The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 49 - Tribal Conflict (14)

Count Yakobski roughly slammed down his cup.

While some nobles showed displeased expressions at his attitude, they couldn’t dare openly say anything to the Count and just kept drinking their wine awkwardly.

“What exactly is wrong with all of you? What are you so afraid of?”

“Count, your words are going a bit too far. It’s not that—we’re saying we need a bit more troops!”

One noble suddenly stood up and raised his voice at the Count.

Seemingly angered by being asked if he was scared, he continued speaking loudly.

“The forces the Count brought with you are insufficient to face those creatures! Do you know how vicious those bastards are? At minimum we need twice—no, three times their numbers to stand a chance.”

At his words, the Count frowned deeply and pointed accusingly.

“Aren’t you ashamed to call yourself a noble of the principality? That the barbarians aren’t easy opponents is something everyone who’s faced them knows. Anyone could say such things! And please, be realistic. Three times? Where exactly, when, and how do you plan to obtain those forces right now?”

“Didn’t the Count say so yourself! That additional support would come from the capital. Then wouldn’t it be wise to wait for that?”

“You want to do nothing and just wait for support? Do you even know what’s happening outside? I saw countless principality citizens die on the way here. While you’ve been holed up behind these safe walls!”

“Tsk, Count! Do you know what you’re saying right now! Even if you’re a Count, I can’t let such insults pass!”

Bang! Crash!

Nobles with reddened faces began standing up everywhere, glaring at the Count.

“Are you trying to pressure me now? Did I say anything wrong? Even though the allied forces suffered one defeat, don’t they still possess considerable strength! How can you justify just letting this sit idle!”

“Count! These aren’t your private soldiers, and I don’t even want to mention how much money we had to spend to hire these mercenaries. Let me be clear. We absolutely will not move until more support arrives!”

“…You bastards…!”

Finally, the Count also shot up from his seat.

A sharp staring contest ensued between the Count and the Eastern lords, and just when the knights standing guard over their meeting were considering whether they should intervene, one noble spoke up in a tired voice.

“Everyone, would you please take your seats for a moment.”

“…”

“…Viscount Odor.”

It was Viscount Odor, the lord of Radovitz fortress.

He rubbed his bloodshot eyes repeatedly before speaking again.

“Please take your seats. While all of your words have merit, I too must add something.”

“Ahem, hmm…”

Viscount Odor held considerable influence among the Eastern lords.

Originally, as a castle lord from another region appointed by the capital, they had been at odds with each other, but after the allied forces retreated and made Radovitz their base, his power and voice had grown stronger.

When the lords reluctantly took their seats, Count Yakobski also sat down while looking at Viscount Odor.

There was a hint of expectation in the Count’s eyes.

Whether he knew this or not, the castle lord continued speaking with an extremely tired-looking face.

“Thank you. Then, let me say this first. I personally think following Count Yakobski’s words is the right answer at this time.”

“…!”

“Viscount Odor, are you saying you’ll betray the will of the East?!”

As the lords cried out in shock, Viscount Odor raised his hand.

“Now, now, there are reasons for this. Would you like to hear them?”

“…”

“First. Speaking as the lord of this castle, we no longer have enough food to feed everyone staying here. With Count Yakobski’s forces joining us as well, according to my secretary, our food will run out in two months at most.”

“That can’t be…!”

“Wasn’t there sufficient food?”

Murmuring began to grow louder instantly.

If the food ran out, continuing to hold out in the castle would be meaningless.

No, from that point on, it would inevitably become an extremely dangerous choice.

If they were besieged, they would have no choice but to starve to death without being able to do anything.

“Originally there would have been enough. We had stores that would last the existing permanent residents three years. But now with the allied forces joining us, plus Count Yakobski’s army… food consumption will become increasingly severe.”

The Viscount continued speaking in a dry, weary voice.

“If we can’t secure supply routes even now, we’re finished. Haven’t I said this countless times? The barbarian bastards are leaving the castles alone while devastating the surrounding areas. When villages are destroyed, who exactly will supply food to the castle? There’s no farmland here for self-sufficiency either.”

The lords’ expressions gradually darkened.

“Count Yakobski, you definitely saw principality citizens being massacred from the eastern entrance, didn’t you?”

At his question, the Count calmly nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. On our way here, it was difficult to find a single intact village.”

Viscount Odor coughed once, then spoke again.

“See here, everyone. At this rate we’ll just starve to death. If not now, there won’t be another chance.”

But the lords still looked hesitant.

“But… you know, Viscount. How dangerous it is to face those bastards head-on…”

“If we lose again this time, the East will truly be finished! If we’re not careful…”

‘Even after explaining it so clearly, they’re still scared. So much for the Eastern lords being brave—that was all lies.’

The Count found it completely insufferable how the lords were cowering like this from just one defeat.

