Chapter 212 - Knight of the Common People

It was a night of such sorrow in Duke Yurei's domain that even the joyful news of their lord's return paled beside it. In homes with able-bodied fathers, the wails of women about to lose their husbands rang out.

Some soldiers tried to desert with their families, only to be made examples of. They were not the only ones marching to their deaths, leaving their poor families behind.

Perry Yurei's room was silent. He no longer had a wife to weep for him, nor a child to avenge his father in a new land.

He had thought having nothing left would make this easier, but his heart was heavier than anyone's. Again and again, he wondered whether he was dragging innocent people to their deaths, whether there was another way that his narrow vision had failed to see.

But what did it matter? The dice had already been cast. Duke Yurei kept inspecting his arms and armor, trying each time to empty his mind.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Come in."

He assumed it was the duty commander bringing the roll-call report, but to his surprise, William entered instead. The duke spoke scornfully.

"Why have you come here?"

William gripped the scabbard at his waist, then finally sank to his knees.

"... Your Grace."

"Who are you calling Your Grace? I have no time to listen to that from the likes of you. Get out."

"I wish to join the campaign."

"You insulted the man who was to be your liege, and now you play at being a knight?"

"I was a fool. I thought your judgment had grown clouded, that you were simply making foolish decisions. But I was the one whose vision was narrow and whose thinking was shallow."

"I am going to throw away countless soldiers' lives. What could be more foolish than that?"

"Then please allow me to come. What difference would one more life make among so many?"

"..."

"I, too, once served this duchy. Let me die here with honor—"

"William."

Duke Yurei cut him off.

"Yes."

"I go to my death as Duke Yurei. And my knights will die as their duke's knights."

"..."

"You betrayed your liege to save a few dozen commoners. That is your conviction. Will you betray that conviction?"

"What difference does one more betrayal make to a man who has already betrayed someone?"

"William."

William could say nothing. He no longer felt the contempt that had radiated from the duke during their last conversation.

"You came here because... you heard about my conversation with Regent Ferda. Am I right?"

"You are."

"What did he tell you?"

"That you asked him to look after the elderly, the children, and the women who would become refugees. Regent Ferda promised to take them to his domain."

"Yes. That was our agreement."

The duke's expression was bitter.

"Below this castle are children, women, and the elderly. If they fall into enemy hands, they will become slaves or playthings. If they fall into the Demons' hands, they will become demonic creatures or Sigmund's puppets."

"..."

"Regent Ferda may be a damned liar of the worst sort... but I do not believe him so shameless that he knows nothing of a noble's honor. He will keep his promise. But he has no reason to take responsibility for tens of thousands of refugees."

Duke Yurei laid a hand on William's shoulder.

"If we all die, someone must take responsibility for them."

That hand felt unbearably heavy. It carried the weight of all the lives he had borne responsibility for.

"And you are the only person in this castle who has ever led refugees."

"Your Grace..."

"I have lived as a vassal of the Heinkel Kingdom and lord of the Yurei duchy. I shall seek a death worthy of that life. You have become a knight of the common people. Live for them, and die for them."

William could no longer insist. The duke's responsibility now rested on his shoulders. He remained there with his head bowed.

"William."

"Yes."

"Do me one small favor."

"Name it."

"There is no one left to carry on the Yurei line. The Heinkel Kingdom will disappear as well, so we shall vanish forever, without even a place in history."

For a noble, no humiliation was greater than vanishing from history.

"So please take these."

The duke placed the things he had set aside before William: a sword and a chest.

"This sword has been passed down through my family for generations. It is ceremonial, not practical, so do not think of fighting with it."

"Yes..."

"The chest contains our ancestral heirlooms and genealogy."

"... Yes."

"You may sell the heirlooms. They will not fetch much... but sell them if there is an urgent need. Only keep the genealogy until the very end, as the last witness to House Yurei. Can you do that for me?"

"I shall obey."

Holding the things he had been given, William bowed his head once more. Yurei left him be and turned to the window. There was nothing to see but pitch darkness.

"Hestia village, was it? The place in Valdrova's domain?"

"... Yes."

"Is it a decent place to live? I have never been there."

"It is a new village, so there are still plenty of things that do not run smoothly. But the people are good, so we have had no trouble."

"Are you fed well?"

"We are. Regent Ferda and Administrator Isabella take great care of the refugees."

"That is good. They will not go hungry, then."

Duke Yurei smiled bitterly.

* * *

At daybreak, two groups left the castle. One headed toward the capital of the Heinkel Kingdom, the other toward Hestia village.

As someone's father, someone's husband, someone's child disappeared into the distance, the sorrowful echoes of farewell rose once more.

Ferda rode at the head of the procession bound for Hestia. He hoped they could reach it without incident, but the cries of grief had scarcely faded when danger struck.

"Regent."

Zed, who was supposed to be scouting ahead, returned and called to Ferda.

"An army is approaching along our route. What would you have us do?"

"Whose army?"

"It appears to be King Heodret's."

Ferda was still within Duke Yurei's domain. This was a clear incursion. But what consequence would the invaders face? Duke Yurei, the man who ought to hold them accountable, was already marching to his death.

