The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 60 - Tribal Conflict (25)

The surroundings fell silent for a moment.

In the center of the great hall, Viktor stood proudly among the falling particles of light.

Watching him, one lord suddenly muttered.

“That knight is…”

To catch and tear apart with bare hands a sphere of light that had been flying violently enough to shatter sturdy castle walls—it was something that could only be done by a knight who was unbelievably bold and powerful.

Anton, who had been standing dazed, hurriedly approached and examined Viktor’s body.

“Sir, are you injured anywhere?!”

“Ah, Father. I’m fine.”

Viktor lightly turned his neck and brushed himself off.

There didn’t seem to be anything seriously wrong.

Anton spoke again with relief but still in a surprised voice.

“Since you directly received the witch’s sorcery with your body, there’s no telling when something might go wrong. It would be better to avoid directly receiving such power in the future.”

“…Thank you for the advice.”

Viktor nodded.

He had witnessed witch’s sorcery before, but in such matters it was right to listen to an expert.

‘Back then too, I carelessly breathed in cinnabar powder without thinking…’

Since he had a history of inhaling cinnabar-burned powder thanks to the old woman he met in the forest, he accepted Anton’s words and turned around.

Come to think of it, he felt his body had become lighter since then, but surely cinnabar couldn’t actually be good for the body?

‘But it doesn’t seem like the one using this sorcery is that witch.’

Viktor had gained a kind of certainty while receiving the sphere with his body.

He felt it was completely different from the sorcery of the forest witch, Frizba.

Though he couldn’t explain it, he somehow felt that things like temperament or the waves of power didn’t match.

Viktor avoided Anton, who was still sending worried glances from beside him, and walked toward Viscount Odor, who was getting up.

“Castle lord, are you alright?”

When Viktor bowed his head and asked, the castle lord replied in a trembling voice.

“Thank you, Sir… If not for you, I would have… But what on earth…?”

The castle lord seemed shocked by Viktor’s power.

His raised eyebrows and wrinkled forehead spoke for him.

Lusimov, the viscount’s retainer, also had a similar expression to his lord.

However, Viktor, seeming not particularly bothered, began to say what he wanted to say rather than answering about that.

“Castle lord, it’s not too late even now. We must settle things with them before being surrounded. Please grant permission to sortie.”

“…!”

“Sir, but against those who use such strange powers, without even castle walls…”

Lusimov, who was beside them, spoke in place of the silent castle lord, but Viktor simply shook his head lightly in response.

“I will go and kill the caster. If we’re surrounded here, we’ll have no choice but to starve to death. You know well that now is the time to make our decisive move.”

“…But the opponents are those barbarians. Sir, are you truly confident?”

When the viscount finally spoke, Viktor nodded with a face like steel.

“No problem.”

It was an utterly reliable statement.

Of course, normally the castle lord would have approached cautiously no matter how confidently someone spoke, but the words of a knight who had just torn apart an enemy’s sorcery right before his eyes were different.

The weight was on an entirely different level.

When the castle lord made a troubled expression, Lusimov spoke up once more.

“But Sir, how many could possibly sortie? Shamefully, my lord’s forces here aren’t that numerous… Moreover, getting permission from the Count…”

Lusimov’s words were valid.

All the forces in the castle couldn’t be used freely even by the castle lord.

After all, command authority was distributed among each noble, and to fight together, they had to be persuaded.

Lusimov didn’t even mention the forces of the eastern lords who were already in confrontation.

He was worried about whether they could mobilize the Count’s army, and even if they mobilized that army, whether they could achieve victory in a field battle against those countless barbarians.

Even if Viktor had shown incredible prowess right before their eyes, war clearly wasn’t something that could be done with individual strength alone.

As if understanding Lusimov’s concerns, Viktor sent eyes that seemed to blaze like fire.

“I’m not saying we should fight recklessly. I judge that there’s still a chance of victory now.”

“…!!”

At that confident statement, not only Lusimov but even the castle lord’s eyes widened.

“Clashing head-on with them is naturally the worst strategy. Though I don’t know their exact numbers, our current available forces are clearly few. The possibility of winning through fighting is low, and there aren’t many advantages either.”

“…You understand the situation accurately. Sir, would you tell us what you’re thinking?”

The viscount realized that the knight before him hadn’t spoken carelessly out of mere bravado, and now began looking at Viktor with eyes containing some enthusiasm.

“We must shock them. Right before the encirclement is completed, when our forces still have the opportunity to retreat to the castle walls, when we can strike in only one direction without giving them our flanks—now is the time.”

Terrifying momentum began rising from Viktor’s entire body.

“We directly target their leadership.”

‘A decapitation strike…!’

Lusimov involuntarily shuddered and opened his mouth.

‘An insanely reckless operation… but… there’s possibility!’

It was an operation that couldn’t be easily suggested without absolute confidence in one’s own martial prowess.

