My Villains Chapter 406
63. Knights of the Silver Prince (13)
It was a deep night near midnight. During the battle, passing out for a while, and having a conversation, that much time had passed.
It was completely dark outside the castle, but Count Akelle was unstoppable. After coming down from the tower, he walked around the stronghold ‘Valesolis’ as if it were the main room of his house.
In addition, Lord Eordan and other blood knights followed, so the guards and servants of Valesolis were frightened and scattered or made a noise in surprise. Well, it was natural for them to be surprised, as they were no ordinary guests, but rather a nobleman the size of a count.
However, the degree of surprise did not exceed a certain point, so it was possible to guess that something similar to this happened often.
“Your Excellency Count Pear!” As we approached the main hall in the middle of the first floor of the castle, a familiar man and a skinny man who appeared to be the same age ran out in a hurry. The one in front was a middle-aged man who introduced himself as the steward of the fortress, and the one accompanying him was the butler of the fortress.
“How did you come at this late hour?”
“afoot.”
“Yes- yes?”
Count Akele flung past the bewildered steward and sat down at a large, rectangular table no more than ten meters long. It was, of course, the most prestigious seat.
“Summon Count Ines and Slanweed.”
“Are you talking now?”
“okay.”
“But since everyone is in bed-”
“It’s urgent.”
The steward looked at the fresh blood bag and the blood knights lined up behind him in turn, breaking out in a cold sweat. Then the Count added a comment with an expressionless face.
“Should I move myself?”
“No, no.”
“I’m hungry, so bring me some food.”
“Yeep,
the steward withdrew with his face turned white. I quickly caught the butler trying to follow him.
After waiting for me for a long time, Sir Langvolt returned to the anchorage of the Iron Fleet, and Atalanta was resting in a room in the keep. It was to call them both.
“Oh and”
“Tell me Sir Phoenix.”
“While the count is preparing a meal, please ask for mine too. About 4 servings. I couldn’t eat dinner.”
“…All right.”
I clicked my tongue as the butler hurriedly left.
“What are you doing at someone else’s house this late at night? There is a degree of nuisance.”
“A nuisance?”
The Count snorted lightly.
“From Odenlock and Abiden to Onuta and Midooter. All of them are parasites in Eilant’s arms. There is no reason to notice.”
“…Oh, you’re amazing. Have you ever heard of the expression “gap quality?”
“Abusive?”
“Have you ever heard of it? Acting like shit to lowly people is called Gapjil.”
“Right.”
“How do you get stabbed?”
The Count answered without hesitation.
“no.”
“…You are shameless.”
“They should be thankful that Ireland doesn’t covet this port. You should be willing to put up with shit like that.”
I gave him a puzzled look, but he didn’t seem to care.
“When you criticize me, be careful of your words and actions. Now you are not Zahakar.”
“i know. Don’t worry about me and take care of yourself.”
“bouncer. You show off your lack of education.”
The reason why Count Akele didn’t want to catch me was basically because another conceived Heila was in High Castle. But the fact that I’ve been hiding my Zaharkar identity probably played a part too.
In other words, if I had been a knight of Ulkar under the surname Zahakar, I would have broken my leg clubs and dragged you to the island, like another conceived child. There’s no way I’ll just watch the rumors spread that Zahakar serves Zeore.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of the steward, butler and servants, the meal was ready in no time. It wasn’t enough to call it a banquet, as I ordered it late at night, but a variety of dishes were generously prepared.
Thinly sliced raw tuna and salted herring topped with various vegetables seasoned with vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice. Soaked peas and smoked pork are stir-fried with finely ground cinnamon and sour grape juice. A palm-sized lobster boiled in white wine, roasted in lard, and served with a sauce made with honey, pepper, cumin, and roux… In addition, porridge made with plenty of fish or oysters topped with sliced lemon,
etc. All sorts of seafood were on the table.
It is truly a port town-like outfit.
Kwadeuk.
The umami explodes when you pour plenty of sauce on the lobster and bite into the whole back. Grilled in pork oil, the skin was crispy and the flesh was firm and chewy.
The stir-fried peas had a fresh scent while filling the mouth heavily, and the fish
porridge was thick and salty because it was stuffed with fish porridge.
Count Akele stared at me as I gobbled up the food as if possessed, then asked a question quietly.
“I think I heard that you can’t eat fish.”
“I never *mumble* eat. I can’t eat without it.”
His eyes widened as he then stuffed the romaine and kale with tuna and herring on a fork.
“You eat vegetables well.”
