How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 215: ๐„๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ, ๐ƒ๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ, ๐๐š๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ (1)

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต. . .?โ€™

The Eastern Rangers were quite well-known among the various armed groups on the continent, but ultimately they were just mercenaries and riffraff if you looked at their essence.

The nobles of the East had elevated them, but that was only because they were useful mercenaries, not because they respected their status.

Thatโ€™s why some Eastern Rangers dreamed of performing feats of arms and receiving knighthoods, but Joseph had no interest in such titles. He thought that even if a commoner received a title, it would only bring troublesome things.

. . .Yet now the knights were casually striking up a conversation with Joseph. They were knights from the Empire side that Johan had brought. To be honest, their presence made him uncomfortable.

โ€˜๐˜‰๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ซ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ.โ€™

โ€œTell us about your meeting with His Excellency the Count, Joseph. Did you encounter any monsters while chasing them? You must have fought against a strong opponent.โ€

As the knights kept prodding him, Johan stepped in to stop them.

โ€œLeave the Rangers alone. If you keep talking to them, they wonโ€™t be able to focus.โ€

โ€œOh really?โ€

โ€œThe Eastern Rangers have a talent for concentrating all their senses to find traces spread out and discover new paths. You shouldnโ€™t talk to them when theyโ€™re focusing.โ€

โ€œ?โ€

โ€œ??โ€

Galambos and Joseph looked at Johan as if asking what he was talking about. It was the first time they had heard such a thing. There was no reason for Eastern Rangers to have some kind of rule that they couldnโ€™t talk while working, they werenโ€™t priests or anything.

โ€œIndeed. . .โ€

โ€œSo there was such a custom.โ€

However, the Empire knights who were not from the East passed it by without any doubt.

โ€œBut why are they following us this far?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know either.โ€

Johan immediately answered Suetlgโ€™s question. Johan really didnโ€™t know. If they were prisoners, they would just stay put quietly and get released after paying ransom, so why โ€˜๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜น๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ!โ€™

โ€œBut wouldnโ€™t they still fight well?โ€

โ€œFrom what I see, what this rescue team needs now is not excellent warriors but docile people who wonโ€™t dig into your and my insides.โ€

Johan selected the strong and agile ones among the dwarf mercenaries to form the rescue team. It didnโ€™t seem necessary to form a large-scale rescue team since they would be wandering the mountains. The supply issue would only get more complicated.

In the first place, Johanโ€™s goal was primarily negotiation. He had no intention of getting into a bloody battle to wash blood with blood with the tribes in this mountain range. While the disgraced nobles might want an opportunity to regain their honor, that was their problem and. . .

In that sense, it wasnโ€™t bad for the Empire knights to participate. Excluding the fact that they didnโ€™t match Johan and Suetlgโ€™s personalities.

โ€œOnce we get over this pass, there will be a decent basin. I think it would be good to set up a camp there. . .โ€

โ€œDo you have something to say?โ€

โ€œThere are many places around here where you can graze, and you can find quite a few herbs, so shepherds from distant tribes come here too.โ€

โ€œWouldnโ€™t it be nice to ambush and attack them right away, Your Excellency?โ€

Iselia, who had been listening to the knightsโ€™ words with great interest, shook her head and said.

โ€œLooking at the terrain of the mountain range, it is more likely that the shepherd will spot us first if a shepherd comes. Then wouldnโ€™t the shepherd go back and report or call the main force instead of coming back? Since there is still some daylight left, I think it would be better to move to a better place.โ€

โ€œ. . .!โ€

โ€œ!โ€

Hearing Iseliaโ€™s words, Johan and Suetlg were so surprised they stared at her. Iselia smiled awkwardly.

โ€œWhy do you look at me like that, my dear? Did I say something wrong?โ€

๐–๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ก!

Johan hugged Iselia. Caught off guard by the sudden public display of affection, Iseliaโ€™s face turned red. But she didnโ€™t push Johan away.

โ€œSave this for when the sun sets. . .โ€

โ€œNo, thatโ€™s not what I meant.โ€

Johan patted Iseliaโ€™s back once as if delighted and stepped back. Her unexpected reaction had put him in slightly high spirits.

