22 - Valentina's Paradise
2-2. Wallace of Ellen, the Black Rock Knight
"It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am McDowell of Ellen, a knight of the Terra Petronia-Nebulosa Federation. These are my companions who came with me."
As Valentina, prepared, entered the grand banquet hall, the knights who had arrived and were seated rose and bowed. Lord Camilo, the herald, explained.
"They say they were sent ahead by Duke Edgar to announce their arrival."
...Is Edgar not here yet?
With a mixture of disappointment and relief, Valentina opened her mouth.
"Welcome to Regio Florida. You must be tired from your long journey."
"You honor us, Your Highness."
McDowell of Ellen, was it? Ellen is a barren small territory belonging to Petronia.
'So, those must be the Black Rock Knights of Petronia I've only heard about.'
Valentina scanned them, admiring them. One, two, three, four, five. Each one was a tall man with an enormous build, a head taller than Lord Ricardo, the captain of the Florida knights. Their waists and arms seemed twice as thick; they looked like giants from legends, not people.
The man sitting at the very end looked like a huge boulder. With shoulders, chest, and limbs that seemed twice the size of the others, a hideous scar across his face and neck, and black hair covering him like a thicket, he looked more like a monster than a person.
"By the way, when will Duke Edgar arrive?"
"His Highness seems to have been delayed in the Black Forest and will be two or three days late."
"Two or three days? That's strange. Then, wouldn't it have been better for you to wait outside the castle and join him when he arrived?"
McDowell, a man with curly brown hair, explained.
"We heard that Duke Edered arrived here alone. We were concerned about his health, and we regret that we have inconvenienced Your Highness by not having any attendants to serve him. So, we hurried to arrive with some of our knights to announce our arrival."
"Are you saying that Duke Edgar sent you ahead because he was worried about Gongzi Edered?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Valentina frowned and fell into thought.
But wasn't Edgar the one who wanted that 'worrying thing' to happen?
Did he send his subordinates instead because I refused his assassination request? To take care of it before he arrives? Is he going to completely ignore my request? But wouldn't it be too obvious if his nephew died right after the knights he sent arrived? How is he going to deal with the backlash while trying to swallow Petronia?
No, come to think of it, it's strange that he mobilized the Black Rock Knights to kill Edered, who is said to be the master of the Black Rock Knights.
Wait a minute, so he didn't send them to assassinate his nephew, but to protect Edered?
Valentina smiled bitterly, feeling like her head was about to explode. She felt like a fool because her thoughts were so tangled.
She carefully examined the group, trying to glean hidden information that she couldn't ask about directly. But she couldn't find anything in their stony, stubborn expressions. Especially the face of the largest man sitting at the very end was too fierce. The thick scar across his neck and cheek was so gruesome and intense that all her thoughts seemed to be drawn to it.
Feeling her gaze, he touched the scar. Valentina smiled and said.
"Don't worry about being self-conscious. A knight's scar is a trophy and a symbol of honor won on the battlefield, so it should be a source of pride."
"...You honor me, Your Highness."
"From which battlefield did you earn that honor? I'm curious."
"It is not an honor from the battlefield."
He replied curtly. His voice was not deep, but it was rough and grating like scraping metal, and his northern accent was so strong that it was unpleasant to hear.
"Then? Who could have left such a large scar on you in a place other than the battlefield?"
But he simply shut his mouth. Silence was an insult to the questioner. Lord McDowell, who had been anxiously watching, cautiously stepped forward.
"Actually, that scar was inflicted by Gongzi Edered a few years ago..."
"McDowell! Shut up!"
"Why? It's not like it's something to hide anymore..."
"Damn it, didn't you hear me say shut up?"
The gathered servants and attendants were startled. Not only did he ignore the question of the lord of the castle, but he also swore at his commander?
But what was even more unbelievable was the content of the answer. Edered, as thin as a reed, had slashed the face of that monstrous warrior?
'The leader of this group is that man.'
Valentina pondered, recalling information about the Black Rock Knights.
