The Betrayed Master Betrays In Turn

✦  Chapter 7 – Viktor, Loyalist of the Kingdom (1)  ✦

「Translator – Creator」

𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝​

After being bound again by the royal guards, I was dragged out of the underground prison. A group of soldiers approached us, their unit insignia unfamiliar. They weren’t royal guards; likely troops temporarily assigned to protect the palace during the war.

“We’ll take over from here.”

“Oh, yes.”

The soldiers, holding spears in one hand, intimidated the guards with their fierce presence. Since Andrei had already left ahead of us, the guards hesitated but eventually handed me over to them.

“Are you all right?” asked the man who seemed to be the captain, once the guards had fled.

“Yes.”

“Ah…”

The soldiers, showing a mix of reactions, assisted me into the palace’s interior.

“General, we will always remember you.”

“Damn those filthy nobles…”

“Thank you.”

Some of the soldiers recognized me, whispering various sentiments as they escorted me. They left me in a guestroom within the palace and vanished.

Was their act of disobedience? Or someone higher up’s orders?

I had no time to ponder as several palace maids abruptly entered the room.

“Wow, it’s really him!”

“Lord Viktor! We’ve been wanting to meet you!”

They lifted my barely standing body and carried me to the bath.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of everything! No need to answer.”

Once immersed in the large bathtub, skillful hands removed my dusty clothes and washed away the grime clinging to my skin.

“Oh my, your hair is a complete mess.”

“Your skin is so dry. Why were you in prison…?”

“Are we really allowed to do this?”

The warm water made my eyelids heavy, and I could barely make out their conversations. Even though these maids were likely daughters of noble families, they were gentle and kind, and I accepted their care quietly.

“All done!”

“…Thank you.”

“If you’re grateful, could you sign this?”

“……..”

After obliging their request, scribbling my name onto a proffered handkerchief, before I realized it, they had moved me to a guestroom that seemed more luxurious than my own home. The maids busily tended to my hair and dressed me in a lavish military uniform of the kingdom before leaving.

The uniform felt strange, tight in places. On the battlefield, I had always worn comfortable clothes under my armor.

“Please, eat something.”

An older maid approached and placed a bowl of soup before me as I sat dazed on the chair. I wasn’t particularly hungry, having gone without proper food for so long, but the aroma of the soup was inviting enough to prompt me to pick up the spoon.

She waited until I’d taken a tentative sip of the soup, then bowed respectfully and left the room.

“…Hmm.”

This… this wasn’t what I’d expected. Even when I’d visited the palace as Supreme Commander, I hadn’t received such… attentive treatment.

Surely, those who betrayed me wouldn’t have arranged this. Nobles are usually too busy with their own indulgences. Andrei had ordered my imprisonment, not this kind of care.

It must be the personal goodwill of the soldiers and maids who assisted me. I just hoped they wouldn’t face any repercussions for helping me.

“Huu…”

…I am still human after all.

Despite my worries, their help lifted my spirits. It gave me newfound confidence—confidence that my actions up to this point weren’t wrong. They had shown bravery, and so must I.

After finishing the soup, I closed my eyes and leaned back into the plush chair, allowing myself a moment of comfort and relaxation.

🪦

*Bang, bang, bang!*

The sound of knocking startled me awake. Judging by the sunlight streaming through the window, not much time had passed, yet I felt surprisingly refreshed, as if I’d slept for a full day.

“Viktor! Are you in there?!”

“Haa…”

Andrei didn’t wait for a response. He barged into the room, his voice a grating blend of excitement and impatience.

“There you are, hiding. Our guests are waiting in the hall!”

“…The negotiations?”

“Finished ages ago! This is it, Viktor! The day we’ve all been waiting for!”

Andrei, practically vibrating with excitement, entered the room, followed by a group of royal guards, their expressions as grim as ever. Did they have some sort of rope-binding fetish? Andrei was carrying yet another bundle of ropes, his hands twitching with eagerness.

He and his men were decked out in gleaming silver armor, their ceremonial swords strapped to their sides. The overall effect was… somewhat impressive.

A closer inspection, however, revealed numerous flaws — ill-fitting armor, incorrectly positioned equipment — telltale signs of inexperience. But those details, of course, wouldn’t matter to the intended audience.

I pinched my thigh, dispelling the last vestiges of drowsiness. From this moment forward, I needed to be alert, in control. First impressions were crucial, and I needed to carefully craft the image I wanted to project.

“You probably don’t have the energy to walk after skipping meals. Help him up,” Andrei ordered his subordinates.

As he spoke, my mind raced. How should I present myself to the empire’s delegation? Do I have anything to fear, anything to hide?

They would likely include members from the Emperor’s faction, so there wasn’t much I needed to conceal.

Did I lack the strength to stand, as Andrei suggested? True, I had been deprived of food and rest, but I felt surprisingly well, perhaps due to something in the soup.

