From Mercenary to King

Chapter 84: Sauerland Mercenary Bureau (1)

-Step, step, step, step.

The outline of the city of Sauerland revealed itself in the distance. Miles, who scanned the giant castle walls and the scenery surrounding the city, let out a cry of admiration.

“Whoa...! This is Sauerland? It's much nicer and bigger than I thought.”

“Most of Sauerland is flatland. It is fertile land situated along the river. Since the only mountains are those hills in the back, the path is wide open, which is very good.”

“Ehehe. Is that so? You know quite a lot about this place. That's our Shatien for you. Then are there any local specialties?”

“The beer is excellent.”

“Oho? The beer you say?”

At the mention of beer, Miles’ mouth twitched. The rookie halberdiers following beside him also pricked up their ears at those words.

“You punks? You're already interested in beer? You guys are already slacking. I'll deal with you guys later. I'll show you what it means to die during training!”

“N-No. It's a misunderstanding, Miles.”

“Misunderstanding my foot! And from now on, your answer is ‘Spite!’ Spite! Understand?”

“Spite!”

The halberdiers replied as such, their discipline snapping back into place. Whether he found the sight amusing, the pet monkey Hudson bared his teeth and burst into laughter from Miles’ shoulder.

“Kik-ki-kik. Kiki-gik.”

“Oh my. Yes, yes. You find it funny too huh? Hudson.”

At any rate... it seemed he had developed a taste for breaking in the rookies. He had taken simple woodcutters and was now training them with a discipline that surpassed even that of professional mercenaries.

Shatien, for his part, found it welcome.

‘This is not a good place to defend...’

Because it sat along a river with plenty of fertile plains, the revenue of the fief would surely be great, but it was difficult to defend. How could one defend a place that was open in all directions? If there were at least a mountain pass to block, one could defend the region. Such a place was a very poor fief because the entire area would be scorched if an enemy invaded. Therefore, keeping them constantly on edge like that was not a bad choice.

“By the way, Shatien.”

“What is it, Miles? Are you bored of bullying the guys now?”

“How could I be bored? I never get tired of this, Shatien.”

Shatien felt slightly repulsed by Miles, who spoke as if he were saying something nonsensical.

“More importantly, the serfs are looking at us and running away. What's going on?”

“......?”

It was exactly as Miles said.

As the Black Raven Mercenary Company drew closer to the city, the serfs who had been working outside were all fleeing. Axes brought for firewood and farming tools were scattered everywhere. These precious items, which they valued as much as their own lives, were abandoned.

And decisively.

-Clang, clang, clang, clang.

The city gates in the distance were closed. Furthermore, armed soldiers appeared atop the castle walls. At that absurd and busy sight, the mercenaries looked at one another and shrugged.

“Tsk, it's just like last time. Those bastards always act like that when they see mercenaries.”

“I suppose they haven't heard that the war is over? Especially since this was originally Count Heinrich’s land.”

“Didn't you say a messenger was sent?”

“I don't know. Maybe we arrived too quickly. Or perhaps the messenger was caught and killed by bandits on the way.”

“Hey! We are the masters here from now on, so open the gates immediately!!”

While everyone else accepted the situation, only Shatien harbored doubts.

Count Bellua was absolutely not the type of person to handle matters so sloppily. The same went for Baron Mordo. They wouldn't have sent such an important letter without an escort.

“......?!”

Then, his eyes widened as he suddenly noticed the flag fluttering atop the castle wall. It was the same for the other mercenaries beside him.

“...? That belongs to the Garten Mercenary Company.”

“What is this? Why are those bastards over there? What's with the flag?”

“They said they were leaving first, but did they come here?”

Surely, there had to be some mistake.

The mercenaries, who had arrived before the city, halted at a distance just out of arrow range. The few archers atop the wall were pulling their bows taut and aiming at them.

Watching the situation, Baron Mordo sought out Shatien.

“Shatien.”

“Yes, Baron.”

“Could you go and check? Right now... I don't quite understand what I'm experiencing.”

At those words, Shatien ran to the front of the gate as the representative. A very unfamiliar face appeared atop the castle wall.

“It has been a long time...? Captain Garten?”

“Hmm. First of all, I'm not a captain but a baron. Shatien. Or rather, Sir Shatien.”

“?”

“I was granted this city by Count Bellua, you see. Haha.”

Captain Garten. Or rather, Baron Garten spoke as such.

* * *

“…….”

Shatien was momentarily speechless.

It was because his mind momentarily refused to think. Shatien did not understand what Baron Garten was saying.

“What do you mean? Sauerland is the city that Count Bellua personally granted to Baron Mordo.”

“Good heavens. That's why I'm telling you I received it from Count Bellua as well. I received it via a letter a few days ago.”

“……?”

He wondered if there were perhaps two cities with the same name. But that couldn't be the case. Even the destination was identical.

If so, only one possibility remained.

‘Could it be...?’

Very occasionally, nobles would divide a fief and grant it. Since Sauerland was a large city, there was certainly such a possibility.

The problem was that the Garten Mercenary Company and the Black Raven Mercenary Company were not on good terms. In fact, they were close to being archenemies.

While that problem might not surface when they were fighting together under the same employer, in a situation like this...

‘Matters have become quite complicated.’

It was a situation that naturally drew a sigh.

It was not a matter that could be resolved by Shatien’s hands. Shatien immediately withdrew and reported the situation to Baron Mordo. Baron Mordo was equally dumbfounded.

He declared he would speak to them himself and, despite everyone’s attempts to stop him, strode toward the city gate.

“H-Halt!”

“If you don't stop, we'll shoot! Mordo! I mean it!”

“Dammit. Get back. You lunatics. Release those bowstrings immediately!”

