The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 28 - Knight of the Principality (14)

After postponing the banquet with the portly councilor, Viktor hurriedly made his way to meet the Administrator.

“Welcome, Sir Viktor. Let’s sit down and talk.”

Fedor, whom Viktor was meeting again after a week, didn’t display the gentle smile he’d had when they first met, but rather looked somewhat anxious.

Dispensing with the usual pleasantries that typically preceded getting to the point, he immediately began explaining the core reason why he had summoned Viktor.

“First, just as you suggested, among the suspicious individuals, there was exactly one person who was well-versed in eastern affairs and had decent connections with the barbarians.”

Viktor examined the documents that the Administrator handed to him.

“Nikolai Elvich.”

“Yes. A proud councilor of our veche.”

Fedor snorted.

“He’s been making quite a tidy profit from eastern trade. It seems he’s been actively supporting the principality’s pioneering policies and has maintained exchanges not only with the lords of that region but also with the barbarians.”

“That means…”

“Yes. It’s clear that he’s quite knowledgeable about eastern affairs. And there’s one more thing. After the allied forces were defeated in the east, the frequency of his communications with small principalities outside our borders increased significantly. Quite suspicious indeed.”

Viktor couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.

‘Could there really be an informant?’

Though he had discussed this topic at length with the Administrator, he still found it hard to accept.

Why would someone risk inviting barbarians when they could live comfortably here as a councilor?

“Hmph. You don’t seem to understand how sweet and tempting power can be. His thinking is obvious. He probably wants to use this opportunity to become a true noble.”

Fedor leaned back slowly while letting out a cynical sneer.

“I haven’t obtained concrete evidence yet. Still, with this much circumstantial evidence gathered, even as a councilor, he won’t be able to resist investigation.”

Even as the city’s Administrator, he couldn’t arbitrarily imprison a councilor of the veche merely on suspicion.

But with such suspicious circumstances detected, it was questionable whether the other councilors of the veche would support Nikolai.

“And especially since it’s confirmed that the barbarians are advancing, that’s even more the case.”

“You’re right. It seems quite coincidental—almost too convenient—that they started moving as soon as I began looking into Nikolai, but nothing is certain yet.”

The Administrator slammed his hand down with a bang.

“Anyway, the veche bell will soon ring. When the council convenes to deal with the approaching enemy, I plan to implicate Nikolai and launch a full-scale investigation.”

Fedor seemed to be sharing his intentions more candidly with the knight before him, whom he had only met recently, than with the councilors he had worked with for years.

Though Viktor felt somewhat uncomfortable with this attitude, he didn’t show it and spoke calmly.

“The city’s politics are entirely under your jurisdiction, Administrator, so I wouldn’t know much about that, but I do have a question.”

“What is it? You’ve been a tremendous help this time. Speak freely.”

“Setting aside the issue with Councilor Nikolai, how will the city deal with the approaching barbarians? This aspect seems more important to me.”

Even if Nikolai truly was an informant, he was merely a small fish.

Unless he went mad and opened the city gates, he didn’t seem that threatening.

The real pressing issue was the barbarian forces that had advanced to their doorstep.

From Viktor’s experience, they were rough and violent warriors, mostly mounted, and quite menacing.

They had even crushed the allied forces in one engagement, so their morale would undoubtedly be high.

Viktor’s own well-being would greatly depend on how the city prepared to face such opponents.

‘If they’re not properly prepared, that would be troublesome.’

As if reading Viktor’s thoughts, Fedor exclaimed with considerable confidence.

“Don’t worry about that. Though it needs to be finalized when the council convenes, I’ve already made preparations behind the scenes.”

“Is that so? I was under the impression that important city decisions only emerge after the councilors gather and share their opinions.”

Though nobles might mock the city’s decision-making process as cumbersome and slow, from Viktor’s perspective, this approach was actually more familiar.

The Administrator waved his hand dismissively at Viktor’s words.

“Haha, that’s true in principle, but how could we respond properly to urgent matters that way? I coordinate opinions to some extent before the veche bell rings. It would be troublesome if someone suddenly cast an opposing vote.”

This ability to coordinate in advance was one of the benchmarks for measuring an Administrator’s capability.

‘So that’s how it is. Well, each city has its own way.’

If a large city like Permikoff tried to align on every issue that arose, they would lack time even if they met daily.

Seeing that Viktor seemed to understand, Fedor continued.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been meeting with councilors recently. I thought you were doing so deliberately, already aware of these circumstances.”

“…”

He could hardly admit that he had been prowling around various places, enticed by delicious food.

“…There was somewhat of that element.”

“I knew it. I expect the councilors you’ve visited will all be more cooperative now.”

Though he had unwittingly become involved in the principality’s internal politics, he quickly dismissed his concerns.

‘It’s already happened, and there were no problems.’

