Chapter 107: Mock Battle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 107: Mock Battle
A young king strives to project his power in any way he can. The stronger that power, the more pronounced the tendency.
And what if his dream is to become a great king, one who would adorn a page of the history books?
He becomes an unpredictable variable, one that is all but impossible to control.
I came to the royal capital to win over such a difficult opponent.
The end of spring is already near.
I had made a deal with Count Dresden. If he helped me swallow the Broua County, I would join his future expedition to the Northern Continent.
According to that contract, I had to finish my preparations for the campaign before the end of summer. The autumn sea is more fickle than a woman’s heart.
The problem was the safety of my people who would remain here while I was away on the Northern Continent.
There are too many jackals waiting to take advantage of my absence.
The territories I’ve acquired technically belong to the Rasino family and the royal family.
If some upstart were to get his hands on Eusebia or Eleanor, the masters of those domains, all of my achievements could be snatched away in an instant.
Even with Dresden and the royal family seemingly at my back, I couldn't rest easy.
This was an age of barbarism.
An age filled with a legion of greedy fools who acted first without a second thought.
To them, Eusebia and Eleanor must look like treasures, free for the taking.
That is why I need the king’s direct protection.
My proposal for Eleanor to accompany me was for this very reason.
“H-How…!?”
Bronx II shot to his feet. He was a middle-aged man with a frame as large as a house and a curly beard that covered the lower half of his face.
On his head sat a crown made of ivory and finished with large, lustrous jewels. The sword hanging from his belt proclaimed him an energetic king.
“Have I come somewhere I shouldn’t have, Brother?”
Eleanor didn’t hide her triumphant expression. The woman who had been anxious the entire way to the capital, worried that the side effects of her power might manifest, was gone.
“Everyone, out! Now!”
“Your Majesty?”
The retainers and guard knights positioned around the king stared at him in bewilderment, wondering what had suddenly gotten into him. At the king’s urging, they exchanged glances before filing out of the throne room.
Is the king the only one who knows about Eleanor’s ability?
Then again, for a king, the fact that his sister was a witch would be a secret he must hide at all costs.
His sister being a witch would be ammunition for his political rivals.
“Really… Anyone would think I have some sort of infectious disease.”
“Ha, an infectious disease would be a blessing. At least that can be cured. But your ability…”
That was likely why Bronx II trailed off.
“You can speak freely. Sir Allen is fine.”
Instead of a lengthy explanation, Eleanor simply raised our interlocked hands. As expected, Bronx II stared at our clasped hands with a look of disbelief.
“How can this be…?”
“My ability doesn't activate when I'm in contact with Sir Allen.”
Clap.
“So that’s it! That’s it! I was wondering how a knight from a humble family could achieve deeds worthy of an epic poem. It was all thanks to your ability!”
Bronx II had gravely misunderstood. He thought my touch only negated the negative effects.
His gaze toward Eleanor instantly turned greedy. And why wouldn’t it? Her ability without its side effects would be more valuable than any treasure.
Eleanor’s grip on my hand tightened. She seemed slightly surprised.
It was likely because this was a different side of her brother than the one she remembered.
Time changes everything.
In the few years Eleanor had been away, Bronx II had changed, becoming more befitting of a king.
But it was not a change for the better, at least not for Eleanor.
To a king, siblings are nothing more than rivals.
I remembered the end. In a future that would now never come, I remembered the sight of Bronx II leading the charge against Eleanor to prove his own innocence.
Bronx II was a man who would forsake his own blood for his safety.
Eleanor didn't know that.
Sometimes, things are clearer from a distance than they are up close.
In any case, I had intended to wait until the long-separated siblings had their reunion, but at this rate, I might find myself confined along with Eleanor.
“It’s not just the side effects that don’t activate.”
That was why I stepped forward in Eleanor’s place, offering a bow.
“Is that true?”
Bronx II’s gaze was still fixed on Eleanor. Only after I gave her hand a gentle squeeze did she regain her senses and nod.
“That’s why we almost went to war with Dresden.”
“Hah…”
Bronx II couldn’t help but let out a sigh. At the same time, he narrowed his eyes, trying to gauge if Eleanor was telling the truth.
