As summer approached in Brittany, in the domain of Baron Jean, the Marquise Sulia was seated behind the desk in the office where Ryan usually worked.
The lady knight was dressed in a white Bretonnian marquise blouse and a pinkish-purple pencil skirt, her long legs enveloped in thin gray stockings, wearing fluffy bear slippers. Her bright golden curls almost covered her entire back. With a dignified and beautiful countenance marked by seriousness, Sulia felt both moved and pressured by Ryan's trust in her to handle the domain's affairs in his absence.
Ryan's stand-in proved unreliable, exhibiting poor acting skills. Sulia decided to take charge of the military and political power herself, relegating the stand-in to a mascot role within the castle, occasionally making public appearances but failing even to emulate the basic knightly demeanor, let alone Ryan's heroic aura.
A lord's control over his domain is inversely proportional to the time he spends away from it. However, Ryan was an exception. He left behind a capable team, entrusting all authority to Sulia, who held immense prestige within Ryan's domain, ensuring her commands were followed without question.
"Miss, here are the recent immigration figures," Carsonberg called her "Miss" as before.
"Sort them out. I need to know how many craftsmen, serfs, and free citizens are among these refugees. I want a detailed report tonight," Sulia ordered calmly.
"Yes," the butler complied.
"Miss, there's been a violent tax resistance within the domain. I've already had them arrested. How should they be dealt with?" the tax collector, Gasparton, reported on the domain's situation.
With a mix of newcomers, many refugees were merely attracted by Jean's generous welfare, unwilling to work earnestly.
"How did Ryan handle such matters?" Sulia inquired, setting down her documents. Her golden hair fell beside her ears as she pondered the situation, her milky skin glowing under the sunlight.
"The Baron would execute the ringleaders and sentence a portion of the rest to hard labor. Those who didn't participate were dispersed across all villages," Gasparton cautiously answered.
"In Ryan's absence... Do this: execute all who participated in the violent tax resistance, and send the rest to hard labor. The domain's mines need hands to develop new tunnels. Inform Mr. Anglaron and Mr. Delon that these people are sent to work, not to die," Sulia made her decision, imposing stricter rules in Ryan's absence.
"Yes," the tax collector also left.
By the afternoon, all internal affairs within the barony were addressed. Skilled in Bretonnian law and adopting Ryan's methods, Sulia's arrangements were praised by the populace.
As it neared four in the afternoon, the door opened, and Olica, dressed as a maid, pushed in a cart, "Marquise Sulia, your afternoon tea is ready."
The cart held many pastries and a pot of black tea.
"Miss, take a break," the maid Sylvia entered, wearing the standard noble attire of a dark red coat and white blouse: "Amelia is here too."
The charming young maid also entered.
The three girls gathered around the guest table, Olica serving tea and pastries: "Please enjoy."
"Miss, the domain is generally stable, and most people haven't noticed the Baron's absence," Sylvia began: "The only concern is that almost all knights left with the Duke. If we're attacked, our defense might not be optimistic without knights."
"I'll arrange enough patrols to prevent rogue knights from threatening the domain's safety," Sulia sipped her tea, "No need to worry too much for now. The wood elves and dwarfs have assured their support, and Mr. Anglaron is here too."
Remembering Anglaron single-handedly defeating a troop of Blood Knights, the girls felt reassured. Amelia joked, "Still calling Mr. Anglaron? Sulia, shouldn't you call him brother now?"
The lady knight quickly replied, "It's... not the time yet."
"Olica, you're closest to Ryan. Can you tell us why you came to Marimburg? Was it because of the war?" Amelia held an elven ceramic cup.
Hearing this, Sulia and Sylvia turned, observing Olica's beautiful figure in her maid outfit, which seemed naturally harmonious and stunning on her. Sulia's blue eyes twinkled with mischief: "Can you tell us, Olica? I'm interested too."
The dark elf's amber eyes shifted uncomfortably: "I was defeated in the war and captured by the high elves..."
Feeling pressured by the formidable lady knight before her, who seemed to have reached legendary status, Olica hesitated. Sulia's attitude as Ryan's future wife greatly determined her own fate. The dark elf decided to share some details of her origin, holding back certain aspects. The ladies could tell Olica was withholding information, but Sulia was pleased she opened up.
Sulia wasn't jealous, but she wouldn't allow a woman of unknown origin near Ryan, refusing to put him in danger.
Olica, considering this, chose to reveal some details, then hesitantly added, "There are things I can't say now, as promised to my master, my lady."
Hearing "my lady," Sulia smiled, having gained the submission she sought. With the Lady's support, the Lake Fairy had already guided her in dreams.
...
The next evening, in cursed Mousilon.
The group gathered in a large room of the inn, a map spread on the wooden table. Estelle and Dace had returned, and the group discussed the situation around the table.
