novelraw Chapter 129 : Chapter 129
Chapter 129 : Chapter 129
Chapter : 129
Late at night.
It was a time when everyone should be asleep, but the lights in my office were not extinguished.
I was having a secret meeting.
"So, Viscount Avignon. They intend to move?"
"Yes. Lord. They plan to carry out the undertaking on the night the elf knights leave. They will set fire to the city to cause confusion and strike the inner castle. Count Bozen has also decided to move his army in time."
"As expected, Count Bozen is moving too."
A dog can't stop eating poop.
As expected, it was as expected. The greedy and ambitious Count Bozen mistook this turmoil for an opportunity and tried to raise an army.
Without even realizing that it was actually a massive trap that would destroy his own territory.
"Still, I am a bit... worried."
Viscount Avignon looked at my face and spoke cautiously.
"The number of mercenaries hired by the feudal vassals is too high. Haven't you allowed too many mercenary bands inside...?"
Just by a rough estimate, it amounted to a whopping 500 men. If we consider the soldiers brought by the feudal vassals and their subordinate knights, it was a large force approaching nearly a thousand.
Since almost all my troops had been moved outside, it was a formidable number to deal with.
Wasn't it at a level where we could collapse even before Count Bozen arrived?
Of course, hearing that story, I just spoke nonchalantly.
"Well, it's fine."
Although there were more than I thought, it was still within the expected range.
Rebellion is scary because it is a blow received unprepared when unexpected.
However, if one finishes all preparations within the sturdy inner castle and greets it, numbers are merely an illusion.
From then on, only strong defense and firepower were the main means to determine victory or defeat.
And I had prepared something very hot for them.
The weapon created by nagging the dwarf technicians since some time ago, the Repeating Crossbow (Chu-ko-nu).
Although the penetrating power was certainly weak, the rate of fire was outstanding. Moreover, no matter how weak the tension was, a crossbow was a crossbow.
Fired from within 10 meters, it was at a level that could not be ignored even if one wore armor.
But what about facing a phalanx of pikes and repeating crossbow fire in a narrow straight passage? What need is there to say more?
This was truly hell for the invaders. Additionally, the insufficient firepower would be supplemented by steel crossbows, so they would never be able to break through.
"I have prepared everything. Besides, isn't the Great Sage of the Forest also by my side?"
"Ah...! I see. I had forgotten. Lord."
"So do not worry. Rather, take care of yourself first. You must escape carefully from their midst. It's hard to distinguish friend from foe once the battle begins. Losing a capable person like you is more important than those trivial bastards."
"L-Lord...!"
At my words, Viscount Avignon teared up with a moved expression.
Who would care for a subordinate this much and say such touching words? From old times, a man dedicates his life to someone who recognizes him. Viscount Avignon vowed to do his best without a single mistake in this matter.
Of course, watching that, I...
'What? It was just a formal remark; why is he so moved?'
I was puzzled by the reaction, which was more intense than I thought.
* * *
-Forward!
-Giddy up-! Let's show our strength! For honor!
Making a noisy commotion, the elf knights drove their horses and left the city.
Finally, that day had begun.
I could have returned to the inner castle immediately to prepare, but I put on a dedicated performance for the bastards.
Holding a banquet until late at night!
Nobles and influential people from various places participated, eating and drinking recklessly, spending a chaotic time. As evening approached, most people were now staggering drunk.
I felt that the time had come.
Sure enough.
"Let's prepare slowly."
"Yes, I was about to do so anyway. Magician Agpiel."
Magician Agpiel, who was watching the situation, approached and whispered quietly.
I nodded, said I had some business for a moment, left the banquet hall, and headed straight to the inner castle office.
And there, I began to convene my key vassals.
"BAAA-HE-HE. Lord, what is this. BAAA. The world is spinning, spinning. Why did you call. BAAAA."
"Hmm? Did you not tell this friend?"
"Haha... Isn't his mouth rather loose? And the less he knows, the better."
"True... That is so."
"MAA?"
Bishop Marco, the goat beastman staggering drunk, tilted his head at my words.
Is there something I don't know?!
But that curiosity was soon resolved before long.
"L-Lord! It's a big problem."
A servant ran in huffing and puffing and shouted. Whether he had run a long distance, the servant was sweating profusely all over his body.
"What is it?"
"Th-there is a fire in the city. It is a tremendously huge fire. It is spreading to the residential area without any way to handle it."
Indeed, looking out the window of the office, I saw a crimson fire covering the city beyond the inner castle walls.
'They are moving exactly as Viscount Avignon said.'
Fortunately, the feudal vassals' plan seemed to be proceeding as is. I was inwardly worried about what if it went wrong, but fortunately, it wasn't so.
With a much calmer mind, I instructed those around me.
"Call all soldiers outside to the inner castle. And send someone to the inner castle library to quickly deliver the message that the time has come."
"Yes?"
The servant looked bewildered at my instruction.
It was understandable.
A fire broke out in the city, but instead of suppressing the fire, I gave a strange order to summon soldiers to the inner castle.
However, I cannot explain this one by one. When I made a stern expression, only then did the servant realize the seriousness of the situation and run out urgently.
And not long after, the soldiers I had prepared began to be deployed swiftly in the inner castle.
