Jyanina cursed Caenerna. No matter how she thought about it, this Count knew too much about magic and wizards. The only person who could have told him was Caenerna.   

“Yes! Impossible!”  

This was not a lie. The magic to command a monster army was not something humans could use. Even leading a few monsters around required tremendous magic.  

Johan clicked his tongue in disappointment. Jyanina clearly saw it. And she was convinced.  

This Count is definitely not a devout man!  

“Your abilities seem too lacking compared to Caenerna-gong.”   

Originally, Jyanina was not stupid enough to fall for such shabby provocations.  

But as people get pushed around in difficult situations, their level drops.  

Jyanina’s voice changed bitterly.  

“I don’t know who His Excellency trusts more for you to say that.”   

“Does my voice sound. . . dissatisfied to you?”   

“Oh no. No no no.”  

Her voice instantly turned sweet and mellow again. Johan put a few grapes in his mouth and said,   

“I see. Even if your magic is weak, I can expect other abilities. Is there a way to persuade the viscount?”   

𝐆𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞—  

“. . .?”  

Johan unconsciously looked at Karamaf. But Karamaf stomped his front paws in irritation, pointing at Jyanina. Jyanina was shivering in humiliation.   

“Are you hungry?”

The city people did not treat Jyanina or the Emperor’s knights with extreme hospitality.   

Of course they didn’t give them something bad like hard black bread. They gave them warm bread, soup, freshly roasted meat. The knights ate and drank well with that, but Jyanina could not.  

Wizards were more delicate than knights by nature. Being pushed around and attacked so much killed her appetite too.   

Seeing the luxurious feast laid out before Johan while she was starving, her stomach moved on its own.   

“Did the knights take your meals?”   

“. . . . . .”

“Tsk tsk. Hey. Bring food and drink to this wizard.”  

It was even more humiliating that he arbitrarily took care of her, but her stomach awakened from hunger made Jyanina obedient. She meekly accepted the treatment.   

‘𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭.’  

Jyanina really ate well. Having lived in the Emperor’s palace, her every move followed etiquette, but there was a hint of wildness.   

“About the viscount. . . it will be hard to persuade, Your Excellency. What about persuading his children instead?”   

“His children?”

“The viscount’s children are young, so they have more complaints and less loyalty.”  

“Oh. But should you tell me that?”   

“. . . . . .”

Jyanina was perplexed as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.  

. . .Have I gone crazy?   

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸  

As the fleet gathered, the city people enthusiastically saw off the new Count’s departure. Johan waved and boarded the ship.  

Among those seeing him off were nearby nobles. Having heard rumors of the new Count’s arrival in the city, they came to at least greet him out of courtesy.  

They didn’t really need to, but it was best to bootlick when possible. There wouldn’t be a better time than this.   

━𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞.  

The nobles rode to the port. And following the soldiers guidance, they stood before Johan. . .

━????  

━𝐔𝐡. . . 𝐮𝐡. . .?   

“I appreciate your loyalty. May God’s blessings be with you.”   

Nobles from territories Johan didn’t recognize graciously accepted his greeting, but a few nobles who seemed to recognize Johan froze. Come to think of it, the mercenaries behind also looked very familiar.   

‘. . .𝘋-𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺? 𝘔𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. . .’

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The knights splendidly fulfilled their promises and duties. When they arrive at the land, it would be good to depart with Sir Ahir.  

The vampires bowed their heads at Johan’s words. Though it was not a long journey together, Johan was a knight deserving of respect.

“Your honor and bravery will echo untarnished even amongst your enemies.”  

“I appreciate it. May I ask where you knights are headed?”

“We will go east to the Ulcana Peninsula. Our uncle has summoned us.”

The Ulcana Peninsula was in turmoil due to petty kingdoms, the old Empire, and the Empire expanding from the east. Excellent knights were always in demand.  

“If you come to the Mulc family fiefdom, you must visit us.”

“If that happens, I will certainly stop by.”

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”  

Sir Padovesi and Sir Gyrto appeared, tails wagging in the distinctive manner of dog-men. Their expressions were filled with consternation.

After the fleet launched, Johan had refused their request for an audience. There was no reason to listen to their obvious complaints.  

Jyanina had already anticipated this and was half resigned to waiting quietly, but the knights protested violently. Only after ranting and raving were they barely allowed to stand before Johan.

“Why do this?”

“Your Excellency! This is different from what you told us!!”

“What did I say before?”

“You, you clearly said you would visit as a guest. . .”

“Am I not going as a guest?”  

The mercenaries around Johan smiled slyly at his equivocating words.

“You say you go as a guest, but what about all these ships. . .”

“They are my escort. You aren’t worried about my safety. So I decided to be a bit more careful as well.”  

The sub-captains beside him chimed in agreement.   

“We really couldn’t send you off alone, Your Excellency.”  

“Thank you for heeding our advice!”

“. . . . . .”

The two knights gaped, at a loss for words.  

There had to be at least a thousand to two thousand troops. What guest would visit with such forces?

“You should have told us beforehand at the very least!”  

“Didn’t I say I would visit?”

“Y-Yes, you did.”  

Of course, the servant he sent was currently imprisoned on another ship. He would be released with his mouth tightly shut after they landed.  

Oblivious to this, the knights groaned. Why was Johan acting this way?

Did he want to impress others with his might? Or did he have some other plan?

“Don’t worry too much.” 

“Huh?”

“On second thought, while we didn’t know, the viscount and his men likely realized it. They probably prepared for any surprise moves from Count Yeats.”  

“. . .!”  

Hearing this, it made sense. If Johan said he would visit as a guest, they probably weren’t surprised. A seasoned viscount would have noticed and made preparations.  

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

𝘢𝚠𝚎𝔟𝕤𝕥𝙤𝘳𝚒ᴇ𝙨.𝚌ȯ̇𝙢

“We wouldn’t leave an honored guest waiting outside for long.”  

“. . .??!!”

As the welcoming nobles panicked, the fleet smoothly docked and finished disembarking like flowing water. The mercenaries loudly shouted war cries as they set foot on land.

“Y-You haven’t made any preparations?”  

“What preparations?!”