Overpowered Extra Noble in a Novel

34.

***

“Sir Lefilo. I entrust this matter to you. Please punish that man who insulted Aidan and Bradden.”

“Lord Bradden. You must not forget the treaty regarding the delivery of thirty percent of your iron production to my house. This is a matter of honor.”

“The preparations for transport are already underway. Rest assured.”

At Norman Bradden’s words, Lefilo nodded.

“Sir Gaines. As you know, Sir Penelope fell to that man. Aidan himself is in a precarious state… Though he hails from the frontier, he’s a formidable opponent not to be underestimated. Please bear this in mind.”

“I understand. The honor of the Bradden family shall be restored by my hands.”

With that, the knights mounted their horses and quickly left the Bradden manor.

As the blue-robed knights departed, Norman’s face contorted in resentment.

‘Macbilian…’

That young baron from the frontier, barely twenty years old, had risen to the rank of a duke and was now wielding a sword.

Norman recalled seeing Macbilian at the investiture ceremony.

That arrogant expression and mockery he gave when their eyes met!

Moreover, he even beat Bradden’s eldest heir in a brawl—a style of fighting one would expect from the lower ranks!

The central nobles, including the Empress, the Chamberlain, and the two dukes, witnessed it all—a disgraceful affront to the Bradden name.

‘This is the poison you’ve chosen.’

That arrogant man refused the hand extended to him by the two dukes—a choice so arrogant it bordered on insolence. But it was perfect for me.

The other foolish ones connected to Duke Sylvester’s faction sent troops south, unaware of how I could use that situation to secretly eliminate Macbilian without raising suspicions.

‘I sent three mana manifesters. Whether you overcame Aidan or Sir Penelope, it doesn’t matter. This time, you will assuredly die.’

Knight Lefilo of the western faction, who desires Macbilian’s death.

Gaines, Bradden’s last mana manifester.

And a knight tied to Lord Palmer.

Three mana manifesters are on the move.

His death is assured. It’s time to prepare for the next step.

‘Though I incurred considerable losses by involving knights from other houses, it’s of no consequence.’

There are numerous ways to compensate for the losses, after all—the duke has been recklessly executing other nobles. By seizing the vacant rights and interests, the problem will be resolved.

‘Let me make the best use of the gift you have given me.’

The wedding hasn’t begun yet.

If the duke were to disappear in a tragic accident before the ceremony… surely, it would just be seen as a regrettable incident.

“An empty seat at the Empress’s side would fit Aidan nicely.”

Duke Bradden.

Daydreaming of that lofty power, Norman retreated into his manor to catch up on some pending work.

Late at night, three knights rushed towards the south.

Meanwhile, Cain was deep in earnest conversation about talent recruitment in the middle of the Grand Forest.

***

“Captain.”

Just before sleeping, after taking turns standing watch, I turned at Cruel’s call.

“Why is it, me?”

Why me? Quite an unexpected question.

‘Ah, that’s right?’

It’s about time we had this conversation. It’s going to take a while, so I need to gather my thoughts.

“Do you remember the words I said during our sparring match?”

“What words? ‘You guys are trash? Useless pieces?’”

“…Not that one.”

I chuckled sheepishly before continuing,

“What do you seek by being here?”

“Ah…yes. That’s correct.”

The silver-haired knight gave a curt nod with his indifferent gaze.

“Sir Cruel. You don’t seem particularly interested in honor, money, or power, do you?”

“That’s…”

Captain Cruel of the Execution Squad.

This man stands out among other knights—born from the lower ranks, he’s the sole commoner-turned-knight to rise to captain in the Imperial Palace Knights.

The lower districts offer no proper education or training environment, yet Cruel managed to obtain knowledge. He was formidable enough to suppress high-ranking knights and claim his captaincy.

There’s always demand for reliable physical force within any organization. The lower echelons would have kept him in check, but Cruel managed to break free.

Escaping the muck of his origins on his own accord, despite having other paths available, he chose the Imperial Palace Knights.

“Sir Cruel. What is it that you desire?”

Amid the anger that erupted from other knights at my words, Cruel calmly observed me with a composed gaze.

