Chapter 187: ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? (5)

Chapter 187: Nobles of the Capital (5)

“Why are you surprised?”

Gaoalkana looked at Johan with a puzzled expression.

Vynashchtym was constantly at war with the pagan Easterners, but it wasn’t a war where they cut off all relations and fought until one side was dead.

Vynashchtym had its circumstances and the Eastern Empire had theirs, so envoys and communication openly and privately went back and forth between them.

Just as the various petty kingdoms and republics around Vynashchtym’s ports had their own missions, merchant halls, and exclusive zones, so did the Eastern Empire.

‘Well, the republics do talk trash about the Eastern Empire but keep trading with them anyway.’

It was easy to think that the Sultan ruled the vast Eastern Empire with an iron fist, but even there the power of provincial nobles was considerable. Politically it was unstable, to say the least.

Such nobles didn’t care much whether they traded with enemies or demons as long as it served their interests. Even now countless trade ships would be carrying goods along sea routes.

“Wait. Even if they’re nobles from the Eastern Empire that’s one thing, but royalty?”

“Yeah. Someone in exile.”

“Ah.”

Johan immediately grasped the situation. Succession disputes were also quite fierce in the Eastern Empire, and defeat in those battles awaited only death, both in the past and present.

In such times the safest place was ironically the enemy nation – the Sultan’s hand wouldn’t easily reach there.

“Her Majesty has arrived. Everyone come out and greet her.”

The vampires discovered Gaoalkana and streamed out. While exiled nobles had to be careful around an emperor, their reaction seemed rather familiar.

‘She’s been here several times.’

Johan thought Gaoalkana really got around a lot. As an emperor, was there a need to be so friendly with pagan exiles?

“. . .Don’t tell me you came by often because you wanted to hear Eastern tales?”

“Oh! How did you know?”

“. . . . . .”

Gaoalkana looked at Johan with genuinely surprised eyes. She felt it every time they talked, but this count from the west was a truly unique man.

The people of the west, even those of noble bloodlines, find it hard to shake off the customs of barbarians. Yet this count could converse freely with Vynashchtym’s other nobles, cultured as he was.

What’s more, he had a sense for art above all else. Even among Vynashchtym’s nobles this was a rare talent. Perhaps that was why their conversations always seemed to flow well.

‘Who knows what she’s thinking. Surely she doesn’t mean to brush me off and slip away to the banquet while we’re talking.’

Johan was suspicious of Gaoalkana’s gaze. She wasn’t a tyrant or arrogant, just liked to do as she pleased a bit too much.

To Johan, who had lived wearing restraint and patience like armor, Gaoalkana’s debauched hedonism was simply beyond comprehension.

“While we talk, stay by my side and don’t wander off anywhere.”

“Seeing how you’re relying on me, are you feeling good?”

Misunderstanding Johan’s suspicion, Gaoalkana was instead in an even better mood. She would have frowned if she knew his true feelings.

????????????????????????

Barhan, an old and blind vampire of the Eastern imperial family, sniffed and said,

“Your Majesty. Seeing that you have come with a human. . . Could it be Count Yeats?”

“That’s right. I brought him with me.”

It was quite amazing to see him identify races by smell. Despite Johan not saying anything, Barhan looked towards Johan and spoke.

“When you lose your eyesight, other senses become more acute. It’s not really an amazing talent.”

“. . .I see. People must be quite surprised.”

Barhan was surprised at Johan’s words. Usually when people saw a blind man identify races like that, they would be caught off guard.

By mentioning it first, as if he already knew, the mystery grew even more. But Johan did not fall for it.

“Thank you for coming all this way. Your Excellency Count. You must have already heard the reason, but let me thank you again.”

As it was, Johan was already shamelessly securing interests however he could to increase trade routes in his fief. If he could get special privileges in the Eastern Empire like he did in Vynashchtym, it would be perfect.

“Then I will call for him. Your Excellency.”

The vampires there looked at Johan with newfound eyes. While there were rampant rumors about the newly arrived captain, seeing him in person made the feeling different.

What stood out the most was his modesty and how he respected Barhan. Such an attitude among pagans was rare.

????????????????????????

“The new personal guard captain? Ah, Count Yeats?”

“Yes.”

“Is he really an okay person? I heard something a bit different.”

Lumahr moved his steps in wonder after receiving the vampire attendant’s message.

Unlike Barhan, who was semi-retired, Lumahr was still active and energetic. He was in contact with the nobles of Vynashchtym, sending envoys to the emperor, reporting to the sultan, occasionally negotiating with the republicans. . .

As such, he heard a lot. Generous and magnanimous were not words that suited Count Yeats.

“A knight who participated in the battle told me. . .”

“What did he say to make you say that?”

“He said it was like a warrior born from the demon mating with a monster.”

━He was at the very front when advancing, at the very back when retreating, wielding sharp weapons like they were his own hands and feet, and the knights who faced him fell like mud. No outstanding knight could avoid the count’s sword.

Later, even the brave warriors became cowards who did not dare to face the count and fled, as if the demon had mated with a monster to give birth to a warrior. . .

“What! He is not that kind of person.”

Seeing the attendant take his side, Lumahr became even more puzzled. No matter how many monsters he defeated and saved lives, can he really react like this?

“Anyway, Barhan-nim saved me, I guess I have to repay that debt.”

Lumahr owed Barhan a debt when he was young. He took it for granted to at least pay him back.

“A decent sword and shield might work.”

“How is the matter you told me about last time?”

“The petty kingdoms? The atmosphere was not good. Those guys have nothing yet want so freaking much. The republicans are better.”

The duchies and kingdoms near Vynashchtym always greedily coveted Vynashchtym. Rather than land, the privileges and gold that Vynashchtym possessed were the main goals.

“The emperor clenched his purse of coins so they got frustrated. They asked me if I was going to get up with them.”

“Do you have to say things like that?”

“Then it would be treason, wouldn’t it? I’m not even a vassal of Vynashchtym.”

He wouldn’t participate but had no intention of reporting it either. The duchies were still cooperative partners of a sort, so he couldn’t ruin the relationship like that.

“Just refusing is enough loyalty. Come to think of it, the monster outbreak is also pretty suspicious. Was it those guys?”

With those words, Lumahr arrived and opened the door. Inside, there was a familiar old vampire and an unfamiliar human facing each other across a low table.

‘He looks really unharmed?’

Of course, he felt strong and sturdy, but it was a bit different from the expressions of the knights who had participated in the battle. No light or fire spilled from his eyes and mouth either.

“?!‍”

Lumahr was surprised in succession. It was good to play baduk. It was Barhan’s hobby and Lumahr also enjoyed playing it.

However, when he looked at the low table, Barhan was being crushed into a mess.

‘No. . . Isn’t Barhan-nim holding black?’

He wondered if he had laid down a few stones and passed, but that was not the case either. Barhan hesitated while placing stones.

“Your excellency. Since Sir Lumahr has arrived, I think it would be best to stop this game here.”

‘The game is already over when everything is dead. . .’