My Villains Episode 374
62. Tactics of Deception (1)
Ulkar greeted the subordinates from the east and the guests from the south in front of the castle gate.
It was not surprising that the third knight of the Silver Prince, Sir Ariad the ‘Viper’, had returned. It was at the end of August last year that he left to ask for reinforcements to the east following Sir Langbolt, so it was time to return.
And above all, news of the arrival of the Southern Shore’s Iron Fleet, led by Sir Langbolt and Sir Ariard, had arrived at Blade’s Bay.
“Sir Ariad.”
” majesty.”
Ulkar embraced his old, lowly knight. He patted the little back a few times and put a hand on her shoulder.
“You suffered. It took much longer than expected.”
“I apologize. It was delayed due to unforeseen events.”
The ‘unexpected events’ he spoke of probably included the events in Longville.
In September of last year, while staying in Longville, my party and I met Ulkar’s knights heading east.
Dionea, who was acting Lord of Longville at the time, was confronting an army led by Count Tristan’s son, Doyle Mullin. In response, Sir Langboldt and Sir Ariad directly participated in the battle to help her and at the same time become a bridge between Clarissa, the official successor of Count Tristan.
Longville repelled Doyle’s army with its support. Afterwards, Dionea became the official lord in place of Baron Mallory, who was assassinated by her brother. Clarissa, who succeeded her father who died of old age as the Countess, acknowledged Dionea’s succession to the title and even supported it.
…yes it happened.
Come to think of it, how is Dionea doing? I had even heard that he had inherited the title of baron, but there was no further news.
Even now, when I close my eyes, I think of a graceful figure wearing a white scarf and a light green dress. Dark green eyes, sorrowful eyes, and the subtle scent of cloves are also vivid.
Well, I sent a letter through Lianwell’s bank a while ago, so I should be able to get a reply soon. News of Dionea and the current status of the men he left behind in Longville – Amias and Genesa, who had become a married couple – would soon be known.
“…Yes, I heard that there were many things.”
While I was thinking about other things, Prince Ulkar looked around and asked a question.
“But what about Sir Langbolt?”
“It’s on the blade bay. I was in command of the fleet, so I couldn’t leave my seat.”
“…in command? I expected support from the fleet, but I didn’t expect to receive a baton.”
“I’ll report back on the details of that later.”
Lord Ariad’s wrinkled eyes scanned the crowd gathered in front of the castle. More than half were Ulkar’s direct subordinates, but the rest were other lords or his aides.
“O”
At the glance of the old knight, Ulkar shut his mouth. Sir Ariad naturally reached out his hand behind him.
“First of all, say hello. There is a guest from Razil to visit Her Highness.”
lazil. It is the western part of Ireland and is where the Black and White Serpent’s castle, ‘Tow’s Den’, is located.
The attention of the audience was focused on them, and the three janghans who had been standing some distance behind them slowly stepped forward. All of them were wearing black robes and hoods, but it was evident that they were wearing strangely shaped armor underneath the robes.
“…I heard the news. Knights serving Count Akele?”
The one in the middle of the three took a few steps forward as if they were their representative.
“No, Your Highness.”
He took off his hood and spoke.
“It is not Count Akele that we serve, but Zahakar and Baluin.”
He was a man in his early forties with a short beard. Except for black hair, eyes, and a large physique, he was a person with no special features.
However, those gathered in the left room were able to recognize the man’s identity at once.
The desolate atmosphere that emanates from the shadows, the features that are twisted somewhere, the reluctant eyes and the lifeless expressionless face.
“Blood Knight…
As a man groaned, the bearded man was a Blood Knight from Ireland.
Because the characteristics exactly matched what had been passed down in rumors, even those who had met the blood knight for the first time in their lives would have noticed the man’s true identity.
It’s a relief that me and Heila don’t share that bizarre trait. If we, like me, had a creepy and uneasy atmosphere even when we were still, our identities would have been discovered before we even tried to cheat.
By the way, that man is someone I know. This is the person who is the same as my dorm room.
It was only natural for me, who had absorbed Phoenix’s memories, to remember those who belonged to Ja Hakar and Baluin, and those close to Royal Blood as well.
Besides, that man was also the person who had been escorting Heyla to Longville, leading the blood knights and servants a few months ago.
“…Um, I see.”
Prince Ulkar’s dark blue eyes twinkled and smiled slightly.
“Anyway, it must be Count Akele’s will to send the sirs to me, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The middle-aged man got down on one knee and stared up at Ulkar.
“It is an honor to meet the heir of the noble blood of Zeore. I am Eordan of Valuin, the Blood Knight of the White Serpent. I have come here to convey the wishes of His Excellency Count Akele, the maritime agent of His Highness the Duke of Caisis, the lord of the eastern part of Ireland, and the Admiral of the Bullscale Fleet.”
His gestures and formality were obviously polite, but his voice felt somewhat mechanical. Ulkar nodded with a curious expression.
“It’s a greeting full of nostalgic taste. Nice to meet you too, Sir Eordan.”
He said, raising the middle-aged blood knight to his feet.
“In my heart, I want to hear Count Akele’s message here, but that would be harsh for those who are tired from coming a long way.”
