From Mercenary to King

Chapter 104: The Mercenary Bureau’s First Request (18)

Baron Rollo stood atop the castle walls.

Waldheim’s head hung from a spear planted in the middle of the plain.

That was already three days ago.

‘Tsk. I am sorry, Waldheim.’

Baron Rollo averted his eyes from the head. It was regrettable, but it could not be helped. The moment someone went out to take that down, Ragnarsson’s troops would swarm in from all sides.

Even the rebel serfs only swallowed their anger inwardly and did not express any particular dissatisfaction, did they?

‘The living must live. What else can be done. Don't resent me too much.’

Instead, Baron Rollo vowed to get revenge somehow.

That was if they could escape this damn situation.

‘Vicious bastards.’

Baron Rollo’s gaze directed past Waldheim’s head. In the distance, Viscount Ragnarsson’s camp blocking the main road was visible. Dozens of fluttering flags.

And knights on horseback, and northern warriors who had overcome the bitter cold.

Whether it was a merchant group or anything else, nothing could pass through here without Viscount Ragnarsson’s permission.

Baron Rollo frowned.

“He is trying to dry us out quite viciously. To think that man could have such patience. Truly... it is a strange thing.”

Then the nobles beside him added to the Baron’s words.

“Don't worry. The supplies inside the castle are already plentiful.”

“The lords of the east have agreed to support us. If we just wait a little longer, reinforcements will arrive.”

“Rather, they will be the ones to dry up and die. Given their nature, do you think they have come with proper supplies? At most, they probably planned to hold out by looting villages.”

“Ahahaha. That is right. It is like they have fallen into their own trap.”

The surrounding villages had already turned to ashes due to the scorched earth tactics. It would be hard to even have a single grain of wheat, a grain of barley, or a proper sip of water.

At best, the only supplies would be those brought in a hurry from far away in Osulheim, but a separate interception squad was already being prepared in the rear.

Viscount Ragnarsson will suffer from a terrible lack of supplies!

But just as they were thinking that.

“Mm?”

From somewhere far away, a procession of wagons approaching the Ragnarsson camp was visible.

“??”

“What is that!!!”

“No matter how I look at it, those are supply wagons?”

Baron Rollo’s eyes went wide.

* * *

Shatien arrived at Viscount Ragnarsson’s camp with wagons full of food. The first thing that stood out was the sight of the weakened soldiers. Whether they had not been eating properly, they were minimizing their movements to reduce energy consumption as much as possible.

‘The situation is worse than I had thought.’

Shatien clicked his tongue.

He had known the food situation was bad when he left, but he did not expect it would be this bad.

Ragnarsson’s soldiers swarmed the wagons in an instant. The mercenaries were having a hard time peeling off the soldiers who were trying to climb onto the wagons.

“Are these rascals? Back off won’t you?”

“You bastards, calm down. I said calm down.”

“Are you rascals bandits? I told you to beat it! Ah, these bastards are so persistent.”

Whether they did or not, the soldiers kept clinging. That was how severe the hunger was. Eventually, Shatien, unable to watch any longer, approached the wagons.

‘This will not do.’

Setting everything else aside, if they showed such a lack of military discipline to the enemy, their difficult food situation would be discovered immediately. Moreover, the mercenaries’ food was also in the wagons. They could not just let them take it blindly.

Miles, unable to endure, gripped his halberd.

“What should we do? Should I break one rascal’s head as an example?”

“Why are you trying to kill someone again. Please calm down a bit, Miles.”

“Hey, how are you supposed to calm that down without killing them!!”

Shatien shrugged his shoulders and walked toward the wagons. In any case, it would be trouble if they killed them at will. Were they not Viscount Ragnarsson’s soldiers? Catching a few of the more extreme ones and roughing them up would be enough.

Fortunately, that became unnecessary.

-Shing.

Viscount Ragnarsson, who had drawn his sword, came running and shouted.

“Damn it! Won't you step back right now? Maintain military discipline. That is an order! I will split the heads of all those who don't listen.”

Only then did the soldiers begin to settle their excitement. No matter how much their bellies stuck to their backs, they were not at the point where they could not recognize their superior, Viscount Ragnarsson.

And his monstrous temper too.

“Everyone, fall back!”

“The Viscount is going through. Open the path.”

The crowd surrounding the wagons parted, and Viscount Ragnarsson and the elf knights approached.

“……!”

The elf knights who saw the wagons opened their eyes wide. They had thought there was a fair amount from a distance, but seeing it in person was on a completely different level.

At this rate, would it not be worth living on for at least a few days?

“Where on earth did you get this, Sir?”

“Are you saying the bandits really had that much food?”

“Honestly, I was a bit unsure, but it is amazing. Thanks to you, we will not have to retreat!!”

“That is right. Blessings to our Sir Shatien who has recovered our honor!!”

“Respect to Sir Shatien who has got a knack for thievery!!”

‘…That is not it though.’

Shatien’s head throbbed at the elf knights who were giving such bizarre praise again. But he did not grumble because Viscount Ragnarsson was right in front of him.

“Ahahaha! You have worked hard, Sir Shatien! When you said you would go and raid the bandits, I was actually a bit unsure, but to think you would really raid this much!”

