Chapter : 50

“Uoooooh-!”

“That vile pagan has destroyed our sacred statue!!!”

“Awooo! Awooo!”

“Kill them! Do not forget this insult-! Warriors.”

The convivial atmosphere turned hostile in an instant.

Pulling out large axes and spears from who-knows-where, they charged with enraged expressions.

“P-prepare for battle!”

“Meeeeee-! Holy war! A holy war, by all means! Burn them all! Merrrrrrr!”

Damn it. I was trying to resolve this quietly one way or another, but nothing is going right.

“Protect the Lord Margrave-!”

Captain Konrad quickly commanded the soldiers. Since things had come to this, there was no other choice.

I had to force my way through with strength.

-Crack!

-Crunch!

The vanguards clashed.

They swung their weapons with vigor and shouted enraged cries.

But the result was different.

In the first engagement, the Pictish warriors were cut down by spears and swords without inflicting any significant damage!

The Pictish warriors were well-built and strong, but they wore no armor.

With this single clash, the tide of the battle turned in an instant.

On top of that.

“How dare these barbarians!”

“Protect His Excellency-!”

“God is watching-!”

The knights at the rear shouted fiercely and spurred their horses.

-Dudududu!

As the heavy horses charged, shaking the earth, they proved why knights were called the flower of the medieval battlefield.

-Craaaack-!

-Crunch!

The densely packed Pictish warriors in the rear were turned to pulp in an instant.

The knights, with their horses at full gallop, rampaged like fish in water.

“Hyaaaaat!”

“Die-!”

The knights, who had practiced wielding spears and swords on horseback for a long time, were like a single raging tiger.

They began to advance, crushing everything that stood in their way.

“Monsters! These monstrous fiends!!!”

“Oh, goddess! Why have you sent such monsters upon us?”

The priest and the Pictish leader who were watching let out a lament.

It was nearly impossible to stop a mounted knight without a long spear.

-Fwshhh!

-Fwsh!

“Reload! Wait calmly-!”

In addition, the attack of the crossbowmen I had ambitiously trained and nurtured began.

With the sharp sound of bolts tearing through the air, they pierced the Pictish warriors.

The attack of a crossbow was difficult to block even with armor at close range!

So how would it be for the Picts who wore no armor? In no time, the Pictish warriors fell one by one.

“Good!”

The tide of the battle had clearly turned.

I wanted to avoid a fight, but since it had come to this, it couldn't be helped. It would be better to end the battle as quickly as possible to minimize the damage-!

Just as I was thinking that, a mass of wood suddenly shot up in front of me. It was magic cast by Magician Agpiel, who was watching from the side.

-Kugugugugung!

-Papak!

And at the same time, I heard the sound of something powerful striking the top of the wooden mass.

‘Wh-what was that?’

The wooden shield shook as if hit by a heavy cannonball. I looked in surprise to find the surroundings were a sea of blood.

“It's a blood sorcery.”

Magician Agpiel explained as he surveyed the aftermath.

“It's a very powerful sorcery that has been passed down since ancient times. I didn't know the Pictish priests used it.”

“I-is it dangerous?”

“No, fortunately, I can block it. But you must be careful. Blood sorcery, as it deals with blood, is bizarre and destructive. Perhaps the curse placed on the dwarf council members was their doing rather than a curse from a god.”

As he said that, Magician Agpiel struck the ground with his staff.

-Wooooong!

Then, a blue light descended from the surrounding trees and enveloped me and my soldiers.

“The blessing of the forest! It will block most magic at least once.”

“Oh-!”

Hearing the explanation, I opened my hand and fiddled with it in fascination.

With a fresh and clear scent of the woods, I felt energy welling up in my body.

So this is magic.

That was my immediate thought. Then Magician Agpiel bellowed.

“What are you doing! This is not the time for that.”

“Ah-! Yes, Magician Agpiel.”

“Are you any good with a sword?”

“I can handle a sword as well as any knight.”

“Good! Then come with me to stop that priest.”

The priest Magician Agpiel was pointing at was clearly preparing something extraordinary.

The area around him was covered in blood.

“Captain Konrad! Cover me and the magician!”

“Understood, human lord!”

At my words, Captain Konrad quickly assigned the dwarf mercenary company.

Elite soldiers heavily armed with halberds and heavy armor!

And then, beings suddenly appeared to block them.

-Grrrrrr!

They were Pictish warriors making animal-like sounds, as if possessed by some unknown sorcery.

[You have witnessed a facet of a strange sorcery. Your soldiers are intimidated.]

[The soldiers fall into confusion-!]

They blocked my path, boasting rippling muscles that made them hardly look human.

“Fear not! God is watching! Crush them-!”

But I shouted at the dwarf mercenaries without hesitation.

-Tiriring!

[High Combat Stat Correction!]

[Your intense shout dispels the status ailment : Confusion from the soldiers under your command.]

[Trait Effect Activated!]

[You inspire the morale of your subordinates. The morale of the soldiers under your command increases.]

“Uoooooh!”

I was now quite accustomed to battle. I knew well that retreating here would lead to a greater disaster.

