Of course, he had heard the name before—the Commander of the Fifth Legion, the renowned "Flickering Blade" of the Stormlands, a true Extraordinary Knight.
He hurriedly bowed again, his tone growing even more respectful. "Lord Lid, may I ask why you are blocking our path?"
Lid gave a slight nod in return, his tone still flat. "Go back. The Storm Fortress has no need for a militia's protection."
"But..." Adrian was torn. He didn't dare defy the Duke's orders, yet he dared even less to offend the Extraordinary standing before him. "Lord Lid, what if you let me take a small group ahead to assess the situation? If everything is truly fine, my men and I will camp nearby for a few days. That way, I'll have something to report to the Duke..."
Lid said nothing, merely gazing at him with calm, impassive eyes.
Adrian's scalp went numb. The invisible pressure was suffocating, and he didn't dare press the issue. He decided to mount his horse, gather his troops, and retreat for now.
