<Chapter 1298> 1298. The Plum Swordmaster Reincarnated Into the Count Family
“Kasiode! I have arrived!!”
Sir Kasiode stood ready for the final battle, clad in armor and wielding his sword. The menacing killing intent radiating from Kasiode and his knights made it clear they had no intention of surrendering.
Given my infamous reputation for showing no mercy to prisoners of war, their choice wasn’t difficult to understand. It was common knowledge among enemy forces that it would be better to commit suicide than fall into the hands of Eugene Frukas.
“You’ve been quite the nuisance until now! Today, I shall take your head!”
“…Count Frukas! I will slay you and stop the ambitions of the Rafelli Kingdom!”
I leapt off my galloping horse and charged towards Kasiode. He didn’t retreat, gripping his sword tightly with both hands. A crimson aura erupted from Kasiode’s blade.
Finally, our swords clashed, sending sparks flying in all directions. I relentlessly pressed the attack, giving Kasiode no room to breathe. His legs began to give way.
“Lord!!”
Kasiode’s knights rushed toward me, but the Golden Rose Knights who followed me weren’t about to let that happen. The clash of steel echoed throughout the battlefield as our swords met.
I delivered a long slash across Kasiode’s side.
“Guh?!?”
Kasiode staggered back, emitting a groan. The fluidity of his movements began to falter.
‘The blink of an eye.’
Seizing the opening, I wasted no time in activating Blink. There was no need to prolong this fight. I closed the distance and swung my sword at his neck.
Raitenryu (Thunder Heaven Style) Raiko (Lightning).
A lightning-fast sword strike cleanly severed Kasiode’s head.
I swiftly caught the falling head. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I held Kasiode’s head high for all to see.
“I have slain Kasiode! This battle is ours! Soldiers of Kasiode, drop your weapons and surrender!”
“Don’t make me laugh! We will not surrender!”
The knight closest to Kasiode shouted and charged at me, wild with rage like a feral boar.
‘Blink.’
In the slowed world, I easily evaded his attack and drove my sword into his throat. His helmet couldn’t contain the explosive gush of blood that erupted.
“I repeat: Kasiode is dead. The battle is over, and you have lost! Surrender!”
My mana-enhanced voice thundered across the field.
It wasn’t until sunset that order was finally restored in Kasiode City.
Of course, I didn’t bother with such trivialities. Surrounded by beautiful female captives, I indulged in wine and meat until evening, creating a literal scene of “a forest of flesh.”
Scarlett approached me to report.
“Milord, our losses are minimal. 2,125 slave soldiers and 481 regular soldiers have perished. 411 injured have been sent to the rear, including 240 severely wounded. We plan to… appropriately deal with the severely wounded.”
Severely wounded soldiers were always troublesome. Treating them required too much time and money. Hiring mercenaries with that budget would be far more efficient. Thus, we quietly handle the severely wounded.
“Quite a few slave soldiers fell. What about prisoners?”
“We captured a total of 8,410 prisoners. 3,500 can be immediately deployed to the front lines.”
“Use the elderly as slave soldiers as well.”
“Looks like our numbers swell by 4,200 souls.”
“A gain of 2,000. And the women and children?”
“The selection process is underway. The old and ugly ones go to the deserving soldiers as rewards, while the rest are being sent to the rear.”
“Hold back the beauties. Though I doubt there’ll be more than a hundred worth keeping.”
The city’s population was surprisingly small. Word has it that when the nation collapsed and life grew tough, some commoners fled.
“My lord, we captured Cassiod’s family trying to escape through a secret passage, but his royal guard killed them all before taking his own life.”
“Tch. I was planning to execute each one slowly in the square… Can’t be helped. Hang their corpses where the troops can see ’em well.”
“Yes, my lord. The men will take pride in viewing the enemy’s remains.”
I fondle the breast of the woman beside me. Three days of rest ahead—soldiers grow discontent without breaks, so downtime’s essential for morale.
At that moment, the tent flaps open, and two Golden Rose Knights drag in five prisoners, Cassiod’s former knights.
The prisoners look on in horror at the scattered women inside the tent.
“How could you sink so low?!”
“To defile women and children?! You have no honor!”
“Shame upon your noble blood!”
“Of course you brought us here to defile us next!”
“If you have any shred of decency, kill us now instead of dishonoring us!!”
I approach the five chained female knights. Even as captives, they’re fierce, baring their teeth and spitting venomous hatred my way. Spitting at me is routine; they even try biting me.
One attempts to bite my manhood, and I promptly smash her jaw. Her teeth scatter like kernels of corn.
“I can forgive many things, but an ugly wretch trying to gnaw on my pride? That’s unforgivable!”
Punch! Smash! Hit!
I unleash a brutal beating, yanking nipples nearly off and pounding her face with fists.
“Guh… gurgle…”
The knight foams at the mouth, her hymen torn by my blows.
“Still a virgin, huh? Figures, who’d touch someone so plain?”
I point at three of the captive knights.
