The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 78 - Knight of Ascension (13)

“Mmm… this refreshing air, this beautiful sunlight… everything seems to be blessing me!”

Tumen smiled pleasantly as he stretched.

Having been trapped in that musty underground prison for so long without seeing sunlight or riding a horse, now that he could move freely, everything seemed beautiful.

Just as he was closing his eyes to savor his freedom, letting his body sway pleasantly with the horse’s movement.

“An impudent slave doesn’t know his place and is acting up.”

When a murderous voice came from behind, Tumen flinched and quietly lowered his head.

“Sir Viktor, if you would permit it, may I provide some education?”

Krupin, already cold-looking by nature, hardened his face even more icily as he made his request to Viktor.

“Calm yourself, Sir Krupin. While it’s true that Tumen is impudent, there’s no need for you to step forward as well.”

Tumen looked at the man who had once been his enemy but had now become his master, muttering inwardly.

‘Nothing in this world can be predicted.’

Though not exactly promising… he had at least been treated as the Grand Chief’s son and had dreamed of ambition, but now he had fallen to being a lackey for attacking the homeland where he was born and raised, with his life as the price.

However, he wasn’t particularly sad or angry about it.

Tumen wasn’t someone who treasured his tribe or held great affection for his homeland.

From childhood, he had been thoroughly educated in only one thing.

That in the steppe lands, the strong one’s word was truth and law.

‘Truth was once my father to me, and I always thought I wanted to become like that, but…’

With a calm face, he watched his master who was soothing the ice-block-like knight and then calling for someone named Lukovich or something to give him tasks, and Tumen’s mind became complicated.

‘If the strong ruling is an absolute law… even if he’s a knight not from the steppes…’

---

After instructing Lukovich to manage Tumen well, Viktor quietly looked around.

The weather was clear, and the now quite chilly wind flowed pleasantly across his body.

He could see several groups marching at appropriate distances beside those on horseback.

They were the mercenaries who had been incorporated under his command.

Viktor had quietly left the castle that morning without any formal departure ceremony.

Since the Count had decided to deploy his army as soon as the support troops’ rear guard arrived, only Viktor’s army, serving as the vanguard, was to leave the castle first.

Having carefully selected mercenaries he had come to know during the eastern expedition and even providing some of them with captured horses, Viktor’s unit felt quite decent for something hastily assembled.

Though he didn’t quite understand it himself, the mercenaries’ loyalty was also extremely high, so there were no particular problems when forming the unit.

‘Well, I don’t know why they’re acting like this when I’m not even the one paying them…’

It wasn’t a bad story.

On top of that, the Count had even added an extra gift.

“It’s been a while since an expedition without serving His Excellency… Sir, this may seem sudden, but I hope you’ll take good care of me.”

“I’m the one who feels reassured. Sir Mikhail, please help me a lot from the side.”

He had sent along his important knight Mikhail, whom he always kept by his side as an assistant, to serve as both advisor and staff officer.

Having an experienced, seasoned knight who was smart enough to even handle finances—an extremely rare type of knight in this era—by his side was considerable good fortune.

‘In truth, he probably also sent him to serve a surveillance role… but even so.’

Setting aside such aspects, Viktor was simply grateful to the Count.

Since he had never experienced leading an army of this scale before, he had been quite worried, but Mikhail’s presence was like rain during a drought.

That wasn’t all.

Not only Tumen, but Krupin, who was persistently staring at Alisa as she cowered and avoided eye contact everywhere, had volunteered directly and been appointed as Viktor’s aide-de-camp.

Considering how much help a single knight could be on the battlefield, it was a very welcome development.

‘Besides that, many other knights wanted to join my unit…’

Perhaps because taking the vanguard was an honorable and glorious matter for knights, there had been countless applications, but unfortunately he couldn’t take most of them along.

Not only had the Count imposed restrictions due to too many knights flocking together, but Sir Vasilev’s separately prepared operation had suddenly requisitioned an enormous number of knights.

Having experienced firsthand how powerful a group charge by knight forces could be, Viktor could only smack his lips in regret.

As lingering feelings of regret washed over him again, making Viktor scratch his chin, Anton, who had been quietly following on horseback from behind, spoke to him.