“The burden of failure isn’t great either. Please give me knights and cavalry. Even if we fail to destroy their leadership, I can extract myself. The castle walls are right in front of us.”

“…!”

“At minimum, I will definitely kill the witch who used this sorcery and return. Not only can it destroy castle walls, but from what I saw on my way here, it seems to affect people’s minds as well. If we kill the caster, the enemy’s burden will increase and ours will decrease.”

“…!!”

“Nothing else is needed. Just open the postern gate for me. I will definitely make this charge succeed. I will show them the power of the principality.”

“…Sir!!!”

As Viktor finished speaking, he drew his mace and struck the floor.

Thud!

His firm expression, intense eyes that seemed ablaze with fire, and every concise yet powerful gesture.

It was overwhelming charisma.

The viscount suddenly raised his head.

Viktor’s words somehow stirred up his emotions.

His words had that much appeal and power to make people boil over.

And it wasn’t just the viscount who felt this way.

“…Sir! Your words stir my heart!”

“Sir, if it’s alright, may I join in that great charge?”

“This is how a knight should be! This attack will surely be remembered in history!”

The knights standing around threw words at Viktor with expressions of mad excitement.

Nothing could stimulate knights’ spirits more than an operation to cut across a barbarian army with a small cavalry charge and crush their leadership.

The knights, whose blood had already begun to boil, became extremely excited and began competing to offer their weapons.

It was a ritual unique to knights, meaning they would entrust their strength to him.

Even Lusimov, renowned for being cool-headed, was no exception.

He looked at Viktor with a flushed expression.

“Sir! Your words make my heart pound. Yes, that’s right. If we don’t act when we can, we mustn’t. Now is the best time to defeat them!”

“Uwaaaah!”

The atmosphere in the great hall, which had been dejected just moments before, was instantly reversed.

The decisive spark was the Count’s words.

He stood up with an expression as excited as the knights and shouted.

“I entrust all the cavalry and knights who followed me to your hands! If I don’t trust you at a time like this, how can I call myself a man of the north! Go, go and smash them to pieces!”

The knights now fidgeted restlessly as if a festival had begun.

They felt like immediately mounting horses and trampling those bastards’ heads and dyeing their bodies with that blood.

‘Your Excellency, to transfer command authority so easily…’

Mikhail smiled complexly.

The Count had an impulsive side that didn’t befit a great noble.

Such bold and hearty aspects were also factors in his popularity, but normally he shouldn’t carelessly entrust command authority to someone who wasn’t definitively his knight yet.

‘However… this time I have no choice but to acknowledge it.’

Mikhail realized he should offer counsel now, but soon he shook his head with a bitter smile.

Though his head understood, he too had already been stirred by Viktor’s words more than anyone else.

Mikhail looked toward Viktor.

There lay the weapon he had offered as if entranced just moments before.

‘It seems you truly have a destined fate, Sir.’

Though he could have been excited by the knights’ enthusiastic support and the Count’s fervent backing, Viktor’s face remained unshaken.

Mikhail somehow squinted as if looking at something dazzling.

Even before the barbarians’ meticulous attack, the principality’s new legend was blooming without collapse.

---

One of the eastern lords muttered as if bewildered.

“What are those people babbling about now?”

“…We must stop them.”

They had relatively cold blood compared to the Count—in other words, they were more noble-like.

To such people, the knights currently entranced and excited by this knight called Viktor’s words were absurdity itself.

‘No, if we just leave them alone, it’s a perfect opportunity for the Count and viscount’s power to be diminished… Really, these knights!’

‘Why are they agreeing here! Annoying as it is, we absolutely can’t defend the castle without them! There’s no need for pointless losses here!’

‘If we just leave them, it would be perfect… fewer mouths to feed and less power, wouldn’t that be ideal? It would be perfect if we could just prevent these idiotic knights from following.’

The lords each had various thoughts, but one thing was the same.

They couldn’t give their knights to such an operation!

One lord cleared his throat and carefully stepped forward.

He was one with considerable power among the eastern lords.

“I say, Viktor, was it? Wait, I have something to say.”

When Viktor turned his head at those words, the lord instantly felt as if his soul was sinking to the ground.

Unlike Viktor’s calm expression, his eyes were far too intense.

The moment their eyes met, the lord was already half-subdued.

Even in such circumstances, he could barely speak only thanks to his experience as a noble gained from ruling for many years.

“S-Sir. Your spirit is admirable, but… I can’t give you my knights. I’m sorry about this.”

Before Viktor could answer, a disgruntled voice burst out from somewhere.

“No, my lord! As a knight, if I can’t join in what might be the greatest opportunity I’d regret for life! No matter how much you are my lord, you cannot take this opportunity from me!”

“My lord! Please reconsider! Even if I die in this charge, I feel I could go peacefully to the Lord’s embrace thinking I gained the greatest honor!”

