Chapter 62: The Hero's Return
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 62: The Hero's Return
“Oh! Our hero has returned! Sound the cannons and play the music!”
The baron, having been contacted in advance, had personally come to the castle gate to wait. Behind him, his vassals were positioned in a semicircle.
Segerik, whose eyes met mine for a fleeting moment, nodded with a bright expression, while Ailgar nearby looked as if he’d been forced to come.
The townspeople lining both sides of the road cheered, waving cloths embroidered with my family’s crest—the golden eagle—and scattering flower petals.
“The one who opened the castle gate with three stones!”
“The one who fought three times and won three times!”
“The Undefeated Knight!”
It had been a war where defeat seemed imminent. We had lost key strongholds and were on the verge of negotiations that were tantamount to surrender.
But I, who had received no resources whatsoever, had turned everything around, restoring the situation to how it was before the war. I had even ravaged the enemy's territory, restoring the baron's trampled pride.
That must be why the baron was holding such a grand triumphal ceremony. However, considering how stingy he was, it couldn't have been entirely for my sake.
I was suddenly reminded of modern politicians who would show up at any major event, no matter what. I offered a simplified courtesy and spoke.
“A hero? I am unworthy of such praise. This was a war that could not have even begun had you not granted your permission, my lord baron. Your bold decision is what brought us victory. The true hero is you, my lord.”
As I gave all the credit to the baron, a glint appeared in his impassive eyes, which were set in a brightly smiling face.
“Haha. A hero who is also humble!”
The baron seemed quite pleased that I had grasped his intentions without being told and given him exactly what he wanted.
This was evident from the way he clasped my hand and raised it high.
“Waaah!!!”
As the vassals and townspeople cheered loudly, the baron led the returning soldiers from the front, like a triumphant general.
He hadn't provided a shred of support, yet he had the thieving audacity to share in the glory of victory.
Still, I smiled and followed him because it was an opportunity to publicly announce that I was in the baron's favor.
But there was someone who was not pleased.
“My lord baron! That man is no hero! He is a shameless traitor!”
Bolton, bound in ropes, rushed toward the baron. His voice was so loud that the cheers died down in an instant. Instead, curious gazes fell upon us.
The baron’s brow twitched as the stage he had prepared for himself was ruined. The guards who had rushed to stop Bolton retreated at a gesture from the baron.
The baron quickly composed his expression and faced Bolton. His eyes, however, were not smiling.
“Is that not Bolton of House Bryuen? The war has taken such a toll on you, I almost didn't recognize you! You are also a man who lacks nothing to be called a hero! Now, now, let’s discuss the details at the castle after you’ve had some rest.”
“Now! We must speak now! A triumphal ceremony for a traitor? Does that make any sense?”
Bolton, oblivious to the fact that he was ruining the stage the baron had painstakingly prepared, focused only on slandering me and overcoming his current predicament.
He was utterly clueless. Perhaps his position as the heir to a powerful family had made him that way.
“I apologize on his behalf. He is not usually like this, but it seems he is under great mental strain after suffering a major blow during the war.”
I spoke up, not missing the twitch of the baron’s brow. The baron’s gaze on me grew even more favorable.
“Indeed, that is the way of war. I myself don’t know how many sleepless nights I spent after my first battle. Bolton of Bryuen, rest well and we shall speak again at the castle.”
“My lord baron…?”
The baron turned his back first and resumed walking. Bolton stared blankly at his receding back. It was the first time his family’s prestige and political influence had failed him.
I clicked my tongue.
“I knew you were clueless, but I never imagined it was this bad.”
“What trickery is this!”
“If you want to save your neck, you’d best watch how you act from now on.”
Bolton, of course, was not one to take my advice. As soon as we entered the castle where the victory banquet was prepared, he once again stepped before the baron.
“My lord baron! He is a traitor! Not only did he plunder the lands of our allies, but he also colluded with the enemy commander to attack our own forces! And you call such a man a hero? His head should be displayed on a pike immediately!”
