How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 339: ????? ??????? (3)

“Right. But how?”

“I will enter personally and meet the viceroy. No matter how much time he tries to buy, he won’t be able to reject a eunuch sent directly by the Sultan. Won’t he at least ease his anxiety and open the gate?”

“. . . . . .”

“. . . . . .”

Johan’s men responded lukewarmly to his words. From humans to centaurs, there was no one here who trusted eunuchs.

“. . .How can we believe you?”

“W-Why would I lie here?”

“What if you go in to save your own skin, betray them, and then hide in the fortress?”

The eunuch’s expression momentarily stiffened at these words. There was no way the veteran mercenaries would miss it. The sword pointed at his neck dug in a little deeper.

“He won’t betray us so easily.”

Johan, who had been watching, spoke up. His men all wore expressions of disbelief.

“I understand His Highness’ generosity, but those guys are snakes wearing human skin. . .”

“No. It’s not that I particularly trust them. It’s already too late to enter the castle and hide.”

No matter how sturdy the castle walls were, holding out inside the castle required the guarantee of support from nearby areas. However, several lords had already been captured on the way here, and it was likely that the remaining ones would flee or hide upon hearing the news.

If one were to hide inside the castle trusting in them, it would lead to a very gruesome and painful death.

“Ah. . .”

“Do you regret it now?”

“No, I don’t.”

The eunuchs missed the Sultan’s palace. It was full of conspiracies and schemes, but at least they didn’t have to mingle with fierce mercenaries like these who smelled bad.

??????

The chamberlain desperately resisted, but the outcome was decided from the start. It was impossible for someone of the chamberlain’s status to block a eunuch carrying a letter from the Sultan.

It would’ve been a different story if it were an independent feudal lord with no connection, but Manansir had already borrowed a lot of power from the Sultan.

As he had used the Sultan’s authority to rule his vassals and feudal lords, it was impossible for him to reject that authority.

“His Majesty is really unwell!”

“Ah. Yes.”

The young eunuch felt a little better at the polite treatment he received after a long time. However, that didn’t mean he forgot the current situation.

‘?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????’

Feigning illness was an excuse often used by nobles. When summoned by the Sultan, one could simply use illness as an excuse if they thought their position was unstable or if there was bad news. Did they receive an undesirable assignment? They could use illness as an excuse then too.

Of course, the eunuchs weren’t fooled by such lies. They ate only the best food and received the most courteous treatment, so what illness could they possibly have?

‘???? ?? ? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????. . .’

The chamberlain fidgeted with his fingers. The eunuch’s guess was spot on.

Manansir, who used to be full of ambition and vigor, had changed ever since the expedition from the west arrived. Who could have imagined that heavily armed expeditionary forces would continue to pour in just because a few ships were stolen?

Still, things were fine when he formed an alliance with the Sultan and the army landed. Until then, Manansir had seriously considered mobilizing his soldiers and advancing north. He had only been waiting for the right opportunity to raise his own worth, and he would’ve definitely participated in the war if he had a little more time.

. . .The problem was that the army suffered an unimaginable defeat.

Manansir initially denied reality, but he could no longer deny it as reports continued to pour in. Shocked, Manansir retreated into his fortress.

He ignored and refused to help the eunuchs who were desperately fleeing. He planned to stay in his fortress until the Sultan’s main force arrived in person.

“. . . . . .”

The chamberlain spoke as evasively as he could, but the eunuch listening to him could roughly guess the situation. The eunuch became extremely angry.

‘???? ??? ?? ? ?????. . .!’

If Manansir had stepped forward when they were being chased by the Duke, they wouldn’t be in such a miserable state right now.

That guy who didn’t even participate in the battle is hiding because he’s shocked??

However, the eunuch suppressed his anger as much as he could and smiled broadly.

“The Sultan is not particularly angry. A defeat of that level is nothing to the mighty Sultan’s army.”

It was a lie. The eunuch didn’t know how the Sultan reacted when he heard of the defeat, but he was grateful that he wasn’t by the Sultan’s side right now.

“But to keep using illness as an excuse. . .”

“He’s really sick.”

“I understand. But think about the people waiting outside. How humiliating is this for them?”

The chamberlain frowned. Usually, chamberlains were from the lower nobility and were experienced in the affairs of the court. He knew very well what it meant to leave the Sultan’s knights out in the cold.

‘?????’? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ?????????????. ???? ?????? ??? ??????’? ???? ?? ??? ?????????, ?? ?????????? ???’? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ??????. . .’