While he sighed in anger, Viscount Odor continued his next words without any change in expression, as if accustomed to this.

“Second. Just yesterday, a messenger arrived here. A request for rescue from Roshtov, one of the nearby fortresses.”

“Roshtov? But that’s a castle that was holding out well.”

One lord muttered as if he didn’t understand.

Currently, the East was no different from lawless territory, and while the barbarians were plundering everywhere without any resistance, the few unconquered castles were still holding out fine.

This was because while the barbarians were strong in field battles, their siege techniques were terrible.

“Roshtov has also run out of food. But somehow… those bastards who hadn’t paid any attention before seemed to realize the food had run out and came to besiege it.”

“…!”

“That’s impossible… surely there isn’t a collaborator?”

There weren’t many ways for the barbarians outside the castle to learn of the situation inside.

It would be impossible unless someone was collaborating with them.

The lords began looking at each other with gazes full of anxiety and suspicion.

That’s when it happened.

“They probably read the signs. When people who hadn’t moved at all started coming out of the castle and wandering around looking for supplies, those bastards confirmed it.”

It was Count Yakobski’s words.

Viscount Odor pulled up just the corners of his mouth in a smile and spoke.

“Correct, Count. Well, naturally they seem to have posted watchers at every unconquered fortress. The moment they detected people being sent out from the castle and visiting villages they’d destroyed but ignored until then, they came running like ghosts and began the siege.”

“…”

The lords closed their mouths at the eerie feeling that suddenly washed over them.

The faces of the barbarians from the last battle, charging like madmen, seemed to flicker before their eyes.

“If Roshtov falls, overturning the war situation will become nearly impossible. Fortunately they seem to be holding out for now, but the moment their food runs out…”

“It’ll be over.”

As if receiving the Count’s cold words, Viscount Odor finished in a dry voice.

“For these two reasons, I think we need to move our army immediately, even now. So, what does everyone think?”

---

Viscount Odor left his seat with a tired face.

The situation was getting worse by the day, the castle’s administration was already overloaded, the lords only complained, and problems erupted endlessly.

‘Now I just want to give up everything…’

Since the barbarians had crossed over in large numbers, the Viscount had desperately rushed about trying to resolve this situation.

But no matter how much he struggled, the situation only worsened, and eventually the East was ravaged.

‘At least it’s fortunate that support finally arrived from the capital…’

According to the Count, they too had been attacked on their way here and suffered near-total annihilation.

The barbarians had already advanced beyond the East to various parts of the principality.

‘Negotiation…’

The Viscount bit his lips tightly.

The enemy’s leader still hadn’t shown even a glimpse of himself.

And the same was true for the principality.

The Grand Prince seemed to have no intention of ending the war even if the East burned to the ground.

‘Your Highness the Grand Prince… this is definitely different from before. Those bastards are insane…’

They were doing such horrible things that it was doubtful they were the same ones they’d clashed with before.

Massacre, massacre, and more massacre…

Not as a generous expression, but literally—the East was being devastated without leaving a single trace.

The reason for acting so disgustingly seemed obvious.

‘Reclaiming the East that was taken. That must be it.’

The intention to completely wipe out the principality’s people and push back into this land was all too transparent.

When his thoughts reached that point, Viscount Odor let out another deep sigh.

If it weren’t for his sense of duty as a military man protecting the principality, he would have thrown everything away and fled to his own domain long ago, just like those pathetic lords.

‘When all their people are dying, what do they plan to do when they return later…’

In the end, the lords postponed their decision once again.

Their position was still that a large-scale clash with the barbarians was difficult.

The only slight progress made was…

“Sir, I’ve completed all the tasks you ordered.”

“Oh, Sir Lusimov. Good work. Now we can breathe a little easier…”

The Viscount praised his knight while rubbing his bloodshot eyes.

“Not at all. Then, I’ll prepare to arrange a meeting with Count Yakobski in two days.”

“Ah, yes, do that. At that time, not only you but Sir Yelchin should also attend. In any case, we must join forces.”

The nobles’ meeting ended without much gain, but the lords too felt a sense of crisis.

They finally agreed to two matters.

First. Dispatch small forces to rescue surrounding villages.

Second. The forces to be selected would be shared by everyone bit by bit, and their commander would be decided through consultation among the lords, including the castle lord and the Count.

They too agreed that to prevent food consumption, they needed to move even now to protect the remaining villages and secure supply routes.

And.

There was no rescue for Roshtov castle.

The political situation in the East was becoming more urgent and difficult by the day.

---

“Lord Viktor, here it is.”

Lukovich respectfully handed over the helmet he was holding.

Viktor took the helmet and tightened the chin strap.

“Good, shall we go.”

As he stepped forward, his surcoat began fluttering vigorously.

It was his first deployment in the East.