Reyalou was forced to step up and vie for command, driven by sheer desperation. War loomed on the horizon, and he had nowhere left to run. If he chose to flee now, he would likely be intercepted and forcibly conscripted into the army as cannon fodder.
Although Reyalou hadn't spent much time with Baron Redman, he had already gained some insight into the man. The baron's political acumen was barely passable, but his military skills were utterly abysmal. After analyzing the baron's past battles, Reyalou reached a conclusion: the man was merely a "knight" who had been fortunate enough to survive.
His survival to this point was due not only to his own decent abilities but also to the mediocrity of the enemies he had faced. They would set a time, position themselves, and then charge at each other with their followers—there was no strategy or tactics involved. In the baron's dictionary, these concepts likely didn't even exist.
While this was not unusual, it was deeply unfavorable for Reyalou. If he followed his father into battle, he would inevitably have to fight tooth and nail. As a novice knight, Reyalou was not yet ready to face such combat. In his eyes, the so-called noble honor was illusory; only his life truly belonged to him.
Even if he had to go to the battlefield, he should send his subordinates first. They were just a ragtag bunch, but as long as they were slightly stronger than the rebels, it would suffice. The responsibility of suppressing the rebellion should fall on his comrades. If the battle went well, he would follow closely; if it turned into a defeat, he would run faster than his comrades. The goal was simply to make his presence known in noble circles, to gain some recognition. If he could earn some military merit along the way, that would be a bonus.
Reyalou understood that with crisis came opportunity, but the risks involved in achieving meteoric success were too great. His self-awareness told him that he was not yet equipped to handle such risks.
However, reality proved that Reyalou had still underestimated the situation. If Baron Redman were so easily fooled, he would have been played to death long ago. While there were fools among the nobility, most didn't survive long unless they came from powerful backgrounds. On the battlefield, what seemed like naivety and straightforwardness was merely a result of societal norms; no one could remain untouched by such influences.
In the end, Baron Redman praised Reyalou's performance but neither accepted nor rejected his request to lead troops into battle. Returning to his room, Reyalou was filled with despair. Words could deceive, but the body never lies. Despite the baron's verbal praise, the distrust in his eyes was unmistakable.
It was understandable. Who would trust a sixteen-year-old kid suddenly volunteering to lead an army? Especially when that army consisted of 500 able-bodied men. The Koslow family's resources were not abundant enough to afford such an expensive "tuition fee." Most importantly, the enemy this time was a group of rebels who slaughtered nobles like dogs. They neither understood nor cared for the rules of noble warfare.
...
Late at night, Baron Redman tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Clearly, the earlier conversation had deeply affected him. Having mingled in noble circles for half his life, he knew all too well the darkness hidden behind the group's glittering facade. When it came to self-interest, there was nothing they wouldn't do.
But if Reyalou's assessment was correct, how should he position himself?
Ultimately, the Koslow family was too weak. Even with a large family spread across different regions, they could only intimidate small and medium-sized nobles of their tier. Against great nobles, they were powerless.
"Should I really just go through the motions?"
This seemed to go against the knightly spirit. In every past war, he had never done so. In the surrounding hundred miles, who didn't know of Baron Redman's bravery? Yet now, he found himself caught between preserving his reputation and avoiding becoming cannon fodder, leading to a sleepless night.
The next day, the news of the conscription spread throughout the castle. Servants and guards alike were abuzz with the news. Lesur, however, was an exception. Ever since he failed to obtain the life essence, he had fallen into a deep depression, causing great concern for the baroness as well.
"Lesur, you need to come to terms with this. Your father is in a difficult position; this incident has had a huge impact. He has to take action, or else..."
Before the baroness could finish, Lesur interrupted angrily, "Enough! Is it not just to appease those bastards? Wasn't the previous punishment severe enough? Do they have to kill me to be satisfied? We're all members of the Koslow family, so why should I be inferior? Just because I was born later? I'm pushed down the line of succession and resources too; it's just so unfair! It's simply..."
The baroness had heard these complaints countless times, but rules were rules, beyond her power to change. Even though she knew Baron Redman treated all his sons equally and even showed more favor to her children due to her influence, she was still discontent. No matter how much effort she put in, the order of succession could not be altered, and this meant her son would have no share in the family estate.
She had already resigned herself to this, but seeing Lesur's pitiful state rekindled her sense of injustice. Perhaps out of frustration, or maybe because she was angry at Lesur's weakness, the baroness slapped him hard, rebuking him sharply:
"Shut up, Lesur! How many times have I told you not to speak recklessly? If your father heard what you just said, you'd be expelled from the family. You're not even a knight yet; if you were kicked out, you'd lose your noble status. Do you want to live among the commoners, struggling at the bottom with no hope?"
Though resentful, the baroness knew better than anyone how hard it was to attain noble status. No matter how much she doted on her son, she knew some things were better left unsaid.
"Hmph! Even so, how much better off am I now? He'd rather give the life essence to an outsider than to me, his own son. Can we expect him to secure another one for me? Even if he wanted to, he doesn't have the ability. Reyalou, that bastard, has already been delayed for a year, so there's no hope for us. According to custom, after fulfilling the Empire's obligations, the barony can only exchange for another life essence once every ten years."
The moment the words left his mouth, and seeing the baroness's face darken, Lesur realized he had made yet another foolish mistake. He wasn't her only son; he had two younger brothers. With Reyalou soon heading out on his own, the fight for resources would soon involve the three brothers. The baroness would be hard-pressed to support him unconditionally when her other sons were also at stake.