"You want our carriages coteral?"


    "Yes... I have no use for taking in your men as coteral. After all, wouldn''t I have to feed and roof them while they stayed under closed doors as coteral? That''s why having one of your carriages is the perfect solution." Ivo stated as a matter of fact.


    His expression was calm and steady, but deep down, he was overly excited, doing his best not to rush to these carriages and take one of them away now.


    "So, let me make it clear to you. No coteral, no amodations!"


    ''I know your hidden agenda is to stay in my pce. Whatever foe of mine sent, you must''ve hatched out ns involving you gaining my trust and staying in my pce. So what can you do if I say I want coteral? Heh... You will have no choice but to do as I say!''


    Hahahahhaha~


    (^0^)


    Ivo wanted to pat himself on his back for his quick thinking.


    Firstly, his asking for coteral was reasonable. And wouldn''t be enough reason for these intruders to tear face with him.


    Ivo had thought everything thoroughly.


    To fulfill their hidden agenda, they would give him what he wanted.


    Here to cure the lowly peasants? Here to break the curse?


    Heh...


    He would never believe such a thing!


    .


    -Silence-


    Time seemed frozen in its ce.


    And silencepletely engulfed the scene, except for the raging sounds of rain smashing onto the metal surfaces of the vehicles and armored knights below.


    Indeed, the rains were deafening.


    And many couldn''t hear the conversation between Ivo and James.


    However, that didn''t stop them from feeling the heavy pressure enveloped within the air.


    Ivo squinted his eyes with a confident gaze underneath his head shield.


    ''Pretend... Keep pretending! You have no more moves to y. I have closed the game. So what are you pretending here for?''


    James nced at Ivo expressionlessly before suddenly smiling. And seeing this, Ivo knew he was sessful.


    James looked at the burly man and chuckled.


    "Indeed. We came here too suddenly without sending a letter or some notice of our arrival. And for that, we humbly apologize."


    Ivo waved his hands nonchntly, trying to hold his smile back. "It''s alright. All is forgiven."


    "Thank you for your grace, my lord. Your worries are profound, seeing how we arrived in your town''s most chaotic time. So, it''s understandable why you''d want coteral from us."


    "Hahahahaha~... Good! Good! I''m d we can see eye to eye!" Ivo said,ughing gleefully.


    Unfortunately, his happiness came too sudden.


    .


    "My Lord, I''m not finished."


    "Bahahahahaha... Ah?"


    James raised his left brow slyly. "As I said, it''s understandable that we should give you a form of coteral. That''s why we have long prepared something else for that."


    Something else?


    Ivo''s face turned grim.


    Sneaky little bastards!


    So what if they prepared something else?


    He, as the owner of the estate, would be the one stating the terms and what he wanted as Coteral!


    "No. I refuse to look at whatever you''ve brought. What I want as coteral are your carriages. No carriage, no amodations!"


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes!"


    "Alright then. If that''s what you want, then we''ll go. Who said we must live under your roof?"


    "You~..." Ivo''s face turned red with rage at James, who had resolutely turned around, heading back to his vehicle.


    What was going on here?


    This was not his things were supposed to y out!


    Didn''t they have some hidden agenda here? Wasn''t their n to stay in his estate? So were they truly okay leaving just like that?


    Or could this walking-away-act of theirs be part of their strategy to gain his trust?


    But even if it was all in their hand scheme, he knew that he couldn''t let them go.


    As they say: It was better to keep one''s enemy close by, rather than far away for the person to hatch a scheme and create more turmoil that he might not see.


    But under his roof, with his many hidden guards, they wouldn''t be able to move a muscle without him knowing.


    Additionally, if they left with their vehicles, having such an opportunity to attack them might nevere again.


    .


    Tonight, he nned to take them down.


    And to make sure his n was perfect, he had to keep them in here while sending a few of his men to scout the town''s borders, ensuring that no enemy was lurking within the zone.


    Over time, he and his men learnt that the curse could be prevented by avoiding those touched by the curse.


    So all the scouts had to do was move away from the people, and they would be fine. Of course, thanks to the heavy rains, he didn''t think there shouldn''t be many people out in this chilly weather.


    Once the scouts return and give their reports, they finalize how to attack these foreign intruders.


    That''s why he had to keep them in here.


    What coteral?


    The carriages would belong to him in the long run. So why not lighten up for now?


    Weighing both scenarios, it was clear which option was the better one to take.


    Ivo took deep breaths, calling his hot-tempered nature.


    "Wait!"


    Oh?


    James raised dead in his tracks with a calm smile.


    He knew Ivo would allow them to stay.


    From the reports they gathered, they had a fairly good assessment of his character.


    The man''s greedy nature would never allow them to move too far once something caught his eyes.


    "Wait!... It''s raining hard, and you all havee from too far. This lord might''ve been too harsh on you earlier, so for now, you can forget the coteral altogether. Since you say you want to cure my people, then I''ll give you a chance to prove yourselves by observing you all in the following days toe."


    "Thank you, my lord."


    "Don''t thank me. Who asked me to be kind-natured? Come! I officially wee you all into my pce!"