Chapter 108: Colder than the north (1)
dELThe end of deep winter.23cWgf
JTJMh0Joseph pulled the chair he used to sit on closer to the window and looked outside.X7y
Idsux7IAt the door of Soara, seen through the window, a large number of church priests were gathered, waiting for someone.P79
giA2QVL“Did you recognize him?”gXLaTp
R7HHvlzJager noticed that Joseph’s eyes, peering out the window, were unusual.siADY
itbBThey were tense, as if he were watching a typhoon approaching.Gbh3zO8
xHqp2P“He’s said to be the biological son of Duke Dragulia. They say he’s Mirshea’s half-brother, the leader of the Dragonslayer Knights.”zYvIGKm
sEWYNyAs soon as Jager’s report ended, the movements of the priests outside became busier.mZW
H49A dark line cutting through the dragon’s neck.m5CVB5a
Wf0adKnights were entering Soara under the banner of the Dragonslayer Knights.pBxqo
zYhEv“His name is Radu. Though young, he’s a knight who has already slain dragons several times.”zDNChZ
LWxCWAfJoseph’s ears were tuned to Jager, but his eyes didn’t leave the door.UE7M
d7d7QzThere were three knights entering under the banner.4qZJR
Ez13XYet, even among them, the man at the forefront was vaguely visible.TO1Z7D
KjwrEven when seen from afar in his office, he seemed confident.BBH
EwKqD5y“Son of the Dragon Blood Prince, Radu Dragulia…”osTpZ
jHNAgLCThe Bayezid family was also famous for producing great knights, but still probably not as good as the central Dragulia family.xwzmf37
sVB6a0Because they were a family that inherited the dragon’s blood, not just a vain tradition but recorded in real history books.i6jT
LqqEgtAnd now, a knight with dragon’s blood was walking towards Soara with a courteous invitation from Bishop Pedro.6TeBd
Bkw3x“And here.”r5BNIJ
fvA4fThis time, Jager informed Joseph, not with words but with a small note.z21FS
eENM“It’s said that the Bayezids’ eyes have spotted suspicious trends throughout the North.”AHGO
esXdoKT“…”q0gI
jVaJoseph took the note handed to him by Jager, and carefully unfolded it, beginning to read what was written inside.iT7aoz
uu3“Mmm.”rbC
UOQ9gHe tried to contain it, but couldn’t help it.dAT
GyxIt was a note with only a short sentence written, but Joseph frowned as he read it.48rs
zGhThe note he held now was an explanation of the situation and also a silent warning from his father, Peter.5Xd
4ZkD“…I suppose I thought wrong.”slg3Cnc
kiB3dXp“Yes?”XYpHjP
vJkIWith those words, Joseph stood up and approached the window.AH4UP
RJHMClgSince he couldn’t wield a sword, he honed his sharp eyes and deep thoughts.o4ShLT
QZx6YwFHowever, no matter how intensely he trained, it seemed it still wasn’t enough for the Heretic Interlocutor who had lived his whole life on the battlefield of logic.y7LOO
mqFS“Bishop Pedro’s target wasn’t Vlad.”voHq
sJJGbC7Clearly, Bishop Pedro and Joseph were vying for control of Soara.ArD
Ejht2euYet, the power of Soara, which was Joseph’s purpose and goal, was merely a means that Bishop Pedro could discard at any time.Bishop Pedro was looking beyond Joseph.rfhx
u2LZ2GThe northern churches belonging to the Vatican were moving.sKEGwb
B20EThe first to raise the flag was Bishop Pedro of Soara, and the place where the church soldiers were gathering was one of the fiefs that had been in the north for a long time.7szAW
ZRpiyBaron Utman’s city.6pi
vpdKnn9It was Mosiah.LVXtH
1Npd***dhhLRw
bdnTsThe blessing of the bright mole was truly powerful.naBSh
iPdAs Vlad and Goethe left the Dobrechi forest, they were never attacked by monsters or beasts, and even their steps were light.XnNMYF
ZcH29The journey, which had gone so smoothly, ended up leaving the two of them outside the Dobrechi Forest much faster than expected, and that was the beginning of the problem.JoU0V