“Sir, is there something troubling you?”

“No, Father. By the way… are you really alright following me?”

‘Come to think of it, this priest is here too.’

Anton had officially requested and transferred to serve as the military chaplain for Viktor’s vanguard.

Though everyone from Viktor, the unit commander, to the Count and his countless acquaintances had all said it was dangerous, Anton was unmovable.

-God sent me here for the believers fighting in the most dangerous places! Then wouldn’t it be my mission to support the vanguard that will fight most fiercely!

Only after Anton invoked God’s name and cried out as if he had lost his mind was he finally able to join the vanguard.

Everyone clicked their tongues at Anton’s fanatical aspect, but no one except the priest himself knew that there was another reason besides wanting to devote himself in the most dangerous place.

Anton smiled broadly and answered in a quiet voice.

“Yes, I came to fulfill my mission. Sir, you don’t need to worry too much.”

‘Impressive. If it were me, I would have quit long ago when I nearly died at Permikoff.’

Viktor admired the priest’s faithfulness while outwardly nodding calmly.

“Hmm… having you here will be a great help. Since it’s come to this, I can only ask for your assistance.”

“I’m the one who’s honored to see the activities of the knight called God’s messenger from beside him. Please take care of me as well.”

Viktor glanced at the parchment and quill pen Anton was holding.

Come to think of it, the priest had been busily writing something continuously since the vanguard departed.

‘Content to report to the diocese?’

Viktor thought nothing of it, but if he could have looked at the contents, the situation would have been different.

“Sir Viktor, the scouts have found a plain ahead where the unit can rest.”

“Oh, understood. Father, I’m sorry but…”

Anton smiled silently and bowed his head.

After Viktor left, he carefully unfolded the parchment and began writing in elegant handwriting, skillfully managing even on the swaying horse.

[…so Sir Viktor’s unit decided to rest first in a small plain. The weather is perfectly clear, and the wind is cool. Surely God must be blessing this expedition. Receiving the sunlight streaming down, I too could firm my resolve once more. The fact that following the Sir and recording his achievements is another mission given to me…]

Viktor never dreamed that he had unknowingly gained a persistent biographer following him around.

---

Perhaps because only one day had passed since setting out on the expedition, the meal at the camp was of decent quality.

Viktor ladled another portion of the soup that had become thick from throwing various things together and muttered.

“This is delicious. Lukovich, your skills seem to be improving.”

“Hehe, shouldn’t we use what we can while we can? For about a week or two, it should be fine to eat like this.”

Krupin looked at him with a slightly disgusted expression before carefully opening his mouth.

“Um… Sir Viktor, you don’t necessarily have to eat together like this…”

Though he had almost no expedition experience, having been affiliated with the Count’s army until now, Viktor’s sudden attitude was unfamiliar to him.

Nobles and ordinary mercenaries were gathered together eating the same food.

“Ah… until now I ate whatever they gave me since that’s what they provided, but honestly, don’t you think that’s somewhat wasteful?”

“Excuse me… what?”

“Even though food is always scarce, having separate supplies just for nobles is inefficient. If we just eat like this, it’s convenient and less burdensome.”

“…That’s true, but.”

Even so, how could…!

It wasn’t as if Krupin had always eaten only good food.

When going to the battlefield, it was true that good food was hard to come by, and knights who always had to go into battle, unlike real lords, were relatively less picky about food.

‘But still, there should be distinctions… to eat face-to-face with lowly people!’

Just as Krupin was about to raise his head with determination to argue.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you eating, Sir?”

Krupin opened his mouth wide seeing Mikhail casually ladling soup and soaking bread thoroughly in it.

“S-Sir Mikhail…!”

“It would be good to enjoy this luxury while we can, Sir. The days are still a bit warm, so in just a week we’ll probably be reduced to eating damn salted meat.”

“…”

“Sir Krupin, are you really not eating? Or what, do you not want to eat face-to-face with me? Is that it?”

When even Viktor, the commander, calmly looked at him with gleaming eyes, he finally quietly approached Mikhail’s side and began ladling soup.

‘…It’s not inedible.’

The mercenaries had also initially been fidgety and barely sipping their soup as if putting on airs, but now they were eating quite naturally.

