Chapter 34

Although they had lost the war, Count Kelt and Count Santoburg spoke to me confidently, as if they were determined to maintain their noble demeanor.

“I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday morning, and I’m quite hungry. May I eat while we talk about what’s at hand?”

For a moment, I was taken aback and speechless.

While every knight is taught to maintain dignity even in defeat, it was astonishing to see them casually eating while surrounded by enemy knights after their defeat…

It was unclear whether they were trying to provoke me with such bold words or if they simply lacked awareness.

However, if I displayed any sign of fluster, they might consider me a pushover and attempt to negotiate under unfavorable conditions, so I responded nonchalantly.

“Well, go ahead and eat first. I’m also hungry, so it works out fine. Let’s have a meal while we talk. But come to think of it, it seems I have no meat to share with you…”

After finishing that sentence, I clapped my hands and called over one of the knights near me.

“Have them bring plenty of beef for the two brave Counts to eat. Ideally, I would like sirloin.”

“Yes, understood.”

As I maintained an air of nonchalance, both Count Kelt and Count Santoburg looked at me with expressions of sheer surprise.

It was indeed a tactic to rattle me and skew negotiations in their favor after their ‘defeat.’

Thankfully, if they were as thoughtless as Count Schwabin, who was prone to ‘foolish bravado,’ it would make negotiating impossible…

“If you wait a moment, I’ll have plenty of sirloin cooked for you. In the meantime, please enjoy what you can.”

Count Kelt struggled to hide his astonishment as he replied, “Thank you for showing the generosity and composure of a true knight. Well then, I shall eat gratefully.”

After that, silence fell between me and the Counts.

After some time had passed, a serving soldier entered and brought the beef sirloin steaks I had ordered for me and the Counts.

I had asked for generous portions of steak, but they served a massive chunk of meat over a kilogram.

This truly was a reflection of an era where machismo dominated among knights.

Pushing my thoughts aside, I offered the food to them with the most gracious smile I could muster.

“Please, eat as much as you desire. If you wish for more, feel free to ask. Our soldiers prepared this for you, so it should be quite delicious.”

Upon hearing this, Count Kelt and Count Santoburg slightly bowed their heads in gratitude before quietly starting to cut their beef.

Just before they brought the beef to their mouths, I asked them, “So, since you lost the war, shouldn’t you provide me with proper compensation? What will you offer as payment?”

This time, Count Santoburg looked at me and asked in return, “Isn’t that a question for you, the victor of the war? If the conditions you propose are reasonable, we shall accept them.”

It was not a good negotiating strategy for me to propose ‘reasonable and honorable conditions’ first, as Count Santoburg suggested.

Because if I asked them for 1,000 gold coins right away, they would undoubtedly counter with “1,000 is too much, how about 900?”

And ultimately, considering that I had sacrificed my soldiers to win this ridiculous war they instigated, why should I bow down and submit?

So, to express my annoyance, I replied to them in a slightly raised voice.

“Everyone knows that the way you presented yourselves in this war was not honorable, including the gods. This is a moment for you to repay the sins you have committed against me… How is it that you wish to resolve such matters only materially instead of showing sincerity?”

Before long, Count Kelt sighed and said, “You are correct… Count Croilet. Fine, since we lost, let us display our sincerity like true knights. Count Santoburg and I shall each pay you 700, no, 1,000 gold coins, including the price of the knights.”

1,000 gold coins; with this amount, one could operate a small Count’s territory for an entire year.

In other words, for these Counts who do not possess particularly wealthy domains in Romania, it was an amount that they could hardly pay…

So, to probe further into their thoughts, I pretended to worry and asked, “1,000 gold coins? If you were to pay such a large sum, would you have any money left to manage your domains? Isn’t that the amount needed to operate one Count’s territory?”

When I asked this, Count Kelt unexpectedly admitted smoothly, “There’s nothing we can do. We lost the war. I swear in the name of my lord, His Serenity Duke Maxburg, that we will gather 1,000 gold coins within three months, even if it means selling off all our assets.”

A vow made in the name of their lord in an official setting where other knights were watching is binding; they would not break that vow.

And considering that in winning a war of this scale and receiving 2,000 gold coins in compensation could be a profitable deal…

Most nobles would stop the war at this point.

However, judging it coolly, if they were offering such generous conditions after this little negotiation, it felt like they were simply telling me to take it and leave.

Moreover, factoring in that I hardly believed that those two Counts could gather such 2,000 gold coins…

I was sure I could extract more from them.

“If you swear in the name of His Serenity Duke Maxburg, I will have faith in that… But as I know, it wouldn’t be easy to gather 1,000 gold coins in the domains of Counts Santoburg and Kelt…”

Hearing that, Count Kelt perhaps thought that I would accept their terms; he stood from his chair and slammed the table, speaking loudly.

“Count Siel von Croilet!! I have sworn in the name of my lord! No matter how victorious you are, how dare you smear the honor of a fellow noble to this extent!! Very well, if we cannot pay you by the promised time, we will borrow from His Serenity Duke Maxburg to pay you. So do not continue to affront our sincerity!”

