Chapter 268

Chapter 268 - First Siege?

People were dragged out in a row from Giovanni's mansion.

"I-I really don't know anything. I just came as a guest because they said they were serving rare delicacies!"

"That will be revealed at the trial, so just keep moving."

"I used to work for House LeRay..."

"So what? You were working under Giovanni just now, weren't you?"

The external guests who were enjoying the banquet in the first-floor hall were separated and treated mildly, but those who worked at the mansion were treated as criminals caught in the act.

Manufacturing and distributing drugs is a severe crime. Treason or pagan worship is a capital offense even if caught for just one. Since Giovanni's mansion had all three stacked against it, everyone was terrified of being punished by association.

The knights, who were coldly watching the scary-looking men, were taken aback by the sight of those coming out midway. This was especially true for the young knights lacking worldly experience.

"Are all these women accomplices too?"

Women, ranging from their teens to their 60s, were being dragged out with dark expressions.

"They were caught red-handed hiding drug refining equipment in the basement workshop. There's more than one witness. We also got confessions from the syndicate members."

Jackal calmly answered the knights who were young enough to be his sons. He was someone with extensive experience in both the bright and dark sides of human society. He offered various pieces of advice to the newly commissioned youths.

"It's common. Using women for drug manufacturing or smuggling. They are usually family members or acquaintances of the cartel members."

"Then what about that old lady?"

A knight pointed to a kind-looking old lady. Perhaps to appeal her innocence, she was holding the knitting set she had been working on just moments ago.

"She had hidden pockets attached to her pants or skirt to smuggle drugs. It takes know-how to hide the right amount without making it noticeable. Do not be fooled by her warm appearance."

"..."

Henri and Baran finally realized the advice of their instructors at the knight's household.

-When judging evil, do not be swayed by common sense or emotion.

Indeed, seeing is believing.

"What do you intend to do about Giovanni's gang?"

"There is no compromise when it comes to drugs. Those with heavy responsibilities will be sent to the gallows, and the rest will receive appropriate punishment."

Eugene answered Marbas's question sharply.

"What I asked about was the treason plot and collusion with pagans?"

"That is a trivial matter compared to drugs. It will be sorted out anyway when disposing of Giovanni's gang."

"Trivial? You truly are an eccentric lord."

It wasn't strange for Marbas to be bewildered. The reason lords punished drugs severely was partly because they were illegal substances, but mostly because smuggling infringed on their right to tax.

It was incomparable to the crimes of treason or pagan worship. It was a world where many believed tobacco purified the lungs and knowledge about addictive substances was lacking. Eugene's hostility towards drugs was exceptional.

"Well, the pagan involvement was quite timely. We can use that as a pretext to search everywhere in the city."

"Never say such things in front of others. Especially when priests are present. We've finally gained the best allies, so we must manage them well, shouldn't we?"

Eugene was showing charity by entrusting donations to the priests in the city. He also converted some buildings confiscated from the Imperial faction council members into orphanages, taking in orphans as well.

-Praise to the Count! You would be surprised to know how many ugly deeds the children begging on the streets have been mobilized for.

-There was a lot of darkness to clear out in the city. This is not something I can do alone. I will need the power of faith.

-We will cooperate with all our might. Your Excellency taking over this city must surely be an arrangement of the gods.

Until now, the priests had no way to improve the city's sins even if they wanted to. It was because the city's prominent figures, including Giovanni, were intertwined in such diverse interests.

At this time, a natural disaster in a good sense swept the city. To the priests, Eugene was practically an ally sent by God.

Thus, based on the letters and receipts obtained from Giovanni's mansion, along with testimonies from plea bargains, arrest operations commenced throughout the city.

Eradicating drugs alone would have left Eugene with insufficient justification, but since it involved treason plots and pagans, the entire city held its breath and cooperated.

"So you are essentially taking over Hesed's security and waterway distribution?"

"Security is 100% monopolized, but waterway distribution is only the shares owned by Giovanni's family."

"Weren't they big shots to begin with? If you took over, your influence would only grow, not shrink."

Marbas stroked his beard and nodded.

"Swords, bread, and salt. Dominating those three is enough. The city will not dare to crawl back at House Mayer in the future."

Just then, Rex arrived after finishing the interrogation of the captured pagan mage.

"The pagan remnants end with that knight and mage. There are mercenaries who recently joined the mansion, but they haven't been properly influenced by the pagan faith."

Rex and his warriors knew how to verify whAAether followers were true believers or not.

-What are the things forbidden by the doctrine?

-I don't know! I just attended worship once because they said getting baptized would make me stronger... Kuaaak!

