How to Live as a Wandering Knight – Chapter 111.2

“They’ve gone to check now. They’ll be back soon.”

True to their word, they soon returned with information. The group approaching from afar were also mercenaries. It was a fairly large mercenary troop, numbering over a hundred.

“Are they really mercenaries?”

“Sir Knight. They could also be a gang of rogues. Isn’t it strange that mercenaries appear near this road at this time? There wouldn’t have been any work around here.”

“You’re right. Moreover, moving at night is suspicious. Unless it’s something urgent. . .”

Contrary to what others were saying, Johan thought it was surprisingly likely that they could be mercenaries.

If the magistrate’s words were true, the order would be calling mercenaries from various places.

The order, even in the name of the Pope, would make even the most arrogant mercenaries try their best to be on time. It wouldn’t be strange for them to move at night.

“They’re making a fuss about wanting to rest quickly, what should we do?”

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“Tell him I have no intention of talking to him and to move aside. I need to wake up the village chief and talk to him directly.”

“What’s going on in front of us that’s causing such a fuss in the middle of the night?”

“Some mercenaries are blocking our way into the town!”

“Did the town hire them or something?”

“I don’t know. We’ll find out when their leader shows up.”

“As if he would come out in the middle of the night.”

“If he doesn’t come out, we’ll have to resort to force. If he has any sense, he will come.”

It wasn’t just one group of mercenaries here. Other mercenary groups following the same path also arrived one after another.

They were exhausted from non-stop movement. Even if they couldn’t enter the town, they at least wanted to get some food and drink from the townspeople.

But then, there was a group of mercenaries blocking the entrance. It was frustrating.

“We are soldiers serving Bishop Biagione! If you’re mercenaries, behave honorably!”

“What? A bishop?”

“Uh. . .”

Upon hearing the name of Bishop Biagione, the mercenary captains hesitated, but unfortunately, one of them happened to be overly knowledgeable.

“Bishop Biagione is not from this diocese, but from that republic! He has no business being here!”

“Oh. . .”

“I thought you were dumb, but not bad.”

“Want to die, you b*stard?”

“Shut up. Everyone. Is now really the time?”

The mercenary captains hurled insults at each other. Just because they were traveling together didn’t mean they were friendly. Not attacking each other on sight was friendly enough.

“So is that fake?”

“Most likely it is. Hurry and tell their leader to come out. If he doesn’t, we’ll attack.”

“Those guys must be getting nervous seeing our numbers increase.”

Having seen more torch-bearing groups arriving behind the initial arrivals, they must have understood the situation.

Gurelic scratched his dusty cheek. While the mercenary captains’ words weren’t wrong, something bothered him.

The opposing camp was too orderly.

He began to wonder if they really were soldiers serving a bishop.

“Wait. We should check it out just in case.”

“What are we going to do?”

“If they are the ones who are following the bishop, there must be evidence in their camp. Let’s go and check it out.”

“What a nuisance.”

“No, honestly, it’s not a bad idea. It’s better to avoid unnecessary fights. We’re not getting paid for this.”

Even among the mercenary captains, there were those who agreed with Gurelic’s words.

The mercenaries who belong to a mercenary company are each the property of the mercenary captain. They hated to waste soldiers unnecessarily.

Gurelic rode his horse quickly with a few guards. He was thinking of seeing what kind of people they were up close.

“Oh. . .”

“Why are you babbling like an idiot? Can’t you speak properly?”

“Oh. . .”

“How dare this b*stard?”

Gurelic glared and became angry when his subordinate ignored his words. He was about to hit the subordinate with his fist.

“That, that’s the monster knight, isn’t it?”

“Monster knight? What the hell is that. . .”

Gurelic turned his head and almost fell off his horse when he saw Johan coming out of the front camp. The horse neighed loudly and shook its body. Gurelic hurriedly held on and narrowly avoided making a fool of himself.

“Gurelic, it’s been a while. I thought you were in Umdim.”

“. . .Sir Johan.”

Gurelic expressed gratitude with his sharp eyes and stroked his chest. If he had left it alone out of annoyance, many people would have been troubled.

And more people would have died.

“What brings you here. . .”

“As I said, I am accompanying His Excellency the Bishop. What about you?”

“Me and other mercenaries were heading to the front of the Syrandel mountain at the request of the order.”

Indeed, Johan’s prediction was correct. Johan nodded without surprise.

“Were you on a forced march? There is not only the bishop, but also a priest from the Order who came out to work, so we will not be held responsible for arriving a little late. Tell them to slow down if it’s okay.”

“T-Thank you.”

Gurelic inadvertently saluted and then realized. He had been completely intimidated and was speaking formally. It wasn’t usually like this.

Suddenly, he felt immensely embarrassed. There was a subordinate right beside him, what a disgraceful behavior.

However, the subordinates seemed not to find it strange at all.

“Huh, I didn’t think it was that monster knight. I never thought I’d meet him in this place.”

“Even if he was with the captain, he still takes care of us, doesn’t he?”

“. . . . . .”

He was confused whether to be grateful that his subordinates were shameless idiots, or to be more humiliated.

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̇ȧ̇𝚠𝚎𝚋𝔰ṫ̇𝙤ṙ̇i̇̇ᴇ𝕤.𝕔𝔬𝚖

Upon recognizing the opponent, Johan strongly wielded the authority of the  bishop along with the name of the flag bearer. With Gurelic’s testimony added, the mercenaries had no choice but to follow reluctantly, as if eating mustard in tears.

Really, I didn’t know there would be a bishop and an inspector over there. They grumbled and lay sprawled out in the field.

“Why are the mercenaries here? Something seems strange.”

At Bishop Biagione’s words, the inspector coughed. Thanks to the bishop he was accompanying, he knew why these mercenaries were gathering here.

“Is something happening in the order? Could it be that the Emperor is planning to invade? No, the Emperor wouldn’t have the resources to do so. Then could it possibly be the King of Erlans?”

It wasn’t a good sign that the order was gathering soldiers. The bishop asked various questions, but the inspector evaded them to the end.

“Sir Knight. It seems you should be careful. The mercenaries are quite discontented.”

Achladda returned and said. The mercenary captains who arrived late seemed to be looking at Johan with disdain.

“They were starved for half a day?”

“Why do you ask when you know? Isn’t it because you are too close to the order? In our tribe, families close to the chief also received jealousy.”

The mercenary captains responding to the call of the order were not simply after gold. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have put in so much effort.

They desired advancement.

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