What was my known image? From reports, the Empire knew of my military achievements, but little about me personally. The delegation likely viewed me as a competent general from the Kingdom of Rus.

This meant that starting now, I would be shaping my own image.

I quickly made up my mind.

From this moment on, I would be the unyielding, loyal General devoted to my Country and King. Regardless of the unfavorable circumstances, I would remain dignified and steadfast, never easily bending my will.

In reality, none of the decisions were mine, and loyalty wasn’t something I had ever truly felt. But that was irrelevant. If the imperial officials, especially the Emperor, believed I was loyal, then that would become the truth.

“Alright, le—“

“No.”

I pushed myself out of the chair, refusing their assistance.

🪦

As Viktor abruptly rose from his seat, the surrounding guards hesitated and took a step back. His fierce gaze and the faint aura he emitted made it clear that he didn’t look like someone who had gone three days without food. Already intimidated by the mere name of Viktor, the guards found it difficult to approach him readily.

“I will walk on my own.”

“What…?”

Andrei, who still harbored resentment from being overpowered during Viktor’s capture, was angered by the guards’ hesitation and was about to give another command when,

“I said, I.”

“W-what…”

Ignoring Andrei’s sputtering protests, Viktor took a step toward him, his movements deliberate, measured.

To Andrei, the current situation was beyond comprehension.

The guards he’d sent to secure Viktor had returned empty-handed, claiming that Viktor had been taken from them by a group of… unauthorized soldiers. 

Andrei had searched countless rooms within the palace before finally locating Viktor, who was now… inexplicably… clean, dressed in a pristine uniform, and staring at him with a chilling intensity.

Andrei could only move his lips slightly as Viktor approached with a voice that seemed to chew on his words.

Even the guards, who were not directly facing Viktor, felt an inexplicable pressure from his low voice and intensely calm eyes.

“Will. Walk.”

“Ah, I-I…”

The guards, though well-fed and well-trained scions of nobles, were not smaller than Viktor in stature. However, their lack of experience with such pressure made them all retreat or avert their gazes.

“On. My. Own.”

Viktor stopped directly in front of Andrei, his words a declaration of defiance.

“F-fine! Fine, I got it!”

In the end, Andrei yelled and stepped aside as if he were screaming.

Viktor then walked out of the still-open door with determined strides.

The guards, frozen in place for a moment, hurriedly followed behind him, their footsteps echoing through the silent hallways.

If Viktor had taken a wrong turn, Andrei might have found his voice, but Viktor confidently headed straight for his destination, the main hall of the palace.

“Is this a spectacle for you? Get lost!”

“………….”

Embarrassed by the sight of them following Viktor in submission, despite having been the one to capture him, Andrei yelled at any guards or maids they encountered along the way.

Witnessing Andrei’s furtive glances at Viktor, those at the receiving end of his shouting barely suppressed their laughter as they scurried away.

With no outlet for his mounting frustration, Andrei stomped his feet.

A few moments later, Viktor came to a stop in front of a massive door adorned with gold and jewels—the door to the main hall of the palace where negotiations were held.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. Wait a moment… Hey!”

As ordered to bring Viktor bound, Andrei attempted to tie him up right there. But before the soldiers guarding the door could approach, Viktor opened the door himself. With the door already open, Andrei could not easily pounce on and bind him.

“…I sent the guards, so soon…”

“What the…?”

The main hall became chaotic as Viktor suddenly entered through the doors.

The nobles of Kingdom of Rus gathered to the left of the throne were bewildered to see Viktor walking in on his own, fully dressed in his uniform when he should have been dragged in bound with ropes.

The delegation from the Empire observed Viktor with interest.

Andrei and the guards followed Viktor into the hall, thinking they couldn’t cause a scene in front of everyone. Ignoring the gazes fixed upon him, Viktor strode straight toward the King.

Count Vladimir Sabinkov, standing beside the throne, noticed Andrei trailing behind Viktor, his shoulders slumped, his expression a mixture of frustration and bewilderment. He let out a sigh, his thoughts a turbulent mix.

“Supreme Commander of the Kingdom of Rus Army, Viktor. Reporting.”

Viktor knelt on one knee and bowed his head courteously after halting below the throne. The King, seeing a situation unfolding entirely different from what the nobles had briefed him, darted his eyes frantically.

Caught in a moment where it was difficult to instruct the king, Vladimir noticed the King’s desperate gaze but couldn’t react accordingly.

“…Rise.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, the King managed to recall his response. Viktor stood up proudly as if he had never been captured and scanned the room.

Many of the nobles averted their gazes or turned their heads, unable to meet his eyes as Viktor, who had apparently endured solitary confinement, stared back at them vigorously.

Having dominated the atmosphere with a single move, Viktor spoke in a resolute tone.

“Your Majesty, as Commander of the Kingdom’s Army, I have something to report regarding this war.

↤ END OF CHAPTER ↦

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