Luke swallowed dryly at the unexpected suggestion. Not Luke, but Luke’s knight as his successor. At first glance, this is the worst suggestion.
No matter how much he signed a lifetime contract, Ray is a knight under Luke. It couldn’t be nice to see the appearance of being more successful than the monarch.
If not, the oath may be broken and the relationship between the ruler and the subject may be distorted.
‘It was obviously a method that the first emperor often used.’
A vicious way to strengthen the imperial authority by destroying the relationship between a competent vassal and the monarch, and making them enemies.
However, all of this turns into an overwhelming advantage if only one condition is met.
‘The absolute loyalty of the subordinate knights.’
If you continue to give absolute loyalty even if you rise above your lord. If you want to use everything you have gained for your master.
It is not the worst proposal that ruins the relationship between the ruler and the subject, but it is changed to the best proposal.
And Luke was convinced. If it were Ray, he would definitely be a knight who would write all of that for himself.
“I don’t know how far you are going. But no matter how small it is, it won’t be under the margin. Wouldn’t it be bad to get a powerful vassal in advance?”
It was a bold statement. To think that a family of counts close to the losers of the West would proudly declare that they would be under someone’s command in the future.
It was tantamount to handing over the family name to eat it openly. Luke quietly closed his eyes.
‘No matter how you look at it, it’s a trap, but the bait looks so appetizing.’
This is Count Valdemar, who took the four families of the West for granted. No matter how big a person like that seems to grow, you want to go under someone else?
Clearly there was something up. However, the Count’s offer was attractive enough to bet on even after all the scheming.
“By the way, what if Sir Ray accepts?”
“How is it? I should immediately take her as my adopted daughter and announce the successor.”
“With the war not over?”
“On the contrary, shouldn’t we hurry even more? There is a possibility that I may be wrong.”
At every glance, the count offered Luke an advantageous offer. If this was true, there was nothing to lose by asking.
“All right. I will tell Sir Ray.”
“Oh oh! Will you do that?”
“But if Lord Ray refuses, I can’t help it.”
“It doesn’t matter. Please, just deliver it well.”
I left a hole to fall through, but the count did not erase his smile. It seemed that it was almost done.
“I am really glad that the conversation went well. I’m thinking of making a separate present for you as well.”
“A gift?”
“You’ll know when you see it.”
mate.
The Count clapped his hands twice, and two servants dragged someone in from outside.
Luke’s eyes widened at the sight of someone slumped helplessly on the floor.
‘Isn’t that the elf we fought yesterday?’
It was also the female elf who seemed to be the commander. However, her appearance was completely different from yesterday.
The rune-engraved leather armor was replaced with a thin silk garment, and there were cuts on the wrists and ankles that looked like they had cut a tendon.
“It is a gift to you. How about it, do you like it?”
“Go, Your Excellency… … !”
Luke looked at the count with a moved face. elf slave. I had heard of it, but I never thought I would see it in person.
“Thank you very much, Your Excellency! I never thought I would receive such a gift!”
“Heh heh, I’d be so happy. I should have given you a present right away.”
The Count chuckled and patted Luke on the shoulder as he stood up.
“Please tell Sir Ray well. A bribe of my own.”
“Is it possible, Your Excellency!”
“hahahahaha, I’ve been holding on too long. Now, go to your inn and get some rest!”
“Okay, see you tomorrow then.”
Luke immediately left the room with the elf. The female elf tried to resist in her own way, but it was of no use because her sinews were severed.
As soon as Luke disappeared and the door closed, the count’s eyes grew cold.
“Tsk, was he a child who was swayed by lust after all?”
The count himself, whom he had only admired for the first time, was laughable. But now that I know what I want, it becomes more manageable.
‘Anyway, with this, I can definitely keep him in the war.’
As long as you accept that gift, you won’t be able to get out of it even if you try. Now Luke will be used as one of the Count’s horses.
The Count laughed coldly at Luke and took a glass of wine. All that was left was to wait for the war to come.
* * *
“… Is that why you took this elf?”
“Because it is.”
Max stared back and forth between the elf and Luke with a stunned face. His ferocious eyes were filled with murderous intent that would kill him at any moment.
Seeing the elf not fainting at all, Bruno laughed.
“Did your lord like a woman like this?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ah, you know. A woman with thorns rather than a modest woman… Keck!”
fast.
Stars twinkled in Bruno’s eyes, who were talking in the middle of the day. Ray, who picked up a wooden cup from the side and threw it, muttered with an expression of no regret.
“Oops, you missed the cup by mistake.”
“I think he threw it on purpose!?”
“It is an illusion.”
All the men flinched at the cold voice. Even Luke broke into a cold sweat for a while after seeing his icy expression.
“… Did something bad happen today?”
“No, my lord. I feel no different than usual.”
“I don’t think so.”
“It is an illusion.”
If I asked more, icicles would come out of my mouth. Luke cleared his throat and looked away.
