Chapter 504
My Villains Episode 504
interlude. judges and jockeys(2)
Eisbowald, a secret room in the O-Giol Cathedral.
“Indeed. Of course it's nonsense.”
The Red Knight, facing High Judge Kingsley and the king's bannermen, burst out laughing as if he were dumbfounded..
“If you say it’s nonsense.” “How do you bring the princess here? There is no way the king or crown prince would allow it..”
About twelve hours ago, Phoenix, who broke his short stay, let out a passionate shout at the Silver Prince Army's garrison..
That loud speech persuaded most of the 1,500 elite soldiers that Ulkar had left behind, while tickling the ears of countless merchants, mercenaries, city dwellers, and three people who were snooping around the military camp. Thanks to this, the Red Knight had to greet the crown prince's envoys with doubts..
“It would be better for the princess to just stay in the convent. Even for the sake of my current peaceful life. That precious person has to come to this squalid place to see something good.……
Phoenics quenched his thirst with warm wine and looked at those sitting across from him. He seemed a little worried that the hatred, anger, and desire for revenge in his speech might have stimulated the Crown Prince's henchmen..
“Talking about rights and revenge was just nonsense. I was just telling the soldiers what they wanted to hear..”
“3Does this mean revenge is what His Majesty's army wants??”
“It's a cause. not revenge.”
“ justification?”
“Think about it from the soldiers’ perspective. Shouldn't we find a ladder to wealth to replace the deceased prince?.”
“That's what I'm saying..”
“Why not? A comrade who served the prince together has suddenly become a great lord, so we have to stick together..”
“I just created an acceptable justification. So that you can take care of your pride and self-esteem.”
The eyes of the three barons, who were sitting in silence, were still filled with disbelief. The enemy knight scratched his eyebrows in embarrassment..
“Wow, why are they doing this?……
He tilted his head and twisted his mouth..
“Have you ever been stung by something? If our goal is revenge, don't you think we should be nervous? huh? Do we owe our prince anything??”
When no one answered, the Red Knight chuckled, clinking the wine in his glass..
“There seems to be some misunderstanding, but I'm not crazy. Do you think I might attack the royal capital with less than a handful of troops? I never had the intention to show off like that, and I'm sick of the ssambakjil now..”
Among the silent riders, Kingsley narrowed his eyes in silence..
“I don't want war. Is that what you want to say??”
“yes, that's it.”
Phoenix put down the glass with an opaque pattern and slowly relaxed..
The look of exhaustion is obvious. The knight's righteousness and the murderer's madness are overcome by the fatigue that settles on his shoulders. He massaged his temples with his long, numb fingers. Cool eyes are covered.
“Now that I have enough money and success, I want to enjoy life. As a pastime, I took care of my territory and gave birth to about a dozen children... … . Sometimes it would be nice to go around pioneering the forest, fighting off bandits, and picking off all the virgins in the territory..”
The old judge felt confused. This is because I felt sincerity in the red knight's shallow complaints..
But he consciously kept his cool..
“3Are you saying that the person who inherited Your Majesty's army wants peace??”
“yes. What's the problem??”
“It seems completely contradictory to me..”
“What is the contradiction? What is the meaning of the peace that the powerless cry for??”
The Red Knight coldly sarcastically said.
“Originally, peace was the privilege of the powerful. As soon as you disband the army, all kinds of wolves will attack you, salivating. There is no peace without an army. Why do you say something different when you know everything? You have learned enough..”
A voice close to a growl. A feeling of intimidation that is hidden but revealed.
The old judge was far from the battlefield. However, it was not difficult to catch a glimpse of the young man in front of me as a strong man who could turn the tide of battle with just his presence..
While Kingsley stiffened for a moment, Patina, the king's fourth horseman, gave advice in a serious manner..
“If you truly want peace, obey His Highness the Crown Prince even now. Since you have promised mercy and hospitality, you will be able to maintain your current status and wealth as well as the peace you long for..”
«eww ”
Poynix instantly relaxed his momentum and scratched the back of his neck. He didn't hide his troubled expression..
“I mean, thank you... … . You all know that there are circumstances where that cannot be done, right?.”
“The false oath I swore to the emperor‘?”