I had provoked him, hoping for this, but wasn't the effect a little too good?
Bolton was pinning the blame on me for the plundering he himself had committed, and even for being ambushed and defeated by Powell.
Well, the latter was half-true, but he didn't seem to be saying it with any real knowledge.
The festive atmosphere of the banquet hall was instantly dragged into the gutter. The attendees’ gazes shifted between Bolton and me. Segerik looked flustered, while Ailgar’s eyes shone with a sharp light.
Only then did the baron properly face Bolton. His smiling face had vanished, replaced by his original, emotionless expression.
“Treason? What are you talking about?”
“When the enemy holed up in the tower, he plundered allied territory to replenish his dwindling supplies! He even colluded with the enemy commander to have them attack your loyal vassals, my lord!”
Thinking his family’s power was finally having an effect, Bolton pointed an accusing finger at me and launched into a tirade. The baron asked me,
“Is this true?”
“There’s no need to ask! Would a traitor ever speak the truth!?”
“How could that be possible?”
I shrugged nonchalantly.
“Look at this! This lying traitor! You will lose your head!”
Bolton continued to slander me with a torrent of words. A murmur went through the banquet hall. Those with deep ties to Bolton’s family seemed to actually believe him, while even those without connections looked suspicious.
“Plundering allies? That is something that cannot and should not ever happen!”
“This victory might even be the result of a conspiracy with the enemy! They were probably trying to plant a spy within our ranks for a bigger victory later!”
Hilariously, the lords of the territories Bolton himself had plundered supported him. Ailgar’s supporters, who had considered me a thorn in their side for joining Segerik, were trying to use this opportunity to get rid of me.
At the center of it all were Ailgar and Joang Conrad. Their eyes, fixed on me, gleamed as if they had seized a golden opportunity.
What a farce. To think that even Ailgar and Joang Conrad would fall for Bolton’s flimsy lies?
No. They probably thought the truth didn't matter.
Segerik’s supporters had been greatly weakened by this war. If they could get rid of me as well, Ailgar’s faction would overwhelm Segerik’s.
Considering that Ailgar and Joang Conrad were no pushovers, this was a more fitting explanation.
“I did hear that the territories near the tower were plundered.”
“It was the work of that traitor disguised as a hero! Punish him, my lord baron.”
As the baron seemed to agree, Bolton grew even more arrogant. But his haughty attitude didn't last long. The baron looked down at Bolton with eyes that had grown ice-cold.
“But that’s strange. I heard the real culprit was someone else.”
“What do you mean…?”
The atmosphere changed abruptly. Bolton unknowingly took a step back, but the baron’s guards had already moved in behind him.
Blocked, Bolton stared at the baron with a look of disbelief. Ailgar’s supporters, who had just been demanding my head, held their breath at the sudden shift in mood.
“Tsk, tsk. Bolton of Bryuen. You should know that the victims have already identified you as the culprit.”
“No! It wasn’t me! That bastard framed me!”
“There was a victim who saw your family’s crest.”
“That’s impossible! I made sure to cover the crest, so how—ugh…!”
In his panic, Bolton had blurted out the truth. The baron’s eyes grew even colder.
“Furthermore, the victims came to me personally and gave testimony, describing you and your followers. They are still in the castle, so I can have you face them right now if you wish.”
“How… how can you believe the words of such rabble and brand me a criminal with no honor? I am a Bryuen! A Bryuen!”
Even when Bolton tried to pressure him with his family’s prestige, the baron didn’t bat an eye.
Bolton desperately looked for someone to help him, but no one stepped forward. Even Ailgar’s supporters, who had so eagerly joined him in attacking me, avoided his gaze.
“Surely… surely you don’t believe those peasants? Is that truly it? Someone, say something!”
I shook my head. The reason Ailgar’s supporters had changed their tune wasn’t because they knew the truth.
The problem was that the baron had secured the evidence and witnesses before they, the victims, had.
This is the baron’s scheme! Isn't that what they were all thinking? That’s why they got scared and decided to back off for now.
