The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 19 - Knight of the Principality (5)

‘My goal…’

Viktor quietly sank into contemplation at the unexpected question.

Since being born in this world, he had simply lived as the current carried him.

During the fifteen years he’d grown up in the village, he’d been busy adapting to this place, and though he’d wanted to leave, if asked whether he had any specific goals, he couldn’t really say that he did.

Still, if asked whether he’d had no thoughts at all about his future, that would also be a lie.

‘Hmm… to eat well and live well?’

He hadn’t particularly thought about becoming someone great or extraordinary.

He’d just occasionally thought that since he was born a noble in this world, it would be nice to rise in status, receive a territory, and live abundantly.

When Viktor was still growing up, he was much weaker, and the gap between his thinking and those around him tormented him even more.

At those times, he would sometimes imagine using knowledge from his previous life to become rich, or fantasize about catching the eye of a visiting noble and becoming a knight.

Of course, as he grew and gained confidence in his strength, and became certain he could survive no matter what he chose to do, he eventually stopped having such fanciful thoughts…

Viktor was about to answer “to eat well and live well” but suddenly hesitated.

‘Would that seem… too unimpressive?’

As Viktor wavered, Frizba nodded as if she already knew everything and continued speaking on her own.

“I know without you saying it. The goal of a young, arrogant knight like you who can casually speak with a witch encountered on the road, and who knows how to endure despite the resistance of his own faith for the sake of what he wants—it’s obvious.”

‘What is she babbling about?’

As Viktor stared at her blankly, feeling incredulous, Frizba smiled wickedly with satisfaction.

“Don’t be so surprised, knight. A wise person who has lived many years can sometimes easily read the thoughts of the young. If it’s difficult to speak what’s in your heart, leave it be. Now, focus a little!”

As the old witch raised both hands, the drum beats quickened.

Simultaneously, the movement of the flames grew more intense.

Boom-! Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!

The completely charred powder spread through the air currents, and from within, what looked like black tentacle-like masses began to emerge.

The distorted tentacle masses grew larger, drawing geometric patterns, then dropped with a thud into the brazier below.

The masses met the blazing flames of the brazier, burning and creating a strange rhythm.

“Grrrrrr…”

Frizba’s eyes rolled back as the drum sound and flame movement reached their climax.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, flames surged up as if about to overturn the bowl, and Viktor unconsciously closed his eyes.

“…Frizba, are you alright?”

When Viktor opened his eyes again, he saw an overturned bowl, the surrounding area in disarray, and Frizba panting amidst black powder swirling in all directions.

As if the previous events had been a lie, the surroundings were now quiet.

“Stay still. From now on, breathe carefully. I need to read the patterns around us.”

Despite her breathlessness, she carefully rose to ensure the scattered powder and hardened masses didn’t blow away.

Then she began to scrutinize the chaotic mess around her as if staring through the floor.

‘What is all this nonsense…’

Viktor, who had expected some impressive, grand sorcery from a witch, watched Frizba with a strange disappointment.

She looked less like a powerful witch and more like… a con artist gypsy.

He unconsciously sighed, but Frizba, trying to read the meaning of the floor patterns with tremendous concentration, showed no reaction.

How much time had passed?

Suddenly, Frizba began to quietly mutter.

“Hot blood splatters… the cold earth burns once more… one who seeks glory… westward… find the lion sleeping on the shield…”

“What? I can’t hear you well, Frizba.”

Viktor spoke, but she just stared blankly at the ground as if she couldn’t hear anything, continuing to mutter.

“The enlightened one… taking up the broken flag… only after cutting three necks… will finally become noble…”

‘Shit, did she drug the powder?’

Looking at the witch who couldn’t regain her senses and kept muttering, Viktor eyed the randomly scattered pouch of powder with suspicious eyes.

Even as she now drooled, Frizba just kept muttering while Viktor picked up the pouch and examined its contents.

‘What on earth is this…?’

Opening the pouch, he found fine red powder neatly wrapped inside.

Viktor took a bit of powder, sniffed it, and was shocked.

“What the hell, this is cinnabar?!”

This crazy witch had been burning cinnabar, inhaling it, and sprinkling it around!

Viktor instinctively threw the pouch away, covered his face with his forearm, and began to back away.

‘How much did she inhale? Damn… no wonder there was such a pungent smell…’

Viktor carefully began to check his own body.

Having inhaled mercury right in front of him, it wouldn’t be strange if he’d been instantly poisoned.

He carefully breathed and closed his eyes.

Then he gritted his teeth.

“Damn it… if I develop any problems, I’ll kill you!”

After thinking he’d gotten used to this place for a while, he felt like he’d been blindsided again.

If she wanted to go crazy, she could do it gracefully—why engage in such lunacy?

The prophecy she was uttering was surely just hallucinations.

Viktor continued to breathe carefully even as he seethed with anger.

And, he felt completely fine.

‘Hmm…? What’s going on, I don’t seem to have any problems…’

His sharper-than-anyone’s senses also told him.

He was perfectly fine.

Viktor felt both relieved and deflated.

