Chapter 219 - King's Messengers

Four days after being sent by Lucien, his messengers began to arrive in the va.s.sal kingdoms of Portgreen.

Lucien also sent a thousand mercenaries to ​each of​ the ​four ​main cities and ​smaller groups of mercenaries to the ​villages as a sign that he and Ca.s.sidy would protect all of the people under Portgreens rule, just as Ca.s.sidy's father intended and as she did before.

The mercenaries followed Lucien and Ca.s.sidy's orders and were ​also​ being paid well for it. Lucien had access to not only the wealth of Scarlett and the other mercenary leaders but also the Guild's at his disposal.

Lucien also wanted to start using adventurers to defend the Kingdom, but they still needed to be disciplined, and of course, they still ​didn't have​ the black mark when Lucien sent the messengers.

The first group arrived at Bluewind and was very well received by Ron. The messenger made it clear that Lucien wanted his presence in Portgreen city not only as Bluewind's ruler but also as his friend.

Bluewind was certainly the most protected va.s.sal kingdom of Portgreen today. There were many golems defending the frontier of the great forest against mystic beasts, which were still more violent than usual.

In addition, the soldier training projects that Angela and Ron started were going very well. Still, Ron only left Bluewind because Lucien had sent a thousand mercenaries to help secure the Kingdom and its borders.

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Another messenger with the mercenary group arrived in the Nudid Kingdom, the place where Lena was to marry the prince she killed with Lucien's help.

After the Light Empire troops died next to the city in a great earthquake, and the prince died, his mother, Queen Zora, took control of the Kingdom, and she was concerned ​about ​more bad things happening.

But nothing else happened after that. No more troops from the Light Empire came, and neither were they attacked again by the mysterious enemies who were supposed to be Bluewind Kingdom's allies.

Now Zora was at the top of the wall with her royal guards speaking​ to the group of a thousand​ mercenaries who had arrived at the city gates.

"Who are you, and why are you in such a large group around my city?" Zora asked in a solemn tone, fit for a widow queen.

The messenger in front of the group of mercenaries acted as Lucien ordered, with a respectful and friendly manner. "We come by order of King Lucien and Queen Ca.s.sidy to invite the ruler of this Kingdom to join them in Portgreen city for a conference."

"These mercenaries are an act of good faith by our King to help protect this Kingdom. They will be completely at the disposal of Its ruler ​ to defend the city​ ."​

Zora didn't recognize Lucien's name, but she and everyone around her know who Ca.s.sidy is. Knowing that Ca.s.sidy was not dead and apparently had retrieved Portgreen's crown was excellent news for Zora.

The Nunid Kingdom, as well as Bluewind, bordered the great forest to the west, and they were also suffering from wild animals attacking more than usual. Also, Nudid Kingdom was in the southwestern area of Portgreen, so it bordered the Light Empire, and they were also having other problems that were previously avoided because they had Ca.s.sidy's support.

Thus, Zora quickly introduced herself as the Queen and invited the messenger and mercenary group to enter the city. After the whole story of Lucien and Ca.s.sidy was told to Zora, she was very impressed.

But because she was happy with the good news, she didn't even notice about Bluewind and Lucien's group. She quickly prepared to travel to Portgreen city with the messenger and a small group while a thousand mercenaries were added to the soldiers of the Kingdom.

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While small groups of messengers and mercenaries arrived in most of the smaller villages, the third large group arrived at the northernmost va.s.sal kingdom of Porgreen.

It's the ​city ​that ​Olivia and her family ruled many years ago. After the tragedy that happened to them, another n.o.ble family took over the leaders.h.i.+p of ​the​ small Kingdom because it has an excellent geographical position on top of a mountain near the sea.

The man who declared himself the current King was delighted with the news about Ca.s.sidy being alive. After all, that Kingdom's central city was safe, but the villages within that region also bordered the great forest. So the King really appreciated ​the one​ thousand mercenaries that Lucien sent.

The King immediately started preparing his family to go to Portgreen city for the conference with Lucien and Ca.s.sidy. They preferred to travel along the coast because they had good sh.i.p.s.

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Thus, three of the four main va.s.sal kingdoms of Portrgreen received the groups of messengers that Lucien sent. Nunid Kingdom in the southwest; Bluewind in the east; And Olivia's old home in the north.

The ​last one ​of the four main va.s.sal kingdoms of Portgreen was a large island northeast of Portgreen city, called Raco.

Its geographic position was actually in part of the great forest. The Alliance ​used to ​control ​the island, but the patriarch of the werewolf clan gave it to Portgreen as a sign of grat.i.tude for the crucial help the Sage King gave them in fighting the Light Empire in the last great war when he died.

Although Raco island was far from compensation for the deaths of so many soldiers from Portgreen and Ca.s.sidy's father, she could not deny that the position of the island is excellent. Plus, it has many rare resources like the incredible black steel.

Thus, Ca.s.sidy always sent many soldiers to defend Raco. The island is now a connecting point between the Alliance and Portgreen by sea, as well as being a neutral place that welcomes everyone traveling by sea.

For these reasons and also the fact that the best s.h.i.+pbuilders on the west side of Argerim lived in Raco, Dawn always wanted to conquer Portgreen to have better access to Alliance by sea.

