The Last Viking - Chapter 174

All the way along the watchtower (2)

39. All the way along the watchtower (2)

The way of long-house hunters is to make a beaver trap when catching a beaver, a skunk trap when catching a skunk, and a suitable trap when catching a bear or deer.¹

Therefore, it was not a very difficult task to devise a trap to catch the rats that had crossed the sea with the people of the east – the long-house people called them ‘grain thieves’.²

What was more difficult was developing a cage that could safely send the rats to the other side of the river, which Sigrid solved by attaching a small wooden bar to the cage.

By the time the small boats sent upstream at low tide reached the city, the hungry rats would gnaw and break the bars.

“The wisdom of the natives, whom they looked down on as ‘savages,’ the hard work of the Allied people who brought the caught rats here and then spread them, and even your strange idea and that ‘oriental wisdom.’ What can I say, it’s a truly union-like method.”

The ships, which could easily have been mistaken for washed-up trash if you didn’t look carefully, were sent away overnight, and Eric, who returned to the camp in the morning, rubbed his eyes and reported the success of the previous night’s operation, adding a few words.

“I’m not sure how well it will work, but well, we’ll find out soon.”

One rat eats approximately one-third of its body weight per day. Moreover, they don’t just quietly go into the storeroom and eat as much as they want and come out, so even if there is food left in the storehouse once a swarm of rats has gone through it, it will all get spoiled after a while.

Of course, the Earl of Salisbury was not a fool, and the expeditionary force was not an idiot, so that alone would not have been enough to break their will to resist. If Sigrid’s plan were to find out that he was just barely completing his preparatory work, his will would slowly crumble.

“It will work. Do not worry.”

“Isn’t the situation quite different from the story about China that you talked about back then, calling it the wisdom of the East?”

“is that so? To me, it looks rather similar.”

How will we defeat the expeditionary force that still has the capacity to inflict a painful blow to the Union, and perhaps even more damage?

Long ago, in the Mediterranean, when Rome and Carthage were fighting for hegemony over the world known to them, something exquisitely similar was taking place in China: the final battle between the Chu and Han.

Liu Bang, who led the Han Dynasty, was from a simple peasant background, while Xiang Yu of Chu was from a noble family who had served the country for a long time. Xiang Yu’s army numbered 35,000, and was the elite of the elite, having once destroyed 560,000 soldiers of the Han Dynasty. Liu Bang’s army, similar to its leader, was made up of low-level people gathered from all over the place.

At least, that was what Sigrid understood.

Around the time when Scipio Africanus landed on the Carthaginian mainland and fought the final battle with Hannibal – according to Pleto’s chronology – Liu Bang, who had been defeated by Xiang Yu several times, finally surrounded Xiang Yu in the land below Haihe River.

As the song of the land of Chu was sung in all directions, the soldiers who followed Xiang Yu gave up one by one, and Xiang Yu fled at night with eight million of his soldiers and ultimately committed suicide.

“But, contrary to their name, they aren’t that good at fighting. Of course, they will fight better than our militia, but that doesn’t mean they can avoid bullets on their own.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Moreover, unlike that man named Xiang Yu, aren’t they people from all over Europe? I don’t know if there is a song that can break the will of all of them to fight. Do you even want to sing ‘L’homme arme’?”³

“If everything goes as planned, it will probably have a much more powerful effect than a song.”

“Okay, let’s finish the preliminary preparations for now.”

It’s been a long time since dawn. The morning sun illuminated the City of Friendship and the Allied trench lines, and the allied militiamen who had received the plan for today’s operation headed to their respective positions.

Today is the fourth day since negotiations with the Allied Forces that surrounded the City of Friendship from afar broke down.

The bombardment that started the day before yesterday continued today, and gunfire was heard every time I forgot.

“I don’t know what the purpose is.”

It was a gunshot that came from close enough to interrupt the thoughts of the Earl of Salisbury, who was sitting in the Home Office building, where the expeditionary force had long since established a command post, staring at a map and thinking for a while.

Since the day before yesterday, the Union had been slowly approaching the city with small artillery on a cart, firing several times and then running away.

Unlike the White Maiden’s fortress, the city’s defenses here were simply a layer of wooden fence built like a castle wall, so it was impossible to return fire with cannons from above.

