The Forgotten Field Novel - Chapter 83, 84
## Chapter 83: THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL)
But his bright eyes remained fixed on her face. The man looked at her with an expression that was a mixture of confusion, anger, and a strange intensity, and muttered:
“Who the hell are you…?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
Talia raised her chin and said with a mocking smile:
“I am the ‘evil woman born of an illegitimate union’ you’ve been ranting about, am I not?”
The man’s face turned crimson red. As if the situation had finally clicked in his mind, his eyes—which had been clouded by surprise—became sharp and clear.
Exhaling a hot breath, the man shouted in a furious voice:
“This is going too far! What kind of behavior is this?! I am a knight and a noble! In what part of the world is it acceptable to treat a noble in this manner…?!”
“Is there a separate rule in the world for publicly insulting royalty?”
Talia interrupted the man, twisting the corners of her lips.
“If you had publicly humiliated the princess of the Empire and committed insubordination against the future monarch, you wouldn’t have a single word to say, right? You should be grateful it ended with just a wine baptism.”
“I was only offering sincere advice born of loyalty……!”
“Save your dog barking for the dogs.”
Her eyes flashed with malice as she lashed out at the man.
“Loyalty? Sincere advice? Don’t make me laugh. You were just barking your grievances at random.”
As if overwhelmed by the venom she emanated, the man stepped back, startled.
Talia, who had been watching him with a mocking gaze, adopted the soft and comforting tone she always used when she intended to hurt someone deeply.
“If you feel so sorry for Ayla, why don’t you run and comfort her yourself? Who knows? Maybe the perfect princess, whom the entire empire adores, will decide to grant you her favor.”
Then, after carefully examining the man from head to toe, she let out a frivolous laugh.
“No, you are out of the question. My sister is surprisingly picky about the people she sees.”
The man’s face had now turned a burning red.
Varkas watched in silence as the heat in the man’s eyes transformed into intense hostility.
Seduction quickly gave way to hostility, and desire to rage. Men who ran into her usually reacted that way. The man’s eyes popped with bloodshot veins as he leaned toward her, looking as if he would pounce at any moment.
He had already restrained himself enough.
Varkas pulled the hood over her head, then cradled the back of her small head and drew her tightly against his chest. Talia gasped in surprise and struggled in his arms.
Holding her firmly as she tried to break free, he closely studied the man’s expression. Although boiling with humiliation, he seemed desperate to snatch the woman from his grasp.
With his eyes wide open and grinding his teeth, the man shouted loudly:
“Hand her over to me right now! I cannot let this insult pass without punishment!”
“And what if I don’t? Are you going to draw a knife against me? Or what………………”
Talia, who had been pushing Varkas’s hand away and shouting furiously at the man, suddenly fell silent. It was as if she had sensed the ominous atmosphere surrounding him.
Varkas carefully hid the face of the woman, who was watching him cautiously, with her hood, and then observed the reaction of the crowd.
Most showed expressions of total bewilderment, but there were also a few who looked at him with a mixture of interest and curiosity. Of course, there were also several who showed open hostility.
His plan to steadily secure the loyalty of his vassals and consolidate his foundations without a single mistake seemed to have already gone down the drain.
He swallowed a sigh and turned his gaze back to the stout man.
“I suppose I must repeat the question my wife asked. What do you intend to do if I don’t simply let this pass?”
“I demand an apology for the insult she hurled at me!”
Varkas stroked his chin, feigning deliberation over the man’s demand.
Alec Gutvan was a powerful figure who exerted considerable influence in the southeastern region. Among the Kan warriors, who revered martial arts, there were probably many who blindly followed this man.
Having consolidated his position as a local lord by commanding a cavalry unit composed of hundreds of powerful warriors, he must be arrogant enough to believe he could handle a twenty-something novice like Varkas however he pleased.
The fact that he came to cause such a commotion the moment Varkas returned was probably an attempt to gain the upper hand.
Varkas twisted the corners of his lips.
“Must she really apologize?”
“Yes! Please apologize politely in front of everyone for insulting me and making fun of me!”
“What do you think?”
Varkas lowered his gaze and directed the question to Talia.
“Do you intend to grant that request?”
A look of betrayal was immediately returned to him. The light from the chandelier flickered through her deep blue irises, which always seemed to scrape the deepest part of his being.
“I’d rather die than do that. I’d bite my tongue first!”
“I see.”
When he directed a dry look back at the man, he saw a sinister malice rise within his bloodshot eyes.
The man spat out the words:
“In that case, Young Master, please apologize on behalf of your wife. No matter what, I must exact vengeance for the humiliation I have suffered.”
