Chapter 200
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 200
“M-Marquis!”
As the master of the land appeared, the crowd scrambled to clear a path.
Marquis Bernhardt strode through the opening, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. His gaze soon locked onto Gaemon, who was covered in blood, and Felicia, who still held the man by his collar.
“You… you…!”
Marquis Bernhardt’s face turned a deep shade of crimson as he sputtered. He seemed so consumed by rage that he couldn't even form proper words. Felicia merely stared back at him, her expression void of emotion.
“Quite a mess we have here.”
“Your Majesty!”
In the midst of the awkward silence, Lucian made his appearance. He took a brief look around before turning to Hugo with a calm face.
“Hugo.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“What happened here?”
“Some madman suddenly started picking a fight with Sir Felicia and got thrashed for it. To be precise, he’s still in the middle of getting thrashed.”
“How dare you!”
The Marquis’s murderous gaze shifted to Hugo. With his hand resting on his waist, he looked ready to draw his sword and take Hugo’s head at any moment.
Lucian glanced at the Marquis before speaking again.
“Stop playing around and give me a detailed explanation.”
“I’m not playing, Sire. I truly have no idea why he started trouble.”
Hugo sighed and explained the sequence of events. How this fellow named Gaemon had suddenly appeared and started hurling insults while they were just standing there. How he had challenged her to a duel but refused to actually commit, choosing instead to keep taunting her. And finally, how Felicia had changed her mind from a duel to corporal punishment and decided to handle him personally.
“To be honest, he seemed a bit mentally unstable. I don’t know what kind of bad blood they had in the past, but hurling insults like that in front of a Sword Saint? No matter how you look at it, wasn't he just a man desperate to be embraced by the Eight Gods?”
“…!”
Marquis Bernhardt’s eyes twitched. Hugo’s insults were one thing, but more than that, Gaemon’s very existence was a source of shame. As soon as he heard the context, he realized exactly how moronic his son’s plan had been.
‘You utter fool! What were you thinking, acting out when you didn't even have proper information?! That brat has enough martial prowess to escape with his life even if a war breaks out!’
In all likelihood, Gaemon had acted on the premise that "no matter what provocation occurs, war will not break out." He probably thought that even if Lucian had brought a massive army, he wouldn't be safe if he started a war in the heart of the Western Region. He assumed that no matter how much Lucian wanted to destroy his rival, the House of Roglan, he wouldn't be willing to trade his own life for it.
Gaemon must have thought that if Lucian had any sense, he would endure any insult, allowing Gaemon to restore the prestige of the Roglan name and pull ahead in the succession competition.
In truth, until very recently, Marquis Bernhardt had also believed that war was an impossibility. However, after hearing that Lucian had personally torn down the gates of Beor Castle, he had been forced to revise all his assumptions.
‘That brat is someone capable of cutting through an entire army to escape even if war erupts! To think my son would blindly provoke such a man when he’s stepped into the very heart of our territory!’
If war broke out here, both sides would undoubtedly suffer near-total destruction. However, there was one decisive difference between their forces: the survival probability of the commanders-in-chief was vastly different.
The moment a chaotic melee began in this cramped castle, both Lucian and Marquis Bernhardt would be putting their lives on the line. And naturally, in terms of survivability, Lucian—who possessed immense personal strength—held the overwhelming advantage. Conversely, Felicia was right there, her eyes flashing, ready to take the Marquis’s head in an instant.
No matter how he looked at it, the probability was far too high that the Marquis would die while Lucian survived.
‘Damn it! To think that hiding the extent of his power to prevent our morale from dropping would return as such a disaster…!’
Marquis Bernhardt clutched his throbbing head. Of course, Lucian wouldn't try to start a war over a minor scuffle like this. If a real war broke out, Lucian’s army would be nearly wiped out regardless of his own survival, and the aftermath would be immense. Unless it was something truly significant, Lucian would also try to avoid war.
But looking at it from another perspective, if things escalated, starting a war was an actual option on the table for him. Naturally, if the confrontation between Lucian and the Marquis intensified, the Marquis would be the one forced to back down first.
“Marquis.”
It was Lucian’s voice that snapped Marquis Bernhardt out of his thoughts. The Marquis bit his lip and stared at Lucian with a stiff face.
“…Speak.”
“Your son seems to have some mental issues. Wouldn't you agree?”
The Marquis’s brows shot up at the vitriol, which was no less biting than Hugo’s. Clearly, the responsibility lay with Gaemon, but this was a public place. Lucian should have at least tried to save face for him to some degree, yet he was insulting him so openly.
“Watch your words. I admit my son acted poorly, but that aside, you have no right to insult me.”
“Of course, I have no right to insult you. But surely it’s fine to insult a fool who didn't know his place and taunted a Sword Saint?”
“Stop with the useless talk and get to the point. What is it you want?” Marquis Bernhardt said, glaring sharply at Lucian.
In truth, even without hearing the answer, he could guess what Lucian would demand.
‘He’ll probably say that since Gaemon is responsible, we should just bury this incident and move on.’
