"The power of words," Ryan replied. "Don't worry—everyone will hear that it was the brave Baron Hatton who chased away a shrieking woman from a knight's domain."
Hatton beamed with pride at that.
Two more days passed before Ryan finally received the long-awaited response from Baron Roch.
"Ryan! Ryan, it's terrible! That bastard Roch actually brought an army into my domain!"
Hatton came running in a panic, clothes half-done, his face pale with fear.
"My slaves say Roch brought thousands of troops. They've already pushed into my farmland from the south!"
"Thousands?" Ryan's expression turned flat.
"Can your slaves even count?" he asked dryly. "What, did Roch bring his entire domain with him?"
Hatton paused and then, realizing, growled in frustration.
"Damn that lying slave! I'll whip him to death for deceiving a noble like me!"
"Let's go meet this 'Baron Roch' of yours," Ryan said calmly.
