WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: HidingTurtle

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◈ The Wandering Knight and the Moving Castle ◈

Chapter 32: First Subjugation Campaign (3)

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A Barsian knight said,

“Warhorses from other countries are mere beasts, but Barsian warhorses know the virtue of loyalty. Our noses thwart ambushes, and our eyes pierce even the darkness. Beneath Barsian hooves, every enemy shall fall!”

They claimed they were the strongest.

A Gord knight said,

“So what if we can’t ride horses? Throw an axe at a charging warhorse’s head, and the knight will be served right at your feet! If anyone’s split more knights’ skulls than us, step forward!”

They claimed they were the strongest.

A Roman knight said,

“Countless prestigious swordsmanship families have vanished to disease and war. But Roman is different. Not even a thousand years can take away our swordsmanship. At the Roman Academy, we receive the teachings of heroes from epic tales.”

They claimed they were the strongest.

A Samurian knight said,

“We are born amid sandstorms and forged beneath the burning sun. Thirst and mirages are our allies, venomous insects and quicksand our servants. Who dares challenge Samur?”

They claimed they were the strongest.

Knights from every other country also insisted they were the best. Gathering people like this in one place could only turn into a complete mess.

“This is our chance to show Barsia’s might! Follow me!”

Knights, Squires, servants, and a few mercenaries marched proudly out of Bonyard City. A banner bearing a bleeding rose fluttered above them.

“What’s with those fools?”

Eugene was discussing the subjugation plan with the guard captain who would nominally command the force.

“They’re leaving already? The main force hasn’t even fully gathered yet.”

“We can’t control the knights, you see. Sir Derek boldly set out after hearing that a detached band of brigands had appeared nearby.”

The guard captain gave a bitter smile.

“He’s from House Piranian, right? The friend of the man whose hand Karas cut off at the tavern.”

“Yes. House Piranian is a frightening place. Even if he’s only a retainer knight, returning after suffering such humiliation would put him in a difficult position. He was desperate to earn even a small achievement, so he rushed out at once.”

The knights staying in the city would undoubtedly be a great help in subjugating the brigands. Still, there was no way to stop them from running off as they pleased.

“Sir Derek will easily sweep aside a handful of brigands.”

Aside from being a thug, Derek’s combat ability as a heavily armed knight was unquestionable. He would mercilessly crush a small group of poorly armed stragglers.

Yet regardless of victory or defeat, Eugene felt suffocated.

‘Master did say the command structure here was primitive, but...’

It was one thing for those who brought troops to exercise their own command authority. There had even been absurd farces where commanders on the same side fought duels over petty disputes.

“I feel sorry for you. Being caught in the middle must be giving you a headache.”

“I’m used to it. It’s comforting enough that you recognize it, Sir Eugene.”

“If there’s anything you need from me, give the order. I’ll fight if you tell me to fight, and guard if you tell me to guard.”

“An order? I should respectfully make a request.”

The guard captain waved both hands, his face filled with surprise and gratitude. He had met many knights while doing this work, but had never seen anyone like Eugene, not even in his dreams.

‘He seems like someone who took only the good parts of knights and mercenaries, then mixed them together.’

It was somewhat irreverent, but an honest thought.

* * *

The day the subjugation began, dark elves stood in formation before Eugene. Twenty skirmishers armed with curved swords, composite bows, and leather armor.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen proper leather armor here.’

Leather armor was more expensive and harder to maintain than one might expect, making it high-quality equipment. It suited elite soldiers focused on mobility.

Ordinary mercenaries preferred thick cloth armor reinforced with chain or iron plates. Such metal pieces were easy to attach and remove, so they often changed owners depending on the outcome of battle.

“I am Captain Rex. We have been ordered to follow your command, Sir Eugene.”

A male dark elf with cropped hair and a scar across his cheek spoke while standing at attention.

He wore a one-piece suit of armor that appeared to be made from monster hide, while the others wore lamellar armor made from animal-hide pieces laced together with cord.

“I look forward to working with you. I’ll fight in a manner worthy of a knight’s name.”

“We look forward to working with you as well.”

Given their bad reputation, Eugene had expected them to be arrogant or cold, but they were surprisingly polite.

Step!

When Rex gave a military salute, the subordinates behind him snapped their feet together and saluted as one.

