Chapter 150

Chapter 150

***

The soil in the western part of the Empire was truly fine. The dark brown earth was rich in nutrients, and even the sunlight was warm so whatever was planted grew well.

In particular, grapes grew well so it was famous for wine, and among them, the wine of the Marin region in the Basque Kingdom was widely renowned for tasting the best in the Empire.

As to how good the taste was, Marin's wine was one of the King's main sources of income. It was even said that the Marin region was responsible for more than half of the royal finances. That was no exaggeration.

The time was summer. The sunlight was warm and when the wind blew occasionally, it felt like a pleasant weather.

The wheat in the fields was ripening yellow, and farmers and women were bending their backs, engrossed in hard farming work.

They were those who worked looking at the earth. For them, that was their lifelong karma. A simple, modest life without greed.

There was no such thing as change in their daily lives, and every day, a year, and an entire lifetime flowed similarly.

However, a heterogeneous sound from afar reached the ears of those working in full swing. At first they paid it no mind, but it grew louder and louder.

Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk! Chuk! Chuk! Chuk!

Farmers scattered around the field straightened their backs even though it wasn't time to rest. Then, an unfamiliar sight matching the heterogeneous sound caught their eyes.

It was an army. A large-scale army marching in step forming ranks was a rare sight for those living in farming villages their entire lives.

The soldiers walked leaning weapons like spears, billhooks, or halberds on their shoulders, carrying military packs on their backs, and knights wearing surcoats over chainmail drove their horses slowly intermittently.

The flag had a black cross on a white background, and a skull was drawn in the center of the cross. That skull symbolized the patron saint Vilter, and the army was none other than the Steel Knights.

Because it was such an unfamiliar sight, the farmers weren't even scared and merely blankly watched the army pass by with bewildered and flabbergasted expressions.

It wouldn't even be an issue for the whole area to become a devastated land if those people suddenly changed, but having no sense of danger, the farmers merely blinked their eyes.

"Steel! Knights! Eternally! Be victorious!"

"Steel! Knights! Eternally! Be victorious!"

When someone started the chant, the soldiers followed in unison. The farmers were greatly startled because that sound was like suddenly bursting thunder. Only then did they begin to get slightly scared.

"Karagosa is my home, my heart. The piety of old saints dwells in my soul. I shall cool my hot blade with the blood of infidels. Heading to the battlefield prepared to die, there is no defeat. Sing of our anger. Steel Knights, be eternal."

The soldiers sang the song in time with someone's lead. The rhythm strangely perfectly matched the step, step, step footsteps.

It was a military song passed down in the Flame Knights since long ago, whose lyrics were changed to Steel Knights. A military song gave soldiers a sense of unity, slightly lessened the fatigue of marching, and had the power to bestow a sense of belonging.

It wasn't particularly ordered by anyone, but something they used to do originally.

Around the time the song ended someone riding a horse galloped duguduk, duguduk along the shoulder of the road. Truly wonderfully, the horse's color was a bright red color. A small number of knights followed behind him.

The one who came running from far behind to the front was none other than Rickart. Rickart took a sweeping look at the surrounding terrain and the entire army once, then stopped his horse reaching the vanguard again.

And asked farmers nearby.

"Is it true that Marin's grape farm is located ahead of here?"

Then the farmer looked up at Rickart, who was wearing a red silk battle surcoat and mounted on a red horse, with a dumbfounded expression.

To his eyes, he looked like a person living in some other world. Or a descending angel from heaven holding a flaming sword.

"Uh, uh...... this is indeed Marin though...... this is the village of Quevande...... grape farms are everywhere you go though......?"

"I mean the farm owned by the royal family."

"Th, the grape farms are all owned by the royal family but...... Especially the place making wine. Azuele is the biggest brewery. I heard all the best quality grapes gather there and are made into alcohol. If you keep going down this path and turn left a small hill will appear, and since that entire hill is the brewery you will recognize it right away."

