Viscount Eddis brought his two excited sons and twenty guards on horseback. Baron Claus, Baron Wade, and Viscount Schindler brought four or five of their nephews, as well as forty to fifty guards. For these four noble families of Winston province, they had done their best to gather sixty to seventy guards on horseback. As they set off, the sons and nephews of the four nobles stared at the guards of the four noble families in the north, drooling. They realized that the armor they had carefully collected could not even compare to the equipment of a guard of a noble family in the north. Their confidence had taken a huge hit.
Viscount Eddis's eldest son, Walic, was the leader of the group. Unconvinced, he challenged Aire to a duel. Thus, at noon, the sons and nephews of the four noble families had a duel with the guards of Laurist. What Walic did not expect was that his companions, who he thought were brave and courageous, were all defeated by these ordinary guards. In the end, he personally went into battle, and the result was a draw with Padt. Neither of them could do anything to the other. The problem was that he was a 3-star Silver, while Padt's training had been delayed due to his injuries, and he was only a 2-star Silver.
Viscount Eddis and the other three nobles seemed to have expected this. They were happy to see their usually arrogant sons and nephews stumble. It would be good if the guards of the Norton family could teach them a lesson. At least it was better than them risking their lives out of impulse and ignorance.
After leaving the town of Walker, there was still about a day's journey to the capital of Winderbridge. The scene on the national highway seemed to be more normal now. From time to time, there were nobles driving carriages or knights on horseback on the main road. There were also many carts and carts carrying goods heading towards the capital. There were even some wandering knights dressed like mercenaries who hurried along in groups of three to five.
As Laurist's group advanced, the people who were walking or pulling carts hurriedly made way for them. They stood by the side of the road and respectfully saluted the flags of the various nobles. The Furious Bear flag of the Norton Family attracted the most gazes and people bowed the most.
From time to time, nobles would greet Viscount Eddis and the others on the side of the road. Earl Kenneth also became more active. The number of nobles he knew was no less than Viscount Eddis and the others. After obtaining Laurist's approval, the group slowed down because many nobles they knew wanted to join the group. Leurist felt that Earl Kenneth was right. Instead of rushing to the capital at night, it was better to slow down and arrive the next morning. That way, it would be easier to complete the handover at the south gate.
What made Lollister feel strange was that Count Kenneth was a noble conferred by the second prince. Even though he was a merchant, he was experienced and knowledgeable in the Iberian Kingdom. How could he not recognize Viscount Eddis and the others? He originally thought that Earl Kenneth was bragging, but eight out of ten nobles they met along the way knew him. What was going on?
Earl Kenneth didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he explained. He had heard of Viscount Eddis, but he had never seen him. Seriously speaking, as a noble of the Iberian Kingdom, he was the same as Baron Filim. They both belonged to the king's faction. He was more familiar with the nobles from the southern province. They were sworn enemies with the nobles from the queen's faction, while the nobles from the southern province were their allies. As for Viscount Eddis and the others, they belonged to the native faction of the Winston province. They were used to forming alliances to protect themselves. They could be considered a local neutral faction, but they were also powerful. As long as the second prince did not infringe on their interests, they were basically neutral. They were usually unwilling to meet the king and queen in the capital, so it was normal that he did not know Viscount Eddis.
Alright, the nobles of a small Iberian Kingdom were divided into so many factions. Lollister was speechless. Earl Kenneth said that ever since Lollister sent troops to take revenge and capture the second prince, there were only two factions left in the Iberian Kingdom: the queen and the native nobles of the Winston province. Without the second prince, the nobles of the southern province had no choice but to turn to the queen. Their goal changed from expanding their territory to targeting the local lords of the Winston province, and they couldn't wait to kill them. The relationship between the local lords of the Winston province like Viscount Eddis and the queen was very strained. It was basically because of the instigation of the southern province nobles.
The closer they got to Winston, the more people there were on the road. When a flag with a circular hoof print and a sharp sword stuck in the middle appeared in front of everyone, even Baron Phelim, who had always been calm, was moved. "Is Bonava going to the king's city too?"
He rushed out of the group and wanted to catch up, but when the few people under the flag saw the many noble emblems and flags behind them, they actually sped up and soon disappeared.
Lollister asked Baron Filim curiously, "Who is that Bonava you're talking about?"
