Chapter 66
Chapter 66
"You too shall fall into miserable ruin! MacLaine!"
The wives and daughters of Soto Silvan, who had been cursing with venom-filled voices, were given a modest amount of possessions before being driven out of the territory.
These noblewomen, who had never lifted a finger their entire lives, were not considered for how they would survive after losing their husbands and fathers.
The only concern was announcing the arrival of the new ruler to the people of Silvan Castle, now incorporated into the territory, consolidating their loyalty, and preparing for the coming war.
But just a week after occupying Silvan, Logan received a magic communication from a completely unexpected source.
"Count Vifros?"
The message came from an unforeseen quarter and was essentially a warning.
Of course, it was far too late for that now.
[Silvan, Pereta, and MacLaine must cease fighting. As the Lord of the Southwest, I shall mediate this conflict.]
"Since when has that bastard been the Lord of the Southwest? How dare he!"
Patrick flushed with anger, but reality was reality.
The MacLaine vassals calmed their furious lord and responded to the Count's message.
[Silvan has already fallen into MacLaine's hands, and Baron Soto Silvan is dead. This was a justified retaliation against his threats, and MacLaine has no intention of escalating the war further.]
Perhaps because they hadn't anticipated the war between MacLaine and Silvan ending so swiftly, the Count's reply took several days.
[The Count's envoy will visit MacLaine and Pereta to confirm that neither side intends to escalate hostilities further. And to deliver Count Vifros's will.]
"The Count's will?"
"It feels a bit unsettling, but since Silvan isn't mentioned, doesn't that mean he's acknowledging our occupation?"
"Well, it's a bit different from what we expected, but it seems things have gone your way, Logan."
"Except Pereta remains quiet."
"In this situation, what else could happen?"
"What if Tesron Castle—"
"With Master Clayton there, even if something happens, they can hold out."
"That's right. They can hold out..."
The war with Silvan ended easily, but only because MacLaine had mobilized its full strength without holding back.
They still had one hidden card left in Tesron.
But managing three castles now was far more complicated than before.
When it was just MacLaine and Tesron, they could station most of their forces in Tesron and use MacLaine Castle symbolically.
But now, with Pereta—effectively an enemy—aside, occupying Silvan meant sharing a border with Vifros, making the old arrangement impossible.
"We must move the territory's center from MacLaine Castle to the Town. We've already prepared a residence for the lord's family near the Magic Tower."
"Summer is approaching, and we've cleared the monster forests. Leaving only minimal forces in MacLaine shouldn't cause any major issues."
"Station the knight order in MacLaine Town and keep them ready to deploy to Tesron and Silvan at any time. I recommend splitting the soldiers evenly between the two."
"Good. That sounds wise."
Change was inevitable, and since it was positive, the decision was made quickly.
Moreover, what they gained from this war wasn't just land.
"You said we captured 75 knights?"
"Yes. Excluding the 42 dead and three who escaped, the rest are imprisoned in Silvan's dungeons. Eight of them are mid-rank knights."
"Hah. That's more than our entire knight order. Seems we really have grown stronger."
"Of course."
To be precise, Soto Silvan's carelessness had led to their early capture, but no one bothered to point that out.
They simply smiled along with their lord.
"Can we persuade them all to switch sides?"
"Would anyone harbor genuine loyalty for Soto Silvan? I think it's possible for all of them."
It was doubtful any knight would sincerely serve a tyrant, and even if they did, such men weren't needed.
Besides, unlike before, they could now offer above-average wages, and since they were all subjects of the same kingdom and king, the justification was sufficient.
With their honor, status, and pay intact, who would refuse to serve under a stronger lord?
Logan was certain no one would decline.
Perhaps the surest way to increase the number of knights wasn't recruiting talented individuals but waging territorial wars.
The overwhelming victory had him entertaining such frivolous thoughts.
'If Soto Silvan had been a bit more cautious, we would've suffered significant losses. Fewer knights captured, and more enemy soldiers dead.'
Regular soldiers were potential future knights, and they were also the family, friends, and lovers of the existing territory's people.
Though overshadowed by capturing over half the knight order, the fact that more than a thousand soldiers surrendered alive was also encouraging.
Everything had exceeded expectations.
'It won't be this easy from now on.'
Whether in manpower or resources, war normally consumes what you have.
And those who oppose MacLaine in the future won't be as careless and straightforward as Soto Silvan.
They might dismiss Tesron as luck, but occupying Silvan's barony wouldn't be seen that way.
So Logan tempered his exhilaration with caution and reminded his father and vassals of that fact.
Of course, smiles still lingered on the faces of MacLaine's leadership for a while.
Amidst this high spirits, while MacLaine's leaders remained in Silvan to manage the captured knights and soldiers, Vifros's envoy arrived—not at MacLaine Castle, but at Silvan.
"The Count deeply regrets the frequent conflicts and wars MacLaine has engaged in."
"I regret it too. MacLaine was just sitting quietly, but others kept provoking us."
"...The Count is well aware misunderstandings may exist between parties. And he wishes to mediate before those misunderstandings deepen further."
"Mediate? The war is over, and MacLaine has no desire to fight anyone else. Unless Pereta provokes us first, MacLaine won't start anything."
"The request for mediation came from Silvan. Though things have turned out this way..."
"To start a fight and then talk about mediation—Soto Silvan had some nerve."
At Patrick's words, everyone in the hall nodded—except the envoy.
