Musou Knight: Crow of Cinders-Chapter 48: Business Deal

Chapter 48 - Business Deal

Upon returning to the castle, I found Lia and Lenitia at the main entrance. Troturre’s soldiers were nowhere in sight. As soon as they saw me and Bickar’s men walking together, Lenitia unsheathed her sword.

"You... Raven, what is going on? Why are you with the Avaritia?"

I rolled my eyes and explained. "Not Avaritia. We’re joining Invidia. They are helping us."

"What do you mean?" Lia walked toward me. She patted my face and inspected my burnt clothes. "What did you do? What’s all the commotion?!"

I sighed.

"Troturre raided my room to kill me. I escaped the castle, but I ran into him again at the south gate. We fought. I killed him. Then, these guys rescued me and offered me a deal."

"W-WHAT?!"

"Caps... Never mind."

The explanation was going to be troublesome. I stood there, listening to their barrage of questions.

.

We chatted until sunrise. Both of them had gotten over their earlier upset.

I finally got to the main point of bringing Bickar and Slavus here.

"The war will soon reach here. I don’t think we can defend this place without a great general. Let’s talk to your father and migrate to Invidia."

Lenitia crossed her arms and glared at me.

"In the end, you choose to jump ship as soon as trouble arises."

I was fed up with that paranoid woman. I stated the fact.

"Woman, YOUR subordinate tried to kill me, kill your father, turn you into his sex slave, make Lia..."

I paused and glanced at Lia, who noticed the implication and blushed. I coughed and continued.

"Ahem. Steal Lia from me and sell the entire country to Zoli Diripio."

Lenitia frowned and gave Lia a meaningful look.

Lia gulped and stood between us. She convinced Lenitia.

"Your Highness, I understand your distress over Crow’s alliance with Invidia, but we must face the reality of our situation. The signs have been clear for some time. Reports suggest Troturre has been entangled in questionable dealings, and it was he who urged His Majesty to marry you off to Avaritia’s king. It is possible the other generals are complicit as well. After all, we have heard nothing from them."

I was surprised that Lia was taking my side. Well, the rest was up to Lenitia if she wanted to follow the script and seek shelter in Frogine Fortress.

"Fine."

This might have been the work of fate or the script. A regular princess would have remained stubborn and chosen to protect her country.

Lenitia glared at me. She questioned,

"Were you with Invidia all along? Speak honestly."

Bickar inserted himself into the conversation. "I can personally attest, as the Supreme General’s aide, that this young man was not associated with our ranks. He has just accepted our invitation last night."

"...I see."

Lenitia turned to Bickar and bowed like a noble lady, though the terrifying glint remained in her eyes. She also negotiated.

"I have my conditions."

"Speak," Bickar seemed patient. He straightened his chest as he clasped his hands over his stomach.

"I’ll be your political hostage, but I will not marry anybody from Invidia, including your king."

Bickar shrugged. "Of course. We’re gentlemen. We will not force you to do something unreasonable."

"Good. Second condition: protect my father and my country."

Bickar’s expression changed. I had spoken with him earlier, and he explained that this issue was beyond his authority. I was curious about what he would say.

Bickar glanced at me. He sighed.

"This is getting troublesome. While I don’t have the authority to make the decision, personally, I’ll help you. It will take months to rescue your father or even bring Constantia under Invidia’s embrace. Is that fine with you, my lady?"

"As long as you don’t plunder my people like your soldiers do."

That was a harsh truth. Louis Zen might have been a reasonable general, but his king was a douche to the core. He usually dispatched criminals and death-row prisoners to war as war slaves, but they ended up plundering their own towns and villagers.

Bickar closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I’ll try my best to control my subordinates."

Lenitia snorted and looked at me again. She didn’t look happy.

"And you... I have a condition."

"Me?" I pointed at my face, confused. She should have been extorting benefits from Bickar, not me.

"You will be my fiancé."

"...Okay, excuse me for the caps, but WHAT DA FUQ?!"

Excuse me, woman! What were you talking about?!

Lenitia smirked. "Of course, in-name only!"

"But why?!"

"I’ll be using you to ward off random flies. Additionally, because Invidia holds you in high regard, you’ll act as my leverage and safeguard! You make me do this, so my life and my welfare will be your responsibility! If I die, you die. If you die, you die alone."

"How nostalgic. You sound like modern women."

"What?"

"Nothing." I sighed deeply and glanced at Lia.

Lia stared at us with wide eyes. Seconds later, she repeatedly nodded.

"Yes! Yes! Let’s do it this way. Your Highness will be Crow’s official wife, and I’ll be Crow’s concubine! Crow will be taking responsibility for both of us. Right, my supreme general?"

Bickar gave me a weird look. "Supreme General?"

Slavus burst into laughter and smacked my back again. "Good man! Well done, Supreme General! Your mare is very loyal, I see!"

I coughed and grumbled. "Fine. Fine! I’ll be your guard dog."

"Good!" Lenitia grinned, but she continued yapping. "And lastly."

"There’s more?!" Bickar and I spoke at the same time.

"I want a residence worthy of my position."

Bickar swiped the sweat on his forehead and let out a sigh of relief. "It can be done."

"Good. Then, do we have a deal?"

Bickar bowed. "I shall make it happen."

Finally, Lenitia agreed to join us. Later, Slavus’s soldiers assisted Lenitia and us in collecting provisions and leaving the Garuda Stand Fortress through the northern entrance.

Troturre’s men no longer stood in our way. Instead, everybody fled to the residential district.

I wished we could pay the protagonists a visit, but I left them to their fates. We would soon meet as allies if I played my cards right. For now, I bid farewell to the third scenario battle stage in my mind and followed the group north.