Chapter 358
My Villains Episode 358
60. end of winter(9)
Is it because about 100 soldiers, including me, were ready to attack at any moment? People who were running wild with excitement lost their energy as if cold water had been poured on them..
In that situation, when Ulkar left the manor with a few knights, the crowd suddenly backed away as if they were being pushed by an invisible hand..
Because I was riding a bicorn that was about half the size of a regular horse, I could clearly see Ulkar beyond the crowd. He looked back at the crowd with a complicated expression, then turned his gaze to me..
The prince's sunken eyes seemed to be telling him to stay back. I gently pulled the reins.
Many sides, many sides. The sound of Bicorn's hooves spread through the silence drew attention again. Those who found me as I retreated behind the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief..
“What is the reason we gathered here??”
Ulkar said softly. No one readily answered the voice that was neither too loud nor too small..
“On what pretext do you refuse Dunjeon??”
The prince continued speaking as if he was sighing, as if he had not expected an answer in the first place..
“Brave people from all over the kingdom protect the western border and this region. Although we cannot volunteer to support them, we form a group and join together.
Are you trying to get your own benefit?.”
A powerful person has strong persuasive power in his words. Some residents looked away or lowered their heads as if they were embarrassed..
“Your Royal Highness, are we really only looking out for our own self-interest?!”
However, not everyone was like that. The middle-aged man who had just raised his voice and incited the crowd stepped forward in anger..
“More than half of the people on the plateau depend on grains grown here in Kaybor. These are the grains that we worked hard to plant, grow, and harvest.!”
Even so, Prince Ulkar, you can argue like that even after receiving the attention of the knights who came to the city afterwards. He was quite a brave man..
“The reason why the Axodbrook family does not send military conscripts to this village is because they know the importance of the crops we grow. But how can we not be surprised when the prince, who is not even our rightful lord, suddenly announces that he will take the land??”
Lord Ankir, who had been glaring behind the prince, came out growling..
“Is it all over??”
“••••••yes?”
“good. For a serf bastard's will, it's quite long, yes..”
“kyung.”
Ulkar stopped the gigantic knight who was taking strides. As Sir Ankir, with his face scrunched up, retreated, the middle-aged man, who had been stiffening from the knight's death, belatedly took a deep breath..
“you are right.”
Ulkar nodded with an expressionless face..
“Keivor faithfully complied with the given shield tax, and the soldiers of High Castle also fill their bellies with the wheat and barley grown here. Also, I am not your great lord, so I cannot take your land without permission..”
A calm but firm voice continued..
“But what is the current situation? The two electors of Mitergeland sent thousands of mounted mercenaries to disturb the rear. It was only a few days ago that they managed to resolve this, but now they are rushing towards High Castle with a large army of 15,000 people, which is like the main army. “The plateau faces an unprecedented crisis.” “… … Even so, what more should we do? Keivor did his duty.”
“This is not a matter of duty, but a matter of survival. It's not about obeying me to do your duty, it's about helping me to survive..”
Ulkar's voice grew louder little by little. This gave me the appearance of giving an oratory to a crowd..
“This does not mean that the land will be taken away forever. I am not saying that we will make it impossible to farm. I will rent farmland for a reasonable price. All you have to do is harvest the rye, clear the field, and plant new seeds..”
Ulkar, who was looking at the people, finally shouted..
“I'm not telling you to grab a spear or build a wall! Just keep living like you have always done! Is that difficult?!”
While people, including middle-aged people, were overwhelmed by the shouting, a young man jumped out from the crowd..
“Not possible!”
Navy blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with fire looked at him. The young man swallowed dry saliva as if he had been oppressed by his power, but then opened his mouth while clutching the rosary around his neck..
“Your Majesty, after arbitrarily taking over farmland, you are planning to use heretic seeds to perform magic, right?!”
“……Seed of heresy? What is my name??”
“Then who would it be! Your Majesty's nephew! The red-robed bishops who arbitrarily divide the holy church into two halves and are insensitive to the abuses! Aren't they anointed servants of heresy?!”
……wow.
I was so sick of the young man's spirit of crossing the line without even putting on the brakes. Residents, including those who were agitating, also had their faces turned blue at the words..
Ulkar's wide-open eyes were full of anger. Even though it was clear that the lid was open, he showed patience to the end..
“……The Calandari Order is a pagan sect, but not a heresy. As the Patriarch in the royal capital declared:.”
“Keibor is the land where Orthodoxy stands right! Corrupt priests succumb to the power of a heretic emperor and are not deceived by the words of a corrupt priest.!”
“This is a statement that ignores both facts and authority. Even if you hold on to something like that, all you will get is a dead land..”
“A person with true faith will not give in to threats!”
