V. O, Glory of the Tournament! (23)
V. O, Glory of the Tournament! (23)
Ortvin's treatment would not be completed overnight.
Although Keldric had inadvertently allowed treatment to begin early, they still had to remove the Erosion Larvae spread throughout his body and draw off the blood tainted by their poison.
Whenever Niccolò went to perform the bloodletting, Keldric followed without fail. Alisa, whose hunger for knowledge befitted a wizard, did the same.
"Why do you use a brass basin?"
"Brass is a metal that drives away evil influences. If medicine is kept in a brass basin and used to soak the affected area, the wound will not fester after treatment."
Keldric watched Niccolò work and asked about every detail that caught his curiosity.
Niccolò was teaching him for free, and Keldric did not want to miss a thing.
Many treatments of this era were steeped in superstition, but some were genuinely useful.
"Why must the vinegar be boiled? The smell is awful..."
"Vinegar helps prevent the wound from festering, but the sour smell is more important. By creating the stench of a corpse artificially, we trick the Erosion Larvae into thinking the host is truly dead and draw them outside."
"So... they're something like maggots."
"Very similar. Erosion Larvae prefer decaying bodily fluids. That is why they excrete poison—to kill the host and hasten the decay."
The conversation proceeded like a lesson, with Keldric and Alisa asking eager questions and Niccolò answering one after another.
He did not seem possessive of his medical knowledge in the slightest.
One might have expected him to demand a chance to catch his breath when they questioned him during a break, but Niccolò answered earnestly even while wiping away his sweat.
Thanks to him, Keldric acquired a modest amount of medical knowledge that might prove useful.
Before this, Keldric had known little beyond the existence of penicillin and other antibiotics.
When in Rome, do as the Romans did. To survive in this backward world, it was wise to learn its imperfect but sometimes insightful treatments.
Keldric therefore dredged up every piece of medical common sense that might be even slightly useful.
"The care after bloodletting must be important. Am I right?"
"Indeed. That is an excellent observation, Sir Keldric."
Whenever he offered one of those observations, Niccolò—who had learned the same principle through experience—would widen his eyes in admiration.
Keldric was merely concerned about obvious matters such as anemia after blood loss and how to stop the bleeding. Yet many people were ignorant of even that basic knowledge.
There were plenty of knights who could not even read. A fellow knight who understood such matters would naturally seem remarkable.
"Sir Keldric, you are far more perceptive than I expected."
As Alisa's admiration suggested, people regarded such awareness as insight, an important virtue even for a knight.
"...Than you expected?"
"Ahem. Niccolò, please continue."
"Yes. Bloodletting leaves the patient short of blood and disrupts the balance of the humors. It is important to encourage the body to produce more blood and to stop the bleeding."
Niccolò was impressive in his own way.
Even to Keldric, his methods for treating blood loss and stopping bleeding sounded quite plausible.
"Oak bark helps stop bleeding. Grind nettles and apply them to the wound, then pound oak bark thin and wrap both against the injury with clean cloth."
"Oh..."
"Afterward, have the patient drink a nettle decoction and eat as much meat as possible. Red meat shares blood's color and therefore encourages the production of blood."
"Anything else to keep in mind?"
"Keeping the patient warm is also important. Most people complain of cold when the balance of blood is disturbed."
Keldric learned a great deal.
The more elaborate treatments involving the moon or the four seasons were hard to trust and complicated to learn, but these basic methods seemed genuinely useful.
After two days of this, on the third day since the tournament's suspension—
"Sir Keldric, His Excellency summons you."
—the time had come to bring the suspended tournament to an end.
☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩
A tournament on Bogenberg's scale could not be kept running indefinitely.
The daily expense of hosting the gathered nobles, maintenance of the grounds, and the knights' growing anger at the delayed victory declaration all had to be resolved quickly.
That was why Count Bogenberg had summoned Keldric.
"What happened to Sir Ortvin is... deeply regrettable."
Count Bogenberg first settled the matter of compensation for Ortvin.
Ortvin might have spent the past several years wandering from place to place, but he had still done so under the name of House Riesenbrunn.
The greater Ortvin's fame grew, the more prestige House Riesenbrunn gained; in return, the house guaranteed his noble standing. The arrangement benefited both sides.
Keldric was much the same. Without the Horse Insignia Token of House Bellaf, he would not be recognized as a knight at all—only as an unusually strong man.
"I promise proper treatment and compensation."
"Thank you. Before that, however, I ask that you punish whoever did this."
"That must be done as well. For the honor of House Riesenbrunn and Sir Ortvin, we will find the culprit."
