Chapter 125:Release The Dog (3)

The weary and wounded soldiers couldn’t stay in Runte for long.

It was because the village was small.

It was the limit of a settlement on the outskirts of the territory, especially at the barren northern end.

Clearly, there were many soldiers who needed treatment, but the village didn’t have the space to accommodate them for rest.

Nearly a hundred men died in this territory war. And they were young men, with all their limbs intact.

It was a time when manpower was precious.

If they lingered like this, even those who barely survived would be in danger.

“Let’s return to Belam.”

So, Lord Lothar hurried the return to Belam.

No one raised objections. All the knights wanted to return to their respective fiefs.

The fiefs might have been running well on their own while the knights were away, but if that period became too long, the knights’ influence would diminish.

They couldn’t ignore the influence of the village elders.

Besides, even knights got tired if the territory war dragged on for too long.

In the midst of all this, they didn’t skip the celebratory drinking party for the victory.

Of course, Keldric, worried about inflammation of his wounds, didn’t touch a drop. At most, he took a few sips of wine to wet his throat.

In other words, it also meant that the other knights, who didn’t have to worry about inflammation, got completely drunk.

“Ugh…”

“…Are you alright?”

Lord Henri’s body, perched on the warhorse, swayed from side to side.

Keldric watched Lord Henri with a dubious look.

No matter how strong and physically fit a knight was, whether or not they were a heavy drinker was a separate matter.

Even considering that, Lord Henri wasn’t someone who couldn’t drink. Rather, he was among those who could drink well.

Originally, if one was a cheap person who was crazy about women and pleasure, they couldn’t possibly be weak to alcohol.

Yet, if Lord Henri was struggling with a hangover, the other knights were beyond help.

“Guh…”

“Ah, Lord Henri!”

Lord Henri, swaying on the horse, covered his mouth. Thanks to that, only his attendants suffered.

Lord Henri, who almost threw up, disappeared from Keldric’s sight, and soon the sound of splattering could be heard.

Keldric was even more miserable because of the sour smell. His appetite vanished.

As he tore off a piece of jerky and tried to slip it into his pouch, he suddenly felt something in his pouch.

Pulling it out, there was a canine tooth that seemed to belong to an animal.

A pure white canine tooth.

If it were from an animal that ate raw meat, the root would usually be yellowed, but the one in Keldric’s hand had none of that.

It wasn’t surprising.

This was what Keldric had been holding in his hand, just like before, after waking up from the dream with the wolf demon.

‘Is it okay to just pull out a tooth?’

Keldric was doubtful. But he wasn’t in a position to worry about a demon.

For the past few days, what had been bothering Keldric was none other than the conversation with that demon.

He remembered everything it had babbled, but he couldn’t understand even half of it.

Was I this ignorant?

Keldric had come to doubt his own level of knowledge.

However, unless one had theological knowledge, it was inevitable that their mind would reject such words.

Since that day’s conversation, which was difficult to understand, he hadn’t been able to meet the demon at all.

He would just close his eyes and open them to morning.

Thanks to that, headache-filled days had continued. Keldric gripped the canine tooth tightly.

He didn’t entrust it to a priest or throw it away like before. He thought it might be useful somewhere.

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The journey back to Belam was smooth.

The march was slightly slower due to the injured, but there was no one blocking their path.

That was because the territory war was already half over.

The reason it was half over was because Baron Gottfried had been captured, and the reason the other half wasn’t over was, paradoxically, because Baron Gottfried had been captured.

Baron Gottfried was basically a legitimate lord.

Moreover, he was a lord approved by the Emperor.

Therefore, the one who should accept the defeat of the territory war was Baron Gottfried, but it was uncertain whether he would accept the harsh consequences of defeat as they were.

“My father said he’s coming to Belam.”

Because of that, Baron Yaben, who had been constantly ailing, got out of bed.

In the midst of all this, there was nothing Keldric could do upon returning to Belam.

Confiscating another baron’s title and territory was a matter for high-ranking nobles to discuss.

Keldric could interject and add comments regarding the distribution of rewards, but basically, the issue of title and territory transfer was complicated.

However, it was necessary for Keldric, as the person involved, to know the detailed progress of the matter.

“He’ll probably have to cede the Ramdas Plains area and Quindal.”

It was something the two barons and Count Bogenberg would discuss separately, but Lord Lothar, Baron Yaben’s son, made a highly reliable guess.

Keldric stared seriously at the map, which still seemed roughly drawn.

Ramdas Plains, and Quindal, a clay-producing village at the eastern end of Baron Gottfried’s territory.

Baron Yaben seemed to want these two places. Their size was not small. If you considered it, it was quite large.

Keldric retraced the Ramdas Plains he had seen before.

A vast plain covered in snow.

A river flowed alongside it, but crop cultivation was impossible due to the harsh cold and snow.

However, fishing through the river was possible.

There was also a fortress nearby. That would also fall into Baron Yaben’s hands.

Besides, Quindal was a village that mined and processed clay.

Since clay was a relatively common and cheap material, its value was relatively low. There was an advantage in cheaply producing things like tableware, but…

‘It can’t be helped.’

What could he do? It was awkward for Keldric to back out.

No matter how great Keldric’s achievements were, in the end, it was Baron Yaben who had endured the most losses.

It was only natural that compensation matching those losses should be given. Ramdas Plains and Quindal were adequate compensation.

“Of course, this will only become clear when my father comes. Just listen to it for reference.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

The conversation was briefly interrupted. It was Keldric who broke the awkward silence.

“Lord Lothar. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

“Hmm? What…?”

“About Baron Gottfried. I think we need to extract information from him.”

Keldric was constantly bothered by what the demon had said.

He couldn’t understand any of the other words, but one thing was clear.

