The right to passage into a fief. That was indeed the authority of the fief owner. Especially so for a bridge that crossed a river as it did now.
However, there were limits to everything.
“You insolent fools! How dare you block our path! Clear the way at once! Where do mere vermin-like mercenaries dare to obstruct our passage!”
“We are the Lily Mercenary Company, entrusted with the control of this bridge by His Excellency Count Shatin, the legitimate ruler of this region. This place is closed for business, so you cannot pass.”
“Ha! Black-clad mercenaries calling themselves lilies? And business? Are you not just pulling some cheap trick to extort money! Huh? Clear the way immediately!”
Of course, there was also a fault on Shatien’s part.
“Ugh! A cheap trick, you say!”
“No matter how high and mighty you knights are, don't speak so recklessly!”
Specifically, the fact that he placed the Elf knights at the very front. The ones who should have been mediating and verifying the situation were instead leading the way in causing trouble.
“These mongrels! Do you not see this flag!”
“Flag?”
“Hmph! You probably just picked up some random scrap of a flag to put on airs!”
While it was true that the status of a mercenary was low, things differed depending on the situation. If they were entrusted with passage rights by a great noble of the region, even other nobles could not simply ignore them.
But if one went forward and caused a scene like those Elf knights, even a trivial matter would turn into something significant.
“How dare you give such an insult!”
“Insult? Do you lot even have something like honor? Clear the way at once, you vulgar fools.”
“Ugh! You guys are the ones who should back off! We have no intention of opening this path!”
“Pitiful fools, you truly are full of yourselves. Do you not see this flag?!”
“Flag or whatever, I don’t care. How would we, lowly illiterates, recognize the flags of noble lords? Hmph! Our mission was to block all passage, so we merely follow that command!”
As the situation reached this point, the Elf knights were flabbergasted and appalled.
There was a limit to ignorance!
To think they could not even recognize the flag of the Holy See. By this stage, the pride of those who stepped forward to solve the problem was dragged through the mud.
“It seems you truly need a beating to come to your senses!”
Clang!
“This pointy-eared knight! Form a phalanx at once! Form up!”
-Clatter.
“U-Uwaaaaah!”
“It is a fight! Run away!”
As the confronting Elf knights and mercenaries drew their weapons, the onlookers began to flee in all directions, startled.
Thanks to that, the ranks became tangled in an instant, and the situation turned into a complete shambles.
“Hahaha. As expected, the knights of the North are indeed vigorous.”
“Ugh……. I am sorry. I have no excuse. I will handle this quickly.”
“Think nothing of it. How could this be Sir Shatien’s fault? By the way…. The Lily Mercenary Company? Is it a famous group?”
Finally, unable to watch any longer, the envoy from the Holy See forced a smile and asked Shatien cautiously.
Shatien shook his head.
“I know them to be a mercenary company of considerable scale and reputation. However, they should not be doing something as insane as this…….”
The Lily Mercenary Company was a famous group that Shatien had heard of in the past. It was a company that had been very active in the Southern region, leading over a thousand elite mercenaries. In particular, from what Shatien knew, the mercenary captain was not such a senseless person. Rather, he was called a master of social maneuvering.
“What would you like to do, Sir Shatien? Since they insulted the flag, I will gladly lend a hand if necessary.”
This meant he was prepared to use the authority of the Holy See if it came to it. And if that happened, most of the Lily Mercenary Company would find it difficult to avoid the responsibility.
Shatien hurriedly shook his head.
“No. Let us talk first. Is it not strange that they block the way despite seeing us like this? If it is not inconvenient, may I grasp the circumstances before making a decision?”
“Hahaha. Very well.”
At the cautious words of Shatien, the envoy nodded in satisfaction.
If they resolved it with force, it could certainly be resolved.
It would simply involve blood.
However, if they acted that way while putting the church’s flag forward, who would listen to the church’s teachings?
Evil tended to stain the easy path.
-Neigh.
“Whoa, whoa! Stop! Stop! Knights. Stop and lower your weapons.”
“B-But!”
“How can we show mercy to those insolent fools.”
“How about you guys lower your weapons as well? I know you are angry, but the weight of the flag we carry is not light.”
“H-Hmmm…….”
“What should we do? If a noble lord speaks that way….”
The mercenaries hesitated, slowly lowering their weapons. This was because, glancing from the long merchant caravan in the rear to the equipment of the mercenaries being employed, the noble before them seemed far from ordinary.
Should not a mercenary be quick on their intuition?
However, this insane person in charge had guts that were far too large.
“You bastards! Will you not pick up your weapons at once?”
He let out a sudden roar.
“I don't know what kind of high-ranking person you are, noble lord, but this road will never open!”
“Huh! Have these fools truly lost their minds?”
“Sir! We must take off their heads at once.”
The Elf knights shouted in rage. As the situation reached this point, Shatien was simply at a loss.
“Ha. Haha…….”
If he gave them a way to save face, they should know how to back off, yet they were determined to go to the bitter end? That was the behavior of those mercenaries.
‘Could information have leaked, and they were suborned by the Emperor?’
