Chapter 246
Chapter 246
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: 71. Virtues of the Crown Prince (2)
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The scale of the subjugation force was by no means small.
Just the regular knight orders mobilized numbered four directly under the royal family—over 400 men—and four from the 3rd Legion, totaling around 400 more.
Following behind them were soldiers from one central army legion and two companies of Ballerhard Rangers.
A massive force of 3,200 troops in total.
And that wasn't the end of it.
The royal family had mobilized every Silver Lion knight except the captain of the Royal Knight Order for this subjugation.
It was a clear sign of how seriously the king viewed this matter.
The king's will was unwavering.
He did not want the catastrophe that had befallen Branburt County to spread across the entire kingdom, and he wished for it to be resolved as swiftly as possible.
Reflecting the king's intent, the subjugation force began moving with utmost speed.
Vincent's first order was to divide the troops into five units. He assigned veteran rangers with plenty of experience to each, preparing them for any encounters with monster tracks, and placed the Silver Lions in command.
"You will head not to Branburt County, but to separate regions."
Though only Branburt Earl had dispatched a messenger to the capital, Vincent did not rule out the possibility that other territories might be in a similar state.
This was entirely in line with my warning that non-human entities could rise up across the kingdom—a measure to end the chaos as quickly as possible, perfectly matching the king's wishes.
I gathered the departing Silver Lions and implored them.
"Do not overlook even the smallest clue. Verify even rumors that seem far-fetched."
I locked eyes with each of them, their faces rigid, repeating my plea several times.
"Everything that unfolds from now on will be stranger than anything you've encountered before."
"Understood, Your Highness."
"Is it stranger than what we faced in the flood?"
"Yeah, right."
Arwen gave the short, resolute reply, while Ilai responded with his usual cocky tone.
York Willoden and the old knights answered curtly as well, promising to keep it in mind.
"We'll meet again soon."
With Arwen's farewell, the Silver Lions broke off from the group.
Now, the only Silver Lion left by my side was the kind and gentle woman who lost all control at the sight of blood.
"You no longer have to stay cooped up in that stifling carriage."
As I watched the Silver Lions lead their troops away, Vincent's voice came from behind me.
"I'm the one being guarded, aren't I?"
"There's no rule saying the protectee has to stay inside a carriage."
Vincent added with a grin.
"Besides, who's watching anyway?"
He flashed his teeth in a smile.
Glancing around at his words, I noticed Yorden and the veteran rangers smirking at me. The Winter Knight Order knights sent intense, wordless gazes. Gawain and the Dawn Knight Order knights stole sidelong glances.
All of them familiar faces—to the point of exasperation.
Only then did I realize that everyone left here was pure Winter Castle forces.
"Time to let loose a bit after so long."
"Just have your fun. Your mission is to soothe the populace—don't forget that, Your Highness."
As I chuckled, Vincent teased me with a swagger.
"We're moving as fast as we can. If the monsters head elsewhere, it'll be a disaster."
At Vincent's urging, the briefly halted subjugation force resumed its march.
The light-footed rangers and the tireless northern knights pressed on without rest, day and night.
Before long, they reached the border of Branburt County.
"Company Commander Yorden."
"Yes, my lord."
"I'll assign you half the rangers. Inform the earl of our arrival ahead of time, then begin the investigation immediately."
Vincent was now a duke, but the Winter Castle rangers treated him no differently, addressing him simply as their lord.
Vincent showed no inclination to correct them.
"If we find any leads on the monsters' whereabouts, what should we do?"
Yorden asked.
Monsters that hadn't settled anywhere wouldn't stay put, making it hard to track them again if they slipped away.
"Pursuit or engagement—it's your call. If needed, invoke my name to request aid from the Branburt family."
Vincent answered Yorden without a moment's hesitation.
There was little risk of mishandling that could let monsters escape or cost ranger lives.
Yorden was one of Winter Castle's longest-serving rangers.
"Then we'll head out right away."
Yorden turned to leave, then paused and stepped back in front of me.
"Don't feel too bad if I handle everything, even Your Highness's share. Oh right, you're a non-combatant on this mission. Keeps slipping my mind."
I wondered if this was really something to say while departing as the vanguard.
Staring at his infuriating face, I itched to clap a hand over that obnoxious mouth.
"Yorden."
Instead of silencing him, I smiled gently.
"You've been through a lot."
"Grateful you notice, sir."
"Problem is, this time it'll be especially tough."
"Eh, hardship's my daily bread. Nothing new."
The ranger bantered to the end, bowed his head, and passed me by.
"Duty calls, so I'll be off. Let's go, lads!"
With Yorden's spirited shout, the veteran rangers grumbled as they followed.
"Gotta move my company too. Can't survive under that guy."
"Talk about good fortune."
"Shut it and follow!"
The usual scene—Yorden bickering with his veterans until they vanished from sight.
Gazing after them, I muttered softly.
"He really will have it rough."
I offered a quiet pity for the harsh days awaiting the ranger.
Exactly two weeks after meeting Branburt Earl, consoling him for the misfortune in his territory and conveying the crown's firm resolve, we reunited with the ranger. His face was exactly as I'd expected.
Hollow eyes from days without sleep, drenched and bedraggled from recent rains—truly pitiable.
Yorden, who hadn't slept and endured every hardship imaginable, grabbed Vincent and me to vent.
"Never in my life have I seen such bizarre bastards."
The ranger recounted the past two weeks.
At first, things went smoothly. No need for exhaustive searches—the monsters had left tracks everywhere, making the work a breeze and filling him with excitement.
