Episode 140 Parent-child fight - The Saga of Lioncourt

A Few Days Later The Lioncourt forces reached Boza Castle. Throughout the Boza territory, traces of battle were visible everywhere, hinting at Simon's formidable combat prowess. Boza Castle was a typical small fortress comprised of earthen mounds and fences. We sent messengers regularly as we advanced toward the castle. This was to prevent any misunderstandings that could lead to friendly fire. Conversely, there have been times when one thinks they are among allies, only to discover that they are, in fact, enemies. It is a tedious task, but necessary, to send messengers during reconnaissance missions like these. Around Boza Castle, troops that couldn't fit inside camped out in the surrounding area. These were the 2500-strong allied forces of Bachelard, Cocteau, and Gey. They greeted us with cheers. "Varian! Varian!" "Wooaaahhhh!" "Varian! Varian!" Both the Bachelard and Cocteau troops raised a ruckus to welcome me. ...It's puzzling. I slaughtered many of their comrades, so why are they so jubilant? I tilted my head internally, confused. They must have their own reasons. The army continued onward, where Robert greeted us near the gates. While I remained mounted, Robert stood on foot. "Father, this fortress is too small to accommodate the entire Lioncourt army." "I see. Have the soldiers set up camp then. Tell them we'll depart tomorrow, so just make the arrangements simple. Once that's done, come to the hall for a council meeting." Upon my instruction, Robert energetically responded, "Yes, I'll handle it immediately!" and proceeded to relay the orders to the following soldiers. Such tasks may seem trivial, but they teach the nuances of moving an army. Commanding an army involves an intuition that's difficult to explain with words, and one must grow accustomed to it. During my first battle, my uncle told me, "Fight as a soldier." Even Simon, initially, only participated as a cavalryman... one cannot suddenly take command. "Starting small and steady. If you have time, that's undoubtedly the best approach." I chuckled self-deprecatingly as I made my way to the castle hall with only a minimal escort and a few officers. Inside the hall, Simon, Gey, Cocteau, and their chief retainers were lined up. I boldly strode through them and plunked myself down heavily in the lord's chair. Given the Boza knight was probably small, the chair seemed slightly undersized. As my armored weight settled into it, the chair creaked loudly in protest. After a moment's pause, I casually instructed everyone to "Relax," and the taut atmosphere in the room slightly loosened. "Alright, I've heard about the situation... Simon! Step forward." When I called out, Simon stepped forward with a slightly tense expression. He likely wasn't sure how I would react to this incident. Simon, now 16, had grown even taller since I last saw him and almost matched my stature. ...I might even admit he's bigger... I didn't show it, but I was surprised by his impressive physical presence. He had grown into a young warrior with a visibly formidable aura. "First, congratulations on your victory. What of the Boza family, the castle's rulers?" "I killed them. I spared only the women and children. All the men were slain." Listening to Simon's words, I pondered, "Hmm." While he spared the women, which could be considered lenient, it also meant they could bear children who might later claim Boza's bloodline and rights in this territory. Strikingly, Simon exhibited a chivalrous spirit—likely influenced by his mentor Enzo. "So you spared the women... Very well. I'll leave that to your judgment." I stood and slowly walked over to Simon. "This Boza territory is something you have seized. Do with it as you will. I also intend to reward you for your deeds." As I spoke warmly, Simon visibly relaxed. He let out a relieved sigh. In that instant, my fist sank deep into Simon's stomach. Even through the chainmail, I didn't hold back, delivering a full-force blow that left him writhing in agony. Quickly, I moved behind him, entangling our left legs and rendering him immobile, while I slipped my left hand under his right armpit. Then, by intertwining my left hand, I pulled his upper body upright, locking my arms around him securely. This was the Cobra Twist, a maneuver known for crushing ribs. As I extended my back to apply pressure, Simon gasped, "Gah-haaa!?" as he screamed in pain. There are those who claim the Cobra Twist isn't painful, but when executed flawlessly, it becomes an excruciating torment. When locked tightly on an opponent's shoulder, it inflicts intense agony. While some might dismiss it as mere bone-crushing, the real targets are the neck, shoulders, back, and waist. "Wh-what is this, Augh, argh!" Simon squirmed desperately, trying to escape. Released from my hold, I then shoved Simon forward, causing him to fall face-first onto the floor. Seated on his back, I grabbed Simon's chin with both hands and pulled upwards. The Camel Clutch—also known as the Camel Hold. With his arms restrained, escape was impossible. Its simplicity belied its potential for catastrophic injury if applied without care. "You're weaker than me!! Don't overstep your bounds!! The weak shouldn't act tough!!" As I shouted and applied pressure, Simon groaned, "I-I get it, arrgh, I'll die." "You should just die then! Perish!!" Seamlessly