Chapter 290 - 224: I’ll Make You a Countess (Part 2)

The arrival of a contingent nearly two thousand strong naturally drew the attention of the officer on duty at the camp gate.

The approaching officer’s gaze fell upon the small black dot on the lead man’s leather armor, and his lip twitched. He then glanced at a Beastman whose arm was as thick as his own waist. In the end, he had no choice but to feign nonchalance and step forward to greet them.

He put on an overly familiar air, hoping to make some small talk. But one look told him otherwise. The Centaurs, Beastmen, Goblins, and Jackal Wolfmen were all stone-faced and clearly not in a conversational mood.

And the nobleman being escorted at the front exuded an even more potent ’keep your distance’ aura.

Looking around, his eyes landed on a young man in plate armor. He quickly jogged over, gave him a light thump on the chest, and grinned.

"Buddy, where are you guys from? Your force is seriously elite."

"You’re not the Count’s vanguard, are you?"

The officer stared in awe at the uniformly tall and powerfully built Alien Race Warriors.

Using Alien Races as soldiers is common in Debei, but a force that’s eighty percent comprised of them is exceedingly rare.

The crucial part was that these notoriously hard-to-train Alien Races were currently behaving just like seasoned human veterans.

Their ranks were orderly, their faces solemn, and the entire contingent was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

"We’re just a self-defense force from the countryside, nothing you’d call elite," Mier said, scratching his head with a good-natured grin. He always remembered his Lord’s lesson about being humble.

Besides, he wasn’t wrong. Compared to soldiers from Bailiu City, High Cliff Castle was well and truly a poor backwater.

"Yeah, right," the officer said, his expression full of disbelief. He didn’t press the matter, though. Rubbing his hands together, he added, "This damn weather is freezing. Where are you headed? Need me to show you the way?"

"They’re with me. I’ll show them the way." Count Andao appeared out of nowhere. The two clearly knew each other. The officer’s face lit up with understanding, and he stamped his foot in mock frustration. "Oh, a friend of Count Andao! Come in, come right in."

He quickly ordered his soldiers to move the barricades blocking the camp entrance.

"Come by my quarters tonight and pick up a few bottles of brandy. It’s freezing out here; can’t let the men get frostbite." As he passed the officer, Andao clapped him on the shoulder, immediately eliciting cheers from the soldiers on duty.

"Count Andao—" Levi began, waving for the High Cliff Castle contingent to follow.

"Just call me Andao," the Count said, waving a hand dismissively. He then added with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows, "Of course, I’d be even happier if you called me Brother Andao."

"In your dreams," the Lord replied, looking utterly speechless.

’It was always he, the Lord of High Cliff Castle, who got the better of others. This was the first time someone had gotten the better of him.’

’The better I get to know this Count Andao, the more I realize his skin is thicker than a castle wall. Even I can’t compare.’

"Old An, I never took you for such a man of the people."

The Lord, never one to be outdone, decided to press his advantage.

Andao didn’t mind the new nickname, merely shrugging. "Kind words are free, and they can save you a lot of small headaches. Why not use them?"

"And the brandy isn’t free, is it?"

"I requisitioned the brandy from the Thorn Corps’ supply line," Andao said with a placid smile.

’You can do that?’

Levi mentally filed that away, planning to find time to ’liberate’ a few things from the Thorn Corps’ supply line himself. After all, he and Fujero were practically colleagues.

"Levi, we’ve reached our billet."

Winding their way past countless tents, they finally stopped beneath a fluttering banner embroidered with a violet.

This was Count Andao’s family sigil, which stood for loyalty.

"Just find an empty spot nearby to set up camp. Don’t bother unloading the supply wagons; we’ll only be here for a few days before we have to head south anyway."

"You’re one of the later arrivals, but there are still a few Barons from fiefs deep in the mountains who haven’t made it yet. The Duke isn’t going to wait for them, though. He’s planning to hold a meeting tonight to get things started."

