House Vance

Grey Stone Keep, in the lands of House Vance.

The Vance family sat at a long table, eating lunch.

Their lunch was far more lavish than Davion's.

The staples were white bread and oatmeal sweetened with honey.

The main dishes were beef stew, roast trout, and beef pie.

The side dishes were roasted onions and a spinach and nut salad.

Everyone also had a drink beside them, either mint tea or hot milk.

Raymond Vance, the head of the family, had even started drinking ale at midday.

Raymond Vance was a tall, imposing middle-aged man.

He looked about fifty.

His narrow eyes always gleamed with calculation.

He drained a cup of ale in one gulp.

Gesturing for the maid beside him to refill it, he spoke.

"Well? Elton, any news from Harrenhal?"

Elton was Raymond's eldest son and first in line to inherit Grey Stone Keep.

He was arrogant and overbearing, and liked drinking just as much as his father.

He often took a few household soldiers out after drinking to harass the tenant farmers in the territory.

Of course, most of them were in Harrenhal's territory.

Elton grinned at his father.

He spoke without bothering to finish chewing.

"No new news yet, but just the day before yesterday, that fat pig Wes at Harrenhal assured me the little brat wouldn't last more than a few days!"

"I paid five Gold Dragons for that information. I don't believe that fat pig would dare lie to me!"

At this, Raymond slapped the table and roared with laughter.

"Hahaha, good! Well done, Elton! Keep a close watch on the news from Harrenhal, and hurry up and incorporate the land that little brat leased to us into our territory."

Raymond's second son was named Kalen Vance.

He had been born with a dark, brooding disposition.

With a brutal elder brother holding sway over him, he acted with extreme caution, even seeming somewhat timid.

Kalen glanced up at his father and asked cautiously.

"Father, the man at Harrenhal is still our family's liege lord."

"If word gets out that he was injured while coming to collect a debt from our family and eventually died of his wounds, wouldn't that damage our family?"

"And even if our family swallows up more land now, won't we still have to return it when the new lord arrives?"

Raymond had never liked his second son, considering him far too cowardly, unlike his own bold and courageous self.

He gave his second son a disdainful look.

"Kalen, you should learn more from your elder brother, understand? Harrenhal is no longer what it once was! That little brat is the only one left of House Whent."

"Remember, that little brat and his sworn knight walked out of Grey Stone Keep that day completely unharmed! His death has absolutely nothing to do with House Vance! Do you understand?"

"But once he dies, the benefits will come our way."

"When that happens, won't it be up to us to say whether the land our family holds was leased or purchased? With the dead unable to testify, what can the new lord do to us?"

Elton gave Kalen a mocking smile.

"My naive little brother, even if Harrenhal gets a new lord, that lord's family certainly won't be very powerful."

"After all, what ancient house doesn't have ancestral lands of its own? Why would they readily abandon those lands to come to Harrenhal?"

Kalen hated this arrogant attitude of his father's and elder brother's more than anything.

He lowered his head, his gaze vicious, and cursed inwardly.

Two idiots who belong in a museum! Is everyone else as ignorant as you two? You think you can just refuse to return your liege lord's lands? Do you think you're Ironborn?

Just then.

A guard walked into the dining hall.

He approached Raymond and spoke quietly.

"My lord, Earl Whent is here again."

Raymond froze.

"Who?"

"Earl Whent."

Raymond looked at his eldest son Elton with a strange expression.

Elton looked equally puzzled.

"Are you sure? The man outside the gate is Davion Whent?"

"Yes, young master."

"All right, leave us." Elton waved him away irritably.

Once the guard had left the dining hall, Elton slammed his fist onto the table.

"Fuck, that damned Wes dared to lie to me! No, I have to go take a look!"

Elton hastily wiped his mouth with his sleeve and headed straight for the gate without even taking a weapon.

Questions crowded Kalen's mind.

He had clearly seen the huge dent in Davion's head after he struck the rock that day.

He had never heard of anyone surviving such a grievous injury.

And yet, in just three short days, he had come calling again.

Outside Grey Stone Keep.

Davion stood quietly before the gate, a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

The guards on either side looked at Davion strangely.

His equipment really was rather too shabby.

Davion's expression remained calm.

He carefully examined Grey Stone Keep before him.

After all, there was a very good chance it would belong to House Whent in the future.

After looking for a while, Davion felt utterly disappointed.

From the outside, Grey Stone Keep did not even look as large as a single tower of Harrenhal.

This was the sort of strength an ordinary noble house like House Vance should possess.

Fifty guards and servants combined would already be Grey Stone Keep's limit.

Harrenhal was simply in even worse straits, which was why House Vance could bully it.

As Davion was thinking, he saw Elton stride toward him with two spear-wielding guards at his side.

Elton stopped in front of Davion, and a flicker of astonishment crossed his face when he got a clear look at Davion's.

Then he resumed his earlier arrogance, looking Davion's equipment up and down.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Has Harrenhal become this poor? My lord Earl, can't you even scrape together a decent set of equipment?"

Davion's expression remained calm.

"You needn't concern yourself with Harrenhal's circumstances, young master Elton. But I believe I'll have a brand-new suit of armor in a few days."

Elton scoffed.

"Might I ask what brings you here today, my lord Earl?"

Davion straightened a little.

"I've come to collect the hundred Gold Dragons House Vance borrowed from me three years ago. House Vance originally promised to repay it within a year, but payment is now two years overdue. With interest, you owe me a hundred and fifty Gold Dragons."

Elton said nothing, merely looking at Davion with an amused expression.

Seeing his reaction, Davion gave a warm smile.

He thought to himself, Yes, yes, exactly like that. You can be even more arrogant. Otherwise, how will I have a reason to strike?

Davion continued.

"It has been five years since I inherited the title of Earl of Harrenhal. Over these five years, House Vance has used every excuse to refuse to pay its annual tribute. With interest added for all those years, I'll put House Vance's debt at two thousand Gold Dragons."

"I'll wait right here. You have one hour to gather the full amount owed. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

Elton froze at first, then burst out laughing.

"Hahahahaha, my lord Earl, are you joking? Hahaha, I can't take it. That joke is so funny my stomach hurts!"

The warm smile remained on Davion's face as he asked calmly.

"Young master Elton, does this behavior mean you refuse to pay?"

Elton clutched his stomach and doubled over, still laughing uncontrollably.

At this, the smile on Davion's face gradually broadened.

He spoke as though breathing a sigh of relief.

"Wonderful. I can finally take action!"