Chapter : 26

The captain of the envoys thought.

This mission was difficult, but it was worth a try.

How surprised he had been when the chairman of the city council proposed this plan last night.

-You need to handle a clandestine affair for me.

-It's a matter that will greatly diminish your honor, but if you succeed, I will reward you handsomely.

-Disguise yourselves as an envoy delegation and capture the Margrave. If we can just capture him, the war is over.

It was truly an unconventional affair.

Because it broke with convention, he didn't know how far the repercussions would reach, but at the very least, the captain of the envoys thought the chairman's plan had merit.

Capturing a high-ranking noble, the pinnacle of the aristocratic society, would give them an overwhelmingly advantageous position in the war.

If they could just capture the Margrave, they could surely resolve everything through negotiations.

‘It's definitely possible.’

Besides, it was known that the Bellua Margrave was a dilettante.

A carefree noble with little combat experience and no training as a knight.

In other words, the perfect person to capture.

That was why the captain of the envoys had willingly stepped forward. After all, he would die one way or another.

And indeed, the beginning wasn't bad.

“Huh?!”

“Assassins!”

“Protect His Excellency!!”

The quick-witted Margrave had noticed something was amiss, but it was already too late.

“Ugh!”

“Get him-!”

The audience chamber instantly became a scene of chaos. The men disguised as envoys were no pushovers.

They were seasoned soldiers, trainees from a swordsmanship guild, and wandering knights who had drifted into the city.

They weren't easy opponents even in a fair fight. How much more so in a surprise attack like this?

It went without saying.

-Guh!

-Stab! Stab!

The envoys, who had pulled out daggers hidden in their clothes, lunged forward at once and attacked the nearby knights.

It was truly a swift and sharp attack!

The knights couldn't even put up a proper resistance and collapsed, clutching their necks and sides.

The surrounding nobles were horrified, and the administrators were terrified. Seeing this, the captain of the envoys shouted inwardly with joy.

‘We did it!’

The densely packed front row had collapsed in an instant. Now there were no obstacles between him and the Margrave.

If he rushed forward now and captured the Margrave, everything would be over.

But then.

-Crack!

“Gaaaaah!”

His joy soon turned to horror.

The Margrave was very, very different from what the captain of the envoys had known.

-Whoosh!

-Thwack!

Every time his men rushed at the Margrave, they fell one by one.

‘Wh-what is this...?’

The captain of the envoys blinked his eyes in disbelief, but nothing changed.

Only his men were falling.

The Bellua Margrave hadn't even drawn his sword properly and was holding it awkwardly backward.

But that, paradoxically, was more threatening.

The heavy pommel had become a more vicious weapon, sending men's heads flying.

“C-crazy!”

* * *

[Trait Correction!]

[Sword Genius effect temporarily increases proficiency with all blunt weapons.]

[Everything you swing turns into a fierce and sharp attack.]

The system alarms blared loudly.

But I didn't have time to pay attention to them.

From all directions.

The men disguised as envoys were rushing at me.

I had just smashed the head of an assassin who had charged at me.

“Damn it-! Let’s attack at the same time!”

The assassin who watched it flinched and charged at me with his comrade next to him.

Sharp attacks coming from both the left and right!

There seemed to be no opening.

It was a level of attack that even a decent knight would have trouble dealing with.

A triumphant expression appeared on the assassin's face.

No, rather, a flicker of concern about what would happen if I got seriously injured could be seen.

Thwack!

My sword, no, my longsword that had become a battle hammer, moved faster than they thought.

The heavy pommel shattered the skull of the assassin on the left.

Because I chose to advance rather than defend.

Thanks to that, the assassin on the right, whose attack had cut through empty air, widened his eyes and screamed inwardly.

‘How?!’

It was an unbelievable judgment.

But I had no intention of answering his question. I immediately turned my body and focused on sending him to his comrade's side as well.

-Thud!

Once again, an assassin's head was crushed, and he fell to the floor.

But I couldn't be relieved.

There were still many assassins around. I didn't hesitate, sharpening my senses and swinging my sword (?) mercilessly.

-Thwack!

-Crack, crunch!

Each time, the sound of bones breaking was accompanied by blood splattering in all directions.

Perhaps due to the correction effect, it fit my hand perfectly. Should I say it was as free as my own limbs?

In an instant, the area around me was filled with corpses.

“?!!”

Everyone in the room was gaping. Friend and foe alike.

It was a martial feat that was hard to believe.

“Snap out of it-!”

I let out a ragged breath and shouted at those around me.

[An Angry Roar-!]

[Correction is applied due to high Combat Power.]

[Status abnormality of subordinate soldiers: Confusion is lifted.]

“Ah-!”

Then, Chamberlain Hamil let out a faint gasp and came to his senses.

At the same time, he rushed at me, shouting frantically.

“Protect the lord! What are you all doing!”

“S-stop them!”

With Chamberlain Hamil in the lead, Knight Biden and Captain Konrad surrounded me.

And soon after, the nobles and nearby administrators desperately clung to me. In a short moment, a human barrier was formed in front of me again.

“Drop your weapons-! If you stop resisting, I will show you mercy!”

As soon as my safety was secured, I let out another ragged breath and shouted.

[An Insidious Proposal during Battle-!]

[You receive a correction due to high Combat Power and Stratagem.]

[The enemies are conflicted by your proposal.]

‘Oh-?’

I had just thrown it out there, but I didn't expect it to work so well.

Just as the system notification said, the enemies in front of me were visibly wavering.

The envoys who participated in the assassination were surreptitiously trying to lower their weapons.

‘Th-that despicable man!’

Of course, the captain of the envoys was horrified when he saw that.

For a high-ranking noble to use such a petty scheme!