The chamberlain came to a decision. Rather than trying to persuade Manansir, who was probably drunk somewhere deep inside the castle, it seemed better to take responsibility and treat them himself.

The eunuchs would understand that much.

“I understand. I’ll open the gate. Here. . .”

“Oh-ho.”

The eunuch’s face brightened as he received the bribe as was customary. However, the eunuch’s face soon darkened.

‘?’? ????? ?? ?? ????-???????? ???? ? ??????, ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????????? ? ???!’

??????

The chamberlain was puzzled by the appearance of the incoming knights.

It was hard to put into words, but he felt a strange sense of discomfort.

The subtle differences shown by people who lived in different countries and cultures. No matter how similar their attire, he could sense something strange when he looked closely.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“Ah, no. I was thinking that you looked very dignified. . .”

“Well, of course. We’re not lackeys like the eunuchs.”

Johan’s men said so and threw the Sultan’s flag they were holding to the ground. The onlookers were even more surprised when the flag, which should never be soiled, rolled around in the dirt.

“Sound the trumpet!”

“You insignificant fools! If you don’t want to die, keep your heads on the ground! His Highness the Duke is here!!”

If one used deception repeatedly, they would naturally become proficient at it. The men naturally took over the gate and set fires here and there. If there was the sound of trumpets, the sound of weapons clashing, and smoke on top of that, those who were quick-witted would know to run away.

“Let’s go catch the thieving b*stard who stole His Highness’ ship, and the rogue who tried to kill His Highness!”

“Where’s that Manansir! Tell me!”

“T-This way. . .”

The chamberlain led the way with a dazed look on his face. However, he couldn’t understand it at all, so he asked the eunuchs a question.

“W-What on earth made you betray the Sultan? Aren’t you afraid of the future?”

“. . . . . .”

“Shut up.”

The eunuchs were already feeling bitter, and hearing such words made it even worse.

But what could they do?

They had to survive right now!

??????

Whether or not they started out as mercenary captains, those who led armies for a long time and rose through the ranks had their own personal guards.

They may be called personal guards, but they were nothing special. They were simply units made up of veteran soldiers who wore the best equipment, received the best treatment, and had served the longest.

Even the most violent people cherished their own personal guards. After all, they had to at least take good care of those who would protect their lives when they swung their swords elsewhere. Those who didn’t usually died before they could even rise in rank.

Of course, Manansir also had personal guards. They were a unit made up entirely of vampire nobles of lower rank, and they fought just as well as knights.

They didn’t panic even when faced with a sudden attack, and they held their ground inside the inner castle, buying time for their master to escape. . .

. . .or at least that’s how it should’ve been, but the situation was a little different now.

“If Manansir-nim doesn’t wake up and come out right now, we’re getting out of here, oaths be damned!”

“Are you going to betray your loyalty?! Snap out of it! The enemy is just waiting for you all to fall apart!”

“Shut up, wizard! It’s been more than a month since we last saw Manansir-nim, even if we’re being generous. He could be dead or alive for all we know.”

“I am the one entrusted with all authority while Manansir-nim is recovering. Follow my orders!”

Manansir’s prolonged seclusion had caused internal strife among his men.

The captain of the personal guard who led the personal guards. The wizard who served as an advisor by Manansir’s side. These two were fiercely opposed to each other.

“This won’t work. Arrest him!”

“. . .How dare you!”

The wizard took out a bottle from his bosom and threw it. Then, lightning burst out of the bottle and roasted one of the personal guards alive. Everyone was shocked at the sight of him burned pitch black as if he had been electrocuted.

“W-What the. . .?”

“You dare to cross the line when those mercenary b*stards are coming at us! I am the chosen of lightning. If anyone else dares to be insolent, I will strike down everyone here with lightning!”

“C-Calm down, wizard.”

The wizard’s power didn’t lie simply in his ability to manipulate the arcane. The ability to skillfully control one’s surroundings using that power was also essential for a wizard.

The once fierce mercenaries began to follow the wizard’s orders, their spirits dampened. They were overwhelmed by the power in the wizard’s voice.

“The gate is open, but it won’t be easy to get to the inner castle from here. We can definitely defeat them! Repel them and buy some time to escape.”

“We know! Stop yapping.”

Before he could even finish speaking, a group of people charged from the other side with a war cry. The personal guards holding their ground inside the inner castle fiercely contorted their faces and shouted.

“Charge!”

The pale-skinned warriors drew their weapons and pounced. They first targeted the imposing human who was charging at the forefront.

