Chapter : 93

There was the minor(?) event of my infamy increasing, but what could I do about it?

I was already half-resigned and had given up.

‘I guess I’ll have to work hard at doing good deeds again….’

Honestly, it felt unfair.

Did I tyrannize people like other nobles, or impose harsh taxes, or go around destroying and burning things?

Ah, about burning the city… that wasn’t of my own volition, so it couldn’t be helped.

‘Ahem.’

Anyway, that’s the point.

It goes up for whatever I do!

I thought I was a pretty decent lord by [Pangea Universalise] standards….

‘Tsk…. Still, it’s a relief that it was worth enduring.’

I looked behind me and licked my lips.

The composition of my army had changed quite a bit. It might be hard to believe, but unlike before, countless nobles and knights were now with me.

And they were from the Kingdom of Aragon.

‘To think Baron Veno would be so helpful.’

Was it true that the first step is always the hardest?

The dwarf knight, Baron Veno, moved swiftly as soon as he defected to my side.

“This subjugation force is not an army to fight the Kingdom of Aragon.”

“Loyalty to a tyrant and oppressor, a foreign king? There is nothing more futile. The Prince-elector of Bohemia has promised to protect the rights of the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon!”

“This is to punish the excommunicated, officially recognized by the Holy See. A king who has been excommunicated can no longer claim his rights, can he not?”

He had personally persuaded the lords and knights we met while marching with my army.

“Huh?”

“Ahem. If Baron Veno says so….”

“Well, the king is indeed a tyrant.”

Even the nobles who were initially hostile towards me and the subjugation force were won over by Baron Veno’s persuasion and began to welcome me.

No, it went even further.

“Your Excellency, I wish for my sword to be with you.”

“I will lend a hand in punishing the oppressor king. Please accept my knights and soldiers.”

Now, they came on their own, holding their family banners, to join my army without me having to seek them out.

It had changed the perception from a confrontation between the kingdom and a foreign power invading it to one between a tyrant king and a righteous subjugation force!

Thanks to this, my army began to grow as we delved deeper into the Kingdom of Aragon, and it had already swelled to a force of 10,000.

“Your Excellency! We will soon arrive near Caleya.”

“Oh? Already?”

I was surprised by Baron Veno’s words.

Caleya was a city near Barca, the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon, and it was the city where the heretic subjugation forces were supposed to gather.

I had thought we were still far from arriving, as it was quite deep within the Kingdom of Aragon…. We were already there?

“Are there no other nobles in the vicinity?”

“No, Your Excellency.”

“It seems our advance was much faster than I thought….”

It was certainly effective that we didn’t plunder villages or small domains for plunder or supplies.

The more we did that, the more the local lords and villages would resist and even become hostile, hindering our advance.

“Is it not because Your Excellency showed the benevolence of forbidding plunder and instead purchasing supplies?”

“That’s right. Such a generous act has never been shown by anyone.”

The nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon who had joined us began to flatter me, cautiously observing my expression.

It was somewhat amusing how these guys, who had complained when I first forbade plunder, were now changing their tune, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

“Ahem. You people. Is this not a sacred army to drive out the oppressor king? Of course, we must not cause harm to the surrounding nobles.”

“Ooh-!”

“Truly, Your Excellency is the only one who thinks of us.”

“Meeeh! This humble lord! Praise him, everyone. This is the one beloved by God! Merr!”

“Aaaah-! O Lord, forgive my greedy self.”

When I subtly returned their flattery like this, they were impressed and moved by just this much lip service.

Usually, nobles, especially high nobles like myself, took all the credit for themselves.

But to share the credit with those around?

He was a truly rare high noble.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Of course, Magician Agpiel, who was watching this, clicked his tongue.

“Stop teasing the naive nobles and come over here and decide what to do.”

“A-ahem. Naive! Magician Agpiel. And I was not teasing them. I was truly praising them….”

“Ah, yes. I’m sure you were, my lord? So stop talking nonsense and come here.”

“Ugh….”

At a loss for words, I groaned and approached Magician Agpiel.

“What is it this time?”

“It’s time to make a decision. Whether to fall back and set up a garrison, or to prepare for a siege.”

“Hmm…. Where are the Prince-elector of Bohemia and the other nobles said to be? They should be arriving soon.”

At my question, Magician Agpiel shook his head as if it were out of the question.

“They are still said to be wandering about. It will take quite some time for them to arrive. In fact, it’s best to just fall back. This place is too close to the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon.”

“A rash siege could lead to being attacked from both front and rear.”

“That’s my point. It would be different if the Prince-elector of Bohemia’s army arrived on time, but if not, we would be in the worst possible situation.”

“Hmm….”

It was a reasonably valid point, so I agreed.

Although Caleya was a small city, it was still a city with sturdy stone walls.

If they hunkered down and defended with determination, it would not be easily captured.

‘Still, it’s a pity….’

Wars have momentum.

Once you ride that momentum, it flares up like a wildfire, becoming unstoppable.

In that sense, my army could also be said to have ridden that momentum.

After all, we had come this far with the support of the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon, rather than resistance.

But to retreat dispiritedly here?

‘The nobles who came along, swept up in the fervor of deposing the king, might come to their senses.’

There were many unsettling factors. This meant that we had to go for it, even if we failed….

“What are you going to do?”

“Umm….”

At Magician Agpiel’s question, my mind became complicated. I couldn’t think of a way to overcome this situation.

Then.

“Ah?”

“?”

An idea suddenly flashed through my mind.

“Let’s try this.”

* * *

“What? The army led by the Prince-elector of Bohemia has arrived near Caleya?”

“W-well, it’s not the Prince-elector of Bohemia, but the army led by the Bellua Margrave who is with him, they say.”

