Knight Patch, surrounded by a host of attendants, flung his hand away in a fit of rage.
“To hell with this! If you don’t want me at this banquet, I don’t want to be here either! It’s just a lousy party, what’s there to fancy about it?”
With these words, Patch shoved aside the attendants’ spears and stormed out of the hall, seething with anger.
Baron Fernsouth watched Patch leave and quickly adjusted his facial expression, striving to appear amiable.
He turned to Kaido, Zoron, and Howard, saying, “My three loyal knights, welcome to Castle Fernsouth during this bountiful harvest season. I have prepared a lavish feast and the renowned Sun Circus Troupe for your entertainment. I hope you enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”
One by one, the three knights raised their wine glasses and responded, “Yes, my lord.”
The warmth of the banquet momentarily made Howard feel as if the interactions between lords were always this congenial.
However, he hadn’t forgotten Patch’s fury directed at him just before the official start of the event.
Howard reminded himself not to get lost in this seemingly sweet and cozy illusion and to remember that the world was fraught with dangers for him.
The feast primarily consisted of meats, revealing the lords’ seemingly insatiable desire for flesh.
The Church of the Empire had clearly stated that greed was a sin and advocated for a life of purity.
Yet, once these lords began their meal, the scene was anything but elegant.
They seemed to have cast aside all notions of grace as they indulged in their voracious appetites.
Knight Kaido was holding a chicken leg in each hand, still chewing on the chicken meat he had eaten moments before.
Knight Zoron, too, showed an extraordinary enthusiasm for the meat, eating heartily and in stark contrast to his earlier demeanor.
Baron Fernsouth was no different, eating with abandon.
Howard, while eating his own meal, couldn’t help but wonder, “What if their stomachs get too full?”
Baron Fernsouth, with his corpulent figure, shifted slightly and raised his left hand, signaling for something.
An attendant, who had been waiting for a while, brought forth a potion.
Howard, unfamiliar with such a thing, paused his fork mid-air.
Knight Kaido, upon seeing the potion, seemed to smirk but made no move to stop anything.
He glanced at the chicken leg in his hand and continued eating.
Knight Zoron, on the other hand, acted as if nothing unusual was happening, as though it was all part of the norm.
Baron Fernsouth opened the bottle of the potion and tilted it towards his mouth, gulping down the liquid with a gurgling sound.
Howard, puzzled, asked, “My lord, what is that? It has a purplish hue; is it something harmful? Baron Fernsouth, you should be careful with your health.”
Baron Fernsouth replied nonchalantly, “Oh, it’s just an emetic. Don’t worry about it.”
Howard blurted out in disbelief, “An emetic? You’re taking an emetic while eating at a banquet?”
Knight Zoron turned to Howard and said, “Have you fallen so low that you don’t even know what an emetic is?”
Knight Kaido interjected, “Zoron, don’t mock Howard. It’s not his fault that he’s poor. He has been trying hard.”
After finishing his potion, Baron Fernsouth casually tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder, which was deftly caught by a waiting maid.
She took the bottle and retreated with a respectful curtsy.
Howard, turning towards Knight Zoron, questioned, “Am I misunderstanding something? This is a banquet, why would one use an emetic? Why consume so much, only to expel it afterward? What’s the point of eating all this food then?”
Baron Fernsouth glanced at Howard, his look unfriendly.
He perceived Howard’s words as an indictment of gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins condemned by the Church.
Baron Fernsouth felt a growing urge to silence Howard.
He had organized the banquet for enjoyment, not to endure nagging reprimands akin to a fly buzzing in his ear.
Knight Zoron explained to Howard, “Nobility pursues pleasure. They like to indulge in eating at banquets.”
Howard almost retorted, “Indulging in eating is one thing, but this is quite another.”
However, catching Baron Fernsouth’s hostile look from the corner of his eye, he changed his response.
“Oh, I see. It’s a form of enjoyment for the nobility. My apologies for my ignorance. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.”
Baron Fernsouth’s face brightened with a smile again.
Knight Zoron’s expression remained unchanged, his thoughts inscrutable.
Knight Kaido continued eating, seemingly indifferent to the conversation. 𝘳𝘦.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Time ticked away, second by second, and the banquet that Howard found so unbearable finally came to an end.
