My Villains Episode 431
65. The Peak of Spring (6)
After I received the report from Deozen, the salted fish vendor, my work continued even after the sun went down.
It was never easy to play the role of commander by uniting several armies, so three days and three nights were not enough to deal with everything that befell me.
In this case, what was needed was a ‘time hit’. It means putting off unimportant things to other people.
At first glance, it seems like you can just grab someone and entrust the work, but there were a lot of things to pay attention to. You have to find the right person and give him the authority, create the right conditions for the job, and check after the fact if the job is done properly.
If you have a subordinate like a veteran conductor, you can drive it and throw it away, but there are not many people you can trust here, so you have to distribute the work here and there. The main ones I was looking for were Milgrester’s vassals, such as Lord Benlow and Staff Fogan. They are very trustworthy and talented, befitting friends from a prestigious count family, but I couldn’t use them comfortably because they were all busy and not my subordinates.
That’s why I looked for Sgt. Each could be entrusted with the less important tasks of anti-sickness and thugs – managing the trench diggers, persuading the blacksmiths who refused to do their work, or scavenging the petty thieves infesting the marketplace.
When they weren’t enough, I had no choice but to shorten the break time. I usually did that.
But today I don’t want to. It’s been a long time since I’ve returned to a proper dorm, but all I can say is that I hate working.
In addition to these circumstances, other measures had to be taken, so I sent a messenger to the Permanent Court to prepare for receiving guests.
When I went out into the courtyard of the Guard Headquarters, the stable keeper had prepared a bicorn.
“trunnion!”
Mungchi had already come out and was waiting for me, as if he had heard the news of my going out. The guy who was feeding the bicorn a piece of meat noticed me and smiled brightly.
Iofya, who was looking at the bicorn from a distance with her mouth half open, also glanced back at me.
“Ah Phoenix.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Phoenix-sama was going out, but Mr. Rannon said he would follow me. Just to see you off.”
Contrary to what he said, the young shaman was constantly glancing at his bicorn.
It’s not something you can’t understand.
Muscular body and shiny leather, deep purple mane and tail hair, four long legs, sharp teeth, reptile eyes, and spiral horns that stood up to 1 meter tall.
Even though it is an unclean creature, its beauty cannot be denied. And since it had power that was more valuable than beauty, its charm could also be said to be that of a demonic beast.
“Look closely.”
“yes?”
“It’s a bicorn.”
Iofya waved both hands with a startled face.
“No, it’s fine.”
“why? Growling?”
“That’s true, but that kid hates it.”
“…That’s a novel answer. Don’t worry, it’s not that tricky. It’s because of him that you always snooped around the stable in High Castle.”
“Uh… but still. It’s enough for me to watch .
”
As I pulled the wobbly wrist at the hem of the poncho, the girl was dragged away with an idiotic sound like ‘Aww’.
“No, no, no, Phoenix-sama!” Iofiya, who continued to resist with no match for
the
weak, quickly turned pale when the bicorn exposed its sharp fangs.
” Shh.”
At my short signal, the Witchbeast lowered its head while snorting. Maybe because I disciplined him with lots of affection from time to time, he now listens to me quite well.
“Uh woah.”
Standing in front of the bicorn, Iofya looked completely overwhelmed.
She was about 160 tall, so by the standards of this world, she wasn’t short by any means, but a bicorn is about half the size of a normal horse. There was a back with the saddle raised a couple of spans above Iofiya’s eye level.
“What are you so surprised about? It’s not the first time I’ve seen it up close.”
The young soul shaman spoke after purring his lips a few times like a carp.
“It feels different.”
“how?”
“…I don’t know. It seems like he was thrown out, but at that time he was hiding in Phoenix-sama’s arms.”
The wad that had been stroking the bridge of the bicorn’s nose suddenly stopped moving. Seeing the black pupil narrowing, I quickly added words.
“You mean when you’re transformed into that flying squirrel? On the way to Audouine.” “yes.” The wishes that had flowed uncontrollably toward the girl were being sorted out. Whether she knew this or not, Iofiya was busy looking at the bicorn with a blank face.
“I saw this kid chewing on a big mouse. I was scared because it had turned into a flying squirrel for a long time. I was relieved to have my nose in the inside of my pocket.”
“How are you now?”
“I’m still nervous… but I think it’s different from being scared.”
“okay?”
Moongji started stroking his mane again.
With a calm face, I took Iofya’s hand and placed it on the body of the bicorn. The girl sighed.
“Ponyx-sama, don’t do that. Poynix-sama-”
“It’s okay, so relax.”
He crossed his hands and brushed the glossy black fur. Even though her body was trembling for a while, Iofya admired a little.
“It’s hot. hard and It’s like a heated stone wrapped in leather.”
“right? It seemed that his body temperature was higher than that of words. Would you like to touch the mane?”
