𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 (3)

In the old dwarf language, there was a word ‘■■■’. It was used when referring to things that were predetermined, that were fate.

When they saw the envoys rushing towards them holding white flags in the distance, the dwarves could not help but murmur that old word.  

“■■■. . .”

Some of the younger dwarves said more directly,

“Damn it. . .”

“. . .How undignified.”

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𝐚𝙬𝚎𝐛𝔰𝚝ᴏ𝚛𝐢ᴇ𝕤.𝙘𝚘ᴍ

It was natural for the disadvantaged side to attempt negotiations. Neither Johan nor the mercenary captains under Johan were particularly surprised.  

The problem was what kind of negotiations they were attempting!

“Will you pay all the ransom and pay for the insult?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Nonsense.”

When Johan scoffed mockingly, the envoy flinched. There was a custom not to kill envoys, but that did not prevent fear.

Moreover, having personally witnessed Johan slaughtering soldiers and charging, the envoy was even more afraid.

“Tell your master. Open the gates and come out in person to kneel before me. Then I will promise mercy.”

“. . . . . .”

The envoy wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. Johan’s prestige was more than enough. But for his master, it was an offer that could not be accepted.

The moment he came out and knelt, Jekyllid’s fate would be in Johan’s hands. No one knew whether he would be executed on the spot, taken somewhere far away and imprisoned.

The noble who had strutted about as the master of the hundred kingdoms would never accept such a humiliating offer.

“If hostages are needed, I will offer the bloodline of my house.” 

“I don’t need them. The count must come out himself.”

Johan was frustrated.

With an extremely advantageous situation, there was no need to make concessions unlike an unfavorable situation.

The hundred kingdoms stuck to the south had always been a thorny presence. They posed irritation by turning into pirates at times, merchants at other times, and invaders at yet other times.

The southern nobles did not have the means to leave them alone, but Johan did. Now that the opportunity presented itself, he would make sure to grab them.

“How great of you, Your Excellency. There is no need to show mercy to these pagan b*stards.”

The republic envoy opened his mouth with a satisfied look on his face. They were the ones making huge profits from trade with the pagans, so they were in no place to say this.

There was only one reason why they were saying this.

It was because the current situation favored the republic.

‘𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮.’

The republic envoy thought to himself. To be honest, it was fortunate that he was an ally, if he thought of him as an enemy, his heart would have dropped.

Those in the homeland of the republic might react nonchalantly, saying ‘𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘴.’ However, the thoughts of those who witnessed it on site were completely different.

The valor Count Yeats showed on the battlefield could not simply be explained as that of a knight. There was something transcendental that chilled the bones of onlookers and made them flee in terror.

The power to tear apart the majority and shake them in a place where screams erupted from all sides and arrows rained down, with the strength of one individual, was nothing short of mythological.

‘𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵.’

The republic wanted to maintain as good relations as possible with Count Yeats if they could.

The two had many common enemies. The Emperor of the Holy Empire, the petty kingdoms of the eastern peninsula, the declining descendants of the ancient Empire, and the strongest and most threatening enemy, the Empire of the East. . .

The republic, with its base deep inside the Edene Sea, wanted fighters who would fight instead outside.

If Johan were to become the hegemon of the south, nothing could be better.

And. . .

‘𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱.’

This place was completely different from the south. The authority of the Order did not work here, rather it only obstructed. While there would be those who would switch sides watching how things developed, there would also be quite a few houses who would uphold their honor and loyalty.

Additionally, Johan seemed intent on completely destroying the Jekyllid house out of fury and religious zeal.

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴.’ 

If that were to happen, the houses that turned their backs might also get angry and start a rebellion. Honor and justification were important to the pagans as well.

If that happened, the hundred kingdoms would continue to torment Count Yeats, and the only place Count could ask for help would be the republic.

A place that continuously trades with the nobles of these Northern Lands, possesses a fleet, and also has the ability to persuade!

When negotiations ended, the republic would welcome it. After all, there was no way this expedition would end in defeat. Seeing Johan, it didn’t seem at all like he would lose. . .

If so, it was best to consider the gains that would follow.

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“May I offer a piece of advice?”

Johan nodded. Ahir carefully opened his mouth.  

“There will be considerable pushback among the vassals of the hundred kingdoms if you wipe out the Jekyllid family.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm?”  

“Hmm?”

Ahir looked at Johan with puzzlement. Rumors were raging wildly around the camp. It was because of the incident where the envoy who had come to request negotiations was humiliated and chased away.

Even among the nobles held hostage, the rumor ‘𝘐𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘬𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳’ was circulating.  

“Emir. . . I mean, the Count has to pay the price. I can’t just let someone who openly insulted my honor go. But I don’t intend to wipe out the Count’s family. Why would I do that?”

Regardless of the republic’s misunderstanding, Johan was extremely rational. Even dealing with the Count was necessary for that reason, he didn’t really have much personal resentment.  

He wasn’t the type to get worked up just because someone else insulted his honor.

“I-I was mistaken.” 

“No need to make unnecessary concessions when there’s nothing to regret.”

It would be good if the other party completely surrendered and opened the gates, but if not, he was prepared to clash as it was. Johan didn’t like wasting his strength, but sometimes it was necessary to properly demonstrate his power.  

The scene of breaking down the Count’s walls and dragging him out would make it very clear to the people around here who the master was.

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