Chapter 14

Alan, a loyal subject, was executed by Condor, who then devoted himself to reclaiming the Ort fiefdom through various plots and guerrilla warfare. However, the defense of the Ort fiefdom was solid. No matter what schemes Condor devised, none of them worked. As a result, Condor became increasingly exhausted. The seeds of suspicion grew larger, eventually turning into a raging fire. Since his schemes were always seen through as if the information had been leaked in advance, his paranoia deepened.

"You dirty traitor!"

Condor executed his subordinates daily.

"Are you betraying me too?"

"No, no! Absolutely not! My lord! I am innocent... Gah!"

"You piece of trash, even eating you wouldn't satisfy me!"

The reason for Condor's deepening paranoia was very simple.

"How many traitors are there? How many spies have they planted?"

Condor refused to acknowledge that Otto was playing with him from above. He didn't even think Otto had great strategic skills. Therefore, he naturally began to suspect the people around him. In reality, Otto wasn't particularly strategic; he just knew all of Condor's patterns from years of experience, but Condor had no way of knowing this.

So, Condor repeatedly engaged in actions taboo for a lord, such as suspecting, executing, and berating his subordinates. The more he did this, the lower the loyalty of the knights and soldiers became.

"Damn it! This has been going on for too long!"

"Why do you suspect us for the failed operation?"

"Who knows who he's going to execute today?"

Dissatisfaction began to accumulate.

"Surely he doesn't suspect me, right?"

"What a dog. What if he suspects me?"

The sense of unease grew.

"Could that guy be a spy for the Iota fiefdom?"

"He's been acting suspiciously. Why is he so anxious?"

Distrust spread like a plague.

"I can't take it anymore."

Unaware that his suspicions were causing internal strife, Condor prepared for the next operation.

"Since the enemy forces are concentrated on our fiefdom, we will bypass and attack the Iota fiefdom. They will have no choice but to withdraw from our territory."

"Yes, my lord!"

Condor was confident.

'Will you still hold your ground when your base is devastated? Otto de Scuderi, I will slaughter all your people.'

Thus, Condor led his troops toward the Iota fiefdom.

However,

"Enemy!"

"Ambush! Everyone, prepare for defense!"

The Iota fiefdom's army, as if waiting, began to attack Condor's group.

The Iota fiefdom's forces weren't numerous, but thanks to their advantageous position and ambush, Condor's army suffered significant losses.

"Thi... This! Fall back! Everyone, fall back!"

The raid ended in a complete defeat, and Condor had to lead the remnants back to the temporary encampment.

'Who is it? Where is the information leaking from? How many spies have they planted?'

Condor's mind was filled with nothing but suspicion.

But an event that would dispel his suspicions was waiting...

Whoosh!

The temporary encampment was on fire. The place where Condor's army stored food, war supplies, and funds was engulfed in flames, turning to ashes.

"No...!"

Condor's face turned pale at the sight of the burning encampment.

Not only had they suffered heavy losses in the recent battle, but they had also lost their base, the temporary encampment.

"Put out the fire! Hurry! Put it out!"

Condor shouted desperately.

"Spray water!"

"Quickly extinguish the fire!"

His subordinates tried to put out the fire, but it was too late. The flames were too large, and no amount of water could stop them. The temporary encampment quickly turned into a pile of charcoal.

"Otto... Otto, you son of a bitch!!!"

A blood-curdling scream erupted from Condor's lips.

* * *

At the same time.

"Wow~ it's burning~ brightly~."

Otto was on the top of the Ort fiefdom's tower, admiring the distant flames. His table was filled with various desserts and wine. He was enjoying snacks and wine while watching the temporary encampment burn in the middle of the night.

While Condor was suffering, his heart must have been bleeding...

'He's a demon. He must be possessed by a demon.'

Camille shuddered at the sight of Otto.

Recalling how Otto had tormented Condor over the past month sent shivers down her spine.

Now, Condor had been ambushed while on a bypass operation, and his temporary encampment had been burned to the ground. It felt like he was deliberately toying with Condor, making him seem like a demon.

"My lord."

Camille asked Otto.

"Hmm? Munch munch."

Otto answered with his mouth full of food.

"Can I ask one question?"

"Munch munch. Ask gently. Munch munch. Don't hurt me. Munch munch."

"...Ah."

Camille's expression twisted.

"Huh? Your expression?"

Otto glared.

"Your expression isn't relaxing?"

"..."

"My lord made a joke, but you're not laughing?"

"Is this not cruel treatment?"

"What cruel treatment? I'm such a kind lord!"

"Of course not."

Camille closed her eyes and answered.

"But what are you curious about?"

"Why don't you kill Condor? You could have killed him anytime."

"Is that what you're curious about?"

"Yes."

"Sure, I could force him to die if I wanted to."

Otto smiled.

"But it's more beneficial not to kill him."

"Why do you think so?"

"I told you. People become uglier the more desperate moves they make. By now, he must be suspecting his subordinates and causing chaos. He's under immense stress from repeated failures, making him more sensitive. He will treat his subordinates more harshly. It's crucial to maintain loyalty at such times."

