How to Live as a Wandering Knight

But Johan responded with a sad expression.

“That seems unlikely.”

“Why is that?”

“You are a man of the Emperor’s faction, aren’t you? His Grace the duke would be furious if he heard I was mingling with the Emperor’s people.”

“Ah, no. What! I’m not of the Emperor’s faction!”

“You’re not of the Emperor’s faction?”

“W-Well, among the knights with me, there are a few vassals of His Majesty. They are certainly knights of Cardirian. But that’s just because we share the same goal, I’m not of the Emperor’s faction. Rather, if the others in the city belong to the Emperor’s faction, they are, but I’m not part of that. . .”

Gareld began to firmly deny it, driven by his desire to recruit Johan. Johan skillfully inflated that desire.

“Is that so? I once heard from His Grace the duke that Sir Gareld was a regrettable knight. He said he would have met you if only you weren’t one of the Emperor’s men.”

“I-Is that true??”

“Would I lie? I am the honorable standard-bearer of Brduhe and a knight of His Grace the duke. And your name was also mentioned by Horamric-gong.”

“Horamric-gong too?”

“Yes. Horamric-gong and I are close friends. Thanks to him being not far, we often keep in touch.”

Johan’s face did not look at all like that of a liar.

In addition, Johan’s lies were subtle. Lies like “The duke mentioned it once,” or “The duke’s son said it,” seemed plausible.

“I. . . I do not like the rule of Cardirian! He is a tyrant of the south. Moreover, he is a despicable man who does not respect the honor of the nobility. To be considered part of the same force as such a man, I cannot bear it! Rather, I respect His Grace the duke.”

“Really?”

“Of course! You see. . . Sir Johan. May I possibly meet His Grace the duke once? I have always admired the duke’s renowned name.”

“I’m sure sir is busy with his duties, and when will he travel to Baien? How about meeting Horamric-gong? I’m sure he’d be happy to come all the way here to meet you.”

“…!!!”

Gareld was about to cry now. Though he was a noble in the city, he was tossed around because he was an outsider.

But such an opportunity had come his way.

Moreover, it was more surprising that the duke’s child would come himself. Such a lie was unimaginable. To him, who was a knight of no significance in the Empire, the name of the duke’s family exerted absolute power.

“He. . . He’s coming? Really?”

“Of course.”

“I will. . . I will trust you only!”

“Trust only me.”

Johan nodded his head with a satisfied expression. It was an unexpected harvest. This city noble would become a suitable pawn for Johan, who had no connections.

“I came originally to plead for the lives of the knights. . .”

“Sir. Think carefully. What would His Grace the duke think if you associate with knights of the Emperor’s faction?”

“T-That’s right. You are correct.”

“If Orlon’s family or other families question you, speak firmly. They have insulted the bishop who serves God and committed dishonorable acts as knights.”

It was a statement that would drive the Orlon family or other knightly families crazy.

When it was time to beg and plead for help, and now to cut off all ties.

However, such thoughts did not reach Gareld, intoxicated by the aura of the duke. It didn’t matter what those southern bumpkins from the peninsula said.

“I will do so!”

After Gareld left, Suetlg and Caenerna came out from behind the tent with an astonished expression. As soon as Caenerna came out, she scrutinized Johan from top to bottom.

“?”

“. . .Did you use magic?”

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Regardless of the outcome, Gareld’s visit seemed to have given the bishop hope. It’s as if one of the enemies had provided information.

He became more active and energetic.

‘𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. . .’

The irony was that Johan, who knew less about the republic than the knowledgeable bishop, was assessing the situation more calmly. People tend to be blinded when it’s their own affair.

The city’s rumors were still bad, and the withdrawal of the bishop’s position from the church was underway. It meant nothing if this issue was not resolved.

‘𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺?’

It would cost hundreds of times more than the money used to hire Johan and the mercenaries, especially if he were to donate to the city’s poor and offer bribes to the order.

However, Johan did not say this out loud. He was certain that the bishop wouldn’t listen anyway. The bishop would rather hang himself than spend all his wealth.

Some people prefer to hold onto what they have and sink with it, rather than throwing everything into a gamble.

“Now that I think about it, brother. Your actions seem to have improved the situation.”

“That’s good to hear, bishop.”

“Brother, you must be accompanied by God’s love.”

“Ah, yes.”

Now Johan was moving with a select few, along with the bishop, to enter Beneto.

People like Achladda, Euclyia, and Marco were left outside to control others. Johan had chosen only Gerdolf to accompany him.

“Don’t be surprised when we enter the city, brother.”

“Yes.”

The bishop, aware of his own rumors, admonished Johan earnestly. It would be a problem if Johan wavered upon hearing these rumors.

The bishop was now going for negotiations, having learned the name of the enemy. He believed that negotiating with them could resolve everything.

‘𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥. . .’

That’s what Johan thought. Why would the enemy accept such terms when it seemed the bishop was at a disadvantage?

━𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞! 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟!

━𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩’𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧! 𝐆𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩!

━𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲!

━𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝!

Over dozens of vagabonds shouted these accusations. The city’s underbelly, composed of such beggars and wanderers, always came out to play a central role in any disturbance.

They were the perfect candidates for inciting riots, demonstrations, or threats!

The fact that they appeared as soon as the bishop arrived was clearly intentional.

━𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫! 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫!

━𝐖𝐡𝐨’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭?

━𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐥!

━𝐇𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲!

━𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫! 𝐀𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐞!

“…?”

Johan was taken aback when suddenly people in the crowd began to recognize him. The rumors were somewhat strange, almost as if they were intentionally boosting Johan’s image.

‘𝘈𝘩. 𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘪𝘵.’

Johan smirked upon seeing a familiar face in the crowd. It was Gareld’s servant. It seemed Gareld had countered by hiring people.

‘𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦.’