Chapter 77: Everlasting City Siege (3)
"Arthur Landragon...", Count Elderwood spoke with a grave voice, "Can you explain why you arrived five days later than my other vassals? If my memories serve me right, I was the one who funded your studies in the Ivory Tower and the one who made an acolyte come to test your magical talent when you were still a young boy"
Arthur laughed inwardly.
'To think that the old man would openly try to suppress me...He must be afraid of intermediate rank acolyte strength...After all, he is an old knight. The vassals here might have long-lasting relationships with the Elderwood Household, and might even have some connection to it through political marriages. However, these vassals won't march towards defeat for the old Count's ambitions. Hence, he must be trying to prove that he is the strongest. He also just lost a couple battles, so it's not like he can do anything else besides showing off his power...', Arthur analysed.
John and Victor started to laugh openly, causing the vassals to frown
"Show some respect, lads! You are representing the Landragon Household. Bow right this instant and show some respect to the Count!", Viscount Palford shouted
Count Elderwood, however, did not wait for excuses and stood up, releasing extreme killing intent towards the Landragon brothers.
Arthur, however, revealed a terrifying smile: "Stop right here, Count. If you take one more step, I will cut you down. Our contract is not magical, and I can void it anytime. The only reason why I am here is because I carry the Landragon name"
Count Elderwood, however, saw this as the perfect opportunity to show off his strength to a brat who wasn't even sixteen years old.
Acolytes and knights were not equal. Acolytes could usually turn the tides of a battle, which knights could not do single-handedly.
However, in pure contests of strength, knights would have the upper hand as long as they could close the distance with acolytes. In open battles, knights would also have the advantage, since they were more resistant, and more accustomed to battle as compared to acolytes.
This was only the norm, and just like there were acolytes capable of easily overwhelming knights in close combat, there were also knights who could single-handedly turn the tides of battle using secret knight techniques and exquisite swordsmanship.
Count Elderwood might not be the man he used to be, but in terms of pure strength, he still was a proud advanced-rank knight. Raising his fist so as to punch the arrogant Landragon Head Wizard, he was surprised as Baron Halefire intervened and knelt in front of him, shouting with all his might:
"Lord, I beg of you. Please disregard the Landragon brothers' lack of respect...They have always been like that. I know them personally. Their attitude matters not The fact that they brought roughly a hundred elite horsemen trained for a decade and wearing intermediate-grade armour matters.", Baron Halefire said.
True enough, Baron Halefire could practically be called a 'friend'. For a few weeks, he had even been a squire at the Landragon Household, in order to learn from the Viscount Landragon himself. There, he had personnally trained with John and Victor. Arthur could clearly remember the boy's swordsmanship and knight talent. At the time, it was all mediocre, even worse than Victor's.
'What kind of elixir did he consume to reach the intermediate rank realm...I wonder...', Arthur thought, 'Still, to be able to disregard his pride and the Halefire Honour in order to prevent a conflict to occur...He is quite reliable'
Arthur and John weren't just here to accumulate achievements and grasp the opportunity to earn the [Starlight Ore] mine rights. They were also here to take a look at the Porfield Kingdom Southern Gate Region's Households, and see who were worthy of allying with.
John looked at Arthur and nodded. Seemingly, they had the same opinion about the young baron.
With him at the head of the Halefire Household, his fief was bound to have prosperous days ahead.
Ultimately, the Count frowned but backed down and sat back.
Since Baron Halefire was willing to put his pride on the line, Arthur stopped his childish act and sat as well.
"I will speak frankly...", Arthur spoke, "I am not here as your subordinate. It doesn't take a genius to realize that you were completely destroyed and surprised by the Baron Lark's magic. Still, when I overheard that you tried to force the gate open by using number against acolytes who were protected by walls, I began to question your sanity"
A vein popped on the Count's head.
"Don't test my patience...If it weren't for Baron Halefire and the deep friendship I have with your father, I would have killed you on the spot for insubordination"
"Once again, we are not your subordinates", John spoke, taking the defence of his younger brother
Arthur smiled at this: "The reason why we are late...is because we annihilated an army of 200 elves, including 5 intermediate rank druids and 14 beginner rank druids. There was also an advanced-rank knight, who was slayed by my older brother Victor"
The room instantly changed atmosphere.
They all knew that the Baron Lark possessed elven allies. He had been the one to bring them in the Southern Gate Great war with the southern kingdom invasion roughly twenty years ago.
"We plundered their village, and made sure they would not cause us any more trouble. I made sure to steal all of their druidic books and alchemical records, so the Jagorn Elven Tribe probably won't see the rise of new elven druids in the future", Arthur spoke, "Our father is not growing old. His absence is related to the fact that he is the Southern Gate Guardian. Leaving our territory defenceless would be an invitation to the Greenhill Kingdom Soldiers. No one here would want that, I suppose"
Count Elderwood still could not shake the fact that a boy, not even a third of his age, had defeated so many strong powerhouses. He was even more shocked by Victor's incredible feat of defeating an advanced rank knight powerhouse despite not even being an intermediate rank knight.
Victor was being acknowledged for the very first time in his life. And he was being acknowledged by men who he had thought to be unattainable in the past. For the first time in life, Victor smiled proudly about himself.
"Now that the small talk is done, let's move to the real business", Arthur spoke, "Let me be frank, Count Elderwood. Based on your individual strength, your pitiful untrained army and your decent but insufficient vassals, you won't be able to breach Everlasting City's gates, not to mention take the city. Siege probably won't work if you consider Baron Lark's knowledge and strategist mind"
Count Elderwood sighed. There was no use for acting strong when he was already exposed. No matter how he thought about it, there was no way of winning this war. He had invested too much wealth and time into this plan to overtake the Lark Barony though. He could not back down at this point.
"What do you propose then?", the Count spoke
John moved forward with a map, and revealed a terrifying smile: "We would want to exchange your flawless victory and conquest of the Lark Barony in exchange for the rights to the [Starlight Ore Mine], sir"
Baron Halefire, Baron Galeheard, Viscount Palford and Count Elderwood could not believe their ears. The Landragon brothers' confidence just didn't make sense...
But then again, they remembered the amazing feat that they had accomplished against the Jagorn Elven Tribe...and nodded.
It was a world where the strong reigned. Since the brothers had proven themselves strong enough, they had the rights to make such an absurd and outrageous request.
Smiling cunningly, Count Elderwood thought: 'I have nothing to lose...If the young Landragon Heirs' strategy fail, I can bound the Landragon Household as my vassal for the next few generations, using the excuse of the debt they owe me. If their strategy works, I will extend my territory and reputation throughout the Porfield Kingdom. Losing a mine that I sealed personally due to it being infested with magical beasts won't be a huge loss either in comparison to what I earn'
Little did he know, this would be the best gift he could possibly make to Arthur...
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