Virgin Knight Who Is the Frontier Lord in the Gender Switched World - Chapter 183

Upon entering Her Highness Valiere-dono’s command tent, she halted only once, inhaling deeply as if to burst, and then screamed out loud.

“What are you thinking!!”

The scream was directed at none other than Her Highness Valiere-dono herself.

“What are you thinking?”

“You said to abandon me, to abandon this Berlichingen.”

She glared ahead, confirming the presence of everyone around her.

With eyes seemingly intoxicated, Lady Sabine’s cheeks flushed with heat as she stood beside Her Highness.

Lady Pretihya, among others who received knighthood during this journey, kneeled, paying their respects before Her Highness.

A few scribes from the Cologne Sect clergy were also present, witnessing everything.

Though it seemed trivial, messengers from Duchess Anastasia, fully armed, stood in the corner.

As I was about to curse Her Highness again,

—I caught a glimpse of Her Highness’s face.

A coward, with wax-like pale skin, a pallid face, and trembling hands, sat on a humble wooden throne.

She was nothing like the gem-eyed, ruby-adorned, gold-encased figure that the Cardinal Archbishop of Mainz had described earlier.

Just a cowardly young girl, not the face of the madwoman I had just confronted.

“—What are you thinking?” I finally muttered, squeezing out the words.

Valiere von Anhalt did not respond.

Her speech was directed toward her subordinates.

“To Pretihya and all my beloved subordinates, I owe you an apology.”

“What might that be, my lord?”

“I am about to say something very simple. I could have abandoned Lord Berlichingen. I could have ignored the Cologne Sect clergy being crucified and burned at the stake. I could have pretended not to see the poor horse-borrowers who lagged a bit behind our main force getting harassed and killed by the Archbishop of Mainz’s troops.”

That would have been acceptable!

The conditions set by Mainz weren’t so outrageously unjust!!

“Yet, I could not overlook it. Even though abandoning them would mean that all knights kneeling before me, dedicating their loyalty, wouldn’t have been dragged into battle. In the master-servant contract of lord and knight, this is deemed an unworthy act for a lord. It is my fault. Therefore, I must apologize and explain to you, my lords.”

No one spoke up.

Instead, the sound of Her Highness inhaling could be heard.

“You may abandon me. Even if you do, ensure that no one blames you. You, the knights of Anhalt, are bound by contract to the state, not to me personally. Whether it be Mother Queen Liesenlotte in Anhalt or Sister Duchess Anastasia in the capital, if you approach them bearing the formal decrees I’ve already handed over, neither will treat you poorly. To ensure that, the proper decrees—Sabine!”

“Yes.”

Lady Sabine, with her eyes still feverishly bright, likely hadn’t slept last night.

Instead of the herald, she must have stayed up all night drafting the decrees.

I caught a glimpse of one in the hand of a nearby knight.

It was filled with words of thanks and gratitude for what they had achieved on the journey—even if Her Highness were to meet a tragic end, these weren’t acts of betrayal, but commands issued by me.

For the sake of the Anhalt Electorate, they were ordered to disengage from the army.

The decree was meticulously crafted, bearing no resentment.

Her hands holding the decree trembled.

How much time had passed?

Soon, a sound started to emerge.

The sound of tearing up and discarding the decrees.

“Such things are not needed by your knights.”

Lady Pretihya declared so.

The surrounding crowd began to realize what that meant, and they started tearing theirs as well.

Eventually—All the decrees Lady Sabine had written through the night were discarded.

Her hard work was wasted, yet her expression was not angry; her eyes remained feverish.

Finally, having finished tearing the decrees, Lady Pretihya loudly proclaimed,

“We did not serve the Electorate of Anhalt. We did not serve the royal house of Anhalt. I believe we became your knights because you tapped us on the shoulder with a sword. Most of us here, including myself, are of lowly status, some unable to read or even perform simple arithmetic. We are crude and brutish, freshly out of the countryside, ignorant of the capital’s ways—mostly hillbillies. Please forgive our misconduct in tearing up the decrees before our lord.”