Viktor mixed in among them with a calm face, exchanging jokes and making those around him laugh.

Though many hadn’t adapted yet, they were gradually realizing.

This unit was somehow different.

---

After the awkward but not entirely unpleasant meal ended, Viktor summoned the captains of each mercenary company.

Since they were still near the castle and many people were gathered, they had lit a large bonfire without worry of surprise attacks.

When the captains assembled with slightly bewildered faces, Viktor and the knights, along with Tumen and Alisa, were already seated there.

Among them, Maksim, captain of the Birch Tree Mercenary Company who was the smallest but had observed Viktor for the longest time, opened his mouth as representative.

“Um… Sir Viktor. We came after receiving your summons, but…”

“Oh, you’re here. Everyone sit for a moment.”

The captains hesitantly sat down and began watching Viktor’s mouth.

They couldn’t easily guess why he had called them.

‘Did someone make a mistake while eating earlier?’

‘Damn, I knew it… he’s going to find fault and suppress our spirit.’

‘Which idiotic bastard wasn’t even nervous eating with nobles… we’re screwed. We got caught without a way out.’

The captains exchanged glances and sighed.

If that young knight had schemed to break the rough mercenaries’ spirit, they had been perfectly caught.

Of course, those who had continuously witnessed Viktor’s absurd martial prowess didn’t particularly intend to rebel, but still, getting caught was getting caught.

If they were unlucky, some of their members might get whipped.

Viktor, who had been quietly observing them, finally opened his mouth.

“Then shall we begin the meeting.”

“…??”

At the unexpected words, the captains opened their mouths stupidly.

“Meeting… you said?”

When Maksim managed to speak with difficulty, Viktor nodded.

“Right. Since we’ve officially set out now, I’ll explain our objectives and strategy once more. If you have opinions, feel free to speak without hesitation.”

“Ah, um… I’m truly sorry, but Sir Viktor. Why would you discuss that with us…?”

When Maksim tilted his head as if he didn’t understand, Viktor looked at him as if asking what nonsense he was talking about and continued.

“Why, you ask? Since we’ll be fighting together now, shouldn’t we share the same goals and coordinate with each other? And also, there might be someone with good opinions, so we should listen to what people have to say.”

“…!”

“B-but… that’s usually something the lords decide…”

The captains were flustered.

Until now, they just had to perform missions autonomously within their mercenary companies when the nobles and other leadership gave orders, but Viktor had said something unexpected.

‘Are there cases where mercenaries participate in such meetings?’

‘No… they’re shocked at eating face-to-face together, but a meeting… unless it’s a mercenary who achieved great merit and rose in rank, they wouldn’t gather us like this.’

‘What is this really…’

Seeing them whispering among themselves, Krupin was about to shout with an indignant expression, but Viktor spoke first.

“It may have been that way until now, but my unit is different. We’re going to fight together, so does it make sense not to know what we’re going for?”

“…”

That was certainly true.

They had heard things like go somewhere and fight, do this or that, but they had never heard anything about why they were fighting, who they were fighting, or what they were fighting for.

When the captains fell silent, Viktor continued again.

“The methods used until now seem to have many inefficient aspects in my view. Even if we just clearly define each person’s role—what to do, how to fight—I think casualties would be much reduced.”

“…Certainly.”

Maksim nodded.

How many died because movements got tangled or support didn’t arrive on time due to giving only rough orders to mercenaries?

It was clear that just participating in military meetings together from the start, clarifying each other’s roles, and making objectives clear would have great effect.

When the captains showed interested expressions, Viktor delivered the final blow.

“Don’t think of it as difficult. Just think ‘there’s this kind of commander too’ and try participating in the meeting as instructed. You don’t have anything to lose, do you?”

“…Understood.”

The captains nodded.

Come to think of it, wasn’t this such an honorable position that some captains would brag just about participating in such a military meeting?

It was an era when you could receive respect just for being close to nobles.

There was nothing bad about it.

Having finally gained their agreement, Viktor smiled calmly.

“Good, then… first, Tumen. I need your help.”

“…You mean me?”

When the attention of everyone gathered in the venue suddenly focused on him, cold sweat began flowing down the face of Tumen, who had been sitting dazedly.