episode_0153

I can say for sure. There is no romance in emptiness.

When I was new to society in the Middle Ages, I had at least a vague romance that I cherished while holding on to memories of my previous life, but I can’t say such things when I experience it myself.

Sir “ has had several siege experiences.”

“We often made raids against barbarians in the north. There were fewer sieges than that, but there were several.”

“Then, you understand how difficult it is to fight against a well-prepared castle.”

In order to achieve this simple proposition of destroying a castle, one usually has to go through a difficult process.

It is difficult to say exactly as the time it takes to fall ranges from a few days to several months to several years, but if you don’t want to get your hopes up and be disappointed, you should be prepared for about a year.

Of course, neither Count Nana nor the siege at Villach were mentioned.

Rather than calling it a siege, it would be more correct to call it a one-man show using the expedient method of backdooring. That sneaky intrusion method is actually an assassin’s virtue.

Villach’s castle itself was small in size, and since it was occupied by thieves, there were not enough guards.

The guards were a ragtag bunch with no command system in place, and above all, there were no magicians called priests swarming around.

Although I spoke a bit long.

This means that if you do not take advantage of this level of advantage, the scenario of invading with only about ten knights will not be possible.

“How tired would you be if you were sieging one by one? I can’t imagine how much damage it would cause if the military were to be sent in as is.”

“Of course, my lord. Is there a better way?”

Pushing an army into a well-prepared castle means literally grinding the soldiers.

It may be okay if it only lasts for a day or two, but if it continues for several years, it becomes a match where only the victor and the defeated idiot are left.

Therefore, the essence and beauty of siege lies in waiting.

The attacking side runs out of money and morale, and the defending side runs out of food and soldiers.

It was a battle of pride that lasted until one side was so dirty that they kicked it out.

But if not in such a lackluster way.

I went through the methods that came to mind first.

“Did you plant ganja inside? So that they can break in at night.”

“Similar but different. The city has been standing there for over a thousand years, and there are only a few instances where an attempt was made to break through like that. It is difficult to expect great results just by bribing a few people.”

“Did you say they were similar? then… … .”

“We have to make the residents of Remus open the door themselves.”

That’s easy, but is it really possible?

Putting my doubts aside for a moment, the Count put down his glass. Then he shook his head and continued speaking.

“Your Majesty has several advantages over past conquerors. Don’t you know longitude?”

“… Are you talking about the support of the people and the nobles and clergy already residing in the Vatican?”

“That’s right. And there are people in the Vatican who gave advice in case His Majesty were to win the civil war.”

The emperor’s purpose is not to capture a city and make it his fiefdom.

To him, the spoils he could obtain from the Holy See were not important; his only goal was the Pope.

On the other hand, this means that it may be possible to make a deal where no damage will be done in return for giving up the Pope.

Of course, this would never have happened if the Pope’s authority had been the same as before.

“The Holy See is currently divided. If you dig into that gap well, it will be easy to achieve your goal. Your Majesty will have some people help you with the task, so don’t worry too much.”

Did you just say you were attaching someone? I asked the Count.

“Aren’t you going together?”

“Yes, I intend to stay here. Just like it has been up until now.”

I was about to ask the reason, but the Count spoke first.

“However, since you have done this for me, please ask me a favor in return.”

“Please tell me.”

“I know very well why Your Majesty must enter the Holy See. Also, the fact that we can’t back down from each other. Nevertheless, if possible, I would like to end with words. There is no reason to siege and bleed each other.”

Only then did I look at the Count’s appearance once more.

He was looking out the window, not at me, probably in the direction where the Holy See was. I had a rough idea of what he was thinking.

Although we have never met face to face, I have exchanged many letters with the Count.

In most cases, it was the movement of the Holy See and nearby nobles, but occasionally personal sentiments were also mixed.

The Vatican, who sets fires here and there whenever something is forgotten, the nobles who respond more strongly than anyone else, and even his own situation, caught in the middle of it all.

Although he didn’t complain directly, I could read traces of it in his writing.

