How to Survive as a Knight’s Son – Chapter 56

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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The camp was in an uproar from early dawn. The sentry, who had belatedly discovered the prisoner’s escape, had sounded the alarm. The soldiers’ faces were etched with shock as they learned the reason for their abrupt awakening.

Powell Osborne was no ordinary prisoner; he was the most valuable captive, captured by Fiore, a woman stronger than most men. Everyone knew this wouldn’t end well.

Only the new recruits, formerly the merchants’ and prostitutes’ guards, looked around in confusion.

Bolton and the other vassals appeared after the two elite soldiers, bribed to aid in the escape, were captured and brought to the center of the camp, kneeling and bound.

Bolton and the vassals’ eyes flickered nervously as they exchanged uneasy glances.

They had instructed the bribed guards to flee after releasing the prisoner.

Yet, for some reason, the guards hadn’t fled and had been brazenly standing guard, only to be captured.

I was just as puzzled.

Had the bribe not been enough? Had they believed they could join the plunder of Baron Debussy’s territory if they feigned ignorance? Perhaps they had been overly confident, trusting in their connection with Fiore.

I had intended to feign ignorance of the desertion to maintain the pretense of being tricked by Bolton’s scheme, but now, that was no longer an option.

Still, it wasn’t a major problem. It was Bolton and the vassals who should be most worried about what the guards would reveal.

“W-What is the meaning of this?”

If the guards confessed who had bribed them, Bolton and the vassals would be in serious trouble.

That was why Bolton’s forehead was covered in sweat, and he fidgeted nervously, glancing at me.

“A prisoner escaped last night. These men, who were on guard duty, apparently fell asleep and didn’t notice his escape. Ha…, how can they be so brazen after losing a prisoner worth hundreds of gold coins?”

“I-It’s true! We were exhausted from the last battle…!”

“The prisoner must have tricked us!”

The guards, oblivious to the situation, continued to make excuses. Dreng, the mercenary captain, stepped forward in Fiore’s absence.

“Sir Allen, please have mercy…”

I shook my head. To make Bolton believe I had been betrayed, I needed to show anger.

Moreover, showing leniency would only undermine discipline, and the mercenaries might repeat the same offense.

Furthermore, the mercenaries who had been guarding the merchants and prostitutes had just joined our ranks. It was essential to establish clear rules from the start.

“I treated you well. I distributed the spoils of war fairly and promised to do the same with any future plunder. I also brokered deals with the merchants so you wouldn’t be cheated. I ensured you would all be wealthy by the end of the war.”

The mercenaries watching nodded in agreement. Dreng was no exception.

“There’s no one who looks after mercenaries like Sir Allen.”

“Yet, these men repaid kindness with betrayal.”

“Sir Allen, this was a mistake.”

“Don’t be so sure, Dreng.”

Dreng turned sharply and glared at the bound, kneeling guards. He sensed something in my words.

“You…”

The guards’ faces paled as they realized something was wrong. Bolton and the vassals also looked increasingly anxious.

Unfazed, I continued,

“Thanks to brokering deals between you and the merchants, I know how much you’ve earned. However, these men who let the prisoner escape have twice as much money as I brokered for them. How should I interpret this? Dreng, would you care to explain?”

The mercenaries had earned a substantial sum from the spoils of war. The additional amount they possessed was too significant to have been their own.

Dreng squeezed his eyes shut.

“My apologies.”

I shook my head. Dreng was a capable mercenary captain. It would be a loss to punish him for something he didn’t do.

“How can I expect military discipline from mercenaries? I know your position as captain is largely symbolic. You’re dismissed.”

Dreng bowed his head and stepped back. The two guards, realizing the situation was turning against them, hurriedly spoke up.

“Sir Allen! We’ll tell you everything! The truth is…!”

Before they could finish their sentence, a flash of steel sliced through their necks. Their heads, rolling on the ground, didn’t even register their own deaths.

Behind their falling bodies stood two men, their swords dripping blood, their faces grim. It was Bolton and Muel.

“They were conspiring with the enemy! They deserved to die!”

Bolton had acted before the guards could reveal his name.

It was a clumsy act. The guards were about to confess, and executing them right before they could was undeniably suspicious.

Silence fell upon the camp, a strange tension filling the air.

The problem was that I couldn’t punish Bolton for this. Bolton and the vassals weren’t my subordinates. We were more like a temporary alliance, working together for a common goal.

“They were my soldiers, Bolton.”

The same applied in reverse. Bolton had no authority to punish my soldiers, no matter their crimes.

Bolton’s eyes darted nervously before he lowered his head. It was the first time he had bowed to me.

“M-My apologies. The humiliation I suffered in the last battle resurfaced, and I lost control.”

“Tsk, what a weak-willed man.”

In the modern era, it might have been a valid excuse. Even ordinary people knew about PTSD.

However, here, it only made him appear weak. The soldiers’ gazes were filled with disdain.

Bolton gritted his teeth, but he didn’t protest, despite the humiliation, which must have been even greater for someone of his status, accustomed to wielding power backed by his family name.

Deciding to leave it at that, I clicked my tongue and looked at the soldiers.

“I promised you wealth. However, those who disobey my orders will pay the price.”

I stepped on the head that had rolled to my feet. The skull, the strongest bone in the human body, shattered instantly. The remnants, stained pink with blood and brain matter, oozed out.

Gulp.

The mercenaries hurriedly bowed their heads. Even the new recruits, who had been watching with detached amusement, tensed and held their breath.

Dreng, speaking for the mercenaries, said,

“We will repay your generosity with loyalty.”

Having taken advantage of this opportunity to assert my authority over the mercenaries, I turned towards the command tent. Muel, catching my eye, bowed his head slightly. He was remarkably perceptive.

