It was midday in Sedona City. At the location of the pontoon bridge, Nancy, Obi, and the rest of their party had gathered, looking at the few people they were about to leave behind.
"I think Miss Ayesha has fallen in love with Lord Lucas," Nancy whispered softly to Obi.
"That..." Obi hesitated, watching Ayesha, who was currently acting with the shy demeanor of a young girl.
"Master, I'll be back very soon," Ayesha pouted, looking at Lucas with pitiful eyes. The cow-horned girl was set to accompany Nancy and the others to meet with Bella. They had finished processing their goods yesterday; given the quality of Sedona City's products and the fact that their prices were several percent lower than the market rate, everything had been snapped up almost instantly.
Afterward, they immediately purchased a large amount of wheat and began preparing for the return to Bella's territory. The territory was currently in desperate need of grain, so the cow-horned girl couldn't stay even a few days longer, much as she wanted to.
"I believe you. If you don't come back, I'll send people to snatch you back," Lucas joked warmly.
"Mm-hmm!" Ayesha nodded repeatedly, her expression earnest. "I will absolutely come back."
"Ayesha, did you pack enough food?" Annie reminded her from the side, her mood a bit low. Now that the cow-horned girl was leaving, she'd have one less person to bicker with.
"I did! Nicole prepared a lot for me—enough to last over ten days," Ayesha said, her lips pursed. Her mood wasn't great either.
"Then you better ration it. Don't eat it all before you even get there," Nicole urged. She had indeed prepared plenty of supplies, but it was hard to account for the cow-horned girl's massive appetite.
"I... I'll try," Ayesha scratched the back of her head, her tone uncertain. "I'll try to eat a little less."
"Don't be too trusting of others' words," Mina advised, her cat tail swishing back and forth. Ayesha was far too blunt and honest; in Sedona City, there were patrol officers to look out for her, but in Bella's territory, it was hard to say.
"Take care," Freya said coolly.
"Remember to have the Letter Express send a letter back," Helen added, her rabbit ears twitching.
"Okay." Ayesha nodded to everyone and gave each of them a hug.
"Go on then, don't dally any longer," Lucas said softly. If they didn't leave soon, half the day would be gone.
"Okay." Ayesha reached out and gave Lucas a quick hug, kissed him on the cheek, and then, face flushing red, turned to join Nancy and Obi.
"Be careful. If anything happens, send word," Lucas said, touching his cheek where she'd kissed him.
"Mm-hmm!" Ayesha waved her hand as she hopped onto the wagon filled with snacks.
"Lord Lucas, we will relay the matter regarding the saltpeter to Lord Bella," Nancy said with a respectful bow before mounting her horse.
Obi led the way at the front, and the group set off. They had come in a hurry and were leaving just as quickly.
"Don't worry, Ayesha will be back soon," Lucas said, ruffling the head of the fox-eared girl, Annie.
"But..." Annie hesitated, looking worried. "What if that woman, Bella, doesn't let Ayesha come back?"
"She won't." Lucas shook his head, watching the retreating figures in the distance. "They didn't manage to buy much wheat this time, so they'll definitely be back. When that happens, we'll have to discuss the saltpeter business. If she forces Ayesha to stay..."
Then she shouldn't blame him for initiating a blockade.
Lucas didn't say that last part aloud. Judging by how hard they worked to sell goods and their history of hijacking cargo, he knew life wasn't easy for them. Annie, being clever, understood his meaning perfectly.
"That woman Bella is quite cunning; she certainly won't do anything that stupid," Annie said, stretching her arms and relaxing.
"Master, based on the timing, Elisa should be carrying out the rescue tonight," Mina said softly.
"They should be back the day after tomorrow. When that time comes..." Lucas hesitated, ultimately shaking his head without finishing his sentence.
"Master, Lucy should agree to it," Annie said, frowning.
"We'll see. Borrowing her name would allow us to build our reputation quickly, but if she's unwilling, it's not the end of the world," Lucas said, waving it off. Using royal prestige would certainly take Sedona City's influence to the next level, but if Lucy didn't want to be involved in the struggle, Lucas wouldn't force her.
"We're saving her life; surely she'll agree to help," Mina said doubtfully. She knew some of her master's plans required significant influence, especially when it came to opposing the princes. Recruitment would be much easier with her backing.
"No rush. We'll talk once she returns." Lucas headed toward his carriage and asked, "Annie, is the runway finished? We'll need it in a few days."
"Master, we're in the final stages of completion," Annie nodded quickly.
"Mina, have the warhorses I requested from the Sahara Grasslands arrived yet?" Lucas asked calmly.
"They have. About a dozen of them meet the requirements," Mina replied with a nod.
"Very good. Prepare them according to my specifications," Lucas said, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Master, several City Lords have already arrived. They are currently staying at the Drunken Night," Mina added softly.
"The news should have spread by now. We'll see what the Fourth Prince does—whether he declares war immediately, tries to threaten us, or both," Lucas said casually, as if discussing something trivial.
"Once we eliminate the Fourth Prince, the Western Lands will be ours," Annie said, hopping slightly, her fox ears twitching with excitement.
With the entirety of the Western Lands, her master would truly be a regional powerhouse. Advancing into the inland territories would be easy after that. Their old dreams were finally within reach.
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