“Of course, my lord.”

As the Pope was once my lord, and as a believer, I could understand why he felt distraught.

I nodded and agreed.

*****

There was no time to delay.

On the morning of the third day, after replenishing supplies, the emperor’s army headed further south. The Count of Canossa did not follow as he had said.

I rode Sancho and Dulcinea side by side with Lycia and went along on the journey.

Because we were slightly distant from the group of soldiers, it was an environment where we could have a conversation without interruption.

“I will arrive at the Vatican soon. It was right after passing that rock.”

“Then there is something you need to think about slowly.”

“I became a little embarrassed. I thought that as time passed, I would come across a few clues to make inferences, but the situation has not changed as much as I thought.”

This is what I was asked to do by Father Sarmergigi, whom I met after the last battle.

The story, which seemed like a prophecy, was not told to anyone, not even the emperor or the princess. The worries naturally fell to me and Lisia.

I didn’t hide this because it was some kind of big secret, but it was a reasonable inference that there must have been a good reason for Father Savannah Meadow to only tell me and Lisia.

According to what I found out, the so-called prophecies of the original wandering saint and Sahara Desert priest were mostly specialized in predicting natural disasters.

Since it was not about siding with anyone in particular, it fit perfectly with the policy of adults not being involved in the worldly world.

There was literally no living weather agency with a hit rate of 100%.

And, unfortunately, the wandering saint’s abilities were not used further than this. I saw him healing people on the battlefield, so it may not be like that in reality, but on the surface it was like that.

“Still, I thought about it carefully, considering what I knew.”

“Yes.”

“A few hypotheses come to mind regarding Father Sacré-Coeur’s words.”

If it had been caused by a natural disaster, it would have been proudly revealed without hesitation.

But the meaning of the fact that it was conveyed so secretly is.

“This probably means that there are political issues intertwined that make it difficult for adults to get involved.”

And the story the saint left behind was simple and clear.

-Even if everyone leaves the city, please just stay where you are.

“However, after the emperor’s army left Remus after completing its business, a rebellion broke out taking advantage of the power vacuum. It’s a huge and prosperous city, so there will be plenty of people who want to take over.”

“It seems unlikely that the Emperor will leave without strengthening his control over the Holy See.”

“Perhaps it means that being kicked out in that rebellion could become emperor. It’s not something you can easily imagine.”

Someone who disapproved of the emperor’s entry into the Holy See rose up and drove him out.

The opponents were soldiers who had been hardened through countless battles, but it was not an impossible scenario if they used the power of serfs that even despised bishops.

“Two, the emperor’s army entered the city and committed indiscriminate plunder. In this case, it would mean asking people not to run away among the people fleeing.”

“This is a topic I can at least talk about to Your Majesty.”

Originally, looting after a siege was as natural as the moon rising when the sun sets.

Contrary to the Count of Canossa’s expectations, this was likely to happen if the siege continued for a long time.

Still, it is something that cannot happen as long as the castle wall can be smoothly overcome with words.

But let’s talk about this later when we see the emperor.

“This is all I can think about.”

“It all makes sense. I can’t think of anything else either. Well, I wonder how strange things will happen.”

First of all, we have prepared our own measures for those two cases.

In the former case, I thought I would have to run around while Licia worked hard to treat her, and in the latter case, I thought I could try my best to persuade the emperor.

If you go on a tirade that starts with ‘I cut off Rudolph’s head-‘, it seems like there’s nothing I can’t listen to.

“Arrived! First, let’s take a seat on that hill.”

After roughly concluding the agreement, I raised my head. Although I only saw it once, the Pope’s Palace was far away, providing an unforgettable view.

However, the atmosphere around the city was quite different from what I remembered.

“Is this Remus?”

“I heard that it was a city that symbolized the prosperity of the Vatican… It’s so devastated.”

Passing through a village that doesn’t feel like a popular place, I wonder if it’s really true that they prepared a lot.

In the distance, there was a castle with a closed door.