Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Essendra's Advance
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“Lady Sis is protesting at the territory border. What are we going to do now?”
Gabriel, the eldest son of the Archibald family, couldn’t hide his thoroughly frightened expression.
As the firstborn of a marquis family, he was known as quite capable and intelligent on the Kalsbargin Peninsula. In truth, he was competent as a direct heir and eldest son of the marquis house.
But Gabriel had been overshadowed by his sister Essendra’s presence since childhood.
After his father, Marquis Archibald, was imprisoned, he had been pushed by some lords and knights into deciding on independence, driven by a desire to escape his sister’s shadow.
And though it was hard to read her intentions, his younger sister Elena—who had always been very close to him since childhood—had also played a significant role in egging him on.
“…….”
Seeing his sister Elena bite her lip without responding, Gabriel grew even more anxious.
“Elena. Why hasn’t there been any word from the wizard you sent? Where the hell is that guy who claims to be his apprentice?”
“He went off to find his master, so we’ll hear something soon, brother.”
“When? Ugh! Fine. Anyway, if there’s even a chance of failure, you told him to just leave the peninsula, right?”
“You think I’m an idiot? I told him to release it and then get lost.”
“Phew! Good. If that’s the case, even Sis’s army won’t be able to pursue.”
Somewhat relieved, Gabriel finally cracked a smile.
But Elena Archibald, who had orchestrated the whole affair, couldn’t join him in laughter.
‘Why hasn’t there been any news? It’s been over five days already!’
Not long after the bishop fled to the royal castle, two wizards had slipped into the marquisate amid the peninsula’s chaos.
The master and apprentice, who claimed to follow the orthodox lineage of an unfamiliar school called ‘Pilgrim’s Shadow,’ had made Elena an offer she couldn’t refuse.
- We’ll make your brother Gabriel the new Marquis Archibald. Even if things go wrong, we can carve up the marquisate and turn you into a lord with a royal title.
At first, she hadn’t believed them and tried to chase them away. But after witnessing them resurrect a few roamers, her mind changed.
- We’ll resurrect a powerful monster and plunge the marquisate into danger. Then Sir Andre, your husband and Gabriel’s knight, will heroically slay it.
Even amid her doubts, it felt like a flash of inspiration.
If it worked, her husband and brother’s fame would echo across the peninsula in an instant, and the vassals would rally to crown her brother as the new marquis.
- But turning the monster we want into an undead will take time. At least six months.
She had to buy time somehow.
That’s why she kept the entire peninsula, including the marquisate, in constant turmoil.
Pressuring Edrike to block Essendra’s forces from entering the dungeon.
Sending criminals to the late youngest’s mines under the promise of amnesty, stirring up that area.
It was all part of the plan.
But the silver mine plot had fallen apart because of some unknown knight, and the dungeon she’d controlled for over half a year had been cleared just recently by someone.
‘It’s just a bit of bad luck. They said it’s almost ready, so if we hold out a few more days, a monster among monsters that no one but my husband can handle will rampage through the marquisate.’
With that confidence, Elena spoke to her brother Gabriel.
“We have to buy time somehow, brother. Being called honorless cowards will only last a moment.”
“Yeah. I’ll do as you say.”
Dreaming of a rosy future, the two siblings renewed their resolve.
* * *
“We can’t just sit here, my lady! You must bring the hammer down on those honorless cowards!”
“Exactly! It’s been over two days since we sent the envoys, and there’s no reply?”
The nobles following Essendra were thoroughly enraged.
‘If you just listen to them, you’d think there were no truer loyalists.’
Eugene chuckled inwardly.
But now that he understood how the world worked, he could also see why the nobles were so worked up and spitting mad.
“What? Because your hired mercenaries aren’t doing anything? Does it sting that much to pay their wages?”
“That’s not it, my lady…….”
The nobles flinched at Essendra’s direct hit and averted their eyes.
“Your words aren’t without merit. But let’s wait a bit longer. We have to give Gabriel time to prepare. He must be sitting on hot coals by now.”
Hahaha……
At the somewhat cheap joke unbecoming of the next marquis, the nobles let out light laughs.
At that moment, Partek, who had become Eugene’s temporary messenger, slipped into Essendra’s tent where only lord-level and higher nobles were gathered.
Receiving the nobles’ stares, Partek quickly approached and whispered something quietly to Eugene.
Soon after he left again, Eugene spoke to Essendra.
“Lady Essendra. Sir Galpredic has returned.”
“Oh? Good, did everything go well?”
“Seems like it without any issues.”
“Excellent.”
The nobles tilted their heads at the exchange between Eugene and Essendra, completely unable to grasp what was going on.
Then Essendra rose from her leather-upholstered wooden chair and picked up her baton.
“We cross the territory border right now!”
Ooooooh!
“Death awaits any who block me and my army! This knows no rank or status! Vassals who do not submit under the Archibald banner will be judged by the White Rose Code handed down for three hundred years!”
“As you will, my lady!”
The nobles shouted in unison and bowed deeply. Everyone except Eugene, who stood at Essendra’s side.
* * *
Gabriel’s forces blocking the border surrendered the moment the heavily armored knights crossed it.
In a way, it was a family quarrel, so surrendering to Essendra wasn’t particularly dishonorable.
After crossing the border, Essendra ordered Eugene and a group of knights to seize the minor territories of nobles within Gabriel’s domain.
The peninsula’s knights were all exceptionally proud, but they faithfully followed the orders of Eugene—the knight who had single-handedly cleared the demon realm and slain a wyvern.