The situation was not leisurely enough to worry about such matters.

“So, about these preparations you mentioned…”

“Ah. First, all councilors and merchants registered in the city will have to pay a shield tax. With the collected funds, we plan to hire several decent mercenary companies.”

Fedor flicked his mustache back and forth as he continued.

“In fact, I’ve already hired some mercenary companies in advance with a few like-minded councilors. The barbarians won’t arrive before all the mercenaries have gathered. In addition, I’ve requested support from His Highness the Grand Prince as well as from nearby fortresses. Since we started preparing as soon as we observed the barbarians’ movements, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

It was a thorough and quick response.

As soon as the enemies were confirmed, he had coordinated with the councilors in advance, hired some mercenaries early, requested swift support from the surrounding areas, and even begun rooting out potential informants.

‘He’s truly impressive. There’s much to learn here.’

The position of Administrator for a major city wasn’t one that could be obtained easily.

Compared to this, the response of his now-ruined village seemed pathetic enough to bring tears to his eyes.

“Indeed. You’re amazing, Your Excellency. If you handle the potential informant issue as well, you’ll be perfectly prepared.”

“Haha, that’s fortunate at least. As you know, there’s no reason to deliberately engage with them. I plan to focus entirely on defense. Though it’s painful to think about the disruption to trade for a while, it’s better than having the city plundered.”

This was reassuring enough.

Viktor could learn methods for systematic and solid defense, ways to efficiently govern a city, and more while at the Administrator’s side.

Though he didn’t know when it might be, if he ever obtained his own domain in the future, such knowledge would surely be helpful.

****

The veche bell rang, and the council made swift and quick decisions.

All merchants registered with guilds and trading companies in the city would pay a certain amount of shield tax.

Based on this, mercenary companies would be hired from Rurik and the western regions of the principality for city defense.

The hiring costs for mercenary companies that some councilors had separately contracted in advance would be shared among the veche councilors.

Mercenary companies already in the city would be requisitioned under wartime city law, but paid more than twice the average hiring fee.

The entire city began to stir as if a beehive had been poked.

This was because the full-scale advance of the barbarians, previously known only to some in the leadership, was now public knowledge, and people realized that war was imminent.

Commotion and voices of anxiety were heard everywhere, and foreign merchants who were quickly liquidating their assets, thinking that not only trade but also the route back to their homeland would be blocked for a while, were causing a fuss.

Amid all this, no one paid attention to the fact that a city noble had disappeared secretly and was undergoing interrogation disguised as an investigation.

Everything was proceeding fairly smoothly.

If they just maintained strong defenses, given the barbarians’ poor siege capabilities, they would have no choice but to pass by the city despite their desire for it.

The councilors, and even Administrator Fedor, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Though the shield tax was terribly expensive, it was better than war breaking out.

Nikolai was still screaming in agony as he was interrogated, but that was now just a minor issue.

However, not everything in the world proceeds smoothly.

****

“Your Excellency, urgent news! The principality’s forces sent as reinforcements are engaged in battle with the barbarians! The situation doesn’t look good!”

“Please, Your Excellency! I beg you. At this rate, we are all dead men. We need urgent support!”

Hearing the words of a bloodied messenger who had arrived at the city, Fedor unwittingly clutched his forehead.

“What in the world is happening…”

The catalyst was the large-scale support requests that the city had dispatched everywhere.

From the capital Rurik where the Grand Prince resided, to commanders of fortresses positioned at strategic points, to lords of surrounding domains who had been eyeing the city’s interests—all had been contacted.

Due to fear of the barbarians and a lack of proper information, the Administrator had wanted to call for as much support as possible, and indeed, many had responded to that call by recruiting forces.

So far, so good.

The problem was that these weren’t a unified allied force with a single purpose and coordinated movement; instead, they were scattered, each rushing to support the city independently.

Another problem was that most of them hadn’t rushed to support the city with pure intentions.

‘The east has been breached and Permikoff is in crisis? Then if I move my army to help, I could swallow the city as payment…’

‘Surely they won’t turn away reinforcements. I’ve been annoyed at how city folk just suck all the honey anyway, so if the opportunity arises…’

Those who set out with various sinister and impure motives couldn’t properly unite among themselves.

And these scattered forces approaching the city were prime targets for the advancing barbarians.

****

“Eeek, these damn animal bastards!”

“Sir Knight! We must retreat now! Let’s withdraw for now and regroup later!”

“Where is there to retreat to now? And even if we flee, we’ll soon be caught by them!”

“Damn it, who doesn’t know that? Let’s at least escape with just our group. We need to survive!”

“No, Sir Knight! Are you saying you’ll abandon us?!”

“Silence, you lowly mercenary!”

“You son of a bitch!”

Chaos was erupting everywhere.

Contrary to the hopes of the city’s people, the battle situation was being drawn deeper and deeper into the quagmire.