novelraw Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87
The reason Count Sven did not punish the returned spies was simple.
Even if they died, the rumors would eventually spread.
In fact, if the spies died, the rumors would have gained more weight.
Those who wanted to tarnish Moner's honor in any way would spout whatever they could, claiming that Moner was trying to cover up the truth, or that the Count had handed the fortress over to a scoundrel.
And most importantly, the soldiers of the fortress were not swayed by such rumors.
"That's why I told you that scoundrel was dangerous!"
Even when they heard such words, they would simply think, 'The Count will take care of it.'
Cursing the dead Young Lord would not bring the scouting party back to life.
Nor could they insult the Count.
"No, I mean, the Count……!"
"Ahem!
Get a hold of yourself!
How dare you speak of the Count so carelessly!"
The soldiers' faith in the Count was closer to a religion.
* * *
Instead, the rumors spread more widely among the royal family and the central nobility.
"I heard the Young Lord of Moner went missing during a mission, is that true?"
"That is correct.
The King is said to be greatly troubled by that matter."
"Oh my……."
"I heard he was a scoundrel……."
If there was a very minor issue, it was that the rumor about the 'Ork' spread by the Second Prince Trimia was circulating among some nobles.
"Then the 'Ork'!
Who will stop the Ork?!"
"An Ork?"
"The one that is said to bring the fire of sulfur with a single flap of its wings……."
"I heard that Moner has requested support……."
As the rumor about the 'Ork', which had been a small rumor, began to grow in size, the nobles of the northern part of the kingdom naturally began to meet more often.
If Moner, which was like a sturdy fortress wall, were to fall, the next to burn in the fire of sulfur would be the noble families of the north.
* * *
Baron Diez, attending one of the representative gatherings of the northern nobility, the 'Cigar Smoking Gentlemen', listened to the conversations of the other nobles with a gloomy face.
"Moner's situation seems to be serious.
I heard that the three count families of the north are gathering supplies in preparation for war."
"Seeing that this prince is gathering troops, there must be something truly serious going on."
If it weren't for the invitation and recommendation of a close viscount, Diez, a mid-level official in the intelligence agency, would never have participated in such a foolish gathering, but once he had, he had no choice.
No matter what foolish things they chattered about, he could only remain silent.
To refute a rumor that had begun to be accepted as 'fact', he would have to bring a revelation from the Holy Nation itself.
As he was maintaining his silence, ignoring the nobles who were singing a chorus of nonsense, Viscount Dotran asked him casually.
"Baron, is there any news from the royal family?"
Diez, who let out a small sigh at the sight of the other nobles looking at him, opened his mouth.
"The… the royal family has completely denied the existence of the 'Ork'."
"Ha!"
"Who do they take us for, fools!"
For the nobility, distrust and suspicion of the king were basic virtues.
Diez, who inwardly thought that the royal family should have acknowledged the existence of the 'Ork' and conscripted private soldiers, continued.
"The Ork is a monster that has never been found in any record.
A monster that covers the sun with its wings and breathes the fire of sulfur, there's no way such a thing could exist……."
Bang!
Before he could finish his words, an excited young noble slammed the table and stood up, shouting.
"Baron!
In an age where the legendary Demonkin has been discovered, how can you be so sure that the 'Ork' doesn't exist?!"
"That's right!
Didn't that Demonkin also come from the forest of demonic beasts?!"
"Ha!
Anyone would think the Baron is not a noble of the north!"
Diez, who clenched his fists at the behavior of the savage northern nobles, squeezed his eyes shut and calmed his anger.
Being stupid wasn't a crime.
No, was it really not?
So stupid like that?
"Now, now.
Everyone, please calm down.
The Baron was merely relaying the message, wasn't he?"
When Viscount Dotran, the host of the gathering, spoke, the other nobles bowed their heads in apology.
"Hmm… that's right.
I was too excited."
"The royal family's careless response is not the Baron's fault.
I was rash."
However, Diez, a mid-level official in the intelligence agency, did not miss the suspicion in the eyes of the bowing nobles.
'They'll doubt whatever I say now.'
In the end, Diez decided to ignore whatever the other morons said.
"...So you're saying the royal family is backing the Second Prince?"
"That's what I'm saying!
If the King hadn't given his permission, how would the prince dare to be gathering troops!"
Even that was not easy when he was listening to nonsense.
Diez, who knew that the king had taken to his bed after seeing the prince whose madness had flared up, let out a deep sigh inwardly, but as he listened to other nonsense, he found himself being strangely persuaded.
"Isn't the royal family's denial all to deceive the First Prince's faction?"
"Hmm, that's true."
"Of course.
If those Ork bastards dare to attack the kingdom, the royal family's forces will surely move."
Didn't this sound a bit plausible?
'Could it be that they've allied with the First Prince and are hiding information only from me…….'
It wasn't entirely wrong, as most of the intelligence agency was secretly supporting the First Prince.
If the king had decided to support the Second Prince, he would naturally be wary of the First Prince's supporters.
'The Ork is nonsense, but it's entirely possible for the king to give the Second Prince a little push.
It's also true that the skill the Second Prince has shown in just a few weeks is remarkable.'
The more he thought, the more his suspicion began to turn into conviction.
After all, even the intelligence agency couldn't find a reason why the royal family had rejected Moner's request for support.
'What if this was all the king's will…….'
Diez, who had noticed the royal family's scheme in an instant, his eyes flashing, said.