"Could we go around them?"

William asked, but Ferda shook his head.

"They are not blind. There are more than ten thousand of us. They will know where we are going."

If they could not avoid them, they would have to face them.

"We continue on our way. That is all."

A short while later, they met King Heodret's army as expected. As though waiting for Ferda, the army had spread out to display its numbers. The king's herald rode forward and spoke.

"You who stand before the king! These words carry the very presence of Eugene Heodret of the Heodret Kingdom. Kneel, unless your station permits you to stand!"

"I am Ferda Valdrova, fiancé to Lady Valdrova, the great Aspect of Fire. I believe that gives me sufficient reason not to kneel. Would you agree?"

The herald, so bold on his arrival, turned his horse without another word.

Soon afterward, a man on a white horse approached with his royal guard. Judging by the crown, this had to be Eugene Heodret.

"My herald was discourteous, not knowing we had someone of such distinction before us. You might at least have brought an imperial banner."

"The matter was urgent, so I had no time to bring one, King Heodret."

"I can see why you would be in a hurry, carrying off such a string of jewels."

King Heodret smiled as he looked over the refugees. Among the commoners caked in grime were noblemen's daughters and wives.

"Do you know the best way to raise soldiers' morale? Give them women. And noble daughters are the finest of all."

"These are civilians from Duke Yurei's domain."

"You know Duke Yurei owes me a debt, do you not?"

"I do."

"I believe I ought to collect it."

"He anticipated that and told me beforehand. He will leave the duchy's castle intact as payment for the debt."

"An intact castle? Not a bad offer, but..."

King Heodret stroked his chin.

"What use is land alone? Without slaves to farm and work it, it is all worthless."

He seemed determined to obtain a share of the captives one way or another.

"I have a duty to protect and escort these people."

"And we have a duty to collect a debt recognized by the Grand Council."

"Unfortunately, these people cannot serve as payment."

"You are being unreasonable, Regent Ferda. I trust you are not acting so boldly simply because you have your fiancée to rely on."

"I am not being unreasonable. These are the families of men who have left to fight the Demons."

"Demons... you say?"

King Heodret frowned in puzzlement.

"Surely you know better than anyone that the Heinkel Kingdom has been occupied by Demons?"

"That is the public account, yes. A man of your standing would hardly be naive enough to believe such psychological warfare... So there really are Demons, then."

King Heodret looked troubled. If this was a war against Demons, even a document from the Grand Council would not let him lay hands on the combatants' families with impunity. Such was the respect owed to the spirits of the fallen.

"So... there is no room to negotiate?"

"Since His Majesty of Heodret seems to be hard of hearing, allow me to make myself clear."

Ferda's eyes gleamed fiercely. A great beast seemed to lurk behind his cold expression. Those who saw it instinctively reached for their scabbards.

"These are the families left behind by men who have gone to give their lives fighting the Demons, the enemies of this continent. If you wish to lay hands on them, you will have to step over my corpse."

Those around them watched the two men anxiously, fearing that violence might erupt at any moment.

"Hahaha! Duke Yurei has used his head for once. He always reacted so emotionally to our provocations that I thought him a fool."

He raised his hands in surrender.

"Take them all. I have no wish to bring a curse upon my kingdom by meddling with the families of men dying for their country. I shall content myself with the castle His Grace has left behind."

"You have my gratitude."

"We are not entirely without shame, after all. Now, let us see."

King Heodret beckoned an aide over. At his instructions, the aide went to the wagons behind them and brought three forward.

"I shall leave you three wagons of provisions. We brought ample supplies for a siege, but now we have no need of them. I hope you will consider this payment of the balance."

Three wagons... It was far too little to cover the balance, but a procession this large could not afford to be choosy. Ferda quietly accepted King Heodret's goodwill.

"The road ahead will be difficult, will it not? I could spare a few soldiers to escort you."

"That will not be necessary."

"Yes, I thought as much."

King Heodret gave orders to the commanders behind him.

"Move out! We must occupy the castle before those sneaky imperial bastards get their hands on it!"

King Heodret's great army picked up its pace, leaving the refugees behind. Ferda's procession also began moving again.

Ferda glanced at William. He could not take his eyes off King Heodret's column, his face a mixture of regret and indignation.

"Let it go. You could not have defended the castle even if you had stayed."

"... Forgive me."

William turned away and lowered his eyes to the ground. He considered closing them, but thought that would only make it harder to stop thinking about it. Instead, he stared endlessly at the ground where his horse would next set its hooves.

He thought and thought. But no matter how often he turned it over in his mind, he could find no answer.

"Regent."

"What is it?"

"Do you... still think I am worthy of being a knight?"

"There is a saying: even a worthy man may not be allowed to be a knight, and even an unworthy man may have to be one. Do you know what that means?"

"That a position is not a burden we take up only when it suits us."

The words suited William's present situation all too well. To offer to take responsibility only now—he was ashamed of himself.

Ferda added a few words for William, who would be thinking along those lines.

"You were a knight from the very beginning."

Like it or not, that was what it meant to be a knight.