𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 (8)
“Why don’t we try to catch one more? It would be a sin to let this skill go to waste.”
“But I think one is enough. . .”
“Don’t say that. Here.”
Johan gestured. The centaurs grunted lowly in Eastern Language and ran off to find new prey.
The royal, who had been uncertain earlier, now seemed to have gained some confidence.
When you keep getting praised from those around you, even a calm person tends to perk up. Moreover, Johan’s skill at roasting humans had risen since coming to Vynashchtym.
The royal blew out a breath and nodded. Judging by his facial expression alone, he was the very image of a knight about to charge.
“Here they come charging again. But look – that one’s younger and fiercer than the last, so it’ll be harder to hit.”
“I. . . I see. Then I have no choice.”
“But with Your Highness’s skill, perhaps. . . you may be able to hit it. Give it a shot. Even if you miss, that can’t be helped.”
As if spellbound, the royal nodded and fired another arrow. Of course, with the centaurs madly driving the prey so it couldn’t escape, there was no way he could miss.
“Bullseye!”
“Amazing! To think you’d be able to hit even that one. When we go back west, I must speak your name!”
“There’s. . . there’s no need to go that far.”
The royal flushed shyly. He already knew Sir Johan was an exceptional knight.
The rumors of him bursting the heads of pagans like ripe fruit could not be ignored no matter how hard one tried.
A great knight like him wouldn’t tell lies. What he was saying now was surely from the heart.
‘𝘈𝘮 𝘐. . . 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭?’
Although he had lain indolently in luxurious palaces for most of his life, hunting awakened man’s most primal desires. The royal gripped his bow tightly and said,
“I’ll show you once more. Count!”
“Oh my. There can’t be much game left in the forest for the hunters to take.”
“Uhaahahaha! What a jest!”
The centaurs charged out, glaring at the clueless whelp. . .
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
Johan worked really hard to entertain the nobles. Not only the centaurs but Karamaf also had to run through the forest and herd the prey.
The nobles were such bad shots that they used a method to exhaust the prey. The nobles didn’t really understand why the prey came running to them and suddenly collapsed.
“Your excellency, don’t you think it’s going a bit too far to make the prey collapse for your excellency to shoot them?”
“They won’t notice anyway.”
“I think some of the guards have noticed. . .”
“If they care about their lives, they won’t say anything. Bring me another prey.”
“. . . . . .”
Later when it got tedious, Johan knocked down the prey with his fist and then brought the nobles to shoot them.
The nobles didn’t seem to think that Johan had knocked down the prey with his fist. They were thrilled to grab their bows and shoot.
Some of the guards in the back had expressions like ‘𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. . . 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘵?’ ‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?’ but if they didn’t want to die, they wouldn’t bring that up to their master.
“Shouldn’t this be something I learn instead of something Johan does?”
Gaoalkana looked at Johan as if it was absurd. She knew he was a great knight but today’s hospitality was on another level.
Look!
Those arrogant, cocky nobles had completely melted expressions as they gingerly spoke to Johan. Anyone who saw them would think they were lovers.
“I just put in some effort.”
“Is that what you call effort? They are my clan but have awful temperaments, especially towards outsiders.”
The Holy Empire was especially an object of love-hate for Vynashchtym. The collisions in their long history had instilled in the people of Vynashchtym a compulsion that they could not lose to the people of the Holy Empire.
It was absurd in itself for a Vynashchtym noble to fawn over an outside noble like that, but even more absurd that he was from the Holy Empire.
But the nobles who attended this hunt seemed to have forgotten all that and were completely drunk on glory.
The words they had heard from other nobles before coming here, like ‘𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭,’ had long disappeared from their memory.
“The sun hasn’t set yet. Can’t we catch one more? Huh, Count?”
“Barfolos. Haven’t you already caught three?”
“Are you jealous of what I’ve caught now? Could it be because I’m taking the greatest glory?”
“What did you say? This brat has no shame. Do you know who you’re in front of. . .”
“Now, now. Don’t fight. There’s still plenty of prey, we can catch more tomorrow.”
When Johan intervened, the nobles stopped bickering. Johan called each noble by name, talked about the prey they caught, and showered them with compliments.
“I’m ashamed to say I misunderstood you, Count.”
“Did you now?”
After the hunt ended and during the modest banquet held in the tents in the evening, the youngest royal (though much older than Johan) whispered to Johan.
“The others were talking behind the count’s back. . . Ah. I didn’t.”
“Of course I believe in the count. There is no knight as excellent as him who would lie.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Anyway, those who insult a knight like the Count should be ashamed of themselves.”
“Wait. I didn’t either.”
Another royal who was listening nearby chimed in quietly. Johan nodded and said,
“There is no honorable knight here who would spread such rumors. Of course not.”
“. . . . . .”
“. . . . . .”
Seeing some royals unable to open their mouths, they seemed a bit pricked. Johan raised his glass and shouted,
“For the dragon bloodline, cheers! For the honor of the excellent knights, cheers!”
“For the Yeats Family, cheers. For our brothers who became the shield of faith, defeating the pagans!”
Soon the atmosphere became amicable and cheerful. Only then Johan was able to sigh in relief. The participation of the royals was unexpected, but it was easier than he thought to butter them up.
Judging by their reaction, they would probably not antagonize Johan even after they left. While not everyone would actively assist, at least some of them would take Johan’s side.
‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴.’
The royals had not been able to correct their chronic drinking habits even from distant fiefs. Although Johan was fine, more than half of the royals already could not hold their heads up.
The glass of the royal who still looked sober was being recklessly filled with wine by Gaoalkana.
There was no better moment to interrogate them when they were so drunk like this.
“Speaking of which. Has anyone approached you?”
“Wha. . . what appr. . .approach?”
“Dissatisfied or needing this count’s help or something. Anything from the Duchy of Runoa?”
“Uh. . . uh-huh. Those bea. . .bear guys. I think they sa. . .something like that. . . Didn’t to me but, uh, other ro. . .royals? They were worrying. But not me! Count! You believe me right? Righ. . .?”
“Of course I believe you. Go to sleep.”
“Yesss, yesss.”
The royal passed out again. Having obtained all he could, Johan was satisfied.
‘𝘐 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘐 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭.’
Going to all those royals would be crazy. They were not united either. If there was only one traitor among them, things could go wrong.
It was enough to subtly convey intentions to an appropriate one or two in advance.
‘𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮.’
It would be easy if he could bring those people from the duchy on a hunt and make them drunk and pliable like these naive royals, but that would not happen.
Should I make them bleed?
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Let’s catch one more before entering the fortress.”
“You punk, what?”
Gaoalkana was dumbfounded, but the obsession of the nobles who had a taste was scary.
He started whining to hunt some more instead of entering the fortress in the distance. Johan didn’t expect this either.
“. . .Well, let’s try to catch some more.”
There was no harm in wandering outside a little more. Of course, the entourage would complain a little, but still.
Johan moved the procession deeper into the forest.
“?”
Karamaf and Cardirian suddenly lifted their heads. And they made an effort to convey their meaning to Johan. It was rare for the two of them to act like this.
“Did a fight break out?”
The two immediately nodded. They were the first to smell the blood scent that Johan hadn’t noticed yet.
The fortress was not very close, but it was not far enough to ignore. There were more good places to go rogue than here. There was no reason to do it in a place like this.
‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦.’
“There seems to be a problem. Protect His Majesty just in case. Officers, come inside!”
“????”
Johan’s sudden order confused the nobles. However, the hospitality that Johan had steadily built up came into play at times like this. Although the nobles were confused, they followed Johan’s words.
“Your Excellency. We didn’t notice it during the reconnaissance. . .?”
“It seems Karamaf’s nose is better than yours. Karamaf, take the lead! We need to find out what’s going on.”
Johan took some agile centaurs and went on a reconnaissance. At times like these, it was faster to see the situation directly and judge.
“. . .!”
The shouting grew louder and louder. It was the kind of sound that could only be made by dozens of banners clashing together. Based on that, it looked like there were at least tens of people.
‘Bear beastmen!’
In the open space where the avenue was, a fierce battle was unfolding. The raiders surrounded the large bear beastmen and pressed them.
At a glance, there were clearly more than a hundred, and although they looked like mercenaries on the outside, they were well equipped and orderly. Although the bear beastmen were also fighting impressively well armed, they seemed disadvantaged being surrounded.
Between the axes swinging, arrows flying, swords breaking, and blood splattering, Johan quickly deliberated and made a judgment.
“Blow the horn! They are the envoys from the duchy!”
If he left them to die because they were troublesome, it would be even more troublesome. Since they came as envoys, they must have decent status in the duchy, and there was a possibility of causing trouble if something happened.
“Retreat, I won’t chase if you retreat!”
“!!!”
Suddenly, a roar came from behind that seemed to slap the ears of the raiders. Even in the midst of the heat of battle, the raiders were surprised and turned their heads.
Could it be reinforcements arrived? Or was it Vynashchtym’s patrol?
“. . .?”
However, what was charging at them was a lone knight. The raiders were dumbfounded and unconsciously burst out laughing.
That was the mercenary’s last laugh in his lifetime. Johan blew the mercenary standing awkwardly at the crossroads to the side as is.
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐝!
Seeing a heavily armed soldier fly away like a scarecrow, the comrade next to him widened his eyes in shock. Cardirian immediately lifted his hooves and slammed the guy’s ribs. Karamaf puffed up his body and jumped among the mercenaries.
Johan held the Giant Slayer in one hand and drew out a longsword. The silver blade flowing with red energy flashed as it reflected the light.
Although it looked like a freakishly large war hammer that one hand wouldn’t be enough to hold, he held it easily in one hand, not looking precarious at all. Rather, a beastly wildness could be felt from that figure.
And that wildness exploded. Johan swung his longsword recklessly, slaughtering those in front of him. Since he was alone, he had no leisure to show mercy to the enemy.
More than cutting down the enemies, he had to inflict damage to their souls. Through several battles, Johan had already learned the trick to collapsing groups. Even if he cut down one guy, he had to instill fear in the dozens around him.
It was a solo charge, yet the mercenaries were pushed back in confusion. If they pulled themselves together, reorganized the formation, and unleashed a barrage of arrows and bolts, it would be easy, but Johan didn’t give them that chance.
𝐖𝐨𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐨━
‘𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦.’
Hearing the sound from behind, Johan felt relieved. It seemed the centaurs who heard the sound were running with all their might.
“Count! I have arrived!”
“. . .!!!!”
For the first time in a while, Johan’s face was filled with astonishment. The nobles were charging even further ahead than the centaurs.