Everyone Wants Me Dead: The Villain Lord's Survival Diary-Chapter 44 – Buton Family
The Buton Family had been operating in the Buton Territory for over a hundred years. It was their place of origin and their last bastion of dignity.
However, the castle in Buton City was not called Buton Keep; instead, it was named Homan Keep after a person.
The name Homan Keep dates back several decades to an old man renowned throughout the royal city of the Andor Empire—the guardian of the empire's borders and the strongest member of the Buton Family, Sky Knight Homan Buton.
During that war-torn era, the Buton Family's title reached as high as Marquis. But after Homan's death, the family struggled to produce another knight strong enough to stand alone.
Eventually, the Buton Family gradually declined, becoming a branch of an Earl's family, left with only the small Buton Territory.
Within Homan Keep, all the core members of the Buton Family were gathered. According to the family's rules, anyone who reached the level of Grand Knight (21-40) could participate in the council.
At this moment, nearly thirty people were seated in the hall. Over the years, the Buton Family had kept a low profile, slowly accumulating some foundation.
The Viscount of Buton, dressed in casual attire, clapped his hands, and the noisy hall instantly quieted down, with all eyes focused on him.
Carl Buton cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over each face before he spoke, "Recently, according to s from the border, an iron ore deposit has been discovered at the junction of the Cologne Empire and our territory. I've sent people to survey it, and the reserves are estimated to be about eight million meters."
"Buzz—"
Carl Buton's words seemed to ignite a powder keg, and the previously quiet hall suddenly erupted into a hubbub.
Everyone was talking at once, shocked, with eyes filled with delight and greed.
"But!" Carl Buton shouted coldly, his expression turning grim and ugly, "But the Earl of the Cologne Empire, Lord of Eaglehold, Sylvie, wants to seize this iron ore from us. This is the border map he sent."
As Carl Buton spoke, he unfurled a border map on the conference table with a "swish," and everyone gathered around the map, puzzled, to take a closer look.
They were dumbfounded by the audacity of Lord of Eaglehold's actions.
A line had been drawn on the map, encircling the iron ore deposit within Eaglehold's territory.
"How can this be?"
"This is outrageous!"
"According to the rules, this iron ore belongs to us. How dare he try to seize it?"
...
The people in the hall clamored, openly expressing their anger and dissatisfaction.
Carl Buton looked at the crowd, who were filled with righteous indignation, and nodded in satisfaction. This was the effect he wanted.
"He is declaring war on us, thinking that we are just a small Viscount's territory, a tiny place that can be bullied at will!" The Viscount of Buton's voice grew colder, like the biting wind of a winter's night.
"But can we let him bully us like this?"
"No!" The knights in the hall roared in anger.
"Our Buton Family has been lying low for so many years, and we've finally found an opportunity to rise. We cannot let him ruin it." The Viscount of Buton nodded slightly and continued:
"The Lord of Eaglehold himself is an Earth Knight, and he has an old Earth Knight named Claremont under him. They are our biggest threat. Aside from them, his group of armored knights is not worth fearing."
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"So, to ensure victory in this war, I have borrowed three Earth Knights from the Earl in exchange for one-third of the mining rights to the iron ore."
"They have already set off from the Earldom and will arrive at the border soon."
"In addition," the Viscount of Buton paused, raising his hand to pat the shoulder of the young knight standing beside him, a proud smile on his face:
"Jet, show everyone what you've got."
"Yes, Father."
Jet respectfully performed a knight's salute and then walked to the center of the conference hall.
He surveyed the people in the hall, and under their curious gazes, a pale blue Battle Aura surged into the sky, even igniting blue flames in his eyes.
The concentration of Battle Aura reaching the point of spewing from the eye sockets was the mark of an Earth Knight.
After a brief silence, the entire hall erupted into enthusiastic cheers.
"My God, has Jet advanced to Earth Knight? And he's only twenty-one?"
"Congratulations, Viscount!"
"With Jet and the iron ore, the rise of the Buton Family is unstoppable!"
...
The atmosphere in the conference hall grew increasingly lively. Initially, they were apprehensive upon hearing that Eaglehold had two Earth Knights.
Now, not only had the Viscount brought in three Earth Knights from the Earl, but with Jet, they had a total of four Earth Knights.
With such an advantage in both high-end and low-end forces, what was there to fear?
Perhaps they could even capture the Lord of Eaglehold and demand a ransom from the Cologne Empire!
As for sparking a national war? It was unlikely. At most, they would face retaliation from the Goldlion Duke, but the King would not easily start a national war for an Earl.
The Duke's retaliation was not a problem for them either. Not to mention that in the borderlands, the emperor was far away, with many restrictions.
Moreover, didn't the Buton Family have powerful noble backing?
"Ahem—"
The Viscount of Buton coughed, and the hall, which had been as noisy as a marketplace, quieted down again.
"Go back and prepare, gather the militia and the Royal Guard. Once those three arrive, we'll set out. If the Lord of Eaglehold doesn't know his place, we'll march into Eaglehold and turn his territory to ashes!"
In fact, deploying troops immediately would be the best choice, but gathering the militia took time, and they couldn't just send the three Earth Knights into battle right away; they had to be treated with good food and drink first.
After receiving the Viscount's orders, everyone dispersed to make preparations, leaving only the Buton father and son in the hall.
"Jet, you've grown up. You'll eventually inherit my position. From a lord's perspective, what do you think?"
Now that the conference hall was empty, Carl Buton put away his confident demeanor and furrowed his brow, testing his son.
"Opinion? I believe this battle is a must-win. Does Father have any concerns?"
"When I fought against the Orcs in the Northern Lands, I had the fortune to meet the Goldlion Duke of the Cologne Empire and his youngest son, Sylvie, in our human coalition."
"At that time, the child was just a little boy, but his gaze was as steady as an adult's." Carl Buton gestured at his knee and continued:
"This person is not a brainless fool. He knows the characteristics of the Andor Empire and must know we would seek external aid from our superior territory."
"This battle won't be easy; there might be some conspiracy."
"Father, no matter what conspiracy there is, he could never predict that I have advanced to Earth Knight."
Jet declared firmly. He and the Earl of Eaglehold were of similar age, and he was even a few years older, but the other had already become an Earl and had been an Earth Knight for some years.
For Jet, who prided himself as a genius, this was undoubtedly uncomfortable, like a thorn in his heart.
The Viscount of Buton neither agreed nor disagreed with Jet's statement. He simply straightened Jet's slightly crooked collar and nodded, saying, "Hmm, then go and prepare well. Don't be careless."
"Our Buton Family, whether in high-end or low-end forces, is stronger than them. Rest assured, Father."
With that, Jet placed one hand on his chest, performed a knight's salute, and then left the room.
Only the Viscount of Buton remained in the conference hall, still somewhat uneasy and lost in thought.
The Viscount of Buton even considered whether the old knight Claremont might break through to Sky Knight, but he shook his head.
Claremont was already very old and could never break through to Sky Knight in this lifetime.
...
The biting cold wind swept into the conference hall, lifting the map on the table and making a "rustling" sound, causing a sense of inexplicable irritation.
The Viscount of Buton smoothed the map that had been lifted by the wind, tightly gripping the longsword at his waist, suppressing the unease in his heart, and his gaze became increasingly determined.
In the face of absolute strength, any conspiracy would seem pale and powerless!
.
!
Chapter 44 – Buton Family
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