Ryan examined Orica's body and discovered something unusual.
A mysterious mark was etched into the dark elf's soul, attracting the gaze of Slaanesh.
"This is the mark of the Cult of Pleasure! Even among the high elves, there has been corruption by the Cult of Pleasure!" Ryan immediately associated the mark with the cult that worships Slaanesh, indicating that the high elf who harmed Orica was also a follower of Slaanesh.
"...The Asur always think the Druchii are corrupt and fallen, but who doesn't know they are no cleaner themselves!" Orica murmured. However, she screamed as Ryan restrained her, then his psychic energy began to construct a shield around her soul, "Orica, let down your guard, let go of your fear. Look, there are many boulders around you..."
"No! His gaze, he's always watching me!" Orica said in agony, her spirit struggling desperately to evade the gaze of the chaos god.
"Calm down, Orica. It's too bright and orderly here, with these boulders guarding you, he can no longer find your existence! Calm down, look carefully, he can't see you anymore." Ryan pressed down on the dark elf, repeating his words and using his psychic energy to suggest, "He can't find you anymore."
"Yes, yes, he can't find me anymore, he can't find me anymore." Orica truly felt the chaos god's gaze receding, unable to locate the dark elf again.
Orica collapsed on the sofa, drenched in sweat and looking complexly at Ryan, unable to understand why this human was so powerful or why he helped her. However, she knew she had to rely on his protection, or she would once again become prey to Slaanesh.
Due to the intense mental shock, the dark elf gradually lost consciousness and passed out.
"Did it work, Mr. Ryan?" Emily approached curiously.
"Yes, it should be fine now. But just to be cautious, she'll sleep in the same room as me for a while. I need to see if she's still threatened by the chaos god." Ryan handed Orica to Emily, "Take her for a clean-up."
Emily and Miranda bathed Orica, then brought the weakened dark elf into Ryan's room, where she was passively dressed in a nightgown and placed in his room. The maids prepared a new set of bedding on the sofa in Ryan's room for her.
Orica wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, only her beautiful face and silky black hair visible. She was constantly vigilant around Ryan.
But Ryan did nothing; he leaned against the bedhead reading a book, occasionally writing on parchment, maintaining this state for a while before noticing Orica's condition, "What's wrong, Orica?"
"Human... why did you save me?" the dark elf asked warily.
"You're my property. Who else would I save if not you?" Ryan commented resignedly, "And remember, call me master!"
Orica's expression fluctuated, and after a long stare and internal deliberation, she finally whispered, "Master."
Indeed! Ryan internally nodded, noting the difference between dark elves and high elves.
If she were a high elf, she might never submit, resisting Ryan to the end, because high elves consider all but their own and Slann as inferior.
But dark elves are different. In a society where the strong prevail, they don't mind becoming vassals to the powerful, as long as Ryan shows enough strength to suppress any thought of rebellion in the dark elf.
And Ryan had done just that.
"Are there followers of the Cult of Pleasure among the high elves?" After pondering for a while, Ryan started to inquire.
All three elf races are not entirely noble; Ryan has experienced this firsthand. High elves are arrogant, dark elves bloodthirsty, and wood elves... absolutely isolationist, willing to kill anyone to maintain their isolation.
"...Do you think the high elves are pure and noble beings?" Orica finally spoke up, answering with hatred, "The Asur are not as noble as humans imagine. Elf souls are precious and always coveted by chaos gods."
"The Druchii please our god through bloodshed and sacrifices, including those to Queen Morathi, to avoid our souls being devoured..." Orica murmured, then spoke of the high elves with loathing and contempt, "While those Asur allow the Cult of Pleasure to spread, corrupting Asuryan's holy fire and usurping the Phoenix King's throne through deceit."
"Why do you say 'usurping'? Isn't every Phoenix King transformed by passing Asuryan's trial of the holy fire?" Ryan asked Orica.
"They used despicable means!" After saying this, Orica was unwilling to say more.
Ryan didn't press her further. That night, after a long time, the dark elf finally enjoyed a peaceful sleep until dawn.
In the following days, Orica slept in Ryan's room, and he indeed did nothing to her.
Because the negotiations in Marlinburg were finally making some progress.
The Empire's diplomats and Marlinburg's nobles engaged in tough, lengthy, and meticulous negotiations, haggling over every single coin.
The Empire applied constant pressure, knowing Marlinburg's situation well. With a significant gap in hard power, Marlinburg couldn't face the greenskins alone or withstand the Empire's pressure, especially after the high elves refused to comment, leaving Marlinburg even more isolated in negotiations.
However, Marlinburg's representatives were stubborn, suggesting to the Empire they might as well withdraw their forces and let the city face the greenskin horde alone, even if it meant the city turning to ashes, challenging the Empire to explain the value of reclaiming a ruin to its citizens.
This was a last-ditch act of defiance, but reclaiming a ruin held little value for the Empire, conflicting with their interests. The Empire's diplomats were at a loss with Marlinburg.
So the negotiations broke off again.
But as scouts reported nearly twenty thousand greenskins gathering at the Gint mine, Marlinburg's nobles began to waver, and the Empire realized dragging this out was not a solution. Both sides returned to the negotiation table and finally reached some consensus.
Thus, on a late February morning, Ryan accompanied Ivan onto the streets.
After a recent snowfall, winter was gradually receding, making way for spring.
"So, Ivan, the negotiations finally yielded some results?" Ryan asked straightforwardly as Ivan called him out.