“I, Okarr, shall face you, you lowly mongrel!”

The warrior called Okarr was known for being the largest and strongest among the vampires here. Okarr, whose head was a whole head bigger than his opponent’s, was rumored to be a half-giant.

Okarr rolled powerlessly to the side with a bone-cracking sound.

“. . .???”

“Where did you lowlifes who were hiding in some backwater come from! It seems you’ve never met a real warrior before. Behold, the knight of knights! Taste His Highness the Duke’s sword!”

Johan’s men who were swinging their swords from behind shouted, their morale soaring. The vampires who were fighting them made absurd expressions.

So the one swinging his sword in front of their eyes right now was the Duke?

“What nonsense. . . Ugh!”

However, the nonsense had only just begun. The personal guards who had been holding their formation firmly at the entrance of the inner castle melted away like butter.

Although they thought they could hold out for at least a few hours, the vampires belatedly realized how wrong they had been.

“Stop him!! He’s breaking through!”

When the Duke swung his sword with both hands, even the sturdiest shield was cut right through. Even if they were lucky enough to deflect it, they would collapse from the force of the blow.

The personal guards had never imagined that there would be an enemy who could launch attacks that they couldn’t block and had to dodge unconditionally. And not a monster, but a human!

“Get out of the way. Don’t waste time!”

Johan shouted in fluent Eastern and kicked away a personal guard. The personal guard who was sent flying with a scream didn’t move anymore.

When their formation was broken in an instant, those who were behind looked at Johan with expressions of disbelief.

“Wizard!”

“Lord Wizard!”

Whenever they encountered a phenomenon that they couldn’t understand or deal with, people always relied on wizards. The terrified vampire warriors also called for the wizard.

The wizard nodded with a stiff expression. That young Duke’s monstrous strength was beyond imagination, but in a way, it could be seen as an opportunity. If the Duke collapsed or was injured, wouldn’t all those fierce b*stards fall apart?

The wizard called upon the power of lightning. The contracted spirit burned the wizard’s bones, blood, and flesh, and laughed ferociously. It required a huge price for a human to wield the power of lightning.

????!

The wizard fell backward. There was a dagger stuck in the wizard’s neck. Johan, who had heard the word wizard, killed the wizard first.

“Right. But how?”

“I will enter personally and meet the viceroy. No matter how much time he tries to buy, he won’t be able to reject a eunuch sent directly by the Sultan. Won’t he at least ease his anxiety and open the gate?”

“. . . . . .”

“. . . . . .”

Johan’s men responded lukewarmly to his words. From humans to centaurs, there was no one here who trusted eunuchs.

“. . .How can we believe you?”

“W-Why would I lie here?”

“What if you go in to save your own skin, betray them, and then hide in the fortress?”

The eunuch’s expression momentarily stiffened at these words. There was no way the veteran mercenaries would miss it. The sword pointed at his neck dug in a little deeper.

“No! No!”

“He won’t betray us so easily.”

Johan, who had been watching, spoke up. His men all wore expressions of disbelief.

“I understand His Highness’ generosity, but those guys are snakes wearing human skin. . .”

“No. It’s not that I particularly trust them. It’s already too late to enter the castle and hide.”

No matter how sturdy the castle walls were, holding out inside the castle required the guarantee of support from nearby areas. However, several lords had already been captured on the way here, and it was likely that the remaining ones would flee or hide upon hearing the news.

If one were to hide inside the castle trusting in them, it would lead to a very gruesome and painful death.

“Ah. . .”

“Do you regret it now?”

“No, I don’t.”

The eunuchs missed the Sultan’s palace. It was full of conspiracies and schemes, but at least they didn’t have to mingle with fierce mercenaries like these who smelled bad.

??????

The chamberlain desperately resisted, but the outcome was decided from the start. It was impossible for someone of the chamberlain’s status to block a eunuch carrying a letter from the Sultan.

It would’ve been a different story if it were an independent feudal lord with no connection, but Manansir had already borrowed a lot of power from the Sultan.

As he had used the Sultan’s authority to rule his vassals and feudal lords, it was impossible for him to reject that authority.

“His Majesty is really unwell!”

“Ah. Yes.”

The young eunuch felt a little better at the polite treatment he received after a long time. However, that didn’t mean he forgot the current situation.

‘?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????’

Feigning illness was an excuse often used by nobles. When summoned by the Sultan, one could simply use illness as an excuse if they thought their position was unstable or if there was bad news. Did they receive an undesirable assignment? They could use illness as an excuse then too.

