Chapter 526
My Villains Episode 526
67. Lord of Icebovald(19)
When the dawn dusk pushes away the darkness of a midwinter night. As many as 60 horses and horses poured out of the castle gate..
The riders, wearing shiny plate breastplates, were divided into two groups of fifteen, guarding the front and back. The spear resting diagonally on the shoulder had its pole painted red, and the faceplate beneath the round helmet had a bizarre face embossed on it, which could be either reptile-like or human-like..
Anyone with some knowledge of my military system would be able to notice more about these impressively dressed cavalrymen. You will be able to tell that all of them are of the rank of sergeant or higher because they are all wearing shoulder belts, and you will also be able to tell that they belong to a cavalry company directly under the combat brigade by seeing that the shoulder belts are closely embroidered with red diagonal lines on a silver-gray background. These are the people commonly referred to as the ‘guard cavalry’..
Leading them was Randel, a middle-aged cavalry commander. He was holding high a heavy banner embroidered with the emblem of the new Depelken family..
The mission of the cavalry platoon, directly commanded by Major Randel, was to escort me and my group to Froshafen and, above all, to ensure a comfortable trip..
It was also the job of this cavalry platoon to take me and my bodyguards on board a ship heading beyond the Bay of Blades and return to Eisbowalt with Vaikon's rider disguised as me..
The 24 detachments organized by Conwy, centered on the elites of the Silver Sword Battalion, are scheduled to head to the vicinity of the royal capital through several routes. Half of them would cross the border by boat like we did, and the rest decided to cross the border by land. The area was full of merchants, mercenaries, immigrants, and travelers, so it wouldn't be difficult to disguise them..
Sandwiched between the cavalry in front and behind were eighteen bodyguards and a four-horse carriage..
The driver of the large carriage pulled by four horses was none other than the ‘spell thief’ Saitz. It seemed a little awkward for a skilled wizard to act as a coachman, but considering that the carriage was Ellen's, it was not that strange..
Ellen's carriage was large enough to accommodate six or seven men, and was of high quality, with oiled wooden boards attached to a steel frame and even small but elaborate gold decorations..
As Ellen, who does not enjoy horseback riding, had spent a lot of money to custom order, the seat was covered with thick cushions. As if that wasn't enough, there was a simple but somewhat suspension structure attached to the wheel axle, and thanks to this, it boasted a riding comfort that was incomparable to that of an ordinary carriage. It was a carriage that was perfect for comfortable travel and unique pleasures as it had many small glass windows and even had thick feet to block the outside world from prying eyes..
Glancing at the four-legged carriage, I maintained a moderate trot between the guard cavalry and the bodyguard..
khong-
Is it fun to go out for the first time in a long time, or is it that you realize that the pictures engraved on the various flags flying around you and the emblem hanging on the castle wall are diagrams of yourself? The two-horned beast that happened to become the symbol of the Depelken family walked gracefully with its chin raised as if showing off..
“Anyway, he's a funny guy..”
I smiled and stroked the bicorn's neck, then suddenly looked back..
The top of the gatehouse at the west gate of Eisbowald was full of knights, commanders, and officials..
Since I was leaving on the road early in the morning, I had warned people not to do anything foolish, such as dragging sleeping citizens out onto the street and holding a farewell ceremony. However, there was not enough excuse to dissuade his vassals from going. That's why the top of the gate tower was bustling..
Meanwhile, Atalanta was nowhere to be seen. Well, she replaced her final greeting by pounce on me while I was sleeping a few hours before departure. After an intense workout that lasted for over an hour, I'm probably sleeping in my room right now..
The front row of the gatehouse was filled with knights such as Conwyr, Esson, Dervish, and Merg, and officials such as Judge Reinhoit, Secretary Omol, and Treasurer Walder. The one in the middle was Hayla, rubbing the corners of her eyes as if trying to shake off drowsiness..
I don't know who made that decision and through what discussions, but it was Hayla who occupied my last night before my trip to the capital. I was also glad to be apart from her for a long time, so I was glad to do it. But, just like usual, she fell asleep before bed time..
As Heyla is so unresponsive that once she falls asleep, she can be mistaken for a corpse, and even with the bed and Atalanta screaming through the double window, she was unable to wake up..
She came to the gatehouse at 2 o'clock in the morning to see me off. It was something that can only be explained as an act of great will..
When I made eye contact with Hayla, I smiled and waved. She looked down at me with an expressionless face. Then, he took out his white hand from the thick coat draped around his shoulder and gave it a small cluck. That look was so lovely that I burst out laughing..
Eisbowald is a city that leans to the west in my domain, or even in the entire Obdorf region. Thanks to this, the border region of Angst was literally a stone's throw away, and even if you count the distance to Froshaven, the capital of Angst, it was less than 100 kilometers at most..
How close is this? During the Knifeman War, the detachment I led left Froshafen and reached Eisbowald in just four days..
Even though they forced a march at the risk of losing their soldiers, considering that they captured two forts and five bases along the attack route, it can be roughly said that it was a success..
Thanks to these circumstances, even though our group moved leisurely, as if on a deliberate cruise, we reached the Angst region by the time the sun set..
He could have sped up a little more, but the purpose of his external outing was to inspect the territory as a prince and at the same time take care of military affairs in the two provinces as a marshal of the Empire of Vermic-Strom. It was unwise to give the impression of being in a hurry, even though I was conscious of the eyes of the three actors who would be lurking in this territory countless times..
And, crucially, from the first day of the trip, I didn't want to sleep in the open or make a fuss in someone else's territory. Since we're already out, it wouldn't be a bad idea to actually inspect the territory..
It was because of these circumstances that the group stopped at a village named ‘Gedenmuntz’..
