Chapter 24 : Ambush and Promotion (4)

Chapter 24: Ambush and Promotion (4)

All the Emperor’s knights of the Holy Empire fled.

Once the backbone of the army disappeared, the imperial troops that remained collapsed into a rabble and fell apart.

There were as many as two hundred prisoners.

The imperial soldiers who lost their lives and became corpses numbered three hundred in total.

On top of that, the number of knights captured or killed was considerable.

For all intents and purposes, the Holy Empire’s power in this area had been erased.

“P-Please, let us have an audience with Your Excellency!”

With things like this, it was the Free City of Loren that found its feet to the fire.

They had seen with their own eyes the results of the night raid the previous night.

Anyone would have been a fool not to know after seeing such a great blaze in the middle of the night.

They realized the imperial raid had failed, that the imperial camp had instead burned and vanished, and that after successive defeats the Emperor no longer had the ability to protect them.

“Please. Please show mercy. The council places its hopes in Count Bellua’s grace.”

“And such men stood with the Emperor and supplied money and provisions?”

“Your Excellency, how could we refuse with the sword at our throats. However, we didn’t support him with troops. Because of the Emperor’s repeated levies, many citizens had already turned their backs.”

“Ho… is that so.”

Facing the envoys, Count Bellua smiled as if amused.

He felt that, with luck, the free city might fall into his hand with very little effort.

“Good. If that’s how you think.”

“Th-Thank you, Your Excellency!”

“However, there is a condition.”

“A condition…?”

The envoys tensed.

In all the conditions that came from the mouths of conquerors who had seized free cities, there were few that were generous.

But fortunately,

“Nothing unusual. I will respect your customs as much as possible and acknowledge the rights of the council and the autonomy of the free city.”

Count Bellua was a wise, and at the same time, an ambitious noble.

“Oh, if that is so…?”

“So I only ask a small token of sincerity from you. A small token. We must punish the Emperor who created this situation, that filthy man, must we not?”

“Y-Yes, that is right.”

“I want you to gladly help as the vanguard of that work. Use your connections to persuade the cities and nobles within the Holy Empire. Say that we should form an anti-Emperor coalition. If you do, I will recognize all your authority and promise not to inflict any damage whatsoever on the city.”

“…?!”

It was, in effect, a demand for a lightning conversion.

If they accepted this, the Free City of Loren might cross a river with the Emperor that could never be crossed back.

Yet Loren’s decision came faster than expected.

They were already weary of the Emperor’s tyranny, and once they did the math, backing this young and ambitious noble did not seem a bad choice.

“Your Excellency, we accept all your terms. Here is the token of our pledge.”

The token was the head of a pro-Emperor councilor.

It was the most fitting token.

* * *

-baparabam-!

A trumpet blast rang out with force.

At the same time, a roaring cheer erupted.

-wuaaaaaaah-!

Entering the city with Count Bellua, Shatien received a fervent welcome from the citizens of the Free City of Loren.

“Welcome!”

“Welcome. Please take these flowers!”

The edges of the great boulevard that split the city were packed without a foot of space to stand.

A multitude of people cheered and scattered petals, and some lovely women presented fragrant flowers to the marching soldiers.

There was fear in some citizens’ eyes, but there was no great hostility.

To them the imperial army had been a kind of mercenary that protected them.

Only the role had changed, and there was no looting, so there was no reason to harbor enmity.

Thanks to that, the mercenaries of the Black Raven Mercenary Company opened their eyes wide.

Such hospitality.

Such prosperity.

When would they experience this again?

“…Wow. This is crazy. I thought our village was the biggest until now.”

“Listen to this country bumpkin. How do you compare a backwater village to a free city, you fool.”

“A-Ahem. A backwater village? It is a city with nearly one thousand people, I’ll have you know!”

“Sure it is. You country-city brat.”

“Shut up, idiot!”

Once you left the village, monsters, bandits, and robber knights swarmed.

For most free folk, a couple of nearby villages, and at most the closest city, were the whole world they knew.

“Wow, how are all the houses brick? Is this the Holy Empire’s capital?”

“Looks like they still lacked money huh? See there, they didn’t finish the paving. It is empty.”

“…That’s the sewer. No, forget it. I shouldn’t even try with these bumpkins.”

Clicking their tongues, the mercenaries took in the wealthy streets of Loren.

It was their first time seeing a city this prosperous.

And then there were the graceful, fluttering dresses of the pretty women.

“Wow!”

“Crazy. I’m going to spend silver like water at this rate.”

That the mercenaries’ eyes rolled was, in a way, only natural.

After an hour of such a triumphal procession, Captain Mordo gathered the company and finished the accounting.

-clank.

“Good work, everyone. There’s no schedule for a while. Until things are set, we’ll refit and wait in this city. Anyone who’s cleared his debts can disband here if he wishes.”

“Can we stay with the company if we want to keep going?”

“Sure. The Captain plans to set up camp at the burnt imperial encampment. If you want to remain with us, come there. If the outskirts are too rough, you can lodge in the city for a while. I know a cheap, decent inn, so ask me.”

Centurion Jacri said that, then went off to a meeting with Captain Mordo.

The mercenaries left behind began to chatter among themselves.

“What are you going to do? Didn’t you pay off your debts?”