The girl who lifted her tiptoe and stroked the bicorn’s neck opened her mouth like an idiot again.
“It’s soft… It’s like silk.”
“Is that enough? It’s worth combing with care.”
Previously, it was thanks to the servant Hicks and the chieftain Goleman, but these days, the soldiers under his command were managing it from time to time. proud
“This isn’t just about brushing. I have to ride. It’s like how no matter how much I brush my hair, I don’t end up like Miss Heyla.”
“…Hayla?”
“yes. It has a lot of thickness, but it doesn’t get tangled at all, and when you touch it, it splits like water. It must have been a piece that my mother put together with great care.”
I narrowed my brows slightly at the sudden praise.
“You’re talking like you’ve touched Heila’s hair?”
“yes? of course. We combed each other every lunch.”
“…when? When in High Castle?”
“yes.”
“No, weren’t you very busy then? He said that he always went to the clinic and toured the church…
Iofiya smiled brightly as if he remembered that time.
“At first, I was taken halfway by force. If my brother-in-law hadn’t introduced me as a good person, I might have run away.”
“Hayla called you?”
“yes. After a delicious meal and sweet tea, he brushed my hair and forced me to take a nap.”
“…I see.”
It’s a story I didn’t know at all.
Well, while protecting High Castle, I had very little time to do anything else because of the vicious boss.
With the poncho slung over her shoulders and her bicorn mane lingering, Iofya didn’t stop talking about Heila.
“He’s eccentric, but he’s a very kind person. You are the most beautiful people I have ever seen.” “It doesn’t.”
“I’m not even a man, but I envy Phoenix-sama. How did you get such a fiancée?”
“Can’t you just look at it?”
“Which one?”
“I mean. Just looking at it, you can see the charm, I am.”
“……yes?”
The young shaman, his eyes wide open, burst into laughter.
I smiled at the tingling sound of laughter, but for some reason, Moongchi opened his mouth with a bulging face.
“trunnion. I’m not going?”
“uh? Oh, I have to go.”
Come to think of it, it was less than 20 minutes ago that I sent a messenger to the Permanent Court. The sun has fallen, but everyone must have been waiting.
When I got on the bicorn, Mungchi quickly took the seat in front of me.
“Do you want to go too?”
“me too’?”
“huh. There’s nothing to do anyway.”
“…uh.”
After a short conflict, Iofiah refused with a very firm voice.
“No.”
As the wad came leaning into my bosom, I asked the girl, fixing the reins.
“What’s wrong?”
“Because he hates it.”
“Didn’t you just see? Is he not that picky?”
Iofya stepped back and shook her head.
“no. You endured it for a while even though you didn’t like it for Phoenix-sama’s sake.”
“Uh… is that so?”
“Yes it is. I’ll be patient too. It’s pitiful that only that child endures.” You say you like animals, but are you even considerate of the Witchbeast? He’s really cool too.
Iofya’s will seemed so firm, so I nodded my head kindly and tapped the reins.
Lee Gak-soo’s brisk gait caught the gaze of the girl from the meadow.
Eisbowart was a ‘similar’ free city with developed commerce and industry, and at the same time a city of swords.
Of the only 11 master sword masters in the Empire, three lived in Ice Bobalt. There were more than 100 direct disciples under them, and about 20 of them were skilled enough to be called swordsmen.
Each dojo was full of soldiers and mercenary adventurers who wanted to learn from the swordsmen. At times, it is said that there are more than a thousand people who are similar to those of the collateral disciples of the three schools.
If Duke Abillambus had not issued a harsh summons and had not dragged them all away, the capture of Eisbobalt would have been several times more difficult.
Regardless of soldiers or mercenaries, as long as the three sword masters and their direct disciples guarded the dojo, this city was still the city of swords.
That was until Eisbowald was occupied.
Of the three sword masters, two died and one was captured. Half of his immediate disciples have either died or escaped, and the other half are imprisoned in the dungeon.
I collected all the blades larger than the palm of my hand, so I couldn’t find anyone walking around with a sword on their waist in the city.
Eisbowart is no longer the City of Swords.
How much do you want to play with the wad and drive the bicorn? Arrived at the Permanent Court.
Just like last time, vigilantes, or Deogen’s men, were guarding the entrance.
It was the thugs who cleaned the burnt mayor’s residence, assisted the occupying forces, walked around with torches at night, and guarded the famously useless government office. Those who have been thugs all along, thugs who were thugs for a while in the past, thugs who became thugs on the changing current, roamed all over the city.
Maybe Eisbobalt will one day be called the city of thugs.
“What did you ask to see?”
What awakened my thoughts was the hostile voice of a middle-aged man. He was ‘Reinhoyt’, the judge of Eisbowald.
