Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Advancing One Step at a Time, Calmly. (7)
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Some of the heirs hadn't even received their knighting ceremonies. They merely possessed swordsmanship skills sufficient to protect themselves.
They had come as representatives of their houses due to the symbolic significance of this Northern Subjugation Campaign.
That was why they were putting on such a pathetic display.
Judging by Conrad's expression, he had inwardly expected me to make a fool of myself like that.
"Since you lack camping experience, I vaguely thought the young master would struggle."
He furrowed his brows and scratched his cheek.
"But lo and behold, you handled it with remarkable skill. Do you have prior camping experience?"
"You must have heard how I carried the seal all the way to the capital."
At my response, Conrad slapped his forehead with an "Ah."
"Of course. No wonder your horsemanship is top-notch. Frankly, I was impressed."
"......"
"You didn't change color once after riding all day. Are you really all right?"
"You seem awfully worried about my condition."
I flashed him a deliberate smile and raised my voice.
"To ease the vice captain's concerns, we'll continue sparring after dinner."
The cheerful atmosphere around the campfire turned icy in an instant.
"That will prove my body is perfectly fine."
Clatter, clink.
Some of the knights dropped their spoons from their hands.
"Vice Captain, what did we do wrong?"
"Why are you doing this to us?"
Resentful glares shot toward Conrad like arrows.
"The vice captain is included in today's sparring."
At my words,
"Long live Young Master Abel!"
"As expected of the young master! We believed in you!"
Enthusiastic cheers erupted, entirely different from before.
"......Young master, I was wrong."
Conrad made a miserable face.
❖ ❖ ❖
After dinner, the representatives from each knight order gathered for a brief meeting.
Thanks to the other orders' delays, our Ovest Knight Order had ample time to finish special training.
"If only those guys had prepared faster......"
"We wouldn't be getting thrashed like this......"
The Ovest knights' grumbling toward the surrounding orders grew louder as a bonus.
The meeting took place in Mikel's tent. Amid a unique atmosphere filled with northern mountain leather goods and fur-woven furniture.
Twenty people, including the heirs and knight captains, gathered to discuss.
"Tomorrow, we'll ride across the open plains just like today. This schedule will continue until we reach the foothills of the Northern Mountains."
"How long until we arrive?"
"About three days at our current pace."
A noticeably pale young man, Bennet, raised his hand.
"Are we keeping this speed tomorrow too?"
His green eyes trembled with fatigue.
It seemed today's march had been a bit much even for a pampered young master.
"I'm sorry, Young Lord Bennet, but......"
Mikel slightly furrowed his brows as he spoke.
"Once we enter the mountains, the schedule will slow even more. We need to shave off as much time as possible while we can ride."
"......Understood. I understand Lord Mikel's intentions."
Bennet quickly composed his expression and replied stoically. I hid a bitter smile at the sight.
'He still puts on a noble face, at least.'
I'd hoped for a more unseemly tantrum.
As Cain's close friend, he didn't sit well with me. Nor did the image he'd shown when inviting me to their club.
'Well, time will reveal his true colors.'
Humans shed the shell of etiquette in extreme situations and reveal their true nature.
"......"
Just before I looked away, my eyes met Bennet's gaze. He snorted ostentatiously and turned his face aside.
'How childish.'
Good thing Cain wasn't here, or the two would have spent the time provoking me together.
"Then, we'll end the precautions here."
Mikel concluded the meeting.
"Set your night watches and rest well for tomorrow."
"With this many people, do we really need night watches?"
"I wouldn't attack a place like this even if I were a monster."
At the representatives' lax questions, Mikel's lips stiffened slightly.
"Right now—"
As he opened his mouth,
"If you're so insistent, then skip the night watches and sleep."
My sharp voice seized the space.
"If you end up sleeping soundly and getting stabbed by a blind sword in the dark, what can we do?"
I sneered with a crooked smile.
"At that level, you'll just be a liability, so it might be best if you disappear now."
"What did you just say......"
The face of the one who'd been openly rebuked flushed red and purple.
Thud!
Unable to hold back his anger, he slammed the table.
"Young Lord Abel, have you said everything you wanted? Are you doubting our knight order's capabilities?"
"Even if the Ovest Knight Order is renowned as the empire's strongest, that was too far!"
Other representatives, equally incensed, raised their voices.
"I merely stated facts, yet you're interpreting it as doubt in your skills. How surprising."
Despite their blazing glares, I bloomed a radiant smile.
"If you were confident, such thoughts wouldn't cross your minds."
As glares turned vicious toward each other,
"Enough."
Captain Joshua's weighty voice cut between us.
"If night watches weren't necessary, Lord Mikel would have said so."
He slowly scanned the room, fixing each one with a stern gaze.
"Lord Mikel is in charge of this march. I hope you've all remembered that."
It was a firm close that left no room for rebuttal.
I shrugged and backed off, while the others bit their lips and retreated.
