The Embezzler's Reckoning
It had already been about a month since we left the imperial capital. 1200 kilometers was a damn long way. Still, it was finally over. Elisabeth had grown quite a bit. It was the result of gripping the carriage reins every day and repeating endurance training with a wooden sword at night. Once calluses started forming on her palms, she had cried and complained at first, but now she treated them like badges of honor. Her strength had improved enough that she could actually wield a gladius and train with real swordsmanship.
Elena kept silently practicing her mana cultivation method, whether on horseback, in an inn, or at a campsite. Her obsession with magic alone was worthy of being called the best in the empire. And Anastasia was… still a damn dog. Still wearing a collar, still tossed into the luggage compartment, and she had no complaints—in fact, she seemed to like it. When we stopped in a small town and found a doctor to examine her, he said, “…It doesn’t seem to be bipolar disorder.” So I just gave up.
“See, I told you it wasn’t that! I could brew better medicine than that doctor…”
“Shut up.”
After leading the party and riding nonstop, we finally heard it.
“My lord! I can see the signpost!” Elisabeth shouted from the driver’s seat.
I urged Nureongi forward and approached the front of the carriage. A roughly carved wooden sign came into view.
[Breitenfeld Countship]
We had arrived at last. From now on, this was my land.
Crash—!
“The lord has arrived!!”
I kicked the door open and strode into the castle. It wasn’t particularly luxurious, but it was neat and quite spacious, which I liked. A maid looked startled. That girl was pretty cute. I should ask her name later.
“…Does that maid look that beautiful to you?” Elisabeth asked, her tone sharp—probably from all the sword training.
“Ahem. She’s just a servant in my castle, so I was only memorizing her face.”
“Your excuses are getting better!”
The maid glanced between Elisabeth and me, then asked blankly, “Who are you…?”
“Your new master. Didn’t you get the letter?”
“Ah… You mean the one saying you’ve become the new lord of Breitenfeld Countship…”
“That’s right! I’m Goshugir von Breitenfeld!!”
I hadn’t forgotten my precious name Go Su-gil, but it wasn’t a noble-sounding name here. A noble needed a “von” or some other aristocratic surname. So I just shouted the name first.
The maid looked shocked and scurried off somewhere. Moments later, a middle-aged man with a bushy red beard burst out from inside. His lips were shiny with grease and he reeked of alcohol—he was clearly drunk off his ass.
What the hell was this bastard?
“Oh my~ The great Count Breitenfeld has graced us with his presence!!”
His exaggerated tone was dripping with mockery. Seriously, what was this guy’s problem? He was even standing with one leg cocked. Did he have a death wish in front of me?
“I’m terribly sorry for the late welcome—I didn’t receive the message. But… your appearance is quite modest, isn’t it?”
“Got a problem with that?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked if you’ve got a fucking problem, you bastard.”
I walked up and grabbed him by the collar in one swift motion. Rage was boiling over so hard I could barely think straight. Elena—well, I’d decided to just call her Elena now—tried to stop me.
“Please calm down, Lord Goshugir.”
“This bastard’s looking down on me!!”
I unleashed my mana, thick with fury, throughout the castle interior without holding back. The man began trembling violently. I let go of his collar and pushed him away before I did something I’d regret.
“Hoo. Whatever. Just take me to the treasure the Emperor granted me. Let’s get the money first.”
The man broke out in a cold sweat, as if the alcohol had worn off, and avoided my gaze. I was starting to get the picture. This bastard had embezzled everything.
A remote border territory with no lord. The typical extra who manages the land in the lord’s stead, skims taxes, and sucks the blood of the people. You’re dead.
“You. What’s your name?”
“Pardon? Me, sir?”
“Who else is here besides you, asshole?”
“B-Bartol, sir…!!”
“Bartol. Do I look like a nice guy or a bad guy?”
“Y-You look nice!”
Smack— I drove my fist straight into his face.
“Wrong. I’m a very bad bastard. I can be endlessly kind to some people, but to scum like you, I’ll be endlessly cruel!”
“W-What do you want from me…!!”
“Take me to the vault.”
“Y-Yes…!!”
The man rummaged through his pockets, pulled out a key, and started walking ahead to guide me. We followed him. At the end of the corridor was a large warehouse. His hands shaking, he tried to insert the key into the lock, but the door wouldn’t open.
