Hearing Aurelian's introduction, everyone couldn't help but feel a wave of emotions.
There's even more experts?
It seems the Empire is taking this diplomatic mission of the princess extremely seriously, protecting her to the utmost from the inside out.
Not only is this Councilor Clavenna accompanying her closely, she even personally brought a knight corps.
The Cant Kingdom does not have knights.
As for the reason, everyone here knows it very well.
The kingdom worships strength and pursues endless progress.
To them, honor, morality, and justice are nothing but empty concepts.
What they seek is to make their own power stronger and their bodies tougher.
Becoming a knight requires belief in one's own justice and virtue.
And naturally, the kingdom's warriors have no time to believe in such meaningless things.
As long as your fists are big and hard enough, that's what matters.
So the kingdom simply doesn't develop knights.
But even so, they fully acknowledge the strength of imperial knights.
To be able to become nobles and lords here in the kingdom, these people's physiques are naturally not lacking.
So when they saw Gwen and heard the imperial princess's introduction, they couldn't help but feel an itch in their hands.
When you see a strong opponent, you should dare to challenge them.
That's what they say, but they didn't show that attitude when they saw Viktor.
On one hand, Viktor is a mage, and also one of the twelve councilors of a top international organization like the Mage Council.
Of course, they have to show enough respect.
And there's another very important reason.
To become lords, their brains aren't filled with only muscle.
They still understand the difference between "can win" and "impossible to win."
The Battle of the Padalenbu Sea made Viktor's nuclear-bomb-like combat power known to the entire world.
So mages can be used like that?
These kingdom warriors wouldn't dare say they could outlast or outfight monsters of that level.
And it's easy to compare.
The kingdom has so many warriors.
Yet the strongest Five-Star Duke is actually a mage.
So the kingdom's warriors generally hold a kind of inexplicable respect toward mages.
As for Gwen, this knight from the Empire, that's a different story.
When they felt the cold, powerful aura around Gwen, these noble lords already had a rising thought in their hearts... Challenge.
Of course, most people present still calmed down.
Their strength had already declined somewhat compared to when they were young.
Their muscles weren't as powerful as before, and their bones had become looser and more fragile compared to their youth.
Even the old hidden injuries on their bodies would flare up from time to time.
As everyone knows, the older a warrior gets, the more their strength declines.
Even if they really defeated Gwen, it would only mean they had more experience and barely won.
But if they lost, that would be truly humiliating.
However, Hilda was different.
This young third-tier female warrior had been staring at Gwen ever since she appeared.
Because Gwen was about the same age as her, and even the same gender.
So Hilda couldn't help but start comparing herself to Gwen.
After hearing Aurelian's introduction, she almost acted without thinking and wanted to spar with this great knight.
But at that moment, the Empire's diplomatic ministers noticed the atmosphere and suddenly spoke up.
"Oh right, this Great Knight Gwen of our Empire also has some connection with Count Viktor."
"Indeed, the two are actually engaged."
"Even Great Knight Gwen's equipment was personally prepared by Count Viktor."
"Hahaha, they really are a perfect match."
As those words fell, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly stiffened, as if silence had wrapped around everything.
Only the wind gently blew by, lifting a trace of dust.
Even Hilda put away her urge to compete.
Then, the diplomats' laughter abruptly stopped.
For some reason, it felt like the princess had just glanced at them.
That cold look made them feel as if a chill wind had swept through their bones.
But when they came back to their senses, that moment felt like an illusion.
They saw Aurelian smiling as she said, "Indeed, I forgot to introduce that just now."
"My teacher Gwen is also Teacher Viktor's fiancee."
Seeing this, August went along with the mood and smiled lightly, "So that's how it is."
"No wonder Great Knight Gwen and Mr. Viktor have such similar temperaments."
Similar temperaments? Does that mean they both have expressionless faces?
Hearing August's words, the others couldn't help but secretly observe Gwen and Viktor's faces.
At this moment, the Grand Duke Barlow at the front of the group heavily struck his cane against the ground.
Bang!
That crisp sound echoed endlessly through the area, stirring the hearts of the nobles.
Everyone followed the sound and looked toward its source.
They saw a deep black-green aura rising before Grand Duke Barlow.
A hazy mist began to spread, gradually surrounding him.
A massive deep green point of light began to sway and flicker.
The light kept expanding, its dim green edges stretching outward, while the pitch-black hole grew larger and larger.
The deep hole trembled, as if something was about to emerge from within the tunnel.
Under everyone's astonished gaze, Grand Duke Barlow turned his head and spoke to August.
"It's getting late, Your Majesty."
"I should return early to rest."
August nodded with a smile.
Grand Duke Barlow had always rested early. Once it reached his set time, not even the king could keep him.
Everyone present, including King August, knew this very well.
Yet today, because the imperial princess came to visit the academy, it had already passed his usual resting time.
And still, he stayed for this long.
Honestly, that already gave them plenty of face.
After all, for this diplomatic event, Grand Duke Barlow didn't even need to attend.
August was already very satisfied. With a smile, he said to Aurelian, "Then we should also take our leave."
"Princess, see you tomorrow."
Aurelian also smiled and nodded in response.
And the moment after she nodded...
From the depths of that shocking black-green portal, countless skeletal warhorses draped in black-green flames galloped out.
Each horse had a long, flowing rein hanging from its neck.
Even between their ribs burned eerie black-green fire.
