Chapter 24: Because I didn’t surrender (1)
DaUPfThe morning after sealing the deal with Vlad.wDOpl
IWffJoseph headed to the dining room, following the Bayezid family tradition of spending at least one morning together.8BR
p7KnSA long dining table, neatly set with a white tablecloth.jg7n5UC
nOy73But the items on it held no special significance for a morning in the house of a powerful noble.lfILFuY
L66Sv0D“Let’s eat.”j0s8e7
9fTwk1Breakfast at the Bayezid house began with a prayer.40YYdVn
N7fftStarting with the head of the family, Fether.tGW
inoTRutiger, the eldest son.u7nW
UO2dXLjThe second son, Joseph, with his mother, Oksana, the count’s second wife.7eO8o9d
eZMCThe whole family gathered, yet only the clinking of cutlery could be heard.MVkB
za7“I brought sacred items. The priest blessed them.”3tEG
Sgh5xWThrough the silence that descended upon the table, Count Fether turned to his eldest son, Rutiger.wdPb
Du1zo“Take them with you on this mission.”4kSn2T
EAP1xWj“I trust my sword more than someone else’s blessing, Father.”XRkmA
Xm3nMZ“So be it.”uhCd
p24Rutiger’s confident tone as the elder made Joseph shrink.BWN
2Ds6yAlthough Rutiger didn’t mean it that way.Czth
CDe“…..”kWBEPxD
2j4MAnd there was the woman, looking pitifully at Joseph, who could only retreat naturally.McdMH
iQyh7“Joseph,” she said, “take the medicine after breakfast. It’s good for your ankle.”G8u
foQCWf“Thank you, Mother.”FhCwcVQ
jVDPA6HFor the elder brother, sacred relics to ward off threats.JaV
sAKAnd for him, the medicine he needed for his wounds.UBEN
505o“……”9HdmaH
zw9citAJoseph always tried to be big, but a deep-seated feeling of inferiority had squeezed his soul over the years.bDfd169
HtnohRA father trying to take care of his children.VRvajl
UjCIGOA mother looking at her shrinking son.RviIHR
7HCFAnd brothers who couldn’t help but constantly compare themselves.NEAF93Q
FXorjOkOnly the cold silence concealed their complicated feelings.9LCG
S1zwP1F***UhqA7V
TdZBAfter a long and silent breakfast.376
ETqsqgJoseph hurriedly made his way to his office.GAr
7d9Along the way, his mother offered him a cup of tea, but her embrace was so warm and comforting that once he entered it, it was difficult to escape.PYsUg
2cWk16Joseph was an unstoppable man.DpnpFSL
gCgzhoHe had to run as fast as he could.Mfkejy
OgLThe morning sunlight streamed down the white marble corridor.6lX
ItUc5But it didn’t illuminate every inch of the hallway.pHRvn51
IbG7Zf“——.”QKbX
8iiEvery time they passed through a dark spot untouched by sunlight, Joseph’s expression hardened.V93r
KbkFzPzThe poisons boiling within him naturally stiffened his face.URiHd3
nBvjygBut when he reached the door of his office.XHE7vp
gho“Eh?”VpEeAd
h3JPInstead of stiffness, Joseph displayed a perplexed expression.NfySe
keoiNbn“What an idiot!”peQHpAB
s5hgjsomeone shouted from inside.bF5ok
vyE90“What was that?”r5t4
vvpJoseph turned and turned the doorknob of his office door.U6Vmf2
PNVbInside, he saw the bright morning sun and the people waiting for him.lEN8H
Uoqa“Welcome, Joseph.”4rz
9HAf4ia“Sir. Are you here?”ZOmRqnW
tTXThere was Vlad, whose head was being held by Jager, and the figure of Goethe, huddled like a turtle at the sight of the bloody scene.8TJZf
c1VA“Why are you being restrained again?”bkgThkO
F0dxRuZAs soon as he saw them, Joseph felt that the strange emotions stirring within him calmed.MNsNt
