Chapter 426
In the main tent, Lex was fuming as she interrogated a mage .
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"Nash really said that?"
"Yes, Your Highness . If you want to cross the border from Strand, the army must lay down their weapons . He said that you can also choose to leap over the mountain, then you won't have to bother him . "
"Nash's father is a stubborn old man . To think that he is as obstinate and despicable . Okay, you can leave . Let everyone rest for a day first . "
After that the low grade mage left the tent, a middle-aged man emerged from the shadows .
"Viscountess… you are now a county queen, I should call you Your Highness . " That man who came out from the shadows was none other than the assassin called Bain .
"You cannot go assassinate the empire's general . All of them are rebelling . Nash didn't attack, he just didn't let me pass through Fort Strand . If he has the ability to defend the west side, he must have a grand mage with him, or he might even have a sorcerer . You might not be able to get close to him . " Lex knew exactly what Bain was trying to do .
Lex was also helpless . She was planning to lead her swordsman's camp past the border . If it was not for the invasion by the Goodrid City's army, the nobles in Phoenix would not have obstructed her path . Now, Fort Strand was occupied by the Goodrid City's army . The terrain there was tapered . If the troops could not pass through the city, then they could only climb over the mountains .
In such frigid climate, the soldiers could not withstand such a torture even if they did not have to transport the military supplies . After marching for half a month, some soldiers who originated from the south had even been injured by the frost . If there were not so many mages accompanying the army, the morale would have hit rock bottom .
"Your Highness…"
"Forget it Bain . Just call me Viscountess, I am more used to that," Lex told the assassin who had followed her for dozens of years .
Bain swept his glance across the mages beside Lex . He stared intently at a middle-aged mage clad in a grey robe, making that mage shift about in uneasiness . Lex then said, "Bain, Basta is trustable . "
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Basta was a grade-5 mage from the Sregl Island who had followed her back to Bitter Water Prefecture . This voyage had already taken six months, Basta himself was also getting anxious . Lex's plan could not be accomplished in a day or two, so he could only bear with it for the moment .
"Viscountess, I don't care about the empire's laws . If Nash continues holding you here without letting you pass, your troops might be in peril . Him talking so much nonsense is akin to declaring war on you already . If you still cannot make a definite choice by tonight, then Nash will side with the law . By then, no one can say anything . "
"I am not worried about that . Fort Strand has a seven-story magic tower . Even though the mage is no longer around, Nash's mages in the army can utilize it . Since the terrain here is narrow, there is also no use having more manpower than him . "
"At least you can make a stand first . If they still do not give the green light, I will poison them . Saleen had given me a prescription . If anyone below the grade of a swordmaster consumes it, they will quickly die off . The only treatment is to use the magic liquid . "
Bain's method was plausible . Since both parties were hostile to each other, the other party would surely inspect the drinking water . On one hand, the serving of the magic medicine could not be too minute . On the other hand, if the serving was too big, it would be easily discovered .
In that case, the enemy's offensive power should be reduced first . The principal commanders and mages would not be affected .
"Bain, I think the people in Holy Rock City are hoping for me to do that . " Lex calculated in her mind, "My tracks aren't concealed from others . With a rough calculation, Nash will be able to lead his troops to seal off this place . If I cannot win against them, I can only use a farther route, since the other places might not let me pass . It is even more impossible to just wait here . The other party has about ten-thousand men, while I have ten-thousand elite soldiers excluding the support troops . It will be too prodigal using these swordsmen to attack the city . Uncle, you are forcing me to battle with you! In this battle, no matter the outcome, I have already lost half of it . Holy Rock City will no longer lend me any support in the future . " Prince Safilos did not have the right to seize Lex's County Queen position, but he could control the nobles in the parliament and use them to isolate Lex .
"Your Highness," someone called out from outside the tent .
"Yes?"
"I have captured a spy, he says he is from the north . "
"A spy? Bring him in . "
When Lex finished speaking, Bain had already vanished into the shadows . There were two other Black Metal Grand Swordmasters hiding in the tent . Lex was always very particular about her personal security .
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When the captured person saw Lex, he hollered, "Viscountess, please let me go . "
Lex was jubilant . She recalled that he was a pirate who had been subdued by Saleen . At this moment, the pirate's hands were bound by hemp rope and his weapon had been removed from his body .
A female mage called Narnia, stood beside Lex . She produced a wind blade in her hand, and then she cut the rope . The pirate had been trained by Saleen to be respectful . He bent his waist, bowing to Lex .
"Okay, get him a chair . Tell me, how did you get here?"
"Sir Saleen ordered us to receive you . "
"Us? How many people did Saleen deploy?"
"Five-hundred men, we are situated east of Fort Strand . Fort Strand had sealed off the main road, so we can't pass through . Only a few people were sent to go around the mountain . "
"Only five-hundred men…" Lex got slightly despondent . If Saleen had dispatched more than one-thousand swordsmen, then a two-pronged attack could be executed . Lex could bluff so that Nash would open the road in that case . If Nash could let her pass, she really did not want to fight with him .
