Star-Embracing Sword Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Chapter 22

The winter ca to an end and spring was approaching.

With the warm breeze blowing, the snow that had frozen within the winter lts, and things that had been sleeping until now wake up.

"Damn."

In other words, it was the season when the roads beca muddy and the carriage wheels easily got stuck.

"What are you doing?"

"······."

Looking at Zayar who was grumbling above, Vlad trudged to the rear wheel of the carriage.

After Zayar confird that Vlad’s body recovered, he had started sparring with Vlad and assigning various errands whenever he had ti. And it was rough.

It was as if he had been waiting for the mont.

"A carriage for nobles is quite heavy."

"But it didn’t get stuck much this ti. Captain."

"How long will you keep calling

Captain?"

"That’s because you don’t let

call you by your na."

He and a few servants were pulling out the carriage wheels covered in mud, but Gott just made a happy expression.

"Do you like this?"

"Of course it’s good."

Gott was a person who deserved to laugh.

In the end, Gott’s judgnt was correct.

Vlad was a guy who would make things happen, and it was natural for things to fall into place when he was around.

’Then co with .’

On the last night in Varna, Vlad gave Gott a eting he had been looking forward to.

’Because, I don’t have any money to reward you at the mont. I’m broke.’

’It’s an honor. Lord Josef!’

Josef heard that Gott brought Vlad, who could not ride a horse, to the base camp in a tily manner, and also brought Zayar to resolve the situation. So, Josef would also provide a fair reward.

For that reason, Gott is currently joining the procession heading to Sturma.

"I am going to the Count Bayezid family, a family that is difficult to even dare to look up to, and is said to be a powerful family in the North, so of course it is good."

Gott wasn’t only looking for the reward that Josef would offer.

He was a swindler, and as such, he was a cunning individual.

"If I can demonstrate my usefulness there, wouldn’t Lord Josef consider using ? I can’t continue living an uncertain life as a rcenary forever."

"Why don’t you just shut up and push the carriage?"

"A servant of the Count Bayezid family ! Even this much would be considered a successful career for a commoner."

"Just shut up and push the damn carriage. Please, before I give you a beating."

Being well aware of the importance of seizing opportunities, Gott could still manage to smile even while struggling to push the carriage.

This is because the world was such that it was difficult to get a chance to move up.

No matter how skilled and prepared one was, there were a bunch of people who collapsed because they lacked a single thread called luck.

In that sense, Vlad and Gott could be said to be lucky people.

Of course, it was also the result of decisively seizing the opportunity.

On that night, Vlad had prepared for death and summoned the white world.

Gott, on the other hand, took the risk and went back the way he ca to bring Zayar.

It was all for the present.

"Hey, you lazy bunch! Do you plan to lie around here all day!"

So, now they find themselves pushing the carriage in the mud, enduring Zayar’s curses from behind.

"Hahaha!"

’I am going crazy. Seriously.’

Vlad closed his eyes tightly as he looked at Zayar, who was swearing and urging him from behind, and Gott, who was laughing unpleasantly next to him.

[Even in situations like this, you must maintain composure.]

’I know that too!’

Despite the advice of the voice, Vlad couldn’t easily quell his boiling anger.

"Fuck."

"Are you talking to

right now?"

"No."

"Well, it better not be."

After involuntarily muttering a curse in low voice, Vlad received a blow to the back of his head from Zayar. Then, without hesitation, he glared at Gott and delivered a swift blow to the back of his head.

"Ah!"

"Are you laughing now?"

Vlad was a hot-blooded 17-year-old who had lived a violent life in the back alleys.

"Don’t laugh, just push. Because I don’t want to get beaten up any more."

"I am pushing..."

Vlad was still just a boy who was far from becoming a knight.

Not yet.

※※※※

The County of Bayezid.

The territory of the Bayezid family, which includes three cities and twelve villages.

Shoara, the city where Vlad was born.

Varna, the city that led the recent monster subjugation.

"Is this Sturma?"

