Chapter 419: Conversation, Empathy, Persuasion. (2)
The one-armed man, Tennant, asked in a subdued voice.
“Why did you save me? No, more importantly, how did you save me? I was sure I had died….”
“There’s always a way.”
Ghislain smiled. To be honest, it was half luck.
Ghislain had cut Tennant’s throat while infusing him with Dark’s energy.
At the time, Tennant had completely exhausted all his mana, and even his Aura Blade had vanished. Even if left alone, he would have collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
In that state, the Dark energy that entered his body both cauterized his wound and blocked his airway, causing Tennant to lose consciousness.
With all his strength drained, Tennant hadn’t felt the slightest oddity, simply accepting it as part of the process of dying.
At the time, Ghislain had thought about it simply.
‘If he dies, so be it.’
Tennant had been stubbornly determined to die. Persuasion was impossible back then, leaving Ghislain no choice but to take such a drastic measure.
In the end, Tennant had clung to life by a thread. Ghislain had immediately used a potion to administer emergency treatment and then brought him back to the estate, entrusting him to Piote.
Still smiling, Ghislain asked,
“How’s life in prison? Bearable?”
“…For someone like me, even this is too good.”
“You’ve changed a lot.”
The once proud man who had flaunted his arrogant confidence as the strongest in the West had now become nothing but a shell of self-loathing.
Having lost in war and even caused the death of his lord, it was understandable. He had been arrogant but also a man who understood honor.
That was why Tennant hadn’t made a fuss after being imprisoned. He hadn’t attempted to escape or end his own life.
He simply spent his days staring into the void, consumed by regret.
Ghislain dropped his smile, his expression turning serious.
“Tennant, let me be blunt. Though you’re only at the beginning, you’ve now reached the level of a Master. I need your strength.”
“…Is that why you saved me?”
“Yes. The Rifts are opening, and monsters are pouring out. Every bit of help counts.”
Tennant, head lowered, replied.
“I am not worthy. Please, kill me.”
“You were the one who challenged me to a duel. And the fate of the loser lies with the victor, does it not? You can’t die without my permission.”
“…….”
Tennant had no words to respond. A duelist must abide by the victor’s decision. That was the very foundation of dueling, and sometimes, entire territorial conflicts were decided by a single duel.
Having already borne the weight of all disgrace, he couldn’t defy the results of the duel itself.
Had Marquis Roderick died at the hands of the Fenris forces, Tennant might have at least found some justification to continue fighting. But there was no such excuse left for him.
“If I… join you, many people will be uncomfortable.”
“We’ve always lived uncomfortably. That’s nothing new.”
“…….”
At Ghislain’s words, the knights nodded silently. After all, there were hardly any “normal” people in the estate.
Honestly, even living alongside Gillian and Kaor was awkward. The same went for Claude and Alfoi. As for the elves and dwarves, that was even more complicated.
Everyone was uncomfortable with one another, but Ghislain’s sheer strength and authority kept them all in line. That was life in Fenris.
Adding one more former enemy to the mix wouldn’t make much of a difference.
“Even the Drake Mercenary Corps decided not to pursue the matter further after Marquis Roderick’s death. His heirs all perished in the war anyway. They didn’t have a grudge against you personally. So, you have nothing to worry about.”
At Ghislain’s words, Tennant let out a heavy sigh.
“Even so, how can you use a man who killed his own lord and lost his honor?”
“Tennant, atone for your sins.”
“Sins… you say?”
“Everyone acknowledges your loyalty. But can you truly say your life has been honorable?”
“…….”
“Marquis Roderick may have been your lord and benefactor, but to the people of the estate, he was a monstrous tyrant. Do you really believe you were blameless for turning a blind eye as his retainer?”
“That….”
“Yes, the people were technically the lord’s property. But do you really think that makes it right? If you truly understand honor as a knight, ask your own conscience.”
Tennant lowered his head again, unable to argue.
He had nothing to say in response. Failing to protect the weak and offer counsel to his lord had indeed been a failing of his duties as a knight.
Yet, like so many others, Tennant had chosen to ignore it. He had hidden behind the flimsy shield of loyalty to his lord.
Looking down at Tennant, Ghislain spoke.
“The people who suffered under Marquis Roderick’s oppression are now suffering again, this time from the Rift monsters. If you truly understand honor….”
