Chapter 151

Chapter 151

***

Anyone can speak easily. However, if told to actually did it directly, there were almost none who can.

Mocking and sneering at someone's failure was easy. However, the person who experienced failure succeeds, and the one who only ever mocked merely mocks others until death, living and dying a mean life themselves.

Therefore, ultimately in succeeding, whether one had the grit to crash into things head-on might be more important than whether one's head was good or bad.

Rickart had such grit, and King Leonar didn't. If that was the biggest difference it was a difference, and if it was a tragedy it was a tragedy.

Traversing the Empire from west to east had never happened before. Doing so leading an army didn't make sense commonly.

It wasn't like traveling, and it wasn't something where you could just follow the shortest path to go.

Supplies were essentially non-existent, places for the army to rest were limited, and furthermore, the various monarchs of the Empire were hostile toward the knighthood.

The total troop strength of the Steel Knights was 6,000. Assuming they eat two meals a day, 12,000 meals were needed every day. The food bought after disposing of the knighthood's properties had already all been eaten up.

Although they replenished food by robbing the brewery in the Marin region, failing in food supply even once could plunge them into a desperate crisis.

The food a single soldier could carry was about 4 to 5 meals; they could eat sparingly, but then their stamina would drop. And that meant their combat power would drop.

Ultimately, there was no choice but to procure locally, that was, pillage. However, even if he died, it was Rickart's grand principle not to starve or massacre innocent commoners.

Then what must be done? There was only one answer. There was no choice but to rob the Kings.

The justification was sufficient. Exactly hanging up vengeance as the banner. Actually, he had no intention of taking revenge, but it was an intention to purposely make it look like that to the outside.

Making vengeance the justification had two effects. One was being able to hide our strategic objective, and the other was that it was easy to distinguish who the enemies were.

From the perspective of the people of the Empire, it was difficult to think that Rickart was trying to go to Adelorn. Because it was non-commonsensical.

Second, from Rickart's position, secretly traversing the Empire taking this many troops was impossible anyway. If so, it was better to firmly imprint their presence from the very beginning. What kind of state one ends up in if they challenge us.

Even so, Kings or lords who tried to face them were enemies, and if they were scared and stayed still, they just had to pass through that region quickly.

Therefore, King Leonar of the Basque Kingdom was one sacrifice. Putting forth an unacceptable condition of coming outside the royal capital, kneeling, and apologizing was heavily intentional.

Of course, whether there was someone within the royal court with the insight to see through such intention, whether they had the courage to speak that opinion if there was, and whether the King had the caliber to listen and accept that opinion, were circumstances on their side.

King Leonar was holding his head with his face deeply frowning as if in pain, looking like he would collapse if nudged.

"It is not too late even now. The enemies do not have enough troop strength to surround the entire royal capital. Send people and issue a conscription order."

The Head of Military Affairs said. But perhaps not on good terms with him, the Treasurer frowned and rebutted.

"For you, Head of Military Affairs, whether it's late or not changes from time to time. How can it be commonly acceptable that sometimes you say let's do this because it's already late, and now you say it's not late."

"So what do you suggest we do? Are you, Treasurer, saying we should push His Majesty into the jaws of the enemies?"

"That is not what I mean, but that it is late to issue a conscription order to the vassals. It is rather better to request a rescue from the Cafe Kingdom."

"Are you crazy!? You!?"

At the Treasurer's words, the Head of Military Affairs opened his eyes wide and yelled.

The Basque Kingdom and Cafe Kingdom were sworn enemies from birth. However, on the other hand, both were collateral branches that fell away from the same family.

In the old days, the Basque Kingdom and Cafe Kingdom were one country under a family called Robert, but having been split into two and a long time passing, it just solidified like that.

"It's not being crazy, but let's look at the current situation. Anyway, the Capet King is His Majesty's distant relative, and if we collapse, that side is in danger too. Our bloodlines are connected and our interests align, so what would be so difficult about holding hands?"

"Traitor!"

The Head of Military Affairs jumped up from his seat and pointed at the Treasurer. However, there were no advisory council members agreeing with his opinion. Since the situation was urgent, various opinions could come out after all.

"Lower your voice, Head of Military Affairs."

The Chancellor, who had been staying still all along, said to the Head of Military Affairs. Then, as if he momentarily forgot he was in front of the King, the Head of Military Affairs cleared his throat and sat down. However, his glare at the Treasurer remained the same.

King Leonar let out a groaning sound once going whine, then lifted his head and spoke.

"It is late to issue a conscription order to the vassals. However, even if we speak to the Capet King, what request would he make?"

"Could we not negotiate by him supporting war expenses and marrying off a princess? And when the matter is concluded, we can also gather troops and feign ignorance. Perhaps we could even strike the enemy borrowing the enemy's hand."