"That’s right. It’s where my hotown is."

And what he could see right now was the city of Sturma, the capital of Bayezid County.

"Oh."

Vlad involuntarily exclaid as he looked at the new cityscape.

The first thing that caught his eye was the high and massive city walls.

"It’s really big."

Although Shoara also had city walls, they were not as large and tall as here.

"Hmm."

Vlad, with his background from the back alleys, was naturally thinking about where he could make an astonishing escaping hole in the city wall.

"There is a reason why the city walls are so big."

As Vlad stared at the walls lost in thought, Josef began to explain beside him.

It all started from a small misunderstanding, but to Vlad, who lacked insight, every bit of the story was valuable.

"These walls were built out of necessity and also serve the purpose of demonstrating the strength of the Bayezid family."

The history of the Bayezid family was a series of struggles.

Monsters and barbarians pouring out when the ti cos.

And, wars with other territories constantly break out as is typical of the harsh northern climate.

These walls had endured all that.

"It’s a different sight from Varna."

"That place is a city with strong religious influence. Even though it was what my father intended."

Although Vlad was also from a city, each city he had seen had a different atmosphere.

The young bird, which had finally co out into the world, could not help but be amazed at everything it saw.

"Close your mouth. Brat."

"Please call

Vlad of Shoara."

"No way."

"······."

Zayar sneered as he looked at Vlad, who was looking at Sturma with his mouth wide open.

"You’re still just a brat."

"Priest Andrea will be sad to hear this."

"You’re my squire, not the deacon of the priest. I can call you whatever I want."

"······."

The attention that Zayar showered on Vlad, his first squire, was unusual.

"If you do sothing rude in the Bayezid family, be prepared to take a beating."

"I get beaten every day anyway. It’s nothing new."

Looking at the bold squire who did not give up on him even a word, Zayar smiled and caressed his eye patch.

’One thing is for sure, this boy has a spirit that can be useful.’

Josef, his lord, always suffered from a shortage of capable knights, and the young boy before him was undoubtedly one of the pieces that could fill that gap.

’Moreover, he can use aura.’

Even though Vlad did not disclose the details of the secret behind the one man ever-winning secret, according to Josef, Vlad had undoubtedly used aura in a critical mont.

As a result, he was bedridden, but the important thing was that he made it through.

’I should test him rigorously when we get there.’

Can he use aura?

Or can he completely grasp and utilize aura perfectly in practical situations?

This was a significant part of a knight’s talent.

And the young boy before his eyes had splendidly demonstrated his talent and potential.

"Go ahead."

With Josef’s words, the group began to walk toward the gates of Sturma.

"The young master has arrived!"

"Open the gates!"

The towering and sturdy city walls didn’t apply to Josef.

There was a long queue waiting at the entrance to enter the castle, but just the na Josef created a path, like waves splitting apart.

"Wow."

Gott couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight.

For him, who had lived a life of waiting and being pushed out, this was the first ti in his life that he had experienced sothing like this.

Vlad also saw the scene before his eyes and confird that he was stepping into a different place from where he had lived before.

"Welco back to Sturma! Lord Josef!"

"It’s reassuring to see the soldiers of the Bayezid family guarding the gate so firmly."

"Thank you!"

Even with Josef’s customary praise, the gatekeeper responded loudly and opened the gate.

"Everyone, salute!"

The guards were saluting until Josef’s carriage had completely passed.

It was an expression of respect for the noble bloodline of the Bayezid family and a natural ceremony for the ruler of the city.

And Vlad was also passing by.

"You idiot! Are you not going to put that in imdiately? Lord Josef’s presence alone is a pass."

"······."

Zayar was growling on his horse, but Vlad didn’t even listen.

It was sothing he wanted to do.

"Go in and see for yourself."

Regardless of what Zayar said, Vlad walked confidently.

And held out a small piece of wood in front of the guards saluting Josef.

The piece of wood was made by Priest Andrea, symbolizing Vlad’s presence.

