The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 55 - Tribal Conflict (20)

“You wanted to capture me?”

“That’s right. Father was quite interested in you too. The warrior leader was undoubtedly someone who received Father’s complete favor. If I could capture you, the one who defeated such a person… I too…”

Tumen bit his lips and hung his head.

Viktor scratched his head while looking at Tumen, who was chattering more than expected.

He looked quite young, and perhaps because of that, with just a little prodding he began readily sharing various stories.

Viktor suddenly changed his voice to a subtle tone and tested this young man’s feelings.

“Oh my… you were a fine warrior. If you had been able to capture me, the Grand Chief might have come to value you highly, Tumen… what a shame, isn’t it?”

As expected, Tumen flared up and shouted.

“You bastard! Are you trying to mock me now? Though I may have been captured by you, I am destined to become the ruler who will govern these steppes someday! Don’t ridicule me, knight!”

“Really? But that statement is a bit strange.”

“What’s strange about it!”

“Think about it. Didn’t you say you were the third son? That means you have two older brothers above you, so how could you possibly ascend to the Grand Chief’s position?”

“Th-that’s…!”

When Tumen became heated but momentarily couldn’t say anything and just glared at Viktor, he continued with a hopeful heart.

“Ah, perhaps your tribe follows the custom where the youngest inherits? If that’s the case, then I suppose it’s possible…”

“What nonsense are you spouting! That’s not even a law that those orc bastards follow! Our proud tribe has the system where the position is passed down to one of the most outstanding brothers! It’s not something so trivial that the likes of you can casually mention!”

After blurting this out, Tumen flinched.

Viktor was staring intently at him.

‘Shit… I made a mistake. I got angry for a moment…’

His wrist was still being held by Viktor.

When Viktor suddenly narrowed his eyes, Tumen winced and squeezed his eyes shut.

‘No, no! My wrist…!’

However, the tragedy he expected didn’t come.

“Orcs? Are there orcs living here too?”

Fortunately for Tumen, Viktor was more curious about the existence of orcs than his insolent tone.

While letting out a sigh of relief, Tumen barely managed to open his mouth and reply.

“Ah, yes… they are people who live even further east than the tribes of our steppes. They live so far away that you people would probably find it difficult to meet them even once in a lifetime.”

“Really? Then are you saying your people have exchanges with these orcs?”

“…? I don’t know why you’re curious about that, but we do exchange envoys occasionally. There’s a large mountain range to the east, so it’s difficult to travel back and forth frequently…”

Viktor stroked his chin and nodded.

‘Orcs… I thought these people were actually living at the end of the world… well, I suppose that’s natural.’

Priests and those claiming to have some knowledge commonly said that at the end of the world lived these barbarians abandoned by God, but actually that was a somewhat strange story.

At least in Viktor’s common sense, there was no such thing as the end of the world.

Of course, this world might be different, so he had accepted it until now, but indeed the land where the barbarians lived was by no means the end of the world.

Viktor felt curiosity welling up about the existence of orcs, but soon suppressed that feeling.

He needed to focus on other things now.

“Good, we’ll have more to discuss about them later. I’ll ask a different question. But first, let me give you some advice…”

“Wh-what is it?”

Viktor continued speaking calmly.

“If you want your wrists to remain intact, you’d better answer more politely from now on.”

Tumen was startled and stammered.

“S-sorry. I couldn’t help myself…”

“Good, as long as you understand. Then the next question. Did you plan this operation?”

“Operation? Which operation are you talking about?”

“The plan to hide in the village and attack us all at once when we entered. Did that all come from your head?”

When Viktor subtly applied pressure to his wrist while asking, Tumen shook his head.

Then he looked at Viktor with a serious face and opened his mouth.

“No. To be precise, half of it was planned by me, but the overall strategy was devised by someone else.”

“Overall strategy?”

“Knight. Let me give you some advice too.”

Viktor’s brow furrowed slightly upon hearing Tumen’s words.

“I’m saying this with respect for you, who single-handedly smashed me and my subordinates. You’d better return to the castle quickly, even now. You weren’t the only ones ambushed. All the principality forces that came outside are probably being attacked right now. The castle is next.”

---

The knights’ reactions to Viktor’s words were split in half.

“Unbelievable! That barbarian bastard is definitely lying! It’s a scheme to agitate us!”

“He spilled their plans so easily? Very suspicious. How can we believe those words?”

“Sir, don’t be deceived by him. I think it would be more comfortable to cut out that cunning tongue.”

Those who didn’t believe at all and were suspicious.

“But… doesn’t it make some sense? This ambush was quite a cunning operation. If not for Sir Yelchin and Sir Viktor, we would have been the ones caught.”

“If they were monitoring the castle gates openly, it would be natural to attempt to defeat us one by one. If they surrounded the castle while many units were out? And if they captured those who went out and showed them to the people inside the castle? There would be no way not to be shaken.”

Those who felt it was plausible and believed they should prepare.

As the knights’ opinions split, even the attendants below began murmuring among themselves.

It was all the more so because both sides made reasonable points.

Not only the knights with relatively strong minds, but even ordinary servants were all anxious.

The shock of being counter-ambushed in what they thought would be an overwhelmingly advantageous surprise attack was that great.

Moreover, they had nearly lost three knights to an attack they had somewhat anticipated.

Viktor was still walking around fine despite taking an arrow to the shoulder, but Sir Yelchin and another knight were still hovering between life and death.

Either way, they all felt that the barbarian threat had reached right up to their chin.

Finally, one knight who couldn’t bear the nerve-wracking anxiety drew his weapon and shouted.

