Baron ngde’s face was ashen. He collapsed into a sitting position, defeated, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a CLANG.
He knew it was all over.
Ironthorn Territory was finished.
And he was finished, too.
"Lord, I will escort you back to Ironthorn Castle. If we rely on the castle’s defenses, there might still be a chance."
His Personal Guard Knight Captain helped him steady himself on his horse.
The words gave Baron ngde a sliver of hope, and he imdiately nodded in agreent.
The Personal Guard Captain shouted.
"The Lord has given the order! Retreat to the castle!"
With that, he and the Personal Guard Knights turned to escort Baron ngde back to the city.
The mont Baron ngde retreated, the already wavering troops descended into chaos, turning and fleeing for their lives.
Seeing this, Raylo imdiately ordered the attack.
’If Baron ngde actually makes it back to Ironthorn Castle, besieging it will be much more difficult.’
With no will left to fight, the Ironthorn forces were hunted down by the Black Stone Army. Soldiers surrendered one after another along the way; barely anyone dared to resist.
Baron ngde fled quickly, but he was ultimately a step too slow.
About three hundred ters from Ironthorn Castle, Ed and over thirty Pegasus Knights descended from the sky, blocking their path.
Baron ngde gave up all resistance and willingly surrendered.
「A short while later.」
At Baron ngde’s command, the heavy gates of Ironthorn Castle slowly swung open.
Raylo spurred his Storm Griffin forward, leading the charge. Behind him, Bolin led the Black Stone Knights, followed by infantry phalanxes as fierce as wolves and tigers, all marching in a mighty procession into Ironthorn Castle.
The streets within the city were lined with kneeling Ironthorn soldiers who had laid down their weapons, alongside terrified civilians.
They kept their heads bowed, not daring to look directly at the young and powerful conqueror.
Bolin, anwhile, directed his Knights and soldiers to quickly secure key defensive positions, confiscate weapons, and suppress any potential resistance.
Soon, Raylo arrived before the Lord’s Mansion of Ironthorn Castle.
Like a defeated rooster, Baron ngde was escorted by two Black Stone soldiers and forced to kneel before Raylo.
His forr prestige had vanished completely, leaving only a face full of despair and resentnt.
"ngde, do you admit to your cris?"
Raylo looked down on him, his voice icy.
Baron ngde let out a bitter laugh.
"This is just how it is, isn’t it? The winner is king, the loser is the outlaw."
"Still unrepentant."
Raylo shook his head.
"Colluding with the Blood Wolf Corps, plundering neighboring lands, exploiting your neighbors... For every one of these cris, do you think the laws of the Duchy are rely for show?"
Just then, Hogg, leading a group of dejected Iron Skull rcenaries, also arrived outside the Lord’s Mansion, "escorted" by Black Stone soldiers.
The mont he saw Raylo, he rushed forward a few steps, wanting to try and explain himself again.
"Baron Raylo, about that business with ’Scar-faced Jon,’ I really..."
Raylo, however, couldn’t be bothered to even glance at him. He simply gave a cool command to Bolin at his side.
"Take Baron ngde into temporary custody. Inventory and seal all of Ironthorn Castle’s supplies and tax ledgers. Also, send n to interrogate the prisoners, especially ngde’s confidants. I want every piece of correspondence related to the Blood Wolf Corps in Ironthorn Territory, and every person involved, dug up."
"Yes, Lord!"
Bolin bowed to accept his orders.
Baron ngde’s face paled at these words, and a flicker of terror crossed his eyes.
’He never expected Raylo to actually dig so deep into the matter of the Blood Wolf Corps.’
Hogg’s heart pounded in his chest as he listened from the side. He felt a chill creep up his spine, especially when he heard the words "every person involved... dug up."
He opened his mouth as if to speak, but finally closed it again in dejection.
’I get it now,’ he thought. ’This Baron Raylo isn’t just strong militarily; he’s also incredibly shrewd. I’ve really stepped in it this ti.’
