The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family – Chapter 71 – Knight of Ascension (6)

Author: Dawn

Viktor quietly let out a sigh.

‘So this is how things turn out.’

The people caught up in shock could say nothing and merely looked back and forth between Viktor and the young knight.

He glanced at the Count.

Seeing the Count nodding while smiling coldly, Viktor sighed once more.

‘There’s no helping it. It would be cleanest if I finish this myself.’

Viktor slowly placed his hand on his weapon and began recalling the conversation he’d had before arriving at this place.

Coming out to see what they were planning to babble about so confidently in the square was a mistake, if it was a mistake.

While preparing to come out, he had run into the Count and castle lord’s party who were likewise preparing to head to the square.

The castle lord was the first to speak.

He looked back and forth between Viktor and Yelchin, then spoke with an expression suggesting he could roughly guess what was happening.

“Sir Yelchin, did you go to provide an explanation?”

“…That’s right. I swear it wasn’t a rumor I spread, and I was trying to prove it.”

“Sigh, I knew you two had fought together and built a friendship, but this doesn’t seem right. Don’t you think you should have come to me first as your lord to explain the circumstances?”

Yelchin bowed his head shamefully at the Viscount’s rebuke.

“I’m sorry, my lord! I was in such a hurry…”

“…Enough. Be careful from now on. You’re fine in everything else, but that hasty temper of yours is the problem.”

He glanced at the Count and Viktor standing beside him, then roughly concluded his words.

He didn’t want to show an embarrassing display in front of another noble.

After the castle lord finished speaking, the Count spoke next.

“Sir Viktor, where were you headed?”

“Your Excellency. Well… I heard knights were giving speeches in the square, so I was going to listen.”

When Viktor answered honestly, the Count’s face contorted strangely.

“I was also preparing to go take a look. What a coincidence.”

“You’re going personally?”

Expecting that at most Mikhail would move to bring them back, Viktor looked at the Count with a slightly surprised expression.

“I can’t just stand by and watch my knights acting on their own… Besides, isn’t this about you, Sir? Since we happened to meet, this works out well. Let me apologize here.”

When the Count suddenly bowed his head, Viktor was startled and stopped him.

“Your Excellency, please raise your head. This isn’t something I should receive an apology for.”

“No, I bear some responsibility for how things turned out. My excessive indulgence of my knights out of affection has escalated the situation!”

The Count looked at Viktor with blazing eyes.

“The crime of carelessly speaking of military affairs during wartime—I will not let it pass easily, so I hope you can calm your anger.”

“Your Excellency, I’m not that angry, so it’s fine.”

“…!”

“They’re still young knights, so they’re at an age where they’re obsessed with knightly ideals. Though their methods were wrong, they’re sensitive about honor, so I understand.”

At his words, the Count seemed to waver for a moment, then spoke again as if his mind was made up.

“You’re truly magnanimous. But my mind won’t change, so don’t try to dissuade me. I can forgive a knight who loses in battle, but I cannot forgive a knight who insults and disrespects his lord.”

Viktor lightly nodded at the Count’s words.

“Do as you wish, Your Excellency.”

“…You won’t try to stop me?”

“Do I have a reason to stop you? I only said I understood their feelings, not that I don’t think they did wrong.”

“Mm…!”

Then the Viscount, who had been listening to their conversation, carefully interjected.

“Then let me ask just one thing. Sir, how do you think this matter should be handled? Actually, the Count and I were discussing the punishment of those insolent ones who are making an issue of my knight’s name.”

Viktor realized that both the Count and castle lord were angrier than expected, and inwardly offered condolences for the young knights.

“…I don’t think it’s my place to speak on such matters.”

“Don’t say that. You’re also a victim, so naturally you have the right to speak. Aren’t you angry about being subjected to such false rumors?”

“Well… the content itself is true, though?”

“…?”

When the Viscount was struck speechless, Viktor calmly spoke again.

“It’s true that I’m from that small frontier family. His Excellency the Count also knows this.”

“Then are you really from that Kobarov family…?!”

When the Viscount was shocked to the point of choking, Viktor nodded.

“Good heavens, why didn’t you say anything?!”

“Say what… I wasn’t particularly trying to hide it. Nobody asked.”

At those words, the Viscount quickly looked at the Count.

Surprisingly, he was just looking at them with no particular change in expression.