โ€œLetโ€™s move. Thereโ€™s still time, so we might be able to find a better campsite. Galambos, go with the dwarf scouts.โ€

โ€œI will go with you as well.โ€

โ€œOh come on, Joseph. You donโ€™t seem to need to go, do you? Stay here.โ€

โ€œYes. . .โ€

Joseph heaved a sigh of relief on the inside as he managed to subtly slip away from the suffocating atmosphere. He had wanted to stand at the vanguard.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

The mercenary, Heojen, licked his parched lips. Of all things, lack of water was an unbearable suffering.

When the rumors first spread through the city, he hadnโ€™t imagined things would turn out like this. It was just a job extermination mountain monsters for a generous payment.

Usually monsters were only dangerous when less than a dozen mercenaries were sent to exterminate them. With over a hundred, there was little risk.

But to end up trapped on this high ground, that was completely unexpected.

โ€œHave the nobles said anything?โ€

โ€œNo. They still seem to be in conference.โ€

At first the mercenaries were in good spirits, but now the mood was ominous. With supplies cut off, they had to make do with what they had brought along. Understandably so.

They were rationing their food and could eat their pack animals if need be, but lack of water was the real issue. They had come to a place where water was hard to obtain.

โ€œI heard a rumor that if we lower our flags, the dwarves will let us withdraw.โ€

โ€œWhat? Is that really true??โ€

The envoys sent by the tribes only spoke with the nobles in their tents, but rumors were bound to spread. Mercenaries fished for information from servants and attendants and were now gossiping amongst themselves.

Lowering their flags and withdrawing might be a greater humiliation for the nobles than dying, but the mercenaries didnโ€™t care. If they could just get away from here and spend the silver they had been paid, they were fine with anything.

โ€œEh. . . What are those dwarves doing down there?โ€

โ€œLooks like firewood. . .โ€

โ€œDamn it all. Hey! The dwarves are trying to send smoke this way!โ€

The dwarves who had long stayed in the mountains knew well how to fight here. They were using the wind to send smoke to torment the mercenaries. A simple yet effective tactic.

โ€œCough, cough. . .โ€

โ€œDo you think a relief force is coming?โ€

โ€œHow should I know.โ€

The mercenaries could only pin their hopes on a relief force of unknown arrival. But waiting without assurance was its own torment.

โ€œHey. Are you thinking of running away?โ€

โ€œMake a break for it? Weโ€™ll just get caught if we go back to the city.โ€

โ€œThen letโ€™s go somewhere else. The sooner the better, before security tightens up. We should run away under cover of night.โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

And there were more than just one or two mercenaries having this sort of discussion โ€“ mutiny, desertion. Seeing the mercenary morale, neither would have been surprising.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

โ€œWhy are they doing that?โ€

โ€œMy friend. I hear they have offended the sensibilities of the tribes here.โ€

โ€œHow foolish. Picking fights with the mountain tribes for no reason.โ€

The elf knights remarked on the commotion happening across the valley. To come to subdue monsters and end up fighting the tribesmen and trapped like that. It was a foolish thing to do.

โ€œShould we not help them?โ€

โ€œHelp those beast-smelling half-breeds?โ€

โ€œYou make a fair point.โ€

Without a banner of a noble house they recognized, they had no intention to stand up for nobles they barely knew. Besides, they had their own mission.

Armored in shining armor without a speck of mud, the elves turned their horses around.

Just then, they spotted another marching party coming from the other direction.

โ€œI wonder why so many keep coming. It will only get noisy and troublesome.โ€

โ€œIndeed, my friend.โ€

โ€œWait. Wait. . . Isnโ€™t that the banner of the Yeats House?!โ€

โ€œThe Yeats House? You mean the Count?โ€

โ€œYes! What luck meeting him here! Follow me!โ€

Recognizing Johanโ€™s banner, one of the elf knights waved his arm and spurred his horse forward. Dozens of elf knights chased after him. Their skill at riding at great speed even on the rough mountain paths was truly wondrous.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

โ€œItโ€™s an ambush!! Itโ€™s an ambush!!!โ€

An Empire Knight who had come out to scout directly drew his sword in a hurry and shouted. The main unit that was following behind began to stir in response to the sudden report.