This ridiculous body of his moved vigorously as if no poison could harm it.

“Phew…”

He sighed, grateful for his resistance that seemed inhuman.

Then Viktor’s eyes blazed with fire.

Witch, I’ll kill you!

****

The old witch had somehow regained her senses and was waiting with a gentle expression as Viktor approached with murderous intent.

“Knight, where did you go? After hearing such a precious prophecy… how impatient.”

At her demeanor, Viktor exploded.

“Shut up, you damned old hag! If you want to go crazy, do it properly—why burn cinnabar in front of people?!”

“Oh? You knew about cinnabar? Impressive. Knights as knowledgeable as you are rare.”

Frizba opened her eyes wide as if genuinely surprised, but such behavior only inflamed Viktor’s anger further.

“You knew what it was and still burned it! I really will kill you!”

“Calm down, knight. If you know what cinnabar is, you should rather thank me. Such a precious medicinal ingredient isn’t easily obtained.”

“…What?”

“Since you’ve inhaled that smoke, you’ll now be healthy without any minor illnesses for five years. It was meant to be another small secret gift… but dealing with someone so knowledgeable isn’t much fun, hehehe…”

Viktor felt suddenly deflated.

This poor witch was seriously claiming that cinnabar was an incredibly precious medicinal ingredient.

And it seemed clear that people in this world genuinely believed that.

“…Wipe the drool from your mouth before you speak…”

“Ah, pardon me. That magical powder is good in all respects, but after exposure, saliva flows freely. You seem fine, though.”

‘That’s a symptom of mercury poisoning…’

Viktor just decided to leave this place as quickly as possible.

Prophecies, witches—he didn’t care about any of it anymore.

Indeed, this medieval world was a harsh place where one could never let their guard down.

He bowed his head, thankful for his sturdy body.

****

The witch continued to babble about her prophecy, but the exhausted Viktor didn’t listen at all.

He had no intention of believing someone who huffed mercury and claimed to be skilled.

Viktor just told her to shut up and bring out the weapons, and though sulky, the witch finally laid out the equipment she had been keeping.

A large kite shield, a flat arming sword, a mace with a leather-wrapped grip, and a sharp two-handed axe with a quite long handle.

In addition, there was a belt that could be worn at the waist, quite sturdily made leather greaves, and gloves.

The equipment was slightly worn but in much better condition than expected.

It was at a level where it could be used immediately without special repairs or adjustments.

With more items in better condition than anticipated, Viktor spoke in a much more generous tone than before.

“Didn’t you say you lack the skill to maintain equipment? These are better maintained than I expected. Perhaps knights visited recently?”

“Well, I can’t quite remember… was it a few decades ago? It was before the current Grand Prince was even born, so it must have been quite a while ago.”

By now, Viktor just accepted whatever fanciful things the witch said.

Frizba clearly had some skill in sorcery and seemed capable, but unfortunately, she had ingested too much poison.

If she did such things every time she prophesied, it was natural she couldn’t live long.

‘Well, whenever knights visited, that’s not my concern.’

He just needed to collect what he could.

He wore the mace at his waist and strapped the long two-handed axe to his back.

Then he put on the elegant belt and even the gloves, feeling naturally more secure.

He planned to give the rest of the equipment to the attendant waiting for him.

They would be just what Lukovich needed, who had been carrying only a club without proper armor.

With a satisfied heart, Viktor bid farewell to the witch.

Though it had been an uncomfortable and irritating encounter, this level of gain made it entirely forgivable.

“Farewell, Frizba. I’ll use the equipment with gratitude.”

“It’s really nothing. Rather than such trivial things, remember what I said. They were prophecies of utmost importance to your future and will surely be of help someday.”

“Ah, well… alright. But one piece of advice—it would be better not to use that powder anymore.”

“What? What nonsense are you talking? It’s one of the greatest blessings bestowed by my spirit. Hehehehe…”

“…Fine, do as you please.”

“Hehehe… I feel like we’ll meet again someday. Take care of yourself until then.”

Viktor smirked.

“You’re the one who needs to take better care. Well then, I’ll be going.”

He slowly began to walk away.

By following Frizba’s beam of light straight ahead, he could leave the forest.

And so, the meeting between the knight and the old witch came to an end.

****

Frizba muttered as she watched the direction where Viktor had disappeared.

“Destined to become a noble one…”

Since becoming a guide at a young age, and since the beginning of the endless persecution that had started sometime, Viktor was only the second person with such a destiny among those she had prophesied for.

The old witch, who had lived longer than the history of the principality, waved her large hand.

“Is a great king about to rise in this land once more…”

As she stomped the ground, large wooden pillars suddenly appeared beneath her feet.

“It was about time to move my nest anyway… young knight, I’ll wait for the day you come seeking me again.”

The great witch of the north grinned until her mouth seemed to tear and knocked on the pillar.

The wooden pillars soared upward, and the wide clearing in the forest began to fade bit by bit.

The place where the witch had been suddenly transformed into an ordinary forest.

Only the echoing cackle of laughter remained as the final evidence that someone had lived there.