"We must gather our forces immediately and support Moner."
Diez, as if speaking at the intelligence agency, spoke in a clear, articulate voice to the nobles who were looking at him as if to ask what he was talking about.
"I'm sure you all know that Prince Trimia recently visited Moner.
This means that the royal family wants to further solidify its relationship with Moner."
The foolish nobles tilted their heads, but Diez continued, admiring his own excellent intuition, honed over years of work in the intelligence agency.
"A few months ago, it was revealed that the three count families of the north were selling food to Moner at absurd prices.
In fact, the King himself punished Count Obsol."
The 'Cigar Smoking Gentlemen' finally paid attention to the Baron's words.
"No one in the kingdom would doubt Moner's loyalty, but you never know about people's hearts, do you?
That's why the King has decided to support Moner through the Second Prince."
Viscount Dotran, at his assertion, said with a reluctant expression.
"I understand the Baron's words.
But it seems a bit insufficient as a reason to support Moner with troops……?"
"Viscount, that is all the more reason to provide support.
If Prince Trimia helps Moner defend the fortress from the Orks, who will be the prince's first supporter?"
The nobles naturally thought of Moner.
The giant of the kingdom that had been crouching down and never once interfered in the affairs of the royal family and the nobility.
If he supported the Second Prince, the line of succession would be overturned in an instant.
"With the troops gathered by Prince Trimia and the support of the royal family, Moner will never fall.
Also, when the next war for the throne begins……."
"Moner will move to repay the prince."
The nobles, surprised by the king's elaborate scheme, shivered.
"Indeed, with a feat such as helping Moner defend the fortress, the nonsense of those who slandered him as a mad prince will disappear."
The nobles, who were nodding their heads as they listened to the story, began to calculate inwardly how much support they should provide to be able to boast about it later, and silence fell over the hall.
"Hmm… everyone seems to have a lot on their minds, so let's end today's meeting here."
As soon as Viscount Dotran's words were finished, the nobles who had exchanged greetings moved busily.
Viscount Dotran, the host of the gathering, nodded with satisfaction.
He didn't know for sure, but the nobles of the north would do their best to provide as many troops as possible.
* * *
After the meeting, when Viscount Dotran returned to his lord's chamber, the woman who had been waiting for him stood up, bowed her head slightly, and said.
"You've worked hard, Viscount."
"With this, my promise with the Countess is fulfilled, Countess."
"Thank you for your help."
The Viscount clicked his tongue as he looked at Natasha, the Countess of Obsol, who answered with a gentle smile.
To be so unconfident while conveying information that the northern nobles absolutely had to know, was it because she couldn't escape the blood of a concubine's daughter?
"Then I'll be on my way.
I also have to think about how to help Moner."
The Viscount, pretending not to, asked to probe Natasha.
"By the way, how much does the countess's family plan to support?"
Other nobles would try to hide their cards somehow, but Natasha answered in a calm voice.
She said that the three count families of the north, including the House of Obsol, had promised to stake their family's fate on this battle.
'Just in case, I should send a letter to the House of Count Lyt as well.'
Thinking that, the Viscount hastily saw the Countess out and then called for his secretary-general and his knight commander.
In the remaining time, he had to push the knights to somehow create more useful elite soldiers than the other families.
* * *
"...What?"
Sven, who was listening to the report, lowered the letter he was reading and asked again.
Even he, who had gained his composure after passing through countless lines of death, couldn't help but be flustered by what he had just heard.
"The nobles of the north have come forward to support Moner."
Those pigs?
Why?
Instead of asking a useless question, Sven said coldly.
"Refuse them."
He didn't know what their scheme was, but at best, they would send a few conscripts to be able to boast about it later.
Untrained soldiers were not needed in the fortress.
No, they should not be allowed to set foot in the fortress.
If they did, it would go beyond soldiers dying from goblin stones, and soldiers dying from their own side's arrows would spring up like mushrooms.
"Um… my lord Count."
Sven pressed his brow at the sight of his secretary-general calling him with a troubled face.
"Did that brat order this too?"
That Young Lord brat seemed to have only trained while he was in the fortress, but how many things had he prepared in that time?
"……."
Sven, who let out a small sigh at the secretary-general who couldn't answer immediately, shook his head.
"This is absolutely not acceptable.
Elite trained soldiers might be one thing, but clumsy ones are poison."
"Hmm……."
"If they really want to provide support, tell them to send a knightly order."
Though he knew it would never happen, Sven would have refused even if a knightly order had come.
Unlike the knights of the fortress, seeing those who strutted around without a shred of skill might make even a master like himself sick with anger.
However, contrary to Sven's thoughts, the secretary-general answered calmly.
"Ah, yes.
Then I will convey that we will only accept trained regular soldiers and knightly orders."
"...What?"
The secretary-general said to the surprised Sven with a bewildered face.
"All the northern noble families have announced that they will dispatch their knightly orders."
"What?!"
Sven briefly thought of Ian and wondered.
If that brat was, as the rumors said, a child of a demon who bewitched people.
'A knightly order…….'
In a situation where even one soldier was urgently needed, a knightly order would be a great help.
The Count, who had been pondering for a moment, organized his thoughts and said to the secretary-general.
"Still, we can't just accept anyone.
Let's refuse them all and convey our conditions clearly."
Even if it meant not receiving a single person of support, he absolutely refused to let the soldiers of the fortress die because of some riff-raff.