Chapter 128: Sincerity

Sophia lay lazily on the sofa, her water-blue spider-silk dress clinging to her form and outlining her perfect curves. Her slender, fair feet were propped high on the armrest, as relaxed as if she were in her own marquess’s manor.

Sylvia did not mind that her favorite sofa had been commandeered; instead, she looked through the window with keen interest, observing the figures on the lawn. They were noticeably taller and more robust than ordinary people—even the shortest woman among them stood at least 2.1 meters tall. Although they had changed into common human clothing, their knotted muscles, bronze skin, and fierce aura clearly betrayed their identity as barbarians.

Among the four men and three women, one female barbarian was particularly sharp; whenever Sylvia’s gaze rested upon her, she would glance around vigilantly. Sylvia’s expression shifted, and she asked Sophia, who was still occupying her sofa, "Is that female barbarian a Berserker? Surely she isn't a Weapon Master?"

"Neither. Golan is a War-Singer," Sophia replied, her tone faint yet tinged with a hint of pride.

A flash of surprise crossed Sylvia’s azure eyes. Barbarians were formidable outsiders; every adult warrior among them was at least the equal of an ordinary knight. Their physique, strength, speed, and endurance often surpassed those of knights. However, raw power did not equate to combat effectiveness. Knights, who commanded the four elements and balanced strength with agility, could always unleash astonishing combat prowess. In one-on-one duels, most barbarian warriors were no match for them. Yet, there were special individuals among the barbarians who were absolutely unmatched by ordinary knights.

Barbarians who awakened the talent for "Frenzy" were known as Berserkers. Once a Berserker entered a state of frenzy, their strength, speed, and combat intuition increased drastically. This talent was similar to the "Bloodlust" of an ogre, though less effective. However, Frenzy could be activated at will—much like the "Bloodthirst" of some creatures—yet its effects were superior to Bloodthirst. Furthermore, Frenzy made the barbarian’s body significantly tougher, a crucial characteristic that distinguished it from the other two states.

Compared to the impressive Berserkers, Weapon Masters were the backbone of the barbarian tribes. Being a Weapon Master had nothing to do with innate talent; it required only grueling training, indomitable will, and the feat of single-handedly hunting a silver-tier monster. All barbarian Weapon Masters were at least silver-tier warriors, and those who also possessed the Frenzy talent had even been recorded killing peak human knights.

There was another, exceptionally rare type of gifted individual among the barbarians: the War-Singer. Their ability was simple: by howling and chanting war songs, they could inspire courage and tenacious will in their companions. Yet, it was precisely this simple ability that made War-Singers the most precious members of any barbarian tribe. Sometimes, tribes needed to trek thousands of kilometers through harsh environments; without a War-Singer to bolster morale, such feats would be nearly impossible.

It was no secret that Sophia traded with the barbarians, and it was normal for her to have a few barbarian followers. But having a War-Singer follower changed the implications entirely. To have such a precious asset follow Sophia suggested a deep connection that went far beyond mere trade. It implied that Sophia was backed by a barbarian tribe, and certainly not a small one.

For thousands of years, the relationship between human kingdoms and barbarian tribes had been frosty. If Sophia had truly gained the trust and support of a barbarian tribe, it was an absolute breakthrough. Sylvia carefully studied her friend, whom she had not seen in years, and could not help but ask, "How on earth did you manage that?"

Sophia sat up straight and brushed back her alluring purple hair. "It’s not what you think. Golan only awakened her War-Singer talent recently. Once things end here, I plan to take her to the Teutonic Duchy."

The Teutonic Duchy was the only human territory bordering the Teryl Mountains. Nominally part of the Sassan Empire, it was effectively an autonomous domain of the Moon Bear family. All the barbarians living in the human world had emerged from the Teutonic Duchy.

Barbarians held a special reverence for the Teryl Mountains, which they called their Holy Mountain. No matter how difficult life in the mountains was, they were loath to leave. However, some were exiled for various reasons, usually living simple, impoverished lives south of the range. It wasn't until the Moon Bear family developed the Teutonic territory that these exiles began to interact with humans. Over time, the Duchy became the crossroads for the two races.

In the Teutonic Duchy, barbarians could move freely through human towns, while humans were forbidden from entering barbarian villages without permission. Because of this open policy, the Moon Bear family earned their trust. Some barbarians began working manual labor in the territory to improve their lives. Eventually, human merchant guilds began trading with them. However, winning their favor was not easy; only a few guilds had succeeded, and Sophia’s was one of them.

Now, by bringing Golan back to the Teutonic territory, Golan’s village would be ecstatic. A War-Singer could allow them to be re-accepted by the tribes in the Teryl Mountains, and Sophia would undoubtedly earn the tribe's eternal gratitude. But such a matter did not require Sophia to go in person—unless she needed to earn the tribe's favor in her own name.

Thinking of this, Sylvia frowned and asked, "Sophia, are you preparing to set up on your own? Is the situation in the guild really that dire?"

Sophia looked at Sylvia in surprise, then smiled. "The guild is still under my control for now, but I am making preparations. Regardless, the guild will eventually fall into Solon’s hands, and I guarantee that despicable man will only get an empty shell."

Sylvia pondered for a moment before saying, "Sophia, join my Rose Knights. I promise you won’t be disappointed."

"The Centaur Hills have become a true frontier territory—where do you get such confidence?" Sophia chuckled softly, then curled her lip. "You know I’m a rogue knight. I’ve never had any affection for my family. When I was at my lowest, it was the guild that took me in. I... well, let’s stick to business."

