Volume 3, Chapter 52 – Baron Khesa’s Thank-You Gift

“Does the baron mean… you hope I will put in a good word with my Father, to have him allow the Barony of Khesa to be annexed into Silvar?”

“I do not mean to order Your Highness, the First Princess. Rather, I feel that with your status, as long as you nod, His Majesty the Elf King will surely not object. As long as Your Highness can guarantee that my fief will still be under my jurisdiction after being annexed into Silvar, I promise that the Barony of Khesa will pay ten times the feudal tax it currently submits to the Alfrieg Kingdom annually. I beg of you.”

Bowing his head deeply, Baron Khesa pleaded with utmost sincerity.

It was now the morning of the third day after the end of the defensive battle, and Baron Khesa was paying Fia a visit.

The reason he hadn’t come on the second day was that he had been swamped with work all day yesterday. Thousands of monster corpses piled up outside the city required him to mobilize manpower to deal with them. He also had to calculate which monsters had been killed by the witches and which by the soldiers.

In addition, a large number of exiled nobles had personally sought him out to ask who was responsible for the explosion, keeping him incredibly busy. He had been so occupied that he hadn’t even had time to investigate the cause of the explosion himself, which was why he had only found Fia now—he had only learned from the witches in the early hours of yesterday morning that Fia was responsible for it.

The baron probably hadn’t slept much these past two days; he had quite heavy dark circles under his eyes. Fia, who had been quietly observing him, withdrew her gaze. Unlike when she had met him as Thanatos, today he was not wearing his Arabian-style clothing, but a magnificent and ornate formal suit similar in style to the dress Fia was wearing.

He’s wearing this to show his sincerity in joining Silvar. Fia could roughly guess his thoughts. She picked up the hot tea on the table, waved her hand at Anastasia beside her to signal that she didn’t have to stand guard, and then said to the baron with a smile.

“Why does the baron think this way? My Father has his own ideas, and it is not convenient for me to interfere.”

If she were to agree to let him join Silvar here, and something were to happen to him later, the responsibility would fall on her. She did not want to add to her troubles.

Baron Khesa’s expression froze, but he quickly had a look of realization and explained.

“Her Highness, the First Princess, may think that the number ‘ten times’ is too exaggerated and that I am joking, but there is not a single false word in what I say. The Alfrieg Kingdom’s understanding of Khesa is still stuck seventy years ago, when the Flame King descended.

At that time, it was indeed poor and backward, a barren land. But in these seventy years without the kingdom’s inspection, two generations, my grandfather and my father, have worked hard to govern.

Khesa is no longer the poor territory it once was. Ten times the feudal tax is just a conservative figure for a normal year. If we have a good harvest, I guarantee I can pay twelve times the current tax.”

No, no, it’s not a matter of ten or twelve times, it’s that I don’t want to get involved at all. Right now, just the organization with Renee and the Witch Hall—now renamed the Witch Sanctuary—is enough to give me a headache, let alone adding another one.

Helping Baron Khesa join Silvar was indeed a great achievement for the Elf Kingdom, and he would surely default to joining her faction, represented by the First Princess, afterwards. But all of this was too troublesome, and she did not need it.

As for why the baron had sought her out at this busy time, besides his original intention to merge with the elf territory, the rest was probably because he already knew that she was the one who had created that world-shaking explosion a few days ago. With such a terrifyingly powerful person as a backer, he could sleep peacefully no matter what happened.

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Playing with the teacup in her hand, Fia thought of a way to politely refuse him.

Liti, who was sitting beside her, took the opportunity to quietly raise her hand. Her expression and demeanor were not as crotchety as usual, but perfectly in line with the persona of a “kind and petite little princess.” She said weakly.

“Um… I have a suggestion.”

Having found a savior, Baron Khesa quickly picked up the conversation.

“Please speak, Princess Liti.”

“Father gave the task of investigating the value of the Barony of Khesa to the Earl of Reinhardt, and he in turn gave it to Vice-Captain Renee… In other words, Father just wants to know if the barony is valuable. It doesn’t matter who investigates. In that case, if Sister Ana or I were to report to Father that the ‘Barony of Khesa’ is of great value, your fief could still join Silvar.”

“Uh, this…”

Baron Khesa hesitated. In joining Silvar, it was very important to choose the right person to follow. He had to be cautious. His original plan was to first get rid of the kingdom, regardless of anything else, and get himself a powerful protector. Later, he would join whichever faction he felt had potential. But now, the most powerful and promising faction was right in front of him. He had to join through Fia, even if it meant breaking his head. This would make it easier for him to get by in the royal court of Silvar in the future.

After all, as long as he said he had joined through the First Princess, the nobles who originally belonged to her faction and those who tried to curry favor with her would all assume that he had her approval, and would in turn protect and cling to him. The First Princess would not only be the future queen, but also possessed an unimaginably powerful strength. With such a large protector, it would be nothing but beneficial for his future.

