The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 74 - Knight of Ascension (9)

The witch, Alisa, looked at the man in the adjacent cell with shaking eyes, as if she were looking at a madman.

Though she hadn’t spent that long here since being imprisoned, there were only two people locked in this prison anyway—herself and this man.

If one were to ask whether the proud barbarian youth who had introduced himself as the Grand Chief’s third son hadn’t been a source of comfort during their frightening prison life, the answer would definitely be no.

However, at this very moment, Alisa was barely suppressing her desire to tear Tumen’s mouth apart.

‘That crazy bastard… A barbarian prisoner who doesn’t know his place acting like that… and to a knight of all people!’

Alisa still remembered that day clearly.

The principality’s knights and their subordinates who had stormed in with fierce momentum were rough and brutal.

Whatever had happened, after her sorcery that had been illuminating the night sky was instantly destroyed, these people who had captured her while she was staring blankly up at the sky without even finding the promised payment began slaughtering the barbarians like machines.

They didn’t toy with the wounded or kill them cruelly as barbarians typically did, but in her eyes, the knights looked even more chilling.

Glinting with cold eyes through small eye slits in their helmets, these people who silently and wordlessly killed others conducted massacres as quickly and cleanly as if they were killing bugs rather than people.

And when she recalled that moment when one attendant had roughly shoved a dagger into her mouth while threatening her…

‘Ugh… damn it!’

Just thinking about those memories still made Alisa short of breath and break out in cold sweats.

“Haha, I keep telling you it’s fine… that knight may be scary, but he’s surprisingly kind in some ways.”

‘Please, please just shut up, you idiot…!’

The knight with a handsome but somehow intimidating face was looking back and forth between her and Tumen.

That sight looked exactly like someone pondering how best to beat up these two bastards, making her squeeze her eyes shut.

And she quietly offered a prayer to her spirit.

If only that barbarian bastard’s mouth could be shut, she would truly be willing to do anything.

---

Contrary to the witch’s worries, Viktor had no particular thoughts.

He was just slightly curious about the strange nickname Tumen had mentioned.

“Knight Slaughterer? What’s that about?”

“Ah… haven’t you heard yet? They say everyone outside calls you that these days.”

“Hmm, first I’m hearing of it. Who did you hear it from?”

“Who else besides the guard? There’s no one who comes here except the guard or you.”

“…You seem to have gotten quite friendly.”

Viktor glanced sideways toward where the witch was.

The more Tumen spoke, the more the color drained from her face.

She, who already had pale skin, now looked like a wax doll.

“Chattering about all sorts of things. Lucky you.”

“I’m grateful for that. Really, when I think about it now, I’m fortunate to have become your prisoner, you know? If not, I would’ve died long ago.”

While listening to Tumen’s shameless chatter with one ear, Viktor slowly stroked his chin.

“Right, you were quite helpful this time. It was fortunate I kept you alive.”

“…I already heard the rough story from this woman… how did you beat that? You’re really like a monster.”

“Have you talked with this witch?”

“Ah, from what I heard, it seems she was forcibly employed by Bohdan. According to her, she’s some famous witch who was quite promising? Don’t know if it’s true though.”

“Ah… that crazy bastard.”

When the witch muttered in a voice so small it was barely audible, Viktor spun his head around like a ghost and spoke.

“What did you say?”

“No, nothing… I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

She desperately bowed her head.

Seeing how he didn’t say much even when Tumen was being insolent, he seemed quite, or honestly speaking, incomprehensibly generous as a knight, but she couldn’t rely on that and act comfortable.

For her, this was the first principality knight to visit since being captured.

If she made even the slightest mistake here, there was a high chance she’d be dragged to a torture chamber and suffer terrible things.

The principality’s persecution of witches was famous, and while there might be some who secretly coexisted with witches, it was hard to expect good treatment after being openly captured like this.

‘I need to make a good impression somehow… I’d rather die than be tortured!’

Viktor looked at her trembling while bowing her head and spoke.

“Come to think of it, what’s your name?”

“Ah, it’s Alisa…”

“Right, Alisa. Nice to see you again like this. Were those glowing spheres created by your sorcery?”

“I’ve committed a crime worthy of death! I’ll never use such wicked sorcery again, Sir Knight! If you would forgive me just once, I truly will from now on…”

Looking at Alisa who suddenly began pleading fluently as if she’d burst into dialect, Viktor calmly raised his hand.

“Wait, wait. Did you say Alisa?”

“Properly and faithfully… Yes? Yes, that’s right!”

“It would be better if you only answered what I ask from now on. I’m not particularly curious about how you’ll live in the future.”

“Eek… I’m sorry!”

“I’ll ask again. Was that sorcery yours?”

“Well… yes… that’s right, but… it wasn’t of my own will, that wolf bastard kept threatening to kill me, so…”

“Hmm.”

When Viktor calmly crossed his arms, she stopped talking and quietly bowed her head.

Her instincts were warning that speaking further would lead to big trouble.

When Alisa shut her mouth, Viktor continued.

“Using sorcery on such a large scale must be difficult… who is the spirit you serve?”

‘This knight knows about witches?!’

She was quietly shocked.

She never could have imagined hearing such words from a principality knight’s mouth.

“Th-that I cannot tell you… I made an oath with my spirit.”

Alisa answered unconsciously in her surprise, then widened her eyes.

‘Ah, I’m finished… he’s going to torture me. I’m going to die, I’m going to die…!’

Surprised by meeting a knight who knew about witches, she had failed to smoothly deflect or lie, instead saying she couldn’t speak.

However, Viktor only calmly asked in response to her words.

“Is that so, an oath. The kind where you can’t speak even if you want to?”

