From Mercenary to King

Chapter 83: After the War

-Clang, clang, clang, clang.

-Quickly! Move faster!

-Hurry and get into formation. The bastards are coming to attack!!

The camp of Count Bellua was already in an uproar. Because the discipline of the soldiers had loosened considerably compared to before, there was a risk of being helplessly defeated by such a surprise operation.

Soon, Count Bellua’s army formed its lines and responded to the rushing Imperial Army. Archers and crossbowmen were all tense and ready, prepared to fire at a moment's notice upon receiving the command.

However,

“Hmm?”

The Imperial Army led by Count Heinrich was walking toward them with a strange slowness. They were not advancing in formation, nor were they running, so there was no sense of intimidation or anything else.

It was truly a state of utter vulnerability.

-Clop, clop, clop, clop.

One man among them who appeared to be a knight rode forward alone and shouted.

“We wish to surrender!”

“?”

“We have taken Count Heinrich prisoner! Please accept our surrender!!”

“????????????”

Shatien was dumbfounded by the unexpected situation. Was Count Heinrich taken prisoner?

And by the hands of his own allies??

Baron Ludwig and the subordinate nobles were supposed to be staying safely inside the castle.

If that was the case, there was only one answer.

The pro-imperial nobles had betrayed Count Heinrich. No, to look at it more accurately, it appeared closer to the Emperor "cutting off the tail."

‘All responsibility for reparations will fall upon that man.’

Unless that was the case, the nobles inside the castle would never have surrendered.

“Who are you? State your affiliation and name first.”

Count Bellua, who was on horseback, stepped forward and shouted. The knight was startled by the sudden appearance of Count Bellua. However, he soon cleared his throat.

“My name is Allen. Honorable Count Bellua. I am one who was a knight of Count Heinrich and is the lord of the Markel estate.”

Knight Allen specifically mentioned that he "was" a knight. He intended to implicitly state that he was no longer one. However, Count Bellua’s expression hardened instead at those words.

“Arrogant bastard. I can trust you even less now. Does one who has become a noble dare to recklessly betray a lord with whom he has sworn a vassal oath? And are you saying the nobles in the castle just stood by and watched that?”

The knight explained hurriedly.

“I-It is a misunderstanding! Because Count Heinrich betrayed His Imperial Majesty first, we have simply detained him for the crime of treason.”

“Treason?”

“Yes, Count Bellua. The Emperor secretly sent a letter ordering Count Heinrich to surrender, but Count Heinrich refused. Instead, he burned the order. Therefore, the nobles imprisoned Count Heinrich for treason and sent me.”

The pro-imperial nobles of the rank of Baron and above swore vassal oaths to the Emperor, not to Count Heinrich. Count Heinrich was merely a commander appointed by the Emperor.

Yet he disobeyed an order?

Naturally, he had no grounds for complaint even if he were seized for treason. Of course, Count Bellua’s expression after hearing the explanation did not seem particularly pleasant.

“If that is the case, it means the Emperor of the Empire has surrendered, but I have not yet received a related letter from the Emperor.”

A temporary truce and the end of a war were on different levels. Naturally, a formal letter stamped with the Emperor's seal had to be exchanged for it to be recognized.

Then, a reply came back immediately.

“A formal envoy will arrive soon. The road here was blocked by heavy snow, which caused this delay. However, His Imperial Majesty ordered us to subdue the traitor and proceed beforehand.”

“Hmph. An unchanging Emperor as always.”

Count Bellua snorted, finding it absurd.

‘He is truly a man who never changes.’

The Emperor of the Holy Empire.

If one were to consider only that title, it was something great enough to make the heart tremble, but the reality was otherwise. Was he not merely an elected emperor chosen by the votes of the Prince-electors? Even after becoming Emperor, he could not manage the entire Empire as he pleased, and his authority was also severely restricted.

Nevertheless, the current Emperor, Maximilian, was treating the noble aristocrats of the Empire as if they were puppets he could handle at will.

Look at it even now.

To anyone watching, did it not look like he had thrown the man away as a scapegoat once the tide of the war turned unfavorable?

He was exactly like the insidious man who used any means and methods during the Prince-elector election.

“Then I shall maintain the siege until the Emperor's letter arrives.”

“There is no need to go that far. We already possess the letter stamped with the seal of His Imperial Majesty. It is only that the envoy has not yet arrived. If Count Bellua would show some generosity, we can end this meaningless war quickly.”

Impatience was buried in Allen’s tone. If Count Bellua refused here, the tedious war would repeat itself once more, being cooped up in that cursed castle.

“Are you saying you will settle the matter without an official representative?”

“Ah, that is not... I was simply asking you to release the siege for a moment.”

“Stop talking nonsense and send an official representative to us. If you continue to test my patience, I shall enter into battle immediately.”

“I-I understand, Your Excellency. I shall convey the message as such. And could you perhaps....”

Allen paused for a moment. This was something he could not say, but if it were not him, there was no noble who would speak it now.

“Speak, Knight Allen.”

“The soldiers, no, the serfs who were just kicked out of the castle, are on the verge of starving to death. If you could share some bread with them... I would be truly grateful.”

At those words, Count Bellua scanned the soldiers who had come out of the castle.

