Quit being a knight and become a mercenary

96 – Beheading Operation (1)

A week passed like that.

The trend of the war, which started with 15,000 to 20,000, was somewhat tilted in favor of the allies, just as Count Estelle had thought.

Count Estelle had two problems that were holding him back.

The Marquis of Montmarche, the commander of the 20,000th Army of Montmartre, was much more capable than expected, and many of the soldiers under him were elite.

Accordingly, Count Estelle’s strategy that the allies would have an advantage if the enemy fought while exhausted did not work as well as expected.

The Count often held strategy meetings to overcome this situation and minimize sacrifices.

“They only gathered the high-ranking people, so I can’t go in…”

Endless meetings are held in which only people such as mercenary captains with more than 200 mercenaries, nobles from noble families themselves or their agents, and high-ranking vassals of the earl can participate.

So far, there has been no good move to ‘overcome this situation’, so when Captain Dalton returns, our mercenary unit will also have to talk to follow the Count’s instructions.

Officers above the platoon leader were not allowed to drink and were ordered to wait idly.

However, since I had a ‘good plan’ in my head, I was deliberately waiting for him to come out after the meeting in order to convey it to the Count through Captain Dalton.

After a few minutes, Dalton was heard sighing and swearing.

“f*ck, they say nothing in this world is easy.”

I went to Dalton’s direction with a fairly large ceramic bottle filled with beer.

“Thank you for your hard work, Captain. How about a drink?”

“I am grateful, but I am not in the mood to drink right now.”

Is Margrave Estelle in such a hurry that Dalton refuses his drink?

Well, if things continue like this, it will be a long-term war, the sacrifices of the soldiers under the Margrave will increase, and it will become increasingly difficult to achieve the next strategic goal.

Even if you told me not to rush, I couldn’t help but feel impatient.

‘Those sparks will hit Dalton.’

“Why don’t you just have a drink instead of being so stubborn? “I just thought of a good plan.”

Dalton frowned for a moment, but perked up his ears.

“You grabbed that low-ranking Baron Pappenheim by the collar and even caught Count Résumé, so I’ll pretend you were fooled and let me out.”

I wish he wouldn’t prick up his ears and quietly come towards me and say something like that.

I feel uncomfortable because the man acts like a tsundere whose words and actual actions are different…

“You say that, but you touch the beer glass…”

“Just say something, I don’t have time.”

I wanted to tease Captain Dalton a little more, but I don’t have time, so I’ll have to stop.

“How about suggesting a beheading operation to surprise the rear?”

When Dalton heard that, he looked at me with an expression that asked if this bastard was crazy.

“Does it make sense to go all the way to the rear and hit the enemy in the back while you are making a turn?”

Then I smiled evilly and persuaded Captain Dalton for quite some time.

At first, Dalton was listening with an expression like ‘What is this idea?’, But as time passed, he began to listen to what I said.

In the end, I was almost finished with the story. He nodded his head as if he were writing it down.

“Based on this perspective, analysis based on the current situation and terrain, I think it is enough to carry out a ‘decapitation’ operation.”

Dalton clapped his hands and nodded.

“It’s okay, f*ck. “If the Count gives permission, we can turn the situation around.”

After saying that, Dalton immediately took my hand.

“f*ck, the Margrave told me to come and talk to him at any time if there is a good plan. “Come with me and report right away.”

…… Is it really okay for a mercenary leader, not a baron or a high-ranking knight directly under the earl, to visit at this late hour?

If you get caught by another noble, you might not have to suffer your head being blown off for being rude, but you could end up in all sorts of trouble.

“I understand. Then, our mercenary unit…”

Dalton gestured with his hand to call Administrator Albert who was standing next to him.

“Administrator, go now and tell our kids to go to bed first because I’m running late.”

“I understand.”

Then Dalton and I went to see the Margrave.

Margrave Estelle granted an audience to only me out of the two, Dalton and me.

**

“Margrave Estelle, please excuse me.”

After a while, a heavy voice was heard from inside.

“Please come in.”

“Then please excuse me.”

