How to Live as a Wandering Knight - Chapter 284: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 (2)

“They aren’t ordinary merchant ships, but armed pilgrims instead.”

“Are you saying that’s worth being worked up about?”

Ahab held the title of baron, which was the equivalent of a chieftain in the neighboring tribes.

As such, the Eastern Empire had a lot of these tribes under its rule and it wasn’t uncommon for the leaders of these tribes to be awarded titles to maintain order.

These chieftains were not particularly loyal to the sultan, as the Eastern Empire was nothing more than a trading partner to them.

It was only natural that they wouldn’t risk their lives to fight against foreign invaders from the West.

“It’s not like you don’t know that these pilgrims are heading south by ship. How many are there, a few dozen?”

The word “pilgrim” brought to mind a gentle image, but those who embarked on long pilgrimages were no pushovers.

Armed paladins who had trained in monasteries were almost on par with knights, and even those who weren’t paladins had some combat experience.

However, what could a group of ten or so people accomplish? He was confident that he could capture them if he sent his men after them.

“Well, there are hundreds of well-armed men! Far more than that!”

“. . .What?!”

Ahab was thunderstruck by those words, as if the sky had fallen.

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Landing ashore, Johan’s first order of business was to calm the captains who were baying for Vaytar’s blood.

Vaytar’s decision had been correct, but to the captains, it seemed like an excuse to change course.

If they had sailed through the typhoon instead of avoiding it, they might have arrived safely, so the captains’ anger was somewhat justified.

Of course, Vaytar was understandably upset and aggrieved.

“I demand a duel!”

“You pagan dog, you’re a prisoner! What right do you have to demand a duel as a captive!?”

As the captain continued to taunt him, Johan raised his hand.

“Enough.”

“Yes, I’m sorry, your highness.”

“Where do you think we are now?”

“We seem to have come all the way north on our way to Ikos Island.”

The map was simple and rough, but it was enough to get a general idea of where they were. Johan nodded.

“If we’ve come this far, it might not be a bad idea to go by land.”

“We won’t be able to land on Ikos Island, but you’re right, it’s not like we can only receive help from the lord of Ikos Island.”

The captains agreed. Some of the ships had been damaged during the hasty landing, and considering the pirates in the area, it might be better to go by land.

Johan looked at the old slave overseer instead of Vaytar and asked,

“Do you know who the master is around here?”

“I’m, I’m sorry, your highness. I’m not very knowledgeable. . .”

“That’s fine. You can’t know every single family.”

Just as the Empire didn’t know all the families in the countryside, so too did the same apply to the East. Once Johan had finished organizing things, he sent out scouts to check the surrounding area.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, the centaurs eagerly galloped off to check the roads and directions.

“Send word to the duke! There are enemies on the hill over there. We’ll capture them if you just give the order!”

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Baron Ahab rode his horse, accompanied by a dozen guards. The parched earth kicked up dust and muddied the surroundings.

𝐆𝐮𝐥𝐩━

Someone swallowed, breaking the silence. Just as the attendant had said, there were countless soldiers lined up in orderly ranks.

“I-is it true that there’s a holy war going on?”

“Even if that’s the case, there’s no reason for them to come this way!”

Rumors of a new holy war in the west had been quietly spreading, but few took it seriously. Especially since Baron Ahab’s territory was on the coast, far from the roads commonly used by pilgrims.

That was why his heart couldn’t help but race when he encountered such an army.

Everyone knew that the warriors of the West were savage and uncivilized, but they were also fierce and valiant. They were the ones who wore heavy plate armor and fearlessly charged forward through a hail of arrows.

“Baron, perhaps this is a good thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We should quickly send word to the other tribes and ask for reinforcements, and we should also prepare our own warriors for battle. If we ask the sultan for help, he’ll surely send us soldiers, won’t he?”

“To fight against that army!?”

“Look, an army like that must be led by a high-ranking noble. How much wealth do you think they have?”

The other men’s reactions to the fearless warrior’s words were mixed. Some looked intrigued, while others grimaced.

Fortunately, the baron was in his right mind.

“Don’t talk nonsense! Have you lost your mind? If we’re the ones to start a fight, and they come and burn down the town and salt the earth, no one will compensate us.”

“B-But we can’t just leave them alone, can we? They say that those from the West are all savages and that negotiation is impossible. . .”

While they were talking, the centaurs closed the distance. The baron’s guards were startled and reached for their weapons.

However, the centaurs had come bearing a message instead of weapons.

“Are you the master of this land?”

“I. . . I am.”

“My master, Duke Yeats, wishes to meet you. He will guarantee your safety on his name, so please accept his invitation.”

Whether in the East or the West, it was rare for a noble to commit a despicable act after giving their word. Judging by this, it seemed that attending the meeting wouldn’t be a problem.

The guards seemed to think so too, and instead of worrying about their master, they wondered what he would talk about.

However, Baron Ahab’s face turned as pale as a sheet.

“Why are you like this, master?”

“I-Idiots. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the Yeats family?”

One of the guards was shocked by the baron’s words. He thought he had heard the name somewhere, but was he saying that this was the Yeats family of knights?

“Is that the pagan who made a pact with the demon and summoned those monsters?”

“A pact with the demon, you say? Isn’t that ridiculous!?”

