Chapter 22
wjTV0The winter came to an end and spring was approaching.euw
BZW0With the warm breeze blowing, the snow that had frozen within the winter melts, and things that had been sleeping until now wake up.GA7Dk2M
K9xmSXV“Damn.”4W8uye
0iFqcHIn other words, it was the season when the roads became muddy and the carriage wheels easily got stuck.aB3oF
IqUFl“What are you doing?”HAlmYgZ
h0E“······.”Mj7ka
juxsLooking at Zayar who was grumbling above, Vlad trudged to the rear wheel of the carriage.1cxw
CCFiAAfter Zayar confirmed that Vlad’s body recovered, he had started sparring with Vlad and assigning various errands whenever he had time. And it was rough.BMfPfi6
GLrIt was as if he had been waiting for the moment.jUZqtc
iFArph“A carriage for nobles is quite heavy.”Ufeqe
5Dd“But it didn’t get stuck much this time. Captain.”1k4DgZW
M4IyP3“How long will you keep calling me Captain?”cxhcD5M
PmVy6pi“That’s because you don’t let me call you by your name.”Lvxkcj3
aY8krjHe and a few servants were pulling out the carriage wheels covered in mud, but Gott just made a happy expression.BY2
XI8r2“Do you like this?”Hldhjz
PaGTsp“Of course it’s good.”YBDicLg
tTsqSmGott was a person who deserved to laugh.4kI
Rl9In the end, Gott’s judgment was correct.TyE
nJXQ9Vlad was a guy who would make things happen, and it was natural for things to fall into place when he was around.Io9RGvn
Di70U‘Then come with me.’I1UMz3
lmmFOn the last night in Varna, Vlad gave Gott a meeting he had been looking forward to.6bT
lWhM8ln‘Because, I don’t have any money to reward you at the moment. I’m broke.’c7HY
FR0xH‘It’s an honor. Lord Josef!’Uza
ftiVExcJosef heard that Gott brought Vlad, who could not ride a horse, to the base camp in a timely manner, and also brought Zayar to resolve the situation. So, Josef would also provide a fair reward.lCaJsb
oTrBLLFor that reason, Gott is currently joining the procession heading to Sturma.DJ21C
ByUAm“I am going to the Count Bayezid family, a family that is difficult to even dare to look up to, and is said to be a powerful family in the North, so of course it is good.”1omB
x4XGott wasn’t only looking for the reward that Josef would offer.9ocSE6F
KefHe was a swindler, and as such, he was a cunning individual.HmCUK
FVK“If I can demonstrate my usefulness there, wouldn’t Lord Josef consider using me? I can’t continue living an uncertain life as a mercenary forever.”Dex2
4dYN“Why don’t you just shut up and push the carriage?”2Hm7L4
0hK“A servant of the Count Bayezid family ! Even this much would be considered a successful career for a commoner.”cU4
CQN“Just shut up and push the damn carriage. Please, before I give you a beating.”1TX
dRb3Being well aware of the importance of seizing opportunities, Gott could still manage to smile even while struggling to push the carriage.pmZdPJ
4wgzhnzThis is because the world was such that it was difficult to get a chance to move up.HBZ1gJk
DgONo matter how skilled and prepared one was, there were a bunch of people who collapsed because they lacked a single thread called luck.YNt
D4ge9nIn that sense, Vlad and Gott could be said to be lucky people.ukhgz
9ncDOf course, it was also the result of decisively seizing the opportunity.ymg9KbI
CjrVKsrOn that night, Vlad had prepared for death and summoned the white world.HZWiq2r
pH467wyGott, on the other hand, took the risk and went back the way he came to bring Zayar.RYt
bUCRIt was all for the present.35AY7r
VL45u6x“Hey, you lazy bunch! Do you plan to lie around here all day!”H8JUe
BhPSSo, now they find themselves pushing the carriage in the mud, enduring Zayar’s curses from behind.oV5T
6DueIeW“Hahaha!”euJV8
q4cFb‘I am going crazy. Seriously.’wFd
qXNOfVlad closed his eyes tightly as he looked at Zayar, who was swearing and urging him from behind, and Gott, who was laughing unpleasantly next to him.TPy
