Chapter 17 : The Road to Loren Castle (1)

Chapter 17: The Road to Loren Castle (1)

“I’ll accept the sentiment only.”

Shatien refused firmly.

It was certainly a good chance to revive his house and spread his fame as a noble.

But the future knowledge he held and the skills he had piled up didn’t fit that path.

‘I… I’m not good at internal affairs or the administrative work that retainers handle. I don’t know the future tied to that either. The only place I can stretch my legs is the battlefield.’

Wars would rage for more than twenty years, and even if he didn’t enter the noble world right away, there would be plenty of chances to show what he could do.

Joining noble society meant tending to a web of political relationships, which could become another barrier for Shatien, who was born a mere freedman.

‘Besides, in a little while the importance of military groups rises.’

Even if he became a knight-retainer serving under a lord, at most he would manage a small manor.

He would command maybe ten subordinates at best.

The level of wealth a manor produced was obvious. Of course, considering the value of a knight and the fighting power of mounted retainers, those ten would outclass a middling fifty men….

‘But the coming wars only grow larger, and a force that small can’t exert real influence.’

It was better to hold to the first plan, win Captain Mordo’s trust, and privatize the Black Raven Mercenary Corps for the sake of the future.

At minimum, inside the mercenary corps he could lead over five hundred troops. Later it would pass one thousand. And the battlefield made it far easier to keep earning merit and building renown.

‘It’s a pity, but this is right.’

The offer had come earlier than he expected, but in the larger view it wasn’t all to the good.

So Shatien thought.

Of course, this answer caught Sir Knight Lowe off guard.

‘…I didn’t expect a refusal.’

A freedman’s chance to become a knight was rare.

For Sir Knight Lowe, who had made the offer with resolve, it stung.

‘Just why?’

He was growing fast in the mercenary corps, but still, he was only a mercenary.

Measured by stability and honor, a knight’s squire and a mercenary weren’t comparable.

“Mm. I’m curious about your reason.”

The reason huh…

Saying he chose the more valuable future would be disastrous.

Shatien opened his mouth carefully, trying not to offend Sir Knight Lowe.

“Thank you for thinking well of me. But I’m not a vessel fit to seize the chance you’re giving me, Sir Lowe. I’m just a free mercenary who swings a sword a bit better than others. The virtues required of a knight will end up becoming shackles on me. And to be frank… I’m still attached to this mercenary corps.”

“...Are you sincere?”

“Yes.”

A short and strong reply.

“Haha… very well. Then I’ll pretend this never happened. What a shame.”

He had wanted to take him as a squire and refine the combat arts he had seen the other day… but if the man himself didn’t want it, there was no helping it.

‘I always thought mercenaries moved for money alone…’

Apparently they had a kind of camaraderie of their own. Sir Knight Lowe smacked his lips in regret.

But he didn’t press the squire position further.

Sir Knight Lowe was a knight with honor and pride. Asking again would bruise his pride.

“Alright, then. We’ll meet again soon.”

“Yes, Sir Knight Lowe. Thank you for your hard work.”

Watching Sir Knight Lowe disappear into the distance, Shatien let out a breath of relief.

‘Good thing it ended as if it never happened.’

If this reached Count Bellua’s ears, it might ruffle his temper.

‘No need to put myself on his bad side for nothing.’

If you were about to receive a fine treasure and got trash instead out of spite, it would be miserable. Any way he looked at it, Shatien would lose.

“Mm?”

As he turned to leave with that thought, another uninvited guest grabbed his ankle.

“Hu-he-heh. Shatien! Our rookie!”

Miles, of course.

He didn’t know when he had come, but judging from his face, he had heard the whole conversation and was moved.

“Come here, our Hundred-man Unit’s lucky charm!”

–Squeeze.

Hans hugged Shatien with all his strength.

–Crack.

‘Uck!’

For a moment Shatien felt all the bones in his body realign.

Miles kept up the hug for a long while before letting him go.

“Heh heh heh. Shatien. Good choice. Yes, you should stay with the mercenary corps!”

Miles swept him with a fond look like he was staring at his own child.

