Chapter 263: Act 30 – Expansion (Part 11) (First Update)
The morning weather was slightly clearer, but there still lingered a chill in the air from the previous night. As people and horses breathed, a layer of white frost formed around their mouths and noses. At this time of year, the signs of winter could already be felt in Duke Toniger’s territory.
A company of over thirty individuals crossed the valley nestled between two mountains, surrounded by a forest that was, in fact, a cold black color, like something extracted from an ink wash painting. In the distance, the mountains were lush green behind a veil of mist.
The group of more than thirty individuals, all clad in armor and bearing weapons, were mostly soldiers who had taken a leave of absence—though not professional soldiers of Erluin, but rather mercenaries. In Duke Toniger’s region, professional soldiers could only be seen near Parsons, where Grudin’s finest knights gathered at the fortress extending north from Graham’s Mountain.
After passing through the valley, the small team entered a small clearing surrounded by the forest, where another group had stopped, holding several young men who sat dejectedly on the ground.
Upon hearing the sounds, the young men lifted their heads and saw the serious face of the middle-aged noble leading the way; most of them displayed looks of fear and trepidation, except for the young man at the center of their group, who remained stoic, though somewhat vexed.
The middle-aged noble was none other than Sir Minate, who rode his beloved horse named Black Fox. The stallion was large, with a silky black mane—the purest breed from the north. This horse had accompanied him through thick and thin in his youth. Though it had aged alongside him and was not as vigorous as it once was, Sir Minate still held deep feelings for it.
He looked down at the young men without speaking.
This was Sir Minate, and these men were his subordinates. Days earlier, he had received news of the unrest in the Firburh Barony, but this cunning nobleman did not act immediately. In Erluin, it was deemed akin to rebellion for vassals to invade their lord’s territory without command. After thoroughly confirming the reliability of the news, he ordered his knights to set out.
The Minate region bordered the Firburh Barony, and his troops nearly traveled there in a single day and night. He assembled his forces overnight and left the hilly areas of Minate by the next morning, entering the flat river valley along the Gels River. The Gels Crossing was within reach; earlier scouts reported that the crossing had not been occupied by rioters, and many townsfolk were unaware of what had transpired in Firburh. The cavalry had already moved ten miles along the riverbank and found no sign of any rioter activities.
Sir Minate was not too surprised. According to the information he received, only a few mercenaries had participated in the insurrection at Firburh—these were lawless individuals prone to doing anything. In his eyes, they were akin to bandits; after a bout of plundering, they would likely scatter.
As for further controlling the crossing, unless the rioters attempted to take the Firburh Barony for themselves, Sir Minate considered himself overly cautious. They were merely a group of mercenaries, motivated by money; it was improbable that they would simply wait to be eradicated there.
He had originally worried about the involvement of Madara, considering the Undead Army still loomed over the Southlands. However, the situation now seemed quite clear.
It was just a riot.
This thought relieved Sir Minate.
However, his good mood did not last long, as unsettling news soon reached him through a trusted confidant’s report—this was the very reason he currently found himself accompanied by over thirty men in these woods.
The young man in the middle, wearing a light brown coat and sitting cross-legged on the ground with a long sword at his waist, met Sir Minate’s gaze—he bore certain resemblances to the knight; this was his youngest son.
This youngest son was Sir Minate’s favorite among his three offspring, clever and showing great promise from a young age. Sir Minate had invested considerable effort into him, yet the boy had not shown gratitude, loafing around in his youth and refusing to engage in honest work. Later, he had sent him to study under the neighboring Duke Mahruru, hoping to temper his disposition, but to his dismay, instead of reforming, the boy returned with a head full of fanciful whims shaped by the world outside.
The confidant had recounted the entire affair to him. When caught, the young master intended to sneak away with his servants and attendants, though the exact reason remained unclear. However, seeing the group of young men on the ground, Sir Minate felt a surge of anger.
“Speak,” he asked from his high perch on the horse, “what’s going on?”
The young man sitting on the ground, seemingly indifferent to his father’s authority, raised his chin: “It’s so boring, Father.”