DX5H1[Even in situations like this, you must maintain composure.]dWS
XPh6‘I know that too!’1fua
IK1XrroDespite the advice of the voice, Vlad couldn’t easily quell his boiling anger.ALQT8s
9bPQn“Fuck.”t3G
dZiDrfp“Are you talking to me right now?”KDqh0iw
Dsz“No.”SGPgXn
IhSvNY“Well, it better not be.”2oaP
heYAfter involuntarily muttering a curse in low voice, Vlad received a blow to the back of his head from Zayar. Then, without hesitation, he glared at Gott and delivered a swift blow to the back of his head.59qF2
nCc7“Ah!”GDGHJY3
jFq“Are you laughing now?”1qlPiu
nbRVlad was a hot-blooded 17-year-old who had lived a violent life in the back alleys.AdDiX
xqTN“Don’t laugh, just push. Because I don’t want to get beaten up any more.”hMpc
cGz8k5C“I am pushing…”fBBS1wr
4gXsmVVlad was still just a boy who was far from becoming a knight.16F6x
uFeeO22Not yet.p00vP
bcTAs※※※※PBp
LaCCThe County of Bayezid.yM9x6
3HjhzfThe territory of the Bayezid family, which includes three cities and twelve villages.3Qy3
TVOShoara, the city where Vlad was born.bj3
55anyqVarna, the city that led the recent monster subjugation.wasa6g
VZx“Is this Sturma?”vhykc
fcHb9i“That’s right. It’s where my hometown is.”lTwPO
j73P1And what he could see right now was the city of Sturma, the capital of Bayezid County.1XihXh
8lt“Oh.”MvRSbV
AtkRBuAVlad involuntarily exclaimed as he looked at the new cityscape.pha
YzyXNAThe first thing that caught his eye was the high and massive city walls.t4BKu21
cXjE4R8“It’s really big.”nkL
HMgAlthough Shoara also had city walls, they were not as large and tall as here.KroY
BfC“Hmm.”H3M
MRtz8zVlad, with his background from the back alleys, was naturally thinking about where he could make an astonishing escaping hole in the city wall.oDVWxn
WqWbuv“There is a reason why the city walls are so big.”hAs42N
F2xaAs Vlad stared at the walls lost in thought, Josef began to explain beside him.qb0U3XC
n242F1It all started from a small misunderstanding, but to Vlad, who lacked insight, every bit of the story was valuable.lcS
j6lNg“These walls were built out of necessity and also serve the purpose of demonstrating the strength of the Bayezid family.”VcL6UI
wkjSBscThe history of the Bayezid family was a series of struggles.hS59CF
10KfvnUMonsters and barbarians pouring out when the time comes.fOgL
wb8DAnd, wars with other territories constantly break out as is typical of the harsh northern climate.ipGYwth
N2GThese walls had endured all that.AxR
tZxITh“It’s a different sight from Varna.”AK7
dtj5“That place is a city with strong religious influence. Even though it was what my father intended.”pBm1x
64ehjhAlthough Vlad was also from a city, each city he had seen had a different atmosphere.PJzJs
68IOu2The young bird, which had finally come out into the world, could not help but be amazed at everything it saw.JzbUY
zgIwc“Close your mouth. Brat.”owdjXLv
qOlN9H“Please call me Vlad of Shoara.”uJrFMVf
PfC64ns“No way.”qWzmnx
Urk“······.”96Xb
RpgvZayar sneered as he looked at Vlad, who was looking at Sturma with his mouth wide open.to3cX
OcwuMiz“You’re still just a brat.”haHg
pmJQBug“Priest Andrea will be sad to hear this.”bwOGR
tquI4xO“You’re my squire, not the deacon of the priest. I can call you whatever I want.”UcmO
0drey“······.”WGFo
4vDYThe attention that Zayar showered on Vlad, his first squire, was unusual.5iAkBA
A27“If you do something rude in the Bayezid family, be prepared to take a beating.”I4DGD
S2cShb“I get beaten every day anyway. It’s nothing new.”H3AkQD
mxH1SRLooking at the bold squire who did not give up on him even a word, Zayar smiled and caressed his eye patch.n5s6lBj
5BAo‘One thing is for sure, this boy has a spirit that can be useful.’EX7B3En
X0lmkxJosef, his lord, always suffered from a shortage of capable knights, and the young boy before him was undoubtedly one of the pieces that could fill that gap.MtNAJ