He didn’t want to believe it. If he could control Eleanor’s ability, he could become a king who would adorn the pages of history.
Eleanor’s grip on my hand tightened further. It seemed she, too, had realized her brother was not the same person he used to be.
I subtly freed my thumb from our clasped hands and stroked her palm. She flinched, and when she turned to look at me, her eyes had gone wide.
‘Don’t worry.’
I told her with my eyes. Their relationship becoming worse than that of strangers was a matter for the distant future. For now, his greed had only momentarily blinded him.
His affection for Eleanor was surely still real. The fact that he had granted an audience to a knight who had impersonated a royal command was proof of that.
‘I don’t need your help, you know?’
As if to say just that, Eleanor snorted and whipped her head away. Despite her attitude, her grip on my hand grew even tighter.
Her contradictory reaction made me smile. I found myself looking forward to the days I would spend with her in the capital.
Meanwhile, thanks to my encouragement, Eleanor regained her smug smile.
“And while your sister was in danger, you offered no help at all, Brother.”
“Ahem… The threat would have remained just that. Not even Dresden would dare to harm my sister. That would mean settling things with me for good.”
Bronx II gave an awkward laugh. The tables had turned in an instant.
“And what about my city and my domain?”
“That… It was just a small city, wasn’t it?”
“A city with the potential to grow as large as Dresden’s capital. And in the end, I lost my fishing rights.”
“Ugh… I apologize. It completely slipped my mind. You have my apology.”
Finally satisfied, Eleanor smiled and said, “Let’s call it even. My loyal knight is, after all, guilty of impersonating my brother’s command.”
“You…? Hahaha. You’ve become quite the sly one while I wasn’t looking.”
Belatedly realizing why Eleanor had so persistently extracted an apology, Bronx II slapped his massive belly and roared with laughter.
“It’s all thanks to you, Brother. I learned that I have to protect what’s mine.”
“Goodness, holding grudges now, are we?”
After laughing until he was out of breath, Bronx II wiped the smile from his face and continued.
“But, my dear sister, you are still naive. Do you know that the knight you believe to be so loyal is attempting to form a marriage alliance with House Dresden?”
The cheerful atmosphere instantly turned cold again. Eleanor flinched once more, her clasped hand now slick with sweat. It was my turn.
“It is merely the price for their acquiescence to my occupation of the Broua County.”
“Such tear-jerking loyalty. To sacrifice yourself to deliver a county to my sister.”
The justification had been to reclaim the king’s land, and I had indeed conquered it under the king’s banner. In other words, the Broua County technically belonged to Eleanor, who had been granted the rights by the king.
Therefore, it appeared as though I had made a sacrifice for Eleanor.
Moreover, she had jumped for joy when she heard the news of my marriage to Adeleade. Something about Aenya being all hers now? That was why she was being so cooperative.
Despite this, Bronx II didn’t seem to believe me.
“You may have fooled my innocent sister, but I know Dresden well. You think a family that would use their own kin for their house’s sake would be satisfied with a mere marriage alliance with a knight in exchange for a county? No. No, that makes no sense.”
Looking at me properly for the first time, Bronx II continued.
“Knight. Speak honestly. Did Dresden ask you to strike at me with them?”
His tone was confident, as if he already knew everything. Anyone who didn’t know the full story and had something to hide might have been completely fooled.
Of course, I knew he was just fishing.
“On the contrary, Dresden feared an attack from the royal family. That is why they wished for the Broua County to remain as a buffer zone.”
“And you think that makes sense? If I were to move my troops recklessly, my political rivals, who already disapprove of me, would not stand idly by! Dresden knows this as well.”
“But if you could swallow Dresden with only a small force, would you not do so, Your Majesty?”
Bronx II’s eyes narrowed. He instantly understood the hidden meaning in my words.
“Did something happen in Dresden?”
As expected, he was a rather capable king. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t have been able to wield such influence, even with the help of Eleanor’s ability.
“Dresden will aim for the throne of the Northern Continent.”
