The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 3 - Prologue (2)

Barbarians.

Untamed tribes who neither accepted the Orthodox faith nor obeyed the commands of the principality.

Though lumped together as barbarians, there were apparently countless tribes living by their own rules across the vast land stretching beyond the eastern part of this village.

Essentially, the Kobarov family had also been barbarians initially, but after their ancestor accepted the faith and became a knight of the principality, they were now a genuinely “civilized” noble house.

Viktor scoffed at the idea that if this was what passed for civilized, then what kind of monsters were the barbarians? But in reality, there was an enormous difference between those who had accepted the Orthodox faith and became citizens of the principality and those who hadn’t.

At the very least, the Light God, the object of Orthodox faith, was considerably more merciful compared to the gods the barbarians believed in.

They no longer had to offer human blood to heretical gods, nor did they have to sacrifice livestock more precious than blood to witches.

Moreover, they gained the right not to be killed without a proper trial and the right not to be sacrificed as offerings to pray for abundant game.

Surprisingly, even this small village, which appeared terribly primitive to Viktor, was relatively cultured compared to those barbarians.

“Then they must be barbarians.”

When Viktor stated this decisively, Igor nodded.

“Yes. There were quite a few of them, and our patrol only had about ten men, but Father didn’t back down.”

“Hmm… Did he notice something? Perhaps signs that they were gathering to raid this area?”

Otherwise, why would he need to engage?

The numerical disadvantage was overwhelming.

‘Since barbarians are reportedly quite violent and cruel, retreating would have seemed wiser…’

From the side, Nikita interjected.

“That’s what true honor is. A warrior should never show fear.”

“?”

“Nikita is right. Father said he divided his forces in two and attacked simultaneously from both directions. And after a fierce battle, he defeated them and returned here.”

“??”

Wait… is he saying they just charged in without any reason?

It was amazing they won, but more astonishing was the mental state that would lead someone to simply rush into battle despite such a numerical disadvantage.

‘He’s completely mad.’

In Viktor’s mind, his assessment of Lord Kobarov, as well as the two humans nodding in front of him, dropped a level.

None of them were in their right minds.

What benefit could possibly be gained from such an approach?

And frankly, he couldn’t even understand what honor was supposed to mean here.

To be honest, they called it patrolling, but wasn’t it just wandering around to steal from others?

From his perspective, it looked like nothing more than a thief proudly boasting about robbing people who outnumbered him.

Yet despite these thoughts, Viktor’s face remained impassively solid.

His brothers seemed deflated by Viktor’s lack of reaction.

“Still such a boring bastard…”

Ignoring Nikita’s comment, Viktor asked,

“I understand it was an impressive battle. But brother, what did you mean by ‘someone significant’?”

“Ah, that. Look, here they come now.”

Looking in the direction Igor pointed, Viktor saw two soldiers dragging someone out.

The person being dragged was gagged, continuously trying to say something, but only muffled sounds escaped.

When the soldiers forced the captive to kneel in the center, Viktor could finally see their face.

Rough, long brown hair with two ears anxiously wobbling from side to side above.

Yellow pupils like those of a beast, and a large tail tied around the waist.

She was a beastkin.

****

As the female beastkin was dragged to the center, the people enjoying the banquet around them erupted in cheers.

“You filthy beast! How dare you come here!”

“Kill that bitch!”

“Cut open her belly and pull out her entrails!”

“Kill her! Kill her!”

As people shouted in unison with manic voices, the beastkin girl seemed to try even harder to say something.

She appeared to have a gag in her mouth, making her words unintelligible, but it was clear she was terrified.

Viktor frowned.

‘They’re going to humiliate her.’

The banquets Lord Kobarov occasionally held in the past.

When a banquet reached its climax, the lord would bring out captives and subject them to public humiliation.

Partly to show off to his subordinates, partly to break the spirit of the captive.

These kidnapped individuals would either be ransomed or sold as slaves, so they wouldn’t be killed, but the Northern style of humiliation that seemed to drain one’s soul was quite cruel, and Viktor didn’t particularly enjoy such events.

If this was the only way to boost the village’s morale, he wouldn’t have objected, but honestly, that wasn’t really the case.

It was an act closer to simple amusement.

Had the Orthodox priest been present at this gathering, he would have delivered a sermon long ago.

Lord Kobarov, heavily intoxicated at the head table, raised his hand, and the surroundings fell silent.

“Remove her gag.”

As soon as the soldiers obeyed and removed the gag, the girl began spewing words like a machine gun.

“@#!…can’t do this…!! #%^…are you?!”

Northern speech mixed with a heavy dialect.

Moreover, she spoke so rapidly that it was difficult to understand what she was saying.

Lord Kobarov gestured, and a soldier standing nearby struck the ground with a whip.

Crack!

When the girl’s mouth closed, Lord Kobarov spoke leisurely.

“Speak slowly. I cannot understand you.”

