Chapter 115. How to Fight (2)
Guided by the knights, Orian reached the place where the Count of Aquitaine was staying.
He immediately found it strange.
Why is he living here instead of the lord's residence?
The Count was staying in a tiny room inside a building used by the knights.
Apparently, he was trying to avoid an assassination attempt from Toulouse.
Pointless.
Why would Toulouse bother with assassination?
A noble who attempted assassination suffered enormous damage to his honor.
If exposed, he would naturally be ostracized by noble society.
In a serious case, he might even lose the title granted by the royal family.
Toulouse's situation was completely different from Eric's agreement with the royal court.
Of course, Orian didn't know Eric had assassinated Count Perrier.
Only Eric's closest confidants knew that secret.
The Count of Aquitaine immediately brightened when he saw Orian.
"Sir Orian!"
He stood.
"Oh! I'm delighted to see the pride of Aquitaine again!"
You fired me before, but now that you're desperate I'm suddenly the pride of Aquitaine.
The man obviously wanted something.
Orian hid his thoughts and greeted the Count politely.
Then he handed over the gift Eric had prepared.
"When I said I was returning to my homeland, Count Marcel prepared this for you."
"Count Marcel did?"
The gift contained high-quality coffee and a set of Royal Marcel coffee cups.
The Count of Aquitaine accepted them with the delight of a child.
He looked so happy that even Orian thought it was a bit excessive.
"Sir Orian, I would dearly like to thank Count Marcel in person."
The Count sighed.
"Unfortunately, my current circumstances make that difficult. Please convey my gratitude when you return."
"I will."
Then the Count finally moved to his true purpose.
"I have a favor to ask of Count Marcel."
Orian remained expressionless.
"Could you deliver it?"
"Please speak."
Eric had warned him in advance that something like this might happen.
Still, what came out of the Count's mouth was enough to surprise even Orian.
"I want to ask for his help in the territorial war."
"..."
Orian was dumbfounded.
Leaving aside whether the request was reasonable, the war was already imminent.
Traveling from Aquitaine to Marcel would take Orian at least ten days.
By the time Marcel's knights prepared and arrived, the Count of Aquitaine's head might already be hanging in the town square.
Naturally, Orian couldn't say that.
"I will do my best to deliver your request before it is too late."
It was already too late.
But he'd make the attempt.
Then the Count said something even more surprising.
"I'll send one of my carrier pigeons."
He gestured toward a writing desk.
"Would you write the message yourself, Sir Orian?"
Orian's eyes narrowed.
Carrier pigeons in this world didn't simply fly wherever you wanted.
They searched for a paired magic item.
Without the corresponding item, even trained pigeons were unreliable.
Release ten and eight or nine might end up somewhere completely different.
That meant someone in Marcel was already waiting with the paired magic item.
Officially, Aquitaine had no representative stationed in Marcel.
So you've planted a spy in Marcel.
Orian kept his expression neutral.
"I'll write it."
The Count smiled.
"Thank you."
Orian now had another useful piece of information to bring home.
* * *
Back in Marcel, I received the message.
Aquitaine wanted help.
Not surprising.
What was more interesting was the route by which the message had arrived.
"Find whoever possesses the paired pigeon item."
Pascal nodded.
"Quietly?"
"Of course."
If Aquitaine had a spy in Marcel, there was no need to expose them immediately.
A known spy was more useful than an unknown one.
Feed them what you wanted the enemy to know.
Watch who they contacted.
Simple.
I returned to the larger problem.
Toulouse.
Their bonds were already being hit by Rosso Bank.
Our antidiarrheal medicine had been withdrawn from the territory.
Trade through Perrier had become difficult.
Aquitaine was obviously hostile.
"The territory is nearly isolated."
Diego nodded.
"Only the route toward Le Capital remains relatively stable."
"They should've attacked Aquitaine immediately."
I tapped the map.
"The moment they declared war, they should've launched a lightning offensive."
Instead, Toulouse had waited.
They had allowed the spring planting season to approach.
Their logistical disadvantage was now becoming painful.
And the attacks on the rear had begun.
* * *
The next morning.
Count Toulouse held a lord's meeting to assess the damage.
"My lord."
An administrator looked pale.
"The wheat seed storage burned down."
Count Toulouse slammed his hand onto the table.
"How much did we lose?"
"We had already prepared thirty percent less seed because of the decision to reduce wheat production."
The administrator swallowed.
"And roughly thirty percent of what remained was destroyed."
"Damn it!"
Count Toulouse stood.
"Then this autumn's harvest will be short by at least thirty percent!"