“If I am not a child, I will eat. I don’t bother looking for it and eating it.”
After the Count quietly shut his mouth with a mysterious expression, I focused on eating again. Then he muttered “Hmm” and soon began to devour the food, boasting as much excitement as I did.
It was around that time that Atalanta with scattered hair appeared.
“Nix! What the hell are you-”
She raised her voice as if to argue with me, but stopped when she noticed Count Akele sitting in the high table. And he quickly lowered his head.
“Meet Your Excellency, Count Akele.”
The Count stared at her and wiped the area around her clean-shaven mouth with a white cotton towel.
“You are that nude woman. Did you say Atalante?”
“My name is Atalante ‘Nafidat’ Al Nouveau. It is an honor to meet His Highness, Admiral of the renowned Ironscale Fleet and Ruler of Rihil, His Highness.” “I heard that you will play a part in this offensive.”
“That’s right. There are warriors who follow, and I have come to help the great will of the three princes.”
It was unknown whether it was the Count’s momentum, authority, or fame that overpowered Atalanta. At any rate, she was as stiff as a docile sheep.
“Sit down.”
Atalanta, who quietly lowered her head, quickly sat down next to me, as if she wanted to avoid the line of sight.
“Why are you so scared?”
“…why?”
Atalanta, whose face was distorted as if he was dumbfounded, fired at me in a low voice as I was diligently forgetting an oyster.
“What the hell happened?”
“Just something.”
“’Just what and what’? You son of a
bitch-” Atalanta, who was trying to express her displeasure, cleared her throat and looked at the superior.
“…Because I waited for more than five hours? Officials and servants keep saying they don’t know, and the blood knights don’t even pretend to see it no matter how much I talk to them. But does it end with ‘this and that’?”
“I couldn’t help it either. I didn’t make you wait because I wanted to.”
“Ah.”
She continued to look out of the corner of her eye and alternately looked at me and the count. I was unsure of how things were going.
“Everything went well, so don’t be nervous and sit still.”
“Are you going to keep saying comfortable things?”
“huh. Come on, eat some oysters. it’s crazy.”
Atalante said, ‘What’s with all these bastards?’ glanced at me with a
hmm. It’s a very familiar look.
Shortly thereafter, Sir Langboldt appeared, and by the time the meal was finished, Sir Slenweed and Earl Ines also appeared.
Knight banneret Sir Slanweed was Viscount Cirillo’s cousin and valet, and was currently in charge of Valesolis and Auduenne.
Apart from having a wealthy cousin, he was told that he owned a lot of land himself. I don’t know if it reflected such a generous wealth, but Lord Slanweed was a middle-aged man with a round and benevolent face with a generous body. Quite the opposite of his cousin, who has a diminutive physique enough to be called ‘Viscount Goblin’ from behind.
However, judging by the keen eye he had cultivated, his bountiful figure was not entirely made up of fat. He was a typical business man, so-called a muscle pig, so his skills were expected.
“I heard you found it, sir.”
Lord Slanweed bowed to Earl Akele with a sloppy big bow, but the reply was an arrogant chin.
A guest like a gangster who suddenly calls in the middle of the night and doesn’t even say hello to the subject who took the top seat as if it was natural
…
Well, it was common sense for a landlord with a manor of 15 households or a few to not be able to say a word in front of an earl with the most powerful fleet in the kingdom, an army of over 1,500, and a vast territory.
“Did you call?”
Count Ines, who appeared with Lord Slanwid, also had five escort knights, but his condition did not look very different.
Earl Ines, lord of Abiden and head of the Milgrester family, was a little girl who could have been fifteen at the most.
Looking at her egg-shaped face, slim jawline, immaculate skin, and rosy cheeks that haven’t lost any breast meat, you can bet a hundred gold coins on the prospect that she will grow up to be a beauty in the future.
What stood out in particular was the eyes.
The pupils, which had the legend of a descendant of the Naga family, had a mysterious harmony between finely split upper and lower pupils and sapphire-colored irises.
However, the mysteriousness did not originate only from her appearance.
I felt the power.
If it were me in the past, I would have been blinded by the energy emitted by the ring on the girl’s hand and the jewelry embedded in the pendant.
“Oh, here you go. Please have a seat.”
The fresh-blooded man offered Count Ines a seat across from me and said in a deliberately polite tone.
I thought I would squeak short words at everyone in the world, but that’s not the case. It seems that they are treating them as if they were the same count.
Strictly speaking, Count Ines had a higher status than Count Akele. Comparing the head of the long-established count family with Count Danseung, the former is naturally superior.
