"These creatures are really greenskins? I've never felt greenskins to be so weak," someone muttered to themselves.
"We've also become much weaker. Normally, we should have resolved this battle within five minutes; otherwise, it would disgrace our honor," the leader spoke loudly. "Now, let's start our mission. Remember to stay hidden and try not to be discovered by the locals!"
"Yes!"
...
Today, the knights returned victorious.
The citizens of Marienburg were ecstatic, pouring out of the city to welcome the bloodied returning allied forces. Elders, women, and children did their best to offer their modest thanks to the warriors, providing them with plenty of drinks, food, and blankets. The soldiers, returning from a bloody battle, indeed needed these.
Flowers filled the air, and the citizens loudly cheered and praised the victorious soldiers, decorating the streets with ribbons, the air filled with scattered petals. Most soldiers bore injuries, many bandaged hastily, still bleeding.
"Victory! Long live the Empire!"
"Long live Emperor Charlemagne! Thank you to our soldiers!"
"You are the best!"
The citizens offered their heartfelt blessings to these defenders of their homeland.
Cartloads of processed greenskin heads depicted the rich spoils of the allied forces. As the army entered the urban area, the nobles of Marienburg also made their contributions, distributing crates of white bread to the bloodied soldiers as a token of gratitude for defending their city. The most generous was undoubtedly the Halfling Quinsberry Merchant Guild, which slaughtered a dozen fat pigs and stewed a big pot for the soldiers to enjoy rich pork soup.
"Halflings might not be able to battle like the Duke, but we are willing to cultivate and manage, providing a safe rear for our soldiers," the head of the Quinsberry Merchant Guild respectfully offered a large bowl of steaming pork soup to Duke Gryphon Ivan.
Ivan accepted it and quickly finished it: "Halflings and humans are no different; we share in glory and in loss, we are all citizens of the Empire. Please, don't be strangers."
Whether it was the Empire's army or Marienburg's forces, all eagerly accepted the food. However, when it came to the army of Britannia, the peasant infantry hesitated, their mouths watering, wanting to reach out but not daring to.
The knights didn't care much for the infantry, praising their Lady's name while recounting their glorious deeds, boasting about how many greenskins they had slain, and the great feats they had accomplished.
Ryan had already cleaned himself up and changed into standard Britannian noble attire, with the golden badge of a Grail Knight on his chest. These items were brought by Grail Knight Yules, showing the Lady of the Lake's high regard for him. Ryan also felt the Lady's gaze still upon him.
Ahem, getting sidetracked, Ryan refocused his attention on the peasant infantry.
Unexpectedly, the infantry of Britannia weren't as weak as imagined. Ryan, having some understanding of the knightly kingdom beyond the Grey Mountains, had thought Britannian infantry were mere cannon fodder, only useful for buying time for knights' maneuvers.
However, after this battle, Ryan saw value in Britannia's infantry. Although they might lack the strength for offensive operations or breaking enemy lines, their role was to hold the line, raising their spears and defending their positions to buy time for the knights' flanking and charges, which was enough. Despite their serf origins, these soldiers had undergone sufficient training in their lords' castles before being deployed. True conscripts directly drawn from serfdom without training were something Ryan wouldn't encounter; although these soldiers' combat effectiveness was low, their cost was similarly low. If expectations were adjusted, their performance was acceptable.
Thinking this, Ryan finally spoke up: "Sir Yules?"
"Do you need something, Sir Ryan?" Grail Knight Yules, with his brown goatee, had a kind expression on his face.
"Let the soldiers eat. They've also contributed to this battle," Ryan said calmly.
Yules considered for a moment, nodded in agreement with Ryan's point, and with a wave of his hand, neither the ranger knights nor the kingdom knights dared or would oppose him. The soldiers finally got to enjoy the food heartily, many devouring it ravenously, their hungry appearance drawing disdain from the young ranger knights. They felt such behavior was beneath their dignity and honor, some even ashamed to be associated with them.
However, the virtues of the two Grail Knights were loudly praised.
