Like Kai thought, a little show of power was enough for Kairnso and Vensar to fall in line. They still seemed displeased, their pride wounded, but it was clear to them now—their lives were in Kai’s hands, and there was nothing they could do but hope whatever fate he had planned would be merciful. It was almost satisfying to watch the prideful lords fall into an awkward silence.

With a slow breath, Kai straightened in his chair, the wooden chair creaked under his weight. He could feel their eyes on him, waiting, uncertain, but too afraid to speak out of turn.

“I have a lot of other work to do, so I’m not going to mince my words.” He began. “The truth of the matter is, for whatever reason—loyalty, greed, expectations—you all chose to support my late brother in the war against me. And in the end, you lost.”

Kai looked at each noble. At the mention of defeat, he could see how their eyes faltered for a brief moment, and the bitterness of being on the wrong side of history reeked through them. But that would be their reality now. No one spoke a single word.

“I can understand wanting to prove yourself to a Duke, especially ones who’ve ruled these lands for centuries,” he said, knowing that his words came out as mocking. “But the truth of the matter is, you all lost. And now, you’re here as my prisoners.”

Vensar shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Buck looked at Kai with a combination of suspicion and resignation. But no one dared to speak, not with the tension thick in the room.

“Noble conduct tells me that although I can’t just ask for your entire territories, like I did with my brother—since you were only supporting him—I can still ask for reparations from you all.”

Viscount Buck, who had been silent until now, furrowed his brows. “And what do you want in exchange for our freedom, Count Arzan?” Kai saw how the man knitted his fingers together in nervousness.

He smiled. “A hundred thousand gold coins,” he said as if it’s the simplest thing he could ask for. But he wasn’t done. “Twenty-five percent of your territory’s taxes, in the form of both gold and grain, for the next five years. And I won’t ask you to swear fealty to me. However, you will sign a non-aggression pact, one that lasts for the next century.”

Kairnso was the first to react. “That… is asking too much. Just giving a hundred thousand gold coins alone would drain our coffers. And a portion of our taxes for five years… That’s going to ruin our territories.”

Even Buck, who’d been much more cordial compared to others, shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His eyes darted to the other nobles, and for a moment, they were all silent, contemplating the consequences. But before anyone could speak, Malyr, who’d remained quiet until now, cleared his throat.

“Count Arzan, I know we’re at your mercy here, but that’s too much. You can’t possibly think we’ll survive such demands. My territories… my treasury… they won’t hold out. Even if we are at fault, think of all the peasants.”

Kai tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “If you think I’m going to change my mind, then you are wrong. My demands will stay the same. Do you think I don’t know that, if I’d lost, you would get a piece of my territory? If I had lost, the treasures I possess would be yours? Hell, Lucian might have promised you even more…” he waited, seeing their response. When he saw the slightest tremor in their eyes, he continued.

“I’ve even found letters in his study—letters that say he planned to give you the contract to make and sell my mana cannons once the war was won, Kairnso. He also promised to give Verdis to Idrin here and I’m pretty sure you all got similar promises.”

At that, Kairnso visibly shuddered, his eyes widening in shock as the truth of the situation settled on him. Kai continued.

“If you were going to be richer with a win, you’ll have to struggle for the next five years to make up for it,” he said. “My mind is made up, and it’s not changing. The deal is set.”

Suddenly, everything seemed tense as the silence spread. Kai could feel the uncertainty vibrating in the air as the nobles processed the reality of the situation. Their heads dropped, and their faces were a mixture of frustration and dread, no doubt considering how this would affect their territories, how they would manage their diminishing resources. Kai could already imagine them calculating the tax hikes they would impose to meet the demands, wondering what sacrifices they would have to make just to survive this.

In that silence, he allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. He could feel their powerlessness in the air, their resistance fading as they accepted the terms. They had no choice but to agree, even if they hated it. Their defeat was complete, and there was nothing left for them but submission.

He could almost feel the pressure of the nobles’ strained thoughts, their minds racing with how they would meet the terms he had set. This was exactly what he wanted. He knew that with the growing trade in the region, more people would be needed—more workers, more guards, more strength for the city. And now, with his victory solidifying control over the Sylvan enclave, he had the perfect opportunity to pull in the displaced, the discontented, the ones pushed to the edges by their own leaders’ failure.

He had already gotten Francis to lay the groundwork for his new forces—testing both for magical potential and physical strength. If his calculations were right, he’d have an army twice the size it was now, enough to make any future conflicts more manageable. The nobles, all now subdued, would only hasten the influx of the population he needed. If they raised taxes or worsened conditions for their people, Kai knew they’d have no choice but to migrate to the cities he controlled. He’d be waiting with open arms, ready to integrate them into his ranks.

His musings were broken when Viscount Buck spoke, in a resigned tone. “I accept the offer.”

