Duke Pendragon

Clank!

The iron gates of Count Herreran’s manor opened.

A knight with a majestic appearance appeared with several swordsmen, and a glimmer of recognition flashed in Isla’s eyes.

‘Casval Teyo…’

Isla had seen the captain of the Herreran Swordsmen twice in the past. Of course, Teyo would not recognize him in return. Anyone who knew of Isla from the Herreran family was most likely already dead with the exception of Count Herreran himself.

“Are you the messenger of the United Southern Army?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

Teyo’s eyes glimmered fiercely as he observed Isla.

‘Both his spirit and posture are stable.’

In terms of sword technique alone, Teyo was the strongest among the cavaliers of the Herreran family. Within the entire region of Valvas, his strength could be counted within ten fingers.

At one glance, Teyo realized that the young cavalier in front of him was no ordinary warrior. But Isla’s formidable appearance wasn’t what attracted Teyo’s curiosity.

‘Have I… seen him somewhere before?’

Teyo tilted his head inwardly. The young man wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. Teyo had always possessed a good eye for someone with excellent skills.

“How strange.’

But if Teyo didn’t remember the young man, he wouldn’t be a dangerous person. Teyo turned his head.

“Medell, have you confirmed his identity?”

“Yes, captain.”

Medell answered with a respectful attitude. Even though he was a first-rate swordsman, the difference between himself and Teyo was akin to the heavens and the earth.

“Come on in.”

After nodding lightly, Teyo turned around.

Isla silently followed behind. Surprisingly, of the hundreds of people behind him - all men who were old enough to be called adults, followed right behind as well. Even more astonishingly, no one from the Herreran family made any attempts to stop them.

Such a sight would have been unimaginable in the mainland, but it was possible because this was Valvas. Since ancient times, discrimination based on status was almost nonexistent in the South, unlike the mainland. Valvas was especially more generous and freer even amongst the southern territories. This was because there was only one family, the Herreran County, possessing a rank of nobility. However, the Herreran family wasn’t the ruler of Valvas. The Herreran County was nothing more than a family with a long history that was conferred a title by the emperor.

That was why all men who had undergone their adult ceremonies could become ‘warriors’ in cases of emergency and possessed the right to observe how problematic situations were resolved. The rather bizarre characteristic was one of the biggest reasons why Valvas had such a hard time uniting as one and marching outside.

Of course, that didn’t mean situations like these were common. It was the first time in many years that the main gates of Count Herreran’s manor had been opened like this.

“I do not know how this will go, but it will be a pretty noisy day…”

There was a faint smile around the mouth of Teyo as he muttered in a low voice.

***

The hall of the Herreran County’s manor was rife with hundreds of men.

“What do you think will happen?”

“What else? He’s an official messenger of the coalition’s commander-in-chief. If they are officially requesting a dispatch, the count’s family will accept it.”

“Then what about the Seven Clans? Do you think they will obediently follow suit if they’re suddenly asked to participate?”

“Wouldn’t two or three participate in the least? You know it’s an unspoken rule to not attack each other’s bases while they’re off on an expedition.”

Men of different ages and professions gathered in groups of three or four, not bothering to hide their expectations for what was about to happen. However, there was a man standing like a statue in front of everyone else, his gaze unshaken. Everyone’s eyes were glued on him as they continued to chat.

“…..”

Though still expressionless, Isla was soaking in reminiscence. Even though he was born with the only count of Valvas as his maternal uncle, it was his first time in the Herreran manor ever since he became an adult. In fact, he had not known that Count Herreran was his maternal uncle until he was 18.

His mother had died three years after giving birth to him, and an elderly couple and a middle-aged man named Cain raised him in a remote village. They had always addressed him as young master.

During the day, he helped the elderly couple with housework and farming, and he was instructed by Cain at night.

Cain was strong, and he was a strict teacher.

A Valas man could use a rapier and a spear, but Cain was proficient in any and all weapons, including the mainland’s long sword, bow, and iron mace. Moreover, he was good at hunting, and surprisingly, he knew how to tame a griffon. He had brought a young, motherless griffon to rear it and train it.

That was all the memory Isla had from when he was but a baby until he was 15. The current knight Elkin Isla was essentially shaped by the man named Cain, who did not reveal his last name until the moment he died.

Cain suffered fatal injuries and died while fighting with the cavaliers of the Valencia Clan and the Medien Clan. At that time, Isla had seen something in the man’s eyes that he had never seen before.

It was sorrow.

Cain had always looked at himself with cold and stern eyes. Now, Isla knew why his eyes had reflected such a light at the last moment.

‘I’m here, Cain…’

Cavaliers who died fighting would ascend to the castle of the War God. Isla remembered Cain as he slowly raised his head.

Tap. Tap.

There was no lavish announcement like those made for the mainland nobles. But the entire hall became eerily sound at the appearance of the old count. He was accompanied by a young man and several cavaliers.

“…..”

Count Herreran came to a stop.

There was no throne in the hall, not even a plain chair. After straightening his bent waist, Count Herreran looked at Isla. A glimmer appeared for a moment.

‘Somewhere…’

Count Herreran observed the young man in front of him with thoughts similar to those of Teyo’s. The young man’s face was somehow familiar. His sharp, calm eyes, thick brows, straight nose, and tightly sealed lips were all somehow familiar. Someone’s familiar, but blurry face took its place in Count Herreran’s memory as he continued to stare at Isla.

‘Of course you wouldn’t remember.’