“So do I, Your Excellency. “There would be no benefit from tearing down the fence…”

Talbot, who had become a little humble after losing the prince he had captured thanks to the actions of a completely unexpected person, said,

If there was a fair fight on the field, the coalition could not guarantee victory. No, rather, it would have to be said that the balance was still more unfavorable to the Union.

It was probably with that judgment that Sigrid settled down far away from the city and began digging a trench. Just by looking at it, the formation was designed with the intention of an expeditionary force suddenly appearing and attacking the Allied forces. There seemed to be no intention of attempting a head-on siege like in the White Maiden.

In other words, there was no reason for the Union to take the risk of tearing down the fence surrounding the city.

“On the contrary, if it is beneficial, it is beneficial to us in a small way. “We were able to place the remaining cannons where the fence collapsed and fire.”

However, the actual use of the brought cannons to suppress the Union’s mobile artillery did not occur, as they did not approach the fence once a hole had been made.

“Shouldn’t we do something? “How about continuing to send out troops to drive them out?”

“No, it just lowers morale.”

When the bombardment first began, the Count ordered an immediate interception.

However, as soon as the door of the fence was opened, the Union artillerymen who fired the cannons ran away saying, “Save me!” Not only the gunpowder, but even the cannons were left behind.

The count thought it was a good thing that he had obtained cannons, gunpowder, and shot put through his efforts, and the morale of the expeditionary force also slightly increased.

That was until just an hour later, when the Union bombardment began from the other side with another cannon in tow.

This time, the militiamen of both alliances, who said they had achieved their goal simply by tearing down the fences, abandoned their cannons without any hesitation and ran away, and as this was repeated several times, the expeditionary force became even more shocked.

Even the armies of King Henry of England and France, the wealthiest in Europe, could not afford to waste their weapons in such a profligate manner. This was impossible unless iron ore and charcoal could be found by digging in the ground.

“Let’s stop talking about that. Aren’t there other important issues for us now?

Should we withdraw like this or take a final gamble? “I would like to hear your opinion.”

Sigrid said that she could cut off the city’s supply with those fiery arrows, but strictly speaking, this was not entirely true.

그 크고 무거운 불화살을 쏘아 강 맞은편 도시까지 날릴 수 있는 바위섬은 몇 곳 없었으니, 그쪽 갯벌에 병력을 보내 바위섬들을 지키면 그만이었다.

그들이 목숨을 걸고 그곳을 지키는 동안, 빠르게 배를 접안시킨다면 충분히 불화살을 무력화할 수 있었다.

문제는 그것이 결코 여러 번 취할 수 있는 방책이 아니라는 데 있었다. 프리슬란드나 가스코뉴의 악명 높은 갯벌과 마찬가지로, 우애의 도시 맞은편의 갯벌도 들어가기는 쉬울지언정 빠져나오기는 어려웠다.

즉 바위섬으로 향하는 병력은, 돌아오지 못하고 연합의 포로가 되거나 그보다 못한 운명을 맞을 가능성이 지극히 높았다. 딱 한두 번쯤은 기사의 명예 운운하며 지원자를 모을 수 있겠지만, 그 이상은 무리였다.

“자네도 알겠지만, 여기서 꾸준히 버티면서 보급을 기다린다는 것은 고려할 가치도 없네. 남은 선택지는, 내 말한 두 가지뿐일세.

이곳 도시를 마지막 교두보로서 지킬 병력만 남기고 그 한두 번의 기회 동안 철수하여 후일을 기약하거나, 아니면 지금 이곳 도시에 모인 병력을 거느리고서 저들의 방어선에 마지막 돌격을 시도하느냐.”

옥수수 강가에서 벌어진 전투 아닌 전투의 패배로, 원정군은 지난 삼 년간 재정 파탄을 각오하며 긁어모은 군량 중 상당 부분을 빼앗겼다.

그러나 그만큼 먹을 입도 줄었던지라, 아직 이곳 도시에 남은 식량은 석 달쯤은 족히 버틸 만한 양.

만약 이 도시에 한 삼천 명 정도의 수비대만을 남기고 후퇴한다면, 남은 병력은 능히 다음 보급이 올 때까지 견딜 수 있을 것이었다.

“후퇴한다면, 남은 병력으로 그 새로운출발이라는 곳을 제압할 수 있겠군요. 연합의 교역망을 완전히 차단할 수도 있을 테고요.”

