Chapter 203
Chapter 203
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: Astounding Timing
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The timing was truly astounding.
Of all days for Eugene to arrive in Maren, the royal army had to reach the outskirts of the city on that very same day.
"Kieee... Is it milord's good luck, or bad luck for those old men and their lot? Or maybe both. Anyway, milord, since we're gouging them, we might as well gouge them big."
Mirian, now able to freely reveal or conceal his form after his evolution, chattered away atop Eugene's head.
The sight of a spirit sprawled atop the head of a vampire duke who commanded the respect and adoration of all was utterly comical.
But since no one else could see it, only Princess Lilisein stared at Origin and the spirit with blazing eyes, her breath coming in hot, ragged gasps.
"Th-this!"
The mayor and guildmaster recoiled in horror.
But the current situation had been inevitable from the start.
It had already been over a month since the king had branded Maren a den of "rebels" and declared punishment upon it.
Unless it was just a gathering of idiots with no brains on the royalist side, there was no reason to declare a rebel suppression without having some basic strategy in place.
Yet the mayor and guildmaster of Maren had remained leisurely up until now.
That was because numerous territories lay between the capital and Maren, most of them on poor terms with the royalists and sympathetic to Maren.
If the royal army marched on Maren, word was bound to spread.
But for an entire month, no such news had come.
And that was enough to plant certain thoughts in the minds of Maren's mayor and guildmaster.
Huh? Still no word?
Maybe it's all a bluff?
Yeah! They just shot their mouths off before even starting anything!
We all know the level of that incompetent king and his royalist lackeys who just lick asses!
Good! We've still got time! Let's recruit troops and watch how things play out!
And that was how today's crisis had come about.
"What of the lords!? All those territories opposed to the royalists—what have they been doing!?"
"No way they all got bought off by the crown, right?"
"Come on, that doesn't make sense. Not Evergrow Count, at least?"
"Same for Sir Gable and Sir Lobtin, no?"
Amid the mayor and guildmaster's confusion, the sole voice of reason came from recruitment officer Trevic.
"It's not certain yet, but nine times out of ten, the lords betrayed us or surrendered to the royal army."
"......!?"
"Otherwise, how could no word have reached us until the royal army showed up in the Etherin direction?"
"That's..."
They muttered in disbelief, but the mayor was already leaning toward accepting Trevic's words as truth.
"Not even the Evergrow Count family?"
"Exactly. If something happened in Evergrow territory, we'd have heard about it..."
At someone's words, everyone nodded gravely with serious expressions.
Half a year ago, the previous Evergrow Count had passed his title to his successor, Jevin, citing health reasons.
Jevin Evergrow, who had handled the territory's affairs great and small in place of his father for years, had ascended as the new count.
And relations between him and Maren were not bad.
No, to be frank.
"From Evergrow territory's perspective, they'd have a hard time offloading mana stones anywhere but our city. You think the royalists got them too?"
With so many mana stones and monster byproducts flooding in from Mundgard, Maren had become indispensable even to noble families like Evergrow that owned magic realms.
Supply had grown so abundant that purchase prices had plummeted, leaving those families dependent on Maren instead.
"Hmm! No doubt about it. If no news came at all, they might have been wiped out entirely!"
"Those vile royalists!"
"Has the king no honor!? Against a prestigious noble house like Evergrow that's endured for generations!"
The guildmasters erupted in unison, venting their fury at the king and royalists.
"Everyone! This isn't the time for cursing. If the royal army has reached Etherin, they'll be at our city's doorstep in two days. We need countermeasures! Countermeasures!"
Even in this chaos, Trevic shouted in frustration at the guildmasters' inability to devise practical solutions.
The guildmasters fell silent with awkward coughs, looking embarrassed.
And very naturally, they all turned gazes filled with blatant expectation toward one spot.
The mayor spoke to Eugene, who sipped his wine with a impassive face, his expression unable to hide his desperation.
"Um, Your Grace the Duke."
"Why do you call, Mayor?"
"Would Your Grace lead Maren's forces alongside your knights?"
"We beseech you. We shall provide ample compensation."
"Fight for our free city of Maren!"
Once the mayor broached the subject, the guildmasters clamored to plead their case.
At this point, Eugene was the only one they could rely on.
Prechella had said that around a dozen knights had come with him.
Eugene went without saying, and anyone he'd personally brought would surely be exceptional knights.
Moreover, setting aside his skill as a knight, Eugene was the undefeated knight and Maren's hero. His lofty fame would surely spur recruitment and boost troop morale.
"Kieee! We can squeeze them huge right from the start! Keehehehehe!"
"Hmm."
Eugene stroked his chin as if pondering, while listening to the spirit's greedy cackle.
This only made the mayor and guildmasters more anxious, as they knew exactly why he hesitated.
"Is it because of His Highness the Roman Empire's prince?"
"No matter the breach fee, Maren will cover it. If Your Grace explains well to His Highness so he's not offended..."
"No, it's not that."
"......?"
"Given my ties to Maren, of course I'll help."
"Ooh!"
The mayor and guildmasters' faces lit up.
"As expected of your honorable self!"
"Your Grace is the very incarnation of loyalty and righteousness!"
"We'll hand over command at once. Ah! First, you need to assess the troops, so let's call in the mercenary captains..."
"That'll be this fellow's job."
"Pardon?"
Everyone's gazes converged on the man Eugene glanced at.