“My lord…! The door won’t open, I swear…!!”
He looked at me with pitiful eyes that didn’t suit him at all. Like I’d fall for that.
Wham— Wham— I pulled out a suitable morning star and smashed the door down. And inside… there was nothing.
“You son of a bitch.”
I turned around to interrogate Bartol, but he was gone. All I could hear in the distance was the neighing of a horse. It didn’t sound like Nureongi or Bucephalus—just a regular horse from the castle stables.
“So he planned this from the start.”
When I stepped outside the mansion, an absurd sight unfolded. Three massive flags fluttered in the wind, each with different colors and crests. Beneath them stood roughly a hundred knights in full plate armor, some with barding on their horses. Surrounding them were about a thousand men-at-arms. In total, three knight orders and a ragtag band of mercenaries encircled the castle.
“He really went all out,” Elena said calmly.
“Their equipment is almost on par with the imperial guard,” Elisabeth noted, clearly surprised.
“Ugh… Scary… Scary……” Anastasia just trembled.
Bartol had completely lost it. He was screaming at the top of his lungs among the soldiers.
“Count, my ass!! That guy’s a fake count who was kicked out of the capital!! I’ll cut off his head and hang it from the highest point of Breitenfeld Castle!!”
“Waaaaah!!”
Whether they were confident in their numbers, their gear, or both, they looked pretty arrogant. Elisabeth drew her small gladius, hands shaking.
“I still… I still can’t…”
Elena stepped forward in front of the muttering Elisabeth.
“I’ll help. It won’t be easy, but—”
“I’m going alone.”
“Lord Goshugir!! These aren’t ordinary knight orders! They’re orders that can use aura!!”
“So?”
I slung the morning star over my shoulder and muttered, “Are these guys stronger than the Demon King’s main army?”
“…No, they’re not.”
“Then shut up and watch.”
No wonder bandit attacks had increased the closer we got to the countship. They must’ve received the letter and already planned to chop off my head. That might’ve worked on a regular noble or knight. But I was Go Su-gil, Goshugir von Breitenfeld—the man who fought the Demon King’s main army alone.
“Attack!!”
The knights clad themselves and their horses in aura and charged through the castle walls. They formed ranks by order, surrounding us, then rushed in.
Pathetic.
When Elena tried to cast a spell, I said, “Don’t.”
Then I called out, “Hey, Weapon Vault.”
Universal Weapon Inventory
Which weapon would you like to retrieve?
“500 pikes. Float them in the air and launch them.”
Executing command.
A cluster of light began to rise behind my back. It transformed into 500 pikes, each six meters long, aimed at the knights charging toward us.
“Fire.”
In an instant, all 500 pikes pierced through the bodies of roughly a hundred knights and their warhorses.
“……”
Silence fell over the area. In the distance, Bartol’s face had gone deathly pale. I spat and muttered, “These bastards are asking to die.”
I left my companions at the castle gate and walked forward alone.
“Aaaagh!! My arm!! My arm!!”
“Save me…”
I ignored the knights’ agonized screams and walked steadily toward the gate. The mercenaries didn’t even dare to raise their weapons against me.
“Hey, Bartol or whatever. Come out.”
“Hiiiiiik!!”
“Send that bastard forward and I’ll spare the rest of you. You know this is all rebellion, right?”
One mercenary group flinched at my words, then dragged Bartol forward. I grabbed him by the hair the moment I saw him.
“You prepared quite the flashy welcome, huh? Where’s my money, you son of a bitch?”
“I-I’ll give it back! I’ll return everything!!”
“How much of my money did you spend?”
“……”
“Tell me before I smash your head in with this morning star. I’m not patient.”
Bartol trembled violently, then screamed, “It’s in my house! The location is—”
“Shut up. Time to die.”
I swung the morning star and smashed it into his head. His skull caved in instantly, blood spraying like a fountain.
Damn bastard. I asked how much he spent, not where it was. I ordered the mercenaries, “Clean up the knight corpses. If you’re not done in an hour, you’ll end up like him.”
“Y-Yes!!”
After their loud reply, the mercenaries poured into the castle walls. I leaped into the air and landed lightly in front of the gate.
“Elena. Cast a cleansing spell.”
“……Yes.”
Mm. This feeling of my body becoming spotless was nice. I smiled at the three girls.
“Now let’s go find my money.”