Chapter 95 : The Mercenary Bureau's First Request (9)
Chapter 95: The Mercenary Bureau's First Request (9)
Osulheim was a massive commercial city located at a strategic point in the North.
Perhaps that was why the northerners of the city tempted southern merchants by calling Osulheim the 'Glory of the North' or the 'City of Silver.'
If not for the silver coins they scattered, the city would likely have withered away.
Just as it was now, with the footsteps of merchants cut off because of the rebels.
In that sense, the appearance of the mercenary unit led by Shatien was like a welcome rain during a drought.
Shatien led the mercenaries across the city's main thoroughfare.
“Woooooah!”
“Please kill every last one of the rebels!”
“Long live the Black Raven Mercenary Company! Long live Viscount Ragnarsson!”
“Knight Killer Shatien!! we're trusting in you.”
They received enthusiastic cheers from the northern citizens who filled both sides of the road.
It was a hospitality that surprised not only the subordinates but even Miles and Shatien.
Thanks to that, the mercenaries were busy twitching their lips to hide their pride.
“Were we always this popular?”
“Can I find someone to marry here by any chance?”
“Forget it. With your face? You'd be lucky not to get hit with a club.”
However, there were also some northerners who cast suspicious glances.
“Is that the famous Black Raven Mercenary Company?”
“I heard the Order of the Black Rain was tripped up and collapsed because of these guys?”
“Isn't the rumor an exaggeration? Anyone can see they have no cavalry and only infantry.”
“I heard they used some kind of pike technique. Look there. Those long weapons.”
The northerners who saw the pikes shrugged their shoulders.
“No way. How can they catch knights with weapons that sway like that?”
“It looks like the rumors can't be trusted after all.”
Shatien listened to the northerners' conversation and gave a bitter smile.
‘There are still quite a few who doubt our reputation.’
Certainly, unlike the South where it spread quickly, there was a disconnect in the North.
But he didn't need to take it personally.
In fact, it was actually better.
The more the northerners ignored our mercenary group, the more knights would ram themselves into the pike wall.
Meanwhile, Ragnarsson was only hearing what he wanted to hear.
“Uhahahaha! I feel like I'm already returning after a victory. Don't you agree, Shatien?”
“Thanks to that, it was worth coming all this way.”
“Right. Even those materialistic people who only know silver coins are clearly impressed by your exploits. Oh, I didn't mean to insult mercenaries. You know that, right?”
He was consistent, if nothing else.
“Of course, I didn't misunderstand.”
“Haha. As expected, we communicate well. I like it so much.”
As soon as they arrived at the barracks, the mercenaries unpacked their gear. Shatien followed Ragnarsson to the banquet hall of the Lord's residence. And there, the strategy meeting began over a dinner disguised as a banquet.
In a somewhat northern fashion.
-Jingle, jingle.
“Hwaaaaay! Hwaaaaaaaay!”
In the center of the banquet hall, a shaman wearing bells was dancing while holding blood in his mouth.
Shatien was momentarily taken aback.
‘Didn't Sir Ragnarsson convert?’
Perhaps noticing Shatien's thoughts, Ragnarsson gave an embarrassed laugh and replied.
“Ahem. It isn't something fit to show an honorable knight… but please look the other way, as this is our tradition.”
“I don't mind. I don't believe in gods anyway.”
Ragnarsson's eyes widened at those words. A knight who didn't believe in gods? He didn't know human knights, who charged while shouting 'Saint something-or-other' all day long, could say such things.
Of course, this unique trait was also something Ragnarsson liked about Shatien.
“As expected, you and I have a lot in common! Hahahaha.”
Meanwhile, the shaman spat out the blood he was holding, muttered incomprehensible words, and suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
Then, he suddenly snapped his eyes open, revealing only white pupils, and threw out a prophecy.
“There are those who enter, but none who leave!”
Exclamations immediately poured out from all over the banquet hall.
Ragnarsson, who stood up while slamming the table, shouted with joy.
“It's a good omen!”
The elf knights followed suit, leaping from their seats and shouting.
“It’s a good omen indeed!!!”
“Doesn't that mean we'll take the rebel bastards' land and settle down there!!!”
“That’s right. We must attack Holsten immediately.”
In an instant, the conclusion was reached to attack the rebel stronghold. In this cauldron of madness, only Shatien was thinking rationally.
‘Doesn't that sound more like we'll be wiped out?’
Still, he couldn't bring himself to throw cold water on the heated atmosphere.
Of course, Shatien's interest was actually elsewhere.
That old shaman.
He had felt a powerful flow of mystery when the man delivered the prophecy.
And it seemed the same was true for the old shaman.
The old man, who had regained his senses, was staring at Shatien with strange eyes.
“Hmm, is there a problem, old man?”
“Hoho… no. It’s just… I wondered if a new light had been born.”
“Pardon?”
The servant was puzzled by the mysterious words, but the old shaman turned away without saying more.
Shatien, who heard those words, only furrowed his brow.
‘The birth of a new light?’
What did it mean? Was he saying he was some kind of hero? The mouths of shamans were truly treacherous. Regardless, as soon as the shaman left, Ragnarsson gathered the knights.