Thunk!
Ghislain thrust his sword into the ground before Tennant. He spoke firmly.
“Now, wield your sword for the people.”
Tennant stared at the sword embedded in the ground for a long while before asking,
“And… what if I refuse?”
“I’ll tie you up and toss you in front of the beasts. If you want to die so badly, then go ahead and die miserably there.”
At those words, Tennant let out a dry laugh. After a few silent chuckles, he grabbed the sword.
The knights standing behind Ghislain tensed, placing their hands on their swords in response.
Rising slowly as he drew the sword from the ground, Tennant said,
“I won’t pledge my loyalty to you.”
“I don’t care. You only need to fight where I tell you to.”
“When the people are safe and the war ends, I will retire in seclusion.”
“A man who only knows how to fight is useless in peaceful times. If you’re offering to cut down on my expenses, I have no reason to refuse.”
The two men exchanged smiles. Tennant, grinning, added playfully,
“If you were going to use me anyway, you should have left my arm intact.”
“Think of it as the price for learning humility.”
Tennant chuckled again, then made a final request.
“Bring me a mask. It would be too embarrassing to walk around with my bare face.”
“Fine. Though everyone will still know it’s you.”
Countless soldiers had witnessed Ghislain defeat Tennant in their duel, cutting off his arm. A mask wouldn’t hide his identity.
Tennant knew that too, but he didn’t retract his request. At the very least, he could cover his shame.
Thus, a new powerhouse joined the ranks of the Fenris territory.
* * *
“Hah, the kingdom’s situation is a mess these days.”
“Tell me about it. How did cults rise up and create such chaos…”
“At least they’re not showing up in the north. Honestly, it’s working to our advantage.”
At someone’s comment, the others bursted into laughter.
The northern lords had gathered on a large outdoor platform, chatting in small groups.
Ghislain, using his authority as the commander of the northern forces, had summoned them. The lords had no legitimate reason to refuse and had brought their armies along.
They all had a good idea why Fenris had called for this assembly.
“He’s probably planning to gather an army to deal with that thing called a Rift…”
“Not just that, right? He’ll obviously try to use our forces in his fight against the ducal families too.”
“We can’t hand over our troops so easily. You all agree, don’t you?”
“Of course. In times like these, we need to conserve our strength. Let’s come up with excuses and provide as little support as possible.”
The rest of the kingdom was already in turmoil. Dealing with the Rifts and fighting the ducal families was draining enormous resources.
However, the northern lords, who were relatively safe, were unwilling to take such risks. Some even saw it as an opportunity to profit.
Naturally, they planned to conceal and conserve their forces.
A slightly concerned lord spoke up.
“But… do you think Count Fenris will let this slide? Everyone knows how stubborn he is. He’ll probably demand the maximum allowed by royal law half our troops.”
“He already took a significant portion during the last food purchase. It was tough recovering from that.”
“And he’ll definitely use that as leverage again this time, won’t he?”
The lords grumbled. They had been at the mercy of Fenris for food and iron supplies back then. There had been no choice.
Though the situation had improved slightly since then, offending the now-powerful Count Fenris could still threaten their food supplies.
The lord of Zimbar, a territory bordering Ferdium, commented,
“When he was young, he was just a reckless troublemaker. Who knew he’d become so influential… But this time, it’ll be different.”
“How so?”
“That young upstart is facing a fight against the ducal families and those Rifts. He won’t gain anything by fighting all of us too.”
“So…”
“Look around. We’ve gathered thousands of soldiers here. No matter how stubborn he is, do you think he’d dare pick a fight with us all? If we stand strong together, he’ll have no choice but to back down.”
“That makes sense. But what if he retaliates later by restricting food sales again?”
“We’ll deal with that when it comes. Are you seriously suggesting we surrender half our troops out of fear? He’s definitely going to demand the maximum.”
“Hmm…”
The lords nodded in agreement.
During wartime, the regional commander had the authority to conscript up to half the troops of each territory, leaving the lords to defend their lands with the remainder.
However, surrendering half their forces would be a massive blow. They would still have to cover the costs of maintaining and supplying the troops sent away.
It wasn’t just about the future losing that many soldiers would immediately weaken their territories. Who would willingly accept such losses?
The Count of Zimbar added in a persuasive tone,
“Why don’t we form a solid alliance among ourselves this time?”
