“Haa! Haa! Haa!”
Rough breaths touched the horse’s back.
Viscount Kali Owells couldn’t even bear to look back.
He simply kept continued to kick the horse.
At that moment.
Paat!
Together with a heavy sound, a hard and thick rope bounced up.
The front leg of the warhorse that had been breathlessly running got caught on the rope.
“Neeeign!”
The warhorse lost its balance and violently rolled down.
“Haa!”
Kali slightly panicked at the abruptly unfolded event, but he quickly threw his body and jumped into the air.
Chang!
He drew out his sword the very instant he took balance and got down on the ground.
There wasn’t even the leisure to check the horse’s condition.
‘I, is it an ambush?’
A cold sweat flowed.
At that moment, a quiet and melancholic voice was heard from his back.
“That’s quite a good luck.”
Instantly, Kali’s face twisted.
It was a familiar voice.
The voice of the bastard who he wanted to find so much just before.
“Walter.”
Kali grinded his teeth and turned his body towards the direction the voice was heard.
From the end of the tightly fasten rope, a young man approached.
As expected, the young man’s identity was Walter Owells.
“Rather than the bold and arrogant look, the sight of you running away in fear is much more pleasant looking.”
A cold voice.
With a stiffly solidified expression, Kali shouted.
“Walter! Do you know what you have just done!”
Walter, slowly nodding his head, pulled out the sword at his waist.
“Of course. I’m merely facing an enemy commander.”
“Enemy commander?”
Kali twisted his eyes.
He roared with a cold voice.
“I’m you bastard’s father!”
“Father? Ha.”
Walter, with a stiffly solidified expression, snorted.
Kali’s face was still twisted.
“Are you perhaps saying that you’ll point your sword at your blood? You’ll kill your family? Why? For what? You and Io Lancephil are strangers whose blood haven’t even mixed a single drop. Are you saying that you’ll cut your family’s neck for him? Or is it because of Roan? Just what is the reason you’re doing this!”
Voice that openly rubbed off with rage and desperation.
Perhaps a pursuit troop might appear beyond the hill, he was in a greatly restless state.
A cold smile hung around Walter’s mouth.
“Family? Blood? It doesn’t sound like words that a man who killed his wife and daughter should be saying.”
“Kill? Whose wife and daughter did I kill…… are you perhaps talking of the Arslan Brigand event?”
The Arslan Brigand event.
Until they were subjugated by Io, the Arslan Brigand was a large-scale brigand that showed off a mighty power with the Arslan Valley as their main base.
Not only attacking the merchants and passersby that traversed the valley, they even pillaged the nearby region’s villages and spread their infamy.
Although the fief tried to subjugate them multiple times, it was absolutely not easy because their main base was located at the most precipitous place even within the Arslan Valley.
During that while, an absurd event occurred.
“Arslan Brigand Event. So you haven’t forgotten. Exactly ten years ago, mother and litter sister who had been coming back from my grandparents’ house were captured by the Arslan Brigand.”
That was the very Arslan Brigand event.
“Ghmm.”
Kali crinkled his nose with an uncomfortable look.
Walter disregarded it and continued his words.
“They said that they’ll free mother and sister as long as we pay them the ransom. But father refused.”
“Are you saying a kingdom’s noble should yield to a mere brigand? That is something that cannot be.”
Kali boldly answered with effort.
Walter snorted.
“Hmph. If you cannot give money to mere brigands, shouldn’t you have came up with a rescue plan at least?”
His voice became louder.
“But father did nothing. You didn’t give the ransom, nor did you organize a troop and march.”
“Tha, that is……”
Kali stuttered with a slightly panicked look.
Walter’s face solidified even colder.
“Father was mindless receiving and flattering Duke Bradley Webster who visited the Pavor Castle at that very day.”
“Ghmm.”
Once again, Kali swallowed a groan with an uncomfortable look.
It was true.
On the day his wife and daughter were kidnapped, Kali was doing all sort of flattering in order to climb up to a higher place.
It was that he wished to most definitely get within the sight of Bradley Webster, who was one of the kingdom’s four dukes.
