Chapter 13

“Uraaah!!”

Balon charged forward, lifting his wooden sword high above his head.

Since my conversation with Burger, their movements definitely looked different.

Before, I just thought they were hopeless and reckless... but now I see they were simply untrained.

-Thud!

I swung my wooden greatsword upward, deflecting Balon’s attack.

Just from that, Balon staggered, his stance broken, revealing a perfect opening for an attack.

“...”

But instead of striking Balon, I looked up at Burger watching over me.

He was observing the choices I made.

...I don’t know what he expects from me. I’m still clumsy when it comes to making peace with others.

Balon, who had fallen, staggered back to his feet.

“...You bastard.”

Grumbling in frustration, he cursed under his breath and exchanged signals with someone nearby.

“Die!!”

“Here we go!!”

“Uraaah!!”

All at once, three enemies charged at me.

Balon, Willas, and Martin.

I calmed my startled mind with a deep breath.

“Stay calm, and you’ll see their attacks clearly,” my father had said every time I made a mistake.

Judging by their order of approach, I needed to handle Martin, then Willas, and finally Balon.

“Hmph!”

I swung my greatsword with all my weight behind it—A familiar stance I’ve practiced hundreds of times.

Stepping backward, I blocked their attacks one after another.

Growing desperate, Martin increased his speed and broke formation.

As he rushed ahead, I swung my sword powerfully at him.

“Whoa!”

-Bang!

Martin hastily raised his sword but was pushed back by the strong impact.

Seeing my unsteady stance, Willas sprinted forward.

It was too late to counter by swinging my sword.

As I corrected my posture, I twisted my head to the side to avoid Willas’ sword slashing toward my face.

-Whoosh!

Willas’ wooden sword grazed past my ear.

If that had connected, their faces would be lit up with huge grins.

Just imagining it made my blood run cold.

Balon seized the opportunity as well.

Like before, he raised his wooden sword over his head and swung it down at me as if splitting firewood.

It would have been scarier if he wielded an axe.

I pivoted on my left foot to dodge his attack and utilized the rotational force.

My wooden sword drew a large arc and struck Martin’s neck half a beat faster as he prepared his next move.

“Argh!!”

With a groan, Martin dropped his sword.

I stepped on Balon’s wooden sword, which was stuck in the ground after missing, leaped up, and drove my knee into his unguarded face.

-Thud!

The satisfying impact told me the attack landed perfectly.

Balon’s head snapped back, spraying blood from his nose.

He dropped his sword and fell flat on his back.

I kicked a fallen wooden sword toward Willas, who was charging at me.

-Thunk!

Willas awkwardly deflected the flying sword but couldn’t stop my ensuing attack.

My wooden sword plunged into Willas’s abdomen nearly a hand’s breadth deep.

“Guh!!”

Willas collapsed onto the ground as well.

Martin was crouched, clutching his shoulder; Balon was bleeding from his nose; Willas was gasping for breath, holding his stomach.

People around us began to take notice of the skirmish that had unfolded in the blink of an eye.

“Haa... Haa...”

I looked over at Burger.

He was shaking his head, holding his forehead.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help but click my tongue.

What does he expect me to do?

It’s not like I should just stand there and let them attack me.

“...”

But it seems Burger’s words have shaken me greatly.

Thinking that these guys were sons of bakers, fishermen, or farmers made today’s victory feel not so sweet.

It was even more unsettling to think they might become my comrades on the battlefield someday.

In the end, I approached Balon.

“W-What is it?”

He flinched, raising his arms—a natural reaction from the beatings he’d received so far.

“...Try getting used to wielding an axe.”

“...What?”

I moved on to Willas, who was coughing and wheezing, and he glanced at me by rolling his eyes.

“You should ease up on your attacks. You’re always off balance...”

“...Gasp... Huff...”

Lastly was Martin.

“...You just... Ugh, never mind.”

Suddenly, the desire to give advice vanished.

I didn’t even know why I was doing this.

What’s so great about these guys who always pick fights with me and are quick to mock me?

I placed the wooden greatsword back into the wooden box at the center of the training ground.

Then, I left.

The guards didn’t bother to stop me.

****

The commander of the First Knight Order, Baelor, was seated in the knights’ chamber.

Along with him were five lieutenants of the First Knight Order.

Todd spoke—the person with the strongest voice after Baelor in the First Knight Order.

“Commander, shouldn’t we make a decision quickly?”

“...”

“How many times do I have to tell you that Lady Vivian is not suitable?”

If such conversations had leaked out when Duke Rondor was alive, the entire First Knight Order would not have avoided execution.

But not now.

Because the one leading them was Vivian Rondor.

Lacking leadership, charisma, and power, Vivian couldn’t control the First Knight Order.

It was said that even the Second and Third Knight Orders were beginning to harbor doubts about her.

Given that situation, who could possibly stop the First Knight Order?

That’s why they could have such conversations even more freely now.

“We’re not suggesting we betray Rondor. In fact, this is a choice that shows our loyalty to Rondor. We need to quickly find a new lord—someone who can lead Rondor.”

“Who?”

Baelor asked, rolling a gold coin between his fingers.

Todd answered as if the answer was obvious.

“Robert Rondor.”

Robert Rondor was the younger brother of Duke Rondor.

Vivian Rondor’s uncle.

The lord of Neremport, a port city located west of Roctana.

He was one of the men who left the Rondor family as soon as the legitimate heir, Royce Rondor, was born.

