The political center of Temeria was thrown into turmoil due to Lann’s massacre last night.
However, on the dark waters just a lake away, the biggest news today was still "how did the people who left for Vizima yesterday at noon suddenly appear in the village at night."
The villagers still didn’t know what this person did last night, nor did they know what changes would occur in the kingdom in the coming days because of these events.
In terms of information dissemination efficiency among the common folk, this world was still an unmistakable Middle Ages.
Lann didn’t flee Temeria overnight as Triss had said.
To be honest, after meeting many female warlocks, the political ambitions of these stunning women, and their... sluggishness in politics, left a deep impression on him.
Lann was a liberal arts student in the college entrance exam.
His favorite subject was history.
When Count Steza talked about after his death, his subordinates would use him as prey to fight for the legitimacy of leading the organization, his first reaction was—
Toyotomi Hideyoshi campaigning against Mizuki Akechi.
It’s not that Lann was obsessed with foreign history, but after seeing too much of his country’s history, foreign history always offered a fresh perspective.
So after getting tired of studying history, Lann would randomly choose an interesting period of foreign history to entertain himself.
In the Sengoku Period in Japan, when Oda Nobunaga was just a few steps away from pacifying the land, his subordinate Mizuki Akechi launched a surprise attack on his lord’s residence, killing Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son.
The vast Oda forces were immediately thrown into chaos, and everyone instantly realized—
Whoever defeated Mizuki Akechi would have the most legitimate claim to inherit the Oda forces.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi achieved this campaign and later secured a large share of the Oda forces’ assets during the power redistribution at the Kiyosu meeting.
It became a stepping stone for his ascent to the pinnacle of power later on.
Steza’s narrative was indeed too similar to this scenario.
If Lann were still a college student reading for interest, then Count Steza would probably easily fool him.
After all, historical precedents are there.
However, in the memory of the gene seed, all Sons of the Emperor were so versatile that they could wield a sword to conquer bombs and participate in planetary governance.
The combination of practice and knowledge, plus Mentos’s deduction.
This made Steza’s narrative seem as crude as a joke in Lann’s eyes.
Finding logical flaws took only 0.53 seconds.
The premise that the Oda forces could challenge Mizuki Akechi was that Oda Nobunaga was already a devil king who oppressed the entire Warring States before his incident.
His forces had already dealt with the enemies miserably and oppressively before his downfall.
So, after his death, his retainers who were attacking everywhere could easily retreat from the contested battlefields of the time and counterattack Mizuki Akechi.
But what about Steza’s subordinates?
Would their real situation be better than Oda Nobunaga’s retainers?
Temeria is currently a stable kingdom, and if these people could live comfortably under Veltrest’s suppression, there must be something wrong with this kingdom.
After losing Count Steza as the highest banner, the ’Pro-Niflgaard’ forces would undoubtedly split into several factions.
Veltrest would be overjoyed!
The enemy’s forces were dispersed, but not to the extent that effective suppression was impossible.
Could there be anything more ideal than this?
Would he watch these divided ’Pro-Niflgaard’ forces regroup and merge by hunting down a Demon Hunter?
As long as he’s not a fool, that’s impossible.
Whether from the enemy’s objective capabilities or subjective judgment, Lann didn’t think he was in any danger.
At most, there would be bounties and assassinations, but as always... does he look like someone who’s afraid of assassinations?!
Without relying on luck or fortune, Lann saw through the plight of the ’Pro-Niflgaard’ forces under Steza through his knowledge.
So now, he was leisurely sitting in the village tavern with Alia, sharing a stewed fish.
"So when you said you’d let me stay alone for a few days, it turned out to be less than two days?"
Alia first pinched her nose and drank the cold potion Lann gave her, then grabbed a fork to start digging into the fish.
Lann lightly raised an eyebrow, and now that his wish had been fulfilled, he felt immensely elated.
After a night, even his expression was fresher and more buoyant.
He looked young and full of vitality.
As if he had never come to this cruel world before.
"How was I to know that guy didn’t even reinforce his defenses? An estate for me right now is..."
Lann shrugged helplessly.
"If there are no renowned knights or warriors, it’s practically not an issue."
"That’s true." Alia commented expressionlessly.
"Who would believe a Demon Hunter could cut from the top to the bottom of a building in one breath, killing two hundred people in less than a night?! Even a butcher would take three or four days to slaughter two hundred pigs, and his hand would need a half-month rest. Even in knight novels nowadays, such exaggerated plots are rare."
"You read knight novels? What plotlines are popular in them now?"
"The protagonist generally beds two hundred noblewomen."
"...You should cut down on that stuff, Alia. It’s for your own good."
Just as he said this, Lann suddenly glanced at the tavern wall, but his mouth continued conversing with Alia.
"Are you going to keep eating, or head back to the room? Someone’s come looking."
The little girl was now more confident in Lann’s combat ability than he was, and upon hearing this, continued to tear apart the fish without even lifting her head.
"Ninety-nine percent a guest... I’m mainly worried you might not adapt since the person is a king, after all."
"Hey! I’ve seen more kings than you have!"
Alia was much more spirited when bickering with Lann than when she needed to be vigilant.
Lann smirked. Yeah, you’ve seen one, and I’m about to see one.
Silently, the faintly audible noise outside the tavern ceased to exist.
First to enter were a few fully armed, strong warriors. The emblem of the Temerian White Lily was clear and clean on their full-plate armor’s chests.
Once these men walked in, their vigilant, suspecting eyes glued onto Lann.
Their gaze wouldn’t dare drift from the sword on Lann’s back for even a second.
"Alright, everyone, from the records, even if you stand in front of him with shields, you won’t last ten seconds."
A deep middle-aged voice came from the doorway, and it was clear that the voice’s owner was still smoothly entering the tavern.
Making a turn, the Lord of Temeria walked straight towards Lann.
He was a handsome, straight-backed middle-aged man dressed in attire somewhere between formal dress and leather armor.
His outerwear was luxurious and elaborate, but you could see tanned leather and chainmail through the gaps; his gloves and boots were of combat style as well.
On the hood of chainmail rested a noble crown.
This man walked in unfazed, seemingly very accustomed to the surroundings of a country tavern.
He ignored the almost heart-stopping expressions of his guards and walked directly to where Lann was seated.
With a stride, he sat beside Alia, sharing a bench with the little girl.
"I hope my face doesn’t give you the urge to punch it, Demon Hunter."
Though Alia had spoken lightly earlier, now she seemed uncomfortable, shrinking her body away.
Lann first smiled at the little girl before turning to reply.
"Anger and the desire to kill were emptied yesterday, although your face looks quite a bit like that bastard."
"Blood ties oblige, sometimes I find it bothersome too, but there’s no way around it."
Veltrest sized up the smiling Demon Hunter.
"Good, you appear to be unexpectedly collected."
"It seems my actions gave you the wrong impression? Making you think I am rash?"
Lann asked the king with a smile.
Veltrest unabashedly shook his head.
"Not taking Merigold’s advice and fleeing Temeria without stopping indicates you’re a formidable and smart person. But sometimes, hot-bloodedness blinds judgment, after all, you bashed my cousin’s head for the sake of a few peasant children, which says a lot."