Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: The Elf Knights
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“What? Those nobles heard your voice?”
“Yep!”
“How?”
To the dumbfounded Eugene, Mirian clasped her hands together in prayer, her eyes sparkling with feigned innocence for full effect.
“It wasn’t treasure... no! It was this one’s burning love for you, Master, that reached the heavens. Thanks to that true love...”
“Cut the bullshit and tell me the truth.”
“Tch!”
The spirit brat’s face turned villainous in an instant as he perched his chin on Silion’s mane and chattered arrogantly.
“Lanslo Master said I evolved by following you, Master. So if I think hard about what I desperately want, even ordinary humans might hear my voice.”
“Hmm.”
Eugene narrowed his brow. He couldn’t decide right away if this was good or bad.
But soon, a pretty decent idea popped into his head.
“I’ve got a good idea.”
“What? What is it?”
“From now on, you’re my herald.”
“Herald?”
“You relay my orders to others during battle.”
Mirian was small but incredibly fast. And since he was invisible, he could fly over without interference from anyone to deliver messages.
He’d be extremely useful not just on the battlefield but in demon realms too.
“Eeeh. Sounds kinda annoying. And how’s a person supposed to be desperately sincere every time? To begin with, you, my pact master, are devil-king level shady yourself.”
Mirian pouted his lips and glanced at Eugene’s reaction.
Eugene debated smacking the brat but changed his mind and spoke in what he considered a gentle tone.
“You can do it. I guarantee it.”
“Uuuung. Still a bit much.”
Flash!
Eugene’s hand shot out like lightning.
“Keeek! I was wrong! I’ll listen well!”
Eugene held something out to the spirit trembling and buried in Silion’s mane.
“What does this look like?”
“Uh, a silver coin!”
The spirit’s attitude flipped in a heartbeat.
“Right, a silver coin. What do you think when you see it?”
“I want it! I wanna rub up against it!”
“Right? Then how about this?”
Eugene pocketed the silver and pulled out a gold coin.
“Keehehek!”
The spirit’s eyes changed at the sight of the gold glinting in the sunlight. Pure desire incarnate. Fiercer than a Beowulf warrior starved for days.
Eugene spoke slyly to the spirit drooling like he was hypnotized.
“Don’t you want it?”
“S-So much I want it. More than rubbing up—I wanna become one with the gold coin. Slurp!”
“That’s the spirit. If you’re my herald, I’ll give you one of these every month. How’s that?”
“Loyalty! Absolute loyalty!”
“Good. Then this is your signing bonus—put it in here.”
Eugene dropped the gold coin into a small empty leather pouch.
“I’ll add one each month. You can’t carry them around easily, so I’ll keep them safe for you. Think of it as your piggy bank. When you grow bigger—no, evolve more here—I’ll give it to you. Golden Castle and all.”
“Yep yep! I love you, Master! Kee! Keeeh!”
The spirit grinned wide and rubbed furiously against Eugene’s cheek. Eugene desperately wanted to grab him and slam him into the dirt but held back.
‘It’s a guardian’s privilege to hold onto a kid’s allowance.’
And the dim-witted spirit who still couldn’t read properly had slim chances of counting the coins one by one.
“Remember this. What do you think of when relaying my orders?”
“Gold coins!”
“Right. Think of the gold coins that’ll pile up in your piggy bank, one a month. Someday hundreds, thousands—of your gold coins.”
“My, my gold coins. All mine. My precious...”
A cloud of desire—no, earnest aura—billowed up.
Money worked on ghosts and spirits alike, as expected.
* * *
“What do we do? What should we really do?”
Baron Mondelio, half-bald, wiped the cold sweat streaming down his broad forehead nonstop, pacing anxiously.
When the envoy from the Bartla Ducal Family arrived saying a new duke had been born and to attend the enthronement, it felt like the sky was collapsing.
He’d expected a request for help against the bandits plaguing the duchy.
He could have haughtily accepted and just reported to the mastermind behind the plan—done.
“Why hasn’t Sir Roberi contacted us yet? N-No way! Did he betray me and side with the new duke? Is that it!?”
“Sir Roberi wouldn’t do that, my lord. Please calm down.”
“Calm down? How can I when the whole plan’s falling apart? What do I even tell him!”
As Baron Mondelio exploded, the nobles in the office shut their mouths and exchanged glances.
After a moment, one noble cautiously suggested.
“My lord. Wouldn’t it be better to be honest and ask for help?”
“What?”
“We already skipped the new duke’s enthronement. It’s impossible right now, but eventually they’ll come after us—it’s obvious. Instead of excuses later, why not switch sides early?”
“Switch... sides?”
“Yes. The sooner you switch horses, the better you’ll ride it, right? You learn its temper, likes, speed earlier. And doesn’t the man himself happen to be in our castle now?”
“Hmm.”
Baron Mondelio stroked his chin gravely, then snapped his head up.
“Good! Let’s do it!”
His face brighter than before, he looked around at the nobles.
“We’ll follow Sir Boro’s advice. Hey, bring the guest.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The waiting steward left, returning minutes later with someone.
It was a young elf knight who hadn’t removed his chain mail even indoors, wearing a snow-white surcoat over it.
“Sir Mondelio. You wanted to see me?”
The elf knight’s face was pale and smooth without a beard, looking mid-to-late twenties.
