Starting Today I'll Work As A City Lord

"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."

The sound of a hundred horses' hooves echoed as Baron Adam looked back at his impressive cavalry. His face was filled with pride and arrogance.

He hadn't expected that his father, Count George, would value him so highly. To send a hundred knights, especially considering these were the Count's knights—not like the two hundred horse thieves of Baron Omar. 

The knights of Baron Omar were essentially just strong men in knightly armor, barely meeting the basic criteria for knighthood.

In contrast, Count George's knights were not only physically strong and equipped with superior armor, but also highly skilled in swordsmanship, horsemanship, and lance techniques. 

There was no comparison between the two. If Count George's knights faced Baron Omar's knights on the battlefield, it would be a one-sided slaughter, even one against two would be an easy victory without any suspense.

Thus, Baron Adam felt no concern about failure as he and his hundred knights set out for Sedona City. He was confident that Lucas of Sedona City would comply without resistance, surrendering the castle and handing over the recipe for the new milk tea beverage.

Baron Adam's face lit up with a radiant smile as he imagined cozying up to the Fourth Prince and the grand future that awaited him. He even daydreamed about how, once the Fourth Prince ascended the throne, he would be rewarded with a prestigious position in the kingdom.

"Hahaha…" Baron Adam laughed out loud, leaving the captain of his knights a bit puzzled.

"Baron Adam, what's so amusing?" The knight captain asked quietly.

"Just thinking about something that makes me happy." Baron Adam waved a dismissive hand, not revealing his fantasies.

"By the way, how long until we reach Sedona City?" Baron Adam glanced at the darkening sky and asked, "If we march through the night, will we reach Sedona City by tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, Baron Adam," The knight captain nodded. "If we continue without stopping through the night, we should arrive at Sedona City's territory by early morning. I got a rough idea of the city's location when we resupplied at the last city."

Baron Adam felt a surge of anticipation. The thought of arriving at Sedona City and the potential rewards awaiting him fueled his excitement as they pressed onward through the encroaching darkness.

"Oh? Then let's push on through the night," Baron Adam said, a lecherous smile spreading across his face. "We'll arrive at Sedona City by morning. I might even have the chance to enjoy a few beastkin girls."

During his travels in the western cities, Baron Adam had gathered some information about Sedona City. He knew that Lucas, the city's lord, was exceptionally wealthy and dressed as extravagantly as a prince. 

More intriguingly, Lucas had a noted affection for beastkin girls, keeping several stunning female beastkins around him. Sedona City was known for its fair treatment of beastkins, living alongside humans, and the city boasted a vibrant marketplace and delectable foods at places like the Drunken Night Restaurant.

When Baron Adam received this intelligence, his interest was piqued. He believed that with enough money, he could acquire beastkin girls easily. He was confident that Lucas would comply and provide a few beastkin girls for his pleasure.

However, beastkin girls were just a minor detail in his grander scheme. What truly captivated Baron Adam was the prospect of Sedona City's wealth and transformation. He was contemplating whether to secretly eliminate Lucas, take over Sedona City, and install a puppet ruler to make it one of his secret strongholds.

Baron Adam wasn't new to this kind of brutality. In his previous city, while waiting for his knights to arrive, he had set his sights on a noble's daughter. When the noble refused to let his daughter be used for Adam's pleasure, he had the noble killed and the woman disposed of as well.

Adam had then installed a local merchant as a new noble, demanding an annual tribute of fifty gold coins to maintain their noble status. 

In the western lands, where small nobles were plentiful, this was a common practice. Some nobles, unable to maintain their status in the inland regions, moved to these less developed areas to indulge in their noble lifestyle. The western lands were poor and backward, with lower costs of living.

Nobles in these remote areas couldn't compare to those in the more affluent inland regions. If Adam were in the inland, he might have used more subtle methods of coercion. But in this remote region, he preferred a straightforward and brutal approach.

"Baron Adam, it's better not to travel at night," The knight captain advised seriously. "I've gathered information from the locals, and this area is close to the Forbidden Mountains. Traveling at night could be very dangerous, with the risk of encountering predators like large wolf packs. We could lose some of our knights."

"Is that so?" Baron Adam frowned, considering the knight captain's warning. The Forbidden Mountains were known for their dangerous wildlife, and traveling at night could indeed be risky. 

Baron Adam's brows furrowed as he considered the implications of losing too many knights. Training and equipping them had cost a considerable sum, and he feared his father's displeasure if he were to suffer significant losses.

"Baron Adam," The knight captain continued his plea, "if we rest tonight, we can reach Sedona City by tomorrow afternoon. Besides, if the nobles of Sedona City dare to resist, our knights should be well-rested and prepared. Traveling through the night might make us vulnerable to attacks due to fatigue."

"Alright, we'll rest for the night and continue in the morning," Baron Adam agreed, reluctantly persuaded. He was also aware of his own exhaustion from the day's journey, and a night's rest would help them all.

He decided to endure the delay and use the time to finalize his plans. His intention was to secretly eliminate Lucas and install a puppet ruler, turning all the beastkins in Sedona City into slaves to work for him and earn him more gold.

"Set up camp here," The knight captain commanded, "Erect the tents and build up the fire. Move quickly; it's getting dark."

The sound of clanking armor filled the air as the knights dismounted and began their tasks. Some started setting up the tents while others gathered firewood. The scene was organized and efficient, despite the growing darkness.

As night fell, the camp was soon established, with the knights forming a protective circle around Baron Adam, who sat in the center, contemplating the next steps in his grand scheme. The firelight flickered across the faces of the knights, casting long shadows and providing a small measure of warmth against the encroaching chill of the night.

Baron Adam gazed into the flames, lost in thought about the opportunities and challenges that awaited him in Sedona City. The plan to seize control and exploit the city's resources was coming closer to realization, and he was determined to make the most of it.

Dozens of campfires flickered, casting a small glow in the darkness. Everyone quietly ate their dry rations; many were accustomed to this kind of life.

On the surface, their mission to the western lands was to acquire the secret recipe for Sedona City's new beverage and investigate the disappearance of Baron Omar. However, in reality, it was a show of military force from Count George to warn the western nobles to comply and cooperate, or face annihilation.

The struggle for the throne allowed no room for error. If the Fourth Prince failed, the nobles who supported him would be purged by the new king. Thus, the western nobles needed to gather whatever forces they could to support the Fourth Prince's rebellion.

After all, this country had seen such events before. The previous king had ascended the throne by rebelling against and killing his own brothers.

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