“Thank you for planting, but we are fine.”
“It’s okay. I also need to catch my breath for a while as I have to resolve the issue with my knight whom I haven’t met in a long time. I’ll give you a room in the inner room.”
After saying that, the prince naturally turned to me.
“Sir Phoenix. Will you guide Sir Eordan?”
“…I’m coming?”
“Yeah, wonder.” I stood still for a moment in surprise, but it was only natural that Ulkar asked me for guidance.
A blood knight who came with the message of Count Akelle was virtually no different from an envoy, so it was not unusual for the head of the central garrison to step forward.
“Well, I see…. Come this way, Sir Eordan.”
Eordan and the other two blood knights also accepted my guidance without saying anything, as if they had no intention of revealing my identity here.
I guided the blood knights to the lord’s building attached to the fortress tower.
As soon as he caught the attendant and entered the appropriate room, Lord Eordan opened his mouth.
“It’s been a while, young master.”
I opened my mouth only after searching Phoenix’s memory for a while at his sudden words.
“Are you a young boy?”
” yes.”
“…When did you change your title?”
I, or Phoenix, is the bastard son of Count Akele.
No, it’s practically like an illegitimate child. Because Count Akele fell in love with the beautiful slave ‘Lyra’ and gave birth to a son named Phoenix.
Count Akelle was the only younger brother of the previous duke, Skiele, so he belonged to the direct line of the family, namely the Royal Blood. Therefore, Phoenix is also a royal blood, but since his mother was a slave, his position within the family was not very good.
For that reason, no matter how much I searched through my memories, there was never a single time that the family members called Phoenix by a title like ‘Bob’.
“It was right after the elders of the family designated the young master as the conceived person.”
“O uh” —
I expected it. It was impossible in our family atmosphere to treat the person who would give birth to the next duke of Ireland.
“I’m asking just in case, can you refuse to become a conceived child?”
“Impossible. Unless the young master dies, there will be no new conceived person appointed.”
After cracking down on visits again, I questioned Lord Eordan.
“What brought you to High Castle? You said you came to deliver a message from my father?”
As Kim Seung-soo, it was a bit awkward to call a person he had never seen before as father, but the middle-aged blood knight replied regardless.
“It is true that Prince Ulkar has a message, but
it is an enemy business. The thing is, of course, the two young masters and Heila.”
It’s all because of the Phoenix lady, the conceived woman we came here for.
“What are you going to do? You are not planning to take us to Island, are you?”
“…First of all, the Count’s order was to bring the two of you to Port Auduenne.”
“What if you don’t want to go?”
“What would you do if you were to forcefully drag it away?” “What do you think?” When I asked again with a smile, Lord Eordan kept his mouth shut.
He could feel the magic wriggling in his body. It’s not like I’m preparing for battle, I’m guessing he’s trying to gauge my strength.
He just slumped down on the bed on one side of the room and did not react. Originally, the strong do not need to react.
Sir Eordan is definitely a powerful blood knight, but he was nothing compared to me now. Five or six blood knights of a similar level would have to come to compare with me.
In short, it was impossible for him to drag me by force.
Sir Ordan, perhaps recognizing this instinctively, just blinked his eyes.
Seeing that, Heila suddenly comes to mind. However, it would be harsh for Heila to compare her, a peerless beauty, with a middle-aged man with an eerie and grotesque atmosphere.
“As expected through rumors, he has really changed a lot.”
“…is it so? I don’t know.”
“no. Bocchan knows best. It means that you have become a completely different person than you used to be.”
He looked at me blankly and I said, ‘So what? What are you going to do?’ He shrugged his shoulders with a smile on his face.
No matter what anyone says, I am ‘Gimpo Enix’ and ‘The Multiplier of Zahakar’.
It is the sound of Kim Seung-soo and Phoenix at the same time. I didn’t want to pretend to be a pure phoenix by excluding Kim Seung-su’s part just because an adult from my family came to visit, and I didn’t feel the need to. I’m confident, but what can I do?
Eordan, who had been silent for a while at my shameless expression, opened his mouth.
“His Excellency Count Akele is worried.”
“…Are you the father?”
“yes. As the conceived son of the Zaharkar family, he serves Zeore, so how can I not be concerned?”
I hit a peek snort.
“When I was ordained, I wasn’t even conceived. In terms of order, the conceived person did not serve Prince Ulkar, but the one who served Prince Ulkar was designated as the conceived person.”
“Even if you weren’t conceived, the young master is Zahakar’s son.”
“You don’t seem to understand, but I left Ireland precisely because I didn’t like it. I hate being the son of Zaharkar.”
“…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”
“Accept what you heard and tell your father something. Don’t forget to say that you don’t intend to go back.”
Lord Eordan was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth again.
“I’ll have to talk to Lady Heila, too. Since you said you’re staying at the same lodging, I’ll see you at night.”
“What do you mean?”
Just then, a sergeant knocked on the door and announced the prince’s call. I immediately took the blood knights, including Eordan, and headed to the hall of the castle tower.
Well, housework is housework.
Let’s hear what Count Akele left for Ulkar.