“False oath... … Phoenix pondered those words in his mouth and then burst into laughter..
“Even if you think of it that way, it doesn’t really matter. But the important thing is whether the Crown Prince can protect us when we change sides..”
“I guess I don't believe your promise..”
The Red Knight quickly shook his head instead of saying, 'Then damn it, how can I trust that little pig who has been hesitating the whole war?'.
“No way. Since His Majesty the Crown Prince knows honor, he will try to be faithful to you. But who is the opponent??”
He tapped the table with a dark look on his face..
“Emperor of Mittergerand. The most powerful person on the continent. Moreover, if I break my oath, Duke Avilambus and his father, King Burcard, will join in and attack me again... … . Then tens of thousands of soldiers will flock to Obdorf and Angst..”
“If you look at it that way, it’s the same as war breaking out even if you don’t serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.” "well. Since this is originally the territory of the empire, wouldn't the crown prince be satisfied with protecting the border and step down??”
“You have big dreams.”
“Conversely, what if you betray Ruilix II? Since you changed your words less than a month after swearing allegiance to him, it would be taken as a terrible insult. They will try to retaliate at all costs..”
“It is said that they are more afraid of the Empire and King Ruilix II than of the Kingdom and His Royal Highness. That's the Lord's true intention.?”
“I was just considering the risks. Reasonably. “I also have to live.” Phoenix shrugged his shoulders with a shameless expression. Baron Daeon, a young man with brilliant blonde hair, frowned at that attitude..
“Those are surprisingly mean words. Sir, don’t you have the honor of being a knight??”
“Yeah, whatever. You used to be a mercenary, right? I guess it's almost nonexistent..”
The envoys and horsemen all looked dumbfounded at the carefree answer..
The red knight smiled deeply..
“Instead, thanks to that, ordinary knights are so attractive that they can't even imagine.
I can make a suggestion... … . Would you like to hear it first??”
Zacharis quirked his eyebrows..
“attractive offer?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The old magistrate continued speaking while looking at the crown prince's eyes..
“The Red Knight said that the emperor's large army was still stationed nearby, and that he would sacrifice the territory after they left..”
The army brought by Ruilix II is stationed in Angst and the soft region of Bülsruhe..
Although the vanguard suffered quite a bit from the unexpected monsters that appeared - the Herald of the Dark World, the Terrible Portal, the Witch of Praise, the Fishman Army, etc. However, the core elite troops and main unit were intact, and the leadership, including the emperor, was also safe. They planned to turn their heads after confirming that the chaos on the eastern border of the empire had been completely resolved..
“It was the emperor's long-held wish to attack and take over the southern colonies occupied by the Amir's sultans, so it was said that if our troops even pretended to turn around for a moment, they would rush along the expedition route..”
“That's what the Red Knight said?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As soon as Kingsley's report was finished, a rider spoke up..
“Sorry, this is a complete scam.”
She was a female noblewoman armed with plate armor. Her face was red with anger and excitement, but she managed to maintain proper decorum..
“A red knight is a person who is prone to betrayal and deception, and is good at using trickery and gab to steer situations in a favorable direction. Also, he is a man with a mean spirit deep in his bones, so your majesty, you should not believe a single word he says..”
As the young noblewoman continued to speak, the crown prince let out a low laugh..
“Hehehe. I heard you had a hard time with the Red Knight before, but it looks like you haven't forgotten that grudge..”
“……As someone who has met him face to face, I am giving you this advice, Your Majesty..”
“I guess so. Could it be that I don’t even know the true meaning of the sutra?.”
The King's eighth rider, Baron Shaenna, bowed his head in silence..
In the past, she had a bad relationship with Phoenix in Modos, Gistol's castle village. It was because of my experience at that time that I repeatedly emphasized not to let down my guard against enemy knights..
“Moreover, he did not have the slightest respect for the royal family. Even when he was a mercenary or a scoundrel with a few men, he was such an idiot that he ignored the title proposed by His Majesty the King. Now that he is sitting on the throne, I can't even imagine where his arrogance has reached..”
As Shaenna ended her criticism of the Red Knight in a calm tone, the crown prince's gaze turned to the Ariaga family's grandson and Hwang Ya-baek..
