Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 102

Chapter 102   Loyal Warrior Percival

“General! A man named Percival from the castle garrison has arrived. Will you meet with him?”

“Oh, bring him in immediately!”

Percival’s appearance was tattered, soaked with seawater, and he had two arrow wounds on his back.

“The castle is on the verge of falling! Why haven’t you come to our aid?!”

“…”

Taken aback by the abrupt confrontation without any formal greeting, General Alcock was momentarily at a loss for words. The force under General Alcock’s command was two thousand strong—enough to make a difference. However, orders from the royal palace had instructed him to avoid conflict with the Chad Duchy’s forces to prevent provoking the Garland nation with whom they were in diplomatic negotiations.

“General! An urgent message from the royal palace!”

“Alright, bring it in! Sir Percival, please rest over there for a moment.”

After sending Percival away, General Alcock met with the messenger from the capital.

“General, the Republic has broken the ceasefire agreement and is advancing its troops north. You must return to the capital, Shampur, immediately!”

“What?! Is this true?”

In the previous war, the kingdom had defeated the Republic and secured a ceasefire agreement. However, seeing the kingdom’s current crisis, the Republic had turned against them.

General Alcock quickly gathered his staff to discuss their next steps.

◇◇◇◇◇

After guiding Percival and the royal messenger to the command tent, General Alcock convened a war council with us.

“So, what should we do?”

“If we leave things as they are, Hardy Castle will fall. If the castle is abandoned, the nobles of the Sork region will lose faith in the kingdom!”

A young noble pressed the general.

“But if we don’t send reinforcements to the eastern region of Atago, Net Castle will be lost. What do you propose we do about that?”

An elderly, white-haired noble voiced everyone’s concerns. It was clear to all that the kingdom currently lacked the strength to send adequate reinforcements to both the east and west.

“Well, regardless of which side we choose to aid, we cannot defy a Royal order. General, you must return to the capital for now,”

a middle-aged noble with a brown beard advised the group.

“Hmm…”

General Alcock closed his eyes and pondered in silence. With no clear solution, even the most hot-blooded young nobles fell silent.

“General,”

I spoke up.

“What is it, Baron Burn?”

“… Yes, please return to the capital, leaving me and five hundred soldiers behind.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“How about this strategy?”

I presented a parchment detailing the plan to the general and the other commanders.

“Hmm… This looks interesting. Very well, I’ll leave it in your hands.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Alright, except for the Baron Burn, everyone else, prepare to return to the capital immediately! Get ready at once!”

“Yes, sir!”

After dismissing everyone, the general met with Percival.

“We have a plan to send reinforcements to the castle, so don’t worry. Go, eat, and get plenty of rest!”

Upon hearing this, Percival declined the general’s offer.

“I appreciate the offer, but I wish to return immediately and inform my comrades at the castle as soon as possible.”

“I see, do as you wish!”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, Percival hurried back to Hardy Castle under the cover of night.

◇◇◇◇◇

The Chad Duke’s Military Encampment

Southern Sector, Perimeter Watch Area

“Hmm? Did you see something?”
“Wait!”

On his urgent return to the castle, Percival was spotted by the watchmen of the Chad Duke’s army.

“Bring a torch! It’s an intruder!”
“Quick, inform the captain!”

Surrounded by four spearmen and two archers, Percival fought bravely.

However, outnumbered, he was eventually overpowered, restrained, and brought before the Chad Duke.

“Who are you?”

The Duke demanded, but Percival refused to speak. Yet, from the situation, it was clear that he was a soldier from the castle.

“You must have gone to request reinforcements, right? … So, will they come?”

Earl Pan, showing quick wit, questioned Percival.

“They will! And that will be your end!”

Hearing Percival’s reply, the elderly strategist whispered in the Duke’s ear. The Duke nodded slightly and then asked Percival:

“Hmm… What is your name?”

“I am the renowned knight of the Owen Alliance Kingdom, Percival!”

“Is that so? Well, Sir Percival the Brave, would you be interested in becoming a Viscount of our duchy?”

“What?”

While knights were part of the ruling class, they often did not enjoy a life of luxury. Many dreamed of achieving great feats and rising to nobility, only to fall in battle before realizing that dream. Moreover, the competition to rise to the rank of Viscount was fierce, making such a promotion almost an unattainable dream.

“I am a Duke of considerable standing. I do not speak falsehoods. However, I would ask one favor in return.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Though Percival’s family had been knights for generations, his predecessor was a wastrel who accrued significant debt, causing his wife and children to live in poverty.

“The castle soldiers must be told, ‘Reinforcements are not coming.’ If you do that for me, this will be yours…”

One of the Duke’s aides placed a leather pouch overflowing with gold coins in front of Percival. The amount was enough to make any impoverished noble drool with envy.

“I understand. You promise not to go back on your word about the viscount title?”

“Of course, I won’t. I’m counting on you!”

The Next Morning

Percival climbed a hill where the castle soldiers could see him. Using a spell to amplify his voice, he shouted loudly toward the castle:

“I am Percival! Soldiers of the castle, reinforcements are coming! Hold on!”

Hearing this, cheers erupted from the castle. The soldiers’ morale surged, making the fortress even more resolute—a fact that did not go unnoticed by the Duke.

“Curse him! He tricked us! Percival, damn you! Nail him to the cross!”

The Duke had Percival tied to a wooden cross and raised where the castle soldiers could see him. He then ordered a pile of firewood stacked beneath and set it ablaze, burning Percival alive.

“My wife… my son… forgive me…”

Even in his final moments, Percival remained unwavering in his loyalty to the kingdom.

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