9Jjk“Wow. Eat it slowly. No one will take it from you.”y9vmuh
kFQcA blazing fire under a tree dyed white by the snow.wDRz
O81fCThere were two men eagerly eating soup under the warm heat and smoke.WAsyv
fGvaPPThe man observing the scene right in front of him spoke to Vlad and Goethe with a sad expression on his face.bImhTb6
a9yNdJHis lips, still pale despite having the hot soup on them, showed how much they had been wandering.1YQT
TSArF5O“Thank you. If I hadn’t met you, I would have been in real trouble.”U018MQ
JPAEelWe must learn to express gratitude to those who share food with us.D86T
Hm4P6AZVlad, who was a young hunter before becoming a pickpocket, knew the gratitude of a hot soup plate and therefore expressed his sincere gratitude to the mercenaries who saved him.1F4kBAH
wkwGmr“Wow…”NA9G4h
7cvx8Wb“…This is something I’ll remember for a long time.”cEYNZ
VCqeBHowever, the mercenaries who heard Vlad thanking them only opened their eyes wide and expressed surprise.vNZSt7A
RCpTIn the suddenly uncomfortable atmosphere, Vlad quickly began to look around to see if he had made a mistake.sxyqnp
mk1sojBThe life skills he had learned in the alleys flowed as naturally as breathing.1AzGOLp
NskD6p“I suppose you’re a knight from the central region?”PS3jf
LMaHowever, the man who introduced himself as the mercenary leader simply smiled and handed me the sliced jerky.EVvfr
kMAbDIt seemed that Vlad really liked the way he said thank you.ijUj5R
AIqX“I’m not from the central region. I’m from the north.”GKYj6jP
t8oj1W“Wow. So you said that.”VKxiion
h0eVlad, who had finally regained his senses after escaping from the cold and hunger, continued to speak as he looked at the mercenaries who were watching him curiously.mZS
imFM“Did I just make a mistake?”ipc5mK3
vzCFZvV“No no. Sir. Haha!”0xPJ67
jPTMThe curly-haired man burst into laughter at Vlad’s question and served him another bowl of soup.daf
HKjE“It’s because it’s the first time low-level bastards like us have heard thanks from people like you.”KN5Pn
RXYfJVlad felt a subtle sense of discomfort looking at the mercenaries who called themselves bastards.1oU
g7XiKZVIndeed, it was Vlad, not the mercenaries, who had been living at the bottom, but his reflection in the new land seemed to be only that of a young knight.qazHIK
XQtxQL“I guess I was too polite.”ayf
fr3It seems that the hierarchical relationship between classes was deeper in the central region than in the north.HuQi
TIEfGnSurely there will be several differences depending on the characteristics of each region, so Vlad thought he should keep these points in mind in the future.YVh4
HNnM“By the way, knight, where are you going?”kKVuoe
TT9“We were on our way to Tanovo. A city in the Vitskaya County.”CHTAXg6
6fWkOOWith those words, Vlad raised his head and looked at the curly-haired man.ycQZ1
I3HjvThe mercenary leader stopped laughing when he saw Vlad looking at him while holding a bowl of soup.gOj0DRV
VKcqKAlthough he didn’t say it out loud, the intent in his eyes was very clear.hwjTz2
PfnGQ“This is truly a coincidence. We were also on our way to Tanovo.”5fz2y9w
VlzdPx“Oh ah.”dRaYWL
1JLfaBefore Vlad could respond, Goethe quickly let out a sigh of relief.maC5A
Efygc9“Thank God. Captain. If we follow those people, we can get to Tanovo.”WkuY
G8d“Shut your mouth.”qVMlE
KtTUm8nVlad couldn’t contain the boiling anger within him and finally let out a single word.ku6YE
norBefore leaving, he was the type to beat his chest and say he only believed in himself.Mtb6B
