Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Maxburg Reeducation (5)
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The morning after my private meeting with Baron Vladimir, a report came in while I was still sleeping.
"Your Excellency the Count, the Duke of Maxburg has just arrived."
"I see. Where has he pitched his camp?"
"About an hour and a half from our position."
"Good work. Now, sound the reveille trumpet."
The soldier who reported to me bowed in salute at my words and withdrew.
Then I ordered my attendant in the room to help me don my armor and ceremonial garb before stepping out the door.
Just as I was about to mount my horse, that familiar sound I'd heard quite often began to ring out.
Toot, toot, toot-toot-toot, toot-toota-toot~!!! Toot! Toot! Toot!
A few minutes after the sound started, soldiers began rushing out of their barracks in droves.
"Hurry up! This is the battlefield!"
"Private Hans, understood!"
"Roll call late on the battlefield means whipping at best, execution if you're unlucky! If you want to keep your heads on your shoulders as a unit, run!"
"Where's our assembly point, Sergeant?"
"Five tents up, three to the left—the one in front of the company commander's tent! Run!!"
Even though the soldiers had been jolted awake and poured out in a frenzy, not one forgot to gear up with their armor and weapons.
A well-trained unit can prepare perfectly even in unexpected situations. Sure, this was just advancing reveille a bit, but...
The fact that everyone could rush out without a hitch in an instant—every one of these seemingly trivial actions was soaked in the soldiers' sweat and effort.
These tiny differences would lead to victory.
And I gave orders to the messengers at my side.
"Relay to all commanders battalion level and above: the entire force will assemble at Randel Plain, five kilometers west of Rothringen Castle's western gate."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Upon arriving at Randel Plain, the Duke of Maxburg's camp came into view for all my soldiers.
As if to flaunt his status, he'd planted his ducal house's banner prominently in the center of the camp, visible from afar, and his tents were notably neater than those of lesser houses.
Any ordinary army might quail at the sight of such orderly tents.
I wasn't intimidated, but I did revise my assessment of the Duke of Maxburg upward a notch.
Soon after, the Duke of Maxburg and his officers began marching out of camp in perfect formation.
The Duke at the forefront wore full plate mail engraved with gold depictions of his house and various emblems, while the nobles following him sported armor adorned with gold and precious metals to varying degrees.
The vanguard soldiers behind them wore vivid primary colors in flashy style, their footsteps snapping in unison.
And as if to crush our morale, before the Duke even halted, they stomped their feet on the opposite riverbank and bellowed.
"One, one, one! Long live Duke Maxburg! Long live Romania! Long live Deus Almighty!!!"
"Long live Deus! Long live the Duke!"
"Death to craven Kroitel!"
Not long after, our own NCOs responded in kind.
"One, two, three, four! Thrust up, spears high! Chant! Chant: Down with Maxburg!"
In rhythm, the soldiers raised their spears and slammed them down, declaring:
"Down with Maxburg! Glory to the Count!"
With the initial taunt exchanged, the Duke of Maxburg boldly reined in his horse within clear view of my face and spoke.
"Siel von Kroitel! It's not too late—admit your wrongs, surrender, and grovel! If you do, out of my mercy, I'll spare your honor and family on the Maxburg name!"
It's customary before battle to say something like, "We'll forgive you specially, so kneel, lol," to break the enemy's spirit.
But for His Excellency the Duke, who's been stripped bare in the capital region's east by our forces, to say that to us unscathed...
"Duke of Maxburg! If you repent your wrongs and surrender even now, we'll specially claim not a single field of your territory in this war. Repent your sins and lead your soldiers in surrender! You have no chance of victory!"
Though I said that, even if we annihilated all their forces, we had no intention of taking a scrap of land.
Our dear Duke, enraged at having his lands plundered, dismounted, removed his helmet, face flushed red, and spat:
"I'm a duke, you insolent pup! How dare you respond so arrogantly! A lowly baron defying a noble Elector! Different realms or not, do you not know the rank and order Deus ordained?!"
