Barbarian Quest

The western plunderers were headed toward the Porcana Kingdom. The movement of ten thousand warriors couldn't be kept discreet. In Porcana, news of the swarming plunderers got the lords gathering their troops.

There was a precedent called the Langkegart Kingdom, and the national power of Porcana was similar to Langkegart. The news of the advance of the plunderers caused fear among the lords and the people.

"The plunderers from the west are coming!"

"What is the empire doing in a time like this?"

The nobles of Porcana fell into chaos. The local lords on the outskirts of the kingdom were even more nervous as they were directly exposed to the plunderers.

"Has His Highness not returned yet?"

"He is still missing."

"My God, what on earth is happening to our kingdom…."

The throne was vacant. Varca had not yet returned to Porcana. There were even rumors that King Varca was dead. Some said he had been poisoned by the emperor, while some nobles whispered that Damia must have cursed Varca to death.

The local lords sent letters to Duke Lungell in haste.

Duke Lungell was a powerful noble who had conserved his strength by not participating in the civil war. In fact, with King Varca absent, Duke Lungell was practically acting as regent.

Duke Lungell quickly convened a council of nobles to discuss how they would respond to the approaching barbarians. Even the nobles who were usually too lazy to participate in these councils grabbed the reins of their horses and attended the meeting at the news of the imminent appearance of the plunderers.

"The imperial army is also pursuing the western plunderers. If we prevent the barbarians from crossing the border, Porcana and the imperial army can attack them from both sides," Duke Lungell said, spreading out a map.

The nobles murmured in response.

"That’s assuming we can stop them before the imperial army arrives. They turned Langkegart into ruins in an instant, and even the imperial army couldn't eradicate them. Some say the plunderers aren't even humans like us."

"If we give into fear before we even fight, we have no chance of winning, Lord Gargel. We must focus the kingdom's capabilities on defense. If His Highness were present, he would have thought the same as I do. Come to think of it, where in the world is he at such a critical time..."

Duke Lungell lamented outwardly but laughed inwardly.

‘I don't know where Varca is, but he left his position during the kingdom's crisis. If I navigate the kingdom through this crisis, the support of the nobles and people will gather toward me. It might even be possible to overthrow the royal family in my generation.’

A crisis becomes an opportunity.

Duke Lungell ambitiously urged the nobles to issue a mobilization order.

"If the plunderers from the west are as formidable as the rumors say, even the kingdom's full military power won't be enough."

The nobles, who would usually be lukewarm even to summons from high lords or the king, couldn't afford to hold back now. The enemy was barbarians. If they lost, Porcana would be left with nothing. There was no such thing as the luxury of sparing their resources.

‘If we win, all the glory will be mine, and if we fail, Porcana will be reduced to ashes.’

Duke Lungell smiled with a cold sweat. He too did not want his homeland to perish. He was going to use all his strength to defend it.

"Oh, Sun God Lou, please look after us."

Young men gathered to defend their homeland. Free commoners pooled money from every three households to arm a warrior they had chosen among themselves, and bound serfs took up farming tools and donned shabby quilted clothes as armor. Some young men volunteered enthusiastically in response to the mobilization order.

With such men gathered, Duke Lungell's force managed to exceed five thousand. When the gathering was complete, the force would reach eight thousand.

Duke Lungell deployed five thousand troops to the border first. Since the majority of Porcana's inland border was a canyon, the routes the barbarians could invade were limited.

‘We can do it. We can hold them until the imperial army arrives.’

Duke Lungell entrenched himself in the border fortress. Mounted border guards patrolled regularly. When the barbarian army arrived, he would receive the report immediately.

‘The true guardian of Porcana is me, Duke Lungell.’

Duke Lungell's ambition flared up like in his younger days. It was an opportunity that came after being patient for such a long time. The young King Varca had led the government well, preventing Duke Lungell from finding a foothold. Varca had never given Duke Lungell an opening.

‘This could very well be my last chance.’