Upon hearing those words, I felt a surge of conviction.

I didn’t know why they planned this war, but the instigator was none other than Duke Maxburg; they had probably negotiated even in defeat to promise me 2,000 gold coins.

I gestured to the knight beside me to bring me a map roughly outlining the geography of the continent.

Looking at that map, I noticed that the Northern Alliance was located above Duke Maxburg.

Come to think of it, the Northern Alliance was low on funds and couldn’t invade the warm territory of Duke Maxburg.

In that case… Duke Maxburg must be worried that our Count Nante’s Schwabin would lend money to the Northern Alliance to recruit soldiers.

That’s why he likely aimed to eliminate the war capacity that could allow us, his future enemy, to invade using those two lordships.

Yet I defeated them too easily; spending his hard-earned money yielded little return, he must feel quite aggrieved.

“I’ve thought about it for a moment; I apologize, Count Kelt. I had no intention of insulting His Serenity Duke Maxburg. I was merely surprised to hear that you would be paying such a large sum from your domain. Please forgive me.”

As I took the lead to apologize, the expressions of Count Kelt and Count Santoburg brightened.

“Then let us discuss this matter seriously. I will have my knights withdraw, and you should also let your swords rest.”

Upon hearing that, the two of them entrusted the swords they had at their waists to the knights behind them.

As the knights received their swords, they left, taking everyone escorting me with them, leaving only the three of us.

Confirming that they had exited, I walked over to where they were seated and pounded my fist on the table, declaring, “It’s no wonder the reason for the declaration of war doesn’t make sense; you’ve committed acts unbecoming of knights. How could your lord, Duke Maxburg, resort to such tricks merely to evade the soldiers of Count Nante and the Northern Alliance?”

As I said this, the two Counts, struck by my words, stared at each other blankly.

From their reactions, it was clear that my deduction had hit the mark.

“Shame on you! If that’s the case, shouldn’t you propose to face my lord, Count Nante, directly as knights? To send out mere weaklings like you to undermine my strength without the courage to confront directly,” I jeered.

Nonetheless, considering the circumstances, Duke Maxburg could never openly wage war to occupy Count Nante’s territory.

Because while he could gain an advantage against the soldiers of Count Nante by mobilizing his entire strength…

Before he could take that advantage, if we were to provide ‘appropriate sincerity’ to the king of the Northern Alliance, he would invade the territories of Duke Maxburg, which are coveting Romania.

If that happened, Duke Maxburg would incur a critical blow, losing at least two or even three Count domains.

“Am I mistaken, Counts Kelt and Santoburg?”

The arrogance they had displayed just moments ago had vanished, and they stood before me, speechless.

And after a brief moment, Count Santoburg barked, “Nonsense!! How dare you insult our lord so! You, the brat of Croilet, who knows nothing of knightly honor!!”

Turning my attention toward Count Santoburg, who was backpedaling and barking like a cornered dog, I replied with a mocking smile.

“They say the weak dog barks loudly, and you’ve indeed been barking well, Count Santoburg. Very well then, I shall let you go this time. But convey this to your lord: exactly one year from now, I will gather the army of Count Nante and strike at the southern territories of Duke Maxburg, and I will empty my entire wealth to request dispatch from the Northern Alliance.”

Though I said that, it was a perfect bluff that couldn’t possibly come to fruition.

For our illustrious Lord Schwabin certainly couldn’t defeat Duke Maxburg.

Our great Lord Schwabin was terminally paranoid about being betrayed and was an absolute waste of a man who indulged in alcohol and women; how could he ever be entrusted?

To the point where even now, Count Croilet says, “Lord Schwabin’s indulgence in women has become excessively severe, occasionally stripping loyal knights of their territories,” is quite telling…

Yet oblivious to this reality, the two Counts, upon hearing my blustery threat, no longer had the energy to act assertive; they seemed to slump at my words.

Not bothering with the two of them, I smiled and spoke.

“If you dislike this arrangement… then your lord must separately offer 2,500 gold coins each as compensation and concede the ports of Kelt’s Blueport and Santoburg’s salt mines that are close to our territory. How does that sound? Will you swear in the name of your lord?”

The two Counts exchanged glances, taking a moment to silently communicate before letting out a collective sigh and responding to me.

“We swear in the name of our lord, Duke Maxburg. However, will you be willing to establish a five-year peace treaty with Count Nante?”

After all, considering that no matter how grand my ambitions were, I could never defeat Duke Maxburg, accepting such a proposition would surely be a great benefit.

“Agreed. I will also swear in the name of my lord, Count Schwabin of Nante.”

Thus, with this agreement, I would secure 5,000 gold coins and one port along with a salt mine from this war.

It seems that knowing others and knowing myself led to yielding the maximum possible results in a situation where I was already victorious.

Having achieved results like this, I wondered if it would be enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Seohi, who was famed for pacifying Gando six provinces?