Chapter : 29

“Such fools!”

The vassals, upon receiving the report, erupted in anger.

Even if he was an enemy, the Chairman of the city council was the head of the city.

It was the custom and honor of this era for a ruler to meet an end befitting their station.

To hack to death the head of a faction on the battlefield like this was a very sensitive matter in aristocratic society.

“We must punish these impertinent bastards at once!”

Furthermore, the Chairman was the one who had broken the honor of custom and brought grave dishonor upon me.

Therefore, from the vassals' perspective, even if the Chairman were to die, it should have been by my hand.

“Ah, calm down. Isn't it possible for things like that to happen when one gets excited during battle?”

“B-but…!”

“But what. Shouldn't we be giving a reward instead?

He took care of the most important enemy commander, after all. Isn't that right, Chamberlain Hamil?”

As I asked slyly, Chamberlain Hamil, who had been quiet by my side, spoke.

“It is no easy feat to charge into the enemy camp alone and capture their leader.

As you said, my lord, I believe the knight should be given a great reward. Wouldn't that boost the morale of the knights?”

He knew exactly what I meant.

With a satisfied smile, I scanned the vassals.

“You heard him?”

“Ugh…. Well, if that is your will, my lord, I suppose one could think of it that way.”

Even with Chamberlain Hamil joining in, it seemed from their expressions that they were still full of dissatisfaction.

But what could be done?

Rank is king.

Besides, the deed was already done, and the dead Chairman could not come back. In the end, they had no choice but to accept it.

‘Hmph, this is quite a headache.’

It seemed things never went as planned. From the last time, it had been a continuous series of things going awry.

To think the Chairman of the city council would be on the front lines with the Garrison Commander!

Who could have predicted such a variable?

‘No. In the Middle Ages, could it have been a possibility?’

I chuckled at the idle thought.

With both the Chairman and the Garrison Commander dead, I needed to get the situation under control quickly.

Even now, the city was still burning, and my infamy was soaring in real-time.

If it keeps rising like this….

‘Something really unpleasant could happen.’

A sudden lightning strike, a monster invasion, or unforeseen misfortune could occur. That was the system of this [Pangea Universalise].

Although this was reality, as long as this reality operated under the laws of [Pangea Universalise], there was a high probability that the [Infamy Stat] would also move in the direction I was familiar with.

“Where is Biden, my lord?”

“According to a report a moment ago, he went to capture the council chamber with the soldiers led by Bishop Marco.”

Huh? Bishop Marco? Why is that goat beastman leading soldiers to the council chamber?

Then, suddenly recalling Bishop Marco's personality, I clicked my tongue.

“He went to loot. Tsk.”

“Ahem. Ahem.”

At my blunt words, Chamberlain Hamil cleared his throat as if embarrassed. Bishop Marco’s greed was already a famous fact within the domain.

“If Biden and Bishop Marco went in that direction, there shouldn't be a big problem….”

Bishop Marco was a man hell-bent on extorting money, so he wouldn't kill the council members recklessly.

Rather, he would be busy capturing them and demanding ransom.

If that's the case, what's left is….

“That fire is damn strong.”

“It seems a very serious fire has broken out. It shows no sign of being contained.”

“When do you think it can be suppressed?”

“Now that the city is effectively under control, if we start committing soldiers in earnest, it should be extinguished quickly.”

As if sensing my worry, Chamberlain Hamil quickly spoke. Then, the vassals beside him sidled up and began to add their own words

“That's right. So, my lord, you should go inside now. Hehe.”

“We will take care of everything.”

“Ha-?”

But hearing that, I just snorted.

I might as well entrust a fish to a cat.

They were saying something that could lead to a huge disaster.

If I left the cleanup to these medieval armed robbers for whom looting was a passive skill, my infamy would surely soar to the heavens.

“Enough. Since I started this, I should be the one to finish it. Summon the soldiers. We will suppress the fire.”

“As you command.”

* * *

The cathedral of the City of Markel.

The bishop, the head who ruled this city's diocese and the center of its faith, wore a gloomy expression today.

“How are things going?”

“It seems the Margrave has effectively won. The city soldiers are nowhere to be seen, and the Margrave's soldiers are roaming everywhere.”

“Ah…. I should have stopped the city council when they were making their foolish choice. This is a real disaster.”

At the priest’s words, Bishop Lauren let out a sigh. What would the occupying army do now that they had taken the city?

Until now, they had been distracted by the remaining forces and the fire, but… once all that was dealt with, they would surely turn their eyes to other things.

Looting.

And gruesome slaughter.

Bishop Lauren, who had once served in the army, knew well.

The horrors that follow the end of a war.

War was hell not because of the process itself, but because of what came after. Moreover, the city council had now committed a grave dishonor.

Bishop Lauren found it impossible to guess what kind of massacre might occur using that as a pretext.

“But they seem to be suppressing the fire rather than looting right now…. Won't he show mercy?”

“What, mercy? This fellow still doesn't get it. Can't you see them with your own eyes!”

At the young cleric’s words, another cleric clicked his tongue and pointed.

At the tip of his finger were the people filling the cathedral's cloister.

Soldiers on the brink of death from their wounds, and ordinary citizens covered in ashes.

It was the tragic result of the Margrave’s soldiers running wild in that short time.

“Even now, they are running amok outside, trying to get into this cathedral!”

At those words, the young cleric blushed and lowered his head.

“What's the point of rebuking the boy? Calm down.”

“I apologize, Your Grace.”

“It will be difficult to keep blocking the soldiers, won't it?”

“We've been pushing them back with our authority so far, but… it doesn't seem like it will be easy.”

“Yes. I suppose so. It would be hard to stop them if even a single Margrave, no, a single noble, came pushing in himself.”

