Medieval: Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Chapter 164 Victorious Return

True conquest begins with swords and ends with hearts and minds.

"Lord Peter, God bless you. The castle has been cleared for you, and the black bear's den now belongs to the griffins."

István bowed gracefully, his movements as fluid as those of an actor on stage.

Peter's iron boots clattered as they stepped onto the cobblestone floor of the castle courtyard.

He looked around at the towering towers, the solid city walls, and the faces of the servants who were staring at them in terror from the windows.

The air was filled with a unique smell, a mixture of stone dust, musty odor, and the tension that had just ended.

"Moreover, the city also has a stockpile of supplies that can sustain two thousand people for a long time. These supplies were originally intended for the non-existent Prague army, but now they all belong to you."

"You always manage to surprise me, Istvan."

Peter patted him on the shoulder, his tone approving.

However, instead of immediately checking the spoils, he instructed his Uncle George and his cavalry to keep the castle under control and prevent any mishaps.

He personally walked through the castle again to reassure the blacksmith, carpenter, priest, cook, and maids inside.

And Count Turnov's wife and children.

"Madam, I am Peter Griffin, a knight blessed by God, and the current Lord of Troski."

Although I have no intention of being an enemy of your family, your husband's plot to divide my territory has been exposed, and he has been defeated and captured. However, I will still treat you with the respect due to nobles. Please do not worry about your personal safety.

Medieval warfare was like this: even when fighting to the death on the battlefield, nobles still had to abide by certain rules in private and not bring trouble upon their families.

"Thank you for your kindness~"

The Countess craned her neck to respond, but her voice was timid and barely audible. The lord's two young sons looked at Peter with fear and anger, not daring to utter a sound.

Only the elderly butler, Locke, with his gray hair, angrily pointed at Istvan and shouted, "You traitor! The Earl considered you a friend, yet you betrayed us!"

Istvan raised a sly smirk, about to retort, but Peter stopped him with a raised hand.

Peter walked up to the old steward, raised his hand and slapped him across the face, swelling half of the old man's face, knocking out two teeth, and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

His slap showed absolutely no respect for the elderly.

Peter's gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold voice: "I will not tolerate you insulting my friend in my presence! If I hear such offensive remarks again, I will hang you on the scaffold for offending a nobleman!"

Perhaps the old steward was a loyal subject of the Earl's family, but their different positions meant that Peter would not be polite to him. Peter would also use him as an example to warn the Earl's family not to think that they could cause trouble just because they were easy to talk to.

I am the one who holds their lives in my hands; I truly dare to kill!

The manager was clearly stunned by the beating, standing there dumbfounded with a blank stare.

The Countess understood Peter's implication and hugged her two sons tightly, preventing them from making eye contact with Peter.

István felt a pang of sympathy. He had done many dirty tricks for King Sigismund, and although he had become a court noble, he often faced attacks and insults from others. King Gigi never defended him or stood up for him. Perhaps in King Gigi's mind, he was just a substitute who took the blame and insults for him.

But Peter's willingness to stand up for him warmed the heart of Istvan, whose motto was "refined self-interest, ruthless methods."

Even someone in hell would long for an angel to reach out a warm hand to them.

"Ding, Istvan's loyalty +2."

The sudden system notification made Peter glance at Istvan in surprise. Was this viper's mind so active?

After calming everyone in the castle, Ace, Klaus, Carter the cat, and Conrad the lone wolf, leading the Lion Guard, arrived at the city gates, panting, pushing a cart loaded with bronze cannons.

But what they found was a castle that had already changed hands and was now flying a lion flag.

When they learned that the castle had been captured by Istvan and Eric, they were filled with regret for not having been able to achieve such a great feat.

Once the Griffin Guard arrived and was fully manned, Peter prepared to inspect the spoils from the castle.

"Take me to see Earl Black Bear's storehouse."

"plz follow me."

The castle's storehouses are located beneath the main tower, and are cold and dry.

When the soldiers pushed open the heavy wooden door, the sight that came into view made even the most composed veterans gasp in surprise.

The torchlight flickered, illuminating the mountains of supplies piled up there.

On the wooden shelves against the wall, rows of chainmail and iron-plated leather armor gleamed with a cold metallic light; at a rough glance, there were no fewer than a hundred pieces.

On the other side, longswords, battle axes, and spears were neatly arranged on the weapon rack, their well-maintained grease gleaming softly in the firelight.

In the corner, dozens of sturdy oak chests were open, stuffed full of coins, a large amount of silver Grossing and a small amount of gold Dukat mixed together, piled up almost to the edge of the chests.

