The Forgotten Field - Chapter 170

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 170
“What exactly are you implying by that?”
At my cold retort, Gareth, whose face had been flushed with agitation, flinched and took a step back.
Barcas, who had been watching him with weary eyes, added coldly.
“I am fulfilling my duties as a loyal servant of the Empire. Where my heart lies is not a matter for Your Highness to concern himself with.”
The sun-darkened bronze of his face took on a grayish hue.
The man glaring at him with eyes full of betrayal clenched his teeth and spoke.
“You swore an oath to our Mother. To protect me and Aila….”
“And that is precisely why I am here now, is it not?”
Barcas cut off his words with a note of irritation.
“Had I not intervened, the First Princess would have become a hostage to Grand Duke Heimdal by now. Had I not anticipated the movements in the Northern Region beforehand and cut off their funding, we could not be isolating the rebel forces so effectively. And now, I seek to end this war swiftly to prevent any misfortune from befalling the Crown Prince.”
Barcas paused, then fixed his gaze intently upon his younger cousin’s face, which had flushed crimson with indignation.
“What more could I possibly do to earn Your Highness’s trust?”
“Ha! You speak as though you’ve done something grand, yet in the end, you abandoned Aila and chose that bastard girl instead. Even now, you care more about that girl than supporting me! How could I ever trust your loyalty…!”
“Your Highness.”
At the low murmur, Gareth’s ranting mouth fell silent.
He stepped forward toward the Crown Prince and seized one of his broad shoulders, encased in armor, gripping it firmly and pressing down with force.
“We made a bargain. Did we not? Your Highness ultimately consented to my marriage.”
Sinews stood taut along the Crown Prince’s neck and jaw. As he twisted his body, trying to escape from my grip, I pressed down harder and spoke coldly into his ear.
“Then why do you keep gnawing at this?”
In an instant, the Crown Prince’s face turned ashen. It was the expression of a man whose own hunting dog had bitten him at the throat.
Barcas exhaled slowly and released the tension in his fingers.
“My words about ending this war at this juncture being the path for the Empire’s sake are sincere. So please, set aside emotion and judge the situation with cold reason.”
After giving his shoulder a light pat, I exited the tent, and the rich scent of earth struck my nostrils sharply.
Barcas glanced up briefly at the darkened sky, then crossed the encampment slowly, meeting the gradually lessening rain.
Between the uniformly erected military tents, the rough and desolate landscape of Kairas Valley emerged faintly into view.
Having established a fortified position at Beldis, which connected the Eastern and Northern Territories, I had subsequently moved a portion of my elite forces northwest.
The new garrison was both a strategic stronghold from which we could advance directly into Amasek, the heart of Balto in times of emergency, and a location from which we could reach Dolakan Castle, where negotiations were likely to be held, in four days. I planned to remain encamped here and, depending on the Emperor’s decision, either advance north toward Amasek or move toward Dolakan Castle.
Fortunately, negotiations had been decided upon, so I intended to head south at first light to oversee the signing of the peace treaty.
The Emperor would send a separate representative, so there was no strict necessity to remain here, but it would be prudent to stay nearby and prepare for any unforeseen variables.
I ran my fingers through hair soaked by the drizzle and gazed at the narrow gorge where mist undulated.
If the peace accord were concluded smoothly, the Heimdal family would be expelled by the hands of their own kinsmen, and the rebellion would be completely suppressed.
Once that happened, I too could return home soon.
‘Though she will hardly welcome me….’
With a bitter sigh, I sat upon a crude fence and withdrew the water flask hanging from my belt, moistening my lips.
Just then, a dark shadow emerged from the rain, leading a horse.
Recognizing his face, I narrowed my eyes. Tyron El Drakan, whom I had stationed at Beldis, was crossing the encampment, splashing through muddy water.
“General.”
The man who stopped before me offered a respectful salute.
Barcas frowned as he surveyed the appearance of one who had ridden in haste.
“What’s the matter?”
“A message has arrived from Kalmor. It seemed urgent enough that I rushed here to deliver it to you as soon as possible, but….”
The man with his hand thrust into his coat trailed off, glancing around cautiously.
Following his gaze, Barcas spotted the Crown Prince’s Imperial Guard arrayed outside the campsite and exhaled a quiet sigh.
“He’s simply come to complain after learning that I proposed peace negotiations to His Majesty. Pay it no mind and deliver your report.”
“Ah, so that’s how it turned out.”
The man spoke with evident relief, as though he too had grown weary of the conflict.
Rather than inform Barcas that he must remain in the borderlands for some time to pressure the Northern Region even after a peace accord was reached, I extended a hand toward the spear knight.
The man, momentarily bewildered, soon recalled his purpose and withdrew a letter from his coat.
“It seems you haven’t been away from the castle for quite some time this visit. It appears several problems have arisen in your absence.”
Barcas accepted the crumpled bundle of parchment and rose from his seat, moving toward a nearby tent. The warriors tending the campfire there hastily cleared the way.
He sat before a table laden with cards, dice, and drinking cups, then unfolded the letter.
The ink had bled slightly as though dampened by rain, but it remained legible. The letter’s contents were largely composed of reports concerning various legal disputes that had arisen in Kalmor and the unresolved problem of barbarian raids.
As Barcas scanned through it with expressionless eyes, he reached the end of the letter and his brow twisted.
The spear knight, observing his reaction carefully, added cautiously.
“It appears that quite a considerable disturbance has occurred in the domain due to the magical beast that the Grand Duchess is raising. It seems they hope you will return soon to mediate the matter.”
Barcas let his gaze slide to the very end of the report, then crumpled the parchment. A sensation as though fire had ignited from his temples to his eye sockets washed over him.
As though erasing it, I wrapped my fingertips around my forehead, when the sound of a trumpet echoed from afar.
Turning his head, Barcas narrowed his eyes as he watched Gareth stride across the camp with angry steps.
The Crown Prince, his anger still unabated, approached with a blazing gaze directed at him. Then, with a swift motion, he mounted the golden horse and led the Knights northward.
Since he must have received orders to remain encamped in Amasek until the peace negotiations concluded, no incident of him storming the negotiation site and overturning the proceedings would occur.
Barcas, tapping his temples with his fingertips, soon rose from his seat.
“Summon Beirov. We break camp immediately and move to the Eastern Territories.”
“Immediately, you say?”
The Knight’s expression became one of bewilderment.
Barcas walked toward his tent and explained in an even tone.
“The negotiations will take place in the southern region of Balto. There’s no need for us to remain encamped here.”
“Then what of the cavalry unit stationed in Beldis?”
“I’ll entrust their command to Darian and you for the time being.”
Barcas, who had crossed the camp in an instant, replied as he drew back the curtain covering the entrance to his tent.
The complexion of the spear knight who followed him darkened at once. It seemed he too had hoped to return to Kalmor alongside his lord.
Barcas gently patted the shoulder of his subordinate, who had been forced to remain away from his homeland for quite some time.
“The civil war will end soon. Just endure until then.”
“Do you intend to remain in Kalmor permanently, sir?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Barcas furrowed his brow.
Certainly, if this negotiation concluded smoothly, there would be no need for him to set out on another campaign.
Was it not unprecedented for the Eastern lord to wander the battlefield for two years?
He could not indefinitely entrust domain management solely to his retainers. Though somewhat premature, it would not be amiss to end his encamped life at this opportunity.
The problem lay in how she would accept his return.
“Well….”
Barcas, lost in thought as he gazed at the flickering candlelight, picked up his armor and spoke.
“What lies ahead… I suppose I’ll have to see for myself.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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