Indeed, Bosley was right. Tónigel was not rich in crystal ores.
In order to create the White Lion Armor, the Sacred Wind Runes had to be branded onto the main joints and breastplate of the armor to reduce the weight of the armor and increase its agility. Erouine's blacksmiths would use amethyst or topaz instead. These two types of crystals were extremely pure magic crystals and were one of the main materials used by witches and astrologers to make crystal balls. In Wohnde, amethyst was also known as moon quartz, a type of calcite. Grinoires, Arreck, Viero, and the east of Tónigel were rich in these crystals. They grew densely in the caves formed by the erosion of the mountains and hills, but Tónigel did not have such natural conditions.
Trentheim was an unfamiliar territory to him, and it was an unfamiliar territory to him.
The drawbridge creaked as it was lowered, and the chains connecting the drawbridge to the city gate made an ear-piercing sound as they rubbed against the bricks. A ray of light shone in from behind the drawbridge, imprinting itself on the brick wall on one side of the pitch-black gate. Brando sat motionlessly on his horse. His light brown eyes reflected the light that was gradually becoming more and more dazzling. He pursed his lips and looked at the drawbridge that was slowly lowering. The gap between the drawbridge and the gate was getting wider and wider. More and more light was pouring in from behind the gap, illuminating his eyes brightly.
Behind him was the main street of Abies. Other than the short speech he gave to the surviving mercenaries and citizens in the morning after the bitter battle that night, this was the first time he observed the city from the perspective of a lord. At least for the time being, this was his own city. Baron Abies' territory was located in the south of Tónigel. It was directly under Graudin's jurisdiction. There were only four major populated areas: Abies, the mining town of Schafflund, Gris Ferry, and Port Gris to the east. The population was estimated to be around eighty thousand. Thirty thousand of them lived in Castle Abies and the surrounding areas. Of course, there were many settlements like the Green Village that were not included in the statistics, but Brando guessed that the total population was less than a hundred thousand.
However, this was the most densely populated area in Tónigel. There were about three hundred thousand people living in Tónigel.
Tónigel had a total of one hundred and seventy Knight's territories. Graudin's territory was not the only one. Most of the territories were occupied by his retainers. Brando knew that Saluf was nicknamed the 'Benevolent Knight'. Saluf was a strict and inflexible Knight compared to the tyrannical nobles here. Brando knew that the only reason Saluf was able to get along well with Graudin and was entrusted with such an important task was because Saluf had always been loyal to Graudin.
Therefore, he would have to face the armies of these two lords first. These people were Count Randner's pathfinders, and only by teaching them a lesson would the Count, who was hiding behind the scenes, become more cautious.
Therefore, their first goal was to make Graudin's retainers fear them in the upcoming battle.
The door of the drawbridge creaked as it was lowered. After a flash of white light, Brando saw the blue sky. He raised his head and looked at the sky. From Abies Castle to the Parton Wilderness in the north, the Tónigel Plains between the Horn Gorge and Mount Grahar shared the same beautiful weather. This was the best period of time for Randner before winter. The plains shone with a golden luster, but after the autumn harvest, the temperature would quickly drop.
Thus, the nobles in the north were preparing for war. They wanted to attack before winter. If they delayed, the war would drag on until the next spring. Both Queen Anna and Gluke did not want to see such an outcome. Especially in the Yanilasu region, the Erouine Royal Family's' Lion Dragon 'Fleet' was a huge threat behind Corvado. It could change the situation at any time.
Seifer's Black Edge had already entered the Lodal River, and the only thing left was for both sides to persuade the merchants in Ampere Seale. If the Queen's top lobbyist succeeded in persuading the merchants, then thousands of Seifer's heavy infantry would cross the Lodal River and reach the border of Frada, just like what happened in history.
Similarly, the situation in Tónigel in the south had also become tense because of his appearance. The smell of war was like the sweetness of a harvest that floated in the wind, but there was also a faint smell of blood.
Time moved methodically against a leaden gray background.