“…I don’t know. Honestly, with this money, I don’t think I can even buy a plot back home.”

“Bastard, are you thinking of becoming a farmer?”

“Ahem, It was once a dream of mine.”

“I’m sure it was. Ahahaha.”

They all knew.

Folk who ate by the sword rarely managed to return to their old lives.

In that case, there was only one thing left.

“Will there be more war from here on out?”

“Who knows. I briefly heard we’re going to fight the Holy Empire’s Emperor.”

Ordinarily, you would expect worries about the future to come first, but mercenaries thought simply.

“Then the jobs keep coming, right?”

“I guess?”

“Nice. Then at least I’ll still have silvers coming in.”

Can they earn more money, or not?

It was a very simple calculation.

“Right. Drinks are on me today. If not now, when would we ever get to drink?”

“Yeah. We came to the city, and we should have fun. We never know when we’ll die. Heh.”

Their bonuses had just come in, their purses were heavy from successive victories, so the mercenaries were bold.

They were already drunk on the city’s splendor.

Before being mercenaries, they were people who missed the embrace of civilization.

More precisely, they missed women and drinks.

“Shatien, what about you? Are you perhaps going to….”

Watching his comrades, Miles asked Shatien.

Since this rookie had arrived, luck had followed every battle. Miles hoped Shatien wouldn’t go off somewhere and would stay with him.

And fortunately,

“Of course I’ll stay with the company, Miles. I’ve racked up some merit.”

“Right? Ahahaha.”

Just as Miles wished, Shatien planned to remain.

‘From what I can tell, it feels like Captain Mordo is going to give me a centurion’s post.’

Were the battles a bit fierce this time?

In the successive fights, two centurions had been killed in action. Though he hadn’t been in the unit long, considering the renown he had built, he was well worthy of it.

-pop pop.

“Exactly. That’s how it should be! What do we do if our Shatien doesn’t stay with the company! Ah, you lovely lucky charm!”

“Ghk.”

The pounding was so rough that a choked sound came out of him.

Rubbing his aching shoulder, Shatien answered,

“Say, Miles, are you going to drink with those fellows?”

“Huh? I suppose. It has been a while since I had a proper drink. And women too… heh heh heh….”

Miles started to grin in a very lecherous way.

“Why? Do you want to come too? I’ll give you a special treatment and cover everything for you. Me! Okay? I’ll make you a man today! Be honored!”

“…”

Shatien didn’t know what kind of man Miles meant to make him, but the man was consistent.

‘If he only enjoyed himself a bit less, he could have retired in one piece… Tsk.’

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Shatien shook his head.

“No thanks. I’m going to the encampment to unpack.”

“What? You’re going to the encampment?”

Miles cried out in surprise.

“Wait, why unpack. It looks like the imperial bastards will be back soon and we’ll have another fight anyway. Better to stay comfortably in the city and rest.”

There was some sense in that.

If they waited in a city inn with their packs on and got called up, it would be convenient.

Of course, that would only be the case if the Emperor kept driving the war forward.

“Miles...”

“H-Hm? What?”

“Think about it. Harvest is coming soon, yes? Right now, the Emperor of the Holy Empire is waging war by dragging serfs from his own domain. How can he keep fighting?”

As insane as he was, with the mind of borrowing now and paying later, he still had some reason left.

If he took a mass of serfs during harvest, then lost and had to retreat, there would be no future.

“How do you know most of them are serfs?”

Shatien shook his head.

“I can’t be certain, but the imperial army near here has been effectively wiped out, hasn’t it? Soldiers don’t appear out of thin air. They say the Emperor is short of funds, so hiring mercenaries will be hard. Then there’s probably only serfs left to train as troops, right?”

“Uh… huh? I guess… you are right, huh?”

Only then did Miles understand, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

“Damn… should I unpack with you then? Looks like there really won’t be war until next spring.”

“Well. you don’t have to do it right away. Honestly, you don’t want to rest in the camp, do you? Go blow off steam in the city and come later.”

“Ahahaha? I guess I can go do that then, right?”

It seemed he had shaken off any lingering guilt. Miles chuckled with a very satisfied face.

“Then hurry and drop your gear, Shatien. I will wait especially for you. Ahem.”

“Uh… you don’t have to….”

“Hey! It is your big brother’s first drink to you! This is the kind of thing you don’t refuse.”

“Ugh. All right.”

So pushy as always.

With a sigh, Shatien said he would do that and turned to go.

Or at least he tried to.

-step step step.

From somewhere came the sound of orderly marching.

“Shatien. Are you Shatien of the Black Raven Mercenary Company.”

Two soldiers approached who looked like heavily armed elites.

The council of Loren.

They were the city’s defending troops.

“I am… What brings you here?”

“Right. Why is the council looking for Shatien? Do they plan to drag him off? How dare they?”

-scrape.

At the sudden situation, Miles stepped up and quietly gripped the axe at his belt. It was a fierce signal that he was ready to draw blood if it came to it.

But it wasn’t bad news.

“His Excellency Count Bellua has invited Sir Shatien to a banquet. The banquet begins soon, so please prepare to attend.”

It was good news instead.

“?”

“?”

It was such good news, in fact, that it felt hard to believe.

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