Chapter 262: ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? (2)

Chapter 262: Golden Return (2)

Mercenaries who followed Johan had several similarities, regardless of their race or origin.

They had combat experience gained from traveling to many places while following their lord, they had good equipment, and they had a strong loyalty that could do anything to carry out their lord’s orders.

These people were like gentle sheep in front of their lord, but they moved like ferocious wolves in the absence of their lord.

Just like now.

“What. . .”

“Take your hand off your waist. If you touch it, I’ll cut off your wrist and put it around your neck.”

The mercenary captain, who was about to lose his temper at the absurd insult, flinched. The appearance of the soldiers who followed the castellan was not insignificant.

If it were a worthless rogue, he would have lost his temper and been angry here, but the mercenary captain was a wiser man. He thought that the opponent was coming out strong for a reason and took a step back.

“Where. . . are you from?”

“What do you care? Decide whether you’re going to follow quietly or be dragged like a dog and beaten.”

The soldiers spoke without regard for the castellan. From their attitude, the mercenary captain realized that the soldiers’ backgrounds were stronger than he had thought.

‘These arrogant trash dare. . . I will definitely kill them when I can kill them later.’

It was rare for someone to be able to easily accept being humiliated like this in their own fiefdom. The mercenary captain gritted his teeth but held back.

“l. . . I understand. I will follow you. But still, shouldn’t you tell me where I am going? As the legitimate right of a Empire noble. . .”

“You sound like a noble.”

The soldiers scoffed, but the castellan spoke up instead, still on the same side. Although they often ignored each other because they were not on good terms, they were on the same side after all.

“Your Excellency Count has brought his army to this area.”

“Wh. . . what? Why? Who?”

“I don’t know the reason either! Anyway, I said the reason, so get ready soon.”

The mercenary captain had a better sense of danger than the castellan.

What could the feudal lord who brought the army do?

‘It’s dangerous if I get caught on a technicality!’

The war might have ended, but the south was in a chaotic time. It was a period when those with power could lead an army and seize a fiefdom, and if you were powerless, it was hard to complain.

The mercenary captain knew better than anyone that a just cause could be created if you had the power.

“Please. . . Just wait a moment, Sir Knights.”

“I’m not a knight, you fool. Do you have eyes but cannot see?”

Johan’s soldiers were experienced. They did not care about being flatteringly called knights by the mercenary captain. Usually, being called a knight would make someone’s face light up.

“If I need to speak to Your Excellency the Count, shouldn’t I bring someone who knows well about my fiefdom? Please let me take him with me.”

The soldiers looked at each other and murmured. It wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Fine. We’ll give you some time. But keep in mind, if you try any foolishness, you’ll have something sticking in your back.”

’Damn it.’

As the conversation went on, one might expect gaps to appear, but the mercenary captain clicked his tongue at the sight of them pointing their weapons without a single lapse.

They were completely different from his own subordinates who were drunk in the town from early in the day.

Even if they woke up, there was a good chance that the mercenary captain would die before they could save him. Of course, he was skeptical that his subordinates would come to save him. It was more likely that they would run away without looking back.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Hurry up and get priest Valberga!”

“B-But the priest is at the monastery.”

“Go right now and get him. If you’re late. . .”

“Is there a problem?”

“No!”

The mercenary captain, who was strangling the servant, quickly changed his attitude when he heard the question flying from behind.

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“A feudal lord has come?”

“Yes, priest! It seems that another noble has come with an army. He wants to hear about how the fiefdom is doing!”

Valberga’s face clouded over. This was not good news.

The town had originally been the fiefdom of the Aitz family, but after the family fell into ruin and several frequent disputes, the position of lord was given to a newly arrived mercenary captain.

Of course, even lords who had ruled their fiefs since birth did not rule them so well, so it was unlikely that a mercenary captain would rule well.

The mercenary captain was even worse at ruling the town than Sir Gessen.

He was so bad that he was even said to be better off when he was drunk. He was ignorant of management, but he had many desires, so the ones who died were the lower-ranking people.

At first, the mercenaries who wanted to do something realized that management was not their responsibility and entrusted everything to Valberga. Of course, that was not easy. If he had not been a patient priest, he would have run away long ago.

“. . .Yes? Was he a cultist?”

Joseph asked in surprise. He had heard the other things, but this was the first time he had heard the story.

Johan answered with an indifferent expression.

“I added one more just to make it look more realistic.”

“. . .Oh, I see. Yes.”

In the distance, the mercenary captain’s entourage could be seen approaching. The castellan and the mercenary captain hurried over and knelt down.

“Your Excellency Count! It is an honor to meet you. Your reputation has reached even the corners of this Empire, and I thought that if I could meet you even once as a warrior, I would die without any regrets.”

“Is that so? That’s good. What are the monks behind you doing?”

“I brought these knowledgeable people with me in case Your Excellency has any questions! They will answer anything!”

The mercenary captain trusted priest Valberga. Even though the priest was usually annoying with all sorts of bothersome talk, he was not the type of person to act clueless in this situation.

However, the count shook his head without any expression.

“No need.”

“Oh. . . is that so? Then. . .”

Johan gestured. Then, the soldiers who had been waiting stepped forward and grabbed the mercenary captain’s arms and forced him to kneel forward.

“The crime of holding a trial without jurisdiction and executing a feudal lord’s people. The crime of violating customs, collecting taxes, and extending the number of days of labor. The crime of believing in an evil religion and performing sinister rituals. In return for these crimes, I will punish you.”

“. . .Yes? Your Excellency! Your Excellency! What is that! I am a legitimate aristocrat of the Empire. . .!”

Johan did not have the hobby of listening to the words of the rogue who had turned his hometown into a mess in the meantime. The soldiers immediately knelt the mercenary captain down and cut his neck. It was a movement so quick that none of the servants could react.

“!!!”

“The rest of you, go and catch all the cultists who colluded with this man.”

“Yes, sir!”

After finishing his work, Johan looked around and said to the priest, who he found, with great joy.

“No. priest. It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

“. . .??!!”

Priest Valberga was surprised as if she had seen a ghost.

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The castellan’s face was ashen after seeing the mercenary captain’s head fly off next to him. Johan didn’t pay any attention to the castellan’s reaction and spoke to the priest.

“I’m surprised to see you here still.”

“It’s only natural that I’m here since these are my brothers. . . I guess I should call you Count.”

“You can call me by my name as you used to.”

“I. . . I suppose I could. . .”

“Why not? We’re friends, after all.”

The castellan’s face began to return to normal when he saw that the two were clearly close friends. Even if their social statuses were different, their friendship would not change as if they had been friends since childhood.

“Valberga is a wonderful priest. I often call him to hear his good words and pray.”

Johan stared at the castellan intently instead of answering. The castellan was shocked, as if his heart had stopped.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation.”

“Anyway, priest. I have a question for you. Do you know how those who ran away at that time are doing?

Johan’s question brought a smile to Valberga’s face.

“That’s good timing, Count. Fern-nim is right behind me.”

“Fern? You mean. . .he’s a slave now?”

“What are you talking about? He’s a monk.”

“A monk?”

Johan couldn’t believe his ears. Fern was never the type to be a monk.

“He’s right there. . . uh?”

Priest Valberga was confused for the first time. One of the monks had disappeared. It was of course Fern.

“What happened?”

“He ran away after seeing the execution earlier.”

“No. . .”

Valberga looked shocked.