He was not one to indulge in the cycle of eating and then using an emetic, only to continue eating as if nothing had happened.
Howard noticed that although Knight Kaido’s eating manners were a bit unsightly at the beginning, he did not resort to using an emetic.
Like Howard, he stopped eating when he was full.
Knight Zoron and Baron Fernsouth, on the other hand, used the emetic to eat, then vomit, and eat again until they could no longer continue.
Their behavior deeply disgusted Howard.
In these troubled times, so many people struggled to find enough to eat.
Howard clenched his fists in secret, contemplating punishment for Baron Fernsouth and Knight Zoron for their wastefulness.
As the banquet concluded, Baron Fernsouth, with his distended belly, waved goodbye to everyone.
The guests slowly departed after offering their respects.
Knight Zoron, clearly not interested in further conversation with Howard, hurried away.
Knight Kaido approached Howard, having developed an interest in him.
Kaido’s impression of Howard had improved during the banquet due to Howard’s behavior and attitudes.
Kaido, a man of true knightly virtue, also disapproved of using emetics at banquets, considering it a wasteful practice.
Howard and Kaido, along with their squires, walked down the pathway.
Kaido’s squire was a robust young man, his muscular arms and commanding presence inspiring confidence.
Kaido broke the silence, “Do you think their actions constitute the sin of gluttony?”
Howard replied with certainty, “Yes, I always heard about the seven deadly sins and had some trouble understanding gluttony. It wasn’t until I saw these people indulging in the use of emetics at banquets that I truly understood what gluttony means. They are excessively indulgent in pleasure.”
Kaido’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, “I too hold disdain for their actions. It’s not what someone who adheres to the knightly virtues should do. Would you be willing to form an alliance with me, to do what we believe is right under Baron Fernsouth’s rule?”
Howard turned to Anna and inquired, “Anna, how can we form an alliance with Kaido?”
Anna explained thoughtfully, “A marriage alliance automatically forms a non-aggression pact between two parties. Subsequently, under the terms of the marriage, both sides can exchange intentions further. If both agree, it forms an offensive and defensive alliance. In situations where either party goes to war, the other is obligated to join the battle.”
Howard, puzzled, asked, “A marriage alliance? I have neither sons nor daughters. How can I form a marital alliance with other nobles?”
Anna’s cheeks flushed slightly as she responded, “My lord, aren’t you also single? Couldn’t you yourself enter into a marriage alliance?”
Howard remarked, “I’m afraid that might not be appropriate.”
He was not a man to act rashly or use any means necessary to achieve his goals.
Kaido then said, “In that case, let’s discuss this matter another time.”
After a brief conversation, the two parted ways and returned to their respective domains.
Upon returning to his domain, Howard sought out Julian’s sister, and his own nominal sister, Flandre.
He explained Kaido’s proposal about forming an alliance, and Flandre was more than willing.
Howard then summoned Vettel, instructing him to negotiate the details with Knight Kaido’s territory, conveying that there were no objections from Flandre’s side.
Vettel bowed and departed to carry out his task.
That night, a meeting was convened in the lord’s hall.
Howard asked everyone to discuss their chances of victory in a potential battle against Knight Patch.
Anna, Marguerite, and Resarite attended this meeting.
Anna confidently stated, “We can muster troops from three villages, while Patch has only one.
With our numbers being thrice theirs, victory is almost assured.”
Marguerite, with her characteristic shyness, added, “I agree. I believe that if we engage in battle with Knight Patch, our chances of winning are high.”
Resarite reported, “According to the information from Bosiden, the villagers of Kenfa Village lack training and the village isn’t wealthy. There are even some who suffer from hunger. Their combat strength is undoubtedly low. In contrast, our soldiers in Yami Village, trained by me, can now form disciplined ranks. Once on the battlefield, equipped with Leather Armor and iron swords, we should sustain minimal losses.”
Howard, arms crossed, nodded slightly upon hearing Resarite’s assessment.
The flickering candlelight cast a shifting glow over Howard’s face, adding a sense of depth and solemnity to his expression.
He then asked Resarite, “The purchase of Leather Armor has been completed and stored. I plan to inspect them tomorrow. Any objections?”
Resarite, unflinchingly confident, responded, “No objections.”
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