Chapter 101 : The Mercenary Bureau’s First Request (15)
Chapter 101: The Mercenary Bureau’s First Request (15)
Shatien wiped the sweat flowing down his forehead.
‘How are the other places doing I wonder?’
Fortunately, it seemed everyone had defeated the enemies without much trouble.
No one was injured.
Miles gave instructions for the cleanup and then approached Shatien.
“Is he that serf commander from last time?”
“Hm, yes Miles. His attacks were quite spicy, more than I had expected.”
“Heh, but that is all he has got. How could he beat our Shatien? Shatien is the real monster. Do you not think so?”
“Hahaha. Miles. You should not say that to the leader.”
“That is right. Calling him a monster.”
The mercenaries giggled at Miles’s words.
Shatien also gave a scoff upon hearing that, but on the other hand, he was a bit taken aback.
‘I caught him... almost too easily, hmm.’
Of course, they had dug the trap properly, but it had ended too weakly compared to the effort put in.
Should he say the tension just vanished?
Moreover, he was still a bit unsure.
Waldheim was far too aristocratic to be called the leader of a typical serf rebellion.
In Shatien’s memory, the leader of the serf rebel army was a typical hero from a serf background.
If he had Waldheim’s level of skill, he surely should have left at least a line of fame, but no matter how much Shatien thought about it, the name ‘Waldheim’ was not in his memory.
‘It is ambiguous.’
If so, it was one of two things.
Either the name changed over time, or the real ‘Balud’ was someone else.
He did not know exactly what the answer was.
But what was certain was...
‘For now, I have captured the leader of the serf rebel army.’
It meant he had gained a very advantageous position for the upcoming siege.
Ragnarsson would surely be very pleased.
Shatien thought so and quickly gave orders to the mercenaries.
“Everyone worked hard. Let us get out of here quickly before the enemy's pursuit team catches up.”
“Understood. Centurion.”
“Should we just bury all the dead ones in the pit?”
“Yeah.”
Shatien took the longsword Waldheim used and two dwarven crossbows as his share.
He especially coveted the two crossbows, which looked like they were made with ancient imperial technology.
He could feel an energy from them, that they clearly seemed to contain ancient mysteries.
‘Ancient items certainly have a special feel to them.’
It would be good to take some time later to take them apart and check them properly.
Shatien tied Waldheim to the horse the enemy had brought.
Meanwhile, the mercenaries moved busily.
Preparations for departure were completed in an instant.
Just as he was about to mount his horse and move, Miles brought a blood-soaked sack.
“What is that?”
“What else? It is a dwarf's head!”
“Ugh. Why are you taking that?”
“Hehehe. I am telling you, these guys have quite a large bounty on them you know? I will probably get a few gold coins just like that. I've got to earn hard to grow the mercenary group. Ahahaha.”
“…….”
Who knew when he had become so obsessed with money again.
But still, Shatien was truly grateful for his heart that thought of the mercenary group.
“Just share that among yourselves.”
“R-Really?”
The eyes of Miles and the other mercenaries went wide.
“Wow. As expected of our leader?”
“I am telling you, it is worth believing in and following him!!!”
“By the way, will it not rot before we get there?”
“We can just salt it and sell it to a merchant heading south. We will not get much, but we will still pocket half, man.”
Shatien shrugged his shoulders as he watched the giggling mercenaries.
He did not feel it was a waste at all.
The items he had already taken were far more valuable than that.
Waldheim alone would probably fetch a ransom as large as a Baron's.
Miles looked at the unconscious Waldheim and asked.
“But, are you planning to take this commander guy and interrogate him?”
“That is right. But I will not be the one doing it.”
“Really? Hehehe. That is good. I am quite good at interrogation, you know? Just trust me.”
Shatien shook his head as if to say 'what are you talking about'.
“Miles. I will give this person to Viscount Ragnarsson. I've got to get a hefty ransom, you know.”
“I guess. That makes sense too. That is the right way to go, man.”
Miles nodded as if he was convinced.
Waldheim would die anyway.
There was no reason for Shatien to get his hands dirty.
If he did, he would probably gain immense notoriety from the rebel forces.
‘I've got to think far ahead.’
They were at war with the rebel forces right now, but who knew what would happen later.
Given the current state of the rebellion where many things were intertwined, he could not help but consider the interests between the nobles.
It was not as if every rebel noble would be executed.
If it was a personal grudge, he should avoid it even more.
“Preparations are finished. Centurion.”
“Good. Then we depart immediately. The destination is the Viscount's army camp!”
-Neighhh.
Shatien and his group quickly left the scene.
* * *
There were torches lighting up the dark plain.
-Rumbleeee.
Shatien’s party was busily running along the road.
Occasionally, bandits would pick a fight by firing arrows, but they fled without fighting as much as possible.
“Damn. Filthy bandits.”
“Calm down. Miles. There is no time.”
If they wasted time dealing with bandits and got caught by the pursuit team from Holsten, it would be a total disaster.
Just then, a group of cavalrymen approached from one side of the road.
The expressions of the mercenaries brightened as they confirmed the flag.
“It is the Viscount's reinforcements! Long live the Viscount!”
“You idiot. It is just scouts.”
“It is the same thing!”
Shatien gave a scoff.
It was because Viscount Ragnarsson had surely sent reinforcements out of concern for his safety.
The cavalrymen slowed down as they drew near.
Then, a man came forward and shouted.
