Lord Black flung his goblet against the pillar, shattering the goblet into smithereens and splinters of wood, the wine spilling and itself against the pillar and the carpet below.

In the brightly lit great hall of Everett, the envoy sent by King Carmine remained unmoved by Edward Black’s display of anger.

“How can I possibly give another 30000 gold coins to you!?” Lord Black roared, so loudly that even the guards stationed outside the door opened the door slightly to make sure that their liege has not cut down the envoy already.

Kaisenberg was so angered that even his calm demeanour showed signs of breaking, with his hand already dangerously hovering on the hilt of his blade.

“Why, Lord Black, there is no need to anger yourself so. King Carmine has found that it is time for the money invested by his forebears to finally be reaped. However, in the King’s generosity, he only wishes to ask for a one-time payment of 30,000 gold coins on top of your usual taxes of course.” The envoy said patiently, his hands wide open as if this was only the most natural thing for Edward to do for his own king.

Lord Black trembled with rage. He only had a slight surplus of 2000 coins a month and his reserves had almost already been cleaned out. Where on earth was he going to dig 30,000 coins from unless he held a knife to every single man, woman and child in his territories and robbed them blind?

“This is absurd. I have had enough.”

A voice from a man who was sitting at the side, dressed in almost entirely in dark brown, his coat tattered and torn, his own armour with the sigil of a maple. He had white hair and an otherwise average looking face, nothing too prominent.

However, this was Count Boulevard, who had come to Lord Black’s fortress as a guest, only to encounter the Imperial envoy here as well.

“Oh? Count Boulevard, are you saying that the King is unjust?” the envoy asked mockingly, turning to face the Count.

The Count sighed, standing up from his seat.

“I am not saying if the court is just or unjust, or rather, the king… I apologize, an old man… confuses his words sometimes…” Count Boulevard rubbed his forehead with his fingers as if it was aching.

“But what I meant was perhaps you should feedback to the King that both our lands have almost already been bled dry by our support for His Majesty… I myself have sent 5000 men, which is almost all I have to King Carmine’s campaign against the Gerheist. You ought to remember well who had held back the Gerheist Winged Hussars while you were running tail between legs, envoy.” Count Boulevard replied, looking at the envoy with an absolute look of boredom, mixed with perhaps, just a touch of disdain.

“And we are very grateful, Count Boulevard! However, in times of economic crisis, the sense of loyalty among men, women and children towards the nation always prevails! Including the loyalty of noblemen such as yourselves, of course!” the envoy bowed respectfully.

At this point, Lord Black felt like ordering Kaisenberg to cut the envoy’s tongue off, but he knew that he had nothing to hold back an entire Imperial expedition.

Weak as King Carmine may be compared to his father, he could still easily muster 15,000 men, compared to his own pathetic 500 and if Lord Black decided to scrape the manpower barrel, 1000.

Count Boulevard took a look at the envoy and tilted his head.

“Then, I understand that the King will most definitely understand the plights of his loyal servants. You can be on your way, for the night is long and there is plenty of land to cover.” Count Boulevard said, gesturing for Kaisenberg to send the envoy away.