The serfs loudly praised Grail Knights Yules and Ryan for their generosity and compassion, seeing them as embodiments and symbols of virtue, allowing them, mere serfs, to also enjoy white bread and meat.
The reason behind the serfs' exceptional performance in today's war was here; the presence of Grail Knights greatly motivated their morale.
In the evening, at the city hall, another grand banquet lit up the beautiful night sky. It was Duke Gryphon Ivan and Baron Jean Ryan's last night in Marienburg. The next day, Ivan would lead his army back to Reikland, and Ryan would follow the Britannian army to the knightly kingdom beyond the mountains.
The negotiations between the Empire and Marienburg were still ongoing, but many agreements had been reached. The rest was a long process of tidying up loose ends, and Ivan wouldn't stay any longer.
So, that night, Ryan and his godfather had several drinks together. Anton, who had been injured in the charge, didn't participate in the evening's banquet.
"The stinky kid from back then has grown up," Ivan raised a full glass of wine to toast with Ryan in the opulent banquet hall: "This one's for my protégé, wishing you all the best for the future."
"And this one's for my godfather, wishing you to become a grandfather soon!" Ryan said with a mischievous smile: "Let Anton work harder!"
"Ha ha ha ha!" The godfather and godson finished their last drink and then bid each other take care.
Then, Ryan, holding his wine glass, found Julius and Surya in a corner of the banquet.
The eldest son of Duke Wintertforte was dressed in a blue and white suit today, his noble birth and outstanding appearance making him a significant focus of the banquet. Many noble ladies and matrons, unable to approach Ryan and Duke Gryphon together, found the high-born Julius to be a desirable target. Who wouldn't want to become the future Duchess?
Dreams are always to be had, how would one know without trying?
Regardless of how these ladies tried to initiate conversation, the kingdom knight remained cold and terse, like a hard stone in a latrine, unresponsive to any advances, frustrating those women with many thoughts in their minds.
And as for the most popular lady at the banquet, undoubtedly, it was Miss Surya Kumani Antrell from Britannia. The lady from Britannia wore an elegant white slit gown, her dazzling golden hair cascaded down, secured by a headband, curling at the tips to form soft curves. Her sea-blue eyes were as clear as the azure ocean, standing at 175 cm tall, not only showcasing her stature but also accentuating her golden ratio figure.
What excited the male nobility of the banquet most was her delicate, nearly perfect face. The combination of a female knight's heroic spirit, a great noble's dignity and elegance, and a young lady's gentleness and grace made her the most beautiful woman these men had seen since the disappearance of Annetta Clausner, the head of the Aesthetic Society.
In the banquet, she skillfully handled the advances of the nobles, her every move exuding the grace of a duke's direct daughter. In conversation, she always considered everyone's feelings, politely declining further invitations, wave after wave of men attempting to chat her up, only to retreat in defeat.
"Excuse me, excuse me, ladies, I have an appointment with this Mr. Julius~" Ryan, holding his wine glass, signaled for the ladies crowding around Julius to make way.
The flirts reluctantly dispersed, wondering how the two most eligible bachelors of the evening ended up having an "appointment."
"Yes! I have something to discuss with Ryan," Julius confirmed upon seeing Ryan, eager to declare that yes, he had something to discuss with Ryan.
Thus, the ladies had no choice but to disperse.
"We depart tomorrow noon," Julius said as soon as Ryan approached.
"Which route are we taking back? Gisoreux Gorge or Axe Bite Pass?" Ryan and Julius found a relatively quiet corner to sit down, then Ryan asked.
There are three routes from Marienburg to Britannia. The first is through the northern Randle's Road, then along the West Coast to Couronne, but this route is rarely chosen due to its danger, desolation, lack of supplies, and the presence of terrifying creatures roaming the dark wilderness. This dangerous route not only doesn't speed up the journey but requires a significant detour, so Ryan didn't even mention it.
That leaves two viable routes. The first is the central Gisoreux Gorge, passing through the Pale Sisters in the north of the Grey Mountains, through Duke Solyaux's domain. This area is the central trade route between the eastern Empire and western Britannia, mostly barren and infested with bandits and a small number of goblins. Some peaks resemble bent old branches, with eternal snow resembling shawls, hence the name: Pale Sisters.
