The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 73

Unlike the Si-on Duchy, which had the Brandin Mountain Range stretching about 80 kilometers from the Forest Without Echoes to Buksan, Gosan, and Namsan, the Pamon County and the August Estate were mostly flat lands, with only low hills and sparse forests.

Thanks to that, Si-on and Joan could travel comfortably, and within two days, they found themselves in front of the August Lord’s castle.

“How would you like to proceed? Shall we head directly to the lord’s castle?”

“Let’s take a look around first. Seeing it with our own eyes is always more accurate than hearing reports.”

One might question how much could have changed in just a few months, but the August Estate was a small-to-medium territory to begin with, and its lord’s castle town was no more than a village compared to a city in the Si-on Duchy.

Even though this town only had a population of about 3,000 to 4,000 (which would be considered a relatively large village in this world), such small settlements were significantly affected by the decisions of the lord or officials, so Si-on had certain expectations.

Using one of the identification badges he always carried (it wasn’t a fake), Si-on passed through the castle gate and slowly crossed the town.

Like most towns and counties, a lively market greeted them right after entering the gate, much more vibrant than it had been a few months ago.

There appeared to be a significant number of merchants and traders from other regions, and the expressions on the faces of the workers making a living from the market didn’t look bad either.

Most importantly, even though many of the children running around with excitement were a bit skinny, none looked emaciated from starvation.

This was clear evidence that Jenna and the estate’s administrators had done a fairly good job.

“Not bad. Do you enjoy drinking?”

“I indulge occasionally.”

“Though it’s a bit early, let’s have a drink.”

“Yes, sir.”

Si-on took Joan to a pub located at the edge of the market.

Like most pubs in such town castles, this one doubled as an inn on the second and third floors.

“Welcome! Mighty knights, are you planning to stay?”

“No, we’re just here for food and drinks.”

“Got it! Then I’ll tie up your horses over there.”

“Alright.”

A young boy working at the pub skillfully led their three horses to a small stable near the entrance.

Si-on, watching the boy, tilted his head slightly.

“Hmm. That’s strange.”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“There isn’t a single horse in the stable. Even though it’s still daytime, there should be quite a few customers wanting a drink by now. But there’s not even one horse—how strange.”

“Hmm. You’re right.”

Joan, who hadn’t ventured outside the royal capital often, nodded absentmindedly, not fully grasping the details.

“Well, we’ll know once we go inside.”

*Creak—*

The old wooden door opened, and the pub’s unique mix of stale air and the smell of alcohol provided a strange sense of comfort to someone like Si-on, who had wandered around for a long time.

But, as expected, there were only a few customers inside, most of whom seemed to be locals.

Si-on chose to sit at the bar instead of a table, and the pub owner, a man with a friendly appearance, approached him.

“Welcome. What can I get for you?”

“Give us the most expensive wine you have, and we’d also like a light snack.”

“Yes, yes. Just a moment.”

With barely any customers around, the owner smiled brightly as he brought out the expensive wine Si-on ordered.

“I’ll bring out your snacks shortly. Would you like our town’s specialty, grilled olives?”

“That sounds good. Add some cheese on the side, too.”

The owner, now realizing Si-on wasn’t a stranger to the area, glanced around before lowering his voice to speak.

“You don’t seem to be a first-time visitor, Sir Knight.”

“I’ve passed through a few times. Though, this is my first time here at this pub.”

“Ah, so that’s why you came here.”

“Why? Is there something wrong?”

Si-on finally asked the question he had been waiting for.

The pub owner hunched over his plump body and spoke in a low voice.

“It’s because of the nobles who came from the royal capital to the lord’s castle. Be they merchants or nobles, they all stay in the lord’s castle, so fewer customers come to pubs or inns like mine.”

“I see.”

“At first, I was excited when I heard that grand nobles had arrived from the capital. I thought they’d spend money generously, being distinguished guests and all.”

“That makes sense. And, of course, the local notables and landowners from neighboring villages must have flocked here to build connections with the royal capital’s nobles.”

“Exactly. I thought the same. But those folks don’t leave the castle. Not even once. So, the other nobles who came here decided to spend more money to stay in the lord’s castle.”

“Hmm. Do you have any information about what’s going on inside the castle?”

“That’s the strange part. Even if the nobles from the royal capital are acting like that, shouldn’t the nobles who came here to impress them come out eventually?”

“Indeed.”

“The first noble arrived three days ago, and he still hasn’t left the castle. And yesterday, something happened.”

The pub owner lowered his voice even further, almost whispering.

“A group of people from Lady Varetti’s family, the wife of our lord, arrived with knights in tow.”

* * *

“Hah! Those Northeastern bastards aren’t much, are they? Haha!”

“If they got beaten by those cowards, how pathetic must the soldiers here be?”

The dining hall of the August Lord’s castle was noisy.

Dozens of soldiers and mercenaries were enjoying drinks and meat, while those presumed to be knights glanced toward one direction and sneered.

“Do they seriously let people like that be mercenaries in the Northeast? I heard they were supposed to be skilled, but that was clearly nonsense.”

