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𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬 (1)
“Don’t talk nonsense! That can’t be possible! Are you saying that His Majesty lost??”
Due to the shocking news, the expressions of those present were filled with confusion.
The elven knights reacted most sensitively to the news.
It was unbelievable to them that their young king personally led the army and was defeated.
‘𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵. . .’
And Johan was the one who accepted the situation fastest. While it was shocking and unbelievable, denying reality wouldn’t change anything.
I wish it was just a rumor, but I had to accept it as the truth and think about it.
“Let’s hypothetically assume the emperor miraculously won. How would the situation change?”
“First of all, our Free City is in danger, Your Excellency!”
Even though Johan didn’t ask Adviko specifically, he was the first to step forward. Adviko was the most eager.
After switching from the emperor faction to the church faction, he had been wielding the iron fist to demonstrate his loyalty.
In order to survive, he had captured some people the emperor had sent and offered them to Johan, and executed some emperor faction members in the city. . .
Aside from the defeat in battle, Adviko had accumulated a lot of grudges. Even if the brutal emperor didn’t try to kill him, other nobles under him would seek revenge.
“You are exaggerating too much.”
“That’s right. There are mountains in between and the southern nobles won’t simply let it happen either.”
However, the church faction nobles did not agree with Adviko’s words. In the first place, whether Adviko perished or the city burned down, it was not a big issue for them.
Realizing they were nonchalant, Adviko panicked. He shouted desperately.
“No! Your Excellency! Even though there are mountains in between, they can bypass and advance from the west without much difficulty! Hasn’t this happened several times before?! And even if some southern feudal lords of the Empire remain, after such a major defeat they won’t have the courage to make a move for a while either! After this coming winter passes,
the emperor will send an army to this city! Please consider this seriously!”
“Alright, calm down first.”
What Adviko said was not wrong. They could simply march around the mountains instead of crossing over them. The cities around there were Empire cities for now, so they would not obstruct the emperor. Moreover, right after the emperor had claimed a great victory, they would be even more cautious.
With the spoils of war he had gained, even if the southern feudal lords resisted, hiring a new army to send to the city would be very possible.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦.’
Most of all, if this Free City was occupied, it would inevitably make the church and Johan feel uneasy. It could serve as a bridgehead for the emperor’s army to descend at any time.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘺𝘴. . .’
When the enemy army had advanced to the heart of the church lands, it was easy to gather allies, but the current situation was different from that time.
It was also unclear whether the emperor would invade or not, but most of all, this was not an issue right in front of their own fiefdoms. It seemed unlikely that the participating feudal lords would listen.
‘𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳. . .’
“Your Excellency. If you fight, I will join you.”
“?!”
Johan was surprised by the sudden words of the noble.
What?
“Ah. Are you after money?”
I would understand if he was after gold. Not only penniless knights were after gold. Among feudal lords, there were many who were poor and deep in debt.
Although he obtained quite a bit of gold from this victory, the extravagance of the nobles was enough to startle even Johan. It was understandable that they would step forward for more coins.
. . .However, Johan’s thoughts were off the mark.
“Your Excellency seems to be worried about respecting the face and rights of the nobles here. But at least for me, I owe my life twice over to Your Excellency. Even though You told me not to worry about it, I want to repay Your Excellency’s grace if possible. If Your Excellency wishes, I will lead my soldiers to serve in the military.”
“. . .?!”
Johan was surprised and looked at the baron. He was always disobeying orders, charging ahead on his own, climbing up Dwarf Mountains only to get surrounded, and doing all sorts of exasperating things. But speaking with such sincerity made him seem like a different person.
It is more effective when someone who doesn’t usually act like this shows their good side.
The elf knights who were listening were moved and applauded.
“So there is a noble here who values honor!”
“When I return to my fiefdom, I must speak of the baron’s honorable name!”
As the elf knights sang his praises, the baron waved his hand in embarrassment. His actions were modest but his face looked quite pleased.
Influenced by this, the other nobles followed suit. Whether they genuinely thought so or were just reading the atmosphere, they swore from their seats that they too would serve in the military if Johan wished.
“Staking the honor and name of my house, I will follow behind Your Excellency the Count to fight the rebels!”
Seeing the nobles one by one drawing their swords to swear their oaths, Suetlg whispered to Johan in an admiring voice.
“No matter what, I thought they put up with your personality well, but was this your plan? I’m truly impressed.”
“. . .Who would plan something like this? It’s just a coincidence.”
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The city people prayed the rumors of the emperor’s victory were false. Although it was Adviko’s doing, if the emperor’s army comes, things will not end with his neck, so. . .
The emperor’s army will not be as honorable as the Order’s army.
However, despite such prayers, the rumors became more solid and began to have a sense of reality. The emperor’s victory was heard from various sources such as merchants who came down from there, additionally sent people, and trustworthy messengers.
“It was said to be three to four times as many, no? How did he win?”
According to the rumors, the army personally led by the emperor was around ten thousand. The combined forces of the allied forces they faced were said to be thirty to forty thousand.
Thirty to forty thousand. It was an unimaginable scale. Literally scraping together all their power to finish off the emperor.