“…I have heard that King Dane failed to leave a suitable heir. Ha, so Dresden intends to claim the throne with their bloodline, diluted as it is. Should I call this typical of them?”
Nodding, Bronx II muttered to himself, “If that’s true, their strength on the mainland will be weakened by the expedition. That’s why they allowed you to take the Broua County, to secure their rear.”
“In the East, there is a saying about giving the flesh to take the bone.”
“That certainly makes sense. The problem is, this could all be a ploy by Dresden. What if the troops meant for the Northern Continent suddenly turn and march on me? I would become a foolish king, caught completely off guard.”
“In that event, I shall be at the forefront, Your Majesty, to defend you against Dresden.”
Bronx II let out a short, derisive laugh.
“And why should I trust a knight who defends Dresden in my very presence?”
“I will vouch for him.”
Eleanor stepped up to guarantee my loyalty. Bronx II looked back and forth between us, then spoke with a sly grin.
“When Sir Gale married off his daughter, he said something to me. That raising a daughter is all for naught. I finally understand what he meant.”
“Brother, it’s not like that. I’ve simply found Sir Allen’s weakness.”
“How great a weakness is it?”
“Enough that he can never betray me.”
Eleanor shot me a smug look. The weakness she spoke of was Aenya, who was currently in Roxwood, building a friendship with the mother and daughter of the Rasino family.
She knew how I felt about Aenya. And I knew the same about her. As long as Aenya existed, the bond between us was unbreakable.
“I suppose I must take back my words about you being naive.”
Only after she spoke with such a confident tone did Bronx II’s suspicion begin to fade. He looked both proud and disappointed, like a parent seeing their child has finally grown up.
I seized the opportunity.
“This is a transaction that benefits us both. If Dresden focuses on the throne of the Northern Continent, Your Majesty can turn the attention you would have spent on them to other matters.”
The king was in the prime of his life. He also had the goal of becoming like the great monarchs of legend, and he had the power to realize that goal.
If Dresden, who had been a thorn in his side, was out of the picture, he could use that freed-up energy to take another step closer to his ambition.
“Hmm. Let’s say I believe in your loyalty. The problem is, how does a country knight who grew strong by leaning on a mere woman intend to stop Dresden, with its long and storied lineage?”
“That same country knight secured Dresden’s cooperation and delivered a county to the princess.”
“Even so, you’ve never fought a real war, have you?”
If by a real war he meant a great war between grand lords, he was correct.
The strongest enemy I had ever faced was Count Broua, and even he, having lost his head, had his forces split into three factions, failing to display the true strength of his county.
Bronx II continued.
“I acknowledge your martial prowess. If even half the rumors are true, you could rival the heroes of legend. However, individual strength only decides the outcome of small battles. In a real war, the quality and quantity of troops, and a brilliant commander, are far more important.”
“If you give me the chance, I shall prove that martial strength is not all I possess.”
“What kind of chance are you speaking of?”
“I have heard that Your Majesty is very interested in mock battles.”
The great kings of legend and myth were usually warrior kings. Bronx II, who sought to follow in their footsteps, was also deeply interested in war.
He held grand jousting tournaments every quarter, and he was said to jump out of bed in his sleep at the mere mention of a mock battle.
Indeed, Bronx II, who had been leaning back in his chair, slowly straightened his posture.
“A mock battle, you say… That’s certainly not a bad idea. The problem is the cost is immense. It’s too extravagant to hold one just to test the skills of a single knight.”
I bowed my head respectfully, a sign that I would follow whatever decision Bronx II made.
I wasn’t worried he would refuse. For a man of absolute power, to whom almost nothing was impossible, life was bound to be boring. For a ruler in this medieval world with few entertainments, even more so.
The moment the king showed interest, the mock battle was decided.
However, the king was not one to be taken lightly.
“But, this is also a joyous day, a reunion with the sister I thought I would never see again. Very well. I shall hold a mock battle. On one condition.”
“I am listening.”
“If you fail to win, you will break off your engagement with Dresden.”
He was telling me to tarnish the Dresden family’s honor and make an enemy of them. For a mere knight to refuse a marriage proposal from a great house with a long and prestigious history meant exactly that.