A burly, broad-shouldered man stood up from the left row of seats behind, drew his sword, and started charging this way, but several people nearby jumped to their feet and grabbed him with a flurry of hands, holding him back.
"Your Highness, what do you think I should do with this Viscount Yaslan?" Lorist turned around and once again kicked the ball back to the
The Second Prince's face was ashen. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Count Norton, first of all, I apologize to you. Everything that happened on your territory was not done at my behest. As the Norton Family's liege lord, I was too preoccupied with affairs to notice the petty conflicts on Norton Family territory — this was indeed my negligence.
However, Viscount Yaslan is indeed the Kingdom's appointed tax inspector. Even if he has committed crimes, he should be punished by the Kingdom's courts. Moreover, as a noble, your humiliating treatment of him is truly beneath the dignity of the aristocracy. But I can understand your anger — after all, Viscount Yaslan did offend the Norton Family's dignity. So, hand him over to me now, and I will deal with him accordingly. Let this matter rest here."
The Second Prince believed he had already been quite accommodating, and that his words were exceedingly well-spoken, giving Lorist a perfectly graceful way to back down. Everyone should value harmony — there was no need to squabble over such trivial matters.
But the Second Prince didn't expect that the moment he finished speaking, the entire hall suddenly went dead cold and silent, everyone's eyes taking on a rather peculiar look.
Lorist burst into loud laughter — "Ha ha ha ha!" — the sound echoing through the hall, grating and arrogant.
"Your Highness, have you forgotten that a lord's rights are sacred and inviolable? If the actions of someone like Viscount Yaslan can simply be brushed aside and forgiven, doesn't that mean the royal family can henceforth send anyone to boss lords around and act with impunity? The only reason I brought Viscount Yaslan before you is because he is the tax inspector you appointed — it does not mean you have the right to deal with him as you see fit..."
Lorist spoke very directly — I'm giving you face because you are my superior lord. Although Viscount Yaslan was the tax inspector you appointed, he offended the dignity of the Norton Family and must be punished. Unless you take the blame upon yourself and admit that it was done at your behest, in which case we would simply fall out and become mortal enemies from that moment on. Otherwise, how to deal with Viscount Yaslan is the Norton Family's affair, and you, Second Prince, have only the right to make suggestions — not the right to decide.
The Second Prince was somewhat flushed with anger and shame, because he had misspoken again. Never mind that the nobles present were following his lead — his words just now had truly touched upon the bottom line of the territorial nobility. The best outcome for someone like Viscount Yaslan was to be hanged by the lord. If a lord couldn't manage things within his own territory and a superior's appointed tax inspector could do as he pleased, then every territorial noble would refuse the superior's summons and would simply hole up in their own domains and never leave.
Some things can be done, but they cannot be said out loud. Just as Lorist had put it — a lord's rights are sacred and inviolable. This was the consensus of all territorial nobles across the entire Galentea Continent.
As a superior, the Second Prince could rely on the formidable military power in his hands to coerce the nobles of the kingdom into submission — just as the former Northland Grand Duke had once wielded the Northland Legion like a club to squeeze money from the territorial nobles of the Northland, or just as the Second Prince himself had forced the nobles under his command to combine their private troops under a unified command. But these methods could only be carried out in private. The law of the jungle — the strong preying on the weak — applied equally among nobles. If you couldn't handle it, you could only blame your own bad luck.
But what the Second Prince had just said publicly was essentially reaching his hand into the bowls of the territorial nobles and snatching food right from them. For the territorial nobles, oppressing their subjects and fighting each other to the death were their own business. But the Second Prince's handling of Viscount Yaslan had already crossed the line and touched the territorial nobles' cheese.
If the Second Prince had sincerely apologized and humbly asked Lorist to hand Viscount Yaslan over to him, guaranteeing that he would deal with him according to the Norton Family's wishes, then perhaps Lorist would have done as he wished and handed Viscount Yaslan over. Then he could have privately negotiated with Lorist, having the Yaslan Family pay a large sum in atonement money and a ransom for his life, in exchange for the Norton Family's pardon and the saving of Viscount Yaslan's life. After all, no one would turn their nose up at money, and with the Second Prince's face and his mediation, the matter could have been resolved amicably. Everyone who heard about it would have praised the Second Prince for his shrewdness and tact.
But the Second Prince had gone and done the one thing he should never have done. Having commanded three hundred thousand troops for some time now, he had grown accustomed to being forceful, and had naturally come to see Lorist as just another one of those spineless nobles under his command — whatever came to mind simply tumbled out of his mouth without passing through his brain. And now, not only did it mean he was reaching his hand into the territorial nobles' rights of governance, drawing the sidelong glances of his own subordinates, but these words had also backed the Norton Family into a corner where they had no choice but to fall out with him.