The tips of Walter’s eyes sharply trembled.
“When father was tilting cups of wine with Duke Bradley Webster, mother and sister forlornly died after suffering all kinds of vice.”
Rage surged up.
Understandably, Kali’s action at the time was greatly unusual.
In case that the banquet will be canceled if the truth that his wife and daughter were kidnapped were possibly known, he had thoroughly remained silent.
Thanks to that, he was solidly pressed by Count Io Lancephil after this truth was later revealed and had to remain as the knight order’s vice-executive without advancing for a long time.
‘A man who throws away his family for his ambition……’
That was Kali.
Kali quietly stared at Walter’s cold gaze.
The excuses were about to begin.
“Walter. I have merely made the best decision for our house. I too loved my wife and daughter. But because I had you……”
When the words reach about that point, Walter raised his sword and gritted his teeth.
“I know. Why father threw away mother and sister so easily……”
That was all.
“Because I was there. Because I, the firstborn who would lead the house even if mother and sister died, was there, you probably made such a heartless choice. But that very choice’s reason……”
Walter’s eyes sorrowfully shined.
“Has pained me so much.”
Certainly, there was not a single fault of his own.
But as Walter became older and older, he became wrapped in the shame that his mother and sister’s deaths were his own fault.
At that moment, the one who became his support was in fact Count Io Lancephil.
He could only become the support.
At the time, Io personally led the knight order, the magic corp, and the fief regiment and marched after hearing the news Walter’s mother and sister had been kidnapped much later, and had subjugated the Arslan Brigand after a month of a large battle.
Although it was late, it was a greatly different sight compared to Kali, who had feigned ignorance of the kidnapping of his family for his own ambition.
“Father. When your eyes had gone dark from ambition, the man who had looked after and raised me at that time was in fact Sir Io Lancephil.”
From the start, Io greatly valued Walter’s talent.
He embraced Walter, who had received a large shock, with his chest and raised him with his heart.
Thanks to that, Walter was able to recover faster than expected.
But despite so, he had no confidence to live while facing Kali’s face.
He went out of the house that was like hell and comforted his heart’s wound while studying at the Pavor Academy.
And the one he met at that time was Mary Tate, who was his fiancé right now, and he was able to meet even Roan thanks to her.
It truly was a perverse relation and fate.
“The very bottom fits men like father. You would only pain many people the more and more you go up to a higher place.”
The tip of his sword slightly trembled.
Although he had swallowed a firm resolve, pointing his sword at his father was much more painful and agonizing thing than he had thought.
Kali did not miss that very point.
“As expected, you bastard’s heart is soft……”
It was the personality that did not pleased him so much, and that he had wanted to fix in any way possible.
But for that very personality to become a help now.
“Huu.”
Kali spat out short breath and looked straight at Walter’s eyes.
“Do you truly plan to stop me?”
At those words, Walter shook his head.
“No.”
“Hm?”
Kali, at the unexpected answer, creased his brow.
Walter, with a coldly sank voice, added on.
“I plan to kill you.”
Instantly, Kali’s face stiffly solidified.
“Impertinent bastard.”
A cold voice abruptly shot out.
‘I cannot delay any longer.’
His heart became impatient.
Whether the pursuit troop may have already reached his near was something he couldn’t know.
He put strength into the hand holding his sword.
“Don’t resent your father.”
Finally, Kali made his heart’s decision.
‘Something like children, I can simply give birth to more.’
He was still young.
He thought that if it was children, he could simply give birth to more.
But Kali too did not knew his own heart simply too much.
Tat!
Kali kicked the ground and ran towards Walter.
Kali, who was known as most outstanding knight amongst Io’s subordinates, began to swing his sword with his own son Walter as the opponent.
‘There is no one stronger than me in the Count Lancephil House!’
It was Kali’s pride.
He didn’t think even a bit of fighting Walter and losing.
But.
Chang! Chajang! Chang!
With just four strikes of the sword, the pride that had been solid greatly shook.
‘This bastard……?’
Kali, with a greatly surprised light in his eyes, looked at Walter.
‘He’s much stronger than I thought.’
The heavy strength felt through the palm.
