Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Volunteer Knights
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Over a hundred troops, plus more than twenty handymen, and the merchant caravan following along had grown even larger in scale.
Excluding a few great nobles, this was a force capable of securing victory in most territorial wars, all gathered under the banner of the Black Dragon.
And that wasn't the end of it.
"You want to join my command?"
"That's right, my lord. I wish to raise the name of the Florence House under your banner and practice true knighthood. Please permit it."
"I want to show Lord Medein that the Spear of Demeter has not yet been broken. I don't need pay. Just give me a chance to prove my resolve."
Eugene was a bit dumbfounded by the knights who came seeking him out, burning with determination.
The mercenaries had jumped at the recruitment because he was offering pay and all sorts of bonuses, but he hadn't expected proud knights to come of their own accord.
"Hmm~ I'm not sure if you know, but I don't have the means to take care of you lot."
"That's fine. A knight's worth is proven by himself. When the right time comes, grant us fitting rewards then."
"Just fighting alongside an outstanding knight like Lord Eugene will make my name shine brighter. Please allow us to fight together!"
In short, they were saying they'd fight for free for now, then divvy up the spoils afterward. And while at it, boost their fame too.
"Hmm."
Eugene scanned the knights crowding around him.
The seven knights, armored in plate mail or chain mail, each had one or two squires in tow and owned horses.
Even if their skills were only average compared to the knights he'd faced before, they were still a formidable force.
On flat ground, just ten knights could slaughter infantry five or six times their number.
'Still, I have to be able to trust them.'
They might be bending the knee now for fame and future gains, but knights were unpredictable in real battle—nobody knew how they'd turn.
Recalling the Templars who'd acted recklessly in the Evergrow Count's labyrinth and ended up dead, Eugene decided to hold off.
"Sorry, but I can't formally take you under my command."
"Eh? Knights are better the more you have, didn't Gal's kin say that too? Take them and use them like slaves!"
As Mirian, who'd been watching with keen interest, tilted her small head in confusion, the knights' faces hardened, their pride wounded.
"Lord Eugene! Please reconsider..."
"But I can't very well deny the resolve of knights seeking to practice true knighthood, can I?"
"......!?"
One knight's eyes widened as he hurriedly asked.
"Does that mean we can follow you?"
"You're free to follow if you want—what can I do about it? Suit yourselves."
The knights brightened at Eugene's response.
"We won't drag you down!"
"Good. I'll trust you."
Eugene nodded in satisfaction. He'd gained seven knights without spending a dime, and even in the worst case, he could wash his hands of responsibility.
"You're gonna use them for free? Wow, our young master has it all planned out? Those fools are thrilled."
Mirian pitied the knights who'd unwittingly volunteered their services due to Eugene's ploy(?).
But the knights, mistaking it for recognition, just shouted boldly.
"To fight alongside the Troll Slayer and Wyvern Slayer! This is the greatest honor of my life, Florang Florence!"
"With Lord Eugene at my side, Lord Medein can't dodge my challenge. Status-wise, Lord Eugene outranks him anyway."
"For the peace and stability of the Karlsbaigin Peninsula, I offer my life!"
Their goals varied slightly, but the knights were genuinely thrilled.
Eugene, who'd acquired free volunteers, was thrilled too.
* * *
"What a sight. Truly a sight."
From atop the walls, Gardye looked down at the troops marching out the gates and the procession of chief merchants handling supplies, his face beaming with smiles.
"Hmm. Do you really think that knight can pull it off? No matter what, they're outsiders' orders—they won't follow properly. Especially knights; their pride makes them hard to handle..."
Gardye clicked his tongue at the mercenary guildmaster's words.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Guildmaster, you've definitely gotten on in years. Your thinking's rigid. Don't you get why they follow Eugene more because he's not from the peninsula?"
"Pardon?"
"Why did the local nobles just lick their lips over the Nadir Mountain silver mine without touching it? Why did the local lords ignore Viscount Bemos's villages?"
"Because if something goes wrong later, they'd be the ones held accountable... Ah?"
Gardye chuckled as realization dawned on the guildmaster mid-sentence.
"Get it now? Lord Eugene can rampage without a care—who's gonna hold him accountable? Future backlash? Who's going to question an outsider knight with no ties to the peninsula?"
"True enough."
"I'm sure half those knights trailing Lord Eugene joined without pay precisely for that reason. No worry of losing granted lands to someone later."
"If the lord they follow is free from accountability, so are the knights. That's it, right?"
"Exactly. Heh heh heh!"
"So what does our Mopern get out of it?"
"No matter what anyone says, the fact that our city's guilds backed Lord Eugene won't change. It's one silver mine now, but who knows? He might snag a magic crystal mine or two. Where do you think he'll take them to sell? Lord Eugene's close to Maren City, but you think he'll ship them all the way there by sea?"
"Ooh!"
"We don't even need him to pacify the peninsula. Just becoming one pillar of balance is a huge win for us. A few thousand silver coins are pocket change compared to those gains. Hahaha!"
Dreaming of a rosy future, Gardye laughed heartily.
Wyvern Slayer or whatever, he's just a knight who knows how to fight.
He's quick-witted and smart enough, but territory management—no, peninsula-spanning politics—can't be solved by force alone.
Eventually, the outsider's limits will show, and that's where Mopern City steps in to fill the gap.
Let the knights handle the dirty work, and Mopern handles the money!
