Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 62
62. Childhood Friends - Jewel
A stone bridge wide enough for two carriages to barely pass each other. On it, a knight of the proud Tertan family and an older knight with long, unkempt black hair blowing in the wind stood facing each other.
Tadian Ropero, the head knight and captain of the Tertan family’s guard, drew his sword and shouted.
“Bart! I knew you would come!”
He raised his sword high to signal the knights guarding the carriage.
The knight called Bart spoke to the knights with him.
“Kill all of the duke's henchmen.”
At his growling, rough voice, the other six knights threw off their helmets, which they had worn as a disguise.
Disgracefully deprived of helmets and armor, the knights charged with madness in their eyes.
The reason there were so many knights guarding Philas Tertan was because of these bastards. They were the ones who raided the duchy once or twice a year, causing terror.
Confident of an easy victory, Tadian extended his thick sword forward. His opponent dragged a pathetically worn-out sword behind him.
The blade was battered and dulled to the point that it seemed incapable of cutting anything. Only the tip of the long blade remained sharp.
Tadian mocked Bart's shabby sword and ridiculous stance.
Holding a two-handed sword with just one hand and dragging it on the ground... Uniquely, the opponent raised his left hand, waving it as if to check him.
“Your swordsmanship has become as pathetic as your appearance, Bart.”
Though he provoked, the opponent did not react. Bart simply moved his toes to close the distance.
Ten years ago, they had been evenly matched. Though Tadian mocked, he did not relax his guard.
He launched a cautious attack to prepare for any possible outcome,
“Haaah!”
With a yell, Bart lifted the sword he had been dragging and struck like lightning.
- Clang!
His sword struck near the handle of Tadian’s sword with great force.
Despite tilting his sword to absorb the blow, Tadian was surprised by the vibrating impact and took a step back.
This was not the skill of the man he used to know. Bart’s sword was much faster and stronger than he remembered.
As Tadian hurriedly tried to steady his vibrating sword, his opponent gave him no respite.
Bart gripped his sword with both hands and thrust it forward.
“You bastard!”
Startled by the drastically stronger attack, Tadian was no ordinary knight either. As the guard knight protecting the heir of the Tertan family, he had long since established his own swordsmanship.
Tadian’s swordsmanship was rooted in the basics. He had practiced slashing thousands of times, pouring every muscle fiber into each strike.
Grasping his vibrating sword, he stamped his left foot hard on the ground. Gathering all his strength from his foot, knee, thigh, pelvis, waist, back, shoulder, and arm, he struck down.
“Hah!”
But then, Tadian’s eyes widened in shock.
His opponent maintained the thrust, but used his left hand to push the blade Tadian had struck down with the back of his hand, changing its direction.
“Urgh! This is impossible...!”
Tadian's deflected sword cut through the air, and Bart’s thrusting blade pierced through a gap in Tadian’s armor, stabbing into his abdomen.
Even then, Tadian tried to retrieve his sword to counterattack. But Bart pressed close, giving him no space.
“How... how did you...!”
Tadian spoke with blood dripping from his mouth, but Bart, deeming his words worthless, repeatedly stabbed him. His insides gradually turned to shreds.
- Skuhk- Skuhk-
The chilling sound of the blade scraping through the gaps in his armor echoed.
Tadian Ropero, groaning in agony, eventually lost his voice, and Bart, withdrawing his blood-stained sword, pushed away the body leaning on him.
- Revenge
Though one of his grudges was settled, Bart felt no joy. He had a mission that he must complete even if it cost his entire remaining life.
With eyes burning with madness, he chased after the six knights who had run ahead. Howling as if thirsting for blood, he too charged forward.
Hearing the carriage stop and the sound of weapons being drawn, Philas Tertan opened the carriage door and asked.
“What’s going on?”
“Young master! Please stay inside. We are under attack, but we will handle it. Lock the door just in case.”
Though curious about the situation, Philas changed his mind upon seeing the grave look on the knight’s face.
Since watching wouldn’t change the situation, it was better not to bother the knights.
As Philas closed the door, the knight who had reported to him watched the front.
A little further away, Tadian Ropero was confronting a knight, and six knights, mistaken for soldiers, were charging menacingly.
The knight, temporarily in command due to the absence of the captain, reformed the line.
The stone bridge was not very wide, so he arranged the knights in a horizontal line and placed the soldiers behind them.
The difference in numbers was significant.
It was unclear what gave the other side the confidence to charge like moths to a flame, but there were sixteen knights on this side.
“Stop those lunatics. Kill them if necessary.”
The knights and soldiers, who had formed a simple formation, drew their weapons.
A fight where the carriage escort’s victory seemed easy.
However, once the crazed knights started swinging their swords, the situation became urgent.
The knights in the front line were gradually pushed back. They were able to hold out only because they wore armor.
“Get a grip! It’s just six of them!”
The knight temporarily in command shouted, but his cries did nothing to change the situation.
