Chapter 165 - A Show

one day later...

"Tsk~ Edward Bradley and his army should have arrived today, what's holding them back till now? Have they decided to listen to the sound of reason and stop before they anger me?" Donald Evren spoke in annoyance

"I don't think though, your highness, it's just that their pace has slowed down a lot, with their current speed I think they will arrive tomorrow at dusk." a man beside him bowed and spoke, this was the son of the Duke.

"Tomorrow? Another day to spend in this disgusting place? What a headache... I will make an example of them tomorrow! I will humiliate that damn Edward thing!" Donald spoke while he drank his glass angrily.

"My lord! My lord!!" a man hurriedly entered the tent

"What's up?! What is this disturbance!? ...you again? Didn't I say I don't want any reports about the internal affairs again, can't you fools handle anything without my presence?!"

"Your highness, this cannot be handled by anyone else, the Burton squad I mentioned to you yesterday have killed the garrisons in several cities on their way until they reached the barracks of Saint Gerar's Legion, there the entire legion was destroyed and Saint Gerar Evren and his two lieutenants were killed!!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" The Duke stood hurriedly, even those around him straightened their stances and a serious look came up on their faces.

The Duke came forward and grabbed the messenger by the neck, "You say that 3,000 individuals from the petty Burton family massacred Saint Gerar's Legion? The same legion with 20,000 soldiers?! What happened exactly?! Do they have some kind of new overpowered talismans?"

"No, the report says that a large number of them are knights! They... they walked through saint Gerar's legion right from the middle... without firing a single talisman from the start to the end..."

"Knights? that many?!" The Duke left the messenger and fell to the ground and mumbled, then asked again, "What about Gérar and his lieutenants? How did they die?"

"There are 9 saints with them, it was a one-sided massacre that ended in less than a minute..." The messenger looked at the ground and replied

"9 saints?! Since when did the Burton family have this many saints? That bastard Galan Bradley must be helping them!!" The Duke shouted, "Those coming troops are neither a suicide squad nor a coming for a picnic then, they are coming to participate in a real war.. a war against... me!? I WILL DIS-"

When the Duke reached this point, he stopped and did not know what to say, this crossed all his calculations...

Empty provocations and threats turn into a real war, and there are already thousands who died in it, including three saints... 

This was not what he wanted!!!

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The next morning - inside the duke's tent

"How long is it until Edward and his army arrive? and did they send any messages yet?!" asked the Duke, rubbing his forehead

"Less than an hour, my lord... and no, I just checked, they didn't send anyone..." One of the saints replied

Duke Donald nodded, "..Be it then... let's finish what they started, get ready for battle! We need to start with full force to capture Edward swiftly with minimal losses then we- hmm...?"

Before the Duke could finish his enthusiastic speech, he found that a ring from the box of rings next to him started to glow, this box containing rings of communication with the rest of the big shots in the kingdom, "Sage Albert?!" 

The Duke was surprised when he saw that very ring

He then grabbed it and slid his energy into it, "Haha, Your Highness, I trust that you have been well, how can I help you?"

"Donald, is it true that you have raised an army and are planning a war against the Burtons? What the hell are you doing?!" Sage Albert's voice was clearly angry

Donald's smile vanished as he furrowed his eyebrow, "What is the problem with that, Your Highness? They are the ones who have amassed an army and are approaching my borders, so how can I not protect my lands from such invasion? 

They have been arrogant lately after they managed to make some gold and they need to be reminded of their true worth... Second, since when do you care about such internal matters, Your Highness? don't say you intend to protect them from me..."

"Bullshit! Didn't they gather that army after you closed your borders to them with your exaggerated terms? you want to plunder 10% of their work monthly, how do you think they will reply? 

you are right, the royal family doesn't get involved in such matters... I won't help them with this, but I won't protect you either."

"Protect me? Hahaha, thank you for your generosity, Your Highness, but I don't need protection against those merchants, they think they are out of reach because they have some talismans, I will show them and the whole world, that they are not!" The Duke laughed angrily, since when did he need protection?!

" Of course, you need protection you fool! don't you know who are you messing with? Do you think it's an ordinary Marquess family? Do you think the one who gave them the talisman can't give them additional powers and trump cards of their own?

Listen here! the royal intelligence says that over the past few years a huge number of knights and saints have appeared among the Burton family, the reports say that most of their core family members are starting to have extremely quick break throughs, with thousands of them got to the knighthood realm already!!"

"What?!" The duke quickly stood up in shock, but quickly regained his composure, "AH... Hahaha, they must be joking, Your Highness, this can not be true... IT JUST CAN'T!!"

"Hmph, you think I have time to make stories to scare you? do what you see fit then! but my reports say that one of the many Burton troops is on its way towards now, I believe you will see them very soon

They are not elites or anything special, All you will see among them is only a portion of their main forces, 

and their main army which is about 200,000 soldiers strong has already moved out of Jura City and is on its way to your Duchy right now!" Sage Albert snored and replied sarcastically

"You mean... those 3,000? They are all from the Burton family?!"

"Of course! from where are they from then? Did you think Galan sent them? Don't you know what Galan is doing now and his preparations for war against the Lying Water Kingdom? Do you think he is that free to deal with you? 

I have said what I wanted to say, when you see them in front of you you will know that they are really Burtons, I just hope it's not too late for you by then, I don't want to see an old friend dying for nothing... Good bye, and good luck!"

The sage hung the communication line, leaving the Duke with his face flat as if he had seen a ghost, " the.. Burtons..." he muttered with a low voice before collapsing on his chair once more

thousands of miles away - the capital of the Black Sun

" haa... haa... I think my performance was convincing enough... that damn little Weasel, I can't believe I let him use me like this!!" the sage started panting after he ended the call, this was the first time he had to lie in ages!

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after another two hours

*Klopp Klopp Klopp*

With the war horses moving at full speed and the ground shaking beneath them, Robin inserted his energy into the pair type voice ring, "General, how is it going one with you?"

After a few seconds, a voice came, "....Noble Robin, I'm already at the border. they refused to let us pass and the battle began about half an hour ago, I started with minor skirmishes and defensive moves as you ordered, but the strange thing is that the Evren army is doing the same, 

they too have sent just a few Defensive infantry units, then they just stood at the back watching, I think they are waiting for something... the situation is currently in a state of complete stand-still ."

Robin smiled upon hearing that and then replied, "Good, in a quarter of an hour you will see me in front of you, listen carefully, I want you to---...."

After another two minutes of speaking, Robin hung the communication line

"Robin, how is it? is there anything new?" Billy approached and asked

"The Duke seems to have taken the bait, I must thank Sage Albert later..." Robin replied, then raised his voice to address everyone, "Put distances between each other, at least two meters between each horse and horse in all directions, as for the saints, please come forward And fly in front of the army.... the show is about to begin!"