Chapter 424 – 121. Lord of Harsen (2)
In front of the speech stage in the square, the villagers were full.
‘There are more people than I expected.’
It seems to be more than ten thousand people. The contents of today’s speech will quickly spread throughout Harsen Castle through the mouths of those 10,000 people.
I was delighted inwardly.
If so, it will be of great help in gathering public opinion in the castle and raising morale.
At that time, Yuriel, who was standing next to me, said with a nervous expression.
“Young Ji-min was extremely crowded. Perhaps because it was a speech given by the lord himself, the plaza was filled up more than I thought.”
Yuriel is a knight who will not be broken even in front of 10,000 monsters. When she saw her tense face, she laughed involuntarily.
Of course, like Uriel said. Giving a speech to inspire everyone was not an easy task.
‘At the parade in Reinheim, I also borrowed the power of my attributes.’
That was when I lost my memories of myself.
It was never easy to give a speech without dying in front of the famous Essenmund elite soldiers in the Empire.
But now I have no intention of using that trait, ‘skillful demagogue’.
I have all my memories back. It didn’t make sense for Reinhardt’s people to die in front of his own people.
The characteristics displayed in the system in the first place are. Because everyone has the potential I had.
Looking at the gathered crowd, I felt rather excited.
‘They are the people of my territory.’
All of them are paying attention to me. They are all people of my estate. It also satisfied the desire to conquer as a demon dragon at the same time.
‘Yes. Harsen is a territory I own. I have no intention of taking any damage.’
As the lord of Harsen and the Demon Dragon. I intended to keep this Harsen Castle intact.
No, he intended to go further and deal a serious blow to the Byrea army that had invaded here. Although not easy. Nothing was impossible.
Viscount Hunier asked me in a worried voice.
“Younglord. If you need it now, we can write a speech and…”
“No. No need to. I already have everything I need to say in my head.”
Having said that, I stepped out to the center of the stage.
Ten thousand eyes were focused on me all at once. I held the magic tool handed to me by the chief wizard employed by the lord.
Like a microphone, so to speak. Soon, my voice echoed through the square through the chief mage’s sound amplification magic.
“A lot of people have gathered.”
As soon as I spoke, silence fell on the plaza. Everyone was waiting for my next words.
“You all already know this, but let me introduce myself first. I am Julian von Reinhardt. Heir to the Reinhardt family, the only family that rules Essenmund. And this place where you live, the count and owner of Harsen.”
It was a fact no one could deny.
Although the person who has been running Harsen is the lord’s representative, Viscount Hunier. I was the only person who owned the land.
“However, the reason I am here is not to play the role of an insignificant master in front of you.”
At those words, the eyes of the crowd changed instantly.
“Rather, I am here to ask you a question. I, Count Harsen Julian, will ask you.”
The crowd murmured at my unexpected words. And I spoke to them again.
“Gentlemen, are the people of Harsen really Essenmund?”
At my words, the atmosphere in the square changed.
***
Lucia was standing with the knights of the Midnight Sun on one side of the stage.
And he asked Charlotte what Julian had said a moment ago.
“What do you mean by that question?”
Lucia was puzzled.
Harsen is a city that belongs to the territory of the Margrave of Essenmund. So the people of Harsen were Essenmund.
However, the people gathered in the plaza seemed to be taken aback by Yulian’s question. Charlotte immediately explained why.
“This place Harsen was not a place that belonged to Essenmund in the past. Originally, it was a small country belonging to the Kingdom Alliance. Since the days of Atlin the Swordsman, it has been bestowed upon the Margrave by the Emperor’s decree.”
Charlotte’s brief explanation followed.
Because of that background, he said that there are some regional differences even within the same Essenmund.
Originally, the Essenmunds were people who lived in the most barren land of northern Island. So the Essenmundians were full of pride for their bravery and ferocity.
Because of that pride. The people of Reinheim, the capital of the Margrave, and nearby cities have quietly ignored western cities such as Harsen.
