Volume Two: The Iron-Blooded Baron Chapter 124: Thieves from the Sea (Part Ten)

Sir Rudy, however, did not let Berion linger long, urging him to quickly change into his baronet’s attire to attend the banquet.

With a helpless sigh, Berion, assisted by his uncle, shed his chainmail and donned the garments. This baronet’s formal wear, crafted by the royal tailors of the Brick Duchy, was nothing particularly extraordinary; the material was modest, consisting merely of a green velvet coat.

The most significant element was the hat—a fine grey fox-fur cap adorned with two marten tails. Around the rim sat four silver spheres, symbolizing that one must never forget one’s vows, whether in the day or night, and must always uphold one’s responsibilities throughout the four seasons of the year.

A baron’s attire was identical to a baronet’s, save for two additional silver spheres on the hat. A viscount’s regalia followed the same design, distinguished most notably by a golden leaf on the hat, five silver spheres, and two-and-a-half marten tails.

At the level of counts and marquesses, the attire shifted; they wore uniform red fox-fur hats and red velvet coats. A count’s hat featured three-and-a-half marten tails, paired with four golden leaves and four silver spheres. A marquess’s hat boasted four-and-a-half marten tails and six golden leaves, but no silver spheres.

The attire for the rank of duke was primarily blue, featuring a blue velvet coat and a hat of blue velvet and gold thread, accented with six marten tails and eight golden leaves—a look that was undeniably opulent.

The titles and attire across the four nations of the Weilin Continent adhered to the system established during the Empire a century ago. However, as everyone was a duchy and no one claimed the title of King, the sovereign was a duke. The rank of marquess was reserved solely for the heir to the throne; otherwise, no such titles were bestowed.

Yet, now that the Valundians had crowned a king, they had restored the rank of marquess and bestowed a few dukedoms, much to the displeasure of the sovereigns of the other three nations.

"We are merely dukes, and yet you have the audacity to name your own subordinates dukes? Is this not an overt insult to us?" Nevertheless, the Valundians were formidable in battle, having already battered the northern Orians, who were in dire straits after losing half a county of territory—land that bordered their very capital.

Duke Caroling, the sovereign of the Brick Duchy, also aspired to be king, but he intended to wait until his armies had defeated the Valundians before claiming the crown. That way, his coronation would not be subject to criticism from the nobility of the Weilin Continent.

As Berion changed, his mind wandered through these chaotic thoughts until Sir Rudy pushed him out the door, dragging him off to the banquet. The festivities had already begun, and as the guest of honor, Berion could not afford to keep everyone waiting; otherwise, the petty-minded nobles of the direct-governance county would surely whisper behind his back.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall, Berion was seated beside Count David. With Viscount Merry on the other side, the two sat like the Count's left and right hands, an image Count David clearly intended for all to see.

The banquet commenced with a speech from Count David, who expressed his pleasure at meeting everyone, praised the beauty of the direct-governance county, and looked forward to frequent visits, asking everyone to take care of his old subordinate, Baronet Berion.

Viscount Merry followed with a speech of his own, mostly filled with similar platitudes and empty rhetoric, yet it still garnered enthusiastic applause.

After them, the night’s protagonist, Berion, delivered a passionate address. He offered thanks to everyone from the sovereign down to Sir Pippin and others, earning the hypocritical applause and cheers of the crowd.

It was noon the next day when Berion, who had been thoroughly intoxicated at the banquet, finally awoke. There were too many people to avoid the drinks, and despite his efforts to pace himself, he had overindulged. He awoke with a splitting headache and aching muscles.

Under the care of Bran and Hack, he did not feel human again until evening. Berion resolved once more to give up drinking, though he knew it wouldn't last long. Still, he vowed to drink less in the future; the suffering was truly not worth it.

After that night, Berion bid farewell to Count David, Viscount Merry, and his uncle Sir Rudy’s family, leaving Amondin City to return to Norlanden Castle.

On his first day back at the castle, Berion held a knighting ceremony. Mark, the leader of the civil officials, and Beth, the leader of the military officers, were both granted knighthoods, becoming Berion’s household knights.

Berion’s good friend Eomer, one of his earliest followers, was granted the title of squire, restoring the rank he should have held in the Palace Guard—a promise Berion had made to him a year ago. The other two squire titles were bestowed upon Militia Commander Barrett and Cavalry Captain Loxier.

The five men, including Eomer, were deeply moved. Mark and Beth, in particular, were stunned; one the second son of a steward, the other a former mercenary, they had never imagined they would become titled nobles in their lifetimes.

Mark even wept on the spot. As a commoner’s second son who could not inherit the family estate, he had thought a life as a steward would be the pinnacle of his happiness. He never dreamed of becoming a knight. His father would have been overjoyed, though his brother would surely be green with envy.

Beth, Barrett, and Loxier were also overwhelmed with joy. They came from generations of commoners and had never expected their families to enter the nobility. Loxier was especially surprised that Berion had granted him the title, as he had just arrived in Norlanden and had yet to perform a single deed of merit.