Noticing Lex's expression, the pirate felt indignant, then he said, "Sir Saleen sent all his grand mages here . "
"Hnh…"
Someone in the tent could not stifle his laughter . That person turned out to be Hu An, a lifestyle mage serving Lex . Hu An was already very outstanding . After Saleen came to Bitter Water Prefecture, Lex turned her focus to grooming Saleen . Hu An had become less significant . Later on when Lex left, Hu An could not follow along . He had steeled his mind to stay in Bitter Water Prefecture, to help Lex manage the residence . Currently, Hu An was the leader of the lifestyle mages already, he had also advanced to grade-4 .
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Even though he pursued honor and fame, he never relented in his magic training . He was also a genius, his speed of advancement was really quick . After Lex went to Alchemy City, there were actually more mages in the Bitter Water Prefecture .
All these mages only had one notion in their minds . Holy Rock City had forced the Viscountess to leave . As a result, everyone protected Bitter Water Prefecture, so it did not wane . During this protracted period of time when Lex was not around, Bitter Water Prefecture actually became a place for mages to assemble in the central region of the empire .
Even though Hu An was only at grade-4, he had hundreds of mages and almost a thousand disciples under his command working for him .
When the pirate realized that Hu An was mocking Saleen, he could not conceal his outrage . Even though most people were fearful of a mage and Hu An was clad in a gray magic robe . That pirate had seen many mages daily, so he was not appalled by Hu An . The pirates stood upright, and told Lex, "The Viscountess might not think much of it, but I think it is impressive that Sir Saleen can still deploy five-hundred people after that battle . "
"Battle? What happened there?"
"A fleet from the eastern sea conducted a sneak attack, but it has been resolved by Sir Saleen . "
This time round, Hu An did not sneer . The eastern sea fleets had assaulted Lianyun City, and Lex knew about it . She led everyone across Phoenix's borders, instead of allowing the mages to travel by sea because of that .
With a satisfied look on his face, the pirate said, "There were more than ten-thousand enemies and twelve warships . Sir Daniel and I have also slaughtered some people . "
"Mage Saleen has gotten so powerful already?" Narnia could not help but ask . Saleen's domination of the three kings occurred only after Lex had left . Naturally, she would not know about it .
The pirate continued, "Sir Saleen has also deployed two magic chariots . "
"Magic chariots!" Lex stood up, she was really astounded .
"They were seized . Sir Saleen said that it is too expensive to produce these things . " After relieving his displeasure, the pirate felt much better . That mage in the tent was also no longer looking at him with contempt .
"Mm . Come, tell me what is the composition of these five-hundred people . " Lex began paying attention to Saleen's reinforcements . If there were really two magic chariots, then they could hold out against the attacks from the magic tower for the time being .
"Two magic chariots, and there are twenty normal chariots carrying some equipment and supplies . There are also two-hundred of my brethren, and three-hundred barbarians . Each magic chariot is helmed by a grade-5 grand mage, with four grade-3 mages . Sir Daniel is here too . "
Even though Daniel was Saleen's follower, he was also an outstanding mage in other people's eyes . The pirates had been under Daniel's command, so they had long regarded Daniel as their leader already . Whenever Daniel was mentioned, the pirates would speak in a more respectful tone .
"Viscountess, if that's the case, we can give it a shot . " After listening to the pirate's words, Hu An began instigating Lex .
Lex did not know how Saleen managed to recruit those barbarians . She thought to herself, "This must be all of Saleen's assets already . If I allow them to attack from the east and too many casualties are sustained, then I will have let Saleen down . "
Noticing that Lex was hesitant, the pirate said, "Viscountess, all five-hundred of us plus the chariots are riding on skeletal warhorses . If we are losing, we can simply flee . "
The pirate divulged the trump card . The reason why he actually was not afraid of Fort Strand's army was because the five-hundred man team could escape very quickly .
"Okay, then I will write a letter to Daniel . One of you shall follow him back and contact Saleen's men . We will launch the offensive at night . " Lex was decisive . She just had to lay out the strategy, and the commanders below would be able to formulate a detailed battle plan . She did not need to worry excessively . That was the advantage of Lex's background . She had all kinds of talent working under her, unlike Saleen who had to execute everything personally .
A grade-3 mage volunteered . Lex immediately penned a letter, asking Daniel to cooperate with her team to make a feint . Lex purposely highlighted to Daniel to monitor the number of casualties . If there was too much pressure, then he would have to retreat first .
Before long, the letter was completed . The pirate received Lex's letter and left the tent with the grade-3 mage . The grade-3 mage wasted no time . He simply released a scroll, the Windspeed Skill, for the both of them . With that magic blessing, the two men were flitting as they sprinted towards the mountains .
Lex wrote another letter, and duplicated it using the magic images . Then, she handed it to Hu An and said, "Send this letter to Fort Strand . Whether or not they let us through, prepare to attack tonight . " This letter was Lex's last warning . She knew that Nash would not let her pass, this gesture was simply a formality, a charade .