𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 (2)
Fear of monsters and magic has always overwhelmed reason. If you are scared of a monster, barricading the gates and hunkering down is understandable.
“How about threatening them to call the soldiers and lay siege?”
“Forget it. It doesn’t seem like a very good idea.”
Even if they told them over a thousand soldiers were coming down the nearby roads, the fear-stricken people inside the castle would not believe it.
All they could see were the few dozen soldiers who had just arrived near the castle walls.
It would take quite some time for all the soldiers to gather, and waiting that long didn’t seem like a very wise idea.
Plus, if that happened, the people inside the castle might barricade the gates for a different reason, out of fear.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳’𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. . .”
“Tell me in detail what kind of monster it is. And where is the castellan?”
“The castellan is injured.”
“!”
No wonder the garrison soldiers were acting strange. . .
At Johan’s urging, the soldiers inside the castle hesitated before opening their mouths.
If what the knight said was true, leaving them outside the walls was very dangerous as well. They had to make excuses in advance.
According to the soldiers, the raid that occurred outside the castle was also the work of the monster they were now talking about.
What originally only happened in raids outside had escalated after they repeatedly failed to subdue it.
In fact, minor feudal lords were not very good at dealing with powerful monsters that appeared on their fiefdoms.
Only a handful of knights like Johan could rush out armed and capture them personally, most had to choose other methods.
Hiring mercenaries or wandering knights. . . Of course, these methods failed more often than not. At that point, they would have to request assistance from other nobles or their lord.
“Why didn’t you request support?”
Vynashchtym, unlike the Holy Empire where nobles played on their own, was a country bound by a relatively robust system of institutions.
They could have asked nearby military commanders for help, or asked other nobles for support.
“We sent word! We sent word but there’s still no news!”
Either the messenger got captured or it was taking time for the other side to prepare as well. It made no difference to those inside the castle.
“What do you mean it disguises itself as a person when you say it’s a large beast?”
“The b*stard freely enters the castle and harms people. Even the castellan was victimized by it!”
“A truly fascinating story.”
A beast that rampaged outside in a large form but disguised itself as a person to stage raids inside the castle.
Johan was quite worldly himself, but it was his first time encountering such a monster.
There were plenty of large monsters and monsters that could disguise themselves as people, but. . .
“?”
Preoccupied with the story, the garrison soldiers blinked in surprise as Johan had quietly made his way to the castle gates at some point.
Fortunately, there was a moat dug in front of the castle walls and a drawbridge, but why was he. . .?
The answer came soon.
𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡!
Johan threw one of the spears he had brought. The chain supporting the raised drawbridge emitted a loud noise as it snapped. Before they could react, the next spear flew. Another chain broke.
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐝!
The soldiers were shocked at Johan’s skill in accurately throwing spears to break the thick chains connecting the bridge.
Johan crossed over the lowered drawbridge and grabbed the castle gate. Fortunately, the gate was relatively small and an easy to grasp grid pattern. It would have been tricky if it was larger or a different shape.
Of course, the gate was made of iron so a single person could not lift something so heavy on their own. It took multiple soldiers pulling together on a windlass to raise it.
However, Johan grabbed the gate with one hand and lifted it. The soldiers in front of the gate were so bewildered at the suddenly rising gate that they dropped their weapons in a daze.
“A monster has entered the castle. . .”
“Who are you calling a monster?”
Johan grabbed one of the soldiers by the collar and lifted him up. The soldier choked and gasped for breath.
“What do I look like to you?”
“A-A knight, Sir Knight. You look like a Sir Knight!”
“Good. You finally know how to see properly. Open the gate and let the soldiers in. I’ll overlook this insult to His Majesty just this once.”
The garrison soldiers who came running after hearing the commotion were confused at the sight of an unfamiliar knight barging in and barking orders.
“Who are yo- ugh!”
“There are no second chances! If you want to live, don’t make mistakes. Understand?”
Johan’s commanding aura and spirit weighed down upon the soldiers. Despite clearly being in the position of a brigand who had broken in from outside, the soldiers obeyed his orders awkwardly. Even the garrison captain was too bewildered not to comply.
“Um, Sir Knight. Are you really. . .?”
“That’s right. If you want mercy, moving quickly would be best.”
With the gate closed it would have been one thing, but with it now open, the soldiers shivered in fear of the emperor possibly doling out punishment. Even if they were all captured and punished, they would have no words of excuse.
At best, the injured castellan could put in a word for them, but it didn’t seem like he would make excuses for the situation either. Who would take their side in such absurd circumstances?
As the soldiers hesitated, Johan spoke again.
“I’ll explain the situation properly, so get moving. Given the circumstances, His Majesty will also show leniency.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you! Sir Knight. We will not forget this favor!”
As the gate opened and the soldiers rushed out like lightning, the centaurs waiting outside stared intently at Johan.
“. . .What, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, nothing. Your Excellency. Haha.”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
Johan never intended to bring many people into the castle in the first place. The castle wasn’t that big, and there would be chaos right away.
Let alone inside the castle when we are dividing the troops outside.
Besides, the rumors of the monster made Johan feel uneasy too. Johan picked only those he could trust. He checked the emperor’s servants and slaves carefully.
‘𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 .’
