How to Live as a Wandering Knight – Chapter 329

𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 (2)

“The two lords can share their jokes, but I hope you keep in mind that the situation is not that easy.”

Suetlg said to remind them.

It was certainly good news that the enemy commander had surrendered, but Suetlg wasn’t naive enough to lose his mind over a single piece of news. In fact, there was more to do than before the surrender.

Before the enemy surrendered, he only had to worry about how to pass the castle walls and break the castle gate, but after the enemy surrendered, he had to occupy the turbulent city and persuade people with different thoughts so that they wouldn’t complain.

This alone was difficult, and now a plague was also spreading inside. He could guess the atmosphere of the city even without entering it.

“There are already many prisoners, and there must be many pagans inside the city as well, so it’s a headache.”

Johan frowned. It felt ironic that he had to worry even though the enemy had surrendered, but the reality didn’t change just because he complained.

At any rate, he could only gratefully accept the enemy’s surrender.

“Should I ask the duke’s opinion?”

Johan replied coolly to Ulrike’s question.

“It’s crazy to take all the troops into the city. Since the plague is spreading, I’ll use that as an excuse and take only the elites inside. If I let the untrained ones in, I don’t know what they might do.”

Ulrike smiled faintly at Johan’s words. A lord who could communicate was a truly precious partner. Especially in this distant eastern land.

The other lords who led the soldiers were usually uselessly ferocious and annoyingly greedy. If they were that brave, they should have stood at the forefront when fighting against the enemy’s large army, but at that time, those who were cowering in fear were now shamelessly raising their voices because the situation was favorable to them.

━𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝! 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝! 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝!

━𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲.

These people often came up with novel arguments that even priests would reject in astonishment.

Either they were intoxicated by excessive faith or intoxicated by overflowing greed.

Either way, there was no difference in that they were uncontrollable.

Johan was annoyed by the lords who were talking nonsense, but when Johan finally spoke sensibly, Ulrike felt a little better.

“That’s right. There are many people who want to set fire to the city and loot it. Even the feudal lords are no exception.”

The pilgrims who gathered among themselves were not that organized, even if they resorted to violence.

However, the looting led by a greedy lord left much deeper wounds. Johan didn’t want the city he had finally acquired to burn down.

“The problem is how much they will listen to me. . .”

Johan knew from experience that nobles really didn’t listen to him as much as he thought. It wasn’t because they ignored or looked down on Johan. The nobles who led their own men thought it was their natural right to act as they pleased.

Of course, from Johan’s point of view, there was no such thing as nagging. By that logic, it would also be Johan’s right to swing his sword and cut off the noble’s neck.

“But if I say it strongly, at least they’ll pretend to listen?”

“. . .No madman would go against Your Highness’s words, so I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

Ulrike was taken aback. She must have arrived late after chasing the enemy, so she didn’t seem to have grasped the atmosphere well, but there was no feudal lord who was so audacious as to ignore Johan’s words now.

They asserted their rights by reading the time and place, and they didn’t assert them in front of the duke whose authority reached the heavens.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The duke, who entered through the city gate, had his famous crown on his head. The crown shone brilliantly in the slanted light. Even in the midst of the chaos in the city, people who had gathered to see the new conqueror exclaimed in admiration at his majestic appearance.

Not only the monotheists but also the polytheists were in awe. The duke had such natural dignity.

After the admiration, the polytheists made worried expressions. It was natural to worry about how the new conqueror would act.

“Should I have taken my wealth out in advance?”

“That’s foolish. I buried it in advance. I plan to sneak out tomorrow night. There’s no reason to stay here like this. I’ve already talked to the gatekeeper.”

“There are also rumors of mercy.”

“Mercy, my foot. Think about when the sultan’s knights occupied this city. After seeing all that blood, do you think they’ll just stand still? I guess you haven’t heard the rumors about the duke yet!”

. . .Compared to all that fuss, Johan didn’t do anything at all. Right after receiving the surrender directly from Suhekhar, he went straight to stabilize the city.

“Divide the area and check where the disease has spread. Block the entrance and exit of the area where the disease has spread! Otherwise, the disease could spread even more.”

Johan went around the Holy Land with Suetlg. It wasn’t bad to talk to the enemy nobles or to enter the holy tomb in the Holy Land and pray (of course, it was just a pretense), but there were other urgent matters at the moment.

“Smell the water coming up from the canal. It’s disgusting. Even a healthy warrior would get sick in an instant if he stayed in a place like this.”

“Can it be purified?”

“If you want to see this old wizard collapse for a month or so, that wouldn’t be bad either.”

“I spoke carelessly.”

“Dividing the area seems like a good idea. Certainly, if we do it that way, not only will the disease spread less, but the number of dead people who turn into undead and harm the living will also decrease.”

Suetlg was impressed by Johan’s response.

Usually, such a response came from experience, but there was no way that a young duke like Johan could have learned from experience. It was clear that he had come up with it on the spot.

“The dead have appeared over there!”

“Prepare to fight with your spears. We’ll get rid of the undead.”

At Johan’s words, the soldiers took their familiar stance. They were patrolling the areas with the duke and getting rid of the undead. It was tense at first, but now they were starting to get bored.

“What kind of city has so many dead people?”

“Be quiet. Be thankful that you don’t encounter monsters.”

