Chapter 375 - 262: Bain is Somebody

Chapter 375: Chapter 262: Bain is Somebody

"Hey, Bain, what are you thinking about?" Leon gave Bain, who was sitting on a sack of grain, a push.

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

Leon plopped down on the ground without a care for his image, his armor CLANKING as he leaned back against a grain sack. He stared at Bain, his expression full of disbelief.

"Stop pretending. If something’s on your mind, just say it. Why keep it bottled up? That’s not like you."

Bain looked at Leon in surprise. "Is it that obvious?" he asked.

Leon shrugged. "Of course. Orianna was even starting to worry about you."

Leon suddenly leaned in, his voice dropping to a gossipy tone. "You haven’t fallen for one of the ladies of Odoche, have you?"

Bain suddenly blushed and gave Leon a light, annoyed punch. "Don’t talk nonsense," he said.

"Then what are you thinking about? If you keep acting all quiet like this, Orianna is bound to get the wrong idea.

Look at you. You’re the Lord’s first Attendant, and you’re sure to be his first Vassal. And her? She’s a kitchen maid—or to put it nicely, a head cook.

The gap between you is getting wider and wider, isn’t it? You might not think anything of it, but she might not see it that way."

Bain was silent for a long time, a flicker of conflict in his eyes. He glanced up at Leon, then lowered his head again, seemingly lost in thought.

Finally, he spoke, his voice a mix of confession and self-questioning.

"Leon, you know... I’ve been wondering. We’ve held Odoche for so long now, so why hasn’t the Lord mentioned promoting the soldiers? Was there no merit to be gained in this battle? How much more merit do I need to accumulate before I can become a noble?"

Bain was a bit lost. He looked up, his eyes full of confusion. "If I were serving under any other noble, with the military merits I’ve earned, I would have long since become a noble Knight with my own manor and village.

Of course, my loyalty to the Lord hasn’t wavered. It’s just... the Lord is too dazzling. Becoming his Vassal is naturally going to be much harder."

Bain paused, as if searching for the right words to express his thoughts. "I’m afraid the Lord will think I’m just greedy for fame and fortune. He’s very busy right now and doesn’t have time for these things, and I don’t want to cause him more trouble. Besides, I’m also afraid others will think I lack a Knight’s honor."

After saying all this, Bain relaxed considerably. His shoulders slumped slightly, as if a great weight had finally been lifted from his heart.

He looked up at Leon, a hint of expectation in his eyes, as if awaiting a response.

After listening, the corner of Leon’s mouth twitched, and a look of resignation crossed his face.

He shook his head, his tone tinged with amusement. "Bain, what are you even thinking? Is any of this so hard to talk about?"

’Doesn’t Bain know that it’s only human to wonder if you can advance further?!’

Leon stood up, dusted himself off, and walked over to Bain. He propped both hands on his knees and looked him seriously in the eye. "You’re one of the best Knight’s Squires I’ve ever seen. The Lord has definitely taken notice of your abilities.

Just because he’s busy now doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about these things. Besides, if you’ve really thought it through, you should just talk to the Lord directly. He’s not the type to misunderstand you."

Bain was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Leon, maybe I really am overthinking it. I just... I just don’t want to disappoint him."

Leon smiled and clapped Bain on the shoulder. "You won’t disappoint him. He trusts you, just like I trust you. You just need a little courage. You’re too wound up."

Bain nodded, stretched, and looked at Leon. "Thanks. Sometimes, I really need someone to knock some sense into me."

’After all, Leon used to be a noble himself. He’s definitely much better at this sort of thing than I am.’

Leon waved his hand dismissively, a casual look on his face. "Don’t mention it. We’re brothers, aren’t we? Does this even need to be said?"

The two shared a smile, and the atmosphere lightened considerably.

Just then, a commotion broke out in the distance. It sounded like people arguing.

Leon frowned, stood up, and looked toward the noise. "Sounds like it’s coming from the Patrol Camp. Wonder what trouble’s brewing now."

Bain stood up too, following Leon’s gaze. He saw a group of soldiers gathered around, apparently arguing about something.

Leon sighed. "Come on, let’s go see what’s going on. It’s probably another dispute over task assignments."

The two of them headed toward the barracks. Along the way, Bain was still mulling over his conversation with Leon.

’I know I can’t keep agonizing like this,’ he thought. ’What needs to be done, must be done.’

When they got near the crowd, they saw two soldiers arguing.

A burly soldier was pointing at a smaller one, roaring, "What’s the meaning of this? Why the hell did you give my assignment to him?"

The smaller soldier kept his head down, his voice quiet. "I was just following the rules for assignments. You can’t blame me."

Leon frowned, strode forward, and shouted, "Enough! Both of you, shut your mouths!"

Seeing Leon and Bain, the two soldiers immediately fell silent. No one dared to disobey the two Knight’s Squires.

In truth, for most people, a Knight’s Squire was the highest-ranking noble they would ever meet.

Leon turned to the smaller soldier. "Talk. What exactly happened?"

The smaller soldier looked up, a hint of grievance in his eyes. "Lord Leon, I was just following the rules for assignments. His performance has been poor lately, so according to the rules, his assignment was revoked."