-Shhhwing!

I drew my longsword and stood at the forefront, beginning to cut down the Pictish warriors who had become monsters.

With each one that fell, the morale of the dwarf mercenaries soared.

“Clear a path-!”

“Uoooooh-!”

“We must protect the magician and get to that filthy pagan priest-!”

Without anyone saying it, it was predictable that if we didn't stop that priest preparing his suspicious sorcery quickly, something unpleasant would happen.

The dwarf mercenaries began to fight back against the Picts, mustering all their strength.

-Crunch.

-Craaack!

-Clang! Clang!

In the midst of it all, I soon found myself standing before the Pictish priest.

The Pictish priest spotted me late and was startled.

“Wh-what! Stop that pagan knight-!”

But it was a useless act.

My combat power, boosted by the trait of a swordsmanship genius, was already beyond the level that ordinary humans could stop.

“Aim for the head, the head! Their regenerative ability is enormous!”

“Understood!”

-Crack!

“Keoheoheok!”

A giant Pictish great warrior who had charged at me collapsed with his head split open.

Other Pictish warriors, imbued with blood sorcery, quickly stepped forward, but they met the same fate.

I began to cut down the Pictish warriors, swinging my longsword.

With the sound of skulls cracking, the Picts who had charged at me fell backward like dry logs.

-Thud.

The Pictish priest who was watching was terrified.

He knew that knights were strong, but he had never seen a knight this strong before.

“What a monstrous fiend-!”

With a cry of astonishment, the priest decided to step forward himself.

No matter how skilled the knights were, they were still weak humans who would die with a single spell.

-Wooooong!

Therefore, the priest focused his mind to show that filthy knight a lesson.

Blood began to gather at the priest's fingertips, emitting a sinister power.

“Hah!”

Seeing that, I flinched for a moment. I was too far away to stop it.

But at that moment.

-Fwshhh!

A tree trunk shot up from the ground, disrupting the Pictish priest's concentration.

It was Magician Agpiel's magic.

As a brief opening was created, I immediately ran towards the Pictish priest.

Now there were no warriors left to protect him!

“W-wait…!”

The Pictish priest cried out in alarm, trying to say something.

But I didn't listen and swung my sword straight away.

Those who dealt with magic or sorcery were extremely deceptive.

Hadn't it always been said to kill the pointy-ears and the sorcerers first and ask questions later!

-Crack!

The sorcery protecting the priest was shattered, and his head fell with a lurch.

A mixture of indignation and astonishment was on the priest's face.

“Excellent!”

Magician Agpiel approached, praising me as he saw it.

It was a difficult thing to kill a sorcerer shrouded in mystery in one blow, but this young noble had done it.

And on top of that, he had taken the initiative and led from the front-!

He was truly a model of an honorable and brave noble.

“At first, I had some prejudice because you were called an agent of miracles, but you are very excellent. The people the priests talk about are often not like that in reality.”

Agpiel said with a hearty laugh, looking satisfied.

“Hah, hah. I don’t want to lead from the front ever again.”

I wiped away my sweat, catching my breath. This damn medieval era. The thick smell of blood is truly sickening.

“Hahaha. You must.”

Leaving the teasing Agpiel behind, I stood up again.

The resisting Pictish warriors had all turned into cold corpses.

The few remaining warriors had also lost their morale with the death of their leader, the priest, and were scattering.

The battle was finally over.

-Tiriring!

[You have subjugated the pagan Picts. The Holy See will widely praise this achievement.]

[Notification : The anger of the pagans towards you increases. Be careful.]

‘Siiiigh.’

I let out a sigh as I looked at the notification window that popped up refreshingly.

Why does nothing ever go according to plan?

“…It wasn't the direction I originally wanted, but I suppose I can resolve it reasonably well.”

“Hahaha. Isn't that what life is like? If everything goes as planned, there is nothing more futile than that in our lives.”

“Ugh….”

Better to die than to suffer.

Leaving Magician Agpiel's teasing behind, I hurriedly gathered the soldiers.

Like it or not, now that the situation had occurred, it was time to wrap things up.

“Gather the soldiers! The wounded are to be treated, and the able-bodied are to recover the sacred objects the Picts left behind!”

“Understood.”

“Meeeeee~. Surely you don't intend to go into the temple, mer?”

“I must. Why? Will you come with me? Bishop Marco.”

“Mehehehe~.”

The goat beastman, Bishop Marco, slowly turned his head away, as if trying not to make eye contact with me.

“…Stop feigning ignorance. I won't drag you along.”

“Mehet?! It’s not because of that, my lord! Meee.”

“Yes, I understand. I knooooow your heart. I know, so stay here and treat the wounded. Understood?”

“Mehehe! Don’t worry! My lord, merrrrr.”

Dragging along the goat beastman, who was useless in battle, would only be a burden and a greater loss.

With that thought, I immediately selected soldiers and headed for the temple that the Canton council members had plundered.

* * *

-Tiriring!

[You have discovered the temple of a forgotten god. A strange yet sacred energy envelops your body.]