Chapter 299 299-Self-Destruction

Chapter 299 299-Self-Destruction

Margaret once again offered Boshni a few words of persuasion, but Boshni remained stubborn.

Seeing her reluctance, Margaret eventually let it be.

However, Margaret still felt a sense of responsibility; she personally took Boshni to the stables, ensuring she was properly introduced and integrated with the other horse caretakers.

Finally, Margaret sought out the person in charge of the stables.

The stablemaster, clad in attire far from elegant, greeted Margaret with deep reverence.

His clothes, a dark hue resembling brown but nearly black, contrasted sharply with the setting.

He bowed earnestly to Margaret, expressing his surprise and concern about her visit to such a dirty place, fearing it might tarnish her exquisite garments.

Margaret addressed the stablemaster with a clear directive: to take good care of Boshni and not to make her work life difficult.

The stablemaster agreed without hesitation and respectfully saw Margaret off from the stables.

Once Margaret had left, the stablemaster began familiarizing Boshni with her new duties around the stables.

He emphasized to her, "Since Lady Margaret holds you in such high regard, you must dedicate yourself to this work. Should you achieve noteworthy results, I will certainly report them to Lord Howard."

And so, Boshni embarked on her journey in the world of horse rearing.Updated from n0velbIn.(c)o/m

Meanwhile, within the castle, Golan found himself standing before Howard.

Howard inquired, "Do you know why I summoned you here, Golan?"

Golan, with a hint of resignation, replied, "Is it to avenge Kaido? If so, you might as well kill me now."

Observing Golan's neck, proud and defiant like a rooster in its prime, Howard decided not to beat around the bush.

He revealed his true intentions to Golan.

Golan was taken aback by the honor, immediately expressing his willingness to become Howard's knight squire.

"I have long admired Lord Howard's great talent and strategy! It is my privilege, Golan, to serve you," he proclaimed with genuine respect.

Howard smiled faintly, nodding in approval.

He proceeded to familiarize Golan with the duties he would be expected to perform.

Drawing his sword, Howard said, "This needs oiling once a month. Be careful with it, this blade is an ancient relic."

Next, Howard presented his armor to Golan.

"The same goes for this armor. It needs oiling monthly, and you must be meticulous – every part must be cleaned."

Golan nodded in understanding, prepared to undertake his new responsibilities with diligence and honor.

Moreover, Osborne's financial acumen was indeed the highest among the Duke's vassals.

The Duke still harbored the thought of possibly calling on Osborne again if financial troubles arose, so he showed considerable leniency towards him.

After negotiations, Osborne paid the required sum, and Ferald had the prison doors opened, granting Osborne his freedom.

As for Ferald's son Lanvin, Ferald decided to no longer intervene.

Recently, Ferald's wife had learned about their son losing his position and had been constantly complaining and taunting Ferald, adding to his mental burden.

Being Mibo's brother, Ferald, despite his own ambitions, couldn't escape the constraints of age.

Although he still possessed the passion of a younger man, the recent domestic troubles had left him overwhelmed and weary.

Initially, Ferald had plans to support his brother Mibo in declaring war against Howard to reclaim the Earl of Nok's lands.

However, these plans were sidetracked by the mundane and chaotic events in his personal life, and gradually, he lost the drive to pursue them.

As for Mibo, the idea of confronting Howard seemed even more unfeasible.

Holding onto his excessively high titles, he lived in constant anxiety.

On Howard's side, thanks to the meticulous calculations of Bosiden and Vettel, a conclusion was drawn: Mibo's economy was suffering due to his overreaching titles, while Howard's titles were well within limits, and his vassal structure was intact, making everything favorable for him.

The stalemate between the two was expected to last for a couple of months, after which Mibo's economy was predicted to collapse.

Howard, on the other hand, could anticipate an income of three to four hundred gold coins, enough to defeat Mibo using mercenaries without mobilizing a conscript army.

Howard nodded, content with this assessment.

As he awaited his wedding day with Catherine, he saw no harm in waiting for Mibo's situation to unfold as well.

It seemed like a manageable wait with an end in sight, and not particularly challenging.

Mibo, in his foolishness, was heading towards his own downfall, while Howard, ever so astute, held the winning cards in his hand.

Thus, the days passed.

Howard sometimes visited Flandre, at other times practiced swordsmanship with Margaret and Resarite, and occasionally worked on his equestrian skills with Golan.

Every now and then, when Anna visited Fernsouth Castle, they would engage in long conversations.

Like this, two and a half months swiftly elapsed.

Feeling that the time was right, Howard instructed Bosiden to make inquiries with some nearby mercenary leaders to gauge their rates.

Bosiden asked, "If the price is right, should I pay a deposit on the spot?"

Howard shook his head, "No, that's not necessary. This time, I'm just interested in understanding the market, not in actually negotiating a contract. I'm somewhat reluctant to spend money on these costly mercenaries. I have a plan in mind. I'm considering expanding and refurbishing the barracks at Fernsouth Castle, and that's where the three hundred plus gold coins will be put to good use."