Chapter 40: The Sword of the Wolf King is Honed

The next day, Count Haringoth rose early, adhering to his routine of morning sword practice and refraining from any inclination to sleep in.

Gazing intently at a wooden stake before him, his eyes sharp as lightning piercing through the void, he leaped into the air with the grace of a predator swooping down from a lofty peak.

With a swift flash of his sword, the stake was instantly split into fragments, leaving behind fearsome gashes – a testament to his clean, merciless strokes.

Draxel, who had been keenly observing his every move, had also risen early to witness this impressive display. He couldn’t help but admire internally, ‘That’s some incredible swordsmanship. One day, I must master such skills.’

However, the system couldn’t resist poking fun at Draxel’s aspirations.

[Perhaps you should reconsider. Every time you wake up early, it’s just for breakfast. I haven’t seen you practice swordsmanship even once.]

“Good morning, Count Haringoth. Breakfast is ready; please join me after your training. I’ll wait for you,” Draxel greeted him.

“Thank you for your kindness, Draxel,” the Count responded.

Later, as they shared breakfast, Draxel inquired, “What are the kingdom’s plans moving forward? I believe the enemy won’t make any rash moves against Uxkhal now.”

Over his mushroom soup, Count Haringoth replied, “Indeed, Count, I agree with your assessment. My arrival with the troops here isn’t to station or defend.”

“What are your plans for the next step?”

“We’ve received intelligence that a large enemy force will converge near Dark Castle in about ten days. The village of Xiko falls under that castle’s jurisdiction.”

“Are you leading a vanguard to assault that castle?”

“Yes, Count. I must say, you’re quite astute and correct again. But it’s not just my vanguard. Other lords will also be advancing towards that location. I estimate we’ll have four to five hundred soldiers engaged in battle there.”

Draxel pondered for a moment before asking, “What mission has the kingdom assigned to me? Am I to join you in battle, or…?”

Observing the handsome Count before him, Count Haringoth genuinely respected him, especially considering the lavish hospitality he had received. 

Opting for transparency, he said, “In truth, there has been much recent criticism within the kingdom, mostly aimed at belittling you. Many claimed you were unfit to protect Uxkhal and its three villages. However, you’ve proven them all wrong with your recent victory. That’s what I admire about you. A man who lets his actions speak for him. King Harlaus X is also pleased with your success and is aware that you’ve just come through a tough battle. Given that you probably don’t have many troops left, the kingdom hasn’t assigned any new tasks to you. You are, for the moment, at liberty.”

Bombarded with so much information, Draxel felt a bit overwhelmed but quickly gathered his thoughts. 

He said, “I appreciate your frankness, Count Haringoth. If the enemy forces are gathering in ten days, I believe I can muster a troop to support your assault.”

“That would be excellent. However, I have some other matters to attend to and will be leaving today. If you’re indeed willing to contribute, let’s meet at Dark Castle in ten days.”

“Agreed, see you at Dark Castle.” 

After speaking, Draxel stood up and shook hands with him.

“Goodbye for now, and thank you once more for your hospitality, Draxel.”

“No need to thank me. Safe travels.”

Watching Count Haringoth depart, Draxel exhaled deeply, relieved to have seen off this formidable guest.

Count Haringoth was indeed polite, well-mannered, and seemed to be a person of good character. Draxel was excited about the prospect of building a strong brotherly bond with him in the future.

But the system chimed in to dampen his spirits. 

[Evaluation: Can you really gather an army?]

‘Damn it, who says I can’t? Don’t I still have those tavern cavalry? Sure, they are few, but they still count as an army.’

Time, like water, quickly flowed by, and seven days passed in a blink. Draxel calculated that it would take about three days for the troops to reach Dark Castle. So today was the day they set off.

In the next seven days, Draxel was busy with various preparations. By now, the town of Uxkhal had been completely restored. Additionally, Merchant Marnid’s grape business was starting to show promising results.

[Uxkhal and its three subordinate villages collectively garnered 3,500 Denars this week. With the ransom from the woman and child included, you now have a total of 8,500 Denars.]

Draxel mentally communicated with the system, ‘Excellent. No new soldier recruitment this week. We’ll wait until the training ground and watchtower are finished.’

As for the markup on the training ground and watchtower, Draxel had also sneakily struck a somewhat shameless deal with Marnid, making sure Safiya would never find out.

[Received.]

Then, Draxel instructed, “Xiao Nan, here’s 7,500 Denars. Head to Ronnie’s tavern right away and give her this money. The extra 500 is for her to have a drink on me.”

“At your command, my lord. But I also wish to join the battle.”

“You’re going whether you like it or not. Set off now and rendezvous with us at Dark Castle, understood?”

“Understood. I’m on my way, my lord,” said Xiao Nan, his face breaking into an excited grin as he swiftly mounted his horse and galloped away.

“Safiya, with Xiao Nan gone, that leaves us with 3 tavern-hired knights and 17 tavern-hired light cavalry. Take them and stand by at the town gate.”

“Stand by? Count, what exactly are you planning?”

“Roar! Exactly, always vanishing and reappearing all day. What are you, ascending to the heavens?” Young Dragon Lein joined in the conversation.

Draxel, with a smile on his face, gently tapped Safiya’s nose and explained, “You’ve forgotten, haven’t you? Blacksmith Old Aubrey promised to finish the sword within a week. It should be ready today, so I’m heading there first.”

“Oh, oh, oh, your memory’s really something. Alright then, I’ll head to the gate and wait for you. Let’s move out, boys~”

“Roar~ My mom is truly majestic, a heroine among women~”

Hearing such overly flattering remarks, Draxel burst into laughter, taking a moment to compose himself before responding, “Lein, cut out the flattery. She doesn’t understand what you’re saying.”

Following this, the 3 tavern-hired knights and 17 tavern-hired light cavalry trailed behind Safiya, advancing slowly.

Shortly after, Draxel arrived at Blacksmith Old Aubrey’s doorstep. Hearing the sound of horse hooves, Aubrey guessed that Count Draxel had come for the sword. He excitedly embraced the sword, opened the door, and jogged up to Draxel.

“Good morning, my noble lord. I’ve finished forging the sword. It’s nothing short of perfect! It’s the creation I’m most proud of in my entire career as a blacksmith.”

“Hmm, from the way you speak of it, it must indeed be a fine sword. Let me have a look.”

[System Notification: Item removed from equipment slot—an ordinary Germanic war sword.]

[System Notification: Item added to equipment slot—special weapon, the Sword of the Wolf King.]