Deeper inside, there are mountains of grain sacks, the aroma of wheat and rye mingling with the scent of aged wood and metal, creating a unique aura of "wealth".

An hour later.

"My lord, a preliminary inventory," Black Bartosh, who was in charge of the inventory, said, his voice trembling with unbelievable excitement, "There are approximately 80,000 silver Grossens and 300 gold Dukats. There are 120 suits of armor of various types, and over 300 weapons including longswords, spears, and battle axes. The food supply is enough to feed 2,000 people for three months—"

A louder cheer erupted from the crowd. Some soldiers' eyes gleamed as they stared at the shiny coins and brand-new weapons, as if they could already see their new roofs and more meat on their tables. Others, however, were more interested in the finely crafted armor.

Peter raised his hand, and the cheers gradually subsided. He wore a gentle yet firm smile.

"All of this was earned through your courage and loyalty! I promised that the spoils of victory would be shared by everyone!"

His booming voice echoed through the stone walls, "Notify the militia to come over, and we'll empty this place!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Empty it all! Empty it all!"

Everyone was thrilled; so many supplies would keep them wealthy for a long time.

Over the next two days, Petermo dispatched dozens of wagons, making three trips back and forth to empty the wealth from Turnov Castle.

Before leaving, Peter left behind Lone Wolf Conrad and his twenty Lion Guards to guard the area.

"Conrad".

"My lord, please give your orders."

Conrad was the most composed warrior and the most reliable commander in the Griffin Guard.

"We may not be able to take this magnificent castle for ourselves. But we must hold onto it firmly before other lords interfere, so as to facilitate my subsequent negotiations. Among my current commanders, Ace is a bit impulsive, Klaus is a bit conservative, and Carter is too unruly. Only you are the one I trust the most and can stand alone."

Conrad's body trembled slightly, a complex light flashing in his grey-blue eyes. Staying in the enclave meant facing constant threats, but it also represented unparalleled trust and a heavy responsibility.

Peter continued, speaking gently: "Your task has three parts."

First, defend the castle and repair its defenses. Do not launch an attack without my order.

Second, monitor the movements of Count Turnov's former troops, especially the knights who fled back to their territory.

Third, treat our people well. I do not want to hear complaints from the people of Turnov about our brutality.

What we need are hearts and minds, not just stone walls.

"I swear on my life and my honor."

Konrad knelt on one knee, bowed his head, and his voice became even hoarser with excitement. "As long as Konrad has a breath left, your griffin flag will forever fly over Turnov Castle."

I will regard my people as my compatriots in Trossky, and I will never allow your reputation to be tarnished.

"very good!"

Peter nodded with satisfaction, then said, "The awards ceremony was originally scheduled to be held after we returned to Troski. But for the sake of those of you guarding the enclave, I'm willing to distribute the rewards ahead of schedule."

"Thank you for your generous gift, sir!"

Conrad and his guards pounded their breastplates with their fists, making a resounding vow.

"Each person will be given 30 Groshin bounties and a set of armor and weapons. Their military achievements will be recorded and redeemed upon returning to Troski."

"Fight for Lord Peter! Until death!"

Their cheers nearly lifted the roof off the warehouse, and every face beamed with pride and gratitude. They were originally just ordinary civilians, but at this moment they truly felt the glory of being warriors and the respect from their lord.

"Kneel down now!"

Conrad and his men became even more excited upon hearing this. Wealth and rewards were merely external things; personal strength was the only true guarantee. They knelt in a row of ten, heads held high, their eyes fixed intently on Peter, the lord who had given them everything.

Peter drew his sword and gently tapped it on the heads and shoulders of all of them.

May God give you strength to uphold your beliefs. May God give you courage to face all challenges.

May God grant you wisdom to distinguish between loyalty and treachery, good and evil.

Warm currents surged through their bodies, causing everyone to tremble with a sense of comfort.

A strange warmth seemed to spread from the point of contact, dispelling the gloom in their hearts and sweeping away the fatigue of days of fighting. They felt their strength becoming more concentrated and their senses more acute.

This is not only a religious ritual, but also a sacred bond between lord and warrior, an infusion of spiritual power.

After the gifts were distributed, everyone rose and bowed deeply to Lord Peter once more, all their gratitude and promises conveyed in this silent gesture. Their loyalty was now etched deep into their souls.

After arranging everything, Peter and the other soldiers returned to Trossky, where there were still many war-related matters for him to handle.

War is a continuation of politics; one must not only know how to achieve victory, but also how to utilize it.