Even in the northern part of Essenmund, the Empire’s worst Keiatic Gate. There is even permafrost.
For the northerners of Essenmund, who have been tediously experiencing real battles with witches since childhood. There is no choice but to have such pride.
“But this place Harsen is not so barren compared to northern Essenmund. There is also a distance from the Keiatic Gate. It is also a place where the customs of the West still remain.”
So, said Charlotte, the Harsenians have a hidden sense of inferiority about their identity.
Then, it might have been that Yulian had touched the weak point of the Harsens for no reason. For some reason, I saw a moment of disappointment in the eyes of the people gathered in the square.
‘But there’s no way that Yulian-sama asked such a question without thinking.’
Yulian had not yet continued his next words, and was waiting.
After a while After observing the crowd’s reaction, Yulian continued to speak.
“I know what the northerners of Essenmund call you. The weaklings of the west. Or half Essenmund. I heard the people of Reinheim talking.”
Yulian was also talking about that. The moment Lucia’s expression is about to become more worried. Yulian hurriedly continued.
“However, I want to talk to you guys. Just because you were born and raised in the north of Essenmund doesn’t necessarily make you Essenmund. The same is true for me, the Marquis Heir.”
At those words, the crowd’s murmur grew louder.
“What is the lord talking about?”
“Since the lord was born and raised in Reinheim. Isn’t he an undeniably Essenmund?”
“Yes. You are a pure Northerner, unlike us…”
“For now, let’s continue listening to the lord.”
Julian spoke again.
“And those who, like you, live in the rear of Essenmund. I don’t think it’s right for them to be ignored as they are now, not Essenmund.”
At those words, the mood of the crowd changed again.
“Then does the lord not ignore us?”
“But… Isn’t it true that we are less brave than the northerners?”
“Obviously, we haven’t experienced as many fights with demon beasts as we did in the north of Essenmund…”
When Lucia overhears their words. Yulian raised his voice even more.
“People in the North are misunderstood. Where you were born Or how strong a person is is absolutely not a qualification as an Essenmund. An important thing is…”
At that moment, Yulian pulled out his sword and put it in his hand.
“Essenmund. Does he have the courage to draw out his sword to protect the place he lives in? That is all.”
Everyone in the crowd looked at Yulian’s sword as if possessed.
‘Siertia…’
A sword so beautiful that it cannot even be compared to a normal longsword. Light green light began to flicker from the blade of the holy sword.
“And right in front of Harsen’s yard, full of thieves are camped. Are you going to allow those bandits to devour your land?”
Everyone’s expression changed when he said that. Yulian asked the crowd about their will to fight.
After a moment of silence. All at once, the crowd started shouting.
“It is not so, my lord!”
“We must drive out the bandits!”
“We must fight!”
In response to that, Yulian’s expression also changed.
That beautiful face Lucia knew well. She began to change into a more serious and ferocious man’s expression than ever before.
“You guys know that too! You guys are right! The Essenmundians are such people. There have always been bandits constantly targeting the North. But the people of Essenmund, whether they be people or beasts, have never given up this north.”
Yulian shouted in a stronger voice.
“So prove it too! Draw out your swords! Shout after decapitating all those thieves! No one can take away the Essenmund land! That is the surest way to prove that you are Northerners and Essenmunds! It is to protect your land, Harsen, by yourself!”
At those words, heat began to boil in the square.
Most of the crowd gathered here were ordinary citizens, not soldiers. Their eyes were burning fiercely.
“I’ll draw my sword and cut that Byrea-kun’s head!”
“I will kick them all out! Harsen is the land of the Essenmunds!”
Those cries continued.
Sir Lot, who was with Lucia, was also surprised by their atmosphere.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the morale of the territories so high in this place, not in the North.”
And in response to that voice, Yulian shouted again.
“Not only that! Reinhardt’s heir, I am here! I too will raise the sword with you and prove myself to be an Essenmund. Now I’m going to ask you guys one more time! Are you of Harsen really Essenmund?”
At that, the crowd shouted even more.
