Side Story 1. About Victor Mort

Victor Mort wanted to die.

It had always been that way. Ever since his distant childhood, which he could barely remember, he had thought about death.

He was born as the second prince of Grand Duke Mort, who ruled the northeastern part of the empire. His land, Mort, was cold and infested with monsters, but it was famous for producing outstanding knights as a result.

After a difficult labor that lasted for hours, the mother who held her second son in her arms named him Victor.

Victor. In the southern tongue, it meant the one who is always victorious.

She gave him that name hoping he would become a great knight, but she passed away from illness before she could even see him hold a sword.

That was the first death Victor experienced.

The Grand Ducal House was plunged into grief at the death of the young mistress. The entire territory mourned the Grand Duchess's death, and the Grand Duke was so heartbroken that he couldn't bear to stay in the castle. While his father abandoned him and wandered away from the territory, young Victor was left alone among the servants.

The attendants were indifferent to the small second prince. They served him faithfully and accommodated him without any inconveniences, but that was it. Since no one taught him anything, Victor ended up spending a lot of time alone in the library.

The Grand Ducal House really had all sorts of books. From educational books and novels to stories about philosophy and religion. Victor learned about life, and about death, from books.

He sometimes looked at his mother's portrait hanging on the wall and thought. The thought of whether he could see his mother again if he died.

The one who dragged him out of that dark room was his older brother, who had returned from his heir's studies in the capital.

The eldest prince, Morteon Mort. Seven years older than Victor, he was a boy with the black hair and warm brown eyes characteristic of the Mort family.

After hastily finishing his studies and returning following his mother's funeral, he was appalled to see his neglected younger brother. He immediately knelt before his brother and took his small hand.

To his family member he hadn't seen in a long time, Victor said quietly.

"I want to go to where Mother is."

At those words, Morteon's face contorted. He hugged his brother with all his might.

"Victor, I love you. You're the younger brother I love the most. No matter what happens, I'll protect you."

In his arms, Victor cried a little for the first time. He needed someone to say those words to him.

❖ ❖ ❖

Morteon was a diligent heir. Despite his young age, he immediately set the chaotic atmosphere of the castle right. He kept in touch with their father to grasp the situation of Mort, and he didn't neglect his own studies either. Both knights and vassals welcomed the wise and strong heir to the Grand Duke.

Once the situation stabilized with the help of those around him, Morteon immediately began Victor's education. It was an education that had been delayed on the grounds that the second born didn't need to start his studies too early.

Morteon strongly argued that he needed to learn academics and ordered them to find the best teachers for Victor.

Soon, several teachers began to frequent the castle.

Accounting, politics, kingship, social etiquette, and dancing. Victor did quite well in all subjects, and Morteon was greatly pleased with his brother's brilliance. People also praised him, saying his talent was remarkable and he was excellent. Victor worked even harder because he liked being praised.

The day he first held a sword, he thought the same. Just that he wanted to be praised by his brother, about that much.

A crowd of spectators gathered for the second prince's first swordsmanship training. It was natural. This was the land of knights, and the children of the Grand Ducal House always possessed outstanding aptitude for martial arts.

"The little prince will surely have a talent for it, right?"

"Of course! Lord Morteon also showed outstanding skill from a young age."

Among the people talking with anticipation, Morteon sent a look of encouragement. Victor nodded and grabbed the wooden sword with a nervous face.

His sparring partner was a squire about the same age as Morteon. While the knight moderately faced Victor, the vice-captain of the knight order watching his posture from the side was the training plan for the day. Because the knightly swordsmanship of Mort heavily focused on one-on-one combat, it was typically passed down in that manner.

Soon, with the signal, the spar began.

'……?'

And Victor thought the knight was making fun of him.

The opponent's trajectory was too obvious. It was slow and full of openings. It was such a sloppy movement that he wondered if he was moving like that on purpose.

Victor was a bit offended. He was a child, and a prince of the Grand Ducal House, but he came out to learn swordsmanship seriously. If they deliberately went easy on him, he wouldn't be able to learn properly, would he?

Unable to bear it, Victor thrust his sword out. Once at the wrist, once at the shoulder. After striking the opponent's seemingly weak spots, he struck his knee and brought him down.

The opponent fell down ridiculously easily. Victor picked up the fallen sword, looked up with a bright smile.

But what came back was not a word of praise, but an uproar of dismay.

"…No, how? He is still…"

"It's his first time today…"

"Even Lord Morteon wasn't at that level…"

Victor stared at them with wide, slowly opened eyes.

No one praised him like when he solved a difficult math problem or greeted according to etiquette. They just whispered as if they had seen something strange. The squire who fell on the floor, and the vice-captain who helped him up were the same.

Victor felt as if he had committed some huge mistake.

He looked back at his brother with his last hope. Because his brother was always different. Because he saw him differently from others.

"…Good heavens, Victor."

But the moment he saw his brother's pale face, Victor realized it to the bone.

This is not ordinary.

I am not ordinary.

❖ ❖ ❖

Victor's skill was terrifyingly formidable.

He was born fast and agile, and he memorized any posture he saw once in an instant. As if he could see the weak points, he even cut through thick wood with a single strike.

Before long, he easily defeated all the squires of Mort, and even regular knights struggled against him. Famous young swordsmen came to visit, but no one was a match for Victor.

Victor Mort was a genius. Incomparable to anyone.

While people chattered about his talent being a gift from the gods or swordsmanship possessed by a monster, Victor became a bit downcast. Because he was as sensitive as a cockatrice, he couldn't help but notice the undercurrent flowing around him.

People praised Victor but also kept their distance. In their attitude, there was only awe and fear, but no friendliness or affection looking at a young knight. Naturally, he became scared.

What if others feel the same way? Father? Morteon?

What if even Brother Theon comes to hate me?

Around the time he was worrying about that, Morteon came to his room.

"Victor."

His always-busy brother was strangely in light clothing. He smiled affectionately at his younger brother and said.

"Come out. Let's go train with your brother."

Victor didn't want to, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse and nodded.

A moment later, Victor stood facing Morteon, who held a wooden sword in the empty training ground. As Victor hesitated, his brother grinned at him.

"Since you're strong, I won't go easy on you."

Then he politely greeted him with full knightly courtesy. Victor reflexively bowed his head as well.

The next moment, Morteon immediately closed the distance.

Morteon Mort was the heir of Mort. The one who would become the master of the most famous knight order in the empire. Naturally, he was incredibly strong. Victor sparred with all his might for the first time in a while. The swords clashed several times, and footprints were left messily on the floor.

Eventually, Victor, who couldn't deflect the final blow, dropped his sword.

Looking at the wooden sword rolling on the floor, Victor felt a sense of relief for some reason. Morteon approached and patted his head with a smile.

"Disappointed you lost?"

"No."

"You have a long way to go before you beat this brother of yours!"

Morteon laughed heartily. Victor grumbled softly.

"I said I'm not disappointed."

"Alright, alright. Anyway, don't be so down. Okay? Your talent is truly amazing. So you don't need to hide it or be upset about it."

Morteon said seriously.

"Because you're a wonderful kid, if you honestly show yourself, everyone will like you. So go ahead and brag about it."

"…"

"And when you become the strongest knight on the continent someday."

Morteon smiled softly.

"Be my knight commander. You will, right?"

Victor quietly looked at Morteon.

The brown eyes looking down at him affectionately were unwavering. Even though he wasn't even twenty years old, it seemed his brother was already prepared to take responsibility for the people, the knights, and the family name.

And Morteon was saying that he would secure Victor's place there. The position of an honorable knight who would protect his brother and their homeland.

With a surging heart, Victor nodded.

"Yeah. I will. I'll be your knight commander."

Morteon laughed and messed up his hair once again. Victor secretly let out a sigh of relief and smiled broadly.

❖ ❖ ❖

From that day on, Victor devoted himself to swordsmanship without hiding. He swung his sword to his heart's content every day without caring about the looks of the knights or vassals. Since the squires were already at a level where they were no match for him, he openly requested spars with senior knights.

Strangely enough, the sense of distance they had towards Victor began to disappear. Knights willingly approached him, taught him sword techniques, and learned from him as well.

"As a swordsman, I'm curious to see what level the little prince will reach."

The knight who helped him spar said so. He didn't know exactly what that meant, but anyway, it was a good thing for Victor. As he had promised his brother, he had to become the strongest knight on the continent.

One day while he was so devoted to training, he met Leonard Odo and Kalz Denion.

'Met'? Actually, calling that encounter a 'meeting' was a bit of a misnomer. Because they had rudely sneaked into Victor's private training ground. To be precise, Leonard was forcefully trying to pull up Kalz, who had flopped down on the ground.

"I told you, you can't be here. The little prince trains here…"

"So what! It's this spacious, does he use it all to himself? Is the training ground his?"

As far as Victor knew, this training ground was indeed 'his'. He stepped inside to claim his rightful due.

Sensing a presence, the two recognized Victor and jumped up. The blonde boy knight bent his knee perfectly, like a textbook. Then he gave a very serious greeting.

"I greet the little prince of Mort, my lord. I am Leonard of Odo."

Victor didn't know how to react, so he crossed his arms.

First of all, he didn't know who these people were. He mostly trained with senior knights, and only occasionally ran into squires or trainees during group assemblies. When one of them gave him an excessively respectful greeting that no one else did, his mind went blank for a moment.

Besides, why isn't the other guy greeting me?

When he turned his gaze and glared, the red-haired boy, who was brushing dirt off his clothes, crookedly bowed his head.

"Howdy, little prince. Kalz Denion here."

What a variety. Victor sincerely thought so.

❖ ❖ ❖

Surprisingly, the two were squires, not trainees.

Considering that Leonard was two years older than Victor and Kalz was the same age, they became squires at a very young age. Naturally, they were the youngest among the knights, and they said they couldn't find a place to train freely without worrying about others' stares. Victor, honestly, was a little interested, so he generously decided to share his training ground.

And it wasn't long before he regretted it. Because the two were noisier than he thought.

"—So I really almost died, you know? Who would have thought that was a salamander!"

"You die from just touching a salamander? It'll just singe your hand at most."

"Hey, do you know how hot a salamander is? Little prince, what do you think? Have you ever touched a salamander?"

"No. Shut up and train."

Victor swung his wooden sword in annoyance. Leonard immediately pointed out Kalz's rude language.

"Your way of speaking hasn't improved even after months."

"What? Do you think you speak so lovely?"

Like that, they started fighting again, ignoring Victor.

Kalz was the third son of Denion, the grand lord of the southern region. He said he dreamed of becoming a knight after reading knight novels. Contrary to his light-hearted attitude, he was quite talented and took his knight training seriously, but because he grew up spoiled, he suffered from the fatal inability to speak politely.

On the other hand, Leonard was the second son of the Odo baron family, which had served Mort for generations, and he said he had trained in swordsmanship from an even younger age than Victor. Raised in a strict household, he valued etiquette much more than Kalz did.

But to Victor, the two were the same. Because either way, they were both noisy.

Victor closed his mind's ears and swung his sword. The movements ingrained in his body through countless spars were drawn one by one before his eyes. The wooden sword struck exactly where it needed to without a single inch of deviation.

As the fluid, elegant movements ended, applause was heard from behind. Victor turned his head. Kalz said, unable to hide his admiration.

"I feel it every time I see it, little prince. How are you so strong? I've never seen a guy use a sword like you."

"Brother Theon is stronger than me."

"Lord Morteon is much bigger than you! Just being able to spar evenly with him is amazing."

Victor didn't answer.

He felt strange. Leonard and Kalz were purely admiring his skill. Rather than being wary or keeping their distance, it was like they were proud of a friend with outstanding skills. Other than Morteon, they were the first people like that.

Kalz giggled.

"You're going to be a really great knight. And I'll be your right-hand man. The great knight commander Victor Mort and his vice-commander Kalz Denion─"

"Why are you the right-hand man? I want to be the right-hand man too."

Leonard countered seriously. He was so serious that his tone was indistinguishable from a joke. He emphasized it once more to Victor.

"I would also prefer to be the right-hand man."

"Can you stop with the honorifics? It's awkward since you're the only one using them."

"You're the one who's wrong for speaking informally to the prince."

The two growled at each other again. Victor, sick of the endless bickering, said a word.

"I don't care either way."

"See! He said he doesn't care!"

Kalz shouted triumphantly. Leonard made a cornered expression, then looked at Victor extremely seriously. After pondering, he answered with great resolve.

