Chapter 258

Chapter 258 - Squatting (1)

Currently, the southern part of Roman is in a situation where the unleashed Emperor's faction mercenaries and lords each stake a claim on a spot and run wild.

The Emperor had wanted to maintain the summoned army further to strike deep into the south, but he didn't have the luxury to do so.

- His Majesty saved me. My comrades impiously had those who doubted His Majesty's will to repay. Their noses must all be flattened by now.

First, the repayment dates of the merchant guilds who lent money had been exceeded. If this wasn't paid back first, no further investments could be drawn hereafter.

Ransoms of captured nobles, war spoils, and the wealth of cities that sided with the Noble's faction and were plundered. A procession of wagons laden with gold and silver treasures headed towards the merchant guilds under the escort of royal knights.

- Take everything that can make money!

- Aigoo, My Lords! If you take away even the seeds, what will we eat to live? How are we supposed to farm next year...

The dissatisfaction of the mercenaries whose wages were delayed was also immense. They went around plundering the surroundings like a swarm of locusts.

- Captain. There was an order from the Emperor to leave the seeds, will it be alright?

- Do you think we're the only ones doing this?

- Of course not. Aren't they bastards who only live for today?

- Then squeeze them while you can suck them dry. His Majesty will turn a blind eye to this much.

If mercenaries with unpaid wages were suppressed purely by authority, desertions and rebellions would break out everywhere. Hiring new mercenaries in the future would also become difficult.

- Endure just a bit more, you bastards. When I become a noble, I'll let you guys live in luxury too.

The ones who somewhat restrained from plundering were only ambitious figures seeking to usurp the position of lord in that region.

A situation where units scattered in hundreds to thousands were waging localized wars according to their respective desires. It was the most common form of war in this era.

* * *

"Bring it on! You cowards! Just how long do you plan to hide behind the castle walls?!"

The Emperor's faction mercenary captain Black yelled toward the Noble's faction defenders holding out relying on the castle walls.

Even within the same Emperor's faction, an army led by an aristocrat pretends to uphold minimum decency. However, an army led by a mercenary captain had no mercy.

"If you don't crawl out right now, I'll build a tower with the heads of these guys!"

At Black's bellow, the subordinate mercenaries put their blades to the necks of the residents made to kneel in front of the castle.

"U-uncle!"

"Auntie!"

The defense fOrce on the castle walls were hastily conscripted soldiers to fill the manpower vacuum after a major defeat. They all had ties to the village and were greatly agitated seeing people they knew being dragged out.

They were naive young men whose entirety of wielded violence was threshing harvested wheat. They had absolutely no resistance to such situations.

"You think we can't cut them? Huh? You think we've done this just once or twice?"

Chwaak!

As Black signaled, 8 village residents sprouted blood from their necks and collapsed.

Perhaps building a tower with heads meant it wasn't a bluff; the mercenaries cut off the heads and threw them in one spot.

"Bring the next ones!"

"Please spare me!"

"We are ignoramuses who know nothing! Please!"

Having caught many residents, 8 new hostages were immediately made to kneel. There was even a pregnant woman among them.

"Those devilish bastards!"

"You'll receive heaven's punishment, you sons of bitches!"

At that horrific sight, the defense fOrce on the castle walls hurled curses, but that was all they could do.

"If I don't tear those butchers to death, I'm not a knight!"

"Sir Leo! You must endure! If we sortie, it's certain defeat!"

"Are you telling me to just watch our territory and people get trampled?!"

The castle commander Leo was a young and chivalrous knight. Seeing the mercenaries' atrocities, his heart felt like it would explode with anger.

"If those bastards enter the castle, they will commit even more terrible atrocities. Think of your mother and sister who only look up to you, Sir Leo."

The experienced guard captain was a pragmatist and desperately held back the lord who looked like he would rush out right away.

"Those bastards are the enemies who killed my father!"

Black's mercenary group killed Leo's father, who was fleeing after the major defeat, without even giving him time to surrender. Since it becomes difficult to get rid of a noble once they become a prisoner, they covertly dealt with him amidst the chaos of war.

"Revenge is only possible when you are alive. Sir Leo's territory is an affluent land acknowledged by anyone! If we just endure this crisis, we can pay them back as much as we want. We can lead troops to smash them, or if need be..."