A6JHowever, since he ended up creating this division, Vlad had no choice but to blame himself, saying it was his fault for trusting a swindler.fzSpF
kZOHX6U“I’m Vlad from Soara. No, Vlad.”PN0XO
RG4gc“I’m Stephan from the Thorn Mercenaries. Sir.”O3T
HmmqVlad suppressed his boiling anger and shook hands with the mercenary leader with a smile on his face.ifYd2a
mXbW5TAs their hands came together, their eyes met.2nR
JrhVlad thought Stephan’s blue eyes matched well with his curly orange hair.pbHt7uW
Ofg***HTrxQo
C7ZNA city in the central region that I saw for the first time.SakWS
9z2IMpThe sight of Tanovo, an actual city and not a remote territory like Dobrechi, expanded Vlad’s knowledge, who had lived in Soars all his life, just by looking at it.fTDmS
wtl5afh“This is my first time in the city center.”UrH8
2SjX5“Then this place might not be so bad.”1wRr
knuThrough experience, he knew that if he seemed like a country bumpkin, he’d be an easy target for crime, but still, the atmosphere of the city he was seeing for the first time excited Vlad once again.gHk98oY
pLvy“It can be said that this city is one of the trading bases with the elves of the east. Therefore, it is also a place where many traders and mercenaries pass through.”22acY
z3Yn07Stephan was showing the utmost sincerity he could towards the seemingly inexperienced knight.On2FAt
UGNMquNo matter how young he may seem, a knight is a knight.5ijy5V
WZuj4If you can establish a relationship with a knight with just a few bowls of soup and a few kind words, it will definitely be a lucrative business.lOYSbT
QKUO7B9“Do you want me to find an inn for you? I know some useful places.”UUTl
AQ3nJ“Hmm. I just want you to recommend an inn. I plan to meet the lord of this place first.”cK4Sum
CF71leD“Wow. I see.”lToZ
JRODKSeeing Vlad proudly say that he would meet Count Vitskaya, Stephan nodded with bright eyes.JtGqY
M5cNo matter how chivalrous they are, not all are worthy.4py8
5wFsantAmong those who were knights and walked with their heads held high, there were surely people who were in worse shape than mercenaries like them.Mx5qJi
TIUGHHowever, the young knight in front of him had an unusually pleasant appearance and proudly said he would visit the count, so Stephan’s eyes couldn’t help but shine.lTE6jPv
Nw1“If you need help, come see me anytime. We are planning to stay at the inn at the intersection in front of us for a few days.”Umy2B
3qU8zt6“Okay.”JoJxv
WdfLCKThough Vlad responded abruptly suddenly, Stephan didn’t feel bad. Rather, he seemed to agree with that attitude, nodding his head as if it was the right thing to do.70eCkP
WCS12W“Thank you.”Wh8
rVUu0“You’re welcome. Sir.”RVJ2
qyPzsIt was surprisingly difficult to deal with someone older than you.X8hguv
9zuBut Vlad had to get used to this now.qzhe
pRvhSince there was no Joseph or older knights who would always assert their authority in front of them, they now had to stand up for themselves.PsP
oNZx“You can find the count’s mansion by going to the largest building in the city.”xrN
oeQBuxStephan, who was watching Vlad struggle to find his place, left with a smile of understanding.3uhm
vuYBThe group of mercenaries following him bowed carefully to Vlad and disappeared into the streets.8fr
qmyO“I really should visit him later and invite him for a drink.”whDw
6WZi4If you receive something, you must return it.xKq
9aWJiIf it weren’t for Stephan, he could still be wandering in the cold winter forest, so it would be nice to at least show my gratitude.hiHDD4
cL2“If you’re going to invite him for a drink, it’s better to buy something a bit more expensive. Captain.”msn
8E1la8l“Why?”6aTYI
WnkEGoethe, who was walking behind with Stephan’s mercenaries, gave Vlad a meaningful look and said.vGQH6