Of course, the eunuchs weren’t fooled by such lies. They ate only the best food and received the most courteous treatment, so what illness could they possibly have?

‘???? ?? ? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????. . .’

The chamberlain fidgeted with his fingers. The eunuch’s guess was spot on.

Manansir, who used to be full of ambition and vigor, had changed ever since the expedition from the west arrived. Who could have imagined that heavily armed expeditionary forces would continue to pour in just because a few ships were stolen?

Still, things were fine when he formed an alliance with the Sultan and the army landed. Until then, Manansir had seriously considered mobilizing his soldiers and advancing north. He had only been waiting for the right opportunity to raise his own worth, and he would’ve definitely participated in the war if he had a little more time.

. . .The problem was that the army suffered an unimaginable defeat.

Manansir initially denied reality, but he could no longer deny it as reports continued to pour in. Shocked, Manansir retreated into his fortress.

He ignored and refused to help the eunuchs who were desperately fleeing. He planned to stay in his fortress until the Sultan’s main force arrived in person.

“. . . . . .”

The chamberlain spoke as evasively as he could, but the eunuch listening to him could roughly guess the situation. The eunuch became extremely angry.

‘???? ??? ?? ? ?????. . .!’

If Manansir had stepped forward when they were being chased by the Duke, they wouldn’t be in such a miserable state right now.

That guy who didn’t even participate in the battle is hiding because he’s shocked??

However, the eunuch suppressed his anger as much as he could and smiled broadly.

“The Sultan is not particularly angry. A defeat of that level is nothing to the mighty Sultan’s army.”

It was a lie. The eunuch didn’t know how the Sultan reacted when he heard of the defeat, but he was grateful that he wasn’t by the Sultan’s side right now.

“But to keep using illness as an excuse. . .”

“He’s really sick.”

“I understand. But think about the people waiting outside. How humiliating is this for them?”

The chamberlain frowned. Usually, chamberlains were from the lower nobility and were experienced in the affairs of the court. He knew very well what it meant to leave the Sultan’s knights out in the cold.

‘?????’? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ?????????????. ???? ?????? ??? ??????’? ???? ?? ??? ?????????, ?? ?????????? ???’? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ??????. . .’

The chamberlain came to a decision. Rather than trying to persuade Manansir, who was probably drunk somewhere deep inside the castle, it seemed better to take responsibility and treat them himself.

The eunuchs would understand that much.

“I understand. I’ll open the gate. Here. . .”

“Oh-ho.”

The eunuch’s face brightened as he received the bribe as was customary. However, the eunuch’s face soon darkened.

‘?’? ????? ?? ?? ????-???????? ???? ? ??????, ??? ????? ????????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????????? ? ???!’

??????

The chamberlain was puzzled by the appearance of the incoming knights.

It was hard to put into words, but he felt a strange sense of discomfort.

The subtle differences shown by people who lived in different countries and cultures. No matter how similar their attire, he could sense something strange when he looked closely.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“Ah, no. I was thinking that you looked very dignified. . .”

“Well, of course. We’re not lackeys like the eunuchs.”

Johan’s men said so and threw the Sultan’s flag they were holding to the ground. The onlookers were even more surprised when the flag, which should never be soiled, rolled around in the dirt.

“Sound the trumpet!”

“You insignificant fools! If you don’t want to die, keep your heads on the ground! His Highness the Duke is here!!”

If one used deception repeatedly, they would naturally become proficient at it. The men naturally took over the gate and set fires here and there. If there was the sound of trumpets, the sound of weapons clashing, and smoke on top of that, those who were quick-witted would know to run away.

“Let’s go catch the thieving b*stard who stole His Highness’ ship, and the rogue who tried to kill His Highness!”

“Where’s that Manansir! Tell me!”

“T-This way. . .”

The chamberlain led the way with a dazed look on his face. However, he couldn’t understand it at all, so he asked the eunuchs a question.

“W-What on earth made you betray the Sultan? Aren’t you afraid of the future?”

“. . . . . .”

“Shut up.”

The eunuchs were already feeling bitter, and hearing such words made it even worse.

But what could they do?

They had to survive right now!

??????

Whether or not they started out as mercenary captains, those who led armies for a long time and rose through the ranks had their own personal guards.

They may be called personal guards, but they were nothing special. They were simply units made up of veteran soldiers who wore the best equipment, received the best treatment, and had served the longest.

