Chapter 80

"This is a crisis... but also an opportunity!" Edward muttered to himself, gradually calming his inner turmoil.

After a while, Huck's scout team returned, and by then, Edward had mostly shaken off the grip of fear and began to gather his courage to face the reality of their situation. He started thinking through possible responses, planning what to do next...

"Sir Huck, we searched thoroughly but found no enemies, only an oddly shaped crossbow. Here are the parts we retrieved from it," one of the soldiers reported to Huck, handing over a heavy metal component.

Huck took the part, inspecting it carefully. Just as he was about to speak, Edward stood up from behind the stone.

Edward walked up to the soldier and, with a stern expression, asked, "You said you found no enemies during your search, correct?"

"Uh... that's..." the soldier stammered.

"Answer me!" Edward raised his voice, demanding, "I am the lawful heir of Count William, and the first heir of my father, Baron Leo. I now bear both the title of Count and Baron. I command thee in the name of both titles! Soldier, answer me—didst thou or didst thou not find any foes?!"

"Yes... yes," the soldier quickly answered. "My lord, I really didn't find any enemies."

"Then which direction did you search, and what was the range of your search?" Edward asked seriously.

"I followed Sir Huck's orders, searching in the direction where the crossbow bolt was fired. I covered a range of about one mile," the soldier answered honestly.

"One mile?" Edward frowned slightly and waved his hand. "That distance is not sufficient. Go back and search again, but this time search all directions, covering every corner of a three-mile radius!"

The soldier paused, looking uncertainly at Huck.

Noticing this, Edward's voice grew colder. "What? Do you mean my orders don't matter? Do you need to wait for Sir Huck's approval?"

"No, it's just..." the soldier hesitated.

Huck's eyes flashed, and he spoke firmly to the soldier: "Rum, Edward is now Count, and his orders are final. You must carry them out without question and without hesitation. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir Huck," the soldier muttered weakly, his expression awkward as he and his companions set off to execute the order.

He didn't voice the thought that lingered in his mind: How can we possibly cover a three-mile radius with just a dozen men? We would need hundreds to do it properly. This order... it's just reckless, made without any consideration of the reality of the situation. The soldier looked at Huck, hoping the knight would address this.

Huck understood this concern but, in order to preserve Edward's fragile authority and dignity, he said nothing. He let Rum proceed. If there weren't enough men, it would take longer, and they would report back when it was safe. After all, if there had been any real danger, the enemy would have attacked by now and not given them time to prepare.

Finally, after hours of searching, a weary Rum and his team returned with the report of "safety." Edward barely reacted, his only comment a displeased, "Why did it take so long?" before turning and walking away.

As the evening passed, the camp was set up, and the name of "Count Edward" replaced "Count William" as the command shifted. They left the valley behind, setting up camp in an open field.

In light of the earlier ambush, Edward, eager to prove himself superior to his late uncle, had ordered the soldiers to dig trench after trench around the camp, setting up countless obstacles and traps. The soldiers worked until exhaustion, their bodies limp and unresponsive to the lashes of their commanders, only then did Edward relent and abandon the more elaborate defensive plans.

With an inexplicable mix of emotions, Edward hastily drank a bowl of meat porridge and entered the central tent. He did not sleep, instead, his mind raced with various plans for the future.

After several hours, Edward's initial panic had transformed into fervent excitement. The sudden acquisition of a title and the command of over five hundred men filled him with a burning energy. After careful thought, Edward convinced himself that this was all part of a divine plan. A god, an unknown force, had guided him to this point, granting him both a title and the power to command a force.

And the reason for this? To kill his evil brother, Richard.

It was his duty, his mission, his divine responsibility. He was the chosen one. Once he completed this task, victory would be his, and his ascent would be unstoppable. He would rise to be a Marquis — no, a Duke, and even a King!

A King!

Edward couldn't help but smile, his body alight with energy. And then, the morning came.

Though his body was sore and exhausted, his spirit burned with excitement. As dawn broke, Edward stepped out of his tent, shouting orders to wake the soldiers, disregarding their groans of fatigue. He forced them to suit up and arm themselves.

After a rushed meal, Edward led his men out, their goal clear — the Black Castle!

Edward could hardly wait to face his brother, whom he hadn't seen in over ten years. He wanted nothing more than to march to the Black Castle, engage in an exhilarating battle, and then personally end Richard's life.

With thoughts of his victory in mind, Edward spurred his soldiers to quicken their pace, ignoring their discontented, even angry glares.

Huck, watching it all, considered speaking up, but when he saw the desperate urgency on Edward's face, he swallowed his words. As he followed behind, Huck could only shake his head, his disapproval barely perceptible.

A few hours later, under Edward's relentless pressure, they finally reached the Black Castle.

As they approached, Edward gripped his sword, his heart pounding with anticipation. He was ready for the battle ahead, eager for the fight. But as they drew closer, something made him pause. The Black Castle was completely unguarded— the drawbridge was flat across the moat, the gate was open, and the interior was eerily silent, as though a ghostly silence had descended upon the place.

"What's going on?" Edward halted his horse and frowned, turning to Huck. "Could there be an ambush?"