The foreigner suddenly took down the clan’s knight.
Although the knights provoked first, it was a match without honor or dignity. All I did was throw a hand axe out of the blue.
In an ordinary noble family, I would have no words even if they cursed and despised me.
It was akin to a victory gained through foul play.
But the Yuridina Clan was different.
The obsession with victory and the determination to survive—these two things were the values that the Yuridina Clan had pursued while building their history on a desolate land.
There was a difference from other noble families that valued honor and tradition.
That was why the rumor that I was a “madman” had an unexpected effect.
“Prince Madman, what is the matter?”
It was Sir Alex, the old knight commanding a thousand soldiers.
The expression of the knight uttering the words of a commoner was grave. For a moment, I even thought I had misheard him.
At first glance, Sir Alex seemed like a thorough character.
Even without preparing for battle, he was fully equipped with heavy armor.
The weight of the knights’ armor and the pressure it exerted were no joke. It provided robust insurance during combat, but in daily life, it was merely a burden.
Nevertheless, Sir Alex never neglected his armament.
Just looking at that point gave a glimpse into his personality.
He was strict and uncompromising. Leading the Yuridina Clan’s army meant his achievements must be remarkable as well.
When such a person suddenly used the term “madman,” I couldn’t help but be confused.
A dazed sound escaped my lips.
“…What?”
“I hear you’re famous among the soldiers lately. ‘Prince Madman’… I was also called ‘Mad Dog’ in my younger days.”
As he said that, Sir Alex wore a faint smile, as if lost in memory.
“Mad Dog,” the truth was I was already being called that at the Academy.
I considered telling Sir Alex this fact, but I quickly shook my head and smiled awkwardly.
It was unnecessary information.
All it would do was add another dishonorable nickname to “madman” and “mad dog.”
However, there was one perplexing point.
I heard that Sir Alex actually seemed to hold the title “madman” in high regard.
I couldn’t understand that line of thought at all.
How many slanders had I endured being called “madman” or “mad dog”?
Now, the younger students at the Academy would sneak away from me whenever our eyes met.
So, I had no choice but to retort to the elderly, who envied my youth.
“Is that, by any chance, a compliment…?”
“Ah, I see, Your Highness is not from the northern region.”
Sir Alex finally seemed to realize, nodding silently.
Did I really look like someone from the northern region?
In the Empire, “northerners” were famous for their fiery temper and lack of subtlety. It was the exact opposite of the peace-loving easterners like me.
I wanted to protest that, but I forced myself to calm down.
Geographical ties were just as important as blood ties and academic ties.
There was no need to recall the differences with northerners. Moreover, northerners tended to stick together with fellow townspeople, so if they thought of me as one of them, they should be pleased.
Still, it couldn’t help but feel unsettling.
Seeing my discontented face, Sir Alex added a kind explanation.
“It’s a culture unique to the north that values struggle and competition above all else. Nicknames that seem to invite trouble usually draw envy. ‘Madman,’ ‘Mad Dog,’ ‘Hand Axe Murderer’…”
“… I haven’t killed anyone yet.”
Sir Alex merely shrugged at my meek retort.
His demeanor seemed to suggest, “Who cares?”
“This isn’t just about you, Your Highness. Nevertheless, it’s true that you’ve won the favor of the Yuridina Clan’s soldiers.”
This couldn’t be.
I couldn’t tell if I should be amazed or sigh.
It seemed the mindset of the northerners was more outlandish than I had imagined.
Gaining popularity for doing strange things.
Not long ago, I was worried whether Ceria would be recognized by the clan, but it turned out to be unfounded.
On the day when the light faded from her eyes, Ceria would be recognized by everyone in the Yuridina Clan.
Seeing my bewildered expression, Sir Alex chuckled softly.
“You seem surprised; it’s understandable. Most nobles aren’t like that.”
“The Yuridina Clan is… well, an interesting place.”
That was my best attempt not to leave a negative impression of the clan in front of the vassal.
Looking back, even Senior Delphine was like that.
She had unexpectedly overvalued my spinning of the hand axe in the room. I hadn’t known it was the clan’s ethos.
Though it wasn’t intentional, it was good fortune for me.