A noble would often ignore the authority of a clergyman. That power was only effective on commoners.

To stop them, the Holy See itself would have to intervene.

“Ah. What should I do.”

With another sigh, Bishop Lauren looked at the cloister.

The pitiful sight of people sniffling and in pain.

Bishop Lauren's sharp clergyman's conscience would not allow him to turn his back on them.

“This cannot continue. I, I must go and negotiate myself.”

“Yes? What do you mean by that, Your Grace.”

“You must not. What kind of misfortune do you intend to suffer?”

At Bishop Lauren’s words, the surrounding clergy jumped to their feet and tried to stop him. But their words could not stop Bishop Lauren’s firm resolve.

“The council members may be at fault, but what sin have the citizens committed?

To prevent a greater tragedy, I will go myself. I must do my duty as a clergyman.”

Saying so, Bishop Lauren opened the firmly shut cathedral doors.

A blast of hot air enveloped his body.

If there is a hell, it must be this place, right?

“God… protect us.”

Muttering thus, Bishop Lauren took a heavy step forward.

* * *

“Meeeh~ You have arrived, my lord, meeer!”

“??”

“I have scraped everything clean for you, my lord, meeer! As expected, the best things must be used by our lord. Meeer~.”

Bishop Marco, adorned with all sorts of flashy gold ornaments, came over holding a scepter with a large ruby on it.

From the looks of it, it seemed to have been an item meant to be offered to some monarch.

They hadn't even started to properly confiscate the council members' assets yet, but if he had this much already, it was reason enough for Bishop Marco to be thrilled.

“Hmm…. Well, thank you very much.”

I replied with a reluctant expression to Bishop Marco's gift. Money and treasure were important, but there was something more important than that.

“The council members? You didn't kill them, did you?”

“Meeeh~ What do you take me for, meeer! I caught all the ones trying to escape and locked them up in the council chamber!

We have to extort money from their related families, don't we, meeer!”

“Oh-!”

To think he was trying to extort money as ransom from the related families in addition to confiscating their assets.

Truly befitting of a money-grubbing goat beastman.

“Good, if you've captured them like that, that's excellent.”

“Mehehehet-!”

Pleased by my praise, Bishop Marco blinked his square pupils and let out a cry.

While I was at it, I decided to work Bishop Marco some more.

“Bishop Marco. Do you not want this?”

“Me-meeeh?!”

As I spoke while shaking the ruby scepter I had just received, Bishop Marco's eyes widened.

“Are you really giving it to me, meeer?!”

“Yes, yes. I'll give it to you if you help me with something.”

“Ooooh-! Just say the word, meeer! I will resolve it immediately!”

Pleased by my offer, Bishop Marco jumped up and down. Looking at him, I gave him one order.

To capture the scattered city administrators and protect all sorts of administrative documents from being lost.

“Mehehehet. Only I can do something like that. The stupid knights can't read, meeer! I will take care of it all, so you must keep your promise! Meer!”

Then Bishop Marco shouted confidently and scurried out of the council chamber.

* * *

As expected, Bishop Marco was greedy, but he was not lacking in ability.

That's why he had risen to the position of Cardinal in the original [Pangea Universalise] game.

Before long, Bishop Marco returned to me, leading his attendants and carrying administrative documents.

“Meeeh-! Here are the promised administrative documents. Meer!”

“Hmm? What about the administrators?”

“Uhh…. Meeeh…. The fire was too big, and they all disappeared. Meer. So I couldn't find them….”

As he spoke, Bishop Marco kept glancing at the ruby scepter. He seemed to covet it quite a bit.

“Well, you still brought these back well, so I'll give you this as promised.”

I chuckled and handed over the ruby scepter.

“Meeeh-! Generous lord, meeer! I pledge my loyalty, meeeh~.”

Leaving behind Bishop Marco who was kissing the ruby scepter and singing my praises, I looked through the administrative documents.

What I wanted to see were mainly the list of permits for the City of Markel, the list of city assets, and administrative documents detailing the citizens and land.

But the administrative documents were more jumbled than I thought.

“This rotten medieval era.”

It would take ages to reorganize these to be easy to look at again.

Considering this was a city with a fairly advanced administrative power, the level of administration in the true Middle Ages was truly pathetic.

‘Should I call Treasurer Palmer for this?’

Treasurer Palmer, who was already struggling to stay afloat with all the work I'd given him?

Hmm…. Wouldn't he run away somewhere else?

As I was thinking that, a messenger came to me.

“My lord. A visitor has arrived.”

“Hm? A visitor?”

A visitor in this ruined city.

I tilted my head.

“It's… the city's bishop.”

“The bishop? Why does the bishop want to see me?”

“Th-that… I'm sorry, my lord!”

At my question, the messenger turned pale and begged for forgiveness. It seemed the increased infamy stat was taking effect.

I sighed and helped the messenger up.

“That's enough, let the bishop in.”

“Ah, yes, sir!”

As soon as my words were out, the messenger quickly went outside.

‘By the way, what kind of favor will he ask?’

What would a bishop be doing here at a time like this? Naturally, he would be here to ask for some kind of solicitation.

He would probably ask me to spare someone he's connected to….

‘He wouldn't make the absurd request to spare the council members, would he?’

If he did, I had no intention of letting him be, even if he was a bishop.

There was a limit to acting cocky with the authority of the Holy See at one's back.

If the bishop of a small city like this made such a request to me, a great noble, I planned to punish the church without mercy.

But as soon as the bishop entered, he acted differently from what I had expected.

“Please save the citizens of the city! Your Excellency, the Margrave! If you save them, I will offer my own life.”

“Oh?”