He chose not to leave them!

To be honest, when Miles had heard Sir Knight Lowe’s offer from afar, his heart had dropped.

Thinking, ah. Another capable rookie will leave. But what do you know? The rookie cut the offer down at once.

He even said he was attached to the mercenary corps.

‘He kicked away a squire’s chance. What an amazing fellow.’

Even as a squire, the social standing was on par with a Hundred-man Captain in most mercenary corps. From Shatien’s position, it was a lightning-fast promotion.

In many ways, he was a very special man.

This greenhorn Shatien.

“Hmmm. Did I save a country in a past life? How else do I have such luck with people?”

“Jeez.”

At Miles’s nonsense, Shatien snorted a laugh.

“Luck with people? Keep that up and I might leave, you know?”

“Hey! You are not going anywhere. You’re sticking with me all the way.”

Good grief… hearing a grown man say that sent a chill down his spine.

Shatien shivered at the odd feeling and asked Miles.

“So where are we going now? To rest? Advance?”

Miles shrugged.

“Hmmmm. We’ll probably head straight to the next place, won’t we? From the looks of it, they won’t allow plunder here. They’ll want to move before resentment piles up.”

At that, Shatien gave a wry smile.

Count Bellua intended to use Baron Bünyu’s castle as a forward base.

To serve as a stable supply base for future battles, the city’s functions had to remain intact.

That was why he had banned looting. Of course, mercenaries weren’t the sort to sympathize with Count Bellua’s personal ideals.

As they talked, a runner arrived from the mercenary corps.

There was urgent news and they were to gather at the main body at once.

Hearing that, Shatien and Miles traded grins.

“Well now. Looks like you need to be a fortune-teller, Miles.”

“Bastard. That’s called the experience of a big brother. Got it. Punk!”

The announcement from the main body was nothing other than an advance on Loren Castle.

Starting tomorrow morning.

It was just as expected.

What they had been saying was exactly what would happen.

* * *

The siege of Loren Castle.

It was a fairly large battle in Shatien’s memory. No, to be precise, the siege itself wasn’t much.

Because the siege of Loren Castle had ended very tamely.

Count Bellua and the alliance of prince-electors had to retreat from Loren Castle without putting up much of a fight.

In effect, no, in certainty, it was a defeat.

The only road to Loren Castle.

In that pass called the Hill of Bar, Count Bellua’s army suffered devastating losses when the Emperor of the Holy Empire launched a surprise attack.

They had grown complacent, failed to fortify the camp, and suffered enormous losses to a night raid.

Especially the mercenary corps Shatien belonged to took the brunt.

‘It was a pity.’

Mixed into the five thousand marching toward Loren Castle, Shatien thought so.

In his heart he wanted to run the unit to lessen the damage, but he was only a senior mercenary.

He had neither the standing nor the grounds to propose how to run the force.

‘If I don’t get executed for putting on airs, I’ll be lucky.’

It wasn’t just their mercenary corps. Count Bellua’s troops and the armies of the prince-electors’ alliance were all jumbled together.

A shabby freedman mercenary’s words would carry no weight.

They would more likely get angry and punish him for his insolence.

So Shatien decided to do his best within the range he could control.

The Black Raven Mercenary Corps he belonged to. If that was too big, then just his Hundred-man Unit. That much would still be a person’s duty.

And as he thought that—

–Whoa, whoa, whoa.

–Halt! Halt!

After a three-day march, the five thousand finally halted at the Hill of Bar.

Annoyingly, the exact stopping point was the same as the past.

“Hmm.”

What was more, the size of the Emperor’s army beyond the hill seemed unchanged.

Judging by the number of banners fluttering on the heights, it looked roughly the same.

‘Exactly like the past. Same position, same numbers.’

From the flags, the enemy strength was about three thousand.

Compared to the force Count Bellua had mustered, they were fewer, but for a defensive fight, not that few.

Which meant—

‘They’ll launch a night raid as planned tonight huh?’

With every condition matching the last time, what followed would likely play out the same.

Shatien assumed as much.

‘So many died in that raid… they were vicious, the Emperor’s troops.’

