How to Live as a Wandering Knight – Chapter 168

𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐲 (2)

Johan closed his mouth in embarrassment as if offended by Giada. He had spoken quite seriously, but he seemed to think it was completely absurd. 

‘𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. . .’

Considering his feats in the hundred kingdoms and the Southern Peninsula, it wouldn’t have been surprising if rumors reached the ears of the pagans. Rumors spread faster than one might expect.

“Hmm. If not that, wouldn’t the gates be more important than the cities?”

The enemy had not breached Vynashchtym’s fortress guarding the south, nor had they captured the islands at sea. All this was in preparation for a surprise attack. 

The lifeblood of a surprise attack is speed and decisiveness. 

If they could breach the gates and advance eastward to occupy that territory and its fiefdoms, the coastal port cities would be unnecessary.

If successful, they could be captured later!

“My, how. . .daring, or rather reckless. . .”  

Whenever Johan saw men like these, he was amazed. Johan carefully considered all possibilities before cautiously taking action, but these people had no fear.

Of course Johan was no longer afraid to charge alone into a group of dozens of enemies, but that was after making his own judgments and calculations. Other knights simply charged in with no such assurances, believing the gods would protect them if they succeeded.

If God grants favor, they simply believe they will live and be victorious. 

“Things are complicated, but fortunately not as bad as they could be. If you were not here, the cities may have been attacked.”

It would have been a disaster for the republic if the coastal cities were looted or occupied. Not only would trade routes be severed, they’d have to worry about the pagans coming straight here.

While the republic had always mocked and checked Vynashchtym, they did not wish for their downfall. 

“If they don’t come to the city, is there no need to move right now?”

“You need not move now, Your Excellency. Others will be frantic.”

The republic must be communicating back and forth with the homeland, surprised by this sudden attack. The navy stationed on the islands below cannot avoid accusations of negligence for missing this. 

Vynashchtym must be in chaos as well after such a surprise attack, naturally.

“Viceroy, about how long do you expect it’ll take to receive a report?”

“A report has already arrived, has it not?”

Vynashchtym’s capital was at the eastern end, while the viceroy’s city was at the western end. Even running along the roads, it would take a messenger at least a week to cover such an enormous distance. . .

“I see. Was it magic then? What artifacts did they use?”

“Excuse me? No. Just signal fires.”

“. . .I see.”

Vynashchtym had an intricate, sophisticated system of signal fires dating back to the ancient empire days. In a matter of hours, they could communicate reports over flame across vast distances.  

Johan felt quite embarrassed. 

‘𝘖𝘩 𝘯𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭.’

To not even think of signal fires. . .

“If the Republic and Vynashchtym are also going to provide support, there is no need for us to make the first move. Tell the soldiers to rest and prepare for the upcoming battle.”  

The army of the Eastern Empire was also a potential enemy to Johan.  

Of course, Johan did not hate them in the way of “Die pagan scums!”, but they did hate Johan in the way of “Die pagan scum!”.

Basically, they would loot Johan’s merchant ships (it was okay to loot pagan ships), and trade would become difficult in places they occupied. 

There seemed to be no benefit in letting them run amok in this area.

The problem was. . .

‘𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘺.’

In the first place, there were several parties responsible here. Right now there was Vynashchtym, the Republic, and those small kingdoms up north could also send reinforcements. . .

Among so many, there was no need for Johan, who would suffer the least damage, to fight with his army first.

If the situation looks like ‘𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯?’, then he can jump in at that time!

“Your Excellency. An envoy has arrived at the gate.”

“The chamberlain?”

Before Johan could say anything, the viceroy stepped forward first. He grabbed Johan’s hand and said,

“Your Excellency. You must not believe the head chamberlain’s words. He is crafty and cunning!”

“. . .”

It was quite impressive to see someone usually fearful and careful of Leoanos speak like this.

The viceroy was afraid that Johan might lead the army out of the city.

Of course, Johan had no intention of doing what others should be doing first, but Johan’s reputation made the viceroy misunderstand.

As the bannerman and knight of the order, it is impossible for him to just stand there in front of the pagan army!

“You must not leave! We do not know when the new enemy fleet will arrive again! Those soldiers may be a decoy!”

“If a new fleet arrives in this situation, it means that either Vynashchtym or the republic’s fleet is an *sshole.”

“There is a possibility that it is true!”

Giada frowned from the side. Even so, how could he treat the republic’s fleet as an *sshole?

“I understand. I will not leave the city without telling you, even if the chamberlain begs me to. Do you think I would break a promise I made earlier?”

“I am sorry, Your Excellency. I doubted you. . . I thought you would immediately ride your horse and chase after the pagan army.”

‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦?’

The envoy sent by the chamberlain soon entered. He was clearing his throat with an extremely tense look on his face. 

“I know this is an unreasonable request.”

“Speak, you inferior mongrel of the barbaric Yeats Family!”

“. . .?”

“????”

Those present were more surprised than angry. It was really an unexpected diplomatic rhetoric.

“Is this how Vynashchtym makes a request for cooperation?”

“Ah. . . No, Your Excellency. I too. . .”

“If you don’t retreat from this land immediately. . .”

He wanted to hear more, but the centaurs rushed in first and trampled the envoys with their hooves. They were already irritated, and flew into a rage at this rude fellow insulting their master.

“Don’t kill them. Retreat!”