The soldiers nodded at the captain’s words. It was true. Unlike the plains, it was no fun to deal with monsters in a complex place like a city.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“. . . . . .”

“. . . . . .”

Suhekhar and Yeheyman looked at each other with complicated expressions. Neither of them had expected to meet again in such a place.

“I wondered why you didn’t retreat to the Holy Land, but now I know there was a reason.”

Suhekhar spoke first. It was meant to show that he understood, but it was actually closer to nagging and provoking. It wasn’t something to brag about being tricked by a eunuch and fainting.

In fact, Yeheyman’s face turned red.

“. . .I, too, wondered why you surrendered so easily, given the high walls and deep moats, but now I know there was a reason.”

‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘺. . .’

This time, it was Suhekhar’s turn to be displeased.

The reason he surrendered was because of the plague and the appearance of monsters, not because he was scared.

“That’s right. Thank you for understanding.”

However, Suhekhar didn’t express his emotions directly. Yeheyman was impressed by his appearance. It was a great thing to be able to control one’s emotions even in this situation.

Right now, Yeheyman would try to cut down the eunuchs if he was given just one sword. . .

“So, is that why you called me today? For this trivial matter?”

Yeheyman cleared his throat and came to his senses. The reason he had called Suhekhar now wasn’t to talk about why he had been captured.

“What do you think of the eunuchs, Your Excellency?”

“. . .?”

Suhekhar was a little flustered by the sudden question. He didn’t know what his intention was.

Although he had been defeated in battle and captured as a prisoner, Suhekhar was still the sultan’s loyal vassal. He had no intention of betraying him.

Yeheyman spoke first, realizing that Suhekhar was hesitating.

“I’m going to kill them!”

“. . .!”

He had heard the story, but he seemed to be much more emotional than he had thought. Suhekhar asked cautiously.

“What do you plan to do about the aftermath? The sultan’s wrath will not be easy to handle.”

“I’m going to be punished for my defeat in battle anyway. I’d rather go my own way than be dragged around like a fool and ridiculed by the sultan. My family can afford to pay the ransom to the duke, so I can leave as soon as the ransom is paid. But not the eunuchs.”

Suhekhar was a little moved by Yeheyman’s determination to kill the eunuchs. He also thought of the eunuchs as annoying toadstools.

Of course, the sultan wouldn’t like it if he touched the eunuchs. How ridiculous would it be for those who had lost their large army to also get rid of the eunuchs?

However, Suhekhar couldn’t help but admit that Yeheyman had a point. This defeat, and even the fall of the Holy Land. He might have returned to the sultan’s camp and been executed without being able to say a word of excuse.

In that case, it would be better to pay the ransom and go home to his family. If he holed up in his fiefdom, even the sultan wouldn’t be able to touch him easily.

“. . .So what do you want to talk about?”

“Those eunuchs are currently under the protection of the duke. Removing this protection is the top priority. Once the duke’s protection is gone, they’re nothing but useless trash.”

“Are you saying that we should deal with them then?”

Suhekhar asked seriously, curious.

“That’s right.”

“Even if we say that’s good. . .how are we going to remove the duke’s protection? I don’t think the duke himself will move on his own orders.”

Unlike other places, this was in the middle of the enemy camp. There weren’t many chances to swing a sword at the eunuchs, and the eunuch’s flattery was so great that he couldn’t be seen properly.

“That’s why you have to do it.”

“What did you say. . .?”

Suhekhar was taken aback. Wasn’t he slyly passing over the most difficult part?

“You’re the only one who has talked to the duke. I’m counting on you.”

“. . . . . .”

Suhekhar was taken aback, but he didn’t want to raise his voice. Besides, the more people who knew that he was going to kill the eunuchs, the better. There could be listening ears in the tents of these prisoners as well.

‘𝘖𝘩 𝘮𝘺. . .’

Suhekhar smiled bitterly at the situation that had suddenly changed. Just a few days ago, he was in a position where he had to risk his life to stop the duke’s invasion, but now he had to curry favor with the duke in order to kill the eunuchs.

And this wasn’t simple revenge. Yeheyman’s proposal contained a hidden meaning.

Will you continue to be loyal to the sultan, or will you find your own way to live?

‘𝘐𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. . .𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.’

Suhekhar was a man of strong loyalty, but there was no helping it when the sultan and the duke were compared.

Just look at this surrender. Instead of humiliating him, the duke quickly accepted the surrender and tried hard to quell the commotion in the city. This was an unusual humility.

‘𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦.’

Suhekhar thought about leading his men to volunteer, but gave up. The other party wouldn’t allow it. How could he give back his weapons after surrendering?

Instead, Suhekhar prayed that the young duke would end this commotion quickly. It wasn’t for the sake of the friendly tribes in the city. It was for Suhekhar to make his own judgment.

He already had a rough idea, but he would be able to be sure with the attitude he showed this time.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“You saw a mermaid?”

“Yes. . .Your Highness.”

At the old beggar’s words, the people in their seats looked at each other as if they were absurd.

A mermaid.

Mermaids were monsters that could only be seen in the distant sea, not in a city with rivers and canals at best. What was a mermaid doing all the way here?

“. . .It wouldn’t hurt to hear it once.”

“Your Highness. That’s just nonsense.”

Jyanina looked at the beggar as if she couldn’t believe it. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed like he was making up a story to get a few silver coins.

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