers rushed back and front, and after conferring with his allies the Howards, the Beastmen Brigade, and the Hero, the Duke at the time was said to have pulled out his True Crimson, groomed four Flaming Birds, and said these words;

“Well—another day, another victory to seize.”

With those words, they charged into the thick of the enemy line at great speed.

Led by the Duke of Leinster, the 8,000 men strong Crimson Guards crushed the vanguard of the Demon Lord army who outnumbered them by around 30,000 men, and even defeated the 20,000 troops directly led by the Prince of the Demon Lord’s Army that ambushed them from the back. They single-handedly bought valuable time to get mankind’s front lines in order.

Without this victory, mankind would never have been able to withdraw from the Blood River. 

—200+ years have passed since then. 

The Leinsters remained undefeated on the battlefield. 

But… the reason for that was never by simple strength of arms.

The Leinster Household knew, brave men alone do not win wars. 

Culmination Magic and Secret Arts were indeed powerful. A single one of each could determine the outcome of a battlefield.

But, the most important thing was—

※※※

“—Madam. The situation has concluded.”

“Report the casualty, Romy.”

“It’s zero, Madam. Nobody is injured!”

“I see. Good work.”

“Thank you very much!”  

My report reached the Madam—the Duchess of Leinster, Lisa Leinster, who was wearing a parasol and looked indifferent at a glance. Her dress was jet black. 

Black smoke rose from the city harbor, visible below the hill in front of us.

…However, I had been serving this Household for more than ten years!

Aah, Madam, how tortured you must be!

I never thought I would ever see you so lamented. 

Unforgivable… Those rebel dogs are unforgivable!!

Neither are you mutts from the Principality who’ve been complicit in it!!! 

The sin of making the Madam and her daughters grieve…no amount of torture is enough!!! 

Surrounding us, the Leinsters’ Wartime Special Ops Formation Corps—aka Madam’s 100 Elites didn’t conceal the murderous intent in their eyes. Just give us a command, one city or two will be nothing but ash!!!

“Give me detailed reports.”

“Yes! As per prior information as well as the aerial reconnaissance by griffons, 5 large vessels, 14 medium-sized vessels, and 35 small-sized vessels are all damaged. The same with arsenals and shipyards.”

Then bam, a loud explosion—a building near the port was engulfed in a raging fire.

I checked the time. Right on schedule. 

A communication tube dropped from a griffon flying above. One of the maids received it gracefully mid-air and immediately handed it to the Madam.

“Mhm… Romy.”

“Yes!”

“I’m withdrawing. Lidya and Linne show no problems destroying the ships, arsenals, and shipyards themselves. With this, all the main merchant ships, arsenals, and shipyards owned by the Atlas and Beisel Principalities are broken. …I can’t believe it took us three days after the first day of the battle. I must be getting up in my years.”

“You jest, Madam!” 

All of us folded our hands and kowtowed in unison in front of the Madam after she let out a deep sigh.

On behalf of the deputy head maid of the Leinster Household, I continued to say the following words. 

“Who else but the Madam, the Master, Lidya-Ojousama, and Linne-Ojousama could have achieved so much! …We only need to hold out a little more, just a little bit more!”

—It had been five days since the Bell rang and the order to mobilize the troops of the Duke of Leinster was announced.

As planned, the Duke’s army of 10,000, spearheaded by the Red Guards, set out in a day and a half after the bell rang and ambushed a mercenary army of about 50,000 sent by the Principalities of Beisel and Atlas along the borders. They defeated them unilaterally.

I was in the main camp and didn’t see it, but according to a griffon soldier I was acquainted with; “…that was no battle. After Lidya-sama’s Flaming Bird shot through their siege and burned their supply materials, the Red Guards charged in, and the surrender came pretty much right away. I doubt there are any casualties from their side, let alone ours. If anything, it’d be those who got trampled by their own allies when they tried to escape from the Red Guards. …So, exactly as planned.”

He had a twitch in his face, but we were far from over. Purgatory was just beginning.

…I couldn’t help but burst into tears every time I remembered Lidya-Ojousama’s short hair. Oh how much she wanted to rush to Allen-sama’s side right away.

Damn you, damn you Principality scums!

You dared to mess with our Ojou-sama!

You abominations of the heavens!

Even if God forgives, we the Leinster Maid corps will never!!! 

As we redoubled our will, the Madam began to walk away.

Hurriedly, I stood up to protect her. It was my honor to be her meat shield.

The Madam murmured, not speaking particularly to anyone.

“…We released the 50,000 captured mercenaries and shoved them into each of the two Principality towns’ prisons. The main merchant ships under the flags of the two principal states were also destroyed, aside from the merchant ships and military vessels directly under the control of the other principal states and the Water Capital. What about the wheat buyouts?”

“They are way over schedule. …Quite a shame. They prioritize gold more than the future of their own country.”

“People are weak creatures, Romy. Have we communicated with the Water Capital?”

“Without a flaw. The message is ‘once you make your move.’”

“I see. …And Anna?”

“…The head maid is still searching.” 

The Madam’s expression was strained.

I grit my back teeth. A feeling of indignation welled up in me.

Perhaps… She was thinking of Erin-sama, whom I heard was Allen-sama’s dear mother. No Leinster maid was oblivious to the fact that the two of them had been exchanging letters in the past two years. Aah…

—A knight in full jet-black military uniform descended from a griffon without a sound.

In an instant, we fell into a battle stance, before we restrained ourselves.

Her unfamiliar tone…no. The cold voice tone that we the maids used to hear from Ojou-sama before she entered the Royal Academy rang in our ears. 

“…Mother. I’ve done my duty. This should mean I’m allowed to go, no…?”

“Calm down, Lidya. We still don’t know what is going on in the Water Capital, or in the Royal Capital and in the Eastern Capital.”

“…It’s okay. I am calm.”

Lidya-ojousama’s eyes were vacant. No light was reflected there.

—I do not believe in God. 

I only believe in the Leinsters who rescued me from the slave ship and raised me as a maid like their own.

And to see that Ojou-sama…our Ojou-sama…tremble with anger was painful. I gave the Madam a word of advice.

“Madam, would you allow us to burn these pigs’ pantries once again?”

“Not you too, Romy…I wonder if Anna raised you wrong. You do understand the principles of the Leinsters, yes?”

“Yes! We gather information and conduct reconnaissance.”

“Honestly… You have my permission. Be back by dinner tomorrow. Take care.”

“Thank you very much! Tomorrow’s dinner is my duty, so I will not be late!!”