NOVEL NEXT “Is it because he pulled back the camp as he wished?”
“He looks really messy.”
The HQ of Amaranth troop that was located at the center of Mediasis village became really noisy.
Commanders and soldiers poured out and they all looked at one place.
A group of people holding the troop flag.
Roan was at the front of them.
Behind him, one warhorse that didn’t have a person on it was moving.
The thick and tight rope tied on the saddle.
The rope continued a long way to the back.
“Pant. Pant.”
A rough breath.
At the end of the rope, one man was walking exhaustively as if he was being dragged while having his two arms and body tightly tied up.
George Ant.
He looked really bad, but he was certainly baron George Ant.
Right now he was a sinner that committed a crime.
He had been dragged from the eastern region of Tale to Mediasis village while being tied up.
At the back of George, two companies of Amaranth troop were showing hostile looks.
Kiiiig!
The closed gates opened up.
As Roan got in first, the soldiers that were gathered up scattered to the sides.
“Even if he has the commanding and strategizing rights, can a commoner troop commander treat a noble like that?”
“Don’t speak what you don’t know. The damages in our side is really big because of baron Ant.”
“Even so, treating a noble like that is a bit….. Will the other nobles stay still?”
“I wonder. We have to check that.”
Worried expressions and mumbling sound.
Roan didn’t tilt his ear to those words.
He had already decided what to do with George.
‘Because of George Ant, the entire defensive line crumbled.’
He had to set up a new defensive line to sweep up the monsters that had gotten through the defensive line.
Because of viscount Tio Ruin having moved fast enough, they could stop the charge of the monsters for a bit.
And Roan didn’t miss that opportunity.
He used the information staff to send a new member to the nobles.
And the nobles of the east that suffered great damages because of George reacted quickly at Roan’s orders.
Thanks to that, a new defensive line could be set up.
‘Only, because we set up the defensive line a bit to the south, we ended up losing a most of the north.’
It was the same as having to start the subjugation again.
‘To not admit his mistakes and mock the deaths of our allies in this situation.’
Ududuk.
Roan ground his teeth.
Then, a group of people appeared from a building located at the center.
‘The aides of the 1st prince and the prince Simon Rinse. On top of that, the nobles that arrived first.’
Roan summoned the nobles to the HQ right after they finished setting up the defensive liens.
It was because of George’s punishment.
Roan got down with soft movements and grabbed the reins.
One troop member approached quickly and took it instead of him.
“Roan.”
Simon’s expression wasn’t that good.
Because he also knew the situation really well.
Roan saluted towards Simon and then looked at the expressions of the nobles behind him.
‘Most of them seem to show no interest. They look bothered by it. They only ones that are angry are about the ones that suffered damages like baron Rael Piad and viscount Delph Blick.’
He put a bitter smile.
They didn’t realize how severe the situation was.
‘I have to awake them from their rotten thoughts.’
Roan looked at Simon fixedly.
“I will punish baron George Ant.”
At those words, Simon took a breath and then nodded.
“Do so. You have the commanding and strategizing rights for Tale.”
His expression was hard but his voice was soft.
‘It will be whipping at most.’
Even Simon thought like that.
You wouldn’t be able to treat a noble, and a noble leading a troop, beyond that.
And that wasn’t only Simon’s thoughts.
‘Even if he does that, what will he be able to do.’
‘He won’t be able to treat a noble of the kingdom as he pleases.’
‘He just has to imprison him for a few days.’
Most of the nobles thought that nothing would happen.
Because Roan wasn’t a noble like them, but a commoner.
Roan didn’t know what the nobles were thinking and sent an order to his troop members with a hand sign.
Soon, wooden chairs were placed in front of the building.
Simon sat at the upper seat and Roan took seat in front of him.
The nobles were seated next to him.
“WHew. Whew.”
George was still breathing roughly.
He was kneeling up on the ground.
But differently from before, light returned to his eyes and his mouth was slightly rised up.
Then, Roan’s voice was heard.
“From now on, we will proceed with baron George Ant’s punish…..”
When he talked up to there.
“Do you think you will be safe after treating a noble like this!”
An exasperated voice.
