If You Wish For Something Useless - Chapter 47

Chapter 47 – Intense Upheaval (1)

The talents Cesar recruited were so remarkable that calling them competent would not be enough. At first, they thought it would take about two years to clear the East. It might take longer depending on the situation, they had thought in one accord. However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Duke Ragmalt’s head fell before the end of summer. The enlisted soldiers of the noblemen who shared the same goals with the duke remained, but they couldn’t be described as a military power.

Now that the one who controlled and reigned had disappeared, they were nothing more than a mob without a command system. Isn’t being controlled by someone who is irreparably superior, different from being controlled by someone who is not very different from oneself? To receive orders from someone with the same title as any other marquis or count— it was enough to scratch the pride of any nobleman, which was unnecessarily high to begin with. Thus, as the nobles kept each other in check and continued fighting, the power would eventually split.

It was an unavoidable future.

Therefore, the beheading of Duke Ragmalt was a remarkable achievement. This was the reason Cesar had summoned some of the leaders who should be in the East.

[In recognition of your service, a banquet will be held, do attend]

After the brief imperial command reached the east, a group of people rushed toward Vetern. Even if it was a matter of necessity, it was impossible to move all of the leaders from the front lines. Only three people departed, running nonstop for nine days, arriving at the Imperial Palace. Including the escorts, it was a small party of only twenty people.

As soon as Cesar entered the banquet hall, they knelt to pay respect to the Emperor.

“Greetings to His Majesty the emperor!”

Loud voices rang through the banquet hall. Was it because the heated blood of the battlefield hadn’t cooled yet? Their greetings were excessive. But Cesar didn’t pay any mind. Rather, he gladly accepted it.

It was the first time in three weeks that Pharrell had seen Cesar. The woman who volunteered as a prophet would likely assist as well in recognition for her contributions.

At that moment, Pharrell made eye contact with Cesar as he headed to his royal seat. At his silent greeting, Cesar nodded in response. Next, Cesar’s gaze turned to the seat next to Pharrell. Just as he was about to follow his gaze, Etrada, who had entered with Cesar, waved her hand with a welcoming smile. Pharrell just nodded back at her with a flat expression. Only then could he glance and peek beside him. There sat a woman he couldn’t figure out for the past few months.

Perhaps because of the banquet, the woman’s veil was shorter than usual. The lips exposed underneath the veil caught Pharrell’s attention. Maybe, today he would get a glimpse of that woman’s expression.

“Everyone sit down.”

While Pharrell’s mind was immersed in that woman, Cesar’s command and permission to sit fell after he had reached his place. All those who had been standing were seated.

“You all did a great job. The merits of those who are not present today should also be commended. I’ll give you a bounty, so hand it over on your way back.”

“It’s our honor!”

Those who had suffered day and night in the East deserved praise. Although it wasn’t over yet, it wasn’t the most urgent matter now. Cesar ignored the still-remaining power of the East in the name of praising his subordinates. At the same time, it was also to show them. To demonstrate that even if some of the highest leaders were gone from their positions, they wouldn’t be defeated.

As Pharrell was reading the hidden meaning in Cesar’s words, he heard a faint sound of exhaling. It wasn’t loud. But it was so clear that anyone who heard it would immediately know it was a sneer. Some of those sitting nearby hardened, but fortunately, it ended there. Instead of showing their teeth to the woman Cesar had appointed himself, they preferred to remain silent, conscious of their emperor.

However, Pharrell’s nerves were already on edge. After the pledge two months ago, the woman began to attend social events hosted by the nobles. It was only to declare that she was the rumored prophet. Thanks to this, assassins began to appear in search of the woman’s mansion. They must have been sent by the remnants of the dethroned Emperor Anterman that had not yet been completely eradicated.

It wasn’t hard to realize since Pharrell, Cesar’s closest aide, moved in with her. He eliminated the assassins and caught a few. Cesar then tortured them and removed the masterminds behind them.

It was a little ironic. Every time he protected the woman who was holding Cesar’s life, he was helping Cesar.

The banquet began while Pharrell was immersed in complicated thoughts. The scent of high-class food and expensive wine spread deeply. He occasionally put seafood in his mouth. If it wasn’t for shellfish, there was no harm in eating it. But, perhaps because of the memory of being severely ill, just looking at the seafood made his stomach ache.

His meal time didn’t last long. The most he did was shove a few pieces of food into his mouth.

‘I guess it’s enough.’

He ate because he was conscious of other people’s attention, but he put down the fork before long. Afterward, what Pharrell picked up was not a wine glass, but a transparent glass of water. It was because he couldn’t drink alcohol due to the current situation. He knew what would happen on the way back to the mansion.