It was just as I had expected. Weren't these the same people who had turned a blind eye when the baron tried to steal my territory? I knew they would act the same way if I created a similar situation.
“How…!”
Only then did Bolton seem to realize there was a hidden plot he knew nothing about. He reached for his last lifeline.
“Lord Segerik! Tell them it’s a lie! Tell them it’s not true!”
Segerik had no choice but to step forward. After all, Bolton was his biggest supporter. From his perspective, he had to save him somehow.
But then,
“To be so shameless and without honor! Bolton, I trusted you. How much further do you intend to disappoint me!”
Segerik, contrary to all expectations, began to denounce Bolton. It was an unexpected reaction. At that moment, I saw Segerik and the baron exchange a look.
Did something… pass between them?
It seemed the baron and Segerik had made some kind of deal using Bolton as a bargaining chip. Judging by Ailgar and Joang’s surprised expressions, they knew nothing about it.
What could Segerik have gained from the baron that was worth abandoning his biggest supporter, Bolton?
While I was pondering this, the baron’s gaze returned to Bolton.
“Bolton of Bryuen. Do you take me for a fool? Or did you think you could commit the crime of deceiving your lord and survive by relying on your family’s power?”
“How, how…?”
Bolton couldn't accept the changed situation, even as he was dragged away like a criminal by the guards.
Even after he left, the atmosphere in the banquet hall remained unsettled. Just as the baron was about to have the musicians play again to lift the mood, Ailgar, who had let his supporters speak for him until now, stepped forward himself.
“There is one thing we must clarify.”
The baron looked intrigued.
“Speak.”
“The commander of Bolton and his faction, who committed this atrocious act, was Sir Allen. If he had properly controlled his subordinates, a tragedy like this would not have occurred.”
Ailgar wasn’t satisfied with just taking down Bolton. And why would he be? If he could get rid of me as well, his faction would instantly surpass Segerik’s.
However, he did not get what he wanted. The baron shook his head.
“As you say, a commander’s position carries responsibility. But Sir Allen only recently joined my ranks. It would have been impossible for him to have perfect control over his subordinates from the start.”
The baron looked around at the attendees in the hall and continued.
“Furthermore, even if he bears some responsibility, it is but a speck of dust compared to the merits he has achieved. None of you are to mention this matter again.”
“Yes, my lord baron.”
Ailgar, bowing his head as he retreated, looked utterly incredulous.
If the baron had agreed with him and diminished my achievements, he would have had to reward me less in the upcoming distribution of honors. Yet the notoriously stingy baron had refused to do so.
Soon, Ailgar glared at me. He must have guessed that I was the cause of the baron’s unusual behavior. I answered with a smile.
He would never imagine that I promised to give the baron one-third of the plunder as a bribe. Moreover, the baron will also be taking the Bryuen family’s assets.
He would have to share some with the plundered families from Ailgar’s side, but in the end, the baron would be the one to gain the most wealth. That’s why he couldn't help but support me.
I didn’t mind losing the money. After all, what belonged to the baron was destined to become mine. I could just think of it as leaving it in his care for a while.
With the commotion settled, the victory banquet resumed with the musicians’ music.
“Sir Allen.”
“I was here first! Wait your turn!”
“Ahem, I am next.”
Countless people approached me, trying to exchange even a single word. Segerik, too, was soon surrounded by a crowd.
With the victory of the war he had sponsored, Segerik had proven his foresight and decisiveness. Furthermore, the way he had dealt with Bolton suggested a prior arrangement with the baron.
Seeing this, people thought that Segerik was now confirmed as the baron’s successor.
This was what I had wanted. But I couldn’t be entirely happy. I didn’t know what Segerik had gained from the baron in exchange for giving up Bolton.
I tried to talk to Segerik to find out, but there was no opening in the crowd. It even seemed like Segerik was deliberately avoiding me.
What is it?
In the end, I couldn't speak with Segerik that day and had to wait for the next.