Chapter 510: Promises and Decisions

Lorist regarded Duke Fosta's ashen face with a half-smile. Kill him? What was the point? It had been seventeen or eighteen years since all of that, and back then it hadn't been Duke Fosta's fault — his girlfriend had made the choice to leave him on her own. Whether the excuse was her Windsor Family or Lorist's refusal to become her knight, none of it mattered anymore. What mattered was the bone-deep love Lorist had experienced — the only first love across both of his lives.

First love was so beautiful, yet the pain it brought was something he could never forget. Lorist still couldn't shake the feeling of utter desolation, the heart-rending agony, and the sense that he had lost the most precious thing in the world. It was that heartbreak that had finally opened his eyes to the true face of this world — the territorial nobles were the ruling class of the Galentea Continent, and a free mercenary and a star instructor from Dawn Academy meant absolutely nothing before them...

Lorist had no intention of seeking revenge against Duke Fosta. So much time had passed that the painful memories of the past had become something worth reminiscing about — only now, that reminiscence carried fewer bitter feelings and more of a wistful sigh. Human destiny was truly unpredictable, just as Duke Fosta could never have dreamed that his wife's former lover would one day appear right before his eyes.

If Lorist were still a down-and-out mercenary, Duke Fosta would probably have shown some magnanimity by tossing him a few gold coins in exchange for a few flattering words, then gone home to tell his wife the whole thing as a joke. He might have mused that if his wife had stayed true to love and rejected his pursuit all those years ago, she would probably just be some common woman busy running a household. It would have become a flirtatious jest between husband and wife, and perhaps Lady Wina would have used every manner of sweet affection to win his favor and satisfaction.

But now Lorist had become a legendary existence akin to a dragon. Whether as Grand Duke of the Northland or head of the Norton Family, his status was on equal footing with Duke Fosta's. On top of that, as the only person to ascend to the rank of Sword Saint in the past century — the Blood Sword Saint who had fought the Storm Sword Saint to a mutual draw — this position was one Duke Fosta could only gaze up at from far below. Before Lorist, Duke Fosta realized he was nothing more than an ant.

Seeing Duke Fosta's face growing ever paler and his body beginning to tremble, Lorist lost interest — there was no point scaring the man into a heart attack. Picking up a glass of wine, Lorist smiled and said, "Please don't worry, Your Highness Duke Fosta. I merely wanted to catch up with you. Time flies — seventeen or eighteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. Back then I was studying and working as a mercenary in Morant City, but now everything has changed. I returned to my family's domain, inherited my title and lands, and even became the enemy of the Commercial Alliance — none of which I ever would have imagined... Ah, come, let's all have a drink."

Duke Fosta had no idea how he managed to finish the fine wine in his hand — he couldn't even tell what it tasted like. When he sank back into his seat, still trembling, he discovered that the back of his inner shirt was soaked through. Sitting beside him, Viscount Penelope raised a glass in a distant toast to Lorist. After draining it, he asked with keen interest, "Your Highness Grand Duke Norton, you mentioned that you once studied and worked as a mercenary in Morant City. Could you tell us about that experience?"

By now Lorist had had a few more drinks and was in a talkative mood, so he reminisced about his ten years as a student in Morant — his time as a Black Iron mercenary and academy instructor. When he spoke of how Dawn Academy had used his swordsmanship to set up a fighting arena that swept through three thousand Silver-rank swordsmen and mercenaries in Morant City, Viscount Penelope exclaimed in astonishment, "So that Black Iron Rocco, the undefeated among Silver-ranks back then, was actually Your Highness! Our invincible fleet had hundreds of Silver-rank swordsmen who all suffered defeats at your blade, and I lost nearly a hundred Gold Fordes betting against you..."

Lorist let out a hearty, self-satisfied laugh.

Viscount Penelope flattered him, "No wonder Your Highness was able to advance to Sword Saint so quickly. Back in the day, Black Iron Rocco — undefeated among Silver-ranks — was a legend in Morant City. Unfortunately, I happened to be at Gold Two Stars preparing to advance to Gold Three Stars at the time, so I missed Your Highness's spectacular fights. By the time I'd advanced to Gold Three Stars and wanted to meet you, I discovered you had already left Morant City..."

This was merely pleasantry. At that time, Penelope was already a Gold Three Stars swordsman and had no interest in paying attention to a low-ranked Black Iron swordsman. Even if the man had become a legend in Morant City, that was nothing more than added fodder for conversation among Gold-rank swordsmen and mercenaries. Still, everyone understood this tacitly, so there was no need to dwell on it.