Yet his face, describing how they found tracks within three days of leaving the castle, showed no trace of that thrill.
"Then sudden rains washed them away. But who am I? Yorden, Winter Castle's top tracker. I sniffed them out again somehow."
Even amid complaints, weary-faced Yorden slipped in self-praise before continuing grimly.
"These bastards run all day. No sleep, just running. Even on this terrain. If they hadn't looped around here, we'd have lost them ages ago."
Vincent, who had listened silently until then, finally spoke, asking about the monsters' identity.
"No idea. We were too busy chasing tails to get a look."
After all that boasting, this was his report—a spectacle.
Vincent's face hardened at the brazen reply.
"We weren't entirely empty-handed, though."
The quick-witted ranger hurried to add.
"They ride horses."
"What?"
Vincent scowled fiercely.
He had reason to.
He'd seen monsters taming beasts like wolves for mounts, but horse-riding monsters? Unheard of.
"That's what struck me as odd. I even suspected bandits disguising as monsters to stir trouble. But the ammonia stench of their droppings and leftover food said otherwise."
Pouring out excuses, Yorden raised another baffling point.
When asked what, he replied,
"They never dismount. Eat and sleep on horseback."
Horseback-eating, horseback-sleeping monsters? Unprecedented, he said.
That sparked a flash in my mind.
"Them."
I muttered unwittingly, drawing looks from Vincent and Yorden.
"You have a guess?"
I nodded at Vincent's question.
Ignoring their eager stares, I asked Yorden.
A few things didn't add up.
His description perfectly matched one ancient race I knew. But the atrocities I'd heard before arriving didn't fit their nature.
Time for confirmation.
"While tracking them, did they ever raid a village?"
Yorden shook his head at my question.
No time—they just ran nonstop.
I frowned.
I pondered long. Finally, the answer came.
"We were chasing the wrong ones."
Yorden protested.
No way. Among traces left nearby—not beast, not human—theirs were the only ones.
Vincent glanced between us.
The ranger's words made my prior statements feel off; mine cast doubt on the veteran ranger's judgment.
He couldn't decide who was right.
But Vincent's dilemma didn't last.
"Another village, four days west, has been reduced to ruins!"
A messenger from Branburt Earl arrived with perfect timing, providing the answer.
Yorden looked at me.
His face, already tense, brimmed with questions.
Natural enough.
His quarry wasn't west—and certainly not four days away.
"Vincent."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Vincent, frowning in thought, snapped to attention.
"Looks like we need to split the forces again."
I suggested dividing the troops.
Vincent scowled.
"What are the village raiders? And who were we chasing?"
"I don't know the raiders' identity yet."
I hadn't seen them myself.
Vincent looked disappointed.
But only briefly—his eyes soon gleamed.
"So you do know who we were after."
"Of course."
Their darkened expressions brightened.
Knowing even one of these sudden kingdom-spawning oddities was a relief.
"What is it?"
At Vincent's question, I turned toward the direction Yorden had described.
"A race that prizes ceaseless galloping as virtue, standing still as sin. They call themselves sons and daughters of the gale—warriors born fierce and brave, one with horse and man."
Gazing over the vast plain, I revealed their identity.
"Centaurs."
The half-man, half-horses were the ones we'd pursued.
"As far as I know, they never attack humans without cause, nor crave human flesh. Though they'll go mad for a handsome man or beautiful woman."
I urged Vincent on.
Split the forces. The urgent threat was over there, not here. Hurry before casualties mount.
"Don't worry about me. Go."
I pressed him relentlessly.
Haste could prevent innocent deaths; I kept prodding to block other thoughts.
Vincent eyed me suspiciously but finally decided.
"To be safe, half the Winter Knights stay with Your Highness."
He told Kals behind me.
"Escort His Highness back to Branburt Castle."
He didn't forget to instruct close watch to prevent any nonsense en route.
"Not the kind of thing to say in my presence."
"I'll return as fast as possible."
Ignoring me, Vincent—face etched with unease—left hastily with the messenger.
"Centaurs from old tales... the ones I was chasing?"
Watching his back, I heard Yorden's voice.
"Stories paint them as savage brutes. Not really?"
I nodded slightly at his question.
"Centaurs are fierce, but not mindlessly destructive savages."
They rampaged only for cause—and rarely.
Generally, they bore no hostility toward humans.
Hostility, bared teeth, was exceptional.
Yet now was such a case.
"You said they weren't hostile to humans!"
Yorden shouted.
"Generally."
"Then what's that?!"
A dusty cloud rose from the plain where his finger pointed.
Beneath it, fifty-odd half-men, half-horses charged.
Rusted cavalry lances thrust forward, roaring ceaselessly. Hostility and murder radiating unmistakably.
"Rangers, battle formation! Archers ready!"
"Load crossbows!"
"Protect His Highness!"
As rangers and Kals's group surrounded me in frenzy, I drew Eosrum.
This was truly unavoidable.
I muttered softly, then looked past the knights and rangers blocking me, toward the rising dust.
At the fore, an especially massive centaur.
Black horse lower body, bronze-skinned human torso, bronze crown on his head—a half-man, half-horse.
A hero of a tribe that could pulp an amateur swordmaster in seconds.
The centaur prince.
His eyes locked straight on me.
Gathering light on the blade, I said lowly.
"Make way."
The knights, seeing brilliantly shining Eosrum, startled and parted.
I spurred forward without hesitation through the path they cleared.
"Follow His Highness!"
Knights' voices rang behind me.
Ahead, half-men, half-horses roared savagely.
And in the midst,
I grinned wide.
"Perfect!"