My Villains Chapter 412
63. Knights of the Silver Prince (19)
“Finally.”
Middle-aged Zhang Han had a very thrilled expression on his face. He was dressed in plate armor that slipped in the sunlight. Both hands were full of rings, and a small crown was worn on the head. Even at a glance, I could guess that his status was not normal.
“…Finally!”
Do they think of the heroes who would have looked down on the city from this tall castle tower? The middle-aged Duke of Avillambus squeezed the window frame.
One of the soldiers who occupied the fortress and the buildings outside it under the castle tower raised his fist high when he saw the duke.
“God bless the mighty monarch! Long live His Highness the Duke!” “Long live the Duke!” The morale of the imperial army shouted in one voice. Duke Avilambers raised his hand in response, and the soldiers burst into cheers and shouts again.
“Congratulations, Your Highness.”
A man whose armor was decorated as grandiose as a peacock approached.
“Repelling Ulkar’s army and capturing this impregnable fortress city. The whole of Middle-earth will vibrate at Your Highness’ feat.”
“Huh, what a feat. Isn’t it the virtue of the injured prince silver, and also the virtue of the alliance’s faithfulness? There is nothing to paint my face with.”
As the duke shuddered with humility, Prince Savellard, the eldest son of his father Burcard, a man in his early thirties, and the next head of Al Zenberg, twirled and lifted him up.
“It is Your Highness who injured Ulkar, and it is Your Highness who instilled firm faith in the royal family. The silver prince’s viper would have lost its meaning if Her Highness hadn’t hired him. It is completely thanks to Your Highness that we climbed this High Castle today.”
“is it? Well, if the prince thinks so, I have no reason to deny it. That’s right. All- my ball!”
As the duke chuckled, the nobles gathered on the top floor of the castle tower burst into laughter as well.
After enjoying the joy of victory for a while, the middle-aged Elector Count reached out among his subordinates. At that touch, Captain Buakhan and the Imperial Knights retreated to the left and right, and an armed young man supported the dwarf old man and stepped forward. It was the blind knight Ariad and his servant Acer.
“The best honor of this siege is definitely my proud imperial knights. He fought bravely like a lion and entered the castle at once, so there can be no disagreement.” The duke put his arm around the old knight’s shoulder and congratulated him in a very serious voice.
“But that ball, too, would have faded had it not been for the wonder to guide the way. Otherwise, they would have made such great sacrifices that victory would be meaningless.”
“It’s too much praise, Your Highness.”
“What is overeating? The nobles of the kingdom don’t know that they are trustworthy because they come from the savage northern peoples. That’s also why he ignored Lord Ariad’s resourcefulness and hard work and pointed his finger at his low birth. But I am different from Duke Bon, a descendant of the ancient empire and an aristocrat of Gellan. Because I know that honor deserves respect and trust deserves to be rewarded.”
As he continued to speak, a vassal stepped forward with a large pendant resting on a black velvet cushion. The duke put the pendant around Ariad’s neck.
“Therefore, I will appoint you as an imperial knight and at the same time make you the lord of ‘Kantz’.”
Kantz was a fortress located close to the hundred-year-old castle, and the lord of the castle was an honorable position given only to those who had served the Duke of Strom for generations.
As the knight who had surrendered to such a position was appointed as an old man from serfdom, of course, many retainers objected. However, the duke suppressed all voices with his authority. If Ariad hadn’t taught him the weakness of the castle wall, there would have been no brilliant victory or capture of High Castle, so Abillambus insisted that a large reward should be given.
On the other hand, the Duke was aiming for a kind of propaganda effect.
If the fact that the silver prince’s viper changed sides and rose to success spreads, more and
more people will break away from among the kingdom troops who have been pushed out of High Castle and scattered throughout the highlands… It was the calculation of Duke Ah Villambus.
“……majesty.”
Ariad, who was bowing his head respectfully, hesitated before opening his mouth.
“Because of immeasurable blessings, this old man does not dare to stand up for himself. However, my oath to Prince Ulkar has not yet been revoked, so how can I receive a title from Your Highness?”
“I don’t know why you care about that. Prince Eun didn’t treat Kyung as a knight, so why does Kyung still refer to him as his lord?”
“It was not Prince Ulkar who did not treat me as a knight, but his knights.”
“What’s different about that? If I were the lord of Gyeonggi, I would never have forgiven the cheaters who called the knights of this duke a commoner. They must have caught them all and beaten them to serve as examples. But how was the silver prince? I didn’t listen to whatever was going on behind my back. Isn’t it?” Because his eyes were covered with an eyepatch – of course, if it weren’t for the eyepatch, all you could see was the burnt eye sockets – but the old knight’s expression was hidden. He wriggled the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth as if he was lost in thought. Then he got down on one knee.
“Even though I am old and sick and useless, I will serve you and your family with all my heart.”
“Yes, that is enough.”
A vivacious light penetrated Abillambus’ eyes. It was based on the satisfaction of having created another anecdote to be recorded in the family history book.
