"Andrew, if Nalant really refuses to exchange territories, I can exempt Storm Territory from paying taxes from now on!" The count, seated on his iron throne, saw that Andrew was in a difficult position.
As a vassal, one naturally had to pay taxes to one's liege. It was an obligation.
Besides collecting taxes, a liege also had the right to summon his vassals to fight for two months each year, without paying them any compensation during that time.
"Steward Thomas, has Nalant really made up his mind?"
"Yes, Lord Andrew. That's what Lord Nalant instructed me to tell you!"
"Good!" Andrew nodded. His youngest son might have been a little timid, but he was becoming brave now. Perhaps it was time for him, as a father, to let go. After all, no glorious lord had ever grown under someone else's protection. Glory was forged through courage and battle.
"Count, then let Nalant remain in Storm Territory!" Andrew said respectfully.
"Very well! I'll have someone draw up the tax exemption for Storm Territory and deliver it to Nalant's subordinate later." The count nodded. "Since all the second sons have finished their reports today, this meeting is adjourned!"
"Count, I have a gift here from Lord Nalant for Miss Stella!" Just then, Thomas spotted the presents in the hands of several servants up ahead and immediately jolted.
He had actually forgotten to remind his lord to send a gift to Miss Stella before they set out.
Normally, something like this was Nalant's private romantic business, and Thomas, as his steward, couldn't interfere. But there were clearly seven gifts in the servants' hands. If his lord didn't send one, he would certainly be outdone by the other nobles' second sons.
"Hmm, just give it to the servant," the count said with a nod.
Thomas then took out a bottle of perfume he had brought along and handed it to the servant.
When the servant received the bottle, the corner of his mouth twitched. As a servant of Tulip Castle, he recognized the bottle. It was the ordinary perfume they used to spray in the corridors of the count's castle.
The administrators from the other territories were also dumbfounded when they saw this.
The count noticed it too, but said nothing. Once the servant had accepted the perfume, the meeting finally came to a proper end!
"My lord, following Sherry's instructions, we've captured the two spies who just infiltrated Storm Territory!" Vivian reported to Nalant inside the castle.
"Hmm, how many does that make?"
"Sixth, my lord!"
"Hmm, lock them up for now." Nalant nodded.
Starting two days ago, Quinte had been sending spies into his territory one after another. Fortunately, Nalant knew that after the salt went on sale, Quinte would surely send people to investigate if he heard about it.
So he had Sherry send bees to patrol the border between Quinte Territory and Storm Territory every day. Whenever someone approached, they would return and report it. Sure enough, Nalant had caught six spies.
"The caravan should have reached Tulip City by now, judging by its speed. It should be back in five days at the latest. Salt is only the beginning. Since you're so arrogant, don't blame me for making you kneel and sing 'I Surrender'!" Nalant calculated the timing as he considered how to deal with the camp.
Although the caravan hadn't returned yet, he had already begun making plans to destroy the camp in the Buffer Zone.
"My lord, I've sent out today's bees!" Not long after Vivian left, Sherry came scampering into Nalant's study.
The little girl now spent every day with the bees, having the time of her life in the castle.
The guards and servants felt their scalps prickle whenever they saw her playing among the buzzing swarms.
"Good, Sherry! Tonight, ask your mother to bake a couple more pieces of white bread. You and Vivian can have some!"
"Yes! Thank you, my lord, for being so generous and handsome!" Though Sherry had gained such an incredible ability, at heart, she was still just a little girl.
Little girls were delicate and soft... ahem... weren't they just fond of good food?
So Nalant often bribed her with white bread.
Besides keeping enemy spies from slipping in, Sherry had another important task these days.
She was to carry out the first step of the plan against Quinte Camp.
The task was simple: every day, Sherry sent two swarms of bees to Quinte Camp to attack the guards posted on the wooden walls, especially the archers in the watchtowers.
Quinte Camp was like a small fortress, with wooden walls five or six meters high.
With only twenty-five men, Nalant couldn't storm it head-on. He had to sneak in quietly and keep a low profile.
And if he wanted to ambush the camp without the guards noticing, the only way was to make sure there were no guards on the wooden walls.
That was why he had Sherry send the bees to attack them.
The guards at Quinte Camp had been having a miserable time lately. They had no idea where the swarm had come from, but every day, it came by the camp a few times.
The bees stung anyone they saw, especially the guards in the watchtowers. Nearly everyone had been stung, and some had ended up with swollen, bruised faces.
Dili, a mid-tier Title Knight, was helpless against the bees. In the end, he had no choice but to order the guards to take temporary shelter whenever the bees showed up.
Dili had also sent guards to search the nearby woods for a hive, but they found nothing.
Still, Dili never suspected that someone was sending the bees after them. After all, he had never heard of such a thing. No one had ever been known to control bees.
In a beautiful garden at Tulip Castle stood a delicate little house built of pure white marble.
It had been built by the count for his only daughter, Miss Stella, the Flower of Tulip.
"Wow, miss, what a beautiful seashell! This was sent by Sir Billy from Greenwood Territory!" In the splendid, luxurious hall, the gifts the second sons had given Stella were arranged on a large table.
Stella wasn't interested in them at all and continued reading her book. Her maid, Lina, was having a wonderful time opening the beautifully wrapped gifts.
"If you like it, you can have it," Stella replied to her personal maid without even looking up.
"Ah, miss, I wouldn't dare accept it! If Sir Billy ever found out, he'd surely blame me!" Lina immediately refused, though she opened the next gift even faster.
As one box after another was opened, colorful crystals, fresh magic fruits, distinctive handcrafted bracelets, and other exquisite gifts were laid out on the table.
"Huh, is this a gift?" When Lina opened the seventh box, she looked puzzled. She remembered the servant saying that there had been eight gifts.
"There's still Sir Nalant's gift unopened. This must be his! Miss, Sir Nalant is so stingy!" All the other boxes contained notes written by the second sons themselves, so Lina immediately knew that the only gift left was Nalant's.
"Hmm? Why is he stingy?" Hearing Nalant's name, Stella finally showed a flicker of interest. After all, there were probably only a few people in the whole continent, let alone the principality, who would mistake the Land of Misfortune for a land of good fortune.
"Miss, look! This bottle of perfume is Sir Nalant's gift! It's the same perfume we use at Tulip Castle to spray in the corridors and hall!"
Lina held the perfume bottle up to Stella, her face full of indignation.
Looking at the gifts from the other second sons, then at this gift without even any wrapping, Lina had already labeled Nalant as stingy.