“Sir Frabow. Welcome.”
Baron Mondelio was polite.
No wonder—Frabow was older than any noble present and held high, respected status where he came from.
“Hmm? Something wrong? Everyone looks grim.”
As Frabow scanned the stiff-faced nobles, Baron Mondelio forced a smile.
“It’s a minor setback, nothing for you to worry about. Anyway, about your proposal...”
“Ah, you’ve finally decided?”
“Yes. I’ll... no, I accept Grand Duke Rosamerin’s proposal.”
“Haha. Wise choice. The grand duke holds you in high regard and will treat you honorably.”
Frabow had half-expected the summons.
Skipping the new Bartla duke’s ceremony while rejecting their offer made no sense.
“I’m counting on you, Sir Frabow. Please.”
Baron Mondelio spoke sincerely.
He’d decided, and to speak well of him to Grand Duke Rosamerin aiming for Brantia’s throne, only the grand duke’s cousin Frabow would do.
“Haha! I’ll do my utmost, of course. Then... I’ll request reinforcements from home first. Five hundred sound good?”
“Ooh! Five hundred elite from the Kingdom of Northern Elves would be most reassuring.”
He sounded impressed, but Baron Mondelio’s gut wasn’t thrilled.
Having foreign troops stationed meant subordination, plain as day.
‘But if the Kingdom of Northern Elves unifies Brantia, I’ll be a proud vassal.’
Grand Duke Rosamerin, ruler of Elrand Island north of Brantia mainland, wouldn’t neglect the first to submit.
He’d heard she was generous and proper, though he’d never met her.
“One hundred cavalry, one hundred archers, the rest light infantry. We’ll cover all expenses, of course. Silver or gold bullion over Brantian coin? Mana crystals if you prefer.”
“Oh dear! Handle it as you see fit, Sir Frabow. I trust you.”
“Hahaha! Straightforward as ever.”
Frabow laughed heartily.
This made him the first among comrades dispatched to Brantia mainland to secure a bridgehead.
Right next to one of the two key families in Brantia’s reclamation: the Bartla Ducal Family.
He could’ve seized it by force, but that risked united attacks from throne contenders.
‘Now we have legitimacy and a foothold. Just pressure the Bartlas for cooperation.’
And that would resolve easily.
Build trust by “defeating” the bandits they created, then offer what the Bartlas wanted most.
‘I should request an envoy from the grand duke when sending word. Needs to be more dramatic and flashy.’
As Frabow finalized his perfect plan.
Crash!
“Wh-What!?”
The door burst open noisily. Startled, Baron Mondelio and the nobles whipped around.
Frabow frowned at the guard charging in.
“Sorry! But it’s extremely urgent!”
“What? What’s going on?”
“An army! An army, my lord!”
“An army? What nonsense is that? Speak clearly!”
“Ar-An army! Hundreds marching this way!”
“What!?”
Baron Mondelio paled, nobles murmuring in shock.
Frabow rushed to the guard.
“Whose army? See any banners or crests?”
“The scouts said they’re too dumb to recognize the house. But they saw a dark red dragon crest.”
“Dragon?”
Frabow’s brow furrowed deeply as Baron Mondelio rushed over, pleading.
“S-Sir. What do we do? My knights and soldiers together barely hit a hundred. You must step up.”
“Of course. Looks like some rabble relying on numbers. Frabow and the Kingdom of Northern Elves’ knights will annihilate them.”
“Ooh!”
Baron Mondelio’s face lit up.
Frabow brought ten knights total.
Elf knights with superb horsemanship and archery rivaling gods could handle over ten times their number in mercenaries easily.
Above all, Frabow was a top knight of the Kingdom of Northern Elves—and a sword master.
In ancient Elrand wars, orcs felled by his blade were countless.
He’d “perfectly” cleared all three Elrand demon realms too.
“Perfect timing, actually. I’ll show Sir Mondelio the prowess of our knights. Prove allying with our kingdom was your best choice.”
Shwaaa...
Unlike orc or vampire miasma, a crisp mana aura enveloped Frabow.
The elf knight signature ability: shielding from miasma and boosting physical prowess.
“I believe you! I trust only you, Sir Frabow!”
Witnessing the mystical elf aura, Baron Mondelio’s expression brightened.
* * *
“Dark Lord! Dark Lord!”
The Beowulf warriors on scout duty came galloping back.
“What? Did Baron Mondelio send troops after all?”
Eugene didn’t hide his anticipation.
Siege was one thing, but open field? They’d be crushed.
“No, elves. Elf knights coming.”
“Elves?”
Eugene narrowed his eyes at the unexpected answer.
“They looked damn strong. All in matching armor.”
“Our scent’s good, so they spotted us. Didn’t back off though.”
As the Beowulfs chattered, Lanslo approached.
“Metal armor, unfazed by Beowulf warriors—not ordinary elves.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. Likely knights from Elrand. Only they have their own metallurgy.”
Elrand. The Kingdom of Northern Elves.
The sole throne contender without a mainland base, blending humans and elves, but nobles mostly elves.
Pureblood elf knights used mana over miasma; masters could hone plain steel into peerless blades.
‘Hold on. What if I took that power?’
Eugene’s eyes gleamed sinisterly.
(To be continued in the next chapter)