𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 (1)
“I made a mistake.”
Johan reflected. It was rare for him to act rashly out of emotion.
The other was a prisoner of the Elf King and from a prestigious family in the Elf Kingdom. If he punished him hastily, it would only tarnish Johan’s reputation.
“I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
At times like these, he had no choice but to honestly apologize relying on his friendship with the Elf King. Fortunately, he was quite close with the Elf King, so there was a high chance he would let it slide.
“I understand, Count.”
The Elf King nodded and patted Johan on the shoulder, a gesture of understanding.
“. . .?”
Johan was slightly taken aback. He was relieved the king wasn’t angry, but his reaction was a bit unexpected.
What did he understand?
The Elf King wouldn’t know the circumstances involved here. . .
“As a knight, it must have been unbearable to face such a dishonorable man.”
“. . . . . .”
The Elf King figured it out himself.
Even though Sir Karamaf had an infamous reputation, he was still an excellent knight. From the position of a Count who had an official duel with that knight, it must have been difficult to endure a man who insulted and disgraced the honor of the dead.
Yein seemed to think the same. Blood dripping from his nose, he spat blood to the side.
“That wasn’t me. No matter what, why would I do that to Sir Karamaf whom I served?”
“That’s not why I’m doing this.”
“Then why?”
“The people who worked for your family died, didn’t they?”
“That’s why??”
The Elf looked at Johan in genuine bewilderment, as if it made more sense for it to be because of Karamaf.
“. . .Asking for another punch.”
Johan threw another punch. The Elf flew back. The King pretended not to see. And then he said to his guard,
“You didn’t see anything.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
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“I’m so nervous, Caenerna-gong.”
“I understand. But isn’t it inevitable?”
Seeing the nervousness of the new court wizard, Caenerna spoke calmly. Like Caenerna, the court wizard was also gifted in prophecy and had been newly summoned.
The emperor worshipped blood, war, and prophecy. Despite hearing many prophecies and knowing there was unlikely to be much good in them, he occasionally wanted prophecies.
However, to the newly arrived wizard, the atmosphere of the court felt like walking on thin ice. There were rampant rumors that the army led by Karamaf had been defeated.
━𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬!
━𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?
━𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜. . .
━𝐒𝐡𝐡𝐡. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬? 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞.
“Do you really think Karamaf lost?”
“He may have lost.”
“Then what kind of prophecy should I give?”
“I guess we’ll have to say what we see. Are you planning to deceive the prophecy?”
At Caenerna’s words, the wizard shook his head. Deceiving a prophecy was an act that damaged one’s own dignity and distanced oneself from the mystical.
“I know, but still, raising the dead. . .”
“I don’t think he did that.”
“Do you really think so?”
The wizard asked in a relieved voice. Were the sinister rumors circulating in the court just groundless after all?
“Rather than that, I think it’s more likely some kind of golem created with evil magic, using flesh instead of clay.”
“Please. . .please don’t joke around. There’s no way they would do such a thing in this court, right?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
“. . . . . .”
At Caenerna’s words, the wizard unconsciously swallowed his saliva. He was beginning to regret coming here, lured by money.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳.’
Caenerna keenly sensed the flow of power. An increase in mystical energy wasn’t necessarily always a good thing. Especially when it was evil mystical energy like now.
She knew there were suspicious wizards coming and going freely in the emperor’s court. Jyanina was one of them.
But it wasn’t this bad before. The emperor still had some reason left, so he showed considerable restraint when using evil magic. No matter how suspicious the wizards were, if the emperor refused, there was nothing they could do.
However, with each passing day, it felt like the reins had come off and the mystical energy was getting stronger.
‘𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩?’
There were certainly black magic spells among the pagan arts that allowed one to regain youth and health by sacrificing blood and tributes. She wouldn’t be surprised at all if the emperor had used such sorcery.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦!
As the emperor walked out, the surroundings fell silent. Despite his old age and illness, the emperor exuded an overwhelming aura.
“Olafsethan.”
Without any greeting or welcome, the emperor shortly called out a name. It was his firstborn son.
“What the hell have you been doing? You can’t even conquer one tiny castle?”
“Right now we’re continuing negotiations by sending an envoy. I’m sure we’ll have it by the end of this month. . .”
“Shut up!! Can’t you see those b*stards inside the castle have made a fool of you?!”
The emperor grabbed a nearby candelabra and threw it in front. His son’s face flushed red with humiliation. Even though he was his son, Olafsethan was over forty. Such humiliation was hard to bear in front of others.
“Viscount Ginolen. Take charge of this! Lead the army, break down the gates, and drag everyone inside out.”
“. . .?”
The people present had bewildered expressions on their faces. Viscount Ginolen was not present at this place.
It seemed like the emperor also belatedly realized that. He twisted his face. He looked so terrifying that no one dared say a word.
“Karamaf. . .”
“Your majesty. It seems Sir Karamaf has been captured as a prisoner after his defeat.”
One of the wizards attending the emperor carefully spoke up. Despite the evil aura given off by wizards, the misunderstanding that they had the emperor under their thumbs was quite unfair to them.
The truth was, the emperor ordered them around like dogs, not the other way around.
To put it bluntly, they had to obey when the emperor commanded something. How could they refuse with a sword already at their necks?
