𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥 (6)
“Your Excellency, this makes the situation a bit difficult. . .”
Giada said worriedly.
Although the Vynashchtym and the Republic were inseparable, they always joined forces when facing the pagan empire to the east. The easterners were enemies of both.
I thought they were too preoccupied fighting the Vynashchtym far away to the north, but from what I’m hearing now, it seems they were aiming for the west coast of Ulkana along the seaways.
This would mean we’d have to worry about those pagan b*stards first, rather than taking any military action against the Vynashchtym.
“Hasn’t the southern island been safely holding out?” There’s probably no need to worry just yet.”
“That may be so. . . But to be frank, the Vynashchtym guys aren’t very good at fighting.”
Giada’s concern was justified. Right now the Vynashchtym empire’s soldiers were few in number and lacking in discipline. Their recent pathetic defeats were quite notorious.
Apart from some units, frankly they were hard to rely on as fighting forces.
“As you know, once defeated in battle, things can spiral out of control. I’m worried that could happen.”
“I understand. We’ll be vigilant.”
Johan took Giada’s worries on board. He didn’t think things would come to that, but his concerns were reasonable.
Here, small-scale skirmishes made up most of the fighting. Groups of dozens would patrol and reconnoitre, clashing if they met. Large forces gathering for pitched battles were rare.
However, if collisions occurred and units couldn’t retreat properly, defeated wholesale, those areas would be left bare. The enemy could sweep in in no time.
Just because the enemy was distant, complacency was unacceptable.
‘𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳.’
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Pass!”
The mercenaries thoroughly searched the pirates. Every piece of property they found here was a huge income for the mercenaries.
The pirates boarded the ship with curses. They wanted to rush in, but seeing the number of gathered soldiers and their armed state, they thought it was good that they didn’t fight.
“Is that Count Yeats?”
“Isn’t he younger than expected? More than that, he doesn’t look like a warrior. He looks like a merchant.”
“He looks crazy. Be quiet.”
“He won’t understand us anyway.”
Giada spat out profanity in disbelief.
“How dare you shitheads chatter without knowing gratitude after we spared you?! If you don’t shut up, I’ll rip out your tongue and throw it into the sea!”
“!!”
“And that count is not me, but that man over there!”
Seeing Johan walk out, the pirates were surprised at his much softer face than expected. He looked like a young boy in his early twenties.
As Johan walked over, he turned his head, noticing their gaze. Johan’s eyes pulsated with the intense power of his soul. The pirates who met his gaze couldn’t dare to look straight and bowed deeply. It felt like their hearts were grabbed.
“Any problems?”
“No. We’re emptying the fortress and coming out.”
“Be careful not to miss that noble.”
Johan and the mercenaries waited without overtly showing it. If the other party became wary and secretly ran away at night, it would be troublesome.
‘𝘝𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘺 , 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬.’
Knowing the appearance made finding the opponent easy.
“Found him.”
“Arrest him and bring him here.”
When the mercenaries came to grab him, Bashkhar was startled. The pirate disguises next to him immediately reached for the swords at their waists.
Johan’s slave soldiers aimed their bows. The slave soldiers learned not only how to use crossbows, but also how to use longbows. Thanks to the eastern tribes. As dozens of archers aimed their bows, the guards shuddered and could not move.
“Why, why are you doing this? Count?”
“There’s no need to honor me that much just because of my noble status. Bashkhar-gong. Come this way. I don’t want to see blood.”
At first Bashkhar was horrified, but then resigned. He obediently came out.
“According to custom, rights. . .”
“I know. Take your weapons.”
“My master will not take kindly to this.”
“Did your master originally think well of me?”
Unable to refute Johan’s words, Bashkhar shut his mouth. Some of the puzzled pirates asked.
“Bashkhar-nim. So what happens now?”
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴. . .!’
Seeing the idiots reveal in front of the count that they had come to hire them, Bashkhar felt his chest tighten. Johan sneered.
“It must be difficult to hire pirates. Right? Go north. If I see you heading south, I’ll sink you.”
“. . . . . .”
The pirates murmured and at least set sail on the ship for now. It was unclear whether some of them would follow the order, but there didn’t seem to be many who would risk their lives to keep the promise.
“You’ll release me if I pay ransom?”
“Of course.”
Reassured by Johan’s promise, Bashkhar relaxed for the moment. Although customs regarding prisoners of war were the same on the mainland and in the east, exceptions were made when religions differed.
Beliefs sometimes ignore even gold and wield swords.
“Thank you. Then, trusting that promise. . .”
“Your Excellency! A warship has appeared!”
The heads of those present turned abruptly. It was a gaze that would grab Bashkhar and his guards immediately. Bashkhar was confused.
He had been aiming for this area, but preparations for the fleet were still far from complete. There was no way they could have come this far.
“Ah. It’s the Vynashchtym’s flag.”
“Phew. . .”
Bashkhar breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like his neck was about to be hung for a moment.
The official who came on the warship with the Vynashchtym was courteous. Seeing this, Johan was slightly pleased.
However, when the official opened his mouth, Johan’s expression froze stiff. Although the attitude was very courteous, the message conveyed was rude.
“Get out of here?”
“Your. . . Your Excellency. This place was originally Vynashchtym’s territory.”
They didn’t care if pirate gangs of thieves occupied the nearby islands. At best, they could only attack small fishing boats and merchant ships, nothing more.
However, it was a different story for Count Yeats to occupy the island with the republic fleet. It looked like preparations to go up to the mainland to anyone.
