CH 208

Grin.

“…!!!”

Jevin started to tremble upon seeing Eugene’s smile. At the same time, he finally came to a complete realization of exactly why he hated Jan Eugene and was so afraid of him. During their first meeting, Jan Eugene was nothing but a lowly knight. However, even then, the man had never considered Jevin to be above him, even though he was the heir of the Evergrove County, a highly renowned, prestigious family with a long history! However, back then, Jevin did not acknowledge this fact. No, rather, he brushed it off as an impossibility. Eugene had been a small, unknown knight who was just trying to make a name for himself, so how could he have dared? However, Jevin could not accept it.

The brutally strong and beautiful knight had always considered him as insignificant as an insect. The way Eugene looked at Jevin was no different from how Jevin looked at the people serving him in the county.

“Jan Eugeneee!!!” Jevin screamed.

Shing!

He finally lost all reason as his pride was completely shattered. Jevin pulled out his longsword and snapped the reins of his horse.

“Y-your Excellency!”

“My lord!” his knights shouted with dismay, but Jevin disregarded their pleas and galloped his horse with his bloodshot gaze fixated on Eugene.

“Kuaaaahhh!” He shouted.

Eugene decapitated three mercenaries with a single stroke of his sword, then turned his head in the direction of Jevin’s warcry.

Shhk.

Madarazika left his grasp. Although it had been a light throw, the spear shot through the air with a terrible roar. Once it was only a few meters away from Jevin’s horse, the creature stopped in its tracks due to the fierce energy contained in the spear. The spearhead of the weapon, which was coated in crimson energy, stopped two palms width away from Jevin’s face.

“…!” Jevin’s body froze as the demonic spear continued to let out an eerie cry. It wasn’t only him either. His horse was also completely suppressed by the Fear emanating from the spear. The creature was frozen in its place and was drooling with fear. The mercenaries standing near Jevin also retreated with gazes of horror.

Even though the count’s life was being threatened, they couldn’t possibly react to the horrifying mystery of the spear aimed at Jevin.

“Uah… Uagh…” Jevin’s eyes lost focus, and saliva started dripping down his chin as both his mind and body slowly succumbed to the mystical energy flowing from Madarazika. Eugene slowly directed Silion toward him. However, the knights and mercenaries in the surroundings stood glued to their spots, as if time itself was frozen in the area.

Eugene finally arrived in front of Jevin and grabbed hold of Madarazika, which remained frozen in the air.

Ziiing.

The demonic spear cried out with regret as if it was left unsatisfied in its desire for blood. Eventually, it stopped vibrating.

Eugene spoke, “Do you remember the last thing you said?”

“Uah…”

Eugene continued, “I will never confront anyone who holds a flag with the crest of Eugene. I swear this on my honor and the honor of the Evergrove County.”

Jevin’s body started to tremble violently once Eugene recounted the very words he had spoken during their last encounter. Jevin was recalling the shameful memory of that day.

However, there was nothing he could do. His knights also lowered their heads with grim expressions. They were living testaments to the events of that day. They had heard with their own ears and had witnessed it with their own two eyes.

“You and your family no longer have any honor, Jevin Evergrove,” Eugene spoke in a cold voice.

”Keugh!” Jevin bit his lips, and blood started to flow. He then responded, “W-what are you planning on doing with me? I am the Count of Evergrove and a knight of the royal family. I-if you harm me, t-the king will not sit still.”

The bright, young count was no longer here. In his place was a dishonorable coward who was shuddering in the face of death, one who was placing his fate in the hands of others.

“My lord…” The expressions of Jevin’s knights turned grim at the shameful behavior of their lord. Eugene was convinced that Jevin’s time was over. A lord couldn’t be brilliant on their own. A lord without loyal nobles and knights was nothing but a scarecrow. However, Jevin still had his uses, at least for Eugene.

“Hooh? The king will not stand still? What, is he going to send some troops to rescue you?” Eugene asked.

“T-that’s right,” Jevin stuttered.

“I wonder about that. Do you think the king will have soldiers to spare after sending so many to attack Count Winslon and the union of nobles?” Eugene continued.

“What?!” Jevin exclaimed with disbelief.

Eugene laughed before responding, “I’ve already heard from the others, the ash pile or whatever it was. They told me that a large army numbering several times theirs had headed there. Well, they believed that the royalists were planning to strike Maren and the union of nobles at the same time, but anyone who isn’t a fool can see that Maren was the bait and their real target was the noble union. And since you’re not a fool, you must know the truth.”

