Chapter 227: ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? (1)

Chapter 227: Undead plague (1)

I had forgotten the traitor.

‘It’s not extremely urgent, but. . .’

Among the nobles, there were neither eternal enemies nor eternal allies. The feudal lords here now could have joined the emperor faction at any time for whatever reason, and the opposite was also possible.

Moreover, there were many watching eyes around, so anything one did was bound to reach the ears of others to some extent.

‘There must be emperor faction spies among here.’

Still, Johan wanted to identify the traitor beforehand. The more usable cards, the better.

‘But looking at the Elf King’s personality, he doesn’t seem like he would be of much help.’

Even if he found out, given his personality, he would come forward to distinguish right from wrong rather than play tricks. Johan decided to first figure out who the other party was.

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“It really looks great.”

Iselia also nodded as if agreeing with Johan’s words. Johan was someone who often said slick words from his mouth, but the ogre leather armor made by the Arnoos deserved to hear such words.

“Even a ballista wouldn’t be able to pierce through it.”

“But if I get hit by a ballista, won’t I die even if the armor is intact?”

“. . .W-Well, that’s true.”

Johan stroked the armor with his finger. It felt firm as it moved elasticly as if it were alive. It was amazing that such a lightweight and easy to move armor could be so sturdy.

Karamaf growled as he put on the armor over his shirt and leather pants. Johan exuded the aura of a forest bandit chief.

‘It does feel mystical.’

Even when mystical monsters died, their mystique remained. Johan looked at Iselia and said,

“I wish you could wear my armor, Iselia.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

Iselia was surprised by Johan’s gift and asked. Even if she couldn’t reach the level of the ogre leather, the armor Johan originally wore was also a tremendous armament.

“Yes. I would be happy if you wear it.”

“My dear. . .”

As they suddenly started intensely staring at each other with lustful mood, the Arnoos became embarrassed.

Should they leave them alone?

“Your excellency, may I start painting your portrait now? I have been longing to paint your excellency’s portrait.”

Originally, painting portraits was a job done for nobles for money, but sometimes it could also be an honor for the painter themselves. When the subject was a knight who had accomplished great feats, it was one of those cases.

“It seems you have high expectations.”

“Yes. We have a superstition that whenever we paint great people on canvas, we become more like their greatness.”

“Then read my fortune first. I’m curious about my fortune.”

“Yo. . .your fortune?”

“Yes. They say you can tell the future by looking at entrails? I want to see the White Tower graduate’s magic once. Those renowned philosophers from the prestigious White Tower.”

Johan’s words were more jest than sincerity. Of course, the White Tower had its own reputation, but it wasn’t a place Johan would praise that much.

Law or theology would be better, but mystical subjects like alchemy or medicine were more likely to be regarded as shady. White Tower itself was a shady place where mostly illegitimate children of nobility entered when examined closely.

However, with Johan praising it like that, the Arnoos could not dare to refuse out of bewilderment.

“Ahem. Then let me tell your fortune first.”

“Thank you. Shall we go take a look?”

Following Johan who was walking ahead of the the Arnoos, Iselia whispered by his side,

“My dear, as far as I know, your departure for the expedition is drawing near. Is it okay? The painting will take quite some time.”

“Well if there’s not enough time, it’ll have to be painted later.”

“. . .I’m not good at reading people but I don’t think they’ll like it too much.”

What Iselia said was true.

After Johan led the elite troops with the Elf King and departed for the expedition, the Arnoos who heard the news belatedly hurried over, grabbed the mercenaries remaining in the camp and made hopeless expressions.

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“Count, Count.”

“Yes?”

The Elf King couldn’t genuinely understand why Johan was acting like that. To him, he simply couldn’t comprehend Johan’s behavior.

It was a knight’s right to demand treatment befitting their fame and achievements. There was no reason not to pursue that right.

Fortunately, Johan had a convenient excuse prepared.

“God always whispers humility and frugality to me.”

Hearing Johan’s words, the monks who had been looking at the Elf King in dissatisfaction next to him had admiring expressions. That was true faith.

Then the Elf King shook his head with a serious look and said,

“Count, I will tell you out of respect for you, my count. You are being deceived by the priests.”

“. . . . . .”

Johan was impressed by Elf King’s passionate persuasion. Of course the monks wouldn’t stab the Elf King to death for insulting God, but still, wasn’t this a sacred place for those who believed in God to some extent? To commit blasphemy in such a place. . .

“The priests are those who live their lives with the goal of hindering all the joys and pleasures of the world. It’s one thing to torment themselves, but they torment others as well. Of course, passionate faith beats in my heart too. But you only need to open your heart and take it out when you pray, at other times there is no need to take it out

unnecessarily.”

As he spoke, the Elf King raised his wine glass. The flustered monk said,

“Your majesty, it’s not time for prayer yet. . .”

“I’m not trying to drink during prayer.”

“?”

“I’m trying to pray while drinking. So it’s okay to drink.”

‘Huh. Logical.’

The Elf King made excuses skillfully, as if he had done it more than once or twice. Johan admired it inwardly, but the monks must have sworn inside.

“Don’t be fooled by the priests, Count. They are the ones trying to lure your glory into their white veil.”

The young king spoke earnestly with genuine sincerity. If it wasn’t sincere, such persuasive power would have been hard to convey. Of course, Johan himself was just dumbfounded.

In the first place, who was using whom. . .

“I understand. From now on, I will think it over a few times when the priests speak.”

“That’s exactly what you should do! Damn it, the meat here looks older than my helmet.”

The Elf King spat out the cured meat. It wasn’t just the king. The elf knights had more painful expressions tearing the bread than when their stomachs were stabbed by the enemy.

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“Your excellency.”

“?”

After the dinner that was very painful for the elves, Johan lay embracing Iselia with one arm as he entered the residence. He was puzzled at the sound of knocking on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Guyma, the abbot of the monastery. Your excellency. There is a monk who wants to see Your Excellency, so I brought him here.”

Johan had Iselia put down the sword she was holding. No matter what, it would have been rude in front of the abbot.

“If you had something to say, why did you come looking for me like this instead of earlier?”

He had already heard all the information there was to hear from the people of the monastery.

The horde of undead was found in a place that would take several more days to the east, and had not yet affected this Maeldal Monastery.

As soon as daylight breaks, the party will head east towards Pelheim Castle.

Is there more to say here?

“I. . . I. . . swore an oath of secrecy, so I couldn’t say it in front of other people.”

The old monk said with a face strained by tension. Johan offered him liquor to calm him down. Iselia still couldn’t take her eyes off the sword. Karamaf licked Iselia’s palm with the tip of his tongue. It seemed to mean snap out of it.

“Relax and speak comfortably.”

“The castellan of Pel. . . Pel. . .heim Castle knows about the undead plague but is pretending. . . pretending not to know.”

“. . .?”

Johan was not very surprised.

Wealthy feudal lords can hire armies to sweep away the undead, but poor feudal lords have to grit their teeth and endure.

‘It’s not a particularly strange thing, is it?’

“There is a holy relic in the castle basement to ward off the undead, but he is not using it.”

“!”