Lorist had made it crystal clear — I gave you face by bringing Viscount Yaslan before you to deal with. Since you want to shield him, don't blame us for being discourteous.
"Then what do you want to do? Count Norton..." The Second Prince spoke with deliberate, measured words, grinding his teeth in silent fury inside.
"Simple. We are very dissatisfied with your proposed handling of the matter, so we can only deal with this according to the Norton Family's rules." Lorist made a throat-slitting gesture. Behind him, Falrey drew his longsword and with a gentle slash, the Viscount Yaslan lying on the ground was instantly severed at the neck...
The entire hall fell silent...
No one had expected Lorist would order Viscount Yaslan beheaded in public, and at a banquet held in his honor no less.
A few screams pierced the air as several noble ladies fainted at the gruesome sight...
With a clatter, Count Yaslan's sword fell from his hand. He swayed on his feet, staring down at his brother's severed head and body on the ground, then fixed Lorist with a venomous glare: "Very well. You can expect the Yaslan family's vengeance!"
With that, Count Yaslan strode out of the grand hall.
The golden goblet in the Second Prince's hand had been crushed out of shape in his grip. This was a public slap in the face! Lorist had ruthlessly ordered Viscount Yaslan beheaded right in front of the Second Prince without so much as a pretense of leaving him face. The Second Prince felt his cheeks burning, his entire body trembling with fury he could no longer contain.
"Madmen — are the Nortons all mad?" That was the thought running through the minds of the assembled nobles, led by Marquis Redder...
"Wow, so decisive and ruthless — I love it..." This came from Princess Carrie, whose eyes had grown dewy with admiration...
*Bang!* The Second Prince slammed his goblet onto the table and shot to his feet: "Count Norton, how dare you! You killed Viscount Yaslan right before my eyes! Do you even acknowledge the Andinak royal family? Are you still a lord of this kingdom?"
Lorist showed no sign of backing down. Instead, he took two steps forward and stared the Second Prince down: "The Norton Family has always been loyal to the Krisen imperial house and has never neglected its duties. The Empire is now fractured and in disarray, yet the Nortons still recognize the Andinak royal house — which inherited the Krisen throne — as the rightful sovereign. We accepted your commission, and in the Northland we have fought battle after battle against the traitorous Grand Duke of the Northland and the Second Prince. Has the Andinak royal house ever given us a shred of support?
"Did you really expect us to travel thousands of miles to pay our respects, only to find our fiefdom trampled into a sorry state? Every stray cat and dog has been running wild on our lands — just because we weren't there? Don't forget, Your Highness, when the children of nobles seized the manors in our territory, you called it nothing more than youthful mischief, and we gave you face by letting them go. One of your battalion commanders led troops into our family territory, bound and beat the mayor we appointed to manage the estate, and extorted money — and you said he violated military discipline and would be dealt with as a soldier. We complied with your orders then.
But now this tax inspector you appointed took it upon himself to play the new lord while we were away, squeezing our people dry and sparking a near-rebellion that almost got out of hand — and you still want to shield him. So let me ask you, Your Highness: do you even have the Norton Family in your eyes at all? Do you even recognize us as lords of this kingdom? You block us from exercising our lawful rights as lords — what exactly are you trying to achieve?"
The Second Prince's jaw went slack, and no words came out. Indeed, Lorist had already given him considerable face. The first two times, he had complied with the prince's wishes and let those noble children and Golden Knight Finwanmte go. The late Viscount Yaslan had committed even graver offenses than the previous two groups, so it was entirely reasonable that Lorist refused to spare him. Had Lorist simply followed the Second Prince's wishes in this matter, the Norton Family would have lost enormous face among the nobility — it was a matter of the family's honor and dignity, and it was no wonder Lorist would rather burn bridges than yield.
But the fury in the Second Prince's heart only burned brighter. So you protected the Norton Family's honor and dignity — but what about my face? The Second Prince glared at Lorist, and Lorist stared right back at the Second Prince. Thunder seemed to crackle between their locked gazes...
A figure suddenly stepped in front of the Second Prince. It was a well-dressed old man in his fifties, tall and broad. He slowly drew the sword from his hand: "Count, I have no wish to involve myself in your quarrel with His Highness, nor to comment on who is right and who is wrong. However, I will absolutely not permit anyone to draw a blade and commit violence with impunity before His Highness. Step aside — I must teach your Family Knights what hierarchy means, what etiquette is, and what the rules are..."
"And who are you?" Lorist turned his gaze toward the old man.