During the ceremony, Loxier expressed his eternal loyalty to Berion but asked that the title be given to someone else who had proven their worth, as he had only just arrived at the castle.

Berion knew the vital role cavalry played on medieval battlefields, which was why he had risked the resentment of Barin, Gamling, Hama, Riano, and others to grant the title to Loxier.

He had expected Loxier to accept gladly, as it was a golden opportunity for a commoner to enter the nobility. Loxier’s earnest refusal caught him off guard.

Berion glanced at the crowd below and said, "Very well. In that case, I shall rescind this title for now, but I will bestow it again after we have driven away the Toba pirates. This time, it will depend on the performance of the warriors here. Whoever’s unit earns the greatest merit—whoever kills or captures the most pirates—shall receive the title of squire. Do you agree?"

"Agreed!"
"A fine idea! The Lord is wise!"

The men were in consensus. Seeing their reaction, Berion thought that Loxier’s refusal had been the right move. He had been too hasty. He would wait until the battle was over and see how much the cavalry achieved. If they didn't outperform the others, he would simply have to consider promoting Loxier later.

With the promotions and knighting ceremony concluded, Norlanden Castle entered a tense state of preparation. During the days Berion had been in Amondin, refugees had begun appearing on the Knight’s Road, fleeing their homes to escape the Toba pirates.

On his way back, Berion had personally questioned some of the refugees. They reported that the Toba vanguard had crossed Kulum County and was striking toward the direct-governance county along the Karl River. Their numbers were significant—likely over a thousand.

Armed with this news, Berion sent word to Viscount Merry in Amondin while dispatching scouts to establish secret observation posts along the Karl River. They were to watch the water closely and report immediately upon spotting the pirates.

Norlanden Castle was the first stop on the pirates' path. Having come from the Yawicksholt region, the pirates surely knew of Berion’s reputation and the existence of Norlanden Castle from the victims they had plundered. Furthermore, for the past two months, the northern bards had been singing long poems about Berion’s success in reclaiming Maple Manor.

Seeking revenge for their fallen comrades and aiming to intimidate the noble knights of the Brick Duchy, the Toba pirates would surely strike at Norlanden first. If a force of over a thousand pirates truly attacked, Berion was prepared to abandon Norlanden, tasking Mark with leading the populace to safety in the High Mountain Province.

He, along with his elite forces—Beth, Eomer, and Loxier—would slip into the Stag Forest, hiding in wait for an opportunity to strike back at the invaders.

A great, unparalleled figure from the history of Berion’s previous life once said, "If you lose the people but keep the land, you lose both; if you lose the land but keep the people, you keep both." It was true. Castles and houses could be rebuilt, and crops in the fields could be replanted next year, but if the people were gone, everything was lost.

Berion had not slept well for days. Facing such a dire predicament for the first time, bearing the fate of thousands on his shoulders, and preparing to command six hundred men into battle—it was impossible not to be anxious.

This was not a game of chess or a computer simulation from his past life. Every judgment and decision affected the lives of many, and every error would be written in blood. How could his palms not sweat in such a situation?

Yet, despite his internal turmoil, Berion maintained a calm demeanor before his men. He could not let his troops see their commander panic before the enemy even arrived; that would mean losing the battle before it began, as morale would be shattered.

Mark, Beth, and Eomer, though they tried to restrain themselves, were also restless—a normal reaction to uncertainty. If the Toba pirates were already here, they wouldn't be nervous; they would be prepared to fight. But the waiting was maddening.

Half a month had passed since Berion returned to Norlanden, and the pirates had not yet appeared. They were bound to come, but something had delayed them. The certainty of the outcome combined with the uncertainty of the timing was truly frustrating.

The pirates were not facing a major crisis, but rather were bogged down by many "matters."

Count Kaelred of the Toba pirates had been raiding along the Karl River without encountering any significant resistance. The lords had shuttered their castles and hidden inside, completely disregarding the lives of their subjects.

The three "Wolf Lords" under Count Kaelred’s command had each led five or six hundred men on a rampage of burning, killing, and looting. For half a month, they had seized vast amounts of wealth, grain, cloth, and furs. Many young women of the Brick Duchy were sent to the pirate ships to be abused and ravaged.

The problem was that they had looted so much cargo and so many women that their ships were full, yet they were loath to discard anything. Count Kaelred had to send a hundred men to establish a stronghold near the docks of Yawicksholt Bay to store their spoils, allowing the rest to travel light and continue their slaughter and looting in the direct-governance county.

The lords of the Yawicksholt province, while masters at extracting wealth from the people and always promising to protect them, had not raised a single hand to fight the brutal Toba pirates when the critical moment arrived. It was only the spontaneous resistance of peasants and bandits who had witnessed the pirates' inhumanity that caused some casualties among Kaelred’s men.

However, once the loot and women were sent away, Kaelred’s men re-embarked. This time, their destination was Amondin City and Berion’s Norlanden Castle.

On that morning, before Berion—who had stayed up late into the night meeting with his subordinates—had even woken, Beth burst into his quarters, shouting, "My Lord, the Toba pirates have arrived!"