Chapter 116: Desire
"You are now a hero praised by all."Knight Julian smiled.
He held a cup in his right hand and placed it in front of his chest. Inside the cup was half-drunk honey wine.
"Without your participation, this banquet would have been far too dull."He spoke while glancing at the entranced and lively banquet hall.
George also turned his head to glance back. He could see Belair standing in the seat of honor, his attire growing increasingly splendid. Laughing heartily, he drew in a lord whose expression was somewhat reluctant, speaking something to him.
That lord was the one rescued yesterday.
At that time, his fortress had already been surrounded by werewolves and was on the verge of collapse. It was then that George led Belair’s army to repel the werewolves and saved him.
And today was officially a celebration banquet held for that very lord.
Only, the location of this banquet was within Belair’s fortress.
"I didn’t find them dull."George voiced what he saw.
"Hahaha, they are players of politics; naturally, they won’t let their dullness show on their faces."Knight Julian chuckled and took a sip of the honey wine.
Who knew if those words were not praise as sweet as the honey wine itself.
"They are all speculating in their hearts."Knight Julian, still holding his wine cup, extended his index finger and pointed at those gentry in the hall.
From George’s perspective, the wine cup obscured the lower half of Knight Julian’s face.
"They are thinking, what is the lord planning to do."Knight Julian’s voice continued.
"Is it to reclaim the territory, to drive away the werewolves, or to swallow this entire marquis territory that currently has no master?"
Knight Julian set down his wine cup, his expression calm.
George glanced at him, then looked at the hall, and finally turned to look out of a window no larger than a palm.
Though narrow, George could see the vast night sky in the distance, where the stars shone as always.
"No matter what the lord intends, at the very least the werewolves he killed are real, and the people he saved are real."George said.
Even he could feel that something was off.
It was too fast. Belair’s actions were too swift, too practiced.
George did not know how Belair managed it, but after conferring knighthood upon him, those gentry quickly rallied under his command, and then the territory began mobilizing and organizing an army.
George led this army to victory after victory, reclaiming villages within Belair’s domain that had been occupied by werewolves.
Then Belair further expanded the army. This time, however, he did not send George to continue exterminating the werewolves with the newly expanded troops.
He conferred knighthood upon two new knights, and the army was led by these two.
Following that, he declared to the surrounding lords that he would assist them in clearing werewolves from their lands.
George already felt something was wrong, but the tasks Belair gave him indeed resulted in saving more people and killing more werewolves.
So he went, and saved this lord.
The very one Belair was now holding close, the one whose expression remained reluctant.
"Hahaha, yes, Knight George, you are right."Knight Julian laughed and said.
"As long as he can lead us to expel these werewolves, who cares what his motives are."He said.
"It was exactly this line of thinking that made me accept his recruitment and become his knight."
George did not respond. He did not know how to reply. He felt he could understand Julian’s words, but could not comprehend their meaning.
"I hate werewolves so much. They broke into my manor, killed my wife and children, and left my once-prosperous family with only a few survivors."Julian did not mind George’s silence and continued speaking.
"So I do not care about his motives. As long as I can kill more werewolves, that is enough."
Julian emptied the cup of honey wine in one gulp.
"You are still young. You can remarry and have children."George glanced at Julian, whose face remained calm, and said.
Julian, not yet forty, was at the peak of his strength for a knight.
"Now that you are a knight, perhaps you could even marry a noble daughter."
A noble daughter — the daughter of a noble.
Even George could tell that if Julian spoke up, that lord now kept at Belair’s side would gladly marry his daughter to him.
"Hahaha, you see, Knight George, now aren’t you rather humorous."Julian laughed.
George found that laughter somewhat grating.
"The lord would never allow knights who command troops under him to get entangled with other nobles."Julian continued.
"This lord of ours—I'm well aware of his kind—used to be a worthless fool who mingled with women. Of course, perhaps that impression can now be overturned. At the very least, he does possess some measure of wisdom."
"Unfortunately, he lacks the most fundamental trait of nobility."
"That is, personal strength."
"Whether it be martial prowess capable of rivaling a knight, the ability to lead armies into battle, or possessing a force that can suppress everyone within the territory—"
"That is why he needs you."
"You, in your absolute purity."
"Of course, these words are not mockery, but heartfelt praise."
Julian lowered his head slightly, expressing his admiration.
"I am simply doing what I ought to do."George opened his mouth and finally spoke.
But with just that nudge from Julian, he came to understand Belair’s intent.
And Julian now speaking to him like this—
"However, as things stand, the lord now has two knights—myself and Bedi—along with an army of over four hundred men already organized. At least while the werewolves remain, his position will be unshakable."
"However—"
Julian smiled in the end, but did not continue. Instead, his tone shifted.
"The lord has already informed me that starting tomorrow, I will be sent with you to expand the territory."
"No—according to the lord’s words, it should be to rescue more nobles who are under siege."
"Moreover, the lord wants me to gradually take over the forces under your command."
"Your strength is acknowledged by all, and you are extremely pure. I do not wish to make enemies with you, so I chose to speak honestly with you today."
He looked at George, waiting for a response.
"Of course, I am not suited for commanding legions."George replied without hesitation.
His fighting style was somewhat direct. He often charged into enemy ranks alone, and the warriors would follow him into the assault. In the end, he alone would slay more werewolves than the rest of the warriors combined.
"Thank you for your understanding."Julian once again bowed slightly in gratitude.
"But after that, what do you plan to do?"Julian asked in a somewhat probing tone.
"Everyone now knows that the lord’s knighting of you was not the same as with me, a loyal knight. He merely granted you a knight’s title."
"Perhaps the lord knew from the start that once you understood his intentions, you would not remain here."
George fell silent.
Now, being deceived no longer stirred anything within him. His heart was utterly calm.
He simply compared his state when he had been fighting werewolves alone here, with the state now—clearing out werewolves alongside conscripted soldiers,
Then handing everything over to the lord and nobility for consolidation.
He had arrived at an answer in his heart.
"I will continue cleansing these evil werewolves here, until the day I feel it is time for me to leave."George said.