It was a nonsensical sound. No, the words sounded plausible but were not realistic.

"What does the Chancellor think?"

The King asked. Then the elderly Chancellor slowly opened his mouth.

"First of all, wouldn't figuring out his true intentions first fit the order of things? Let's send a person and listen to the words of the Commander of the Knights."

"True intentions?"

"Is he truly doing this because of vengeance? Making an unreasonable demand from the beginning might be because he has another intention. Hearing about it, his bravery is peerless, and brave ones generally have a lot of desire for fame and tend to like women."

Both this guy and that guy did not know Rickart way too much. They obtained this and that information but tended to interpret it arbitrarily.

They saw through that it didn't seem he was doing that because of vengeance, but were guessing wrongly beyond that.

"What do you mean?"

"He is brave and his skills are outstanding, but looking into it I found that the Caldebern family is a somewhat humble family. They don't seem to have that much reputation. Suggest a marriage talk to him. If you directly send the youngest Princess, you can give him trust. How about using that as an excuse to stall for time? Furthermore, with that level of ability, taking him in as a son-in-law wouldn't be bad either. What I am saying is, we gather troops on one hand, and on the other hand, watching how things progress, we could also take him as a son-in-law."

Listening to it, it was a plausible plan. Thinking it was quite a brilliant move, King Leonar's eyes shot wide open.

"Indeed, you are the Chancellor. Why did you only offer your high opinion now."

"You flatter me."

"But from the beginning, wouldn't a Princess be a bit excessive?"

King Leonar spoke seemingly slightly reluctant. This was exactly the problem. Not being able to make a decision at the decisive moment whether right or wrong. Not having the grit to did so.

Even though there were several opportunities, the situation coming all the way to this was because of his indecisiveness.

The Chancellor looked at the King as if he was pathetic, then withdrew that gaze and spoke calmly.

"Shouldn't it be a bit excessive for that side to be tempted?"

"Ah, I understand. So you mean we test the waters first. I will send the youngest daughter. At the same time, you, the Treasurer, go to the Cafe Kingdom and try sounding out a negotiation."

"Pardon? Me?"

"You're the one who proposed the opinion, aren't you?"

"......"

The Treasurer was flustered, but the Head of Military Affairs looked at him laughing as if saying serves you right. The level of the advisory council was like this.

The Chancellor spoke to the King.

"Please do not worry too much. They cannot cross the castle walls with those troops anyway. We will suffer a bit, but if we stall for time, we are definitely at an advantage. Isn't that right, Head of Military Affairs?"

"Yes, that is correct."

It was generally so, but having too much overconfidence in the castle walls was also the Chancellor's problem. Since the fortresses of Sinatria were at an unimaginable level, and the knighthood were exactly those who fought siege warfare even there.

No matter how outstanding a person's brain was, it was the rule that their thoughts only reached within that bounds depending on the environment they lived in.

Anyway, King Leonar thought he took a load off his mind with the plausible plan, and immediately ordered his youngest daughter to be prepared.

Rickart was looking at the agricultural lands around the royal capital. The green wheat ripening yellow, he could see that if they went a bit further north it would be harvest time around this time.

The important thing was the appropriate timing. If the timing matched well things could proceed smoothly, and if not it could become exhausting.

Rickart's intermediate goal was for the Capet King to quickly summon an army out of surprise.

In that opening, sweeping clean the territories with fertile land securing large amounts of food, and taking padded roads to advance far eastward all at once.

Therefore, timing was truly important. The fate of Rickart and the knighthood depended on when and how much the wheat ripened.

The wind blew and the wheat field swayed. The army was camped to the north of the royal capital, and the farmers engaged in their livelihoods while watching as if fascinated.

All of this was bizarre. Had it been another army it would have been an uproar with them already pillaging long ago.

The knighthood had military discipline kept alive, and the biggest difference from other armies was that whatever Rickart commanded they upheld unconditionally. Unlike other people who suffered like dogs just to make them listen to words first.

There were only a few competent military commanders in the world too, but dominating the army was not easy from the start.

"Commander. An envoy has arrived."

Raimund said to Rickart who was looking at the wheat field.

"Didn't I say if an envoy comes, kill them and hang their head on a pole?"

"But the thing is, since it's a Princess it's a bit......"

"A Princess?"

"Yes. Shall I hang her head?"

"......No. Bring her."

He tried to act like a ruthless avenger on the outside, but still there was such a thing as proper bounds.

Rickart didn't want to go that far even to the point of losing the hearts of the people. Rather than killing a King, killing a Princess might be more shocking to the general populace.

It wasn't simply to look good to the people because of moral sense, but because it was difficult to go a long way without the cooperation of local residents. So he had to manage his reputation in his own way.