No matter what insult came his way, Cruel performed his duties with a sense of purpose, steadily moving forward without hesitation.

After staring at the campfire, Cruel finally spoke.

“I’m curious.”

“About what?”

Cruel tilted his head skyward. I followed his gaze to see the Milky Way scattered across the clear night sky.

The crackling of the campfire, the faint sounds of insects chirping softly. When I threw another log into the dying flame, Cruel continued.

“The view only accessible from the highest place, that’s all I want to see.”

“You’re not talking about a specific place, are you? Do you mean power?”

“Possibly… something like it.”

His gaze dropped downward.

“I was born at the bottom; I don’t know much. I wonder what it feels like to look down from atop and see the vast world.”

The lowlands of the imperial capital. Beyond the maze of buildings, a glimpse of the blue sky. Tattered clothes, begging to survive, and ramshackle houses unable to shield against rain or cold.

The mindset of someone born in the lower district remains a mystery to me, but I can promise him one thing.

“The empire is vast, but we are short-handed. There’s a lot to do, you see.”

The casual tone made him glance up.

“There’s a variety of work in the world, and not everything is clean and straightforward. I’d love to handle it all myself, but as I’ve said, we lack sufficient hands.”

“…Are you assigning that responsibility to me?”

“That’s right.”

Meeting his steady gaze unflinchingly, I continued.

“Do you want to reach those high places?”

I told Cruel:

“Follow me. Live and wield your sword solely for me and the Empress.”

“If you do, I will undoubtedly take you to unimaginable heights, so high that you’d yearn to descend again.”

“I’ll give you many things. In return, live as my shadow.”

It might seem like a cruel proposal—operating in the shadows rather than in the light.

In response to my offer, Cruel gazed at the heavens with his steely gray eyes. The stars reflected in his pupils as he declared with resolve:

“I made the decision long ago—when I extricated myself from that cesspool.”

There’s much work to be done. I can’t allocate all my attention to the knights.

Some knights within the group are corrupt and need to be purged. Millene and Luniya might be too young for such an endeavor, and Cruel, being of lower origins, might be more accustomed to getting his hands dirty.

“Alright. Let’s focus on getting through this southern expedition and then we’ll talk about it. Once we return to the Imperial Palace, the first task will be cleaning up the knights.”

Cruel nodded at my words.

‘Good. Another talented individual gained.’

I’d never cast anyone aside like trash. There are no such cases. I don’t plan to push anyone to the breaking point either. Rest is absolutely crucial. Life and labor must maintain proper balance.

I intend to keep recruiting talented individuals. Everyone loves a workplace that discourages overtime, doesn’t they? And I intend to give generous bonuses as well.

Night deepened. Leaving Cruel on watch, I quickly closed my eyes.

*

When life becomes arduous, fatigue accumulates uncontrollably.

Entering winter with no successful harvest meant an inevitable crisis for those trying to survive now, and their grievances have been piling up.

While noble officials luxuriate in heated mansions with surplus supplies, it’s strange the commoners haven’t revolted.

Yet, the reason they don’t rise against the privileged few is simple—it would lead to their deaths.

A hundred armed commoners can be easily suppressed by just one trained knight. If that knight is a mana manifester, they’ll be wiped out effortlessly without a chance to flee.

Knights are skilled killers; their mindsets differ from commoners.

Thus, even though their anger may boil, commoners can only endure it silently. Any attempt at retaliation would result in an untimely death. They merely hope for better days, despite their starving bellies.

However…

I personally beheaded noble lords or handed them over to the capital. One of the greatest threats to the commoners has been obliterated under the guise of treason.

If the most bothersome obstacles have been removed, doesn’t that make it a prime opportunity?

With their grievances reaching their threshold, the commoners are at the brink of rebellion.

You might think it doesn’t matter as long as other knights of equal strength remain, but…

To what end does such power serve when faced with the blinding fury of the masses? Especially if there are agents who deliberately stir the chaos to further confuse the situation?

An individual twig may break easily, but when twigs gather in bunches, they form a grand tree.

Had a revolution occurred, central nobles would have needed to focus their efforts on suppressing the uprising rather than on purging themselves.

Thankfully, there hasn’t been word of a revolutionary flame catching on.