The viceroy of the nearby port who received the report that the fleet had arrived was startled and sent an official.
━𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞!
Neither the viceroy nor the official seemed to have properly grasped Johan yet. Moreover, the news was late. The marriage alliance was practically already invalidated. How to deal with the aftermath after the fake one was exposed?
“As far as I know, it’s different. After Duke Brduhe hired mercenaries and occupied it, it became the Brduhe family’s territory. Horamric-gong inherited it from the duke and took it upon request to subjugate the pirates.”
“Ah. . . no.”
The official was confused that Johan had prepared a much more proper justification than expected. In the first place, there was no comparison between him and Johan in terms of status. An official of lower noble birth versus the overlord of the south?
“And the marriage alliance ended because you b*stards committed fraud, so what the hell are you talking about?”
“Huh? What do you mean. . .”
“Go back and find out what I’m talking about. I won’t punish you out of consideration for Vynashchtym’s dignity, but if you say such nonsense one more time, you won’t be able to return alive. Get lost!”
When Johan yelled, the official fled in fright. And boarded the ship before hastily departing. . .
. . .did not leave.
The official returned from the ship leading dozens of soldiers. Johan was confused by that ridiculous reaction.
What the? A crazy b*tch?
The soldiers also seemed similarly surprised. Unless all those dozens were outstanding warriors. . .
Is he trying to commit suicide?
“Your Excellency! It seems there has been a misunderstanding. Please forgive me!”
However, the soldiers who came out were not because of the raid. They were the new noble’s escort and servants.
Different from the official earlier, a man in glamorous clothes came out and prostrated himself.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Semeonus, a lowly man. Your Excellency! I work as the city’s financial officer.”
The official from before explained Semeonus’s status instead.
“Semeonus-nim is the viceroy’s brother.”
“Ah. Is that so?”
“Your Highness. Please allow us to treat you and resolve this misunderstanding a little!”
“??!”
Johan was perplexed by the sudden invitation.
‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯?’
They came to drive him out but failed, now they invite him to the city. It was too blunt like a trap.
But even a 3 year old wouldn’t set such an obvious trap.
“Oh my. The viceroy is sharp.”
“?”
“You’re probably doing this because you’re worried His Excellency would attack. You want to treat His Excellency well and ask not to attack the city, right?”
“!”
Giada’s words made Johan realize what the other party wanted.
The Vynashchtym viceroys were officials appointed by the emperor to rule each fiefdom, but in fact they had a position similar to feudal lords of those fiefdoms.
If the city gets plundered and attacked, who suffers the most losses? Of course the viceroy.
That’s why when the viceroy sent the envoys, he also ordered his own brother just in case.
━𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲!
As long as he doesn’t touch his own city, it doesn’t matter whether he lands and advances somewhere else.
Johan admired the loyalty of the Vynashchtym viceroys. What was more surprising was that Giada and Jyanina were not particularly surprised by this attitude.
“It would be more convenient if the viceroy cooperates.”
“Do you think they can set a trap?”
“Them? Hahahahaha! Are you joking. . . No. You’re serious?”
“Can’t anyone set a trap?”
“They absolutely wouldn’t do that if they weren’t crazy.”
Giada laughed as if what he said was preposterous.
“If the city soldiers attack, Your Excellency can take out half with one arm, and I and my sailors will take out the other half. Then we can leisurely get on the ship and slip away.”
“Isn’t that too overconfident, Giada?”
“When you see it, Your Excellency will know that my words were not wrong.”
“Alright. In any case, we can go back anytime before we disembark. . .”
Johan said suspiciously. Giada shrugged his shoulders as if to say wait and see.
And Giada was right. As soon as the port came into view, Johan was able to understand why he had said that.
Merchants from the republic and their employees. Servants and slaves too. Those who had heard the news in advance welcomed them.
This place was different from the cities of the hundred kingdoms. Over a third of the people here were outsiders, not Vynashchtym people. Starting with merchants from the republic, the composition was so diverse it was impossible to categorize them all, including mercenaries and travelers who had drifted in.
They accounted for one of the major pillars of the city. If the viceroy tries to set some kind of trap on a whim, defectors will immediately come pouring out, and some will incite rebellion in the city.
“I see. So that’s why you were so confident?”
“There is honor and custom, but apart from that, the viceroy does not have the capacity to stop any crazy acts, no matter how hard he tries.”
The viceroy here was similar to a feudal lord, but his authority was absolutely different. If he makes a small mistake, he will be attacked by the citizens.
Therefore, it was impossible to dishonorably ambush a Count who had been invited from afar and had strong support from part of the city.
“What kind of person is the viceroy here?”
“I haven’t met him either, I’ve only heard rumors. . . he’s probably not very important. He’ll be eager to make requests since he’s in an unfortunate position. You don’t need to worry about him.”
“Still, you can’t be too careless when facing the master of a city.”
“I really think you don’t need to worry. . .”
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“This is all because of that young and foolish emperor! How dare he insult you like that. It’s truly unforgivable. What is this? Your glass is empty. Let me pour you more!”
After greeting very familiarly upon meeting and seating him, then pouring some wine, his skill at cursing the emperor was dazzling and it made Johan dizzy.
I didn’t expect him to jump in like this without reserve.
“I wish I could send my own child! If my child was a little more decent, I would have sent them to you.”
“No. . . it’s alright.”
He flatly refused because it looked like he would seriously bring up marriage talks as a joke if he showed any interest. The viceroy’s appearance was not one that inspired hopes for children.