Chapter 191
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 191
Blood-soaked?
Hadn’t the letter from Viscount Oleg said the castle was as good as captured?
What on earth could have happened for them to arrive drenched in blood, even after the battle had been decided?
‘Surely not.’
A gruesome thought flashed through Viscount Karayan’s mind.
War was certainly the act that spilled the most human blood. However, the battlefield wasn't the only place where blood was shed. It wasn't uncommon for victors to swing their weapons at the defeated locals on land they had already won.
Perhaps this blood wasn't from a battle, but from a one-sided massacre.
‘Damn it, it’s only been a week since I received Viscount Oleg’s letter. What could have happened in that time…!’
Viscount Karayan tore at his hair in a fit of frantic anxiety and dread.
If the enemy had lost their minds, forget hospitality—what if they started a slaughter right here? Should he just close the gates and pretend to be crazy while holding the castle?
No, the opponent was an army of five thousand. Even if he attempted a siege, it was obvious they would be overrun in no time. As Viscount Oleg had advised, pretending to know nothing and offering a warm welcome might be the best choice.
But what if the enemy had truly snapped and decided everyone must die regardless?
“Your Lordship! The Duke’s army is approaching!”
“…!”
Before Viscount Karayan could even reach a decision, Lucian’s forces came into view.
They were too far away to make out individual faces, but the crimson blood staining their armor and weapons was vividly clear. The retainers, horrified by the sight of the five-thousand-strong army caked in blood, screamed at the Viscount.
“Y-Your Lordship! What should we do?!”
“Should we close the gates?! Or welcome them as they are?!”
To leave an army of five thousand so blood-soaked, killing a few hundred soldiers wouldn't have been enough. It was a safe bet that they had slaughtered not just soldiers, but innocent commoners as well. If they had laid hands on the commoners for whatever reason, it meant the entire army was in a state of extreme agitation.
“They are an army that has already tasted blood! We must close the gates and prepare for a siege immediately!”
“Are you mad?! Do you want to provoke an enemy that’s already worked up?!”
“If we just walk on eggshells, we might all die without even putting up a fight!”
“If we jump to conclusions and ruin a situation that could have ended peacefully, we’ll all die anyway!”
“Enough! Enough, I said!”
Viscount Karayan roared at his bickering retainers.
The clamor of anxious voices died down, but the fundamental problem remained. In ten minutes, the army of five thousand would be right at their doorstep. By then, even if they wanted to run, they wouldn't be able to.
He had to decide now.
Should he risk provoking them and flee into the castle to bolt the gates? Or should he grovel as much as possible to avoid a bloodbath?
“…We will welcome the Duke as planned.”
“Your Lordship!”
As the dry voice escaped Viscount Karayan’s lips, several retainers gasped in horror. However, the Viscount turned a stern gaze toward those who had argued for a siege and barked at them.
“Look at that army! If we shut ourselves in the castle, do you think we could last even a single day?!”
“…”
The retainers were struck dumb by the Viscount’s cold assessment.
It was true. Even if Viscount Karayan mobilized every bit of his supplies and manpower, they could hardly last a day against a five-thousand-strong army. There were so many of them that they could likely scale the walls with their bare hands even without ladders.
Furthermore, they weren't just a rabble of high numbers. They were elites, including the current Sword Saint and a Court Mage. If things went wrong, the castle could fall before sunset, let alone lasting a day.
“There is no point in bolting the gates just to prolong our lives by a few hours! Stop babbling nonsense out of fear!”
The retainers hung their heads, unable to say a word in the face of the Viscount’s rebuke.
In truth, the Viscount himself wasn't entirely confident in his choice. Who knew if those few hours might have been what saved his territory? But a lord had to appear resolute before his subordinates.
Viscount Karayan feigned composure and commanded his retainers.
“Stop panicking and prepare to receive our guests! Do not forget that a single mistake could leave this territory drenched in blood!”
“Yes, My Lord!”
Snapping back to their senses at their lord’s firm demeanor, the retainers began to move quickly.
Before long, Lucian’s army arrived within a stone’s throw. As Lucian neared the gates, Viscount Karayan bowed deeply and shouted.
“Karayan Valz greets Your Highness, the Conqueror of the North!”
“…”
Lucian did not respond to the Viscount’s greeting and continued forward. Viscount Karayan felt his lips go bone-dry with tension, but he did not budge.
Finally, Lucian drew close enough to take his head with a single swing of a sword.
“‘Your Highness.’ That’s an interesting title.”
“…?”
“I can’t tell if you mean King or Duke. Viscount Oleg irritated me with that same little game. Did the entire West coordinate their stories?”
Viscount Karayan flinched at the chilling tone.
They had indeed coordinated, but he hadn't expected the Duke to care so much about such a subtle nuance. He must have known they couldn't politically recognize his status as King, so why was he being so aggressive?
‘Strange. According to the rumors, he wasn't a fool driven by his emotions. Is there a reason he has to push so hard even at the cost of political advantage? Or has his ego reached the clouds after ascending the throne…?’
“Viscount Karayan.”
Lucian’s voice snapped the Viscount back to reality. He broke into a cold sweat as he realized the mistake he’d just made. To be lost in thought while the man holding the sword hilt was right in front of him!
“Can you not hear me? You didn't answer.”
“M-My apologies! Your Majesty the King’s dignity was so overwhelming that I found myself speechless…!”