“May the light always illuminate you, Lord, with goodness. It is an honor to serve you, Your Excellency..”
“Okay, it’s been a while since I last saw you. How long has it been?”
“It's been almost half a year since I last saw you in late August last year..”
“Is that so?.”
As he took off his leather gloves and held out the back of his hand, the high official of Gedenmuntz, who came to Bicorn's side, raised his tiptoes and kissed his signet ring..
It still gave me goosebumps to feel the bearded man's breath on the back of my hand, but I couldn't skip the customary process of reaffirming my dominance just because I was in a bad mood..
While the Grand Vizier of Gedenmuntz retreated, trying not to notice the bicorn's bright yellow eyes and sharp fangs, I exchanged greetings with the others. Perhaps because Randel had sent a message in advance by sending several cavalrymen, the grand official who came to the entrance of the village was not only accompanied by several guards, but also by influential figures of the village, such as millers, bakers, brewers, and forest keepers..
After receiving a proper greeting, I was about to enter the village, when the Grand Officer, who had once worked as a surrogate at the Eisbowald Permanent Court, politely held out his hand, claiming to be a servant. However, I couldn't hand over the reins to a man who couldn't even make eye contact with the bicorn, so I declined with a smile and got off the bicon. Golman, who came before I called, was handed the reins..
“Buy some chickens, feed them, and tie them up in the stable. “Be careful not to run into residents.” “Yes, Nari.” As Hayla advised me not long ago, to the people here, a man named Phoenix is both a red knight with a terrible reputation and a foreign conqueror..
Since most of Prince Baekryeong's subjects were already obsessed with an intangible fear of me, I couldn't walk around the village riding a demonic beast that chewed people's heads like candy. It was in a similar vein that I wore a long coat and velvet tunic instead of fancy plate armor..
Anyway, Gedenmuntz, where it was built, was still a prosperous town..
There was a thick forest far to the east, and the small stream flowing to the west was bare due to winter. The village was located on a plain between a forest and a river, and the pride of Gedenmuntz was a large windmill in the middle of a wide wheat field and an old brewery located on the outskirts of the village..
The road connecting the windmill and the brewery from east to west seemed to lead to a village on a gentle uphill slope. Hundreds of wooden houses with tightly woven silver grass as roofs are huddled together..
The cute living quarters were surrounded by two layers of low wooden fences, which were ordered to be installed when we visited last summer while clearing out trolls from outside the area. I had forgotten about it for a while, but now that I see it completed, it seems like the funds I gave were not wasted..
“I want to take a spin around.”
“Please do as you wish, sir..”
“It would be a nuisance if these people crowded around... … Only two guards remain. Landel, the rest go to their lodgings..”
“Yes, my lord..”
While there was a bit of a buzz as they passed through the narrow village road, Princess Theodora got out of the carriage. As a paladin, she had to visit the minor cathedral first before resting..
“ hey.”
As Theodora got out of the carriage, Ellen's voice was heard from beyond the open door. The person who caught his attention was 'Valky Lee' Tilloria, who followed behind me as if it was natural..
Tilloria quirked her eyebrows with a disapproving look on her face..
“ me‘?”
“Yes, you. you come here.”
“why do i‘?”
““I need an attendant.” “I’m sorry, but I’m a prosecutor. not your maid.”
“Oh, really? Let’s find out if it’s true even after both eyeballs are burned.?”
A growl full of magical power.
Several people, including the grand official, shivered from the cold, and Tiloria quietly placed her hand on the hilt of her sword..
“Ah, that's enough. stop.”
I couldn't help but mediate between the two..
“Tilly, you go first - Cole, Gidon..
you guys follow me.”
‘I shrugged my shoulders, looking at Ellen with eyes that said, 'Is that enough?', but the guy was glaring at Tilloria without saying a word. Then the guy turned his head and the carriage door slammed shut by itself..
……Ugh, maybe that temperament is a good thing?.
I smiled as I looked at the carriage going up the hill and gestured towards the main hall..
“let's go.”
“Ah, yes, sir..”
I took a leisurely stroll along the village streets under the guidance of the Daegwan. Like any other rural area, it was entirely a dirt road, but the section from the entrance to the shrine in the center of the village clearly looked like it had been carefully polished..
The vegetable gardens that filled the spaces between the houses crowded together were still empty, but as the days got a little warmer, they would start growing various vegetables. The chickens in the small cage were close together and all had shaggy fur and fat as they had survived the slaughter during the winter..
Although there were not many people coming and going, the area near the minister was crowded. They probably made various preparations after hearing that I was coming. I hope it's not too much preparation..
While admiring the peaceful scenery of the village, I suddenly looked back at the main hall..
“Did you say how many households there are here??”
“There are a total of 212 households and 1,066 people. Excluding young children and the elderly, there are 389 men and 413 women. Among them, 560 are engaged in agriculture.……
“ O ”
When his speech unexpectedly got longer, I tried to hold him back, but I decided to leave it alone as he continued to pour out explanations with enthusiasm as if he had prepared them..
“-About 90 people do odd jobs between the mill, brewery, and market. There are 17 people, including the forest guard, who have received hunting licenses, and 14 herders have been given permission to gather. There are 36 guards and 37 men belonging to the vigilante group, and enough weapons to arm them all are stored in the armory in the basement of the ministry.……
From the looks of it, he seemed to want to make a good impression on his boss, who stopped by his place of assignment for the first time in a while. If it's due to a desire for success, let me show off my memorization skills.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to throw it away.
What was more important than stopping the Daegwan, who spoke non-stop, was to keep Gedenmundz in his sights..
This peaceful and friendly scenery spread throughout Prince Depelken's territory was already becoming an important motivation for me toward the vague and distant goal of 'saving Middle-earth.'.
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