Hiring expensive assassins to quietly do away with the mercenary captain is also possible. He held back the last words. Leo's personality would never accept such a thing happily.

However, despite the guard captain's efforts, he couldn't stop Leo's sortie.

"T-Those are residents over there!"

"They look like people from Wvne village. The number is 50... 100... 200... Damn it! It seems the entire village came as refugees. To think they'd come specifically during a siege situation."

It was because the residents fleeing merciless pillaging, rape, and murder to the lord were on the verge of being captured en masse.

"What kind of jackpot is this?"

Mercenaries on horseback snickered and chased after the screaming and fleeing residents.

Unlike their excited reactions fitting those who had gone through all sorts of battles, their eyes were icy cold. The way they constantly glanced sideways at the castle showed their readiness to pivot immediately if the defense fOrce rushed out claiming to save the people.

"Open the castle gates!"

Knowing that, Leo decided to sortie.

"Follow me! We are saving your families!"

Conscripts holding spears and axes with trembling hands, and veterans with stiff faces followed behind him. The latter wore expressions mixing resignation and resolve.

Black's mercenary group is not only larger in number but solidly possesses cavalry and numerous crossbowmen. On the other hand, this side consists entirely of infantry, and their equipment is far weaker.

"Attention, entire army! I will give 3 gold coins to the one who takes down that young master! If only that guy vanishes, the defense fOrce will surrender in a matter of days."

"Uwooooh!"

"Captain! You must definitely keep that promise, alright?"

At Black's excited boasting, the mercenaries raised their weapons and cheered. That spirit and their resounding voices were those of bloodthirsty fiends with thick bones from wars.

However, the moment they were about to charge with peak momentum, cold water was suddenly poured over them.

"Wait! Waiiiittt!"

A light cavalryman galloping a horse from the flank hill desperately shouted. It was a scout Black had sent out.

"Why is that guy like that?"

"Well..."

It's a scout deployed to spot refugee processions passing nearby. If he had found prey, he would come with a joyful look, there was no reason to come so desperately.

"Captain. Could it be he discovered an enemy attack?"

"You know you're talking bullshit even as you say it, right?"

"Hehe. True."

The place the scout came from was towards the direction of the Rein River in the north. A place where the Emperor's faction mercenaries and nobles were deployed in all directions. There absolutely could be no Noble's faction troops there.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!"

"???"

However, that bullshit became reality.

"Everyone flee..."

Peok!

An arrow flying from behind the scout pierced through his neck. Even if moving linearly, to accurately hit the vitals of a riding horseman... It was an astoundingly accurate shot.

Bbubuu-!

Along with the horn sound unique to the fairy race, horse archers fluttering black cloaks appeared from the flank hill.

There were so many of them they filled the entire hill line, their movements were perfectly unified, and their standardized equipment seemed to radiate brilliance.

"I-It's Count Mayer!"

The astonished adjutant's shout rang out.

"Are you certain? I don't even see the flag yet."

"Look at the state of those guys on horseback. In this day and age, who else leads pointy-ears around dressed up like that other than that Count?"

Living as a nomad is arduous. Moreover, Dark Elves were impoverished people living splintered into several tribes.

It's hard even for the private armies of well-off families to provide standard gear. To unify a nomadic unit of that scale with premium goods from head to toe was an absurd act.

"Blow the horn of retreat, damn it!"

Among the Emperor's faction knights, there are many who boastfully chatter they will try a 1v1 duel with Eugene.

However, Black had no interest in things like honor. The position of today he barely built up starting from the very bottom will crumble like a sandcastle the moment he clashes with that army.

"We cannot! The path is blocked!"

The problem was that the defense fOrce had come out to intercept.

"Entire army moves to the left! Cut off those guys' retreat!"

Defense fOrce commander Leo was reckless, but he wasn't stupid. Faced with unexpectedly arriving reinfOrcements, he didn't just rejoice but quickly moved his troops in coordination.

* * *

"Charging with mere infantry that is not even half the enemy numbers, I wondered what kind of person he was, but his judgment is fast."

Eugene raised his hand. It's time to pass a death sentence on the Emperor's faction mercenaries who were tearful now, abandoning the vigor from when they gleefully executed the people.

"Commence attack. The pagans are gone, and from now on, it's a battlefield ruled by bows. Show the enemies the terror of the equestrian people."

