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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Before starting a war, it was necessary to eliminate any potential risk factors.
I gazed at the gallows erected in the Phalanx town square. Soldiers were dragging a bound prisoner towards it.
“Let me go, you bastards! I am Djak! Your lord!”
The prisoner was the late Baron Debussy’s younger brother. A man ambitious enough to challenge Powell Osborne for the next regency was now facing execution.
I judged that he wouldn’t stand idly by while his grandnephew inherited the title. The young heir, without a protector, would have seemed like easy prey.
And indeed, he was.
“As you said, he was plotting a rebellion. If we had been any later, it could have caused a major uproar,” Janbolt said, watching as the noose was placed around Djak’s neck.
“He’s got guts. I’m the one who effectively controls the Barony.”
“Well, he was about to be kicked out without a penny to his name, so he was probably desperate.”
If Djak had succeeded in killing his grandnephew, the right of succession would have passed to him.
He could have then used that as justification to seek outside help and resist me.
“What about Zant? Is he cooperating?” While I had instructed Zant to keep an eye on Janbolt and make sure he wasn’t slacking off, my true intentions were the opposite.
Janbolt was my childhood friend, the one who had risked incurring the late Baron Rasino’s displeasure to warn me of danger. If I couldn’t trust him, who could I trust?
Zant, on the other hand, was a former enemy knight who had only recently switched sides.
“He’s not bad. A bit rigid and prone to using force, but he obeys my orders.”
Janbolt added that without Zant’s cooperation, uncovering Djak’s rebellion and taking control of the Barony would have taken twice as long.
Dreng and Muel’s assessment of Zant was similar.
Perhaps it was because he had only recently been knighted and had few connections to the late Baron Debussy and the other vassals?
“That’s good enough to trust him.”
“I’ll keep an eye on him just in case. Ah, look.” Janbolt pointed at the gallows. The herald, preparations complete, looked down at the gathered citizens and read out the prisoner’s crimes.
“The criminal, Djak, as Captain of the Phalanx Guard, had a duty to protect the city, yet he abandoned the city and fled during the recent monster outbreak! Therefore, I, Baron Debussy, sentence him to death by hanging!”
“Kill him! Kill him!”
“Boo!” The citizens jeered at the mention of Djak abandoning the city. He had, in fact, been among the first of the ruling class to flee.
‘That saved me the trouble of fabricating a justification.’ He seemed to believe he had been wronged, however.
“Don’t talk nonsense! Who’s Baron Debussy?! I am! I’m the only one who can bear that name! You insolent fools! Release me this instant! You… Gah!”
Djak’s rant was cut short as he dropped abruptly. The platform beneath him had been removed.
“Wooo!” The citizens cheered as they witnessed the execution, his body hanging limply from the noose, his neck broken. Some enjoyed pie and wine.
Public executions were, after all, a special event in this era of limited entertainment.
As those who had conspired with Djak were also executed, the city quickly descended into a celebratory mood.
I, however, couldn’t partake in the festivities.
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“A messenger has arrived from Quaran.”
After successfully concluding the alliance negotiations with Eric, I had immediately sent a letter to Eleanor.
I needed to inform her of the change in plans and have her secure the nominal ownership of Count Bruah’s territory from Bronce II.
I believed it wouldn’t be difficult, given the King’s guilt over exiling Eleanor.
And indeed, it wasn’t. Eleanor’s letter informed me that the King had granted his approval.
“He requests an audience after the matter is concluded.” However, it seemed the King was displeased with my methods. After all, i used him.
It must have been a great insult to the most powerful man in the land.
It was fortunate that Eleanor had spoken on my behalf. Otherwise, he might have declared me an enemy and waged war.
Well, that was within my calculations as well. In any case, my meeting with the King wouldn’t be a pleasant one.
‘It doesn’t matter. Once I control Count Bruah’s territory, I’ll be powerful enough that even the King won’t be able to ignore me. On the contrary… I can use this prearranged meeting to accelerate my next plan.’
I burned the letter and sent a reply to Eleanor. I then mounted my horse and asked Janbolt,
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“Are the preparations complete?”
“Troops are gathering in the fields outside Phalanx.”
I had issued the summons as soon as I returned to Phalanx.
They gathered quickly. I hadn’t disbanded the mercenaries, and my knights consisted only of Dreng, Muel, and Zant.
‘They were originally intended for Dressten…’ The soldiers assembled outside Phalanx were disciplined, their eyes sharp and focused. Their equipment was also of excellent quality.
