Chapter 207: Duke Erik

"You aren't thinking of taking the city since you have more soldiers and you think that it will be an easy target, are you?"

"P...please, Lord Viel. Do not joke around".

"..."

"Hm… If you say so", Viel shrugged his shoulders before finally walking away.

Lord Bran and his soldiers could not help but once again let out a sigh as they all looked at each other. Lord Bran ordered one of the soldiers to see if Viel was still there, and after checking for a few minutes, he raised his thumbs, signaling that he was nowhere to be seen.

"Okay", Lord Bran nodded his head, "Maybe we should do our plan now"

"But my Lord…", the troop leader whispered, "I think he heard us and knows all about our plans"

"Don't be ridiculous", Lord Bran scoffed, "If he knew of our plans, he wouldn't risk exposing himself like what he did earlier. He would have gone straight to Beatrice or General Diao and reported us already"

"Let's do our plan now!", Lord Bran said as he waved his hand, "To your positions!"

"That…", the troop leader still hesitated, but after a few seconds, he saluted, "At once, my lord"

The soldiers started to run in different directions, but before they could even leave the area, a bright light surrounded them. Almost blinding them as they could not help but cover their eyes.

"W… What the hell is this!?", Lord Bran blinked his eyes a couple of times to see what was happening, and to his surprise, Beatrice was currently standing at a distance.

"We have you surrounded!"

"!!!"

The soldiers could not help but raise their weapons as they once again heard Viel's words. With their eyes adjusting to the light, they were finally able to see the people that were surrounding them.

Behind Beatrice, was Viel. And on one side, they have the towering bearded General, and on the other…

"That… that's the Hero!", one of the soldiers pointed at Violet.

"What!?"

"Y… yes! I watched when the Circle crowned her the title!"

The leader of the troops could not help but click his tongue. He knew it. He heard the people talking that the Hero party was in the city, but their Lord didn't even listen to him. If they were enemies with the Hero, then that would mean that they were the enemy of the Circle.

"W… we're doomed", the troop leader muttered.

"Surrender!", Viel continued shouting, "Or we will be forced to shoot you down and use lethal force!"

"L… Lord Viel. What do you mean shoot them down?", Beatrice, who was in front of Viel, could not help but comment, "We have no archers"

"Shh", Viel placed his finger on his lips, "Just go along, this is how it usually goes in my world"

"Your… world?"

"We have you surrounded!", Viel continued, "Please put your hands behind your head or we will be forced to shoot you down! If you make any sudden movements, we will shoot you!"

Hearing Viel's words, the soldiers slowly raised their hands and placed them behind their heads as they kneeled down.

"See, I told you so", Viel whispered.

"What are you guys doing?", Bran could not help but let out a groan as he was the only one remaining standing up, "There's only a handful of them!"

"They are with the Hero, and they have us surrounded", the troop leader said.

"There's only a few of them!", Bran once again repeated.

"We have the high ground!"

Before the troop leader could say anything, Viel's words once again resounded in the air, "Do not attempt to do anything, you are at a disadvantage no matter what you do!"

"...They have the high ground", the troop leader said before he looked to the side, no longer entertaining Lord Bran.

"G...god damn it!", Lord Bran could not help but curse as he also kneeled on the ground.

"West unit, gather up the suspects and lock them down!", Viel then said as he pointed at Violet's group.

"I… is that us?", Rudolf and Pam could not help but blink their eyes a couple of times as they looked at Violet.

"Let's just do it", Violet slightly release a chuckle as she gestured for her companions to follow her.

And so, Lord Bran's plan to conquer the city was foiled before they could even start it. The soldiers were also freed as it has come to light that they were only being coerced by Lord Bran and that they were against the plan to attack the city.

Lord Bran was the only one that was thrown into the prison, while his soldiers were conscripted into Beatrice's city.

But in the end, Lord Bran was freed as he was still the Lord of an allied city. But of course, the news of him trying to ransack a city that was currently in a state of calamity was spread far and wide.

His city would most likely be kicked out of the alliance sooner or later. There was also the fact that he had to go back to his city alone, without his troops.

And so, the situation with Bran was finally resolved. And a few weeks after, General Diao was able to lay down the foundation and establish the very first Explorer's Association in the Western Continent.

But the Western Continent was huge, and their journey was far from over.

"Lady Beatrice… do you know of the Quinns?"

As the group was preparing to leave the city, Diao Chan pulled Charlotte and dragged her to Beatrice.

"The Quinns?", Beatrice slightly raised her eyebrows, "Duke Of Quinn?"

"D… Duke?", Charlotte could not help but blink her eyes a couple of times, "N...no, my father was of a lower ra--"

"Father?", before Charlotte could even finish her words, Beatrice grabbed her hand, "C… could you be a part of the Quinn family?"

"...Yes?"

"!!!", Beatrice widened her eyes in shock, "O… of course… Charlotte"

"Hm?"

"How could I not have realized it… your golden hair…", Beatrice mumbled.

"Lady Beatrice?", Charlotte squinted her eyes, "What's going on?"

"Is your brother…", Beatrice nervously gulped, "...Duke Erik?"

"...No", Charlotte let out a deep sigh. She really thought that her brother was alive when Beatrice mentioned him, "My brother's name is Charles"

"!!!", Beatrice quickly let go of Charlotte's hand.

"Apologies for touching you, your grace", Beatrice suddenly bowed her head.

"...What?", Charlotte could not help but knit her eyebrows in confusion. Just what exactly was going on here.

"Can you explain… what's going on here?", Charlotte then said as she quickly gestured for Beatrice to stand up.

"This is good news!", Beatrice's eyes then widened, "Y… you're alive!"

"...Of course I am?"

"Your brother has been trying to find you for a decade, your grace", Beatrice said.

"My brother…

...my brother is alive?"