It might look like they were settling things amicably by calling it even, but in reality, it was a one-sided loss for the Marquis. Lucian had already trampled over his prestige by roaming through the West. If it were seen that his son was beaten one-sidedly and he couldn't even utter a word of protest?
‘The dignity of the House of Roglan will plummet even further, and even our allies will start turning their backs. Dammit, it’s going to be a nightmare trying to restore our fallen authority.’
His insides burned so much he felt like he was getting an ulcer, but there was nothing he could do. Right now, it was Marquis Bernhardt, not Lucian, who was in a desperate position. His only consolation was that if he could somehow secure a non-aggression pact and buy time, the damage could be repaired.
However, the words that came out of Lucian’s mouth far exceeded the Marquis’s imagination.
“Since things have turned out this way, why don't we have your son sincerely apologize to Sir Felicia and end this cleanly? His cheeks might look like that, but his limbs seem fine, so he should be perfectly capable of getting on his knees and begging for forgiveness.”
“…What?”
Marquis Bernhardt wondered if he had misheard. His own son had been brutally beaten in his own front yard, and now he was being told to get on his knees and apologize?
“What kind of—!”
“Do you not want to sign the non-aggression pact?”
“…!”
“Well, if you’re not up for it, do as you please. Just know that if the treaty isn't signed, you’ll be seeing me again very soon.”
Grit.
Marquis Bernhardt ground his teeth in shame and humiliation. He bit down so hard that a trickle of blood escaped his lips. Suppressing the rage that felt ready to explode, the Marquis spoke.
“Are you truly intent on taking this to the end?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Huuuuu.”
Hearing Lucian’s answer, Marquis Bernhardt let out a long, deep sigh. It was an attempt to regain his composure, but his flushed complexion showed no signs of returning to normal. Nevertheless, setting his emotions aside, the Marquis made a choice based on reason.
“Gaemon… apologize to Sir Felicia. On your knees, with your forehead to the ground, and with all your heart.”
“F-Father!”
“Shut up and do as I say!”
Gaemon’s eyes widened in shock, but the Marquis barked his command as if he would tolerate no argument. At his father’s behavior, Gaemon glared at Felicia with tear-filled eyes. His gaze was full of a sense of injustice, as if such a thing could not and should not happen in this world.
“I-I ammm…!”
“Speak clearly. I can’t hear you.”
But that sense of injustice vanished the moment he heard Felicia’s cold voice. Simultaneously, the pain in his cheeks that he had forgotten rushed back all at once. If he tried to hold out relying on the Marquis’s pride, that palm would surely come flying again.
Terrified, Gaemon dropped to his knees, trembling as if he had never hesitated.
“I’m thow-wy!”
“Pfft.”
“Puhaha.”
At the sound of the air leaking through his swollen lips, laughter erupted from Lucian’s soldiers. Felicia ignored the soldiers' laughter and spoke again.
“What was that? I can’t hear you well.”
“I’m thow-wy! I’m thow-wy! It wath! It wath my fault!”
“Pwahaha!”
“D-Don’t laugh… hic!”
“Pffft, ha, pfft, ha!”
Every time Gaemon spoke, the soldiers' laughter grew louder. Because it was a serious situation, the soldiers tried their best to hold it in, but it was proving impossible. Soon, the sound of Lucian’s soldiers stifling their laughter filled the air.
Gaemon even shed tears of humiliation, but the soldiers felt no sympathy upon seeing them. This was all his own doing, so what right did he have to feel wronged and cry? If anything, it only made them feel more vindicated, causing the laughter to grow even louder.
“Ahem.”
“Hmph, cough.”
Unlike Lucian’s soldiers, those belonging to the House of Roglan repeatedly cleared their throats and looked away. Even if they thought Gaemon was pathetic, he was still the son of the lord they served. Seeing their lord’s son kneeling and begging so miserably made them feel ashamed by proxy.
Felicia scanned the two armies, whose moods were so starkly different, before speaking to Gaemon.
“I accept your apology, Gaemon.”
“…!”
“To be honest, I still can’t understand a word you’re saying, but since you’ve knelt, I’ll consider the apology made. However, regardless of the apology, I don’t want to see your face for another second, so get lost. If you stay here any longer…”
Felicia didn't even need to finish. As soon as she told him to get lost, Gaemon scrambled to his feet and vanished among the soldiers. It seemed he didn't want to stay in this place of utter disgrace for a moment longer.
Once the situation was settled, the Marquis glared at Lucian.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“It feels a bit lacking, but I suppose it’s good enough.”
Good enough? After dragging the House of Roglan through the mud and humiliating them like this? At Lucian’s brazen response, Marquis Bernhardt bit his lip and approached him. He whispered in a low voice so those around them couldn't hear.
“Brat, let me give you a piece of advice. When hunting a beast, you must always leave at least one escape route open. If you block every path, the beast has no choice but to lung at the hunter.”
At the threat, Lucian let out a smirk.
“Of course I know that. But if the beast’s teeth and claws are pathetic, is there really any need to leave an escape route?”
“…!”