“Hmph,” Sir Minate said sternly, “didn’t you want to experience war? I’ll let you see it firsthand. But what’s this situation? You better explain it to me—”
“War? It’s just a bunch of rioters; how is this a real war?” The young man said with a slight smile, dismissively. But he then looked up earnestly: “Father, did you know? It’s rumored that Princess Grifian has returned to her territory and is gathering her knights—”
Sir Minate was taken aback. Though he was a nobleman, he was paltry; he had vaguely heard the rumors from the north, but those concerned high-ranking figures, of no relevance to someone like him, who was scarcely even a game piece on the board.
“And what does that have to do with you?” he asked.
“Of course it matters!” the young man said excitedly. “This next battle will determine the fate of the nation. I’ve decided to immerse myself in this grand history and follow the princess—”
Sir Minate had not expected such thoughts from his youngest son. After a brief pause, he said, “You’re dreaming. You’ve never even stepped outside. Do you know where the princess is? Do you have any idea about the current situation outside?”
“I have my ways,” the young man replied confidently.
Sir Minate was helpless, aware that his son had always been exceptionally smart; perhaps he would indeed find a way. But he shook his head and discarded that notion, replying, “Whether you have a way or not is beside the point. You’d best think of a way to convince me—”
“Father,” the young man quickly stood up in response and argued, “you can’t keep me here. Why not let me go out and make a name for myself? Staying here in Duke Toniger to guard this meager estate for a lifetime is what your generation did. For me, a true knight should earn his glory in war—”
“War? Have you ever seen a war?” Sir Minate could not help but mock him. In his youth, he had also followed Grudin’s knights, and though he had not fought in years, he maintained vigilant habits well into the future. The romanticized notion of war that these young people often spoke of was something he scoffed at.
But he suddenly fell silent, remembering that when studying with Duke Mahruru, his son had indeed studied under Duke Parsons to learn the art of war. Though Duke Parsons might not have fame across Erluin, in Duke Toniger he was considered a seasoned veteran.
On the northern edge of Graham’s Mountain, Duke Parsons commanded Grudin’s finest knights. They not only had to guard against attacks from other nobles but also fought year-round against the indigenous mountain tribes in the Rendener region. Compared to professional bandits, those in Duke Toniger were relatively docile, and so regarding this area, whenever one mentioned Duke Parsons, a serious image of a soldier would come to mind among everyone.
Sir Minate was reminded that his son had participated in wars against the indigenous tribes. In terms of battle experience, the boy might not be far behind him.
Thus, he sighed and said, “Alright, I’ll give you a chance to convince me.”
“What chance?” The young man perked up, intrigued.
“Be my assistant, let me see your performance. If you can handle this task and stand on your own, I will naturally let you leave.” Sir Minate thought this way only as a delaying tactic; he figured there was no time to dispute with the boy now. After the battle was finished, he would have time to deal with him properly.
Since the boy loved battle, he decided to toss him into the hands of that fellow—Sir Parsons was who he had in mind. Although there were rumors that the two most capable knights under Grudin were not on good terms, he maintained a decent friendship with the man.
However, the young man sensed his father’s thoughts; his light blue eyes flicked, and he smiled slightly: “Father, they are just a bunch of rioters. Isn’t this a bit overkill?”
“Hmph, haven’t you been training in the art of war under Josmart for so long—” Sir Minate suddenly realized this was a good idea, a way to have the boy expend his excess energy. He remembered an unreliable piece of news he had received recently and decided to stoke the flames, “I’ve heard there’s a young leader among the rioters about your age, who has already become a commander. Meanwhile, you boast endlessly but have yet to achieve anything impressive; now that I give you this chance, don’t you want to try?”
Sir Minate’s information did confirm that there was indeed a young man leading the uprising, though he had fabricated the details about his age and capabilities. He didn’t care who led the rioters; they were all just a rabble, and this portrayal was merely to make his delaying tactic more effective.
“Provocation might not work on a knight, Father,” the young man said verbally, but the clear interest that crossed his face betrayed him. “But fine,” he finally nodded, “I’ll agree. I’ll go see who this person is.”
Sir Minate’s expression remained impassive, but inwardly he chuckled, thinking to himself that age brought wisdom; in the end, the boy would still be outsmarted by him. His silent satisfaction transformed into a muttered remark: Young people these days are just too impulsive.
……
(PS. Alas, all the data, including collections, keeps dropping daily. I’m feeling a bit discouraged.
To be continued. For more information on how the story unfolds, please log in for more chapters and support the author by reading the official version!)
