How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 339: ๐‹๐จ๐ฒ๐š๐ฅ ๐„๐ฎ๐ง๐ฎ๐œ๐ก๐ฌ (3)



โ€œRight. But how?โ€

โ€œI will enter personally and meet the viceroy. No matter how much time he tries to buy, he wonโ€™t be able to reject a eunuch sent directly by the Sultan. Wonโ€™t he at least ease his anxiety and open the gate?โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

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

โ€œ. . .How can we believe you?โ€

โ€œW-Why would I lie here?โ€

โ€œWhat if you go in to save your own skin, betray them, and then hide in the fortress?โ€

The eunuchโ€™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.

โ€œNo! No!โ€

โ€œHe wonโ€™t betray us so easily.โ€

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

โ€œI understand His Highnessโ€™ generosity, but those guys are snakes wearing human skin. . .โ€

โ€œNo. Itโ€™s not that I particularly trust them. Itโ€™s already too late to enter the castle and hide.โ€

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.

โ€œAh. . .โ€

โ€œDo you regret it now?โ€

โ€œNo, I donโ€™t.โ€

The eunuchs missed the Sultanโ€™s palace. It was full of conspiracies and schemes, but at least they didnโ€™t have to mingle with fierce mercenaries like these who smelled bad.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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

It wouldโ€™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 Sultanโ€™s authority to rule his vassals and feudal lords, it was impossible for him to reject that authority.

โ€œHis Majesty is really unwell!โ€

โ€œAh. Yes.โ€

The young eunuch felt a little better at the polite treatment he received after a long time. However, that didnโ€™t mean he forgot the current situation.

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ณ๐˜บ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด?โ€™

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 werenโ€™t fooled by such lies. They ate only the best food and received the most courteous treatment, so what illness could they possibly have?

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ ๐˜ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด. . .โ€™

The chamberlain fidgeted with his fingers. The eunuchโ€™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 wouldโ€™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 Sultanโ€™s main force arrived in person.

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

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

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ข ๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ค๐˜ฉ. . .!โ€™

If Manansir had stepped forward when they were being chased by the Duke, they wouldnโ€™t be in such a miserable state right now.

That guy who didnโ€™t even participate in the battle is hiding because heโ€™s shocked??

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

โ€œThe Sultan is not particularly angry. A defeat of that level is nothing to the mighty Sultanโ€™s army.โ€

It was a lie. The eunuch didnโ€™t know how the Sultan reacted when he heard of the defeat, but he was grateful that he wasnโ€™t by the Sultanโ€™s side right now.

โ€œBut to keep using illness as an excuse. . .โ€

โ€œHeโ€™s really sick.โ€

โ€œI understand. But think about the people waiting outside. How humiliating is this for them?โ€

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 Sultanโ€™s knights out in the cold.

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜บ. ๐˜Œ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜บ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ, ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ. . .โ€™

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.

โ€œI understand. Iโ€™ll open the gate. Here. . .โ€

โ€œOh-ho.โ€

The eunuchโ€™s face brightened as he received the bribe as was customary. However, the eunuchโ€™s face soon darkened.

โ€˜๐˜โ€™๐˜ฎ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ๐˜บ-๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ, ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜บ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต!โ€™

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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.

โ€œWhy are you staring like that?โ€

โ€œAh, no. I was thinking that you looked very dignified. . .โ€

โ€œWell, of course. Weโ€™re not lackeys like the eunuchs.โ€

Johanโ€™s men said so and threw the Sultanโ€™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.

โ€œSound the trumpet!โ€

โ€œYou insignificant fools! If you donโ€™t want to die, keep your heads on the ground! His Highness the Duke is here!!โ€

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.

โ€œLetโ€™s go catch the thieving b*stard who stole His Highnessโ€™ ship, and the rogue who tried to kill His Highness!โ€

โ€œWhereโ€™s that Manansir! Tell me!โ€

โ€œT-This way. . .โ€

The chamberlain led the way with a dazed look on his face. However, he couldnโ€™t understand it at all, so he asked the eunuchs a question.

โ€œW-What on earth made you betray the Sultan? Arenโ€™t you afraid of the future?โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€œShut up.โ€

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!

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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 didnโ€™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 didnโ€™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 thatโ€™s how it shouldโ€™ve been, but the situation was a little different now.