"I'll try… to work on it."

Victor ended up laughing.

❖ ❖ ❖

Before long, the three of them ended up roaming everywhere together every day.

Mort was a frontier and didn't have much entertainment, but Kalz always brought back all sorts of rumors from around the area. The stories he brought were enough to stimulate the interest of the boy knights.

The three bought and ate unidentified grilled meat in the plaza and got an upset stomach, and they harpooned fish and broke a ferry boat. They also came back covered in mud after playing in a swamp claiming to have seen a swamp golem.

The people around them also generously overlooked the little prince causing trouble with his peers for the first time.

He only got in trouble once. When they went up the winter mountain to pluck griffin feathers.

Finding the griffin's nest and hunting it was done easily, but well. Who knew griffin meat would be poisonous. The three, who roasted and ate the griffin over a campfire, rolled around with stomach aches, and eventually had to be carried back on the backs of the search party that came to find them.

Morteon, who led the search party and came all the way into the mountains, personally carried Victor on his back down the mountain while scolding him.

"How could you do such a reckless thing in the dead of winter?"

"I'm sorry, brother."

At his younger brother's words, Morteon sighed.

"I'm not telling you to say you're sorry."

His voice was warm. His brother advised.

"Even if you didn't know, your friends could have been in danger. You have to protect your people, Victor. Your comrades, friends, and allies. That's the duty of someone as strong as you."

Victor fell silent for a moment, then quietly nodded. Morteon hoisted him up a little more and let out a deep sigh.

"When did you get so big? You're so heavy I can't even carry you."

"Next time, I'll carry you, brother."

At Victor's words, Morteon laughed out loud.

"Just stop causing trouble. You troublemaker."

Victor giggled and clung tightly to his brother's back.

❖ ❖ ❖

Those were the days. In the overflowing affection of his brother, knights, and friends, Victor Mort learned to laugh louder and louder.

After a few more years passed, he grew into a quite cheerful young man. Everyone loved the little prince with his tall stature, solid build, and formidable strength. The newly arrived knight candidates adored Victor as if he were a god.

Seeing the trainees secretly watching Victor's practice from the corner, Kalz became nostalgic.

"I had times like that too…"

"When exactly? You were always rude to me."

"Rude? It's just being friendly."

Kalz leisurely picked at the dried fruits brought out by the attendants. Leonard, who was swinging his sword hard, clicked his tongue as if it was pathetic.

"Do you know the official initiation exam is in a few days?"

"Leonard, do you seriously think we're going to fail?"

Kalz replied nonchalantly.

The senior knight exam of Mort changed its category every year, and it usually gave the task of solving an important problem in the territory. And this year's task was, of all things, griffin hunting. Because the flock of griffins on the back mountain had bred so much that it became difficult for people to pass by.

Kalz shrugged.

"If we just don't roast and eat it, we'll be able to return without a scratch."

"Did you forget that it was Victor who caught the griffin back then?"

"How many years ago was that! And the little prince is going with us this time too. If push comes to shove, the prince will catch them all for us, right?"

Kalz slyly raised his eyebrows. Victor was silent for a moment before answering.

"I'm not going."

"What? Why?"

"Well, Brother Theon seems to think… I don't need to take the exam."

Leonard and Kalz tilted their heads in unison.

Morteon was a person who disliked special treatment, and he arranged for Victor to enter the knight order through the same process as the other knights as much as possible. It was strange that such a person exempted his younger brother's initiation exam.

However, Victor's skill was beyond doubt, so they just shrugged.

"Well, if you go with us, it won't even be an exam."

"We probably won't even have to draw our swords."

And then they started chattering noisily again.

Victor swallowed a sigh and lowered his sword. He had a different reason for not taking the initiation exam, but he couldn't confide in even his friends.

He had already passed the exam in another way. By defeating Morteon.

─On the day the initiation exam notice was posted, his brother asked him. If he would like to try a way to become a senior knight without an exam. Victor nodded without thinking deeply, and ended up sparring with Morteon with real swords for the first time in a while.

And after clashing swords a few times, he realized. That his brother was no longer stronger than him.

"As expected, it's like this."

Morteon, who felt that Victor was deliberately holding back, sheathed his sword.

"Amazing, Victor."

Victor looked at his brother.

His brother was smiling, but his eyes held an inevitable bitterness. Morteon was the next Grand Duke, and Victor's older brother, but above all, he was a knight first. There couldn't be a knight who was happy about defeat.

Having sheathed his sword, Victor asked carefully.

"Are you angry?"

"There's no way I could be."

Morteon shook his head. The bitterness in his eyes had already disappeared. He said clearly.

"I'm proud of you. I always will be."

"…"

"Since you defeated the acting commander, you are now a senior knight of the Mort Knight Order. Congratulations, my brother."

His brother's hand gripped his shoulder. Victor looked at Morteon with an indescribable feeling.

Having become similar in height, his brother looked smaller than before. Nevertheless, the hand wrapping his shoulder was big and warm. It was the hand that had practically raised him.

Swallowing the surging feeling in his chest, Victor nodded.

"Thank you, brother."

─Victor hid Morteon's defeat, and the squires left for the griffin hunt without him. Leonard and Kalz returned with the highest records among the candidates.

And a little while later, the three were officially knighted.

Feeling the blade of the lord, of Morteon, touch his shoulder, Victor firmly resolved.

From now on, I will protect my brother.

❖ ❖ ❖

However, the days of peace were not very long. Because rumors of war began to slowly emerge from the capital. From what they heard, as the trade dispute with the Southern Kingdom became serious, the southern nobles who mainly traded with the Southern Kingdom expressed their dissatisfaction.

Kalz evaluated crookedly.

"They're so damn greedy. They're trading with an unequal treaty in the first place, so of course they won't be cooperative."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The trade treaty with the Southern Kingdom is more favorable to the Empire in everything. Because we are the stronger nation. So why would the Southern Kingdom want to trade with us?"

He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Look even now, we just call that country the Southern Kingdom. Even though its official name is 'Indigo Land'. With this kind of attitude, how obnoxious must the Imperials seem from their perspective?"

Victor and Leonard looked at Kalz with surprised eyes. They knew Kalz had all sorts of trivial knowledge, but they didn't expect such a high-level explanation.

Seeing their expressions, Kalz raised an eyebrow.

"What? I'm from the south."

"I thought you just played around down there."

"Hey! I'm also a count's son in my own way!"

The argument went off on a tangent again. Victor barely brought their conversation back to the original topic.

"Will a war break out?"

At the question, their faces quickly darkened.

"I think it's highly likely. Conscription orders have already been issued to knights across the country."

"Once the harvest season is over, an expeditionary force will probably be organized."

"Is it going to be very dangerous?"

The two men's gazes turned to Victor.

He tried to feign an expressionless face as much as possible, but Victor was actually worried. If an expeditionary force was organized, the commander would be the Grand Duke of Mort, who was currently in the capital. No matter how distant they were, the Grand Duke was his father. He couldn't help but worry.

As if reading Victor's mind, Leonard said.

"It'll be fine. The difference in military power is so large. The Mort Knight Order might not even have to fight."

Kalz also chimed in.

"Well, personally I don't think they're that easy of an opponent…. But what could happen? Your father is a very strong knight!"

"…I suppose so."

Victor quietly agreed. He had never seen him up close, but his father was said to be quite a strong knight on par with Morteon. Even if not as much as Victor, at that level, he wouldn't die from a stray sword.

Victor shook off his thoughts and silently swung his sword. This was the only thing he could do right now. Train hard to become even more overwhelmingly strong. And to protect his people if he ever went to war.

That was all he wished for.

❖ ❖ ❖

As Kalz predicted, as soon as the wheat harvest was over, the expeditionary force was organized. However, the size of the expeditionary force was not as large as expected. Since it was organized around the army of the southern region, they said they didn't call many knights from other regions. The Mort Knight Order also decided to participate with only a few experienced senior knights, not all of them.

The selected ones held a departure ceremony with Morteon's blessing. In the suddenly widened training ground, Victor thought that he wanted them to come back quickly.

However, the war developed into an unexpected war of attrition. Once the front line was formed, neither side wanted to incur casualties, so they only faced off without large battles. Pushing with numbers wasn't easy either, because the Southern Kingdom was an island nation. Landing on the island after breaking through the enemy's navy was not easy, so the commanders didn't seem to try easily.

The situation stagnated and only time passed. As it became clear that the Grand Duke would not be able to return for a long time, the atmosphere in Mort became strange. The vassals, who had been watching for an opportunity, began to fight over interests. From territorial disputes and mining rights disputes, to demands to break off engagements made for alliances. Morteon became noticeably tired from mediating between them as they made all sorts of requests.

Even Victor got caught up in a bizarre situation.

"Oh, little prince! It's been a long time."

Vassals whose names he didn't know spoke to him in the hallway. Decked out in jewels, they showered him with flattery.

"I heard you subjugated the Urgs on the mountain this time! As expected, you are amazing!"

"Being able to hunt such terrifying monsters in an instant is probably something only the little prince can do."

Victor narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand why people he barely knew by face were praising him like this. He asked directly.

"What is your business?"

Startled by his unexpectedly stiff tone, the vassals flinched. But they soon rubbed their hands together again and continued speaking.

"What do you mean, we just want to get closer to the prince."

"You are my brother's vassals, I don't understand why you are paying attention to me."

"How can you say that. We serve the entire Mort family. So naturally, we are also your vassals, my prince."

They said with a smile, then subtly added.

"Besides, Lord Morteon is not yet the Grand Duke, is he?"

"…"

"Since the little prince is so outstanding, perhaps…"

"It is my brother who will become the Grand Duke."

Victor cut off the words sharply.

He was extremely displeased, but there was nothing good to come of speaking more aggressively. For the sake of the knight order's future, he shouldn't make enemies of the vassals. Victor maintained his composure as much as possible and said.

"I am a knight, and I have no interest in politics. That is my brother's business."

"Goodness, little prince."

The white-haired vassal at the front shook his head. He was the only one whose name Victor knew. Girad, was it?

With an unreadable smile, he explained as if to a child.

"Power naturally follows those with strength, whether they want it or not. That is what power is."

Saying that, he bowed deeply and walked away with the other vassals.

In bewilderment, Victor glared at their retreating backs.

❖ ❖ ❖

It wasn't long before Victor grasped the situation. Dissonant voices were rising, centered around the vassals who had suffered losses due to Morteon's 'mediation'.

The heir wasn't confirmed yet and the second prince's talent was outstanding, so they should balance the power between the two princes before the Grand Duke returned. And in the process, they wanted to check Morteon and secure their own interests.

Victor couldn't understand it. He had only shown himself to be close to Morteon all this time, so why would they think he would take his brother's position?

But Leonard said that had nothing to do with Victor's will.

"Vassals basically side with whoever benefits them. Since there are multiple children in the Grand Ducal House, it's natural for them to have other thoughts."

Leonard said stiffly. Perhaps because he was from the Odo family, an old vassal of Mort himself, he looked uncomfortable speaking.

But Victor didn't have the leisure to think deeply about such things. He clenched his lips tight and fell into thought.

Morteon had been very busy lately. It had already been over ten years since he took over the lord's work his father had left him, but Victor had never seen Morteon so busy. It was hard enough already, but thinking that his existence was being used to torment Morteon made his stomach churn.

"Pointless things…"

His friends stopped him as he openly revealed his killing intent.

"Victor, reacting aggressively isn't the answer, you know."

"Yeah. It's a story that will disappear once the war ends anyway."

They said that complaints about the stagnant war were already coming out, centered around the capital nobles. It was natural since maintaining the expeditionary force alone cost an enormous amount of taxes.

Mort hadn't officially stated a position, but they let it slip that they weren't very happy about the situation of the lord being on the battlefield all the time. Perhaps a truce would begin soon.

So Victor thought a bit easily.

The situation would be resolved quickly, and his father would return. Then everything would go back to the way it was, Morteon would work as the lord's heir, and Victor would prepare to become the knight commander. Just like always, worrying about the straw to distribute in the winter or the increased number of drakas, like that….

"─Little prince! You must come to the audience chamber right now!"

A servant who ran in hastily cut off Victor's thoughts. The three knights looked at the servant in surprise. The servant, out of breath, was pale blue.

Without even a moment to hesitate, the three ran toward the audience chamber.

❖ ❖ ❖

Victor blankly witnessed the scene unfolding before him.

