Chapter 2073 – 2073. The Fallen Empire
I listened further to what the shop owner had to say.
It seemed there were some additional events that led to the territorial war against Count Morck, a high-ranking noble of the Empire, but ultimately, the war was mediated by the Empire and the Republic.
The stakes in this territorial war weren’t land. The distance between Count Morck’s territory and Veroprin was too great to wager land. Even if they won the land, it would be impossible to govern.
What Count Morck wanted was population, food, and war supplies such as weapons and armor.
What Park Suho wanted was population. If he won, he would gain 50,000 people. Conversely, if he lost the territorial war, he would lose 50,000 people and have to hand over war supplies. Since the justification was on Count Morck’s side, Park Suho had more to lose.
‘Park Suho’s abilities grow stronger depending on the size of the city. The current population of Veroprin is 150,000… If 50,000 people flow in at once, Park Suho will become incredibly strong.’
Park Suho might become an S-class hunter faster than me. Thinking about it made me feel a slight sense of crisis. Park Suho becoming stronger than me?
‘Just imagining it makes me feel bad.’
I didn’t want to have to read Park Suho’s face if he became stronger than me.
‘That bastard Park Suho has a shady side to him. They say that when people gain power, their true nature comes out… If he becomes stronger than me, he might reveal his dirty side.’
And I was also feeling a bit jealous.
I’m going into the game world, working my ass off to earn points and get stronger, while that bastard is easily getting stronger by inciting primitive people and offering them kimchi and pork belly.
‘He’s just getting a free ride.’
I wasn’t exactly envious, but my stomach was churning, so I decided to interfere.
“So, mercenary. Are you going to participate in the war? If you are, I can introduce you to a trustworthy employer.”
“Does a trustworthy employer even exist?”
“Our lord mayor does. I heard he’s hiring mercenaries on a large scale this time. If you’re confident in your skills, you should apply. You can make a good sum of money.”
“……It’s hard to decide right here and now. Getting involved in a war, especially in someone else’s city, doesn’t seem like it would end well.”
“You’re much more cautious than other mercenaries.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Of course. But I’ve seen many people regret being too cautious.”
“Alright. Thanks for the advice.”
I chugged my beer and went outside the tavern. I decided to check out the atmosphere of Count Morck’s territory and make a plan.
‘I need information to figure out how to intervene.’
Count Morck’s territory was a week away from Veroprin. That was based on walking, not by carriage. It was said to be straight southwest.
‘There are no merchants or mercenaries heading towards Count Morck’s territory. I guess that’s to be expected with a war.’
I would have to go alone. If I took out my bike and rode, I could probably get there in three days, but… Park Suho would 100% notice. To avoid being discovered by Park Suho, I had to pretend to be a local.
‘A mercenary is out of the question. I feel like I’m being subtly looked down upon.’
I heard that mercenaries were treated even worse in the Empire. That’s because they had knights, who were considered the Empire’s most powerful force.
‘I guess I should cosplay as a knight.’
To conceal my identity, I had to wear different equipment than Storm Breaker or Hwaryeonbi and refrain from using my conspicuous lightning abilities.
‘I have so much high-quality armor and swords made by dwarves that they’re practically rotting away. I should get a horse.’
You couldn’t talk about the Empire’s knights without mentioning horses.
Horses were expensive. In this world, they were a means of transportation that replaced cars, so they were even more so. But I wasn’t worried about money. I was the man who secretly controlled the Psychot Elf territory. I had more than enough money to buy a horse.
“You’re looking for a horse? The timing isn’t good. We’re not selling any horses right now.”
“Are you looking down on me because I’m a mercenary?”
“It’s not like that, please calm down. You’re a mercenary, so you must know. War is just around the corner. The lord mayor has rented all the horses here.”
“Rented? Not bought?”
“They say war is a battle of money. We’ve decided to rent out our horses for the sake of the lord mayor and this beautiful city.”
“Wouldn’t it be a huge loss if the horses die in the war?”
“We can bear that much. I hope this city will be victorious.”
I scratched my head. He was just a citizen living in the city, yet his loyalty was excessive. Was Park Suho giving them something extra? Or was this city that special?
I continued to wander around the city. I didn’t necessarily have to buy a horse from the stable. I could just pay a premium to a merchant or mercenary who had a horse.
‘These citizens are a bit strange. They’re preparing for war on their own, without the mayor even telling them to?’
I grabbed a random person and asked why they were preparing for war so diligently, and they replied that they loved this city.
‘I can’t understand it. It’s almost upsetting.’
Anyway, I got a horse through a merchant. It was a decent horse, except that it was a bit old. I rode the horse towards Count Morck’s territory. Of course, it was a mare.
Aside from the monsters that popped out along the way, nothing much happened. The monsters were sliced to death by my hand.
‘Riding a horse, it only takes three days to arrive. Now that I’m getting close, should I change?’