yfqCalm.1UHX
KRF0And confidence.o0gX
LJSihpThat’s what the people here gave him.l9cdT4s
5IV“Hah…”CdWfg
k7NnFWith a long sigh, as if words barely escaped him, Jager pointed to a box on Joseph’s desk.fP3v
VHAcLC“This box… Mr. Rutiger sent it to me.”g1n
v7jlN47“My brother?”skob
9IYg6AZRutiger and Joseph had the same father but different mothers.yGgGsz
7KvThey were diametrically opposed in their tastes, and each had their sights set on becoming the next Count Bayezid, so although they were related, they weren’t close enough to exchange gifts.1ZZ8M7
8z6Besides, he hadn’t been particularly communicative during breakfast.evL
JJSC2T4“What’s going on?”2Ozyi
fr4LbFVlad started nodding as Joseph shook his head and read Rutiger’s letter in the box.zjq
wPO“… Yes.”BJSEr
awasCV6Finally understanding the situation, Joseph carefully closed Rutiger’s letter.uph
sSX“It’s yours. You can eat it.”O3ce
NcF2ie“… Sorry?”Zru5h
MD8“Can you do it in ten minutes?”xMnKj5N
W4ITQWhat Rutiger sent was a box full of peanuts.UOIe
ranlA7VJoseph turned to Jager, and his loyal knight nodded.YPHmtvQ
gNc“I’ll take a stroll around the block.”SfKp
JkqJoseph retraced his steps and left the office.fTg3Ts1
2bhz8“What kind of idiot does that just because someone tells him to!”U59opU
1QljijAs the door began to close, a roar came from it.uwQA
1W3TX“I didn’t eat anything because you told me not to.”ZRN
d76CDMe“Is that what I said?”IEs9B6O
BrE1V“I did what you told me to do!”hkiSZq9
3jPbPj“Since when do you listen to me so well!”H24gZaa
DXF6CdtListening to the voices behind him, Joseph silently walked away.T2J
cDa02“Is it time for the flowers to bloom?”iiYq
LOzEven in the darkness without sunlight, Joseph managed to smile.8izJo
1pZEr***Cz973
Ajzhuf5“From today, you’ll be a stable boy. You’ll handle the horses of my knights and belong to my mother, Countess Oksana, as a worker.”H7u1
Swb“Thank you, Sir Joseph!”Aoao
xbbGoethe’s wish was granted.dBvppGs
WjLmIn exchange for a large sum of gold, he was hired as a servant for the Bayezid family.4xS
lm64A2H“I’ll do my best!”fRxtQOl
ffHM“You can go.”QiOTD
Y7gGoethe, now with a stable, comfortable, and well-paid job, left the office with a smile on his face.pOc
YiuiProbably because he was hired by Joseph himself, there would be no one to intimidate him.CxI1X7
nnX4But he was still hungry and stared at the blonde boy.UGOITCj
Pdjv“You’re not done.”ICdq
hUNLCaAlthough he was currently disgruntled by the ridiculous mistake he made yesterday, Vlad was undoubtedly a guy who would rise higher.EMJ5
eOAeUPWGoethe left the office silently, anticipating the moment.SH8f9
V8nqZ“Vlad seriously…”vENm
A10MJoseph turned his head to look at Vlad.yzOto
QgMThere were Jager, still uneasy, and Vlad, cheeks swollen from a handful of peanuts.WiEVVw6
vMTs8APerhaps one of the puffy cheeks was the result of a blow from Jager.gpYza
657PT“From now on, Vlad, you are officially Jager’s squire. Until now, out of respect for you, I turned a blind eye to your rude behavior, but from now on, that won’t be the case. Understand?”99VJD3
Vo6z“Yes.”p41JI
H70“You’re a man of few words.”9Mw
ehjtNxI“… Yes.”NqGTvY
KAJOU“… Jager will talk to you about life in the mansion. You can go.”tVm
dnjtOnce Vlad was out of the office, Joseph vented to his loyal knight.6Sam
Jp32T“It won’t be easy dealing with him after all. He’s unpredictable in every way.”2IvY