Lady Sabine smiled as if everything was going as expected.

Ah, yes.

“However, Your Highness, it is also misconduct to say that because I failed, my subordinates may be abandoned. Such words are too light for a lord to say to her knights. Despite the fact that it was Valiere-dono who picked me up, ignoring that fact and leaving the battlefield is not something that can be rightfully said to a knight.”

These people have caught a fever named Valiere-dono.

In that case, they should be treated accordingly.

With eyes that seemed to empathize with one’s kin, Lady Pretihya—finally whispered a vow.

“If Valiere-dono, my lady, is in mortal peril, then as knights, we go to aid her. If that’s not possible, then we die together. That’s the way of a knight. If Valiere-dono finds herself in mortal danger because of the kindness she has shown us, it’s not unrelated to us. If Her Highness has any reservations about this matter,”

It was a fatal vow.

A vow made on the premise of death.

“Please continue to assure rewards as usual for all your soldiers who have performed well in this death trap. No one will ask for more. Yes, if we happen to breathe our last breath here—create graves for us, and it would be a joy if Her Highness could visit them.”

It was Lady Pretihya’s heartfelt and sincere vow.

There was not a single falsehood in her words.

Her Highness Valiere-dono, as a lord, accepted it.

“Understood.”

Her Highness rose from her throne.

The coward, with wax-like pale skin, a pallid face, and trembling hands, cried out.

“Tell all troops. Permission to retreat is granted. Those who wish to leave Valiere’s forces may do so now. Allow your subordinates the same. Representatives of the Ingritt trading houses, horse lenders, and even traveling performers, tell them to stay a bit away from the battlefield. Should our army face defeat, teach them to flee quickly.”

Lady Pretihya answered, “Understood,” with an air as if she had intended to do so all along.

“However, should we see the dawn of victory, special rewards will be given. To those who have made exceptional contributions in this death trap, whether it be gold or status, I will grant special rewards. Tell all those willing to die. Also, convey clearly what Valiere von Anhalt has said. We intend to win this battle. The chances of victory will be found in Valiere’s strategy and your contributions.”

“Her Highness Valiere-dono?”

Lady Pretihya and several knights showed surprised faces.

I was no different.

What is she saying?

“I see a path to victory. Not just some tactical win for negotiations, but a decisive victory that even the Cardinal Archbishop of Mainz can see as an overwhelming defeat.”

Such folly!

With the situation this dire, winning is impossible unless the ‘tall, narrow-eyed’ superhero from Virendorf, Reckenber, joins this army!!

No, even with such a superhero, without strategy—.

And Berlichingen, this rogue knight, could only truly thrive with clear prior preparation; without it, he is capable of nothing but dragging five or six knights down with him in his death.

“Listen, I did not just dislike abandoning part of my troops to die with them. We can win! I believe we can win mercilessly, which is why I took up the fight the Archbishop of Mainz has sold us. I’ll make him realize it was costly!”

Her Highness Valiere-dono clapped her hands loudly.

“Everyone, take your positions. The battle starts at noon! Fulfill your respective roles!!”

Lady Pretihya and all the knights departed from the main camp.

After firmly imprinting the image of their lord, Her Highness Valiere-dono, in their minds, each rushed back to their troops.

If these ladies did not retreat, their troops would not either.

Though it is said that subordinates of subordinates are not one’s own, if the knights are devoted to their lord, their subordinates will naturally follow suit.

Ah, but even if the troops do not flee out of fear of the enemy.

Still, against the 6000 troops of the Archbishop of Mainz.

The knights had all left the main camp, and I approached.

It was a hopeless situation, but I could not stand by without saying anything.

Ah, but everything is too late now.

That’s right.

It’s too late.

“Valiere von Anhalt.”

I stated her name.

She has won the complete loyalty of her knights.