“An alliance?”
“Yes. If we don’t, we’ll just keep getting pushed around by Count Fenris.”
“Agreed. We must protect our own rights.”
The lords were all in agreement. Though the northern territories were poor and relatively minor, when they united, they became a force that couldn’t be ignored.
Thus, the “Northern Alliance” was suddenly born.
The first alliance leader was Count Zimbar, who had been the boldest to propose the idea.
“I’ve known that brat’s father, the Marquis of Ferdium, for a long time. He won’t be able to treat me carelessly. Haven’t our lands supported Ferdium for ages?”
“Of course, of course. It’s time we show that young son of his that we’re no pushovers either.”
The other regions outside the North were engulfed in war. The northern lords, being somewhat distanced from the threats, had the luxury to conspire like this.
“But why has that brat called us here and still hasn’t shown up yet?”
One lord grumbled in irritation. Just as he finished speaking, Fenris’s army appeared in the distance.
The knights tasked with guarding the lords shouted from various directions.
“The Count of Fenris has arrived!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Leading the way was Ghislain, mounted on the Black King, followed closely by his closest aides and around two thousand cavalrymen.
As the Fenris forces approached, the soldiers of the other territories tensed up.
The overwhelming presence alone was intimidating, but the reputation of being the strongest force in the North was enough to make any army feel daunted.
The lords gathered on the podium swallowed nervously.
‘Was that brat always like this?’
‘Something… feels different…’
‘Why does he seem so powerful?’
As Ghislain drew closer, the tension among the lords only intensified. Even though they had formed an alliance against him, Ghislain’s unpredictable nature left them uneasy.
Seated atop his horse, Ghislain scanned the lords.
“It has been a while since we last met.”
Among them were some familiar faces, some who had previously sided with the ducal faction but later withdrew, and others whose vassals had defected without their consent.
But that didn’t matter now. If any of them reconnected with the ducal family, they would be the first to be targeted.
‘Amelia isn’t here.’
Well, it was expected. That cunning woman wouldn’t listen to him. On top of that, she had already negotiated with the Royal Faction on her own before Ghislain could even exercise his authority as the commander of the northern forces.
‘No matter.’
Amelia must be dealing with her own troubles now, having to revise her plans because of the Salvation Church.
In other words, there was no reason for them to clash at the moment.
After dismounting, Ghislain took a seat in the empty chair and immediately addressed the gathering.
“You all know why I, the commander of the northern forces, have summoned you here.”
The response came from Count Zimbar, the leader of the Northern Alliance.
“Ahem, hmm. You’ve summoned us to enforce conscription under your command, have you not?”
“That’s right. It’s not just about the civil war; the Rift expansion also needs to be contained. Since the North has been spared from the Rift’s damage, you should be able to raise your forces without much burden.”
“Ahem, well, we can’t turn a blind eye to the kingdom’s crisis. We’ve already discussed our support among ourselves before you arrived.”
“Support? This isn’t support. This is a lawful conscription under the kingdom’s decree.”
“Ahem, well, isn’t it the same thing? Regardless, we’ve agreed to participate.”
Ghislain nodded slightly.
“Is that so? I’m glad things are moving quickly. Then you’ve made your decisions?”
“Yes. Each of us will contribute one-third of our troops and resources. That should be sufficient, no?”
Indeed, such a contribution would result in a considerable force and cost. The lords felt they were being more than generous.
However, Ghislain narrowed his eyes.
“Are you joking? The kingdom is in crisis, and you think just that amount will suffice for your safety?”
“Now, hold on! How can you call that insufficient? We’ve already stretched ourselves to the limit! Did you really expect to take everything?”
“Yes. I will take it all.”
“That! Such authority only applies when the kingdom is facing a foreign invasion! It hasn’t come to that yet! Taking half of the forces is only a measure for extreme situations…”
Ghislain cut him off mid-sentence.
“Half? Who said anything about half?”
“The law states the maximum conscription is half a lord’s forces, does it not? Wasn’t that what you meant?”
Ghislain chuckled in disbelief, leaning back in his chair.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding…?”
“Bring everything.”
“W-What?!”
Ghislain’s gaze turned cold as he scanned the lords.
“Bring every soldier you have, except for the minimal number required to maintain basic order. Do you understand?”
The lords were left dumbfounded, unable to offer any response.