The audience chamber was already filled with the sound of weeping. The vassals wiped their tears with their sleeves, and some of the knights sat down and cried.

The herald bearing the imperial crest continued speaking.

"…The bodies will reach Mort soon, and the new Grand Duke is ordered to lead the entire knight order to the expedition as soon as the funeral is over."

"Understood."

Only then did Victor look at Morteon at the head seat. Morteon's gentle face was contorted with pain. He caught his breath for a moment, then stood up from his seat.

"My father, the Grand Duke, has fallen in battle."

Ah.

Victor unconsciously clenched his fists. He had instinctively known it the moment he walked in, but hearing it directly from his brother's mouth carried a different weight.

With a pained voice, Morteon said.

"It was due to the enemy's cowardly surprise attack. Not only my father, but the other knights of Mort have also all fallen in battle, he said. I…"

He struggled to clear his throat.

"I am deeply sorrowful. They died honorably as knights, but those left behind are only in deep grief. This was a tragedy that should not have happened."

"…"

"I express my regret for the pain that has come upon my family, my vassals, and all of Mort. But we cannot just keep crying. That is not something a knight should do, nor someone bearing the Black Lion crest."

Morteon slowly came down from the dais and received the Emperor's letter with both hands. He declared.

"By the command of His Imperial Majesty, the entire knight order will depart for the expedition as soon as the funeral of our comrades is over."

A shout mixed with tears erupted.

Victor looked at Morteon without even thinking to check on his friends. His brother was looking down only at the letter with sunken eyes. As if to say that they could no longer remain in their childhood.

❖ ❖ ❖

The funeral was held only a few weeks after the bodies arrived. Because they couldn't recover all the bodies during the war, many of the coffins were empty.

Victor moved according to the funeral procedures with an empty mind the whole time. Surprisingly, he felt nothing in front of his father's grave, but when he faced the graves of his comrades, tears choked up. Leonard and Kalz were already wailing in front of the graves of the knights they had been close to.

But Victor didn't cry. Because Morteon didn't show a single tear. He had the gentlest nature of anyone, but he was now the Grand Duke of Mort. A Grand Duke shouldn't collapse and cry in front of a grave.

"Victor."

Morteon called in a small voice. When Victor approached, he hugged his younger brother tightly. His brother said quietly.

"…A lot of things will change."

"Yeah."

Victor nodded.

Now they were truly the only two left. Having lost their mother, their father, and even the knights who were like brothers. Bearing the weight of this massive family entirely on their own.

And right before their eyes, war was waiting.

Morteon asked.

"Do you remember the promise we made when we were young?"

"Yeah."

"Yes. I will make you my knight commander. Since we are at war now, I will take the role of commander, but…"

His brother raised his head and asked.

"Help me by my side, Victor."

Victor squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

From the day Morteon set his future for him, he had trained for this day. Whether it was a monster horde or a war in front of him, it didn't matter. This was his life and his goal.

To protect his brother and Mort, he could do anything.

❖ ❖ ❖

The knight order departed quietly. As it was not a glorious expedition, there was no boisterous send-off ceremony or grand march.

The letter from the capital instructed them to head straight to the south without even stopping by the imperial palace. It seemed the situation on the battlefield was more urgent than expected.

The road to the south was long. Rations were smooth and they received the hospitality of lords wherever they went, but crossing the vast imperial land was not easy. Moreover, they had just lost their lord and comrades, so they were not in the mood to accept hospitality. Morteon refused all banquets and only requested a place to sleep and sufficient food.

The knight order traveled in silence. The heralds who visited from time to time only brought grave news.

The knights of Mort were annihilated by assassins who raided in droves in the middle of the night, and they still didn't know who they were or how they went unnoticed by anyone. It wasn't even known that such a unit existed in the Southern Kingdom, so the battlefield was said to be in a state of confusion.

"What could their identity be? Mercenaries? A secret unit?"

"That's not what's important. What's important is how they killed so many knights in a single night."

Leonard and Kalz conversed quietly. The three of them were tasked with guarding the rear, falling a bit behind the group.

Victor said.

"I heard the command is making various guesses. That they used a powerful sleeping incense, or that it was a knight with monstrous skill, or that they were mages from the Eastern Kingdom."

Leonard frowned.

"Mages? Do those really exist?"

"Probably. Though they're said to be rare even in the Eastern Kingdom."

"Nonsense. It must have been a sleeping incense or something like that."

Leonard clicked his tongue. Kalz immediately refuted.

"I think the mage theory makes more sense."

"Why?"

"There is no sleeping incense in the world that can put people to sleep that deeply."

He said firmly. For the usually frivolous Kalz, it was a rarely sharp tone.

"The story that it was a knight is complete bullshit. Where in the world is a senior knight who just sleeps without even hearing the sound of a sword?"

The two knights quietly agreed. They were knights of Mort and knew well how skilled their fallen comrades were. None of them were the type to die so easily to another knight.

The three silently rode their horses. Normally, they would have chatted happily whenever they had the chance, but since departing, they were not the same as before. The deaths of their family and comrades still weighed on the young knights like a heavy stone.

Leonard asked.

"How much further do we have to go?"

"About two days."

"I see…"

The surroundings were already distinctly the south. The leaves were broad and the lakes were a clear emerald. It was a beautiful scenery just as Kalz had said, but neither Kalz, nor Victor and Leonard who were visiting the south for the first time, could fully enjoy the sight. The front line was right before their noses.

After a month-long march, they finally reached the southern end of the continent.

❖ ❖ ❖

The battlefield was literally a mess.

The discipline had already become lax due to the long-running war, and with the assassination of several commanders including the Grand Duke of Mort, the soldiers fell into chaos. In the midst of this, they were planning a sudden attack on the main island of the Southern Kingdom, making things even more chaotic. As soon as he heard the operation plan, Morteon took Victor with him and went straight to the command post.

And that day, Victor experienced the limit of his patience.

"…I understand what you are saying, Your Highness the Grand Duke. But it's not that easy."

"Is it that difficult to plan an operation centered around the navy?"

Morteon asked back as calmly as possible.

The chief of staff, a noble from the south, twirled his mustache and replied.

"The main force of our army is the knights. The navy is also powerful, but if the knights cannot participate, where else would there be such a waste? That is why we agonized for days and nights to plan the landing operation."

"But the Southern Kingdom is an island nation. Even if the knights don't land, we can make them surrender by continuously fighting naval battles and isolating them. There's no need to send supply lines for the landed knights…"

"No, then what about our honor?"

Another man interrupted. The man, who was the knight commander of somewhere in the south, raised his voice.

"We are knights gathered to protect this country. If we return without even drawing our swords on the battlefield once, what kind of disgrace is that?"

"Sir, this is not the time to argue about disgrace or not."

"Well, in my eyes, Your Highness the Grand Duke seems too fainthearted─"

Unable to bear it, Victor interrupted.

"How rude. Do you know who you are speaking to?"

The staff's gazes turned to the young little prince at once. Victor clamped his jaw shut and glared at them.

Every single one of their words was bullshit. There was a more efficient way to end the war, yet they were devising a reckless operation just for honor. Moreover, calling a person who pointed out the irrationality of the operation fainthearted. He couldn't believe that such people were the knights and soldiers representing the empire.

Morteon stopped him as he looked fierce.

"…That's enough. I apologize, sir. I apologize for my brother's rudeness."

"It is fine. The two of you are still young."

The knight replied in a voice that seemed to mock. Victor wanted to cut the man's throat right that instant, but he clenched his fists and endured. Morteon calmly stood up.

"I understand. Since that is your opinion, I will follow. Since we have joined the army, the Mort Knight Order will strictly follow the command post's orders."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Without hesitation, Morteon stepped out of the tent. Victor glared at them menacingly and followed his brother.

❖ ❖ ❖

The military camp was noisy. Soldiers were scrambling back and forth carrying weapons and food.

As soon as they moved a little away from the tent, Victor spat out.

"How dare they say such things to you, brother?"

"It's fine. Having my proposal ignored hurts more than that."

Morteon smiled bitterly.

"I thought our speaking power would decrease since we failed once."

"Failed?"

"We lost the previous knight commander and the knights. In just one day. They are probably looking down on the Mort Knight Order quite a bit by now."

His stomach boiled.

Mort's reputation was maintained solely thanks to its strong knights. Mort was a family with the title of Grand Duke, but because its territory was far from the capital and they didn't participate in high society, little was known about them. So they were ignoring them as soon as the knight order suffered a defeat.

As if understanding his younger brother's feelings, Morteon said.

"Let's think of it as a good thing. We get to fight either way."

"…"

"You want revenge, don't you?"

Victor quietly looked at Morteon.

His brother wasn't the kind of person who usually spoke of revenge. He was the one who taught that a knight should know how to mercifully forgive others. But this time was different. Morteon was allowing him to take revenge.

Victor answered in a low voice.

"Yeah."

Let's do it. Revenge.

❖ ❖ ❖

Soon, the day of the operation dawned.

The so-called 'Southern Kingdom Landing Operation' was as simple as it was brute. First, the navy would fight the Southern Kingdom's navy to open a sea route, then the knights and soldiers would land in shifts on the small islands around the Southern Kingdom's mainland. They would use that as a base and then all march towards the main island together.

Most of the soldiers rebelled at the thought of being stationed on a hot tropical island where even rations would be difficult, but it couldn't be helped. The command post was stubborn, and the commanders were desperate for achievements.

The first battle started early in the morning.

While the navy bombarded for days to open a path to the island, the knights of Mort prepared for departure.

Heavy iron armor, spears, and horses were useless on the humid coast. Instead, they wore leather armor and fastened swords to their waists. They also prepared mint ointment for the heat and cloaks to block the rain.

Before long, the Southern Kingdom forces, unable to withstand the Imperial navy's attrition, retreated.

The knights quickly boarded the ships and headed for the island.

"Damn it, what a sorry sight."

Kalz, crouched at the foul bottom of the ship, cursed.

"If I knew it would be like this, I would have stayed in this neighborhood and become a pirate."

"Complaining about orders is unbecoming of a knight, Kalz Denion."

Leonard reprimanded. He himself was pale white from his first-ever seasickness. Kalz asked back in disbelief.

"Are you saying that in this situation?"

"I only spoke of a knight's duty."

"Who doesn't know that? I'm just saying I wouldn't have given such a stupid order."

Victor inwardly sympathized with him, but he couldn't say it out loud. If even the next knight commander complained, morale would drop even further.

Victor tried to focus only on the upcoming battle, but it wasn't easy. Outside, the continuous shouting and the sound of waves could be heard, and the incomprehensible operation troubled his mind. He wondered if they could even fight properly like this.

But Morteon was as calm as ever. Looking outside through a small window, he shouted.

"─We're almost at the destination! Prepare to land!"

The knights gripped their swords tightly and prepared to disembark at the same time.

❖ ❖ ❖

Landing wasn't too difficult. The island's civilians had already fled, and the remaining army fled in terror as soon as they saw the knights.

Morteon shouted several times.

"Do not kill those who have no will to fight! If they surrender, spare them!"

Why?

Victor had a twisted thought. Even though he spoke of revenge, Morteon seemed to not want excessive slaughter.

But anyway, he followed his brother's orders. A lord's command was absolute. Victor held back, inflicting only minor injuries on the enemy soldiers, and let them escape on their ships.

The knights set up camp at the base the enemies had stayed in and sent a messenger bird to the command post.

A reply soon came back. It seemed there were not many units that landed without casualties. It said there were even ships that were half-sunk after getting hit by cannons on their way to the island.

It was obvious this would happen. The knights of Mort clicked their tongues, but they couldn't call off an operation that had already started.

In the sweltering heat, they forced dried jerky into their mouths.

It was the beginning of a long battle.

❖ ❖ ❖

The sunlight on the southern island was terribly scorching. It was worse for the Mort Knight Order, most of whom were from the north. Every morning, the knights washed their exhausted bodies in the spring water and applied cool mint ointment, but it was not enough to beat the heat. On top of that, fighting the Southern Kingdom army that constantly attacked was even more exhausting.

However, Victor felt more surprise than fatigue.

The enemies were truly too weak. To Victor, who was used to the knights of Mort holding back, the others were no different from scarecrows. With just a brief swing of his sword, bodies piled up around him in an instant.

So Victor instinctively suppressed himself. He wanted revenge, and he hated the enemies. But deep in his heart, the image of Morteon, who always spoke of the value of life and chivalry, was etched. He didn't want to look like a monster to his brother.

