“Tap, tap, tap.”

Viscount Soutte sat in the Boule Chamber, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table. His time had come, but the Nade family had yet to arrive.

Viscount Soutte had lost interest in conversation, and the other three viscounts in the hall maintained their silence. Of course, each of them harbored a bit of schadenfreude; no one would welcome a new commander over their heads.

Still, they didn’t dare express their opinions openly and instead sat stiffly in their seats with their faces devoid of expression. Richard, on the other hand, leaned back against the table, completely at ease.

Richard had his own reasons for his confidence. Ron stood guard outside the hall with ten Crusaders, each one a knight-class warrior. No matter how ironclad the Nade family’s backbone, Richard intended to bend it in half, if only to set an example.

An hour past the appointed time, Viscount Soutte remained seated, hesitant.

Logically, he should go out to greet the Nade party, but this family was clearly trying to make a show of force. He couldn’t possibly walk right up to them for a beating, could he?

As Viscount Soutte hesitated, Richard stood up and said, “Let’s go greet the Nade family, Father. We mustn’t give the impression that the Hunter family is discourteous.”

Viscount Soutte thought it over briefly before standing up and walking toward the door. Although he had his reservations, he still trusted Richard almost blindly and thus prepared to greet Viscount Nade, following Richard’s wishes.

Richard closely trailed Viscount Soutte. The three remaining barons in the hall exchanged glances and, seemingly having reached a tacit consensus, followed the pair out the door.

The group spotted Viscount Nade leading a retinue of a dozen or so men toward the Boule Chamber shortly after exiting themselves. Viscount Nade also noticed the group of ten or so warriors in full plate armor standing near the doors, but he paid them no mind, thinking them merely a detail.

Smiling broadly, Viscount Nade strode over to greet the group, as though he were not the one who had arrived late.

Compared to Nade, who was experienced in such social situations, Soutte was ill at ease. If you asked Soutte to hack someone to pieces with a sword, he would perform admirably.

But facing the smiling Viscount Nade, Viscount Soutte’s face froze, unable to return the smile, looking rather comical.

Meanwhile, Richard greeted Nade with ease. “My apologies, my apologies. The distance was quite far, and I miscalculated the time, arriving a few minutes late. Please forgive me.”

Viscount Nade’s apology certainly didn’t come from the heart; rather, he looked quite pleased with himself.

Everyone knew why Viscount Nade had arrived so late. The two noble families’ territories were quite close, and it would take no more than an hour or two for a rider to gallop between them. Anyone who believed Nade’s excuse must have been a fool.

“Viscount Nade, do you understand that a commander’s orders are as good as law? You may not respect the Hunter family, but do you wish to defy Flooding Snow City?”

With this remark, Richard silenced the bustling chamber. Viscount Nade’s smile froze, and for once he had no retort. Among the northern lands’ nobles, none dared openly defy Flooding Snow City’s decrees, no matter what they thought.

However, another knight of the Nade family spoke up. “Our family was granted our title by the kingdom itself. We’ve never been subordinate to Flooding Snow City, so stop trying to intimidate us with your tales of Flooding Snow City.”

This was not entirely false. Indeed, the title of the Nade family had been bestowed upon their ancestors for their military service to the kingdom, and there was no inherent subordination between them and the Lancelot family of Flooding Snow City.

However, one must still pay due respect to Flooding Snow City if they wish to operate in the northern lands. If Flooding Snow City said they were “consulting” you, it would be unthinkable to treat it as anything but an order. The northern lands had always been a place where force trumps reason.

Viscount Nade frowned. He did not want to openly defy Flooding Snow City’s orders, or he wouldn’t have shown up today with his retinue in tow. However, Richard’s arrogant attitude was beginning to irk him. Did he really think that merely donning the mantle of Flooding Snow City would allow him to shit-talk the Nade family?

If they were truly determined to become vassals of the Hunter family, then they might as well defy Flooding Snow City outright. At most, Flooding Snow City would retaliate with some minor economic sanctions; they wouldn’t go so far as to mobilize troops against the Nade family.

“What, do you really intend to defy a military order?” Richard repeated, his voice low and threatening, as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Many in the crowd had already placed their hands on their swords.

In the face of Richard’s aggression, the Nade family seemed prepared to drop all pretenses. Even the three barons who had initially come to gawk at the spectacle began to grow concerned.

After all, if the Nade and Hunter families engaged in a fight right now, it would be more harmful than beneficial to them. They still needed to cooperate to face the possible invasion of the cannibal demons.

Clang.

Finally, the Nade family’s third son, the second knight of the Nade family, drew his sword from his waist, and energy surged violently from his body.

“Third son, calm down.”

Viscount Nade stepped forward to hold back the knight, preventing him from taking action.

Of course, even if Viscount Nade hadn’t intervened, the knight wouldn’t have dared to move another step. The entire hall stared at the ten knights with armor as if they were staring at ghosts.

Under Ron’s leadership, the energy emanating from their bodies glowed faintly, their swords tightened in their hands, and they fixed their oppressive gazes upon the crowd.

Richard stood before them, his expression almost smiling as he stared at the Nade family members, implying that he was ready to see what else the Nade family could attempt.

The three barons had already bowed their heads. They had originally planned to cause trouble for the Hunter family but now dared not attempt anything further.

The Nade family, on the other hand, seemed extremely awkward. Though their hands were still on their sword hilts, not a single one dared to draw their blade, even the third son, whose expression now seemed rather sheepish.

Unlike before, he no longer needed his viscount brother to hold him back, as he now pondered how to put his sword back in its sheath without losing face. After all, though he was rash, he wasn’t foolish—he feared death just like everyone else.

The Hunter family had now displayed a total of thirteen knights’ worth of battle prowess, a formidable force that, outside of the terrifying Flooding Snow City, was unmatched in the northern lands.

“Put your swords away, all of you—what are you doing?” Viscount Nade finally broke the awkward standoff, and the Nade family promptly complied, sheathing their swords at their sides. The third son swiftly followed suit, returning his blade to its resting place.

“I hope you can understand these youngsters are inexperienced, my lord. There were reasons for our tardiness, but ultimately, this is a military discussion. My Nade family will accept any punishment you deem necessary without complaint.”

By addressing Richard’s father as “my lord,” Viscount Nade was clearly acknowledging the Hunter family’s position as commanding authority.

Viscount Nade’s expression had done a complete one-eighty, demonstrating his adaptability.

As for the other party in the conversation, Viscount Soutte, he was still reeling from the shock of the revelation. While the other lords, including the Nade family, might have been stunned, none were as astonished as Richard’s stepfather, Viscount Soutte.

After spending a significant amount of time indulging in pleasure and ignoring the affairs of his fiefdom, ten new knights had appeared in his household? It was practically unbelievable, like something out of a dream.

He nodded a few times to acknowledge Viscount Nade’s words, but he seemed to be only half-present.

In the end, it was Richard who announced the punishment for the Nade family’s tardiness: a financial penalty to be paid to the military coffers. The punishment was light, but it was an important first step in establishing his authority.

The Nade family didn’t dare challenge Richard’s authority and nodded in agreement, putting on a docile act.

“Let us depart, everyone. Please hurry; we cannot afford to mess up our first military council meeting in the Sixth War Zone.”

“Viscount Soutte, please lead the way.”

Suddenly, everyone grew more deferential, including the Nade family, as if they had never shown any defiance at all.

Only Viscount Soutte remained somewhat bewildered as he allowed himself to be escorted back into the Boule Chamber.