Preparation complete.
Now it was time to welcome the guests.
* * *
"WAAAAAA-! Let's defeat the brazen tyrant who confined Lady Juana, the stepmother!"
"Long live the legitimate successor, Lord João!"
The uprising was instantaneous.
The feudal nobles ordered their subordinates, whom they had scattered inside the city, to set fires, while simultaneously raising the mercenary captains and mercenaries they had bought off.
-WHOOSH!
The flourishing capital city began to burn.
"It's a rebellion!"
"E-Enemy attack!"
"D-Don't run away! Hold your positions!"
Shouts and screams erupted from all directions. Some guards who were off guard were helplessly defeated by the rebel forces of the feudal vassals.
Before they knew it, the city gates were occupied, and the feudal vassals leading their armies were entering the city triumphantly through the wide-open gates.
"Where is the tyrant Johan?"
Now they didn't even use his title. It was a very rude act, but no one said anything. In their hearts already, the Margrave of Bellua was nothing more or less than a deposed lord.
"It is said he slipped out in the middle of the banquet and went to the inner castle."
"What? This bug-like bastard is lucky."
"Uh-ha-ha. Not at all; rather, if he is in the inner castle, isn't he truly a rat in a trap?"
"Oh. Correct. Let's go quickly and drag him down."
Excited, they led their army toward the inner castle.
There were no soldiers blocking them, and the nobles in the banquet hall, who had sent people asking what the commotion was about, were only surprised and did not take any action against them.
In short, the trend had completely tilted.
"By the way, isn't there too little defense force? To break through this easily?"
Of course, there were some who were somewhat puzzled by the situation being too excessively smooth. However, most feudal vassals thought little of it.
"Since there is a fire, they must have gone to stop it."
"Still, a bit..."
"Ha, this friend really. So are you saying this is a trap? Say something that makes sense. You worry too much. Tsk tsk."
One feudal noble scolded like that and triumphantly went forward to throw open the tightly closed inner castle gate.
-CREAAAK!
And as the thick inner castle gate opened with a creaking sound.
"Uh...?"
Seeing the gap, the feudal noble unwittingly uttered a dumbfounded sound.
Because there.
"Rebels have appeared!"
"Kill them all-!"
It was full of the Margrave of Bellua's heavily armed soldiers equipped with a dense pike phalanx.
* * *
It was a thankful thing that they moved as expected.
It meant that I just had to follow the plan without useless variables.
In that sense, when the inner castle gate opened and I discovered the surprised faces of the feudal vassals beyond it, I was very delighted.
"Shoot! Don't leave the bastards alone."
Because I had obtained the best opportunity to wipe out this damned rebel army completely.
-THWIP THWIP THWIP THWIP!
-THWACK THWACK THWACK!
At my command, the loaded bolts were fired all at once. They covered the rebel army, which was still bewildered by the sudden appearance.
-ARGHHH!
-Kuh, cough!
-Enemy! Enemy!
-It's the Margrave's army-!
The front row fell in an instant.
Unfortunately, one feudal noble who opened the inner castle gate at the very front became a hedgehog, vomited blood, and died.
"No, what is this?"
"To think the Margrave's army is here!"
Seeing that, the feudal nobles were all surprised and fell into confusion.
This was really a trap!
Then aren't they in the worst situation right now?
"Oh my, get a hold of yourselves!"
Still, even a rotting fish is better than nothing; there was at least one decent guy among them.
"The Margrave's main force has all gone to subjugate the Arhen Mountains! Even if it's a trap, it will take a long time for them to return!"
That feudal vassal, who grasped the situation, was shouting to prevent confusion.
"Oh my."
Watching that, I clicked my tongue. It would be possible to finish quickly if they fell into confusion and collapsed, but it seemed this battle would be longer than I thought.
Sure enough.
"There is only a handful of troops near the Margrave! Charge and break them-! I will give gold coins as a reward to the one who breaks the enemy's vanguard."
"WAAAAAA-!"
As expected, that feudal noble handled the army skillfully. At the mention of giving gold coins, the mercenaries who joined the rebel army went crazy and began to rush in.
"Phalanx! Form the phalanx!"
"Front row forward!"
But my soldiers were not a ragtag bunch. They were veterans among veterans who had already fought dozens of battles. There was no way they would collapse from a charge like this.
-CLANG CLANG!
They immediately formed a formation and raised their pikes.
-CRUNCH!
-SQUELCH!
-ARGHHHH!
They instantly turned the rushing mercenaries into skewers.
-S-Stop!
-Don't push, you bastard. I'll die!
-Stop talking nonsense and break through!
The rebel army began to falter, saying "uh-uh" at the forest of spear blades that was denser than they thought, wondering where their momentum from just a moment ago went.
"Push forward as is! Make the bastards pay the price for treason."
Seeing that sight, I shouted.
In actual history, since ancient times, the solidity and power of the pike phalanx were the best. Moreover, this wasn't the only weapon I possessed.
-THWIP THWIP THWIP THWIP!
-THWIP THWIP!
The Repeating Crossbow.
From behind the pike phalanx, the repeating crossbowmen, who found their composure, nonchalantly pulled their triggers.
-Urgh.
-Kuh, ack!
Before long, the narrow passage of the inner castle became hell.