In February, at the center of Garon's Fortress, in the grand tent adorned with golden, red, and blue lilies, King Ryan sat at his desk, handling various administrative tasks. Like the Knight Queen Sulia, who was far away, Ryan was burdened with an endless stream of internal affairs. While Sulia had the assistance of Morgiana and a council of ministers, Ryan had to face many problems alone.
A few days earlier, a significant incident erupted at the camp in Garon's Fortress. A Kingdom Knight, who had earned many merits in the expedition, raped and murdered the daughter of one of Blackheart Rip's pistol cavalrymen. The girl, only in her teens, had repeatedly rejected the knight's advances, infuriating the noble. Enraged, the knight committed the heinous act and, afterward, showed no remorse. He arrogantly claimed, "She's just a commoner's daughter. I killed her. So what? It's my fault, and I apologize. I'll pay compensation, all right?"
The pistol cavalryman couldn't believe his daughter was gone in such a cruel way. He sought justice everywhere, eventually turning to Blackheart Rip for help. Blackheart Rip hesitated but ultimately decided to report the matter to Ryan, fully aware that doing so would offend the noble knights. But the mercenary leader knew that if he didn't stand up, he'd lose his ability to command his independent regiment.
When Ryan learned of the incident, a storm hit Garon's Fortress.
Enraged, the King immediately ordered the Grail Knights to arrest the Kingdom Knight for a public trial. In front of tens of thousands of troops, the knight admitted his crimes and expressed his willingness to pay for his wrongdoings and offer compensation. If necessary, he would even atone for his actions by going on a redemption expedition.
However, the knight believed that he had committed only a "slightly larger" mistake. Given his merits in previous battles and his noble status, he assumed that Ryan would balance the scales or perhaps let him redeem himself through service, as had often been the case in Bretonnia's courts.
But Ryan had a different plan. After carefully listening to the details, he coldly made his decision.
"Hanging! Immediate execution! Strip him of his knighthood, confiscate all his lands, and compensate the victim's family!"
"Why do knights exist? What is their purpose? Knights are born out of honor and devotion. They are meant to protect the kingdom and its people. Since the founding of the kingdom by Arthur, the spirit of knighthood has been the backbone that has supported Bretonnia for a thousand years! A knight must never commit such cruel acts. He is no longer fit to be called a knight. No knight would raise a hand against a helpless woman, especially one who helped transport supplies to the army and whose father fought against the wicked Greenskins alongside us!"
"Despicable, cruel, selfish, and morally corrupt. On behalf of the kingdom and the Lady of the Lake, I sentence you to hanging, strip you of your knighthood, and confiscate all your lands and property!"
The Grail Knight jury unanimously approved the King's decision.
"Calard!" Ryan called out coldly. "Carry out the execution immediately!"
"Yes!" Calard, seething with anger, stepped forward. He couldn't believe such scum existed within the army.
"Leave it to me!"
Two of Calard's old guards, equally enraged, grabbed the Kingdom Knight and dragged him to the gallows.
"No! No! You can't do this! My king, I know I was wrong! I'm willing to atone for my sins. You can't do this to me! I fought for the kingdom! I bled for the kingdom! I want to see the Lady! I want to see the Lady!" The knight finally realized the gravity of his situation, screaming and struggling, but Calard's grip was as strong as iron.
The noose was prepared, the man was hanged, and once the platform was pulled away, two minutes later, the knight was dead, his body swaying in the wind.
"Let this serve as a warning to all knights, free men, soldiers, dwarven friends, and elven friends," King Ryan announced after the execution. Following this, the knightly nobles became noticeably more restrained, no longer daring to treat the lower-ranking soldiers with arrogance and disdain.
In the inner chamber of the tent, Ryan sat behind his desk, dealing with government affairs. Olica, the dark elf maid dressed in a black-and-white maid outfit, cheerfully served him tea and snacks. Judging by her smile, Olica seemed to enjoy her role.
Nearby, Veronica lounged against a headboard, wrapped in a blanket, sipping a hot drink while reading a fire magic book. Dressed in an iceflower-embroidered gown, she looked relaxed, but she noticed the frown on Ryan's face and asked, "What's troubling you, dear? Still worried about Blackheart Rip's situation?"
"Yes," Ryan sighed. "The fallout from Rip's case is massive. I need to think of a way to protect him."
Veronica nodded thoughtfully. "That mercenary leader really brought you a headache, huh? Let's analyze the situation together."
The entire expeditionary force had no objections to Ryan's verdict. The knightly nobles supported and respected the King's fair judgment. It embodied the ideals of chivalry and justice. As King, Ryan had the authority to pass such a sentence, including the power to create new laws, being both the legislator and enforcer.
For instance, Ryan didn't need a privateering license to seize any ship that entered Bretonnia's waters. He was also exempt from taxes, couldn't be summoned to testify, and held the kingdom's entire authority, save for the restrictions of the Lake Witch, Morgiana. He could bestow land and titles at will and, in theory, owned all the kingdom's lilies, swans, and roosters. He was even the only person in the kingdom who could celebrate two birthdays a year.
However, the power to act was different from the wisdom to wield it. Few kings were foolish enough to abuse such privileges. The last king to do so was John II.
Thus, Ryan's verdict was beyond reproach.
Yet, this didn't mean the knightly nobles would sit idly by. Some of them, including barons and counts, had already banded together in secret, planning to teach Blackheart Rip and his independent regiment an unforgettable lesson. The knights knew that if Rip hadn't exposed the crime, it would have been settled privately—with an apology, a large sum of compensation, and perhaps a few lashes for the knight, followed by atonement through a redemption expedition. But it certainly wouldn't have ended with the loss of life, land, and title.
