Zubaltor carefully observed the approaching force.

“They’ve got quite the banners, but the number of troops is small. And they’ve got so much cargo... Is this an advance team bringing supplies? But to come here without any formal declaration, even from the royal family—this seems excessive.”

Though Zubaltor had shouted bravely in front of his retainers, inside, his mind was in turmoil. He wondered if it would be better to rush out and beg for forgiveness. What kind of trouble had his son caused to unite such powerful nobles and bring soldiers to his doorstep?

As they got closer, his …