How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Jyanina was flustered. As she was about to say ‘𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯,’ she flinched at the mysticism oozing from Johan’s silver sword.

Mysticism was clearly pulsating from the sword’s spirit.

“Didn’t you notice, Your Excellency? Something must have changed for sure!”

“Do you know me as an *sshole?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. . .”

Jyanina desperately racked her brains. She had to prove her point now that things had come to this. Cyclops, if it was a cyclops. . .

There was a high possibility that its unique power was contained.

“Don’t you feel a surging sense of power? This dagger is. . . Guh!”

As soon as Jyanina drew the dagger, Iselia punched Jyanina in the stomach and grabbed her by the neck.

Jyanina, who was grabbed, dropped the dagger and desperately opened and closed her empty palms as if she had nothing.

“Misunderstanding, *cough cough*, misunderstanding. . .!”

“Iselia. You can let her go. She can’t do much with just a dagger in her hand. From now on, open your mouth before taking out a dagger.”

‘𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. . .!’

While coughing with her neck grabbed, Jyanina cursed the elves. When she met Iselia in the fiefdom, she was slightly attracted to her as a gentle and kind noble.

But elves were still elves. Their race’s unique militant and daring personality did not suit her at all.

“I’m. . . I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

“Hmm. It’s good to apologize for mistakes. You can fix them as you go.”

As Iselia said this sincerely, Jyanina got even more angry.

‘𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘴!’

“So what do you want me to do with this dagger?”

“I thought that if it was the power of the cyclops, it would be able to easily break a dagger. . .”

Johan nodded and gripped the dagger with force. Although it was made of quite solid steel, it snapped in an instant with a “pop”.

Jyanina’s expression brightened.

“I told you, Your Highness!”

“Jyanina. I don’t have a sword in my hand right now.”

“. . .????”

Only then did Jyanina realize that Johan had a sword at his waist. He had put it back in its sheath when Iselia hit her earlier.

“Draw it again and. . . try it. . .”

“Hmm. Doesn’t seem to have changed.”

Johan still didn’t feel much of a difference. The mysticism from the sword did not enhance Johan’s power. Something flickered past Jyanina’s confused mind.

“Ah, that’s why, Your Highness! Because you’ve already tapped into power, receiving the cyclops’ power wouldn’t make much of a. . .”

“My dear. That wizard seems a bit. . . hard to believe.”

Iselia whispered softly. As a noblewoman, Iselia was also well aware of con artists posing as wizards.

While Suetlg was an exceptionally gifted wizard that could not be denied, Jyanina was found quite lacking.

“Well anyway, I get it. I’ll try to believe it.”

“Your Excellency, this is real. . .! There can be no other reason. . .! Ask Suetlg-nim too!”

“How can I ask when we’re on a ship?”

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“Good place for pirates to show up.”

“Yes. You can see all sorts of pirate scums gathered here from all over. Monotheistic pirates, polytheistic pirates, slave pirates, noble pirates. . .”

The islands around here were intricately intertwined with small islands, and the currents were also strong and rough.

It felt like a great place for pirates to prowl and engage in roguery.

“The republic keeps trying to expand into the Ulcana Peninsula. Aren’t they drooling over these islands too?”

“How could they not be drooling?”

Not only the Republic of Beneto, but other city republics and petty kingdoms were also eyeing Vynashchtym’s rich and abundant lands.

Properly utilizing these islands could turn them into both outposts and trading ports.

“But occupying suitable islands isn’t easy, so they’re just putting it off for now.”

The islands Horamric received as fiefs were on the small side, only good enough to serve as fortresses or outposts and nothing more.

The republic wanted bigger islands with cities on them.

“Where is that?”

“Further south from where we’re headed, the Korhe Island. It’s quite a large island, with many coveting it. . .” Hey.”

Giada flinched at the flag waving from another ship while speaking. A signal had gone up.

“It looks like pirates have appeared, Your Excellency! I will demonstrate my skills.”

“Looking forward to it.”

The skills of republic sailors were famous. They were accustomed to naval battles and read the Edene Sea like the back of their hand.

Recognizing the unique galley shape of the republic’s ships, the pirates did not engage and instead fled in panic, turning their ship around.

Naval battles in this world were quite primitive. Colliding into each other for melee combat, showering iron shells and arrows – and getting more intense by mobilizing siege weapons like catapults.

In these fights, the most important factor was the tonnage of the ships. The bigger and taller ships had an absolute advantage.

Well-versed in building these galleys, the republic was the nightmare of pirates with their large and powerful galleys.

“Running away.”

“. . .Don’t worry, Your Excellency, they’ll be back soon. Pirates are ferocious and brutal but not stupid enough to just run away in situations like this.”

Retreat when disadvantaged and wait for another day.

It may have sounded obvious when heard briefly, but not everyone could pull it off. Shaking off pursuit while fleeing without scattering requires more than just a motley crew.

Let alone pirates being able to demonstrate such close-knit solidarity and loyalty. Retreating like this would only disperse them. They probably knew this well themselves.

“Not coming?”

“. . . . . .”

However, there was no counterattack even as the ships approached the island. Giada looked around with a perplexed expression.

“Hey. Where are they? Check the ambushers properly.”

“Searched twice over. Looks like the b*stards abandoned ship and went up the island but. . .”

“Really none? Good spot to attack here, isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s not my responsibility if cowardly b*stards got scared and ran away. . .”