Malyr, who had been quiet until now, nodded. “I don’t think prisoners can negotiate.” He was reluctant, but Kai could sense that he valued his life more than money. Kairnso, Idrin and Vensar followed suit, their earlier resistance melting away into reluctant compliance.

Kai pushed the documents forward, the inked promises of reparations and agreements laid bare for them to see. He made no effort to hide the finality in his movements. “This is only a first step,” he said. “King Sullivan’s mark is needed to make this official. But for now, I need you all to agree. After that, we will proceed.”

The nobles, still processing, began to sign in agreement, but as they did, Buck’s voice broke through. “So, after this, we can return to our territories, right?”

Kai looked over to him, the question a sharp note in the otherwise still room. It was almost as if he spoke everyone else’s minds. His lips twitched into a small, knowing smile. “Actually, no, you can’t go back just yet.”

The sound of pens freezing mid-air echoed through the room. Idrin, who was already in the process of signing, let out a grunt. His eyes snapped up to Kai, confusion flickering in them.

Kairnso, too, stared right at him, his fingers trembling slightly around the pen. “What?”

Idrin’s voice came right after. “Why?”

“Well, even though the fief war has ended, the king hasn’t announced his verdict yet. And I need to wait for that to legitimize my win before letting you all go,” Kai said. When he added his next words, the silence in the room deepened. “Letting you all go right now wouldn’t be good. We’re all moving to the capital, and you’d be giving a good account of what transpired in the fief war, especially you, Baron Idrin.”

Idrin’s face drained of color instantly, his eyes flicking nervously between Kai and the others. The weight of the situation hit him hard, and he likely realized that if the truth about his involvement came out in front of King Sullivan, his days were numbered. That was exactly why Kai had no intention of letting any of them go—especially not Idrin. He needed them to remain under his control until the capital had its say. More importantly, releasing them now could easily turn them into targets for Regina’s assassination attempts. She would certainly won’t like the truth of the fief war coming out in the open.

Kai’s thoughts lingered on this threat, knowing that keeping them here under his watch was the only way to ensure they wouldn’t be cut down before they could testify.

Viscount Vensar then spoke up, breaking the silence. “But we don’t know how long it’s going to take. Are we just going to let our territories fall to chaos? My second-in-command was killed in the battle already, and my territory is probably in a mess.”

Kai studied him for a moment, considering his words. He understood the pressure of leadership, the responsibility that weighed on these men’s shoulders. But the situation wasn’t simple. Still, he had a solution prepared.

“I already have an idea for it,” Kai said. “I will allow you to send letters to your heirs or anyone you trust enough to handle your territories. They’ll be able to take charge as your regents,” he continued, meeting each of their gazes. “You won’t have to worry about your territories, and I’ll even allow you to send letters to them, keeping track of how they’re handling things. But beyond that, I can’t do anything. You’ll have to rely on them to manage the situation in your absence.”

Viscount Buck was the first to nod eagerly. “I don’t mind that. My son needed some experience anyway.” His relief was palpable—at least there was something he could do to keep an eye on his territory, even if it was through his heir.

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Malyr also nodded. “That seems fine by me. But I would ask for a better arrangement for us living here.”

Then, Vensar spoke up, his voice a little less sure than before, “My sons are in the capital. I need to think about who to regent.”

Kai nodded, not offering advice on the matter. That was his problem, not his.

Kairnso, on the other hand, seemed less eager to let go of control. “I don’t have any heirs, my brother is useless and I don’t trust anyone,” he grumbled, his voice laced with contempt.

Kai looked at him. “You’ll need someone. Or you could let a commoner govern it.” His words were dry, almost dismissive.

He scowled, clearly offended. “As if I’d let a commoner handle things.” His pride was evident in the way he spoke, a true haughty noble to the core.

Kai almost let out a chuckle, but he held it back, biting his tongue. He could only imagine the look on his face if he knew that commoners had been running his city while he’d been absent. Worse yet, his own household had been ransacked—his power was slipping away, and he was too ignorant to see it. The irony was thick in the air.

His gaze shifted to Baron Idrin, who was reading through the parchment again. Out of all of them, Idrin would be the one who wasn’t just walking away from this with a simple loss. His dealings with Lucian were enough to have him executed in any other court. Yet, here he was, meekly signing the documents in front of him, his posture small, his face drawn.

Idrin knew exactly what he had done, knew the blood on his hands—the blood of an entire village, innocent men, women, and children who had been slaughtered for political gain. The drinkers, who had been part of that massacre, were already dead. Soon enough, it would be Idrin’s turn.

If not for the need to have Idrin testify in front of the king, Kai would have had the man executed already. But for now, he would remain a prisoner, waiting for the king’s judgment. Kai didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy for him.

As the nobles finished signing, he stepped forward, taking the documents from them. “Everything looks in order,” he said and confirmed them.