“Halt! We are Viscount Ragnarsson's cavalry. Identify yourselves!”
“Shatien! I am Shatien, knighted by Count Bellua.”
The cavalrymen's eyes went wide at the name Shatien.
“Sir Shatien!!”
“We have been looking for you. I am glad you are safe.”
“Viscount Ragnarsson is very worried because the scouting took so long. This is a relief.”
Shatien felt a bit apologetic.
“I am sorry. I have put you through a lot. I am late because I was capturing the commander of the rebel serfs.”
“……?”
“Huh?”
The bewildered cavalrymen approached and discovered Waldheim.
“A-Are you really saying that man is the commander of the serf rebel army?”
“That is right. Why? Does it look like I have lied?”
“N-No. I just did not know better…”
“If that is the case, shouldn't we go see the Viscount instead of standing here?”
Only then did the cavalrymen snap out of it and shout.
“We are actually about to ask you to guide us to the Viscount. Is that possible?”
“There is no reason why it would not be. He is not far from here. Please follow us.”
It was quite a relief.
Viscount Ragnarsson was not very far away.
“The camp must have moved quite a bit in the meantime?”
“Yes, we recovered faster than expected, so we are moving earlier than planned.”
Shatien had not reported the scouting results yet, but Ragnarsson was not the type to care about such things.
As expected... The elf knights probably agreed happily too.
In any case, he was consistent.
“Good. Then we go.”
“Understood.”
Shatien and his party escaped the danger zone like that.
* * *
Sure enough, after a few hours' distance, the newly established Ragnarsson camp appeared.
Shatien ordered the mercenaries to rest and headed straight for Viscount Ragnarsson's tent.
As he opened the tent flap and entered, Viscount Ragnarsson welcomed Shatien warmly.
“Damn it. Sir Shatien! You are alive. I was worried that Sir might have received the blessing first.”
“…I am sorry for causing you concern.”
“Concern, my foot. Anyway, did you get anything from the scouting?”
“Noble assassins were lying in ambush ahead. I have eliminated them all.”
Viscount Ragnarsson blinked his eyes at the word 'assassins'.
“What? Assassination? And on flat ground?”
“Yes. Those bastards were lying in ambush in a pit they had dug.”
Ragnarsson burst into a mocking laugh after hearing the explanation.
“Hahaha. Ambushing in a pit. That is definitely the petty trick of that serf commander guy. You have done really well. As soon as we capture Holsten, I will have that serf commander guy hung on a spear.”
Ragnarsson, who had let out a full mocking laugh, looked at Waldheim who was hanging from Shatien’s hand and asked.
It was hard to recognize him because his face was covered with rags.
“Who is that person?”
Shatien spoke as he set down the tightly bound Waldheim.
“It is the serf commander you said you would hang, Viscount.”
Shatien spoke as he pulled back the rags covering Waldheim’s face.
“……?!”
Viscount Ragnarsson was extremely surprised.
To think he would go out on a scout and bring back the commander.
“Is this... real? Not a joke?”
“Yes. I dug a trap, launched a surprise attack, and dragged him here.”
“Hohoho.”
Ragnarsson, having heard the whole story from Shatien, just let out an absurd laugh.
To think there was such a bold and brave character.
“I see. So that is why you are late. Sir Shatien. Would you happen to hand this person over to me? Ahh, I will pay a hefty ransom.”
Shatien had originally intended to propose it himself, so it was not bad if the Viscount did it first.
Shatien nodded his head.
“I actually brought him here to hand him over to you.”
“Hahaha. That is good. We can just execute this person in front of Holsten as an example. Those serf bastards will be absolutely horrified.”
Viscount Ragnarsson, who had laughed heartily, called someone and told them to bring a pouch.
Inside the pouch, which was brought with a struggle, were heaps of heavy gold coins.
It was more money than he had expected.
‘Things are going smoothly. I can just pretend to fight moderately alongside them and then pull out once things are finished.’
No matter how Ragnarsson was, he would not attack Holsten recklessly.
It was because the military force in Holsten was greater than Ragnarsson's soldiers.
He would probably attempt a long term war this time too, just like in the previous siege of Carcassonne.
“Sir Shatien. You worked hard. Holsten is not far now. Get some good rest for the upcoming siege.”
As far as Shatien knew, they lacked food for a siege.
If it was Ragnarsson, he would surely order looting in the surroundings.
Shatien made one proposal even though he knew it would not work.
“Viscount, may I make one proposal?”
“What is it?”
“Won’t food be quite scarce once we besiege Holsten? How about receiving those supplies through a merchant group I know? I have a connection with a guild.”
“Ah, a guild? I actually do cooperate with those bastards often. They are raking in money by the bucketload in the north, hahaha.”
But finishing that laugh, Ragnarsson shook his head.
“Those bastards are obsessed with money. Do you think they would give it to us on favorable terms? It is better to just resupply from the many villages nearby to loot.”
Though he had read it as 'resupply' and interpreted it as 'looting'.
Shatien knew that words would not work and sighed inwardly.
These elves’ way of war was truly barbaric at times.
They had already lost the trust of the serfs; would they not lose it even more if they acted like that?
Just as he was thinking that.
“Viscount! It is an emergency!!!”
A soldier entered through the tent flap.
It was a messenger.
And that messenger was saying exactly what was needed.
“All the villages near Holsten are burning!!”
“??”
“Even all the people from the villages are entering Holsten Castle. The surroundings have been completely scorched!!”
Quite timely indeed.