Finally, a proper strategy meeting had begun.
Or so he thought.
“I must decide on the vanguard immediately.”
“……?”
Deciding on the vanguard already without any actual plan?
It was like deciding which horse to ride before knowing whether they were going to the sea or the mountains.
But unlike Shatien's bewilderment, none of the elf knights cared. They only raised their voices, asking to be sent.
‘This… has too many problems.’
What kind of strategy meeting was this? Shatien felt that something was going wrong, but he didn't dare open his mouth.
He was a stranger here anyway.
It was just a matter of doing his best according to the results.
In any case, after this chaotic meeting, it was finally decided that Ragnarsson would lead the vanguard. Shatien and the mercenaries were assigned to the very rear of the long marching column.
It was a trick by the nobles who were wary of Shatien.
‘That turned out well.’
Of course, Shatien didn't care at all. In fact, wasn't it enough to get proper combat experience and proper money rather than useless honor?
Of course, Ragnarsson seemed to be quite bothered by it.
“Sir Shatien. I'm not trying to underestimate you, so please don't misunderstand. The combat style in the North is entirely different from the South where you were active. Once the battle starts, they'll all rush out regardless of formations. So, I want you to hold the center from the rear and maintain the formation for defense.”
Shatien nodded lightly.
It was because he could already visualize in his head what kind of battle would take place.
“It’s fine. I’ll just follow slowly from behind and support you.”
“Hahaha. Thank you!! Now that the vanguard is decided, shall we also devise a strategy?”
Shatien was momentarily relieved by Ragnarsson's words. He thought they were actually going to draft a strategy.
However, Shatien had underestimated the elf knights too much.
“We’re fighting on a plain anyway, so what’s there to be special?”
“That's right. Let’s just push straight through to Holsten, haha.”
“What’s there to stop a knight as long as there's bravery and skill?”
“But what about the sentry posts on the way? Should we just skip them? The supply line might be in danger.”
“Won't there be villages to raid on the way anyway? We should eat as we raid.”
“Hehe, that’s true too.”
Shatien, unable to watch any longer, spoke up.
“What if they burn the villages and poison the wells by any chance?”
Ragnarsson replied as if it were obvious.
“What are you so worried about, Sir Shatien? We can just seize the rebel bastards' supplies.”
“…….”
Ah, I see.
Ragnarsson spoke so confidently that Shatien even felt like he was the strange one.
* * *
During the preparation period that lasted for a few days, the mercenaries spent their own money to secure supplies.
“Dammit! It’s expensive as hell here too.”
“Ugh, just wait and see, you bandit bastards.”
The sound of teeth grinding could be heard here and there. Shatien just let the mercenaries' anger simmer. He judged that it would be helpful in battle.
Shortly after, the day of departure arrived.
“Alright, we’re heading out too.”
“Yes, Centurion.”
Shatien gathered the mercenaries scattered throughout the city and joined the marching column. A force of nearly 2,000 passed through the main gate of Osulheim.
Miles, who was following beside him, grumbled with dissatisfaction.
“Why are we in the rear? Are these elf bastards looking down on us now?”
It was a valid point, but there was no need to tell the truth.
“It’ll be a disaster if we lose our supplies again, Miles. Do you think these guys will think about what happens after they charge?”
“Ha…! That’s true. Dammit.”
Miles spoke while looking at the supplies loaded on the wagons.
No matter how angry he was, he wasn't comfortable leaving these precious supplies in the hands of the northerners.
-Step, step, step.
The mercenaries left the city at a fast pace.
Because the elf knights at the front pushed ahead rapidly, the marching column often became separated.
Every time that happened, the knights ahead stopped and took a rest.
Even so, it wasn't particularly a problem.
Since it was an open plain, ambushes or surprise attacks were impossible.
Even if a surprise attack occurred in some terrain, it was meaningless.
The elf knights, hungry for merit, personally rode out and slaughtered the rebel bastards.
Thanks to that, the knights' prestige reached the sky.
“Uhahahaha! As expected, the rebel lowlifes are nothing special.”
“Most of them are serfs, so how well could they fight? They all just run when we show up.”
“True.”
As this continued to repeat, even the mercenaries began to grow lax.
Some crazy bastards even suggested loading the pikes onto the wagons.
“Are you guys insane right now? Huh?”
“Since Shatien is going easy on you, you're really trying to climb over our heads!”
It was natural for Miles to be furious.
“You punks! Have you already forgotten how fast the enemy knights charged last time? If we had just waited for our allied knights, we would've been wiped out. Wiped out!!”
“W-We're sorry!”
“We were too careless. Please forgive us.”
Only then did the mercenaries realize what they had said.
Shatien thought about letting it go, but for the sake of discipline, he chose a few to take responsibility and ruled them with lashes.
Only then did the lax military discipline snap back into place.
And finally.
“It’s Tolang! It’s the Tolang rebel army!!”
Beyond the horizon, the sight of a proper rebel army that could finally be called an army was revealed.
A rebel army consisting of hundreds of cavalry made of knights and squires, and an infantry unit reaching a thousand.
Just now… the real war had begun.