They had agreed, for now. But the real challenges were still to come.

“How long do you think we would have to stay in your estate?” Viscount Buck questioned, bringing everyone’s gaze to him.

Kai’s fingers unconsciously stacked the papers and looked at him, directly into his eyes. “I honestly don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “The royal stuff always takes time, and it depends on what the majesty has decided for the aftermath of the fief war. Royal heralds are already on the way, and we’ll know soon enough.”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door, cutting through the quiet tension in the room. Kai turned his head, watching as the door opened slightly. A maid stood there.

“Lord Arzan,” she said, bowing her head. “There’s a herald from the capital waiting for you.”

There it is.

Kai glanced at the nobles, his lips curving into a brief smile. “Looks like you’ll know the answer to your question soon,” he said, before standing up and making his way toward the door.

With Killian by his side, they exited the room, and as they stepped into the corridor, Kai turned to the guard who stood by the door. “Get Idrin back to the cell,” he instructed. “Make sure the nobles get what they want, as long as they’re well-behaved.”

The guard nodded, acknowledging the command with a crisp nod before moving to carry out the order.

Then, Kai and Killian moved down the long corridors, the stone walls echoing their footsteps as they passed through the estate. Soon, a maid appeared ahead of them, leading them toward the room where the herald awaited.

As they entered, Kai’s eyes immediately fell on the woman seated inside.

She was nothing like the herald he had dealt with previously. This one was young—perhaps too young for the position. She had brown hair, framing a face that looked almost too innocent for someone in her line of work. Her black eyes, though sharp, carried an air of quiet uncertainty, and her features were so smooth that Kai found himself wondering if she was still new to the job. Her baby face made her appear younger than she likely was, and it made him question just how much experience she had in dealing with nobles and their affairs.

When she saw him enter, she immediately rose from her seat, her movements quick and respectful, but there was a nervousness in the way she held herself. She bowed low, her voice carrying a touch of formality, but there was an edge of inexperience there as well. “Count Arzan,” she greeted.

Kai took a seat at the large table gesturing for the herald to do the same. Killian remained standing in the back.

“I believe the king has sent you here to tell me what the kingdom has decided to do with the fief war,” Kai said, getting to the core of the topic in an instant.

She nodded, her nerves apparent despite the formal setting. “Yes, my name is Isolde, and I’ve been traveling non-stop for the past two weeks to deliver this.” She handed him the parchment, her hands trembling slightly as she did so.

Kai raised an eyebrow at the long, unbroken sheet of text. “What’s in it? I’m pretty sure you know,” he said, not hiding the curiosity in his tone.

Isolde flushed slightly, her eyes darting down. “I haven’t read it,” she admitted, almost bashfully. “I was told only to deliver it.”

Kai nodded, not particularly surprised, before pulling the parchment open. As he scanned the document, his brow furrowed. Long, convoluted lines of text filled the paper, but Kai’s eyes moved quickly over them, picking out key details. He was expecting some confirmation of his victory, a grant of Lucian’s territory, but instead, he found something that made his heart skip a beat.

An Assembly of Judgment.

It was scheduled to happen three months from now. The details were vague, but one thing was clear: this wasn’t just some administrative formality. All the nobles were to be invited, and their fates—his fate—would be decided there.

His mind whirred. He had never heard of such an assembly, and nothing in his books on the kingdom had mentioned anything quite like it. From what he could gather, it seemed as if it was a gathering meant to sort out disputes on a larger scale, perhaps involving much more than just his little corner of the fief war.

His initial assumption was wrong. It wasn’t just a hearing where he could present Idrin’s misdeeds and gain Lucian’s territory in a simple ceremony. His eyes widened slightly as he kept reading. The implications were immense. This wasn’t just about his victory—this would change things for everyone involved.

Before Kai could dwell further on the meaning of the Assembly of Judgment, Isolde’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Count Arzan,” she called. “There’s one more thing that was told to be given to you.”

Kai lifted his gaze to her, intrigued. “What is it?”

Isolde reached into her bag and withdrew a sealed envelope, handing it over to him. “King Sullivan personally wrote a letter for you and sent it with me.”

Kai blinked, his surprise evident. The king? Personally? He hadn’t talked a lot with him during their meeting and while the king had granted him the county seat by being impressed by his defense of his territory, a personal letter was something he hadn’t expected.

With a quiet nod, he accepted the envelope, his fingers brushing the wax seal as he held it. There was something about it, the seal, the king’s personal touch—that made it seem far more important than any of the other correspondence he had received.

He leaned back, his mind racing with questions, but he didn’t allow his curiosity to overpower his composure. Slowly, he broke the seal, pulling out the letter. His eyes scanned the writing, and as he read, his expression shifted. His brow furrowed, and his lips parted in surprise as he took in the contents.

Huh?

***

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep