Chapter 85: Oh No, Someone Escaped
Once the members of the Holy Hand Association were escorted away, a congenial atmosphere returned to the hall.
Gaius was all smiles. "Baron, your plan was truly perfect. With the Holy Hand Association losing an expert like Simone, and with Kalina gone too, besieging Daniel’s Castle will be much simpler!"
Faced with such a compliment, Duane wore an expression that suggested it was only to be expected.
He looked at the mess on the floor. "A pity about all this food. I suppose everyone hasn’t eaten their fill?"
"Hahaha, I made sure to eat and drink my fill beforehand," Gaius said smugly.
He was in on the plan, so naturally, he had started stuffing his face and chugging drinks the moment he arrived.
In contrast, those like Hardy, who were not in on the secret, had not eaten well.
Duane couldn’t help but feel a little contemptuous. ’This guy just downed a bottle of my wine and several cans of beer like an ox drinking water.’
’He really shows no restraint when it’s someone else’s food and drink.’
"Even if you haven’t had enough, I have nothing more to offer."
Duane said, "Please relay my arrangements to Bard. I will wait here for his response."
"Rest assured, I will convey your arrangements to him precisely."
As the two were speaking, a series of startled cries came from outside.
Soon, the sound of frantic footsteps followed.
"This is bad, Baron!"
John ran in, panicked, and knelt on the floor, terrified. "That Simone... Simone has escaped!"
"What?"
Duane was stunned, then roared in anger, "You useless fools! How could you let this happen?"
Raymond darted out. "I’ll go after him!"
Simone was far too important to the Holy Hand Association to be let go so easily.
Duane strode forward, looked coldly at John, and raised his hand to slap him across the face.
The crisp sound echoed through the hall. "Someone, take John away and lock him up! I’ll deal with him later!"
Everyone obeyed the order. The Guards were silent, chilled with fear.
Duane turned to Gaius and said helplessly, "My apologies, we’ve had a small mishap. However, even with Simone’s escape, our plan to attack Daniel’s Castle remains unchanged!"
Gaius frowned. "It’s just that Simone is quite formidable. With him defending the castle alongside Daniels and Uleir, I’m afraid we’ll need to prepare thoroughly."
A man comparable to a Human Tier Warrior, with the advantage of terrain, could indeed cause significant trouble.
Duane also frowned. "Go back and ask Bard how his injuries are. When would be a suitable time to attack? Get me a date."
"Alright!"
’The most suitable time to attack will probably be when the leader’s injuries are mostly healed,’ Gaius thought to himself.
The wait was long.
A full half-hour passed before Raymond ran back, looking disheveled.
"My apologies, My Lord. Simone got away. He’s better at traversing the mountain forests than I am."
Duane’s expression was displeased. "You fought him?"
"Yes!"
Raymond answered, "I managed to land a Sword strike on his left arm. He was injured, but he also kicked me down a slope, creating distance, so I couldn’t keep up."
"I see. It’s not your fault."
Duane said to Gaius, "Simone is injured as well. Even though he escaped, he won’t be able to fight at full strength. We should attack sooner rather than later."
"I understand. I will relay this to Bard as well."
Duane let out a long breath. "I’m tired. Raymond, Kaelon, see Gaius and his men out for me."
After speaking, he left the hall without another word.
Meanwhile, Simone clutched his injured arm and ran without stopping, crossing several small hills. He took the shortest route back to Broken Wave Bay and arrived right outside the castle.
Since he was forbidden from entering without permission, he didn’t try to force his way in.
"Quick, go inform Daniels! Tell him something has happened on the Baron’s end! Hurry!"
Seeing that Simone was injured and in such a rush, the guard knew something major must have happened and hurried inside to report.
Soon, both Daniels and Uleir came out.
"Simone, you’re injured?" Uleir asked in surprise.
’They were just Frog Fish Monsters. Even if there were a lot of them, it shouldn’t have been enough to leave Simone in such a sorry state, right?’
Daniels, however, sensed that something was wrong. "Where is Kalina? What on earth happened?"
Simone feigned anxiety and said, "Kalina was captured by the Baron! All our people were captured by the Baron! I was the only one lucky enough to escape!"
His words struck them like a bolt from the blue, leaving the two men stunned.
After a moment, Uleir, having come to his senses, exclaimed, "Impossible! What’s going on? Shouldn’t that Baron be trying to get closer to us?"
Daniels also found it hard to believe. His face darkened. "Speak!"
"Bard revealed the truth about you creating the Sauce Meat Fruit! Not only did the Baron believe him, but he also allied with the Broken Wave Gang and ambushed us at the victory banquet this afternoon!"
Simone’s tone was that of someone who had just survived a disaster. "I was captured too. If the ropes they used to tie me weren’t so flimsy, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have escaped either!"
Daniels was initially suspicious, but seeing Simone’s pale face and blood-soaked shoulder, he was about sixty to seventy percent convinced.
Besides, with Vera under his control, he didn’t think Simone would dare to betray him.
"Bard!"
Daniels hissed in a low, furious voice, "Aren’t you afraid that after eliminating me, the Baron will turn on you?"
In fact, this was the very reason he was so certain the Broken Wave Gang wouldn’t dare to do anything.
"Simone, let me treat your injury first!"
He began to cast the Healing Technique.
As a gentle light shone on the wound, the bleeding began to slow and finally stopped.
"Go home and bandage it up. Uleir and I need to organize our men for defense."
Even now, Daniels still wouldn’t allow Simone to remain in the castle.
"Alright!"
Simone added a reminder, "I suspect the Baron and the Broken Wave Gang will attack soon. You should prepare your defenses as quickly as possible!"
"Of course!"
They had no other choice.
Daniels felt a pang of regret. He felt he shouldn’t have used the Sauce Meat Fruit to prove his ability and value.
He never expected Bard to bring up that old story.
Of course, the main issue was that the Baron had believed Bard so easily.
The situation had changed so quickly that he felt something was off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
"Uleir, gather our men! We will defend the castle!"
They had no shortage of water here, and at least a year’s worth of food was stockpiled.
With two Advanced Warriors, plus himself—a Level 3 Mage—he didn’t believe the Baron would truly risk heavy losses to storm the castle.
After all, he knew of Bard’s ambitions. The moment an opportunity arose, Bard would definitely make a move against the Baron.
The three parties were still in a state of mutual deterrence, so he was certain they wouldn’t launch an all-out attack.
Therefore, as long as he could hold out for a period of time, an opportunity for de-escalation would surely present itself.
「Meanwhile, at the Blacksmith Shop a few hundred meters from the Lord’s Villa.」
This was Yanger’s residence, as well as the temporary Blacksmith Shop that Duane had arranged to be built for him.
Although it was simple, it was gradually being improved.
Yanger and his two sons had recently been processing the iron ore sent over by the Baron, preparing to forge it into weapons and Armor.
"Father, Broo invited me over to his place this afternoon. I’m going to head out for a bit," said Yanger’s younger son, Ryo.
Yanger looked at Broo, who was standing at the door, with a cold expression, but this time he didn’t refuse.
"Don’t forget what the Baron ordered us to do. Go on, but be back quickly!"
He grumbled, "Honestly, your brother and I are working ourselves to death, and you still want to go out and play."
Ryo made a face and scurried out.
Broo smiled from the doorway and said, "Don’t worry, Uncle. I just invited Ryo over for a little while. He’ll be back soon."