It was Suriya, the female knight, who had changed into a white military dress uniform and a blue knee-length pleated skirt for the evening. Her gold shoulder and sleeve epaulets gleamed under the moonlight, highlighting her upright posture and the spirited aura she exuded. Her face bore a gentle smile, soft as water.
Her shapely legs, clad in thigh-high velvet crocodile skin boots, stood in the middle of the path, hands crossed over her chest, gazing up at the bright moonlight.
A beauty under the moon.
"Miss Suriya has quite the elegant hobby, admiring the moon at night?" Lain approached the knight, stopping three steps away from her.
"I used to come here often as a child," said the golden-haired Suriya, her voice tinged with melancholy. "But since my father and King Richard's relationship deteriorated, I've seldom visited this place."
"Deterioration in relationship? Could you tell me more, Miss Suriya? I'm very interested in these matters. I'm about to be ennobled, but there's still so much about our country that I don't understand." Seizing the opportunity, Lain voiced the question he had long wanted to ask.
Before coming to Britannia, he had thoroughly studied the country, but nothing could be more effective than hearing from a duke's daughter herself.
Moreover, since the Duke of Winfort was a Grail Knight—a saintly figure proven by the Grail Quest—Lain did not worry about any bias in her words. Normally, kingdom knights entrusted their lands and wealth to a trustworthy knight before embarking on the Grail Quest. If they failed (but survived), they would return to their lands to gather strength for another attempt.
Those who completed the Grail Quest and drank from the Lady of the Lake's Grail would renounce all worldly possessions to become Grail Knights, dedicating their lives to protecting the Lady's sanctuaries and forsaking worldly affairs.
However, there were exceptions. If the knight was a high noble, owning hereditary titles and lands, even after completing the Grail Quest, the Lady of the Lake might command them to return and inherit their titles, serving as both a Grail Knight and a ruler.
Currently, among the duchies, Duke Louis "the Righteous" of Connacht, Duke Berthmond "the Beast Slayer" of Bastonne, and Duke Francois "Long Legs" of Winfort were all Grail Knights and descendants of the first Knight King Arthur, representing the three most prestigious families: the Leaping Lion, the Red Dragon, and the Pure White Pegasus.
Lain felt this was no coincidence. Arthur's descendants likely carried powerful bloodlines and were well-guided by the Lady of the Lake.
"Do you wish to know, Mr. Lain?" Suriya's sea-blue eyes sparkled as she looked at him, aware that speaking would place Lain in her family's debt.
"Please, enlighten me, Miss Suriya."
This was exactly what she wanted.
Investing early in someone as powerful as Lain was the plan agreed upon by the Antray siblings. They saw what others couldn't: the floral bracelet Lain wore was undoubtedly a gift from the Lady of the Lake.
Lain's future domain, the Barony of Gien, was crucial for the Duchy of Winfort, surrounded by mountains with fertile river valleys. Gien lay downstream, serving as the duchy's sole entrance and exit.
The two sat opposite each other in a pavilion within the garden, Emilia serving them tea before retreating.
After a sip of tea, Suriya began to share her knowledge with Lain, starting with stories about King Richard, which Lain was already somewhat familiar with, so they won't be repeated here.
Then came the information Lain was interested in.
After ascending the throne, Richard discovered the kingdom's finances were near bankruptcy due to King John II's repeated grand expeditions and misuse of the treasury. The dukes were acting independently, lacking unity, and the Grail Knights, represented by the Lake Fairy Witch, were not fully supportive of Richard, depriving him of the Lady of the Lake's full backing.
Yet, those who ascend to the throne are not to be underestimated. Richard first stabilized relations with the Duchy of Lyonnesse to the left of the Angoulême Duchy through marriage, a costly affair for the dukes.
Richard's first act as king was to increase taxes, imposing a fixed military tax on the dukes under the guise of military needs, followed by a luxury tax targeting goods like wine.
The Duchy of Winfort, known for its wine and olive oil, and the Duchy of Bordelaux, famous for its maritime trade and cash crops, were the hardest hit. Relations between Duke Francois and the king deteriorated, maintaining only a superficial allegiance.
"Remember, Mr. Lain, the Barony of Gien has always been coveted by Duke Theodoric of Bordeleaux. Being ennobled there will likely displease him. Also, there's deep animosity between my father and Duke Palaon to the northeast of Winfort. I'm not sure if it will affect you," Suriya cautioned, noting the excessive tariffs Palaon imposed on their trade caravans and the frequent bandit attacks along their routes.
