Chapter 413
Castel Domain, North Port.
Within a blink of an eye, a month had passed since the North Port Battle. Although parts of Castel’s southern territory had not been fully reclaimed, this Northern jewel had already shed its war-riddled state and returned to its former peace.
North Port’s harbor had resumed its bustling activity, with merchant ships arriving and departing non-stop, and various types of goods piled up at the port.
If not for the unrepaired cannonball scars on the shore fortress and the still uncleared ruins of Shallow Water Street outside the city, it would be hard to imagine that just a month earlier, this city was surrounded by tens of thousands of troops and a massive fleet, teetering on the brink of collapse.
When Count Witre, serving as the Violet Envoy, disembarked from the sailboat and stepped onto the port, what he saw was this bustling scene.
“I had long heard that North Port is the wealthiest and most prosperous city in the entire Kingdom’s north. Seeing it now, it indeed lives up to its reputation—I dare say even Linte City cannot compare to this place in prosperity…”
Looking at North Port’s busy harbor, he couldn’t help but express his feelings.
“Thank you for your praise, Lord Witre. The Duke has been informed of your arrival and is waiting for you at the Count Mansion. Please board the carriage and come with us.”
Opposite Count Witre, Viscount Lien Castel, accompanied by two columns of fully-armed Castel Knights, said with a smile.
Count Witre glanced at the gleaming chain armor of the Castel Knights, nodded slightly, and boarded the carriage.
The carriage started and headed towards the city center.
Count Witre lifted the curtain to look outside, feeling that the city’s vibrancy was no less than that of the port.
Passing carriages, dense crowds, hawkers hawking their wares, traveling bards performing…such a lively and prosperous scene, he recalled only seeing such a sight when traveling to the Royal Capital.
In that moment, Count Witre finally understood why the Third Prince, in a frenzy, would go so far as to attack Castel even at the risk of violating the Holy Code and the Royal Authority Contract.
Such a rich domain, yet not under his control, was indeed unbearable for an ambitious lord.
“I had always heard that Castel’s contract tax provided to Bold constituted half of the entire Duchy’s vassal tax revenue. I used to think it was an exaggeration, but seeing this now, perhaps it was even underestimated…”
Count Witre thought to himself.
The carriage traveled all the way and arrived at the Count Mansion.
After coming to a stop, Count Witre, assisted by the servants, stepped down from the carriage and followed Viscount Lien Castel into the Count Mansion’s drawing-room.
Charlotte had already been waiting inside the Count Mansion.
Today, she was dressed in a black silk dress embellished with golden trims and patterns, her golden hair smoothly cascading down her back, and her sapphire-like clear eyes as pure as the sky.
This was Count Witre’s first time meeting the young Countess legendary in stories.
And she truly was the “legendary” Countess.
On this journey, every time he stopped at a port for the night, Count Witre could almost always hear people at the docks discussing the young Countess’s deeds.
Talks of a Saintess who invoked divine miracles, a lord who salvaged desperate situations, a talented woman with both wisdom and valor…He had almost grown weary of such tales.
Particularly the earth-shaking North Port Battle that jolted the entire Violet Duchy, where Castel defeated forces from two duchies with fewer numbers—an event counted as legendary.
It was said that even the Royal Capital was stirred, and the King himself had sent people to inquire about the internal conflict in Bold and had remembered the name Charlotte de Castel.
Thinking of this, Count Witre couldn’t help but carefully examine the legendary noble, only to find that the young countess appeared even younger than the legends suggested, young enough to even be considered… youthful.
If he didn’t know what she had accomplished since ascending to her position, he would have found it extremely difficult to associate the girl, who seemed much younger than his own daughter, with a noble lord.
“Count, the envoy from Violet, Count Witre, has arrived.”
Viscount Lien Castel bowed to Charlotte, respectfully saying.
Count Witre keenly noticed the old viscount’s sincere awe towards the young girl in both his words and demeanor.
Not only that, he also noticed that the other Castel nobles in the council hall, without exception, showed a respectful and cautious posture.
Even the personal guard knights standing behind the young girl stood much straighter, evidently proud of their work.
This young countess… had already garnered the recognition and reverence of her vassals and followers.
Count Witre immediately made such a judgment.
Thinking of this, his expression became much more serious, and he bowed slightly to Charlotte, saying,
“Violet envoy, Bertrand de Witre, has the honor of meeting Count Castel.”
Count Witre’s posture was very respectful.
Though both were counts, not all counts were equal.
Not to mention Castel’s territory was already more than three times the size of his own, the wealth between them was incomparable.
In a sense, the Castel Domain had even gathered enough resources to stand parallel with a duchy, and the battle at North Port was the biggest proof.
“Welcome, Lord Witre. Have you come on behalf of Violet to negotiate with me?”
Charlotte nodded slightly with a smile.
Her delicately beautiful face and a spring-like gentle smile seemed to possess a transcendent charm, causing even the worldly-wise Count Witre to momentarily lose his composure.
Of course, he quickly regained his composure, hurriedly looked away, and cleared his throat awkwardly before pulling out a gilt-edged parchment scroll from his chest:
“Yes, Count, I am indeed here to negotiate on behalf of the Duke, and this is the letter His Grace has written to you…”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows, signaling her personal guard knights to take the parchment scroll from Count Witre, who then promptly stepped forward, presenting it with both hands.
Charlotte took the scroll and carefully read it.
After a moment, she set down the scroll and chuckled lightly,
“So… the Duke of Violet means to say that he hopes to make peace with Castel and proposes to exchange the Third Prince for Count Linte and the Violet soldiers we have captured?”
Count Witre nodded slightly, respectfully saying,
“More precisely, Count, he seeks redemption.”
“We hope to exchange the Third Prince for the captured Count Linte, and in addition to the Third Prince, we are willing to redeem each ordinary Violet soldier at a price of ten gold tanas per person, and redeem each extraordinary soldier at a price of one hundred gold tanas per person…”