Dark elves were an unfortunate race, fewer in number than elves and without territory to call their own. Generations of harsh wandering had made every member an exceptional warrior.

“You need not slow your horse for our sake while moving. We can run through forests for hours, so Victor Knight, please proceed without worrying about stragglers.”

“Just ‘knight’ is enough.”

The invisible power of reputation was useful at times like this. Dark elves, famous for being prickly even with nobles, treated Eugene with perfect courtesy despite meeting him for the first time.

“This is Varda, the mage supporting us.”

The dark elves gazed impassively up at the elf on horseback.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“It is reassuring to fight alongside such a renowned forest mage.”

Seeing Rex speak so evenly, Eugene no longer thought there would be trouble.

‘This is what a real army looks like.’

They kept public duty separate from private matters, maintained military discipline and drill, and every fighter was honed to the extreme. These were the first true soldiers Eugene had seen in this world.

After introductions were complete, Eugene looked around the assembly area.

“It feels like a mercenary fair is being held.”

“Due to the city’s location, people come from every direction. Some may be here to build connections and expand into foreign countries.”

“Is it more reliable to get introductions from people you’ve fought beside than to head somewhere unfamiliar alone?”

“That’s correct. Though there are still plenty of people who stab you in the back.”

“Interesting. Keep advising me on such matters in the future. I lack experience.”

“Leave it to me.”

Rex smiled faintly.

The estimated total of city guards and mercenaries easily exceeded five hundred. Their number was similar to that of the confirmed brigand force, but they held the advantage in equipment, combat ability, and morale.

Above all, there were five knights. Including Derek, who had left first, there were six, so everyone expected an easy victory. The mercenaries welcomed the newcomers with relaxed expressions.

“Hey! I heard you went to Roman. What are you doing here?”

“What else would a mercenary come for besides making money?”

“Is that you, Vincen? That eye patch looks great. But didn’t you have two eyes the last time we parted?”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

Those who knew one another waved, gave each other the finger, and traded insults.

“Are you little ones here to fight, or to farm?”

“Don’t stand next to me when we line up. Forget the enemy, I’ll kill you first.”

Whenever a poorly equipped new mercenary company arrived, jeers rained down from all sides. It was like tormenting newcomers who had just entered prison.

It couldn’t be helped. On a battlefield where hundreds fought in a tangled mass, the equipment of those beside you mattered as well.

Even if you held your ground, someone dressed in rags next to you could fall and leave your flank exposed. Wouldn’t it be unfair if a spear or bolt struck through that gap?

“Huh?”

“Those guys came too?”

The mocking mercenaries fell silent.

A mercenary company of around thirty people was approaching. They did not even have greaves, and their only bladed weapons were daggers or hand axes. Many were even dressed in ordinary clothes.

“That is the Caved-In Mercenary Company. It seems those sent to Samur negotiated well.”

Rex, who knew the mercenary business well, introduced them.

“The Caved-In Mercenary Company? That’s an unusual name.”

“You’ll understand when you see their banner.”

“Ah! That’s what it means.”

Their banner showed a human head with a dent deep enough to fit a plum inside.

The reason other mercenaries did not dare mock them, despite their equipment being worse than that of peasant levies, was the sling hanging at each of their waists.

“If one of their stones hits you squarely, there are two possibilities. You die, or you become crippled.”

Samur was a place where deserts and jungles coexisted, a bridgehead connecting to other continents. As a result, many mercenaries there used unusual weapons.

“If you speak so highly of them, they must be useful?”

“I’ve seen them fight on a battlefield. An enemy noble commander briefly removed his helmet and was struck in the head by a stone, becoming an idiot. His twelve-year-old son had to attend the peace talks in his place.”

“I’m very glad they’re on our side.”

Eugene adjusted his helmet for no reason.

Only after all the mercenaries had arrived and the guard captain sent messengers did the knights emerge one by one, as though they were the protagonists.

Wandering knights came in all kinds, depending on their family and finances. Some traveled with groups of only four, including a Squire and slaves, while others led more than ten subordinates.

Still, they all carried their family banners proudly and looked down on those around them with the same arrogant attitude.

“The mercenaries may feel reassured, but the guard captain is going to be worked to death.”

