Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Under the White Rose Banner
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“Knights! Assemble under the White Rose emblem of the Archibald family!”
A detailed explanation of the Balmon affair and a command sealed with Essendra’s stamp were sent to the lords and knights.
In response, a considerable number of nobles from the Karsbargin Peninsula rallied, and less than ten days later, a force of eight hundred assembled in Essendra’s territory.
They were all troops under the lords and knights subordinate to the Archibald family, and the nobles who hadn’t sent soldiers forwarded hefty sums through proxies.
“The Archibald family’s reputation hasn’t died yet, has it.”
Galpredic chuckled in response to Eugene’s words.
“I told you, didn’t I? Great noble houses don’t fall unless a massive war that threatens the nation’s survival erupts. Lords value honor and legitimacy above all, and they can’t just discard those themselves.”
In other words, the family endures even if the loyalists change.
That’s why the tyrannical former Marquess Archibald was dragged from his seat and confined to his castle, but that position had to be inherited by a direct descendant of Archibald blood.
And while exploiting the chaos to skirmish and sate some greed was tolerated, denying or defying ‘Archibald’ was not.
It would strip away the legitimacy to lord over the peninsula, becoming dishonor incarnate.
“If Essendra becomes marquess, she could muster three or four times this number, right? Now you see why the royals keep such a close eye on great noble houses? Heh heh.”
“Indeed.”
Just five families able to assemble two to three thousand troops each could shake the throne.
If ten thousand spears turned against you, anyone’s blood would run cold.
‘And if cities like Maren joined in, it’d be over.’
Eugene felt like he’d glimpsed a facet of how the world truly turned.
“Huh? You see that?”
“Hm?”
Eugene’s gaze followed where Galpredic pointed at his voice.
“That’s the emblem from those greenhorns’ surcoats before, right? Yeah?”
“Right. So that must be Sir Pidren?”
The noble presumed to be Sir Pidren scanned his surroundings with tense eyes.
He was armed in fine plate armor and a longsword, but he lacked the aura of a true knight. Still, the mercenaries he’d hired seemed to have high morale.
Galpredic grinned.
“Looks like he shelled out some coin. Fifty men goes beyond just for show. Oh? He even brought the twins? He’s really committing to lining up properly, that one.”
Unlike monster subjugations with clear ends, territory wars and such had no predictable timeline, making mercenaries a heavy burden.
Baron Bormel, whose son and nephew Eugene had captured on good terms, had hired over a hundred mercenaries for nearly a month, straining his finances as proof.
Yet Sir Pidren, whose fortunes didn’t seem much better than Baron Bormel’s, hiring so many mercenaries and bringing his twin sons signaled something significant.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
“Whoa! Master, look over there.”
Spotting someone else amid the forces responding to Essendra’s call, Galpredic pointed in surprise at one spot.
There stood Baron Beogalan—the one who’d tried to feed Eugene to the swamp monster—flanked by Oleg and a few knights, plus a fair number of troops.
“Why’s Baron Beogalan here? He’s not even a vassal of the Archibalds.”
“Beats me.”
Eugene shrugged, equally clueless.
But less than an hour later, he learned why these prickly neighbors had come all this way.
* * *
“Um, are you Sir Eugene?”
“Hm. I’m Yan of the Eugene family, but who might you be, sir?”
He’d recognized the man approaching cautiously from afar, but Eugene played dumb and asked back.
“Ah! First time meeting. I’m Bereta of Pidren. Pleased to meet you, Sir Eugene.”
“Ah, Sir Pidren. Pleasure’s mine.”
“I should’ve greeted you sooner, but as you know, the situation’s what it is. Circumstances arose. That said… I heard my son committed a grave offense against you. So I came to apologize in person.”
Sir Pidren nodded to his attendants.
A small box was promptly handed to Mark, who swiftly opened it with a click and showed the contents to Eugene.
“Kkieek!?”
Mirian, who’d been dozing bored on Eugene’s shoulder, bolted upright.
“We sent the same box to your territory’s proxy. Consider it a gesture to my new neighbor and an apology for my son’s misdeed—no need to feel burdened. Oh, and we’ll fully cooperate on the silver mine development.”
“I’m truly grateful for your consideration, sir. It was just a youthful indiscretion from a hot-blooded lad. I’ve already forgotten it, so no need to worry.”
Seeing the gleaming gold coins neatly stacked, Eugene responded warmly. He’d tried using the eldest son’s blunder as leverage, but reaped far beyond expectations.
‘Looks like Delmong did good work.’
Delmong cowered before the Origin like him but wielded his sly talents fully against humans.
A wise call not to kill but subjugate the man.
“Sir Eugene! There you are!”
Then a familiar voice rang out as a group of nobles approached Eugene.
“Baron Beogalan. Long time no see. Ah, thank you again for handling that matter swiftly before.”
With the prior affair limited to the indenture scam, Baron Beogalan forced an awkward smile and nodded quickly.
“Hah, hahaha! Who’d I drag my feet for? Oh! Sir Pidren, is it? Already greeting Sir Eugene?”
Like the sly fox he was, he swiftly changed the subject, making Eugene and Galpredic stifle laughs inwardly.
“Indeed. Neighbors from now on—gotta get along, right?”
“Good attitude. Come, gentlemen, make your introductions. This is Sir Eugene Yan, the one I’ve mentioned several times before!”