Baron Filim replied with a sense of loss, "That was an important general under the second prince's command before he founded the Iberian Kingdom. He was brave and good at fighting, born in a famous knight family in the southern province, and he himself was a famous Gold Knight. He commanded two of the three great victories the second prince had before he founded the kingdom. Originally, he was to be conferred a title when the kingdom was founded, but the second prince asked him to pay a large sum of money. So he left angrily and disappeared. I can't believe he's going to participate in the Knights Tournament now … "
Lollister was speechless, and after a long time, he patted Baron Filim on the shoulder. "Forget it, that Bonava obviously doesn't want to have contact with us, or at least doesn't want to have contact with a large group of nobles like us. You'll have plenty of opportunities to find him when you get to the capital. "
In the evening, Lollister ordered them to set up camp early, and chose a small mound near the national highway as a campsite. Late at night, when Lollister got up to patrol the camp, he found a large group of people in the distance, carrying torches and hurrying through the night. It seemed that they were also heading towards the capital. When they got closer, they were surprised to find a heavily guarded military camp on the side of the road. After hesitating for a moment, the first few riders rushed to the camp with torches and asked to identify themselves. A squad of guards on night patrol told them that this was the camp of many nobles heading to the capital to participate in the Knights Tournament. After that, the riders returned and the group continued to march through the night.
There were many clouds in the sky tonight, and it seemed that there might be light rain tomorrow morning, so the moonlight was very dim. Lollister stood on the mound and watched the group on the national highway quickly pass under the mound and disappear into the distance with the sound of rumbling wheels.
Nearly a thousand cavalrymen, more than forty carriages, was it a caravan or a noble's private cargo? While he was thinking, the squad of guards on patrol came to report that the group that just passed by was from the duchy of Fulondor, saying that the duchy's little prince had come to participate in the Knights Tournament.
Hmm … It seemed that the commotion of the Knights Tournament had spread far and wide. Even the four central duchies had heard the news. The little prince of the Fulondor Duchy had come personally. It seemed that he wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Fisablon Family. On this day, the four central duchies had just joined forces with the Trade Alliance to eliminate the Second Prince's army in the Redelis Kingdom. Now, they wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Fisablon Family. That was a good idea. They plotted against each other to obtain external support and reliance for the four central duchies. If he wanted to carry out the strategic plan in his heart, the four central duchies and the Fisablon Family would become the five mountains that stood in front of him …
He definitely could not let them form a marriage alliance. That was how people were. Initially, Lollister's interest in Princess Sylvia was somewhat superficial. However, when he realized that there were people who wanted to snatch the princess away from him, he felt as if his cheese had been moved. This time, he was determined to bring Princess Sylvia back to his family's territory. He would not allow anyone to touch his Princess Sylvia …
On the morning of the second day, when the large group of people and horses were about ten miles away from the capital of Wendeli, the long and loud sound of a welcoming horn could be heard from afar. The scout team sent two riders back to report that Duke Fisablon had brought more than a hundred riders to welcome the arrival of the four great nobles of the Northern Lands. This news not only stunned Lollister, but even Viscount Eddis and the other nobles of the Iberian Kingdom were shocked. Whether it was from the perspective of the title of nobility or those who did not understand the strength of the Norton Family, Duke Fisablon's action was not only unexpected, it could also be said to be universally shocking.
This old fox is putting me on a fire to roast. Lollister was very clear that the purpose of Duke Fisablon's visit was only for him. Although he said that he was here to welcome the four great nobles of the Northern Lands, he actually wanted to see Lollister and weigh the weight of the Norton Family. Just like how Lollister regarded the Fisablon Family as an imaginary enemy in his heart, he reckoned that the old fox also thought the same way. After all, the troops under his command had already suffered many losses at his hands. Furthermore, if it were not for the high-quality equipment that his family had provided for them in the past few years, perhaps this old fox would not have dared to and would not have set his eyes on the Jinchuan region …
This was the first meeting between Lollister and Duke Fisablon. Under the gaze of the surrounding nobles of the Iberian Kingdom, when Duke Fisablon rode his horse closer and closer, Lollister dismounted first and stood by the side of the road to wait respectfully. Following that, Count Gaimus, Baron Filim, Baron Shahin, and the large group of guards dismounted one after another. Their allies consciously took a step back and stood behind Lollister. On the other hand, the guards of the four families lined up on both sides of the road. One man on one horse, they lined up in ten square formations of five hundred people facing each other.