I narrowed my eyebrows as I sat in the upper seat in the main hall of the Permanent Court. It was because only Reign Hoyt and Surrey were the only ones gathered in a fairly spacious room.
“…I think I heard that there are four judges in total. What about the other three?”
“Two haven’t come out since the city was taken, and one refuses to see you.”
“The frosts must be roughly the same, right?”
“exactly.”
“aha.”
I scratched my eyebrows and shrugged.
“I’m glad that at least one person is left.”
“You are misunderstanding something. I am not left to hear your story.”
“sure?”
“It is left to inform you that you will not be able to seek any cooperation from us.”
“ O 99
I leaned back against the backrest and glanced back.
Several vigilantes were lined up against the walls, including a giant with huge knife scars in its face.
“…uh. what did you say your name was?”
“This is Matheson, sir.”
“Oh Matheson. I sent a messenger, didn’t you hear?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I told you to prepare for guests. Aren’t you ready?”
“…I committed a mortal sin, sir.”
Matheson is a guy who resembles Deogen’s right-hand man, but contrary to his sluggish impression, he handled things quite quickly. Thanks to that, it took less than thirty minutes for the four judges of Eisbowald to gather in front of me.
In the process, a small friction occurred and a few of Lee were slightly injured. That is why the faces of the judges look a little pale.
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
Unlike his colleagues who were completely stunned, Reinhoyt was clearly resentful. It was natural for him to respond to my words.
“under! ask? Do you want me to ask you for turning my men into living corpses?”
“sorry. The vigilantes are a group of thugs, so they do things a bit like dogs.”
“This……
“So you guys have to do some work.”
Whether or not the middle-aged judge gritted his teeth, I calmly continued.
“I’m going to be out of town for a few days. Please take care of me while I’m away.”
“……what?” “I want you to take care of the city.” The four judges, including Reinhoyt, opened their mouths in amazement.
“…Did you ask us to take over the city?”
“yes.”
“You’re thinking of giving up Icebobalt. Is it because of the rumor that His Majesty the Emperor has raised an army?”
Didn’t you hear the news that the emperor had joined his family?
The judges firmly shook their heads before continuing their misunderstanding.
“It is not. I have no intention of giving up on this city.”
“Then what the hell are you talking about?”
“I told you that we are going to be out of town for a few days.”
I slowly continued to explain.
“I currently have approximately one-two thousand troops. Only around here.”
Of course it’s gurada.
After accepting the resistance, hiring mercenaries, and excluding some of the troops guarding the supply route, the total amount collected was 1,200.
“About 1,200 of them are out in the north for a while. The duke’s son, my beauty, keeps checking the liver. You know what?”
It is Atalante and Sir Langbolt who are holding back the 2,000 or so Strom troops who have come out from the Tobal area. There must be a little more than seven hundred, including four hundred and fifty nudes and one hundred and fifty mercenaries from Earl Shore’s family.
“But I plan to take about 300 people with me because I have business nearby. Then there will be about five hundred left in the city, right?”
Two hundred remain.
The mercenary Baek hired by Earl Ines decided to remain behind the Milgrester family soldier Baek.
“But wouldn’t it be a bit daunting to protect this big city and maintain public order with 500 people? There are also salted fish vendors and thugs, so how could it be possible, but I was worried that there would be a problem.”
“…So what are you going to do?”
“I think we can reduce the problem a lot if you all come forward.”
Of the 200 remaining soldiers in the city, half must serve as guards.
All of the people imprisoned under the Permanent Court here are extremely dangerous people, so 100 people, including the staff on duty, are needed.
Of course, this place is full of vigilantes, but you can’t expect a soldier’s share from a gangster.
“I will give you the authority to control the vigilantes. In the future, vigilantes will have to ask your permission to lock up or beat or kill anyone.”
“…You mean to entrust the policing power to me?”
“yes. You don’t even want command, do you?”
Excluding the guards, there are only 100 remaining troops. Let alone control the city, each castle gate and watchtower could not be filled with troops.
In this situation, if people even stand up, they will blow up the city.
“Please soothe the citizens well so that there is no fuss in the meantime. With five hundred elite soldiers left, the city will not be overthrown, but with a small number of soldiers, the soldiers might get a little rough.”
“I don’t mind. We are the ones appointed by His Highness the Duke of Avillambus to come here. Do you think we will try for you?”
Reinhoyt said in a strong tone.
“Well, you guys didn’t become judges because of the duke’s favour, did you? It’s a position I earned myself by studying hard in college.”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
“And I’m not asking you to work for me. Work for the people.”
“what?”
I smiled broadly.
“If the city looks different from what I imagined when I return from work.”
The judges swallowed dry saliva in unison.
“This city will be a playground for the nudes.”
Their eyes twitched.
What kind of imagination is it? I want to open my head.
“Take a good look.”
After encouraging Reinhoyt by patting him on the shoulder, he stood up.