G8h“Plus, he’s had a tough life, so he has a lot of rebellious character.”JeHj
bEUNBe“Yes, I suppose.”m4FNBxY
LZIpUSJoseph said, looking at the executive office door that Vlad had just slammed open.iA16
0ct1td“But I have to do it because I’ll never be recognized by my father unless I have a track record of having my own knight.”gMIADI
DkcLMP“I understand…”fxdXK
QFlVlwyHis own knight, raised by Joseph.lWTuj
suQAlthough there was a good knight beside Joseph, Jager, given to him by his mother, Countess Oksana.uFTjXM
0mZkiKnight Jager.xJeNhW
UhVzcThe knight who came with the immense talent that Oksana brought with her when she married his father.6PbCB
zmvrCXnRaised by Countess Oksana’s family, the Oskars, he was handed over to Joseph at birth.GedPDSI
4LJpPIJThis made him a knight of House Bayezid by birth, but he was only loyal to Joseph and Oksana, so technically he couldn’t be considered purely a Bayezid knight.cIzJY
WPRPNEr“Good luck with that.”mEl
UmDThat’s what Joseph needed.WccUQ7t
4qUqPtA title of a knight of House Bayezid, not the one his mother gave him, but one of his own creation.OdP
YavUOZ“I’ll do my best.”ydb
ZnxovJager left his office, determined to succeed for his lord.JjNtU
rZBQN“…”pkKrXzR
9BWRUpon leaving the office, a disgruntled blonde boy awaited him.tl1Y
7iF3eP“Tsk.”kxD
8b4This was the kind of boy he would have to deal with from now on.zZTDi
OK5zv“Follow me.”7CgF8q
jTgjY“Yes.”sSGG59
1va4FJoseph had chosen this task, and he had to follow his master’s decision.9rpx
MXiBxMTo fulfill his master’s will.BTXT
j1GRThat’s chivalry.unL9yzn
VbkZR6“This is the dining room. The knights have their own dining room, and the servants use the same dining room as the maids.”q43el
Z2t7“I see.”1MNGdt
9xi1rHe was indeed difficult to handle, but he was also a man who would produce brilliant results.hDWz9
JdAgdXh“This is the training ground. We train our bodies, not our swords. Ask the boys next door how to use the equipment.”A9p8Da
BaPGuSo Jager took Vlad around and showed him the facilities of House Bayezid.Q4Q
nMszThey were rough, but the care put into them was nothing compared to what other knights put into their squires.aS7B
nHsaUv“This is your room. It’s a single room.”Yd3CNu0
p92“Oh.”3AYVXol
sWkrAnd with that response, Jager trusted that Vlad would navigate well in the unfamiliar environment of House Bayezid.lldTaZ
XXE8s“Is it okay?”2zqIni9
Uczcc“Really?”flyTu0o
3di6sdIt was a small room, barely big enough for a bed, but Vlad smiled, acknowledging even that.pYv
iM3dk“It’s not even dirt floor, and it has a bed. This is a palace.”kQGWB
D7QpPBb“I had forgotten for a moment that you were from the streets after the shock earlier.”EjwhWtt
w5GqIOThey were the offspring of a well-educated family, but from the moment they arrived here as squires, the boys had to start from the bottom.Y8kAX
cGGRxhEven if they were in good physical shape, many couldn’t adapt to the sudden change in environment and treatment.OjMz
s0Kx8But for Vlad, who had been living like a weed, this was paradise.DpaB5q
SRe“Hmm.”Xe49bp
IvXTLgXHe shouldn’t have trouble adapting.7brz
ZIRBnAs long as he doesn’t make any mistakes.96d
gm4LB“Follow me.”yAy
XGuVlad followed behind Jager, trying to soak up everything he could from the surroundings.e1OGd
fTZR3Yesterday he had embarrassed himself by getting carried away by Rutiger’s momentum, but for a latecomer like Vlad, quick thinking was a matter of survival.TZPCv
