The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 97 - Knight of Ascension (32)

Kulak and Tumen sat with dejected faces.

Viktor had told them to wait for a moment before disappearing, so only the two of them remained in the barracks.

“…Old man, this matter turned out to be quite regrettable.”

When Tumen spoke first with an embarrassed tone, Kulak looked at him.

“Regrettable my ass. And stop with that ‘old man’ talk, Tumen.”

“Ah, then what should I call you? You’re old, so calling you old man is right. Well, what I mean is… about the merit we achieved going out this time. No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like he called us because of that praise…”

“…Hmph, I suppose we’ll have to bear with that much.”

Kulak quietly turned his head.

He had also vaguely anticipated it.

The reason Viktor had called them was probably because of the quarrel with Krupin.

‘The only problem is…’

“Tch, I should speak to Lord Viktor about it. If he’s going to scold us, it would be fair to call both parties involved, so why call only us steppe-born people!”

“…That can’t be helped, can it? Lord Viktor is a knight of the principality, after all.”

“No, it’s awkward for me to say this, but didn’t you decide to follow Lord Viktor because he respects steppe traditions and resolved to become ruler of the steppes according to those laws? This is somehow wrong. Aren’t you angry?”

When Tumen flared up and shouted angrily, Kulak let out a snicker.

In reality, it was obvious that when that monster-like new lord appeared before them, he would quickly cower, but even so, this kind of anger on his behalf didn’t look bad.

“I may be old enough to be called ‘old man’ by a youngster like you, Tumen, but being old doesn’t only have bad points.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Patience. Another important virtue for steppe warriors is patience. Now is the time to endure and humble ourselves.”

“…”

“I didn’t pledge myself to Lord Viktor because I completely believed everything he said. There was no other way to save our faction, tribe, and Lady Marzina’s life. Well, I’d also never seen a principality knight say such things before, even as empty words.”

As Tumen quietly listened to his words, Kulak continued speaking.

“So there’s no need to be greatly disappointed. You saw the principality knights talking about the Grand Chief, didn’t you? Those bastards see us only as literal barbarians with no honor or customs. Would Lord Viktor be much different?”

“That’s different! Lord Viktor isn’t like that!”

Tumen shouted, but Kulak didn’t even blink.

“That’s something we can only know by continuing to watch. I’m well aware that Lord Viktor is certainly a generous person. He could have killed us all without any problem, but he spared our lives. I know that kindness well.”

“…Old man.”

“We’ve come full circle. Now is the time for patience. I can only wait patiently and find out what kind of person Lord Viktor truly is, and whether I can continue to stay in this position. Even if… I receive unfair treatment today.”

With those words, the conversation between the two ended.

Kulak looked complicated in his own way, and Tumen in his.

Just then.

“Sorry. I’m a bit late. What were you two talking about?”

At their lord’s appearance, Tumen stood with a tense expression while Kulak stood with a calm expression to greet him.

“You’ve come, Lord Viktor. Well… we didn’t say anything special.”

“Hearing it that way makes it sound like you definitely said something special.”

“…!”

When Tumen visibly panicked, Viktor let out a slight laugh.

“It’s a joke, Tumen. Your reactions are always fresh. Lukovich is tired of it now and doesn’t respond much. Well, sit down for now.”

When the two quietly took their seats, Viktor immediately looked at Kulak and spoke.

“I’ll speak directly. Kulak, as I said before, I can no longer overlook attitudes like today’s.”

“…Lord Viktor, that was…!”

“Stop. I’m sorry, Lord Viktor. I have nothing to say.”

Kulak restrained Tumen and bowed his head.

Whatever Krupin had said, it was clearly wrong for subordinates to try to fight each other in front of their lord.

However, at Kulak’s words, Viktor tilted his head.

“What are you talking about? Sir Krupin isn’t really my subordinate, and you can have some fights if you disagree.”

“…?”

At the unexpected words, Kulak quickly raised his head.

“I just told you to be quiet because it was noisy. It’s not like you defied me, and what’s wrong with that level of argument?”

“…?!”

“No, Lord Viktor! Weren’t you angry about that?”

At Tumen’s words, Viktor calmly replied.

“Let me ask in return, why did you think I was angry?”

“Well, that’s because…”

Tumen, accustomed to the steppe tribal system, stammered.

To survive in the barren and harsh steppes, it was necessary to unite tightly around the chief.

As a result, the chief’s authority and power were naturally quite strong, and for the two who were accustomed to such an atmosphere, Viktor’s words were rather confusing.