-Recite the prayer.

-I really! I really don't know!

-Still can't remember?

-Please spare meeee!

It was a harsh interrogation that even the pagan mage couldn't withstand and spilled everything. If they couldn't answer a single word until the end, it meant they weren't meaningful believers. Not that they could be let off the hook for that, though.

* * *

Carriages sent by families to pick up the liberated nobles arrived. With quite a few escorts, the scale was considerable.

"I wish you luck on your future paths. Please stand against the tyrant in your own ways from your respective positions."

Eugene saw them off one by one, receiving praises from so many families that it was hard to memorize them all. Escorts from several families even offered quite large sums of reward money.

"This is a token of sincerity from our family head."

"I believe I wrote in the letter that no compensation is needed."

"Our family head wishes to maintain a good relationship with House Mayer in the future. He said it is not good to only receive favors from the beginning."

"I will remember the family's name. I hope we can meet at a celebration banquet when the civil war ends."

Naturally, there were also nobles from humble families or those without the means to send carriages. Valda treated them on Eugene's behalf so they wouldn't feel dispirited.

"This mansion is a place for you. You may stay as long as you wish, so please do not mind."

"...Thank you."

The nobles' faces were dark with shame. Valda poured tea for them with a warm smile.

"My husband was merely a wanderer without a single territory four years ago. However, he achieved today's success because he cherished the connections he encountered. My husband also considers meeting you an arrangement of God."

"For the Sage of the Emerald Forest to speak like this, we do not know what to do with ourselves."

"Please eat a light lunch. For dinner tonight, I will personally serve bread baked with the light of twilight."

The dispirited nobles couldn't help but be deeply moved as the one with the noblest lineage personally attended to them.

"No woman could match the Madam's beauty. Both in your noble heart and face. If anyone denies this, I will draw my sword."

"Hohoho. I will gratefully accept only your sentiment."

Meanwhile, the Dwarf centurion temporarily serving as the camp director handed Eugene a list of 110 mercenaries.

"I've sorted out some quite useful ones."

They were known figures among the captured noble faction mercenaries or those who passed the character test. Having gone through the Dwarves' uniquely strict screening, they were fit to be deployed immediately.

"If the centurion recommends them, they won't be mistreated anywhere. Weren't there any who wanted to return to their original mercenary groups or go their own way?"

"That's the remaining 110 after excluding those 20. When I asked if they were willing to work for His Excellency the Count, they welcomed it with open arms."

"Still, I feel the ratio is too high. Everyone accepting with just under 20% leaving."

The centurion jumped up, perhaps misunderstanding Eugene's gaze.

"As you ordered, there was absolutely no coercion. Isn't this all thanks to Your Excellency's reputation? In this field, there are quite a few guys who call Your Excellency the Undefeated Lord."

"Undefeated Lord?"

It seemed he had upgraded from an Undefeated Knight without even realizing it. Since he had roamed everywhere and smashed so many enemies, it wasn't strange.

"The life of a mercenary is such that if you lose and fail to escape, you lose everything. Those in the camp had also lost everything they earned over a few years or up to 20 years and became penniless. However, since rising as a knight, Your Excellency has never lost even once. WhAAether in duels or wars."

It was the moment the reputation he had built as a knight shone brightly. The glory obtained from battles has no physical form, but it grants privileges that cannot be bought even with gold.

One of them is the respect of warriors. The fact that Eugene integrated the Blackhand Tribe and the Hammer Brothers into a massive warlord faction at once played a profound role in the achievements he had accumulated.

Even now, that reputation drew the trust and participation of competent mercenaries.

"Moreover, the mercy you showed to the mercenaries leaving was also a big factor. Everyone solidified their trust there."

"It was just new clothes and shoes, a sword captured from the siege, and a little travel money, though?"

"...If that's not mercy, then is the monastery a usurer?"

The centurion looked at Eugene in disbelief. This young monarch had a strange baseline and sometimes tended to underestimate what he gave.

In a mercenary's life, it was common for their pay to be skimped on or for employers who didn't want to pay to push them to their deaths. Releasing those who could just as easily be sold as slaves and even providing support for a fresh start? Such a monarch didn't appear even in the jokes of drunk mercenaries.

"The Hesed garrison itself is also a very popular job. Kicking away the chance to be hired by Your Excellency is something only fools would do."

"That's good. We can further reduce the infantry left as a garrison."

A short while later, Eugene left the city, leaving behind three centuries of the Hammer Brothers.

In addition to hiring reputable mercenaries, Chief Alessa's group, who had departed from Northfork, was scheduled to arrive soon.

