CHAPTER 298: 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 (2)

Rather than struggle to take prisoners, it was more in the centaurs’ nature to just slaughter them.

When the encirclement was broken and the storm-like assault began, the warriors who’d been pillaging panicked.

“Ambush!”

“No, they’re pilgrims from the west! Hey! Stop attacking!”

The sand and dust made visibility difficult, but certain colors of clothing here and there made it clear that they were indeed pilgrims from the west.

The warriors who’d been pillaging tried their best to make it known that they were monotheists.

“We are brothers in faith!”

“I have never had a rogue like you as a brother!”

With those words, one of the centaurs loosed an arrow. The arrow found the perfect gap in the armor, piercing the warrior’s neck.

“There are centaurs, too!!”

“Why are these barbarians here?!”

While the warriors were bewildered, Johan led his subordinates in an attack on the center. Since only the best warriors served under Johan, their destructive power was awe-inspiring.

The band of rogues, though heavily armed themselves, melted away like snow in the sun.

Valeon, who was fighting alongside them, swinging his weapon, looked at the duke in bewilderment.

‘𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺?’

He wasn’t shocked by the battle that was currently unfolding. As people living on this land, he knew very well that shared faith doesn’t make fellow believers brothers.

If you counted just the numbers, the number of times they’d fought among themselves was probably greater than the number of times they’d fought pagans.

Among the monotheists, there were quite a few cases where they disguised themselves as a band of rogues, went out to other places, committed robbery and pillaging, and there were also quite a few cases where they did the opposite and plundered those very monotheists.

So in that sense, this battle in itself wasn’t strange. . .

But isn’t the duke a different person from the feudal lords here?

His religiosity is on a whole different level, and more importantly, he has to persuade the feudal lords here to fight alongside him.

For Valeon, who had heard these things from the old king, he couldn’t help but wonder, ‘𝘐𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?’

No matter how much they’d committed robbery, when being attacked, it’s only human to bear a grudge.

“I don’t know where you people are from, but I am a knight of the Tragalon Hundred Kingdoms. . . Whack!”

“Is it over?”

“Yes!”

Valeon eventually couldn’t hold back and asked the question.

“Your Highness, is this really okay?”

“What?”

Before Johan could answer, one of the centaurs turned his head ferociously. He looked even more ferocious since he hadn’t wiped the blood off yet.

“Ah. . . No. Didn’t that guy just say he’s a knight of the Hundred Kingdoms? What if we have trouble persuading them later? And besides, they’re supposed to be brothers in faith. . .”

“Hmm. My heart aches, too.”

Johan said that with a grim expression and without even wetting his lips. There was no sign of excitement or joy after the battle in his demeanor.

The centaurs and the guards were taken aback by the duke’s attitude.

‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨?’

‘𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸.’

The duke’s closest guards knew that he would never do anything like this, but they kept their mouths shut for the time being because of the atmosphere.

“But as a knight, I can’t just stand by and let injustice happen. I would have to step in, even if it meant I would suffer losses later.”

“Ah. . .”

Valeon was honestly impressed by the answer he hadn’t expected. As someone who’d been trained and raised as a knight, it was impossible not to be impressed by such an answer.

“. . .That was noble of you.”

“Is that so?”

Johan nodded and moved his horse to the side. Then he spoke to the centaurs.

“Don’t miss out on the spoils. Looks like there’s quite a lot of it, considering there are knight dastards here.”

“Your Highness, I’m sure that we, of all people under Your Highness’ command, excel at pillaging and plundering, though I cannot say the same for other things.”

“I like your confidence.”

The other guards, not the centaurs, who were escorting Johan, burst out laughing at the conversation. Then they glanced at Valeon.

“Surely he wasn’t impressed by those words, was he?”

“No way. . . Unless he’s an idiot.”

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The merchants were very grateful for the unexpected help. They were even more surprised by the fact that their benefactors were pilgrims from the west.

“We would like to offer you a reward.”

“That’s fine. It’s not right to be rewarded for doing the right thing.”

In fact, Johan didn’t really need a reward since they had stripped the band of rogues down to their boots, but he hadn’t forgotten his original purpose.

If you’re going to show someone a favor, you have to do it properly.

As they watched the backs of the departing merchants, Lumahr spoke up.

“He was definitely impressed. It would be nice if they could spread the word a bit.”

“If you expect everything to go your way when you do something like this, you’ll get tired out first.”

Johan gave the order to set out again with an indifferent expression.

“But Your Highness, may I ask you something?”

“Anything, as long as it’s not a question about Go.”

“. . . . . .”

Lumahr made a somewhat awkward expression at Johan’s answer. To think that the young duke found him annoying enough to ask so many questions. It wasn’t very diplomatic of him.

“I apologize. I will be more careful in the future.”

“Good. Think about the life of that noblewoman from the last time.”

“. . . . . .”

Lumahr’s lips quivered. Judging from his expression, it was clear that he had held back from asking. He seemed really curious.

“I heard that the Sultan’s concubine is here. Is that true?”

“Ah. That one. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen a hostage from the nobility, is it?”

“I can’t help but be curious, coming from someone in the Sultan’s palace.”

Lumahr was surprised. To think that someone who had been banished was in Johan’s army.

Wouldn’t they normally chase them out or execute them unless they could get a ransom?

“It was a waste to kill or abandon her.”

“. . .Are you serious??”

“Well, that’s good. Think about how you can get a ransom for that hostage.”

“. . .Yes?”

Lumahr was taken aback by the sudden remark after asking a question without thinking. Who would pay a ransom for someone who has no family and has lost the Sultan’s favor?

“Is it really impossible?”

“Whether it’s impossible or not, that’s. . . Really. . .”