The second route is the southern Axe Bite Pass, with the towering Montfort castle built atop the pass, offering assured safety. Grail Knight Quiedry is responsible for patrolling the mountain roads and defending the pass, with plenty of inns along the way for rest. However, this route is longer, passing through Emperor's direct domain of Reikland. Most Empire merchants prefer this route for its safety, but the high toll taxes are a significant expense.
"We'll take the Gisoreux Gorge route," Julius stated calmly. "It's the fastest, and with so many knights, including two Grail Knights, we don't have to worry about safety."
"Hmm," Ryan thought the size of their force, over a thousand, was enough to ensure safety. Gisoreux Gorge, unlike Axe Bite Pass, which might face greenskin army attacks, was easily traversable with sufficient numbers.
"So, from now on, we're both knights of the Lady." Ryan extended his hand, and Julius shook it: "Frankly, I don't deserve to shake your hand, but I accept your goodwill."
Ryan remained silent, now a Grail Knight, two ranks above Julius.
"Do you know that guy? He looks really annoying!" Julius didn't dwell on the matter, as his strength was already approaching that of an ordinary Grail Knight. What he lacked was enough prestige and experience. A kingdom knight typically wouldn't undertake the Grail Quest until after thirty, and he was too young for such trials now.
Ryan looked up, noticing a young noble incessantly bothering Surya, endlessly speaking. The female knight was clearly uninterested but still made an effort to listen.
"That's Edmond Huren. He made quite the name for himself in the recent Aesthetic Society scandal in Marienburg... Grand Duke Schultz had wanted to punish him severely, but he had some connections, and his father owed a lot of favors, so he was spared," Ryan said with a bitter smile and shaking his head.
Edmond Huren was deeply involved in the Aesthetic Society scandal, becoming the main culprit the Marienburg nobility presented. This unfortunate soul was stripped of his senatorial status and faced further accountability.
Schultz had wanted to enforce strict penalties, but Edmond's late father, Count Huren, had enough connections and capital. Other senators were reluctant to take drastic measures, and after the church's examination, this young noble was found to be not deeply corrupted and could be purified. Edmond narrowly escaped, his countship downgraded to baronetcy, his commercial holdings fiercely attacked by other lower house merchants, losing several trade routes and shops, significantly reducing his scale.
Since Annetta's death, Edmond's mental state seemed abnormal. As Ryan and Julius approached, they heard Edmond discussing growth issues with Surya.
"In my opinion, Miss Surya, perhaps you've chosen the wrong path," Edmond spoke with a self-righteous tone: "Many have not tasted real life, the true flavor of happiness."
"While I enjoyed luxuries, you knights trained in mud, sun, and sweat, your skin darkening, your soft hands roughening from weapon handling," the young noble dramatically stated, then looked sympathetically at the female knight's delicate, perfect face.
"While you were striving and studying hard, I had already attended countless high-class banquets, enjoying delicacies and beauties of the Old World. Can't you enjoy that? No, if you wish, you too can enjoy it, but you've been deceived, misled by a lie. You don't know what true happiness is, devoting your limited lives to endless wars, which is not worth it."
"You make those pointless charges on the battlefield, paying with your lives. Have you thought about your parents waiting at home? About your friends and family who care about you? Life is precious; why die on the battlefield? Is it worth it? Think about it, if you die, everything ends, leaving only your loved ones' tears and a small grave," Edmond's emotional speech almost brought tears.
"Your youth and life are wasted in training and warfare; you don't understand what it means to live without regrets. I've achieved true regret-free youth; in my teenage years, I've enjoyed pleasures you'll never experience in your lifetime..."
Before he could finish, a voice, already at its limit of anger, came from behind. As he turned around, a precise punch landed on Edmond's powdered face, sinking it in.
A few bloodied teeth fell to the ground, stunning everyone at the banquet with this sudden turn of events.
"If you spout nonsense to my sister again, I'll judge you in the Lady's name!"
Update! Two chapters today! Desperately seeking votes!
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