Armies clashing with armies, and fighting being a matter of fighting Kings or lords, not causing harm to the grassroots people. That was Rickart's way of executing war, and there was no one in history who did it like this. Walking a path no one walked was the current Rickart.

Noble and pure, but it was a crazy act if it wasn't backed by ability.

Anyway, to Rickart who was looking at the wheat field and beyond it, a Princess accompanied by maids approached. Surrounding knights merely looked as if fascinated, and didn't particularly keep a bloodthirsty guard.

However, since they were so exceptionally well-built and their eyes were sharp, just quietly looking was a threat in itself.

The Princess was short, and covered most of her face wearing a veil. Two maids accompanied her aside, and they were trembling uncontrollably. Actually, a Princess coming as an envoy was not general.

"Nice to meet you, Princess. I am Rickart."

Rickart purposely spoke shortly and stiffly. They were enemies anyway, so it wasn't like they were going to have a pleasant chat. He merely showed the minimum courtesy.

As Rickart greeted first, the Princess took off her veil. Her face was revealed, and Rickart ended up being greatly startled. What the, she's a kid?

Rather than the Princess being short, she was instead on the taller side. What that meant was, because she looked around 10 years old.

"Nice to meet you, Commander of the Knights. I am the fifth Princess of the Basque Kingdom, called Aenea. It is an honor to meet you."

"......The King sent the Princess?"

"Yes."

"To convey what words?"

At Rickart's question, Princess Aenea cleared her throat briefly and spoke.

"I have been healthy since birth and have never experienced any notable illnesses. My teeth are even and none are decayed either. And among the daughters of my royal father's family and my mother's family, there is no one who has failed to give birth to a baby boy. This is having received God's blessing that the family will prosper. Since I have only inherited good bloodlines from my parents, if the Commander and I are joined through engagement, and you wait just a little, after I become an adult I will surely produce many, many healthy baby boys for the Commander."

"......"

Rickart was left speechless, and his face violently contorted bizarrely. What was she talking about?

At the unexpected shocking situation Rickart was left speechless, while the Princess looked back at her maids and asked 'I did well right? Did well right?'.

Rickart snapped back to his senses. Ah, these bastards were trying to buy time using engagement as an excuse, he thought. But making a kid did this was a bit disgusting. Even if they sent a Prince he would have shown sufficient respect.

Looking back, the words the Princess spoke weren't things she wanted to say herself, but closer to reciting what she memorized fluently. And she herself didn't seem to know well what she said or what it meant.

A marriage of a noble family naturally was something the head of the family decided, and since that was the same for royal families too did she just accept it?

"There is no engagement, Princess. Go back."

"Pardon? Why?"

"There is no 'why' either. Go back."

"Why?"

"......Do you truly wish to know the answer?"

"If you tell me I will listen attentively."

Rickart quietly watched the Princess who was high in status but merely a young girl, then tossed out a single sentence.

"Because I will kill the Princess's father."

"......Pardon? Th, the King does not die. Unless God takes him."

"Unfortunately, it seems God will take him."

"Why?"

Rickart let out a sigh once and answered.

"Huu...... I heard the words of God last time. God told me to kill the Basque King. Go and convey it like that."

Then Princess Aenea made an expression as if she was greatly shocked, then soon chewed on her lips while whimpering. And ultimately burst into tears.

"WaaaaaaAAaahh!"

Rickart glared at the maids and said.

"If you don't want to die, hurry and take the Princess away."

Then the maids hurriedly scooped up the Princess, tucked her under their arms and ran away hastily. That sight was somewhat comical.

Watching them leave, Raimund approached and said.

"It would have been good if we took her as a hostage."

"No. We don't need to. I know clearly now. What level they are at."

Perhaps because Rickart had seen all sorts of strong enemies and Kings who became great examples while crossing various regions and civilizations until now, he felt a somewhat deflating feeling.

He naturally thought of King Sancho and the Sultan of Mayub. They were people with sharp insight and imposing guts. Men who were ruthless when ruthless, merciful when merciful, and had large calibers.

The Green Dragon brothers Tauso and Tiuso, Sultan Yusuf's army, and Vilter came to mind as well.

Ultimately, there was something Rickart also overlooked. The point that the Kings of the world were not all like those people.

Harboring ambitions whether right or wrong, polishing oneself, being brave on the battlefield, and risking one's life to devote oneself to what one wants to did.

However, the figures of the Basque Kingdom had no ambition, didn't polish themselves, weren't brave, and didn't risk their lives on the things they wanted to did.

Just as the opponent didn't know Rickart well, Rickart didn't know the opponent well either. He realized belatedly. Ah, their level was only this much.