Bosiden continued, “My lord does not wish to be your enemy, so he has sent me to negotiate terms of peace with you.”
Ferald, continuing to sip his corn soup, didn’t glance at Bosiden, and asked, “What are your lord’s conditions?”
Bosiden responded with a rare, hearty smile, “There are no conditions, Your Grace. We offer unconditional peace. After the negotiation, Your Grace will still be the lord of vast territories, and my lord will remain a humble friend.”
Lanvin, still clad in his shining silver armor – which had seen little action in the battles – spoke to his father, “Father, we cannot agree to this. Uncle is still waiting for our reinforcements.”
However, an elderly earl with a black, upward-curling mustache spoke up, “I do not support continuing this fight. We have already deployed all our troops. The losses we have suffered up to now are severe, and we cannot afford to go on. If we continue, I fear that Duke Jiakai, the old fox, might take advantage of our weakened state.”
Ferald set down his soup bowl, visibly wary of the prospect of other dukes attacking him in his moment of vulnerability.
Bosiden added, “Your Grace, my lord has no conflict of interest with you. You are in Florence, while my lord is within Duke Jiakai’s territory. Although not too far apart, my lord’s Earldom of Nok is still quite distant from your lands. If Your Grace continues to suffer losses within Nok, it could be a painful situation for your kin but a joyful one for your enemies.”
Bosiden added, “Your Grace, my lord has no conflict of interest with you. You are in Florence, while my lord is within Duke Jiakai’s territory. Although not too far apart, my lord’s Earldom of Nok is still quite distant from your lands. If Your Grace continues to suffer losses within Nok, it could be a painful situation for your kin but a joyful one for your enemies.”
Ferald took a deep breath, almost as if speaking to himself, and lamented, “Ah, I can’t help my brother anymore. His tactical level is too poor. If Howard’s army has already left his area, why didn’t he lead all his troops to besiege other lands of Howard? Or he could have directly joined forces with me. A pincer attack by the two of us might have had a chance against Howard.”
Bosiden listened silently, already forming a judgment in his mind – the Duke of Florence was ready to sign a peace treaty.
When Bosiden left the Duke’s camp, he held a piece of parchment in his hand, bearing the signature of the Duke of Florence.
Thus, due to exceeding his anticipated losses, the Duke withdrew from the war.
What remained was the naive Baron Mibo.
Howard disbanded the mercenary group, no longer needing to pay their wages, and led his conscripted soldiers toward the Gokasu region.
Two months later, as Gokasu Castle faced water and food shortages and its soldiers deserted, Howard seized the opportunity for a forceful attack. 𝑖.𝑐ℴ𝑚
The castle fell, and Howard captured Mibo, securing victory in the war.
After the victory, Howard stripped Mibo of his barony and even contemplated taking away his knightly titles.
Resarite suggested that if Howard planned to bestow Gokasu Castle to a new baron, Mibo could be handed over to them for handling.
Howard found this suggestion sensible.
With Mibo’s barony title gone, he was now a knight with four or five fiefs.
As for Mambaton, who had been loyal during the siege, Howard showed little interest and rejected his proposal to become the new Baron of Gokasu.
Resarite, hearing this, laughed at Mambaton’s presumption, and Anna shared the sentiment, mocking him.
Howard did not release Mibo immediately.
He considered Mibo untrustworthy and cunning, not planning to let him go.
Mibo’s lack of credibility and sly nature had led Howard to the decision to keep him confined, ensuring that such a deceitful individual would not be free to cause further trouble.
Ten days later, Howard convened a meeting with Anna, Margaret, Resarite, Bosiden, Vettel, Alonso, and Kaido.
He informed them that he intended to bestow the barony of Gokasu, and as to whom it would be granted, he wanted them to demonstrate their worth and discuss it among themselves before he made a decision.
This announcement sparked great interest among them.
Anna, dressed in a bright yellow three-layered down jacket, spoke up, “Howard, although I am indifferent, we nobles certainly always desire more land. I have been assisting you from the very beginning.”
