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𝐌𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 (2)
The mountain range of Mairene was one of the main reasons why it could become one of the most influential free cities amidst the power struggles between the Empire and the Order.
With its rare medicinal herbs and animal fur from the mountains, along with precious metal mines.
‘𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘣.’
“Do even herbalists, miners. . .and merchants go up the mountains?”
“There must be small pioneer villages scattered across the mountains. They probably go there to deliver goods. They won’t haggle over prices when money is flowing.”
“Despite the occasional monsters, I’m envious there’s such a mountain range.”
“Now, now. Don’t be too envious. Your fiefdom also has potential. It could become one of the most prominent cities in the region within ten years.”
It wasn’t just to raise Johan’s spirits. Suetlg saw great potential in Johan’s direct territory as well.
Johan’s fief was situated amidst bustling trade by the sea routes. Merchants from all over were already staying in the built guild halls.
“Compared to Your Excellency the Count’s territory, it’s just a tiny place.”
Adviko desperately tried to get on Johan’s good side as he led the army towards the city. He kept brown-nosing all the while.
“Hmm. . . It doesn’t look that small to me. . . So how’s the atmosphere in the city?”
“You may enter right away.”
Luckily for Adviko, fortune was on his side. Word of his defeat in battle had reached the city, but Adviko’s political opponents did not react swiftly.
Doubting the rumors and fighting amongst themselves on what to do, they wasted time and were unable to prepare properly.
As a result, Adviko’s position and powers remained as they were. Adviko used that to easily open the city gates.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘈 𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩.’
The more he fought, the more he wanted to avoid fighting. And an arduous battle like breaching walls even more so.
“If you wish, you may enter at the very front carrying the banner.”
“No. I will enter under the Order’s banner.”
“Huh? Are you. . . as you wish.”
Adviko almost blurted something out before stopping himself. Johan knew what he was thinking.
‘𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳.’
Nobles lacking in faith were not a rare existence. Especially so for nobles from cities with pragmatic and independent tendencies.
From Adviko’s perspective, why earn accolades and cede the honor to the Church? When he could proudly strut at the forefront instead.
But to Johan who used the Church as his shield, he could only scoff.
Why don’t others do the same when they can gain such a shield with a little display of faith?
“Open the gates!”
“Open the gates!”
As Adviko said, the gates opened easily. Paladins and priests from the Order went ahead carrying banners.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘺.’
From atop the walls to the city gates, all the city folk watched the nobles’ army with eyes filled with fear and wariness.
A natural reaction towards an external army.
With the battle having ended not long ago, it would be no surprise if they turned into plunderers and razed the city.
‘𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭.’
Luckily, Johan had some experience in this area. There were a few methods to put the cowering city folk at ease.
“Raise the banners higher!”
“Yes!”
“. . .”
Of course, the other nobles enthusiastically raised the banners high. As if to warn the people watching from the walls, they puffed up their chests and raised their swords.
Seeing that, Johan’s mood lightened.
‘𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘳 𝘣*𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘩*𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴.’
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Soldiers brought by nobles were deployed throughout the city, and Adviko’s work began amidst the chaos.
He wanted to carry the soldiers on his back, call the rebels, stab himself with a sword, but if he did that, a rebellion would break out immediately. The city nobles also have brains and swords.
Slowly, steadily, manufacture conspiracy and accusations to overwhelm, assimilate those who can be assimilated. . .
Of course, in this process, resentment against Adviko, who is imposing a reign of terror despite being defeated, will build up like a river, but he couldn’t afford to worry about that yet.
“Hey, that Empire guy over there! Hey, that Empire guy!”
“Don’t let him get away!”
The centaurs charged with whips in their hands.
It turned out to be the envoys of the Empire who were startled and trying to escape the city, not expecting the allied forces of the Order to occupy the city.
The lowly merchants and the like could just be left alone, but the envoys with some status couldn’t.
“I told you I was coming here, right? Hand over the bet necklace.”
“Ah. . . why did this jerk come this way?”
Thanks to those who were hiding in the city and trying to escape secretly, the centaurs were having as much fun as hunting.
“You barbarians! Do you know who I am!”
“Wouldn’t he be worth gold coins if offered to the Count? Shut your mouth and stay still unless you want to be dragged away missing a body part somewhere.”
The belligerent nature of the centaurs was well known even in the Empire. The captured envoy was scared silent.
“Wait. Aren’t those knights over there? Why are you guys chasing them with mercenaries?”
“???”
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Johan was puzzled at the sight of the nobles who came to the luxurious mansion where he was resting.
“What’s the matter?”
“Your Excellency Count. We heard that there are indeed many enemies in this city.”
From rogues to monsters flowing from the mountains. There was a reason why there were many mercenaries in the city.
“That’s understandable.”
‘𝘋𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮?’
Johan thought to himself but did not say it out loud. The Castellan of Duino, pleased with Johan’s affirmation, smiled and said,
“As a proper responsibility of a noble who has planted a flag, we intend to hire mercenaries to suppress the monsters.”
“Oh. Is that hiring done with your silver?”
“No, Your Excellency. Of course, it must be provided by Adviko-gong.”
“. . . . . .”