Duke Lungell felt the gazes of the nobles. They had entrusted their troops to him. Nothing remained where the plunderers from the west passed. All the wealth that was accumulated over generations evaporated. The nobles fought with all their might to protect their lives and wealth.

"The barbarians are here! They are in the direction of the Degris Plain!"

A mounted border guard rushed into the fortress with the report. The army stirred at that single report.

"They really came. Those bastards are really here."

"We will not end up like Langkegart. We have prepared thoroughly."

"But…."

"If what you’re about to say is something that could hinder our morale, keep it to yourself."

The nobles also trembled with fear.

Not even three days after the messenger's report, Porcana's nobles and soldiers faced the plunderers from the west. The plunderers set up a camp within visible distance from the border fortress. The sight of ten thousand warriors and the aura they exuded was overwhelming.

‘Every single man in that army is a seasoned warrior.’

The barbarian army had a qualitative advantage in infantry. Its members were lifelong hunters and warriors who fought with neighboring tribes. They were different from the soldiers of the civilized world whose actual profession was farming.

"So that is the army of the plunderers from the west…."

The nobles observed the plunderers from the ramparts.

"It doesn't seem like they will attack immediately."

"Are they resting before attacking?"

"They shouldn’t have that much leisure. The imperial army should be after them."

"When will you stop harping on about the imperial army? Porcana must be defended by our own hands!"

"Hah, if you're so valiant, why don't you lead your army and go intercept them yourself?"

Even among the nobles, fights broke out. They were that anxious. The enemy from the unknown was right before them.

"Huh?"

The nobles widened their eyes. A mounted messenger approached the fortress from the plunderer camp.

‘A civilized person?’

The mounted messenger was a civilized person. The alliance had sent one of their civilized mercenaries as their messenger.

"A civilized person in the army of barbarians! That traitor! Let’s kill him immediately! Archers!" The hot-tempered nobles shouted. An archer on the gate, caught off guard, drew his bow.

Duke Lungell sighed and held back the nobles and archers.

"Enough! If a messenger has come, should we not hear him out? We are civilized people, not some barbarians like them! Get a grip!"

At Duke Lungell's rebuke, the noble calling for an attack fell silent.

"I am an envoy of the alliance!"

The messenger shouted from in front of the gate. He was grabbing the reins to flee at any moment. He had taken on the role of a messenger for a reward of three gold coins, which was worth thirty thousand gilds.

“The alliance?”

“It seems to be a term the plunderers use to refer to themselves.”

“The alliance…”

The nobles murmured among themselves, all eyes on Duke Lungell.

“The leader of the alliance army, Great Chief Urich, wishes to negotiate! The Great Chief proposes that ten representatives from each side meet at noon at the midpoint! No weapons will be brought!”

It was a negotiation proposal that one might expect from civilized people.

Duke Lungell tilted his head, feeling puzzled. He shouted at the messenger from atop the wall.

“Why should we put ourselves at risk and come out to negotiate with you?”

“Because if you don't, Porcana will be destroyed. The alliance is ruthless to those who resist but shows mercy to those who surrender.”

“Mercy? Is raping women and burning fields your idea of mercy?” Duke Lungell shouted angrily.

“You will regret not coming to the negotiation.”

The messenger said this and turned his horse around. Duke Lungell pondered the messenger’s words deeply.

‘Urich?’

It was a name he had definitely heard somewhere before. The messenger had called him Great Chief Urich.

His memory was hazy. Duke Lungell’s eyes narrowed and then widened.

‘That barbarian mercenary who was with Varca!’

It could be a coincidence that they had the same name.

‘But what if it really is him? What if the leader of these plunderers is that very Urich?’

Duke Lungell was confused. In any case, to confirm the truth, he had to accept the negotiation proposal.

“I will go to the negotiation! Prepare accordingly!” Duke Lungell shouted. Three or four influential nobles agreed to join the negotiation.

Creak.

At noon, the fortress gate opened. Duke Lungell, along with four other nobles and their escorting knights, rode out.

“Ten men are coming from the other side.”

