The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 67 - Knight of Ascension (2)

“That Kobarov family…”

At Viktor’s words, Yelchin bowed his head even deeper.

He had nothing more to say.

After all, it was true that he had conducted background investigations with ill intentions, so it wouldn’t have been strange at all if Viktor had challenged him to a duel over this matter.

However, Viktor’s following words were of a kind that Yelchin had not expected.

“When you mention ‘that family,’ do you perhaps mean the household that ruled a small village in the eastern edge of the Uley region?”

“…That’s right. The family whose head was the knight who became the catalyst for this war… Sir, surely not?”

Yelchin’s eyes widened.

He understood what it meant for a knight who had come with the Count to know in such detail about a family that had ruled a small village buried in the eastern frontier.

“Sir Viktor, are you truly saying you’re from that Kobarov family?!”

“For now, I’d appreciate it if you stopped going on about ‘that Kobarov family’ and such.”

Yelchin was flustered seeing Viktor speak so calmly without any particular agitation.

“I was completely convinced you must be from a different family that just happened to use the same name…”

“Oh, I’m curious about your reason for thinking that.”

“Well… I thought all the people from that family were nothing special… Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

Yelchin seemed confused as he grabbed his head and shook it back and forth.

“The savior of Radovitz was from the family that became the catalyst for the war? Good heavens… Does this even make sense…? How could such a thing…!”

According to what his retainer had heard from Viktor’s attendant, this knight before his eyes was supposedly one who had been active in the great northeastern city of Permikoff.

It was a background difficult to imagine for someone from a small family located at the eastern edge of the principality.

Moreover, Viktor was the knight who had single-handedly defeated the army of Ibuti, the barbarian war leader who had been advancing toward the principality, and had joined the eastern expedition after receiving the Count’s proposal.

In addition, he was also an amazing knight with incredible power who had subdued the notorious forest spirit Leshy and had been winning every battle he participated in since arriving in the east, so Yelchin had no choice but to think he had been completely mistaken.

After muttering to himself for a while, Yelchin suddenly raised his head with a solemn expression.

“Sir, though I had resolved to definitely question those family members if I ever met them, you are different. How could I do such a thing to my life’s benefactor, no matter what?”

‘Hmm… I knew something like this would happen eventually.’

Unlike the restless Yelchin, Viktor was utterly calm.

This was something he had already thought about several times in his head since the day he decided to go east.

Since he was from a small family that had only ruled a small village, he had once thought it would be difficult for anyone to recognize him in the first place, but after seeing how easily the Count and Mikhail had discovered his background, he had long since abandoned such complacent thinking.

Seeing Viktor’s attitude, Yelchin spoke again with an admiring yet still solemn tone.

“It wouldn’t be good if others found out. Don’t worry, Sir. No matter what happens, I won’t reveal this secret. I’ll even swear an oath if needed.”

“…?”

At Yelchin’s words, Viktor tilted his head.

“You’ll keep it secret?”

“Of course! If it becomes known that your family was the one that became the source of the war, there won’t be a single good thing about it! There will definitely be those who ostracize you or pick fights with you.”

“Like you were planning to do?”

Despite his oath just moments before, at Viktor’s joke that slipped out of habit, Yelchin’s face reddened.

“Please forgive me. I didn’t have good feelings toward the Kobarov family… But personally, having had my life saved and seeing the knight who safely protected this castle, I’m not shameless enough to pick a fight!”

Viktor stared at Yelchin intently, then burst into a chuckle.

Though he had a quick temper, he didn’t seem like such a bad person.

Viktor slowly opened his mouth.

“Certainly, there’s nothing good about it being known. Thank you for saying that.”

“…Mm, don’t worry. Even if my lord questions me, I absolutely won’t open my mouth. A knight’s oath isn’t something that breaks so easily.”

Yelchin nodded reliably, but at Viktor’s following words, he became dumbfounded.

“Still, don’t worry too much. Though I’m displeased that you conducted background investigations, my origins are already known to those who know.”

“…?!”

“In the first place, one of the reasons I came east was because the Count promised to return my family’s territory to me. Sir Mikhail also knows which family I’m from.”

“…I see.”

Yelchin now seemed to understand why Viktor was so calm.

The Count and other leadership hadn’t particularly considered Viktor’s origins shameful to begin with.

It was obvious just from how they simply rejoiced without being particularly wary each time Viktor achieved tremendous feats.