George, that had his head lowered down until now, looked at Roan fixedly and yelled.
At the sudden situation, Simon and the nobles that were seated all put surprised expressions.
‘There are some nobles that are acquaintances to me.’
George had something to trust.
Now was a completely different situation to when he was alone in Amaranth troop.
There were many nobles that would side up with him.
And actually, some nobles mumbled with displeased expressions.
“Well, this is too much to do to a noble.”
“Is a noble a noble for nothing? Ahem.”
The atmosphere turned strange.
But even so, Roan’s expression was composed
He looked at George fixedly.
“Baron George Ant. You disregarded my orders as commander and moved the camp as you pleased, and gave great damages to your allies.”
“Hmph! The place I settled in was the safest!”
George spat the words he had said before as an excuse.
Roan didn’t talk back and continued speaking.
“You also mocked the deaths of the soldiers.”
“Most of them were commoners! You wouldn’t know if you were a noble like me, the death of commoner bastards aren’t that important!”
George yelled up.
Murderous intent appeared in Roan’s eyes.
“Trash like bastard. You still didn’t get a hold of yourself.”
He pulled Regate dagger from his waist.
“I, Roan, received the commanding and strategizing rights for the region of Tale by the 1st prince. At the same time, I also received permission about your punishment.”
His voice became colder.
“George Ant, I will bring down the punishment for your sins.”
As he glanced, five members of Amaranth troop approached and lined up behind George Ant.
The atmosphere wasn’t normal.
“What, what! What are you planning to do!”
George tried to hide that he was scared by yelling.
Puk!
Roan stabbed the dagger on the armrest of the chair.
“George Ant. I’m cutting down your ear because you didn’t follow the orders of the commander even after having heard it.”
“Wh, what?”
George asked back while getting surprised.
And Simon and the others all had surprised expressions.
“Roan. Even so, cutting off the ear of a noble is a bit…….”
Simon slightly said.
He had a perplexed expression.
But Roan didn’t even look back and answered.
“We have to cleanse the rotten parts. I am just following military discipline.”
“Mm. Even so……”
Simon tried to continue speaking.
Roan pulled Regate dagger and looked at Simon.
“If you don’t want it, I can give back the dagger and the commanding and strategizing rights.”
The strongest method.
Roan betted everything on himself.
“Mm.”
Simon gulped.
He realized how outstanding of a commander Roan was while looking through several battles, strategies, tactics and commands.
‘I can’t lose this kind of commander for a trash like noble bastard.’
To win the competition for the throne, an existence like Roan would be more advantageous than a noble that didn’t have any abilities.
‘But if the other nobles get shaken because of this…….’
The entire base could shake.
Then, the closest people to Simon and the ones leading troops Tio Ruin, Rael Piad and Delph Blick, that suffered damages thanks to George, stood up abruptly.
“My prince! Thanks to George Ant, a thousand soldiers died and more than thousands got injured.”
“The sin George commited can’t be forgiven, putting aside the nobility rank and commoner rank.”
“The soldiers of my territory ended up getting annihilated.”
Pouring impeachments.
Tio kneeled up one knee towards Simon.
“Military discipline is extremely strict on a battlefield. As you have given the commanding and strategizing rights to troop commander Roan, I think that it’s proper to give him strength.”
Delph and Rael followed up.
“If the military crumbles, there is no more victory.”
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
Even the nobles that were protesting shut their mouths.
‘Viscount Tio Ruin.’
A faint smile appeared in Simon’s mouth.
He had read Tio.
‘You stood up for me on what I was pondering about.’
Thanks to that, the flow had changed.
‘The bastards that will still say noble this and noble that in this situation…..’
His eyes became fierce.
‘They are useless bastards.’
Even if he turned their backs and supported the 2nd or 3rd princes, he would applaud them.
‘Bastards that don’t have any ability and stick up living on power are rather a big hole and a weak point.’
Simon let out a short sigh.
“Whew. The words of Tio Ruin, Delph Blick and Rael Piad are right. The most important thing in a battlefield are the orders of a commander and discipline.”
He looked at Roan’s eyes fixedly.
“Roan. I was short on my thoughts and got shaken for a bit. Do as you please.”
