The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 177: You Can’t Kill Me
Henwell, surrounded heavily at the border between two nations, receives a messenger from the kingdom. The War Princess has already arrived near the border with her army. Daniel ventures alone into the border fortress occupied by Henwell.
Upon meeting Henwell, Daniel wastes no time: "The Billie Kingdom will return the bodies you seek, but you must personally retrieve them from Her Highness's camp within our territory. Furthermore, you must apologize to the Billie royal family for your rashness and audacity. Henwell! Do you have the guts to do this?"
Upon hearing this, Henwell's commanders rise in protest. Henwell waves them down, saying, "Sit down! This was my intention all along! I can set off right away!"
After Daniel leaves, Henwell explains to his men the confidence behind his decision. Especially after demonstrating his Grand Knight abilities to his trusted aides, they are somewhat reassured, though they remain prepared to spring into action if needed.
That afternoon, Henwell chats with Daniel as they arrive outside the massive military camp at the border. Under the intimidating gaze of Billie Kingdom soldiers, Henwell calmly grips his sword hilt and strides into the camp.
Outside the princess's tent, the royal guards demand Henwell disarm. He carries two swords, Dawn and Dusk. Henwell flatly refuses their request: "Either let me in, or I'll leave right now!"
The king's attendant sneers, "Do you really think you can leave?"
Henwell glances at him, "Whether I can leave or not isn't up to you; that's for Princess Catherine to decide."
Just as the attendant is about to retort, Catherine's aide Maxi steps out, "Her Highness has decreed that Henwell may enter with his swords."
Henwell steps into the grand tent with a smile, surrounded by Catherine's trusted commanders. Some seem eager to give him a hard time, but Henwell rests his hands on his sword hilts and warns, "I'd advise against any pointless antics! Princess Catherine likely wouldn't want me to harm her subordinates."
Many knights bristle at his words, but Catherine gestures for calm. "Show some respect! Before you stands a young Battle Knight!"
The revelation surprises the gathered officers. A Battle Knight is a rare rank in any nation, not something to be taken lightly. Among the officers present, only three have reached such a rank, and none of them are among those who taunted Henwell.
Catherine turns to Henwell. "Give me one reason not to kill you. This time, I can't let you off so easily! You should know that one of orders I received is to eliminate you if possible."
Henwell tilts his head, scanning the room before bowing slightly to Catherine. "Beautiful Princess, you remain as radiant as a blooming sunflower.”
”First, I apologize for demanding the return of my fallen comrades' bodies in this manner, but I made a promise to them. Even though they're gone, I can't betray them, even in death. I'm young, with a long road ahead, and I don't want to look back on this and despise my own cowardice.”
”As for your jest about killing me, I assume it is just that—a jest. But since I'm here, I have the confidence to leave safely."
Catherine looks at Henwell with interest. "Oh? Then convince me why I should let you leave alive. Time is precious, so you'd better be quick!"
Henwell raises one finger. "First, if I die here, my tens of thousands of troops will wreak havoc on Billie's western border."
Catherine dismisses it. "A minor nuisance, nothing more."
Henwell raises a second finger. "Secondly, my death would stir many to take advantage of the situation. The already dormant war between the duchy and the kingdom might reignite."
Catherine sneers. "Once you're dead, no matter who you had alliances with, a dead man isn't worth starting a war over."
Henwell raises a third finger. "If I die, I will use the vast wealth of Peace Haven to hire an organization to assassinate every royal and noble in Billie! Your Highness, you should know I have some money to throw around. It would make your lives quite uncomfortable."
Catherine can't help but laugh. "Ha! Are you saying you'd put a bounty on the royal family? Do you know what you're saying? Who would you hire? Mercenaries? Would they even dare take such a job?"
Henwell pulls Daniel close and whispers a single word in his ear. Then, loudly, he says, "Go and quietly tell Her Highness. She'll understand what it means, but don't say it out loud, or you'll regret it!"
Daniel gives Henwell a strange look, then walks over to Catherine and writes a word on a piece of paper. Catherine, who was initially nonchalant, sharpens her gaze as she reads it.
"How do you know about them?"
Henwell shrugs. "That's not important. What's important is whether you think they would take the assassination contract?"
Catherine glances down at the word on the paper—Veil.
After a long silence, Catherine crumples the paper into a ball. "That is indeed a problem, but you're not the only one with money. Your wealth is a joke to the Billie royal family! It's not as reliable as you think, especially once you're dead. Not everyone is willing to offend the living for the sake of the dead! If you don't have a better reason, today might be your last."
Henwell raises a fourth finger. "What I need to say next is for your ears only, Your Highness."
Catherine shakes her head. "These are my supporters. Say what you must."
"It's not about trust. It's like the word on the paper—something that shouldn't be widely known, for the sake of your subordinates."
After a moment's hesitation, Catherine orders some people to leave the tent. Even Daniel and Maxi step out, but a few remain: the three legion commanders and two newly arrived guardian knights. Five Battle Knights, ready to prevent Henwell from causing harm.
Henwell speaks calmly, "I'm not from the Duchy of Vorry; I'm from the Kingdom of Ika."
Catherine is momentarily stunned. "So what?"
Henwell continues, "My father holds a high position in Ika. If I die, the War of the Six Kings will reignite. Ika has plenty of reasons to march to war again, and Peace Haven is a significant bargaining chip."
Catherine understands Henwell's warning. She needs chaos, but only to a certain extent. The kind of widespread conflict that the War of the Six Kings entails—crossing borders and igniting large-scale battles—is not the kind of chaos she desires.
Catherine needs stability to consolidate her power. As the kingdom's War Princess, a formidable presence with a powerful military, she is a headache for various factions within the kingdom.
If the War of the Six Kings erupts, Catherine will undoubtedly be thrown to the front lines, sacrificing her elite forces in the process.
Chapter 177: You Can’t Kill Me
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