“Throw these ugly ones to the troops. It’s rare to feast on knightly flesh—they’ll be thrilled. As for the other two… they’re somewhat pretty. I’ll keep them as playthings. Bind their limbs and toss ’em in the carriage. Might as well start a collection of knight trophies.”
“Yes, my lord.”
With wine in hand, I ravage the fallen women.
The sweet taste of rest ends too soon.
The army readies itself once more, resuming its march. Soon, a knight appears—it’s the messenger I sent to Duke Daycard. Pale but fiery-eyed, he steps forward and hands me a reply.
I tear open the letter and chuckle.
“My lord, may I inquire about the contents?”
Scarlett asks.
“It’s nothing much. Mostly complaints and threats. Also, if I value my life, I should leave Solphmed Kingdom immediately.”
“Hmm. As expected.”
“Yeah, figured as much.”
I nod slightly to Floy. Swish! In one swift motion, Floy draws her sword and severs the messenger’s head.
“Scarlett, Floy, we’re changing course. Our new destination: Duke Daycard’s territory. Once we conquer it, we’ll make a beeline for Solphmed’s capital. Time to seize the kingdom.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The first issue in maintaining an army is supply lines—a frequent cause of defeat in this world. But my forces suffer no such problems.
Thanks to Yuria’s Warp Gate, supplies flow effortlessly from the rear. If needed, I can fetch goods from another world entirely. And my army pillages freely wherever we go.
Every visible town falls under relentless assault, one after another. Villages too…
It’s not an exception just because.
“What a peaceful village. After all my hard work, this place is so tranquil… It doesn’t make any sense. Plunder everything! Bring the beautiful women to me. Turn all the men into slave soldiers!”
“Whoaaaaaaa!”
The soldiers went wild with joy every time they encountered a village. The villagers, poorly armed, couldn’t put up any proper resistance. They simply knelt on the ground and prayed for mercy.
My mercy fell only upon the beauties.
What happened to the ugly ones? Whether they were raped by the soldiers or not, it wasn’t my problem.
“Looking at that green field makes me irritated. Burn it all!”
“…But Lord, this place has already been conquered by you?”
Scarlett asked, clearly confused.
“You need to speak clearly. Just because I’ve conquered it doesn’t mean it’s my territory. After the war ends… we have to share it with the investors.”
My army was formed with support from the Rafelli Kingdom. It wasn’t just my forces; we had to settle accounts after the job was done.
“There might be a food shortage though.”
Scarlett didn’t know the extent of my supply capabilities. If she did, she wouldn’t have said that.
“If there’s a food shortage, I’ll make a killing.”
“…I had no idea you were this wealthy, my Lord. Understood. I’ll have the soldiers burn the fields.”
The wheat fields burned fiercely.
I stared blankly at the burning fields, then turned to look at the army. Soldiers were raping the village women. For a moment, I couldn’t tell if this was an army or a bandit gang.
Behind the army, I saw women hanging from poles. They were missing limbs but still alive—knights I had recently bestowed titles upon. Around them were female slaves in wretched conditions.
Frowning at the sight of the soldiers, I reflected: these fools dare to look at my Golden Rose Knights with lustful eyes without knowing their place.
‘They say ‘to use someone and then discard them.’ Once the hunt is over, it’s customary to boil the hunting dogs… I’ll pretend it’s an accident and boil them all later.’
Drop them into a suitable lake and boil the water with magic. When reporting to the Rafelli Kingdom, I’ll just say they fell into a demon trap.
‘I should probably leave around 20,000 of them alive. Killing them all would be too suspicious.’
The soldiers were becoming increasingly evil. If they keep going like this, they’ll definitely cause trouble later.
‘The best way to solve a problem is to eliminate its cause.’
And as a bonus, I’ll seize their wealth.
‘If I plunder the precious metals they’ve stolen… Hmm. This is a great deal indeed.’
To use and then discard.
Whoever coined that phrase must be someone who seeks ultimate profit.
The day of harvest can’t come soon enough.
“My Lord.”
Scarlett approached me with a serious expression. Without realizing it, I swallowed nervously. She only wears this face when something serious has happened.
“The slave soldiers have rebelled. I apologize, it’s due to my poor management.”
“That’s not your fault. With so many slave soldiers, rebellion could happen anytime. What’s the scale of the rebellion?”
“About 5,000 men.”
“Those recently captured slave soldiers must have rebelled.”
“Yes. They seem to have lost their minds after seeing their wives and children violated. They’re also demanding meat and alcohol.”
“Hmm? Well, let’s just boil their wives and children and serve them.”
“That’s too cruel. It will lower the morale of the other slave soldiers.”
“These slave brats are annoying. The rebels must be possessed by demons. Order the Golden Rose Knights and Flun Knights to suppress the rebellion.”
“…Will you show them mercy?”
“You’re looking worried.”
“It’s a rebellion. It needs to be dealt with strictly.”
“Mercy won’t come from me, but from the Goddess Serion.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let the suppressed slave soldiers roll dice. Odd numbers mean they’ll be burned alive, even numbers mean they’ll survive.”
I shouted while looking at the darkening sky.
“Goddess Serion! Witness my piety!”
“……”