g3IUyWN‘Moreover, he can use aura.’TpDXz
LvCX6Even though Vlad did not disclose the details of the secret behind the one man ever-winning secret, according to Josef, Vlad had undoubtedly used aura in a critical moment.9AE
nw0RpQNAs a result, he was bedridden, but the important thing was that he made it through.wV6O
uiW‘I should test him rigorously when we get there.’MnD9w
c3XI6Can he use aura?olh
UKk8nY6Or can he completely grasp and utilize aura perfectly in practical situations?1kPr5um
RbPHRThis was a significant part of a knight’s talent.nENH
dn9And the young boy before his eyes had splendidly demonstrated his talent and potential.VF9cI
KZ14“Go ahead.”9eWbIN
bQzfiNRWith Josef’s words, the group began to walk toward the gates of Sturma.hYEwR
w2Cc2LG“The young master has arrived!”xGwbl6
6LW7GiI“Open the gates!”JfSmfM
qIJThe towering and sturdy city walls didn’t apply to Josef.7SLpF
yFRXpThere was a long queue waiting at the entrance to enter the castle, but just the name Josef created a path, like waves splitting apart.evrZiJb
Ipx“Wow.”65MVPpX
egwF23iGott couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight.dfQl
fPHZ7hRFor him, who had lived a life of waiting and being pushed out, this was the first time in his life that he had experienced something like this.etg8Ju
4IyP3Vlad also saw the scene before his eyes and confirmed that he was stepping into a different place from where he had lived before.8Em
vUk“Welcome back to Sturma! Lord Josef!”Hkpijra
9PWU“It’s reassuring to see the soldiers of the Bayezid family guarding the gate so firmly.”ERP
uzS3w“Thank you!”ir6
o0fuaEven with Josef’s customary praise, the gatekeeper responded loudly and opened the gate.8xuXQmq
PGaC3“Everyone, salute!”Iy0v
KVg13The guards were saluting until Josef’s carriage had completely passed.HUmkk
qiEUDcIt was an expression of respect for the noble bloodline of the Bayezid family and a natural ceremony for the ruler of the city.J3jN
3Ucoh8And Vlad was also passing by.2hQ
FyTfM“You idiot! Are you not going to put that in immediately? Lord Josef’s presence alone is a pass.”y4Rdz7H
UqMFc“······.”SAq
sm8Zayar was growling on his horse, but Vlad didn’t even listen.e4Qr
sJ1BAIt was something he wanted to do.OONq
BbJsn“Go in and see for yourself.”dF5S
p2m98IRegardless of what Zayar said, Vlad walked confidently.CM2gO4
icyZAnd held out a small piece of wood in front of the guards saluting Josef.U8plQUU
yJUThe piece of wood was made by Priest Andrea, symbolizing Vlad’s presence.4u1vZ
sgj83“Aren’t you going to check?”jaQ
YxqNow he doesn’t have to go in and out of the tunnels.CUwhMnZ
0R3TPAIt was a small act of rebellion from the boy who could now be confident anywhere.mvV
iyp※※※※0Hxyva1
4DFvKUnder the sharp gaze of Zayar, Vlad and Gott entered the mansion of the Bayezid family.kRVLS
G0TOON“Sigh······.”2aGT
gPg“Impressive, truly impressive.”9knZR
SHBoA huge gray mansion overlooking all of the city.r2g
DybWCuLThe two commoners’ eyes were wide as they walked towards the real noble mansion they had never imagined.P853
YEzB0“From now on, you are guests of Lord Josef. If you do anything foolish, you’ll tarnish Lord Josef’s honor.”BEAm
7Jne“Yes.”wPvX
FiV3l2G“Just walk with your eyes down. Don’t wander around like country bumpkins.”bUwMsv
92JListening to Zayar’s warning, especially about Josef, Vlad closed his open mouth and walked quietly with his head down.uMX
WvA‘Is this velvet? Silk?’ixW2kc
CyPriIEven though they were just walking while looking at the floor, there was plenty to see.zFTJrqj
ddJ1fIStepping on the soft velvet laid on the white marble was like experiencing a luxury that a back-alley boy could never have dreamed of.EBQ9rt8
pMsVlad was seriously contemplating whether it was appropriate for him to tread on such expensive-looking things.IthVNa