‘Well… Sir Kobarov who caused the problem has already paid the price…’

Yelchin’s eyes began to moisten.

“Indeed, that’s how it was… So that’s why you returned with the Count. I truly understand that feeling. The anger toward those barbarian bastards who destroyed your family drove you!”

‘What nonsense is he spouting.’

Yelchin seemed to become emotional as easily as his quick temper, his eyes reddening.

“Having your family’s territory trampled under the hooves of those vermin-like barbarians must have been utterly devastating. It must have felt like your heart was being torn apart.”

“…”

“Now I understand why you rejected His Excellency’s proposal too. It must be your own resolution to reclaim your homeland, your territory. Truly… you’re a knight I can only respect.”

Viktor had to acknowledge it now.

The nobles of this world, especially knights, had an extremely strong tendency to not listen to others and think whatever they pleased.

‘Quite an active imagination.’

However, he didn’t bother to correct Yelchin’s misunderstanding.

It was obvious he wouldn’t listen even if told, and honestly… it didn’t matter much how he thought about it.

‘If he’s satisfied on his own, that’s enough. Though it might be different if he were to take issue with my origins…’

From what he could see, Yelchin didn’t seem likely to do such a thing at all.

Viktor gained some confidence from his reaction.

That the victories he had achieved so far had come to possess considerable influence.

Even if another person who learned of his origins harbored ill intentions and attacked him, he had built up enough authority to roughly crush such attempts.

‘From now on, I won’t need to worry quite so much.’

There had once been times when he worried about suffering misfortune if the truth of the incident was revealed, but now many things had changed.

The difference between him who had fled shabbily to avoid barbarian attacks and him who was now praised as the savior of Radovitz could be considered completely different people.

Viktor slowly patted Yelchin’s back, trying to calm him down.

No matter how much it didn’t concern him, watching a grown man sniffle was quite an ordeal.

And while Viktor had his back turned, the slightly open door began to slowly close.

After the door closed soundlessly, Viktor glanced back briefly.

He remained as calm as ever.

---

Baron Amur spat excitedly with an intensely excited expression.

“Really, really? Sir Yelchin definitely said that?”

“Yes, I’m certain. I heard it clearly with my own two ears.”

As his faithful servant bowed, the baron burst into hearty laughter.

“Haha, you did very well. If this matter goes well, I’ll greatly reward your contribution.”

“Thank you, master.”

The servant stepped back slowly with a proud expression.

Watching this sight with satisfaction, the baron slowly rubbed his belly.

‘It was worth spreading them everywhere after all. That southern gentleman probably couldn’t even imagine such methods.’

The baron straightened his back arrogantly, mocking the castle lord who had allowed the eastern lords’ servants to help with the castle’s menial work due to manpower shortages.

He was the lord who had dispatched the most servants, and his servants were faithfully serving as his hands and feet, exploring information throughout the castle.

For Baron Amur, who knew that information was most important for surviving as a noble, this was a very welcome situation.

And just now, one of his servants had finally brought extremely important information.

He had obtained the possibility of breaking through an uncertain future.

The baron suddenly hardened his face and ground his teeth.

‘Damn bastard. How dare he humiliate me?’

He still remembered it clearly.

The cold face of that large knight who had looked down at him arrogantly.

As that face came to mind—the face that seemed to consider him beneath notice—the baron struck the table in front of him.

Then he shouted.

“As you’ve all heard, we must not miss this opportunity. If we don’t break that knight bastard’s arrogance even now, there will be no place left for us to stand!”

The noble who had grumbled pathetically in the great hall about not being able to give up his knights while watching Viktor’s mood.

Baron Amur, who had gradually expanded his influence since that day to become almost the representative of the eastern lords, had a triumphant smile on his face.

The position of the eastern lords was instability itself.

Not dispatching knights to a reckless battle that showed not even a speck of planning was certainly a rational decision, but unbelievably, the strike force had precisely hit where the enemy’s leader was and smashed them.

As a result, the barbarians whose encirclement had collapsed withdrew, and the people in the castle who had been in poor food circumstances were essentially saved by them.

If the strike force had failed to break through one side of the encirclement, or if the person who happened to be there hadn’t been the leader, the barbarians would have completed their encirclement, and the fate that would have awaited the people was obviously either starving to death or surrendering.

However, despite having their lives saved, the lords felt no gratitude at all.

No, rather, they resented those who had sortied.

