Chapter 9


    Carlton looked Luisen in the eye, sword held high. His blue eyes were terrified, but they held no deceit. There was no doubt these were innocent eyes.


    Moreover, every single one of his words prated Carltons heart. They urately agitated the anxiety and sense of disharmony he vaguely felt. He became angrier partially because there was no way to contradict what Luisen had said.


    Damn it! Carlton threw his sword onto the ground. At the nging sound, Luisen deted like an empty sack.


    Ah, Im alive.


    He shivered. Carlton kicked the ground, cursed, and threw off his helmet.


    Luisen looked at him rapturouslyhe had a far more handsome appearance than he could have ever imagined. He didnt expect such a good-looking face underneath the ck helm. His rough, chiseled jawline particrlyplimented his fierce aesthetic. His ck hair, wet with sweat, was in disarray. It was not neat, but rather than looking dirty, the tousled effect gave off a wild aura.


    Lets redo it. Carlton nodded at Luisens hand with his knife-like jawline. Luisen looked down; he had been clutching tightly at the white g this whole time.


    Ah. Surrender again?


    Luisen once again knelt down and offered the g high in the air. He did not beg for his lifes mercy twice, though. Without speaking, Carlton snatched the g from his fingers.


    Then, raising the white g high, he dered victory. The soldiers in the barracks cheered loudly. The sun began to rise like a torch burning ceremoniously upon an important event. Luisen, still kneeling, looked at the white g flying against the dawning night sky. The kernels of the golden wheat grains embroidered on the g sparkled like stars.


    ***


    After a very in surrender process, things proceeded like rapidly rushing torrents. Carltons army dexterously packed up their tents and demolished their temporary holdings. The soldiers who returned from battle lined up neatly. In an instant, all clean up was finished, and Carltons army marched towards the dukes castle.


    Carlton led the army from the front.


    His deputy, who followed along beside him, asked anxiously, Is it really okay for us to just go like this?


    ording to my spy, its not a trap.


    If you say so.


    ording to the spies ced in the fortress in advance, the castle was overwhelmed with defending the location and could not afford toy traps. Carlton had thought of the possibility that Luisen would be pretending to surrender while lying in wait for a devious opportunity, but that situation seemed unlikely. Still, Carltons deputy was deeply concerned since the current situation was far from the usual routine.


    Were there any others who were obsessed with the propriety of useless procedures as much as nobles? Even if there was no ce to run after the castle fell, nobles would definitely dere surrender surrounded by their servants and knights, pretending to beposed and mighty. However, Luisen came with only one servant to kneel upon bare ground?


    Incredulous, the deputy kept staring backwards. Luisen slowly followed on a horse. His smooth, pale skin and bright gold hair shone even though they were dirtysmeared with dust and mud. Though he was surrounded by enemies, the deputy felt that Luisen seemed rxed, as if he were in no hurry.


    That leisurely confidence. Perhaps that was the mark of a great lord.


    Ive heard that the Duke of Anies was a useless pushover. But, seeing him here, nobles really are nobleThatposure


    What an unlucky man, some soldier said. Carlton stared at Luisen, irritated.


    Ugh, did I do anything wrong? Stop staring at me.


    Luisen wanted to cry. Why did he keep staring daggers at him? It was already hard enough trying to ride a horse


    In fact, Luisen was awfully bad at riding. His slow, rxed pace was actually because he could not go any faster without falling. His upright position was a result of his tense muscles, concentrating hard on maintaining bnce.


    However, Carlton and hispanions would never think Luisen couldnt ride a horse. Riding was a basic skill of the aristocracy, allowing the nobles to condescendingly look down upon the peasantry from their high seat. Of course, Luisens noble appearance also contributed to the illusion.


    I should have pped him around a bit first before listening to him. Carlton had been in a bad mood since the start of the trip.


    Though the civil war was not officially over, the first princes retainers acted as if everything was finished. The atmosphere wascent, noisily dividing their share of war prizes. Those who used to be blood brothers would bite and snap at each other for a bigger share. Of course, on the surface they maintained the image of cid waters, keeping conflicts underwater.


    In the midst of that mess, all nobles secretly united under the goal of sprinkling ashes upon Carltons future.


    How dare this peasant not know his ce!? The nobles were of this state of mind.


    Currently, Carltons worth was still too big and the first prince still cared for him, so the nobles couldnt unt their hatred openly. They could only sarcastically make remarks behind turned backs, vowing to boil and eat him. These were remarks that Carlton may have poked fun at during the warbut now they held an ufortable kernel of promise.


    Under these circumstances, being sent to the south to suppress the Duke of Anies had fanned the mes of anger. It wasnt enough to just merely stay by Prince Ellions side and receive one more de. Carltons head hurt from trying to navigate his rtionship with the prince, who was constantly receiving gossip from the nobles regarding his matters.