“그렇다네. 우리의 자존심을 내려놓고 판단하면, 그것이 가장 합리적인 방책일세.”

In the end, the stigma of failing to defeat the Union militia and retreating would be placed on the Earl of Salisbury. Of course, it would be much lighter than the responsibility that would fall on King Henry, who appointed the Earl of Salisbury as commander-in-chief.

However, considering the enormous amount of finances invested in this expedition, it could be said that settling things like that was a better outcome. At least half of the troops remain, the built fleet is intact, and if we do well, we will be able to gain a slight advantage in negotiations with the Alliance.

“On the other hand, the final gamble would be to mobilize all the troops we have now and break into their siege. “We want to force them to suffer as much damage as possible so that we can negotiate on more favorable terms.”

The Count nodded silently.

“But… Your Excellency, since there are no other ears to listen, I will speak boldly. It might be okay if you confidently take a turn in the field, but if you charge against a coalition militia that is already fully prepared for defense, you cannot be guaranteed victory.

“Our expeditionary force will suffer more damage than they inflicted on them, and we may suffer even greater humiliation than we are experiencing now.”

“I guess so. “But wouldn’t it be possible to take at least one militia from the two parties of our expeditionary force as a road comrade?”

“What value is it?”

“It has no value to us. “It’s a way to throw away what little honor and pride you have, and even your life.”

Unlike the Count, who thought it best to attack the enemy by building up a position step by step from afar, Talbot’s nature favored bold and courageous assaults.

However, it was reckless to attempt to charge into the completed siege of the coalition, to the point where even Talbot hesitated. The Count, who had seen with his own eyes the horror of that flimsy-looking fortress during the Battle of the White Maiden, did not know this.

However, Talbot had an intuition that he could not fully explain in words.

The Count thought he had seen the true nature of the Union. Those who are willing to dismantle the order of the world, without any taboos, hesitation or restrictions, and willingly extend their hands here and there, saying that you too should take off the restrictions and take the path of indulgence.

Indeed, it was just as my brilliant master Henry had warned. If the expeditionary force was defeated here, there would definitely be a huge upheaval in Europe.

If that happens, will the Union really stay still? Or will they intervene in Europe in some way and plot to further spread this disorder of theirs?

Before experiencing the power of the Union, the Count would not have thought of the very possibility that a small coalition of serfs, barbarians, and heretics who called themselves a country could significantly intervene in Europe.

But it was different now. If it were them, Sigrid and those who united under her, a strange gathering of eccentrics, fugitives, and strangers, and this union that they took the lead in forging, it would be an indescribable fire that could cause a ripple effect beyond Europe’s imagination. The ship was attacking the count.

“But for the sake of our lord, Henry, and his friends in Europe, and for the people of our precious blood who have protected all of their people by the grace of the Lord, and for all of the civilized world we know…”

How can I explain this? The Count, who was struggling to suppress his confusion and try to express his words, was rudely cut off by a gunshot that rang out particularly close by.

And soon after, the ground shook slightly. It seemed like there was an enemy artillery piece that had managed to get close to us, or we were lucky enough to have let the artillery shell fly far away.

At the same time, the chandelier that was lighting the conference room shook, and at that moment, a rat that had been gnawing on wax fell from above.⁴

“You’re talking about the future of the civilized world, but you’ve run out of rats.”

While I was seriously contemplating whether to attempt a final counterattack or withdraw like this, a rat suddenly fell from the ceiling, a very absurd situation. Talbot chuckled, and the Count also relaxed a little and chuckled.

“Now that I think about it, it seems like a lot of rats have been seen over the past few days.”

Talbot spoke in a lighter tone, as if trying to use this as a catalyst to forget the enormity of reality for a moment.

As the saying goes, at some point, a lot of rats started to appear all over the streets. However, not only the knights who were not well-educated, but even those who were knowledgeable did not find it strange that the number of rats had suddenly increased.

“I guess it’s because the days are getting hotter.”

The Count was no exception, so he just shrugged his shoulders and said that was it.

When mud receives sunlight, mice are born from the moisture. It wasn’t particularly strange since there was mud flat all around.