‘These muscle-brained fools! You may be comfortable dying, but I! You are my vassals!’

The lord pounded his chest feeling like he might burst.

He couldn’t lose his knights to such a hopeless charge.

He hadn’t even properly recouped the cost of their knighting ceremonies, so if his precious vassals died, who would compensate for that loss!

The lord somehow forced a smile and spoke to Viktor again.

“Sir, please understand me. I absolutely cannot condone my knights fighting under the castle lord’s banner.”

“…”

“I, I didn’t want to say this much… Please overlook this once. You can just return when it’s over, but I have to keep living in the east! I, I honestly like Viscount Odor, but I can’t help but watch other lords’ reactions… Please, couldn’t you tell my knights?”

The lord who thoughtlessly said he couldn’t fight with the viscount flinched when Viktor sent a terrifying look, then immediately changed his words.

Viktor stared at the lord who had brought up the story.

However, no one blamed Viktor for being rude.

Though Viktor was just a knight, strictly speaking he wasn’t that lord’s vassal, so as long as he didn’t act extremely rudely, there wouldn’t be major problems.

Even if Viktor was merely the third son of a knight, he was still a noble.

Surprisingly, relationships between nobles were more horizontal than expected.

Moreover, even if the lord had some influence in the east, it was difficult to say he was in an overwhelmingly superior position to Viktor in the current situation.

The lord couldn’t endure Viktor’s gaze for long and began sweating profusely.

He knew well that his words were quite selfish.

However, the lord squeezed his eyes shut and decided to be as shameless as possible.

‘I’m just exercising my rights, there’s nothing to be ashamed of!’

Viktor’s mouth slowly began to open.

“Understood. Since you’re not the castle lord’s vassal, you naturally have the right to refuse.”

“Sir?!”

“No, Sir! Are you planning to abandon us!”

Contrary to the protesting knights, the lord’s face brightened.

“Sir, now I see you’re truly a knight who communicates well, yes! Hahaha!”

‘Abandon what, don’t you know who your lord is!’

The knights were rebelling with absurd complaints, but it didn’t matter.

The lord wanted to secure a firm promise from Viktor before he might say something else.

Not only that, but the eastern lords who had been watching the situation hurriedly approached Viktor and spoke.

“Really, really? It’s fine if we don’t participate in this battle, is that what you mean?”

“Yes, that’s not something I can force, is it.”

While the lords made happy faces as if relieved by Viktor’s calm words, and the knights below widened their eyes in betrayal, his words continued once more.

“Conscripting forces and issuing sortie orders is entirely the right of those present here. It’s not something I can interfere with. However!”

When Viktor suddenly raised his voice, the lords’ murmuring stopped.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll forget the spirit of the knights who honorably entrusted their weapons to me. Sirs, listen! Even if you cannot participate in this honorable charge due to your lord’s opposing will, I will never forget the meaning of those weapons you entrusted to me. Though your will cannot accompany us to the battlefield, it will always be with us, so I have absolutely no intention of blaming you!”

Viktor bowed his head respectfully along with those words.

At that sight, some soft-hearted knights’ eyes reddened.

“Sir… you truly are…!”

“I… I… Damn it, sob!”

The eastern lords somehow felt awkward and began quietly retreating.

Though Viktor hadn’t particularly blamed them, anyone with sense knew well what treatment they might receive if they made noise in this place now.

They comforted themselves that they had gained practical benefits and slowly withdrew from their positions.

Mikhail, who had been watching this series of events, quietly approached and whispered to Viktor.

“Sir, will this really be alright? Though the lords are disagreeable, their knights would be a great help…”

Viktor quietly answered.

“No. I intended this from the beginning.”

“…?”

“If we include those knights, the lords will obviously cause a fuss claiming their achievements. We mustn’t borrow their strength here.”

“…Ha, but Sir, are you truly confident you can succeed in the operation without them?”

“The fewer numbers, the better. We can move more nimbly.”

Mikhail felt overwhelmed by Viktor’s endless confidence.

If he hadn’t shown what he had, it would have been mere recklessness, but having proven his own strength, that confidence had the power to make others very reassured.

But Viktor’s words weren’t finished.

“And… now those knights will begin to have doubts about their lords’ words.”

“…”

“Vassal contracts are strict, but loyalty cannot be obtained through that alone. This matter could… be a good opportunity when the time comes.”

Mikhail unconsciously examined Viktor’s face.

His face, still solid as steel, was reliable, and his eyes were intense, but now Viktor began to look a little different to Mikhail.

‘Did he really calculate all of this…? What exactly is he… was his schemes also this excellent…!’

Inhuman prowess and knightly boldness.

The kind and generous personality he usually showed, and the overwhelming schemes he showed behind it.

‘I knew it, but… indeed, you have the qualities of a hero!’

Mikhail’s eyes were unknowingly shaking little by little.