The sound of rough gasps filled the air. Even those who had been testing him seemed bewildered by the excessive demand.
Varkas paused for a moment before slowly opening his mouth. Just at that instant, a frantic hand reached out to stop him.
Looking down, Varkas saw her pale face and frowned. Talia, clinging tightly to his arm, cried out urgently in a cracked voice:
“Don’t do it. If you apologize, they won’t leave you alone!”
His stomach churned once again. Previously, he had considered that sensation to be something close to discomfort. But the thought that it might not be that crossed his mind.
He brushed her hands off and walked slowly toward the man. The man’s gaze remained fixed on Talia. As if to block that gaze, he spoke in a low voice straight into the man’s face, which reeked of strong wine.
“We are men of the East, are we not? If we want something, we have to fight for it.”
“What do you mean by…………….”
A look of deep suspicion crossed the man’s previously sullen face. Varkas added calmly:
“Let’s settle this the traditional way. We will have a duel, and if you win, I will apologize to you respectfully in front of everyone.”
A fierce commotion swept through the banquet hall.
Contrary to his expectation that the man would jump at his proposal, he withheld his response and instead threw him an inquisitive look. It occurred to him that perhaps half of this man’s radical words and actions might be a facade.
The man, who had been scrutinizing Varkas with a shrewd gaze, finally spoke:
“Do you even know what a duel really means? A duel in this land is of a different caliber than the children’s games played in the imperial palace. For us, a duel means a desperate life-or-death confrontation.”
Breathing raggedly, Talia grabbed Varkas’s coat and yanked it violently. Ignoring her, he replied in a dismissive tone:
“So, are you afraid?”
A thick vein bulged on the man’s broad forehead. After evaluating him openly, the man let out a mocking laugh.
“You certainly have the arrogance of a man of the East.”
“What is your answer?”
“Fine. I accept the duel.”
As soon as the man’s response fell, a murmur erupted from all sides.
Varkas nodded toward Daren, who looked bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
“Prepare the horse and armor.”
“The sun has already set. We should wait until tomorrow’s dawn and then…”
“Why drag this out until then?”
Varkas interrupted Daren and looked at the man provocatively.
“The people of Kan learn to fight on horseback before they can walk. Does the setting sun pose a problem for us?”
“It is no problem at all.”
The man growled in response.
“Hey! Prepare my armor and weapons right now!”
“Lord Gutvan, please calm down and let’s talk about this again tomorrow…………….”
As a young man who appeared to be his aide urgently tried to dissuade him, Gutvan punched him in the face.
“Don’t make me say it twice!”
The young man, clutching his bloody nose, ran out of the banquet hall.
Now, a feverish excitement was beginning to fill the hall. The man also seemed agitated. He spoke, pronouncing each word as if he were chewing it:
“The duel will take place in front of everyone. If I win, you will immediately drop to your knees right there and apologize. In a life-or-death contest, shouldn’t that be the minimum compensation?”
“V-Varkas!”
Talia, who had frozen in place due to the uncontrollable turn of events, stepped in front of him.
He barely shifted his gaze to her. Talia muttered in a voice that seemed to crawl out of her throat:
“I, I will apologize… I will apologize, so… don’t do anything crazy.”
Her tearful voice ruthlessly tore at his insides. He pulled her robe tighter to cover her face completely, then looked at the man with a blank expression.
“Fine. I will do as you wish.”
The man’s smile deepened. It was the face of a man confident of his victory.
Alec Gutvan licked his lips like a bear in front of its prey and asked:
“What will you demand when you win, Young Master?”
Just at that moment, servants came running into the hall carrying the armor. Varkas, taking the gauntlets from a nimble-footed boy, tilted his head. The response that escaped him sounded dry even to his own ears:
“I have nothing I wish to demand from you.”
Sliding his hand inside the iron gauntlet, Varkas added slowly:
“Because if I win, you will never speak again.”
—
## Chapter 84: THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL)
“Get up right now!”
Lucas, who had been burying his face in his pillow, snapped his head up, startled by the sharp shriek.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes and turning around, he saw his annoying younger sister standing right there, next to his bed.
He brought his hand to his throbbing forehead and groaned:
“Come on! How many times do I have to tell you not to barge into my room?”
“This is no time to worry about manners! Get up already! It’s an emergency!”
Raina shook his shoulders mercilessly and screamed at the top of her lungs. Lucas pushed his sister away and pressed hard on his bursting temples.
He had been out all day since early morning, roaming the hunting grounds with other riders of the Wolfram clan, and had just returned after getting completely drunk on beer at a tavern.
His head was already splitting, so why was she making such a fuss?