Wasn't it a proposal that mercenaries in a war would make?

Then again, it was understandable for a man who had deceived his reputation by abandoning honor until now.

The captain of the envoys ground his teeth and shouted.

“You fools, snap out of it-? Why would the Margrave forgive us!

Even if the Margrave forgives us, his underlings will tear us to pieces and kill us-!”

[The captain's shout calms the enemies' wavering.]

[Be careful.]

‘Uh oh? This shouldn't be happening?’

Things were going so well, what is this misfortune? I hurriedly opened my mouth to refute.

“N-no, I guarantee....”

“Don't listen-! He is a wicked Margrave who has deceived us by pretending to be a dilettante all this time!

Don't believe his words! Force your way through-! If we capture the Margrave, everything will be over!”

[Stratagem is foiled!]

[The opponent's resolve temporarily increases!]

[Infamy increases as a price for the insidious stratagem.]

‘What is this?!’

I was half-sincere!

I can't believe it's this unfair.

And why the infamy?

But there was no time to think about such things. The men were rushing at me with a menacing aura.

“Waaaaaah-!”

“Let's capture him.”

“Damn it!”

Looking at the charging assassins, I swung my weapon with a curse.

-Crunch. Crunch.

With the sound of skulls breaking, a horribly gruesome sensation is felt at my fingertips.

A feeling that is too much for me, with the soft sensibilities of a modern person.

“Get that bastard!! We must capture him, absolutely do not kill him.”

Thanks to that, I became furious and looked at the captain of the envoys in the distance and gave that order.

If I catch him, I'll just lock him in a closet and give him no water or food!

* * *

To give you the results first, my wish did not come true.

“I'm sorry.”

“We were going to capture him by any means necessary, but ahem....”

Because the captain of the envoys could not protect his head and greeted me as a cold, headless corpse.

According to Chamberlain Hamil, the vassals were so excited that they brandished their swords without thinking.

Well, it was so natural for knights of this era to do that, so it wasn't surprising.

Besides, he dared (?) to break the custom between nobles and plotted an assassination like this, so he deserved to die.

“What should we do with the administrators who failed to detect the envoys' plot in advance? Should we punish them according to custom?”

“Hmm? Punish?”

“Yes. They dared to endanger the sovereign with lax management, so we must confiscate their property and issue an order of banishment.”

As Chamberlain Hamil said that, the complexions of the surrounding administrators turned deathly pale.

They had realized a forgotten fact. That they had just caused a huge accident.

Of course, they were also somewhat wronged.

What kind of madman would send assassins disguised as envoys. It was a crazy act that broke custom.

“Ah, that's enough. We've seen enough blood already. What punishment.”

But I heard that and waved my hand.

‘Are you crazy?’

Look at the wavering eyes of those officials. If I had ordered their punishment, my infamy would have surely skyrocketed again.

‘I'm already feeling uneasy about my increased infamy, so there's no need to do that.’

[Pangea Universalise] had introduced an element of chance in the name of increasing realism.

Why in actual history do we see successful figures suddenly die from falling off a horse by chance, or from an upset stomach by chance, or from catching a cold by chance?

In this game, too, there were various events that occurred by chance.

And those occurred with corrections based on various stats, and among them, infamy tended to affect bad random events.

‘Of course, the game and reality are different, but.... there's no harm in being careful.’

There's no need to gamble with my life, is there? I thought so.

“Still....”

“Ahem. I said it's fine. Stop with the unnecessary talk and just report the damage.”

As soon as my words ended, the complexions of the surrounding officials brightened.

Chamberlain Hamil's face, however, was full of dissatisfaction.

But I deliberately ignored Chamberlain Hamil and asked again.

“How much damage is there?”

“Ahem, other than a few lower-ranking officials dying, no one was seriously injured.”

“Is that so?”

It was a blessing in disguise.

Since they were all wearing armor because it was before a sortie, there wasn't much damage.

If I had held the audience during a banquet, it would have surely been a catastrophe.

‘By the way, what should I do....’

Since I took a hard hit, it was only right to return the favor.

Look at the faces of the surrounding vassals.

With faces full of anger, they looked like they were about to vent their resentment at any moment.

If I were to react lukewarmly, they would be disappointed in me and, along with that, would not hesitate to charge at the city walls on their own.

‘Tsk, still, medieval sieges are just too cost-ineffective.’

At first, I had them charge at the walls to reduce the vassals' power, but....

In the meantime, a tremendous number of soldiers died. It's starting to become a burden for me too.

But it seems these crazy warmongering medieval people think differently.

“Please order an attack immediately, Your Excellency!”

“That's right. We must punish those vile scoundrels.”

“War! Decidedly war!!!”

“Wooooooh!!!”

They are all excited as if war is a foregone conclusion.

“Meeeh~ God is watching! Mehr!!! Judgment! It is time for judgment! Mehr~!”

Even Bishop Marco, who should be calming them down as a clergyman, was acting like that, so what more is there to say.

My head is just throbbing and aching.

‘Aigo, my head.’

What should I do about this.

Should I just really have them charge at the walls? Without thinking about the damage?

The justification is sufficient, and the soldiers' morale is maxed out, so it seems possible....

“Hmm?”

Then, an idea suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Wait a minute? This might work?’

A way to reduce damage, deliver punishment, and gain the city!

Then, as if in response, the notification window pops up loudly.

-Tiriring.

[An Insidious Stratagem that would make the Devil cry!]

[You have planned a conspiracy that ordinary people cannot easily think of. Regardless of the outcome, this will be the talk of the town.]

[On success – Prestige increases by 10, Infamy increases by 10.]

[On failure – Prestige decreases by 10, Infamy increases by 10.]

Damn it.

It seems I won't be able to live to a ripe old age.