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𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 (6)
Johan was about to say that, but stopped. There were cases where even a wise and calm person outside the game would change personality once they grabbed a stone.
The strong can afford to be generous.
Johan was not narrow-minded to the point of clinging like a leech to the board Barhan took out just for fun.
Lumahr politely greeted Johan and then spoke to Barhan in Eastern language.
“Barhan-nim. You really like to tease people.”
“?”
Barhan was puzzled by Lumahr’s words. What is he talking about?
“I won’t fall for such a trick just to surprise me.”
“. . . . . .”
Barhan reflected a little. Although blind and old, Barhan had played quite a few mischievous tricks. Tricks that seemed to read the minds of visitors were one of his weaker ones.
Was that why Lumahr had such a strange misunderstanding?
“I’m not a snotty brat anymore either. I won’t fall for such tricks.”
“. . .Sir Lumahr. I don’t know about other things, but to deceive a lord, wouldn’t you underestimate his skills instead of overestimating them?”
It was a plausible argument, but it didn’t work for Lumahr. Lumahr laughed and said,
“Have you ever played a trick on me for a reason?”
“. . . . . .”
Barhan, lost for words, awkwardly cleared his throat. Although unable to see, he could feel Johan staring intently at him. It was quite embarrassing to hear about the mischievous tricks he played in his youth in front of a lord he was indebted to.
‘𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺?’
Meanwhile, Lumahr was surprised. From Johan’s expression, it seemed he understood Eastern language.
“Can you speak Eastern language by any chance?”
“I had the opportunity to learn from a great teacher.”
“. . .!!”
Quite fluent pronunciation surprised Lumahr again. He didn’t know Johan could even speak Eastern language.
Among the western nobles, no one would bother to master Eastern language. Moreover, judging by the way Johan socialized with the Vynashchtym nobles, he was sure to be able to speak the ancient imperial language as well. . .
‘𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴?’
The intelligent demeanor, so different from what he had heard, made Lumahr doubt again.
In fact, he might not be Count Yeats at all, but an imposter. It could be another mischievous trick by Barhan. . .
“Then how about you two play a game?”
It was Barhan’s voice that ended Lumahr’s unnecessary suspicion. Barhan thought it was just in time.
In order to pay back the debt he owed to Johan, he called Lumar. However, it was a bit awkward and embarrassing to speak directly about it.
Although he owed him a favor, asking him for one was a matter of face. In that situation, this game could serve as a suitable excuse.
“Barhan-nim. I told you I won’t fall for it.”
“Then there shouldn’t be any problem playing a game, right?”
“Please don’t make things difficult for the Count.”
At Lumahr’s words, Johan also nodded and said,
“I wonder if I really need to play. . .”
Johan’s reaction assured Lumahr. It was clear they were conspiring to play a trick on him.
Of course, what Johan said was out of consideration for Lumahr. If he lost badly in the game, it would be embarrassing to get scolded.
“I don’t think Sir Lumahr is scared. Hey, would a master like Sir Lumahr be scared. . .?”
“. . .Fine! Let’s do it!”
‘𝘐𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳?’
Seeing Lumahr getting carried away by just one line from Barhan, Johan’s evaluation of Lumahr dropped inside.
From what he had heard, he thought Lumahr was quite an impressive noble, but his actions were somewhat disappointing. . .
“Instead of just playing for nothing, how about the losing side grants a request from the winner? “
“Well. . .”
Johan tried to show consideration for Lumahr again, but for the already suspicious Lumahr, it only had a different implication.
‘𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦.’
Now he seemed to know. They were trying to allay each other’s doubts this way, then Barhan would secretly make fun of him from the side. That must be what they were trying to do.
But Lumahr was not a snotty brat anymore either. He had no intention of falling for Barhan’s tricks at all.
“It’s fine with me, Count. There is no need to consider me, just play as you wish.”
“. . .Is that so?”
Johan looked at Lumahr as if to ask if he really meant it. Lying askew behind him, Gaoalkana tilted her head and asked,
“Shouldn’t you accept some consideration?”
“No, Your Majesty. A good game often comes with a worthy prize. Even if I lose, I’ll just take it as a profound lesson, so I don’t think I’ll lose anything.”
“Oh.”
Johan stroked his chin in admiration at Lumahr’s words. It was reassuring to have the opponent come out like that.
“Barhan-nim, may I have the servants step back?”
“Please do.”
“And forgive my rudeness, but Barhan-nim, can you sit next to me?”
‘𝘈𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘺. . .’
Inside, Barhan chuckled. He realized what kind of misunderstanding Lumahr had.
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“. . .”
Lumahr opened his mouth wide and stared at Johan. Then he looked at the tabletop. Then he stared at Johan again.
Gaoalkana said sympathetically,
“I guess he’s just being considerate.”
“No. . .”
How could an eastern nobleman who’s been holding stones since childhood lose to a western count?
Not just one game, but three. After narrowly losing the first round, Lumahr shouted ‘𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥!’ twice.
Only after losing three rounds in a row did he realize. It wasn’t that they were evenly matched, the opponent was just going easy on him.
“You were going easy on me, weren’t you?”
“Don’t say such rude things.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Lumahr came to his senses at Barhan’s words. He might be able to get away with saying that when they were alone, but it would be rude in front of Johan.
“It’s alright, don’t worry about it.”
“T-Thank you.”
“Now that you’ve lost, will you grant my request?”
“. . .Yes.”
Still rattled, Lumahr answered. Barhan’s next words made his mind even more complicated.
