Chapter 30 (2/2)
The knight, without his right arm, turned tail and ran off. Thanks to the knights that Stefan had sent over to reinforce him, Kurotan was unable to pursue the armless knight.
”A pity.”
Tarpan Barony's knights s.h.i.+vered as Kurotan, who already looked like a cruel bandit, licked the blood off of his axe with a maniacal grin. Stefan ordered them back with a s.h.i.+vering voice.
”Ta-Take the wounded, and back off.”
He had ordered his knights to attack after being goaded by Luke, but he was not stupid. He was the heir of a fiefdom, and he knew that the opponents who had killed three knights and crippled one in the blink of an eye were no simple opponents.
Nigel Viscounty's knights rea.s.sembled their own formation as the Tarpan Barony's knights retreated. Stefan cursed inwardly.
'It's over.'
They still held the advantage in numbers, and might win should they engage in an all-out attack, but the losses would be enormous.
Unwilling to lose knights that his fiefdom had spent fortunes to raise, Stefan tried to negotiate.
”We will take the corpses and retreat. Will you let us?”
Angela swallowed nervously. She had already lost two of her knights, and the rest were exhausted. If she tried to keep fighting, she might lose all of her knights as well as her life.
'It's a pity that I won't be able to secure evidence of their ambush, but…”
”As you wish. We will not pursue if you retreat.”
”Good decision, Angela.”
Still bitter about his almost successful ambush, Stefan nodded reluctantly and motioned to his own knights.
”Take your comrade's corpses and horses…”
Stefan's knights tried to move in order to obey, but Luke and Kurotan refused to budge. Stefan's eyes widened in anger.
”What are you doing?”
”Look, you may have negotiated with that other party, but you haven't finished negotiating with us.”
”What do you want?”
”Well, seeing as how we were forced to unwillingly exercise. Take the corpses, but leave the horses and equipment.”
Stefan bit his lips. He and his knights had secretly infiltrated into another lord's fiefdom to carry out an ambush. It was impossible for him to leave behind any evidence.
And the fallen knights' armors held the coat of arms of his fiefdom. Stefan extended a hand to his sword's pommel with a cold expression.
”It seems that there will be no negotiations.”
Just as the tension between them was rising, Angela broke in.
”Excuse me, two sirs. Are all you want armor and horses?”
Luke nodded in surprise.
”Well, yes…”
”I can provide those for you, if you wish…”
A smile spread across Luke's face.
”That sounds wonderful.”
Luke and Kurotan sheathed their weapons and moved to the side. Stefan's knights took the opportunity to speedily take their comrade's corpses, as well as their equipment and horses.
Stefan glared at Luke and Kurotan through the whole process. The two people had ruined his ambush just when he was about to succeed.
Stefan growled as he turned his back, along with his knights.
”We will definitely meet again.”
Sighs of relief rang out as the knights from Tarpan Barony disappeared into the woods. Exhausted knights collapsed onto the ground.
”I know you all must be exhausted, but we must leave this place. Please, take care of the bodies of our comrades.”
”As you wish, Lady Angela.”
Angela made her way to Luke and Kurotan as her knights made busy.
”I sincerely thank you for your help.”
”Do not mention it… We were just pa.s.sing by and decided to help.”
Angela couldn't hide her surprise. The two men wore dusty clothes and looked dirty, but Luke's show of etiquette was exemplary. His flawless etiquette indicated that he was most likely of a n.o.ble House.
”Would you let me know of your name?”
”Yes. I am Luke, a knight of Hansel Kingdom. This is my va.s.sal, Kurotan.”
Angela's eyes widened as she heard the words Hansel Kingdom. People of Hansel Kingdom rarely roamed the Sith Empire, as their two countries were not on good terms.
”Your prowess was quite something to behold.”
”Hahaha, not at all. We were just lucky to be well rested.”
”It seems that you are traveling in order to sharpen yourselves?”
”Indeed, I wished to wander the country as I polished my skills.”
A knight approached them with two horses as they conversed.
They were the horses of the two knights who had fallen to the swords of Tarpan Barony's knights.
”Let me first gift you with these two horses. As for the armor…”
Angela hesitated before looking at Luke.
”I wish to gift them to you at my fiefdom, if you wished to visit it. In the case of armors, it is better for it to be custom fit.”
”Ah, we would of course gladly invite your invitation. We were starving, you see, as we had just run out of our traveling funds.”
Angela smiled at Luke's exaggerated behavior.
”I will compensate you further for escorting us to our fiefdom.”
”It's quite all right…”
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