The mercenary forces, who had been with me since the battles against Baron Rasino’s two sons, had grown to nearly three hundred.
“We might go bankrupt at this rate.” Janbolt warned me subtly.
Even accounting for the period they were disbanded, it was still a long-term contract.
“It’s absurd, I know.” The reason for hiring mercenaries was that it was cheaper than maintaining a standing army. Long-term contracts defeated the purpose.
“You know that, and yet…”
“It’s hard to give up on a mercenary force that’s gained experience and earned my trust.” These were the mercenaries who had followed me without fleeing or resorting to treachery, even when facing enemies twice their number.
They now trusted me implicitly. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I was today.
Considering the future I envisioned, I had to maintain the mercenaries.
“The problem is money.” My original plan was to solve the funding issue by conquering Dressten.
Dressten’s rock salt mines would have generated more revenue than the combined tax revenue of the two Baronies and Count Bruah’s territory.
However, Count Bruah’s greed had forced me to change my plans. I had to give up not only the rock salt mines, but also the fishing rights.
“Count Bruah is a greedy man. He must have amassed quite a fortune.”
“Relying on plunder to fund our operations isn’t sustainable.”
“I have a plan.”
“Well, if you say so…”
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I left the territory in Janbolt’s hands and led the troops towards Motrian, the region bordering Baron Debussy’s and Count Bruah’s territories.
It was where the Rhine River, originating from the Giant’s Shoulder mountain range, formed the border between the two territories.
The river was quite wide, and an ancient arched stone bridge, built during the era of the old empire, was the only crossing.
The bridge was barely wide enough for a single carriage. The next crossing was three days downstream, requiring passage through another territory.
In other words, this bridge was the only entry point.
I set up camp on a hill overlooking the river. Around the same time, Count Bruah’s forces arrived on the opposite bank. They numbered around eight hundred.
“As expected of a Count’s territory.”
With my forces numbering just over three hundred, they outnumbered us by more than two to one.
Still, with reinforcements from Dressten, it would be a fight I could win. That was how I had planned it.
The problem arose that night. Dressten’s reinforcements arrived, but they numbered only half of the promised two hundred.
Their only saving grace was that their equipment was comparable to ours. Eric, seeing my grim expression, spoke.
“This isn’t Dressten’s war. Dressten’s involvement will be limited to paying tribute.”
Dressten’s intentions were clear. He didn’t want to waste his resources on a war that offered little benefit.
“That’s not what we agreed on.”
“Your valor is even greater than rumored. And your leadership must be equally impressive. I have no doubt you’ll be victorious. The Count shares my sentiment.”
Eric was shameless. He could afford to be. Having killed Count Bruah, I had no choice but to side with Dressten. Eric knew that.
‘That bastard.’ Eric wasn’t the only nobleman who was so opportunistic. They were all sensitive to their own interests.
“I’ll see you later.”
As Eric left the command tent, Muel spoke cautiously,
“I suspect he’s up to something.”
“With the opportunity to claim the throne of the Northern Continent within his grasp, Dressten wouldn’t bother with petty squabbles. He’s simply not interested in a war that offers little benefit.”
“However…”
“Of course, he’s not entirely without ulterior motives. From Dressten’s perspective, the ideal outcome is for both sides to suffer heavy losses.”
Just as we suspected Dressten’s motives, Dressten suspected ours.
While we had agreed to a marriage alliance, the wedding hadn’t taken place yet, and such alliances were often broken for greater gains.
He likely intended to weaken us to prevent us from becoming a real threat, as he couldn’t fully trust us.
“So we have to overcome a two-to-one disadvantage.”
“We’re used to it.” We smiled. We had never faced an enemy that outnumbered us.
“Still, a direct confrontation would be costly.”
Only Zant, who was fighting alongside us for the first time, seemed concerned. I shook my head.
“Who said anything about a direct confrontation?”
“But you killed Count Bruah. They’ll be seeking revenge.”
“We’ll see…”
I ended the meeting with an enigmatic smile.
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The next morning, both armies faced each other across the Rhine River. I headed towards the bridge, the only crossing.
“It’s dangerous!” Zant exclaimed, having spotted a group of soldiers emerging from the enemy camp.
While it was common for commanders to meet before a battle, their numbers seemed excessive.
Zant worried that they might be planning a surprise attack, just as I had done to Count Bruah, disregarding tradition and custom.
“Don’t worry. They just have too many leaders.”
I knew the real reason for their large numbers.