The more rational guards were incredulous, but the baron didn’t waver.

“No. It’s almost certain that there is demon’s blood in that man’s lineage. The priests said so too. Why do you think the knights who returned after crossing swords with him in the last battle were so sick and died? It’s all because there was devil’s blood mixed in.”

“T-Then how can we possibly fight him?”

One of the guards who had spoken earlier asked, sounding flustered.

He had heard many stories about the renowned knights of the East being defeated by the demon in their expeditions, but he never thought that the demon would come all the way here.

“If we refuse his offer. . .”

“Even so, it would be rude to simply reject such an offer.”

“Call the sorcerer in the fiefdom. I need to hear his advice before I go.”

“A wise decision, master!”

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“What was the atmosphere like?”

“They talked among themselves for a while. Do you think they’re up to something?”

Johan frowned at the centaur’s words. Caenerna said, as if she didn’t understand.

“Surely the chieftain of this place wouldn’t dare to scheme against us. . .?”

Considering the size of their army, it seemed like common sense to be careful, and the idea of them plotting against him seemed absurd.

However, Johan knew.

That there were far more stupid, irrational people in the world than he had thought.

“It doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Select the best of our soldiers and have them stand by at the front.”

“Yes.”

The one who received Johan’s suggestion said that he would make preparations and asked for some time.

It was possible that they were really preparing, but it could also be a trap.

If it was a trap, he intended to show them his unbridled fury.

“Here they come!”

“It’s not a trap.”

A retinue of no more than thirty could neither set a trap nor do anything else. Johan nodded as he watched the procession approach slowly and cautiously.

“Escort the lord inside.”

When he first saw Baron Ahab, Johan thought, ‘𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧.’

The baron was indeed adorned with trinkets. Some of them emitted a faint mystical aura, but it didn’t seem like the baron had put them together on purpose. They were tangled together in a complicated way, rendering them useless.

The baron and his guards sat down with stiff faces. Every move they made was filled with tension.

‘𝘋𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮?’

Johan thought that might be the case. Of course, Johan had sworn on his name, but a suspicious person might not believe him. Even Johan himself was suspicious of people, even if they swore on their family name.

It didn’t matter if they were suspicious. Johan was confident in his ability to charm such people. Johan spoke in the eastern tongue.

“Baron Ahab.”

“W-w-what is it?”

“I regret that we meet under such circumstances.”

“T-That’s. . . what. . . surely you don’t. . . surely you don’t. . .?”

The baron turned pale and looked around. He looked like he was afraid that armed soldiers would rush in and kidnap him.

He couldn’t bring himself to ask, as it would be an insult, so his anxious glances around the room were pitiful.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I regret that our ship was caught in a typhoon and we were forced to make an emergency landing.”

“Ah. . . ah! Indeed.”

“My army and I need to march east, and I was wondering if you could show us some kindness. We would like some food and water.”

At Johan’s words, the baron looked like he had been waiting for this. The baron steeled himself.

“Of course! As much as you need!”

“. . .”

Caenerna’s eyebrows shot up. She had thought something was up when the lord spoke with such a grave expression, but he had accepted too easily.

“Thank you. We will pay you properly.”

“It’s my duty as a man of faith to entertain foreigners who have come from afar. . . wait. Did you say you would pay?”

“Is that not allowed?”

Johan asked, looking puzzled. The baron waved his hands in a panic.

“Of course not! You’re most welcome! I was just wondering if it would be a burden to your highness. . .”

The baron was being extremely careful. If he said ‘yes’ here and Johan found fault and attacked him, everything would be ruined.

To return safely without making any mistakes in front of the knight who was said to have the blood of a demon.

That was the baron’s goal.

“It won’t be a burden with just that much. Surely you, the Baron, wouldn’t inflate the price, would you?”

“O-Of course not!”

“I appreciate your permission. Once we receive the supplies, we will head east. I’d like to hear a little bit about this area, if you don’t mind.”

As Johan ended his story and moved on to small talk, Baron Ahab felt like he had overcome a major hurdle.

However, it was too early to relax. It was possible for trouble to arise from these trivial conversations.

“If you’re heading east, you’ll need to be careful of the mountain range blocking the way. There are not only monsters but also many bandits.”

“I see. It sounds like it’s pretty bad.”

“Even the pilgrims who walk from afar come down from the top and cross the mountain range, and many of them die because they underestimate the mountain range, so there are graves lined up there. . .”

One of the attendants hurriedly stepped on the baron’s foot. It was a warning to the master for his slip of the tongue.

Among the infidels, jokes mocking the stupid people of the West were often used as light-hearted conversation, but the noble in front of him was a noble from the West.

“You shouldn’t underestimate mountains. Especially mountains you’ve never climbed before. Thank you for letting me know, Baron.”

Johan was being quite friendly. He had promised supplies, and there was no point in making new enemies in this strange land.

However, for the people of the East, Johan’s attitude was so unfamiliar that it made their skin crawl.

Usually, the people from the West who came with a large army were loud, arrogant, and rude. Especially for someone of the duke’s rank, there was no reason to pay for supplies.

If he threatened them to hand them over, it would be considered polite, and usually he would send his army to loot or burn the surrounding area.

However, the enemy knight, who was rumored to be a devil, appeared like this, and it was terrifying in a different way.

Just what is he scheming?