Fortunately, the swarming enemies were at a level that the other knights could handle without difficulty. So Victor spent his days moderately defeating enemies.

But the situation on the other islands wasn't as good as here. After receiving a report from the command post, Morteon couldn't hold back his frustration.

"Those idiots, couldn't they have expected this?"

"What did they say?"

"They say our allies are being defeated individually. The enemy is fewer in number than us, but we are isolated on separate islands right now. So they're concentrating their forces and sweeping through several places a day."

The knights let out heavy groans.

The Imperial army's strength was its large numbers, but in this current state, they couldn't utilize that advantage at all. Instead, their forces were dispersed, making them easy to attack.

Morteon finished reading the letter.

"So they're asking for reinforcements. They want us to send the knights of Mort to the islands where the units with heavy casualties are."

"When will we march on the Southern Kingdom mainland?"

"I don't know. It seems our allies' casualties are larger than expected."

Victor frowned.

It was painful enough staying in a land so hot that it tanned their skin black. He couldn't believe the originally planned operation wasn't even proceeding properly. It was an extreme level of incompetence.

The knights were outraged, likely thinking the same.

"We can't believe this, Your Highness. How can they be such a ragtag bunch?"

"This is a complete waste of time. We should return to the continent right now."

"I think so too."

Morteon let out a deep sigh. He looked more exhausted than when he had held his father's funeral. His slumped shoulders showed an inescapable sense of helplessness. He and his knights were being consumed in a place that was of no use at all.

But the Grand Duke didn't give in easily. Morteon folded the letter and said.

"Anyway, we need our allies' situation to improve before we can persuade the command post. Divide the knight order into three. One unit will stay here with me, and the other two will support our allies on the other islands. Victor will lead one of the support units…"

"You mustn't."

The chief of staff suddenly interrupted. Morteon asked in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"We cannot send the little prince. The prince must stay here with Your Highness."

Morteon looked at him with a frown, signaling he couldn't understand why he was so intent on keeping Victor behind.

However, the other knights all had expressions of understanding.

"That's right, Your Highness. Please keep the little prince by your side."

"We can handle the support on our own. Of course, it will be difficult if both of you are away, but…"

"Still, it's better than being anxious."

An older knight smiled faintly.

"If the little prince is with you, you won't get hurt no matter who comes, right?"

I see.

Only then did Victor realize their intentions.

These people had recently lost their lord. The death of a lord they had served for a long time left guilt and scars on the knights. So they absolutely wanted to protect Morteon.

Victor understood that feeling to the bone. He also absolutely didn't want to lose Morteon. So he chimed in.

"Yeah, brother. I'll stay."

After hesitating, Morteon eventually agreed to his subordinates' demands. The experienced knights and Victor stayed on the island with Morteon, while the relatively young knights were divided into two to form the support units.

In the middle of the night, the ships carrying the knights left the island. Victor stood behind Morteon and wished his comrades luck.

❖ ❖ ❖

The departed knights perfectly accomplished their mission. The letters sent by messenger bird informed them that they were moving from island to island, rescuing their allies.

The remaining knights also thoroughly did their job. Morteon and his soldiers sank several warships on the Southern Kingdom coast. Attacking at night by boat, cutting anchor lines or holing the hulls and escaping, clearly flustered the enemy.

The soldiers attacking the island were easily blocked by the knights, including Victor. There were more of them than before, but to Victor, it was only an annoyance. The Mort Knight Order won consecutive battles.

As a few weeks passed, the knight order's victories became widely known on the front lines. The command post even sent direct words of praise. The knights grumbled that they should cancel the operation instead of writing such letters, and Morteon's chief of staff sent a reply that smoothed out those words as much as possible.

But the letter from the command post was quite a spectacle.

[…It is troublesome if you become complacent with a few victories. Although the knights of Mort are brave, you cannot change the tide of war with just one person's strength. For now, wait for the command post's next order there.]

"Can I go and cut the throat of the guy who wrote this?"

Someone asked in an angry voice. Morteon chuckled.

"You all know they have needlessly high noses."

"There should be a limit. If we weren't on the battlefield, I would have dueled them long ago."

"Endure it. I don't want to reduce our allied numbers any further."

At his words, the knights giggled.

They were all sitting together in front of a campfire. It was a time to cool their sun-heated skin with water and have dinner of dried bread and fruit. There was no alcohol, but that alone somewhat relieved the fatigue of battle. Another knight joked.

"What does it matter if those guys are gone? We have the little prince on our side."

"Exactly. The little prince is truly invincible."

The knights laughed noisily. Victor smiled quietly. Receiving the trust of his comrades even on a harsh battlefield was a joyful thing.

Under the wide southern night sky, the knights shared many stories. Stories about wanting wine, missing the winter of Mort, and hoping that the knights of the support unit returning tomorrow would bring some delicious food.

Come to think of it, Leonard and Kalz will be back tomorrow. They'll probably be fighting over something pathetic again.

Victor laughed inwardly and swallowed a piece of fruit.

When the meal was over, the knights exchanged greetings and headed to bed, leaving only those on watch.

Before going to his quarters, Morteon called Victor.

"Shall we take a walk along the beach?"

Victor nodded and followed his brother.

❖ ❖ ❖

The island's geography was now familiar. A small island half-covered in sand, empty civilian houses and outposts, and trees of the southern country he had never seen before formed a forest between them.

The two brothers walked silently along the dark beach where gentle waves lapped. Morteon suddenly said.

"About the day I last sparred with you."

"Yeah."

"To be honest, I was a little upset that day."

Victor looked at him with surprised eyes. Morteon was talking about the time a few years ago when Victor defeated him and became an official knight.

Why is he bringing this up suddenly? He wondered if it would hurt him, but was it really that hard for him?

But the words that followed were different from what he expected.

"Because it meant I could no longer protect you."

"…"

"I'm your older brother, and I promised to protect you. Because of this, I can't do that."

Victor looked at Morteon, at a loss for words. He had never thought about it that way. Morteon had always been his steadfast supporter.

But before he could say anything, Morteon added.

"But now, I only feel relieved."

Warm brown eyes quietly stared at Victor.

"Because even if something happens to me, you will survive."

"Brother."

"Even in a situation like now where there's nothing I can do, the thought comforts me. The fact that you, at least, will survive."

His chest tightened tightly.

He remembered the time when his mother died, his father left the castle, and he was always alone. It was Morteon who saved him back then. His brother pulled him out and taught him about this world. Knowledge, swordsmanship, friendship, familial love. It was he who taught him all of that. Victor couldn't even imagine a world without Morteon.

Victor said firmly.

"I won't survive alone. I've trained my whole life for that. ……No matter what, I will protect you."

He said it like an oath.

Morteon seemed a bit surprised. But soon, the bright smile of a proud younger brother appeared on his face, which resembled Victor's but was much softer.

"Yeah, thank you."

Victor awkwardly turned his head away. It felt strangely embarrassing to say such things out of the blue. Even though it would be his duty for the rest of his life.

He and Morteon finished looking around the beach and returned to their respective quarters.

❖ ❖ ❖

And, Victor opened his eyes.

It was still night. No, it felt like it was. It was pitch black before his eyes, and not even the sound of insects could be heard.

No, how could there be no sound at all?

Victor instinctively drew his sword. Sensing killing intent, he swung his sword, and he felt the sensation of something being cut. His vision was still dark as if shrouded in black fog, but his other five senses sharpened even more.

Killing intent could be felt from all directions. He cut down the attackers one by one, his senses sharpened like a wild beast. As he swung his sword, he slowly realized.

Assassins. Judging by their short swords and the fleeting footwork, they were definitely assassins.

There were more than one or two. Even as he cut them down, the numbers kept increasing.

─And he already knew this story. The story of the knight order annihilated by assassins in a single night.

Fear filled his mind more and more. He shouted his comrades' names out loud.

"Brother Theon! Aslan! Chika! Helio!"

But bizarrely, he couldn't even hear his own voice. This couldn't be happening. In his despairing mind, Kalz's words flashed by. He had said it must be the work of mages.

Victor swung his sword in desperation. He couldn't see, but he had sharper senses than anyone else. Those very senses that made people suspect he was a monster or a dragon in disguise.

He cut down the assassins endlessly. As blood flowed down the sword, the magic gradually weakened. The more it did, the faster Victor became. He swung his sword like crazy, praying desperately in his heart.

Please, please.

The moment he cut down the last assassin, the magic broke.

Outside the window, it was quiet. The slowly rising sunlight was seeping through the large Southern Kingdom-style windows. If it weren't for the mountain of corpses on the floor, it would have been a scene no different from usual.

But Victor rushed out of the room without even having time to look closely. He shouted wildly.

"Elena! Siegmund! Alsi! Where is everyone!"

He flung open the door of the next building.

In the quarters where several knights had stayed, bodies were already scattered everywhere. Some were killed defenselessly without even having time to draw their swords, while others held their swords, seemingly having died resisting.

Victor kept running in the suffocating despair. The ones on watch, the ones who collapsed while coming out of the tents. His comrades had grown cold without even being able to close their eyes.

But he didn't even have the time to collapse and close their eyes. He had someone to protect. Someone he had promised everyone, someone he must protect above all else,

His only remaining family.

"Brother! Brother Theon!"

Victor screamed at the top of his lungs.

This couldn't be happening.

This couldn't.

He opened the door to the commander's quarters.

"Brother!"

"…"

"Brother?"

The sun had fully risen. Faint light spilled into the room through the window. The island was still eerily quiet.

Victor stepped inside slowly, pushing past a few bodies.

Morteon was there. With a sword tightly grasped in his hand, Morteon lay on the floor with his eyes closed. Maps and clothes were scattered around, so much so that anyone who saw him might think he had fallen asleep while planning an operation.

Victor knelt and collapsed in front of him.

"Brother Theon."

Morteon looked very peaceful.

Except for the deep stab wound on his neck.

"Ah, ah."

Not even tears came out. He fumbled at the wound with his sun-tanned hand.

His brother's skin was still warm. Yet his whole body trembled. Suddenly, the world collapsed like a landslide and strangled him.

Victor Mort had failed. He had lost his reason to live, and he had failed to accomplish the single task given to him in his entire life.

He had lost Morteon.

"Ahh…"

He leaned on his sword and sobbed, heaving toward the floor. The island was quiet, as if to mock him for being the only survivor.

A thought he had buried for a very long time raised its head again.

Victor Mort wanted to die.

He really, truly wanted to die.

❖ ❖ ❖

The sun rose indifferently and hung in the middle of the sky.

All the while the noise from the harbor turned into shouts and screams, Victor didn't move from that spot. Knights were crying and running around the barracks. Victor heard the familiar voices anxiously calling for him.

"Little prince! Little prince Mort!"

"Victor! Where are you!"

Soon, the door burst open.

"Little prince! You're alive…"

Leonard approached his hunched figure and then stopped in his tracks.

"Lord Morteon…"

His low voice trembled. Victor still didn't raise his head. He didn't want to say anything or do anything. He just wanted to die and go to where his family was.

Another footsteps were heard behind Leonard. It was Kalz. He approached and gripped Victor's shoulder tightly.

"…Get up."

The red-haired knight said in a drier voice than Victor had ever heard.

"There's no time for this. Go out, take control of the situation, and give orders."

"Kalz, you're really…!"

"The prince is the Grand Duke now!"

Kalz cut off Leonard's words. The two friends glared at each other.

"Even the vice-commander and the chief of staff are gone! If the little prince stays like this, what are we supposed to do?"

"You have to give him time to mourn! The little prince is right now…"

"Enough, stop it."

A hoarse voice slipped out. Victor very slowly stood up.

His legs had no feeling, and no thoughts came to mind. But he couldn't leave his brother and comrades like this. He pushed past Kalz, who had a painful face, and Leonard, who had his eyes tightly shut, and walked past them.

When he appeared, knights with disheveled faces swarmed him.

"Little prince, are you alright?!"

"What is going on? Why, how…"

"Assassins attacked last night."

A deathly silence crept in.

Victor explained the situation dryly.

"They used magic that blocked our eyes and ears, and by the time I killed them all and broke the spell, there was no one left alive. The knights, and Brother Theon… Brother Theon too."

"…"

"I was there, and I…"

Several knights collapsed on the spot. There were already many beating the ground and wailing. But the rest just looked at Victor with reddened eyes. With faces as steadfast as they were agonizing, the knights asked.

"What should we do now?"

"Give us your orders, Your Highness the Grand Duke."

