Surviving as a Knight in a Trash Game

Chapter 152

Gulp.

Marat swallowed nervously as he watched the knight approach them.

Though their numbers weren't that large, the spirit of each knight was considerable.

They had been overshadowed by the colossal reputation of Karl, but the capabilities of the Lighthouse Knights, having survived numerous life-or-death battlefields, had risen to a level that ordinary knight orders could not aspire to.

“Ahem… We were about to handle this, but thank you. I am Basharov, commander of the Changong Knights.”

“Rogério, Vice-Commander of the Lighthouse Knights.”

Having learned by observing Karl over his shoulder, Rogério now spoke in a manner similar to Karl.

“The movements of your members are truly excellent; as expected of the Lighthouse Knights, whose fame has recently spread across the continent.”

“We are still at a novice level.”

“I hear you came to support our East this time?”

“That is correct. The Uruk bastards have flocked here. They are so strong and dangerous that our Lord feared the East might be in peril.”

“…There’s no way we would be in danger from mere Uruk bastards, but still, we appreciate the support.”

Marat turned away, taking Rogério's words with a hint of displeasure.

“Thanks to you, the ones here have been eliminated, so let's go to the Lord's castle together for now. By the way, it seems Count Karl hasn't come?”

“Our Lord said he would personally check the Uruks’ settlement and then come.”

“…Alone?”

“That's right. It's safest when the Lord moves alone.”

From the short exchange, Marat could somewhat infer how strong Karl might be.

The numerous Uruk hordes.

The confidence to scout a settlement mixed with Uruks, perhaps even equal to Master-grade Knights, alone was a choice that no ordinary strong person could make.

Moreover.

‘There’s no sign of nervousness or worry at all.’

From Rogério's natural reaction, it was clear that this wasn't the first or second time something like this had happened.

Marat thought that the protagonist of the exaggerated heroic tales might actually match the stories somewhat.

***

“Welcome, I welcome the visit of the great knights.”

Duke Yevgeny, with a broad smile, greeted the knights who entered the castle with a kind laugh.

His smiling face was so natural and comfortable that not a single trace of insincerity could be felt.

‘His intentions are inscrutable.’

Though one couldn't glean much information from a first impression, Rogério could immediately sense that the Duke before him was a very dangerous man.

“You're a man of few words, I see. That's fine. Make yourselves comfortable. Ah, did Lord Karl say he would come later?”

“Yes, our Lord said he would first check the Uruks' main camp and then come.”

“Indeed, a man who does not fall short of his great fame. Please, eat well. The food of our domain is quite famous for being delicious.”

The banquet prepared by Duke Yevgeny for the Lighthouse Knights continued late into the night in a rather enjoyable atmosphere.

The prepared alcohol and food were delicious enough for the Duke to boast about, and at times, when noble ladies of the East approached and smiled at the knights, the hearts of the still young knights fluttered.

Of course, all situations that could potentially lead to an incident were well controlled by Rogério and the team leader-grade knights and above.

It was at some point during the ongoing banquet.

Though no one had said anything, a strange silence suddenly fell over the banquet hall.

Even though the music of the performers filling the hall and the chatter of people continued, the nobles present, feeling as if they had heard something like footsteps, unknowingly glanced towards the door.

Then, at some moment, the huge doors of the banquet hall slowly opened, and in the silence of everyone, a man walked into the hall.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The man, walking at a speed neither too fast nor too slow, neither too loud nor too grating to the ears, had jet-black hair and unfathomably dark eyes.

Karl, dressed in strangely elegant but sophisticated black attire they had never seen before, with the handsome features of a man with strong lines, had a somewhat beast-like aura.

If the Karl in the stories had the feel of a more kind and warm, typical protagonist, the Count Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer in reality was a beast with an aura that made it difficult to approach him carelessly.

“…”

The moment Duke Yevgeny first saw Karl, he was strangely shocked.

‘This is… well beyond imagination, isn't it.’

For a moment, the Duke wondered if, in trying to eliminate the tiger named Ellenhower, he had ended up raising a dragon.

Since Duke Yevgeny himself had actively pushed for support towards the Arthur Domain, he thought that day's decision might have been quite wrong.

“Welcome, Count Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer. Welcome to Volkov Castle.”

Whatever his inner thoughts, Yevgeny approached Karl politely with his usual benevolent smile.

“If I had known Lord Karl would attend the banquet, I would have started it a little later.”

“Now is just right. This is enough.”

Karl lifted a bottle of alcohol from the banquet table, filled a glass, and took a swig.

“I have some decent liquor; would you care for another glass?”

“Good.”

“Originally, subordinates most enjoy it when their superiors are absent. Looking over there, it seems your knights are the same.”

As he said, the members of the Lighthouse Knights, who had been enjoying the banquet with the most comfortable faces in the world just a moment ago, were now so alert that it was hard to find any sign of intoxication after Karl appeared.

Chuckles.

Karl, who had been looking at his members for a moment, smiled and followed Duke Yevgeny.

Trickle.

With the clear, melodious sound of a glass being filled, the rich aroma of high-quality whiskey spread throughout the room.

“Pluto the 10th. It's a rare liquor, only one bottle in the world. I, too, couldn't bring myself to open it because it was so precious. But since a special guest has arrived today, I opened it.”

If it was true that there was only one bottle in the world, it was a precious liquor that even the Emperor could no longer obtain.

Smelling its fragrance, Karl thought that the Duke before him might actually be a very good person.

Karl, who had been enjoying the aroma while holding a very small amount in his mouth, swallowed the liquor, and the smooth passage down his throat and the scent of whiskey spreading throughout his body felt as if it were melting him.

