Page 2305 -- CCXXIV.

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Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Four: 'O, crusading champion...'
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The trip to Lorent happened quickly. Hector had expected more pushback from both the Queen and the Rainlords when he told them about what the Lorentian Ambassador said, but they all seemed to understand. In the Queen's case, she actually sounded somewhat pleased about the idea, telling him that his victory would help to improve relations between Atreya and Lorent considerably.

Why she was assuming that he would succeed, Hector wasn't quite sure. He didn't want to dampen her spirits, though. Apparently, there had been some trade disputes with Lorent going on in the last few weeks, and it was hindering some kind of building project that the Queen was working on. She promised to tell him more about it when he returned.

The Rainlords were not quite so enthused by his departure--which, admittedly, warmed his heart a little bit--but they were still very supportive and of course insisted on sending strong warriors to help him.

In fact, if he hadn't said anything, half of their remaining forces might've ended up accompanying him. It was the Babbadelo-situation all over again.

However, who to actually bring along proved to be a difficult decision to make. Most of their strongest warriors were in Vantalay at the moment, so the most powerful servants in Warrenhold currently consisted of Zeff Elroy, Joana Cortes, Salvador Delaguna, Dimas Sebolt, Horatio Blackburn, and Nere Blackburn--in no particular order.

But all of those people were the heads of their respective families. They had the most responsibility and would therefore be the most sorely missed. Hector didn't want to bring any of them along.

For some reason, though, Salvador Delaguna wouldn't take no for an answer. All the other heads seemed to understand Hector's perspective, but not him.

"You think I'm too important?" the giant man had said. "Boy, you're more important than any of us. And I'll be damned if I let you go off and face some mysterious beastie all on your own."