The old man cast a contemptuous look at Lorist: "Step aside, Count. I have no wish to hurt you. I am the royal court's sworn protector, Great Swordmaster David Clement."
After announcing his name, the old man drew himself up to his full height, seemingly eager to see Lorist go pale with shock and scramble to grovel for mercy.
Oh, so that's the handsome David's father? They say when you beat the cub, the old tiger shows up — but I haven't even touched your little brat yet, so what are you doing barging out here?
Lorist glanced at the Second Prince and saw that he had relaxed and settled back into his seat, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips...
"Son of a bitch, is he trying to find some excuse to mess with me? Fine, let's see who ends up laughing last." Lorist thought bitterly, while at the same time, he slowly drew the ceremonial sword at his belt, inch by inch.
"So what if you're a Great Swordmaster? If you want to lecture my knight, you'll have to go through me first." Lorist spat on the ground right in front of the old man's feet.
The old man's face flushed red instantly: "You brat, how dare you be so disrespectful to me!"
Spitting before someone was a deliberate act of contempt and humiliation. The old man truly didn't understand how this brat, who hadn't even reached the Silver rank, dared treat a Great Swordmaster like himself with such insolence. But that didn't stop him from teaching this arrogant Count a lesson—a lesson he would remember forever.
"Come on, old man. Don't just stand there spouting threats," Lorist continued to provoke.
The old man bellowed in fury. His longsword swept horizontally, the flat of the blade aimed straight for Lorist's left cheek—this was a move meant to slap his face, literally. If this hit landed, swollen cheek or not, half his teeth would definitely be knocked out.
He engaged Lorist with contempt in his heart.
The Second Prince calmly sat back down. Good, Locke. You had the justification just now, so I couldn't touch you. But I can still use my influence to crush you into submission at my feet. You think the Norton Family having a few Gold Knights makes you remarkable? A frog at the bottom of a well! I have far more Gold Knights under my command than you can imagine, and I have a Great Swordmaster, too.
I'll use this Great Swordmaster to teach your knight a lesson, so you understand you have nothing to rely on in front of me. Forget the army of three hundred thousand; in terms of personal martial strength alone, you are no match. This isn't like five years ago. Back then, your family's armed forces were indeed formidable, but you are just one family, while I am an entire kingdom. And you still pick a fight with a Great Swordmaster? You really don't know your place. This Great Swordmaster will teach you how to behave in no time.
Then, the Second Prince immediately shot to his feet again. He wasn't the only one; all the nobles attending the banquet gasped in surprise. The one who was about to be "taught how to behave in no time" was, in fact, the Great Swordmaster Clement, who had been brimming with confidence. Now, he was struggling left and right under Lorist's thunderous, almost maddened attacks, drenched in sweat and parrying with extreme difficulty. Anyone with eyes could see he was already at a clear disadvantage and would soon be defeated.
Standing in the middle, Faraya, Al,
With a resonant clang, the two swords clashed, and the Great Swordmaster's long blade went flying high, landing right on the Second Prince's table. Meanwhile, Lorist used his ceremonial rapier to tap the old man's cheek. "Great Swordmaster? Heh — with skill like this, you still wanted to teach my knight about etiquette? Come back and settle the score with me after you've reached old man Galinan's level."
"You've fought Galinan before?" The old man was stunned. Great Swordmaster Galinan was known as half a step from the pinnacle — the one among all the Great Swordmasters of the former Krisen Empire who had the highest chance of advancing to Sword Saint. His reputation was immense.
"He's dead. Killed by my family's armed forces," Lorist said with nonchalance. "We crushed the Second Prince's hundred-thousand-strong army and slew that Great Swordmaster called Ruinse. After the Second Prince fled, he sent this Galinan to assassinate me. In the end, Galinan died at the hands of our family's armed forces."
"That's impossible!" the Second Prince blurted out, and the assembled nobles erupted into agitated discussion. Defeating the Second Prince's hundred-thousand-strong army — perhaps that was conceivable — but claiming to have killed both Great Swordmasters in the Second Prince's retinue was almost impossible to believe. Could a Great Swordmaster really be that foolish, just standing there and letting your family's forces surround and attack him? The man had legs — he could run.
"It's been nearly a year and you still haven't received detailed intelligence? I'm honestly in awe of all of you. Did you really think that having three hundred thousand soldiers meant you could steamroll your way to unifying the empire? What a fantasy," Lorist muttered under his breath.
"Nothing impossible about it. I was the one who hung old man Galinan's corpse up for display — by now there should be nothing left but rotten bones." Lorist turned around. "Bring it in! Present our evidence. Consider it a congratulatory gift to the royal household — let everyone see just who has been faithfully serving the kingdom!"
...(To be continued.)