He had realized that the guards revealing the truth wouldn’t be beneficial to me either, so he had helped Bolton eliminate them. He probably also hoped to earn Bolton’s trust in doing so.

‘His eagerness is commendable.’

My assessment of Muel rose slightly. He seemed to sense this, a smile playing on his lips.

Bolton and the vassals, who followed me into the command tent, watched me nervously.

For their plan to work, I needed to set out for Baron Debussy’s territory, regardless of the prisoner’s escape.

“When do you plan to depart?”

Knowing their intentions, I responded vaguely,

“Well, with the prisoner’s escape, the enemy’s defenses will be strengthened. With our limited forces, it could be a suicide mission.”

“But isn’t this a chance to plunder the enemy’s undefended territory? It would be best to move quickly.”

The other vassals chimed in.

“Isn’t this a war for revenge? We must avenge Lord Maxim! And retrieve his remains!”

“If we retreat now, the enemy will have suffered no losses! Our territory will have been plundered for nothing!”

The vassals were more eager than usual. Well, they would be eager, considering their lives were on the line if things went wrong.

“Hmm, then prepare yourselves quickly. While you’ll have to follow behind me due to your lack of troops, it’s still better to participate in the plundering, even if it’s just a little, than return empty-handed.”

I extended my hand one last time. I intended to spare those who accepted my offer.

However, after exchanging glances, they shook their heads. Not a single one took my hand. Bolton spoke,

“How could we burden you further, Sir Allen, when we are responsible for such heavy losses? We will reflect on our actions and prepare the battlefield for your return.”

The other vassals agreed. They had chosen to remain my enemies.

The journey from the tower to Baron Debussy’s territory was short. Fiore was waiting for me at the border between the two territories, along with a bruised and battered Powell Osborne. He had clearly resisted.

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“Sir Powell, I treated you well as a prisoner. How could you repay my kindness by escaping without a word? What is the meaning of this?”

Powell Osborne smiled, his face a mess.

“I saw the open gate and assumed I was free to go.”

“And who opened the gate?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I chuckled.

“Will you give the same answer if I sell you to your uncle?”

“…!”

The smug look vanished from Powell Osborne’s face. He stared at me in shock, his expression gradually hardening. I continued, my smile unwavering,

“Djak wouldn’t hesitate even if I demanded a king’s ransom. Without you, he can seize control of the family. Your young son will spend his nights trembling in fear.”

Powell Osborne’s wife was Baron Debussy’s only child, and the son she had borne him, with their significant age gap, was still an infant.

Without a husband and father to protect them, Djak, the Baron’s younger brother, would soon reveal his true colors.

I could guarantee it. In the future that would no longer come to pass, Anya had allied with Djak against Powell Osborne.

“You dishonorable…!”

“You dare speak of honor after escaping captivity?”

Powell Osborne gritted his teeth. However, he couldn’t refuse. The information wasn’t worth risking his and his family’s lives.

“What do you want?”

As expected, he quickly surrendered. I smiled cruelly.

“Do you have any subordinates I can trust with my life?”

The strategy of borrowing a knife to kill wasn’t exclusive to them.

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Baron Debussy’s territory was temporarily undefended. The few village militiamen didn’t dare oppose us and could only watch as we plundered their homes.

“Take only what’s light and valuable! We don’t have space for seeds or household goods!”

I stopped a mercenary who was about to steal seeds meant for planting. I left the humble cottage, ignoring the complex gaze of the wrinkled old woman.

After visiting several villages, the mercenaries were adorned with jewelry like noblewomen, their pockets bulging, and the wagons they pulled were piled high with plunder.

Yet, we were still unsatisfied. I, who had taken the largest share of the loot, was no exception.

On the evening of the seventh day after crossing the border, we reached Melbon, a village famous for its wine production.

Melbon was a large village with over a hundred households. While it lacked walls or even a palisade, a group of soldiers was stationed at the entrance, seemingly waiting for us.

“Militia. Looks like about thirty of them.”

Fiore, riding up beside me, commented. Judging by their lack of proper equipment, they were definitely militia.

The problem was that we only had fifty soldiers. Less than twenty of them were elite mercenaries, and the remaining thirty were the merchants’ and prostitutes’ guards I had hired to make up the numbers.

The latter were no better than the militia, so even if we won, our losses would be significant.

“Is the capital three days from here?”

“Yes. They must have received word by now. This is practically the last place we can plunder.”

There was still plenty of space in the wagons, and my greed, like the mercenaries’, was insatiable.

“Send a messenger demanding their surrender.”

“They’ll try to stall.”

It was a village three days away from the capital. By now, they must have received word of our approach, so they would likely wait for reinforcements.

“Tell them we attack if they don’t surrender by dawn.”

“Alright. I’ll go.”

Fiore rode towards the village, holding a white flag tied to a stick. After exchanging a few words with the militia captain, she returned with a waterskin I hadn’t seen before.

“They’ll decide before dawn.”

I narrowed my eyes and stared at the waterskin. Fiore flinched and subtly hid it behind her back.

“So that’s why you volunteered to be the messenger.”

“Ahem, it would have been rude to refuse. And aren’t you curious about the taste of the wine that’s even supplied to the royal family? I won’t give you any if you keep looking at me like that.”

I raised my hands in mock surrender. Fiore chuckled and hurried into her tent.

“Wine, huh?”

Wine was a rare commodity. I had heard that in the southern continent across the sea, grapes were so abundant that wine was drunk like water, but here, it was a luxury reserved for honored guests.

Even Fiore, a knight’s daughter, didn’t have easy access to it. Moreover, wine had a surprisingly high alcohol content, and Melbon’s wine was known to be even stronger than usual.

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Go get inside the tent brotha!!