Chapter 610: Refusal to Follow

Seated on the main chair in the council hall of Riverheart Castle, Lee William was in high spirits, having effortlessly gained a castle. Their own casualties amounted to merely a few dozen knights, yet they had captured two Sky Knights and a large number of Elite Earth Knights. Combined with the knights previously recruited at Snowpear Keep, the more they fought, the more knights they seemed to acquire.

Although, according to the plan, the supplies belonged to Liszt, the battle honors were credited to Lee William.

Meanwhile, the surrendered knights could be selected and recruited by any noble lord of Coral Island, as long as they could afford the upkeep. There was no shortage of knight prisoners, even Elite Earth Knights were captured in large numbers, with many unable to pay the ransom, leaving them available for the taking.

Lee William was in excellent spirits.

Liszt was equally pleased, having captured two Sky Knights in a row—one a Marquis and the other a Viscount—ransoms that no ordinary wealth could match.

Smiling broadly, he asked the Marquis, "Father, you once captured a Sky Knight before. What price did he pay to ransom himself?"

This was common knowledge to Coral Island's knights, and Liszt was well aware of it. The question was merely to express his excitement.

The Marquis's eyes lit up: "From that battle, I received two spirit bugs as ransom!"

"If one Sky Knight is worth two spirit bugs, then Yevich should pay two. However, since Deborah is the nephew of the Marquis of Raging Waves and his territory is quite wealthy, he should pay a bit more—four spirit bugs." Liszt quickly decided the ransom demands.

Yevich, being poorer, would pay less; Deborah, being richer, would pay more—fair and just.

This was exactly how he conveyed his demands.

First, he met with Yevich. The former Dragon Knight candidate seemed badly shaken, staring vacantly at the ceiling.

"Yevich," Liszt called out from outside the cell.

Yevich turned his head mechanically, and upon seeing Liszt, he shuddered slightly, coming to his senses. "It's you... You look even younger than before."

"Cut the small talk. You should know why I'm here."

"How much ransom to set me free?"

"I don’t like haggling, so my standard is the bottom line—no negotiations," Liszt said coolly. "Two spirit bugs, no older than fifty years, and they must be grain, medicinal, or of equivalent value. Additionally, you’ll need to compensate me with a batch of craftsmen."

"Two spirit bugs? And they must be grain or medicinal types?" Yevich let out a bitter laugh. "Viscount Liszt, you’re also a viscount. Do you think a viscount would have several spirit bugs?"

"An ordinary viscount might only have one, but you were a Dragon Knight candidate and a Sword Saint. Don’t tell me you can’t spare two spirit bugs. Your status as a Sword Saint alone is worth at least three, but since you’re only a viscount, I’ve lowered it to two."

"Hah..." Yevich’s laughter grew even more bitter, almost to the point of tears. "I was once a Dragon Knight candidate, but I came from common birth. My training was funded by my lord’s resources. Later, the kingdom provided support. I never had personal wealth... After decades of stagnation, stuck at Sword Saint level, what assets do you think I could have?"

Liszt frowned. "Are you saying you can’t produce two spirit bugs as ransom?"

"I do have two spirit bugs, but both are water peanut spirit bugs. Water peanuts are just ordinary aquatic plants, useful only as livestock feed—they yield no additional value."

A Sword Saint reduced to such a state.

It was truly eye-opening for Liszt. "Are you joking with me?"

"That’s the truth. If you find it acceptable, I’m willing to exchange my two water peanut spirit bugs for my freedom. As for craftsmen, you can take any from Frostpear City... In fact, I doubt I can continue serving the Marquis of Raging Waves—my reputation is utterly ruined."

Yevich had served four lords in his life. He had fallen out with the first three, and now, under the fourth, he had been captured. It was unlikely any lord would take him in again.

Liszt felt a headache coming on. He had thought capturing Yevich would bring a windfall, only to find he’d caught a pauper.

Two spirit bugs that only produced weeds had some value but couldn’t compare to grain or medicinal spirit bugs. Accepting them as ransom left him far from satisfied—it was too great a loss. Yet, aside from this, Yevich truly had nothing else to offer, a fact easily verified.

After some thought, he asked, "Apart from the two spirit bugs, how many spirit bugs do you have left, and what kinds are they?"

"I have fourteen Spirit Bugs, one of which can cultivate magical herbs, and another can grow grains... But if I give them all as ransom, I’ll have no resource income left. I might as well pledge my loyalty to you directly..." At this point, Yevich’s eyes lit up.

Seizing a spark of inspiration, he stared straight at Liszt outside the cell.

Breathing heavily in excitement, he exclaimed, "Viscount Liszt—no, Lord Liszt! Your strength is terrifying, and I can’t afford my own ransom! Perhaps... I could pledge loyalty to you. Since I can’t make it in the Kingdom of the Eagle, I might as well follow you and join the Sapphire Duchy!"

"Hmm?"

Liszt was stunned by Yevich’s crazy notion, momentarily at a loss for words. A sword saint, reduced to pledging allegiance because he couldn’t pay his ransom—this was absolutely headline-worthy scandal.

Way too attention-grabbing!

Moreover, he didn’t trust Yevich’s character. After some thought, he flatly refused, "I don’t need your loyalty. Just pay the ransom."

"I can’t afford the ransom. I wish to serve you, my lord!"

"I can lower the price. Just hand over all your Spirit Bugs."

"If I surrender all my Spirit Bugs, my life’s work will be ruined. Please, my lord, allow me to follow you!" Yevich fell to one knee inside the cell, his tone growing increasingly desperate and fervent.

He had witnessed Liszt’s power and his youth—such a lord had limitless potential. His reputation in the Kingdom of the Eagle was already in tatters. Why not start fresh by pledging himself to Liszt? He might not know how to govern a territory in the Sapphire Duchy, but he was more than capable of handling raiding operations like expansion campaigns.

"Pay the ransom!"

"I wish to serve you, my lord!"

The two reached an impasse. Liszt had no desire to accept someone as lowlife as Yevich, but Yevich had fixated on Liszt and insisted on following him.

After several rounds of back-and-forth, Liszt’s expression darkened. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Two Spirit Bugs as ransom. I won’t take your Spirit Bugs, Yevich. This is my absolute bottom line!"

Yevich also clenched his jaw. "My lord, Yevich is willing to offer all his Spirit Bugs—only to be allowed to follow you! You are the most formidable figure I’ve ever seen below the rank of a dragon knight, and you are so young. Yevich wishes to fight on your front lines and win glory!"