Lord: I have built a witch's sanctuary.

Chapter 154 The Messenger

Inside the lord's hall, the fire in the hearth burned brightly.

The wind and snow were pounding against the glass outside the window, but it was very warm inside.

Lorraine sat in the main seat, with the royal decree of investiture beside her, the red wax still on, like a pool of blood that hadn't been wiped clean.

Anna stood quietly beside him, her red hair falling over her shoulders, her fingers resting on the hem of her skirt.

Victor stood at the bottom of the steps, clad in armor and carrying a sword, his back ramrod straight.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

A local guard strode in, placed his hand on his chest, and bowed.

"My lord, the envoy from the Desa family has arrived."

Lorraine raised her eyes slightly.

"Please come in."

The guards stepped back, the heavy wooden door was pushed open, and a gust of cold wind carrying the smell of snow rushed in.

The newcomer was wearing a long black robe with the hood pulled low, covering most of his chin.

He walked slowly, taking each step steadily. When he reached the center of the hall, he touched his chest and bowed his head.

Upon reaching the center of the hall, the person stopped, placed their right hand on their chest, and bowed slightly.

"Greetings, Lord Frostwolf."

His voice was deep, with a rough and hoarse quality characteristic of men from the North.

Lorraine did not respond immediately.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the black robe for a moment before he slowly spoke.

"The Desa family arrived faster than I expected."

The envoy maintained his hand-on-chest posture, his tone polite.

"The royal messengers are naturally fast, but the Desa family has been operating for many years and always manages to sense the wind direction a step ahead of others."

The envoy paused, then continued, "Camille City has been managed by our family for generations, the result of four generations of hard work. To hand over our heritage to someone else with just a decree of investiture would undoubtedly be a disaster for the Desa family."

Lorraine chuckled softly.

"You certainly don't beat around the bush."

The envoy replied respectfully, "To feign mystery before an esteemed person is hardly a wise move."

He looked up; the shadow beneath the hood remained heavy.

"I have come here solely to facilitate a deal. The Desa family has no intention of antagonizing Frostwolf City, much less antagonizing the most powerful new force in the North. If the investiture decree is causing you any trouble, we are willing to share your burden."

Lorraine slightly bent her fingers and tapped them on the armrest of the seat in a crisp rhythm.

"Oh? How do you plan to share the burden?"

The messenger got straight to the point.

"If Lord Frostwolf is willing to step forward and refuse the royal investiture, the Desa family is willing to offer 30,000 high-quality magic crystals in exchange for Frostwolf City's support in the matter of Camille City's ownership."

"You reap the benefits, we preserve our foundation, and both sides get what they need."

Thirty thousand magic crystals.

This wealth would be considered an astonishing sum even in the entire North.

A hint of surprise flashed through Lorraine's mind.

The De Sar family leaders are clearly not stupid.

The other party saw through the sinister intentions behind the royal decree of investiture.

The royal capital clearly intended to use a flimsy parchment to incite internal strife between Frostwolf City and the Desa family.

The Desa family did not fall into the trap; instead, they sent people with a large sum of money to seek a way out of the predicament.

Lorraine stopped tapping on the armrest, picked up the scroll on the table, and casually waved it in the air.

"So, you came here today to test my limits and see what my attitude is towards this thing. Right?"

The messenger bowed his head in response.

"The entire Desa family is awaiting your reply, sir."

"Then I'll be frank."

Lorraine loosened his grip on her wrist.

The parchment document fell and hit the hard wooden tabletop with a dull thud.

"From the very beginning, I never intended to accept this decree of investiture."

"Those politicians in the capital are trying to trick me into getting involved in their mess with a piece of worthless paper. I'm not that stupid."

The envoy's tense shoulders visibly relaxed a little.

However, he was not entirely at ease, and his tone remained cautious.

"Your Excellency is wise. However, a royal decree is ultimately a royal decree. If you openly defy it, the situation in the capital may well—"

"What are you afraid of?"

Lorraine's gaze was sharp, fixed on the shadow beneath the hood.

"Are you afraid the royal family will use this as an excuse to accuse me of disrespect? Or are you afraid your Desa family will think I'm just putting on a show and then turn around and march south to seize the city?"

The messenger remained silent for two breaths, his voice still low and deep.

"Both."

Lorraine nodded slightly.

"That's quite honest."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the armrests of his chair, his imposing presence instantly pressing down on the center of the hall.

"However, since I said I wouldn't answer, I wasn't just talking."

"I can completely relinquish control of Camille City to the Desa family, without ever touching it in the slightest."

Upon hearing this, the messenger clenched his fist tightly, his hand hidden beneath his wide sleeves.

