Gospel of Blood
Chapter 267: Audience with Roman-Four

“Let me go! Release me! What are you doing? I am a messenger of the Borde family! Do you want to make enemies of the Duke’s family?!”

Outside the Count’s Mansion, the messenger from the Borde family was tightly bound, his expression terrified as he struggled.

Behind him, a tall, burly sailor dressed in black grinned menacingly, lifting the messenger by the collar like a chicken.

Next to the sailor stood an elderly man in a black noble robe. He was hunched over, his eyes half-closed, appearing drowsy.

Behind the old man, seven or eight stern-looking black-armored swordsmen stood guard, their expressions cold and exuding a faint extraordinary aura, warning others to stay away.

A crowd of curious townspeople and nobles had gathered on either side of the street.

Some sharp-eyed individuals recognized the crest on the black-armored swordsmen’s attire.

“Those are people from the Roman-Four family!”

“They’re here? And causing trouble right at the Count’s Mansion? Isn’t that the messenger from Borde they’ve captured? What are they doing? Are they rebelling?”

“I heard they were the only family absent from the recent noble meeting, and now they’ve captured Borde’s messenger. Have they gone mad?”

“Could the rumors be true that they had long harbored rebellious intentions?!”

The crowd speculated.

Seeing the Roman-Four family capture the Borde messenger, some nobles who arrived turned pale.

“Viscount Roman-Four?! What are you doing? Release Borde’s messenger immediately!”

“This is the Count’s Mansion! Capturing the Duchy’s messenger here is an affront to the Countess!”

The nobles angrily rebuked the old noble surrounded by the black-armored swordsmen.

However, the old noble remained impassive, not even sparing them a glance, as if he didn’t regard them at all.

Only the black-armored swordsmen responded with cold, oppressive stares, their faintly extraordinary aura suddenly intensifying, causing the rebuking nobles to pale.

“Extra… extraordinaries!”

Their momentum quickly diminished, retreating a step in unison, their gazes at the black-armored swordsmen filled with apprehension.

When the curious Charlotte herself came outside the Count’s Mansion, this was the scene she witnessed.

She raised an eyebrow, looking curiously at the Borde messenger tied up by Roman-Four’s extraordinary sailor, and then smiled slightly.

“Viscount Roman-Four, you came to Northport and immediately caused a scene at the Count’s Mansion. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

Hearing Charlotte’s voice, the old noble finally opened his cloudy eyes.

Supported by his attendant, he trembled as he bowed to Charlotte, then respectfully said,

“Alfred de Roman-Four greets you, Countess.” (T/N: In the past chapter his name was Francis but in this chapter its written Alfred. I will follow the raw for now)

“Your Excellency, this man harbors ill intentions and tried to deceive you with false information. That’s why I captured him.”

Upon hearing the Old Viscount’s words, the bound messenger immediately cried out.

“No! I did not! Countess, I am here to offer Borde’s support!”

Noting the increasing crowd, Charlotte’s eyes flashed with a faint red glow.

She scanned the growing number of onlookers and said,

“Enough, let him down. We’ll discuss this inside.”

“As you command.”

The Old Viscount slightly bowed, signaling the sailor to release the messenger.

Then, he led the Roman-Four family’s swordsmen, escorting the still-bound messenger, and followed Charlotte into the Count’s Mansion.

Back in the council chamber, Charlotte resumed her seat of authority.

She ignored the bound messenger and leisurely accepted the milk tea Sebastian handed her. Sipping elegantly, she crossed her legs and asked.

“Viscount, why did you capture Borde’s messenger right at my mansion’s door? And why didn’t you attend the recent noble meeting?”

Facing Charlotte’s probing gaze, the Viscount remained calm.

He slightly bowed and said,

“Your Excellency, in Castell, the Roman-Four family serves only one master, and that is you.”

“No one in Castell, besides you, can make Roman-Four bow.”

Charlotte’s interest was piqued at the Old Viscount’s seemingly pointed words.

The Old Viscount met her gaze unflinchingly, his cloudy eyes filled with a complex emotion.

Just as Charlotte tried to discern the emotion in his gaze, the Viscount sighed and lowered his head again.

“In any case, it is a relief to see you safe and sound.”

“So, now that you see I am safe, can you answer my other question?”

Charlotte asked.

The Viscount nodded slightly.

“Of course, Countess.”

With that, he took out a parchment and presented it with both hands.

“Your Excellency, please look at this record first. It seems we are in for big trouble in Castell…”

Record?

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, signaling Sebastian to take the parchment, then curiously browsed through it.

As she read, her expression gradually turned serious.

“Viscount Roman-Four, where did this record come from?”

“Countess, it was extracted from a black market merchant in the Violet Duchy. This merchant is a direct descendant of the ruling Boite-Linte family of the Violet Duchy. Everything in the record… is true.”

The Viscount said respectfully.

“Boite-Linte? A branch of the Boite family? I recall the Boite family is an old enemy of the Borde family. How did they get involved?”

Charlotte squinted slightly.

The Viscount nodded.

“Yes, the Boite family is indeed an old enemy of the Borde family. The Boite Duchy has had territorial disputes with the Borde Duchy for centuries…”

“However, the Boite-Linte family, while a branch of the Boite family, has another identity.”

The Viscount’s expression turned solemn.

“They are the maternal family of Prince Philip.”

“Prince Philip’s maternal family…”

Hearing this, Charlotte’s expression darkened.

“Master… what’s going on?”

Sebastian asked, puzzled by the cryptic conversation between Charlotte and the Viscount.

Charlotte glanced at him, then handed him the parchment.

“See for yourself.”

Sebastian took it curiously and read it, his expression soon changed.

“What? Prince Philip plans to ally with the Violet Duchy to carve up the Castell County?!”