The centaurs grumbled as they retreated. Johan looked at the battered messengers and said,

“Go tell your master that before insulting me, it would be better for him to first save his own life from the pagans.”

Bewildered, the envoys retreated. Having been beaten and nearly killed, they didn’t immediately grasp his words. 

It was only after returning that they understood the meaning of Johan’s words.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“It’s too bad we couldn’t attack the city.” 

“There’s no harm in listening to the advice of the Mulc family.”

Yeheyman nodded at the attendant’s words. Yeheyman was a fierce and valiant warrior, but he was no fool.

When they landed, they found an army under an unknown banner at the city they had first sought to plunder. Yeheyman sent scouts to identify the opponent. It turned out to be the banner of Count Yeats to the west.  

━𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐜 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫.

It would have been fun to determine victory against an excellent warrior, but Yeheyman had work to do now. He gave up and turned his army in a different direction.

In any case, they still had plenty of food, and morale was high after pillaging nearby towns.

“Breach the gates! If we take this fortress, my name shall be inscribed upon an unrivaled achievement!”

Like the Holy Empire, the Eastern Empire was also a feudal state that revolved around its emperor. Under the Sultan on the emperor’s seat were countless nobles intricately intertwined. 

The Eastern Empire was a brutal conqueror that divvied up newly occupied lands among nobles. This compensation drove the nobles back to the battlefield.

Vynashchtym was the most bountiful land. The nobles who had brought their soldiers under Yeheyman were blinded by Vynashchtym’s riches.

“Your Excellency! Allow me to take the vanguard!”

“No, give me the honor of the vanguard!”

Yeheyman placed the eagerly volunteering knights at the front. As nobles, it was only natural they wished to achieve great merits at the vanguard. 

“May I ask you to step aside?”

The attendant looked puzzled. Yeheyman was a warrior obsessed with blood and glory. To hand that over to others was odd.

“They won’t breach the walls anyway.”  

Yeheyman sneered at the knights taking the lead.

The western monotheists usually hired mercenaries as troops, but the eastern pagans would conscript anyone and hand them clubs or spears to instantly create troops.

As a result, the quality was all over the place. Despite the intimidating size of the army, Yeheyman knew well that less than half were decent soldiers.

“They will tire out the ones inside the walls. That will be enough! When they are tired, scared, and starving inside, my subordinates and I will step up.”

The knights would have been furious to hear this, but Yeheyman held no responsibility towards the knights here. Just as they held no loyalty to Yeheyman.   

The ones here were simply those gathered from all over to pillage together.

“Sound the horns! Keep sending them forward! Cut down any who retreat!”

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“Do not fear! Rain fire and thunder upon these pagan b*stards!”   

Leoanos shouted around him. But the exhaustion on his face was impossible to hide. That showed just how fiercely the enemy pressed on.

Regardless of quality, numbers were a weapon in themselves. The defenders were exhausted from the relentless assault, so much that arrows on the walls were depleted. 

“Leoanos-gong. We’re out of arrows. The east wall has collapsed, and the engineers are refusing repairs.”

“When will reinforcements arrive?”

“. . .”

Leoanos clutched his head in anguish. The situation was too dire, he could barely breathe.

‘𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯, 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵!’

The pagans had a different goal. Their determination to take the fortress at any cost was palpable, no matter the casualties.

He had underestimated Johan. But who knew the enemy would be a pagan army?

His heart wanted to flee immediately, but that was political suicide. On top of one mistake already, if he. . .

His only hope were reinforcements, but it was questionable whether the emperor would really intervene. 

It made more sense to seek aid from the nearby republics, duchies, or the army of that closest count. At least they would unite against the pagans.

. . .The problem was he had just recently insulted Johan.

No matter how sensibly he pleaded or what great conditions he offered, it would not easily sway the count’s heart.

“Sever the messenger’s head who went and send it to the Count! Tell him there was a misunderstanding!”

Leoanos desperately schemed. Under the night’s cover, a spy took the poor messenger’s head and raced off.  

Johan took the gold but said he would think about the army before sending it back.

Leoanos sent another messenger. He praised Johan’s accomplishments and appealed to his honor, claiming that leading troops to battle would eternalize his fame. 

Johan took more gold but sent it back again.

Finally, Leoanos sent a messenger proposing marriage between his child and Johan’s, and alliance.  

One day when he, a noble, becomes the new emperor, plentiful fiefdoms would fall to Johan. At the same time, the most noble and pure position in Vynashchtym would be Johan’s, the chamberlain claimed.

If neither gold nor honor worked, this was an attempt to stimulate ambition. If even this failed, Leoanos planned to escape with some through the gates.

But fortunately, reinforcements appeared in the distance.

“We’re saved!!”

The defenders cried out in joy. Exhausted and wounded, they thanked the heavens. Leoanos also sighed in relief.

“But Leoanos-gong, you wouldn’t really give the count. . .”

“You think I would? I have no such child, nor did I ever intend to. What can the count do when he eventually realizes he’s been fooled?”

The follower nodded in relief at Leoanos’ words. To cede so much to a foreigner was preposterous. 

“Uh. . . the banner is. . .”

“???”

Leoanos climbed the walls and squinted. To the far right was Count Yeats’ banner with the holy order’s symbol. 

To the left was the republic’s banner. That made sense for them to join.

Finally, in the center was a banner with a dragon. The banner only the emperor may use.

“. . . . . .”

Leoanos froze, unable to accept the shifting circumstances.

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