He tilted his head for a moment, but no matter how much he thought, it did not seem likely. The Emperor had so much to worry about; why would he care about a trivial knight like himself?
There seemed to be another reason.
Of course, even so…….
‘There is no reason for me to understand that.’
Those mercenaries had crossed the line.
In the past, he might have backed down submissively, but was the current Shatien not a knight who had to prove his own honor?
“You say we cannot pass huh…….”
“That is right! This bridge is controlled, so back off.”
“And if I must go?”
“Ha! Do you truly wish to see blood! We are the Lily Mercenary Company! This bridge was closed by the order of Count Shatin. If blood is shed, His Excellency Count Shatin will not stay still!”
“Yes, I know. Count Shatin will be angry if blood is shed. But well, there is no need to necessarily see blood.”
Shatien shrugged his shoulders.
“You guys must be doing what you have to do, and I must do what I have to do, should I not?”
“?”
“Grit your teeth.”
“??”
Out of respect for Count Shatin, blood would not be shed. Ah! He might see blood if things went wrong, but there would be no bloodshed where someone died.
-Shring.
“Do you truly wish to see bloo……. Gak!”
Slap!
It was because he merely intended to slap their cheeks with the flat of his sword.
“C—Centurion?”
“Stop him! We must sto……. Gak!”
Slap-slap!
* * *
No matter how ignorant a mercenary was, they were not all lacking intuition and stupid. Especially so for one who led a massive profit-driven group like a mercenary company.
“So you are saying we are in a standoff with a group of nobles?”
“Y-Yes! That is right, Captain. Some arrogant fools dare to conduct a show of force, telling us to clear the way. Right now, quickly…….”
“Hahaha… yes. They certainly are arrogant.”
“Exactly. Come to think of it, are you not a noble yourself, Captain? Did you not receive a title from Count Shatin?”
“True. True. To think they would show such rudeness to a bastard noble. Just give me the command, Captain. I will teach them a harsh lesson. Arrogant fools.”
“Aha, is that so?”
Voltion’s mouth twitched. The subordinate mercenary thought it was a positive sign, but it was the exact opposite.
Thud!
“The one being arrogant is you, who dares to raise your voice in front of me.”
The captain of the Lily Mercenary Company, Voltion, shouted as he struck that mercenary’s jaw.
“I received a knighthood, but that title was not given so that I could act as recklessly as you lot. You morons.”
These fools who could not even distinguish between front and back. Fire erupted from Voltion’s eyes.
“How dare you do such a thing without knowing the family of the opposing noble. It would be great if it ended with just taking your heads, but I am the one who takes all the responsibility. Do you understand? Tell me at once what was written on their flag.”
“Huh? The flag?”
“Ha! You idiots. Nobles show their family through their flags. What kind of pattern was on the flag?”
The existence of heralds who read and interpreted the crests of noble families did not exist for no reason. One could tell the prestige of a noble just by looking at the crest drawn on their flag.
Voltion hoped, if possible, that he would not recognize that crest. If he did not know it, it meant the family was obscure, and if he leaned on Count Shatin’s back, he could squash the dispute to some extent.
However, as was always the case, God loved trials.
“Uuum……. There was a cross drawn on a strangely shaped pointed hat, I think?”
“A cross on a pointed hat……?”
Voltion frowned.
It was a crest he knew all too well. But why would that crest suddenly appear out of nowhere? Just in case, he checked again by drawing it roughly on the ground, and it was indeed what he knew.
“Oh, fuck.”
The crest symbolizing the Holy See.
In other words, these crazy subordinates had dared to block the procession of the Holy See.
“Damn it. Everyone follow me at once. You dumbasses.”
Urging his bewildered subordinates, Voltion hurriedly rose and ran.
Of course, even if the pretext of controlling the bridge came first, holding one's ground was something done only when the ranks matched.
If they were stupid subordinates, it was certain they would fearlessly point their swords and cause a bloodshed.
And he would have to handle all the aftermath.
“Run at once and stop the quarrel! It will be a disaster if someone gets hurt.”
“Uh, do you mean us?”
“No! Why would it be a problem if you guys got hurt. It is the opposing noble, of course. You damn fools!”
Please let no problem have erupted.
Let it be within the range he could settle.
Shouting desperately in his heart, Voltion ran like that.
However, when he arrived at the other side of the bridge.
“?”
Voltion witnessed a somewhat absurd, no, hard-to-believe sight.
Slap! Slap-slap!
“Argh! B—block him!”
Slap-slap-slap!
“Fuck, you go forward. How are we supposed to block that, gak!”
Slap!
A knight was wielding a sword like lightning and slapping the cheeks of his subordinates with the flat of the blade.
Furthermore, he was so precise and powerful that the mercenaries who were hit once were all crouching on the ground, clutching their cheeks.
That sight was, quite frankly, something even Voltion, who had rolled around the battlefield for over a decade, had never seen.
Truly.
“What the fuck???????????”
Therefore, Voltion unconsciously spat out a curse, despite the fact that a priest from the Holy See was standing right across from him.
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