Chapter 40: Rising Tensions

Early morning.

Black arrived early at the courtyard where Kana and the others were staying.

"This is the Count's reply."

Kana took the letter but did not open it immediately. Instead, he looked at Black. "Do you have something to say?"

After all, a simple reply did not typically require Black to deliver it in person.

Black nodded, straightened his posture, struck his chest with his right hand, and offered a knight's salute.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I must return to Lakeview City. The situation on the front lines is becoming tense. I have received orders from the Count to join the battle, and I can no longer remain here to guard your safety."

Aris, standing nearby, glanced at him and muttered to herself, *I am the one who is the Prince's guardian knight.*

"Is that so? Then take care of yourself. As for my safety, do not worry; we are still very far from the front lines."

Hearing this, Black nodded, looked at Aris, and finally said, "I leave the Prince's safety to you."

*I am the one who is the Prince's guardian knight! I don't need you to tell me what to do!*

Aris screamed internally, but as she was not one for arguments, the words that came out were simply, "I will."

*Damn it! Aris, you should have retorted sharply!* She was not at all satisfied with her own response.

Black took his leave.

Only two people and one mouse remained in the courtyard. The mouse was sitting on the stone table, quietly eating.

"Are you at war?" Popot asked. She had heard Black’s words; it sounded like a war in progress, and one that did not seem very optimistic.

"That's right. We are being driven out of our country, and there is almost no hope of victory."

Hearing this, Popot jumped down, rushed over, and asked anxiously, "What happened? Why haven't I heard anything about this before?"

If such a major event had occurred in the country, even if she had been stuck on a ship in the harbor, she should have heard something. After all, while she couldn't leave the ship, the crew could. She had only been abducted into the woods for about a month. Could such a world-shaking event have happened in such a short time?

"A new race has emerged in this country—the Bloodkin, an unquestionably evil and dark race. Except for my uncle—the Count’s Lakeview City—all other cities have fallen, and a massive number of refugees are fleeing toward the Kingdom of Cohen."

Kana gave a brief summary.

Popot’s eyes widened in shock. It had only been a month; how could such a terrifying situation unfold so quickly?

She couldn't help but ask, "An evil race? And they've subverted the entire country? Then why not seek help from the Holy Light Church? They should be more than willing to resolve these issues, right?"

Hearing this, Kana looked at her and said quietly, "You should have a basic understanding of this country; it is extremely exclusionary toward non-native organizations. Almost no organizations or forces are permitted to enter this country, and that naturally includes the Holy Light Church."

Popot nodded, recalling that this seemed to be the case.

"Then you could ask the Church in the Kingdom of Cohen for help. When it comes to opposing evil, I believe they would set aside past grievances."

While that was true, there were always complications in practice. Kana simply went back into the room, brought out a map, and laid it on the stone table to explain to Popot and Aris. It also helped him organize his own thoughts.

"See? Only this area near the mountains and this mountain pass on the left are still under our control. The rest of the territory has been rapidly occupied by the Bloodkin."

"Are these so-called Bloodkin that powerful?" Popot asked, puzzled, given the short timeframe. She did not know that the Bloodkin were actually the kingdom's own royalty and nobility.

Kana didn't explain, continuing instead, "The border region between the Kingdom of Cohen and the Kingdom of Safro actually only consists of this western mountain pass, which is protected by a fortress. As for the rest of this vast land, including the area near the mountains, the Kingdom of Cohen has never effectively developed it; it remains mostly wilderness. Only scattered residents live here, along with wild beasts."

Listening to Kana’s explanation, Popot, who was more familiar with the outside world, began to understand. Most of the world was like this.

"So, the Holy Light Church's forces within the Kingdom of Cohen are mostly concentrated in the west of their country? And since the crisis erupted so suddenly, by the time the refugees arrive and the Church receives word, it might already be half a month or even a month later. The Church would then need to organize personnel to transmit the news, and by the time their main force arrives, it would be at least two months after the start of the crisis."

Based on the map and Kana’s information, Popot, who understood how the Church operated, provided a reasonable assessment.

Kana nodded. "Exactly. And do you know how long it has been since the crisis began? About two weeks. But as you can see, in these two weeks, the situation has become even more extreme than we imagined. In another half month, I suspect we will either die here or be forced to flee the country. Most refugees are probably only just crossing the fortress at the mountain pass now to enter the Kingdom of Cohen."

After hearing Kana’s account, Popot was even more confused. She looked at Kana and then at their surroundings.

"Then what about this town? Why is this town still so peaceful? It stands to reason that there should be an emergency evacuation right now, otherwise, it will be impossible to escape later."

That should have been the case, but unfortunately, Popot was viewing things from the perspective of an outsider—an outsider guided by Kana’s intentions. People caught in the middle, due to various factors, could not make such precise judgments. For instance, the Count had tried his best to overestimate the power of the Bloodkin, as he was a member of the royal family himself, yet he had still underestimated them.

More importantly, ever since the Count learned of this, he had been preparing for this very moment within his own territory. He didn't want to just be driven out in disgrace; he wanted to hold onto a piece of land. After all, he had spent years preparing, and he could not have imagined that when the fighting actually started, he wouldn't even last a month.

With that thought, Kana opened the envelope and read the contents. He couldn't help but exhale in relief. Although it did not grant him the manpower and authority he had requested, it at least met his most basic expectations.

The letter stated:
Kana is permitted to lead and recruit a squad of ten soldiers, with their pay and logistics provided by the town.
Kana is permitted to recruit a certain number of villagers and craftsmen to build ships and rafts, but the total number of recruits must not exceed thirty. Their pay and supplies will also be provided by the town.

This was far from what Kana had requested, but it was better than nothing, and for his current plan, it was sufficient. If things went as expected, Joniel should already be prepared.

"Let’s go. To the barracks."

Kana took Aris and Popot with him. Joniel had indeed been waiting there for a long time, having also received clear orders.

"I want the soldiers who acted with us last time. Plus, I want George added—you don't mind, do you?"

Hearing Kana, Joniel nodded. It was only one extra hunter; naturally, he wouldn't argue over such a small matter.

"As for the workers, let's start by calling over those two shipwrights."