He glared at his sister with narrowed eyes.
“What the hell is going on? Did the people of Zram invade Raedgo Castle or something?”
“Stop talking nonsense and get up right now!”
Raina yanked his bedframe roughly and stamped her feet.
“It’s a real disaster! The ‘Black Bear of the South’ is going to duel our older brother!”
Lucas felt his drowsiness vanish in an instant as he bolted upright. He stared at his sister in bewilderment.
“Who is going to fight whom?”
“Ugh, seriously!”
As if her limited patience had run out in an instant, Raina brushed his arm away and walked firmly toward the door.
Lucas, who had been staring blankly at her retreating silhouette, scrambled out of bed and grabbed the tunic he had carelessly tossed over a chair. He threw it over his bare torso and hastily ran outside after his younger sister.
Just at that moment, he saw servants running down the hallway with lanterns in hand.
He looked around in confusion, then caught up with his younger sister, who was already striding down the stairs.
“Is our brother really going to duel?”
“I just told you!”
Raina replied with irritation as she took the stairs two at a time. Lucas frowned. He also knew that guests had arrived at Raedgo Castle.
However, he had no idea how the lord representing the southeastern region and the heir of the Shiokan family had ended up in a duel.
Holding his head, which was throbbing from the hangover, he asked:
“Why suddenly have a duel in the middle of the night?”
“Why else? The personification of discord finally caused trouble!”
Raina grit her teeth.
“That woman, can you believe it? She broke into the banquet hall, poured wine all over Lord Gutvan, and even slapped him!”
Lucas’s mouth fell wide open.
“That woman… you don’t mean… the Second Princess, right?”
“Who else could it be?”
Raina beat her chest as if frustrated.
“It was because of that woman that the ‘Black Bear’ and our brother got into an argument, and even ended up in a duel!”
Raina crossed the lobby in a single leap, ran out of the building, and shouted defiantly:
“See! I told you over and over that woman would be a disaster, didn’t I? I was right after all!”
Lucas rolled his eyes as he buttoned the front of his coat, which was completely open.
To be precise, what his younger sister had predicted was a cunning villainess who feigned weakness in front of their older brother while plotting behind his back, not a crazy woman who would slap the strongest lance knight of the Eastern Region in front of everyone.
‘Anyway, I can’t deny that this has turned into a major problem.’
He pushed back his messy hair and quickly crossed the spacious courtyard.
Hundreds of people were already crowding the steps leading to the training ground, each holding torches and lamps.
Pushing his way through the crowd, Lucas reached the inner part of the vast training ground. The nobles who had come to witness the duel and the elite knights of Wolfram were gathered there. Spotting a familiar face among them, Lucas headed straight toward him.
“Tyron!”
The lancer, who had been talking to his men, turned his head toward him. He, too, seemed to have run out while resting. The man, bare-chested and wearing only a loose coat, looked from Lucas to Raina and let out a deep sigh.
“How can you walk around at an hour like this without an escort?”
“Cut the lectures. What the hell happened?”
“I just got here myself, so I don’t know the exact details.”
Tyron shrugged and replied with a nonchalant air:
“One thing is clear: our future leader possesses a much more aggressive temperament than he lets on.”
Then he pointed with his chin toward one side of the vast equestrian training ground.
There, a huge gray stallion and Varkas, heavily armored in black iron armor, stood waiting.
Lucas stared at him. Amidst those bulky men, he looked like a delicate, finely sculpted statue.
His slender physique, encased in armor, was by no means small or fragile, but it was not as robust or as massive as that of the other lancers; the way he adjusted the clasps of his armor made him look more like a dancer than a warrior.
In contrast, his opponent was nothing less than a beast in human form.
Lucas shifted his gaze to the opposite side of the training ground and swallowed hard. The man looked to be nearly 7 kvet (about 210 cm) tall, and his weight seemed to far exceed 5 lant (about 175 kg), approaching 6 lant (about 210 kg). If you added the weight of the steel armor encasing his body, he probably weighed even more.
The man guided a massive, muscular steed that matched his own stature and walked toward the center of the training ground.
The light from the blazing bonfire fully revealed the man’s terrifying presence. Seeing this, the crowd erupted in a succession of gasps of admiration, excitement, and awe.
Lucas let out a low groan.
“This is madness.”
Immediately after, four soldiers—who appeared to be the man’s subordinates—struggled to carry a colossal halberd, almost as heavy as a block of iron.
When the man grabbed the shaft with one hand and hoisted the monstrous axe head high, the roar of the crowd grew even louder.
Raina, who had been watching the scene with a stunned expression, grabbed Tyron by the collar.