“You keep playing with words. I’m starting to wonder if you’re intentionally trying to provoke me because you want to die. Did the Marquis ask you to do him a favor and get yourself killed?”
“No, Great King! I was foolish and could not choose my words properly! Please, forgive me!”
Viscount Karayan’s face turned deathly pale as Lucian’s hand moved toward his sword hilt. Paralyzed by fear, the Viscount was forced to drop to his knees, even resorting to the blatant flattery of calling Lucian "Great King."
Lucian stared down at the groveling man for a moment before taking his hand off the hilt.
“I will rest here for two days. Bring food.”
“Yes!”
A sigh of relief escaped Viscount Karayan’s lips.
This was likely his last chance. He had to serve them with the utmost sincerity for even a single day to somehow win their favor. If Lucian returned safely to the North, he would have to pass through here again.
Gripped by the desperate need to save his territory, Viscount Karayan clenched his fists.
Surprisingly, Lucian’s army was gentlemanly.
They enjoyed the food the Viscount provided, but that was it. They didn't even step outside the encampment, and their refusal to touch a drop of alcohol was almost ascetic.
‘Is this truly the army that laid waste to a territory?’
Faced with a scene so different from their expectations, Viscount Karayan and his retainers tilted their heads in confusion. Usually, soldiers who had committed a massacre would run wild until they returned home. Even considering they were elites, wasn't their discipline a bit too perfect?
“I’ve rested well for these two days. The hospitality was decent. I’ll look forward to it on my way back.”
It wasn't just the soldiers who were strange. Two days later, Lucian departed with a smile, as if his initial coldness had been a lie. The man had changed so much in just two days that Viscount Karayan could only stare in bewilderment.
As soon as Lucian’s army left the territory, Viscount Karayan immediately sent a messenger to Viscount Oleg’s lands.
“Find out what happened in Viscount Oleg’s territory! If the Viscount is safe, meet him in person and hear the details!”
The scout rushed toward Oleg’s territory as ordered, but he returned sooner than expected. He had seen that the bridge, which had been repaired not long ago, was destroyed once again.
Fortunately, the messenger brought one piece of news before returning.
“The bridge that was repaired recently was broken again, and you confirmed that Viscount Oleg’s people are currently repairing it?”
“Yes. Seeing as it’s already partially fixed, it seems the Duke’s army destroyed it immediately after crossing.”
“The Duke ordered his rear troops to destroy it as soon as he crossed?”
The question of why filled Viscount Karayan’s mind. No matter what the Duke had done to Viscount Oleg, wasn't that the bridge he would need to use on his way back? He couldn't understand why the Duke would go out of his way to destroy it after crossing.
‘Still, the fact that they’re repairing it as soon as it was broken means Viscount Oleg is safe. A family that lost its head wouldn't be able to move so swiftly.’
Viscount Karayan breathed a secret sigh of relief and waited for the bridge to be completed. As soon as it was finished, he sent another messenger.
A few days later, while waiting for the messenger’s report, Viscount Karayan blinked in surprise at unexpected news.
“Viscount Oleg has come here himself?”
“It has been a while.”
Viscount Oleg greeted Viscount Karayan with a haggard face. He seemed physically fine, but one could tell at a glance that he had suffered immense mental strain.
After leading his guest to a drawing room, Viscount Karayan couldn't contain his curiosity and got straight to the point.
“What on earth happened in your territory? The Duke’s army arrived here caked in blood. Did they commit a massacre?”
“A massacre? Yes, I suppose you could call it that in a way.”
Viscount Karayan frowned at Oleg’s ambiguous words.
“Don't beat around the bush; speak plainly. It’s either a massacre or it isn't. What do you mean, ‘in a way’?”
“The Duke didn't touch a single person. Instead, he exterminated every head of livestock in my territory.”
“What?”
“That blood was all from the livestock raised on my land. Blood squeezed from every cow and pig they killed.”
Viscount Karayan’s eyes widened.
Wait, so that blood wasn't human, but from animals? It was so absurd that he almost let out a hollow laugh, but that emptiness soon turned into anger.
“What kind of prank is this?! Did you and the Duke make a plaything out of me?!”
“A prank? Did you not hear me? Every animal in my territory is dead! Does this look like a joke to you?!”
Viscount Oleg erupted with even greater fury toward the angry Karayan. The sheer intensity of his rage made Karayan flinch, but the dam had broken, and Oleg showed no signs of stopping.
“Do you have any idea what state my territory is in right now?! I’ve been completely cleaned out! Everything from the grain stores to the livestock has been stripped bare! I don't even have the pocket change to pay my servants, let alone the knights’ salaries! Half my staff has already left, and you call this a prank?!”
Viscount Karayan kept backing away from Oleg’s terrifying momentum. He realized he had misspoken, but Oleg’s tirade continued. Only after pouring out his heart about how ruined his territory had become did Oleg lean back in his chair, looking exhausted.
“Above all, you have no right to rebuke me.”
“…No right? What do you mean by that?”
“When you followed my advice, you dragged the other lords into it as well, didn't you? Even though you knew exactly what would happen if you did.”
“…!”
As Viscount Karayan stood speechless, Viscount Oleg gave him a meaningful smile.
“I’m quite curious to see what the Marquis will say when I tell him what you’ve done.”
