Edward indulged in the refreshments, taking his time until they were finished. Then, in a relaxed manner, he said to Howard, “But I’ve heard from my cousin Anna that your current situation isn’t exactly favorable.”

Howard genuinely laughed this time. “What does my situation have to do with whether I’m worried or not? Moreover, I’m not even sure why you’re here. What should I be anxious about? Eager to have you stay for dinner, perhaps?”

Edward, showing a playful side, proposed to Howard, “Well, since you’re not in a hurry either, I might as well impose on you for a few days. I’ll stay here and explore the local culture and sights of Fernsouth and even Nok. What do you think?”

Howard leaned back slightly, took a sip of his tea, and responded to Edward, “As you wish.”

With that, Edward strolled out of the hall, appearing as though he had won a victory. The maids standing outside were surprised at his quick departure, but Nora seemed to understand something. She entered the drawing room and asked Howard, “Is he intentionally dragging out the time with you?”

Howard, unsure, replied, “Possibly. He only revealed that he learned of my situation from Anna. As for why he came here after learning about it, he didn’t say a word.”

Nora inquired, “What do you plan to do now?”

Howard answered, “He expressed his desire to stay here and enjoy the landscapes within my earldom, and I agreed. Arrange a fine room for him, and let him stay. As for when he leaves, we won’t concern ourselves with that.”

Nora asked, “Alright, I understand. Should we have someone keep an eye on him?”

After a moment of hesitation, Howard instructed Nora, “Have your people and Portia keep a close watch on him. Let’s not interfere with his actions, but also ensure he doesn’t disturb our castle.”

Since leaving Fernsouth Castle nine days ago, Anna hadn’t returned. However, she had her own domains, more than one, giving her plenty of places to go. Margaret informed Nora about Anna’s situation. In the afternoon, Nora entered the lord’s hall and said to Howard, “I think I understand why Edward is here.”

Howard asked Nora what that was. Nora explained, “Margaret persuaded Anna to try and convince the Katerina and Valuva families to send troops on your behalf. Anna’s departure nine days ago was likely for this purpose. Edward, being the decision-maker for the Valuva family’s forces, might have come here to discuss an alliance with you.”

Howard, puzzled, said, “If he really wanted to discuss an alliance, why wouldn’t he tell me directly? He just met me and then decided to stay here.”

Nora smiled and suggested, “He probably has a good relationship with Anna and didn’t want to outright refuse her request. He might have planned to visit you and then, after a few days, return home. This way, he can tell Anna he made an effort, but the negotiations with you failed.”

Howard expressed surprise, “If Anna asks me, won’t she know everything?”

Nora replied, “He can’t guess the unusual relationship between you and Anna. His earldom was inherited, and he’s not very close to his vassals. But Anna and you have fought side by side. She’s not just a vassal you inherited; she’s your friend and comrade.”

Howard found Nora’s point quite sensible and said, “Then go find Edward and tell him everything you just said. Tell him that Anna will still come to me for information. His attempt to exploit a knowledge gap and use deceptive strategies is bound to fail. Ask him to come see me.”

After Nora left and returned a while later, she brought with her a disheartened Edward. Edward admitted, “Howard, you are clever. You guessed why I came here.”

Howard rolled his eyes at Edward, “You don’t even know that Anna is my enfeoffed vassal and you come here pretending to be wise. What’s the use of going around in circles? It’s just a waste of our time.”

Then, Edward formally began discussing the possibility of an alliance with Howard. Edward candidly stated that Howard had nothing appealing to him. He believed Howard’s foundation was too weak; without any reserves, once the war began and the conscripted troops were defeated, there would be no possibility of hiring mercenaries, making the odds of winning the war very low.

But Howard didn’t see it that way. He told Edward about the enemy-to-ally casualty ratios in his previous wars, continuously reminding Edward that his troops and his wars had always triumphed despite being outnumbered. Howard believed he didn’t need mercenaries; the number of conscripted soldiers combined with a good leader was enough.

Edward sternly told Howard that he was looking for an ally, not someone with just a flair for words. If Howard wanted to showcase his eloquence, Edward suggested he become a foreign minister in his court, where he could better utilize his talent for sophistry.

Howard tried hard to suppress his anger and told Edward that he wasn’t being deceitful. The casualty ratios in each of his previous wars were genuine achievements of his army. Moreover, Howard challenged Edward, “If you think even the casualty ratios in a war where I’m outnumbered are just my sophistry, then what’s the point of war at all?”

“Shouldn’t we just line up our conscripted soldiers, shout out to our allies to see how many troops they can bring, and then show off our treasuries before the battle? The side with less simply hands over their title, and that’s it.” “If you’re only looking at numbers on paper, then why bother fighting at all? Do you even understand war? It feels like you’re just an armchair general!”

Edward scoffed at Howard, saying, “Do you think casualty ratios are just something you can talk into existence? Aren’t they the result of generals leading their armies in battle? Can you guarantee that your casualty ratios are always as you claim?”

“Such ratios fluctuate and depend on many factors. You boast about your impressive ratios, but why can’t I ask about your war funds?” “Oh, with your thin foundations, merely possessing an earldom like Nok makes you feel wealthier than ever. Aside from the taxes it brings, have you ever focused on accumulating wealth?” “You exaggerate what’s favorable to you and laugh off your disadvantages. Isn’t that deceiving me? If I ally with someone like you, and one day your casualty ratios aren’t so favorable, will I have to go down with you? You avoid talking about tangible war funds and harp on about casualty ratios?”

Howard called for Resarite and said to Edward, “Fine, you think casualty ratios are unreliable, so let me show you something solid. I’ve called for my vassal, who commanded my previous wars. If you have any military questions, you can ask him directly. Is that satisfactory?”

Howard made a decisive move, choosing to end the argument with Edward and instead called for Resarite. Howard had immense confidence in Resarite’s military abilities and believed that Resarite would definitely shut Edward up.

While waiting for Resarite to arrive, Edward crossed his legs, sipped his coffee, and remained silent, clearly not interested in conversing with Howard any longer. Howard found this agreeable as he too had no desire to continue talking with Edward. Edward thought Howard was evading important issues, but Howard felt Edward was being unnecessarily argumentative. The focus of the negotiation now shifted to Resarite.

When Resarite entered the room, Edward, observing his posture, sensed that Resarite was an exceptional individual with tremendous control and presence. Edward couldn’t help but say, “Hello, are you Earl Howard’s battle commander?”

Resarite gave a military salute and replied, “I wouldn’t presume so. I am a knight, and you are an earl. There’s no need for such formalities towards me.” Resarite then added, “Yes, I am Lord Howard’s battle commander. From Yami Village to now possessing the entire Nok, it has been a joint effort between him and me.”

Edward looked at Howard, waiting to see his reaction. Howard, having lost interest in playing noble games with Edward, briefly glanced away and then turned back, gesturing towards Resarite. He said to Edward, “Don’t ask me; you wouldn’t believe what I say anyway. What’s the point of me talking? Ask him, any questions you have, direct them to him.”

Subsequently, Edward asked Resarite detailed questions about each of the previous campaigns. Resarite responded fluently, showcasing his exceptional military expertise. Impressed, Edward clapped his hands in admiration and said to Howard, “Your vassal really knows his military tactics! I have to ask, how did you, with just a knight’s title, manage to attract such a talented individual?”𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝑚𝘪𝘦.𝘤𝑜

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