"We've been waiting for those words."

The tribal warriors cheered and kicked their horses' bellies. It was a situation of running down from the hill all at once, so the black cloaks unique to tribal horse archers fluttered impressively.

"The enemy crossbowmen are deployed towards the castle side to catch the defense fOrce. Bolts won't fly our way, so close in further."

At Eugene's instruction leading at the vanguard, the tribal warriors approached even closer than usual.

The enemy mercenaries gritted their teeth and held out even in front of Eugene's cavalry approaching a stone's throw away.

"Spears and shields! Spears and shields!"

"The core of those bastards is light cavalry! If we firmly maintain our shield formation, we can somehow hold out! Everyone snap out of it!"

Since they were all veterans, they knew well that breaking formation now would lead to being hunted like scattered sheep.

The problem was that the cavalry Eugene led was the fairy race elite who only practiced equestrian archery eating three meals a day.

Depending on the battlefield situation, it's common for horseback shooting to be fired from 10m around the enemy line. Normally, it merely increases the hit rate, but when the Blackhand tribe approaches this close, they can do far more vicious things.

"Fire!"

At Eugene's command, a direct fire volley flew in all at once. But the arrows were aimed diagonally downwards.

"Kkeuak!"

"Kyaaaak!"

With the sound of flesh tearing, the mercenaries at the front lines crumbled en masse.

"These cursed bastards!"

"Crazy pointy-eared bastards..."

Black's decurions lamented. The fallen mercenaries are groaning with their shins, ankles, and tops of feet pierced. They specifically targeted parts that couldn't be covered by shields.

"Fill in for the fallen ones!"

At Black's direction, mercenaries from other ranks hurriedly ran over, held their shields, and filled the formation.

'Apart from their character, their skills are quite considerable.'

Eugene also admired their swift response. Of course, this wasn't a fundamental solution.

"Kkeureureuk!"

A mercenary who lowered his shield too much grabbed the arrow stuck in his throat and collapsed. It was the price paid for lowering his shield at the sight of his comrade groaning on the ground with a severed Achilles tendon.

"You stupid bastards! Raise your shields proper... Keok!"

A mercenary who didn't lower his shield grabbed his ankle and collapsed. It was an improvised formation made during a surprise attack to begin with, and with such a situation persisting, the shield wall gradually became flimsier.

Peok!

Peoeok!

Mercenaries yielding their flanks or thighs to the arrows digging into that opening occurred left and right.

Of course, no matter how fierce the arrow attacks are, it's difficult to deal a decisive blow without deploying heavy cavalry. However, Leo's intercepting fOrce had turned into a hammer and was beating the mercenaries.

"What are the shieldmen doing? Block the front a bit!"

"There's no time to load the bolts!"

If it were normal, the mercenary crossbowmen would have poured bolts onto Leo's intercepting fOrce while protected by the infantry line. Conscripts with low training and poor shields could be easily disintegrated with a few volleys.

However, because the entire mercenary group fell into chaos due to Eugene's surprise attack, they ended up being beaten helplessly from front and back.

"Captain! The ambush squad bastards are fleeing!"

"Those sons of bitches!"

Amidst it, the mercenary cavalry who went to catch the refugees ignored Black's orders and deserted the battlefield. Even if it boils with rage, one can understand that sentiment. Since they would have done the same.

Differences in horse breeds, horsemanship, and numbers are evident, yet all the opponents are elite horse archers. Mercenary cavalry armed with at most swords and short spears are no match.

"No need to capture alive. Just don't lose them."

Naturally, Eugene had no intention of letting them leave. The fleeing mercenaries on horseback were caught up to one by one, struck with arrows in their backs and shoulders, and fell off their horses.

* * *

"I am Leo of the Eisen family. I am temporarily serving as the lord. On behalf of the saved people and my deceased father, I thank my benefactor."

Leo, who survived a very desperate situation, knelt on one knee in front of Eugene.

"I watched well your charge risking danger to save the people. Nowadays, it is a difficult era for a good knight to survive. It's fortunate we could help in time so a righteous person like you wouldn't fall."

As Eugene raised Leo up, tears welled up in the young lion-like man's eyes.

Leo had lived sincerely fulfilling the ceremonial education to become a good knight. No one acknowledged how painful that was. He only heard slander calling him an inflexible person.

