Chapter 40

Chapter 40

TL/Editor: Raei

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Schedule: 5/week

Illustrations: None.

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The knights did not have much fondness for wizards.

Their first gripe was the underhanded tricks played on the battlefield. The second was sharing the glory with them.

Knights generally disliked wizards.

However, to avoid the hassle of direct confrontation, they would only bad-mouth wizards behind their backs, in hidden places.

"Look here, wizard."

A knight who had abruptly sought out Ian said so.

"I hear you've been spreading dangerous rumors among the people."

"Dangerous rumors?"

"The rumor that the land will become diseased and rot if Graham becomes the lord."

Ah, I did spread such baseless rumors.

Ian nodded in admission.

"That's right. But why do you ask?"

Upon Ian's affirmation, the knight narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

The reason was ridiculous.

"Wizard Ian. Isn't it a bit excessive to be casting such strong curses?"

"...?"

"If the land really does rot away, what then? How will you handle the aftermath?"

Don't use too strong a curse.

...Is that what this is about?

Ian was momentarily speechless.

"So, you mean, what if the land actually rots away?"

"That's right."

Ian waved his hand with a smile.

While his face was smiling, inwardly, he cursed the ignorant knight.

This is why uneducated people are a problem.

"Ah. It seems there's some misunderstanding. There won't be any land rotting."

"Why not?"

"Because all this talk of curses and such is complete nonsense."

"...Nonsense?"

These ignorant knights had taken the black propaganda meant to fool only the most gullible of peasants to heart.

Ian cursed the knights for their abysmal level of intelligence, but in truth, it wasn't their fault.

This was the average level of information in this era.

For modern people steeped in all kinds of media, including smartphones, knowledge is like a toy that can be easily obtained by simply turning on Namuwiki[1].

It's the kind of toy that YouTubers play with when they make shorts about "secrets you didn't know about ~."

However, in this medieval fantasy world, where information was extremely limited, rumors were often taken as truth because there was no way to distinguish true from false.

Knowing this, people of the Middle Ages freely spread lies.

After being fooled by such absurd lies a few times, listeners naturally learned to filter what they heard.

The problem arises in situations like this, where biased knowledge leads to absurd misunderstandings.

"Can you be sure of that?"

What's there to be sure about?

Ian looked at the knight in disbelief, but the knight's eyes were filled with a strange certainty.

"I hope you won't change your story later."

'What the hell is this guy on about?'

Ian wondered what nonsense the count's knight had gotten into his head.

But the real headache began after the army arrived at Graham's stronghold.

"Count! We do not wish to stand on a dishonorable battlefield!"

The count's knights had collectively declared a strike.

"Is everyone serious?"

The count looked back and forth between the knights and Ian with a complex gaze.

Combining the count's gaze and the knights' peculiar attitude, Ian reached a conclusion.

'...Could it be?'

"Wizard Ian has been loudly proclaiming that a curse will fall upon this land. This is no different from inviting a curse!"

"If rumors spread that we are associated with a curse-calling wizard, our honor will be thrown into a mud pit, Your Excellency."

The knights' intentions were clear.

They were scheming to exclude Ian from this war!

"No, but the curse is all bullsh*t. How are you fooled by rumors I've spread?"

Ian tried to logically persuade the knights, but they wouldn't listen to him at all.

"How can we believe the words of a wizard?"

"It's clear you're trying to deceive us with your cunning tricks known only to yourself!"

This was the knights' logic.

Ian was smart.

He knows more than the knights, so if he uses tricks, they wouldn't know.

Conclusion: They think everything Ian says is bullsh*t.

"Me? Graham? The double-edged sword?"

Graham looked at his men and laughed sharply.

From the moment he had harmed the Talians, he had been prepared for a violent conflict.

In that sense, the army of Count Catina was not a crisis but an opportunity.

An opportunity to be recognized as the new lord of the domain!

It was obvious that Lucy Talian, that arrogant woman, was with the Count.

If he could somehow win this battle, he could negotiate to take Lucy.

If that happened, it would be Graham's victory.

Graham had about 200 men under him, along with a few wandering knights he had brought in from outside.

Especially, a so-called Black Knight from the east, who was so powerful that it was hard to believe he was hired for only a few silver coins.

"Whether the enemy is 400 or 4,000, it doesn't matter! Anyone who dares to point a sword at me, Graham, will die!"

"Ooh!"

Graham and his comrades ignited their will to fight.

True to his former mercenary nature, Graham had long lost his sense of fear.

Would he have thought to kill the lord and lady and take over the domain if he had any fear left?

But in these chaotic times, there were many like Graham.

A complete fool if he failed, but a revolutionary who could overturn the world's order if he succeeded.

"Hey, knights! Cheer up! If this goes well, I'll grant you good lands!"

The wandering knights nodded at Graham's words.

Though still a lord in name, Graham was a ruler in his own right.

The hastily hired knights would also contribute to his strength.

"Captain! The enemy is approaching!"

Graham checked his helmet and armor before stepping onto the battlefield.

"Let's go!"

Graham and the mercenaries advanced.

Now, the joyful rebellion of the former mercenaries began!

---

---

At high noon, with the sun overhead, the army of Baron Graham and Count Catina's forces stood parallel, facing each other on the hill.

The armies collided in the plain.

The terrain was more advantageous for Graham.

Being on higher ground, they could look down upon their enemy.

The count's army was divided into three sections, approximately 100 men each: the left wing, the right wing, and the center.

"Definitely overwhelming."

Sir Diketo, a knight of the count, stood by Ian's side and spoke.

Due to his age, he had been assigned to guard the count and other important figures.

It was also to give the younger knights a chance to shine.

"It seems so."

400 versus 200.

Even to Ian, who was ignorant about warfare, Count Catina's forces appeared overwhelmingly advantageous.

Even without Ian's magic support, the difference in troops seemed more than enough to secure a victory.

In truth, even if Ian had offered magical support, there wasn't much he could do.

Ian couldn't start fires or cause earthquakes.

At most, he could summon darkness... but with the sun shining brightly, summoning darkness wasn't easy.

But what does magical support matter?

The overwhelming difference in troops was undeniable.

Winning was all that mattered.

Ian, who was ignorant about warfare, along with Lucy and the count, watched the battle with calm expressions.

Ian, anticipating an exciting spectacle for the first time in a while, found himself wishing for some popcorn.

"Oh. They're fighting."

The two armies clashed fiercely.

Contrary to expectations that the count's army would overwhelmingly win, Graham's forces did not easily give ground.

They're fighting much better than expected?

Ian, impressed, said to Sir Diketo.

"They said they were former mercenaries, but they're fighting well against even the knights."

"..."

The most entertaining spectacles in the world were watching fires and fights.

Ian was having a f*cking blast.

Wow. It's like watching a movie.

However, unlike Ian, who was carefree, Sir Diketo's expression was quite grim.

The enemies were fighting much better than expected.

---

[1. raei: Wikipedia for Koreans.]

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