“Why are you hesitating, Father?”
The Count flinched at the sound he heard next to him. Ray said in a voice without the slightest emotion.
“My lord, no, Sir Luke says he is all right. Shouldn’t we accept the deal right now?”
“Oh, it’s not something to be taken lightly. Could it be a trap?”
The Count said with a stern expression on his face. At first glance, it seems prudent, but in reality it was a postponement of the decision.
Of course, Luke and his party had no intention of leaving it that way. said Bruno, looking at the Count.
“Then do you intend to decline the negotiations?”
“I never said no.”
“It sounds like you accept it.”
“Why are you acting so hastily? I need time to think.”
The Count frowned and looked at Bruno. But the Count’s gaze posed no threat to Bruno.
“There is no such thing as time. Tell me whether you will abandon my lord or save him. That way, I won’t be able to choose either.”
The Count bit his lip at the callous reply. This was the problem. Refusing to negotiate here was the same as abandoning Luke.
‘Damn it, I’d rather die.’
It would have been better if Luke had been killed by the elves. Ray and Bruno’s anger would have returned to the elves, and they could have requested reinforcements from the Church and Bernstein.
Even if he resigned from the elves now, there was hope for a comeback. But everything went wrong when Luke was taken prisoner alive.
‘If I refuse to negotiate here, I will rather become a target.’
Failing to save a hostage due to lack of ability and abandoning it despite being able to save it is the difference between heaven and earth.
It was the latter, to anyone who refused to negotiate. The wrath of the Church and the Bernstein family will be directed at the Earl before the Elves.
“What do you guys think? Do you think we should accept the deal?”
The cornered count looked at the children of the other four families. The children of the aristocrats shut their mouths in unison.
I wanted to tell them to accept the negotiations right away. Confronting that elven army was like a nightmare.
But if I did, it was obvious that I would always be stamped by the count.
‘Ttsk, they seem like guys with no spirit.’
When he didn’t get the answer he wanted, the count clicked his tongue inwardly. It wasn’t a bad result though. Silence was like a suspension after all.
Even this much, the count’s responsibilities could be dispersed to other families. The Count looked at Bruno with a relaxed expression.
“Seeing that no one answered, I had time to think a little more… … .”
“You must accept the deal!”
For an instant, the count’s face hardened. When I turned my head, Leon was in front of me.
“Sir Luke sacrificed himself to save us. But why do you hesitate even when the opportunity to save him has come?”
The air froze. The children of the other three families looked at Leone with blank expressions.
‘Is this crazy now?’
I know that the Winslow family, Ray, and Luke are close. But tightrope walking is also a way to report the situation.
Not to mention a master who must continue to be with her, like Count Herning’s family. The count’s gaze grew cold.
“Is that what the Winslows mean?”
I was simply asking back, but it seemed like I could hear the back saying that I wouldn’t regret it. Leon closed his eyes.
It reminded me of what had happened last night.
* * *
The day Luke took hostages and helped others escape. In a gloomy atmosphere, Ray came to Leone.
Rion was surprised and greeted Ray. Even though his master was taken away, Ray’s expression remained calm.
-sister? Why are you here… … .
-Leon, do you remember the conversation you had with your lord?
Leon was taken aback by the calm voice. Reyda has always treated Rion with respect.
Such Ray hit John Dae for the first time. It was not because of family affection, but because of a sincere warning.
-You said you would support your master no matter what.
– Yes, yes.
– Would that be the case even if the lord confronted Count Valdemar?
Leon kept his mouth shut. It was a difficult question. If it was a confrontation with the other three families, there would be nothing to worry about, but a count.
Ray continued without waiting for Leon’s answer.
– Either way doesn’t matter. But if you choose the Count, I will take Mother with you.
-Now, wait a minute, sister. Why are you like this all of a sudden?
-It’s simple. There is no need to entrust my mother to a ruined family.
-… … !
Leon’s face hardened. What on earth did he do to make the count’s support lead to the downfall of the family?
There was only one answer. That Sir Luke and the Earl are in conflict, and that they are already moving to get rid of the Earl.
My throat was dry and cold sweat broke out.
-What do you think Sir Luke? Could it be that you were taken hostage on purpose?
– No need to know.
-Sister, please.
-If you see a possibility after knowing it, do you intend to support it? It’s ugly. Where is the faithfulness you so well spoken about?
Seeing Ray’s cold eyes, Leone couldn’t say anything. Ray turned his back and left a word.
-Now you are my father’s substitute. If the family is ruined because of you, that would also be the father’s own gain.
* * *
Leon knew. Here was the crossroads of choice. Rion trusted her intuition and bet on Luke.
“Yes, my answer is the Winslow family’s will.”
“That’s right.”
The Count’s eyes as he looked at Leone became even more bleak. However, Leon stood firm and did not bite the horse.
The Count saw it and gnashed his teeth.
‘Damn you bastard. How dare you ruin it at a time like this!’
Once the word came out, there was no way to relieve the responsibility. Even though the opinion came out, the Count ignored it, so a picture would be drawn.