"I understand," Lain quickly grasped the implication: these bandits were likely wolves in sheep's clothing.
Following the D'orta Tower incident, the noble spirit of seeking justice and virtue had faded among the nobility, now focused solely on extracting more from their serfs.
"Mr. Lain, as a Grail Knight, the king has no authority over you, so be prepared. His Majesty and Duke Dalheid of Lyonnesse, who will attend the ceremony, might not welcome you warmly," Suriya added.
"Understood. May I inquire about Duke Hubald of Carcassonne? What kind of knight is he?" Lain asked.
"Duke Hubald is respected yet feared. Recently, there's been talk of him preparing for the Grail Quest," Suriya shared, hinting at deeper meanings that Lain quickly understood.
"Got it," Lain nodded, determined to understand the temperaments of the dukes surrounding his land.
An hour later.
"Thank you very much, Miss Suriya." Lain expressed his sincere gratitude, hand over his heart.
"You're welcome," she replied with a perfect curtsy, her exquisite face smiling warmly. "Mr. Lain, with your demonstrated virtue and strength, the Antray family is eager to befriend you."
"And I'm equally keen on having sincere and passionate friends like Julius and Miss Suriya," Lain said, bathed in moonlight, their verbal agreement sealed.
"In any case, my brother and I will accompany you for a while. Let us know if you need anything," the knight said with dignified grace.
"Thank you, and take care."
On their way back, Lain remarked to Emilia, "Such a beautiful lady."
Emilia, unusually melancholic, responded, "Indeed, Mr. Lain. Miss Suriya is truly exceptional, both noble and beautiful."
"That's true," Lain thought, feeling their conversation was slightly off-topic.
But he had much more to ponder.
Three days later, a grand ennoblement ceremony took place within the Corona palace.
The colorful stained glass cast enchanting light and shadows, with the stories of twelve Grail Knights watching over the central hall, adorned with colorful glass windows and six murals depicting religious, knightly, and legal themes. The seats were filled with knights and Britannia's nobility, especially the front rows.
Dressed in full Britannian noble attire, Lain knelt before the Knight King.
The knights shouted and cheered, welcoming this legendary Grail Knight whose name had spread across the continent and whose deeds were celebrated in every castle and tavern in Britannia. His accomplishments made him an idol among knights.
At 16, he fought barbarians on the battlefield; at 22, he killed the beastman king "Fang" Gor; at 24, he won a duel against the Chaos Champion "Crush Bear" Berig, becoming the chosen champion of the Lady of the Lake.
After arriving in Marinburg, he exposed the Aesthetic Society's conspiracy, killed the fallen hunters, and defeated numerous Greenskins at the Battle of Kholer Plains, becoming a legend.
Lain received the loudest cheers, but the reaction of Britannia's nobility in the front was more subdued, offering only symbolic applause, except for a few enthusiastic claps from the Grail Knights.
Duke Dalheid of Lyonnesse watched Lain with a complex expression, not because Lain was an outsider—noble exchanges and marriages between the Empire and Britannia were common—but because of Lain's exceptional skills and status as a Grail Knight. If Lain had come to protect the Lady's sanctuaries, Dalheid would have welcomed him openly.
But Lain was here to become a lord.
Uncertain of Lain's allegiances, the duke gave only symbolic applause, needing to observe what impact this young man might have.
If the attending nobles found the situation curious, King Richard's demeanor was even more intriguing. The aging king, with greying hair, struggled to stand straight, his expression and words throughout the ceremony indifferent. He solemnly performed the ceremony with the Lady of the Lake's Sword, symbol of Britannian kingship, touching Lain's head and shoulders with the sword's tip.
"By the grace of the Lady, may her light guide your path," Richard said before turning away, indicating the ceremony's end. A parchment with golden text and seals, along with a baronial ring and ribbon, were presented to Lain, who accepted them gracefully.
The ceremony concluded without the king's inspirational words or a solemn oath from the new baron, feeling more like a formality. King Richard coldly completed the ritual, then watched as the crowd dispersed.
While knights congratulated Lain, who responded earnestly, both he and King Richard understood that the ennoblement was not based on the king's personal desires.
The core issue was evident in their vows: Lain's oath did not pledge loyalty to the king, only to the Lady of the Lake and the newly titled Baron of Gien, Grail Knight Lain Macado.
Next, Lain would visit the Duchy of Carcassonne to meet the Lady of the Lake and the Lake Fairy Witch Morgiana, whom he had heard much about but never met.
A new week brings updates and a request for support.
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