Novels online

Chapter 458

My Villains Episode 458

66. silver prince(13)

After the meeting at the security headquarters, I took a moment to gather my thoughts in the office, called Hayla and asked her various questions, and then headed to the carpentry union area near the north gate of the city..

Originally, this area was the workplace for professional technicians such as architects, furniture makers, and wheelwrights, as well as apprentices and day laborers who served as their assistants. However, after Eisbowald was occupied by the army I led, it became a temporary garrison for the Nudein people..

The low-ranking warriors used a three-story apartment building made of yellow and black bricks as their lodgings, and the vacant lot where logs felled from the mountains near Zelntrina to the northeast were piled up was filled with tents set up by people who were pretending to be even among the Nude people..

The furniture factory, which had become a hangout for Nudein and Gelan prostitutes, was crowded with soldiers from all over the continent, and instead of small and cute handicrafts, roadside stalls were filled with freshly bled trophies such as various weapons, chainmail, and pack horses. were laid down.

In the carpentry shop next to it, some of the members of the Permanent Court sent to normalize the area were arguing with 'Sirid Kiss', that is, senior warriors who played a similar role as officers in the Nudein army..

Well, it is true that the Nudein are ruining the woodworking union area and the surrounding area... … . On the one hand, I wonder if there is a need to kick them out right away..

Aren’t they all the ones who will leave when the war ends anyway? I didn't want to rush things and give the feeling of being treated poorly by the warriors who fought valiantly in past battles..

……no way. Let's not worry about it for nothing. Heyla will take care of it..

“Hyala, Hunapi!”

“Qiam jias ayuha.”

As soon as I entered the area, numerous Nudein warriors pretended to know me..

The person who dismembered the goat in front of the tent, the person who basked in the warm sunlight with a bandage wrapped around it, the person who cleaned the knife with an oiled cloth, the person who took care of the wounded war horse, and the person who distributed flat-baked bread to colleagues. They would either stop what they were doing or stand up in a huff, put their hands together and say something..

“Antina, surun udaana-”

“Pudat jura walasim, ijan lenes aran hareth?”

“……What are they saying?.”

Although I could not understand a single word of the Autumn language they spoke, I could easily guess from their tone of voice and facial expressions that they were giving a greeting or blessing..

“Ah, that's it. Is there anyone who can speak Milanol or Ghelan??”

A man jumped out from among the warriors who were shouting nervously while pulling on the reins..

“Here it is, kaunsiraas hunaphi! I speak Milanol well..”

When I announced that I had come to see Atalanta, the middle-aged warrior, who had lost all his front teeth, smiled brightly as if he knew that. And he took the lead, bending down as if he was about to touch the ground..

As I was guided by him to collect the spotted fish, the warriors in the tent also came pouring out as if they had heard the commotion..

They tried to welcome me by saying things like hija la hunapi and zias awia and gesticulating with their hands, but they were not very welcoming. The sight of half-naked men popping out from their rest and filling my field of vision was a sight that was quite far from my taste..

......I would like to advise Atalanta to increase the proportion of female warriors. Wouldn't the perception of the Nude people be improved if prostitutes were made to hold weapons instead of sticks??

“hey. Tell everyone to fuck off.”

“Luba? Are you hungry, kaunjur walasim?”

“No, I don't want to see your friends, so let them all in..”

“Ruf haram buan? Are you going to the restaurant??”

“……You, this dog, you pretend not to understand?”

The unpleasant experience ended only when we reached the sawmill, the facility that took up the most land in the woodworking union area..

The sawmill was surrounded by a low fence and surrounded by a wide yard, on one side of which a large tent stood in place of tools and lumber being processed..

It is an extravagant Nude-style tent decorated with red cloth, ring decorations, a gold badge with a grid pattern, and a flag embroidered with three purple eyes. Even a stranger could immediately recognize it as the residence of the head of the Nudein tribe..

I left behind the shameless middle-aged warrior and entered the sawmill. Atalanta, who must have been training in the yard, was surrounded by five heavily armed warriors, wearing uniforms with her navel and both shoulders clearly exposed, holding a pole. She quickly dodged the wooden sword aimed at her chin and lashed out with her pole in succession, causing the two Hareskiss to get hit in the chest and stumble greatly..

“Huh, huh, nix?”

Atalanta, who was catching her breath, spotted me and raised her hand. Sweat beads on his thin, flexible, muscular forearms ran down his smooth armpits and hid under his uniform. As I watched in fascination the process of the marks forming on my beautifully tanned abs, I quickly shook my head and opened my mouth..

“you knew?”

“huh? what?”

“prince plan.”

“……What are you talking about when you suddenly come to me??”

Atalante narrowed her eyes in confusion and waved her hand. Four of the Hareskiss took a step back and one approached her and was handed a pole..

“Did you receive any information from the prince in advance?.”

“griffin? What kind of tip? Your prince said he was only having a meeting with his close associates, so I only showed my face for a moment and came back.?”

“No, not today. Just before the blade comes across.”

“ Hmm?”