That was the goal behind Gardye and Mopern's merchants deciding to back Eugene.
"Lord Gardye! Lord Gardye!"
Just then, a city guard rushed up to the walls.
"What? Something wrong?"
"A certain 'master' who says he's Lord Eugene's steward wishes to see you."
"Ah, Lord Delmondo? Where is he now?"
He seemed fairly educated, but at most a fresh-faced steward in his mid-to-late twenties—someone Gardye could easily handle.
Unaware that this steward had served ten years in Roman Empire finance and personnel management, wandered various places for nearly twenty years amassing all sorts of experience, and was a cunning Night Clan peerless in craftiness.
Humming to himself, Gardye descended the walls.
* * *
"A... castle?"
"That's right. A castle. As lord of six hamlets and four villages, you naturally need one."
"But suddenly talking about that..."
"A castle and walled village make a proper stronghold. Troops can garrison there, and it's easier to set up a large market. Merchants would much prefer a village with walls or a castle housing troops."
"......"
Gardye shut his mouth. He couldn't immediately counter Delmondo's words.
"If you don't like it, forget it. There's more than just Mopern to sell silver in. Ah, I could propose it to Maren. If the market there gifts you armor emblazoned with their city crest, they'd probably..."
"F-Fine, let's do it! We'll fund everything! A castle! Let's build it!"
The merchant's greed took the bait.
Delmondo smirked inwardly but kept a straight face as he pressed on swiftly.
"Main keep plus seven towers and two annexes. Can garrison about a hundred troops at all times, with around fifty non-combat residents. Thirty-plus crossbow bastions on the walls flanking the gate."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, not sure if that paints a picture? Reference Lion Fort of Viscount Kailroad's house. Mopern has dwarf architects, right? Entrust it to them, and they'll have the fortress done in half a year."
"Uh, sure... I get it."
Gardye was thoroughly flustered.
He never dreamed such specifics would come from the young steward he'd underestimated.
"Site it at Baran Village, where Viscount Bemos's manor is. Keep the manor as an annex to save on construction costs. Hm? What's wrong?"
Seeing Gardye's uneasy reaction, Delmondo smiled faintly and continued.
"Ah. Worried the castle's too small for Lord Eugene to reside in? Don't fret. That won't be his main seat. It'll mostly house knights or stewards you appoint."
"What do you mean by that?"
More money!? Gardye's heart sank as he wiped sweat and asked.
"What else? Guildmaster, do you think Lord Eugene will end as lord of just a few villages?"
"......!"
"Tsk tsk. I thought a guildmaster from a city like Mopern would have a broad view, but seems I overestimated you. Look at the big picture, Gardye."
Gardye, now stung with disappointment-laced criticism.
But he was still reeling from the shock.
- You think Lord Eugene will end up as some local peninsula lord?
That one line.
Of course, Gardye didn't think so either.
He'd suggested hiring mercenaries and covered most costs because he believed Eugene could become one pillar of the Karlsbaigin Peninsula.
But Yan Eugene's cousin and estate steward aimed higher—no, was certain of even more.
After a moment of frantic calculations and imaginings, Gardye regained his composure and said.
"Then... how far do you think Lord Eugene will go, Lord Delmondo?"
"Imperial grand lord? Or king? Maybe both?"
"......!"
Gardye's eyes widened in disbelief.
But Delmondo remained calm.
'The great Origin decided to live among humans, so of course he'll reach that level. My father was a lord in the Empire too, after all.'
* * *
"Malt Brothers?"
Eugene asked, thinking bandit groups always had such bland names.
"Yes! They rarely emerge from the forest, but they raid villages at harvest and attack merchants. With ears, they've likely heard of you, so they won't show for a while..."
"Take them out en route."
"Yes, sir!"
The newly appointed decurion saluted sharply with proper military discipline.
Not just him—all eight decurions gathered in Eugene's tent, save Partek, looked equally tense.
Because of the astonishing atlatl skills he'd shown at the pub during hiring?
No.
The decurions—and all mercenaries—were frozen stiff around Eugene because of yesterday's knightly duel.
It would've been fine if the knights had just sparred among themselves for practice and to stay sharp.
The problem was the knights' nature rearing its head.
Even in wooden-sword sparring, their competitive spirits ignited, heating the atmosphere—that was normal for knights.
The issue was the knights, lost to victory lust, challenging the supreme commander half out of rivalry, half curiosity.
So, remembering Crema Galpredic's advice that crushing knights and mercenaries upfront was best, Eugene showed no mercy and thrashed the challengers.
Not one or two, but all seven like ragdolls.
They'd only gotten a few bruises thanks to armor and helmets—everyone agreed it'd have been dismemberment in real combat.
And the best part was what Eugene said after beating them all.
"Want a proper rematch? I'll feed you mana crystals."
Meaning their utter defeat wasn't even his "proper" effort.
Having witnessed that yesterday, the decurions had no choice but to stand ramrod straight.
"Who's going? No need for all—three decuries suffice."
"My lord! Leave the vanguard to us Steel Bulls Mercenary Corps!"
"We'll go. We'll bring the Malt Brothers' heads in two hours!"
"No, us!"
"My lord!"
As Eugene tried to sort the heated rivalry, a mercenary burst into the tent.
"Lord Eugene! Th-the knights charged into the forest!"
"What?"
Hadn't it been hours since their beating—why were they at it again?
(To be continued next time)