"Give it to—the Desa family?"

"What, do you find it unbelievable?"

Lorraine observed the other person's reaction, her tone indifferent.

"The old legal code of the kingdom contains an order for the transfer of actual control over the border."

"The provisions are clearly stated. For enclaves where the resident lord has not yet completed the establishment of a vassal state and the actual handover cannot be completed, the lord who has been granted the fiefdom has the right to transfer the right of administration and management to the local nobles and entrust them with the management. The entrusting lord only needs to retain the nominal right to tax."

At this point, Lorraine raised one index finger.

"According to this law, I can continue to leave the city of Camille to the Desa family."

"Frostwolf City only collects a symbolic one magic crystal as tax each year, retaining the title of clan leader. In this way, I neither openly slap the royal family in the face, nor do you need to constantly guard against me sending troops to seize territory. Both sides can live in peace."

A deathly silence fell over the hall.

A piece of burning wood inside the fireplace broke off and collapsed, sending up a spray of fine sparks.

The messenger slightly raised his head.

The shadow of the hood receded slightly, and it seemed to be the first time he was seriously examining the young lord sitting in the main seat.

"—Sir, you even know such obscure laws perfectly?"

Lorraine chuckled softly.

"Isn't this law one of the bargaining chips you're carrying today? You originally intended to use it to pave the way for me, didn't you?"

The messenger fell silent.

There was neither rebuttal nor admission.

But in that instant, Anna caught the sudden tension in the muscles of the other person's neck.

Lorraine leaned back, settling back into her chair.

"Keep the 30,000 magic crystals for yourselves."

"I'm not very interested in this kind of one-time toll. I'd rather have a clear stance than inanimate objects."

The envoy asked in a deep voice, "What attitude does Your Excellency desire?"

"It's very simple."

Lorraine's gaze was calm.

"Frostwolf City will never lay a finger on Camille City, but the Desa family must also guarantee that they will never stand against me."

"If the capital ever tries to use you as pawns again, you'd better think twice before deciding whether you have the weight to do so."

The envoy answered without hesitation: "If that's the case, the Desa family is willing to accept it."

"very good."

Lorraine nodded slightly.

"Go back and tell your patriarch that I will have a scribe draft the official document for the investiture. Once you affix your clan crest and Frostwolf City stamps its seal, this matter will be considered settled. Remember to pay the annual tax of one magic crystal on time."

The envoy remained silent for a moment, then solemnly placed his hand on his chest and bowed.

"Lord Frostwolf, the Desa family will forever remember your sincerity."

"Sincerity?"

Lorraine looked at the black-robed man below the steps, a playful smile curving her lips.

"You used that word too early."

The envoy's body stiffened instantly, remaining in the bowing posture without rising.

"—What do you mean by that, sir?"

Lorraine's fingers slowly caressed the armrest, his gaze fixed on the wide hood.

"The official business of the territory is finished. Now, let's talk about another personal matter."

He paused for a moment, then his voice suddenly turned cold.

"Take off your hood."

The air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly.

The messenger stood still, his voice still low and hoarse.

"The northern border is bitterly cold and snowy. My face was severely injured, leaving me disfigured and unsightly. I beg Your Excellency's forgiveness."

"An old injury?"

Lorraine felt as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"This clumsy excuse is something you made up on the spot, isn't it?"

The messenger remained silent.

Anna, who was standing next to the main seat, raised her eyes.

The envoy's figure was reflected in his wine-red pupils.

She made no sound, but her slender fingertips quietly gathered at the edge of her skirt.

A pale spark flickered between her fingers, then she forcibly suppressed it.

Victor strode out from the bottom of the steps.

The heavy combat boots crushed the ice shards on the stone slabs.

"My family told you to pick them, so you'd better do it right away."

The envoy remained motionless, like a stone sculpture.

Lorraine gazed at the other person, the smile in her eyes gradually fading.

"The Desa family is indeed very secretive. Even the royal intelligence network may not be able to figure out exactly how many cards you hold."

He used the handrail to get up and walked down the steps one by one.

The sound of the boot heels landing on the stone surface was very soft, yet it felt like each step was right next to someone's ear.

"The sixth-order witch of the Desa family."

"The Witch of Voice, Evelyn".

"You think you can use your power to change your voice to sound like a man's, so I won't notice?"

As the last word fell, Victor's sword was already half a foot out of its sheath, its cold light reflecting in the firelight.

Anna opened her palm, and a pale flame rose from it, so white it was almost bluish, illuminating half of her face.

The "messenger" finally fell silent.

A breath, even lighter than before, came from beneath the black hood.

This time, it looks like a woman.