‘Uh… I thought he’d be furious about his authority being ignored…’

From the beginning, what the two had been dissatisfied about was the prediction that he wouldn’t impose fair punishment, not that they would be punished.

Of course, such thinking was something that made Viktor, who was accustomed to the principality’s system, chuckle.

“Well, then what attitude can you no longer overlook…”

When Kulak trailed off with his question, Viktor spoke concisely.

“The hierarchy sorting I mentioned before. When exactly are you going to do it?”

“…Ah!”

“You two continuing to bicker isn’t particularly good for either of you. Sir Krupin has his own accumulated complaints. I’m getting tired of listening to his grievances every day. Kulak, you may not say anything, but you must have anger built up too…”

When the two fell silent at Viktor’s sharp words, he waved his hand and concluded.

“Try to sort it out as quickly as possible. Don’t keep going back and forth about whether you should be punished over trivial things.”

“…Yes.”

The two men’s faces reddened at the fact that they had seriously discussed something that was nothing at all.

They had been completely misunderstanding.

‘What was that about old age not only having bad points? I completely missed the mark, old man!’

‘…Weren’t you the one getting angry? How about suggesting it to Lord Viktor even now, hm?’

As the two quietly whispered and bickered, Viktor cleared his throat.

“Ahem.”

“I’m, I’m sorry. I made a ridiculous misunderstanding…”

When Tumen bowed his head while apologizing, Viktor shook his head.

“Rather, if there’s an apology to be made, it should come from my side. You two should also understand a bit more and comfort the warriors. We can’t eliminate negative perceptions all at once, but they’ll gradually get used to it.”

Kulak, who quickly understood those words, bowed deeply.

‘Perhaps… perhaps this person might…’

He hadn’t retracted the words he’d given to Tumen.

He still harbored doubts in one corner of his heart.

That Viktor wasn’t truly thinking of becoming ruler of the steppes, but was just conveniently using them.

Even if that were the case, he thought it didn’t matter if it was for the tribe and Marzina, but perhaps he was treating them more seriously than Kulak himself had thought.

Whether or not he knew such feelings, Viktor was calmly adding words.

“Originally, aren’t schemes and conspiracies one of the important virtues of steppe warriors? I hope you won’t think too badly of the Count for plotting against the Grand Chief.”

“No, we don’t mind?”

“…I see. I was a bit worried because there might be occasions to face each other when we join up at Roshtov, so I asked.”

“No, we really don’t mind.”

“…Never mind then.”

‘…Is that so?’

Looking at Viktor, who was quickly exchanging nonsense with Tumen, he tilted his head with an ambiguous expression.

---

Whether Viktor made any resolution about the future, whether the two warriors who had made a ridiculous misunderstanding writhed in shame, or whether Krupin, who ended up suffering terrible scolding after Mikhail finally stepped forward at Viktor’s hint, screamed day after day, the vanguard was steadily doing their job.

Anton opened his mouth with a benevolent smile.

“How are you all feeling?”

“Ah… thanks to you, Father, we’re much better. Thank you so much!”

“How can I claim credit for it? It’s all thanks to God taking pity on you all.”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Now showing signs of becoming quite experienced as a military chaplain, he comforted the survivors well and left the makeshift barracks.

As operations to draw enemy attention were carried out everywhere, the rescued people had now increased to a burdensome degree.

Along with this, Anton’s burden as a military chaplain caring for them also increased, but he didn’t mind such aspects at all.

No, rather, he was happy.

His brothers in faith had safely returned and could now rest in their families’ arms.

Of course, the faith of those who went to battlefields was usually quite poor, but at least in Anton’s experience, those rescued from extreme situations usually became devout.

Just as a clumsy hymn flowed from the barracks he had left, Anton smiled.

Then suddenly, his smile became complicated.

Nothing was bad.

‘If there’s one thing that bothers me…’

Just as the person who complicated his heart appeared in the distance, he unconsciously frowned.

“…Father, preparations are complete.”

With skin pale enough to be white and light ash-colored hair.

Wearing a large robe that didn’t suit her frail body, when Alisa approached and spoke quietly, Anton, who had been dazed for a moment, quickly nodded.

“Th-thank you. For always helping…”

“Not at all. If there’s anything I can do to help, I should gladly assist.”

Alisa said this while taking out the compounded medicine she had kept in her bosom.

Though she was a praying witch, basically witches were knowledgeable about medicinal preparation and compounding.

Alisa also had excellent knowledge of herbalism and considerable insight into alchemy.

