๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง (2)
The envoy returned half-convinced. However, Johan really kept his promise.
As he did not even move to build a camp near the town, public opinion within the religious order also changed rapidly. Johan already had considerable trust built up within the religious order.
โ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง’๐ญ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ, ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ก?
โ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. ๐๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐จ๐ง๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ.
โ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ซ!
There was a long history of bad blood between the religious order and Cardiria.
The order had always tried to increase the authority and rights it held within the Empire, starting with ordainment rights. The various rights held by the bishops could not be handed over to the greedy Emperor.
The Emperor could not have looked kindly on such attempts. To the Emperor, the order was merely an ornament that supported his authority and provided justification for his rule, nothing more. It was only natural that he would not appreciate their continued vocalization.
There had been a time in the past when the Emperor himself led an army right up to the gates of the Papal See, such was the depth of discord between them.
โ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ! ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง!
โ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ง’๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ?
While the Emperor was distracted, the religious order was doing whatever it wanted, even ignoring the Emperor’s request to excommunicate the rebellious nobles. From the Emperor’s perspective, they would surely seem like the enemy.
It would make things much easier if he could capture the Pope and bishops and install his own people.
โ๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก. . .
โ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ. ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ.”
While there were differing opinions, they were unified in agreeing that, even if it proved fruitless, the order should make preparations in advance.
Hearing the news, Johan heaved a sigh of relief. There were few things more frustrating than stupid allies when fighting together. He was fortunate that the other side had listened.
‘๐๐บ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ฉ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฆ.’
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
Although he had set up a camp and stopped, there was still work to be done. An army is like a living organism that is constantly moving even when left alone.
Johan set up a camp along the river. If there was one thing that impressed Johan in Vynashchtym, it was their fortification skills. The elite soldiers of Vynashchtym built fortifications much faster and sturdier than mercenaries digging trenches and setting up defenses.
The knowledge he had learned there was also evident in setting up the current camp.
“Your excellency. We have received permission from the Order.”
“Finally? That’s a relief.”
Johan was glad to hear that he could bring some of the soldiers into the Order’s fiefdom. He planned to send knights and sub-captains to take care of defense and reconnaissance.
Unless there was a special purpose, there was no need to gather many personnel in one place. It was better to divide them appropriately and scatter them for supplies and combat.
An army in this era was just a loose cluster of dozens or hundreds of groups. Since the enemies could not charge all at once, the allies had to prepare accordingly.
Since knights also participated in battles with their soldiers, it would be sufficient help just to position them at key locations.
“Go north along the highway. There is a small castle nearby, so defend using that castle if needed. Report the number of enemies that appear, no matter how many there are.”
“Yes, your excellency. I will not disappoint you!”
After giving orders to some knights, Johan himself moved with the elite troops. His own eyes were always the best.
“Fortunately, the atmosphere does not seem too bad.”
“There are benefits to gaining trust.”
Suetlg nodded at Johan’s words. No one would be unafraid when over a hundred armed heavy infantry passed by.
However, the villagers did not seem too frightened, just cautious. Thanks to Count Yeats’ flag.
There could be no easier way to earn cooperation in the region. Johan stayed and enjoyed the enthusiastic hospitality of the village chief.
“But my dear.”
“?”
“What if the enemies do not come?”
“. . .”
In fact, it was more problematic if the enemy did not come than if they came. Johan was quite embarrassed.
Of course, given Johan’s position, he would not be mocked, but it would have been better if they came. That way Johan’s suffering would have been recognized.
“Hmm. Bluea-gong made a perceptive point.”
โCaenerna is not. . . the type of person to betray. . .โ
“Even if she is not the type to betray, she could still make a mistake. She could have been deceived.”
“Caenerna is not even Jyanina. . .”
Although Johan spoke like that, his voice was completely deflated. Iselia, thinking she had spoken nonsense, fretted trying to comfort Johan.
โI-Itโs alright. My dear. Even prophets make mistakes occasionally. Even if that happens, I think it’s thanks to you that the invaders could not come.”
“Thank you, Iselia.”
“If anyone insults you for this, I will challenge them to a duel.”
Johan changed the subject, pretending not to hear.
“. . .Just in case, it would be good to prepare some excuses or explanations.”
“It should be enough just to subdue some monsters or rogue gangs. From what I’ve seen, the Order people will be satisfied with just that.”
With the persuasive power of the Order combined with Johan’s reputation, even raiding a goblin lair could be turned into a heroic legend.
Of course, Johan would not boast about raiding a goblin lair, but. . .
‘. . .๐๐ด ๐ถ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ?’
Using Jyanina’s skills to somehow disguise a manticore corpse and. . .
“Count! Count!”
“?”
Hearing the desperate cries from outside, Johan turned his head. A serf holding a torch was desperately shouting in the darkness.
“Honorable and faithful Count Yeats, I beg you to listen to me. . .”
“Catch him! Fool!”
“Marak, who is this guy trying to catch! Stay still!”
Before his subordinates could even move, the villagers came running hastily and grabbed the serf.
It was quite rude to just run up to a nobleman and make a request, but more than that, this was not even Count Yeats’ fiefdom.
