Chapter 91

Chapter 91

The siege network around the Harmatti Castle was vast. Through thorough inspections, they prevented external supplies from being brought into the castle.

The Harmatti Castle was set for a harsh winter amidst a shortage of supplies. On top of that, since Pahell's forces had made several attack attempts, they couldn't just sit idly. It was a classic siege tactic of slowly drying up the enemy. Though Sword Demon Ferzen was no longer in the camp, the imperial commanders, who were practically his pupils, excellently led the army.

"This is too damn cold. Just my luck to have a storm on my shift," a soldier monitoring the coast remarked.

The soldiers wore cloaks that were made waterproof through oil treatment. However, the storm wasn't entirely kept at bay, as rain eventually seeped through the cloaks, quickly cooling their soaked bodies.

"Hooh."

The soldiers blew cold breaths, gazing at the horizon.

"I wish this civil war would end soon. I'm starting to miss home."

"If things stay this way, we might have to spend the winter here too."

"That damn Harmatti. Why doesn’t he just surrender already?"

The soldiers cursed the name of their common enemy.

Rumble!

A loud thunderclap resonated. The rain grew heavier.

"Dammit."

The storm only worsened their visibility. The soldiers huddled under a large tree, creating a makeshift shelter. They shielded themselves from the storm and lit a fire to create a bit of warmth.

"What is that?"

A soldier warming himself by the fire asked, squinting at the churning sea.

"What are you talking about? I don't see anything."

"No, look carefully. There's something moving in the water."

"In this weather? You must be hallucinating."

The mocking soldier stood up, staring at the sea. Amid the violently swirling waves, something floated aimlessly.

"What's that? Come on, just get up and look!"

The soldiers became alert. They grabbed their weapons and hurried to their feet. They walked toward the shore, braving the storm.

Splash!

Some driftwood and several broken planks washed ashore with the wave.

"Shipwreck? Did a ship break down somewhere?"

A few of the soldiers dispersed to search the vicinity. The waves continued to crash violently. The soldiers walked cautiously along the shoreline, wary of being swept away by the waves.

"H-huh? Huhhh?"

The soldiers raised their spears after spotting something moving in the water.

"Kaaagh!"

A man emerged from the crashing waves with a loud screech. The soldiers aimed their weapons at him, on high alert.

"Huff, huff."

The screeching man gasped for air, looking at the soldiers. He was carrying one person in each arm.

'Did he swim through these waves carrying two people?'

The soldiers stared at the towering man, whose drenched hair was covering his face.

"Put down your weapons, you fools."

The man spoke. The soldiers, still gripping their spears tightly, surrounded him.

"Identify yourself."

"I'm Urich, the mercenary leader, you idiots."

The man who emerged from the sea, Urich, spoke irritably. The boat they came on had crashed against the coastal rocks. Urich barely managed to bring the unconscious servant and Princess Damia through the waves. Though the water was only waist-deep, the waves taller than himself crashing over his back made every step a struggle.

Crack.

Urich straightened his back with force. It felt as if his spine was folded in half. It was sore all over.

"Urich? Oh!"

The soldier recognized Urich. He seemed familiar with his imposing figure. When Urich brushed back his wet hair, the soldier recognized him for sure. It was indeed Urich, the mercenary leader he had seen from afar.

"My sister..."

Pahell's eyes fixated on the pouring rain. His heart pounded at the news of his sister. He wanted to ride off to go see her immediately.

"People have been sent already. If you go now, you'll miss them on the way! Please, calm down, my prince."

Phillion held back the prince. Pahell held his sister in special regard.

"Please, oh, Lou."

Pahell prayed on horseback, earnestly wishing for his sister to recover and smile again.

'Why is Princess Damia here?'

As far as Phillion knew, Princess Damia was supposed to be in the royal castle. There was no news of her being in the Harmatti Castle.

'It seems the duke took her as a hostage. The other nobles won’t be too fond of that.'

News that Princess Damia was being held hostage in the Harmatti Castle spread quickly. Curses were directed at Duke Harmatti.

"That dirty man. Taking the princess as a hostage. She is a woman with no succession rights to the throne. Tsk."

"Even if he was desperate, isn't she his niece! A man like him wanted to become king, how shameless."

The nobles awaited Princess Damia's return. She was renowned for her beauty. She was truly a treasure of the kingdom.

"That barbarian mercenary has stolen a good chance for us."

Warrior nobles and knights thought so inwardly. Rescuing the princess was a great heroic tale. If done well, one could form a good relationship with the princess as well. It was an event ripe for embellishment by the bards into a romantic tale.

'Even though that barbarian is favored by the prince, it's unseemly for a barbaric mercenary to save the princess.'

The nobles waited with jealous eyes for Urich and Princess Damia. To them, Urich was merely a lucky barbarian. While it was true his combat skills were exceptional, to them, that was all. They saw him as a barbarian who rose to prominence by a stroke of luck after meeting the prince.

'Let's see what happens in the post-war awards. Surely, the prince won't grant a noble title to a barbarian.'

The nobles were already competing for merit, currying favor with the prince, and keeping each other in check.

"They're coming!"

A lookout in the watchtower alerted the camp.

The nobles rushed out, lining up behind the prince. Even Pahell, their leader, was waiting in the rain for Urich and the princess, so the others had no choice but to join.

"What a grand welcome! Even the stiff-necked noble lords are getting wet in the rain for us?"

Urich, wrapped tightly in a cloak, commented. He looked a bit pale but otherwise fine.

"Urich!"

Pahell ran out to him. Relieved to see Urich unharmed, he quickly turned to look for his sister.

"She hasn't come to yet. I think it’d be best to bring her a doctor."

Urich pointed to Damia, who was wrapped in the cloak. Although she was kept warm, her dignity was in tatters.

"Hey!"

Pahell shouted in a rare display of authority. A few knights carried Damia into the tent and laid her on Pahell's bed.

"Her body temperature is low. Her breathing is also irregular, probably because she was shocked. But she should recover without any issues as long as we keep her warm and rested," The field surgeon examined Damia and reported.

"Check Urich, too."

Pahell ordered the field surgeon, but Urich pushed the approaching surgeon away.

"I'm fine. Just give me some more liquor."

Urich leaned back in a chair, downing the drink. He gazed at the curtain hiding the bed.

The surgeon finished the examination and left. Maids scurried in to care for Damia. They cleaned her bare body with warm wet towels.

"Thank you, Urich."

Pahell said as he sat down in front of Urich. He didn't say much. That was enough to convey his gratitude.

"Don't mention it."

Urich raised his glass with a smile and collapsed onto the chair as soon as he emptied it. His head dropped, showing how exhausted he was. The glass fell from Urich's grip and rolled on the floor.

Carefully standing up, Pahell picked up the rolling glass and placed it on the table. He took off his own coat and covered Urich with it.

'This is the man who offered his hand to me when no one else, except my knights, did.'

Urich didn't come this far just out of integrity or for money. Since a certain point in their journey together, he acted purely for Pahell’s benefit, just like Phillion.

Pahell was grateful to those who helped him. They believed in him, who was practically exiled, and followed him this far.

'Now it's my turn to give back what he deserves.'