“In the end, isn’t that fellow also moving under the same banner! Besides, their forces are said to be as many as 10,000, what on earth have you lords been doing?”

The King of Aragon’s face turned beet red. It was because he had heard an unbelievable story as soon as he woke up in the morning.

The vicinity of Caleya was so close to the capital, Barca, that it was practically at its doorstep.

And yet, such a large army had appeared out of thin air.

It was enough to make him go mad.

The King of Aragon wanted to immediately behead the nobles who had neglected their defense.

At that moment, a noble stepped forward and spoke.

“Calm yourself, the main force led by the Prince-elector of Bohemia has not yet arrived, and as far as I know, Caleya Castle’s defenses are strong enough that it cannot be captured with a mere 10,000 soldiers.”

“Ah, Sir Steffen.”

It was the great general, Count Andreas Steffen, sent by his brother, the Holy Emperor.

His nickname was the Undefeated Knight.

He was a person whom the cornered King of Aragon had no choice but to trust completely.

“Some of the vermin-like nobles from the east have betrayed us, but it is not a large number. Their solidarity is poor, and their fighting skills are also famously unremarkable, are they not?”

“Ahem….”

At the scathing words, the nobles from the Kingdom of Aragon let out uncomfortable sounds, but Count Steffen paid them no mind.

“Raise an army even now and strike at their rear. Since the Prince-elector of Bohemia’s army is still moving separately, this is a golden opportunity to defeat them one by one.”

“Oh? Is that possible?”

“Of course. Just trust me, Your Majesty. There is a reason the Emperor sent me. If the city of Caleya responds, and we attack from behind, they will be crushed miserably.”

“Indeed! That makes sense. I will follow your opinion completely!”

The King of Aragon shouted in joy.

No matter how he looked at it, Count Steffen’s opinion was correct.

If they were met by the city of Caleya and his own army from the front and back, those filthy traitors would be mercilessly crushed.

The king did not think for a moment that the city of Caleya would be captured.

* * *

“Are we really going to go through with the plan? If things go wrong, it could become serious.”

“Meeeh. That’s right, my lord. Even if you are beloved by God, this is too reckless. Merr.”

“Still…. shall we not give it a try?”

“That’s right. As the human lord says, it’s worth a try. Did you think Baron Veno and the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon would follow us like this?”

“Hmm….”

As we arrived right in front of the city of Caleya, opinions were divided.

That was how absurd and unconventional my proposed stratagem was.

To leave the army behind and have myself and the nobles enter the city with dignity.

Well, if it were a simple visit and not an invasion, it was something they would naturally accept, but were they not strictly speaking invaders? It would be a relief if they didn’t get shot with arrows upon arrival.

But I shrugged my shoulders.

“That’s why we are going with the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon, isn’t it? Surely they wouldn’t just start shooting arrows at the sight of their own country’s noble’s banner.”

“Ummm…. well, that’s true…. Egh, let’s just try it your way for now. If it doesn’t work, we’ll think about it then.”

In the end, Magician Agpiel surrendered to my opinion. Come to think of it, there was no other way to persuade them.

I grinned and headed straight for the gates of Caleya city with the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon.

“Th-there, the enemy!”

Of course, the garrison commander who saw this movement from the top of the wall was startled.

“Quick, inform the city council. The enemy has invaded!”

“Y-yes, sir.”

The garrison commander sent a messenger into the city while shouting at the approaching group.

“Halt! Go back! Our city of Caleya will not surrender to unjust external pressure! If you come any closer, we will shoot arrows!”

Usually, a warning of this level would make them hesitate or turn back.

But instead, they approached even more confidently and shouted.

“I am the Bellua Margrave. I wish to enter the city of Caleya with the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon. You! By what right do you block the right of passage!”

“???”

The Bellua Margrave? Isn’t he the famous noble of the heretic subjugation force? But why is he visiting Caleya city with the kingdom’s nobles?

The garrison commander thought those words were a lie to deceive them.

But upon seeing the banners held by the nobles next to me, his expression turned dumbfounded.

“Uh…. Huh? Why are the kingdom’s nobles…?”

He rubbed his eyes to see if he was mistaken, but no matter how he looked, it was real.

Moreover, as they got closer, the faces of the nobles standing next to them were all too familiar.

Weren’t they the nobles who had been interacting with the city of Caleya all this time!

“Wh-what is this?”

I shouted at the astonished garrison commander.

“Open the gates. This is the army that has come to judge the excommunication of the King of the Kingdom of Aragon. I am the Bellua Margrave, who leads this honorable army! I intend to stay in this city today, so open the gates.”

“???”

The content was exactly as he knew it, but their actions were so confident that the garrison commander was confused.

Were they friend or foe?

There were too many nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon to treat them simply as enemies.

Besides, for them to be enemies, the army stationed over there was setting up camp too peacefully.

As if there would be no battle.

“I have no intention of capturing the city. I did not come here to plunder the Kingdom of Aragon in the first place! I merely wish to stay in the city of Caleya today with the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon.”

The banners of the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon. And on top of that, the familiar surrounding lords. The garrison commander fell into a panic.

“Meeeh!”

At that moment, the goat beastman Bishop Marco stepped forward.

“Open up at once. Merr? The performer of miracles has arrived! Meeeh!”

In [Pangea Universalise], where religion was dominant, the status of a bishop was not just noble, but venerable.

And with such a bishop taking the lead.

“Seeing as you are blocking us like this, are you heretics? Meeeh!! Open the gates at once! Merr.”

When he said this, even the garrison commander had no choice.

“Uh…. Ah…?”

He had opened the gates in a daze.

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