However, as if that common sense didn’t work here, Count Ines sat quietly with his head slightly bowed.
Then, as Sir Slanweed, who was watching, sat down, Count Akele opened his mouth while looking over the crowd.
“I have something to offer you, so I set up a place for you.”
I couldn’t find any words of understanding for calling people in the middle of the night or a build-up before getting into the main topic. With his characteristic expressionless face, he immediately took up the matter.
“Since Viscount Cirillo is fighting against the Elector Counts under the command of the 3 princes, the Count must agree with him. Isn’t it?”
Upon receiving the question, Earl Ines was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“You can see it that way.”
“Then you must be interested in what the three princes are doing with his knights?”
I noticed right away, but the ‘child who might be interested in this deal’ that Count Akele mentioned earlier was Count Ines.
The girl quietly blinked as if trying to understand the situation. It’s kind of a blind impression. Did you sleep less?
Even though I felt a bit drowsy for a while, I looked at me with bright eyes.
“What is the third prince preparing?”
“Uh…
Count Ines wasn’t involved in the plan Ulkar told me.
I scratched my eyebrows and shrugged. oh i don’t know
“I will cross the bay of knives.”
“Only the blade. I’m thinking of attacking the Strom family estate. But-”
The blurry eyes quickly turned blue, wondering if it was only the pattern of the great lord. The girl looked back at Count Akele.
“I didn’t know that Ireland would cooperate with the 3 princes.”
“No cooperation. I just made a deal.”
“How about a deal?”
Earl Ines narrowed his brows after hearing Lord Eordan’s brief explanation of the negotiations with Prince Ulkar.
“What do you want me to do?”
“I wish nothing. It’s not a wise choice to just watch your allies fight hard, it’s just a piece of advice. This is my advice as a neighbor.”
“…Thanks for the advice.”
The girl continued to speak slowly.
“However, from the point of view of a young and foolish me, this plan is a race against each other. Preparing an army to send an expedition would take some time. I am afraid that I will miss the time and ruin the plan arranged by the three princes.”
“Well then, I can give you some more advice.”
“…His Excellency?”
“As you said, it’s about competing for villages, so organize your expeditionary force in small numbers. Even if we take off half of the troops we brought with us this time, we should be able to fill one of Milgrester’s warships.”
“They are my escort.”
“There is no great lord who leads 300 guards while going through his territory. Taking a large army with you on guard against the people is a disgrace to my prestige.”
While Count Ines kept his mouth shut, the fresh-blooded gaze turned to Lord Slanweed.
“You supply the provisions and supplies needed for departure and expedition.”
“I mean?”
“okay.”
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the thick back of his hand, but did not say anything.
“Is there a problem?”
“No- no sir.”
As Lord Slanweed lowered his head, Count Ines opened his mouth again.
“It is not difficult to send an expeditionary force, but it requires a price.”
“Abiden is a land a short distance from the frontier. If the three princes fail to protect the frontier, your territory will be ruined, so are you talking about the cost?”
“It may be to help the defense, but it is not my duty to join them in counterattacking across the sea.”
The girl met Count Akele’s silent gaze with fierce eyes.
Although he wasn’t showing off any particular momentum, it was not enough and he would feel the pressure to overflow, but Count Ines did not turn his head until the end.
“…Consult Sir Phoenix here. Depending on the contribution of the Milgrester family, I will share some of Proshafen’s share.”
In any case, receiving direct support from the Iron Scale Fleet meant to hand over a significant portion of the port to Ireland. As long as the stake was solid, it was not difficult to pay the price for receiving support from the Milgrester family’s elite troops.
After exchanging glances with Atalanta, I nodded.
“We will guarantee up to 30% of Proshafen’s share according to the performance of the troops who supported at least 10%.”
Count Ines hesitated for a moment.
As a great lord who rules the coast, she must have been greedy for a rich port across the sea, but somehow she seemed to want something else.
While waiting leisurely, the girl slowly parted her lips.
“…a share in the port is nice, but I want something else.”
“Tell me.”
“I heard that the steelscale fleet is after something recently.”
what is this again?
I glanced back in wonder, but Count Akele had an expressionless face as usual.
“Any part is good, so please share the results with the Milgester family.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“The witch of hymns.”
…Witch of Hymns?
“They are scouring the entire area of Blade Bay
to find the fish spawning grounds and burning them down. Isn’t the purpose to captivate the witch of hymns?”
The fresh blood didn’t show anything. However, the silence he showed for a moment was a meaningful answer in itself.