xDy“They seem like a popular mercenary group. Judging by the equipment they carry and the fact that they passed quickly through the inspection at the castle gate, they are at least a group of mercenaries whose name is known.”xBx6
WGy67Hn“Really?”ZAYGIPC
Hil4eE7Vlad’s eyes also began to shine as he watched Stephan leave.mol
mdTRb2Stephan wasn’t the only one who wanted to get something out of their relationship.qaF1
NP0FO***ZDlT
XonThe mansions in the north had a strong practical aspect.FVIYO
gLW9UmFacilities with a clear purpose and high walls.JUg1
iGhxIn a way, it was a characteristic of the northern mansions that were so gloomy they could be called small castles, but the style in the central part was different.aGnoEpL
C7QDOul“What brings you here?”GcfT
jlHTLOuter walls of pure white surrounding the mansion.PXr
XdUj38And the carvings between the walls were enough to leave Vlad speechless for a moment.tr5cSpR
81QD“I am the knight of Bayezid. Vlad. I came here because I have a special request to make of the lord of this place.”412JpY
geAJdQz“May I ask what’s going on?”9FB
nz0TxsI was momentarily taken aback by the useless elegance I saw for the first time, but I still didn’t forget what I had to do.FRF
HBdwM7“I have an urgent matter to communicate to the lord, so I would like to borrow the wizard’s letter. Please tell him that the knight in trouble awaits the kind assistance of Count Vitskaya.”k8Lxv
RgbEhZ0It was an unannounced visit, but I think I can lend a letter.fsr9G
2rXA lord who rules a territory would not miss the opportunity to save face with just a small favor.7pT73S
kxQbUEe“Captain. Will we reach the inn later? Perhaps you’ll receive an invitation.”qim
2xJ“Yes.”BigByuk
xONVlad nodded slightly in response to Goethe’s suggestive question from behind.8Nb8QfQ
QojWIn the North, there was a custom of valuing visitors.FxW
WyOPKIf there was a similar custom here, maybe he could have dinner.jLPl
jK3But 10 minutes passed, then an hour.Xm585Qt
bycP33QEven as the surroundings darkened, there was no sound calling for Vlad.McFC5Ut
2NiqyS“…”Bjbc
jcaEiMThe reason Joseph sent Vlad was partly to protect him from possible objections from the Vatican, but it also aimed to have him see the world in general.lhv26N
aa7In that sense, Joseph’s intention was clearly succeeding.OUp
ga2V“When will we get a response?”ukP
lTW37c“I don’t know.”dtH
ujTQ“I would at least like to hear if it’s yes or no.”ik5
CVi0“You have to wait.”cN0
3g5WUACold contempt.djC5ff9
9Yh7NdzYou could even hear a sneer of disdain from time to time.G7S1T8Q
HqC8vfVlad wasn’t angry at the coldness he felt for the first time in a long time.DpBOY
izdBecause it was something he was familiar with, it was something he could tolerate.zbI
L7mdX1However, he was only curious as to why they treated him like this when he had clearly demonstrated his identity.0ADRBB
gGRVw“How long?”QsR
h2hAJh“…”T5XpWT8
uokbThe center of the continent is in the middle, and the lords of the central region believed they were at the center of the world.QpQpX
UVZeHU2They believed they had a nobility that couldn’t be compared to those of the east who ate dry land or the northerners who had mixed barbarian blood.uTJ8s
ntsB“You must wait until the count calls for you.”7jdVapE
l7c1Cm“…”ohf
FM8VifThe frog in the well saw the world.hkQOJA
PDRZHowever, the world I thought would be vast was only filled with other walls.ruHVBFm
SVAThe center of the world discriminated against the northerners.QDo2
LNaZg9PVlad had no choice but to stand still in front of the firmly closed door of the Count.svnwDIy
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