โ€œWhich tribe is it? Speak!โ€

โ€œItโ€™s the elves, Your Excellency!โ€

โ€œElves. . .elves? There are elves living in these mountains too?โ€

Suetlg also had an expression that seemed to indicate this was his first time hearing of it. Though itโ€™s said that Dwarf Mountains harbor secrets living people donโ€™t know about within them, at least no one had heard anything about elves.

โ€œYour Excellency. You must prepare for battle! Sound the battle signal! I will go out first!โ€

โ€œA status report comes first. It will still take time for enemies to arrive on a road like this, so report properly. Any flags? Were the opponents prepared to fight?โ€

โ€œThat was not the case.โ€

โ€œ. . .Then why is it an ambush?โ€

โ€œBecause they are elves, Your Excellency.โ€

The other Empire Knights who had not witnessed the situation spoke as if it were natural.

โ€œYour Excellency, if they are elves, then it is indeed an ambush.โ€

โ€œI think it is likely an ambush as well, my dear.โ€

โ€˜๐˜ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถโ€™๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ. . .โ€™

Johan was at a loss for words seeing even the elf Iselia speaking seriously that it was an ambush.

Thatโ€™s how renowned the elven knightsโ€™ reputation was.

He didnโ€™t know why elven knights were in these mountains, but in any case, it was best to prepare for anything that could happen. If they charged forward, their ranks would crumble at once.

โ€œI am Lauren of the Atoris Family, son of Telphord! I subjugated hellhounds in Silvaron and participated in troll hunting in Marcel! These honorable feats prove who I am!โ€

However, instead of charging, one elf came forward from the elven knights and began shouting. Everyone murmured at the sudden shout. Johan flinched as he recognized the name of the family from somewhere.

โ€œWith proof of my familyโ€™s bloodline and feats, I have come to ask a question of you! Is His Excellency Johan of the Yeats Family present here?!โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€œSeems it wasnโ€™t actually an ambush then?โ€

The Empire Knight holding a halberd lowered his weapon with an embarrassed expression. Another knight next to him was even holding a mace.

โ€˜๐˜ˆ๐˜ฉ. . . ๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด. . .โ€™

Only then could Johan figure out who his opponents were. Lauren of the Atoris Family โ€“ one of the elven knights who had fought together with Johan to subjugate trolls in Marcel.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

โ€œI thought your excellency would surely build great achievements. I am so glad to meet you!โ€

โ€œThank you, Sir Lauren.โ€

The elf knight was genuinely happy to reunite with Johan. He had only vaguely guessed from the rumors he heard, but meeting him in person made the feeling special.

Johan, who held a sword as a knight and built up his fiefdom, was someone he had no choice but to respect.

โ€œAre you from the Bluea familyโ€™s Iselia?โ€

โ€œYes.โ€

โ€˜๐˜๐˜ด๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ?โ€™

โ€˜๐˜๐˜ต ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ๐˜ด ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถโ€™๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ. .โ€™

Lauren thought so but did not say it out loud. In the first place, marriages out of love were even rarer. Marriage was a union of families, individuals were not very important.

โ€œSo. . . what brings you here? This doesnโ€™t seem like a place fit for elf knights.โ€

โ€œHahaha. Youโ€™re right about that. My friends back there are wandering to build their reputations.โ€

Many young knights wandered the continent to build achievements in order to gain fame.

It wasnโ€™t just impoverished wandering knights who did so. Poor knights were poor, and rich knights were rich.

Such wandering was like a pilgrimโ€™s pilgrimage. Valuable and meaningful in itself as a custom.

โ€œDid you come here to hunt monsters?โ€

โ€œA bit different. Um. This is a secret, I hope your excellency will keep it to yourself.โ€

Lauren stopped talking. And stared hard at the Empire knights. It meant go away. The Empire knights grumbled and stepped back. It meant the elves were annoyed.

โ€œWe came to hunt the basilisk in the mountain range.โ€

โ€œ!โ€

Johan looked at Lauren in surprise.

The evil-eyed monster, the basilisk.

Its gaze alone could turn enemies into stone, and the poison it breathed from its body was strong enough to melt rock.

Needless to say, it was not an easy target even for knights.

โ€œIsnโ€™t it dangerous?โ€

โ€œ. . .Thatโ€™s not something his excellency should say, is it?โ€

Lauren looked at Johan as if he couldnโ€™t believe what he just said.

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