“…!” Jevin Evergrove’s eyes quivered with shock.

Eugene stared into his eyes while continuing in a quiet, cold voice, “The Ashen Knights was a decoy, wasn’t it? The king and the cardinal played a trick to catch Count Winslon and the noble union off guard. Correct?”

“Uah…”

“Judging from your reaction, I must be correct. However, you had already boarded the same boat as them and couldn’t back out anymore because you realized this too late. But now, the Ashen Knights are truly just piles of ashes, and you’re stuck like this,” Eugene continued with an even deeper smile while focusing on destroying Jevin’s spirit.

“Jevin Evergrove. Do you still think that the king will help you?” Eugene drove the last nail in the coffin.

“Keugh!” Even Jevin’s last, desperate attempt of a trick was instantly seen through and destroyed. His lips spurted even more blood as a groan escaped from his lips.

“Heugh… Heugh…” Jevin panted amidst the despair and shame which were greater than the fear he was feeling.

“However…” Eugene started, and Jevin raised his head.

Eugene continued, “You will get to meet Caylor’s king.”

“…?!” Jevin’s eyes widened. However, his gaze was filled with fear rather than hope. Eugene smiled, but Jevin saw him as a being even more sinister than the devil himself.

Eugene whispered into Jevin’s ears, “If thousands of troops left to attack Count Winslon and the noble union, only a few capable soldiers will be left to defend the royal castle. Don’t you think so?”

***

The battle drew to a rather bland conclusion as all the serfs fled following the first charge. It was simply impossible for two hundred mercenaries to put up any resistance against fifty heavily armed knights on horseback, especially after being crushed by Eugene’s Fear. More than half of the mercenaries were killed in an instant, and the rest surrendered. The same was true for knights of the Evergrove County. They had been rather reluctant to join sides with the king from the very beginning, and they knew that Jevin had vowed on his honor not to go against Eugene. As such, they lost their will to fight as soon as Eugene appeared.

Of course, some of the knights resisted to the end, but Princess Lilisain and the elven knights wiped the floor with them.

Eland had been disconnected from the continent for a long time. As such, the knights of the Evergrove County couldn’t cope with the unfamiliar swordsmanship and Aura of the elven knights.

In the end, the battle began amid an overwhelming disadvantage of fifty to eight hundred troops. However, it ended in a historic victory for Eugene and Maren’s knights, and it even brought Eugene an unexpected profit.

“W-we’re just a bunch of lowly merchants who had signed contracts with the royal family. Sir! Please show mercy.”

“Please show us your mercy!”

Depot merchants naturally accompanied an army with eight hundred troops, and the two representatives of the deport merchants begged Eugene for mercy. Moreover, they had crawled to Eugene on their knees after seeing him and kowtowed.

‘Why are they acting like this?’

Eugene wondered. He had been planning to release them after seizing a reasonable sum from them. However, it was only natural for the depot merchants to react as such.

‘Regardless of the situation, how could he treat a count like that?’

‘Sir Jenas was still the king’s infantry captain, but he killed him just like that! No consideration for a ransom or anything!’

‘That knight doesn’t even consider the consequences of his actions. We have to keep quiet and lie flat.’

That was what most wars were like. Soldiers could die, and even knights could be killed. However, it was customary to treat enemy commanders, usually high-ranking nobles, with honor and take them as prisoners without killing them.

However, Eugene had slaughtered the members of the Ashen Knights and even killed their captain. Moreover, the merchants clearly witnessed how Eugene had treated even the most prestigious noble in the area, a count, as if he were just a piece of garbage. The merchants couldn’t suppress their shock and fear.

‘We will lose our heads for sure if we try anything funny or talk our way out of this!’

One of the merchants carefully raised his head while lying flat on his stomach. He spoke nervously, “We still have a lot of supplies remaining that we were going to sell to the Ashen Knights. We have their loot as well. We will hand it all over to you, sir.”

“Really?” Eugene responded.

The merchants felt even more distressed by Eugene’s lukewarm response. It was as if the indifferent crimson eyes were questioning them, asking ‘is that all your lives are worth?’

“N-naturally, we will pay for our ransom as well!” the merchant hurriedly continued. They could earn money once again, but they only had one life. The depot merchants had to pay Eugene everything they had earned while working with the Ashen Knights. Like so, the depot merchants left with their workers, and Eugene and his knights were left with twenty carts loaded with huge amounts of supplies and loot.