Not only that, his body movement and sword movement were light and without waste.
‘He was this strong?’
It was unbelievable.
Walter was a rookie knight who just graduated the academy.
The experiences must be short and the quality of his mana too should be lacking.
But.
‘He’s similar to me.’
It was a surprising revelation.
He knew that he didn’t miss the top throughout the time he attended the knight school.
But even so, he thought that it was at a degree of showing prominence amongst the students.
‘Even if I didn’t knew, it seems I knew too little.’
He newly had a thought that the things he knew of his son Walter was simply too few.
Simultaneously with dejection, rage soared up.
‘Even though he has this much skill, for him to want to become another’s dog on his own!’
If it was this much swordsmanship skill and level of mana, it should be enough to greatly shine the Owells House.
As he thought that such bastard was pointing his sword at the house, his rage surged up even more.
“You foolish bastard!”
Kali completely pulled up his mana and pushed Walter on.
Although it was regrettable and lamentable, as he had decided to throw him out, he planned to surely kill him.
He definitely thought to do so.
The sword moved even more shrewdly.
Chang! Chajang! Chang!
Together with metallic sounds, sparks flew.
Spat! Sskuk!
Occasionally, each’s sword brushed past the cloths on each’s arm and sides.
The fierce melee kept continuing on.
“Die!”
A horrid sound burst out from Kali’s mouth.
He pulled up his entire mana and threw a mortal blow.
On the other side, Walter clenched his teeth and unfolded a counterattack.
He absolutely did not move back.
Watching straight at the blade flying towards him, he clenched his teeth.
The two people’s blades passed by as if to brush.
If like this, it was a mutual death.
Tung.
Suddenly, Walter’s sword greatly shook.
The tightly closed mouth slightly opened.
The eyes that were resolute without a tremble too greatly shook.
‘Ah…… father……’
At the final moment, Walter ended up twisting his sword.
He thought he could kill him.
Because the rage that filled his heart was so big, he thought that he could cut his neck and stab his chest.
But at the decisive moment, the old past he had forgotten floated up.
The young Kali who was teaching the little brat Walter the sword.
His father Kali of that time when he had once looked up to the most had floated up.
‘Was my resolve only this much……’
Like Kali’s words, Walter’s heart was too soft.
He couldn’t stab the sword at his father’s chest.
Feeling the blade falling down, he quietly closed his eyes.
On the other hand, Kali’s sword had no trembling.
No, it looked to be so.
‘Damn it!’
Kali clenched his teeth.
The sword that was heading towards Walter’s chest adroitly twisted.
Ssskuk!
The blade drew a long line and cut off Walter’s left arm.
“Kuuk!”
An intense pain stormed.
Dropping his sword, Walter grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand.
The red spouted out like a fountain.
But he never dropped nor shouted.
He simply stood and looked straight at Kali’s eyes.
“Even to the end, they’re disrespectful and arrogant eyes.”
Kali raised his sword while biting his lower lip.
‘I have to kill him. I can’t leave a future trouble.’
Kali raised his sword up high.
Walter quietly watched that sight.
The light in his eyes were still bold but somehow sad.
“Kuuk.”
Kali bit his lips.
The hand that was holding the sword sharply shook.
It absolutely wasn’t because the sword was heavy.
“Go to some remote countryside and live as if dead.”
Simultaneously, Kali’s sword stabbed Walter’s lower abdomen.
“Kuk.”
Walter gritted his teeth.
It wasn’t as painful as when his left arm was cut off.
But the despair was much greater than back then.
‘Mana has disappeared.’
A dejected feeling.
Kali had destroyed Walter’s mana hole.
“You bastard is the Owells House’s man no more.”
Kali quietly scolded, then disappeared into the west while riding the warhorse.
Watching the back of Kali that was getting away, Walter dropped his knees just like that.
The sight became blurry.
“Father……”
At the instant when he was losing his consciousness, he spat out that word that he would never again would call.
Like that, Walter became an orphan.
*****
After taking a complete victory in the Arslan Battle, Roan marched north with a sweeping spirit.