The inside of the barracks was surprisingly spacious, and for a nobleman, there wasn’t as much furniture or objects in the barracks as I thought.

A soft-looking bed, an expensive-looking desk and chair, a sword and armor, and a tapestry with his own emblem.

‘When Captain Dalton enters the barracks, all kinds of valuable items are piled up like a mountain.’

For a nobleman, even a margrave, I felt my liking for him increase slightly as I saw his barracks being very simple.

“I meet Margrave Estelle. Thank you for granting me a sudden audience.”

If I had been a commoner, I would have had to get down on both knees and bow, but since I had the status of a former knight, I bowed my head and put one knee on the ground as a courtesy.

Estelle saw me and immediately came over to him, patted his shoulder and helped him up.

“Wake up, I’m so happy to be able to treat you like this.”

“It is truly an honor for me, a mere mercenary, to have the honor of serving the Margrave alone.”

It is virtually impossible for a mercenary to have a one-on-one audience with the Baron unless he is the leader of a mercenary corps with a considerable reputation.

Nobles such as counts or margraves are so noble that not even the top mercenary leaders dare to treat them alone.

But I, the leader of just one mercenary company, am meeting the Count one-on-one.

‘This alone may not be the glory of the family, but it will be enough to brag about at drinking parties for about 10 years.’

“Thank you for saying that. Now, let’s sit down for now.”

I didn’t refuse and sat down.

“If it were normal, I would have to talk to you and Dalton, who suggested the operation. “I personally wanted to ask you something, so I called you here alone.”

“Is that so?”

“Ask first before talking about the operation. “Do you have any intention of commissioning me?”

Looking at the many sides of Estelle that I have seen so far, following this person would not be a bad choice in my future life.

As a margrave, he has a gentle personality and is also a good boss who is kind to his vassals and mercenaries.

If you have outstanding abilities, you will be treated generously regardless of social status, so you have the ability to help each other use their abilities to their full potential.

Pappenheim Unlike that trash, he is well-equipped with the necessary capabilities to survive in difficult times, such as situational judgment, command, and decisiveness.

So, if I were an ordinary mercenary, I would have set the stage for ‘turning my life around’ by saying “My sword is yours from now on”…

‘To put it bluntly, my value is going up.’

“I am very honored by the Margrave’s proposal, but I am still lacking.”

Of course, I don’t think my abilities are lacking.

There is no doubt that its value will skyrocket in the future, but isn’t it too wasteful to stop here on the path to success just by being lured into the title of ‘high-ranking knight’?

But if you say that outright, it’s no different from saying that you want to fight Margrave Estelle…

I have to say that my lack of ability is the cause.

Hearing those words, the Margrave smiled bitterly.

“You know your own worth very well. Yes, your performance until last time seemed to be enough for a ‘high-ranking knight’. Now that I can hold the belt and flap my wings, I will be able to fly very high.”

I am confident that I will continue to fly even higher in the future.

‘I’m not dissatisfied with Karin and Lucia, but I have to put an end to this rush.’

“I am ashamed, Margrave. However, we will do our best to meet your expectations and show you a better side of ourselves in the future.”

“I look forward to your future activities.”

To put it bluntly, the abilities I have shown so far are similar to the brute force of an individual named Martin Mayer, his ability to use his wits, and his ability to devise strategies.

In other words, he was not a ‘commander or commander’ who completely controlled and shook the battlefield forever.

However, when I took charge of the Hundred Troops and destroyed two enemy mercenary companies in one day, I was either a mercenary leader or a nobleman…

You have proven that you can lead hundreds or thousands of soldiers and achieve results that exceed expectations.

In terms of the military, it’s almost like he’s getting close to the reputation of being a 4-star talent in the future.

Also, I looked at Margrave Estelle’s face to see if he would have any ill feelings…

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The margrave still had a smile on his face.

‘At least you don’t have any ill feelings toward me.’

Then the Marquis raised the corners of his mouth slightly and asked me.

“I ask you, who took Baron Pappenheim and annihilated the 5,000 men led by Count Lejume. So, what strategy did you bring?”