It was said that Duke Fisablon was already over seventy years old, but a level 3 Great Swordsman was still a level 3 Great Swordsman. He looked like he was in his fifties and was full of energy. When he saw Lollister and the others dismounting from their horses and waiting respectfully from afar, he kicked his horse's abdomen. The horse beneath him rushed forward, leaving a large distance behind the hundreds of riders behind it. Very quickly, he arrived in front of the crowd and laughed. He swung his stirrups and jumped off his horse. A pair of bright eyes stared closely at Lollister. "You are Count Norton. I have long heard of your great name …"
Lollister placed his right hand on his left chest and lowered his head to bow slightly. This was the standard greeting etiquette of the former Crimson Empire. "The Norton Family of the Northern Lands greets the Duke of the Empire and the God of War of the Plains, His Royal Highness Duke Fisablon. We congratulate the Fisablon Family for bringing glory to the Plains."
Duke Fisablon extended his hand and patted Lollister's shoulder twice. "Hehe, the Northern Roaring Bear. The Norton Family has guarded the northern borders for generations. I have also long heard of your family's name. To be able to have the four great nobles of the Northern Lands come together to participate in this Knight Tournament, I am truly excited and honored. "
"Your Royal Highness, it is our honor to be able to participate in the Knight Tournament organized by you. You flatter us," Lollister said politely.
Duke Fisablon waved his hand in a forthright manner. "Don't be so polite, I am speaking from the bottom of my heart. Let me guess, this cultured and refined person must be Count Kenneth, right? I have heard of your name, but I have never met you. This time, I have fulfilled my wish. "
Count Kenneth bowed humbly. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness …"
"This calm and resolute knight, I believe that he should be the descendant of the Pegasus Family, the famous Gold Knight Baron Filim."
Baron Filim smashed his right fist on his breastplate and gave a knight's salute. "The Filim Family pays its respects to the Grand Duke!"
Baron Şahin, who was beside him, immediately followed suit and gave a knight's salute. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness. I am Henned from the Şahin Family of the Northern Lands. I pay my respects to the Fisablon Family of the Leaping Horse Plains!"
Duke Fisablon laughed and patted Baron Şahin's breastplate twice, praising, "Good man …"
Next, the nobles of the Iberian Kingdom paid their respects to the Grand Duke one after another. However, the Grand Duke only snorted twice, nodded, and turned his gaze to the guards in formation. He turned to Lollister and asked, "Count Norton, is this your family's military?"
Of course, didn't you see the Furious Bear emblem on their breastplates?
However, Lollister understood what Duke Fisablon meant and nodded. "Your Royal Highness, you are the famous God of War of the Prairie, a great strategist. Please inspect our family's military and give us valuable advice. Please …"
"Attention! We pay our respects to His Royal Highness Duke Fisablon! "
Every time Duke Fisablon walked to the front of a phalanx, the captain of the phalanx would definitely give an order. All the members would stand at attention and pay their respects to the Grand Duke.
Duke Fisablon also continuously gave a knight's salute to every phalanx and nodded his head frequently.
In front of the last Norton Family's phalanx, Duke Fisablon stopped after giving a knight's salute. He walked to the front of the guards and reached out his hand to knock on the breastplates, shoulder plates, and helmets of the guards in the front row. Then, he shook his head and smiled bitterly at Lollister, who was accompanying him. "Good boy, are you trying to see me make a fool of myself? I can't train such elites. If they were to come to our family, each of them would at least be a squad leader, or even a squadron leader. Not to mention other things, even the equipment they are wearing is much better than our family's knights.
Tell me the truth, are these elites of your family wearing steel armor? When I knocked on them, it didn't feel right. It wasn't the sound of fine iron armor. The defense is much stronger than the fine iron standard equipment your family sold me … "
An old fox was indeed an old fox. Count Kenneth and the rest had not discovered the steel armor on the Norton Family's soldiers after so long, but Duke Fisablon had discovered something strange the first time he saw them.
Lollister was also lying through his teeth. "It's not steel armor. We just padded a layer of steel wire inside to strengthen the defense. However, the cost has doubled. I originally thought that expanding production would reduce the cost, but after producing 3,000 sets, I realized that the cost couldn't be reduced, so I had to stop. The cost of the standard equipment they are wearing is as high as 180 gold fords per set. Therefore, it can only be used by my guards. The soldiers of other families can't afford to use it … "
In order to prove that he was telling the truth, Lollister casually removed the arm plate of the guard in front of him and showed it to Duke Fisablon. There was indeed a layer of steel wire inside the greenish-gray arm plate. The Duke looked at it again and again and knocked on it a few times. He was still skeptical.
Other than this interlude, Duke Fisablon was full of praise for the elite and well-trained Norton Family's soldiers. At the same time, he also praised the guards brought by Count Kenneth, Baron Filim, and Baron Shahin. After exchanging pleasantries for a long time, everyone got on their horses and followed Duke Fisablon towards the capital of Wenderbri.
…
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