On the other hand, others were toasting ahead of the victory that came earlier than expected. The first to get drunk were those who had returned from the East. Their jolly heroic stories added splendid entertainment to the banquet hall. Pharrell was drunk on their stories, not the alcohol. They were his old comrades telling those stories. Vassals that had existed for Cesar for a very long time ago. Hearing their heroic stories made him proud. Hearty laughter filled the surroundings.

Until the woman sitting next to Pharrell let out a twisted sneer.

“. . .”

It was so small that those nearby could barely hear it. Nevertheless, everyone in the banquet hall heard it.

Was it because they were keeping an eye on the strange person even in the midst of joy? Perhaps they had in mind what had happened before the banquet started. The reasons were vague, but the result was crystal clear.

The banquet hall, which had been filled with the heat of booze, quickly cooled as if it had been doused in ice water. All eyes of those along the long table were drawn to one place. Although there was a chance that she would be daunted by the sense of pressure, the woman’s attitude didn’t change.

“Just now. What does that mean?”

Many people were already drunk. Pharrell realized he had to try to stop his comrades before the problem escalated. But he didn’t get a chance to step up.

“What?”

As if waiting for that question, the woman immediately asked back. Saville, the one who spoke first, raised his voice.

“You laugh at us, don’t you?!”

“What about it? I laughed because you guys looked funny, is there a problem?”

It was such a carefree answer that it took time to realize that she was ignoring him. While Pharrell’s head froze, Saville jumped up, his face blushing red.

“Your cockiness pierces the sky!”

Dishes, glasses, and other utensils were swept away as he moved. The roar and loud noise made the previous commotion insignificant. But no one looked at the broken tableware.

“You seem nervous at my cockiness.”

Couldn’t she feel the bitter hostility? The woman sneered once more and spoke.

“Who do you think was responsible for making your contributions possible?”

“What do you–?”

She meant it was to honor the woman’s own merits?

“The good-for-nothing guys who should have died in the first place kept rambling on, and it was so much noise.”

The mood grew hotter as Pharrell chewed through the woman’s words to discern her meaning.

Then, suddenly, he felt a sense of incongruity. Pharrell’s gaze turned toward the seat placed high. Cesar was watching the fight between the woman and Saville in a very relaxed manner. A dispute arose and, instead of coming forward, he just watched.

It meant that the current situation was in line with what he wanted. Such a realization constrained Pharrell’s actions. Once he knew what Cesar wanted, he couldn’t do anything. Even if that meant that, at the end of the conflict, either the woman or Saville collapsed. Sweat began to form on his palms with the sudden nervousness.

‘It’s getting worse…’

Pharrell pressed his teeth without realizing it. It was natural for him to worry about the woman’s safety. But his worries should be limited to the woman’s life. That was all that was stated in the pledge, so there was no reason to be preoccupied any more than that.

‘But why am I worried about things that are not stated in the pledge?’ It was heartbreaking to see the woman who didn’t leave her study until late at night.

‘Aren’t you tired?’

After slashing the assassins that sometimes visited, he always had to check back.

‘Aren’t you surprised?’

Even when nothing was going on, he paid close attention to the woman’s actions.

‘You’re not crying alone and curled up like that day, are you?’

Pharrell knew the situation was taking a dangerous turn. Nevertheless, he couldn’t control it. He tried his best to build awareness, but…

“If you had a knife, you would have cut me right away.”

It always breaks easily.

Even before the woman’s sarcasm was over, Pharrell’s eyes opened wide. He was watching Saville. Afraid he would really harm the woman. Fortunately, Saville stood up from his seat and was only breathing heavily. He must have realized that blood couldn’t be spilled in front of Cesar.

“I knew your personality from the beginning, but…” The woman shook her wine glass in an elegant motion and continued. “Experiencing it with my own eyes is rather sickening.”

Underneath the sarcasm was contempt. It was so blatant that it felt like a knife cutting the flesh.

“How much blood was shed for that contribution, but you talk about it as if you’re proud of it.”

For a moment, the bodies of those sitting opposite Saville’s party trembled.

“Do you remember how many soldiers you pushed through the eastern gate when you attacked Ragmalt Castle?”

Saville’s expression hardened. The fierce momentum faded as if the anger expressed until just a moment ago was an illusion.

During the invasion of the Ragmalt territory, the top priority given to Cesar’s forces was the destruction of the outer fortress. In the case of an ordinary siege, rather than destroying it, the battle proceeds when those who have crossed the fortress open the gate. But at that time, the woman informed them that there was a small drain connected to the interior under the moat of Ragmalt Castle. It was a weakness of the castle that was unknown to anyone other than the personnel who directly managed the drain and higher commanding officers.

Accordingly, the leader of the troops devised a strategy to destroy the main wall. He used ordinary soldiers to draw attention while elite knights carried magic tools to the bottom of the moat.