Chapter 8 - Earning A Gifted Persons Goodwill (2)
The title Prince-Elector denoted the divine right to vote for the next emperor. Their influence in the Empire was substantial.
The Prince-Electors prestige and power were the sa as that of a king of a country. This was why they were to be addressed with the honorific Your Royal Highness which was only a step down from the Emperors.
Are you the rcenary who seized the enemy colours?
The Iron Prince-Elector Philip was looking down on with an interested expression. Despite having only passed the age of 20 not too long ago his eyes were filled with extraordinariness. They held a glint similar to that of a dragons eyes.
Yes, your royal highness. You honour greatly to call over personally.
He smiled slightly when I spoke with the proper etiquette.The face of one intrigued at how a re rcenary was acting.
Your na is Vallerstadter Valler, correct?
Yes, your royal highness.
Your courage is truly astonishing. To charge the enemy line to seize their colours, you are like a ferocious lion.
Your praise honours greatly. I am beside myself with joy.
No. One who achieves a feat must be rewarded accordingly. I award all who participated in this display of bravery with 100 florins each. For you, I award 300 florins.
100 florins was a years worth of salary for a pikeman. Since I received three tis that amount, it was a large sum.
I thank you for your graciousness, your royal highness.
I have only done what is just.
Your royal highness, I would like to make a petition.
Phillip nodded as if telling to go ahead.
Our band has taken heavy injuries from the previous battle. Though the battle is still ongoing, I would like permission for our band to recuperate by Wittenweier.(TL: Wittenweier has been rged with several other townships into a town called Schwanau in 1971/72 for those who like to search places up to see where our protagonist is going.)
Wittenweier was a city roughly 10 kms away from here. I planned on stepping back for a mont and plan since I knew Walpurgis life hinged on the results of todays battle.
It is only right since you are injured. Do not worry. I planned to do so since the start. I will assign a few carts you and your comrades can ride on.
Speaking of which, should I be giving military advice to Phillip since I t him?
I knew how the Battle of Hoffenheim would pan out in every which way. Todays battle has two obstacles and if Phillip overcos them, it will be a victory. If not, then it would be a loss.
Hmm
To be honest, just walking away would be the wisest course of action. Saying sothing here would only annoy the Iron Prince-Elector Philip and his retinue. But I couldnt stop thinking about it. It wasnt just about Walpurgis, but other rcenaries worried as well.
Your royal highness.
Is there sothing more you want?
Your awards and graciousness are plentiful enough, how can I wish for more? But may your lowly subject offer his thoughts?
Normally, I wouldnt be able to even attempt sothing like this in front of soone with such stature. It was only possible due to my feat on the battlefield.
I could already see the nobles frowning at . They probably thought I was soone who didnt know when to get lost and was overstepping my bounds.
There is nothing to stop you from doing so. What do you wish to talk about?
Your royal highness, in your lowly subjects opinion, there is sothing worrying in your highness army.
Phillips expression hardened for a mont. He probably keenly felt I was trying to give him an advice. He was probably soone confident in his own perfection.
He looked offended that soone of such low stature would try to advise him with such a worriso voice.
Damn, I tried to be as polite as possible, but it still ended up like this.
Furthermore, I pointed out there was sothing wrong in the army he so fervently prepared. Phillip sounded slightly sarcastic as expected.
Hmm? From which point of view would that be from? The tactical point of view? The political point of view? Or
He looked at and smiled snidely. For a brief mont I caught a glimpse of the contemptible personality hiding behind the mask of a good person.
A monetary point of view?
Nearby nobles exploded out in laughter. Everyone was probably thinking I didnt know my place. Several of them started mocking openly. I could even catch glimpses of several of them sneering at .
You achieved a military feat, and that is all good. However, how dare soone like you try to preach about his highness army?Perhaps he has learned so parlour tricks to entertain us with. He must not be satisfied with what he has already and desires sothing more.
Rather than feeling insulted, I felt strange. The Iron Prince-Elector was a guardian. Why would he be acting like such a small person? That kind of ignobility was not befitting of a guardian. I felt great disappointnt in myself for trying to find a way to build a relationship with him.
Whys he like this? Is this sothing which happens only when you play as a regular character?
Suddenly, a theory popped up. If all the guardian characters appeared because I chose a regular character, the demon lords would be at an enormous disadvantage. Even a single guardian could change the flow of the war.
Thus it was logical to have so thod of balance adjustnt. If all the guardians fought as one with a single goal against the demon lords, the era of peace for humanity would co quickly. There was no way that the AI Aquilla would make it so easy.
At the sa ti, a scary thought popped into my mind. How would things progress if all the guardian characters were selfish people working only for their own gain?
Things would unfold in a completely different manner from how I experienced the ga so far. There was a chance I would need to fight not only the demon lords, but the guardians as well. Worries flooded my mind. However, I decided to think about it at a later date.
For now, warning about the situation took priority. It didnt seem like the Iron Prince-Elector was going to listen to . I was in a difficult spot when soone unexpected ca to my defense.
Your royal highness, there is a saying when three people walk down the sa path, one of them will be a teacher for you. Why do you ignore the words of one who devotes himself to you?(TL: Phrase from Analects of Confucius. Full saying is: When three people walk a path together, there will be a teacher for . Learn and adopt the good things. Perceive in (them) what is negative, and fix those about myself.)
It was a voice filled with beauty and elegance. It surprised the vulgar and sarcastic nobles as if they just awoke from a dream.
Ke-hem.Khmm...
The nobles coughed in their embarrassnt. Considering nobles were beings filled with pride, there were grounds to feel annoyed at being reprimanded so openly. However, nobody objected. It was because the one who said it was Walpurgis.