“I met the guard captain before leaving. He was smiling on the outside, but crying on the inside.”

In truth, the guard captain was already overwhelmed by complaints coming from every direction.

“Hey, company leader.”

“I’m not a company leader. I’m the commander of the subjugation force.”

“Come on! We’ve seen each other more than once. Don’t be so cold between colleagues.”

The mercenary captain subtly trying to establish dominance was only the beginning.

“Change the formation a little. We were on the outside last time, so let us rest comfortably on the inside this time, yeah? Why are we always on the outside?”

“Who the hell are you people to cut in? We were here first.”

“Anyone with fewer than fifty subordinates, shut your mouths.”

“Who are you to cut in?”

They had not even set out, yet arguments broke out over positions in the formation. The ability to avoid troublesome postings was just as important as finding profitable work.

A captain who brought in a contract to defend a city was respected more than one who found a siege contract. A captain whose company was repeatedly assigned outer guard duty for every job was criticized behind their back.

Mercenary captains might strut before their subordinates, but where no subordinate could see, they had to run themselves ragged looking for work.

“I’ll rotate you each time we move camp, so stand where you are for now!”

The guard captain shouted. In Bonyard City, he had thrown his weight around like a noble, but now he envied real nobles. A single scolding from one would settle everyone down.

The knights were even worse.

“Commander. Sir Osram has demanded that we provide two soldiers for scouting. What should we do?”

“Sir Cain took a sack of grain stored for making porridge. He says he’ll use it as horse feed.”

“...Fuck.”

The guard captain already knew how insolent knights could be. Still, they found new ways to raise his blood pressure every time.

True to their status as wandering knights, they caused trouble while carefully walking the line. Even when making demands, they did not go far enough to interfere with command authority. Even when taking supplies, the amount was too small to warrant a serious response.

If the guard captain made a big issue of it, the Chief Magistrate would only rebuke him with something like, “Could you not have endured that much?”

“Let’s get going...”

“Sir Derek has been defeated!”

Just as they were about to somehow settle things and depart, terrible news arrived. Derek, the Dhampir knight, was dead, and only one subordinate had returned alive. That person was severely wounded as well and soon died.

“A knight-led force lost to a mere brigand detachment?”

The guard captain was dumbfounded.

“Their numbers were similar, but there was apparently a bandit knight. Sir Derek died fighting that person one-on-one.”

The news threw cold water on the start of the campaign, but it did not break the subjugation force’s morale. Instead, it excited the knights.

“Hey, guard captain! I don’t need anything else, just report the bandit knight’s location properly! I’ll definitely bring back that head. Don’t let anyone else get the chance, understand?!”

The guard captain wanted to spit in the face of the knight threatening him from right in front of him.

“I-I’ll do my best, Sir Galia.”

‘Damn bastard. Step in shit.’

All he could do was say one thing aloud and another in his head.

“I don’t need your best. Make it happen no matter what. I’ll avenge Sir Derek and uphold justice in my own name!”

Galia had never exchanged a single word with Derek.

Still, adding the seasoning of avenging another knight brought greater honor. It could also make House Piranian owe Galia a small favor.

From the guard captain’s perspective, it only made his headache worse while trying to control this hodgepodge army.

* * *

“Sir Eugene. May I say something?”

Rex spoke while watching the mercenaries marching at the front.

“Speak freely.”

“If you want to earn merit, I think it would be best to wear your armor at all times.”

“Is there a reason?”

“As you’d expect, those knights have no sense of restraint.”

Rex pointed at the knights swaggering beside their flashy family banners.

“When the enemy is found, they’ll charge in like rabid dogs in heat without caring about anything else.”

“...”

Eugene was a little taken aback by Rex speaking so freely in front of another knight. The other dark elves also stared at the knights with contempt in their eyes.

“If you don’t want your merit stolen, you must be ready to move out at any time.”

“It’s all right. My job is to bring every one of you back alive, not run wild like a rabid dog.”

Eugene repeated exactly what a training instructor had once told him.

“Understood.”

Rex lowered his head with an unreadable expression.

Compared to the Hall War, eliminating a brigand band did not carry such great honor.

There were no monsters to skin or nobles to ransom. Eugene believed that rather than enthusiastically throwing himself into work like this, it was enough to collect the basic allowance.

Footnotes:

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