novelraw Chapter 94 : Chapter 94
Chapter 94 : Chapter 94
Chapter : 94
When the garrison commander reported in, the magistrate of Caleya city was unconcerned.
He simply thought that what was to come had come. Surrender was out of the question, and the magistrate intended to just hole up in the castle and hold out.
Wasn't it a fight between a foreign king and a foreign army anyway? He didn't want to get involved and end up like a shrimp crushed between whales.
He just hoped it would all pass.
He wanted them to fight and settle it among themselves.
But…
“M-Magistrate. The Bellua Margrave and his nobles have entered the castle.”
“What? Who entered?”
The magistrate was startled by the new report. With sturdy castle walls, what could they have possibly done to get through?
“N-no way. Have the gates been breached already? What in the world was the garrison commander doing?”
“N-no, sir,” the magistrate replied.
“?”
But the answer that came back was even stranger.
No? What did that mean?
The magistrate looked at the messenger, unable to understand.
“The gates weren't breached, sir. They say the Bellua Margrave simply passed through the gates and came in.”
“?!”
Then, the messenger's following words were even more absurd.
“Who? Who didn't stop them? Don't tell me the garrison commander betrayed us? After I treated him so well, how could he betray me! That damned bastard.”
The magistrate's anger flared up. But he quickly regained his composure and questioned the messenger again.
“Ah… damn it! What's it like outside? Is there any way to escape the castle?”
Either way, the castle had fallen, so he had to flee. It was clear he wouldn't see a good end if he was captured.
However, the messenger's answer was enough to throw the magistrate into confusion once again.
“No, sir. It is very peaceful outside. There is no looting or arson.”
“?”
“The Bellua Margrave and the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon are now waiting for your invitation outside.”
“???”
* * *
“You… you're truly amazing.”
“I was just lucky, Magician Agpiel.”
It was true.
I had done it with the thought, ‘Would this really work?’
But it did?
How wonderful.
The power of the religious fame I had steadfastly built up had been demonstrated like this.
For some reason, my infamy had risen because of it, but as expected, having a high reputation was a truly good thing.
“Luck is only for those who are qualified. In that sense, you are very excellent.”
“I'm a little bewildered by Magician Agpiel's sudden praise?”
“Ahem, you there. Are you now complaining even when I praise you?”
“Hahaha. I'm just kidding.”
I joked lightly and rested in the mansion the magistrate had prepared for me.
Whatever the process, the moment I entered the city, Caleya city had no choice but to be with me.
I wondered what would happen if they betrayed me, but that wasn't easy either.
“Besides, how did the King of Aragon's scouting party arrive at that exact timing? Truly….”
That was right.
The moment my army entered the city and the banners of myself and the nobles were raised, the scouts of the advance party sent by the King of Aragon just happened to arrive.
They had come to support Caleya city, but instead, they returned in horror.
No matter how they looked at it, it seemed as if Caleya city had betrayed them. Thanks to this, the magistrate's face, who had received the report, had turned from livid to as pale as a corpse.
“Still, you should appease the magistrate well. That way, the other cities that are on the fence won't turn their backs, will they?”
“I've already made it clear that I won't cause any harm to the city. And since I've decided to buy some supplies from the city at a premium, there shouldn't be any major complaints.”
“Hmm. Well, if you've done that, then that's a relief. You've instructed them well.”
Chasing small profits in front of you often meant missing out on big gains.
In that sense, Magician Agpiel found this young noble quite admirable.
‘There’s a certain pleasure in just watching from the side.’
Was this how the magician who followed the knight-king in the folktales felt? Magician Agpiel thought he was enjoying himself in his old age.
“So, are you planning to hold out in the city until the main force led by the Prince-elector of Bohemia arrives?”
“Ah, the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon and Biden have already asked me about it. They said that since they know the geography, they would like to try a surprise attack.”
“Hmm. But? You don't seem too keen on it?”
At Magician Agpiel's question, I frowned slightly.
“There's something that's bothering me, Magician Agpiel.”
“Something bothering you?”
“Yes. Think about the king's scouting party. Didn't they move surprisingly fast? If we had entered just a little later, we would have been surrounded from front and back. Caleya city would have also kept its gates tightly shut and not opened them.”
“Hmm, that's true.”
There was definitely someone with sharp insight.
And if it was someone like that, it was clear that any clumsy, small-scale surprise attack would be completely blocked.
There was no need to needlessly accumulate defeats and lower morale, was there?
* * *
“Damn that Steffen bastard! To think he'd follow us all the way here and interfere.”
The Prince-elector of Bohemia erupted in anger upon hearing the report.
The detached force of the King of Aragon, led by Count Steffen, had begun to crush the scattered subjugation forces one by one.
The number reported so far was already close to 3,000.
The foolish nobles of the Elang Kingdom had been defeated while scattered and looting villages again.
The Prince-elector of Bohemia lamented, wondering if these fools had no learning ability whatsoever.
