A maid brought Charles some cheese, but he didn’t eat it.

Instead, he asked Howard, “Duke of Lagusa, tell me, what makes an alliance with you worthwhile?”

Howard responded with a gentle smile, “Inside the Fran Kingdom, there are two major trade hubs: the northern Champagne trading node and the southern Bordeaux node. However, since the Champagne area fell into the hands of the Oli Kingdom, its trade revenue has been controlled by them, leaving very little profit for the Fran Kingdom. I won’t betray my friends, so I won’t promise to help you fight against the Oli Kingdom.”

“But I can tell you about the vast opportunities in the wealthy Mediterranean. Once you ascend to the throne, you can order your maritime fleets to trade at the Lagusa node. Just like the profits from Champagne’s trade hinge on who controls the area, the same applies to Lagusa.” “As it’s in my territory, your fleets will have my support for business here. Once the Fran Kingdom gains substantial economic benefits from trade, whether it’s building trade stations or factories, it will further strengthen your kingdom’s overall power.”

Charles nodded, and within an hour, both parties had signed an alliance treaty.

After signing, they shook hands. .

Howard remarked, “You’re a straightforward man. It only took an hour to finalize our agreement. The ‘Bold Charles’ reputation is well-deserved.”

Charles smiled and said, “My father is called ‘Coward,’ but I know he’s made many compromises for the sake of the nation. I am different.”

That evening, the Duchy of Lagusa hosted a grand banquet.

The Earl of Terni, who had come from afar, met with Charles.

The Earl, who was also Howard’s father-in-law, had previously excused himself from aiding Howard in battle due to affairs within his own territory.

Howard didn’t dwell on this absence; he had anticipated the possibility that Terni might not come. .

Now, Terni was visiting Lagusa under the pretense of seeing his daughter and also with an intention to improve relations with Howard.

At tonight’s banquet, Terni brought a gift for Howard.

After the arrival of a gracefully dressed minstrel, Terni introduced him to Howard.

The man, named Parvathi, had a remarkably pleasant singing voice.

Howard rewarded Parvathi with 10 gold coins to perform at the banquet.

As Parvathi sang, the atmosphere of the banquet was greatly enhanced, and the nobles found the performance both noble and elegant.

Charles, holding a glass of red wine, approached to watch Parvathi and expressed his admiration, “He has a wonderful voice.”

After Parvathi finished his performance, Howard engaged in a detailed conversation with him and gave him an additional 85 gold coins.

Anna whispered to Howard, “Your father-in-law seems to have a knack for inviting talented individuals.”

Howard replied softly, “Indeed, I wonder how he comes across such people. Why don’t I ever meet them?”

Anna chuckled lightly, “You’re just too busy. If you were as leisurely and idle as your father-in-law, perhaps you’d also encounter such talents on the streets. You know, these gifted individuals, even if they’re commoners, have their own unique sparkle amidst the hustle and bustle.”

Pondering, Howard took a sip of his wine and said, “Next time I have a chance, I’ll go and see for myself among the common folk.”

Margaret approached Howard, inviting him to dance with her.

Considering his father-in-law’s presence nearby, Howard declined her request.

Margaret puffed up her cheeks, feigning anger, and playfully complained, “Hmm, Howard, you’re so heartless.”

Boshni, too, was present at Lagusa that day.

She had come to purchase war horses and was spotted by Vettel, who managed commercial affairs.

Consequently, Howard, upon learning of her presence, extended an invitation to the banquet.

Boshni’s attire, modest in comparison to the grandeur of the event, relegated her to a quiet corner, where she seemed less like a noble and more akin to a commoner.

Feeling inferior, Boshni stared at the lamb chops on her plate, wishing she hadn’t come to avoid embarrassment.

Howard approached her and spoke gently, “Yami Village, despite its wealth, must be difficult for you to tax, being a native of the village, right?”

Boshni pursed her lips and replied, “Yes, and the villagers sort of coerce and flatter me, making it hard for me to bring up the subject of taxes.”