“Whether it was initially supporting you with gold coins or later single-handedly facilitating two diplomatic agreements, I have always been doing my best to help you. Howard, I hope you can grant me the barony of Gokasu.”
Bosiden, wearing a thick sky-blue cotton coat, spoke with a hint of envy, “Lord Howard, unlike Anna, I don’t come from a distinguished family. I am where I am today thanks to Lord Resarite’s and your appreciation. I hope to obtain the baronial title so I can serve you even better in the future.”
“Look at every diplomatic mission; it’s always my team handling the affairs. The smoothness of your diplomacy is partly my doing. Take, for instance, the final peace negotiation with the Duke of Florence.”
“If someone else had been in my place, success was not guaranteed. Had that negotiation failed, to speak frankly, the outcome of the war would have been unpredictable, introducing unnecessary risks. I believe I have made a significant contribution.”
Dressed in a beige studded armor, Vettel gathered his courage and spoke loudly, “Lord Howard, please forgive my presumption. War is essentially about money, a reality you must now clearly understand. Without funds, we are immobilized; with funds, we can hire mercenaries.”
“Although our number of conscripted soldiers was less than that of the Duke of Florence, our economic situation was better, allowing us to hire mercenaries and make up the numbers.”
“Now that the war is over, as your finance minister, surely I have contributed significantly? I hope to be granted the barony of Gokasu. If I become the Baron of Gokasu, I will diligently manage the economy and improve the efficiency of trade throughout the territory and Nok.”
Margaret, wearing black leather armor, remained silent.
She felt content regardless of the outcome; the expansion of Howard’s overall territory pleased her.
She watched the others vying for the opportunity, choosing not to speak.
Alonso, clad in wine-red padded armor, also wanted to speak but wasn’t sure what to say.
He thought about boasting of his accomplishments but realized he didn’t have much to boast about.
Should he mention his role as a servant-like figure, always ready at Howard’s beck and call? Alonso decided to let the opportunity pass.
Resarite, now in his thirties, watched the younger nobles eagerly competing for the chance.
He felt an unexpected surge of excitement, his palms sweating slightly with nerves.
Resarite, who had previously lost out in noble politics, was not adept at vying for fame and profit.
However, his wife and children had already been moved from the Vancouver Duke’s territory to his own lands within Nok.
His wife often encouraged him to strive harder.
His child, now seven years old, was also starting to chatter about matters of the battlefield.
Resarite felt the weight of responsibility growing.
As the head of an ordinary, if not prominent, family, he felt he should do something more.
Resarite, not a man adept at small talk, excelled in discussing military matters with confidence.
However, when it came to the nuanced conversations of noble society, he felt out of his depth.
Deciding not to beat around the bush, he addressed Howard directly, “Howard, I offer you two villages in exchange for the barony of Gokasu. You can reclaim the villages, and I can gain a baronial title.”
Anna, visibly displeased, said to Resarite, “Do you realize what you’re doing? You’re a vassal, yes, but also a noble. Why do you stoop to such flattery towards Howard? Our requests for land should be made with grace and dignity, not by haggling like this!”
Bosiden also addressed Resarite, “Master, you don’t need to do this.” Vettel echoed a similar sentiment.
Alonso and Margaret remained silent.
At that moment, more of Howard’s vassals entered upon hearing the news, adding to the commotion.
Kaido spoke to Resarite, “Your actions put us other nobles in a difficult position. Are you trying to break the unspoken code among us?”
Karlondo mocked Resarite, “Using your lands as bargaining chips, huh? You really do have the flair of a merchant. Lord Resarite, why don’t you join us in Wislot as a high-ranking merchant?”
Howard silenced the clamor of those present.
He walked up to Resarite, looked into his eyes, and said, “You are my Minister of War. My rise from knight to earl owes much to your invaluable assistance. In our feudal society, military prowess is crucial. You have helped me win battles against larger forces; I value and respect you for that!”.
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