Chapter 111: Mock Battle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 111: Mock Battle
Aron and the King's reactions made it clear they had some sort of agreement. More accurately, it seemed the King had given an order, and Aron had obeyed.
‘But why?’
I focused on what each party had to gain or lose. What would have happened if I'd taken Aron's bait?
Aron is Count Dresden's eldest son and rightful heir. A conflict with him would likely cause problems for my alliance with Dresden.
‘So, this wasn't Count Dresden's idea.’
Count Dresden was the one who had yielded a great deal for his family's long-held ambition—the throne of the Northern Continent—when I took the County of Broua.
The moment to collect his due was not far off; he wouldn't needlessly provoke me and ruin everything. In other words, I had to assume this was Aron's own doing.
I'd have to look into the details, but it seemed there was a problem within House Dresden.
I had a suspicion. The person who had represented the Count when discussing and deciding on the alliance and marriage was the second son, Erik.
Despite the eldest son being alive and well, the second son had acted as the heir. In other words, the Count's favor had shifted significantly toward Erik.
But would the rightful heir, the eldest son, just give up? The reason Aron joined hands with the King, his family's arch-enemy, might have been because of the succession competition.
If that was the case, it meant Aron was in quite a tight spot.
‘This… I can use this.’
The goals of the family's rightful heir and its master, Count Dresden, were different. If I used this fact well, it would be easier to get Dresden in the palm of my hand later on.
And I might even be able to extract a concession from Count Dresden because of this incident.
The problem was the King's intention.
His words, that I should become enemies with Dresden if I failed to win the mock battle, weighed on my mind.
‘Did he belatedly decide that Eleanor's guarantee alone wasn't enough?’
It must be a warning to become a firm ally instead of remaining ambiguously neutral.
Bronx II had decided that having me keep Dresden in check was a better method than trusting his old arch-enemy.
The problem was that the King hadn't considered my position at all.
‘I can't stop Dresden on my own.’
Even if the King provided support, I would have to endure enormous losses to stop Dresden.
Could the King have been unaware of that? No, he probably just thought, ‘So what?’ After all, to him, my existence was like a sudden windfall.
Easy come, easy go. No matter what happened to me, the King stood to lose nothing.
On the other hand, my losses would be great.
Because saving the Witch of the Northern Continent and getting Dresden in the palm of my hand would become impossible, or take much longer.
I would succeed in coming under the King's protection, but I had too much to lose.
This was putting the cart before the horse.
The problem was that refusing was not an option.
It was because of the County of Broua.
The County of Broua had been reclaimed as royal land, and then granted to Eleanor to be distributed among her vassals.
In other words, he could take it back at any time with a single word. As if to prove my guess correct, the King declared.
“To the house that wins this mock battle, I shall grant the Shanksbury region!”
The King went on to mention a barony, a fine warhorse, outstanding arms and armor, and a huge cash prize, but the only thing that registered in my ears was the Shanksbury region.
The Shanksbury region was a vast territory within the County of Broua. The King had arbitrarily offered up land I had conquered through painstaking effort as a prize for a mock battle.
If some other bastard won and set up camp in my backyard, I would have no choice but to go to war.
A war where I would lack justification.
The King was trying to wield me as he pleased, using the County of Broua as a leash.
I had come under the King's protection, but in return, it seemed I would have to act as his puppet.
My pleasant mood completely vanished.
“Ooooh-!”
At the King's bombshell declaration, the eyes that had been watching the confrontation between Aron and me scattered. Aron let out a deep sigh and discreetly slipped away.
“H-how could you, Brother...!”
Eleanor stared at Bronx II with a look of disbelief. Then she glanced at me, unsure of what to do.
“I'm sorry. I...”
“This is my mistake. I should have anticipated the King would make a move like this.”
I shouldn't have trusted something like the King's feelings for Eleanor.
Even if it was in the distant future, didn't the King ultimately betray his own sister?
“I'll try talking to him again.”
As if he had been waiting, Bronx II led us to a reception room not far from the banquet hall. The moment the door clicked shut, Eleanor raised her voice.
“Brother. I need an explanation.”
“An explanation for what?”
