Ss shook his head in disbelief. They''d drunk so muchst night, and here they were, unscathed, having drunk more this morning. Truly inhuman. He downed thest of his honey water as the empty cup was promptly taken away.


    "Anything else I can get for you, my lord?" the viger asked.


    "Where''s Bjorn?"


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    "The young lord is at the cemetery."


    As expected. Ss stood to go meet him but didn''t need to go far. He encountered Bjorn on his way back, with a smirk on his face.


    "Guess you can''t hold your drink as well as I can."


    "Shut up." Ss clicked his tongue at Bjorn''s cheerful, unruffled expression. It seemed he''d been the one to pass out firstst night. As he looked Bjorn over, he noticed traces of dirt on his clothing.


    "Did you finish burying the dead?"


    "It didn''t take long. I''m used to it," Bjorn replied simply.


    "And no funeral rites?"


    "I couldn''t. Not with what''s toe."


    Ss nodded, recognizing Bjorn''s shift in perspective. He was finally starting to see things clearly, looking farther ahead than just his immediate troubles.


    As they spoke, Henrik approached.


    "Young lord," he said.


    "What is it?"


    "A messenger from the Greve Barony has arrived," Henrik replied, his toneced with displeasure. It wasn''t an unexpected visit, but it was certainly unwee. No sooner had Henrik finished than a young noble, barely in his twenties and dressed in ornate attire, appeared.


    "And who might this be?" Ss asked.


    "This is Larius Greve, the baron''s son," Bjorn responded.


    Larius stepped forward, his face twisted into a rehearsed mask of indignation. "Sir Bjorn! What is the meaning of this? Killing our soldiers and assaulting my uncle? This is outrageous!"


    "I didn''t do it," Bjorn replied calmly.


    "Don''t lie! I''ve already heard the truth—don''t y innocent!"


    Ah, so they nned to pin everything on Bjorn, making him the culprit instead. It wasn''t a bad strategy… if the true culprit weren''t standing right there.


    "That was me," Ss interjected.


    "What?"


    "I did it."


    "And who are you?" Larius demanded, his tone one of annoyance, but the mention of the name Ss Corleone made him mp his mouth shut. Clearly, Larius had a better sense of reality than thest fool who had crossed Ss. His eyes darted about as he calcted his next move before a forced smile spread across his face.


    "Ah, how noble of the Corleone family''s son!" Larius said with exaggerated charm. "Here you are, trying to take responsibility for something you didn''t do. No need to defend him."


    "It''s not a defense; it''s the truth," Ss replied, his stare turning icy.


    Larius''s gaze hardened. "Oh, surely not! After all, if you had actually attacked our soldiers, do you think we''d simply let it slide?"


    The implication was clear: if Ss kept insisting he was the one responsible, the Greve family would escte matters. After all, this was their territory.


    "So, do yourself a favor and stay out of it. There''s no need for you to involve yourself here," Larius concluded, his words brimming with warning. Ss''s lips curved into a smirk.


    "It''s not a favor, Larius; it''s the truth. I ordered my knights to act, and it was my hand that knocked out everyst one of Marius''s teeth."


    The open defiance left Larius visibly flustered, his face paling. Ss''s bold confession left him no choice; letting it slide would be a disgrace to the Greve family''s honor.


    "Damn it, what''s gotten into this guy?" Larius fumed internally. Just what connection did Ss have with Bjorn to interfere so brazenly?


    Before Larius could regain his footing, Bjorn spoke up. "Sir Ss was my guest, so it''s as much my responsibility as it is his."


    "Yes, that''s right!" Larius seized the opening, eager for any escape from direct confrontation with Corleone. "In any case, Baron Greve holds you ountable!"


    "And what is it you want?" Bjorn asked calmly.


    "We''ll ept twenty gold coins aspensation," Larius replied with a smirk. He knew well enough that the impoverished vige of Falun could never afford such a sum. They''d be forced to beg and plead for mercy, eventually paying a reduced amount, but even that would bleed them dry over time.


    "And so, they''ll slowly wither, drained bit by bit." That was the Greve family''s ultimate n, sanctioned by Viscount Veldyne. They would sap the vige''s resources until they had no will to resist.


    But Bjorn shattered Larius''s expectations with a single word.


    "No."


    "…What?"


    "Excuse me, but… what did you just say?" Larius stammered, wondering if he''d misheard.


    "I said no. This entire affair is your uncle''s doing, and I owe you nothing."


    Larius''s eyes bulged in disbelief. Was he mad? This tiny vige, openly defying the Greve family—and by extension, the viscount?


    "Are you serious?"


    "I am."


    "Can you take responsibility for that?" Larius challenged, his voice low and threatening.


    Bjorn closed his eyes briefly, allowing the resolve he''d feared for so long to crystallize. He opened them again, meeting the gaze of his people around him. Their expressions told him everything he needed to know.


    "Better to die fighting than to slowly fade away."


    "Tell us, young lord. Give us the word to fight."


    "We''d dly give our lives to make them pay."


    Bjorn could finally see the fire in their eyes, a fire he had been blind to until now. He met Larius''s gaze with unwavering determination.@@novelbin@@


    "Prepare for war," he dered. "I hereby challenge you to a territorial battle."


    Larius left with a pale face, saying nothing. He had never expected Bjorn to genuinely dere a war.


    "Are you sure you should have warned him in advance?" Ss asked.


    "It doesn''t matter. They would have attacked regardless," Bjorn replied. "But this way, we im the moral high ground."


    Bjorn turned to Ss, his expression serious. "Can I count on your help?"


    "Didn''t you just ask me to guard the house before?"


    "Subjugating barbarians is different from a territorial battle," Bjorn replied. "Sieges aren''t just aboutbat strength or morale. If there''s even a small fortress involved, the damage multiplies."


    Sieges were notoriously difficult, which was why strategists often advised against them unless absolutely necessary.


    "I''d like to borrow your strength," Bjorn continued.


    "For free?"


    "What do you want in return?"


    Ss''s grin spread slowly across his face. "How about you treat me like an elder brother?"