As Raco was very far to the southeast at sea, Lucien's messenger and the mercenary group, divided into five large sh.i.p.s, arrived there almost two weeks after leaving Portgreen city.

Rico's current leader, Emmanuel, did not declare himself King but Manager of the island.

Emmanuel is an extremely greedy man who does anything to profit. In Raco, he can s.h.i.+ne like no other place, making use of all kinds of commerce to become increasingly wealthy.

Despite everything that Porgreen meant for Ca.s.sidy's father and her as a free place for everyone, Emmanuel even traded slaves in Raco.

Of course, trading slaves and other illicit acts were done by Emmanuel in the shadows. But in the last year with the supposed death of Ca.s.sidy and the lack of a single ruler, Emmanuel started to manage his black market without any fear of being punished.

Today, from his castle on top of a hill by the sea, Emmanuel saw big sh.i.p.s arriving at the port of Raco. He was confused to see the coat of arms of Portgreen's former royalty on the sails of the sh.i.p.s.

He gathered his guards, most of them mercenaries, and headed for the port to receive the mysterious visitors.

Emmanuel was surprised to hear what ​ Lucien's messenger ​said Emmanuel was the first ruler of a​ va.s.sal kingdom to be upset by the news; after all, Ca.s.sidy was a danger to his black market and his two main collaborators.

Still, Emmanuel couldn't look suspicious, so he did a great fake act about how happy he was and also prepared to go to Portgreen to greet the Queen and the new King.

Of course, Emmanuel used the excuse of needing a day to prepare for the trip to hide all traces of his recent illicit activities.

While Lucien's messenger rested, the mercenaries who came with him began to befriend with Raco's mercenaries.

The mercenaries of Raco were of a small group called Black Flag. They were previously led by a Black Hands cousin, but then a rebel knight who arrived in Raco a year ago killed that mercenary leader and now commands the Black Flag group.

The Black Flag mercenaries were very surprised to find out about Lucien defeating the main leaders of Portgreen, "taming" the scary Red Lady and now leading all the mercenaries in Portgreen, at least those on land.

They did not think they would have problems with Lucien; after all, they are a small group that lives far away from Portgreen city.

Still, the friends.h.i.+p between the mercenaries was not so nice. Some of the mercenaries who were very happy to serve Lucien reported about the Black Flag to Lucien's messenger, who would report to him not only about the group but mainly about their leader.

In a tavern in the docks of Raco, Lucien's messenger, a smart man, smiled at the mercenary's report. "So it's really him, it's​ Theodore?"​

The mercenary nodded. "Yes, sir, I'm sure. Some of my comrades of the Black Flag told me about his physical characteristics, and if I remember correctly, it's not a mistake. Their new leader is Theodore. Also, they call him the rebel knight."

Lucien's messenger tapped his mug of wine on the table while still smiling. "The rebel knight? Yes, it's certainly him. King Lucien will undoubtedly be happy with this news and will reward me."

The mercenary could understand the happiness of the messenger. Still, he couldn't​ let him smile​ strangely at him. "Do you really want the King's reward?"

The messenger was a little drunk but realized that his words could be misinterpreted. "No! Not that reward!! I meant gold, of course, I was talking about gold."

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On the other side of the island of Raco was another great castle, perhaps bigger than Emmauel's.

On a balcony overlooking the sea of that castle, two men played cards. Both had s.e.xy women on​ their laps while drinking wine.

Those two men became friends in a very bizarre situation. Perhaps that is why their friends.h.i.+p only grew every day, as well as their cooperation with Emmanuel in his illicit acts.

The older man has never been loved by his wife and has always been humiliated by her and despised by his daughter.

The other man has a strong appearance of someone who was always a warrior. Unlike his friend, he seemed to be less than forty years old and was always in love with his friend's wife.

The two friends had in common the fact that a specific woman had never loved any of them, and that is why they hated her.

Well, after bad times happen to their family, both men betrayed and abandoned that woman, who supposedly died.

And then, after running away at different times, they ended up going to the same place and were now friends and a.s.sociates.

While those two friends were enjoying the sunset playing cards, a man ran ​onto the​ balcony.

The man seemed to have run at his full speed and ​is​ now having trouble breathing.

After a few seconds, the man looked at the younger man of the two friends. "Boss, I have some urgent news."

"What is it?" Theodore asked as he made a worried expression.

The man spoke quickly. "A group arrived from Portgreen. Their leader declared himself the King's messenger."

"The King? Did Ivan become King?" Theodore asked.

The man shook his head. "King Lucien, the new King, and Queen Ca.s.sidy's husband."

"Ca.s.sidy's husband?!?!?!" Not only did Theodore exclaime out as fury dominated his mind, but the other man stood from the chair as he threw the woman on his lap away.

Theodore's servant quickly continued his report. "Also, King Lucien and Queen Ca.s.sidy defeated Ivan and his army of adventurers. Now they lead all of Portgreen, the mercenaries, and the rest of the adventurers."

"No way!" Theodore ​slammed his fist on​ the table.

"How? With ​what​ army?" The older man asked.

"Apparently, with six hundred women in black armor and a big white tigress." The man responded. "WHAT THE h.e.l.l?!?!?!" Theodore and his friend exclaimed, even more shocked than before.

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