I changed from my comfortable clothes into my dwarven-made armor. It was armor that anyone could tell was high-quality and brand new. I thought about putting armor on the horse too, but I stopped. It was clear that this old horse would get tired quickly if it wore horse armor.
I headed towards Count Morck’s city with more confidence than anyone else. The guards guarding the entrance stopped me with tense expressions.
“W-wait a moment, please.”
“Stop? Is that how you dare to speak to me?”
I growled slightly, and the guard immediately lowered his head.
“I apologize! By order of the lord! Everyone without exception must have their identity checked! It’s because the territorial war with Veroprin is approaching, so please cooperate!”
It would be a bad idea to push my way in with the authority of a knight. They would be sensitive since the war was just around the corner.
“I am Aaron Daycart, son of Crom Daycart. I am a wandering knight, traveling the Empire in search of my destined lord.”
Of course, it was all a lie. But the guards didn’t suspect anything. It was a primitive world without anything like a resident registration card. My identity was guaranteed by the equipment and horse I possessed.
“A wandering knight! Did you come to help our territory?!”
“I might as well.”
“Thank you, Sir Daycart! This friend will guide you to the lord’s castle!”
“It’s fine. The lord’s castle is so big, do you think I can’t go alone? You guys just guard the entrance well.”
I rode my horse and entered the territory with confidence.
I didn’t head straight to the lord’s castle but looked around the city.
It didn’t have the same liveliness as Veroprin. Most people’s expressions were dark. Slaves in tattered clothes continued their hard labor. None of them blocked my path. They didn’t even try to make eye contact. If our eyes happened to meet, they immediately knelt on the ground.
‘It’s completely different from Veroprin. Well, this is more familiar to me.’
It was similar to the territories in the [Baekhwan] world. Commoners were commoners, and slaves were slaves.
Unlike the Republic, the Empire was dark. But it wasn’t just dark. The Felheim Empire gave commoners and slaves the opportunity to rise in the world. Power. In other words, they just had to prove their martial prowess. As long as they became a knight, their lives would be changed.
I looked around the city. It was shabby compared to Veroprin. There was no denying that. Veroprin was a city developed by Park Suho, the lord of Veroprin, with modern knowledge and goods. But I liked this city.
‘It’s only natural for primitive bastards to live primitively. I understand Park Suho too. The city has to develop for him to get stronger. But these guys will get out of hand if you treat them too well.’
They rebelled when they got a little too big for their britches. They rebelled because they wanted to live better when they were already living comfortably. They rebelled because the taxes were raised a little.
‘It’s easier to manage pigs if you raise them like pigs.’
Clop clop.
As I headed towards the lord’s castle, I felt a malicious gaze from an alleyway. It wasn’t a friendly gaze.
‘Is it because I’m an outsider? Or because I’m a knight?’
Either way, it didn’t seem like I needed to do anything right away.
I was able to meet Count Morck easily. Usually, nobles are depicted as having greedy expressions, but Count Morck was a muscular middle-aged man of 2 meters, closer to a warrior than a noble. The only thing that could be considered noble about his appearance was his white beard.
“Welcome to my territory. I welcome knights. Sir Daycart, I hear you are a wandering knight traveling the Empire? I know how difficult the life of a wandering knight is. I’ll get straight to the point. Would you like to become my knight?”
“Count. I am not wandering the Empire for a peaceful life. It is to serve my true destined lord someday.”
“Destined lord? Could I not be your destined lord?”
“I apologize, but I do not feel destiny from you, Count.”
Count Morck let out a hollow laugh. The four knights around him were the ones who flared up.
“How insolent! How dare a wanderer insult His Excellency!”
“Daycart. I’ve never heard of that name. You’re too stiff for a knight with no reputation.”
“Your Excellency. If you allow me, I will show that wanderer the power of the Dread Knights!”
“Your Excellency! Please leave the duel to me!”
The knights were vying to show their hostility. Did they really want to kill me? No. They were competing for loyalty. Count Morck was secretly enjoying it while pretending not to.
It was fun to watch the underlings compete for loyalty.
“Everyone, be quiet. Sir Daycart. I have a question. Your armor and sword are of the highest quality, but I’ve never heard of your name. Who knighted you?”
“Are you doubting me now?”
“Times are what they are. I just want to be sure.”
Even in an era with many nobles, it would be a matter of time before my identity was denied if I carelessly spoke the name of a noble. In times like this, I had to be even more brazen.
“That’s offensive.”
I set the mood.
I tensed my whole body and released mana around me. Count Morck’s face hardened, and the knights nearby put their hands on their sword hilts. They also raised their aura as if to oppose me.
They would know that my skills were extraordinary by now. I gathered my mana and released the tension.
“I apologize. I have a quick temper, so I was rude.”
“…No. I was the one who was rude. I was ignorant and insulted a knight like you.”
“I forgive you. But I’m not exactly a formal knight.”
“What?”
