The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 70

Knight of Ascension (5)

Murmur, murmur!

Countless people had gathered in the square.

The mercenaries brought by the nobles, residents working in the castle, and even high-ranking knights.

Normally, such a large gathering without the castle lord’s proper permission would have been illegal, but people didn’t want to miss the good entertainment of watching the famous Count’s knights give speeches.

“…Therefore, we demand the truth about Sir Viktor’s scandal!”

“If Sir Viktor is truly revealed to be from a dishonorable family, he must take proper responsibility for it!”

The young men were passionately arguing that the truth about the rapidly spreading rumors needed to be determined.

The mercenaries listening to the story with interest exchanged opinions among themselves.

“Captain, what do you think? That knight seems quite dissatisfied.”

Maksim, captain of the Birch Tree Mercenary Company, scratched his chin and replied indifferently.

“Well, I just don’t understand what those knights are thinking.”

“Huh? What’s there to understand or not understand?”

“You idiot, did you forget whose unit those people belong to? They’re from the same Count’s army as Sir Viktor.”

“…So what about that?”

As his subordinate muttered sullenly, Maksim kicked his shin with an annoyed expression.

“You stupid bastard… think about it this way. If our company’s youngest started babbling that your background was suspicious because of some rumor, what would that be like?”

“Shit, the youngest acted so presumptuously and spouted such nonsense? That little bastard… no, Captain! You wouldn’t believe what the youngest said, would you?”

“No, you moron! I’m not saying he actually did that, but what if he did! Ah, really…!”

As Maksim clenched his fists in frustration, his subordinate flinched but carefully opened his mouth.

“Ah! Then… naturally I’d think the youngest had gone crazy. If rumors were going around, it might be suspicious, but to openly scratch at a senior in the same mercenary company—that clearly reeks of intent to get him kicked out.”

“Right, buddy. From what I can see, those knights are doing exactly what that youngest would be doing. Does that make some sense to you?”

“Ah, I get it a bit! But… would knights be the same as mercenary scum like us? Wouldn’t they have some kind of plan?”

Maksim sighed at his subordinate spouting nonsense and whispered quietly so others couldn’t hear.

“Did you eat your mercenary experience through your asshole? It’s not really my place to say, but knights being violent and ignorant isn’t news. Saying stupid things is fine, but if you talk nonsense in front of the rookies too, you’re dead, seriously.”

Having shut up his subordinate, Maksim looked back toward where the knights were giving their passionate speeches.

It wasn’t that he was well-educated—he was actually rather ignorant—but as a veteran who had gained experience leading a mercenary company, their speeches looked like a funeral mass to him.

‘To openly attack over just some rumors, what are they even thinking…’

Just then, as if reading Maksim’s thoughts, someone began speaking in an exaggerated voice.

The sound of clapping was a bonus.

“Indeed, a true model of knights who cannot tolerate injustice! Your righteous hearts have been well conveyed to here!”

‘What kind of idiot is this now.’

Maksim cursed inwardly and looked toward where the voice came from.

Not only that, but most of the people gathered in the square began focusing on the man who had spoken.

As if enjoying those gazes, the fat man moved his steps proudly.

It was Baron Amur.

Accompanied by several nobles and guards, he looked around arrogantly as if he were the castle lord himself.

However, the people in the venue only bowed their heads and didn’t dare oppose the Baron.

Even if it was annoying, the difference in status was absolute.

With the appearance of a noble who was rarely seen in such squares, rather than being displeased, people became interested in how things would proceed.

Baron Amur smiled with satisfaction and spoke to the young knights again.

“Sirs, do you recognize me?”

Looking at the Baron who was playing innocent, the lead knight casually saluted.

“Aren’t you Baron Amur, Your Excellency? What brings you here?”

“Haha, I happened to hear your voices while taking a walk. Listening, I found there were quite reasonable points, so I came forward.”

The Baron, who had been responding in a somewhat theatrical tone, coughed briefly and spoke again.

