Chapter 14: Hero of Pratinos (3) (1/2)

Chapter 14: Hero of Pratinos (3)

Jerome Taker was born as the son of a Marquis Only, he was born not as the eldest but the third son, and the son of a concubine at that [1] Still, since he was born the son of a Marquis, he received a co up

In his schoolings, Jerome showed substantial talent in swordsmanshi+p

The Taker household was a eneration to generation However, the first and second sons born froh to satisfy the standards of their father, Marquis Taker Yet Jeroenius

Consequently, Jerome received Marquis Taker’s wholehearted adoration

The favor he curried was special enough that the first son felt insecure about his place as successor, despite his spot being guaranteed

And so the eldest son sent Jeroht Acadeive his younger brother an excellent education that would bring out the best of his talents; but in reality, his intention was to send his brother far away so as to solidify his own position

In truth, Jeroh they may have been born frole with his own kin However, there was one thing left lingering on his conscience before he departed hoer sister, Illiana

Unlike his brothers, Illiana was born froreat aptitude for swords of his father despite being a concubine’s son, she was greatly h there wasn’t any one particular point to raise about her deainst by the Marquis household

Ironically, the reason for this discrimination was Jerome

As Jerome’s latent talents became more and more prominent, the first and second sons had become envious of him — the concubine’s son Yet they could not play any foul tricks on Jero the affection of Marquis Taker; and thus, the coet

As Marquis Taker himself did not really concern hi from the first and second sons Jerome always sympathized with his sister’s situation and had tried to protect her to the best of his ability

In other words, if he were to leave the household, itwho could protect his younger sister

This orried Jerohtful of her brother’s concerns, commendably said to hio on to the Knight Academy without any worries

Illiana did not want to obstruct her older brother’s future by the mere fact of her existence, and so pushed Jerome off in that direction

Ultiht Acade results and join the Knight’s Order as an official knight, he would be able to stand for hiht he will be able to take care of his younger sibling with his own ht

The day Jeroht Acadeht smile

She would likely have been sad as she watched Jerome, her one and only protector in the world, leave her side Yet she saw her brother off with a bright se of those e will and refined character

However, the world is not a place where good results follow just because one is a good person

Her smile that day was the last memory that Jerome would come to have of her

Jero once he entered the capital’s Acade hours in order to becoht that could protect his sister The Acadeed Jeroently so he may learn that much more

It was a perfect storm of talent in addition to effort and even an excellent learning environer if one did not develop under these circu the Academy, Jero the internal sparring competition at the Acade all the seniors despite being a first-year

He revealed what had transpired to his sister through reat joy Those were the happiest of times to Jerome

Be that as it may…

After a little more than four years passed since Jerome entered the Academy, he received some bad news

“There’s been a rebellion at my House?”

“Yeah It looks like the Republicans incited the peasants into an uprising”

The news, communicated to Jeroht out of the blue

“What happened to my family? What about my father? And my brothers?”

“We don’t know about them yet There’ll be more news if ait just a bit es for the next piece of news to arrive He could not possibly stay still until that ht, Jerome made a breakaway from the Academy without proper notice

He rode on horseback in the direction of his hometoithout a moment’s rest As heback hoood

It was rare for peasants that were discontent with their lords to raise their pitchforks and rise up, but it wasn’t unheard of Truth be told, the Taker household wasn’t a very lenient House to the common people, and so there was certainly room for a rebellion to happen

But the reason why this particular revolt was so dangerous was that the Republicans had stepped in

In order to destroy the caste systeain planted infiltrators that would spread their ideals to the kingdom’s lower classes The spies would then rouse their dissatisfaction as to make them take up arms and cause a rebellion

At that point, the Republicans would also provide so so, they could cause dom

The rebellion that occurred at House Taker was one such case

Having enerations as a hts and enlisted soldiers The fact that the rebel forces were gaining an upper hand despite this meant that the Republicans had dispatched support forces to back them

‘Please… please be safe…’

As Jerome sped his horse as much as he could, he simply hoped that his faalloped back to his hoht days without rest

Albeit when Jero had already ended

The rebel troops had coh they could not resist the combined ally forces of the counties around them and were annihilated

Consequently, the hometown that Jerome had returned to was one that was reduced to ashes as far as the eye could see

Innumerable corpses of both soldiers and commoners alike were scattered everywhere, and the fief’s castle had collapsed and left neglected in that state

The surrounding territories had just about punished the rebel forces — but not much else They hadn’t concerned themselves for even a moment hat state the Taker territory will be in afterwards, which hy it was in such a sorry state

“Father, brother, Illiana!”

Jero on to hope by a thread, he prayed to the Gods again and again that they be alive

But when Jerome found his family, his state could only be described as utter, brutal despair

“Ah… ahhhhh…”

Jeroround

In front of hi destroyed the lordshi+p’s castle at the end of a fierce battle, the pent-up rage of the rebel forces had exploded forth through cruelty The lord and his family were captured and stoned; then their corpses had been hung in the air to parade the rebels’ victory

The resultant products of these actions were before Jerome’s eyes

“AhhhhhHHHHHHHHHH!!”

Slu his head into his arrief-stricken outcry

“As I was handling er sister’s body that day, I swore an oath — that I will never forgive the Republican bastards that made her this way”