“Count! Did you really know the rumors were true?”

“That’s right. Is there some problem?”

“…No, it’s not a problem, but…”

When the castle lord looked confused, the Count lightly drove the point home.

“Don’t think too hard about it. Sir Viktor is from a family that was destroyed by barbarians. He has no reason to bear responsibility since he wasn’t even the family head, and rather, he’s admirably carrying out revenge—truly a knightly knight.”

“…That’s also true. Now I understand why Sir Viktor was always so brave against the barbarians. They’re the enemies who destroyed his family… Indeed, I understand well.”

The Viscount looked at Viktor, who stood confidently with the same calm expression.

“Sir Kobarov, who made the mistake, already paid the price with his life. I won’t ask you further about family matters. I can hardly imagine what feelings you’ve fought the enemy with.”

‘They all seem to think I’m some kind of avatar of vengeance.’

For Viktor, who hadn’t been that attached to his hometown and family, it was a somewhat bewildering misunderstanding, but he didn’t bother to speak further.

As with Yelchin’s case, it was enough if they understood on their own.

“But, mm… then what should we do about those knights? Since they’re not lying, it’s hard to call it unfair criticism.”

“That’s not the problem, Lord Odor. Their first crime is disloyalty, their second crime is cowardly trying to escape responsibility by borrowing my knight’s name, and their third crime is being foolish enough to be manipulated by other nobles’ schemes and prioritizing their own honor over their lord’s.”

The Count clearly had no intention of easily forgiving them.

Even if the rumor’s content was true, their other contemptible crimes didn’t disappear.

When the two men fell into contemplation, Viktor, feeling awkward just standing there, carefully spoke up.

“Well, may I go ahead then?”

At those words, the Viscount, who had been quietly watching him, suddenly exclaimed as if he’d had a good idea.

“Mm… Count Yakobski, I think it would be best to leave the punishment to Sir Viktor.”

“…?!”

Viktor looked at them with surprised eyes at the sudden words.

The Count also nodded with a heavy expression.

“Certainly, though you’re a magnanimous knight, you still can’t deceive your inner feelings. You’re probably burning inside right now… I hadn’t thought of that. Lord Odor, that’s a good suggestion.”

The two looked at each other with meaningful gazes, then turned to Viktor in unison.

“Sir, as long as you don’t take their lives, you may impose any punishment you wish.”

“Your Excellency, are you serious?”

At Viktor’s question, the Count nodded indifferently.

“Yes, do as you wish. Just spare their lives. Whatever else they are, they’re future pillars who will support the principality.”

“…Let me ask one thing. What punishment were you two originally planning to impose?”

The castle lord answered first to his question.

“Mm… I was thinking of humiliating them. Strip them naked and make them walk around the castle three times—that might break their arrogant pride somewhat.”

Viktor nodded without saying anything.

Considering the knights’ self-pride that was so high it seemed insane, it was quite a cruel punishment, but in this world, not taking one’s life was already quite generous.

Since they weren’t his knights anyway, he was probably being moderate out of consideration for the Count’s dignity.

The Count was slightly more extreme.

“Sir Mikhail said it would be good to whip them and then confiscate their armor and horses. I think that would be appropriate.”

‘Mm… don’t people usually die from whipping?’

He’d forgotten for a while since he’d been away from rural villages and living in big cities or with well-educated people, but this was an era similar to the medieval period.

Punishments were heavy regardless of the severity of the crime, and it was a beautiful age where criminals felt moved by God’s grace just for keeping their lives.

If the Count weren’t fond of knights and they weren’t nobles themselves, commoners or mercenaries would have already lost their lives.

Viktor fell into thought for a moment.

Honestly, he didn’t much care whether they died or what happened to them.

After all, it was true that they had tried to attack him, and if he had lacked power, he might have suffered greatly from public opinion.

Thinking that way, they didn’t look pretty at all.

‘I want to teach them a lesson, but considering what the Count said, killing them would be…’

Still, taking their lives felt unsettling.

Viktor suddenly recalled a story he’d heard when priests visited the village long ago.

“Then… how about this? A method to restore my honor while not taking their lives but still humbling them.”

As Viktor continued speaking, both nobles’ faces gradually filled with amazement.

The more they listened, the more rational and reasonable the punishment seemed.

Baron Amur muttered incredulously.

