I must draw my sword immediately!

Chapter 28 Justice for Deserters

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Lukan's identity is fake, his name is fake, his face is fake.
Even his promise to the cavalrymen behind him...

all fake.

He knew that if he were alone, even under the identity of 'Hector', he would never be able to break through the army's encirclement. Once the battle began, he would be exposed in an instant and then be overwhelmed by the Conqueror King's army.

In fact, he had already felt desperate, believing that he had nowhere to escape and was doomed to die.

But at that moment, thanks to the thief's keen eyesight, he saw a fleeting opportunity and noticed the unusual movement of his cavalry assembling.
So he told the cavalrymen gathered around him this lie:

"Rather than dying here, for the future of Britain—"

"Knights, now I must fulfill a promise I must keep, I must save a noble person I must save!"

"So, those who are willing to follow me,"

"Follow!"

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Lukan's expression turned slightly unpleasant.

Although I knew long ago that the 'chivalry' these tin cans believed in was disgusting, and that most of the time it was like living and fighting with their hands and feet tied.

This spirit endowed the three Knight classes with overwhelming power over all other classes, but it also brought about disastrous consequences.

When this 'chivalry' truly turned inward and began to backfire, Lucan still felt a distorted sense of alienation.

At this moment, under the gaze of everyone, he had no choice but to look at Suya.

Arthur Pendragon is the future king of Britain. This is a secret that Lucan learned when he was tricked into serving King Uther by posing as a prophet, and it is also the reason why he said those words.

He had planned to leave with his men and then confess to the cavalry that he had an adopted son who would become the future King of Britain. He said that his reason for "finding the king and protecting him to ascend the throne" would be enough to appease the cavalry and allow them to continue following him and protecting him until they reached the capital.

As for Arthur Pendragon's life or death, Lucan really didn't care. He was just giving everyone an excuse to escape in that kind of environment.

But who could have imagined?

At the next corner, he ran into him with his younger sister.

That's great, the step of 'finding the king' is completed directly.

right now,

Under the burning gaze of nearly a hundred cavalrymen, Lukan must give an explanation for his actions at this moment!
Therefore,
At that moment, Lukan grabbed Sua's wrist and lifted him high.

Following Suya's bewildered, blinking gaze and the soldiers' piercing stares,
He shouted in a loud, deep voice:

"I understand your will, I comprehend your chivalry, and I deeply sympathize with your current humiliation!"

"However, compared to leading you all to reclaim the king's remains, we have something far more important to do now!"

"Gentlemen, I have a secret to tell you!"

The entire plain suddenly fell silent.
All the cavalrymen dismounted, took the reins, and turned their gazes intently to Suya, whose expression was somewhat bewildered, as if they had expected this.

At this time,

Suya then heard 'Hector' raise his hand and speak in an extremely solemn tone:
"He is none other than the son that King Uther entrusted to my care fifteen years ago!"

"The future king of Britain!"

"This land is prophesied to unify England, Wales, Ireland, and other regions—"

"King of the Realm!"

Suya froze for half a second, then turned his head under a burning gaze that made his face flush red, looking back at Hector with a shocked expression that said, "So that's what you were planning."
He instinctively wanted to refute it, to resist this imposed identity and responsibility.

but,

At this moment, Suya remembered what Meryl had said.
Thinking about the stereotype that powerful people in this world are necessarily rich and powerful, and considering whether I want to become stronger, become a professional, or simply survive and reach the safe zone...
At this point, he had no choice but to rely on the group of people he had at hand.

Suya hesitated.

This doesn't conflict with his original plan; in fact, it could be said that it's a parallel path. However, given this sudden development, can he really handle it?

Or rather, can he really use this false identity to lord it over these living, breathing people and take whatever he wants from them?
To put it another way, if faced with a situation where one must order them to die in order to save their own life, what choice would one make?

Suya raised her head and looked around.
Looking at the group of knights who were staring at him with burning eyes, waiting for him to say something,
He was silent.

At that moment, Melly quietly kicked Sua and whispered, "Say something already!"

Lukan, standing to the side, watched this boy he considered the 'son of a king,' his expression complex. He could sense the boy's inner turmoil and understand the helplessness of being bound by 'chivalry.'

But these are the rules of this kingdom, the rules of this world.

He could say nothing more, or even make any promises; after all, he was just a weak conman.

He could only watch as Suya, like the group of tin cans he loathed, forced the 'Crown Prince' to make his choice—

Lukan took a deep breath, released Suya's wrist, and knelt down.

sieve!
The chains between the armor plates creaked and rattled.

then--

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
All the knights present knelt on one knee around Suya.

The knights looked up, hands on their chests, one hand on their bent knees, gazing at Suya with an extremely complex expression.

Suya then came to her senses.
He was awestruck by this chivalrous spirit he had only seen in movies, but upon closer inspection, he strangely discerned something amiss with his unique insight—

In the eyes of these knights who knelt before him and looked up to him,
Some, however, do not possess the pure justice of an upright knight, but rather a complex blend of fear and trembling, along with a numbness bordering on despair.

The way they looked at themselves was like that of a group of drowning people grasping at a last straw.

This gaze contained no emotion that could be described as noble or righteous; it could even be described as malicious. Yet, driven by this wicked emotion, they acted like righteous knights in poetry and folk tales.

Even if fulfilling such an obligation means giving up one's own life.

An indescribable absurdity filled Suya's mind.
He gradually understood why, upon seeing him, Hector immediately steered the conversation towards confirming the correctness of everyone's actions before even exchanging more than a few words.

Now I understand why the cavalry captain who stepped forward questioned Hector with those words.
And why did Hector cover up Suya's desertion?

Because in essence,
Hector and his knights were no different from Sua and Merry.
They were deserters too!

Fleeing from the battlefield is not in accordance with the code of chivalry.

Suya immediately realized with a jolt of horror—

If I cannot acknowledge them here, if I cannot provide a perfect explanation for their and my own despicable desertion,
This group of people, driven to the brink by their own 'chivalry,' will really lead themselves to charge the King's banner once again!
And at this moment——

A clear, crisp voice, tinged with a hint of anger, rang out from the only two people in the entire hall who hadn't knelt, echoing throughout the surroundings:
"Suya Pendragon!"

"What's wrong with you? Why won't you even acknowledge your knights, your soldiers?!"

Following the steps offered by Merry,
Suya gritted her teeth, her mind racing, and then, under everyone's watchful eyes, loudly defended herself:

"because--"

"They are all deserters!"

With this remark,
All the knights present had their pupils shrink and their expressions changed drastically!

(End of this chapter)