"Yes, we've reached an agreement on one matter concerning the trade deficit," the Duke of Griffon nodded. "Marlinburg will purchase a significant portion of its military supplies directly from the Empire's Nuln armories annually, and a portion of Marlinburg's trade goods from Ostland and Lucinia will be sold directly to the Empire at market price."
Ryan stroked his chin, thinking this was expected.
This was a significant concession from Marlinburg, but Ryan wasn't surprised.
As emerging capitalists, Marlinburg's nobility relied on trade and commerce, thriving by extracting wealth from other nations and their lower classes.
In short, these nobles lacked faith and the will to fight to the death against the greenskins, eventually compromising, showcasing the bourgeoisie's inherent weakness.
Count Middenheim, Alberic-Bek, could fight to the death against the barbarian horde, but such resolve was impossible in Marlinburg.
"Does this mean Nuln's Ironsides will also participate in this battle?" Ryan inquired curiously.
Nuln, the Empire's southern stronghold at the confluence of three rivers and a major transportation hub, was the birthplace of Ludwig's rebellion, housing the Empire's largest armory and most elite gunpowder troops. Originally the capital of the Elector Count of Brescia, Nuln and its surrounding lands were incorporated into Reikland after the Great War, directly controlled by the Emperor and playing a crucial role.
"This still depends on how the negotiations proceed, but... some preparations need to be made in advance to avoid timing issues," the Duke of Griffon pulled out a scroll sealed with the Emperor's seal, "We must venture out to battle the greenskins, so we need sufficient knights. Unfortunately, the Reiksguard can't be deployed, the Knights of the Blazing Sun are occupied, and the Knights of Morr are guarding the Gardens of Morr during winter... So..." Ivan sounded regretful, "With spring plowing approaching, we need reinforcements, from beyond the Grey Mountains. If nothing goes wrong, Ryan, you'll be meeting your old friend."
"So..." As expected, they stopped in front of the Convent of the Lady.
"Go ahead and knock, Champion of the Lady of the Lake," Ivan gestured to his foster son, indicating him to knock.
"...I knew it would come to this." Ryan resignedly moved to knock, his identity particularly useful at this moment.
Thus, the letter bearing the Emperor's seal, magically sent across hundreds of miles, arrived beyond the Grey Mountains, to a land of prosperity and peace, where the warm sea breeze and favorable climate fostered human settlement and prosperity, eventually forming the knightly kingdom of Bretonnia.
Bretonnia, the capital, Couronne.
The Couronne Palace, the heart of the knightly kingdom and the coronation site for all but the first Knight King Arthur and the mentioned King Taillefer, is adorned with numerous small turrets, pointed arch windows, exquisite reliefs, and sculpted ornaments on laced windows, leading through grand corridors to the central hall, where Elector Counts convene and knightly councils are held. The hall is decorated with colorful stained glass and six murals depicting religious, knightly, and legal themes, telling the great history of the first twelve Grail Knights.
Beyond the central hall lies the king's office, with the throne covered in red velvet, adorned with gold thread and diamonds.
The current Knight King, "The Lion" Denoir-Jean-Richard, sat on the throne.
Aged beyond a hundred, compared to the relatively young Emperor Karl Franz in his early thirties, Richard's once-vigorous features had aged, his black hair turned gray, and his clear eyes clouded. Even with legendary strength, Richard had reached an old age.
But he had much to do.
Since the incident at Dol Tower, Bretonnia's national strength had declined, trust lost among the dukes, leading to numerous conflicts. After King Taillefer's death, his successors, Kings John I and John II, were tyrants, causing further decline. John II, seeking continuous support for his wars of aggression from the dukes, even decentralized powers like setting tariffs, minting coins, and fortifications to them.
Twenty-four years ago, John II was overthrown by the Lady of the Lake and the dukes, leading to another Elector Count meeting where the dukes chose the most respected and knightly Duke of Angoulême, "The Lion" Denoir-Jean-Richard, as the new king.
Already in his eighties, Angoulême wasn't particularly outstanding. He had failed two Grail quests and remained a Questing Knight. His former bravery and decisiveness had turned into stubbornness and aggression, and his administrative skills were only average, with many years since his last battle.
Yet, the dukes and the Lady of the Lake chose him because Richard was a good man, known for his mild temperament and ability to mediate conflicts among the dukes, aiming to maintain the existing order and protect the dukes' interests.
So, he has sat on the throne to this day.
Richard was not content being a puppet. Since his coronation, he had used many methods to centralize power, most effectively through his daughter's marriage to the Duke of Leoness and his son Charles marrying the granddaughter of the Duke of Montfort, securing the kingdom's northern stability, except for the Duke of Connacht, "The Just" Louis, who did not acknowledge the Knight King.
Then, by declaring "Knightly Wars," he levied a fixed military tax from all dukes, though it caused dissatisfaction, Richard successfully rescued the kingdom's finances from near bankruptcy due to previous kings' extravagance and wars.
Next, he planned to lead knights against the beastmen tribes in the forests. However, as the king pondered troop arrangements and sought ducal support, a courtier's hurried steps interrupted his thoughts.
"My liege, a letter of aid from Marlinburg!"
"A massive greenskin army is gathering at the Gint mine, and our allies need our support!"
Updated!
Some may wonder why Morathi is referred to as a queen; indeed, she is both the mother and queen of Malekith.
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