Chapter 442: House Sneller

Chapter 442: House Sneller

Sein did not knock. Instead, he vanished in a flash.

With his formidable constitution, Sein had complete control over his muscles.

For instance, he did not even need to fly into Geyzes City. He simply leaped over the city walls to get in.

His constitution of over two hundred points allowed him to match knights who had recently advanced to Rank One in arm wrestling.

As Sein's constitution grew, his fighting style evolved too.

However, Sein did not fully capitalize on his superior constitution during the confrontation with a Rank Two black mage a few years earlier because he was uncomfortable with engaging enemies at close range.

Yet, his formidable constitution only afforded him an unexpected advantage.

Opponents who underestimated Sein, viewing him as merely a frail mage, were in for a “surprise” if they dared to approach him too closely!

House Sneller’s residence contrasted sharply with that of the House Grantt in the Viridescent Land.

Although some of the local nobles of the Western Archipelago favored castles just like the nobles on the main continent of the Magus World, most of them resided in large manors with expansive compounds surrounded by high walls.

The customs, traditions, and perspectives among the nobility also varied significantly between those from the Magus Continent and other regions.

Although Baron Sneller’s residence appeared somewhat dilapidated from the outside, the inside was actually rather well-maintained.

The baron employed nearly two hundred servants, excluding the guards who patrolled the premises.

Baron Sneller’s manor was usually protected by three hundred guards. However, due to the ongoing war, the earl had conscripted two hundred of these guards to defend the walls of Geyzes City.

The remaining hundred guards at the manor represent the last of House Sneller’s strength.

Should Geyzes City fall to the Joseh Kingdom, these guards would be the last force protecting House Sneller’s retreat to the heart of the Delton Kingdom.

Unfortunately, since the Delton Kingdom lost much of its territory over a hundred years ago, Geyzes City became the front line in the conflict with the Joseh Kingdom, ushering in difficult times for House Sneller.

Wars broke out every few years, causing not only a severe loss of civilian lives around Geyzes City but also devastating farmlands and leading to rampant looting of food.

Over a hundred years ago, House Sneller could easily muster a private army of over a thousand men. Now, however, they were stretched to equip more than three hundred.

As for the two hundred servants in the manor, House Sneller incurred no significant expense beyond providing enough food to keep them alive.

In contrast, the guards require not only sustenance but also a significant investment in equipment and weapons.

At this moment, the current head of House Sneller sat in a room at the back of the manor with a frown on his face.

The Joseh Kingdom had been aggressive this year, aiming to annex eleven cities along the border of the Delton Kingdom, with Geyzes City among them.

Despite its apparent decline, House Sneller retained significant treasures from its thousand-year heritage.

Over a century ago, when Geyzes City nearly fell to the Joseh Kingdom, House Sneller brought out an ancient magic item.

This artifact, passed down through generations, played a pivotal role in crushing the Joseh Kingdom’s vanguard and preventing the fall of the city.

However, this incident brought mixed outcomes for House Sneller.

The Delton Kingdom’s royalty used their status as a bargaining tool and a threat to extract two precious magic items from House Sneller.

Earl Hank, too, currently had his eyes on House Sneller’s treasures and even openly declared that the fate of Geyzes City hinged on House Sneller’s actions.

“That bastard!” In a rare loss of composure, Baron Sneller slammed his hand down on the armrest of his chair.

House Hank was a knightly family led by Earl Hank, a senior squire.

Earl Hank—a senior squire leading House Hank—appeared rugged but was deceptively shrewd.

Despite seeming more affluent than House Sneller, Earl Hank refused to budge and consistently pushed House Sneller to act instead.