‘In some way, he’s connected to that flame mark.’

Baron Gottfried might have some kind of connection with the flame mark, and furthermore, with those who worship that mark.

It was better to refrain from unnecessary suspicion, but if he assumed that, the story fit too well.

Baron Gottfried had basically been plotting like a henchman of Count Lassau.

If that Count Lassau was trying to hinder Count Bogenberg, who was obstructing him, then Zamash and Jacober’s actions would have been the most secretive and effective.

And coincidentally, the flame mark they had was also on the mage belonging to Baron Gottfried’s army.

“Extract information? What do you mean?”

“That’s…”

Keldric briefly summarized and explained that story.

He cut out the information that needed to be cut out, and glossed over the story related to the wolf demon in a plausible way.

As he continued to explain in that way, Lord Lothar’s face was soon filled with astonishment.

“How could such a thing… Is that true?”

“I swear to God, there are no lies.”

It was true. He didn’t lie. He just glossed over it.

“Good heavens… Oh, God…”

Lord Lothar clasped his hands together and began to mutter something. He was reciting a prayer.

Although his theological knowledge was meager, it was a fitting appearance for a time deeply intertwined with religion.

“Then, if that’s really the case… Count Bogenberg might not have to make a big deal out of it.”

Lord Lothar swallowed hard and said. Keldric didn’t understand at all.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s just as I said. If he’s connected to something heretical, as you said, the Church will raise hell. Then the process of you taking over the title will be smooth.”

In other words, it was like creating a good justification.

In fact, even for Count Bogenberg, it must have been quite burdensome to depose a baron who was properly maintaining his title.

However, if Baron Gottfried was connected to something evil and heretical, it was virtually a smooth process.

“The treatment of Baron Gottfried and his family will also be certain.”

“Execution?”

“No, not that… We have to protect his authority. It’s too barbaric.”

Lord Lothar made a sullen expression. Keldric was dumbfounded.

‘Since when have you been so gentlemanly…?’

It was an era where even if thousands of heretics were massacred, it wouldn’t be considered a massacre.

Since it was a major crime to be connected to such things, Keldric thought he would probably be killed.

“He’ll either change his oath of allegiance under Count Bogenberg… or be sent to a monastery. It might be better to just die than that.”

Monastery.

For fallen nobles, it was another name for prison.

Once you entered, you often couldn’t get out for the rest of your life. You had to live repenting until you died.

The Church seemed displeased with using the sacred and holy monastery as a mere tool of punishment, but they actually liked it if the nobles

‘donated’ an appropriate amount of money.

“A monastery would be appropriate to eliminate future troubles.”

“What about his family?”

“Baron Gottfried’s family… you have to decide their treatment.”

Whether to send them to a monastery as well, or give them a small village somewhere and let them live quietly.

According to Lord Lothar, most people chose the latter.

And there were hardly any cases where the family vowed revenge.

“They consider themselves lucky to be alive. Since they were connected to heresy.”

Keldric nodded calmly.

This seemed like an issue to think deeply about.

In the first place, it was a bit of a fuss to be doing this before even receiving the title.

“And…”

Suddenly, Lord Lothar, who slowly opened his mouth, trailed off. Keldric blinked quietly.

“Yes?”

“…Thank you again. You saved my life. And Lord Rutger’s life too.”

“It was nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing. Keldric’s head was throbbing because of the pain from the arrow wound.

But he couldn’t act pathetic and lose face. A cheap person comes from cheap actions.

Keldric wasn’t a cheap person. He didn’t want to be either.

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Baron Gottfried was assigned a guest room inside Belam Castle, considering his authority.

Of course, the soldiers who stood guard in front of it, taking turns, couldn’t be helped.

“He’s staying in a better place than I thought.”

“Hmm…”

Keldric visited the place with Alyssa. It was to ask about the flame mark.

At the same time, he wanted to see Alyssa’s reaction. It was possible that the mage Alyssa was looking for was deeply involved.

After dismissing the soldiers for a moment and entering the room, there was Baron Gottfried, lying down comfortably and taking a nap.

The sound of snoring echoed. Keldric’s brow furrowed.

‘What the hell…?’

He had suffered consecutive defeats in the territory war and had been beaten to a pulp, but he was sleeping well in the midst of all this.

Baron Gottfried, who had been beaten by Keldric, wasn’t in good shape.

His ribs were fractured, and his nose was broken, so a prominent barber from Belam had to come and reset his nose bone.

Even that wasn’t done with any particular expertise, so it took quite a few trials and errors.

However, at least Baron Gottfried, who was in front of Keldric, looked quite fine on the outside. Except for the occasional twitching and mumbling in his sleep.

“Ugh…”

As if having a bad dream, Baron Gottfried groaned.

Keldric nudged Baron Gottfried’s shoulder with his fist, and he jolted awake, shuddering as if in a spasm.

“Ugh, ughaaack!”

Keldric involuntarily glanced at Alyssa. Alyssa, too, blinked her big eyes adorably, meeting Keldric’s gaze.

‘What is he doing?’

‘I don’t know.’

As their silent conversation briefly continued, Baron Gottfried, who had mostly woken up, finally noticed Keldric.

“Y-you are…”

“I regret meeting you like this, Gottfried.”

“…..”

“Our relationship may not be the best, but I came because I have something important to discuss.”

Baron Gottfried’s face twisted in humiliation.

He was reminded of the day he was beaten to a pulp in the rain.

Regardless, Keldric pretended to be nonchalant and took out something wrapped tightly in linen.

The moment it was unwrapped, revealing its form.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Do you know what this is?”

Keldric saw it.

The moment he saw the disc with the distinct flame pattern, Baron Gottfried’s eyes trembled violently.

“….Hic.”

And Alyssa, who had started hiccuping strangely, too.