Chapter 54

Chapter 54 - An Uncaged Bird (2)

"Is it a village under effective control?"

By land, it borders 4 noble families, and by waterway, it borders factions that are meaningless to even count.

"For now, it is so. However, enduring with merely our family's name will also have its limits."

Even the Emperor cannot exert power outside his territory, so there was no way a Count would be any different.

"It will be far to defend, and a waste to throw away."

"It's not a matter of profit. What would happen if we neglect a territory obtained just 1 year ago?"

"Later, when trying to occupy a territory with ambiguous succession rights, it will become an awkward situation."

'You couldn't even properly manage the territory you took last time, so what are you trying to take another one for?'

If a competing noble attacks with the logic above, there will be nothing left to say.

From the Count's perspective, he needed a competent lord who could independently defend it in a distant place without much support.

"If you receive this territory, I will exempt you from the duty of conscription."

"Will that truly be alright?"

"Because the distance is far, even if I call you, it will be difficult for you to come all the way here. This side won't be able to help when you are in danger either."

"That is true."

A vassal contract is a reciprocal deal. Along with the lord's right to conscript, there is also the duty to protect the vassal from dangers that are difficult for them to handle.

Of course, this is speaking objectively, and from the perspective of the Count granting the territory, it was correct that he made a considerable concession.

"As it is an important matter, there is no need to answer immediately."

"It is fine. I have already made the decision in my heart."

"You want Northfork, right?"

"How did you know?"

Count Morad held a faint smile.

"Because a bird of prey cannot be kept inside a birdcage. If it were you, Sir, I thought you would prefer a place where possibilities and dangers are mixed together rather than a few peaceful villages."

"I am merely grateful."

"You will become intertwined with various factions from now on as well, but please consider the relationship with our family first. For now, I will be satisfied with that."

* * *

Valda, who heard the circumstances from the returning Eugene, nodded.

"It is not a bad choice. The Count is the best connection, but being tied down too much is also troublesome."

A vassal relationship is the same as a mercenary contract. The core of it is the conscription order invoked by the monarch in an emergency. Except for this, the remaining trivial duties were nothing.

"Since you are practically no different from an independent lord, it will also be comfortable to form relationships with the surroundings."

"To those who want to form connections with the House of Morad, I can put forward the point that I am a vassal, and conversely, to those who are reluctant, I can put forward the point that I have no duty of conscription."

Even if it seems like a flip-flopping convenient attitude, originally there are no absolutes in vassal relationships.

Viscount Baldwin, who achieved the safe retreat of the main unit at Goldford, also originally served another family and changed his flag. Nobles contracted to two or more monarchs are also common.

"If things work out well, the Count might form relationships with northern families through you, Sir."

"... That is a story too distant and excessive. Because I am still merely a knight leading a territory the size of a speck of dust."

However, even to Eugene's thoughts, it didn't seem like the Count had no such expectations. Because the west is tightly held by him anyway.

Afterward, he searched for mercenaries to form a new unit. There were overflowing numbers of those who withdrew from Codon and Goldford, so it was easy to pick and choose.

"To what extent are you thinking for the numbers? Since you earned a lot of money, you can overdo it quite a bit."

"I am thinking of making the troops elite. If numbers increase, supply is difficult."

Thus, he reconstituted the unit with about 40 cavalry.

'Because when catching dangerous monsters, I have to step forward anyway.'

Even if mercenaries equip themselves with experiences and gear, they are mercenaries anyway. Unless one is a knight, they lack the capability to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Eugene and jump at monsters.

It was rather more comfortable for them to ride horses and disrupt with numerous ranged weapons. If they luckily even match eyes, it's something to be thankful for.

According to that combat doctrine, he equipped the majority of the troops with medium-sized crossbows.

"I have set aside items in good condition among the spoils acquired from the fall of Codon Castle."

"They have been managed well. Are you really lending these to us, Sir?"

"I will provide them in advance, so deduct it when it is comfortable."

"Thank you!"