On the contrary, if he were to enter the court through the person called Prince Schain, the situation would be very different. Although the nobles of Prince Schain’s faction would also protect him, correspondingly, the nobles of the First Princess’s faction would be wary of him. To try and join then would undoubtedly be much more difficult.

As for the option of simply joining Prince Schain’s faction, anyone with a slightly clever mind would not think so. In his opinion, Prince Schain’s faction was already a crumbling piece of rotten wood, ready to collapse at any moment.

As for the choice Liti had given, it seemed good, but was actually unsettling. He did not know whether this maid named Anastasia belonged to the First Princess’s faction or Princess Liti’s. If he made the wrong choice here, there would be endless trouble in the future.

As if guessing what he was thinking, Liti placed her index finger on her chin and said with an innocent look on her face.

“Sister Ana is sister’s personal maid, and I am also the sister she dotes on the most~”

Although the speed at which she changed her face was astonishing, Baron Khesa couldn’t be bothered with that now. The moment before, he had been hesitating, but now he immediately placed his hands on the table and bowed his head deeply.

“If possible, I implore Princess Liti to help me convey the message. I will surely thank you heavily in the future!”

“O… okay.”

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In an extremely delicate tone, Liti’s gaze was timid, her small hands clasped together nervously as she agreed like a child.

This girl’s acting is better than a robot’s.

Fia clicked her tongue inwardly. Since Liti had agreed, she couldn’t say much more. Excluding his moral character, Baron Khesa was a decent lord. It was just that in this way, the future risks would fall on Liti’s head. She couldn’t understand what Liti was thinking.

“I am eternally grateful!”

The subsequent developments were dizzying.

First, to increase the chances of success, Baron Khesa roughly explained the tax situation of his territory for the past five years. Then came the various sources of income, the population, the number of troops and magic casters, and even the attitude of the surrounding countries towards his territory and the nobles with whom he had deep friendships. He explained everything in detail.

Then, naturally, came the possible consequences Silvar might face once the Barony of Khesa declared its allegiance.

In the best-case scenario, Silvar would just have to pay the Alfrieg Kingdom a land fee, equivalent to buying the territory from them, and the matter would be over. In the worst-case scenario, the Alfrieg Kingdom would declare war on Silvar, or at worst, it would raise the banner of humanity and unite with the Milcandis Holy Kingdom to the north and the new empire to the west to besiege the elf territory. It would be very bad in every respect.

Although the Alfrieg Kingdom was weaker than the Elf Kingdom, and the Milcandis Holy Kingdom had been beaten half to death by them, after all, no one was a worm in the Alfrieg King’s heart. No one could predict the final outcome. Baron Khesa could only pray that in the eyes of the Alfrieg Kingdom, his territory was still a barren land. After all, once it lost its importance, the possibility of them directly starting a war would be greatly reduced, and the Elf King’s chances of nodding would also be greater.

That being said, once the Barony of Khesa merged with the elf territory, regardless of the Alfrieg Kingdom’s actions, Silvar would surely send troops to guard it. While he would gain the protection of the elves, his own power would also be weakened. However, he had no objection to this and even suggested to Fia that all his troops be treated as the city’s security force, with all military power handed over to the elves.

In his opinion, since he was no match for Silvar anyway, it was better to hand over the mess early to save himself the trouble of scheming and a lot of expenses. More importantly, those exiled nobles who hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles ¹ a situation of imminent and ever-present peril or disaster, symbolizing a constant threat that could descend at any moment. The idiom originates from an ancient Greek legend about Damocles, a courtier of King Dionysius I of Syracuse, who was seated at a banquet with a sword suspended over him by a single horsehair to illustrate the precariousness of power and fortune. would surely be driven away by the elves. It was killing several birds with one stone.

It was worth mentioning that Baron Khesa soon brought the conversation to the handover of the territory, his tone almost as if he were going to give it away on the spot. But Anastasia stopped him at the right time. The Elf King had not yet nodded. To talk about the handover now was an act of presumption and would bring rumors upon Fia.

The embarrassed baron had no choice but to guide the topic back to Fia, indirectly confirming with her whether she was the one who had caused the explosion. After receiving an affirmative answer, he first denounced the exiled nobles who had done nothing during the disaster and the adventurers who had fled at the sight of danger.

Then, he thanked Fia with ample body language, not only having his servants bring in the generous gifts he had prepared in advance, but also representing all the people of Khesa to thank Fia with tears and snot. If not for Fia sensing that something was wrong and promptly supporting him with [Telekinesis], he would have already fallen to his knees before her.

His grateful expression made Fia wonder whether it was to show his loyalty or if he was truly grateful for her saving his territory from the monsters. In any case, he was extremely humble throughout the whole process, without a trace of a noble’s arrogance.