โ€œIf Manansir-nim doesnโ€™t wake up and come out right now, weโ€™re getting out of here, oaths be damned!โ€

โ€œAre you going to betray your loyalty?! Snap out of it! The enemy is just waiting for you all to fall apart!โ€

โ€œShut up, wizard! Itโ€™s been more than a month since we last saw Manansir-nim, even if weโ€™re being generous. He could be dead or alive for all we know.โ€

โ€œI am the one entrusted with all authority while Manansir-nim is recovering. Follow my orders!โ€

Manansirโ€™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 Manansirโ€™s side. These two were fiercely opposed to each other.

โ€œThis wonโ€™t work. Arrest him!โ€

โ€œ. . .How dare you!โ€

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.

โ€œW-What the. . .?โ€

โ€œYou 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!โ€

โ€œC-Calm down, wizard.โ€

The wizardโ€™s power didnโ€™t lie simply in his ability to manipulate the arcane. The ability to skillfully control oneโ€™s surroundings using that power was also essential for a wizard.

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

โ€œThe gate is open, but it wonโ€™t be easy to get to the inner castle from here. We can definitely defeat them! Repel them and buy some time to escape.โ€

โ€œWe know! Stop yapping.โ€

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.

โ€œCharge!โ€

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

โ€œI, Okarr, shall face you, you lowly mongrel!โ€

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 opponentโ€™s, was rumored to be a half-giant.

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

โ€œ. . .???โ€

โ€œWhere did you lowlifes who were hiding in some backwater come from! It seems youโ€™ve never met a real warrior before. Behold, the knight of knights! Taste His Highness the Dukeโ€™s sword!โ€

Johanโ€™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?

โ€œWhat nonsense. . . Ugh!โ€

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.

โ€œStop him!! Heโ€™s breaking through!โ€

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 couldnโ€™t block and had to dodge unconditionally. And not a monster, but a human!

โ€œGet out of the way. Donโ€™t waste time!โ€

Johan shouted in fluent Eastern and kicked away a personal guard. The personal guard who was sent flying with a scream didnโ€™t move anymore.

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

โ€œWizard!โ€

โ€œLord Wizard!โ€

Whenever they encountered a phenomenon that they couldnโ€™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 Dukeโ€™s monstrous strength was beyond imagination, but in a way, it could be seen as an opportunity. If the Duke collapsed or was injured, wouldnโ€™t all those fierce b*stards fall apart?

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

๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐!

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

,

โ€œRight. But how?โ€

โ€œI will enter personally and meet the viceroy. No matter how much time he tries to buy, he wonโ€™t be able to reject a eunuch sent directly by the Sultan. Wonโ€™t he at least ease his anxiety and open the gate?โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

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

โ€œ. . .How can we believe you?โ€

โ€œW-Why would I lie here?โ€

โ€œWhat if you go in to save your own skin, betray them, and then hide in the fortress?โ€

The eunuchโ€™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.

โ€œNo! No!โ€

โ€œHe wonโ€™t betray us so easily.โ€

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

โ€œI understand His Highnessโ€™ generosity, but those guys are snakes wearing human skin. . .โ€

โ€œNo. Itโ€™s not that I particularly trust them. Itโ€™s already too late to enter the castle and hide.โ€

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.

โ€œAh. . .โ€

โ€œDo you regret it now?โ€

โ€œNo, I donโ€™t.โ€

The eunuchs missed the Sultanโ€™s palace. It was full of conspiracies and schemes, but at least they didnโ€™t have to mingle with fierce mercenaries like these who smelled bad.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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

It wouldโ€™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 Sultanโ€™s authority to rule his vassals and feudal lords, it was impossible for him to reject that authority.

โ€œHis Majesty is really unwell!โ€

โ€œAh. Yes.โ€

The young eunuch felt a little better at the polite treatment he received after a long time. However, that didnโ€™t mean he forgot the current situation.

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ณ๐˜บ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด?โ€™

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 werenโ€™t fooled by such lies. They ate only the best food and received the most courteous treatment, so what illness could they possibly have?

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ ๐˜ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด. . .โ€™

The chamberlain fidgeted with his fingers. The eunuchโ€™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 wouldโ€™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 Sultanโ€™s main force arrived in person.

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

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

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ข ๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ค๐˜ฉ. . .!โ€™

If Manansir had stepped forward when they were being chased by the Duke, they wouldnโ€™t be in such a miserable state right now.

That guy who didnโ€™t even participate in the battle is hiding because heโ€™s shocked??