“The soldiers seem very hungry. I should have hurried a bit more.”

“No. They have only been starving for three days. Hehehe.”

Though Viscount Ragnarsson, who said that, looked like he had eaten three or four meals a day.

“Sir Shatien. Is that last wagon your unit’s?”

“That is right.”

“Hmm. Then that is that.”

Viscount Ragnarsson, who had nodded, ordered the officer-level soldiers.

“Move all the wagons following behind to the warehouse. Unpack the front wagons immediately and distribute them as food, and if there is anyone trying to extort items in the middle, you may execute them immediately regardless of rank to establish discipline.”

“Yes, Viscount.”

The veteran soldiers headed for the wagons. The soldiers were busy helping the mercenaries distribute the sacks.

“Get in line!”

“Don't push. Form a single line!”

The sacks loaded on the wagons were distributed in an instant. Seeing the sacks containing flour, the soldiers let out cries of joy!

“Ahahaha. It is food. Food!”

“There is flour inside. There is meat and vegetables too. This is crazy.”

“There is dried jerky too. And barley.”

The soldiers were guessing the contents even before opening the sacks. Since they had been starving for three days, their noses had become sensitive like beasts.

Even so, thanks to the food situation which had become plentiful unlike before, much of the dissatisfaction had been washed away from everyone’s faces.

Viscount Ragnarsson wore a satisfied smile.

“It is thanks to you, Sir Shatien. I will commend you separately. If this war ends well, it is clearly entirely thanks to you.”

“Don't mention it. I merely followed the orders given to me.”

“Ha! How good it would be if all knights were as humble and did their jobs as well as Sir! Haha. Come now, come here. Let us go to the tent and have a meal together.”

“Understood.”

Shatien paid the allowances to the mercenaries on the spot and headed for Viscount Ragnarsson’s tent.

Even while walking that short path, Shatien’s mind did not stop thinking.

How to conduct the siege from now on. It was truly complicated.

Normally they would both have been starving and in a state of anxiety, but now the situation had changed. If they maintain the encirclement, their morale will drop as the days go by.

‘If things just stay like this, it will be fine.’

Since Balud, no, Waldheim was dead, there should not be any major problems. If the mercenary group and supplies from the south just come on time again, that castle will be captured soon.

Shatien thought so as he entered Viscount Ragnarsson’s tent.

* * *

Balud was Waldheim’s younger brother.

He was born with extraordinary strength. Just like the first Balud who had founded the Balud family.

On days when the elders of the Balud family gathered together, they would praise Balud endlessly.

-The first, Waldheim, is also excellent, but to think the second is even more excellent.

-I guarantee that this child will surely revive our Balud family.

-Then let us just grant him the adult name as Balud. As this child gains fame, the name of the Balud family will soar.

-That is a good idea.

The family elders scraped together their meager resources and poured them into Balud. Thanks to that, Balud was able to learn things beyond his station from childhood.

Not only basic qualities such as swordsmanship and tactics, but even eloquence that would sway people’s hearts. Balud learned whatever was deemed necessary for the family’s revival.

Balud especially stood out in combat arts. When the family’s fast-sword style showed a power different from other retainers, only then did the family members shed tears.

That they would finally be able to reclaim the glory of the now miserable Balud family.

And now today was the day Balud would be officially recognized by the family and become a warrior who could stand alone.

Balud whispered quietly while wiping his longsword alone.

“I have finally become able to help my older brother.”

His brother, Waldheim, who had moved ahead of him to raise the family’s honor. He would surely achieve the family’s long-cherished wish by helping his brother.

But that day.

“I am sorry. Young Master... Waldheim has passed away.”

The recognition ceremony as a warrior, which should have been happy and blessed, became disastrous.

“He is said to have died... by Viscount Ragnarsson. After being captured by a knight named Shatien from the south...”

It was truly an unbelievable fact.

The family members who had been shocked all fainted and collapsed.

That was how much the first, Waldheim, was a very outstanding and very loved existence, even if not as much as Balud.

But to die miserably in a remote place. Balud ground his teeth.

Is it not a life for a life?

A warrior should naturally take revenge.

‘I have got to gather people to help me.’

Having thought so, Balud reached out to the northern bandits despite the family’s dissuasion. It was from the judgment that it would be hard to turn the tables even if he went to the besieged Holsten.

And that judgment was accurate.

Using Balud’s characteristic strength, his eloquence that bewitched people, and by selling Waldheim’s name, he had succeeded in uniting the bandits in one place.

In barely less than a month, over 1,000 bandits had gathered under Balud’s flag.

Luck had also played a part in things progressing so quickly, even more than Balud’s own skill.

It was Shatien.

As Shatien had begun to wipe out sizable bandit groups, the numerous small and medium sized rebel forces scattered across the north had become tense.

The enemy of an enemy is a friend, and they had needed a strong leader.

Outstanding combat skill.

Handsome appearance.

Brilliant eloquence.

Balud, who had possessed all of these, was the most ideal leader they could imagine.

“Raise the flag! We will... liberate the people from Ragnarsson, no, further from the arrogant oppressors of the north!!”

“Whoaaaaa!!”

The rare rebellion leader who had burned the north and east of the empire.

Destruction King Balud had finally risen.