Chapter 92: Chapter 91: Liya Receives a Letter

Bailiu City.

The white castle at its very center was built entirely of marble. Exquisite patterns were carved into its walls, giving off an ancient charm.

This was the castle the Martel Family had spent hundreds of years building and managing in the Northern Territory.

In a hanging garden on the castle’s top floor, golden tulips bloomed everywhere. A golden-haired young woman sat by a clear pool, her small, shapely feet dangling in the water. The sunlight bathed her in a golden glow.

She gazed into the distance, her delicate brows furrowed unconsciously, lost in some troubling thought.

"Your Highness Liya, Knight Si Kai requests an audience."

A Maid with a crisp voice approached, rousing the young woman from her thoughts.

"Si Kai?"

A look of pleasant surprise lit up Liya’s face. She instantly pulled her feet from the pool, lifted her small skirt, and started to walk away. But after just two steps, she realized she was being unladylike and quickly stopped.

"Let him in."

Liya hadn’t expected Si Kai to return from High Cliff Castle so soon. His arrival now must mean he was relaying a message from Levi.

As the Knight she had personally enfeoffed, Levi was one of her main pillars of support.

Or rather, he was the only trustworthy subordinate she currently had. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

When Knight Si Kai entered the tulip garden, he saw the golden-haired young woman already seated, staring at him with a burning gaze full of anticipation.

"Your Highness Liya, Sir Levi asked me to deliver a letter to you."

Si Kai didn’t dither. He took the letter from his coat, handed it to Liya, and then took his leave.

After tearing open the envelope and smoothing out the folded parchment, Liya was slightly surprised by the neat and powerful script.

She hadn’t expected Levi’s handwriting to be so good. She knew his background—he was a Desolate Baron who had never attended a school for nobles or been tutored by a scholar.

That made his fine penmanship all the more remarkable.

As she savored the letter word by word, the smile on Liya’s face grew wider and wider, as radiant as the garden full of tulips.

The first half of the letter was mostly pleasantries, asking how she was doing and expressing some concern for her. The second half gave a brief update on his progress in developing his territory.

When she saw the last sentence, Liya exhaled softly, and a great deal of tension left her body.

"Wherever your sword points, that is the direction I shall advance!"

That was the closing line. The characters were clearly written with more pressure than the rest of the text.

Liya could already imagine that when he wrote this sentence, this Lord was holding not a quill but a longsword glinting with cold light.

This sentence was essentially a declaration of his stance. As long as she needed him, this Lord would be ready to fight for her at any moment.

This reassured her, as if she had taken a calming pill.

"Lady Fulina!"

Just as Liya was about to savor the letter one more time, a Maid’s respectful voice suddenly came from the entrance.

As if moved by an unseen hand, she subconsciously scrambled to put the letter away.

"That damn fat pig! Why doesn’t he just drop dead already!"

A voice filled with curses echoed as Fulina, looking valiant and heroic in a corseted formal dress, appeared from the corridor.

"Auntie," Liya called out.

Fulina sat on a stone stool, a gloomy expression on her face as she poured herself a cup of fruit tea.

"Did the King try to stop us again?"

Liya inquired.

Only this Duchess, the ruler of the entire Northern Territory, would dare to openly curse the King of Debei.

The news that the Northern Territory was preparing its troops to attack the New South Duke was now buzzing all over Debei. Everyone, from the King down to the commoners, knew about it.

Such a major event, affecting the entire Debei Kingdom, naturally met with resistance.

First came the admonitions from the Noble Garden, followed by a reprimand from King Debei, delivered by a Griffin Knight.

After all, there were only four Dukes in all of Debei. They were the highest-ranking nobles aside from the King. A war between two Dukes would have an immense impact on the kingdom.

If things went wrong, it could destabilize the royal authority of Debei, so the King would certainly try to stop it.

"That dead fat pig... It’s one thing for him to obstruct us, but he does nothing about what’s happening in the Southern Territory. The rumors that this King once adored a woman from the Isely Clan are true after all," Fulina sneered. "If he dares to stop me, I’ll fight him too!"

Fulina wasn’t just boasting. The Martel Family had long been dissatisfied with controlling only the barren Northern Territory. For years, they had been sharpening their swords and feeding their horses, just waiting for the right opportunity.

Now, the title that rightfully belonged to Liya had been stolen, and the eldest daughter of the Martel Family had been imprisoned.

Fulina would never let go of this golden opportunity to take military action against the Isely Clan.

The Lords of the Martel Family have been coveting more fiefdoms for a long, long time.

The Northern Territory has long yearned for war!

As for the King’s Griffin Knights, they have probably had their marrow sucked dry by the luxurious life in the Royal City, losing all their courage. They are no longer a threat.

Having vented her frustration, Fulina felt much better. She then turned to ask about Levi.

"How is that Baron’s pioneering effort coming along?"

"It’s going okay," Liya replied succinctly.

Fulina didn’t press further. Si Kai had already told her about the changes at High Cliff Castle.

She hadn’t expected that this Baron could actually carve out a sizable territory for himself in the Wilderness.

With war imminent, even if he was just a Baron, it would be good to win him over. Still, it wasn’t as if he was truly that important.

"I have already contacted some of the old noble families in the Southern Territory. They’ve agreed to help us reclaim the title. After all, these old nobles are loyal to the Old Duke, not a bunch of usurpers."

"We’ll be able to rescue your mother then."

Fulina spoke as if to herself, while Liya just listened quietly.

’From the day she arrived, she knew she had no real say in matters. She was just a mascot to rally the old nobles of the Southern Territory and a pretext for war.’

’Although her Aunt Fulina treated her well, that kindness was only because she was her niece.’

"Aunt Fulina, I plan to visit Knight Levi when the first snow falls."

After waiting quietly for Fulina to finish, Liya stated her first request since arriving in the Northern Territory.

Hearing this, Fulina was taken aback. She hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding.

At a time like this, whether for safety or other reasons, it was best for Liya to stay in the castle.

However, it was perfectly justifiable for a Feudal Lord to inspect the domain of a Lord she had personally enfeoffed. No one could find fault with it.

She couldn’t find any words to stop her.

"Let me know when you’re about to leave. I’ll have Knight Si Kai escort you with some men."

Liya nodded.

’The thought had sprouted in her mind after she finished reading the letter. A trip to High Cliff Castle would not only strengthen her relationship with Levi, but also allow her to see for herself how her Knight was progressing with his pioneering efforts and offer him some support.’