“Exactly. Surrendering as soon as they saw us? What a waste of balls between their legs.”

“They might not even have any, for all we know.”

*Hahaha!*

The knights burst into laughter as they stared at a group of about ten men, who were eating quietly in casual clothes.

“Those bastards… This is seriously messed up. Guys, is this really happening?”

A young man with a fiery temper asked, his face full of anger.

An older man, around five or six years his senior, replied while tearing into a chicken leg.

“Didn’t Sir Salen say that if things came to this, we should surrender and wait? We have to do what our employer told us.”

“Captain Stelman also emphasized that point.”

These men were part of the Janstrick Mercenary Group, which Si-on had left behind to protect Jenna.

And they were diligently following the instructions of their employer, Si-on, and their leader, Stelman.

“If we fight, we can’t take them all down. You’d die, I’d die, and we’d all be dead. And that wildcat woman would die too.”

“Damn it, but this just doesn’t feel right…”

“Whether it feels right or not, Sir Salen really is something. When he left us behind back then, I thought he was talking nonsense, but he must’ve known this situation would happen.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Salen had predicted that within a month or two, nobles or relatives of the lord’s family would come from the royal capital or royal city to challenge the August lordship.

And it had actually happened.

Moreover, the surprising part was—

– Those two might be collaborators or might have been allies from the beginning. If that’s the case, don’t fight; surrender immediately.

Even that prediction had come true, almost like a prophecy.

Baroness Varetti’s family, who had come from her side, and Baron Botan, a close associate of the crown prince, knew each other well.

At first, they acted as if it were all a coincidence, but after imprisoning Jenna and reinstating Anserman as the acting lord, they didn’t even bother hiding their true intentions.

Baroness Varetti, who had invited knights, soldiers, and even dozens of mercenaries from her family, openly boasted about how successful her cunning plan had been.

“What about the administrators?”

“They look uneasy. Most of them still seem very concerned about what I’ll do. After all, they saw us surrender without even putting up a fight, and they’re probably wondering why.”

“It’s probably not because of us.”

“Pardon?”

The young mercenary looked confused, and their leader gulped down some bitter beer before speaking in a low voice.

“It’s likely because of the Si-on Ducal family, not us. The stewards and administrators here know how powerful the Si-on Ducal family is. But…”

He glanced around at the knights and mercenaries, who were drunk and boasting about their own valor, clearly unaware that they had been instructed to surrender on purpose. A sly smile spread across his face.

“They’ve never experienced the Si-on Ducal family. Nor have they met our employer, Si-on.”

* * *

“Damn it!”

Jenna kicked off the ragged blanket, which seemed to be at least 20 years old, and cursed out loud.

“I can’t sleep because it’s so itchy. I told those bastards to change the blanket, but this is just too much.”

It had been six days since she had been imprisoned in the lord’s castle dungeon tower, and her appearance was a mess.

She hadn’t been able to wash or change clothes during that time,

so her face was dirty, and her body had begun to emit a sour smell.

Her face, once regarded as refreshing and beautiful despite its somewhat fierce features, looked completely different from five days ago.

Her right eye was swollen with a deep purple bruise, her lips were cracked and puffy, and a scab from a cut marred her forehead.

“That damn bastard! I’m still a woman, how could he hit me in the face? Ugh, I should’ve just gone along with it once.”

Jenna recalled Baron Botan’s pig-like face, who had tried to assault her but, failing to get his way, ended up beating her like a dog. She shook her head violently.

“No, that pig doesn’t look like someone who bathes regularly. If I had gone along with it, I probably would’ve caught some disease.”

She wasn’t particularly obsessed with chastity, and she had enjoyed both short and long relationships in the past, but she still had her standards.

And Baron Botan, in her view, wasn’t a man—he was a pig in heat.

Still, despite treating her, the branch head of the Information Guild, poorly, at least he had enough sense not to kill her outright, which meant he had some level of intelligence.

“Then again, pigs are quite smart animals, aren’t they? So it makes sense that he’s a pig.”

Muttering to herself, she poked her head through the bars of her cell and raised her voice.

“Hey! Guys! Are you still alive?”

“Yesh, we’re shhtill alishhh….”

“I feel dead. I’m so hungry I think I might actually die…”

Relieved to hear her subordinates’ somewhat coherent voices, Jenna sighed in relief.

One of them had lost several teeth, and she had been worried, but despite his slurred speech, he seemed to be doing alright.

“Hey, once we get out of here, I’ll cover all your missing teeth in gold. I’m really sorry.”

“Gumteeth’sh fine… gold teeff are good ‘nuff….”

“I’ll give you gold teeth and beat the hell out of that Jens bastard. Don’t worry.”

A dangerous gleam flickered in Jenna’s panda-like bruised eyes.

Jens was the one who had played a key role in bringing her to this sorry state.

“That bastard didn’t just sell information for personal gain—he even betrayed his fellow guild members? Once I get out of here, I’ll kill you myself. I’ll tell Duke Si-on and have you executed.”

Jenna had no idea.

She didn’t know that the ‘wish’ she had uttered in anger would actually come true.