"I understand. I hope your sweat bears fruit. Farmer."

"......Yes?"

The farmer was even more dumbfounded at the elegant greeting he heard for the first time in his life.

However, an answer didn't return, and Rickart furiously rode his horse with a small number of escorts and went to the destination first.

The army moved following him. To Azuele. The village of Quevande was unharmed. Of course, the farmers didn't know how much danger they had been in.

The place where the Steel Knights stopped was below the hill the farmer pointed out. The hill was slightly fortified, but quite rightly, because anywhere with money in the world had to have the power to protect it.

But no matter how fortified it was said to be, it couldn't be compared to those tremendous fortresses of Sinatria.

Because it was for the purpose of blocking the level of moving bandits or mounted bandits, it wasn't a fortress capable of blocking a proper army.

Moreover, since even a band of bandits wouldn't attack the King's property unless they were crazy, there was no actual occasion to defend against enemies.

I'm not sure if it was a fence or a castle wall, but the wall surrounding the hill was about human-chest high.

The troop strength was a single-digit number of guards entirely, and if an emergency situation arose, the people working at the brewery would each pick up weapons and fight.

So, the reactions of the people at the brewery were not much different from the farmers. Having a dumbfounded expression and merely looking down at the large-scale army swarming below the hill was all.

It was just bewildering. Why such an army was here. So even an emergency situation was not declared.

Rickart went in front of the main gate, not even a castle gate, and spoke to the gatekeeper beyond it.

"Will you open the gate after seeing blood, or will you open it on your own?"

Then the main gate opened by itself with a CREAK sound.

Rickart rode his horse and climbed the hill path. As commander of an army, it was an act where his personal safety could be somewhat at risk, but because he himself was strong this was possible.

The hill had structures cutting into the terrain layer by layer where each did divided labor. Carefully selecting grapes, gently stomping on them, aging them, well those kinds of processes.

As Rickart climbed the hill path while looking around, the brewery employees all stared with stupid expressions.

At the very top of the hill was a mansion, and that was where the brewer, the person in charge of this Azuele brewery, lived with his family.

Perhaps because the royal family's main source of income was wine, as a family serving the royal family for generations, the brewer was practically on par with the status of a lord.

As Rickart climbed the hill path, sure enough the brewer was startled and came down in a flurry without even being able to put on his clothes properly.

He was a man whose crown was completely bald, with hair remaining only around both ears. His clothes were also very high-quality silk with delicate embroidery.

"T, t-to enter here, you, you must have a purpose for visiting...... May I ask who you are......"

Constantly rolling his eyes, he alternately looked at the Steel Knights below the hill and Rickart.

"Forgive me for not contacting you in advance. Monsieur......"

"This humble one is called Joffrey of the Azuele family."

Joffrey de Azuele. He wasn't simply a person who brewed alcohol, but a noble.

Rickart nodded his head and spoke. Still looking down at Joffrey from his horse.

"I am Rickart of the Kaldebern family from Stormhearts. I am currently leading the Steel Knights. The Steel Knights was previously called the Flame Knights."

"Flame Knights you say?"

"That is correct. Therefore, wishing to exact the price of the blood of our knighthood brothers, bring out all the wine and wealth piled up in the storehouses. This is not a request but a demand."

The words were courteous but the content was not. He spoke directly without beating around the bush meaning that it was a clear threat and that he was going to extort it.

"Th, th, that is, the brewery here is owned by the royal family though."

"So what?"

"Pardon?"

"So what should I do?"

"Pardon?"

"Did the King of Basque not falsely accuse and kill a brother of the knighthood unjustly. Are you, Joffrey, saying that matter is justifiable? Then it seems you believe we are children of demons? Shall I show you how true demons act then?"

Then Joffrey jumped up and shook his head violently. All while waving his hands exaggeratedly.

