Chapter 523: Bloodstained Pearl
In the evening, Kalvin Kant summoned the northern nobles to the castle.
A blazing fire burned in the banquet hall, casting everyone's shadows on the walls. The swaying flames made the shadows dance, like a bizarre mural.
Four long tables placed across the hall were laden with steaming meat and wine, resembling a lavish banquet, but the atmosphere was far from relaxed, especially after the Duke announced the news of the royal capital's fall.
"I have sent men to retrieve the team that departed four days ago. If we are lucky, they may still be alive," he said in a deep voice from the head seat. "The key is... what should we do with the North?"
The nobles exchanged glances. The news that Tifeco hadn't even held the capital for a day was so shocking that no one dared to answer for a moment. Kalvin saw fear and regret in the eyes of many minor nobles. Edith was right; people like this would never be able to resist Roland Wimbledon. The option of becoming kings in their own right never existed from the start. They really only had one path to take.
However, for the nobles who had just turned to support Tifeco, it was a little embarrassing to suddenly switch sides.
"Why don't we send envoys to test the waters with the Fourth Prince?" someone said after a long pause.
"If he doesn't interfere with the North, we might as well support him as king," this remark was immediately seconded by another minor noble. "Anyway, it's all in the Wimbledon family, it doesn't matter who is king."
Earl Lister scoffed, "Doesn't matter?"
Kalvin raised an eyebrow. Here comes the main point.
Sure enough, after the Earl spoke, everyone's voice lowered, which made him quite uncomfortable. In fact, there wasn't much difference between the three factions. The Kant family was even a little worse... but he listened to his daughter's advice and was the first to show goodwill to Tifeco, which earned him this dukedom.
Of course, he also understood that this was one of the new king's methods of checks and balances—the other two families' contempt and dissatisfaction with him was probably something Tifeco was happy to see.
"Have you all forgotten about Duke Ace, who was executed for treason?" Lister said coldly. "He didn't actively provoke Tifeco. If we surrender from the beginning, the noose will be around our necks at any time, and it will be too late to struggle then! In the Fourth Prince's eyes, we actually participated in the rebellion, at least everyone is inseparable from Tifeco!"
"If we don't surrender, what can we do? Even the capital couldn't hold out for a day, we're just hitting a rock with an egg..." one of Kalvin's vassals retorted in a low voice according to the agreement, and his momentum seemed to be much weaker. Under the other party's angry glare, the second half of the sentence was almost inaudible.
"Whether it's an egg or not, I'm going to try," Ade Hoss said loudly. "The rebel king killed my brother! He will pay the price for this!"
"Who is the egg is still uncertain. The North has rolling mountains and dangerous roads everywhere. His army can gallop on the plains and rivers, but it may not be able to gain a foothold in the North." Earl Hoss followed closely, "At worst, the Horsehead family will retreat into the Windy Ridge. I don't believe his army can fly up there."
That would be exposing your back to the Church, Kalvin thought. Those people also had ill intentions towards the North. He had also heard about the matter of the eldest son of the Hoss family, who seemed to have died in a battle to conquer a lord in the Western Region... but how could war not kill people? If shouting alone could make the other party pay the price, then the knight's swords and armor would not be necessary.
The voices in the hall gradually became noisy. Due to the statements of the Lister and Hoss families, the voice advocating "standing still and preparing for the attack" slowly overwhelmed the side that "actively inquired about the Fourth Prince's situation and expressed goodwill." Although Kalvin had been silent, he was a little anxious.
I wonder if Edith is in trouble?
"I wonder what the Duke thinks?" Perhaps because he had been silent for too long, Earl Lister turned his gaze to him.
Kalvin's heart tightened. It was finally his turn. "I called you here to listen to everyone's opinions. After all, this matter concerns the future of the North, so we can't be too cautious—"
Earl Hoss interrupted impatiently, "Enough, you probably already planned to pledge allegiance to the Fourth Prince, otherwise why are those weak-minded guys all your vassals? Now that you hand over power, you will be lambs to the slaughter!"
"You..." Kalvin almost couldn't help but smash the wine glass in his hand.
"In that case, we have nothing to talk about," Lister stood up and walked towards the entrance of the banquet hall. "By the way, if you want the Fourth Prince to spare your life, you can also tie up Edith and offer her with both hands. I heard that guy is very interested in beauty—uh—"
The laughter of the crowd stopped abruptly with the Earl's silence. Everyone could see an extra sword tip behind him, the mottled blood on it emitting a dim light in the fire.
"Are you talking about me, Snow Fox? I can't pretend I didn't hear those words."
The Earl's body slid weakly to the side. A tall, armored warrior appeared in front of everyone. She pulled out her long sword expressionlessly, stepped over the still twitching and struggling Lister, and walked into the hall.
It was Edith Kant.
Kalvin's heart was immediately relieved.
Her armor was covered in dark red blood stains, obviously having just experienced a fight. Even so, her demeanor was still as elegant as usual, and her beautiful face carried a hint of sternness. Then a team of swordsmen filed in and surrounded the hall in an instant. At this point, everyone understood what had happened.
"The guards!" Earl Hoss widened his eyes. "You took care of the guards outside—"
"If I didn't get rid of them, how could I concentrate on dealing with you?" Kalvin breathed a sigh of relief and slammed the cup heavily on the ground. "You seem to have forgotten that I am the master of the North!"
He had been waiting for this moment. This kind of banquet was held every once in a while, and the major nobles were not very vigilant. The accompanying guards would not exceed a hundred people, and they would basically stay outside the castle area, which was suitable for wiping them out in one fell swoop. Once the other party's guards were successfully dealt with, the overall situation was basically set.
Of course, the decision-maker and executor of this plan was his daughter, the pearl of the North, Edith.
The door of the banquet hall slowly closed, and the fire swayed uncertainly with the cold wind.
The vassals of the two families drew their swords, while the minor nobles were frightened out of their wits.
"You're crazy!" Ade Hoss gritted his teeth.
Kalvin was no longer willing to waste words at this moment. "Those who lay down their weapons and surrender will be spared death. Those who resist... will be killed without mercy!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the two groups collided instantly.