How to Live as a Wandering Knight

“So, what do you think about Horamric?”

“If what you said is true, there’s nothing to lose.”

“Right. Horamric didn’t seem to have many useful knights around him. In such times, someone like you. . .”

Caenerna stopped mid-sentence. Johan and Suetlg urged her on.

“Continue what you were going to say, why don’t you?”

“What were you about to say? Brave? Bold?”

“Cruel? Fierce?”

“. . .I was going to say that one can’t help but be swayed by a knight more remarkable than Cardirian, but. . .”

Caenerna was perceptive enough to know that Johan disliked not only the anti-Emperor faction but the Emperor himself quite a lot.

“Was the Emperor such a great knight?”

“Ah. . . Cardirian II was a clumsy feudal lord, a despicable Emperor, but. . . as a warrior, he was exceptional.”

Suetlg nodded as if he understood what was being said.

“He was really impressive in his youth. Not only did he kill several in tournaments. . . Of course, in my opinion, you seem better.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“It’s not a compliment. Really better. In my opinion, the Emperor still believes he’s the brave warrior of his youth. He thinks that by killing his opponents on the battlefield himself, all problems will be solved, even though it’s not the situation.”

At Suetlg’s words, Caenerna nodded. The court wizard of the Emperor nodding her head gave credibility to the statement.

“Excessively. . . trying to solve everything with force.”

“Anyway, becoming friends with Horamric-gong was a good thing. You really make friends with people well.”

“That’s true. It’s curious. . .”

Caenerna was surprised. Johan didn’t seem like a sociable person at all. He had a unique charm, but it didn’t seem like the kind of charm that would quickly endear him to high-ranking nobles.

“If we really become close, we could marry him and then kill him and swallow up his assets. . .”

“Unless the duke is a fool, he wouldn’t leave such a thing alone. It should be done after the duke’s death.”

“Indeed. . .”

The two wizards exchanged grim jokes. Though it was a joke made in the absence of others, Johan felt a chill.

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While Johan was hiring an administrator and touring the town for refurbishment, the mercenaries and warriors were having a carefree, enjoyable time without any worries.

Having gained massive spoils and rewards, it was strange for anyone near the city not to indulge.

However, as playtime started to bore them, the most hot-tempered ones started to approach Johan and ask where the next expedition would be.

“Let’s attack the petty kingdom, Sir Knight. They’re out of their minds right now! Plus, among us, there are a few who know a lot about them. . .”

“No! Let’s raid the city folks! Do you know how wealthy those city people are? Just looting one city in the southern peninsula. . .”

“Pirating ships doesn’t seem like a bad idea either.”

“Cr. . . Cra. . . Crazy? Go on the sea? Take a ship??”

The tribal warriors were intoxicated by the valor Johan displayed and the spoils that followed.

They wanted to follow him wherever he went!

Of course, some tribal warriors thought, ‘𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩,’ but anyway. . .

But the next expedition took a direction Johan never expected. An unexpected figure came to Umdim.

It was Bishop Biagione from the Republic of Beneto.

“The bishop came to see me?”

Johan was flustered for the first time in a while. A bishop of such rank not only had high standing within the church but also wielded secular power. There were several bishops like Bishop Biagione who owned fiefdoms.

Of course, Johan wasn’t flustered because of the power. He was surprised because someone with whom he had no expected interaction had come.

“He’s waiting outside. Quickly, an answer. . .”

“Buy some time. Suetlg-nim. Quickly think of a reason!”

“How would I know the inner thoughts of a clergyman?!”

Suetlg grumbled in disbelief at Johan’s sudden urgency.

“Hmm. Perhaps he’s heard about your devout reputation and has come to see you.”

“I doubt that.”

“?”

“I know Bishop Biagione. He’s famous.”

Caenerna said this while forming a circle with her finger.

The lower priests working directly in the town and helping people were mostly deeply faithful and frugal individuals. Even if they wanted to be greedy, it was difficult for them.

However, the higher one went, the more greed began to appear.

It was somewhat expected. Those who had been nurturing their faith since childhood in monasteries didn’t usually rise to high positions. To ascend to high ranks in the church, one needed lineage or a background.

Being from noble families was basic, and to become a bishop, one either had to perform miracles or spend a vast amount of gold. Bishop Biagione belonged to the latter category.

Being a noble from the Republic of Beneto and receiving substantial support, he was practically a city person.

“Then, did he come for a donation?”

Johan had no intention of donating. He should have gone to the duke or Repiata, why come to him?

“Surely the bishop wouldn’t ask a knight for donations. . .”

As Caenerna spoke, he sensed something odd. Johan’s attitude was too nonchalant.

Normally, when a bishop visits, devout people should be shedding tears of joy, right?

No matter how bad the rumors about the bishop were, a bishop was still a bishop. Ordinary people considered it a lifetime honor just to meet one and shake hands.

“It’s not out of faith, nor gold coins. . . What’s left then, if not force?”

“Ah. That must be it.”

The wizards immediately accepted this reasoning. After all, it made the most sense. This area was a bustling marketplace for mercenaries, and it would naturally be a source of anxiety for the republic.

The city of Umdim, which had recently fallen to the duke, and its surrounding area were precisely where one would land if they toppled over from the republic.

Of course, it was unlikely that the duke harbored the insane delusion of conquering the republic. The scale of Umdim city and the republic were entirely different.

However, it was entirely possible to reduce their influence in the vicinity.

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“Oh, brother in faith! To meet like this!”

Upon meeting, the bishop was overly familiar. He was under a misconception due to the money rumors among the monastic order and priests.

‘𝘈 𝘬𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘦?’

It felt like a divine opportunity that such a knight would appear before him in these times and under these circumstances.

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