Marcus looked around at the knights and guards radiating hostility with an unconcerned expression on his face.
Houten was not a weak nation by any means, but it also was not a particularly strong one.
He had gotten a decent look at their overall military might during his stay in the country, and if he compared it to Borealia, they were maybe a third as strong.
Some of their best combatants who were present reached the mid-seventies in terms of level, around the same as Marcus and his companions. But they were lacking in quality. None of them felt all that threatening.
"You know, I was hoping to come to a peaceful resolution here, if possible. I don't believe resorting to force will end well for Houten." Marcus said, his tone conveying genuine concern.
Of course, most of the guards and knights took his words as provocation, and had the king not interjected quickly, many of them would have lunged at Marcus.
"You speak as if you hold the higher position here. I know well that you and your wife are foreign royalty from a nation called Borealia, another reason I have been so polite. Still, I highly doubt that your kingdom would be willing to go to war with us when your party is so obviously in the wrong. Your unsubstantiated threats will do you no good.
This is your last chance, relinquish all of the items you stole from the castle, and this matter will be resolved. Then you all can go about your business as if nothing happened." Amlodd said, exuding as much kingly pressure as he could.
At this point, most people would have buckled under the imminent threat of being beaten into submission by dozens of high-level fighters.
However, Marcus mealy shook his head and decided to correct the king on a misunderstanding that he had.
"While I actually do believe that Borealia would go to war for us, I was not even considering our home's assistance in this matter. No, what I meant was the eleven members of my party are enough to bring your kingdom to ruin, Your Majesty."
"Amlodd Houten, I recommend that you resend your order. My wife is currently restraining your knights, but if things escalate any further, bloodshed with be unavoidable." Marcus said, attempting one last time to resolve things peacefully.
"Impudence! How dare you refer to His Majesty without a title." One of the generals yelled, his anger overtaking his rationality.
"And why should I. He is a man without the title of king. He's masquerading as a monarch, when in reality, he doesn't have the proper qualifications. If he truly did possess the powers of king, he would have used them already."
Marcus decided that now was the best, and last chance for him to drop the bombshell that he knew about Houten's royal family not being in possession of the special magic tool that could give one the right to rule.
If he did have it, he would have already activated one of its abilities that could punish or even outright kill people within his territory. Though, its powers were not omnipotent and likely would not have been overly effective against someone as strong as Marcus.
Realization showed on the faces of those in the know among Houten's top brass. The "king" and his closest aides were aware that the magic toll necessary for one to be a true monarch had been lost for centuries.
"Everybody Standdown!" Amlodd shouted.
Many of the strongest combatants were close to breaking out of Mrazivý's magic bindings, and once they did, a battle that could not be stopped would begin.
"Good, it seems that you can listen to reason." Marcus said, wearing a mocking smile.
"Just hurry up and tell us your terms. Before I truly do lose what is left of my patience." Amlodd practically snarled.
"Very well. I shall return to you what you desire most, without asking for any compensation. Then, you'll allow my party to go on with our lives without any other interference. All of this will be water under the bridge, our contract with your nation will be paid and marked as successfully completed, and we will all go our separate ways on good terms."