"Do you want to make him lose loyalty?"

"He already has."

Otto was confident.

"And his subordinates must have realized by now that Condor isn't as capable a lord as they thought. They see him as a sinking ship."

"That seems likely."

"In a few days, knights and soldiers with lower loyalty will start deserting. Some will come to me."

"You predicted that far?"

"Eventually, he will be cornered and make even bigger mistakes. Then he will lose not only the loyalty of his subordinates but also the support of the fiefdom's people."

"Then it's destruction, right?"

"Thorough."

Otto smiled.

"Only then will the people of the Ort fiefdom turn to me. I need to be seen as a more capable lord than I thought, and Condor as a cowardly and incompetent one. Only then will there be no backlash."

"How do you think of such things?"

Camille asked honestly.

"Who knows."

Otto shrugged.

"Maybe it's the vibe from the game..."

"What does that mean?"

"There is such a thing."

"..."

"I'm sleepy. I'm going to bed. Yawn."

Otto yawned widely and started to descend the tower.

"Oh. It's so high. How do I get down? Ugh."

At that moment.

Trip!

"Ahh! Ahhhhhhh!"

Otto slipped and rolled down the stairs, losing his balance while descending the narrow staircase in armor.

"Well... rolling down, huh."

Camille shook her head.

* * *

Condor and his subordinates, having lost their temporary encampment, had to endure all sorts of hardships in the mountains.

It was early autumn.

The nights in the mountains were very cold due to the gradually cooling weather.

Without a home or shelter, Condor and his subordinates had to shiver in the cold mountain nights every night.

Not only that, but the temporary encampment had burned down, leaving them without food.

So, Condor and his subordinates had to go hunting to avoid starving to death or gather various fruits and roots.

After about two weeks, Condor and his subordinates looked more like bandits than a regular army.

Eventually, some knights and soldiers, unable to bear it, began to desert one by one.

Hiding in the mountains meant they would either starve to death, become prey for monsters, or be hunted down by the Iota fiefdom's army.

There was another problem.

"Oh! Gentlemen! This is not right!"

"Shut up!"

"Ahh!"

"Can't you even bring this much tribute to the lord!"

Some soldiers began to raid small villages within the fiefdom, breaking away from Condor's control.

Some of them even assaulted, killed, and even raped women in the villages.

Otto, while protecting the surrounding villages with his soldiers, spread rumors about the atrocities committed by Condor's subordinates in the Ort fiefdom through agitators.

"Our soldiers are raiding?"

"The village girl Angela was violated."

"Lord Condor is just the same as the others."

Thus, the people of the Ort fiefdom's opinion of Condor rapidly deteriorated.

"Shouldn't you stop now?"

Camille tried to stop Otto.

Although Condor was an enemy, Otto's actions were so cruel that she felt sympathy for him.

"No."

But it seemed Otto had no intention of pulling Condor out of this hellish ordeal.

"He hasn't given up yet. He will likely hire a mercenary group soon and try to reclaim the fiefdom. He will set the fiefdom on fire and attack us during the chaos. He will poison the wells. He will attack us while our soldiers are cleaning up the mess."

"I will strengthen the defenses."

"Don't overdo it."

Otto whispered to Camille.

"The people of the fiefdom need to see what they are doing."

"Heaven forbid."

"It's almost over. This will be his last attempt."

Otto knew Condor had reached his limit.

He was on the verge of a mental breakdown...

* * *

Otto's prediction was accurate.

Condor signed a contract with a mercenary group, offering to give them more than half of the fiefdom, and successfully hired about 200 mercenaries.

'This is my last chance.'

Condor, determined to reclaim the fiefdom this time, led the operation.

The infiltration was successful.

Condor led his remaining subordinates and 200 mercenaries through a secret passage he thought only he knew, successfully entering the Ort fiefdom.

"Complete your assigned tasks and meet at the inner castle afterward. We will infiltrate the inner castle while the enemy is extinguishing the fires. Understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

The operation began.

"Hurry up."

"Bring more oil."

"Shh. Be careful."

Condor's subordinates and mercenaries scattered to prepare for setting fires.

"That's real madness."

Otto, on the tower, watched the enemy's movements through a telescope and smiled coldly.

"I agree."

Camille also agreed with Otto.

Sacrificing his flesh and bones.

Condor was willing to burn the land his family had built for generations to reclaim the fiefdom.

He was even willing to sell half of the fiefdom to a mercenary group, which could be considered a foreign force...

"But... didn't you make Condor like this, my lord?"

"Hmm?"

"I feel you pushed him too hard."

"Me?"

"Isn't it?"

"Anyone would think I corrupted him."

"Isn't that true?"

"Hey, you."

Otto glared.

"If you say that, I sound like a demon!"

"..."

"Hey, look at your expression. You think I'm a demon, don't you?"

"No, I don't."

"What do you mean, no! Ah!"

Otto exploded in anger.

"You keep being disrespectful lately..."

"The enemies are starting to move, so I'll go too."

Camille hurriedly left.

If she stayed any longer, she would surely be scolded by Otto again.