Victor closed his eyes.

It was a title he had never imagined he would hear. A title that no one but Morteon had the right to hold. But he had to fulfill his duty to his family.

He couldn't die right now.

The Grand Duke gave his first command.

"Send messenger birds to recall all the knights of Mort. We won't be able to transport the bodies of our comrades to Mort, so we will burn them tonight."

"We will follow your command."

The knights with bowed heads finally sobbed. Victor looked down at the hot sandy floor with a suffocating feeling.

❖ ❖ ❖

The fire burned all night. It was a hot flame, but tears hotter than the fire flowed, so he couldn't even feel it.

The deceased were mostly older, like older brothers to them. It went without saying for their lord, Morteon, who was always kind to everyone.

Victor stood side by side with his friends, watching the blazing flames.

"What will you do now?"

Leonard asked in a thick voice.

Victor thought their use of honorifics was awkward, but he didn't even have the energy to point it out. The happy days in Mort felt like a distant past. All that was left for him was pitch-black hatred.

"I will take revenge."

"You killed all the assassins, Your Highness."

"No, that's not enough."

The two quietly looked at Victor.

Looking at the flickering flames, Victor said.

"I will make everyone who started this war, those who sent the assassins, and even the homeland of the assassins pay the price. So that their lives crumble just the same."

"Your Highness, that is…"

"I know, a knight shouldn't invade first or take unjust revenge. But I don't care about that anymore. Because the person who taught me that is already dead."

A silence fell.

Leonard seemed to have a lot to say. Agony was etched on the face of the rigid young knight. But Kalz asked back with a highly pragmatic attitude.

"Is it possible? Our army is slow and incompetent. Like this, we won't even be able to win against the Southern Kingdom."

Victor thought.

He had always had a line he didn't cross. A line he couldn't cross because he was afraid his brother would hate it, afraid his comrades would fear him, and because he always wanted to look human. He wondered what would happen if he truly swung his sword to his heart's content, but he had never done it.

But now he didn't want to hold back anything.

"The command post said that I can't change the tide of war alone, didn't they?"

He slowly looked back at his friends.

"I will change the tide of war alone."

They didn't answer. They simply bowed their heads to their new lord.

Victor stood there all night holding his sword until the flames died out.

❖ ❖ ❖

The assassins were, as expected, mages from the Eastern Kingdom. They could be identified by the complex tattoos characteristic of Eastern Kingdom people and the medallions engraved with spells for using magic.

The command post said they would formally protest to the Eastern Kingdom, and praised them for wiping out the notorious assassination squad. They also politely offered to hold a funeral for the knights, but Victor refused everything and only sent the news to Mort.

He knew they wouldn't be able to return the bodies anyway because the war situation wasn't good. And holding a luxurious funeral here was meaningless. This was just the battlefield where they died.

Victor gathered the knights and straightened their ranks, ignoring the command post's order to stand by. They loaded supplies onto the ships and prepared to set sail.

The Grand Duke's operation was clear.

"We go to the Southern Kingdom mainland."

Victor pointed to a few spots on the map.

"Unlike the navy, their infantry is very weak. Moreover, we've already sunk quite a few ships, so their navy won't be able to move freely either. If we draw the navy's attention with large ships and circle around to the back, we can land easily."

"Aren't you going to call for reinforcements?"

"Even if we call, they won't come. And we don't need them."

The knights exchanged glances.

Victor continued without hesitation.

"They'll think we took a heavy blow, so we won't attack for a while. We have to occupy a port quickly during this gap."

"Will it be okay even with such a big difference in military power?"

"You guys follow one step behind. I don't want any casualties."

"…Your Highness, we don't want you to get hurt either."

He finally raised his head.

The exhausted faces of the knights clearly showed worry. It was the look of comrades who had watched over him since he was young worrying about him.

Victor smiled bitterly.

"Thank you for worrying."

"Your Highness."

"But do as I order. That won't happen."

He stood up. He tightly fastened the cloak he had wrapped to block the sunlight and picked up his sword. His yellow eyes gleamed like those of a chimera.

It was time to draw his sword.

❖ ❖ ❖

The operation proceeded surprisingly smoothly.

On a moonless night, the Mort Knight Order sneaked and attacked the port where the navy was absent.

Victor swung his sword at the forefront. Whenever he moved his sword, people and objects were cut and shattered so easily. His sword, having stopped hesitating, could no longer be called a human's. It was closer to some natural disaster.

After swinging the blade until it went dull, nothing remained. The knights who followed behind couldn't hide their shock. They knew Victor was strong, but they had never seen such an inhuman side of him. Inevitable fear was revealed in the knights' eyes.

But Victor didn't care. He only felt regret.

I should have done this sooner. If I had done this earlier, the war might have ended quickly and my brother might not have died.

"How should we clean up?"

After the battle, Kalz asked. Victor wiped the blood on his hands with water and asked back.

"How do you think?"

"…If it were me, I would report to the command post that we secured the southern port. To use this place as a base to attack the mainland and start truce negotiations with the Southern Kingdom."

"Then do that."

Victor answered simply. The red-haired knight silently bowed his head. The Grand Duke sheathed his sword and continued.

"But we won't wait. Tomorrow morning, we leave everyone but the wounded behind."

"Where are you going?"

"To the nearest city."

He didn't even think about it. He didn't want to care about orders or agreements. He just wanted to make the enemy suffer just as much.

"If the damage grows, it will be advantageous for the truce negotiations. Maybe we can even swallow this whole country."

"…"

Kalz kept silent. Victor expected opposition, but after thinking for a moment, he just said calmly.

"That might be possible. Or at least we can replace the prime minister with someone friendly to the Empire."

"Aren't you going to oppose it? Invasion goes against chivalry."

Kalz smiled bitterly.

"I'm not a proper knight like Leonard. Since Your Highness is my lord, I just follow Your Highness's will."

"…"

"And."

Kalz paused for a moment before speaking.

"I wouldn't tell a friend who lost his family to endure it."

I see.

Kalz raised and lowered his head, then disappeared.

Victor silently watched the knight walk away. Suddenly, he remembered what Morteon had said. That because he was strong, he had to protect his family, friends, and comrades.

His brother was right. Even though he had failed once, he still had things left.

Victor sat holding his sword and guarded the front of the tent where the knights slept all night.

❖ ❖ ❖

Indigo Land, commonly known as the Southern Kingdom.

The Southern Kingdom was a place ruled by a senate composed of nobles and a prime minister elected by them. As such, policies varied greatly depending on who was elected prime minister. According to what the command post found out, the reason the Southern Kingdom, which had been preparing for a truce, suddenly attacked using assassins was because the newly elected prime minister disliked the Empire.

Roaming through the Southern Kingdom, Victor could fully feel that atmosphere. In the Southern Kingdom, where printing was exceptionally developed, propaganda posters cursing the Empire were printed and plastered everywhere.

Victor didn't even bother to tear off those papers. Because they would all burn to ashes anyway.

On the mainland of the Southern Kingdom, the Mort Knight Order never lost. Whether it was a village, a castle, or an army. Victor broke through defenses very easily and destroyed everything in an instant. He gave civilians time to evacuate in advance, but he showed no mercy to the soldiers. Victor ruthlessly cut down the enemy soldiers who begged for their lives.

His notoriety only grew higher.

'Death comes for you, the Grand Duke of Death leaps over the wall at midnight.'

Such a song was created and circulated around the Southern Kingdom.

The tide of war tilted sharply. As a third of the mainland was engulfed in flames in an instant, the Southern Kingdom government scrambled to end the war. It seemed the prime minister was still against it, but the senate wanted to stop the war even if they had to hang the prime minister.

When the command post entered truce negotiations, the Mort Knight Order's advance also stopped.

Since landing on the mainland, the knight order had fewer than ten casualties. It was an unbelievably small number for a unit that had won so many battles. It was all thanks to Victor's inhuman swordsmanship.

His sword became sharper the more he used it, to the point where he could now even cut rocks. Yet he didn't feel any satisfaction.

Victor sat numbly in the camp and ate his meals. The bread topped with olives and smoked ham taken from the Southern Kingdom army didn't suit his taste at all, so he took a few bites and left it.

As he was washing his throat with water, a knight with a blunt expression approached. It was Leonard.

"A message came from the command post. The truce agreement is in its final stages."

"Are my demands included?"

Leonard silently nodded.

What Victor demanded was only one thing. The execution of the current prime minister who sent the assassination squad.

The Grand Duke thought Leonard would finally say something about it. Since this cruel subjugation began, he had been wearing an agonized expression the whole time. But Leonard said something unexpected.

"Is your mind a bit more at ease now?"

It sounded like a sarcastic remark at first. But Victor knew he was a person who couldn't even joke, let alone be sarcastic. Leonard slowly continued.

"I know how much you are suffering, Your Highness. That is why all of us have followed whatever you do."

"…"

"But now you must return."

Victor quietly looked down at the deep blue sea.

The Southern Kingdom was a beautiful place. The sea was so clear it was transparent blue, and the people were all lively and beautiful. The villages with navy-blue roofs on top of white houses looked just like the land of fairies in a story.

He was the one who burned such a beautiful land for months. During that time, the anger burning in his chest also gradually subsided. Only a bitter pain remained.

"Stop the revenge here. You need to rest, Your Highness."

"I'm not tired."

"I know you can't sleep at night."

It was a statement he couldn't deny.

The Grand Duke hardly slept at night. It was especially worse after receiving an answer from the Eastern Kingdom that the magic the assassination squad used was a spell that could only be used on sleeping people.

The Eastern Kingdom side revealed the secret of the magic to deny their connection to the assassination squad, but it was no comfort to Victor.

He regretted falling asleep that day, and became anxious every night. Even after hearing that there was no one left who could use that magic anymore, it was the same. He just couldn't fall asleep.

"You might be able to sleep if you return to your hometown. Besides, it is the land that Lord Morteon cultivated. You must not abandon it."

Leonard's words were right, as always. Hearing that inconsiderate truth suddenly made him miss his hometown terribly. The cold, sandy-smelling land where he lived with Morteon.

Victor looked down at the sea and said.

"You're still preaching even though I've become the Grand Duke."

"Because you are my lord, I speak more. A lord is responsible for his territory and a knight protects the weak…"

"I know. I know, so shut up."

Victor smiled for the first time in a very long while.

The brown eyes of Morteon, who used to talk about the future, flashed through his mind. His brother had always wanted to create a beautiful land where the lord and the townspeople could all smile. Memories and regrets rushed in.

Yeah, what meaning would there be in doing more? His brother was already gone, and the things he cherished remained in the north.

Smelling the salty scent, Victor organized his mind.

He decided to stop here since he had taken enough revenge. He would return to his hometown where his brother's traces remained, and though lacking, try to cultivate that land by imitating his brother.

❖ ❖ ❖

And so, the Southern Kingdom War ended.

It was a long war that had finally exceeded three years. The ones who ended the war, which they couldn't win despite deploying so many troops, in just half a year, were the Black Lion Knight Order from the land of knights.

The Mort Knight Order became the Empire's greatest heroes and returned to the Empire amidst tremendous cheers. They were majestic standing at the very front of the victory parade.

Passing through the street strewn with flower petals, Kalz grumbled.

"What did those guys do to be in the victory parade? If it weren't for them, this war would have ended a year earlier."

The ones Kalz pointed to were the nobles who had been in the command post. Knights and lords, mostly from the south, were walking the flower path triumphantly. Victor turned his head.

"Whatever. It's all over now."

"Well, that's true. We won't see them again anyway."

"You're from the south, so naturally you'll see them again, right?"

At his lord's words, Kalz replied crookedly.

"What are you talking about? I'm going to live in the north for the rest of my life. I'm sick and tired of hot and humid places now."

"Are you getting comfortable speaking casually?"

"What does it matter? We're returning to Mort anyway."

Victor laughed. Actually, he really didn't care. It felt like returning to the old days, so it was rather good.

He was now barely able to talk about Morteon. It was a name he couldn't even bring up because it was too painful before. But he thought his brother wouldn't want to be forgotten like that either.

Throughout the return, he constantly talked about his brother, who was always kind to the knights. And he held onto hope. By reminiscing about Morteon like this and staying in his hometown with his comrades and friends, someday everything could go back to the way it was. That peace would come to his life again.

Soon, the victory parade ended.

Victor Mort naturally met the Emperor before anyone else. The nobles in the audience chamber gasped and murmured at the sight of the young Grand Duke. The murmurs were a mix of excitement, jealousy, and admiration. Victor wasn't surprised. He knew his appearance looked quite impressive to others.

