Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Fatal Javelin Strikes
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Clatter clatter clatter!
"Kieeeek~! Master! Run!"
As Silion began charging forward, slicing through the wind, the long-missed spirit poked its head out of the leather pouch and shouted in excitement.
Scraaaape! Clank!
Eugene loaded Madarajika onto the atlatl and deployed his magic shield.
The Frasil knights flew into a rage at the sight of Eugene barreling toward them in full attack posture without any formal salute.
"Not even a knightly salute? Have you ever seen such a brazen thug!"
"To not know chivalry or honor. Is he really a knight from the continent?"
"That rogue's head is mine!"
But despite their outward fury, inwardly they were grinning from ear to ear.
'Not using the mysteries of the Night Clan? We're in luck.'
'I'm the winner. A weak continental knight who relies only on his gear.'
Outwardly furious but inwardly delighted, the three knights spurred their horses forward.
They never once considered the possibility of defeat.
That arrogant high-ranking vampire noble had supposedly defeated Baron Liward using his clan's mystical powers.
So if he wasn't using them, they were certain they could win.
"We win! The glory is mine!"
"What nonsense! That guy's horse and armor are mine!"
"You lot just follow in my dust!"
The knights drew their lances and longswords, jostling to take the lead.
At that moment, Eugene leaned back dramatically in his saddle and whipped his arm forward like lightning. Madarajika tore through the air.
Kwaaaaa!
The lead knight raised his shield in alarm. Even if it was wooden, it was a reliable piece of defensive gear.
But the knight had no idea what kind of lance Madarajika was—or the power of the man who threw it.
Boom!
Shattering the shield to splinters, Madarajika pierced the knight's breastplate and jutted out from his back.
Unable to withstand the insane force carried by the lance, the knight's body flew from the saddle and slammed into the ground, motionless.
Dead from a single javelin throw.
"......!"
Lorrain Frasil and the other knights watching from behind gaped in shock, frozen like statues.
Even the two knights charging forward with gusto were stunned to see their comrade tumble from his horse with one spear strike.
"Lance! He's out of lances now!"
"Eat this!"
At the speed their horses were going, they'd clash in four or five seconds, so they didn't stop.
Impressive javelin work, but when it came to mounted swordsmanship and lance work, they wouldn't lose...
Thwack!
But the moment Madarajika returned to Eugene at his call and flew again, it smashed one knight's head open.
He was wearing a helmet, but the Brantian knights didn't use high-quality steel for their armor, leading to this disaster.
"You bastard!"
The last remaining knight thrust his lance fiercely, roaring in rage and excitement.
Kwarak! Kaang!
The magic shield wasn't just effective against magic—it excelled at its core purpose as a shield. It effortlessly deflected the lance thrust.
No, combined with Eugene's shield techniques learned from Galpredic and the power of Origin, the lance blade snapped in two instantly.
"Huh!?"
The moment the knight's eyes bulged, Madarajika in Eugene's hand bent like a black switch.
Swoooosh!
Strictly speaking, it wasn't lance work. It was just a strike aimed at the opponent's collarbone.
The knight tried to block Eugene's lance with the small round shield attached to his left gauntlet.
Kwaang!
"Grraaak!"
The shock from Origin vampire's monstrous strength and the lance—far heavier than a normal one—shattered the knight's left arm. It tore off from the elbow down.
And that wasn't the end.
The lance, producing a sharp whoosh unbelievable for its hefty weight, slammed into the knight's chest. With a boom, he flew off like a puppet with cut strings.
Thud!
"Eeek!?"
A strange whimper escaped the horrified Lorrain.
At the sound, the two knights beside him snapped to attention.
Thud thud thud thud!
Silion stormed toward them like a tempest.
"Huh!?"
Seeing Eugene charging like a black demon, the knights finally realized his intent.
"You coward!"
It was too absurd, but there was no time to curse the enemy.
"L-Lord! Retreat now!"
"Attack! Everyone atta—ack!"
One hurriedly led Lorrain away, while the other bellowed at the troops standing shocked in the rear.
But Eugene's allies, who had been preparing since he downed the last knight, were faster.
"Chaaarge!"
Galpredic's booming voice.
Grooooar!!!
The Beowulf warriors, their blood boiling from watching Eugene's fight, roared first and stamped the earth.
Eyes blazing like fireballs with hot battle spirit and intimidation mixed, the Beowulf warriors charged alongside Origin's kin toward the enemy lines.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!
Hearing the earth-shaking rumble from behind, Eugene spurred his horse toward the fleeing Lorrain and knight.
"You scum!"
The knight who had ordered the attack hurled his banner-topped lance at Eugene.
Eugene kept his speed but expanded his magic shield larger.
Kaang!
The lance bounced off the shield and clattered uselessly to the ground.
"N-No!"
"Go for it, man!"
Shouting at the knight trying to pursue Eugene in panic, Galpredic hurled his javelin.
Thwack!
"Aaak!"
The knight fell from his horse, shoulder pierced by the javelin.
Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud!
Galpredic and the Beowulf warriors simply thundered past the fallen knight.
"Urk......!"
The knight barely struggled to his feet and whipped his gaze toward his own lines.
"Urgh!?"
In the next instant, despair filled his eyes.
Lorrain, who had been fleeing, was captured by the black knight, and the Beowulf warriors were swarming toward the main force like demons.
* * *
As is typical for battles between forces of this size, the fight was over in less than ten minutes.
When hundreds clash, once momentum shifts, it's hard to recover.
Moreover, the Frasil family's army had lost four knights before it even properly began, and their commander Lorrain was captured.
The thirty-odd cavalry who accompanied her fought valiantly, but they were mere riders, not knights.
