Chapter 534
My Villains Episode 534
68. To the capital(7)
Are you obeying my command to shut up, or is your body frozen by the terrible explosion unfolding before your eyes?.
The Nudeans gathered in the synagogue stood motionless, standing at a distance from the various remains of the middle-aged man who had spontaneously exploded. The hall was so quiet that only the sound of suppressed breathing was heard..
I'm finally ready to talk.
I leaned heavily on the backrest and looked around the audience..
“Should I say hello first?.”
The principal seat in the synagogue was so large and heavy that even if it was small, it would not be uncomfortable to lie down on one side. It was an object that seemed to have been carved entirely from an old olive tree, and the backrest was elaborately carved with the symbol of ancient Ulanism - a long cross with a pentagram engraved in the center. Red and white cloth were wrapped crosswise around the horizontal cross, a decoration commonly seen in the tents of high-ranking Nude people. The four legs of the chair were shaped like the paws of a cat and a wild beast, and the armrests were suddenly studded with gold decorations like a horse's head..
It's difficult to say anything since I don't know the detailed background, but I personally felt that it was an item that seemed quite baseless..
“It seems like everyone is seeing this for the first time... … . Oh, do you need to introduce me??”
“……No, Hunafi..”
Breaking through the silence, a man stepped forward..
“There is no one among the people living in this city who does not know the Hunapi. As if there is no one who does not know Napidat..”
“Is that so??”
It was a man who reminded me of a sand dune. He has a gold brooch in the shape of a compass or the North Star on his shoulder, but he feels poor for some reason because he is wearing a shabby brown robe. The stocky physique, thick neck, and broad chin give a strong impression, but the bleak, slanted face makes the Nude look old..
““Who are you?” “This is ‘Bajos Upini Odum Nouveau’ by ‘Al Faril’.”
“Can I call you Bajos??”
“Yes, Hunafi..”
I looked at the man named Barjos and then turned my head..
“Why are other people staying quiet? Come out one by one and introduce yourself first..”
The audience with their bewildered faces was cheered again, this time in Ghelan. Still, for a while, no one came forward after Barhos, and only after frowning slightly did people start approaching one by one and bow their heads..
Except for distant sultanates, most Nude people lead a nomadic lifestyle. As such, people who learned foreign languages were very common, and most of the nobles gathered in the synagogue were also proficient in Milano or Ghelan..
It was a little funny to see people who had been yelling and screaming in Gawlan until I set an example, but now calmly speaking a foreign language..
As I had guessed from the moment I entered the synagogue, the people gathered here were nobles representing various clans of the Nudein people. The elders of the 'Nouvoa Community', which I heard from Agos, the head of Hares Kiss, were also the leaders..
Any mention of what clan or tribe they were from was just ignored. The important thing is to understand how the chunks are divided..
I had also heard about the Nudein people from my time with Atalanta, so it was not difficult to infer the big picture..
The group called the Nouveau Community was the force that actually ruled the territory abandoned by Atalanta..
The group leading this force was, of course, three clans, including 'Al Qadari', who could be said to be Atalanta's parent family, and 'Zaladub' and 'Rejun', who participated in the Kalman War..
There were a total of thirty-five Nudein nobles gathered in the synagogue, and as many as eighteen were from these three clans… … . No, I just turned thirty-four and seventeen. Anyway, fourteen of them were 'ordinary elders', two were 'high-ranking elders', and one was a 'major elder' representing the entire community..
In fact, the three clans accounted for less than 10% of the people in the community. However, because he was the main character who helped Atalanta take over the territory and settled in this land first, he held a tight vested interest..
The high-ranking people have virtually taken control of the leadership of the Nouveau community, and ordinary members are acting as ‘first-class citizens’ under the privileges of conquerors..
I decided to call them 'minorities'.
Meanwhile, more than 90% of the Nudein, excluding Al Qadari, Jaladub, and Rejun, flocked to the Kalman territory after the end of the war..
The Nudeans wandering around the Mitergeland Empire and Milanol Kingdom are basically treated as wandering criminals or bandits. Even if they set up tents near a city or village and conducted daily commerce, it was their daily routine to be kicked out by the lord's army if they showed any signs of settling down..
Perhaps that is why, when the news spread that Atalanta had taken over Froshafen, a wealthy port in the empire, and the surrounding area, a huge number of Nudeans flocked there..
I heard from Hayla not long ago that the number of Nu Danes who have infiltrated Atalanta's territory over the past two years amounts to about 100,000. It is said that the population of the entire Angst region before the Kalman War was less than 150,000, so this can be said to be a shocking influx of people..
I decided to call them ‘the majority’.
“……And, that representative is you.?”
After organizing my thoughts and asking a question, Vahos shook his head slightly..
“No, Hunapi. It is my mother sitting there who represents Al Faril and the nineteen tribes..”
What he pointed to was an old woman sitting in a high-backed chair. There were sixteen ordinary elders in the majority sect, and she was the only senior elder..
“In short, the thirty-five—no, thirty-four people here—agreed to govern the territory, including Froshafen.‘?”
“yes.”
“A system similar to a senate or city council.”
I clicked my tongue and continued speaking..
