Count Austin Carter was the lord of the Aidan Plain in the Red Maple Kingdom. Not only did he possess Epic strength himself, but several of his retainers had reached the Hero Domain.
One of those retainers was even an Epic baron!
That baron had only broken through because Austin Carter had boldly bestowed the seventh-tier Breath of Flame cultivation method upon him.
This had become a celebrated tale throughout the Red Maple Kingdom for a time, sung by many bards.
For this very reason, besides the lords under his command, Count Austin Carter also had quite a few powerful knights in his service.
Even without granting them fiefs, he could retain many powerful individuals.
With two Epic combatants at his disposal, along with the other forces in his territory, his relatives by marriage, and his alliances, his strength was formidable.
Austin Carter ranked among the foremost nobles in the entire Red Maple Kingdom.
He was one of its pillars of power, second only to the royal family and Duke Fisher.
Yet today, as Austin Carter stood on an upper floor of his castle, looking down at the procession that had just entered South Maple City, his expression remained quite calm.
"Our Saintess truly is gentle on the outside and firm within, just as the rumors say."
"She should have been wavering at first. That Baron Link ruined things by stirring her sympathy."
A black-robed figure beside him gave a cold laugh.
The man had a scar on his face that gave him an air of uncompromising righteousness. The surcoat he had just changed back into bore the Theocracy's emblem, with the additional markings of the Inquisition.
"Heh, Her Highness is beautiful. Perhaps Baron Link wanted to show off before a beauty."
Count Carter smiled mildly.
"If he wants to