Chapter 5: The Insulted and the Injured

In Delanmaya, recruits generally could only serve in the Light Infantry or Spearman units; only those who performed exceptionally well in recruit training had the chance to transfer to the Heavy Infantry or crossbow units, or be directly promoted to squad leader, at which point they could become professional soldiers and enjoy the state’s salary subsidies.

Although recruits could also serve in the cavalry, they had to provide their own horses, and the price of a war horse was absolutely not something an ordinary family could afford.

Even a family as wealthy as mine could afford a war horse, but because we had never received the corresponding riding training, we usually wouldn’t serve in the cavalry either.

Therefore, Delanmaya’s cavalry units mostly came from the grassland herders of the northwest, or otherwise from the sons of noble families or knight families with good bloodlines.

And the cavalry in this defense area were basically the latter.

Precisely because cavalrymen were mostly of noble birth and enjoyed many privileges, they naturally looked down on keeping company with us infantry cannon fodder; they didn’t even set up their camp together with ours, and when they met us in daily life, they never took us seriously.

They had often done arrogant and domineering things, using their power to bully others. When they met infantrymen, they often provoked and showed off and made unreasonable trouble.

There was nothing we could do about them.

Not just us—even infantry officers of the same rank, when bullied by cavalry officers, could only swallow their grievances and endure it.

It was not hard to understand why the appearance of a few cavalry officers in this tavern would so badly dampen everyone’s spirits.

I was handed down from over people’s heads, and then everyone returned to their own tables, and some paid for their drinks and left.

The atmosphere in the tavern immediately became dull and oppressive.

“I was wondering why it was so noisy in here. Turns out it’s a pack of gray dogs who drank too much and went crazy.” The officer who had kicked open the door said with a sneer. This officer was tall and had an arrogant bearing. His words caused the officers who came with him to burst into laughter together. The Light Infantry uniforms were dull and gray, and “gray dogs” was the cavalry’s derogatory term for us.

The moment he said this, some people in the room immediately changed expression. But after all, no one was willing to take such a big risk to clash with cavalry officers. And these men were mostly noble sons who had received officer education since childhood. Although arrogant, rude, and detestable in appearance, their physical fitness and fighting skills were indeed far superior to those of ordinary infantry officers.

“There’s a gray dog here who got drunk. See, I told you drinking is what true men do. These second-rate men shouldn’t come to a place like this.” As he spoke, he used his boot to step on the head of Fattel, who was lying drunk on the ground, and shook it back and forth, with an indescribably frivolous expression.

The drunken Fattel couldn’t stand the stimulation of the shaking. He suddenly vomited heavily, and the filth almost all landed on the cavalry officer’s trousers and boots.

That officer’s expression changed at once. He viciously kicked Fattel in the chest, sending him flying straight into the corner of the wall. Then he charged up and beat him savagely, hitting him and cursing at the same time: “Damn you! You dead gray-skinned dog! How dare you puke on me! Disgusting as hell!” The half-conscious Fattel let out painful groans and instinctively curled into a ball. In an instant, the Light Infantry squad leader—once that dissolute, sharp-tongued man so deeply loved by the recruits—was now covered in wounds all over.

I really couldn’t bear to watch any longer. No matter what, Fattel had ended up like this because of the drinking contest with me. I was just about to step forward to stop it, when Fred beside me suddenly shouted in a deep voice: “Stop!”

The officer who had committed the violence turned around. Seeing that the one who had spoken to stop him was actually a Light Infantry recruit, he was deeply surprised.

“Stop? If you lick my boots clean, then I’ll stop.” As he said this, he stomped down heavily again. The tavern was already filled with the soldiers’ dissatisfied murmurs. If not for the people beside them pulling them back, some would already have rushed over to argue.

“Ridaddis, stop.” At this moment, one of the officers at the door spoke. The speaker was about forty years old, tall and handsome, holding a knight’s helmet in his left hand. He stood there like a living castle. His long beard carried the elegant bearing of a medieval noble. He was also the only one among these cavalry officers who had not made a sound mocking us infantry.

“Echville, what’s wrong? Are you afraid this pack of gray dogs might bite?” Although he said that, the fellow named Ridaddis obediently stopped, found a place, and sat down. It was clear that he had a special respect for Echville.

“We came here to drink. Don’t always stir up trouble.” Echville frowned and sat down together with the other officers.

Fred and I hurried over to take care of Fattel. His injuries were far more serious than we had expected—at least three ribs were broken, and his left eye was so black and swollen that the eyeball was almost invisible.

“What a coward—to actually beat someone who can’t fight back into this state.” Fred clenched his knuckles white, breathing rapidly, arms trembling, staring straight at the injuring Ridaddis. If his eyes could shoot fire, Ridaddis would probably already have been reduced to ashes. I thought my own expression at this moment was probably not much better.

“What did you say? Who are you calling a coward?” Ridaddis slapped the table and stood up again.

“Your name, sir!” At this moment, Fred’s eyes could see nothing else except this hideous thug.

“Asking my name? What do you intend to do?” Ridaddis clearly did not realize the seriousness of the matter. In his eyes, beating a lower-ranking infantry officer into serious injury was not a big deal.

Echville came over, looked at Fattel’s injuries, and frowned deeply once more. He said to us: “I’m truly sorry. I didn’t expect he would be hurt like this. I think we can cover your friend’s medical expenses and give you appropriate compensation.”

“Are you crazy? Why are you being so subservient to a few gray dogs?” Ridaddis shouted.

“Your name, sir.” At this time, Fred walked straight up to Ridaddis, stared hard into his eyes, and asked coldly once more. His voice had become trembling because of anger.

