Gospel of Blood

Chapter 321: Audience

At Northport.

When the Castell cavalry returned from their “bandit suppression” mission, the original force of 1,500 had swelled to over 2,000.

Citizens lined the streets, curiously watching the army enter the city gates, especially those in the middle of the formation who had laid down their weapons. Their armor and shields are clearly marked with the Violet crest.

“Those are the Violet deserters who were rampaging in the north!”

“Is it really them? I heard they made those noble lords cry for their mothers…”

“Absolutely! I heard they even robbed Baron Nacelle’s estate, that beast who enforced the right of the first night!”

“Good for them! It’s a relief to see them get some payback!”

“However, they were ultimately defeated by the Countess.”

“Of course, the Countess is formidable. She led Castell to victory against the coalition forces of two duchies!”

“She’ll probably demand a ransom from Violet.”

“Such a shame… the Countess despises the misconduct of nobles. If only she could keep them.”

“Hey, it’s not the Violet soldiers that matter, it’s their commander. I heard it’s thanks to their commander’s skills that the deserters were organized.”

“The commander? Is he a noble too?”

“Of course, from an ancient family, no less…”

“He does seem to share similarities with the Countess.”

The citizens chattered among themselves, curiously observing the army entering the city.

Within the formation, Baron Betel and Agnes, now disarmed, rode side by side, surrounded by layers of Castell knights.

Listening to the citizens’ discussions, Agnes turned to Baron Betel and smiled.

“Brother Guillaume, what do you think? Is the reputation of the Countess of Castell different from what you imagined?”

Baron Betel was silent for a moment before nodding slightly.

Agnes looked even more pleased.

“Therefore… rest assured, she is different from other nobles. Her style aligns more with our Veillet family. I think… you will fare better as her vassal than you did in Violet.”

“After all, one important reason you chose to follow my father was because our Veillet family treated commoners well!”

Hearing Agnes’ words, Baron Betel remained silent.

He was not ignorant of Countess Castell’s reputation. During his time conducting guerrilla warfare in the north, he had heard many stories about the Countess from the local commoners.

He couldn’t deny his curiosity and admiration for this legendary young woman.

However, his previous stance and the longstanding feud between their families prevented any reconciliation.

This thought reminded Baron Betel of the Veillet family’s cries when they were stripped of their titles and reduced to commoners.

“Castell! We Veillet will be your enemies until death!”

But now…

Seeing Agnes’ proud smile and her casual talk about Castell, he realized that she, the true last direct descendant of the Veillet family, had truly let go of everything.

Taking in Agnes’ expression, Baron Betel felt conflicted.

For many years, seeking revenge against Castell had been a part of his life.

Now, suddenly told that all past grievances were resolved and that his former enemies had reconciled with his lord, he felt a mental shock.

Baron Betel realized he needed time to adapt and accept this.

But things had developed dramatically. He faced not only reconciliation but also becoming a vassal to the new countess, swearing allegiance.

When he first learned of this, he had even considered dying alone.

However, Agnes’ arrival disrupted his plans, leaving him without a reason for such a drastic decision.

Baron Betel was bewildered.

He wasn’t unsure about his future.

As a noble and knight, he knew he would become a vassal of Castell. He knew he had no reason to oppose Castell anymore.

But… he truly didn’t know how to face this young Countess, who was once his enemy and would now be his liege, or how she would treat him.

After all, he had caused turmoil in Castell’s rear for over a month, refusing to surrender even after the war ended.

Although he hadn’t harmed many civilians, he had created chaos in central Castell and earned the enmity of the northern nobles.

He had even plundered noble estates, including some belonging to the Castell family, the young Countess’s property.

He had even killed a few estate managers and minor nobles.

Of course, he only learned of this after being told.

“Guillaume, we’ve arrived. The Countess is likely in her study now. The Countess’ personal knights will take you to see her.”

Unbeknownst to him, they had arrived at the Count’s mansion. Lahel smiled at Baron Betel.

After a moment of hesitation, Baron Betel dismounted and followed Agnes into the mansion.

As soon as they entered, the butler and personal knights, who had been informed, came to greet them.

“Are you Baron Betel?”

Rand, now the captain of Charlotte’s personal knights, curiously examined Baron Betel.

Seeing the young knight with Starry Sky strength, Baron Betel’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He nodded.

“Yes, I am Guillaume de Betel-Veillet.”

After speaking, he noticed the young knight’s expression change immediately.

The young knight gave him a thumbs-up and said enthusiastically.

“You’re amazing! We’ve long been fed up with those hypocritical, corrupt nobles! Castell needs true nobles and knights like you to deal with these degenerate scoundrels!”

Baron Betel was stunned by the knight’s admiring expression.

“Alright, follow me. The Countess has been waiting for you.”

Rand smiled.

Following the young knight, Baron Betel entered the mansion hall, went up to the second floor, and after several turns, arrived at a modestly luxurious study.

“Baron, please enter.”

The knight gestured.

Baron Betel hesitated for a moment before entering.

Inside the study, a beautiful blonde girl was sitting behind a desk, writing something.

“Are you Baron Betel?”

The girl put down her quill and asked curiously.

Baron Betel hesitated briefly before nodding silently.

“You arrived just in time. This is the future development plan for the Betel Barony sent by the cabinet. See if it aligns with reality.”

The girl pointed to a scroll on the desk.