WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Abood

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◈ Friedrich's Battlefield

Second Arc, ‘To Every Sin, An Equal Punishment’

Chapter 38: A New Standing

After Friedrich’s adoption and following their report at the royal castle, Matthias brought his new heir home to the Hosenfeld estate.

The household steward Doris greeted their lord's return, with Yurika who had stayed behind this time, standing beside her.

"Welcome home, my lord. You must be weary from your journey."

"Indeed. Your greeting is appreciated... Regarding Friedrich, with Her Highness Princess Claudia serving as witness and the royal family's approval granted, he is now formally my adopted heir. You will treat him accordingly from this day forward."

As Matthias spoke, Doris' face blossomed into a smile.

"My, my, what wonderful news! In that case... Welcome home as well, young master Friedrich."

"...Young master?"

Friedrich stared blankly as Doris bowed respectfully before him.

"But of course. As His Lordship's son, you are now the young master of this house. To us retainers and servants, you are someone we must serve properly. We certainly can't keep calling you simply 'Friedrich' now."

Doris spoke these words as she closed the front door behind them.

"......"

"You'll get used to it. This is what being my adopted heir entails."

When Friedrich turned to him with a slightly troubled expression, Matthias responded with a faint, wry smile.

"And not just within these walls. From now on, your standing will change both in the military and in royal society."

"...Understood, my lord."

Still unable to fully mask his bewilderment, Friedrich nodded.

Even after accepting Matthias's proposal of adoption, the distance between them remained unchanged. Though Matthias occasionally regarded him with unusual tenderness, perhaps seeing glimpses of his late son in Friedrich and now adorned with the family crest, it went no further than that.

Friedrich understood that Matthias had taken him in not as a son to dote upon, but as an heir to the house, and a successor to carry on the hero's legacy.

Parting ways with Matthias in the hallway, Friedrich headed to his chambers. Walking beside him, Yurika clung to his arm and flashed him a smile.

"Friedrich, should I start calling you 'Young Master' too? Or perhaps 'My Lord'?" 

Yurika teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Friedrich responded with a wry smile, 

"No, just be your usual self with me. There might be times in public when formality is necessary, but otherwise, stay the same."

Then his expression grew serious. 

"Actually...you'll bear the Hosenfeld name too one day. When we marry and I inherit the household from His Lordship, you'll become Countess Hosenfeld."

When Friedrich had been adopted, Matthias had assured him their relationship needn't change.

The Hosenfeld lineage traced back five generations to a mercenary who rose to nobility during bloodier times than the present era. Originally barons, the first head of household accumulated such distinguished service that they were elevated to counts within a single generation.

This unconventional origin and their traditional role as a purely military house set them apart from the ancient noble families dating back to the kingdom's founding or those territorial lords obsessed with social connections. While they could marry into prestigious families if desired, they equally retained the freedom not to. A liberty made all the more secure by the formidable reputation of Matthias the Hero.

And so Friedrich, unapologetically leveraging his adoptive father's influence, had resolved that at least during his generation, he wouldn't be bound by aristocratic conventions - he would marry his childhood friend Yurika. He was fully prepared to prove himself worthy through distinguished achievements, ensuring no one would dare look down on him after inheriting the household.

At just nineteen, and considering noble marriages typically occurred later than commoners', he planned to spend the next several years honing his skills in both military and aristocratic circles. Only after establishing himself as the undisputed heir to House Hosenfeld in both name and deed would he marry Yurika. A plan to which both Yurika herself and his adoptive father Matthias had agreed.

"So you should prepare to be called 'my lady' someday too... What's wrong?" 

Friedrich asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Yurika's face broke into an irrepressible grin, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Countess Hosenfeld... 'my lady'... It has such a nice ring to it," 

As she murmured, she clung even tighter to Friedrich's arm, nuzzling her cheek against his face playfully.

Though her clinging made walking somewhat difficult, Friedrich smiled back at her.

"Those nice-sounding titles will both belong to you, Yurika."

"Hehehe, perfect. Just imagining it gives me chills," 

She giggled. Chatting happily, the two walked on, both ultimately entering Friedrich's chambers together.

・・・・・・

Taking advantage of the lull in movements from the Kingdom of Arelia, whose invasion had been thwarted from the outset, the Ferdinand Regiment was granted several weeks' leave by the royal family. Knights and soldiers alike returned to their homes or family estates to spend time with loved ones. Even Friedrich's comrade-in-arms Oliver had returned to his family's territory - the Falke Viscounty in the eastern part of the kingdom.

For Friedrich, whose home was now the capital's Hosenfeld estate, there was no need for such homecoming. Less than a year had passed since leaving Volga, and it was too soon for sentimental visits. Both Friedrich and Yurika were still in the midst of their training, and the two-week round trip to revisit nostalgic memories of their hometown would have been premature.

