The Second Son of The Marquis Runs Away from Home ~ Lacking Talent, He Abandons Everything and Becomes an Adventurer ~ - 20

Chapter 20: Evaluation of the Middle-Aged Knights (Imperial Side)

“Look, it’s check.”

In a room within Lord Rosphor’s mansion in Mildrea’s imperial capital, two middle-aged knights—Vorga and Rosphor—were engaged in a game of Warboard, a board game crafted by Rosphor himself.

Though termed a game, it involved pieces with various terrains and roles, suitable for both strategic planning in battles and tactical simulations. Creating the board and pieces was one of Rosphor’s pleasures.

“Hold on.”

“You only get three holds, and besides, Lord Berg hasn’t used it once when playing with me on the battlefield.”

“Hmm… I give up.”

Scratching his head, Vorga conceded, while Rosphor sipped his now-warm tea and murmured, “On the battlefield, one can sense danger with beast-like intuition, but when it comes to Warboard, that ability seems to vanish. Despite our long association, you still don’t get it.”

“Don’t say that. By the way, does Lord Berg also play with you?”

“Yes, he does. Lately, he’s been making moves that even surprise me.”

Warboard, designed to simulate actual battle scenarios, had few players who could play it well. Apart from Vorga, the only other titled knights who could be opponents were busy, making it hard to invite them. In Rosphor’s circle, there were only a handful who could participate.

In an attempt to deepen their friendship, they had invited Berg, who now could challenge Rosphor.

“Does that mean you’re using the Black Tempest Knights?”

“No, I’ve made my own pieces too, but recently, Berg hasn’t used them after a few times, saying they lack strategic depth. Now we play with the same set.”

“…And yet he manages to surprise you with his moves.”

“Indeed…”

Vorga muttered in amazement. Rosphor had earned his title for executing skilled military strategies and tactics on the battlefield.

The fact that Berg could make moves that impressed even Rosphor, who disliked flattery and favoritism, indicated Berg’s talent not only as an individual but also as a strategist.

“Right now, he’s probably battling at Hizuchi. I wish I could see his tactics firsthand.”

“I’m curious about Lord Berg’s leadership in real combat, but do you really think he’s that capable?”

As Vorga spoke, Rosphor finished his tea and murmured quietly, “Consider this: Lord Berg deliberately avoids using the Black Tempest Knights in Warboard with me… yet he can match my skills. But in actual combat, I believe Lord Berg would fully unleash the power of the Black Tempest Knights. If he were to command a force capable of executing his strategies…”

At Rosphor’s words, Vorga shivered slightly.

“If there were no opponent capable of matching Lord Berg, it would indeed be a one-sided rout.”