Chapter 1199 - The Commotion in the Kingdom of Wolfheart (1/2)

“What damn weather,” the baron, Jean Bate, muttered as he stared at the overcast sky by the window. “It’s raining again.”

It rained a lot in the Sedimentation Bay, particularly in summer and fall. Unexpected storms visited this city often, so the city was equipped with a well-developed drainage system. Unlike the Broken Tooth Castle and Graystone City where roads instantly turned muddy after a heavy rain, the rain here would only affect the cargo transportation. The impact of the weather was indeed minimal to the urban area.

Jean was actually more frustrated about himself than the upcoming rain.

The sky would soon clear out after the shower, but his mood would remain gloomy.

“Sir, have you figured out how to reply to them?” His clerk, Zum, asked gingerly.

“Reply?” the baron sneered. “What would you say if you have to pick between being hanged and being burned?”

“Er…” The clerk fell silent.

“You can’t make a choice either, right? So, let’s just keep them waiting.”

“But…” Zum broke off, trying to formulate a proper answer.

Jean Bate knew very well that playing for time was just a temporary solution. Like the prospective storm that would come no matter merchants liked it or not, he had to solve this problem regardless.

Everything started with the war against the church.

After the fall of the king’s city of the Kingdom of Wolfheart, dozens of lords, all of a sudden, claimed that they were the bastards of the King of Wolfheart. These alleged royal blood formed cliques and factions to fight for the throne. After numerous fierce battles, the kingdom was divided into three major territories, each dominated by the Token Family in the northwest, the “Redstone Gate” Family in the south, and the “Tusk” Family in the mountainous area in the east.

Since the Tokens were relatively far from the Sedimentation Bay, they had never come to bother Jean. However, both the Redstone Gate Family and the Tusk Family were trying strenuously to win him over to further expand their territories.

The baron had been taking a neutral position during the war. His disinterest in political gains soon brought huge profits to his city. Since the two dukes relied on the port to transport food and gold royals, and because they had been busy with conquering other surrounding cities and towns, the two families had not extended their power over the Sedimentation Bay as yet.

However, as the expansion progressed, the Tusk and Redstone Gate Families gradually became two of the most competitive candidates for the future sovereign. Since the Tokens suddenly extended a full reign over the Cage Mountain, the Tusk and Redstone thus again rested their eyes on the baron’s domain, the Sedimentation Bay.

Jean knew exactly what they aimed at.

They wanted to seize the Sedimentation Bay and banned commercial trades of their opponents as a way to outpower the other. To this end, both dukes sent their embassadors, along with dozens of knights and mercenaries, in an ostensible attempt to lobby him.

The port was only guarded by a patrol team and several of Jean’s own guards. Those guards could cope with savage pirates but definitely not fully-equipped knights. Jean Bate did not plan to resist. He would pledge alliance to whoever that ascended the throne, and he did not care whether this succeeder was the true blood of the late king.

Unfortunately, however, the Redstone Gate and the Tusk Families were powerful in equal measure.

Under such circumstances, he could join neither of them.

Whichever side he picked, he would suffer virulent vengeance from the other party. Losing the right to trade meant they would have to produce food and other military supplies by themselves while the other party would be entitled to a constant supply of resources. Neither of the two families would like to put themselves in such an unfavorable situation.

Therefore, a war would be inevitable.

There was no fortified city wall or deep moat protecting the city, which meant that Jean had to pick a side to defend against the invasion.

However, would the two families support him?

The baron could not take a chance.

Shrewd as the two dukes, they would probably sacrifice the subjects of the Sedimentation Bay to reduce the casualities of their knights and then cut the retreat once their enemy entered the city, for they cared only about the land not the people.