The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

107 - Punishment and Determination

Dealing with knights or samurai is always harder than dealing with than men-at-arms. You need to treat them with a respect they may not deserve, and that is just how things are. Furthermore, on this exact point I am biased by the punishment system of my former world as well. Something like lashing a samurai cannot and must not be done.

Furthermore, Peony doesn't really react to punishment. The punishment of making friends with everyone is being done, but not with as much passion as I'd like. If anything, he appears to have given up on hunting and just trains instead. My punishment is meaningless if he just detaches himself from it after all.

He doesn't have the pride to care for humiliation. Not the dedication to anything but training to care for anything I take away. He doesn't care for his reputation or for the demands of chivalry that follows along with his role as a knight. I can imagine the words 'inefficient' spouting from his lips, and just the thought sends a swirl of irritation through me.

It's morning, and we're preparing for another day as I call for a gathering. I have to punish Peony, not for making him actually feel regret, but to satisfy the anger of everyone else. Once you know he won't care, any punishment is dissatisfying. I look over the ranks of knights calmly. Usually most of the troops would be men-at-arms, so for there to be this many knights is a blessing, but also a message of how many men Father expected to lose over the next few years... the number was almost foolish, but let us put that aside for now. Most of the young men here seem stiff, but I can also see the glances towards Peony. Rumors move fast, especially since Vitis is generally well known and well liked. Vitis has a habit of walking around camp and chat up people once they're free to do as they want. Once this pattern is broken people get curious.

In many ways Vitis and Peony are opposites. Vitis has the pride to feel guilty of missing out on one of his men leaving. He doesn't leave anyone behind and is gracious and polite. Friendship among knights is an incredibly important thing in this world. It is more than political connections. Knights friendly with one another help each other improve. As a knight, your reputation is your lifeline. It is how you gain glory, and thus status and land. Someone like Peony would never be landed. Vitis, however, is in a good position for it once he finishes his time at the academy. However, Peony doesn't seem to care for land or the life of his future children. It's the worst career choice I've seen. Worse than Darius'.

"Today again we head towards the battlefield to assist the Tepet army. We will likely be used to break enemy lines, so steel your hearts. We will be heading back into the fray!" I start out and measure the reactions. I can see a few trembling at the thought.

"But before that, Peony!" I call out his name and watch his calm expression as he turns against me. I plan on doing this calmly. Everyone here are supposed to be shining examples for the men-at-arms. They should be what every men-at-arms wants to be, and more importantly... I should never have to worry if someone retreats before they absolutely have to. Their career and their future depends on their reputation. Thus, one of the worst things you can do, both for a knight and for a samurai is to publicly humiliate them. Every humiliation will haunt them for the rest of their lives until they disprove it. Peony won't care, but society does.

"In a display of clear lack of discipline you neglected to inform your superiors of your injuries and retreated correctly but without giving notice." I must add the 'correctly' to avoid this from getting out of hand. The moment it becomes a matter of cowardice or abandoning comrades it take an entirely different tone... and not a good one. Both of those are directly against the code of chivalry for knights, and will not go unpunished. Peony is close enough that I can see the gears ticking in his head. He doesn't actually care, but he doesn't want to lose. Pointless. If you don't care, then swallow it.