The mercenaries accepted happily, shouting hooray. For them whose bodies are their assets, ranged attack means are the best companions. For the skilled shooters, he also leased expensive mounted loading tools.

* * *

"If it were an ordinary knight, they would have accepted the villages inside. Trying to stick close to Father while throwing their weight around as the lord of a comfortable place."

Hearing that Eugene chose Northfork, Roxanne had an expression saying she knew it would be so.

"I even recruited a native proxy just in case, but I'll have to notify him of the unemployment news. He must be smiling broadly right now, I wonder if he'll shed some tears."

The saying 'the fox is king where there is no tiger', when there is no lord, the proxy wields absolute power. It could be said to be the highest position a commoner taking the bureaucrat route reaches.

"Congratulations on your inauguration as castellan and commander."

"In the commander's case, it's until my stupid brother returns, though."

Roxanne took over the army Timothy was leading.

It wasn't that Count Morad lacked military talent, but his true talents lay in diplomacy and domestic affairs. To also let his children accumulate experience, he concentrated on securing supplies and troops from the rear.

"Looking at the attitude of the vassals or My Lord Count, it doesn't seem like they are particularly enthusiastic about recovering Lord Timothy."

"He's the eldest son of the family, so they will surely receive him back for face. It's just that they won't negotiate from a weak position. They don't want to bow to the Duran bastards."

A negotiation group had already come and gone once.

- There is no precedent of exchanging one hostage for a castle. Demanding we give up Codon Castle is too much of a demand.

- Isn't your successor in our hands. How can you come out like this and not be afraid?

- We trust Duran's honor. Could it be that you would harm a noble just because you don't like the negotiation?

- Think of the humiliation and suffering of Lord Timothy living a prisoner's life in the enemy camp.

- He must also be enduring while thinking of the family's future. Everyone is believing in Lord Timothy's willpower with one mind.

- ...

Duran's envoys had to return feeling indignant at the House of Morad's confidently negotiating attitude.

In reality, Timothy was spending his time safely. Regardless of the bad relationship between the two families, because he was the best card in negotiations. It was also the only harvest Duran reaped from this war.

"May the Goddess's protection be on your path ahead, Sir."

The farewell handshake exchanged with Roxanne was extremely firm, like a knight.

* * *

"Will it be okay for everyone not to return to Bonyard?"

Eugene asked the mercenaries who had been together since the beginning to confirm.

Leaving a place where one has accumulated recognition for a long time is not an easy matter. Even more so if it's a good city to live in like Bonyard.

"If not now, when would we escape that countryside corner?"

"As expected, people must play in big waters."

The remaining mercenaries were those who were still hungry. Proper wages that aren't delayed, good treatment, and winning wherever they go; there was no reason to opt out.

On one hand, they were also curious. Just how far that knight taking the lead with his black cloak fluttering would stretch out.

If they were still behind the Knight then, what would the scenery spreading out before them look like? Everyone definitely wanted to see it.

That feeling became even more solid when mealtime arrived. Because as the number of party members reduced, substantial supply became possible.

"As expected, it is comfortable to put feeding my subordinates entirely under my management."

When leading over a hundred people including those supported by the House of Morad, he had to feed them meals provided by the sutler.

"So grapes were this sweet?"

"Hey! Hoffman! Eat them one by one! one by one! Just what are you putting in your mouth and sucking on that disappears by a quarter each time."

A mercenary who ate fresh grapes for the first time let out an admiring voice. Because everyone had only drunk low-quality wine once in a while.

In an era where refrigeration and distribution are terrible, fresh grapes were precious food tasted only by wealthy nobles. Eugene, a VIP of the House of Morad, could receive several boxes for free greeting the harvest season.

"You are a truly bizarre knight. Whether in martial prowess or personality."

"Isn't it natural to want to see the sight of one's subordinates eating delicious things and enjoying it?"

"That is indeed a noble's virtue. However, it is merely at the level of tossing them what's left after they themselves enjoy luxury."

Like that, a small but strongly united army goes up North.

Dudududu.