“Several…?”
One oblivious noble tilting his head shut up hastily under Baron Beogalan’s fierce glare.
“I’ve heard much about you, Sir Eugene. Kaylor of Paramount.”
“Tutoran Ramon, Sir Eugene.”
The nobles with Baron Beogalan vied to introduce themselves to Eugene.
Wondering what this was about, Eugene hid his surprise and greeted each one.
“Hahaha! Long time no see, everyone.”
“We greet Lady Essendra!”
All bowed at Essendra’s arrival, clad not in ceremonial but full battle-ready plate armor.
Not a knight, but commander of nearly a thousand troops regardless.
And not being a knight didn’t mean ignorance of strategy or tactics.
Nobles, especially lords and above, were schooled in army command as standard.
“I thank you first for answering my call. As the rightful heir of Archibald, I swear to hold you all in high esteem henceforth.”
“Such words are too kind!”
“I’ve asserted many times that you already bear the White Rose’s honor!”
“I wish to join you in bringing peace and prosperity to the peninsula!”
Essendra smiled broadly at the bowing nobles, knowing full well it was flattery—and thoroughly pleased.
Nearly seven in ten lords and nobles of the Karsbargin Peninsula had come personally or sent fervent oaths of loyalty with vast sums.
They weren’t blind or deaf; they’d sensed the tide turning this way.
And in Essendra’s judgment, the pivotal figure was.
“Now! Allow me to introduce one who’ll be a pillar of this peninsula alongside you all: Sir Yan Eugene!”
Essendra clapped Eugene’s shoulder familiarly.
Some nobles already familiar with him nodded calmly, but most looked puzzled.
As if anticipating this, Essendra raised her voice.
“Last night! My brother Edrike contacted me, acknowledging me as family head and pledging full support in succeeding to the title!”
Ooooh……!
To draw this reaction, Essendra had deliberately omitted Edrike from the command.
Announcing only the Balmon matter and calling assembly was, in a sense, her first test.
“And the foremost contributor to securing Edrike’s oath of loyalty is none other than Sir Eugene.”
“……!”
Even Baron Beogalan and Sir Pidren—who thought they knew Eugene well(?)—flinched.
“Hahaha! Allow me to reintroduce him. Gentlemen! Sir Yan Eugene succeeded in subjugating the Garinsa Dungeon!”
Ooooh.
They voiced polite admiration but wondered.
What’s so impressive?
Subjugation as excuse—maybe Essendra’s new lover? Decent build, elfin features…
“Alone!”
“……?”
“Hahaha! Sir Eugene subjugated the dungeon alone! Taking down three mid-tier monsters to boot!”
“……!!!’
The nobles’ expressions shifted in real time.
Most hadn’t known or believed the wyvern rumors.
But court gossip versus Essendra’s official word weren’t comparable in credibility.
And it couldn’t be a lie—Edrike blocking her troops for over half a year on toll pretexts was infamous.
‘Gasp! So Edrike suddenly yielding to Essendra…?’
‘If that knight succeeded alone, it tracks!’
Ooooooh!!!
Dozens of nobles and knights erupted in genuine awe.
The quick-witted foresaw it:
Should Essendra become marquess, that pretty—no, peerless knight would stand right beside her.
* * *
“Master, master! The nobles eyeing our master are like those stripping bare and slurping fish in my pond before… Kkieek! My bad!”
Mirian, chattering excitedly, quieted under one glare from Eugene.
“This is getting hot, real hot. Heh heh!”
Galpredic wasn’t the only one noting the other nobles’ and knights’ gazes.
He stuck close to Eugene, grinning nonstop.
“They’re all itching to cozy up to you, master? Baron Beogalan and Sir Pidren acting like you’re old bosom buddies. Kekeke!”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“Kkh! More than nothing wrong—it’s huge. Thanks to Lady Essendra, your standing’s transformed entirely. Great, right?”
“We’ll see.”
“Hm?”
Galpredic looked puzzled.
As an awakened high vampire fully awakened to the world, Eugene foresaw several steps ahead of him.
“There’s that. Anyway, leave this matter to me.”
“As your vassal, naturally. But what? Can’t tell me now?”
“Nothing to lose for you, so don’t worry.”
“Then I’m at ease.”
Honestly, even if there were losses, Galpredic planned to obey. He might even die if ordered.
He didn’t yet realize it himself—that was the bond between Origin and kin.
“Oh, and… take Partek’s crew and…”
Eugene murmured instructions to Galpredic.
“…Since it’s already cleared with Lady Essendra, handle it well.”
“Heh heh! Dealing with mages might suit me better than you, master. I’ll take care of it.”
“Good.”
* * *
A day after Essendra’s army departed the territory, Edrike joined with his subordinate nobles and troops.
Two hundred strong—far short of Essendra’s, but ample to showcase a lord’s prowess.
And at sight of Eugene, his overly friendly—practically brotherly—demeanor shocked the nobles anew.
Thus, Essendra as marquess with Eugene at her side became accepted fact.
En route to Gabriel’s territory, the calculations of lords and nobles following her grew ever more intricate.
Four days later.
Over a thousand troops plus dozens of merchant wagons—the largest force since the Karsbargin Peninsula’s chaos—reached Gabriel’s border.
(To be continued)