Chapter 499
My Villains Episode 499
interlude. prince's legacy(3)
The total number of knights under Prince Ulkar is twenty-four. Excluding those who lost their lives during the war, there are sixteen left..
This is not a very large number, considering that the Silver Prince Army is considered the largest warlord in the kingdom. Of course, the skills of each knight were so outstanding that it was rare for anyone to belittle their military power just by looking at their numbers..
However, there were clear differences in skills, reputation, and position among them..
Using the seventh knight, Phoenics, as the standard, the previous six met Ulcar in the royal capital and in the central and northern parts of the kingdom. This is a case where he recognized a prince whose talent was just blossoming and pledged allegiance to him. Langbolt, the 'screaming wave', Ankyr the 'giant', Lyam the 'arrogant', Ari Aard the 'viper', Hylter the 'painter', and Gisella the 'birdhawk'. All of them are of high obscurity..
The knights, seventeen later than Phoenics - now reduced to nine, joined Ulkar at a time when he was staying in the southwestern part of the kingdom and raising his army. Although they were excellent knights in their own right, such as 'Diedog' Oh Jo-ri, 'Drunken Sword' Hendry, and 'Shiny' Bolsom, they were clearly inferior compared to the previous eight..
Under these circumstances, after the lords, including Count Aeneas, left the tent, the Silver Prince's six knights and the young Imperial Empress sat around the table..
Lujan, who took the place of Gisella, who remained in Direnz, did not flinch despite the secretly gathering gaze..
Now that he has become the lord of the land occupied by the Silver Prince Army, Lu Yan is also in the same boat. Lu Yan and the knights were aware of this, so they said nothing..
After the remaining knights, battle wizards, military priests, and officers adjusted their positions, Phoenix spoke..
“You haven't said anything since a while ago..”
His black eyes scanned Langbolt, Ankir, Lyam, Ariad, and Hülter in turn. I wonder if his emotions had settled down as the lords left, or his gaze had softened considerably towards those who could be called true comrades..
“……what can i say.”
Putting his hand on his forehead and shadowing his face, Langbold opened his mouth..
“I don't know what the Lord wants from us, but we- no, at least I'm done..”
“Sir Langbolt.”
“I will leave. That's what I decided..”
“Where do you mean??”
“With overlock. I will join the return of the Iron Fleet..”
Overlock is the capital of the Southern Shore region in the eastern part of the kingdom..
Additionally, it was also where the Earl Shore family, owners of the Southern Shore, laid down roots..
“I decided to continue the family line..”
“……What does that mean? Sir Langbolt is the second son.,”
“My brother is dead..”
“ Yes?”
“I heard the news last fall when I went to ask my father for the Steel Fleet. The ship was wrecked by a storm during the voyage, and the ship returned as a blown-up corpse..”
Phoenix opened his mouth when he heard this story for the first time..
“Oh, well, I'm sorry. I had no idea.”
“I told you. I only found out when I went to Obirok..”
“ah••••••
“The reason I waved away my tearful mother and vassals without hesitation was because I had something more valuable to do here than the Overlock..”
The red knight was silent, and the blue knight spoke softly..
“Not anymore.”
Prince Silver first went to battle at the young age of seventeen. He rode his horse to save his half-brother, who was in trouble, and fired six arrows, knocking down seven riders..
He held out his quiver of arrows to the amazed knights and said:.
‘It contains all the blessings and good fortune given to me. Take one and follow..’
The knights who were assigned arrows charged after the Silver Prince and defeated the enemy..
The Blue Knight was one of them. However, he did not return with a souvenir of victory like his other comrades. He returned the arrows to Prince Silver and even offered his sword..
Langbolt looked like he was going to say something more, but then closed his mouth. It was as if I was getting rid of anger that I didn't know where to go..
This time, An Kir, who was sitting next to him, spoke up..
“I will leave too.”
“You mean white stone??”
“eww ”
M3 Ankir's father is the lord of a fortress located somewhere southeast of High Castle. Like Langbolt, he also has a duty as a successor..
“……Then sir,”
“If you're trying to say that you'll give us loot or give us land, stop. I didn't invite you to get a piece of land or gold..”
Prince Silver celebrated his 19th and 20th birthdays in the northern city of Linnech. Traversing through the snow and killing orcs was my main routine for a year and a half..
He led his army and killed over ten thousand orcs. The giant knight helped the silver prince swing his sword and killed hundreds of orcs..
After the orc disappeared, the two left the northern border. The governor, who was pulling three carts, encountered Prince Silver, who did not have a penny in his hand..
‘booty? I left it with my new friends..’
It was only when the giant knight reached the royal capital that he realized that the new friends he spoke of were children who had lost their parents. He got drunk and offered his sword to Prince Silver..
“okay. There's no need for that..”
Ankir kept his mouth shut. Phoenix, who was about to say something to him, quickly turned his head away..
Except for the two who clearly expressed their intention, the other three remained silent. The Red Knight's eyes turned to the two of them first..
“You won't throw away the title and land you were given.?”
Hülter, who became the Baron of Zirna, just crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. Ariad, who became the Baron of Untrier, opened his mouth with his blindfolded eyes turned into the air..
