OBS Chapter 742 Kill One
Chapter 742 Kill One
Then young Hoss removed his hat, knelt on one knee before Count Yuris, leaning slightly forward, his posture respectful yet concealing a subtle probing.
You look unwell. Is something bothering you?
Count Yuris's gaze fell on young Hoss, his tone clearly impatient, devoid of any extra emotion, wanting only to end the conversation as soon as possible.
"fine."
As soon as he finished speaking, Count Yuris lifted his foot to turn and leave. He had only taken half a step when Little Hoss's voice rang out behind him again, not deliberately raised, but precisely piercing his ears.
"Oh, by the way, Count Yuris, do you know which unit will ultimately be assigned to escort the hunt this autumn?"
Count Yuris abruptly stopped, his body stiffening on the spot. He then turned around, letting out a muffled snort, his tone full of self-righteous arrogance and disdain for the question.
"Of course, for the past ten years or so, this task has always been handled by the White Dragon Knights under my leadership. What exactly do you mean by asking this question?"
Little Hoss's expression remained unchanged, still maintaining a gentle demeanor, though a hint of calculation flashed deep in his eyes as he spoke in a steady voice.
“Is that so? But I learned from the King that His Majesty has decided to entrust this year’s guard duties to the Band of the Hawk.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Count Yuris's pupils contracted sharply, and the arrogance and disdain on his face vanished instantly, replaced by extreme shock. He turned his head sharply and stared intently at little Hoss, his body tensing slightly due to the emotional turmoil.
"what!"
Seeing Count Yuris's discomposure, young Hoss's calculations took another step forward, his tone remaining calm and undisturbed.
"His Majesty the King said this himself, and the relevant orders have been officially issued. There should be no room for doubt about this matter..."
Before young Hoss could finish speaking, Count Yuris had already lost all patience. He strode forward, grabbed young Hoss by the collar with one hand, and lifted him off the ground with such force that he almost crushed the fabric. His tone was full of rage and disbelief.
"That's impossible! The autumn hunt is an important event for the king to strengthen relations and consolidate ties with all the nobles in the country and foreign ambassadors. Only our best white dragon knights are qualified to protect the king during the event. How can we replace them with those newly recruited teams that are no different from bandits!"
After a furious roar, Count Yuris abruptly released his grip, slamming little Hoss heavily to the ground. He then turned around, his chest heaving as he suppressed his surging rage, muttering curses under his breath.
"Damn it, what is His Majesty thinking?"
Little Hoss slowly stood up from the ground, raised his hand to pat the dust off his clothes, his movements unhurried and unhurried, his face showing no anger at being offended, but rather a deliberate attempt to guide the conversation.
"Can you really accept that something like this is happening right before your eyes?"
Count Yuris did not turn around, but he could clearly feel the gaze of young Hoss behind him. That gaze contained the calculation he was familiar with, but at this moment, he was so enraged that he had no time to think about it.
Looking at Count Yuris's tense back, young Hoss continued speaking, each word precisely hitting the other's sore spot.
"The White Dragon Knights have always been known as the strongest armed force in the entire kingdom, but with the emergence of the Band of the Hawk, the glory you once possessed seems to have become insignificant in the eyes of others."
These words completely ignited Count Yuris's pent-up anger. He turned around abruptly, glaring fiercely at Little Hoss, his aura of violence almost overflowing.
How dare you say such a thing!
Seeing that Count Yuris was about to explode, young Hoss quickly raised his hand and waved it, making an innocent gesture, his tone deliberately yielding.
“I’m just relaying what I heard from others. This is what’s being said all over Windam. Except for the people from Heldran, most people in the city believe it.”
As he spoke, young Hoss's gaze turned sinister, his calculating look no longer concealed, and he stared directly at Count Yuris, taking in the other's emotional changes.
He knew perfectly well that what Earl Yuris valued most was the glory of the White Dragon Knights and his own position before the king. These words were enough to make the other party completely lose his composure.
Young Hoss calmed himself down and continued, his words carrying an analysis of the situation, each one provoking Count Yuris's nerves.
"However, judging from the current situation, the Band of the Hawk is winning every battle, which is a fact that everyone can see. No one knows when this war will end, which means that the person leading the Band of the Hawk will continue to accumulate his own honor through military victories."
"Besides that, I can't think of any other way he could gain the king's favor. But His Majesty values this young man very much now. Perhaps it won't be long before he becomes a general, or even climbs up to the position of commander-in-chief."
Count Yuris clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his teeth clenched tightly, his tone filled with deep-seated hatred and resentment.
"nonsense!"
“I will absolutely not allow a mercenary who has only been in the capital for a short time to become a general of equal status to me… What right does that commoner have to stand on equal footing with me?”
Looking at Count Yuris's furious expression, Little Hoss secretly judged that the time was ripe. His provocation had achieved the desired effect, and all he needed to do next was to give the other party a gentle push to make the decision he wanted.
Without the slightest hesitation, he continued speaking, his words carrying a subtle seduction, subtly conveying the most dangerous idea to Count Yuris.
"What I just described is only one possible scenario. Of course, there is another possibility: hunting itself is a dangerous activity. If he is accidentally hit by an arrow shot by another hunter in the hunting grounds, he could lose his life at a young age..."
Upon hearing this, Count Yuris raised an eyebrow slightly, his anger subsiding somewhat as his gaze fell upon young Hoss with scrutiny and surprise.
He took a step forward, lowered his voice, and spoke with a questioning tone toward Hoss's words.
"You're incredibly audacious to plot an assassination in such an important public setting."
Little Hoss quickly shook his head, his face showing an innocent expression, his tone full of excuses, concealing his true intentions perfectly.
"I didn't mean that. It's just a hypothetical situation. After all, deep down, you probably also hope that this will happen."
Count Yuris did not immediately refute, and seeing this, young Hoss continued to speak softly, gently revealing the most crucial method.
"If it were an arrow coated with poison, then this would be perfect."
Count Yuris fell silent, standing motionless, his mind racing as he considered the threats posed by the rising power of the Band of the Hawk and the risks of taking action in the hunting grounds.
But the thought of that commoner about to steal his glory and status filled him with resentment and hatred, which overwhelmed all his concerns.
After a moment, Count Yuris spoke slowly, his tone cold and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.
"Shot dead by an arrow? That's a way of dying that suits a commoner."
After saying this, Count Yuris didn't look at young Hoss again, turned around and left with steady steps, clearly having already made up his mind.
Watching Count Yuris's departing figure, young Hoss stood still, a sinister smile slowly spreading across his face, a smile that concealed deep calculation and smugness.
He knew very well that Griffith's Legion of the Hawk had been gaining too much momentum recently, and its prestige among the army and nobles was rising, which seriously threatened his interests, forcing him to be on guard at all times.
Count Yuris, who commands the White Dragon Knights and has deep roots in the kingdom, has never concealed his ambitions and has always been someone he needs to be wary of. He has even been somewhat aware of the other party's hidden thoughts of usurping the throne.
Both of these people were obstacles in his path. Whether it was Griffith's accident at the hunting grounds or Count Yuris's exposure and punishment for his assassination attempt, if either of them lost everything, it would only be beneficial to him.
Every word he uttered and every probe he made was intended to provoke conflict between the two, so that Count Yuris would take the initiative and he could reap the benefits without taking any risks, thus eliminating two major threats.
Watching Count Yuris's resolute departure, young Hoss knew that his plan had successfully taken its most crucial step. Now, all he needed to do was wait quietly for the day of the hunt and watch the conflict he had personally instigated unfold as he had envisioned.