๐๐ฑ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ญ (2)
When the promised date came, the city and nearby nobles all came as expected. It was an opportunity to get on the emperor’s good side.
There were no fools stupid enough to miss such a joyous occasion celebrating victory.
“We hope the glory flowing through the dragon’s bloodline continues endlessly, Your Majesty!”
“We thank you once again for saving the city, Count.”
People gathered around Johan as much as around the emperor. Everyone in the city knew the role Johan had played.
“. . .Thank you for overlooking this matter, Count.”
“It was nothing.”
The young emperor seemed more nervous than Johan. His expression was unchanged, but his hands were sweaty.
Come to think of it, the emperor was as young as Johan. He kept mistakenly thinking he was old because of his aged face, but it was natural for him to be nervous.
‘๐๐ง๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ, ๐ฉ๐ฆ’๐ด ๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ๐ด ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐บ, ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ณ๐ช๐ท๐ข๐ญ๐ด, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ณ’๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ต๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง ๐ช๐ด ๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด.’
While the highest position was coveted by all, sometimes a rural feudal lord could be more carefree.
“Do you have any other advice?”
‘๐๐ฉ๐บ’๐ด ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฅ?’
The emperor seemed to have strange expectations of Johan’s abilities. While the high regard was good, the burden was also real.
If he were to fail and flee. . .who would they blame?
Johan decided to give some safe advice.
“Are you wearing armor underneath?”
“I’m not.”
“Anyway it’d be hidden by your outer garments, and with the fighting over, who would scowl if you had some armor on.”
It was traditional to remove weapons and armor at feasts, but this much could be overlooked if discovered.
Besides, the emperor had a reputation for not following orders and fraternizing with his own soldiers. This rumor wouldn’t change much.
“I guess there’s no harm in wearing it. . .”
The emperor calmly put on the armor. It seemed unnecessary and could draw pointless complaints, but he trusted Johan’s advice.
What meaning could it hold!
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
The plan was simple. The chamberlain sits down and when the alcohol circulates a bit, the emperor rebukes his rudeness and disloyalty and throws a glass to send a signal.
โ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐จ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ.
โ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ.
โ๐๐ก๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ. . .
โ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ง๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ง๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐ง๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐.
Leoanos arrived at the front.
Despite recent mistakes, the political authority held by the chamberlain was considerable. The surrounding nobles flocked to somehow get a word.
Leoanos was pleased with the reaction.
Whenever he saw this, he felt the power he had. Power is like a drug, once you grab it, you can never let it go.
“Leave your weapons outside. The chamberlain can only bring one escort in.”
“I know.”
Leoanos obediently left the escorts outside and went inside. A lower nobleman chamberlain followed him inside, holding Leoanos’s hem.
Seeing that, Johan wondered, holding a silver cup and stretching his neck.
โ๐๐ด๐ฏโ๐ต ๐ช๐ต ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ?โ
No matter if the escorts were swordsmanship masters or not, they had to get closer to do something. Shouldn’t they be able to run right up and intervene?
But the distance was too far.
โ๐๐ช๐ฅ ๐ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ณ๐บ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. . .โ
The chamberlain knelt down in front and kissed the emperor’s hand. It was a sign of obedience and loyalty.
โThank you for coming like this. Your Excellency.โ
โIt was something I had to do.โ
โI appreciate the other people here as well.โ
โDoes the person who knows that send an insult?โ
Johan was sarcastic. Considering the major he set up this time and the soldiers he was leading, Johan was qualified to say this.
He was sarcastic openly, but the chamberlain couldn’t refute. He nodded his head in acknowledgement.
โIโm sorry. Your Excellency. It seems there was a misunderstanding. Would you accept my apology?โ
โWhether it was a misunderstanding or not, we’ll have to check later to find out. I’ll decide whether to accept the apology then.โ
He could have bothered him more, but Johan decided to leave him alone. The host of this place was the emperor, not him.
Since Johan didn’t say anything more, the chamberlain spat out a relieved curse mixed with profanity and withdrew. The music that had been interrupted resumed and the liquor began circulating again.
โDidnโt you request a duel?โ
โWhat duel. . .not even the Holy Empire. . .and even if I requested it, they would only send out the decent warrior.โ
An unusual scene entered Johan’s eyes as he chatted with Iselia next to him.
The fingertips of the attendant Leoanos brought were darkly discolored. The eyes of the attendant and Johan met as he stared at it. The attendant quickly bowed his head, but Johan felt uncomfortable.
The discomfort of meeting a colleague who can do the same skills!
‘๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ต? ๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ?’
He wondered if he had seen it wrong, but that possibility seemed small. Besides, if that attendant was the assassin Leoanos brought, it would be the right guess. It would have been more surprising if that sly guy came without any thoughts.
‘๐๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ด๐ฉ, ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฏ. . .๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ข ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ๐ต๐ช๐ง๐ถ๐ญ ๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ.’
The customs of Vynashchtym were really amazing. Johan was suddenly reminded of Kaegal’s teachings.
โ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง’๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ. ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ. . . ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง’๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง?
โ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ?
โ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง’๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฌ – ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง’๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ “๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ๐จ?”
โ๐๐จ, ๐’๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ.
Johan called Jusvan. Jusvan was so absorbed in the Vynashchtym dancer that he was clapping and laughing, but he came to his senses when he heard Johan’s call.
โWhat is it?โ
“Just in case, please tell His Majesty not to eat or drink anymore.”
“I understand.”