Through favor, emotion, and benefit, they are willing to die for her from the bottom of their hearts.

She has made these foolish, uncultured knights vow to die if necessary.

She is completely wrong as a ruler.

But as the lord in a knight’s tale, she was the correct presence.

Picking up these uncultured leaves from the hills.

When it comes time to die on the battlefield, to die together, and even to say you alone may escape.

And in response, those who became knights shouted back, “We will die with you on the battlefield.”

Such unknowing fools might have imagined such a noble lord.

I inadvertently uttered her name.

And with that alone, I could say nothing more.

Therefore, Her Highness rather considerately answered.

“Amelia von Berlichingen.”

My name was called.

What would she say?

I knew it wouldn’t be words of blame, not in this situation.

“Maybe it would sound cool to say that you, who are merely employed here, can escape. Sorry, though, I can’t let go of you as a valuable asset. I have things I need you to do.”

Escape? Never!

I intend to take responsibility.

If caught by the Archbishop of Mainz, I’d likely be killed through torture anyway.

It would be better to die on the battlefield.

“You will indeed be tasked with a very dangerous role. So, you might really die this time. I’m sorry.”

Any dangerous mission is fine.

We probably won’t win, but at least if Her Highness Valiere-dono sees a chance of victory, then there’s no harm in going along with it.

I’ve caused you enough trouble.

“So, there’s something else I need to ask you.”

“What is it?”

What Valiere-dono wants to ask me.

Perhaps about the disposition of my assets.

Such things, once I’m dead, I might as well give them away.

My lands, my castle, my custom prosthetic hand, my armor, my sword, my helmet.

Do whatever you like with it all.

But.

I already understand that the girl before me would not speak of such petty desires.

“What you hold dear. Things that silver coins cannot reclaim. About the life lost for a few pieces of silver given to a girl named Amelia. About the grave of a notorious bandit knight’s mother, carefully protected to prevent desecration. About its location.”

I choked on my words.

Not that I didn’t want to answer.

I had come to a full understanding.

“If Amelia dies, you will bury her with me. Maybe the location will be moved to a safe place in Anhalt, but I’m sorry about that. Oh, not just that. You told me to forget, but I could never really forget what you truly cherish. I’m sorry.”

I could say nothing more.

“If the worst comes, once a week, I will visit the graves to mourn you and your mother. That’s all I can do.”

That was it.

What I had spent my life searching for was just ‘that much’ for you.

Ensuring that my mother would be honored by the children of the elector’s family with sublime respect.

So that I, as a fine-looking noble knight, could parade with pride for the lord I follow at the forefront.

You are the embodiment of the noble lord that those fools imagine.

“Valiere-dono.”

I knelt down.

Bowing my head toward the ground, I maintained my posture as if at a knighthood ceremony.

I was about to make a plea.

A ritual I had never performed for anyone in my life.

Not as a bandit knight’s extortion, but as a permissible act for a knight.

“This bandit knight, who has been searching endlessly for a lord worthy of her allegiance up to this age, makes a vow.”

Valiere-dono had finally won Amelia’s complete loyalty.

I couldn’t raise my head until ordered.

I couldn’t know what expression Her Highness wore until told to look up.

Surely the coward, with her wax-like pale skin, pallid face, and trembling hands, was flustered.

That was fine.

It was somewhat amusing.

“I seek an homage to you. Not as the second child of the Anhalt elector’s family, but to you, Valiere von Anhalt, personally. My lands, my castle, my custom prosthetic hand, my armor, my sword, my helmet. I dedicate everything of this sword to you, so please, would you accept me as your knight?”

This battle might be unwinnable, but that’s alright.

At the end of my life, I finally found a lord I could truly respect, for myself and for my mother.

So, it was fine to fight desperately and die.

I knew it was a fleeting dream, like a bubble that would soon vanish.

But that was okay.

At the end, I had finally found what I had spent my life searching for.