The representative from House Riesenbrunn bowed constantly, yet firmly demanded everything his house was owed.
As a result, Count Bogenberg had to pay dearly.
He agreed to cover Ortvin's treatment and financial support, along with further compensation if Ortvin died during treatment.
Keldric silently observed this scene.
It was hardly a formal negotiation between great nobles, but Keldric watched in case remembering it might help if he faced something similar later.
"Sir Ortvin is already improving, so do not worry too much."
"Thank you for your generous consideration, Lord Bogenberg."
Once the discussion ended, the representative of House Riesenbrunn left the hall with perfect courtesy.
He had bled Count Bogenberg for everything available without once allowing himself to look pleased. He was clearly a professional.
"Ah, Sir Keldric. Forgive me for keeping you waiting."
"Not at all. I have only just arrived."
Keldric carefully sat in the chair Count Bogenberg offered him.
Alisa, who had effectively become Keldric's aide, naturally took the seat beside him.
Keldric thought nothing of it. If the matter had been unsuitable for Alisa to hear, Count Bogenberg would have arranged a private audience.
"I called you here because... we must conclude the tournament as quickly as possible."
"I understand."
"Quick understanding is admirable, but we must still settle this properly. Sir Keldric, will you tell me about your journey to Bogenberg?"
Keldric immediately understood the reason for the question.
They still did not know how Ortvin had become infected with Erosion Larvae.
Under those circumstances, Keldric—the knight who had faced Ortvin in the final—had to be dealt with first.
"I do not suspect you, but I cannot avoid examining the matter carefully. I ask for your understanding."
"Of course."
Keldric nodded readily. He took no offense; this was only natural.
Alisa, Henri, and Alan all knew that Keldric had not harmed Ortvin.
Count Bogenberg appeared to think the same. Keldric seemed largely clear of suspicion in his eyes.
After all, Keldric was not so inferior a knight that he needed such tricks.
The Erosion Larvae had even been discovered early because Keldric had struck so hard with his lance.
Though unintended, Ortvin had arguably survived because Keldric had fought the match in earnest.
The problem was that no one looked more suspicious to spectators who knew none of those facts.
An unknown knight from an insignificant house had appeared without warning at a famous tournament and won every match.
It made for a romantic tale of chivalry, but suspicion was inevitable when his final opponent collapsed with bizarre symptoms.
Count Bogenberg had to convince the uninformed public. Retracing Keldric's movements was necessary.
"Where would you like me to begin?"
"Tell me where you were and what you were doing immediately before you came to Bogenberg."
"Very well."
Keldric began with his arrival in Bellam.
He described meeting Alisa and the Ram Mercenary Company, reaching Bellam, helping Sir Herman expose the traitors threatening the city, dueling Sir Johannes, and sending Guild Master Anselm—who had resisted to the bitter end—to the gallows.
Looking back, an astonishing amount had happened in so little time.
Keldric's account was coherent and unhesitating. Count Bogenberg listened quietly and nodded, apparently satisfied.
"That will suffice. Once your account is made public, no one should be able to object."
"Thank you for trusting me."
"I am merely respecting your honor."
Despite those words, Count Bogenberg had plainly completed a background investigation into Keldric already.
He had not won the County of Bogenberg in a game of chance. With his reputation at stake, blindly trusting Keldric would have been reckless.
During the past two days he had likely investigated every rumor about Keldric and House Bellaf. Now he was comparing Keldric's account with the information already gathered while also showing him respect.
"Come to the tournament grounds as soon as you rise tomorrow morning."
"The tournament grounds?"
"You do not appear to have broken any rule, so the glory of victory rightfully belongs to you."
Ortvin's collapse was a separate issue. Quietly setting aside Keldric's victory would create problems of its own.
The tournament's scale mattered, but its connection to the Church mattered even more. If it ended inconclusively, the Church might condemn Count Bogenberg.
It was wiser to declare Keldric the victor, find whoever had reduced Ortvin to this state, and punish the culprit severely.
Ortvin's treatment and compensation would be part of resolving the affair.
"I will be there."
Keldric had no reason to object and nodded readily.
Whatever else might be said, Keldric had reached the final through his own ability.
The glory of tournament champion was rightfully his.
☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩
Four days after the final, the tournament grounds once again swarmed with people and noise.
Most whispered about the ominous events of the final, while some knights complained that deciding the victor had taken far too long.
When Burggraf Kuno explained Ortvin's unfortunate condition, however, the entire audience fell solemnly silent.
That mood lasted only a moment. The grounds would erupt as soon as Keldric's victory was announced.
A tournament did not reward only the last knight standing.
