Chapter 183: Several Corpses Were Hanging

That night after the banquet ended, I called Viktor and Fiel to a quiet spot. I told them we had to bring Lily, who was to become the crown princess, with us. I also revealed everything I’d uncovered to Viktor.

"Viktor, it wasn’t the Grand Duke who caused Baron Constance’s death."

Viktor’s gaze as he looked at me grew intense.

Anger filled his face. Barely holding himself back, he asked me:

"Commander, can you explain this in a way I can accept?"

"The Baron and the Queen were lovers. That’s where the entire chain of cause and effect began."

I had to explain everything properly to Viktor, who harbored deep hatred toward the royal family, so that he would actively cooperate. Truthfully, he’d been like a ticking time bomb to me.

Viktor had followed me quietly only because I was his friend’s son and someone he owed a debt to. This royal envoy mission had been an unbearable assignment for him. If I explained everything and he still couldn’t accept it...

"..."

"..."

Fiel, suddenly burdened with such an enormous secret as well, was at a loss for words. Staggering from the shock, he collected himself and asked me. His eyes were full of compassion.

"Commander, you’ve been carrying this incredible secret all by yourself until now?"

"Well, yes. It’s not exactly something you can go around telling people."

"You must have been under tremendous emotional strain all this time."

I didn’t show it, but it really had been painful. Of all the countless worries I couldn’t even share with Hilda, Fiel was the only one who understood. I was truly grateful for that.

Then Fiel spoke with a hint of reproach.

"But I’m a little hurt that you kept it from us, your subordinates and comrades. We even swore an oath, you know."

"That oath is still in effect, so there’s no need to feel hurt. That’s exactly why I’m telling you now, isn’t it?"

Someone with a righteous disposition like Fiel’s was completely ill-suited for scheming and conspiracy. He would sooner throw away his life than compromise his convictions and conscience. That was why Baron Constance had accepted his death.

This whole affair seemed to have left Fiel deeply disillusioned with the royal family.

But in the world of nobles, such dirty business was commonplace.

I just hoped he’d come through it unscathed.

The world wasn’t made up of only dirty things, after all.

"If I’d stayed inside Steinhof, I never would have known about any of this. I’d have just kept polishing my swordsmanship. In the end, it was the Queen’s corruption that brought down the very Baron Constance whom Vice Commander Falkenheim so admired."

Viktor sank into deep thought.

He’d been silent for a while now.

Then he stood up and knelt before me.

"What are you doing all of a sudden?"

"Please accept me formally. I wish to pledge myself to you as my liege lord."

I looked at Fiel, and Fiel looked at me.

Fiel said it was a vassalage ceremony and urged me to go ahead. Elated yet dazed, I lowered my longsword onto both of Viktor’s shoulders and recited the oath of vassalage. Viktor responded in kind.

"As a vassal knight of the Streit family, I swear in God’s name to devote myself to my lord, uphold justice, and protect the weak."

On that day, Viktor von Falkenheim formally became a knight of House Streit. It was a demonstration of his trust and faith in me.

"I entrust all my grievances and bonds to you, my lord."

"You want revenge on the Queen?"

"That is my wish, but I don’t want to put you in a difficult position."

I’d been worried he might outright demand that I let him execute the Queen, so I was relieved he showed restraint. Realistically, it was nearly impossible for a knight to strike down a queen.

But could it perhaps be done indirectly?

What if we happened to share the same goal from different angles?

The next day, we were seen off by the Marquis and his heir.

The Marquis specially assigned his knight commander, Benjamin, to escort us. Benjamin set out with about a hundred knights. This middle-aged knight with a neatly groomed mustache was sorry to see us go.

"If I ever have the chance to visit Feuzen, I’d love to finish the conversations we never got to have."

"I’ll be waiting. You’re always welcome."

Benjamin’s escort ended before we crossed the border.

Nobody would be insane enough to attack us while we were under the escort of the Offenburg knightly order, but the threat had genuinely grown since the Imperial Knights commander had sided with Louis, so we needed to stay cautious.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the forty-five Gale Knights under my command, but the Imperial Knights numbered over two hundred. If we clashed with them, we’d have to run for our lives.

Lily poked her head out of the carriage window. She seemed thrilled, as if seeing open fields for the first time. The knights kept stealing glances at the beautiful, snow-white girl. She was undeniably pretty.

The handmaids begged and clung to her, pleading with her to sit still, and she finally pulled her head back in. When we entered Breisburg territory, passed through the border village, and reached the midpoint, something went wrong.

"Commander! Look at that!"

There was a large zelkova tree that I always saw whenever I passed through this area. It was called the guardian tree of the road, but now several corpses were hanging from it. Wait—who the hell had done this?

One of the corpses looked familiar.

The decay wasn’t severe, and the blood had only just begun to dry, so it seemed they hadn’t been dead for long. When my men cut the bodies down, I was able to confirm it.

"...It’s the vice commander of the Imperial Knights."

"What on earth happened here?"

Just then, something appeared on my Commander Scouter.

A sizable force was charging straight toward us at full speed.

It seemed to be a force that had been positioned just outside the Commander Scouter’s detection range.

"Fräulein, please step out of the carriage at once."

"Huh? What’s going on?"

"Raiders are approaching. We need to leave this area immediately."

"...Raiders?"

The handmaids went pale, but Lily’s eyes lit up with excitement.

No—don’t you dare use this as material for your novel.

"W-wait just a moment! Let me at least grab my pens and books!"

"Hurry."

There was still some time.

But Lily and the handmaids were struggling to pull something out, and there was far too much to carry. When had she loaded all those books into the carriage? I had no choice but to hand the handmaids off to my knights by force.

"Take only your pens. We’re leaving the rest behind."

"No! These are the treasures I’ve been collecting all this time!"

"I’ll give you something worth even more than those."

"...You promise?"

Things were extremely urgent, so I’d just buy her whatever she wanted and call it even.

I sat Lily in front of me and mounted Mont Blanc.

Mont Blanc grumbled about suddenly having to carry two riders, but there was no choice. I’d make sure to bring sugar cubes next time, so let’s have a good hard run for the first time in a while.

The Gale Knights tore through the wind at full speed.

And from the forest, a swarm of cavalry burst out and came charging across the open field.