I waited at the center of the bridge. After a while, three knights emerged from the group and approached me.
I recognized them as the ones who had been arguing over the succession after Count Bruah’s death.
“I am Antonius, commander of Count Bruah’s forces.”
“Commander Aden.”
“Andril.”
They were Count Bruah’s younger brother and his bastard sons.
“Whose hand should I shake?” I asked, feigning confusion as to who the true commander was.
“Mine, of course!”
“What are you talking about? I’m the commander.”
“M-Me too…”
The three of them glared at each other, each claiming to be the commander. It was a truly dysfunctional family.
I chuckled and assessed them.
‘First, Antonius, the Count’s younger brother.’
He had become a priest after his brother inherited the title, taking charge of the diocese, to demonstrate his lack of interest in the Countship.
However, with the Count dead without a suitable heir, he was now the most legitimate successor.
He had the support of the vassal families and the knights.
‘Aden, the Count’s bastard son.’
The young man beside him had earned the Count’s favor early on and had been working as the castle administrator. The Count likely intended to make him his heir.
While bastards weren’t usually recognized as legitimate heirs, there were exceptions.
In any case, his long tenure as administrator had given him strong connections within the city, which had allowed him to secure a large number of troops.
‘And finally, Andril, another bastard son.’
The youngest, still with a boyish face, was Count Bruah’s son from his later years.
He was the son of the Count’s favored mistress and would have likely replaced Aden as the official heir if the Count hadn’t died.
‘My actions ruined everything for him.’ Still, having been favored by the Count until his death gave him a strong claim.
That was likely why he was present, despite lacking the support base of his half-brother.
In other words, the eight hundred strong army had three heads. I lowered my hand without shaking any of theirs.
“Why don’t you decide on a commander and then we’ll meet again.”
“Nonsense! We’ll offer your head as a tribute to our wrongfully slain brother!”
“We won’t let our father’s killer escape!”
“M-Me neither!”
They seemed to have agreed to cooperate for the sake of revenge.
Of course, it wasn’t truly for the Count. They intended to bolster their own legitimacy by killing me, their common enemy.
‘But how long will that unity last?’
Their alliance seemed fragile, like glass on the verge of shattering.
“Hmm. Then let’s get to the point. I have a proposition for the next Count of Bruah.”
“What nonsense are you spouting after killing the Count?!”
Antonius, the eldest, spoke up on behalf of his bastard nephews.
I replied calmly,
“It was Count Bruah who defied and insulted the King, not the Bruah family. If the next Count pledges loyalty to the King, his title and territory will be recognized.”
“What preposterous nonsense…! You killed our father, and now you demand loyalty?! Uncle! Brother! There’s nothing more to discuss!”
Andril, his face red with rage, acted as if he were about to storm out of the meeting.
However, his uncle and half-brother didn’t follow.
“Uncle? Brother?”
The two flinched and averted their gazes, avoiding Andril’s questioning look. Andril looked at them incredulously.
“Uncle! Brother! What are you hesitating for?! We agreed to cooperate until our father’s killer is brought to justice!”
Antonius and Aden’s faces contorted at his persistent prodding.
“Be quiet! Do you think you’re the only one who wants revenge for our brother?!”
“You spent half as much time with our father as I did! What do you know about him?!”
Andril’s eyes trembled as he looked at his uncle and half-brother.
I spoke up in their defense.
“Perhaps it’s wisdom that comes with age? They’re clearly the more sensible ones. How can the Bruah family alone withstand a combined assault from the King and Dressten? Accept the King’s offer of reconciliation. It’s the best choice for your family.”
“We have the larger army!”
“For now.”
Andril glared at me, but I ignored him and addressed the other two.
“Inform me of your decision once you’ve chosen your next Count. I’ll need to travel to the capital for the oath of fealty.”
“Uncle! Brother! Don’t fall for his obvious ploy!”
Andril was right. I was trying to sow discord. But did Antonius and Aden not realize that?
They knew, and yet they hesitated. Why? As I had said, the Bruah family alone couldn’t withstand the combined forces of the King and Dressten, and whoever the King supported would become the next Count.
Their alliance was built on mistrust. There was no way they would be united.
‘And that applies to you as well, Andril.’
I chuckled and left the meeting, feeling Andril’s glare on my back. It only amused me further.
That evening, under the cover of a moonless night, an enemy messenger secretly visited my tent. He bowed low and delivered his message.
“I come bearing a message from Lord Andril.”
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Well well can’t wait for the massacre again to happens😏
