The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 40 - Tribal Conflict (5)

Maksim massaged his shoulder with a somewhat tired face.

Despite having walked quite a lot, it seemed there was still a long way to go.

He could hear his subordinates grumbling around him.

“Damn it… how much mud has gotten in? It doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing shoes anymore… This is why I didn’t want to move at this time.”

“Hey, hey. At least we can move now. It gets much worse when it starts getting cold.”

“Exactly. At least we don’t have to worry about freezing to death in our sleep. Shut up and just keep walking.”

Fortunately, the rain had just stopped, but the on-and-off rain had completely turned the wide road into a quagmire, slowing their advance.

Maksim snapped at his subordinates.

“You bastards! Aren’t you ashamed in front of the others? If you’re going to whine, why did you take the money?”

“Can’t we even talk, Captain? The others are probably doing the same… except those on horseback.”

“Watch your mouth, idiot. The high-ranking people might hear you.”

Sighing as he watched his subordinates bickering and talking nonsense among themselves, Maksim looked around once more.

Numerous mercenaries were clustered together, slowly walking forward.

Most of them were not unfamiliar faces.

Hardened veterans who had participated in the “Battle of Permikoff Plains,” which was now being spoken of like a legend among the city folk!

‘…though in reality, the important part was that Sir Knight took care of everything…’

Maksim’s gaze shifted toward Viktor, who was slowly riding on horseback in the middle of the group, chatting with a knight beside him.

‘He had monstrous strength from the first time I saw him, but to think he was such a powerful knight…’

Maksim’s Birch Tree Mercenary Company had been indebted to Viktor before he entered the city.

Even then, Viktor had demonstrated frightening power against the barbarians, proving he was no ordinary knight. Now, having accumulated tremendous military merit, he was being called “the Knight Sent by God,” to the point where someone like Maksim couldn’t even casually approach him anymore.

Having participated in that battle, Maksim still trembled all over when he recalled the sight of Viktor charging alone against the barbarians.

‘And his character was excellent too… Following someone like him would never be disadvantageous.’

Maksim unconsciously let out a sigh of joy when he heard that Viktor would be participating in this expedition.

Of course, the reason he joined the expedition was because of the hefty contract fee offered by the Count, but it was certainly reassuring to be with a renowned knight.

For mercenaries, their bodies were their assets.

Though they were commonly perceived as rough men who roamed harsh battlefields without caring for themselves, in reality, mercenaries were more careful about their bodies than anyone.

If they were injured and couldn’t go to the battlefield, they would immediately struggle to make ends meet.

As such, being with a powerful individual who could increase their chances of survival and victory on the battlefield was enough to boost morale.

The fact that many mercenary companies that had been hesitating immediately joined under the Count upon hearing that the “Knight Sent by God” would be campaigning was proof of this.

At the very least, the mercenaries staying in the city had directly witnessed Viktor’s power firsthand.

Thanks to this, the morale of those who had joined was very high.

“Aah! Someone’s fallen in here!”

“Shit, pull him out!”

‘It would be better if the road wasn’t so terrible…’

Maksim muttered as he watched a mercenary being sucked into the mud, flailing.

Though the principality, being a nation that lived on trade, paid considerable attention to road maintenance, there was simply no way to deal with this situation.

After all, humans couldn’t defeat nature.

****

The knight conversing with Viktor suddenly frowned.

“Sigh… those lowly ones are causing a commotion again.”

Looking in the direction he was staring, Viktor saw a mercenary flailing in the mud with a crazed expression.

The mud seemed deeper than expected, as he was buried almost up to his chest. Despite several people grabbing onto him, there was no sign of him getting out easily, perhaps due to the weight of the leather armor he was wearing.

“Hmm. This could cause quite a delay.”

When Viktor muttered this, the knight opened his mouth with a vicious expression.

“It was already terrible with mud splashing everywhere… Should we just kill him?”

Viktor looked at the knight with an expression that said he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Are you joking right now?”

“What? No, I’m not. Wouldn’t that be faster?”

‘If he beheads a mercenary just for getting stuck in the mud, everyone would surely follow along nicely.’

Since joining the Count’s army, Viktor had been able to interact with the knights of this era for the first time.

And the result of that interaction was not particularly pleasant.

Judging all knights based on Mikhail had been the problem.

‘Perhaps Sir Mikhail was somewhat unique.’

He communicated well, had the dignity befitting a noble, and possessed intelligence and wisdom, also serving as the Count’s advisor.

Having been a knight for a long time, he was experienced, seasoned, and thoughtful, which led Viktor to mistakenly assume that most of the Count’s knights would be similar.

Most knights were… not much more than upgraded versions of Lord Kobarov.

Though their speech was polite and they appeared well-educated, there was a violence lurking within that they simply couldn’t hide.

Add to that the arrogance of noble birth, and they were truly difficult individuals to deal with.

Fortunately or not, these knights were exceedingly polite to Viktor, perhaps due to the debt of having been saved by him, to the point of being uncomfortably formal, but they showed no mercy to their subordinates.

“Enough. At this rate, it’ll be nightfall. It would be better if I helped.”

“No, Sir! There’s no need for you to do that!”

“Nonsense, that’s better than wasting time.”

Viktor dismounted and slowly began approaching the scene.

Watching this, the knight spoke to Lukovich beside him with an incomprehensible expression.

“Sir Viktor is quite… generous, or should I say, unique. Is it because he’s so devout?”

“Haha… Sir Viktor has a kind personality, so I suppose that’s why.”

“Hmm… giving too much to those beneath you usually makes them climb all over you. Though I respect the knight, he seems a bit soft in this regard. What do you think?”

“Haha, is that so?”

‘He’s about a hundred times better than you.’

Lukovich hid his irritation and struggled to answer.