The Emperor highly praised Grand Duke Mort. He praised him for achieving a great feat and gave him an immense reward. Since it was a small amount compared to the war reparations he would extract from the Southern Kingdom thanks to him, Victor gladly accepted it.

The Emperor asked what other rewards he desired.

Victor thought for a moment. Others might want a marriage tie with the imperial family or more land, but none of those were things he needed. He just intended to live quietly in his hometown for the rest of his life.

So he answered faithfully.

"Nothing else is necessary. It is an honor just to have served the Empire and seen Your Majesty."

The Emperor laughed heartily, seemingly satisfied.

"You are a true knight! Tell me later if there is anything you want. I will grant you anything once."

Victor bowed with full knightly courtesy and withdrew.

❖ ❖ ❖

Invitations poured into the Black Lion mansion in the capital. It was because they wanted to meet the Grand Duke, the hero of the war.

But Victor didn't stay long in the capital and departed for Mort right away. He only took a few of his father's and Morteon's belongings that had remained in the capital mansion.

The journey back was much more comfortable than when they left. They were welcomed wherever they went, and were provided with lavish banquets and good lodging. Victor left the knights to rest well. They had endured much suffering, so his knights also needed time to smile.

As his mind eased, sleep came much better. Eating and drinking every day, they leisurely reached Mort.

Mort. His hometown was exactly the same as before. A cool sandy breeze blew, and the leaves were pointed. In the quiet frontier, the march of the knight order itself was a good sight, and knowing this, the knight order entered Mort noisily announcing their return.

At the sound of trumpets, everyone ran out to the streets and cheered. Seeing the colorful roofs and the people with somewhat pale skin for Imperials brought a sense of familiarity.

Victor smiled and waved his hand. The war would remain in his memories along with his heavily tanned skin, but it was all fine. The vassals would bring a lot of backlogged work, and the nightmares would gradually be forgotten in the tedious daily life.

The knight order proudly entered the inner castle. The vassals waiting for him in front of the castle bowed their heads all at once.

"We greet the new Grand Duke, Your Highness."

Victor nodded with a suffocating feeling. It finally felt real that he was taking Morteon's place.

He said sincerely.

"You have worked hard while I was away. I may be lacking compared to my brother, but please continue to help me in the future."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Victor smiled at the vassals.

He didn't really like the vassals, but he knew how well they and Mort had worked. To follow in Morteon's footsteps, he too had to learn to trust the vassals and work with them.

He wanted to take responsibility for the land his brother loved. To become a Grand Duke beloved by knights, vassals, and townspeople alike, just like Morteon.

With a weary heart, Victor firmly resolved.

❖ ❖ ❖

He started working the very next day. He received the backlogged audiences, read the vassals' reports, and sent knights to subjugate monsters.

He also accepted the vassals' demand to arrange a political marriage as soon as possible. Morteon would certainly have done so. Marrying someone he loved was a childhood dream, but now that he was the Grand Duke, he couldn't. The names of ladies he didn't even know the faces of circulated in the conference room. They were daughters of prestigious allied families that would benefit the Grand Ducal House. Victor didn't pay much attention. Whoever it was, they were all the same to him.

Weeks passed by day and night. His insomnia, which hadn't fully healed yet, kept him working late into the night. The knights worried, but Victor thought it didn't matter. The more he worked, the better Mort would be to live in.

One day, he sneaked out for a night walk.

It was past midnight. Because he couldn't sleep and ended up reading documents, the moon was already high in the sky. Thinking that walking a bit might bring sleep, Victor walked down the hallway without a lantern.

Then, he heard a small whisper from somewhere.

"…About Lord Morteon, they say the Grand Duke killed him?"

What?

Victor stopped in his tracks as if he had been struck.

'…'

─Victor's senses were extremely sharp. That was the secret to his astonishingly accurate swordsmanship. To the Grand Duke's ears, the whispering voices were heard all too clearly.

"…Our lord said that while everyone else was away, Lord Morteon and the knights were annihilated. And the only one who survived was His Highness Victor. Isn't that strange?"

"Hey, His Highness the Grand Duke is incredibly strong! So he must have survived because of that."

"But then why couldn't he protect Lord Morteon? Why did he let his brother die when he survived without a single scratch?"

Every single word pierced Victor's heart like a blade.

Another maid whispered.

"But the two of them were really close. Everyone in the castle knows that?"

"No, that's not it. Before leaving, His Highness Victor was planning to take the Grand Duke's throne with Lord Girad's group."

"No way!"

"It's true! They were openly saying that. And now they're even bragging that they sided with the right person!"

Victor tried to understand the situation.

They were probably servants. Those who worked in the castle or served the vassals. And Girad… Victor recalled the group of vassals who had spoken to him before the war. The ones who had stepped up to support him to check Morteon. He hadn't even had a proper conversation with them other than in the hallway. Why….

The voices chattered like excited mice.

"Wow, that's scary. Is power that good?"

"How can we understand the minds of high-ranking people? How heartless, to do that to a brother who treated him so well."

"Hey, the one who died was the fool. What kind of noble keeps such a strong heir so close?"

"Foolish Lord Morteon."

"Poor thing."

Suddenly, his stomach turned cold. It felt like darkness was swallowing his entire body.

He didn't even feel angry. Everything just felt empty.

Victor shook off the remaining voices and slowly returned to his bedroom.

❖ ❖ ❖

The next morning, he called for Leonard and Kalz.

With eyes darkened from lack of sleep, the Grand Duke asked.

"Is there a rumor going around that I killed my brother?"

Leonard was openly flustered, and Kalz frowned. From their reaction, Victor was convinced.

"So the rumor is going around."

"Your Highness, all the knights know it's a baseless rumor…"

"I'm not asking the knight order."

The words of the servants were the words of their masters. The people he saw yesterday were servants of the vassals, and they said they heard it from their masters. If the vassals were saying such things, probably all of Mort was saying similar things.

Victor stared at Leonard.

"You're in contact with your family, right?"

"Your Highness."

"Tell me, Leonard Odo. What are they saying."

The Odo family was a house with a fiefdom on the outskirts of Mort. They rarely came to the inner castle, but because of their long history, they frequently interacted with the other vassals. So they must have heard something.

Leonard bowed his head with difficulty. No matter how agonizing it was to say, he couldn't disobey his lord's command.

"…They say such rumors have been circulating since the moment we announced Lord Morteon's death. They said the reason we burned the bodies was to destroy the evidence."

"…"

"Furthermore, it seems vassals including Girad inflated the rumor. They said they pushed the new Grand Duke to gain their positions… and that Your Highness, unlike Lord Morteon, is not soft…"

"…"

"You know it's all lies, Your Highness. It's just a rumor."

Victor didn't say anything for a long time.

His life was literally for Morteon. He lived thanks to his brother, and he fought for his brother. He took the place his brother left behind and tried to take care of Mort. Because it was the land his brother loved, the people he loved.

But what returned were these vile words. A weak brother who had his position stolen by his younger sibling, and a shameless sibling who killed his brother and took the Grand Duke's seat. The vassals trying to profit from such rumors, and the people mindlessly enjoying the gossip.

This was it. The people his brother cared for and he protected.

Why am I alive and doing this?

The dark thoughts that had lingered for a long time raised their head again. Victor slowly leaned back against the Grand Duke's throne engraved with the Black Lion. He asked his knights.

"What would Brother Theon have done?"

"He would have called the vassals and talked to them. Working hard until the rumors disappeared."

"But I don't want to do that."

Kalz blocked Leonard, who was about to say something. As if he knew it couldn't be stopped.

Victor took off his gloves.

"Arrest Girad and the servants. I will interrogate them myself."

❖ ❖ ❖

The plaza was stained with blood.

Victor Mort did exactly the same as on the battlefield. Because of the sleepless Grand Duke's cruelty, screams didn't cease even at dawn.

The vassals who spread the rumor said they received mining rights or land, claiming they were under the protection of the cruel new Grand Duke.

They and their families, and the servants who deliberately spread the words, were all sent to the execution stand. The servants of the Grand Ducal House were no exception. Except for the young ones or those who had no chance to meet the vassals, they were all interrogated and executed as well. The gold coins they received as payment for spreading the rumors were burned along with the corpses.

When the executions that lasted for a fortnight ended, all of Mort was trembling in fear.

Many vassals and servants left, and the survivors were so terrified that they couldn't even look at Victor. Victor was the same. He was somewhat cruel by nature, and he didn't regret killing those who had insulted his brother and himself, but seeing the terrified people was painful for him as well. The Mort that he and his brother loved was suffering because of him, just like the Southern Kingdom.

Why did it turn out like this? Pondering with sunken eyes, the Grand Duke reached one conclusion.

Maybe it was because he didn't properly finish his revenge.

Right then, a letter arrived from the capital. The letter bearing the Emperor's seal was wrapped in flowery language, but the point was clear. It was a request to start a war against the Eastern Kingdom and make the Eastern Kingdom a vassal state just like the Southern Kingdom.

Another war, it was nonsense. It was a decision made only because they didn't know how horrific war was.

Normally, he would have rebelled at least once, but Victor accepted it in resignation.

If he refused to go to war, Mort would immediately become a target of the imperial family. And, at least he would be able to turn the homeland of those assassins into hell.

Victor accepted the imperial command and gathered his knights again. Then, he left for the south as quickly as possible with the knights with gloomy faces.

It was an escape for him.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Emperor he met again welcomed Grand Duke Mort very warmly. Along with empty words about how the Grand Duke was the jewel of the Empire and how the loyalty of the Mort Knight Order was truly admirable.

Even though he started the war knowing they couldn't refuse the expedition.

Thinking so, the Grand Duke only smiled. Then he made only one request.

"Please execute them, Your Majesty."

Victor listed the names of the nobles who had been part of the command post during the Southern Kingdom War. They were so incredibly incompetent that they got countless people killed and even caused Morteon to die on that island. They were people he originally intended to forget, but since he was determined to finish his revenge, he couldn't.

He was already famous as a cruel Grand Duke. Shedding a little more blood, especially in the Emperor's name, was not something he disliked.

The Emperor readily granted Grand Duke Mort's request. Because he had promised to grant him one wish.

Moreover, he said accusations against them had already been coming in. They had clashed with other southern nobles in their greed to take more reparations. The Emperor didn't miss the opportunity that arose in the midst of it.

Victor departed only after seeing the imperial command to punish them proclaimed.

"As expected, foolish people don't do just one thing. To incur such hatred."

"…"

Leonard, standing beside him, didn't answer.

Since Victor executed the vassals, Leonard had been avoiding the Grand Duke. They had their faults too, but the annihilation of so many hometown people must have been unbearable for him.

Victor didn't specifically investigate or punish the Odo family, but that point pained Leonard even more. He was having a very hard time with his friend and lord breaking chivalry.

Victor looked at the countless soldiers following behind him.

This time, Victor departed with the position of supreme commander. Unlike before, when he couldn't even dictate his own operation, the young Grand Duke could trample the Eastern Kingdom leading the entire imperial army.

The Grand Duke opened his mouth.

"I must say this before we depart. From now on, you are the vice-commander of the knight order."

"…Why me and not Kalz?"

The Grand Duke's yellow eyes glanced at Leonard.

"Because I need someone to stop me when I'm about to do something wrong."

Leonard clamped his mouth shut. Victor didn't say more and pulled the reins.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Eastern Kingdom was an unfamiliar land. With half of its territory being the Black Mountain Range, its language and culture were somewhat different from the Empire's. Like the Southern Kingdom, it had an official name, but it was not easy to pronounce in the Imperial language. If forced to write it, it would be something like 'Ilium Naland'. In their language, it meant the Orange Kingdom.

True to its name, the Eastern Kingdom's land was mostly orange desert, and the people wore unique ornaments such as long earrings and gold chains.

Above all, the most peculiar thing was the existence of mages.

"Mages are very rare even in the Eastern Kingdom. Usually, only the royal family or nobles are born with magical abilities, but if you use a special medallion, even non-mages can use magic temporarily."

"Yes, I know."

The intelligence officer bowed his head at the Grand Duke's cold words.

"However, there are almost no mages who breathe fire or drop lightning like in old tales. Ordinary mages use magic to show illusions that blind the enemy's eyes or to enhance their bodies."

Victor frowned as painful memories resurfaced.