“Looks like there’s nothing I can do. Fine. Let’s just forget about it.”

“. . .No. I’ll think about it!”

Rather than simply giving an order, speaking like that was a more effective way to appeal to someone’s pride. Lumahr, who had answered impulsively, regretted it almost immediately.

What have I done?

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“. . . . . .”

As a noble, as a diplomat, how could he possibly say no to that question, with all his pride? Lumahr had no choice but to nod.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

While Johan visited the tribes to get to know each other and build relationships, other disturbing events were taking place elsewhere.

“Is that true??”

“It seems almost certain.”

The nobles serving in the Sultan’s court were shocked by the recent rumors.

Are they really marching to that distant land?

“Isn’t that too reckless? No one speaks up against it?”

“The Sultan seems determined. And it’s not a bad idea either. It would be much more comfortable if those noisy b*stards down there disappeared.”

The enemies of the Eastern Empire were the Vynashchtym people to the west and the pagan feudal lords to the south. The pagan feudal lords hadn’t dared to attack first, but it was true that they were a pain in the Sultan’s side.

If they could seize the opportunity and take care of one side, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. . .

But for anyone with a decent upbringing, the idea of leading a large army on a distant expedition while there were other enemies not far away was unappealing.

Furthermore, it was even more off-putting since there were rumors that someone like Viceroy Manansir was in the Sultan’s favor.

Wouldn’t it just be like creating more enemies for nothing?

“Do not speak of showing the pagans an example in that manner. We should have wiped them out long ago so that they would never dare to look this way again.”

However, the hawkish nobles saw this as a great opportunity.

A chance to catch the Sultan’s eye and rise to the top of the Empire!

“The enemy’s numbers are small, and our numbers are large. There are few forces that will help the enemy, and many forces that will help us. Leaving them alone and waiting will only make the enemy stronger!”

“I understand! I get it. Calm down.”

“Hmph!”

As the nobles who had been promised an expedition walked away, those who remained let out a sigh of relief.

“Did you see those violent men?”

“But they do have a point. If only we could wipe them out this time. . .?”

“Hmm.”

The nobles looked at the backs of those who had gone ahead, their expressions a mix of worry and anticipation.

Each of them had their own opinions, but they all agreed on one thing.

That the expedition was bound to succeed.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

“He’s more popular than I thought. . .?”

Lumahr opened his eyes wide and looked ahead. Where tents should have been, there were tribal tents instead. They had heard rumors that Johan was coming.

Johan visited not only the Zurebek family, but also the families who had sent people after hearing the rumors, and raised a toast with each of them.

Surprised by the visit of such an active and unexpected guest, some tribes even came to visit him.

Having experienced this many times, Johan finished the banquet with the now-familiar formality.

“More guests?”

As he was leaving the tent, he saw people rushing in from a distance, stirring up dust. He thought they were late tribal guests, but they weren’t. Their outfits were completely different.

Valeon frowned and said,

“Looks like guys from the Hundred Kingdoms.”

“There’s more than one Hundred Kingdoms around here.”

“The Tragalon Hundred Kingdoms. Those rogue guys that Your Highness took care of. . .”

“Ah. Those guys.”

The messengers who approached, stirring up dust, got off their horses and paid their respects. However, their actions revealed a hostility that they couldn’t hide. Johan and his men could sense it too.

“We have come to greet you! Are you Duke Yeats”

“Yes.”

“My master said that there seems to have been a misunderstanding with Your Highness, Your Highness.”

The messenger’s words were long and complicated, but the count’s message was simple.

Let bygones be bygones about what happened to us, and pay us compensation!

‘𝘑𝘦𝘦𝘻. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵.’

Despite the fact that he had killed them all because he didn’t want any trouble, they had somehow heard the rumors and figured out the situation. Johan pondered for a moment.

The other party was clearly aware that they were not in the right. After all, the rogues might have attacked Johan’s party.

If they had been confident, they would have demanded more.

Even so, since many of their men had died, they had to receive compensation to save face, so he would grant them that.

From the standpoint of having many enemies to fight in the future, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to settle things with silver coins.

“Bullsh*t! You guys started the rogue business, so what are you talking about!?”

Valeon, who had been listening, couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up. He didn’t particularly like the duke, but this was a separate matter.

The messengers were taken aback by his words and their faces hardened.

“What did you just say? How dare you?”

“I am Valeon, son of King Ineressa! The blood that flows in my veins proves my worthiness. How dare you shameless ones try to start a rogue business!”

If they started arguing about who was right and who was wrong, things would get complicated, so Johan had intended to move on with a reasonable compensation, but the moment he spoke so confidently, it turned into a battle of who was right.

“Are you prepared to take responsibility for those words?”

“I’m prepared to do it a hundred times more than you guys!”

“. . .What’s wrong with that guy?”

Johan asked Lumahr next to him in a bewildered voice. If it wasn’t for the strong, local alcohol that the tribes had given them, there was no reason for him to act like that.

From Johan’s point of view, the matter between Johan and the Hundred Kingdoms had turned into a matter between Valeon and the Hundred Kingdoms without him lifting a finger, so it was as good as done. . .

But what on earth was Valeon thinking?

“You have just insulted my master’s honor, Your Excellency!”

“You’re the one who should know better and talk! That’s the only way you can talk about honor!”

“Ha. I’ll see you soon!”

The messenger seemed outraged by the unexpected situation and shouted at Valeon. Then he paid his respects to Johan and turned his horse around to leave.

Johan belatedly realized the situation and asked Lumahr.

“. . .Wait a minute. Am I going to be a witness in a trial?”

“Yes. That’s what happened, Your Highness.”