The spirit stood on the piles of gold and silver with her hands on her waist. She laughed arrogantly. “Kihehehehe! It’s to my liking. However! I, King God Neo Revolution Mirian Mark Two, still hunger for more. Kieeehehe… Kihohohohoho!”

Although the spirit had contributed the most to their great victory, her annoying display made Eugene want to give her a good smack on the head. The knights whispered among themselves as they watched the spirit.

“They say that she’s a spirit of gold, not a spirit of water. I think they’re right…”

“That’s why she’s cute…” Princess Lilisain abruptly joined in their conversation with a greasy smile similar to a middle-aged man. However, the knights did their best to ignore her. They were already convinced that the princess was Eugene’s lover.

“No, she looks more like an evil spirit rather than a spirit, right? Did you see how she dumped water on them while screaming kicks and punches with her words? I’ve never seen such a high level of deception before,” one of the knights commented.

“Even better,” Princess Lilisain said.

“Certainly… And look at her endless greed. Only someone like Sir Eugene could possibly control such a powerful, evil spirit,” another knight responded.

“I completely agree with that,” Princess Lilisain chimed in.

In any case, the conversation concluded with praises for Eugene.

***

The City of Maren gave a grand welcome to Eugene and the knights for returning with an overwhelming victory. Not a single allied soldier had been killed in the battle, and they had destroyed a large army numbering ten times their own instead. It was a historic, staggering victory, and the residents of Maren were ecstatic.

“The god of war! Jan Eugene!”

“Sir Eugene is Maren’s greatest hero!”

“Raise a statue! Let all the minstrels and bards write songs of heroic deeds! Lord Eugene’s unparalleled honor will live on forever in our poetry!”

All the pubs and restaurants of the city distributed free food and alcohol, and all of the city’s residents, regardless of their status and gender, rushed out and recited hymns of victory.

The mayor and the guild leaders of Maren were the most overjoyed of them all.

“You are indeed the hero of Maren, sir! Here are three thousand gold coins we prepared to compensate you for the victory.”

“Sir Eugene! We decided to build a plated statue in the middle of the city square for you.”

“We plan to engrave poems of your heroic deeds to honor your achievements under the statue.”

“We have decided to build a mansion for you on Palma Hill with the money we have raised from the city and all the guilds. Please accept it.”

“We have decided to impose a full tax exemption on all items that we trade with Mungard and the royal family of Brantia. No, rather with everyone who uses the crest of Lord Eugene Batla.”

Eugene couldn’t be more satisfied with the compensation that the mayor and the guild leaders had offered him. As expected, Maren knew exactly how to show their sincerity.

“Hmm! I only did what I had to do as a friend of Maren, but I am deeply moved by everyone’s sincerity. My friendship with Maren will last forever,” Eugene declared.

“Oh! Sir Eugene!”

“Sir!”

The mayor and the guild leaders were touched. However, they didn’t reward Eugene simply from the goodness of their hearts.

‘He took Count Evergrove prisoner!’

‘The supremacy of that region belongs entirely to our city now!’

With the addition of the Evergrove County, seven large and small territories were now completely within Maren’s sphere of influence. Given the additional profits they would gain in the future, Eugene was truly like a god to the mayor and the guild leaders. Except, he wasn’t the god of war that the knights considered him as such, but rather, the god of wealth.

The god of wealth spoke, “Since we’ve resolved the primary threat, I think we should move on to the next plan.”

“Oh! Are you planning on joining with Count Winslon and the noble union right away?” the mayor asked.

Eugene shook his head. “No, why would I bother doing something like that?”

“Huh? You said that the main force of the royalists is over there, right? Then shouldn’t we help the noble union?” the mayor asked.

Eugene responded, “Count Winslon will take care of that. And it’s a noble union, right? I don’t think we will receive a warm welcome from them, anyway. Don’t you think so?”

“Hmm.”

It was true. Eugene was the champion of the tournament held by Count Winslon. The nobles would welcome him outwardly, but many of them would obviously be wary of Eugene. In addition, there were quite a few nobles who disliked Maren apart from the royalists because merchants and guilds were in power in Maren.

“Then, what are you thinking of doing…?” the mayor asked.

Eugene skimmed over a map laid out on a stone table, then placed his finger without hesitation and spoke, “We will be heading straight here.”

“…!!!”

The eyes of the mayor and the guild leaders filled with shock. Eugene was pointing at the capital of the Caylor Kingdom.

Maren’s god of wealth was planning to devour the royal family of the Caylor Kingdom.