"Ah, ah! No! No! I do not know politics! I just brew alcohol generation after generation, I do not know politics! I truly do not know what words go back and forth in the royal court!"

"Then stop talking and bring everything out. I hope you have the intelligence to know that scratching my nerves is not good for you."

Rickart slightly frowned and spoke as if annoyed.

Joffrey was so utterly flabbergasted and felt wronged but there was no way out. The army below the hill was looking up the hill, and he felt as if they were all looking at him.

Left with no choice, he had the brewery employees scrape up and bring out all the wine aged since last year, or before that, or even treasure-like wines that were decades old without leaving anything behind.

Moreover, he also brought out all the money meant to be offered to the royal family.

The expensive wines were contained in glass bottles, and most were sealed in oak barrels. Several soldiers of the Steel Knights clung to them, moved the massive luggage, and loaded them onto carts and wagons.

Joffrey watched that sight in despair and said.

"Wh, what do I do now?"

"About what?"

"It's things that must be offered to the royal family......"

What was he expecting by asking Rickart that. Rickart wondered how there could be such a person, but his frustrated insides were not incomprehensible.

"Good. Then let's do this. I will draft a document for you so it will at least uniquely serve as a minimal excuse."

Rickart drafted a single document for Joffrey. The content of the document wasn't a contract, but a proof that I legally extorted it, and that Joffrey was in a state utterly unable to resist.

What legality is there in extortion, it was a very bizarre document, but still it seemed to be a comfort to the heart. Joffrey gladly signed the document.

And that document proving he was legally extorted was sent to the Basque Royal Court.

Because of the regional characteristic of the western part of the Empire not having many mountainous areas, it was mostly plains, so it might be a bit more vulnerable in defense than the central, northern, or eastern parts, but it was a bit more pleasant for actual living.

The royal castle of the Basque Kingdom was also so. Commonly called the Water Palace, the floor was paved with sleek, mirror-like pitch-black marble, reflecting what was on top of it, making it exactly look as if it was floating on water.

It was a beautiful and dreamlike place. However, the eyebrows of King Leonar sitting on the throne were deeply furrowed.

Being in his 40s he didn't seem to have any health issues yet, and just looking at his appearance, he didn't give off any King's dignity or anything like that and was just ordinary.

He was looking at a single piece of document. The content was simple but no matter how many times he read it, he couldn't understand.

First of all, he had never heard of such a certificate existing in the world. Certificate of Extortion, what kind of nonsense is this?

So he gave up on understanding the content, and looked at the very elegant handwriting in the signature section. 'Rickart von Kaldebern', it was written.

After repeating Rickart, Rickart, several times in his head, the King pushed it aside. And then said.

"Hey, Treasurer Odor. Didn't you say there would be no big deal?"

The Treasurer pointed out by the King constantly flicked his tongue, perhaps his mouth was drying up completely. That looked truly pitiful.

Actually, the Basque Royal Court knew everything. That the Steel Knights had entered the Empire, that is.

However, the troop strength was so large, and their combat power also outstanding, so they couldn't grasp how to respond. In the midst of that, as a result of the advisory council meeting, the conclusion reached was to watch the situation for now.

"Th, that is, at that time it was known that internal strife had occurred, and if so it was considered that the troop strength would not actually be large, so rather than needlessly provoking them......"

"But it's not like that right?"

King Leonar cut off the Treasurer's words and asked. His brows were still deeply furrowed to the max.

Though he wasn't a King who recklessly killed people and such right off the bat, if he ran his mouth wrongly right now it would be difficult to avoid heavy responsibility.

But actually while it was true the Treasurer proposed that opinion, the King wasn't free from responsibility either. Because it was what he wanted to hear. The Treasurer merely said what the King wanted to hear.

The King's inner thoughts were hoping it would pass by without a hitch. However, if the brewery was robbed, the story was different. It wasn't without a hitch, but a severe hitch had occurred.