sRirP“Hmm?”75Q
KcNThen Vlad’s eyes spotted someone moving with the maids.3h7uc
g46DIt was a lady with neatly framed green hair.aFjyr
I5VmOd“She’s Lady Oksana. She’s Joseph’s mother. Be polite, as you were taught before.”N7IPpr
h0b“Yes.”KmV
qhLxmThis was the most embarrassing thing for Vlad, who had lived in an alley where every time you saw someone, you shouted insults.brK0vyb
89WBe polite.lXkSMZ
N8XTreat nobility with respect.rzzWFU3
NfuM3Bow your head.p5y3
VhaJL17These were things he wasn’t used to.m1N4
w1RBut in the future, he must adapt to the discipline of this place.Nqp
035CuAfter all, they were going to be here for seven years, so it was best to adapt as soon as possible, Vlad thought.soi
ZQ7N“…”bFSU
V5aVlad learned it in a day, but he remembered everything he could and bowed his head in a sign of respect.Rlc8fp
4C5nBut Oksana’s walk, which they thought would pass by, was slowly approaching Jager and Vlad.605tWS1
w6CHX2Vlad swallowed hard as he saw her.tfTD9rS
em8jrcJ“Jager. My faithful knight. Good morning.”RPtmj
t9yet9“Are you well?”o1T
9ftRf8Jager raised his head in a greeting, and Vlad, who had been watching, quickly raised his eyes too.o0HmwLr
XrNQrgU“Is he?”2udDQT
xwm“Yes, he is. Joseph brought him here himself.”qYUc
w4e3“I see.”xS5Lmwg
u7ORough men, whores selling laughs, hustlers looking for an opportunity.TElblr
kQlI9For Vlad, who had only dealt with people like that, noble Oksana was the kind of person he had never encountered.Dx3IyKn
Fyc7QOh“Thank you,” she said. “You saved my son’s life, didn’t you?”82Bv
G6efPa“I just did my job…”j1Hgl
ApfIxn1Maybe if Vlad had turned his head a little to the side, he would have seen Jager looking at him impatiently.Jfpf
qHfZ2S“I’ll have to give you a reward; you’ve done much more than you think.”8KM
HVREi“Thank you…”G17
qGFb2xdVlad was about to bow and express his thanks, but he froze as Oksana suddenly approached and stroked his head.vTHDB
hDVGj“It’s a nice color. It goes well with your blue eyes.”0oZSo
SGq7Rz“…”CEy
RI9X8He wanted to say something, but Vlad stiffened and rolled his eyes.s90
MZxOksana sensed a smell.OrWqV
RP2nMIt was a nostalgic scent.CL2v
Uan“You have broad shoulders for someone so thin. It would be good if you gained a little weight.”VIDDNvp
p6R2kTMeanwhile, Vlad had been living in the company of prostitutes.p1Zvjko
FN2He was immune to women and had the knuckles to handle them.a0Z
aYzluSBut now.r5wl
XktcFor now, he could only look down, unable to utter a word, like a mute in honey.8hlKlfn
6oNeWNyOksana’s gaze at Vlad resembled nothing he had ever seen from a woman.9f0iZiL
oIAYouth Vlad lost himself in that look he hadn’t seen for so long that he couldn’t even remember.MO4
U2bwIt was the first time in his life that he found himself on the wrong side of a thorn.zlWU6
ZDN5d“I leave him in your service. Sir Jager.”oy04V90
GbOCo“Yes. Lady Oksana.”Y0aKe5k
JPLWkMHe could only nod his head in gratitude.UqLP
StNZuaWWhen she left, Vlad, who had remained stiff for some time, made eye contact with Jager, who was as tense as he was.qIDNm
3oSN“Did I do well…?”B9O
RQ4kN9“… Somewhat well.”TiygG
xPu6sThe boy unnecessarily looked away, scratching his neck at the chill that rose to the depths of his chest.pskN
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