I Try To Enjoy My Life But This Woman Keep Calling Me Villain-Chapter 215 - 125: Interlude

|Eleanor Vortigern - Heiress and Head of Vortigern Duchy|

"How is the situation, Karlee?"

I look at my friend and bodyguard while we ride through one of my territories. It has been a tough few years for the Vortigern Family. After my father died at the hands of the Cunningham Family, our family, which was already on the decline, started to decline even more.

Some of our vassals join the other factions and leave us alone to pick up the pieces of the aftermath of the war that the stupid king started without any warning or right casus belli against the Gipan Kingdom.

I am not angry at Cunningham for defeating my father. It was a war, and they were defending instead of attacking us. I blame that stupid king who dared to use monsters as his attack dog. Look where we are now. The mighty kingdom is now separated into multiple factions because of the monster that he tries to summon.

Hell, I even need to thank Cunningham for giving us a second chance. Without the items Gwyndolin Cunningham gave me, I would have had a hard time rallying all the vessels that still support us under one banner and defeating the monster that roams the Vortigern Duchy.

A group of golems that can be used to fight and even help us rebuild our territory without rest is something valuable to have.

"We are good, my lady."

I snapped from my thoughts when I heard Karlee answer my previous question.

"However, some of the nobles want to borrow the golems to build a wall and other important buildings like the lookout tower and scouting fortress."

I nod and say.

"That is good. As for the other nobles, tell them that I still maintain my order of not giving the others the command of my golems without an emergency reason. I don’t want them to damage the golems."

After the push against the monsters, there are less than forty golems left in my command, and while they can regenerate if left with enough time, I don’t want to take the risk of one of them getting destroyed because of an accident.

"Very well. I shall tell them this news."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Yes. This is another piece of news from the nobles."

"What is it? Don’t tell me they want another relief troop. We did not have any more troops to send. Monsters swarm the frontiers and need as many troops as possible."

"It is related to that. However, they want to talk about asking for help from the Gipan Kingdom, especially from Cunningham County. They already know that Gwyndolin is helping you and want to know if he is willing to help us again."

I release a sigh as a headache starts to appear. I rub the bridge of my nose in frustration and say.

"I don’t know if he will help us again. It is a gamble that I go to that place and ask for help. I won the first one but did not know if I could win another gamble from going to that place. Please remember that we are not their ally; our last relationship with them is an enemy."

Karlee nods her head and says.

"And I agree with you, my lady. We should not depend on the other to stand on our own two feet."

"However, their concerns also have merit."

"Eh?"

I look at Karlee and say.

"Why are you looking at me like that? We need to stand on our two feet, but we also need to know when we need help. At the moment, we need help. We cannot call for help from the other factions in this place. We need to ask for help from the east or the north. The East will not help us because they hate us because of the long history between us and them. That only leaves the north, Cunningham County, and the Gipan Kingdom."

Karlee thinks for a second and releases a sigh.

"When will we depart, my lady?"

"Hmmm? For what? I did not say that we need to depart there, right?"

"I know you, my lady. That tone of yours is something I hear when you are already set on your path. You want to go to the north and ask the King of Gipan Kingdom or Grandmaster Gwyndolin to help us."

I chuckle a little at her answer because she is not wrong. I already want to visit the north and ask the king to help us. It is a risky move, but we need their help. I know that asking Cunningham County will be faster, but we risk their relationship with their king by asking them directly.

If we do that, future negotiations will get even harder than this.

Between their loyalty to their kingdom and their kindness, I know that they will choose loyalty over supporting us. There is nothing to gain from supporting us, and there is a big risk for supporting us.

"You are right. I want to visit the north. However, we need to take care of the problem here first. How much food do we have? Is it enough for another year or at least seven months?"

I can see her thinking for a few seconds before saying.

"We should be able to last for nine months without a problem, my lady. A year if we are rationing the food."

"Good. Nine months is enough for the negotiation between our two factions. Karlee, prepare a carriage to the capital city of the Gipan Kingdom. Also, we chose fifty soldiers to come with us. Don’t worry, I shall bring the golems with us for extra protection."

Karlee bowed her head and said.

"I shall prepare the carriage and soldiers, my lady. However, who should be the one in command when we are away?"

I think for a few seconds before saying.

"Ask Lord Barkas as a regent for my little brother when we are away."

"Of course, my lady."

"Good. We will go in two days."

I cannot help but feel a bit excited to meet with Gwyndolin again. I need to thank him for what he has done for me. Thank him for what he had done for my people.