There are two reasons why people have remained calm. One is the targeted elimination of the most brutal oppressors and the subsequent seizure and distribution of their entire storage. The other is…

“Thank you for your help. This is from the Sei Merchant Guild.”

The wide road stretched between expansive fields. Along its sides lay the bisected bodies of giant wolves, blood spilling everywhere.

We walked some distance under the daylight when we encountered a group surrounded by packs of wolves. Cruel and I immediately intervened, swiftly killing the giant wolves.

“Knight sir, may I know your name?”

“Cain. The other one is Cruel.”

“Sirs Cain and Cruel. Thank you once again.”

They regarded us as knights, and rightly so.

Neither of us wore a noble crest or a splendid uniform. We carried a simple sword at our waists and wore thick, plain robes to shield against the cold.

Naturally, they wouldn’t know who I was. I wasn’t someone they’d recognize from the palace.

Turning away, I asked the grateful merchant,

“Your caravan seems rather substantial, but it’s unusual for the beasts to swarm like this. Perhaps they were drawn by the scent of food?”

“It seems so. We were carrying quite a large quantity of goods…”

Cardo let out a sigh while looking at the wagon and the scattered carcasses.

“Are these from the food supplies distributed by the Imperial Palace?”

After inspecting the wagons, Cardo nodded at my question.

“Yes, they contain food and blankets intended for distribution in several southern regions.”

After finishing his sentence, Cardo spoke again.

“Sir Cain, if it’s not too much to ask, may I know your destination?”

“We’re heading to the Grand Forest to expand our horizons.”

“The southernmost border, huh? Then you will pass through the small town of Barhen first…?”

I nodded slightly, and Cardo’s expression brightened.

“Our destination also happens to be Barhen. Would you consider allowing us to accompany you, if it would not inconvenience you?”

Responding to Cardo’s request, I glanced back at the wagons.

This was one aspect of the winter survival plan we discussed last fall—delivering relief grain to various regions.

Even with instructions to open warehouses sent to local governors, there were still areas beyond reach.

To send supplies across the vast expanse of the empire efficiently, cooperation from merchant guilds or religious orders is essential, and those who received official requests from the palace have been diligently spreading food.

“Your work is commendable. It would be beneficial if we could assist. May the Sun God look kindly upon my journey as well.”

“Thank you for your kindness! Honorable knight!”

With a closing invitation to visit the Sei Merchant Guild another day, we resumed our travels.

“The arrival of the knight is a blessing.”

“Indeed, these are troubling times. Even in the south…”

“The world’s become so dangerous we can’t wander freely without escort.”

“Still, we can’t stop working just to survive.”

Whispered by the merchants. My heightened senses caught even their quiet murmurs, and their words prompted a faint smile on my lips.

It’s fortunate that the merchants are working diligently. Watching the plan unfold smoothly gave me a sense of satisfaction. With people fulfilling their roles, this is how the empire keeps running, isn’t it?

I must straighten out the inner workings of the palace, but at the same time, I need to maintain control over the unpredictable empire.

Reforming the central nobility would be meaningless if the state were to fall into chaos.

‘Let’s proceed this way for now.’

Even though it was merely reviewing and approving minor additions to proposals submitted from the Inner Palace, confirming with my own eyes that the policies were running smoothly gave me peace.

When I was casually eavesdropping on the merchants’ conversations and checking my surroundings at leisure, it happened.

A dirt road flanked by rocky expanses of fields stretched ahead. Suddenly, someone stepped out to block the path of the traders moving along the road.

“Halt! Halt! We are the Briohn Mercenary Group of Barhen. Beyond this point is the territory ruled by the nobles of Barhen!”

At their cry, the caravans halted.

‘Briohn?’

Clad in heavy armor, they stood aggressively with temporary wooden barriers set up, blocking the way.

As I carefully scanned their faces, a hairy mercenary spoke up.

“Merchant friends, you’ve worked hard. Thanks for bringing everything this far!”

The hairy mercenary approached the lead carriage and, while placing a heavy hand on the visibly nervous merchant’s shoulder, said,

“By order of the noble lord, unload everything here and leave. We’ll make good use of it.”

…What?!

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