Chapter 47: Blackstone’s Reputation
Soon afternoon came, and the sun reached its peak.
"My lord, we have officially entered StormVeil County."
Slowly I opened my eyes as I heard Margaret’s voice from the side.
Then after opening my eyes fully, I noticed she was pointing to outside.
I nodded at her, but instead of looking outside, I first checked on Aurielle, as she was already awake and was now sitting by the window.
Then I got confused, as both Nyx and Myrkhal were now missing, but when I concentrated on the link we shared, I found the answer. I could feel that they were inside me, but sleeping.
On this a sigh of relief escaped my mouth; after that I got close to Aurielle’s seat and leaned alongside her while also looking outside.
There in the distance, large caravans along with many people were moving, and some type of beast that I had never seen before but looked like Bastion was carrying the load as they pulled the cart.
Even though we are still in a forest region, the roads connecting to the main territory seem to be well maintained, and any beast cry was also not coming towards this area, which shows that the lord takes good care of his territory.
Then I heard Aurielle’s melancholic voice.
"Ten years ago, we were also part of Stormveil County."
"But after my mother became the ruler of Blackstone Highlands, she removed herself from Stormveil County following that incident."
She paused for a moment as she remembered her mother’s bloodied body.
"Because when the blackstone got attacked, she asked for help from everyone. Sadly, not even Stormveil County helped us."
Her face became sad, and she told me the news they heard: that Count did order everyone to help us, but everyone gave excuses that they were also facing threats inside their territory, so they couldn’t send their forces outside.
Later, Count got angry, and he himself prepared to save us, but then a letter came to him from the palace, saying if he moved, then the fight would become big, and the empire couldn’t face this now.
As Aurielle finished saying all this, her face changed to anger and she shouted. "Cowards!"
Then her eyes become moist as she looks toward me while continuing in a loud voice.
"Don’t they know that the concubine of the human emperor is there?"
A tear finally dropped and was released from her eyes; I got sad seeing this and brought my hands to wipe that tear and hold her in a hug.
Margaret also listened from the side, and her eyes also got wet.
"They know, but still no help comes."
Aurielle’s sad voice come, but she finally calms down a little in my embrace.
"Fortunately, with the help of terrain and at the cost of soldiers sacrifice, we were able to defend the territory."
I felt her hands suddenly hold me tightly as she finished her sentence.
On this I felt bad for her and said to her in a loving voice, "I am here, honey."
Then I lightly patted her back, to which she nodded but didn’t separate from me.
As we traveled, I observed the surrounding trees were getting shorter and shorter, and in the distance, we could see some villages as well.
Finally, after traveling for two more hours, we reached the Count’s territory, as the fiftyf oot tall black stone wall, heavily reinforced, could be seen even from a great distance.
I got shocked after seeing this. Aurielle saw my shocked face from the side and started laughing.
That laugh embarrassed me a little, so I just coughed to hide my embarrassment, but my gaze still didn’t remove itself from the count territory huge wall.
"How long is this?" This thought comes into my mind, as I can’t see the edges from here at all.
As we got closer to the wall, we saw a long line of people queuing in front of the huge gate, which had many archers and ballistae mounted above it.
I focused and counted the numbers; it seemed like hundreds of archers. Then I found more than 100 soldiers fully armed were also stationed outside; they do the inspection of every good, and some even check the poster if there are any wanted people.
Because of this, many people got irritated, but they still obliged and removed their cloaks and masks if they were wearing any.
Then my gaze turns toward one side of the gate; there a person is sitting with a carefree expression.
He is fully armed and was not hiding his aura at all. "Even the silver knight is there?" I got shocked because he just seems to be a gatekeeper.
Upon seeing this, I asked Aurielle.
Aurielle heard my shocked voice and nodded before replying.
"Most territories do this to show off their power and to prevent some idiots from having some foolish thoughts."
After that, she leaned forward and knocked on the wall of the carriage; a moment later, a small wooden panel slid open, revealing the driver’s face.
"Follow the noble line."
"Yes, my lady."
The coach driver nodded, then turned their carriage toward the noble line, which was empty.
Soon, many people also noticed the small carriage, modestly decorated and have the symbol of a silver sword planted into a black mountain beneath a howling wolf.
We moved toward the noble line, along with twenty knights who were heavily armored and followed the carriage closely.
The gate guards also stopped as they saw a carriage moving toward the noble line, and then they observed the symbol and soon found out.
"Blackstone Highlands."
One guard muttered it, which was heard by a few people, and soon everyone found out as well.
"Why are they here?"
One adventurer asked the surrounding group, and they gave him an idiotic look.
"Don’t you know? That count’s youngest daughter’s birthday is going to be held soon."
His expression changed as he really didn’t know, and then someone added another line.
"It seems like even though Blackstone became poor, they are still noble, so that’s why maybe the count invited them."
One merchant from the Ashenford heard this, and his face became ugly because he heard the rumors that Master Roland and Darius Ashenford also disappeared in that Blackstone territory.
So with a sour face, he said.
"I don’t think they got any invitation."
The surrounding group’s eyes widened because talking badly about a noble often resulted in execution, but when they realized he was talking about the Blackstone Territory, they calmed down because those nobles didn’t have enough forces to defend themselves, so how could they uphold their honor as well?
Seeing everyone calm down, he continued.
"I heard that their territory is on the verge of collapse, and even the river water has been cut off."
"And all of this occurred because that exiled princess made her husband, that talentless hero, the new lord."
"What?" Everyone was shocked after hearing this, as the news of the new lord had not yet reached the common adventurers and merchants. Only nobles and some high-level merchants knew about it.
[Chapter End]