Just the fact that Sir Alex was showing a much friendlier attitude compared to our first meeting indicated that the Yuridina Clan’s soldiers would be the same.
At this point, I thought the investigation would be smoother.
Seizing the opportunity, I decided to ask Sir Alex for his opinion on the rumor.
“By the way, Sir Alex, have you heard? There’s talk of a soldier seeing someone who looks just like a villager around here…”
“Ah, you mean Milton.”
I momentarily paused at the name that rolled out so readily.
I had not expected someone of his rank to remember the name of a mere soldier.
In response to my reaction, Sir Alex gave another faint smile.
“This is also a northern custom. A comrade who fights back-to-back is as precious as family. Even if there are hundreds, I remember at least their names.”
“And if there are tens of thousands?”
“That’s obviously impossible. But after spending a few years together, I can memorize up to a thousand.”
Northerners seemed to have a stubbornness in odd places.
It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Thanks to that, the conversation progressed rapidly.
Sir Alex directly shared the information I sought.
“It was a few days ago. That night, Milton drank and went to relieve himself near the forest by the garrison. He claimed he saw someone who looked just like a villager there.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t the villager himself?”
“At least according to Milton. He thought it was strange to see someone alone in the forest at night and tried to ask, but the person vanished into the woods without answering. So, Milton specifically went to the village the next day, but the person insisted they had no memory of it.”
Hmm, I pondered while resting my chin on my hand.
The credibility of the testimony itself was not high.
There were two points that stood out enough to raise questions.
Firstly, it was an experience he had while thoroughly intoxicated, and secondly, we couldn’t rule out the possibility that the villager himself may have lost their memory.
Nonetheless, given such detailed testimony, it would be hard to completely dismiss it.
Ultimately, there was only one answer.
“… I should go to the forest.”
“Are you okay going alone? Since Milton has been going on about ghosts in the forest, the soldiers are kind of reluctant to go there.”
“With a reliable comrade, why would I go alone?”
Sir Alex, having guessed who that ‘reliable comrade’ was, let out a soft chuckle.
At that moment, a voice calling me came from behind.
“Ian, the meal is ready, so please…”
Sir Alex and I turned our eyes to the woman who called me at the same time.
The beautiful maiden with gray hair looked bewildered at the gaze of the two men upon her without saying anything.
I gave a wry smile and said.
“…Ceria.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Shall we take a night walk together a bit later?”
Ceria’s face, which had been wearing a dumbfounded expression, visibly brightened.
She nodded earnestly with a smile spreading across her face.
“Yes!”
And that night.
“I-I didn’t say I was going to look for ghosts!”
Ceria trembled, clinging to my arm.
The only light in the midnight forest was the moonlight.
Ceria and I relied on the chilling beams passing through the leaves to find our way. Before long, the path led deep into the forest.
Ceria, whining, was honestly not much help, but the soft sensation against my arm felt nice, so I didn’t mind.
I spoke to Ceria in a firm tone.
“Ceria, we’re in the middle of a search right now. Making noise could be problematic.”
“D-Don’t do that…”
I wanted to assert my seniority, but Ceria’s trembling was too cute.
I let out a sigh and decided to calm her.
“The soldier might have been drunk and saw something unreal. We’re just here to check things out for now, so there’s no need to worry too much…”
At that moment, a rustling sound tickled my ears.
Experts in swordsmanship boast superhuman senses.
Neither Ceria nor I could possibly miss such overt sounds.
Silence soon settled between us.
Ceria’s complexion had long turned pale. I gently patted her shoulder a couple of times and whispered in her ear.
“I’ll chase after it, so you keep an eye on the situation from the rear and follow slowly… It might be a trap. If issues arise, go immediately to call for help.”
Ceria nodded with a sorrowful expression.
Since Ceria was trembling so much that combat was impossible for her right now, this was the best course of action. I took a moment to inhale and slowly sharpened my senses.
It wasn’t a beast.
I could distinctly sense a human form beyond there. The figure also paused for a moment as if sensing our presence.
And then, just after that.
With a sound that stomped the ground, the person started to run. I immediately launched myself after them.
Minutes later, I could finally reunite with an old acquaintance.
“…Miltram.”
“Long time no see, Ian Fercurus.”
He was speaking through the mouth of my territory’s citizens.
