NOVEL WEB
Chapter 250: The Bishop’s Visit
TL: Etude
“Worthless!”
A thunderous roar echoed through the hall.
In the Duke’s mansion in Center City, originally the site of Duke Ferdinand’s birthday celebration, a group of people were now gathered.
Seated at the main seat in the hall was Duke Ferdinand’s heir, Count Marltz Kent. Flanking him were both vassals of the Kent family and former vassals of Duke Ferdinand who now acknowledged Marltz as their lord.
At this moment, the Count’s eyes were wide with rage as he glared at the person kneeling before him—his son, Jace Kent.
Jace, with his head bowed, knelt motionlessly, enduring his father’s wrath.
“Our family’s honor is about to be ruined by your hands!”
Marltz Kent was heartbroken over this unbearable defeat.
For generations, the family heads had built their strength through hard work, making many enemies suffer. After much hardship, they had finally established the power of the second-ranked family in the Northwest Bay.
Whenever he remembered the glorious battles in his family’s history, a sense of pride swelled in Marltz Kent’s heart.
Now, his own son had shattered that pride.
Over 8,000 troops were scattered in a single battle, and only about 2,000 returned with Jace. The disgrace was unbearable!
How would others view their family now? As a beautiful vase that shatters upon the slightest knock? Various unflattering descriptions filled Marltz Kent’s mind.
“You said the enemy had fire crossbows, so I specially assigned over 1,500 archers to you. Those were archers trained over many years, and you, you worthless fool, led them to their doom!”
Marltz Kent berated his son furiously, his face twisted with both anger and pain.
It wasn’t just the intangible honor at stake, but also a substantial military force, squandered by his son. Although the archer unit originally belonged to Duke Ferdinand, as his heir and the de facto ruler of Center City, they were effectively Marltz’s as well.
Unlike ordinary soldiers, this archer unit trained twice a week in the afternoons. Losing such ‘elite’ forces was particularly painful for him.
Seeing the potential for his uncle to continue his tirade, Emerson Wilde, a “royal representative”, quickly stood up to intervene: “Uncle Kent, the outcomes on the battlefield are unpredictable. I’m sure cousin Jace has deeply reflected on his actions. We’ve suffered a setback, but we must not fall into disarray.”
After Emerson spoke, others in the hall also began to persuade the Count.
Marltz Kent sat back down, took a few deep breaths, and asked, “Any news from Crystal Shine?”
Emerson cautiously replied, “No news yet. The royal court is busy dealing with the rebellion in the south. They probably can’t spare attention for the northwest.”
“Hmph! That’s what I’m hoping for. If our ‘King’ meddles again, who knows how long it’ll take to deal with these troublemakers!”
Despite the defeat, Marltz Kent was confident in the overall strength of both sides.
The Count’s mood gradually calmed down, and he regretted his earlier loss of composure. He was about to become a duke and should maintain his composure at all times.
He softened his tone towards Jace, “Alright, my child. As young Emerson said, anything can happen on the battlefield. I can tolerate a momentary defeat. Stand up.”
Jace finally stood up and silently moved to the side. As he passed Emerson, he subtly conveyed his gratitude with a glance.
“Father, please allow me to assemble another force. I must personally wash away this disgrace!”
“Take it easy; send someone to the other side to gather information first! On one hand, we need time to think about how to deal with the fire crossbows and thunder hammers. On the other hand, spring planting is approaching, and it’s not suitable for war.” …
After concluding their discussion with the feudal lords, Marltz Kent welcomed an unexpected guest – Bishop Leonard of the Northwest.
This surprised the Count greatly. Bishop Leonard usually stayed in the church, preaching and spreading the scriptures, and he rarely associated with nobles like them. What could have prompted him to visit on his own?
Could it be…? A troubling thought crossed the Count’s mind, and he quickly summoned a trusted guard and ordered, “Keep an eye on my young one and our Duke.”
Watching the guard depart, the Count reassured himself with a few words: “It’s okay; I’m always so cautious.”
He proceeded to a small reception room and instructed his servants to bring the guest here.
…
Leonard entered the reception room with slow steps, and he immediately saw Marltz Kent waiting inside.
The Duke’s heir stood up and said, “Welcome, Your Grace. With your visit, the entire Duke’s residence is bathed in the light of the Lord.”
The bishop replied with a slight bow, showing respect to Marltz Kent, who was soon to become the largest secular lord in Northwest Bay. Even as a regional bishop, he had to be cautious.
The two of them took their seats as guest and host, and Leonard suddenly felt a sense of unease.
Although the other had a smile on his face, and the room was warm from the fireplace, Leonard couldn’t shake off a chill, both physically and mentally. Especially when he looked at the Count, this feeling became more pronounced.
He had met the man in front of him several times before, but this close encounter revealed a different side of the Count that surprised him.
What kind of person is he, really?
A slender face, a well-trimmed beard, and an air of composure and dignity that was not much different from an ordinary middle-aged noble. But there was one aspect that was quite surprising – the Count’s complexion wasn’t the healthy flush of a robust individual but rather a pallid hue as if he had been seriously ill. Yet, his eyes were bright and lively, as if they could shoot out flames. Just by looking at those eyes, no one would doubt that the Count was a person full of energy and vitality.
Such contradictory features in one person were truly strange.
“Bishop, is there something specific that brings you to visit?” the Count inquired.
Leonard snapped out of his thoughts and said, “Oh, pardon my manners.”
He carefully chose his words and spoke slowly, “I have come to disturb Your Grace for a particular matter.”
The Count maintained his friendly tone, “Please, Bishop, go ahead.”
Leonard stated his purpose, “I wonder if you could arrange a meeting between me and the Duke?”
“Oh?” Marltz Kent, the Count, narrowed his eyes.
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