His master, paying no attention to getting covered in mud, had grabbed the flailing mercenary’s shoulder and lifted him out in an instant.

Seeing the surrounding mercenaries encircle him and cheer, the knight’s face contorted, and Lukovich distanced himself a bit more from the knight.

‘It’s true that Sir Viktor is unbelievably generous for a noble… but he can be terrifying when he’s angry… This man, I hope he doesn’t get his neck ripped out for talking nonsense?’

Lukovich shivered at the unwelcome thought and shook his head.

The image of Viktor blowing off someone’s head with his bare hands, helmet and all, wouldn’t leave his mind.

“What are you doing, Lukovich?”

Lukovich jumped in surprise and looked up.

Viktor was approaching, wiping the mud from his face.

“Ah, Lord Viktor! If you had told me, I would have gone! Let me bring something to clean you up right away!”

“What… unless you’ve become stronger than those mercenaries, I don’t think so.”

Viktor laughed with an incredulous expression, causing Lukovich to blush.

Just then.

The knight they had been talking with began approaching with a displeased expression.

Lukovich looked at him with a flustered expression.

It was clear he was coming to say something strange.

“Sir Viktor. While it’s good to care for those beneath you, there was no need for you to get dirty yourself.”

At his words, Viktor tilted his head.

‘Ah!’

Having served Viktor for a while, Lukovich had become sensitive to the subtle changes in his master’s usually unchanging expression, and quickly noticed.

‘His brow is slightly furrowed… he’s angry!’

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve become covered in mud because of those fellows! Sir, if you’ll allow me, I’ll go punish those vermin.”

“…”

“They’ve delayed our march by acting foolishly without even watching where they step, and they’ve dared to soil your clothes. They should rightfully be whipped!”

Lukovich saw it clearly.

The strength entering Viktor’s fist, and the irritation gathering in his eyes!

‘Oh no, his neck will be ripped out! It will be ripped out! That idiot, why does he keep saying unnecessary things…!’

When Viktor raised his hand, Lukovich couldn’t help but close his eyes.

“Haha, I understand your anger. It’s touching that you care so much for me.”

“Sir…!”

“Let me see, you were Krupin, correct?”

“That’s right, Sir! Iakov Krupin, second son of Baron Krupin.”

The young, almost childish knight’s eyes sparkled as he stated his name.

“I’ll remember your name. You may put your anger aside now.”

“Haha, we’ve all had our lives saved by Sir Viktor. I apologize, seeing your clothes soiled made me overstep without thinking…”

“Enough, enough. Would you care to come with me to see the Count? The mud seems to be getting worse, so we need to devise a strategy.”

“Hmm… I don’t think it’s my place to join such a meeting. I’m grateful for the offer.”

“Very well. Then tend to your duties. I’ll see you again later.”

After calming Iakov’s passion with a few words and sending him away without issue, Viktor sighed.

It seemed knights fundamentally didn’t match well with him.

They would ignite over the slightest things, making them annoying to be around.

“Hmm…? What are you doing?”

Lukovich was staring at him with wide eyes.

“Well… I just forgot for a moment. Lord Viktor, you are… very good with words.”

“What are you muttering about? Let’s hurry. We need to have a meeting before nightfall.”

“Yes, yes sir!”

Following behind Viktor, Lukovich swallowed the words he hadn’t managed to say.

‘I wonder if he would have been even more successful as a merchant…? No, more importantly, why was he really so quiet in the village…?’

****

Count Yakobski slowly rode his horse, staring intently at the ground.

The thoroughly churned-up ground had swollen to the point where it was impossible to gauge what lay beneath.

Already three mercenaries had fallen into the muddy bog.

The road conditions were much worse than expected, making it difficult to continue at this pace.

Mikhail opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“It seems this area has received much more rain than other places. The scout has returned and reports that the area ahead has practically turned into a lake.”

“That bad? The east truly is an unpredictable place.”

The western region where the Count had been stationed also had long winters, and the ground turned to mud in spring and autumn, but it was never this extreme.

The east was truly in such a mess that one had to wonder if people could even live here.

“So after this mess passes and things become barely livable, winter arrives again, is that it?”

“Yes… it becomes even more difficult in winter. Ending this war before then would be best.”

The Count sighed.

He understood why there were no proper villages nearby.

Most eastern lords had established their bases in the steppe regions.

And they were now passing through the road that cut through the forest connecting the steppe and the northeastern part of the principality.

“Sir Viktor. Didn’t you say you’re from the east? Might there be a village nearby where we could stay?”

Though the leadership had gathered at Viktor’s request, no clear solution was in sight.

They couldn’t stop their advance, but it was also difficult to continue.

Staying in the open and encountering rain would be dreadful, but continuing meant they would inevitably lose a few people.

“Well. There probably isn’t any in this area. With the fur sources depleted, even the merchant compounds that used to be here have long been abandoned.”

‘Come to think of it, I met the witch around this area too.’

When Viktor repeated what he had heard, everyone’s expressions became even gloomier.

“Sigh… this isn’t easy. I’d like to leave before more rain falls, but that’s difficult… And if it rains while we’re still here, we’ll be completely stuck…”

Mikhail muttered with a frustrated expression.

It was truly a dilemma.

Silence fell over the gathering.

Everyone looked pained, trying to figure out what to do.

That’s when it happened.

A knight came rushing to where they were gathered.

“Your Excellency, Your Excellency! Big trouble!”

“What is it?”

The Count asked with an irritated expression.

His head was already aching, and his look clearly indicated that if this wasn’t important, there would be consequences.

However, at the knight’s report, his eyes widened.

“It’s an evil spirit! A Leshy! A Leshy has appeared!”

“…!”

Everyone’s faces began to harden.