A knight in simple plate mail, tall and solidly built, stepped forward.
"Sir Edmund. I entrust command of the mercenaries to you."
"As Your Grace the Duke wills."
Sir Edmund, who had been taken prisoner in Brantia and joined Eugene's service, flashed a sharp gaze.
Since their destination was the Roman Empire, Eugene had brought the imperial-born knight along.
"Ah..."
"Hmm."
The mayor and guildmasters, not knowing who Edmund was, didn't dare ask outright but eyed him with a mix of concern and doubt.
"Sir Edmund was a knight of the Roman Empire who converted to holy knight and joined the Brantia expedition. He's more versed in tactics and strategy than anyone. He'll likely command the army better than I could."
"Ooh!"
At Eugene's introduction, everyone's expressions brightened. Trevic in particular gazed at Edmund with eyes full of admiration.
Unlike the others ignorant of military matters, he—as a mercenary guildmaster and recruitment officer—immediately recognized the value of an imperial knight turned holy knight.
"We are moved by Your Grace the Duke's noble decision! Of course! We shan't express our gratitude merely in words. We shall show you Maren's friendship toward Your Grace, definitively."
Eugene inwardly smiled with satisfaction at the mayor's bold declaration.
The Maren mayor, who had gifted him expensive plate armor upon their first meeting, promising to "show definitively" was something to look forward to.
'Doing what's expected, piling on debts, and reaping rewards. This is killing three birds with one stone.'
"I, Jan Eugene Bartler, and the city of Maren shall share eternal friendship."
"Indeed! Hahaha!"
"Gold coins are eternal friendship! Keehehehehehe!"
Oblivious to their vampire duke's dark intentions, Maren's leaders broke into broad grins, finally at ease.
* * *
Word spread throughout Maren that the great undefeated knight, the famous Sir Jan Eugene, had stepped forward to save the city.
The citizens cheered.
Maren's recruited mercenaries were especially ecstatic.
"Sir Eugene has never lost here or in Brantia!"
"He's the knight the gods love! Justice is with our Maren!"
"Those who followed him all became lords and live well in Brantia!"
"Victory and gold follow Sir Eugene's side! There's a spirit that calls riches by his side! Fight with him, and honor and glory never run dry!"
No one knew how the tales had spread, but overlooking the water spirit becoming a "gold spirit," Eugene had transcended undefeated hero to become some war god.
"As expected. Truly worthy of Your Grace the Duke. If morale is already this high, victory is assured ours."
Princess Lilisein, who had crossed the sea with Eugene, spoke to him with eyes burning with zeal.
"I beseech you. Entrust the vanguard to me?"
Eugene shook his head at the princess, poised to draw her sword and charge at a moment's notice.
"No."
"...Disappointing. But surely Your Grace the Duke has clear reason for refusing. Pray, enlighten this fool."
Her unique manner of speech aside, the princess's striking beauty drew sighs of regret from here and there at her disappointment.
Pathetic fools with dicks on their empty heads.
Eugene shot a cold glare at those minding a woman even now.
The knights and mercenary captains flinched and averted their eyes. And all thought much the same.
'That elf knight is Sir Eugene's woman.'
'With beauty like that, she's a perfect match for Sir Eugene.'
'Princess of Brantia elves? Her status suits him too.'
Harboring assumptions as far from truth as Brantia itself, the men swore among themselves to drop their interest in Princess Lilisein.
"We send the princess as envoy to the enemy army."
"Wh-what an honor! To represent Your Grace the Duke..."
Princess Lilisein trembled with genuine adoration down to her shoulders.
Those seeing her for the first time grew even more convinced of her bond with Eugene.
To be so thrilled over a mere envoy mission meant their relationship ran deeper than imagined.
But those who had seen Princess Lilisein since Brantia—especially Prince Rokaroph's knights—wore subtle expressions.
'Can that odd elf princess handle an envoy mission properly?'
'She won't screw it up, will she?'
'She won't spout nonsense before the enemy commander and get us in trouble, right?'
Unaware of such thoughts, Princess Lilisein was simply overjoyed. Though even if she knew, her reaction wouldn't change.
"Your Grace Duke Bartler. If you're sending only an envoy without a vanguard, are you planning a defensive battle?"
Mindful of Eugene's elevated status, Trevic questioned him with utmost courtesy, unlike before.
"Defense isn't on my mind. And since I came here as Brantia Kingdom's duke, keep addressing me as before."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
Though his rank was incomparably higher, Trevic bowed his head, thinking the man himself hadn't changed.
"Then you're planning to fight outside the city?"
"For now."
"Hmm."
The knights and mercenary captains' expressions turned peculiar.
In war, defense held undeniable advantage over siege.
Common knowledge held that attackers needed at least three times the defenders' numbers to succeed.
Yet fighting with the city's walls at their back was advantageous in battle but not without downsides.
Once the enemy encircled the city, neither entry nor exit was possible.
For a trade hub like Maren, even with its port, a blockade spelled immense losses.
'Considering Maren's situation?'
'But our forces are too few...'
The knights and mercenaries couldn't fathom Eugene's intent. Trevic was no different.
"Ah. So while sending the envoy, you're dispatching scouts as well. To accurately gauge the enemy's numbers..."
"No. Mercenaries handle city defense only. All knights follow me. Quick and decisive."
(Continued in the next chapter)