The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 38 - Tribal Conflict (3)

Though Mikhail was leisurely savoring his tea, his inner thoughts were somewhat different.

Right in front of him, a knight who looked more terrifying than a bear was staring at him intensely.

Even for someone like him who had weathered all manner of storms, the man before him was nonetheless intimidating.

Viktor Kobarov.

A knight of terrifying prowess who had appeared out of nowhere like a comet.

The benefactor who had rescued him and Count Yakobski’s party when they were ambushed near the city and brought to the brink of death.

Mikhail intended to never forget this debt of gratitude until his dying day.

But at the same time, he found this young knight Viktor somewhat… frightening.

Viktor’s martial prowess was truly beyond what any human should possess.

Having roamed battlefields longer than anyone, Mikhail knew better than most that a single person had no chance of defeating a collective force.

Even though knights were human weapons who swept through battlefields in heavy armor, they too had their limits.

No matter how sturdy the armor, there were always gaps, and beneath it all lay the vulnerable fabric of human flesh.

Being stabbed would naturally cause serious injury to anyone, knight or not.

Thus, among knights, it was almost an unwritten rule to be extremely cautious about being surrounded by enemies.

And what of the matter of stamina?

No matter how excellent one’s physical condition, it was only natural to grow tired and weary after swinging a weapon all day.

Especially when wearing heavy armor rather than fighting unencumbered, and doing so in life-or-death situations, the drain on one’s stamina was truly extreme.

Mikhail had often witnessed young knights dying easily despite their thorough training.

Unfinished, novice knights frequently grew too excited and failed to properly manage their stamina.

So initially, when Viktor had recklessly charged toward the barbarians, Mikhail had let out a sigh.

‘He’s brave but still a young knight. Admirable, but he’ll soon be dead.’

The gallant charge was truly befitting of a knight, but that would be the end of it.

Dispassionately, Mikhail had expected him to take down two or three enemies before being pulled down and killed.

But what happened afterward completely exceeded Mikhail’s comprehension.

Viktor had charged in as if he knew no fear, and disregarding even his own flesh being torn, he swung his weapons and instantly split the enemy formation perfectly in half.

Mikhail was astounded.

The charge alone had been formidable enough, but Viktor then appeared to show no signs of fatigue as he charged toward the enemies once more.

And when the barbarian leader quickly calmed his confused subordinates and launched a counter-charge, Mikhail unknowingly clutched his head and let out a scream.

All the knight’s work breaking the enemy’s morale had just been rendered useless.

However, while the knight displayed unbelievable martial prowess and bought time alone, Mikhail spotted a group striking at the barbarians’ flank, and now he began to notice a strange fear washing over him.

Patience that could hardly be attributed to a young knight.

Mental fortitude and charisma that never broke despite employing a strategy bordering on madness, using himself as bait, and wisdom too.

Not to mention his strength and stamina, which needed no further explanation.

He had no idea where on earth such a knight had sprung from, but one thing was certain.

‘Making an enemy of this man would lead to no good outcome!’

The Count seemed to believe it was accomplished through faith, that he had physically received a miracle, but in Mikhail’s view, this was merely a forced rationalization to explain something inexplicable.

Of course, he wasn’t an unbeliever who denied God’s existence, but he thought it was close to impossible to explain the source of this knight’s prowess for any reason other than saying God favored Viktor, which is why his charge succeeded.

‘Or perhaps he truly is the offspring of intercourse with a demon… Hah, I must be going mad.’

As Mikhail put down the teacup he was holding, thinking of the curses the barbarians had hurled at Viktor, Viktor asked a question in his usual low but clear voice.

“The Count wouldn’t have such authority, would he?”

The expected question had been posed.

It was understandable, in a way.

Not many nobles would readily believe such an advantageous story.

Common folk or mercenaries might, but nobles well understood that the distribution of domains couldn’t be carried out so easily on a whim.

‘This is where it matters.’

Mikhail deliberately put on a meaningful smile.

“Well… what do you think?”

****

“Sir Mikhail, I don’t appreciate evasiveness. If you’re lying to get me to join the campaign, I’ll be disappointed.”

Viktor quietly murmured while rubbing his temple.

It was deeply suspicious that he was being told to believe such nonsense.

‘If he keeps talking rubbish, I’ll just tell them all to get lost.’

Knighting ceremony? The Kobarov family domain?

To be honest, these weren’t things Viktor needed badly enough to turn his eyes inside out and chase after them.

If he truly wanted a background as a knight, he could simply talk to the Administrator and be introduced to other nobles.

While a domain was enticing, if asked whether the Kobarov family domain was that attractive, it wasn’t particularly so.

‘Whether he’s the next Grand Prince or whatever, I won’t stand idly by if he tries to exploit me.’

Every action required appropriate compensation.

He was neither a war maniac nor a madman who would die of boredom if he couldn’t see blood.

If he had to face mortal danger on the battlefield, he naturally deserved commensurate reward.

With this resolve, he glared at Mikhail, who began speaking with a confident voice.

“I know what you’re thinking. It’s too excessive, isn’t it? The reward is too great for simply participating in one war—that’s what you mean, right?”

“Well, that’s part of it… but the most important question is whether the Count truly has such authority. If he’s writing checks he can’t cash, that would be the real problem, wouldn’t it?”

“Then I should first address that doubt. In your opinion, do you believe His Excellency has no right to distribute domains?”

Viktor gave Mikhail an incredulous look at his question.

