Eugene stifled a yawn, stretching his arms over his head. Sunlight filtered through the narrow windows of the castle, casting shadows on the floor.
"Master Eugene, I apologize for being so frank, but your behavior just now is most unbefitting the heir of House Lionheart," Butler Philip said, his voice a mixture of concern and disapproval.
"Here we go again," Eugene said to himself. He braced his back, preparing himself for another round of the butler's fault-finding. Since the time he had woken up early that morning, Philip had scrutinized every little movement—ranging from his style of dressing to how he washed his face. The so-called "toothbrush" was a stick, and the "soap" was made from pig pancreas—completely organic, Philip claimed.
The priest who had phoned the night before to visit him returned to see his convalescence and departed with a solemn nod.
Shards of recollections of the former owner of his body inundated Eugene's mind. He was a nobleman, son of an earl, and much of his daily routine had been the actions of a spoiled aristocrat, something he both found comical and distressing. Thankfully, his body had not yet reached the age of maturity to indulge in any of the more foolish desires that had tormented him in his past life.
Unfortunately, his father had commanded an army against pirates only a few days before. The earl had thought that it was time his son was exposed to the brutal realities of war, and so he took him along. They had been attacked, though, and his father perished fighting bravely in the battle. Eugene had been hit on the head with a pirate's stone, rendering him unconscious.
With the assistance of the guards and knights loyal to House Lionheart, they managed to return both the body of the earl and Eugene to the castle, the latter still being in a coma. With the young master remaining unconscious, the castle had no choice but to proceed with the funeral of the earl in his place. When Eugene eventually regained consciousness, it was already a week since the tragedy.
Philip had offered to help Eugene regain memories, recounting tales of their pasts and answering his questions so some weight of pretending not to know everything was being taken away. "So my dad and I were ambushed by pirates, and he's. dead?" Eugene asked, the knowledge sitting inside his chest like it weighed a lot.
"Yes, those evil pirates! They must pay for what they have done! You must avenge your father!" Philip's voice was trembling with passion, and his eyes filled up with tears.
Eugene nodded, resolute in his heart. "You can be sure, we will revenge my father. I want very much to see those pirates punished." The words sounded hollow, but they were the correct ones to utter.
"Pirates are becoming braver with their victory, plundering nearby towns and villages with no leaders. They are becoming increasingly brazen. We need to act immediately," Philip exclaimed.
"Will they dare set foot here?" Eugene asked, a chill down his spine.
The knights have set up defenses around Deepvein Town. We're secure for the time being, but we have to do something. I've notified the region's stewards about your awakening. They'll be coming in this afternoon to discuss our plan."
"I want to visit my father's tomb first," Eugene said firmly.
Philip tautted, concern creased on his face. "Your health remains precarious, young master. It may be best to wait."
"I must show my respects," Eugene said stubbornly, a spark of obstinacy alight within him.
…
The castle hall was filled with Deepvein Town stewards and knights that afternoon. There was mourning in the air following the death of the earl. Hopeless faces reflected the loss of a highly valued leader.
Eugene occupied the head chair, his unease eating at him. He had spent his previous life sitting through meetings such as this, always a reluctant spectator. Now, the gazes of old warriors and servants fell upon him, and he felt intensely uncomfortable.
"Ahem…" He cleared his throat, the noise echoing in the tense silence.
"Master Eugene has recently recovered from an illness," Philip began, his voice stern. "Let us discuss how to meet the current crisis."
A cheer of agreement filled the air, but presently the discussion devolved into angry arguments.
"I believe we must re-organize and strike the pirates! They have stepped too far in striking our villages!" a man with a square jaw and thick neck said, rising to his feet.
"Agreed!" was the cry of those on his side.
"It is risky to do so now. Our troops are demoralized due to the death of the earl. Let's call for assistance from our neighboring lords first," another one exclaimed.
Eugene overheard, his face turning red as tempers flared. He would like to say something but couldn't think of words, so he gulped water to hide his discomfort.
"Enough!" the square-jawed man exclaimed, catching his breath. "We must be told by the young master. He is our true leader now."
One of the men sneeringly said, "But he's only a boy! What can he know of leadership?"
"Watch your tongue!" Zilian, a knight, growled, moving forward. "Eugene Lionheart is this land's rightful heir. Have some respect!"
The mutinous man took a step back, clearly afraid of the knights' zealous loyalty to Eugene.
"Let us not fight among ourselves," Philip broke in, looking at Eugene. "What do you think, young master?"
Eugene stood up a bit taller, a rush of confidence. "We must be cool and together to face this challenge."
There was silence in the room, and Eugene felt the weight of their gazes. "Who are you?" he asked the man with the square jaw.
"Bryce Alder, your Marshal," he replied, a hint of respect in his tone.
"How many soldiers do we have?"
"We have 263 able warriors, 15 knights, and 20 retainers among them. We also have village militia men, which totals to around 300 men—though they are not properly trained."
"Are our troopers a standing army? Do they train annually?" Eugene asked.
"Not really. They are mainly laborers. We train them monthly, but now they are all here due to the pirate threat."
"How many pirates are we dealing with?"
"Estimates place the number at around 500. This is unheard of. We can be outnumbered, but they've stretched themselves thin by attacking villages. We can ambush them if we play smart," Bryce suggested.
"How long will our supplies last?" Eugene questioned.
"We have food for now. Soldiers had rations, and the town stores are enough."
Eugene's proposals were met with nodding approvals. Although deep-seated skepticism at first, now it seemed he was earning their respect. "I believe we should boost our troops to match the pirates, train vigorously for at least a month, and recruit the assistance of the neighboring territories,"
"Excellent plan!" he exclaimed, banging on the table, eager to assert his authority.
Without any opposition, the discussion was on the finer details of recruitment and tactics. They soon began discussing the niceties of Eugene's ascension to the leadership. With the conversations continuing, Eugene felt more comfortable with his new role. With each passing moment, he felt the weight of his father's legacy upon him.
"Given recent disturbances, I say we hold a military parade to lift the morale of our forces," he declared resolutely.
Germans of skepticism circulated around the room. "You're not even officially a lord yet," someone grumbled under his breath.
As the session ended, Eugene was filled with a mix of fear and anticipation. He had a chance to shape the fate of this nation, and although the path ahead was full of danger, he was willing to take it on.
"And so starts my life as the heir of House Lionheart," he thought, a fire burning in his heart. "Let's see what this world has in store for me."