Recently, there was even a theory that rats were born not from mud but from salt that formed when sea water dried, and it was a fairly convincing theory to explain why rats kept appearing on ships in the middle of the ocean.⁵

“The story among sailors is that if a ship is about to sink, the rats in the dock will run away first. If you think the other way around, if there are still a lot of rats around, doesn’t that mean our luck hasn’t run out?”

“I hope so, haha.”

“Anyway, joking aside, I think you need to be a little more careful around you. Regardless of how rats are born, the fact remains that once a rat is born, it can eat up our precious food.”

“Yes, I will personally gather the supply officers and give them instructions.”

After the city’s docks were suddenly struck by fire, the Count ordered the food stored in dockside warehouses to be distributed throughout the city.

Some of the supply officers grumbled that they could not manage all the warehouses with limited manpower, but of course the Count ignored them. It was not possible to put the entire remaining military supplies at risk just to make it easier for a few supply officers.

By the time the Earl of Salisbury realized that this was actually fueling the witch’s trick to greater success, it was already too late.

“What on earth is this?”

“Well, that is… a swarm of rats…”

There was no reply to say sorry. Not only Talbot, who urgently sent a message to the Count, but even the supply officers gathered here could not understand the situation.

“Hehe… I can’t help but eat the food I can’t eat, Chisena. “Have you calculated how much loss you have incurred?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. As far as we know, the entire army lost enough food to last two days. Fortunately, Malnyeomul is safe, but…”

However, considering that such losses would continue to occur in the future, losing two days’ worth in just a few days was not something to be taken lightly.

Once rats get a taste for food collected by humans, they will continue to attack this easy food even more fiercely.

“Lord Talbot, select among the mercenaries and men-at-arms those who are knowledgeable in these matters. Now, I have no choice but to somehow protect the food warehouse and catch the rats.

And the rest of the troops… there’s nothing we can do. There is no choice but to reduce rations and have everyone tighten their belts.

Didn’t you say that the number of rats suddenly increased? Even though things turned out like this, it would be foolish to believe that it was just a coincidence. “I don’t know how it was done, but it is a reasonable conclusion to believe it was the work of a witch.”

It soon turned out that the count’s conclusion was correct.

After another ten days passed, no matter how much the troops were deployed, not all the rats could be caught, and in fact, their number increased.

It was already too late when the Union discovered that they were drifting a small boat full of rats up the Corn River. The best we could do was to place more guards on that coast and have them burn the barges and rafts we were carrying as soon as they were discovered.

The fact that rats carry pestilence was known to everyone, including the count, and today’s educated people. (Although everyone conveniently forgets that one of the first people to identify it was the ‘White Witch’.)

Therefore, the count had no choice but to take measures to prevent the plague. At Lord Henry’s recommendation, most of the high-ranking officials of the expeditionary force came under Malvyom’s protection, but this did not apply to even the lowest-ranking soldiers.

“Not only among the mercenaries, but also among the knights, dissatisfaction is gradually emerging.”

While inspecting the dockside with Talbot, who had already established himself as my trusted advisor, Talbot, who thought we had entered a place where little attention was drawn, spoke cautiously.

It had already been almost 15 days since I had wasted my time unable to decide between a reasonable but humiliating withdrawal or a risky gamble.

“When we actually asked to charge in, there were so many people who hesitated. Isn’t that really funny? If you are so dissatisfied, I would encourage you to risk death and make a final assault.”

No matter how many times we hold meetings, there is no conclusion.

The wind blew from the east, cooling off the midday heat a little and soothing the count’s frustration a little.

The problem was that an uninvited guest was accompanying him.

“bread?”

The count said that he had been with the soldiers, but he had not been able to eat a decent meal and was only eating roughly. I couldn’t stop my nose from moving honestly.

I hurriedly looked at the riverside.

The strait east of the City of Friendship. On the surface of the sea shining under the moonlight, there were Union ships.

A ray of flame and smoke rose above it. It was clear that those boats were the source of the smell of baking bread.

“Wake up the artillerymen! Aim for the ship with the cannon! “The moonlight is bright, so you can hit it!”

“dismissal! “But all the cannons are already deployed on the side of the fence.”

“Damn it! Are you saying you were aiming for that?

First of all, I have to try something! “Run to the nearest side, bring the cannon, and place the musketeers on the dock!”