“However, as you said, please guarantee Ulkar’s safety. It was a one-time relationship, but I owed him my life and became a knight, so I want to repay the favor one last time.”
The other nobles of the empire gave Ariad a cold glance, asking him to show sympathy for the enemy, but the duke seemed unconcerned. No, rather, it was a sight that gave me faith in the appearance of the viper who said what he had to say without paying attention.
“This duke is a person who always keeps his words. If we capture Prince Silver as a prisoner, I will send him to the north without touching a hair.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
It’s already been over two weeks since Prince Ulkar disappeared. Rumors spread widely throughout the military camp that he was beaten to death in an attempt to escape, that his body was crippled beyond repair with the prayers of most priests, and that he barely escaped death.
It wouldn’t be a rumor if you saw the kingdom army that had fled in vain without properly fighting the siege. In this situation, even if the duke captured the silver prince, there was no need to kill or torture him. All you have to do is lock them up in the 100-year-old castle and kick them out to the north when they become old people.
In the Duke’s mind, he wanted to take his nephew, Theodora, who had been staying somewhere here in High Castle until recently to treat wounded soldiers, and throw him into the basement of the Baeknyeon Castle. Even though it had been ten years since the death of Guellam Bus—the older brother of the Duke of Avilambas and the father of Theodora—the duke’s head pounded when he thought of his niece claiming to be a princess.
Luckily, he committed himself to the Calandari Church and became a paladin, so he wouldn’t be fooling around aiming for the Duke’s throne. However, the fact that the blood relatives of his brother, whom he had poisoned himself, were still alive was very nerve-wracking in and of itself.
‘I must gather the assassins again. By the time the war is over, if I deal with that year, I’ll be able to sleep on my feet.’
Duke Avillambus thought to himself as he concluded the appointment ceremony. It was around the time that he and the prince of Savellard were going to continue a friendly conversation. A few moments before he could hear loud footsteps from the stairway, an officer stormed in with a firm face.
“A messenger has come from the west.”
“From the west? What’s going on?”
In response to Captain Buakan’s question, the officer was a noble and looked sideways at the Imperial Knights.
“It is…
” Say it. Did that pig-like giant knight steal supplies again?”
“no. The guerrillas of the ‘giant’ Ankir are stranded in ‘Asag’ as the elite cavalry has burned down the entire forest.”
“Of course it is. If the troops are three times as many, wouldn’t it be like proving that all of us are idiots…
? is.”
The rude remarks that dared to cut off the Duke’s words attracted a host of deathly gazes. The officer, whose expression was hardened, quickly added words to shake off those eyes.
“Froshafen has been captured.”
“…what? Proshafen out of nowhere, what nonsense is that?”
“The Red Knight Phoenix led more than a thousand troops and crossed the edge of the sword. Prince Ignats was assassinated and Proshafen fell in half a day. And, of course, ‘Untrier’ and ‘Zirna’ castles guarding the Deval Highway, as well as five villages in just four days-” “What kind of nonsense is that to say that a red
knight crossed only the blade! The red knight was guarding High Castle right here until four days ago!”
Before the officer could answer, the duke roared as if breathing fire.
“Black Dragon Fleet! What the hell is the Black Dragon Fleet doing!”
“It is said that while anchored in Proshafen, the Southern Shore’s Earl Shore’s steel fleet struck. More than half of the battle lines were sunk and the rest seem to have been captured.”
“What kind of a bastard is that-”
The duke, his face flushed red, was about to shout again, but he grabbed his forehead and asked in a calm tone.
“If the prince is dead, what about Levites?”
“Viscount Levites is being held captive.”
“This two-”
Duke Abillambus finally exploded at the report that the great lord who was supposed to protect the rear had died, the family’s main fleet had been destroyed, and even the admiral had been captured.
“This idiot-like baby-!”
As the duke threw and kicked the furnishings in the room as soon as they were caught, the nobles and imperial knights retreated as if clinging to the wall. It wasn’t until after he vented his anger for a while that the officer’s report continued.
“Even though the Red Knight’s army has reached the Obdorf region, it is said that they are defending firmly around ‘Eisbovald’.”
“Eisbowald Eisbowald? Isn’t the lord there ‘Picord’? It’s the same that he’s an idiot worse than my brother-in-law…
At that time, an old man stepped forward from among the retainers of the Savellard prince. He spoke in a rough, small, hoarse voice.
“Don’t worry. majesty.”
“…Hofken Seongbaek?”
The identity of the old man was none other than a swordsman who had been nearly decapitated by the Holy White Red Knight Hopeken.
There was not a single scar left on his neck, but the aftereffects were deep, so Seongbaek breathed heavily and continued.
“Eisbowald is not as solid as the border fortifications. But it is a city of swordsmen.”
The Duke nodded as if his eyes were wide open.
“Yeah, that’s right, it’s a place full of eccentrics who refuse titles.”
“That’s right.”
Contrary to his rough breathing, Seongbaek’s eyes were calm.
“Even if it’s an enemy knight. You can’t beat three masters.”
At that assertion, Duke Abillambus finally let out a sigh of relief.