“Ha, Lord Karl is indeed a man who knows and drinks his liquor well.”

Duke Yevgeny also tasted the liquor, tilting his glass carefully as if handling a worldly treasure.

“Lord Karl, why on earth have you come here?”

The Duke's question, coming after the good liquor, was quite direct.

Others on opposing sides of the Duke might have been considerably flustered by his question, but Karl had no reason to be.

“I came to help.”

“…Lord Karl, I am not a three-year-old child. As you well know, Lord, behind my smile, there is always another Yevgeny.”

“There is no other reason. I truly came to help.”

“…”

Yevgeny studied Karl's eyes.

No falsehood was felt.

He himself could manage such an act.

However, strangely, there was a sense of trust in Karl's words.

“Strange. I don't trust people. But this is truly strange.”

Yevgeny shook his head as he poured liquor into Karl's empty glass.

“What is the Count's goal?”

“To survive. That one thing. Now, my people must live too.”

“…”

It was strange; the man named Karl Meyer before him was truly strange.

His words were filled with truth.

Yevgeny, who had lived for a very long time in politics and as a high noble, was sure of it.

And he felt that Karl was by no means a human like himself.

An eccentric. A monster.

Yevgeny could also somewhat feel why Ellenhower had left Karl alone.

The man before him was by no means someone who would strive for power.

A hero created by the era.

A person sent down because a chaotic world needed him.

That was Karl.

The heroes who appeared in stories, in legends, were always people created because their era needed them.

“The number of Uruks stationed in the East is large. Even if we provide support, their numbers are still overwhelmingly large. We will move the Changong Knights and the Water Buffalo Knights. 5,000 troops from the East will also join.”

In the middle of Duke Yevgeny's words, Karl recounted the results of his reconnaissance.

“The Uruks here in the East and the Blue Fire Uruk Tribe have not yet properly coordinated. It seemed they also have their own internal power struggles.”

“So, it's an opportunity.”

“That's right.”

Clink.

Their glasses clinked together again.

“We must strike now, while their coordination and command structure are not yet firm.”

“It would be best to dispatch troops in three days.”

“Good.”

“Please join us with the Changong Knights, two hundred mercenaries, and 1,000 troops. I will command the rest.”

Karl nodded at his words.

Thus, their drinking session continued for quite a long time.

“Next time, it would be nice to get some liquor from the Arthur Domain.”

“At that time, I will repay you for the liquor you served.”

“That would be good too.”

Duke Yevgeny was lost in thought for a moment after Karl left.

‘Have I ever brought out my inner thoughts like this before?’

Yevgeny, the most powerful man in the East and the de facto ruler of the central and eastern political spheres, felt a sense of relief for the first time in a very long time.

As someone who always wore a mask when dealing with people, he had never shown such a sincere side to anyone before.

‘Why?’

However, he felt there was no need to show falsehood to Karl.

The Karl he sensed was by no means a man who would betray him.

“Perhaps…”

Could he become a friend, something Yevgeny had never had in his life?

Now, having reached an age where he was looking towards his mid-forties, he was captivated by a strange sentiment at the fact that he had met someone to whom he could show his true self for the first time.

***

“Commander, it's not that we lack troops, but can we really catch them with this many?”

The personnel the Lighthouse Knights received as support were 300 from the Changong Knights, 200 mercenary knights recruited from the domain, and 1,000 of Yevgeny's troops.

The numbers weren't insufficient, but it couldn't be said to be an ample number to wage an all-out war against the 2,000 Uruks.

“It's enough.”

The number of knights was a staggering 650.

When had Karl ever fought a battle with such a number of personnel?

Karl, who had always fought in difficult and poor environments, thought this was a sufficient number.

Just as he was in the middle of a conversation with Rogério, a knight rode his horse and approached Karl's side.

“Ahem… ahem… Lord. Please leave this fight to us.”

The man who approached spoke to Karl hesitantly with a somewhat awkward face.

Even though Marat, as the commander of the Changong Knights, could hold his head high anywhere on the continent, he couldn't shake the feeling of being small in front of the presence of Karl.

“Our personnel number a staggering 500. The rest are also Eastern troops, so it would be better for establishing a command system if we take command and the Lighthouse Knights provide support.”

“Even Duke Yevgeny, your lord, acknowledged our Lord's strategic command. Did you not hear?”

“I heard, but I wonder if command from an outsider, who has no understanding of our troops, will be properly heeded.”

Rogério recounted Yevgeny's message, but Marat was being needlessly prideful.

Karl nodded at Marat, who was looking at him with his head held stiffly.

“Then you shall command. I will take the knights and move separately.”

It wasn't entirely wrong.

Even if Karl spoke, the command wouldn't be properly executed anyway.

It was also ridiculous for these knights, 300 of them all nobles, with the added pride of being a renowned knight order on the continent, to be commanded by Karl, with whom they had no connection at all.

Seeing Karl hand over command more readily than expected, Marat awkwardly offered his thanks and returned to the Changong Knights' encampment.

“..Will it be alright, my Lord?”

“What's not to be alright?”

“Can they truly face that Blue Fang?”

“They won't be able to.”

“…?”

Why did the Lord hand over command to them, knowing they wouldn't succeed?

“Even if I'm stubborn, will they listen to me? No way. Rather than moving with a plan destined to fail from the start, it's better to assume they will fail and move separately.”

“…”

Rogério could somewhat read Karl's intentions.

The most dangerous moment on the battlefield was facing an unpredictable situation, so Karl was preemptively trying to eliminate such a risk.

“Go and hear what plans the Changong Knights are making. We will move accordingly.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

A few days later, the Changong Knights received intelligence that the Uruks had split into two groups and were attacking the eastern region.