Chapter 243: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (36)
Chapter 243: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (36)
"The knights of the Yurdina family are famous for their fierce temperaments."
That was the warning Seria gave me when she asked me to accompany her.
The rhythmic sound of galloping hooves beat against my eardrums. It was proof that our horses were running at full tilt.
The Yurdina family's private army was stationed near the border of the Percus territory. It was a bit too far to travel on foot.
So, for the first time in a while, Seria and I decided to ride.
Footwork and horsemanship had always been among my few specialties. I was confident in the saddle, and Seria herself had grown up in the North, a place often called the cradle of cavalry.
I was confident we could both ride better than most professional cavalrymen.
Thanks to that, conversation flowed easily between us even as we rode.
"Northerners are incredibly proud. They never bow their heads to anyone they haven't personally acknowledged, regardless of whether that person is a noble or a commoner... It's possible they might try to test you, Senior Ian."
"Even though I'm your guest?"
"Yes. To be honest, I haven't been fully recognized by the vassals myself yet."
A bitter smile played on Seria's lips as she spoke.
No matter how I looked at it, she didn't seem to be exaggerating to scare me.
That meant there was only one answer.
Every word Seria was casually dropping was the cold, hard truth.
Even if she was an illegitimate daughter, Seria was still of Yurdina blood. To think that one of the family's only two precious daughters hadn't even earned their recognition.
And it wasn't as if Seria lacked skill, either.
In the end, I could only swallow a heavy groan.
The Yurdina family's trials seemed even more demanding than I had imagined.
"It might be difficult to get them to cooperate properly, then."
"Yes, probably... Still, when I first heard my sister tell me to command the private army, I was so happy."
My eyes flickered over to Seria's face.
As she spoke, her eyes were hazy, as if she were dreaming. It was the look she got when she was deeply proud and joyful.
I asked with a faint smile, "Because it's a chance to be recognized by the vassals?"
"That too, but mostly because it means my sister trusts me that much."
Seria's voice was thick with overflowing affection and trust.
It made sense.
Most nobles do not share power with their siblings once they ascend to the position of Head of Family.
Sharing the same bloodline is like two sides of the same coin.
They are either your most reliable family member or a traitor seeking to usurp your position.
If flipping that coin could result in either outcome, there was no reason to throw it in the first place.
Reliable vassals could be found anywhere, but once the position of Head of Family was lost, it was over.
Among the lower nobility, you occasionally saw siblings with strong bonds of friendship—families that were harmonious, like the Percus family.
But that wasn't the case for high-ranking nobles.
From birth, they were raised in competitive relationships with their siblings. Senior Elsie's family was a prime example.
Yet, Delphine was handing over military authority, the very core of power.
There was only one reason a high-ranking noble would hand over military power to a sibling.
It meant they were absolutely certain the other would never betray them.
For instance, there was Mr. Reynold of the Lainella family.
Despite being Count Lainella's younger brother, he led the Magic Corps.
While Mr. Reynold was a 6th Circle Archmage in his own right, leading the Magic Corps would have been impossible without Count Lainella's absolute trust.
It was the same for Seria.
A private army of a thousand soldiers was no small force. Transferring command of such a unit was impossible without an extraordinary level of trust.
Seria had once harbored an inferiority complex toward her sister, but her love for her was even greater.
It wasn't strange for her to be moved.
"...I will definitely live up to my sister's expectations. And I'll earn the recognition of the family's knights, too."
A strong sense of resolve vibrated in Seria's muttered words.
The sheer depth of that sisterly love was enough to make even me feel warm inside. But on the other hand, a sinister foreboding began to crawl up my spine.
Seria loved her sister so much.
What would happen if she found out about the relationship between Senior Delphine and me?
To find out that the sister she respected so much was actually a bitch who begged me to spank her.
The mere thought was horrifying.
It was bad enough that Senior Delphine called me 'Master,' but if Seria ever caught us in a more intimate moment, I wasn't sure I'd survive.
I did have one curiosity, though.
If it came down to it, who would Seria stab first—me or Senior Delphine?
Seria was exceptionally fond of both of us.
I was fairly certain she'd stab one of us, but it was hard to say which.
The fact that I couldn't see a future where she stabbed neither of us was truly depressing.
In the end, either Senior Delphine or I would have to bleed.
Lost in these ominous imaginings, I decided to ask Seria just in case.
"...Come to think of it, Seria."
"Yes?"
Unaware of my inner thoughts, Seria simply tilted her head cutely.
Her docile, rabbit-like demeanor momentarily put my mind at ease.
It was because of that lapse that my true thoughts slipped out.
"There were several incidents recently with the Saintess and Senior Elsie... Are you okay with that? You used to hate it when anyone stuck close to me."
It was a question I'd been harboring for a while.
At my serious inquiry, Seria immediately turned pale and waved her hands in frantic denial.