“I wonder what the scriptures mean. What do you think about the message the Red Knight left? Is he trustworthy??”
The attitude was closer to asking questions to a vassal than to asking advice from the great lord..
Perhaps out of dissatisfaction, Garwin did not respond, and Os glanced sideways at his grandfather as if delaying an answer. The old marquis gave his answer in a quaint tone..
“Well, wouldn’t it vary depending on the situation?.”
“Tell me more, Marquis..”
“As Baron Shaenna said, he is good at deception and eloquence. At the same time, he is crueler than the devil and meaner than Sagar. If you have an enemy, there will be very few people who will be afraid of you..”
“Looks like most of the rumors are true..”
“yes. But it's a little different when we're on the same side.”
Eavon continued leisurely..
“He builds friendships without regard for status or origin, and values his subordinates extremely highly. Although he always rides first, he doesn't know how to brag about his achievements, and he doesn't have much of a desire for money. It is natural that he receives the respect of all warriors. If you have him as an ally, there is no one more trustworthy than him..”
“……That's too much praise..”
“I was just telling you what I heard from my grandchildren and vassals..”
The large crown prince looked displeased, but the old marquis paid no attention and continued to give advice..
“He must be wondering which side to take between King Ruilix II and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..”
“I agree with that opinion.”
The one who stepped forward was Dae-eon, a young man who had met the Red Knight in person..
“He was not a man worthy of the title of knight. He seemed closer to a mercenary or merchant..”
“Does this mean that one pursues profit??”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That's how I felt.”
Zacharis clenched his chin in thought. Eavon finally got to the point..
“Appease the Red Knight, Your Majesty..”
“••••••appeasement?”
“yes. It may not be easy, but it is not impossible if safety and profit are at stake. If we were to compare him to a merchant and a mercenary, he is a trustworthy merchant and a sincere mercenary.-”
A spark flew from the crown prince's blue eyes. He tried to hide his anger with a calm face, but he could not hide the redness of his eyelids..
““Do you mean to appease the man who declared to thousands of people that he would avenge Ulkar’s illegitimate son and bring him under my command?” The discomfort is clearly evident in the sharp tone of voice. The Marquis quickly closed his mouth and lowered his gaze, as if he had missed it..
After staring down at him for a moment, Zacharis asked a question to Overseer Gedo and Expeditionary Force Vice Commander Krauss..
“The Red Knights are more afraid of the Emperor's army than they are of us. Is this a correct assessment??”
“Not so, Your Majesty..”
Gedo, a middle-aged nobleman, expressed his denial without any hesitation..
“Although the overall size and magic power of the troops are inferior, the proportion of elite soldiers and cavalry power are far superior to our troops. If we can lead it into open field, we will definitely win..”
“Unless it's a field battle?”
“……If they use the fortress to solidify their defenses, difficulties will surely follow. But I won't be defeated,”
Unlike him, who came up with a positive answer, the white-haired general sitting next to him gave a very concise answer..
“Whoever strikes first loses, Your Majesty.” Zacharis' mouth stiffened at his assertion. Krauss only shook his head as if he was sorry, but did not break his will..
“Here, in a castle like High Castle, you must break the enemy's momentum. And you have to fight to win.”
“……Vice Commander. Our immediate task now is not defense, but advancing into enemy territory..”
“Then you lose.”
He blinked his wrinkled eyes and spoke slowly..
“Obdorf is half forested. Marching along that unfamiliar forest path was the only option. It would also be a good idea to attack the castle guarded by Linhau's saboteurs at the end of the march. “We will fight for about a year and then retreat after suffering a heavy defeat in the field.” As the crown prince glared at him with glowing eyes without saying a word, the old general suddenly came up with a solution as if he couldn't win..
“If the Silver Prince Army cooperates, they will win. “You can drive the emperor’s army out of both provinces and return to the royal capital within half a year at the longest, or three months at the shortest.” Anger filled Zacharis' bulging eyes..
In my heart, I wanted to beat up that old man who was spewing out unpleasant words and driving him away. But punishing Lu Xin was not that simple..
“Pathetic - that's what the 'King's Commander' would say now.?”
