Chapter 265

Chapter 265

“Weapons made from imperial steel really are the best.”

The alliance camp was bustling. Warriors who obtained steel weapons flaunted their spoils, earning the envy of others. They collected a large number of spoils from the recent victory, and the warriors' favorite loot was not gold or jewels, but weapons made from imperial steel.

Clang! Clang!

A warrior struck a tribal axe blade several times with a steel sword. The tribal iron couldn't withstand the steel, and its edge quickly chipped. Even in battle, it wasn’t uncommon for the tribal weapons to break.

“Imagine losing to us with such fine weapons like these. What a bunch of idiots.”

The warriors who obtained steel weapons swaggered. They swung the gleaming steel weapons around.

Crackle, crackle.

The campfire burned. Sparks fluttered upward.

Urich poked the fire with a stick. He gazed into the darkness.

‘I don’t see anything tonight.’

All he could see was darkness.

Urich often saw a being known as a god. He appeared before him in various forms and then vanished.

‘He reveals himself when I desperately want something in a dire situation.’

He was invisible most of the time. Urich smirked as he looked at the piece of meat placed over the fire. Delicious smoke rose whenever the meat's fat dripped.

“Divine blessing, huh...”

People called Urich a man blessed by the gods. He had lived his life hearing such words as if it were natural.

‘Am I really someone who has the blessing and guidance of the gods?’

Even when he asked himself, he couldn’t find an answer.

“Is this my destiny?”

Urich opened his palm. The Great Chief wasn’t something he ever wanted to be.

—You will become a great warrior.

The old shaman had said.

Just as everyone expected and prophesied, Urich became a great warrior. No one doubted it and took it for granted.

‘Except for me...’

When he closed his eyes, he often saw the horizon of the sea. He also glimpsed the southern desert he had only heard about in stories but never visited.

‘I want to see new people and beautiful cities.’

But he could not act on his whims. He could not live doing only what he wanted.

Great Chief Urich was an adult, and he had to take responsibility for his actions and his life.

* * *

Urich and Varca sat in chairs with their army behind them. In the distance, the city gate opened, and its lord walked out.

"We surrender."

The small domain raised the white flag as soon as the Porcana-Alliance army arrived. They did not resist the army that had defeated the imperial army.

‘Fearsome barbarians.’

There were many lands that had been devastated after resisting the alliance army. On the other hand, those who surrendered suffered only minimal damage. With such precedents, lords with less power often surrendered in advance and offered chests filled with gold and silver treasures.

"We will not plunder your domain," Varca said as he placed his hand on the lord's shoulder. The lord bowed his head and gestured to his attendants.

Clink, rattle!

As the chests opened, treasures inside were revealed. They were filled with gold and silver coins that the city had accumulated over decades.

"Ohhh, this is pretty nice, huh?"

Urich's eyes lit up as he grabbed a handful of gold coins. With money, they could buy the loyalty of mercenaries. As the civilized world entered the era of chaos of war, mercenaries from various places had come to join the alliance army.

The rumor that the western plunderers paid mercenaries handsomely was already widespread. Many mercenary groups joined the alliance army. The news that the plunderers had allied with the civilized kingdom of Porcana eliminated even the last vestiges of fear and resistance.

"Georg! Pay the mercenaries their wages."

Urich called for Georg. Cheers erupted from all sides.

As promised, the Porcana-Alliance army did not invade the city. They still had enough provisions without plundering, and the city also sent out carts filled with meat and wine.

"They're definitely scared of us. Look at them giving everything up before we even told them to."

"They must have realized it's better to give willingly than to have everything taken by force."

The soldiers of the Porcana army did not drink last night. Though a few nobles and knights did, they only drank the wine they brought from Porcana.

Urich checked the civilized mercenary units next. Georg also shrugged his shoulders after hearing the reports from other mercenary leaders.

“We have some idiots who cut off their fingers while drinking and gambling, but no one is sick.”

“So it really is only our men that got sick? What in the world...”

The Porcana soldiers and the civilized mercenaries were fine. The only ones groaning in sickness were the warriors of the alliance.

“Urich! We have a problem!”

Gottval came running to Urich, sweating profusely. His sleeve, missing an arm, flapped long.

“What’s wrong? Are we being attacked or something?”

“T-that’s not it, it’s Olga! Huff, huff.”

Gottval collapsed and panted, showing how urgent the matter was.

“Speak slowly.”

“Olga is about to start something with the lord! He claimed that there was poison in the food, so he barged through the city gate with his warriors.”

“This idiot, that idiot, none of you listen to me. That includes you, Gottval!”

Urich mounted his horse, annoyed. He took the horse and moved to the city gate. Hundreds of warriors were gathered, causing a disturbance.

The soldiers of the city were not responding to the provocations of the warriors as they feared the possibility of a battle. The lord also just trembled with his mouth shut.

‘If a fight breaks out here, we’ll be annihilated. No matter what they accuse us of, we must avoid a fight.’

The lord looked at Olga with fearful eyes. The interpreter beside Olga spoke in Hamelian.

“Why did you poison us? Were you trying to kill us?”

Olga bared his teeth and grabbed the lord by the collar.

“P-poison? What on earth are you talking about?”

“Our brothers fell ill after eating your food and drinking your wine.”

The interpreter quickly translated Olga's words. Olga pressed the axe blade to the lord’s neck.

“The lord is in danger!”

The soldiers on the wall raised their crossbows.

“Stop, stop! We cannot attack!”

The lord hurriedly raised his hand to restrain his soldiers. A fight had to be avoided at all costs.

“I'll ask again, why did you use poison? Was it because you wanted to help the imperial army, being on the same side?”

Olga pressed the axe blade deeper into the lord’s neck.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

From a distance, Urich rushed over on his horse.

“Olga, what are you doing over there?”

“Justice,” Olga answered shortly and then threw the lord down, whom he was dragging by the collar.

“That’s not justice, you idiot!”

Urich stood in front of the lord, blocking Olga.

“Are you... taking the side of... the civilized people... again?”

Olga spat on the ground in frustration.

“Hah, enough with that bullshit. Why would they give us poisoned food? If they were capable of poisoning us, they wouldn’t have been this helpless in the first place. Our men just got sick, that’s all. Take the warriors back! Stop acting on your own without my orders. My patience has limits.”

Urich patted Olga’s shoulder as he passed. He gestured for the warriors to return.

“Don’t forget... who your true brothers... are... Great Chief,” Olga said and returned to the camp.

Urich helped the fallen lord up and sent him back into the city.

“Thank you.”

The lord expressed his gratitude to Urich as he entered the city gate. The infamous Urich, the leader of the plunderers, was well-known even to him. The name alone made the people of civilization tremble.

‘He’s different from the rumors... I heard he was a ruthless person...’

The Urich he saw in person was a man with clear discernment.

The lord stood on the wall, watching Urich ride away.