"Wha-What do you... Ugh, what are you saying!"
Of course, she bit her tongue in the process.
It was a sight I hadn't seen in a while. I bit back the laughter that threatened to burst out.
I could almost see the hallucination of steam rising from Seria's beet-red face.
"H-How could someone like me ever covet a place by Senior Ian's side! It-It's a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!"
"...Hmm, I see."
I didn't believe a word of it, but I decided to pretend I did.
I was afraid that if I didn't, she'd keep flailing around until she fell off her horse.
After ranting at me for a good while, Seria finally calmed her ragged breathing.
It seemed the sudden excitement had left her winded.
A moment later, Seria managed to steady her breath.
With her momentum dampened, her true feelings finally leaked out.
"...I-It's fine now."
Seria looked incredibly beautiful as she lowered her head, her face still flushed.
She reminded me of a single flower dropping its petals.
At least, she did until that chilling voice reached my ears.
"Because I can just... dispose of those estrus-driven bitches later..."
I stared blankly at her aquamarine eyes, which had lost their light, before silently averting my gaze.
And I made a mental note once again.
I must never, ever let Seria find out about my secret meetings with Senior Delphine.
A single bead of sweat rolled down my forehead as I galloped along.
*
Just as Seria had said, Northerners were famous for their bold temperaments.
Of course, they also had a fierce and rough side.
But more than that, they were straightforward people who valued loyalty. In that regard, their disposition was closer to those of the Southern Kingdoms.
As people who worshipped martial prowess, they always welcomed the visit of a strong individual.
I was no exception.
As soon as I arrived, a buzz of excitement rippled through the camp.
Every time I passed by, soldiers stole glances at me like spectators at a show, and even the knights waved and tried to act familiar.
At least the old knight who was temporarily commanding the troops possessed some dignity.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Young Master. I am Alex, a humble servant of the Yurdina family."
The old man, clad in heavy plate armor, looked incredibly strong and stern.
One look at him told me he was the type who had never used a shortcut in his entire life.
Since he had already shown proper courtesy to Seria, I shook Sir Alex's hand without hesitation.
"It is an honor to meet—"
Then, squeeze. Pressure was applied to my hand.
Since he was wearing a gauntlet, for a split second, I thought my hand bones were going to be crushed. I only barely survived by circulating mana just in time.
Despite exerting terrifying grip strength, Sir Alex's expression remained solemn.
I wanted to pull out my axe right then and there, but I held back.
Instead, I pushed back with my own strength to check him.
The gauntlet groaned under the pressure, the metal plates beginning to grind against each other.
"Hmph..."
Letting out a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a sigh, Sir Alex finally let go.
He looked down at his hand for a moment before nonchalantly turning his gaze away.
He acted as if the power struggle we just had was nothing more than a routine greeting.
"...I will show you to your quarters. Follow me."
I let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded.
My gaze naturally drifted toward Seria. She only wore a bitter smile, as if she had expected this.
"They're unique people, aren't they?"
"Very much so."
I could only grumble and follow behind Sir Alex.
Of course, the incidents didn't end there.
While I was touring the camp with Seria, a heavily armed young knight appeared before me.
He thumped his chest and shouted, "It is an honor to meet the hero of rumors, Young Master! Might I have the privilege of observing your skills firsthand?"
At that, cheers erupted from the surroundings.
I couldn't even tell if they were mocking me or if their intentions were pure.
Seria wore a troubled smile.
To an outsider, she might have looked like she was maintaining her composure, but I knew better.
I knew that if I let this go on any longer, Seria was going to explode.
She clearly didn't appreciate her respected senior being turned into a spectacle.
A chilling smile momentarily flickered across Seria's lips.
Seeing her hand move toward her waist as the light vanished from her eyes, I had to act immediately.
With a loud thud, the young knight's body was suddenly hoisted into the air.
It was a moment that left not only the victim but also the onlookers wide-eyed with shock.
A streak of pure white light pierced through the distance.
It was a speed that defied reaction. The thrown hand axe immediately converted its momentum into pure impact.
If he hadn't been wearing armor, the knight would have been killed instantly by the blow instead of just being sent flying.
As the hand axe bounced off and spun through the air, I raised my hand.
The axe changed its trajectory and landed perfectly in my palm with a sharp clack.
The young knight hit the ground at the exact same moment.
A heavy thud was followed by the clatter of rolling metal.
"...Cough."
The young knight could only cough, testifying to the shock he had received.
The eyes of the onlookers were all fixed on me.
Looking at those wide eyes, I felt like protesting.
If Seria had stepped in, it wouldn't have ended like this.
There would have definitely been a bloodbath.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Seria just looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Th-That was amazing, Senior Ian!"
In the end, a rumor soon spread through the camp that a certain psycho had arrived.
My only regret was that the psycho in the rumor was me, not Seria.