If my lady says so, I understand.
Even Philip was careful due to her status. You do not need to call my lady. I am simply here to fulfill my duty as an ordinary lancer.
My apologies, Lady Templar Walpurgis.
Your royal highness, please hear him out. You only need reward him if his advice is true or punish him according to the law if he speaks false.
You are correct. I shall do as you suggest. Ke-hem!
Philip gave a dry cough and looked at . I thanked Walpurgis for her help by glancing over at her.
rcenary, I apologize for my rudeness.
There is no need, your royal highness. If you could hear your lowly subjects words for even a mont, that is enough.
Very well. Speak. What is so worriso in this field Ive prepared so ticulously.
On Philip's words, all his retinue and accompanying cavalrys attention shifted to . In that mont, I couldnt even breathe due to the pressure. I turned slightly to look at the shady looking man standing behind Phillip. He had a hooked nose and looked short tempered.
That man was the cause for Phillips potential defeat, Friedrich. He was Phillips uncle and today was the day he would backstab his nephew in a grand fashion. He was a traitor who collaborated with the enemy.
Hes been eyeing Phillips position for a while. Hes played the role of a nice uncle so far, but he would reveal his true colours today.
His deep brown eyes thoroughly glanced over like a snake. His eyes looked at as if thinking who is this idiot?.
Should I reveal his betrayal here?
I considered for a while, but eventually I decided otherwise. Who would believe ? Friedrich had a nasty personality but he was one of the richest n in the Empire. There were always people who needed money. Thus, peoples trust in him was piled as high as his stack of gold.
On the other hand, I was a simple commoner. I would be executed for lowering troop morale and insulting a noble of high stature. I couldnt dare talk about Friedrich.
Instead, I decided to warn him on a tactical point. The two reasons he could lose today was from the betrayal and an ambush. Since I couldnt talk about the betrayal, I wanted to cover at least the ambush.
Look over there, your royal highness.
I pointed at the highland occupied by the enemys right flank. They were firing magic and muskets towards our troops from there.
Its a tactically important position. If the n could capture that hill, it would be an ideal position to bombard the demon lords force. However, the defense for that position is poor.
One of the cavalry officers scoffed at my words.
Hmmph! Do you really think nobody here realizes that? You seem to wish to show off your shallow knowledge, but we have already decided to capture that position.
Laughter exploded out from all around at the cavalry officers words. While an overtly arrogant atmosphere was about to bloom again, I swayed my head.
Thats not it, my lord. That place will turn into the deaths maw. Why do you plan to rush headlong into it?
He was taken aback when I retorted directly. He probably never expected a commoner to retort to a noble like him in such fashion. His face reddened in a mont. Before he could open his mouth to pour out whatever he was planning to say, Phillip stopped him by raising his hand.
Ho-oh, and why do you think that?
Phillip showed interest. However, his gaze was sharp and it was clear he wouldnt tolerate nonsense for an answer. If I said sothing along the line of the reason that hill is suspicious is your lowly subjects intuition, my head wouldnt be attached to my body anymore.
Your royal highness, your lowly subject believes theres an ambush beyond that hill.
And why do you believe so?
I decided to present evidence based on recent cases to Phillip. I spent a long ti in this world and researched various demon lords in the ga. The sa went for rank 12 demon lord, Pejamut of blood and death. I carefully investigated all his battles against humans.
Your royal highness, Pejamust has faced the Imperial army only a few tis before. However, he has been victorious at every encounter. That is because hes quite skilled at ambushes.
... Continue.
10 years ago, Rodrigo the 4th of the Toa Kingdom fought against Pejamut and an ambush decided the victor. It was the sa with the Marquis of Anhalt 6 years ago.
Philip replied to at that point.
And it was the sa 2 years ago with the Emperors appointed representative, Duke Eugen. You are well versed in military history.
You praise too much.
Of course, I do praise too much. Kuku. I can understand your concern, however I can overco even such ambushes.
He really was an arrogant bastard. It had not been a long ti since weve t, but his voice was already grating on my ears. However, his confidence to not lose to an ambush didnt seem like a bluff.
With the Iron Prince-Electors abilities, he could encourage his army even when its on its back foot to execute a counter attack. However, the power hungry uncle of his would stab him in the back today. The way he was smiling so ignorantly made feel frustrated on the inside because I knew everything.
He was still a kid despite being a guardian. He probably felt like the world was his oyster since everybody around him was praising him as The Iron Prince-Elector. That damned idiot.
My contemplation continued on inside of , but I decided quickly. It would be best to give up on him. I decided to choose Walpurgis over Phillip.
Phillip only filled with disappointnt but Walpurgis was no different than her usual heroic self. Establishing a relationship with her here would be a great help in the future.
I decided to duck out after reaching this decision. Today, the battlefield will be chaotic. I had a lot to prepare to save Lady Knight Templar Walpurgis.
Your royal highness, it seems your lowly subject spoke out of turn. I will now go with your permission.
My eyes t with an old general at the back of the Iron Prince-Electors retinue for a mont. He was staring at intently. I could only be surprised after finding out his identity.
Goodness! Hes! Johann Tserclaes von Tilly! (TL: von Tilly: sen.wikipedia/wiki/Johann_Tserclaes,_Count_of_Tilly)
What was that legendary general doing here?
I realized at that mont. The important relation I needed to build now wasnt with Phillip. I resolved to get acquainted with von Tilly today no matter what. Thankfully, he looked interested in .
I could glimpse curiosity from old man von Tillys face.
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