Even Prince Ulkar couldn't persuade a madman..
“……Lord Ankir, put it away..”
Finally realizing that this conversation was meaningless, the prince closed his eyes and gestured, and Lord Ankir ran away as if he had been waiting..
“Hey, you arrogant bastard.’!”
“100 million ”
Even as he was dragged by the giant knight by the collar and almost lifted, the young man's fanatical eyes were focused on the prince..
“What is this?!”
No matter how much he struggled, the knight's grip was firm, and Ulkar did not even glance at him. Perhaps in anger, the young man who had already crossed the line once ended up crossing another line..
“This, this- is like an oppressor, a traitor to the faith, and a leader of heretics.!”
Tsk! The fanatic's spit fell at Ulkar's feet..
“••••••crazy.”
It felt like the world stopped for a few seconds..
Not only the crowd, but even the knights and soldiers froze for a moment..
“Phew.”
In the center, Ulkar pressed his temples and opened his mouth..
““Hang him.” Of course, no one complained about that order..
“This crazy guy.”
Lord Ankir took off his gloves and covered the mouth of the huffing young man. Looking at him like that, Ulkar quietly added,.
“Put his body where everyone can see it..”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Lord Ankir, accompanied by his servants, dragged the young man to the manor house..
““Is this what you mean?” The prince turned to the crowd and shouted.
“Is that what you mean by spitting on the royal family who drew their swords to protect this land?!”
The residents of Keivor trembled and fell to the ground at Ulkar's harsh and ferocious voice. The middle-aged man who had been speaking eloquently with vigor also just hung his head and did not dare to make eye contact with the prince..
At that time, a seal was hung from the castle at the main gate of the Yeongjugwan. The hanged man, whose face and half of his upper body were covered with a dirty cloth, struggled for some time and then fell limp..
“Sir Phoenics!”
To be honest, Ulkar's spirit was so vicious that I was scared for a moment. I was very fortunate that the words that came out of my mouth as I rushed out, kicking Baicon in the stomach, were not an official statement..
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Disband them! And don't let anyone leave the house until my word falls.!”
At that order, I immediately led the soldiers and went through the crowd..
“run away!”
“Please save me, please save me!”
I won't kill you, mister. Just take one.
I didn't pull out the knife. All they did was kick at random things or drive the bicorn and hit it in the chest. That alone made the residents scream and the rainwater fell over..
No matter how obnoxious they were, it was not very pleasant to use violence against powerless people. Fortunately, the scared residents dispersed in an instant, so just shouting was enough..
……No, seeing them desperately running to their respective homes, it seems like they could have kicked them out with words from the beginning..
I left behind the crowd screaming and scattering and approached Ulkar..
The prince was sitting down on an oak barrel that someone had used as a foot rest, looking exhausted..
“ majesty.”
“......Ah, sir.”
Ulkar looked up at me, brushing his silver hair..
“Where is Theodora??”
“I sent it to my lodgings. I feel like I'm going to get caught up in something pointless..”
“That's wise. Could you please bring me back? I think we should start the blessing ceremony right away..”
I got off the bicorn and looked back at the men who had followed me. The quick-witted Conwyr sent the poacher Cabas and the spearman Maccaig to his lodgings..
After catching a glimpse of the running men, I looked at the man hanging in the main hall..
A motionless corpse. On the outside it seemed that way.
However, my sensitive hearing caught the slightest sound of breathing, and my sixth sense, derived from blood manipulation and magic, saw through the pulsating heart..
I instinctively realized that the corpse was not the fanatic young man from before. I also noticed that the long draped cloth covered not only half of my upper body, but also the rope tied around my chest..
“……You changed it. Was it a self-made play??”
“no. I was just preparing for the unexpected..”
“okay.”
“This is a method that Lord Ariad once taught me, but I had no idea it would be so useful..”
‘Adder' Ariad Barin.
He is a handsome old knight with a short physique and an ungainly beard..
I looked down at Ulkar and opened my mouth..
“……I wonder if it had to go this far.”
“It's that sound again.”
“You may lose your nickname as the great warrior of all the weak. It looks like your fame and reputation will be diminished, and your prestige will be somewhat damaged. Well, as a bonus, we will become further distant from the Church of El Ganor..”
“I guess so.”
Ulkar looked around the mess and added,.
“Still, it's not all that's lost.”
“Isn't it? Well, how many coins did you pick up??”
He smiled and shook his head..
“At least there won't be a bad harvest. And no one will go hungry or be burned at the stake..”
“……That's right, that's right.”
Ulkar smiled and shrugged his shoulders..
“Well then it worked out cheaply. Isn't that right??”
Rudely, instead of answering, I just took a deep breath..
The prince laughed louder.
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