“Why don’t you stop him right now?!”
“Her Highness has been trying to stop him for a while now, but he doesn’t even pretend to listen.”
Tyron sighed, pointing his thumb toward a figure standing next to Varkas.
Lucas followed the direction of his finger and opened his eyes wide as he spotted the small silhouette shouting at his older brother. The woman seemed extremely angry, waving her fists wildly.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Lucas stepped closer to them and frowned upon hearing a sharp, shrill voice echoing. The woman was shouting fearlessly at his brother, who stood a head taller than her.
“Are you an idiot? A stupid person? You just need to crush a guy like that with your power! Why are you trying to have a stupid clash of strength?”
Lucas let out a hollow laugh. He didn’t know other women besides Raina existed who hurled such insults. And to be so disrespectful to her own older brother like that…
Lucas looked at Varkas’s expression. He was calmly checking the horse’s condition.
The woman slapped her brother on the back.
“Did you fall asleep in math class? That guy looks three times heavier than you! Don’t you know that weight and strength are proportional?”
“Bring my helmet.”
Ignoring her presence, Varkas gave an order to his aide. Seeming to take offense, the woman rolled up her sleeves. Just as she looked ready to give him a slap, Daren hastily grabbed her by the shoulder.
“Your Highness, there is no need to worry so much. This is a common occurrence among warriors. Neither of them will cross the line………………”
“Who said I’m worried about that man!”
She sharply brushed Daren’s hand off and screamed shrilly:
“I am worried about myself! If I become a widow right after getting married, my future will be in jeopardy!”
Seemingly baffled by the woman’s harsh words, Daren took a step back. However, Lucas’s older brother showed no particular reaction to her tirade.
He placed the helmet on his head and mounted into the saddle in one leap.
“Hand me my weapon.”
The servant immediately handed him a halberd with a crescent-shaped silver axe blade. Taking it, Varkas rode directly toward the center of the training ground before anyone could stop him.
The woman ran after him. Lucas, who had been watching from a short distance away, found himself running to grab her. At that moment, a cold look flew toward him like a dagger.
Lucas caught his breath. For a moment, his mind went completely blank.
As he stared at her with a dazed expression due to her strangely beautiful face, the thundering sound of a trumpet signaling the start of the duel resonated.
Lucas snapped his head up and groaned as he saw Alec Gutvan slowly circling the stands, spinning a massive halberd with a single hand.
As the axe blade, nearly as heavy as a mace, sliced through the air in a wide arc, a sound like the crack of a whip echoed in the arena.
He could feel the woman trembling as if she were about to collapse at any moment. But he had no energy left to check on her.
The beast, who had been riding slowly along the stands as if to flaunt his power, spurred his horse.
The heavy thud of hooves shook the ground. Amidst a thick cloud of dust, the man mounted on the giant steed spun his halberd and charged toward Varkas at a terrifying speed. Screams erupted from the mouths of those witnessing the scene.
And for good reason. It looked exactly like an enraged water buffalo charging a deer. Lucas clenched his fists. It seemed that this giant, forged of solid iron, would crush his brother in a single blow.
However, what Lucas witnessed was a scene so incredible that it was difficult to take in even with his own eyes. The axe blade, almost as large as a man, was deflected effortlessly by the tip of the spear, which flew with the grace of a bird’s flapping wings.
Lucas opened his eyes wide, in disbelief.
The miraculous spectacle did not end there. As Varkas spurred his horse, the man’s massive body reeled backward as if he had crashed into the solid wall of a castle.
Varkas did not miss the opportunity.
Kicking the stallion’s flanks, he thrust his spear forward. The sharp tip, which flew like a flash of lightning, pierced through the thick breastplate and ran through the giant man’s chest.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
With the spear still embedded in the beast’s chest, he spurred his horse. As he raised the tip of the spear, the giant’s massive body was sent flying through the air. Screams erupted around him at the grotesque sight.
Riding his horse across the open field, Varkas swung the spear shaft in a wide arc before driving the halberd into the ground. The man’s massive body crashed against the earth, causing a heavy thud to echo in all directions.
A suffocating silence gripped the scene.
While everyone remained dumbfounded by the duel that had ended in an instant, Varkas rode his horse until he stood next to the mangled corpse and threw his helmet to the ground. Then, with a cold and unalterable expression, he dictated an order toward the stands:
“Call a priest to perform the funeral rites.”
Comments for chapter "Chapter 83, 84"
MANGA DISCUSSION
Madara Info
Madara stands as a beacon for those desiring to craft a captivating online comic and manga reading platform on WordPress
For custom work request, please send email to wpstylish(at)gmail(dot)com
English