The attendant took the letter and, not daring to delay, bowed and retreated with hurried steps. The study fell into a momentary silence. With the evidence of Baron Monde's crimes sent off, the legal obstacles to the invasion of Ironthorn Territory had been significantly cleared.
As Leylo sat in contemplation, a guard's voice came from outside the door. "My Lord, Captain Hogg of the Iron Skull Mercenaries requests an audience."
Leylo's eyebrows arched slightly. This Captain Hogg was certainly a man who knew which way the wind was blowing. "Let him in."
A moment later, Hogg Iron-Skull walked in, looking rather constrained. The face that usually carried the air of a hardened bandit was now covered in a careful, almost flattering smile. Most notably, he held a heavy cloth bag in his hands; judging by its shape and weight, it was clearly filled with Gold Dragons.
"Lord Baron Leylo," Hogg began, bowing deeply as he entered. "I, Hogg, have come specifically to ask for Your Lordship's forgiveness." He raised the bag high above his head, his voice tinged with a hint of genuine pain. "I offended you previously and clashed with Your Lordship. This is a small token of my sincerity—five thousand Gold Dragons. I hope Your Lordship can find it in your heart to overlook the clumsiness of us rough men."
Five thousand Gold Dragons was an absolute fortune for a medium-sized mercenary group, enough to leave them hurting for a long time. It seemed Hogg was truly putting his life's savings on the line.
Leylo's gaze swept over the gold and rested on Hogg's somewhat comical face. He didn't speak immediately. The atmosphere in the study grew stagnant. Holding the heavy bag, beads of sweat began to form on Hogg's forehead. He had no idea what this young Baron was thinking.
While the Iron Skulls had no deep roots in Ironthorn, they were a legitimate group registered with the Mercenary Guild in Thunder Dragon City. If they were truly detained or branded as "Blood Wolf accomplices," the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Captain Hogg," Leylo finally spoke. "I accept this 'sincerity' of yours." He paused. "The remnants of the Blood Wolves have just confessed that 'Scarface' Jon has already died in the chaos of battle."
Hearing this, a massive weight fell from Hogg's heart. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Baron! Thank you!" He hurriedly placed the money bag on Leylo's desk; the heavy thud was exceptionally loud in the quiet room.
"I will have the Iron Skull's weapons and equipment inventoried and returned to you," Leylo continued. "As for your men, since it has been verified that you have no connection to the Blood Wolves, Blackstone Territory will not make things difficult for you without cause."
Hogg was overjoyed, nearly bowing to the floor. "The Baron is truly righteous! All of us in the Iron Skull are eternally grateful!" He hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously, "Then... when may we leave Ironthorn Castle to return to Thunder Dragon City?"
"Tomorrow at dawn, go to Knight Commander Bolin to retrieve your gear."
"Yes, yes! Thank you, My Lord! I shall take my leave!" Hogg felt as if he had received a royal pardon. He backed out of the study with extreme care. Once outside the manor gates, he straightened his back and exhaled a long breath. This trip to Ironthorn had been a disaster; he hadn't gained a single copper and had lost five thousand Gold Dragons. But escaping with his life was lucky enough. He decided right then that from now on, his group would only take on treasure hunts and never touch the messy business of nobles again.
There was another knock on the door. "Come in."
Ed entered, holding several letters. "My Lord, we found these in a hidden compartment while clearing out Baron Monde's room. The matters mentioned inside... are quite unusual."
Leylo took the letters and opened one. The handwriting was elegant yet forceful, but the content caused his eyes to narrow. It was from First Prince Elliot.
The letter was blunt. Elliot explicitly mentioned the "Blood Wolves" and instructed Monde to "utilize them properly" to "resolve the Blackstone problem" as quickly as possible. It also promised Monde a significant "reward" once the task was complete.
Leylo read them one by one. These letters were undeniable proof of First Prince Elliot conspiring with bandits to murder his own brother. If made public, Elliot's reputation would suffer a devastating blow.
Leylo reorganized the letters. Now was not the time to release this evidence. Elliot's influence was deep and far-reaching; tearing off the mask prematurely would only bring greater trouble. His target for now was solely Baron Monde.
"Ed," Leylo said, stowing the letters. "Keep these quiet for the time being."
"Understood, My Lord."
Reaction in Red Leaf
In Red Leaf Territory, Alaric sat in the main hall of the manor, his face so dark it looked as if it might drip ink. He paced back and forth, rubbing his temples irritably.
Since he had sent the plea for help to Ironthorn, he hadn't received Monde's reinforcements. Instead, he had received shocking news: Ironthorn had been breached, and Baron Monde's army was annihilated!
"Useless! A bunch of useless fools!" Alaric slammed his fist onto the table, the fine hardwood cracking under the blow. He couldn't fathom how a lord like Monde, with over a hundred knights and hundreds of soldiers, could be defeated so easily by a young Baron who had just inherited his land.
Worse still, Monde's failure had ruined all his plans. He had relied on those reinforcements to seize the throne and control Red Leaf City. Now, everything had vanished into thin air.
A knight in silver armor stood beside him, looking calm. He was Drucker, sent by First Prince Elliot to assist Alaric. "Master Alaric, please be calm."
"Calm?" Alaric snapped. "Knight Drucker, don't you see? Ironthorn is finished, Monde is a prisoner, what chance do we have left?"
That noon, his older brother Gawain had made a sudden move, summoning the important vassals in the Earl's name and publicly announcing the will, confirming his status as heir. Alaric felt a surge of manic frustration and smashed several more cups.
Drucker produced a letter from his robe and handed it to Alaric. "This is a message just sent from His Highness, the First Prince."
Alaric read the letter quickly. It was short, but the information reignited hope in his eyes. The Prince mentioned that while Monde had failed, the situation wasn't beyond repair. Baron Leylo had taken the liberty of attacking Ironthorn, which violated the laws of the Duchy. Tomorrow morning, the Prince would have his loyal vassals impeach and hold Leylo accountable before the Duke.
Therefore, the First Prince instructed Alaric to remain still for now. Stabilize the local situation in Red Leaf and wait for the right moment.
After finishing the letter, Alaric's nerves finally relaxed slightly. He looked up at Drucker. "The Prince is right. We shall lie low for a few days."