"If you cancel the events scheduled for next year, and also temporarily halt the temple construction, the finances will be covered somewhat."

"But if the brewery wasn't robbed there'd be no need to cancel, and no need to halt either right? Am I not right? Am I stupid?"

"N, no sir."

While the Treasurer couldn't avoid the ordeal, one person stepped forward. He was the Head of Military Affairs responsible for the kingdom's national defense.

"It is not too late even now. Please summon the vassals. If we keep responding with non-response, even the vassals will waver."

"But these bastards don't listen typically either, so would they gather just because they're told to assemble? If what happens if they don't gather well, losing face wouldn't even begin to describe it."

"If you had summoned them when the knighthood crossed the border, we would have gathered at least 5,000 men by now. If they cross the border safely and run away, if we merely watch them turn the kingdom into a devastated land, we would truly have no face left to stand on."

"That is true......"

"Since it's late now, maintain non-response ostensibly, and issue a conscription order. Set the assembly point as the border, and fight a battle before they cross the border. This place is our land, and they will be very exhausted since their supplies aren't smooth, so if we fight a defensive battle we will capably be able to repel them. Then those bastards without even a country will scatter in all directions and disintegrate, and you can mop them up step by step."

Being the Head of Military Affairs he seemed to know a bit about military matters in his own way, so he proposed a strategy to the King.

Actually the one who advocated fighting from the beginning was the Head of Military Affairs, but because the King didn't accept it, the King showed some signs of discomfort.

The King's advisory council consisted of the Chancellor, Treasurer, Head of Military Affairs, etc. While each had their assigned duties, when discussing national affairs, they voiced opinions regardless of their duties, and the King decided whether to accept them or not.

Having fruitlessly listened to the Treasurer only to have things get tangled up, King Leonar was in an uncomfortable mood.

He didn't want the kingdom to become noisy and for a major incident to happen. Oppressing the Flame Knights was also done with the mindset of 'other countries are all doing it, so I guess I can do it too'.

King Leonar was timid and had a small caliber for handling major incidents. Had he been an ordinary person he would have lived ordinarily, but as a King it was unfitting. He was such a person who would have smoothly passed by without major incidents if it were peaceful times.

Summoning vassals and commanding them was a complex, difficult, and mentally and physically exhausting task. So honestly speaking, King Leonar just didn't want to do it.

Come, why aren't you coming, wanna die? I'll give you what reward if you come, etc etc. Appeasing, threatening, and commanding vassals was never an easy task.

It wasn't an era where people died instantly just because the King spoke. How vassals moved also varied according to the King's personal capability and charisma. Unfortunately, King Leonar had no such charisma.

Do I really have to do such a thing when I'm doing fine smoothly right now? The brewery being robbed is painful but should I just endure it once? If I stay still, won't it just pass by?

However, he couldn't pour out such inner thoughts in front of the advisory council.

But since the advisory council weren't idiots either, they all knew what the King was thinking. THIS BASTARD HAS NO INTENTION OF FIGHTING.

So the Head of Military Affairs also didn't spew out impassioned speeches trying to persuade the King. Assuming the whole country wouldn't fall apart, and he wasn't the one dealing with the aftermath anyway.

Everyone wasn't an idiot, but they were foolish. Because worldly affairs aren't easy, and more than anything, courage doesn't come from intelligence.

So the royal advisory council didn't really reach a conclusion. Only suffocating time flowed, but an unexpected figure resolved that suffocation.

None other than Rickart.

Thinking he would just pass by, he instead advanced to the royal capital and wrote a letter to the King.

The tone of the letter was courteous, but the content was not. To summarize simply, it was this. HEY, YOU COME OUT, KNEEL AND APOLOGIZE FOR KILLING OUR BROTHER.

King Leonar, receiving that letter, stared blankly at Rickart's signature, and only then did he have this thought.

ISN'T THIS A BIT TOO MUCH......