How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 95.1: 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 (𝟕)

While the merchants were feeling embarrassed, Johan read aloud. It was a message about a few members of the city council colluding once the army entered.

Not a surrender?

Neither the current captain of the defense nor those in command are thinking of surrendering.

Well, that makes sense.

It was unlikely that those who proposed rebellion against the duke and now leading the city would easily surrender. Their heads would surely hang from the gallows.

However, other council members had different thoughts.

Why should they die alongside them?

With the vanguard already here, it was only a matter of time. Once the siege began, surrendering would become even more difficult. Therefore, they secretly asked the merchants of the Katana Merchant Guild to deliver a letter to Johan.

. . .

Johan thought so, but it was an impossible notion. The council members, treated as nobility within the city, werent actually nobility.

They couldnt raise an army for rebellion. It was madness to think of attacking with the citys vagrants, laborers, and servants. . .

Understood. Give the merchants some wine. I need to gather people and talk. . . Oh, wait.

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The merchants, who were looking forward to the wine, looked at Johan curiously.

Youll stay in the camp until the siege is over, right?

Yes. . . It seems better that way. . .

Good. I have a favor to ask.

Johan led the merchants to a tent. It was where the scribe, in charge of finances for the expedition, and the priests were.

Help them with the calculations.

. . .Us?

Cant you Count ?

No, its not that.

In a noble-led army, financial duties were usually handled by low-ranking nobles or priests skilled in arithmetic.

Low-ranking nobles typically learned useful skills like law or theology if they didnt become knights, so taking on such financial roles wasnt unusual.

Priests, trained in various knowledge at monasteries, were a natural fit.

Merchants were adept at numbers too. However, nobles rarely employed them due to trust issues.

Im sick of calculating with ancient Empire numbers. Merchants use Eastern numbers, right?

Yes.

The merchants of the peninsula used Arabic numerals, referred to here as Eastern numerals, influenced by trade.

Take charge of the calculations. The scribes may take a rest.

Thank you!

Those who had been forced to handle finances due to some education or because they were from the priesthood sighed in relief. They didnt want to do it either.

Moreover, if the counterpart was illiterate, it would have been more comfortable, but Johan, as if possessed, kept finding errors in the calculations.

. .

? ?

.

Originally, such financial calculations couldnt be exactly precise. It wasnt because they were embezzling.

There were errors in manually doing it every day, and with the additional complexity of ancient Empire numerals, discrepancies were inevitable.

So, they would usually conclude with an approximate level of accuracy. . .

But the counterpart was Johan. Johan couldnt accept such roughly done calculations.

Can we really do the calculations?

It doesnt matter.

T-Thank you.

The reason merchants werent used in such roles was due to distrust, but Johan didnt care about that.

After all, he could catch most things with just one glance at the ledger, especially when written in Eastern numerals.

Great! Isnt Sir Knight currently blessed with good fortune?

We must be . The forces are formidable.

The opinions of the people gathered in the meeting room were divided.

Achladda, Stephen, and Caenerna thought it was a good opportunity, while Suetlg, Euclyia, and Marco thought they should be careful.

Caenerna asked, seemingly not understanding.

You said it was okay to capture the ship, didnt you?

That was something we could try. We actually succeeded, didnt we?

. . . . . .

What can you say if you succeeded? The one who didnt guess is an *sshole.

Capturing the ship didnt seem like it would fail, and even if it did, it didnt seem that dangerous. The opponent was a merchant ship, and there were many soldiers here. But this is a completely different matter. Even if the opponent doesnt betray us, a single mistake could be dangerous. Its different from Sangdarju Castle.

Sangdarju Castle was a small fortress, and this was a city, even if it was an ancient one.

I think we can get away even if something happens. . .

Suetlg whispered to Johan so that only he could hear.

Think carefully. The tribal warriors you brought with you are all well-respected in the tribe. If they get hurt or captured, youll be in trouble.

. . .!

Those who were summoned by the duke and received a knighthood were quite good tribal natives. If such people were to die in large numbers, Johans relationship with them could be in danger.

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