Remembering, Shatien shuddered.

The memory of being massacred in their sleep by a lightning strike they couldn’t respond to was anything but pleasant.

‘I won’t let those despicable bastards do it again. I’ll defend as best I can within my limits.’

As said, there was no way to prepare all of Count Bellua’s army or even the whole mercenary corps.

He would never be heard even if he tried.

But at least, it was different for the Hundred-man Unit he was in.

Within that unit, Shatien’s influence was considerable, and if he moved, there were plenty who would follow without complaint.

Even though Centurion Jacri was a stickler for rules, that was exactly why, when there was danger, he applied the same rule-bound thinking and tried to prepare for all possibilities.

‘All right. Then let’s try it. I’ll start first and see what happens.’

In many ways, Shatien felt protecting the Hundred-man Unit would be fairly easy.

* * *

–Rattle, rattle.

A heap of dirt tumbled out of the pit.

“Huff. Huff.”

Wiping sweat from his brow, Shatien kept shoveling hard.

‘Ugh, damn. Why is it so hot?’

The season had moved from late summer into early autumn, yet somehow the mosquitoes were still active.

The soil was damp with rising moisture each time he dug, and on top of that the mosquitoes pestered him.

It was hard labor.

‘Man. If someone helped a little, this would be done quickly. Anyone around?’

Grumbling as he dug, Shatien looked around.

Of all times, everyone had slipped out to buy from the traveling peddler.

Just then—

“Oh-ho? Shatien? What are you doing?”

A welcome voice came from above his head.

Miles, as rough in speech as ever but warm at heart.

“What else? I’m shoveling. Shoveling. Haha.”

“…You’re smiling? Did you get heatstroke? On a day like this, you could if you shovel.”

Miles grumbled.

“More importantly, did you pitch my tent?”

“Yes. Not just that, I even dug a neat drainage trench.”

“Why though? Ahem. I mean, I obviously appreciate you for that. Heh heh.”

He grinned as he spoke. Who could hate someone who did things unasked?

‘Hehehe, this lovable bastard.’

He had wondered who had all that excess energy. Of course it was Shatien.

Naturally, Shatien had his own plan.

“Oof… my back. I think I tweaked it while setting up our senior Miles's tent.”

Shatien slipped in a groan, and Miles stared as if he couldn’t believe him.

“Are you saying that for me to hear?”

“Huh? You heard that? Wow. I didn’t mean for you to, Miles.”

“…You little snake, getting slicker by the day.”

A bit of playful teasing wasn’t bad. This kind of back-and-forth was the flavor of life.

Thinking so, Miles asked Shatien.

“What, do you need help with something then? Looks like you’re not digging a drainage trench… a moat pit, maybe?”

At Miles’s tilted head, Shatien felt a stab of admiration.

He might look a little dense, but he was sharp and had good instincts.

“Exactly. I’m going to dig around where our Hundred-man Unit sits. Just the front.”

“But why?”

“Hmm…”

How to explain?

Should he spell everything out? It felt complicated.

But Shatien didn’t think long. With Miles, long explanations weren’t needed.

“Just because. I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“Huhhh? A feeeeeling?”

Miles snorted like he found it ridiculous, and Shatien shrugged.

“Yes. I just have a bad feeling. There’s always such a thing as ‘what if’, you know?”

“Well, that’s true…”

Miles glanced toward the enemy formation beyond the opposite hill.

How many sordid attacks had they taken from those bastards?

That uneasy feeling probably came from an experience of its own.

Thinking so, Miles nodded.

“Fine! Wait right here.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean, huh. I’ll help. Shatien. Sit tight. I’ll round up our boys. Ehehehe.”

Miles spoke with a sly grin.

Soon, with more than ten men, they started digging in earnest. It felt like a sudden grand project, but the pace was quick.

No snags, smooth going.

Thanks to that, Shatien was very satisfied.

But as always, when a big group moved, someone’s eye would catch them.

“What… do you think you’re doing?”

A hard voice came from above.

Captain Mordo.

Damn it. Of all people, it was Captain Mordo.

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