Receiving recognition from a knight of Eugene's level felt like his beliefs over the years were fully rewarded.

'Indeed, God gives rewards according to faith once one overcomes trials.'

Leo drew the sign of the cross. Thanks to sortieing with the single thought of saving the people, they could punish the wicked mercenaries without letting a single one slip away.

"Sir Leo. I advise hanging all the corpses of those bastards. It may not be a very pleasant sight, but it will be effective in driving away other Emperor's faction mercenaries."

"I will follow your advice."

Seeing not one or two, but an entire mercenary group hung up, no matter how bold a pillager is, they would say 'It's dangerous here!' and flee.

"Hurry up and move. The situation is urgent, so dig a large pit and bury the residents' bodies all at once. You, quickly run and bring the priest of the castle. Strip the mercenary bastards naked and hang them upside down. That will be easier for beginners. Don't touch a single penny from what came from the corpses' pockets and gather it in one place. I will be watching everything."

The guard captain, a former mercenary, excellently commanded the troops.

"He's a competent person."

"Without Gambino, I wouldn't have been able to hold out until now. He's always a reliable friend."

Leo nodded in satisfaction and checked Eugene's mood. He couldn't hold back his curiosity since a while ago.

"But Count Your Excellency. May I ask you one thing?"

"Ask anything. This is your territory and I am just a guest."

"Exactly how did you come from the north? A place teeming with Emperor's faction armies."

Right now, Eugene is leading a cavalry unit of 600. Considering spare horses, just moving creates huge dust clouds. Plucked grass and horses' droppings render it absolutely impossible to hide their tracks.

Considering the enormous amount of water horses drink, the supply routes are restricted to water sources, not to mention the transport units or sutlers handling supplies.

The Count's army appeared from somewhere. Where are they heading. It's inevitable that such news spreads around. It's like ripples spreading when a water strider walks on water, absolutely impossible to conceal.

"Unless you dropped right down out of the sky, coming from the direction of Rein River shouldn't be possib..."

"Exactly that. You know it well."

"Pardon?"

Leo looked at Eugene with a dumbfounded face. A dumbfounded expression suited his personality well, one that charged forward claiming to save his people.

* * *

At that time, Emperor's faction sutlers driving wagons north of Leo's territory stopped with astounded faces.

"Are we dreaming?"

A castle that hadn't been anywhere had appeared.

Hwioooo.

The wind of the wasteland wrapped around the massive castle passing through, scattering an eerie noise.

A pitch-black shadow was cast as if devouring the road they traveled on trade networks for decades. The familiar path they could traverse with their eyes closed suddenly felt extremely unfamiliar.

Everyone's gazes gathered on the flag of the Mayer family fluttering atop the castle walls. Eugene descended via a method no one in the Emperor's faction expected, at a place no one in the Noble's faction could reach.

"That's definitely a ghost-possessed castle!"

"I think I saw something moving in that window just now."

The workers who didn't know about the Moving Castle looked up at the castle in terror. It was so towering they had to tilt their heads back until their necks hurt. Something flickering beyond the dark windows against the sun gave them goosebumps.

"My Lord. What should we do? S-should we just pass by? Or should we turn back?"

"Are you kidding? You ask not knowing how far around we have to detour if we don't take this path?"

The location where the unidentified castle laid its roots has no water and the land is extremely barren. Therefore, no village was established, and transient populations were virtually nonexistent. However, it's a strategic point for land supply heading south of the Rein River.

A stone was firmly lodged in one of the arteries of the Emperor's army. An alive stone endlessly vomiting lethal bacteria.

* * *

"Sir Leo. To smoothly expel the Emperor's army, your help is needed. Would it be alright to use this castle as a supply transit point?"

"That is something I should ask for instead. Please consider this place as Your Excellency the Count's home."

Leo struck his chest with his fist.

"Lord of the castle. Interrogation results say there's another mercenary group nearby, should we strike them?"

"No. Convergence comes first for now."

Eugene led his subordinates and headed towards the designated convergence point. Since the magicians and heavy cavalry fOrces like Armored Cavalry and knights had all deviated.

He had no intention of being satisfied with crushing a few mercenary groups. He intended to properly wreak havoc at the heart of the Emperor's faction fOrces.