Episode 133

A few days after the castle fell, I made my way to the prison where the captives were held.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a foul odor and immediately subjected to the captives hurling insults at me.

“Damn you, evil bastard. Do you even know how many of my comrades died because of you!”

“Go to hell, you devil incarnate!”

“If we meet again, I’ll make sure to lock you up here!”

One reckless individual, having lost all sense of fear, picked up a stone and threw it at me.

“The sworn enemy of Hans! The archenemy of our brother!”

Even a stone thrown by a mere peasant, who couldn’t wield Aura*, wouldn’t kill or seriously injure me…

*‘If I just passively take a hit from something like that, it would look rather pathetic.’

Moreover, even a minor scratch could become infected, and in a world without penicillin, it could potentially lead to death.

I caught the incoming stone with my right hand and then turned my gaze towards the person who had thrown it.

Since he was a prisoner who had thrown a stone at me, I could kill him and it would still be considered justifiable. But, since the battle was over, there was no need to draw a sword and kill him…

I targeted his shoulder and threw the stone back with all my might, infusing it with Aura.

The man hit by the stone screamed in agony, as if the prison itself was shaking.

“Argh, damn! My shoulder, my shoulder! Argh! Help me! Aaaargh!”

If left untreated, his wound could fester and eventually lead to his death.

“Ah, I understand you’re frustrated about being defeated and captured. But if you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll break your shoulder like that fellow and sell you as a slave.”

As was the case with the Siege of Seriz Fortress, we don’t imprison mercenary captains, senior officers, knights, or nobles in such prisons.

That’s because senior mercenaries use their personal savings to pay their ransom.

Knights and nobles have their families pay a significant ransom for their release.

Those who can pay are treated as precious guests and are released immediately once war negotiations conclude.

On the other hand, peasants and mercenaries who can’t afford their ransom end up in prison, managed and…

‘Those who can’t pay end up being sold as slaves to mines or to row in galley ships.’

Knowing this, the prisoners kept their mouths shut.

“It’s quiet now. So, is the low-ranking knight Hilde Bauman in there, as I’ve heard?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Since she is a low-ranking knight and a woman, we’ve locked her in the largest and most decent room.”

“I’ll go in alone. You go up. And with this money, go have a drink with your colleagues upstairs after your shift.”

With that, I handed the guard a pouch of money.

The guard’s smile was so bright, it looked like his mouth might tear at the edges.

“I shouldn’t, but if it’s an order from the White Unit captain, well…”

“Go on.”

“Excuse me, then.”

After sending the guard away, I immediately went to find Hilde in the deepest part of the prison.

As soon as Hilde saw me, she pointed her finger at me.

“You, Martin Meyer! How could you resort to such cowardly actions! Because of you, I’ve become a disgraced knight who lost not only her honor but also the trust of her lord. Such ignoble actions are beyond you!”

Being called cowardly by her, an enemy we fought against, was practically a compliment to me.

Therefore, I could mock Baron Castor’s defeat as I always do after winning against an enemy in online games.

I could thoroughly mock Hilde Bauman to bring her pride down to the ground…

But mocking Hilde would not benefit me.

What I need to do now is not to counter her accusations of cowardice but to make her realize her current situation.

‘Making her aware that she has been abandoned by her master would be best.’

For starters, I scoffed at Hilde’s words.

“As you say, I am a coward.”

Hilde was momentarily taken aback by my straightforward admission and fell silent, her eyes wide.

“But isn’t winning the most important thing in war? What use is fighting honorably in war only to be defeated, Knight Bauman?”

Killing countless people or committing heinous acts such as raping women—honestly, in war, employing any means necessary to win is paramount, barring such evil deeds.

Though saying this may sound conscienceless, what becomes of those who lose in war?

Like the soldiers currently imprisoned here, at the behest of Count Canossa, captives can quickly become slaves, condemned to row and live in servitude.

If luck is particularly foul, one’s domain might be plundered entirely, leaving it defenseless against rape and murder.

‘Thus, winning in war is absolutely essential.’

Upon hearing my words, Hilde gritted her teeth.

“Coward,” she hissed.

Despite her insult, I calmly laid out the facts.

“We resorted to cowardly and underhanded strategies to brand you a traitor. However, by doing so, we successfully minimized the casualties among my troops and those under the employ of Count Canossa. Moreover, we won, Knight.”

Had Hilde been in fighting form, we might still have been unable to breach this fortress.

Perhaps we could have been stuck in a grueling siege for another fortnight.

Or, in the worst-case scenario, we might have faced near-annihilation against the thousand men garrisoned within and been forced to retreat.

The mere thought of such a devastating defeat sends shivers down my spine.

“Just as you dedicated your loyalty and duty to Baron Castor, I, too, fulfill my duty as a mercenary employed by the Medici Republic.”

Hilde furrowed her brows upon hearing my words, then hung her head.

“You are right, Martin Meyer. Yes, it’s my failure to serve properly that led to Baron Castor’s defeat. You did what you had to do. It’s all my fault.”

Strictly speaking, Hilde is not at fault.

She performed her duties to the best of her ability, if not more, frustrating our efforts.

She sighed as she looked at me.

“I only regret not serving Baron Castor properly.”

Her superior, Baron Castor, fell for the slander I spread, mistaking his loyal subordinate, Hilde, as a traitor, and thus made a critical error.

Despite this, her claim of bearing all responsibility seemed foolish, yet at the same time, incredibly trustworthy.

‘If I gain her allegiance, she would show me the same loyalty.’

To make Hilde Bauman mine, another reality must be awakened in her.

“Your loyalty is admirable, Knight. However, Baron Castor has completely abandoned you.”

Hilde, who had been candidly acknowledging her shortcomings, burst into rage at the mention of her lord, striking the iron bars with her handcuffed hands.

Even if the handcuffs were made of ‘steel’ and she exerted the strength of a knight who had reached the level of an expert, it was impossible to break the prison bars without being able to properly channel Aura.

“Are you insulting my loyalty and honor?”

“Not at all, Knight.”

Hilde’s devotion to her lord is something I wish my mercenaries could learn from, and I have no intention of disparaging it.

What I desire is for her loyalty to shift from that foolish Baron Castor to me.

“But that is the reality. Please think about it coldly, Knight. Other knights, even your own subordinates, have been released from this prison and are receiving courteous treatment.”

I deliberately paused here, looking straight into Hilde’s eyes.

After a moment of silence and sensing her emotions heighten, I continued.

“Why are you still imprisoned here alone, Knight Hilde Bauman, who played the most significant role in defending Villa Hora Castle?”

Hilde stuttered in response.

“Th-that’s because, unlike other low-ranking knights, I have no connections to pay my ransom?”

Her statement wasn’t wrong.

As Hilde mentioned, most nobles and knights who are captured are ransomed by their families.

For instance, if I were captured while married, my wife, either Karin or Lucia, would pay my ransom.

“Knight Bauman, why would you say such nonsense? Surely, it’s correct that ultimately the ransom is paid by the family of the captured party… But primarily, isn’t it the lord, in this case, Baron Castor, who pays the ransom for knights under his banner?”

It’s like when an employee of a large corporation makes a significant mistake causing loss to another company; initially, the corporation compensates for the damage.

Later, they may seek reimbursement from the employee to cover the expenses incurred.

And then, I handed Hilde a document.

A document guaranteeing that the ransom for all knights except Hilde Bauman would be paid by the Baron Castor family.

This means that Baron Castor has discarded a female knight of incomparable ability, thinking he couldn’t afford to keep her.

Upon seeing this, Hilde collapsed to the floor and began to weep bitterly.