The crazy knights, who charged without armor against fifteen knights and thirty soldiers, were each exceptional fighters.
They showcased their unique swordsmanship against the soldiers and knights. They were skilled enough to earn considerable respect in any royal knight order.
It wasn’t that the knights of the Tertan Duke were lacking in skill.
Typically, the knights of ordinary noble families were somewhat inferior compared to the royal knights.
However, the Tertan Duke was no ordinary noble family.
The Tertan Duke, a renowned martial family of the Conrad Kingdom, had knights whose skills were on par with the royal knights.
Even so, they were being easily overwhelmed because all of those crazy knights were far superior to regular knights.
At that moment, Bart, who had swiftly killed Tadian Ropero, joined his comrades. With that, the formation, which had barely held on by numbers, collapsed helplessly.
Bart cut down one knight or three soldiers with each strike.
‘This… This is impossible! I must get the young master to safety…!’
The temporary commander tried to escape, but the soldiers stationed at the rear were in disarray, preventing him from retreating.
He was killed by the crazy knights’ swords.
“Scream! Run away!”
Someone’s shout became the signal for several soldiers to abandon their swords and flee.
Guarding a noble was only possible while they were alive. The monsters before them were easily cutting down even the most gallant knights, so the soldiers had no chance against them.
“Chase them down and kill them all!”
At Bart's command, the six knights engaged in what could no longer be called a fight but a massacre. Blood droplets rained down into the gently flowing river below the stone bridge.
As his comrades charged ahead, Bart passed the first carriage.
The first carriage in a procession never carried a noble. It usually contained the noble’s daily necessities.
He stood beside the second carriage.
A carriage bearing the detestable red shield of the Tertan family. The duke's grandchild must be in this one.
Bart did not politely bow or touch the door to open it. He raised his worn-out sword and swung it.
- Bang! Bang! Bang!
With one swing, the carriage door rattled, the upper hinge flew off, with a second swing, the door was half-destroyed, revealing the interior. With the third swing, the lower hinge flew off, and the door crashed down.
Inside was a young noble trying to maintain composure with a pale face. He spoke with a trembling but dignified voice.
“What is the meaning of this! If you are a knight, show the proper etiquette expected of one!”
Philas Tertan did not beg for his life. He merely scolded the knight for his rudeness.
Bart sneered.
“I am no knight.”
Before he finished speaking, his dull blade pierced Philas's throat.
- Revenge
After killing the duke’s grandson, Bart faintly smiled. It was still far from enough, but he had severed a descendant of the Tertan family.
‘Duke Tertan... let’s see how long you stay holed up in the capital.’
He flicked Philas's clean blood from his blade and turned away.
The revenge was not yet complete.
Just then, he saw a young lady descending from the third carriage, which bore a blue lion emblem.
‘The daughter of Marquis Guidan.’
The reason Bart and his comrades could raid the Tertan family like this was all thanks to the young lady of the Gaidan Marquis family.
If not for matters related to such a marriage arrangement, the duke’s grandson would never have come out here.
Bart, who had obtained information late, had raced north from the southern port city of Noyar where they had been hiding, and managed to confront the returning duke’s grandson just in time.
He was truly lucky. Lucky to have obtained the information, and lucky to have timed it perfectly.
“Philas! Philas!”
Seeing the carriage door fallen, the young lady cried out, pale with fear. She lifted her long skirts with both hands and ran.
It seemed she couldn’t see Bart. After all, a noble lady was always free from the threat of blades.
Bart intended to ignore the young lady of the Guidan family and pass by.
He only glanced at the passing lady, but then... his entire body’s hair stood on end.
The crimson jewel hanging over her chest caught his attention.
- Destroy it.
An ominous feeling.
That must be destroyed!
Driven by an inexplicable urge, he blocked the lady’s waist with his left arm as she passed by.
Harie Guidan, who was running frantically, found her waist grabbed by a thick arm.
Looking up, she saw a knight with sparse beard growth and small scars on his gaunt face, rudely staring at her chest with his black eyes.
Harie shouted fiercely.
“How dare you touch a lady without permission! What is the meaning of this! Remove your arm at once!”
“...Where did you get that necklace?”
“What? Aren’t you a knight? I am the daughter of the Guidan family! If you are a knight, address me with respect. No, remove your arm at once before that!”
Bart felt no need for further words and placed his hand on Harie’s chest. He roughly tore off the necklace and spoke.
“I am not a knight.”
Then he looked at the jewel hanging from the necklace. The light it emitted constantly changed direction as if something was inside.
What is this? Why does it feel so ominous?
After staring blankly at the jewel for a moment, he shook his head and began walking briskly.
Harie, furious at the absurd situation, felt a surge of anger but quickly ran, thinking of Philas.
More important than that necklace was Philas...
The carriage door... blood beneath the door...!
Inside...
In the carriage was Philas Tertan, his throat pierced and his gentle smile lost.
A noblewoman's wail echoed behind the bloodstained knight.