    The nobles were busy gorging themselves upon the joy of victory in the capital. Carlton wondered if he was ordered to clean up the remnants of the war because he was low-ss; perhaps if he were a nobleman, he wouldnt be such a pariah. Now that the civil war was over, would his usefulnesse to an end? Beyond obligations, he felt a sense of duty. Besides, the first prince himselfmanded him to tie up loose endsit was impossible to reject this order.


    In the face of such powerlessness, Carlton wanted to make an example of the Anies Duchy to dere his undiminished robustness. The Duke of Anies was an existence that symbolized nobility far greater than the mosquitos at the capital. Through the dukes total domination, he had wanted to imprint fear on all the nobles who began to underestimate him.


    But, now that he was at the front gate, Carlton felt ufortable.


    Its too easy. Its good that things were easy, but that makes me feel on edge. Whats going on? he thought.


    The more he thought about it, the less answers he had. Furthermore, he had been dying victory because of this sense of unease. This feeling had made him abandon his duties as amander to begin hunting during the night. To destress, to take the time to rx.


    He couldnt have imagined that hed receive his answers from Luisen Anies, captured during his hunt. Carlton felt even worse now, since Luisen had pinpointed other doubts that he himself wasnt even aware of.


    What kind of man is Luisen Anies?!


    He was that stupid fellow who got dragged around by the second prince. It may have been another matter if he was cautiously using the prince for some sort of advantagebut he was a pushover of a man who had spent and lost all his supplies and troops.


    Furthermore, his fellow trash lordsthe very same friends that wouldze about in the capital togetherwould rather take an oath of service to the enemy future-king. He had lost control to the extent that even his capital friends refused to extend a helping hand. If he were to spend his days wasting at the capital, then he should have built his own political base. It was natural that Luisen had procured a reputation of being a fool who was born with a good umbilical cord and nothing else.


    If he hadnt been born as the dukes son, or even if the duke had one more child, Luisen would have joined the rats and birds in the streets.


    That had been Carltons assessment of Luisen


    Hes somehow different from what the rumors said, he thought.


    Luisens argument was absolutely essential to Carlton at this point. The war was over. The young first prince would be king. There was no point to discussing who the king would prioritize among the nobles he had history with and the mercenaries he picked up on a whim in the northernnds. Luisensments were tantamount to a sobering poke in Carltons careless ribs. Hed returned to his senses.


    People everywhere said that nobles were special beings who bled blue. They may have been the same species, but nobles could ess a different perspective; as such, it was natural for them to reign over others. The average citizen epted that they should live as they are told.


    Carlton had defied that mindset all his life, but this time he waspletely defeated by Luisens insight. He couldnt believe that such a pushover could divine a wisdom which his strength of body could not ovee.


    Youve provoked your enemies to your hearts content, and yet you seem calm. Is that the greatness of true blue blood? That cant be trueMaybe he was lucky somehow. Maybe someone assisted him.


    Carlton didnt want to admit that he was somehow worse than Luisen. However, it was true that he epted Luisens surrender after a few words of persuasion. His words were just too usible to ignore. It was as if somehow Luisen had seen the future and knew exactly what would happen afterwards.


    Well see. Ill pay him back for this displeasure at any sight of falsehood. Carlton gritted his teeth.


    A ways back, Luisen felt a cold chill for no discernible reason.


    The procession finally arrived before the front gates. Carlton stopped the army procession and watched the dukes reaction.


    Carltons remaining soldiers on the castle walls withdrew, drunk off the rxed atmosphere. Without warning, Carltons blue g could be seen flying in the air. However, next to the blue lion, a g emzoned with golden wheat fluttered as well.


    Eh? Why is that there? the inhabitants of the castle thought. Then, following the g, they discovered Luisen.


    Why is our lord over there?


    The castle became a mess. The castles denizens began to call for their superiors and were asking what had happened.


    Those guys really are surprised, arent they? the deputy said.


    This isnt an illusion. Everythings too chaotic..They really had no idea that their lord left to surrender, Carlton agreed with his deputy as he carefully scrutinized the castle walls. There must have been some internal struggle. The young duke was genuine.


    The duke seems to be afraid of his retainers. Perhaps he has no real position within the castle?


    "


    "


    Even so, how could the duke run barefoot across the woods to surrender? It seemed as if the internal chaos wasnt ordinary.


    Its worth seeing him in such a sorry state.


    Like this, will the duke not have be a traitor to his people? Perhaps it would be best for us to keep the duke under seclusion


    Leave him alone. They wont kill him. Carlton chuckled, a bit grumpilyhe wanted to see Luisen shaken off his pedestal.


    TN: Thanks for joining me on this slow burn journey for these two to no longer distrust each other lmao.