Howard glanced at Vettel, who was engaged in lively conversation with Alonso and Catherine.

Catherine admired the pearls mined under Vettel’s supervision, and Vettel, eager for smooth sailing in his career, was trying hard to please her.

Howard then said to Boshni, “If you’re having trouble, how about letting Vettel help you? He’s in charge of finances and quite effective. If you’re not the one collecting taxes, the villagers won’t be able to cajole or find you.”

Boshni looked down and said, “Even my father thinks it’s better not to tax them. But I promised you, Lord Howard. I promised to form a cavalry unit, to prove that in this era, cavalry still has its place.”

Howard sighed, “You really don’t have to go to such lengths.”

Charles approached Howard, raising his glass of red wine for a toast.

Howard reciprocated from a distance, their glasses meeting in the air as they shared a drink.

Charles inquired, “What are you discussing here?”

Howard initially thought to reply, “This is my vassal, it’s none of your concern.” However, a sudden idea struck him.

As a traditional powerhouse of cavalry in Europe, the Fran Kingdom was renowned for its illustrious knights.

So, what would Charles, the son of the King of Fran Kingdom, a member of the historic Capet family, and the primary heir to the Fran Kingdom, think about the role of cavalry?

Boshni explained her dilemma to Charles and, after speaking, glanced at his cloak adorned with blue stripes and his elegantly crinkled pleated dress.

She lowered her head, feeling inferior.

The pleats on his dress were not old or accidental; they were intentional, a fashionable design popular in the Fran Kingdom.

It had a hint of Rococo style – an aura of luxury.

Charles, not noticing Boshni’s subsequent demeanor, pondered how to respond to her question about cavalry.

He looked at Boshni intently and asked, “Tell me, do you find yourself doubting the effectiveness of cavalry?”

Boshni, feeling a bit aggrieved, replied, “I have a passion for horse breeding and understand the immense power these animals possess. Personally, I don’t think cavalry will become obsolete. But everyone around me, even Lord Howard, tells me that this is the age of the musket, and cavalry is gradually losing its relevance. It puts me in a difficult position.”

Charles sought confirmation from Howard with a questioning look, to which Howard nodded affirmatively.

Charles then spoke with a compelling tone, “You are mistaken.”

Boshni looked puzzled, and Howard remained expressionless.

Charles continued, “Despite the rapid advancement in craftsmanship that has brought those crude muskets onto the battlefield, I tell you, the next two hundred years will belong to the heavy cavalry!”

Howard, with slightly narrowed eyes, responded, “My chief of spies tells me that pikemen have already achieved victories over cavalry. Musketeers, in combination with longbow archers, have also won several glorious battles. While cavalry still holds an irreplaceable position, its role is gradually being supplanted, mainly because maintaining cavalry is excessively expensive.”

Boshni hadn’t heard of these developments.

But Charles, as the primary heir to the Fran Kingdom, was well aware of them.

He confidently, even somewhat disdainfully regarding the infantry, said, “Duke of Lagusa, you have evolved to this point. May I assume that it’s because of your region’s environment that you hold such a high regard for infantry, or specifically, pikemen?”

After a moment of silence, Howard brought up muskets.

Charles replied, “Recently, every nation has been terrified by the words ‘infantry revolution’. But as someone from the Fran Kingdom, where the tradition of cavalry is strong, I can tell you again: the next two hundred years will be the golden era of cavalry, especially heavy cavalry!”

Boshni pursed her lips, deep in thought.

For Boshni, who had not received extensive noble education, her perspective was likely more aligned with that of the villagers, favoring the idea of empowering infantry to challenge the dominance of knights.

However, without any particular skills or expertise, her only discovered talent was horse breeding.

If cavalry indeed became obsolete, she felt uncertain about her future path and contribution.

Howard, with a discreet step away from Charles, indicated a silent disagreement with Charles’s viewpoint, yet he harbored no desire to engage in a quarrel.

This content is taken from 𝘳𝑎.𝒸ℴ