“About Lord Aron of Dresden! Did you think I wouldn't know you were behind this?”
Bronx II let out a smirk.
“It was to clearly distinguish friend from foe. Exposing the conflict between the Dresden father and son to the world was just a bonus for my own amusement.”
“I believe I told you that I could control Sir Allen.”
“By holding his only family member hostage? Eleanor. My naive little sister. That alone is not enough. Did you not see it just now? Aron going against his own father's will for the sake of the heir's seat. When I proposed this to him today, the bastard didn't hesitate for a moment.”
Bronx II was saying that one's only family could never be a weakness. It was a statement he could only make because he didn't know the nature of our relationship.
He stared directly at me with eyes as calm as a windless lake.
“Rather, I'm suspicious that you two are the ones with ulterior motives. Didn't you say you were confident you would win the mock battle, Sir? I've given you a chance to legally obtain a title and territory, yet you come here to complain as if the gift was faulty.”
I spoke before a furious Eleanor could raise her voice.
“It is a misunderstanding. I came to offer my thanks. How could I not know that Your Highness intentionally planned this to raise my stature?”
“I intended to raise your stature? Why?”
“Because you must have been considering me as a match for the Princess.”
Eleanor's head whipped toward me. Bronx II also faltered for a moment before a deep smile spread across his face.
“You're different from those knights with nothing but shit for brains.”
“Brother...!”
“Eleanor. Don't even think about deceiving me. Whenever you look at Sir Allen, it's like honey is dripping from your eyes.”
Eleanor, her face flushed red, glanced at me and shouted.
“This isn't the way I wanted it to happen!”
“Deciding on major family matters such as marriage is strictly my role as the head of the house.”
Eleanor, who had been stuck in a corner of a room because of her ability, was no match for the seasoned King. Bronx II turned his gaze to me and continued.
“If you win the mock battle and prove your ability, I will promise it. I will take you as the Princess's husband.”
“I will be sure to win.”
I had no choice but to accept. My sensitive reaction had ended up earning the King's suspicion instead.
Eleanor and I didn't return directly to the banquet hall, but went to the garden by the detached palace.
She, who had been following me in silence, glanced around cautiously and spoke.
“Being pushed into the spot beside you like this is not the way I wanted it.”
I could sense her worry in her defensive tone.
Indeed, the King had mentioned marriage not long after she had shown me her true feelings. It was a situation that could easily make one suspect she was in league with the King and had stabbed me in the back.
“I know you are not that kind of person.”
“Ahem, is that so...?”
In the place where her worry had been, curiosity and expectation sprouted. Since things had come to this, she wanted to hear my true feelings as well.
I asked in return.
“Eleanor. Even if I become hostile to your brother, will your feelings remain unchanged?”
Eleanor flinched and fell into deep thought. I waited patiently for her to sort out her thoughts. Some time passed like that.
“...My brother has changed. He didn't believe you could be controlled by holding your only family hostage. Probably because if it were him, he would have abandoned his family. That must be why he offered marriage as a condition without asking my opinion. What's more...”
“What's more?”
Eleanor gave a small laugh and intertwined her fingers with mine again.
“Do I even have a choice? You wouldn't let me go even if I refused.”
A smile similar to Eleanor's appeared on my face.
“Correct.”
“So, what are you planning to do? You're not just going to charge in headfirst, are you?”
I asked in return.
“Why do you think the King tried to win me over with what was essentially a threat? What if he gets stabbed in the back for it?”
Nobles don't often do things that would earn them grudges. In an age where betrayal is not uncommon, there's always a risk of being stabbed in the back.
And yet, the King used a method that was bound to offend me. Why?
“Because... he can?”
As expected, Eleanor was a person of this era. Perhaps taking my gaze the wrong way, she hurriedly added an explanation.
“He has the leash of the County of Broua, doesn't he? Since he has both justification and power, he must have thought he could control you as he pleases.”
“That's also true, but the biggest reason is that I am a mere knight. He simply sees me as a pushover.”
He could act so recklessly because he thinks that no matter what I do, I can't hurt him.
Eleanor nodded unconsciously, then glanced at me and stopped. Then she gave a bashful smile.