“Your Excellency, how about sending Count Bozen to intercept them?”
“Count Bozen?”
“Yes. For a human knight, that count has a rather fine cavalry force, doesn't he? He brought a whopping 2,000 heavy cavalry, so wouldn't that be enough to crush the detached force led by Count Steffen?”
“Hmm….”
It was a tempting proposal, and the Prince-elector of Bohemia's pointed ears perked up. But he soon shook his head.
“That's a considerable force, isn't it? We can't afford to expend it like that.”
“Ah…!”
“Now that Steffen is here, the King of Aragon's army will also become very solid. To break through that, the Bellua Margrave and Count Bozen are essential on the left and right.”
“You are right, Your Excellency. I was foolish.”
The Elf King, the Prince-elector of Bohemia, waved his hand at his vassal's words and thought.
It was a truly tenacious connection.
Count Steffen.
He had tormented him even within the Holy Empire, and now he was tormenting him even in this distant place.
He had been repeatedly defeated by this damned human bastard when fighting the Holy Emperor, but this time would be different.
“Send a messenger to the nobles. Tell them that if anyone is late, they will be excluded from the distribution of merits. If I say this, they will probably understand and stop looting.”
“Yes, I understand.”
As he was thinking this and organizing the situation, a messenger arrived.
“Your Excellency, the Bellua Margrave has sent word that he has arrived near Caleya city and is waiting.”
“What? Is that true?”
“Uh, yes. That is correct, Your Excellency.”
The Prince-elector of Bohemia was flustered by the messenger's words.
They had already arrived near Caleya city? Their own army was still wandering in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Aragon.
“Didn't they receive any resistance or attacks?”
“Um… according to the report, there were none.”
“???”
Everyone was bewildered by the messenger's words. To be able to advance straight ahead without any problems, as if blessed by heaven.
“What, do they have wings or something? To suddenly appear there out of nowhere.”
“Surely he didn't perform a miracle, did he? Isn't that margrave's nickname the Performer of Miracles?”
“Could such a miracle exist? You have to make sense.”
The Prince-elector of Bohemia reprimanded his vassal.
He had never heard of such a miracle.
Besides, no matter how beloved by God one was, miracles were not something to be performed so liberally.
But then…
“Oh-! Prince-elector, Your Excellency.”
“May God's grace be with you! We have been waiting, Your Excellency. Please accept our sincerity.”
“???”
As soon as he entered the southeastern part of the Kingdom of Aragon, the Prince-elector of Bohemia was met with a fervent welcome from the local lords and village chiefs.
“What is this…?”
“We follow your great cause. The Bellua Margrave has already shown us the way. Prince-elector, Your Excellency. We will follow you.”
Those who would normally have locked their gates and fiercely resisted were instead bringing tributes, welcoming them, and beginning to provide supplies.
But the Prince-elector of Bohemia was, as expected, experienced.
“Hmm…. The Bellua Margrave is truly amazing. We will take this opportunity to advance south as quickly as possible without causing any damage.”
Being surprised was one thing, but he had to do what needed to be done. The Elf King, the Prince-elector of Bohemia, had no intention of letting this opportunity slip by.
He sent a messenger to the Bellua Margrave to prepare to receive him, then immediately increased his marching speed and headed for Caleya city.
However, when he arrived near Caleya city, he was once again flustered.
“???”
There was no sign of a garrison where the army could stay.
“W-was there a mistake? Or was it a lie….”
“Ahem. The Bellua Margrave is not one to report such lies like other human nobles. He is a noble man, like us elves!”
After observing for a while, the Prince-elector of Bohemia looked up at the top of the castle walls and could only let out a dumbfounded sound.
“Uh…. Huh?”
On top of the city walls were the banners of the Bellua Margrave and various other unknown nobles.
‘Did he really perform a miracle or something?’
Thanks to this, the Prince-elector of Bohemia was left dumbfounded by this event that was even more miraculous than a miracle.
* * *
“Margrave, Your Excellency! The Prince-elector of Bohemia has arrived with his army.”
“What? They've arrived?”
“Yes. The armies are currently gathering one by one beyond the distant castle walls.”
Finally, the time had come.
“Oh, we can finally punish that wicked king!”
“I want to go out right now.”
The nobles in the castle all shouted belligerently. And for good reason, as they had been cooped up in this cramped castle for two weeks already.
It was even more so because the detached force of the King of Aragon would frequently approach and provoke them.
But now that the Prince-elector of Bohemia had arrived, it was all over.
All that was left was a bloody war.
A bloody battle where they would stake their honor, their lives, and where everything would be lost and gained.
“Everyone seems to be in a good mood. That's good. Ah, and the magistrate.”
“Yes? Did you call for me, Your Excellency?”
“I would like to request a grand banquet. There won't be much damage. I will keep all the promises I made before.”
“Ah, I understand….”
“Good, let's go and greet the Prince-elector of Bohemia at once.”
At long last, the Aragon War of Succession had finally begun.