“Trial by combat… does he think the Count will allow such a thing? Ridiculous.”

Trial by combat.

It was one of the venerable methods passed down from ancient times, where two parties fought a duel and the winner was victorious in the trial.

Since God naturally supported the righteous, the winner could restore their honor and receive people’s respect, but the loser faced tremendous humiliation and was considered one who lied before God’s name, sometimes even subjected to public ridicule.

No matter how much political attack had been made, to propose a trial that could completely bury the opponent socially to a knight of the same affiliation—the Count, famous for cherishing knights, would never allow this.

‘No matter how angry the Count is, he wouldn’t accept such a thing… that stupid knight must have heard something somewhere and is about to be embarrassed!’

“I’ll accept your request, Sir. We’ll proceed with an informal trial once Father Anton arrives.”

“…?!”

Baron Amur’s mouth fell open.

He couldn’t understand what he’d just heard.

“Count! Are you really saying you’ll allow a trial between your own knights?!”

At the Baron’s scream-like question, the Count smiled coldly.

“What business is that of yours? It’s a legitimate request, so I accepted it.”

“This is blatant favoritism! No matter how much they may have displeased you, aren’t they still your knights?! Instead of examining whether their claims are valid, you’re immediately ordering a trial! Where is there such tyranny!”

‘He’s accepting this? I don’t know what he’s thinking, but this is an opportunity. I’ll press the attack!’

When the Baron began pouring out words in earnest, the watching people also began murmuring.

Even so, a trial seemed rather sudden.

However, the Count was calm.

He looked at the young knights watching him with trembling eyes and spoke.

“I think Sir Viktor’s request is reasonable. Is there any need for verbal sparring? God will support the more righteous and just. If they’re confident in themselves, they should face the trial. If they avoid it, they’re clearly ones with shame before God.”

‘Grr…!’

Baron Amur clenched his teeth.

The Count’s words were very logical and proper.

Without needing to debate whether it’s true or not, if they just won in a trial that left everything to God, everything would be automatically proven.

If they avoided this, people would naturally think that side was lying.

The Baron took a deep breath and calmed his mind.

‘Right… in a way, this worked out well. However it turns out, I won’t lose anything. If their emotions deteriorate to the point of going to trial, the Count’s faction will inevitably waver… then we can step forward and lead the political situation.’

Thinking about it, those facing trial were also the Count’s knights.

Since his own faction wouldn’t suffer losses, there was no need to get red-faced.

He suddenly changed his expression and muttered slyly.

“Indeed, the Count’s words seem correct. God will surely distinguish right from wrong.”

The young knights standing in the center glared at the Baron, grinding their teeth.

Earlier he had subtly blamed everything on them, and now he was encouraging fighting, saying trials were right.

Actually, whether the Baron helped or incited them wouldn’t affect the situation much, but the young knight at the front, annoyed by the sight, sharply turned his head away.

‘A duel… I never thought I’d actually have to fight this man… can I win?’

He glanced at Viktor.

His overwhelmingly massive frame was so full of muscle it was sickening to behold, and his shadowed eyes were intense enough to bind one’s very soul.

Since his armor was damaged and he wore ordinary clothes that revealed his body’s contours, the rippling muscles were clearly visible to the eye.

The knight recalled how Viktor had fought like a monster in that sight.

As Viktor’s movements clearly visible even in the dark night, his rough battle cries, and the toughness of receiving even a witch’s sorcery with his bare body successively occupied his mind, the knight could feel fear gradually climbing up his body.

‘Damn… for things to get so twisted…!’

He had only planned to criticize elegantly like a ‘noble’ and use public opinion to pressure him, but the knight couldn’t grasp how things had turned out this way.

Being merely a natural-born knight, he now had to pay the price for clumsily trying to imitate noble politics.

Coincidentally, as if reading his thoughts, Viktor’s mouth opened.

“Knights speak only with their swords.”

Viktor drew his battle axe and calmly made his declaration.

“Draw your weapon. God will support the righteous.”

-Waaaah!!

With his words, excited people sent wild cheers.

Signs of the cross were made everywhere and frenzied hymns echoed.

The young knight’s eyes began shaking wildly.

His heart pounded madly, and the knight before him gradually looked less like a person and more like a monster.

‘Damn… damn!’

Just as he was drawing his sword as if entranced.