LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 6: Chapter 6
287 AC
Rickard Flint had his plate full to the brim of his works and studies. He wanted to complete the census as soon as possible. To achieve this objective he traveled to the various vassals keep. Holton Colt, Rickard's personal martial teacher, tagged along with him with the excuse of being his guard and knight training. Rickard had to complete his knightly studies in the morning every day even when they were traveling.
It was a midsummer day with a nice cool breeze. Rickard and company were pitched their tent in the middle of the woods. The birch trees in this part of the wood were grown in semicircular shape. The space between the trees was full of couch grass
Ser Holton Colt asked the young lord Rickard "My lord why are you traveling to each vassals keep to perform the census? it would have been enough if you sent the scribes."
Rickard, whom just finshed his training and sat down to take a breather replied "Ser Colt, I want the census to be completed in shortest time possible also this census will be held periodically in the future, So that we have up to date information. This needs hundreds of scribes who know how to conduct a census. I am going train one or two scribes so they can conduct it in the future."
"If My lord leaves conducting of census to the local scribes then what will the young lord would do in the future?"
"I want to establish a merchant company that does business every where in the known world."
When a noble dipped his toes in any mercantile endeavor he was always criticized for being too profit oriented and this was the case for 3rd or fourth sons who never stood chance to inherit the house. Rickard meanwhile slated to be next head of the house. Ser Colton Holt, being a knight would not like to be his lord to be a merchant.
"Young lord, A lord ought to be a knight. A merchant is by definition a cunning, shrewd, meek, and coward. Young lord, Our realm may be meager in its riches. Our realm may be destitute in its treasures. People few indulgences fewer. But WE have dignity, We will never stoop so low as to you, young lord, needs to sell wares. "
" Ser Colton, I'm happy that we have men like you as retainers of our house. We are poor, countryside nobles that everyone likes to forget. We are just glorified tax collectors. I think even our own other Flint houses with their dignified history likes to forget that we exist. It is only because rights and traditions of nobility that we haven't wiped out. I haven't seen any of our cousins in widow's wail or northern moutains help us. We don't even have a dozen knights. Ser Colton, may I ask you how many of our soldiers were mere levies in the previous war? "
Ser Colton Holt gulped his dry mouth. Words failing to come out of his mouth. What Young lord said was correct. Even each knights had barely had dozen of men-at-arms. The majority of the army were as usual fishermen, farmers and other smallfolk. This was not a shameful thing but what was shameful is Flint's Finger army was consisted of levies almost exclusively. This was undeniable. The only saving grace was this was the north. hence problems of banditry almost unherd of. If not whole fief would have been heaven of bandits and criminals. Colton couldn't help but feel the precarious position his liege house was in.
Rickard continued "Ser Holt, It is not that I don't want to become a famous knight and thus our prestige should soar. In these peaceful times we can't depend on it. We have to grow our mercantile might. Would you support me if I promised you that only after I attain knighthood I'll become a lord? I'll also help you to get 100 horses for cavalry if I succeed. "
Ser Colton Holt was a knight. He would love to command a cavalry unit. But the condition of his liege lord didn't made it impossible. Although he was a knight thus had a elevated social status; he also wasn't rich. None of the House Flint of the Flint's Finger were. He seemed to attracted to the deal.
"Young lord, would you like to become my squire? If you do I can support you."