The champion received the greatest honor, glory, and reward, but knights who had shown exceptional skill or fought the victor to a near draw also received suitable prizes.
Of course, Keldric did not care about any of them.
'What am I going to get?'
After winning a tournament of this magnitude, Keldric was nearly mad with curiosity about the prize awaiting him.
The duel he had fought to help Sir Herman in Bellam had already earned him a substantial reward. A tournament explicitly meant to test honor and courage should offer far more.
Prizes varied enormously by the tournament's scale, but Bogenberg's event could offer something truly valuable.
A renowned sword worthy of becoming a family heirloom? Armor no blade could pierce?
Perhaps a year's tax revenue from one of Count Bogenberg's villages, or an enormous purse of coin.
He could imagine almost anything, and frighteningly, none of it was impossible.
The most useless prize Keldric could imagine was some blessing from the Church.
Tournaments were often tied to the Church. If a high-ranking clergyman bestowed a special blessing and called it the champion's prize, that would be outright fraud—all the work, only to hand the reward to someone else.
He could not dismiss the possibility entirely. This tournament had partly been intended to exalt the Church's authority.
Count Bogenberg probably would not do that, but it was too early to relax.
"Sir Keldric, it's almost time..."
"Understood."
Keldric rose to follow the servant who had come for him and strode out without hesitation.
"Honorable knights and noble lords gathered here! Today I present the victor of this glorious tournament, chosen by God!"
Burggraf Kuno's powerful voice rang out. Keldric repeatedly cleared his throat.
He desperately pretended otherwise, but he was almost mad with nerves.
His heart hammered wildly, and fantasies about the prize drifted through his mind.
Keldric stepped into the sunlit arena.
As the gate opened and he entered the empty field, the praise and applause of countless spectators crashed over him.
"He displayed indomitable courage, astonishing martial prowess, and the true spirit of chivalry! His sword was wielded for God, and from this day forward his name shall be remembered by all as an honorable knight in the name of Saint Venancio!"
Burggraf Kuno stood on a terrace raised above the arena, his voice booming across the grounds.
Count Bogenberg and his assembled vassals watched from there. Sir Theodore stood among them.
Keldric swallowed under Theodore's unwavering stare.
"The victor of this glorious tournament! Sir Keldric of House Bellaf—honorable and devout, possessed of unbreakable courage and martial prowess no man dares challenge!"
Burggraf Kuno pointed toward Keldric in the center of the arena. The spectators roared even louder.
"Waaaaaaah—!!"
"The Undefeated Knight!"
"Sir Keldric of House Bellaf!"
Keldric stood dazed beneath the thunderous applause and cheers.
Flower petals prepared in advance fluttered across the arena as the gate opposite Keldric slowly opened.
"In recognition of Sir Keldric's outstanding feats of arms, His Excellency Johann von Bogenberg, rightful Count of Bogenberg, has prepared a special reward!"
Keldric stared at the open gate with feverish anticipation.
'This is driving me insane.'
He could not begin to guess what the prize might be.
His chest swelled with anticipation. He was so impatient that he wanted to say fuck everything and run over to see it immediately.
Keldric forced himself to wait. Something slowly emerged through the open gate.
The first thing he saw was blackness that seemed to drink in the blazing sunlight.
Powerful muscles rippled beneath the glossy jet-black coat, while the white star on its forehead shone like a falling meteor.
Intelligent eyes glittered below. Despite an appearance that radiated power and authority, the horse gave a gentle snort.
The servants leading it carried a caparison in House Bellaf's deep navy, emblazoned with a bear.
"Behold this magnificent destrier! As for the noble bloodline into which it was born—"
Burggraf Kuno continued at length, but none of it reached Keldric's ears.
He was too busy reaching, almost entranced, toward the black horse approaching him.
His hand met a soft coat and mane. The horse was gentler than expected and accepted his touch without hesitation.
It stood slightly larger than Boreas. Its powerful muscles seemed to overflow with strength.
The moment the servants fitted the caparison and saddle, Keldric sprang onto the horse's back.
"Sir Keldric, claim the glory and reward you deserve! Ride this blessed and mighty horse, and carry out God's will!"
"O God, bless Sir Keldric's honorable victory! Praise his undefeated feat!"
"Unfading glory to the Undefeated Knight!"
Mounted on the horse, Keldric drew his sword and thrust it high.
As cheers filled the arena, a shiver ran through him.
Wealth, glory, honor, fame, a precious warhorse, a purse of coin, and even a pious feat of arms had all fallen into his hands.
"God be with us! Glory to House Bellaf! Boundless praise to Lord Bogenberg!"
Yet even among all those rewards, the glory of the tournament was beyond price.