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“. . .I can introduce you to the nobles, but I cannot grant privileges. . .”
He could have engaged in trade if that was all. Many merchants still entered Eastern Empire’s numerous ports, harboring their dreams and hopes.
But what Johan wanted was a kind of privilege. Privileges regarding tariffs, port entry, and trade were like golden goose eggs.
The reason he immediately took the position of the emperor’s imperial guard captain was also because of this.
“I don’t want extraordinary privileges. Just basic courtesies between nobles will suffice.”
The ships carrying regular merchants were treated differently from those transporting nobles’ goods. What Barhan was referring to was the latter.
“Barhan-nim. That is between nobles who believe in the same gods, but the count. . .”
“Doesn’t the Republic also receive preferential treatment in some ports?”
Even pagan nobles could expect noble treatment if they had built rapport with port area feudal lords. Their paganism was not an issue.
“. . .No. Please hear me out. The count has quite an infamous reputation. . .”
“?”
Johan was puzzled.
“I have neither engaged in piracy nor pillaged the republic side, so what notoriety?”
“The knights who fought Count have returned, so rumors must have naturally spread. . .?”
“. . . . . .”
“Anyway, some feudal lords may refuse out of fear because of such rumors.”
Logically there was no reason to reject trade, but here a noble’s personal grudge could overturn any decision.
“That is not something I can do anything about. . .”
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Johan inwardly sighed, blindsided by an unexpected reason. Many nobles and even a mercenary captain from the Republic had participated in the battle, yet he felt singled out.
‘𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵.’
“Also. . .”
Lumahr seemed to tense up as he licked his dry lips. What he was about to say was slightly awkward. He spoke in Eastern language so Gaoalkana could not understand.
“There is much discontent from the Duchy of Runoa side. I was told something once, it seemed they were plotting something. There may be trouble. . .”
“I see.”
Johan nodded. The Duchy of Runoa was one of the petty kingdoms near Vynashchtym. Though called a duchy, they were more like centaurs or nomadic tribes who had settled under Vynashchtym’s influence.
In short, they were as militant and rough as eastern warriors!
They could not be compared to western principality.
“I swear on my name that. . .”
“I trust you. No need to say more.”
Reassured by Johan’s guarantee, Lumahr nodded in relief. Even for him, revealing this was quite stressful. He would not have spoken up if not for Barhan.
After ending the long conversation and leaving with Gaoalkana, Lumahr let out a sigh, relaxing from the tension. It had been a devilish day.
“Barhan-nim. Please be honest with me. How on earth did you teach him?”
“It’s a secret.”
“. . . . . .”
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After finishing his report to the emperor, Johan increased security and put people from the principality in the capital under surveillance.
“What do you think about the Duchy of Runoa?”
“Barbarians?”
“. . . Never say that in front of people from the principality.”
The bear beastmen of the principality were warriors as aggressive and brutal as the centaurs. They wanted more gold, more supplies for fighting for Vynashchtym.
‘𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵.’
The emperor delegated full authority to Johan, and Johan was lost in thought about what to do.
He wanted to call the people of the duchy into the capital and punish them, but then even those without complaints would start complaining. . .
“I have a good idea.”
“?”
“The duke’s son will soon come up to Vynashchtym. Let’s catch him then and hold him responsible.”
“. . . That’s also a way to get even those without complaints to complain.”
The surrounding duchies and petty kingdoms periodically sent nobles and royalty to confirm their relationship with Vynashchtym. They served as both hostages and envoys.
But meeting them in person to check their level of dissatisfaction, what they want, whether we can compromise, etc. was still a good idea even if they don’t capture and interrogate them. That kind of information was important.
“I guess he wouldn’t dislike hunting? I should take the opportunity to meet him while hunting.”
“!”
Gaoalkana’s face lit up. She was happy not because of the hunting itself, but because Johan was going out.
Because of potential dangers, Johan had forbidden Gaoalkana from sneaking out at night. From Gaoalkana’s perspective, it was incredibly frustrating.
“You can ride well, right? No, now that I think about it, of course you can.”
“. . . Are you going out too?”
“Wouldn’t he be so touched if the emperor herself came out to welcome him? We should take advantage of that.”
“We don’t necessarily have to move him. . . Gaïaros is the one who likes hunting, not you.”
“Gaïaros likes the military, not hunting. Don’t lie and say you don’t want to go.”
Gaoalkana made a sullen expression.
“Then at least station few guards near my quarters tonight.”
“. . . . . .”
“I don’t plan on sneaking out. Anyway, when there are a lot of people around, I can’t sleep deeply. If I do sneak out, feel free to hit me with a rod. I swear!”
“All right, I’ll allow it.”
At Johan’s words, Gaoalkana’s face brightened. She hugged Johan and kissed his cheek.
And that night, Gaoalkana, about to sneak out in dark clothing, came face to face in the corridor with Johan holding a rod.
“. . .”
“. . .”
“You won’t really hit me with the rod, right?”
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“Your excellency. An amazing thing has happened.”
“Oh. . . Did you really find a sponsor?”
Johan looked at Jyanina in surprise. To be honest, he didn’t have high expectations. Given the language barrier and the questionable nature of magic related to monsters.
But with a reaction like that. . .
Jyanina nodded with a confident expression.
“He came over as soon as he heard what I had to say?”
“You’re sure the interpreter didn’t mess up the translation?”
“. . . . . .”
“I’m joking. Well done. So what did he ask you to do?”
“To demonstrate my abilities in front of master.”
“Who is this person?”
“From the Duchy of Runoa.”
“. . . . . .”