transitioning into a sleeper hold, I rendered Simon utterly unconscious. I released my grip once he lost consciousness, tapping his back a couple of times until he let out a sharp exhalation, regaining his breath, though still faint. "Hmph, at least you didn't wet yourself; I commend you for that." A deep state of unconsciousness often leads to loss of control and involuntary release. As I rose, dismissing my words, the hall fell into a hushed silence. "Next, Baron Gey, Monk Bruno, step forward." When I called for them, both hesitated. "Hurry up, don't keep me waiting." At my insistence, unaware of any other choice, the two reluctantly stepped forward, visibly pale. "Baron Gey." "...Yes." Though my voice was calm when I spoke, the baron flinched as he felt the murderous intent I emitted at full strength. "I don't need evidence to judge you. Do you understand what this means?" Baron Gey trembled violently, as if gripped by a fever. "There will be no further warnings. Remember this." Placing a hand on his shoulder, Baron Gey's knees buckled as he uttered, "Thank you for your mercy," in a quivering voice. Even someone like me risks incurring the wrath of other lords if I punish Baron Gey without evidence. They could start thinking, "Am I next?" leading to catastrophic consequences. For now, all I can do is threaten them with "I'm the kind of guy who will kill without proof." However, it seems the intimidation was effective enough. The baron hung his head low, trembling uncontrollably... Hopefully, this will deter any further misconduct from him. Next, I turned my attention to Bruno, who was already drenched in cold sweat. The beads of sweat on his face looked almost sickly against his pale, blood-drained complexion. "Bruno, isn't your role to prevent situations like this from happening? Hmm?" "...I apologize... deeply..." He replied in a near-whisper. As Simon's father-in-law and an advisor, I don't believe Bruno was directly complicit in this incident, but that doesn't mean he's free of responsibility. I mirrored my treatment of Simon, delivering a punch to Bruno's abdomen. He doubled over in a peculiar spasm, uttering strange sounds as he writhed in pain. "You’re entrusted with managing Boza's territory. Don’t let me down too much." Bruno didn’t manage a response, only crouching and grimacing in anguish. "Fine, whatever... This castle is too small. Tomorrow, we'll move the army! Surely Count Balkashik's castle is spacious enough." Count Balkashik's stronghold lies south of the Boza territory, west of Mount Sishik. It makes a decent forward base location. "Send word to the northern army. Have them head to Balkashik Castle; we'll rendezvous there!" I struck a dramatic pose with one hand stretched out to give the order, but the reaction from everyone was underwhelming. Usually, at this point, people would start moving, but there wasn't even a hint of action towards delivering the command. ...This is embarrassing... Did I overdo it with Simon...? While pondering awkwardly with my hand still raised, Rolo discreetly informed me, "The count's stronghold is Balka Castle." "Target, Balka Castle!" When I corrected myself, everyone started moving. Blasted Balkashik, embarrassing me like this; I won't forgive him. As I stewed in my renewed resolve, Robert entered. It seemed he had some trouble, but he'd managed the order for the camp setup. Upon entering, Robert was startled by the sight of Simon and Bruno on the floor, exclaiming, "Whoa!" It probably made zero sense to him. When I casually mentioned, "The council is over," the shock was clear on his face. "Why didn't you wait for me!? I was only following orders to prepare the camp for you!" Robert glared at me tearfully. It seemed he was genuinely upset. "Hey, there's no reason to be mad, right? The 'council' was just me punching Simon around." "But this is my first campaign! Don't treat me like a child!" Robert shouted, having a complete tantrum. At thirteen, perhaps this is to be expected? Our sudden father-son quarrel puzzled everyone. "Jiro, help me out here." When I appealed to Jiro, who was smirking at the situation, he let out this baffling laugh. "Why Jiro?! Fine, whatever!" Robert sulked completely. It's a bit unfair really—showing up for his first council only to find it concluded is pitiful. He probably even planned to "greet everyone." ...And it’s clearly my fault... I began feeling a deep sense of guilt. "Sorry... Truly, I didn't mean to." Looking back, my mind was too consumed by doling out punishment to Simon. I probably overlooked being considerate of Robert's first battle experience. "Well, the young master was at fault here." "I understand not showing him what happened to Simon." Jiro and Rolo snickered, making cheeky remarks. ...This is tougher than I'd thought... I sighed deeply. Robert continued to quietly glare at me. His sulking was endearing, but this wasn’t the time for such sentiments. I took it too lightly, thinking it was my son's second campaign... But for Robert, this was his first and only debut in battle. It's only natural for him to be angry if he feels his first battle is being treated casually by his father. Robert has his pride as a knight. Even I had to admit my mistake. "I'm really sorry... I genuinely feel bad about this." I sincerely apologized to Robert. The hand I punched Simon with was swollen and throbbed with pain.