The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 80 - Knight of Ascension (15)

The expeditionary force was moving with increasing activity.

And the one who had started this was none other than the famous savior of Radovitz, Viktor Kobarov.

The vanguard led by this knight, whose name was beginning to echo throughout the eastern region in earnest, had set out to strike the Grand Chief.

As if stimulated by this, tremendous numbers of troops were flocking to Radovitz Castle day after day.

The Count, who had somehow acquired the impressive title of expeditionary force commander, seemed determined to wipe out the barbarians completely this time, spending enormous amounts of money to recruit mercenaries without rest.

The castle lord watching from the side worried that if they accommodated any more troops in the castle, plagues might break out.

However, despite the castle lord’s concerns, the number of those seeking the castle never diminished.

While the Count’s influence of emptying his coffers was significant enough to make his retainers, who had been staying comfortably in their territories paying shield taxes instead of traveling to the distant east, complain in unison, the biggest cause was a certain rumor that had begun spreading throughout the entire principality.

-The east is a land of opportunity!

-Defeat the barbarians and achieve merit, and the path to advancement opens!

-Have you heard rumors of a certain knight? A knight from the most humble of families has now become a general. I hear that once the war ends, he’ll receive vast territories and even a count’s title!

Idle mercenaries with nothing to do, wandering knights desperately traveling throughout the principality to achieve merit and receive territories, even lords from regions adjacent to the east burning with revenge after suffering barbarian invasions.

All the surplus manpower that had been deeply regretting the current peaceful situation of the principality under the Grand Prince’s reign began flocking to the east.

And the force famous for never missing such trends and always watching closely finally surfaced.

It was the Church.

---

Ruth Archdiocese.

The stone cathedral located in Rurik, the principality’s capital, was known to have been built by craftsmen dispatched from the old empire, and its majestic appearance was enough to make viewers bow their heads naturally.

“Hmm… wouldn’t it be difficult to completely trust Priest Anton’s words?”

“No, there’s no mistake. According to the reports, this knight clearly has the qualifications of a saint!”

“Good heavens… surely I must have heard wrong? How can someone calling himself a bishop utter such nonsense!”

“But look at this evidence! If God had not truly been with him, how could a mere human accomplish such deeds!”

In the annex built neatly yet luxuriously inside the cathedral.

The bishops gathered within were continuously engaged in debate.

The subject was a report sent by Anton, the military chaplain dispatched to the east following Count Yakobski.

The contents of the report were quite shocking even for the bishops.

-The knight named Viktor Kobarov is certainly a knight who has received divine revelation.

-I have directly witnessed with my own eyes the miracles he performed. They were not wicked sorcery or demonic schemes, but power bestowed by God.

-The knight is remarkably faithful, righteous in character, humble before God’s name, and modest. Therefore, I, Anton, humbly request that the archdiocese formally invite him to learn more about him in detail.

When Anton’s report, delivered through the regional diocese, finally reached the center, the bishops’ reactions were divided.

“Divine revelation! Priest Anton must be exhausted from being on the brutal battlefield too long. This isn’t something a mere clergyman can judge!”

“Oh come now, Priest Anton is known to be faithful and diligent. Such a person wouldn’t carelessly spout empty words. Besides, look at this. According to this report, he satisfies all the guidelines regarding miracles issued by the general archdiocese.”

“Even granting every possible allowance, if he had been a priest, or rather a merchant or peasant, it wouldn’t have been completely unbelievable. But he’s a knight, a knight! The very people most distant from humility and faithfulness!”

“However, among the saints canonized by the general archdiocese, aren’t there many who were knights? There’s no need to view it so negatively…”

“Let me speak clearly. I simply think this person is nothing more than an excellent knight. I won’t deny that he achieved great merit and repelled the threat of those terrible barbarians. Rather, I think it’s admirable.”

“…”

“But that just means he’s an excellent knight, not something we can discuss in terms of having saintly qualifications!”

“Now, now. Both of you calm down.”

The two bishops who had been debating most heatedly closed their mouths at the words of an old man sitting in the place of honor.

Archbishop Feodosi leisurely stroked his beard while alternately looking at the two who had quieted down.

“Both of you make valid points. Certainly, talk of miracles or saints isn’t something to speak of carelessly. But if the contents of the report are true, this knight’s power definitely has interesting aspects.”

The bishops gathered in the room all nodded in unison.

Whether this knight named Viktor was truly a knight sent by God or not, they were genuinely curious about what kind of extraordinary martial prowess he was said to possess.

“These days it’s hard to find priests devoted enough to God to serve as military chaplains. So let’s first assume Priest Anton’s words are true. You’ll all agree to this, won’t you?”

At the archbishop’s summary, even the two who had been arguing most fiercely ended up nodding.

From the beginning, even those unwilling to believe the report’s contents didn’t particularly think Anton was lying.

They simply thought it was likely he had been mistaken or exaggerated after seeing an active knight in the harsh battlefield environment.

Feodosi continued speaking with dignified gestures befitting his noble origins.

“Then at least this knight named Viktor must be someone with martial prowess excellent enough to seem miraculous, and faithful on top of that. Honestly, it’s hard to believe, but… if the contents of this report are truly accurate, this could be a very good opportunity.”