For the first time, Johan sympathized with Adviko. While he was squeezing his coffers to prepare ransom and bounties, the allied nobles who flocked in were even threatening to pay for hiring mercenaries.
But for the nobles it was a matter of course. Why should they pay for the sake of the city?
“Will Your Excellency join us too?”
“I think I should let my soldiers rest a bit.”
Johan glanced at Bishop Baek, one of the people who came with him, who seemed most likely to understand. Unlike other feudal lords, he was a feudal lord rooted in the religious order from the beginning, so he had no choice but to understand.
“Hiring mercenaries to crack down on monsters. Is that really necessary?”
“No, Your Excellency. Is it not the natural duty of the faithful to drive away evil monsters and save innocent lambs?”
While the other nobles were burning with a desire for honor, Bishop Baek was burning with zeal for his faith.
‘𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳.’
“. . .I see. I hope it goes well.”
Johan did not feel the need to intervene, so he did not participate, but in fact there was no harm in such an crackdown.
One of the most common activities nobles do to demonstrate their authority to serfs is monster suppression. The very act of warriors hunting monsters and returning carried great symbolic power.
It would be no different in the city. If the crackdown was successful, the anxiety and vigilance of the city people would surely decrease.
Of course, the money to hire the mercenaries would come out of Adviko’s pocket. . .
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“A lowly mercenary is destroying the city!”
The nobles gathered in the luxurious mansion shouted with anger in their voices. The lowly mercenary they were referring to was Adviko. They were ridiculing the fact that his ancestor was a mercenary captain.
They could tolerate him unilaterally joining hands with the emperor and starting a war, but seeing him arrogantly waving his sword after failing made the nobles’ anger reach its limit.
“Let’s kill him!”
“Yesterday, the representative of the fur guild had his assets confiscated and was exiled. He said he would expel anyone who doesn’t listen to him! If we leave him be, we’ll end up like that.”
“But doesn’t he have the church’s army behind him?”
One of the city nobles spoke fearfully. With the church’s army present in various parts of the city, if they killed Adviko, the enraged army might burn down the city.
“No need to worry. I’ve looked into what’s going on! Adviko doesn’t have a close relationship with the church.”
“Is that really true?”
“Yes! How could someone who raised an army to kidnap the Pope initially have a good relationship with them. They probably appeased them with excuses to wait for compensation and ransom money.”
The city noble’s speculation was quite accurate. While the church’s army was behind Adviko, they were not people Adviko could order around.
“The church occupation army won’t go wild just because Adviko dies. We can negotiate compensation and ransom after killing Adviko and his clan.”
At those words, the atmosphere began to heat up. They plotted how to kill Adviko. Fortunately, there were many skilled mercenaries in the city.
“Wait. I have something to say.”
“What is it?”
“Shouldn’t we be careful of Count Yeats instead? I’ve heard rumors he’s no ordinary knight.”
“Ah.”
Some city nobles nodded their heads as if they knew. It was inevitable for rumors to spread about such battles.
People glanced over curiously. Among them were some who had met Johan when he entered the city.
“Didn’t you say you’ve met him before? What was he like?”
Those asking the question imagined a rough, beastly knight covered in scars, growling with each breath, an experienced veteran knight.
That seemed to fit the rumors.
“He was quite friendly and sincere?”
“. . . . . .”
“. . .What?”
At their colleague’s words, the other city nobles were dumbfounded. What kind of nonsense was he spewing?
“Don’t tell me you received something from him?”
“W-What are you implying. Take that back immediately!”
“Now, now. That was too harsh. But you should explain properly too.”
“He really was a nice guy, what do you want me to say! Do you want me to lie?!”
The city noble raised his voice as if wronged. He was the one who went to meet the Count with gifts to find out what kind of person he was.
Rather than accept gifts, Johan had told him to donate them to a nearby temple and gave him a precious gift instead. It was kindness that the city noble could not help but be swayed by.
“I’ve heard Count Yeats is a great knight. But we’re trying to kill Adviko, not the Count.”
“I agree. Isn’t it enough to just have one excellent archer or musketeer?”
“I’ll find a skilled mercenary. Now, let’s all swear secrecy before God.”
The city nobles swore to keep the secret and fueled their determination.
Hiring ten people, even one success would send Adviko to the afterlife!
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As the nobles were hiring mercenaries and the city nobles were also hiring mercenaries, Johan was dealing with Empire side prisoners in the city.
Johan visited the mansion where those captured stayed every day and talked to them. Even though he could have just ordered them to come or just relayed the news, Johan did not do that.
There was no better opportunity to show off than this.
“Count, Your Excellency. Are you coming again? If you had sent someone, I would have gone. . .”
“That wouldn’t do. Even though I was fortunate enough to capture you as a prisoner, I cannot arbitrarily give orders to a knight like you.”
Of course, he had never heard the name even when he was in the Empire, but Johan nodded as if he had heard it a lot. The other party was at a loss for what to do.
Johan maintained a kind and gentle smile and continued speaking.
“You must know very well that Cardirian’s power will not last long. It will soon collapse. What elector would listen to his words.”
“But, but. . .”
“I’m so angry that a knight like you is fighting under such a dishonorable tyrant!”