Even the most violent people cherished their own personal guards. After all, they had to at least take good care of those who would protect their lives when they swung their swords elsewhere. Those who didn’t usually died before they could even rise in rank.

Of course, Manansir also had personal guards. They were a unit made up entirely of vampire nobles of lower rank, and they fought just as well as knights.

They didn’t panic even when faced with a sudden attack, and they held their ground inside the inner castle, buying time for their master to escape. . .

. . .or at least that’s how it should’ve been, but the situation was a little different now.

“If Manansir-nim doesn’t wake up and come out right now, we’re getting out of here, oaths be damned!”

“Are you going to betray your loyalty?! Snap out of it! The enemy is just waiting for you all to fall apart!”

“Shut up, wizard! It’s been more than a month since we last saw Manansir-nim, even if we’re being generous. He could be dead or alive for all we know.”

“I am the one entrusted with all authority while Manansir-nim is recovering. Follow my orders!”

Manansir’s prolonged seclusion had caused internal strife among his men.

The captain of the personal guard who led the personal guards. The wizard who served as an advisor by Manansir’s side. These two were fiercely opposed to each other.

“This won’t work. Arrest him!”

“. . .How dare you!”

The wizard took out a bottle from his bosom and threw it. Then, lightning burst out of the bottle and roasted one of the personal guards alive. Everyone was shocked at the sight of him burned pitch black as if he had been electrocuted.

“W-What the. . .?”

“You dare to cross the line when those mercenary b*stards are coming at us! I am the chosen of lightning. If anyone else dares to be insolent, I will strike down everyone here with lightning!”

“C-Calm down, wizard.”

The wizard’s power didn’t lie simply in his ability to manipulate the arcane. The ability to skillfully control one’s surroundings using that power was also essential for a wizard.

The once fierce mercenaries began to follow the wizard’s orders, their spirits dampened. They were overwhelmed by the power in the wizard’s voice.

“The gate is open, but it won’t be easy to get to the inner castle from here. We can definitely defeat them! Repel them and buy some time to escape.”

“We know! Stop yapping.”

Before he could even finish speaking, a group of people charged from the other side with a war cry. The personal guards holding their ground inside the inner castle fiercely contorted their faces and shouted.

“Charge!”

The pale-skinned warriors drew their weapons and pounced. They first targeted the imposing human who was charging at the forefront.

“I, Okarr, shall face you, you lowly mongrel!”

The warrior called Okarr was known for being the largest and strongest among the vampires here. Okarr, whose head was a whole head bigger than his opponent’s, was rumored to be a half-giant.

Okarr rolled powerlessly to the side with a bone-cracking sound.

“. . .???”

“Where did you lowlifes who were hiding in some backwater come from! It seems you’ve never met a real warrior before. Behold, the knight of knights! Taste His Highness the Duke’s sword!”

Johan’s men who were swinging their swords from behind shouted, their morale soaring. The vampires who were fighting them made absurd expressions.

So the one swinging his sword in front of their eyes right now was the Duke?

“What nonsense. . . Ugh!”

However, the nonsense had only just begun. The personal guards who had been holding their formation firmly at the entrance of the inner castle melted away like butter.

Although they thought they could hold out for at least a few hours, the vampires belatedly realized how wrong they had been.

“Stop him!! He’s breaking through!”

When the Duke swung his sword with both hands, even the sturdiest shield was cut right through. Even if they were lucky enough to deflect it, they would collapse from the force of the blow.

The personal guards had never imagined that there would be an enemy who could launch attacks that they couldn’t block and had to dodge unconditionally. And not a monster, but a human!

“Get out of the way. Don’t waste time!”

Johan shouted in fluent Eastern and kicked away a personal guard. The personal guard who was sent flying with a scream didn’t move anymore.

When their formation was broken in an instant, those who were behind looked at Johan with expressions of disbelief.

“Wizard!”

“Lord Wizard!”

Whenever they encountered a phenomenon that they couldn’t understand or deal with, people always relied on wizards. The terrified vampire warriors also called for the wizard.

The wizard nodded with a stiff expression. That young Duke’s monstrous strength was beyond imagination, but in a way, it could be seen as an opportunity. If the Duke collapsed or was injured, wouldn’t all those fierce b*stards fall apart?

The wizard called upon the power of lightning. The contracted spirit burned the wizard’s bones, blood, and flesh, and laughed ferociously. It required a huge price for a human to wield the power of lightning.

????!

The wizard fell backward. There was a dagger stuck in the wizard’s neck. Johan, who had heard the word wizard, killed the wizard first.