Chapter 62.1: ?????? ?????????? ???? ???????????????? (??)


    “A serious illness?”


    The swordsmen hastily added, perhaps misunderstanding Johan’s reaction of incredulity as something else.


    “Of course, it’s unbelievable that a knight like Sir Karamaf would fall seriously ill. It’s a ridiculous rumor, but we are not lying.”


    “That’s right. Moreover, it is said that Sir Karamaf is cursed. . .”


    “Madman. What are you talking about, curses?”


    “It’s a real curse, I tell you. Why else would a perfectly healthy knight copse?”


    The rumor that Karamaf had copsed due to a curse suggested that he had umted significant enmity over the years.


    Indeed, when suppressing the rebellion in the western Empire, he never considered reconciliation, ruthlessly killing nobles indiscriminately. . .


    Usually, nobles involved in rebellions weren’t easily executed. Even if defeated, they would lose their fiefdoms or pay reparations as apromise.


    However, the Emperor, relying solely on his might, chose a hardline approach, and Karamaf acted in ordance with his wishes.


    Now, the feudal lords in the western Empire were openly targeting the Emperor.


    “What are you doing! How dare. . .!”


    A servant working there eximed in shock. It was natural to be surprised seeing dozens of armed men ascending to the second floor.


    “Show your loyalty if you want to live.”


    “. . .Yes.”


    Led by Gasro, the swordsmen, following Johan’s words, stepped forward with somber expressions, holding their returned weapons.


    Having switched sides during the war, they had to prove themselves. Otherwise, they risked facing des from both sides.


    “Is the casten upstairs?”


    “You traitors! Do you think you’ll be safe after bringing outsiders in here?! You and others will be held responsi━. . .”


    “Chwaag!”


    Even with a roughened temperament, slicing down a servant was nothing challenging. The swordsmen, having sttered blood, pointed their swords at another servant and asked,


    “Is he upstairs?”


    “He. . . He is.”


    “He’s there.”


    “Good. Let’s go up.”


    Screams echoed throughout the tower. Realizing the situation, the servants and ves began to flee. Those who realized that dangerous enemies had entered tried to escape outside first.


    The mercenaries didn’t bother to capture them. They had no time to waste in frivolity.


    “Wait.”


    “?”


    “Bring them back here.”


    Confused by Johan’smand, the mercenaries moved as instructed. They vividly remembered how Gerdolf had fiercely grabbed someone by the neck earlier.


    “Why, why are you doing this! Please, don’t do this!”


    “Don’t struggle. Unless you want something broken.”


    The mercenaries caught the fleeing servants, dressed in shabby, ragged clothes with dirty faces━nothing unusual at first nce.


    ‘?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????’


    But that didn’t seem to be the case. . .


    Johan stood in front of them. A vague intuition had made them stop. It was time to find out why.


    “. . .Only one of them has intact hands.”


    “!”


    At Johan’s words, one of the servants turned deathly pale.


    “Clean his face.”


    “Run away! Milord, ru━”


    The mercenary swiftly cut down the struggling servant, then roughly wiped the face of another. The swordsmen verified the face.


    “It’s the casten.”


    A crafty-looking middle-aged man urgently spoke to Johan.


    “If you let me go like this, I will speak directly to His Majesty the Emperor! I could even grant a fiefdom to everyone here!”


    Mercenaries could be feudal lords. It was a story of great luck, indeed. Even owning a small town would make a mercenary a legend among their peers.


    However, everyone just smirked. None were foolish enough to believe that promise.


    Johan, without changing his expression, called Gerdolf.


    “Gerdolf. Shut him up.”


    “Guah!”


    Gerdolf silenced the casten. The casten had heard of the butcher’s reputation. Gerdolf, as if proving the rumors true, swung his fist. Blood sttered, and the casten fell silent.


    “Stop there. Don’t kill him. We need to check outside. Are the guards surrounding the keep? Maybe we’ll have to hold out in the tower.”


    “I can’t see them.”


    “Still on the ramparts? Good. Let’s go through the secret passage.”


    The fog was starting to clear. Johan felt the urgency to move quickly.


    “. . .?”


    But when they emerged outside, they saw a courtyardpletely devoid of any signs of life. No soldiers were in sight.


    “Hmm. . . a trap?”


    “Let’s ask the casten what he’s plotting!”


    “Seems like they really ran away. . .?”


    Johan checked not the secret passage, but the main gate. No soldiers were visible there either. Even for a trap, it was unusual to leave this area unguarded.


    “Open the main gate first.”


    “Yes. Together now. . .”


    “No. I will open the gate. Keep watch.”


    Normally, hoisting the gate’s winch wasn’t a one-person job. About a dozen soldiers were needed to lift it. The mercenaries thought to help but then stopped themselves.


    ‘?????? ?????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ????.’


    And Johan did exactly that.


    As he alone opened the gate, the mercenaries, no longer surprised, rushed through. Only the swordsmen looked on as if seeing a madman.


    ????????????


    “You’ve bravelye to help. Braver than I thought, huh?”


    “O-Of course, that’s me.”


    Upon hearing Johan’s words, Stephen hurriedly nodded his head. Fortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t be hit by an arrow.


    “Thanks to you, it went well. Send the soldiers inside to take over the walls. Stay alert. We don’t know how many are still inside. And call for reinforcements. We’ve captured the casten.”


    “Captured the casten?!”


    “Isn’t that what you’re holding now?”


    “. . . . . .”


    Stephen wore a sickened expression.


    He couldn’t believe that was the casten. . .


    For Stephen, who had only experienced treating nobility with a certain level of respect, it was shocking. He couldn’t even lift his head properly.


    ‘??????’?? ???? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????????’


    “Mobilize the cavalry and capture all the servants or ves among those escaping. We don’t need the soldiers, but we must capture all of them.”


    “Understood.”


    Seeing the casten, it seemed likely others might disguise themselves as servants or ves to escape. Even though they had captured the casten, Johan was thorough in such matters.


    The casten twitched upon hearing this. Johan was surprised, thinking the man had been knocked out.


    ‘????????’?? ?????????’


    The messenger soon arrived at Ulrike’s camp.


    Ulrike was at a loss for words upon hearing the request for reinforcements, given that they had opened the gates, taken over the walls, and captured the casten.


    “. . .Isn’t that like having already conquered the castle?”


    The knights seemed to agree.


    They had thought that when they said they’d cross the walls with just a few mercenaries, they’d quietly open a secret door and call the soldiers.


    Thete arrival of the messenger was thought to be due toplications, but they never imagined it was because they had taken the gate, the walls, and the casten.


    “Issue the order. We can’t bete in cleaning up after taking over the castle by ourselves.”


    The fog was already liftingpletely.