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nA faint smile played on Howard’s lips as he turned to Vettel, “Now that Rui Village, Yami Village, and Manshur Village have been ceded, they are no longer under our direct control.”

n“However, Safa Village, Kenfa Village, and Pitz Village remain firmly in our hands. I want you to personally visit these three villages over the next few days. Look for anything that might attract trading groups, then report back to me.”

nVettel, brimming with enthusiasm, bowed respectfully and exited the lord’s hall.

nThe room was now left with Alonso as its sole occupant.

nHoward rose from his chair, descended the steps, and approached Alonso, who trembled slightly at his approach.

nHoward gestured reassuringly, signaling Alonso not to fear.

nInquiring about Schumacher, the blacksmith from Yami Village, Alonso replied, “The craftsmanship of Yami Village’s blacksmith, Schumacher, is indeed commendable. However, his forge operates on a skeleton crew – just him alone. At most, he can only produce a single iron sword each day, which hardly meets demand.”

nHoward hummed in response, then, recalling that Schumacher was still in Yami Village – now under Anna’s control – changed the subject.

n“The fifty leather armor suits and iron swords we had stored in Yami Village have also been transferred to Anna with the village’s cession. Currently, the conscripted soldiers from our three villages are utterly unequipped.”

n“One cannot simply march into battle clad in mere cloth and wielding farm tools. Do you have any suggestions regarding the equipping of my troops?”

nAlonso replied, “Such matters are not overly challenging. It essentially boils down to two options: commission our own craftsmen or purchase directly from others.”

nHoward paced slowly, hands clasped behind his back, and said pensively, “Yet even without spending a single coin, I still cannot repay the five gold coins I owe to Anna. We are truly stretched thin.”

nAlonso, attempting to gauge Howard’s intentions, ventured, “Should we negotiate with Anna to have the equipment from Yami Village returned to us?”

nHoward clarified, “No, I deliberately left those equipments in Yami Village. Consider them as partial interest on the five gold coins owed to Anna.”

nAlonso, finding himself in a predicament, admitted, “Without funds, equipping our forces becomes a challenge.”

nAfter a moment’s thought, his eyes lit up, “Isn’t Zoron in our captivity? Though no longer a noble, his previous savings remain. We could demand a ransom from Zoron; his freedom in exchange for gold coins.”

nHoward, delighted, exclaimed, “An excellent idea!”

nHe inquired, “Zoron was a knight. According to tradition, how much can we demand as ransom?”

n“A knight’s rank allows for a ransom of up to five gold coins,” Alonso informed.

nHoward clapped his hands in laughter, “Perfect, that’s more than enough.

nGo to the dungeons and tell Zoron that his freedom comes at the price of five gold coins.”

nAlonso bowed and took his leave.

nMeanwhile, in Castle Fernsouth, Knight Blima, in a fit of rage, shattered a vase, bellowing, “Howard, how dare you usurp my title! I will have your head for this!”

nOne of Knight Blima’s maidservants cautiously suggested, “My lord, Howard is exceedingly clever. He defeated Knight Patch and Knight Zoron in just a matter of days. Perhaps it would be wiser to become his vassal?”

nUpon hearing this, Blima’s anger flared.

nHe struck the maid across her face, roaring, “Get out! Leave my sight this instant!”

nJust then, another maid timidly entered, whispering, “My lord, Patch has arrived at the castle gates, requesting an audience.”

nKnight Blima, supporting his forehead with a hand, took a deep breath.

nWith his back to the maid, he spoke in a tone mixing weariness with resolve, “Let him in. This matter must be addressed.”

nPatch entered the castle and was barely given a chance to speak when Knight Blima, with a swift movement, lashed out with his hand.

nIn a mix of shock and reflex, Patch managed to catch Knight Blima’s hand, stammering, “Knight Blima, what is this about?”

nSeeing his strike parried, Knight Blima retracted his hand with a cold snort, his voice icy, “What brings you here? After ruining my banquet last time, you still have the audacity to show your face?”

nPatch, ever the smooth talker, replied, “My lord, times have changed. Back then, you were a baron, and I, a knight.”

n“But now, you only hold the title of a knight, and I’ve lost mine as well.”

n“At this juncture, we should set aside past grievances and unite.” .𝒎

nKnight Blima, grinding his teeth, retorted, “Quick thinking as always, Patch. But how did you manage to lose? You’ve dragged me down with you.”

