Knight: Becoming King of the World

Right before they departed, Alex hugged his father tightly.

A flicker of reluctance crossed Count John’s eyes. He quietly urged Alex to be sure to reach Rovar safely, to preserve a chance of survival for their clan.

Alex nodded, his eyes filled with tears. John looked at his nervous younger son, opened his mouth as if to speak, but said nothing. He simply patted his shoulder, ruffled his hair, and cupped his cheeks, then nodded with a smile.

The convoy departed, while Count John remained behind in Odoche to face the approaching Henry.

Mace followed the convoy closely, watching as Odoche grew smaller and smaller before vanishing on the horizon.

He looked at the heavy carriages, piled high with gold, silver, jewels, exquisite porcelain, and magnificent fabrics. These were the family’s transportable treasures, not the military supplies needed for a battlefield.

In that moment, he knew his mission wasn’t to fight, but to retreat. Or rather, to flee!

A complex mix of emotions washed over him: anxiety about the unknown journey, a deep reluctance to leave his home, but above all, an overwhelming sense of relief.

His older brother, Alex, had never told him what their mission truly was. Mace had assumed they were going to launch a surprise attack on Henry’s army, or perhaps meet them for an honorable battle.

Mace was terrified. It was as if he was reliving the day he was defeated by Bain and Leon.

’I couldn’t even defeat Henry’s attendants and some of his troops. I was powerless to resist. Fighting his main army, which has trained longer and is far more experienced in battle—wouldn’t that just be suicide?’

’At the family banquet, my parents were silent. I really thought I was marching off to war. And with what Father did just now... I thought I was going to die, that he was saying his final goodbye to me.’

’Thinking about it now, Father really was saying goodbye. But perhaps... I’m not the one who’s going to die. Perhaps it’s my father...’

He turned his head to look at his older brother, Alex. Alex’s silhouette stood tall and straight in the moonlight as he directed the guards onward.

Mace greatly envied his older brother. Alex was so exceptional. He often found himself thinking, ’If only I were the older one...’

A sudden impulse surged through Mace. He wanted to go back, to find his father and convince him and their mother to leave, to surrender to Henry and make a dignified departure.

He spurred his horse, riding up beside Alex and tugging on his sleeve. There was an urgent edge to his voice. "Brother, let’s go back. We have to persuade Father. He and Mother shouldn’t stay behind. We should be together as a family."

Alex paused what he was doing and looked at Mace, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

He understood his brother’s feelings, but he also understood the profound meaning behind their father’s decision.

He sighed softly. "Mace, Father has his reasons. He is the Count; he has his responsibilities and his duty. We are leaving for the sake of the clan’s future, to give us a chance to survive."

Tears welled in Mace’s eyes. He bit his lip and said, "But, Brother, we can’t just give up like this. We can negotiate with Henry, we can—"

Alex cut him off, his voice tinged with resignation. "Mace, you don’t understand. Henry isn’t the type to readily negotiate. His army is unstoppable, and he’s wildly ambitious. If we stay, we’ll only be throwing our lives away."

"Father sent us away to preserve the clan’s bloodline, so that one day we might have the chance to restore our family’s honor."

"But Father *is* the honor of the Hoyland Clan..."

Alex’s voice suddenly grew sharp and severe. "He is a nobleman! He is the Count of this land! He is the patriarch of the Hoyland Clan! He is the Count of Hoyland! To die on the battlefield, to share the fate of his own fief—that is a nobleman’s honor!"

"Whether he’s exiled or pardoned by Henry is something to be decided after defeat. But before that defeat, Father cannot flee. *That* is a nobleman’s honor!"

Mace fell silent. He knew he couldn’t persuade his brother, nor could he change their father’s decision.

He was filled with turmoil and conflict, but as a member of the clan, he had to obey his father’s orders.

Mace struggled to compose himself. "Alright, Brother, I’ll listen to you. But we have to find a chance to get Father and Mother out of there, too."

A look flashed in Alex’s eyes as he nodded. "We will. But right now, we have to focus on getting to Rovar safely. Only when we are safe will we have any chance of helping Father and Mother."

Mace nodded and followed his brother back into the convoy.

The convoy moved slowly through the night, the sound of hooves echoing across the silent plains. Mace dismounted, climbed into one of the carriages, and watched the passing scenery through the window.

’He didn’t know what awaited them in Rovar. They were the hope of the Hoyland Clan, but could they really shoulder the burden of the clan’s future?’

He closed his eyes and prayed silently to the great Emperor of Caladia, praying that his father and mother would be safe, and that he and his brother could start a new life in Rovar.

Alex looked back toward the bustling city, now long out of sight, his heart heavy with regret.

The landscape of the wilds was a stark contrast to the city. The hustle and bustle were gone, replaced by endless, silent wilderness.

The convoy pressed on through the wilderness. The carriages jolted and swayed, but no one uttered a word of complaint.

The sun slowly rose, its golden rays spilling across the land and bathing the convoy in light. The procession continued onward. They would cross wastelands, forests, and mountains, until at last they reached Rovar.