With Eugene's authority currently soaring in Hesed, combining their strength would be enough to maintain internal and external security.

* * *

"Dad is here!"

The steps of his subordinates returning to the Moving Castle were light. Tossing a hefty loot in front of their family and boasting is the highest honor considered by the heads of households in this era.

Meanwhile, Eugene couldn't rest his mouth for a moment, surrounded by various tribal chiefs.

"Is it true that the Great Chief, no, the Castellan defeated a Hydra?"

"Of course. When we arrive, visit the bone museum. It's exhibited there completely, without missing a single rib."

"Oh my God! A Hydra is a monster of monsters that even Kings go to subjugate and return with a string of funerals!"

The Glass Arrow Tribe Chief, who revered hunting, had his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"They say you can use hot water freely there?"

"For free, 24 hours a day. All you need is a hand to lift the lever."

"It's dizzying. That's a service you couldn't enjoy even at the finest inns in the Roman capital."

The Big Foot Tribe female chief, with an average height of 180cm, clasped her hands over her pounding chest.

Known for their innately strong physiques, they are unusually weak to the cold. They were peculiar people who craved a hot bath more than gold and silver treasures.

That's why they most enthusiastically hoped to move into the Moving Castle. The large hot bath inside the castle and the hot water supply system for each household were the paradise they had dreamed of.

"Once we arrive at the castle, let's make shoes first."

"I'm used to walking barefoot since my feet are shaped like this."

The smiling female chief was a tall person, about a finger joint taller than Eugene.

Due to the limits of technology and materials, and rough roads, shoes were consumables that had to be replaced frequently. But they had just been captured as prisoners and stripped of everything.

-I'm sorry. We don't have your size...

Sadly, even searching every shoe store in Hesed didn't yield anything that fit. At least they had many spare horses, so they could avoid making them march barefoot.

"Castellan. If possible, we would like to live on the roof. We are confident we can report everything approaching the castle within half a day."

The Eagle Eye Tribe Chief, known for the most outstanding eyesight, spoke. They were famous as the best scouts and took pride in looking down on the world from high places.

"Your spirit is commendable, but no. Only the masonry of the ancient kingdom can withstand the wear and tear of teleportation."

A tribe famous for their breeding skills also chimed in.

"About the massive number of livestock raised inside the Moving Castle. I heard the magic feed trough takes care of the food, but what do you do about the excrement? It would be hard to scrape it all up and shovel it out. Since it's inside the castle, the smell won't escape easily either."

While the warm south was less so, even in the central region, it was common to keep livestock indoors. It prevented deaths from attacks or cold, and the body heat emitted by livestock provided a decent heating effect.

However, the excrement dropped everywhere smelled awful and was vulnerable to infectious diseases.

"There's no need to clean it up. The Moving Castle absorbs it. The castle itself is a living being."

"I've heard the stories. Castellan. Although I don't quite understand a castle being alive."

"You'll understand right away once you live there. Inside the solid stone walls, blood circulates and spiritual energy flows, and some places are filled with flesh and pulsate. The important thing is that the castle and the residents are in a symbiotic relationship. Like an acacia tree and ants."

"It's somewhat... a bit scary."

"Hahaha."

One difference was that unlike ants, which only suck sap from the acacia, the residents provided various organic materials.

"It's very convenient. There's no need to clean up excrement, and mold doesn't grow. It's a bit inconvenient having to use specially treated zones when making fermented food because it takes a long time, though."

Thanks to the castle's immune system, bacteria introduced from the outside quickly die off. That's why endemic diseases cannot invade the castle even as it roams around the world.

"Your Excellency. We are now in the territory where the Imperial faction army operates. How about resting for the sake of commanding?"

"It's fine. It's fine."

Unable to watch the barrage of questions, the retainers tried to stop them, but Eugene waved them off.

For them, it was a situation where they abandoned everything to entrust their entire clan. Even if they maintained their pride outwardly, everything must be anxious and they would be walking on eggshells internally.

If Eugene answered every single word kindly, it would give them at least a little peace of mind.

* * *

Around the time they were close to where the Moving Castle was parked, a scout who had gone ahead ran back and reported.

"Castellan! The Imperial faction army is attacking the castle!"

"...What?"

It was something he had imagined, but a situation with an infinitely converging probability of zero had occurred.

"Wait, they are launching a siege against the Moving Castle?!"

"Have these bastards really gone crazy?"

Jackal, Rampage, Rex, and Marbas were all dumbfounded.

"I-Isn't this a serious situation?"

Only the newly joined tribal chiefs were frightened. To them, the reaction of everyone being dumbfounded without a hint of urgency while their base was under attack was incomprehensible.