Johan believed in his own senses, and Karamaf’s smell.
The emperor frowned, annoyed by what the people inside the castle had done. It was natural for him to be upset.
“Did they really open the door for us?”
“Then what? You think I went and opened the door myself?”
“. . .You’re right. I’m doubting too much. I apologize.”
“. . . . . .”
“. . . . . .”
The centaurs following behind bit their lips to manage their expressions. Euclyia was puzzled.
Why are they like that?
When the emperor’s flag entered, the people inside the castle gasped. The emperor really came to such a shabby castle.
The people prostrated themselves without moving. The soldiers did the same.
The scales on his cheek unique to the dragon beastman, and the two horns above his head clearly showed the blood of a dragon.
After the emperor passed by, people raised their heads and prostrated again. Because Jyanina was seen. As they only caught a glimpse of Jyanina from afar, they mistook her for a dragon beastman.
“???”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
The castellan’s wife welcomed the emperor with a mix of joy and embarrassment on her face.
“You look a little embarrassed.”
“I’m glad Your Majesty came leading an army in this situation, but as a noble, it’s shameful that I can’t treat you properly.”
The emperor nodded at her words. As if to tell her not to worry, the emperor said,
“No need to worry. We just came to this castle to avoid the rain. Don’t hold any useless banquets. Giving the soldiers alcohol and warm food is enough.”
“Oh but still, I should be able to. . .”
“You’re right. Now is not the time. I’d appreciate your help in gathering intel.”
The wife looked at Johan, bewildered. She knew who the emperor was but Johan was an unfamiliar face to her. His race was also different from the captain of the imperial guard that she had heard rumors about.
“This is Count Yeats. He’s from the Holy Empire and I hired him as a guard. He’s a brave and excellent knight.”
“i-I see, Count. Got it.”
The wife didn’t seem too surprised to hear that an outsider noble was newly hired. It wasn’t such a bold move in Vynashchtym. Rather, she looked relieved to have a capable knight by his side.
“Bring the servants, maids, and slaves. We need to question them one by one.”
“Do you really think that will help. . .?”
“This lady is a wizard well-versed in monsters. She can gain wise insights from every word.”
“. . . . . .”
Jyanina wanted to stop Johan but the atmosphere wasn’t right for that.
If this fails, will she be the only *sshole?
Seeing how adamant Johan was, the wife looked at Jyanina in surprise. At first glance, she looked like she had dragon blood. . .?
“Your Excellency. Your Excellency! We can’t go that far!”
“Why not?”
“We still don’t know what that monster is. If you say that and still can’t find it. . .”
“Don’t tell me you don’t have a single guess?”
Johan looked at Jyanina with an expression that said, ‘As a wizard, can’t you even do that much?’ His sincerity made it even more insulting. Jyanina gritted her teeth and said,
“I can’t possibly know every monster in the world!”
“I didn’t think you wouldn’t have a single guess and know nothing. Fine. Tell the wife the truth when she comes back.”
“But. . .we don’t need to do that right now! It would’ve been nice if you just praised me a bit. . .”
Johan had a very annoying look on his face. Johan was talented at sending messages with his eyes. His eyes were now saying ‘𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥’.
Jyanina thought she should at least suggest something that came to mind. Otherwise, she would really be labeled as incompetent.
“Well, there are several monsters that can attack like that but few can disguise themselves as humans. According to legend, there are monsters like the doppelganger. . .”
“Are they real?”
“I haven’t seen one myself. But isn’t it very likely they exist?”
While Johan was skeptical, the people here tended to believe in superstitions and rumors. ‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵,’ they thought.
“Can they disguise themselves as large creatures too?”
“I don’t know.”
“How do you get rid of a doppelganger then?”
“There are no known ways to eliminate them.”
“Then what do you know how to do?”
“. . . . . .”
While Jyanina despaired, Johan started his own countermeasures.
‘𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦.’
If he released Karamaf to sniff out suspicious guys, that’s all he needed to do. No matter what creature it disguised itself as, it wouldn’t die easily.
“But how did you know it was a monster disguised as a human?”
“Oh, who was it again? The second son of the miller said he saw someone who looked just like him passing by. Not just him but a soldier from the garrison saw the same. . .”
“A slave who was working saw it too.”
There were quite a lot of testimonies. Johan knocked on his scabbard, lost in thought.
It was hard to believe someone could change their face but it wasn’t impossible. Hadn’t Johan seen it himself? Assassins used magic that monsters could use too.
‘𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦? 𝘐𝘵’𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘪𝘵’𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦.’
If it was outside and then entered, there was nothing Johan could do. He couldn’t keep waiting. . . Then he’d just have to leave but. . .
“?”
Johan raised his head. Someone who looked exactly like Johan was staring straight at Johan in the courtyard. When their eyes met, he turned his head then started running away swiftly. He moved very quickly.
“Where are you going!”
Without any hesitation Johan dashed out. Karamaf who was prostrating under him let out a fierce growl and raced forward.
“!!!”
The opponent had underestimated Johan.
When normal people see a doppelganger, their body freezes in fear and suspicion and they avoid eye contact but Johan didn’t think for even 1 second before drawing his sword and running towards it.
His eyes showed the intense killing intent to check what color blood doppelgangers had.
‘𝘈 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯!’