The group of slightly over a hundred people looked wretched even when viewed from a distance. The majority were those who had sat down on the bare ground because they could not even walk properly.

“...Since they have starved, bread will be too much for them, so I shall have porridge prepared.”

“Thank you.”

Count Bellua waved his hand as if the gratitude were a nuisance.

* * *

Not long after, the Emperor's official envoy arrived.

The Imperial Army hurriedly sent a representative along with Baron Ludwig to the Count.

Thanks to that, the surrender document was concluded quickly and concisely. Count Heinrich was stripped of most of his territories, including Carcassonne, by Count Bellua.

Count Heinrich now possessed land that was only slightly larger than a knight's manor. Although the title of Count remained, it was questionable whether the other nobles would recognize it.

Count Bellua shook hands with Count Heinrich.

“With this, the ill fate between us has ended. I wish you luck in your future.”

“......”

Count Heinrich’s expression was somehow dazed. There was no focus in his eyes, and the strength in his grip was weak, making him look like a sick person.

‘Tsk.’

Watching that scene from within the meeting hall, Shatien clicked his tongue. It was because seeing Count Heinrich fall in an instant made him feel a sense of shared identity. Perhaps long ago, one of his ancestors had also fallen like that. Feeling a sense of bitterness, Shatien stepped out of the hall.

Outside the hall, the merchant guild of the branch manager Marhen, who had brought plenty of goods, was distributing food to the hungry people. Every single person bowed their heads and praised them.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“I thought I was going to starve to death. Thank you so much.”

“Hnng. For what? I am doing this because I am getting paid for it. You can give your thanks to Count Bellua.”

At the words of the branch manager Marhen, who spoke while wagging her tail, a myriad of emotions crossed the eyes of the people.

It was even more so because they were those who had lived for a long time receiving many benefits under Count Heinrich.

“I heard that the rule of Count Bellua is harsh....”

“You crazy bastard. Do not even let such words out of your mouth.”

“It is enough that we survived. Just shut up and eat your food. Are you trying to get someone killed?”

Amidst the murmuring people, Shatien made eye contact with the branch manager Marhen. The branch manager smiled brightly while her cat-like pupils glittered.

“Hoho. We meet again huh? Sir Shatien.”

“What happened to you, Manager Marhen?”

“What happened? To what?”

Shatien continued speaking.

“The Black Raven Mercenary Company will now part ways with the Count’s army and go down to the south of the Jupenheim Plains. Because Captain Mordo, or rather the Baron, was granted a fief called Sauerland by Count Bellua.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Yes. As far as I know, did you not sign a contract as the sutler merchant company to move together with Captain Mordo?”

“Hnnng.”

Then, the branch manager Marhen wagged her tail as if finding it interesting.

Certainly, considering that she paid attention to even these things, she was not someone who would stop at being a simple mercenary.

‘Well, that is why I introduced him to the elder. Hoho.’

Had he not even risen to the position of a knight now? He might become one of the key personnel who would rule Sauerland along with Captain Mordo.

And based on that, he would lead a very massive mercenary force.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It is nothing. It is just that a mercenary with deep thoughts is so rare to see. Hoho. Right.... You are asking if I, as the sutler merchant, will follow you all the way there?”

“Ah, yes. And since there must also be credit for properly maintaining the supply lines, I thought you might have received a large reward. Haha.”

“Well, then you understand, don't you?”

“Huh?”

Shatien was somewhat flustered.

Understand what?

Was Manager Marhen really planning to follow them to the south?

The main stage of the merchant company's activities was the north, not the south.

Then, the branch manager Marhen laughed and spoke.

“We must also work hard to expand. How long can we stay in Loren City? If Captain Mordo goes down, we plan to follow him down and expand the trading network in the area.”

“Ah... I see.”

She was thinking of infiltrating the southern region by utilizing her connection with Captain Mordo.... Well, Shatien was slightly skeptical.

‘The fief is a bit small to handle the scale of a mercenary company.’

These words ultimately meant that the Black Raven Mercenary Company had to continue receiving requests from nobles to maintain its scale while moving.

Well, since battlefields were everywhere, work would not run out, but it was unknown if Captain Mordo, who had just gained a territory to protect, would move that way.

‘Besides, his complexion has been strangely bad lately.’

Whether he had caught a disease from the sudden cold wind, he was constantly coughing, and there were no signs of him getting better. Because of that, the complexion of Centurion Jacri was very hardened.

‘Well, of course, I won't know that until I go there.’

Captain Mordo might take a good rest and start moving enthusiastically again.

After all, considering the ambition Captain Mordo had spoken of in the past, he would not stay still.

-Bwooooooooo.

-Mercenary company! We move!

-Prepare for the move. Move quickly!

Just then, a familiar horn sounded. The sound commanding the move.

Shatien looked at the branch manager Marhen and opened his mouth.

“It is time to part ways.”

“Yes. Time flows so fast, doesn't it?”

“Is that not the charm of the world? Then I shall see you later at the fief. I hope you stay healthy until then, Manager Marhen.”

With those words, Shatien parted with the branch manager Marhen. Since they had started their bond well, its end would also be good.

Although one could not know the future where things might go wrong later.