Chapter 283: ???????????????????????????????????? (1)

Chapter 283: Strangers (1)

It did feel rather late, though.

Johan should have received a dukedom from the order as soon as he had taken control of the southern half of the peninsula and chased away the Emperor’s forces.

Of course, nothing changed about Johan’s life simply because he was no longer a count but a duke. It wasn’t a title within the Empire, so it didn’t change his authorities within the Empire. Johan wasn’t the vassal of anyone, so he didn’t gain any new authorities either.

However, he gained prestige.

Prestige was much more valuable and eternal than gold coins or gems.

. . . That was what many nobles believed. But Johan didn’t think so.

That’s why he ended up receiving it so late. Normally, Johan should have approached the order and asked for a dukedom. However, Johan was not interested in a dukedom at all and silently continued to do his own work. . .

In the end, the bishops of the order came forward first. Whether they belonged to the Miracle faction or the Aristocracy faction, they agreed on this matter.

The bishops of the Miracle faction wanted to give a dukedom to the devout count so that he could become a more radiant shield for their faith, while the bishops of the Aristocracy faction wanted to give the count a dukedom due to political considerations. They all knew how ferocious the nobles could be when the order didn’t give them what they deserved.

“Me?”

“. . . If Your Excellency does not accept it, who else can?”

Johan raised his hand in agreement when the priest looked at him in disbelief. He had completely forgotten about it due to the war, rebellion, governance, and development.

‘Well, it wouldn’t hurt to take it, I suppose.’

Although he would have to hold a lavish ceremony, Johan was not someone who couldn’t afford it. He had no reason to reject it since the order was offering it to him.

“Your Excellency, if I may say something. . . modesty is a virtue, but excessive modesty can prevent you from receiving what you truly deserve. If you had said so earlier, this matter could have been resolved sooner.”

Johan felt somewhat embarrassed when the priest spoke earnestly. He couldn’t say, ‘I wasn’t really interested in a dukedom so I didn’t care’ in front of the priest.

“I understand.”

“I’m glad that you understand. Please forgive my presumptuous attitude.”

“Why would I do that? . .”

Johan nodded and ordered the preparations for the award ceremony. It wasn’t splendid or extravagant, but it wasn’t plain either. He had to maintain his dignity as a duke.

After many procedures, invitations, receptions, and the arrival of envoy groups, Johan came to be known as Duke Yeats, blessed by the order and the Pope. Titles such as the Shield of the South and the Guardian of Faith were also given to him.

“Your Highness Duke, I am grateful to be able to visit you in person on this joyous day and offer my congratulations!”

“Thank you for coming.”

His vassals hastened to attend without waiting for anyone else. Johan hadn’t specifically called for them, but there weren’t many vassals who were so fearless that they wouldn’t attend a lord’s dukedom award ceremony.

Especially now that their lord’s prestige was soaring after defeating the Emperor’s forces.

Thanks to that, the award ceremony could end honorably. Along with the numerous gifts that filled the seats, Johan received more good news.

Volundrunt and the other dwarven captains had finished repairing his armor.

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

“It was a mess as if it had been hit by a giant, but we did our best to fix it, Your Excellency.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Volundrunt.”

Johan spoke as calmly as possible. If there were no onlookers, he would have checked the armor without caring about his dignity.

The armor, which he was touching again after a long time, was still light and sturdy. He could feel its strong elasticity when he pressed it with his finger.

Volundrunt spoke apologetically.

“There was a lot of damage, so we couldn’t restore it to its original state.”

“That’s fine. I didn’t expect that in the first place.”

Since the damage was so severe, Johan himself didn’t ask to restore it to its original state. He had only asked them to make it usable again.

And Volundrunt had brought him a satisfactory result. Although it had changed from a full-body armor to a breastplate, its lightness and sturdiness remained. This was a satisfactory enough result.

“Is the ship ready?”

“Yes. We have prepared it while mapping out the course with the captains from the Republic.”

After the award ceremony and another winter, Johan didn’t rush to depart but prepared steadily. There was no need to rush and risk his life during the winter.

Johan waited while gathering supplies and preparing mercenaries. Meanwhile, those sent from the Republic joined one after another.

“Your Excellency. But. . .”

It seemed like Vaytar had caused trouble based on their words.

When he told the captains that a storm was coming soon and they ignored him, Vaytar insulted them. The captains were furious and were about to throw him into the sea.

The Republic’s captains were prideful, and they didn’t like the easterners in the first place. It was natural since they would either steal from or be stolen from each other when they encountered each other at sea.

So, it was understandable for them to be angry when an eastern noble disregarded their experience and insulted them.

“A typhoon on such a clear day?”

“That’s nonsense, Your Excellency. This area doesn’t have typhoons.”

“Look at my necklace! This necklace is a treasure that can detect typhoons. The spirit inside. . .”

No matter how much Vaytar babbled, the captains snorted and ignored him. However, Johan found it difficult to ignore him once magic was involved.

Vaytar’s necklace was truly endowed with magical power.

“So, you’re saying there’s a typhoon?”

“Th. . . That’s right.”

“Where should we turn the course to if we assume there’s a typhoon?”

“We should turn north. . . But that will increase the chances of encountering the easterners.”

Johan’s current course was to head east while keeping a distance from the Eastern Empire’s coastal waters. If the wind was favorable, they could reach the Island of Ikos without stopping.

The Island of Ikos and the neighboring powers were the descendants of those who had left the Holy Empire in the past. Therefore, it was easy to cooperate with them. Those who were leaving the Holy Empire this time were also planning to cooperate with them.

However, if they turned north from here, they would enter the Eastern Empire’s coastal waters.

“That’s better than a typhoon. Change the course to the north.”

Johan judged that Vaytar wasn’t lying. His demeanor and the fact that he actually had a necklace with a spirit in it convinced him.

The captains were very displeased, but they didn’t dare to disobey the duke’s authority.

A few hours later, the captains were shocked when the sky above the place they had left changed violently.

“This is ridiculous. . .!”

“What did I tell you, you seafaring fools!”

“I guess it’s not the time to be happy yet.”

“. . .?”

Vaytar turned his gaze at Johan’s words. The typhoon was approaching their course as well.

Vaytar was bewildered. They were still being chased despite changing the course.

“Shouldn’t we have held on? That b*stard is trying to drift us to the heart of the Eastern Empire somehow. . .”

“N-No! I. . .”

“Can we go up and make landfall?”

“Are you suggesting we make landfall?”

“Yes. It’s better than getting hit by a typhoon.”

The captain nodded at Johan’s words. Come to think of it, there was also an army led by the duke. Unless they were crazy b*stards, the natives wouldn’t attack just because they made landfall.

Even if the enemy called for reinforcements, once the typhoon calmed and set sail again. . .

“Give the order to make landfall!”

“We’re making landfall! Turn the ship around!”

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

To those who ruled the coast, merchant ships that drifted or were wrecked were always a source of savory profit.

As a noble, it wasn’t a pious attitude to hope for a typhoon to befall travelers, but to be honest, he couldn’t help but thank God whenever a ship drifted ashore.

“Master, master!! A ship. . .! A ship!”

“What? Another ship drifted ashore? In a season without typhoons, God must really love me!”

“T-That’s not it!”

“. . .??”