Anger led them into the castle, to the first floor.
He sent Branton up to the second-floor hall to meet Baron Moro and the others.
Branton was a little afraid, since that meant he would be separated from Yveta and the others.
But he had no choice but to go upstairs first. Otherwise, it would look too strange.
Anger led Yveta and the others to a side room on the first floor.
Once inside, he sent away the maid who had followed them in, then said to Yveta and the others with an impassive face, "Before meeting the baron, you must surrender your weapons and armor and let me inspect you."
Yveta froze.
Giving up their weapons would put them at a serious disadvantage.
And their opponents would soon discover the Executioner, the Broken Steel Sword, and the Old Witch's expensive Mithril Twin Swords.
Just then, Black Wolf suddenly scoffed. "You don't even have to surrender your armor and weapons to have an audience with the king."
"What makes your baron so special?"
"You're asking too much."
Anger's expression shifted.
Yveta suddenly realized something.
Right, this wasn't the ancient Celestial Dynasty.
The custom here was that you didn't have to disarm before meeting important people.
This Children of the Forest officer disguised as a human was simply making things difficult for them.
And if they really did surrender their weapons, there was no telling whether the other side might attack them the very next moment.
Anger said sternly, "Those are the rules here."
"You..."
Black Wolf said, "We can surrender our weapons. But we'll need spices, soap, bathing water heated with warm spring water, four young and beautiful maids, and clean clothes befitting ladies and gentlemen for the four of us."
Yveta estimated that, at this world's prices, the whole package would cost at least a hundred pounds.
Probably more.
Anger was clearly dumbfounded. "What are you talking about?"
Black Wolf spoke bluntly. "It's true that you have to surrender your weapons and take off your armor to meet the king of the Arthas Kingdom. But they have a dedicated department that teaches you the proper etiquette for an audience with the king."
"They also provide hot spring water, beautiful clothes, and food."
"If we were in the Frank Empire next to the Arthas Kingdom, the cost of a single audience with their emperor would be astronomical. And they provide all that for those who come to see him."
Yveta picked up where he left off. "Since you're asking us to surrender our weapons, we ask that you provide us with comparable treatment."
Anger fell silent.
He had fallen silent because he was poor.
A few minutes later, a dangerous gleam flashed in his eyes. "I understand. Fine, I'll take you to see the baron."
"Follow me."
Yveta let out a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed they had made it through that hurdle.
Hopefully, there wouldn't be any more trouble.
Anger led them out of the side room and into the hall on the second floor.
The hall was packed with people. Some middle-aged men sat on the tall wooden stools provided by the baron, while young attendants stood beside them.
They were probably all vassals of the Moro Family.
Among them were many Formal Knights and Knight Attendants—the full strength of this barony.
When they arrived, Black Wolf and the others grew tense.
Ironically, the Children of the Forest who had taken the place of Baron Moro could use feudal law to command these human vassals to attack them.
Baron Moro sat in the chair at the center of the hall, scolding Branton, who stood with his head bowed and said nothing. "I told you, there are no ogres."
"Do you understand?"
"I'll say it again: there are no ogres in the Moro Baron Territory!"
Poor Branton was too scared to talk back. His hands were trembling.
Yveta walked over and said calmly, "No, I saw ogres in your territory with my own eyes."
"As the person who warned you, I deserve a reward. If you don't believe me, choose a place, and I'll explain exactly what happened."
As Yveta approached, Branton spotted him and lit up as if he'd seen his savior.
The Moro Family's vassal knights, watching the scene, whispered among themselves.
"Whose child is that? What a nerve! He dares to talk back to the baron."
"He doesn't seem to be from our territory. Is he a noble from nearby?"
"He looks like an adventurer to me. Maybe he's young and fearless, or a second son of some noble out to gain experience?"
"I rather like him, haha..."
Baron Moro's face darkened as he looked at Yveta.
After hearing the knights' comments, he clenched his fists even tighter, suppressing his anger.
He should have had these adventurers arrested that afternoon.
He hadn't expected them to cause such a huge disruption just as he was about to force the army to back down. Damn it.
Baron Moro said, "In that case, you and Branton can come with me to the side room to talk."
"Now, right away. Anger, you're in charge here."
Baron Moro rose to his feet, his figure appearing unusually imposing. He was like the tallest of all the pillars, holding up the atmosphere and keeping the situation under control.
He entered the side room, and Branton and Yveta's group immediately followed.
As soon as they entered the small room beside the hall, the Wooden Door was shut.
Inside were only a maid, Baron Moro, Branton, and Yveta, Leili, the Old Witch, and Black Wolf.
Baron Moro looked at Branton with irritation. "What are you trying to do, you brat? I already told you that you don't have a sister, and now you've made up another false story about ogres."
"Guests, don't believe a word he says."
"Come have a drink with me. I'll cover all the costs. I've stocked plenty of wine in the castle. Enjoying a drink together is better than wasting time on this fool."
Yveta noticed that the maid had moved behind them and was blocking the door.
But he acted as if he hadn't noticed. "No need, Baron."
"Actually, we never saw any ogres."
"We lied earlier."
Baron Moro was dumbfounded. So were the others.
Black Wolf, Leili, and Branton were especially bewildered. They couldn't keep up with Yveta's train of thought at all.
What was going on now?
Baron Moro looked at him strangely. "You know that making a false report can get you hanged, right? If you didn't find any ogres, but you lied..."
"Yeah." Yveta pretended to sneer, getting into character. "But so what? You're about to be obsolete anyway."
"Lord Branton is going to force you to give up the barony and the castle."
"Ogres are irrelevant. The baron's seat is what matters."
Baron Moro looked at Branton as if seeing his son for the first time. "So... this is a rebellion?"
"You came here alone to see me because you want to take me hostage?"
Branton hesitated. "Yes, I guess so."
Baron Moro was at a loss for words.
In his eyes, the baron's seat was hardly more valuable than thin air.
He didn't care about human hierarchies. The Children of the Forest were relatively egalitarian and had no ranks of lords and subjects.
In an utterly exasperated tone, he said to Branton, "You're my only heir. When I die, the seat will be yours."
"If you really want it, fine. I'll give it to you in a few days."
"Will that stop you from rebelling?"
Branton said, "I'll have to think about it."
Baron Moro relaxed completely. "Then think it over."
Yveta noticed that the maid behind them had moved away from the door. She stared at them with an exasperated expression.
She yawned and casually sat down on a stool, watching them as if this were some farce.
Just then, Yveta suddenly rushed at the baron, catching the enemy off guard while they had no idea what he was about to do. "No, we're taking you hostage so you'll tell everyone outside that you're handing the title to Branton!"
Branton instinctively charged forward too, and everyone else rushed in at that moment.
The maid had started to rise, but it was already too late. Then she remembered the baron's strength compared with that of a group of adventurers.
She sat back down.
In her eyes, this had become nothing but a childish farce.
An absurd fantasy of rebellion.
Before you continue