Estelle's robe was slightly damaged. They encountered no major issues while tracking, but faced trouble returning. Mousilon had strict entry but lenient exit policies, and they barely convinced the guards they were acquiring special food for the "fat merchant" to be allowed through, undergoing a thorough search as a result.
Ryan wondered why Estelle and Dace were so fixated on their rear ends: "What's wrong? Did the vampire guards...?"
"Ryan, you scoundrel, I regret this," the handsome half-elf winced, then whispered to Ryan, "The vampires suspected us of smuggling contraband. They searched every part of me, including... one of them directly stuck his finger in and dug around for a long time."
The demon hunters Albert and Jules couldn't help but laugh, while Veronica and Teresa struggled to hold back their giggles, turning red-faced. Gerard awkwardly turned away, pretending not to hear.
No knight of the Lady's faith had such predilections, presumably because the Lady herself despised it, unlike some in the southern kingdoms.
"Ha-ha-ha~ Dear Estelle and Dace, you've worked hard on this mission. If successful, each of you will get a half-month's leave," Ryan laughed, patting Estelle's back, "Can you walk?"
"Of course!" Estelle brushed Ryan's hand away, annoyed, "You better give me enough leave."
"No problem, ladies and gentlemen, let's hear from Estelle and Dace about the situation."
"We followed Old Dyke's convoy for about twenty kilometers, all the way to the banks of the Grismerie River, here," Estelle pointed to
a spot above the Grismerie River on the map.
"This is a riverbank with sparse forests and hills for cover. The vampires are using this location to build siege engines, utilizing water power to aid in constructing siege towers and weaponry, then directly transporting them to the frontline," Gerard immediately analyzed.
"Why didn't we go directly there for reconnaissance instead of coming to Mousilon?" the demon hunter Albert expressed his confusion.
"Because there are a dozen similar locations along the Grismerie River," Teresa added.
"Good, get ready. We're leaving Mousilon now and must reach there by tonight," Ryan decided.
"Understood!"
Taking advantage of the evening, Ryan's group quickly left Mousilon. Since the city was strict on entry but lenient on exit, their departure encountered no issues. They hastened away from the city, disappearing into the chaotic wilderness.
Matthew Bard received the news too late. Still filled with doubts, the young ranger knight was alerted by Arkhan: "We must leave, my pupil."
"Father? Why?" Matthew Bard was puzzled, "Isn't it a critical moment?"
"Yes, it is halfway through, but we must leave. Let Manfred handle things here," Arkhan shook his head, "We've wasted too much time."
"But we haven't captured Morgiana. We've only drained her magic, not obtained her body," Matthew Bard knew Arkhan was meticulous, always having a foolproof plan, yet he couldn't accept giving up halfway.
Arkhan slowly shook his head, his decayed face revealing only white bones and the deep azure flames within his eye sockets: "I can't divine Morgiana's location. She could be hiding in a few places. Our insiders in the Knight Kingdom told me she's being protected. The locations aren't hard to guess, three or four at most. But how are we supposed to face the attack of dozens, maybe hundreds, of Grail Knights, then snatch her away?"
Matthew Bard had no response.
"Before the plan starts, we can take our time to prepare because our lives are eternal. But once the plan is in motion, we must complete it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the longer it drags on, the more things can go wrong," Arkhan spoke softly, "Moreover, there must be other terrifying powers within Brittany. To this day, I can't believe an entire banner of Blood Knights just vanished within the Chalon Forest."
"So, where do we go next?"
"To the south, to the Skavenblight, the first volume of the Books of Nagash is hidden there."
...
At night, by the banks of the Grismerie River, the sparse forests and rolling hills concealed the riverside. The flood had washed away many small towns along the river, providing the vampires with plenty of space to construct siege engines. They established a camp here to build more siege towers.
Another convoy of stone and hardwood was brought into the camp, and the guards outside noticed Old Dyke's convoy, shouting, "You're late again, Old Dyke!"
"I'm not late," Old Dyke responded emotionlessly atop his cart.
"Hurry up, hurry up!" The guard was a human servant employed by the vampires.
The convoy slowly entered.
"Such a strong wind!" Nearing summer, the nighttime wind was strong, especially head-on, making it difficult for the two sentries to keep their eyes open.
Hidden behind a thicket and small trees, Ryan and his group focused on Estelle and Dace: "It's up to you now."
"Leave it to me!" The ranger Dace, feeling the wind, raised his composite bow, drawing the string, aiming, and then releasing two arrows in the opposite direction of the sentry post.
"Whoosh!" The arrows ascended high before the wind altered their trajectory, turning sharply and whistling towards the sentry post in the gale.
"Ah! Such a strong wind!" Another guard covered his face, turning to say something to his companion.
"Swish!" An arrow, carried by the wind, pierced one guard's brain.
"Uh!" The companion didn't have time to scream as a sharp half-elf arrow entered his temple almost simultaneously.
"Thud~" Both guards collapsed, the sentry post falling silent.
"Beautiful, let's move!"
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