“Your Eminence, those words mean…”

“His Highness the Grand Prince seems to be guarding against us excessively recently. Whether it’s because of what happened in the western empire, or because of the succession issue, I’m not sure…”

A bishop with an extremely abundant beard carefully showed off his knowledge.

“Ah… you mean that matter? The… the emperor being excommunicated…”

“Mm, a letter of concern came from the general archdiocese too. Really… our western brothers are extreme in everything.”

The archbishop smiled benevolently.

At his smile, the bishops all tensed up in unison.

As befitted a former politician who had once been active in politics as a noble, there had been quite a few who suffered after taking the archbishop’s words at face value.

“So wouldn’t it be good for us to prepare countermeasures too? There’s no law saying our diocese can’t produce a knight like Saint George.”

The bishops remained silent.

It was difficult to react easily.

However, such silence was brief, as the bishop who had been denying Anton’s report bravely stepped forward.

“…Your Eminence, Saint George is the knight saint said to have slain a dragon. Wouldn’t that be excessively generous for him? Moreover, as long as the truth about that knight hasn’t been clearly revealed…”

“Ah, ah. You’re right. We can’t deny the possibility that our pure brother Priest Anton might be being deceived by that knight.”

“Indeed…! Then Your Eminence…!”

“That’s exactly why we need to examine him as Priest Anton suggests. Isn’t that right?”

At Feodosi’s smiling words, the bishop bit his lips tightly.

He had fallen for the archbishop’s wordplay once again.

“Haha, don’t make such a dark expression. Nothing has been decided yet. And…”

Unlike his benevolent-looking face, Feodosi continued with the eyes of a cold politician.

“If there’s one flaw, it would be that he’s a knight loyal to that Count Yakobski…”

The bishop with abundant beard, reading the mood, opened his mouth again as if flattering.

“How could there be flaws in what Your Eminence thinks… but if it truly bothers you, shall we try to distance the two? Wouldn’t it be simple using Priest Anton?”

Feodosi said nothing and just smiled slyly.

The other bishops scolded the bishop who had spoken up, shouting.

“Maintain your dignity! How can you be so undignified…”

“Even so, how can someone calling himself a bishop say such things? No matter how much you’re of noble birth, isn’t this too much?”

‘Why are they only making a fuss at me…’

As the one who had spoken became rapidly dejected and closed his mouth, the archbishop comforted him as if he had been waiting.

“Don’t be so harsh with him. He spoke from a passionate heart for the diocese and God.”

“…I misspoke.”

“How about we try this approach?”

“Pardon?”

“First, let’s support the expeditionary force. When our beloved heir apparent says he’ll defeat the barbarians and stabilize the frontier, the Church can’t just sit idle.”

Without even waiting for the bishops’ response, Feodosi continued.

“Very actively, let’s push for it. So that a new war hero can be born.”

“…Your Eminence?”

“And… as much as the Church invests without compensation, we can show off a little, can’t we? For example, having them display our Church’s banner together… it would be good to make clear who provided the support.”

“…!”

As if reading Feodosi’s intentions, surprise colored the faces of the bishops gathered.

It was a scheme of an entirely different caliber.

They resolved anew.

It would indeed be best to avoid making an enemy of the benevolent-smiling old man before them.

---

While various events were unfolding in the rear, the vanguard was steadily tracking the enemy under Tumen’s guidance.

“Look at this trace here. Can you see the hoofprints? This is evidence that a great many have gathered in this place.”

While still in the village, he had heard that barbarian warriors were masters of pursuit, but seeing it in person proved it was indeed so.

Viktor was by no means poor at observation, but the skill of finding extremely subtle remaining traces and deliberately erased traces one by one and combining them as clues was something he could never imitate.

“I can’t see anything with my eyes… impressive skill.”

At Viktor’s praise, Tumen shrugged and replied.

“It’s familiar work. Finding or hiding traces is an extremely important matter among steppe tribes.”

“Ho, you seem like a young man still, but your skills are quite good. You’ve acquired a good slave.”

As Mikhail also added a word of admiration, Krupin, who had been lagging behind, snorted.

“Hmph, for the Grand Chief’s son, he seems to have learned only petty tricks. No wonder they’re called barbarians.”

‘That bastard…’

Looking at Krupin, who seemed to dislike him greatly and picked fights at every opportunity, Tumen gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do immediately.

‘Sigh, I’ll endure it. Damn… someday when I escape this situation…!’

Swallowing his resentment with effort, Tumen buried his head in the ground again.

Rather than looking at the guy who kept provoking him, it seemed better to find other traces.

That’s when it happened.

“Hmm…?”

Tumen, who had been pointlessly scratching at the innocent ground, tilted his head puzzledly.

“Tumen, did you find something?”

Viktor asked, but he didn’t answer and began digging deeper into the ground he had been scratching.

“Lord Viktor, this…!”

And not long after, Tumen found something and pulled it out with a serious expression.

Viktor approached closely to examine it.

“…An arm.”

It seemed considerable time had passed since being buried in the ground, as it was seriously decomposed, but it wasn’t difficult to recognize.

Precisely the part that should be called the upper arm.

The excessively grown hair was dirty for a human arm, and unlike the cleanly severed upper part, the relatively thin lower part was torn to shreds as if sawed.

Viktor’s seemingly calm eyes began to gleam.

“This tangled hair… color… Lord Viktor, as expected, this is!”

“Bohdan.”

Viktor muttered quietly.

“So he was hiding here.”