However, Viscount Penelope couldn't help but lament — if Lorist hadn't returned to the Northland to inherit his family's territory and title, he might well have become a Sword Saint of the Commercial Union. He certainly would have risen to become part of the Union's upper nobility. That way, the Invincible Fleet would still be the Invincible Fleet, and wouldn't have suffered its current defeat. Fate truly delighted in playing tricks on people...

Lorist smiled but said nothing. Penelope was overthinking things. If Lorist had stayed in the Commercial Union instead of returning to his family's territory, then there would have been no Northern Expedition caravan. Silowas Island would never have become a Norton Family holding. Lorist would never have obtained the secret of glassmaking to deliberately provoke a war between the Commercial Union and the Trinby Kingdom. And the Commercial Union would never have embarked on the path of armed expansion through the Glass War, ultimately becoming the foremost power on the Galentea Continent.

Whether he could have become a Sword Saint was anyone's guess, and the world's development would have taken an entirely different shape...

After chatting for some time, Viscount Penelope finally asked the question that all the captives had been eager to know: "Grand Duke Norton, may I ask — what do you plan to do with those of us from the Invincible Fleet?"

Lorist nodded with a smile. "My lord Viscount, even if you hadn't asked, I would have told you. For you senior officers of the Invincible Fleet, once this war ends, you may pay your ransoms and return home. On this point, I give you my word that the Norton Family will not cause you any difficulties. We are all nobles, of course, and these matters can be handled according to noble tradition. Just as Duke Fosta was concerned moments ago about his family's military force, the Firebird Legion — I can likewise allow his family to redeem them. However, the condition is that before the war ends, they must remain well-behaved and not stir up any trouble during their captivity. Otherwise, if something were to happen, you couldn't blame the Norton Family for failing to look after them. Wouldn't you agree?"

Viscount Penelope and the other nobles of the Commercial Union all nodded in agreement.

Lorist set down his wine glass. "I intend to place the personnel of the Invincible Fleet, along with the Firebird Legion and Duke Fosta's two thousand personal guards, on Silowas Island to await the war's conclusion. Once the war ends, the Firebird Legion and those guards will naturally be redeemed by Duke Fosta or the Rofi Family. As for the members of the Invincible Fleet, the same applies — if the Commercial Union is willing to pay their ransoms, I will release them. They may also have their families pay to redeem them."

"If they have no money, then there are two paths to freedom. The first is to pledge service to our family's Northern Sea Fleet for five years, with their pay halved during that period to serve as their own ransom. The second is to perform labor for our family for five years, with no pay whatsoever. However, I can guarantee that they will be fed and clothed properly and will not be deliberately mistreated. Once the five years are up, they will be granted their freedom."

"Of course, you others need not go to Silowas Island." Lorist swept his gaze across the assembled nobles. "You may all remain by my side and work together to bring this three-year bloodbath to an end, so that all the people caught up in this unfortunate war may soon return to a peaceful and tranquil life. As nobles, the Norton Family naturally respects your inborn rights. You may bear weapons, and you may bring two guards and two servants to attend to your daily needs. After all, in wartime, conditions are limited, and I can only ask that you bear with the inconveniences..."

This was the traditional custom of war on the Galentea Continent. Generally speaking, once nobles were taken prisoner, the treatment they received far exceeded that of commoner captives. As long as they did not attempt to escape, they could maintain a degree of freedom and be afforded noble courtesies within the camp, with food, clothing, and lodging on par with their usual standard. If the war were a land campaign, captured nobles could even retain their own horses and carriages, their personal attendants, servants, and grooms. The terms Lorist was now offering were already among the most generous imaginable.

Viscount Penelope and the other nobles of the Commercial Union finally felt their nerves settle, because the war between the Commercial Union and the Andinack Kingdom was unlike any ordinary conflict. Having been both publicly humiliated by the Commercial Union and enraged by its schemes of coercion, the Second Prince had declared openly that he did not recognize the noble titles of the Commercial Union, denouncing its so-called nobles as nothing more than a pack of base and shameless merchants who possessed neither the honor nor the integrity of true nobility, and knew only the art of treachery.