“I am nothing but a blind waste, so I want to give up my territory and title and go back to my hometown..”
“However, isn't it possible to carelessly give to others what the Lord has given you??”
When Ulkar granted titles and territories to the knights, he was exercising Rujan's rights on his behalf. So officially, Ruyan, the heir of the empire, was in charge of two princes and two barons..
Thanks to this, when Ariad retires, Castle Untrier and its attached manors and villages will all be returned to the ambitious Rujan..
However, if I handed it over to someone else, it was obvious that it would become the seed of discord forever..
In addition, giving up the right to receive the title less than a month later could have been seen as an insult to Ulkar, who granted the title, and Ruilix II, who notarized it..
“So, I plan to spend the rest of my life protecting the territory and people.” Hearing Ariad's words, Hülter, who was sitting across from him, was deep in thought. Instead of him worrying, Liam suddenly opened his mouth..
“I have no special obligations and no place to call home. I was just focused on helping my lord, so I didn't have any other plans..”
Liam, a middle-aged man with a stubborn look, spoke in a calm tone..
“But one thing is certain: we have a responsibility to care for the soldiers who followed him..”
“As Sir Lyam said..”
An officer stood up in response. Ulkar's most trusted officer was Harold, the 'Prince's Commander'..
“Knights may be able to find their own way to live, but soldiers are in different situations..”
The commander, whose hair was slowly turning gray, had a stern expression on his face, as if he was trying to hide his tiredness..
“In recent months, not only the newly conscripted soldiers, but also experienced soldiers and pro-soldiers are in confusion. So far, I've been waiting for the drivers to come to a conclusion, but it will soon fall apart..”
“……Falling apart means?”
“It's dissolution. The army that the prince trained with blood and sweat is disappearing... … . Of course, even if you decide to split up, the result will be the same..”
‘At the words ‘disbandment of the Silver Prince Army’, the atmosphere in the military camp became cold. As the cloth was raised on all sides, anxious whispers spread among the soldiers who were watching the meeting..
“The mercenaries?”
“What are we?.”
'Shield Maiden' Grania, who received the red knight's gaze, shook her head as if there was no problem..
“I must be anxious because the prince isn't here, but... … . What complaints can there be about receiving a steady stream of money?.”
“Military funding ends next week..”
Next was Gilbert, who played a similar role as Ulkar's lieutenant..
“I'm about to have to deal with the wealth the prince left behind.-”
“Bullshit, anyone can do whatever they want.?”
Ankir growled with a grim look on his face, but the man who had devoted more than half of his life to the battlefield only responded with a grumpy expression..
“That's exactly what I'm saying. Who should I ask and who should I get permission from??”
“what?”
“The prince is not there, so who is in charge?.”
As silence fell among the knights, Gilbert reached under his hood, scratched his head, and muttered..
“Every officer and non-commissioned officer has a representative, but the captain didn't have one..”
As if responding to the grunting sound, Lang Bolt, who was lolling on the backrest, offered his opinion..
“Is there anything else? The soldiers will disperse after distributing the remaining military funds and loot, and the prince's property will be sent to the royal capital..”
“Sir Langbolt.”
“What are you doing, Harold?.”
As the old officer groaned, the Blue Knight narrowed his eyebrows and pressed his temples..
“Do you want someone to replace the prince??”
“Shouldn’t we continue to maintain him?.”
“Who dares? Am I not even remotely aware of responsibility? Or, the indecisive Ankir.?”
“Indecisive? Have I said everything now??”
“no! We haven't even started yet!”
Langbolt stood up and looked at each of his colleagues with a sharp gaze, as if telling them not to dream..
“Blind rebel tree? An illegitimate child living in my own pride? kinslayer?”
He exuded the ferocity of the first knight of the Silver Prince. However, Ancir, Lyam, and Hülter were far from the culprits..
“Okay, is it over now??”
“Both of you take care of yourself! What kind of indecency is this?!”
“Ha, there are still people who believe that rumor..”
As if the three knights were not paying any attention, Langbold quickly turned his head..
“How on earth can these people replace you?!”
The last thing his eyes touched was Poynix..
“No way, Kyeong-eun, you can do it.
It doesn't mean that!”
“……Uh, I don't know..”
At that lukewarm response, Langbolt’s face was distorted viciously..
“A murderer who enjoys blood, a lecher, and a very shady man hiding more than a dozen secrets.!”
Langbolt finished his shouting with a mumble mixed with laughter..
“Replacing him? don't joke.”
Phoenix opened his mouth with a shocked expression..
“……Sir Langbolt, I didn't know you, but you have a very good eye. It seems like my solar plexus has become concave..”
“pit of the stomach?”
“yes. pit of the stomach.”
He gently touched the solar plexus as if to prove his point..
“And, looking at what everyone else is doing, I think it would be better for me to take charge of Prince Silver..”
“……It's amazing. I really can't replace you.,”
“Oh, I never said I could replace you, so stop whining..”
“what?”
Phoenix looked up at Langbolt, who narrowed his eyes, with a calm face..
“Stop whining, sit down and listen..”
The gazes of the two knights intertwined in midair. After a while, Langbolt's eyes slowly sank as if they were taking on the other person's..
“Phew.”
He sighed deeply and sat back down..
Comments