Tramp, tramp, tramp…
At the gates of Liberty City, the logistics train for Count George's knight order had finally cleared the city, leaving behind a group of a dozen or so minor nobles from the Western Lands.
"Well? What do you guys think?" A middle-aged man with a scruffy beard asked, breaking the silence.
"What's there to think? We stay here and wait for news like good little boys," One noble replied dismissively.
"Heh... you're telling me none of you saw those leaflets last night?" Yosen sneered, casting a look of contempt at the few who were feigning ignorance.
Yosen had been formally invited by the fourth prince via a direct decree, unlike some of the others who had come crawling on their own. This gave him a bit more status in the Prince's eyes. The reason? He dealt in horses. He had sold a large number of mounts to Sedona City in the past, but the partnership had ended when he discovered Lucas had found a cheaper supplier elsewhere. Yosen couldn't lower his prices without going bankrupt—his sourcing costs were too high—so he had lost the Sedona City business and was forced to look for a new patron. The fourth prince seemed like the perfect candidate.
However, over the last few days, the Prince had been dismissive toward him, even sending subordinates to drop hints that Yosen should tribute his warhorses for free.
Originally, Yosen planned to play hard to get, dangling the horses to secure a better position as the Prince's right-hand man. But those leaflets last night changed everything. If the fourth prince truly couldn't take the throne, Yosen stood to lose not just his investment, but his life.
He wasn't the only one feeling this way. The Western Lands were remote, and while the nobles lacked broad vision, they were instinctively sensitive to shifts in power. Once a seed of doubt was planted, they began to sway like reeds in the wind.
"We saw them. But what can we do? We're already here," Another noble grumbled.
"I'm thinking of leaving. What about you?" Yosen thought of Lucas, the Baron who had once bought his horses. That man's aura and confidence were things Yosen had never been able to forget.
"What? You're leaving? Going back to your territory?" The bearded noble asked in disbelief.
"Did you guys receive invitations from Sedona City a few weeks ago?" Yosen asked in a low voice.
A few weeks prior, Yosen had received a formal invitation to a banquet in Sedona City, with the promise of discussing a business deal worth five hundred gold coins a year. If he hadn't received the fourth prince's summons shortly after, he'd likely be in Sedona City enjoying fine wine right now.
"We got them. So? You want to go to Sedona City now?" One noble looked at Yosen as if he were an idiot.
"I'm considering it," Yosen admitted. "The analysis on those papers made sense. Following the fourth prince feels too dangerous."
"Yosen, have you lost your mind? Count George is literally leading an army to sack the place right now. You go there and you're dead!"
"Exactly. I'm not joining your suicide mission. I'm going back to my lands to wait and see how this plays out."
Several nobles voiced their disapproval, warning Yosen against such a reckless move.
"No, you're the ones being slow. I'm not stupid," Yosen rolled his eyes. "My plan is to follow Count George's army from a safe distance. If Lucas fails to stop the count, I'll just follow the army back. But if he does stop them... then I'll simply arrive late to fulfill Lucas's invitation."
"I don't see how Lucas can win. He's capable, sure, but he can't stop a thousand armored knights," One noble argued.
"Yosen, tell us the truth: do you actually believe the leaflets? Do you think Lucas really has a thousand knights of his own? He couldn't possibly afford to maintain them," Another questioned.
This group of nobles had formed a small clique to protect their interests against the fourth prince's original inner circle.
"It's a gut feeling. I feel like Lucas might win," Yosen said gravely as everyone looked at him. "You know I dealt with him. Lucas feels... different. He carries himself like a High Prince—his clothes, his bearing, the way he acts. It's unlike any Baron I've ever met."
"Is he really that impressive?" The others were stunned. They knew Yosen was sharp and more capable than most of them, so they tended to value his opinion. "Whatever. I'm going to pack and follow the army. If things look bad, I'll turn around. No harm done," Yosen said, shrugging as he walked away.
The remaining nobles looked at each other. Who could have expected this shift?
"Well... I suppose I'll go along too. Think of it as a... tour."
"I've heard so much about Sedona City but never seen it. Might as well see what the fuss is about."
"Exactly! Besides, I want to see how Count George commands a real battle."
Using various flimsy excuses, more than half of the minor nobles left, trailing far behind Count George's main force.
As soon as they left, the fourth prince, Liam, received the report. He smashed several cups in a rage, shredding the confiscated leaflets into tiny pieces.
"That bastard Lucas! How dare he!"
"Those bastards! Trying to play both sides? Do they really think Lucas can win?" Liam roared within his chambers.
"Your Highness, shall I send men to... handle these lowly nobles?" The Chief Knight asked, making a throat-cutting gesture.
"Get out!" Liam screamed. "Are you an idiot? A complete moron? If I kill them now, who will be left to support me?"
Killing one or two might serve as a warning, but slaughtering over a dozen nobles would alienate every lord in the Western Lands. They would turn against him out of pure self-preservation, wondering who would be next. He was furious, but he wasn't stupid; if he were, he would have been killed by his elder brothers long ago.
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