Most were even glad to fight alongside Eugene.
It wasn’t just any ordinary knight; fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with the knight recognized by the soon-to-be new Marquis Essendra was a chance to boost their own fame.
In particular, the seven free knights who had become his ardent followers stuck to Eugene and Galpredic like vassals.
In any case, the knights led by Eugene used their mobility to raid villages along the road to the Archibald main castle.
* * *
“Spare us, sirs! Knights!”
“P-please show mercy……!”
Eugene inwardly smiled bitterly at the villagers who had already gathered at the village entrance and knelt before the knights even arrived.
‘This is the third time already.’
He’d thought they’d put up at least some resistance, but all three villages they’d hit in half a day were like this.
Of course, there was no sign of any administrators. Even in a large village with over five hundred people, not a knight or mercenary in sight.
The reason was simple.
“Did the administrator here flee to the main castle too?”
At Galpredic’s question, the village chief nodded vigorously.
“Yes, sir! He left with the mercenaries four days ago.”
“Took all the wealth and stockpiled food?”
“That’s right, sir.”
Even amid their fear, the villagers’ faces darkened noticeably, and Galpredic clicked his tongue once before turning to Eugene.
“Same here. Looks like Lord Gabriel is preparing for a siege.”
“Shouldn’t we inform Lady Essendra, Sir Eugene?”
“Agreed. If it’s like this here, then every village on the road to the main castle will be the same.”
The other knights chimed in agreement with Galpredic.
All the signs pointed to Gabriel holing up in the main castle and attempting negotiations via siege.
The local leaders fleeing to the main castle with all troops and supplies was proof enough.
“…….”
Eugene pondered briefly before riding Silion toward the villagers standing awkwardly.
“I have one question.”
“Yes, sir knight!”
Spotting that Eugene was the leader of the knight group, the village chief and villagers became even more deferential.
“Where around here do roamers cause the most trouble?”
“Uh…”
To the chief who didn’t catch on immediately, Eugene clarified.
“Not goblins or kobolds—trolls or lycanthropes. Isn’t there a dangerous area where hazardous monsters have appeared frequently for a long time?”
“Ah! Yes, there is. The Black Griffin of Rodan Forest—it’s been infamous for about ten years.”
“Hmm.”
A griffin resembles an eagle in head, wings, and forelegs, but its body and hind legs are like a lion’s—a mid-to-large monster.
Despite wings, its bulk prevents long-distance flight, so it claims a relatively narrow territory.
But it’s so ferocious that even most mid-tier monsters avoid griffin habitats.
“Is it a pack?”
“Y-yes. Rumored to be three of them roaming together. They’re so vicious no one goes near Rodan Forest without mercenaries.”
“Hm. I see. Got it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Leaving the bowing village chief and villagers behind, Eugene went to Galpredic and the knights.
“You lot return to Lady Essendra and report the situation. Galpredic, you have business with me.”
“Pardon? You’re not coming back with us, Sir Eugene?”
As the knights voiced surprise, Eugene put on a grave expression and replied.
“Griffins are rampaging nearby. And as you’ve seen, this village and the others we’ve hit have no knights or troops, right?”
“Hmm. True.”
“Ah! Sir Eugene, don’t tell me……?”
One of the free knights who’d followed Eugene from Mopern caught on, and Eugene nodded.
“That’s right. This is Archibald land, isn’t it? Lady Essendra will soon inherit the title, so as a knight serving her, I can’t just leave monsters threatening the people. I’m sure she’d want the same.”
“……!”
“But we can’t disobey the orders she already gave. So you return and report. Meanwhile, Galpredic and I will take down the griffins.”
Essendra intended to secure loyalty from every minor territory and village in the marquisate, even if it took time.
So she wouldn’t mind if he and Galpredic were absent for a couple days hunting griffins.
Above all, the justification was impeccable.
“Ooh!”
“Truly, sir……!”
“Today I’ve witnessed true knighthood, Sir Eugene!”
He could tell just from the knights’ awestruck reactions.
It aligned perfectly with the knightly virtue of aiding the weak, and if they succeeded, the credit would reflect on Essendra as a liege who cherished her people.
A perfectly honorable act.
“Anyway, Galpredic and I will head to Rodan Forest first. Take care of Lady Essendra for me.”
“Leave it to us, Sir Eugene!”
“We’ll fill the gaps left by you and Sir Galpredic with our all.”
Hunting monsters was a great feat, but fighting as knights under a great noble like Essendra was a rare lifetime opportunity.
That’s why the knights welcomed Eugene splitting off for the griffin hunt rather than envying it.
“We won’t disappoint you, Sir Eugene.”
“We’ll repay your consideration!”
Some, including Essendra’s knight Gecko, even misconstrued it as Eugene deliberately giving them a chance and thanked him profusely.
‘Why are they thanking me?’
‘How should I know?’
“Then safe travels, everyone. Let’s go, Sir Galpredic.”
Eugene inwardly replied to Mirian as he spurred his horse alongside Galpredic.
“Master! You’re really going after the griffins?”
“For now.”
“Hmm. You must have a plan, but is it necessary? What’s to gain? You already bagged a wyvern.”
“Whoa! The big ol’ bear’s sharper than he looks.”
His retainer and the spirit of desire, who knew Eugene’s personality best, showed their keen insight in turn.
“There’s gain. A big one.”
Clop clop!
Once sufficiently distant from the village, Eugene unleashed his vampire abilities fully and grinned coldly.
It was the perfect chance to test the new power gained from devouring the giant bat’s red mana stone.
(To be continued)