Chapter 173

Sitting by the campfire, the captain got to know Sir Blood in more detail. They had met last fall, but there hadn't been time for a proper conversation then. Moreover, the captain, one of the shadow rulers of the duchy and a vassal of one of the barons, hadn't found him particularly interesting. Now, however, this knight was commanding the strongest squad in his small army. This meant it was necessary to find common ground, especially since the young Kas's plans to establish a new barony with the king's approval were no secret to him.

Sir Vilor, a personal vassal of the duke who had joined his retinue, quickly rose through the ranks to become a captain. The honest warrior was not a born intriguer or power-hungry, but when the old duke died and his son took his place... How could one take seriously someone who had grown up before one's eyes? Someone who had been running around the castle halls just yesterday, brandishing a wooden sword? The man simply couldn't see the new lord as anything other than a child. Therefore, he served honestly, performing his duties and striving to bring maximum benefit to the duchy, and if that meant ignoring some of the lord's orders… Well, it was only for his own good! Once he grew up, he'd thank him!

After some thought, it was Captain Vilor who was appointed to lead the expedition to the pass. Duke Kas deliberately kept all barons out of it and did not go himself. The knights were left to their own devices. Besides Blood and Vilor, there were seven others in the squad—each baron had sent their most loyal vassal in their stead. Only Savoyardi did not send any of his own retinue; instead, he shook his purse and hired a strong band of mercenaries.

— May I inquire about your own capabilities, Your Grace?

— They should not concern you. Fifteen mages will fight in my stead. Consider me a reserve force.

— And yet, I would like to...

— And I would like to keep my capabilities a secret!

Starting the campaign with a quarrel wasn't the best decision, but how else could one preserve their reputation? The Valerian mage doesn't throw "fire arrows" around. Alexander could have used more powerful spells; the blood of the archmage, who still lay senselessly in captivity among the vampires, allowed for a lot. However, the lack of power to manifest that potential made even appearing like a mage difficult. It was best to maintain a stone-faced expression and send all inquiring parties away.

The captain kept a stony expression. If the rumors were true and he was indeed a mage from Valeria, then it was quite good that he was conversing with him and following his orders. In this country, mages held far too many privileges, even compared to the noble class.

— I hope your squad will fight on equal terms with everyone?

— That's correct. The only thing is, I strongly request that you don't split it up. My men are used to fighting shoulder to shoulder, and as a unit, they will be more effective.

— I wasn't planning to. The "Thorned Roses" may be inferior to you, but they are an excellent alternative. Any commander would dream of having two such strike forces.

— Is this mercenary squad really that good?

— According to Valerian terminology, there's even a fire mage among them! They are very well-known. But they are expensive.

— I'm glad His Grace didn't spare any expense for such renowned mercenaries.

— To be honest, I barely managed to persuade the duke to take this step. The prisoners provided a rather grim description of the hardships of crossing the mountains, and I wanted to be completely sure of the favorable outcome of our campaign.

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