After a moment of tilting her head and smiling with a knowing look on her face, Atalanta led me to the tent, telling me to go inside and talk..

“Looks like something pretty interesting came up at the meeting.?”

“……“It was so funny, everyone looked like they had been stabbed in the back by Ute Kwai.” Strictly speaking, it wasn’t ‘everyone’.

Sir Ariad was extremely calm, as if he had known in advance about the negotiation plan with the emperor that Prince Ulcar had presented, or if he had guessed it in his mind. Master Madaz had a sullen look on his face, as if he wasn't very interested..

Sir Langbolt was embarrassed and stammered, as well as speaking in the Shore dialect that sailors would use, and Sir Ankir ran away with his face turning red. Other knights had similar reactions, and even Father Gos Patrick, a seasoned priest, repeatedly wet his lips and muttered a prayer..

“Haha, that's ridiculous. There's no way you'll have any facial expressions left after being stabbed in the back by Mr. Hatanka..”

“So, did you know in advance?.”

“What exactly are you curious about??”

Atalanta twitched her eyebrows and took a sip from the small bucket of water on the table. The scent of lilies wafted in the tent, and she said, swiping the red band on her wrist across her mouth..

“You tell me what you want to hear and I have to answer or not..”

“Negotiations with the Emperor.”

“aha.”

Just as Atalanta was about to say something, a low voice came from the tent entrance..

“Napidat. Guihe lines hocbo?”

“Naem, 'aidkeal ya.”

At the owner's answer, scale-armored warriors entered the tent with lowered gaze. They quietly withdrew, leaving behind two large wooden bathtubs with water lapping at them..

“Do you want to wash too??”

“it's okay.”

Atalanta nodded as if telling her to do as she pleased, and as soon as the Hares Kisses left the tent, she took off her short uniform..

“Then come here and wash my hair..”

“Hey, I'm busy. Please answer quickly.”

Wetting her ash-purple hair in water, Atalanta protruded her lower lip..

““I thought I was going to die from cutting up my body and leaving behind my body, but you can’t even wash my hair?” “You’re talking like a harbinger. If anyone heard this, they would think you were a widow..”

“Widow, alkarf. No worse than that.”

After washing her face a couple of times to cool off, she swept her hair back and started talking..

“The guy who has only one lover hasn't come to see me for weeks and I keep hearing rumors about him. They say eline is aching here and there. In my heart, I want to attack them, but the surrounding area is full of Hyakbatu and crazy people, so I'm scared to go alone, so I'm afraid I'll have to drag the army with me. Shiua'amat, I really feel like a dog too. “If it were the West that was behind, they would at least make toys out of the ashes.” I quietly pressed my temples as the story seemed to make me lose my mind..

“……What is it that hurts? And how many weeks, it's not even been 10 days.”

“Don't be a jerk. Ten days have definitely passed.”

“Also, don't keep talking back and only answer questions. Negotiation plan with the emperor, you knew it?”

Atalanta leaned back against the bathtub and shrugged her shoulders..

“I don't know the exact details either. I was just guessing something like that would happen..”

“Since when?”

“hmm. If you ask me that, it would be from when I stayed at High Castle. It was none other than you who delivered the prince's offer to give him half of Angst if he participated in the war. at that time.”

“•…”at that time?”

“I just believed what you said, but Agos, Uncle Rubio and the warriors made a big fuss, saying that we should check it out. So I sent two.”

“Where should I send it, to the prince??”

“uh. Nyx, give me some perfume there..”

She snatched a glass bottle that was roughly thrown at her with telekinesis and continued talking while spraying fragrant oil in the bathtub..

“It's funny to say this now, but even back then, it seemed like the electors could do anything. It’s a gamble with low odds, but… … . You know. The stake was the money sold, so I was blinded for a moment..”

“Agos and Rubio were not?”

“No, everyone is half crazy too. It would be even weirder if they didn't go crazy with the offer of land, and even Angst. But no matter how distracted I was, I couldn't forget that dealing with the emperor was crazy..”

Atalanta buried herself in the bathtub until the foamy bathwater reached her chin, and looked back at the past with a listless face..

“So I asked persistently, and the prince said just one thing. 'The Emperor will welcome you with open arms.’.”

“Did we get a little caught up in it? As soon as I heard that, I guessed it. Oh, if I'm wrong, I guess I'll boil the emperor and eat up a little of the land..”

“……That's it?”

“Uh, the end. What more do I want to hear??”

I sat down on the bed covered with a thin blanket and rubbed my eyebrows..

“Me too. “Why are you so clueless?” “What measures??”

“I know what the prince's plan is.?”

“Oh, tell me how many times. I'm just guessing, I don't know for sure.”

I closed my eyes tightly as I saw Atalanta talking carefree with a bubble on the top of her head..

a few hours ago.

Prince Ulkar spoke with a calm expression in the conference room on the first floor of the guard headquarters building..

“First of all, in order to help people understand, we need to reaffirm the purpose of this war.

army." “… … The purpose of war?”

When I heard that Obdorf and Angstra were going to negotiate with the emperor for the vast land, I was already looking dumbfounded..