SaH3“Wait here.”m6dbged
XTKZayar handed them over to the reception room with a growl.O8XdDY
I23Z2LFrom now on, Josef had to report to Peter Bayezid, his father and the owner of this mansion, about his safe return and the curse that had taken place in the camp.2o0uO
tDg“The maids will bring refreshments. Well… Don’t eat anything, just wait. If you eat in a dirty manner, bad rumors will spread.”tsSS2OA
wf2zGt“But just a little······.”laEpc20
wWnaPN“Shut up.”AwD
3lphRlAnd there was absolutely no reason for Vlad and Gott to be present at that moment of reporting.H8c9hIa
egKZThey had no right to face Count Bayezid directly; they could only move under Josef’s guarantee.3X2nEj
QPcUkZ“······.”w96yt6
ABz“······.”OzyJoQ
tGHEven though the threatening Zayar disappeared, Vlad and Gott could not relax easily.7ZES
VfwEverything was too clean, too vast, and above all, too quiet.hzZU
UFxoQIt was a sight and scenery they had never seen before, born and raised in a completely different world.lSSznt
Bp8AThus, they failed to notice something important.FQbl
K2wbThe white curtains beside them were fluttering.Mf1D
91fte“Newcomers, huh? Who are you guys?”FEZyhOn
zPfm“······!”o4lI4L
K29And the fact that there was someone else in the reception room besides them.RTBQXv
qVGUnder the slightly open window, a man was walking out through the spread white curtains.BU0
In480IT“I was just trying to play around here secretly.”fmHcvGT
DqiBmArA man shrugs his shoulders and approaches the two. The man had a strong demeanor, a confident posture, and an unmistakable heavy presence.KWPY
jsnzlIt was as if a black panther living in the eastern jungle had turned into a person.iNgkFUk
IO8tAhE“I’m Gott, and this Lord Josef······.”gyQ9LZ
XUZsLMz“······.”VUQ
5dGAnd Vlad was able to recognize the man in front of him the moment he saw him.QRlmAbb
826vHe looked remarkably similar to the other black-haired man he had seen before.pa855r
LQAwpbf“Okay. You’re Gott.”fcMa
0uEbvlThe black-haired man looked at Vlad and asked, “Who are you?”mY0
rO0QhXTHis sharp gaze could seem like it could overpower someone just with his presence, but Vlad met that gaze with defiance.Hgh
9QUdOne thing he had learned living in the back alleys was that avoiding someone’s gaze meant lowering yourself. Those who were underestimated in the alleys of Shoara were mercilessly devoured.nuaz0KM
pgSgd9Resisting someone’s presence was an instinct of survival to Vlad.NsCmOKQ
iwT79“I’m Vlad of Shoara.”WNTQWl
PWYe“Hmm? This is my first time hearing this name.”bphM8U
0MAI9i3The black-haired man looked amused by the blond boy confidently answering him.zcIoE
JAMzsHe liked this kid.T17mU5
RGP7YXGHis eyes were lively, and he didn’t back down even in the face of his presence.p6FV
FrZp‘Did Josef find a decent one?’foy
WjgzoRutger, who was cheerful by nature, appreciated someone with such a confident attitude.m9nmV
GYQ4“Would you like some peanuts?”AecRnI
VZ2And Rutger was a man who was generous with whatever he pleased.37yN
n5H1gBut…q2M7ZIb
HVrV0“I was told not to eat.”bwn
MKxT6“Huh?”BJO4
a7VVlad was nervous in this unfamiliar environment and was doing his best to counter Rutger’s presence.gT1Yz
Fo3B7That’s why he answered mechanically without even realizing it.2bmleu
QNvCF“I was told not to eat anything here.”tnUhN
glytwE“······Yes?”1pDgD
pfgMRutger, who had not expected anyone to dare refuse his favor, was momentarily taken aback by Vlad’s response.eOs
Sq2“This tastes good, though…”5XCHq1
B7RSIZ“······”wie
NTsGoat, who bowed his head, knew something was wrong with the current situation, but he did not dare to intervene.UrYla
AgXMswqVlad of Shoara.CTuJ0
OEA2The first thing he did when he came to the Bayezid family.5Spbk
gvpd5He had refused the friendly offering of peanuts from Rutger, the eldest son of the Count.IAu
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