Andao advised the newcomers, finally clapping Levi on the shoulder. "The meeting isn’t anything crucial, but it’s still best not to skip it."

"After all, we’re the Reform Faction. In a way, our presence reflects on the Duke."

With that, the armor-clad Count headed back toward the entrance.

’Clearly, that guy hadn’t been waiting at the entrance just for me. He was there to greet everyone from the Reform Faction and anyone else he was friendly with.’

"The Count is a clever man."

Leiden remarked from the side.

"Perhaps," Levi replied noncommittally.

’I have to hand it to Fulina, her preparations were thorough. Countless tents had already been erected, ready for immediate occupation.’

A small detail like this saved the poorer Barons from an awkward predicament.

The tents might not look like much, but they were expensive to purchase.

For many Barons from poor, rural fiefs, simply mustering a hundred-man Militia, outfitting them with basic equipment, and providing supplies was enough to drain their entire savings. Affording tents on top of that would have been a severe strain.

The wagons were parked one by one inside the designated, fenced-off areas, and the men of High Cliff Castle completed their encampment with little effort.

Evening arrived in a flash. After instructing his men to guard their supplies, Levi headed to the meeting alone.

...

A remarkably conspicuous wooden building stood in the center of the otherwise tent-filled camp. It was quite spacious and was clearly the Alliance Army’s command headquarters.

When Levi pushed the door open and stepped inside, a motley assortment of fragrances assaulted his senses, so overpowering it was almost choking.

Everyone present was a noble. With the exception of a few impoverished Barons, most were impeccably turned out, paying close attention to their personal grooming. Perfume, after all, was commonplace among the aristocracy.

So, the room wasn’t filled with delicate beauties, but with men, most of whom had bushy beards.

A massive sand table dominated the center of the room, taking up nearly a third of the space. The surrounding chairs were already mostly occupied.

The meeting had yet to begin, and the nobles of the Northern Territory, great and small, were chattering amongst themselves. The din was no quieter than a marketplace.

Unable to spot any familiar faces, Levi found an empty seat and sat down. To his surprise, a noble sitting nearby immediately stood up and moved away.

’Am I really that unlikable?’

Levi grumbled internally, though he already knew the answer. ’That noble must be from the Traditionalist Faction.’

’I just hadn’t realized the animosity between our factions ran this deep.’

’Come to think of it, resolving this conflict might be one of Fulina’s ulterior motives for marching south.’

’After all, the best way to resolve an internal conflict is to create a larger, external one.’

As time went on, more and more nobles filed in.

Before long, the door was pushed open again. Fulina, whom Levi hadn’t seen in days, entered wearing a suit of exquisite Leather Armor. She looked incredibly valiant. Following behind her was Liya, wrapped in a blue cloak.

He and Liya exchanged a look of tacit understanding, but Levi didn’t rush forward to greet her.

With their leader present, the meeting officially began.

The meeting dragged on until the Lord felt himself starting to doze off, at which point it finally concluded.

Just as Andao had predicted, it was a minor meeting for introductions and the assignment of duties.

The only truly important piece of news was that the Vanguard Army would be setting out soon to clear a path for the main force.

This meant that High Cliff Castle, as part of the Vanguard Army, would be on the road again before they’d even had a chance to get settled.

"Levi, how have you been?"

Outside the meeting room, Liya smiled at the Lion Hunter Knight she hadn’t seen in months.

"Thanks to you, I’ve been eating well. Just having a little trouble sleeping."

Levi let out a huge yawn and stretched languidly.

"So, Liya, are you going to be with the Vanguard Army?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I’m sorry, Levi. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay with you," Liya said with a sigh of resignation.

"I expected as much. Still, Liya, if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to tell me."

"Mm-hm," Liya nodded, then smiled. "Remember that aid I mentioned? The one that I said would make your jaw drop?"

"I’ll remember it to my dying day!" The Lord’s face was a mask of playful grievance as he said it.

"Don’t take it personally. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell you; I had to promise someone I wouldn’t," Liya said with a smile, taking the lead. "Come with me."