It was once again Baron Daeon who raised his voice on behalf of the Crown Prince. He glared at Vice-Commander Krauss with contemptuous eyes..
“How can you achieve a great cause if you consider each condition one by one? In general, victory is not something you get for free, but something you earn, so know that the only thing you can achieve with a cowardly attitude of avoiding hardship and adversity is defeat.!”
In response to the shouts of a young man born during the reign of King Doksil, the old man who had picked up a spear at the call of the King of Knights and had been given a sword by King Juneom, remained silent with a face like a stone statue..
“Your Majesty, please believe in us..”
Eventually, Dae-eon's determined eyes turned to Zacharis..
“5“Years ago, His Majesty’s loyal bannermen wiped out a traitorous cabal in half a day.” “Do you mean ‘Battle of the Two Gates’?.”
When the Crown Prince mentioned a major battle during the Thousand Day War, the young horseman quickly nodded..
“Yes, Your Majesty. At that time, the horsemen's army numbered only 2,000, but they advanced with courage and determination and defeated more than 5,000 enemies. Compared to the war situation at that time, now-”
“prophecy.”
It was another rider who stopped the young man who was so excited and spouting out words..
“Calm down. stop being stupid
do." “… … But, Baron Geisel.”
“You know who led the battle and you say that.?”
Daeon quickly closed his mouth as ‘Thunderbolt Sword’ Geisel narrowed his gaze. Although he was the same king's standard-bearer, he was a giant whose fame and weight could not even be compared to his own..
“You're talking about a battle you never participated in. A foolish guy, full of bravado……
He grunted and slightly bowed his head to the crown prince..
“I apologize, Your Majesty the Crown Prince. Dae-eon probably didn't say that nonsense on purpose..”
“It's nonsense. It seems like Gyeongdo doesn't think I can defeat the Emperor..”
Geisel answered, running his fingertips down his well-groomed mustache..
“Yeah, whatever. That's right.”
“……I'm disappointed. Even Gyeong, the chief among the sixteen horsemen, has no spirit..”
“Isn’t war something that is fought with courage?.”
“okay? Then what does the Lord make of war??”
“Uh, that's it……
Geisel blinked slowly and gave an odd answer..
“well. love?”
“……Are you kidding me??”
“I'm sorry if it sounded that way..”
He continued, gesturing towards Baron Daeon..
“But the 'Battle of the Two Gates' that guy spoke of was really the victory of love..”
“Is this the beginning again, Sir Geisel? The white sound gets longer.”
“It's not a white sound……
He really thought so..
At that time, all the warriors on the battlefield fell in love with the leading man, Ulkar. Geisel, a famous lecherous Korean, was also said to have fallen in love with the Silver Prince at that moment as if bewitched..
“……Tsk.”
While Geisel was silent after tasting his mouth, someone knocked on the door of the synagogue..
“Who are you? what's the matter?" At the sound of the crown prince's voice, a person wearing a robe suddenly opened the door and came in..
“His Royal Highness - That is.”
The man, who looked like a wizard at first glance, hesitated and glanced sideways at Xi Anan, the representative of the Dawn Council. Then, when the crown prince quietly narrowed his eyes, his shoulders shook slightly as if he was startled..
“A message came from the royal capital..”
“message? In the royal capital?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Bring it here.”
The wizard took out a small, rolled-up letter from his sleeve, and Miriam, the Chief Chamberlain, handed it to Zacharis..
The Crown Prince, who immediately opened the letter, pursed his lips. After a short silence, harsh swear words flowed out, and those gathered in the audience could sense that something unusual had happened..
“I have to go back to the royal road..”
Zacharis crumpled up the letter and muttered as if chewing it. The Marquis of Eabon, who could not contain his curiosity at the distorted face, asked a question carefully..
“majesty. If something happens in the royal capital-”
“Your Majesty has passed away..”
“ yes?”
“My father is dead..”
The royal servants and bannermen had their faces painted white..
The Marquis of Eavon also opened his mouth blankly at the sudden news. But unlike the others sitting in the middle, he had some strange thoughts..
‘I'm so incredibly lucky.’
The Marquis, who remembered the Red Knight, quickly lowered his head to hide the laughter that had burst out without him knowing..
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