Flames surged from their hollow eye sockets, appearing before everyone alongside low, heavy neighs.
Their manes danced within the flames, and even their tails flickered like black-green fire.
The surrounding night sky seemed to be lit by this strange green fire, becoming bright yet eerie.
Following behind was a massive and sturdy carriage.
It was pulled by twelve skeletal warhorses.
Built from finely crafted dark brown wood, with a lantern on top swaying with green flames, it could hold more than ten people.
Cold green flames also burned along both sides of the carriage, carrying a hidden killing intent.
Bone-white skeletons were intricately embedded along the edges of the carriage, giving off a chilling and intimidating feeling.
The diplomatic ministers stared wide-eyed at these skeletal horses and the flame-covered carriage, deeply shocked.
'Why make it this cool?'
'So this is the legendary necromancer?'
The knights were also stunned by the hell-like scene before them.
'Heavens!'
These knights had seen all kinds of horses since childhood, but never something this cool.
If you could ride one just once, wouldn't that cost you several years of your lifespan?
Even the kingdom's noble lords couldn't help but praise the scene before them.
No matter how many times they saw it, Grand Duke Barlow's necromancy always brought them absolute shock.
The power of mages is truly great.
The nobles were especially amazed in their hearts.
Since they themselves had no chance, they began to imagine.
How great it would be if their children could become mages.
At this moment, the carriage stopped in front of the twelve diplomatic ministers.
And the numerous skeletal warhorses also approached the knight order and the demi-human guards, lowering their bodies on their own.
Whether ministers or knights, looking at the skeletal horses whose flames gradually weakened, they couldn't help but be amazed.
At this moment, one skeletal warhorse, larger than the others, slowly walked up to Gwen.
Gwen looked at Viktor, as if asking for his opinion.
After seeing Viktor nod, Gwen didn't hesitate and mounted the horse.
In an instant, her body was wrapped in black-green flames from her feet upward, the fire rapidly rising and completely swallowing her figure.
Only after the flames stabilized did Gwen's form reappear.
Her entire body now burned with the same eerie green flames as the warhorse.
Her eyes ignited as well, as if she had transformed into an undead knight.
Seeing this, the other knights excitedly mounted as well.
In an instant, waves of black-green flames surged across the ground, surrounding all the knights and demi-human guards.
An undead army, their entire bodies burning with ghostly green fire, appeared on the ground like phantoms.
Although the skeletons of demi-humans differed from humans, within the flames, their figures carried a unique kind of dominance.
Under the fire, the fur on their tails seemed to burn away, revealing distinct tail bones and beast-like skeletal features.
The undead cavalry neighed at once, unleashing a thunderous roar across the land.
Aurelian looked around at the knights and demi-human guards who had transformed into an undead army. While feeling envious, she couldn't help but feel curious.
Where was her horse? Where was her mount?
At this moment, an even more luxurious bone carriage slowly emerged from the black-green tunnel and stopped in front of her.
Several delicate arm bones were attached to it, making the carriage even more spacious.
From a corner of the carriage hung a rope of green flame, suspending a steel cage.
Inside it was an owl, its eyes burning with ghostly green fire, imprisoned within.
Just as Aurelian was examining the carriage, Grand Duke Barlow had already walked up to her and said calmly, "You and Viktor will ride in my carriage."
Aurelian froze slightly, then quickly responded, "Ah, okay…"
———
The convoy of carriages burning with ghostly green flames moved forward steadily, accompanied by the dull sound of skeletal wheels colliding with the road.
The surroundings seemed locked in mist, as if the convoy was traveling through dense fog, showing only a silent, monochrome world.
The silent skeletal horses carried knights and various demi-humans, following closely behind the massive skeletal warhorse carrying Gwen.
Emerald-green mist continuously surged from the road.
As long as they were within this green fog, the carriages and skeletal horses seemed to gain a mysterious power.
They could ignore all obstacles and pass straight through them.
Aurelian sat inside the luxurious carriage, her gaze passing through the window as she was drawn to the eerie green outside, and she softly exclaimed, "How is this even done?"
Grand Duke Barlow sat opposite her and calmly explained, "Right now, we are traveling between the 'Underworld' and the 'Real World.' Ordinary people cannot see us, and we cannot see them either."
"This kind of technique can only be mastered by necromancers."
Aurelian turned back, slightly surprised.
Originally, she had just casually asked Teacher Viktor beside her, but she didn't expect Grand Duke Barlow to personally answer her.
The Grand Duke slowly raised his head. His slightly murky eyes looked at Aurelian as he spoke in a steady tone, "Always staying cautious and ready will inevitably exhaust you."
"But this is something you must go through, and something you need to learn."
"But here, you can relax a little."
Aurelian gently loosened her neck and fell into brief thought.
Indeed, in this diplomatic exchange between nations, maintaining a facade for so long had left her extremely tired.
She felt like every smile she made required special effort.
Hearing the Grand Duke's words, a trace of warmth flashed in her eyes, and a sincere smile formed on her lips, "Indeed, I feel much better now."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
As those words fell, Grand Duke Barlow's body stiffened ever so slightly for a moment.
However, Aurelian did not notice it.
Grand Duke Barlow simply steadied himself, gripping his cane firmly with both hands.
Suddenly, he spoke, "Want to learn?"
Aurelian paused slightly, feeling confused.
Grand Duke Barlow slowly turned his head, looking at the dim green outside the window, his voice a bit deeper, "My necromancy."
"If you want, I can teach you."