“I am Baron Ridaddis de Rascher, commander of the First Company of the Fourth Cavalry Battalion of the Royal Seventh Legion. Any problem?” Although his answering tone was still so casual, Ridaddis tilted his head back and drained the wine in his cup, seeming to take the opportunity to avoid Fred’s furious gaze.

Although I knew Fred would definitely do something that would shock me, I was still dumbfounded: challenge a cavalry officer to a duel? It seemed he thought an eighteen-year-old’s life was too long.

“You—” Ridaddis clearly hadn’t expected something so absurd either. Being able to become a cavalry company commander meant he was at least a soldier with rich combat experience. A recruit challenging him to a duel was practically asking to die.

“Ridaddis!” Just as Ridaddis was about to express acceptance of the duel, Echville suddenly spoke up to stop him. “Do you know what this means?” He turned and asked Fred.

“For him, it means he can use my blood to wash his hideous family crest, or use his refusal to prove his own cowardice. But for me, it is the only way I can kill him without having to fear conspiratorial revenge.” According to custom, killing an opponent in a fair duel would not be punished, and the dead person would be regarded as a warrior and receive great respect. Every year, thousands of people died in duels, though very few of them were commoners—commoners were more likely to brawl with broom handles and rolling pins.

“I accept.” Ridaddis answered through clenched teeth. If it were normal times, he might have treated accepting a recruit’s challenge as a joke, but now he had no choice but to defend the honor of himself and his family.

“Ridaddis!” Echville still tried to stop him.

“Did you hear what he just said!” Ridaddis shouted. Indeed, no noble would let go of an enemy who had insulted his family crest.

“Fine, but you absolutely must—”

“I won’t kill him,” Ridaddis said with an expression like a cobra flicking its tongue. “I’ll make it so he can’t die even if he wants to.”

“Young man, you still have the chance to take back your duel request. No one will blame you. I will take charge of looking after your friend, and I guarantee he can fully recover.” Echville was desperately trying to stop this duel. Every infantryman present had great goodwill toward this honorable officer.

“Your meaning is that his surname has a dignity worth defending, while my surname is so lowly that even cowardly behavior can’t make it any more shameful? Or do you think that I, a commoner, am not qualified at all to cross swords with this noble lord?” Fred was clearly very familiar with noble psychology and rejected Echville’s kindness with undeniable reasoning.

“Riley,” Fred called out without turning his head, his eyes on Ridaddis, “I’ll bet all of next month’s pay on myself winning. Jeff is right—there’s no reason not to make money that’s a sure win.” But was this really a sure win?

Ridaddis suddenly took off a ring and tossed it onto the table. This ring was finely made, set with a huge ruby, and you could tell at a glance that it was extremely valuable.

“Fine, I’ll bet with you. If you win against me, this ring is yours. Also, I guarantee I’ll cover that drunkard’s medical expenses. You don’t have to worry about me going back on my word—if you can actually kill me, that is. However, I very much doubt you can produce a stake of equal value.” Looking at Fred’s slightly embarrassed eyes, he knew he had successfully humiliated his opponent.

“I’ll bet with you!” Echville and I said at the same time.

“I’ll bet with you, Ridaddis. If you win, you can take this saber that you’ve always wanted. At the same time, I’ll bear the medical expenses of the injured man. But I hope you won’t hurt this young man.” Echville unbuckled his saber and put it on the table. From the scabbard and the hilt, there was nothing special about this blade—whether material or style, it was all very ordinary. But I also knew that a truly good sword didn’t need too much decoration. Looking at the greedy look in Ridaddis’s eyes, you could tell this saber was a rare and excellent weapon.

“I’ll bet with you. I am the heir of the Horseshoe Tavern in Rid City. I’ll bet my family estate on Fred winning. It’s a good estate, fully equal to the value of your ring.” I truly was crazy—actually using my beloved tavern business to bet on that reckless idiot Fred’s duel. But Ridaddis’s expression was truly detestable. I couldn’t stand it any longer. Even if it was just something that would make him lose face a little, I would spend all I had to do it.

Fred finally turned his head back. He looked at me, with an unusual light in his eyes that made one can’t help wanting to get close to him or even worship him. I remembered that night when he was on horseback—his eyes had been exactly like that.

At this moment, I felt that no matter the outcome, my decision was correct.

“Sir,” Fred said to Echville, “thank you for your kindness, but please take back your saber. My… my friend can handle this matter well. Also, I need a trustworthy witness.” The other cavalry officers who were sitting around swaggeringly watching the excitement were obviously not worth trusting.

“What, even when you die, you still have to drag your friend into bankruptcy? Your brotherly affection is really something special.” Ridaddis watched Echville sighing and taking back the saber, swallowed hard, and showed a disappointed expression.

“You are using a trinket to bet your surname and family’s honor. Your ancestors’ faces have already been completely disgraced by you.” Fred pointed at the ring on the table, then pointed at Echville, saying, “This gentleman protects life with his own strength—that makes people respect him. But my friend…” Fred put his arm around my shoulder. His hand had never been so firm and powerful. “He traded everything he had for my dignity. He is my friend—a true friend. You clearly are not qualified to have such feelings.” He looked at me. At this moment, an inexplicable impulse surged in my heart. I only felt that even trading my own life for such a friendship would not be too much. I nodded firmly yet flustered, afraid that if I hesitated for even a moment, I would miss the most beautiful thing in my life.

“Sir,” Fred said to Echville again, “thank you for your kindness. I won’t kill him, even though he doesn’t seem to be your friend.”

At this moment, Ridaddis’s fury could not have been greater. He turned and walked out of the tavern gate, standing in the open ground outside, waiting for his opponent.

Fred walked out of the gate, leaving us with a glorious back.