“Thank you.”
Roan replied with a short sigh and looked at George.
A long sigh flowed out.
‘I received the prince’s permission.’
The gains of having bet everything was also clear.
He had received the clear support from Simon and the three nobles.
The nobles that were filled with displeasement couldn’t say anything anymore.
Roan made a handsign towards his troop members.
The troop members that were standing at the back of George, pressed down his shoulders.
“Huh? Huh? Huh?”
George tried to struggle with a surprised expression, but he couldn’t move at all.
He looked at the nobles at the surrounding with an earnest look.
“Ar, are you all going to watch? We are nobles!”
Trembling voice.
The nobles just shut their mouths and ignored George’s sight.
“George Ant! Shut up and receive your punishment!”
Tio yelled with all his strength.
“Trash like bastard!”
Rael’s curses followed up.
Meanwhile.
Srung.
One soldier pulled up a dagger.
“Uak!”
George yelled up at the chilly presence he felt behind his ear.
At that moment.
Uak!
Both of George’s ears got cut off cleanly with a terrible sound.
“Uaaaak!”
George let out a scream close to despair.
Red blood flowed from both his ears.
‘He, he really cut it off.’
‘He cut off the ear of a noble!’
The nobles and the surrounding soldiers all put surprised expressions.
‘There’s no difference in ranks in military discipline.’
‘If a noble makes a mistake, they also receive the same punishment!’
Every gulped dry saliva and looked at Roan.
Then.
Roan, that had his mouth shut, grabbed Regate dagger once again.
“George Ant. I’m carving your two eyes because you, one of the commander in the defensive lines couldn’t read the flow of the battlefield properly and not marching out when monsters attacked the allied troops.”
“Huhuk!”
Even the surrounding nobles gulped air.
Simon also got surprised, but as he had entrusted everything to Roan, he didn’t stand up.
“Uooooo!”
George was half insane.
The troop member holding the dagger quickly carved out his two eyes.
“Uaaaaaak!”
Despair followed up longly.
However Roan wasn’t planning to stop with this much.
“George Ant. I’m cutting up your tongue because of having mocked the deaths of your allies.”
“Mmm.”
The nobles now had a pale face.
They looked at George, that was covered with blood, with restless looks.
“Uok! Uk!”
George, that got his tongue grabbed, shook his head, but the members of Amaranth troop grabbed his head firmly so that he couldn’t move.
Slash.
As the dagger moved, the long tongue fell to the ground.
“Kuk!”
He was now about to get cut from oxygen.
George trembled like a person that got infected with malaria.
Roan looked at him and stood up.
His hands moved over to Travias spear.
“George Ant. Lastly, I will behead you for not having respected the military discipline set up by Rinse kingdom.”
Cheng!
The spear showed itself with the sound of metal.
The soldiers that were grabbing George firmly fell back.
“Uoooo.”
George trembled and started to get inclined to the front.
Roan swung Travias spear as if he was waiting for it.
Slash!
The spear cleanly cut off the head.
A strange silence fell in the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Roan stabbed George’s head and raised it high to the sky.
A face that had it’s ears, tongue and eyes cut off.
George’s head was covered in blood.
“Everyone listen attentively. Military discipline applies to everyone in a fair way.”
Roan looked at the nobles and soldiers and said.
“I’m punishing the ones that committed a sin and lay a prize to the ones that rendered merits.”
A declaration.
Everyone gulped dry saliva at Roan’s words.
Especially the nobles, that were drunk in their power, seemed to have woken up.
‘A commoner troop commander has cut off the head of a noble but the prince isn’t saying anything.’
‘No, it won’t be weird for the heads of anyone to be cut off.’
‘If I make a mistake, my head will also get cut off.’
The nobles touched their necks.
“Those are right words!”
“He didn’t say anything wrong!”
Tio, Delph and Rael yelled with strength.
They were backing up Roan’s words so they couldn’t think of anything weird.
Roan handed over George’s head to the troop members.
“Place it on the entrance of the troop and put it as an example.”
“Yes. We understand.”
A loud yell.
Respect was seen in the eyes of Amaranth troop.