That’s why they had to be careful even when stating the obvious.
The emperor muttered to himself for a bit before taking his seat, seemingly cursing the world.
“Give me an update on the situation.”
As the emperor calmed down a little, the other nobles worked up the courage to speak.
“It’s becoming clear the feudal lords of the central region harbor resentment, Your Majesty. Count Shirivik has been captured, and so has Sir Karamaf. This wouldn’t have happened without help from central nobles.”
“Rumors are spreading and not in our favor.”
On their way back after subjugating the undead and defeating Karamaf, Johan and the Elven King spread all kinds of gossip.
The rumors were raging like wildfire, as both sides had many eyewitnesses.
Even if the central feudal lords didn’t participate in battle, the likelihood of them not taking the emperor’s side was high. That alone was enough to send chills down the emperor faction’s spine.
The emperor faction’s army was being supplied from the south, using some directly controlled territories in the central region as supply routes.
The feudal lords had turned a blind eye and kept their distance, which is why supply flows remained unhindered so far. However, if they claimed neutrality while covertly aiding the enemy. . .
“Stop your cowardly prattling! Nothing has changed. Send envoys to the feudal lords. Inform them that failure to maintain neutrality will mark them as my enemy, to be subjugated. Remind them of the southern nobles! Tell them that once subjugation starts, no one from their families will be spared!”
“. . . “
While the threat was unreasonable to those hearing it, its effectiveness was certain.
From the feudal lords’ perspective, there was no need to stake their lives and families on such messy affairs.
Keeping most in line was sufficient.
It was an effective move.
“There will be no more rest. Order the vassals to dispatch the armies. We will subjugate the remaining rebels in the south. Tell those cowardly traitors in the west to come and face me if they dare!”
Though old and irrational, the emperor instinctively grasped the situation.
That the longer the war dragged on, the deeper they would sink into the quagmire.
They had to overwhelm the enemy with force while they still could. He was confident no one could defeat him on the battlefield.
After the emperor left, the vassals shuffled out murmuring amongst themselves. Olafsethan approached Caenerna and spoke up.
“Caenerna-gong.”
“What is it. . .?”
“I need a strong poison.”
“. . .!”
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“Prepare more potions.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Cough! I will prepare them! I will prepare them!”
The wizard was finally able to breathe when the emperor released his hand. His throat hurt as if it would break.
When the meeting ended, the vassals were able to rest in their own camps, but not the servants and retainers. They had to endure without even catching their breath beside the emperor.
Jesters came out desperately performing tricks. It was a joke to lift the emperor’s mood but it did not seem to have much effect.
“Boutellner.”
“. . .Yes!”
“As you said, Karamaf was summoned again. But I heard he was defeated.”
“. . . . . .”
Boutellner was sweating profusely. He was a wizard who had filled flesh and blood into armor to create an invincible knight, but Boutellner was not very good at fighting.
He would be invincible, not dying when slashed and possessing strength beyond human capabilities, but it turned out not to be so.
“Did I not ask you?”
The emperor’s voice was strangely gentle, which made him even more horrified. Boutellner could not get up, lying prostrate.
“Your Majesty. I have an alternative plan.”
“What is the alternative?”
“Yes. . . Yes. . . Count Yeats is indeed a young rascal. He brought many feudal lords from the south, so the damage he is causing is no small matter. Why not just assassinate him?”
The other servants looked at the wizard in dismay. The emperor closed his eyes and was silent. Boutellner thought it was a good sign and continued speaking.
“I know of some excellent assassins. If you just give the order. . .”
“Will you succeed this time?”
“. . .Yes!”
“Good. I will trust you one last time. Do not disappoint me!”
Boutellner bit his lip until it bled. Now he had no choice but to entrust his life to the assassin.
The assassin he had met and befriended in the past was reliable in his skills alone. He had boasted that he could kill anyone with his own mouth, so he would not refuse this job.
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Yein was rubbing his face with a very dissatisfied expression. It was a blessing his jaw wasn’t broken. After getting hit like that. . .
“Count. I want to have a rational conversation.”
“My dear. He says he wants to have a rational conversation. . .”
“Pass on that his jaw might get smashed if he don’t keep his mouth shut.”
“. . .that your jaw might get smashed if you don’t keep your mouth shut.”
Iselia relayed that to him again from the side.
Yein did not understand Johan’s attitude towards him. It didn’t make sense for a knight like Johan to treat someone this way, honorless mercenary or not.
“Count. It was Sir Karamaf who defeated Sir Gessen.”
Johan borrowed a whip from Euclyia next to him. He then lashed Yein with it. The elf fell off his horse.
“Would you have said it if it was your family?”
“B-Because of that? But weren’t mercenaries the ones who killed them?”
“Then why didn’t you stop it?”
“I didn’t. . .”
The whip flew again. Johan lashed him skillfully without leaving any traces.
With a face that showed he still didn’t understand, Yein shut his mouth. He just couldn’t comprehend doing this over some servants.
The subordinates around Johan avoided eye contact and pretended not to see. Sometimes you have to pretend not to see your lord’s faults.
Suetlg also pretended not to see and opened his mouth.
“Can you persuade the duke?”
“It’s not can I or can’t I, I will make it happen.”
Johan’s voice was filled with firm confidence. Suetlg nodded in satisfaction.
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