Cavalry armed only in chain mail on unarmored horses couldn't possibly stop the charge of Beowulf warriors in superior plate mail.
The infantry behind the cavalry that was swept away in one clash mostly gave up fighting.
They had followed Lorrain Frasil out of faint hope and silver greed, but mercenaries weren't all cowards without courage. Nor were they fools.
They'd fight if there was even a slim chance, but with knights falling like autumn leaves in the first clash and the main force shattered, there was nothing to fight for.
Besides, Eugene's army wasn't outnumbered. And most importantly, Eugene had fought his first battle as a full 'knight.'
He had honored them as knights from Frasil.
But no one naively believed that same honor would extend to mercenaries bought with coin.
In fact, most knights upheld chivalry among fellow knights but showed no mercy to mercenaries or conscripts.
So in a hopeless battle, the smart move was to flee skillfully or beg for your life to become a slave.
If you were really lucky, someone might take you in.
And that mix of mercenary hope and resignation proved the right choice.
"Tell them. Same terms as you. One year of unpaid conscription. Share the spoils and loot. After one year, you decide whether to stay or fight."
"Yes, my lord!"
The mercenary leaders who had first sworn loyalty to Eugene rushed to the surrendering prisoners.
They had performed well in this battle too, leaving Eugene satisfied.
Of course, the most satisfying part was capturing so many high-value, big-money prisoners.
"Eek!"
The moment Lorrain's eyes met Eugene's, she recoiled in terror, nearly fainting.
"Sniff sniff! This lord pissed himself?"
"Lost his spirit~ And pissed himself~"
"Oho? Dog-heads like you, what's up?"
The Beowulf warriors snickered, and Lorrain's face flushed crimson with shame and humiliation.
"Enough. Still, he's the duke's direct kin."
"Yes, yes."
At Eugene's words, the Beowulf warriors scratched their heads awkwardly.
Seeing Eugene, who had been a devil in battle, defend his side, Lorrain mustered courage and spoke.
"Um, my lord. A-Are you really going to make me crawl between your legs? Please treat me honorably."
"Crazy bastard."
"Yes?"
"Honorl-less rogue. Brazen thug. That's what you and your knights called me."
"Ah......"
Eugene spoke coldly to Lorrain, whose face had turned ashen.
"All true. I don't know honor, and I'm brazen."
"Th-That's..."
"Crawl."
"......!"
Her face went blood-red, then shit-brown, now ghostly pale. Staring piercingly at Lorrain, Eugene repeated.
"If you don't crawl, I'll strip you naked. Parade you naked to Brighton."
"Uuuh......"
Her face deathly white, trembling violently, Lorrain's eyes welled up.
"Ugh... Uwaaaah!"
The grown maiden burst into tears.
"L-Lorrain, my lord!"
"My lord! Show mercy! Show honor!"
"We'll crawl! I'll crawl!"
The Frasil knights, kept alive for ransom, begged Eugene.
"No need. You, crawl right now."
Eugene spoke with chilling coldness and flicked his eyes aside.
Ranslo, catching his glance, quickly erased his smile, put on a heartbreakingly earnest expression, and stepped forward.
"My lord! For the sake of my face, can't you show some mercy?"
"What?"
"I beg you! Ranslo of the Dirak! I'm worried this will tarnish Lord Eugene's honor! Please reconsider!"
"Di-Dirak?"
"A member of the Lake Knights' house, why...?"
As expected, the Dirak name carried weight in Brantia.
Not just the Frasil knights—even Lorrain glanced at Ranslo in surprise for a moment.
"Lord Dirak. I keep my word once spoken. That's my honor."
"I know! But for my sake, please think it over once more!"
"Hmm......"
Eugene furrowed his brow deeply, pondering.
After a moment, he spat a curt word coldly and turned away.
"Exception this once."
"Thank you, Lord Eugene!"
Ranslo cried out in a voice so earnest it tugged at the heartstrings, then turned to Lorrain and the Frasil knights.
They all rushed to express their gratitude.
"Th-Thank you, Lord Dirak."
"Such a merciful knight......"
"Today I witnessed the true mercy of the Dirak!"
Ranslo showed them a poignant expression as they thanked him profusely, faces on the verge of tears.
"Now you all see, right?"
"......Yes?"
"Lord Eugene shows no mercy to those who oppose him. But he always listens to those who follow him. So until negotiations, never provoke him. Especially you, Lord Lorrain."
"Y-Yes?"
"Remember, among the nobles Lord Eugene has fought since arriving in Brantia, you're the sole survivor. Baron Liward, the late Count Krollmarin—both fell to his blade."
"......!"
Ranslo sighed deeply at Lorrain, who shuddered involuntarily, then slowly turned.
"Whew! If negotiations don't happen soon, Lord Eugene might snap again. What to do......?"
He muttered lowly like to himself, but everyone heard.
'The Lake Knight can't handle him?'
'Is he a demon king?'
'Th-That guy's a devil. A great devil.'
'I should have believed the stories about him slaughtering the half-orc baron instead of accepting surrender......'
For those who would return to their houses after ransom talks anyway, the moment the ferocity of Sir Yan Eugene was deeply etched into their minds.
"Kiihehehe! Even the elf knight master got tainted by crybaby master. Dog evil. Kekekeke!"
"It's called good knight, bad knight tactic. Hits better than expected. Shame I wanted the good knight role."
"Go kin no mirror? Bad knight to evil knight tactic, approve. Bad knight then total evil knight behind, all scared, super obedient."
"Hoo. You're pretty sly too? Makes sense for master's spirit. Heh."
"Know now? Master and this one perfect pair. Kehehe."
The mischievous spirit—now able to converse with Origin's kin—and the kin who had watched the whole scene snickered together.
(To be continued in the next chapter)