But the envoy's next words instantly shifted the atmosphere.
"The Count laments that the root cause of these frequent conflicts is Vifros's neglect of its duty as Lord and its failure to unite the region under one banner."
As everyone wondered what nonsense this was—
"Thus, next month, to celebrate Count Roger Vifros's fiftieth birthday, he wishes to meet the heirs of each household as the Lord of the Southwest. There, they will discuss the future of the region..."
BANG!
"Nonsense! Send our heirs? Discuss the future? Does Vifros think MacLaine is under its command?"
With that furious roar, the ornate armrest Soto Silvan had lovingly crafted shattered under Patrick's grip, and a surge of killing intent filled the air.
But the envoy, sweating profusely and staggering, didn't avert his eyes.
"Th-The Count said those unwilling to attend need not come. However..."
Gulp.
Swallowing nervously, the envoy clenched his teeth and continued.
"Vifros will only assist those households that acknowledge it as the Lord of the Southwest. Those who oppose this will have no place in the region's future."
"Hmph. How elegantly phrased threats. But it's pointless. MacLaine doesn't yield to intimidation—"
Just as Patrick's fury manifested in a crushing pressure—
Logan stepped forward with a smile.
"It might be fun to go and see, Father."
"—What?"
"I respected your wishes and sent the envoy away for now. But..."
Patrick's face reddened as he recalled the final exchange in the hall.
"The Young Lord is truly wise."
He knew full well it was a mocking remark, implying he was too blind to see reality.
"No matter what excuse we make, bowing our heads to Vifros is unacceptable! I'd rather die than allow that!"
Whoosh.
Unintentionally, his surging aura weighed heavily on the office's atmosphere.
"I won't permit it even if dirt fills my eyes!"
But his opponent was Logan.
"Shall I sprinkle some now?"
"...Huh?"
Patrick could only stare in bewilderment as Logan casually scooped a handful of soil from a potted plant by the window.
"Let's hear your thoughts first. What's your plan?"
With a light sigh, Logan continued.
"Right now, no matter what we do, we can't defeat Vifros."
Two master knights, fifteen high knights, and over 300 knights across two orders.
That was just a fraction of Count Vifros's publicly declared military strength, which included five castles and the vast Vifros Plains.
Even that alone was an insurmountable gap for now.
"Besides, while things seem to be going well, they're actually quite precarious."
Unlike the old MacLaine, distant from the kingdom's center and with little to offer, the current MacLaine—having swallowed Tesron and Silvan—was undoubtedly on Vifros's radar.
With their territories now bordering each other, stubborn pride could lead to them being crushed outright.
'We need time.'
Time to integrate Silvan's knights, subjugate Pereta decisively, and reorganize their forces.
Time for Logan to master the third form of the Divine Sword Secret Art to match his growth, and for the knights to grow stronger as well.
His father wasn't unaware of this.
But—
"The situation is different from other border lords. If Vifros tries to enforce its authority as Lord, the other territories will resist too."
During the era of MacLaine's fourth-generation ancestor's atrocities, the Southwest's politics had been tangled.
Despite their rebellion's success, Vifros failed to eradicate their former lord's bloodline, and the royal family shielded the sinful MacLaine to preserve its lineage.
Even afterward, unlike other regional lords, Vifros couldn't force submission from the Southwest's nobles.
The exact reasons were lost to history, but the reality remained.
So his father's argument wasn't without merit.
Except—unbeknownst to Patrick—things had shifted slightly.
"The Percival and Lufman families north of Vifros have long submitted to them. I confirmed this when I was in the capital."
Of course, he hadn't learned this in the capital but in his past life. But it was enough to change his father's mind.
"...What?!"
"If anyone resists, it'd be Pereta, but as you know, our current situation with them is..."
"Hah, how could things have...?"
"If we resist now, we might be made an example of."
"When did things come to this...? How pathetic of me. Our enemy was quietly tightening the noose, and I didn't even notice."
Slumping into his chair, Patrick seemed to deflate all at once. Logan reassured him calmly.
"No need for self-reproach. I only learned of this by chance in the capital."
"...Our family's weakness has humiliated you. I'm sorry, son."
It was as good as granting Logan's request.
"You know my skills. Nothing will happen. Think of it as seeing how our ancestors' land has changed."
'Besides, there's something I need to confirm.'
He swallowed the last bitter thought at the sight of his father's desolate expression.
"Master! Is it true you're being sold off to enemy territory?!"
The events in Silvan's hall had clearly been distorted in the retelling.
Not long after returning to MacLaine Town, Logan was met by Hamar, whose face was drenched in sweat—likely from rushing over mid-work—and brimming with desperation.
"What nonsense is spreading now...?"
"If the master dies! What of our promise? My freedom?!"
"I'm not dying! And I'm not being sold off either. Filter out the rumors properly!"
"Most of the absurd rumors about the master turned out to be true!"
"..."
Since it wasn't entirely wrong, Logan had no retort.
"Anyway, wherever you go, take this."
"What?"
"I didn't have time to finish the scabbard's decorations properly, but it's yours. I guarantee it'll serve you well."
Placing a single sword on the table, Hamar turned to leave.
"What is this...?"
"Come back alive!"
SLAM!
Without waiting for a reply, Hamar stormed out and vanished.
"Honestly... I'm not going to die..."
Despite his exasperated chuckle, Logan's gaze inevitably fell on the sword the dwarf craftsman had left behind.