A keen-eyed knight said, looking toward the alliance army’s camp. Ten men on horseback emerged from the alliance camp.

Clop, clop.

Their distance closed as both parties maintained their caution toward each other. Soon, they were close enough to hear each other’s murmurs.

“I am Duke Lungell of Porcana!”

Duke Lungell swallowed nervously as he eyed the barbarians. A large man on horseback emerged from them.

“Oho, are you the current leader of Porcana? What about Pah… no, King Varca?”

Urich spoke. Duke Lungell’s eyes widened as he observed Urich.

‘He has changed a lot… But it’s definitely him.’

Urich’s face and exposed skin were covered with scars. The burn marks from lightning were clear on his right forearm, and his breastplate was dented and tattered, hinting he had gone through numerous battles. Yet, his confident eyes still shone brightly with a yellow glow.

“Hmm.”

Duke Lungell couldn’t continue speaking. Why had Urich invaded Porcana with a barbarian army? There was no one who could immediately grasp the process that had led to this situation.

“Ah, I remember now. Lungell!”

Urich recognized Duke Lungell and smiled brightly. His smile was so pure it was hard to believe they were enemies.

“If you are truly a friend of King Varca, withdraw your army and leave. Porcana cannot accept a barbarian army,” Duke Lungell warned.

“Nope, I’m afraid that’s not possible. Where is Varca?”

“King Varca is currently missing. I, Duke Lungell, am his representative.”

“Missing?”

Urich’s eyes suddenly turned fierce. Many thoughts crossed his mind. It was possible Varca had been killed by Duke Lungell’s schemes.

“He went missing in the empire. I had nothing to do with it,” Duke Lungell spoke as if he had read Urich’s mind.

“So the point is that you’re the one in charge… Very well. Open the gates and provide us with a month’s worth of food. Then we won’t touch anything in Porcana. We’ll also compensate you appropriately. We might not look like it, but we have accumulated some wealth.”

Urich’s proposal caused a stir among Porcana’s nobles. However, Duke Lungell, the negotiator, maintained his composure and looked at Urich.

“You speak as if we’re the ones in trouble, but it is you who are being chased by the imperial army. Who do you think will be surrounded if they eventually arrive?”

“Do you think we wouldn’t be able to break through Porcana before the imperial army gets here?”

“You should not underestimate Porcana’s strength, Urich the barbarian.”

Duke Lungell couldn’t grant passage through the territory without a fight. Moreover, the opponent was a barbarian army.

‘At the end of the day, it’s going to be the empire who wins this war. There’s no reason to cooperate with the barbarians.’

The fact that the western plunderers were fleeing from the imperial army was proof enough. The army of the empire was stronger than the army of the west.

‘He’s making this difficult. It was going to be a gamble even with Varca, but we’re dealing with Duke Lungell...’

Urich scratched his neck roughly. Black grime got stuck underneath his nails.

‘The best outcome is to enter Porcana’s territory without fighting. If we expend any more of our strength, we’re going to have even less of a chance in a full-on battle with the imperial army.’

But it seemed like persuading the duke with words was impossible.

‘I guess scaring them is the only way to get the negotiation going on my terms.’

There was no progress in a verbal negotiation.

Urich pointed a finger at Duke Lungell.

“We will attack tonight. Prepare yourselves. I guarantee you’ll feel like negotiating after seeing your soldiers dragging their organs on the ground and calling for their mothers.”

Urich’s words made Duke Lungell and the nobles flinch.

Duke Lungell hurried back to the fortress. He issued orders to prepare for the evening assault, and the knights shouted about the approaching barbarians. The soldiers slept, conserving their strength for the attack that was to come in the evening.

“They’re coming! They’re coming!”

But Urich’s words were a lie. He ordered an attack immediately upon returning to the alliance camp. The civilized army, accustomed to declared warfare, was caught off guard and hastily prepared their defense.

‘I was complacent, thinking they would negotiate like civilized people. I was a fool to believe they would keep their word like us!’

Duke Lungell also hurriedly donned his armor and joined the defense.

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