"Aren’t you going to check?"

Now he doesn’t have to go in and out of the tunnels.

It was a small act of rebellion from the boy who could now be confident anywhere.

※※※※

Under the sharp gaze of Zayar, Vlad and Gott entered the mansion of the Bayezid family.

"Sigh······."

"Impressive, truly impressive."

A huge gray mansion overlooking all of the city.

The two commoners’ eyes were wide as they walked towards the real noble mansion they had never imagined.

"From now on, you are guests of Lord Josef. If you do anything foolish, you’ll tarnish Lord Josef’s honor."

"Yes."

"Just walk with your eyes down. Don’t wander around like country bumpkins."

Listening to Zayar’s warning, especially about Josef, Vlad closed his open mouth and walked quietly with his head down.

’Is this velvet? Silk?’

Even though they were just walking while looking at the floor, there was plenty to see.

Stepping on the soft velvet laid on the white marble was like experiencing a luxury that a back-alley boy could never have dread of.

Vlad was seriously contemplating whether it was appropriate for him to tread on such expensive-looking things.

"Wait here."

Zayar handed them over to the reception room with a growl.

From now on, Josef had to report to Peter Bayezid, his father and the owner of this mansion, about his safe return and the curse that had taken place in the camp.

"The maids will bring refreshnts. Well... Don’t eat anything, just wait. If you eat in a dirty manner, bad rumors will spread."

"But just a little······."

"Shut up."

And there was absolutely no reason for Vlad and Gott to be present at that mont of reporting.

They had no right to face Count Bayezid directly; they could only move under Josef’s guarantee.

"······."

"······."

Even though the threatening Zayar disappeared, Vlad and Gott could not relax easily.

Everything was too clean, too vast, and above all, too quiet.

It was a sight and scenery they had never seen before, born and raised in a completely different world.

Thus, they failed to notice sothing important.

The white curtains beside them were fluttering.

"Newcors, huh? Who are you guys?"

"······!"

And the fact that there was soone else in the reception room besides them.

Under the slightly open window, a man was walking out through the spread white curtains.

"I was just trying to play around here secretly."

A man shrugs his shoulders and approaches the two. The man had a strong deanor, a confident posture, and an unmistakable heavy presence.

It was as if a black panther living in the eastern jungle had turned into a person.

"I’m Gott, and this Lord Josef······."

"······."

And Vlad was able to recognize the man in front of him the mont he saw him.

He looked remarkably similar to the other black-haired man he had seen before.

"Okay. You’re Gott."

The black-haired man looked at Vlad and asked, "Who are you?"

His sharp gaze could seem like it could overpower soone just with his presence, but Vlad t that gaze with defiance.

One thing he had learned living in the back alleys was that avoiding soone’s gaze ant lowering yourself. Those who were underestimated in the alleys of Shoara were rcilessly devoured.

Resisting soone’s presence was an instinct of survival to Vlad.

"I’m Vlad of Shoara."

"Hmm? This is my first ti hearing this na."

The black-haired man looked amused by the blond boy confidently answering him.

He liked this kid.

His eyes were lively, and he didn’t back down even in the face of his presence.

’Did Josef find a decent one?’

Rutger, who was cheerful by nature, appreciated soone with such a confident attitude.

"Would you like so peanuts?"

And Rutger was a man who was generous with whatever he pleased.

But...

"I was told not to eat."

"Huh?"

Vlad was nervous in this unfamiliar environnt and was doing his best to counter Rutger’s presence.

That’s why he answered chanically without even realizing it.

"I was told not to eat anything here."

"······Yes?"

Rutger, who had not expected anyone to dare refuse his favor, was montarily taken aback by Vlad’s response.

"This tastes good, though..."

"······"

Goat, who bowed his head, knew sothing was wrong with the current situation, but he did not dare to intervene.

Vlad of Shoara.

The first thing he did when he ca to the Bayezid family.

He had refused the friendly offering of peanuts from Rutger, the eldest son of the Count.