“If we keep dawdling like this, Rondor will collapse entirely. We need someone with strength and decisiveness. Are we supposed to wait, hoping Lady Vivian will mature someday?”

Another lieutenant cautioned Todd.

“Todd, watch your words. We all think similarly anyway. There’s no need to speak so forcefully. You never know who might be listening.”

“If someone hears, will it be a problem?”

Todd retorted.

“Frankly speaking, we’re the ones holding back from just taking over the family ourselves.”

“—Todd.”

Baelor slowly opened his mouth.

“...That’s enough.”

“...Commander.”

Baelor didn’t favor Vivian either.

She couldn’t even stamp a seal on an execution order, and over twenty death row inmates were being fed and housed right now.

Just the fact that they were feeding and sheltering such scum made Baelor’s stomach churn.

There were many flaws that made Vivian unsuitable as their lord, and one of them was her lack of the nerve to kill.

How could someone without such nerve do anything else?

He understood that she was young. That’s why he was waiting.

But that didn’t mean they had to keep understanding.

Rondor needed a powerful leader; not for everyone in Rondor to become Vivian’s babysitter.

According to Baelor’s informants, those who had been loyal to Rondor were starting to waver one by one.

Factions were splitting and dividing, with many seeking their own ways to survive.

Even the vassal families that had sworn allegiance were increasingly interacting with other houses.

No need to look far.

Even the First Knight Order was in a similar situation.

Todd was fervently insisting that someone other than Vivian should lead Rondor.

But still, Vivian was the daughter of Duke Rondor.

Could someone who betrays their lord’s daughter be called a knight?

“...”

That thought held Baelor back.

It’s not that Todd’s words didn’t reach his ears.

...Perhaps, as he said, remaining idle like this might be disloyalty to Rondor.

-Thud.

Baelor lightly struck the desk and stood up.

First, he needed to plan the next expedition with Burger of the Penal Unit.

He didn’t want to prolong such complicated discussions.

Baelor concluded the meeting and moved to meet Burger.

****

Feeling conflicted after the training, I climbed up a tree to rest.

Here, no one would look for me, and I could avoid the gazes of the retainers who gossiped while watching me.

A cool breeze was blowing, and the leaves provided shade.

It was the perfect place to rest.

Moreover, just watching people walk around became light entertainment.

It felt good like I was having a peaceful time.

...Also, when I was here, I could occasionally see Vivian.

Sure enough, in the distance, I saw a red-haired girl walking.

Vivian Rondor.

She was strolling around the castle with two guards.

It didn’t seem like she was particularly looking for me today; She wasn’t walking while turning her head left and right as if searching.

“...She’s so damn beautiful.”

I muttered to myself again.

Her expressions were always new, and I couldn’t easily get used to them.

The pitiful atmosphere surrounding her probably contributed.

She always gave off a feeling that made me uneasy to leave her alone.

Even now, seeing her walking around with just two guards made her look so forlorn.

Even the treasurer, the intelligence officer, and the head butler walked around with more than three people.

Yet she, the head of Rondor and the lord of Roctana, walked with just two guards.

That seemed to show her standing here.

-Thud. Thud. Thud.

Then, from the opposite direction of Vivian, I heard the clanking of armor.

Several knights approached imposingly.

I knew who the leading knight was.

The knight who had dragged me from my hometown all the way to Roctana.

The knight who had told me to clearly witness the wrath of Roctana.

I learned later that he was Baelor, the commander of the First Knight Order of Rondor.

I looked back at Vivian.

She stood frozen in place, clutching her skirt, swallowing nervously.

Even from a distance, I could see she was tense.

“...What on earth is she doing?”

I muttered as I watched her tense appearance.

Only Vivian would be scared when seeing her own knight order.

After all, Vivian was like that.

She might show anger and a rough demeanor toward me... but that’s only because her hatred for me is immense.

When you get down to it, she’s a timid, tearful noble lady who was raised delicately.

“Sir B-Baelor, g-good morn—”

-Swish.

Baelor walked past, ignoring Vivian’s tentative greeting.

His rudeness made even me hold my breath.

No, perhaps it was seeing Vivian being disregarded that made me freeze.

The knights following behind him were no different.

Not one of them saluted Vivian.

They completely ignored their lord.

The guards and maids watching nearby all looked uneasy.

At the center of it all, Vivian’s face grew increasingly red.

-Thud.

Then, after passing by Vivian, Baelor stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head to look at her.

The knights trailing him split to the sides so that Baelor’s gaze could meet Vivian’s.

After taking a deep breath, Baelor spoke to her.

“Could you please stop stuttering when you speak?”

“...Ah... I-I...”

“Just how long do you plan to continue like this?”

Watching this scene, I was dumbfounded.

“Is he out of his mind?”

That’s not how a knight should speak to his lord.

In our family, such behavior is unthinkable.

He could be stripped of everything and lose his knighthood without issue.

“...”

But Vivian only lowered her head in shame.

Baelor stared at her for a long moment, sighed lightly, and shook his head.

Then he walked away again.

Vivian stood there, frozen in place for quite some time.

I also watched her for a long while.

Annoyance welled up inside me.

“...D-don’t follow me.”

-Tap tap tap!!

Vivian told the guards not to follow her and ran off somewhere.

The guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

The moment I thought she had run off somewhere to cry again, I was already climbing down from the tree.

Before I even realized what I was doing, my body was following her.

Once again today, I was taking another step into Vivian’s life.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

[TL: Join Our Discord for regular updates and have fun with other community members: https://discord.com/invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]

Support Author

Join Discord