Blackheart Rip had made enemies of the entire knightly class.
It was not about right or wrong, but about the position of the noble knights.
Ryan knew he had to protect Rip. The mercenary leader had done nothing wrong, and the King needed to use this incident to enforce military discipline. On the other hand, he also had to placate the knightly nobles, as they were the core of the expedition.
Blackheart Rip understood the danger he was in and privately begged Ryan for protection. After much thought, Ryan decided to send Rip and his independent regiment to serve under Belgar, hoping to keep them out of harm's way.
"My suggestion," Veronica mused, "is that Rip should never return to Bretonnia. Otherwise, he might not survive."
Ryan nodded wryly, acknowledging the truth of her words. In any other court in Bretonnia, the punishment would have been far less severe. Even the harshest judges, like Bodrick or Francois, would have likely sentenced the knight to a whipping, a fine, and a redemption expedition. Only the King and the Lake Witch had the authority to strip a noble of their title.
In the Empire, the punishment would have been even lighter. Pay enough ransom, and the sentence would be reduced. As long as there was no connection to Chaos or the Undead, nobles could simply buy their way out.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Veronica asked, thinking hard about how to help.
"I've already sentenced him to hanging, confiscated his lands, and stripped him of his title. What more can I do? That's the harshest penalty I could give! The knights are already acting more cautiously—they don't want to lose their lives and titles."
"So what's next? You can't keep Rip hiding under Belgar's command forever," Veronica pondered before a lightbulb went off in her mind. "I have an idea. What do you think?"
"Go on," Ryan encouraged her.
Veronica leaned in and whispered her plan into Ryan's ear.
"That... could work!" Ryan's eyes lit up, and the two discussed the details before reaching a conclusion. With that, the matter was settled for the time being. Veronica's attention was soon drawn to an opened letter on the table, and she casually picked it up.
"Is this a letter from Sulia and Lady Morgiana?"
"Yes," Ryan smiled. "Sulia told me that the Empire has completed all its payments, and the second phase of the Eight Peaks Bond has sold well. The Empire also wants to hire a Grail Knight to clear the Bloodpine Forest. Morgiana's letter suggests lowering some fees to boost morale. She also asked if I need her to come to the front lines to support the troops."
"To support the troops?" Veronica scoffed. "She's not coming to support the troops. She's coming because she's craving you…"
Olica, who had been leaning against Ryan, chimed in, "Once someone has tasted their master, no one can resist. If you don
't want her, give me your time."
"Alright, alright," Ryan quickly shook his head. "Morgiana also mentioned that Aurora's Intelligence Division has been ineffective. She hasn't done much except demand more resources and support. What do you think, Veronica?"
Veronica's eyes darted around, avoiding the subject. "I have no comment on that, dear. I must avoid any appearance of bias. You're the King, and I'm just your chief courtier. But Lady Morgiana is usually quite reasonable, isn't she?"
"Heh," Ryan chuckled knowingly. "Aurora still hasn't adjusted to her role. She sees herself as my equal partner, whereas Theresa has no such concerns. I know her well; she enjoys her pampered life and has no ambitions to challenge anyone."
"Our little Garland princess is just like that—spoiled, proud, but easy to satisfy," Veronica laughed. "As for Lady Aurora, she wants to maintain her independence while also keeping Theresa from being marginalized at court."
"Sulia will handle it," Ryan said confidently, his blue eyes glowing with psychic fire. He reached for a small, wax-sealed box on his desk. "Aurora did manage to deliver something useful, though."
"What's this?" Both Veronica and Olica were curious. Veronica gestured for a closer look.
"This is a high-level ice magic scroll—Extreme Cold Domain," Ryan explained as he opened the box, releasing a chilling aura from the rune-sealed scroll inside. Smiling, the King took out the blue forbidden spell scroll. "Compared to Aurora, who's been competing with Margarita for decades, you still have a lot to learn, my dear."
Veronica pouted, her face darkening with frustration. She realized she had much more to master.
Reaching the sanctuary level was just the beginning.
---
In March, after a month of rest at Garon's Fortress, the expeditionary army left 4,000 men behind to defend the fortress and resumed its march toward Steelrock, a critical Greenskin stronghold at the base of the World's Edge Mountains.
The army advanced along the Poison River.
The harsh conditions of the wasteland and the biting cold winds ravaged the army. The knights huddled in their cloaks, cursing the dreadful weather. The dwarves, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy it.
The vast desert stretched on endlessly. After several days of marching, the army stumbled upon an unusual camp ruin. At first, they thought it was left by a human caravan or adventuring party, but upon closer inspection, they realized the language, architectural style, and layout didn't resemble anything from the Empire, Bretonnia, or even elven or dwarven culture.
"This is a Strigany camp ruin. They must have been attacked here," Belgar Ironhammer, King of Eight Peaks, examined the camp closely, stroking his white beard. "It's amazing those cursed Strigany have survived for thousands of years."
"Strigany? I'm interested. Tell me more, Belgar," Ryan asked eagerly.
"Well, since you asked so nicely, I suppose I can be generous and share," Belgar said smugly, pointing south. "About two thousand kilometers from here lies the ruins of a massive city. That city was called Mourkain, the capital of the Strigoi Undead Empire."
"The story of the Strigany, the Strigoi Empire, and Mourkain goes back thousands of years…"
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