“I too have heard the unsavory rumors spreading recently. If true, it would be quite a worrying story indeed. That the knight called the pride of the Count’s army and the savior of Radovitz is actually the source of this entire war…”

Baron Amur subtly implied that Viktor was indeed the source and shook his head.

“No matter how much it might be mere rumors, since the source is said to be the utterly trustworthy Sir Yelchin, it’s worth investigating… Sirs must have come here with such feelings, right?”

At those words, the young knight at the front scowled and replied curtly.

“That may be so, but this is ultimately a problem within our Count’s army. It’s not something for the Baron to concern himself with.”

Baron Amur’s face reddened slightly.

“R-right. That may be so, but… if those rumors are really true, this matter is no longer something to be handled internally within the Count’s army, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know on what grounds you make such statements.”

As the young knight continued to respond contrarily, Baron Amur’s face finally began to harden.

‘This impudent knight doesn’t even know I’m trying to help him and is being difficult?’

The Baron desperately controlled his facial muscles that wanted to contort and continued in a slightly colder tone.

“Just seeing you sirs openly criticizing Sir Viktor in the square like this shows that this problem contains the meaning that it cannot be resolved internally. Otherwise, what were you thinking in coming forward so openly? Isn’t that right?”

“…That was merely to inform everyone of the truth. It wasn’t for any other purpose. Baron, please don’t concern yourself further.”

With the young knight’s words, deep silence fell over the square.

Maksim sighed without realizing it.

‘Are they being serious? Is it because they’re still young, they don’t even know what they’re doing… this is why no matter how much they’re knights, youngsters are still youngsters.’

Their words clearly wouldn’t even serve as excuses.

To anyone watching, openly criticizing in such a public place, whatever their intentions, could only be seen as picking a fight.

Even Baron Amur, who had appeared with great momentum, was standing speechless for a moment.

“Stand back, everyone stand back!”

“Clear the way, the castle lord is passing through!”

A group of knights shouted while pushing people aside, and soon a path was made.

And through it, several people slowly began to appear.

“No, that person is…?!”

“Damn crazy… today must be the day.”

All those gathered around were both surprised and excited.

The situation was becoming even more interesting.

Not only Viscount Odor, the castle lord, but even Count Yakobski, the lord of the knights who had caused the disturbance, appeared in the square together.

As the great nobles who would normally be hard to see showed themselves one after another, despite the intimidation of the fierce knights, people began to watch the square closely while pressing against each other, not wanting to miss this rare spectacle.

The young knights looked extremely tense, probably not expecting the Count to come personally.

However, since they had also taken their stand with some resolve, their will not to retreat easily was clearly conveyed.

Watching this, the Count’s face hardened even more coldly.

As the two great nobles finally approached, Baron Amur spoke.

“Greetings, Castle Lord. And Lord Yakobski. What brings such distinguished persons to a place like this?”

The Count didn’t even respond to those words and spoke coldly.

“Sirs. What exactly are you doing now?”

Baron Amur’s face turned red from being ignored, but no one cared.

“Your Excellency! We demand the truth about Sir Viktor’s scandal! It would be proper to summon Sir Yelchin and Sir Viktor to confirm the truth!”

“…That’s not for you to decide. What presumptuous behavior is this?”

At the Count’s cold words, the knights flinched, but now there was no turning back.

The young knight at the front gritted his teeth and shouted.

“My lord, please understand our loyalty! Sir Viktor is untrustworthy! The very fact that such rumors are spreading proves it. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire!”

As soon as the knight finished speaking, Baron Amur also ground his teeth and added.

“Lord Yakobski! This matter must be thoroughly investigated. And if it’s truly proven to be fact, you too must take responsibility!”

“…What did you just say?”

As the Count glared at Baron Amur in disbelief, he sneered and spoke again.

“If your knight is revealed to be dishonorable, naturally the lord must also take responsibility! And this isn’t just some marketplace rumor—it came from Sir Yelchin’s mouth… isn’t that sufficiently credible?”

