Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Liward's Surrender
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Brantia's public order was such a disaster that even calling it "bad" felt like a luxury.
However, there was no one foolish enough to tangle with an army consisting of over two hundred mercenaries and thirty Beowulf warriors.
Thus, Eugene's army traveled from Brighton to Liward territory without facing a single ambush.
On the contrary, Eugene even liberated villages occupied by bandits along the way.
Of course, no grand battles took place. Just sending four to fifty mercenaries along with five or six Beowulf warriors wrapped things up in under ten minutes.
Brantia's bandits carried no bounties whatsoever, so Eugene had them all executed the moment the villages were secured.
The villagers then praised Eugene and tried to swear fealty to him as their new lord.
However, Eugene refused their loyalty.
No, more precisely, he dumped it on someone else.
* * *
"Pardon? Me, you say?"
Eugene nodded to the wide-eyed Luke.
"That's right. It makes more sense for you, Count Crawlmarine, to rule them than me. No backlash, and the other nobles won't have anything to complain about."
"B-but, Master. That would be stealing your achievement..."
"Enough. I decided it, so just follow orders."
"Ah... Yes. Understood, Master."
Luke had no choice but to accept the command from his sky-like Master.
'Master's words aren't wrong. And he must have some plan in mind.'
"Go get their oath of fealty, then."
"Yes, sir!"
Luke gave a spirited reply and headed to the villagers with a few mercenaries in tow.
Pitamoras, who had been watching Eugene with a knowing look, sidled up slyly.
"Milord. Something smells fishy here. Am I misunderstanding?"
"I have no idea what you're smelling. And whatever it is, you're misunderstanding."
"Hmm. Is that so?"
Pitamoras chuckled, then continued with a bitter expression.
"If only the lords of this land followed even half—no, a quarter—of your example. Even those claiming to be kings seek nothing but domination. Whoever takes the throne will just bring more division."
"Can't the Druids guide them from the side?"
Eugene was genuinely puzzled.
They said all of Brantia's lords and nobles were desperate to have Druids in their service. Even those calling themselves kings.
So if they were so worried about Brantia's future, why not have the Druids find promising king material and help from the shadows?
"Haha! You truly know nothing about kings and nobles, milord."
"......?"
Eugene narrowed his eyes, wondering what that meant.
"There have been many with royal blood, but they all wanted to use our powers solely for domination. They craved all the people's awe and respect for themselves alone, hating any sharing. The higher their honor and status, and the more they saw themselves as purest blood, the worse it got."
Eugene nodded at Pitamoras's bitter answer.
"Hmm. So they just want to exploit the Druids' abilities."
"Exactly. How do you think such people would treat the wise ones by their side after claiming the throne?"
"They'd get rid of them."
"Mmm. True, but hearing you say it stings even more. Anyway, now you get it? Why Druids choose to remain the people of this land, not any one king."
"Yeah, I get it. You lot have your troubles too. By the way, Pitamoras, if the other Druids see you sticking by my side, what'll they say?"
"Not a thing. If it bothers them that much, they can snag their own lord. Not that it'll happen."
Pitamoras cackled before speaking in a sly tone again.
"Anyway, whatever scheme you're cooking up... I'll play dumb until you tell me yourself."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, should I spill it now?"
"You should hear people out to the end. Whatever it is, best keep your mouth shut."
"For you, milord? Fine. Mmm~"
The Druid grinned like he knew it all, which was infuriating, but Eugene let it drop.
"Kie? Even you can't handle Druids, milord? That's why I said do as I told ya. Our elders said all Druids are black-hearted and sneaky."
Mirian poked just his head out of the leather pouch and chattered away.
"Even if I were sneaky, could I match your pact-master, undine?"
"Kieeek!"
The startled spirit dove back into the pouch at light speed.
"Cute little thing. From the mana scent, seems he's been out of the spirit realm for ten or twenty years. Something good's coming soon."
"Good?"
Eugene narrowed his eyes at the cryptic words.
Pitamoras's eyes widened, then he flashed a mischievous smile.
"Mmm. You don't know yet, huh? Let's see... It's not bad for you either. Should I tell you? Or not?"
"......"
Did he really want to live that annoyingly into old age?
Eugene briefly considered kicking the old Druid out right then.
"Haha! Don't glare like that. Anyway, it'll be good for you too, so look forward to it. Mmm. Good, right? Yeah, sure."
Eugene turned away from the persistently obnoxious Pitamoras.
"Master, I got the oath."
"Good. You handle it."
"Yes, sir."
Luke carefully stowed the parchment stamped with the village representative's seal in his backpack.
Over the next three days, Eugene seized four more villages and hamlets in the same manner, securing their loyalty the same way.
Thus, the lands to be ruled by Count Crawlmarine steadily expanded.
* * *
After half a day's more march, Eugene's army had Liward manor village in sight.
"Dark Lord. Time for a real fight?"
"Been itching for it. Bandits were too boring."
"Keh! First siege—can't wait."
The Beowulf warriors burned with battle spirit as they eyed the village ringed by four-to-five-meter walls.
The mercenaries formed ranks under their captains, while the Jubo Merchant Group's workers bustled about, readying ladders and battering rams.
It was encouraging how they moved on their own without orders.
But Eugene raised one hand high and shouted.
"Everyone, halt! Hold position!"
"......?"
All eyes turned to him at the command.
"Luke. Keep the men in place and on guard. Give 'em the banner."
"Yes, Master."