“…You cannot act so dishonorably!”

As the girl slowly uttered her words with a terrified face, the crowd erupted in laughter.

“Hahaha, let’s hear what nonsense this savage bitch is spouting!”

“Acting like she’s something special! Sitting there with her head held high!”

The girl trembled with an expression full of humiliation.

Viktor approached Igor and asked in a low voice.

“Who is she? She seems to hold quite a high position in her tribe?”

Despite the mixed dialect, her speech was remarkably refined.

Though they mocked them as barbarians, everyone in the North spoke the same or similar language, so he could immediately tell her speech wasn’t crude.

Her unique accent, different from that of principality nobles, hinted at her status.

“Viktor, do you know which tribes have settled around here?”

“Well… I’ve heard there are about four.”

“To be precise, there are five tribes. That girl is from the Wolf Tribe. The chief’s daughter, I believe? Probably?”

Viktor’s expression turned to shock at his words.

Did he just say they kidnapped the chief’s daughter?

To make sure he hadn’t misheard, Viktor asked his brother again.

“I hope I misheard. Are you saying Lord Kobarov captured the daughter of the Wolf Tribe?!”

“You heard correctly. That group was probably a gathering of the nearby tribal people. Since there were five types of dead beast corpses rolling around there.”

“Are you out of your mind?! This isn’t just poking a beehive! Those people will go berserk!”

He couldn’t believe it.

Even now, people were intimidating and entertaining themselves at the expense of the poor girl in the center.

Judging by Lord Kobarov’s slack expression, Viktor doubted whether any intelligence resided within him.

“Brother, this isn’t right. I may have been cooped up in the village, but I’ve heard enough. We can’t handle those tribes with just our forces. We need to return her immediately and call for reinforcements!”

Igor, who had been enjoying Viktor’s shocked expression, waved his hand.

“Now, now, calm down. First, do you think that Father and the rest of us wouldn’t anticipate something that you could predict?”

Though he honestly wanted to say ‘yes,’ Viktor calmed his emotions first.

Surely, they must have had some confidence to pull such a stunt.

It still seemed foolish no matter how he thought about it, but these men had spent a long time on battlefields.

“Brother, I’m too dull to understand the grand scheme. Please enlighten me.”

At Viktor’s words, Nikita, who had been standing beside them, interrupted again.

Nikita spoke with an unpleasant smile.

“Look at how this bastard talks. You know nothing but book learning, you fool. This brother will teach you a lesson, so listen well.”

Viktor disliked him, but he kept quiet and started listening.

However, as Nikita continued speaking, he couldn’t hide his growing dismay.

His words were… too unrealistic.

“…so they’re nothing, I tell you. They were smashed to pieces, running in terror at our charge. Terror of the Steppes? Demons of the North? That’s all bullshit. It would be better to put up brooms instead of them.”

“…”

“We should have done this long ago. Now we’ll use that stupid girl as bait to lure the beast-heads together. And then, in one go—slash! This area will be cleared instantly. When this region is settled, the crown prince will be very pleased. We might even be granted titles. Hey, are you listening? Huh?”

Viktor didn’t know where to begin with his criticism.

Certainly, repelling enemies who outnumbered them by more than tenfold was an impressive military achievement, but they hadn’t killed all of them, had they?

Since five tribes were said to be gathering, this news would surely have reached each tribe by now.

If a united army arrived with rage in their eyes, there would be nothing to say.

Moreover, the village’s soldiers were brave, but Lord Kobarov was the only true knight.

Though Igor and Nikita had been trained as warriors, they had never formally served as squires under a principality knight.

The power of a knight on the battlefield was undoubtedly tremendous, but Lord Kobarov wasn’t such a great knight that he could handle the elites of five tribes.

And since these barbarians all moved on horseback, a union of five tribes would sweep away the small village’s settled residents in an instant.

This place had no fortress, just shabby wooden palisades with shallow moats as its only defense.

It was clear that a determined cavalry charge would break through instantly.

Reaching this conclusion, Viktor couldn’t help but feel unusually disturbed.

He was originally of a steady temperament, but since his reincarnation, he had become even more calm and patient.

Whether due to his body’s influence or not, he always had a confidence in one corner of his mind that he wouldn’t die no matter what happened.

But now, his instincts were fiercely warning him.

If he stayed here, he would be swept away!

Viktor looked at Igor, who at least knew how to use his head.

Even if the warrior-brained Nikita was ignorant, perhaps Igor would have some answer—or so he hoped.

However, surprisingly, Igor was smiling with deep satisfaction at Nikita’s words.

“Nikita, your discernment of the situation has improved. You’ve grown a lot.”

“No, brother… why are you making me embarrassed suddenly? I’m not a child anymore, hehe.”

Nikita scratched his head and laughed, while Igor looked at him with satisfaction.

Viktor made a decision.

If necessary, he would escape alone!