Because many cavalrymen follow behind, the sound is loud. Eugene realized his success more from the sound of horse hooves behind his back than the territory he received.

"Uh-uhoh!"

"Straighten your back. Give strength tightly to your legs."

"Uwah!"

"Don't pull the reins recklessly! Being flustered and doing that is even more dangerous."

Those who don't know how to ride horses are also in the middle of learning horsemanship. Since they were taking along several reserve horses, it was an instruction given additionally, but everyone passionately engaged in learning.

Because it was an opportunity they dared not enjoy unless they were under Eugene's command. Being able to ride a horse was advantageous even when quitting as a mercenary and entering places like a merchant group or city guard.

'Going into jousting combat might be too much, but considering only marching, it will be much better.'

With many cavalry joining, procuring food through hunting was also comfortable.

Squeeaaal-!

A wild boar collapsed from bolts flying in from all directions.

When the mercenaries hung the beast on a nearby tree, Eugene took out a dagger. It was a spoil obtained from the altar of a pagan magician during the bandit subjugation.

"It is not something for you to do, Sir Knight. Please leave it to us."

The flustered mercenaries tried to stop him.

"It's fine. It's because I wanted to test out the magic dagger."

"Was it a magic weapon? It certainly is extraordinary."

Like a dagger used for sacrifice rituals, it looked special even to ignorant mercenaries.

To remove the gamey smell of meat, bloodletting is essential. Draining the blood while the prey's heart is beating is best. At a dead state like now, that efficiency drops.

But what if the magic of bleeding activates?

Slice.

As Eugene cut the dead wild boar's artery, blood began to pour out.

"Wow. It really drains well."

His subordinate mercenaries all have hunting experience. Whether doing it themselves or assisting under a knight. Therefore, they recognized that the current bloodletting was smoother than usual.

"Hmm."

Meanwhile, the moment Eugene cut, he detected the flow of magic activating from the dagger. An impression as if some more secrets were hidden besides forcing bleeding.

Moving the dagger around in his hand, Eugene stabbed the knife into the wild boar's heart according to what his instinct instructed.

Thud!

Thump!

As the blade pierced, the dead heart tightly trembled and vibrated. The dagger's magic became an invisible hand and gripped the heart.

Spurrrrt!

"Uwah!"

The mercenaries watching closely hastily backed away.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Like performing CPR, the magic hand forced the dead heart to beat. Blood fiercely circulated in the wild boar's blood vessels and began to pour gushing onto the ground.

"Hoo. So it was used like this."

Confirming the true usage of the bloodletting dagger, Eugene let go.

What whispered leading advice to him was not just his instinct as a warrior. The blood inherited from his mother also whispered magic advice whenever he came into contact with mysteries.

The newly joined mercenaries harbored even more fear at the sight of the knight who handled even magical armaments without hesitation.

"Do you have no thoughts of taking in a knight under your command, Sir?"

"I paid attention and looked around, but there was no figure I felt drawn to. The useful people already have lords, and blindly recruiting unverified knights is too expensive."

The wage equivalent to the entire set of mercenaries he currently leads would go out for 2~3 knights. Even for the wealthy Eugene, it was a suffocating amount of money.

"For now, since my attack power alone is sufficient, mercenaries who listen well and have high headcounts seem good. Because holding a shield and enduring or pulling a crossbow is the same whether one is a knight or a mercenary."

"It's not exactly wrong words."

At the sight of Eugene beating down Wendigos, Bugbears, and bandits, Valda also found it difficult to refute.

"Still, you should now realize your position as a lord. When negotiating with someone, whether one has mercenaries behind them or knights is a different dimension."

"Thank you for the advice."

Even if it couldn't be realized right away, there was absolutely nothing bad about remembering Valda's words.

"Once I arrive at Northfork village, I plan to estimate the income and then decide."

The expenses that go out even if he just breathes must absolutely be maintained matching fixed income.

Even though it's said passing one's days in debt is common for the nobles here, Eugene did not want to live as a debtor for even a moment.