“We are Essenmundians! I will draw the sword with the lord!”
“Reinhardt! Reinhardt! The Great Northern Master is with us!”
“We will prove that we are Essenmundians!”
At their words, Yulian nodded. He shouted, holding Siertia high.
“Yes! This is not a war! This is a festival for you! In the face of the bravery of the Harsens, they are like rabbit meat for a feast! Prove that you are Essenmund in this war! And I will offer those heinous Bairea soldiers as sacrifices to the festival!”
Cheers began to resound all at once in the square.
“Reinhardt! Reinhardt!”
Lucia and the Knights of the Midnight Sun.
At some point, he was concentrating on Yulian’s speech.
“Everyone draw your sword! I, Julian von Reinhardt, an Essenmund, will stand in the vanguard!”
Chae Chaeng-
At the same time, the Knights of the Midnight Sun also drew their swords.
“Essenmund! Glory be to Reinhardt!”
The heat in the plaza was further ignited by the shouts of the knights.
***
Three days have passed since the speech in the square.
Meanwhile, preparations for Mercury were proceeding rapidly. Although they accepted refugees from all over the Harsen territory and completely locked the gates.
Still, there were enough supplies left to last for a while.
“Most of all, the morale in the castle has gone up encouragingly. Not just the soldiers, but also the common people of the territory.”
General Whitner said that while looking at me sitting at the top of the table. I was in a meeting at the command center.
“I’m glad you did.”
I answered Whitner’s words calmly.
When my reaction was so calm, Whitner rather excitedly talked about it.
“What the lord has done is no small feat! No, it’s a great thing! The most important thing in war is to maintain morale. That applies to both soldiers and villagers. From Mercury’s position as it is now.”
“General Whitner is right. Byrea’s 10,000 troops are overwhelming elite compared to us. So, if we are intimidated by them from the beginning of the war, as we are now, it will be a great weakness for us.”
Like in Rott’s answer. The atmosphere at Harsen Castle was quite heated.
Non-soldiers, non-soldiers, also actively came forward to help Suseong. So, the supplies and manpower needed for Mercury were more replenished.
Such an atmosphere was passed on to the soldiers, and the soldiers also showed high concentration in the battles of the past few days.
‘It’s as planned so far.’
In fact, just having the only heir of Marquis Wilhelm here was enough to raise morale.
The maternal grandfather’s love for his grandson was known all over Essenmund. If I am in danger, my maternal grandfather will come running here by any means necessary.
So, for the residents of Harsen, the existence of the country itself becomes a great support.
‘But I shouldn’t rely too much on the family head.’
The maternal grandfather and the elite of the Midnight Sun continue to fight in the permafrost. If that line collapses, the whole of Essenmund will be in danger.
I told the people in the conference room.
“I received the news from the messenger of Reinheim. The Marquis can support 3,000 troops here. That too in two weeks.”
“Two weeks later… Still, with 3,000 troops, the Byrea army is in balance. Until then, we have to hold on somehow!”
“I will be able to hold on long enough. We already have enough supplies and morale for the castle.”
Everyone noticed me. Wittner said.
“That’s right! Since the lord has already prepared for war… When I first heard the instructions to prepare for war, I was worried too much… But if it hadn’t been for the lord’s prior instructions, it would have been a real disaster.”
“The lord’s foresight is indeed…”
The commanders all admired what I had done.
The preliminary work I did through contact with Hunier in advance. It was of great help in Mercury now.
“Still, it is too early to be vigilant. Byrea forces are not ordinary soldiers, but also include demons and monsters. The fight begins now.”
And that was when The door to the meeting room opened and a soldier entered.
“It’s a big deal! The siege has started again from the Byrea army!”
The expression of the commanders in the meeting hardened at the words the messenger shouted.
“It’s a big deal. Among the monsters, there are those who can fire as well as siege weapons…”
But I was calm.
“Nothing to worry too much about. Then let’s move towards the wall.”
It went well just in time. It was time to use the water-based weapon that Cecilia had introduced.