However, as we soon learned, there was no need to issue an order to deploy troops at the dock in case the enemy attempted a landing.

Reduced rations. Increasing tasks.

There are scary rumors that all of this is due to a witch’s spell, and that a more severe curse may befall them at any time in the future.

The fire that continued every day seemed to be playing a trick on the expeditionary force trapped in the city.

Those who were barely able to sleep with their hungry bodies and exhausted hearts could not bear the sweet smell that tickled their noses and walked out one by one to the dockside.

The smell of baking bread carried through the wind.

And, as soon as enough people seemed to have come out, a sonorous voice carried by the wind along with the smell of bread.

“The wooden fence surrounding the city is already full of holes. If you wish to leave, you will be able to escape the city at any time without being monitored or restrained.

There are only the shackles that bind your ankles in your mind, the false cause of honor and fidelity that has brought you into this predicament. It has become clear that there is no chance of winning, so how long will you be held in those shackles?

Everyone, surrender! The Coalition is not your enemy! We promise to treat you humanely and gentlemanly, and we will never hold you or your family to ransom.”

— *** —

1. Hunting using snares and pitfalls was an essential skill for the indigenous people of the northeastern United States who did not have metal tools. Europeans, who first came into contact with them in the 16th century, discovered that the natives used only wood, stones, and rope to create traps large enough to catch a whole herd of deer, as well as sophisticated traps to catch small animals such as beavers, rabbits, and skunks. I was very impressed with the variety of traps and pitfalls they make.

To ensure successful hunting without metal parts, these traps are designed to take full advantage of the prey’s habits. And as the stronger incentive of trade arose beyond simply hunting to secure food, indigenous hunters quickly drove the beavers of the northeastern United States to the brink of extinction.

Even after the fall of the Iroquois Confederacy, Iroquois trappers still maintained their competitiveness, and by the end of the 18th century, they had advanced into the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast with white people, continuing hunting and fur trade. There is even a statistic that in the 1820s, one out of three hunters active in the Rocky Mountains area was from the Iroquois tribe.

2. Since the beginning of agriculture, rats have been quietly influenced by the ups and downs of human history. (At the same time, it caused considerable harm to humanity by transmitting all kinds of diseases, including the Black Death.) Rattus rattus, which was introduced from India to Egypt as the Indian Ocean trade developed, spread throughout Europe as the province of Egypt emerged as a granary for the Roman Empire. This is one example. It was this bear that was first introduced to the New World, where no murinae creatures originally lived.

However, the beginning of the Age of Exploration brought about changes that were not very pleasant to the rat. Around the 17th century, the rat, rattus norvegicus, which had habits that were in many ways more optimal for living in villages and cities, invaded Europe from East Asia. Later, in the mid-18th century, the field mouse was introduced into eastern North America, quickly crowding out the black mouse and becoming the dominant species in the northeastern United States.

Bear rats, also called roof rats, prefer to build nests in high places such as on trees or roofs, which means they can be easily exposed to humans. On the other hand, as the name suggests, the street rat has a habit of living in hard-to-see corners of houses or in tunnels dug in the yard, and is not only more intelligent than the black rat, but is also better adapted to cold climates. This is why the bears were easily caught by Iroquois trappers in the story.

3. 『The Armed Man』 was the biggest ‘hit song’ in Western Europe in the 15th century. There are many theories about its origins, but it is almost certain that it originated in Burgundy, which had a great influence on Western European courts and popular culture at the time. The combination of a catchy melody and lyrics suitable for a time turbulent with rebellion and war (‘Fear the armed man!’) made it so popular that it was even used in church music – and it is thanks to this that the tune is still preserved to this day. .

4. Unlike their modern counterparts, chandeliers that were introduced from Eastern Rome to Europe in the early Middle Ages were faithful to their function by placing lanterns or candles on a frame suspended in the air. The gorgeous chandeliers we are familiar with began to appear in the 18th century, when glass began to be mass-produced.

5. As Aristotle’s philosophy was re-introduced to Western Europe, Aristotle’s theory of spontaneous generation also came to be accepted as orthodoxy. In other words, sometimes, when the right conditions are met, life can naturally emerge through a combination of elements. It was common knowledge until the 17th century that not only small creatures such as molds and fleas, but also larger animals such as geese, sheep, and snakes could arise from inanimate objects or plants.