‘They should have just crashed and died there! Not achieving any merit at all—how can I guarantee my rights this way?’

‘I should have just sent the knights. Damn it… Could it be that these people knew the barbarians’ situation all along but kept quiet to exclude us?’

The fact that the lords hadn’t mobilized any knights at all soon spread throughout the castle, and their already poor reputation fell to rock bottom.

Even those who had tried to console themselves that they had merely pursued practical interests were completely branded as cowards after the attack succeeded.

Having gained nothing in terms of merit or reputation, they soon began to resent even the castle lord and Count.

They suspected that despite knowing the enemies’ weaknesses, they had deliberately not informed them and tried to gain benefits only among themselves.

Though it was quite an unfair accusation for the two men, since the lords’ influence in the castle had become terrible, it wasn’t a big problem.

And this incident completely shattered the lords’ pride.

They now had to tremble with anxiety.

The fear that their power would crumble immediately if anyone voiced suspicions about the eastern lords.

The knights who couldn’t participate in battle were sending disappointed looks to their lords every day, and the mercenaries and conscripts they had barely gathered were gradually getting out of control.

Someone had to take responsibility for the devastation of the east, and the nightmare that it would be them was gradually becoming reality.

When opinions were widespread that they should bow down and submit to the Count or castle lord even now, it was Baron Amur who rallied them again.

He persuaded the lords that if the alliance dissolved, all benefits would go to nobles from other regions, and if that happened, the eastern nobles would decline endlessly.

And finally, Baron Amur was able to obtain the crucial thread to overturn this unfavorable situation.

‘If I can just overturn the tide now, I can stand tall in a position truly representing the eastern alliance. If that happens… kuhahaha!’

Sticky greed appeared around the baron’s eyes, but those present didn’t care.

Right now, his power was desperately needed no matter what anyone said.

“But can we really use this? That knight’s momentum isn’t ordinary… If a backlash comes…”

One lord carefully voiced his opinion, but Baron Amur firmly shook his head.

“No, don’t worry. Sir Viktor is practically the Count’s right-hand man. Just breaking his momentum and stirring up controversy will make it impossible for the Count’s faction to move easily.”

“But that alone…”

Seeing the lord worry that it might unnecessarily create trouble, Baron Amur cursed inwardly but remained outwardly calm.

“That alone isn’t enough. Everyone, listen to me for a moment.”

As the people in the hall began to focus on his mouth, he nodded with a satisfied expression and opened his mouth.

“My plan is this. To reveal that the source of this information is Sir Yelchin.”

“…Surely not!”

“That’s right. Making the Count and castle lord fight each other. Especially now when their relationship is already distant, just throwing a spark will obviously make them start tearing at each other.”

‘And then, a gap for us to survive will open.’

At Baron Amur’s words, another lord close to him opened his mouth with admiration.

“Then they too will have no choice but to be conscious of our faction, is that what you mean?”

“Exactly. Since they can’t completely ignore us either, we negotiate then. Let’s fight together from now on, and stop monopolizing military achievements and share rights fairly!”

“Ohhh!!”

“Indeed, Baron Amur. Truly excellent strategy.”

As praise from the lords continued, his shoulders swelled with pride.

The sweet taste of power was truly addictive.

Then another lord quietly muttered again.

It was the lord who had been anxious from the beginning, pointing out various things to him.

“Still, I wonder if that will really be enough…”

‘This cowardly bastard!’

Veins bulged at the baron’s temples.

However, he had to barely breathe in and control his anger.

There were quite a few lords who still looked anxious even at a glance.

‘These stupid bastards… This is why the Count and Viscount ignore them. Calling such things nobles too, how pathetic…’

But no matter how frustrating and irritating it was, they were now the solid pillars supporting him.

Baron Amur made a confident expression and waved his hand.

“Caution is an excellent virtue. But everyone, don’t worry. What I’ve prepared isn’t just this method.”

“…Baron, are you saying you have something else prepared?”

Baron Amur’s finger began pointing somewhere.

Following his finger, people cried out with surprised expressions.

“No, those people are…! Baron, what on earth is this!”

“Hehehe… Well, no matter how great that knight bastard is, he doesn’t have only allies on his side.”

Those with disgruntled expressions, arms crossed.

Looking at those who should definitely not be here, Baron Amur’s mouth opened.

“Isn’t that right, Sirs?”

“…Hmph.”

Some of the Count’s young knights revealed themselves in the eastern lords’ meeting hall.