“I-I didn't see you as a pushover, you know?”
“It's fine. It must be because I'm lacking. I'll try harder. In bed, of course.”
“Ahem. But will it be okay? If you get on the King's bad side, your actions might do more harm than good.”
Eleanor quickly changed the subject. As if that would let her escape the night.
“Fortunately, I've seen and learned a lot since coming here. The King is a powerful grand lord, but he has just as many enemies. Far more than I expected. If that's the case, there's no reason to be dragged around. As long as I can make him realize that if he messes with me, he'll have to give up an arm, there won't be any problems.”
“The problem is how to do that, isn't it?”
“As it happens, a suitable stage is just one day away.”
The mock battle was tomorrow. And it seemed the King was eager to confirm my skills. My turn was first.
The mock battle was held in a field not far from the capital. Each team could field thirty men, so the arena, enclosed by a wooden fence, was quite large. Large enough to allow for flanking maneuvers.
My opponent, unexpectedly, was House Stormwood, led by Sir Gale, the King's military advisor and a court knight. The King must intend to gauge my skills using his own vassal.
Bwoooo-
When the horn blew, both sides prepared at opposite ends of the arena.
From the central platform in the stands, I could faintly hear the announcer introducing both sides.
As they say, even a dog fights best on its own turf. When Sir Gale was introduced, fervent cheers erupted from the stands.
After all, my opponent was the King's military advisor and an honorable court knight, a man who had achieved many great deeds alongside the energetic King.
In contrast, I was a greenhorn who had only gained fame a year ago.
And that wasn't all. To my eyes, which transcended the ordinary, the enemy forces were clearly visible despite the considerable distance.
All thirty men were armed with high-quality armor and weapons, and among them, more than ten appeared to be knights.
Considering our side had only five knights, including myself, we were at a huge disadvantage. I suppose it was fortunate that the number of cavalry was limited to five.
Anyone could see we were at a disadvantage. The nobles based in the West would all be thinking the same thing.
“I don't like this. Let me lead the cavalry. I'll teach them a lesson.”
Piole frowned at the cheers. Zant, still keeping his distance, cautiously spoke up.
“Ahem, if we make a woman the cavalry commander, everyone will laugh at us.”
“What? This bastard doesn't know his place...!”
It wasn't that Zant was looking down on Piole because he didn't know her skills. He had seen them with his own two eyes while being dragged around as a prisoner.
He simply wanted to push Piole aside and become the cavalry commander himself.
Muel, the opportunist, and Dreng, the manager of the mercenaries, stood a step back, but they were just as relaxed as the other two. The twenty-five mercenaries were no different.
“Sir Allen! Did you say this mock battle thing also pays a ransom if we take prisoners?”
Rather, his eyes gleamed with greed. It was hard to call it excessive.
These were battle-hardened mercenaries who had fought beside me for two years. In that time, they had earned a massive income, and the quality of their equipment was now on par with that of most knights.
“The spoils will be distributed as usual.”
“Hehe, that's what I was waiting to hear.”
Now their morale was even higher. We might be outnumbered in knights, but I was confident the average quality of our troops was superior. And that wasn't all.
“Piole. Zant. I'm sorry, but I'll have to take the lead.”
“Huh? What about all the training we did?”
If I led the cavalry charge, my martial prowess would inevitably stand out too much. So, I had planned to command the infantry to showcase my leadership.
If I hadn't been stabbed in the back at yesterday's banquet.
“The objective has changed. I'm going to carve it into their minds that if you mess with me, you're fucked.”
“Uh, uh... got it.”
Piole, sensing my resolve, agreed and stepped back. In the process, she also dragged away the clueless Zant, who was about to make another suggestion.
I spun my war hammer lightly, my eyes fixed on Bronx II, who was leisurely waiting for the mock battle to begin from the best seat in the stands.
He would come to regret this. Because a mock battle was a battlefield far too advantageous for me.
It's hard to land a proper blow with blunted weapons wrapped in cotton and cloth. But what if you possessed superhuman strength?
I turned my gaze to Sir Gale, the King's military advisor and court knight.
He had only one sin.
He chose the wrong side.