Leaving the rest to Luke, Eugene affixed his emblazoned banner to his saddle and slowly rode Silion toward the village.
"Whoa? What's he doing?"
"If an arrow flies... Nah, arrows won't even faze him."
On second thought, even if others might worry, Eugene charging solo into enemy lines alone wasn't much concern.
So the onlookers quickly set aside worries and watched his back with keen interest.
Then, the firmly shut gates creaked open.
"Huh?"
"W-what!?"
Everyone's eyes bulged.
Someone rode out through the wide-open gates and galloped straight for Eugene.
"Wha!? That's..."
The Beowulf warriors, with far sharper eyesight than humans, recognized the rider and shouted joyfully.
"It's the Dark Knight!"
"Why's that guy coming out from there?"
They knew Eugene had sent Galpredic off somewhere separately, but not that it was Liward territory. The warriors buzzed in surprise.
Pitamoras, who had been scrutinizing Eugene intently, approached the Beowulfs and asked.
"Mmm. You know that knight?"
"Oh yeah. Dark Knight under the Dark Lord. Guy's ridiculously strong."
"Dark Knight? Why didn't you mention him before?"
"Huh? You only asked about the Dark Lord, Pitamoras."
"...Fair enough. Dark Knight, huh. Is he a vampire too?"
"Yep."
"He i—Hah!?"
Pitamoras nodded midway, then his wrinkled eyes flew wide.
"What's wrong?"
As the Beowulfs puzzled, Pitamoras stared blankly at Eugene and Galpredic, then spoke with trembling lips.
"Even the knight he commands walks by day? Then Sir Eugene is..."
'An Origin!'
Now fully aware of Eugene's true nature, Pitamoras's hands began shaking uncontrollably.
He knew it was some high vampire noble of great status, but an Origin? No way!
"I must've been mad. Trying to capture and dissect a live Origin."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
He resolved henceforth to consult a fortune-telling Druid before descending any mountain. Though he couldn't for the next three years, of course.
* * *
"Oh? So you got the red-carpet treatment?"
"Krahaha! Yeah! Turns out the Ranslo family carries weight in Brantia. Planned to hole up in the village per orders, but knights and nobles heard the name and lost their minds with joy. Got invited to the castle right away."
"I see. Knight of the Lake..."
Somehow fitting nickname for Ranslo, Eugene thought as he rode alongside Galpredic.
"Kie! Now I get how that elf knight spotted me. Must be the lake-dwelling elf blood."
"Figures. You're awfully chipper without Pitamoras around?"
"Kii... Druids are scary, y'know. Some elders got duped into free labor by 'em. Anyway, hate that old fart."
Eugene held back from asking what Mirian liked besides gold and jewels.
The spirit had spent days cooped up in the pouch because of Pitamoras—felt a bit sorry.
"So after that? What happened?"
At Eugene's question, Galpredic bared his fangs in a grin.
"Heh heh heh. Got a shock in store. You'll see at the castle."
"......?"
Eugene's curiosity resolved before even entering Liward manor.
The territory's nobles had come out to the gates with their scant remaining soldiers to greet him and Galpredic.
With the Liward banner flying beside a white flag of surrender.
"As proxy lord of Liward, I, Premarian, and all purebloods of Liward and Premarian unconditionally surrender to Sir Yan Eugene and Sir Luke Crawlmarine."
"We surrender!"
Eugene was taken aback.
They couldn't know yet that Baron Liward had died by his hand or that his army was crushed.
Yet here they were, surrendering to the very foe their lord had scraped up troops to fight?
"P-please, we surrender unconditionally. Milord, just return the lord's bloodline safely."
"Milord! Show honor and mercy!"
Eugene sensed something as nobles bowed low and pleaded from all sides.
'This seems like...'
"Ah! Sir Eugene! You made it?"
Eugene looked up at Ranslo's clear voice.
"Haha! We waited! Looks like the war went fine without us?"
Ranslo waved cheerfully beside four pale-faced, trembling children.
And Partek's team bowed to Eugene, shortswords and daggers held to the kids' throats.
"Hostages?"
"Heh heh! Told 'em we'd lop off ears and fingers for every soul slipping out without permission—their number. And FYI, wasn't my idea. Ranslo went rogue; I just backed him up."
"Ranslo did?"
Eugene couldn't hide his shock.
Ranslo, the upright honor-bound knight, threatening and hostage-taking kids?
Galpredic caught his sentiment and laughed.
"Surprised? Me too. But justified. Turns out the orc royalty in Baron Liward's blood is blood enemies with the Ranslo house. News to him too."
"I see. Can't be helped then."
Images flashed of Holy Knight Yung Dirhit laughing amid three vampires from fuzzy memories. Eugene nodded naturally.
"Still, since I killed Baron Liward myself, that's vengeance enough. Let 'em go."
"What?"
"Huh?"
Galpredic gawked unexpectedly, prompting Eugene's glance. Then Galpredic burst into roaring laughter.
"Krahahahaha! Hey, Sir Durak! Your wish came true!"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Master diced up the baron here! You're getting your proper showdown with those Baiman orc bastards, just like you wanted!"
"Ooh!"
"Heek!?"
Ranslo rejoiced; Liward's nobles blanched.
"Baiman... orcs?"
The Baiman orcs, once rulers of Brantia's north, now one of the pretender factions eyeing the throne.
Unwittingly, Eugene had made himself their irreconcilable foe.
(To be continued in the next chapter)