“Thank you again, Your Highness, the First Princess. Everyone in Byrne City will remember this kindness.” After Fia expressed her intention to leave the inn and go elsewhere, Baron Khesa also stood up and bowed deeply to her. “It is a pity that the treasures in Khesa are not worthy of your eyes, and I cannot offer anything to represent my feelings. I am deeply ashamed.”

“Baron, we can establish a memorial day just like we did for Lord Thanatos, to thank Her Highness, the First Princess, for saving our lives this time.”

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The baron’s adjutant, who had entered with the servants, suggested. This adjutant was very likely also his lover. Not only was she full-figured, but the eyes with which she occasionally looked at him were also full of love. Of course, her figure was still far from being comparable to Anastasia’s.

“Oh! Let’s do that!” The baron clapped his hands together. “For my small barony to welcome two distinguished guests, Lord Thanatos and Her Highness, the First Princess, at the same time, if my father’s spirit in heaven knew, he would surely hold a festival to thank the grace of the White Night Goddess!”

No, no… holding grand festivals one after another will affect the lives of ordinary people, right? And it’s one thing to celebrate Thanatos, but do I have to be involved in my identity as “Dofilia” as well?

Fia imagined those people kneeling by the river, throwing bread into the water and shouting “Her Highness Dofilia!”… What kind of public execution was this?

She quickly put on a serious expression and said in a solemn tone.

“I don’t like complicated things. I understand your desire to thank me, but please keep everything simple.”

“But a festival has to be lively…”

“I think the baron is right. Sister helped everyone so much. You should accept their gratitude with grace.”

“Yes, accept it with grace.”

Not just Liti, but Milu also nodded repeatedly with a satisfied expression, as if “it should be so.”

Milu aside, Liti’s expression, with her winking at her triumphantly, had already exposed that she was deliberately pushing her to the forefront.

Although she knew that Liti was a hopeless sister-con, she didn’t understand her thoughts at all.

If not for the presence of outsiders, Fia would have already pinched Liti’s little face.

The baron’s adjutant smiled and sealed the deal.

“Since even Her Highness’s most beloved younger sister says so, then it is settled. I was just worrying about how to deal with those monster corpses outside the city. I think I have found a use for them now.”

According to the adjutant, the more complete corpses would be cooked as meat for the festival in the next few days.

It was a little strange.

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As if sensing Fia’s thoughts, Milu, who had tied her white hair into a cute side ponytail, looked up and emphasized seriously.

“Frog meat is delicious.”

“Yes, this little miss is right. Your Highness may not know, but eating the meat of desert monsters is a tradition in Byrne City.

Fire-striped Frog meat is tender and very suitable for stewing. Fire Bats and flaming anglerfish are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside after being roasted, especially the Fire Bats. With just a little spice, they become crispy and delicious. And this time, there are also the precious lava sea urchins and Lava Earth Dragons.

Normally, they are rare treasures, but this time, the number of them in the spoils of war is so large that it’s fine to share some with the commoners. The meat of high-rank monsters can strengthen the body after being eaten. Among them, the lava sea urchin, which is considered a top-grade ingredient by the kingdom, if eaten by a man, can… can strengthen the body!”

Towards the end, seemingly feeling that it was not in line with a lady’s image, the adjutant blushed and changed her words.

For some reason, Fia felt that the reason the lava sea urchin was “rare” was because it had been eaten to extinction by eager men. After all, not many men could resist the temptation of “increasing their stamina.”

“This is all thanks to Your Highness, the First Princess.”

“Although I shouldn’t be saying this, after the festival begins, I imagine Your Highness’s reputation will soon surpass that of Lord Thanatos. The value of delicious meat is much higher than the ale and bread I supplied before.”

In response to the baron’s wry smile, Fia had no choice but to follow suit. She didn’t know how to answer, because she was Thanatos.

After that, Baron Khesa invited Fia’s group to his mansion in the evening to enjoy a banquet with other nobles, with the theme of lava seahorses and Lava Earth Dragons. Fia politely and awkwardly refused him.

If it were an ordinary banquet, it would be fine to agree. Milu liked to try delicious food, and it would be great to take her for a big meal. But not only was the appearance of these monsters unappetizing, but their corpses had also been left in the open for a day and a night. Fia really had no appetite and didn’t want Milu to get a stomachache.

The baron clicked his tongue in regret.

“What a pity. The last time the two-headed Lava Earth Dragon appeared was forty years ago. I spent a large sum of money to buy this legendary meat from the witches. But since Your Highness has private matters, I will not disturb you. Just please be sure to inform me before you set off. I will arrange for a special escort to see you into Silvar. Then, we will not trouble you any further.”

“Then I will have to trouble you, Baron.”

“Haha, Your Highness is too kind.”

Laughing heartily, Baron Khesa soon left with his adjutant and servants, leaving behind a room full of rare treasures.