At the Baron’s words, the Count’s beard began to tremble.

Presumptuously, a mere baron from the eastern countryside was daring to threaten him.

The Count looked at his young knights.

This incident was too far over the line to pass off as youthful rashness.

Not only acting recklessly against their lord’s will, but being manipulated by such a third-rate local noble.

No matter how much the Count cherished his knights, this was hard to forgive easily.

‘I have no need for knights who soil their lord’s honor.’

Just as the Count was hardening his resolve, the Viscount, whose face had hardened just as much, interjected.

“Baron, you’d better watch your tongue. Those foolish knights should be left to their lord’s judgment, but you’re different. Who do you dare speak of in such terms?”

“…Castle Lord! Even if you are the castle lord, you cannot treat me so rudely. Am I making unreasonable statements? If rumors have spread this widely, couldn’t I propose to determine their truth or falsehood?”

As Baron Amur spoke cunningly, the Viscount’s face contorted.

“Don’t you know when and where to speak, Baron? Well, you were the same during the war. Not stepping forward when you should, and stepping forward when you shouldn’t—I see they teach such ways in the east?”

Even hearing words close to abuse from the Viscount, Baron Amur didn’t budge.

“Hm, how desperate you are. No matter how much the Castle Lord protests, everyone knows that the source of all these rumors is the Castle Lord’s knight. Isn’t that right, Lord Yakobski?”

At those words, the Count sighed.

“…If you insist on going that far, can you take responsibility?”

“Responsibility?”

The Count looked back and forth between the Baron and his knights and continued.

“The words you’ve spoken—can you take responsibility for them? What do you plan to do if the rumors turn out to be false?”

At those words, the young knight shouted with a resolute face.

“If they’re truly false, naturally we must take responsibility! We were prepared for that much!”

At the knight’s firm words, the Baron also smiled slightly and nodded.

“If these knights’ claims are wrong, naturally I too will apologize. But from what I can see, your knights don’t seem to be saying anything incorrect.”

At those words, the young knight turned his head sharply to glare at the Baron.

‘This pig is trying to pin everything on us?!’

The Baron sneered at him.

‘I incited you for exactly this purpose, boy.’

The Count, who had been watching these two coldly, suddenly spoke in a heavy voice.

“How you’ll take responsibility isn’t for you to decide. I’m tired of wasting energy on such pointless matters.”

The Count continued without giving them a chance to respond.

“It would be fastest to hear directly from the person involved. Wouldn’t you agree, Sir?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Whoosh!

People’s gazes turned quickly.

As someone who had been among the crowd slowly revealed himself, people cheered.

“It’s Sir Viktor!”

“The subject of the rumors, the savior of Radovitz is here!”

“My word, was he listening to everything from the beginning?!”

“Sir Yelchin is beside him too!”

Viktor and Yelchin walked toward the center with confident strides.

Crunch!

The young knight glared at Viktor and bit his lips.

This had been done to put him in his place, but facing him directly, the intimidation was no joke.

However, this was a situation where he had resolved himself and appealed even to his lord.

Finally, the two men’s gazes clashed.

“…!”

The knight who met Viktor’s emotionless gaze unconsciously stepped back.

Realizing this fact, just as he was about to speak first with a reddened face, Viktor struck first.

“Did you say I was hiding the truth?”

As the low but clearly audible voice echoed in his ears, the knight tried to shake off the overwhelming feeling and spoke roughly.

“That’s right! The suspicion that you are from the family that caused the war and served while hiding this! We must resolve it here! If it’s true, you must take responsibility for your own dishonor and for causing the war!”

“I’ll prove it.”

As Viktor spoke calmly, the knight’s face contorted.

“…Are you admitting it now?”

“No, I have never spoken a single falsehood, but you won’t believe my words.”

“That’s naturally…!”

Viktor raised his hand.

“Then there’s only one method. God will discern those who lie.”

“…!!”

“Your Excellency, please permit me to hold a trial by combat with this man. As witness, I request Father Anton.”

The venue was struck by shock.