Ordinary family knights were raised with resources and teachers, indoctrinated to serve their lineage. Rogue knights had no such luxuries and, consequently, no sense of familial loyalty. Sophia had been ignored by her family since childhood and had relied on herself for everything, leaving her with no sense of belonging.

"Tell me, what message did Grand Duke Williams have for you?" Sylvia knew Sophia’s inner conflict well and did not press the issue.

"The Grand Duke simply told me to inform you that the Kingdom will support you to the fullest extent." Sophia frowned, puzzled. "I find it strange. Why did he have me deliver such a simple message? He even reassigned Solon to give me a year to maneuver."

Sylvia smiled faintly. "Do you think the relationship between our York family and Grand Duke Williams is good?"

"Isn't it? Aren't you supporters of the Grand Duke?" Sophia asked, confused.

Sylvia shook her head. "How could the Yorks and the Augusts ever have a good relationship? If we had defected to Neoviste back then, every lord in the east would have felt threatened. To stabilize us, Williams gave us more territory. But think about it—if Prince Edward ascends the throne, given Roland’s extreme personality, he would likely make things difficult for us again. If we are pushed into a corner, it won't just be us who suffer, but the lords on both sides of the kingdom. Do you think those families want to see Prince Edward on the throne? Of course, they are staunch supporters of Williams. So, our remaining in the Gombis Kingdom is the greatest support we can give him."

"In fact," Sylvia continued, "Williams tries to ease tensions between us while simultaneously fearing that we might grow too powerful. He is quite happy to see the Prince’s faction move into the Centaur Hills."

Sophia sighed. "I never imagined the Grand Duke had such strategic depth! But what does this have to do with me?"

Though brilliant, Sophia had not received a formal noble education and was not politically sensitive. Sylvia explained, "The Grand Duke is showing his sincerity. When a kingdom’s power peaks, it expands, but first, it must consolidate internally. Our family is at the forefront of that consolidation, and your guild is on that list too. The Grand Duke clearly knows about our secret relationship; he is signaling that the Kingdom can tolerate you, just as it can tolerate our York family. Of course, this also means the Grand Duke and the Queen have reached a consensus in the face of disaster, and the Kingdom’s overall strategy has shifted."

Sophia’s amethyst eyes lit up, then dimmed. She said self-deprecatingly, "I see. No wonder no merchant guild in history has lasted over two hundred years. Even if Williams says he can tolerate me, it won't change my decision."

Sylvia nodded. "True. Regarding your situation, Williams can only offer a gesture. He gave you a year so you could strip the guild bare as a reward. No one can challenge the authority of the Lord’s Law, not even the Church. A year from now, Solon will inevitably retake the guild. You know that the reason your guild could operate unimpeded was the name 'Wimbledon.' Even with the friendship of the barbarian tribes, rebuilding a guild will be extremely difficult because your trade routes will be severed."

"You’re being so harsh—what exactly are you trying to say?" Sophia stared intensely at Sylvia and asked in a low voice.

Sylvia smiled playfully. "I said, no one can challenge the authority of the Lord’s Law!"

Sophia jumped up instantly, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Victor is still alive? He’s in your hands?!"

Sylvia nodded gently. Sophia laughed coquettishly. "Speak, then. What do you want from me?"

"When this ant plague ends, the Kingdom will surely use food to pressure me. I know you have a secret trade route leading directly to the Sassan Empire. I need your support on this matter."

"That’s a tall order, but I can agree to it," Sophia nodded.

"There is one more thing. I need more iron ore—twice the amount I’m getting now."

"That’s impossible! The iron ore the guild acquires from Naville is strictly rationed." Sophia shook her head in refusal, emphasizing, "That, I truly cannot do!"

Sylvia said, "Don't be so quick to refuse. I can hand over the operation of the Purple Cane Wine to you, but we must renegotiate the profit distribution."

Sylvia’s terms were not excessive, yet Sophia’s brows were furrowed. Knowing Sylvia as she did, this was highly unusual! She probed, "I can agree, but I want to take Victor with me."

Sylvia’s expression turned cold, and she refused flatly. "Impossible! He is a lord now; how could he possibly go with you?"

Sophia arched her eyebrows, snapping, "Don't try to control me! At worst, I’ll start over from scratch!"

Sylvia sneered, "Heh, control you? Do you think I’m as narrow-minded as Catherine?"

"This isn't your style! You wouldn't just ask for these conditions; they were already within the scope of our original agreement. What do you really want?"

Now it was Sylvia’s turn to be annoyed. She retorted, "Within the scope of the agreement? You just swore you didn't have that much iron ore! And tell me, what exactly is 'my style'?"

Facing the baring fangs of the Golden Knight, Sophia did not back down. "I certainly won't take Victor away; Solon would do everything in his power to eliminate him. If you don't tell me your true condition, we’ll stick to the original agreement."

Sylvia glared at Sophia, then suddenly burst into a giggle and shook her head. "I want the combat technique scroll of the Sword Saint, Draven. Don't tell me you didn't bring it. You even brought Golan along; there’s no way you would leave something as important as that scroll back at the marquess’s manor."

"Draven’s techniques are useless to knights; they can only be used by those with awakened Moon Elf blood. Could it be... Victor has awakened a Moon Elf talent? You want it for him?"

Seeing Sylvia nod, Sophia fell silent for a moment, her expression complex. "I want to give it to him myself."