It seemed better not to touch Ray right now. After clearing his throat for a moment, Max looked at the elf with bloody eyes.
“Anyway, how did you not like not accepting this woman?”
“why?”
“Why? Do you know about the brotherly love of the dwarves? If not, the lord may become a target.”
Judging from yesterday’s assassination attempt, the elves’ hatred was centered on one count. However, the story changes when Luke receives an elven slave as a gift.
If even one person finds out about this, the elves’ anger will be directed at Luke. Then, if Luke gets a big wound, it’s not going to end lightly.
“If you don’t, even the Bernsteins could get involved in this.”
“That must be the purpose.”
“yes?”
“The Count intentionally gave me this gift. To make me a target for the elves. That way, you can make full use of Bruno and Ray, and get the Bernstein family to join you.”
“You received it knowing that?”
“Because it was better to receive.”
Luke smiled and approached the elf. Luke said to the female elf, who was glaring at her with a chewy expression.
“Alb-Seden. Dearan Lorra.”
“… … !”
“… … !?”
The female elf’s eyes widened in astonishment, and the other vassals also looked at Luke with a frightened expression.
“Master, did you know you could speak Elvish!?”
“I’ve learned it before.”
“What you just said… … .”
“I asked if you would understand what I was saying. Fortunately, I didn’t learn it wrong.”
The female elf looked at Luke with a confused face. The fact that the Elvish language came from humans seemed to be distracted.
Luke asked again in Elvish.
“If you understand, say something. How long are you going to keep your mouth shut?”
“… … .”
The female elf’s eyes twisted. Then he opened his mouth wide and showed me what was inside. Max looked into his mouth and frowned.
“Your tongue is cut off.”
“You’re a damn old man.”
Luke spat out a curse as he remembered the Count. Not to mention the tendons in his limbs to keep him from escaping, he would even cut his tongue.
“You were determined to make me an enemy of the elves.”
“If we meet on the battlefield like this, we won’t even be able to explain.”
“I’m glad though. I just stopped the bleeding, so it hasn’t healed yet.”
“yes? Why are you happy about that?”
“Because I can use this.”
Luke pulled out a vial containing the elixir from within. Leaving behind the astonished vassals, Luke approached the elf.
“Drink.”
“… … !”
“It’s the Elixir, you idiot. It’s not poison, so don’t deny it. If you want to regenerate your severed tongue and tendons.”
“… … !?”
The female elf, who was about to turn her head away in utter refusal, raised her eyes in amazement. After hesitating for a moment, the elf opened his mouth with a reluctant expression.
Luke poured the elixir into the elf’s mouth as it was. The elf twisted in agony after the elixir fell down his neck with a cluck.
“Keuk!”
“Why, why are you like that?”
“The regeneration process must be painful. The tongue was cut in chunks.”
As Luke expected, the elf flinched for a moment, but soon calmed down and opened his mouth. Although there were some bloodstains, the severed tongue had already regenerated.
Perhaps the tendons in his limbs were also healed, he stood up and jumped several times. Right before a bright smile appeared on his face, the elf, recognizing Luke, stiffened his face.
“I won’t say thanks, human. If I hadn’t been caught by you guys, I wouldn’t have been hurt.”
“I didn’t even want it, so it’s okay. What’s your name anyway?”
From noble mtl dot com
“You don’t deserve to hear my name.”
Luke laughed at the female elf who raised her chin and spoke. This is why I hated dealing with the dwarves.
Because my arrogance stabs the sky and I don’t know how to thank you even if you save me.
“I’m sorry, but I saved you not because I felt guilty or afraid. I was curious about why you and the head of this family waged a war.”
“what? So, are you not a subordinate of the lord of the castle who rules this place?」
“Yes, but your attitude makes me hesitate. If the head of household had made a mistake, I would have left or sided with you. Shall we just cooperate and fight against you and get a reward?”
The female elf’s face turned pale. Elves are basically a minority elite. It sounds grandiose, but this is not what the elves intended.
Due to the lack of population, they were forced to become a small elite. Naturally, the loss of one person was incomparably greater than that of a human being.
But what if the knights under Luke, who can easily subdue even ten elves, get involved in the war? It could have been a weight that influenced the direction of the war.
“I can’t help it if you won’t tell me. I need to prepare for the upcoming battle.”
“Hey, wait a minute! I’ll tell you my name!”
“Well, now that I think about it, even listening to it now is annoying…” … .”
「Eldira! Eldirada, the first child of Arathion, the Grand Duke of Sword!”
Luke, who was about to stand up, stopped. What did this goblin say?
“What did you just say?”
“They said my name is Eldira!”
“Before that! Whose first child are you?”
“Arathion, the Grand Duke of the Sword, is my father.”
Luke pursed his cheek. In an instant, everything made sense. Why did the elves, suffering from a lack of population, take a huge loss and exterminate the five families?
Why is the elven army making the surroundings so full that monsters are popping out in all directions? And why the Count left this elf to himself.
‘This crazy old man touched the daughter of an elf grand duke.’