It was for this reason that, after the Second Prince launched a devastating night raid in the Armenia Province that shattered a retreating force of two to three hundred thousand Commercial Union troops, he ordered the execution of nearly a thousand captured Commercial Union nobles as a public spectacle. This act had ignited the three-year blood war on the Mana Hill Plains that neither side was willing to end. And the Commercial Union had answered in kind — every noble of the Andinack Kingdom who fell into their hands met the same grim fate. Three years of carnage on the Mana Hill Plains had forged a hatred between the two sides as deep as the sea.

Though the Invincible Fleet had operated as a distinct force within the Commercial Union's military, its members had heard plenty about the terrible fates suffered by captured nobles on both sides during the Mana Hill Plains slaughter. They had already received assurances from Lorist when they surrendered, yet a thread of unease still lingered in their hearts — until now, when Lorist had renewed his guarantee. After all, Lorist was not only the Grand Duke of the Northland under the Andinack Kingdom but also the National Sword Saint; his word naturally carried far more weight than that of any king.

By now, Duke Fosta had calmed down. He realized that once you stripped away the brilliant aura of the Sword Saint, this Grand Duke Norton was actually quite reasonable to deal with — mild in manner, courteous to everyone, and showing not the slightest disdain for their status as prisoners of war. Though it was only an outward appearance, at the very least it suggested that Lorist was not a narrow-minded man who settled every grudge with a vengeance. Coupled with the renewed promise to treat them well, Duke Fosta deliberated for a long while before rising to his feet once more.

"Respected Grand Duke Norton, might I be permitted to send correspondence to my family so as to urge them to dispatch representatives as soon as possible to negotiate the terms of redemption with your house?" Duke Fosta requested.

"Mm..." Lorist turned his gaze toward Duke Fosta, and the middle finger of his right hand began to tap lightly against the tabletop.

"Respected Grand Duke Norton, I assure you I have no ulterior motives. I am more than willing to help you bring this damnable war to an end as swiftly as possible. It is simply that, as the head of the Rofi Family of the Qigeda Kingdom, there are times when I must do things I would rather not do. I trust the esteemed Grand Duke can appreciate this — we are not acting for ourselves alone. The future and prosperity of an entire family depend on us, the family heads, to steer and to decide."

If we remain cut off from the family for too long, it would only give those enemies who covet our Rofi Family an opportunity to strike, and it would also unsettle those back home — we cannot let panic take hold and throw the family into turmoil.

Duke Fosta's explanation struck a chord with the captive nobles present, and they nodded their heads one after another. For any family to have both its armed legion and its duke captured, as had happened to Duke Fosta, it would be nothing short of an earth-shattering upheaval. Poorly handled, the fallout could prove disastrous—even giving the family's enemies an opening to launch a fatal blow. Thinking of how the eldest young master, Serliham, had escaped, news of the Invincible Fleet's defeat and surrender along with the Firebird Legion's capture would soon spread across the entire southern continent. No wonder Duke Fosta was desperate to communicate with his family.

Lorist pondered for a moment, then finally nodded. "I understand your feelings, His Grace Grand Duke Fosta. If I were in your shoes, I would be just as anxious. I will allow you to communicate with your family. You may send two of your trusted men as messengers back to the Qigeda Kingdom to deliver your letters. Once you've finished writing, let me know, and I will arrange passage for the messengers to the Qigeda Kingdom."

Duke Fosta was overjoyed and gave Lorist a deep bow. "I thank you for your mercy and generosity, His Grace Grand Duke Norton. If it is possible, I hope that our Rofi Family will never become enemies of you and the Norton Family. One lesson is more than enough."

Lorist burst into hearty laughter. "Of course, Duke Fosta. The Norton Family is not a warlike clan. We cherish peace—we set out to end wars, not to let the flames of conflict burn longer and fiercer. Just like this three-year war between our kingdom and the Commercial Union, enough blood has been shed. It should have ended long ago. Come, come, everyone, let us raise a glass—to ending this damnable war as soon as possible, to the bells of peace ringing out soon, and to all of you regaining your freedom and returning home to live in great peace and happiness. Cheers!"

The banquet lasted well into the night before it finally concluded, with both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoying themselves. Quite a few nobles drank themselves into a dead stupor. Lorist, however, remained quite clear-headed. Showing courtesy and generous treatment to these captive nobles was partly a matter of noble tradition, but there were other reasons as well. Once Morant City was captured, getting the Commercial Union and the Andinak Kingdom to agree to a ceasefire and sign a peace treaty would depend on these nobles—especially that Duke Fosta, who would prove of great use.

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