The assassins who used magic to block their eyes and ears. This was the land where they grew up. The unextinguished hatred filled his chest again.

The Imperial army was now at the Eastern Kingdom border. The Eastern Kingdom, which always suffered from monster hordes coming down from the Black Mountain Range, was much more heavily defended than the Southern Kingdom. The castle walls were sturdy and the number of soldiers was large. They resisted much more fiercely than the Southern Kingdom soldiers. From their perspective, the Eastern Kingdom was being invaded for truly no reason.

The Empire declared war citing a minor territorial dispute, but anyone could see it was an excuse by a great power for invasion. It was said that rumors even circulated within the Eastern Kingdom that the bloodthirsty Grand Duke Mort started the war.

Victor didn't care. Since he came to the battlefield to escape his hometown, that statement was partly true.

He remembered Morteon, who used to sit him down and teach him about chivalry when he was young.

'A knight shouldn't kill others recklessly or take excessive revenge, Victor.'

Victor gripped his sword tightly.

I know. But, brother. I just couldn't.

❖ ❖ ❖

The subjugation of the Eastern Kingdom was truly not easy. Unlike the previous war, the staff was competent, and the battles were conducted more efficiently, but the Eastern Kingdom army was strong.

In particular, the mages were a headache. It was fine since the range of illusion magic wasn't wide, but enemies whose bodies were enhanced by magic were tricky to deal with. The only ones who could properly deal with units containing mages were the strong senior knights.

So Victor allowed each knight order to act independently, and he himself led the Mort Knight Order to defeat the mages.

Victor overprotected the knight order even more than during the Southern Kingdom War. Because this time, he truly didn't want to lose a single person. The Grand Duke was always the first to leap into the enemy lines, finding and cutting down enemy commanders and mages. By the time the knight order caught up, there were often no survivors left.

No matter how strong he was, it was reckless. But his knights didn't say much.

Only Kalz said something gruffly.

"Does it help you sleep a bit?"

"Who knows."

"Please sleep on time. It's creepy when Your Highness sits in front of the tent in the middle of the night. Yesterday, a herald from the command post thought Your Highness was a ghoul, you know?"

At Kalz's sly remark, the knights burst into laughter. The knights of Mort weren't always gloomy. It was for their lord, but also for themselves.

Besides, the situation was definitely better than before. The orders were all rational, and it wasn't a sweltering tropical island.

Victor quietly bowed his head and wiped his sword. He was grateful for his comrades' consideration.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Mort Knight Order continued to roam the orange fields. Past the unique trees of the Black Mountain Range and the walls made of copper-colored bricks.

They never lost. The Grand Duke's sword even cut through magic. His skill, cutting down knights enhanced by magic to be several times stronger than ordinary people in a single strike, made even allies stick their tongues out in awe.

Even more stories than in the Southern Kingdom were created and spread. About the bloodthirsty Grand Duke in the black cloak.

As the knight order's fame became known across the continent, wandering knights came one by one. Regular knight orders only accepted children of nobles, but the Mort Knight Order was famous for accepting anyone who was qualified. The knights tested their skills with simple spars, and those who were strong enough were taken in as comrades.

The strong ones of the knight order, like Raoul of Radan and Jane of Shevery, also joined around this time. Everyone was glad to see their comrades increase even in the middle of a war. Victor also felt his mind ease a little.

But his nightmares didn't stop. No, they only grew worse.

He couldn't even fall asleep outdoors anymore, and his sleeping hours grew shorter and shorter. Even the military doctors didn't know the reason. Whether it was because he returned to the battlefield, because he constantly faced mages, or both. Anyway, Victor's insomnia worsened and gradually morphed into another illness.

At first, it wasn't that severe. He would suddenly draw his sword while sleeping, or wake up at dawn and walk around the tent.

But as the war continued, the illness rapidly worsened.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw that hot island. The stifling and humid air of the south, the fear of losing hearing and sight simultaneously, and the killing intent felt from all directions. The night he swung his sword desperately feeling like he would die.

Despite that, the people he couldn't protect.

And his brother. Morteon's face, which had always been smiling, stiff and rigid.

"…Your Highness, Your Highness! Victor!"

Victor barely opened his eyes at the shouting.

He didn't understand the situation for a moment.

He must have set tomorrow's operation plan, then entered the tent and taken a short nap. But for some reason, he was outside the tent with his sword drawn, and a pale Leonard was blocking his sword.

The vice-commander sheathed his sword with difficulty.

"Your Highness, are you in your right mind?"

"Leonard, what is this…"

"Your Highness… you attacked them while you were sleeping. They somehow dodged, but we couldn't deal with you, and they screamed, so…"

Victor looked around with stiff eyes.

Now seeing them, a few knights were sitting slumped nearby. The other knights who had drawn their swords also showed clear signs of shock. Probably, they had rescued their comrades, and Leonard, who could somewhat stand against him, had blocked Victor.

The Grand Duke asked quickly.

"Are there any injured?"

"We are fine, Your Highness."

The sitting knights forced a smile. But they couldn't hide their trembling hands. Victor contorted his face. It felt like his throat was being strangled.

He knew his own skill very well. His sword was completely different from ordinary people's. A sword that could easily cut through rock and steel, a sword that even earned him the title of Sword Master, which was said to no longer exist.

For him, killing a person was very easy. It didn't matter if the opponent was a senior knight or a peasant who had never learned the sword. His sword always took away lives in an instant.

As soon as the realization hit, a chill ran down his spine.

He almost killed his knight. Crazy, as the rumors said, he had almost killed his own knights personally….

"Get a hold of yourself."

Leonard gripped his lord's shoulder tightly.

"I don't know much about illnesses, but this isn't your first time, is it? It will be okay."

His vice-commander declared firmly. It was a voice so full of friendship that it was hard to believe it came from someone who had constantly avoided conversation.

But Victor instinctively knew.

That it would never be okay.

❖ ❖ ❖

The imperial military doctors did their best. They told him about an illness that occasionally caused bizarre behavior while sleeping, and prescribed various medicines so he could fall into a deep sleep without symptoms.

But the medicine had no effect at all. It was because of the terrible nightmares and the tension of the war.

So Victor started avoiding sleep altogether. He forced his eyes open at night and endured solely with his physical and mental strength.

The knights worried greatly, telling him to just sleep because they would handle it somehow.

However, as the symptoms worsened, they couldn't even say that. Perhaps because he hadn't been sleeping properly, the sleeping Grand Duke woke up faster and became even stronger. It reached a point where several knights, not just Leonard, had to jump in.

When Victor went to bed after days of staying awake, more than a dozen knights took turns keeping watch in front of the tent. Kalz quietly moved the knight order to a remote location far from the allies. It was because he was afraid Victor might harm other allies.

Since they mostly acted independently anyway, it didn't matter much, but the problem was supplies.

"The allied supply depot is half a day's distance from here. We won't be able to receive rations on time."

"Let's hold out mainly on dry rations for now. After that, we can receive separate support─"

"We are the unit that has penetrated the deepest into the Eastern Kingdom right now. Who is going to carry supplies all the way here?"

The knights fell silent. Victor painfully frowned. Fatigue and guilt weighed down on him.

His knights had no reason to experience such things. Because of his weakness, they lost their lord and comrades, and now they were even taking unnecessary risks. No one blamed him, but Victor was in deep agony.

Then, Kalz spoke up.

"Actually, there is a noble who offered to help us."

"Who?"

"Duke Welch. He said his knight order would help with supplies in the middle."

Victor furrowed his brow.

Although the Welch Dukedom was their ally, they weren't close enough to readily step up for something like this. The Welch family's base was in the capital, and the Mort family hadn't participated in the capital's high society for quite some time. Moreover, Duke Welch was a calculating man who only moved if there was a profit?

"What did he demand?"

At the question, Kalz answered simply.

"A marriage with his only daughter."

Victor then remembered that the family had a daughter. Nananel, was it? A name he had heard when they were actively looking for a political marriage partner. He didn't even remember the portrait.

Victor smiled twistedly.

"How amusing. They cherish their daughter so much, yet they propose without even knowing what state the other party is in."

"…"

"Understood, tell them I agree. Also say that if they change their mind later, I will compensate them with gold."

"I understand, Your Highness."

Kalz bowed his head.

❖ ❖ ❖

That night, Victor sat in front of the campfire and thought.

In just a few years, life had clawed at him like a chimera's talon. His once white skin had turned bronze, and countless people had left his side like sand swept away by the waves. The helplessness and sense of loss from losing his brother continued to eat away at him.

In his exhausted, sleep-deprived mind, someone whispered every day. To give up. To let everything go and find peace.

Victor said casually to the knight next to him.

"Leonard."

"Yes."

"If I ever truly harm someone, then…"

Leonard immediately caught the meaning of his words. He cut off his words firmly.

"Do not think such things, Your Highness. A knight does not abandon his comrades, and Your Highness is…"

"─Eight-tenths of our military strength, right? If Your Highness is gone, we will have to fight the war for five more years."

"Kalz!"

Leonard sent a reproachful look, but Kalz, who was sitting slumped across from them, just shrugged. It was an attitude asking what was wrong with his words. The chief of staff, who stayed at the command post more often than at the knight order's station, said.

"Do you know what people call Your Highness these days? 'Walking Death.' No one can kill death."

"…"

"So end the war and get proper treatment."

Spitting that out, he took out some jerky and chewed on it. Leonard closed his mouth. He knew that was Kalz's way of comforting him.

Victor knew it too. That his friends and comrades wished for his happiness. That no one wanted him to die or get hurt.

But he secretly hoped for something else.

Someone who could end all of this. Someone who could put him to sleep or even kill him. Someone so overwhelmingly strong that they could hold death in their hands and give him true rest.

Victor wanted such a person.

❖ ❖ ❖

Separate from his situation, the subjugation of the Eastern Kingdom proceeded smoothly.

The Imperial army advanced deeper and deeper into the heart of the Eastern Kingdom. As they neared the capital, stronger mages and knights popped up, but it wasn't a big problem for Victor.

He was no longer affected by illusion magic. It was because his mind was already quite broken. The Grand Duke, who ignored magic and approached, became a nightmare for the Eastern Kingdom army. When the knights he killed numbered in the hundreds, the enemy fled as soon as they saw the Black Lion banner.

Despite that, the Eastern Kingdom did not surrender. They condemned the Empire's invasion and resisted to the end. The Imperial army brought down the territories that locked their gates and fought back one by one.

When the months-long campaign ended, only the capital, Naland, remained.

"Naland is not a difficult castle to conquer. It is located on a wide plain, and the Black Mountain Range surrounds it from behind, making it easy to surround."

"The problem is that there are much stronger mages there than anywhere else."

Victor let the staff's words go in one ear. He was too exhausted to focus on anything.

The staff continued speaking, mindful of the increasingly fierce and gloomy Grand Duke.

"In particular, the queen of the Eastern Kingdom is a terrifying mage. They say she can drop fireballs and summon rain and wind with a flick of her hand."

"I understand."

Victor quietly stood up. He felt the people around him shrink back.

The Grand Duke slowly lowered his head toward the wide operation map.

"Deploy the cavalry on the left and right. Place the infantry in the center… draw their attention with catapults and quickly approach the walls with the knights at the center. I will stand at the forefront."

"But isn't it too dangerous…"

Victor looked back at the staff expressionlessly.

"You all know that no one else can break through but me, don't you?"

"…"

"It's a battle that can end the war. It's natural to do whatever it takes."

The staff finally nodded.

Soon, a detailed operation was established, and the meeting ended. Victor came out of the command tent. As he crossed the military camp, he felt the murmurs of fear around him.

Come to think of it, they said rumors were going around. Rumors that he was a monster that ate people, or a dragon that only woke up at night. The command post threatened to punish rumors about the supreme commander under military law, but they couldn't stop formless words.

Victor didn't care. Considering his current state, it was better if no one approached.

Of course, his knights didn't care about rumors either. They welcomed their lord who had returned to the station.

"You have returned, Your Highness."

"Would you like some ale?"

Victor refused the offered glass and approached the campfire. At his gesture, they quickly gathered.

Victor said briefly.

"We strike Naland tomorrow."

The knights exchanged tense glances. Knowing the Eastern Kingdom's military strength made it even more so. The Southern Kingdom was peaceful and had almost no soldiers, but the Eastern Kingdom was different. If it weren't for Victor, the Mort Knight Order would have suffered considerable damage.

Leonard asked.

"Are we taking the lead?"

"Yes. To be precise, I am."

