Viscount Kent was counting silver coins on the table in the luxurious living room while being watched by his butler. James Delcott sat comfortably on the sofa. After his man put their silver coins on the table a while ago, the head of Delcott family, was just relaxing and staring to the ceiling. 

There was a mining village within Viscount Kent's demesne. It produced coals and irons. Based on Treia's kingdom tax rule, 20% of the yield will go the central kingdom. But Kent quietly underreported his yield. He sold most of the yield to the merchant from Ponsonia, James Delcott. Delcott was the only merchant family that could single handedly rival successful merchants of Republic of Sutra. Delcott resold that yield to Treia's active invaders, Magrado. Magrado was neither rich with gold and silver nor very successful trading nation, but Delcott was given rights to administer some productive lands owned by several nobles. As Magrado had new policy of pushing their nobles into military, they need able parties to manage and develop the lands. In fact, James Delcott was doing the same affair with Viscount Kent of Treia. The difference was his arrangement with Kent was illegal, and it could be described as corruption of a Treia noble to Ponsonia merchant. Their relationship was even betrayal to Kent's nation as the irons in Treia was being used to empower Magrado's military strength in order to invade Treia. 

After Kent finished counting, he and Delcott smirked.

"I had been raging skirmishes here and there in Treia under disguise of Empire and Goldonia."

Delcott nodded as he was told about that countless times.

"The central military, that Connery girl and ignorant princess, are weakening. They won't investigate further about domestic warfare. Magrado should give me more military resources, so the scale becomes larger." Kent said while pulling the coins along the table until they dropped into a large pouch. 

Delcott's grin became wider. He said, "That's why there is a top commander from Magrado here with me tonight."

Kent furrowed his eyebrows, "You mean that girl?" 

Their sight moved to a blonde haired girl sitting on a sofa next to Delcott. She was wearing a white dress. 

The girl smiled and slightly bowed her head. 

"Nice to meet you, Lord Kent. My name is Patricia Rayleigh."

The experienced Kent felt that humility was merely deception. His instinct told him this teenage girl was looking down on everybody.

"We had decided that invasion from Teries River was not feasible. There is also the issue on losing 7,000 soldiers. We couldn't train new 7,000 soldiers in just 5 years."

She was explaining while her palms remain on her laps. 

"Actually, the idea of disrupting Treia from within came from me. As I have been promoted to this position, I intend to develop on this strategy."

Kent was collecting his thoughts during her explanation. 

"But Miss Patricia... Weird things happen lately. In your last invasion, your troops were wiped out. Goldonian troops in the north was wiped out...... In the normal warfare, soldiers don't get totally wiped out even the opponent has larger number." 

Patricia maintained her smile. Her pride refused to capitulate in argument.

"I knew about that. The cause was the increasingly influential Duke Cheney. We investigated. His trump card in recent victories is the dark elf mercenaries. That's already within my calculation."

Kent became more frustrated,

"But Miss Patricia, the dark elves were mostly decimated at Teries River. There were only 3 little girls survive. 3 little girls couldn't wipe out entire Goldonian hundreds men!"

"Lord Kent. You are overthinking." She said in low tone voice.

"No. No. Viscount is only concerned with Magrado's success. He does not want any room for failure. Right, Lord Kent?" Delcott tried to calm things down.

Kent inhaled and exhaled.

"This is something I never tell anyone.... James Bond was killed in a fight in Pinsonia-Treia border." 

"What??"

Delcott stood up and yelled. Patricia remained clueless.

"Is it true, Lord Kent?" He asked nervously.

Kent closed his eyes and nodded.

"Who is this.... B.. em... Bond.... James Bond?"

Kent took a sip from his tea cup and answered.

"He was a well-known fighter in Treia. He was not the most skilled in swordsmanship but he survived thousands of duel, 20 years of war. For some reason, the higher ups ordered me to station him at the remote border of Ponsonia. The soldiers accompanying him were strong as well."

Kent was silent for a while before looking at Delcott.

"Over a year ago, we found them dead at the station. They were wiped out in battle. No one could beat them in Ponsonia. But the one who wiped out them went through rarely used route between Treia and Ponsonia."

"But we heard no particularly outstanding new mercenaries or soldiers emerge from Ponsonia and Treia, except the dark elves." Patricia still refused to capitulate.

Everyone was speechless and thoughtless for the rest of the night before the meeting dispersed.