It was also Alisa who had created the drug that had put Bohdan’s rampaging daughter to sleep before.

Viktor had noticed her abilities and placed her by Anton’s side.

It was a combination of priest and witch that could never match, but ignoring such things, her medicines had useful aspects.

“Thank you. May God’s blessing be upon you… ah.”

When Anton’s face became awkward as he unconsciously gave a conventional greeting, the young witch nodded with an indifferent expression and walked away with weak steps.

‘What should I do… did I hurt her feelings… no, get a grip, Anton! She’s a witch!’

Anton, who had been worried about whether he had made a slip of the tongue, shook his head vigorously.

If the diocese learned of his cooperation with a witch, his reputation would also plummet.

The reason he cooperated with Alisa despite such risks was entirely for the unfortunate wounded, and because of Viktor’s orders.

‘…And the medicine’s effects are also excellent… that’s all. Yes, that’s all!’

However, for some reason, Anton, who couldn’t take his eyes off Alisa’s frail figure walking away, soon took out a quill pen from his bosom with a determined expression.

Then he stabbed the quill pen into his thigh with all his strength.

Stab! Stab!

As sharp pain and blood flowed, Anton finally sighed, then reached into his bosom again to take out parchment and sat down to begin writing something.

“I have a noble duty as a priest. I must not succumb to the devil’s temptation. Anton, you have a mission! To wash away sin, I must copy the scriptures… ah, come to think of it, I need to record Lord Viktor’s deeds too…”

He blankly stared somewhere.

“I wonder if he’s safe… well, worrying might be foolish.”

---

“Graaah!”

“Those bastards are coming! Run! Ahhh!”

Viktor lightly swung his axe and cut down the screaming man.

“It’s about time word spread.”

He looked around without regret.

They were fleeing so earnestly that it was hard to believe these were the same people who had been happily hunting stragglers just moments ago.

“Do you think they’ve caught on?”

When a mercenary wiped blood from his face and spoke, Viktor nodded.

“We’ve been killing everyone in sight, so unless they’re complete idiots, they would have noticed.”

“Then what do we do now? Wouldn’t it be better to run?”

“Hey you bastard, what kind of nonsense are you saying to Sir Viktor? He’s not some scared kid.”

“You bastard!”

Surprisingly, the mercenaries were treating Viktor with a very friendly attitude.

Considering his reputation and authority, it was almost unbelievable.

But what was more surprising was Viktor’s attitude.

“Well, we’ll think about that gradually. By the way, Yuri, what are you going to do about the aftermath?”

“Eh, what do you mean?”

“Didn’t you deceive Maksim and join the group I’m leading? I don’t know anything if you get kicked out of the mercenary company.”

“Hehe, then couldn’t I just work under Sir Viktor? Of course, only if you’ll have me…”

“Well… seeing how you fight, I think I’d have to cut your pay to half of what you’re getting now.”

“Hahaha, did you hear that!”

A man who had been awkwardly watching Viktor and the mercenaries chattering noisily carefully spoke up.

“Um… thank you for saving me.”

It had been a desperate situation of life and death just moments ago, but their expressions, which seemed nonchalant, somehow made the man feel strangely relieved.

When the man slowly approached and spoke, Viktor calmly replied.

“Ah, no need to be grateful. From the looks of it, you seem like a deserter.”

“What?! No, no sir! How could you say such…!”

“If you’re not a deserter, why are you wandering around ransacking decent villages? Your face is quite famous around Roshtov.”

“…!”

“If you’re going to run away, you should go somewhere else. Why crawl all the way here to suffer again? Come, follow me. I’ll send you back where you belong.”

“…Ugh!”

The man instantly drew a dagger and charged, but the mercenaries around didn’t move at all.

‘Wh-what are these bastards…?’

Rather, seeing those looking at him with pitying expressions, the man gripped by strange anxiety kicked even harder, but soon he felt his vision gradually tilting.

“What…!”

Viktor lightly grabbed the collar of the man who collapsed after uttering his death cry and spoke with a calm face.

“We seem to have rescued everyone worth rescuing in this area… and they’re starting to catch on, so business is done. Let’s go back!”

“Wahaha! Ah, if I could just keep working under someone like Sir Viktor, I’d have no other wishes!”

“Is that so? If you become unemployed, I’ll arrange a job for you out of our past memories.”

“Hahaha, you promised!”

The group disappeared in an instant while mounted.

It was remarkably skilled.

The vanguard was becoming stronger and more devoted to Viktor.