Giada had no words for the sailor’s protest.

“Alright. We have to land right away if the pirates fled. Tell them to dock the ship.”

“Yes. Got it.”

Giada explained to Johan as if making excuses.

“They probably went up to ambush after landing. Please wait a bit. I will show you how republic sailors land.”

“I didn’t say anything though.”

As Giada said, the pirates were waiting for them to land and ambush.

As soon as the soldiers disembarked after the ship had anchored, the pirates sent envoys carrying white flags. It was a proposal to abandon the island in exchange for guaranteeing their assets and lives.

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“Are you crazy asking me to guarantee your property?”

“T-Then, just our lives. . .”

“Hmm, I’ll think about that much.”

Johan’s harsh words quickly discouraged the pirate envoys.

Judging by their looks, it seemed the pirates hadn’t expected much property guarantee either.

They had good numbers and nothing to lose, so why would they guarantee property as well?

Guaranteeing their lives was the most important. Just not being sold into slavery would be a huge blessing.

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥.’

Giada and Iselia, who hadn’t gotten to show their skills in naval battles or take any heads, sat with subtle, frustrated expressions.

The pirate envoys glanced around nervously without a clue.

“Fine. Once the inspection is over, I’ll release you from the island.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency! Your generosity is. . .”

“Go back and send more people.”

After landing, Johan toured the island’s fortress. It was quite sturdy for a small island. It was in disorder after being occupied by pirates, but looked usable for a long time after repairs.

‘𝘐𝘵’𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵.’

“Double the patrols in case the enemies ambush after letting down their guards. Mercenaries will take turns standing watch.”

“Mounted warriors, follow me. We’ll patrol the vicinity.”

Giada and Iselia enthusiastically prepared for raids. Rather than actually preparing for raids, they seemed to hope for one to happen.

It was absurd enough for Iselia, but even Giada was acting like that. It made Johan wonder what was up with their pride.

“I’ll be resting in the tent. Call me if anything happens.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Shall I keep you company?”

Jyanina cautiously asked. While it was true Johan feared the ladies, he couldn’t always avoid them. He had to establish himself and gain favor to get introduced to other nobles while staying at court.

“I don’t think that’s something you can help with.”

“. . .What is it? I’m quite good at chess, you know.”

“No. I was thinking of reading a book written in the ancient imperial language. But you don’t know it, do you?”

“. . . . . .”

Jyanina wasn’t always wise in her life, but she had never lost her position as a mystical advisor among nobles.

Yet now she was being looked down upon in terms of academic knowledge even by a noble knight. Unable to refute, she felt even more upset.

“. . .Y-You could just tell me about it. Ha, ha, haha. . .”

“Hmm. Maybe I should.”

Jyanina was more nervous than when she lied to the emperor for gold.

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“My dear, I’ve caught a spy.”

“?!”

Lit by a fire fueled by dragon oil, Johan was startled by Iselia’s voice while testing Jyanina’s knowledge as he read ancient books in the bright tent late at night.

“Where’s the spy? Vynashchtym? Pirate?”

“A pirate. Look.”

Iselia proudly held up a pirate by the nape of his neck. He seemed to have been beaten up so badly that he didn’t dare resist.

“I. . . I’m not a spy.”

“No spy ever admits they’re a spy.”

“That may be so, but. . . you look familiar?”

The pirate brightened at Johan’s words. Fortunately, Johan remembered his face.

“Yes, Your Excellency. You showed me mercy and released me.”

The pirate was Tamir. He was released for his exploits against southern pirates when suppressing them on the peninsula.

“Even after Count Yeats showed you mercy, you went back to piracy. You are not worth forgiveness.”

“But. . . I didn’t raid Count Yeats’s fief. . .”

Tamir spoke as if very wronged. Hearing that, Iselia was convinced.

“That is true.”

“Don’t get convinced so easily, Iselia. . . So why did you come here, Tamir? To show gratitude for mercy and be shown it again? Or to ask for guaranteed property?”

“Neither. There is a noble from the empire here.”

“There are more than three empires here, which one?”

There was the Holy Empire, Vynashchtym empire, and Eastern Empire, etc.

“Oh, sorry, the Eastern Empire, Your Highness.”

“Why has a noble from the Eastern Empire come here?”

While the Eastern Empire was encroaching north after occupying the southern part of the Ulcana Peninsula, they were still far away. Most advances were blocked with little gains.

But the sea was different. The Eastern viceroys and nobles wanted to occupy islands and ports through the sea. The western coasts were difficult to occupy and hold via land due to mountain ranges, so the sea was preferable.

Naval power was important here.

Pirates were always good pawns. The pagan ones often worked as mercenaries for the Eastern Empire as well.

The noble who came here was an envoy sent to persuade local pirates to serve them.

But meeting the sudden raid fleet here was terribly unlucky for the Eastern Empir noble envoy.

“We need to capture him.”

“Yes, we do.”

They almost let him sneak away among the pirates. Johan nodded.

“Thank you, Tamir. Thanks to you, we didn’t lose the noble.”

“I merely returned the favor, Your Excellency.”

Tamir spoke with dignity. He would have looked more credible if not beaten up by Iselia. As is, he just looked pitiful.

“Take him and treat his wounds. And capture that noble before the pirates leave. We need to collect ransom for him.”

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