‘Even nobles of the kingdom can’t do anything in front of troop commander.’
‘At least in the region of Tale, troop commander Roan is the best!’
Actually, even they haven’t expected that he would come out this strongly.
Roan smiled faintly towards the troop members and then turned hi head to look at Simon.
The camp still had the heavy silence.
Roan put back Regate dagger and kneeled up.
A really courteous attitude.
“I finished the punishment for George Ant.”
At those words, Simon got a hold of himself late.
“It was an excellent decision.”
George was dead anyways.
As he decided to back up Roan, it would be better to be thorough with it.
Simon looked at the expressions of the nobles once and then smiled towards Roan.
“From now on, I will still entrust you with the merit rewards and the punishments for the region of Tale.”
“Thank you.”
Roan didn’t decline.
He knew how big of a weapon and what kind of strength this would give him.
“Then. Keep working hard from now on.”
Simon patted Roan’s shoulders and then returned to the troop building with his vassals.
Even the remaining nobles glanced everywhere and then disappeared to their own buildings.
Roan, that got left alone, took in a deep breath.
‘Now even nobles won’t be able to disobey my orders.’
He had certainly overpowered their spirit.
He thought up of the pale faces of the nobles.
‘Now that I used the whip once, is it time to give them the carrot?’
Roan also knew that the nobles were the biggest support for Simon.
He had to stop them from shaking altogether.
The next plan was calmly set up in his head.
Then, a familiar face appeared among the soldiers surrounding him.
“Huh?”
Roan, that didn’t get surprised much, opened his eyes roundly.
A really welcoming face.
“Chris.”
“Troop commander.”
Chris, that was working in Pavor castle as his stage, had appeared in Mediasis village.
The two people held hands and didn’t speak for a long while.
The soft smile and warm eyes worked instead of the conversation.
“Troop commander.”
After a while, Chris said with a low voice.
Roan nodded.
Chris’s voice became even lower.
“There’s something I must check on.”
Roan just looked at CHris’s eyes.
Chris started to carefully speak.
“Even so, it seems like there’s a spy among the remaining nobles in Tale.”
*****
“So you are telling me to hold hands with Kallum?”
“Yes.”
A short answer.
But the expression of the man that answered was gentle.
“Mm.”
The youth that listened to the answer touched his chin with one hand and frowned.
‘So I have to hold hands with my younger brother……..’
“Count Chase. Are you saying that the situation in my brother Simon’s side is that good?”
“Yes. If it goes on like this, the 1st prince will get really ahead of the competition for the throne.”
The man with a serious expression was count Jonathan Chase.
He said in a low voice as if he was whispering.
“Actually, the 1st prince is staying in the region of Tale that’s at the north of the lake. The responsible for that place is someone called Roan, that beheaded viscount Benjamin Doyle. As he has quite the ability, it seems like he is blocking the monsters in Tale really outstandingly.”
“How do you know that precisely?”
“When the thing of viscount Doyle happened, I sent some commander underlings and made them infiltrate his troop.”
“Ah……..”
Tommy let out a low exclamation.
His eyes shone.
“If we connect them with our own spies…..”
“No. It’s much better for them not to know each other.”
Jonathan quickly shook his head.
“Because then, even if one side gets discovered, the other one will be able to stay alive.”
“Mm. That’s also right……..”
Tommy admitted it in an instant and nodded.
Jonathan let out a short sigh.
“Whew. For now, we have to concentrate on holding hands with the 3rd prince.”
“But will Kallum want to hold hands with me?”
“That……”
A smile appeared in Jonathan’s face.
He said with a really confident expression.
“Send me to the 3rd prince. I will certainly convince him.”
“Oh! It seems like you are confident.”
Tommy smiled brightly and nodded.
Jonathan kneeled up.
“I’m just doing my best for the prince.”
A really polite and mannered look.
Tommy nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Fine. I will entrust that to you. If this just turns out well, I will give you a big reward.”
“Thank you.”
Jonathan hurriedly bowed.
The smile in his face became denser.
‘Kuk! Then, shall we start working earnestly?’
A kind of cold eyes.
That resembled the eyes of a snake.
< Poskein Exodus (9) > End