Jolthar's expression remained unreadable. He had expected this question.
"Prince Milan invested in the barony," he stated plainly. "He saw potential in our development and provided financial backing."
Alden's eyes flickered with something unreadable—perhaps mild surprise, perhaps something else. "Prince Milan, you say?"
"That's right," Jolthar confirmed. "The prince has taken an interest in Tekkora."
The mention of Milan's name made the envoys pause for a moment. It was one thing to investigate a small barony, but bringing royalty into the equation made things more complicated. Still, Alden wasn't ready to back down.
Jolthar had mentioned Milan deliberately, and he wanted to see if they are here because of him. And judging by his reaction, they might be a possibility.
Milan had sent the gold as a token of appreciation for saving him; it was not an investment, but Jolthar had said it was so. If he had said that it was a gift, then they would have asked them to pay the tax for the possession of such huge amounts of gold.
"And what of taxes?" he pressed. "Have you paid your dues to the Empire?"
Before Jolthar could respond, Nora stepped forward, her voice firm and unwavering. "The barony has paid its taxes every year, without fail. Everything is in order, and there are records to prove it."
Alden's gaze shifted to her, his expression unreadable. He was searching for any signs of deceit, but Nora held her ground, unshaken.
The room fell into silence for a brief moment, the tension palpable.
The envoys had come looking for weakness. But so far, they had found none.
Alden Veyra, the leader of the group, stood at the forefront, his crimson cloak draped over his shoulders like a mantle of authority. His sharp eyes bore into Jolthar, who stood tall and unyielding, his arms crossed over his broad chest. Nora and Roblan flanked him, their faces tense but composed. The air crackled with unspoken hostility, and it was clear that this meeting would not end without confrontation.
Alden broke the silence first, his voice smooth but laced with an edge that made it clear he was not here to exchange pleasantries.
"Your barony is… interesting, Roblan," he began, his tone dripping with condescension. "Presumptuous, even. But ambition without the means to back it up is nothing more than folly. Tell me, how do you expect to complete this forge of yours when your people are barely scraping by? Or is this just another vanity project, a desperate attempt to prove your worth to the Empire?"
Jolthar's jaw tightened, but he kept his voice steady. "The forge is not a vanity project," he said, his deep voice resonating with quiet authority. "It's a chance for us to grow. And as for our means, we've already told you—Prince Milan invested in us. His support has been invaluable."
The forge was being built for himself, and it would be his alone, but he didn't say it outright. He needed to back down for now. It was not the time to be arrogant, he thought to himself.
Alden raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Prince Milan, yes. How fortunate for you that a member of the Imperial family took pity on your little barony.
But tell me, young man, do you really think his patronage will be enough to save you from the Empire's demands? The Emperor's decree is clear: 300 men for the army. Can you afford to ignore it?"
Jolthar's hands clenched into fists at his sides, but he forced himself to remain calm. "We've already explained our situation," he said, his voice low and measured. "We've just recovered from a brutal battle. Our men are exhausted, and our resources are depleted. Sending 300 men to war now would cripple us. Surely the Empire can understand that."
Alden's smirk widened, and he took a step closer, his aura flaring like a wildfire. The other envoys followed suit, their presence pressing down on Jolthar, Nora, and Roblan like a physical weight. "Understand?" Alden repeated, his voice dripping with mockery. "The Empire doesn't need to understand, Jolthar. It demands. And if you can't meet those demands, then perhaps you're not fit to govern this barony."
Jolthar's eyes flashed with anger, and he took a step forward, his own aura rising to meet Alden's. The two men stood toe-to-toe, their energies clashing in an invisible storm. "You think you can come here and question my ability to lead?" Jolthar growled, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. "You, who sit in your ivory towers in the capital, far removed from the struggles of the borderlands? You have no idea what we've been through, what we've sacrificed to protect this land."
Alden frowned as he turned towards Roblan and asked him, "Who is this again?"
He knew about Jolthar and how he had fought in the battle against the province's men. But his purpose in staying here was unclear to him.
Roblan answered, "He is Jolthar, the captain of the army of the barony."
Alden closed his eyes for a second, thinking, and then said, studying him, "Jolthar, huh?"
Alden's smirk didn't waver. "Sacrifices?" he said, his tone mocking. "How noble of you. But the Empire doesn't run on sacrifices, Jolthar. It runs on results. And from what I've seen, your results are… lacking."
"Lacking? Do you expect us to rally against the province soldiers, the barony alone, and finish them off? Then would that satisfy you?"
Alden grinned, "That wouldn't be bad either. But I guess you aren't that formidable to fight alone. If it wasn't for Great General Remin, the barony would have been crushed and every one of you would have been slaves to those barbarians."
"And even your family wouldn't be able to save you, Little Jolthar."
Alden came here after knowing everything about the barony and Jolthar too. He had been deliberately poking around him to see if he would make the mistake of offending them. Then his mission of coming here would be complete. His mission was to stop them from building the forge and the barony's development.
In general, if the battle with Chittera was considered, Jolthar and the barony should be rewarded for stopping them here. Instead, they were being scrutinized and being dealt with. Official source ıs novel✶fire.net
Whoever Alden's masters were, they had no interest in seeing the barony prosper and grow.
"I think the Kaezhlar clan would have been happy knowing that their bastard of the clan was dead here," Alden pushed.