“……I'm not in a position to argue about how to govern, but what if they turn the city into such a mess?.”
“I want to know what made Hunapi so uncomfortable..”
“Is it normal for gangsters to fight over territory in the middle of the city? There were human corpses hanging like pork in the square, and even when the assistant guard saw them, he said it would be difficult to touch them and fell asleep. I heard rumors that it wasn't just this place, but other small cities, towns, and even rural villages were similar. It is said that the behavior of the Nude people who came from outside the country to the native Ghelan people is reminiscent of thieves..”
The elders of the Nouveau community each had a mysterious expression..
‘There were people who looked at the other side with a look that said, 'That's right then', there were people whose faces turned red as if they felt insulted, and there were people who looked sideways at the remains of the corpse as if they were toothless. It was like asking if that was the reason they exploded someone to death..
“It seemed like everyone had trouble understanding the situation..”
I answered him..
“That's what you guys owe.”
The elders swallowed dry saliva as he spoke while pointing to a pool of blood mixed with broken bones and pieces of internal organs..
“Some crazy guy burst through the door out of nowhere and killed the elder Nari and a member of your group. But what can you do??”
“Yes, you have to be quiet. You should just shut up and look at that crazy guy..”
Some people sighed, and some clenched their fists as if they were angry. But most of the elders were busy avoiding my gaze..
“Although they gathered to rule the territory on behalf of Atalanta, there is not a single Gellan. All of them are Nudein, but they are not tightly united among themselves. I think I can protect my territory by acting like this.?”
“But, Hunapi.” In response to the question posed while suppressing his irritation, a high-ranking elder who was sitting awkwardly on a chair on the podium opened his mouth. He was an old man of the Jaladub clan..
“As you know, our Napidat has been recognized as a legitimate ruler by the emperor and various electors of the empire. Now that he is unavoidably absent, it is not natural for his compatriots to rule the territory on behalf of Napidat..”
“Damn, I need to speak straight..”
Without realizing it, a cold laugh bursts out..
“It was not the Emperor and Electors who gave Atalanta this land, but Prince Ulkar..”
“Whether the opponent is the Emperor or the Silver Prince, we have achieved fair compensation. The reason this city and territory was given to Nafidat was not because everyone recognized that we fought and shed blood.!”
“Oh, really? Only the blade fought and shed blood in the war? I think it's my first time seeing your face.”
When the ridiculed old man closed his mouth, I continued speaking in a low growl..
“At that time, there were probably only two people, excluding the Nude people, who thought you should take over this land. I know who those two are?”
m 99
“It's Prince Ulkar and me. And he's not in Middle Earth right now..”
“……Now, you're trying to deny our legitimacy.?”
“That tells me it's useless. The cause you are talking about will only work among the Nudein, and will not work anywhere else..”
I slowly got up from my seat and went down the podium. The elders who had gathered little by little towards the podium all stepped back. It looked like a school of startled minnows, and I was filled with sorrow..
“If I raise an army from Eisbowald and invade this land, who will help you??”
«......eww ”
......
“There won't be any problem. On the contrary, the Gelan people, who are fed up with your digging, might rise up and join my side..”
“Nudein warriors have a never-ending fighting spirit and do not give up. If the opponent, no matter how Hunapi, tries to take away our people's legitimate rights, they will fight until the end..”
“Yes, I guess so. But can a ragtag group of two or three thousand warriors be enough to stop me and my army? Without Atalanta? I'll be lucky if I can last a month..”
The old man and several elders blushed with shame at my ridicule. But no one ended up denying it..
“Then Hunapi.”
Vajos, who had been quietly listening to my story, cautiously stepped forward..
“So what does Hunapi want from us??”
“It's simple. Please stop acting like an asshole and gain strength..”
When I gave an immediate answer without the slightest hesitation, a look of shock appeared on Barhos' cold face..
“He tells me to develop strength.”
“Let's figure out how to make this land the home of the Nude people forever. Instead of spewing shit on a wealthy city, think about how to make it more prosperous and how to make it safer. I'm thinking about how to appease the Gelan people in the territory so that they will hold the spear next to you. Don’t mess around holding on to useless causes, authority, legitimacy, etc..”
Standing in the middle of the synagogue, I looked back at the elders and started yelling, but suddenly I felt annoyed and sighed..
“Fuck, I have to tell you all these obvious things.?”
When the unanswered questions were scattered in vain, someone opened the large arched door of the synagogue wide..
“lord!”
Fritz, wearing armor full of rough irregularities, strides in, covered in blood everywhere..
“Wow, that—”
“Hyala.”
Nudein elders everywhere gasped. It wasn't just because of Fritz's hideous appearance..
“Proshafen's 'big names' are coming.!”
He shouted cheerfully and threw something lightly..
Rolling at my feet were three torn heads..
“lord!”
Fritz, wearing armor full of rough irregularities, strides in, covered in blood everywhere..
“Wow, that—”
“Hyala.”
Nudein elders everywhere gasped. It wasn't just because of Fritz's hideous appearance..
“Proshafen's 'big names' are coming.!”
He shouted cheerfully and threw something lightly..
Rolling at my feet were three torn heads..
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