nPatch, attempting to justify himself, said, “My lord, I am not to blame. It’s all Howard’s fault. He declared war on me; I was merely defending myself.”

nImpatiently waving his hand, Knight Blima dismissed the excuses, “Enough, spare me the useless chatter. Tell me, what should we do now?”

nWithout hesitation, Patch blurted out, “What to do? Attack, of course! What’s there to discuss? Howard is your enemy, my lord. You must find a way to eliminate him.”

nAt these words, Knight Blima’s expression first twisted into ferocity, but then, recalling how both Zoron and Patch had fallen to Howard, his confidence waned.

nKnight Blima, with a look of indecision etched upon his face, cast a sidelong glance at Patch and ventured a question, his voice tinged with uncertainty, “I command but a single Castle Fernsouth, while my adversary has levied troops from six villages. Do I stand a chance against him?”

nUpon hearing this, Patch responded with an outpouring of reassurance, “Ah, my lord, to think I feared some grave matter. It’s but a trifle, this concern of yours. How can you compare the professional soldiers conscripted from within the castle’s walls to mere peasant levies from the villages? ”

n“They are not the same, not in the least. The disparity in strength is like that between the heavens and the earth. The soldiers from the castle are disciplined and organized, regularly drilled in the art of war. Can the same be said for those peasant conscripts? Impossible.”

n“My lord, rest easy, for as long as I have lived, never have I heard of conscripts from a castle being bested by mere farmers. I assure you, the moment you give the command, this Howard will crumble before your forces!”

nPatch’s words were music to Knight Blima’s ears, echoing his own thoughts.

nHis doubts were merely shadows in the face of Howard’s formidable reputation.

nNow, bolstered by Patch’s confidence, Knight Blima felt his own resolve hardening.

nSavoring a cup of wine, his lips curling into a cunning smile, Knight Blima inquired, “Patch, when do you propose we strike?”

n“The opportune time would be upon Knight Kaido’s arrival. A warrior of his caliber would greatly augment our chances of victory,” Patch advised.

nNodding in agreement, Knight Blima summoned his Chancellor of Civil Affairs, decreeing, “Issue a formal declaration of war against Howard. After our victory, we shall flay him as recompense!”

nThe Chancellor nodded and promptly departed to carry out the command.

nAt this moment, at Knight Kaido’s residence, Bosiden was granted an audience with him.

nKnight Kaido, a figure of handsome and dashing appearance, tall and well-built, was practicing archery outside.

nFlanked by his loyal followers, muscular and formidable men, he stood poised. 𝑖𝘦.𝑐𝘰𝘮

nWith a bow in hand, Knight Kaido narrowed his eyes, aimed, and released the arrow.

nIt whistled through the air, hitting the bullseye perfectly.

nCheers and applause erupted from his followers, bringing a smile to Knight Kaido’s face.

nAfter praising Knight Kaido’s exceptional archery skills, Bosiden relayed Howard’s message to him verbatim.

nKnight Kaido burst into laughter, “Your lord seems eager for a decisive battle with Knight Blima.”

nDressed in a white coat, Bosiden appeared every bit the civil official.

nHe addressed Knight Kaido, “My lord, my master instructed me not to press you too hard. However, if I may be so bold, if you do not support my lord now, once he defeats Knight Blima, you will be next on his list.”

nOne of the muscular men, overhearing this, glared angrily, exclaiming, “How dare you! What right do you have to speak to our lord in such a manner!”

nBosiden, not even glancing at the man, continued speaking to Knight Kaido, “My lord, you hold a marriage alliance with my lord’s family, which is advantageous. However, the critical decision now is how to leverage this advantage for greater benefit. This is a decision only you can make.”

nKnight Kaido took a deep breath, handing his bow and arrow to a man on his left.

nHis brow furrowed slightly as he addressed Bosiden, “Turning one good deed into two? What do you mean by that?”

nBosiden explained, “My lord, hear me out. By directly aligning yourself with my Baron lord now, you not only avoid future conflict, but you also provide timely assistance in his hour of need, which is a significant merit.”

n“You are betrothed to Flandre, and naturally, my lord would not wish to put you in a difficult position.”

n“However, if you show more initiative, I am confident that my Baron lord would not be stingy in rewarding your loyalty and support.”

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