Both Matthias and Friedrich himself shared this view. Thus, they limited themselves to sending letters updating Alma and the rest of the church on their current circumstances rather than returning home.

They believed this period of leave should be used to further hone their skills and expand their knowledge rather than visiting their hometown. While their talent and battlefield achievements were undeniable, both still lacked experience, especially Friedrich, who as heir to House Hosenfeld remained lacking in many areas.

The coming weeks would see them return to the same rigorous training they had endured through winter.

Once again, Captain Gregor would serve as their instructor. With his wife and young son living in the capital, and his family estate also located there, he too had no need for an extended homecoming.

"Good morning, Young Master."

These were Gregor’s first words the morning after Friedrich’s formal adoption, as he greeted them in the estate’s rear garden, wooden sword in hand.

"...Young Master?"

"Indeed. As the adopted heir of His Lordship, Count Hosenfeld, it is only proper that I address you with due respect."

Friedrich's eyes widened slightly as he muttered the title, and Gregor nodded with his usual stern expression.

Logically, Friedrich understood Gregor’s reasoning. But even so, or perhaps because of it, being addressed as "Young Master" and spoken to in formal terms by the man who had always been his strict superior felt deeply unnatural.

"Of course, my duties as your instructor remain unchanged. I would never coddle you or go easy on your training. It is precisely because I respect you as the Young Master and because I have your best interests at heart that I will not relent."

Faced with Gregor’s unwavering seriousness, Friedrich allowed a faint smile of relief to surface. The man’s tone might have changed, but his strictness as a mentor had not—if anything, that consistency put Friedrich at ease.

"Understoo— I mean, uh... how should I address you now? ...Sir?"

"You may drop honorifics and speak to me plainly. In fact, I insist.Otherwise, my position as your instructor becomes untenable. If it eases your discomfort, think of it this way: I expect you to grow so accustomed to command that treating me as a subordinate feels natural."

Gregor’s reply came as Friedrich stumbled over his words, his speech slipping into the same awkward, unpracticed politeness Yurika had once used.

"And what about me, Captain?"

"Nothing changes for you. Must I state the obvious, you fool?"

Yurika had tilted her head curiously beside Friedrich, but Gregor's retort came without hesitation.

"Unless you marry the Young Master and enter House Hosenfeld, you remain a mere retainer and the greenest of them all. And yet, here you are, serving at the heir’s side. If you wish to be worthy of that position, I’ll train you harsher than ever."

"Yessir~ I’ll do my best."

His answer seemed expected. Yurika replied with breezy nonchalance.

"Now then, Young Master. Let today’s training begin. First: sprints with your sword belted."

"...Understood. I’m in your hands."

As Friedrich answered, Gregor handed him the wooden sword.

Before, Friedrich would have had to retrieve it himself from the corner of the garden, or worse, carry it out from indoors as part of their duties.

But today, Gregor had prepared it in advance. And now, he presented it.

Even in such a trivial detail, Friedrich felt the weight of his new station.

"......"

Friedrich suppressed the urge to grin.

This treatment was only possible thanks to his adoptive father Matthias and the prestige of House Hosenfeld. Yet even knowing that, being addressed with respect and deference by Gregor of all people wasn’t unpleasant. To be honest, it felt... nice.

He fully intended to live up to the expectations that came with this status. Surely savoring this small privilege was harmless. With that thought, Friedrich began his sprinting drills, wooden sword at his hip.

・・・・・・

True to his word, Gregor showed no leniency. If anything, the training was even harsher than before.

Military duties often conserved energy. Ironically, they rarely demanded much physical exertion. But this relentless regimen, stretching well into evening, left Friedrich more exhausted than the northern plains campaign. The moment Gregor called an end, he collapsed onto the ground.

Beside him, Yurika who had endured even stricter drills remained upright but sat drenched in sweat, breathing heavily.

"......"

"If you collapse from this, I fear the Young Master still has much to learn."

With those words, Gregor offered water and a towel. Summoning his last reserves of strength, Friedrich pushed himself up to accept them. Too breathless to speak, he bowed slightly in gratitude.

Yurika, meanwhile, stared expectantly only for Gregor to pointedly ignore her and walk away. Puffing her cheeks in protest, she accepted the waterskin Friedrich shared with her.

"...Somehow, this feels nostalgic."

The summer breeze tousled Friedrich’s crimson hair as he murmured.

Drenched in sweat in the estate’s rear garden, watching evening approach, it reminded him of those grueling training days mere months ago.

Yes, just months. So little time had passed, and yet so much had changed. His standing. His fate.

A wry smile touched Friedrich's lips as he embraced the tangled emotions of nostalgia, resignation, and resolve all swirling together. Yurika responded by splitting her face into that signature wide grin of hers, teeth glinting in the fading light.

Footnotes: 

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