In the end, the Count chewed his lips and said.
“Let me accept the deal.”
“A wise choice.”
At Bruno’s words, the Count became even more sh*t-chewed. After the meeting ended and each went home, Leon sighed.
Lyon didn’t know what would happen now. Someone approached Leone who was looking up at the sky to soothe his stuffy stomach.
“Brother Leon?”
“Who are you?”
Leon looked at the person who spoke sharply. Looking back, he was a familiar man. It was a servant who served by Luke’s side.
“This is Max. Do you remember me?”
“I have to remember, but what happened?”
“This is a note to be delivered to someone who made a wise choice.”
Max handed the folded note to Leon. Leon received the note bewildered and read the contents.
After reading the contents, Leon’s eyes shook violently. Max whispered to Leon.
“My master said. Wise choices are always rewarded.”
Leon nodded without speaking. As Max left, Leon crumpled up the note he had just received and swallowed it with a gulp.
And then I muttered to myself. He said it was fortunate that he supported Luke.
* * *
The conditions the Elves presented for the negotiations were simple.
First, the two sides exchange hostages. Anything, regardless of the number.
Second, the two sides meet with representatives of each other to find a compromise.
Third, representatives of both sides may have up to two escorts.
In fact, except for the exchange of hostages, it was about meeting and deciding. It was a proposal that was nothing special, but the story is different if the other party’s military power is overwhelming.
Just trying to talk is like being merciful. From the Count’s point of view, it was an oddly generous offer in itself.
‘How come it resembles my technique.’
It lays a bait that the other party can’t refuse, and the moment it bites, the bait is retrieved.
Wasn’t it a tactic he used against Luke as well? The elf’s proposal for negotiations smelled like that.
‘No, no. It is still before negotiations. There is no need to be anxious in advance.’
Finding traps should be easy if you use the trick you used. You just need to keep your mind straight at the negotiating table.
Having made that decision, the count prepared to go to the negotiating table.
‘The problem is the escort. I can only take two people with me.’
The count pondered for a long time. If you prioritize reliability, it is right to bring your own article.
The problem was that his own knights were powerless against the elves. If you put your mind to it, you will be killed in an instant.
In the end, the Count had no choice but to call Ray and Bruno.
-Ray, come with me. Lord Bruno, will you escort me?
– Yes, father.
– I’d be happy to.
It was an inevitable choice because there were only two knights who could stand up to the elves. The two accepted the Count’s offer with kindness.
After all the preparations, the Count waited for the next day. And as soon as the day dawned, an army of elves appeared in front of the castle.
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“Awesome. Did you cover your entire body with magic tools?”
“Damn it, I think I’ll lose even if I wear this castle.”
“Shhh, don’t be silly.”
Even with the sound of the soldiers murmuring, the Count could not dare to stop it. I saw the army yesterday too, but seeing it again was chilling.
It seemed unlikely that even these impregnable double walls and deep moats could hold it back.
‘Maybe my choice was right.’
The count swallowed dry saliva and proceeded to the front of the castle wall with two escorts. On the elf side, the Grand Duke came out with two elves.
The two met while riding horses right in the center with the army bitten.
“Did you come out like this to accept the negotiations?”
“exactly.”
“Okay, then let’s start with a hostage exchange.”
“Wait a minute, before that… … .”
“Don’t think of cheating, human. I have not forgotten what you did to my daughter.”
The Count broke into a cold sweat at the Grand Duke’s cold words. It was the count who cut off the princess’s tongue and severed the tendons in her limbs.
The last of the patience of the grand duke might be exhausted if he kept thinking about this and that.
“Ah, okay.”
“We will send our hostages first. Send the elves you captured too.”
At the count’s gaze, the soldiers sent seven elves out of the castle wall. They were emaciated, perhaps due to malnutrition, but they were all relatively fine.
Subsequently, the Archduke also showed Luke. Both sides exchanged hostages in such a way that each other’s hostage walked towards the other side.
Luke did not go straight through the castle gates, but headed towards the Count.
“Lord.”
“Thank you for your effort.”
“What is the trouble?”
With a smile, Luke happily reunited with the two retainers. The Count frowned and looked at Luke.
“Sir Luke, why are you here?”
“Is there any reason you can’t come?”
“Why did you come this way when you return to the safe castle? This is not a place for negotiations.”
“Never mind. I just came to watch.”
“What nonsense… … !”
The Count, who was about to say something, was taken aback. Something was strange. The courtesy that Luke had at least formally had disappeared.
It was as if he had nothing to do with you anymore. As if to shake off the strong feeling, the count cleared his throat.
“Hey, you’re just watching. I am the one who decides.”
“Of course.”
Luke smiled and nodded. The Count looked at the Grand Duke again and opened his mouth.
“I’d like to start negotiating soon.”
“Don’t let that happen. First of all, our requirements are simple.”
While the two were talking, Luke went behind the Count. Luke, Ray, and Bruno.
Not a single one of them paid allegiance to the Count. The Count vaguely noticed this fact, but tried to ignore it.
Reassuring yourself that nothing will happen until the negotiations are over.