"The 17th, the second day after the war. According to the communication standards of this era, the letter containing the news of the mercenaries' rebellion should have reached Lord Macsen in the north of Mince Castle. The first batch of Knights should be leaving the limestone castle to gather their forces, "Brando thought silently. He could only control the area around Abies Castle, and the Knight in the manor had already left with the news." After the initial preparations, Lord Macsen should be able to gather two or three thousand soldiers. Although the Iron ratio is less than 20%, it will still be a tough battle for the less than a thousand mercenaries. "
"Lord Macsen probably expects the mercenaries to defend Abies Castle to the death or escape into the forest." However, Brando's ideal location for the battle was the hills north of Gris Ferry. As for when the army would depart, it would depend on the news from the scouts. Before this, he had already sent a small group of Mercenaries of Lopes to the latter's territory. At this moment, in Firburh Barony, there was no one more suitable than the Druids to act as spies.
Brando thought about all of this in silence. This battle was extremely important in everyone's mind.
This was not only because Lord Macsen was about to send out his troops, but also because it was only a small test. Brando's real headache was the possibility of Count Randner closing in on him from behind the scenes. He estimated that he had about a month's time to arrange everything, repair the defenses, and tidy up the territory. Before that, it was more important to build up the mercenaries' confidence in him. Even though the mercenaries in the city were on the same boat as him for the time being, it was impossible for them to be so close to him in the long run. Unless they were confident that he could provide them with the necessary protection.
Jutta, Cornelius, and Raban were not to be trifled with. Brando knew that he would not be able to hold them back with just a beautiful hope. This battle would build up their confidence.
In fact, Amandina also believed that this battle was not only for the sake of stabilizing this initial group. At the same time, it was also to announce Brando's legitimacy to the citizens of Abies Castle. If this battle achieved its goal, Count Randner would slow down his pace. This way, the citizens would naturally lean towards them.
What the citizens needed was not only a benevolent lord, but also a lord who could protect them.
The drawbridge was already halfway down, and Brando could see the red tiles on the roofs of Abies Castle in the distance. Tónigel was close to the western coast of the Dead Moon Inland Sea. The wind from the sea brought with it plenty of rain, so most of the houses had extremely sloped roofs. Other than the pointed arched windows in the attics, there was a channel to draw water from the eaves. Green vines hung down from the windows of the attics, contrasting with the red tiles on the roof.
Light also poured into the tunnel, brightening it up. Other than his face, the light outlined half of Brendel's body from the darkness, and then drew out the graceful curves of the two beautiful girls behind him. Scarlet carried her long spear on her back and stood upright on her horse. Although her amber eyes deliberately maintained a sense of calmness like a guard, there was a trace of a young girl's anticipation and excitement hidden deep in her heart. After all, she was an independent girl who grew up with the Grey Wolves Mercenaries in the mountains of the Southern Territory. Of course, she was not used to the dull atmosphere in the castle.
As for Scarlett, most of her emotions were still indifferent.
Brando paid attention to his two followers for a moment, then looked forward and calmed his mind. The drawbridge was slowly lowered in front of him, and the scenery on the other side became more and more visible. The streets were still being cleaned, but there were already people on the other side. Most of the shops and workshops were not open for business, but Brendel's sharp senses had already noticed the suspicious and vigilant gazes from the windows on him. The citizens of the castle had already noticed the commotion in Abies Castle, and they were sizing up this new lord who was not so legitimate.
Brando had already ordered Amandina to rewrite the tax policy, and not only did he exempt most of the taxes, but he also cut off the old accounts. Unfortunately, even though this method was tempting, most people were doubtful of how effective it was. Moreover, it was still a question whether he could stand up again.
With a loud bang, dust flew everywhere, and the drawbridge was finally lowered. Brando smiled in his heart, but he did not care too much about the attitude of these people. Next, he saw Raban, Jutta, and Cornelius waiting for him outside the castle, and Amandina was standing beside them.
"My lord."
The silver-haired middle-aged man, Cornelius, was the first to bow deeply when he saw Brendel. As someone who had fought side by side with Brendel before, he knew better than anyone what kind of capabilities this young lord had. Even though he was worried that Brando would not be able to face the Randner Family head on, or if he would use them as scapegoats, the more worried he was, the more respectful he was.
Jutta pursed her lips slightly, but Brando's actions today made her eyes light up. She was surprised that this murderous young man had such an amiable side to him. Raban was the only one who held his head high with an expressionless face.
"Do you know why I'm looking for you?" Brando asked.
The three of them shook their heads.
"My lord," Cornelius replied respectfully: "Just give us your orders, and we will not hesitate to go through fire and water to carry it out." (To be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please go to www.qidian.com, there are more chapters. Support the author, support the original reading!)
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