"Enough nonsense! Didn't you spend the eve of Mass groping women's breasts all night, then doze through without grasping a single verse of Scripture? Deus said man shall be judged by his deeds. Yet you try to lord over me with mere status?"
Then I clapped, bringing forth a citizen caught fleeing Rothringen and an officer nabbed in Blueport plotting smuggling and crimes.
Next, I lightly pricked their shoulders with my blade and whispered:
"Spill everything if you want to live. Do that, and I'll let you go."
"Really?"
"I, Siel von Kroitel, swear on my name to send you off."
Moments later, after hesitation, the officer spoke first.
"I was ordered by Duke Maxburg to kidnap Blueport nobles, sell noblewomen and ladies as slaves, infiltrate gradually, and destroy Count Kroitel's and the citizens' livelihoods—but I got caught midway."
The citizen, realizing it was hopeless, squeezed out:
"Your Excellency, and noble sirs his confidants... Rothringen teeters on ruin. Captain Rosel fixates on gates and walls, fearing serfs seizing the castle... Even some noblewomen and ladies were violated by rioter serfs. They were executed, of course... But it's perilous! Crush the foe, please!"
If I hadn't needed to provoke the enemy, this fool might've cost us dearly.
A citizen risking death to cry, "The city needs you!" could rally nobles and soldiers under the banner of saving an isolated city.
United serfs could overpower even heavy knights.
Regardless of boosting enemy morale, such spirited words from one citizen could dent ours.
Killing him for low morale would backfire, boosting theirs excessively.
No choice—let Maxburg kill him or recruit him.
Recruit him, and he'd tank their morale nicely.
I feigned deep emotion at the citizen's words, speaking in exaggerated tones:
"What's your name?"
"Magdeburg, lawyer of Rothringen."
"Splendid. Truly knightly. Too fine for Maxburg—care to serve under me?"
"No. You're the enemy of Maxburg Duchy."
A mere gentry lawyer below knights, but with real spirit.
Regrettable, but enemies must be crushed early.
"Pity. Yet House Kroitel admires your courage. Facing death without duty to pledge loyalty, yet boosting morale... You there, fetch a fine horse, 70 gold coins, a top sword, and a pledge."
Soon, the attendant delivered all.
The man bowed slightly in thanks, mounted, and rode toward the Duke.
Striding proudly, but mistaken for a richly rewarded spy, he'd be slain before their eyes.
Anyone seeing an enemy lavish gifts and release would suspect a spy seeking greater payoff.
As the citizen and officer returned to Maxburg, he roared:
"You scum, Siel von Kroitel! Even if you're filth who slew your lord, how dare a noble spew lies to delude your people?!"
"All true, Your Excellency!!"
"Shut your lies! As head of Maxburg, hereditary Grand Steward among Electors, would I stoop to such filth?!"
"A Grand Steward kidnaps our noblewomen and ladies?! Better if you'd sent a matchmaker for our beauties. I'd have sent one fitting you—not Ella's equal, but suitable. Though... we lack ugly enough women for you."
My soldiers burst laughing.
"Maxburg lot have protruding chins for hanging cups... How ugly is that?"
"Heh, still a duke? Call it distinctive."
"Tut, Ensign. Like an ox plowed the field, then fertilized. So hearty."
Maxburg, apoplectic, hurled his helmet down:
"Insolent wretch!!!"
"Your Excellency, I respect only worthy nobles."
"Ugly as a pig—you must be trash spawned from men loving each other!"
Keyboard warriors resort to curses and parental slurs when out of arguments?
Human nature's universal—noble Elector reduced to it sans retort.
So I unleashed my prepared bait to enrage him into mad pursuit:
"No, Your Excellency—calling us trash from men's love suggests your own birth. Rest easy; we all sprang from mother-father love. If you doubt, Deus will aid the righteous in battle."
"......"
Then, close enough to see his eyes, nose, mouth, I wagged index and middle fingers:
"We've lived honestly before Deus. So even with naught but staves, we'd crush criminal-releasing you. Thus, my knights dismount. Fair handicap—lest God's judgment go unseen?"