It was inappropriate in itself to plead for help from a count who was not their lord, and it could insult their own master’s dignity.
Why ask another count for help when they have a perfectly fine master?
“That’s enough. Let’s hear what he has to say.”
Johan gestured to the village chief. The young count’s attitude reassured the village chief for now. He did not seem annoyed or irritated at the disruption of his rest.
“It’s really nothing much. It’s just some local rogues, our feudal lord will soon take care of them.”
“If that were really so, would there be any reason to shout so desperately?”
“. . .”
“Give him some liquor. It’ll loosen his tongue. I won’t forgive any more interference.”
Unexpectedly, Johan was even more cordial. After some drinks, the serf seemed to gain some courage. He babbled on about the rogues he encountered while herding pigs.
“As soon as they saw me, they shot arrows at me! After that I was too scared to even enter the woods. . .”
“Didn’t you hire any mercenaries?”
Whenever there are monsters, rogues or too many mercenaries near a town, isn’t it common to hire more mercenaries? The village chief looked embarrassed as he said:
“We sent them twice but both times they did not return. . .”
“I see.”
Johan nodded.
He was rather bored of visiting around and just waiting to be treated. This was good timing. Not only would he get to express his thanks, cutting off several necks would also serve as a good excuse later.
Even if he claimed to have driven off the mercenaries, it was obvious these villagers did not have the means to afford decent quality mercenaries. No matter how many rogues there were, they would melt away when facing Johan’s elites.
“It’ll be a hunt at dawn. Let’s take a look at the faces hiding in the woods!”
Hearing Johan’s shout, his subordinates cheered loudly. The serfs seemed stunned, unable to even lift their heads.
“M-My lord Count. To trouble his lordship the Count with such nuisance. . . Our feudal lord will. . .”
“I’ll explain it to your feudal lord. As a knight I cannot bear to stand still when facing enemies, he’ll understand.”
Iselia nodded. Johan’s words completely resonated with her.
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ
“How boring.”
“Go to sleep.”
“I just stretched out and slept a while ago.”
“Sleep more. Once you start moving, you won’t be able to sleep even if you want to.”
“What nonsense. . .”
The rogues grumbled as they rolled old bone dice. There were many things they had to give up when they abandoned the town and hid in the forest. One of them was comfort.
Their bodies grew restless as they had to keep waiting in the forest to divide up their shares and head into town or the city.
“But that job the captain brought in, is it really true?”
“You doubt the captain?”
“No. . . Why would a well-off noble give us something like that when they have hundreds of soldiers?”
“Sometimes a quiet blade that can be used without a sound is necessary.”
The rogues were decently successful former mercenaries. Their captain was even acquainted with some lower nobles.
After some trouble, they made a living as rogues. One day, the rogue captain came back with an excited look on his face and shouted.
โ๐๐ญ’๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐!
โ๐๐ก? ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐?
โ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง.
โ๐๐ก๐, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ??
โ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐. ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ.
Mereine City, one of the cities in the northern part of the peninsula, had amassed enormous wealth through the trade of textiles and wool. The observant rogue captain recognized the origin at a glance.
โ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง’๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ง๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง, ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐?
โ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ. ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ!
The reason didn’t matter to the rogues. The point was they could raid some easy towns and receive more gold coins. Any loot they got while raiding was a bonus.
“Wait. I hear something.”
A shrill sound was heard from afar. It was the sound when something got caught in their traps.
“A boar must have gotten caught!”
“Our captain has great skills. Let’s go.”
“Bring it back neatly.”
The rogues praised their captain’s skill and ran over. The rogue captain had been a hunter and served as a soldier before. He had many skills. Especially, his trap skills made it difficult for anyone to carelessly step foot in this forest.
In the past, he had caught eight pursuers with his traps alone.
“. . .?”
What burst out from the bushes wasn’t a boar, but a well-dressed young noble. The young noble was intrigued by the trap, turning it over in his hands.
“Kill him!”
The rogues followed orders and pulled out their short swords, moving to strike the young noble’s head.
โ๐๐ข๐ช๐ต, ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ด ๐ง๐ช๐ณ๐ด๐ต!โ
It would be such a waste to just kill a noble!
๐๐ก๐ฐ๐๐๐ค!
With a dull thud, the sword in their hand disappeared. The rogues blinked, looking baffled.
What just happened?
“Are you rogues who have been committing murder, pillage, rape, arson, and theft in this forest?”
“Uh. . .”
That was when the rogues noticed their surroundings. Dozens of heavily armed infantry were coldly staring at them. They were decked out in mismatched gear, while the rogues were thinly equipped after their long life on the run.
“The count asked you a question!”
“!!!”
Violence rained down immediately. The soldiers gagged the rogues and beat them. While the men were being beaten up nicely, Johan looked over the traps.
โ๐๐ถ๐ช๐ต๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐บ.โ
If Hunter Joseph saw this, he would have laughed. Just in case, he purposely triggered it to make a sound. He didn’t expect something to get caught so perfectly.
He was lucky he didn’t have to search the forest. Johan threw away the trap and turned his gaze.
“Remove their gags.”
“Urk, count, Count. I, I didn’t know it was you, please forgive my rudeness. . .”