Jusvan had some tact. He quietly passed the message on to the emperor. The emperor looked like he wanted to ask ‘๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ต๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต?’ but he didn’t ask again.
‘๐๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฏ’๐ต ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ข๐ด๐ฌ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐บ?’
The emperor had a surprised expression then nodded slightly at Johan. He seemed to have misunderstood something, as his eyes were full of gratitude.
Johan felt a little embarrassed because he still wasn’t sure if the other party had poisoned the drink yet.
“I didn’t even consider that. Your Majesty. It should be enough for the slave to taste it first. But you’re certainly right to be cautious.”
Once someone builds a reputation, their actions tend to be interpreted favorably. Bold actions become decisive, while timid ones seem prudent.
Jusvan and the emperor seemed to understand and appreciate the misunderstanding.
The one feeling anxious because the emperor wouldn’t even lift the cup to his lips was Leoanos. He had gone through the trouble of pouring the wine, but the emperor wouldn’t drink it.
The poison he had brought with the assassin was quite intricate – it would take effect only after drinking several cups, twisting in the stomach before spewing out poison. But if he didn’t drink at all, there was no poison to speak of.
Leoanos licked his lips and waited, but the emperor didn’t budge.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s nothing we can do if he doesn’t drink it.”
Leoanos was sharp. From the emperor’s stiff expression and tense posture, he sensed preparations in place.
After the banquet ended, he might be ambushed on his way out or arrested. He had to make the first move.
“If poison doesn’t work, don’t you have a dagger?”
“They’ll stop me as soon as I get close.”
“. . .Fine. Hand over the dagger.”
Having secretly received the assassin’s hidden dagger, Leoanos slipped it into his sleeve. He wanted to finish the job with poison if possible. . .
But it couldn’t be helped now. Once the emperor collapsed, it would cause chaos, allowing him to escape with his guards in the confusion.
That was why he had summoned guards in the first place – not to launch an attack, but to escape safely.
When the song ended and the dance stopped, Leoanos approached the emperor with the box he had brought.
“Your Majesty. I want to present you with a treasure fitting of that song, as an expression of my gratitude. Please accept it.”
Leoanos carefully opened the box. The gems inside shone dazzlingly. Seeing nothing suspicious, the emperor nodded.
At that moment, Leoanos swiftly pulled out his dagger and stabbed the emperor’s chest. A dull thud – the dagger was blocked and didn’t pierce him. But Leoanos’ body moved instinctively. This time the dagger moved towards his face and neck.
๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ !
Instead of the sound of a dagger piercing flesh, there was the dull thud of something smashing into a head. Still clutching his dagger, Leoanos dropped dead. Beside his head, a crushed silver cup had fallen.
“. . .”
“. . .”
The sudden series of events stunned everyone. Jusvan was the first to scream.
“Assassination attempt! Escort His Majesty inside!”
Belatedly, the imperial guards behind rushed over.
“Cut down anyone who moves! Don’t move!”
“Your Majesty! Are you alright!”
“I. . . I’m fine. What happened?”
“The count saved Your Majesty’s life. He. . . threw that cup.”
Jusvan explained the situation then tripped over his words, seemingly finding it unbelievable himself.
Jusvan, beside Johan, saw it clearly. The moment Leoanos stabbed with his dagger, Johan picked up a silver cup from the table and hurled it squarely at his head.
He threw it with such force that his opponent smashed heads and couldn’t get back up. It would have been legendary material for war annals if it hadn’t been a mere silver cup. . .
“I-I don’t know anything! Today was my first time meeting the chamberlain.”
“We’ve only met once, years ago. . . we barely know each other.”
The nobles seated there hurriedly spewed excuses, afraid they might get involved with the chamberlain.
The emperor shoved them aside and had all of the chamberlain’s attendants arrested. He had no intention of interrogating the nearby nobles, but not the chamberlain’s subordinates.
“On your knees!”
“We. . . we didn’t know anything either! About his plans. . .”
Violence rained down in response to their pleas. Screams erupted from all sides as Johan’s slave troops rushed over. Johan signaled he was alright.
‘๐๐ฐ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฆ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ.’
And the belt.
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
While the emperor and his subordinates were oppressing guilty and innocent people alike, Johan waited. It was natural for there to be chaos for a while in such tumultuous times.
When the situation had calmed down somewhat, Johan went with Jusvan.
“Are you alright, Your Majesty?”
“Thanks to you I survived, Count.”
It was not merely courteous words, but heartfelt sincerity. Those who had interrogated the emperor’s attendant were shocked at first when told poison had been prepared.
If not for Johan’s advice, he could have collapsed much sooner.
“Not only the poison, but the armor too. Did you happen to have some information beforehand?”
“How could that be so?”
“Your Majesty, if I’d had such information, I would have told you first.”
Jusvan spoke with the pride of a republican. The emperor nodded.
The emperor chatted about this and that before sending Jusvan out. Then he asked Johan,
“Count, I heard from the viceroy that you’d be staying in the city until autumn after receiving payment. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to buy out that contract.”
“Your Majesty, my soldiers are expensive and great in number.”
“I don’t intend to hire them all. Half of the soldiers here would be sufficient.”
With only a thousand or so soldiers, what could be accomplished was limited. Johan immediately grasped what the emperor wanted.
‘๐๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ?’
When one’s position was unstable, reliable soldiers were necessary.
“I will pay three times the amount the viceroy mentioned. And I will promise privileges at the harbor. Would this be enough as payment for the count and his brave subordinates?”
“. . .!”
For a moment, Johan envisioned piles of gold coins behind the emperor.