But sharp glares promising no mercy next time flew like arrows.
'Good luck with that.'
The houses aligned with Cain.
Provoking them deliberately was intentional. The more they lost reason in excitement, the more mistakes they'd make.
With Cain as their current focal point gone, I needed to fracture and dismantle them further so they could never reunite.
'Judging by their behavior, they'll self-destruct soon anyway.'
That didn't mean I'd miss a chance to chide them.
As I hid a satisfied smile and lowered my gaze,
"......"
I felt several gazes directed at me. Not outright hostile, but probing.
When I looked up to find the source, they quickly averted their eyes as if nothing had happened.
'Ah.'
It seemed I'd need to meet with them soon.
"Good work, everyone."
"See you at dawn tomorrow."
With brief farewells, the attendees dispersed. Returning to my tent, I found Conrad waiting at the entrance.
"Where are the knights?"
"They're on patrol in rotation for night watch."
"Good. Glad the first day passed without incident."
I patted Conrad's shoulder in approval. Lifting the flap of my private tent, I slipped inside.
"Don't wake me or enter the tent unless absolutely necessary."
Emphasizing the last word, Conrad rolled his eyes once before replying.
"Understood. Have a good night."
After lowering the flap, I surveyed the interior. A fluffy fur sleeping bag, a simple table and chair.
"Not bad. Pretty well-equipped."
Compared to the other knights crammed together in shared tents, this was luxurious.
"Well, considering how much I invested this time."
There was no guilt or shame about sleeping comfortably alone. The leader commanding knights and a single knight were worlds apart.
My peace was the Ovest Knight Order's peace, after all.
Instead of crawling into the sleeping bag, I knelt in the center of the tent.
"......"
I gently closed my eyes and steadied my breathing. I expanded my senses around the tent.
[Crackle, pop.]
The sound of the central campfire burning logs,
[Thud, thud.]
The night watch knights patrolling each order.
[-we shouldn't. Starting tomorrow at least......]
[-better not. For now, let's observe.]
Voices I knew well, engaged in conversation.
While some busily held meetings for tomorrow,
[Snore—puff.]
[Grunt, sniff.]
Dark figures snored from all directions.
[Damn, these guys. Do they have trumpets up their noses?]
Irritated mutters from those sleeping nearby.
A truly peaceful night.
How much time passed?
"Hey, shift change."
The closest night watchmen exchanged words.
'Now.'
I lifted the tent bottom and slipped out quickly.
I'd loosened the stakes earlier, making it easy to squeeze through.
Standing up, I moved silently. With Absolute Domain active, the patrols wouldn't detect me.
As I walked quietly, I focused my hearing again.
[......none.]
[......then we might return empty-handed.]
As expected, the voices I'd anticipated were gathered in one place.
I headed toward that tent, openly revealing my presence.
When I suddenly appeared from the darkness,
"-!"
"-Gasp!"
The knights guarding the entrance flinched in surprise.
"Abel Kindriel."
"What brings you here?"
I replied calmly to their evident panic.
"I have business inside."
"Right now, inside there are......"
"I know. They're all gathered, right?"
Pushing past them, I strode to the entrance.
"Wait—"
A knight reached out,
Whoosh!
But I lifted the flap faster.
"Hey."
Six people were inside the tent.
"Ah, Abel Kindriel?"
"Why are you here......"
Those seated around the table jumped up in shock. I took in their faces as I entered.
Thud, thud.
My firm footsteps broke the silence within.
"How rude."
Someone spoke.
A man with shaggy brown hair like a puppy's and slightly drooping eyes.
"Derek Graham."
Smiling as I called his name, Derek irritably ruffled his hair.
"That's why I posted guards—so you wouldn't barge in like this."
"Announce myself, notify inside, get permission. That takes too long."
"We never invited you, Young Lord Abel."
"I know."
I replied glibly, dragging over the remaining chair with a scrape.
Thud.
Sitting astride it, I grinned.
"Now I've been invited. Right?"
At my brazen attitude, everyone around wore stunned expressions.
"It's fine. You may go."
Derek let out a low sigh and gestured to the knights hovering awkwardly at the entrance.
"Sit down, everyone."
He spoke to the others, who hesitated to sit while eyeing me,
Thud.
Then sat himself with a thud that betrayed his discomfort.
"You don't seem like you'd leave quietly. Better to just talk it out."
Derek fixed his bluish-green eyes on me.
Derek Graham.
Eldest son of the venerable Graham family, which maintained neutrality due to disdain for political strife.
Likewise, those gathered around him were heirs from other neutral houses.
'In other words, potential allies.'
My power in the capital was still weak.
Though I'd elevated the Ovest family's standing in this meeting, I hadn't built a full faction yet.
One of my plans was to recruit noble houses to back me using this subjugation campaign.
With a smile playing on my lips, I spoke.
"You seemed to be having an interesting conversation."