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

โ€œThe Sultan is not particularly angry. A defeat of that level is nothing to the mighty Sultanโ€™s army.โ€

It was a lie. The eunuch didnโ€™t know how the Sultan reacted when he heard of the defeat, but he was grateful that he wasnโ€™t by the Sultanโ€™s side right now.

โ€œBut to keep using illness as an excuse. . .โ€

โ€œHeโ€™s really sick.โ€

โ€œI understand. But think about the people waiting outside. How humiliating is this for them?โ€

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 Sultanโ€™s knights out in the cold.

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜บ. ๐˜Œ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜บ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ, ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ. . .โ€™

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.

โ€œI understand. Iโ€™ll open the gate. Here. . .โ€

โ€œOh-ho.โ€

The eunuchโ€™s face brightened as he received the bribe as was customary. However, the eunuchโ€™s face soon darkened.

โ€˜๐˜โ€™๐˜ฎ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ๐˜บ-๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ, ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜บ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต!โ€™

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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.

โ€œWhy are you staring like that?โ€

โ€œAh, no. I was thinking that you looked very dignified. . .โ€

โ€œWell, of course. Weโ€™re not lackeys like the eunuchs.โ€

Johanโ€™s men said so and threw the Sultanโ€™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.

โ€œSound the trumpet!โ€

โ€œYou insignificant fools! If you donโ€™t want to die, keep your heads on the ground! His Highness the Duke is here!!โ€

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.

โ€œLetโ€™s go catch the thieving b*stard who stole His Highnessโ€™ ship, and the rogue who tried to kill His Highness!โ€

โ€œWhereโ€™s that Manansir! Tell me!โ€

โ€œT-This way. . .โ€

The chamberlain led the way with a dazed look on his face. However, he couldnโ€™t understand it at all, so he asked the eunuchs a question.

โ€œW-What on earth made you betray the Sultan? Arenโ€™t you afraid of the future?โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€œShut up.โ€

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!

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

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 didnโ€™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 didnโ€™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 thatโ€™s how it shouldโ€™ve been, but the situation was a little different now.

โ€œIf Manansir-nim doesnโ€™t wake up and come out right now, weโ€™re getting out of here, oaths be damned!โ€

โ€œAre you going to betray your loyalty?! Snap out of it! The enemy is just waiting for you all to fall apart!โ€

โ€œShut up, wizard! Itโ€™s been more than a month since we last saw Manansir-nim, even if weโ€™re being generous. He could be dead or alive for all we know.โ€

โ€œI am the one entrusted with all authority while Manansir-nim is recovering. Follow my orders!โ€

Manansirโ€™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 Manansirโ€™s side. These two were fiercely opposed to each other.

โ€œThis wonโ€™t work. Arrest him!โ€

โ€œ. . .How dare you!โ€

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.

โ€œW-What the. . .?โ€

โ€œYou 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!โ€

โ€œC-Calm down, wizard.โ€

The wizardโ€™s power didnโ€™t lie simply in his ability to manipulate the arcane. The ability to skillfully control oneโ€™s surroundings using that power was also essential for a wizard.

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

โ€œThe gate is open, but it wonโ€™t be easy to get to the inner castle from here. We can definitely defeat them! Repel them and buy some time to escape.โ€

โ€œWe know! Stop yapping.โ€

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.

โ€œCharge!โ€

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

โ€œI, Okarr, shall face you, you lowly mongrel!โ€

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 opponentโ€™s, was rumored to be a half-giant.

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

โ€œ. . .???โ€

โ€œWhere did you lowlifes who were hiding in some backwater come from! It seems youโ€™ve never met a real warrior before. Behold, the knight of knights! Taste His Highness the Dukeโ€™s sword!โ€

Johanโ€™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?

โ€œWhat nonsense. . . Ugh!โ€

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.

โ€œStop him!! Heโ€™s breaking through!โ€

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 couldnโ€™t block and had to dodge unconditionally. And not a monster, but a human!

โ€œGet out of the way. Donโ€™t waste time!โ€

Johan shouted in fluent Eastern and kicked away a personal guard. The personal guard who was sent flying with a scream didnโ€™t move anymore.

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

โ€œWizard!โ€

โ€œLord Wizard!โ€

Whenever they encountered a phenomenon that they couldnโ€™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 Dukeโ€™s monstrous strength was beyond imagination, but in a way, it could be seen as an opportunity. If the Duke collapsed or was injured, wouldnโ€™t all those fierce b*stards fall apart?

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

๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐!

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

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