“I need to cut off that damned barbarian bastard’s head first! Maybe he deliberately stirred up trouble by running his mouth!”

As he walked step by step toward where Tumen was tied up, someone blocked his path.

“…Sir Viktor, step aside. I need to cut down that bastard!”

“Calm down for a moment first.”

It was Viktor.

He lightly patted the excited knight’s shoulder.

Thud, thud!

“…?!”

As the knight grabbed his numbed shoulder and involuntarily sat down, Viktor looked at everyone and spoke.

“Whether what my prisoner said is true or not, one thing is certain. To save these two knights, we need to enter the castle as quickly as possible. Another thing to mention is that perhaps those in the castle don’t yet understand the current situation. Our going to inform them could be of great help.”

At Viktor’s words, the knights finally nodded.

There was no other alternative, and they were unknowingly overwhelmed by his charisma.

If Yelchin had the typical knight’s charisma of growling, shouting, and coaxing, Viktor was the type who didn’t speak roughly or raise his voice, but somehow made people follow him without realizing it.

Even though he clearly spoke in a low voice, his tone strangely stuck clearly in their ears, and the strange sense of intimidation that always emanated from his body made this possible.

The attendants quickly began organizing the camp.

Once decided, they had to return to the castle as quickly as possible.

Led by Viktor, the knights first slowly began riding their horses.

In the direction they were galloping, dawn was gradually breaking.

---

In the early dawn, a great shout rang out from Radovitz’s watchtower.

“It’s our allies! Our allies who went to Remolnyaf are returning!”

The guards moved busily, and the postern gate was opened.

Watching the knights entering through it, one mercenary gulped.

The knights’ appearance… was not normal.

The appearance of knights who had fought enemies through the night and returned hastily to the castle without proper rest was extremely haggard.

Armor still stained with bloodstains that they hadn’t properly cleaned off, and wounds visible all over their bodies.

This was true for servants, squires, and knights alike.

The knight at the front had his shoulder completely wrapped with bandages that had turned dark red, and behind him two knights were being carried in on stretchers, unconscious.

Anyone looking would not find it suspicious at all to call them defeated soldiers.

Though the knights claimed they had returned victorious, none showed the arrogant demeanor typical of knights who had achieved military merit.

Instead, their expressions were seriously hardened.

Not just that mercenary, but everyone watching the knights’ return instinctively felt it.

That something had gone terribly wrong!

The knight with bandages around his shoulder, Viktor, spoke with a stern expression.

“Report to Count and the castle lord. And please call for healers and priests as quickly as possible.”

---

The castle was turned upside down.

This was because the unhealthy appearance of the knights who were supposed to have returned with victory was revealed.

That was definitely not the appearance of those who had won after experiencing fierce battle.

Not one of them looked proud or pleased.

However, at least the confusion among the commoners and mercenaries in the castle was less than that of the high-ranking officials.

The eastern lords, Viscount Odor, and Count Yakobski were engulfed in terrible shock.

“Is, is that really true…?”

Instead of Viscount Odor, who remained silent, the Count spoke.

Viscount Odor had been keeping his head down with a grave expression ever since receiving the report about Yelchin’s condition.

“At least according to that man’s words, yes. I think it’s worth confirming whether it’s true or not.”

When Viktor bowed his head and spoke calmly, Mikhail beside the Count muttered with a complicated expression.

“If those words are really true… those who went outside are in danger.”

“That’s right… Castle lord, though it may be troubling, you must make a decision now.”

When the Count looked at Viscount Odor and spoke in a strong tone, the Viscount finally began to speak.

“Viktor, was it…?”

“Yes, castle lord.”

“In any case, thank you for bringing Sir Yelchin here. Also, for noticing the castle’s crisis and rushing back.”

“It was naturally what I should do.”

The Viscount smiled slightly, then continued with a cold expression.

“But I believe you’ll understand my position of not being able to completely trust your words.”

“Castle lord!”

The Count shouted, but Viscount Odor’s expression didn’t soften.

“I don’t mean I won’t believe his words. Naturally, there’s a need to confirm it. However, right now it’s merely the words of one barbarian. We can’t rule out the possibility that he lied.”

“Hmm…”

The Count coughed somewhat dissatisfied, but Viktor actually liked the Viscount’s cautious appearance.

The Viscount’s attitude was not a bad judgment as a castle lord.

Actually, deciding future direction based solely on the words of one barbarian whose identity wasn’t even verified was somewhat problematic.

It was better to respond a bit late while checking thoroughly than to face the worst situation by being deceived by false information.

“Sir, don’t think too harshly of it. Since it’s information you personally confirmed, I personally want to believe it, but convincing the lords over there is another matter.”

The eastern lords were reacting like a stirred beehive to the news Viktor brought.

From those arguing they should immediately go to the rescue, to those claiming Viktor who brought false news should be punished, even to those arguing they should leave the east and seek refuge in other castles of the principality.

Even now, loud voices were continuously echoing from the next room.

Viktor simply bowed his head once more without saying anything particular.

“Count, and if the castle lord has so decided, I will simply follow.”

At this truly reliable and trustworthy attitude, smiles naturally appeared on both nobles’ faces.

Though the situation was developing urgently, having at least one trustworthy knight was quite reassuring.

“Sir, we will definitely discuss your achievements later. You have truly rendered great service this time as well. You’ve really worked hard.”

“You also seem to have serious injuries, so go in and rest quickly. I’ll send a healer right away.”

These were the words of the Count and Viscount respectively.

Viktor bowed respectfully and slowly left the room.

From now on, it was time for those two nobles to perform.