Ellen, the region they belonged to, was a large territory located on the northeastern border of Petronia, a place that defended against the fierce bandit gangs of the Black Forest and the pirates of the Northern Sea. As a result, the atmosphere in which the people of that region revered martial prowess was quite unique. Even the position of lord was not inherited by bloodline. They would choose the most outstanding warrior in the Ellen region and ennoble him as the lord.
And the current lord of Ellen was quite well-known on the continent.
"Come to think of it, I didn't hear your name. What is your name, black-haired knight?"
He reluctantly closed his mouth and did not answer. The room became as quiet as a mouse. Valentina spoke in a more dignified but cold voice.
"Anyone who is rude to me cannot sit in this seat. Keep that in mind, Lord Wallace of Ellen."
Gasp, the people gasped, and the mouths of the five men sitting there also dropped open. It seemed they were trying to pass themselves off as anonymous lower-ranking knights. Unfortunately, they had little talent for acting.
Wallace, whose identity had been exposed, bowed his head immediately instead of denying it.
"I apologize, Your Highness. Please forgive the rudeness of an ignorant man."
"I suspected from the beginning that your seat would not be at the end."
Wallace lowered his head for a moment with an embarrassed expression. His face seemed to be red, but it was hard to tell because his skin was so dark.
Valentina smiled with her mouth but was turning her mind over.
Things have become complicated. Now, how should I interpret this situation?
Wallace of Ellen, the leader of the Terra Petronia Black Rock Knights.
...And the man known as the biological father of Edered.
He was Countess Margaret, Edered's mother's most loyal guard knight, and he offered her Domnei at the ceremony where he was ennobled as the lord of Ellen. At that time, he made a rash vow to lay down his life for his lord and not even marry, which drew criticism from people.
But how futile are the vows of the mouth. When Countess Margaret was trapped in the tower with her son and suffering, he turned his back on his lord. The reason is not clear. However, it was certain that Wallace, who had gone to visit the countess and her only son, Gongzi Edered, who were trapped in the tower, returned to the Ellen territory not long after, and never saw her face until the day she died.
The strongest knight in Terra Petronia broke up with his lord in that way. He never asked Countess Margaret for an audience after that day, nor did he respond to her calls. He would become furious whenever anyone mentioned the story.
Then one day, Wallace participated as a rebel in the army led by Lord Edgar. He led the Black Rock Knights and spearheaded the attack on Nebulosa Castle, where Edwin II was holding out. It was widely known on the continent that he had single-handedly defeated dozens of knights and hundreds of soldiers, captured Edwin II in the burning castle, beat him to a pulp, and dragged him like a dog to Edgar.
However, Wallace did not lay a hand on the women and children in the castle, and he maintained the honor of a knight by thoroughly controlling his fellow knights and soldiers.
He gained many spoils of war for his services at that time, and he was promised land in Nebulosa. But no matter how loyally Wallace served Duke Edgar, the people of Nebulosa did not trust Lord Wallace. They thought of him as the duchess's adulterous lover, a traitor, or a demon.
Valentina calmly organized her thoughts.
Edgar said that he sent Wallace for 'Edered's safety and protection.' Considering the rumors that he is Edered's biological father, it can be thought that he sent the most trusted guard knight.
But the problem is not simple. The fact that he broke off with Countess Margaret long ago and confined himself to his territory must be related to that scar that Edered made. The powerful murderous intent of Gongzi Edered was clearly visible in the deep scar, so it would not be strange if Wallace wanted revenge.
So, is Edgar instigating Wallace to assassinate Edered and then, if there is a problem later, blame it on 'Wallace's personal grudge'?
Surely not. Edgar can't be that cunning and cruel.
None of the pieces fit together. Valentina shook her head and changed the subject.
"By the way, what is the reason why the Duke was delayed in the forest for so many days?"
"The escort team that was escorting Gongzi Edered was annihilated. The Duke will arrive only after recovering the bodies and holding a simple funeral."
Valentina's eyes widened.
"What are you saying, Lord Wallace? The escort team was annihilated...?"
Edered clearly said that he had become separated because he had encountered the bandit gangs of the Black Forest?