Baron Garten, losing his momentum, scolded the archers and moved them back. However, his expression was still filled with wariness and suspicion.

The situation had become delicate.

If things went wrong, they looked ready to run amok and seize the city by force.

Baron Mordo asked Baron Garten, who was atop the wall.

“Garten! To think you've become a baron! It's quite absurd, but congratulations nonetheless!!”

“Hmph! What about you becoming a baron? Besides, why did you come here?”

“Well... don't you know the reason I should be here better than anyone? I'd like to ask you. You said you were leaving first, so why are you here?”

“Because I came for a legitimate reason, obviously! Count Bellua commanded me to rule this fief!”

“That's quite a coincidence. I also received a command to rule this fief... By the way, have you performed the vassal oath with Count Bellua?”

Baron Mordo asked about legitimacy. Then, Baron Garten hemmed and hawed before shouting.

“N-Not yet! But it doesn't matter! I have the letter from Count Bellua! I just need to go to Carcassonne and make the oath anyway!!”

Listening quietly, Shatien felt as if he had been hit in the back of the head.

‘I was told never to trust a noble's word...’

It seemed he wanted the two mercenary companies to fight constantly.

Of course, Count Bellua’s intention was understandable. Now that the Count's army had weakened due to the continuous fighting, wouldn't it be a great danger to Count Bellua if the power ruling Sauerland turned their back on him?

This area was a plain, and if someone determinedly built up their forces, the newly acquired southern fiefs could be scorched in an instant. Therefore, he wanted them to check each other by appointing mutually hostile mercenary companies to one fief simultaneously. If this were the case, it would have been difficult for them to harbor other thoughts.

“Baron Mordo. I have something to say.”

“It's alright, Shatien. I think I have a general idea of what you want to say.”

“Pardon?”

“Isn't it that Count Bellua is trying to keep us in check? Hahaha.”

Baron Mordo laughed bitterly. Even so, he didn't seem particularly upset.

Shatien asked tentatively.

“...Are you not angry, Baron Mordo?”

“Angry? Such a cheap emotion vanished long ago when I lost my house and began wandering. Sir Shatien. Rather, right now is what matters. Even if I have to share the fief with Garten, haven't we gained a foundation to leap forward again? It'll be a good place to quietly build our strength.”

Baron Mordo seemed to be planning a rosy future in his own way. He seemed satisfied with a reality that was better than the past, rather than focusing on the current dispute.

In fact, they were self-consoling words, but neither Centurion Jacri nor Centurion Jenga said anything, with Shatien leading the silence. Realistically, even if they engaged in a siege, it would not be advantageous. The side defending a castle always had the advantage, and they hadn't brought any proper siege equipment. In fact, they even lacked enough food to eat right now.

For now, persuasion and compromise were the priorities. Baron Mordo looked up at the wall and shouted.

“It's cold out here, can't we talk inside?”

“Don't say such nonsensical things. This place is already bursting at the seams with my mercenaries alone!! Baron Mordo!”

“Then are you saying you want to have a go at it right now? With me?”

Baron Mordo shouted overbearingly. While occupying the castle might be impossible, scorching the surroundings was very easy. And Baron Garten read that threat.

“Are you in your right mind?”

It was truly a maddening thing.

Because he had seen the exploits of the Black Raven Mercenary Company led by Baron Mordo, he couldn't take the man's actions lightly.

“I am in my right mind. But it seems someone is trying to turn me into a madman.”

“Dammit! Then reduce the number of mercenaries entering!! By half! Then I'll consider it.”

“Haha... you've always been good at joking. Isn't that right? Jacri? Shatien?”

“I suppose so.”

“Captain Garten, or rather the Baron, was always on the lighthearted side.”

They were truly sly conversations.

Baron Garten found it absurd to be humiliated in front of his subordinates, but he couldn't just hold out.

Baron Mordo had mentioned the price of his life from the recent Lakten Plains. To not repay someone to whom one owed their life and instead accumulate resentment was truly not honorable.

No matter how recklessly a mercenary lived, there was a limit.

In the end, Baron Garten had no choice but to surrender.

“Open the gates!”

The city gates swung wide open.

* * *

However, that did not mean the dispute was completely over.

There was a need to settle the situation as soon as possible.

“Let’s have a meeting.”

Baron Mordo, who headed to the Lord's Manor with Baron Garten, spoke as such.

The officers from both sides who attended the meeting for the first time were worried about potential mishaps, but surprisingly, the problem was solved simply.

They would simply divide everything in half, from taxation rights to the village and the Lord's Manor. Fortuitously, with the river that cut through the center of the village as the starting point, Baron Mordo decided to station and rule the west side, and Baron Garten the east side.

“But what about the barracks?”

“Since they're only on the west side, how about we pool our funds and build one on the east side? The same for other things.”

“Well, that's not bad. It'll be good to be fair to each other. For this part, we can each contribute and build the necessary facilities.”

At the end of the meeting, Baron Garten offered a handshake. And he said with a bitter smile.

“I’ll control the bridge at night. I'm a bit scared, you see. Haha.”

“How needlessly desolate. You're the same as ever.”

“Hehehe...You’re not just a little scary, you know. There's always a reason for everything. Baron Mordo.”

“Fine. Do so. Garten.”

After talking like that, Baron Garten led his mercenaries and left the meeting hall.

The taut tension subsided a great deal. However, the sense of tension did not vanish completely.

“I hope nothing happens.”

“If they have any sense, they wouldn't do anything foolish, wouldn't they?”

“Hmm... still, my gut feeling isn't that great.”

That was right.

As long as the seeds of dispute were sown, danger would always be present. Whether they liked it or not.

Thus, an uncomfortable cohabitation began.