Isla received the gaze while feeling a little bitter inside. Even though Count Herreran was his uncle, he had never visited Isla. He did not come even when Isla’s mother died. All the memories Isla had of him was when he saw the count a few times from a distance.

“Are you the messenger of the coalition’s commander?”

“That is right.”

“Do you have a letter from the commander?”

The eyes of the men in the hall filled up with even more anticipation and curiosity at Count Herreran’s words. If the commander had sent an official letter with his seal, the situation would progress rapidly.

“I do not have such a thing.”

But the young man’s answer went against their expectations.

“Hmm.”

Count Herreran and Teyo’s expressions distorted slightly. But as the only lord of Valvas, he remained calm and asked once more.

“Then do you have a letter from Duke Pendragon?”

“I do not.”

The two people’s expressions turned even worse as the crowd became rowdy once more. But then, Isla spoke.

“I am a knight of the Pendragon Duchy.”

“Oooh!”

“Huh…!”

The hall instantly became noisier, and Teyo became wide-eyed.

“As expected!”

“I knew it!”

Among those gathered in the hall, men who had been bought a drink by Isla at the pub were present as well. They clenched their first at the announcement. No matter how remote Valvas was, outside rumors still leaked in.

The story of Duke Pendragon was famous in Valvas. It had crossed the inland sea to the South, then to Valvas. It would be rather strange if his stories had not been famous in Valvas. He was the first ‘real knight’ to appear after a long time, and Valvas was the land of men who lived and died by the sword.

Moreover, there were other reasons why Valvas men were interested in the stories of Duke Pendragon. One of Duke Pendragon’s knights had made his appearance like a comet and spread his fame throughout the empire. He was known to be born in Valvas. He was the knight known as the Orc Slayer and the Stormbringer.

From the moment he flicked a Pendragon gold coin at the pub, some of the men had suspicions about the young man’s identity. They thought that he might be the knight of the Pendragon Duchy.

“Then is your name Elkin Isla?”

Teyo asked hurriedly even though his lord was right next to him.

“Yes.”

Isla nodded slowly.

“Hmm…!”

Teyo was also familiar with the name of Isla and the stories surrounding the name. He looked quite surprised as he turned towards Count Herreran.

“My lord?”

Teyo frowned.

Even though he was old, Count Herreran had always maintained his composure. However, right now his shoulders were shaking like a man on the death row. His eyes were also quivering with shock.

“You… Are you truly…”?

Count Herreran wasn’t able to finish his words as he pointed at Isla with his long, thin fingers.

“My lord, what’s wrong?”

Teyo was taken aback by his lord’s behaviour. He had never seen Count Herreran act in such fashion. He tried to support Count Herreran.

However, Count Herreran raised his hand to stop Teyo, then slowly approached Isla while relying on his cane. Everyone watched the old count with confused expressions.

Elkin Isla was definitely a famous cavalier. He was the most famous knight in the Pendragon Duchy except for the duke himself, so his appearance was certainly surprising. Nevertheless, Count Herreran was reacting a little, no, quite strangely.

Only one person knew why the count was acting like that. Count Herreran was the only one who knew of Isla’s other identity – that Isla was not just a knight of a duchy. Count Herreran arrived in front of Isla while trembling, then he struggled to open his lips.

“The name of the woman who gave birth to you…?”

“Angela. Angela Isla.”

“Ueh…”

Clack!

The cane fell helplessly from Count Herreran’s hand.

“My lord! What is going… Heuk!?”

Teyo’s eyes suddenly widened as he hurriedly picked up the cane and helped the count. The woman’s name was something he had clearly heard in the distant past. When he was much younger, the count had mentioned it once when he was drunk.

“Angela Isla…? Then you are…”

Angela was the name of the count’s sister. Under the influence of alcohol, the count had confessed that he had as good as killed her with his own hands, his eyes reddened with tears. And when he had chased her out of the family, he had told her to change her last name from Herreran to Isla. Isla was the last name of one of his distant ancestors.

In other words, the young cavalier in front of them… Elkin Isla, the knight of the Pendragon Duchy, was a blood relative of Count Herreran.

“Hm…”

Even so, Teyo felt a little curious.

Count Herreran’s reaction was a little too much for someone who had seen his nephew for the first time in decades. It would have been better if he had been thrilled or pleased, but his current expression was something else.

“I… I am fine, Teyo.”

Count Herrarn reassured Teyo in a hoarse voice, then stood up straight again. But his eyes were still quivering as he spoke towards Isla.

“I ask, cavalier… Are you here for revenge?”

‘Revenge?’

Teyo looked at the two with shock. The count had said that he had basically killed his sister. Then, was this…

Teyo brought his hand closer to the pommel of his sword as a precaution. However, Isla shook his head and responded in a quiet voice.

“No.”

“Then… Have you come as a messenger of the coalition’s commander?”

“That is not it either.”

As Isla denied both of his questions, Count Herreran asked once more, his shaky hands barely holding onto the cane.

“I will ask you one last time. Why have you come to Valvas… Why did you come here to visit me…?”

Even though he asked, Count Herreran somehow knew the answer. He wanted the young man to give the answer he thought of. But ironically, he also hoped his nephew wouldn’t say it out aloud. He was already too old to hear it.

“I…”

Isla started to speak slowly.

Everyone’s eyes and ears focused on him.

“At the same time I am a knight serving the Pendragon Duchy… I came here as the successor to the blood of Mara Valencia, the Knight King.”

“…..!”

The eyes of the hundreds of men gathered opened as wide as they could at the immensely shocking words.