“…Y-yes… it’s a contract made so I can’t tell others…”

“What happens if I try to force you to tell me?”

“Pl-please forgive me…! Even if you try to force me to speak, I can’t… I’ll just die without being able to say anything, please!”

Viktor stared intently into her eyes, then nodded.

“I believe you.”

“…?!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“No… it’s not my place to say, but you believe me so easily?”

“What, were you lying?”

“No, no! Absolutely not!”

When Alisa violently shook her head and prostrated herself, Viktor raised his hand to stop her.

“Fine. But let me ask one more thing.”

“…Yes, anything I can answer.”

Looking at her who had somehow become truly obedient rather than just fearful, Viktor spoke.

“Do you have any relationship with a witch named Frizba?”

“…My goodness, you know Lady Frizba?!”

“I don’t know much. I just met her by chance in the forest. But your sorcery looked similar to hers.”

Alisa’s face became serious.

“Lady Frizba is… known as the Great Witch of the Northern Forest… she’s not someone you can easily meet just because you want to.”

“…”

“This might seem ridiculous to you, Sir Knight, but she’s like a spiritual pillar to us witches. She’s also a distinguished elder who leads witch society.”

“Grand.”

“Before your God came to this land, the authority of the steppes and forests belonged to us witches… no, no, I absolutely don’t mean to blaspheme! Please believe me!”

When Viktor’s eyes narrowed, the startled Alisa spoke faster.

“Anyway, to tell you, I haven’t formed a deep relationship with Lady Frizba. I’m a praying witch, not a prophesying witch.”

“Hmm…”

“But my teacher was a close friend of Lady Frizba. When she visited, I did receive some teaching.”

It was interesting content.

‘Witch society… unexpected. I thought they formed closed groups only with those who served the same spirits.’

Contrary to Viktor’s thoughts, witches seemed to have their own society.

“I see, understood. So you’re acquainted with that witch.”

“Yes… um, is there perhaps some problem with her…?”

“Well.”

It wasn’t that he resented Frizba or wanted to meet her again.

He had just asked out of curiosity since he’d met another witch besides her.

Viktor briefly loosened his shoulders, then calmly said goodbye.

“I’ve satisfied my curiosity and given my thanks, so my business is done.”

“What, were you just visiting for fun? I thought something might change in my situation, tch.”

At Tumen’s words, Viktor tilted his head.

“Change in your situation?”

“I can’t stay locked up in this prison forever, right? Something like that… hehe, I’ll work hard from now on, so can’t you help me out a bit?”

Though Tumen spoke amiably with a grin, Viktor continued tilting his head.

“From now on? Work hard? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

At Viktor’s words, Tumen stopped smiling.

“Hey, why are you acting like this? Wasn’t it because you had something for me to do that you’ve kept me here all this time?”

“There was. I was curious about information on the enemies. And you told me everything. I said I was grateful for that.”

“…Huh?”

“Tumen, you seem to be misunderstanding something.”

At Viktor’s calm words, both people’s faces began to darken.

“The reason you two haven’t been tortured or killed and have been quietly kept here is certainly because you were both my prisoners. Others haven’t tried to interfere with my rights.”

“…”

“But that’s all. I’ve learned everything I wanted to know, and I don’t expect anything more from you.”

“B-but then why did you treat my wounds!”

“Because you would’ve died quickly from infection in this dirty environment. It wasn’t particularly difficult, and I just had to ask someone I knew. What’s so special about that?”

The two looked up at Viktor.

His calm face, his generous attitude was beginning to feel somehow strange.

“I’ll be leaving this castle soon. So, well… you could say I came to say goodbye.”

“…!!”

“…!!”

Alisa slumped down in her seat, and Tumen clung to the bars with a pale expression.

“W-wait! Does that mean… you’re going to abandon us here and leave?!”

“Abandon… I never planned to take you with me in the first place.”

“Are you joking? You’re joking, right?”

Though Tumen spoke desperately, Viktor remained calm.

“Shouldn’t you be grateful I’m not killing you? I don’t think I’ve treated you prisoners poorly.”

Though those words were undoubtedly true, Tumen shouted urgently, unlike before.

“B-but… even if you leave us behind, our rights still belong to you! Then!”

“How could that be? Since I can’t keep borrowing the prison from the castle lord, I plan to transfer your rights to him. Taking money… would be a bit awkward though.”

Tumen collapsed in his seat as if his soul had left him.

Alisa already had no expression on her face, as if she’d given up everything.

Until now, they’d been able to stay comfortably in prison without much interference thanks to their status as Viktor’s prisoners, but if he abandoned them, the story would be different.

The nobles in the castle wouldn’t just leave barbarians and witches alone.

No one had thought well of feeding and housing them nicely in the first place.

They would probably be dragged away the moment Viktor left.

And after that, they didn’t want to think about it.

If they were killed quietly, that would be fortunate—there was a high chance terrible torture awaited them.

Conversely, similar things were frequently committed when barbarians dealt with principality prisoners.

“Well, today would be the last time we see each other.”

As Viktor stepped toward the prison exit, Tumen, who had been sprawled in despair, suddenly roughly pounded the bars and shouted.

“W-wait!!”

When he turned his head, Tumen bowed with an utterly respectful and desperate attitude, completely unlike his previous insolent behavior.

“Pl-please, couldn’t you take me with you…?”

“…Why would I?”

“Or… or couldn’t you sell me somewhere instead, Lord Viktor?”

“…”

“For the sake of our relationship so far! Please! Lord Viktor! If you just spare my life, I’ll serve you with everything I have!!”

At his shamefully sudden change in attitude, not only Viktor but even Alisa, who had been out of her mind, began looking at Tumen with incredulous expressions.