Raylo’s gaze swept over the miserable-looking Hogg.
"As for you, Captain Hogg, and your Iron Skull rcenary Corps... I will give you an opportunity to prove your innocence. We’ll see if you’re willing to take it."
With that, he ignored everyone and turned to walk into the Lord’s Mansion of Ironthorn Castle.
Hogg gritted his teeth, called over a few trusted n, and returned to his camp.
"These damn nobles. We won’t get out of this without bleeding a fortune."
「Ironthorn Castle, the Lord’s Mansion.」
The candlelight danced in what was once Baron ngde’s study.
Raylo sat behind the wide desk. This was the place from which Baron ngde had once given his orders, but it had now changed hands.
Bolin walked in with a steady gait, holding a thick stack of parchnt.
He gently placed the stack of docunts on the desk, which made a soft RUSTLING sound.
"Lord, they’ve all confessed."
There was a hint of relieved ease in Bolin’s voice.
"Thirteen confessions in total, all signed and marked by forr core mbers of the Blood Wolf Corps. They gave detailed accounts of how Baron ngde bribed the Blood Wolf Corps, funded them with weapons and food, and instructed them to attack the caravans and villages of Black Stone Territory on multiple occasions, all in an attempt to weaken us."
Raylo picked up the topmost docunt, his gaze sweeping over it line by line.
The handwriting was crooked, clearly that of an uncouth warrior, but the content was crystal clear and filled with appalling details.
He casually flipped through a few more. These confessions were even more detailed than he had hoped.
One confession ca from a minor leader of the Blood Wolf Corps, detailing how Baron ngde’s envoy found them half a year ago, promised them a hefty sum, and had them disguise themselves as common bandits to harass the border of Black Stone Territory.
Another confession stated that Baron ngde had secretly t with "Blood Wolf Carl," the leader of the Blood Wolf Corps, and promised that once the job was done, he would grant them a slice of southern Black Stone Territory as their new lair.
At the end of each confession was a bright red thumbprint, like a brand of blood sealing Baron ngde’s guilt.
A cold smirk played on Raylo’s lips.
’Attacking one of the Duke’s direct vassals without authorization... The severity of that cri is debatable. If soone used it against , it would inevitably draw censure from Thunder Dragon City, perhaps even severe punishnt. Especially Eliot. He would definitely seize the opportunity to attack . But with this evidence, everything is different. Raylo is the victim. This was self-defense. This was eliminating a scourge for the good of the people.’
He put down the confessions, took a fresh sheet of parchnt, dipped his quill in ink, and began to write swiftly.
In the letter, he began by expressing his utmost respect for the Duke. Then, changing the subject, he bitterly denounced Baron ngde’s many wicked deeds in Ironthorn Territory, particularly his collusion with the Blood Wolf Corps and their long-term harassnt of Black Stone Territory, which had brought great suffering upon its people.
He described in detail how, faced with irrefutable evidence, he had been forced to retaliate, ultimately "rescuing" the people of Ironthorn Territory.
His words were earnest, yet ticulously chosen, placing him on the moral and legal high ground.
"Baron ngde ignored the Duke’s laws, harbored bandits, and attacked his neighbors. He is truly a canker on the Duchy. To ensure the safety of my territory and to protect the Duke’s honor, I, your subordinate Raylo, had no choice but to take such drastic asures..."
He paused at this point, scrutinizing the words on the parchnt to ensure there were no loopholes that could be twisted against him.
Once the letter was finished and the ink carefully dried, Raylo rolled it up with the dozen or so heavy confessions, sealed the scroll with wax, and stamped it with the crest of Black Stone Territory.
"Soone," he called out.
An attendant entered at his call, standing respectfully with hands clasped.
"Take this urgent dispatch. Send it to Thunder Dragon City imdiately through the magic relay station, by the fastest ans possible."
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