“Are you seriously asking that? By what right would a great lord from the west distribute domains in the east?”

It was an impossible story from the start.

The rights to eastern domains were intricately entangled, and it was nearly impossible for a noble with no connections to interfere with them.

That’s when Mikhail spoke in a small voice.

“The Grand Prince has ruled this principality for a truly long time.”

“…”

“But even the iron-like Grand Prince has grown quite elderly now.”

Mikhail’s face had tensed completely.

This was absolutely not the kind of talk one could carelessly have anywhere.

“Sir Viktor. I share this information with you because I trust you. I believe you won’t thoughtlessly divulge it elsewhere.”

“…Sir, is this your personal judgment?”

“I am a knight and His Excellency’s vassal. Do you think I could act freely on my own judgment?”

That meant Mikhail’s words were essentially no different from the Count’s direct message.

As Viktor’s expression also hardened, Mikhail’s closed lips opened once more.

“The succession… has already begun.”

“…!!”

“Legally, there is no problem with the Count inheriting the Grand Prince’s position. After all, the Grand Prince has no heir, and the Count is his closest relative among his kin.”

“I’m listening.”

“So the only remaining issue is the other nobles. It’s true that many nobles are wary of the Count, who already holds many domains, inheriting the Grand Prince’s direct territories as well.”

This was completely new information to Viktor.

‘This must be gossip that has only circulated a bit in central politics. It would be stranger for those who come from the countryside like me to know about it…’

Viktor nodded.

“I understand the situation. This is related to what you were saying?”

“You see it right away. The Count never yielded to the nobles. As a result, acute conflicts have been occurring daily.”

“…”

“And then, appropriately—though I’m not sure if this is the right expression—appropriately, war with the barbarians broke out.”

When the war broke out, the conflict between the central nobles and Count Yakobski paused temporarily.

But the Count was looking beyond that.

“If the Count achieves great military merit in this war, it would be an unparalleled accomplishment for the future Grand Prince. After all, the history of our principality is essentially a history of confrontation with the barbarians. If that happens, even the nobles would have no choice but to acknowledge him.”

‘I see… so that’s why the Count hasn’t given up on going east?’

Though the Count’s forces had suffered near-annihilation in the ambush, he still hadn’t given up.

He had sent word to his domain requesting additional knights and mercenaries, and even now he was recruiting forces by promising gold to the mercenaries the city had attracted.

“Sir Viktor. And let me make this clear as well. Do you think this participation in the war was decided solely by the Count’s unilateral decision?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Do you think it would be possible for the Count to act freely without the Grand Prince’s approval? Especially when he’s marked as the successor in a situation with no heir?”

“…!”

“He has already inherited all authority concerning the war in the east. While the Grand Prince may lend his name, the distribution of merits based on war achievements, rewards, and even domains…! All of it rests in the hands of Count Yakobski.”

This was an incredible revelation.

If the lords suffering in the east heard this, it wouldn’t be strange at all if they became so enraged that they rebelled.

“So that’s how you could state it so confidently. I had no idea such circumstances existed.”

“It shows how much he wants you. These circumstances aren’t the sort of thing one would tell to an outsider.”

Mikhail continued without giving Viktor a chance to respond.

“But let me be honest with you. He instructed me not to tell you any lies. Regarding rights to eastern lands, while you could certainly receive them if you achieve merit, strictly speaking, they would mainly be limited to newly acquired territories.”

“…”

“Of course, if various circumstances overlap and rights to existing eastern domains become vacant, they could pass to you, but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it. After all, the east will continue to be an important element that must be pioneered to obtain fur. The Count doesn’t wish to completely break with them either.”

Viktor understood Mikhail’s words.

He smiled a complex smile and spoke.

“I see… so that’s why you said there was no need for a vassalage contract.”

After all, if Count Yakobski became Grand Prince, one would naturally have to form a vassalage contract with the future Grand Prince unless one intended to become completely independent.

In the end, it was clear that the Count not only wanted to use Viktor in the war but also wanted him to establish a certain level of influence in the east.

Mikhail also gave a complicated smile and nodded.

“You’re quicker on the uptake the more I observe you. That’s right. The newly acquired lands—that is, the existing barbarian territories—will be the primary areas you’ll receive. You need not worry about that at all. The Count intends to grant you almost exclusive rights to them, depending on how you perform.”

Though Count Yakobski hadn’t made a good impression in his initial approach, he wanted Viktor more than anyone.

He had decided to make this knight who had saved him a definite collaborator and ally in the east for his future governance of the principality.

Viktor began to consider deeply.

From the point of having done a favor for the future Grand Prince, he could clearly gain many advantages.

In fact, the Count was now thinking about firmly supporting him in the east.

But if he became entangled in the war with the barbarians now, while there would be gains, there would also be risks to bear.

What if he failed to achieve any notable merit in the war?

Far from receiving the Count’s reward, he might be cast aside for failing to meet the expectations that had brought him there.

Furthermore, even if he achieved military merit, received proper knighthood, and was granted a proper domain, there was still a problem.

‘Could I, a rolling stone, truly establish proper influence in the east without the Count’s support…?’

He would likely find it difficult to easily escape the Count’s influence.

Though the opportunity he had always dreamed of as a child had finally arrived before his eyes, Viktor had become more cautious with the passing years.

Additionally, his confidence that he could grow in other ways even if he missed this opportunity also played a role.

How much time had passed?

Mikhail had just brought freshly brewed tea and was about to offer the second cup.

Viktor’s lips slowly began to open.