The Owells Forces’ remnants, who were scattered in the eastern region with the Pavor Castle as the starting point, threw down their weapons and surrendered even from just seeing the Tale Legion and the Lancephil Legion’s flags.
Big and small castles and nearby regions were also the same.
Ones who had helplessly lowered their heads at Kali all sweared their loyalty to Roan.
Thanks to that, Roan, the Tale Legion, and the Lancephil Legion were able to enter the Pavor Castle within merely four days after the Arslan Battle had ended.
“Waaaah!
“Roan! Roan!”
“Roan Lancephil! Roan Lancephil!”
The Pavor residents came out to the grand street crossing the castle and cheered.
They had to tremble day after day not knowing when the Chase Legion and the Owells Forces would come and invade.
And during that while, the news of Roan’s grand victory was reached.
It was a situation where they couldn’t help being cheerful and happy.
“That sir is the new Sir Count, right?”
“Right! Right! As expected of our Count Io Lancephil, no, the previous Sir Count’s eyes for people are the best!”
“Since our new Sir Count was famous for being a good person even from the past.”
The sound of people’s laughter burst out from every place.
They sent lavish claps and cheers towards not only Roan but also the legion’s soldiers who had endured laborious battles.
“Waaaah!”
“Hahaha!”
Cheerful and bright sounds continued on for a long time.
But.
“Eh? Look over there! Isn’t that guy perhaps……?”
Soon, few people began to whisper with serious expressions.
“Isn’t that bastard that Owells House guy?”
“Right, right! He’s definitely Kali Owells’ son.”
“He’s Walter or something bastard, right?”
The Pavor residents glared with their eyes and spat out curses.
The place their gazes touched.
On top of the warhorse that was just getting into the inside of the castle gate sat Walter, who had deeply dropped his head.
His left shoulder was tightly tied up.
“Hey! You bastard! How dare you bastard come here!”
“Traitor bastard!”
“Get out now, Kali’s son!”
The abuses gradually become more intense.
Even.
“Eit!”
One of the castle’s residents picked up a stone that was rolling around and threw it.
Puuk!
The stone directly hit Walter’s shoulder.
“Kuk.”
Crimson blood flowed from the shoulder.
It was a pitiable and miserable sight.
But the castle’s residents, who felt a great rage at Kali’s betrayal, did not shook from that such sight.
“Eit!”
“Die!”
“Get out!”
Soon, people picked up and threw stone from everywhere.
Puck! Pubuck! Puck!
Walter, without a thought of dodging or blocking, quietly sat and got struck by stone.
At that moment.
Puuk!
A dull sound hit the ears.
“Eh?”
“My, my lord!”
The castle’s citizens who were thoughtlessly throwing the stones as well as the Tale Legion and the Lancephil Legion’s soldiers shouted with greatly shocked expressions.
At Walter’s side, Roan was already there.
Crimson blood flowed from his forehead.
He had gotten struck instead by the stone the Pavor Castle’s resident had thrown towards Walter.
“My, my lord!”
Austin approached with a startled expression.
“All of you listen well.”
It was a soft and calm voice.
The castle’s residents swallowed dry spit and leaned their ears at Roan’s voice.
Walter who was still dropping his head was also the same.
He quietly watched the hard and giant back that stood across in front of him.
“Whether whose son Walter is is not important.”
Strength went into his voice bit by bit.
“If you will throw stones at him, throw it at me.”
But it completely was not pressuring.
A giant and soft spirit that greatly wrapped around and embraced all filled the Pavor Castle fully.
Roan stared at Walter for a moment, then spoke in a loud voice.
“Walter is my knight.”
Coincidentally, a warm western wind blew.
Walter, who was watching Roan’s back, clenched his teeth.
Something hot surged and filled up all the way to his throat.
At that moment, the commanders above thousand-man rank including Austin swarmed up to Walter’s surroundings.
A sight of surrounding him as if to protect.
Austin looked back and forth between Roan and Walter, then shouted in a resounding voice.
“Walter is!”
As soon as his words finished, the commanders above thousand-man rank shouted simultaneously.
“Our brother!”
Burning voices.
It was a burning declaration.
< Tie (1) > End.