“Cardirian. . .when he was young he was a formidable commander. When I was young, related rumors would sprout up one by one every time I woke up.”
“Didn’t they say he was old and sick?”
“That’s true. I guess there must have been an excellent commander among the lower nobles.”
Separate from the shock Johan received, Suetlg was not that surprised. More precisely, it was closer to believing in Johan.
To be honest, Johan seemed stranger to Suetlg. Johan was a knight who could stack up achievements like Cardirian if given the opportunity.
“Since he won the battle, more mercenaries will be hired and defecting nobles will appear. I don’t know how many there will be.”
The Order’s army led by Johan now was about five thousand. Even if they sent all the mercenaries from the fiefs, it would not have been easy to reach ten thousand.
For Johan to expand the scale here, he had to make a resolution and uproot the pillars.
“Don’t worry too much. There’s some good news too.”
“?”
“For one, the Elf King was not captured.”
“It’s a relief at least.”
If the Elf King had been captured, the kingdom’s army would have been as good as deserted. The Elf King had succeeded in retreating with the army.
“While the southern feudal lords’ defeat must hurt, things won’t collapse immediately. The western feudal lords are still intact, so they will somehow find a way.”
Suetlg’s prediction fell strangely in place.
As the first snow began to fall, a delegation arrived from the Empire.
It was a delegation sent by Count Jarpen and Count Abner.
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Some members of the envoy were acquainted with Johan. It was natural since it was a fiefdom Johan had visited during his wandering days. However, they did not show it and acted with utmost courtesy.
It was understandable given their regretful position. If they accidentally offended Johan and something went wrong, they would have no way to take responsibility.
“I see. So we really lost.”
After hearing the accurate report from the envoys, Johan frowned.
The emperor precisely stabbed the loose allied forces’ negligence. The emperor’s troops, who attacked at night after a long march, completely crushed the exhausted allied forces.
In the darkness where one couldn’t see an inch ahead, the spread chaos and fear caused a chain reaction, and the nobles started fleeing without seeing who went first, taking their banners.
When morning came, only corpses remained on the battlefield.
“So why did the two counts send a letter?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. My master wishes to propose an alliance.”
Johan was not very surprised. The envoys who came all the way would not just greet him and leave.
From the position of feudal lords who would have to face the emperor’s sword if left alone, bringing in more allies was essential. And there was no nobleman more suitable for that than Johan.
He’s young yet highly reputed, with a record of having crossed swords with the emperor.
Rather, they called him too late. The reason there had been no contact so far was probably. . .
‘𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳.’
Johan had shown himself to be excessively faithful and loyal to the Order. Such an attitude would usually earn respect from other nobles, but the story was a bit different in situations like war.
The empire’s feudal lords disliked the tyrant-like emperor, but they didn’t like the Order’s power growing too strong either.
However, as the situation became urgent, even the nobles who had opposed called whoever they could if an alliance was possible.
“Here is a gift my master sent.”
As the box opened, gold shone brightly. It was a gift that had to be sent from the side proposing an alliance. Although the people present held their breath at the dazzling gold coins and gem-studded jewelry, Johan’s pupils were not looking at them.
‘𝘏𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵!’
The envoy couldn’t help but admire internally. He had seen Johan at his fiefdom a few years ago. At that time, he was truly a young knight that the expression bluer than blue would suit.
However, Johan had now become a nobleman equipped with dignity and grace. Even while sitting, he overwhelmed the nearby nobles with his gaze alone.
Johan was so composed that the expensive gifts brought felt humiliating. Forgetting the valuables, Johan pondered deeply over the current situation.
Should they fight now? Or evade with time as a barrier together with others?
‘𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.’
Johan seemed to understand why the emperor was trying to strike the Order first and the other nobles first like a crazy b*stard.
When resentment built up between them, the peace between the two sides became meaningless. Even if the other side said they wouldn’t attack, one side couldn’t believe it.
It was better to fight together while the empire’s feudal lords had not yet lost their fighting spirit than to kneel before the emperor’s troops first and fight after they came down south.
Those gathered held their breath and waited only for Johan’s reply.
“I accept the proposal. Let’s fight together! Let’s bring Cardirian down, who blasphemed God and smeared the honor of nobles!”
The elven knights responded first with cheers. Then, other nobles also pulled out their swords, raised them up high.
Thus, the expeditionary force marching north to the Empire was formed.
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“The Allied forces are gathered near the city of Lebuten now.”
There were set places suitable for the main forces. Originally an emperor’s city, Lebuten was now occupied by the anti-emperor faction.
Close to the west of the Empire and not too far from Count Abner’s fiefdom, Lebuten was a good place for the main forces to be stationed.
“The nearby situation is chaotic, I think we need to pay attention to the direction of advance as well.”
“Yes. We plan to go up to Lebuten through Parre. The feudal lord of Parre is a feudal lord affiliated with the Allied forces, so it will be easy to supply.”
The Allied forces also took the path that went around the mountain range. Although there are cities nearby, they are not so stupid or brave enough to charge in blindly, so there was no particular problem on the road.
The fight began when they entered the territory of the Empire.
“. . . . . .”
“. . . . . .”
And what greeted the Allied forces when they arrived in Parre was a castle that was about to fall.