“Duke Avilambus attacked with Vice King Burcard, and we counterattacked. That's it, do you need any re-confirmation??”

“If we limit it to defensive battles fought in the kingdom, what Sir Phoenix said is correct. We just defeated the enemy who invaded Highcastle - no, the Highlands and Unpast..”

Lord Ankir, who was listening quietly, got lucky..

“So, do you mean that the attack that took place after crossing the border had a different purpose??”

“ Exactly.”

The giant knight looked at the expressions of the crowd and smiled awkwardly..

“Oh, Your Highness. Unfortunately, this is the first time I am hearing this from the parties involved in the war. Your Majesty, the reason you sent Lord Poynix across the Gulf of Blades was to attack the Elector Count's rear, right?.”

“That was the tactical purpose. But that is not the purpose we must pursue from now on..”

Uncharacteristically, Prince Ulkar hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth. After hearing those words, not only I, but also the prince's other subordinates, couldn't understand for a while and just blinked..

“The goal of this offensive was to regain the rights that the Duke of Avilambus had unjustly taken from my niece, Princess Theodora..”

“……yes? what is that……

There was a moment of silence following Lord Ankir's muttering. And a few seconds later, the conference room was turned upside down..

“……what? Why did the story about that girl suddenly come out there??”

Atalanta asked a question as she moved the bathtub to rinse off the foam all over her body, and I narrowed my eyes and answered..

“It's Duke Strom. Princess Theodora has the right to succession because she is the only remaining child of the previous duke, Guelambas..”

“That's right, I know. But she's a priest. What kind of succession rights do she have? Even if it's a fake?”

“There is no return to the Calandari Church, no, to the Gwangmyeong Church. And the princess is a paladin whom the Bishops of Heungui are particularly interested in, so they cannot even dream of doing such a thing..”

“Then what kind of bullshit is your prince talking about? What are you going to do with a young lady who has no right to succession in the first place?.”

“Strictly speaking, it doesn't mean there is no right of succession. It's just that I can't claim my rights.”

“It's something else, that's it?”

“Well, if you can't claim your rights because of your priestly position, well, they'll hand it over to a qualified person... … . Oh, I don't know. Heila explained to me what kind of imperial customs and church laws it was, and I heard that there was something like that..”

“So what are you going to do? Of Prince Strom's territory, you've already eaten Angstrang of Dorf, so you want to eat the other three provinces as well? By putting Princess Theodora’s rights first? The imperial army is right in front of us.?”

When Atalanta got up from the bathtub, splashing water, covering her body and head with a towel and asking me questions, I shook my head helplessly..

“Are you crazy? You're saying you'll be satisfied with just Angstrand Obdorf..”

“I would definitely accept such a deal, the emperor is not an asshole..”

“……“After listening to what the prince had to say, I see no reason not to accept it.” “What do you mean by that?” “Princess Theodora’s rights to the territory were inherited from the Duke of Guelambas, and the Duke of Guelambas was the elector of the empire..”

Atalanta, who was drying her hair, stopped and opened her mouth slightly..

“for a moment. no way,”

“As soon as he accepts the prince's proposal, the emperor will fully restore the empire's territory. The person who receives the inheritance from Princess Theodora will be the High Lord of Angst and Obdorf, a half-elector, and a vassal of the Emperor..”

“……under.”

She put her hand on her forehead and burst into laughter..

“Well, it must be good news for the emperor..”

“I guess so. What I'm most concerned about is the competitor being split in two. If a bastard who has been waging war as he pleases, believing in the vast land and population, sees his strength reduced by almost half, even I will dance with excitement..”

“Then, Lu alkarf, what happens to us??”

“What's going on? After receiving the title, you become a vassal of the half-elector.” Atalanta, who was about to attack, tilted her head when she heard me..

“……what. It doesn't matter to me, then?”

“It doesn't matter,”

I was about to spit out the curse that had built up to my chin, but I sighed when I saw her lying down on the bed, her amber eyes sparkling with an expression of 'Why, what's wrong?'.

“……Ugh, you idiot. Why doesn't it matter? Do you think you can protect Angst's gold-spoiled land alone? It's obvious that you're going to have a hard time no matter who's watching your back, but the person who's supposed to be looking after you is going to be screwed.?”

“it's okay. Should I worry about later? My father, who was a full god, and my father, who was a half-god, were tied down by old men and worked like slaves for 24 years. Alkarf, as long as I find a place to live, my job is done. They tell me to go to the land of salvation and all that on my own..”

While I was speechless at those sincere words, Atalanta, who was smiling as if she was feeling refreshed, suddenly turned to look at me..

“But who is the person who is supposed to watch my back??”

“……Who could it be? Prince Ulkar.”

“ ah.”

She blinked for a moment and then opened her mouth again..

“Come to think of it, if everything goes according to plan... … . Perhaps your prince wants to stop living??”

“……That's what I want to say.”

I sighed deeply, thinking of Prince Ulkar, who would be branded a traitor to the world if negotiations were made..