The vice-commander frowned. The Grand Duke cut off whatever he was about to say.

"Kalz agreed to this too. I won't accept objections."

Leonard closed his mouth. He seemed unable to accept his lord taking such a danger alone, but anyway, he was a knight and couldn't disobey his lord's words.

Trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere, Raoul of Radan made a joke.

"Well, I guess I'll meet one of the strongest women on the continent tomorrow. The mage queen of the Eastern Kingdom… I'm looking forward to it."

"You're too carefree…. Who else is there?"

"There are many. Like the Mercenary King Yaji."

"Yaji is a woman?!"

The knights immediately bit into the topic. Perhaps to forget the tension of the battle, they soon all started chattering. Wandering knights from distant regions or those well-versed in rumors unfolded their stories one after another.

Jane of Shevery, who had roamed the continent for over five years, spoke up.

"The women of the Southern Kingdom are surprisingly beautiful, and the women of the Eastern Kingdom use mysterious magic. But the strongest are definitely the women of the Northern Kingdom."

"The Northern Kingdom? You mean the Kingdom?"

"Ah, right. You don't call it that in the Empire, do you?"

Jane shrugged.

The Northern Kingdom had been a vassal state of the Empire for a very long time, so Imperials and Northern Kingdom people often just shortened it to 'Kingdom'. Anyway. Jane continued.

"The Kingdom is terrifyingly barren land. The capital is a bit better, but the further north you go, the more swarming with strong monsters it gets. So there are many women there who are skilled with weapons."

"Even so, could they be stronger than the Mercenary King?"

"Who knows."

Jane smiled lightly.

"No one knows what's hiding in the Black Mountain Range, right? There might be monsters among humans too. Actually, the strongest knight in the Kingdom is said to be a woman."

"That's a bit creepy."

"Imagine it. A woman as strong as His Highness…"

The knights each looked into the air, then shuddered at whatever they were thinking.

Victor was about to scold them to stop but held back. Anyway, this was also a topic he was interested in these days.

A strong person. Not someone who would fall like a leaf to his sword, but someone who would defeat him and give him rest. That was the person he was looking for.

Maybe I'll meet her tomorrow.

The Grand Duke thought.

He would fight the strongest mage on the continent tomorrow. According to information, the queen had magic that could burn hundreds of knights in an instant.

Victor rubbed the sword blade against the leather amidst an unpleasant sense of anticipation.

❖ ❖ ❖

The battle began in the morning.

As the army marched in front of the castle, arrows flew from the walls. While the infantry blocked the arrows with shields, the cavalry split to the left and right and quickly approached the fortress.

Then, a hot heat was felt from above.

"Scatter!"

As soon as the knights scattered in all directions, a massive fireball struck the ground. Victor calmed his startled horse and looked up at the sky.

It was a bizarre sight. Fireballs were pouring down like rain from a clear, empty sky.

Shouts erupted from all sides, and the soldiers couldn't maintain their formation and scattered wildly. But the Imperial army had already anticipated this situation. The soldiers advanced according to training at the sound of the unit leader's horn.

Victor led the knights and galloped his horse. Seeing him with his black cloak fluttering, the soldiers screamed.

"Walking Death is here!"

Victor advanced, cutting down enemies like leaves. Lightning began to strike from the sky, but the Grand Duke reached the wall in an instant, grabbed a rope, and climbed the wall. Neither arrows nor people were a match for him. He killed the mages and knights, cut down the archers, and carved a path for his allies.

The smell of thick blood paralyzed his sense of smell. The endless screams of people felt exactly like a dream.

─And, the Grand Duke met the queen of the Eastern Kingdom.

The queen was not on the wall. She was in a small prayer room below the wall, with an unusually large number of guards. The Grand Duke cut down all the soldiers and went inside.

The interior was strangely quiet. Only a massive magic circle with unknown crests burned black and decorated the floor.

The woman standing in the center slowly turned her head. Just like Victor, the queen recognized who he was immediately.

"Ah, so you are Death."

"…"

"I expected the face of an arrogant victor, but why do you look like you want to die right now?"

The Grand Duke looked at the queen without answering. As if she was reading his mind using some damn magic, the queen spoke exactly as he felt. The queen smiled twistedly.

"You lack the courage to plunge a sword directly into your own heart, so you seek another's blade. But what a pity? You are too strong for even me to kill."

The Grand Duke finally opened his mouth.

"Then what should I do?"

"You ravage my country and seek answers from me?"

"Your people took my family."

"Hahaha!"

The queen suddenly laughed out loud.

"That is sophistry, knight. You have already killed far too many people under the guise of revenge. To commit such sins and yet wish for rest alone. How grotesque and ugly."

"…"

"My power is almost spent, but there is still something I can do."

The queen raised her long fingers and pointed at the Grand Duke. Beneath the crown, luscious copper hair flowed down.

"Your nightmare will not end even if you leave the battlefield. But you will not be harmed by poison or magic, by fragile weapons, or even by your own sword. Even if you wish for it."

The Grand Duke's eyes widened.

This was the blessing magic that only a very few mages could use. It was said that the remaining blessing, regardless of the mage's life or death, varied in duration depending on the mage's level. Blessings of powerful mages often lasted for several years. Then the queen's magic….

The queen smiled.

"You cannot die."

This is my revenge.

As soon as the queen's words ended, knights rushed in through the door. They found the queen and raised their swords, but the queen willingly extended her hand. The knights, still wary, bound the queen's wrists with silk.

Victor looked at the sight blankly.

Revenge was over, and the throne and ring of the Eastern Kingdom fell right into his hands. But he didn't feel anything.

It was just empty. So suffocatingly empty.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Eastern Kingdom fell to the Empire just like that. The kingdom that lost its queen surrendered unconditionally, and the Empire deposed the queen and made the Eastern Kingdom a complete vassal state. All the gold and silver treasures extracted from the capital Naland were more than the reparations received from the Southern Kingdom. The Imperial army returned to the Empire triumphantly.

But Victor Mort felt no relief at all. The nightmares didn't end, and putting him to sleep had now become akin to warfare. It was so painful that he sought sleeping pills or magic, and even struck himself with his own sword, but not a single wound appeared on him.

The Grand Duke despaired.

The queen had made it so he couldn't even kill himself.

Then who could do it? Who could cut him down and put him to sleep, to end this pain?

Who on earth could defeat the strongest knight on the continent?

❖ ❖ ❖

He didn't remember much of what happened after. It was purely thanks to his tough body and the queen's un-blessing that he managed to return to the Empire without falling off his horse.

No one approached the knight with a much more terrifying face than before. Even the Emperor only dismissed him after a few short words.

Victor refused all banquets and holed up in the capital mansion. It was the result of Dedrick and Madam Somona dissuading him from staying at the training ground on the outskirts of the capital. They said they couldn't let their suffering master sleep in a shabby lodging and that they would help with his treatment too. The Grand Duke just nodded. He was too tired to stop them.

And so the capital mansion became a battlefield of their own. Days of meeting healers sought by the servants during the day, and knights guarding the hallways and outside the windows at night.

Sinister rumors circulated in the capital. That Grand Duke Mort had gone mad and was locked in his room, or that the Mort Knight Order might rebel.

They were baseless rumors, but the terrified nobles cut off ties with the Mort mansion. Even Nananel Welch, who had frequently visited claiming to be his fiancée during the war, couldn't dare to come. The mansion where Morteon's traces remained became increasingly desolate.

The Grand Duke thought again.

Everything felt like his fault. His people suffering, the war continuing, and countless people dying. Mort being stained with blood, not even being able to properly hold funerals for his brother and comrades, his father leaving, and even his mother dying.

His aching, sleep-deprived head wouldn't stop thinking. Old depression ate away at his entire body.

Then one day, his knights came.

"Someone from the Welch family came today. They asked what you're going to do about the engagement."

"If it were me, I wouldn't be thinking of pushing my daughter into your bedroom right now."

The Grand Duke answered gloomily. Leonard nodded.

"We also explained the situation and said we would compensate them with gold, but… they were adamant. They don't want to miss this marriage alliance."

"Are they okay with the other person being crazy? You're out of your mind."

At the scathing words, Leonard fell silent. Beside him, Kalz opened his mouth in a crooked tone.

"Well, you are out of your mind. There are even rumors in the capital that Your Highness brings knights into the mansion every night to have them serve you at night."

"What?"

"This is why I don't understand the etiquette of this neighborhood. They say a wife is the only one who can enter the bedroom, what kind of absurd law is that?"

Kalz complained.

The Grand Duke stared into space for a moment. Normally, he would have been angry to hear such insulting rumors, but his exhausted body brought up a different thought.

A wife. The position of the Grand Duchess that the Duke of Welch so desperately wanted. The woman who would take that position would be able to touch him without hesitation day and night. Even if there was no healer who could cure him, a strong mage or… a knight could.

At the same time, the story he heard on the battlefield flashed through his dull mind. The rumor about the strongest female knight in the Kingdom.

The Grand Duke said abruptly.

"Bring her."

"Who are you talking about?"

"The strongest knight in the Kingdom that Jane mentioned. If it's her, she can watch over me at night, and it will also end the engagement with the Welch family."

The knights exchanged bewildered looks.

"Based only on a rumor? Jane himself said it was just a story he overheard."

"Besides, we don't know if Your Highness can endure such a long journey in your current state…"

The Grand Duke didn't answer and looked out the window.

Honestly, he had almost given up on treatment now. Neither medicine nor poison worked, and no magic had any effect.

Moreover, Victor was agonizingly strong. There were even injuries among the knights who took turns keeping watch.

To subdue an opponent without hurting them, you must be stronger than them. But the Grand Duke had never met anyone stronger than himself. So he didn't expect much, but.

If she is strong enough, even if she can't subdue or put me to sleep, she might be able to cut me down and kill me.

Victor decided to bet on that as his last resort.

❖ ❖ ❖

The knights eventually carried out their lord's command and planned the journey to the Kingdom. The Mort Knight Order quietly slipped out of the capital and headed north. Victor stayed holed up in the carriage like a corpse the entire time.

After traveling for weeks and arriving in the northern land, the King immediately recognized who he was talking about.

The lady of the north he met like that was,

"I am Amarion of Amari, Your Highness."

She looked truly strong. She had the eyes of a warrior who had fought long battles for a very long time.

At that moment, Victor thought.

If this woman really cuts me down, I will give her all the wealth and honor of the Grand Ducal House. I will even hand over the title that would return to the wife when the husband dies, and make her the greatest lady in the Empire.

The Grand Duke proposed, and the lady accepted.

Victor, returning from the long journey, locked the gates and stationed the knights in the garden. He told them to come save her if she screamed, and not to stop her even if he got hurt, then lay down on the bed.

Now, truly expecting the end.

❖ ❖ ❖

And the next day,

"…I'm alive."

The Grand Duke opens his eyes, seeing the dawn.

"Did you wish I was dead?"

Victor saw the white figure huddled beneath the window.

The face he had tried so hard not to look at, the long reed-flower colored hair, the thin arms, the exhausted expression. Yet, the hands tightly gripping the sword.

The Grand Duke looked at her, feeling almost awe.

"No, just… surprised."

Suddenly the entire world flipped, and Victor was able to picture a tomorrow he hadn't been able to think about for a very long time.

As the time he spent with her grew longer, an unfamiliar emotion filled him. It was the first time in his life such a person had existed. Someone as strong as him. A great knight who willingly gave up her every night to the sick one.

All his instincts surged, and the Grand Duke clung to her like a child trying to reclaim everything he had lost. The thought that he couldn't lose her filled his mind.

He didn't care if they called him crazy. Whether it was power, authority, gold, or his body. He didn't even want to choose his means. As long as he could keep this precious person alive by his side. As long as he could achieve what he had never succeeded in doing even once.

So Victor thoroughly disguised himself. Acting like a gentleman he had never been, in a way she would like, trying to make her not want to leave. If she knew his terrible and cruel past, she would definitely hate him, so he even hid that.

At the same time, he surrounded her with soft, fluffy things like a cotton blanket. Safely, so she wouldn't go anywhere, so she would only see good things and hear good stories. Locking the door so no one could steal her.

He was clumsy and failed several times, but eventually, everything went as he wished.

Early dawn, Victor kissed her white forehead and swore. That he would protect her with his life.

My savior, the only family I have again.

The only person who can bring me life and death.

"…Marion."

You, only you, absolutely.

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Distributed from Azit Novels (formerly Azitoon Novels).

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